opened which were blind and now in the Light of Christ the Way is seen which leads unto God the Father of Light and in it all false Prophets and false Teachers they do see and by them cannot be deceived who come in sheeps cloathing and are beautiful outwardly decked with the Saints words but inwardly ravening Wolves And now their covering comes to be taken of which was none of their own and now the Wolf appears ravening against the Lambs of God for the day hath made them manifest and of them the Lambs of God are aware and in innocency are preserved and in the pure Wisdom which is not of this World in it they see and comprehend the Serpents Wisdom subtilty craftiness and snares which for the righteous seed are laid but in the Eternal Light made manifest to the seed a way is seen out of them all and by the Eternal Power of the pure living God of life deliverance out of them all is witnessed Eternal pure living praises to him for evermore Given forth from the love of God to the souls of those who desire to know the truth to take away all stumblings and cut off all occasions from all minds that in the Light of Gheist the truth they may see to be clear from all slanders and false accusations which from the unclean spirits proceeds which goeth out of the mouth of the Dragon to devour the innocent but from the Dragon and all his Floods the innocent are preserved Given forth from him who a witness stands for the truth of God against all deceit R. H. Written from Mondlesham in Suffolk the 29. of the 3. Month 1655. The distance between Flesh and Spirit c. THis is the Word of the Lord to all people as I am moved of the Lord to clear the scandals and false accusations cast upon the righteous seed and as the seed of God in all generations have suffered reproaches from the World so now the same seed where it is brought forth suffers by this generation of evil doers and is afflicted and tormented and shamefully accused now in England whom you call Quakers And you say we deny all the Ordinances of Christ and you say we do not honor the Magistrâ—tes nor are subject unto Authority but are disturbers and breakers of the peace which is false The first accusation You say we deny Repentance Ans. And this is false for Repentance is the gift of God and this gift we have received and his free grace which teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 by repentance we have forsaken sin as it was discover'd to us by the Light of Christ which he hath enlightned us withall and so the mercies of God we have found according to his promise and are sent of the Lord to preach Repentance to all people who would have all men come to repentance and to the acknowledgement of the truth that they might be saved 2 Tim. 2.25 And with the Word of the Lord as they are moved of the Lord do many go now with this Doctrine into your streets into your markets into your synagogues and into your cities to call you to repentance before the wrath of the Lord come upon you and both sons and daughters now are sent to preach this Doctrine amongst you from the Lord and for obeying the Lord herein are they reviled by you and persecuted and falsly accused And thâ—s is left for a Testimony against you from the Lord and shall bear witness against you The second Accusation is That we deny Baptism Ans. The Baptism of Christ we own which all the Saints were baptized into which was by one spirit into one body as in 1 Cor. 12.13 and by this baptism we do witness the washing away of sin not onely the washing avvay the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God But sprinkling of Infants vve deny which there is no Scripture for And all you who from your imagination do imitate Johns Baptism and so go into the vvater and say you are believers and have right to the Ordinances of Christ but you to be believers we deny vvho are not yet come to repentance and your Water-baptism vvhich is but an imitation from the letter for the Lord never sent you forth nor commanded you either to preach or baptize as they did vvhom you go about to imitate vvho are not yet come to repentance nor to the first principle of the doctrine of Christ nor to ovvn the light of Christ in your consciences which should exercise them and lead you to vvait upon God and lead you to repentance And the Faith of believers you know not for the mysterie of Faith is held in a pure conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 vvhich you cannot vvitness which hates the Light of Christ vvhich should exercise your consciences and so your minds and consciences are defiled and vvith that mind you talk of faith and of the Ordinances of Christ and of Water-baptism vvhich serveth unto us for a figure as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 3 21. And Jesus Christ was baptized by John by water that he might fulfil all righteousness Mat. 3.15 And John was a Prophet and Christ is the end of the Prophets and Johns baptism was but a figure for he said he did but baptize with water but Christ is the end of all figures types and shadows and did fulfil them for he fulfilled all righteousness and Johns Ministry and Johns baptism and he that fulfilled all righteousness the same baptizeth which John did bear witness unto and all men came unto him Joh. 3 16 but he baptized none with water But this is a mysterie to thy dark mind which knows not the baptism of Christ nor Johns doctrine nor Jesus Christ the true Light which enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world vvhich John bore witness unto John 1.9 but goes to hold up the types and figures which Christ came to fulfil and so deniest Christ to be come in the flesh to fulfil all righteousness and so thou art an Antichrist who holds up the figures which Christ came to fulfil and so thou denies the Scriptures and Christ who said he came to fulfil all righteousness and the Saints baptism thou art ignorant of which is by one Spirit into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 And Paul who was a Minister of Christ and preached the Gospel did bring many into this baptism and he was not sent to baptize with water but to preach the Gospel and all the Churches which he preached unto came to witness Christs baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire by one Spirit into one body and were baptized into Christ who was the head of the body Rom. 6.3 and by this baptism we are thus washed from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit but your imitated baptism of water we deny who live in your filthiness of flesh and spirit whose minds and consciences are defiled but the baptism of Christ we
of things as they are made manifest by the Lord to the Light in you I speak that in it you may be able to understand truth in what I say and by the truth to judge of things that differ for such as the Tree is such is the fruit an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit neither can one Fountain send forth sweet water and bitter Now as concerning a Book given forth by John Stelham Priest at Terling in Essex who having an evil eye because God is good and being filled with indignation because God hath mercy on his own Seed whom he hath blessed hath out of the abundance of his heart spoken it forth Now the way to know that which is spoken in darkness is to read it in the light and if his Testimony in any thing as coming from him is to be believed it is that which is concerning his own condition and if his estate and condition be such that in it he can receive the things of God and minister them to others then they may be received but if his condition be such that in it he cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God then that which cannot receive cannot minister and so he is to be silents and none to expect the things of God from him being neither fit to reprove nor to rebuke but to be reproved and rebuked as will appear as followeth The ground in him and the heart out of which this abundance of words in his Book proceeds in it as he declares is yet the root of all error and of all sin is in him and seen by him not mortified and that he hath an old lying heart and flesh wherein there dwells no truth no good thing a sinful wretch and worm subscribing himself the sinful John Stelham as in his Introduction in pag. 80. and p. 117. Now therefore we having found out the root and the ground to be a root of Errror and the ground of Deceit and a heart wherein dwells no truth nor no good thing therefore from that which is unclean shall we not expect that which is clean to proceed nor truth from that wherein dwells no truth but from the lying heart and deceitful tongue hath the Lord delivered us so that if we be called revilers and be rebuked and a charge laid against us as to contradict the Scriptures of God and be called Antiscriptural Antichristian and Antispiritual we have now learned to know whence it doth proceed even from the lying heart and flesh wherein there dwells no truth and we can bear it because we know that til that heart be taken away and a new heart known wherein is truth we must be reproached and spoken evil of falsly for his sake who hath taken away the old lying heart and hath given us a new heart wherein truth dwelleth and where truth proceeds out from and herein are we manifest from the children of this generation and herein are the two states known and the two conditions of men according to the testimony of Scripture and the parable which Jesus spoke Luke 6.39 Can the blind lead the blind shall they not both fall into the ditch And ver 45. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good And an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh And hereby is the Tree known by his fruits and the heart of the wicked was ever filled with lying and vanity and understanding was hid from them the Lord was grieved with such that did err in their hearts and had not known his wayes Psal. 119 70. Psal. 140.2 and this was an evil which was under the sun that the hearts of the sons of men were full of evil and madnesse while they live Eccles. 9.3 And such a heart was in the Scribes and Pharisees a lying heart wherein dwelt no truth filled with evil thoughts as Christ said Wherefore think you evil in your hearts Mat. 9.4 and out of the heart did arise all false accusations calling the truth blasphemy and the way of it heresie and such who be in the state as John Stelham confesseth he is was never appointed by the Lord to watch over souls But such where Christ did dwell in their hearts and because they were sons God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into their hearts Eph. 3.17 Gal. 4.6 and such had truth in their hearts doing the Will of God from the heart and did draw near unto God with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and their bodies washed with pure water these did not profess the things of God in an old lying heart wherein dwelt no truth but called upon the name of the Lord with a pure heart and said that the end of the commandment was charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned from which some swerved in the Apostles dayes having turned aside unto vain jangling and such desired to be teachers of others but the doctrine is corrupt and the Mysterie of Faith is not held where the heart and conscience is not pure and the Lord is good unto such who be of a clean heart Now as concerning the Scriptures John Stelham's Testimony from the old lying heart wherein dwelleth no truth is this That the Scriptures are the Word of God and truly so called and the Letter and Scripture is all one as p. 3.4 but to contradict that himself he saith in p. 5. the Letter taken strictly is but legal administration using these words The Letter killeth i.e. the bare legal command without a promise of power or pardon as a bare Letter void of strength life and spirit it leaveth all men under a killing sentence and curse Let them that have understanding judge Again as concerning the Letter in page 6. he expresseth himself thus The Spirit is given by it And in the next words saith the Scripture is but instrumental to the Spirit Now mark the Letter taken strictly being legal without a promise of power or pardon void of strength life and spirit the Spirit to be given by this which he confesseth is void of strength life and spirit and is but instrumental to the Spirit whether this be not contradiction and confusion let them that read judge For in reading these things which he hath published many may seal to the confession of his own condition to be truth but that which he hath declared of the things of God to be false for now the Light being broken forth such doctrine cannot be received nor believed that thâ— Spirit is given by the Letter but that which is declared in the Letter was given forth from the Spirit vvhich vvas in them which spoke it forth but people may long have the Letter and think in it to find God and eternal life and may dye in
fruit and when they had gathered a Flock might eat of the Milk when they had sown spiritual things amongst a people they had power to eat and power to drink and so it was ordained that they who preached the Gospel should live of the Gospel but it was not ordained that those who preached the Gospel should live by forced maintenance or by making merchandize of mens Goods Estates of which the Priests in England for which thou writest this defence are guilty Again thou goest about to defend the Priests sprinkling of Infants saying It is a sign or seal of salvation page 64. Ans. If this be true that all children thus sprinkled with water have the seal of salvation by the resurrection of Jesus Christ and are by this baptism made partakers of Grace and united into the Church as Members of the Church why do you say both Priests Professors that there is no falling fâ—om grace Have not many been so engrafted into the Church received that seal whom you now call Hereticks and Deceivers Why do you so confound one principle with another For we have been already so engrafted into the visible Church and made partakers of that Grace which you say it 's impossible to fall from And thou bring'st Calvins words which saith That although there be but a little water cast upon our heads yet notwithstanding it is not a vain figure for the Heavens are opened upon us and God speaks in it as it were from Heaven and Christ is there present with his blood as Witnesses of the usage and operation of the Sacrament and saith Baptism is a token and proof of our cleansing or a seal and character whereby God confirmeth unto us that all our sins are cancelled and abolished and that they may never be rehearsed nor imputed So then by this he that hath a little water cast on his head he hears God speak in it Christ being present with his blood washes away all sin and this is a proof of his cleansing So why dost thou and the Priests speak and write against us as being fallen from Grace and departed from the Truth seeing we have received as wel as you the seal of the Covenant and proof of clâ—ansing and cannnot faâ—l from it if your doctrine be true But as for sprinkling Infants thou hast not brought one Scripture to prove it but saist Baxter against Tombs hath proved it and quotest Calvin and Beza as if their words were plainer proof for thy purpose than any Scripture for there is no Scripture without invented consequences that is a precept for it and when thou hast wearied thy self canst not prove it thou saist whatsoever may be proved from the Scripture by consequence to be the scope and meaning of the Scripture is sufficient proof p. 73. Again thou askest us a question To shew thee one command or example in the Scripture for the baptizing of those that are grown up whose Parents one or both were Christians by professing the Gospel of Christ. Ans. If thou knew the Scriptures or didst weigh thy own words it would stop thee from asking such foolish and unlearned Questions for thou self thy confessest that those which were grown up were baptized and that they had also received the holy Ghost before they were baptized and as for them or their Parents being called Christians by their profession many believers were baptized and followed Christ before the Name Christian was given to them as thou maist read Acts 11.26 that after much people was gathered and so became Churches they were first called Christians at Antioch so whatsoever their Parents were called by profession that is nothing to that which thou art about to prove sprinkling of Infants But to conclude thy proof for Infants Baptism thou quotest Rob. Brook who thou saist hath read more Ecclesiastical Histories to find out the rise and beginning of the baptism of Infants in the Church of Christ then all the Quakers and yet he could never find the beginning of it So here all this while thou hast pleaded for that which thou knowest not who was the first Author of and so thou hast run out thy self into meer ignorance but that thou maist be informed and made wiser then thy Teachers and thy learned Readers of Ecclesiastical Histories I shall shew thee the beginning of that Baptism and who first invented holy Water In the reign of Pope Alexander was holy Water first invented Water mixed with Salt and by the saying of these words We bless water mixed with Salt among the People that all men sprinkled therewith may be sanctified and purified and this we command all Priests to do as Pliny writeth And herby thou mayest know the first Father or Inventer of this your practice the Pope and not the Apostles so when thou writes again do not so undervalue all the Quakers as thou hast done in this thy Book as to say that they dare not read Latine Books nor have read Histories and thou saist we count it a sin for Ministers to learn Latine but these are but false aspersions for we do not account it sin to learn Latine Greek or Hebrew neither are we afraid to read them but we do so far read and know them that we have found out the Priests deceit by pretending that of the Tongues which they had not and though you preach and practice that which you know not where it had its beginning yet vve knovv hovv deceit came in and how it hath overspread you with darkness and ignorance and because you see not therefore you judge us to be blind but the Light of knowledge is arisen in which we see before the Pope his holy Water mingled with Salt or sprinkling Infants was and see the beginning and end of those dark inventions and our Doctrine and Principles tend to the bringing of people to know a true living Foundation for all their practices and that the darkness of Popery and traditions of men may not always keep people in blindness to practice the Popes inventions instead of the Apostles and Christ's Doctrine who by the bright shining of his Light is leading people to his baptism which is by one spirit into one body by fire and by the holy Ghost such can no longer be kept in that which doth not so much as wash away the filth of the flesh but comes to the answer of a good conscience witnesseth the baptism which saveth as the Apostle Peter saith 1 Pet. 3.21 such are come to the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Again to fill up thy book thou hast charged many false things upon us so findst thy self work by enlarging thy lyes one after another As first thou sayest some of us have affirmed that Christ did never arise from the grave and that his body is rotted within the grave and that some of us have made a mock of his Doctrine of Justification by the imputation and the