beginst thy Queries of a witness that we affirm to be God and Christ and I answer so we do that faithfull and true one that made all things and we have this witness in our selves and is it honesty in thee to say this is but the spirit of a man it is like that the Witness thou witnesseth with is a false spirit but ours is the true thou shouldst not speak evil of that thou knowst not for thou art as unknowing it seems of what we declare as unbelieving that calls the Spirit or Witness we declare of the Worm that never dyes what no difference R. in the dark I see what wouldst thou have God and Divil one that I hear indeed is the Ranters principle which thou in this seems to be one with what no difference between him that judges in Righteousness and he that accuses all that can be said in this matter for thee is that thou hast more knowledg of the Worm that never dyes then of him we believe in but how thou canst make good thy former doctrine that the Light in Conscience should be a Habitation for God and those that he has given to Christ and yet should be the Worm that never dyes I know not for we believe no such confusion for thou might'st as well have said Hell Heaven are one and the Divil will never break the Serpents head as that thou hast said and these are thy own for we testifie of no such witness but against that and thee that so invents for we are joyned to and believe in him in whom the Accuser hath no part And in thy twelf page thou repeats some Scriptures that our Friends its like have put forth which testifies to Truth as these words He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his and that none receives the Spirit but he that believes in Christ that is giver of the Spirit to which thou addest these words as a Query Whether the Spirit you walk by is the Spirit of Christ or the power of Magick Answer to which I Answer may not all that have an eye to see see what spirit thou art of that so much speaks of Scripture and when such Scriptures are brought as smites thy Image and testifies to the Truth thou art so far from answering any thing in plainness to it that thou turnest into a Query whether our Spirit we walk by be the Spirit of Christ or the spirit of Magick O how do thy evil thoughts and imaginations gender to strife what ground hast thou to question this but a lye of thy own framing saying we deny him to be the Christ that was the offering for sin which lye must turn upon thy own head for he that did and doth live make to intercession for all that come to God by him we confess to and there is no offering for sin but Jesus whom we witness to save from sin so for thy Magick and Sorcery it is thy own for we have no fellowship with them that work it but know that such as withstand the Truth as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses by bringing forth likenesses of what Moses wrought in and by the Finger and Arm of God they that bring forth a likeness by their Sorceries whereby the hearts of the Oppressors were hardened and the Seed which God would have delivered kept the longer in bondage and how deeply thou hast been in this work of Jannes and Jambres thou wilt one day know And many of thy Queries yea the most tending only to insnare in asking if that Christ which was and did the things mentioned in Scriptures be the Christ or Light in the Conscience to this I Answer thou art speaking as one that hath many Gods and many Lords but we who walk in the Light have but one God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and he and his Spirit is one so he that said to his Disciples that he which was with them not divided would be in them so one God do the Children of Light confess to made manifest by his Son in Spirit and these are one but thou in the second page of thy Queries sayest Christ is not the Eternal Father and that he and his Father is not one and thy carnal Reason for it is that he that gives is one and he to whom it is given another and this to prove or maintain Christ and God to be two well mayest thou fight against us and our words of Truth that goes about to make void or disprove the words of Christ that saith My Father and I are one when he was in the Person thou so much speak'st of but thou sayest they are two and the Apostle John says John 1. 3. all things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made and the Apostle Paul says all things were made by him and for him but thou R. C. art not ashamed to deny the words of the Apostles and sayest plainly all things were not made by him thou blasphemously going to comprehend the things of God in thy dark mind denies the words of Christ And in thy nineth page sayst I see not wherein you are wronged in being charged to deny God and Christ in a Place above Sun Moon and Stars and Elements nay it is like thou dost not nor will not see our wrong that art so great a Wronger of us that in so many years as thou watched us with an evil eye yet not having from our own words to charge us of error or evil comes forth as publickly as thou canst to set the World against us by telling them we cry up and worship such a light as thou hast invented and thou mightest as truly have said that we denied God any where as that thou had said but let Truth come over all thy former Lyes as this God being our Witness that we lye not but have and do confess before men that our Lord is above and over all created things the Earth the Heavens and all therein the works of his Hands in whom we believe God blessed for evermore whose Throne is Heaven above all and the Earth his Foot-stool and under his Feet shall all his Enemies be put then will every Image-makers be brought down and every Lyars mouth be stoped and false Accuser and he that invents wrong shall have no place but that which is prepared for him And in thy nineth page thou Queriest if the Christ which John said was the Christ or the Light in man be the Christ which G. F. saith is the Christ explain sayst thou To which I Answer without guile in the Truth I have known G. F. as thou neither hast nor canst know him while thou fightest against the true Light and thousands can witness that of God he was sent to bear witness of the same Light and Christ which the Apostle John bear witness to and there is but one Christ what ever thou imagins in whom was and is Life and this Life
have found our souls creaturely from the flames of the Righteous burnings of Gods Wrath in our souls for sin Oh thick Darkness is this thy Argument to prove the Soul creaturely that it can live with everlasting burnings the least child of Light could give thee a clearer knowledg of the Soul then thee or thy Teacher J. B. ever attained to but who hates the Light is and must be bound in Chains of Darkness for evermore and there I leave thee in that matter as concerning the Soul and return to thy opinion of the Light thou sayest in thy fourth page Christ is not the Principle of Light and in the sixth page thou sayest the Light in the Conscience which these new Preachers cry up for Christ is but the Principle of Christ which is his own Habitation This is such Logick as the Framers of Babel use to Build with vain Phylosophy indeed from which all that believe in the Light know redemption how different is thy Way and Doctrine from the Way of the Lord where the wafering man though a fool errs not wherein the simple may walk be safe but what profit is there of thy winding and turning Christ not the principle of Light yet Light the principle of Christ what serves thy opinion and Doctrine for but to lay stumblings in the way of the simple and instead of appearing wiser then others thou hast bewrayed thy ignorance in this thy work and former practises in perverting from the good Way of the Lord not knowing what thou sayest nor whereof thou affirmest hast thou not yet learned what the word Principle is is it not the beginning is not Christ the beginning of all things ‖ Thou in thy Queries sayest all was not made by Christ contrary to Light or to Scripture by him and for him was all made and yet wilt thou deny him to be the beginning or Principle of Light as in thy fourth page and in thy sixth page thou sayest Light is but the Principle of Christ so whilst in thy Dark minde thou wouldst debase the Light in the conscience see how thou hast lifted it up for instead of saying the Light comes from Christ thou holdest out the Light to be the beginning of Christ for doth not every rational Creature know the principle of any thing is before that which comes of it the Principle of Christ sayest thou which is his own Habitation so thou confessest the Light in the Conscience to be the dwelling place of God and yet would cry out against such as preach the Light in the conscience thou dost indeed darken knowledg by words without understanding for never any that despised the Light knew him that is the Light of the World or his Dwelling place thou hast devised against that which is too hard for thee may all the Enemies of the Light be covered with confusion as thou art then thou goest on in the same page 6. again to make a relation of his Death Resurection and Ascension and so saying no more nor so much in that matter then formerly I have taught a Child or Children of 7 years old to say and here sayest thou that Opinion is condemned by the Scriptures that denies the Ascension of the Lords Person who they be that deny the ascension of the Lords Christ I know not for all that have Faith in the Light bare testimony thereto but for the word person is it any where written in Scripture his Person Ascended how darest thou add to the words and thou farther sayest that our Foundation is built upon the ground of Nature if thou hadst said our Foundation is the ground or cause or being of all natural things thou hadst spoke true though thou knowest it not for by him that is our Foundation all things were made and without it was nothing made that was made John 1. 2. and this is the true Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World and the Children of Light never denied his Person that took upon him the Seed of Abraham became flesh and lived amongst us so instead of proving the Children of Light in error thou hast proved thy self an Accuser and the Scripture hath and doth testifie against thee for us that have not nor do not declare of any other Christ but he of whom the Scriptures declare to be the Light of the World and so thou goest on to repeat many good words in the relation of some thing written in the Scriptures and adds thy own words that the everlasting Gospel is his Death Burial and Resurrection as the Scriptures declare sayest thou and notes a Scripture to prove it that is not to be found in all the Bible 1 Cor. 25. 1. is this to attest by Scripture to direct to that which was never there but the Apostle Paul saith the Gospel is the Power of God unto Salvation and that the Word in the heart and in the mouth was the Gospel he preached and the everlasting Gospel proclaimed by an Angel through Heaven was fear God and give Glory to him for the hour of his Righteous Judgments is come these did not say Christ's Death and Burial were the Gospel but who are Witnesses of his Resurrection do know the Gospel but the Opposers of the Light in Conscience see it not But to take farther notice of thy unlearned words the rest of thy 7th page is filled with such words as thou hast either borrow'd or rather stolen because thou namest not the Author from Beamon or it may be some of John Jacksons for he once brought out such a work of Darkness as thine is and thou hast the same words so the answer given him may come over this part of thy work for Truth must forever be over the head of Falshood and thou that sayest thou wouldst attest thy truth according to Scripture thou drawest a conclusion from thy own and thy borrowed words without any Scripture and now sayest thou that it is manifest from hence that this Light that doth condemn the Heathen's is not the Lord Christ that doth justifie but shews neither good reason nor Scripture for it but makes mention of Paul to the Romans which words being taken as they were given forth by the Apostle proves thy affirmation false for the Apostles words are these speaking to the Romans or Heathens Rom. 1. 19. The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the Truth in unrighteousness because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them now without R. C. can make any so blind as himself will Pauls words here or any where prove that he which Condemns is not Christ that Justifies and farther would not these words prove against thee that brings the proof that the Truth is held in unrighteousness by the Heathens for is not Christ the Truth but who knows not Christ to be the Light knows him not to be the Truth
this Scripture that satâ—h God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself and that Christ saith I am come a Light into the World seeming thereby to prove that Christ was begotten that day the holy Ghost overshadowed Mary and that in humanity or earthly and not by Deity as thou called it and all this thou sayest to prove Christ is not the Light in the Conscience and then brings a Scripture where Christ saith I am come a Light and that if he had not come they had had no sin so instead of proving thy humane earthly Doctrine the Scripture proves that the cause and ground of all sin from the entrance of transgression to this day is the not coming to or believing in the Light for here Christ condemns of Sin and convinceth of Sin because of unbelief in that which condemned them which was the Spirit or Light So thou hast brought Scriptures that Christ saith he is come a Light to prove thy Humane against the Light and it proves against thee and for us that testifie of the Light But thou sayest in another place Christ is not defusive that is I confess a word that is neither Scripture nor the Spirits Language but if thou meanest he is not within his people how doth this Scripture overthrow thee in this error as in others for the Light searcheth into the inner-parts as thou confessest and I am come a Light saith Christ so thou seest the Scripture manifests thy darkness and error so thou wouldst have been more covered if thou hadst brought no Scripture but hadst delivered thy Doctrine against Christ a Light in the Conscience and hadst brought thy Teacher J. B. to have proved it for so contrary to Scripture art thou that in thy very following words page 12. where Christ saith I am come a Light thou sayest You have it clear and out of doubt who it is that is the Saviour and the Lord Christ not the Light in Conscience but he that died and rose again this thou wouldst seem to prove by the former words where Christ saith I am come a Light into the World and if I had not come you had not had sin so that all whose eyes are not dark see thy weakness and that the Scriptures are for us that love the Lord Christ of whom the Scriptures declare that say he is a Light and this has enlightened every man and yet thou art offended at those that say he is in the Conscience though thou sayest Gods Habitation is there but the Light against which thou strivest will wear out and destroy all thy vain imaginations for it is everlasting and from Heaven and must prevail over thy humane earthly Image yet that man Christ Jesus all that learn of the Light in the Conscience know and confess unto and his Flesh is Meat indeed and his Blood is Drink indeed and the World one day shall be judged by him but this thou nor none that are in the Night striving against the Light know or believe so as a Thief in the night will he come on all such But thou goest on with the repetition of a Scripture out of the Hebrews of a high Priest after the order of Melchisedeck to make intercession for us but how contrary to thy purpose of proving thy humane Christ not to be begotten till conceived at Jerusalem to be the high Priest that makes intercession for all the wise in heart can see who have learned in the the Light that hath visited us from above what the order of Melchisedeck is no father no mother no beginning of dayes nor end of Life who lives forever to make intercession for all that comes to God by him and this is the Christ of God that thou and all the Despisers and Resisters of the Light are ignorant of and so come not to God by him that is without beginning of dayes or end of life but in the carnal comprehension would measure Heavenly things and so brings forth earthly imaginations and by this would come to God by your own devisings as Babels Builders of old Theeves and Robbers that leave the Door and for such he enterceeds not but for all that comes by him that is without beginning of dayes or end of life he lives to make intercession even for all that in Truth and Spirit Worship and by the Spirit of Truth are lead into all Truth such that have abiding in and testifie of that are come to the mystery of Faith held in the pure Conscience but this the Image-makers are ignorant of as thou that wouldst set up an invented Light of the humane Soul for a Habitation of Rest for God and those that God hath given to Christ in which thou hast bewrayed thy own ignorance of the Rest of God and his people which the obedient and profiting servants enter into even the joy of the Master even the Glory of the Father which was before the world was this is not from the Earrh nor of the Earth but before the Earth was and so the Light Spirit of the human Soul that thou settest up as created to be a Habitation for God and those that God will give to Christ will be thine thy disciples burthens in the day that you will most stand in need of Rest but to proceed thou goest on with thy own words and some Scriptures that may easily by all that can see come over thy darkness and is as though thy self hadst had a glimring of thy own darkness and wert afraid of the blowes or smitings due to thee and so to save thy head goest on in words as if thou meanest to undo all thou hadst done saying thou must not be traduced by those that trade in corrupted mens words to the hindring of the passage of the Truth but before I take notice of thy following words I have something to say to these who thou mean'st by traders in corrupted mens words I know not but some have bin constrained as I at this time not to hinder the passage of Truth but for Truths sake to bring forth the Truth over such like corrupt words and writings as thine are that the Truth may stand upon the head of deceit that turnes every way to save it self as thou doest in thy following words when after thou hast brought forth so many accusations against those that cry up the Light and borrow'd so many Scriptures with thy own private interpretations to make truth thy seeming falshood and to set up thy own imaginary light After all and much more to this purpose as if thou means thy self like the foolish woman to pull down thy own house thou beginnest to preach in words the same that in words and writings thou publickly hast so appeared against saying This writing is not to draw the mind forth from waiting within it self for the manifestation of God in it self for that which is to be known of God is to be revealed in man I answer if that which is to
‖ Know the Tree by the Fruit they that in measure were redeemed out of it having again imbraced this present World and they are such as deny the Lord that bought them even such as the Apostle Jude speaks of that like the first Angels that kept not their first state and likewise that kept not their Habitations but despises Dominion and speaks evil of Dignities so these speak evil of those things they know not but what they naturally knows as bruit Beasts now is not this R. C. and his Disciples that have risen up against the Dignities that are from above running into the way of Cain and perishing in the gainsaying of Corah has not his envy made it manifest O forget not for as it was spoken it is come to pass the Earth hath swollowed up many of you and none shall escape that divise against the Worship in Truth and Spirit and sets up a formed Light and natural Light to be the dwelling of God and his people that he has given to Jesus Christ So thou art manifested to know nothing but what thou knowest naturally as a bruit Beast and so appointest a natural rest for those that believe thy doctrine and warns thy old Friends not to fall short of it for it seems thou knowest not another then what thou knowest naturally but they who are come to the Law of the Spirit of Grace that sets free from sin and death know there is a Rest prepared for the people of God and an entrance thereinto many have and do witness and are set down in heavenly Places with Christ Jesus and this Rest and Glory was before the World was not a formed but that which Christ testifies of he had with the Father before the World was and this shall abide when all thy imaginations shall cease and thy formed Rest fail thee O how restless then shalt thou be when thy hope shall perish but our hope standing in him that is without beginning of dayes or end of life we shall never be ashamed and all that have this hope purifie themselves as God is pure So to thy imagined Rest thou art left where thy trouble and torment will be increased though thou and those deceived by thee and their own evil hearts have rejoyced in iniquity and if any by disobedience to or unbelieving in the Light have been overtaken with evil or run into the pollutions of this World this you Backsliders have gotten to strengthen you in your envy and back-drawing though your own appearance manifests you are one with them that have forsaken the good Way of God and the precious Truth to return to the vanities and customs of this present World denying his blood that hath calld out of the World and the Judgments of him that judgeth in Righteousness you shall not escape but as one shall you all be judged which have dispised the Spirit of Grace or have turned from it into wantonness so your portion shall be one from first to last that have left the good way of God and profained the Name of that Power and Life in which we that believe have and do know the fulfilling of the promise and are become partakers of the Divine Nature and born again thereof and thereby to inherit Life and immortality and an entrance into the Kingdom which all you are shut out of and have no part in And know to the increase of your torment that have writ against the Light thousands in faithfulness thereto are kept out of the pollutions yea and love of this World and witness redemption out of all that which must come to an end and to us are daily added and shall be added all that shall he saved we have not believed a Lye but the Truth and it is stronger then all and shall wear out your Envy and shall overcome all your invented Images and Mischiefs that you have divised against the Lord and his Anointed for the expectations of the Righteous in all generations is come and who through the regeneration have passed are sat down on Thrones and do and shall judge the Tribes of Israel but our reward you cannot see nor pertake of who have been unfaithful to him that called you and so never came to the Election but have betrayed it as faras it lay in you and have grieved many little ones and better had it been for some of you that you had never been born or that a Milstone had been hung about your necks and you thrown into the bottom of the Sea then a wrought the work of evil against the Lord and his Truth which he will more and more raise up and increase against and over all the strength of Hell and they and they only are thy Friends R. C. that in plainness warns thee of the wrath to come which shall overtake thee and all that harden their hearts and stop their ears against that which somtimes pricks them though they kicks against it and some that are stout-hearted shall confess unto when their Joy and Hope shall come to an end but the Lovers and Obeyers of the true Light have Peace and Joy in that which is endless and everlasting therefore the evil purposes and accusations and threats of those that disobey the Gospel cannot disturb nor make us afraid So we would that all men with us that believe in the Light might come to the knowledg of God and be saved but who hate the Light abide in darkness and brings forth confusion as R. C. hath done and there I leave him only Query of him as followeth I. IF the Light and Witness thou sayest the Quakers declares of the worm that will never dies then where is the Rest thou said'st before that God had made or created for his People in the Light in or of the Conscience answer II. Do'st thou imagine the Worm that never dies and the Rest to be both one answer if thou canst III. And I query since thou hast given so many names to the Light in or of the Conscience for it seems thou knowest not which saying It is the Dwelling of God and sometimes a formed Light and sometimes a Rest for the People of God and sometimes Natures Light and the Spirit of a man and the Worm that shall never dye I query if the spirit of a man and natures light be a Dwelling and Rest for God and his People that he hath given to Christ as thou hast said prove if thou canst by Scripture IV. I query of thee what the Conscience is of whose light in or of thou hast brought forth so many strange Images and though thou hast not brought one Scripture for thy many names of the Light in or of the Conscience what is Conscience declare if thou canst V. I query if thou canst bring any Scripture for proving God's Dwelling and his people in the Light of the humane Soul or that the spirit of man is the Rest or that the Rest and the Worm that never dyes