and bring thy deeds unto it to be tryed by it it will witness for God and his Children against thee to be a Child of the Devil and his works thou dost and thy Faith to be feigned like the Hypocrite and doth not purifie thy hearts and so is no more then the wickedest that is for all say that Christ dyed for them but all cannot witness it For he that believes is born of God and he that is born of God doth not commit sin And this Light loving it will let thee see how thy Heart is turned from God and that thou hast more delight in the things that perish than in the Fear of the living God which keeps the heart clean and is the beginning of the pure Wisdom and Righteousness and if thou honestly communest with it it will let thee see thy secret Actions and all thy hidden deeds done in darkness that thou mayst come to Judgment and Condemnation for all these things and except thou be born again and become as a little Child thou art no Child of God neither canst enter the Kingdom of God but art without in the world's nature in the state of Condemnation in whom the Son of Perdition rules above all that is called God sitting in the Temple of God as God and saith He is God and here he opposeth God in his Kingdom and saith that is lawful and for it pleadeth that which God saith is unlawful and forbids And he tells the Creature and maketh it believe it cannot keep God's Commandments and that it hath not power to do that which God commands it or to depart from Evil and that none live but they sin and Christ hath satisfied for all sin though they sin daily that man may use the Creatures as he pleaseth seeing they were made for Man's Use and the Spirit of God saith He that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandments is a Lyar and the Truth is not in him And as many as receive him to them he gives Power to become the Sons of God And the Law of the Spirit of Life makes them free from the Law of Sin and Death He that commits Sin is of the Devil and never knew God and by this are the Children of God and the Children of the Devil made manifest And he that abideth in him sinneth not And he that lives after the Flesh cannot please God for without Holiness none shall see the Lord. And thus the Devil the old Serpent who was a Lyar from the beginning opposeth God in his Kingdom daubing the Creature up in that which is Evil making it a Habitation in his kingdom while it live upon the Earth and then must take part with him in the Lake that is prepared for the Devil and his Servants who doth not dare to call God a Hard Master as if he would lay a Tax upon the Creature which it is not able to perform and thus he deceives the Creature and draws out of the Commands of God and out of the Fear of God which preserves from Evil and so he draws into Carelesness and Slothfulness and begets a liberty therein and because of those things cometh the Wrath of God upon the Children of Disobedience as it was in the beginning when God said That in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye the Death and the Serpent said You shall not surely dye for God doth know that in the day you eat thereof you shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil. And thus he deceived them and drew them out of the Commands of God and out of the Fear of God into the Disobedience and so came the Curse of God upon them by hearkening to him and entring into his Temptations and then they found God Just and True and the Devil a Lyar whom they had believed now read thy self To the Light of Christ in thy Conscience I speak which searcheth the Heart and knows the secret Thoughts and Intents of the Heart which will witness me and condemn thee who walkest contrary unto it Be not Deceived God is not Mocked such as thou sowest such must thou reap for God is a Just God and will nto acquit the Wicked For thou art found a Slothful Servant who hast hid thy Talent in the Earth and think not that thou shalt receive the Reward of the Righteous and Faithful for if the Righteous scarcely be saved what will become of the Wicked and Ungodly Therefore Repent while it s called to day harden not thy heart lest the Judgments of God come upon thee at unawares and sweep thee away and give thee thy Portion among the Slothful Hypocrites and Unbelievers For by the Light of God thou arr seen and found in the Sins of Sodom and the Plagues of Sodom are coming upon thee therefore be afflicted mourn and let thy Laughter be turned into Mourning and thy Joy into Heaviness for to Judgment thou must come and thy Liberty To the Light of Christ in thy Conscience I am made manifest which if thou lovest it will let thee see thy self and tender thy Conscience and will lead thee into the Fear of God following of it and will humble thee and bring down thy high and lofty Looks and bring thee under Judgment and Condemnation for thy Stiff neckedness Disobedience and Rebellion against the Son of Righteousness here will be thy Condemnation out of thy own mouth will the Lord judge thee in Righteousness by the Light in thy Conscience which he hath enlightened thee withal which now thou kickest against which will thy Torment be This is a Warning from the Lord unto thee and now thou art left without Excuse in the Presence of the living God by the Light of God this is the day of thy Visitation and the day of thy Judgment draws nigh now thou hast time prize it For the Day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the Night to all the Children of Darkness as it was to the Sodomites and verily I say unto thee it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment then for thee if thou dost not Repent who hast tasted of the Love and Mercy of God and hast trampled it under foot and hast rebelled against the Spirit of Grace Written from the Spirit of the Lord as a Warning to all who are in the Fleshly Liberty by a Witness of the True Liberty of the Children of God through Death which Liberty stands not in Time nor in any thing in Time for all things in Time perish with Time but this remains when Time shall be no more and his is Pure Vnspotted of the World J. P. ALL you that Scoff and Scorn and Reproach and Revile at the Children Servants and Messengers of the Most High God whom you nick-name QUAKERS and under the same Name Persecute them as a People not worthy to live and have no Ground for it neither know any Evil
Fornication with the Creation and the Grace of God which should guide you out of the Lust and Ungodliness of the World you turn into Wantonness and your Teachers who cause you to err by their Sorcery and Enchantments and James the Son of Thunder utter'd forth his Voice against such and thus saith the Lord Because the Daughters of Sion are Haughty and walk with stretched-out Necks and wanton Eyes walking and mincing as they go making a tinkling with their Feet therefore the Lord will smite with the Scab the Crown of the Head of the Daughters of Sion In that day the Lord will take away all the Bravery of their tinkling Ornaments of their Feet and their Cauls and round Attire like the Moon and the Chains and the Bracelets and the Head-bands and Tablets and the Ear-rings and the Nose-jewels the changable Suits of Apparel and the Mantles and the Wimples and the Crisping-pins and the Glasses and the fine Linnen and the Hoods and the Vails and it shall come to pass that instead of sweet Smell there shall be a Stink and instead of well-set Hair Baldness and instead of a Stomacher a girding with Sack-cloth and Burning instead of Beauty Now all you high and lofty Daughters of England who are sporting your selves in the day time and Scorning and Disdaining your Fellow-Creatures read your selves and your Portions Howl and Lament for a Day of Vengeance of Rending of Burning of Famine is coming upon you for the Land mourns because of Pride James Parnell To the LIBERTINE whose Liberty stands in the Flesh. WO unto thee who art at Ease in the Flesh devouring the Creation and spending it upon thy Lusts whose heart is run from God a Whoring after other Lovers committing Fornication with the Creation nourishing thy heart as in a day of Slaughter satisfying thy Lusts in whatsoever thy heart runs after and so art at ease in the Flesh and feelest no Sorrow nor Grief but the Harlot is exalted in thy Bosom above all that is called God and thou hast cast his Law behind thy back living without the Fear of God and walking despightfully against the Spirit of Grace saying within thy self He that doth Evil is Good in the sight of God and where is the God of Judgment Can we do any thing without God Is it not by his Power we do all things And can we do any thing contrary to his Will Yea thou shalt find that all thou dost is contrary to his Will and thou shalt find him a God of Judgment for thy Sins have separated thy Soul from God and long in his Love and Mercy to thy Soul hath he forborn thee and hath not cut thee off from off the face of the Earth but hath still spared thee and waited to be gracious though thy heart hath been wholy gone from him and never regarded to do that which is pleasing in his sight but instead of serving him thou hast served thy own lusts with his good Creatures to which thou hast had no right and he to thee hath been a merciful God but will not the Lord visit for these things yea he will not alwayes strive with man and though thou takes thy pleasure now remember thou must come to Judgment And lo saith the Lord I come quickly and my reward is with me to give unto every one according to his deeds And they that sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption And then thou shalt finde that power thou hast had and instead of using it to the Honour and Glory of God thou hast hid thy Talent in the Earth and lived wantonly upon the Earth serving thy own will dishonouring the Holy Lord of Glory and Righteousness and then in the day of thy Judgment thou shalt confess that the Lord hath visited thee time after time and called thee time after time handing forth his Mercy to thee when thou hearkned the Lord was with thee when thou walked in his fear he was not far from thee but thou hast hearkned to the voice of the Serpent and false Prophet which hath drawn thy heart from God into the visible things of the Creation which pass away and hath promised thee Liberty and Peace in the same and it being pleasing to thy lustfull earthly minde thou art become one with the Harlot which lyeth in thy Bosom and thus thou hast accepted the gift with which the Old Serpent tempted Christ and so art become a Servant of the Devill of whom thou art brought in bondage of him being evermore and while thou art promising to thy self Liberty thou thy self art a Servant unto corruption and thus thy Lusts have separated betwixt God and thy Soul and art become the Image of the Devil yielding thy Members servants to uncleanness and thus thou sets up a rest in the Devils Kingdom wherein thou sports thy self and art at liberty eating and drinking in merriness so if there were sorrow only in this World thou art of all men most happy then our Fathers that are fallen asleep in Christ are perished and we are of all men most miserable if there be joy only in this World but out of the Liberty of the Children of God thou art found and by them seen to be in the fall wallowing in the myre and lust and so art unredeemed living under the Curse for this is the redemption from death to life and thou livest after the flesh and are dead the carnall minde ruling which is death and is at enmity with God for it is not subject to the will of God and so long as this hath dominion over thee thou canst not obey God for he that lives in the flesh cannot please God but if through the Spirit thou mortifie the deeds of the flesh thou shalt live and here is the Liberty of the Children of God Who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit but their Liberty is not in the Flesh but in the Spirit for by the Law of the Spirit of the Life they are set free from the Law of Sin and Death and from Christ their Redeemer they have received Power to become the Sons of God and in the same have dominion over the World Flesh Self and the Devil Death and Hell and this comes through the Cross by which they are crucified to the World and the World to them and here is the Liberty of the Children of God who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit which Liberty no vulterous Eye can see nor venemous Beast shall know nor the rebellious disobedient One Therefore do not deceive thy self in saying thou art a Christian and believest in Christ and art a Child of God for They that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh and to whom thou yieldest thy Members Servants to obey his Servant thou art To the Light of God in thy Conscience I speak which if thou love it and unto it hearken
said He that respects Persons commits Sin for there is no Respect of Persons with God and therefore saith James Houle ye Rich men and here your professed Ministers abide not in the Doctrine of Christ and so have not God but the Devil and his Ministers they are whom they exalt And now you shall see the Partiality of the Names in this your Breeding and Manners First from a Poor man to a Rich man it is called Honour and due Respect and Manners from a Rich man to a Poor man it is called Courtesie and Humility but amongst the Rich and Nobles of the Earth it is called Court-like Breeding but of those of the lower degree it is call'd Country-Breeding and amongst the lower sort of the World it is called Neighbour-hood and civil Respect one to another and so the Devil hath covers for all his Deceit and so he is honoured and exalted both in Court and Country but the highest in the Court and therefore they have the highest Title But We unto them that hide their Sins and cover with a Covering and not of the Spirit of the Lord. But this is the Riches of the World and the Devil that makes so many Degrees as between Dives and Lazarus and Haman and Mordecai for the Lord hath made all the Nations of the Earth of one Mold and one Blood But we who are redeemed out of his Kingdom he calls us Clowns and Fools and saith our Religion is built upon such small and frivolous things and stumble at Strawes and leap over Blocks this saith his Wisdom but it is even Death to him to bear these Strawes especially where he is the highest exalted for it puls down all his Honour and therefore do Rich men and great ones of the Earth and Rulers and Priests and Pharisees persecute and oppress us and draw us before Judgment-Seats and would root us out of the Nation as Haman would have done by Mordecai and the rest of the scattered Jews because they cannot bear those Straws but I say whatsoever it is that comes to be forbidden in the Conscience it becomes a Weight and a Burden though it be never so small a thing in the eye of a Pharisee So let none despise the Day of small things But some will call it Stubbornness Obstinacy Pride and Presumption but the same Nature would have called it so in Mordecai who could not bow to Haman as the rest did that sate by and so let every one take heed of speaking Evil of that you know not least you call Good Evil and Evil Good for the Wo is pronounced against such but they that were after the Flesh alwayes in all Ages persecuted them that were after the Spirit And so it is not many Mighty nor many Noble nor many Wise after the Flesh are called but God hath chosen the Foolish things of this World to confound the Wise and the Weak to confound those that are Mighty that no Flesh should glory in his Presence 1 Cor. 1. 26 27 29. VVe are accused that we say We are perfect without Sin I answer Man was perfect without Sin before the Fall or else he could not have been the Image of God for God is pure and perfect and he made Man after his own Image pure and perfect without Sin but when he sinned he defaced his Image and lost his pure Estate and was drove out of Paradise and became the Image of the Devil for Sin is the Image of the Devil and here all Sin is in the Fall and who are in the Fall are in the Devil's Kingdom which is impure and imperfect and unclean but God promised the Seed of the VVoman shall bruise the Serpent's Head and Christ the Seed said he was come to preach Deliverance to the Captive and to heal the broken-hearted and to seek that which was lost and to bring again that which was driven away and this was his VVork to redeem to Man that which Man had lost Now consider what Man hath lost and I shall leave this as Querie with all both Priests and People who deny Perfection from Sin here Whether Christ is but a part of Redeemer or a perfect and full Redeemer and which is the Place betwixt Heaven and Earth where man shall be made free or cleansed from Sin if not upon the Earth Seeing that no unholy nor unclean thing can enter the Kingdom of God But who can witness this have passed through Death and that have none who plead for Sin neither can they witness Christ come But for some Simple ones sake I shall speak more clearly of this for it is a great Delusion of the Devil to keep People in Sin to tell them they shall never be made free from Sin so long as they are upon the Earth and bring this Scripture to maintain it He that saith he hath no Sin deceiveth himself and is a Lyar but he tells them Christ dyed for all and if they can but lay hold on him by Faith he will not impute their Sins unto them though they sin daily for the Righteous man sins seven times a Day and all the Holy men of God sinned and so he takes Scripture to maintain his Kingdom and this he delivers by the Mouth of his Ministers which he sends abroad to deceive the Nations leading People in Blindness full of Sin and Corruption ever learning and never come to the Knowledge of the Truth nor never shall do for them and here he carries them on an easie delightsom way to the Flesh but the End is Death and so heals them up in their Sins with a feigned formed Faith which perisheth and here they settle upon the Lees and set up a Rest in the Devil's Kingdom which is Sin and here many are meerly blinded and hardned and all Tenderness of Conscience is done away But you shall find that he that sooths you up in this Faith is the gratest Enemy of your Souls and whosoever witnesseth Christ their Redeemer shall witness that he is come to destroy the works of the Devil which is Sin and to redeem out of the Fall out of Sin and out of the Devil's Kingdom which is Sin and all Sin in the Devil's Kingdom which is in the Fall but for this End Christ is manifest to destroy the Works of the Devil and to redeem out of the Fall out of the Devil's Kingdom into his own Kingdom and no unclean thing can enter therein but none can witness this Redemption but through the Death and through the Cross which Paul rejoyced in by which he was crucified to the World and the World to him and had put off the Body of Sin and was made free from the Law of Sin which once warred against his Mind which once he complained of Which Scripture the Unlearned which are Strangers from his Conditions who read them with the carnal Eye now pervert and Wrest to their
own Destruction and this we witness who through the Lamb our Saviour do reign above the World Death Hell and the Devil but none can witness this whose Eye is outward looking at a Redeemer afar off and still live in Sin but who cannot witness this Redemption here must never witness it for as the Tree falls so it lyes and Sin is the Mark of the Beast and who lives in Sin hath the Mark of the Beast and bears his Image and it is written that the Beast and false Prophets and all that have his Mark and Image must be cast into the Lake that burneth and must drink of the Wine of the Wrath of the Almighty poured out without Mixture But as for that Scripture that saith If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us All have sinned and fallen from the Lord and he that hath Sin and saith he hath no Sin deceiveth himself and is a Lyar but if he confess and forsake his Sin God is faithful and just to forgive him his sin and to cleanse him from all Unrighteousness and this John witnessed and he that can witness this is no Lyar if he say he is cleansed from all Unrighteousness but witnesseth forth the Truth a perfect Redemption and the same John said He that is born of God sins not neither can he sin because his Seed remaineth in him and he that sins is of the Devil and never knew God By this are the Children of God and the Children of the Devil made manifest This John witnessed he was no Lyar neither did deceive himself but spoak the Truth And the same John said God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all If we say we have Fellowship with God and walk in Darkness we Lye and do not the Truth but if we walk in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Christ cleanseth us from all Sin This John witnessed he was no Lyar neither did deceive himself And this John said He that hath Hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure and Faith in God purifieth the Heart Now try your Faith and Hope who plead for Sin for Sin lodgeth in the Heart and while there is Sin the Heart is unclean now here you may see all your Faith is vain and your Hope which doth not purifie the Heart and so it is feigned Hypocrites Faith and not Faith in God and so perisheth And who can witness Christ dyed for them have passed through Death for none can live with him but those that dye with him and this is the true Baptism to be baptized into his Death by one Spirit into one Body and how can they that are dead to Sin live any longer therein and who can witness this hath Faith in him which purifieth the Heart and removes Mountains and the pure in Heart sees God And this the Apostle witnessed and that he was made free from Sin and more then Conqueror through Faith in Christ Jesus he was no Lyar and said that Christ was come to redeem unto himself a pure Church not having Spot or Wrinkle and though once they were Sinners like the World but they were washed and cleansed by the Blood of the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of our God and had put off the Old man and put on the New which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness but this you are Strangers from who plead for Sin and are such as call your selves a Church and are not but the Synagogue of Sathan in whom the Prince of Darkness reigns which ruleth in the Children of Disobedience And as for that which blind People call Scripture who sayes The Righteous Man that is sins seven times a Day There is no such Scripture for it is false But though the Righteous fall he riseth again by Repentance and this the holy men of God wituessed and though David through Lust disobeyed the Lord and forgot his God yet he rose again by Repentance and after witnessed that he walked in the midst of his House in the Pureness of his Spirit and though Peter sinned through Weakness yet he rose again by Repentance and afterward exhorted the Church to be holy as God is holy but this you cannot witness who plead for Sin and are not yet come to Repentance but deny Christ daily and are convinced but do not repent but they who dwell in the Righteousness of Christ sin not for they that are alive in Righteousness are dead to Sin and they that live in Sin are dead to Righteousness but how can they that are dead to Sin live any longer therein And this is the Devil which pleads for Sin the Enemy of the Soul for by Sin did he obtain his Kingdom and so his Kingdom stands in Sin and your Teachers which tell you you can never get out of Sin nor be cleansed from Sin here ERR not knowing the Scripture nor the Power of God but deny the End of Christ's coming and bring another Doctrine which they have from their Father the Devil and so are the Deceivers which Paul speaks of who creep into Steeple-Houses and lead silly People captive full of Sin and Corruption ever learning and never come to the Knowledg of the Truth and so are not to be received but held as accursed for they daub you up with untempered Mortar seeing Vanity and divining Lyes who say the Lord saith when he never spoak to them they have healed the Hurt of the People slightly and have sewed Pillows under their Armeholes crying Peace when there is no Peace because they put into their Mouths and they are not ashamed neither do they blush therefore they shall fall amongst them that fall in the Day that I visit them saith the Lord And these are your Teachers that make your Habitation in your Sin while you are upon the Earth and so your Leaders cause you to err but when the Day of Account comes wherein the Books must be opened and every one judged out of the Books according to their Works by him who sits upon the white Throne and all must be cast into the Lake that burneth but those whose Names are written in the Book of Life then you will find those the utter Enemies of your Souls who perswade your Hearts in Sins and he that hath no Sin will be in the best Condition and here all your feigned formed Faith is unbottomed and all your Priests found Lyars Deceivers and Antichrists in whom the false Prophet ruleth which deceives the Nations who must be cast also into the Lake that burneth and there tormented for ever and all that uphold him We are accused to deny Christ come in the Flesh. We witness the same Christ which ever was now manifested in the Flesh and is appear'd in the Likeness of sinful Flesh to
going about to prove me a Deceiver he would the more lay open his own Deceit and prove himself to be the Deceiver and the People did plainly see it so and witnessed with me against him for he did so utter forth his Folly and Deceit that he made himself odious to many that were there and at last he shuffled away under Pretence he had far to go but the Judgments of God he cannot escape for his Damnation slumbreth not who is an Opposer of the Truth of God Then there was one Philips an Old Man of the Baptized Party in another Room who in Scorn and Wrath stood up and said They knew the first Principle of Religion before I was born because one of my Queries to them was What is the first Principle of Religion So I replyed to the Old Man if they knew it they should have answer'd and then presently as he was running on in many Words he swore as he lived and breathed and Christ saith Swear not at all and here he was found not come to the first Principle of Religion but out of the Doctrine of Christ and so hath not God so I told him of his Swearing and he would have shuffled it off but he could not and I told him He that seems to be Religious and bridleth not his Tongue his Religion is vain and therfore he might own his Religion to be vain who could not bridle his Tongue and then in his Will he shuffled off and said He would not confess his Sin to me for I could not forgive Sin in Scorn he spoak then I said Wo unto him that hides his Sin and covers his Iniquity but he shuffled away in much Confusion of Face as they will all appear as by the Light they come to be searched and tryed their Coverings will be found too narrow and their Nakedness will appear to their great Shame and Confusion of Face and they will be made to bow to the Truth and lay down their Crowns at the Feet of Jesus for he is risen and reigns in his Saints to whom the Nations must bow and every Tongue confess to their Condemnation who do oppose him but here now by the single Eye you may see the Emptiness of these Forms and what a blind Hypocrisie this is of them to wash the Outside but leave the Inside full of Uncleanness and so the Inside defiles the Outside A Copy of the Queries which were sent to the Baptized People in Fenstanton with some more added for them or any whom they do concern toanswer Several Queries to you who are call'd Baptists by your Teachers to be answered Query I. WHat is the first Principle of Religion and whether to it you be come yea or nay 2 What is the Bridle of the Tongue and whether to it you be come yea or nay 3. What is the Church in God and whether to it you become yea or nay 4. What is the Order in the Church and whether to it you be come yea or nay 5. What is the Baptism into the Church and whether to it you be come yea or nay 6. Whether you will own the Baptism of the Spirit or the Baptism of Water and which you will deny seeing the Scripture saith The Baptism is but One Ephes. 4. 5. 7. And where Christ ever commanded Water-Baptism 8. Why did the Apostles baptize with Water and why do you baptize with Water and where and when and by what were you commanded and where was any of the twelve Apostles baptized with Water 9. And whether you do it because the Apostles did it yea or nay 10. What is the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and whether to it you are come yea or nay 11. Whether your Faith purifies your Hearts yea or nay 12. And whether you commit Sin yea or nay 13. How would you know there is a Christ but by the Scripture and how do you witness the Scripture is Truth 14. And what is the Ground of your Faith 15. What is the Redemption and whether to it you are come yea or nay 16. What is the Communion of the Saints and wherein it stands and whether to it you be come yea or nay 17. And whether you that break Bread do discern the Lord's Body yea or nay 18. What was their Rule and Guide that spoak forth the Scripture 19. Whether you have the same insallible Spirit that gave forth the Scripture 20. Whether is the Scripture your Rule and Guide or the Spirit that gave it forth 21. Whether they that are guided by the Spirit that gave it forth live not in the Life thereof yea or nay 22. Whether the Life of the Scriptures be perfect yea or nay 23. And whether you are or think to be made perfect while you are upon the Earth yea or nay Or where do you think to be made perfect if not upon the Earth 24. And what is the Life and Power of Godliness and whether in it you dwell who have a Form yea or nay 25. Whether you are washed and cleansed by the Blood of the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of our God as the true Church was yea or nay 26. Whether you have put off the Old Man and put on the New as the true Church did yea or nay and what is the New Man 27. And whether you have put off the Image of the Earthly and put on the Image of the Heavenly and how are they known the one from the other 28. Whether you are not conformed like unto the World so long as you follow their Customs and Fashions 29. Whether you are come that you need no Man to teach you as the true Church was yea or nay 30. What is the Cross whereby Paul was crucified and whether to it you be come yea or nay 31. What is the Watcher that strikes at the Feet of the Image and whether to it you be come yea or nay 32. What is the Word and what is the Death that hath passed over all Men even over those who had not sinned after the Similitude of Adam's Transgression and whether this Death you ever passed 33. Whether you have passed from Death to Life yea or nay 34. Where and when and how received you the Command and Power to deliver any Saul up to Satan and where is that Satan you deliver it up to 35. What is the Tree of Life and what is the Tree of Knowledge and whether upon it you do not feed and what is the flaming Sword that is set to keep from the Tree of Life and whether it ye ever passed yea or way 36. What is the Beast that all the World wonders after and worships and what is the Worship of the Beast and whether any worships the only true God but the true Church and what is the Worship in this Church 37. What are you Ministers of and what do you minister unto and what is the End of your Ministry 38. And by what do you try the Spirits
Church of Christ was met together and there it was agreed upon by the Elders That Samuel Cater and Ezekiel Cater who were formerly Elders of the Church of Christ in this Town namely Littleport and being they have departed from the sweet Fellowship of the Church of Christ c. and after so many Admonitions would not be reconciled should be delivered unto Satan I was there appointed to be the Messenger And so he ran on with his Excommunication according to their Form with their stoln Words Reply Now for the Truth 's sake for which thou John Ray hast cast us out of your Society we shall hereby clear our selves from what is or may be cast upon us in this Matter by thee John Ray and the rest of thy Society whom we know to be most bitter Slanderers of the Truth This we deny that ever we were Elders in the Church of Christ you made us Elders in your Church who call your selves Jews and are not but the Synagogue of Satan out of which you have cast us but not before we forsaked you We by the Light of Jesus Christ through the Love of God seeing both you we setting ourselves of Acting Imitating the Apostles in our Wills with a blind Zeal for Life but Strangers to the Life and Power neither could witness the same Infallible Spirit as they had as you know we all confessed and therefore we had nothing but what we got into our Brains of their Words and so got a Notion with adding to our own Imaginations of them and wresting the same with our Fallible Spirits for we durst not say It was Infallible as you also confessed your selves then it must needs be fallible for there are but two kinds of Spirits and if not the Infallible then the Fallible and though we did the very same things and spoak the same words and not from the same Spirit it was all false and as nothing as they that swore God lived swore falsly for They that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his and his Spirit is Infallible in the least measure And thus you are shut out in all that you can do of your selves with your formed Ordinances And this we know We were also Strangers to the Cross of Christ and the Light and Life and Power of Christ which the Apostles lived in and also the One Baptism of Christ without which none can be his Disciple so we were only Jews outwardly washing the Out-side but within as foul as ever as you also are yet we say not but we had a Zeal in the same though not according to Knowledge But now the True Light is sprung in through the Mighty Love of God towards us so that we see the Weakness of our own Actings and Formings in our own Wills for Liâ—e and now are made willing through the Power of God to lay down our Crowns at the Feet of Jesus and to wait in what he hath given us of his Light and we have tasted of his powerful Word through his gracious Love towards us and now we have a Witness within our selves whenas before we knew it not but murdered it as you also do and for this you have cast us out of your Society but not for Fornication as he was in that place of Scripture which you imitate nor for making Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience for we witness an Increase of both but the Discerning and Power is wanting in you and so you know not what you do but know this We are not falleâ— to a looser Life but to a more stricter severe Life for to serve the Lord Jesus Christ But remember this That if they that believed your Form to be the Truth could but patter over a few words of Faith and call it Theirs and then according to your Form they were put into the Water and taken out again and then received into your Church and Communion though no change of Life or Nature and this must needs be the Synagogue of Satan And this I Samuel Cater can witness for so I have Baptized and ye allowed of it but now my Eye is opened I do see it and do testifie against it That all I did so by I deceived them though then I confess it was Ignorance and so was yours but now you might see if you would therefore it shall no more be called Ignorance but Wilful Blindness But I know you will alledge You teach Godliness and Holiness But I answer You run and the Lord never senâ— you as we also did therefore you profit not the People at all and if you had not the Words of Godliness and the Form then the Ministers of Antichrist would not be like the Ministers of Christ but you are But I say Your Lives come short of what you profess for in them there is no Change but they that are Earthly-Minded and Covetous are so still and your Lives are in Pride Ambition and Arrogancy puffed up with your Vain Knowledge and with Respect of Persons and so are out of the Faith of Christ and in Wrath and Anger and Envy and Bitterness and in Lying and Slandering and Backbiting and Lust and Fleshliness we formerly being in the same Society do witness it now our Eyes are open out of which Society you have cast us and praised be the Lord that we have escaped the Snares of Darkness by the bright Shining of his Light into our dark Hearts to the which Light do we speak in you all by it to read your selves and judge your selves for by it are you seen and judged to be in Darkness and in Confusion out of the Faith and Society of the Saints but these things do we not speak out of Envy or Revenge but for the clearing of the Truth and our Consciences from your Slanderous Tongues and to lay open your Deceit and Way of Delusion to the Simple that they may escape the Delusion which we were ensnared in and that so you may proceed no further with it that your Folly might be manifest unto all as theirs was who withstood Moses Ezekiel Cater Samuel Cater A Copy of the most of the Queries aforesaid were given to this Ray but no Answer did he return A Word to all who are still in your own Forming Self-Actings and Imitatings YOU are acting in that Nature which is at Enmity with God which is not subject to the Law of God neither can be So all your Formings and Actings are in vain for they are not from Life but from Death for Life but Life comes from Death for in the Destruction of Death Life is obtained Therefore to the Light of the Lord Jesus in all your Consciences take heed which is the Witness for God to which I speak in you all which witnesseth for God against the Secrets of your Hearts which reproves you in secret for your secret Actions and Deeds of Darkness and it will search you through and let you see what
do you own immediate Revelation now yea or nay 10. What is a Minister of Christ and what is a Minister of Anti-christ and do you distinguish the one from the other 11. What Scripture have you to give unto the World David's Condition to be sung in a Meeter 12. What Rule have you in the Scripture to abide in a certain Place and to agree with the People foâ— so much a Year â—or preaching as forty sixty or an hundred or two hundred Pound as you can get it 13. How and by what are you gathered and united who call your selves a Church 14. And what is the Church in God and whether to it you be come yea or nay 15. What is the Baptism into the Church and whether to it you be come yea or nay 16. And what Scripture have you to sprinkle Children with Water and to what End do you do it 17. Whether you be of one Heart and Mind as the true Church was yea or nay 18. Whether you have passed from Death to Life yea or nay 19. What is the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and whether to it you be come yea or nay 20. Whether he that believes is not born of God and whether he that is born of God doth not commit Sin yea or nay 21. Why do not you maintain your Teacher but let him rob the VVorld instead of robbing other Churches and so is chargeable unto the VVorld 22. VVhether do you own and hold up the first Priesthood that took Tythes or second Priesthood that took no Tythes and which do you deny seeing you pay Tythes and you Teachers take Tythes yea or nay 25. Why do you own and hold up such that are â—alled of Men Master and have the chiefest Place in the Assembly and stand praying in the Synagogue and love Greetings in the Markets which Christ himself cryed Wo against 24. How is Christ the Light of the World and how doth he enlighten every one that cometh into the World if it be not in the Conscience and whether that Light which comes from him be Natural yea or nay 25. How is the Light the Condemnation of the World if it be not in the Conscience 26. Aâ—d how is it said That he that doth Evil hateth the Light and will not bring his Deeds to the Light lest the Light should reprove him if it be not in the Conscience and whether that be a Natural Light which reproves for Sin Yea or Nay 27. How did Paul turn Peoples Minds from Darkness to Light if it be not in the Conscience and whether that Light was Natural which Paul was sent to turn the Minds of the Gentiles unto 28. Whether that Light which shines in Darkness be not one the same with that which shines out of Darkness Yea or Nay 29. And whether the Light of the World be not a saving Light in the least Measure Yea or Nay and how can that be said to be Natural 30. Whether the Light which John came to bear Witness of was Natural or Spiritual 31. How hath the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation appeared to all Men if it be not in the Conscience and whether it be Natural 32. How doth it stand with the Impartial God to give to one Man a Measure of Grace and not to another and yet requiâ—e Obedience from all 33. Whether the sloathful Servant hath not a Talent as well as the faithful though he hides it in the Earth and what is that Talent 34. What is the Account that God will require of every one in the Day of Judgment and how can he call all justly to an Account and reward them according to their Deeds if he hath not given to every one a Talent 35. What is that which leads to Repentance and whether that which leads to Repentance be not in the Conscience and whether it be Natural Yea or Nay 36. And where do you read in the Scripture of a Natural Light to be in the Conscience 37. What is the Redemption and what is the End of Christ's Coming 38. Whether the Redemption by Christ be not as full in every Respect as the Fall by Adam and what is the Fall by Adam 39. And whether you do not go about to make the Commands of Christ unjust who saith Be you perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect and you say It cannot be while you are upon the Earth then how is it your Rule 40. Will you own a Purgatory or where is the Place betwixt Heaven and Earth where Man shall be cleansed if not upon the Earth seeing no unclean Thing can inherit the Kingdom of God 41. Whether do they deny Christ come in the Flesh that witness forth Perfection from Sin here or they that tell People They can never be perfect or be wholely set free from Sin so long as they are upon the Earth and whether such be not the Ministers of Anti-christ Yea or Nay 42. Where had you this Doctrine to tell People The Light in the Conscience is Natural and that Christ hath not enlightened every one that cometh into the World 43. And whether in this you do not bring another Doctrine in Opposition to the Doctrine of Christ who saith He is the Light of the World and doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World 44. And where had you this Doctrine to tell People They could never be wholly cleansed or be set free from Sin so long as they are upon he Earth 45. And whether this be not in Opposition to the Doctrine of Christ who saith Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect 46. VVhether God justifies any in their Sin and whether Sanctification goes not before Justification Yea or Nay 47. VVhether you do not seek Justification by VVorks who put one another upon Prayer and Duties Observations Ordinances and Commands without the Light in Imitation of the Letter and whether these be not your own Works which are done out of the Light Yea or Nay 48. What is your own Righteousness and what is the Righteousness of Christ and how do you distinguish betwixt the one and the other 49. And whether he that is justified by the Righteousness of Christ doth not dwell in it and it in him and whether he that dwells in the Righteousness of Christ doth sin Yea or Nay 50. Whether any can walk according to the Scripture but by the Light of Christ and whether any that are guided by the Light of Christ do or can act contrary to the Scripture and whether this Light be not a sufficient Guide if it be owned and followed 51. How is the Scripture left unto the World for a Rule who know not the Light seeing to them it is a Parable and as a Book Sealed 52. And what is the Word and whether there be any other VVord of God then one 53. VVhat is the Death that hath passed over all Men forasmuch as all Men have sinned and whether this Death you ever passed
And all you that still pay the Priests Tythes and Offerings and are convinced of the Deceit of the Priests you do deny Jesus Christ the Son of God come in the Flesh who is the Everlasting High Priest the End of Tythes and Offerings according to the Law and do uphold Babel and the Merchants of Babylon and are throwing down with the one Hand and building up with another who cry against the Priests in words as to be proud and covetous and yet put into their Mouthes for a Peace sake with them and so while you put into their Mouthes you Uphold them for their Maintenance Upholds their Ministry And here you flee the Cross and are Men pleasers because you would not suffer for the Truth you profess and therefore are denyed by them that dwell in the Truth But you that for Conscience cannot pay the Priests Tythes keep to that of God which convinces you in your Consciences and it will carry you out to suffer for Conscience sake and so you will have your Peace with God in your Consciences though by Men persecuted Or if you be called to Answer at their high Courts or Benches keeping to the Principle of God in your Consciences you may appear before their Highest Judges and cast Slavish Fear aside and stand in the Fear and Counsel of God and to their Faces Answer for the Truth in Boldness against their Deceit and let the Truth confound them And give up your Bodies freely to suffer for the Truth of Jesus that the Heathen may know That the Truth is in You. And deny all those that receive Fees or Gifts in their Heads and keep to the Counsellor within If any Man wants Wisdom let him ask it of God where you need not go out to Man And all you that give Money to Repair the Idols Temples and are convinced in your Consciences of the Idolatrous Worship that is therein upheld you are guilty with the Idolatrous Worshippers who do uphold their Idolatrous Places and so uphold their Idolatrous Worship and here you cannot wash your Hands of their Idolatry but are defiled with them so long as you Uphold their Idolatrous Places Therefore to the Light bring all your Deeds that by it all such Actions and Practices may be condemned and you separated from the Idolatrous Generation and keep clean from its Polutions and suffer willingly the Spoiling of your Goods for the Name of Jesus And if you be called before Magistrates to take an Oath keep to that which condemns all Oaths which saith Swear not at all but testifie the Truth from your Consciences in the face of all men and so you abide in the Doctrine of Christ and out of the Condemnation for They that Swear fall into Condemnation saith the Apostle James Chap. 5. 11. And though in the Time of the Law and the Prophets on Oath for Confirmation among men then was the End of all Strife but Christ Jesus the Oath of God the Fulfilling and End of the Law and the Prophets saith Swear not at all but let your Yea be Yea and Nay Nay for what is more is Evil And such as stumbles at this Language accounts the Cross Foolishness and is for Death by the Cross And if you be crucified with Christ you shall reign with him And so to the Light in you all I leave you by it to be directed how to walk up to the Mind of God and own the Truth before all men every one of you faithful in your Measures there to grow out of the World and the Deceit of the World to be kept clean from the World in the Fear of the Lord using the World as if you used it not and then are you my Friends and of my Kindred And this I was moved to give forth for the Directing of your Minds lest any of you should be choaked with the World's Spirit which I see working amongst you which would keep Peace and Friendship with the World that by the Light of Christ Jesus where with you are all enlightened you may search out this Worldly Spirit which is in you working against the Light that by the Light it may be rooted out for of a Truth you cannot serve them both but while you are seeking to please the one you displease the other Therefore keep to that which separates from the World for if God be on your side who can be against you In which Confidence I rest in Unity with the Faithful in whom is my Joy and Comfort in the midst of Bonds Written from Colchester Castle in the 9th Moneth 1655. JAMES PARNEL AN EPISTLE TO FRIENDS ALL ye Friends of the Light though we who are your Ministers and Messengers oâ— Light are in Prisons Holes and Dungeons cast and kept by the devilish corrupted will of man suffered by God the Father of Light for the Fulfilling of the Scriptures upon that Gâ—neration which was prophesied of by the Ministers and Messengers or Light in the dayes of old who suffered in the like nature by the same Generation for the same Testimony and though yet the Lord suffers the same Generation to act in their Nature against us and fill up their Measure of Wrath it is for the Manifestation of his Truth and Exalting of his Name of Power and through all this are we known and made manifest unto You who be in the Light and the Heathen do come to know and confess That he is Greater that is with us then all they that rise up against us and in all this do we Rejoyce and through our Sufferings are Crowned and do get Victory over the world without as within And though we are here kept the Lord's appointed Time yet Friends eye the Lord in all these things and look not out at Man or what Man can do either for or against but eye God in all his Works and in all his Instruments and there will be no Cause of Discouragement for the discouragements and fears doubts and questioning spring from the Carnal aâ—d know not the Eternal But an Eternal Witness we have in all your Consciences which by the Word of Power is awakened in you by which we are known by which we are owned by which we are witnessed and received into your Hearts wherein our Unity stands with you who are faithful unto it by which we are remembred unto you though far Absent in Body And this Witness we have in the World though they do not receive it nor like to retain it in their minds therefore they do not receive us but as the witness lies slain in them therefore do they strive to slay us and this is their Condemnation which will witness unto God against them out of their own Mouthes And thus we are a sweet Savour unto God both in you that Believe and in them that Perish Therefore you that do believe unto this Witness â—ake heed and mind its Answer in Your Câ—nsciences that it may Your Consciences exercise in Unity unto