Popery, superstition, ignorance, and knavery, very unjustly by a letter in the general pretended; but as far as was charg'd, very fully proved upon the dissenters that were concerned in the Surey imposture. / By Zach. Taylor.

  • Taylor, Zachary, 1653-1705.
Date:
MDCXCVIII
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Popery, superstition, ignorance, and knavery, very unjustly by a letter in the general pretended; but as far as was charg'd, very fully proved upon the dissenters that were concerned in the Surey imposture. / By Zach. Taylor. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    'Wc now may pafs to the fearful Story of one Darrel a Devil-monger, that purged out fteven Devils at a time, cut of feven Women, See. And this Man you fay you will not vindicate, p. 15. But the Reafon I fup- pofe is, becaufe you cannot- for notwithftand'ing your Word, you fir It clofe upon it; and you obferve, 1. That the Relator of this Story is accufed by the Learned Bilhop Vfhcr, as a partial and fabulous Hiftorian : My Friend fliouId have told us where. But he goes on to pafs his own Judgment upon him, and cenfures that Book of Dr. Beylins for a Farce of Diabolical Sto¬ ries, and malignant malicious peflettiens upon all Parties , p. 15. 1 have read of a fort of Men that fay, Our ljps are cur own , who is Lord over us ? And fuch an one I fuppofe my Friend is. For (ince*T writ the Surey Impoftor, I have feen Dr. BarneJFs Book againft Darrel; and if Dr. Beylin hath been as fincere in his other Colle&ions, as he was in this, a more faithful Hiftorian, that was not Infpired, did never fet Pen to Paper. The only thing that feems in any thing the lead: to diferedit it, is the Opinion of Bilhop Ball; to which I reply, That that Great Man was but a Youth when Darrel plaid thefe Tricks, for the Bilhop was born Anno 1574. and Darrel pradifeth with Katharin Wright, 1586. when the Bilhop was but 12 Years old, and from her proceeds to the red. And the Bilhop being born at Afhly de la Zfuch, his Friends polfibly might be fome of Darrel's Admirers, and fo in- fufe fuch an Opinion of Darrel into him in his Youth, as afterwards he was not able to remove. Befides, it doth not appear that the Bilhop ever perus’d Dr. Barneft's Book, and fo might retain his Prejudices imbibed from his Neigh¬ bours ; tor the fcarcenefs of the Book could make one guels, that it underwent the fame Fate with that of his Friends Surey Impoftor is faid to meet with, to be bought up by the Party, and burnt. Be the Opinion of that lingle Bilhop what it will, I think I have the Judg¬ ment of a whole Convocation to oppofe unto it, and that in the Canon where my Friend^finds the Popilh Word Obfeffion, whence he thinks it probable the Dilfenters had the Word, and not from the Papids. And probable enough it may be fo ; for the Dilfenters finding the pretence there Cenfured, out of that Spirit of Contradiction to the Church of England, which they moftly adfc by , may be fuppofed not only to make ufe of the Word, but the Impofture alfo, which is there con¬ demned. But let us infpedf the Canon, Can. 72. which prohibits all Minifters without Licence obtained. To attempt, upon any pretence what ft ever, either of Pojfeffion or Obfeffion, by Fafting and Prayer , to caft out any Devil or Devils , under Pain of the Imputation of Impo¬ fture or Coftnage, and Depofttion from the Miniftry. Now would my Friend know the Reafon which that Convocation had for making this Canon : I muft remind him, that the Noife which B Dane!