vanity and men of high degree are a lye and the heart of man is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things Hear this ye wise men and foolish The more ye strive against the Lord the more is your wound made incurable and the higher you rise in envy always the deeper is your fall in confusion And now Christian Reader whose heart God hath opened to see and behold the things that be eternal and can truly discern of different causes and between the good and the evil and between the light and the darkness This Book is sent forth in the pursuit and after a Book called Hosâ—nna to the Son of David c. by a nameless Author whose work indeed was hardly worthy of an honest mans Name though very subtilly and craftily he prosecutes his purpose and traverses his steps full cunningly as this worlds wisdom could guide him in which wisdom he cannot know or receive the things of God and therefore it cannot be expected that the things of God should be received from that wisdom and though he hath confounded in his words his description of the Light of Christ sometimes speaking well of it aâ—d sometimes otherwise and not knowing hardly whereof he hath affirmed his words are so confounded and mixed in his corrupt reason in giving forth his knowledge of the things of God which he seems to be ignorant of but only as he hath the knowledge of them from the Letter by which no man can come to the knowledge of God nor of the things of his Kingdom without the revelation of the Spirit of Jesus and the operation of the same Spiriâ— But Friends the Testimony of God stands sure for ever though men would confound it in their own reason And this is the Testimony That Christ lighteth every man that cometh into the world which Light is sufficient to lead every man to God or else to condemn every man from God and this Testimony is true notwithstanding all the opposition against it and it shall abide sure for ever though men strive never so much in the gain-saying of it And this is the Testimony which we have born and shall bear to the end and who believes it and who believes it not this is the hand of the Lord according to his pleasure and to him we leave it and so we do and must clear our consciences from time to time while the Lord gives us a being And herein we are a good savour to God and our reward is with him whether Israel be gathered or no Isa. 49. And also this nameless Author which is supposed to be one John Jackson known in this City hath taken some seeming occasion against us by searching our Books and as he saith hath found some contradictions in them which may appear to be so to his dark mind yet in the sight of the spirit of the Lord that is truth which he sees to be no other than error However this is sent forth for the true information of peoples minds that they may know that truth is bold and confident and that it is Armour which defendeth from all Enemies and giveth strength to answer the craftiness of men And this same John Jackson hath shewed himself now to be one with the common Priests of the world for as they have done so hath he opposed the way and people of God and with the very same arguments shewing that he is of the very same spirit with them his discourse and arguments being of the same nature as theirs are yea he hath shewed himself to be of the very same spiâ—it with all the open prophane wretches which doth revile and scorn and abuse in every Town and Countrey the Lords people and as they do so so hath he written with subtile Arguments to the very same end as they reproach and scorn to wit in a derision and despising the way and servants of the Lord so that his self-separation is now seen what it is to be a very cheat and hypocrisie who while he professeth a separation frâ—m the World doth practice the very same wickedness and is not changed from them in nature though he be in appearance But what a poor work hath he brought forth in two years time which he saith his work hath been as Embers raked up in ashes yet a work that gains no praise of God nor very little of the praise of any man It seems he hath hatched mischief upon his bed and brought it forth in the morning Who would have thought but a wise man in that time would have brought forth a larger piece and more to purpose I am sure he might have made better use of his time in another exercise than to have writ against the servants of the Lord It had been more honest for him to have set his pen to paper and studyed to have given his testimony against the Pridâ— and Drunkenness and Oppression and Whoredoms and Wickedness in this great City I say it had been more honest and liker a Saint to have sought the reforming of prophaneness and wickedness that greatly abounds in this City than to have studyed two years to bring forth his invented stuff against a harmless and innocent people which he nor any can justly charge with evil but as he hath digged deep by his imaginations in recollecting a seeming-contradiction out of our writings which is no contradiction no more then Christs words are who saith Except ye eat my flesh and drink my blood ye have no life in you And yet in the same discourse saith The flesh profits nothing And for Isaiah to go with the Word of the Lord to Hezekiah to tell him he should dye and not live yet in the same instant of time told him he should live and not dye Would not John Jackson have counted these contradictions But what he hath done in this in sending forth a Book against the Quakers he hath been so far from beating down sin drunkards and rude scorners and abusive men that he hath fully strengthened their hands and the wickedst people in this Nation are very glad of his work he hath given them matter to oppose truth withall but his reward and theirs shall be both with one hand and he shall drink his portion in the same Lake with such whose hands he hath strengthened and let him know and them all God hath established us upon a sure Mountain which the Gates of Hell and Death cannot prevail against So his work is counted of us and cast by as our spoiled prey of Babylons treasure onely this is sent abroad after it in the pursuit of it which is not done with multitudes of words of mans wisdom but in the plain nakedness of innocent truth which is more strength than all his arguments of guile whereby he would deceive the people but he can deceive none but such as are deceived already for all that are in the Light and in the Truth sees beyond all that he can say and are established
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
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
the root and the branches of it and now is the burden of the Beasts of the South felt as truly as in the Prophets dayes Isa. 30.6 from whence cometh the young and old Lyon the Viper and fiery flying Serpent and now doth the mighty and terrible cry of the spirit of the Lord go forth to the men of this generation as it went forth before time to the Egyptians concernig this which the Lord hath wrought your strength is to stand still and if this counsel of the Lord be by you received you shall know more of the ways and workings of the Lord with his children and that all things which the Lord hath done is for the furtherance of the Gospel and that those which are approved may be made manifest what a strong ground of occasion would the envious one have thought he had if he had come among the babes in Christ who were met together at Corinth hearing Paul say that there was divisions among them said that there must be heresies among them that they which are approved may be made manifest 1 Cor. 11.19 and this was no character that God had broken them without hands nor that he had made their profession of unity of no force but through this manifestation he did work schism out of the body that so there should be no Schism Rent Heresie nor any such thing in the body and this thing was not that the enemies of God might glory against the truth and if any labour to seek occasion against the holy Brethren and say they are divided into Heads because two eminent men of them withstood one another as concerning eating with the Gentiles viz. Paul and Peter to such I say he that gathered at first into unity is the healer and Repaired of such breaches and they may profess and witness as much unity after this as ever before And these three which the envious one hath mentioned to be at difference in Doctrine and practice viz. G.F. J.N. J.B. the unity in the life and power of God in them and in their Doctrine and practice shall stand for a witness and for a condemnation against all the accusers and now seeing that their occasion is taken away their accusations may cease and if such Prophets be deceived then let them consider who hath deceived them I the Lord hath deceived that Prophet Therefore what would such a Prophet think of the Apostles words when he saith There must come a falling away first that the man of sin may be revealed Would he or could he judge this a charecter that the day of Christ were at hand or that through such things the power of it should be made more manifest or that those among whom these things were wrought should be thereby the more united To believe this will bring men even to their wits end it being so contrary to their thoughts and conceivings and this may well confound their vvisdome and turn them backvvard and bring them to question truth of all that vvhich ever they have vvritten spoken or acted against those vvhom the Lord hath manifested his povver and vvork among contrary to their judgement and discerning for the vvays and vvorkings of the Lord is deep and his secrets are vvith those that fear him and not vvith those that despise his appearance and speak evill of that they knovv not and the Lord vvill yet vvork greater things in the earth that such may be confounded And what wil such say if the words of Daniel the Prophet be fulfilled in these dayes saying And some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and to make them white even to the time of the end c. Dan. 11.35 Doth not God hereby try men and try their spirits and try their discernings should any in such cases judge before the time the Lord will mâ—ke it manifest for this cause wil God bring such into judgement Therefore I say unto you that your strength is to sit still and let the Lord alone and let his people alone and let him work his own work in his own way and presume not to be his counseller for who hath known the mind of the Lord let such as have dwell in it and preserve knowledge so shall they always abide in strength and power Union with the Lord and one with one another men shall yet know for all that hath been that we are his Disciples because we love one another and none shall make our glorying and rejoycing in the unity of the spirit and in the love of God void but it shall abound more and more to torment the spirit of enmity which would break it or accuse us for professing of it but over that spirit we are in the Lord But what if some should rise up evâ—n froâ— among our selves speaking perverse things and draw Disciples after them and go out from us as they did from among the Apostles that it might be made manifest that they were not all of us Ought this to be laid to our charge Or ought the way of God to be accused because of such things to be Heresie or Schism If this seem to you an evident token of perdition and of error yet to us of our Salvation and that of God And we are assured that we are of God having the witness in our selves yet not bearing witness of our selves for there is one that beareth witness of us even the Father which is in Heaven and his witness is true being unto us a seal of assurance Therefore from henceforth this is a Warning to small and great that they no further proceed in that which is both unnecessary and unseasonable For this I say unto all such that it is unnecessary and unseasonable to seek to perswade us that the truth is error or that the light which every man is enlightned withal is the spirit of every man for that is not according to the record which God hath given of his son nor which the Son hath given of the light but blessed be that day and blâ—ssed for ever be that poâ—er in which a seed is brought forth unto which the Father hath given a true testimony in which they shall never be confounded which abide faithful for great is the mysterie of godliness God manifest in the flesh and against this manifestation is the power of darkness risen up and all the messengers and ministers of Satan under all forms and professions hath joyned themselves together to make their arm strong against the Son of righteousness his righteous life and righteous wayes which now he is bringing forth among his children but out of the mouth of Babes hath God ordained strength against which all the powers of darkness cannot prevail and unto which strength all our enemies must bend and bow and come for salvation For that which now the leaders of the people have set themselves against when they have finished their course and the anguish comes over their
holy 1 Pet. 1.16 And this is not a doctrine of Devils but of Christ the Son of God and Paul preached Wisdom among those that were perfect 1 Cor. 2 6. and David preached the Doctrine of perfection in this life saying Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Psal. 37.37 Now David did not bid them mark such a man as there was not So the Doctrine of perfection is that Doctrine which both the Prophets Christ and Apostles preached and so not the Doctrine of Devils if we preach the same but all those that preach up sin and that men must live in it and that they cannot be free from it while upon earth these are Messengers of Satan and preach the Doctrine of Devils and people need not that doctrine for they are willing enough to live in sin without having it preached up and being strengthened in it and that makes them so willing to pay the Priests such Wages for calling the proud happy and those that work wickedness Saints and justified persons for without such Wages not a priest in England would preach peace to them in their sins but they would all be silent for if people come once to know Christ their Teacher and he in them the hope of glory who saves his people from their sins then no man wil buy their merchandize any more but wil come all to hear and learn of the Father and come to witness his Covenant and his Teachings and shall not need that one teach another saying Know the Lord for all shall know him from the least to the greatest Heb. 8.11 And this shall all come to witness that come to be translated into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God and then shall they come to witness his Words who is the Lord from Heaven who saith Be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect and be ye holy for I am holy And this is the voice from Heaven The real Cause of the Nations Bondage and Slavery here demonstrated and the way of their freedom from their sore and hard Bondage asserted Presented unto the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England who have a Power and Opportunity put into their hands to do good and to fulfil the expected ends of many if they improve it From one that hath seen the corruption which bondageth the whole Creation and that waits for the redemption of the creature from under it R. H. I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning afterwards thou shalt be called the City of Righteousness the faithful City Isa. 1.26 Not before When this is fulfilled in England it shall be truly called a free Nation or Commonwealth Not before THere hath been a time when the prudent hath kept silence but now Wisdom hath opened her mouth and will be justified of all her children for the Lord is reviving the spirit that hath been imprisoned and taking the yoke from off the Disciples necks and is going on in the Name of his Power to make his creature a free creature and his people a free people and the Nation that serves him and obeys his Law a free Nation and the thunderings of his power is gone forth and his Light is risen to discover and destroy that which hath deceived the Nations and to give a discerning unto all of their freedom from their bondage and in what it stands and that is to be cast out which gendereth to the bondage of the Soul Spirit or Conscience in any exercise of Worship or obedience unto God which springs from the measure of his own life which must not be hindered or quenched by any Law Power or pretence whatsoever Therefore from the free Spirit of Life and Liberty in Christ Jesus this is proclaimâ—â— to the whole Nation and the Nations round about to take off their bondage and to take away their reproach which hath lain upon them for want of the life of Christ which is now risen to do its own work and perfect its own praise and to deliver its own Seed wheresoever it hath been in captivity the power of life must deliver it from all that which causeth shame and reproach which is the iniquity and transgression of the Life of Christ which is the original cause of bondage to every Nation which the Lord hath promised to take away in one day Zac. 3 9. And his Work and Power shall be known by its fruit which is to take away theâ—r sin Isa. 27.9 One great yoke of bondage which is upon the Subjectâ— and Seed of God in this Nation and others is that Ministry which is not free neither wil minister without money and the people are not free to hear them yet a yoke of bondage is laid upon them to pay them and this iniquity is established by a Law So here is neither free preaching nor free hearing unto which the free Spirit raised up in this Nation declareth thus That every one that will minister must do it freely and as of the ability which God giveth him and as the Oracle of God and that no profession of people may maintain anothers Minister but that there may be a free preaching and a free hearing among all people that so it may be a free Nation and they that will have Teachers according to their own lusts and judgements they to maintain them and that there may never any such iniquity be established by a Law as for one sort of people to maintain anothers Minister for this hath caused heart-burnings envy and strife insomuch that little Justice could be done for the Nation by reason of the cry of complainers and oppressors as at every Parliament every high Court every Assizes and Sessions and petty Courts there hath some pretended Minister or other been presenting Addresses Petitions or Complaints and so have stopt the just and lawful proceedings of the affairs of the Nation which interruption may easily be prevented and the Courts of Justice freed from such brawling and unreasonable complaints which hath been more interruption to Justice than any thing in the Nation besides and hath more hindered the peoples deliverance from being a free people and a free Nation than any thing in the Nation besides So let every form and profession of Religion maintain their own Minister and maintain their poor which are crying at their Meeting-house doors and in the Streets in the Name of their God for some relief that so there may not be a beggar in England for herein the Christians in name are become even a reproach among the Heathens to see their own flesh stand naked and uncovered in the streets and Steeple-house doors and at their doors and they turn their ears from the poor and forget God and loses the bowels of compassion and are not merciful as the Father which is in Heaven is merciâ—ul and so walks not according to the Scriptures but is a disgrace to Religion