every man that cometh into the world is to bring them from the Mediator and to draw men from eying his death resurrection and intercession c. as these men say see page 7. Ans Here they are corrected for none knows these things but who come to the light Christ who hath enlightned them for with the light they see their Mediator and see his death and resurrection And they that come not to the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world may speak of these things but cannot know them the witnesse in the conscience shall answer in all men for the light that shines in the heart gives them the knowledge of them of the Mediator death and resurrection of Christ And they say not every man in the world is enlightned and John saith every man is and so here their spirits are corrected again And I will give him for a covenant to the Gentiles and for a new covenant to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah And they bring these words Christ in you the hope of glory to oppose Johns words Pr. You say none comes to God but by Christ and yet doth not own him that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world Ans And so are not like ever to come to him though you may talk of him in words as the Pharisees and Devils did as all the apostate Christians doth now and yet not own his light with it you are all to be condemned Ministers of Satan which are out of the light Pr. And you say Far be it from you to say that Christ is equally God c. See page 8. Ans And the Scriptures saith He is the everlasting Father and his name is called the Emanuel God with us and his name is called the word which is God John 1. Pr. And ye say Whereby man sees the God-head of God but nothing of the mystery of the Father and Christ as Mediator See page 9. Ans Can man see the god-head of God and nothing of the mystery of the Father and Christ the Mediator Doth not he that knows the Son know the Father also And hath not he that hath seen God seen the Son Is not the Son in the Father Here your spirits are corrected For the light that enlightens every man that comes into the world le ts see the one le ts see the other Pr. You say For a man to say the light Christ which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world is pure and justifies them that obey it he justifies that which God condemns c. See page 9. Ans As you say who are with it condemned for the light is that which doth condemn and justifie both and God doth not condemn it for it brings into unity with him and peace and all be condemn'd that be out of it and none be justified but them that be in it Christ that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which is the justification of life to every one that believeth in it and every man receiving the light receives his justification and hating of it receives his condemnation to death Pr. Again Ye conclude the light of Christ is not pure before faith See page 9. Ans So have concluded you seven Joseph Kellet John Pomroy Paul Glisson Christopher Feak John Simpson George Cocken Lawrence Wise that ye never knew Law nor Gospel nor Faith from Christ nor God For the law is light saith Solomon Prov. 6. and that is the Schoolmaster untill faith And the Law of God is pure and the Law is just holy and good and perfect and what is just holy and good is pure And this ye seven have concluded not pure the light in the conscience before faith And the Law is the Light and Schoolmaster untill faith And the Light is given to every man to believe and while ye have the light believe in it And so men have this light before they believe in it and are children And this ye conclude is not pure so goes about to take away that men should believe in they having the Light and then afterwards to believe in it and with that they see the Author of their faith Christ Jesus from whence it comes and so would destroy the foundation of God the Prophets and Apostles which standeth sure and so are yee found in the spirit of errour and corrected knowing neither law nor faith Pr. Again they say the Light which is Christ with which every man is enlightned that cometh into the world withall they say doth not discover the sinne of unbeliefe See page 10. Ans And did not Christ marvell at their unbelief and see and discovered the unbelief of the Jewes of whose Father are ye And doth not Christ the Light which doth enlighten every man withal discover unbelief And doth not the unbelievers hate the light and know the light will reprove them which they should believe in that manifests their sin and yet you say doth not discover unbelief which is their condemnation not believing in it because their deeds be evill hating it Pr. And further ye say That the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world bringeth in a legal righteousnesse c. Ans Doth not the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world bring in the righteousnesse of God and is it not the righteousness of God So it corrects you that be in the legall righteousness and out of Christ which enlightneth nevery man that cometh into the world Pr. Again you say The righteousnesse performed by the grace of Christ the Gospel teacheth to deny it See page 10. Ans Now is there any righteousnesse wrought by the grace of Christ but what is by Christ who is the covenant of grace and the power of God which is the Gospel which lighteth every man that comes into the world Pr. They call it conscience or a natural light c. page 11. Answ Which light was before the word conscience was or a naturall light the Sun Moon and Stars either for all things that was made was made by it The natural light or made light are created lights He made the Sun the Moon and the Stars they were made And here is the naturall lights to the natural eye And the light that every man is enlightned with that cometh into the word was before these were made glorified with the Father before the world began and before the name Conscience was or things was made and then they was named and the light doth exercise the conscience towards God and towards man which light cometh from Christ the Author of faith which is held in the pure conscience who before the world began was glorified with the Father Pr. Again the light which cometh from Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which discovers the evill which will give thee power against it man walking in it and yet brings to the rest to the Father this they
his Apostles and his messengers and truth is a top of him and them all and with it are shut out Pr. He saith honour is the expressing of the inward respect that we hear to persons and many Scriptures he brings for bowing and for master pag. 23. and so stumbles at thee and thou Ans Which shewes he never learned his accidence or Bible and is a transgressor of Christs commands who saith be ye not of men called master for ye have one master even Christ and ye are all Brethren and a transgressor of the Law which they that respects persons commits sin and are convinced of the Law as transgressors and reprobate concerning the faith which is held without the respect of persons And though they bowed in the old time several that bowed before the Angels yet Christ is come by whom all things was made the salvation to the ends of the earth to whom powers principalities Thrones and dominions must be subject to whom Angels and Thrones must bow yea things in heaven and things in earth and every tongue confesse him to the glory of God and every knee bow and there people comes into the unity and there they hold the head Pr. He saith the Quakers light teacheth to forsake the Scriptures and set up a spirit in man which will not be examined by Scriptures page 26. Answ This is he which is out of the truth speakes it for the Quakers have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit of God by which they know the things which are freely given of God and know the Scriptures given forth from the spirit of God and with the same spirit the Scriptures is owned again Pr. He saith Paul swore after Christ and the Angells swore page 27. He saith I wonder Paul should so forget himselfe and sin so fearfully in swearing c. So the Quakers light that denies swearing is of Satan and not the light of Christ page 28. Answ Christ the Light which Satan is out of who is the oath of God ends all oaths sworn by Prophets or Angels whatsoever And who swears be fallen into the condemnation of the Devill and it is no where said that the Apostle swore but such as thou art matters not what thou speaks So that spirit that preaches for swearing is not the spirit of Christ but is the spirit of Antichrist preacheth up that which Christ and the Apostles preached down and preached Condemnation to them that did swear Pr. He saith The light in the conscience that takes them from the Law of God is the light of Satan Answ The light Christ in the conscience is the end of the Law for righteousnesse sake And that which keeps men from that which doth end the Law is not the Doctrine of the true Apostles but the false And the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which is the substance leads men off of all types and figures and signes who comes to enjoy him enjoys the end who comes off of all outward Elements as Bread and Wine and such things to the substance it self to look at things that are not seen For things that are seen are temporall but the things that are not seen are eternal Pr. He speaks of a new creature distinct from Christ and saith while we live sin lives And saith I deny that the righteousnesse of Christ whereby a believer is justified doth dwell in him page 36. Answ Is not the new creature in Christ He that is in Christ is a new creature and is not distinct from him and how hast thou divided the word here And Christ is justification sanctification and wisdome and righteousnesse and if he be not within ye ye are Reprobates And where Christ is he is not without righteousnesse Therefore they are not without righteousnesse and wisdome Justification and Sanctification if Christ be within that is within for where he is that is not wanting And the Apostle said they were made free from sin And let not sin have dominion over your mortall bodies minde mortall bodies which sin was not to have dominion over And old things passe away and all things become new Sin is an old thing from the old deceiver So while any sin is standing all things is not made new and sin hath its dominion Pr. He saith He hath not read where a believer dwells in Christs righteousnesse page 37. Answ Every believer that is true is born of God and he that is born of God doth not commit sin And he that dwells in Christ dwels in righteousness and truth is that which sin and the Devill is out of which blots out sin and transgression where the body of it comes to be put off Pr. And the light which teacheth men to say they have no sin is of Satan And saith The Quakers light teacheth them to deny prayer Answ The Apostles light taught them to say they were made free from sin they had put off the body of sin and their sin and transgression was blotted out Little children their sins was forgiven them that walked in the light the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth them from all sin taught them to know the saith that gave them victory over the world that purified their hearts held in a pure conscience And this is the Quakers light which teacheth them the path of the Apostles and it teacheth men to be holy as God as holy and perfect as he is perfect This was the light of Christ and bid them to be as Christ is and said as he is so are we in this present world And the light that guides the Quakers doth not teach them to deny prayer but brings them to pray aright with the spirit and with the understanding which all prayers without it be in the hypocrisie Pr. He saith We acknowledge there is a thousand of perfect men in England as perfect as children tossed too and fro page 40. But he saith I deny that any man hath that perfect knowledge of Christ in this life c. Answ Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And the Scripture speaks of such as had both the Son and the Father And all those children that are tossed too and fro and are carried about with the windy doctrine which hath gotten up in the apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles that are ravened from the spirit of God Such their doctrines are windy and doth not settle nor doth not perfect not doth not bring into the unity of the faith nor the knowledge of the Son of God the faith that gives the victory nor to a perfect man nor to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ which was the work of the true Ministry which was before the Apostacy Nor none comes to the knowledg of Christ but by the light Pr. He saith The Church teacheth to pray without ceasing but you bid stay till the spirit moves us c. Ans The Church prayes not without the spirit which
of God but it is faith and good works that justifies in the sight of men onely and saith Works will not justifie in the sight of God And he saith that works is onely but to justifie their faith to be true before men Answer Abraham was not justified to men only by his obedience but to God and where there is faith there is justification which works by lâ—â—â— And the Saints faith and works was not only to justifie them in the sight of men for the work of God is to do what he saith and his will which who doth not are not justified in so doing but to be beaten with stripes who seeks to be justified by their faith and works in the sight of men are dead faith and works both Pr. He saith They are no Christians that doth not hold Christ absent from his Church but Antichrists Ans Which is contrary to the Scriptures which say they are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and they are as nigh together as husband and wife And thus he is ignorant of the great mystery Christ and the Church which Christ is the head of Pr. He saith That the light wherewith Christ as he is God hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world is not the spirit of Christ page 19. Ans And so makes that which comes from God and Christ not spirit as he is God and thus the man is beating the ayre He saith Christ was God that lighteth every man c. And yet saith he not with the spirit how then cometh men to be condemned not believing it and so thou hast reproved thy selfe and art blinde and into the Ditch fallen Pr. And again thou sayest Though Christ as he is God doth give every man a light which is conscience otherwise called nature Ans A d so thou hast given those new names to the light of Christ contrary to the Apostles as thou mayest read John 1.2 John doth not tell us that is conscience or natural light as thou doth and the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall which was before all things and by it all things was made So it was before any Naturals was and is that which gives all men the wisdome of God to order the Naturalls so by the Scriptures thou art reproved Pr. And he saith Christ will not give his spirit to the world Answ And Christ said he will send his spirit to reprove the world and that is sent to them and that which doth reprove them iâ— manifest to them in the world to their own understanding and in them which spirit leads the Saints into all truth There is no man reproved but it is within him manifest to his understanding And if he quencheth the spirit that reproveth him he is not lead by it and that is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men love darknesse c. And this thou calls not spirit Now this is the condemnation of them whose consciences are seared and of them who have the created and made and natural lights the Sun the Moon and Stars which light was afore they was Pr. And thou saith The Scripture plainly denies that conscience can justifie though it may condemn See page 23. Ans Which is contrary to plain Scripture where the Apostle saith Rom. 2.15 Their consciences either accusing or excusing And again saith he Herein do I exercise my selfe to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men And the light condemns which you call conscience Pr. He saith that the Gospell is called the ministration of life but not of condemnation Same page Ans But they are condemned that obey not the Gospel of Christ And the Scripture speaks of a savour of death unto death and a savour of life unto life and the Gospel is so the power of God Pr. He denies that Paul bid the Saints listen within c. see page 25. Ans When as Paul said that the light which shined in their hearts to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ And it was the treasure in the earthen vessell and Christ was within them And the ingrafted word that was able to save their souls And the hidden man of the heart And he had revealed his Son in them and many other Scriptures And he saith he served the law of God with his minde And yet thou saith he did not bid any listen within And he saith the word was in their hearts to obey it and in their mouths And can they obey that and not listen within and do that and not have their minds stayed upon the Lord Pr. He saith the light doth not shine in the consciences of them that be lost See page 26 Ans But John saith the light shines in darknesse but darknesse cannot comprehend it and there is that of God in the children of disobedience and reprobates as in Rom. 1. and 2 Chap. Pr. And he denies that every man hath the light Ans Contrary to John who saith that is the true light which inlightneth every man that comes into the world John 1. Pr. He saith It is a counterfeiting of the new birth for men to follow the light wherewith men coming into the world are inlightned withall c. Answ Which none comes to the new birth but who comes to the light which every man that comes into the world is lighted withall which believing in is a child of the light Believing and receiving comes to receive power to become the Sons of God Pr. He saith To say that Christ is risen within there is no Scripture to prove it See page 28. Ans Doth not the Apostle say Christ formed in you And Christ in you the hope of glory which hope purifies as God is pure And Christ within doth he not arise there before all waves be still and shall he not arise with healing under his wings How ignorant of the Letter are the Priests grown much more of the mysterie Gal. 4. and Malachy Pr. And whereas thou saith thou art confident that while some would perswade others that they have no sinne their consciences will tell them they lye see page 41. Ans The Apostle told the Romanes that they were made free from sin and the Romanes did not tell the Apostle that their consciences told them he lyed as thou saith Pr. He saith the body of Christ is out of the sight of all his Saints c. see page 47. Ans And the Apostle saith They sate with Christ in heavenly places and the Saints are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and the Church which he is head of is his body And every one that eats his flesh knows his body given for the life of the world and the body of Christ is not out of the sight of the Saints that are in the Church Therefore you Ministers and Teachers that say Christs body is out of your
sights are not Saints neither are you of his Church which is his body neither have you eaten his flesh nor know that which is given for the life of the world but are out of the sight of the Church which is his body Pr. And thou saith they shall have a greater judgement without them then they shall have within them c. see page 48. Ans And the Scripture saith If ye judge your selves ye shall not be judged of the Lord. Pr. And that place in Jude he brings to prove that all men have not the Spirit c. See page 49. Where he saith They walke after their own ungodly lusts these be they who separate themselves being sensuall and have not the spirit who went in Balaams way Ans Who shews that they went forth from the spirit and turned the grace of God into wantonnesse And this doth not make for thee to thy purpose but rather against thee and the same spirit that reproves the world leads the Saints into all truth Pr. He saith That God did not give the Law that people should live in it c. See page 49. Answ And the Scripture saith that they that did the Law had life and were justified by it For do this and live saith God to Moses and therefore thou wouldst make God a lyar who cannot lye who saith that God did not give forth his Law that men should have life Is not the Curse and the Death in the transgression of it Christ is the end of the righteous Law who is the light that doth enlighten every man that doth come into the world which believing in it he comes to be a child of Light Which light thou blasphemously calls conscience or Naturall which is Christ the Light the foundation of God which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world that with the light they might see Christ who hath enlightned them the foundation of God from whence light comes And the Apostle saith the law is spirituall and just and good and he it was that was the carnall and so thou art the carnall not yet come to the Law which is spiritual Pr. He saith He that will but observe the motions of that light which every man hath within him say they so as to obey and close in with it to follow it shall undoubtedly save himselfe from the wrath to come Now this is clearly a great errour as thou saist See page 50. Ans Contrary to Johns doctrine and Christs who saith the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is the true light that men through the light might believe Therefore be they enlightned and he that believes in the light shall not abide in darknesse nor in errour nor in condemnation but shall have the light of life Saith Christ I am the light of the world And saith moreover believe in the light before they be children believe in the light that ye may be children of the light So every man is enlightned with a light before they be children with the true light He that believes in the light is a child of the light he that doth not believe in the light the light condemns him Pr. And whereas thou saith The Law gives not life nor justifies See page 50. Ans It is false thou art mistaken in the Scriptures and rebuked with them The Law gives life to him that obeys it and lives in it and he that doth it lives and is justified the doer of the Law and not the hearer only and it is righteous and just and good But Christ Jesus the Law and the spirit of life which is the end of Gods righteous Law is the justification to life Gods righteousnesse who is the end of the other law And the Apostle Paul saith The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Pr. And thou would make it an errour to say the Saints are saviours of the world See page 50. Ans The Apostle said when he writ to the Saints he should save himselfe and others and this was by the power of Christ And Jude saith others saving with fear but hating the garments spotted with the flesh Now thou art a deceiver and not a Saviour both of thy selfe and others and ignorant of the power and the spirit Pr. He saith there is no such Scripture as saith the light within the conscience See page 52. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who saith the light shines in their hearts and is not there the conscience 2 Cor. 4. And Christ saith they will not come to the light lest their deeds should be by it manifested they by it reproved and this is not conscience nor nature And the Apostle Paul saith Our rejoycing is the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but in the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world Pr. The new Covenant which God promised to write in their hearts he calls that the law by nature see page 52. Ans And thus he is stumbling at the corner stone and errs in his judgement for that which orders nature is above nature and all naturallists and transgressors do call it naturall Doctor Glisson's Paper concerning James Parnels death in prison which the Lyes that are in it are not worth mentioning but upon themselves will fall but here is one of their lying slanders taken off as followeth who strikes at the Rock splits themselves and the blood of that Innocent lies upon their heads Pr. IN the Preface he saith That the most knowing part of these Quakers have received their principles from Rome c. Ans It is false for the Instructions which they have received is from Christ who was glorified with the father before the world began and before Rome was or revilers either which makes the world to rage The corner-stone the light which lightens every man that comes into the world before it was which makes the Beast and the false Prophet and the Pope and you to arme themselves against the Lamb and his light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world withal And the Priests Instructions have been from Rome to set up their Schools to make Miinsters and Temples East and West with a Crosse at the end of them and the Tenth which they imprison men to death for and their preaching by the hour-glasse and naming their Colledges and Masse-houses by the Saints names Your Instructions have been from Rome to do these things but the Lamb shall have the victory glory to the Lord in the highest for ever George Emmot who calls himself a spirituall Quaker converted Who is turned with the Dog to the vomit and gone in the way of Core exalting himself and gain-saying Truth and gone in the way of Cain into his first birth turned against the second DId God smite thee for thy pride Did God let thee see the
See pag. 16. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who said the Light that shined in their hearts should give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and the Light within comes from the mystery and is of the mystery it self and le ts see the precious mystery which none knowes but with the Light within and so the God of the world hath blinded thy mind and hath shewed thy self that thou art of them that hates the Light and shewes that thou comes not to it for he that comes to it comes to the mystery for the least Light of Christ in man is of the mystery and comes from the mystery Pr. He saith to say Christ came to Redeem the Israel from the Law without to establish the work within and law in the conscience in obedience unto which men come to be Redeemed and the Law in the heart thus to say he saith is an errour c. See page 16. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who Preached the redemption established the Law in the heart and Christ within who redeemes men from under the Law who is the end of it and the word of Faith in the heart and they that have not this be in the errour though they may talk of Christ Pr. He saith it is the Divinity of Sophisters and a blotting out of the glory of the grace of Christ to set forth Christ as a law-giver and worker in us c. See page 17. Ans Which I say none knowes him as a Mediator and a law-giver nor an offering nor his blood that cleanseth them but as they know him working in them and they be in the Sophistery of their Divinity that knowes not the glory of the grace of Christ working in them Pr. He saith a man shall not see himself dead and buried with Christ and raised up with Christ by any work or obedience to Christ within c. See page 18. Ans He that believes hath the witness in himself and there is the work within and that is the work of God and Faith is wrought within And this is contrary to self for over it it gives victory and teacheth to deny himself So see how thou confounds thy self and he that believes is past from death to life and they that are dead with Christ seekes those things that are from above Pr. He saith again the Light within is the spirit of the world c. See page 18. Ans Contrary to Johns doctrine who saith he was in the world and the world knew him not neither doth your spirits of the world know him now and the worlds Spirit knew him not and the world hates the Light and darkness cannot comprehend it though it shines in darkness And here thou art medling with things that are too heavy for thee and the corner stone falls a top of thee and the Light that enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world was before the spirit of the world was Pr. He saith that they that affirm the light in every man that condemnes for sin to he Christ the Redeemer have set up an Idol c. See page 19. Ans Doth not Christ say I am the Light of the world which is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world who is the Redeemer and the Salvation to the ends of the earth and he that receiveth it receiveth Christ And is not this it that brings off of all Idols And are not they setting up Idols that are from the Light And doth not Christ the Light come to condemn sin in the flesh and is that the Idoll How dare thou say so he was manifest in the flesh to condemn sin in the flesh and he saith I am the light and that is not an Idoll Pr. He saith Christ comes not down in spirit into our persons to redeem but to manifest the redemption and saith he cometh the second time without sinne unto salvation c. See page 21. Answ The Apostle bids them worke out their salvation with fear and trembling And Christ brings not peace on earth but a sword and judgment and comes to make blind who is the redemption and makes it manifest by his spirit and whose light doth condemn him that hates it for he will not have that which manifests salvation And whosoever knoweth redemption knoweth it to be manifest in him from Christ Pr. He saith They who had the light within and pierced into the invisible things and eternall power and God-head had but the wisdome of this world c. page 23. Ans And so he would make the light of Christ the wisdome of this world which light cometh from Christ the wisdome of God the wisdome of the world cannot pierce into the eternall power and God-head Pr. He saith The light within denies all things that God hath done for us in Christ which hath no glory but spreads a veil over c. page 25. Ans Which none knows what God hath done for us nor sees the glory in Christ but by the light which comes from him who works all both in us and for us according to his good will and pleasure and brings not to deny what God worketh in us and they nullifie it that are against his light and are against his glorious person for the light that 's within le ts see his glory Pr. He saith Obedience to the light within is another atonement and a denying the atonement of Christ and calls it a mystery of iniquity See page 28. Answ VVhich none knows the attonement of Christ but by the light within and all be in the mystery of iniquity that be out of the Light which cometh from Christ the covenant of God to Jewes and Gentiles and that gives them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus Mark he saith the light is that which gives the knowledge and the Light within doth not set up another atonement but they do that do deny the light within set up another atonement then Christ Pr. He saith To obey the Law within which we say is the law of the spirit of life which makes free from sin and death in this he saith we agree with the Papists and Pagans See page 30. Answ Now in this thou may see where thou art out of the Apostles doctrine And neither thee nor the Papists nor Pagans own us in this that we should be made free from the Law of sin and death while we be upon the earth And here the blood of Jesus is witnessed and the attonement and the Father and the Son and this is all seen with the Light within Pr. He saiâ—h He began by faith to behold the love joy and redemption prepared for him before any evill or good was done by him c. page 37. Answ Dost not thou say thou beheld it by faith And now is not the work good to behold by faith And doth not that give victory over the evill And doth not
in the face of Christ Jesus and the light shining in the darkness which the darkness cannoâ—â—â—â—prehend it And no one upon earth ever sees their salvation but with the light â—â—ich cometh from Christ their Saviour who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that all men through the light might believe he that doth not believe in the light is condemned And so he that followes the light shall not walk in darkness and he that followes not the light walks in darkness So with the light thou art comprehended to be a Minister of darkness in the apostacy keeping people from the light And one of the false prophets ravened from the spirit which Christ said should come John saw was come and the world goes after you that tells people the letter is the word and the spirit is in the Scriptures which is contrary to Scripture and them that spoke it forth which said the spirit of God was within them And the Scriptures were words of God and Christ the word comes to fulfill the words who is the word who was before the words was given forth in whom the words ends Pr. The Kingdom of heaven is within you not as Christ is in every one but the Kingdom of heaven is within you or among you Page 29. Answ Christ is within except ye be reprobates yea I say within all Professors is Christ in Christendom Christ is within them all except they be reprobates And if Christ be not within them all they are all reprobates but if Christ be within them all the body is dead and there is Christs reign and his Kingdom and no Babylon nor Antichrist where this is so And the Kingdom of Heaven is within you saith Christ yea in the Pharisees and that is the Kingdom in man that never consents to sin like a grain of mustard-seed like unto leaven that leavens the new lump And he that cometh to know that little Kingdom and receiveth that little Kingdom as a little child it makes the Kingdoms of the world become the Son of Gods Kingdom and knowes that no unrighteousnesse nor ungodlinesse must enter into it Pr. And Christ spake to the multitude when he said be not ye of men called Master and call no man father upon earth and did not bid the Apostles not to be called of men master Answ He spoke this to the multitude and to the Disciples both and said the Scribes and Pharisees was called of men Master who had Scriptures whom he cryed wo against And he said be not you of men called master for ye have all one master even Christ and ye are all Brethren this was Christs Command But all ye Pastors and Ministers Bourn and the rest who are apostatized from the Apostles Doctrine and Christs Doctrine ye trample upon the Commands of Christ It manifests that ye have the form of godliness and denyes the power and are not Brethren past from death to life but are all on heapes about the Scriptures Christs Prophets and Apostles words and making a trade of them for your own self-ends in the Apostacy such as Christ said should come which John saw was come which should inwardly raven which the world is gone after But now with that which ye all ravened from are ye all comprehended And Christ saith call no man father upon earth where Christ is witnessed the seed of God raised up no earthly man is his father nor cannot call no man father upon the earth according to the Command of Christ he that is heire of the promise of the world that hath no end of the second Adam born not by the will of man but he that is of the first Adam is in another state and stands against Christs doctrine and is the Son of Adam in the fall Pr. He saith such as pretend Christ within deny the blood of Christ his righteousness for Justification Answ Who witness Christ within they are not reprobates Justification and Sanctification is possessed the thing that was imputed to the believers Pr. And giving honour to men c. Answ Christ the second Adam receives not honour of men neither doth he respect mens persons his enemies could say so and they that received honour one of another was the Pharisees the great Professors which was a mark of the unbelief which Christ would not receive their honour the second Adam which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world will not receive the honour of men Now he that receiveth the honour is out of the light in the first Adam is out of the power And where humility is which goes before the honour there is no want of honour for he cometh into the power that maketh him honourable in the hearts of all people answering the humble principle in every one a terrour to the evil doer and here Magistrates that fears God attain the honour that is without the respect of Persons in the humility answering with the higher power the just principle in every man so come they to be honoured in the hearts of all people in the sight of God and a praise of them that do well which he that respects persons transgresseth the Law and commits sin and is convinced of the Law as a trangressor he that respects persons is out of the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ which purifies the heart which is held in the pure conscience and gives victory over the world which who are of faith are of Abraham And so for all thy lies and slanders and reviles and unsavoury and bad expressions which are loathsome before all sober people and stincks who hath published thy shame to the Nation in Print it shall cover thy self and be thy own garment and every word be thy own burthen and lay a weight upon thee in the day of thy misery and calamity and in the day of thy Judgement when thy works are tryed in the fire the witness in thy conscience shall me answer Gifford who is chief Priest at Bedford his Principle He said openly That faith was not perfect c. Ans Faith is holy and the gift of God and purifies and justifies and is a mystery in which is the unity by which God is pleased and this is perfect being the gift of God and from this he hath shewed his reprobation and his ignorance Thomas Moore in his Booke called A defence against the poison of Satans Designe These are his Principles Following Pr. HE saith Christ Jesus is personally absent from a believer And Christ is in and to our hearts the hope but not the possession nor do we possesse the glory Again he saith The grace of God which brings salvation to all men instructs them not to look into themselves or to any light or spirit in them Pag. 5. Answ Christ in you the hope of glory saith the Apostle And if the Saints sate with him in heavenly places they are not absent from him And if he say I in them and they in me so not
as they had so these have taken away the key of knowledge from among people since the days of the Apostles and as for the word Canon ye may go to the Papists The Apostles shewed the fulfilling of the Scriptures that Christ was come and the Apostles saw what Christ said should come which inwardly ravened went forth from them which the world hath gone after which now we with the same spirit the Apostles was in which you all ravened from do see ye and what hath reigned since the dayes of the Apostles Now is the fulfilling of the Prophets And the word was in the Apostles and in the Saints yea the word of faith and this comes to fulfill the Scripture this word of faith which was preached in the heart and in the mouth and which was promised before And the light was in the Apostles heart that shined and the sure word of prophesie that did let see and foresee was in the hearts of people which led them to give forth Scriptures and that which fulfills the Scriptures the prophesie is of Christ who ends it and the spirit led them to speak it forth the spirit of prophesie which many may have the Scriptures and not have the more sure word of prophesie And many may have the Scriptures as the Pharisees had and stand against the Revelation of the Son of God from heaven which is surer for he was before Scripture was who ends the Scriptures for many may have Scriptures and be out of the life and not know him the Revelation of the Son of God as the Jewes did not and so say the Scriptures is more sure then Revelation from heaven so more sure then the Son of God who is greater then all and the Scripture was given forth by Revelation and none knowes it but by Revelation Pr. He saith Christ doth not give to every man the light that leadeth to the Father and there is not in every man that redeeming light which leadeth to the Father And it is false to say the light which John speakes of is a salvation light he saith the light in every man is but the candle light of natural understanding pag. 56. And the light which every man hath is a low common benefit and no drop of this immortal seed pag. 57. 58. Nor is the light which every man hath his Mediation And I call the light which every man hath natural pag. 59. And the light which every man hath teacheth nothing of the way truth and life of Jesus Christ. pag. 60. And the light which is in every man is opposite to Scriptures pag. 61. This is the light which is in every mans conscience which is but natural And the Apostle saith he warneth every man and teacheth every man that he might present them perfect in Christ Jesus But he saith the Apostle did not warn every man he did not levell the Saints light with every mans page 62. It is not meant that every man is enlightened but the Church Page 63. Answ I am the light of the world and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world saith Christ the life So the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall wil let them see the life which it cometh from will let them see their salvation Christ Jesus will let them see their Mediator will let them see the truth for the light is truth which cometh from Christ the truth And the light is Christ the way the truth the life that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world In him was life and the life was the light of men in him by whom the world was made which light was before any natural lights was the Sun Moon and Stars are natural lights and these was made by Christ the light who doth enlighten every man c. which men having a light from him by whom the world was made by whom all things was created who was afore any things was created Le ts them see before any created light natural light made lights which gives every one the knowledge of life which lets every one see the salvation to the ends of the earth which lets every one see the Covenant of God that love it and believe in it they come to the life Christ him from whence the light cometh The light is of the immortal seed of Christ Jesus one with the Saints light the Saints believe in that the world hates and receives that which the world hates so it is the worlds condemnation it is the condemnation of them that hate it And so was he promised a Covenant to the Gentiles aswell as to the Jewes and so doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world according to Johns witness and testimony to the Priests and Levites which came from Jerusalem to examine him So the Priests now examine us in this age and professors which the Quakers are witnesses of and bears testimony to which Paul warned every man and taught every man that he might present them perfect in Christ the light So the light is one with the Saints light that condemnes the unbelievers And the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall that through it he might believe and who believes in it and receives it he hath the light of life and they become the Sons of God and who hate it it is their condemnation and they are against Scriptures but the light is not against Scriptures but ownes them And so the light is not so low as ye esteem it for it was before any thing was made or created as for the word Trinity there is no Scripture for it without ye finde it in the Common-prayer Book And the light in the converted shines out of Darkness in their hearts and gives them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God c. And the light in the unconverted shines in the Darkness and the Darkness comprehendes it not Pr. He saith that the light without the Scriptures is no light Pag. 64. And to call the light that doth enlighten every man the word of God is contradiction And there was no light before the Scriptures which is now revealed in Scripture pag. 64. That God is light not the light in every mans conscience pag. 68. And the best light that every man hath is but created Not one man in the world knowes God till he finde him in Scripture pag. 69 The Lord Christ the Eternal Son the Essential word of the Father is more in Scripture then in every man or any man pag. 70. They that speak from the Scripture rightly understood speak more from Christ then they that speak from the light within them Answ The light was before Scripture was given forth the light was before the Created lights was and makes manifest all created lights for all created lights was created by it and all that ever had the Scriptures and are not in the light that doth enlighten every man that
sufficient that declares of Christ And the Prophets did not take Texts and raise Motives and Uses and Reasons and lay in them halfe a yeare together and sell them for money as ye do now since the days of the Apostles in the apostacy But now I am come to reckon with you and you shall have a portion a reward according to your works And I will slay you with the sword the words of my mouth saith the Lamb. And your Poynts and Reasons and Imaginations which ye fetch out of Scripture is but to lead people under condemnation and keep them from the immediate teaching and the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And James Parnells blood who dyed in the Prison that righteous man his blood lies upon you and that shall lye upon your heads sparkling and from under it ye shall never come but ye shall own it And the spirit of God levels down all the proud and lofty hearts of men by which people are brought into unity with God and one with another And the first day of the week which ye call the Sabbath ye never read it in the Scriptures as a strict command among the Apostles Pr. And the Magistrate is not to levell the Laws with the light in every mans conscience Again If the Magistrate be in the Light and discern into the minde of Christ and understand his law Is he to compell all the Nation and Common-wealth to come to the practice of his light page 308. Answ The Magistrate of Christ the help-government for him he is in the light and power of Christ and he is to subject all under the power of Christ into his light else he is not a faithfull Magistrate And his Lawes here are agreeable and answerable according to that of God in every man when men act contrary to it they do evill So he is a terrour to the evill doers discerns the precious and the just from the vile and this is a praise to them that do well Pr. He saith The Scriptures is the more sure word of prophecy that shines in the darke heart untill enlightned by the Law And every mans light c. is the shimmerings of the law and not of the Gospel light and it is the voyce of the spirit of unbelief that saith the spirit and the power is not in the declaration See his Appendix Answ The spirit and the power was in them that gave forth the Declaration and many have the Declaration and wants the spirit and wants the power as the Pharisees did as all you Apostates inwardly ravened from the spirit of God have had the Declaration but not found the power in it nor spirit in it and so are in the unbelief and are all on heaps about it For if ye had found the power and the spirit in it ye had been all one and quiet before now about Religion yea whole Christendome in power and in the spirit and in the bond of peace and in fellowship one with another and the Scriptures and the spirit and God And the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world every man being in the light which hath enlightned him he shall feel the word of prophecy he shal feel the light shining in his heart he shall feel the Day-star arise there in his heart he shall see that no Prophecy of the Scriptures came by the will of man but holy men of God spoke them forth He shall see that many may have the Scriptures yet quench the spirit despise prophecying he shall see the Scripture is but the Letter declared forth from the spirit of Prophecy by the Prophets and the spirit of God in the Son and in the rest of the Apostles And the light which doth enlighten every one c. is the end of the Law and all shimmering lights and it is the light of the Gospel And none knows the Gospel the power of God Christ Jesus but with the light that cometh from him And here cometh every man into his particular comfort And that is the voyce of the unbeliever like the Pharisees that thought to have had life in the Letter and would not come to Christ the life the substance of Scriptures but stops his eare to the light of God in him Pr. He saith Let all know that the worke within is not the ground and purchase of true peace And that God is more pleased with that which Christ works without for them then that which he worketh within them And those that Peter speaks of that had escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Christ yea cleane and yet are in the naturall state first and last See Appendix A. Them that have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledg of Jesus Christ and are clean are out of the naturall state for they have escaped out of that state which they were in first And such as witnesse their Sanctification Justification wrought within them they witnesse in this they please God by the faith in the blood of the Son of God Now they feel not the comfort nor the benefit but by the faith of Christ Jesus the one offering in which God is pleased withall which is acceptable which is Christs offering his sacrifice his flesh his blood his life his mind must be manifest and received within before they come to Justification Sanctification and Redemption and the serving of God in the new life And herein is God glorified to believe in the onely begotten Son of God and here they honour the Son in believing in him whom the Father hath sent And so they that feele not Chirst in them are Reprobates And as for all the rest of thy lyes and slanders and strife and confusions who would set one against another all cool and quiet sober spirits will see thy confusion and so thy words shall be thy own burthen and the lyes torn upon thy owne selfe And no man shall establish Sion nor lay a stone there as he is in himselfe but the Elect makes up Sion and the living stones where the elect and precious stone is in the midst which is Christ laid in Sion And all thy Babylonish wayes actings doings and the rest of all thy Brethren and who are begotten with the same spirit of the great Whore that inwardly ravened from the spirit of God which long hath had the sheeps cloathing upon your backs who all come from one Popish flock are comprehended now by the spirit of God which ye all ravened from inwardly with it are ye all fathomed And how the Whore hath been arrayed with the sheeps cloathing and hath had power over Kindreds Tongues and Peoples and Nations and Multitudes and brought Nations into waters and Peoples and Tongues Multitudes like waters which have drunk the blood of the Prophets and the Saints and the Martyrs And so thou art flattering the Authorities of the earth and crouching under them out of whose
as obeyed Christs doctrine for he tells them the danger lest ye fall into condemnation Let all your communication be yea yea and nay nay what ever is more is evill Not by heaven nor by earth nor by any other oath Now there was true and false and prophane whatsoever was comprehended in these words Not by any but keep to yea and nay in all your communications Now tell the Apostle he doth not mean as he speaks give him the lye pervert his words and Christs words who sayes swear not at all and sayes he meanes profane oaths And Christ brought the people off the true Oath which was in the old time that was performed to the Lord a profane oath was not performed to the Lord that 's not meant of that but that as was sworn by him Christ sayes now Swear not at all and so they that break the oath break the covenant the true oath and so they that swear now do not own the new covenant which ends the true oath and covenant in the old time The profane oaths they were judged by them that lived in the first covenant and they did not type out any thing but a true oath did which ended controversies among men which the oath Christ ends which is the peace between God and man and reconciles them to God and one another These be true brethren true christians that 's come to yea and nay in their communications and cannot swear by heaven nor by earth nor by any other oath lest they come into the evill but yea and nay in all their communications lest they come into condemnation So you that teach men to swear have brought them into the evill and a great out-cry to break the commands of Christ and under condemnation He that teacheth them to swear any oath whatsoever cast behind your backs the commands of Christ and doctrine of the Apostles And the Apostle that bid the Saints keep to yea and nay in all their communications and swear not at all said if yee will have any more take two or three Witnesses And for all thy other confusion and thy perverting and wresting of Scriptures to bring people into the condemnation and evill to swear is not worthy the mentioning and will but come upon thy selfe in the day of thy condemnation and judgement thee and all upon the Earth that are departed from the Apostles shall witnesse how ye have transgressed the commands of Christ and teach people to transgresse them and to sin have hath brought them into the evill and condemnation So repent and while ye and time prize it Samuel Hammond In his Book called The Quakers House built on the Sands A very fit Title for himselfe and the rest of his PRIESTS These are some of his Principles following Pr. YOung men and women having some convictions and awakenings of the Law and have followed the light of an awakened conscience and sit down before they have closed with Christ and there be not a distinction between the righteousness imputed upon the account of the blood of Christ and the righteousness inherent wrought in us by his spirit and this inherent righteousness they confound the attainments brought forth by the Light in every man not being able to distinguish the working of Satan Answ Inherent righteousnesse is a word of thy own and the Papists inventing and thou art a man that cannot distinguish between the workings of Christ and the workings of Satan For the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall which brings men and women to know the Law and the convictions of it it brings them to the end of the Law Christ and to see that appear that cannot be shaken and the Righteousnesse imputed to a believer that is within felt For he that believes hath the witnesse in himselfe and feels it there and the blood of Christ is felt within justifying and cleansing the conscience from dead works And the righteousnesse of Faith is found within and that righteousnesse which is wrought within is found within and no man sees this but with the light which Christ hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world withall and this Light is that which confounds all thy attainments for Christs righteousness and his blood and spirit are all one which justifies and sanctifies Pr. They dream of a perfection to obey the light within and this is delusion they are not able to distinguish between justified freely by grace which is the favour of God upon the account of Christs satisfaction and the grace that wrought by Christs spirit in the soul that natural light within being improved they call grace the work of God upon the soul leads into Covenant of works then it is no other then to tread in the Papists steps so this is delusion and the ground of their delusion is their not distinguishing between saving light given forth by Christ in conversion and the light of conscience that every man hath Answ None come to the perfection out of the delusion but who comes to the light within and followes that it gives him the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ the Covenant of grace is one that which was wrought without is within in the soul for Christ in you c and he is the Covenant of grace of light of life and of peace and none knowes him without nor Justification by grace but who knowes it in the heart and it is the one and the same thing it is not another grace nor another Covenant nor another Christ but the the same Christ in you the Saints are in his spirit and in his mind and are of his flesh and of his bone And thou who art so full of thy delusions Art out of this and thou alwayes have been in the dreams and never knowes perfection till thou come to the light within And Gods work in the soul leads to the end of the Covenant of works who works all in us and for us as sayes the Apostle who works faith grace commands the light to shine out of darkness shines in the heart to give the knowledge of the Son and so thou art in the delusion and the Papists doctrine that knowes not this within but calls it the Covenant of works dost not thou tread in their steps and have crept up in their great Masse-houses and the light given forth by Christ in conversion and the light in the conscience is one and it is not natural it was before natural was it exerciseth the conscience towards God and towards man in them that love it but in them that hate it they are not converted but they live in the many wayes out of the one way to God for he that 's the Covenant of light is the Covenant of grace and thus thou art blinding people with many things Pr. The owning not the imputation of Christ as the matter and formal cause of Justifications is damnable doctrine
sight and he is in the Saints and they eate his flesh and sit with him in heavenly places Pr. They say They are deceived that thinke to obtain salvation by the conviction of the Law which they call Christ page 37. 39. Ans Christ is the end of the Law and who follow him are not deceived but comes to witnesse the Law of life and him revealed in them and they are deceived that calls the Law without by Christ that doth convict and gives it that name But who followes Christ the end of the Law hath the righteousness of God revealed in them from saith to faith which the just lives by and Christ revealed in them as the Apostle witnessed whereby they have eternal life Pr. And they say the Quakers would obtain salvation by the obedience of Christ the Law which gives the knowledge of sin Answ The Quakers obedience is Christ Gods righteousness the end of the Law which makes them free from the Law of sin and death Christ the seed the second Adam Pr. They say Now every man that cometh into the world receives a light from Christ as he is God which light is conscience and this will shew a man that there is a God and discover the eternal God which some falsly cals Christ Answ Christ saith I am the light of the world and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world as saith John and doth not say that its conscience for the light was before conscience was which shewes thy ignorance Not knowing what conscience is for conscience was since the world but light was before the world was made and he that evil doth hates the light and so conscience is seared and so light condemnes and the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened with is Gods Covenant to Jewes and Gentiles and salvation to the ends of the earth so you have given Christ a new name that cals him conscience contrary to Scripture and is conscience eternal that may be seared and will that shew that which is eternal will conscience blot out sin and transgrâ—ssion Christ will Gods Covenant that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which light believing in it they serve Christ the Author of their faith which faith is a mystery held in a pure conscience Pr. And they say that every man hath not the spirit of Christ and he brings Jude to prove it Answ That proves that they had it but went from it and the spirit that leads the disciples reproves the world Pr. John Burton saith John Bunian is furnished with spiritual gifts which gifts the Ministers of Christ must have whether learned or unlearned as to humane and John Bunians preaching he saith is not by humane art yet he saith Christ is humane Ans The Scripture hath neâ—ther taught John Burton nor John Bunian this Language To say this knowledge is not humane and yet to affirm Christ is humane is to say thy knowledge is not from Christ but we shall try his gifts whether they be from God and whether or no he divids the word aright and whether they be agreeable to the Scripture which fils up his book with mentioning the word humane twenty times over which humane is from the earth to say Christ is humane thy knowledge is from the ground earthy and he hath no Scripture for it he saith that the soul is immortal Pr. And he saith it is the Devil to keep people to live and die in their sins and he that cryes free grace through the death of the man Christ Jesus that sinners doth attain to eternal life and deny his own righteousness this he saith is a notion and saith he is empty of sanctified grace Answ The grace that comes from Christ it seasons the heart and the words are sanctified and this is not a notion but all be in the notion that speak of the thing and be out of the grace and salvation and you that believe people must have sin whilst they are upon the earth are them that keepes people in their sins and so hath judged thy self to be the Minister of sin as thou maist read the fruits in thy own book Pr. John Bunian saith he that confesseth Christ come in the flesh and was crucified taken from the Crosse and risen he that believes this is not Antichrist Answ The Pope and all the prophane people in Christendom called Christians will confesse this in the form without them and they that denies the power for Christ is the power of God and that I say is Antichrist he that hath not Christ in him is a reprobate and so would make thy self and all Professors the Pope and all hirelings not to be Antichrist and are all on heapes one amongst another that 's a mark of Antichrist though they may have all in the form Christ and the Prophets words which denyes the power yet confesse Christ without he that denyes the power denyes Christ and so he is Antichrist who denyes the light which Christ hath enlightened him withall Prin. Man at his coming into the world he hath conscience but he hath not the spirit of Christ Answ Man at his coming into the world hath a light from Christ him by whom the world was made which is more then conscience but he that hates the light abids in darkness and so is not like to receive the spirit but is reproved with it Pr. They say them that are carried away by the convictions of conscience are misinformed by the devil Answ This light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world which he cals conscience teaching and misinforming by the devill is the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that through it they might believe and is not conscience and he that believes hath the witness in himself and that all might hear the Son and confesse him to the glory of God and therefore are enlightened who was glorified with the Father before the world began and Christ bids them believe in the light which believing in hath the light of life but he that believes not is condemned already and them that hate the light are them that are informed by the devil Pr. Now they say he converts a new birth perswading them it is wrought by following the light and this he sayes is like Baals Priests Answ That 's contrary to Christ who saith I am the light and he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life he that believes in the light shall become a childe of the light and this is far above Baals Priests and all that hates it hates Christ and these are Baals Priests that hate the light Pr. And they say that the spirit of Christ convinceth of sin and yet they say all hath it not and yet it shall convince and reprove the world Answ Now it s one thing to be reproved and another thing to receive that which doth reprove
and worldly lusts and it will bring to worship God These things among others are the scope of the lying murtherer and bids them believe not every spirit but try them whether they be of God or no for many false Prophets are gonâ— out into the world Answ The false Prophets and Antichrists came up which Christ said should come came up in the dayes of the Apostles before their decease and went forth from them into the world which since the world went after them and they had the sheeps cloathing but ravened from the spirit and so broken into sects and heaps one amongst another which made war against the Saints and overcame them but then again the Beast and false Prophets and the Kings of the earth the Devill and the Dragon should make war against the Lamb and the Saints but the Lamb and the Saints should get the victory over the Beast and the false Prophets Devil and Dragon and the everlasting Gospel should be preached to them that dwell upon the earth So it is not a strange thing to us that the whole world should be standing against the light and against the Saints and the Lamb but their garments they cannot touch and so wickednesse hath budded forth into a rod but he is brought forth to rule the Nations with a rod of iron which was dead and is alive And ye discern not the times like Prarisees and the light which leads men from the world their lusts and taking Gods name in vain and all ungodlinesse You never came into this the Devil never came into this nor none comes into it but who be in that which the Devill is out of Nor none sees the salvation which is to the ends of the earth but who be in the light that John bore testimony of the witnesse in thy conscience shall answer it and condemn thee for thy hard speeches and the light by which all things was made which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world it is the end of the Law and before a naturall Light was and changes men from their naturall estate believing in it into the Covenant of life and peace with God I say the Law of God that came by Moses is above conscience much more Christ the end of the Law that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world the righteousnesse of God And the Devill is out of piety and purity who is the lying murtherer and never brought people to the light within who himselfe is out of it and he cannot disguise himself nor thee neither from the children of Light Prin. And the light simply considered makes not any thing that is done good or evill A. Did not Christ the light testifie against the world that their works was evil and doth not the light make manifest evill And is not he that hates the light reproved and so with it condemned And doth not the Scripture say the Law is light And doth not that make evill of that which is evill and own that which is good and judge it Nay and doth it not grieve the spirit of God Them that act contrary to the Lord did not God bring evill upon them that did evill Is there any evill in the City and I have not done it Though it was evill to them yet it was justice for they went from that of God in them first And doth not Christ the light distinguish between the good and the evill And doth not Christ make that which is good to be good and that which is evil to be evil Pr. He saith The law of faith did not make voyd the law of works but established it Answ That 's contrary to the Apostle that said the Law was changed and the first Covenant was to decay So with it their outward works whereby the Law of faith came in which works by love where the boaster is excluded and the Law of life witnessed and there comes the living in the spirit which makes free from the Law of sin and death Pr. He saith Neither the new man nor the renewed man is endued with the principle of light and life according to the image of him that created him Answ In this thy ignorance of the Saints conditions thou hast shewed for they was in the image of God of him that created them and they was not in the flesh but in the spirit And the Apostle tells them that they was renewed and the light that shined in their hearts was to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And the Saints had put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created them And he that believes hath the light of life and if they have not the spirit of Christ they are none of his And God will dwell in man and walke in man and Christ in them the brightnesse of the Fathers glory the expresse image of his substance Pr. The naturall man retains not the things of the new Covenant Ans That is while naturall men are from the light and that of God in them there is that in the naturall man hearkning to that which will bring him to do the thing contained in the Law which shall be justified before the Professors of the Law and not doers of it which is one with that ye professors acts contrary to But no man can know the things of God save with the spirit of God So naturall mans eyes is in that which is naturall from that which is spirituall but there is that in the naturall man which answers the Law of God which is spirituall though he be sold under sin and as he comes to see the seed Christ he shall see the end of all that A naturall mans estate and the Law of sin and death by the faith in Christ and ther 's our justification and life though the other things are owned where they were in their place Pr. Man is not able to discern the things of God till he be born again Answ And the Scripture speaks of discerning the eternall power and God-head and that was a thing of the spirit of God And the Apostle saith not that they were born again and yet I say that none knows the things of God but the spirit of God and that which may be known of God is manifest in them which God hath shewed unto them for that of God in them was of his spirit who is the God of the spirits of all flesh which brings them to discern his eternal power and God-head Pr. He saith That the light by which all things was made which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is not the powerful word of faith Answ Is not the word Christ the Author of Faith by which all things were made and created Is not that the powerful word of faith Is not he the Author of it which faith that comes from him gives victory over the world And is
and deceivers were throughout all ages and this I charge upon it in the face and view of all men to whom this may come for this we saw concerning it in the beginning and our first assurance And as for other places and orders of men and callings we saw them also corrupted and degenerated and evil and iniquity abounding among all sorts of people and blindness and darkness covered the face of the earth and of the world and all people were in their transgressions and making void the Law of God and that it was time for the Lord to work and to arise to ease himself of his adversaries and as for all Churches so called and professions and gatherings of people we beheld you as all in the Apostacy and degeneration from the true Church nor being gathered by the spirit of the Lord nor anoynted thereby as the true members of Christ ever were but to be in a form and in forms of righteousness without the power and in Immitations without life and perfect knowledge so that all the practices of Religion we beheld without power and life though some had a sencerity in them and a zeal and a desire towards the Lord yet all people erred in Judgement and none were guided in Judgement by the Eternal spirit and because of the error in Judgement that made their zeal blind and their performances of righteousness not accepted though acted in some sincerity and zeal because they were not guided in practice and led in Judgement by the spirit of the Lord which onely leads into all truth and none are in the truth but are who led onely thereby so that we beheld all profession but as coverings with figg leaves while the nature of transgression stood uncondemned not crucified Also then we saw not only the performance and practice in Church state and in Religious orders were corrupted but also Goverment and Magistracy and all things in civil state were not aright in the sight of the Lord nor as the Lord required neither as he had ordained in the beginning for Government we know as ordained of God is to punish and limit and terifie all evil doers and to preserve and defend all that do well and that mens consciences are to be left free to be ruled by the Lord alone and guided by his spirit and that outward power and civil Magistrates and Lawes so called ought not to be Lord or Ruler in mens consciences nor over them but we beheld how unrighteousness and iniquity and sin and wickedness was strengthened and encouraged in the Government and by such as were in Authority and how the fear of God and the exercise of a good conscience was abused so that it was turned backward from what it ought to be them that did well were punished and limited as transgressors and the evil doers were set free and not made afraid so that we could truely cry truth was fallen in the streets and justice and true Judgement turned backward and equity had no place to enter and the innocent was devoured through want of true and just Judgement and the needy was spoiled and made a prey and thus it was framed for no sooner had we opened our mouthes but the Magistrates begun to put us in prison and execute great injustice upon us and became oppressors of the innocent and laid grievous unjust burdens upon us grievous to be born and true justice and judgement was neglected and wrong judgement brought forth and good Government abused and men in authority not ruled by the Lord neither ruling for the Lord among men and thus it came to passe upon us through the corruption and degeneration in Government and Magistrates which we saw to be as it was fulfilled by them to wit not as the Lord required nor as he in the beginning ordained it but quite the contrary and this we saw in the beginning when the spirit of the Lord was poured down upon us and power from on high was revealed to declare against all the the abominations of the Earth and to make war against all corruption in all orders and places and men Then being prepared of the Lord and having received power from on high we went forth as commanded of the Lord leaving all relations and all things of the woâ—ld behind us that we might fufill the work of the Lord into which he called us and with flesh and blood nor any creature we consulted not nor took councel of men but of the Lord alone who lifted up our heads above the world and all fears and doubtings and was with us in power and dominion over all that which opposed us which was great and mighty and gave us power over it all and to bind Kings in chains and Nobles in fetters of Iron and this is the saints honour and the word of the Lord we sounded and did not spare and caused the deaf to hear the blind to see and the heart that was hardned to be a wakened and the dread of the Lord went before us and behind us and terror took hold upon our enemies And first of all our mouthes were opened and our spirit filled with indignation against the Priests and teachers and with them and against them first we began to war as being the causers of the people to erre and the blind leaders that carried the blind into the ditch and against them as the fountain of all wickednesse abounding in the Nations and as being the issue of prophanes for from them hath prophaness gone forth in all nations and against them we cryed a loud as being redeemed from their mouths who had made a prey upon us as they do upon all that follow their waies and in steeple-houses we did visit them often and in markets and other places as the Lord moved and made way for us shewing unto all them and all their people that they were not Lawfull Ministers of Christ sent of him but were deceivers and Anti-christs and such whom the Lord never sent and we spared not publikely and at all seasons to utter forth the Judgements of the Lord against them and their waies and against their Churches and worships and practices as not being of God nor commanded by him by which they deceived the world and this was our first work which we entred upon to thresh down the deceivers and lay them open that all people might see their shame and come to turne from them receive the knowledg of the truth that they might be saved and this we did with no smal opposition nor danger yea often times we were in danger of our lives through beating abusing punishing haling casting over walls striking with staves and cudgelâ— and knocking downe to the ground besides reproaching Scorning revilings and houtings at and scoffings and slanderings and all abuses that could be thought or acted by evil hands and tongues and often carried before Magistrates with grievous threats and some times put in the Stocks and whipped and often
not the Apostle bring people off of circumcision and off of the signes and shadowes the Sabbath days and told them the body was Christ And was not Offerings and Sacrifices the commands of God Now they that love God keep his commands and those are believers that have passed from death to life and hath come to the end of the Law and the Prophets And the Angell in the Revelations makes no mention of a Sabbath there but many are come to witnesse him to whom the Angels must bow down to and saw the end of time and the beginning of time and the supper of the Lord and the Rest and the Temple of God with them and heavenly Jerusalem come down from above Pr. Thou saist It cannot be but Gods people must bethink themselves of this Doctrine delivered by Stephen to the sanctification of the Lord of the Sabbath Answ Stephen no where mentions the Sabbath day in his Examination though he judged the Jewes for not keeping the Law vvhich they had received but persecuted the Just one so he preached the substance Christ the end of the Lavv and said they had not kept the Lavv but turned against the Just and persecuted him he did not establish the Jewes in their Ceremonies signes and types But Stephen brings them to the substance and so God that gave forth the Law vvith types and figures and shadovvs in it to the vveak capacity of people in their transgression sent his Son to redeem them from it and to end the types figures and shadovvs in the first Covenant vvho is in the nevv and living vvay vvhich is no changing and shadovvs no variablenesse nor altering no turning Pr. And thou sayes Sin is double on the Sabbath-day And thou saith I conceive a Sabbath dayes journey is so farre as a person may ride to go without toyl to a meeting So where there 's no law there 's no transgression and the extent is left to the conscience Answ Hovv novv must the Beast bear a burthen Where doth the Scripture say that thou vvas to ride upon the Sabbath day Do the Beasts vvork then He sayes Thou shalt do no manner of work But sixe dayes shalt thou labour and do all thou hast to do And you that make Sabbaths and set the up old Sabbaths and do not keep it according to the Law of God with the Law of God are you judged and condemned if ye do not fulfill it in every point and they that believe Christ is the end of the Law to them he is the body which is the end of the shadow Pr. Thou sayes That the Jewes that were not to make a fire on the Sabbath day this was mentioned of the Ceremoniall Law and so concerns not Christians and so not in danger of stoning The revealed will of God that we should not turne our foot to the defiling the Sabbath When the sixe dayes is done be sure thou do not turne thy foote to pollute the Sabbath A. And dost not thee confound thy selfe in this and turne thy foot to pollute it and sayes it is the Ceremonial Law that commands it and they that gathered sticks and made a fire were stoned to death Did not they pollute it And doth not thou say it doth not concern the Christians they was not in danger of stoning And so hast not thou taught them to break the Law and the Sabbath both and pollute it and so hath overthrown all thy doctrine in thy Book and confounded thy selfe And doth not he that goes out and gathers sticks and makes a fire turn his foot from the Sabbath For he that went out to gather sticks broke the Sabbath day and was cursed and stoned to death For no fire no meâ—t no burthens was to be borne on that day of rest a figure of the everlasting rest wherein no meat is gathered no fire is made no burthen is born and there is no turning the foot but all walking in rest and peace and so I finde thee neither in Law nor Gospel Pr. Thou sayst But to be sure the Law was made for Christs Disciples Whosoever boasts of a Light within and speaks against this Law of the Sabbath hath no light in him And thou saith Quakers will not admit of this Royall Law as a rule of righteousnesse but perverts the Scriptures which sayes The Law was not made for a righteous man Answ The Disciples of Christ the Law was not made for them that came to witnesse Christ the end of the Law for they said plainly the Law was not made for the righteous And Christ is the end of the Law to them that believe for righteousnesse sake And the Quakers witnesse Christ the end of the Law for their rule of righteousness and do not pervert the Scriptures but are the believers in him who ends the Law and before it was and is the body which ends types shadowes and figures and they that draw people under the Law and the types and shadowes and figures from the light within doth not know Law nor Gospel for the Law is light and the Gospel is the power of God and such as witness Christ the end of the Law witness the end of the Sabbath Pr. Thou sayes among all Gods Lawes none sets the soul more at liberty then the fourth lively Oracle Answ And yet thou sayes men may make a fire and not be stoned and so thou teaches to break it and thy Horse may bear a burden and so dost not thou pollute it here and destroy thy own soul by thy own Judgement but I tell thee Christ is the Bishop of the soul who ends the Law and brings the Law within into the mind and heart so now the soul being subject to the Higher power the power by which all the changeable things is held up by that power remaines when all the changeable fails and decayes and ends and the soul witnesses that and the body of Christ the power stands Pr. The Sabbath was intended to righteous Stephen and all his followers and is designed to all persons to whom the Supper is joyned the Sabbath is a precept ancient and universal both for Adam a publike person and for all his posteritie but none can sanctifie the Sabbath saving Christs disciples Answ Stephen suffered death for witnessing against the shadowes and witnessing the substance and the Apostle no where joyns the Sabbath with the Supper but Stephen saw Christ the body in whom was the rest in whom he entered and the Saints that come to sup with the Lord and is supping with him comes into the body which is the end of all types and shadowes and signes which are Sabbaths and hath seen them flee away and are come to the beginning before the world was made him who was before signes shadowes and types was The Sabbath was not given to Adam in the beginning who had the dominion over all creatures living but given to Adams posteritie in the fall a sign when they came to receive
speak in that degree of the holy Ghost as the Prophets and Apostles did that spoke forth Scriptures Answ Then thou must take heed of exalting thy self above thy measure for thou canst not know Scripture but by the same degree of the spirit the Prophets and Apostles had Pr. And he saith He hath no command in Scripture to sprinkle Infants and he holds it not absolutely necessary he hath no command in Scripture against it and he hath a commandement of the Governors and so he is subject to every Ordinance of man Answ An ordinance of man that is not of absolute necessity consider what it is and that which the Scripture no where commands nor thou hast no example for it consider what that is and to say the Scripture no where forbids it it forbids all the traditions and doctrines of men so that is judged by the spirit of God that is set up by men Pr. Thou saist The Lord may give with the outward washing the spirit to the childe Answ Can man receive the spirit of God by following traditions of men and outward things Was not they all from it and from the spirit and doth it not judge them for setting up such things God never commanded Pr. And he speaks of Davids Psalms given to the world sutably Answ The world must repent and be in the spirit for it lyes in wickednesse before they can know Davids singing for the Prophet saith their songs must be turned into howling and Davids condition is not the worlds Pr. He saith men may respect persons in their places Answ That 's contrary to the Apostle who said God was without respect of persons and that the Gentiles should be accepted as well as the Iewes He that doth righteousnesse is accepted with God who holds the faith of Christ it is without respect of persons it is in the unity and they that be out of that be out of the unity So thou hast pleaded for that which art out of his Doctrine He that respects persons commits sin and is convinced of the Law for a transgressor as saith the Apostle W. P. thy works are tryed and weighed and found too light and condemned for the fire the witnesse in thy conscience shall answer but now in thy security thou art asleep but the wrath of the Lamb shall finde thee out And as for all thy lies and slanders thou heaps up in thy Book they are not worth mentioning but will come upon thy own self for they are thine own covering which is judged the witnesse in thee shall answer The Elders and Messengers of the severall Churches of Ilston Abergevenny Tredingnoge Carmarthen Hereford Bredwerden Cledacke and Liangors Meeting at Brecknocke whose Book is Titled An ANTIDOTE against the Infections of the TIMES Which hath shewed your selves full of poison and such as infect the Times but with the spirit of Truth ye are comprehended and judged Your Principles are as Followeth Pr. YOu say you are conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity Psal 51.1 Answ David doth not say you who were conceived in sinne but I and W. P. saith John was sanctified from the womb and the Scripture speaks of such as were sanctified from the womb and children that were clean And so you do not speak as Elders and Messengers of true Churches or men dividing the word aright but you are one against another though you are all against them you call Quakers that be in the truth Pr. They say They observe the designe of Satan to cast down the walls of Sion and to remove the living stones thereof from the sure foundation the rock of ages the Lord Jesus Christ and draw them to build upon the sands Answ Is this like that the Elect should be deceived living stones should be drawn from the sure foundation the rock of Ages the Lord Jesus Christ for these living stones to be built upon the sand and drawn from the Rock of Ages this Doctrine doth not sound like men of understanding For the living stones are the spirituall houshold and the royall Priest-hood and there 's the foundation that stands sure the Rock the Devill is out of and the gates of Hell cannot prevail against it you in your Notions let living stones alone for none can pluck them out of the Fathers hand Pr. And they say No man can redeem the soul of his brother Answ Solomon saith the fruits of the righteous â—s a tree of life and he that wins souls is wise And he that saves a man from his evill wayes saves a soule from a multitude of sins Again thou saist No man the greatest of men can redeem the soule of his brother Ye should not have left out Christ the Saviour the Redeemer the man Christ Jesus the elder Brother so you are a company of blinde Pastors contrary to them that gave forth Scriptures Pr. To say heaven and glory is in man which was before man was they are sottish and blinde Answ There 's none have a glory and a heaven but within them which was before man had a being Pr. Wherefore take heed of depending upon any righteousnesse within you or any righteousnesse done by you Answ This is a strange Doctrine that men must take heed of any righteousnesse done by them or within them This is contrary to Scripture which saith the kingdome of heaven is within that stands in righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and the fruits of the spirit is righteousnesse and goodness and this is that which ends the righteousness of the Law and he that doth righteousness is righteous and Christ the righteousness of God is with them Prin. Man hath received a light from Christ as a creature but not as a Redeemer Answ That 's false For whosoever hath received a light from Christ hath received a Redeemer and a Saviour and he that doth believe in it is saved and he that doth not is condemned Pr. And they say If you love your souls beware of such delusions least ye perish eternally that say it is the true light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world following it it is sufficient to bring men to heaven which light is natural reason and conscience Answ The light that every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall cometh from the salvation Christ which is the way to the Father whose throne is in Heaven and Christ saith believe in the light that ye may become the children of the light and he that believes in the light shall not come into condemnation All men is enlighened that through the light they might believe so you are not able to divide the word aright and all that be from this light are lo here lo there and so are in the natural reason and conscience which the light is not the light was afore they was Pr. They say none should never have known a Justification nor a Sanctification if it bad not been written Answ I do believe you had not
the power of God that went out of the truth that tempted others out of the truth to transgresse and to sin by which came death by which the devil hath the power of death that went out of the truth so is the power of death which Christ the power of God destroys death and him that hath the power of it Prin. Mayo saith To say the Gospel is the power of God is but a Metapohrical speech Answ The Apostle doth not say so for the Apostle saith the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes in plain words Rom. 1. Chapter Pr. He said That Lanthorn and that Light spoken of in the Psalms which was a light unto Davids path was not meant Christ the word Ans Why then doth the Apostle bring often Davids words to prove that David did speak of Christ And spake of the sure mercies of David the everlasting Covenant of light and in his light should see more light and called him Lord and David saw his flesh that should see no corruption and see his resurrection and many other Scriptures might be brought to prove this Prin. He said The Scriptures was the seed which the sower went forth to sow Mat. 13. Answ The seed is that which the Scripture speaks of which Christ said is the word which many have the Scriptures which knowes not the seed nor the thing it speaks of nor the seed that is sown which is the word as instance the Jews and you Christians which put Scripture for it for if the Scripture be the seed it is sown already it is printed and what need you go out to sow it Pr. He faith That Paul in the 5. of the Ephes 18. Exhorts the Ephesians to follow a light which was not the light of the Gospel and it is said in plain Scripture in so many words he could not prove that any of the Ministers of Christ doth exhort the Saints to follow a light which was the light of the Gospel Ans We herein see his confusion who confounds himself and Paul and that in the Ephesians which he saith was not the light of the Gospel let all people read who bids them not be drunk with wine but be filled with the spirit And this is the light of the Gospel which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which darkness cannot comprehend where the God of the world hath blinded the minds of the Infidels least the light of the glorious Gospel should shine into them as the minds of all the Priests of the world doth appear to be blinded with the God of the world that the light of the glorious Gospel which is the image of God which shines in the hearts of believers which they do not behold and though the light shines in darkness there darkness comprehended it not therefore they rage like the Jewes and are professing the Letter as the Jews did standing against the light with which Light they are comprehended which was before ages was Pr. He saith That Paul persecuting the Saints was a righteous thing in the sight of men and he said that he denyed that any doer of the Law is justified so as to be saved Answ Paul persecuting the Saints was not a righteous thing amongst righteous men that was in the righteousness of God for Christ the righteousness of God saith Paul why persecutest thou me now Pauls persecuting was justified by them which were in the self righteousness out of the righteousness of Christ and such that be in that righteousness may justifie thee and thy persecution and the doers of the Law are justified and who are justified are saved and Christ the end of the Law they come to know salvation it self who redeemes from under it so I through the Law am dead to it and know it a School-Master and the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in me Pr. That a man may be a righteous man and not a godly man Answ A righteous man in the righteousnesse of Christ is a godly man who have the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in him but a righteous man in self-righteousness is ungodly Pr. That a man may be justified by God and yet condemned by his own conscience and justified by his own conscience and condemned by God Answ A man that is justified by God is not condemned by his own conscience for the mystery of faith is held in a pure conscience in which men are justified in the sight of God and a man that is condemned in his own conscience is not Justified in the sight of God that which condemnes is the light and that is the cause of condemnation the hating of it and not believing of it and that is the cause the conscience comes to be seared whereby comes condemnation and that in the Romans proves no such thing which thou layes down Pr. That every believer hath not the witness in him Answ That is contrary to Scripture and the Ministers of Christs Doctrine which saith he that believes hath the witness in himself mark he and after he believes he comes to be sealed with the spirit of promise and can set to his seal that God is true and comes to believe the record of his Son which is the spirit that recordeth all things Pr. That the Gospel is not the power of God Answ The Gospel is the power of God in this thou art contrary to the Ministers of the Gospel which said the Gospel was the power of God to salvation to every one that believes and in this thou haâ—t proved thy self to be an unbeliever Pr. He would make Christ speak blasphemy leaving out half his words Answ That is false thou couldst not make Christ the power of God the light the life the truth speak blasphemy in leaving ouâ— many of his words for all blasphemy is out of the truth and the power of God and in the power and life of God there is no blasphemy Pr. That a man may persecute Christ in the Saints and be a righteous man and that the Scriptures saves instrumentally Answ A man cannot persecute the Saints and be in the righteousness of God or the righteousness of the Law but they that persecute Christ are in their own self-rightrousness and the Scripture saves not instrumentally but as men be in the faith and men knowes not salvation but as they be in the Life that gave it forth and Christ the Saviour it speakes of and there 's the instrumental saving that the Scripture owns for Christ asked them that had Scriptures how they could escape the damnation of hell that were out of the life of it Pr. They that did not sware broke the Law of God and man Answ They that sware are not come to Christ the end of the Law and they are out of Christs Doctrine and the Apostles who said sware not at all not by heaven nor by earth nor any other oath but let your communication be yea yea nay nay least thou
God and is more then any Creature and all the creatures that which gives liberty and freedom to all is glad tidings Richard Mayo further saith It was no matter to him if the devill was the originall of Tithes if the Law of the Land would give it him he would have it Ans We doe believe thee his servant thou art thy seared conscience and hardnesse of heart discovers it but the ministers of Christ and the Gospell never preached nor held forth such doctrine nor would never act any thing from that which the Devil was the originall of which thou dost say thou would take tythes though he was the originall of them if the Law of the Land would give it thee he hath been the originall of them and the Popes Lawes first set them up whereby the Saints goods are strained and spoiled and made havock of and art not contented with the spoyling of their goods but you bring their bodies into your priests den and thus you eate up people and swallow up the needy for a thing of nought as they did of old your as fore-fathers did transgresse for a paire of shoos Pr. He saith Cain was no vagabond after he had built a City and he said there was no scripture as that the Apostles had no certaine dwelling place and that the steeple-house was the Church Ans This is contrary to scripture for Cain was a vagabond though he builded a City and disobeyed the command of God and lost his habitation in God so all great men upon the earth though they build a City and are Lords and Earls and Dukes and Princes and Kings if they doe disobey the command of God and doe not dwell in him they have no habitation but are all vagabonds and Paul had no certain dwelling place 1 Cor. 4 11. and yet he had a habitation in God and was no vagabond and the steeple-house is no Church but the old Masse-house set up since the daies of the Apostles since they lost the true Church Thess the 1. Priest Bushels Principles These words were given forth by Seth Bushel Priest of Whitley as follows the 25 day of the first moneth 1658. Pr. MEn are not converted by the light within them An. If Christ be not in you the body is dead and he is light within And the light that shines in the heart gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And none are converted but they that be in him and by him within and the light that shines in the heart gives the knowledge of conversion and unconversion and there is none comes to conversion but by it the light which is Christ Pr. He saith That he denies that the light that lighteth every man is Christ as John speaks 1 John Answ In this thou hast denyed Johns Doctrine who said he is the true light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And as many as received him he gave them power to become the sons of God and thus thou art ignorant of the Scriptures much more of the power of God Pr. He saith The light which every man is enlightned withall never converted any man to God Ans Here thou goest about in thy Doctrine to prove that Christ never brought any to God who is the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world who is the way to the Father that saves men from sin and destroys death and he that hath the power of it and brings men into that the Devill is out of Thou with the light and thy Doctrines art comprehended and condemned and no man is converted to God but by the light which hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world Pr. He saith That the light which lighteth every man is the broad way Answ Here people may all see this Priest a Minister of darknesse and wickednesse for the light which doth enlighten every man is Christ Jesus who is the way to the Father and leads people out of the broad way which is come up by Adam sinne the Devill and transgression which all be in the broad way that deny the light Hereford the 8. day of the first moneth 1658. these words were spoken in a meeting by Edward Price and Philip Langford which is their principles Pr. PHilip Langford said Paul was not freed from the act of sin whilst in this life Answ And Paul thanks God he was made free from the body of sin and saw where there was no condemnation and thus he wrestles and fights against Paul who said he was made free from sin and could live no longer therein and the body of sin was put off and their conversation was in heaven Pr. We do affirme that they that be in this faith that turns from sin be subject to sin the act of sin whilst in this mortall body Ans This is confusion and contradiction and not sound doctrine for faith that purifies the heart from sin over it gives victory in which men please God and have accesse to him by the which they are justified whilst on earth and by the faith the just lives and the life the Saints come to live which gives them victory over the world is by the faith of the Son of God Pr. Priest Price saith faith in Christ Jesus purifies not from the in-dwellings of sin whilst in this body Ans In this the Scripture hath corrected thee for it saith faith purifies the heart that which purifies takes away sinne Sinne which being unclean in its selfe makes unclean Pr. He saith The guilt of sin may be taken away but the act of sin may remain Ans A silly man one of the old Doctors the Scriptures speaks of Dost thou act sin and dost not thou feel the guilt of it Thou brings the whole world upon thy head the principle of God in them all will witnesse against thee And aske all the Thieves that are condemned to the gallows and the Drunkards and such as act sin such as professe Scriptures which are not in the life of it whether or no they have not a guilt upon them for acting sin but this is one of the blinde Priests principles none but mad men will believe them wicked lyers against that of God in their own conscience and thus they preach up the Devills doctrine of Lies Pr. Edward Price saith that all men should be judged by the Scriptures and that the Scriptures is the power of God Answ The Scripture saith Christ is the power of God And the Apostle said the Letter kills and all judgement is committed to the Son saith the Ministers of Christ And the Scriptures are the words of God and Christ is the Word and Judge in whom the words end whom thou hast thrown out and set Scripture in his room And as for the rest of his words they are not worth mentioning Enoch Howets Principles Pr. THe doctrine of perfection in the creature is a lye Answ The doctrine of
him by true faith Ans Salvation is purchased to all men that perished in Adam though they do not believe it for he is the Saviour of all men especially of them that do believe and an offering for the sin of the whole world mark the world and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that all through him might believe and he that believes not is condemned by Christ the light the life the sacrifice the offering that through death that which in them was the power of death the Devill he destroyed and his power and so entred into his glory all that believe in him have life and all that doth not and receive him not hath not life but are condemned through unbelief Now if if you say that in Adam all dyed I say yes and in Christ all shall be made alive to the Justification of life I say yes as in Adam all dyed as in Christ they come to be made alive so them that are the believers are the holy so the believers children a new creation a new generation new creatures out of Adam in the fall the believers passed from death to life that came by Adam and so in that is a cleane creation and holy generation Pr. All things contained in the Gospell is summed up in the Apostles Creed Ans The Apostles doth not tell us of a creed but the Popes Canon-book and common prayer book and many things the Apostles had to say which was not lawfull to utter and many things Christ had to say they could not beare but the Gospell is the power of God and that the scripture speakes of but doth not say the Epistles is it Pr. God hath manifested himselfe in his word that these three distinct persons are one Ans The word nor the scripture doth not tell us of three distinct persons but it tells us of Father and of Son and of Holy Ghost but indeed as I said before the Popes canon book and Masse-book doth so for the Holy Ghost is not distinct from the Son and the Son is not distinct from the Father but they are all in one Pr. Having our chief hope placed in God being assured that nothing may with draw us from his love Ans Yet you say you are not able to keep the commandements of God perfect then you are drawne from the living God and you are from the chiefest hope Christ for who loves God keepes his commandements and such have the chiefest hope Christ in which the commandement ends here the love goes forth out of the pure heart but is not riches your hope and doth not riches and the glory of the world and the fashions thereof drew your hearts away and your love and hope stand in them and hath taken up the possession of your hearts more then God therefore who keeps them not perfectly keeps them not at all Pr. You say Christ hath ransomed your bodies and your soules from sin and by that one sacrifice of his body he hath redeemed you Ans Are your bodies redeemed and your soules that are immortall and your spirits sanctified and do you glorifie God in your bodies soules and spirits which is the Lords and is there not sin in your bodies and are not your spirits corrupted now who witnesses redemption of the body and soule from sin these are out of the first Adams state and are the holy ones and these be in the end of the law and that which fulfills the Law Christ Jesus but now if you come to say that you have sin in your bodies and the fruits will shew it selfe to persecute or envy rage malice pride or such wickednesse this shewes not the fruits of Redemption Pr. You say That God in Christ hath put out the remembrance of your sins and of your corruptions within you wherein you must fight all your life time Ans Whilst the sins you are fighting withall are not blotted out in your own particulars this is not the life of the Saints they are not fighting all their life time but come to the kingdome of God witnessing sin and iniquity blotted out the everlasting covenant of peace and life with God Pr. You say You are righteous before God through faith though your consciences accuse you for your trespasses against the commands of God being prone to evil yet notwithstanding imbrace the benefits of Christ as if you never had committed any sin or corruption and this is as if you your selves had perfectly compleated the obedience Ans Where the conscience accuses it is impure and that the true faith is out of for the mystery of faith is held in a pure conscience and that is it that receives Christ and which is not prone to evil nor transgresseth the commands of God but you are out of the perfect obedience and out of the faith both and are in the corruption are not the lovers of God nor come to Christ the end of the commandements which is loved in a pure heart and whereas you talke of conscience accusing and yet faith that is your ignorance for faith is held in a pure conscience the conscience doth not accuse but the unsanctified Pr. Not that we please God through the worthinesse of our faith for our works the best of them are imperfect in this life defiled with sin Ans It is faith that brings men to please God which Faith comes from him and gives victory over that men have lived in and not pleased God so faith there is a worthinesse in it it is the gift of God by which men please God and have accesse to to him and they are justified and through it they overcome and subdue mountaines and raise the dead your best workes being imperfect and defiled with sin in this life then they are not wrought in God but out of him in the darknesse they are works of darknesse unperfect defiled with sin are not the workes of darknesse to be condemned for the fire and to be out of the Law and Gospell but the works the Saints works that are in the Faith wrought in love are perfect wrought in God created to good works these are distinct from the unperfect defiled with sin and these good workes the Saints witnessed when they were upon the earth which is the works of Faith which works by love Ans Infants that are baptized belong as well to the covenant and Church of God as they of full age they by baptism being grafted into the Church of God so discerned from the children of Infidels so this baptisme succeeds Circumcision Answ Then by this all Christendom that are baptized are the Church and grafted into the Church Papists and Protestants and all and how is it that your Church is so much in confusion then for you say they are grafted into the Church of God and in the Church of God there is no confusion it is the Pillar and ground of truth without spot or wrinkle and how is it there is such killing