WHatsoever is written or acted against the Truth, and those that walk in it, is but a fulfilling of the Scripture of Truth, which saith, The way of the wicked is darkness, and they know not at what they stumble, Prov. 4. 19. Although the stumbling-stone be the Light, the Foundation of many generations; in rejection of which many go about to build and would be approved, one of which I shall here mention.

John Gaskin, who would Defend and Vindicate the Priests, their Preaching, Practice and Maintenance, though contrary unto Christ his Apostles, his Light and his Words declared in Scripture, as will appear.

And first, That his Testimony may be received, he begins in an appearance of faigned humility, and begging of Pardon for his slips and impertenences and rudeness of stile, used against the Quakers, saying, his work is not with eloquency, nor humane Arts.

In the Examination of which, we do find that he hath often slipped, and used much impertenency of speech and rudeness of stile, and neither Eloquency, Spirituality or true Humanity in his works, many of which being so plainly seen to all, is accounted not worth Printing again; but somthing here is mentioned, by which all the other may be Compared and Judged.

Again, divers Reasons are alleadged as a cause of Printing J. G. his Defence of the Priests, first he saith, The great Malice and Envy against the Ministers, and the many Letters and Printed Books sent by Quakers, and the great growth and encrease in Errors, and because many of his old Friends and Acquaintance are (as he saith) seduced from the Church, and to strengthen such as are wavering through ignorance and weakness, and to clear himself, &c. and that it might be seen & come into many hands.

Answ. He that would accomplish those things before named, to wit, subdue Malice and Envy, and Errors, and instruct the ignorant, and him that is out of the way, and strengthen the weak, he must be such a one as is led by the Spirit, and walks in the Light of Christ, which is so much hated and contemned by Priests and their Defenders; that first those things may be subdued in themselves, and then Minister against them in others; but none of those things can be done by that spirit which hath ruled in J. G. but that his latter Reasons, which he saith, moved him to Print, may be fulfilled; that 〈…〉 That it may be seen, and come into many hands; and that to thy own shame, when they read and consider thy unlearned Lodgick, wherein thou goest to prove, that it is not sufficient to bring us to Heaven to be freed from fin; for thou saist, A Horse hath no sin; and so by thy comparison a man without sin, is but as a Horse; so that thou hast truly said, Thy work is without Eloquence or Humane Art: but seeing thou hast taken in hand to put things to publick view, in thy next prove, who those men are upon the Earth that are without sin, & are not sufficient for the Kingdom of Heaven; and whether was it any thing that did separate man from God, but sin? And was not Christ onely made manifest to take away sin? And is not man perfectly Righteous, when his sin is taken away and made the Righteousness of God in him, Which takes it away, to wit, the Lamb of God, which all the Nations of them that are saved, must walk in his Light? and it is those that hate the Light, and is against freedom from sin, that have no understanding of the Mysteries of God, which is like the Horse or Mule, whose mouth must be held with Bit and Bridle, and are like the Beast that perish; but they that are freed from sin, are not so, neither is the Horse their Comparison; but herein thou hast shamed thy self and thy Ministers, that they should be so ignorant, as neither to teach thee better Doctrine before thou didst write, nor correct thee when thou hadst written; but to suffer such a thing to appear in this Nation, where Light is broken forth, that the state of freedom from sin, is no better than the state of a Horse; but as the Scriptures saith, Your folly shall be made manifest unto all men; which Scripture is daily fulfilling, and we are satisfied in it.

Again, to • ndicate the Priests of England to be Ministers of the Gospel, thou bringst many Scriptures, whereby thou wouldst prove them to be lawfully called, though they be out of the Power of God, and want the Power of that which they teach, page 7.

As the sons of Eli (thou saist) were lawful Priests, though they were wicked men; and this is a fit comparison, as thou may read in the first of Samuel. 2. 12. Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial, they knew not the Lord; and so according to this, thou hast rightly compared the Priests; for though they have the name of being called, yet know they the Lord no more than the Sons of Belial did.

Again in the same page thou saist, The Scribes and Pharisees were called to teach, and Judas was a true Apostle; from which thou wouldst prove the Call of the Priests to be a true Call to the Ministry.

Answ. If the Priests did Minister as truly as the Scribes and Pharisees did; that is, read or speak the Scriptures truly, then thou mighest exhort the People, to do as the Priests say, but not to do as they do; but seeing that they do not truly speak the Scripture, but by consequences pervert it, as thou hast done in thy Book; it is not therefore a good Doctrine, to bid the People either do as they say, or as they do, because they both say falsly & do falsly; and as for thy comparing of them to Judas, as for his being called and receiving part of the Ministry; that, they are not like unto him in, because as yet they have no part nor lot in that matter; but for his Treachery and Covetousness, bearing the Bag, and betraying the Lord of Life, for pieces of money, in that, they may be compared to him.

But thou saist, The wickedness of the Person doth not disanul his Office, being lawfully called thereunto, until he be degraded from that Office; And to prove it, thou bring'st several Scriptures, as Ezekiel 34. 3. where the Shepheards eat the Fat and cloath with the Wool, and did not feed the Flock; Esa. 56. 10, 11. They are dumb Dogs that cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber, they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his Quarter, come ye (say they) I will fetch Wine, and we will fill our selves with strong drink, and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant; and these, saist thou, were truly called.

From which Example your Ministers, as thou thus provest, are lawfully called to the work of the Ministry; but when these Ministers and People read thy Book, they will not much commend thee for such a Defence for them; But how dost thou prove that those before mentioned were lawfully called unto the work of the Ministry, being wicked Persons? But when thou read'st the Scripture over again, thou maist see that those are such as the Lord said, did run and he sent them not, and said, the Lord saith, when he had not spoken unto them, Jer. 14. 14. Now in this Vindication, thou hast not done any thing of that pretented confuting E. B. his Book called A Just and Lawful Tryal of the Ministers and Teachers of this Age; but hast rather confirmed it, for he truly compared them unto those spoken of before mentioned, and thou hast compared them, as to the sons of Eli, which were sons of Belial, and knew not God; and so his Book yet stands in force (for a Tryal to such) unanswered.

And again as for thy pleading for Tythes for such as are like the sons of Belial, thou hast no Precept, Practice nor Example in Scripture to plead for such a thing, neither as such, nor as the Ministers of Christ. And whereas thou mention'st, Act. 4 and Act. 5. and 1 Cor. 9. 4, 5, &c.

These Scriptures, speak nothing of Tythes, nor of any Maintenance to the Ministry; but onely how that when they had planted a Vineyard, they might eat of the fruit; and when they had gathered a Flock, might eat of the milk; and when they had sown spiritual things (amongst a people) they had power to eat and power to drink; and so it was ordained that they who Preached the Gospel should live of the Gospel; but it was not ordained that those who Preached the Gospel, should live by forced Maintenance, or by making Merchandize of mens Goods and Estates, of which the Priests in England, for which thou writest this Defence, are guilty.

Again, thou goest about to Defend the Prie • ts sprinkling of Infants, saying, It is a Sign or Seal of Salvation, page 64.

Answ. If this be true that all Children thus sprinkled with water, have the Seal of Salvation by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, & are by this Baptism made partakers of Grace, and United into the Church as Members of the Church; Why do you say both Priests and Professors, that there is no falling from Grace? have not many been so engrafted into the Church, and received that Seal, whom you now call Hereticks and Deceivers? why do you so confound one Principle with another, for we have been already so ingrafted into the visible Church, and made partakers of that Grace, which you say, its impossible to fall from.

And thou bring'st Calvins words, which saith, That although there be but a little water cast upon our heads, yet notwithstanding it is not a vain figure, for the Heavens are opened upon us, and God speaks in it, as it were from Heaven, and Christ is there present with his blood, as Witnesses of the usage and operation of the Sacrament, and saith, Baptism is a Token and Proof of our Cleansing, or a Seal and Character whereby God confirmeth unto us that all our sins are cancelled and abolished, and that they may never be rehearsed nor imputed.

So then by this he that hath a little water cast on his Head, he hears God speak in it, and Christ being present with his blood, washes away all sin; and this is a proof of his Cleansing. So, why dost thou and the Priests speak and write against us, as being fallen from Grace, or departed from the Truth, seeing we have received as well as you, the Seal of the Covenant and Proof of Cleansing; and cannot fall from it, if your Doctrine be true; but as for Spinkling Infants, thou hast not brought one Scripture to prove it; but saist Baxter against Tombes hath proved it, and quotest Calvin and Beza, as if their words were plainer proof for thy purpose, then any Scripture; for there is no Scripture without invented consequences, that is a precept for it; and when thou hast wearied thy self and canst not prove it, thou saist, whatsoever may be proved from the Scripture by consequence, to be the scope and meaning of the Scripture, is sufficient proof, page 73.

Again thou askest us a question, To shew thee one Command or Example in the Scripture, for the Baptizing of those that are growen up, whose Parents one or both were Christians by professing the Gospel of Christ.

Answ. If thou knew the Scriptures, or didst weigh thy own words, it would stop thee from asking such foolish & unlearned Questions; for thou thy self confessest, that those which were growen up were Baptized, and that they had also received the Holy Ghost before they were Baptized; and as for them, or their Parents, being called Christians by their Profession, many beleivers were Baptised and followed Christ, before the name Christians was given to them, as thou may read Acts 11. 26. that after much people was gathered, and so become Churches, they were first called Christians at Antioch, so whatsoever their Parents were called by Profession, that is nothing to that which thou art about to prove (sprinkling of Infants) but to conclude thy proof for Infants Baptism, thou quotes Rob. Brook, who thou sayst hath read more Ecclesiasticall histories to find out the rise and beginning of Baptism of Infants in the Church of Christ then all the Quakers, and yet he could ne • er find the beginning of it; so here all this while thou hast pleaded for that, which thou knowest not, who was the first Author of; and so thou hast run out thy self into meer ignorance: But that thou maist be informed & made wiser than thy Teachers, & thy learned Readers of Ecclesiastical Historyes, I shall shew thee the beginning of that Baptism, and who first invented Holy Water, In the reign of Pope Alexander, was Holy Water first invented, water mixed with salt, and by the saying of these words, we bless water mixed with salt among the people, that all men sprinkled therewith may be Sanctified, and purified, and this we command all Priests to do, as Plynny writeth.

And hereby thou mayest know the first Father or Inventor of this your practise; the Pope and not the Apostles, so when thou writes again do not so undervallew al the Quake's, as thou hast done in this thy book, as to say that they dare not read Latine Books, nor have read Histories, and thou sayest, we count it a sinn for Ministers to learn Latine: But these are but false aspersions, for we do not account it sinn to learn Latine, Greek, or Hebrew, neither are we a fraid to read them, but we so far do read and know them, that we have found out the Priests deceipt, by pretending that of the Tongues which they had not; and though you Preach and Practise that which you know not where it had it's beginning, yet we know how deceit came in, and how it hath overspread you with darknesse and ignorance, and because you see not, therefore you judge us to be blind, but the Light of knowledge is arisen, in which we see before the Pope, his holy Water mingled with salt or sprinkling Infants was, and see the beginning, and End of those dark inventions, and our Doctrine, and Principles, tends to the bringing of People, to know a true living foundation for all their practices, and that the darknesse of Popery, and traditions of men may not alwayes keep people in blindnesse; to practise the Popes inventious, instead of the Apostles and Christ Doctrine, who by the bright shining of his light is leading people to his Baptism, which is by one spirit into one body, by fire and by the Holy-Ghost, and such can no longer be kept in that, which doth not so much as wash away the filth of the flesh, but comes to the Answer of a good Conscience, and witnesseth the Baptism which saveth, as the Apostle Peter saith, 1 Pet. 3. 21. and such are come to the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

Again, to fill up thy book thou hast charged many false things upon us, and so findst thy self work, by enlarging thy lyes one after another.

As first thou sayst some of us have affirmed that Christ did never arise from the grave, and that his body is rotted within the grave, and that some of us have made a mock of his Doctrine of Justification, by the imputation and the intercession of Christ.

Answ. These things are thy own, and were never affirmed by any of us; but on the contrary that Christ is arisen from the dead and is become our first fruits, and by the imputation and intercession are we Justified, and of God is he made unto us Justification and life.

Again thou saist, we neither know nor understand what your Ministers preach.

Answ. Yes, we both know and understand, that they preach lyes in the Name of the Lord, and we know and understand that thou art going about to make a defence and vindication for them in so doing.

Again thou sayst the Quakers say, it matters not whether a man doe any good works, seeing they make him not good: Page 41.

Answ. This is false, for none of the Quakers ever said so; for our goodnesse is of the Lord and not of works, and because we have received goodnesse and mercy from him therefore doe we those things that please him, and are obedient to his Will and Commands,

Again, Page (43.) that we say a man is saved by hearkning to the light within him and obeying the same.

Answ. We never said that by hearkning or obeying, that man is saved; but by him which they are to hear and obey are they saved, and without hearkning to his voyce, and obeying of him to whom he is preached, there is no Salvation.

Again Page 47. Thou sayst the Quakers instead of blessing and praying for their Enemies, curse them

Answ. This is false for we blesse, and curse not, but all cursed practices, words, and actions, we testifie against, and for this cause are we accounted thy enemies, because we tell thee the truth.

Again, page (48.) Thou sai • t instead of abhorring our selves, we justify our selves.

Answ. This is of the number of the rest a false accusation, for selfe is that, which we beare witnesse against in all, justifying nothing but what God justifieth, and condemning nothing but what God condemneth.

Again, page 49. Thou sayest the Quakers are so proud to think, and say, they are more perfect then the Apostle Paul.

Answ. When did any of the Quakers say, they were more perfect then the Apostle? but it seems thy tongue is at liberty to make a refuge for the Priests, and fill a volume of paper with lyes.

Again, page (51) thou sayst, that many of the Quakers go up and down naked, to manifest that they are as perfect, as Adam was in Innocency.

Answ. Their going naked is as a Sign unto thee, & the Priests, whom the Lord is now stripping of the sheeps cloathing, that all may see your shame and nakednesse, and that which you have been covered with is but as leaves, and a Formal Notional Profession of God, without his Life, Power or Spirit, and you must be as naked from this covering, before you be Innocent, as ever any Quaker hath been from their cloaths.

Again, page (56. 57) thou sayest that we do condemn not only the Churches now in being; but all that ever have been; the Churches of Asia, Corin • h, Galatia, and Thessalonica, &c.

Answ. This is but an addition to thy former lyes, for those Churches we do own, and all such as do walk in their life, and are guided by their Spirit, for the Church of the Thessalonians was in God, 1 Thes. 1. but thou hast appeared to be of another Spirit, and hast manifested thy self to be a condemner of those Churches, as well as of us, as in page 55. thou saist in the Church at Corinth that there was such corrupt members among them, as you can scarce find in the worst of your Congregations.

So of that which thou falsly chargest us, thou art truly guilty thy self, and so hast condemned those Churches, and Iustified your selves: But what corruption was it that was so bad in those Churches, that is not in the worst of your Congregations.

Again, as a proof for thy condemning your own Churches, thou brings Brightmans, words saying, behold whatsoever is first, that is true, and whatsoever is later, that is false, Chap. 3. page 113. So that hereby, by thy old Author and Logick, thou hast proved all your Churches in England to be false, for the Churches of Asia, Corinth, Galatia, and Thessalonica, these were the first; but the Churches in England Episcopal and Presbytery, these are latter, therefore false.

Again, pag 60. Thou sayest, the Quakers say they are so perfect, that they cannot grow in knowledge nor grace.

Answ. The Quakers never said so, but on the contrary, we do grow in knowledge and in grace, whereby we se, and comprehend, how thou and the Preists do grow in rage, enmity, and false accusations against us, and we know also, that you must fulfil your measure of Iniquity, and that all manner of evil must be spoken against us falsly, and so we are satisfied, because we suffer not for evill doing, but for well doing.

Again, page 61. Thou chargest us not to obey the commands of Christ, but do teach men to break his commands; twice in one page, and again in the next page.

Answ. All which doth but prove and manifest thy unbridled tongue, under which is the poyson of Aspes, but if thou, or any other could in meeknesse and simplicity prove, that wee have either broken any of his Commands, or taught others to break them; then we would be convinced, and thou should be counted a reprover and instructer in righteousnesse; but on the contrary we see, that bitternesse and a lying spirit hath possessed thee, and that thou only invents and Imagines false things to fil up thy book, which we were never guilty of, which never any sober man, that had but the parts of a man, would ever lay to our charge, seeing, that both our principles, and practices, witnesseth to the contrary.

Again, to make thy Vollume large, in page 82. thou brings the same lyes over again, charging us to say, That we are more fuller of the Spirit then the Apostles, and of more knowledge, and stronger in Faith then the Apostles.

Which Affirmation is thy own, and not ours; and therefore is returned back to be Condemned, where it did arise.

In page 83. thou saist, The Quakers will have no Order; and page 84. thou saist, We are wise in our own conceit, and that we think our selves, wiser than Christ, or his Apostles, or Churches.

All which is but multiplying lyes, and so not worth much speaking unto, but onely that People may see, how thou hast run out thy self till thou hast no order over thy tongue, nor over thy Pen, which hast been so long time, as above half a year, in adding lye, unto lye, to make a Defence for the Priests; and so it appears that Truth will not defend them; and thy Defence of lyes, will not long defend them; for God will sweep away the refuge of lyes, and he that loveth and telleth a lye (as thou hast done) hath no part in the Kingdom of God.

In page 94. thou accusest Sara Blackborow, as concerning a Woman speaking in the Church, as if she had said that the flesh was the Woman; from which thou concludes, That then the flesh must be married to Christ, and so would make up absurdities from thy own words.

Answ. This is thy Ordinary way of proving Errour, first to affirm a lye of thy own making, charging it upon another, and then draw a Conclusion, Answering this lye: but Sara Blackborow, nor any other of the Quakers, have ever said, that the flesh was the Woman: but that which Sara Blackborow said, was, That the flesh was to be silent, and that which spoke in thee, was that which was silly, and was ever learning; but when any doth Pray or Prophesie, whether man or woman, and speak forth that which God hath made manifest; that is, The Spirit of the Father in both, and is not to be quenched, for there is neither male nor female, but all is one in Christ and in the Spirit, from which Preaching and Prophesying proceeds; and the Promise is, that daughters as well as sons shall Prophesie: And in the Church at Corinth they might all Prophesie one by one, that all might hear, and all might be edified; but thou saist, Those women that did Prophesie, it was not in the Church; Where then did they Prophesie, if not in the Church? Or what was the Church? For it is written, 1 Thes. 1. 1. That the Church is in God; And where must a woman be when she Prayes or Prophesies, if not in the Church which is in God? And where was it that Philips four Daughters prophesied, whether in the Church or out of it? And where was it that that Priscilla did Minister, whether in the Church or out of it? And Pheba, a servant of the Church, whether she might not Pray nor Prophesie in it? And Priscilla, who was a helper of Paul in Christ, and laboured with him in the Gospel, Rom. 16. Might not Pray or Prophesie in the Church?

But now to speak the Truth in plainness to thee, that which thou Cavel'st against; Is not the woman nor the man, simply considered, But it is the Spirit speaking in either, which thou cannot bear; for where the Spirit of the Father speaks in man or woman, thou sets thy self against it to oppose it.

And thou saist, Susan Bond said, Christ was the Husband, and of him they were to be taught; and thou saist, Sara Blackborow did like the Answer well.

Answ. Who could like it ill? Was not that a good Answer? And thou thy self must own Christ to be thy Teacher, and learn of him, before ever God will make use of thee in his service or work, though the Priests may make use of thee for their Defender.

Again page 99. thou saist, We deny that any should either Rule in the Church, or have any Honour.

Answ. No, we do not deny the Head of the Church, which is Christ, to Rule, and to have all the honour; but we deny any Priest to bear Rule by his means, or to receive the Honour due unto Christ; for we see they are such as seek Honour of one another, and not the Honour which belongs to God onely.

Now whereas thou goes about to Vindicate, That wicked men may sing Psalmes; and to prove it, makes this Argument, If any be merry, let him sing Psalms; Now wicked men are merry as well as godly, though they haue no true cause, Ergo. page 87.

Answ. This Logick doth but prove, thy own ignorance and darknesse, & not the thing intended by thee, as we shall shew; but first to Answer thee with thy own contradiction; Dost thou not say in the next words before this Argument, that the chief ground (or cause) is, the Moral duty lying upon all men by the commandment of God? Now if wicked men, do sing Psalmes by the commandment of God, do they do it without a true cause? Is not the Commandment of God, a true cause of any action to them which are commanded by him? But in this thou art but building again that which thou hast destroyed, and so makes thy self a transgressor, and so let thy own confusion correct thee; In the same page thou sayst, Thou wilt make good what thou hast written by Scripture; Come then here we shall try thee; Where in the Scripture dost thou prove, that wicked men may be merry and sing Psalmes, though they have no true cause? but on the contrary hast thou not read in the Scriptures, Ps. 69. That David was the song of the drunkards: and if drunkards now in Taverns and Ale-houses say & sing, I am not puft in mind, I have no scornful eye; and say, That as a weaned child they have behaved themselves; by thy Argument, if they be never so wicked, yet, because they are merry in their wickedness, they may s • ng lyes in the Name of the Lord; & by thy Argument be Justified, as men doing onely that which God had commanded them. And again thou maist read in Scripture. Joel 1. 5. that such wicked men and drunkards were called to weep and bowl, for their misery was coming upon them; so the Prophet did not call them to to sing Davids Psalms, because they were merry in their wickednesse, as thou hast done; and again thou may read in Amos. 8. 3. That the songs of the Temple shall be turned into bowling, and these wicked men in the Temple were Merry, and by thy argument might sing Psalmes or spirituall Songs; but the Prophet saith instead of singing they must bowl and come to bitter Lamentation; & praise is not comely in the mouth of Fooles, as the wise man saith who is taught of God, but the mouth of a Fool poureth forth his folly, and the instruction of Fools is folly, Pro. 16. 22. And this Script ••• e we se fulfilled in thee; for thy instructing of Fooles and wicked men, because they are merry in their wickednesse, they may sing Psalmes as a Command from God; and herein I have answer'd a fool according to his foly, least he should be wise in his own conceit; and although David calleth all Gods host, and all living things made and created to praise the Lord, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, the Heavens, and the Waters, the Earth, the Dragons and the Deeps, Fire, Haile, Snow, and Vapor, Stormes and Wind fulfilling his word, Mountains and Hills, and fruitfull Trees, all Beasts, Cattle, Creeping things, and flying Fowles, Kings of the earth, and all People, &c. And now as David was in the Covenant, he saw the Creatures as they stood in their Covenant, uncorrupted: and so in a fit capacity to praise the Lord, only man degenerated and unrestored again into the Covenant, he saw it was not comely for him to praise, nor to pray, nor to take Gods words in his mouth, nor to speak of his Statutes; so far, from Justifying thy Argument, that wicked men because they are merry therefore may sing Psalmes, but when the Priests or people, takes notice of thy book, and what Logick thou hast learned to jutify the wicked in their Singing, as well as the godly, and how thou hast shamed both thy self and them, with such foolish confusion, and University Logick, its like they will set thee no more awork, to defend and vindicate them with such weapons.

Again, page 89. thou saist, that it is said by the Prophet prov. 21. 4. that the ploughing of the Ploughman is sinn.

Answ. Here thou hast belyed the Prophet, and perverted his words, as thou hast done the Quakers; for the Prophers words is these, an high look, and a proud heart, and the ploughing of the wicked is sin; but he doth not say that the ploughing of the Ploughman is sin; But who can escape the envy of slandrous tongues, which accounteth lying no sin, if thereby they can accomplish their own wicked ends? but the truth hath found thee out and made thee manifest, and the Priests had better a wanted thy defence, then to be so shamed by it; as they will be, unless they deny both thee and it.

Again, in the same page thou saist, to hear, read, pray, sing psalmes, and giving of thanks, they are works morally good being Commanded by the Lord▪ but the person doing them, being not justified, they are not good to him: for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin.

Answ. This is another piece of confusion, and charging of God foolishly and falsly, to say that the Lord commands those things to be done, and those he commands to do them, in doing of which it is not good to them but sin; Where hast thou learned? or where dost thou read of such a doctrine, that wicked men are commanded of God, to do such things, which in doing is not good to them but sin? Is God or Christ then the Minister of sin, or commands a man to conmit sin? Is not this Blasphemy & Error in the highest degree? And how daest thou speak of God, or of his Commands, or of his Obedience, seeing thou thus Blasphems him in his Worship? but this shall remain as a Testimony against thee; many other lyes and abominations hast thou spoken against us, and against God and his Truth; a few of which is sufficient to make thee manifest.

In page (107.) thou saist, our Quaking fits, many are of opinion that they are diabolicall, by a kind of witcheraft, and said, thou hast heard strange relations of Enchanted Ribbons, and giving drink after, &c.

Answ. Upon the same account, many was of opinion, that Christ had a Devill, and was a Deceiver, and that the Apostles were Ring-leaders of Sects, & Heresyes, and such strange relations might have been heard concerning the Apostles in their dayes; and it seemes to thee, that such reports is sufficient proofe, but this is contrary, to what thou hast said in an other place, that thou wouldst speake nothing, but according to what was written in the Scriptures; And whereas thou tells of Enchanted Ribbons, Is there some Ribbons that are enchanted? it may be thou meaneth enchanting Ribbons, but if so, where didst thou ever know such a thing, and for proofe, thou names Gilpin and Toldervyes books, which neither of them doth relate such a thing, so that it is thy enmity & wickednesse, for there was never any such thing among the Quakers, as giving Ribbans, and drink after; but that charge thou might haue laid upon the Priests and their Defenders, for there are the most ribbons used & justified, till in pride they are become the Servants of the Devill, and there is the giving of drink one to another untill they be enflamed, and made unsensible of God and of his fear, by which they are enchanted, and bewitched, that they doe not obey the Gospell, but are given up to their owne hearts Lusts, and thereby are become the Servants of sin and so free from righteousnesse.

Lastly, not only we, have been falsly accused in these and many other things by thee; but even the spirit of God, which is the Fountain of cleannesse, is by thee charged and accused to be corrupt, an defiled page 33. by passing through mans corrupt nature (thou saist) becomes defiled.

Answ. Is not this a sin against the holy Ghost, which shall never be forgiven, to charge the spirit to be corrupt and defiled? And in this thou also chargeth both the Father, and the Son, to be corrupt & defiled, for they are one, so that if one of them be corrupt, the other is corrupt also, and as the spirit is in the Saints, so is the Father in them, and the Son, the hope of their glory, and none of them are defiled by mans corrupt nature. But there is that in man, by which that which corrupteth his nature is wrought out, so that man is made clean and undefiled by the spirit, and that spirit is not made corrupt and defiled by Man; for that is contrary to the Scripture, to say, that by mans nature the spirit is defiled; but to say, that by the spirit mans nature is cleansed, and sanctified, this is according to the Scripture: but it is the work of Sathan and his Messengers to Blasphem God in his Temple, and so account his spirit (by which he leadeth into all truth) an unholy thing; and so thou art of the number of them, which account the blood, and Spirit of the Covenant an unholy thing; and we seeing and knowing these things, as concerning our selves we are satisfied, because the Servant is not abo • e his Master; for if the Master be called Belzebub, and the spirit a defiled or corrupt thing, well may wee be called Deceivers, (although we be true) and falsly accused with all manner of evil, according to our Masters words; and these things we should bear in patience and silence, as to our selves, but as in respect unto others, we are constrained, by the uncorrupted and undefiled Spirit of the Lord, to testifie to the world, that their deeds are evil, and to manifest the workings of Sathan in the Mystery of Iniquity, which now already worketh in many, justifying the wicked, and condemning the Just, which is abomination to the Lord, which his Spirit will not bear unreproved; and not onely the Just men are condemned and falsly accused, but also the Just undefiled, Eternal, and unerring Spirit, is accused by him, who makes a defence for the Priests in their unrighteous Practices and Wages; so by the plain Evidence and Demonstration of Truth, he being made manifest to be an Enemy to God, and by his wicked works and words, I do Judge him not worthy of much more Answer to his Book; and also I do Judge him not able to prove any of the false Accusations charged in it against us, some of which is herein returned unto him again, which when he doth but really weigh it and consider, it may be, he will sit down in silence, and wait, if there may be hope of his forgiveness for this (not onely ignorance, but) wilfulness, charging us, the Spirit of God, and his people, with that, of which they were never guilty; for we are in the Truth, unto which every tongue shall confess, and by which every Opposer shall become silent before the Lord; and in the Spirit of this Truth do we desire not the Di •• ruction, but the Repentance and Forgiveness of our Enemies; And those that do abuse us and wrong us ignorantly, their sins will be sooner blotted out, then those who wilfully have set their hearts and tongues to work wickedness, for they shall receive the greater condemnation.

The knowledge and life of truth, is that we desire all people may come into, that by it the power of the wicked one may be taken away, which so furiously worketh in the hearts of those, which receives not the Truth in the love of it, but brings forth floods of enmity & bitterness against the Lambs of Christ; but the love of God which thinketh no evil, neither doth any unto another, is that which when it is felt & obeyed in all, will dry up those floods from off the face of the Earth, that there may be a place of Rest for the Redeemed and Elect Seed, who onely hath the Lord and his light for their habitation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, for their Armour and Defence.