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
they would not come unto him that they might have Life Joh. 5.40 and not because his light in them was not sufficient for these Jewes did for a season rejoyce in the Light which if they had continued in would have led them to the knowledge of the Father and of the Son as those of understanding sees in those Scriptures which thou hast asserted and so thus in all thy Arguments to manifest thy Ignorance of the Scripture and of the Light instead of charging mens guilt of disobedience thou charges the light of Christ to be insufficient for they that did love and receive the light which Christ had enlightned them withall to them it was given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to those which did hate reject and count it insufficient those things from them was hid and their rejection was the cause of hiding those things and not the light and this may answer the most of thy Arguments and let thee see how thou stumbles because thou hates the light which should discover unto thee both the cause of knowledge and of ignorance and the ground from whence they both arise In many other of thy Arguments thou proves nothing thou intendest but accusing falsly the Quakers as in the 15 16 17.21 22. Arguments where thou saist That they forbid People to seaâ—â—h the Scriptures in those words page 48. Christ saith Search the Sâ—riptures Quakers say no but look to the light within you and that their opinion makes a supposed light within each man a safe rule and guide to each man and is erronious Thirdly That the opinion and praâ—â—ice of the Quakers are evil in making every man a Teacher and makes neealess the Teachers set by God for the work of the Ministry Fourthly That their Opinion is impious and that they make it uâ—necessary to pray for the Spirit to enlighten mens Eyes iâ— the knowledge of God Fifthly That their Opinion is pernicious which makes man to lean to his own understanding be wise in his own Eyes and in his own conceit and that they bless men in following their own light Sixthly That the Quakers place all their Godliness in following their own supposed Light Ans. The ground of all those Arguments is false and every particular thing herein charged against the Quakers is false for they have not denyed thaâ— men should search the Scriptures neither hath their Opinion and practice made every man a Teacher Neither is it their Opinion that it is unnecessary to pray for the Spirit to enlighten mens eyes in the knowledge of God but do pray for it and for our Enemies so far that their eyes may be enlightned that they might see their own darkness and then they would not so falsly accuse uâ— of things that we never affirmed but was always contrary to and we never made any man to lean to his own understanding but do turn men to Christs light which lets them see their own understandings which is false and bringâ— them to the true understanding of Him whom the Father hath sent into the World which brings them from being wise in their own eyes and in their own conceit neither do we blesse men in following of their own light but we say they are bleswd who follow the light of Christ and walk as he walked and see never did place any Godlinesse in following our own supposed light but in Christ who hath really enlightened us do we place all Godlinesse and all are ungodly that do not walk in his Light but hate and despise it and falsly accuse those that walk in it but well may they accuse us to be erroneous and impious for walking in the Light vvhen they have accused the light it selfe to be but lust and imagination but in this they know not what they do and therefore we pray to God to forgive them And whereas again we are chargâ—d Page 47. to make the coming of Christ into the World to be needlesse and uselesse by saying that he hath enlightneth every man that commeth into the World that charge is contrary to the Truth for in this we make hâ—m usefull and needful to all people Christ was as a Light in the World and as a Teacher to the Saints of Old and to Moses who bore his reproach and to the Prophets which prophesied of him before that in the fulnesse of time he appeared in the similitude of sinfull flesh of which appearance the Apostles were witnesses and so to preach him as a Covenant to the Jews and as a light to the Gentiles before he so came into the World was not an Error much less now when he is come and hath so appeared for us to say that he is the true Light which hath enlightened every man that cometh into the World that every man thtough him might beleeve is not an error but is the way to Salvation And whereas several other Arguments is made upon false grounds as that the supposed light in a man may lead him into a way whose end is death this only belongs to thy selfe thou art guilty of it for the true Light would have led thee to have spoken Truth and to have accused no man falsly and would not have suffered thee to have opposed by plain contradiction Christs Words nor to have perverted the Scriptures in making them a ground for thy false Arguments and so that Argument against thy selfe stands and that thy supposed light leads into a way whose end is Death Again thou saist in some of thy Arguments If every man have a light sufficient to guide him then there needs no transforming nor renewing nor putting off the Old Man nor should be no foolishness nor need of a Rod of correction nor need any train up a Child in the way he should go nor need not learne Childrens Literature or good manners and other things of the like Nature Ans. This is as if thou shouldst say that Christ is come into thâ— World to Teach to Redeem to Renew and to Restore and to Reâ—orm and to do all these works in them and for them but they need not believe nor obey nor Worship nor put off the old Man nor Pray nor Preach nor Learn because he is sufficient as to all those things but this we say though Christ and His Light be sufficient to lead men to the Father and that though thiâ— Light do shine in the darknesse and convince man of his evil deeds yet his mind must be turned unto it to obey and follow it which is that only which leads to the Father but though Christ become a Light into the World and be sufficient and a safe guide yet none comes to the Father by Him but those that believe follow and obey his Light and do put off the Old Man with his deeds and be renewed in the inward of their minds and do deny conformity to the World and do hear him in all things and learn of him so this our Doctrine shall
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
their names in outward appearance but hath a measuring line given unto it and a true ballance whereby voices ways worships and testimonies is tried before they be approved and therewith shall this spirit be tried and voice which is come forth crying Hosanna to the Son of David or a testimony to the Lords Christ which being truly weighed and searched may prove a testimony against the Lords Christ which hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world in setting up mans spirit to be the light instead of the Lords Christ. But first let us consider the burden under which this man hath laboured which is as he saith that which is both unnecessary and unseasonable First unnecessary because the same hath been before by better hands so it is not to be admired as a Monster because it hath already been and effected nothing Secondly unseasonable because those are already resolved that Jesus Christ is the true light which hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world which he would resolve that the spirit in every man is that light and so according to this every man must follow his own spirit instead of following the light which Christ hath enlightned him withal Now this burden thus considered which is both unnecessary and unseasonable having been in his brest above two years all that have received the spirit of judgement and knows the workings of the mysterie of iniquity and can truly read the state of those which are filled with unrighteousness knows that this birth is cursed before ever it came forth and it had been better that it had never been born nor brought forth into the world for it will be to the great aggravation of his sorrow and misery which did conceive it and so long travel in it and at last brought it forth but among the untimely births shall we reckon it which never saw the Sun nor never received blessing from the Father and happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast rewarded us and happy shall he be that takes and dasheth thy untimely birth against the stones Psal. 137.8 9. Against this birth hath the Lord stretched forth his everlasting arm to dash in pieces and this is not the first of Babylons children which in this age and in this City hath been brought forâ—h to the spoil nor the first which this man hath brought forth for he hath brought forth another without a name which is both as unnecessary and as unseasonable as this And so from experience he may say that it is both unnecessary and unseasonable either to conceive or bring forth any such thing against the seed which the Lord hath blessed for there was never any as yet which did strive against the Lord or his anointed ones which did prosper neither shall to the ends of the earth So the burden of this man is searched and judged and fâ—und not to be the burthen of the word of the Lord though he thought it to be so when in him he felt the fire of enmity bâ—yling and bubling up within him as in his Epistle But we have found it to be such a burthen as the false Prophets in Jerusalem did see for the people which was false burthens and causes of banishment Lam. 2.14 But if the fire of the Lord had been kindled in him it would have consumed this birth in the womb before ever it had been brought forth But the hour is coming and now is in which the Lord is fulfilling his promise according to the Scriptures which saith that he will make Jerusalem a burthensome stone for all people all that burthen themselves with it shall be cut in pieceâ— though all the people upon the earth be gathered together against it Zac. 12.3 And as this was spoken so it is fulfilled and fulfilling that the testimony of God may be sealed up among his children For now is the light risen with which the Lord Christ is gathering into the new Jerusalem the City of the living God and now hath many burthened themselves with it and so burthened that they cannot tell how to unburthen themselves of it But to ease themselves of that burthen which is ready to press them down they break forth into reviling terms and unsavory speeches and false assertions against the light and those that walk in it and will deny both the light and children of light to be spiritual Some calling it natural light some calling it natural conscience some created light some the light of reason and understanding some old creation light some a dim light some the spirit of man and so burthen themselves with it and when they have both spoken and printed such things to ease them of their burthen their burthen growâ— again and so they do not cease to vex and grieve the holy spirit of God from day to day and when they have burthened themselves with the enmity against the light and the works of righteousness proceeding forth from it to the father then they cry the burthen of the Lord the fire of the Lord within them But saith the Lord to such I will destroy that man and his house and the burthen of the Lord shall ye mention no more for every mans word shall be his burthen for ye have perverted the words of the living God of the Lord of hosts our God Jer. 23.36 Therefore is the measuring-line gone forth to measure the false burthens whereby they pervert the words of the living God with their own words and imaginations and unto those which ever were reproachers of the way and people of God the Lord saith I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you and a perpetual shame which shall not be forgotten Ier. 13.40 So this is written that no man should any more burthen themselves with the burthensom stone whereby they will be broken to pieces if they fall upon it But that every one may come to it that with it they may see their false burthens and the sin which doth so easily beset them and may cease grieving of the spirit of the Lord while his spirit striveth with them and may come to know every man his own word which will become his burthen when it returns again unto him But the word of the Lord goeth forth and returns not empty neither doth it burthen him which it goes forth from when it returns again unto him Although the true burthen of the word of the Lord be known in many before it go forth from them Therefore then seeing that it is an untimely birth and not that which is born of the spirit which is come forth from him to whom I now am to speak Now least others being in the same blindness with him think as he doth that it is a true voice or Hosanna to the son of David or a true testimony to the Lords Christ I shall weigh his testimony seeing that the true voice is gone forth both in the days of his flesh and since in which days he was truly
deceit in Westchester and of his free-will hath given me not only to belâ—eve but to suffer for his Name sake who hath called me out of my own Countrey and from my Father's House and to go in obedience to his command whithersoever he shall call me While I was young I girded my self and went whither I would and then I yeilded obedienâ—e to my own will and to the will of man and was a man-pleaser but the Will of God I knew not neither was obedient to his commands but when the Lord was pleased to reveal his Son in me and make known his Will unto me to enlighten me with his true Light which hath enlightened every one that cometh into the World and by it let me see my self to be a stranger to him and knew him not though I was grown mighty in the Aegyptians Wisdom and was in love with the World and in the favour of men and in a profession and words of man's wisdom exceeded others being in a form of godliness but was ignorant of his Power and his Word but when his Power was made manifest and his Word spoke within me which Word was in my heart and was as a fire or a hammer and this Word being made manifest within me my Conscience being awakened by the Light of God which did convince me of sin and did testifie against all my words and actions and that just judgments of God were revealed from Heaven against that Nature I lived in and the Trumpet of the Lord was sounded within me and the Earth did tremble and the Viâ—ls of the wrath of the Almighty were poured down upon me and the powers of the Earth were terribly shaken the foundation of Wisdom and Earthly Knowledge was shaken and the Judgements of God were upon the outward man and my flesh was wasted off my bones and the bones smote one against another and I knew the Lord to be terrible and this Word powerful in burning up and hammering down the lustful nature I lived in in pleasure and wantonness in pride and fulness which the Word of the Lord was declared against and this Word I witness spoken from the Lord 's own power within me which made my flesh and bones to tremble exceedingly and did cause pain in all my loyns and paleness of face my comeliness was turned into corruption and my joy into lamentation and I was brought to the bed of sorrows where I cryed out in the bitterness of my spirit and I had no ease nor rest day nor night for the hearing of the ear which I did hear and the sight of mine eyes which I did see I heard the sound of the Trumpet the Alarum of War within me terrors wo misery and destruction was upon me in my trouble I cryed in the evening Would God it were morning and in the morning Would God it were evening and the terrors of the Almighty being upon me my acquaintance and familiars stood a far off me for they knew not the power of the Lord nor the Judgements of my God which I do witness to be revealed and made manifest in me and the Lord raised up in me a love to his Word by which all the powers of the Earth did tremble and the Earth it self was shaken by it and by this Word was I called to go and declare it as I had received it from the Lord to those who lived in the same Heathenish nature without the knowledge of God and to declare the Judgements of God against sin and ungodliness as they were made manifest in me And by this Word was I called to forsake Father and Mother Lands and Living to go in obedience to the Lord who commanded me not to take thought what I should eat or what I should drink or wherewith I should be cloathed but cast my care upon him And this I witness the Lord's care and those whom the Lord calls into his Work and who labour in his Vinyard need not complain to the World for want And for yeilding obedience to the Lord and his commands and not giving obedience to the corrupt Will of man who commands me contrary to what the Lord hath commanded do I suffer under the persecution of those who are set in the place of Rulers and Magistrates professing themselves to be Ministers of the Law of England and to act Justice according to that Law and do bear the Names of Major Justices of Peace and Magistrates and say they act according to the Law of the Nation and present Government but they are seen to be in the generation of those who were ever persecutors of the righteous Seed where-ever it is brought forth and the Servants of the Lord in all ages were ever persecuted by that generation professing to be Ministers of Justice But that which is acted is cruelty persecution and injustice and the righteous suffer whom the Law was not made for but for the lawless and disobedient and was added because of transgression The righteous Law af God was to be inflicted upon transgressors breakers of the Law but the unrighteous Law of men is inflicted upon the righteous who walk blameless and are proved no transgressors but in obedience to the Lord do witness a good conversation towards God and towards men our consciences bearing us witness in the sight of God And those who are Rulers of the City and Rulers of the Synagogue under whom I suffer imprisonment say this is their Law That if I will home into my own Countrey aâ—â— to my Father's House and stay there and depart this City I may be free upon this account else I shall remain in prison And this is contrary to the command of the Lord for he hath commanded me out of my own Countrey and from my Fathers house but my own Countrey dwelling and Fathers house the World knows not that which I am called from they know the natural man knows that which is natural And this is contrary to the Law of the Nation for the Law of the Nation doth not confine any to stay at one place nor to be kept from any one City being proved no transgressors nor breakers of the Law But I seek a Country and City whose Builder and Maker is God and truly if I had been â—â—â—dful of the Country I came forth and did love the pleasures delights and flesh-pots of Egypt which I am called from I might have had opportunity to have returned thither but in obedience to the Lord I had rather suffer affliction with the people of God then enjoy the pleasures of Egypt And you who say I have no lawful calling I do witness the same Word of God the true prophets of the Lord were commanded by to declare against all sin and ungodliness by the same Word do I declare against it where I am commanded of the Lord and am called out of the same calling that they were into the same Work of the Lord that they were and so I do
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
Kings Rulers that the Scripture speaks off He contemns Authority vvho is a fighter or quarreller or drunkard or lyar or swearer and they vvho abuse themselves vvith mankind but not they vvho declare the Word of the Lord to such to lead them from all such practises but such you account disturbers and contemners of Authority who stand patiently before you because they will not put off their hats for it is your pride that is disturbed and not Justice for the Law of Justice is vvithout respect of persons and doth judge thee vvho doth respect persons Another thing charged against me is That I said I dwelt in God and where the Lord called me I ansvver Let shame and terror take hold upon you both Priests Magistrats who make a Law in your wils to imprison those vvho come to vvitness they dvvel in God as the Saints did Paul said In him we live move and have our being and said he had no certain dvvelling-place and by this Lavv he vvould be imprisoned and he vvas persecuted and reviled and suffered it 1 Cor. 4. and John said He that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him 1 Joh. 4.16 and he that keeps his commandments dwelleth in him and he in him And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit that he hath given us 1 John 3.24 and by this Lavv John should be imprisoned because he said he dvvelt in God and all the Prophets and Apostles did go vvhere the Lord called them O blush and be ashamed before the Lord to profess Christ and Justice and make a Lavv to imprison those vvho are obedient to the commands of God and dwell in God that ever such a thing should be acted or once named in your Courts or Sessions who profess your selves Christians The Heathens have so much light as to see your nakedness and folly The Law was added because of transgression for the lawless and disobâ—dient and not for the righteous who dwel in God and are obedient to him Another thing against me is Because I would not enter into Recognizâ—nce to appear at the next Sessions to answer the premises being charged in his Highness Name to the Gaol at Norwich I answer The Lord God who is above all Names and Highnesses in his Name and Presence do I speak clear my conscience before him and all the World who hath set me free from being bound to the wil of any man for he is comâ—ng in his mighty power to bring down all Powers Names Highnesses and Laws under which the seed of God suffers This is the word of the Lord to all you who in your wills make laws by them cause to suffer the servants of the living God but by his Law which is perfect changeth not both you and your Laws are to be condemned The Discharge Norf. ss Whereas I sent you yesterday the body of Richard Hubberthorn late of Yelland iâ— Lancashire by the Constables of Wâ—mondham Now these are to require you forthwith upon the receit hereof to set at liberty the said R. Hubberthorn provided he be charged with nothing else but his Mittimus from me laid to his charge and this shall be your warrant for so doing Octob. 10. 1654. To the Keepers of the Gaol in the County of Norf. in ehe City of Norwich Ralph Woolmeâ— I being by the same Law and Power set at liberty by which I was committed to prison under the same hand seal by which the Keepers of the gaol were charged to keep me by the same command under the same hand seal are the Keepers of the gaol commanded to set me at liberty by the same power which charged these things against me in the Mittimus by the same power am I cleared discharged of them in this Warrant nothing else being laid to my charge I desire to know by what Law I am yet kept prisoner or vvhat I have to ansvver the next Sessions This vvas I moved of the Lord to declare and lay open that all people in the Light vvhich Jesus Christ hath enlightned them vvithall may see the changeable Lavvs made in the Will of man vvhich is changeable being turn'd from that in tht conscience from the Lavv of God vvhich is perfect and changeth not and by all such Laws as are made in the Wil of man did ever the servants of the Lord suffer do novv Let all vvho are lightned by Christ to knovv the perfect Lavv judge R.H. Prisoner in Norwich-Castle A true testimony of the zeal of Oxford-Professors and Vniversity-men who for zeal persecute the servants of the living God following the example of their brethren of Cambridge Also the lewdness of those two great Mothers discovered who have brought forth so many Children and never had Husband From Oxford the 26 day of the fourth Moneth 1654. A Brief and true testimony to all the people of the unjust and unlawful proceedings of those called Justices in Oxford against two Northern women who in obedience to the Lord came to Oxford upon the 20 of the fourth Moneth who several days as they were moved of the Lord passed through the Streets Colledges and Steeple-houses declaring the word of the Lord freely And upon the 15 day being the first day of the week were moved to go to a Steeple-house and when the Priest had done one of the women began to speak in answer to what was delivered and in exhortation to the people Then two of the justices cried out Take her away carry her to prison and they took them away and carried them to prison called Buckerdo where onely fellons and persons are committed for murther and other hainous offences are and secured And on the morrow being the second day of the week some of the Justices asked the Major whether there was no meeting appointed the Major said No he knew no business they had that there should be a meeting the Justice answered There is two Quakers committed to prison the Major answered Let those Justices that committed them if they have any Law against them let them act it upon them if not set them free and the said Major said further That he had nothing to say against them but he said that if they wanted food money or raiment he would take care that they should be supplied so the Major left them and went about his publick imployment and would have no more to do in the matter nor act any thing against them but did rather think it convenient to leave it to them to act according to their wills and he free from it himself But upon further consideration and for the more satisfaction the Major went up where the Justices were to examine the women and that their cruelty might the more be made manifest the Vice-chancellour of the University was sent for to come up before them and then they proceeded to examination and the first Question propounded was What her name
like but it hâ—d been more just of a better report for him to have ansvvered them and shevved them to be as he saith of them to all people rather than in a manner back bited them and reproached them and not shevving vvherein it lyes and if they be so needlesse and vaine as he saith then the sooner had such a vvise man as he thinks himseâ—f J. S. confuted them by sober and plaine ansvveres but vvhat if our folly in the sight of men be vvisdom in the sight of God aâ—d his vvisdom foolishnnsse vvith God no matter vvhat he say of us vvho hath shevved himself already and confessed truly that his heart is old and lying and sinfull so vve can expect no better judâ—ment from his Pen then what is in his heart but while we are approved in the sight of God we matter not what men say of us especially one that hath set himself to be our enemy and the Lords enemy and I leave the honest sober Queries to be read which he hath falsely branded with Pride and ignorance and such like as this What Rule have you in Scripture for putting off the Hat this is an honest Question which he wickedly slanders with pride And whether is your Gospel free without charge as the Apostles was yea or no These and such other Questions he rails agâ—inst to be ignorant and quarrellous and vain and of the Devil Now it had been more honest to have confuted them in answering discreetly than to have thus branded them And he saith It is one thing to take Hire for Preaching and another thing to preach for hire whereby his scope is to excuse himself if it may be and his Brethren who are Hirelings and would not be counted to preach for hire though he dare not deny lest all men should see his folly but that they had hire for preaching but then let him tell us when or where ever any of them preached and had no hire and then we will believe they preach not for it but such as receive sums of money of one man â—or a Country which would not be given him except he preached to them this same man is a Hireling and preaches because he hath hire aâ—d hath hire because that 's the ground he preaches Further he saith Christs righteousnesse which justifies a believing sinner is not the essential righteousnesse of his God-head and here he hath spoken ignorantly and held forth as if there is two Righteousnesses of Christ which I call for a proof from him for else let him confesse to his shame that he hath added to the Scripture for the righteousnesse of Christ is but one by which all the Saints are justified Further he saith ignorantly enough That which is done accord to the bare letter of the written Command or from a Gift of the Spirit or in a Gospel way from a living principle of grace â—cts of â—olinesse by the Holy Spirit and Faith given stirred up This is a righteousnesse of ours saith he and seems to separate it from the righteousnesse of Christ as he holds forth let men behold his ignorance Further he saith though it be wrought by the strength of Christ in us yet as to Justification Paul would not be fouâ—d in it this for a word mark again Reader canst thou see any thing here but ignorance as if Paul were justified by anoâ—â—er Christ then what wroâ—ght in him to will and to do Furthâ—r he saith Paul counted all things but loss and dung even what he had done or suffered since conversion that he might win Christ. Mark again What was the converting of many hundred of souls by Paul and many other Works of God wrought by him but dung and losse so J. S. holds forth this is ignorance indeed he hath shewed his ignorance by what he hath said and not proved in any thing that concerning Questions we contradict the Scriptures His 21 th Head concerning Civil Honour In this we do not contradict the Scripture by Arguments nor practice but do honour all men in the Lord and cannot respect mens persons nor have them in any admiration for any advantage yea we honour men in reproving them in their unrighteousnesse and J. S. pleads much for civil Honour the Scripture speaks not of Civil Honour and the Question is What this honour is that he calls civil and wherein it may be done and not in transgression nor in respect of persons Magistrates are to be honourâ—d by subjection to their just Commands Requests and Laws and by patient suffâ—ring under their corrupt Laws and evil Commands and not resisting evil yet the person of no man is to be respected for he that doth commits sin and is a transgressour of the Law of God Ministers of Christ are to be respected for their works sake and they desire no honour nor praise of men but know Reproach and infamy is their respect from the men of this Generation And as for Hirelings and Deceivers they are respected of the World but condemned of God and of his Saints and testified against and Parents are to be respected in the Lord by their Children and Masters by their Servanâ—s but where God commands one thing and parents or masters another as it often comes to passe in Christs time as it doth now whether to give respect to God or man this I leave to be judged by sober men that make conscience of what they say And thus in short I give a testimony how we honour and would have all honoured in the Lord and leave J. S. long Discourse to him and his Company and do bear witnesse against the vain Superstition and foolish Customes of this Generation His 22 d Head concerning Swearing In this we do not contradict the Scripture but saith practiseâ—â— according to Christs words Swear not at all which is spoken absolute and without condition and mitigation and he saith we take these words of Christ against his meaning and this is false and wicked too in â— S. who would be seen to hold forth that when Christ said Swear not at all he meant not as he spake for both Christ and the Apostle James were righteous in what they delivered concerning Swearing who forbids all manner of Swearing no cause excepted and we take Christs words according to his mind and doth deny all Oaths and abides in Christ and the Apostles Doctrine and ouâ— yea is so and our nay is so and whatsoever is more commeth of evil and J. S. would plead for swearing before a Magistrate but that Magistrate which fears God and loves his way will believe a man sooner that cannot swear for conscience sake then he that makes no conscience of Swearing and such a one is liker to testifie lyes with Oaths then he that for conscience sake denyes Oaths and in his conclusion he saith scholastically though ignorantly they that wil not expound Scripture by Scripture and compare the precepts and exâ—mples for swearing without prohibition against
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
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
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
no other way can R. H. A word of Wisdom and Counsel to the Officers and Souldiers of the Army in England c. To weigh and consider before the light and power of their day be shut up in darkness when they cannot Act for God THe people of this Commonwealth hath by deep and sad experiences not onely seen the falseness and deceivableness of many fair words and pretences whereby they have been betrayed of their liberties and freedom and nothing yet but bondage and slavery is left upon them but they also through their deep sufferings have learned to know the spirits of men And though every appearance of a Power that ariseth gets new words and fair pretences but still in the old spirit Yet we do perfectly know that it is the new Spirit of the Lord put in the inward parts from which men must act for the Lord and for the Liberties of his people before they be established in righteousness or enjoy the liberty of their Consciences And we see that God hath given time and days which should have been days of liberty and of plenteous redemption But through mens departing from the leadings of God and suffering their own wisdom to pervert them they became days of persecution and cruelty which for the Elects sake which suffered in them was shortned as for instance 1. Oliver Cromwel in his days made many Vows Promises Engagements and Professions for the liberty of tender Consciences as the honest people of this Nation are not ignorant and how that at Dunbar he confest unto God in his prayer That if the Lord would but deliver him that time he would take away that great oppression of Tithes which when he was delivered both at that and many other times and had a prize put into his hand yet had no heart to improve it but contrary to all his prayers promises and engagements suffered and tolerated the wicked spirit of persecution in the murthering Priests and Magistrates to Rule in the Land over tender Consciences even until violence and blood covered the earth and filled the whole Nation suffering Laws to be made for Tythes and for persecuting of tender Consciences and so building again that which he had destroyed and so made himself a Transgressor but for the elects sake his dayes were shortened 2. In the dayes of R. Cromwell many of that succeeding Parliament began to declare their sensibleness how that O. Cromwel had betrayed the Nation and its Liberty and left them in great bondage debt persecution and slavery But how soon they were perverted and became more bloody and cruel against all that fear God the upright in heart are sensible setting up in themselves that which they declared against in him and instead of giving liberty and freedom to the Army and to the people of God they voted down that liberty and freedom which they already had viz. of meeting together one with another in the fear and worship of God so they became cruel as the Ostrich in the Wildernesse and as evening Wolves but for the Elects sake was their dayes shortened 3. The long and late Parl. they came up with greater pretences of liberty and freedom then all that was before them and the people generally applauding of them by telling them that they were the beginners of setling the Nation in the way of a Common wealth and did expect they should perfect the peoples Liberty and Freedom outwardly which by the other Powers they had suffered under expecting that they should remove those burthens which was laid upon tender Consciences by impositions and cruel sufferings and in their beginning they seemed to be given up to do the work expected from them and did publish it in their weekly news to the Nation several times that it was their real intent to make the Nation a Free Common-wealth not in name but in Nature and this was often expressed by them and indeed they did something more then those that went before them in setting at Liberty those that were imprisoned because they could not pay Tythes to the Priests and because they could not swear and because they could not put off their hats to honour pride and ambition and because they spoke the Truth against the deceits of the Priests which both the Souldiers and the honest-heaâ—ted in the Nation knows how treacherous they have been and the hinderance of every appearance of God in the Nation for the chief cause of Gods breaking down and of bringing into ignominy shame and reproach those late powers before mentioned was the letting in of the Priests spirit and flatteries as O. Cromwell if alive would witnesse or those that are alive may witnesse for him that he had never been such a covenant-breaker and betrayer of the Nations Liberties but by letting in that wicked interest which made him a reproach a by-word a hissing among the people And the two late Parliaments it was their joyning to that betraying interest of the Priests and neglecting of the Nations businesse that brought darkenesse and confusion and consequently a dissolution upon them And the last as I said did something more then the former But when they began to revive the Committee for plundred Ministers and did not take notice nor call any Committee to subdue or punish the plundering Ministers of which they were informed from divers parts of the Nation which had feloniously taken away the goods of many an honest innocent man then did Gods Indignation grow hot against them and then was it time for them to be dissolved for they had finished their day and they had done all that ever they would have done for the Lord for bonds and violence was in their hearts but for the Elects sake which hath alwayes borne a true Testimony against the oppression and cruelty under which the Innocent suffers was their days shortened All those before mentioned had their day from the Lord given them to try and to prove them and they have been tried and proved And now you the Army have your day from the Lord wherein you will be tried and proved and you will be more inexcusable if you do not the things pretended then any that hath been before you for you see what hath been the cause of the fall and you see how that through Pride and Ambition flatteries and fair pretences the Cause of God and the Peoples Liberties have been betrayed by those that have fought honour one of another and not the honour which belongs unto God onely Therefore if you would have the Lord to honour you and keep you in renown in the Nation seek not your selves but deny your own Lordships honours and Excellencies let none cleave unto you by flatteries in giving you titles in seeming respect and honors for that will betray you and lead you from that Innocency by which you should act for the Lord and as now you have Power exercise it in chusing men fearing God and hating covetousnesse ambition pride and honor that
woman from which thou concludest that then the flesh must be married to Christ and so wouldst make up absurdities from thy own words Answ. This is thy ordinary way of proving Errour first to affirm a lye of thy own making charging it upon another and then draw a conclusion answering this lye but Sarah Blackborow nor any other of the Quakers have ever said that the flesh was the woman but that which Sarah Blackborow said was that the flesh was to be silent and that which spoke in thee was that which was silly and was ever learning but when any doth pray or prophesie whether man or woman and speak forth that which God hath made manifest that is the spirit of the Father in both and is not to be quenched for there is neither male nor female but all is one in Christ and in the Spirit from which preaching and prophesying proceeds and the promise is that daughters as well as sons shall prophesie and in the Church at Corinth they might all prophesie one by one that all might hear and all might be edified but thou saist those women that did prophesie it was not in the Church where then did they prophesie if not in the Church or what was the Church for it is written 1 Thess. 1.1 that the Church is in God And where must a woman be when she prays or prophesies if not in the Church which is in God And where was it that Philips four daughters prophesied whether in the Church or out of it and where was it that Priscilla did minister whether in the Church or out of it and Pheba a servant of the Church whether she might not pray nor prophesie in it and Priscilla who was a helper of Paul in Christ and laboured with him in the Gospel Rom. 16. might not pray or prophesie in the Church But now to speak the truth in plainness to thee that which thou cavell'st against it is not the woman nor the man simply considered but it is the Spirit speaking in either which thou canst not bear for where the Spirit of the Father speaks in man or woman thou setst thy self against it to oppose it And thou saist Susan Bond said Christ was the husband and of him they were to â—e taught and thou saist Sarah Blackborow did like the answer well Answ. Who could like it ill was not that a good answer And thou thy self must own Christ to be thy Teacher and learn of him before ever God will make use of thee in his service or work though the Priests may make use of thee for their defender Again pag. 99. thou saist we deny that any should either rule in the Church or have any honour Answ. No We do not deny the Head of the Church which is Christ to rule and to have all the honour but we deny any Priest to bear rule by his means or to receive the honour due unto Christ for we see they are such as seek honour of one another and not the honour which belongs to God onely Now whereas-thou goes about to vindicate that wicked men may sing Psalms and to prove it makes this argument If any be merry let him sing Psalms now wicked men are merry as well as godly though they have no true cause Ergo pag. 87 Ans. This Logick doth but prove thy own ignorance and darkness and not the thing intended by thee as we shall shew but first to answer thee with thy own contradiction Dost thou not say in the next words before this argument that the chief ground or cause is the moral duty lying upon all men by the commandment of God now if wicked men do sing Psalms by the commandment of God do they do it without a true cause Is not the commandment of God a true cause of any action to them which are commanded by him But in this thou art but building again that which thou hast destroyed and so makâ—â— thy self a transgressour and so let thy own confusion correct thee In the same page thou saist Thou wilt make good what thou hast written by Scripture Come then here we shall try thee Where in the Scripture dost thou prove that wicked men may be merry and sing Psalms though they have no true cause but on the contrary hast thou not read in the Scriptures Ps. 69. that David was the song of the Drunkards and if drunkards now in Taverns and Alehouses say and sing I am not puft in mind I have no scornful eye and say that as a weaned child they have behaved themselves by thy argument if they be never so wicked yet because they are merry in their wickedness they may sing lyes in the name of the Lord and by thy argument be Justified as men doing onely that which God had commanded them And again thou maist read in Scripture Joel 1 â—5 that such wicked men and drunkards were called to weep and howl for their misery was coming upon them so the Prophet did not call them to sing Davids Psalms because they were merry in their wickednâ—sse as thou hast done and again thou mayst read Amos 8.3 That the Songs of the Temple shall be turned into howling and these wicked men in the Temple were merry and by argument might sing Pâ—alms or spirituall Songs but the Prophet saith instead of singing they must howl and come to bitter lamentation and praise is not comely in the mouth of Fools as the wise man saith who is taught of God but the mouth of a Fool poureth forth his folly and the instruction of Fools is folly Pro. 16.22 And this Scripture we see fulfilled in thee for thy instructing of Fools and wicked men because they are merry in their wickednesse they may sing Psalms as a Coâ—mand from God and herein I have answer'd a fool according to his folly least he should be wise in his own conceit and although David calleth all Gods host and all living things made and created to praise the Lord the Sun Moon and Stars the Heavens and the Waters the Earth the Dragons and the Deeps Fire Haile Snow and Vapor Stormes and Wind fulfilling his word Mountains and Hills and fruitfull Trees all beasts Cattle Creeping things and flying Fowles Kings of the Earth and all People c. And now as David waâ— in the Covenant he saw the Creatures as they stood in their Covenant uncorrupted and so in a fit capacity to praise the Lord only man degenerated and unrestored again into the Covenant he saw it was not comely for him to praise nor to pray nor to take Gods word in his mouth nor to speak of his Statutes so far from Justifying thy Argument that wicked men because they are merry therefore may sing Psalmes but when the Priests or people takes notice of thy book and what Logick thou hast learned to justify the wicked in their singing as well as the godly and how thou hast shamed both thy self and them with such foolish confusion and University
had another day of Tryal given them into their hands but a mad zeal and fury attended them against the honest and upright-hearted people and the Fury of the Oppressour was highly exalted amongst them burning like fire in which they could not contain themselves nor possess their own Spirits in quietness in which fury was folly the effects of which did betray and destroy both themselves and others They being diverted from their first intentions and desire after righteousness a just recompence of reward for their disobedience came upon them according to many true Testimonies from the Lords servants unto them which if in time their ears had been open to the Lords instructions and their hearts inclined to righteousness that swift and sudden desâ—ruction had not so soon come upon them but they being blinded with fury in their anger would neither hear nor see that which was the effect of their own work nor the Lords hand of Justice near come upon them as now they may consider it XII The Secluded Members then came in as a rod of Gods anger and of Justice or a prey upon them and it was manifest to the seeing Eye that God had turned his hand against all those which haâ— abused his Power and neglected his work who had sought and set up themselves insâ—ead of the Lord and his righteousness and now when the Lords hand is justly stretched forth to wound those that by him would not be healed who shall forbid it until the cause be removed and they purged through judgment and suffering And now unto you the present power King and Parliament be not high-minded but fear be not lifted up as though by your Arm Power and Policie you had got a Victory For it is Righteousness yet which the Lord doth require and if by his immediate power without your Sword he have cut off all those that you might be grafted in Consider therefore Gods end in so doing for it is by that immediate power of God which hath broken them that you must stand if you do stand for God is the same and will be to you as he hath been to others as you answer or not answer his requirings For it is not Persons that God accepts but he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him therefore as you look to be established by the Lord do righteousness equity and justice to every man without respect of persons and according to the equal and Royal Law of God walk doing unto others as yee would that others should do unto you Take heed of imposing any thing relating to the matter of Worship upon the Consciences leâ—â— you kindle Gods wrath against you as others have done which will not easily be quenched for upon this Rock have many been broken and others wounded so that they could not again be healed And two things we would mind you of especially First That you are not come in by your own Sword or Power but by a remarkable hand of God in such a way as neither your selves nor any other could have expected Secondly Consider what a flood of unrighteousness licentiousness and flâ—shly liberty hath of a sudden overspread the Nation upon your comming in which although it received some little seasonable curb by a Proclamation from King Charles till which scarce a man scaring God and that could not joyn with them in their rioting and drunken healths could pass the Streets in most places of the Nation yet the body of that iniquity still stands in many places as in May-games Fiddlings Dancings Stage-Plays and divers other ungodly vain Sports by which Gods righteous Soul is still grieved the Spirits of all people that truly fear God sadned the weight of that wickedness which already lay upon the Nations mightily encreased quite contrary to what such a work as your coming in after such a manner required All which speaks dreadful things against these Nations in the sight of many who are most acquainted with Gods fear and have that Eye in them which foresees evil to come in whose hearts and mouths it is now to warn you in love to your own Souls who are in power to scatter such Wickedness and the Nations peace and wel-being that the Wrath that is already threatned might be prevented from coming in your day And we desire that you may take more notice of the Lords warnings to you then others have done that have gone before you that Gods hand and power be not turned against you as it was against them R. H. An Epistle to Friends OH my dear and truly beloved Friends by the holy Spirit of my Father is my heart freely opened and enlarged unto you even in the love which is as a Fountain of Life which plentifully flows forth in the virtue of the Father in the hearts of the beloved children of God which many Waters cannot quench amongst such who have known the Lord in the outgoings of his Power to be as the Morning to your souls the virtue of whose Grace and Love hath been as a dew remaining upon your branches and whose Doctrine hath even dropped as the rain upon your tender-Plants that you thereby might be refreshed and nourished up unto eternal life the Lord God hath honored you with his presence and hath often fed you with his living appearances and manifestations and you have known what it is to drink of the pure Waters of Life even from that living Fountain which doth always flow in the Spirit by which there is pure and spiritual refreshment ministred unto the soul and the Waters of Strife have ye refused which doth corrupt those that drink them and so as it hath been so let it always continue that you may be kept clean by the Word which you have heard from the beginning and by which you have been gathered out of the World by the Word of his Power and fed together as sheep of his pasture and lambs of his Fold So let not the feeling-sence of the loving-kindness of the Lord be forgotten neither let the purity of your first love decrease but let the dear love of the Father in the freeness of liffe flow forth plentifully one towards another which is the bond of perfection among the children of Light by which you will come to be established in the free Spirit of the Lord in the unity of Life and in the fellowship of the Gospel not being subject to change or be moved from that Word and Spirit by which you have been taught and led in the vvay of Life and by which you have known the mind of Christ and by his gift of Righteousness vvhich you have received are you able to try every spirit as you abide in it whether it be of God both as to Doctrines without and as to motions vvithin So therefore let nothing move you nor unsettle your minds from that measure of Life which in all things is a perfect Instructor which will keep you in a pure Dominion over