of themselves without God the Creator and then the Power and Life cast them out of all Peace Joy and Happiness into the Earth and into Death and Death became the King and Prince over Mankind and they had no more possession of Life nor Blessedness by it in their separated Estate neither did it any longer raign in them but they having transgressed against the Life and acted of themselves and spoken of themselves without the Leadings and Movings of the Life this was their Transgression They went out of the Power and Life in all Motions and Actions and then Life drove them forth of its good Pleasure into the Earth separate from its Vertues and Peace and into Death which is contrary to it self to live in Anguish and Sorrow And so when the Devil was gone out of the Truth and had led Mankind out of the Truth and out of Life and thereby they were all separated from Life and drove out from God out of his Pleasure into his Wrath Then became Death to have a Beeing in Mankind and great Authority and not before and then Death began his Kingdom in the World and over it and he set up his Rule and Government in and among and over all the Children of Men. And so from Transgression came Death that was its Beginning Man having Transgressed against the Life that brought him forth and being separated from Life then Death took place and its kingdom was established over the World and in all the Children of Men in opposition to Life and its Government and Kingdom and Death reigns from Adam so saith the Scripture and the Life was transgressed against and so provoked into an absence and to withdraw it self into invisibility from the enjoyment of Mankind that it should not be felt nor perceived of Him to comfort him and then the whole body of Death came upon Man to load his Conscience and vex his Soul and Death and only Death hath a preheminence over all in Transgression and is established into a Kingdom over sinful Subjects who are under its Command and hath its Rule and Goverment and brings forth its Works and Fruits in Mankind contrary to Life and in opposition to it and to its Kingdom and Power and opposeth the Kingdom and Power of Life the Creature and in its Nature and all its Fruits and Works it is contrary and opposite to Life and its Works and Fruits and through Death is the whole Creation in its exercise by man perverted from the right use and end ordained of God and out of Death proceedeth all evil as Lying Swearing Drunkenness and Whoredom Pride Strife and every evil work and word These things are the Fruits and Works of Death and Death governs the Children of men in the practice of all these things and in transgression Death lives and acts and speaks through Men and Women and Death rules in them and hath perverted them in all their wayes for they have given their Power to it and it wholly Captivates them and is established over them and hath the dominion in them and Life is swallowed up of it And this Kingdom of Death opposeth God and the Kingdom of Life and exalts it self against Life and hath its operation in the Creature in all manner of unrighteousness bringing forth daily such words works fruits and effects as doth oppress and is a burden unto the Life and unto the God of Life and Death and its Kingdom doth continually war and strive against Life and its Kingdom and the one opposeth the other through all Generation since the beginning for the Devil is the King of Death and hath the Power of iâ— and he is King in its Goverment and Ruler in its Dominion and this is the state of all the Children of men in Transgression Death rules and the Kingdom of Death reigns in them and it brings forth cursed fruits through them and they are subjects thereof and in obedience thereunto in all things And through Death which hath Power over them are they separated from Life and have no part nor portion therein because of Death that hath separated them and vailed and clouded them and loads their Consciences But now the Promise of the God of Life is to restore Mankind out of Death and Darkness and that Life shall reign again and subdue Death and destroy it and its Kingdom and swallow it up and this is the Promise of the Father For in Transgression Death hath subdued Life and overcome it in Mankind But in the Restoration Life shall swallow up Death and subdue it and overcome it and this comes to pass through the rising again of Life from under Death which hath held it in bondage and Life that made the World in the beginning and gave to all things Life and substance as I have said which Life in its measure in Mankind hath been overcome and swallowed up in Transgression That Life shall appear though in another manner of appearance than it did in the beginning for then it appeared freely of it self without opposition and brought forth the first Creation But now it doth appear through great opposition and through all that doth oppose it in this second Creation when Life comes again to reign over Death and swallow up and overcome and subdue it and who comes to witness this the new Creation they know Life appearing through opposition and through the destroying of Death and all its works and fruits for CHRIST is the Life and he is the Seed of the Wâ—… which bruiseth the Serpents head who hath the Power of Death Life bruiseth his Head breaketh his Government and destroyes his Works as it appeareth and riseth in the Creature and Death and its Works opposeth Life and its manifestation and appearance and gainsayes it and often quencheth it iâ— its appâ—… Now the first Appearance of Life in the Creature it convinceth and reproveth the works of Death and the words that proceed from Death which are unrighteous words and unrighteous works and Life when it rises it reproves them and condemns them and though Death doth oppose and gainsay the Operation of Life yet Life works through and overcometh subdueth and swalloweth up Death and destroys all its works in the second Creation and Life again comes to take possession of the Creature which it made in the beginning and Life comes to reign again whose Right it is to raign for by it the Creature Mankind and all Creatures were in the beginning formed and brought forth and therefore it is its Right to reign and to have the dominion over the works of its own hands whom since the beginning in Transgression the Devil and Death and his seat of Government has had the possession of and CHRIST the Power of God and the Life hath been as it were dispossessed and thus the first Creation hath been defaced and lost its Glory and it hath been corrupted and degenerated quite from the perfect state as it was created in and Mankind hath
The Seed of the Woman is but one in all generations and the Seed of the Serpent is but one which ever was is ruling and reigning in the Children of Disobedience who are disobedient to the Light of God within them and betwixt these two Seeds is Enmity the one against the other each Seed is known by its fruit the old bottle pours out old Wine the new bottle new Wine therefore all people sink down to within and call in all your wandring thoughts imaginations and affections and desires and see which seed is head in you and see what your desires and affections goes out after for where your hearts are there is your treasure see what you do possess of God in your Souls and what you are made witnesses of for he that believeth hath the witness in himself and Faith is the Victory over the world he that can receive it let him Dear people I have freely Declared to you the Truth and from the love of God shed abroad in my heart to your Souls and for the Seed sake in you which lieth in death captivated under your Wisdom and Reason have I spoken the Word of the Lord which if you own it and abide in it shall be the savor of Life and in eternal joy shall you witness me to be true in what I have Declared but if you harden your hearts and kick against the Truth and against what I have Declared shall be the savor of death unto Death and in eternal torment and misery shall ye witness me in what I say for to that which should exercise the Conscience do I speak in every one of you and to that in you have I cleared my Conscience and have freed my Spirit this is the day of your Visitation the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Remember that you have been shewed the Deceits which you live in and have been warned of the misery and desolation that shall come upon you except you lay these things to heart and turn to the Lord. Farewel By him who is dispised and had in derision among you who is not greater then his Lord and therefore is contented to be called a Blasphemer and a Seducer as he whom I serve was by them of your Generation E. B. TO all you my Country people of every degree who are Inhabitants in Underbarrow have I cleared my Conscience and have freely Declared to you the Word of the Lord and have laid open the Deceits of your Deceitful Ministry and Ministry and have directed you to that in every one of you which leads unto God and which is the way to the Father which is the true Light which hath enlightned every one that comes into the World which light all who loves and follows walk not in darkness but walks up to God out of the Fall from under the Curse into the Being but all who hates this Light and follows the imagination of their own brains and of the divination of their Hirelings and Pharisees this Light shall be their condemnation because they walk not in it even this Light which is come into the World in every man even the witness in the Conscience which is placed by God shall for ever witness against you and against all your false worships and Hirelings and shall bear testimony to what I have in this little Volume declared to be true when the Book of Conscience shall be laid open for to every mans Conscience am I made manifest in what I have to you declared as concerning your Hireling whom God hath never sent but is in the way of the false Prophets and Pharisees for he that abides not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God 2 Iohn 1. 9. but is an Antichrist and of the Devil And as concerning the Light within you that Light will bear witness to it self that every one of you to whom I speak hath this Light which shews you sin your lying swearing pride and wicked wayes covetousness and wantonness to be sin this is the true Light which is as ever was foolishness and a stumbling block to the wise ones This is the Light which your Pharisee denies to have lightned every one and this Light shall for ever witness me to be true and shall witness this poor people among you who are despised and contemned by you and scornfully called Quakers to be the servants of God whom I do own as my Brethren in the sufferings of Jesus who are my joy in the Lord. Now all people every where to you all a word from the Lord though I have spoken in this small Volume as moved by the Lord of Heaven and Earth to the Inhabitants of Underbarrow as declaring against their false Teacher and false Worships which they uphold now freely and plainly do I declare against all thy Teachers O England who are one in the same generation with him in the Seat of Christ and of his Apostles professing themselves to be sent of God but walking contrary to his commands in the same footsteps which the Scribes and Pharisees walked in which were persecutors of the Son of God and which he cried wo against they who said and did not as all these thy Teachers do who are called of men Masters as they were and have the chiefest places in the Assemblies as they had and prayed standing as these thy professed Ministers do Now the same Light which ever was which is Jesus Christ is now born and made manifest which is witnessed among the Saints in which Light I see all thy Teachers O England to be drunk with the Wine of her that hath deceived the Nations who sits upon a scarlet coloured Beast and is arrayed in purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious stones and hath the golden cup in her hand full of abominations whose name is written in her forehead Mystery Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots and abomination of the Earth And in this Light to I declare against them all which are in the generation of the false Prophets of Israel which seeks for their gain from their Quarter and which steals the word from their neighbor and have taken the words of the Prophets of Christ and of his Apostles and selleth the divination of their own brain upon the Scriptures which the holy men speak forth freely to the poor blind people and teacheth for the Fleece and if ye stop not into their mouths they prepare War against you and which are called of men Master which Christ forbids Against all these freely as from the Lord I do Declare to be no Ministers of Jesus Christ but are Seducers and blind Guides and are Antichrists and leads the poor blind people in the wayes of death and destruction for they are no Ministers of Christ that abides not in the Doctrine of Christ these have run but have not been sent by God and therefore is not your Souls profited by them but are in the dark heathenish nature as by
promise but condemnation in the Scripture in such as thee and read it The Lyar and false Accusar and the Envious shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and there own thy promise and thy portion 2. Particular which thou callst a mistake that is speaking to a thing within thee I would fain sayst thou know what can be meant of the thing within men for there is nothing to be spoken to in man but man Answer Here thy ignorance shame and envy is made manifest that thou that hath pretended to be a Minister and a Pastor of a Church and cannot tell what thou hast spoke to what hast thou ministered to the Wind or hast thou ministered to the Devil and preached glad tidings to him who is in the transgression and free grace to him that hath walked contrary to God it is so and therefore thou and all who are in that nature knows not what you speak and therefore none hath been at all profitted by your Ministery and blessed be the Lord that its hid from the eyes of the Wise and revealed to Babes and thy envious spirit is seen that it is of thy father the Devil who is the Accuser of the Brethren that would lay a thing down as an error and tells of dashing in peices our Principles and yet knowst not what they are nor what we speak dost thou accuse and knowst not for what let shame cover thy face that ever thou shouldst put pen to paper or speak of God or Christ and speakest thou knowst not what and then thou hast hatched a thing and concludes there is nothing in man to be spoken to but man and before thou knewst not and so art in confusion for Christ and his Apostles always spoke to man thou sayst the Apostle saith he went and ministered to the Spirits in prison and to open the bind eye and to raise the dead and the dead should hear the voice of the Son of God and live and he preached liberty to the captive and is given for a Covenant to open the blind eyes and unstop the deaf ears and make the Lame to walk if thou hast an ear thou mayst hear but not to feed thy Serpents wisdom do I speak I will shut thee out for into it thou canst not enter but through death and death wrote the book and the Apostles were made manifest to every mans Conscience in the sight of God and the slothfull servant had a talent given to improve which was anothers and not his own and that was required of him and that will God require of man and unto that we speak which hears us and shall witness us eternally even that which is not in the transgression neither is of man but is given to man to improve and yet is not far from man but this is a mystery and it shall be sealed for without a parable spoke he not to such as thou art and I know this is a parable but in the end thou sayst thou knowst not how they can speak to any light in man distinct from him unless they speak unto Satan or some of his Legions here again thy shame and ignorance is made manifest we speak to the ear and the eye in man which the god of the World hath blinded and this is not of man and yet is not far from man but distinct that is thy own word I do not own it bring forth the Blind that hath eyes and the Deaf that hath ears did the Prophets speak to the Devil in man we speak to the witness of God in man and according to this shall all be judged if thou hast an ear thou mayst hear oh thou Blasphemer dost thou call that which may be known of God which is manifest in Romans 1. 19 20. dost thou call this a Legion of Devils even that which declares the eternal Power and Godhead but thou art he that calls the Master of the house Belzebub and in that nature thou art and the Lord will rebuke thee 3. Principle That thou calls a mistake that is The denying the use of Reason in the matters of God calling it Serpentine Answ. The World by wisdom knows not God and all the disputing and twining and lavishing of the wisdom of man and that which thou callst reason it is corrupted and is shut out and who lives in that nature are the unreasonable men that hath not faith now he that hath not faith hath not reason and he that hath faith hath the Witness in himself but I see thee thy witness is without thee and so thou speaks unreasonably and all that would understand the mysteries of the Kingdom must come through death for Light shines in Darkness but Darkness cannot comprehend it and therefore one cryes lo here and another lo there and with that which thou callst reason is Scripture torn asunder and it begets strife contention endless disputes and striving for Mastery which is carnal and all this we deny And thou sayst upon this ground they will not do as the Apostles and Christ himself who disputed with the gainsayers Ioh. 6. and Stephen Acts 6. and thou bringst in some of the Synagogue of Libertines and Syrenians and Alexandrians and the rest that disputed with Stephen and they were not able to resist him let many hundreds of this City of London both in publike and in private bear witness against thee if we have not disputed and have not been ready to give an answer to the gainsayers though not such a one as they desired even as Christ our Master did not answer the Iews in their subtil tempting of him and of those Sects that encountred both Stephen and Paul truly I must needs say unto thee we have met with the same Generation in this City whereof thou are one and truly more subtil then they were but in the eternal Light you are all seen and many though they could not gainsay yet have resisted us and after a little thou pleads not for carnal reason for this will not suffer any to follow Christ further then they can carry their own things their honours pleasures ease and lusts to that in thy Conscience I speak whether this doth not rule thee and guide thee it will let thee see thou art pleading for honour and respecting mens persons and hath them in admiration because of advantage and brings the example of others to prove and uphold thy deceit which they were neither commanded nor commended for to oppose the commands of Christ and the express Scripture and thou goes on further and sayst God is the Author of memory and wisdom and reason but I tell thee there is a wisdom and a reason that God will confound for by faith we know the heavens were made and see them upholden and by faith all things is brought to our remembrance and it is the Light that convinceth of sin even the Light of Christ and so in the eternal Light I see what thou pleadst for for eating of the tree
of knowledge and there thou art till thou art become a Fool and dead to that reason thou shalt never eat of the tree of Life and therefore Flesh be silent and thou sayst thou dost not allow that reason that gets only a conclusion or an argument instead of Christ and after thou sayst the day is yet to dawn and the day Star to arise and thou cryes violently for it and here what hast thou more for an assurance of thy salvation then an argument and a conclusion instead of Christ for thou confesses the day is not dawned and then thou are yet in the night and in darkness for the day dawns and the day star arises before Christ be witnessed but thou knows no such thing as either Christ or the dawning if thou had not others testimony and that is without and thou art one Christ spoke of Since Iohn the Kingdom suffers violence and many thrust into it and thou art striving and are violent but I say thou shalt not be able till thou layst down thy contending in thy carnal wisdom and striving and resisting but thou must become a Fool and sit at Jesus feet but thou art full and rich and whole and need no Physitian and therefore thou must be sent empty away and when the Book of Conscience shall be opened thou shalt be judged for what thou hast done against the Innocent Now something in Answer to the Fourth Particular which thou sayest is a Tenent held forth by the Northern people which is A denying of the Ascension and Beeing of the Body of Christ. Answ. O thou Enemy of Righteousness when wilt thou cease to pervert the right Way of God who uttereth thy Lyes and Slanders against the Innocent God shall judge thee and between thee us whether thou hast not uttered Lyes and false Accusations in the Name of the Lord and put forth in Writing unto the World for truth that which is absolutely contrary unto the Truth God will reward thee thou full of subtilty according to thy deeds who takes part with the Dragon against the Lamb goes about by thy lying Slanders to render the Way of Truth which thou canst not comprehend in thy serpents wisdom odious unto all men but God taketh our part against thee and will dash thy Lyes and Slanders and thy Impudent Forehead in pieces even by that Power which makes the Earth to quake tremble which is become a reproach unto this Generation many who have heard us since we came to this City though our Enemies shall witness against thee and for us in this particular for we have oft witnessed forth and I do here again witness forth in the sight of God and men that Christ Jesus is risen and ascended far above all Principalities and Powers and the same which descended into the lower parts of the Earth is also ascended and raigns over all subjecting all unto himself that he may be Lord over all and in all and may be glorified by all and Members of his Body we are who thou enviously raylst against and Witnesses of the Body we are whereof Christ Jesus is Head and because of the Resurrection of the dead Body which is ascended we are called in question and all Sects Opinions are troubled and on an uproar concerning us and I tell thee plainly we are so far from denying the Ascension and Beeing of the Body of Christ that because of being called to witness it as being Members of it we are persecuted and reviled by such as thy self whose carnal conceptions and imaginations of Truth we do deny and do testifie unto you all that through death is the Resurrection and Ascension witnessed and every one that reads the Scripture is not witnesses of the resurrection of the body of Christ and all whose witness is onely without them other mens words which had the Witness within them we deny to be true Witnesses but are found false Witnesses of the Resurrection and of the Ascension and knows not Christ nor his body but by hearsay and whereas thou bringst many Scriptures to prove his Resurrection and Ascension I answer the Scriptures we own to be a true Declaration of the Witness which was in the Apostles of the Resurrection and of the Ascension of Christ but thee we deny who are found a Lyar and a Slanderer and thy resurrection will be unto condemnation and thy ascension will prove a descending into the Bottomless-pit for ever to be tormented except thou repent and from the Life of the holy men of God thou are razed out who art found in the way of ungodliness and thou hast nothing to do to profess their words who art out of their life nor no inheritance in their words but as thou steals them adding thy own imaginations upon them and wresting them to thy own destruction being one unlearned in the Way of God and in the Doctrine of Christ. And whereas thou sayst And thus you see how these men deny the Lord that bought them if they deny the Body that was crucified for them I answer We deny not the Lord that bought us for by him can we say we have received the end of his coming and of his Death and Ascension even he hath purchased us and set us free from the Power and Kingdom of the Divel of Lyes and Slanders and false Accusations of us by whom the Man-child is brought forth and this shall stand for thy own condition who art a wandring Star and hath no habitation in the Heavens God will plead with thee thou who hast set thy self against the Lord in Slandring and reviling his servants Now to thy fift Particular That we deny the Ordinances of Christ in which thou sayest We also deny the Lord that bought us Answ. The Way unto God and unto Everlasting Life which is Christ Jesus we do not deny but are true Witnesses that same Christ alone which was crucified at Ierusalem and which God hath raised from the dead and which is ascended in him alone is Salvation and by him also alone are all justified that believe in him and this we declare freely unto all people that Christ is the Ordinance of God ordained by him for the Salvation of all that believe and for the Condemnation of all that believe not in him and that the Way unto this Christ is not any outward visible thing but even that which is manifest from him leads up unto him even the Light by which he hath enlightened every one that cometh into the World which is Spiritual as Christ is Spiritual and whereas thou sayest there is nothing that Christ commanded but we deny it mentioning only your Baptism and Breaking of Bread which is your Idol and your Image you bow unto the one Baptism which is by one Spirit into one Body into the Death of Christ we are Witnesses of and the Bread which we break is the Communion of the Body of Christ and we being many are one Bread but the beggerly
respect of Gods Decree and Efficacy of his Death from the foundation of the world really and indeed suffer death or dissolution of Soul and Body as upon the Cross at Ierusalem more or oftner than once Answ. Here in this query thou Diviner art found adding to the Scripture thy divinations of thy own brain whereupon the plagues of God is to be added unto thee and poured upon thee for as thou sayst the Man Christ Jesus the Lamb of God slain in respect of Gods Decree and Efficacy of his Death from the Foundation of the World Oh thou Lyar let all people see where there is such a Scripture that speaks as thou speakst here but in the Light of Christ thou art seen and in the life comprehended and art for condemnation The man Christ Jesus we own and witness and the Lambs Book of Life which was slain from the Foundation of the world we witness the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world this we witness according to the Scripture praises praises eternal praises be to the Lord God for ever and thee to be the Beast that makes war with the Lamb we witness and thou Antichrist which looks at Christs death at Ierusalem alone and cannot confess him no otherwise but without thee here thou art but equal with the Pope of Rome for he confesseth Christ dyed at Ierusalem as well as thou so let all thy Congregation see what they hold up that follows thee 3. Quer. Whether did the man Christ ever really and indeed suffer in his own person for that end and after that manner which he did once upon the Cross at Ierusalem before the time or since the time Answ. Here thou full of all subtilty hast made manifest thy Poison and enmity but with the Light of Christ thou art seen and known and with it condemned for ever Christ Jesus in his own Person doth and ever did suffer by thee and such as thou art and by thy Generation he did suffer at Ierusalem and doth suffer where he is made manifest by you after the same manner and thou Blind-Pharisee and Blasphemer wouldst thou have Christ to have more ends in suffering then one 4 Quer. Whether was not that death which the man Christ suffered once and but once upon the Cross at Ierusalem so satisfactory for all the sins of the Elect as that the Iustice of God did not doth not since require any suffering or working upon that account either from Sinner or from Saint Answ. Here thou Jesuite art pleading again for a Christ far off thee according as thy Father doth at Rome That Christ that dyed at Ierusalem did not satisfie for thee who art an enemy to him and doth not abide in his Doctrine but acts contrary to his Commands and art under the wo which he cryed against them that were in the same steps where thou art and from that wo thou shalt never flee The death of the man Christ Jesus which suffered at Ierusalem we own and witness the same Christ that suffered at Ierusalem we witness made manifest and the one God and the one Mediator we witness and know betwixt God and man the Man Christ Jesus according to the Scripture And here thou Lyar art made manifest to all thy Congregation to be a Lyar who said amongst them that we denyed that Christ that died at Ierusalem so let them all be Witnesses of thy Lyes and let thy mouth be stopt thou Lyar who art for the Lake and whereas thou queries whether the justice of God be not satisfied for the sins of the Elect here let shame strike thee in the face that ever thou shouldst take upon thee to speak to any people and knowst not the Scripture where dost thou read in all the Scripture that God doth require satisfaction for the sins of the Elect or laid any thing to their charge let all people try thee here by the Scripture and see whether thou be not a blind ignorant Sot who doth not know what the Justice of God requires neither from Sinner nor from Saint Isa. 42. 1. Isa. 65. 9. 22. Luk. 18. 7. Rom. 8. 33. 5 Quer. Whether you are reconciled to God by any other obedience than that particular obedience which Christ performed in his own Person and is mentioned in the Scripture or by any other suffering or death than that which Christ once suffered upon the Cross at Ierusalem Answ. Silence flesh wouldst thou who art an Enemy to God and a child of disobedience in whom the Prince of the Air rules know how we are reconciled to God and by what obedience first own the Light in thy Conscience which condemns thee and be obedient to that and then thou shalt know by what obedience it is that we are reconciled to God for yet thou knowst no obedience nor the Death which Christ suffered upon the Cross thou dost not know but art an Enemy to the Cross of Christ and in the mystery of iniquity and in the dark power and man of sin what hast thou to do to talk of obedience who art reconciled to thy lust and sin reigns in thee and thou art blind in the broad way that leads to death as thy fruits makes it manifest who lives in strife and envy 6 Quer. Whether did not the Man Christ suffer as a publick Person in the Elects stead or in their behalf and for that end that none who believed in him might dye eternally Answ. There thou Blind-Guide makest many replys but still one and the same thing but thou makest it manifest that thou dost not know the man Christ at all nor his sufferings for that death reigns in thee yet that hath passed over all men that askes this query for a publick Person Christ is not to thee but a mystery which thou knowest nothing of and for the redeeming of the Elect from under such mouths as thine did and doth Christ suffer and those that are brought to believe deny such dumb Idol Shepherds as thee who as yet doth not believe and therefore shalt dye eternally except they repent 7 Quer. Whether the sufferings of Christ now in his Saints be all the satisfaction that is made to or which the justice of God looks for for sins past present and to come Answ. There thou Blasphemer askest thou knowest not what is not Christ the same now as ever and is not the sufferings of Christ satisfactory where ever What wilt thou have to satisfie if the sufferings of Christ do not satisfie let all people take notice what a Blasphemer thou art or what they can learn of such a one as thee who knowst neither the justice of God nor the sufferings of Christ in his Saints 8 Quer. Whether was not that Body of Iesus which consisted of Flesh Blood and Bone and which was offered upon the Cross at Ierusalem the one and onely sacrifice for sin God accepted and to which alone exclusively the Saints before under the Law and the Saints
was a Spirit and here art thou a Witness against thy self that thou speakest not by the inspiration and moving of the holy Spirit but speakest thy imaginations and lyes in the Name of the Lord And whereas thou sayest In this confused Age there hath appeared variety of spirits pretending to be sent by the everlasting God yet they are at war with all their power to overthrow one another that their own Opinions may bear rule I Answer Among the Many Pretenders thou speakest of thou art one and it is true you are at war with all your power endeavouring to overthrow one another that your own Opinions may bear rule and though there be among you variety of Opinions yet by one spirit you act for the Kingdom of the Devil is but one and yet divided and it is at war with it self and therefore it cannot stand and you cannot overthrow one another but one is appearing to overthrow you all and all your Opinions for all you Pretenders are made manifest by your fruits and thereby men may try you for nothing is to be gathered from you but Opinions and airy Imaginations some of you speaking of a God and Christ a far off to believe in others of you speaking of a God and of a Christ within and a far off to believe in thus you feed people by your own imaginations and some of you pretend Revelation others of you denying Revelation and thus you strive to set up your own Opinions but you live all in one nature and are of one Generation and he that walks in the Light seeth you all and comprehendeth you all and judgeth all your Opinions and are redeemed out of all your vain imaginations into the Life of God acting and speaking as the Spirit acteth and speaketh and seeketh to exalt Christ and him to bear rule that all Opinions may be by him thrown down and that by him people may be brought out of a confused Age into the Land of Rest and Peace and Righteousness to serve the true Spiritual God in the Spirit and by the Spirit of his own Son And further thou sayest Some there are that take upon them to speak of a God and of a Christ in the invisible Heavens above the Stars but are uncapable to demonstrate how Christ by his spiritual Word liveth in mens hearts and how he reigneth visibly in glory with his Elect Angels I Answer there are not some but many which lives in and speaks forth their own imaginations upon God and Christ and one of them thou art thy spirit is tryed God who is a Spirit dwells in the Spirit of his Son even in the high and holy Place and with him also who is of a contrite Spirit and trembleth at his Word but this by thy vulterous eye is not seen neither can any demonstrate how Christ dwells in the heart but he who witnesseth it through death and where he reigns his Glory is with him and his Elect Angels this I witness but to thy carnal eye it is invisible and by thy carnal wisdom he can never be known Christ and his spiritual Word is not to be divided though thy sensual spirit would divide them but by the Flaming Sword thou that speakest art divided from both and shalt know neither but to thy condemnation And further thou sayest Others there are which speak of an eternal Spirit or Christ only in the Consciences of men as if there were no Creator or Christ at all visibly reigning upon his Throne of immortal Glory I answer they who talk of an eternal Spirit or Christ in the Conscience by hearsay or of other mens words without as thou dost and doth not in Life and Power witness it from the Father within made manifest such are denyed by them who witness the eternal Spirit dwelling with the contrite heart which Spirit is the Creator which dwells also in the high and holy Place and reigns upon his Throne for ever and who do in Power witness this sees and judges all your carnal imaginations and conceptions of the living God in your carnal minds where he dwells shall no unclean thing enter but is without to be troden in the Wine-Press of his Wrath for ever and ever and by him shall thy carnal conceptions be consumed even by the Breath of his Mouth for he is Eternal and his Throne is Eternal and by the carnal eye shall never be seen And further thou sayst There are some who through unbelief that ever any living Creature had a beginning do affirm there is no God or Christ at all but perishing nature this sort are innumerable witness the lives and conversations of people every where I answer All who do witness the Eternal Spirit made manifest to rule and guide all such do deny and declare against such Opinions for nothing was without beginning but the Eternal Word which was the beginning of all things and will be the end of all things even the destruction of the wicked and the Salvation of them that believe who are born of the immortall Seed and redeemed out of the perishing nature into the image of God and such do set to their seal there is a God who will reward every one according to their works and bears witness against them who in their lives and conversations denies God as all do who do not witness the eternall Spirit of Christ ruling in the Conscience but talkes of a God in imagination at a distance and such are innumerable and sayes in their hearts there is no God and such are the fools the Scripture speaks of and whereas thou beseeches to consider of these ensuing particulars I answer They are considered and by them thy ignorance is made manifest and thy folly disclosed and thy blasphemy who calls thy self the last Witness 1 Quer. In thy first particular thou queriest Whether these men were sent forth by the eternall Spirit to preach which in the least cannot demonstrate what the onely true God is in himself and how he is a distinct Beeing from all living Creatures and how he reigns in the Elect by a created Word Voice or spirituall Motion onely Answ. Those men were not sent forth by the eternall Spirit to preach who have not received it and such know not God what he is nor where he is but in their imaginations imagine him to be like a creature by being in a creaturely Place or Habitation God is a Spirit and he is not distinct from living creatures for in him living creatures lives moves and have their beings and he is not far from them nor distinct from them as he spake who was sent by the eternall Spirit to preach he reigns in the Elect not by a created word voice or a created spirituall motion for the Word which lives in the Elect from which voice and motion proceeds is not created but is uncreated even as God is uncreated for God is that Word and here thy ignorance appears by calling the Word which lives
is neither hast cleaved to it and so art raâ—ed out from the Life and from the Foundation and the Apostle who had his Commission not from man nor by man he exhorted those he preached and wrote to to take heed to the sure Word of Prophesie as unto a Light that shined in a dark place and to wait in it till the Day did dawn and the Day Star did arise and for distinguishing of that in the Conscience what it is he that is not separate from the darkness knows not how to do it But this I say unto thee as we declare unto all the Light which shines into the Conscience is the Light of Christ which he hath enlightned every one withal and it is spiritual like himself and eternal and it leads out of sin and declares against all iniquity and he that comes to own it and to be guided by it it leads out of sin to know the Cross of Christ which is a Mystery to thee and it leads to the eternal Word which was in the beginning before sin was and it will judge all thy imaginations and vain conceivings and it leads to the Inheritance incorruptible out of corruptible if thou hast an ear to hear thou mayst hear it is that which will let thee see thy vain frothy imaginations which thou hast of God and will condemn all thy vain imaginations and hating it it will be thy condemnation and there is the issue of it and all such as steals other mens words and the true Prophets words and never knew the life that was in them all such we deny and shut them up within utter darkness where they and thou art and for the glorious things that thou and thy Partner speaks of which call your selves the two last Witnesses it is manifest that your mysteries are as in thy Book and thy queries where thou putst Elect and Reprobate together and as for tryall of spirits we give liberty and exhort all that may to try and we direct them to that to try by which is infallible and eternall whereby they may see and comprehend thee and all who have not the Spirit But that they should try who have nothing to try with let all such be silent for ever for none understands the Spirit but the Spirit with which we see thee and all who stands in their imaginations are ignorant of it therefore stop thy mouth in the dust and be silent 9 Quer. Do not they that speak to a people that declares against all appearances which are contrary to his way discover himself unto a true discerning Spirit not to be of the Lord unless they can demonstrate a spiritual Commission that he hath received from Heaven by voyce of words through the glorious mouth of the Lord so that no mortal man can disprove him though few for want of understanding receive him Ans. The Way that leads to the Father is but one which is Christ and he that declares from him made manifest in him declares against all Sects and Opinions that which thou calls appearances and the Way is one and the Truth one where there is no rent nor division and he that dwels in the life hath discerning and he that witnesses the annointing discerns he is able to judge and discern and in that thou art seen who wouldst sit on the throne but thou must come down and lick the dust dust is the Serpents meat and they who had their Commission from God and have their Commission from God now they were made manifest to every mans Conscience in the sight of God and this we witness this the Scripture witnesseth and he that believes hath the witness in himself and the father bears witness and they witness the voice of the Lord which is spiritual speaking to them and they declare from that which is spiritual to the Consciences of Gainsayers and this is witnessed but thy voice of words is carnal and is denyed and who art thou made manifest unto that which is mortal cannot discern and disprove thee but that which is immortal can and they who are guided by the immortal denies thee and will receive none of thy Testimony because it is not the same which the holy men of God witnessed and doth now witness which voice shakes the Wilderness and rents the Rocks and makes the Earth to reel to and fro but to thee this is a mystery and sealed 10. Again he that speaketh of an invisible spiritual God or Christ living in the Consciences or Spirits of men thou sayst He questions the truth of all the Scripture records concerning the Life Death and Resurrection and Ascension of the blessed Body of Christ into the Throne of his Immortal Glory And doth he not question Whether the Consciences of the Saints being sprinkled with the Blood of Iesus which dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem are purified from the pollutions of the Flesh and Spirit doth he not question the Resurrection of the Souls and Bodies out of the Earth at the last Day Answ. Here again thou hast made thy shame and ignorance manifest and knows not so much as the Letter of the Scripture Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ not by the will of man and a Minister of the Everlasting God he witnessed the Son of God revealed in him and he said Know ye not that Christ is in you or else you are Reprobates And Christ is not divided And he that is joyned to the Lord is onâ— Spirit And I and my Father are one And where Christ dwells the Father dwells And if thou hast an ear to hear thou mayst â—ear and if the same Spirit be not in you that raised Christ from the dead you are none of his and he that declared these things spake of a spiritual Christ and an invisible God and who shall ascend up to Heaven the word is nigh in thy mouth and in thy heart and this is the same Christ that suffered without the Gate at Ierusalem and no other which Paul travelled till he was born in them if thou hast an ear thou mayst hear and the Apostle did not question the Scripture records for they spoke it and recorded it and they witnessed the Life of Christ and his Death and Resurrection and Ascension and they witnessed him ascended above Thrones and Dominions and to sit at the right-hand of the Father and we witness the same Christ made manifest in us and his Resurrection not because Paul said so but we have seen it and are Witnesses of it the same that ever was the same that did Ascend the same did ascend this is a riddle unto thee and seven seals is upon it and thou that queriest shall never see them opened and they who had Christ in them and the Father and the Son supping with them they had their Consciences sprinkled and none else for his blood thou knowst not and so I say unto thee thou art not sprinkled nor thy Conscience purified from dead works and they who know
Christ in them and no more after the flesh come to know his Resurrection he is the resurrection he is the first and the last who knows him risen and have seen him witness the first day and the last what speaks thou of a last day that never came to the beginning and so thy soul lies in death and in chains and in utter darkness and therefore lay thy hand upon thy mouth and see where thou art and the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures thou canst not witness 11 Quer. If after death there is no bodily Resurrection for the Spirits of men to possess an immortal Glory to eternity or to suffer an eternal Devil-like shame according to their deeds whether good or evil Is it not one of the vainest things in the World to discourse of God and Righteousness unless it be for earthly Gain amongst men Answ. There is a Resurrection both of the just and of the unjust the just into everlasting life and the unjust into everlasting shame and contempt and every one shall receive according to his works whether they be good or evil but this is a mystery hid for none knowes it but through death but what knowest thou who art yet alive in sin what shall be in the resurrection which is after death which whoever comes to know the resurrection knowes the end of all things therefore it is not taking their words nor thy own imaginations that is Faith nor if thou know Christ no nearer than Ierusalem nor no nearer than above the stars thou knowst not where but through thy dark imaginations this is not to know Christ risen from the dead see therefore what hast thou seen in thy self But thou art dead while thou livest in that nature and at the resurrection contempt and shame will be thy portion and turn in â—hy minde to that which shews thee sin and witness the body and sin destroyed within and then and not till then shalt thou know how it is in the resurrection 12 Quer. Thou raises a question from Pauls words to the Athenians and didst before condemn them that stole other mens words and here thou hast stolen a Query and thou askestwhat think you did that spiritual Creator dwell and sive in the Athenians Consciences or did his glorious person visibly appear in the highest heavens Answ. The Athenians to whom Paul spoke worshipped the work of their own hands as this Generation doth their own imaginations and that God whom ignorantly they worshipped at a distance which God lived in Paul's Conscience Paul declared unto them and they looked as thou dost carnally thinking God to be carnal and at a distance but he said he was not at a distance from every one of them for in him they lived moved and had their being and this was the God which Paul preached of which Creator we witness lives in the high and holy place and with him also that is of a humble and a contrite spirit and trembleth at his Word 13 Quer. And thou sayest what think you can there be any living Spirit without a body or person to display its life in or from and must not the Creator of necessity be a glorious personal substance and thou sayest doth not these men that worship an infinite Spirit without any bodily form living in mens Consciences glory only in a god of â—â—eir own imaginations instead of honouring the onely Lord of all life the man Iesus yesterday today and for ever Answ. That which is not possible with men is possible with God which God is a Spirit as Jesus Christ saith and a spirit hath not flesh and bone nor a created body but displays it self as it pleases contrary to thy will and the will of all men and thou who wouldst by thy reason tye the Creator with a necessity to a personal Beeing art void of the knowledge of God and led by thy corrupt reason which shall never know God and all those who worships God in Spirit worships an infinite Spirit which Spirit inhabiteth eternity and lives in the Consciences of the Saints and this is not to glory in an imagination but a witnessing of the same eternal Truth which the Saints witnessed which spake forth the Scripture for they witnessed Christ to dwell in them and the same God they worshipped whose temple they were and not another and the same we witness and this to the honour of the Man Jesus who was yesterday today and for ever 14 Quer. The eternal Spirit Creator and alone everlasting Father which dwells essentially in the glorified Body as our Lord Iesâ—â— his eternall Son and virtually reigns in all the Saints Elect men and Angels be Record between me and you world without end whether this Epistle shall not be sent to you and all the chosen that shall peruse it principally for the establishing of your tender spirits upon that eternal spiritual Rock Iesus Christ God and Man in one distinct body or person glorified and onely honoured with all spiritual praises from Elect men and Angels when this World is consumed into ashes and all time or times is swallowed up into eternity or eternities Ans The Eternal Spirit which is the Everlasting Father which thou sayst is essencially in the Son thy word essencially I deny and thy voice yet Christ and the Father is one and the same Spirit that dwells in the Son dwels in the Father which is one I and my Father is one the same dwells in the Saints thy word virtual I deny the same that dwells in the Father and in the Son the same dwells in the Saints not distinct nor divided For he that hath seen the Father hath seen the Son and he that hath the Son hath the Father also and Christ is not divided I in them and thou in me that they may be perfect in one and he that is joyned to Christ is one spirit and not distinct nor separate if thou have an ear thou mayst hear and that eternal Spirit which is the Father and the Son which dwels in the Saints is Judge of thee and by that Spirit I judge thee that this Epistle came not from him to none of the chosen for they who are chosen deny thy voice and what dost thou speak of Elect and Angels with whom God dwells when in thy fourth query thou saidst they were defiled and the holy Ghost saith He dwells with no uncleanness and so speaks confusion and Babylons language which is the land of thy nativity from whence all these things have been spoken by thee and all that shall ever be established with thy declaring or thy Epistles shall be thrown down for the Rock shall beat thy Image to pieces and therefore leave off thy speaking of him and of thy distinct body and of his glory for when he shall appear in his glory instead of thy praises thou shalt bowl and lament and wish the mountains to cover thee and he who is out of time shall consume thee to ashes who
calls them deceitfull Principles she hath chosen the way of Death rather then the way of Life and hath taken her self to follow shaddows and likenesses and neglected the Substance which is Christ within the hope of glory her latter end is worse then her beginning and the Parable is fulfilled upon her And she speaks in the 126. pag. of Satan being discovered under his vail and in particular as to that of being saved by a Christ within and not by a Christ without and the Lord was pleased to shew her it was quite another thing differing from the Gospel and that it was attended with this evil consequence to overthrow the whole Gospel and to deny the Lord that bought them I answer I charge her here as in the presence of God with belying the Lord and with horrible Basphemy who saith That that which the Saints and servants of God witnessed who Preached the Gospel and established it Christ within manifested is quite another thing differing from the Gospel and that it is attended to overthrow the whole Gospel O horrible Blasphemy and belying the Lord who saith that the Lord was pleased to shew her it did ever he shew any Lyes all take notice of this wicked and horrible Blasphemer the Lord rebuke that unclean spirit of Antichrist in her She goes on and saith then secondly as to that of waiting for a power to Pray and that here was no command but from within concerning both these the Lord was pleased to shew that it was not according to his minde but a meer invention of Satan and that it was attended with this evill consequence to slight Scriptures and Commands of God and to expose the soul to Satans deceivings to walk by the imaginations of their own heart instead of the motions of the Spirit I answer The Saints waited for the moving of the Spirit which was power in them to help them to pray they knew not to Pray as they ought without it and this command and help they had not without them but within them And I again here charge her with belying the Lord and with notorious Blasphemy who saith that that which the Saints witnessed waiting for the power of the Spirit to Pray is not according to the minde of the Lord but an invention of Satan and she is not ashamed to say the Lord shewed her and the same which they witnessed who spoke forth the Scripture and which walked in the Commands of God tends to slight Scriptures and commands of God and to expose the soul to Satans deceivings this is Blasphemy and Error and corrupt Principles and she which hath denyed waiting to be led by the motions of the Spirit is led by the imaginations of her own heart is under the power of Satans deceiving and speaks contrary to what the Scripture speaks and so slights it and the Commands of God she hath Blasphemed the God of Heaven and accordingly will the Lord requite her And thus have I for the simple ones sake declared the truth and every single eye may see who it is is led by corrupt principles and what I have written shall she eternally witness to be true and all her co-partners And I pass by the rest of her Book as not worth answering for it is nothing but airy imagination and confusion and death yet raigns in her and in her Book is spoken out by her and she knowes not the Baptism of Saints nor Communion nor the true Church of Christ to that witness in her conscience do I declare and when it shall arise it will eternally witness me Whose Name in the Flesh is EDWARD BURROUGH The Copy of a Letter c. FRiends for so I call you I was moved of the Lord to come into your Assembly to declare the truth from him concerning you as by the eternal Spirit was revealed to me and I do acknowledge it it was a mercy from the Lord that I had that small liberty which I had to clear my Conscience amongst you and to discharge my duty in obedience to the Lord and to every ones Conscience am I made manifest whether you will hear or you will forbear truely Friends there is somthing among you which I own and which is owned of my Father but yet many things hath he against you and as I said I now again say from the mouth of the Lord that your Covering is too narrow to hide your shame and your bed too short to stretch your selves upon Now friends the Ordinances of Iesus Christ which you act in you say in obedience to him I do not speak against but do witness them in life and power neither do I judge such amongst you who have entered in at the door by the Principle of God to the Ordinances if any such but you I do declare against and do judge by the infallible Spirit who have in your own wills thrust in your selves and acted by imagination and immitation from the Letter without and not having received the Command from Christ into your selves such I judge to be in deceit deceived by the Serpent which deceives the simple by the likeness of a thing and you that limit the Lord to any outward visible thing that without such can be no Salvation you I judge again to be in deceit and my judgement shall stand for nothing is available that which God once commanded nor that which was not commanded but the new Creature which is born of the immortall Seed contrary to the will of man Truely Friends you are acting in darkness and there is no seperation in you betwixt the precious and the vile betwixt the clean and the unclean for that which did convince you of false Hirelings and of their deceitful worship which is owned of my Father in you hath not been obeyed by you but your minds have been drawn forth from within to obey a thing without and herein have you been bewitched from the obedience of the truth within to obey the letter without as they were which the Scripture speaks of and you are acted in another form and likeness then you were before and which some are acted in yet but by the same spirit and you have a zeale I beare you record but it is not according to knowledge I declare against that spirit by which you are now acted as knowing it to be the spirit of Antichrist and that which is owned by my Father in you is oppressed by you by your wisdom and reason which stands above and is head and rules amongst you which is for destruction and for the Lord to accomplish his wrath upon and happy were you if you knew the day of vengeance which is the acceptable year of the Lord but you are yet full and rich and think you have need of nothing and have a name that you live but you are dead and empty and miserable your form is corrupted and you seek the living among the dead and you act in the form but walks at liberty
found the lyer thy self and this we testifie against thee and all the world that by Jesus and in him are we made Holy Just and Humble he is made these things in us and for us and the Publican state is witnessed by us who have passed through the figure and parable into the life and substance And whereas thou sayst we that boast of our light within and faith thus saith the Lord and brings Christs words I answer this is another lye we do not boast of our Light within but we witness it to be within us and to have enlightned every one that comes into the world which thou and thy Generation denies and so would make Christ a Lyer and the Scripture a Lye but against you all with all the world we bear testimony the Father bears witness with us that every man that comes into the world is enlightned by the Light of Christ which teacheth righteousness unto all that loves it but condemn them that hate it whereof thou art one who utters forth thy lyes and Slanders and false Accusations against the Innocent and that Scripture Ioh. 9. we own and do witness to be fulfilled in us by the coming of Christ he which did see is Blind and he which was Blind now sees and while we did see our sin remained but being Blind we have no sin but this to thee and to thy spirit is a mystery sealed and never to be known in that nature and wisdom and here again thou hast used thy tongue false Prophet like and must receive a false Prophets reward And whereas thou sayst if Christ had not spoke to us in his word we had no sin but now we have no cloak for our sin I answer Christs words we own but here thou art made manifest to all to add to the Scripture in his word this thou hast added false Prophet like and therefore the Lord will add his plagues unto thee as the Scripture saith be ashamed and blush thy folly and wickednesse is made manifest who is not ashamed to carry on thy designe to add to Christs words And whereas thou sayest we do not only neglect the weightier matters of the law but tâ—… law it self teaching men so to do for we said that the Scripture is not the rule of faith and conversation as one of us taught Sept. 27. in thy hearing and many others that will witness it I answer here I challenge thee to prove that thou hast spoken and all thy witnesses which thou speakes of oh thou Lyer be ashamed to forge such Lyes and declare them in writing for Truth we neglect not the weightier matters of the Law nor the Law nor teach any so to do all that ever heard us will bear witness against thee and they though our Enemies shall witness for us and against thee in this thing for we declare the Everlasting Gospel which is the fulfilling of the Law and this we declare that the Law must have its thorow operation before the Gospel be witnessed and one of thy own society said to us we had preached the Law and brought men to understand 〈◊〉 from Grace now let all take notice of the confusion you live in and let your own hearts condemn you and the light in your own consciences convince you that you are in Babylon and in confusion and are no true Church of Christ where all are oâ— one heart and one mind and this again I affirm as before I did in thy hearing that the Scripture is not the Saints rule but the Spirit which gave forth the Scripture as the Scripture it self witnesses Rom. 8. Faith was before the Scripture was and therefore the Scripture is not the ground of it but a Declaration of it and no other faith we own but the faith which Abel had and which Moâ—â—â— had which was when no Scripture was written and that we own to be the Rule of our Conversation which they walked by the immediate Spirit of God which was before the Scripture was written and all you who profess the Scripture to be your rule your own rule shall testifie against you when the eternal God judges you and they who witness that to be their rule which gave forth the Scripture walkes up in the life of the Sdripture more then you all and you are proved to be but the Iew outward who boasts of the Ordinances from the Letter but persecutes them by slanders and false reproaches who witness the Substance and your praise is only of men and not of God and the same woe which thou pronounces upon us will fall upon thy own head for this thy grievous slander that we neglect the Law and teach men so to do And whereas thou brings many Scriptures and saith thus saith the Lord. I answer the Scriptures we own and by that spirit which speaks them forth we witness them to be true and they are ours and though you say they are the savour of death to us that perish yet thou art found a Lyer for we are saved out of the perishing state and death is destroyed through death through faith and thou hast diminished from that Scripture 2 Tim. 3. 15. false Prophet like again and so art both an adder and a diminisher and thou mayst read thy portion in Rev. 22. 18 19. And whereas thou sayest know this thou perverter of the right way of God thou shalt be judged by the word that Christ spake I answer here thou sets the Scripture in the room of Christ and art the perverter of the right way of God thy self for the Scripture saith all judgement is commited to the Son and the Scripture is not the Son and thou didst say and now again writes that the Scripture shall judge the world and so I charge it upon thee that thou art a Blasphemer who exalts the Scripture above the Son of God and shalt be judged by the Son into utter darkness and into the pit from whence thou art come yet this I testifie he that receives the Son rejecteth not those words which was spoken by him though thou and thy Generation Pharisee-like may make a profession of the words which Christ spoke and yet reject the Son and all to whom Christ speaks which receives him not shall be judged by the word which he speaks for he speaks eternally which shall stand eternally but when did he speak to thee For this I do declare thou mayst have those words which he spoke and yet never have heard his word nor voice as the Pharisees had those words which God spake by the Prophets but never had heard his word nor seen his shape Iohn 5. And thou sayst quake and tremble at this that word which you reject and dispise shaâ—â— judge you at the last day and sayst thus saith the Lord and bringst Christs words and the Apostles words I Answer The Lord rebuke thee thou Scorner here thou hast made the filthiness of thy heart known for out of the abundance thereof
God did then for God and his Spirit is the same as ever was and what he once â—aâ—ed he hates forever and no other Christ do we â—â—clare forth which we witness to be made manifest within but that Christ which dyed at Ierusalem which suffered by the chief Priests and Elders of the People he was and is the true Christ which said He was the Light of the World And was the Light which had enlightened every man that comes into the World and which said Except a man would deny the World and take up his daily cross and follow him he could not he his Disciple And which cryed wo against them which were called of men Masters and that had the chief Places in the Assemblies and that stood praying in the Synagogues c. and they who denyed him to be the Light of the World and which tooâ— not up the Cross and which were called of men Masters and had the chiefest Places in the Assemblies and stood praying in the Synagogues and went in long Robes these were Antichrists and â—ere acted by a contrary spirit then the true Christ. And here again I charge all the Teachers and People in the presence of the Lord God who deny Christ to be the Light in every one which reproves for sin and who are called of men Masters and stand praying in the 〈◊〉 and go in long â—obes and who uphold such things and who take not up the daily Cross of Christ but live at liberty in their wills and desires that they are Antichrists and that their spirit is not the Spirit of the true Christ which dyed at Ierusalem but the spirit of a false christ and so they are guilty of that themselves whereof they falsly accuse us and the same Christ do we witness which the Saints of old witnessed whose blood cleansed them from all sin and in whose Power they had power over sin death and hell And here again I charge the Teachers and People who say That the Saints must not be cleansed from sin nor cease to commit sin while they are on the Earth That the Christ which they profess is not the Christ which dyed at Jerusalem but a spirit contrary and not the Christ which the Saints witnessed and all the People are blind which cannot see these things Did the true Christ once say He was the Light of the World of every man that comes into the World And is that his Spirit in the Teachers and Prâ—…ssors now which say Every man hath not the Light of Christ in him Was that the true Christ which said Except you take up my Cross daily you cannot be my Disciples And is that his Spirit in the Teachers and People that hath its liberty and live in Pride in Lust and Vanity and their own Wills was that the true Christ which cryed wo against them that were called of men Masters and that had the chief Places in the Assemblies and stood praying in the Synagogues c And is that his Spirit in the Teachers and People which act and uphold those things Was 〈◊〉 the true Christ which the Saints witnessed by whose Blood they 〈◊〉 cleâ—sed from sin and had power over sin and is that his Spirit in the Teachers and People which saith The Saints must not be cleâ—sed from si◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to câ—…t sin while they are 〈◊〉 Earth Oh blind and ignorant People who cannot discern between the 〈◊〉 Christ and Antichrist which is contrary to Christ and which leads now to act and speak contrary to what the true Christ once acted and spoke and no other Gospeâ— do we preach but that which the Apostles preached which they received not froâ— nor by man but by the revelation of Iesus Christ which was contrary to man and which suffered by man for the preaching of it who preached to the Spiâ—… in Prison to redeem the captives and by which the fleshly man was judged in the 〈◊〉 that man might live according to God in Spirit and this Gospl we witness to have received not from man but by the revelation of Jesus Christ which is contrary to man for which we are persecuted and suffer by man neither do wâ— speak to the wisdom and reason but we preach to the Spirits in Prison that the fleshly man may be judged in the flesh that man may live according to God 〈◊〉 the Spirit this will many witness with us that by the preaching of our Gospeâ— liberty is brought to the captives and the fleshly man is judgest and the Spirit which was in Prison is set free And here again I charge the Teachers of this Generation That their gospel which they preach is not the Gospel which the Saints preached but another gospel and they are guilty of that themselves whereof they falsly accuse us for they have received their gospel from man and by man from the Printers aâ—â— Stationers and are made Minister of it by the will of man at Schools and â—niversities and their preaching is in the will of man a limited time and place neither do they suffer by man but are set up with man and feed the wisdom 〈◊〉 reason of man and the fleshly man is not judged nor the captives redeemed 〈◊〉 their gospel which they preach here they are accursed which preach anotâ—… gospel as saith the Scripture And ye are a blind and ignorant People which cannot see these things Did they that preached the true Gospel receive it contrary to the will of man and can it now be received by the will of man Did they which preached it suffer for it by man and can they now who preach it beâ—… up by man who live in the same persecuting nature Did the true Gospel oâ—… judge the fleshly man and lead to live according to God in the Spirit and doâ—… it now give liberty to the fleshly man to live after the flesh in the lust of it 〈◊〉 the Teachers and Professor of this Generation do who profess the Gospel 〈◊〉 are discovered not to be come to the Law And the Scripture we own to be 〈◊〉 true Declaration of the Life which they lived in which spoke them â—orth and 〈◊〉 the same Spirit from which they were spoken which we have received do we 〈◊〉 to our seals that they are â—rue and the Scripture is ours who walk in the Life 〈◊〉 it proud men spoke it not forth nor they that sought for their gain from theâ—â— quarter nor they that preached for hire nor they that were called 〈◊〉 men master but persecuted them that spoke it forth and denyed it when it was spoken And here again I charge it upon the Teachers and Professors of this Generation that they deny the Scripture and are guilty of that themselves whereof they falsly accuse us for they say None must be perfect upon the Earth when as 〈◊〉 Scripture declares of such as were perfect upon Earth And they say None 〈◊〉 be free from sin when as the Scripture declares of such as were
free from sin and were the Servants of Righteousness They say Christ hath not enlightened every 〈◊〉 the Scripture saith He is the Light of the World and hath enlightened every one c. can they now who live in the same persecuting nature and walk in the 〈◊〉 steps as they did which persecuted them who spoke forth the Scripture as the Teâ—chers and People do own the Scripture in Truth Their professing of the Scripture is as theirs was which made a great profession of it in the outward appearance but put him to death who had the Life and was the Substance of it They then as the Teachers of the World do now denyed the Spirit and Life whicâ— gave sorth the Scriptures And the Ordinances of Jesus Christ we own and witness Preaching Praying Baptism Communion Singing and whatsoever was ordained for his Saints to practise in Life and Power we witness these things in the eternal Substance having passed through the earthly figures which was but to stand for its time by the Eternal have we been led by the Command of it within us and got by tradition from the Scripture without us And we deny all such who have taken up these things in their own wills by conforming the outward man to the outward Letter and have not entred in at the Door True Preaching we own and do witness in which is the Cross of Christ and the Power God unto Salvation or Condemnation it is foolishness to the World and its wisdom now as ever it was and we deny all speaking of imaginations from the Scripture which is in the wisdom of the World and which stands in the will of man limitted to a set time day or place Prayer by Spirit and in the Spirit we own and witness which is not limitted to a time and place And we deny all the Worlds formal customary Preaching and Praying for a pretence Baptism we own and witness which is With one Spirit into one Body into the Death of Christ And we deny all Baptisms which are imagined and imitated by conforming the outward man to the outward Letter which is but a likeness of the the true Baptism Communion we live in which is In the Light by the Spirit which will endure eternally and we deny the Worlds imitation which is in word and declaration and visible carnal things which will pass away Singing which is with the Spirit and with Understanding of the redeemed of the Lord we own and witness but the Worlds singing in Rime and Meeter proud men singing That they are not puft in mind and prophane men singing That the Law of God is dear to them this singing we deny for it must be turned into howling the Lord hath said it And here again I charge it upon the Teachers of the World That they deny the Substance and Power of what Christ commands his Saints to practice by upholding their own imitations and so deceiving the People but where the Substance is witnessed the figure is denyed and the false imitations are discovered and denied And mans free-will we do deny for the will of man shall never enter to God but leads out from God into the lust and into the flesh and keeps in the power of the Devil and man hath free-will unto that which is evil but not to that which is good and all who follow Christ the Light of the World must deny their own wills and take up the Cross of Christ which is to the will and walk in the Light contrary to the will in the strait Way which leads unto Life which is out of the will of man in the Will of God which the will of man doth resist and oppose And I charge it upon the Teachers and Professors who do not witness the daily Cross of Christ that they live in their own free-will and holds it up and are led by it into pride and coveteousness and lusts of the flesh which stand in the will and here they are guilty of that themselves whereof they falsly accuse us living in their own free-will and walk not in the daily Cross of Christ. And Self-righteousness we have denied and have seen it in the same Light which Isaiah did to be as filthy Rags and we declare against it and against them which live in it for self must not be saved it is accursed from God it is wholly unrighteous and makes the best of actions so and is and must be cast out from God Christ Jesus made manifest and revealed in us is our Righteousness and self is judged and condemned by him who is made unto us Righteousness neither do we teach People to labour in their own strength to obtain Life but do direct People to the Light of Christ within them which walking in will be strength to them to lead them to Life the Light which is of Christ to which we direct all to wait in to be taught by it will lead out of self-righteousness and from under the power of self to witness the power of God to lead and to act and to witness Christ Jesus revealed the Righteousness of God And the Church which is in God which is the Body of Christ whereof Christ is Head we witness and are members of it gathered and joyned by the eternal Spirit and not by tradition in the wisdom of man And we deny all the Worlds Churches whereof they were made members by visible things without and gathered by traditions and not by the Spirit whereof the Serpent is head and not Christ and which is the body of antichrist some of which commits Idolatry iâ— an Idols-temple and the ministry of this church we deny for it stands in 〈◊〉 will of man and the Ministers of it are such as all the Servants of the Lord witnessed against the Churches the Ministry and the Ministers are contrary to God but the Ministry which is to the Seed which is out of the will of man we own and witness which ministers Life unto life and Death unto death and divides the Word aright judgment to the fat and to the strong and feeds the â—…gry and looseth the Bars of wickedness and breaks not the bruised Reed 〈◊〉 quencheth not the smoaking Flax this Ministry we deny not but are Friends unto it and who are Ministers here we have union withal but proud men and such as are called of men Masters are cast out of this Ministry and are Miniâ—… to the body of antichrist and know not the Mystery of the Ministry of Jesus Christ which is to the Spirit in Prison Magistrates and Magistracy we deny not but do give respect unto for Conscience sake for who bears the Sword of Justice who use their power to be a terror to the wicked and for the praise of them that do well are Ministers of God and we desire that there were more Magistracy here and that the Magistrate would more use his power to be a terror to Lyars to Swearers to Drunkards to Railers to
Ministers of Christ said Chrisâ—… was the Foundation but these say the Scripture is the Foundation and herein they are contrary and shew by their doctrine another spirit then was in the Apostles 7. Again the Ministers of Christ said they spake wisdom among them that were perfect and said As many of us as are perfect be thus minded and said that the end of their Ministry was to present every man perfect in Christ. But the Teachers of this Age deny Perfection and say None must be perfect in this life and if any preach up Perfection that it is to be attained they say it is Error and damnable Doctrine Nay they say none shall ever be free from sin or ever have victory over their sin nor overcome the body of sin while they be upon Earth But the Ministers of Christ witnessed they were more then Conquerers and that they had put off the body of Death and were free from sin and were the Servants of Righteousness And herein also they differ and are not of one spirit and we know that the Ministers of Christ were guided by the Spirit of God which held forth these Doctrines â—nd we know the Teachers of this Age that their spirit must needs be of the Devil because it holds forth and practiseth what the Ministers of Christ did not but the contrary 8. Again the Ministers of Christ were persecuted and suffered cruel and grievous things for Righteousness sake as you may read in the Acts and did not render evil for evil to any man for they suffered patiently But the Teachers of this Age are not persecuted but are Persecutors and cause Men to be put into PRISONS â—nd to be Banished out of Towns and Sue People at Law and seeks occasion against the People of God and herein they disagree and are not of the same spirit as they were which were Ministers of Christ but shew a spirit contrary 9. Again the Ministers and Apostles of Christ were not chargeable to any but made the Gospel without charge and free and laboured with their own hands and did not live â—dlely but were often in cold hunger and nakedness and perils and tryals But the Teachers of this Age live in Pride and Covetousness and Fulness and do not work with their own hands but makes the Gospel of Christ chargeable for many Hundred Thousand Pounds in a Year doe but maintain them which they have â—ut of poor mens labours and so these differ and disagree from the Ministers of Christ and shew they are not of that Spirit that they were guided by but are guided by a contrary spirit because they are contrary in their Call and in their Doctrine and Practice and Maintenance 10. Again the Ministers of Christ preached by the Spirit according as the Spirit gave them Utterance and sometimes continued preaching till midnight But the Teachers of this Age are limited by a Glass and Preach by a GLASS and when their Hour is out their time of preaching is ended and that which they have studied for before-hand that they preach and not that which they have received immediatly from the spirit of God And herein do they disagree and in many things more which after may be declared 11. Again the Ministers of Christ said Ye may all prophesie one by one that all â—ight be edified and as every one had received the gift of Christ so they might Minister to â—…hers and desired that all the Lords People were Prophets and Sons and Daughters â—…d prophesie But the Teachers of this Age will not suffer all to prophesie one by â—ne neither will allow any to preach as they have received from Christ without such Qualifications and learned Arts and Ordinations of men and â—hey will not allow a Woman to prophesie or speak among them and all might speak â—he Word of the Lord faithfully that had it and all might Minister as they had received it â—his was order in the Apostles dayes among them but this is now counted confusion â—…y the Teachers of this Age and if any speak to them or any among them maâ—y such are made to suffer cruelty or imprisonment or such like by their means â—nd herein they disagree and shew that they are guided by another spirit then â—…e Ministers of Christ were guided by and so are not his Ministers but Deâ—…ivers 12. Again the Ministers of Christ declared what they had heard and seen and â—…lt and tasted of the Word of Life and none of them did boast in another mans line but â—hat they all had received of the Lord that they declared and not their own inâ—entions and commended themselves to every mans Conscience in the Sight of God and they did not provide themselves Studies full of Books to gather out of in a Weeks time what to preach on the first Dayes as the Teachers of this Age do who by vaiâ—… study and humane learning frame up and notes it in a Book an hour or two hours discourse to the People And herein they disagree and shew that they are guided by a spirit contrary to the Ministers of Christ. 13. Again the Apostles and Ministers of Christ were called from their Herâ—… and from Nets from their Receipt of Custom and from their Callings and by receiving 〈◊〉 Holy Ghost were made Ministers of Christ and did not seek Peoples Money to themselâ—… but sought the People to God and went through cruel Sufferings and Persecutions many tiâ—… that they might hold forth the Way of Life and Truth to all People But the Teachers 〈◊〉 this Age they are trained up from their Child-hood in Arts and Sciences risiâ—… by degrees from one vanity to an other till at last they arive to the Function of 〈◊〉 Minister of Christ as they call it and few or none of them have been called from theiâ—… ordinary Calling to preach the Gospel for such a one is hardly allowed of to preâ—… among People and they seek Peoples Money to themselves and the Peoplâ—… to God And herein they disagree and shew another spirit then was in the Apostles 14. Again the Ministers of Christ were led and guided by the Spirit of Christ 〈◊〉 did not fulfil their own wills nor the wills of men and they brought People 〈◊〉 the feeling of the Spirit of Christ in them to teach them and after they had begâ—… People to God they said they needed no man to teach them but as the anointing 〈◊〉 them taught them But the Teachers of this Age follows their own spirits and 〈◊〉 subject to the wills of men if men admit them to teach they do but if mâ—â—â—…ny them then they do not preach but the Apostles did not thus for when 〈◊〉 forbad them to teach they did not cease to preach but went on boldly declaring the NAMâ—… of the Lord. And these Teachers do not bring People to know the Spirit of Câ—… in them neither can any through their preaching receive the Anointing
hope of Salvation and his Shepheard to feed him and perserve him at all times though he may be tempted yet he is not overcome for God is his strength though he may be tryed yet he is not forsaken of the Lord though he may be cast into the Fire it is not to consume him for the Lord is with him all things he receives as from the Hand of God and all Creatures he enjoyes in the Covenant with God and Peace is in all his ways for it is the Lord that works in him both to will and to do of his own Good Pleasure and this is the state of the new man brought forth in Conversion which is a turning of the Creature from the power of Satan which rules in every man before Conversion to the Power of God which is the Ruler of every man that is truly converted and this is the Truth as it is in Jesus which I have received from God he that can receive it let him and if any have an Ear let him Hear what the Spirit saith this Conversion of the Creature is wrought by the Spirit of God through the Ministry sent of him and even for this cause have we received the Ministry of God through the Holy Ghost that we might publish these things abroad that all people may come to the knowledge of them and may taste and handle and feel of the same Word of Life in themselves which will reveal the Knowledge of these things to them that they may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with the Son And now be it known to all the World and to all people in it that the Lord hath raised up a People and brought forth a Seed to bear witness of his Name and of his Dominion and Power in all the Earth and of these Truths with many more which are but one in Christ Jesus hath God given us the perfect Knowledge of even wrought them in us and revealed them to us by the eternal Spirit and as that same Spirit doth and shall move in us do we and shall we bear witness of these Truths unto all People upon Earth whatsoever both by Doctrine and Conversation holding forth the Testimony unto others which we have received of God that Christ may be exalted and his Kingdom set up in the World And in comparison of this that we may serve God in our Generation by bearing witness of these things which we have heard and seen nothing of this World our Liberty our Life not any other thing whatsoever is dear unto us yea even for this cause that the Name of the Lord may be testified of do we give up our selves continually to suffer all manner of evil in words or works and we love not our lives unto death that Truth and Righteousness may be exalted and this is the cause wherefore we pass through many Dangers on every hand and are in perils often and we are not nor cannot be afraid of the face of any man even that the Lord alone may be exalted whose name and Honour and Truth is more dear unto us than any other thing and for it have we forsaken all and counted it as nothing in comparison of the Knowledge of Christ and his Truth herein declared and witnessed to the whole World to whom it shall come and the Light of Christ in every one shall give testimony to it unto which I do onely commend my self and these truths to be witnessed And know ye assuredly that God who is just and righteous in all his Ways it is he that setteth the Way of Life and the way of Death before every man and he hath appeared in this Generation and he hath caused his voyce to be heard in the Earth and he hath set the way of Death and the Way of Life before you and all that perish it is through unbelief and because they do despise the Way which God hath prepared who hath prepared a Way for life and Salvation unto 〈◊〉 People that all may come to Life and Salvation and may not perish and he hath not shut out any Creature before he was brought forth into the World but giveth to every one that cometh into the World a Day of Visitation and a time 〈◊〉 Repentance and Returning that healing may be received from the Lord wâ—â— is the Restorer of lost man and there is not another so that if man perish 〈◊〉 is of himself and not of God who hath so loved Mankind that he hath giveâ— his Son his own Wisdom and his Power into the World that all that doth receive him Christ Jesus may have everlasting Life and they that receive him not they perish because of unbelief whereby they are hardened for destruction and unto such our Gospel the Gospel of God is hid whose Eye iâ— blinded by the God of this World that they cannot see the things which be eternal nor believe in him from whence Life comes and such are stumbling at Chriâ—â— the Foundation and therefore shall be broken and must not inherit the Kingdom of God and unto such though they be wise in the Kingdom 〈◊〉 this World are we become Fools for Christs sake and our Testimony cannot be received by them nor approved of them even them that seek after a Sigâ— and them that seek after Wisdom to such we are not known nor can our Testimony be acceptable to them which is not with enticing words of mans wisdom 〈◊〉 in the demonstration of Gods Spirit and in simplicity of Truth which is of grâ—â—â— Price with the Lord even above knowledg and all wisdom which is of this Worâ—â— which comes to nothing but the Lord will confound that and bring it to nothing for the World by its wisdom doth not know God neither can it receiâ—â— the things of God but is Foolishness in the Sight of God and the wisdom of tâ—â— World Must be offended in him and in the Testimony which is given of him 〈◊〉 the Princes of this World and the Wise men must stumble and fall the poweâ— of the Earth must be offended at him that they may be confounded and brougâ—â— to nought all the Heathen shall rage and the People shall imagine a vain thing But what of all this the Testimony of the Lord is true which he hath given us 〈◊〉 bear of his Name of it we are not ashamed before the face of the whole World and we are armed to suffer for it and not onely to subscribe to the truth of 〈◊〉 with our hand or to declare of it with our Tongue and Pen but also if we 〈◊〉 called to it may seal it with our blood Wherefore this is sent among you all Rulers Teachers and People in all the World this is sent among you as to giâ—â— you the certain knowledge of what we hold and bear witness to which is received of us from God and born witness of to you by his Spirit even those thingâ— with many
few years ago but the Saints were Quakers I am able to prove long before for Abrahâ—… and Isaac and Moses and Habakkuk Daniel and Paul and all the rest were Quakers though they were not called so and though our name is new yet our Religion is old for it is the good old way even the way the Apostles walked in though it hath been over-clouded for many years in the dark night of Apostacy which hath been over the whole World and the Beast hath Reigned and made War against the Saints and killed them and this hath been for many ages as you may read Yet there was a Seed which God preserved for himself in the midst of darkness but now is the Way of the Lord made manifest again and the same Power and Life of God which was in the Apostles dayes and Truth shall spring forth and Idolatry shall be rooted out by little and little and Antichrist and his kingdom shall fall and even Christ the Son of God the same as ever was for no other do we own but him who was and is and is to come he shall rule and his People shall follow him And though he saith The Quakers be an upstart Sect using such scornful words not beseeming a Minister of Jesus Christ but we are willing to bear all his reproaches for Christs sake And he speaks most foolishly and saith as if we knew not the contents of our Religion yea we know the contents and foundation of it which is Christ that good old foundation and him we are zealous for and him we Preach and no other And though he saith The Christians Faith hath been known for sixteen hundred years ago I say it was so but the night hath been over all wherein no man can work since it hath been first revealed and Traditions and Superstitions hath the World been exercised in and led into and the true Faith of the Gospel hath been departed from and many knows it not at this day And he saith He abhors any Gospel or Religion that was not made sixteen hundred yeares ago c. To this I Answer Then must he abhor his own practice for sprinkling of Infants telling people it is a Baptizing into the Faith of Christ was not so long since nor singing Davids experiences in Rime and Meeter for a part of Gods Worship and many other things which the Priests of England practise for Religion and Gospel Ordinances but are not so but an invention came in many years since the Faith was revealed to the Apostles and thus he hath abhored his own practise and is condemned out of his own mouth And whereas he speaks of one that lately spoke to another in these words He denied the God that he Worshipped That might be true for thousands in England Worships the god of this World and that god the Saints deny And he counts it a thing very abominable to trust to that Which is within the Saints though it be according to the Scriptures for Christ is in the Saints and God dwels in the Saints and God and Christ is only to to be trusted to There is also another piece put forth by him called A Sheet for the Ministry in which also according to his usual manner he Rails and Lyes against the Quakers in many things also I might instance in many more things wherein he hath belyed us as a man without fear or honesty and much ado he maks about Tythes And he commends his Reader to the Quakers Catechisme for better satifaction And I do commend all sober people to the Answer of the same wherein his folly and weakness is laid open as in them particulars But he saith The Tenths are theirs as fully as the rest are ours but this is denyed for the Tythes are not paid out of the Lands but out of mens labours and industrious exercises upon the Land for if any man let his Land lye untilled there is no Tythes claimed so that it is manifest it 's paid out of mens labours and not out of the Land and many other things we have against Tythes and against the unjustness of them and the oppression growing thereby And we do know That never any Minister of Christ was maintained in such a way nay they were so far off being maintained by a Law that they would not make use of their power which they had in Christ in those things as of outward maintenance But much need not be said for thousands begins to see the grievous burden and unlawfulness of Tythes and that in the Gospel administration these things are no way commanded by the Law of God but as they came in by tradition and were established by the Pope and are now the chief maintenance of Englands Teachers Indeed grievous and sad to be considered it is how many hundreds in England of honest men are made havock on in their Persons and Estates in relation to Tythes because for Conscience sake they cannot pay to the upholding of an Antichristian Ministry which denies Christ come in the flesh by upholding Tythes which only belonged to the first Priesthood under the Law and was never practised either paid or received by any of them that were Witnesses of Christ come or after his death who did thereby fulfil that part of the old Covenant and put an end to that Covenant and the Priesthood was changed that took Tythes and a necessity there was also of the change of the Law as it is written So this is an Answer in part to Richard Baxters many Lyes and Reproaches and his whole Work is turned by as our spoyled prey of Babylons treasure and no more to be recokned in the Records of Truth but shall stand upon an account among the corrupted and poluted commodity of the growth of Egypt and Babylon And this is for the satisfaction of honest people by a Friend EDWARD BURROUGH THE TRUE Christian Religion Again DISCOVERED After the long and dark Night of Apostacy which hath overshaddow'd the whole World for many Ages and the profession and practise thereof witnessed unto by the Scriptures And here all may see who it is of all these Sects and divers Forms of Religion in these Nations that are agreeable to the Scriptures in what they profess and Practice and who it is that are not according thereunto for the Line of true Judgment it stretched upon all Profession and a true search into and tryal thereof is made and hereby it is manifest who it is and what sort of people that may justly claim the benefit of the Protectors Oath to be protected thereby in their Practices of Religion who hath bound himself to maintain and uphold that Christian Religion which is according to the Scriptures c. FOrasmuch as Oliver Cromwel called Lord Protector of England Scotland and Ireland chief Ruler according to man hath bound himself by an Oath and Sworn that he will uphold and maintain the true reformed Protestant Christian Religion in the purity thereof as it
are not of the true Christian Religion according to the Scriptures it remains to be proved if there be any who they be that are of the true Christian Religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures and who they be that are to be protected in their Practice and Exercise of Religion And as concerning the dispised and rejected People called Quakers herein I shall speak for them as a Friend to them and a Lover of their Wayes who is nor ashamed of their Practices in Religion and shall measure and try their Practices in Religion whether they be according to Scripture and if it prove so to be that what they practice for Religion and hold forth for Doctrine be according to the Scriptures then why should not they own their Right and Priviledge to be upholden and maintained by the Protector 's Oath who hath sworn to uphold and maintain them and their Religion whose Exercise in Religion is according to Scriptures being that same People are and have been faithful Subjects of this Common-Wealth And first of all They dare not own themselves to be Christians nor to be Members of Christ nor to have any Right or Title to the Kingdom of God but as they witness converting by the Spirit of the Lord and are changed from Death to Life and from Darkness to Light and from Satan's power unto the Power of God through the Operation of the same Spirit and as in all their Works and Wayes and Exercises in Religion they are guided by the same Spirit who leadeth them out of the World and out of the Vanities and Evil-Works thereof and this is according to the Scriptures And their Religion herein is justify'd by the Scriptures who witness That Christ is in them and that they have receiv'd him through Faith and thereby are cleansed from all Unrighteousness and have put off and are putting off the Body of sin and death and walk with God in Purity and Holiness being led by the Spirit of God therein and with God they have Peace being reconciled by Jesus Christ who is their Salvation and they have no other And this is according to the Scriptures And again As concerning their Meetings and the manner thereof They are not contrary but according to the Scriptures for though they meet in many Parts of these Nations by great Numbers some in the open Fields and some on the Mountains in some Places and sometimes without Doors and sometimes in Houses all this Practice is according to Scriptures For we read Mat. 5. 1. in the dayes of Christ That there were great Multitudes of People that follow'd him and he went up into a Mountain and preached and taught them upon the Mountain And in Mat. 14. 14. we read That there were great Multitudes that came out of the Cities unto Iesus into the Deserts and he had compassion towards them and did good unto them And at that time there were many Thousands met together as you may read and it seems stay'd many whole dayes together for they sate down on the Grass and eat together and then Iesus sent the Multitudes away And in Mark 6. you may read how that Multitudes came to Iesus out of the Cities into a desert Place and Iesus began to teach them many things in that desert Place for he had compassion on the Multitude And in Luke 9. how the people again follow'd Jesus into a desert Place and he preached unto them the Kingdom of God Such Meetings then were counted strange as such Meetings are now when the People of God meet together by great Numbers to preach and to hear the Kingdom of God preached But their Meetings are according to the Scriptures for the People of God in Generations past met in the same manner as the People of God called Quakers meet now For sometimes Christ preached out of a Ship unto the People that stood on the Sea Shore And Paul kneeled down and prayed among the Saints near the Sea Shore at his passing into the Ship And we read Acts 2. that there was Three Thousand converted at one Sermon then there must needs be a great Meeting and a great deal of People met together Such Meetings now are wondred at but such Meetings are but according to Scripture so that this part of their Practice in Religion is agreeable to the Scriptures and the same as the Saints Practice was in Ages past And as for the People of God meeting together sometimes in the Night-season to wait upon the Lord and sometimes sitting in Silence and waiting upon the Lord and no words utter'd amongst them but every one sitting silent before the Lord having receiv'd nothing from the Lord to speak one to another at which the people of the World do wonder and falsly judge it not to be a Christian Exercise But we read in the Scripture Iob 2. that Iob who was a Christian for he was a just and perfect man he and his Friends sate upon the Ground seven dayes and seven nights and spake not a word one to another this would be a strange thing at this day to see practised And in Ier. 8. 14. you may read where the Prophet Ieremiah exhorted the people to assemble themselves and said Let us enter into defenced Cities and let us be silent there for the Lord our God hath put us to Silence But such a Practice now is thought strange by the people of the World who are not acquainted with the Wayes of God who are wise in their own Eyes and know not what it is to wait upon the Lord in silence who never yet were put to silence in themselves by the Lord. And you may read Ezek. 3. where the Prophet sate down among the People of the Captivity and they were astonish'd seven dayes and at the end of seven dayes and not before the Word of the Lord came to the Prophet So that you see it was the Practice of the Servants of the Lord oft-times to sit and wait upon the Lord in Silence though people wonder at such Meetings now And we do not read That there was alwayes speaking among the Saints in the Churches when they were met together But Acts 2. we read That the Church was met together in a Place and the Holy Ghost fell upon them and then they began to speak as the Spirit gave them utterance then it seems they had not spoken before though they had met together in a House and then they spoke the wonderful things of God and some that heard mocked and others said they were full of New Wine even as the people of the World do at this day when any of the People of the Lord are moved to speak as the Spirit gives utterance So that sometimes to sit in Silence being met together to wait upon the Lord as many of the Servants of the Lord do in this Nation is a Practice of Religion and not contrary but according to the Scriptures for many of the Servants
perfectly agreeable to the Scriptures as all people hereby may understand which Religion the Protector hath sworn to maintain and uphold Then who shall presume to persecute the People whose Practice in Religion is prov'd to be the very same which his Oath extends to maintain Surely no man will be so impudent or shew such Rebellion to Government as to endeavour to break down and destroy that People whose Religion is prov'd to be justly that which he is by Oath bound to maintain Some heretofore before this Oath was taken might plâ—… Ignorance and say They knew not the mind of the Protector but now his mind is fully discover'd and he doth not only allow but also hath solemnly sworn To maintain and uphold that Christian Religion which is according to Scriptures And it is prov'd what People it is whose Religiâ—â— is so And I say again That same People mention'd do practice nothing neither hold forth any thing for Doctrine but it is either commanded or there is President for it in Scripture or agreeable thereto and therefore that same People is of the true Christian Religion which the Protector hath bound himself to maintain by Oath in the Face of the whole Nations so that none of the Magistrates now can plead Ignorance For as he is sworn to uphold the People of God in their Religion so are they bound to be true to him and the Government and to fulfil the good Laws and his Oaths and Enterprizes so that I say again It may be hoped for the time to come for Protection and to be maintain'd and no longer to be persecuted and destroy'd in their Persons and Estates as formerly they have been if men regard their own Oaths or there be any Truth or Sincerity in the Heart of man And I say by this very Oath mention'd might the People of God own and claim Protection and Defence in their Way and Practice of Religion which is so plainly prov'd to be according to the Scriptures though none of them desir'd such an Oath for their Protection or sought after it yet it being voluntarily instituted and taken why may not they own the extent of it which reacheth to them more then to any besides as is clearly described And not for their own sakes altogether do they own the benefit of it but that he who hath taken it may be clear in the sight of the Lord in performing of his Oath for his Felicity and the Encrease and Continuance of good Government they desire as much as their own Protection And they would not have any man so wicked or the cause of perpetual Infamy to be given to this Nation so much as that any thing should be destroyed or broken down which is sworn to be upheld and maintain'd in the Nation lest the Heathen Rulers rise up in Condemnation against the Doers thereof These with many other Arguments which might be produc'd press many to endeavour the fulfilling of the said Oath for his own sake who hath taken it And that first of all By that Oath the People of God may own Protection in this Common-wealth because their Religion is according to the Scriptures c. Secondly That some People might also own Protection in this Common-wealth in that the most of them if not all have been true and faithful Subjects of this Common-wealth and hazarded Lives and Estates for the Establishing of such a Government wherein the People of God might have full Liberty for the Exercise of their pure Consciences Again They may own Protection in this Common-wealth 〈◊〉 being at this day a Harmless and Innocent People not being offensive to any man's Person or Estate or in any other thing except to sin and wickedness and the Workers thereof And I say again That they do not desire any thing but the Wellfare and the Encrease and the Establishment of this present Government wherein it is according to God And this is written for the Information of all sorts of People that they may know unto what sort of people the Protector 's Oath extends to uphold and maintain and concerning all those whose practice in Religion and Doctrines are not according to Scripture but contrary to it as is manifest and so not to be maintained and upholden in their Profession and Practice of Religion by the Protectors Oath yet it is not desired that such should be destroyed or overthrown or bound or imprisoned or any cruelty done to them though their practice be not according to Scripture but it s desired that such may live in peace in the Common-wealth enjoying their Religion to themselves without any molestation from any outward Law or outward Power for many would not that any should be compelled to or from any Exercise in Religion by an outward Law but let them defend themselves in their Religion from those who may be moved of the Lord to reprove them or declare against them or convince them so that many would have Religion to defend it self and that the Magistrates with their Laws may preserve the Peace in the Common-wealth and men's Persons and Estates and not their Opinions and Judgements And we would they may not limit or stint tender Consciences for many may be of a tender Conscience in those things wherein their Consciences are not truly inform'd and such should not be condemned to Death but to be won by sound Doctrine and instructed by those who are called of God And so this is written that the whole Nation may understand the Mind of the Lord's Servants in all these things And let no man blame me for I have but with an equal Hand brought all sorts of people to the Line of true Judgment that they may know who is to be maintain'd and who is not in their Religion and Practices thereof But if after all this the People of God be persecuted and Violence be done unto them and Injustice and Unrighteousness acted upon them in this Common-Wealth as of late Years hath been and yet it be suffer'd to be and none take any Notice to preserve and defend them whose Religion is according to Scripture which he is sworn to maintain then I leave it to the Light in all men's Consciences to judge what a condition such are in whose Oath is not kept but broken for these things are of no less value then either breaking or keeping a man's own Oath which solemnly hath been taken And this is not a light thing but to be seriously consider'd of both by Magistrates Teachers and People in this Common-wealth Yet notwithstanding all this the People of God do not boast in or trust unto the Arm of Flesh neither are any whit the more confident in their Way though it be proved That they ought in Iustice to be upholden and maintained in what they profess and practice as aforesaid for their Hope and Confidence is only in God who only is sufficient to protect and uphold his People in all their Wayes and Exercises and though
the Lord God may dwell amongst you and may never have cause to with-hold his presence from you which is Life and Peace and Rest for ever And believe not every spirit but dwell in that which discerns spirits and if any say Lo here or lo there is Christ go not after them without you for you have not been so taught but know the Christ of God the Lamb of God within you and follow him and obey his voice and be established all of you on this sure Foundation whom God hath laid and no man can lay any other and if you build thereupon and thereby you sâ—…ll never suffer loss but your Work shall abide the Fire and in the Fathers House your Bread you shall receive and never shall hunger noâ— Thirst but the Life will be refreshed and increased daily and you Lamps will alwayes shine and you shall never be darkned not stâ—…ble for that which stumbles is out of the Truth and the ground stands to receive the seed of Satan who is a Devourer of the Simplicity and the Betrayer from the Truth Therefore I charge you all in the Presence of the Living God that you hold fast the Faith and Hope which you have received through the Gospel that you may never be moved 〈◊〉 the Grace of God and from the Love that hath abounded in you â—…t may be found watching in the Door with your Light shining when the Bridegroom cometh and behold he cometh quickly and his Rewâ—…d is with him blessed are they that tarry for him This is the Testimony of my Love unto all the Seed of God who am as a Deceiver and yet true and as not known yet well known unto the â—…d E. 〈◊〉 To such as have Backslided from the Truth WHEN the Life in you all doth arise it shall witness me and answer the Word of the Lord unto Life or unto Death Friends all you to whom the Word of the Lord came and â—…n whom the Way of Truth was made manifest hear and consider How â—…t hath the Love of the Father been unto you How many and infinite have been his Mercies from day to day often visiting you with his Power and with his Presence yea when you sate in Darkness and in the shadow of Death his marvellous Light appear'd unto you and when you were held captive in the covenant of Sin and Death he stretched forth his Hand to redeem â—… he loved you while you knew him not and he brought Deliverance out of a â—…nge Land where you were strayed among Devourers and scatter'd and gâ—â—e aâ—â—ray as Sheep without a Shepherd yea when you were dead in Transgression he said unto you Live and he also bound you up when no eye pitty'd you even then when you were Enemies to him walking in the Vaâ—â—tâ—en of your own hearts and knew not him who lives forever who had been sougâ—â— by you but not found in that very day he sent to visit you with his Eâ—… Gospel of Peace and Truth to gather you unto himself I am a 〈◊〉 and he caus'd his powerful Voice to be heard and his Name to be 〈◊〉 among you and his Truth was declared in the Demonstration of the â—…rit and the Power of the Lord was made manifest in you to the bringing of you from Darkness to Light and from Death which had reign'd over you 〈◊〉 know a Measure of the Life of God Yea the Way of Life Eternal was set 〈◊〉 you that you might not perish but live and his Witness in you all 〈◊〉 iâ— but one the Word of the Lord reacheth unto you by the Mouthes of 〈◊〉 â—…ts to the revealing of Sin and judging it by his Righteous Law 〈◊〉 in your hearts causing his Terror to be known among you and his â—udgments reached your hearts and in that day beautiful was his Presence 〈◊〉 you and precious was his Truth among you in your first Love and his Liâ—â—t and Power and the Knowledge of his Ways were pleasant to you and the Sâ—…l of the Kingdom of God which you receiv'd with Joy grew up in you and â—…per'd at that day and the Lord loved you his Presence was with you â—…g his own Children whom he begat by his Everlasting Word that you 〈◊〉 be a Praise unto him forever And when the fear of the Lord and his Jâ—â—gâ—â—nts were placed among you and your Hearts were broken and while you were of a hungering Soul and thirsty after the Lord then was it well with you and the Day of Peace dawn'd unto you and the Word of the Lord was â—weâ—t unto you and he was gladly receiv'd that came in the Name of the Lord. Bâ—t O how have some of you lost your first Love and are again darkened and ready to faint and to turn aside for a thing of nought And how do such grieve the Spirit of the Lord and vex his Righteous Soul and are become a Sâ—â—deâ— to him in dishonouring his Name the envious man having entered â—nd sown his Seed in some of you and brought forth Strife and Divisions and Disorders among you which are not of the Father nor of the Truth and Prejudice and Evil-Surmisings and secret Jealousies one against another is risen in you all which is to be condemned with the Light for the Fire I judge it all under my Feet in the Power of the Lord God and am in that which reigns over it all and through these things Unity is decay'd and Love is waxed cold and there is fainting in the way and the Zeal for the Name of the Lord perisheth which ought to be among you and Rendings and Tearings Biting and Devouring one another and striving for Mastery there is which ought not to be which the Wrath of God is against all this is out of the Light out of the Wisdom and Counsel of God My Spirit is vexed and my Heart is troubled within me because of these things not for my self but for you and for the Glory of the Lord over whom I am jealous with a Godly Jealousie that you may not perish nor his Glory be dispised among the Heathen What mean you thus to deal against the Lord in dishonouring his Name in the sight of the Enemy even to the wounding of your own souls and to the piercing of the hearts of the Faithful who have watched over you and been Messengers of Glad-tidings unto you from the Lord Every one of you in particular be awakened and stirr'd up and fear before the Lord and come to the Light which the Son of God has lighted you withal and search your own hearts and try your selves that the ground of these things may be seen and condemn'd and remov'd and Love may yet spring amongst you to the Lord and one to another O Friends Consider It was one Father that begat you into the Truth which is but one by one Word of Life which is not divided and you were begotten unto him and not unto your selves And Christ Jesus which is
these things that you should have bin awakened to true Iustice and Iudgâ—â—â—â— and this the Lord requires of you though the guiltless Sufferers have born all these things without complaining yet ought you to have judged justly according to their deeds such as caused such Cruelty and unjust Sufferings that for time to come the like might not have been brought forth but the free Subjects might live in Peace and Rejoyce under the Government and all Perverâ—ers of Iudgment and Iustice might stand in awe and be afraid so should you be a Praâ—se to Ages after you And likewise many who are at this present remaining in Prisons in divers parts of this Land some upon one false Accusation and evil Surmising and some upon another for a good Conscience sake the Cause of whom hath often been laid before you which seemed for the present to have some entrance upon you yet little is brought forth by you as ought to be in that cause for though none of any such do complain unto you who have and do unjustly suffer yet the Lord doth require you to set the Oppressed and Falsly-Imprisoned at Liberty and to bring true Judgment forth upon their Persecutors Also There is another Suffering great and grievous growing upon many if it be not prevented Many faithful and approved Men are dispossessed of their Freedom which truly belongeth to them by the Law of God and man in divers Cities and Corporations because for Conscience sake they cannot Swear by kissing the Book and laying the hand upon it according to the vain Tradition in such Causes formerly used though to deal justly towards God and man in their Craft and Science they are bound by the Law of God yet because they will not Swear and so break Christ's Commands are they threatned and their Windows shut up and dispriviledged of their Trading whereby they should maintain themselves and Families in the Creation and this one thing tendeth to the Destruction of many as in this World and no little hurt will thereby grow to the whole Nation in a Generation of time and it is required of you by the Lord to prevent these Sufferings though many can fore-go their own Freedom in this World and their Lives also rather then break the least Command of Christ and thus are many faithful People made a very Prey to their Enemies and in divers manners it is brought forth upon them For many also suffer deeply in the House of Correction for reproving Sin and others are grievously spoiled in their Estates because for Conscience sake they cannot pay to maintain a professed Minister or uphold a Steeple-house for it is a common thing for a Priest to take or have it done Four or Five times so much by Distress as any way he can prove a pretended Due And many other Sufferings there are which are only for Conscience sake as because some cannot put off a Hat to a Magistrate or the like which give an ill savour to the Government in which they are acted without Reproof Ah my Friends Be awakened to Justice and true Judgment to relieve such unjust Sufferers and to throw down all such hainous Oppressions and Oppressors that the Lord may yet make you and your Government blessed after his Long-suffering to you which hath been great for Justice and true Judgment in a Government is the Happiness thereof and the Foundation for a long continuance and on the contrary Cruelty and Injustice and Oppression being brought forth the more is the Government unhappy and accursed and the sooner will the Lord overthrow it and bring it to a desolate End And therefore my Friends let this great Enemy to your Persons Government and whole Nation to wit Persecution for Conscience sake be speedily removed lest the Anger of the Lord break forth against you and repentance be too late for this know In all Ages the Lord stretched forth his Hand and in his time he quickly avenged himself for his People's sake after their Innocent Sufferings born by them for a season and he is the same and changeth not and the same will he bring to pass Therefore I say again Be awakened and let that deadly Enemy be removed out of the Land as you tender your own Safety and Honour and the Glory of the Name of the Lord and his People's Peace even this very Enemy to wit Persecution for Conscience sake for it doth and will obstruct all your good Purposes at Home and Abroad it eats away the Affections of all good People from you and it eats out your Strength and Valour and it consumes the Weakness of all your Enemies verily it is an Enemy that will work your Destruction speedily both in this World and in the World to come that of God in you all shall witness me in the Day of the Lord. I am your Friend and these things do I write as a Friend unto you as to warn you of that secret enemy so much reigning and rebelling in this Nation which indeed may work a greater Destruction upon you then any forreign Invader and this in time you may witness to your Grief and Sorrow If something by you be not done to suppress it all health and peace I wish unto you in the Lord and thus far am I clear from the blood of you and all men come life or death E B. The several Coppies of this were delivered to Oliver and his Counsel in the 12th Moneth in the year 1657. To the Protector Friend THe Salutation of my life wisheth well unto thee in the Lord and most especially that thy precious Soul may be redeemed out of death to God and live that thou mayst have a Rest and Habitation in him when this World is no more Now whereas it is a general out-cry among the Teachers and People of this Nation and also is doubted and hath been sometimes objected by thy self That the People called Quakers are Deluded and Deceived and in Error and such like And now if it be possible that thy self and others may be resolved concernus put therefore all thy Objections and Doubting into plain Positions or let the wisest of thy Teachers do it for thee and whatsoever thy self or any for thee can object against us or what thou doubtest of or stumblest at either in respect of our Doctrines or Practice let the matter be stated in plain words in Positions or Queries and if God permit a sufficient answer thou mayst receive to remove all conscientious Scruples and to confound all subtil Alledgments and Evasions whereby hereafter forever thou mayst be altogether inexcusable of all doubting or speaking against us or suffering evil to be done or spoken against us upon that account And this am I moved to give forth and send to thee that thou mayst be satisfied and all things tried and made manifest in the sight of all men and that all rash judgment and false supposition which lodgeth in the hearts of many may be confounded and brought to
am confident That the King hath better Experience of us than to believe these our Malicious Accusars And I do appeal to him from the knowledge which he hath already of us that he believes we are Innocent and not guilty of those things thus unjustly charged upon us and I question not but he will rightly understand that these Accusations are more out of Hatred and Envy against us than out of desire to benefit the King by such Presentation 2. I do testifie unto the King and before the whole World That we do profess and believe concerning the Father Son and Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Blessed Gospel and the Holy Scriptures I say we do believe and make prefession in Truth and Righteousness concerning all these things and by our Doctrines and Instructions do perswade all people to believe and not seduce any from these Truths of the Gospel and this is known through these Kingdoms concerning us though we stand now accused falsly concerning these Matters before the King But as for the Scriptures being the Rule of Life we say The Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures is the Rule of Life Faith unto the Saints and leads not contrary but according unto the Scriptures in the Belief and Practice of whatsoever the Scripture saith And if these Petitioners did make the Scriptures the Rule of their Lives and Practices for the denyal of which they here accuse us they would not have cut off Ears Banished and put to Death for the Cause of Conscience which is contrary to the Scriptures and proceeded from another spirit than that which gave forth the Scriptures 3. Concerning Government our Principles and Practices are well known to many and partly to the King We are not Enemies unto Government it self as these our Accusers do charge us but it is our Principle and hath ever been and is our Practice to be subject to whatsoever Government is set up over us either by doing or suffering and neither to vilifie nor rebel against any Government or Governours by any Malicious Plots or Contrivances but to walk in Meekness and Humility towards all being subject for Conscience sake as I have said either by doing or suffering and I doubt not but the KING is sufficiently informed hereof and believeth this Testimony 4. As for our Doctrines tending to subvert both Church and State this is also a false Accusation and Slander for our Doctrines are to convert and not to subvert even to convert to God and Truth and Righteousness that men should live in these things and forsake all that which is contrary and this Effect our Doctrines have wrought in the World as the Testimony of many Consciences shall bear witness Oh let the King consider of our Defence as well as of our Enemy's Charge who have thought it not enough to Whip most cruelly Banish cut Ears and put to Death the Innocent but must still accuse them â—alsly and seek to cover themselves by fawning and flattering Addresses unto the King like as if they had done no Evil whenas the God or Heaven is Witness to whom we can appeal That our Brethren suffered the Tortures of shameful Death in New-England through their unjust Laws and Sentences as Saints and Servants of the Living God for the Name of Christ Jesus and for his Truth which they held until Death and not for Evil-doing And the Executioners of these inhumane Cruelties seem so far from Repentance for their Evil doing that they rather justifie themselves in what they have done and cease not to smite and wound and reproach the Innocent and that before the King and that after they have Martyred them Again These Petitioners say After all other means for a long time used in vain we were at last constrained for our own safety say they to pass a Sentence of Banishment against them upon Pain of Death such was their Dangerous Impetuous and Desperate Turbulency to Religion and to the State Civil and Ecclesiâ—stical as that 〈◊〉 unwilling soever could it have been avoided the Magistrate at least in Conscience both to God and man judged himself called for the Defence of all to keep the Passage with the Point of the Sword held towards them this could do no harm say they to them that would be warned thereby their willing rushing themselves thereupon was their own act and we with all humility conceive a Crime bringing their Blood upon their own Heads By way of Answer to this let it be considered 1. What Means was for a long time used before they put them to Death is shameful to mention Was it not by the means of Cruel Whippings Banishment Imprisonment Cutting off Ears and taking their Goods by Violence It s true by this Means the Petitioners dealt with the Quakers and never by any Christian like Means for the very first of our Friends that ever came among them they made them Prisoners ere they came on shore and inhumanely dealt with them and Banished them and this was the first and fairest Means that ever was used by them which are not Gospel-Means nor the Way by which the Church of New-England ought to have proceeded Had our Friends been in Error and such as they say of them it had been their Duty to have gained them by Love by Mercy and by Long-suffering these are the Weapons of the Spirit of God which ought to be us'd towards them that are in Error in order to the converting of them from the Error but contrary to this the Magistrates and Church-Members of New-England took Cain's Weapons and dealt Cruelly and not like Christians nor like sober Men towards the Innocent but their thus proceeding was in vain as themselves acknowledge for notwithstanding the Gospel of Christ grew and encreased and many were converted to the Faith of Christ Jesus throughout New-England 2. Let it be considered what their dangerous and desperate Turbulency was to States Civil and Ecclesiastical Did ever these poor People whom they condemned and put to shameful death lift up a Hand against them or appear in any Turbulent Gesture towards them Were they ever found with any Carnal Weapon about them or What was their Crime saving that they warned Sinners to Repent and the Ungodly to turn from his way We appeal to the God of Heaven on their behalf whom they have Martyred for the Name of Christ That they had no other Offence to charge upon them saving their Conversations Doctrines and Practices as Saints of the Most High God and this is witness'd by many of their Neighbours though themselves have hardened their Hearts against the Reproof of God's Witness And we certainly believe it was their Malice and Envy that constrained them to pass Sentence of Death upon them and not the Equity of either just Law of God or man for they deserved not the merit of Death such was the Innocency of their Cause And they are no more safe by the taking away the Lives of our
long sate in Darkness that their Souls may live and be refreshed with the Light of the Living And for this Cause do we Labour and Spend and â—re Spent accounting nothing too dear for us that the Light of Truth may shine abroad and guide the Upright in the perfect Way till the Elect be gathered into the Pasture of Eternal Life and the Son so elivated on the Firmament of Joy and Praises never to go down but the Saying fulfilled There shall be no Night but the Light of the Son shall be as the Light of seven dayes These following Testimonies were written at divers Times as the Lord drew forth my Spirit through the Motions of his Life in me some of them some years since and being cast by among Bundles of Manuscripts and now lately coming to my sight and looking them over I have thought good to send them abroad as being of service to many And this is the Occasion and End of my present publishing these things And to the Iudgment of the Spirit of God in all the Saints do I commend my Labours and myself to be approved Westmoreland the 25th of the 7th Moneth 1661. Who am a Friend to all Men E. B. A DISCOVERY of DIVINE MYSTERIES c. CHAP. I. A Testimony concerning Life and Death and their several Fruits and Effects Distinguished THere is only Life and Death and there is but only Life and Death in the whole Creation that Ruleth and Raigneth in and among and over all the Children of Men and all the Children of Men upon the Face of the Earth are under the Government and Dominion of LIFE or of DEATH in whatsoever they are and in whatsoever they do and Life or Death hath the Rule and Government in every Creature in every Exercise whether of Works or Words and all people upon the Earth are subject to the Government of one or the other and bring forth the Fruits and Works in obedience to Life or to Death and shews them forth in visible appearance Now these two to wit Life and Death are contrary one to the other in Beeing in Nature in Works and Fruits and each of these are known and distinguished the one from the other in Beeing in Nature in Fruits and Effects which diversly they bring forth in this World and each of them hath a Kingdom and Government in himself distinct from and contrary each to other and each of them have their several Subjects which also are contrary in Birth and Generation in quality and kind over which they Rule and Govern and to whom they give distinct Portions and Heirships in this World and hereafter and where Life Rules and reigns Death is held in Captivity and Bondage and where Death lives the Life dies and where one of these brings forth Fruit the other is Barren for they agree not in one but are in all things contrary and the Subjects of the one are alwayes opposing and striving against the Subjects of the other And between Life and Death there is continual War and Strife among the Creatures who are the Subject of the one of them in whatsoever man is and in what he doth First Concerning Life I will speak Life was in the Beginning with God and is without descent and God is Life in himself without beginning or ending of Time Place or Matter and Life put forth it self out of its invisible Beeing into Work and Action in the beginning of the World and appeared in visible Operations and Works and brought forth all Creatures and all things into visible Appearances and Life was the Author of all the Beginning and Foundation of all and Life was and is that Beeing and Vertue of all things that are and it was the Ioy and Delight of all things that it self brought forth for all Things and Creatures subsisted through it and it gave Breath and Life to all Creatures and Life blessed them all and in it were all Creatures at Unity being framed and brought into Visibility and for the Pleasure of Life which was all in all in the Beginning and there was a sweet Concurrance and Harmony in the whole Creation through the Power and Beeing of Life in the midst of all Creatures through which the whole Creation was made and framed by the Eternal Word of Life and through which they stood and did remain 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—sedness and Life ruled and raigned in every Creature that was brought forth and was the Glory and Substance thereof For Life was and is that only begotten of the Father the Son and Heir of the Everlasting Father his express Image and Brightness being one with the Father not separated or divided from him And as for Death it was not yet known nor had it any place in the Creation it had yet received no Power nor Kingdom nor Government neither was it in beeing But Life was all over all through all and in all in the Beginning before Disobedience and Transgression entred to war against Life But Life was Prince Ruler and Governour in and over all the Works of the Creator And Life in its beeing is God and God is Life and in its Government and Fruits and Effects is Purity Righteousness Truth Holiness Meekness and all the Works that are Just and Equal according to God and like him and which shews him forth in the Creation and this was and it was thus in the Beginning before Death entred into the World or had a kingdom But it is written The Devil abode not in the Truth but went out of the Truth and he is the King of Death and hath the Power of it he went out of the Power of God and out of the Life by which all things was made and created and abode not in the Truth nor in the Life to live and act and speak in that but desired to be and became to be something of himself without God and he spoke of himself and acted of himself without the Power and Life and also contrary to the Power and Life of the Creator being separated from it and become a distinct Beeing of himself and then having lost his State and first Condition thus became an Enemy to Life and Truth and became the King of Death and he was the first of Death's Race and he holds the Power of it unto this Day he being gone out of the Truth and out of the Power and Life of God and become a distinct Beeing of himself having a kingdom of his own to promote in Opposition to the Kingdom of God Then he drew Mankind out of the Power and Truth and Life and beguiled Eve and Adam as you may read in the Scriptures and they lost the Life and Power even all Feeling of it and Comfort in it by which they were Created and made and they also transgressed and acted contrary to the Life and Power and acted of themselves and spake of themselves without the Power and Life of their Creator being separated from it and were and did something
been servant to another Power and led captive by another Power than the Power that made him and another Government hath been established over him and another Law hath exercised him than the Government and Law of the Creator to wit the Power and Government and Law of Death have had the Rule Government and Exercise of Man and of the old Creation and hereby all things have been diverted from their proper and perfect place and service to which they were ordained in the beginning by reason of Transgression and the reigning of Death and Man hath been held in Captivity and in sore bondage and subject to all misery and distress deprived of unity with his Maker and deprived of the comfortable use and benefit of the Creation so that of all Creatures he hath been the most miserable being held in Bondage and Captivity under the power of Death which hath ruled and reigned over him and in him being always subject to Death and subject to the Curse and Anger of the LORD and subject to doubtings and fears and subject to continual misery and sorrow and all this is because Death hath reigned and had dominion even that which at first in the beginning of Transgression betrayed him of the Life and Fellowship with God that got possession it self to reign and to have the Power which ever since hath reigned and alwayes doth till the appearance of the Life again which doth appear in the Creature for this end to overcome and subdue Death and destroy his works that it self may reign and free the Creation from its degeneration and corruption and free Mankind from his bondage and captivity and from his misery and all his trouble which is come upon him by reason of Death And this came to pass in the New Creation when Life is born again to rule and reign again and to swallow up Death and to subdue it wholly and its Kingdom and Government And then Man again is become a Son of GOD an Heir of Salvation and no more Death reigns in him nor hath Power over him when he is restored out of Transgression then as Death hath reigned and had power in Transgression Life shall so reign in and over the Creature in the New Creation when that is brought forth as Death hath reigned in the Old Creation in Transgression and Disobedience And Life will arise to reign and rule over all and in all though it be through great opposition the Body of Death shall be put off and the Government of Death shall be subdued and all the Works Fruits and Effects of Death shall be destroyed and done away and its place shall no more be found so as to bring forth Fruit for its sting shall be taken away and shall no more wound nor pierce nor hurt the Creature For the sting of Death is Sin and that hath wounded and hurt the Creature and when this comes to pass then there is glory and rejoycing over all for Life hath swallowed up Death and overcome it and the cause of Sorrow is removed and taken away and the Kingdom of Life is established in the Creature and is set upon the top of Death's Kingdom and keeps it under and if there be but a Motion of Death that would spring up or appear in the Creature Life judgeth it down and condemns it And this Kingdâ—â— is Righteousness Ioy and Peace full of Iustice Righteousness and Equity and there is nothing in it that doth defile or destroy or bring Sorrow or Misery but Life rules over all that and subdues the Cause thereof and removes every thing that would imbondage or captivate the Creature in Evil. And this Kingdom is not of this World but from Heaven and Heavenly and the Birth Immortal is Heir thereof which receives the Crown and the Kingdom of Eternal Life Now the Kingdom of Death is of this World which is defiled and degenerated Gain was a Subject of this kingdom and Esau that was a Reprobate and Iudas that betrayed the Life and all the Ungodly and Generation of the Wicked since the beginning they were all of the kingdom of Death and the kingdom of Death ruled in them and brought forth its works through them and its exercise in their hearts and in their lives and through its power they opposed and gainsay'd the Life and they fought against the Kingdom of Life and Righteousness and such were the Pharisees who put Christ to death who is the Life Death raigned over all these and they were of the stock of Death and they were of this World and had their Conversation below in the earthly things and knew not the Life nor its Government but were Strangers to it and Enemies to it as all are at this day who are Transgressors against the Life and all such are subject to the Curse to Sorrow and Misery and the Anger of the Lord but who come to feel the Life and the Obedience to it again Death is destroyed through Death for through the death of Death Death comes to be destroyed and no other way which the Life works and the Life works through Death and overcomes it and swallows it up and this is the second Creation and the new Creation where Life raigns over all and doth possess the Creature as it did before transgression The Life is the Light and the Life is the Law and Life lives moves and acts the Creature and Christ who is the Life becomes all in all and Blessed are they who wait for this and do witness it to such am I known in these things where the kingdom of Death is overcome and swallowed up of Life CHAP. II. A Testimony concerning the Mystery of God and Godliness and concerning the Mystery of the Devil and Iniquity THere are two great Mysteries in their invisible Beeing and in manifestation to us in the world that is to say The Mystery of God and Godliness and The Mystery of the Devil and Iniquity These are two great Mysteries which do discover and act themselves forth in and among and through the Children of men in this Creation and these two Mysteries are contrary one to the other in Beeing in Nature in Works in Fruits and effects and they are in strife one against the other the one continually opposing the other and striving for the Creature Mankind to be the Instrument to display themselves through in visible Appearance for the Creature Man and Woman is a Vessel wherein these Mysteries are contained and whereby these Mysteries do shew themselves forth in the world and all the Sons of Adam upon the Face of the Earth are possessed with and of one of these that is to say The Mystory of God or the Mystery of the Devil do manifest themselves forth through every Man and Woman and through all the Sons of Adam upon the Face of the Earth the Works Fruits and Effects of one of these are brought forth And as for the Mystery of God it is Infinite and Eternal in Beeing and
it self forth in a higher appearance and fairer shew than ever it did before for this Mystery hath sate in the Temple of God and shewed it self to be God and been worshipped above all that is called God this Mystery of Iniquity the Man of Sin which hath put on the Sheep's-Clothing and shews it self as the Sheep of Christ and as Christians and Churches all which hath been for many Ages the Manifestation of this Mystery while that the Mystery of the Devil hath not been destroyed but now is the Lord arisen who will discover and destroy this Mystery and save the Creature and in the destruction of this Mystery is the other Mystery revealed to wit The Mystery of God and of Christ and that is the Mystery of Christ that destroyes the Mystery of Antichrist and of the Devil And now the Sons and Daughters of the Lord Almighty are coming into this Mystery of God Eternal who is blessed for ever and all that is coming to be overthrown which doth oppose it and gainsay it and there is nothing that can destroy or discover this Mystery but the appearance of Christ the Son of God for it is he that doth discover and destroy the Mystery of Iniquity by the Spirit of his Mouth and by the Brightness of his Coming and this are people coming to The Man of Sin is to be thrown down and the Man of Righteousness the Manof God is revealed and Sons and Daughters shall shew him forth in the World and the Mystery of God shall shew it self forth over the World and in Nations and blessed are all they that come to the opening of this Mystery of God which is the Mystery of Life and Eternal Salvation CHAP. III. A Testimony Concerning true Liberty of Conscience what it is in itself and how it is obtained and what the true Guide and Rule is of the Exercise of Conscience THis is my Testimony as I have received from the Lord true Liberty of Conscience is Liberty and Freedom of the Conscience from the Bondage of Sin and all Transgression past and present and from whatsoever hath been or is a Burden or Oppression upon the Conscience whether inward or outward the Conscience I say is at Liberty when it is freed from the Burden of the Guilt of Sin past and from the present Temptation unto Sin And till this is witnessed there is no true Liberty of Conscience for every thing whatsoever which is Sin and Transgression against God in Works or Words brought forth by the Creature is Bondage and a Burden and oppresseth the pure Conscience and therefore perfect Freedom from all Sin and Transgression is Where the Body of Sin and Death is put off and where the Evil is crucified and the guilt of it taken away and where the Conscience is truly exercised by the Spirit of Christ which leadeth into all Truth and preserveth from all Evil then is the Conscience at Liberty and this is true Liberty of Conscience when this is brought forth in the Creature For where Sin is brought forth and Transgression lived in there the Conscience is bound and the Cord of Iniquity imbondageth the Conscience and it hath not its Liberty in the Service of God nor from the Service of the Devil because the Spirit of God doth not exercise it but the spirit of Unrighteousness leadeth the Mind into the Lusts of this World into Lying Swearing Pride Drunkenness Hypocrisie and Idolatry and the guilt of these things burdeneth and presseth down and is a Bondage upon the Conscience And where the Conscience is bound by Unrighteousness within and by the spirit of the World which leadeth contrary to the Lord there is no Power of Man without can set that Conscience free or give Liberty to it because the Cord of Iniquity hath bound it within and the Burden of guilt is upon it and Conscience lies under Bondage unexercised with the Spirit of God which is free and setteth free the Conscience in the practice of all Good and from the Power and Captivity of all Evil. Therefore before true Liberty of Conscience be witnessed or any have true Liberty in Conscience Iniquity must be purged out and Sin crucified and the Body of Death put off and guilt washed away and the Annointing received that leadeth into all Truth and the Blood of Christ the Seed felt that sprinkleeth the Conscience from all Sin and Works of the Flesh and washeth away all that which staineth and defileth the Conscience and then the pure Conscience hath its true Liberty from the Bondage of all Evil and from the guilt thereof and in the Exercise of all good and this is true Liberty of Conscience and thus it is attained and by no other Way nor Means than by the Sword of the Spirit of God which cutteth down the contrary And where Conscience is thus freed within by the Power of the Lord and delivered from the bondage of Evil and from the burden of all guilt and exercised in all good by the Spirit of God Then nothing without nor any Power of Man which may work against such by Persecution and act in opposition to such whose Consciences are thus freed can imbondage the Conscience to God-wards or bring it under a burden to God-wards I say for it is not altogether Bondage of Conscience or the Burden or Oppression upon his Conscience that is set free as aforesaid though he is outwardly persecuted by men for that doth but hinder the Exercise of his Conscience to Manwards but not to God-wards for there his Conscience is free in Joy and Peace though by reason of Persecution he cannot have the Exercise of it to men I say Though such be put in Prison Banished or whatsoever Suffering be laid upon them by any Men or Laws without yet their pure Conscience is Free and at Liberty in it self to God-wards through all this and over it all for the Lord hath set them free from all that Bondage and Guilt of Iniquity which hath been a Bondage upon their Consciences within And whether they do Suffer or have Freedom or Captivity in their Persons from men yet is their pure Conscience at Liberty to God-wards and in perfect freedom in it self and to themselves though for the Name of Christ and his Truth they be persecuted and all Evil done against them by evil men and the exercise of their pure Consciences prevented as to Man-wards For that which defiles the Conscience doth bring it under Bondage but that which keeps it pure and free from pollution that keeps it in Liberty and in perfect freedom to God over all Persecution and Evil Men and Unjust Laws which would exercise dominion in and over the Consciences of the Saints and bring them into Captivity as sometimes their Persons are by Evil Laws and Persecutors But who stand in the Power of the Lord and in the exercise of the Spirit of God which freeth the Conscience in their own particulars as I have said doth not come