the glory of God And the Law was in their hearts and the Word was within them and the annointing and such had the gifts for the worke of the Ministery for perfecting the Saints for the edifying the body of Christ till they all come to the knowledge of the glory of God and to a perfect man in Christ Jesus Pr. He saith Christ is without his Saints in respect of his bodily presence Answ How then are they of his flesh and of his bone and eate his flesh and drink his blood And how have the Saints his minde and spirit and he with them and they with him and sit with him in heavenly places and he is the head of the Church how then is he absent Ye poor Apostates from him who feels not Christ with you but he is with the Saints and they feel him Pr. He saith Salvation and faith are the gifts of God distinct from Christ Answ They are all of him and from him and with him And how is he the Author of Faith in whom it ends from whence it comes Pr. He saith The light which discovers sin and iniquity in mans heart is not Christ the light the door Ans The first Adam was the door where all sin and transgression entered Christ the second Adam the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world saith I am the door the way the life which finisheth sin and transgression and brings in everlasting righteousnesse and the way of life out of death which Light discovers sin Pr. He saith To call Christ the light the gift the door the way is to take the Gardiner for Christ as Mary did Answ Christ the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world we do not put him for the Gardiner We know him and as many as receives him he gives them power to become the sons of God and this thou sayest is not used power but prerogative authority and thus thou art wresting Scripture So thou should have been more meek and low in thy heart and then thou wouldst have bridled thy tongue and so have learned of Christ and so come to the light the sure foundation out of the errour of thy wayes and have kept in the footsteps of the flock and if thy tongue had been shorter and thy bridle streigher then wouldst not thou have mixt the Covenant of God with mans spirit and have compared it to the Law of works which Christ the light which doth enlighten every one that comes into the world is the end of And mans spirit in the Fall is polluted and his body but as the light is believed in and the minde changed his spirit is sanctified and his body and so comes to be a childe of the Light and his spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the Sons of God And none owns the Door Mediator the Life the Way but with the light which Christ doth enlighten every man that comes into the world withal which light is the door the way and the life Ellis Bradshaw His Booke called The Quakers quaking Principles which he directs to the PROTECTOR His Principles are as Followeth Pr. HE saith That Christ who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world by an immediate illumination not the Elect themselves to bring them to salvation Answ Doth not Christ say I am the way the truth and the life And he is the Door and no man cometh to the Father but by him and learn of him This is my beloved Son heare ye him saith God And is not he the new Covenant in the heart by which men need not say Know the Lord And there is no other name by which men can be saved but by the name of Christ who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that all through him might believe And he that believes in the light abides not in darknesse but hath the light of life and they that believe not in it but hates its the light is their condemnation and the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world is the salvation though men neglect it which the Elect walk in which condemns the unbeliever which is immediate and no man sees salvation but who comes to the light Pr. He saith The Word that was made flesh is visible and the Word is the Letter and they never received the spirit of life from it and that 's the Quakers errour Ans Such as had the Scriptures which was the words of God to them in old time and the ordinances the Apostle calls carnall which the Jewes stuck in and would not come to him that they might have life not to Christ And so if men have all the Scriptures and have not Christ they have not life For the Devill he may have the Scripture and hath he life therefore And the power of God Christ his name is called the Word of God The Word of God lives and endures for ever and the Spirit is not in the Letter and the Letter is not the Word which was made flesh and they be in the errour that thinks so for the Word is invisible Pr. Paul adviseth not onely to the Light within but is bidding them bring his cloak books and parchment and give attendance to reading Answ The Apostle did tell the Saints that the light that shined in their hearts might give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God and bids them walk in the light And Christ bids them believe in the light and they should not walke in darknesse and there is no other name under Heaven by which men can be saved but by the name of Christ And the Scriptures none sees the substance of them nor the fulfilling of them but who walks in the Light whom God speaks to by his Son who is the end of the Prophets and there is the true reading and knowing of all books and pâ—rchments which none knows the Scripture but by the light which comes from Christ in whom they end Pr. And again thou sayst there is more words then one Ans God is the Word and the Scriptures of Truth are his words which Christ fulfills Pr. He saith They have fellowship with the Father but not in the like measure of the gifts of grace the Apostle had Answ Then you are not like none of you to understand the Apostles words nor to be judges of them but as you do come into the like measure and gifts as they was in else you will not be able to judge of their conditions nor know their words Pr. He saith There is no man justified through the faith in Christ that owns the Scriptures to be but a dead letter But that ownes them to be the Word of God in which there is spirit and spirituall life as words of eternall life Answ The spirit and the life is not in the Scriptures but was in them that gave it forth and many have the Scripture and not the
mercy to all but onely a mercy in manifestation and opperation to them that doe receive it whether Jews or Gentiles and it is a judgement and a condemnation to all that do not receive it both Jewes and Gentiles But as for you fifteen Priests you have included your selves among the sinners shewing that you are yet unconverted to the pretious faith which brings out of all sin and gives victory over it and who are converted are changed and renewed from being sinners to be righteous and these are not sinners of the Gentiles as is manifest you yet are but they are believers of the Gentiles who are made righteous in the righteousnesse of the second Adam who hath quickned them from death to life and from sin to God but upon such that do remaine sinner of the Gentiles and receives not the Gospell which is the power of God the dispensation of it is judgement and condemnation and this shall the testimony of God in every man give witnesse to Pr. Darke we are since the cloud of sin overshadowed our minds our brightest notions are stained our light eclipsed by nature we are Chained up into a Cave of darkness taking meere notions to be things substantial and substance to be shadowes and as our eyes are dim and can not see much so our sloath is great and heedlessnes inexcusable our ignorance of God may be charged on the want of meditation in all men the sinnes of teachers being teachers sinns Admit the Minister be sinfull shal the people despise his doctrine Scripture is Scripture though uttered by Sathan Ans The Ministers of Christ Jesus who were called and sent of him were light in the Lord and were translated from darknesse to the light and from Satans power to God and the cloud of sin was not over them for that was removed and they were as a City set on a hill and were the light of the world and their mindes were spirituall and inlightned and not over-shadowed with the darknesse nor with the cloud of sin as it is with these 15. Priests whose brightest notions are stained and their light eclipsed by nature as they confesse but thus it was not with Christs Ministers for their knowledge was in the spirit and what they knew was in and through the spirit and they were changed in nature and their light which was Christ was above nature and beyond nature and not eclipsed thereby neither were they chained up in a cave of darknesse but were as candles lighted and as a city set on a hill that could not be hid and they delivered forth to the world the pure truthes of the Gospell of Christ which were not stained nor polluted but pure and holy And in that you take notions to be substance substance to be shadowes this is your great ignorance and blindnesse but thus doe not the true ministers of Christ neither are their eyes dim but the Lord is the light and this promise is fulfilled to his ministers whom he hath sent the Lord is become their everlasting light but to you his promise is not fulfilled whose eyes are dim and sloth great and heedlessnes inexcusable as it was with the false Prophets and Dreamers of old whom the Lord never sent and thus it is with these 15 Priests according to their own confession but the Ministers of Christ were not so neither were they in sin nor in ignorance but had received the knowledge of God and were known of him and if the Minister be sinfull he is not sent of God but hath run and never was sent and his doctrine is dispised and not profitable for scripture in the mouth of the Devil is but a temptation no more is the doctrine of sinfull men as taught by them for if the minister be sinfull he cannot convert sinners to God nor turne them from darkenesse to light nor from Satans power to God which is the work of the true minister that have received the gift of the Holy ghost as its manifest these men have not by their own confession Pr. We are presented with a necessity of acknowledging that the Light of the moon with us is as the Light of the Sun and the Light of the Sun as the Light of seven daies Ans How doth this confession of yours answer to your last let all wise sober people judge how confusion hath uttered forth it self what your light eclipsed you chaind up in a Cave of darknesse and your eyes dim and yet the light of the Son with you as he light of seven daies is there any thing in both these confessions except ignorance and a heape of confusion and plain contradictions that all may see your owne confusions out of your own mouthes But who are come to the fulfilling of the promises of God where the light of the Sun is as the light of seven daies sin and iniquity is blotted out and transgression is done away and life and immortality is brought to to light and the glory of the Lord is revealed and they that are in this promise are come out of the Apostasie and out of the beasts kingdome of darkenesse where you yet remaine as its manifest for you be such as Christ said should come and as Iohn saw were come who went into the world and deceived nations but now the nations are gathering from you againe into the fellowship of the mystery of the Gospel which Gospel that hath been lost I meane the receiving of it by the Holy Ghost and the preaching of it as the spirit of God gave utterance for many generations but that gospell againe is to be preached and it is going forth to nations tongues and people and great Babylon shall be confounded and all her merchants shall weep and lament for her fall Pr. We the unworthy Ministers of Christ whose names are under written having waited upon God in a way of earnest prayer have jointly agreed to communicate our thoughts c. Ans They that are true ministers of Christ are not unworthily so nor in the unworthinesse and being unworthy to what purpose do ye waite upon the Lord for who are in the unworthynesse God doth not heare nor regard nor give his answer to such and ye having no answer from God you must needs agree in your thoughts but have you nothing to communicate to your people but your thoughts which are vaine how shall thoughts convert any to God or establish any in him and your prayers that are in darkness are not accepted of him for who are heard of the Father are in Christ Jesus and are new creatures being changed from death to life Pr. Our deep sence of the ignorance of our hearers puts us upon your prayers to God and Counsell one to another what further course to take Ans Indeed a sad complaint may be taken up concerning this matter for ignorance abounds and many other grievous evils in your Church and amongst your hearers shewing that your Church is not the true
that do good that beholds by faith And so what is not of faith is sinne Pr. He saith He is in heavenly places and yet in the shadow of death with the earthly See page 38. Answ He that is in heavenly places is in Christ Jesus a new creature And he that believeth in the light shall not abide in darknesse so comes out of shadows And he that believeth abideth not in the condemnation and so comes out of the shadow of death though they have sate in the shadow of death before belief and comes out of the earth and so hast proved thy self not a true believer which comes out of the shadows and death Pr. He saith To purifie the members as reckoning it our redemption our righteousnesse all such purity is sin blindness and idolatry page 40. Ans And the Apostle calls Christ our redemption and our sanctification and our righteousnesse and so we can truly say Christ is ours and no idolaters And them that cannot say Christ is their sanctification redemption righteousness and mortification is in the idolizing and sin Pr. He saith The way to attain the spirit of Christ is not by waiting on the light within c. see page 52. Answ Christ saith believe in the light that ye way be children of the light and he that is a child of the light cometh to the birth born of the spirit And Christ doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world And as many as received him he gave them power to become the sons of God And none hears faith but who hears the light within which is Christ within who is the Author of it by which the spirit is received Pr. He saith That doctrine or spirit that calls to the Light within doth but build up the worship of the world c. page 53. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who said The light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Christ Jesus And Christ saith they that worship God must worship him in truth And he is the light and he is the truth that doth enlighteth every man that comes into the world and this throws down all the worship of the world And I say none comes out of the worships of the world and the doctrines of the world but who comes to the light wherewith Christ hath enlightned every man c. that shines in the darkness and the darknesse comprehends it not Pr. He saith To believe in God as in the Light within men redeeming from sin is to deny the witnesse of the Son and have neither Son nor Father c. page 54. Ans Which I say none owns the witnesse of the Son but who owns the Light which comes from the Son with which he is enlightned Nor none knows the Father nor the Son nor receives them but who receives the light which Christ the Son hath enlightned them withall nor knows God to be a Saviour but by the Light within Pr. He saith They that seeke for righteousnesse by obedience to the light within differs nothing from the Jewes but onely in the copies of the Law c. See page 56. Ans None sees the obedience of Christ the second Adam the end of the Law and copies of it but with the Light within which comes from Christ Jesus that brings in righteousness and ends sin and transgression who is the end of the righteous Law with which light man sees the weakness and unprofitableness of it and the types and the shadows of it which Christ is known in the light within who ends it Pr He saith To rest in hope that I am saved from sin and wrath by the blood of Christ the head and while conscience condemns for sin this is to hope against hope c. See page 57. Ans Such as are saved from the wrath by Christ the head and his blood they are saved from their sins And then they that are saved from their sins how can conscience condemn for sin and the wrath come upon them for sin and they that are saved from the wrath they are saved from their sins But where conscience doth condemn for sin there is wrath and he cannot witnesse a cleansing nor salvation wrought out nor saved from sin but is in the false hope and not in the true hope which goes against hope for the true hope is Christ within Pr. Whereas thou speaks of Christs working and giving an example c. page 67. Ans Yet thou and the rest are offended at those people that are called Quakers who say Christ was their example And so ye can allow what ye speak your selves but if another speak the same words it is an offence to you Pr. He saith Such as preach redemption by the light in every man are not of God c. See pag. 70. Ans The redemption of Christ the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And every man that cometh into the world that seeth his redemption it is by the light which he that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world hath enlightned him with which is Christ the Redeemer the Saviour the second Adam the way to the Father who shall make every tongue to confess him to the glory of God but thou that hates the light art condemned Pr. He saith Not the light in every man but the words of the Prophets and Apostles is that which leads to the Lord Jesus c. See Page 82. Ans Many may have the words of the Prophets and the Apostles but none comes to that which leads to the Lord Jesus but who comes into the light and life that the Prophets and Apostles was in which Christ Jesus is the end of who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Therefore every man that cometh into the world must come to the light which Christ hath enlightned him withal before he come to the end of the Prophets and the Apostles Christ Jesus the Lord of life and glory Pr. He saith The Scriptures are the image of Christ and he that seeks for God out of the humanity of Christ he shall lose both God and himself c. See pag. 82. Answ The Scriptures are writings and the writings will not endure for ever and the image of Christ is the image of God And all who be in the life that gave forth Scriptures be in the image of Christ which was afore Scripture was and all that have the Scriptures out of the life that gave them forth they have not the image And he that is out of the truth may have the Scriptures but he is out of the image all are who be out of the truth but who be in the truth be in the image And God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe And who knows the Son knows the Father And he that hath found the Son hath found the Father also And he that seeks after God out of Christ shall
fall into condemnation for whatsoever is more then this cometh of evil so all swearers are in the evil false brethren fall into condemnation out of the Doctrine of Christ and breakes his command and are none of his Ministers Pr. He did believe in a Christ that died at Jerusalem but not in a Christ within Answ He that believes not in a Christ within doth not believe in a Christ at Jerusalem and he that doth not believe in a Christ within and Preach Christ within is a reprobate and out of the Apostles Doctrine Col. 2. 2 Cor. 13. and he is not in a true belief of Christ without who believes not in a Christ within but is in the Devils belief and believes as the Devill doth Pr. That if there be one grace within it is created and he believes not in any created thing Answ The grace that is within that stablisheth the heart is brought by the Revelation of Jesus the loines of the minde being girded up knowes it the grace by which they are saved which brings salvation which is sufficient this comes from the Creator which grace teached us said the Saints to deny ungodly lusts and to live soberly Pr. That light which Christ hath inlightned every man with is carnall and darkenesse Ans The light which Christ hath inlightned every man that is come into the world with all was before carnall or darknesse was and believing in it it leads every man from darkenesse his carnall estate into vnity with God for no man sees his carnall estate and darknesse but by the Light which makes it manifest and the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world is that which all professors in all ages stumbled at that were without life Pr. He knew no scripture that the world was in the heart of man and that it was non-sence Ans Thou art ignorant of Solomons words who saith 3. Eccles he hath set the world in their hearts that they cannot find the beginning or ending of the worke of â—od and here thou hast shewed thy self of the bottomlesse pit without the beginning or ending of the work of God and he is in the nonsence that is not in the beginning or ending of the work of God Pr. That men cannot be saved that have no other light Ans The light which hath inlightned every man that is come into the world is the Saviour and no man is condemned but for not believing in that Light and no man is saved â—uâ— who believes in tâ—at light Pr. That there is no perfection attainable in this life Ans There is no perfection but in wickednesse in the life of Adam in the transgression and there men live in sin and hath it in their body and carries a body of it which came by the devil sin and transgression but Christ the second Adam that destroyes the devill the power of death and death and his works who saves men from sin and blots out the sin and transgression and redeems from the Earth and who are in Christ the second Adam are in perfection and in that which is perfect and makes free from sin and the body of it and death and him that hath the power of death and comes to be perfect as their heavenly father is perfect and the work of the ministers of Christ was to the perfecting of the Saints and thou that dost deny perfection have denyed the ministers of Christs work who preach Christ within and preached every one perfect in him Pr That the scripture is the word of God Ans The scripture is the words of God as you may read Exod. and Matth. Revel and Christ is the word of God in whom the words end before the words were spoken forth and man without the spirit cannot interpret scriptures Pr. That the ministers of this nation are the ministers of Christ and the Gospell and that it is a sin to despise them Ans And the ministers of this Nation or no where else are not the ministers of Christ of the Gospel that denie the light that enlightneth every man that comes into the world and holds up swearing neither are they the men that are to interpret scripture they cannot see without the light which inlightneth every man that comes into the world before it was made who is the end of the Prophets with that they see the Prophets words and the end of them and so such afore mentioned are to be turned from that turns from the light and it is no sin to obey the Apostles commands 2 Tim. 3. to deny them which come up since the Apostles decease having the form but denies the power Pr. That they may lawfulâ—y taâ—e Tithes of the people Ans And you that takes tithes of the people are of the Popes tribe got up since the daies of the Apostles which said the priest-hood was changed that took the tithes the Law was changed by which the priest-hood was made and the commandement disanulled that gave tithes and Christ the sum the end of all similitudes which comes before Abraham was that paid tithes Heb. 7. the â—ope is your author in taking tithes since the dayes of the Apostles in the Apostacy and Christ is the end of the Law Pr. Richard Mayo saith That it is not unlawfull to say You to a single person Ans In this thou shewest thou never readst the Accidence or Bible and it is unlawfull to speak unrightously and to say there is many when there is but one to call one many you one Pr. That Ministers may exhort men to walke by the light of Reason as well as the light of the Gospel Ans No man walks by the light of reason but who be in the faith are in the light of the Gospell and all other reason is as the beasts of the field that which makes men reasonable is faith and all that be in the faith are in the light of the Gospell and this is one which all unreasonablenesse is out of it in the transgression for none are in the reasonablenesse but such as comes out of transgression and such as be reasonable walkes by the light of the Gospell Pr. That the Gospel it selfe is but a dead letter Ans The Gospel it selfe is the power of God that which the letter speaks of which many may have the letter the form and deny the power of God and so have not the Gospell Pr. That the Gospel is no more the power of God then the rose cake that lay in his window Ans The Gospell is the power of God preached in every creature more then a rose cake that gives every creature its living and being for it relieves the oppressed turnes against the oppressor so is called glad tidings for the Gospell is preached unto every creature in heaven which is the power of God which turnes against that which bondageth to wit the corruptions and so gives liberty and freedom to the captives and this is glad tidings which is the power of
does not say the Elect onely and he through death hath destroyed the power of death the Devill Heb. 2.14 and thou art to be reproved for thy judgement for thy unbelief for thy righteousnesse for thy sin because of thy unbelief for thy judgement because the Prince of this world is judged Io. 16. so Christ doth not say I am the light of the Saints of the elect onely but I am the light of the world Io. 8.12 and saith that light is come into the world this is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then it because their deeds are evill Io. 3.19 So its unbelief that shuts out Rom. 11.20 So the gates stand open night and day and every one that doth evill hates the light will not come to it because it wil reprove him and he will not come in to the gate for he that comes to the gate comes to the light he that comes to the light comes out of condemnation comes to be a child of the light he that hates the light wil not come into the kingdome of God And for thy saying God hath ordained a great part of the world to Hell let them repent and doe all that ever he hath commanded them he that doth the things that Christ commands enters the Kingdome he that repents his mind is changed and whosoever believeth shall not perish and this command is generall Io. 10.28 through the whole world therefore thou with the Devills Doctrine shuts up the Kingdome of Heaven against others and wilt not goe in thy selfe who saies let men repent and doe all that ever they can they must goe to hell when God wils not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turne from his wickednesse and live Ezek. 33.11 but he is mercifull and judges not as thou dost whose eyes are blinded and hands full of blood so I say whosoever repents and doth the things they are commanded they shall be saved and that which thou sayest to the contrary we conclude to be the Devills doctrine and whosoever resists the thing that is commanded that will be their condemnation but hates the light which was before the world was which lighteth every man that cometh into the world that all through him might believe for he that believes in the light shall not abide in darknâ—sse Io. 8.12 shall not come into condemnation shall come to be a child of light Io. 12.36 and they shall have the light of life and so the light is sufficient to save them and condemn them that believe not Jo. 3.18.14 Ia. 4.12 and every one that cometh into the light that they are enlightned withall such come into the election and into the covenant of God and evill consciences thou maist frighten them that hates the light which is their condemnation but the elect thou can neither save nor deceive thanks be to God Christ reigns who will give to every man according to his works who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world not believing is condemned and shut out and such turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and are ordained of old that hate the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world such be in Cain and Balaams way persecutors and murtherers turnes the grace of God into wantonnesse Pr. From the words of Jude 4. they were of old ordained from these words he said That God had predestinated one to life without any cause in the creature lesse or more and the other wicked man to Hell without any cause in the creature lesse or more and both wicked men And before thou said part of the cause that God cast into hell was in the man part in God In this 7th principle and doctrine thou saist there is no cause in the creature that God casts into hell condâ—mns him in the other thou said there was part blame in man part in God 〈◊〉 â—s the devils doctrine a lye found in thy mouth thou hast wrested perverted wronged that scripture in Jude who saith there is no part in man causeth condemnation that all may see that you are lyers he saith they were ungodly they turned the grace of God into lasciviousnesse that brings salvation that denyed the Lord that bought them Jude 11. 2 Pet. 2.1 They were covetous made merchandize of the people through fained words so no covetous nor Idolater shall enter into the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6.9 and all they deny the Lord that bought them but who owns the light that comes from him which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world and none sees him but with the light that comes from him and they goe in Cores way and gain-sayeth the truth who goe from the light that Christ hath inlightned them in the particuler and he that gain-sayeth the truth there is a fault in him and they goe in Caines way that are from the command of God who said if thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted and if he did not well sin lay at the door now these were of old ordained unto condemnation which turned the grace of God into wantonnesse were in Caines way Cores way and brake the commands as Cain did in Balaams way erred from the spirit and admired mens persons because of advantage which Balaam did and loved the wages of unrighteousnesse and so these did not doe the things they were commanded Cain he did not do the thing that he was commanded nor Core that offered strange fire and his company Num. 16. So these of old were ordained for this condemnation which condemnation is the light Io. 3. light foresees them and sees over them and condemns them when they arise and goes out from the spirit of God in them and here all may see here was fault worthy of condemnation and those were they that sensually seperated them selves from the Apostles and had not the spirit Jude 19. in their daies which were covetous which went for the gift and reward which were like raging waves of the Sea which were spots in feasts of charity feasting feeding without feare 2 Pet. 2. Which admired mens persons because of advantage and spoke the high words in hypocrisy Wells without water Trees without fruit raging waves of the Sea foming out their own shame clouds without water carryed about with tempests spots in the feasts of charity like unto Sodom and Gomorah in filthiness which goe from the light that does convince them so there is the self-separation and there is the condemnation that comes over them the light and these are they that seperated from the Apostles which said love your enemies Mat. 5.44 Which are men gone into the world which be in Caines way in envy in Cores way gainsaying the the light they are like raging waves of the Sea foaming out their shame in their pulpits so you are the men that seperates from the
edifies the body of Christ is infallible and immediate that which brings to the knowledge of the Son of God is infallible perfect and immediate that which brings to a perfect man to the unity of the faith is infallible and immediate and perfect that which brings to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ is perfect and infallible and immediate And the infallible and immediate you having denyed yee have shut your selves out of the worke of the Ministry in the Apostacy As for the rest of the lyes and slanders in thy Book will be thy own burden which uttereth forth thy own folly and it toucheth not the Saints but falls off like dust they are of no weight And the day is come that tries mens works infallibly what is for the fire and what not Jeremiah Ives His Booke called The Quakers Quaking His Principles follows c. Pr. HE saith Have a care of slighting your watchmen lest the Lord remove them into corners Answ Christ the Teacher is witnessed who is the end of Moses the Prophets the Covenant of God with his people in which people know God if all their Teachers were removed into corners And they that have their Teachers in corners their houses are left desolate from the Covenant of God they are strangers So in this thy ignorance appears of that Teacher that cannot be removed into a corner who is the salvation to the ends of the earâ—h Pr. He saith It is an errour to say the Light within is equall with Scripture and Gods Word Ans Christ within is the Light and he is above Scripture and Gods Word which was before Scriptures was given forth Pr. He saith Is it any more a Nick-name to call a man a Quaker that quakes by the power of God page 3. Answ Yes if the power of God doth make that to quake and tremble that must quake before the salvation be wrought out and man come out of the Fall of Adams state in the transgression in the earth and darknesse corruption and pollution and death he must know the power of God that shakes that which is to be shaken before he knows that raised up that cannot be shaken which the world is ignorant of though they have the form of it And the first nick-namer of the Quakers that ever I heard was a corrupt Justice in the year 1650 whose name was Gervase Bennet in Darby that ever named the people of God with the name of Quakers though the mighty power of the Lord God had been known years before Pr. He saith It is an errour in those men that will allow nothing to be called Gods Word but Christ page 6. Ans Christs name is called the Word of God his name is above every name and over all things he must have the preheminence words and names Yet I say the Scriptures of truth given forth from the spirit of truth are the words of God Gods words which Christ the Word fulfilled by him in whom they end who was before the words was spoken forth Pr. He saith It is an errour to say they are immediately sent of God and to have an immediate call from God to goe out of their Countries to preach the Gospell c. Page 9. Answ Thou and all you that speak or preach or go to people but not by the immediate spirit and a call from God are them that run and the Lord never sent you and you profit not the people at all as all the fruits in the Nation declares upon the house top Therefore are yee wrangling and envying such as are immediately sent from God and left their Callings as the Saints did and Prophets I say none can preach the Gospell upon the earth but who is in the immediate call for the Gospell is the power of God and that is immediate The Prophets Christ and the Apostles which gave forth the Scriptures they all spoke by the immediate spirit of God and all that be not in that they are not able to know the Scriptures as that unsavoury Pearsival saith he hath not the infallible spirit yet he will bawl of the Scripâ—urâ—â— that was given forth from the infallible spirit Though the Devill wandered from â—â—e trâ—th that compasseth the earth though the Pharisees compasse Sea and Land thâ—ugh the false Prophets and Antichrists have gone over Nations Now all these may get Scriptures but be out of the life of them Such makes Proselytes Devils Disciples and Messengers But such as be in the power of God and life that gave forth Scriptures that comprehends and fathoms the world they are in that which the Devils Antichrists false Prophets mother of Harlots and all their proselytes that have Scriptures out of the life they be in that which they are all out of Such are the Quakers therefore doth all the world rage against them who witnesse that which cannot be shaken Pr. He saith It is an Errour to say that every man hath a light within him that wil teach him to worship God aright page 18. Answ Christ the truth who hath preheminence doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which shall make every tongue to confesse him to the glory of God which if they love the light which cometh from Christ the truth who is the life it will teach and direct every man to worship God in the truth in that which untruth is out of So every man having a light sufficient to salvation for it cometh from the salvation Christ the power of God the salvation to the ends of the earth And this light will let every one see the Son of God beyond all externall meanes wisdome knowledge whatsoever It is that which darknesse cannot comprehend this light which John bears witnesse of which is the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world which the Jewes and Levites stumbled at which set all Jerusalem up in an uproar as it doth the wisest Priests and Professors in this age And no one upon the earth shall ever know Christ but by the light which he hath enlightned him withall If he have all the Scriptures that speaks of him come already as the Pharisees had that spoke he was to come yet if they hate the light they shall all be snared and stumble and fall and split themselves upon the Rock And such as are now stumbling at the light which every man that cometh into the world is lighted withall are the builders with the words which saith Christ is come as the Pharisees did with the words that said he was to come And so both these builders reject the corner-stone and stumble at the elect stone laid in Sion and none seeth God but with the light they be enlightned withall And all the preaching of the Apostles the substance of it was to bring people to the Covenant of Light both Jewes and Gentiles to whom he was promised And all upon the earth that be from this light that doth enlighten every
with the light that cometh from him nor none knowes the Saviour Christ Jesus but with the light that cometh from him and that le ts see the body prepared Christ who was the seed of Abraham according to the flesh the one offering that ends all offerings and his blood that is the attonement which is the Saints drink which who drinks it shall live with which their consciences are purged from dead works to serve the living God And none knowes the foundation of God that standeth sure nor feels it nor sees it but with the light which cometh from Christ the foundation which breaks down all other foundations which light that every man is enlightened withall gives him the knowledge of the foundation of God Pr. He saith I do believe that there was never a Saint perfectly free from sin here but they shall have the body of sin and death which will be their burthen to keep them humble Page 52. And it doth not appear that they do attain purification or perfection before the change of the body Answ That which is the true humiliation bears the sin and iniquity which is Christ such as are not brought down with the Judgments for their sinful actings never knew the seed that puts off the body from which all the roots proceed in that is the true humility and the righteousness of Christ and the glory revealed And the Saints witnessed the body of sin and death put off while they were upon the earth and such as was in Christ was new creatures all things become new And the Apostles spoke wisdom among them that was perfect and that was before the change of the body as ye look upon And the work of the Ministery was for the perfecting of the the Saints until they all come into the unity of the faith that gives victory and to the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure and stature of the fulness of Christ This was the Ministers work Not as children tossed up and down with every slight and windy doctrine of men who lie in waite to deceive So ye have tryed the work of your Ministry and brought it to the Light Pr. He saith such a trembling as a way to perfection is to set it in the roome of Christ beside the truth and slight and undervalue the word of God and justifie trembling let all men beware of this trembling page 78. Answ Who ever ownes the word of God that reconciles to the Father and hammers down and brings out of the fall and cuts down and burns up they must know their salvation wrought out with fear and trembling And these ownes the word of God and the words of God the Scriptures and these owns this trembling there is a cloud of witnesses in the Scriptures and none will deny this trembling that ownes the salvation wrought out or to be wrought out but such as be out of the truth and that gets Scriptures being out of the truth and deny the power of God who are with it judged those that have the form but deny the power deny the trembling so they deny the salvation to be wrought out with fear and trembling and none knowes the salvation but them that know trembling And such may say that are the the Devils messengers beware of this power that makes to tremble Pr. He saith the Scripture is truly the Ministry of the spirit to us pag. 67. Answ Those were the Ministers of the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures And those are the Ministers of the Letter that be out of the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures and that cannot Minister the spirit Pr. He saith the Scriptures doth not speak of a general Redemption of all from the state of sin and freedom from sin pag. 75. Answ There is a general state and redemption of all and freedom from sin by believing in the one offering the blood of Jesus Christ and unbelief shuts out Pr. He saith mystical Babylon shall fall by the Kings of the earth And many precious Saints shall destroy Babylon with the sword pag. 84. And he saith I cannot apprehend that the Saints shall have the Government of the world pag. 86. And the beast when he ariseth shall give a mark in the right hand c. Answ Christ hath all power in heaven and earth given to him who believe in him and are in his power who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him have the government and are in the government the Lambs government but the unbelievers are out of it And that which slayes mystical Babylon is not the Kings of the earth and the Saints that be on the earth slay not with the carnal sword for they that kill with the sword must perish with the sword here is the faith and patience of the Saints Their weapons are not carnall but spiritual mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds And the Lamb slayes and kills with the sword and takes them the beast and the false prophet and the Devil and casts them alive into the Lake of fire where they shall be tormented for ever that burns with brimstone who kills and slayes with the sword which is the words of his mouth And the Beast hath been long up his marks and his heads and horns with his names but the Lamb and the Saints is trampling him to pieces under and over him getting the victory And the everlasting Gospel is Preaching and the witnesses you are ignorant of but are them that have been the slayers of them Pr. He saith I do not professe my self infallible but I shall freely give my apprehensions pag. 110. to contend earnestly for the faith which is the first unto Justification and services of faith pag. 111. he saith false Christs and false prophets shall come And to the Law and to the testimony c. Answ The Law is light and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie and men may have all the Scriptures of the old and New Testament yet being from the light the spirit of prophesie from the Light and from the spirit they know not the Law and testimony And we do believe thee that thou art not infallible but art onely in the apprehensions and before thou come to contend for the faith and to know that by which the Saints are justified thou must come into the Light that doth enlighten every man c. which lets see Christ the Author of the Faith And false Prophets and Antichrists Christ said should come which should get the sheeps cloathing and say loe Christ is here and loe he is there These Christ said to the Apostles should come which before their decease did come which since their decease the world hath gone after them So every man that cometh into the world being enlightned and having a light from Christ the Saviour of the soule every man being in the Light Christ hath enlightned him withall Every man with the light
the Father is one the Father is in him and he is in the Father and the Father and the Son dwells in the Saints who are out of the transgression of his Doctrine and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life and he that hath the Son of God hath life eternall really in possession and such perverts not the right way of the Lord but such as have not the Son of God they are all in the first Adam in the crooked wayes and crooked by-paths in the world nâ— witnessing life but standing against the Light which shineth in the Darknesse which their darknesse cannot comprehend which are all the inwardly raveners since the dayes of the Apostles among whom hath been the apostacy and the Apostates from wâ—om the light of life hath been hid But he that followeth the Light he cometh to have the light of life And he that receiveth the light receiveth life eternall and to receive the Son of God And he that receiveth the Son of God hath eternall life in substance and possession Prin. He saith Death which hath passed over all men is not a spirituall Death page 51. Answ Thou and all you shall feel it as a spiritual Death before ye know life and immortality come to light and the spirituall wickedness wrestled against whose weapons are spirituall and not carnall that wrestles not against flesh and blood but spirituall wickeâ—nesses in high places And that is it which causeth the life of all creatures to groan and oppresseth it whereby life and immortality is hid from the eyes and the power transgressed whereby the spirit and soule of man must be sanctified before he witnesse thorow purification before he come from under the death and spirituall wickednesses For sin brings death and that is the spirituall wickednesses that is to be wrestled against and transgressing the pure Law of God the commands of God brings death And so he entertains the spirituall wickednesse which brings death upon his life so comes oppression on his body and on his spirit and his soule burthened and wearyed and unsanctified and polluted which Christ gives rest to who is the Sanctification and Redemption and Justification which the Law goes upon man agreeable to that of God in him but Christs body makes free from the Law and redeemes from under it So as the power of God the Gospel is known and Christ known the creature comes from under the bondage of corruption and life and immortality comes to the light through the Gospell whereby the death is known which who believes shall never dye and the life is known which shall never dye Pr. The Quakers deny Water-baptisme and slight it and call it a carnall thing Answ Outward water is not spirituall but it is a carnall thing as it is in it selfe and it is the spirit alone that baptizeth into the body which brings off of things that are seen which are temporall as the Apostle said while we look not at things that are seen for the things that are seen are temporall c. and water is seen Pr. He saith False Prophets and Antichrists should come in sheeps cloathing Answ These Christ said should come to his Apostles And before the Apostles decease they saw they were come And the Apostles saw before their decease the Devill transform himselfe into an Angell of light and Satans Messengers and Ministers come up such as had a feigned humility and will-worship got up and the abstaining from meats neglecting the body and such as Jannes and Jambres that crept into houses which had the sheeps cloathing the form of godlinesse and such were the seducing spirits the doctrine of Devills which ran into the strange delusions bringing in the damnable heresies which went in Cains Cores and Balaams way and they saw the coming of the man of sin and the Apostles all saw by the spirit of God before their decease which Christ said should come which inwardly ravened which since the dayes of the Apostles the world hath gone after them All this which Christ said should come which the Apostles saw was come and coming before the coming of the just One But the Just One now is come who hath revealed it the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Cain Core Balaam false Prophets Antichrists such as goes into strong delusions and brings in the damnable heresies and forbidding the eating of meats and Marriage these all inwardly ravened anâ— these all have been up since the dayes of the Apostles and these have been covered with the sheeps cloathing and the false Prophets and Antichrists they inwardly ravened and the Devill the man of sin he went out of the Truth and abode not in it which Truth which he went out of all they that have the sheeps cloathing and he and they all can get Scriptures but inwardly ravened and gone from the spirit of Truth in their own particulars such are the destroyers of the creatures and of the Creation But with that which they all ravened from are they all manifest and discovered which to that are now people come and coming which these inwardly raveners have had the sheeps cloathing which have been the Beast and false Prophets Devills messengers and Ministers out of the truth which have reigned since the dayes of the Apostles having had the sheeps cloathing which have long deceived the Nations But now the Devill Beast Antichrist and false Prophets are all discovered with the light and life which they all went from and the truth And the place is seen where there is no Curse and the Beast and the false Prophet is taken that they shall deceive the Nations no longer and is cast into the lake of fire under whose dominion thou art whose words shall be thy burthen Pr. He saith Let us minde the Law and Testimony Answ Then ye must all minde the Light for the law is light saith Solomon then ye must all minde the spirit for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy which many may have the Old and New Testament yet be from the Law and Testimony for the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Marke Luke John the Acts Epistles and Revelations was written as in the 8. of Isaiah which the Prophet minded And they that say the Old and new Testament is it shews themselves to be ignorant of the spirit and ignorant of the Law and Testimony And the Law and Testimony doth not deny the Scriptures but owns them in their place and sees the fulfilling of them with the Testimony of Jesus they see Jesus who was afore Scripture was and comes to fulfill it William Jefferies his Booke called ANTICHRIST made known In which these PRINCIPLES are following c. Pr. HE saith Men are mistaken in saying the Romish Whore of Babylon is Anti-christ And the chiefe City of this great Whore the mother of Harlots is the City of Rome the Pope Cardinals Bishops and Clergy And the spirit of Antichrist denies
not in the darknesse but hath the light of life And you that keep people from the Light that doth enlighten every one c. are the messengers of Sathan out of the truth And the God of the world blindes the mindes of such as do not believe in the Light that every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall that all through it might believe And who believes in it that doth enlighten every man c. the light of the glorious Gospell shines in them which is the mage of God Prin. And you say Visions are ceased and Revelations and immediate Inspirations Answ But I say Repent every one of you and come to the Light for the burthensome stone is fallen upon you and all that stands against the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world shall split your selves against the Rock and be grownd to powder And every one that cometh into the world Teachers Professors whatsoever must come unto the light which Christ Jesus the salvation that saveth the souls hath enlightned them withall before they come to life or know the light of the glorious Gospell shining in their hearts or come to the end of the Law or end of the Prophets or end of the Revelation or out of the apostacy or out of the Jewes state whose ears was stopt and eyes blinded out of the Gentiles state that goes astray after the vanities of their mind So all you and all upon the earth Jewes Gentiles and Christians of what sort soever must come to the light which every one of you is enlightned withall before every particular comes to see their salvation or satisfaction yea the salvation to the ends of the earth the glory of Israel the light of the Gentiles which the apostate Christians have ravened from the spirit of God within them have got the forme but stands against the Light that doth enlighten every man c. such have caused the way of truth to be evill spoken of yea among other Nations of the Heathens They have been hot and broyled in their lusts having had the forme of godlinesse and sheeps cloathing but all standing against the Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world smiting striking their fellow-servants Now the Lamb is come and the Saints to reign with him Such their portion must have with the hypocrites who to every one will give a reward according to their works And the Lamb and the Saints shall have victory him by whom the world was made before it was made glorified with the Father before the world began Now is the seed Christ come to reign and the Just have preheminence And I say to you all Subscribers to all these Books Priests Professors Teachers whatsoever your patience would have better covered your shame and folly then your hast extreams and rashnesse But your folly must come forth that to all men it might appear Abundance more of Stuffe is in it which is not worth mentioning whose words shall be your own burthen the witnesse in all your consciences in the day of your judgement when your works are all tryed with fire shall answer to a friend of your souls and your goods eternall but judges your fruits words and actions for the day of the Lord is come that will try every mans work John Stalham who calls himselfe a Servant of the great Bishop of Souls who watcheth over a Flock at Terling in Essex In his Booke called The Reviler rebuked These are some of his Principles following Pr. HE saith Immediate Ruptures and Revelations seduceth simple peoples mindes c. And the perverse Principles of their selfe-adorning light And the Quakers deny all externall worship of divine Authority as not to be found among us And let Learning be advanced among pious men for God hath his witty and learned ones And the life of their Religion is the rule of the holy Scriptures the glory of the blessed Trinity See his Epistle to the Protector Answ The life of Religion is the spirit that gave forth Scriptures for all that have the Scriptures and be out of that be in the feigned Râ—ligion And the Scripture no where speaks of a Trinity but the Papists who be apostatized from the life of the Scripture It speaks of Father Son and holy Ghost and the water spirit and blood and the learned ones upon earth never knew Christ with all their naturall learning And if one get all the Naturals upon the earth and the Scriptures in all the naturall Languages and one supream power of a Nation tollerate all these Languages to be the Originall and they have the Scriptures in all these Languages these are witty ones but these knows not God nor Christ by all this though they have all the Scriptures while they are from the spirit of God that gave forth Scriptures For that which brings to know God is by the revelation of the spirit of God the light which doth not deceive the minde but their mindes be deceived that be from the light And all worships that be in the spirit and in the truth that gave forth the Scriptures called the Old and New Testament that we own and is owned among the Quakers For God who is a Spirit who led his servants and Prophets and Son by his spirit to speak forth the Scriptures which Christ the Son is come to fulfill who saith they that worship God must worship him in spirit and in truth and that among the Quakers is owned And the light which cometh from Christ leadeth from perverse Principles and adorning selfe for it leads out of its righteousnesse But perverse men ever stood against it in all ages and so spurned against the foundation and overthrew themselves Pr. He saith The spirit speaking in the Scriptures And them that say they have no sin a gracious heart will slight and despise He saith the Kingdome of God is not within them Luke 4. And he saith The soule prepares it selfe for death See Epistle to the Church Answ Such as had gracious hearts never despised him that had no sin but the ungracious did As for example all the Pharisees against Christ and against the Apostles and Saints and the holy men And the Apostle which told the Romans they were made free from sin and they that were dead to sinne how could they live any longer therein he slighted them not but encouraged them So we finde thee not to be a Minister of Christ and have proved and tryed thy spirit to be of such as say they are Apostles and are not And the spirit spoke in them that gave forth the Scriptures so they were declared forth And men may have the Scriptures and not know the spirit that spoke in them that gave forth Scriptures So that is the cause that all people be on heaps about the words and saying the spirit speaks in the Scriptures which spoke in the holy men of God that spoke them forth and learned of God
the Father of spirits So who have not it the spirit have but Letters and are Ministers of the Letters and not of the Spirit And the Kingdome of heaven is within you saith Christ in Luke 17. to the Pharisees and thou saith with or among them And I say that is the Kingdome within them which never consented to sin and in you all which one day ye shall witnesse which the gazer and observer abroad his eye and eare is closed and stopt too which he must come to before he be as a little child and know the leven that levens up the new lump and knows the Kingdom which is like unto a grain of mustard-seed and where the diligent waiting is the soule comes to live and the everlasting Covenant felt And thou that brings souls to be prepared for death thou art more like to do that then to present them to God a slayer and executioner so not a servant to the Bishop of soules where the soule liveth and rejoyceth and comes out of death and magnifies God the Saviour And so all the Ministers of Christ their work is to prepare souls out of death for life Pr. He saith The Bible is the soules physick And people must depend upon the spirits speaking in the Scriptures He saith the person of Christ is not his man-hood and the naturall light the Quakers call Christ within and nature grace And he saith The body of sinne is in the believer till he lay down the body Epistle Answ The souls refreshment is Christ and Physitian Christ Many may have the Bible and not know it and the Scriptures as the Pharisees had The soules Physitian is that which the Scriptures speaks of which many may have the words the Bible and yet have not the thing it speaks of and they that have the thing it speaks of have both And many holy men had their souls Physitian before the Scriptures was written and printed and they that had the spirit that gave forth Scriptures they had the souls Physick and they know all the springs is in God and the Lord who in his hand was the souls And such as are in the spirit they depend upon that and they come to see the Scriptures by the spirit given forth from it and such comes into the unity of the spirit and the light which is Christ within by which all things was made and created was before the naturall Lights was and Nature For all the Naturalls that was made was made by the Light Christ Jesus the wisdome who is the wisdome of God by which all things was made with which wisdome we see over the naturall Lights and over Nature And the grace that comes from the Throne that brings salvation which is the Saints Teacher teacheth not to call Nature grace And he that believeth is borne of God and he overcometh the world and entereth into his rest and shall never dye And he that believeth hath victory yea while he is upon the earth he cometh to witnesse the Circumcision that puts off the body of sin and makes free from it which the synagogue of Satan cannot witnesse Pr. He saith The Scriptures are the Word of God page 4. And the Spirit is given by the Letter And he saith the spirit proceeds from that which is put within the Book or Bible page 5. And I judge them that pretend the spirit without the Scriptures And the Scripture is a more sure rule then visions and revelations pag. 7. And God that gave the letter gives the spirit with it and by it page 9. Answ God gave the spirit before he gave forth Scriptures And the Devill and wicked men may get Scriptures but they have not the spirit nor none have it but as they come to feel it given from God as it was given to them that gave forth Scriptures And so people are to finde the spirit of the Father speaking in them as it did in them that gave forth Scriptures then the spirit answers to the spirit that gave forth Scriptures then there is an unity with the words and with God of whom they learned which many may have the Bible and not know the spirit that spoke it forth but be erred from it And the Scriptures are the words of God of truth God spake all these words He that adds to these words the words of God is pure Christ is the Word his name is called the Word of God who was before the words were spoken forth who comes in the volume of the Booke to fulfill the words And the spirit was before the Scripture was given forth for it led them to speak it all forth the words of God as they had learned of God So the spirit comes not by the Letter but the Letter comes forth from the spirit And many had the Scriptures and knew not the Revelation and judged the Revelation of the Son of God and judged Christ who was come the end of the vision which was for an appointed time So therein thou hast concluded thy selfe to be among them that have the Scriptures and sets up that beyond the Revelation of the Son of God which is the end of Scriptures which none knows the father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him though they may have all the Scriptures And the things of God is revealed by the spirit of God Pr. And he saith The Scriptures is the rule and the guide of Saints And saith the old administration of the Covenant of grace is abolished page 13. He that understands Matth. 11.2 27. of immediate revelations onely shuts out all mediate revelation by the Scriptures and falsely accuseth the Lord of the Scripture page 14. And the Apostle saith not that the spirit reveals the deep things of God If we should deny the Scriptures to be the rule we should deny the Scriptures of God page 18. Answ The Saints rule was the spirit that gave forth Scriptures and the Word of God which fulfills the Scriptures without him they can do nothing if they have all Scriptures And the spirit of truth shall lead into all truth And none knows the Scriptures nor God nor can be a Minister of the spirit by a mediate Revelation but a Minister of the Letter for who are Ministers of the spirit are immediate and are in the immediate revelation of the Scriptures to them by the spirit that gave them forth and these ministers to the spirit and brings people to God the Father of spirits that they may know what to reveal to others they minister to And all they that have the Scriptures and not the spirit that gave them forth they are on heaps about words and wants the rule And the Covenant of grace which is the end of the old Covenant is witnessed and stablished and cannot be abolished which ends the decaying Covenant And as for abolishing the Covenant of grace thou dost not know what thou speaks of And the Apostle said the deep things of God was revealed
of the light and so out of unity and seeth not the Saviour the Redeemer the substance of all types figures Parables the end of the Law that goes upon the man of strife And so being out of the light out of the unity out of the Covenant with God In the light is the Covenant of God Pr. He saith the whole soul and body of Saints and every faculty of the soul and member of the body there is some presence of sin in them all their dayes Page 113. Ans The Saints are sanctified and washed and cleansed body soul and spirit and they are made free from sin and then can live no longer therein and the body of sin is put off And they witnessed the darkness was past so then the works of the true light shined and the day was come and they was of one soul And they witnessed as he was so was they in this present world And he that is in Christ is a new creature And where Christ is within the body is dead because of sin And he that is born of God doth not commit sin And the Saints was upon the earth when they was made free from sin and not all their dayes sin in them as thou speakes of Prin. He saith sin dwells in the Saints if any Saint think otherwise he knowes not himself and if he be one really sanctified he is under a strong delusion and drousie dream Page 119. Answ He that is sanctified is sanctified from sin and washed and cleansed and he that is out of this sanctification is in the drowsie dream For who are in sanctification are in Christ the righteousness of God and they are awakened to righteousness out of the fall in the second Adam and drowsiness and dreames and delusions that come in the first Adam And sin and drowsie dreams and delusions dwells in them that pretend that they are sanctified ones and not really Pr. He saith it is a Popish Tennent that sanctification is wrought within men and Justification or a believers being justified from sin and ungodliness and not in it but the mystery of iniquity lies in this qualification pag. 120. And they that are justified by their sanctification it is a falshood And that none are justified but Saints perfect in holiness is a notorious contradiction Page 121. Answ He that is the sanctification is the justification and so by their sanctification are they justified it is one and the same that which sanctifies justifies And every man that cometh into the world having a light that cometh from Christ the sanctification redemption justification but them that be not in the light are with it condemned And such as be in the light they come into perfect holiness and their sins are not imputed to them But them that doth not believe in the light the spirit of truth that leads the believer into all truth reproves them for their unbelief and their righteousness and their judgement and so doth not justifie them but reprove them And the justification within roots out all Popery and all contradiction But to speak of justification and sanctification without and not manifest within ye are yet in the first Adam in the Popery where ye must have a Puratory to cleanse and not the righteousness of Christ within and sanctification within and Justification So such be reproved that can talk of it without sanctification without so there is the old Adam in the sin and transgression And all falshood is among them that can talk of justification without them and not witnesse it within them For who witnesse Christ within them they witnesse justification there and sanctification for Abraham believed and it was imâ—uted to him for righteousness and his belief was within and he saw Christ his glory And such as believe they come to witness the imputation But such as come again to witnesse that they are nearer then when they did believe and to witness that they have received Christ within is the end of their belief there they witness the righteousness it self without imputation which is the substance that which the promise ends in and all the fathers hoped for who stood in the imputation and all the believers in him But Christ being come the end of mans belief the righteousness it self here is a justification alone without the imputation Christ the righteousness of Gods blessing and glory for ever And a believer that is jâ—stified he is a new Creature and is past from the death which came by the sin comes to enter into his rest where sin is not And all the falshood and the contradiction is without the possession of justification and sanctification which reprobates talk of it in the mystery of iniquity and unbelievers in the mystery of iniquity which have the sheepes cloathing the outside the clothing of the Saints yet ravened from the spirit inwardly These have not been like to own justification within or sanctification there that inwardly ravened from the spirit of God which all must come to that which they ravened from and they themselves before they feel the justification sanctification Christ within them and have received the substance the thing the Scripture speakes of which not believing in the Light and going from it though they get all the sheeps cloathing yet are they not thereby justified though they get all the good words and the forme of godlinesse and obey not the Gospell the power of God for none obeys the Gospell but whâ— obeys the Light within And who are justified it is by the faith of Christ Jesus and without faith they cannot please him And who are in the Faith are the believers in the Light and so the Justification and the Faith doth qualifie from their old nature and mindes Pr. He saith They are not justified because they are new borne nor for their believing page 122. And I can say I am crucified with Christ and yet I have a corrupt rotten heart and an old lying heart as before he saith and Christ lives in him and there is a body of sin and death dwels in him And the life that he now lives in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God Page 124. Answ Where Christ is within the body is dead because of sin and where the saith of the Son of God is lived in it gives victory over sin And the life of Christ is out of Adam in the Fall in sin and transgression And the Circumcision comes to be witnessed that puts off the body of sin And where the life of Christ is lived in the new Covenant is there the new heart rotten corrupt lying is put off the old man and his deeds with his deceitful lusts And he that believes is borne of God is justified and he comes into the faith by which he pleaseth God and he that doth not believe is out of the faith and it is impossible he should please God and is out of that which should justifie him Pr. He saith Christs
works in us are not to be joyned with our faith in Christs works for that brings into the wildernesse page 131. And to say that men are justified no farther then they are sanctified is to deny Protestant doctrine c. Answ Men are justified by the believing and in the faith and by the faith and in believing they overcome and have victory and there is Mortification and Sanctification and Redemption and Justification all possessed together in the one which is Christ and this to the particular satisfaction And all Protestants or whatsoever that have a Justification and Sanctification and they in the unmortified state unsanctified they are out of the faith that purifies out of the belief that is born of God who hath past from death to life and so is out of the substance that justifies and is without Christ and so are reprobates but where Christ is within there is Justification Sanctification and Redemption And they are they that blaspheme the Tabernacle of God and them that dwell in Heaven that call good evill and evill good and leads into snares and into the wildernesse that go about to confound the Justification but split themselves upon the Rock that denies the Light and Christ is the offering for the sin of the whole world who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that all men might believe in him the offering and they are justified in him from all things which the Law could not do And here is the Covenant of God to the Jewes and Gentiles the light of the Gentiles the glory of Israel the new covenant to the Jewes the Law in the heart and in the minde by which the people should not need to say Know the Lord for all should know him from the least to the greatest the salvation to the ends of the earth where the way of redemption is the way for the ransomed to walke in in which the fools shall not erre in it in which way there is no wildernesse nor slippery places but the path of life the way of the Just and of holinesse and the way of Sanctification and the way of Redemption and Justification Pr. He saith Christ was a sinner by imputation page 132. A. The Scripture doth not speak such kind of words but that he knew no sin no guile was found in his mouth A Lamb without spot or blemish though it pleased the Father to lay the iniquity upon him by his stripes we are healed And by the one offering perfected for ever them that are sanctified made himselfe an offering for the sins of the whole world who breaks down the partition wall bewixt Jewes and Gentiles slayes the enmity among men reconciles in one unto the Father by his body his death upon the Crosse Of his body are all the Professors Protestants Papists upon the earth ignorant of this seed that breaks the enmity therefore be all in the enmity one among another having sheeps cloathing but the sheep in you is not put forth but the Wolfe is ravening abroad against the sheep tearing them where the seed is risen Pr. He that throws off imputed righteousnesse may go shift for his justification where he can get it and Christ shall profit him nothing though he be in faith or love and self-denyall page 133 And it is not the work of Christ in us that justifies and reconciles our persons I can detect this for an errour that Christs works in us is that which justifies our persons before God page 134. Answ Christ works in us Faith and is the Author of it and by faith is every one justified in the blood of the seed the flesh of Christ the Lord from heaven shed for the sins of the whole world And this faith in this blood of the seed not of the first Adam nor the Beasts but the blood of the seed Christ the precious blood which is the life of Saints and his flesh which is the food of Saints which whosoever eats it and drinks it hath life in the Son of God and lives in him as he lives in the Father And this is wrought within and no one knows it but as it is wrought within by the faith in the blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world the great sacrifice for the sin of the whole world overthrew Death and Hell bruised the Serpents head Devill and sinne the sacrifice for the whole world the blood shed upon the Crosse for the sins of the whole world The blood of the seed which is the life that cleanseth and this blood is felt within for it purgeth the conscience from dead works to serve the living God And here is the great mystery of God and the wisdome of God which covers all the wisdome of the earth the knowledge and the wisdome of the understanding ones of the earth The seed and the blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world which sacrificed and offered up the body prepared who fulfilled all types figures offerings ends them and all other bloods whom Death and Grave could not hold dead raised again set at the right hand of God manifest in the Saints and in the midst of his Church singing praise was dead and is alive and lives for evermore manifest in the Saints And he that hath him hath life and he that hath not him hath not life And whosoever witnesseth Christ within they witnesse the end of Imputation they witnesse the thing it selfe the end of their belief and they possess the sanctification and such comes to know faith and love And such as may have all the Scriptures and preach of Justification and Sanctification without them and not within them be as the Jewes be as the Witches and Reprobates They are reprobate that witnesseth not Christ within them nor Sanctification there nor Justification there and so witnesseth not faith and love nor the faith that works by love and they be in the errour and shifts thou talks of and Babylonish and none comes to witnesse the reconciliation but who witnesse Christ within So out of Justification and Sanctification there if he be not within they cannot witnesse reconciliation If they be not believers in the Light of Christ they cannot witnesse justification but condemnation Bâ—t in the light in Christ Christ received in them justification sanctification reconciliation is received Christ Jesus the Light that which reconciles to the Father Pr. He saith The body of sin is the naturall body consisting of flesh and blood and bones and the living soule is immortall page 140. And sin will dwell in the house untill the house be pluckt down over its head which is the naturall body And there is not one Saint that is absolute free from the in-dwelling and working power of sin page 140. To plead for Perfection is inherent holinesse and to serve under Antichrists colours and to make voyd the suffering of Christ He that holds the Saints perfectly fulfilling all the Law in all
degrees of obedience and conformity to it in this life before death hath drunk Antichrists cup. page 144. Answ The Saints after they witnessed the body of sin put off and made free from sin they glorified God in their bodies souls and spirits And so the body of fin is not the creature for that causeth the creature to groan before it cometh into the liberty of the Sons of God that causeth the body of sin the cloathing that comes upon the Creature the old man which cometh by transgression the first Adam that leads out of transgression brings the creature into the liberty of the sons of God and so who is in Christ is a new creature And old things passe away and the body is the Temple of God a holy Temple And the living soule is immortall yet many of thy generation say it is humane that is earthly yea that Christs soule was humane as ye may see in this Book in the rest of your Principles of them that call themselves Teachers and Pastors whose soules are in death and life And immortality not come to the Light through the power of God which is the Gospell and so have shâ—wed your ignorance of the soule And whosoever witnesse the perfect holinesse and preacheth up that they come from under Antichrists Kingdome They that preach up Imperfection they weare Antichrists livery and his colours and sounds the Trumpet of Antichrist and who be in the righteousnesse are in the perfection it selfe without a thing meritted by man in his will And who loves God keeps his Commandements and to him and them they are not grievous And this was the seed that kept the Commandements of God that Antichrist Beast mother of Harlots and false Prophets made war against as you may read in the Revelations But this seed is a burthensome stone unto yoâ— all tâ—at keeps the commands of God that loves God and they that be born of God doth not commit sin And the naturall body which is flesh blood and bone is not the body of sin it was never read so in the Scripture that that was the body which was to be put off for the Saints had bodies after they witnessed the body of sin put off and made free from sin Pr. He saith That R. F. is against the doctrine of sin continuing in the godly till death page 148. Answ That doctrine of Sin was never preached up by the Apostle that it should continue in the godly till death I say it continues not in the godly for the godly are like God out of sin it continues in the ungodly that is not like God And he that is in Christ is at the end of the Law and the Precepts and the Statutes and the Ordinances and the Commandements and is in the substance Gods righteteousnesse Pr. He saith The Letter is no dead letter and it hath life in it selfe And if there be but this letter or Ministry it is Christs two-edged sword page 153. 155. It serves unto his designe of searching hearts And the Apostle would take people off from the conceit of perfect attainments pag. 162. And may not filthy hearts transform themselves in the fancy of perfection as the Devill into an Angell of light Answ The Devill transforming himselfe into an Angell of Light or into a similitude is like unto all the filthy hearts who fancy perfection without them not within thâ—m and speaks of Christ without them not within them as the Devill did But the Doctrine of the Apostle who preached Christ the Covenant of God and brought people off of that which made nothing perfect to that which was perfect and bid them be perfect and of one minde and he spoke wisdome among them that were perfect so he did not bring the people from it but to it And the Letter it selfe is dead as it is of paper and inke And all Ministers of Letters and Books written in paper and ink and speaks from letters of paper and inke and have not received from God what they preach are Ministers of the Letter and they are the Ministers of death though they minister all the Letters written in the Scripture and have onely but the sheeps cloathing and begets not to God but only making Proselytes as the Ministers did in old time as the Jewes did But they that were Ministers of the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures they have the sword of the Spirit which the Jewes the Ministers of the Letter had not Nor they that be out of the spirit though they have all the Scriptures given forth from it they that be out of the spirit be out of the spirituall weapons And that which searcheth the heart is that which gave forth the Scriptures which led all the holy men of God to speak them forth who is the Lord the searcher of the hearts which spirit owns all the words of the Scriptures of truth declared forth from the spirit but the spirit was before the Scripture was given forth Pr. He saith Men that are redeemed from all earthly worships perfectly justified before God sincere in their sanctification yet they are in concupiscence and blemishes and conflicts page 166. And the Word of God doth not abide in them that say they have no sinne page 179. Answ Who are redeemed out of all earthly worships and sanctified they are redeemed from the blemishes from the conflicts from the concupiscence and by their redemption they come to witnesse the Kingdome of God that stands in righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost out of the conflicts and who are in the spirit they are in that which mortifies sin And the Word of God it makes clean where it dwels they are sanctified by the Word and made clean It comes and finds the sin and takes it away and makes clean and hammers it down cuts it down burns it up reconciles to the Father which sin and iniquity separated from Pr. He saith Sacramentall water and sprinkling Baptisme and water c. shewes our being ingrafted into the body mysticall p. 176. 178. which consists of a signe of a thing signified Answ Sprinkling Infants is a signe of your own making and Sacramentall water which the Scripture doth not hold forth but it is a thing presumed above what it written And that signe a tradition doth not bring into the body mysticall but leads from it neither doth any elementary thing But that which baptizeth into the body is the spirit whereby all cometh to be one And that baptizeth not into an elementary body but into a glorious body the spirituall body For there is lying signes come since the dayes of the Apostles which is out of the Apostles practice You can shew nothing for your sprinkling with your Sacramentall water but the Baptisme that the Scripture declares of and the spirit is owned in its place Pr. He saith Bread and Wine are spirituall Institutions and is not carnall in a sense as set in opposition to spiritual Institution and that
mouth goes the unclean spirit But that is stirr'd and stirring and rising in people which ye all ravened from and went from with which ye are all comprehended And the judgement of the great Whore is come and her garments shall be plucked off and that which ye all ravened from high and low shall answer the judgement and it is set a top of you all For such as ravened from the spirit of God inwardly got the sheeps cloathing but turned against the Saints and the woman fled into the wildernesse but now the Lamb and the Saints shall get the victory Though now the Beast and false Prophets and mother of Harlots and the Devill and the Kings of the Earthâ—â—ake war against him He that was dead is alive and lives for evermore The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world who rides on conquering and to conquer who slayes with the sword and kills with the sword which is the words of his mouth Now wo to the Dragon and false Prophets Beast and mother of Harlots and them that worship the Beast the unclean Spirits Woes Vials Thunders Plagues Earth-quakes is come and coming upon you And he is manifest and come that treads the Wine-presse alone without the City who is the Wonderfull Counseller the Prince of Peace whose name is called the Word of God With him are the Saints singing victory over the Beast and the false Prophets great Whore mother of Harlots Babylon Antichrists Babylon is fallen the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory The body of witch-craft in it thou art found that all that reads thy Book that be in the spirit of discerning may see whose body is redeemed and reigns over thine in the glory and victory Ralph Farmer his Booke called The great mystery of Godlinesse and Vngodlinesse In which these PRINCIPLES are following c. Pr. HE saith The soule is of an immortall and spirituall nature And GOD hath made man to serve him in an outward and visible way of worship Answ Christ saith God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth and is the Spirit without and visible the Spirit that makes all that is contrary to bend in that is God worshipped And others that say they are Teachers as ye may see in this Book say that the soule is humane yea the soule of Christ and thou saith the soule of man is immortal and a spiritual nature Now the soule that gives the sense and feeling of all things is spiritual and immortal as it comes out from God which is in Gods hand whom Christ is the Bishop of the noble Principle that guides it is the light and life Prin. He saith the eternal word enlighteneth all men with the common light of nature Answ The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall is not natural For the light was before any thing was made and all things that was made was made by it which lighteth every man that cometh into the world though he be in the first Adam in the sin and transgression which light to him doth make it manifest which cometh from Christ the second Adam the way to the Father who was glorified with the Father before the world began to restore that which the first lost and this is the obedient Son and the other the disobedient one which brings the death upon him and all his posterity and all his house So the sons of Adam in the transgression may say and do say that the light which Christ the second Adam the Redeemer and the Restorer the salvation to the ends of the earth doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world withall say this is natural And so that is to deceive people to keep them from the light with which they might all see their salvation and come to receive Christ by which they might have power to become the Sons of God Pr. The measure and degree it must be without thee And it is a cheating to tell people of God within and Christ within and a word within and they are without which he calls a mystery of meer confusion and emptiness Page 27. Answ The degrees and measures was in the Saints which spoke forth Scriptures and knew the Scriptures But those that have the Scriptures and are from their degree and measure in themselves are without them And Jesus Christ is within except ye be reprobates And where Jesus Christ is within the word is there and God is there And this is the great mystery of godliness And where the power of God is set the Crosse of Christ is felt for the Crosse is the power of God And if it be not the same Christ as did ascend it is Antichrist it is against him and false which now many hundreds and thousands do witness Christ within him the Apostles preached who have their Joy and reward who do possesse that which they long looked for And all that stands against Christ within and God within and the word within and the Crosse within the power of God they be reprobates and in the mystery of confusion Pr. The Apostle bid Timothy to Preach the word in season and out of season c. not immediate Revelation pag. 32. And the time will come they will not endure sound Doctrine but after their own lusts they will heap up to themselves teachers having itching ears turning to fables immediate Revelations Page 35. Answ There is none can Preach the word in truth but who Preach it immediately and by the immediate spirit and knowes immediate Revelations And all that be in the Faith as Timothy was they be in the immediate Revelations the gift of God But the Apostle seeing such as would not endure sound doctrine would get up teachers after their own lusts as covetous and minded earthly things and evil beasts that serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies Such the Apostle bid Timothy and Titus examine before they Ministred prove them and lay hands on no man suddainly and keep himself clear not preferring one before another And such as went into their own lusts got up heaps of teachers lost the immediate Revelation and the immediate word of God and erred from the faith that purifies the heart and gives victory in which people have unity And such now that are got into the lusts that cannot endure sound doctrine lost the Revelation and speaking the word immediately have ruled and reigned of whose generation thou Farmer art And people have heaped to themselves teachers after their own lusts and that is the cause of all the strife and wars amongst them and teachers denying the immediate Revelation and Preaching the word of God immediately have declared your selves to be the false prophets openly to the Nation that never heard the voyce of God nor Christs voyce nor the voyce of the spirit nor Ministry of the spirit which all sâ—eak immediately And the Apostle saw them come up before
to make our reconciliation to God to be wrought by our improving the light within and renewing the image of God in us is damnable doctrine to take men off from going to the fulness of Christ at the right hand of God and send them to look to a light within which they say is in every man is a damnable doctrine this is to forsake the fountain of living waters and dig to themselves broken Cisternes dangerous principle is that of perfection by improvement of the light within Answ The imputation to a believer is owned and this imputation is within for he that believes is born of God and hath the witnesse in himself now Abraham believed and the Romans and to such the imputation was spoken in the belief and Abraham saw his glory who is Christ Jesus the righteousness it self and the Apostle sayes ye are now nearer then when ye believed and again he sayes Christ is in you and God will dwell in you and walk in you so such as hath Christ in them they have the righteousness it self without imputation the end of imputation the righteousness of God it self Christ Jesus No man knowes the reconciliation and his reconciliation made with God but by hearing and doing the word of God that 's in the heart and mouth which divides thy bad words Hammond and thy bad thoughts that 's the word of God and cuts them down and Hammers them down and burns them up that 's the word that sanctifies and reconciles to God and makes clean and the word is Christ called the word of God and Christ is the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and that is it that renews man into the image of God for the light that comes from Christ is the Image of God the light of the glorious Gospel which is the Image of God and so this is within and thou that knowes not this within and feels it not thy lips are polluted and art in the damnable doctrine and the light that shines in the darkness and thou cannot comprehend it and indeed thou art too proud high and loftie and thou must be brought down the Lord God will abase thee and no man comes into the image of God and renewed and hath reconciliation with God but which comes to the Light which Christ the Word hath enlightened him withall and that 's within and they that believe in it have the witness in themselves and they that do not the light condemns them And the light that every man that comes into the world is enlightened withall doth not take them from Christs fulness at the right hand of God but the light le ts see him lifted up and there 's none upon the earth comes to Christ at the right hand of God to receive of his fulness but who comes to the light which Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world withall that 's the eye the light with which he sees Christ and in that he receives him and comes to be engrafted in him in the Vine Christ Jesus And so thou that drawes men from the light within which Christ hath enlightened every man that comes into the world withall thou drawes them from Christ at the right hand of God that they cannot receive this his fulness and so thou takes away the key of knowledge from people who art in the doctrine that 's damnable that 's from the light to be condemned and none comes to the Fountain of living mercies but are all broken Cisterns that are from the light within them which comes from Christ the Fountain of living mercies which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that with it all might come to see the Fountain and believe in it so they that do not are condemned And no one knowes perfection nor comes into the perfection of Christ but are in the dangerous estate where thou art which doth not come into the light which doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world for the imperfection comes by the first Adam and Eve and the Devil going out from the truth the perfection comes again by Christ to destroy the Devil death and his works and sanctifies man and reconciles man again to God which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world that in the light all men might see the perfection of God Christ Jesus which none doth but such as come to him the Light Pr. That there is so much light in every man that will reveal Christ and save them that believe in it and that an Indian hath it and to send to this to lead to perfection and to neglect the Fountain of wisdom at the right hand of God is a soul-destroying principle Ans The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall is saving to them that believe in it tâ—ey are saved them that do not are condemned and this leads to perfection the light to the Fountain of wisdom Christ Jesus the light of the world to know the Bishop of their souls and all that are not come to the light in their own particular which comes from him that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world their principles are destroying which are thine that stands against the light thou art Antichrist kicking against the light with which Christ hath enlightened thee wiâ—hall no man knowes a Saviour nor sees salvation but as every man comes to the light wiâ—h the same light they come to see Christ the light and Saviour to save them from their sins and that light is sufficient I will give him for a Covenant of light to the Gentiles and I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and Judah them that had the old and here 's all the world and he shall be my salvation to the ends of the earth and the Gentiles was heathen call them Indian or what thou wilt I will give him for a Covenant to the Gentiles a leader of the people which many Gentiles have found their leader the Covenant of light and in this light Jew and Gentile are one and in unitie if ye walk in the light as he is in the light then have ye followship one with another and this breaks all your Sects the Covenant of light Between Jew and Gentile and brings them to one in believing in the light Prin. That light that is in every man is the Reliques of the first Covenant of works which cannot reveal Christ as Mediator Answ The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall which is Christ by whom the world was made ends the Covenant of works the creation was made by him and he was before it was made so he is not a created light But that by which all things was created and thou art in thy works the Covenant of works and thy created lights that calls the light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world Christ Jesus a Covenant
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
for the believer in the light is led with the spirit of truth into all truth and he that believes not in the Light is with the spirit of truth reproved Pr. They say for one to be convinced of his sins against the Law and have some power against them these they call miserable blind Pharisees Ans Them that was blind Pharisees transgressed the Law of God lived out of the power and that which convinced of the transgression of the Law so they said and did not and wo was pronounced against them and so judgement came to be neglected and the doers of the Law was justified and not called blind Pharisees and that was in its place but Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness sake to them that believes and those was not called blind Pharisees which followed that which shewed them the transgression of the Law for those was the doers Pr. They say the spirit shall convince all men and women sufficiently of that righteousness which Christ fulfilled Ans That which doth convince of righteousness all men and women as thou coâ—fesseth if they believe in the light which Christ hath enlightened them withall it will lead them from their own righteousness and be their teacher and come to be taught of God Pr. They say the light convinceth of sin against the Law but will not shew a soul a Saviour or a deliverer Answ That 's contrary to the Apostle who saith the light that shined in their hearts will give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ who is the Saviour and he shall be my salvation to the ends of the earth covenant to Jewes and Gentiles Pr. They say the light will not shew a man his lost condition righteousness blood death resurrection and intercession of Jesus Christ. Answ There 's nothing makes manifest but light Nor none knowes the blood death righteousness and resurrection of Jesus Christ but with the light which comes from Jesus Christ who hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world and that 's it shall give all men assurance that he is raised from the dead the light of the body is the eye that lets see salvation Pr. They say Christ went away into heaven from his Disciples and so not within them Answ Did not he say he would come again to them did he not say he was in them I in you and did not the Apostle say Christ was in them except they were reprobates the hope of glory was not he revealed in the Apostle and so in him and did not the Apostle Preach Christ within and you Preach Christ with out Prin. They say that those believers that are in the body now at this day are absent from the Lord. Answ Doth not the Apostle say that Christ is in them except they be reprobates and he is in them the hope of glory and they have fellowship with God and God will dwell in them and walk in them and he that believes believes in him in Christ so not absent Pr. And they say he is absent from them as touching his flesh Answ Doth not the Apostle say that they are of his flesh and of his bone and he that eats not his flesh hath no life in him and they fit in heavenly places with him and he that eats his flesh hath it within him Pr. They say that there is not any heaven within into which the man Christ is ascended for can any man contain a man four foot long Answ Christ is a mystery and is not he to be revealed within who is a mystery he who did ascend to be revealed and made manifest in his Saints in flesh and spirit that did descend which is now manifested that the world wonders at that is ascended far above the heavens who is the Saints life living bread and drink and where ever used the Ministers of Christ any such expressions as thou doth which shews that Christ is yet to thee a mystery Prin. They say Stars falling from heaven is professors falling from the faith to the earth Answ This is fulfilled upon you all who have given Judgement upon your selves and so from the faith in which is the unitie in which men please God and hath victory over the world and this you may read since the dayes of the Apostle who are fallen all down into the earth for mony and stipends Pr. They say that God hath given assurance to all men and commands all to repent every where in that he will Judge the world in righteousnesse by the man Christ Jesus Answ That every man that cometh into the world is enlightened by Christ the light of the world him by whom it was made who will give them a reward according to their works that denyes his Light and are found in the works of daâ—kness â—r They say That the end of Christs coming is that the people of God should shine as the sun and the cause that hinders them for shining is the body of death Answ The righteous and the Saints comes to witnesse the body of sin put off and thanks God who hath given them victory and comes into the second Adam the Lord from heaven out of the first Adam where the shining state is witnessed the holy mount of God the city that cannot be hid Pr. They say If a mans obedience flow not from the faith it is but sin in the sight of the great God Ans And yet they say faith is not perfect in the measure and degree Pr. And they say Four times that Christ ascended away from his Disciples and was not in them Ans And Christ said I in you you in me and he would come and dwell in them and make his abode with them which the Apostles came to witness and sate with him in heavenly places Pr. They say that the man Christ that was crucified his body is now in the presence of his Father absent from his people as touching his bodily presence Answ Doth not the Apostle say he is the head of the Church And doth not the Apostle say they are of his flesh and bone and sit with him in heavenly places with Christ And Christ saith they must eat his flesh and he is in them Pr. And they say that Christ is absent from the Saints in the world its clear Answ When the Apostle saith Christ was in the Saints and Christ in you the hope of glory And the Apostle saith he hath revealed the Son in him And he that hath not the Son of God hath not life And after the same Christ which was crucified and risen came to be manifest in his Saints and not another And so the Saints come to feed upon his flesh and drink his blood which is their life which body Christ gives for the the life of the world and which blood appeaseth the wrath of the Almighty And as for the rest of John Burton and John Bunians lyes and slanders they are
the word but the Scripture is the word and so these poor creatures erre not knowing the Scripture to speak in the singular number is non-sence and they that translated the words thee and thou might have translâ—ted them you Answ The spirit gave to speak the proper Language singular and plural and spake such words as cannot be condemned And if translators that be out of that translate the words given forth from the spirit into what form soever they will yet the spirit will finde it out and the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world by which all things were made made lights and created lights Christ Jesus the light whiâ—h doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world need not have these outward lights or discoveries they were all made by the light which light was before these were made and they which are come into the reconciliation with God are in perfection out of the imperfection from under the wrath and the Word reconciles hammers down cuts down and burns up that which is contrary and sanctifies and makes clean and Christ Jesuâ— his name is called the word of God the Scripture saith so and they say that the Scriptures are the words of God which in Christ the word which was before they were given forth comes to fulfill them and that which is imperfect is done away Pr. To say that God is substantially in man as Essentially one with him can be no other but the man of sin the Devil himself having transformed himself into an Angel of Light and if it were possihle would â—â—â—â—â—ve the very Elect. Answ The Scripture saith that God will dwell in man and walk in him and the Saints had unitie with the Father and the Son and all that hates the Light which Christ the Light hath enlightened them withall hath not the Father and the Son in such the man of sin reigns and in such the Devil may transform but the Elect he cannot deceive the Elect hath the victory and Dominion which were elected in him before the foundation of the world glory for ever and as for all the other words in thy book they are not worth mentioning they will be thy own burthen they will fall heavy upon thee in this day when thou shalt shalt give an accompt to God James Brown His Book called Antichrist in spirit His expressions and Principles as followeth Pr. THat the light in every man is a certain guide and rule in all things this is the means whereby Scriptures are slighted Answ No one knows nor owns the Scriptures but as the light of Christ that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world doth guide and teach them the light of Christ within which gives them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and Scriptures and to see the Scriptures and doth not slight them Pr. To witnesse God and Christs glorious resurrection and heaven and the happinesse of new Jerusalem this is lookt upon as an errour Answ Christ within who is the resurrection the glory the kingdome of heaven is there and David who witnessed him was in hell he was upon the earth too and he that witnessed the new Jerusalem and that happinesse was upon the earth And they that have all these words not possessing the life they have no comfort in what they speak nor in what they professe and the babes and the children that are free knows their mother that is from above Pr. If there be no outward meanes but light within what need of the Scriptures Answ The light Christ within was in the Saints before the Scriptures was given forth and that was it which was their guide to give forth the Scriptures wherein they walked and did not stumble and that is it which gives to see the Scriptures again to what condition they are spoken and the use of them Pr. The day is not yet dawned nor the day-star the bright and morning Answ The Apostle tells the Saints of the Day-star and they were children of the day and the night was over the true light shined and the darknesse past Though some indeed were not come to the day-star and the light shined in darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not Where darknesse rules there be the works that are out of the light and among such as have apostatized since the dayes of the Apostles the day-star is not risen to them they see it not but amongst the children of light it is seen and they that see it not are comprehended The day-star is risen and they are children of the day Pr. And them that bring people to looke at the light within them are as Corah Dathan and Abiram Ans All that go from the light within them are as Corah Dathan and Abiram amongst the Lords Prophets exalting themselves and persecuting Pr. All men are not so taught of God as they shall be at Israels return Answ All men are taught of God that be in the Covenant whether Israel heare or not Pr. I know that many of the Quakers are temperate sober self-denying people but this is but the tything of hearbs Answ It was the Doctrine of the Apostle who preached Christ the end of tything and hearbs and self-denyall sobernesse temperance was not called the tything of hearbs for the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures brought to this Pr. And the light within is darkness and I never read of the Churches of the Saints that spoke by two Answ The Apostles doctrine to the Corinthians was that they might speak by two or three And the light within which is the light of Christ which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world the darknesse cannot comprehend it though it shine in it till it shine forth in the heart to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Pr. And that the Kingdome that is in the Saints is in the Pharisees I deny Answ The same that is in the Saints is in the Pharisees in the measure though it be but as a grain of mustard-seed which is like to the leaven little Pr. The state of arising from sin to grace is never called a resurrection Answ They that arise from sin to grace out of the first Adam into the second Adam comes into the resurrection the second death shall have no power over them and the Saints comes to judge the world Pr. Such as trust to a light within them forsake the holy oyle the Lords spirit that speaks in the Scriptures Answ The Lords spirit spoke in them that gave forth the Scriptures who had the holy oyle the light within them And the spirit speaks not from the Scripture but by that which gave it forth which is the Author of it Pr. I deny that any have a light within them to attain to the measure of God and Christ as they that have the writings Ans None attains to the mystery of God but by the light
end of the types and figures and shadowes the substance Pr. And the woman that Paul speaks of that is forbidden to speake in the Church but must learne of her husband at home is the whore that drinks the blood of the Saints in Revelations Ans That is false for the woman the Apostles speaks of there that must learne in silence and must be in subjection aske her husband at home is in the state of Eve who must not teach but learne in silence as also said the Law for shee was first found in the transgression now the woman here hath a husband to aske at home and not usurp authority over the man but Christ in the male as in the female who redeems from under the Law and makes free from the Law the man may speak Christ in the male and female who are in the spirit of God are not under the Law but the whore who drinks the blood of the Saints is gone from her husband from under the Law to aske the whore-master that doth drinke the blood of the saints which Christ the seed judgeth upon to whom he gives judgement Pr. And the outward creatures which God had made and created and blessed are the serpents meat as the old Ranter of Bristow when he was gnawing a peece of plum pudding said he was eating the serpents meat Ans The Serpents meate is dust and he goes on his belly and so hath proved him selfe to be a serpent who eates his meat which the children of God the seed doth not and Christ who eate of the bread he did not eate the serpents meate he did not call it serpents meat and that is cursed and judged that doth so Francis Duke his book intituled The fulnesse and freenesse of Gods grace his Principles are as followes Pr. GGod made man perfection of parts in this life but not perfection in degrees Ans Perfection of parts is perfection of degrees for where there is a part there a degree so in this thou medlest with things that are too heavy for thee Pr. That God did elect that drop of humane seed to be personall God man as the text is the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head Ans The elect is Christ the seed and Christ the second Adam is not humane for humane is earthly so thou erres in thy judgement for as Christ the seed saies he that is born of the flesh is flesh and he that is born of the spirit is spirit and the election obtaines it and he that is of the earth is earthly but he that is from above is heavenly Pr. Men may obey imperfectly but truly Ans Truth is perfect Christ is truth who is perfect and they that obey truly obey perfectly for perfect obedience and true obedience is one Pr. The seed of the Serpent and the Devils seed remaines in the best of men in this life for without this seed of the Devil issuing in humane nature it is not capable of Eternal life Ans This seed of the Devill hinders men to be capable of eternall life and such as are sanctified from the wombe was capable of eternall life and such as were made free from sin and the body of death and sin put out of them could not sin because the seed of God remaineth in them and witnessed redemption the works of the Devill destroyed and Christ manifested in their flesh condemned sin in their flesh and Christ in them the body being dead because of sin which was borne of God and they did not commit sin they were past from death to life for sin brought death and where the Devill had the power of it which went out of truth but the seed having destroyed death and him that hath the power of it which is the devill and God the God of all peace have bruised Satan under the faints feet such is a top of the seed of the devill and they are capable of eternall life and tells thee thy doctrine is a lye Pr. Man may believe truly but never rightly Ans He that believeth truly and is in the true beliefe believes rightly and he that believes truly is borne of God and he whose beliefe is false and not born of God it is as his that is out of truth which is not right which the true beliefe in truth is over him in that the Devill is out of all his generation that stands in an outward beliefe Pr. The will of man remaines in good men and bad men in heaven and in hell and in earth Ans There 's noe prophesie of the scriptures came by the earthly will of man but that mans will be subdued denyed with the Crosse and power of God whereby he that doth the will of God abides for ever but he that doth his own will abides not ever and flesh and blood enters not into the kingdom of God and they that goe downe into Hell go down into their owne wills and wilfulnesse but he must be born againe before he can enter into Gods Kingdom he that is borne of the flesh is flesh and will persecute him that is born after the spirit for there 's the two wills and earth is their footstool Pr. The Saints affirme themselves that they are all unclean things and their righteousnesse as filthy rags Ans The Saints are cleane and are sanctified and are washed and are cleansed now are you clean saith the Lord ye were such and such and the saints rightousnesse is Christ such as never will grow ragged which was before the world was made which was before rags and ragged righteousnesse was this is the Saints righteousness and true believers and the saints are not unclean things for it is the unsanctified that be unclean Pr. The Saints have a twofold righteousnesse in this world Ans The righteousness of the Saints is one Christ and is in one in God from whence all righteosnesse comes and the true believers righteousnesse is Christ Jesus the end of the Law Pr. Thou saist that James envies those that brag of their faith without works thou saist the Lord attributes that to the eye which is not proper the eye is the light of the body but yet the eye hath no light in it selfe to enlighten the body so he attributes that to the eye which is not proper to the Light Ans James did not envy for envy was of Cain and of the devill and of the wicked one he did not envy them whose faith was dead without works and Christs speech was proper who said the light of the body was the eye and without the eye the body hath not light looke of it either inward or outward t is proper within and proper without for when the eye is blinded within the body is full of darkenesse when the eye is blinded without the body is darke and he wants the light and the light of the body is the eye that being single the body is full of light and that is perfect
no other way it teacheth but to the Kingdome and though men hate it and will not come to it because their deeds are evill yet that is the teacher in all men that gives them the sense of transgression and an understanding of reproof and knowing if they come so that they are reproved and there is the kingdome in men and that is it which lets all men see the most high reigning and shall make every tongue to confesse Christ to the glory of God and is that which gives every man assurance that God hath raised Christ from the dead who hath inlightned them and that is it which gives every man the hope of eternall life and in the light it is received Pr. That the seed to whom the promise of salvation is made is or hath been sinners Ans The promise of God is to the seed which hath been laden as a Cart with shaves by the sinner which seed is the hope Christ that purifies even as God is pure and here is the creature come to know its liberty amongst the sons of God and the seed Christ never sinned in the male nor in the female in the Jew nor in the Gentiles and of this mystery was the great high professors ignorant of that stood at a distance from the Gentiles that Christ had no room among them though they talked of him but in the stable in the manger and in their mouthes to talke of him with their lips and such Christ calls graves and Sepulchres and whited walls and the wall is not the seed but the seed is Christ and not the Sepulchre nor the grave so this promise is not unto seeds as many but to one the seed which is Christ Pr That there is no man doth possess the Kingdom of God whilest he is in the mortall body Ans In this thou art like Nebuchadnezer who must graze like the Oxe thy mouth downeward who knows not the most high ruling in the children of men and God will dwell in you and walke in you and where God dwells and walkes in men they are his temples which is holy there is his Kingdome his power his authority and the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell in them and walke in in them and this is the state of thousands that be in the new covenant that knowes the power of God of the most high his law put in their mindes and hearts and they that doe not know that they are the Temples of God and God dwelling in them and walking in them they are worse then the Corinthians Pr. That he that doth not preach the death and Resurection and the man Christ Jesus that rose from the dead at Jerusalem preacheth not the Gospell whatsoever else he doth declare Ans He that preacheth Christ must preach that Christ that dyed at Jerusalem for he is the same to day yesterday forever the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world which seed Christ breaks the Serpents head and destroyes death and the Devill that went out of the truth and death being destroyed the captivated one comes out by the power which is the Gospel and the prisoner of hope shews himself forth and then the covenant of light life is felt and peace with God but the Reprobate Devill death and destruction anti-christ Beast and false prophet may talke of Christ without and he not within felt such are then the Reprobates and thou saying the seed is not in all men first know it in thy selfe he is not in the man of sin that is to be destroyed who hath blinded thy mind and hath taken possession of thy heart and so first judge thy selfe Pr He that doth not expect the Resurrection from the dead of his owne person as Christ rose from the dead litterally understood hath no true hope of Eternall life borne in his understanding Ans The Saints rising is in Christ and he is the Resurrection they are of his flesh and of his bone and of his spirit and the Saints are of the flesh of Christ that saw no corruption and of his bone and hath the hope of eternall life promised of the Father and now the flesh of Christ the Jewes did not know that were the Idolaters and fornicaters for Christ according to the flesh was of Abraham who came out of all that Idolatry and generation of Fornicaters and in this the saints rise live and remaine with Christ for ever and such come to know the resurrection of the just and unjust according to the scriptures the one to eternall life and the other to condemnation Pr. That Christ by his death overcame him that had the power of death and thereby made way to life Ans But how is death overcome in thee when thou dost not see the kingdome of God in thee and saith it shall not be whiles men are in their mortall bodies and how short art thou of the Holy Ghost and the power and the joy and the righteousnesse which the Kingdome stands in and Christ which overcame death he is the life and the way to God the Father of life which doth inlighten every man that cometh into the world that by the light they might see it and believe in it that they might be children of light and come to the light of life which they that doe not believe in it with the light are condemned Pr. That the unchangablenesse of Gods purpose of his love is the onely ground of mans obedience stability or continuance in obedience not mans obedience the ground of his stability Ans Mans stability is Christ the light the life the foundation of God that stands sure the hope in him that remaineth the faith given to him of God the seed comes to be knowne the Son of God in the male and in the female which abideth in the house for ever which is the heir of the promise and there the unchangeablenesse of God is knowne he that doth not change is seen that is appeared which cannot be shaken that seeth an end of all changeable things and variablenesse and turnings and here is the obedience felt Pr. God hath ordained to eternall life every one that are or shall be saved before they had a being in this world but none come to possession of this salvation but through the obedience of the spirit Ans The ground of mans belief and obedience is Christ who doth inlighten him to the intent that he might believe and obey the truth and who knowes the seed knowes the election before the world was made Pr. That the seed of Israel are men and not onely something in man that the seed of the Serpent are men and not onely something in man Ans If the seed of Israel be men then by thy account the seed of Israel is the seed of the Serpent for they are men and Christ who came to destroy the work of the Devill and him that hath the power of death it is not said he came
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
freedome thou speakest of one sitting and an other standing to serve at meat and put yonr selves among the Pharisees and doth not Christ serve the children at the table who is the Master but in the world there is the Lord-ship and exercising authority and doth not know their own brethren as Paul to Philmon but Masters and servants as the Scriptures declares is owned thou speaks of Cains and Abels offerings you who are the persecuters and slayers and prisoners of the just offerers up of the Earth and are the City got up since the true woman went into the wildernesse but the City of the living God is known againe and you are judged and your false Church Thou speakest of salutations and saluting enemies how do you salute those that you imprison till death for your Tithes what a salutation is that and cause them to be whipped and imprisoned for speaking to you this is like Judas salutation to Christ when he betrayed him and not the salutation of the saints Thou speaks of calling daies by other names then the first second c. yes you and your mother the Papists Church and the heathens contrary to the Jewes and true Apostles and true Christians call them Moonsday and Sunsday and Friday after the name of the great Idol in England and Wensday and Saturnsday and this is contrary to the scripture and the form of sound words and contrary to the Law of God which Judges the heathen and every day is the Lords and many names you give to your Moneths which the heathen is fain teach you thou speaks of Interpreting the word and giving sence and meanings and thus with your Interpretations and sences and meanings you have brought whole Christendom in heapes your fâ—uits declare it to be out of the Scriptures to be out of the Spirit that gave it forth so your own spirits give the meaning in which lodges the Envy and serve your own bellies but it is the spirit that leads into all truth and not you thou speakest of singular and plural as though thou neither knew Scripture nor accidence thou speakest of the Ministers going without gold and silver brasse or purse or scrip c. yet you will not go without augmentations tythes and gleab-lands amongst them you call brethren your baptized People and thou speakest of taking a purse and scrip and sword and selling his garment to buy one Christ did so to fulfill the Law and bids them put it up again and said it was enough who ends it so are out of the faith and patience of the Saints thou speakest of good men and calling them good yes I say such as be full of the Holy Ghost and of faith but wicked men wolves and beasts would have this title persecutors warriers and devourers in sheepes cloathing therefore is that angry which is exalted above all that is called God who sits in the Temple of God that man of sin in you all who cannot have that given to him which is given to God by them that is in the deserning Thou goest about to prove the word Land-Lord and would thrust that in the Scripture which the Scripture speaks no such word but the Law of righteousness which comes from God which is equall and just and the Prophets to do as you would be done by thou art speaking of the Angels that said nay they would tarry all night in the street and yet went in the Angels are servants and their time is not come and they may say nay and yet after see their time they must go in thou speakest of perfect and yet in your Doctrine say none shall be perfect while they are upon the earth and hath denyed the work of the Ministry so Profits People not at all and thou sayst who can understand the error of his wayes and that which thou dost thou allowest not and sin remains in a man then there the Devil hath a habitation and there is death but he that believes is passed from death and so from the sin and that which gives a man to understand his error turns him from his sin such as comes to know the annointing within them that teaches them that continues in the Son of God and in the Father these knowes all things but such as be in the transgression not denying themselves know not the error of their wayes as you may see your selves what you have run into whose fruits are come to Publike view Pr. Thou speaks of Christ speaking in the Synagogue and false Christs and false teachers in corners and chambers and Ministers must prove by Scripture for with that they convince the Jewes Ans Christ went into the Synagogues and the Apostles to shew the fulfilling and he who was come to fulfill that which they had in the Synagogues and the Apostles shewed them out of the Prophets and the Law that Jesus was the Christ and the Apostle was not a false Christ nor a false Teacher who Preached in his own hired house nor the Saints that met in several houses which were come off of the Jewes and Synagogue but they are the false Teachers and false Christs that deny the light that doth enlighten every man that is come into the world which Christ hath enlightned them withall and they are them that draw People into corners and Chambers and deserts and say lo Christ is here lo Christ is there that are gone and ravened from the light in their own selves that Christ hath enlightned them withall and such are the corrupt trees that cumbers the earth whose fruits hath sufficiently declared themselves who are to be thrown down into the fire who will be condemned with the light which they have ravened from in their own particulars and to you that is the word of the Lord in the day of thy visitation the witness in thy conscience shall answer it and as for all the rest of thy stuff to the Papists who would make People believe thou wast not found among them and their errors in this book first come out of the Papists work before thou find fault with them and cry against them art not thou one of them that kills and takes possession but the time is come you are all comprehended you and the Papists found in one bond one cord one City against the elect but he is over you all set and the Judgement of the great whore is come which is got up since the true women fled into the wilderness and the man-childe caught up to God but now is the man childe come again to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron and the Lamb the bride the Lambs wife is known and the mystery of iniquity is discovered and the mystery of godliness is revealed and the Saints shall have victory the beast and the false Prophet shall be taken and cast alive into the lake of fire and the old Dragon and the everlasting Gospel shall be Preached to them that dwell upon the earth to all Nations and