THE GVILTY-COVERED CLERGYMAN VNVAILED; IN A plain and candid REPLY unto Two Bundles of Wrath and Confusion, wrapped up in One and twenty sheets of Paper.  
THE ONE Written by Christopher Fowler and Simon Ford of Reading; The other by William Thomas of Ubley in Somersetshire.  
Wherein all their malicious Slanders and false Accusations, which they cast upon the Truth, are clean washed off; Their weapons with which they war against the Lamb, broken over their own heads; and they, with the rest of the Tyth-exacting Teachers, proved to be the great Incendaries, and Misleaders of these Nations.  
In which also there is made a brief and sober Application, to the Magistrates, and other Inhabitants, within the City of Bristol.  
By THOMAS SPEED, a Friend to all that tremble at the Word of the Lord; But an irreconcilable Enemy to the mysterious Deceit, and monstrous Hypocrisy of those that do Teach for Hire, and Divine for Money.  Jer. 10.21. The Pastors are become BRUTISH, and have not sought the Lord, therefore they shall not prosper, and all their Flock shall be SCATTERED. Sense. Tragoed. Sequitur superbos ulter à tergo Deus. Juven. Sat. 6. 
— nihilest audacius illis  
Deprensis, iram atquè animos à Crimine sumunt.  
LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the black Spread-Eagle at the west end of Paul's 16●●   

To the Parliament of England now assembled at Westminster.  
SIRS,  
ALthough I dare not give you flattering Titles, with the pen of a Sycophant; yet I can truly say that I love you (as you abide in the fear of the Lord) with the heart of a plaindealing friend. 
Job. 32.22.  It's recorded in the Scriptures of truth, that imperious Haman (flushed with his advance to his short-lived honour) did strenuously endeavour to have cut off the necks of thousands of innocent Jews, upon Mordecays stiff knee: The murderous design being laid, the subtle old serpent that ruled in this man of blood, was not to seek of an expedient to bring it into execution. Let but the King's approbation and Decree be obtained, and then this proud Courtier maketh sure, of satisfying that lust upon the Jews throats, which he could by no means effect upon Mordecays knee. To this end Ahasuerus his ears must be filled with suggestions, as full of falsehood as malice. These harmless people are slanderously represented to him, to be very evil members of his body politic; 
Est. 3.8  both by reason of the diversity of their Laws from all other people, and also their disobedience to the King's Laws. And therefore it could not well consist with the King's profit, to indulge to such a heterodox generation (within any of his Provinces) the benefit of breathing in the common air.  
Although Haman be dead, yet that foul spirit by which he was acted, survived him throughout all generations, unto this very day: When Christ the Sun of righteousness, began to rise in the brightness of his glory, and so out shine the faint glory of all the Jewish Rites, Worships, Services; the Rulers, 
Mat. 26.4.  Priests, Scribes, Pharisees, and the people also (by the Chief-Priests persuasion) conspire his death. The life appeareth, but the letter would destroy it; the power is brought forth, but the form standeth ready to devour it. But Christ is innocent, 
1 Pet. 2.22.  there being no guile found in his mouth. And therefore since he cannot be impeached (as an evil doer) for matter of fact, he must for matter of Opinion, Judgement, Principles. Although he hath done no evil (being in his conversation holy, 
Heb. 7.26. Mat. 26, 61.  harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners) yet it is by them presumed that he thinketh evil, because they judge him to have spoken evil, viz. dangerous words about their Temple, 
Vers. 65.  nay blasphemous words against God; and therefore (by the consent of Priestridden Pilate) he is hurried to the cross to suffer as a Deceiver. 
Eccles. 1.9.   
Is there any new thing under the Sun? Is not the same spirit of pride, and persecution (clothed in the garb of seeming zeal) found walking openly in the streets of our Cities, Towns, and Villages at this day? Are not the innocent (now as of old) traduced to you both by Press and Pulpit, under the notions of Quakers, Heretics, Blasphemers, and Deceivers? And where malice cannot reach them as transgressors of the Civil Law (being thereunto obedient for conscience sake) are they not (with Daniel) ensnared concerning the law of their God? 
Dan. 6.5.  Have not the impetuous instigations of the Pulpit of late, had that destructive influence upon many in authority, that (contrary to the righteous law of this Nation) it hath been made matter of crime unto many peaceably to travel upon the high ways? Nay have not several persons, 
One and twenty in a few days taken up by armed guards and sent to Exon Goal, of which one died there.  that have been constantly faithful to the State's interest, been violently surprised, as they were travelling about their lawful occasions, and cast into bonds, among Rogues, and Felons, for no other transgression but this, that they did own but the name, or the person, of one that is called a Quaker? An unheard of inroad upon the liberties of English men; and a practice rarely to be paralleled in the times of the forest persecutions that history maketh mention of;  
It's storied of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, 
Euseb. Hist.  a Roman Emperor, that (in the time of the fourth persecution of the Christians) being reduced to a great exigent, both because he and his Army were straight environed by their enemies in the midst of Germany, and had also wanted fresh water for the space of five days. And having called (but in vain) upon his Country Gods for relief, he sendeth for a number of Christians; against whom (at their first approach) he was not a little enraged, for that they came (saith Antoninus' himself) without either Weapon, Munition, Armour, or Trumpets, as men abhorring such preparation, and furniture, but only satisfied in trust of their God, whom they carry about with them in their CONSCIENCES. These, falling prostrate upon the ground, prayed to a God (saith he) UNKNOWN of me; upon which there fell pleasant showers upon Antoninus his host, but a storm of hail mixed with much lightning, upon the host of his enemies; by which means it came to pass, that he, and his, were refreshed, and his adversaries discomfited. Whereupon he writeth an express to the Senate and people of Rome, in these words; If any shall apprehend one that is a Christian, only for that cause, I will that he being apprehended, may without punishment have leave to confess the same, so that there be none other cause objected against him, but that he is a Christian; but let his accuser be burned alive.  
I writ not this (the Lord is my witness) as desiring fire from heaven, upon those that thirst after mine own, and the blood of thousands in this Nation, because we cannot worship the image, which they would set up; but only to mind you, that, even among the heathens, it was deemed unreasonable, that, where men's conversations were otherwise honest (being compared with the just laws of men) they should notwithstanding suffer for what they did believe, and practice, concerning the law of their God. Nor is it my design to blunt the edge of the sword against the transgressor. The righteous law was made for the unrighteous person, 
1 Tim. 1.9.  and upon him doth the stroke thereof justly fall. Whilst your sword is born against the evil doer, it's the sword of the Lord: But beware of turning the edge thereof against the innocent; for then it's no longer the sword of God, but the executioner of your own lusts.  
I do well know how passionately ye are invocated (by those that long to be in the Chair) to enact Laws to establish Church Government (as they call it) and punish Heretics; that is, in plain English, to make every Parish Teacher a Bishop, to give Laws to yours and other men's consciences. Neither am I ignorant with what longing expectation, many that call themselves Ministers of Christ (though none of his Ministers ever persecuted any man) do wait to receive Commission from you, to exercise the matchless cruelty of that villainous Tyrant, in stretching all that are too short to the just length of their bed, and cutting all those shorter who in length do exceed it. But however they may incessantly urge you (pretending a vision from the Lord) to establish laws to bind the conscience; yet know, that it's Christ's prerogative to give laws to that; and you will be in his esteem but Usurpers, whilst you undertake to rule there, 
O. P. In his Speech to the Parl. in the painted Chamber. Sept. 12. 1654.  where he is of right sole King, and Law giver. He spoke truth, who said, That liberty of conscience is a NATURAL right. So that he that maketh an entrenchment upon that, doth (what in him lieth) bereave me of my birth right.  
Sirs, Deceive not yourselves, nor let the lips of any false Prophet deceive you; 
Page 30.  for I say plainly to you (and you shall one day witness what I say to be true) that it will neither be for your honour, or your peace in the great day of your account, that any Act shall be found enroled among the Laws of your establishing, whereby the holy one of Israel hath been sought to be limited Which of you can mean sure the waters of the great deep in the hollow of his hand? 
Isa. 40.12, 13.  or meet out heaven with his span, or comprehend the dust of the earth in a measure, or weigh the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Or which of you hath at any time directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him? O how then is it, that you should but once think to pale and limit (within the scant circumference of man's cloudy reason) that Sovereign WIND, which bloweth when, and where, and how it listeth? 
Gen. 17.14.  There is a time when circumcision is commanded upon pain of death; there is a season when the same thing maketh Christ unprofitable to the user. 
Gal. 5.2.  There is a time when swearing by the name of the Lord is commanded; 
Deut. 6.13.  and there is a time when the great Lawgiver (whom under penalty of being destroyed we are commanded to hear) cuteth off all exceptions, and saith swear not at all. 
Act. 3.23. Matth. 5.34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉" ΟΛΩΣ.  Take heed of forbidding where Christ commandeth, and of commanding where he forbiddeth. In the counsel of the Lord stand, and you will find direction near you. The hand of grace doth hold the candle of the Lord (a measure of the light of Christ which you have received) in all your Consciences; 
Joh. 8.12.  being guided by which, you will be safely led on to enact laws (according to that Royal law written in the heart) for God, and not against him. At this Oracle, the spiritual light of Christ (so despised by the wise among men) you may take counsel in your greatest straits, and find certain resolution. You shall neither stagger nor err, for its conduct is in the sure and clean paths of peace, not contrary, but according to the Scriptures of truth, which were given forth by the holy men of God, who dwelled in the same light of Jesus. Take heed of acting that thing for which the witness of God in your consciences do condemn you; for if that condemn you, God is greater than the conscience. Finally, Remember that whilst you abide faithful with the Lord, he will be with you, but if you forsake him, 
1 Chron. 28 9 Isa. 59.10.  he will forsake you; and than you will be left to grope as in the dark at noon day, and stagger in your counsels as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. And know, 
Isa. 19.14.  that as all powers in this nation have stood firm, whilst they stood for God so it hath been, and will be, the certain forerunner of their sudden ruin, when once they begin to clash, or contend, with the Lord, or his people. The Lord God Almighty be your sun and your shield.  
I am Yours in the love and service of the Lamb against the Dragon. THOMAS SPEED.   

To the honest Reader.  
READER,  
I Have now (through the crowd of my other necessary employments) brought forth this ensuing Reply, to Two large and fiery Pamphlets, both written in Answer to a short Epistle, directed to the public Teachers of this Nation. The after part of one of which, written by Christopher Fowler and Simon Ford, concerneth not the said Epistle, but the Book to which it was prefixed, and therefore to that I have not now made my Reply, 
In the Epistle to his Reader.  being threatened with a sudden Answer to the whole Book by William Thomas, and then I shall Reply upon them both together. Or in case of William Thomas his silence, I shall then undertake them singly; nothing doubting but that in the strength of truth, by the power of the Lord, I shall be made able to repel all the furious assaults which they therein make, upon the Lamb's followers. In the mean while, having once cast thine eye upon this ensuing Reply, be at the expense of so much pains as to read it through; lest by a cursory or partial view thereof, thou shouldest wrong me or mine Adversaries. Whilst thou art reading shut prejudice out of doors, and set singleness, and sobriety, as Watchmen at the door-posts of thy heart, to keep it out; so wilt thou be kept from passing rash or unrighteous judgement upon the truth, or me. The God of Wisdom give thee understanding in all things. Farewell.  
THOMAS SPEED.   

THE Guilty-covered Clergyman Unveiled, In a Reply to two Pamphlets, The One, Written by Christopher Fowler, and Simon Ford of Redding. The Other, By William Thomas of Ubley in Somersetshire.  
Christopher Fowler, and Simon Ford,  
UPon the sixteenth day of the month passed (called July) I received (by the hands of a Friend) a Pamphlet with a scoffing inscription written upon it, subscribed with both your hands, and directed to myself, which I have perused, and seriously weighed, and do find it to be a monstrous birth, begotten by the Prince of darkness, conceived in the womb of your own guilt, and brought forth by the vigorous assistance of that great Red Dragon, 
Rev. 12.4, 5.  which stood before the Woman ready to be delivered, to devour her man child, as soon as it was born.  
Since which time, I have met with another heap of anger, and confusion, come forth under the name of WILLIAM THOMAS of Vbley; a piece which is found having on it, the same stamp of enmity with yours, only with this difference, that whereas you have subtly couch, and covered your malice under the deceitful paint of smooth words, he hath thrown out his scorn, and disdain, both against the truth, and mine own person, under a thinner covering, in the view of all men.  
To both these Pamphlets, I shall now apply myself in a way of Reply; not thereby to gratify either of your wills, or lusts, nor to vindicate myself, who could (the Lord is my witness) gladly sit down in silence, wearing your reproaches as a crown upon my head, and (through the power of his grace who hath saved me) esteem it my honour, not only to suffer affliction, but to die, (bearing testimony against their wickedness) under the merciless hands of your bloody generation. But for the truth's sake which you so profanely trample upon, and for the innocents' sake whose blood you so eagerly thirst after, and for the simples sake whom you so miserably delude, I may not keep silence. But before I speak either to the Title or the Contents of either of your Papers, I shall premise these five things.  

1. In my Reply, I shall principally direct my Speech to you two, yet so as that I shall in passing on take notice, of what ever William Thomas hath spoken 
* Which is but very little.  worthy of an Answer. Who in his Epistle directed to the Reader, and prefixed to his Pamphlet, declareth his resolutions to have no further to do with me; although in his following Book there be scarce a Page, in which he doth not mention me with scorn and contempt. 
☞  A rare demonstration of his truth and ingenuity! to throw as many stones at me as the hand of his rage could well lay hold on, having but just before told his Reader, that he would have no more to do with me.  
2 Take notice, that I shall not make it my business to trace you in every unsavoury and impertinent expression throughout your Books. I esteem my time more precious, then to squander it away in raking into all that mire and dirt, that's closed up in those one and twenty sheets of paper; However you may esteem of time, who live by the sweat of other men's brows, eating the fat, and drinking the sweet; with me, I must let you know, it's more precious than plenty.  
3 What ever of dung or filth, you have cast on the truth or myself, I shall quietly wipe off, not lifting it back again upon your own faces, but let it fall into the Channel, whence you may perhaps spend your spare hours to take it again, to bespatter the innocent with in you next.  
4 Whether it may prove an irritation, or an allay to your fury, I am not solicitous, but from me you may not expect flattering language: As the Scripture doth, so shall I study to give every thing its true denomination, by calling a lie, deceit, hypocrisy, by their proper names; which I prefume you will judge railing, but I (according to the Scripture) plainness.  
5 Whereas throughout that Epistle (which sticks so sorely as an arrow in your guilty breasts) I did speak to those of your Function under the name of Teachers, waving that of Priests, being willing to cut off every shadow of a just exception, now I shall occasionally make use thereof, in this my following Reply, and that for these two Reasons.   
First, Because yourselves do own the name, and do call yourselves and your Brethren thereby in page 13. at the close of the 12 Section of your Book: So that you cannot rationally take it ill that I give you what you take to yourselves.  
Secondly, Because you lay confident claim to their maintenance (viz.) Tithes, which the Ministers of the Gospel, sent out by Jesus never claimed; and therefore it's but reasonable, that a distinction should be kept betwixt you and them, as well in your names as practices.  
These things being premised, I shall pass on to your Books. To both which, I must justly charge you with prefixing lying Titles: You say, A sober Answer to an angry Epistle; whereas neither was my Epistle angry, nor your Answer sober; as all that live in lobriety will (upon perusal of both) truly judge. You had showed some honesty in speaking truth, if you had (vice versâ) said, An angry Answer to a sober Epistle. William Thomas is more notorious in his— transgressing the limits both of truth and honesty, calling his bundle of ignorance and passion, by the name of Railing rebuked: A swelling Title, thinking thereby to beget his reader into a belief, that he had to do with some monster of a man.  
What a furious piece is a guilty Priest when his sore is rubbed? Let truth hit him but upon the seat of his guilt, and you rouse a Lion from his sleep. In what a strange Region of flattery, and filthy compliments, do those men breath, with whom truth in plainness of speech, is railing, and the express language of the Scripture, reviling?  
You proceed in your Title page to charge me with revolting from being a public Teacher, to merchandise. To which I reply, that the understanding Reader may easily conclude, how far your Book is from being a sober Answer, when as you have the confidence to prefix so egregious a lie in the very front of it. For that those that know my manner of life can testify, that for many years together, whilst I was a Public teacher (as you style me) I did merchandise; and therefore did not revolt from the one to the other. That I am still a Merchant is true, in which calling I esteem it my duty to abide faithful, not making myself burdensome unto others, as your troublesome generation are to the whole Nation at this day. So far am I from esteeming the name of a Merchant, a term of reproach to me, that I do in heart prefer one honest Merchant, before a legion of Tithe-exacting Priests; and must withal tell you, that, did the Commonwealth reap no greater yeatly advantage from the industrious Merchant, than it doth from the devouring Priests, they that sit at Helm might at each years' end, writ down their names, in the books of their greatest accounts, in worthless Ciphers.  
You charge me further, with using Jesuitical equivocations, etc.  
Rep. This is a stone that every sorry thing in black (to use your own expression) hath to cast in his face, who hath so much honesty and courage, as to bear testimony against the wickedness of your Pharisaical generation. If any man doth appear with strength of truth and plainness, to decry the deceit and unrighteousness of teachers and people; every ignorant Priest is presently crying out a Jesuit, a Jesuit, thinking by that brand of reproach, to render those just accusations that are brought against them, less credible in the judgements of the simple. But do not deceive yourselves, in thinking that I shall be scared from discovering your uncleanness, by your great words, I am as irreconcilable an Antagonist, to the Antichristian principles, and practices, found among the Jesuits, as I am to the same found among you; from declaring against which, I shall never be dissuaded by either bribe or fear.  
The rest of your scorns, and unsavoury scoffs in your Title page, I pass over, as being unwilling to defile my thoughts, or my pen, with such filthy rubbish. I now pass to both your Epistles.  
And first, I cannot but take notice how you walk in the old path of begging Patronage to your deformed Pamphlet. 
Christ. Fowler and Simon Ford 's Epistle to Col. Sydenham, examined.  You have some mire and dirt to throw upon the innocent, out of the raging Sea of your inward guilt, and what then? that you may act your design with the more authority, you must crouch and cringe to Col. Sydenham, and tell him that you are his Honour's affectionate Servants, that under his shelter (as you phrase it) you might shoot out the bitter arrows of lies and slanders (with which your Epistle and Book do abound) with the greater hope of credit, among those that live in the same spirit of wickedness with yourselves. Had you writ nought but truth, that would not have needed the shadow of any man's wing for its shelter, and patronage. I once knew Colonel Sydenham dwelling in a spirit of prudence, and moderation, in which if he yet abideth, and be not Priestridden into passion, and prejudice against the truth (which I should be sorry to understand) I doubt not but he doth discern and loathe that spirit of fawning and flattery upon which you offered up to him that polluted sacrifice of an Epistle.  
You begin it with a high (but a lying) Accusation charging me with Apostasy to damnable doctrines; To which I say, That he that saith that of me which he neither doth, nor can prove, is a liar; and such do I charge you Two to be, who have most maliciously dealt with me both in this Epistle and the Pamphlet, as your Predecessors (the Roman bloodsuckers) did with the poor innocent Christians in those days, viz. cloth them with the skins of some ugly creature, and then cast them to the wild beast to be devoured. But I doubt not, but that I shall (before you and I part) give the sober Reader a true representation of such Doctrines and Practices, of yours and your brethren's, as will make his ears to tingle.  
You tell Colonel Sydenham that in my Epistle I challenged all the public Teachers in the Nation, and you in particular.  
Rep. Now whether this be true or like the former, Col. Sydenham, and all honest readers may determine, upon perusal of my Epistle, in which there is not a word of any challenge, or any thing like it: But how doth it appear that I did challenge you? your proof is because (you say) I sent you each a Book by name. To which I shall only say, That the person that delivered you a book from me, utterly mistake me. For why I should particularly direct a book to either of you, whose faces (to my knowledge) I never saw, nor ever exchanged word with you, let the reader judge. This is the pretended ground of your undertaking; but I rather judge the real rise to be, from a mixture of your guilt and ambition, that you might at once give the world a proof of your abilities, both in painting and sophistry. But your cover are too short, and to the most weak-fighted of the children of light, is your nakedness manifest.  
The next thing you suggest to Colonel Sydenham, as a motive to your undertaking, is, that you dared not to betray the truth, and the glory of the Lord Jesus, nor the precious souls of the people.  
Rep. Did not your hypocrisy stare in your faces, when you were penning these feigned motives? Are you not known to live in a professed enmity to the truth of Christ, appearing in his Saints, and yet pretend a zeal for it? Are not your conversations a stain to the very profession of hierome, by living in pride, covetousness, by your persecution, nay (what in you lieth) drawing his blood in his innocent Lambs; and yet you tender of his glory? Besides, how can you absolve yourselves from being betrayers of precious soul, who cry peace, peace, where the Lord hath spoken no peace; 
Jer. 6.14.  and do slay the souls that should not die, who do reach for doctrine, 
Ezek. 13 19  the traditions of men, drawing poor souls from their true guide, to listen to your corrupt dreams and divinations, and keeping them fast in the snares of Satan, do lead them down hood winked into the chambers of death.  
I shall pass from yours to William Thomas his Epistle, 
Will. Thomas his Epistle to his friends. etc. in and about the City of Bristol scanned.  in which he maketh a great cry, to little purpose. He directeth it to his well beloved Friends and Neighbours, in and about the City of Bristol, those in particular of his own charge, and in special those that have sadly, and dangerously declined from the Scripture path.  
Rep. I will not quarrel at the sense or rather the— of this inscription. I shall speak to the thing intended. It seemeth that William Thomas hath those of his own charge, that have sadly, and dangerously declined from the Scripture path. And do they not therein demonstrate themselves, to be teachable Disciples, in following their Pastor's practice? Sure I am, he is far wide from the Scripture-path, both in his principles and practice; and if you call to him for Scripture, to prove what he saith, or doth (as I have sufficiently done) he will give you one of his own meanings, or wild deductions instead of Scripture; which if you refuse to accept, than an outcry is presently made, here is one that denieth Scripture, an Heretic, an Heretic.  
He telleth his friends in Bristol (among many other notorious untruths) that I will needs be his adversary.  
Reply As if (from a busy mind) I had been the beginner of the present contest betwixt us. 
William. Thomas the beginner of the present Contest.  Whereas I was quietly abiding in my calling not designing to write, or print, any thing to him, or touching him. Neither can I say, but that I might have gone to my grave in silence, without writing or printing aught that related to him, or his vexatious generation; but that he first began with me by writing, to which I returned him a plain and sober Answe, upon which he reported things 〈◊〉 touching me that were (as formerly I have said) both false and scandalous, which reflected much upon the truth, and others that were innocent. The knowledge of which necessitated me to put pen to Paper, and prepare that for the Press, which otherwise might never have come to public view. And now that I am engaged, I am resolved in the strength of the Lord, never to desist (while I have a tongue to speak or a hand to write) from discovering the monstrous wickedness, of the Romish Whore, decked with a glorious profession. And when ever it be, that by the hand of violence my mouth shall be either stopped, or my Pen obstructed, I shall then esteem it my mercy from the Lord, to be made able and willing, to offer my life unto death, bearing witness against all the abominations of that bloodthirsty company of false Prophets, who in cruelty and oppression both upon the bodies and consciences, of Christ's righteous servants, have exceedingly outdone their Fathers the Bishops, and the generation of evil-doers that have gone before them.  
William Thomas farther telleth his friends that his Adversary (meaning myself) hath his abode in Bristol, where many of the same apostatising, and erroneous way with himself, are entertained and countenanced, which he cannot but present as matter of deep humiliation to that City.  
Rep. A charge like to that of his brethren's of Redding; but (as to Error and Apostasy) not the shadow of truth in it. Reader, let William Thomas appear, (and I shall be free to meet him) before any that are sober in public, or private in that City, and by the Scriptures of truth, let me be proved the Apostate, or he the Liar. But why is it matter of 
* Religion is the pretence, but domination is the thing intended.  humiliation that I have my abode in Bristol, and have with others entertainment and countenance? May not Thomas Speed and other peaceable Citizens abide in their proper habitations in Bristol, as well as William Thomas in that which is none of his at Vbley? What would this angry man have? doth he desire our throats should be cut, or our persons exiled, because we dare not profess Subjection to the imperious dictates of every Lordly Priest? Is it matter of humiliation that we have the privilege to breath in the common air?  
Hath he and his brethren been pulling, and preaching down Bishops, and Tyrants, and praying and fight for liberty of Conscience, these fourteen year past? and is it now become matter of humiliation, that they that are more deserving then themselves (because more faithful to the Commonwealth) should have the liberty of a quiet abode, among men, and that just countenance which the laws of the Nation do afford to all free born Englishmen? To what height is this proud Priestly spirit ascending, which hath not elbow-room enough throughout the Nation, unless it can justle all others (that in Conscience do dissent) out of the land of their nativity? Reader, mind what I shall say, and remember that I told thee of it before hand, that black and cloudy will that day be (and especially to many professors, who now sit and laugh at others sufferings) when as that hellish Synodical principle, shall be reduced into practice (viz.) if any will not conform, let them choose to themselves either bonds, or banishment.  
He proceedeth in his anger, calling my Book an ugly monster brought to Bristol Fair. To which I reply, that it was so in part is confessed, for that which it contained of his untruths, slanders, and contradictions, made it such. Ay, but it was brought to Bristol Fait.  
Reply. This is matter of great discontent to him: The folly and filthiness of the priests must not be brought to too public view. Do but honour them before the people, giving them the cap and the knee in the marketplace, and you may call them by their proper names in private. But was not William Thomas his misshapen Birth (to which I am now making my Reply) brought first to be showed at Bristol Fair? and hath not Thomas Speed, as much right to have a just vindication of the truth and himself, brought to that Fair, as William Thomas hath for his heap of wrath and slanders (to say no more) to be first brought to the same place? Reader, when ever thou dost meet with any Priest, that hath but so much ingenuity, as to give the same liberty he would have (for with one so qualified, I could never yet meet) I desire to hear of him, assuring thee that I shall highly esteem of him, as far as he abideth faithful in the practice of that principle.  
There are two sorts of persons, to whom this poor enraged man addresseth himself in his Epistle, which is made up of gross untruths slanders, clinches, causes, considerations, remedies, means, and such other Babilonish stuff, as his usual preachments are compounded of.  
The first sort are such, who (as he expresseth it) have held fast those things which they have received, 
Who they are that the Priests do esteem to stand firm.  and heard from their teachers, etc. These he calleth in the precedent lines (in the third page of his Epistle) such as have stood firm. The English of which I shall give the Reader in these following particulars.  

1. They in the estimation of these men do stand firm, who can worship and adore them in all companies where they come, as great Scholars, able Divines, and such at whose lips they are to seek counsel.  
2. They that can esteem what ever their teachers do Magisterially dictate to them, as the Oracles of God; not presuming to deviate therefrom, under the penalty of being reckoned among the despisers of God's messengers.  
3. They that stand ready to become executioners of the Priest's wrath, upon all those as Heretics, whom they condemn for such in their pulpits.  
4. He that can spend the first day of the week, devoutly listening to his Minister, crying out of pride, covetousness, malice, etc. and yet (finding him guilty of some or all the same crimes in his practice, the whole week following) can notwithstanding before others that condemn him, endeavour to cover over his wickedness with the vail of humane infirmity, alleging on his behalf, that the purest gold must have allowance of some grains, and that he is a very precious able Minister, albeit that he be attended with many (gross) failings; such a man standeth firm in their accounts.  
5. He that can drudge, and toil, and sweat, the whole year about, making more conscience of paying the tenths of all his labours to the Priests, than he doth of avoiding open profaneness, not daring to reserve to himself a sheaf, or a lamb, or an egg, or a Pig, or a Goose, to which his Minister layeth claim, under the penalty of being condemned for one that does sacrilegiously rob his God.  
6 In brief, they that have miserably ●esigned up themselves to the deceitful guidance of their Priests, to see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and walk with their feet, blessing where they bless, and cursing where they curse, these are those poor deluded hearts, which in the esteem of William Thomas and his brethren, do stand firm, and do hold fast those things which they have received from their Teachers.   
The second sort of persons, to whom he addresseth himself in his Epistle, are such as are revolted, and as he expresseth it in the next page) are Godless, without a teaching Priest, and without a law.  
The reproachful appellations of Revolter and Apostate, are (as I have said before) stones that every Idol-Shepheard hath ready to cast in the face of him, who durst refuse subjection to their corrupt wills; 
What revolting is in the esteem of the Priests.  but whom they do particularly intent (when they so speak) the Reader may understand from what followeth, viz.  

1 Such as have long lived under the deceitful, and comfortless teaching of their blind guides, do at length (through the rising of the Sun of Righteousness within them) come to discern, and deny all their false, hypocritical ways and worships; these are in their esteem Backsliders, Revolters, and Apostates.  
2 Such as disown all those for Ministers of Christ, who say and do not, bearing testimony against all Preachers and Professors who (glorying in the form) are strangers to the life and power of godliness.  
3 Such as (knowing they must believe for themselves, because die for themselves, and account to the Lord for themselves) do refuse to own the dumb hirelings, as Dictator's to their faith, Lords over their consciences, or guides to their precious and immortal souls.  
4 Such who finding them that call themselves Christ's Ministers, to be out of Christ's Doctrine, bvilders of Babylon, and enemies to Christ's cross, dare not put into their mouths, nor feed them with the Tenth of all their increase:  
5 If any Magistrate there be who hath been fierce, and furious in executing the Priest's decrees against the innocent, but doth at last return to himself and consider, that he hath to do only with the regulating of the outward man, but Christ only is to sit, and rule in the Throne of Conscience, and give laws to she inward man, and thereupon doth forbear to entrench upon Christ's Prerogative, by persecuting any man for conscience-sake; refusing to hang and draw, where the Priests do pronounce sentence of condemnation, I say such a Magistrate shall soon have a troop of Priests about his ears, crying out a Revolter, an Apostate, an Apostate. Their Feasting houses, and their Pulpits, shall ring of this repenting man, as if he were a person rejected of God, and to be despised by men.  
6 Take a man that liveth in the vanity, and sinful customs, and perhaps the profaneness of the world, if he can but cry up the Priests, and decry those that deny them, if he can but feed them and feast them, and admire them as able Divines; such a man shall be blessed by them as an Orthodox, and a firm standing Christian; but if the same person (by the shining of the glorious light of Christ in his heart) come to deny the folly, and filthiness of his former conversation, and to witness redemption from the vanities, and sinful customs, of this present evil world, and thereupon doth bear testimony against the same unrighteousness, found among those Teachers that formerly had him in esteem, presently he is branded with revolting and apostasy, as one given over to deceit, and strong delusion.   
Now if after all this, this very man (so changed) can be but prevailed with, 
rindx;  by the subtlety of Satan, and the wiles of the Priests, to return to his former vomit, and wallow in the mire he once lay in, crying out he was deceived and deluded, subjecting himself again to the guidance and government of his former Teachers, he shall presently be cried up to be a raised and a recovered man; though indeed, he be only become● seven fold more the child of Satan, than he was in his first condition. These things I writ not upon hear-say, but upon certain knowledge, grounded upon strict and serious observation; and who so are not blinded, with passion and prejudice against the truth, or do not shut their eyes at noon day, may see sad and frequent demonstrations of the truth of what I have now written, before their faces.  
What tender heart is there that doth not lament to hear the Teachers of this Nation, generally crying out to their congregations, which oftentimes do consist of proud men, covetous men, malicious men; nay, drunkards, swearers and profane men, charging them to take heed that they be not seduced and deceived by Heretics. Whereas, what have such poor hearts to be deceived of but their iniquities? And who are those Heretics they must beware of, but such as (in love to their precious souls) would be instrumental to pull them out of their sins, and abominations, and pluck them from out of the snares, in the which they are held captive, by the lying visions, and the strong delusions, of their Idol-shepheards? Thus much touching the two sorts of persons to whom this Epistle is directed.  
As to the matter of it, it's principally made up of malice, and slanders, partly out of his own creating, and partly of such as he hath borrowed from others, that are of his confederacy, and live in the same spirit of violence and bitterness with himself. With which is intermixed his grave pastoral advice, to his Friends and neighbours in and about the City of Bristol to stand firm; that is in plain English, to continue in darkness, passing away their few days in a pleasing dream of happiness, admiring their Teachers, putting into their mouths, receiving what drops from their lips for divine Oracles, and in the close to bid defiance, and offer all manner of injury to such as would awaken them out of that sleep of death, into which they are rocked by those fair-speaking destroyers of their souls.  
Towards the conclusion of his tedious Sermon, preached in his Epistle, he proposeth his last means of revocation of revolted Christians (as he expresseth it) viz. that they would come again to prayer and fasting Urging this as his motive, for that would cast out all evils and Devils.  
Rep. If this be true, why then is it that all evils and Devils are not cast out of himself, and his polluted generation of hirelings? Sure I am that he, and many others of them, have within these twelve months past, been frequent practitioners of that which they call fasting and prayer; and are they not out of their own mouths condemned for notorious hypocrites, in what they did, since so many monstrous evils and raging Devils, are yet remaining uncast out from among them? If they had been sincere in their prayers and fastings, could those things which should by them necessarily have been cast out, be left still standing, and predominate. But Reader, I would further demand of William Thomas whether he will honestly stand to what he hath here asserted, without evasion or recanting? if he will, than I must needs let him know, that he doth here preach, what in his book he doth most furiously condemn, viz. perfection in this life, for where there is no evil nor devil, left uncast out, there is absolute perfection: He that is quit of all evil may confidently be proclaimed clean and perfect. Thus doth the burning blind zeal of guilty hearts, make men say, and unsay; assert a thing, and contradict it; bring forth a hasty birth, and murder it with their own hands.  
I could here give the Reader at large to understand (in many particular cases) what use these men make of their prayers, 
Fasting and prayer made a cloak for iniquity.  and mock-fasts, viz, not to cast out, but to cover over evils and devils, lest they should be too clearly discerned. I could tell him (of which I presume he is not ignorant) where mischievous designs have privately been carried on by his brethren (it's well if his hands were clear) under the specious and pious vail of fasting and prayer; and I do confidently believe, that more mischief hath been hatched and brought forth, by that generation of men, under their pretended religious covering of fasting and prayer, these fourteen years past, then can be paralleled by many by past ages. I should not envy, but honour them, would they once cease to fast for strife and debate, 
Isa. 58.4.  and to smite with the fist of wickedness (as at this day they do) and come to use that fast which the Lord hath chosen, viz. To lose the bands of wickedness, 
Vers. 6, 7.  to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke, etc.  
William Thomas concludeth his Epistle with a supplication, That the Lord would give a blessing to what he hath written.  
Rep. The Devilish intentions, and attempts, of Balaam (that covetous hireling) to curse innocent Israel, must be covered over with the religious vail of a Sacrifice, with the oblation of Bullocks and Rams; and Balack was not without hope, but that God might give a blessing to such pretended religious erterprises, 
Num. 22.40. and the 23.1. Vers. 27.  for the obtaining of a causeless curse upon that beloved people. But they shall miss of their aims; for Israel shall be blessed. Can William Thomas ask (with any hope to obtain) a blessing upon all the falsehood, slanders, and bitter words, with which he hath bespattered the innocent in the day of his rage? Let him not deceive himself in thinking, that, although he and his brethren in iniquity in Somersetshire, have appointed their several Mock-fasts, sometimes in this Parish and sometimes in that (as that hypocritical Soothsayer did the places for his sacrifices) therefore the people of their anger must presently be accursed. For they that abide in the fear of the Lord, shall be sure of a blessing; yea, they shall be altogether blessed.  
And now that Willam Thomas hath in so large an Epistle, to his Friends and Neighbours, in and about the City of Bristol, uttered so many words, without either Sobriety or Wisdom; I shall also dip my pen in my tears, and in a few words unburden my oppressed spirit, to my fellow Citizens within that populous City.  
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night, for all your unlovely struggle, and strive against your maker. 
To the Citizens of Bristol.  The Lord is my witness that my heart is pained, and my bowel; are even turned within me, whilst I do sadly behold your strayings from the way of your own peace. Your blind Leaders have caused you to err, by drawing your minds from your true Leader. My heart's desire and prayer, to the Lord for you all, is, that (returning) you might be saved, and being awakened to behold the Lord of life, whom you have ignorantly pierced and crucified, you may come to mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only Son, and be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first born.  
And first, I shall speak a few words to you that are Magistrates.  
SIRS,  
Your temptations are many, your standing slippery, your souls are precious, your days but few, your account great, your Judge righteous, 
To the Magistrates of Bristol.  and having once set foot within the gates of eternity, there is no place left either for repentance, or return.  
Come therefore let us reason together, and, Oh, that I might prove an effectual Remembrancer, for the advantage of your immortal souls, before you go hence, and be no more seen.  

1. Consider, that the sword is not put into your hands to wound, but to guard tender consciences. You are Usurpers upon Christ's prerogative, not Magistrates, whilst you undertake to be Judges there, where he sitteth as sole Lord, and Lawgiver. And the blood you draw thence will have an ill savour in his nostrils, in the day that he shall enter into judgement with you.  
2. Be not hurried on by the fierce outcries of your clamorous Pulpits, to the execution of your own, or others wills and lusts upon the innocent; but be ye executioners of the righteous law upon the evildoer. So shall you indeed give demonstration that you bear the sword for the Lord, by being a terror to the transgressor, but a praise to them that do well.  
3. Do not rashly draw out your sword against those harmless ones, whom your bloody Teachers (having nought wherewith they might justly slain their holy conversations) do cloth and represent to you, in the ugly garb of Blasphemers and Deceivers. Remember (oh remember so as to learn) that the Son of God, who suffered at Jerusalem, was not crucified by the strict, outwardly religious, preaching, professing, Priests and Teachers, as an innocent, 
☜  or a just man, but as a BLASPHEMER and a DECEIVER.  
4. Be not prevailed with to release Barrabas, and give over Jesus to be crucified, to gratify the murderous appetites, either of your priests or the multitude; considering, that although you may (with Pilat) wash your hands, and (to those eyes that are dazzled with fury, and prejudice, against innocent Jesus) appear clear from his blood, yet before the pure eyes of the Lord, will the condemning stain thereof be found upon you so fresh, that you will by no means be thence cleansed, but by the same blood, which you so cruelly shed.  
5. Consider that naked must you one day stand before the Lord (who is righteous in judgement) to render an account of all your deeds done in the flesh, whether they be good, or whether they be evil. And then no plea will find acceptance, but innocency; nor will any covering shelter you from the wrath of the Lamb, but holiness. When the cry of the innocent, which have been by you persecuted, and imprisoned, shall come up before the Lord, little will it then avail you, to offer this for your Apology, viz. That you were told by your Teachers, that you ought to punish Heretics, and that you should do God service, in killing them whom they represented to you as Deceivers. Out of his own mouth will Priestridden Pilate be then condemned, who was not only forewarned, that he should have nothing to do with that just man; but also had a witness for Christ in his own conscience; That he had committed nothing worthy either of bonds or of death.   
A few words more to all, 
To the Inhabitants of Bristol in general.  as well people as Magistrates within that great City, and I shall close this.  

1. In the fear of the Lord live, and abide. And to that of God in all your consciences take heed, which is your day and night-companion; which followeth you to your Beds, your Tables, your Fields, your Shops, your Closets, your Counting-houses; (and will also to your Deathbeds and your Graves;) secretly checking you for those miscarriages, to which no eye is privy but the Lords, which doth often smite you when in your dealing, you do either lie, flatter, defraud, or overreach your neighbour; I say to this, take heed, for it is the candle of the Lord to search you; give ear to it when it convinceth you of sin, and crieth to you for amendment; turn not your backs upon it, when it calleth upon you to repent ere it be too late, and to turn from lying vanities, to serve the living God.  
2. Resign not up your precious souls, to the miserable guidance of those your. Teachers, who say and do not; that you should condemn what they condemn, and approve what they approve. But be as wise for the eternal concernments of your souls, as you are for your outward man; see with your own eyes, hear with your own ears, and walk with your own feet. Pass not away the few days of your pilgrimage, in listening to their strong delusions, suffering yourselves to be lulled asleep, by those pleasing Dreamers even upon the brink of eternity.  
3. Awake, awake, ere the King of terrors seize upon you, and consider whether you are able to stand in judgement before the Lord at his coming. Suppose with yourselves every hour, That that impartial executioner stood at your doors, ready to pull down your earthly Tabernacles, and strip you naked of all this world's glory (the husks on which you do now so contentedly feed) and seriously think, whether your foundation be sure, and your building upon the Rock; that the violence of storms, and winds you can abide, and not be removed.  
4. Remember, oh, remember, that through the gates of death must you pass for yourselves; and to the Lord must you render an account for yourselves, and not another for you; Therefore lean not upon your blind guides (those Egyptian reeds) whose pleasing songs of perishing glory may satisfy your souls for a season, but neither shall they die for you, nor give up your account for you, in the great and terrible day of the Lord. Let not their fury drive you, nor their persuasions allure you, to any thing, for which, the the witness of God in your own consciences will condemn you. Do not at their instigation cry out for Jesus to be crucified; But first ask, what evil hath he done? neither be ye hasty (at their request) to take the blood of those upon your selves, and your children, whom they do decree as Heretics and Blasphemers, The Jews had as high an esteem of their Leaders (the Scribes, Pharisees, and Highpriest) for wisdom and godliness, as you can have of yours; and yet the blood of Christ, which they so confidently begged might be put upon their score (being condemned for a BLASPHEMER) hath proved a grievous burden, under which their posterities backs have bowed, for these Sixteen hundred years past.  
5. Stumble not at the meaness of Christ's coming, because not attended with worldly pomp and glory. The Jews of old did split themselves against this rock. They expected their Messiah to be some outwardly illustrious Potentate; that should be admired for his earthly greatness and splendour, that should rather advance, then decry the glory of their Temple, their Worships, and Sacrifices, etc. But when they saw him come as a root out of a dry ground, having no higher descent (that they knew) then from Joseph a Carpenter, and Mary a mean woman his Wife, having for his followers, fishermans and Publicans, etc. they were offended at him, and saw no form nor comeliness in him, wherefore they might desire him. If you ask your Teachers at this day, where Christ is to be found? They will tell you among the wise and the learned, the Rulers and the great men. And where he is spiritually worshipped? They will tell you in the populous conventions, and their gay Steeple-houses, where it must be religion for poor hearts to sir, and hear their rail, and contradictions, instead of Divine Oracles. But alas! how different are the ways and works of the great God, from the ways and works of vain man! He chooseth not many wise, 
1 Cor. 1.27.28  not many mighty, not many noble; but on the contrary the foolish, the weak, the base, the despised pieces of the Creation doth he choose to manifest himself in.   
Therefore when your Teachers cry out unto you, Lo here is Christ, lo there, believe them not. He is near that saveth you. Look not for him in the Palace, he is persecuted thence; in the Inn, there is no room for him; but in the Manger you may find him: The contrite heart is the place of his habitation, and the broken and humble spirit, are the throne of his glory.  
In truth of love to your precious souls, have I written these things to you; which howsoever you shall interpret, yet herein have I peace, that my conscience have I faithfully discharged towards you, as in the presence of the Lord. Oh that my fellow-Citizens of Bristol, would in the cool of the day, sit down and seriously consider what I have said; and the God of all grace and mercy grant to you all, that in this your day you may know the things that do belong to your peace, before they be hid from your eyes.  
I shall now pass from the Two Epistles to the Two Books; principally applying myself (as I have before said) to you two Christopher Fowler and Simon Ford.  
And first, 
The Preamble to C. Fow. and S. Ford's book examined.  Of the Preamble to your book; Which is a mixture made up of the old Babylonish stuff, viz. falsehood, flattery, and gross hypocrisy. The first you manifest in charging me with the maintaining of absurd paradoxes in Civility, and blasphemous heresies in Religion. Whereas I am content to appeal to any sober reader, which shall read my Epistle, and your Answer, whether there be any such thing to be found, under my hand in the first, or proved upon me by you in the later: But you say, So you dare call the Doctrine that I undertake to shelter, etc.  
Rep. Admirable poof! Thomas Speed is indicted in the face of the Nation, for maintaining absurd Paradoxes, and blasphemous Heresies; How is this proved? Ipsi dixerunt. Christopher Fowler and Simon Ford, dare call his doctrines so, therefore they are so. Rare ingenuity! Who can escape the sentence of these men's lying lips? when as they are so brasen-faced as to avouch a man in print to be a Blasphemer, a Seducer, and what not; and then offer this to their Reader for evidence, that they dare call him so. You have the impudence, that you dare go up in your Pulpits, and call darkness light, and light darkness; good evil, and evil good; truth error, and error truth, and must your hearers therefore take your assertions for demonstrations; that the things are indeed such, because you dare call them so?  
You go on with an hypocritical insinuation, telling me, how compassionate you are towards me in this sad delusion I am under.  
Rep. I might justly be concluded to be under a sad delusion indeed, should I credit your pretences of compassion towards me. Can that black spirit of rage and violence, cruelty and blood, that ruleth in you extend pity towards me, who do appear bearing public testimony against it? Horrible deceit! palpable hypocrisy! like to the Egyptian darkness that might be felt! I am as far from believing you, as you are from having a witness in your consciences to the truth of what you pretend. Had you but opportunity, the world would soon see that your compassions are merciless, and your mercies cruel. And should the Lord ever permit the false Prophet (as a plague upon this Nation) by the help of the beast, to be remounted upon the Throne, I do then expect no other fruits of your compassion towards me, than such as your Fathers, Bonner and Gardner, did extend towards honest Bradfords, at the stake in Smithfield.  
But you have a feigned ground of your compassion, viz. The repute which I had (till of late days) for soundness, and orthodoxy in doctrinals, and some kind of moderation beyond others of my Brethren in separation, etc.  
Rep. Whilst I dwelled in silence, and did not remove the Priests covering, that so the people might come to behold their filth and nakedness, I was sound and orthodox in doctrinals; but now that I am weary of forbearing, and necessity is laid upon me to cry out against the abominations of that polluted generation, I am presently become unsound and heterodox. Reader, observe, and look throughout the Nation, and thou shalt find, that, let a man be of what practice or opinion he will, if he can but speak well of the Priests, and contend for them as Christ's Ministers; they will court him and cry him up for an orthodox, and a sound Christian. And on the contrary, take a man that is in his conversation sober, holy, and unblameable. that is not only painted with the profession, but doth show forth the power of godliness; yet if he cannot strike sail to the lusts and corrupt fancies of the Priests, the pulpits shall presently ring of him, as a man of corrupt principles, unsound, and dangerous opinions.  
You further tell me, that by your putting pen to paper in this quarrel, you do not intent to take the cudgels out of the hands of that reverend man.  
Rep. Cudgels? an instrument that I never find in the hands of any Minister of Jesus Christ throughout the Scripture; but a sit weapon for the hand of a foolish Shepherd. It becometh such as are strangers to the weapons of Paul's and Peter's warfare, to strike with cudgels. This Synodical club is an unanswerable argument to enforce belief, and submission, when truth fails. But how came William Thomas to be a Reverend man? Are you not ashamed to court one another with false and flattering titles? He styleth you in the Epistle to his Reader, his Reverend Brethren; and you him, That reverend man. Is this the language of the Scripture? did Paul or Peter ever mention each other by the name of reverend Brother Paul, or reverend Brother Peter? Ye shameless and presumptuous ones, who durst assume that title to yourselves which the Spirit of Truth in the holy Scripture, appropriateth to the Lord alone, saying by the mouth of David, 
Psal. 111.9.  Holy and REVEREND is his Name.  
The greatest part of the residue of your Preamble consisteth of a high Encomium of William Thomas his excellent Ministerial Qualifications. To which I shall only say, That when you have said all you can in commendations of him, and he of you, by your fruits will you still be known, and by the same shall you be judged by the righteous God, who accepteth no man's person in judgement. You may please yourselves for a season in painting one another in the view of men with the usurped Titles of Reverend Brethren, and Reverend Brother, but be not deceived (although men may yet) God will not be mocked; as you sow, so shall you reap, and if the blood of the innocent be found upon your heads; and consequently, you do appear to be brethren in iniquity, the wages of blood shall you receive from the hand of him that is the avenger thereof.  

SECT. 1.  
In your first Section you quarrel with me, because I prefixed seasonable word of advice out of Seneca, in the Title-page of my book; seeking to eclipse the worth of his grave counsel, by branding him with the odious names of Heathen and Pagan:  
Rep. To which I reply, That however it be among men, yet before the Lord; it's not the name, but the nature, that makes the distinction. He that is not born again and made partaker of the new nature, although he may be guilded over with the name of Christian, yet in the judgement of truth, he is but a Heathen. He that bringeth forth the Paganish fruits of lying, slandering, envy, pride, covetousness and the like, cover him over with the fairest vail you can, he is still really but a Pagan. 
Rom 2, 26, 27  If Seneca's uncircumcision kept the righteousness of the Law, shall not his uncircumsion be counted for circumcision, and judge you and many hundreds called Christians, who by the letter and circumcision do transgress the Law? And further, let me say, that if Seneca dwelled in the enjoyment and possession, as well as the profession, of those many excellent principles, that are reputed his, I would choose rather (in the great day of the Lord) to be Seneca, then to be (unless they repent) either Christopher Fowler or Simon Ford.   

SECT. 2.  
In your second Section you tell me that you suppose I will give you leave to be so ingenious as to leave the answering of my Book to William Thomas his able pen:  
Rep. I wish you were once so ingenious as to leave your lying, and let your say and do agree together; who not only here, but in the Fifty seventh Section of your Book, do say that you will wave the answering of my Book because you are advertised that William Thomas intendeth to take that task in hand himself, etc. And yet (contrary to your several say) you have undertaken the dispute with me, touching many of the most substantial things contained in my Book, as the Reader may at large see by perusing yours and mine.  
You proceed in the same Section, to con me thanks for the charitable advice I begin my Epistle withal, promising with a great many Lamb. like words to take warning, etc. Instead of which William Thomas doth most bitterly revile me, calling me False witness, Novice, one that do cast reproach upon God's servants, etc.  
Rep. It was not without cause that William Thomas told his Reader in his Epistle to his Pamphlet, that his and (yours) his brethren's meditations were so directed that you should walk in something a different way in one and the same work, and yet without difference. For in your seeming disagreement you agree. You smite more in the dark, he more openly, in your work you agree, which is to support your tottering Babel, one Master do you serve, and you shall receive your wages. In your way of prosecution you differ, just as much as a wolf in sheep's clothing, from the same creature in his proper shape.   

SECT. 4.  
You begin your Fourth Section with a Query. Whether I do believe in earnest, that those Prophets of whom Michah speaks that teach for hire, and divine for money, or those whom Christ notes for doing their works to be seen of men, etc. are characters suiting the men of my indignation?  
To which I answer. That I retain indignation against no man, looking upon every man's person as the workmanship of God; but against that evil spirit that ruleth and rageth in you and your brethren, do I bear a perfect indignation. And I do believe that to all Idol Shepherds in this Nation, that are acted by that spirit, do the Characters given both by Michah, and by Christ, most aptly suit, of which more in the next Section. And whereas you charge me with a desire to reduce you to voluntary contributions. I say, if you are Christ's Ministers, why should you not be contented with Christ's maintenance? who that I can find in Scripture never ordained any other but this, freely ye have received, 
Matth. 10.8.  freely give, and I never read of any of his in Scripture, that found their allowance too scant. But as for such as you who do feast it, and brave it among the people, who must have for your lusts, as well as for your necessity, it's no marvel if you refuse a confinement within the limits of his maintenance.   

SECT. 5.  
Your fifth Section beginnneth with a highflown expostulation, demanding of me in the height of your spirits, who I am that do judge your hearts? Why? because (say you) I tell you what you aim at, and set up as your end in preaching.  
Rep. That I did appeal to you in my Epistle whether you were not guilty of the same crime (of teaching for hire) with Micha's hirelings, is true. But it seemeth your own guilt made the application. Neither had I judged your hearts, but your works, if I had been positive in my charge against you. May not a common drunkard (with as much strength of reason as you, interrogate me) demand of you, when you call him by his name, who are you that do judge his heart? Do not his fruits manifest what sort of tree he is? If you are not indeed such as do preach for hire, and divine for money; 
Tyth-exacters proved to teach for hire.  tell me, why is it that when you first begin to set up that trade, you do so earnestly covet to get into that place which yields the largest maintenance, most Tithes, most acres of Gleab Land, or the greatest augmentation? And when you are settled, why is it that you are so easily removed thence to a richer Benefice? Moreover, I have seen many sore contentions among you Teachers, who should get into a Parish endowed with a large Revenue; but how is it that you never contend, who should come among a people, from whom there might be expected little money, and small maintenance? In brief, do you not settle and remove just as Tenants do (for outward advantage) from a hard to a better bargain? And is it judging your hearts to ask, whether such men as these do not teach for hire, and divine for money?  
William Thomas saith, 
Page 5.  that he and his Brethren do take that which Christ saith they are worthy of. How is that proved? 
Luk. 10.7.  by Christ's words in Luke, The labourer is Worthy of his hire: whereas neither are they Christ's Labourers (because persecutors) nor do they take his hire; for in the same verse, Christ commandeth his labourers to eat and drink such things as were given them; which way of maintenance they despise under the notion of voluntary contribution.   

SECT. 6.  
Your Sixth Section smelleth so rank of loathsome hypocrisy, that it cannot but be abominable in the nostrils of any sober reader. Whilst you pretend to adore that gracious providence which keepeth you out of the reach of my malice; otherwise (strange things would follow) you are assured you should not be long Without persecution, etc.  
Rep. What pious and peaceable Martyrs, would you have your Reader to judge you two to be? who dare so devoutly adore that providence, who keepeth you from the reach of his malice, who never yet exchanged word with you, nor saw either of your faces, nor had aught to do with you in his life time, and who doth as much abominate that spirit that persecuteth, as he doth the foulest devil that ever came out of the bottomless pit; Nay, who for this very thing sake, principally doth deny you, and your outrageous generation.  
But you say that you have already your shares in the persecution of the tongues, and hands, of those of my fellowship and communion.  
Rep. To which I reply two things: First, Whereas you do often throughout your Book, in scorn make mention of me, and my Fraternity; me, and my Sisterhood; me, and my Quaking generation; me, and my companions, etc. I say, that I am of no sect or faction, nor do I profess myself of any other generation but of those that fear God, 
Acts 10 35.  and work righteousness. And whatever name of reproach your venomous tongues do, for the truth's sake, cast upon such, I do esteem it my honour to wear with them as my crown.  
Secondly, You mention three things that these persecuters do to you. 1. Impoverish you and your families 2. Detain your just and legal subsistence. 3. Disturb you in the exercise of your public Worship. To the first, I ask, Is it truth, or is it a lie that you say? are you and your families indeed impoverished, who do live high, far deliciously, and vaunt it among men? Why sirs, are you past all shame, that you can aver things so notoriously false? 2. Your second is like unto this, for I hold communion and fellowship with none that do detain any man's just and legal subsistence: I do deny all such injustice, and until you shall particularly point out some of my communion that do act thus unjustly, you must stand for a couple of false accusers. 3. The third piece of this your sore persecution is, the disturbance you receive in your public worship: That is to say, when you have spent an hour, or more time in your Pulpits, in railing and raging, against such as cannot bow down to the Image you have set up, some peaceable man or woman appeareth, crying out of your deceit, or bidding the people repent, or the like; and what usually followeth? why this, your sheep (according to the precepts and pattern of their Pastors) fall foul on them, beat them, kick them, oftentimes draw their blood, drag them out of your Steeple-houses, hurry them before Magistrates, and thence into some nasty Prison or Dungeon among Rogues and Felons, where they lie some two, some three, some four or more months; many of whom have by the unheard of tyranny of merciless Jailers, been brought to seal their testimony for Jesus with their lives, and so fallen asleep. Now let all that are not intoxicated with the cup of rage, received from the hands of their Priests judge, who are the disturbers, and who the persecutors:  
William Thomas urgeth my own words against me, because I asked in my Epistle, 
Pag. 7.  whether the Bishops did not in their days imprison, and evil entreat many of them? And then ignorantly demandeth, why I should ask them, Are you imprisoned?  
Rep. The more is their shame, and the greater their wickedness, that, having so lately gotten their necks from under the Bishop's yokes, they should now justify the said Bishops in what they did to them, by laying Iron yokes upon the necks of others.   

SECT. 7.  
You begin your seventh Section with boasting. 1. That many of you live upon a free contribution maintenance.  
Rep. What confusion do the inhabitants of Babylon live in! But even now, in the close of your fourth Section, you did tartly reflect on me, as one endeavouring to reduce you to voluntary contributions; as that which would soon reduce you to contempt; and yet here you glory in the same thing. So industrious is the Serpent to save his head, that he will gladly betake himself to any shelter. One while being afraid that the Master whom you serve will not supply your wants by voluntary contributions, you decry them, and despise them; and yet presently after, to save yourselves from being branded with the name of Exactors, you assert them as the way of your maintenance, and glory in them. 2. You boast what noble volunteers many of you are in the work of your Master, by your maintaining many Lectures, etc.  
Rep. 
Lectures made a covering.  Were it not for fear of being burdensome to the Reader, I could tell him at large what trade these men do drive with most of those things called Lectures. If the Priests have any wretched design to promote in the Country, than a Lecture must presently be erected, in the the most public and convenient place for their convening, that under pretence of that they may jointly confer about, and contrive, the effecting of that mischief which they had before singly projected. But are you two of the number of these Volunteers? how cometh it then to pass, 
Simon Ford.  that one of you did some time since erect a Lecture in the Town of Reading, and finding your free Contribution maintenance, coming in but slowly thence, did soon let the Lecture fall? Whatever you proclaim of yourselves, to those that know you not, yet the people of the Town of Reading do well know, that you live by another rule than you pretend to (viz.) no penny, no Pater noster!  
But though some of you are thus free of your labour, yet others you confess do preach by Indentures. For which their practice, I did in my Epistle demand a rule in Scripture. And you, to save them from condemnation, do offer an acquittance under Paul's hand, who saith, that he that doth not provide for his own is worse than an Infidel, 
1 Tim. 5.8.  and hath denied the faith.  
Rep. And is this your rule by which you indent for your wages, before you dare enter upon your work? What a shameful begging of the question is this? Do you two pretend yourselves to be such great Masters of learning, and eminent Zealots in Religion, and yet reason like men at once bereft of all honesty and understanding? Because Paul proclaimeth him that doth not provide for himself, and family to be worse than an Infidel, doth he thereby justify any means (right or wrong) by which a man may make provision, as lawful and commendable? tell me by this wild Logic, how you will be able to convince a common Thief that he doth evil? Suppose a poor man should come and steal a bushel of corn out of either of your Barns, or a bag of money out of your Chests, for the supply of the necessities of himself and his; if you accuse him for an evil doer, may he not offer your own rule in evidence for himself, and reason thus; He that maketh provision for himself and family, proveth himself not worse than an Infidel; But I (may he say) by stealing do make provision for my self and family, Ergo, etc. Nay further will not the most notorious thief upon Salisbury Plain (who doth rob for necessity) find patronage for his wickedness under such Tutors as you are? Ask him whilst he is taking a purse from a Traveller by what rule he doth act such injustice? By the same rule may he say as the Priest's act by, when they indent for their hire, viz. that I might make provision for my self and family, and so not show myself Worse than an Infidel, and a denier of the faith. Now Sirs, reflect upon yourselves seriously, and see your covering pulled off you, and to that of God in both your consciences do I appeal, whether ever any age of the world afforded Sophisters, that did more palpably abuse the holy Scriptures to patronise their own lusts, than you, and the rest that call themselves Ministers do at this day.  
You proceed in the same Section to tell me of some of mine, Who Wander up and down to the manifest and apparent ruin of themselves, and those that they are bound to provide for.  
Rep. Such wanderers are none of mine (for I deny them) but some of yours. 
Si accusasse sat sit, quis innocens erit?  Did ever any man or woman, whom you in soorn call Quakers, beg relief of either of you? or can you quote one of their families that is thus ruined? I can produce you instances enough of Parish Priests, who have drunk and rioted themselves and families into poverty; by which character I am sure one may find many Infidels among your generation, who yet talk much of faith. But who can escape the stroke of your slanderous pens, who dare preach any thing, print any thing, and produce no other proof for what you avouch, but this, that you dare say it is so? Nay, to what height of impudence are you come who dare belie the Son of God, in saying presently after, that he commanded his to travel about to declare without shoes on their feet. Monstrons' impiety! 
Mar. 10.8, 9, 10  what is it not enough for you to heap slanders, falsehoods, and reproaches upon me, but you must attempt to fasten an untruth upon him, who is truth itself? Read that Scripture again, and then see if you can be so wicked as to say, that Christ commandeth that which never proceeded out of his lips, viz. that his should travel without shoes upon their feet. Reader, what horrible fables would these men fasten on the Scripture among the ignorant, were they kept sealed in Greek or Latin? when as they dare even now to assert such things to be in them, for asserting which, the meanest child that can read English, may prove them Liars?  
Much ado you keep in this Section labouring in confusion, and all to prove that which I never denied, 
1 Cor. 9.6. to 14.  viz. that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. Which Scripture, you say, the adversaries to Ministers maintenance do pass over in deep silence; and you expect it will be by me also, etc. To which I say; that I do subscribe to the truth of what Paul saith all along in that Chapter, viz. That he that planteth a vineyard ought to eat of the fruit thereof; and he that feedeth a flock, aught to eat of the milk thereof, etc. But what is all this to you? who are not Planters, but destoyers; not Feeders, but devourers of the flock? or if you were such, what rule is this for your vexatious suits at law for your maintenance? Doth the Scripture say that Paul took those men by the throats, that gave him not the tenth of all their increase? when you shall come to do Paul's work, and tread in Paul's footsteps, I shall not deny you Paul's wages.  
You close this Section with as notable a falsehood as the rest, viz. that no man holds the nine parts by firmer law in these Nations, than the Minister claims his tenth by.  
Rep. If a man purchase ten acres of Land by measure, and payeth a full consideration for each foot of the said ten acres, have you as much right to the tenth acre, who never advanced penny towards the purchase, as he hath to the other nine, who paid the full value for the whole? If a poor man having a great family to maintain, do rend five acres of land, and after he hath ploughed it, and sowed it, and he, and his, have lived in hope (perhaps with naked backs, and empty bellies) to receive the fruits of all their labour and toil; have you as good right to the tenth sheaf, as the poor oppressed man hath to the other nine? Well you may have a law that will own you in such your cruelties in the Courts of men; but sure I am, you have no law that will justify you in the presence of the Lord, and that shall you surely one day witness to your shame and sorrow, without repentance.  
Where as I demanded (in my Epistle) a rule in Scripture, by which the teachers of the Nation did exact the tenth of their increase, who did not hear them, nor own them for their Pastors? William Thomas answereth me by another Query, viz. Must a Minister be deprived of the members of his Church, and the maintenance of his place, both at once?  
Rep. Is this Query a rule in Scripture to justify their practice! Reader, thou that art sober, judge, whether this be an answer bespeaking him that gave it forth, to be a Minister of reason, muchless of the Gospel. These are the men that do so passionately assert the Scripture to be their rule in words, and yet being demanded a rule thence for their practice, in a matter of such moment, are so shameless as to offer a senseless Query instead of Scripture. And thou mayst further observe; that throughout both their books they have not produced any one Scripture, that do prove their practice in the things they are accused of. But instead thereof do offer the conceptions of their own brains, or else such meanings and senses as they please to force upon the Scripture; which if a man refuse to accept of, he is presently condemned for an Antiscripturist.   

SECT. 8.  
In your eighth Section, both you and William Thomas do confess the matter of fact, viz. That many of your brethren are found wallowing in the common mire, &c: And you say also, that you do bewail it. Which I should have some reason to believe also, were your Pulpits filled with as frequent declamations, against the abominations of such your polluted Brethren, as they are with invectives against those, that stand up to bear witness against theirs and your wickedness. In the close of this Section, you speak of Swearing, drunken, and otherwise disorderly companions, that frequent the Quakers assemblies.  
Rep. To which I say, That I have been often in the meetings of those peaceable people (and do bless the Lord that I lived to be in them) where I have seen many drunken, swearing, disorderly companions: But they were not of them with whom they assembled, though they were among them; but the scabby sheep that belonged to some Priest or other, that came there to act the same part in those Assemblies, that their Shepherds do in the pulpits (viz) scoff, scorn, reproach, and revile the innocent.   

SECT. 9  
Your ninth Section is full of venom and bitterness, of taunts and unsavoury scoffs; which (as I said in the beginning) I shall let fall into the Channel. You accuse me for calling the Scriptures in scorn your rule; For which I can boldly, and truly charge you to be a couple of malicious liars. For the Scriptures of truth, I do highly esteem, and do bless the Lord for them; neither have I, through all my Epistle or Book, mentioned them with that apparent contempt that you do, calling them in your Tenth Section; your low Rule, and Section Sixty two, your old Rule. When my pen doth drop such contemptible expressions touching the Scriptures as these are, then writ me down among the number of those that do scorn it with yourselves. Until then know, that the Scriptures I do own against you, and your prating companions, that do pretend to cry up the Scriptures in word only, serving your lusts upon them, making a trade to talk of them thereby to get a livelihood; but do most wretchedly abuse them and trample them under feet by contradicting them in your practices.  
After this, having expostulated with you, touching all your violence, and persecution, against Christ in his members, minding you of the judgement of the great Day; you return this in answer, viz Judge not that you be not judged. Just as if a man should come to an unclean person that squandereth away his precious hours, in the filth and open profaneness of the world, and deal with him for his iniquities, and he should return this in answer, Judge not that ye be not judged. The innecent do not dread judgement, but you that are guilty of all the violence and cruelty, mentioned in that Epistle, to judgement must you come, and that before that God who will not accept of a scoff, or an impertinency, for an answer to what shall then be demanded of you. That which William Thomas saith in this particular, hath so little weight in it, that I shall not spend time or paper to make a recital of it, muchless judge it worthy of an answer.   

SECT. 10.  
You need not have told me in your Tenth Section of your readiness to persecute, 
Priests wait for commission to persecute.  worry, and imprison others, were you but legally commissioned thereunto. We very well know you would soon be upon Paul's work, could you but once gain his Letters. Your Brethren in the beginning of Queen Mary's reign were very thirsty after blood, but could not drink their fill, until by the Session of a Parliament, they were legally commissioned to draw it. And should this, or any succeeding Parliament, put the cup into the Priest's hands, and bid them draw, I do confidently believe (that as far as in them lies) there should not be a drop of blood left, running in the veins of any true Israelite in the Nation. Neither will that plea justify you (when you shall be arraigned before the Lamb sitting upon the Throne) to say, that you have persecuted and worried none but disguised Wolves. For they that are the Lambs followers never persecuted any; neither do the Scriptures or any other Histories, represent them to us in the posture of imposers, or afflictors, but of Bearers and Sufferers. Besides, is not every man a Wolf in your esteem, who cannot bow the knee to Baal? and is it not the greatest crime of those, whose blood you so long to be dabbling in; that they are innocent? yea, I bear testimony to it, that he that at this day departeth from iniquity, maketh himself a prey to the cruel teeth of the false Prophet.  
To this William Thomas addeth his mite, to help you at a dead lift as well as he can. He confesseth that the Parliament was called upon by the Presbyters, for the settling of a government, etc. That is, that every pragmatical Parish-Priest might have been a Bishop, and the decrees of a presumptuous Synod, might have been as the giving forth of the Law from mount Sinai by the mouth of Moses, to which whosoever would not yield obedience, might be cut off without mercy. Next he would insinuate the badness of the people called Quakers, and the sadness of their condition, because of the many wise, and (as he calleth them) Godly men, that cannot approve, nor favour them.  
Rep. Hath this man never read the Scripture? Or hath he forgotten how the wise, religious, devout Jews (both men and women) did with one lip cry out for Jesus to be crucified? and was that an argument he was a bad man?  
And lastly, he suggesteth grave ground of suspicion, that they that have an evil eye upon the Ministers, will not be long from overthrowing Magistracy:  
Rep. How close this poor heart doth cling to the Magistrate, whilst he will be his vassal, and his footstool? Here is the old Court Doctrine, no Bishop, no King. And as to the fifth Monarchy he speaketh of, I say, that I own, or expect none but this, that Christ may rule and reign, as King in the hearts of men; and then I am sure the beast and the false Prophet, must both to the bottomless pit, whence they came.   

SECT. 11.  
Your next Section is only a Preparatory to what you intent to say in those that follow; and accordingly I shall reply to it. You tell me, that you dare not let me alone to cousin the world into a good esteem of my opinions.  
Rep. I know the man of sin, whose cause ye negotiate, is very vigilant to preserve his tottering kingdom, so that if truth hath but its current, it will soon shake the very foundations thereof. And therefore it is, that he doth so bestir himself in you, and others of his instruments, to support that, which would be the joy of thousands of the Lambs followers to see razed to the ground. 
Page 12.  William Thomas telleth his Reader, that I drew up the following charge in jest. But this must be reckoned among the rest of his pitiful mistakes; for I drew it up in earnest; and because yet I have not, now I shall acquaint the Reader with the ground of my drawing it up, viz Hearing a great noise and cry in the Nation, Pulpits on fire, Cities on fire, and many separated Congregations on sire, and all because of the coming forth of a people in scorn called Quakers; I began to make inquisition into the rise, and bottom of all this, and what was in the lives, manners, and declarations of the said people, that gave occasion to this so great an outcry. And by inquiry I found, that the rage vented against them both from Press and Pulpits, had its occasion from those fifteen Particulars mentioned in my Epistle, which I thought meet to publish unto the world, that all men might see that it was not for thest, murder, drunkenness, swearing, lying, grinding the faces of the poor, tearing men's throats for their maintenance, plucking the bread from betwixt the teeth of the needy, nor for suing men at the Law, and throwing them into nasty prisons, for the tenth of all their increase, that the teachers of this Nation were so cruelly outrageous against these men; but for matters that concerned the worship of the Lord their God.  
Now whereas Christopher Fowler and Simon Ford do say that I have not drawn up all they have to say against them, (wherefore they so eagerly pursue their blood) but that they have matters of greater moment to exhibit against them; which they call [The Quakers Doctrines] in their 54th Section I say, that laying aside the notorious lies, and slanders, couched in that List; I doubt not before I have ended with them, to spread before the sober Reader such a true Catalogue of theirs and their brethren's Doctrines and Practices (which I will prove to their faces) that will make his heart astonished, and his ears to tingle.   

SECT. 12.  
Your 12th Section beginneth thus; You take it ill to be charged as blasphemers for affirming that Christ is the light that enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world etc.  
Rep: Ill? Why is it well that you charge any man to be a blasphemer for reciting a Text of Scripture? Are not you excellent Advocates for the Scripture, that would fasten the character of blasphemer, upon a man for the bare quoting of it? nay you add, that I stand upon my purgation, For what? because I made mention of two Scriptures in John? is this such a crime that I need a purgation? Observe Reader, notwithstanding all these men's verbal zeal, what their bosom thoughts are of Scripture. But what would you have? you say, you hope I will give you leave to ask me a few questions.  
Rep. Why had you not spoke out what is within, and said, what this Speed hath said is plain Scripture, and therefore we dare not (for fear of the people) but say it is truth; however we will try, if we can, to catch him with our Queries, and meanings, that we may have some matter to work upon. But hold Sirs, do you use to bring men to their arraignment at the Bar, and then ask them if they know aught against themselves whereof you may accuse them? Let the Reader take notice of the subtlety of these men, that throughout my whole book, where they find my words so plain and true, that they have nought to answer, they (to cover over their own guilt) do either first go to making meanings on my words; or secondly, fly from the matter in hand, and begin to propose Queries, thereby to amuse the Reader, and blunt the edge of his intention upon what hath been said. 
Pageis 5.  And therefore it is that William Thomas telleth his Reader in his Fifteenth page, that his Brethren have dealt providently with me in querying me out of my starting holes. That is to say, out of my plain Scripture into meanings. For when the truth of plain Scripture, which I quote, do so rub their fore, that they cannot bear it, than they fall to querying about senses and meanings.  
You ask me first, What light that is, with which Christ enlighteneth every man?  
Answ. The Scripture beareth witness that the work of Christ's Ministers consisted in turning men from darkness to light, 
Acts 26.18.  and do you two pretend to have been Christ's Ministers for so many years past, and yet declare so much ignorance of your work, as now to ask what that light is? What is that conversion that your preaching have wrought upon your miserable hearers, more than from one degree of darkness to another, who yet remain strangers to that light to which they should have been converted.  
William Thomas maketh a great cry about the light, 
William. Thomas his confession touching the light.  with his meanings, and interpretations, his suppositions and distinctions, calling (but not proving) it a natural light, and all to stifle it if he could: Although in the close of his thirteenth page he is made to confess as much of it, 
Page 13.  as ever I heard or read from the pens or lips of the men of his anger, viz. Christ lighteth every man that cometh into the world, 
☞  though not by saving illumination, yet by saving revelation (a distinction which I understand not, but he will explain it) that is (saith he) by that Gospel-revelation that is fit to save them, though divers receiving the revelation (do through their own fault) lose the salvation. Let himself beware that having the reeulation he lose not the salvation.  
And now lest you should think I am ashamed to declare what I own touching this light of Christ, I shall briefly express what I understand of it.  

1. This light of Jesus is that in which all the deceit of the Priests is seen, and witnessed against; and therefore it is that they do so bandy against it, speaking all manner of evil of it, refusing to come to it, because their deeds are evil.  
2. This light is that which discovereth the temptation to evil before it is committed, and checketh and convinceth for sin when it is committed.  
3. It is that which followeth many a man, day by day throughout his life, smiting him for that hidden wickedness he liveth in, prompting him to return to his Maker, which he stubbornly resisting passeth his days with a galled conscience to his grave.  
4. It is the same that was in Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Moses, and the same to which the Prophets, John Baptist, and the Apostles did bear witness: So that, wherever it is now, it leadeth not contradictory, but according to the testimony of the same holy men recorded in the Scriptures of truth.  
5. Lastly, It is that which will be the certain condemnation of all those, who having it, obey it not, 
Joh. 3. i9.  but love darkness rathen light.   
Here I would close what I have to say to your answer to this first particular; but that William Thomas hath not yet done, being very wrath that I asked, What need of their teachings? And thereupon insolently demandeth of me, What need had Christ to send forth his Apostles, and bid them go and teach all Nations?  
Rep. 1. What the Apostles taught was from the living Spirit of Jesus, and not from liveless traditions; neither were they firebrands where they came, as he and his brethren are, teaching the people to persecute, imprison and destroy one another, as they do; but manifested the way of peace.  
2. They taught men to turn from darkness unto light, but these men ask, what the light is? quarrelling, fight, 
Page 16.  raging against it. Nay as if he himself could not render it sufficiently odious, he chargeth his Readers to have a jealous eye upon it.  
Some Scriptures there are that do stand much in his way, which I believe he hearty wisheth were razed out of the Bible, and doth endeavour all he can to make them Apocryphal, such as these, They shall teach no more every man his neighbour, 
Isa. 31.34. 1 Joh 2 27.  etc. And that in John, Ye need not that any man teach you, etc. To which Scriptures (he saith) he will for the satisfaction of weaker Christians speak something.  
Rep: 
Page 17.  I wish he, and the rest of the traders upon Scripture, would let the Scriptures abide pure as they are, and not hue them, and clip them, and curtail them as they do; and all to make them speak according to their corrupt fancies. They must be weak Christians indeed, that must receive satisfaction from Scripture so racked and manacled as they are before they come out of his hands.   

SECT. 13.  
Your thirteenth Section showeth your readiness to wrangle with me about words, if you could find any matter to work upon. Something you must have to say to me (for form sake) touching my second Article. 
Page 19  Although William Thomas doth so fully assent to what is said therein, that he passionately saith, that if I say the Teachers of this Nation do charge the people called Quakers, with the bare affirming thereof, it is an untruth. But if I mean so, or so, than he saith, it's an untruth also. So let me say or mean what I will, if they like it not I must be condemned. In the close of this Section you come to speak scoffingly of this light; of which take heed and beware, for a swift witness shall you find it to be against all your unrighteousness (to your condemnation) in the great day of the Lord.  
You say you are little beholding to my principles, who would reduce you to the condition of Heathens.  
Rep. Well were it for a great part of you, that you were in the condition of those Heathens, whose uncircumcision do fulfil the Law, whilst you, who bless yourselves with the name of Christians, 
Rom. 2.27.  are found transgressors of it.   

SECT. 14.  
In your fourteenth Section you would be quarrelling with me if you durst, and could you handsomely quit yourselves; of those Scriptures I quote about perfection, you would proclaim me a Blasphemer. And if that be all I hold of perfection, yet those of my persuasion (you say) are not so modest.  
Rep. If by those of my persuasion, you intent the people called Quakers, (whom ye seek to devour) I say, that I never found any of them, to preach, or profess, any other perfection, than such as Christ exhorted to, and Paul and other Saints witnessed. About which, you and William Thomas do distinguish with all the art you can, to stop the mouth of the Scripture. But when you have done all, what Paul witnessed therein, is still wisdom among them that are perfect. 
1 Cor. 2.6.  And here again you are craving allowance to ask me a few questions. Because you can find no flaw in plain truth, you would therefore by questoning find some if you could.  
William Thomas closeth his discourse about perfection, 
Page 21.  with a strange saying, viz. our duty here is to be always perfecting, 
Heb. 12.23.  but (our labour is in vain for) it belongeth to our wisdom to know, that we can never be fully perfected till the last day, wherein our souls shall be among the souls of just men made perfect.  
Rep. What a thick mist doth rage cast before the eyes of the envious? Can one think that one that pretendeth himself to have been so long a Minister of the Gospel, 
Vers. 22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ΠΡΟΣΕ ΛΗΛΥ'ΘΑΤΕ. Sed ACCESSISTIS. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Τ ΕΤΕΛΕΙΩΜΕ'ΝΩΝ. Ad spiritus justorum PERFECTORUM  should lay down such an assertion, and produce a Scripture for proof, speaking point-blank contrary thereunto? We cannot be fully perfected (saith he) until the last day How doth he prove it? Why, by the words of the Author to the Hebrews, who saith to the Hebrews, Ye ARE come to the spirits of the just men made perfect. Doth he say in the future tense, they should come at the last day? or doth he say they are come to those that shall be perfect? doth he not say in the preterperfect tense, they ARE already come, to the spirits of just men ALREADY made perfect? 
Isa. 44.25.  is not the Scripture fulfilled at this day, which saith, The Lord maketh the Diviners mad, and turneth the wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish?   

SECT. 15.  
In your fifteenth Section you offer little, save a threat what a severe reckoning you will have with me hereafter: Against which, I doubt not but to appear so armed with truth, as to be able therewith to quench all the fiery darts, that you and your Master have ready in your Quivers to shoot at me.  
But William Thomas supplieth that wherein you are wanting, 
Page 23.  in passion and ignorance; exceeding zealous he is in this particular; for herein consisteth the life of the Priest's trade, in mangling, tearing, and confounding the Scriptures, which they call Interpretations. The Scripture witnesseth, that none knoweth the mind of God, save the Spirit of God, and he to whom the Spirit shall reveal it. Now observe, Ten men do send each of them a Son to the University, in order to their outward preferment, where having spent seven or more years, they are called home by them that sent them, and by crouching, 
It is the spirit not study in a University, that maketh able to understand and interpret Scripture.  and cringing, and perhaps the help of some of Simon Magus his purchase money, a Benefice is gained for each of them. Now these men being Ministers in William Thomas' account, he asserteth it to be their employment, committed to them of God, to be Messengers and Interpreters. As if they had gained the Spirit, and consequently the mind of God, by the consumption of a few years in a University. One of these readeth Augustine, another Jerom, a third Calvin, a fourth Luther, Peter Martyr, etc. their interpretations of Scripture, and then they come forth to the people and say, this is the meaning, and t'other is the meaning: And is this to interpret by the Spirit? May not the worst of men, who have not the Spirit but hate the Spirit, nay, may not the worst of Devils, who well understand the languages in which those Commentators writ, do the same?  
Moreover take these ten young Divines, which he calleth God's Messengers and Interpreters, and give them ten difficult places of Scripture a part each from other to interpret, and it may be there shall not five of them agree in one interpretation. Now mind, if these men have not the Spirit of God, they are not fit Interpreters, because they cannot know God's mind, without that Spirit. If they have that Spirit, 
The Spirit never contradicteth itself  I demand, whether the same spirit interpreting in one man, do contradict itself giving an interpretation in another? If there be but one Spirit of truth, and that speaketh in every man (where it is) the same thing, then it's clear that these men whom he calleth Messengers and Interpreters, do bring forth the fancies and vain conceptions of their own brains (and not the mind of God by the Spirit of God) who do so jangle, and contradict one another in their interpretations. And therefore his charging it as a wicked error (in the same page) upon those that deny their expositions, and interpretations, is but a  to startle the ignorant. I say to thee Reader, Abide faithful in the counsel of the Lord, and thou shalt know his mind. Live in that Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures, by the mouths of holy men, and the Scripture will be plain unto thee, for it's that Spirit that unsealeth the mystery. Thy soul is most precious, therefore let not the false Prophet deceive thee. As I have formerly told thee, so now I tell thee again, in bowels of love, thou must die for thy self, and not thy Teacher for thee, and to the Lord must thou give an account for thy self, therefore look well to thy standing; interpret for thyself, and believe for thyself, and let not those Dreamers that call themselves God's Messenger and Interpreters (but live in pride, malice, covetousness, etc.) lead thee down hoodwinked to the chambers of death, whence there is no returning.   

SECT. 16.  
I now come to your sixteenth Section, in which you follow your old trade of deceit, viz. not daring to deny in express terms (although you do in effect) Christ's unlimited prohibition, of swearing at all; you fall from that, to ask me questions. Before I answer which, 
Matth. 5.34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉" ΟΛΩΣ.  I cannot but take notice of your preambular Observations. 1. You suggest that the Founders of the Quakers Religion (as you express it) are supposed to be Papists.  
Rep. This is such a ridiculous suggestion that the like I have seldom met with. I have been a diligent inquirer into the principles, professions, lives, and conversations, of that despised people; and upon inquiry do find, that there is not a people in the world who in all these, do more directly strike at the very root of Popery, than they do, and yet the deluding Teachers of this Nation, do (hoping thereby to contract an odium upon them among the simple) cry out, O they are many of them Jesuits and Papists. Sure I am, it's no difficult thing to prove the greatest part of your Steeple-house-worship to be but refined Popery. 2. I say, that swearing by the Contents of a Book, and kissing a Book, is a superstitions, popish invention, and that which was never practised by the Saints of old, whilst swearing was in force.  
The sum of your two first Queries to me is, Whether Christ spoke or intended any thing, which might clash with the commands of God? or whether he did forbid any part of God's moral worship?  
Ans. But that the Lord in just judgement upon you for fight against the truth, hath given you up to blindness of heart; could one almost imagine, that two that pretend themselves able Scholars, and eminent Christians, should propose Queries that have not the least shadow and weight of reason in them? May you not on the same ground charge Christ with clashing with God's commands, in putting an end to all the jewish Rites and Ceremonies? was not the practice of their whole worship, taken up by express command from God, 
Exod. 30.28. Leu. 6.18, 22. Leu. 23.13, 14 Exod. 28.42, 43. Gen. 17.13.  consisting in washings, meat-offerings, drink-offerings, the Priest's vestments, Sacrifices, Circumcision, etc. Concerning most of which, and many other Rites it's said by the Lord (which I never read of swearing) that they should be Statutes for EVER, throughout ALL generations? and yet Christ cometh and abolisheth all these, and not clash with his Father's commands; Was not Circumcision commanded upon that severe penalty, of being cut off from the people, in case of not being circumcised? 
Gen. 17 14. Gal. 5.2.  and yet Paul telleth the Galathians, that if they were circumcised Christ should profit them nothing. There is a time when it is death not to circumcise, and there is a time when Paul maketh it more than death to use it. Christ in like manner, yields by way of concession, that there was a season when swearing was lawfully used, 
Mat. 5.33, 34.  but I say unto you (NOW) swear not at all. And if he say it, sure I am, it is not for you to dispute his commands; for it was not only decreed in heaven, but by the Lords own mouth proclaimed on earth, that he is his beloved Son, and that him should all men HEAR. 
Matth. 17 5.   
What you say touching the necessity of Oaths to decide controversies, is but a lame begging of the question; for, there can be no real necessity supposed for that, which Christ (the great Lawgiver) forbiddeth the use of. 
Heb. 6.16.  That the Author to the Hebrews, saith, that an oath for confirmation, is to men an end of all strife, is true: To which I reply three things.  

1. That Author writeth to the Hebrews (among whom swearing was first practised) by way of concession, that it was used among them (who were probably ignorant of the change of the Priesthood, and consequently of the repeal of that practife) for that purpose, but he doth neither command it, nor commend it.  
2. In that he saith that to men, it is an end of strife; it is even thence clear, that to them who are already come to the end of all strife (being redeemed out of it) an oath is useless.  
3. But lastly, if this Author, or an Angel from Heaven, had commanded men to swear, yet behold a greater than the Author to the Hebrews, a greater than Moses, a greater than the Angels (whom the Father commandeth to worship him) is here, who saith, 
Heb. 1.6.  swear not AT ALL. And him are we all commanded to hear, in all things whatsoever he shall say unto us. And every soul which will not hear him, shall be destroyed from among the people, 
Deut. 18.15.  saith the Spirit of the Lord, 
Act 3.22 23.  by the mouth of Moses and Peter:   
That prejudice you suggest to which men's Estates would be liable by cheating companions, in case there were no swearing, is of no force; for he that will (contrary to the witness of God in his conscience) say a thing falsely, will not stick to swear it: And he that can affirm or deny a thing falsely with his yea, yea, nay, nay, will not scruple to seal the same with his oath.  
As for the examples you offer of Abraham's requiring an oath of his servant, Jacob of Joseph, Nehemiah of the Jews; they all fall to the ground (with Circumcision, and other Rites practised by the same persons) not only by the coming, but the countermand of the great Lawgiver, who saith, Swear not at all.  
Of which being 〈◊〉 to yourselves, you pass from them, and in your closing Query (by which you thought to have struck me silent) do confidently demand of me, whether the Apostle Paul did well or ill to swear, who saith, Behold, 
Gal. 1.20.  before God I lie not.  
Rep. Monstrous impiety! matchless impudence! What? was it not sufficient for you to clip, and mince, the commandment of Christ, but you must audaciously attempt to fasten a slanderous accusation upon innocent Paul, by charging him for a swearer? 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Is Paul's saying, before God, any more than in the presence of God, or in the sight of God? Do you not know (which induceth me to believe that you sin against the light of Christ in your consciences) that the same Greek word is used to signify so in more than twenty places of the Scripture? 
Luke 15.10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Doth not Luke use the same word when he saith, that there is joy in the PRESENCE of the Angels, over one repenting sinner. Doth not the same Evangelist use the same word for, 
Luk. 1.15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. in conspeclu meo Gen 17.1.  in the sight of God, saying, touching John Baptist, that he should be great in the SIGHT of the Lord?  
Doth not God command Abraham, saying, walk BEFORE me, and be thou perfect; and Luke commend Zacharias and Elizabeth for being both righteous BEFORE God? And did God and Luke swear in these say? 
Luk. 1.6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   
Nay, by this blasphemous doctrine of yours, how will you absolve Christ himself from being a swearer? who (besides other instances in Scripture) doth use the same expression three times in one Chapter, saying of the Sparrows, 
Luk 12.6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  that not one of them is forgotten BEFORE God. And further, he that denieth me BEFORE men, shall be denied BEFORE the Angels of God.  
And do you not blush to think, muchless to say, that Christ, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  did here swear by his Father, or swear by men, or swear by the Angels of God? I could tyre the patience of the Reader with instances of this nature. By which all the wise in heart may judge, what a loathsome spirit that is, by which you are acted, who durst in print belie Paul, and blaspheme the Son of God, by leaving them upon record under your own hands for swearers.   

SECT. 17.  
Now to palliate this your contradiction to Christ's command in your seventeenth Section you undertake to expound Christ's prohibition of swearing, extending it to our ordinary discourse; but before a Magistrate you assert it lawful.  
Rep. Christ saith, swear not AT ALL. Christopher Fowler and Simon Ford say nay, but before a Magistrate you may swear: Now whether Christ or they are to be believed, let all that fear the Lord judge. Suppose one of your servants should ask you leave to pass to London on horseback, you tell him nay; he asketh again, shall I go by coach or on foot; you reply nay, thou shalt not go at all. If this servant shall, notwithstanding this prohibition, presume to pass to London by water, whether will you not esteem him disobedient, having given him a universal denial, although he was not particularly forbidden to pass by water. The application is obvious to those that are serious.  
You tell your Reader in the close of your sixteenth Section, that this doctrine of the unlawfulness of swearing in any case, is a fragment of the old Germane Anabaptists.  
Rep. Were Christ, and the Apostle James, Germane Anabaptists, who do expressly forbid men to swear at all, or by any manner of oath? But what would you infer thence? why this, that it concerneth me to look to it, that (as the Magistrates than saw cause to dispute with the sword of justice against them, so) the Magistracy of England may never have the like provocation, to do the same against the Quakers, and other Sectaries among us.  
Rep. Mind Reader, what spirit these men are of, and what they hunt after, 
Aut Caesares aut nulli.  blood, blood, Quakers and other Sectaries? That is to say, all those that cannot subject their necks to the Priest's yoke. But stay, Sirs, was it a Quaker, or Sectary, or was it a Priest that lost his head by the Sword of Justice upon Tower-hill? 
Christoph. Love  Were both your hands clean from the wickedness of that bloody design? if they were, it's well. But sure I am that so considerable a number of your impericus generation, were concerned in that piece of Treason, that had the State disputed it with you according to the provocation given them, they might have found sufficient cause to have cut many a Priest in this Nation shorter by the head.  
And being now engaged in this discourse, I cannot but freely declare my mind to the whole Nation in this particular, viz. all plots and designs, together with all plotters and designers, against the peace of the State under which they live, I do utterly deny; for the grace of God which bringeth salvation, teacheth me to live peaceably and soberly, in this present evil world.  
And be they of what name or profession soever, that are found agitating any design for the spilling of blood, let the hand of justice find them out, and let them reap that just reward that is according to their do. And whatever these men of blood (whose ambition it is to have their feet upon all others necks) do suggest to the Magistrate, yet I can freely say, that I do not know any one person in the Nation called a Quaker, but will readily set his seal to what I have now declared.  
I have been the larger in this particular about swearing because of that great (but groundless) flourish you make in the close of your seventeenth Section touching it, viz. that who so can reconcile Christ's prohibition, to the precepts and examples quoted by you, shall gain the cause; a thing so easily effected, that there is none, but he that is wilfully blind, but will see the seeming discord, fully reconciled by what hath been before said.  
All that William Thomas doth about this particular, in mangling and confounding Christ's plain precept, and clipping that of the Apostle James, by leaving out in his quotation those words, nor by any other oath; I say, 
Jam. 5.12.  it's all abundantly answered before, and not only his creature-swearing, 
Pag. 25.  and his common swearing (as he expresseth himself) but all swearing falleth to the ground by that universal injunction of Christ's, swear not at all.   

SECT. 18.  
Your eighteenth Section is made up of feigned words, and false suggestions; when you have a mind to belie me, than you quote not my particular expressions, but tell your Reader that the sum and upshot of them is such and such; and so instead of my words, do produce the idle conceptions of your own brains, and then spend time to answer them; just like children that fight with their own shadows. You pretend to have a great weight upon your shoulders, whilst you own the work of bvilders, but it is but of Babel; Sowers, viz. of tares, strife, and sedition among men; Planters, but it is of that which must be plucked up; Husbandmen, and yet briers, and thorns still standing in your fields; Shepherds, but not Christ's, for they never devoured the sheep; Watchmen, but very blind ones; Soldiers, but not under Christ's Banner, for such fought not with carnal weapons; I doubt not but you have a good mind to this last employment, had you but an opportunity to fight Presbytery into the Chair.  
You tell me in the same Section, that it's my Law, that those that have been bred to study, must have no subsistence, but by handy work or begging.  
Rep. What a yoke of impudent Liars are you, who durst in print to father that expression upon me, which never proceeded out of my lip? If you preach lies to the people, with that confidence with which you print them; let all that fear the Lord judge what maester you serve, whose Ministers you are, and whom you may call your Father. That it is your declared doubt, that you should be reduced to beg or work, in case you had not your maintenance ascertained to you, is clear to all that observe any thing for why else is it that you do make such firm indentures with the people for your wages, before ye dare enter upon the work? At the close of this Section you seem to lament the hard measure you should have from me, in case, I could compass my fifth Monarchy.  
Rep. This suggestion hath been once offered before, and now repeated, to beget (if possible) a jealous eye in the State upon a people trodden down, and trampled upon in the streets by all, and who are as far removed from a spirit of fight, as these men are from the Spirit of truth, which is as far as light from darkness, or Heaven from Hell. And therefore I tell you again, that I do neither own, nor expect any other fifth Monarchy but this, that Christ Jesus should rule and reign in the contrite heart, which is already begun in the hearts of thousands in this Nation.  
You further boast how you should trust God in case you were reduced to that condition, etc.  
Rep. What admirable faith have these men, who can speak so largely of trusting God for food and raiment, with full bellies, and well- clothed backs? and have firm dependence on him for their maintenance, whilst their bags and barns are well filled, and have a power from without to force the people, where they will not freely give down their milk.   

SECT. 19  
You entertain your Reader in your nineteenth Section with a few jests, and then come in the close to bless God that provides for you; telling your Reader, that you dare not take God's gifts, and throw them back into his face, by contemning the gracious allowance of his providence.  
Rep. Is the tenth of poor men's labours that you cruelly exact from them, the gift of God? and is your forced maintenance which you tear out of people's throats, the gracious allowance of his providence? Was this the reason why one of 
* Christopher Fowler.  you did arrest several poor Gardeners in Redding (to the number of twelve, as I am informed) for the Tithe of their TURNIPS and CARROTS; that he might thereby quit himself from the guilt of throwing Gods gifts in his face? etc. Do not think to cover over the venom of your hearts and practices, with such hypocritical pretences as these; and know, that although you may for a season blind the eyes of men, with such mists of the bottomless pit, yet the righteous hand of the allseeing God will find you out, and surely reward you according to the wickedness of your do.   

SECT. 20.  
And now I am come to deal with you touching your great Idol, Tithes, about which you and William Thomas make a great cry, as they in behalf of their dead Goddess, 
Acts 19.28.  Great is Diana of the Ephesians but prove nothing. Sometimes you fly to the example of Melchisedeck, for patronage in your requiring Tithes, sometimes to the Law of man. And because you judge it too Jewish to claim them as Successors to Levi (though Gods command for Tithes, and the institution of that Priesthood were of equal antiquity) you run thence to Melchizedeck his receiving them of Abram, hoping thence to gain something for a covering to your practices not at all warranted by any example of the Ministers of Christ in the Scripture. But if this be the firmest prop you have to support your Idol (and upon that you lay the stress of your swelling Argument in your 24th Section) I doubt not but by what followeth, the understanding Reader will conclude, that its no more able to stand before the strength of truth, than Dagon was before the Ark of God And therefore to all that you have pleaded in the behalf of Tithes, 
1 Sam. 5.4.  from your Twentieth to the end of your Twenty eighth Section, I shall make my reply in these following particular.  

1. 
Heb. 7.4.  Abram returning from the slaughter of certain Kings, GAVE unto Melchisedeck (who came out to meet him) the tenth of his SPOILS taken in the War. The Scripture saith not, that he gave them the tenth of his enerease, the tenth Calf, the tenth Lamb, the tenth Sheaf, the tenth Pig, etc.  
2. 
Gen. 28.22.  We read not that Abram did this by any commandment of the Lords, but as a free will-offering (such as was jacob's vow) neither do the Scripture say that Melchisedeck required or exacted these spoils of Abram, but that they were voluntarily given him.  
3. You cannot show in Scripture that the tenth of spoils was Melchisedecks yearly maintenance, or that Abraham gave them to him more than once.  
4. 
Gen. 14 18, 19  Abram gave the tenth of his spoils to Melchisedeck, from whom he received a blessing, besides bread and wine he brought forth to him; but you do forcibly extort the tenth of all their increase from them; on whom you pronounce the curse, whom ye revile, against whom ye rail, and of whom you speak all manner of evil.  
5. Who made you Priests after the order of Melchisedeck; or how came you to be his successors; who have as much right to his Priesthood, as the Bishops and their creatures had to make Ministers for Jesus Christ?   
By all which, the  Reader may perceive, that the example of Melchisedeck (under which you seem so securely to shelter yourselves) doth not afford you the least shadow of countenance in your ungospellike practices, in commencing suits at law against-men for the tenth of all their increase. For let all men judge what parallel there is; Melchisedeck the Priest of the most high God, meeteth Abram returning from the War, blesseth him, receiveth (not exacteth) and that (not as his standing maintenance) but once, the tenth (not of all his increase but) of his spoils, which Abram (not by commandment but) voluntarily gave him. But you (who are not Priests, as was Melchisedeck) do demand and force for your yearly maintenance during life, from whole Parishes (even where you curse instead of blessing) the tenth of all their increase. So that the strongest inference that can be drawn from this example is this; that when any King returneth from the War, if he meet with a Priest of the most high God that blesseth him, he may, if he please, give him the tenth of his spoils; and what is this to you? unless you can persuade the Protector to grant, that when the Army or Fleet, do return from War, you meeting them with bread and wine (which I scarce believe you will do, for most of you do not love them so well) may receive the tenth of all their spoils. But what a mighty slaughter of Kings must the Army and Fleet needs make, to gain so much spoil, the tenth of which must serve to be a standing maintenance to so many Priests, who live so high, and far so deliciously, as the most of you do?   

SECT. 24.  
Whereas you urge that Tithes are due to Christ, being a Priest after the order of Melchisedeck (and therefore due to you) it is such a ridiculous fiction, as the like I have seldom heard. For would Christ never have made demand of that which was his due, nor his Apostles and Ministers after him? As he and they were faithful in telling the people of other their abominations, so surely they would not have been silent, and not (at least) have told them of their duty, and reproved them for their sin, in detaining from them the tenth of their increase, which was their due by command.  
But you say the Ministers of Christ then had not the same legal right, backed with the power of a Christian Magistrate.  
Rep. To which I reply two things. 1: Can they not have made demand without a Magistrate, and have laid it as a sin upon those that refused payment? 2. But this is of no weight. for neither had the Tribe of Levi any law to enforce payment at all; which maketh your practice the more wicked, who (supposing Tithes to be as due to you as to Levi) do notwithstanding horribly transgress their pattern, in extorting that by Law from the people, of which they only made demand, by virtue of God's appointment.  
I shall close this of Tithes with these four things. 1. I do demand of you, and William Thomas, and of every Tyth-gathering Teacher in England, but one example throughout the Scripture, either of a Priest under the Law, or of any Minister of the Gospel since Christ, that did ever force his maintenance from the people, nay, even that maintenance which was given them by Gods, or Christ?  
2. Whereas there was but a tenth appointed payable to the Tribe of Levi, and a tenth given to Melchisedeck, how cometh it to pass, that you (who are not of that Tribe) do demand, and receive a seventh of the people, viz. a seventh Calf, a seventh Lamb, a seventh Pig? etc.  
3. I would demand of William Thomas, whether he did not some years since, receive of his Parishioners the sixth part of all their increase for one year? and whether he did not urge them to have continued the same for one year more, which they refused? if this be true in the matter of fact (for which I can produce testimony out of his own neighbourhood) than I demand, what shadow of a rule in Scripture, he had for this? and whether (supposing the tenth to be his due) it be not extortion to receive the sixth?  
4. Lastly, There is no clearer demonstration that neither you nor he, are Ministers of Christ, than this, that you express such clamour about your maintenance. What fears? What distrusts? what outcries? Christ is no hard Master, for where he sendeth out, although it be without purse, or scrip, etc. there is no want: Never any that were faithful in his work but had enough; and were you his servants you would trust more, and fear and complain less.   

SECT. 29.  
To the contents of your twenty ninth Section, treating about your not trusting your Master (as his Ministers in Scripture did) but indenting for a maintenance, I have already made reply in my seventh Section, to which I refer the Reader.   

SECT. 30.  
In this Section you charge me with bold censures, because I charge it as hypocrisy on such as preach against pride, and yet live in it, against covetousness, and yet are greedy of filthy lucre etc. And you do passionately deny that matter of fact. Whereas should I charge you two in particular to be a couple of proud, imperious, domineering persons, I could soon produce many scores of witnesses, out of the Town of Reading, and the County of Berks, to give testimony thereunto. And as to the most of your Brethren abroad, who, but he that shutteth his eyes at noon day, doth not see that whilst they preach against pride, and covetousness, they themselves are both proud and covetous? who more haughty? who more greedy of filthy lucre? I do further charge it as gross hypocrisy, for men to come in the face of a congregation, pretending to pray with a great deal of zeal, that God would teach them what to say, when as they are resolved before hand what they will say. And I do further ask you, where you read of any of the Ministers of Jesus Christ in Scripture, that carried about Sermon-notes in their pockets, to the several places where they preached the Gospel, and putting them in a book, did now and then read, and now and then speak a few sentences to the people without them? Or whether did they not occasionally where they came, speak as the Spirit of the Lord gave them utterance? Surely, were they now upon the earth, William Thomas would damn them for extemporary Teachers, 
Page 40.  and Enthusiasts, as in the height of his rage, he doth those that have not Sermon-notes, &c,   

SECT. 31.  
You charge me in your following Section, with bringing an Indictment of felony against poor Ministers (as you call them) for QVOTING of the Fathers, and Expositors of Scripture.  
Rep But that you are accustomed to tell your Reader that I say this and that, which never proceeded out of my lips (thereby hoping to enervate the force of that truth which I did indeed speak) one would wonder that you should so imprudently assert so manifest a lie touching me: Let the honest Reader peruse my whole Epistle, and see if there be such a word as quote or quoting, to be found therein. And yet I must needs be made to charge your poor Ministers, with that which I never said. And having laid a lie for your foundation, you proceed to erect thereon a rotten building; proposing several lofty interrogatories to me, touching Christ quoting Moses and the Prophets, Peter quoting Paul; and Paul quoting Aratus, Menander, and Epimenides; and all this while do but fight against a lie of your own creating, for I never gainsaid any of these things. You know well enough, that my tenth Article did express the complaint made by your generation, against the people called Quakers, for that they called those men Thiefs and Robbers who did spend six days in the week to gather together the words of other men, and then come forth on the seventh day, and bid the people hearken to the word of the Lord, etc. And did Christ or the Apostles thus? they spoke from the Spirit, and preached by the Spirit, and as they were by that directed, they did (where they saw occasion) urge the words of the Prophets, against those that talked of them, but dwelled in that Spirit that slew them, as your generation do at this day, preach Christ in words, but yet crucify him where he appeareth in power. And this practice of Christ and the Apostles I never condemned  
William Thomas soming out his rage about this Article, 
Page 42.  is as foul and false in his slanderous accusations, as you. He confesseth that he doth spend his time to gather together the words of the Prophets and Apostles (with their right meanings) and then say, Harken unto the word of the Lord. Where by the way we must observe, that the meanings that the Priests do put upon the words of the Prophets and Apostles, are by this man esteemed the word of the Lord. And then demandeth whether they be thiefs, because they receive that from the Lord which they deliver to his people?  
Rep. He is not in the account of truth a Thief, that receiveth that from the Lord, that he delivereth to the people. But must he that maketh it his trade to gather together the Saints words, and thereunto add his own imaginations, and then come forth and bid the people hearken to the word of the Lord, I say, must this man presently be said to receive this from the Lord? when as whilst he talketh of the Saints words, he is a stranger to the Saints conditions, and an enemy to those that witness them? may not the worst of men, nay, the foulest of Devils, gather together the Saints words and the meanings of men imposed upon them, and then talk of them to the people? and will he allow that these Brats of darkness do therein speak what they receive from the Lord, or that the word of the Lord cometh unto them? Grant but his irrational premises, and this dismal conclusion will unavoidably follow.   

SECT. 32.  
In this Section you shufflle off your Reader (according to your usual manner of answering) with a few scoffs and Queries; and such also, which are not at all to the thing in hand. My Article spoke of the people called Quakers, their confident advising the Public Teachers to preach no more to the people, than the Lord hath spoken to them. In answer to which, you fall to querying about Prophetesses and women's teaching, and others coming into your Congregations; and Christ's, and the Apostles disputing in the Synagogues, etc. All which were subjects that my Article spoke not of. But wanting matter of just quarrel or accusation against me (the Article being plain) you would seek to create some. To all which your filty scoffs, and impertinent Queries, I shall only say Three things.  

1. 
Gal. 3.28.  The Spirit of the Lord is not confined to one Sex, neither is there male or female in Christ Jesus, but all are one. Had learned Apollo's been such a stubborn opinionist as you scorners are, he would have disdained (as you do) to have received instruction, from the lips of a poor Priscilla.  
2. Although Christ, and the Apostles did preach down the whole pedagogy of the Jews, and all their Temple-worship (for which they were so exceeding zealous) yet when they came into their Synagogues to dispute with them, they found even at their hands, a thousand times sairer quarter, than many poor hearts find from your Wolfish flocks in your Steeple-houses, for speaking but six words, among whom, they are oftentimes in danger of life, or limb.  
3. Whereas you speak of the Quakers violating that Article of the Government which alloweth liberty to all such as profess Faith in God by Jesus Christ. I say, that this is monstrous hypocrisy in you; when as that Article of the Government, is not more broken upon any order of men at this day in the Nation, then upon that suffering people called Quakers; and that by the hands of the Priests Disciples, and their persecuting companions; by coming into their peaceable meetings, and there railing, and reviling them, nay oftentimes laying violent hands on them; of which there is scarce a day but doth afford an instance in some part of this Nation or other? and do you, as the most guilty, begin to complain first?    

SECT. 33.  
Your Three and thirtieth Section is such a Linsy. woolsey piece, such a medley of confusion, that there is neither head not tail in it. The advice given you, viz. to preach no more to the people than the Lord hath spoken to you, you say, were it delivered to you in a sober, private, Christian way (I do well know you love to be honoured before the people) you would take well at my hands, and practise accordingly.  
Rep. Then you approve of the advice as good. And why is it then that you endeavour in the remaining part of your Section to contradict it, and go about to persuade your Reader, that I bad mal-advised you, in meaning what I did not speak? It's a strange law, that when no fault can be found with a man's words, being wholesome, he must then be reviled, and beaten, for his supposed meanings. You further demand of me, to what purpose the Scripture is avouched to be profitable for doctrine, if you may raise no doctrines from it?  
Answ. With what reason, or on what ground this impertinent Query is proposed (more than to spend your spare time) I profess I cannot conceive, for that there is nothing spoken in my Article that concerneth any such thing. However since you will needs know my mind in the case, I say, That the holy Scriptures were given by inspiration of God, 
2 Tim. 3.16.  and are profitable for doctrine, reproof, and correction, is true; but doth it therefore follow that the Scriptures were given forth, for you by the strength of your imaginations, to raise Doctrines, Reasons, and Uses from them, and then take them & sell them to the people for money? The Scriptures of truth, as they were spoken forth by the holy men of God, are pure, but you and your Brethren (to gain a livelihood thereby) do spend your time to fasten your own corrupt glosses, and interpretations upon them, in which you are so full of confusion, and contradictions each to other, that, that which hath in itself a sweet harmony, you make to be a monstrous heap of jars and discord: Your after discourse about Christ's and the Apostles speaking the words of Moses, and the Prophets, is vain and frivolous; being that which I never denied, or condemned. And therefore you have done but as peevish persons, in a deep fit of melancholy, viz. create images in your own fancies, and then fight with them.   

SECT. 34.  
In this Section you study how to pick matter of wrangling, about that advice given you, To preach no more to the people than you yourselves witness the life and power of within yourselves. But finding my expressions plain, you fall (according to your wont ingenuous way) to suppose meanings upon my naked expressions. And my meaning must needs be supposed to be that which never came out of my lips: The ground of this is, because you say others of my brethren do so, and so. How is that proved? by a discourse had (you say) betwixt two Quakers related by John Toldervy.  
Rep. You appeal to Col Sidenham in your fawning Epistle touching your candour and integrity in the managery (a very hard word) as you term it, of your answer to my Epistle. And is this one of the demonstrations of your candour and integrity, to charge such and such things upon the people called Quakers, and then offer John Toldervy for proof? this is just as if a man should have come to the Chief-Priests and Rulers of old, and asked them, is Christ an evildoer, and worthy to be given over to be crucified? yea would they say, how is that proved? Why, Judas saith so. And then ask the people of the Jews, what is this Jesus of Nazareth? why, would they say, he is a deceiver, and a blasphemer; how is that proved? Our Rulers and Chief-Priests say so. And so betwixt you, and John Toldervy, the innocent shall no way escape condemnation.   

SECT. 35.  
Your 35th is made up of malicious slanders, and false accusations; where are those lazy Lurdens, or Drones (as you call them) who eat the fat, and drink the sweet? For mine own part, I know none such but the Priests; who yet are wiser for themselves, than those you accuse of walking up and down the Land; for that instead of travelling through heat, and cold, drought and wet, they love to keep close in one parish, to eat the fat, and drink the sweet. But where are those that do eat their wives and families out of doors? name any man that's called a Quaker, that hath done so; and if you can (were recrimination any excuse) I doubt not but for every such one, to name you twenty Priests that are deeply guilty of the same crime.   

SECT. 36.  
In your 36th Section you accuse me of setting up the revelation of the Spirit, in opposition to all humane studies; and why? Because my Twelfth Article said, That the mind of God is not to be known by study in a University, but by revelation of the Spirit, who alone knoweth his mind. 
1 Cor. 2.11, 12  And is not this plain truth?   

SECT. 37.  
Why is it then, that you make such a great noise about University learning; endeavouring to make Paul and Peter to be Advocates for you in the case? The first of whom, viz, Paul, did with all his learning fight against Christ, and drew his blood; as you, and many others at this day do, that pretend highly to it. And although he came afterwards to know and receive, that Jesus whom he before persecuted, yet, I deny it was at all by the power of his humane learning, but by the revelation of the Spirit of life. And as for Peter, how could you but blush (were you not past all shame) to abuse and belie him as you do, in bringing him for testimony to the usefulness of University learning in this way; making him to say, that in the reading of the Scriptures it may keep a man from wresting them to destruction? doth not the Scripture bear witness of Peter, that he himself was unlearned? and will you make Peter to condemn Peter, 
Act 4.13.  and implicitly conclude that he himself was a wrester of Scripture having not that learning, which you say will keep men from wresting them? Moreover, do not the Pope, his Cardinals, the Jesuits and the rest of your Romish fraternity abound in University learning? notwithstanding which, do not you and the rest in England, accuse all those learned ones, for wresting the Scriptures to their own destruction.   

SECT. 38.  
In what confusion do your next Section show you to live in? which you begin with as full an acknowledgement of the impotency of humane learning, to give the knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom, as I myself have at any time, or could have made. Your words are these. We acknowledge that all the learning of the world will not bring saving truth effectually home to the understanding, and consciences of men; nay, carnal reason, backed with LEARNING, will dispute the light of the most glorious doctrinal truths of the Gospel, out of men's judgements, and the most glorious practical truths of of the Gospel out of men's consciences, as appears daily in those, whose learning Satan makes use of (as he doth of yours and others) to defend, and patronise their lusts. So that there needs another kind of learning, to settle these truths savingly in the minds and hearts of men, which the Scripture calls the revelation and demonstration of the Spirit. Thus are you constrained in words (whatever your hearts are) to give testimony to the insufficiency of your Idol University learning, and to the efficacy of the revelation and demonstration of the Spirit. And yet in the close of the same Section, you cannot but call Schools of learning, no small props of Christian Religion. Are not they very sure props of Christian Religion, in which men learn that, which joined with carnal reason will dispute the most glorious truths of the Gospel out of men's judgements and consciences. Here is just the image of Babel. As your brethren do use to preach, so do you print; who oftentimes in their Sermons, do very zealously assert a thing for truth, and before they close their discourse, do cross the same thing and contradict it. I could tell the Reader at large what precious Plants the Universities and Schools of learning, do oftentimes nurse up, but I shall reserve that until another season. Only for close of this, you being now crying Hosanna to your Universities, let me ask you this question; How came it to pass that Simon Ford was (a very few years since) expelled the University of Oxford? 
Simon Ford turned out of the University of Oxford.  Was the Mother unrighteous, or was the Son wicked? If for a good deed he was driven thence, than that prop of Christian Religion, was a persecuter of the innocent; if for evildoing, then let the Reader judge, how well this man behaved himself there, that the University (which I am sure heretofore did rarely administer expulsion to any, but for a very great crime) thought good to vomit him up as a corrupt member.   

SECT. 40, 41, 42, 43.  
In the next place I cannot but take notice how much stir both you and William Thomas do make, about that expression of mine in the Twelfth Article viz. that Paul and Peter preached that Gospel which Christ by his Spirit revealed in them. 
1 Cor. 2 10. Gal. 1.16.  And here you follow your old trade of making meanings upon my plain words: And you doubt another Snake in the grass of this fair expression.  
Rep. Are you Ministers of Jesus Christ, and know not to this day what it is to preach the Gospel, which he hath revealed in you?  
Are there two Gospels? or did Paul and Peter preach two, viz. one revealed in them and another without them 〈◊〉 there any other way of knowing the glorious mysteries of the Gospel, but by revelation made by the Spirit of jesus within.  
William Thomas confesseth, that Paul and Peter were instructed by immediate revelation, 
Page 44.  which (saith he) We are not so presumptuous as to expect.  
Rep. Poor blind man! The Lord is, my witness, that my bear't was moved with pity towards him at the reading of this expession, and could even weep over him thus drowned in ignorance. What hath he been preaching these thirty and nine years (for so long it seems he hath been a Teacher) who is so far from having received, 
Pag. 8. confessed.  that he never expected instruction by immediate revelation? Hath he only taught the history of that which others did, and spoke? If so, what hath he done more than the Devils, and many (now) damned spirits, can do, and have done? Cannot those soul spirits talk of what others have said, and done in the Scriptures? nay, 
Mark. 5.7.  do we not find an unclean spirit preaching Christ in words to be the Son of the most high God? Have not the Pope, his Cardinals and Jesuits the knowledge of the history of the Prophets, Christ, and the Apostles, and do preach them in words? Had not the Priests, Scribes and Pharisees, the knowledge of the letter of Scriptures, and yet slew Christ? Can not Paul have preached the history of Scriptures that spoke of Christ, even then (when with all his learning) he drew his blood, and persecuted him from City to City? Now, what hath William Thomas done more than all these, unless, besides the knowledge of the History, gained by reading and hearing, he hath received instruction by the immediate revelation of the Spirit in the mystery, as Paul afterwards did, and so come to know the same made manifest which hath been hid from ages, 
Col. 1.26, 27.  viz. Christ in him the hope of glory.  
From the manifestation of his ignorance, 
Page 45.  he proceedeth in the next page to cast up a loathsome morsel of his profaneness, calling that expression, of witnessing the Saints conditions, by the reproachful name of gibberish. But let the scorner and the scoffer know, that though he preach and talk of the Saints words (which the evil Angels themselves can do) until he drop into his grave, if he live and die a stranger to the Saints conditions, he will be found to be but a liar before the Lord, in the great day of his account. He may go up in his Pulpit, and make many guilded Orations, about Paul's being crucified with Christ, and Christ's living in him (if he will yet acknowledge that to be a truth) and yet, if he come not to witness the same condition of Paul's to be his, let me tell him, that when the Lamb cometh to judgement, he shall wish with tears, that he might indeed know that which his scornful pen now trampleth upon as gibberish. Miserable souls, who pass away their days (and so sink into eternity) under such men's teachings, who neither have, nor expect to have instruction from the immediate revelation of the Spirit, and scornfully spurn at those that witness the Saints conditions.   

SECT. 43.  
You also have a stone to throw at this expression, calling it odd and uncouth.  
Rep. To those that are ignorant of it, even the pearl of great price is of little value; and so it is to you, who live in blindness yourselves, and do strive to keep others bound in the same chain. And whereas you charge me in the close of this Section, with speaking scornfully of the righteousness of Christ. I say you are a couple of impudent liars, who dare print that as mine, which never was in my heart to think, nor upon my lips to express. Are you Ministers of Christ, who can scarce write a leaf, without a lie? Beside; the witness of God in my own conscience, 
Christ's innocency pleaded against the cry of the Chief-Priests: Page. 55.  the honest Reader may see that I have my own expression as a witness for me also in my book, against your filthy slander? in which I spoke of such, as did talk of a righteousness beyond the stars, and they in the mean time live in filthiness and pollution, and is this to speak scornfully of the righteousness of Christ, when as it was not so much as mentioned? They that witness Christ in them, do not witness his righteousness to be a far off from them, unless you suppose that Christ can be separated from his righteousness.   

SECT. 44.  
Your next Section containeth little worthy of notice, because you say, that if I mean as I say, than you mean and say as I do. And yet you cannot forbear to multiply words, and make a confession of your faith; telling me, that you do not make your mortification of sin, or resurrection to newness of life, any part of your righteousness in the presence of God.  
Rep. You have little reason so to do; for that would be a strange polluted righteousness to appear in the presence of the Lord with, which is made up of such mock-mortification of sin, and resurrection to life, as yours is; who by your unclean fruits do make it manifest, that you are alive to sin, and dead unto newness of life.   

SECT. 45.  
You cannot forbear (being accustomed to it) to add another gross lie, to the former, in the beginning of this Section also; averting that in my fourteenth Article, I do confess that I do both publish, and practise, an unmannerly disrespect of all persons.  
Rep. Why sirs, is the dread and fear of the Lord quite removed from before your eyes, that you are thus audacious in printing, and publishing, such notorious untruths unto the world? did I, by my recital of the words of the Apostle James (he that respecteth persons doth commit sin) confess, 
James 2.9.  that I did both publish and practise an unmannerly disrespect of all persons? Do you not lay the innocent Apostle under the same condemnation, since the words recited out of that Scripture, were originally his and not mine? as you have before pleaded hard for your backs and your bellies; so in this and your following Section, you do for your honour; being loath to lose the cap and the knee, and greetings in the Markets. And having here (as formerly) laid a lie for your foundation, you proceed to tell me, that you will dispute it with me, whether Religion doth destroy civility and good manners? A thing which I never asserted, and therefore is out of all question with me. True Religion is the Nurse, not the destroyer of good manners; which good manners do consist, in doing the things that are honest both in the sight of God and men; not in an Apish fantastical pulling off the hat, and crying, Your humble servant Sir; when as oftentimes whilst that compliment is upon the lip, there is so much malice in the heart, as would cut the throat of the person saluted, were there but an opportunity presented.  
You proceed on and say, that you do humbly conceive that the fifth Commandment is not yet repealed.  
Rep. Did I ever say it was? What? always create images in your own corrupt fancies, and then contend about them? I say according to the Scriptures, that children ought to obey their 
q Eph. 6.1.  parents, and servants their masters, and all people the 
r Vers. 5. Tit. 3.1.  magistrates in the Lord. Which obedience consisteth in doing all things just, and well pleasing in the sight of God. Neither do I deny to call persons, or things, noble, excellent, or honourable, which indeed are so. But what is this to your crouching, and cringing, and capping, and kneeing it, to the man wearing the gold ring, and the gay raiment; passing by the poor man in vile apparel, without any notice or regard? And whereas you justify yourselves as such who do prefer a godly poor man, before any wealthy man, that is not so. I say, how doth this appear? Is it by your insulting and lording it over all those in the Town of Redding, that refuse to be Vassals to your corrupt wills and lusts? Let those that are the godly poor in and about that Town, be witnesses against you in what you have here falsely asserted of yourselves.   

SECT. 47.  
And whereas you demand of me, why I do give the name of Sirs, and Sir, since you say my brethren do quarrel with the name of Master, or Sir.  
Ans. I answer, that for the Readers sake, 
Acts 7.26." ΑΝΔΡΕΣ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VIRI. Act. 27.10." ΑΝΔΡΕΣ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viri video. Ver 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉" ΑΝΔΡΕΣ Bono animo estote VIRI. So vers. 21.  I shall give this plain account thereof; I do use the word Sir, and Sirs, as Moses used it, and as Paul used it three times in one Chapter, to express no more than man, or men, for so you do well know (though you conceal it from your Reader) the word there used doth signify, and no more. And whereas you say that my brethren might know how often the word Master, or Sir, is given and taken by the Apostles of Christ. I say, I find not in Scripture that ever any Apostle of Christ gave the word Master, to any Apostle, or other Saint, nor that any Apostle did use the title of Sir, or Sirs, to the Apostles or other Saints, by the word (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) Kurie, or (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) Kurioi, which words do express Lordship, or Mastership; but when they did use the word Sirs, it was by the Greek word, (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) Andres, which signifieth no more than men, and so do I use it, and no otherwise.   

SECT. 48.  
You have not yet done with this. But do go on to suppose worse blood in my veins, then that which boyles against poor Ministers. And you doubt that I that would strip them (viz. the Magistrates) of their Titles, have too great mind to their Offices.  
Rep. Are you come with this threadbare suggestion again? Antichrist and his Ministers throughout all ages, did cleave close to the Magistrates, 
The Priests pretend great love to the Magistrates whilst they will serve them.  whilst they would be their servants, and supporters; but when they would no longer serve their lusts, then damn them to the bottomless pit: Fain you would persuade the Magistrates what aspiring persons, the people called Quakers are; which cannot be prevalent with any, but such as are as drunk with rage against them as yourselves; unless it be because they are a people trodden down by all as mire in the streets. But let me ask you Did the Quakers ever attempt the overthrow and destruction of any power that would not establish them in the throne? Or did they ever endeavour to bring into England an army of Scots, to over-awe both Parliament and Army, into subjection to prescripts, and rules of their creating? such things as these (with many other that I omit) would have showed some bad blood running in their veins indeed.  
I do well remember the time when your Pulpits sounded of little else, but Curse ye Meroz, curse bitterly the inhabitants thereof, etc. stirring up the people to join with the Parliament, against the late King, and your forefathers the Bishops; hoping that the Parliament in conclusion (Bishops being dethroned) would have made you heirs of their inheritance, of their lands, and revenues, of their honour, vainglory and domination; and have committed the sceptre to you, to rule and tyrannize, over all other men's consciences. But they denying you that, your Dialect touching them was soon changed in your Pulpits: and probably, had you not been timely prevented, you bade given them in requital for all their pains and travel, nought but a Scottish yoke.   

SECT. 49.  
In this Section you do not a little insult, and triumph, making a great flourish, as if you had gained some notable conquest. And all because in my last Article, I said, that the people called Quakers, did avouch it proper, as in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, so in English, to say thou, and thee, to any single person. And was this such a groundwork for you to build so mighty a flourish upon? Can you and your schoolboy of ten years old, (you speak of) find me any place in Scripture where the Hebrew word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or the Greek word. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Latin word. Tu, are rendered any otherwise in English then THOU? Or can you, and your young Scholar, show me any place in Scripture, where the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or the Latin word vos, are rendered any otherwise, than you, or ye? Neither am I so silly (as you are pleased to call me) but that I do well know, that words in all languages do signify this, or that, (ex instituto humano) by man's institutior, but when by man's institution, tu is appointed to signify thou, and vos, ye, I hope it's not left (ad arbitrium) to every man to express ye, by the word tu, nor thou, by the word vos.   

SECT. 50.  
And because you would not be left without some reason, why you say thou and thee, to the great God; you offer such a one as you have, though it be a pitiful lame one, (viz.) because you address yourselves to God in Prayer, in the unity of his nature.  
Rep. Is it not proper upon the same ground to say thou and thee to a single person? unless you will say that you speak to a plurality of men, when you speak but to one.  
William Thomas saith, that to say thou, 
* Page 47.  and thee, to our superiors is offensive, which ought to be avoided?  
Rep. Is that language offensive unto men, which he himself doth give to the great God, as often as he prayeth? or is not the Lord of heaven and earth his Superior? if he be, why doth he not avoid such offensive language? And if to use the words thou and thee, be to be a perfect Clown (as he expresseth it) then what would he be esteemed, who doth publicly use the same to the Almighty God his Superior so often in his Pulpit?   

SECT. 54.  
And now I am come to your large list of Particulars, which you call THE QUAKER'S DOCTRINES: In mustering up which you have showed yourselves not a little fraudulent and disingenuous:  

For first, upon diligent search and enquiry, I can scarce find one particular in the whole Catalogue (that is, of any weight) but is either a thing created, or misquoted.  
Secondly, Let the Reader observe whose testimony you offer in evidence to prove those things of which you accuse them (viz.) The Book called The Perfect Pharisee, John Toldervy, Richard Baxter, etc. If Pilate will accept of the testimony of the whole counsel of the Rulers, chief Priests, and Pharisees against Christ (to whom they were professed enemies) can he be adjudged to be any other than a person worthy to suffer death? If a Jesuit should come to one of you and impeach you, and those called Protestants for Heretics, and for proof thereof, should offer in evidence, the testimony of the Pope, Cardinals, and the whole Romish crew, would you judge it fair dealing, or would you not reject such his proof as coming from those that are judges and parties against you?  
Thirdly, if the things you charge were all true, (as they are not) must the particular expression of one man be presently charged as the doctrine of many thousands that are called by the same name, who do utterly disown the things so spoken? If this be a regular way of proceeding, what Monsters of men could I soon prove you two to be, and most of the public Teachers of the Nation, by the many wicked, profane, blasphemous expressions of your hearers, and followers?   
Nay farther, if I listed to charge all that upon you two, which I have heard from the mouths of sober men, nay, which I find printed touching (not your say only; but) the wickedness of your do, you would appear so foul and filthy, that there is no honest heart but would dis-own your fellowship (without repentance) whilst he had a day to live.  
It's not my business not is it my purpose, to contend about other men's words. Yet that the Reader may judge how you deal with the People called Quakers, in the rest of your Articles: I shall let him know how falsely and unfairly, you deal with them in two or three of the Particulars:  
1. One of the Quakers Doctrines you say is, That they are equal with God, as holy, just, and good, as God himself. For proof of which you quote the Book called, The Perfect Pharisee.  
Rep. 1. The two persons upon whom this expression was charged have publicly enough denied, and disowned it in Print. 2. I do not know any one person that is called a Quaker, but doth (as I myself do) deny and abhor any such expression. Now then, let the honest Reader observe, whether it be not a wicked and a horrible thing in these malicious persons, to charge that as one of the Quakers Doctrines, which not only the persons, on whom it is fathered do deny, and disown; but also, which is with one lip denied and disowned, by every individual among those many thousands that are called by that name in these Nations.  
2. Next you say that one of our shee-Quakers being convented before the Major of your Town, and asked what she was, and what was her name (which is your false and wicked addition) roundly answered, I am that I am.  
Rep. I have throughly examined this matter to the bottom, and do find it to be like your former, a filthy slander and a falsehood. For the said person being again, and again asked by the Mayor, What she was (not what was her name, at that time she gave the following answer) answered, I am what I am. And to this I have the testimony of two credible persons that were then present. And whereas you mention two Officers of your Town that will attest what you say upon oath. I say, to convince those two persons either of the weakness of their memories, or the wickedness of their hearts, let them remember (and let the Reader take notice of it) that she being accused for saying, I am what I am, a slander by asked, why, did not Paul say, by the grace of God. I am what I am? Ay, replied the Mayor by the grace of God? But if she had said, 
1 Cor. 15, 10.  I am that I am (which she did not) must the saying of one particular person be made presently one of the Quakers Doctrines?  
3. Another Doctrine of the Quakers you say (in your fourteenth Section) is, That whosoever expecteth to be saved by him that died at Jerusalem, shall be deceived.  
Rep. Blush and be ashamed (if you can) ye shameless liars; who durst in print avouch that for one of the Quakers Doctrines, which is publicly disowned by them; as all may see who will but peruse their several Books. And where I have been at their meetings, I have often heard the thing disowned in the hearing of many hundreds of people; and salvation owned and presented, by none other but by that very Son of God, that witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate, and offered himself upon the cross at Jerusalem for the sins of the world. The Accuser of the brethren, which ruleth in you, taught you to be so maliciously subtle, that you quoted no proof for this abominable slander, and therefore the lie yet resteth upon your own heads. And if you can produce any person that avoucheth any such thing, know, that all the people called Quakers that I know, are as ready to deny and disown him, as they are to deny the filthiness of such false accusers as you two are.  
I am unwilling any longer to detain the sober Reader, whilst I rake further into that filthy dunghill of your untruths, and slanders. By what hath been already said to those three particulars, he may easily judge of what stamp the remainder are, which are comprised in that deformed Catalogue.  
And now since you judge it equal to take the particular expressions (and those for the most part not true, but invented) of certain persons called Quakers, and charge them as Doctrines upon the whole body of that people that are calby the same name; I hope you will not esteem it otherwise then just to have better measure returned back to you, than you have measured unto others, viz. by presenting the Reader with such expressions, as have dropped from the lips and pens of one of your brethren, which (according to your own rule) you must give me leave to call   

The Priest's Doctrines,  
1. That to affirm that Christ is the means, and that there is no other means of salvation, is an error, if not damnable. Josh. Miller of Cardiff in his book entitled, Antichrist in man the Quakers Idol, pag. 13. Did the people called Quakers, preach and profess such devilish Doctrine as this, I would disown them in the face of the whole world.  
2. That lying is no sin but a change of the mind. Asserted and pleaded for by the same Joshuah Miller of Cardiff, before sufficient witness ready to attest it. A wicked principle! and an inlet to all fraud, deceit, and falss-witness-bearing, and that which being practised would turn all the converse of men (which ought to be managed with truth as in the presence of the Lord) into a continued lie.  
Many more particulars I could reckon up, and prove, upon yourselves, and some of your Function, of as deep a die as these two. But I shall spare you for the present. Only let me advise you, that if your way of proceeding against the people called Quakers be just and reasonable, in throwing created and misquoted expressions, as dirt upon the whole body of that people; I know not how you and all the public Teachers of the Nation will be able to absolve yourselves, from being horrible Blasphemers of the name of Christ, and destroyers of the beauty of all humane converse.  
Thus have I made my Reply to that part of your Pamphlet that concerneth my Epistle. To the after part thereof (wherein you rather seek matter of quarrel with me, then answer aught that concerned you) I shall not be wanting in making a particular return, in case I hear not further from William Thomas, whom that do more especially concern.  
In the mean while return into yourselves, and consider what you are now doing, and whose errand you are posting upon: And know that neither you, not your weapons form against the Lamb shall prosper before the Lord. Consider whether Satan doth not make the same use of your learning, 
In your 38. Section.  which you confess he doth of some men's, viz. To defend and patronise your lusts. You may for a season, with fair words, and specious pretences, deceive the simple; persuading them that you are Ministers of Christ, because you preach and profess him in words, though you persecute and crucify him where he appeareth in power. But though men may be deceived, yet God will not be mocked. As you sow, so shall you also reap. Whilst you sow to the flesh, bringing forth the corrupt fruits of Pride, Envy, Covetousness, Oppression, etc. It is not your guilded profession that will cover you over in the presence of the most high God. In the pure light of Christ, that despised light, that light which you so furiously decry and trample upon, search and prove yourselves. For I bear record to it (and you shall one day witness the same to be true) that a swift and dreadful witness will it be against all transgressors, in the great and terrible day of the Lord. It will then assuredly speak, by no gift will it be bribed, nor by the tongue of an Orator, will it be enjoined silence; but an impartial cry will it make before the Lord for justice upon the the evil doer, and he himself shall put his seal to it, that the cry thereof is just.   
I am A Friend to your Souls, but an unalterable Enemy to your deceit. THOMAS SPEED.   

A TESTIMONY FOR TRUTH, AND A Caution to all that profess it.  
TO live in the fear of the Lord, is the beginning of true Wisdom, from which whosoever departeth, doth at once lose both his Rock & his glory. Whilst the earthen vessel is made the habitation of the Lord, it is all beautiful, and in him, and for his sake, to be honoured among the Saints; but he being withdrawn, what is man, but a dark temple of clay, whence the glory is departed? Man abiding in the truth, shineth as a Star in the Firmament, but turning his back upon that, he becometh an unsavoury snuff whose light is extinguished. Whilst Aaron listeneth to the Lord, I will hearken unto him; but when he giveth ear to the seducing charms of the people, to make new Gods, I will leave both him and them to worship the molten Calf, which he hath set up. How illustrious is the Throne of Solomon, while he abideth faithful with the God of his Fathers? but forsaking him, and turning unto strange women, his wisdom becometh foolishness; his strength, weakness, and is brought by the subtlety of the Tempter to bow his knee to those dead Idols, Ashteroth and Milcom; But the true God, whom Aaron once served, is not to be blasphemed, because he is now found sacrificing to an Idol. Neither will the wholesome words given forth by the mouth of Solomon from the Spirit of the Lord, cease to be truth throughout all generations, though Solomon's heart be turned from his God, and he prevailed upon to worship those things that are no Gods. Cursed be that lip that speaketh evil of the pure light of the Lord, because some starting from it, are found wand'ring in the perilous paths of darkness. They that abide in the light, walk safely, but who so turneth from it, walketh among the rocks. Who is he that despiseth the light of a candle in a dark night, because another who turneth from it, stumbleth and falleth? Or where is he among all the Sons of men, that will refuse to walk in a clean path, because some straying from it, are found having their feet stocked in the mire and clay? Look well therefore to your standing all ye that fear the Lord; and whilst ye think ye stand, take heed lest ye fall. Let not your faith stand in the wisdom or excellency of man, but in the power of the Lord: Walk humbly with your God, so will you walk safely. Forsake not the blessed fruit of the tree of life, to eat of the shining fruit of the tree of Knowledge. Stumble not, because another falleth, but be the more watchful over your own steps. And to all you that rejoice at another's swerving from the truth, I say, beware how you condemn Christ for a deceiver, or his doctrine for deceit, because Peter denied him. If Peter return to himself, and repent, his will be the joy, but yours the shame. What gain will it be to you, O ye men unwise, if over one that is fallen, you yourselves stumble and fall to your own destruction? He may be raised by power of the Lord to praise him in the Land of the living, when as you, being hardened by the sliding of his feet will be sealed up under the chains of eternal darkness.  
FINIS.