witness the testimony of my Brethren the prophets that went before me who have left an example on record of suffering affliction and of patience and we count them happy who endure Elisha was a Plough-man and when the Word of the Lord came to him he left the plough and obeyed the Word of the Lord And his call was lawful Amos was a Herdsman and a gatherer of Sycamore fruit and the Lord took him as he was following the Flock and the Lord said unto him Go prophesie unto my people Israel and he obeyed the Word of the Lord and prophesied In the Kings Chappel and in the Kings Court and his calling was lawful And I do witness the same call who was a Husbandman and had a Vinyard and gathered fruit till the Word of the Lord came and called me from it and he turned my mind within enlightned my understanding and opened the Creation to me and let me 〈◊〉 the Vinyard without was but a figure and that I must come into his Vineyard to labour in his Work and gathering fruit without was but a figure for there is fruit within to be gathered A possession wirhout was but a figure there was a possession and an inheritance to be enjoyed within and that figures must pass away to come to the everlasting inheritance which is within which never fades away out of time into that which is Eternal And for this cause and by this Word did I forsake Father and Mother Lands and Livings House and Vineyard to follow Jesus Christ and do whatsoever he commands me And this Call I witness to be lawful and the Word of the Lord is gone forth to command Sons and Daughters to prophesie in his Name and thâ—y have no other call and they go as they ate commanded as ever the true prophets of the Lord did if it be to the Kings Chappel or to the Kings Palace or to the Synagogues or into the Cities or Markets to declare against sin and iniquity and where they see the people given to idolatry and prophaneness their spirit being raised up by the power of the Lord and by the Word of the Lord do they declare against it and they have no other Call but the Word of the Lord and they have a cloud of Witnesses for all the Prophets of the Lord spoke from this Word and for speaking the Word of the Lord as they were commanded were persecuted imprisoned and put in dungeons and were made a derision daily to all that were about them as Jeremiah was and was smitten and put in the stocks Jer. 20.2 and Daniel was cast into the Lyons Den for declaring the Word of the Lord Dan. 6.16 Amos was commanded not to prophesie any more in the Kings Chappel Amos 7.13 And the Apostles were imprisoned beaten scourged and persecuted from City to City and straitly commanded to speak no more in that Name And for declaring the Word of the Lord did all the Prophets Apostles and holy Men of God suffer And the Word of the Lord is the same now and the persecutors the same and those who are sent of the Lord now and called out of their own Countrey as they were then to declare his Word against your sin and ungodliness which you live in Magistrates Priests and pâ—ople you call them Wanderers and Vagrant persons who have no lawful calling What would you say by him who said The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head Luke 9.58 And the Jews said This fellow we know not from whence he is John 9.29 You may say Paul was a wandering person who had no certain dwelling place 1 Cor. 4.11 and those who wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being afflâ—ctâ—d and tormented of whom the world was not worthy they had tryals of cruel mockings scourgings and imprisonment they were stoned hewn asunder and despightfully used Heb. 11.36 37. And you shew your selves to be in the same generation mocking scourging those whom ye are not worthy to receive But all you dear ones servants of the living God blessed are you when men shall revile you and speak all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you Mat. 5.11 12. You are in the same nature and generation of those who said unto Christ Depart out of our coasts And saith Christ As they have done unto me so shall they do unto you And now I witness the same things to be fulfilled Do not you say as they did Depart out of our City and teach in thy own Countrey And the same generation called Paul a pestilent fellow a mover of sedition and the Apostles would turn the World up-side-down and the Jews said they had a Law That if any confest he was the Son of God he should dye and they said Christ was a blasphemer and Christ was crucified and the Apostles persecuted by them and all under pretence of blasphemy heresie and sedition and as it was then so it is now for they who come to witness Jesus Christ come in the flesh and boâ—h sons and daughters who come to witness the promise of the Father fulfilled in them as he hath said I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie And they who come to witness this fulfilled you say they are blasphemers and not worthy to live in the Natition and all those who will not lye and swear and use deceit but yea and nay such a one cannot have trading in your Markets for none can buy nor sell who have not the mark of the Beast upon him but he who loveth and telleth a lye hath the most priviledge and advantage among you O wicked and adulterous generation thy wo and misery is coming upon thee for the Lord is appearing who is come and coming to cleanse the Land of evil-doers This I was moved to declare from the Spirit of my Father dwelling in mr as a Testimony of his Eternal Love and Power made manifest in me and all who come to know the Power of God which is but one do witness me and all who despise the Power of the Lord this is for a testimony against them from the Lord by his Servant who is a Prisoner for the Truths sake whose Earthly Name is Chester the 12. day of the 12 th Month called February 1653. Richard Hubberthorn I came to Chester about the 29 th of the 9 th Month. The end of the first Book A Reply to a Book set forth by the Priest of Berwick who writes R. Sherlock which was an Answer to some Queries set forth to him by them whom he calls Quakers who writes himself Batchellor of Divinity and a Diviner he is proved REader This is the word of the Lord to thee Take heed unto the Light Christ hath enlightened
bodily appearence and his person removed from us yet is his new-Name written among us and his Memory can never die for his Spirit still lives to praise the Lord and the life which breathed forth through that vessel cannot be removed away for it is the Infinite Immortal Eternal Life which dwells in Sons and Daughters now upon the Earth and though his outward man be put off yet he lives always in Spirit for he was a Servant of the living God upon Earth in his day E. B. These few lines were sent to London from G. F. since R. H. laid down the body DEar Innocent Richard as Innocent a man as liveth on the Earth whose Innocency manifested it self and his life is amongst us and dead he yet liveth Who never turned his back but Conquered through truth but trampled upon all evill spirits and went over them who for the truth laid down his life and in it liveth and resteth G. F. Dear Friends RIchard Hubberthornes Love was very Great to all the Flock of God and in the time of his health he was a faithful Labourer in the worke of the Lord and that you well know and in the time of his sickness he did Express much Love to Friends and was greatly refreshed in them indeed he was a Vessel filled with a mighty Waighty Spirit and all those who by that spirit were drawn near him might see know and feel him and many there are that have a witness saying in them Even so it was indeed he was hid from many and to them unknown and therefore not prized and now the Lord hath taken him into his own bosome and many were not worthy of him my whole family misseth him for in the time of his health and sickness he was a precious Example and in his sickness he minded not one person more than another but often smileing minded neither life nor death Visible but was filled with the Invisible So that his mind was redeemed out of visible things and severall times would say The word of the Lord is with me and sayed that Faith which hath wrought my salvation I well know and have grounded satisfaction in it but Faith as touching visible things it was not much matter for minding of it and said I have more in me then I am free to Declare as concerning Living or dying he had not many words all the time of his sickness but his minde was kept feeding in the retyredness within so that one might feel his strength in the still spirit which kept him so that I do not remember that ever I heard him groane all the time of his sickness the seventh day in the morning he asked for me and when I came to him he said This night or to morrow night I shall depart hence the next day in the morning understanding that he asked for me I arose went to him after a while Sitting by him he put his Arme about mee and said Do not seek to hold me for it is too strait for me and out of this straitness I must go for I am wound into largeness and am to be lifted up on high far above all so in the Evening being the first day of the weeke and the 17th of the 6 month he lâ—ft the Body This I was free to give forth because in the time of his sickness sometimes I kept friends from him desireing that he might have slept and hoping that therein he might have been refreshed These words before mentioned so near as I can remember are his own words as they came from him London the 6th M. 1662. Your Dear Friend Sarah Blackberry The Table of the Books following A True testimony of obedience to the heavenly Call c. page 1 An Answer to R. Sherlock of Berwick page 7 The Mittimus answered by which R. H. was sent prisoner to Norvvich Castle in the year 1654 page 37. A true testimony of the Zeal of Oâ—ford professors and University men who for Zeal persecute the servants of the Living God following the â—xample of their bretheren of Cambridge page 41. Two Epistles to Friends during his imprisonment in Norwich Castle page 45 Some Queryes for you to answer who hold forth this testimony to the â—eople that Christ is a Creature page 49 The Innocency of the righteous seed of God cleared from all slandeâ—ous tongues and false accusers page 51 The distance between flesh and Spirit c. page 64 The Horn of the Hee Goate broken c. page â—3 The Light of Christ within proved to be sufficient to lead unto Goâ— page 1 Truth and Innocencie Clearing Its self its Children c. page 2 The Rebukes of a Reviler fallen upon his own head page 86 The cause of stumbling removed from all that will receive the Truth and from before the Eyes of the wise men of London page 154. An Epistle concerning the Sufferings of friends shewing the Priests wickedness and persecutions page 198 A Call to the Ministry according to the Scriptures contrary to that Call which is of man and by man page 203 The reall cause of the Nations bondage and slavery and the way of their freedom from their sore and hard bondage asserted page 217 An Answer to a Declaration putt forth by the Generall consent of â—he people called Anabaptists in and about the City of London 225 A Coppie of a paper sent to the Councell in the year 1659. p. 234 A word of wisdom and Counsell to the officers and Souldiers of the Army in England c. 235. An answer to the oath of Allegiance and supremacy from the people called Quakers page 239. Antichristian sin reproved and the doctrine of Christ and his apostles justified against swearing page 242 An Answer to a Book called A just defence and Vindication of Gospell ministers and Gospel Ordinances page 252 Something that lately passed in discourse between the King and R. H. page 268. R. H. His answer to Iohn Horne page 273. A short Relation of the twelve changes of Government that hath been in England within these eight years under all of which we have suffered persecution page 276. An Epistle to Friends page 284 Another Epistle to Friends page 287 Reasons why no Imposition ought to be upon mens Consciences by any but the Lord page 288. REader it is desired that what faults thou find'st have escaped the Press in the ensuing treatise to correct with thy Pen where thou can'st not friendly to pass them by for by reason of the present difficulty of having Friends Books printed therewith came out with those Errata's which othervvise might be amended A true Testimony of Obedience to the Heavenly Call for which I suffer the losse of all things that I may be found in obedience to him who hath called me A Servant of the Lord and a Prisoner for the Testimony of Jesus whom he hath called by his grace to deny the World and am made partaker of his sufferings being in outward bonds by the
Son of God and immediate miraculous revelation and sayest there is no need of any such qualifications now therefore doth all your Teachers shew forth your railing and slanders but these things we wave for God will give you you lyars your portion who hath not the same knowledge and understanding that the Apostles had and here thou hast shamed thy mother that is adulterated from the Apostles life Pr. Our gifts are from the spirit of God though studied for with these means that are outward and moral c. Rep. Here I charge thee to be a Lyar in the presence of God the gift of God is a free gift it is not studyed for nor is it gotten by moral means and if it were studied for and found in outward means then it were not a free gift and here thou hast made it manifest that thou knowest not the gift of God for it is not him that wills nor him that runs but God that shews mercy So thou blasphemer for shame blush Pr. No man can be wise without the spirit of wisdom nor knowing without the spirit of knowledge so no man can pray as he ought without the spirit of prayer p. 71. Rep. In thy answer to the first query thou sayest you do not attain the same koowledge and understanding of the Gospel as the Apostles did then if thou have not the same knowledge and understanding it is all deceit for in thy own words thou sayest you cannot not pray without the spirit knowledge and understanding and thou sayest you do not attain the same knowledge and understanding the Apostles had then thou hast not the same spirit of love to pray withall and thou sayest you cannot pray without the spirit yet thou goes and tells people of a Gospel and hath not the same knowledge and understanding the Apostles had therefore thy knowledge is bruitish Jer. 10.14 Psal. 92.6 Psal â—9 8 Pr. That we may according to the Catholick Faith worship one God in Trinity Rep. For these things which thou tells people of there is no Scripture as Catholick Faith and Trinity and of three persons Pr. The second kind of the holy Spirits impressions on humane souls page 78. Rep. There is no Scripture which speaks of humane souls for the soul thou knows not who art a murtherer with thy Deity stuff who would dit up the way from God but praises be to the living God who hath given his sons and daughters eyes to see thee and all your Deity stuff which you imitate who are whoredomed from God but the Saints of the most high God do sing over it and you halelujah to God who witness their souls redeemed And there is abundance of stuff in that Book which thou calls the discourse of the Spirit which is not worth mentioning and abundance of lyes and slanders but them we pass as knowing the author of lyes from whence they come is for destruction And in page 95 thou speaks of Timothy studying for his gift Did he study for his gift or for the proving of it and dividing of the word aright but he did not study for it for the gift of God is a free-gift And in another place thou speaks of the blessing of God being upon your studies but I say the curse of God is upon your studies who have not the same knowledge and understanding that the Apostles had and so preaches another gospel Pr. And most blasphemously to profess and boast of an equality with God p. 66. Rep. Thy boasting is excluded without in thy generation and thou art excluded from the life and mind of the Apostle who said Let the same mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2.5 6. and this thou calls blasphemy and so thou hast shewed what spirit thou art of contrary to the Apostle Pr. And for our new sect of Enthusiasts had they the spirit of God as they pretend abiding in them and speaking in them c. Rep. All pretences and sects are denyed where the Spirit of God dwells though with thy generation such was ever called so And that is thy own who hath made a discourse of the Spirit and here thou art clearly from them that the Spirit of God spoke in and did abide in them which Spirit of God did descend into their hearts which Spirit God hath given to every one to profit withall and the Spirit of the Father speaketh in you saith Christ Mat. 10.20 take no thought and in many places thou art speaking of a study and blessing a study Here thou art contrary to Christ who saith Take no thought and art of the Devil And here I charge thee to be one of them that Jeremy speaks of who speaks a vain divination of thine own heart Pr. As here Angels are Spirits and the souls of men are Spirits but God is not a Spirit as they are Spirits pag 57. Rep. This is confusion for Christ said God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and there thou art raced out to be without the doctrine of Christ. Pr. 'T is the very ground whereupon this last upstart crew of Quakers build all their resolutions and strange fanatick opinions and heresies even that which they call the light within us whereunto we must only give ear pag. 112. Rep. O thou impudent God will make the an example thou lying spirit Is the Light which Christ hath enlighned every one withall that comes into the world a strange fanatick opinion which one he loves it and the other he hates it and he that hates it it is condemnation Here thou art against Christ and the Apostles for the Apostle did exhort the Saints to take heed unto the light within them untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts O thou Lyar did the Prophet cal the truel light a deceit of the heart or is the light of God a false vision Christ Jesus which doth enlighten every one that comes into the world which is witnessed among the Quakers and he that walks in the Light shall have the Light of Life and thou that hates this light speaks a divination of thy own brain and a lying imagination and with this Light of Christ thou shalt be condemned thou blasphemer who calls the Light of Christ heresie and fanatick opinions but here thou dost but fill up the measure of thy Fathers who calls this Light which is Christ in us Heresie p. 113. To all you Readers of his Book I speak to the Light of Christ in you which if you love it it will bring you to weigh and comprehend his words and if you walk in it you shal have the light of life and you that hate it it shal be your Condemnation when the book of Conscience is opened you shal witness that I speak the truth to every one of your souls R. Sherlock thou bids them beware
minding of his Light within them whereby they should be led to believe in him which saith They that are born of the spirit is spirit and that they must first be born before they caâ— enter into the Kingdom of God Again pag. 29. saith That of such corruption as David was guilty of in the matter of Uriah want of Light to guide in the way of happiness is a chief part Ans. David did not want Light as the cause or chief part of his sin but was disobedient unto the Light which he had received and that was the cause why he did the thing that was sin against the Lord but in this as in the rest of thy Book thou wouldst charge all iniquity upon the want or insufficiency of the Light and not upon the creatures disobedience to it and so contrary to the Scriptures would make mans destruction not to be of himself or his separation from God not to be by his sins but the insufficiency of the Lights and so accuseth the Light and not the darkness and accuseth God â—nd not the disobedient man and so aâ—t become a fighter against God Christ his Light and servants and hereby thou â—rives to serve the wicked one who rules by the power of â—arkness in the disobedient by raising thy strong Arguments â—nd Reasons against the sufficiency of the Light to lead God â—ome of which arguments I shall mention that thereby people â—ay understand all the rest which are empty and foolish as to â—hat which thou intends them Argument from Psal. 81.11 12. But my people would not hearâ—en to my voice and Israel would none of me so I gave them up to their â—wn hearts lusts c. Wheâ—ce I argue That Light in man cannot be a â—afe sufficient guide to a man in his way to God to which the leaving 〈◊〉 person is reckoned as the greatest curse and judgement but to leave a â—erson to his own imagination and lust to walk in his own counsel which 〈◊〉 all one as to leave him to the Light within him Ans. Thy Argument is not agreeable unto this Scripture â—hich thou makes as the ground of it for because Israel did not hearken to God's voice noâ— would none of him therefore he gave them up to their own hearts lusts therefore saist thou â—he Light is not a sufficient Guide First thou shouldst have â—roved that the Light of Israel which is a fire Isa. 10.17 and â—he holy one as a flame was not sufficient and thou shouldest have proved that the giving of them up to their own hearts â—usts was a giving of them up to that Light within them In â—his thy false and foolish Argument thou saist that God reckonâ— it the greatest curse to leave a man to the Light in him which Light before thou hast confessed to be spiritual and to be the Light of the knowledge of God and now thou saist To leave man to the Light is to leave man to his lusts and imaginations What is now Light become lust and imaginations Why then doth thy Brother Baxter in his Epistle tell us that it is to be hearkened to and obeyed What are you now agreed to call the Light darkness or lust and when you have done so that men may hearken unto it and obey it Here is breaking of the command and teaching others to do so In page 68. of thy Book thou tells us That the Teachers of the Law did teach many things right about God's Being Works Worship and yet thou saist that in other things they were as blind as Molds But in this hast thou not much more condemned thy self to be more blind then they are for they taught Christ aright about God's Being Works and Worship but thou hast taught things false about these things for the Teachers of the Law did never say That to leave men to the Light was the greatest curse but said That Light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Psal. 97.11 And said also that the path of the just is as the shining Light Neither did they ever call the Light lust nor imagination as thou hast done but when thou art sober and seest thy confusion consider whether it be not rather the greatest curse and judgment from God to leave a man to his own darkness and ignorance as thou art because he hates and despiseth the Light which should lead him to knowledge and understanding of God and of his ways and is it not Justice in God to give you up to the darkness of your own hearts and lust which thou falsly calls Light seeing it is your daily exercise to study pâ—each print against the sufficiency of Christ's Light which people should believe in and obey and which is the path of the just and way to God out of that darkness which hath blinded your eyes even so far that you cannot see your own words much less the Truth of God as it is manifest unto them that walk in his Light And in thy next Argument thou sayest That because the Mysterie of God was hid and Life and Immortality not brought to light to the Gentiles therefore they had not a light within them as a sufficient guide to God Ans. Thou mightest as well have said in plain words That Christ who was given a Light to the Gentiles was not able to reveal the mysterie of God nor bring life and immortality to light because some were ignorant of it but contrary to thy false Argument Christ was given a Light to the Gentiles wâ—ich light did reveal the mysterie of God life and immortality to them who did receive him and those that did not receive him though he was given for a Light unto them because they did not receive him therefore was those things hid and not because the Light was not sufficient 1. Argument Rom. 8.9 Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Whence thou argues They have not light within them sufficient to guide them to God who have not the Spirit of God but every man hath not the Spirit of God Ergo. Ans. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall 1 Cor. 12.7 Which manifestation being obeyed is able to lead man to God so that there is no insufficiency in the Spirit or Light in which God hath manifested something to every man and therefor if every man be not guided by it unto God it is because he doth not sufficiently obey and follow it 12. Argument From Matthew 11.27 John 14.16 Where thou Argues they had not a light within them sufficient to guide them to God to whom the Son did not reveal the Father who did not go by the Son as the way to the Father but the Son did not reveal the Father to every man nor did every man come to Christ John 1.5.10 Ergo. Ans. The cause why they had not life and did not come to the Father was because
Nation who in their covetousness after money piercing thâ—mselves through with many hurtful lusts having erred from the faith and having exceeded the false Prophets in other generations for their ill savour is so come up before the Lord that he will cause even their own breath to devour them and their own confusions to make them ashamed But we have also to war against spiritual wickedness in high places and the powers of darkness under the form of godliness and the Beast which is risen out of the Earth which hath Horns like a Lamb but is as a Lyon but with one Light are they seen and with one Power are they judged and the secret counsel of the Lord is the strength of them that fear him in which we reign over all the ways of unrighteousness and works of darkness in what appearance soever they come And now to thee Jonathan Clapham and the rest of thy company art thou not ashamed to go under the Name of a Minister of Christ and take Tythes and sue men for Tythes and thou to number thy self and take hand with them that are persecuting and casting slanders upon the innocent And dost thou set forth thy Refuge of lyes and dost not thou think that all people that read thy book made up with lyes will not see it that fear God and know that will return upon thy pate had there been no Reply to it The day hath dâ—clared thee a witness shall rise up in thee against thee and thy lyes that is the Word of the Lord God to thee What you that be call'd Independents now should be setting up your Refuge of lyes and publish them to the chief Magistrates of the Nation they will not refuge under them who be under the shadow of the Almighty who do believe and obey the Truth and fear God! And what you that be called Independents sue men for Tythes cast men in prison for tythes O shame cover your lips and faces and you are they the wicked Seeds-men to sow your lyes abroad and to proclaim thy self a lyar to all the Nation to say that the Quakers deny prayer dost thou not think all the Nation will see thee and you to be lyars who have proclaâ—med your selves to be lyars in saying the Quakers be Enemies â—o prayer We are satisfied and a thousand of people concerning you your lyes and slanders and do see into what you run and do beseech the Lord to forgive you for you have a lamentable cup to drink for you do nâ—t know what you have done in this great day of the Lord and what you have stood against and is it not a shame for thee and you that are called Independents to take Tythes of them and to sue them up to London for tythes that you do no work for and to cast them into prison that cannot put into your mouths whom you do not labour for Was ever such a company of Ministers of unrighteousness known in any age And is not all this your fighting against the Saints and opening your mouths against them because they cannot put into your mouths and give you tythes and filthy lucre and gifts and rewards and hire To demand hire of them that have not hired you is not this unrighteous You know not what spirit you are of nor what Cup you are to drink of the Lord forgive you And as for thy Book all people that fear God will be satisfied with reading of it And I tell thee and all them that are called Independents in the Nation that are suing persecuting and imprisoning unto death for tythes that there is something raised up in the hearts of the people that will not believe lyes and many of them are so far satisfied that they know that your Books are but envy and malice and stuft full of lyes and prejudice against the innocent and the Truth and some of you have a mad blind zeal in persecuting and imprisoning to death but the Lord will be glorified in your folly who will carry his Lambs in his Arms and the more you write and speak against Truth the more your blindness madness aod folly and lyes and dislike to the people that fear God appears and your speaking against truth hath advantaged truth against your folly and madness but out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hath the Lord ordained strength and the Lord and his high hand is with them Art not thou and you such as the Apostle spoaks of that serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but your own bellies who mind Earthly things the evil Beasts the Apostles speak of the slow bellies Have not you all stained your selves with this Have not your fruits declared your Earthly minds and worse than Balaam who sue them for tythes you do no work for doth not this load the innocent Are you them that keep the Gospel without charge O hide your selves for shame the day is appearing that the evil beasts shall go into Dens and men shall go to their labour but ye keep men from their labours while you are abroad ravening in the Earth Are you them that keep the Gospel without charge that now call your selves Ministers that are suing people for tythes and if they wâ—ll not give it you cast them into prison Now are you not clearly proved to be them that the Apostle bids us turn from that are covetous and make merchandize of the people which have the form of godliness but deny the power which the Apostle bids us turn from which teaches for handfuls of Barley and Corn which have the love of money which is the root of all evil which while you have coveted after you have erred from the Faith and pierced your selves through with many hurtful lusts which the man of God is to flye as you may read in Timothy and Titus who are given to filthy lucre and strikers and the covetous are disapproved to be Ministers of Christ. Now its manifest that you are given to filthy lucre strikers and covetous and do teach for filthy lucre and will have lucre of them you do not teach to Your glory is defacing and your beauty staining God will stain it whose end is teaching for filthy lucre you will force people to give you filthy lucre and do not teach them 'T is a shame to speak of the things you do how such peoples goods are spoiled who cannot give you Tythes or filthy lucre which know in their consciences you to be the false Teachers for filthy lucre take aâ—ay that your preaching would quickly down this makes you so mad and enrageâ— like a Lyon that wants his prey against them that put not into your mouths Consider there is a check come upon you to the Light in all your Consciences I speak which Christ hath enlightened you withall which lets you see your Saviour if you love it and if you hate it it 's your condemâ—ation And so I am clear of your blood be it upon your own heads And
he hath affiâ—med And again consider that Heaven is God's Throne and the place of his rest And whether God can dwell in the Heavens and have no unity with them with his own Throne and with the place of his rest And consider whether there was ever such a doctrine preached or believed among the sons of men from Abel unto this day there is no record of such a Doctrine neither in the Scriptures Histories Heathens Pagans nor others therefore it is now fit to be recorded or put in Chronicle that all may see what a doctrine is crept into the World and that all may see that Night is come upon all such Prophets that they have no vision nor knowledge of God nor his wayes And this is the man that hath set himself to oppose and gainsay the truth and is a daily reproacher of those that walk in it yet professeth himself to be a Minister of Christ and those whose hearts are upright towards God is he reviling comparing them to Papists Hereticks Scribes and Pharises Indians and such like but to none of those in these things before-mentioned neither to Scribe Pharisee Pope Turk Indian or Alcaron can he be compared for they have been all restrained by something of God in them from writing so blasphemously against God and Christ and the Holy Ghost the Soul Heaven and Union and the Saints as he hath done And so this is another Gospel than that which was preached by Christ and his Apostles and so by the Spirit of God to be accursed for ever And whereas he saith That the union between God and believers cannot be comprehended by the Saints here he charges a lye upon the Saints and speaks contrary to the Scriptures 1 Joh. 1.7 1 Joh. 4.15 1 Joh. 5.20 for the Saints did witnesse union with God here for he that sanctified and they that are sanctified were one they said they were of God and the whole World lyeth in wickedness as he is so are we in this present World they comprehend with all Saints the heighth and length and the breadth of the love of God while they are in the world Now whoever would have believed it that the teachers in England had been so blind or durst have spoken so contrary to the Scriptures they professing them so much to be their rule and learning so long and studying so much to get the Letter of them but now is found both out of the Letter and Life but now the day of God is risen in his peoples hearts and they are seen to be such before their books come forth and now that which they were judged to be before they published themselves in print comes forth that all the world may see that the judgment of God is true from his servants upon them and that all the Rulers of the Nation may see that such are not fit to be held up but be cried against and if any should by a Law give such the tenth parts of mens estates they may expect that by the righteous Law of God ten parts of theirs may be taken away and given to strangers so if any people maintain this doctrine they maintain that which the curse of God comes upon and if they come not out from it will be partakers of the plague And again as concerning Hell Clapham saith that men are not in Hell while they are upon earth And here is another lye Answ. The Prophet said while he was upon earth thou hast redeemed my soul out of hell and Jonah said Out of the belly of hell cryed I unto thee and so the believers doctrine was contrary to Claphams for they knew both heaven and hell while they were upon earth and a redeeming out of the one into the other by Jesus Christ. Again he accuseth Peter saying that he speaks of the divine Nature being communicated to the Saints but understands divine graces Answ. The Apostle doth not speak one thing and understand another as the Priests do for he speaks with the Spirit and with understanding and knows how to divide the word of God aright who spoke unto them that had escaped the corruption which is in the world through lust and knew what it was to be partakers of the divine nature but herein the wickedness of this Priest is manifest who would keep people from being made partakers of the divine Nature and would shut up the kingdom of heaven from men while they are upon earth Again he accuseth the Corinthians in the 33. page of his book to be the ancient Hereticks who were baptized for the dead Ans. Those who were baptized for the dead was no Hereticks neither did they deny the resurrection of the dead though Paul said How say some among you that there is no Resurrection of the dead yet he did not call those that were baptised for the dead Hereticks for those that were baptised for the dead and stood in jeopardy every hour did believe the resurrection of the dead and did wait for it and did not deny it as Clapham saith who hath proceeded on in his book with many of the like false accusations against us also but it is a small matter for us to be judged by such a one for herein is but Christs words fulfilled As they have done unto me so shall they do unto you for neither Christ nor the Apostles nor the Church of God hath escaped his accusation for Luk. 6.26 Wo unto you saith Christ when all men speak well of you for so did they of the false Prophets but blessed are you when men shall speak all manner of evil against you falsly for my names sake for great shall your reward be in heaven now though against us all manner of evil be spoken falsly in the Book before mentioned yet in truth do we stand out of it all and over it all and our accuser is found in the evil and vve clear And as for the 13. Sect. wherein he hath wearied himself for very vanity hath he proved nothing against us but against himself in which he hath said that we are enemies to the holy Scriptures and deny Christ come in the flesh also his death and resurrection and that we have said that Christs flesh perished and that we own not the man Christ in the Heavens as pag. 11. and chargeth us to say that he did not ascend into heaven is not at the right hand of God shall not come to judge the world pag. 12. Again Whereas Clapham saith we deny prayer the Lords Supper and Water-baptism and giving of thanks at meals and singing of Psalms Ans. This is false as his own writing and confession will witness against him which in a former Letter said that I prayed three times at one Meeting and now in this book saith we deny prayer Here confusion is grown into impudency and lyes are made his proofs Again he saith we deny the â—ords Supper yet confesseth we own eding on Christs flesh Now Christ saith
the Gospel is to be preached unto which is able to receive believe and obey it which if not received believed and obeyed is their coâ—demnation 2 And what and where that light is which every man must be turned unto before they can receive the remission of their sins 3 And whether that be not in the Heathens which if they obey not will be their condemnation though they have never heard nor seen the Scriptures and what is it that is the condemnation of such 4 And whether any things which is not spiritual and eternal can condemn the creature from God for not obeying it 5 And whether such have not the Gospel who have not seen nor heard the Apostles writings and what the Gospel is which they that disobey the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against though they have not known the Letter 6 And whether any be condemned for disobeying that which they do not know 7 And whether that in all which are come into the world by which they are justly condemned disobeying it is not able and sufficient to lead them to life eternal obeying it 8 And whether such who speak good words to the people and they themselves be out of the life of them be not deceivers and cannot profit the people at all 9 And whether ever any was sent of the Lord to preach that to others that was not fulfilled in themselves 10 And whether the Gentiles have not that light in them which justifies them that believe in it 11 And whether thou be in the life of all that which thou preachest to others und be a witness of it if thou hadst not seen the Scriptures 12 What is it to be baptized for the dead and whether they who were baptized for the dead did not deny the resurrection of the dead 13 Did Christ own the praying of the Pharisees in the Synagogues or did he not call them heathens and what was it that made them Heathens seeing they were Jews after the flesh Whether was it not their idolaâ—rous worship and oppressing the people and is not this your mark and proof by Christs words 14 Is there any unrighteouser trade in the Nation then the Priests in selling the Letter for they will have money of them that do not buy of them as they have of them that have agreed with them and hired them 15 Is there ever a Tradesman in the Nation so unrighteous that sells his wares on the week day as the Priests do on the first day to take money of them and compel them to pay money they sell nothing to 16 Is there ever a poor hireling or hedger or labourer in the Nation that will force people that have not hired them nor set them at labour to pay them money would not this be an unrighteous thing in those labourers and hirelings as the Priests do take of them that have not hired them nor set them on work is this a righteous thing let all honest hearts judge 17 Whether would not the Priests account it an unrightâ—ous and unequal thiâ—g in us to compel them to repair our Meeting-houses in every County and to give us summs of money and if so whether are they yet come to the royal Law of Liberty to do unto all men as they would men should do unto them and if short of the Law much more of 〈◊〉 Gospel 18 Are not you them that eat mens bread for nought Mark eat mens bread for nought to whom you do nothing for and to pluck it out of the mouths of fathers and children I wish that you were either in the Law or in the Gospel for then some of your practises ways or words might be justified which now they cannot therefore learn wisdom while you may see your folly which now is made manifest with the truth Richard Hubberthorn The Horn of the He-Goat broken OR An Answer to Tho. Winterton his Book which he affirmeth to be A chasing of the young Quaking Harlot out of the City which if those that he writes against be not by it chased out of the City then all may take him to be a false Prophet which reads what he hath affirmed by his Book to be brought to pass To the READER READER THE time is come and coming wherein the God of Heavenis setting up his Kingdome which is not carnal but spiritual and establishing his throne in righteousness the day is appeared and appearing wherein all that oppose him shall be ashamed Now when he is declaring his righteousness and his saving health in the Nations and now the Man of Sin and Antichrist is discovered and the hidden things is brought to light and now when his enemies cannot hide themselves any longer but their shame must appear who are covered and not with the spirit of the Lord Therefore I say because the Lord in his mercy hath caused his marvellous light to arise in the earth the Prince of darkness is angry and all his subjects because their judgment draws nigh and their strength must be thrown down And as the Lord hath made manifest his light more then in some generations past Therefore the rage of the old Dragon is greater and his Angels and instruments who are to be taken with the Beast and the false Prophet and shut up in the pit and sealed in utter darkness for ever and therefore he is come forth in his power and his strength and all his subjects every one with such weapons as they have some with clubs some with prisons whippings reproaches and mockings some with their corrupt sensual wisdom to oppose some with lyes and slanders but all is at work to defend their Masters Kingdom and would not have the man to rule Christ Jesus who will judge all their unrighteousness and bring down the Beast out of his seat amongst whom thou mayest see Tho. Winterton sitting near his Master unto whom he is fallen upon the throen of unrighteousness In a former Book he denied any thing above nature to guide man and in this his last book would judge of us by his evil consequence and he hath denied that he hath any thing that is infallible but he saith he judges by his imaginary faculty and he judges us in the 15. page to be Harlots because we speak plain language as Thou and so hath made all the holy men of God Harlots and Adulterers who used the same and so blasphemously against the spirit of truth hath set himself and makes lyes his refuge as the rest of the Dragons Army do and therefore these few things mind wherein his shame is laid open and his lyes denied and his sensual Queries answered which rose from his imaginary faculty And so take heed Reader thou come noâ— in the way of the lyars nor lend thy ear to the wicked but mind the light of Christ Jesus which will shew thee men of corrupt minds and corrupt things and seeing in the single eye In vain doth the Fowler spread his net in
because he said that all strife and contention and revenge was of the flesh and of the Divel and to be condemned with the light which testimony is also true and this testimony can we never deny nor change from And whereas thou bringest his salutation to contradict that where he saith Make war in righteousnesse against Gog and Magog and prepare for the Lord. Herein thou hast manifested thy blindness which cannot see the war which stands in righteousnesse from that which proceeds from the lust but as thou hast imagined carnally of all the things of God which was spoken from the same spirit and so as well may thou make lyes and pervert our words as thou dost the Scriptures and now having published many lyes against us thou makest a profession of thy own condition that all people may see froâ— what thou judgest us to be in delusion thy words are these Now forasmuch as I have not an infallâ—ble spirit infallibly to interpret what may be intended in these revengfull expositions notwithstanding my imaginary faculty might find ground enough of bad consequence in them yet I shall leave them to better judgments as in the ninth page of thy book Ans. Thy now leaving of us to better judgments or to them that have the spirit of truth will not excuse thee for what thou hast done already that hath had nothing to judge us by all this while that thou hast spoken and written against us but evill consequences out of thy imaginary faculty How art thou fallen from what thou seemedst to pretend against us in thy books as if thou hadst known that we had held forth false Doctrine or intended a carnall war because we spake of a war in righteousnesse But now thou speakest plainly that thou hast not the spirit of Truth truly to interpret what we intend in our expressions but leeves it to better judgments Here thou hast manifested thy self a foolish builder it had been lesse shame for thee if thou hadst not begun then having begun in thy imaginary faculties and bad consequences and now confessest thou wantest the spirit of Truth here thou hast proved thy selfe to be the Harlot and fit to be chased out of the Citie who doth raise strife accusations and lyes against the truth of God from thy imaginary faculties and bad consequence being without the spirit of truth Again in thy answer to E. B. salutation thou boasts from thy imaginary faculty and sayst in thy 11. page O thou proud presumptuous ambitious Quaker whence is thy originall thou art not yet seven yeares old and art thou the only people of the whole creation in the favour of the Almighty therefore woe be to them that live to see thee prosperous to a manly age Answ. Our original is before all ages or the number of years and before any imaginary faculties which is thy rule was and this in time being brought forth which before all times was they who are found in their imaginary faculties as thou art the woe comes upon them and thy woe and torment will increase as the truth increaseth as it was from Christ to the Jewes Scribes and Pharises in the dayes of his flesh who questioned the truth of his word from the youngnesse of his yeares as thou dost his truth now having nothing to judg with but thy imaginary faculties having nothing of infallible spirit and yet thou goes on accusing us that we deny all matter and form of worship I say where the spirit of truth is which thou sayst thou hast not there is both the matter and form of the true worship owned and not denied which spirit we have and know both the matter and form but in thy imaginary faculties there is neither And whereas thou sayest that we deny actuall obedience and the authority of the Scriptures that is false for by that authority that gave forth the Scriptures are we daily in actuall obedience to the Lord. Again thou bringest several particulars which thou callest the markes of the Harlot by which she may be known as first in her language which is to speak the word Thou to a particular person in stead of You thou wouldest make the language of the Harlot then all the Prophets Christ and the Apostles did speak the language of the Harlot and then the Scripture is translated in the language of the Harlot which doth not use the word You to any particular person But here thou hast made it more manifest to be without the spirit and to speak from thy imaginary faculties The second mark is her weapons which is saying that people is carnall and in the flesh and that they know not the light of Christ but stumble at the stumbling-stone and are in the cursed ground and that they cannot believe though the truth be declared unto them they having not the spirit but are in their sins And this thou sayest is the weapon of the Harlot Answ. Now these words were all used by the Ministers of the most high God against the Harlot as thou art manifest to be who stumbles at the stumbling-stone as it is written Romans 9.32 John 11.9 10. Here thou may see they which were no harlots told them they stumble at the stumbling-stone and told some that they were carnall 1 Corinthians 3.3 and the Prophets told them they had eyes and could not see eares and could not hear and hearts and could not understand Isaiah 44.18 and this was no marke of a Harlot in the Prophet but they whom he said was so was Harlotted from the Lord and Christ told them that they were yet in their sins and told them they should die in their sins John 8.24 if they belâ—eved not and told them they were of their father the Divell and had not known God but was from beneath John 8. And these thing in Christ was no marke of a harlot but they were harlots whom he so Judged and so thy marks discover thee The third mark Her presumption attempting to share with the Almighty And this which thou calls presumption is to be guided by God and hereby thou doth accuse all the Saints of God for they all did so far presume as to be guided by God and by his spirit and to say that all the children of the Lord should be taught of the Lord and this was no presumption nor no mark of the harlot and they said as he is so are wee in this present World and this was no presumption nor the marke of the harlot but humility if thou were not blind thou would see it The fourth mark is pretending to own the Scriptures and speak much of Religion and yet have nothing in matter form or essence Answ. This hath marked out thy condition that pretends to owne the Scriptures and professeth them and hath not that Spirit which gave them forth being guided by the imaginary faculties and so without the power and effect of that which thou professeth but we by that spirit which gave them forth
his Testimony is true saying And there are also many other things which Jesus did the which if they should be written every one I suppose that even the World it self could not contain the Books which should be written John 21.25 So that all is not written which was revealed wrote and spoken which if much more were written which was made mâ—nifest by it with that which is written could they not know the Lord their mindes being from the light of Christ which doth reveale and make manifest that which may be known of God in them And many who have the Letter and are Ministers of it are sensual having not the spirit nor the word of God nor the testimony of Jesus and their Ministry is but as Chaffe to the Wheate and the Lord is against them For what is the chaffe to the wheat saith the Lord Jeremiah 23. Is not my word like a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer breaketh the rock in pieces Now many have the letter and know not the word of the Lord as a fire neither is the rock broken with the letter and such use their tongue for it is their own and the power of the Lord is not come over it such cause the People to err and doth not profit them being not sent nor commanded of the Lord for who are sent and commanded of the Lord the Lord useth their tongueâ— to speak his words which he puts into their mouthes and such words doth profite the people and not cause them to err being spoken according to the law which is light And the testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophesie and such do witnesse the Scriptures that as they cannot be broken so they cannot be denied by the Spirit which gave them forth to be a Declaration of those things which was revealed known and believed But they are not that which they are a declaration of the letter testifies of the eternal life but it is not it neither gives it It testifies of the light of the glorious Gospel shining in the heart whih gives the light of the knowledg of the glory of God but it is not that light which gives that knowledge It testifies of the Way but Christ is the Way of the Word but God is the Word and of Redemption but Christ is the Redemption not the Letter though it testifies of Justification Sanctification but they are wrought by the Word in the grace and power of Christ and so every one who wil own the Scriptures as they were given sorth to be owned must first own that of God in them which is manifest to work in the Creature that which they testifie of that Christ the power of God they may witness working all their works in them and for them according to the Scripture But contrary to the Scripture J.S. from the root of Errour saith That the written letter is a Spirituall Arm and Sword of the Spirit and that the very power of the written letter puts Satan to flight And in the same Page saith That the Devil hath Scripture in his mouth Answ. Let the People take notice and read the Scriptures and see if there be any such thing that the Sword of the spirit was ever in the Divels Mouth for the spiritual Armour which is said to be the Word of God But the Word of God which is the sword of the Spirit is that by which he is to be destroyed and is the mystery bid from him and all that follow his lusts But though the Divell which did not abide in the truth and his Ministers who are out of the truth may take the letter in their mouthes as they have done and say it s written so but the word of the Lord is not in their moutheâ— which is the sword of the Spirit and such will use the letter in their mouthes which cannot sease from sin whose eyes are full of Adultery beguiling unstable Souls their heart being exercised with coveteous practises cursed children which have forsaken the right way and are in the Error of Baalan loving the wages of unrighteousnesse and taking them and such have the letter in their mouthes but knows not the Word of God whâ—ch who comes but know it restraines them from all such practises Again J.S. from his blindnesse and root of Error and lying heart wherein dwells no truth but much confusion saith that the letter i. e. the Scripture is the true ground of the believers Faith and again in the same page saith That Christ in the Scripture is the true Ground of Faith And to prove the former he brings Prov. 22.19 20 21. That thy trust may be in the Lord I have made known to thee this day even to thee have not I written to thee â—xcellent things in Councels and Knowledg that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee An. By this scripture the Lord is made the ground of Faith not the Letter And therefore did the Prophet make known excellent things in writing in counsel and knowledge for this end did the Apostles both preach and write that the Faith of those which heard them read their writings might not stand in the wisdom of words nor in the letter as its ground but in Christ the power of God and Christ who preached the true doctrine that in it every one might believe said to the World the Pharisees While ye have the light believe in the light that ye may be the Children of light and these had the letter but did not believe in the light which light is Christ and which light is the foundation of Faith and is the foundation of many generations in which many did believe before this letter which declares of it was written And that Faith which stands in the light and in the power of God is the ground of the Scripture letter from whence it did proceed after they believed they spoke and wrote that which now is declared in Chapters And every one which coms to the true ground of Faith must come co the light to believe in it that they may be the Children of it and then the Scriptures will be profitable unto them they with the light having the understanding opened to see for what end they were given forth and how they come to be fulfilled and witnessed in that which gave them forth for the ground of Faith to believers is but one both before and since the Scripture was written which is Christ in whom whosoever believeth shall be saved let Christ be in what he will for he was the ground of Faith when the letter was not and he is the ground of Faith when it is and no other foundation for Faith can any man lay than that which is laid Jesus Christ who is the true light and enlighteneth every man that cometh into the Word that all men in him might
believe and they that believe not that he is so shall die in their sins as Christ saith John 8.24 But J.S. going on in his own devised Fables would pervert the words of truth both in our writings and in the Apostles as it is manifest in his writings of this reviling Rebuke concerning R.F. and J.N. E.B. and F.H. and others which whosoever read their words and his they may discern truth from devised fables without much Reply upon it as in places he is mingling his own words with theirs joyning a lye to the truth that he may contradict it as false as every one that reades with understanding will see which when they have spoken plain truths which he himself hath often in his Book confessed unto to be truth will afterwards give his meaning to 〈◊〉 words as he hath done unto the Apostles words saying If they meane thus c. Then he goes about to contradict his own meaning and when he hath contradicted his owne meaning then he saith he hath contradicted their words though he have before confessed the truth of their words so he hath not contradicted the words as they were spoken but because they spoke not his meaning with the words therefore the true words must be false in his judgment and bear his rebuke as his Book doth make manifest and adding his lye to the words of truth these two things are his greatest proofs to resist the truth In page 77. he hath mingled his own words with the words of R.F. in wâ—ich page he acknowledgeth a former addition and yet reneweth another R.F. having been speaking of the light which hath enlightened every man which cometh into the World he adds which where it is and it is in every man it reneweth the judgment c he here adding his own and then rebuking it would make people believe lyes that all might be damned who believ not the truth But on the contrary for we never have said that every mans judgment is renewed with the ligbt though they be enlightened for they are enlightened who haâ—e it and who are void of true judgement because they hate the light which they be enlightened withal And also the Apostles words he perverts and gives meaning unto which if he did not they would be a plain testimony with that which he hath set himself to oppose so giving meanings both to their wordâ— and our words his meanings must be the ground of his Believers Faith and not the Scriptures as he said before The Apostle Peter speaking of a more sure Word of Prophesie wherein they did well to take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place till the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts 2 Pet 1.19 knowing this first that no Prophesie of the Scriptures is of any private interpretation for the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved of the holy Ghost To this J.S. adds not heart-prophesie no breast-prophesie but written down in Books c. which is contrary to the Apostls words for he doth not exclude heart-prophesie for there was never any prophesie but did proceed out of the heart before it was written in any Book And the Apostle saith Untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts and that holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost and that vvhich moved them to speak Prophesies was in their hearts and the Apostle did not bid them wait till the day star did arise in the Scriptuâ—es but till it did rise in their hearts and then he told them how the Prophesies of the Scriptures came Peter saying Untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts J.S. saith That is untill by the study of the Scriptures more light he cleered up c. Now let all them of understanding read and compare his words the Apostles and they may well conclude with his confession that he hath an old lying heart and flesh in which dwells no truth but the root of errour and gainsaying of the truth and as for many others of his devised fables and false meanings though I let them passe here unanswered yet they may be seen with the mind informed in the truth and all who are of God and of the truth may know that it is a small matter for us to be rebuked or judged to be in confusion who so evidently hath confounded both our words and the Apostles into his owne false meanings and so contradicts them both but that remaineth sure which gaves forth the Scriptures and abideth in us and we know that they cannot be broken but must be fulfilled as they were given forth by the Word which they were given forth from by taking heed unto which the young mans way is cleansed by which the old lying heart is reproved that which was given forth from that Spirit cannot be by it denyed but that which would darken words without knowledg is denyed that which would set up devised fables above Christ the Spirit and Scriptures that by the Spirit is denyed without contradiction and as we shall by the Spirit and by the Scriptures trye John Stelhams Doctrinâ— which if he deny them both then by his owne Argument we shall prove him and see whether he will own himself to be judged by that with which he would judge others whether they be Messengers sent by Gods Spirit His Assertion laid down Page 60. to try withall is this Such Messengers as speak more than is in the Scripture are not sent by GOD'S Spirit nor guided by him to what they say By this then is all that of him before mentioned cast out being both more and contrary to what is in the Scripture as also that which is to be declared as followeth in his second head as he calls it of Scripture Contradiction he is speaking concerning a Trinity and three Persons which words are not spoken in the Scriptures he meaning the Father Son and Spirit by such nameâ— as the Scripture never did so about words names which the Scripture doth not mention arsing out of the Divination of his heart doth he multiply words to hide the truth and shuâ— the Kingdom from men and so hath no ground for the word three persons from the Scripture but the Scripture in one translation speaking of Christ being the express Image of the Fathers Peâ—son and in another â—ranslation saith that he is the expresse Figure of the Fathers substance as he is witnessed to be by those that know him and so till he find the word three persons and Trinity in the Scriptures let him owne his own rule to judg him to be no Messenger sent by Godâ— Spirit because he speakes more than is in the Scripture who saith the holy Ghost is a Person and this person dwells in Saints though not personally mark this A Person dwell in the Saints not personally all this confusion is as
set up a light of scriptures as he calleth it And he speaks in p. 82. of having our minds darkned with the light of Scriptures Mark doth that light which he hath in all his Book been exalting above the God head-light above that Light which Christ hath enlightned every man withal darken mens minds What is it then that must enlighten them Here is his testimony of the Light brought up to the ful that all who can receiv it may believ it for he saith to us if our minds were not darkned with the light of the Scriptures the two texts in Rom. 10.18 and Col. 1.23 might resolve us how the Gospel is preached to every creature not to the principle of Light in the Conscience how can the Scripture resolve us of the Light if it darken our minds But by these things this is made manifest that darkness hath blinded his eyes that he neither knows the Light nor the Scriptures which were given forth from it Again Another of his contradictions concerning the Light in pag. 23 24. compared with pag. 75. is this saying the Light that shined in Pauls heart and the Light that shineth in the Scripture is the same Light and God who shineth in the heart by Gospel-light according to the Apostles words 2 Cor. 4.4 contratrary unto which in his 75. page he saith That the Gospel-light about matters of salvation of which the Apostle speaks never entered never shined into mens hearts Ans. To this let all take notice and consider whether of these two Contraries they are to believe The one saying God shineth in their hearts by Gospel-light and the other saith It never entered nor shined into mens hearts But if the Scriptures or the Apostle is to believed he saith For God who-commanded the Light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ but we have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us 2 Cor. 4.6 7. Here was the light of the Gospel shining in their hearts in matters of salvation giving them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and they were the Vessels in which the light did shine and from which they spoke the hidden Wisdom of God in a mystery and so that which they spoke of the Light and of the Gospel is yet a mysterie unto such whose eye is blinded with the god of this world and the wayes of unrighteousness knowing neither the light nor the Gospel of salvation but filling up their iine of confusion as hath been already manifest and may further be made manifest Again John Stelham in his sixth Head of Scripture-contradiction speaks concerning the Law and goes about to distinguish between the two Covenants which the Scriptures speak of but knows not what he speaketh nor of what he affirmeth but contrary to the Scriptures speaking of a Moral and Ceremonial law which the Scriptures speak of no such words nor no such distinctions as of a Moral law to be the Covenant of Works and thâ—t the Ceremonial law is not a Covenant of Works but of Grace And whereas he tells of a Covenant of Nature which is one with the Covenant of Works and so here is several Covenants which J. S. hath made and several Names here given to the Covenants which God never gave nor they which spoke of the Covenants never gave such names to the law in the words of Scripture as Moral Legal Natural Ceremonial so that is all without and contrary to the Scripture language And whereas he goeth about to prove Adam to be under a moral law wdich he calls a law of Works but hath no Scripture to prove it from but from his suppositions as thus If it was not of Grace it was a Covenant of works And again if the Covenant of works was not made with Adam in innocency God could not in justice require satisfaction of his posterity under the fall c. A third supposition to prove Adam under a Covenant of Works is this Either he stood under a Covenant of Works or was under the Covenant of Grace or he was under no Covenant c. Unto which I answer All such Priests and Teachers who be out of innocency themselves cannot tell what Covenant those are in with God who are innocent and in the Image of God in holiness and righteousness and therefore from such have we so much perverting of the Scriptures and violating of the law of God to make it according to their imaginations But unto such God saith What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant into thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee Psal. 50.16 Thou givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit But I say That Covenant in which Adam was with God in his innocency and in his image he stood in that and by that by which he was made a living soul and in that was in unity and covenant with God for the disobedience of which he was driven out from God into the earth and none were under the Law of Works neither was that Law added uhtil there was transgression which it was added because of it but that which is innocent and without sin unreproveable in God's sight is under no Law but that which endureth for ever which doth free from sin and death those that be in it which is made manifest unto some since the fallihg from it and which the Isles are to wait for till it be made manifest where it is not alâ—eady revealed and all who come to have right to speak of God's precepts and to take his covenant into their mouths they see and comprehend all such darkness which doth not speak according to words of Scripture but speaks of three Covenants contrary to Scripture saying that the first Covenant promiseth nothing of salvation nor mentioneth nothing of a Saviour and yet saith that that Covenant is a part of God's Word and his Will and pure Law and yet mentioneth nothing of a Saviour and again saith that the Moral Law he calls of Works which promiseth no salvation mentioneth nothing of a Saviour that this which mentioneth nothing of a Saviour is to be a directory and rule to true believers for the ordering of their sanctification as it is also in Christ's hand guiding them by his Spirit so this cannot build nor join together and so time to cease building any more in confusion but in denial of that false doctrine I say That there is but two Covenants spoken of in the Scriptures which is a plain testimony of them without any such confusion or contradiction as the Apostle to the Hebrews saying In that he saith a new Covenant he hath made the first old c. And in the first Covenant as you may read Heb. 9. In all
begets and procreates all our errors and our love of error with our derisions of the truth here is many lyes folded up in one which are all denied with the life of God and the author of them proved to be of the Devil and we proved to be of God who are spoken all manner of evil against falsly for the name of Jesus His fifth lye is that we do subtilly couch many errours under specious words of truth this lye also I bear witness against as also against his sixth wherein he charges us with meer ignorance and wilful blindness about the covenant of Grace c. His seventh lye is That much of mystical Babylon and confusion is in our Writings and ways this is also a lye and of the Devil and also against his eighth I bear testimony our doctrine and practice ends not in Apostasie neither are they blasphemy against Christ as J.S. impudently asserteth so that from the first of his book to his last his whole Work is born witness against not to be of God but of the Devil and in vain hath he striven and his Work shall not accomplish any part of his desire for the Quakers against whom he hath written cannot be offended in Christ though J.S. have endeavoured for to make their way and doctrines in the sight of men abominable but his Work shall not prevent the purpose of the Lord nor the gathering in of the upright hearted from the mouths of devouring Shepherds such as J. S. and the Priests of England who is it that doth not begin to see their deceits and abominations yea thousands do and many more shall do so that all their striving to uphold their kingdom is but in vain for God hath blasted all their glory and he will teach his people himself and govern them by his own Law and order and the Kingdoms of this World shall be changed and shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and Antichrist and all his Ministers shall be confounded and the Beast and the false Prophet shall boâ—h be taken alive and cast into the lake Ah John Stelham against whom hast thou set thy self and exalted thy horn against whom hast thou bent thy strength and shot forth thy envie in crafty words of guile who is it that thou hast defied and girded on thy armour against and counted them as nothing before thy uncircumcised strength even against the Lords people hast thou thus done though thou wilt not now know it yet one day thou shalt know it when iniquity is come to an end and transgression finished and thou shalt stand in thy lot at that day and receive according to thy work a just and righteous reward from the hand of the Lord in the day of judgement when every secret work of iniquity shall appear to condemnation and in the mean time the Lord will bring forth good unto his people even from thy evil and all things even thy evil purposes shall work together for good unto such whom God hath called and thy works and purposes which are to trouble them and to break them and to make them appear vile in the sight of men even thy work doth the Lord turn to establish them and to unite them and in the sight of men thy working against us proves us to be of God and thy self to be of the Devil who was a persecutor from the beginning and thou shalt be scattered in thy imaginations and thy whole work hath God confounded and it shall not accomplish any whit of that end propounded in thy sinful heart which hath brought forth mischief for it s blasted in the anger of God and men shall neither call it nor the father of it any more blessed And friend hadst thou known how little it doth accomplish of thy evil intent thou wouldst have spared thy labour and imployed thy service to another end and then had not thy wickedness so greatly appeared in the sight of God nor thy shame and nakedness in the sight of men as it now doth by this thy sinful deed brought forth of a cursed womb and conceived in unrighteousness Alas alas man how art thou fallen into the pit which thou hast digged for another and how doth the shame overtake thee which thou hast thought should have fallen upon us Let thy wickedness correct thee and know thou that the Lord will not forsake his people who cannot be offended in Christ though thou cast stumbling blocks of iniquity in the way and would cause them to sin but even so much the more as thou speakest evil against the way of the Lord are they the more upright therein and the more loving and delighting in the path of righteousness and thou hast but the more fully discovered in many things from thy own pen the wickedness and wrath that hath secretly lodged in thy heart and it appears that thy wisdom is devilish and from below deceiving and being deceived and thy path is in craft and subtilty and not in innocencie and plain simplicity and in this manner and by this means chiefly is thy work managed unto an evil end but the Lord hath rebuked it and wil do yet more til it appear to all men as it doth to us to be what I have said of it and it shall be a shame to thee and shall not receive praise neither of God nor man but condemnation in the sight of both and hadst thou known that we are established even on the top of Gods holy mountain and cannot be moved nor shaken by such weak pitiful blasts of confusion ignorance coming out of thy mouth where poyson lodges under thy tongue sure hadst thou known it thou wouldst have travelled in another path but that thy folly might appear unto all men is thy work sent abroad that they may see what lodges in thy mind even more envy them in the heart of Balaam and more desire of evil to the Lords people than ever was in him and thou fulfils the measure of thy fore-fathers wickedness till the sum be accounted and destructioâ— follow thou hast too much troubled thy self in labouring and thy reward will not contervail â—hy pains hadst thou but only spoken against us we should have born it and thou might have been the more excused but in that thou hast spoken against the light of Christ called it a perverse Principle many other blasphemous words of bitterness against the very truths of Jesus This is the cause wherefore we have answered thee and thou art utterly inexcusable for what thou hast done it is not altogether through ignorance though much ignorance be in it but out of perfect rebellion and purpose of mischief and for Masteâ—y we do not strive with thee but rather wisheth thy repentance than thy destruction and who doth not believe but your kingdom I mean the Priests of England is going down apace and your glory fading as a flower and the Lord will make you a shame to
where his words can never reach them to take away their peace or disquiet them for as I said we are established upon a sure foundation and are tryed and proved and cannot be blown away with any windy Doctrines of men which begets into strife and not into true sincerity of heart but wo unto that man that works offence and doth cast stumbling-blocks in the way of the simple And though the Lords people be a suffering people yet wo unto them that cause thom to suffer And though he and some others in their spirits were elevated thinking thereby to trample upon the innocent by that occasion happâ—ning concerning J. N. which was not suffered of the Lord to be as an occasion to destroy his people but as an occasion to try them and to prove them and thereby are they tryed and proved and the more setled rather than confounded and John Jackson and such like may glory in such things for a moment because the appearance of it seems evil yet the Lord will make their glorying void for the Lord hath ways enough to preserve his people and this we have found in many needful times And as concerning this thing which was looked upon as a breach among us by many yet it 's over and Truth stands a top of it and the beauty of Truth appears through it all and Truth is more lovely when it is proved and purged What if the Lord suffer his to be led and tempted for a season let not the wicked boast of this for though the righteous fall he shall rise again but the wicked fall into mischief But yet we learn something by this what a great use the Devil hath made hereof and how many Books and lying Scribblers hath been sent forth about it concerning us which are all counted by us no better than the most corrupted Treasure that ever grew in Babylon and the best of it is but baubles to please vain minds for men of sound understandings can take no pleasure therein And we see how by all means the Devil and his people seeks occasion against the ways and people of Gods and how glad are the wicked when they get an occasion against the Lords people And how do they glory in it and boast in it for a time thinking that their hands are strengthened in a greater boldness to do mischief And John Jackson is one of those that takes pleasure in these things and he hath managed his business with a great deal of craft but there are none that will praise him for it except such whose wicked hands he strengthens and such as he must have stumblings after the way of the Lord hath been so fully manifested and they receive it not and they must fall and be broken And seeing that the wicked doth take occasion and seeks occasion against the innocent this will make many more watchful and more circumspect and more to walk in God's wisdom and to deny their own wayes lest offences come by them And let him put off his Armor and lay down his Weapons and I wish he may spend the next two years to come better than he hath done these last aod that the little fire in the Embers may kindle to the burning of his corruption rather than into a blind zeal against the innocent people And what in this Book is written is not to contend or strive for mastery but to clear the Truth and to remove all cause of stumblings from before the face of all the upright in heart A Friend to all people E.B. London the third of the ninth month 1657. MAny untimely Births in ages past and present have been brought forth and the Work of such hath alwayes been to destroy the Heir the Seed which the Lord hath blessed that so the Inheritance might be theirs and so would thrust themselves into the Kingdom but they know while the Seed of the promise is alive it keeps them out and will not let them meddle with those things which they are not born unto for they are sons of bondage and children of falshood and must not be heirs with the son of the free woman c. David out of whose root the righteous seed did arise the bright and Morning-star he saw that Seed in his days and was aware of them and gave his testimony concerning them saying In heart ye work wickedness you weigh the violency of your hands in the Earth the wicked are estranged from the Womb they go astray as soon as they be born speaking lyes their poyson is like the poyson of a Serpent they are like the deaf Adder that stoppeth her ear charm one never so wisely Break their teeth O God in their mouth break out the teeth of the young Lyons O Lord let them melt away as waters that run continually when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows let them be as cut in pieces as a Snaile which melteth let every one of them pass away like the untimely birth of a woman that they may not see the Sun c. Psal. 58.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. And again he saith Behold he travelleth with iniquity and hath conceived mischief and brought forth falshood Psal. 7.14 and so there was a travelling and labouring before they could get their iniquity brought forth as we have true declarations concerning the ages past how many have travelled and brought forth wind and confusion so likewise in this age by experience can we give testimony of the like births which hath been brought forth to the slâ—ughter amongst Babylons children and here is one of the same birth born and brought forth in this City of London to which I shall speak something at present although he conceal his Name yet the seed you shall know by its fruits it is one that would be reckoned amongst those children that in the Temple cryed Hosanna to the Son of David Mâ—tth 12.15 But the Seed which David called Lord is risen and hath rebuked the false voice for it is not every one that cryeth Lord nor every one that cryeth Hosanna that enters into the Kingdom but such as heareth the Word of God and doth it Now the testimony which this Author gives to that which after a long travel is come forth is this That it hath been in his breast two years and upwards while it at length is come forth as an untimely birth or as that which is born out of due time labouring under the burden of being both unnecessary and unseasonable Such a Testimony as this seems to beget a Wonder in the airy Spirits of men as if a Monster were to be seen What two yeares travel and yet an untimely birth And many such false cryes are in this City which enters into the sensual part of men and gets into the affections but there is a Seed risen which hath received from the Father the spirit of judgement and understanding and it doth not own things according to the report nor judge of things according to
sound of Christ as a light hath never been heard where sin and iniquity is discovered but that which hath brought forth these things may well be called an untimely birth which ntver saw the Sun not never knew the light which Christ hath enlightned every man withall which cometh into the world for a little of this fruit doth manifest that tree from whence it springs so we shall judge the tree by it's fruits Another fruit from this tree is to give his testimony of the Law of Faith which is this How far the Law of Faith may be said to be written upon every mans heart is not given unto me to understand only this glimpse I have of it That it appears to have had an influence upon the heart of man by those sacrifices which were offered up to God before the publication of the positive Law wherein as well Cain as Abel offered sacrifices Gen. 4.4 Answ. This testimony doth not proced from the word of Faith in thy heart for that would give an understanding how the Law of Faith is written in the heart as well as how the Law of Works is written and this thy glimpse which thou sayes thou sees from the proposing of the promise and the influence which thou sayes thou seest upon the heart of man by the Sacrifices of Cain as wel as Abel offered unto God if this thy pretended light and glimpse which is so far of Christ be truly weighed and tryed it may prove but a vain vision and a divination of thy own heart as all who consider thy testimony of the Law of Faith in saying that the discovery thereof ariseth from what is without and that it had never been known nor never thought of nor never would it or could it rationally have come into the heart of man to have conceived such a thing but from the declaration of God in his promise Here it doth appear Faith is a mysterie to thee and thy eye hath not seen it nor the ear heard neither hath it entered into thy heart to conceive Faith in the working and operation of it And in that thou sayest well that it was not given thee to understand how it is written upon every man's heart and thou had done well if thou had not stretched thy self beyond the line of thy knowledge and understanding for thou thy self confessest that unto those first believers Abel Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob Moses David Daniel and the rest there was communicated unto them a Spirit of Faith and a Light sutable and proportionable whereby they were enabled to behold Christ who was the object of their Faith Then if it did arise from the Spirit of Faith within them the Light of Christ who was the Author of their Faith it did not arise from the Declaration of God in the promise without so that the mysterie of Faith vvhich is held in a pure conscience is yet to be learned vvhich vvas vvitnessed amongst the Saints So vvhen thou vvrites again of the Lavv of Works or the Lavv of Faith or the discovery vvhich the Lord maketh to his creature under the diversity of these administrations keep back to the measure of the gift of God and then vvil thy testimony be no larger then thy knowledge vvhich is a guilt hath spread over many in these days but this I say Blessed is the man which doth not condemn himself in the thing vvhich he allovveth and vvhich doth not destroy himself vvith the breath of his ovvn mouth but there is a generation which their own breath as fire shall devour them Again concerning the Light which every man is enlightened withal which is thy stumbling-block and rock of offence as it is unto all the rest whose deeds are evil Thou saist God hath not annointed it to that Work nor laid the weight of eternal salvation upon the shoulders thereof it being too weak for that service Answ. Him hath God annointed who is the Light of the World and hath enlightened every man that cometh into the World and there is no work of eternal salvation wrought but in the Light which every man is enlightened withal and this Light is of him and from him which bears the sins in his own body and is not too weak for that service which the Father hath given him to do and this Light is Christ. And whereas some say Hath every man Christ Every man hath Christ to save or to condemn him Christ is as truly the condemnation of those whose deeds are evil as he is the Saviour of them that believe and as those that believe in the Light are already saved by Christ so also those that believe not in his Light which he hath enlightned them withall are already condemned And so Christ is near unto every one to answer every mans work according to the nature of it whether he serve sin unto death or be found in the obedience of truth unto eternal life for now is the day appeared to try every mans Work of what sort it is and now are many offended because the Light is broken forth and their eye is evil because the Lords is good But wo unto the World because of offences if any have the Spirit of a King let him search out the cause of the offence which is now broken forth amongst the children of men that the enmity which is in all sorts of people of all professions should rise up together and become a body the wicked joâ—ning hand in hand preaching and printing and crying for unity which they are making up of enmity that they may be strong against that which the Lord hath now brought forth in his Light and Power to be Witnesses unto him in every place wheresoever he doth call them witnessing forth his Mercy and Truth by which iniquity is purged out and preaching the Gospel to every creature whereby they may come to the knowledge of the truth that they may be saved But in the World it is so come to pass in these days that he that can but give reviling terms and hard speeches against the Light which Christ hath enlightned every man withall calling it natural or insufficient and if they do but revile those whom they call Quakers and put this in the beginning of his Book then it passeth with toleration and hath as good approbation from the World as any of the Priests have for their Ministry but if any man begin to speak of the Light within and the Annointing within and the Word of Faith in the heart and of the Mystery of Faith in a pure conscience and of the sprinkling of the heart from an evil conscience and of believing in the Light as Christ said such a one speaking of these things and not directing his speech in open reproach against them called Quakers the peoples hearts will be fiâ—led with jealousies lest he be one So that even the Light is become a reproach unto them and their derision daily but the Lords hand is
of such a birth that they are so easily slain nor of such a Doctrâ—ne that they are so easily disproved for the immortal birth is brought forth unto which God hath given wisdom and understanding to be as wise as Serpents and in their innocency is their wisdom brought forth which Seed inheriteth the strength of the Almighty So though they be permitted to fight and contend against the truth yet to prevail is nor given them Therefore in vain is the Net spread in the sight of any bird and in vain do they exercise their strength against the Lord 's Annointed for this which they have brought forth is but as setting of bryars and thorns in battel against the Lord or as if the untimely birth should strive against that birth which is brought forth without deformity to slay it as those in former ages who were wiser in their generation then the children of Light sought to slay the Heir that the Inheritance might be theirs In like manner do men now also rise up against the life of the same Seed which is risen in the hearts of the children of men to slay it that so they may profess the Scriptures in their high swelling words of vanity having mens persons in admiration because of advantage for if this Seed doth live which the Lord hath not only brought to the birth but also brought forth it will stop that profession which stands in the hypocrisie and will quench that violence of fire in which that zeal flames out which is not according to knowledge But the Seed is risen which inherits the strength of the Almighty which can bear all things and suffer all things and will come to reign over all gain-sayers for all the high swelling words of vanity shall come to nought and truth shall be exalted over all in the power of the eternal Spirit when blackness of darkness wil cover all those spirits which have spent their strength against the appearance and manifestation of Truth and those that now boast themselves in their presumption against the servants of the Lord and testimony of truth shall come to be a servant of servants even to the least in the Kingdom of God before they have right unto that which they now profess or before they be counted worthy to cry Hosanna to the Son of David or to bear a testimony to the Lords Christ for he wil have none such to be his Witnesses as deny his Light which he hath enlightened every man withal for the true Witnesses bear this Testimony of Christ That he is the true Light and is the Light of the World which hath enlightened every man that cometh into the World that every man through him might believe and every one in whom the Witness is found true is justified of God Another Accusation is again Richard Farnsworth for saying That Christ did break the Passover with his Disciples and herein he is charged to want Light or that the Light in him was not sufficient to open this and that he did not discern between the Passover and the Supper of the Lord and likewise is accused for calling that a shadow which the Scripture saith was but to shew the Lords death till he came Ans. To call the Supper the Passeover doth not demonstrate that he wants light neither that the Light is insufficient for the Diâ—ciples called it the Passeover which they prepared for him and Christ called it the Passeover which he eat with his Disciples Mark 14.12 14. Matth. 26.20 21 22. and that which they eat he broke but it doth not say that he broke his bones nor eat his bones yet he eat the Passeover with his Disciples And whereas he is accused for calling that a shadow and many now in imitation take Bread and Wine and call that the Lords Supper opposing those that are come to the Substance and witness the substance eating that which is meat indeed and drinking that which is drink indeed But this man which doth oppose Richard Farnsworth and others in these things he hath the least reason to mention this Supper or the breaking of Bread of any for others do call their breaking of Bread and drinking of Wine the Lords Supper because they practise it but this man doth neither practice that as the Lord's Supper nor witness the substance so that this is the greatest hypocrisie to contend about that or to accuse others in denying of that which he himself denies the practise of Sâ— that this Accusers Doctrine and Accusations want both lighâ— and reason Another Accusation is against these two Writers Richard Farnsworth Francis Howgil as if they should be in an unreconciled difference because the one hath affirmed That the Light of Christ is sufficient to open all the Scriptures And the other saith Thou that tells of opening Chapters or Verses by meanings thou never heard a word of Christ. Ans. These are no differences for the Light of Christ and mans meanings are contrary So for the one to say the Light doth open and the other to say mans meanings doth not open this is not contrary So the confusion is turned again to the accuser and doth not belong to these two Writers So the ignorance of this Accuser is to be taken notice of which would make people believe things that are not for if he write his Book for those that can neither read see nor hear his labour is in vain and if he write it to those that can read see hear and understand they will account it foolishness especially in this day when the Light of life is broken forth among the children of men to give them an understanding according to truth for in this day he that keepeth silence is reputed wise and better is he that keepeth silence then he that speaks unless the spirit of the Lord give him utterance Another Accusation is against W.D. he speaking to such a one as is guided by the Lamb c. saying The Light in thy Conscience the righteous Law cryes through thy earthly heart and brings it into judgement c. And then speaking of the parable of the little leaven hid in three measures of meal that it changeth the whole lump into the nature of it self So the little light that shines in thy dark heart is the powerful Word of Faith and that the Light is the sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well to take heed until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts And for these things he is accused Ans. Those that are guided by the Lamb do witness that the Light the righteous Law cryes through the earthly heart and brings it into judgement and will not accuse one for saying so And as for speaking of the little light as Christ spoke of the little Leaven was it no offence in the dayes of the son of man to preach that the Kingdom of Heaven was like unto a grain of Mustard-seed or like unto a little leaven And is it an
by which all the other may be compared and judged Again divers Reasons are alledged as a cause of printing J.G. his defence of the Priests First he saith The great malice and envy against the Ministers and the many Letters and printed Books sent by Quakers and the great growth and encrease in Errors and because many of his old Friends and Acquaintance are as he saith seduced from the Church and to strengthen such as are wavering through ignerance and weakness and to clear himself c. and that it might be seen and come into many hands Ans. He that would accomplish those things before-named to wit subdue malice envy and error and instruct the ignorant and him that is out of the way and strengthen the weak he must be such a one as is led by the Spirit and walks in the Light of Christ which is so much hated and contemned by Priests their defenders that first those things may be subdued in themselves and then minister against them in others but none of those things can be done by that spirit which hath ruled in J.G. but that his latter reasons which he saith moved him to print may be fulfilled that is that it may be seen and come into many hands that to thy own shame when they read and consider thy unlearned Logick wherein thou goest to prove that it is not sufficient to bring us to Heaven to be freed from sin for thou saist a Horse hath no sin and so by thy comparison a man without sin is but as a Horse so that thou hast truly said thy work is without Eloquence or Humane Art But seeing thou hast taken in hand to put things to publike view in thy next prove who those men are upon the Earth that are without sin and are not sufficient for the Kingdom of Heaven and whether was it any thing that did separate man from God but sin And was not Christ only made manifest to take away sin And is not man perfectly righteous when his sin is tâ—ken away made the righteousness of God in him which takes it away to wit the Lamb of God which all the Nations of them that are saved must walk in his Light and it is those that hate the Light iâ— against freedom from sin that have no understanding of the mysteries of God which is like the horse or mule whose mouth must be held with bit bridle and are like the beast that perish but they that are freed from sin are not so neither is the horse their comparison but herein thou hast shamed thy self thy Ministers that they should be so ignorant as neither to teach thee better doctrine before thou didst write nor correct thee when thou hadst written but to suffer such a thing to appear in this Nation where Light is broken forth that the state of freedom from sin is no better then the state of a horse but as the Scripture saith Your folly shall be made manifest unto all men Which Scripture is daily fulfilling and we are satisfied in it Again to vindicate the Priests of England to be Ministers of the gospel thou bringst many Scriptures whereby thou wouldst prove them to be lawfully called though they be out of the power of God and want the power of that which they teach p. 7. As the sons of Eli thou saist were lawful Priests though they were wicked men and this is a fit comparison as thou may read in the first of Samuel 2.12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial they knew not the Lord and so according to this thou hast rightly compared the Priests for though they have the name of being called yet know they the Lord no more then the sons of Belial did Again in the same page thou saist The Scribes and Pharisees were called to teach and Judas was a true Apostle from which thou wouldst prove the call of the Priests to be a true call to the ministry Answ. If the Priests did minister as truly as the Scribes and Pharisees did that is read or speak the Scriptures truly then thou mightest exhort the people to do as the Priests say but not to do as they do but seeing that they do not truly speak the Scripture but by consequences pervert it as thou hast done in thy book it is not therefore a good doctrine to bid the people either do as they say or as they do because they both say falsly and do falsly And as for thy comparing of them to Judas as for his being called and receiving part of the Ministry that they are not like unto him in because as yet they have no part nor lot in that matter but for his treachery and covetousness bearing the bag and betraying the Lord of Life for pieces of money in that they may be compared to him But thou saist The wickedness of the person doth not disannul his Office being lawfully called thereunto until he be degraded from that Office And to prove it thou bringst several Scriptures as Ezek. 34.3 where the Shepherds eat the fat and cloath with the wool and did not feed the Flock Isa 56.10 11. They are dumb dogs that cannot bark sleeping lying down loving to slumber they all look to their own way every one for his gain from his Quarter Come ye say they I wâ—ll fetch Wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant And these saist thou were truly called From which example your Ministers as thou thus provest are lawfully called to the work of the Ministry but when these Ministers and people read thy book they wil not much commend thee for such a defence for them but how dost thou prove that those before mentioned were lawfully called unto the work of the Ministry being wicked persons but when thou read'st the Scripture over again thou maist see that those are such as the Lord said did run he sent them not and said the Lord saith when he had not spoken unto them Jer. 14.14 Now in this Vindication thou hast not done any thing of that pretended confuting E.B. his Book called A jusl and lawful Tryal of the Ministers and Teachers of this age but hast rather confirmed it for he truly compared them unto those spoken of before-mentioned and thou hast compared them as to the sons of Eli which were sons of Belial knew not God and so his Book yet stands in force for a tryal to such unanswered And again as for thy pleading for tythes for such as are like the sons of Belial thou hast no precept practice nor example in Scripture to plead for such a thing neither as such nor as the Ministers of Christ. And whereas thou mention'st Acts 4. and Acts 5. and 1 Cor. 9.4.5 c. These Scriptures speak nothing of tythes nor of any Maintenance to the Ministry but only how that when they had planted a Vinyard they might eat of the
Lord R. H. According as vve read in the Scriptures That the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding so by its inspiration is an understanding given us of the things of God Lord. Then one of the Lords said How do you know that you are led by the true Spirit R. H. This we know because the Spirit of truth it reproves the world of Sin and by it we were reproved of sin and also are led from sin unto righteousness and obedience of truth by which effects vve knovv it is the true Spirit for the spirit of the vvicked one doth not lead into such things King and Lords Then the King and his Lords said It was truth King Well of this you may be assured That you shall none of you suffer for your Opinions or Religion so long as you live peaceably and you have the Word of a King for it and I have also given forth a Declaration to the same purpose that none shall wrong you nor abuse you King How do you own Magistrates or Magistracy R. H. Thus vve do ovvn Magistrates Whosoever is set up by God whether King as Supream or any set in Authority by him who are for the punishment of evil doers and the praise of them that do well such we shall submit unto and assist in righteous and civil things both by body and Estate And if any Magistrates do that which is unrighteous we must declare against it only submit under it by a patient suffering and not rebel against any by insurrections plots and contrivances King Then the King said That is enough Lord. Then one of the Lords asked Why do you meet together seeing every â—ne of you have the Church in your selves R. H. According as it is written in the Scriptures the Church is in God Thes. 1.1 And they that feared the Lord did meet often together in the fear of the Lord and to us it is profitable and herein we are edified and strengthened in the life of truth King How did you first come to believe the Scriptures were truth R. H. I have believed the Scriptures from a child to be a Declaration of truth when I had but a literal knowledge natural education and tradition but now I know the Scriptures to be true by the manifestation and operation of the Spirit of God fulfilling them in me King In what manner do you méet and what is that order in your méetings R. H. We do meet in the same order as the people of God did waiting upon him and if any have a word of exhortation from the Lord he may speak it or if any have a word of reproof or admonition and as every one hath received the gift so they may minister one unto another and may be edified one by another whereby a grovvth into the knowledge of the truth is administred to one another One of the Lords Then you know not so much as you may know but there is a growth then to be admitted of R. H. Yes vve do grovv daily into the knovvledge of the truth in our exercise and obedience to it King Are any of your Friends gone to Rome R. H. Yes there is one in Prison in Rome King Why did you send him thither R. H. We did not send him thither but he found something upon his Spirit from the Lord whereby he was called to go to declare against Superstition and Idolatry vvhich is contrary to the Will of God Kings Friend said There were two of them at Rome but one was dead King Have any of your Friends been with the Great Turk R. H. Some of our Friends have been in that Countrey Other things were spoken concerning the liberty of the servants of the Lord which vvere called of him into his service that to them there vvas no limitation to Parishes or places but as the Lord did guide them in his Work and Service by his Spirit So the King promised that we should not any ways suffer for our Opinion or Religion and so in love passed away R. H. His Answer to John Horn. J. H. IN thy Answer to my Queries thou seemest to be resolved to say something although it be absolutely contrary to the truth and to that which thou knowest to be Truth as will appear in what follows In answer to my first thou sayest Christ in his Spirit ascended up to Heaven when his Body was upon Earth Is this an answer to the Question Is the mind or Spirit called the Son of man according to John 3.13 which came down from Heaven And no man doth ascend up to Heaven but the Son of man which was then in Heaven So by this thy Answer it appears then that the Spirit is the Son of man and that there is no other Son of man that ascends into Heaven but the Spirit then what becomes of that body thou speaks of if the Spirit only be that Son of man In thy Answer to the second and third Queries thou provest in thy way that Mary did that which was forbidden by Christ when she held him by the feet and worshipped him but in Mat. 28.9 there is no forbidding of her to touch him but this is plainly manifest that thou art in a snare and cannot tel how to get out and yet thou wilt be saying something though thereby thou more ensnares thy self but this Scripture thou wilt once know fulfilled The Wicked shall be silent in darkness When thou shouldst answer to the fourth thou tellest of its being a secret and of prying into things above what is vvritten although the ground of my Query is grounded upon that vvhich is vvritten in Luke 24.4 To the fifth thou saist That the Women did distinguish which was Christ vvas certain but hovv they did so is a foolish curious Question What certainty is there that they did knovv vvhen thou knovvest not hovv but this is like the rest of the Priests doctrine beating the air and leaving all people in uncertainties and yet would be paid for so doing but the Lord hath made thee manifest with the rest that you cannot deceive much longer To the sixth thou sayest the two Angels were seen visibly but were not Bodies nor Persons of men but in thy answer to the fourth saist that they both saw them as men and heard them speak and had two individual Forms Now if thou wert but simple and not wilfully blind thou mightest be the more excused In thy answer to the seventh thou art more lost and confused then in all the rest for when thou shouldst answer who were the eleven Disciples that were met together mentioned Luk 24.33 thou saist that Thomas might occasionally be gone out Ans. If he was gone out then the eleven was not together as Luke 24. Again thou saist that Matthias was chosen before the Evangelist wrote his Book What darkness and ignorance is this Thou art not questioned when the Book was written nor when Matthias was chosen but who was the eleven that was together