Now concerning Tithes and Ministers maintenance, and some other things of concernment.

And where this said Priest would clear himself of covetous­ness and oppression, he begins to plead for their taking tithes, and his taking hire in these words, The same Law of the Land that makes nine parts theirs, doth make the tenth ours; if we have no title to the tenth, they have none to the rest; we ask none of our people for a farthing, they give it not to us, it was never theirs when they buy or take Leases of their Land, it is only the nine parts, they pay for.

Answ. Here he hath neither cleared himself from cove­tousnesse, [Page 7] oppression, nor from lying, and here he challenges as great an interest in the Tithes as a man hath in his heritage, or possession which he hath by inheritance, and they that pro­fess themselves Ministers of Christ, pleads now for Tithes by a Law of the Nation, when their Gospel will not manage them in taking Tithes; truly the Masse Priests or Papists might have brought as strong a proof for their receiving Tithes as this man brings, and the manner of both their receiving of them is contrary to the Law of God, and what a man hath a just right to by inheritance is according to the Law of God, but so is not the Tithes due to priests, now seeing that the second priesthood is come which abolished tithes among the rest of the figures. And for people paying but for 9 parts of their estates, or farmed lands: Let people see this Priests de­ceit in this, and bring their evidences or deeds of lands or leases against him, for do they not mention that every part and parsel of a tenement or a living thats sold, is for the sin­gular use of him or them that buyes it, or for his or their heirs, executors or assignes, or every part and parcel of such a Tenement for the use of him that buyeth it, or for the far­mers use; These and such like expressions are recorded in ma­ny legal evidences of the nation for farmes or livings with­out any exception for paying the priest tithes, besides there is the husbandmans labour, or his charges to labourers spended upon his living or Tenement and goods; so that being consi­dered in the tithes what the priest takes for tithes, doth amount in many places to far more then the tenth of their estates, & if mens ground wanted labour it would lie waste, that the priests would soon want tithes, which were established by the Pope, and upheld by Tyrants who could argue as strongly for them as this priest doth, and therefore by this mans argument were the mass-priests to be upheld by them because they could plead for an interest in tithes and other things, by a Law. For shame you teachers in England, if you be not popishly affected, come out of their steps, places and oppressions, and if you ask not people for a farthing, then why are so many of the people of God subpoened up to the Upper Bench, and many have been imprisoned through your ungospel-like means, and your envy and covetousness whereby the innocent suffers, and [Page 8] the creation groans, but the Lord will meet with you, and pay you your wages for all your deceits one day. And whereas this lying priest also would here accuse us to make people Thieves, and to have them rob God, and to prove his deceit he brings these scriptures, Mal. 3. 8. Rom. 2. 22. Gen. 14. 20. Heb. 7. 6, 9.

Answer. Its no marvel that this hireling hath here prefer­ed an outward or national Law before the scriptures, for the scriptures in this place will not at all manage his designe for tithes, for as for that in Gen. 14, 20. and Heb. 7. 6. 9. touching Melchizedecks receiving the tenths of the spoil of Abraham when Abraham was returned from the slaughter of the Kings, which was before the Law was given, it maketh nothing for the priests now receiving the tenths of mens estates, labors and increases, and Christ being a Priest for ever after the order of Mel­chisedec, was not in order to Melchisedec's receiving the tenths of Abraham, but in order to his Immortality, and his being without desent, without beginning of dayes or end of time. And Christ did not give any command for his to take tithes, and for that in Mal. 3. 8. in Malachies time the Covenant was with Levi, and that was before Christ came in the flesh, when they were to bring the Tithes unto the store-house, that the Lord might have meat in his house for fatherless widowes and strangers, which was according to his covenant and law to Levi, so that then in the prophets time, when they did not bring the Tithes to the store-house they robbed God, and the priests had corrupted the covenant of Levi, and violated the Law of God, Mal. 2 2. 8. and 3. 8. so now seeing this priest counts the tithes or hire that they take to be of the Lords portion in page 14 and that if they have never so much that they devote it wholly to the Lord as he saith, then I say where is their store-house, And if the reader would be further sa­tisfied touch­ing the ground and rise of Tithes, he may seriusly view a book called the great case of Tithes truly stated by A. P. or when do any of them bring the tithes to a store-house for the relief of fatherless widdowes and strangers, seeing they bring that in, Mal. 3. 8. for their taking tithes; it may as well be said that they rob God: Now if the first covenant and Levitical Law, and priest-hood were to be preached up now as they were counted [Page 9] robbers of God in Mallachies time that brought not the tithes to the store-house. But we conclude that that priesthood that took tithes is changed, and of necessity, the Law is changed and the commandment disanulled that gave tithes. Heb. 7. and where this priest here would plead for tithes to be of divine instituti­on, by that in Mat 23. 23. here he would grosely blind the minds of people indeed, and here he hath plainly brought a popish argument in effect, and cited the Scriptures that the papists plead for tithes by, as I have seen in an annotation of their, adjoyned to that in Heb. 7. but let me tell both the papists and the priests of England, that when Christ spoke that in, Mat. 23. 23. that this was before he suffered on the cross, whereto he nailed the hand writing of Ordinances, and blotted it out, Colos. 2. and he abolished in the flesh, the Law of command­ments contained in ordinances; so that this priest and the rest that pleads for tithes to continue in that particular, do deny Christ come in the flesh, and are enemies to his cross, mind­ing earthly things, and for earthly ends pleads for Tithes, as to maintain themselves in ease, and them and their wives and children in pride and Idleness, which causeth the creation to groan, and causeth many poor men to work hard and earn their livings dearly; so that which they receive from the people is not devoted to the Lord as the Lords por­tion, but coveted unto themselves, for the maintaining of these covetous, lazy shepherds in England; and to maintain his deceit, he also saith that the primative Christians gave not one­ly the tenth, but all that they had, and laid it at the Apostles feet.

I answer, but here the Apostles did not receive tithes for themselves, nor plead for tithes as a Divine institution, as the Priests do; for this was that distribution might be made unto every man according as he had need, Act. 4. 35. And this said Priest also goes about further to cover this his evil coveteous­nes and oppression by that in the 1 Cor. 9. 5. 7. 13, 14. To which I answer, that he, and the rest of his companions, in iniquity are manifest to be in anti-christs deceit, and in cursed practi­ses, and the root of all evil sprung up in them, to wit covetous­nes after mony, and the fruit of it, as oppression which abounds [Page 10] among them, and covetousness is idolatry, so the priests that are covetous are Idolaters, so then these Idolaters Anti-christs, blinde guids and Deceivers have no interest in that lively­hood that pertained to the Gospel for their teaching, seeing that they are no Ministers of the Gospel; so for living of the Gospel they cannot, and for going a warfare for the gospel they do not forgoing a warfare is not a lying loytering at ease in settled places as the Priests in England do, like lazy drones who never came to endure hardship, as the souldiers of Christ have done and do, who go not a warfare at their own char­ges, but their Master Christ bears them out and rewards them, and puts them forth, and goes before them, and they live of the Gospel, as his true Ministers have done who had power from him to eat and drink, where they were received according to his command, Mat. 10. 1 Cor. 9. but not to take tithes, nor to oppress people as the Priests do; so now R. Baxter thy false cloak for covetousness is quite rent, and all thy ar­guing for preaching for hire, and taking tithes, will not at all maintain thee therein, neither doth any scripture prove these thy practises, nor are they at all concordable with the Saints practises.

Priest. Prove us unsanctified, and we will refign our office.

Answ. Thou art proved a covetous man, an idolater, a false accuser, a deceiver; and covetous unthankful men, (such as thou art) ware unholy, 2 Tim. 3. 2, 3, 4: then you are unsanctified, for such as are unholy may Justly be said to be unsanctified, therefore if thou and you do not resign your office, you'l be further taken notice of, who hold up a deceitful trade that God wil overthrow who make a trade upon the Scripture, and are teachers for hire which Micha and the Prophets of God cryed against, & R. Baxter thou hast con­fessed as much as that which you are brought up to at the Uni­versities as thou callest them is a trade, in these words ( to wit, would not the time & labour and cost that they are at in the Schooles and Vniversities, have fitted them for a more gainful trade?

Answ. It appears then that they that have mony enough therby may bind themselves as Apprentiless at Oxford or Cam­bridg (or at Durham, which of late is set up to bring up such [Page 11] tradesmen) as through carnal industry and bestowing cost may come to such a trade as R. Baxter, and the rest of the priests are of, truly they may even be ashamed of calling themselves Ministers of Christ, seeing that they are set up and made Ministers by the will of man, through carnal cost, and their own labour, but here they are out of the true wisdom, for it cannot be purchased with gold, Job. 28. 15. And thus for the Priests education to their Ministry, they cannot prove it to be as the call that Timothy and the elders in the Chur­ches of Christ had, though this priest hath gone about de­ceitfully in his second sheet to prove it; but y [...]u may see fur­ther concerning that shortly and in plainness.

Priest. In his fifth and thirteenth pages he confesseth that there is scandals in the Ministry (as drunkenness and swear­ing, &c.) and saith, that Ministers are still spurring on the Ma­gistrates, to cast out the insufficient, negligent, and scandalous.

Answ. If the Priest be still spurring on the Magistrates, then they make slaves on them, and makes them as beasts, or horses that wants understanding, truly if the Magistrates grow not weary of their teachers they are very blinde, and very much feared in their consciences, for who could stil endure spurring on, but I believe that if the Priests spur the Magistrates on as he calls it, its more for their own preferments that the priests have petitioned often to the Magistrates for Tithes, Aug­mentations and preferments in the earth to satisfie their ungodly covetousnesse, rather then spurred them on to cast out drunkards and swearers; but if the Magistrates stood in the counsel of God, they would have understanding how to act for God, and do their duty in obedience to God of a ready mind, and would not need the priests continually to spur them on as slaves; But be not ye like the horse or mule that wanteth understanding, but learn judgement and do ju­stice ye Rulers. And what, have the Priests been Rulers so long, (as this priest pleads for them to be) and teachers in England so many years, and have they not cast out from a­mong them the drunkards and swearers yet? Its even time for them to resign their office indeed: And this Priest saith, that Magistracy is as truly from God as the Ministry.

Then I say what need any Ministers be still spurring on the [Page 12] Magistrates as this Priest saith, that they do (also he saith, that there is a clearer word in the gospel for the Ministry then for the Migistracy in page 2.) Then I say, How is Magistracy as truly from God as the Ministry? If there be a clearer word for the one then the other, and also to say that there is two words in the Gospel, the one not so clear as the other, is another er­rour; for every Word of God is clear; and for Magistracy, and the power that Magistrates are intrusted withall it is or­dained of God, but the Magistrates or Rulers that do uphold such blinde guides as this, who is in such errours and confusi­on, they grossely abuse their power, and shall give an account for it one day. And this said Priest saith to them he calls Ma­lignants, &c. If you will come and help us to cast out any that are vitious and unworthy, wee will give you thanks.

Answer. Here he speaks of such helping them as before he counted as walking devils, and as the highest in wickednesse upon earth; surely he can but help his hearers badly and mise­rably for their souls seeing his strength is so much decayed, that he would thank them he cals malignants if he could have their help, it may be justly said that they that seek to him for help do but go down into AEgypt for help.

Priest. If the Magistrates stop the mouths of such raylors and abusers of God and men, he doth no more persecute then he persecut­eth a thief when he haugeth him ( and this he speaks against them called Quakers in page 12.)

Answer. Here his envy and maliciousnesse is made appear whereby he would stir up the Magistrates to persecute us for our profession, which we know Christ Jesus is the Authour of, and this is because that we are made to witnesse against him, and against such deceitful tradesmen as he is, but if he were in the truth, and saw us in errors, then he would not seek to incense the Magistrates to persecute us, but rather seek to con­vince us by sound doctrine, and a good example, but such as he are manifest to be out of both, and he would bring Paul and Peter and the Churches of Christ for a cloak to his ma­lice, which here he hath uttered to the Magistrate against us, but they will not cover him nor his deceit; for though they rejected, judged and delivered some up to Satan, yet they did [Page 13] not persecute them nor complain to the Magistrates to have thē east into prison, nor to have their goods taken from them for their profession, as many of the priests in England have done, by whom many of the servants of the Lord in England have suffered and do suffer, both the spoiling of their goods, and imprisonments, and some the losse of their lives in prisons, whose sufferings will rise up as a heavy judgement when their prayers shall be fulfilled against their persecutors.

And this said Priest it appears allows of hanging them that steal, seeing that he would have us persecuted, and counts it as lawful as hanging a thief.

Answer. Here this is a murtherous spirit, that would take away the life for the creatures, and so doing is contrary to the Law of God, Let the Priest and the Magistrate read Exod. 22. 1, 2, 3. If a man shall steal an Ox or a Sheep and kill it or sell it, he shall restore five oxen for an Ox, and 4. Sheep for a sheep. If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him; if the sun be risen upon him, there shall he blood shed for him, for he should make restitution. If he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft, Mark by this then if the thief was slain after the sun was risen, there was blood to be shed for him, and in verse the fourth, if the theft certainly be found alive in his hands, whether it be Ox, Ass, or Sheep, he shall restore double, and in Eph. 4. 28. Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth; but he doth not say that he is to be hanged for this theft, and how shall he labour or work with his hands if he be hanged? Therefore Magistrates had need to take heed of hanging thieves, and priests of allowing it.

Now concerning the Priests call to their Ministry as followeth, and how it differs from the true call.

Now whereas R. Baxter in his second sheet, goeth a­bout to prove the priests call to their Ministry to be of God, and brings scriptures to prove his and their call to be lawful; for their sakes that desires to be informed in this thing I shall mention something concerning it, that the simple may be in­formed, [Page 14] and the minds of the ignorant unvailed, that they may see the difference between a true call which is revealed and a false call, where revelation is denyed by the false Mini­nisters, and that the scriptures, and the form of sound words do not make void revelations.

Whereas R: Baxter in his first proposition in pages 3, 4: goeth about to prove 2 distinct sorts of Ministers, first such as received revelation, or a particular law or message immedi­ately from God, these were prophets and Apostles; and he goes about to distinguish a second sort of Ministers from them, and the second sort he calls over seers, Bishops presbyters or el­ders, pastors, and Teachers, and Decons, and that the latter sort (as he calls them) was not to declarewhat they had imme­diately from God but what is declared in Scripture, and what they have heard of others, and saith that the holy Ghost is to help us in keeping that which is committed to us, and not to reveal more.

Answ. This is a false distinction and a perverting the scrip­tures to distinguish Elders, Pastors and Teachers, or Bishops from them that had Revelation and immediate teaching, and from being Apostles, for John was an Elder and declared what he had revealed, that which he had heard, that which he had seen, and which he had looked upon, which was from the beginning, the same he shewed to others, 1 John 1. 1. And he saith the Elder unto the Elect Lady, and the Elder unto the wel-beloved 2 John 1. 3. John 1. and John was an Apo­stle, Mat. 10. And the Apostle Peter was an Elder who had the word of God revealed, so an Elder not distinct from an Apostle here as this man would have them: And Paul was a father in the truth, and an Elder was as a father to be intrea­ted, 1. Tim. 5. 1. so he that is a father is an Elder, and the same that was an Elder was an Apostle, and declared what he had received immediately from God, and the Elders, Pastors and Teachers had gifts given them from God when Christ was ascended he gave gifts unto men, he gave some Apostles, some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints; for the work of the Ministery, for the edifying of the body of Christ, Ephes. 4. 11, 12. the Apo­stle doth not say, that the Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers [Page 15] had not received that immediately from God which they taught, as this man doth, for they had gifts given them when Christ ascended, which gifts were perfect, and was given for the perfecting, which gifts was revealed in the Church of Christ, for these gifts were for the benefit of the Church, neither had they received these gifts from man, but from God, and these that had gifts given them for the work of the Mini­stry, whether Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, Pastors, or Teachers, they had power to ordain Elders in the Churches, as well as the Apostles had power to lay on hands on several that beleeved, which when they laid their hands, immediately the holy Ghost came upon them, so that Paul, and Barnabas, and Timothy, and Titus had power to ordain Elders, Acts 14. 23. Titus 1. but this was in the Church whom Christ presen­ted blameless, and fitted for himself. Ephs. 5. 26 27. and Chr [...]st had fitted them that were Elders, Bishops, or Deacons, for him­self before they were allowed of for their Office by the Apo­stles who were first to be tryed, and then they were to Minister; now that which presented them blameless was the gift of God, and they had the gift revealed in them, and a Bishop, and a De­con must be blameless, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy Lucre, but patient, not a brawler, not covetous, and apt to teach, and so must Elders, for they were Bishops, Titus. 1. 5, 6. 7.

Priest. Now seeing this said priest professeth the Ministry in England to be of this sort, for he saith in page the tenth for qua­lifications, they have first competent knowledge, secondly and ut­terance, thirdly and godliness.

Answ. That's all false, For first how can they have compe­tent knowledge seeing that they deny revelation, and immedi­ate teaching, when as Christ saith no man knowes the father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him, Mat. 11. here they that denies revelation knowes neither the father nor the Son. Let Christs own words stand a witness against this lying Priest, and the rest of them: Secondly true utterance they are far from, seeing that they deny immediate teaching by the spirit; for true utterance was a gift of the Spirit, the Saints spoke as the spirit gave them utterance, and the spirit & word of God was revealed in Timothy & Titus, who were owned for Mini­sters by the Apostles, & Timothy had the gift of God in him, and [Page 16] unfeigned faith in him, and that gift was given by Prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the company of Elders, as it is in some translations recorded, now his call was not like the call of these Priests of England, for the Prophefies that went on Timothy, they came not by the will of man, neither was the laying on of Elders hands according to mans will. So that though the Priests would put themselves in number with Timo­thy and the Elders, yet we find them shut out from their call and Ministry, for we never understood that they that set up these priests were called as Peter or Paul, or the Elders, who had power to lay on the hands, that the holy Ghost fell on the party on whom they laid on their hands, and thus much will some of the Priests confess, which may be to the shame of him that here professeth himself to be called as Timothy was. And further this man aforesaid hath confessed that the Ministers for whom he pleads, are brought up at the Universities, as he calls them, where they have bestowed labour and cost to bring them up to the Ministery, which might have fitted them for a more gainful trade; so that here their education is not to the true Ministry, but to a trade; but Timothy and Titus, and the elders in the true Churches, on whom the Apostle laid hands, did not make a trade on their Ministry, nor on the Scripture, though they knew the Scriptures and did preach the word of God ac­cording to the Scriptures by the gift of God in them, and who was to do the work of Evangelists, whom Christ had endued with gifts from above, neither was the holy Ghost to be bought with mony though it fell on several who believed, when the Apostles laid their hands on them, for he and his mony was to perish who would have bought the holy Ghost with mony, Acts 8. 19. 20. So all the cost that the priests bestowes at Oxford or Cambridge, it doth but purchase them a trade, and that a deceitful one too, it cannot purchase the holy Ghost, nor the gifts of the spirit, which Bishops, Elders, and Deacons, in the true Churches were indued and fitted with, but not made Mini­sters at Schools, nor by the will of man, as the priests are now. Thirdly, Neither are they in godlinesse nor qualified as a true Bishop, or a Deacon, or Elder, seeing that the Priests in En­gland, are covetous, greedy of filthy lucre, and many of them given to wine, and envious men, and brawlers, and novices as [Page 17] many in this nation can witness, but the true Elders were not such, and the man of God was to flee from the desire of mo­ny, and they that went in the error of Balaam for reward, and in the way of Cain to envy, and through covetousnesse made merchandise of people, were ungodly men, ordained of old for condemnation, Jude 11. 2 Pet. 2. Therefore the Priests being ignorant of Revelation, immediate teaching from God, and being out of the true knowledge, utterance and godliness, so strangers to the heavenly gift, they are not fit to teach, but are deceivers, shut out from among the number of the true El­ders of Christ, for the ungodly shall not be numbered with the seed of the righteous; but we look at the life and gifts of God which qualifies and brings into the state and condition that the true Elders, Bishops and Deacons were in, more then their names, seeing that they could not have these names, nor be ordained for their office by the Apostles, till they were first fitted and tryed in the truth, and by the gift of God which was in the Apostles and elders of the true Church, who denyed not revelation and immediate teaching, for they had that revealed in them which they taught, and by that knew the holy scrip­tures which are able to make a man wise unto salvation through faith that is in Christ, but without faith which is revealed, and the gift of God, the Scriptures cannot be known as they ought to be, for it is the man of God that the Scrip­tures are profitable for the furnishing of, and for our learn­ing they are written who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.

Priest. But we are not built on the foundation of every Pastor, Teacher, Elder, Bishop, or Deacon, though both in their places, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers are given for the perfecting of the Saints, &c.

Answ. Here he would make two foundations, the foundati­tion of the Prophets and Apostles, not to be the foundation of the Pastors, Teachers, and Elders, (which were all given of God) here he hath quite shut himself forth of the number of the true Church, and hath shut himself out from being one of that sort of Ministers which before he pretended himself to be of, so that this doth the more confirm to what I have written, for how can he be either true Pastor, Teacher, or Elder, when he [Page 18] is not built upon their foundation, according to his own con­fession, so he cannot be any Minister of Christ who is not built upon the true foundation which is but one; so you may take notice of R. Baxters confusion, for another foundation can no man lay then that which is laid, which is Christ, and they that were members of the true Church, were built upon the founda­tion of the Prophets and Apostles, Christ Jesus being the chief corner stone, who was & is the saints foundation, and that buil­ding which is not builded upon Christ, shall as surely fall as R. Baxter is proved to be no Minister of Christ, and that is sure enough.

Priest. In page the 14 he brins an objection which is, But you are not ordained by Bishops; his answer is almost all in En­gland are till of late, if that will serve, our parish Presbyters are Bishops, &c.

Answ. Here he goes about to justifie the Bishops that was in England, ordaining of priests, so that in this he is setting up that which before he pretended they had taken down as in his other sheet in page the sixth, he saith, have not the Ministers themselves been the pincipal instruments of taking down Bishops, Deans, and chapters, Arch-Deacons, Prebends, and all means of preferments, and what have they got by it? so he that is here setting up that which before he hath pretended, that the Mini­sters have taken down, here he makes himself a transgressor; and people may take notice further against this priest for a lyar that all means of preferment which the Bishops was preferred in, the Priests of England have not taken down, seeing that al­most all of them, till of late are ordained by the Bishops; so they are not Christs Ministers, but Bishops Ministers, and if all the Bishops means of preferment were taken down by the Priests, then what means the Priests taking Tithes and uphold­ing such great oppression, as causeth the creation to groan, and their suing people at Law, and their causing of them to be im­prisoned that refuse to pay the Priests Tithes (for conscience sake) surely here is Bishops Ministers, upholding Bishops Tyranny, and that by Bishops Lawes that are corrupt (and unrepealed) as may be made appear: This Priest hath quite cast himself into the mire, and hath made his call void, for he saith in his 16 page ( the truth of our doctrine depends not on our [Page 19] calling) Then it is manifest that their calling is a false calling, for if it were of God it were according to true doctrine, & true doctrine that's preached in obedience to a true calling; de­pends on, or hath unity with that calling.

Priest. He that hath no just call shall answer for what he doth as an intruder, but the people shall have for all that the fruit of his Ministration, and preaching, and Baptism, and other acts shall not be null to them.

Answ. Thats false, for they that ran and the Lord sent them not (they had not a just call from God) they could not profit the people at all, therefore their teaching was null to the people as yours is, who are not built upon the foundation of the true Prophets, and Elders, accordingly as it is made appear in the foregoing words, as also is your unjust call; and here thou goest about to vindicate an intruders preaching, when as the Apostle witnessed against such, Colos. 2. for intruders are mainly puft up in their fleshly minds, and even so is he that would have them to be preachers.

Priest. In page the ninth, The necessities of the Church continue, we still need a Teaching Ministry, and for that he brings, Heb. 5. 11.

Ans. In Heb. 5. there is no such word as that the necessities of the Church continue, here he is proved to be a perverter of the Scripture, as it may be seen in that place, for those unto whom the Apostle spoke was dull of hearing, so he reproved them, for when as for the time they might have been teachers, they themselves had need to have been taught, but he did not say they still needed teaching by Ministers, as this priest would have the Church to continue in necessity, and so then if the necessity of the Church continue, the Church is not supplied; Oh what blindness is here, that ever people should be blinded and led by such blind guids as this, they may be in want and ne­cessity, still ever learning, never able to come to the knowledge of the truth indeed, that are lead by them, and never come to receive the promise, while they are led by such, but the pro­mise of God was fulfilled in the Churches who were taught of God as he had promised, they shall not need to teach every man his neighbour, saying know the Lord, but they shall all know [Page 20] me from the least to the greatest saith the Lord, Heb. 8 and John wrote to them that needed not that any man should teach them, for they had the annoiting from the father which taught them of all things, but this said Priest hath been much pleading for himself, and such as he is to be the principal members, parts and supporters of the Church, but it may be truly said that such Churches as have such as he is for their principal members and supporters, that they are both blind and lame; & dumb from speaking any thing from revelation or immediate teaching from God, but them of the true Church witnessed both, for they might all prophesie one by one, 1 Corinth. 14. 31. And this priest also saith in the fore­said page that there is no salvation promised but to the Church, and brings Ephes. 5. 23, 25, 26, 27, and Mark 16. 16. to prove his deceit when there is no such word in these scriptures as he brings them for, but if he had said that there are none in whom the promise of salvation is fulfilled, but them of the true Church, he would not need have been questioned for so saying, but Christ who is the covenant and the salvation of God, he is promised to be his salvation to the ends of the earth, and he is gi­ven for a light unto the Gentiles, and the scripture foreseeing (or foretelling) that God would justifie the heathen through faith, Gal. 3. 8. and they shall be called the people of God that were not his people, so that the promise of God reached unto a people, before it was fulfilled, and before that they were united into the Church, but this blinde guide hath made manifest his igno­rance concerning the promise of salvation as he hath done con­cerning many other things he hath given forth in his lying pa­pers, who saith that many thousands are damned for want of the light, but in this he is also in errour, for thousands are con­demned by the light, because they hate it, and this is the con­demnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved dark­ness rather then the light because their deeds are evil, John 3. And this said priest in his second page would accuse them he calls Quakers for being the Papists Agents but this we deny and re­turn it back again upon him, for both the Papists, their wayes, worships, superstition and deceits and adherents we clearly wit­ness against in life, conversation and doctrine, as in many things is evident to the World in many of our books and manner of [Page 21] our life; and for them he calls Seekers among whom he num­bers us, All that are seeking, worshipping or waiting in their own wills and imaginations we deny, but they that seek in sin­cerity so as to find the right way we own them according to the true light wherein the drawings of God is manifest unto them that believe in the Light which doth inlighten every man that cometh into the world. And R. Baxter saith this is the saving Gospel that the Seekers, Quakers and their brethren preach, that the scripture is not the Gospel, &c. I answer,

If the Quakers preach a saving Gospel, then out of thy own mouth art thou judged, to revile and speak evil of the Mi­nisters of the Gospel, and then why hast thou written so much against the Quakers as thou calls them, if they preach the sa­ving Gospel which is everlasting, which was before the scri­pture was. But didst thou mean as thou hast spoken? if thou did, then why do not you Priests preach that which here thou saist we preach. But what thou R. Baxter hath uttered in these two sheets is not the first time thou hast set thy self against the innocent and against the Truth with thy lies and con­fusions, as the Reader may be further satisfied concerning thee if he read the Answer to thy book called The Qua­kers Catechism, and that book tituled ( Many strong reasons confounded) in answer to another lying sheet of thine against the Quakers; And here thou art proved a Deceiver, a Ray­lor, and false accuser of the innocent, a teacher and disperser of lies and false doctrines, and thy call to be a false call, and thou and the rest that own thee to be out of the true foundation: Therefore stop thy mouth, and give over thy trade for shame, and be confounded, for the light is risen and the morning is broken forth which discovers all you blinde guides, and destroyers of souls, and your filthinesse shame and confusion is made appear, and your noysom smell of wickednesse, oppression, pride and deceit is come up before the Lord who will consume you by the breath of his mouth and will scatter you and break you, and stamp you to pieces. Dread and tremble you Babylons Tradesmen, for the time is a coming that your ware shall not be e­steemed of, and you shall wail for the misery that is com­ing [Page 22] upon you, and let all that love their souls save them­selves from this wicked generation of deceivers, and return to the Lord God, and walk in his light which shineth in their hearts, to receive the teachings of his wayes, that the true promises and Ministry they may partake of, and deny the false ministry and ministers which we are made through the truth to witnesse against and renounce with their dis­honesty, and we preach not to keep people alwayes learn­ing, but that they may bee turned from the darknesse to the light, and come to see the true Ministry fulfilled in them by the spirit of Truth. This onely lay upon me to give forth for the Truths sake, to clear it, and them that are in it from lies, otherwise I should have been willing to have suffered under them, for it is no pleasure nor advancing to me to search in the Priests confusion.