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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67209	Anguis flagellatus, or, A switch for the snake being an answer to the third and last edition of The snake in the grass : wherein the author's injustice and falshood, both in quotation and story, are discover'd and obviated, and the truth doctrinally deliver'd by us, stated and maintained in opposition to his misrepresentation and perversion / by Joseph Wyeth ; to which is added a supplement, by George Whitehead.	Wyeth, Joseph, 1663-1731.; Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723. Snake in the grass.	1699 (1699)	Wing W3757; ESTC R16372	333,418	578

a Quaker's Book Intituled The Sword of the Lord drawn p. 5. viz. Your Imagined God beyond the Stars your Carnal Christ is utterly denied That Christ is God and Man in one Person is a Lie To which he saith G. Whitehead does not deny the Quotation but says p. 145. We do not affect the Terms Then he adds Was not this a Terrible Rebuke a full Condemnation of the Author and such damnable Heresie p. 357. See how grosly Abusive and Partial this Snake Author is as if we do not affect the Terms were my whole Answer to those fore-going Expressions quoted by him wherein he appears as in many other things very unjust and injurious for I call them offensive Words in my Answer i. e. as quoted by him saying As to those Offensive Words your Carnal Christ your Imagined God c. we do not affect the Terms neither are they proper to the True Christ or Omnipresent God Antidote p. 145 146. but his Falacy in the Quotation I refer to the fore-going Treatise p. 204. I further add That an Imagined God and Imagined Christ is not the true God nor the true Christ which all meer Imaginations fall short of and of the true Knowledge thereof However I neither liked the said Offensive Words nor the Person that wrote them i. e. C. A. for he neither writ all he did in true Reverence toward God neither did he abide in His Fear or Council but was disown'd by us Therefore the Snake's Insinuation against me That he was a Friend in saying of them and had a good Intention as if I would so excuse him and his said offensive Words is utterly false for I never design'd to excuse or plead for him therein or in any other rash or irreverent Expressions And the Snak's Inferences against the Quakers in general As that all the World cannot excuse them from being the most Outragious and Blasphemous Heresie And that all Men must look upon the Quakers as Monsters and no Christians and their Ancient Friends with Blasphemies Heresies Treasons and damnable Doctrines c. p. 368. Thus concluding with a Storm of Railery when he has taken occasion to Calumniate and Condemn us all by Whole-sale from a few rash and offensive Expressions of one Person and perhaps from some other Words or Passages which many Thousands of us were never concerned in besides his many foul Perversions and partial and false Quotations and Citations And lastly he makes this Apology He must not surfeit the Reader with a Breakfast lest he lose his Stomach to his Dinner But should the Reader be so unwary as to make his Breakfast of such Cookery as the Snake's Railery Foul Abuses and dirty Stuff as he has Cooked against the People call'd Quakers 't would be enough not only to Surfeit but to Poison the Reader Now that I would not seem to conclude with harsh but mild Expressions as well as Matter of Moment I may a little farther take notice of his Profound Questionary Test to try if we are sound in the Faith viz. Whether they i. e. the Quakers believe in Christ as without them without all other Men Seeing our Adversary and his Confederates so much Insist upon the words without us Christ as without us and sometimes gives him the Character of an Outward Christ as if he were not an Inward Christ Inwardly Anointed I may take leave a little to follow them in their terms yet with a real Respect and Honour to the True Messiah the Very Christ the Anointed of God of whom all his Holy Prophets gave Witness Acts 10.4 namely we believe and confess that this very Christ of God the Only Begotten Son of God was conceived by the Holy Ghost and Born of the Virgin Mary without us that he was Born in Bethlehem of Judea without us that he liv'd an Innocent Sinless Life preached most Blessed and Excellent Doctrine without us that he wrought most Eminent and Wonderful Miracles without us that he went about doing Good without us that he was Crucified and put to Death by wicked hands without the Gates of Jerusalem without us that by the Power of God he revived and rose again the third day without us that after he was raised from the Dead he shewed himself Alive after his Passion by many Infallible Proofs unto his Disciples without us being seen of them forty days after which he Ascended into Heaven being seen to Ascend without us and a Cloud received him out of their sight who beheld him Ascend Unto whom it was said by the 2 Angels present This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Acts 1.3 9 10 11. and doubtless when he so comes and all his mighty Angels with him it will be in great Glory and open Triumph and he will in that day be greatly glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe 2 Thes. 1.7 8 9 10. But now I must not stop here we must not leave this same Jesus Christ all without us we must humbly consider and own him as He is within us also As Christ is the Word of God that true Light which enlightens every Man coming into the World John 1.9 He is within us As in Him was Life and the Life was the Light of Men He is within us his Life as the Light of Men is within us John 1.4 As Christ is the Light of the World given to lead Men out of Darkness and to give the Light of Life to all who follow him John 8.12 He is within Men within us to lead us out of that Darkness and Corruption that was in us As Christ is given for the Light of the Gentiles and for a Covenant unto the People and to be God's Salvation to the Ends of the Earth Isa. 42.6 49.6 Acts 13.47 He must be known as such within them Seeing his coming was that we might have Life and that we might have it more abundantly John 10.10 This Life we must have within us Jesus said If a Man love me he will keep my Words and my Father will love him and We will come unto him and make our abode with him John 14.23 which must be within us Abide in me and I in you saith Christ as the Branch cannot bring forth Fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me John 15.4 Therefore if we abide in Christ he abides in us The Branches must abide in the Vine to partake of the Life and Virtue thereof in them to cause Fruit. John 14.18 I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you said Christ. Ver. 20. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Therefore we must know Christ within us if we be his true Followers John 17.22 23. Where Christ saith And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me And Ver. 26. And I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them What 's more clear than Christ's own Testimony for his Being within us i. e. within all his true Followers especially 2. Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Therefore they who are not Reprobates but in the Faith know that Jesus Christ is within them Colos. 1.27 To whom God would make known what is the Riches of the Glory of this Mystery which is Christ in you the hope of glory Therefore the Saints know Christ within them to be the Hope of Glory to them Gal. 4.6 And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father The Son of God is therefore by his Spirit within us who are Sons of God Galat. 4.19 My little Children of whom I Travail in Birth again until Christ be formed in you Rom. 8.29 For whom he did fore-know he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first-born in many brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In multis fratribus Therefore the Son of God is within them Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock if any Man hear my Voice and open the door I will come In to him and will sup with him and he with me Was not this the Son of God the Faithful and True Witness who thus spake ver 14 And where is that Door that must be opened unto him Many more Instances might be shewn for the nearness of Christ with and In his Faithful Followers and Members And Blessed are they who truly Believe in his Name and follow him in the Regeneration FINIS Ibid p. 6. Acts 5.36 37. Josephus p. 426 532. Printed 1683. Great Mystery p. 224. Snake p. 31. John 10.3.14.6 Luke 22.28 Mark 1.13 Mat. 4.6 7. John 7.49 Apologia Ecclesiae Anglicanae p. 21. art 51. Foot yet in the Snare Printed 1656. p. 6. Jam. Nayler Vid. Hierom. Apol. adv Ruff. ad Pammach Marcel Ep. 141. ad Marcel

outward But the end of that teaching was to the Soul the inward Man and against Spiritual Wickedness in high places Eph. 6.12 And this outward Teaching in its end and in its continuance is that it may bring People in their several Generations to witness the Spiritual Baptism of Christ with the Holy Ghost whereby they may be brought to witness that they are begotten to God Ibid. p. 168. This outward Baptism with Water was an Ordinance instituted as a means of Grace whereby the Inward Baptism with the Holy Ghost was conveyed This is saying but not proving We deny that Baptism with Water was Instituted as a means of Grace for then had the far greater number of those who were converted to Christianity by the Ministry of Paul wanted the means of Grace Because they were very few as himself testifies that he did Baptize with Water And to them whom he did so Baptize is was not the means of Grace Because if it had been so it must have perpetually attended his Ministry in that Grace and Truth which comes by Jesus or otherwise the Apostle Paul was not compleatly as the rest of the Apostles a Minister of the Spirit which I think this Snake will hardly venture to affirm But himself declares it did not perpetually attend his Ministry 1 Cor. 1.17 For Christ sent me not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel Ibid. p. 168. Vpon all which accounts it was necessary even where the inward Baptism with the Holy Ghost was already attained as St. Peter said Acts 10.47 If where the inward Baptism with the Holy Ghost be attained the Outward Baptism with Water be still necessary because the Holy Apostle Peter commanded Acts 10.48 Cornelius and his Family to be Baptized Then why is not Circumcision also necessary because the same Apostle did compel the Gentiles in general to be Circumcised and concerning which at that time when Cornelius was Baptized it was not determined whether they should be Circumcised This sufficiently shews that the Apostles words in this place cannot be understood to Intend or Command Outward Baptism with Water to be a standing and perpetual Ordinance in the Church Ibid. p. 169. It is very Observable that among those things wherein St. Paul was instructed thus immediately from Christ he tells us 1 Cor. 11.23 That one was the Institution of the Lord's Supper Vpon which he lays so great stress that he charges grievous Diseases sent among the Corinthians and Death it self vers 30. upon their Neglect and Abuse of this Holy Mystery It is very observable that this Snake by begging every matter in question takes them for granted which we deny And then in usual assurance runs on in his Doughty Manner without so much as offering at any Authority to prove what he says or disprove what we have often said upon this Subject Thus he will have the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.23 delivering to that People the Institution of the Lord's Supper Yet has not proved from the words that they are any Institution at all The words of the Apostle are these vers 23. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took Bread These words of the Apostle are plainly a Narration of somewhat done by our Saviour but contain not any Institution or Command as the observing Reader may find And had the Apostle herein intended to deliver an Institution or Command of something that was to be perpetually obligatory in the Church and not to deliver singly an account of matter of Fact he had no doubt deliver'd it in words whose import could not be questioned But he saith not For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you That as the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was deliver'd took Bread So c. The Apostle saith not thus but the contrary and when he repeats the imperative words of Christ to his Disciples on this Head he seemeth of set purpose so to have placed them that they do not import any Command For he saith vers 25. This do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me vers 26. For as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come These I say do not import any Command or Institution which because the Snake will have that they do let him shew wherein If he thinks the words as often to have some imperative force let him see if he can prove that that imperative Force is more than if one should say to him As often as thou goes to Westminster call upon John Thompson late one of the King's Messengers I easily think the Snake will conclude the imperarative Force of these words none at all and will go as occasion calls to Westminster and not think himself obliged to make that Visit. But the Snake goes on with wonderful assurance and will have the Apostle lay so great stress upon this Institution That he charges grievous Diseases sent among the Corinthians and Death it self vers 30. upon their Neglect and Abuse of this Holy Mystery But from the place it self it does not appear that the Apostle lays any such stress upon it For first as I have already shewn the Apostle makes a narration of Fact Tells what our Lord did do that Night in which he was betrayed but gives no Command does not declare it to be instituted makes no Mystery of it as the Snake would suggest Secondly The Apostle redargueth the Corinthians evil practices of Drunkenness and Unseasonable Eating even then when they were pretending to have in remembrance the Death of Christ. And queries of them vers 22. What! have ye not houses to eat and drink in or dispise ye the Church of God and shame them that have not What shall I say unto you Shall I praise you in this I praise you not Thirdly The Apostle does in the 30th verse shew them some of the Consequences which had attended their Irreverent Greedy and Drunken practices and tells them For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep And a very natural Consequence it is and nothing strange that Intemperance should bring Weakness and Sickness and finally Death But the Snake would put the Apostles words upon the Tenters and stretch them to signifie grievous Diseases All Weakness and Sickness may in some sense be said to be grievous But when we say Grievous Diseases are sent among a People it does at least imply something more than the common Infirmities which usually our Nature is subject to by way of Eminence as a Judgment This the Snake seems to suggest but offers not to prove neither can he or that those Corinthians were more Weak and Sickly c. than what might be the natural effect of the Intemperance above spoken of Ibid. p. 169. How then would he have censured the Preaching down this and the other

Tythes as being due to that Order of Priesthood That Tythes were due to Melchisedec or to the Order of his Priesthood is gratis Dictum a begging of the Question which I deny the Snake to prove That the Evangelical Priesthood is after the order of Melchisedec is a false Notion deny'd and disprov'd by some of great Note in the Church of England I instance for the present Andrew Willet in his Synopsis of Popery fifth General Controversy p. 315. where writing against the Popish Priests who claim'd by this same Plea which the Snake now claims says It is great Blasphemy to say that every Popish Priest is after the order of Melchisedec And that none may think he says this only of Popish Priests because they are Popish he afterwards adds The Scripture maketh this difference between the Priesthood of Aaron and the Priesthood of Melchisedec that the Priests of the Law were many because they were taken away by Death But Christ 's Priesthood is Eternal he Dyeth not Heb. 7.23 But if there should be many Priests after Melchisedec 's Order there should herein be no difference at all Wherefore seeing Melchisedec's Priesthood only resteth in Christ and is not translated to any other c. Thus far he which plainly shews that he excludes all Priests even the Gospel Ministers from being of the Order of Melchisedec which he confines to Christ only and herein he hath the Warrant of Heb. 7.24 Where the Apostle speaking of the Priesthood of Christ after the order of Melchisedec saith But this Man because he endureth ever hath a Priesthood which cannot pass from one to another To the same purpose Edw. Reynolds Bishop of Norwich in his Works printed 1658. p. 528. speaking of the Priesthood of Christ and shewing that the Popish Priests who as well as the Priests in the Reformation pretend to the Evangelical Priesthood were not after the order of Melchisedec saith thus The Priesthood of Melchisedec as Type and of Christ as the Substance was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Priesthood which could not pass unto any other either as Successor or Vicar to one or the other and it was only by Divine and Immediate Vnction But the Papists make themselves Priests by Humane and Ecclesiastical Ordination Thus he And if the Snake follow his own Principle viz. That a Bishop be to be follow'd as Christ's Vicegerent I see not how he will avoid throwing away his idle and false notion That the Evangelical Priesthood is after the order of Melchisedec because the Priests of England are made such by Humane and Ecclesiastical Ordination Thus Reader by the Testimony of two Eminent Doctors of the Church of England one of them a Bishop is refuted his bold but groundless Assertion that the Evangelical Priesthood is after the order of Melchisedec and consequently his Claim to Tythes as due to that order does of necessity fall to the Ground with it Ibid. p. 267. Nor is Melchisedec 's Tything of Abraham mentioned as the beginning or first rise of Tythes but it is told only occasionally and as a thing well known and received in those early Ages How proves the Snake that it is not there mentioned as the beginning of Tythes or that it was then well known and received since this of Gen. 24.18 is the first mention of Tythes in the Bible But it may here be observed that tho' the Snake would place himself and the rest of the Priesthood Blasphemously as Dr. Willet aforequoted stiles it to be Priests after the order of Melchisedec yet he would have Tythes given them after the order of Aaron Why else would he by a little piece of Priest-craft persuade us that these Scriptures Numb 18.24 Deut. 18.1 and Levit. 27.32 33. which appointed the Ty●he to Aaron's Priesthood are now payable to his falsly pretended Evangelical Priesthood after the order of Melchisedec But further if we should suppose according to his Blasphemous as before observ'd pretence that the Evangelical Priesthood were after the order of Melchisedec and that Tythes were payable to them after the order of Aaron which is most absurd and ridiculous to believe let us a little see how the payment of Tythes at that day quadrate with the Exaction of Tythes in this For the better clearing of which I will set down those four Texts which the Snake quotes but gives not the words because that would have done him Disservice as we shall see anon for this purpose The first Numb 18.24 But the Tythes of the Children of Israel which they offer as an heave-Offering unto the Lord I have given to the Levites to Inherit Therefore I have said unto them among the Children of Israel they shall have no Inheritance The second is Deut. 18.1 The Priests and the Levites and all the Tribe of Levi shall have no part nor Inheritance with Israel They shall eat the Offerings of the Lord made by Fire and his Inheritance The third and fourth are Levit. 27.32 33. And concerning the Tithe of the Herd or of the Flock even of whatsoever passed under the Rod the Tenth shall be Holy unto the Lord. He shall not search whether it be good or bad neither shall he change it at all then both it and the change thereof shall be Holy it shall not be redeem'd From these Texts of Scripture it appears First that the Tythes were Ceremonial in that they were not given to the Levites till they were first offered as an Heave-offering unto the Lord. Secondly The Priests and Levites who had a portion of the Tythes for their use after they had been so offered as an Heave-Offering had not that portion only for their Service in the Tabernacle c. but because Among the Children of Israel God said they shall have no Inheritance And when thus by a particular Command of God concerning them they were cut off from their portion of Land a twelfth among the Tribes it pleased God to appoint them a Tenth for that their Deprivation But then it is also further to be considered that Tythes were of two sorts 1 st those of every Year Deut. 14.23 24 25 26. of these every one that paid them was also to eat his share ver 23. Thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall chuse to place his Name there the Tythe of thy Corn of thy Wine and of thine Oil c. And if by reason of distance from the Tabernacle or Temple the Person paying his Tythes cou'd not bring them in kind he was then at Liberty to turn it into Money ver 25. and bestow that Money ver 26. for whatsoever his soul lusteth after for Oxen or for Sheep or for Wine or for strong drink And thou shalt eat thereof before the Lord thy God and thou shalt rejoice thou and thine Houshold This for the Tythes of every Year Then Secondly There was those of every Third Year and they were not only given to the Levite but also to the Stranger

what we assert and vindicate in each particular Snake p. 175. My Accuser presently shews his Prejudice and Enmity against me without cause As with a new Confession of Faith in such dubious and general Terms as may at first sight deceive the unwary Reader tho' I gave it in as plain and as much in scriptural Terms as I could and as the Matters concerned would admit of And I know my own Sincerity therein better than my Accuser who insincerely calls me Honest George whilst he is aspersing me and casting Dirt at me as Deceiving keeping off contradicting the Heart of the Heresie still preserving it safe and untouch'd and not only so but often with a slily insinuated Excuse and Defence of it So that my confessing Jesus to be the Christ and both his coming in the Flesh and in the Spirit according to holy Scripture-Testimony and also to the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament namely the Holy Doctrine and Divine Precept therein as given by Divine Inspiration on which much of my said Confession against F. Bugg depends this hath no beter Acceptance or Resentment with my Accuser than as no Contradiction to the Heart of Heresie but as still preserving it safe and untouched and which is worse a slily insinuated Excuse and Defence of it Oh sad Stuff Whither will not Pride and Envy precipate some Men What scripturally to confess Jesus Christ and the holy Scriptures as above is this no Contradiction to Heresie But to preserve excuse or defend it What 's Heresie then pray Is it to confess Jesus Christ come in the Flesh c. according to holy Scripture-Testimony of him Oh! For shame leave off such blind Envy and blasphemous Abuse And now to come to the Point How or wherein have I slily insinuated Excuse and Defence of it i. e. of the Heart of Heresie as before p. 175. Thus saith my Accuser in his first Article he confesses Jesus to be the Christ even the same Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary at Bethlehem c. I confess this is part of my Confession but cannot believe this is either not contradictory to the Heart of Heresie or that it is any Excuse or Defence of it Nor that our confessing God or Christ to be our Light can be any such Excuse or Defence Neither do we attribute the Name Christ to any much less to every one of our selves as we are often falsly accused as here whence he also most unjustly infers That then this will appear that this Confession of Whitehead 's is a meer Fallacy while it attributes no more to Jesus Christ than to G. W. Which is a very foul and absurd Falshood and notorious Lie in Fact and contradiction to my said Confession even so far as it is cited by himself as before which is 1. We sincerely own profess and confess Jesus to be the Christ even the same Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary at Bethlehem in Judea Mat. 2. suffered Death upon the Cross without the Gates of Jerusalem was quickened and raised again by the Power of God and ascended into Heaven and Glory according to the Scriptures Now have I herein attributed no more to Jesus Christ than to my self as he saith Where did I ever attribute this to my self Where is the meer Fallacy Not in my Confession to Jesus Christ but in this Horrid Abuse and Gross Perversion thereof Did I ever say that I am Jesus Christ Or that I was born of the Virgin Mary Or that I suffered Death upon the Cross at Jerusalem c. Oh! For Shame who cannot see such Malice and Madness as my Adversary has vented against me in this Matter Again I find no Fallacy in my Confession to Christ as without nor is there any unless I had denied the Virgin Mary of whom Christ was born to be without or Bethlehem and Judea and Jerusalem to be without us nor doth Christ being without prove him not to be our Light within for the same Christ said I am the Light of the World therefore he is our Light yea the Quakers Light as he calls it they being included in the World Does not the Sun shine in our Houses because the Body and Fulness of it is without them My Accuser Quibbles and Quarrels with Art 10. of my Confession viz. Our Ministers do not Teach that the Name of Jesus and Christ belong to every Member in the Body or Church as amply as to Christ the Head And here he leaves out all the following explanatory part of the Article as he calls it and Scornfully descants upon the Word amply being in a different Black Character lest quoth he Ibid. you should mistake and think that George was Christ as amply as Jesus And then goes on scoffing That was modest indeed but then George thou art Christ as well as Jesus though not so amply Which is both a false Implication and foreign to my Intention The word amply in that place was only used and intended in direct opposition to F. Bugg's falsly saying The Quakers Teach That the Name Jesus and Christ belong to every Member in the Body as amply as to Christ the Head New Rome Arraign'd p. 47. But even in the same 10 Art quoted against me I do not allow any Member to be called Christ but expresly disallow it though I confess how Christians have some Interest in his Name but not to be called Jesus but Christians The explanatory part of my Confession in the said 10th Article disingenuously left out by this Scoffer is in these Words viz. But that the Divine Anointing to which Name Christ hath relation virtually is in some measure or degree afforded to every Member of his Body but not so amply as to him the Head nor for any Member to be called Christ but a Christian because Christ received the Anointing the Holy Spirit not by measure but in fulness and because he is the Head of the Body the Church And this very Matter is more fully explained in my Charitable Essay in Answer to F. Bugg p. 4. as before It was far from my Thoughts or Intention to imply any such thing as That I am Christ as well as Jesus for I have often written my self A Servant of Christ and so I am I Humbly Bless his Name that is above every Name Therefore I am still very unjustly accused Ibid. with Rank Sophistry Doging and Deluding and casting a Mist before the Eyes of Poor Deluded People or Leading them into the Mystery of Iniquity or of any Equivocation or Jesuitical Confession of Faith I have a Conscience towards God in what I confess and in good Conscience testifie That thou my scornful lurking Adversary hast cast manifold false and gross Defamations upon me and many others of my Christian Persuasion And in the true Sense of Scripture I have both confessed Christ's coming in the Flesh and as he the Word was made or took Flesh John 1.14 And more than

the Socinians I do still confess That as the Reasonable Soul and Body is One Man so He that is God and Man is One Christ. And whether this will give Satisfaction to an Implacable Adversary or no I value not knowing my Conscience Clear in the Sight of Him who Judgeth Righteously which I am sure this my Unjust Judge and False Accuser is not who presently after he has stiled me Honest George unjustly Brands me with Infamy as Sophistry Delusion Depths of Satan Mystery of Iniquity Equivocation Jesuitical Confession c. Oh! Rank Malice Bitter Envy c. As for my Confession in the 7th Art alledged against me it stands good and true viz. We own no such saying as that the Holy Doctrine or Divine Precepts of Scripture is either Dust Death or the Serpent's Meat but truly profitable to us by the Assistance of God's Holy Spirit given to us c. And this was in direct Opposition to F. Bugg's saying These Quakers who pretend to own the Precepts and Doctrine of the Bible to be Holy and Blessed yet say 't is Dust and Death the Serpent's Meat c. Apol. Introd p. 18. to his New Rome We do not believe any of these Quakers ever so said of the Precepts and Doctrine nor do they own any such Saying I wholly disown it But then to beg the Question What was it you called Dust and Serpents Meat Was it nothing else but the Ink and Paper Did any Body ever say That these were not Dust Or Is that any part of the Controversie betwixt us Snake p. 177. Here he yields the Point he grants the Ink and Paper to be Dust. I said Will decay and turn to Dust but so will not the Word the Gospel nor the Holy Doctrine contain'd in Scripture And it has been confess'd by F. B. and others That Holiness is not ascrib'd to the Paper and Ink or Inky Characters that will decay but to the Holy Doctrine and Precepts which will not decay but be permanent and endure and therefore are called the Holy Scriptures with respect to the Holy Matters therein contained That the Books and Writings in Ink and Paper will wear out so will not the Word is evident Jehoiakim King of Judah could burn Jeremiah the Prophet's Roll or Book writ with ●nk by Baruch but not the Word of the Lord nor properly the Words thereof for the same Word caused all the former Words to be written again after the Roll was burnt Jer. 36. If then the Books the Paper and Ink be combustible or will decay and turn to Dust but not the Word nor the Doctrine where 's then the Controversie indeed when the same thing is granted on both sides He quotes Gr. Myst. p. 302. as saying Paper and Ink is not Infallible that will come to Dust unto which the Word Christ and the Spirit is preferred in the same place quoted And in the said Gr. Myst. p. 78. by Letter he there means Paper and Ink but the Scripture the thing it speaks of is Spiritual the Word is Spirit And further p. 127. the Scripture or Writing it self without the Spirit that gave it forth is a dead Letter in it self The Spirit is that that gave forth the Scriptures For my part as I am not in the least conscious to my self of the least Contempt of Holy Scripture nor yet of the Bible for I have always preferr'd it to all other Books extant in the World and more affected Reading therein than any other Book even from my Childhood and often bless Divine Providence for preserving to us the Scriptures So I know of none among us guilty of contemning them Neither is what 's said from any Contempt of Scripture no more than it is of the Earth and the Heavens to say They shall wax old and perish but the Word that made them endureth Psal. 102.25 26. Heb. 1.11 12. But say what we can in this Case to clear our selves of any Contempt to the Holy Scripture this our uncharitable Judge and Accuser will not believe us He 's bent to asperse he has swallow'd down so much of the sour Leven of the Malice of a few false Brethren Persecutors and Apostates from whom he derives much of his Authority and thus scurrilously and most falsly imposes upon me viz. And therefore George notwithstanding all thy meally Modesty it is it is indeed George it is the very Doctrine of the Scriptures which you blaspheme as Dust and Death and Serpents Meat on purpose to bring Men off from trying your pernicious Heresies by those Sacred Oracles Ibid. This is a pernicious Abuse and Calumny against my self and others of us to out-face us against our very Sense and Consciences and in good Conscience I Testifie against it it never entred into my Intention or Thoughts so to blaspheme the Doctrine of the Scriptures as to term or deem it Dust Death or Serpents Meat the Lord rebuke this lying envious Spirit Neither do I vilifie the written Doctrine and Precepts of God in comparison of our New Light as he falsly calls it p. 177. but reverently esteem them The Man makes no Conscience of Defaming us Neither do we quarrel with the Law and the Testimony nor yet with Writing or Scripture as 't is in Ink and Paper but distinguish between the Writing and the Things written which is no contempt to either We are thankful to Divine Providence for both the Scripture or Writing and the Holy Doctrine and Divine Precepts therein written for they testifie unto Christ our Light and our Light to the Truth of them And to what he saith If any do not teach the same i. e. according to the Law and the Testimony or written Word it is because there is no Light in them Isa. 8.20 And then puts this Emphasis upon it No Light George Mark that Your false Pretences to the Light within are here over-rul'd Ibid. I deny that our Pretences to the Light within is either false or are here over-rul'd if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Morning to them If he 'll see the Note from the Hebrew in some Bibles he may see no Morning in the Margin over against no Light Then let him Mark that But is there no Light in the Creation before Morning either inward or outward pray Did not the Light shine in Darkness before it shined out of Darkness And had not the Believers a more sure Word of Prophecy whereunto they did well to take heed as unto a Light shining in a dark place until the Day dawned and the Day-star arose in their Hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 And are not many reproved by the Light in them for telling Lies and speaking contrary to the Word c. And therefore there was some true Light in them before the Morning appeared to them And though my Accuser says Ibid. These and such-like Texts detect and explode the miserable Ignorance and Blasphemy of these Pretenders to Light For which we have