A short ANSWER To a book set forth by seven PRIESTS who call themselves MINISTERS of the Gospel of Christ but are plainly discovered to be lyers and slanderers and envious of them who are the true Ministers of Christ who abide in his doctrine With A vvord to the Reader To read with understanding and let the light of Jesus Christ within judge for to that in the conscience it is spoken LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the black-spread-Eagle at the West-end of Pauls 1654. A Reply to a book set forth by some Priests about Beverley whose names I do finde subscribed to it who saith The light in man before faith is not pure Answ. The law is just holy and good and what is holy is pure what is just is pure what is good is pure what is perfect is pure which Law is the Schoolmaster until faith after faith is come we are no longer under a Schoolmaster and this is witnessed amongst as And this you Priests about Beverley say is not pure Jos. Bellet Joh. Pomrey Paul Glisson Christoph Feake Jo. Simpsom Geo. Cockin Law wyse I charge you command you give over deceiving the people you seven who are perfect in iniquity without the Law of God And Moses saw Christ wrote of him that which saw him was pure and is pure And here you have shewed forth your ignorance and blinde judgement and not knowing neither Law nor Faith for the truths sake have I replied to your book of errors who is in the light of Christ which lets me see the Law and the Schoolmaster both And you which say you were not sent immediately as the Apostles were with the immediate which sent them are you all judged Joseph Kellet John Pomrey Paul Glisson Christopher Feake Jo. Simpson George Cockin Law Wyse which is seven perfection perfect in the mystery of iniquity acting against the mystery of godliness you are the beast which stands upon the sea with your seven heads and upon your heads the names of blasphemy who are out of the Apostles doctrine and life that say the light before faith is not pure whose mouths are opened with blasphemy against God and his Name and his Tabernacle which is with men the light which discovers sin and evil you are seen that such as you might be more manifest with it which are manifest now to all the children of light and the children of the day praises praises be to the Lord God for ever for that which shews sin is eternal and is pure and that which is before Faith is perfect just holy good and pure and it is written The Law is the Schoolmaster till Faith and that we own in its place which is just holy good and spiritual and you which owns not God owns not Faith nor the Law to be pure for the Law hath dominion over a man as long as he lives which you Joseph Kellet John Pomrey Paul Glisson Christopher Feake Jo. Simpson Geo. Cockin Law Wyse have cleared your selves to be without Law and Faith and both and so you are not fit to teach others so it is you that have slandered the innocent to have laid waste the Scriptures when you are they that have laid waste the Scriptures your selves Christ the Church Faith and Hope and the Law which stumbles at the light so the righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth doth return a righteous judgement upon you unrighteous judges so in righteousness doth he set the innocent free To you all this is the word of God This is the word of the Lord to you that have subscribed your names to the book whose folly in it out of you hath appeared and to be viewed with the children of light it is seen and your nakedness and where you are who doth conclude the Light before Faith is not pure and who doth say God doth not send Teachers and Pastors and Elders immediately forth now as he did the Apostles And here you are concluded to be without the immediate life as the Apostles were in who were sent immediately from God See the miserable estate and condition you are in and with the immediate life you are judged who have professed your selves to be teachers to others and guides to others which hath gone on in such strains and presumptuously judgeth the innocent but God who is immediate sees you all and from him you all have your reward and your judgement which is eternal to that light in your consciences I speak which shall be your condemnation eternally which hate it and stumble at it and it will witness me when the book of conscience is opened and it you have condemned And to all people that have a love to Christ which love this light that those before mentioned do stumble at it is it that will lead up to witness Faith it is it that will lead you up to witness the Anointing it is it that will lead you to witness Hope it is it will lead you to witness Christ the Head and to know all the Saints which have unity in the light and so not to stumble at the words that proceeds from the light but with the light waiting upon God the Father of light with the light the Scriptures will be opened to you there is your teacher The light if you walk in it you will not stumble but have the light of life and if you hate it it shall be your condemnation eternally You shall witness what I speak for to that in every mans conscience I speak which if you love the light that Christ hath enlightned you withal it will guide your hearts together to hold the Head which if you hate this light you hold not the Head and all that ever you act or speak is in the invention of your own work so you are condemned with the light To the light in every ones conscience I speak which shall witness me when the book of conscience is opened and all things judged with it and out of it This is to all them that the Priests calls brethren to take heed to the light within them which Christ hath enlightned them withal that with it they may see all them that stumble at it and hate it which are to be condemned with it To you this is the word of the Lord Priest Somthing in reply to that which you do conclude as first to awaken your souls that are apt to slumber to take heed of the evil of the times pride covetousness formality which these clamour against which you call Quakers Reply Here you own their doctrine you call Quakers and with it you see your selves and what state you live in and yet in Page 52. you say Go not after them hath their doctrine stirr'd you up and let you see your pride formality and oppression and slumber and that which declaims against these you say go not after Priest Another false slander that you Joseph Kellet John Pomrey Paul Glisson and the rest charge upon them
lost sinners who saith It is nowhere found but in the Scriptures And here you shew you are in the state of the Jews which would have had life in the Scriptures and would not come to Christ but persecuted him as you do now them where the life is made manifest this I say This light wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightned it will shew the greatest sin yea unbelief and waiting in this light which Christ hath enlightned their salvation is made manifest but all you that hate this light you are enlightned with it and it shall eternally condemn you and you give it the term of a natural light and a moral which there is no Scripture for that speaks of moral as p. 5. but this light which you stumble at so much and give it these terms with it you shall be condemned you may as well say Christ is moral which there is no Scripture for and there the plagues is added to you for adding your own inventions to that which was given forth from the eternal Spirit of God And whereas you say But we conceive not how Christ is preached out but by them who brings the word of God whose feet are beautiful Here you have shewed forth you have no infallible judgement not the Spirit that gave forth the Scripture which judged them that did conceive where you are living in your conceivings and terms the light to be as a moral law as you call it and so with the same eternal Spirit you are judged for which there is no Scripture for moral and so establisheth Paganisme and heathenish Philosophy and abundance of such stuffe you have in your book And we do witness the same Christ as ever was made manifest and there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved And we see you in the same generation that crucified him you who are stumbling at the light that enlightneth every one that cometh into the world but it is because your deeds are evil who shall be condemned with it which gave forth the Scriptures You say in p. 6. It is by Scripture-light of the Prophets and Apostles which once was read or heard or else how could they know it Here you shew that you are in the state of the Scribes and Pharisees which read Moses and the Prophets which prophesied of him and wrote of him and they persecuted him the light which enlightneth every one that cometh into the world And so do you which hates the light And you are speaking of the Spirit that brings to God and of Faith in Christ And you that stumble at the light that Christ hath enlightned every one withal that cometh into the world You stumble at the Spirit and Faith both and hears not the Gospel but stumbles at the first Principle and you have nothing to do to talk of Saints Ministers nor of the second Adam but are of the first Adam To that in your consciences I speak be but honest and that will let you see it and here 's a difference between you and the Saints for the Saints to whom the Epistles was written that walkt in the light we make a difference between you that hate the light and them that walk in it for you that hate the light take the Saints words which was declared from the light and make a profession of their words but with the light you shall be condemned from among the Saints and to you this is the word of God and Christ which was the Light cried wo against such Pharisees and hypocrites as you are which stumbled at the light You boasters say You know no man after the flesh no not Christ And yet you stumble at the light which enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world And you that stumble at this light stumbles at the foundation Christ the Prophets and Apostles for this light was in them that gave forth these words and so it is the light within that opens them again and he that walks in the light as saith our Lord and master Christ he shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life and he that owns the light owns the word and doth not weaken the authority as in your p. 4. you say and this we witness And you Priests slander us with a foolish jealousie But you that stumble at the light stumble at Christ the Authority of all the Scriptures and you that stumble at the mystery between the Jews and the Gentiles which Christ cometh to put an end to the outward oracles of the Jews to bring in the Gentiles so the state of Jew and Gentile within you know not who stumble at the light This brings in and this condemns out Priest And you are talking of mount Sinai in matters of moral righteousness Reply O ye shameless men where doth the Scripture speak of moral righteousness and as touching mount Sinai silence for you are not come out of Egypt and this is in your p. 5. Whereas you say Natural man runneth to mount Sinai for righteousness in his personal obedience which you say these men put them upon Here I charge you That you know not what you speak for this lght of Christ judges down your immediate personal obedience and self-righteousness and natural-estate whom the wrath of God abides upon and the plagues of God for that is your due for mount Sinai you are not come to and there exhorting people to the light is to bring them to Christ and mount Sion in the life of the Scriptures which it speaks of Priest Your speaking of the body of Christ once offered to God at Jerusalem for an attonement for all Reply This Christ we own and know him no more after the flesh and you that stumble at his light stumble at Christ and know him not according to the flesh but are in the generation of your fathers that persecuted him But you say If any one destroy your Faith and make sleight the person of your glorified Saviour O you hypocrites what have you to do to talk of a glorified Saviour that stumble at the light and what talk you of Faith who stumble at the light your Faith is vain and will fade away but Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ we own and so it is you that trample upon the blood of the new covenant as in p. 9. And whereas you say You do confess God the Father of Lights natural and spiritual and that the eternal word lightens every mans candle whereby man sees the eternal power and God-head of God but nothing of the mystery of the Father and of Christ as a Mediator is seen but onely by the children of God What a confession and doctrine is this by you for you confess that man may see the eternal power and God-head of God and the Father and know nothing of the mystery of the Father and of Christ as a Mediator and he that knows the Father knows the Son and he that knows the Son knows the
Fathers and he hath the one hath the other also And here I charge you in the presence of the living God to be lyers and know nothing and see not the Father nor the God head can a man see the eternal power and God-head of God and know nothing of the mystery of the Father and of Christ as a Mediator but here you shew you know nothing of the eternal power of God nor the God-head of God nor the mystery of the Father nor of Christ as a Mediator who stumble at the light but these things we see with the light which Christ hath enlightned us withal an witness you to be without for the Apostle which witnessed the God-head knew the mystery of the Father which the heathens knew not And in your p. 10. you say That the Quakers say that this light before mentioned is pure which Christ hath enlightned withal and you conclude that this light in the conscience is not pure and saith How doth vain man justifie that which God condemns and would perswade us that nature is not corrupt Here again I charge you in the presence of the living God to be lyers and blasphemers nature is corrupt but the divine nature is not And you that declare and say That the light of Christ wherewith he hath enl ghtned is a corrupt nature Here I charge you in the presence of the living Lord to be lyers and the lye spake out of the false Prophets mouths and conclude you all to be blasphemers who saith the light of Christ wherewith he hath enlightned every one that cometh into the world is corrupt nature and not pure and saith God condemnes this light of Christ which is pure and that 's your own condemnation the light and saith Vain man justifies that which God condemnes Here I charge you again to be lyers for the light of Christ doth condemn vain man and it is according to the judgement of God this light and this light wherewith Christ hath enlightened every one that cometh into the world shall be your eternal condemnation And you are as high blasphemers as ever your Fathers were who concludes that the light which he hath enlightned withal is not pure and call it corrupt nature but this light as I said before condemns corrupt nature and that which is not pure and that you shall eternally witness for to that which Christ hath enlightned you withal I speak which shall eternally condemn you and witness me when the book of conscience is opened you that hate it whose deeds are evil and stumble at it but to all you that love it and walk in it shall not walk in darkness but shall have that light of life as I said before And you say Moreover they say the Quakers That this light discovers every evil as it ariseth in the heart And your Answer is That this light doth not discover the greatest evil which is unbelief Here you shew your selves to be blinde guides indeed which saith That the light of Christ doth not discover to man the greatest sin unbelief And here we witness you to be lyers for we witness it shews man all his weakness and wants and we witness waiting in this light of Christ we see more light and strength renewed from God and the Gospel enjoyed and self-denial in following Jesus in the light which he hath given us which teacheth to take up the cross and deny the world in which world we see you to live in void of the knowledge of God and stumbling at the light And again you are speaking of a moral law Reply But that 's without and there it shall stand as you are in the first nature and abundance of such stuff out of it you have vented which is not worth mentioning And again you are speaking of the Spirit of truth to covince the world of sin and you hope it will convince some of these deluded ones because they believe not Part of this shall stand for your selves you deluded ones but the Spirit of truth you know not that part is ours and with it we see you to be without God in the world stumbling at the light whose hope shall perish which when the book of conscience is opened shall witness me eternally and condemn you and all people everywhere that hate it You say Some may dare tosay their hands are clean but who can say their heart is clean I can and see all your hearts unclean who stumble at the light the pure in heart sees God and see your hearts which are deceitful above all things you which knows it not Here you shew you hate the light indeed who knows not your own hearts and here you have shewed you are not fit fellows to preacheth Gospel nor speak to others whose hearts are not clean Here you have made manifest you never saw God for the pure in heart sees God and you see not your own hearts and how can you pray you cannot pray lifting up holy hands to the Lord whose hearts are not clean There I charge you in the presence of the living God your prayers to be hypocritical and your hands to be full of blood And again whereas you are talking of shewing to man how impossible it is to enter into paradise O ye blinde guides what have ye to do talk of paradise that knows not your own hearts or shewing man the way The Lord hath given me a pure heart and clean hands by which all your deceits are discovered and paradise we witness which no such corrupt hearts shall enter who disobey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ whom the plagues of God is due to and to you that hate the light murtherers Cains who are so wrangling about the light and says The light in the conscience discovers not secret things Here you are out of the obedience of the light and contrary to Christs words who saith That the light that he hath enlightned withal shews man his evil deeds and he will not bring his deeds to it because he knows they are evil and therefore he stumbles and this is his condemnation and there you are to be condemned with the light of Christ who are querying who knows his heart and there you are manifest to be in the first nature and judgeth the light of Christ to be corrupt nature like your selves which you and your nature are to be condemned with the light of Christ which is pure and eternal which is the condemnation of you and all the world that hate it Wherein you say That we conclude that power accompanies that light to destroy every evil as it appears to them that yield up themselves to it It appears by your stumbling at this light of Christ in man that you are ignorant of the Scriptures who saith Ye are sanctified by the obedience of the Spirit And as many as receives him to them he gives power to become the sons of God And the Son makes free and he was manifest to destroy
this you speak to the world Here you have shewed your selves to be as the Pharisees which looked for the kingdom of God to come by observations Christ said Behold the kingdom of God is within you to the Pharisees and they were of the world and if those words be spoken to your generations they are not believed with you as they were not with your fathers And as touching John's baptism and the Gospel silence flesh for you are far off that who stumbles at the light and you are sons of formality You say You hold a visible order of the Church in the body and is not of the substance of the kingdom that cannot be shaken and yet in the Church We that ye call Quakers do believe ye and tread that ye call a visible Regiment and Church under our feet as natural for natural is visible and your Church is a Steeplehouse and for denying it we suffer persecution as Stephen did for denying the temple who saw the substance so do we with that which cannot be shaken which is the substance and therefore deny your Steeplehouse which can be shaken and your Sacrament and your standing forms and your sprinkling Infants there is not a word in the Scripture that speaks of a Sacrament and sprinkling Ye heathens that live altogether in formality And as touching Pastors and Elders and the Saints practice you know nothing of who stumble at the light who are in your elementary things Elders and Members Pharisee-like who sets themselves against Christ this is to comprehend you all under what form soever which stumbles at the light which shall condemn you all To that in your conscience I speak And whereas you say You do abominate Babylons confusion Then you must abominate your Mother which hath been and is your Nurse for in Babylon you are and all your prayers abomination and out of the doctrine of Christ who denies the light and calls it natural and not pure who are in the state of Popery and Episcopacie and you are Familists which you have mentioned in your book which turns upon your selves for in the nature of all those things you are who are in the sects with the light which Christ hath enlightned are you judged to be not in the unity for the society is visible and that joynes not to the body of Christ for what joynes to the body of Christ is invisible and in the light we have unity in which all the Saints had and see you to be in the whole body and bulk of iniquity which is raised from Christ You say You must not expect them your Ministers Deacons and Elders to be sent forth as the Apostles were immediately It 's manifest they are not Here you have raced your selves from all the Prophets and Apostles from all the Elders and Deacons and all the Teachers and Ministers of the Gospel and the effect of all your Ministery hath shewed you to be the body of all the sects Heresies Schismes and Errors and to be the doctrine of devils for you say you are not sent forth immediately as the Apostles were then let all take notice who sent you And here you shew forth God never sent you for whom he sends he sends forth immediately and this you deny to be sent forth immediately as the Apostles were And here I charge you in the presence of the living God to be them he never sent 2. To use your tongues 3. Such as Christ cried wo against which have the chiefest place in the assemblies and such as make a prey upon the people which the Lord sent Ezekiel to cry against and Jeremiah and the rest of the Prophets and to be such as Jude speaks of which went in the way of Cain after the error of Balaam which perished in the gainsaying of Core which the wo is to and what you know you know naturally as bruite beasts in these things you corrupt your selves speaking high things in hypocrisie having mens persons in admiration because of advantage which Peter spoke of and Jude who saith you are not sent forth immediately as the Apostles were And here you declare you were never sent of God and your Spirit contrary to the Apostles and in the doctrine of men for in Babylon you are who saith you are not sent forth immediately as the Apostles were for the Apostles said The holy Ghost hath made them overseers and that is immediate and invisible And you say Your society is visible We know it is so and so is your Communion too in outward elementary things and your bread and wine in your Steeplehouse-Church and your Sacrament sprinkling Infants so all this is visible and mediate and imitation out of the doctrine of the Apostles and the doctrine of Christ we own every tittle of it in the same Spirit that gave it forth and so all your casting out in your assemblies and your taking in which you say is not immediate is contrary to the doctrine of the Apostles for with the power and life they cast forth and with the power and life they took in which was immediate And you which say You are not sent forth immediately as the Apostles were have cleared your selves from the Church of Christ the pillar and ground of Truth which is immediate and so all your overseeing is natural and carnal and the natural man perceives not the things of the Spirit of God And here you have cleared your selves openly to all the children of light to be the spirit of error the beast the false Prophet which is not sent forth from God immediately as the Apostles were as ye confess so you are them which the Apostle John in the Revelation spoke of which was sent forth immediately from God to cry against such as you which was not sent forth immediately from God which Spirit is made manifest now which sees you now as they saw them then whom God sends forth immediately to cry against you now as they did then who are in the state of Paganisme who stumble at the light and confess you are not sent forth immediately with the immediate you are judged Whereas you say Them you call Quakers bids you speak no more then you can experience and live in And such you call for their pains painted Sepulchres which those words shall stand for your selves for Christ gave them to your fathers who had the Prophets words as you have the Apostles who spoke that they did not live in as you do as Mat. 23. but them that spoke forth the Scriptures and spoke what they lived in which you have declared your selves from who hath got the outside of the letter and makes a scorn and derision of them who would have you to live in what you speak as they did that gave forth the Scriptures and there you have shewed again what spirit you are of that would not live in what you speak and have cleared your selves from the Faith for Abraham possessed and you have manifested