A Reply to the Answers of some Queries in a Book en­titled the Quakers confuted, set forth by Samuel Eaton, a Teacher of the Church of Christ, (as he saith) heretofore meeting at Duckenfield, now at Stopworth in Cheshire, which was directed to the Parliament of this Nation, sitting at Westminster: To them I find much flattering and crouching, but under whose tongue there is ve­nome, under a colour, as contending for the faith, which he knows nothing of, and them that do, will trample his dirty stuff under their feet: and the said Eaton under a colour would make people believe he appears for God and Christ, yet his in­tent is to persecute and incense, and provoke people to wrath against those people he calls Quakers: but the Lord is their de­fence, and heard such in all Ages, as in the dayes of Isaiah, Da­vid, and the rest, who were of a contrite and humble spirit, and t [...]embled at his word, which the Lord would not despise, but regard; but the world would not, but despise, as Eaton, and the world doth now.

Object. O Eaton, thou lyar, Doth Paul, and Christ, compare them that trembled at the Word of the Lord, as wolves, and Satan transforming himself into an Angel of light, and so into Ministers of Righteousness.

Reply. O thou lyar, Doth Satan transform himself into Mi­nisters of Righteousness? Here I charge thee in the Presence of the Lord to be a lyar, and perverts the Apostles words, they may transform them as the Ministers of Righteousness, but not into Ministers of Righteousness, and this is thy Quakers con­futed.

Object. And thou sayest that John makes them all Anti­christs.

Reyly. This shall stand for thy own condition, who doth op­pose Christ as thou declares in this Book, and as touching Sa­tans transforming himself into an Angel of light, this is thy own condition, and into the Ministers of righteousness, as thou sayest, here thou hast uttered forth thy lyes: And on touching Christs call ng them wolves, that is thy own condition, who art making war against the Lambs of Christ, and be silent, and slander thou not the Church of Christ: he need not have an outward power to maintain it that is dispersed abroad in this Land, which doth torment thee; for its the pillar and ground of truth.

Object. Which sows much corrupt seed.

Reply. This is thy own condition, as thou hast shewed in this Book, but that which thou calls corrupt is the Seed of God, and God will judge thee for thy blasphemy, who art in errour. In this Book thou hast sown thy corrupt seed.

Object. Doctrine of Seducers.

Reply. This is thy own condition, for such practises we do abhor, and how fain wouldest thou raise a persecution, and shew your selves zealous of his glory in these things, and saith, the Lord will bless you hence-forward: And the Magistrate is for praise to good works, and a terrou [...] to evil works, then will it take hold upon thee thou envious man, who art seeking after blood, as all thy generation did.

Object. Whereof thou art accusing Apostacy from the true God, from the true faith, and from the true word.

Reply. This is thy own condition.

Object. And thou sayest. If there be sorcery, and familiari­ty with the Devil, to be found among a people who challenge propriety in God.

Reply. This is thy own condition: for them whom thou calls Quakers, doth own the true faith, and true Christ, and true God, and denys all such filthy things.

Object. First thou accusest them, and saith, That it is held forth much of their doctrine, and practises, concerning re­velations, and immediate voyces, and against the holy Scrip­tures, [Page 6]Christs Ministers, Church, and Ordinances.

Reply. And these are all lies; for Revelations we own ac­cording to the Scriptures, and immediate voyces. Christs Mi­nisters, Church, and Ordinances, we own according to the Scriptures: And, O man, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and blush, and be ashamed, for thy lyes; thou mayest be set up with the world, which lyeth in wickedness; but from God, thou lyar art turned, and must into the lake that burns.

And something in answer to the story or tale, which thou tells to the Christian Reader, and many reports, respecting a people called Quakers, concerning sorcery and witchcraft, be­ing among them.

Object. And thou sayest, Thou metst with a man, a Teacher to a people, about half a mile from Nottingam, and thou asked him, whether he did conceive that there was sorcery among them; and he said, Yea, that there was sorcery among them.

Reply. The chief Priests, such as you did ever judge the Power of Christ to be of the Dev l, for it did ever overturn your Kingdom: O vain man, here thou hast printed forth what he did conc [...]ive; and in your mind of conceiving lodgeth the spi­rit of sorcery, and that which carries sorcery, hearing and tell­ing of new things, as the Athens did, who shews thy self ig­norant of the holy men of God, who were in trances, tremblings, and quakings.

Object. And as thou speakest of a young man, which came twice or thrice to their meetings.

Reply. Was he come to the trembling of Devils, and dost thou and he blaspheme that power, which made him to trem­ble? and this story thou gives to the Reader, that all may see thy folly, which story th [...]u receivedst from the Min ster, as thou calls them.

Object. And thou sayest, thou thoughtest to have nothing to do with that generation of men.

Rep. Didst thou not utter forth thy lyes and slanders in a pa­per? And dost not thou utter forth thy lyes now, and so for the Truths sake are we moved to write against thy lyes, which thou hast printed in this paper?

Ob. And whereas thou tel'st the Parliament and Reader of another story of a man and his Wife, and art troubled, be­cause he titled the Ministers under the name of the Priests of the world, and Teachers of the world: Are you not such, which say, you have not heard a voice speak from Heaven, neither do you look for it, that such a voice as this, that comes immediately from God, you have not heard; nor such an inspi­ration as this you do not wait for?

Rep. And here thou hast cleared thy self for being any Mini­ster of God, and from having the Spirit of Inspiration; and here thou art a Teacher of the world, which teacheth deceit, which denies perfection.

Ob. And thou art tormented, because the said Richard Waller affirmed, that he had his Teacher within him.

Rep. And doth not the Scriptures witness the same? Ye need not that any man teach you, but as the anoynting which is within. And doth not the Prophet exhort them to cease from man? and wouldest thou teach them to follow man? And doth not the Apostle bid them to take heed of the light within them, unt l the day dawn, and the Day-star arise in their hearts? Here dost not thou clear thy self from the Spirit of the Prophets, and Christ, and the Apostles; and cannot indure the Doctrine of Christ, the Prophets, and the Apostles, which is the sound Doctrine?

Samuel Eaton.

And the answer to the paper which thou accused the Qua­kers of, thou shalt find to be true, though thou canst not own it with thy sottish and sensual mind.

Ob. And thou say'st the Saints and the world may know what a people we are.

Rep. Here thou put'st the Saints and the world both toge­ther; the world knows us not, but who are Saints witness us.

Ob. And thou sayest, What little hope there is of any good to be wrought of any of them, what a people these are?

Rep. Thy teachings we deny, and thy discoursing upon the [Page 8]Scriptures with corrupt mind we deny, but the Scriptures we own, they are ours; and so such busie minds, who are giving senses and meanings to the Scriptures we deny, for they are of no private interpretation.

Ob. And thou sayest, they pretend to speak and act all by the Spirit, and if any one will try their Spirit that they speak by, their reply is, That th y can neither witness Scripture nor Spirit.

Rep. But what Scripture canst thou witness, who denies the immediate Voice from God, and immediate Inspiration? And thou sayest, they encrease in number continually, and this tor­ments thee, and now thou comest to prophecy.

Ob. The time will come they shall proceed no further, but this is the false Prophet, The time is come that thou shalt pro­ceed no further, for thy folly is made manifest already, which is to the glory of God, renting thy Kingdom, and setting up his own Kingdom; so that the power and effectual working of God, which turns the mind of so many unto himself, from the world by his Spirit, and to the uniting their hearts together from the worlds Forms, Sects, and Opinions: And thou who denies the immediate Inspiration, and immediate Voice from God, which thou hast put up to the Magistrate, but God will dash all the earthly Bonds asunder with his immediate power and eternal Spirit, who denies the immediate voice, who lives in Errour and Heresie, as thou hast made it manifest: And this is in answer to the stories thou gav'st to the Parliament, and to the Christian Reader.

Que. FRiend the first Query which was put to thee was, Whether thou hadst the eternal Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures, yea or no?

Object. And in thy answer thou believes, that the Spirit of Christ dwells in Saints, yet thou asserts the Spirit of Christ to be distinct from the Saints, and the Saints from the Spirit.

Rep. Here thou hast cleered thy self from the eternal Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures: The Query was put to thee, Whe­ther thou hadst the eternal Spirit, who saith, The Spirit of Christ is distinct from the Saints. Let all people see if thy Spirit be not distinct from the Saints, and a lying Spirit, to say the Spirit of Christ is distinct from the Saints, when the Spirit that gave forth the Scriputre saith, which was in the Saints, they were led by the Spirit, and they had received the Spirit; and Christ said, the Spirit of the Father spoke in them; and the A­postle said, If you have not the same Spirit as raised up Christ, you are none of his.

Obj. And thou sayest, The Spirit of Christ is distinct from the Saints.

Rep. And the Ministers of God said they were in the Spirit; and here openly thou shew'st thy self to be rambling up and down with thy own Spirit, and not guided by the Spirit of Je­sus, but by the Spirit of Errour and confusion; and this is the Record, God hath given us his Spirit, but this was not spoken in thy Generation, and ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spi­rit; and thou say'st, they are distinct from it.

Obj. And thou sayest the Spirit of Christ dwells in them, which Spirit is God, but thou dost not believe that there is any essential or personal unity between this eternal Spirit, and the Saints believers, for such unity would either make the [Page 10]Spirit and Believers some third things.

Rep. Silence Flesh, who art in confusion, for thou hast no­thing to do to talk of Unity, nor this eternal Spirit, which thou sayest is God, and yet there is no eternal Unity with the eter­nal Spirit.

Query 2. Whether the Apostles did give a right meaning to the Scriptures, when they gave them forth, or left them to you to give the meaning of them, yea or no?

Ans. And thy answer is, That in all the Scriptures they gave forth, had a meaning with those Scriptures which they gave forth, yet not alwayes so plainly, that the meaning thereof might be rightly taken up by those that read them, unless com­pared with some other Scriptures, which they also have given out, which have plainer sense in them, and are helpful to ex­pound them.

Rep. And hear thou leaves Spirit, and thy confused stuff is issued out of thy Bottle, who would make the Apostle a lyar, who used plainness of speech, and so the Scriptures were of no private interpretation, nor came not by the will of man, which thou in thy will art giving senses unto, who sayest, it is left to you to find out the sense and meaning, who saith, the letter contains contradictions; thou lyar, there is no contradictions in it, but the contradictions is in thy self; for where the same Spirit is made manifest, as was in them that gave forth the Scri­ptures, it owne it without any of thy senses and meanings, who art in the number of the Beast; here is wisdome, let him that hath understanding count the number.

Obj. And whereas thou sayest Christ commands to search the Scriptures, because the meaning lyeth deep in many places, yet by searching what Scriptures lay together speak, the sense may be gotten out.

Rep. Here thou art a lyar; Did Christ bid them search the Scriptures to find out the sense of the Scriptures? Here thou add'st, to make people believe that there was life in the Scri­ptures, when Christ saith not so, but saith, Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life: And though they had the let­ter of the Scripture, yet they knew not Christ, therefore they were to come to him, that they might have life, which opens [Page 11]the Scriptures without thy sences or meanings, for they had thought to have found life in the Scriptures, as thou dost.

Object. Another Scripture thou brings of Christ destroying this Temple, and in three daies raise it up again.

Rep. And thou lyar, thou sayest there is a sense in these words; did he not speak plainly? Here thou shewest thy self to be among them that gave a sence upon his words, and could not understand his speech, and as they did, so dost thou, who canst not understand plainness, and hast cleared thy self from that Spi­rit that spoke forth these words; and if you had that Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures, you need not bring Scripture to in­terpret Scripture, for the same Spirit that gave them forth, will open all again; but from this Spirit thou hast cleared thy self, and thou art unlearned without the life in thy own sense and points.

Object. And again thou sayest, they are not left to put your own sense upon them.

Reply. What is it but thy own sence when thou sayest, God doth not intend to teach immediate, or if it be not immediate, it is carnal, and natural: And the carnal man knows not the things that are of God, who lives in thy own sence.

Quer. 3. Whether plagues be not added to them who adde to the Prophesies written in this Book, or whether his name be not to be diminished out of the Book of life who diminisheth, or whether you can witness this Name, yea, or no?

Ans. And thy answer is nothing to purpose, or the Book of life, or the new name thou shews thy self ignorant of, there­fore thou art unlearned, and must be silent, as thou art to it: and let the Prophets, Christ, and the Apostles alone; for they all spake by one spirit, according to their growth, and the ful­filling of the Scriptures.

Object. But thou speaks of an Interpretation that agrees to the spirit of the Scriptures.

Reply. That Interpretation we deny; for you would have another Interpretator besides the Spirit: and here thou shews thy self to be in thy fancy, adding to whom the plagues of God are due, who adds another interpretation besides the Spirit, and thou art in the nature of all them who thou reckons up which art out of the truth.

Object. Thou accusest the quakers for grand Impostures, which they beguile people, they bring the letter which serves for their purpose.

Reply. This shall stand for thy own condition, for thy impo­stures we abhor, and here thou art a lyar: I charge thee in the presence of the Lord, as to say, we bring the letter which serves for our purpose to deceive the people; for every tittle of the Scripture is ours, and we own them, and do not deceive the people from the truth, but such as you call Ministers, which make a trade upon the Scriptures, and lead people into darkness, with your sences upon the Scriptures, we deny: And so here thou a t found the adder, giving sences and meanings according to the Spirit, as thou sayest: and here thou makest it manifest, that it is thy self that interprets, and not the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures, which Spirit opens them again.

Object. And thou sayest the sufficiency of the Scriptures do build men up to salvation.

Rep. Here thou set'st the Scripture before God and Christ, who is the Saviour, and perverts it, had'st thou said they were able to make one wise to salvation through Faith in Christ Je­sus, but there thou art diminishing, as to say the Scripture is sufficient to build men up to salvation.

Que. 4. Whether you have an infallible judgment to judg of things eternal, yea or no?

Ans. Thou sayest every man is darkness.

Rep. And there thou art in thy first estate, who hath utter­ed forth many words to this Query out of thy confused mind.

Obj. Thou sayest, them that the Apostles said knew all things, which was but an hyperbolical expression, and did im­port only much knowledg to be in them.

Rep. Here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be a perverter of the Apostles words, and one that addeth: John speaks no such word as hyperbolical, therefore let thou John's words alone: Here all may see whether thou speakest by the spi­rit or no.

Object. And thou sayest, they that had received the Ʋncti­on, had not an infallible judgment.

Rep. And here let all people take notice what thou speak'st from, and yet thou sayest, though they had the Spirit, which if they have the Spirit to judg withal, the judgment is infallible, and thou belyes them, and wrongs them, for they knew the truth, and that there was no lye of it, and then they had an infallible judgment; and the Apostles said, they knew all things.

Obj. And thou sayest, it did but import much knowledg.

Rep. And here thou would'st make the Apostle a lyar, and the Scripture false.

Obj. And thou sayest, neither you, nor any other hath an infallible judgment in all things.

Rep. Here thou hast cleared thy self from the spiritual man, who judgeth all things, and hath an infallible judgment.

Obj. And again, Thou sayest in all things, and at all times, but you are subject to errour in many things, you do not appre­hend to speak right of God, of Christ, of the Spirit, of the Saints, and of your selves, and of the Mystery of the Go­spel.

Rep. And here again thou hast cleared thy self, who doth not apprehend and speak aright of God, Christ, the Spirit, Saints, your selves, and of the mystery of the Gospel: Let all people take notice whether thou hast not cleared thy self from God, Christ, the Spirit, the Saints, and the Mystery of the Go­spel.

Obj. And thou sayest, you do not apprehend your selves.

Rep. Let all people take notice, and see if you be a fit man to preach, who cannot apprehend to speak right of God, of Christ, of the Spirit, of the Saints, and of the mystery of the Gospel, and thou hast confessed it, and openly shewed thy self to be a natural man that knows not the things of God, who cannot speak aright of God, as thou sayest, and that which is not right is wrong, and the Spirit of Errour, which thou sayest ye are subject to.

Obj. Thou sayest there may be an infallible judgment, which may be made from the Scripture without the Spirit.

Rep. This is thy judgment, like unto the Jews, who had the Letter, but not the spirit, who judged Christ to be a de­vil, and so here are the fruits of thy manners and Doctrine, as [Page 14]thou call'st them, and thy pretending truth much confused stuff, here is in this answer, as thou call'st it, and yet thou confessest an infallible judgment, which cannot be made without the Spi­tit, but that Spirit is without them.

Obj. And in some things thou sayest you have an infallibili­ty, but this is the confusion, that the Scripture is the founda­tion of an infallible judgment concerning things contained in them, and not the Spirit.

Rep. Here thou would'st make people believe, that the Scri­pture was before the Spirit, and so shews thy self to be natural and carnal, and shews thy self ignorant of that Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures, which is the Judg of all Errour, and such as shews forth the Spirit of Errour.

Que. 5. Whether you be above the Apostle, and able to judg his condition, because you say he was not perfect, who said, he spoke wisdome among them that were perfect.

Ans. And in thy answer thou sayest, Paul denied perfecti­on, and thou deniest perfection.

Rep. Thou lyar, where did Paul ever deny perfection, and here you sit as Judges, and when Paul spoke, Let us, as ma­ny as are perfect be true minded, he did not speak only of him­self, neither did he speak of comparative perfection, which thou sayest some attained unto: And here I charge thee again to add to the Scriptures, and perverts the Apostles words, for he spoke plainly, Stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God, and be perfect; but he doth not speak of a comparative perfection.

Obj. And thou brings the words of the Apostle James, who saith, He that can bridle his tongue is a perfect man.

Rep. He saith so, but thou saith not absolutely perfect: Here again thou perverts the Apostles words, and would make him a lyar, and that Scripture false, but thou art the lyar, and art for the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone.

Obj. And thou sayest, The heart may be unruly, though the tongue be restrained, and such thou sayest are comparatively perfect.

Rep. Where there is no such thing mentioned in the Scri­pture as comparative perfection, but it is thy coyned words ad­ded to the Scriptures, and the plagues will be added to thee.

Obj. And thou sayest among such perfect ones Paul speaks wisdom, but not amongst absolute perfectists.

Rep. Paul saith he spoke wisdom among them that were perfect, and thou sayest not amongst absolute perfectists: Here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be the lyar, but thou would'st make the Apostle a lyar.

Obj. And thou sayest it is a senseless foolish question, be­cause we ask you whether you be above the Apostles condi­tion.

Rep. Seeing you sit as Judges of his condition, as you have made it appear, perverting his words, and would make him a lyar.

Que. 6. Whether you have the hidden wisdom which God or­dained before the world was, which the Apostles speak of, yea or no?

Some things in reply to thy answer of this Query: Now thou sayest, if Christ be this hidden wisdome, the question runs of Christ, whether you be or no, our answer runs to this.

Ans. And here you have shewed forth your self, and cannot confess the hidden wisdom as the Apostles did with that they had, and so have given no answer to the Query, but hast given forth many words, and saith, we do imagine many things of Christ, and of God, and his flesh.

Rep. But that is thy own condition, who art in thy imagi­nations, for we deny thee and them both, who hath put these lyes upon us, for neither Christ, nor God, nor Scriptures are known by imaginations.

Object. And thou speak'st of Christ within them, teaching them.

Rep. That is witnessed, and where he is, grace is, and strength and holiness, and the spiritual man need not any exter­nal thing to lead the spirit, and so all thy external Ordinances and external Teachings we utterly deny, but the Scriptures we own, and the Ordinances of Christ in their place, and here thou hast shewed forth thy venom.

Object. And thou sayest, Christ within them is sufficient for all things, and to have no teachers but Christ; this we as­sume not, nor dare, and we declare against it as a satanica [Page 16]delusion that these poor creatures are in, which confess Christ is sufficient for all things.

Rep. All who are in light may see what utter darkness thou lives in, who would have Christ sufficient for all things, and all purposes; and the Scripture saith, he is all in all, and thou art in the estate of thy first parents, as thou calls it, and a servant to thy Master.

Que. 7. Whether you have heard the voice of the living Lord God of heaven and earth, or whether you do not take the Prophets words, Christs words, and the Apostles words, and say it, when saith the Lord, I never spoke to you.

Ans. Our answer is this, That such a Voice as this, as comes immediately from God, we have not heard, and such an inspi­ration as this we have not received, nor do we wait for it.

Rep. Here thou shewest thy self one that runs before thou art sent, and one that useth thy tongue, and no Minister of God, and thy self to be a Heathen not hearing his voice, who speaks from heaven, whose voice shakes the earth, so thou knows no­thing of salvation but by heresay; and here thou shewest thy self to be a false Prophet, that takes the Saints words, and say, he saith, when saith the Lord I never spoke to them, and doth confess that the Jews said Moses heard his voice, and a­mong the Jews thou art, who persecutes the truth.

Object. And thou sayest, Such an inspiration which is im­mediately received from God, we have not received, neither do we wait for it.

Rep. Here thou hast cleared thy self, that thou hast not recei­ved the Spirit of God, but art in the spirit of errour, for the Scripture was given us by inspiration, and by immediate inspi­ration of the same Spirit are understood again, and from this thou hast cleared thy self, and from the life of all the holy men of God, and sayest, thou dost neither look nor wait to receive such an immediate voice, nor such an insp [...]ration; and here thou shewest thy self to be a natural man, and one of the dumb Pro­phets, that hath not a word from the Lord, but an imposture, thou accusest them thou call Quakers withal, and art a decei­ver, but those words they deny, and Wonders, and Miracles, and Signs are amongst them, but your adulteress generation could never believe.

Object. And thou sayest the Querie strikes at all preachings, but what immediately proceeds from the suggestion of the Spi­rit, and this thou sayest is the ven [...]m and poyson of the Query.

Rep. And here again thou clearest thy self to be no Minister of the Spirit, but art in the suggestions of Satan, and counts that venom and poyson the immediate preaching of the Spirit, to thee it is poyson, but it must dash thee to pieces, and thou through many words would blind the people, who utters them forth without knowledg, and so a fool is known.

Object. And thou sayest, the word of old, which was spo­ken by the Prophets, and this, is a more sure word then any immediate word.

Rep. There thou hast cleared thy self from the immediate Word, who art built upon a rotten foundation, which is not immediate, and would clear the Prophets from this immediate word to make them like thy self, who sayes, and calls this a more sure word of Prophecy then any immediate word. Here thou goest about to make the word and Prophecy not an imme­diate word, and shews thy self to be a dreamer.

Object. And thou sayest, consequently God did not intend immediate teaching, not to give out an immediate voice in af­ter ages, which should airect and guide men in the wayes of salvation.

Rep. And here again I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be a lyar, and a blasphemer, who would limit God, and would be his Counsellour, and yet sayes, thou never waits to hear his voice, and not come so far [...], as to be a Minister of the letter, who would have it kept in store, and saith, it is a pre­cious treasure; God saith, he will power out his Spirit upon al fl [...]sh in the latter dayes, his sons and his daughters shall pro­phecy; and thou deniest immediate teaching, and so denies the spirit of the Lord which guides in the way of salvation, which thou denies, and thou hast denied, that thou last heard any Voice from God, neither dost thou wait for it: And here thou denies thy self to be taught of God, for all the children of the Lord are taught of the Lord, and they that are taught of him hears his voice, which thou denies, and shews thy self to be [Page 18]a stranger from God and Christ.

Object. And thou sayest there must not be a waiting for a new immediate word.

Rep. Here thou shewest thy self that thou knowest not the immediate word, and this immediate word thou hast cleared thy self from, which gave forth the letter, and would keep others from waiting for the receiving of it, and speak of a word spo­ken to you, though not immediately, and if not immediately, it is carnal.

Object. And thou bringest Paul, who said. Well spoke the Holy Ghost by Isaiah. He did not say, well spoke the Holy Ghost to me, but to Isaiah.

Rep. Here thou would'st make people believe, that the Apo­stle had not the Holy Ghost which opened to him all those words which Isaiah spoke, for without the Holy Ghost he could not understand his words, nor never shalt thou.

Object. Thou sayest it was Gods word to Isaiah, which he made use of against the people, to whom he spake, though not Gods word to him immediately.

Rep. And here thou shewest, that thou neither knows Gods Word, nor his immediate teaching, who sits as a Judg upon Isaiah's condition, Silence flesh, for thou art for judgment and destruction; and would make people believe, that Isaiah was one of them that used his tongue.

Query 8. Whether a man shall overcome the body of sin while he is upon the earth, yea or no?

Ans [...] And in thy answer thou said'st no.

[...] The Apostle said yea, they were not in the flesh, but [...], and he thanked God they were made free from sin, [...] put off the body of sin, and become servants of righ­teousness. And here thou shewest thy self to have a lying Spi­rit [...] to the Scripture, which thou boastest to be thy rule, and so thou brings the Saints weaknesses, as they passed the warture to maintain thy own Kingdom of Sin; and when John and the Apostle Paul speaks plainly of overcoming the world and Body of Sin, thou speakest of a sense of overcom­ing, as though they did not speak truth, and so art giving an interpretation to their words, who art in the lying Generation; [Page 19]and for the warfare which the Apostles speaks of, the Saints witnessed, and do witness it, and witnesses a Victory over the Body of Sin, and are not alwayes in the warfare, for whil'st ye are in the warfare there is no peace, but they that overcome witnesses peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, For he that is born of God doth not commit sin, neither can he sin, because his seed remains in him: And here the warfare is ended, who witness this, and the Victory over the Body of Sin, and are not si [...]ly women alwayes learning, and never able to come to the know­ledg of the truth; but in that Generation thou art leading silly women captive, alwayes learning, and never able to come to the knowledg of the truth, keeping them alwayes in their sins, and pleading for thy own Kingdome, which is the Kingdome of the Devil, for he that commits sin is of the Devil, which thou so plead'st for.

Query 9. Whether you do preach no other Doctrine but what the Apostles did, that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which w [...] have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the Word o [...] Life, for this Life is made manifest, and we have seen it, an [...] bear witness, and shew it unto you.

Ans. And in your answer to this Query, you say, That yo [...] aim at nothing but exalting Christ, and you should have a your preaching tend thither; and you say, you do not preac [...] that Christ which you have seen with your bodily eyes, for Christ is in heaven, and not in earth, not any other that lives upon earth hath heard of him, and seen him.

Rep. O thou dark Sot, Does any see Christ with their car­nal eyes, and know him? Was it not said to the Apostle, that flesh and bloud had not revealed it unto him, w [...]en he said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God? and from this Re­velation thou hast cleared thy self.

Ob. And thou sayest, That Christ is in heaven, and not in earth.

Rep. And here thou hast cleared thy self to be a Reprobate.

Ob. And thou sayest, How shall they preach, except they be sent?

Rep. And before thou denied'st as hearing any voice from [Page 20]heaven, and denied immediate inspiration, and how dost thou exalt Christ, and knows him not? and the framing of a Christ shall stand for thy own condition, who art without; and Saul seeing Samuel, indeed saw the Devil, and talked with him, and had fellowship with him, but saw not Samuel.

Ob. And thou sayest, You do not give your assurance, but you conceive.

Rep. Let all people see if thy preaching be not phancy, and no assurance, and to be scattered among the proud, who live in their imaginations and conceivings, and hast cleared thy self from the eternal Spirit, and canst give no testimony of that which was from the beginning.

Ob. And thou sayest, Thou givest not thine own assurance, but you conceive and speak of the Apostles assurance.

Rep. Let the Apostles assurance alone, for that we own, who wi [...]ness assurance, but deny thy conceivings.

Query 10. Whether you have this word which was from the beginning, and this Life manifest unto you, which was to the Apostl [...]s, and if it be, why do you take a text from the Letter, and preach from it, and shew the people that letter.

Ans. And thy answer is, Th [...]s Word, and this Life, which is Christ made manifest in the flesh; and thou sayest, The de­sign in this question is to draw all persons from all that is written, to depend upon an unwritten word, something within them, the word from the beginning, and is the Life, and is manifest, as they gave it out.

Rep. This word is owned among them you call Quakers, which was from the beginning, which all the Apostles spoke from, which is immediate, which thou hast cleared thy self from, and shews, that thou hast nothing but the letter which is death, and feeds people with that.

Object. And thou sayest, this sort of men which hath the immediate word, doth the divel shew his spite, spleen, and ma­lice against the holy Scriptures.

Rep. Here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be a lyar, and in that state thy self, for where the immediate word is, which was in the beginning, which gave forth the Scrip­tures, it owns every tittle of it again, and many Scriptures [Page 21]hast thou wrested for the taking of a Text, which Christ and the Apostles spoke of the fulfilling of the Scriptures, and shew­ed the fulfilling of the Scriptures, and to bring men to Christ out of the letter into that thing the letter speaks of, that they might not live in the oldness of the letter, but in the newness of the spirit.

Ob. And thou sayest, you take a text, because the whole w [...]ll of God, and mind of Christ, is left you in letters, which is now left us in words and letters in the Evangelists and Apo­stles writings, and so you take a text from the letter, and if the Gospel be hid, it is hid from you that are lost, whom the God of the world hath blind [...]d the mind of them that believe not.

Rep. Here thou speak'st thou know'st not what, for if all should have been written which Christ spoke forth, the world could not contain the books that might have been written of him, and many could speak of his word, but had not his mind, therefore they persecuted him as thou dost, and there thou shewest thy self to be him whom the God of the world hath blinded the mind who hath the letter of the Gospel, but not that which it speaks of the Gospel, the glad tydings, the Son that was given, but that is without thee, and the letters of it thou hast, but not the Gospel.

Object. And thou sayest, Saints do not as yet see Christ, and yet Abraham saw his daies.

Rep. What confused stuff is this that comes out of thy bo [...] ­tle? these are thy Saints which do not see Christ, and how dost thou exalt him? The Saints witness Christ in them, the myste­ry, the hope of glory, but thou hast cleared thy self from this Christ, from this mystery, from this hope of glory, to be a Reprobate and an Anti-christ, and from the faith of Abra­ham.

Query 11. And shew me where the Prophets did take a text and preach from it, but only Christ read a place, and said it was fulfilled, who said, he was anoynted to preach, and which of you can witness you are anoynted to preach by the living God, yea or no?

Ans. And in thy answer to this Query thou speak'st, whom God calls out to be to the body in place of eyes to guide and di­rect [Page 22]them, and before you denyed as hearing any such voyce as from God.

Reply. Here all people may see thy folly, and thou dost not say, that you are anointed to preach by the living God, or how canst thou who hast denyed his voyce, or immediate inspirati­on.

Obj. And thou sayest, the Prophets did take no text, but laid the foundation.

Reply. And here thou hast cleared thy self from the Prophets, Christ the Foundation; and though Christ did read, who ful­filled the Prophets, who prophesied of him, and Moses who wrote of him, for he was the substance and the end; and though they had Synagogues, and Temple, and Sabbath Day, to read Moses, the Law, and the Prophets. When Christ was come, and sacrificed up, and who believed, and received him, had re­ceived the end of the Law, the end of the Prophets, and the end of the Sabbath, and they went into the Synagogues, shew­ing the people the substance of what they had read, and to bring them of the Temple the Sabbath days, and observing of times, which in all thy words thou clearest thy self from that life and doctrine, but would keep people in observing of days and times, and places; and so shews thy self in the dark generation, li­ving long in a text, and not witnessing it fulfilled, as Christ did.

Obj. And thou sayest, Christ might have discoursed of a subject many months, who came to fulfil what was written of him.

Reply. Here you would make Christ like thy self, who art unlearned, discoursing with thy carnal mind upon that which was given forth by an Eternal Spirit, who art for death and destruction.

Quer. 12. Tell me, why you sing Davids Conditions and Ex­periences in Moeter, and when you read them, hats you put on, and when you sing them, hats you put off.

Ans. And thy answer is, Davids Conditions and Experien­ [...]e [...] are many times your own.

Reply. And before thou denyes as hearing Gods voyce, and how ca [...]st thou know Davids conditions, who heard the voyce [Page 23]of God in the holy Temple, and thou denyes hearing of Gods voyce; but abundance of words thou hast heaped up together, and wouldest make the Saints singing like thine, who sung with the spirit, and with understanding.

Obj. And again thou sayest, God would have you in your meetings to rejoyce.

Reply. Thou lyar, How knowest thou the mind of God, and never heardst his voyce, who hist openly shewed thy self to be a Heathen, who knows not God, who knows nothing of the rejoycing, and singing in spirit; and what hast thou to do to talk of the Church of God, which is the pillar and ground of truth, who denyes the voyce of God, and immediate inspirati­on which is both in the Church of God.

Obj. And as concerning putting on hats, when you read, and putting them off when you sing: Then sayest you shall not much contest.

Reply. Then you must confess it to be a tradition, and that you worship the works of your own hands, and yet thou go­est about to justifie it who art mudled in thy confused genera­tion, who would have the hat put off, when thou prayest with a part of the scripture, and when thou readest part of the scrip­ture to put thy hat on. See if this be not thy own traditi­on.

Obj. And as for singing Davids Psalms in meeter, thou say­est, the Hebrews had their Poetry, and it is sutable for every Nation to have their own Poet, and particular Poetry to them­selves to praise God, and Meeter is congruous, as thou sayest, to our English Poetry.

Reply. And this is all thy conjured stuff, and likenesses, who give [...] every Nation liberty, who art in the Nations, and stands up for thy own, who hast cleared thy self from the spirit which the Saints sung withall in understanding, who comes to be re­deemed from Nations which yet thou art in, and languages in the customes of the Nations, which who sing prayses to God, are redeemed from, and so thou maintains thy own customs and traditions: but the Church of God slander not; for they deny your Customs, and your Ordinances, which God never com­manded, and there is no difference between your postures, and [Page 24]the worlds, nor your singing, and the worlds; but there is a dif­ference between your singing and the Saints, which knew God, and heard his voyce, and sung with the spirit, but thou hast de­nyed the immediate inspiration of the spirit, and so thou caust not sing with that spirit the Saints sung withall.

Quer. 13. Whether you do know the voyce of Christ, from the voyce of a stranger: My sheep know my voyce, saith Christ, seeing you are so forward to judge, and sit as Judges of the Saints conditions.

Ans. And thy answer is, That which Christ preached, and the Prophets, and Apostles, which is left upon record, which, you have in the Scriptures, that is, that voyce of Christ, and with it you are able to distinguish from the voyce of a stran­ger.

Reply. Here you shew your selves that you have the form, but not the power; for many come to speak the Prophets words, and use their tongues, and say, he saith, when saith the Lord, I never spoke to them: and this is your condition, who hath the letter, as the Jews had, which knew not the voyce of Christ, nor with the letter can you know his voyce, and there you are.

Obj. And thou sayest, this immediate voyce you have not heard, neither do you know it within your selves experimental­ly, neither do you wait for it; for you know it is not the voyce of Christ.

Reply. Here you have cleared your selves from the voyce of Christ, and to be strangers, which never heard the voyce of Christ, which is immediate; for you deny hearing this immedi­ate voyce within, and so denyes Christ to be within, and shew your selves to be reprobates. And you shew your selves to be in the state of the Jews, which knew not the voyce of Christ which was immediate, but judged it to be of the Devil, as you do.

Obj. And this immediate voyce you bless your selves from, and say, It is the voyce of the Devil, and say you have never heard the Devils voyce, nor seen his shape, and yet you plead for sin as long as you are here.

Reply. And is not sin the shape of the Devil? and you that plead for sin, that is, the voyce of the Devil in you, and not the [Page 25]voyce of Christ; for the voyce of Christ testifies against all sin, and here you shew that you never heard the voyce of Christ, which is immediate, but only hath the letter, as the devil hath to bring, and the form, and calls that the Voice of Christ, and here you shew your selves to be natural men, not knowing any thing of the immediate Voice of Christ, but judgeth it of the devil.

Query 14. Whether that within you which judgeth, be eter­nal and infallible, yea or no?

Ans. And thy answer is, That that Spirit which we profess to be the Spirit of Christ, is that Spirit of delusion, which doth all things in us.

Rep. O thou deceiver, who knows not the letter, doth not the Scriptures say they, were led by the Spirit, and the fruits of the Spirit, and the Comforter which was to come should lead them into all truth, and they denied themselves with the Spirit for doing any thing; and here thou hast cleared thy self from the Spirit of Christ, and art in thy own Spirit of Er­rour.

Object. Thou sayest, though the Spirit of Christ, which i [...] eternal and infallible dwell in the Saints, yet it must not judg of persons and things after an infallible manner, that they should neither say, nor do, nor judg any thing by any under­standing of their own, but this Spirit, this we do deny, for the Apostle speaks of himself, When he would do good, evil is present.

Rep. Here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be plead­ing for the Devil and self, and denies the Spirit of Christ, and shews thy self to be in the state of the Wolves which Christ speaks of, which should come in sheeps cloathing, who hath shewed forth thy fruit to be of the corrupt tree, who hath cleared thy self from the spiritual man which judgeth all things.

Object. And thou speakest of Antichrists denying the Father and the Son, and false Teachers, bringing in damnable here­sies, denying the Lord that bought them.

Rep. These words shall stand for thy self, which thou accu­sest others withal, for thou hast denied, as hearing any imme­diate Voice from God, from heaven, or any immediate inspi­ration [Page 26]of the Spirit; and here thou hast denied both the Father and the Son, for his voice is immediate, and he that hath the Son hath the Father also, and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life (He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear) and in thy answer to this Query thou shewest thy self to be carnal, who hath nothing but the letter to judg withal, and hast deni­ed the eternal spirit which judgeth all things.

Query 15. What are the Ordinances which are ordained of God, that those which you call Quakers deny, or when did God command you to observe them, as to sprinkle infants, to pray before and after Sermons as you call them, or to set times, and daies, and hours, which was in the Generation wh [...]h was e­nemies to Christ, who observed such things.

Query 16. Where these Ordinances of God be, which you speak of, and where God commanded them, and to whom, which you say, them you call Quakers deny, mention them in parti­cular, and declare them openly in writing, and give our ac­cusing.

Ans. In thy answer to these two Queries, thou sayest, we are against [...]ll outward teaching.

Reply. We are against a publike prayer, which is in the state of the Phar [...]e [...]s, which Christ forbids, but the praying with the Spirit we own, and we are against sprinkling Infants, for there is no Scripture for it, but the Baptism of the Spirit we own, and we are against all your singing Davids quakings, tremblings, prayers praises, and prophesi [...]s in M [...]eter, but the singing with the Spirit we own, and all your performing Religion in your set hours, daies, and times, we are against, for that which is pure performs Religion, and this is the pure Religion which keeps unspotted from the world, therefore we do declare against your Traditions, not to be Ordinances of Christ, but the Ordinances of Christ we own.

Object. And something in answ [...]r to your own practise, con­cerning sprinkling of Infants, is this: First for the act of sprinkling, thou sayest, something may be held forth, though you use it not.

Reply. And here thou art confused, you would go to hold up something for your own practise, and yet thou sayest, you do not use it.

Object. And thou bringest the bloud of Christ which is call­ed the bloud of sprinkling, and thou sayest, seeing water in Baptism be sprinkled, and the subject types of Christs bloud.

Reply. Here thou hast made this tipe, Christ made it not, nei­ther is there any such types made in the Scripture, neither any such seal as sprinkling infants,

Object. And thou sayest, as for sprinkling Infants, some­thing may be held forth for it, the bloud of Christ called the bloud of sprinkling.

Rep. Here thou would'st set the sprinkling of Infants above the Bloud of Christ, and make the bloud of Christ of none ef­fect, and make the bloud of Christ a figure of sprinkling In­fants, but the bloud of Christ we own, and deny thee and thy holdings forth, who would make the substance a figure or a type sprinkling Infants, and many Scriptures you bring, but not a word to justifie sprinkling Infants, and fain you would bring some Scriptures to cover thee, but there is not one will witness thee in the Scriptures for sprinkling Infants.

Object. And whereas thou bring'st Gen. 17. ver. 7. as con­cerning God establishing his promise to his seed.

Rep. Thou lyar, here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to pervert the Scriptures; doth that Scripture speak of sprinkling Infants, there is not such a word in it, who makes people blind like thy self, and would'st make them, but God hath raised up a light in the hearts of his people that doth discover thee.

Object. And thou bring'st Exod. 12.48. which there is not a word in it to justifie sprinkling Infants, and thou bring'st Deut. 19.10.11. Jer. 31.34.

Rep. I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be a lyar, for in all these Scriptures there is not a word that speaks of sprinkling Infants, but thou lyar and Sorcerer goes about to bewitch people with thy Inchantments, but thy Whoredoms are di [...]covered, and Acts 22.16. thou pervertest, there is not a word in it of sprink­ling Infants, and Acts 2.38. which thou would'st pervert: And here again I charge thee to be a lyar, for those Scriptures do not speak of sprinkling Infants, and to the state of Simon Magns thou art not yet come, to witness that Baptism, as he did, but art in thy Sorcery, and so as thou made a type, thou [Page 28]art now making Seals and Covenants, and thy sprinkling In­fants is a Seal of thy Covenants, which there is not a word in Scripture for. Again, Gen. 17.7. thou perverts the Scriptures to maintain sprinkling Infants, which there is not a word in Scripture to justifie it; and Rom. 4.11. thou bring'st to justifie sprinkling Infants, which there is not one word for it; and Heb. 10.16. thou bring'st to justifie sprinkling Infants, which there is not one word for it; and Jer. 33.33. thou bring'st to justifie it, where there is not so many verses in it, not 33. Col. 2.11. thou bring'st also to justifie sprinkling Infants, which speaks not one word for it; and Exod. 12.48. over again, once would have served thee to prove thy self a lyar; and Deut. 9.10.11. thou bring'st over again to prove thy self a lyar withal, for there is not one word to justifie it; and thou bring'st Mat. 7.4. for the application of Water; and here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be a lyar, and a wrester, and a perver­ter of the Scriptures, for not one word in all these Scriptures doth speak of sprinkling infants, who would have a cl [...]ak, but canst get none, and calls these the Ordinances of Christ, which are none, for the Ordinances of Christ we own, and Baptism we own, but thy Traditions we deny.

Object. And in thy answer concerning praying afore and af­ter Sermon.

Rep. Thou bring'st the Saints conditions, the Apostles pray­ing, and the Saints to justifie thy own, who a [...]t in the state of the Pharisees, and so puts no difference between the holy and pro­phane, betwixt the precious and the vile, and so shews thy self to be a false Prophet among the false Prophets, for as thou confesses, thou never heard the Voice of God, and denies im­mediate inspiration: And what hast thou to do to pray or talk of the Church of Christ, the Apostles conditions, who hast shewed thy self to be an hypocrite, for God hears not hypocrites, and we do believe and know, that you never heard his Voice, and here thou sh [...]west thy prayers are abomination to him; therfore I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to let the Saints conditi­ons and prayers alone, for God heareth the righteous, but ac­cepts not the prayers of the wicked, who art not come so far as Balaam, for he heard the Voice of God; therefore because [Page 29]the Saints prayed, which you would bring their conditions for thy praying afore and after Sermon, and there is no Scripture will cloke you.

Object. And whereas thou sayest women are not suffered to teach.

Rep. And did not Christ send a woman to teach, and did he not say his Daughters shall Prophecy, thou art the woman that art forb [...]dden to teach, who confesses you never heard Gods Voice, nor immediate inspiration, therefore silence flesh be­fore the Lord, but the Apostles and Saints praying we own.

Object. And whereas thou sayest we are against that which the Saints used.

Rep. Here I charge thee to be a lyar, for the Saints practises we own, but thy performances we deny.

Object. And thou sayest, we might be convinced that you are not in the condition of the Jews hours and prayers.

Rep. We find you in the same nature, though under another colour, and enemies to Christ.

Object. And thou brings Acts 3.

Rep. That will fit and maintain thee in the Jews estate, all people take notice, the Apostles did not go up to uphold the Jews hours and prayers, but to bring them off those things; and here thou hast uttered forth thy folly.

Object. And thou sayest, They strike at godliness.

Rep. Here I charge thee in the presence of God to be a lyar.

Object. And whereas thou sayest, If they can but destroy all forms, the power will fall with it.

Rep. And here thou hast uttered forth thy folly indeed, and blasphemy, as though the form was before the power, and here thou hast shewed thou hast no power, but the form, as the A­postles speaks of, so thou plead'st for daies, and hours, and moneths, which the Apostles speaks against: And here thou hast cleared thy self from the Doctrine of the Apostles, and the Lords day we own, f [...]r all is the Lords, and the Saints meeting we own, but thine we do deny, who denies immediate inspi­ration: And what hast thou to do to talk of the Apostles meet­ing the first day of the week, and worship of God, who de­nies [Page 30]immediate inspiration, and hearing Gods voice, and de­nies immediate teaching, for God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and truth, and that thou canst not, who denies immediate teaching, thou hast got a likeness of a Church, and so imitates the Apostles meetings, the first day of the week, and so hast got the form, and not the power; and because the Saints meet on the first day, from their words thou gathers likeness, which is forbidden, and what Scriptures hast thou, that it is named the Lords day, when the Supper is nominated the Supper of the Lord we own, and the day of the Lord, but thou knowest nothing of the Supper of the Lord, nor the day.

Obj. And in thy answer, thou would'st make people believe we deny prayer.

Rep. And in that thou art a lyar, and what hast thou to do to talk of Abraham, and holy men of God, who denies hear­ing the Voice of God, and denies immediate Inspiration, which the holy men of God witnessed.

Object. And thou talk'st of Jacob purging away the Idols, and reforming his family.

Rep. O man! look at home, and pu [...]ge away the Idols from thy self, for David and Jacob we own; and do witness, and the Saints will not deny prayers but such as thine, who prayest and never heard the Voice of God, nor immediate inspiration, as thou hast confest it, and dost not look for it, and what good will all thy prayers do thee evening and morning? we witness the Apostles words, pray alwayes, and praise with the spirit and understanding: Here thou hast shewed thy self, as the Priests of Baal, who cut themselves, who fasts; and yet thou sayest, let us seek Gods face in prayer, and denies hearing Gods Voice.

Query 17. Whether do you not seduce the people, to draw them from the anoynting within them, when John saith, They need no man to teach them, but as the anoynting, and the promise was eternal life to him that did abide in the anoynt­ing.

Ans. In thy answer to this Query, thou sayest, the word that Christ preached was outward.

Rep. And here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be a lyar; for he said the word which he spoke, was spirit and life, and here thou draws people from the anointing to the Satanical delusion, as thou calls it, and publishes lies.

Obj. And thou sayest, John's Ministry was outward, and yet he came in the spirit, and power.

Reply. What confused stuff is this? Here I charge thee again to be a lyar: John's teaching we witness, and Christs teaching we witness, and deny thine which is outward, and thou must needs be there; for thou denyes immediate inspiration, who draws people from the inward to the outward; Here thou shews what thou art, if there had been no reply, and who puts no difference betwixt ears; for there are ears, and hears not, and there are ears which hear: and here thou shews thy self to be a false prophet, who saith they are seduced, which are drawn from the external means which is earthly, let all people see, if you be not that wi [...]ch that the Scripture speaks of that bewith­ed the Galatians, in drawing them from the spirit within to observe circumcision without them who draws to the exter­nal, who saith to wait for the receiving of the Spirit without any word, is delusion; Here thou goes about to make the Word and the Spirit two.

Obj. And thou sayest, One was newly redeemed out of the hellish captivity.

Reply. He is fit to be Ambassador of thy Church, a drun­kard, one of thy redeemed ones: There was a Warrant granted out against him; for drunkenness fence he was redeemed, as thou calls it.

Obj. And thou pleads much for mans teaching.

Reply. Here thou shews plainly, that thou art a Minister made by the will of man, when Paul declares that he was not made a Minister by the will of man, but by the will of God: and here thou hast cleared thy self plainly from being a Minister made by the Will of God, or taught of him.

Obj. And thirdly, thou sayest, The words, You need not any man teach you, but as the anointing teacheth you, is an by­perbolycal expression.

Reply. Here I charge thee again to pervert the Apostles words.

Obj. And thou sayest, the Apostle tells them, they knew all things, and thou sayest, is is an excessive speech.

Reply. And so thou goes about to make the Apostle a lyar, and are giving a meaning to his words, and wouldest give a comparative senc [...], as thou callest it to it, and here thou shew­est openly, that thou dost both add, wrest, and pervert the A­postles words, who shews thy self openly to be deceived, who art giving private interpretations to the Scripture, when the Scripture saith, there is none, and thou art perverting the Lords words, who saith, they shall all know him from the greatest to the least, they shall not need to teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother; for they shall all know me from the greatest to the least of them, saith the Lord.

Obj. And thou sayest, there is no such measure of the spi­rit that can thrust out outward teaching, while we are here.

Reply. Here thou high blasphemer, hast denyed the everlast­ing Covenant of God, and while thou art there, thou shalt ne­ver know it.

Obj. And thou sayest there is no such Scripture as to abide in the anointing, that the Promise was Eternal life to him that did.

Reply. And here thou dost neither understand the anointing, nor the Scripture.

Quer. 18. Whether you do not bewitch the people, and draw them from the Spirit of God within you, to observe those things which God never commanded, to tell the people of a Sacrament, and following your outward teaching, who stands praying in the Synagogues, and art called of men Master, which Christ did forbid, Mat. 23. And have the chiefest places in the Assem­blies. Whether these be not Antichrists which act contrary to the Commands of Christ, yea or no.

Ans. In thy Answer to this Query, thou sayest, They strike at Pastors, and Elders.

Reply. Here thou art a lyar; for the Query doth not mention Pastors, or Elders.

Obj. And why dost thou say, they speak of the Synagogues in a derisive way, and that the title of Masters, and assuming [Page 33]the chiefest places in the Assemblies, to be ambition.

Reply. And this thou seeks to clear and justifie, which Christ cried wo against, and shews thy self to be in the state of the Scribes and Pharisees, as you may read, Mat. 23. Let the letter judge thee, if thou wilt own the Scripture. And doth not Christ cry wo against them that are called of men Master, and have the chiefest place in the Assemblies, stand praying in the Synagogues: H [...]re [...]hou shews thy self to be an opposer of Christs words, who would justifie the worlds practise, which he cryed wo against, and so thou art a friend to the world, and an enemy to Christ.

Obj. And thou sayest concerning the Sacrament, ther is no Ordinance a foot amongst us which we call by that name, though there might be a defence for it.

Reply. Here thou shews thy self where thou was b [...]fore, in making a defence for that which is not, which [...]here is no Scrip­ture for: And what hast thou to do to talk of O [...]dinances, the Blood of Christ, and the Seals, and the Faith, and the Covenant of God, who denyes his voyce, and all who are taught of God, hear his voyce, and who are sealed, are sealed with the Spirit, but thou denyes the immediate inspiration; and here thou clear­est thy self from the Seals, from the Covenant, who saith men must be taught; for all who are brought into the Covenant, are taught of God, and hear his voyce, and need no man teach them, which you deny: Oh Lucifer like, who talks of these things, and cannot witness any of them but ar [...] justifying Sy­nagogues, standing p [...]aying there, which the Pharisees did: O thou Fox, thou are found out in all thy holes; we who witness the B [...]ood of Christ, the Covenant, the Seals, and the Supper of the Lord, deny all these things which you and the Pharisees held up which Christ cried wo against, and here thou art reckoned, and found amongst those despisers of the grace of God, which never heard [...]s voyce, as thou sayest, amongst the greatest sin­ners whichever blasphemed Christ, though they pro [...]ess [...]d him in words, [...]o dost thou, the world may justifi [...] th [...]e, but that Christ which the Scripture speaks of, if you w [...]ll own the Scriptures, do [...]h condemn thee, who holds up, and pleads for these things, which he cries wo against.

Obj. Secondly, And for thy justification of outward teach­ing, thou sayest, it is the power of God to salvation.

Reply. Here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be a lyar, and knows not what thou speaks; is the power of God outward, and salvation, which is a Mystery? and here thou hast shut thy self out from the Mystery, and art in thy will, and a Minister made by the will of man, which is outward. Paul who was a Minister of the Spirit, which was not outward, made by the will of God: here thou hast shut thy self from the Minister of the Spirit, which ministers to the Spirit in prison, and art a Minister of the Letter made by the will of man, and holden up by man, and thou wrests many Scriptures for to justifie the outward teaching, as Mat. 4.13, 14. Acts 26.16, 17, 18. and many other Scriptures, and so pu [...]s no difference betwixt the Mi­nisters of the world, which is outward, and Christs Ministers, and the Apostles, which is immediate, and inward by the Spi­rit, and shews thou art not yet come to repentance, to discern the right hand from the left, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith, and that's not outward; And what hast thou to do to talk of the Apostles preaching? Let the A­postles preaching alone; for they denyed the Pharisees teaching, I command thee in the presence of the Lord.

Obj. And thou sayst, the Apostle saith, He rejoyced though some preach Christ from an envious spirit.

Reply. Here thou adds to the Apostles words; all people read Psal. 1.18. though the Apostle did say then, Some preach Christ of envy, some of strife, some of contention: yet that was a time when few did believe, that that was the Christ, so his Name was spread abroad, he rejoyced in it; but when his Name was spread abroad, and covetous men, and proud men, as thou art, and heady men, and men that followed pleasures, had got the form, but had not the power: which led silly wo­men captive, always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, which thou shews thy self to be one of them; and the Apostle exhorts from such to turn away, 2 Tim. 3.1. And what hast thou to do to talk of Christ, and his Disciples, and Moses, these had the immediate inspiration which thou denyes, who hast gotten the outward form and [Page 35]words of Christ, and the Disciples, as the Pharisees had gotten the form of Moses, and the Prophets; and there thou art j [...]dg­ed withall, who hath the Eternal Spirit, the life of them that gave forth the Scriptures.

Obj. Whereof thou art giving sences of the end of the world.

Reply. Silence sence and consequence; for that proceeds from the world in thy heart, for there it is set, for thou confesses thou dost not know the voyce of God, who art lost in thy sences, nor never shall in that nature who denyes immediate in [...]piration, and so denyes the life of the Scripture, and shuts thy self out; For Christ is the same yesterday, to day, and for ever. And his teachers are the same, with the same Spirit, and all thy whole intent is as to keep people from the voyce of G [...]d, and imme­diate inspiration, and to keep the Letter, and to make Ministers, with it, which is outward as thou calls it.

Obj. And whereas thou sayest, Christ ascend [...]d on high, and hath given gifts unto men.

Reply. These words will condemn thee; are these gifts out­ward? thou art talking of an outward, these words Pastors and Teachers, are the Saints words, and ours, we own th [...]m but we deny thee, and all thy filthy stuff of consequences, and sences of the Saints conditions.

Obj. And whereas thou sayest, Till the Saints come to the state of perfection.

Reply. And again thou denyes it, and saith, None can attain to it in this world; and here the Scripture will judge thee to be a lyar, which thou sayest, is thy rule; for the Scripture saith, As he is, so are we in this present world.

Obj. And thou sayest, but Ministerial gifts are not to be found in the world which the Ministers of the Gospel had.

Rep. Here to the view of all people thou hast brought thy self un­the curse, for if it be not the same M [...]n [...]stery and the same gifts, it is another; therefore silence flesh, let the Apostles alone, com­mand and charge thee in the presence of the Lord, who sayest, the gifts are not now to be found in the world, which the Mi­nisters of the Go [...]pel had; here thou hast cleared thy self, and thy generation from them, if it be not the same, it is another, which is contrary; and here thou shewest thy self to be the w [...]ch that bewitches people.

Object. Which saith, there is now no such gifts as they had, which were Ministers of the Spirit, nor any such Pastors, Of­fic [...]rs and Teachers now as was then.

Rep. Here again I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be a lyar, who hath shut thy self in the state of the Pharisees, hath cleared thy self from the Church of God, Pastors, Officers, and Teachers, for the Officers, Pastors, and Teachers are the same now which ever was, we witness it, and witness thee to be a lyar, and all that are not the same Officers, Pastors, Teachers, and Ministers of the Spirit, are accused, which thou and all thy Generation are guilty of, who are not the same Officers, Pastors, Teachers, and Ministers as was then and if not the same, then they are contrary to Scriptures, and here let the Scriptures condemn thee and them, and here thou deny'st your selve; to be any Pastors, Teachers of the Church of Christ, who saith there is none such now as was then, and we witness the Church of Christ the Piller and ground of truth, to be the same now as e­ver was, and the same Officers, Pastors, Ministers, and Teach­ers of the Spirit as ever was, and yours thou sayest is not the same, therefore they are all false, contrary to the Scriptures, contrary to the Gospel, therefore the curse is upon thee, who sayest, they are not the same now as was then, we witness Christ the same yesterday, to day, and for ever, and what hast thou to do to talk of establishing truth, which sayes, Officers are not the same now as was then, then the truth is not the same, nor the Gospel; there thou shewest thy self to be a gain­sayer, and what hast thou to do to talk of qualifications, who would make truth changeable, truth changes not.

Obj. And as thou sayest, you reason there is no believers in these latter ages, because thou sayest, they shall cast out de­vils, and speak with new tongues.

Reply. In thy generation there is not, but they which believe now speak with new tongues, and cast out devils, that makes thee to vent forth thy blasphemy against them that doth, and here thou shewest thy self to be an unbeliever, let the Scrip­tures judg thee.

Object. And thou sayest, The Apostle requires a waiting upon an outward teaching and exhorting.

Reply. Here thou wouldest judg the Apostles teaching, which [Page 37]is immediate, to be like thy self which are carnal, and without, who denies [...]here is any such Officers, Pastors, and Teachers now as was then: Here thou prov'st thy self to be a Witch, who draws people into another thing, as thou decla [...]st in the 47. page of thy book, in thy answer to the eighteenth Query.

Obj. And thou talk'st of waiting upon the office, and living upon the Gospel, a temporary and transitory Gospel, and yet thou d [...]niest the same Officers and Teachers as was then.

Reply. There thou art without in another temporary and tran­sitory Gospel, as thou call'st it.

Obj. And whereas thou sayest, In these daies th [...]y shall heap up to themselves Teachers.

Rep. This is thy self, O your selves, who saith, Teachers are not the same now as was then, and here thou com'st under the Prophecy that Paul speaks to Timothy, 1 Tim. 2.4. for thou confess [...]s they are not such as was then.

Object. Whereas thou sayest, Can any rational person con­ceive, how preaching is like to be kept up?

Rep. The preaching of Christ is kept up without thy concei­ving, for it is not any rational person that keeps up preaching, who lives in the conceivings: And again, thou clearest thy self from the Ministers of Christ, who were made Ministers by the will of God, and thou who deniest the same teachings to be now as was then, art one amongst those Teachers that follows their own lusts, phancies, and fables, and cannot indure sound Doctrine, having itching ears, turning to fables from the truth, thou hast confessed there is no such Teachers now as was then, therefore thou and thy company art another in your own w [...]lls, out of the will of God, distant from truth, and to be them that Peter and the Apostle prophecied of, which should come in the last time, following your phancies, senses, and conse­quences, which the eternal Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures ever judged and condemned such.

Object. And whereas thou sayest, Thou would'st have them first proved before approved, and thou alledgest 1 Tim. 3.10.

Rep. And thou deny'st that Office that was then, that there is none such now, and here thou art disapproved with the Scri­ptures, for it disapproves thee, 1 Tim. 3.10. and in the 47. page of thy book.

Object. And in the third particular thou art justi [...]ying, standing, praying in the Sinagogues, and thou bring'st Solo­mons examples, who pray [...] in the behalf of Israel.

Reply. Here thou shewest thy self plainly to be a false Pro­phet indeed, who puts no difference between Solomons pray­ing, and the Pharisees, who stood praying in the Synagogues.

Object. And whereas thou accusest us, that we are against praying.

Reply. Here thou dost lye, thy praying we deny, who puts no difference between the Heathen and the Saints, but the Saints pravers we own, and Solomons praying we own.

Object And thou sayest, Your places cannot hardly be call­ed as the Jews Sinagogues was, for it was not erected for any spiritual use.

Rep. No more is yours, for thou deniest immediate inspirati­on, and they that did witness imm [...]diate inspiration, was per­secuted in the Jews Sinagogues; the Saints which meet together in the eternal word denied all the Jews practises, which met to­gether in such a mans [...]ouse.

Object. Fourth particular, and thou dost lye, in saying we would have no meetings.

Rep. Because we do deny such Teachers as thou art, and such practises as thou practiseth, and such meetings, who confesses, that you are not the same Pastors and Teachers now as then, so then your meetings are not the same; but the Teachers as was then we own, and the meetings as was then we own, for truth changes not: But here thou shewest, that thou art changed from it, who hath confessed, that your Teachers is not the same.

Object. F [...]fth particular, thou sayest, we are cavelling at places, and strikes at persons.

Reply. Thou may'st as well say Christ cavelled at persons; do not speak Christs words, who art thou, that thou car'st op­pose him, who said, they was called of men Master, have the chiefest places in the Assemblies, stand praying in the Sinagogues, and thus he shews to the multitude how they may be known, and here thou art known, and seen, who would justifie that which Christ cried against in thy ambition, and saith, you have not cause to reject those things he cried woe against, as to be [Page 39]called of men Master, and have the chiefest places in the Assem­blies, those things spoke Jesus to the multitude, and the mul­titude seeing his word, as thou may'st read in Mat. 23. if you will own the Scriptures to be truth, and thou bring'st Philip, and the Goalor came to Paul and Silas, and said Sirs, and these words thou bring'st to oppose Christs words, who said, be ye not called of men Masters: And here thou declar'st rhy self to be an open Antichrist, who opposes Christ: I charge thee in the presence of the Lord, for Christ saith, be not ye called of men Master, for ye have one Master, even Christ, and all ye are Brethren, and thou bring'st the Goalors words to oppose Christ, Acts 16.30. Christs Doctrine denied to be called of men Ma­ster.

Object. And thou sayest, That in Mat. 23. those words will stand us in no steed, which were Christs words.

Rep. Here thou dost say Christs words will stand us in no stead, thou deniest his Doctrine, and teacheth for Doctrine the Traditions of men, and there thou shewest another Doctrine which is damnable and cursed.

Object. And thou sayest, The title of Mastery is a civil respect, and importts a civil honour.

Rep. Here thou shewest the Master thou serves, who denies the Doctrine of Christ, and how canst thou believe, which seeks honour of another.

Object. And whereas thou sayest, It is a meer slander to speak against them who have the chiefest places in the Assem­blies, and art called of men Master.

Rep. Here thou might'st as well call Christ a slanderer, who spoke against all those things which thou seek'st to justifie in the sight of the world, but in the sight of God is condemned, and of all who are of God, and by them thou art judged.

Object. And whereas thou sayest, The Apostle saith, gi­ving honour, go one before another.

Rep. What hast thou to do to talk of the Apostle, who de­nies the same teaching to be now as was then, for the condition we own, which must be honoured? But thou hast declared thou never heard'st Gods voice, nor waits for it, and so de­clares thy self to be a Heathen that knows not God, to whom [Page 40]he will render vengeance in flam [...]s of fire, and that is not honour­ed of God, nor none of his, but we honour all men in the Lord.

Obj. And whereof thou accusest us of destroying rela­tion.

Reply. All such relations as is contrary to Christ, and his Do­ctrine, we d [...]ny; And who would take the [...]itle from Christ to be called of men Master, and layest thou wilt not reject it; h [...]re thou shews forth thy presumption to be called of m [...]n Ma­ster, let all people see if you own that Christ which the Scrip­ture sp [...]aks of, who forbad it, Mat 23. Bu [...] you would take the title from him who art for destruction, who shews that Christ never sent thee, for if he had, you would abide in his Doctrine, which thou dost deny, and who takes the Apos [...]l [...]s words to just [...]fie that to oppose Christs words, who spoke to them that were in the state of servants and Masters. Earth makes Masters, but the time will come as with the Master, so with the servant; he that can receive it, let him, as Philemon, Paul's doctrine to him, who can receive it, may.

Quer. 19. Whether a man shall [...]v [...]r grow up that he need no man teach him under your Ministery yea, or no, seeing the A­postle saith, You need no man teach you, and you which have been long teachers, how many have you brought up in this con­dition?

Ans. And in thy answer to this Query, thou sayest, Such opposition as excludes all humane helps, you do confess, That no man is ever like to grow up so high.

Reply. Here thou art not so far as some of thy fellows; for they deny humane helps, though they be in the same nature that t [...]ou art in; and he that grows up in perfection, grows out of ignorance and humane helps; the Ap [...]stles said, they knew all things, but this thou hast denyed, and calls it an hyperbolyc [...]l expression.

Obj. And thou sayest, they may grow in a sence under teaching of Ministers among you, to know all the truths of the Gospel, and yet thou denyes immediate inspiration, and the same teach­ing [...]ow as was then; and yet thou sayest in a comparative sence, they may not need teachers.

Reply. This is thy sence who hast denied the Doctrine of C [...] [...]nd thy confused stuff which comes out of thy bottle, and Peters Ex [...]ortation▪ and Pauls, thou hast chared thy self from, for thou sayest, the same t [...]chings are not now [...]s w [...]re [...] and th [...] Church of Christ we d [...]itness to be he p [...]liar and ground [...] truth, which you ha [...]e c [...]ared your selves from, and [...]om the Teachers, Past [...]s, and Elders of it, who s [...]i [...], there is none such now, as were th [...], wh [...] would mak [...] truth changeable, and [...] thou art a [...] in thy own g [...]n [...]ra [...]ion, who knows not God manifested in flesh, just [...]fi [...]d inspirit, seen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world.

Obj. And you say you have answered our questions agreea­ble to the Scriptures.

Reply. There is another lye, let the reader read them, and prove whether thou hast not spoken contrary to the Scriptures, and all thy consequences and sences are contradicted with us, and den [...]d and trampled upon with all knowing Christians, who are in Christ; and thou art he whose desire is to destroy the Scriptures, who would subvert the faith of the Gosp [...]l, who leads people captive after thy own delusions, who hast denied Pastors, teachers, and Officers now, as in the time of the Apo­sti [...]s, and here you have cleared your selves to be no Pastors, no E [...]rs, no Offic [...]rs, but a likeness or an imag [...], which Go [...] for­b [...]ds; for thou sayest, there is not any suc [...] Officers P [...]stor, and teachers, as was then, then you are [...] [...]alse, and to b [...] denyed, who are contrary to the Scriptures, for with it you are proved, and with the life judged: and your prayers we d [...]ny, for God hath opened our eyes, by which [...] you del [...]ed poor crea­tures, who are thus sold under d [...]usion, as thou [...], and Gods E [...]ection thou knows noth [...]ng of, but are s [...]a [...]d and [...]p [...] by the Devil, who art led captive for the present after his will, this all who are in the Eternal light there will thee see.

ANd Eaton, thou saith, these things thou hast pres [...]nted for this end and purpose, to obstruct their way, and stop their further proceedings, that their imposture might prevail no longer.

Here thou hast digged a pit, and art fallen into it, and laid a snare, and art taken; I take all the children of light to record, and with the light do judge thee, and to see if thou be not in the imposture, and an high imposture, and in the witch­craft.

First, Thou dost assert, and thy company, that the Spirit of Christ is distinct from the Saints, and the Saints from the Spirit.

Here thou hast cleared thy self from the Saints, who were in the Spirit, and to be an imposture; and this is in thy answer to the first Query.

Secondly, Thou and you saith, That you do not apprehend, and speak right of God, and Christ, nor the Spirit, nor of your selves, nor of the Ministery of the Gospel.

Thou hast delared it, who saith that the Spirit is distinct from the Saints, and the Saints distinct from it, and thou not appre­hending aright of God, and Christ, nor the Saints, and taking thy self to be a Pastor, thou haft openly deceived thy self to be an imposture, which art stopt, and shall proceed no further; and you not apprehending aright of your selves, as thou saith you do not, declare your selves to be blind guides, and not fit to teach others, that doth not know your selves, but we know it is so, that you do not know your selves, and this is in thy answer to the fourth Query.

And thirdly, you say, That such a voice as comes immediately from God, you have not heard of, such an inspiration as this, you have not received.

Thou that hast not received an immediate inspiration, and hast not heard the voyce of the living God; here thou hast raked thy self from all that did hear the voice of God, and them that had received the immediate inspiration; here you have turned your selves among the Impostures. Witches, and Sorcerers, which have not heard a word from the Lord, as thou thy self faith; Let all the children of the light judge thee, if thou be not an im­posture, [Page 43]and a deceiver, but thou art made manifest to the chil­dren of light, prayses be to our God, the living God, for ever. And this is in answer to the seventh Query.

Fourthly, Thou sayest, there are no such Pastors now, no such Officers now, no such Teachers now, no such Mini­nisters of the Spirit now, nor no such gifts now, as was then.

Here thou, and all thy Teachers, and Officers, and Pastors, are under the Prophecy, as Peter speaks of, and Paul speaks to Timothy, heaps of Teachers; and here thou thy self hast made them all Impostures, and Inchanters, and Sorcerers, and Charmers; if the Pastors be not now as was then, and the Teachers now as was then, and the Officers now as was then, they are not in the truth, for we do witness the same spirit, now as was then, and the Pastors and the Teachers the same now as was then, made by the same Spirit.

But thou saith, There is none such, and we do believe it, and know it, that there is none such in thy generation, so thou hast cleared thy self, and all thy company out of the truth, and here thou would'st make people believe, that the truth is changeable, and here thou shewest that thou hast not the Spirit that the A­postles had, but the spirit of errour, and guided by it, and im­postures, and given over to fables; and this is in thy answer to the eighteenth Query.

And for the Act of sprinkling Infants, thou sayest, Some­thing may be held forth for it, the Blood of Christ.

Here th [...]u makes the Blood of Christ a figure of sprinkling Infants, and the sprinkling of Infants must then be the substance, according to thy words; and yet thou com [...]s after, and speaks of Water, Baptism, Types of Christs Blood; for there is no Scripture that speaks of sprinkling infants; and here thou art rasced out, and that which thou holds forth, which thou would­est bring to justifie sprinkling [...]nfants: For the Blood of Christ is the Substance: this is in thy answer to the sixteenth Query.

And thou sayest, Consequently God did not intend immedi­ate teaching, nor to give out in after-ages an immediate voice, which should lead and guide men in the way of Salvati­on.

O thou vain man, God will stop thy mouth, and thou must be confounded, who denies the everlasting Covenant of God, who saith he will teach his people, and make with them a new Covenant, that all shall know God: and he [...]e again before the Lord and all the children of God I charge thee, to be an im­posture, and there all the children of the light may see thee, who are taught of God immediately, and directed, and guided in the way of salvation.

Thou sayes [...], thou never heard the voice of God from Hea­ven, nor received the immediate inspiration, nor doth not wait for it.

Let all the children of the light see if thou be not an impos­ture, who hath not heard a word from the Lord, and one of them that [...]ns before thou art sent, which the true Prophet cried against.

And many Scriptures thou hast gathered out of the Let­ter, which wa [...] sent to thee in answer to thy Letter, which thou calls mire and dirt, which thou calls Annotations.

Thou high blasphemer, who hath cleared thy self from the life which gave for h [...]he Scriptures, which life reacheth over thee, and doth compre [...]end thee, and judge thee eternally; Let all the children of the l [...]ght, who are led by the E ernal Spirit of Go [...], and dwell; Se [...] if thou be not in a pre [...]ence of Spirit, who denies the immediate inspiration of the Spirit, and hearing the vo [...]ce of God; Her [...] t [...]y spe [...]ch bewrays thee, and thy language is known with th [...] Et [...]nal Spirit of God, where it is made ma­nifest, and what sp [...] it is that dwells in thee, and acts in thee, and rules thee, and t [...] be in the first birth, so in the snare thou art taken, and into the pit thou art turned, who saith these per­sons alone pretend the Spirit. That is false; for we do not pretend we have it, we witness it, and thy pretences we do deny.

A [...]d another thing thou brings to fill up thy Book, and make it large; the confession of one Joh [...] Gilpin (a Quaker) Was John Gilpin come to the trembling of the D [...]vils? which power of God m [...]de [...]m to confess his f [...]rmer conversation, as in his paper he declares it, and to see the deceipt of the Priests, and to forsake his drunkenness, and was he bewitched with such as [Page 45]thou art? who now follow drunkenness, and was drunk; that there was a warrant granted out against him, and this is one of thy converts, and one of thy sacrifices, that thou puts up to the supream Authority, which the Authority strikes down all such things.

And another Sacrifice thou offers up against them whom the world calls Quakers; a discovery of myst [...]cal Antichrist, dis­playing Christ's Banners, but attempting to lay waste Scripture, Gospel, Christ, Fa th, Hope, and concerning an Examination of the doctrine, and way of the Quakers in Yorkshire, written by John Pomroy, Paul Glissen, Joseph Kellet.

We are acquainted with your generation, and your reproaches to us are riches, and your slanders; for them you will be re­warded, and your portion for your lyes is the lake, and its well they have set their names to these lyes, John Pomroy, Paul Glis­sen, Joseph Kellet, that they may be known: For with the chi [...] ­dren of light they are, and their Spirit tried, had they not uttered forth their names, and their voice discerned, and the Eternal Light of God sees them, which shall be their eternal condem­nation, and the Judgement of God will fall upon hem for th ir lyes, and slanders, for them that they call Quakers; [...]usking we own, else we should lay waste the Scriptures, as you do: For David quaked, Moses quaked, and Paul trembled, and Habbakuk quivered, and Jeremy shaked, and these were in the faith, and hope, and these had the life of the Scriptures, a [...]co [...]d­i [...]g to their measure. Now let all people see, if John Pomroy, Paul Glissen, and Joseph Kellet, wh ch have digg [...]d a p [...]t for others, see if they be not fallen into it themselves▪ who are lay­ing waste the Scriptures; for the Gospel of Christ we own, and the Scriptures are ours, and the Doctrine of Christ we live in, and Faith, and Hope, and not laying waste the Scripture, but all such as make trades on the Scripture, such we would have laid waste.

And thou Eaton, and the rest, who saith there are no such Officers now, no such Teachers now, no such Pastors now, as was then: Dost not thou here lay waste the Scripture, and hast shewed thy self to be one of them, and can imposture that what thou knows, thou knows naturally, which were ordained of [Page 46]old for condemnation, as Jude speaks of, for thou denies im­mediate inspiration, and thou denies hearing the voice of God, when Christ is the same to day, yesterday, and for ever; and they that are of God hear his word, and they that hear his word he [...]r his voice; and here thou hast shewed thy self that thou art not of God, and the Gospel is the same, which is the pillar and ground of truth.

And another thing, thou Eaton, sets as a witness against them, whom thou calls Quakers, which word thou spake in thy letter to Richard Walter, and thou said'st Satan had filled his heart with such fogs and mists, and darkness▪ and this is in thy page 56. and this is in thy own letter, which thou would [...]st slan­der us with thy own words, which came out of thy own bottle.

But, O thou Enemy of good, thy door is set open, and what is in thy house is seen, and wh [...] is in thy bottle pours out, and so for the truths sake, because an evil report and slander should not rest upon [...]t; and for the simple ones, and d [...]luded ones, that are subject to catch at his histories and reports. So for the trut [...]s sake have I given forth this, not to be justified of man, nor to b [...] known outward [...]y, but to be known to the Lord God, and of him to be justified, and not to stir up strife or war, but that truth might be set up, and all d [...]ceit confounded, and the sim­ple ones directed, and their minds guided to God to hear his voice, and to wait upon him, that they might come into the life of the Scriptures, that they were in, that gave them forth, which thou hast declared that thou hast not, neither dost thou wait for it, so shews thy self to be an imposture, and keeps all in the pit, and from hearing the voice of the living God.

And as for railing, such we deny, and all such as lay waste Scripture, and live not the life of it, and Christ, and saith, and hope, but in their places we own all as it was given forth; and here be thou Samuel Eaton, and John Pomroy, and Paul Glissen, and Joseph Kellet, to that in your consciences I speak, that it may witness against you, that you are witnesses against the truth of God, and [...]hem that live in it, who hath published forth your lyes and slanders, who are for the Lake. And thou Samuel Eaton, who makes a colour of answering the Queries, thou hast made many Queries, and hath answered thy own, [Page 47]let the Reader of thy Book but take notice, and see thy deceit, and imposture, which thou so often accuses them, that thou calls Quakers with, which therein thou art comprehended thy self with the children of light, and I leave thee to be judged with them all, because thou hast published thy Book openly, let all the children of the light judge thee what spirit thou art guided by, who denyes immediate inspiration.

And in thy Answer to the seventeenth Query, thou slanders the Apostle, and saith it was a hyperb [...]lycal Speech, when the Apostle said, they knew all things, and needed no man to teach them, but as the ano [...]n [...]ing, and this thou sayest was an hyper­bolycal expression, O vain man; where did the Apostle give [...]orth any such expressions? thou would'st make him a lyar like [...]hy self, who cannot own his words, therefore do we own the Apostle, who spoke plainly, and deny thee, with thy hyperbo­lycal expressions, who art in the wisdom of words, and slan­ders the Power of God, which makes the earth to tremble, in wh [...]ch power stood the Saints faith, and wisdom, as the Apostle spoke to the Corinthians, in which Spirit and Power of the li­ving God stands our saith and wisdom, and not in the wisdom of the world, which wisdom we see all comes to nothing, which wisdom thou lives in, and so with the world thou mayest be justified, for it loves its own, and in it thou mayest have many witnesses; but thou dost not know, as thou hast confessed, and with him no lyar nor slanderer, nor with them who are Gods.

Thou sayest, The Church of Christ, is the pillar and ground of truth, and doth witness the truth contained in the Scripture.

But this is anothers, and not thine; for thou canst not wit­ness it to be the pillar and ground of truth, but art an enemy to it, and denyes the immediate inspiration, and hearing the voyce of the living God.

And thou asserts that the Mystery of Godliness is great.

Thou mayest assert it, for godliness is a mystery to thee, thou knowest it not, but he that spoke these words, God ma­nifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, witnessed these words as he spoke them, and to such as thee it is a mystery [Page 48]without any consequences, or [...]ences, thou mayest very well as­sert it, for thou art without God i [...] the world.

And as for El ction thou knows nothing of; For his secrets are with them that fear him: and thou denies ever hearing his voice, therefore how should th [...]u know his Secrets, and there let thy mo [...]th be stept, for thou knows not what is elect [...]d, whic [...] art pleading for sin, and for the D [...]v [...]l, and denie [...] p [...]rfe­ction and pu [...]i [...]y, so thou art without among the dogs, and the Whoremongers, and the Adulterers, and there we leave thee.

And thou who sayest, thou never heardst Gods voyce, (nor dost not wait for it) nor never shalt in the state thou art in, though thou sayest, thou hast confuted the Quakers, but it is with that nature which is for utter c [...]nfusion and d [...]struction, and that which thou sayest thou hast confu [...]ed, shall confound thee, and thy gene [...]ation, and all who are in the l [...]ght may see thy pride, and hypocrisie.

And as thou sayest, Our speech bewrayeth us, but it is made manifest to all, who is in any measu e e [...]lightened, that thy sp [...]ech bewrayeth thee, what generation then, and art of which never heard the voyce o [...] God, that thou knows not the Spirit of God, where it is mad [...] man fest, neither art thou guid­ed by the light of thy conscience; but art warring for the De­vil against the Lamb, and [...]he Saints; but the Lamb shal [...] get the victory over such beasts, and false prophets as thou art: Pray­ses be to our God, the living God, for evermore. And so grace and peace be mul [...]iplied among all those that love the Lord Je­sus Christ.