Rusticus ad academicos in exercitationibus expostulatoriis, apologeticis quatuor The rustick's alarm to the rabbies, or, The country correcting the university and clergy, and ... contesting for the truth ... : in four apologeticall and expostulatory exercitations : wherein is contained, as well a general account to all enquirers, as a general answer to all opposers of the most truly catholike and most truly Christ-like Chistians [sic] called Quakers, and of the true divinity of their doctrine : by way of entire entercourse held in special with four of the clergies chieftanes, viz, John Owen ... Tho. Danson ... John Tombes ... Rich. Baxter ... by Samuel Fisher ...

CHAP. II.

HAving shewed what truly and properly the Scripture is, and what we, the Quakers, intend, and I.O. also (if we may take him as meaning, what he mostly sayes) by that Term (Scripture) when we deny it to be what thou contend'st it to be, and pleadest against us for, as its Proper Name, viz. the Word of God, &c. I come next to those base abuses put upon us, and false matters charged against us (partly) by T.D. in his first Pamphlet, but (principally) by thee I.O. as concerning our carriage toward the Scriptures, Principally in thy Latine Legend, wherein thou lyest more at liberty, then in thy two English pieces of emptinesse, and the more securely by how much thou seemest (to thy self at least) to lye more hidden, or more obscurely, out of the reach of their rebuke, whom thou reproachest in that Latine Language, then in the other; insomuch that by thy own speeches we may conclude, that thy whole work (as relating to the Quakers) which is fronted (but fronti nulla fides) with Pro Scripturis, Adversus Fanaticos, for the Scriptures against the Fanaticks (with which new nick-name the Quakers by many more besides thy self, who (Arbitrio Diabolico) wast one of the first Im∣posers of it on that (truly) enlightned people, begin now to be abusively branded) seems to be designed more to the sporting thy own and thy School∣fellowes le••d spightful Spirits, by playing upon the Quakers in secret, in your dark Divinity cels among your selves, then either to convince them to their faces of such errors as thou erroneously accusest them of, or by thy crude The∣ological Disputations, Determinations (tumultuarie sane fatis conscriptas) as thou callest them ad lectorem, to confute the Quakers plainly and openly, before Plain-hearted people; witnesse thy own saying to the like effect, which I shall first enter at, as it lies in thy little Latine Lecture Ad Lecto∣rem.

† 1.1J.O. The Fanaticks (or with thee the Quak), who are in these dayes most notable in their errors and foolishnesse, we here Principally assault. But no man could be deemed to dote so much as my self, if I aimed at the convincing of them by what I here write

sith they no more understand the speech we here use, then we at any time can perceive that indigested sound of words, void of all sound sense, whereby they, when they speak, seem to noise it out, to not onely one ano∣ther, but all others also, Ex. 2. Sect. 23. They (the Quakers) are well nigh all unlearned, and skild no further then their mother Tongue.

Rep The more shame for thee I.O. if the Quakers be all so unlearned, and utterly unintelligent in the Latine Tongue (as thou sayest) that thou talkest therein against them (as thou dost) and chargest them with much more error in Doctrine and evil in life, then will ever be made good against them by thy self or any of thine Abetrours or stand approved for Truth, while the world stands among spiritually understanding and honest minded men, when they come to be divested (as hereby they are to be) our of that disguise thou dressest them our in to thy Iunior Ieerers at Christs own Image, which is seen upon them.

Was it not enough for thee to have belved them in English, as no lesse then twice ore thou hast done in thy Epistle Dedicatory of thy Dean-like doings to thy Reverend Friends the Prebends and Students in Divinity, in that Society (so called) of Ch. Church Col. in Oxford, where thou wast lately Dean (but quo jure divino, I yet know not) but thou must likewise needs lay at them, and lye in ambush, and talk, and take on against them in a Tongue, wherein (if thy surmise of their Vniversal ignorance of thy La∣tine Lyes had been as sound as it seemed to be) they had been left, not onely uncapable to do ought in their own defence, in the mid'st of thy ma∣ny mischievous accusations, but also insensible of any hur•• at all, or of who it was that hurt them, with the sharp A••rows, which, our of the same De∣vils Bow with T.D. in his, thou shootest at Randome at them, in that thy Divine piece of lying Divination.

Art thou not in this one of those (to whom the Wo is, Isa. 29.1516. That seek deep to hide their Counsel from the Lord, whose works are in the dark, and they say who seeth us? and who knoweth us? whose turning of things upside down, shall be esteemed as the Potters clay? Art thou not herein as like one of the old Bastardly Broods, viz. the Amm••nites and Ashdodites, Zach. 9.6. that were adversaries to the True Israel of God? yea as like Samballat and Tobia as ever thou canst look, who (with the rest of their Co-conspiratours against the Lords work, that of the builders of Ierusalem, that removed the Babylonish Rubbish, in order to the Repairing of Breaches, the Restoring the Pure Primitive Truth, the building of the Old Wastes out of the Ruines and dejo••ations, and the laying the foundations of many Generations, Isa.58.) said much what to the same tune, as thou dost of the Qua••ers, Neh 3.II. They shall not know neither see till we come in the midst among them, and slay them and cause the work to cease? sure thou wast doubtful of being cal'd to acc••unt by the Quakers, and conscious to thy self of thy own uncapable∣nesse to clear thy self in thy false accusations of them, as denyers, de∣spisers, sleighters of Gods Word and the Scriptures, &c. hadst thou floured

them so sowlly, and charged them so falsly in English as thou dost in Latine, and therefore (as the Laws made for English people to be Ordered, judged, and Tryed by, that the Lawers may prey the more perfectly upon their purs∣es, are laid up out of poor peoples sight in obscure terms, long Scroles, and Latine screel scrawls so) thou chosest to be a Barbarian to the Quakers, (as they seem to be to thy self, who art lost so far in Hebrew, Greek and La∣tin, as not to know plain English) and to talk to thy Barbarous Brother∣hood against them in a Language they (as thou thoughest) understand not, rather then to talk to them in a known tongue, about that enmity to the Word of God and the Scripture, which thou inditest them (at your High Commission) as guilty of; But very unjustly: for

As blindly as thou Judgest we deny, and carelesly forget the Scriptures, because we, like Sheep, are silent in the light, and not whining for it among the Swine, that seed no higher then on the empty husk, yet we have not so foregone it, but that (according to Christs promise to such as are in the Spirit, Iohn 14.) upon new occasion, what ever we have read in it of the mind of Christ of old, is by that Spirit brought a new to our remembrance; and we know so much by it, that even it (now the word, it speaks of, is put into their mouths, as their chiefest strength) shall be excellently use∣ful, and used by both the Tongues, and Pens of very Babes and Sucklings, to still and stop the mouths of such Adversaries, to the Truth, and the Light, and the Letter also as thou yet art, who talkest utterly against the Scripture in thy talking for it, and pluckest it down while thou Placest it a∣bove the Light, and by all thy Proof less provings of the Letter to be (as the light it pleads for, and thou against, onely is) a self evidencing Light and Power, hast in Truth proved thy own undertakings in that behalf, to be a piteous plain, self evidencing piece of great weaknesse, and greater dark∣nesse; and many more uses are to be made of the Letter yet, as well as to beat the abusers of the Scripture, and the livers besides it with their own Weapon, of which more anon in its place; and if we knew it not in the Light, as we do, yet from the very Letter we are well aware, that the bur∣then of base born Moab is near to come upon him, and the Night wherein A•• of Moab must be cut off and brought to silence, and the Night wherein Ki•• of Moab is to be cut off and brought to silence and that the time is near to come, wherein as the Saints are now silent in Light before him, who keepeth their feet that they do not slide, so the wicked, whose way is a slipery places in the dark, will be driven on till they fall therein, and shall at last be silent in darknesse for ever, and bowl within themselves, (but no more so loudly against the Light) for by strength shall no man Prevail, Isa. 51.1. I Sam. 2. 21.

Nevertheless we must give you loosers leave to talk up your talk; for whe∣ther we will or no talk ye will yet a while, so long as your tongues are your own untamed and without the bridle, which while they are, though ye seem to be Religious (as thou I.O. dost) yet all your Religion is but vain; and though in the Light we know what we know, yet from the Letter ye will be thinking your think, and thrusting out your idle thoughts too, till your hands be tied, against the true Light, and its Friends, of which ye make a mear mocking stock among your selves, and must mightily then when ye are got (as ye suppose) out of sight, divining Lyes together in your Lat∣tine

Divinity Disputations; and out of the Cup of your own Imaginati∣ons sit tipling to each other in the dark, when ye are drunken as drun••erds with your own wisdom as with sweet wine, and folden together as thorns, think∣ing no hands can touch or take you to thrust you away, then ye lye in Lat∣tin together at ease, as in a Bed, wherein ye take your fill of Lies, which ye love, till ye be utterly burnt with fire in your place, and be devoured as stubble fully drie, 2 Sam 23.6, 7. Nah. 1.9.10.

Nor worse nor better then thus is the Case with thee I.O. and those Sons of Belial that wonder after thee; nor is it any otherwise with thee and thy wondrous Work, which thy own heart, head, and hands have not only wrought, and wrote, but brought forth also into the world against the Quakers, wherein, but especially in that last Fourfold Latine Fardel, which (thy Two former Flim-flams falling into one with it) flows with them in one floud of folly and falshood, wherein [hoping (having lap't thy self close up in the Fig leaves of that little learning and Logick that is used there∣in) thou liest hid out of the sight of the Quakers, whose light thou deemest not large enough to lay hold on thee in that Syllogistical Siege thou there layest, and those Logical lurking holes in which thou lyest in a learned Lea∣gure against them] thou adventurest more securely, then thou durst well do in thy smooth English Sermons, to ease thy self of thy Adversaries, and Avenge thee on thine Enemies the Quakers, whom thou art afraid of, though they are Friends to thee, and to the best thats in thee, which is not of thee, more then thou art, or to it, or to thy self. And being in a tumultuous hurry, in hideous haste, in the heat of Iealousie (which makes all look yellow) in the height of Anguish, and such like mistiness together, thou runnest over hedge and ditch, not minding so much as the Path of common Reason, Equity, Honesty, or Truth, not regarding any guide or Rule to direct thy Course by, whether the Light, or the Letter, or (as to thy Disputation) the line of Logick it self; which two last thou pretendest (at least) to be led by, but in reality art led in a certain muddiness of minde (Reapse) besides them all; till (as Canis Festinans caecos parit catulos) thou hast brought forth not only a bundle of Lyes and Abuses of the Quakers, but also a business as full of learned blindness as most that ever I have read, of no bigger bulk: Howbeit thou grantest thy self a Dispensation to over come all thou Disputest with in thy Disputation, sith (be it never so full of groapable darkness, even to thy friends, and fellows, who will see, and say nothing, yet) its laid up close, and safe from the sight of thy Antagonists the Quakers, within the linnen shrowd of a dark Language, so that the Quakers cannot know any of all this: for, poor, deluded, Fanatical, silly souls, they (quoth I.O.) no more understand that Language, which we here make use of, then we (Naturalists) can comprehend that hidden nonsensical [alias Spiritual] sound of words, in which they seem to gape it out not only to all others, but each to other 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in their Discourses: Thus like the Woodcock which having hid his head in a hole so that he seeth nobody, thereby gathers that nobody seeth him, thou judgest of such whose lives are hid from thee, with Christ in God, that thy life, and Lyes likewise are hid from them: yet there are some, and (for ought thou knowest not a few) among the Quakers, who have been where thou art, though where they now are thou canst never come, but thorow a true death to thy own

will, and present foolish wisdom, even that shameful death of the Cross, by whom not only with that Eye, where with thou seest, thou are seen, but also in that Light, in which spiritual men discern both theirs, and them, by whom themselves are not discerned, thou art both seen and comprehended; and though thou givest thy self leave to win all thou Playest for, while thou Playest alone by thy single self; yet when the Game begins again (as here it doth between thee and the Quakers, as it hath between thee and some of thy own Fel∣lows, who have already entered the Lists and taken thee to do viz. Henry Stubbs of thy own society) thou mayest possibly prove no such Gainer, as yet thou goest for, among such as side with thee [hook or crook] in thy crooked carriage of thy crooked Cause, by then both ends of thy Discourses for it be brought together; by which time it may likely appear to any save such, whose interest compels them to chuse rather to be ignorant, and let the Quakers Books alone, then to be taught by them, how thou and thy Tracts and Tractatles, trace it to and fro out of the Track of all manner of Truth, in the clouds of confusion, up and down, in and out, and sometimes Round about, in not more il∣logical then Atheological shifts; yet not more blindly, then boldly, sith unseen (as is supposed) by those who are most neerly concerned in the Cause and Controversy that's carryed on by them.

But as Crooked a Serpent as Leviathan is, yet his deceits are discryed, not∣withstanding all his Twinings and Turnings, now this way, now that a∣gain to secure himself, yea the least of the little flock which he despiseth, is made, in the Light and Power of God, to Spie and draw him out with a hook, yea if it be but by a Sling-stone, Zach. 9. rather then his proud Reproaches shall go Unreproved, the Lord will subdue and bring down the Uncircumcised Philistine, that Devotes himself to defie both the Arme and Armies of the Living God.

Thou tryest I.O. to loose thy self and thy malitious hissing at the light, from the observation of its Children, in thy Latine Laborinth, but herein thou hast lost thy self too too wofully, in another sense, in their open view, thy language is savoured to be unsavoury, and to be at best, but that of the mongril seed that speak half in that of Canaan and half in the Language of Ashdod; thy Voice is sounded to be that of the Stranger, whom none of Christs Sheep will ever follow; and as smooth as it is, like that of Iacob now and then, yet thy hands are felt to be the Rough hands of Cain and E∣sau, wherewith thou coursly handlest thy innocent, plain, honest-hearted Brother, whose Sacrifice is accepted with God, as thine can never be while thy sin lyeth at the door; Thou lyest hunting abroad for Blessings and Bene∣fices in the Earth, and yet what thou gainest, even that way, by thy greedy gaping after it at one time, justly enough (as from the Lords Hands) for thy fighting against his Israel, thou loosest at another; but what ere thou gettest or loosest here on earth, that seed of Iacob, against which thou bandest, will carry away from thee both the Birth-right and the Blessing of Heaven, and if thou turn not to the light thou hast been hitherto, in the vanity of thy mind, a scoffer at, and lay not hold on the Eternal In∣heritance, and life, it leads to, in a very little while [as in love to thy soul I here advise thee to do] thou shalt never inherit it, but Death, Dark∣nesse

and the Curse for ever in its stead, though thou seek it carefully with thy tears.

Finally I.O. iu aurem tibi dicam, let me tell thee this one thing in thy Ear, which yet [as the case stands] can hardly be Whispered so se∣cretly to thee here, but that, an hundred to one, one or other will happen to know it [and it matters not much who doth, or if all the world know it] besides our selves, for tis a Truth told in love to the Truth first, and then to thee.

Tractatu'us hic Tuus aut illorum tractatuum pars, this thy third little treatise, or last Latine piece (call thou it what thou wilt) is a very Lake of Lyes, and both it self, and Thou, who art the Author of it; and whatsoever, and and whosever holds union so as to run along, or fall into fellowship with it, in any more then that little Truth, that here, and there may happily be uttered in it, run all down together with it in the Four Channels, or Exer∣citations of it, as it were under ground (that the Quakers may not see it, who yet do see both whence it comes, and whither it goes) throw the hol∣low holes, and cavernes, throw the several Sections, or lesser Rivelets there∣of, as throw so many dark Cells, till, driving downward still throw that least, and last Head-lesse and Tail-lesse piece of Envy against the inner Light, they issue out into the outer darknesse, and at last all empty themselves headlong into the bottomlesse pit, from whence those Exercitations (for the most part) were at first exerted, and so, downward still, into the most dismal Lake of all, even the Lake of fire that burns with brimstone, which is the second death, where the strong Warriour, who is as ••oe, and his work, which is as a spark, and every Lyar, and his Lyes must lye and burn both together for ever, and not be quenched.

And as for thy boasting thy self, and glorying over the Quakers as learned no farther then their meer Mother tongue, and such as understand not so much as the Latine tongue wherein thou (cowardly enough) encounterest them, nor know how to speak sound sense to your understandings, in their seeming b••bble to each other, and to all others; Alas poor man, this is no newes to the Quakers to see Sanballats and Tobias's High Priests, Scribes and Pharisees, Doctors and reverend Rabbies, superstitious Athenians, University Philosophers, Epicureans, and Stoicks, who worship an unknown God, (A gene∣ration of Arteficial Fools, and Scholastick ignorant Ones that of old encountered Paul, a better Schollar [in Christs School] a wiser builder then themselves, Acts 17.) count Gods Prophets, Christ and his Apostles bringers of strange Matters, and New Doctrines to their Ears, medlers beyond their line, measure, Rule and Call, doers and speakers of bald businesses; no newes to hear the Opposers of Truth in their Science (falsly so called) say of the Quakers, What will these feeble folk do? Will they fortifie themselves? Will they Sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the Rubbish that are burnt? That which they build, if a Fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall, Neh. 4.2, 3. Oh thou Seer (that confessest thou wast neither bred nor born a Prophet, but an Herdsman) com'st thou to Prophesie at Bethel? at the Kings Chappel? away hence to thy own Countrey, eat Bread and Prophesie there; if thou wilt Prophesie, but come not here drop∣ping thy word, thou art not a fit man to minister here, the Land will not bear thy words, Amos 7.

Whence hath this man these things he pretends too, this boldness to teach us, having never learn't at our Schooles, being never brought up at our Nurseries of Learning and Religion? and such like.

But miserably wretched, and deluded men that ye are, ye little con∣sider (though the old Priests and Scribes, as bad as they were, took know∣ledge of such a thing in Peter and Iohn, Acts 4.) that as outwardly un∣learned and ignorant men, as the Quakers seem to you to be, yet they have been with Iesus, from whom they have learned that, by looking to him in his own Light, which all your meer sublunary literature can never lead you into the knowledge of, even that hidden Wisdom of God in a Mystery, which the Princes of this world are not acquainted with, that Crosse of Christ, the Wisdom, Power, Righteousnesse, Image and Glory of God, which is foolishnesse to them that p••rish: Ye glory in your Fencer-like Faculties of Disputing in Form, and Mood, and Figure over the Quakers, as a sort of Rusticks and Russet-Coats, disorderly Disputers, unruly and vain Talkers, because they are not Regulated, as your own blinded People are in all things (implicitly) by the Rules and wordly Rudiments of you Renowned Rabbies, but ye forget that the Lord hath rejected the Scribe and Disputer of this World, and will confound, and make foolish, and bring to nought all his strong, and wise, and mighty Matters (that Are) by the weak, foolish, base, abject, Contemptible things (that Are not) and by stammerring lips, and another Tongue, then they wot of, and by Precept upon Precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little make the Drunkard of Ephraim stagger, and stumble, and go backward and fall, and be broken, and snared, and taken; and weary these vain, wise wild∣Asses out of their Academical Niceties and Punctilio's out of their Accute A∣stutenesse, and Astute Accutenesse out of their witty Wiles, and wicked wrest∣lings against the Truth by a foolish Nation, that are even as no People in their eyes.

Ye tell the World that these People know not the Law, and are accursed (as your Fore-fathers did, saying, Do you see any of the Rulers of the Pha∣risees believe as they do?) they are un'earned and unstable, a giddy headed People that wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction; But ye heed not how Christ tells the Scribes, that were as well skilled in searching into the Scripture as your selves, that they Erred, and knew not the Scriptures, nor the power of God; and how even ignorant and unlearned Peter himself (as to that Science of yours (falsely so called) or Wisdome of the flesh, which is ever enmity against God, and is never subject to his Law, nor can be) speaks of another kind of un'earn'd, and unstable Ones, then those ye count so (who are a thousand fold more (spiritually) discerning then your selves) that being out of the Light and spirit, in which Paul and holy men gave them forth, wrest both Pauls Epistles, that are hard to be understood by the learned'st of our Letter-lauders, and also other Scriptures to their own ruine.

The Quakers Preach Christ his Light and Crosse, the Power of God, the Wisdom of God to the Iew (outwardly) a stumbling Block and foolishnesse to the Greek; the Quakers know not the Originals, (say they) How can they Ex∣pound and Open Scriptures? They know not the language we here use (quoth I.O.) whose Lyes are most in Latine against the Quakers, who busies

himself about the back-side of the Book, and tangles and turmoyls himself in tedious Tattle about the External Text, about the integrity of the Hebrew & the Greek; But ye (say I) know not what is talked of in that Text it self ye so much talk of, when it tells of a time, wherein the Eyes of all Israel, as of one man, shall be toward the Lord, who will bend Judah for himself, and fill the Bow with Ephraim, and raise up the sons of Sion against the sons of Greece, and make them as the sword of a Mighty man in his hand; Yea, who so blind a∣bout the Scripture it self, as well as about the things therein written, as the great Scripture searching Scribes, and Scholastick Scriblers thereupon? who come not at all to Christ himself, whom the Scriptures testifie of, that they might have Light and Life; who never at any time hear either his, or the Fathers voice, or see his shape; so far are they from coming forth into his likenesse or Image, which (in their own imaginations) these Spiritual men of God (so called) pretend to appear in more then any others.

Now as to the many frivoulous flouting phrases, and new fangled nick∣Names, wherewith thou, who bearest Christs Name, more then his Nature (like the old Heathen Enemies to the Truth) dost cover its true Christian Friends, as it were with wild Beasts-skins, that looking on them under that likenesse, Name, and Notion of Deceivers, Destroyers, Lyars, Hypocrites, horrid, cursed, Diabolical Blasphemers, the Dogs of your Flocks may be hereby encouraged and set on to run the more greedily on to tear and worry them: These will all Reflect upon thy self the envious Exerter of them, and lye with no little load, like a Talent of Lead, upon thy Conscience, and sink thee down, among the rest of the uncircumcised in lips, into sore Condemna∣tion, when thou awakest to behold him, who now cometh in Myriads of his Saints, to Convince and Iudge all ungodly Sinners for all the hard speeches they have ungodly spoken against him in his Saints, and Servants, whose Righteousness is of the Lord, and whose Heritage it is to condemne every false, Blasphemous and unruly Tongue, that (as thine doth) riseth up in Judgement against them. And as for us, the Reproach of Christ, is greater Riches to us then the Treasures of England, which ye are glorying in, and gaping after; Never∣theless I shall here have a few words with thee about some few of them, as well as about the Lyes, that under them thou rellest of us. Thou ventest thy venome against us under those Two (now vulgar) Names of Quakers and Fanaticks, on this wise;

* 1.2J. O. The second part of the Question concerning the proper Name of the Scripture, relates to our Fana∣ticks, who from that Trembling wherewith they fain themselves to be shaken in their holy Services, or rather the power of that evil spirit, by which in very deed they are shaken, are commonly called Quakers.

Reply: As for that holy duty it self of Quaking and Trembling at the Word of God, which as blind a guide and bruit a Beast as thou art in speaking evil of what thou knowest, as also of what thou knowest not, thou both ownest and acknowledgest the holy men of God, were taken with of

old, when moved to utter his Word as it came to them (witness thy own words, pag. 8. viz. the coming of the Word to them, filled them with dread and reverence of God, Hab. 3.16. and also greatly affected even their outward man, though we dare not be so desperate as to damne it all for Diabolical, as thou dost, in these dayes, in which God hath his Prophets, and his People, as well as then; yet we own it (as thou in word dost) and (indeed as they did, Isa. 66.5.) and are (as they by their Brethren) hated and cast out by you our Brother Christians (in Name) for so doing; which meer fleshly Brother∣hood, who hate us, and cast out our Name as evil for his Names sake, shall be ashamed for it before him that appears to our joy; and when Ierusalem hath first drunk her part [as she is now a doing] ye shall drink the dregs of the Cup of Trembling with the Devils [whose Portion Trembling is, for all ye believe the History as they also do] and wring them out together with all the wicked of the Earth.

And as we own the thing, so [saving all your Ironical Tauntings of us therewith, which we deny, as that, which ye even of God must be de∣nied for] we own the Name, when used in his fear, as that, which is both Arbitrio & Iure Divine, imposed by God himself, as their proper right, on his own People, whom himself from that holy Qualification of Trembling at his Word, even thereby, as by a peculiar Character, denominates, Isa. 66.5. and distinguishes from all other people, that are found Quaking and Trem∣bling mostly at the Word of man, whom his Saints have ceased from, whose breath is in his nostrils; so that if the Word of man, earthly powers, Prin∣ces, Parliaments go forth for such or such a kind of Christianity, Religion, Worship, Order, or Form of Ecclesiastical Doctrine, or Discipline, they all, Priests and People, and the Nations that fear not God by whole-sale strait stand stupified Quaking, and Trembling, and fall down Worshipping, for fear of the Furnace (the Quakers at Gods Word only excepted) whatever Golden I∣mage the King of Babilon pleases to set up, and impose on them to how down to: As to Name and Thing then we own that of Quaking and Trembling, but dare not like thy self, who ownest, and yet defamest it, corrupt our selves in what we know; Nec tutum est ludere cum sacris, neither is it a safe matter for such a high Professor, as thou I.O. goest for, to jeast and fleere so as thou dost, about such holy matters as Quaking and Trembling at the Word of God, which thou must come to know nearer home, then ever yet, when that Word nigh in the heart, thou so sowlely fallest on, comes once to be felt in thee as an Hammer breaking thy Rocky heart to pieces, and to flame forth in thee as a fire, and a spirit of burning under the Pot, whose filthy scum boyls in it against the Truth, and is not yet purged away; When thou co∣mest to know Moses, of whom thou pratest so much, a little better then yet thou dost, thou shalt say, I exceedingly Fear and Quake (ass••re they self) as well as he, with whom thou must Tremble on Mount Sinai, Heb. 12.18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, &c. at that voice of the Trumpet, and that Terrour of the Lord, and that Blacknesse, and Darknesse, and Tempest, which attends it, before thou come near Mount Sion, and to rest in the Hill thereof, as much as in an empty sound of Words thou art mounting up thither afore thy time.

I.O. But this Dread and Terrour (which Satan strove to imitate in his filthy Tripodes and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) was peculiar to the Old Testament, and belonged to the Paedogogy thereof; the Spirit in the Declaration of the New Testament gave out his mind and will in a way of more liberty and glory, the manner of it related more to that glorious liberty in fellowship and Communion with the Father, whereunto Believers had then an accesse provided them by Jesus Christ.

Rep. That the Devil may, and doth strive to imitate the things of God, I deny not; yea, there's scarse any outward Appearance or Form that the power of God puts it self forth in, but the power of the evil One in man strives (Apishly) to imitate and make the meer likenesse and Image of it; but these Images and Imitations are made among the Magicians and Wisemen of Egypt, who are gone out from Gods Counsel, the Light and Power of God in the Conscience, into the meer Imaginations of their own vain minds and foolish hearts, leaning to their own benighted understandings; but not among these who leaving their own Wisdom learn only at the lips of Christ, who leads even fools that love him, into the Substance it self, and that wisdom which makes wise to Salvation. 'Tis true that as Iannes and Iambres with∣stood Moses by imitating what he did by the finger of God, and acting out∣wardly so as he, as far as they could, till they were forced to confesse they could now (fainedly) follow no further, and in a seeming shew did the same by their Enchantments. So 'tis now, the Saints pray, so do the Sinners; the Saints fast, so do the Sinners; the Saints; preach of a Gospel, a Kingdom to come, so do the Serpents; the Saints meet, so do the Hypocrites; the Saints Worship, so do the Idolaters; the Saints in the Power and Spirit of God professe to be Godly and Holy, so do the zealous Sorceters in words, who be∣witch the people that they cannot believe and obey the Truth, and their se∣veral seduced Societies which have (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) the Form of Godlinesse, de∣nying the power thereof, &c.

And as it is true, that as the Quakers Tremble at Gods Word, so that the power of Gods voice, which shaketh the Cedars of Lebanon (when heard) as well as the lower shrubs, of••••times greatly affecteth the outward man; so the Devil may cause some of his deluded ones to seem only to do the like: But what of all this? Scillicet, because there is something done in Deceit, therefore nothing now done in Truth; some Quaking is of the Devil, there∣fore none of God himself. This is the sum of I.O's sayings of all the Quakers in grosse; if not, learn henceforth I.O. to take forth the prelious from the vile (as Gods Prophets do, who are as his mouth, Ier.) and not to jumble these together in one as hitherto thou hast done; till then, I tell thee from the Quakers, so called, that faining and being driven by the Devil, thou fatherest on us, we are far from, and deny it as one of the many Lyes the Devil drives thee to defame us with, who are in the Truth, which the Devil abode not in, whose Works, with himself and his Lyes, and that Deceit which is of him, and dwells in thee, we deny and defie also for ever.

And now whereas thou talkest of only Liberty, and Glory, and Fellow∣ship with the Father in these dayes of the New Testament, and such Quaking,

Trembling, Terrour, Dread, &c. as greatly affects the outward man, as a mat∣ter belonging to them of old, only to the Iewish Paedagogy, &c. as if the Word must come to you now in a smoother manner, then to Gods Servants and Prophets heretofore.

Herein thou talkest as if the time of all such Trouble, Terrour, Dread, and Trembling at hearing of the Word of God, as usually affected the outward man, and was in the Prophets, was all perfectly past, and men should see no more of that in the world among the Servants of the Lord from that time, and forward, wherein Christ after the flesh was outwardly incarnated, Crucified. and Risen again from the dead; and all the Appearances of the Lord to his Apostles, Prophets, Messengers, Ministers and Servants, whom he sends forth on his Errand into the world now a dayes, are only in liberty & glory; dreaming pleasantly in thy dark mind of ease, rest, peace and familiarity with the dreadful God before thy time, damning down the rough, severe, troublesome, terrible, trembling spirit, doctrine, and Ministry of the Quakers, to thee ward, and thy serpentine generation of Vipers, that would fain flee the wrong way, when ye are warned thereof, from the newes of a wrath yet to come, to your lifelesse Formes, and fig-leaves, and false biding-places, sandy sickle founda∣tions, literal lurking-holes, fained pretences, bare Bible bulwarls, selfish Fastings, Prayers, Praisings, Preachings, misty, empty, pithlesse and poor Professions, as a Doctrine of Devils, as a ministration wherein either fictitiously, or rather really they are acted, & surpriz'd by the Devil with trembling in their holy ser∣vices, Ex. 1 S.I. as they said of Iohn that came Fasting and Reproving. Iudging and Threatning, laying an Axe to the root of their fair leafy tree, and flou∣rishing formal prosessings of the old Prophets Words, and Writings, and pretences to Abraham as his Children, and Moses as his Disciples, and the Scripture as the Scribes and Openers of it; and telling of wrath to come upon them, and unquenchable fire to burn them up as Chass, & this man hath a Devil, away with him, give us a Ministry that will speak comfor∣tably to Ierusalem, Seers that will see better things for Sion, that shall an∣swer the Messengers of the Nations, that enquire of them, the Lord hath founded Sion, 'tis Babylon that is to be confounded; O ye Quakers, ye Seers flee ye far away hence to Rome, to Papists, Iesuites, Iewes, Turks, Hea∣thens, (among whom many Quakers have been, but few or none of our Chimney-corner Church-men that I know of) but come not hence with your Plumb-line, thundring words of Iudgement laid to the line, and Righteous∣nesse to the Plummet, and laying waste the High Places of Israel, and the Sanctuaries of Israel with the Sword of the Lord; this our Land of Israel ought not to bear these words: 'tis disturbance, tumultuousnesse, and Con∣spiracy against the Pious Magistracy, and the Godly Ministry in the midst of it: Prophesie no more such rough things at Bethel, they are not right things here, Prophesie to us Placentia, Prophesie smooth things [alias Deceits] we are the Preists of Bethel, the house of God. Amos 7.7, &c. we are the Mini∣stry of the reformed Churches, we are the Well heads and feed at the Fountains, from whence Souls draw all their Refreshment; we are the Doctors, Deans, Principals, Provosts, Presidents, Wardens, Masters of Magdalene, Christ-Church, Iesus, Trinity, Emmanuel, and such like Christian Colledges and Halls, the Re∣ligious Nursing Fathers to the Nursing Mothers themselves that are [alias ought

to be] the very Nurseries of Learning and true Religion: If ye come to us with a Word from the Lord, come not in your wonted trembling postures, and obstreperous horrible vociferation, wherewith ye dreadfully found it out throw our Streets, Cities, and Temples, know the Lord, * 1.3 as if we were without God in the World; Prophesie no more ye Fanaticks to us in your pretended mo∣vings by the Spirit, if ye do, ye must bear and take the shame of the Stocks, or the Cage, or the Whipping-Post, and a Passe to the place from whence ye came, or the pulling off your Robe with the Garment, or the stopping of your Mouth with stones, and the Pumps, and Mire, and Dirt, or such like, Mic. 2.6, 7, 8. But vers. 11. if a man walk in a Spirit of Falshood, do Lye, & will Prophesie to us of wine & strong drink, Ease, Pleasure, Peace with God in our sins, impossibility of being purged from them till we die; and of Salvation and Iustification of us (by the Example of David) while under the guilt of Murder and Adultery, and of Profits and Preferments, and more Maintenance for a Godly Ministry, that suppose Gain to be Godliness, let him come, he is a Gospel Minister, he shall even be the Prophet among our present Seers, & gain-getting Priests, false Prophets, and foolish People.

But alas poor man, thou art far enough from the New Testament or Cove∣nant yet, which is a Gospel, a Covenant of Light, which thou art so far from, that thou fightest against it; thou thinkest thy Judgement is over past, and the Old Testament a thing that thou hast learned long ago; but thou art not come so near to the sharp Paedagogy of it yet as thou must do, so far art thou from the glorious Liberties of the New; Thy words are true enough, the Word under the New comes in a way of more Liberty and Glory, but its no newes to hear High Priests speak Truths which themselves know not; thou art at best but an Old Testament Talker of the New, and one thats come truly yet under the Tuition of neither; As for the New, the Word comes under it in Liberty and Glory, but not to Old Testament Spirits, Doctors, Scribes, and Pharisees, they see not clearly so much as Moses face, much lesse the Glory of God in the face of Iesus: Condemnation is yet to come from Christ himself first to such as these, as well as from Moses & Iohn, yea Christ hims••lf (whose friendliness to Publicans and Sinners, as a Physiti∣an, was found fault with by such Friday fasting Pharisees as this Age is filled with, as much as Iohns Austerenesse) was found in Iohns rough Spirit, Camels hair Garment, and astonishing Appearance to them, that went about to Murder him in his inward Ministry and Testimony within themselves; and then they said of him too, as of Iohn, Thou hast a Devil, Ioh 8.

Ah poor Nursing Fathers and Mothers, Vniversally Erring, Vniversity Se∣ducers, poor seducing Priests, and seduced People! notwithstanding the Glo∣rious Liberty and Gloriousnesse of the Gospel Times, that ye are glorying in (in a Dream) that ye live under, ye must most assuredly find a Condemning, Iudging, Terrifying fiery flaming Law laying hold on your Consciences, and finding you out, and the Sword of the Lord entering into your Souls, and the Wrath of the Lord rending your very heart-strings a sunder, and

dread, terrour, and trembling surprizing you Hypocritical sinners in Sion, before ever ye shall come to know the true Liberty or Glory of the Gospel, which is the Image and Glory of God, brought forth among you; yea, judgement is already laid to the line, and Rigeteousnesse to the Plummet, and the Hail is falling, that will sweep away your Refuges of Lyes, and the storm, that will overflow your hiding places, and break and disinable your supposed Covenant and Agreement with Death and Hell, as if your judgement were passed over by the Lord, and none of that could come near you; and your Bed will be found too short for you to rest on, and your Covering too narrow to wrap your selves in from the Wrath of God, the power of whose wrathful displeasure shall make your Mount Sier shake like Sinai, before ever ye come near to the sight of that glorious Rest that the Saints ly down in on Mount Sion.

Now as to that other new found Phrase of Fana∣ticks; These Fanaticks, the Fanaticks of this time, our Fanaticks Fanatical Quakers, Fanatical Souls, Fanatical Enthusiasts, Fanatical Knaves, Fanatical Anti-scripturists; and * 1.4 under which ever and anon, yea so oft, that I may say, Ferè numquam non, thou soamest out (as thy fellows do) that froth, filth, and falshood, which floats about in thy foolish vain Spirit against the Quakers in gross, as against a furious, distracted, mad, crack∣brain'd kind of men, that (for so those Terms signifie, as used by thee) pretend to Visions, Revelations, Illuminations, Inspirations, the Spirit of Pro∣phesie, and such like; but are (Reapse) stark besides themselves, and be∣reft of their very wits and senses.

As new a nick-Name as 'tis to this Age, this is no other, then what all the Prophets of God were entertained with in the several seasons, wherein God sent them out, by the many false Prophets that were Coaetaneous with them, and therefore nibil novi, no new business to such as are not blind; He is but meanly skill'd in the Scriptures who hath not yet learn'd from thence, That the Prophets by whom God spake, and by whose Ministry be mu••tiplied Visions, and used Similitudes, as Hos. 12.10▪ were ever counted Deceivers, as the snare of a Fowler in all their wayes, that the true Prophet was a fool, and the spiritual man, or man of the spirit, Mad, Hos. 9.7, 8. and hatred alwayes in the House of his God; And that Gods People (by meer profession) rose up a∣gainst them, as against an Enemy, and (as now the same Generation of Holy Hypocrites do, both in Old England and in New) pull'd off their Robes, and their Garments from them (to whip and scourge them sometimes, as Seditious and Disturbers) that passe by securely, as men most averse from War, and streit∣ned the spirit of the Lord, saying, Prophesie not so such as Prophesied in his Name and Power, and putting them to shame if they did; when if a man would walk in the wind of his own Invention, and Lye falsly, and Prophesie to them of ••elly Ohear, of Wine, and of strong Drink, even he should be own'd a Pro∣phet by that People, Mic 2.8, 9, 10, 11. And that Ioshua the true High Priest and his fellows, even Christ and the Children that God had given him, were as men wondred at, were set as signes to be spoken against, even to the house of Ja∣cob, from whom he hid his face, and their peepers and mutterers out of their

own familiar spirits, to the unbelieving Despisers, that wonder and perish, for signes and for wonders from the Lord of Host that dwelleth in Mount Sion, Isa. 8.17, 18. Zach. 3.8. Luke 2.34. Act. 13.40, 41.

Yea, I. O. hath read his own Book ore but by the halves if he do not learn this Lesson out of it himself, pag. 58, 59, 61, 62. that the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or divinely inspired men, whose Doctrine was to have been received as from God, who sent them, and in whose Name they spake, though but Herdsmen, and of mean Occupation, were yet generally rejected upon innumerable prejudices that attended the Truth they spake arising from the personal infirmities, and sup∣posed Interests of them that delivered it; as Amos 7. Ier. 43.2, 3. Ioh 9.29. Act. 24.5. and that what with these things, and chiefly the Peoples being so eminently perplexed with false Prophets, both as to their number and subtilty, that they could not well discern aright between Gods Word and that which was only pre∣tended so to be, and so became guilty of unbelief and rebellion against God, not sub∣mitting to what they spake in his Name, it alwayes so sell out that scarce any Pro∣phet that spake in the Name of God, had any Approbation from the Church (of dead stones) in whose dayes he spake, Matth. 5.12.21.33. to 38▪ Act. 7.52.

Thus much I.O. may learn from these words, which are mostly his own, that it was alwayes so heretofore, and how it should be otherwise in the latter dayes of this formal Christian Church called Christendom, then he sayes it was in the latter daves of that Iewish Church, both which National Churches say they are Iewes, Christians, and are not, but lye, and are the Synagogue of Satan, he cannot see, that will not purposely look besides the Scripture, which intimates to us a necessity of the innumerable multitude of false Prophets, by which People must be perplexed from submitting to the Te∣stimony of Gods true Ones, that now go forth from him to witnesse against the other, since it sayes so long since as it was written, that many Antichrists and false Prophets were even then already gone forth into the world, which as, according to Christs praediction, Matth. 24. they then (and not now, as our Seers say, who can't see themselves for their selves) began to breed, so have ever since spawn'd themselves by a successive generation of the same seed of blind Seers, that suppose Gain to be Godliness, in such Myriads over the face of the whole Earth, that he must even go out of the Christian World at least, that will find any clean Corner where these croaking Frogs, and un∣clean Creatures, and costly Caterpillars are not crawling.

So then by reason of the many subtilties and serpentine insinuations of the many false Prophets in these last dayes of the Gentile Christian Church (in name, not nature) 'tis now as 'twas ever of old, that the true Prophets of the Lord, whom he reproves the other by, are look'd on as Fanaticks, fools and mad bare brain'd fellows, 2 King 9.11. Acts 26.24. that do but pretend and seem to themselves to see that they do not, and make themselves Pro∣phets, and are often punish'd, as a sort of giddy guides, with stocks, stones, pri∣sons, and such kind of rough Reproofs, as the false Prophets, the Shemaiahs or Dreamers, which speak lying words in the Lords Name, which he com∣manded them not, suggest as most surable for the true Seers, to the Officers, whether Vice Chancellors, Chief Priests, or Earthly Powers, that are (as the Beast that bears her is) the Subordinate willing Executioners of the Clergy,

or Whores wicked will, as in the letter, from the false Prophet, to the Chief Priest against Ieremiah of old, Ierem. 29.26, 27. The Lord hath made thee Priest in the stead of Jehojadah the Priest, that ye should be Officers in the House of the Lord, for every one that is mad, and maketh himself a Prophet, that thou shouldest put him in Prison, and in the Stocks: Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a Prophet unto you? &c.

As for thee I.O. I know not but that thou art the first that fastned that wonted foul Name of Fanaticks upon the People of God, called Quakers, in these dayes, by thy fighting against them, and falsly accusing them, as fit for their Frauds to be punished with Prisons, &c. under that Name so over∣frequently used by thee; for which it hath since (justly enough as from God) befallen Thee and thy fellow mongril Presbyter-Independents (Haman-like, who hang'd high upon the Gallowes of his own preparing) to be whipt smartingly by that more smoakie sort of Locusts, who are in the dark behind thee, with this Rod of thy own gathering; for now by that Papal, Prelatical-Priesthood, that hope (but their hopes are as-thine, and those of all Hypocrites are, as the giving up of the Ghost) to over-top you all, even ye and all Sectaries that side not, or ride not with them back to Rome, are branded by that same Name Fanaticks of thy own faining, which is become the common Charesteristical of all, but either Romish or Canterburian Catho∣licks; and thou thy self perhaps under that Notion of a Sectary, and ac∣count of a Fanatick, as well as on some others, art justly (Iudas-like, who betrayed the Truth) detruded down from that place of Preheminence, from whence thou prated'st out that Preheminent piece of Latine lack-Light against the Quakers, and according to Psal. 96.25, 26, 27, 28. Psal. 109. 7. to 21. Acts 1.20. deprived of thy dainty Deanery, and that thy Bi∣shoprick, or Episcopal Office hath another taken; and like as he did Doeg (the Edomite) Psal. 52.1, to ult. for the same Dog-like doings, viz. devising Mischiefs, being as a sharp Razor to the Saints, deceitful workings, loving evil, lying, devouring words more then good, and rather then to speak righteously, hath God pluck'd thee away from thy Prerogatives in that (falsly called) Christs-Church, thou was't lately Head of; and if yet thou shalt (as perhaps thou mayest) happen ever to recover to any such out∣ward Lordlinesse again over Christs true Church, and Gods own Heritage, who (come Summer heat, or Winter storms) will still stand Green as an Olive in the House of God; yet for all thy now flouting at them as Fanaticks, and their way as Madnesse, that day cometh on a pace spoken of, Wisd. 4. 15. & 5.1. ad sinem, wherein those righteous Ones thou wrongest shall stand out in great boldnesse before the faces of all such as thee, who hast afflicted them, and made no account of their labours, and ye shall be amazed at the strangenesse of their Salvation, so far beyond all ye looked for, then repenting and groaning for anguish of Spirit shall ye say within your selves, This is he whom we had in derision, and as a Proverb of reproach; We fools cou•• his life madnesse, and his end without honour: How is he numbred among the Children of God, and his Lot is among the Saints? Therefore have we erred from the way of Truth, and the Light of Righ∣teousnesse hath not shinned to us, and the Sun of Righteousnesse rose upon us; We wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and destruction, gone throw Desarts

where there lay no way, but as for the way of the Lord we have not known it: What hath Pride profited us? and what hath Riches with all our vaunting brought us? &c.

Thus far as to those Two Archi-Pseudo-Prophetical Titles by thee I.O. tauntingly imposed upon the People, who at this day hear the Word of the Lord and Tremble at his Word, viz. That of Quaking Fanaticks, or in thy Sensu Composito, Fanatical Quakers.

Now I come to those thy many other misprisions, and mis-representations of us under the Terms of poor, deluded, foolish, Knaves, Crowes, Vagrant Rogues, or Vagabonds, Enthusiasts, Locusts, and such like.

J.O. The clamour of every Fanatical Knave, Ex. 3. S. 26. Epist. pag. 28. poor, deluded, Fanatical souls amongst us called Quakers, for the instruction of the younger sort, against whose abominations I have subjoyned the Theses in the close of the other Trea∣tises. * 1.5 To the Instruction of the younger Schollers, who, intending the accutenesse of their Wit to the study of the holy Letters or Scriptures, have neither list nor leasure to follow these Crows (the Quakers) up and down, pelting at them with Tiles and Dirt, this shew of new Fanaticism refuted, which swarms even every where, ac∣companied with strange Devils, is Dedicated, so Ex. 3. S. 2.4. Fanatical En∣thusiasts for their Enthusiams; so Ex. 3. S. 19. Locustas hasce cum primum ex sumo purei prodierint, these Locusts (the Quakers) when they came first out of the smoak of the Pit; so Ex. 3. S. 17. Errones, Vagrant Rogues, or Vagabonds.

Reply 1. Thy Iudgement of us in general, which is mearly that of mans-Day, which is the night, and a very small matter to us, will prove a matter of moment, that will fall heavy on thy self at last, when the Judgement of God, which we know is according to Truth, and is against thee, comes upon thee, and all thy Iudgement before thy time, and evil speakings of whom, and what thou utterly know'st not; And as for us, if we judge thee again for many of the same things of which we are judged by thee, yet our judgement is just and true, and not our of its due time and place, and will stand ore thy head for ever, being passed in the light, and day, and Spi∣rit of God, in which the Saints are to Judge the World, and the spiritual man discerns the Animal man and his matters, but is not discerned by him: But as to this of Knave, it savouring much of that Billingsgate Rhetorick (which T.D. hath so much of, who called L.H. at his own door in Do∣uer — he knows what, and ye sayes he is not able to match G.W. at it) to render Reviling for Reviling Terms I shall forbear, and be silent here, giving I O. my Goliah-like 〈◊〉〈◊〉, (who conflatis naribus inflans, sets the Saints so much at his heels, and (to use his own words) Gigantaeo quodam fastu E'atus, like some Son of Anak looks on them as Grashoppers, disgracing and disdaining the whole kind or Species of the Quakers, what he is able, sometimes as poor, deluded, foolish, and yet sometimes again as more

Knave, then Fool) leave to overcome me herein; for though I can truly say (having been at the Popes Palace which stands in Monte Caballino) that fonte labra Prolui Caballino; yet haud unquam me Prophetam somniasse tam altum memini, ut Repentè sic Rabula prodirem.

Reply 2. Thou talkest much here, and at the front and sag-end also of thy English Epistle in Commendation of thy Iunior Students valuing and stu∣dying the Holy Scriptures more then any thou knowest, and of their bending the best of their wits that way; how ye value the Scriptures wee'l see by and by, but till ye study the light and spirit more then ye do, which the letter came from, as ye are yet at best, so at best ye will become but obtusè acuti homunciones, sharp-witted men after your own blunt fashion, who in truth are as sharp-sighted in the Mystery of the Holy Scriptures, as a very Mole is into a Milstone. Behold O thou Academical Student in Divinity, who callest the Quakers Anti-scripturists, thou art call'd the Scripturist, the Text-man, the Opener-of that Book called the Bible, which is a Book as much sealed to thy supposed learned self, as to the unlearnedst sort of men in the World, that can but barely read it, and thou art restlesse in wrestling against the Light, and restest in the dead Letter of that Law, which is Light and Life, and makest thy boast of God, as the man that knowest his will, and tryest out the things that are most excellent, being instructed no higher then so thy self, and taking on thee to instruct all out of that life-less Letter, which is all thy Law, (and yet much more then thou livest by) and art confident that thou thy self art a guide of the blind, a light of them, which are in darknesse, an instructer of the foolish, poor, deluded Quakers, a Teacher of Babes, which hast a form of formal Knowledge, and of external Truth, as it is in that meer Letter of the Law, but thou (being enmity to the light the Quakers live in) art rather a rash Reprover of the things that are most ex∣cellent, a blind Guide, a dark Lanthorne, an ignis fatuus, a fleshly, foolish, In∣structer, an untaught Teacher, that must yet come to be taught out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings, out of which the Lord is now ordaining strength that shall stop the Lyars mouth, and still the stout Enemy and Aveng∣er; and from the stammering lips that thou standest amazed and astonished at, as uttering non-sence (in thy non-sensical Nodel) shalt thou stoop to learn the Soul-saving Truth, or else be left to perish in thy envious enmity against it in thy damnable darknesse, in thy wilful blindnesse, obstinate unbelief, and unparallel'd ignorance of it for ever, as the Pharisaical Iew was, whose case this was before thee, Rom. 2.17. to the end; And though thou teach∣est others, yet till thou teach thy self, alias learn at thy own measure of Christs Light, that teaches thee in thy own Conscience to know thy self more, and live more like Christ's Teachers, then thou dost, thou shalt bring as few to God as thou hast done, who hast left all that have learnt of thee yet, where thou thy self yet art, viz. in sin, and not believing thou canst ever be out on't (as they and we tell thee (truly) thou mayst) while thou livest, or till the World to come, where the Popes purgatory is which (as truly) thy self deniest, and shalt bring men as near to God, who is Light, as those who are left out of his Kingdom, which is Light, in the Darknesse, which is the Devils kingdom; Thou teachest other's should not commit Adultery, but thou art the Adulteresse, and Imperious Whorish Woman, with whom all

the Kings and People in the Anti-Christian World have committed Folly and Fornication, and, bewitched with thy Sorceries, have run a Whoring after from the Lord. Thou teachest another should not Steal, and pro∣fessest to abhorre Idols, but thou art that Sacred Thief, that committest that sacrum furtum, that fine sort of Sacriledge, and stealest the words, which thou sellest for Money when thou hast done, after 10, 20, 30, or 40 shillings a Sermon, out of the true Prophets Writings, and Fathers, and old Authors; and so what thou learnedst in thy Accidence, when a School-Boy in the Coun∣trey, thou makest use, and witnessest the Truth of, now thou art become of an University Scholler, a Clerical Country-man again, viz. in legendis ve∣teribus Authoribus proficies, in Reading of old Authors (for so many Doctors do out of their Notes in the Pulpit) thou shalt Profit; for profit thou dost thy self in outward Goods, but not the People in inward Goodnesse, who are ge∣nerally in all Parishes left as ignorant and prophane, as the Priest finds them, when he is called from them, either by death, or some Deanery, or higher Divine degree of spiritual dignity.

Thou makest thy boast of the Letter, but throw breaking the Letter thou dishonourest God and his Ministry, while thou dost more docere fa∣cienda, then facere docenda; and as Accute and Accurate a Curate as thou art of Souls, thou art not quite so useful as a Wherstone, * 1.6 which serves to sharpen other things, though it self re∣main blunt and obtuse; but thou that pretendst to keep the Key of Knowledge and the Kingdom, art neither quick to enter thy self, nor sufferest, much lesse servest to quicken, so much as thou slug'st them that would, by the best thou dost thou mak'st thy Converts no better then thy self, who art not yet so good as thou shouldst be; and in thy fighting against the Quakers, who would have thee but so, as thou oughtest to be, art not one jot better then worse then nought it self.

And if thou servest to sharpen at all, it is more to make men more keen, whose Teeth are enough on edg at them already, against the Saints and the Truth they dwell in, and by thy lying words, which are as Swords and sharp Arrows that way, to reach them, that attend to thy contemptuous Tattle, to use their Tongues, after the Example of thine, as sharp Razors, to speak proud things, proudly, disdainfully, and contemptously against the Righteous.

Reply 3. As to thy term of Enthusiasts, or Expecters of Inspiration by their inward Speculation, I say that thou, who art gone forth of thy self to look for it without thy self in the outward observations, shalt wait long enough be∣fore thou there find the Kingdom, which is within thee, whether ever thou come into it yea or nay, for it comes not to any of our cryers Lo here, lo there.

Reply 4▪ As to that of Locusts and Vagabonds, that day is now dawn'd upon the Earth in the late benighted Horizon of this Nation, in which we are seen, and see both who, and from whence the Locusts are, and when they came up out of the Pit, and how that these Locusts, and Caterpillars, and Canker-worms, even the slumbering Shepherds of the King of Assyria, as Nah. 3.15, 16, 17, 18, 19. whose King is the Angel of the bottomless Pit, whose Name is Abaddon, and Apollyon, the destroyer of Souls, Rev. 9.1, to 12.

have crowned themselves, and made themselves many, and spread them∣selves over the whole earth as Grassehoppers for multirude, and camped a∣bout in all hedges in the cold day, and have spoiled and devoured, and had power to sting men as Scorpions, and have made their wickednesse to pass over all men continually, and must when the Sun of Righteousnesse ariseth, (as now he doth, with healing in his wings on all that fear his Name) flee away, and their place not be known where they are; and thou shewest thy self to be yet darkened with that smoke they have for Ages and generations ascended out of, that deemest those Locusts to be the Quakers, who are rising up in the light and power of the truth of God, to the dispelling of that smoky fog of errours they have lyen hid in.

Reply 5. We see also who are the Vagabonds in the sight of God, even such as with Cain are fled from his Light in their consciences, and gone out from his presence into the Land of Nod where they are busie in building Cities, and ••air outward dwellings for themselves, but have no habitation in God; and not the Quakers, who for the Gospels sake chuse to have, with the Apostles of old, no certain dwelling place upon earth, 1 Cor. 4.11. though else as capable to have many as your selves, who have oft many more earth∣ly homes and houses, then men are capable to hold in a way of honesty.

Reply 6. And though thou stilest us Crowes, yet such as are not in the blacknesse of darknesse may see we come not so near to that carrion Creature either in colour or conditions, as such do as so account us, who never yet put their spectacles on but when their eyes are abroad and gone from home; But who ere are the Crowes, its easie enough to be seen who are the Mag∣pies and Parrets, whose pratlings and pratings are, as from no higher principle then mens teachings, and imitation of words themselves know not the true meaning of, so for no higher an end but barely to get something for the body and the belly, as Rom. 17. v. 17, 18. which usually is the chief Church∣man and Grand Senior among the Greedy Clergy, and the oldest Master of Arts † 1.7 in most Universities and Countreys.

Reply 7. And whereas thou speakest as if 'tis not worth the while for thy Junior Students to follow those Crowes (the Quakers) so as to stand pelting and flinging at them with dirt and Tile-shards; In that sayest thou truly indeed; Whereupon (I say) those Scripture studying Schollars to whose use thou devotest these thy Theological Disputations against the Quakers, in a strange Language by thy own confession, might be easily bet∣ter but likely not worse busied, then they ordinarily are, whilest what with stones and Tobacco-pipes, dirt and mud and such like materials they are assaulting the Quakers in their (elsewise) quiet meetings in their two nurse∣ries of Learning, ill manners and Irriligion, viz. both Oxford and Cam∣bridge: And 'twere more worth the while for both Vicechancellors and Mayors to Bocardo some of them for these and worse matters, for examples ••ake to other rude Rabbies, then to connive at, countenance and encourage them in it, as some have lately done; but alas, that the Juniors throw stones,

mud and dirt with their hands, no marvel, when such a Senior as I. O. is throwing mire and dirt against the Quakers with his inky crow quill, and pelting at them the best paper-pellets he has with his Parret-like pen; and no wonder to a wise man, that from the greatest to the least ye are all be∣dirtying the Quakers, since the wicked are alway like a troubled Sea that never is at rest, but ever casting up mire and dirt in the face of Truth.

Reply 8. As to thy pitiful Terms to us of Poor, deluded, foolish, un∣learned; 'Tis true, as thou slightingly sayest, the Quakers are for the most part poor in this World, and, as T. D. flings it also in our faces, having no great visible estates, but rich in Invisibles, in that faith ye are out of, by which they stand Heirs of that Kingdom ye have no inheritance in till ye believe in the Light ye yet hate; and they seem as Poor every way else, as having nothing in another World, to your Laodicean Lordships, who are boasting your selves in your Profession of that ye are out of the Possession of, as Rich and encreas'd with goods and in need of nothing, yet are they making many Rich by their Ministry, when your selves (as unwilling as you are to know it) are not onely poor, and wretched, and miserable, and blind, and naked, but impoverishing all that have to do with, or that ever trade much with you, and maintaining all in the same (inward) beggarly condition with your selves; so that their souls never thrive into the life ye sometimes talk of, into the thing, which is the end of all outward Ministry, or into any better then barenesse, and seannesse, and b'indnesse, and barrennesse it self, while they fit under the shadow of your Ministry, whilest thousands in this Nation that have been turned to the light, and the Truth within, by means of the Qua∣kers Ministry, which a taking heed to within is the end of, are come to witnesse the Word of Christ, which your letter is but a witnesse of, dwel∣ing Richly in themselves, and with the Spouse, Cant. 3.2, 3, 4. that sought her Beloved in your broad wayes once, wherein she never found him, being passed away from you Watchmen, who beat and smite and wound them for so do∣ing, Cant. 5.7. have in the narrow way, which ye have no mind to walk in, found him whom their souls loved.

Ye often tell such as Relinquish your Ministeries, that ye have been a means of opening their eyes, and think strange that they cannot abide un∣der your Teachings, as well as heretofore; but were it as true, as ye do but deem it so to be, that your pains had prov'd so profitable, as to open the eyes that now see, ye could not but see of your selves, that while they a∣bode in blindnesse they abode quietly under you blind guides, but when once they came to see, they saw they were to abide there no longer.

Ye call your Universities the eyes and the Wel springs, heads, fountains, mo∣thers and nurseries of Learning and True Religion; but the Lord is judging those filthy Fountains, and the Rivers that run out of them, and turning their waters into blood, and giving them blood to drink, of which also they are worthy, yea and righteous is the Lord in judging, for they have ever shed the blood of Saints and Prophets, and strove to root out the True Religion, that is Pure and undefiled from off the earth, and have nourisht up Illiteracy it self, if that onely be learning, as in Scripture sence it is, 2 Pet. 3.1 Cor. 2.1, 2. to know Christ and the Scripture by the Spirit, and have headed all men in their hatred of the Truth, and been mothers of most of that mischief that is

now befalling all Nations where they are, and the Wells from whence those Legions of learned unlearned ones, to whom the vision of all is as a Book sealed, have sprang, and to whom all people have leaned as their Leaders, till they have utterly lost the way to life, and the Right eyes of those Idol-shepherds, which the sword of the Lord now comes upon till it be night unto them, that they shall not divine, and till they sha'l be utterly darkned.

And this I declare not as one that am utterly against that outward Inferi∣our furniture▪ or lower sort of literature, whereon ye live and feed till ye surfet, and for having but a little of which (for some, that pretend to very much, have not overmuch of that, and as much abuse, that little they have more in defiance, then in defence of Truth) ye Reckon on your selves as ex∣ceedingly inriched; nay, if most of you had more of it then you have, it were not much the worse, would you use it better then you do; and were ye as Rich and learned (as ye are in that) in the best kind of learning, which the light within leads to, and ye fight against, and the measure of Gods gift of grace in your own hearts, that brings Salvation with it to all that sub∣mit to be taught by it, teaches (viz.) to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, and to liue godly, righteously and soberly in this present world, as little of which learn∣ing and life is to be found among young Academical self. Admirers, as among any people upon earth, among whom there is, whether magna or parva cu∣ra linguarum, major or minor Artium, I will not say, nor is it much material, so long as what is of the Lord most expected lies most neglected, but I may safely say not maxima, but minima pietatis.

But I speak it as one not a little lamenting over our Nurseries of learning and Religion, and not a little grieved to see how little of God and godlinesse in the power of it is either seen or sought after by those Seers and formal Seekers, but those of outward letters and writings, whereof some are as bad rotten, poysonsome, false and foolish, as othersome are good, wholsome, true, sound and solid; in the best of which yet without the Light, which universally they hate, and look askew at, the life of God can never be found: and to see how little yet our Nations supposedly learned leaders have learn'd of that Mistery Christ Iesus within themselves, whereby to become any o∣ther then Ignes fatui, or false Leaders to the whole Land, which hath been wholly caused to erre by them, and hath been led of them to its own de∣struction.

Yea, this lamentable, and shall be for a lamentation of lamentations, with which I must make a little out here to lament against you O ye nursing Mo∣thers (so called) to the Church of God, both in this Nation and throughout Christendom, that there is none among all the sons, which to the vast expen∣ding and exhausting of her earthly treasure, and the very Quintessence of all her carnal things upon them, both in her Vniversities and in all her Parish∣es, when remov'd from thence, she hath nourished, and that is found able by the Spirit, which onely does it, to minister spiritual things truly to her, or in requital of her who hath so inriched them for it the other way, to enrich her with any true, lasting heavenly treasure, or to measure and tale back again to her, even as well in her Protestant and more reformed, as in her Popish and more deformed States, any other then such Trash, Wood, Hay and Stubble as is now falling before the fire.

And that by all the most Learned labours of her most Learned Rabbies, Do∣ctors and Students in Theology, and Clergy of what sort soever, the rest of her children call'd Christians have not learn'd so much as to know Christ and themselves, much lesse Christ in themselves, so far as make them honest, true, holy, just, sober, meek, pure, loving, gentle, merciful, pitiful peaceable, pa∣tient, temperate, and after his own Image, which is the end of all Learning, Ministries, Ministrations and doings that pertain ad intra, and ad extra too, to Christian Religion, which Christ or Image of God ad intra, and ad extra also who are not come to witnesse in and on themselves, know not yet Christ the My∣stery, the hope of Glory, and cannot prove themselves upon due examination to be in the faith, or any other in the sight of God then Reprobates.

And that by and from her Priests and her Prophets, whose own eyes are not yet annointed with eye-salve, that they may see, that have took up∣on them to be her Supream Guides into goodnesse, and took many millions of money for many Ages and generations upwards to make other men learned in the Truth, to direct them into Righteousnesse and Holinesse, the hands of evil d••ers have been strengthened, so that none hath returned perfectly from his wickednesse, but such evil fruits, as darknesse, Ignorance, blind∣nesse, bloodinesse, uncleanness, drunkennesse, and all sorts of ungodlinesse and profane∣nesse is gone forth into all her Lands: So that a little of that honest learn∣ing how to live Godly, righteously and honestly in this present World, that is now found in abundance among poor, plain Countrey Rusticks and Russet Rabbies (as some University Doctors and Divines (witnesse Doctor Featley) have derisorily denominated the Mechanicks, that meddle with expounding Scripture) amounts to more then all that great learning, little equity, lesse honestly, and least godlinesse, that is found among the nursing Fathers and nur∣sing Mothers of them all.

And this is Lamentable and a Lamentation with which I must here lament, not onely over all Christendom in general, but over these Protestant parts of it also, where Popery is so abjured, that men spend their money on their pre∣tended Feeders for that which is not the bread of Life, but light heartlesse branne, that is measured out to them at a high rate too, the Lord knows, out of the barren brain of their bruitish Pastors, who have not sought the Lord in his own light, but at the most in that meer Letter that gives not the Life, of which Letter they are the Ministers (for means too) and not of the Spirit; Whereupon (as the Lord sayes, Ier. 10.21, 22.) They shall not prosper, but all their flocks must be scattered, in order to which, the noyse of the bruit is already come, and a great commotion out of the North to lay their Cities desolate as a den of Dragons.

That (howbeit their deluders cry out against the Quakers, who freely un∣delude men, as poor deluded, fanatical, &c. yet the poor people are most miserably couzened, cheated and deluded by their blind Guides, that see little themselves into the marrow and mystery of spiritual matters, and not standing in the Counsel of God given out by his light in their own consciences, never come to hear his Word coming to them within from his own mouth, and not hearkening to what God himself saith in them, as the true Prophets did, Hab. 3.1. never come into the true vision of him, or his Will, but run and say he saith, because they find it written he said so, or so to others,

when they never heard him speaking it in themselves, and so never profit the people at all, as God said of old such should not.

They sit as the old Pharisaical Scribes did, who heard not at any time the voyce of God nor saw his shape, in the twi-light of their own imagina∣tions searching the Scriptures, and looking in them for the eternal Life which onely testifie of it, but come not unto Christ, in whom onely they Testifie it is (for in him is the life, (say they) and his Life is the light of men) that they may have his life in themselves, and from it onely Minister unto others; and so such food for their souls, and Rayment, and Riches, and Gold, and eye-salve as they have, which is none of that which Christ (whose light within or inward Councel they reject against themselves) Counsels all Laodicean like self-corceited Angels and Churches to buy of him, such lifelesse stuff they give (I should say) sell, in as good words and fair speeches as they can put it off withal to simple people for outward Food and Rayment, and Gold, and Silver, and Riches, as they have, pertaining to the Belly and the Body.

So the Bodies of Shepherds are oft full and fat; But the Souls of poor Sheep pine and starve, for all that.

And that the Souls of poor people should ever come possibly to be made any Richer towards God then they are, while they stand under the drop∣pings onely of the lips of such Linguists, as are no higher learned then their nursing Mothers teach them, I cannot expect, if nil dat quod in se non habet be true, sith the chief spirituals that those spiritual men have themselves, who learn to be Teachers of Religion to others, no where but at the Vni∣versities, are but carnal, natural, animal, literal; such as without the light and spirit and living Word of God within (for that in the name of his fellow-Students there I.O. to whom its vouchsafed of God (sayes he) but (say I) of the Devil so to do, fights against as fiercely as he can) is obtained out of many Books and Writings, the best of which is the Bible, and the naked letter of it, by the improvement of a meer animal understanding, which the letter of the Bible it self also sayes perceives not the things of the spirit.

Nor can I expect as the case is with them, that they themselves, who there are taught to be Gospel▪ Teachers should attain to any more then such a shal∣low speculation and thin external Theory of those things as they have, or should ever enter into the depths of Gods Kingdom, whilest in the depth of the Serpents subtilty they are beguiled so far from a single hearted search after the Truth in the simplicity thereof, as it is from Jesus, the light of the World, by the beams thereof made manifest in their own hearts, that, ta∣king it for granted aforehand that all that, and no other then that is Truth, which is held forth and told for Truth in the times of their Residence at those foresaid Fountains, which are not steadily running one way neither, but to and fro as the Tide turns, and running several wayes at several sea∣sons, they stave off all that as Heresie at a distance, which is handed to them any other ways; no more doubting, but that that must be error, which at the Well-heads of Divinity is pleaded against, then they do that that is Truth they there plead for; so as Is qui nil dubirat nil capit inde boni, these confident, blind, bold, implicit-faith't Iuniors that visit the Academies for this end,

that they may become for a livelihood Preachers of the Faith to others; never doubting that to be the true Faith, and Truth, which they find pro∣fessed in their times, set themselves on work to study how to defend it at a venture against all Hereticks, before they have either found or felt it to be Truth within themselves, and stand steadfastly Tempered still according to the present Temper of the Grand Seniors of their Respective Nurseries, who Temper themselves ever according to the Temper of the Times, and the Ru∣lers that happen to be in them; whence it comes to passe, for the most part, that as there's like Prince like Priest, so like Priest like People in these Northern Islands, where after some certain time of standing and studying in the Vniversity, these hasty Hirelings run abroad before the word of com∣mand be given them from the mouth of the Lord, and settle themselves up and down, till the Countrey swarmes with them, like so many Locusts, successively supplying the waste places of such as either die in Parishes, or depart from one to another, where there's a bigger Boon, ne detur vacuum, that there be no place void or empty at any hand, which is not more an abhoring to nature in general, in rerum natura, in the fabrick of the Universe, then 'tis to these natural mindes, in bujusmodi Rerum naturâ, in the fabrick of their Vniversity affairs.

And sometimes so do they hasten on their own heads, to be Prophets and Pastors for their own ends and livings sake, upou which account, being there∣by capable of some Parsonage or Ecclesiastical emolument, much more then for service sake to the Gospel, many younger Brothers and poor mens Sons are sent there to be educated, that before their haughty heads are halt hatcht into any solid understanding of either themselves or the Truth of God, or their hearts so much as warmed into any way of wisdom from above, they run like a company of Green guls with shells on their heads, and sow them∣selves under the earth (for heaven they see not) in such seats and soils as best like them, and plant themselves (for plants of the heavenly Fathers plan∣ting they are not) in Parishes, Palaces and other places, as Chaplains and Cu∣rates, and then divide, and divine out that divinity they have stor'd their heads, and common-place Books withal by stealth of study, out of the common stock of spirit stinting stuff, which like a spring, thats never drawn drier then 'twas at first, remains the same still at the Well-head, for the furnishing of all new comers; behaving themselves so honourably, or rather onerably in their respective bounds or circuits among the people of these Na∣tions of England, Scotland and Ireland also, whether they sayl by whole sale, even by whole Tuns at once, that more like the Pope in his Peterdom, then like Peter, who commanded the contrary, they Lord it over their stocks, so as to live upon them whether they will of no, and often without their leave, if they can be licensed elsewhere, set up their shop of books, and go out and keep market in their Parish once a week, and sell one or two of their thoughts upon some Text of Scripture by a Glasse full at a time, at the Rates of about twenty shillings a piece, and which is most Tyrannical, force people too to buy their commoditie, be it good or bad, Truth or Errout, right or wrong, honest or counterfeit, and which is worse yet, without allowing any the liberty to try it in the publick market place, or old Masse-house, where they hold it forth, whereas all other Trades-men and Shop-keepers excepting

these Mystical Merchants, give all their customers leave to try their Wares and Merchandize, and leave them to their own choise, whether they will buy it or no; And which is worse yet, when they have sold their Sermons to them, or read or said them over to them out of their notes, they take them away along with them, and leave them not to the people, who are to pay for them per force when the time comes, and, which is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 illo∣rum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the prime piece of delusivenesse, perhaps sell the self-same Ser∣mons for as much more at another place, at a funeral or some such like oc∣casion; whereas if any shoomaker should take the shoos, or Book-seller the Sermons, which he hath sold, and sell them to another, I know what these men, who call the Quakers Fanatical Knaves, as well as others, would quick∣ly be ready to account of them.

And whereas a man may buy a whole Bible for five shillings, they sell some one verse of it, a little set out and flourisht, and amplified with no o∣ther Trimming, but their own fallible vain thoughts upon it, for Twenty shil∣llings, which Bible might serve a whole Town to read in; one chapter of which is worth Twenty of their uncertain Sermons: or if men be minded to have Sermons, these Nations are now so full of them, that for groats a-piece one may buy Twenty Printed Sermons of men, whom they count more emi∣nent then themselves, which may serve to hear and read at home, no lesse then Twenty weeks together, one of which Sermons have more truth in them, then either Priests or People upon their Principles of non perfection of holinesse and purging from sin in this life, are like to practise as long as they live; and till they practise what they know already, its but labour lost, pains taken, time spent and money expended in vain to preach and hear in order to their knowing more, sith whatsoever is known and remains un∣done, does but adde to their condemnation.

And thus not the Quakers, whom I.O. calls poor and deluded, for they grow rich in good works, though spoil'd in goods, and will never be more so spoild and deluded as they have been, but seek to save others from being deluded by men made Ministers, with Academical accomplishments and Accoutrements, who are the evil ones and Seducers that way worse and worse, rather then better and better, for all the talk•• on Reformation, deceiving and deceived; I say, not the Quakers, but the Parish people are every way impoverishr and deluded, being fed and enriched for their mony, with nothing but mens fallible words, and worthlesse thoughts, in stead of the true Living Word, and precious things of the Living God.

And yet neither will these Parish people suffer themselves to be alwayes so bejaded are they are by the Rabbies that ride them to Ruine, but rather, when their eyes are a little further opened to see how they are posted on by their Priests, that love the wages of unrighteousnesse, to defie the Israel of God a∣gainst the drawn sword in the hand of the Lords Angel, Messengers or Mini∣sters, with Balaams Asse refuse to passe with them any further, and open all their mouths as one man, to rebuke the madnesse of their Prophets.

And as thou I.O. sayest truly enough, Ex. 2. S. 8. of the overthrow of that Ambitious and Arrogant Crew of the Papal Clergy, so sav I in ipsissimis verbis, of the downfal of that intollerable insolency of our Protestant Clergy, that have pusht them beside the saddle, and setled themselves there in their steads.

* 1.8 Neither verily is man-kind be∣come so bruitish as that they will al∣waves bear those spiritual Mountebanck∣ly cheaters, who for filthy Lucres sake against the plain Praecepts of Christ, the examples of all the Saints, the common Principles of that very Reason whereby we are men, and of that common under∣standing that all men have by the light within indelebly implanted in their minds, casting behind their backs the care of eternal Salvation, do endeavour by carelesse negligence to hold all men in∣tangled in their enticing snares of Idolatry, in blindnesse and Ignorance of the Will of God and of their own duty to him

As then that of the Popish Priesthood (which thou I.O. speakest of) will not, so neither will the solly of this Kingdom of Priests, that have more late∣ly Lorded it in their Dominions, proceed much further, but be manifested to all men, as the others was before them both; yea, (as thou savest) of thy (so called) poor, deluded fanatical Quakers. Fanatici, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. So say I of these poor, deluding Fantastical Anti-quakers, Fanatici 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sunt erroribus & stultitia bisce diebus notissimi quos hic inprimis aggredimur; These Fantastical, self-conceited Seers whom I here primarily Plead against, are in these dayes most notoriously known by their errours and foolishnesse already not to a few of their own former followers, and will be to ten times as many more in the dayes that are immediately hereafter following.

Thy many Taunting Terms wherein thou both belyest, flingest and quippest at the Quakers, being thus (not in the same Taunting or Twitting way, but) in a way of true judgement turned upon thy self and thy own fellow-flou∣ters at them.

I shall more closely examine, what thou falsely accusest us of more par∣ticularly, as concerning our deportment toward the Scriptures, whom thou falsely declarest to be so grossely opposite thereunto, as duely and de∣servedly to be denominated by those Terms, by which thou also miscallest us, of Fanatical Anti-scripturists, p. 147. Ep. p. 28.30. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ex. 3. S. 26. i.e. Haters of the Scripture, and to be rankt among the rudest Reproachers of them in such words of thine as are hereunder Repeated, and Replied to.

I.O. Thou sayest, Satan in these dayes assaults the Sacred Truth of the Word of God in its Authority, Purity, Integrity or Perfection, especially in the poor, de∣luded Fanatical Souls commonly called Quakers, &c. Ep. p. 28.30. That to this sort of men (the Quakers) it was not enough to joyn in with those in Ages past, who cast Reproaches on the Scriptures, and approve of all the opprobrious speeches that have been cast out against them, but they also rejoyce that the care of this matter, viz. of spoiling the holy Scriptures of (its proper name) that glorious Title, of the

Word of God, is by Satan confer'd upon them: That they (the Quakers) who would seem to bear away the Bell from all, as to the stout opposing of the perfe∣ction of the Scriptures, Thou principally encounterest; and as 'tis an honour to thee, that God hath pleased to confer on thy unworthy self this Task of fighting a∣gainst those enemies of his Word (the Quakers) so what thou shalt perform in prosecution of this function, thou oughtest to ascribe to his grace, &c † 1.9

Reply. Herein thou not onely shewest thy s••l to be of that sort of men, to whom it is not enough to joyn with those in Ages past, who cast Re∣proaches on the hearers of the Word of God, and Tremblers at his Word, Isa. 66. 5. (now in scorn called Quakers, and cast out by their Brethren for his Name sake, as then they were) and to be an Approver of all the opprobrious speech∣es that are cast out against them by this adulterous and sinful generation, who bend their Tongues like bowes for lyes against the Truth, which lyes thou shouldest be a valiant Reprover of, but also to rejoyce that the care of this matter of fighting against the truest friends in the World to God, and his Word (the Quakers) and of Raising such Reproaches, false Reports, scan∣dals and opprobrious speeches, as the Rabble of Junior Rabbies Reproach them with, is confer'd upon thee by the Devil; for thou egregiously be∣lyest the Quakers in this particular, who deny not, but Purely and Perfectly own all that Authority, Purity, Integrity and Perfection of the Scriptures, which the Scriptures Ascribe unto themselves, and rob it not of any proper name, or any Title at all, which by it self is either Attributed or appropria∣ted to it self, as that of the Word of God is not, as is seen hereafter; much lesse are they such enemies to the Word of God, or that Sacred Truth written of in the Scriptures, as thou most abusively and blasphemously belyest them to be, that thou needest to stand up, as thou dost in thy meer demi-••••••gested demications against them, for the Scriptures, and the Word of Truth, between which and the Scriptures, in which it is declared, they divide aright, so as to give its own proper name to each of these, whilst ye Divinity Doctors in your deep dotage, making no due distinction betwixt them, for all your pretended friendship thereunto, are found very enemies to them both.

So that whereas thou, who in other matters then this gloriest in thy own shame, seem'st to glory in this function of fighting against the Quakers, as in some great grace peculiarly given of God to thy unworthy self, more then any, as if Praemium strenuae contra Trepidantium Perfectionem ac ••ano∣centiam oppositioni debitum nemini mortalium tibi Praereptum velles, thou seemest to thy self to bear the Bell before all others, in thy stout oppo∣sing of that Innocent Seed of God, to which grace of his thou Ascribest what ever, Relying on his help and assistance thou performest in thy fun∣ction aforesaid; I conclude against thee to the contrary, thus in short, that 'tis Satan himself, who set thee at work against the Quakers, and helpt thee as well as he could, and furnisht thee with many a lye both a∣gainst the Quakers and the Truth, and led thee in a meer fools Paradise to prate with malicious words, and speak evil of thou knowest not whom nor what, and left thee to bewray such weaknesse, folly and false hood as falls not at all from such, as have help and assistance from God, but ever flows from the father of lyes and his children with whom thou wilt have thy re∣ward.

* 1.10 J.O. Whatsoever the Jewes, whatsoever the Papists have been bold at any time to utter in disgrace of the Scriptures, every whit of that these impure men (the Quakers) stricken (as 'twere) with some direful inordinate motion or rapture both say, and assert, so that its a shame to relate the horrid and most foolish Titles of Books; the chief Vagrants and Ringleaders of this Flock, being urged, having spoken wickedly and blasphemously against the Scrip∣tures. What their Common Opiniin, I have thought good to set down as taken and Collected from their own Books, and set Con∣ferrences held with them, &c.

Reply 1: Here's a most palpable Lye related of the Quakers, on whose behalf I here openly professe against thee before the World that we own all those Writings, not only of Moses and the Prophets of the Old, but those of the Apostles and Evangelists also, which are commonly called the Scriptures of the New Testament, to be Scriptures of Truth, written by holy men of God (as those of the Old also were) as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, whereas the Iewes (who own, value, study, and stand for those of the Old to this day, as zealously as your selves in words do for both) do malitiously and lyingly affirm them to be false, fictitious, and full of lyes.

Reply 2. Whereas we say no such thing, nay, nothing at all in any dis∣graceful way of the Scriptures, but say only in words of truth and sober∣nesse, that they are not to be so exceedingly Adored and Idolized by men, as they••••re by you, who make them little lesse then All in all things to the Church; the Papists speak much in disparagement of the Scriptures, in which we say they do but blasphemously babble against them, viz. That they are inferrior to the Humane Traditions of their Church, or at least to the unerring breast of their Ghostly holy Father, without whom opening and authorizing them, they are of no more use nor authority then Aesops Fables, and such like.

Reply 3. Whereas thou art ashamed to Relate the horrid foolish Titles of the Quakers Books, in proof of their blasphemies, against the Scriptures; I believe thats true indeed, though all the rest are palpable Lyes; for if thou shouldest Relate the Titles of the Quakers Books in proof of the Truth of this thy Charge of them, which is utterly false, then thy Lye which is plain enough already, would be seen more plainly then it is; for in all the Titles of the Quakers Books that ever I read, who have read Ten times more of them (I believe) then thou hast done, as I have seen Christ only exalted on the Throne, and the Scripture owned in its place; so I never saw, and am perswaded also thou never hast seen any thing Written by the Quakers, that borders on the foresaid Iewes and Papists blasphemings of the Holy Scriptures, and therefore as I cannot much marvel at it that thou art ashamed to do it; so I do not much blame thee, that it

doth so much shame thee (as thou sayest) to Relate the most foolish of them.

If it were true, there was malice enough in thee I.O. to provoke thee to have instanced some Particulars in proof of this parcel of Scandal to the fuller shame of the Quakers, whom to scandalize what thou canst is thy chief design, and to have named those blasphemers and their Books; but pudet referre (sayest thou) I am ashamed to Relate, &c. Thou art loath to be too punctual in thy Proof, lest it proving too short of thy Charge, the stain thou wouldest have stuck upon the Truths Friends should be stricken back upon thy self, and the Lye come to lye at thy own door, for if sounded out too loudly and distinctly, it might Eccho and rebound home again to thee the Author, and so redound to thy dishonour; so thou fold'st thy self like the Serpent, whose seed thou art, in indefinite complexes, or at least lapest thy self up in Universals, and darest not lay thy self out at length, nor grow too far into Particulars; for dolus later in universalibus quae nunquam bene sentiuntur, nisi ex particularibus suis, as Deceit lyes most securely, and keeps best hid in Universals, which are not clearly perceived but by the Particulars in which they exist; so by being beheld in the said Particulars, both they and the Lyes, that lye often in them undiscerned, come more unavoidably to be discryed.

Reply 4. Whereas thou saiest thou thinkest meet to set down our Opini∣on, as Collected out of our own Books and Speeches, and accordingly dost declare what we hold, as concerning the Scriptures, thou most plainly Con∣futest thy self as to the Lyes thou tellest of us, for thy self acknowledgest of us, that we own that the Scriptures do contain a true * 1.11 Declaration of the Will and Mind of God, proceeding from the spirit of Christ, inspiring the Writers, that thus far we are right, and that we stand to this Confession without any renouncing it, only that we would have wholly rejected the Scriptures with∣out doubt, but that things have not fell out ac∣cording as we could wish, & do deny them to be the ordinary, inalterable, perfect, and stand∣ing Rule of Gods Worship, and our Obedience without the Revelations of the spirit, and such like; And this (sayest thou) is the summe of these mens Iudgements, &c. Which if it be, where's the wicked Blasphemy all this while wherewith thou Chargest us? For there's none (as shall appear) in the worst of this, which yet thou settest down as gathered out of the Quakers Books, and Speeches, which thou sayest bear blasphemous Titles against the Scriptures; but pudet referre, I blush to set them down, must answer all.

These things I O. do convict thee of telling many notorious Lyes against the Quakers, even too many for a man to tell, that calls himself a Minister

of Christ, and D. D. though not all by very many, which thou tellest in thy Book; some of which lyes yet (left they should not be loud enough' to come under every ordinary Readers Observation, if told but once, are either expresly, or implicitly two or three times over related.

* 1.12 J. O. The Jewes, Papists and Quakers differ among themselves; it so falls out that they who in all other mat∣ters are most different in Opinion, con∣spire altogether in this blasphemy, viz. against the Scriptures.

The Papists and Enthusiastical Fa∣naticks do perpetually War against each other, they mutually devote each other to destruction. They are not acted by the same Reasons, but those for their Tra∣ditions, these for their Enthusiasms and Revelations, Contending tooth and nail, and so like Sampsons Foxes with their Tayles turned to each other, bring∣ing fire-brands on the Churches Bread∣Corn, they all attempt together very friendly to thrust down the holy Scrip∣ture from its Place.

The Papists do earnestly endeavour to detrude the Scripture out of its pro∣per Place in the Church; our Fana∣ticks tread in the same foot-steps with them, into which wickednesse those a∣mong the Papists that are called the Spiritually, have led them the way.

And elsewhere thou Reckon'st us up among the rest, as Enemies of Gods Word, and haters of the Scriptures.

Reply 1. Howbeit I. O. thou, who in thy Epistle pretendest it to be thy aim, and intention in thy Discourse, to discover the Reproach that is cast by many upon the Scripture to its disparagement, and to vindicate it there∣from, dost (as in most things else wherein thou bend'st at us) discharge thy Bow at a venture, so as at Random to rank us, as joynt Abettors with them in grosse, in that one grosse, and common Cause of Caluminating, Vilifying, Decrying, Denying the Scriptures, among Atheists, Pagans, New Testament Contemning Iewes, Papists, and the whole Rabble of Rude Reproachers thereof, whether in Whole, or Part, as if we were, if not the Ring leaders, yet at least the Rere-ward of the Ragged-Regiment of Anti-scripturists of what ever sort, yet in this thou hast most grosly abused us, and thy self also, by thy false Accusing and Belying of us to the world in that Particular, and must most assuredly come into Condemnation in

••he Judgement for Condemning the Generation of the Just; for however thou mis-reportest of us to the causing of many to mistake us, yet of a truth we are no such manner of People, as thou wouldest make men be∣lieve we are; but such as shall manifest our selves even in this present Con∣test with Thee (for all thy perking up into a proud pretensive Prate a∣gainst us (Pro Scripturis) as if we stood in some deep Defiance, and thou against us in some eminent and more then ordinary Defence of the Scrip∣tures) to be in no enmity, but in true unity with the Scriptures, and to be more real Friends thereunto, then either thy self, who wilt be found in as real enmity to them, as thou art in seeming friendship, or any of those afore∣said, with whom thou Rankest us, as if we were the Rankest Enemies there∣of, that ever appeared in any Age since the Scripture had a being to this present day. Be it therefore fore-known unto thy self, and all men, who will believe, and can receive it for truth, and who so will not, let the mis∣chief of his mis-belief in this matter be upon him, that though we own not thee I.O. and side not with, but mostly against thee in that very Book, wherein thou standest up so stiffly against Atheists and Papists, and all Anti∣Scripturists, as well as against the men called Quakers, whom thou but supposest to be such; And though we may possibly be found saying some things (soberly) which Atheists and Papists say (scornfully) of the Scrip∣tures, which are gain-said by thee, and gain-saying at least twenty things, that are asserted by thee of the Scriptures, in thy zealous Pleadings for them, yet we are no Atheists (as thou supposest) neither are we Pa∣pists, or Iesuites, neither are we Anti-scripturists in any wise; nor do we so much as take the part, or serve the Interest of, nor side, or comply with any of them, any more then we do with thy self, whose Antagonist and T. D's too, I am in this present Reply to thy Reproaches of the Quakers; in Vindication of whose Interest alone, abstract from that of the Papists, as much as from thy own, and thy Party of Protestants; and singly, and sole∣ly on behalf of the Truth professed by the Quakers, and opposed by thee, and all the other whom thou opposest; And finally, for the Scriptures, which are truly owned, valued, used, known, and Practised only among the Quakers, I herein stand up more or lesse against you all, as against such, who (none of you excepted, no not those among you Protestant Preten∣ders to it, who would sain seem to others (as you do to your selves) to be most fervent for it, any more then those Decryers and Denyers of it, with whom thou slanderously sayest the Quakers side) will every one of you be found Foes to, denyers of, and fiery fighters against the Scripture.

And this that we are no Atheists, nor yet Associates, or Assistants to any such, as are without God in the World, but that People who know God, and are known of him above all other People upon Earth, the best of which in words professe to know God, whom in Truth they know not, but in works, deny, being abominably, in their Lives, disobedient to his Light, and to every good Work void of Judgement, will as easily, as evidently appear to every Patient and Impartial Reader that can suspend his Censuring till he hath Read these present Animadversions of Thy mad Subversions of the things of God, unto the end.

And that we are neither Papists, nor yet Assenting or Adhering to that

Synagogue of Rome, in any of their abusive defamations, depravations, depres∣sions, decryings, disparagements, or abominable attempts for the abolition of the Scriptures, which they, as thou sayest truly, would (if they were able) deprive all others of, or of their lives, I give the world here to understand, as far as they will understand it, or take it for truth form me, who for Truths sake meerly, am of lesse credit and repute in it, then else I should be, by a present Protesting in the Name and behalf of that People called Quakers, a∣gainst the Papists sordid, sottish, sinful, shameful, seeking wholly to suppresse the Scriptures from being seen at all by the Vulgar, and scoring out of it, what makes most against their bruttish and worse then heathenish Idolatries, and wresting those Holy Writings, and turning them as they list to their own turns by their most false & far off Translations, and as utterly untrue Interpre∣tations of them, besides both the plain sense of the Words in the Original Languages they were wrote in, and mind of the Spirit of God, which Ori∣ginally moved Holy Men to write them, and many more such Juggles, some of which 'twere better for it then it is, if the Clergy (so called) of the Protestant part of Christendom, who are too too full of the like, were cleare of, and fully free from, as they are not, for all their Protesting so much against the Popedom for its adulterating of the Scripture.

Which Protestation of mine against the Romish Clergy, I the rather, and the more largely enter here again, not only because I am so generally mis∣reported, that by many, even thereupon, I am also mis-believed to be too great a Favourite, and by some flatly a Iesuite, and so more then an ordinary Friend to that false Fraternity, but also because it may fall out that that slen∣der and senslesse suspition of me (if not timely supprest) by reason of Three things may in time (though groundlesse) grow so great in more, as it does already in some, that, for the sake thereof, very Truth it self, when ••old by me, shall not tast well from me, nor take place in the hearts of men, with whom commonly, Damnati Lingua Vocem habet, Vim non habet.

Those Three Things above briefly hinted, are more fully Replyed to as followeth;

• 1. In regard that not only T. D. in his Two Toyes, puts us and the Po∣pish Party together as Brethren, for jumping into one Judgement about the Scriptures, but also thou I O. who art a man more beleeved and beloved by the World, which heeds and loves its own, then I, who am not so much heeded as hated by it, because I am not of it, dost often in thy unquiet Quarrel with the Quakers (so called) which I, who am one of them, am now answering, so unequally yoak us, and the Pontifical Clergy together, as Co-conspirators against the Scriptures, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the younger sort, for whose instruction thou devotest those thy Latine Labours, and more then a good many of those Iunior Novices, both in University and Countrey as are ever rea∣dy as Rawly as Rashly, Iurare in Sententiam Seniorum, to drink down de∣sperately all that, and digest it by implicit Faith, that is imposed, and hand∣ed out to them for Truth from the Tongues and Pens of their Grand Gama∣liels, sith thou I. O. DD. sayest it, will unquestionably more then think it to be all Truth that thou sayest of our Co-Partnership with the Papists in their basenesse towards the Scriptures, in those false sayings of thine that are

• fore-cited, wherein thou injuriously avouchest us to be Approvers of all their Tauntings, and joynt Blasphemers with them of the Scriptures.
• 2. In regard that (howbeit it is not at all in Vindication of the Popish Clergy in any of their Devilish doings, nor scornful, or spiteful speakings against the Scripture, but of another Interest, even that of the true Clergy, or Heritage of God, (as remote from Theirs and Thine too, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I am an Opposer of thee as to that same Book, wherein thou so vehemently Opposest the Papists; hence many may, as some already do suppose I am in far firmer friendship and fellowship with that Fry of fighters against the Scripture, then with thee and thy fellows, who wouldest fain seem at least to fight against them for it; but (if any man will be ignorant of me and my honest meanings, let him be ignorant) for my part as I am a well-wisher to all Souls, and am in friendship with all men, having and holding as truly Pacem cum Personis, as cum Peccatis Bellum; so I am in no fel∣lowship with that in all men, whether of the Romish Religion, or that which (informe) is more Reformed, that is not in fellowship with the Scriptures, (for that which is not in union therewith, is not in fellowship with God) fighting against neither smal nor great, save only against the sinful seed of the Serpent in them, which from the spirits of the spiritually throughout all Christendom, spawnes it self forth in spite, and spiritual wickednesse against the seed of the Woman, who must bruise his head at last, though he obtains for a while to bruise her heel, between whose seed, which is one, and his seed of every sort, whose name is Legion (for they are many) the most endlesse enmity is; so that though I appear against those Paper-works of thine, wherein thou appearest upon the Stage, in part against that Synagogue of Satan (but more palpably against the Synagogue of the Saints) yet this is not all to gratifie the Romanists in their scurrilities against the Scriptures, more then thee and thine Abettors in your scarce Schollar-like, much lesse Scripture-like scoldings for them; but as occasion is (Pro Scripturis) for the Scriptures, which, notwithstanding thy empty Apologetica's for them, ye, and the Papists also are both utterly against, I shall not spare to grate hard against you both, as such, who while you are scribling of the Scrip∣tures, whether Pro or Con, are yet our of that precious Truth the Scripture tells of, and against that living Word, that eternal and internal Light it calls to, which leads to that Life of God that the Scripture calls for.
• 3. In regard that I am, and shall unavoidably be found in this present Controversie with thee, saying some things against thee and thy untrue Assertions for Truths sake (yet with a due Respect thereunto) which the very Papists say (though truly enough, yet too disrespectfully) about the Scriptures. In this respect though, I would not have them so; yet I be∣lieve some are, and some will be (if peradventure these Premises prevent it not) so blind as to believe I own the Pope and his Apostolical Church, be∣cause I cannot own all that as true and Apostolical, which some Prime Pro∣testants tell for Truth, but rather tell the Truth with him when he tells it a∣bout the Scripture, or any other thing, then Errour and Lyes with those, who pretendedly for the Truth and Pro Scripturis, Protest against him: For I must give the Devil his due, so as to acknowledge his Words to be true, when he speaks the Truth, though to a false end, rather then sooth up thee

• ... I.O. or any other men, so as to say the Crow is white, and that ye utter Truth, when ye tell utter untruth, though against the Devil himself, to please either thee, or them.

Howbeit many men in these dayes, and not a few of those, who are cal∣led Christs Ministers, and counted well studied Schollars, or at least would not be well contented to be not so accounted, are yet so dim, as without any more ado to deem them to be Romish Priests, under Pay from the Pope, who own some Truths, which his Priesthood owns (as if because at Rome they own Christ to be the Son of God, they must needs be of that Church, who deny him not so to be) but more especially any Truths, which by these Divine Deemers are not Deemed to be Truths, and thereupon disowned by their non-discerning selves, upon whose crazy Concerts, and cloudy Ac∣counts, and crooked Conjectures, some, that do more service to the Truth a∣gainst Popish Fictions in a year, then themselves do in an Age, are thorow their shallow surmises by their implicit Faith't People, as sinisterly supposed to be Supporters of the Papal Hierarchy, because themselves, whose Idol the Letter is, are not digested in all their Extravagant Exaltings of it, though the Popes extream of Exalting his leaden Legends, and Holy Chaire above it, be more professedly distasted and detested.

Thus such as believe, according to the Scripture, the general Grace, and Love of God in giving Christ to die for all men, for as much as that also is be∣lieved at Rome, seem to these senslesse ones to favour too much of Popery, because the empty understandings, narrow Nodels, and heedlesse Head∣pieces of many Protestant Parish Priests are not as yet enlarged enough to comprehend it; who notwithstanding being blear-eyed at home, whilest Eagle eyed abroad, Nunquam vident id manticae, quod in tergo est, never come to see, or sent that plain Popery of their Parish Posture and Parish pay by way of Tythes, which the Night is now too far spent for any but Owles, Bats and Night-birds not to see, that its of the Pope; sith though its a piece of stark rank and Popery, not held without the guilt of Perjury, yet, as its their own (& suus cuique crepitus bene olet) so its that which serves their turn better at this time, then the Extirpation of it Root and Branch according to their Oathes (which would savour lesse of Popery, and more of pure Pietv) will ever do.

Of this sort of Evil Surmisers is T. D. who, not only as thou I. O. dost, Accuses us (me in particular) as one big with, and spitting out venome a∣gainst the Scriptures, for not owning those outward Writings as the only Rule of Faith and holy Life, but also accounts of us, as no other then broa∣chers of Popish Doctrines, and bringers in of the Popes Baggage, for dissen∣ting as in other points so from his blind Tenets about the Scriptures

Yea, so earnestly doth T. D. drive on his Design of Insinuating it into mens minds concerning me, that I am Popishly affected, that he finds occasion of Accusation against me as so, as well where I more fully own the Scrip∣ture, then himself does, as where I may more easily seem (to one thats blind) to deny it. Witnesse his words, Page 27. 1. Pamph where for owning the Epistle of Paul to LAODICEA, which he sputns at as Spurious, he flyes thus foolishly in my face:

T.D. We know (quoth he) your Brethren of the Popish Party have laid many such Brats at the Apostles Doors, which they will not Father, and you shew what you are in Abbetting their Wickednesse.

Reply 1. What a wicked and Adulterous Generation of men is this? like that in which Christ lived, who would have something to say against the Gospel and the Truth, let it come handed to them which way soever; they would neither lament at Christs mourning to them in Iohns Ministry, nor Dance at his Piping to them in his own, but reject and belye him when he came contrarily to them in Iohns Fastings; and condescendingly to them in his own Eatings and Drinkings, as either having a Devil, or being a Drunkard, or a Gluttòn, or a Friend of Gods Enemies, and Sinners, or somewhat or other still that was nought, rather then own the Truth at any hand that in both Ministryes was held out unto them; So is the Ear of our now Pharifaical generation of Scribes stop'd, like that of the deaf Adder at the Voice of the Charmer, let him Charm never so wisely; among whom T.D. is a Chieftain, who Ranks us among the Popish party, as spitting out our venome, that we are big with against it, Page 28. 1 Pamph. and as de∣nyers of the Scripture together with them, because we deny many false things that many such Ministers as himself do most absurdly affirm of it; and yet Charges us as Brotherly owners and Abbetors of the Papists wick∣ednesse also, for owning the holy Scripture in many parts of it, wherein our English Ministers do not blush to deny it, and so consequently for own∣ing it much more truly and fully then themselves: Thus,

—Heu stirpem invisam! Hei mihi quod n••llis amor est Reparabilis Herbis!

If we should, as they falsly▪ Accuse us, own the Scriptures lesse then our Accusers do, we must be Papists; if we own them more, and more of them then themselves do, we must be no lesse then Papists.

We must stand doom'd as Papists, who, be we nere so wary, Are Papists deem'd in this, and in the clean contrary.

But that I am not so Popishly affected as I am, as well every way, as every where misrepresented to be by those, who to sit the more securely in their own Popishnesse, do in the Apishnesse of their Spirits sound it out with a dreadful noise to the stunning of their already Pope-serving people, Popery, Popery, against all that come neer to Storm them out of their Popified Pa∣rish postures, practises and preferments, to what I have said sufficiently a∣bove, I shall now adde what followes in evidence thereof, whether you will hear (O all ye my unjust Accusers in that particular) or whether ye will forbear, to the perfect ending of my Protestation which I have begun to enter against that Synagogue of Rome, viz. First, That (whatever they may own of what I have above, or shall yet say) I own not them as Apo∣stolical, nor as any other then that Apostatical Harlot, which, together with her two Brats, that more lately are broken out from her bowels, viz. Pre∣lacy and Presbytery, hath in Three parts (as the great City is said to do be∣fore its fall, Rev. 16.19.) sate like a certain unity in Trinity, and Trinity in unity, or one great Tripartite Mystical Babylonish Whore, with her Tripple

Crown upon the many waters, or Tongues, Nations, Kindreds and People, and reigned over the Kings of the Earth, Rev. 17.1.2.15.18.

And as to their behaviour toward the Scripture, which they wofully mi∣stake themselves to be the only Trustees, to whose care and custody it was committed, I professe against them with I. O. that they have wofully mis∣demeaned themselves towards it, as by sowly betraying, and (to their own eternal shame) falsif••ing that their pretended Trust, corrupting, depraving, vitiaring, interpolating, adding, detracting, forging, foisting into the Scripture what never was of the spirit, so by abusing it every way, so that none of the Copies of it (as it comes thorow their hands) whether Original or Translated (and if thou I O. canst shew any that come thorow other hands of which thou canst say infallibly they are not altered and corrupted (as in thy Book thou hast not done) Dic quibus in terris & eris mihi magnus Apollo) are fit to be a fixed stable Rule, or infallible Guide to us thoroughout in the knowledge of the Will of God; And lastly, (for take it at the worst its worthy of a better carriage towards it then they afford it) in a scurrilous scoffing way underva'uing, vilifying, defying, unworthily depressing it far below it self, as much as it is over-valued, Idolized, blindly worshipped, deisted, and en∣throned far above it self by your selves, who, together with the Popish party, like the Frog and the Mouse, being very busie in busling against each other with your Bulrushes about the Scripture in your two opposite Imaginations, will find a Generation that waits upon the Lord, and mounts up with wings as quick-sighted as an Eagle, though no better then a blind Buzzard in your eyes, who will winne the field from both you stout Warriours, which are at it tooth and nail to your own ruine, and shall one have no more thank from God then the other, whilest, for all your zealous pratings pro and con in two different Erroneous extreams concerning the Letter, ye are both exceedingly, and both extreamly erred from the Light it came from, and the Life it calls for; the one exalting the bare dry bones and dead body of the Letter above the Word of Life, which Letter too is magnified more in an empty sound of windy, plausible Commendations of it, then by any, so much as outward Conformity to it in Conversation; the other establishing the dark lumpe of their own lying Legends and dead stinking Carcase of their Traditional Divinations, partly derived from faithlesse Forefathers, and partly divined forth from the deep pit of their Great Ghostly Fathers fathomlesse Fancy, as a Standard in stead of it.

So that howbeit I.O. the detestable wickednesse of that Antichristian Conclave, who (as thou sayest) sell themselves to work all manner of Abomina∣tions against the Scripture, I abominate as much as thou canst do (yea be not thou so blind as to believe, that I abet them in any of their beastlinesse of that nature) yet withal do not thou believe that, that while I abandon their brutishnesse, I can own thee in thy blindnesse, and the many absolute Absurdities, whereby thou grossely abusest it, and the truth, and thy self well-nigh as much another way, who perhaps thinkest thou canst not easily (if at all) be transported into Errour, while thou art Extolling the out∣ward Text of Scripture, and gain-saying at a venture all that those Debasers of it hold out about it; for a•• the time is coming (as thou truly enough Prophesiest unto them) wherein it shall repent them for ever that they have lifted

up themselves against this sacred Grant of the wisdom, care, love and goodnesse of God, page 4. o•• thy Epistle. So say I to thee, the time is at hand wherein it shall repent thee that ever thou liftedest up thy self (as thou dost) in so vain a way of lifting up, and advancing the Letter over all that, which is to be preferred before it, and was before it, as that it came out from, and points men to, even the living Word and inward Light and spirit, which (as held out by the Quakers, not in any way of that Devilish disparagement of (as thou intimatest, Ex. 1. S. 3.) or spiteful disrespect to the Scripture) thou settest at nought with all the Calumny thou canst likely cast on them; yea as thou sayest of the Pope, Ex. 2. S. 8. Papae Tempus erit, &c. So say I to thee, Non Papae solum, sed tibi tempus erit cum magno optaveris emptam intactam Scripturam.

And that I am no Iesuite, nor sider with them about the Scripture, so as to agree with them in upholding their seigned infallible Chaire, besides what many can witnesse, who have been Eye and Ear witnesses of my opposing them in other Nations, I adde this as my Final Defence of my self, as to that Aspersion of T. D. He that will give heed to it let him, if otherwise let him chuse, Non cum Jesu Itis, qui Itis cum Jesuitis. So then as to Evince it that I am none of those Idiots that Idolize any meer mens Writings, as many do the un kilful scriblings of their Scribes for the Scriptures, little lesse then Israel did the Golden Calves, after which they dotingly ran from God him∣self, saying of these Imuges in their own Imaginations, These are thy Gods, &c. Nor yet any meer Writings of those holy men that wrote the Holy Scripture it self, as most of our misty-Ministers and their people do, because they were written by Divine Inspiration, little lesse then Israel did the Brazen Serpent, because it was hung up by Divine Institution: I shall First take oc∣casion to thrust down that enthroned Calf of thy Anti-scriptural Triobulary Treatises, Theses, and Atheological Thoughts upon the Scripture from that high place it hath in the Thoughts of such as fall down before it, as Moses threw down that Molten Image which the High Priest made, and ignorant people made a God of) and stamped it to powder: And Secondly, As Hezekiah not without Gods own approbation, took down the Brazen Serpent which had its being (as the Holy Scripture it self had) not without Gods own ap∣pointment, when once men began to do Homage to it, and called it no more then Nehushtan, that is a piece of Brasse, that they might know it was no God; So shall I take down the dead Corps and bare Carcase of the best Copy of the Scripture, since men begin to go a Whoring after it, from God, and Christ, and the Word of Life it self, out of that high and stately Throne, wherein thou I. O. statest it, and from those surpassing and lofty Titles of, the Li∣ving Word of God, the most glorious spiritual Light in the World, above the Sun, the most perfect Rule, and many more such like; with which thou (as hereafter appears) dost invest and exalt it over all, even over the Light it came from, which is by thee unjustly put behind it, and dehased below it, though both in time and worth 'tis far before it, and stile it by its own true Name of Writings of Truth, or Holy Scripture, that so men that seek to it more then to God himself for Salvation, and search it, and therein think to have eternal Life [at the old Scribes did that never came to Christ, the Light, a∣bove whom they prefered it] may recollect themselves and see that the

Letter gives not the Life, but doth only testifie outwardly of another, whom being lost from him by looking to the Letter, which bids look to him, they never look to, nor never yet came to, that they might have Life.

So withal to evince it that I am none of those Popish Ignoramus's, that deal so ignobly with the holy Scriptures, as to set them at nought, and pluck them down (as they do) not only below themselves, which have as Real and Great an Excellency as any such thing, as is no more then an External Wri∣ting of an External Truth can possibly have, but also below that, which is worse then naught (viz.) their leaden Legend of Lyes, their trashy Traditions, their mouldy Massora, their invented Oral Law, their vain verbum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, & that meer imagined Moon calf, the unerring breast of their most erroneous holy Fa∣ther, and such like; I shall in this Work before all the world prefer the bare body and letter of the Scripture, which is legible to mens bodily Eyes, far before that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as thou truly callest it) for all their Abomi∣nations, before that whole Body of Fools bawbles, that bottomlesse pit of Paul∣trinesse, that boundlesse bundle of Baby clouts that endlesse Ocean of Omni∣gatherums, that dirty puddle and deep dunghil of Devility, rather then Divi∣nity, which the more its dived and raked into, the more rotten it renders it self like some for did sink, that stinkes the more, the more 'tis stirred in; for such is the Traditionary Treasury of that saltlesse unsavoury Sea (upon which therefore the plagues of the Vials (which must be filled upon you al∣so) are fallen, falling, and to fall) which Sea of Rome is, as the blood of a dead man, lifelesse, putrid and corrupt, so that every living Soul dies that lives therein.

Yea, Consider the naked literal Aspect of the holy Scriptures, nor in its highest, not in its primitive, best, and purest, as at first given forth, but in its meer derivative, in its lowest, meanest, and most altered and adulterated capa∣city, wherein it stands at this day, wrested and torn, and like a Nose of Wax twisted and twined into more then twice, if not ten or twenty times twen∣ty several shapes by mens untrue and tottered Transcripts, and Translations (for Oh that vast variety of Lections, besides the Infinity of Senses, throw mens misrenderings, corrupt copyings, correctings of, and commentings on it, &c. that the World is now loaded with, and led out into!) yet as meer a graven Image as that is with Ink and Pen on Paper or skin of parchment (for 'tis so, though I reject their jeers, as improper and impious, by whom it is scoffed at as Chartacea, Membranae, &c. for 'tis not so) and as dead a Letter as it is (bear with me in that Expression I. O. till I come to shew where thou so callest it as well as Papists and Quakers, whom thou quarrellest with for so calling it) and as very a Nose of Wax and Lesbian Rule, and no certain stable standard as it is (for I know not why what they wickedly (because Taunt∣ingly) we may not honestly (sith truly, seriously, and soberly) so call, which may so easily, so endlesly be altered by the wills of men, as they self I.O. shewest us in the 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. pages of they Preface, the Scripture may, and made to stand which way any Critick pleases) and as no Authority to us at all, as they (in their basenesse and hatred of it, which I condemne) do say it is of, as 'tis my continual exercise in works to do it, so do I here in plain words exalt the Scripture, which they so debase, and state it over all that their Trash and aforesaid Trumpery, even on the very top of all their long Train of

Traditions, and over the archest Tittle of the Tripple Crown; the proudest pinacle of Peters (now un-Peter-like) painted Temple, the highest point of that pompous, pious, piteous Pillar and ground of Truth, the choicest Cha∣piter of that holy Church, and infallibly erring infallible Chair.

Thus doing, I shall be own'd at last, if not by I. O. and such as have his dimme Doings, as t••ey have his person, in admiration, because of advan∣tage, yet by all unbyassed beholders of both our undertakings for the Scrip∣ture to be no more a pander for the Papists (as I am more belyed then be∣lieved to be the lying Tribe of Levi) then for himself, but a just, plain, and impartial Pleader for the Scripture against them both, and a doer of Right to those holy Writings which are egregiously wronged by both Papists and Protestants, as between Two parties of partial Praters Pro and Con about them; by one of which they are scarcely more sottishly and Satanically (for Superstitions sake) Abhorred, then unduly and Superstitiously Adored by the other. For howbeit thou deemest thy self, and those thy self Reveren∣cing fellow Students of it, to whom thou Dedicatest thy Endeavours to Vindicate it, to be such as value the Scripture as much as any thou knowest; yet there are many whom thou knowest not, but supposest to be sleighters and disowners of it, who, if to own, value and exalt it, be to ascribe all that to it, which it assumes to it self, to Preach and practise that holy Life, which is the end of it, and to give it its due and no more (as indeed it is) do own, value, honour and exalt the Holy Scripture much more, and much more truly, then any of your self-exalting selves, who, saving your fair Speeches for it, and your fawnings on it, (Ore tenus) your common aiëry and meer verbal Commendations thereof, and of your selves as valuers thereof, do yet in truth no more value, or honour it, then the Iewes (whose grand Idol that is, as the whole is yours) at this day do their own owned part thereof; of whose dotage in that kind, I have in sundry Nations been an Eye-witnesse, in not a few of their Synagogues, who Adorn, and carry it about (as ye do your Bibles, more beautified without, then your selves are within) and lift it up with loud noises, especially when these words are read, (viz.) He shall magnifie the Law, and make it honourable; when yet the Truth it makes mention of, hath no Mansion in their minds to the renewing of them; yea, I may truly say you do more undervalue the Scripture by your advancing it above it self, and over-valuing and worshipping it so much as ye do in your words, whilst alienated from the Light it came from, and calls to, in your Works and Lives, then some of the Synagogue of very Rome it self, who in lips and lives too, do undervalue it; by how much Deceit and Hypocrisie is far greater Iniquity, then 'tis for men openly to disown what Cordially they do not own, and to pretend to be no better Friends to it then indeed they are; and by how much as all is not Gold that glisters, so all that, which by its glistring would fain seem to be Gold, when it is but Drosse, is worse then that, which both is Drosse, and seems to be so.

Yea, those that undervalue the Scripture so as to set Traditions above it, and they that overvalue it so as to set the Light below it, both these must come under Condemnation from me, as being both Abomination to the Lord, before whom (witness the Brazen Serpent, and Christs Apostles, Acts 14.11. to 19. whom the people did worse in Worshipping as Gods, then if

they had not heeded, but hated them as of the Devil) it may be worse to overvalue, then to undervalue many things, which may be of his own Ap∣pointment: So that ye have little need to decry against Papists as Decryers of the Scriptures, and lesse to link us (the Quakers) and Papists together, as Adversaries in Common to the Scriptures, as if your selves were the only Patrones thereof; for as Anti-Papistical as ye seem to be about the Scriptures, yet ye will be found Acting, not more against them, then (though in a different way from the Papists) against the Scrip∣tures.

And howbeit thou taylest us and the Papists together, figuring us out by thy fine Tale of the aforesaid Foxes, as falling from, and fighting against each other, and yet both fellow-friends against the Scripture; That is false as urged, and uttered with that referrence to the Papists and Quakers, as joynt Injurers of the Scriptures, wherewith thou ridiculously Relatest it, but true enough, yea too too true, If Related in that right Referrence, which it bears toward the Papists and your Selves; yea, Quid Rides? be not so merry I. O. about the Mouth; for De te (mutato nomine Quakers) Fabula narratur; thou thinkest thou hast shrewdly hurt thy meer fancied Fanatick Foes with a flap of a Fox-Tayle, but in that Tale thou hast but made a Rod for thy own Tayle; for verily he that hath but half an Eye, and by thy men∣tioning thereof, is minded to search where, and to whom thy Simile best suits, will find how causelesly and incongrously thou crowdest the Papists and Quakers so closely together as Companions in thy abusive Comparison; and how aptly it may rather be Applyed to that Romish Synagogue, and your Selves, to whom it comes as nigh as four feet (if any Simile can truly be said to run on all four) can well carry it; and who, as much as ye dissent not only in diverse other matters, but also about the Scripture it self, the one for, and the other against the perfection, purity, integrity, authority, and excellency of the meer Text and bare Letter of it, do yet concur as closely, and come as nigh to one another in denyal of the Truth and Do∣ctrine thereof, as four pence comes to a Groat. Yea, the Truth is your selves, and they are far more fitly figured by those fiery-Tayld Foxes which tended two several wayes, yet ended in one and the self same work of Destroying the Philistims Corn, whil'st turning tayl to tayl, and drawing into your two dif∣ferent Extreames, one sort crying up Unwritten Traditions to be the most perfect Rule above the Scripture; the other crying up the Outward Letter, as the most perfect Rule, above the Internal Light, Word and Spirit, which gave it forth, ye not only fill the World, as with so many Fire brands with your fiery Contentions, so that like that Corn which failed when it felt the fire, it fell together by the Eares to its own ruine and destruction, but also between you draw and drive all people (being erred from it your selves) from that, which was before them, in the being of a Rule, and will be found to be a most perfect Rule without them both, (viz.) that Light which thou so laughest at. So that their Souls starve, famish, perish, and pine away for lack of the true Bread of Life, Christ Iesus, whom the Light only leads to, and for want of that Corn of Heaven which God feeds those with that truly fear him.

And as to what is said about your valuing and exalting the Scripture,

which ye say the Papists and Quakers do set light by and undervalue; I say, If to be very busie about the dead bulk, the bare back-side of that Book, which contains the Scripture, called the Bible, If to blesse it, and adorn, and adore the naked Body of it, If to do by it little lesse, then all that the Papists do in way of honour and exaltation of it to the dead Body of their Great God∣desse the Virgin Mary, be to honour and value the Bible, then ye honour it in∣deed, but scarcely else; If to overlay it with Gold and curious Colours, If to make Images and Pictures of it, to print it on Title pages of their own Books in the hands of Priests, If to hand it up in paint upon Sign posts, Ensignes, Co∣lours, &c. If to attribute to it many high prerogative Titles which are not be∣longing to it, but to Christ the Light, and his light alone, as Via per quam nos ad Deum, Deus ad nos; the Saints Re'uge, most perfect Rule, Living Word of God, and a score more of the same sort, which it no where takes to it self, which yet who so cannot give it, cannot have the common priviledges due to them with other men in their own Native Countries; If to laud the Let∣ter more then lead the Life which it requires; If to be ever coming for Coun∣sel to it, but never conforming to the Counsel of it when it calls you to the Light for Life; If to place Holinesse, Righteousnesse and Religion more in a Round of Reading it, and preaching upon it, then in being and becom∣ing so Holy, Righteous, Religious & unspotted of the World as it requires; If to spare no cost in Printing, Re-printing, Binding, Beautifying, Buying Bibles of all sorts and sizes, storing all Studies, Libraries and Houses there∣with; If to carry them about under your Arms; If to hold them up in your Hands out of the Pulpit ore a soft Cushion while (till the Glasse be run) you Collate thereon; If to be more Critical in Coting, and punctual in Noting this proof and t'other about the Practice of Piety, then to practice the piety therein approved; If to be loud and Clamorous for this or that more Corrected Copy of it, against these or those that are more Corrupted; If to have it in so high esteem, and account, as to count it one of the most gainful Commodities that men can trade in, or get Money by Ministring out of; If to cry it up, and make no small stir about it, as Demetrius the Silver∣smith, who by making Shrines for her brought no small Gain to himself and his fellow Craftmen, who by that Craft had their Wealth, did about their Image Diana, which fell down from Iupiter, who with the Workmen of like Occupation, cried out, full of wrath, of the Greatnesse of their God∣desse, against such as they could not prove to be Blasphemers of her, for fear least there should be a Despising and D••stroying of that more then fit Mag∣nificence they magnified her withal by promoting of the Truth, and so their Craft be in danger to be set at naught; If to Vindicate it with as much v••∣hemency in long self-confounding. Scripture defending Discourses, crude indi∣gested, self-confuting Divinity Disputations (such as I. O's.) from that real Right, which is done it by its Rightest Friends the Quakers, who vindicate it from that real Wrong that is done to it by its forenamed (not so much nominal as real) Fox-like Foes; If to decry them, who decry those, that in workes deny it, as decryers of it, like such as use to cry Whore first against honest Matrons, left their own Whoredoms by them discryed, should be dis∣covered; If manually and verbally, more then mentally and vitally to advance and extol it; If so to advance, extol and value it, as to detrude, deride,

and vi••ifie that light it came from, which was before, and is above it for the sake of it; If to make your boasts of the Letter, and yet thorow breaking the Law, that is laid down in it, to dishonour God, whose Name is blas∣phemed among Turks at this day by the lawlesse lives of some Letter tawding Christians (which Turks if you bid them lesse for what they Sell, then at first they ask, will say, What belike you think I am a Christian that ask more then I mean to take) If to wear out your wretched dayes, spend your precious hours, spinne out your whole lives in speaking of, and for it, and one to another about it, in scrambling and scraping, and scribling, for the meer skull of the Scripture; If to be obstinately obstreperous in peevish prittle∣prattles for every little Letter, particle, point, trivial Title and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of it; If to tear and tire yourselves and others in toylesome Treatises about the Integrity of the External (non-Original) Original Text of it; If to transgresse beyond the bounds of all Sense and Reason, and transcend the measure of all mo∣desty and Truth in talk of the infallible Truth of fallible mens meer fallible Transcripts of it out of the Original Text of all, which ye confesse is not now in being, and that in every Apex and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of it, as thou I. O. dost; If to be (as thou in the first page of thy Preface sayest some of you are to good (but I say to little purpose) almost every day in Commendation of the Scripture, and Exhortation to the study of it; If like Stoicks to stand studying in it with your own natural understandings without the Life and spirit which only opens it, till ye Commence Stocks, staves and stones, sot∣tish Priests that forget the Law of their God, lost from it by looking for it in the Letter of it, and in the Wood of your own Wisdom together, yea (Antitipically) those very Stocks at which yet the People, who are like∣people-like-Priest, ask Counsel, their staff which declareth Error to them ye Teacher of Lyes, the stock and the dumb-stone to which (wo to them) the vain people say. Thou art my Father, thou hast begotten me, Awake, Arise thou shalt Teach, Jer. 2.27. Hos. 4.6, 9, 12. Heb. 2.18, 19. If to Comment at large upon it; If to load the World, and lead it into a laborynth with your Infinite labourings and illiterate labours about the literal Sense of it, and endlesse endeavours to explain it, till ye make it more intricate by your opposite Expositions, and that in such very places, which to any (save such light haters, as standing in their own light cannot see Wood for Trees) are as plain as the Nose on a mans face; If to claw it, and call it Lydium lapi∣dem, a true undeceivable, fixt, sure, and inalterable standing Touchstone, and dis∣own those as dishonourers of it, who (in words) compare it to a Nose of Wax, a Lesbyan Rule, and yet (in your own Works) so to make it, by bending and bowing it every one to his own blind Invention, so as to cause it to stand Nine wayes at once, and to propound not only how possibly, but also how facile it is to wrest it into as many various Lections by the advantage of the Hebrew Character as can be in the most flexible Writing in the World, or any Critick can invent (as thou I.O. teachest in thy Epistle) If to play Legerdemaine with it, so as in a presence of valuing It, to say great matters of it, and then to depresse it so as to unsay them again, and then to run the Rounds and say them again, as thou I.O. often dost; If to boyse it up into that honourable Title of the Living Word of God, and again to hurle it down into that more temperate Term, which yet ye will not endure others to

Term it by of a Dead Letter, and yet (to go round again) Horrendo percussis scotomate, after that to say its Living, and no where said to be Dead; If to deal so worthily with it as to affirm it to be perfect as to its own end, and fall out with such as deny it so to be, as no Quakers do that I know of, and then from the same Hand-writing that before affirmed it, to deal so unworthily with it as to deny it so to be (as if I.O. doth not my Eyes are out, but if he do, he will surely say his own were not well open when he did so) If to say its profitable to its end, and that its end is to make men perfect, and yet to say no man is made perfect in this World, in which only the Scripture is confessed to be of use, nor till the world to come, where its granted to be of no use, & cannot profit at all; If thus to tosse it to and again like a Ten∣nis Ball in a confused, self-contradictory kind of talk, sometimes telling the Truth about it, sometimes belying it, sometimes giving both it, and the Lyar him∣self the Lye, who so belyed it; sometimes, yea often lying against and al∣wayes living beside the holy Truth, and Doctrine itself declared by it; If to exceed in setting forth its self evidencing Excellency, in avouching its Divine Authority and Power to Command men in the Name of God as his Word, and yet never to come under the Power of its Commands, so as yield Obedience thereunto, If to call it your Rule, and yet never submit to be ruled by it; If both to overvalue and to undervalue, to lift up and cast down, to honour and dishonour it, be truly indeed to value, exalt and honour the Scriptures; If all the particulars above enumerated, and many more of the same sort that might be instanced in by Induction, be in heart, word and deed so to do, then I shall yield the Scripture to be as much so valued, honoured and exalted in this ever-Reforming, never-Reforming Nation of England as among Papists, or any other Nation whatsoever, and by our self separating, sensual, literal, Anti∣scriptural, Anti-spiritual, high Notional Professors, as well as by the best Natio∣nal Protestants that are therein, and by I.O. himself, and his Reverend Fel∣low Students (if they study and value it at the same rates with himself) as much as any I know: Finally, If this be very highly to value it, to be alwayes charging, challenging, and calling out for the Allowance of large and liberal Maintenance * 1.13 & Augmentation of Means, by all means possible, out of all mens possibilities for the Ministers, not of the Spirit, but of the Letter only, as those of mens making are, who steal words enough from thence, cut of which, together with what of their own they patch them up with into one or two hours piece of work in a week to pick out a Living by, And if that be to value it, or esteem it, or prize it, or rate it high, or set much by it, or make much of it to sell every Sermon, so stole, and made but on some one verse of it (and yet some make so much of one verse as to make many Sermons on it, stretching it out, for ease-sake, to hold out the running of many Glasses) for 20 shillings a Sermon, and more Money, and to have and to hold some Hundreds, at least one Hundred of pounds, for at most one hundred of Sermons; I say if this be to make much of the Scripture, there is more made of it in one year by our Divines, and Doctors of Divinity (amongst whom I.O. was once none of the last nor least, as to valuing and making much of it) then ever was by all the Quakers in the World since that Nick-Name began, who yet, if to make much of it be to live in the Light as the Letter itself exhorts to do, do make more of it that way

in a year, then all those Priests and Prophets that preach it for Hire, and Di∣vine out of it for Money or ever have done since the World began, or ever will do while it hath a being.

So that howbeit thou I.O. in thy hostile mind representest the Quakers as hostes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, enemies and haters of the Scriptures, there's no such matter; for if they be haters of it that hate to be reproved by it, and can∣not endure the sound Doctrine delivered in it, which is according to Godli∣nesse; the Letter hath no such haters of it as the very Ministers of the Letter are, who are ever enmity against the Life, Light and Spirit it calls to walk in; And if they may be said to love it, who are livers according to it, the very Letter itself hath no such true lovers of it, as the Quakers, who are in thy blind zeal hated by thee, as haters of it, for living that Life it calls for.

As to thy Tale of our striving to thrust the Scripture from its own place in the Church of God, its as true a Tale as its fellow false ones; for though we set Christ and his inward Light, living Word, and Life-giving Spirit only on the Throne in the Church, yet we own and establish the Scripture, which is but the meer Letter in its proper place, wherein it is to stand (since it had its being (as so) from the other) as subservient, and subordinate to the o∣ther, which are its betters, and its elders, and not as such a Dominus fac Io∣tum as thou makest it, as if those that gave being to it, must now come un∣der it so as to stand barely at the Bar before it to be tryed by it, while it sits in supream Authourity on the Bench, as the most perfect, infallible Touch stone, Lydius lapis, and standing Rule (for no lesse, but much more thou wouldest have it, even Light, Rule of Trial, Iudge, Witnesse, and all) to which all Spirits, even Gods own, that gave it out, as well as all false ones, must stand, or rather stoop, and submit to be judged by, and the foundation which the Church, or World in the World, or Wheel in a Wheel must stand, or else fall and fail for ever; for as there was a time wherein the Church (which is but one from Abel till now, & can have but one and the same Rule, bottom and foundation for ever, and one Rock on which its built, which is neither Peter, nor Paul, nor any of their Writings, nor of any Prophets that wrote afore them, but Christ the Light to the Nations, and the Rock of A∣ges and Generations) was without it, and not placed upon it, so there was a time of thousands of years together wherein it had no place, nor use at all in the Church, nor so much as any being in the World; and as for such high place as thou in thy own will now alowest it (as its own) as wise and quick∣sighted as thou art to know and see non Entities, and things that never were at all, I know no such Place that God ever set it in, nor time, when he so super-eminently exalted it; and though I acknowledge, and am not ignorant (as thou art) that meer men and blind builders (as seeing as thyself) have Canonized it into the Head of the Corner, laying him aside, whom God hath made so, yet I am to learn, and so art thou (for all thy hasty teaching it, as Truth, to others) where ever the bare Letter or Scripture (which is all one) was created into such a Lord, as thou lookest on it to be, over his in∣ward Light & Spirit in the heart, and authorized so infinitely, as thou imaginest, over all things by the Lord God of Heaven and Earth, the only Author and Creator of all things.

* 1.14 J.O. Not only to detrade the Scrip∣ture from its place, but also that by that one only device of denying to the Scrip∣ture that glorious Title of the Word of God, the Quakers aim and endeavour to divest Christ himself of his Personality and divine Being.

Reply. Was ever man left of God to shew his own Folly by more palpable & apparent absurdities, then thou here utterest, who by that very thing, where∣by we seek to invest Christ with the proper and peculiar Right both in Name and Nature, whereof your selves rob him, belyest us, so as to say we there∣by seek to divest him of it? Is not the Word of God not only the proper Name Ioh. 1. Rev. 19. but also the proper Nature and divine Being of Christ, which he had before he was made flesh, from the very beginning before the Scrip∣ture was, that declares of him, before World it self was, which was made by him, and all things in it, so that without him nothing was made that was made? And because that we will not take this glorious Title of his, to whom only of Right it belongeth, viz. the Word of God, who hath no corruptible Word that I know but only one, thats incorruptible and liveth and abideth for ever, and is both essentialiter and effective and enunciative too the Word of God, and invest such a corruptible thing herewith as the mouldring Letter, a Writing with mens hands, which Worms may eat, and mens Hands blot out, deface, and destroy; and because we will not attribute that everlasting Name of his, to that which in Nature is not everlasting (as ye do) but decaying; dost thou say we di∣vest him of his divine Being? Dost thou not beget this bastardly businesse of divesting Christ himself of his divine Name and Nature, Excellency and Existence in thy own brain, by ascribing these to the Scriptures, and giving the glory thereof to another under that high Prerogative Title of the Word of God, due only and alone to him, and not to any Letter, that man, as moved by him, writes of him, and then lay it at the door of the Quakers? Art not thou the man that appropriatest that Name and Nature, which is proper to Christ alone, to the Scripture, by disputing as to Name and Thing in esse reasi cognoscibili, that it is the Word of God, & that glorious Title is its proper Name? and is not this what in you lyes to dethrone Christ, who only is so, and place another ever him as the only most, perfect Light, Foundation, Touchstone, by which his Spirit must be tryed) and yet accusest thou the Quakers of displacing him?

Doth not the Scripture say that Christ is the Light, which the Church Ministerially is to hold out & bear witness to (Ioh. 1) in all her Preachings, Administrations and Walkings, and the Scripture is written out for the sake, and Instruction, and profit or use and service of the Church, 2 Tim 3.15, 16. 1 Cor. 10. yet settest not thou the Letter above the Church and Christ too, saying, Page 76. The Scripture is Light, it is the duty of every Church to hold it up, almost the whole of its duty; and this Duty it performs Ministerially, not Authoritatively. A Church may bear up that Light, it is not the Light; it bears Witnesse to it, but kindles not one divine beam to further its discovery: All the

Preaching that is in any Church, its Administration of Ordinances, all its wal∣king in the Truth hold up this Light? Thus magnifying the Letter above all, and making it the main businesse of the Church to magnifie and hold it up, much what as the Iewes do, whose Work in their Synagogues is to lift up the Letter, while they loath the Law and the Light it came from, and is but the meer Letter or Writing of?

J. O. The whole Truth of the Words of God is as to Name and Thing opposed by the poor Fanatical Quakers; Satan in these dayes assaults the sacred Truth of the Word of God in the poor deluded Fanatical Souls among us commonly called Quakers.

Reply. It was none but Satan himself that is a Lyar, & the Father of it who told thee so, and in thee tells it out for Truth to the whole World; For, 1. The whole Word of God, which is but of one, & not of many kinds, that I know of, as thou wouldest make it, as if God had one Living, one Dead, one Fallible another Infallible, one Corruptible another Incorruptible, one E∣ternal, one Temporal Word; one thats only Letter, another that's Spirit and Life; one Written, and another Unwritten; one within men, and another, thats not the same in Nature, without men; that one and the same In∣dividual Word of God, I say, which is the same, whether within or without, Written or Unwritten, neither of which the bare Writing is, as to both Name and Thing we own and honour, as that which from everlasting to everlasting is unchangeably Authoritative over all, inviolably pure, every way entire and absolutely perfect as God is, whose Word it is, and so we assault it not in its Name, nor in the Thing, as thou sayest; for we know and never did yet deny (unlesse 'twere before we knew it, and while we were the same with you, who yet know it not, nor never heard it from his own mouth) the Word of God to be the Word of God; And also though thou Scandalize us so grossely as to say Satan sets us on work to bereave the Scripture of the glo∣rious Title of the Word of God, as its own Proper Name; That 2. is also false, for at the Will of God, and in service and obedience to him, and not of Sa∣tan, we strip the meer Letter of that Glory, wherewith thou unduly dost invest it, and take it down from that high Throne and Authority, wherein Satan sets thee on work to set it up, ••that men may do homage to it, and so run a Whoring after it from the Word of Life it only points at, as Israel did after the Brazen Serpent, and dance about it in their Idolatrous hearts as the God that must save and deliver out of Egypt. But, 3. Were that true, yet howbeit we own the Word of God to be as truly and properly called the Word of God as in truth it is so, and give to that still its own due proper Name of the Word of God somewhat more then yourselves do, who call that by the Name of, and make that Title of the Word of God the very proper Name of another thing, which is not it, but as inferiour to it, as the Effect is to the Cause it came from, viz. the outward Letter * 1.15 or Scrip∣ture, that came forth from it, and is but a Copy and Declara∣tion or Images of it, as much in

worth and dignity below it, as the painted Picture of a fire or a man on a Wall is to the true fire or Person which they do but outwardly represent. And 4. As for the Writing or Scripture, which thou sayest we deprive of its pro∣per Name, because we call it not the Word of God, and by all those glorious Titles and Epithites thou stilest it by, which we confesse are due to the Word, (viz.) Light, Living, powerful, Quickning, Foundaiton, most Perfect Rule, and many more, as we shall see anon, thou sayest most falsly in that, for these are as truly due, so properly due to, and the Proper Names of the Word it self only, of which the Writing is but a Writing or meer Scriptural Declaration, and not the Proper Name, nor Properties of the Scrip∣tures.

I.O. Thou tellest, Ep. pag. 30. That the whole truth about the Word of God (which thou falsly Slanderest us as confusedly opposing) thou hast endeavoured to comprize in thy Theses.

Reply. Thy Asserting that the Scripture ought to be called the Word of God as its proper Name, and that it is in esse reali & cognoscibili the Word of God, and known so to be, and consequently the Light, Foundation, Rule, and whatever else the Word is known to be, which is the main matter thou af∣firmest and puzlest thy self to prove against us, is so far from being the whole Truth about the Word of God, that it hath no Truth at all in it, but in plain Truth is wholly a Lye, in esse reali & cognoscibili also, to all, but such as know not (as thy self dost not in this point) either what they say, or where∣of they affirm.

J. O. Thou sayest thou compleatest in thy Theses the Doctrine of the Scripture, concerning the Scripture.

Reply. Thy Doctrine concerning the Scripture, which is, that it is the Word of God, and known so to be, and is to be called, or else its stript out of its own proper Name; this is not the Doctrine of the Scripture concerning it self, but thy own Doctrine which though thou dignifie it with the Title of Pro Scripturis in thy Latine Title Page, is more Con & Anti, then either Cum or Pro; yea, much more against, then either according to, or for the Scriptures.

* 1.16 I.O. Thou speakst of the Qua∣kers as altogether rejecting the Word of God, i. e. (with thee) the Scripture as to its whole use, & of spoiling the ho∣ly Scriptures of All Vse, Authority & Perfection; * 1.17 And as those who if things had succeded according to their desires, would no doubt long since have have ut∣terly rejected them. Yea, as those, who wish them quite blotted out, that all men might more attend to the Light within themselves.

Reply. Though what Use, Authority and Perfection the Scripture is own∣ed by us to be of, will appear more anon in its proper place, yet that we deny it not to have an Authority and Perfection and precious Use I here declare to the undeceiving of such as are deceived by thy Deceits and Lyes; much lesse do we reject, as thou falsly objects against us, the Word of God it self, which is a greater matter, and of more moment then the Scripture, as to its whole Vse; and in proof of it against thy self, that we own the very Bible and Letter to be of use, and do also much use it as occasion is, I shall here Cite I O. to give account to I.O. of this Lye, that against I.O. I O. himself hath forged.

Yea, I shall go no further at present then to thy self, who (as in at least Twenty things more in thy self-confounding Fardel thou dost) confutest thy self as to this Lye, in those very parcels above quoted.

For mark, Art not thou the man, who as brisk as thou art in bedirting us with this Slander of rejecting the Scripture (which thou falsly callest the Word of God) as to all its use, its whole use, and that altogether, could we have had our Wills, yet to the Contradicting of thy self which is as ordinary with thee as to eat and drink, confessest and Commendest us thus far before all? as follows in thy Latine piece, where thy words Englished are to this purpose;

Ex. 1. S. 7. That the Quakers professe the Holy Scriptures to contain a cer∣tain Revelation of Gods Will, and so far to have come forth from God as it pro∣ceeded from that inward Light which was from Christ in those who wrote those Books which ye name the Scriptures. And Ex. 5. S. 18. That the Quakers acknowledge the Scriptures to contain a Manifestation of the Will and Mind of God, both in respect of those who wrote them, and of those also to whom they were delivered from the beginning; and that this Declaration therein held, proceeded from the Spirit of Christ which was so with the Writers thereof, that they could declare the infallible Truth; and that the things written therein are an undoubtedly true Declaration of the Mind of God? And dost thou not add thus much, That thus far we are right, and that none that own them thus far, can altogether reject the Scriptures, unlesse he will declare himself to be self∣condemned, and that we will not easily yield to a Renouncing of this Confessi∣on?

Is all this then that thy self Confessest of us the Quakers, whom thou Condemnest for utter rejecting the Scripture consistent with such an utter rejecting it as thou Chargest them with? Dost not here clear the Quakers out of thy own mouth, out of which thou Condemnest them, for the same thou clearest them in, to the Condemning of thy self to be one out of whose one and the same mouth comes to the same men, Blessing and Cursing, Excusing and Accusing for the same thing? Doth any good Foun∣tain send forth sweet Water and bitter at the same time? Is not thy Tongue an unruly Member, which thy self can'st tame no better then therewith to blesse God, and men too that are made after Gods Image, as owners of the Scriptures, and yet to Curse them with thy Lyes as denyers thereof when thou hast done? Art thou not herein right Baalam like, who for the Pre∣ferments-sake

from which God kept him, would sain have Cursed Israel with his Divinations as thou dost with thy Divinity Disputations, and yet was against his will forced to forbear, and to his own shame to blesse them al∣together?

Object. Oh but (quoth I.O.) no matter what the Quakers confesse of the Scripture now; no doubt had things fallen out accordinn to their desire, and if People could have born the denyal of it, who bore such respect to the Scripture, that they would have flown with fury on the Quakers Pates, if they should have seemed to deny it, the Quakers from whom the fear of that more then the force of Truth forces that Confession, Proculdubiò Jamdudum rejecissent, had doubtlesly Re∣jected them utterly long ago, Ex. 3. S. 19.

Reply. This is not so true not well-grunded a Surmise as this, viz. No matter how the Priests fawn, own the Kings, Protectors, Parliaments or Powers still that are in present Being, to save their Standings in their pre∣sent Places and Preferments; No heed's to be given to their Crouchings Cringing and Humble Representations; No doubt but as things fall out, and succeed to the serving of their Interest, they will turn still to what best serves their turns, and have, Exceptis excipiendis, been generally known to have done so now long ago, even from Henry the Eighths time to this very day.

As for the Quakers, could they have dissembled so as ye do for fear of mans Fury, they might have escaped many, if not all those furious Fallings of your bloudy mad-brain'd Parish-Professors upon their Pares, and have saved Oxford and Cambridge that labour & pains, they more like Fiends, then Friends of Truth, have been at to persecute them long since also.

Again. I.O. Dost not thou say 'tis evident enough that some of us Read the Holy Scripture in Private, or at least Remember what we have Read or Heard out of it, and for the most part carry the Holy Bible about with us, and that in our Digladiations or Disputes we very often rehearse and urge the words of the Scriptures; and that the reason why we own Translations is, because being not learn'd farther then our Mother Tongue, we shall then deprive our selves of all use of the Scriptures, which we are loath to do?

Which of these two I O's. must we believe? Or if it be but one I.O. (as no doubt it is) divided against himself, and telling two contrary Tales, whereof but one can be true; which of his two Testimonies must men give credit to? That wherein he sayes we strive to bereave men of All Vse of the Scripture, and count it odious and abominable to have Heresies, Errour, false Doctors and Doctrines Convicted and Confuted out of it; Or that clean Con∣trary one, wherein he tells all men that we use it so as to Read it in Private, Remember what we Read, or Hear of it; Carry it about with us, use it, and urge out of it in our Disputes, and are shy of denying it to be Translated into English for our use, least we should be deprived of All that Vse of it our selves, which we are willing to make.

For my part, let others do what they will, I have found I.O. telling so many Lyes, when in his malice, he talkes against the Quakers, that I shall rather take that for Truth now, which against his envious lying self he here

talks for them; for some Vse, and that not a little himself here affirms we make of the Scriptures; and in other places quotes many Scriptures out of which we argue against our Opposers; and if it be never so little use its enough to stop his mouth out of his own mouth, who sayes we utterly reject the Scriptures as to All its Vse, for he that rejects it as to its Whole use, or All its use, must be one that makes no use of it at all.

And if I.O's. Testimony had been only, that we deny many ill uses of it, that himself and other Scribes make, that spend and take up more time in scraping and scribling for it, then take care to live the life of it, and that wrest it to their own ruine, he had said the Truth; Or had he said we de∣ny many of those good lifes, that many make of it, he had much lessened his Lye and his Folly in it; but because we own it not as useful to all those extraordinary, weighty and mighty lifes, which he sayes falsly are to be made of it, which indeed are to be made only of the Eternal, Internal Spi∣rit, Word and Light it came from; to say we deny all Vses of it, as if it were good, and profitable, and useful, and fit for nothing, this renders his Lye the more lyable to all mens view, and himself to be as blind as one that can see no difference between staring and stark mad.

What I. O. is that which is not said to be good for all things, thereupon said to be good for nothing? If I should say soft Wax is not useful to stop hot Ovens with, must it straitway be thrown away? and must it be taken for Granted, that I say its not good to Seal with, or that its useful for no∣thing? That may be good to Cut and Kill (as a Knife) that when it hath so done, can't quicken, nor heal, nor save, nor cure; The Letter kills, as an Executing Instrument, but the Spirit only gives the Life.

And whereas thou sayest we wish it blotted out, that men may come to the Light within, in which is the life; Nay stay I. O. no hast to hang true men, we would have all come to the Light and Life within indeed, no such hast yet of the Scriptures going hence though old it will wax once and wear a∣way; there's many pretious Uses, though not all the Eminent ones thou talkest of to be made of it before it go hence; One whereof is that very thing upon the account of which thou falsly sayest we wish it blotted out, viz. That men may come to the Light within, which the Scripture is so far from hindering any from coming to (but only that the blind Porers in it with their natural Eyes, cannot see Wood for Trees) that it sides with us in helping to call People to the Light in the Heart, which thing is as well the end of its being written, as it was the end of Paul, and Iohn's, and all the Prophets Ministry by word of mouth, Act 26.17, 18. 1 Ioh. 1.1, 5, 6, 7. And is the end of all our Ministring now, as we are moved of the Lord, by Voice or Writing; the Letter bids look to the Light, as that which leads on to the Life, but both Letter and Light are a cloud to the Egyptians, that pursued them, which to Israel, that obeyed it, was a help.

And as it serves with us to call to the Light, so before it passe away, it must be used against them, to send them packing first that have Abused it, as thou hast done, and to accuse as a Witnesse against them such as have owned it as their Rule and Foundation yet lived and built so much (as ye have done) beside it. And as Christ said to the old Scripture-searching∣Scribes, Joh. 5. that would never come to him the Life, whom they Testifi∣ed

of; so say I to you of the same Seed, Do not think that Christ by his Light, within you only, whereby ye are made as all men are, who have not the Law in a Letter, a Law before God to your selves, will accuse you to the Father, ye have another that accuses you for your Vanities and Deceits, even Moses and the Apostles and Prophets Writings, in whom ye trust to get Life; for if you had believed them, you would not have belyed, but be∣leeved in and obeyed the Light and Word in the Heart, which they call you to, for the Scriptures testifie of that; but fith you believe not their Te∣stimony to the Light, how can we look that by our Words ye should come to believe in the Light it self.

So that ye stand Condemned, and must be Judged by the Law or Light within, as well as such as are without the Law in a Letter without; and fin∣ing under and against the Law in the Letter, by the very Letter of the Law, throw boasting, and yet breaking of which, ye dishonour God much more then the Heathen do, Rom. 2. Ye must be condemned also.

So that the Scripture is of much use yet, and we are free it should stand, and not be blotted out, that by the Testimony of it, which is one and the same with ours to the Light, ye might be (if yet it may be) brought to look to the Law of Christ, which (and not the Letter) is the Light and Life; but if you will not come to Christ and his Light in you, that ye may have the Life; its all of a price to you, whether the Scripture stand or be blotted out, for your Names are not (while ye are Enemies to the Light) written there for Life, but as yet blotted out even by the Scripture, while it abides unblotted out, from under Heaven.

I.O. Ex. 2. S. 26. Thou sayest, The Quakers little regard the understan∣ding of the Scripture, and this is one of their Eminent Deceits so long as they have the Words they are well enough without the sense, as nothing appertaining to them.

Reply. Saving I.O's. fine figment in this matter, which may be more manifested in its proper place, howbeit we are well satisfied without so ma∣ny several silly Senses and mis-meanings of it, as are ministred cut by the unlearned Ministers, that know not the Mind of the Lord, nor ever shall, while they lean to their own meer Natural empty Understandings, and lye-poring in the Letter, as they do without the Spirit, which only Receives and Reveals the deep things of God, and opposing the Light that only opens it, yet we are not against the true sense and meaning of the Spirit, which expounds the Mysteries, and shews the Secrets thereof to those few Babes that fear the Lord, which are hidden from the worldly wise and pru∣dent; but whether the Renowned Rabbies Preach for prize, or hold their peace, we neverthelesse still have true meanings and mind of Christ.

I.O. Ex. 2. S. 21, 22. That they affirm it is not lawful for any to Interpret the Scriptures, or give the sense thereof. And, S. 22. That altogether with the Interpretation it self, they reject, damne, curse all Mediums of Opening Scriptures, the weighing the Words and Phrases, and daily Prayer; and com∣paring of divers places together; that the Opening of hard Places, the clearing and proving of the Truth, the Conviction and Confutation of Heresies, Errours,

false Doctors and Doctrines, the Edifying any by Instructions and Exhortati∣ons, and all the other ends of lawful Interpretation of the Scriptures, are odious and abomination to them; they not only prosecute with Enmity all Expositions of the Scripture by word of mouth in private Families, Meetings, Churches, Schools of Believers, to the Opening of the Sense of the Word, and the giving of Knowledge by the Scripture it self, but also as little esteem and most Childish∣ly defame both Commentaries, and all other Books wherein part of the Scripture is Interpreted, or any Truth cleared or confirmed out of it; or the Faithful perswa∣ded by Exhortations to Holinesse, and Gospel Obedience, or men are Instruct∣ed in any other manner whatsoever in the Knowledge of God.

Reply. Whether all these stories of I.O. which I have here put toge∣ther, do more savour of the French Galimafrey, or wild-Irish bonni-clabber, i'le not determine; but I am sure they are an unsavoury Mess of Omniga∣therums, made up of many sorts of lying Reproaches, that have no Consi∣stency with the Truth, which would far better have become a Doctor of Divinity to have told of the Devil himself, had he been accusing of him, who is the false Accuser of the true Brethren, rather then such a legend of Lyes as lye here legenda, legible to all that know them, of the Quakers.

I cannot say of this indeed, as of T.D. his doings in his way of sharp shooting out his false Tales against us, that it will sound much to our shame in a Countrey Church, because its well nigh all laid out, not to say lyed out in the Latine Tongue (though only Englished here) but it will ring such a Peal in the University Colledges, among the Iunior sort of Haters of whom God loves, and among all (save the lack-Latine-Country-Clergy men) against the Quakers, as will make them prick up their Ears and listen (that they may learn how to lye against them also) more then ever they did to the Quakers themselves, that of them they might learn the Truth; but the best on't is, though here's a Nest of them together, if that would do any good to I.O. or hurt to the Quakers, yet by Lyes and Deceits none ever did, or ever must prevail against the Truth.

Yet to all this thou addest, That we turn the Church of God into a Hogsty; And that we are great Reproachers of that Divine Goodnesse that gave it, in set∣ting so slight by Interpretations of the Scripture in order to the understanding of it: To all which yet I shall answer no otherwise then thus briefly and soberly as followes.

Viz. We acknowledge Gods goodnesse in giving it, and deny not all exposition of the matters in it, provided it be by them, as they are so mo∣ved, that live in the light and spirit of God that gave it forth by holy men, which onely opens it aright and knows its own, and searcheth the deep things of God, that are laid down in it, in the writings and meetings and Churches and Schools of the Saints and Believers (which wot you well are not your Christ-Church Colledges nor Academical Covents, but the Quakers Publick Congregations, where I have sometimes had and heard more Scripture truly opened in an hour, than in some Steeple houses in a year, any more than we do any true Translations of it out of our Tongue into another, of which matter about Translation sith thou sayest we covertly conceal our coun∣sel,

thou mayest have it more fully perhaps anon, when I have first wiped away all thy lyes of us out of the way.

But because we do indeed, though owning the spirit and spiritual mens ex∣positions, yet deny the naturally wise mens cloudy conceptions, mysty mean∣ings, shallow-brain'd senses, and excentrick Expositions, of the things of the spirit, which he knows not, as they lye in the letter which he knows as little, as useful or profitable, much more as so necessary as thou wouldest make this natural mans mighty doings about the Scripture, who is he indeed and not the Quakers that for want of such spiritual learning as naturally un∣learned Peter had, wrests it into strange senses to his own ruine, and because we do not childishly (as thou sayest we do) but soberly and justly complain of those vast confused Bombasting Bumbles of blindnesse of the cloudy Cler∣gies composing, viz. Comentaries and other Books thrust out upon pre∣tence of clearing the Scripture, which is clearer then they are, but in truth to the thickening of the Ayr, that the Sun shines not clearly thorow it, there∣upon to say that we reject, damn and curse all manner of opening Scripture, and that of daily prayers to God; this is a businesse of thy own bruiting about, whereby to render us odious among thy Oxonian fellow students, that they may reject and damn and curse them thence whom God hath not cursed, and against whom none of Baalams inchantments can prevail: for we own the daily prayers of such as God owns, who pray in the spirit, though we know God hears not sinners, nor the prayers of the wicked, nor of such as turn their ear from hearing his Law, which is Light, in their own hearts, their prayers are a∣bomination to him: and we own the openings of the Scripture by the spirit that gave it forth, when he opens the mouth or guides the pens of any that have the minde of Christ to utter any of it, as it lies in the letter hid from the natural mind, unto others; and to say this is to turn the Church into a hogsty, as if there could possibly by no Religion nor good manners nor sheep like inno∣cent demeanour, nor any thing but meer bruitishnesse, beastlinesse and swi∣nishnesse any where in the World, but where men sit under the Ministry of the Preachings, Logical Expoundings, Writings, Ecclesiastical Rhetorick and other Reacks of those fleshly and earthly minded spiritual men, Doctors and Commentators, &c. that have long ago got the parent and ingrossed all that work of expounding Scripture for money to themselves; this I utterly dény, and I also affirm that if that Crew and their Creatures be the Christians, and the Church of God (as they call themselves, as if the Quakers were all He∣reticks, that do not own them) then the more ado men make to be Chri∣stians in name, the further off from the nature of Christ, and as the old Pro∣verb is, the nearer the Church, the further from God, there being nor such for∣did stinking sinks for wickednesse, filth, pride, lust, persecution, scoffing, hating God and good, ungodlinesse and all manner of uncleannesse to be seen in all the Christian World again, as are easie to be seen in Cathedrals, Colledges, Academies, &c. where men sit at the Fountains and Well-heads of Divinity and Nurseries of Learning and Religion (as they call them) and directly un∣der the daily dispensations of their Doctors Oral and Scriptural Divinity Dispu∣tations and Expositions.

And whereas I O. makes a challenge to have it tryed between them and the Quakers, saying in the next Section after that, wherein he saves the

Quakers sleighting their Interpretations do no lesse than turn the Church into a Hogsty, thus

* 1.18 J. O. For if the Experience of all Ages of all Christians that ever were, if those things which themselves see, be∣hold, or hear daily, were of any weight or moment, they, the Quakers, would blush to deny the use, necessity, and fruit of the solemne Preaching of the Word, Inter∣pretation of the Scripture made whe∣ther by word of Mouth, or Writing: Let us take a view of each Flock, both that, which although they enjoy the Word, yet is destitute of its Interpretation and also that which, together with the Word of God, enjoyes also the other means of Gods worship, which consists very much in the Interpretation of the Word; if now the Tree be so, & be known only by its fruits, then that will appear the good one, which hath brought forth those fruits which the legal Interpretation of the Scripture hath every where produced, or brought forth.

Reply. Let it be well heeded, First, That by the Word of God here, I O. intends the Scripture; And Secondly, That by Legal Interpretation he in∣tends not such as is (as I said before) used and own'd by the Quakers, (viz.) That which is only in the Light, and in the Spirits movings, that mo∣ved to write the Scripture, but such as is made among the Naturalists and Schollars in their Academical Imaginations, and by the Priests in their Parishes, and then I am here ready to answer his Challenge, and I say a Match, let it be so.

First, Let both Flocks be viewed, the Quakers, and the Parish People; I will not say but that among them that are called Quakers, that frequent the Places of their Publick Speaking, there are many, not only by reason of whom, but also by whom the way of Truth that the Quakers walk in, is evil Spoken of; but I O. either hath, or should have more wit, and sense, and rea∣son, then to account the Routs, that are made by a rabble of rude ones that frequent the Quakers Meetings, to render them odious with their odious Carriages, to the Quakers themselves; that he ought, Non Trepidantibus sed Tripudiantibus vitio vertere, qui vertunt seria ludo, & ludunt cum sacris, &c. to impute not to the Quakers, but to Schollars, and Apprentices, and Prateis, and Players, and ungodly Scoffers, and Children of the Devil, that make a Mock and a May game of Holy Matters, and would never band so bitterly against the Quakers and their Meetings, if there were not something of God in both:

Secondly, In their Meetings there may be some Antick tricks done by some that have run out from the Truth and lost their Conditions, and being not stedfast in their Watch to the Light, have degenerated into Darknesse and De∣lusion; by whom some things have been done, and many more then T.D. mentions, that are not owned by the Quakers, to whom, they are wise men the while, that blame the Quakers for it, who can't prevent it, as Vice-Chancellors and Proctors might young Schollars rudeness, and Magistrates the Peoples bruitishnesse in Parishes, but will not.

And Thirdly, In the silent Meetings of the Quakers, there may be some that get no further then the outward Form of Godlinesse, and not grow out into the Power; and here and there one that may be over-taken with a fault, which if they be, it shall be found with a witnesse by the Wicked, that Watch for their Halting, and will make more of one Malefactor that's found among all the Quakers, then of 40 Drunkards, Swearers, Cursers, Scurrilous Scoffers and Scorners, Gamesters, Couzeners, Cheaters, Lyars, Laughers, Light-Talkers, and Lewd-Livers in a Parish; and then many Scores of High-way-men, Theeves, Fellons, Murderers, and hainous Male∣factors that are Hanged and Trussed-up every year, that live and die under the Ministry of the Church of England.

But make the worst that can be made of the Quakers Crimes, if they were 40 fold worse then they are, or rather single out the very Excrements and Dreggs that depend that way, to say something against; yet Hoc ast∣quid nihitest, that something is nothing in comparison of that open prosessed Prophannesse and Iniquity that abounds beyond the bounds of Modesty, yea of ordinary Immodesty, and of Impudency it self among the Parish People, where there is such a constant Custom, and deal of Expounding of, and Preaching from the Scrirture by the Ministerss of their own meanings, upon it; in which meer Anthropo Theological Labours of the Clergy, the extraordi∣nary high Acceptance of which, by the Powers, and Parliaments, and Priests each from other is Expressed and Accosted ordinarily with the Common Complement of Great Thanks for their Great Pains; and as eminently fruit∣ful and Profitable as thou professest it to be, it is evidently more profitable to the Preachers Purses, then the Peoples Persons, whether we Consider the Bereavings of poor mens Bodies of their Right, or the Successelessnesse of thereof to their Souls, which from year to year, are little or nothing the better for the blasted Ministry of these Word-stealing Money-Mongers, and Self-Sending Prophets, which the Lord is against, as fast as they run in his Name, and Blesses not, but sayes they shall not profit People at all; and as apparent it is they do not, as 'tis that God sayes they shall not. For from Generation to Generation, what Fruit is found in the Parish Churches of the Popes Constituting? and what successe to Sanctification and Salvation from Sin, by the Great pains of the Successive Sermonists of several sorts, that Simonically have got their Gifts at University, and as freely given them out, as they have freely received them (if so to do be to Sell them for more Money then they cost them there) is seen by the true Seers, who can see little l••sse Ungodlinesse, and Worldly Lusts, and Moral Wickednesse, since the Old Homilies were Read by the Non-Preaching Animatum Curates were Succeeded by the Powerlesse Preachers, that are more Reformed from the more grosse Idola∣try

and Superstitions of those dismal Seasons. Is there any Parish any bet∣ter mannered then in Ages above? Doth not every Priest that hath stood 10, 20 years in his Parish, leave it for the most part as Blind, Ignorant, Dis∣solute, Lascivious, Rev••lling, Riotous, Luxurious as he found it? whether he dies among them, or departs from them to a bigger booty? A Coming together there is for Customes sake in their Best Cloathes, as finely as they can afford to do, when their (supposed) Sabbath comes about in its turn; a sound comes from a Money-Merchants mouth, and enters in at one Ear of the People, as fast as it can get out at the Other; and while it stayes, it Swims in the Head, but sinks not down to Renew the Heart; and some Psalms may be Sung to the Praise of him, whom the Dead in Sin, that live Sin, cannot praise; and so there's an end of the businesse for that day, till it come again; till when, Hell breaks loose, and the Devil is served for the most part all the Week after; insomuch that it is but for the Kettle to upbraid the Pot with its black ugly Hue, for the Priest and his People to make Narra∣tives of the worst of that Naughtinesse, that is found anong the very worst of those that are own'd as one in Fellowship by the Quakers, and their Mi∣nistry.

Secondly, Let both Flocks he viewed (viz.) the Young and Old Schollars at Universities (to begin near home at Oxford and Cambridge) behold those that sit under your Grave Divine Doctorly Expositions, and at the Ocean of Books that are bound down (beside what a number each hath in his private Musing place) by your Library Benches, And the Quakers that sit in silence, and wait only on the Lord; let both Flocks be tryed by their Fruits, and see which most resembles Christ; and whether the Quakers car∣riage, or the Schollars, since the Quakers came among them, have been most Innocent, Vninjurious, and Harmlesse; and which look most like the Swine, Wolves, Bears, Tygars, &c. and which most like the Fold and Lambs of Christ.

And which of these Two (viz.) the Quakers that have the Word, and yet are Retired from you to wait upon God alone for their Teaching, and to learn of him at his own mouth and light in silence in all Subjection, not making such a noise as ye empty Casks do in your busie brains about Formal set times, set by the will of man, for Expositions and Interpretations, nor in Tumbling ore of Tomes, Bulkie Books, and Contentious Commentators; or your Selves and your University Schollers, that make such an infinite ado in your Inventions about Interpreting things (sometimes) that would be ten fold plainner then they now are, if Natural Schoolmen had let them alone, who when in aperto & facili posita est salus, the way to Life lyes as plainly laid down and declared by the Letter in a thousand places, as it does in that one, Tit. 2.12, 13, so that there need be no such heaps of Books as there are, more bulky then all the Bible, to open some one small Book of it, do draw Cloudes over the clear Face of it by interposing and imposing on People the Thicket of your own Thoughts, and darken the open Counsel of it by your Writings without End, and by your Words without Know∣ledge.

I say, which of these Two, the Quakers or your Schollers, bring forth Fruits most meet for God, and like those of the Spirit, Peace, Meeknesse, Pa∣tience,

Temperance, &c. Gal. 5. Let them be the Good Trees, and so known and owned to be by their Fiuits; and let them be the true Flock of Christ, and be by us, as I am sure such are by himself accounted as his Sheep∣fold.

And which abounds most in those Fruits and Works of the Flesh there spo∣ken of also, viz. uncleannesse, lasciviousnesse, wrath, hatred, Drunkennesse, Revellings, and such like; and which wallows most in that kind of mire, let them be the Hogs and Swine, and not Christs Flock and Fold, but he held hence forward for a Hog-sty.

Now for my part if I were to judge by what Fruits have come forth in and from our Two Nurseries of Religion of latter years, and as well in, and from Oxford it self, as Cambridge; and how many of them in the time of I.O's. Vice-Chancellourship there, I. O. knows as well as I (even such as are not sit to be named among Christians) and what Fruits of Righ∣teousnesse have been found among the Quakers both there and elsewhere, who have suffered innocently, and (as to rendering evil for evil) patiently un∣der them and others, I could quickly determine the matter; but sith its like I.O. will hardly let me be Judge in my own Case, lest I cleave too much to my own Cause and Company, let such Books as are Extant of the Schollers Misdemeanours against the Quakers in their own Meetings, who have been alwayes bound to their Good behaviour towards the other by that of God in their Consciences in the midst of all their abuses to the Quakers; and then let all men Judge which Generation of men, the Quakers or Uni∣versity Schollers and their Respective Assemblies do most exactly resemble the deportment of Swine in their Hog-styes.

Besides those sundry Relations that are Extant in Print of the Imprison∣ments, Whippings, and other Persecutions of the innocent Servants of the Lords sending among them to warn them of their Wickednesse at Cam∣bridge; there are Two at least (viz.) one stiled, A true Testimony of the Zeal of the Oxford Professors and University-men, put forth by R.H. And one much more lately under the Hands of 8 Witnesses, stiled, A true Relation of some of the Sufferings inflicted upon the Quakers, as the Fruits of the Evil doers (viz.) the Proctors and Schollars at Oxford, in which who reads may see the mat∣ters of Fact, to which I Refer such as are minded to be Judges between me and I.O. (an Oxford man) in this Case, who (if they be not such as are loath to call their Brothers Theeves, and their Sisters Swine) will assuredly from those Arch-Abominable and Antick-Actions conclude from thence with me, the Actors and Abbettors look much more (then like the Sheep of Christ) like Foxes, and Bears, and Wolves, and Dogs, and Wilde Boares, and Swine.

However, whether it shall stand with I.O. or nay, it matters not; I shall from thence infer my Conclusion. That if Innocency, Quietnesse, Patience un∣der Sufferings, Temperance, Godlinesse, Reproving Wickednesse, and becoming fools for Christ, exposing themselves for Truths' sake as Signs and laughing stocks to an Adulterous Generation, be the Characters of such men, as the Scrip∣ture calls Swine; then that House and Family of the Quakers is become a Hog-stie; But unless turning, and tearing, and renting, and trampling, un∣der feet, when Pearls and holy things are held out to them; and devouring, and

hurting to death, and tying Maids Arm to Arm together, and tumbling them into Graves, and dirting them, and dragging them into Pools, and setting them on their Heads with their heels upwards, and Pumping & well-nigh stifling them, Mocking, Stoning, Scourging, putting poor innocent Strangers (that came in love to Truth and them) into Cages, and out of their Coasts; and haling the Quakers out of their own quiet Meetings by the hair of their Heads, and breaking the Doors to pieces, and Windows where Quakers meet, and carrying away the Keys, and knocking tenters in the key-holes, pulling up part of the houses, squeezing them in their passing to and fro be∣tween the doors, turning up the forms and seats where they sit, and like wild Horses and Colts riding upon the backs of men and women, and smoaking their Roomes with Gun-powder & Squibs, and stamping rudely like Tavern-hunters in their Holy meetings, and crying out give us Beer and Tobacco, and Wenches, and Whores; and bringing in strong Beer, and drinking to them, and for refusing to pledge, throwing it on their Cloaths, and Bands, and powring it down their Necks, and singing Bawdy Songs, and Cursing, and Sweating, and such things as would be counted as favour∣ing more of Bedlams and Swine, then Saints, if Quakers should ever have done so in their Masse-Houses, and obscaene Carriage toward Women, puffing and blowing with Tobacco-pipes in their Mouths; raising Doctrines and Uses, and Points about Coblers and Tinkers, and Tobit and his Dog, offering to put their hands under Womens Aprons, asking if the Spirit was not there; and many more such filthy, stinking, sordid actions, as Hooting, Yelling, Laughing, any thing to hinder the Hearing of what was spoken of Truth; drawing some into Colledges, and there most unseemly and inhumanly abu∣sing them; and this not only Tolerated and Connived at by Officers, that should have punish'd it; but also Countenanced too much in part by some of them.

I say, Unlesse these boarish, bruitish Gestures, Cum muliis aliis qua nunc praescribere longum est, be the behaviour of Christs Sheep, then, for all the un∣cessant pains of Interpreting of the Scripture at the Well-head of Religi∣on, and for all I.O's. saying, That if what we see, and daily hear, would sway us, we would be ashamed to deny the fruit of Expoundings of the Scripture to be best, where they are most Expounded, as they are (pro forma) in the Universities, as fair and far from it as they seem to be to themselves, they look more like Hog-styes to the view of men after Gods heart, and the Children of these Mothers more like Herds of Swine, then the Places and Persons of the peo∣ple called Quakers do, among whom there's not such a busling, and such a businesse about mens Books in order to it, nor such Clamorous noises about Opening the Scriptures, as is among the Scribes, that are Strangers to them; but the words of the wise, even of Wisdom it self, Christ Iesus, are heard in quiet by them that are Wise, more then the Cry of him that Ruleth among Fools.

And as for what Fruits of saving Knowledge of God, and Righteousnesse and Holinesse of Truth are abounding in most Academies, Towns, Cities, and Places in all the Reformed parts of Christendom more or better then is to be seen among Turks and Heathens (unlesse Couzening, Cheating, Lying, Drunken∣nesse, and some such like as abound more among Christians, then Turks that

never talk out of the Scripture, be better) hath been seen by some Quakers, and how the Name of Christian stinks more then it would do among the Gentiles for the sake of such as Preach, and Hear, and Read, and Expound, and boast of the Scripture, and yet break them, and name the Name of Christ without his Nature: But what doings there are in other Nations, and the Preaching places and Nurseries thereof, to which these of our Na∣tion are not inferiour in silth; I shall say no more here, but let them passe, as matters which being Extra nos, are parum, or nihil, or miaus ad nos, of lesse moment to us then our own; Concluding my Return to this particu∣lar Challenge of I.O. with his own words (mutatis mutandis, additis ad∣dendis) a little amplified, and the Subjects or Persons, of whom they are Spoken, Altered, and Substituting our Modern Academies, and their Ma∣sters, Doctors, Divines, and other Students, and the whole Rabble of Rabbies there in the room of that University at Tiberias, which I O. talks a∣gainst in the words of one Dr. Lightfoot, together with his own, and the Iewish Rabbies, Gemarists and Massorites pertaining thereunto; as they are to be read in the 240, 241, 242, 245, 246, 247, pages of I.O's. English part; the Censure he passes upon them, being no other then what exactly accrews to the Universities universally throughout Christendom, from whence come the whole Crew of Clergy-men, that count themselves, and are counted to be the Clearers of Christs Truth to all other Christian Creatures; And what I. O. sayes of the Massorites of that Accademy, is a clear Character of these corrupted, and earth corrupting Coveats.

I. O Chap. 4. S. 13. Whilst they keep the Scriptures we shall never want Weapons out of their own Armoury for their destruction; like the Philistine, they carry the Weapon that will serve to cut off their own Heads. Let us then a little, without prejudice or passion, consider who, or what these men are, who are the supposed Authors of all Knowledge and Godlinesse. 1. Men they are who have not the Word of God committed to them in a pecullar manner, as their Forefathers, Prophets and Apostles had of old, and many have now, being no part of his Church or People, but are only outwardly Professors and Possessors of the Letter without just Right or Title to it; utterly uninteressed in the Promise of the Communication of the Spirit while they so have it, which is the Great Charter of the Churches preservation of Truth, Isa. 59.21. 2. Men so re∣mote from a right understanding of the Word, or the Mind and Will of God therein, that they are desperately engaged to oppose his Truth in the Books which themselves enjoy in all matters of importance unto the Glory of God, or the good of their own Souls from the beginning to the ending, Scuffling for the Book itself, but persecuting the Life in them where it is; The foundation of whose Religion is Infidelity; and one of their chief Fundamentals, an Opposition to the Gospel in the Quakers, whom they glory to fight against, and think they serve God in opposing with what spite they can. 3. Men under the special Curse of God and his Vengeance, upon the account of the blood of his dear Son in his Saints. 4. Men all their dayes feeding themselves with vain Fables, and mischievous Devices against the Gospel, labouring to set up a New Religion under the Name of the Old (when the Old they hate, as Ier. 6.) in despight of God, so striving to wrestle it out with his Curse to the utmost. 5. Men of a profound

Ignorance in all manner of Learning & Knowledge, but only what concerns their own dunghil Traditions; as appears in their stories, filled with innumerable sop∣peries. 6. Men so addicted to such monstrous Figments, as appears in their Tal∣muds, as their Successors of after Ages will be ashamed of, yea for the most part Idolaters. Now I dare leave it to the Iudgement of any Godly prudent person, not addicted to Parties and Names, who is at all acquainted with the importance, not of the Hebrew Vowels and Accents (but the Light and Spirit the Qua∣kers call to) unto the right understanding of the Scripture, with whatever in∣fluence their present Fixation hath into the literal sense, they (not knowing the Spiritual) embrace, whether we have not very clear Evidence and Testimony, yea undeniable and unquestionable, to cast the rise and spring of all the Irreligion in the Nations upon this sort of men; so far are they from bettering: things by their Interpretations. S. 16. Recount I pray from the first Foundation of Uni∣versities (throw CHRISTENDOM) and what do you find, but a sort of Men being made Mad with (or above) the Pharisees, bewitching and bewitched with Traditions, blind, crafty, raging; pardon me not (for I shall ask none) if I say Magical (if Simon Magus was so in thinking the holy Ghost of God is to be bought with Money) & Monstrous? what Fools, what Sots as to such a divine Work as the Gospel? Read and Consider how to every good Work voyd of Iudge∣ment the great Doctors among them do behave themselves? how seriously they do of nothing? how childish they are in serious things? how much deceitfulnesse, froth, venome, smoke, nothing is in their Disputations? Insomuch that I may say truly of these, as I.O. sayes of all men, Pag. 104. Those whose Lips should keep Knowledge, that is University-men and Clergy-men as much as any, are by Nature so vain, foolish, malicious, such Lyars, adders, detracters, have spirits and minds so unsuited to spiritual things, so lyable to Alteration in themselves, and to Contradiction one to another, are so given to Impostures, and are so apt to be imposed upon, have been so shuffled and driven up and down the World in every Ge∣neration, have for the most part so utterly lost the Remembrance of what themselves are, whence they come, or whether they are to go, that I can give very little Credit to what I have nothing but their Authority to rely upon for, without any Evidence from the nature of the thing its self.

Notes

• † 1.1

  Fanatici sunt erroribus & stul∣titia hisce diebus notissimi, quos impri∣mis hic agg edinur. N••mo autem post homine natos, aeque ac ego desirasse cen∣sendus esset, si ipsos scriptis hisce re∣dargucre statuerim, cum nibilo plus ser∣monem illum quo hic utimur intelligant, quám nos aliquories inconditum illum verborum sonum omni sano sensu vacu∣um, quo ipsi non tantum umnibus altis, sed & ipsi sibi in dicendo obitrepese vi∣dentur, mente pe••cipere possiinus. Sint∣sene omnes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, neque ultra lin∣guam vernaculam lapiant.
• * 1.2

  Ex. 11 Sect. 1. Fanaticos nostrates qui à tremore quo se in sacris agitari ipsi fibi fingunt, aut reapse vi mali spi∣ritûs agitantur, vulgò trepidantes seu Quakers vocantur, respicit Quae∣stionis pars posterior, quae est de Scripturae nomine proprio.
• * 1.3

  Condemnatur horrida illa vocifera∣tio qua per vicos urbis, agros arque Templa quae vocant illum cognoscite Dominum Rob••ant Fanatici. I. O. Ex. 3. S. 42. That horrid tone wherein the Fanaticks sound it out throw the City Suburbs, Fields, and Temples, as they call them, that, know the Lord.
• * 1.4

  Epist. Ded. pag. 13. 28. 30. pag. 147. Second Title Page, Ad Lectorem, Ex. 2. S. 2. S. 16. S. 21. S 22. S. 25. S. 32. S. 39. Ex. 4. S. 21. S. 23. S ult Fanatici nostrates, Fana∣tici 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, hisce Fanaticis, in∣sano cujusvis Fanatici Nebulonis strepitu.
• * 1.5

  Iuniorum instructioni quibus in sacrarum literarum studium ingenii a cumen 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 intendentibus passim hosce corvos sequi, Testaque lutoque, nee animus ost, nec otium specimen hoc novi Fanaticismi refutati, qui 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 comitatus nullubi non grassatur, dicatum est. Ad Lecto∣rem.
• * 1.6

  Qui cotis usurpat Offici∣um reddit saltem alios acu∣tos, ipse licet interim planè Hebes est & obtusus.
• † 1.7

  Quis ex∣pedivit psit∣taco suum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉? Picasque docuit verba nostra Conari? Magister Artis ingeniique largitor Venter, docuit negatas Artifex sequi voces. Per.
• * 1.8

  Viz. Neque sane usque adeo obrutuit humanum genus, ut semper praestigiatores istos spirituales, qui 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 contra manifesta Christi Prae∣cepta, Sanctorum omnium exempla communia rati∣onis istius quâ homines sumus principia & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, posthabitâ aeternae salutis curâ in caecitate & ignorantia voluntatis divinae propriique officii, neg∣ligentiâ supiná mortalium ullos Idololatriae illecebi is illaqueatos detinere conantur ferre velit.
• † 1.9

  De Scripturae nomi••e proprie contra Fanati∣cos nostrates, &c. huic hominum generi non satis e••∣set iiscum congredi & sociari, qui praeteritis seculis convitia sacris Scripturis intentàrunt, atque omnia in illas injecta opprobria suo calculo approbare, &c. Ex. 1. S. 2, 3. Praemium strenuae contra Scripturarum Perfectionem oppositioni Debitum nemini mortali∣um sibi praereptum vellent, &c. Quod Deus pla∣cuerit provinciam hanc adversus verbi sui hostes demicandi nobis indignis delegare, Ex. 3. S. 16.
• * 1.10

  Quicquid Judaei, quicquid Ponteficii in opprobrium Scripturarum dicere unquam su∣stinuerunt, id omne horrendo percussi scoto∣mate & dicunt & asseverant impuri homun∣ciones, Librorum Titulos horrendos pudet re∣ferre, Ex. 3. S. 12. Gregis hujus precipui Errones & Corryphaei hic, illic impie & bla∣sphemé in sacras Scripturas provocati dixe∣runts Quae sit communis eorum Sententia ex libris ab ipsis editis, &c. S. 17.
• * 1.11

  Declarationem hanc voluntatis Divinae à Spiritu Christi, qui Scriptoribus ejus adfuit, proces••isse proftientur, &c. Pro verâ & indu∣bitatâ mentis Divinae Declaratione agnoscant bactenus rectè Quidem, &c. Ex. 3. Sect. 18.

  Si Res eorum secundum vota successissent, eas (Scripturas) dudum penitus rejecissent, &c. S. 19.

  Negant (Scripturas) immotam, perfectam, stabilem cultus divini—Regulam esse, &c. Sect. 20.

  Abs eo Spiritu (Christi) ducti—opus non habent Authoritate Scripturarum, &c. Sect. 21.

  Haec summa horum hominum sententia, Sect. 22.
• * 1.12

  Inter se distant, Judaei, Pontifices & Fanatici, Ex. 3. S. 2.

  Qui in rebus aliis omnibus diversis∣simè sentiant in hanc blasphemiam con∣spirent omnes, S. 14.

  Perpetuo invicem digladiantur Pon∣tificii atque Fanatici 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Ex. 3. S. 2.

  Internecioni se mutuo devovent, S. 3.

  Caeterum non iisdem rationibus ducti, sed illi pro traditionibus, bi pro En∣thusiasmis atque Revelationibus suis, tanquam pro aris & focis contendentes, atque ita non secus ac Sampsonis vul∣peculae obversis Caudis ignitas faces in segetes Ecclesiae ferentes, cuncti ami∣cissimè è loco suo sacram Scripturam deturbate aggrediuntur, S. 4.

  Eam a loco suo in Ecclesia depellere satagunt, iisdem vestigiis insistunt Pa∣natici nostrates, quibus ad nequitiam hanc viam patefecerunt qui inter Pon∣tificios spirituales dicuntur, Ex. 3. S. 10, 11.

  Adversus verbi sui hostes, Ex. 3. S. 16.

  Contra quosvis 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, S. 26.
• * 1.13

  As J.O. does in his late shut∣tling sheet of Answers to some Que∣ries about Tythes.
• * 1.14

  Ex. 1. S. 4. Non tantum Scrip∣turas omni suâ Authoritate spoliare easque è loco suo mouere, sed & ipsum Christum Personalitate suâ atque di∣vinâ existentiâ exuere hoc unico strata∣gemate intendunt & conantur.
• * 1.15

  De nomine Scripturae proprio contra Fana∣ticos nostrates, &c. I am to encounter our Fa∣naticks at present about the proper Name of the Scripture; the part of the Question which is about the proper Name of the Scripture respects the Quakers, Ex. 1. S. 12.
• * 1.16

  Ipsum Verbum Dei omnem ejus usum quod attinet, penitus respuere, &c. Ex. 2. S. 27.
• * 1.17

  Apparet eos omni usu, authori∣tate ac perfectione sacras Scripturas spo∣liare, Ex. 3. S. 22. Nullt dubium esse possit quin si res eorum secundum vota successissent, eas dudum penitùs rejects∣sent, Ex. 3 S. 19. Utinam deleantur in∣quiunt Fanaticorum nonnulli, ut om∣nes ad lumen illud quod in iis est atten∣derent magis, Ex. 3 S. 13.
• * 1.18

  Ex. 2. S. 28. Enimvero si om∣nium seculorum, omnium qui unquam extiterunt Christianorum experientia, si ea quae ipsi vident, spectant, audiunt quotidie, ullius apud eos ponderis essent aut momenti, usum, necessitatem, fru∣ctum interpretationis Scripturarum per solennem verbi praedicationem, expositio∣nem viva voce, aut scriptis factam, ne∣gare verecundarentur: spectemus utique utrumque gregem, cùm illum qui verbo licet fruantur, interpretatione ejus de∣stitutus est, tum illum qui una cum verbo Dei, aliis etiam mediis cultus di∣vini, quae in verbi interpretatione pluri∣mum consistant fruitur, si modo ex fru∣ctibus arbor dignoscenda fit, bona ap∣parebit illa, quae istiusinodi fructus cientiae Dei tulit, quibus ubique pro∣germinavit legitima Scripturae inter∣pretatio.