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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A40196	The great mistery of the great whore unfolded, and antichrists kingdom revealed unto destruction in answer to many false doctrines and principles which Babylons merchants have traded with, being held forth by the professed ministers, and teachers, and professors in England, Ireland, and Scotland, taken under their owne hands, and from their owne mouths, sent forth by them from time to time, against the despised people of the Lord called Quakers, who are of the seed of that woman, who hath been long fled into wildernes ... in this answer to the multitude of doctrines held forth by the many false sects, which have lost the key of knowledge, and been on foot since the apostles dayes, called Anabaptists, Independents, Presbyters, Ranters, and many others, who out of their own mouths have manifested themselves not to be of a true descent from the true Christian Churches : but it's discovered that they have been all made drunk with the wine of fornication received from the whore which hath sitten upon the beast, after whom the world hath wondred / by George Fox.	Fox, George, 1624-1691.; Burrough, Edward, 1634-1662.	1659 (1659)	Wing F1832; ESTC R18020	590,130	408

nor imprison persons nor stock and whip creatures and make them to suffer but let us thresh deceit and whip and beat that and all false opinions let us throw them down where they are found whether in them or in us and let us fight with the weapons of the spirit that are spiritual let them sight no longer with such cruel carnal weapons and then let such as get the victory and overcomes appear to be in the truth of the Church and such as falls and is overcome be manifest to be in the error and of the false Church and Religion and let us love one anothers persons and let them act no otherwise towards our persons then we do upon theirs and towards them and let them take the liberty to deal with us and our persons as we deale with them and their persons and no otherwise And let such whether them or us that cannot prove ourselves to be the true Church of Christ nor of the true worship and true Religion nor in the truth but is found to be in the error and out of the truth let such deny their worship and Church and renounce all their Religion and confesse to all the world under their hands that they are and have been deceived and for ever hereafter stop their mouthes and never professe nor practice any more what they have done in such Religion And freely upon these Issues and conditions we will joine trial with them let them appoint time place and profer terms at their own pleasure and then to all the world it shall be manifest and to all people discovered whether we have not good ground and sufficient reason to war against these Priests and it may perfectly appear that what we have said and written against them these divers yeares have been upon a good foundation and we have had sufficient cause to speak and write against them as we have done and none thenceforth shall have cause to say or doubt that what we have spoken and written against them hath been out of malice or envy and without cause and good reason but on the contrary all shall know the ground of quarrel is sufficient and full of equity on our part And upon these or any equal tearms and conditions would we and are we willing to engage with these Priests and all or any one of these Sects in a lawful tryal in disputes or writings for the tryal and searching out of the truth and the true Religion And were it not equal reasonable that we had the same liberty among all these Priests and in their Church and Assemblies freely to declare our minds and to let forth our selves in what we hold and profess without being violently haled and beat and whipped and sent to prison as we have been this many years which liberty we do freely grant and allow among us to all to query or declare what is upon them without such violent dealing or whipping or sending them to prisons and houses of correction and the same and no other do we desire of others in this particular of freedom to declare the truth and what we hold then what we do and would allow to others and that no weapon be used by them against us nor dealing towards us but the weapons of the spirit the best they have or can bring forth against us and let them let creatures alone and not hurt nor do violence to them and no other weapons shall we use against them nor deal with them by any other thing but the weapons of the Spirit of God which is powerful and will bring down strong holds and as for creatures we shall not hurt nor do violence nor imprison them and whose weapons are the strongest let such overcome And such as are overcome is not the true Church for the true Church of Christ which is builded upon the Rock the gates of hell cannot prevail against and who doth overcome with such let it be manifest that God of a truth is with them and let them all cease to defend their Church and Ministry and Religion with prisons and whips and houses of correction for by such things was never the true Church Ministry and Religion defended but onely the power and Authority of God preserved them and resisted all their enemies and so it is at this day and let all cease to cry deceivers and being afraid to be deceived for if they be the true Church all or any of these Sects and Professions of Religions then if we be deceivers and come among them they cannot be deceived if they be in the election for no deceivers nor the gates of hell cannot prevail against the true Church of Christ nor against them that are elect which the Devil hath nothing in And if we be the true Church of Christ and in the election then if all the deceivers upon earth come among us they cannot prevail against us nor deceive us for the elect cannot be deceived and upon these tearms we may engage with any people and Sect upon earth therefore come to this and joyn with us take you the liberty to declare in soberness what you own and profess you shall not be persecuted nor your bodies nor persons harmed by violence and let us have that liberty to deelare in meekness and soberness and in Gods Authority amongst you what we hold and professe and let us not be persecuted and dealt violently withall and then let it appear whether we or our enemies hath a greater testimony and more powerful in the hearts of people And were not this a way full of equity for the tryal of all things But doing contrary as you have done these many years against us by violence and whipping and persecuting it shewes you have not the spirituall weapons nor the Authority of God with you nor among you and that is the cause of running to Magistrates and putting in Goals and whippings and all violence because the Authority of Gods spirit is wanting amongst you which all the false Sects and false Churches since the dayes of the Apostles have wanted to defend themselves and resist their enemies and so all sects have been fighting one with another and killing persons and creatures and defended themselves by prisons and inquisitions and destroying of lives and all this have been out of the power of God and not in it but by the power of the Dragon and of the Beast who hath caused all to worship and them that would not he hath had power to kill and hath killed them by fires and tortures and cruel deaths and all these have lost the spiritual weapons and been without the power and Spirit of God And what a Church is this of yours which hath need to be defended by Goals and prisons and whips and stocks and violent dealing this Church is not the Church of Christ for the power and Spirit of God defends her alwayes and not inquisitions and prisons and whips these are Cains weapons and

THE GREAT MISTERY OF THE GREAT WHORE UNFOLDED AND ANTICHRISTS KINGDOM Revealed unto DESTRVCTION In Answer to many False Doctrines and Principles which Babylons Merchants have traded with being held forth by the professed Ministers and Teachers and Professors in England Ireland and Scotland taken under their owne Hands and from their owne Mouths sent forth by Them from time to time against the despised People of the LORD called QVAKERS who are of the Seed of that Woman who hath been long fled into the WILDERNES ALSO An Invasion upon the great City BABYLON with the spoling of Her golden Cup and delicate Merchandize whereby She hath deceived the World and Nations And herein is declared the spoyling of her prey in this Answer to the multitude of Doctrines held forth by the many false SECTS which have lost the key of Knowledge and been on foot since the Apostles dayes called Anabaptists Independents Presbyters Ranters and many others who out of their own Mouths have manifested themselves not to be of a true descent from the true Christian Churches But it 's discovered that they have been all made drunk with the Wine of Fornication received from the Whore which hath sitten upon the Beast after whom the World hath wondred By GEORGE FOX And the Merchants of the Earth shall weep and mourn over her for no man buyeth their merchandize any more Rev. 18.18 And they cryed when they saw the smoak of her burning saying what City is like unto this great City And they cast dust on their heads and cryed weeping and wailing saying Alas alas that great City wherein were made rich all that had Ships in the Sea by reason of her costliness for in one hour is she made desolate Rev. 18 18 19. LONDON Printed for Tho Simmons at the Ball and Mouth near Aldersgate 1659. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER TO all the world to whom this may come to be Read that they read with a good understanding and hereby they may come to the perfect knowledge of the ground of difference between the Priests and Professors and all Sects in these Nations and Us who are in scorn called Quakers shewing that the conversie on our pa●● is just and equal against them all and t●●● we have sufficient cause to cry against them and to deny their M●●●stry their Church their worship and their whole Religion as being not in the Power and by the Spirit 〈…〉 ●●●ng God as commanded of him or ever practiced by his Sain● 〈◊〉 ●ut 〈◊〉 ●●clareth the g●●und and foundation thereof to be anothe●●●●●g a●●●ot the same on which the true Church and Ministry an●●●actice 〈◊〉 worship and true Religion was builded in the daye● 〈◊〉 Apo●●●es And also this is an Invitation to all Sects and professio● of People to come forth and try if what they hold and professe be according ●o the Scriptures of truth and to do this in tryall by evident and sound Arguments and by the best spiritual weapons they have and to la●●●●e all this persecution and unrighteous dealing and stocking and w●●pping and imprisoning of us for speaking against their Religion and that they come forth in fair dispute to contend in the Spirit of meekness for what they professe and practice and to prove according to the Scriptures their Ministry Church and whole Religion that it is in and by the spirit and power of God or otherwise to renounce and deny all their Religion and the profession and practices thereof that every man may be satisfied who it is that are in the true and right way and of the true worship and true Religion and who it is that are not and this is desired by us who are called Quakers and also a true account of our first beginning and coming forth in the world and of that great sufferings we have sustained and how we have been carryed on and are preserved to this day The Lord God everlasting who is true and faithful hath fulfilled his promise in us and unto us and we are gathered from the mouths of all dumb Shepherds and out of the mouths of all Hirelings who have made a prey upon us and fed themselves with the fat and devoured souls for dishonest gain And we are come to the fould of Eternal rest where Christ Jesus is the chief Shepherd and he is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls that feedeth his Flock with living bread that nourisheth us unto life eternal he hath called us by his Name and put us forth and he feedeth us in green pastures and we are fed with hidden Manna and lies down at Noon with his gathered Flock and out of Nations kindreds multitudes and peoples are we Redeemed to God and are come out of the world and out of great Babylon and out of spiritual Sodom and Egypt where the Lord Christ was and is crucified and lyeth slain to this day and a top of the world hath the Lord set us on the mountain of his o●n house and dwelling where we behold and feel the life and glory Crown of the world that hath no end and the world that hath an end is seen over and its Crown and glory is his footstool that Reigns among us And as for all that which this perishing world brings forth which men seek after only It s reckoned our temptation though all the sons of Adam are seeking its glory its Riches its Crowns its contentments But of that birth are we which hath no Crown no glory nor rest under the Sun and a birth is brought forth amongst us which is heir of another Kingdom and possessor of ano●●er Crown whose glorying is in the Lord all the day long and he is ou● Refuge our Rock and our fortresse against all our Enemies and what though the wicked arm themselves and the ungodly bend their b●w what though all sorts of people from the Prince upon his T●●● 〈◊〉 ●he Beggar upon the dunghill exalt themselves against th● d●●pise●●●ople of Lords inheritance who for his Names sake are ki●●●d all the ●ay long what though the wisemen bring forth their A●●●●●nts an● what though the Rulers bring forth unrighteous Judgeme●●s again 〈◊〉 ●eed that God hath blessed what though the revilers and scorners open their mouthes and reproachers and revilers cast out their bitter words as a flood against the remnant of the womans seed that hath long been fled into the wilderness and what then if the Teachers the Prophets and the Elders and the heads and wise men of the world set themselves to pray and Preach and Print against the chosen seed of Jacob yet notwithstanding all this though this is come to passe and hell open her mouth and her floods break forth to overflow and be much more increased yet shall the King of righteousness rule among his people and his presence will not forsake his chosen ones But the Lord is with us a mighty and terrible one and the shout of a King is amongst us and the dread and terror of

and true ministers and equall and according to the false prophets and deceivers Secondly Againe you are not according but contrary to the true ministry and Ministers of Christ in practise for they were led by the spirit of the Father which dwelt in them and they preached the Gospel by the spirit and spake as the spirit gave them utterance and went up and down the world through Nations converting people to the knowledge of the truth and what they had handled tasted seen and felt of the word of life in them that they declared to others and preached the Gospell which they had not received from man nor by man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in them But your practise is not such but contrary for the spirit of this world leads you and it you follow in all your works in your preaching praying and in your whole worship in forme and tradition what you have studied for out of books and old Authors you preach to people and what ye have noted in a book that you preach by an hour-glasse and not as the spirit of God gives you utterance and you seek out and enquire after great benefits and much money by the yeare and where there is much Tithes and Gleab-lands and such like thither and to such a place you goe and seeke after to be Ministers there and there you remain 20. 40. more or fewer yeares as you can agree with the people and while they will give you so much as will content you and maintain you your wives and families as you say respect not whether any be converted to God by your preaching but people remaines alwaies in blindnesse and ignorance generally and without the knowledge of God for you preach other mens words and what you have collected in your imaginations from the Saints words an hour by a glasse leaning upon a soft cushion and for money and and hire preaching to the people and this is your manner of practise and Ministery in these Nations but thus did not the Apostles nor Christs Ministers but the contrary and by your fruits and works it appeares that you are not followers of that spirit that Christ and his Ministers were guided by neither are lawfull successors of the Apostles but by your fruits and practise you manifest that the Lord never sent you nor Christ never called you into his service to be his Ministers for in all your practises and in your whole performances of worship you differ and doth not agree but are contrarie to what the practise and worship of Christs Ministers and Churches were in the daies of the Apostles this I charge upon you in the Name and by the Authoritie of the Lord God and am able to prove it against you face to face or otherwise to shew that you are not of the same spirit but contrary to the Saints and Apostles of old and so not true succeeders of them nor lawfull Ministers of Christ as to all people it is and shall be made manifest Thirdly You disagree and are contrarie altogether to the true ministrie and to the Apostles in respect of your maintenance and wages for the wages which Christ allowed his Ministers was into whatsoever house they entered that was worthy they might eate such things as are set before them for the workeman saith he is worthy of his hire and the Apostles eat onlie of the fruit of the vineyard that they had planted and of the milk of the flock which they kept by a free gift of the people which they had begotten to the faith and to whom they sowed spirituall things it was but as a small matter if they reaped their carnall things yet as a free gift they would doe it and the Apostle said he would not make the Gospel of Christ chargeable And in this manner were Christs Ministers and Ministrie in wages and gifts upheld and maintained outwardly in the world But your practise and maintenance is not such but contrary as is fullie made manifest for you will have so much by the Yeare promised to you in Tythes money or Gleab-lands or stipends and of drunkards and swearers and prophane wordly people who are not sheep of Christs flock nor plants of his vine-yard you will have so much of each of them and of every man in such a compasse as you call your parish and if any either out of covetousnesse or good conscience cannot pay you you sue at Law and cast into prison for wages and spoile their goods and take treble nay some times 5. double damage and through violence and injustice and cruelty are you maintained in such a manner and not as the true Ministers and Apostles of Christ were but in a way and manner quite contrarie as it is manifest and so herein it is proved that you are not lawfull successors of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ Fourthly Againe you follow not the Apostles and true Ministers of Christ but are contrarie to them in doctrine as this following vollume will clearly manifest which for this very end is collected from your own mouths and pens that all men may see what you are and what you hold and professe and being truely laid down and answered let your selves and all sober men compare your doctrines and sayings with the doctrines of the Apostles and they may see you agree not with them but are contrary to them and now friends to all you that professe your selves to be Ministers of the Gospell I do hereby declare unto you in the name and authority of the Lord that we have controversie with you and a great charge against you in all these things in your call in your practice and in your maintenance and in your doctrines and our mouthes hath the Lord opened and they cannot be shut from declaring and crying against you as such whom the Lord never sent but are contrary to Christ his prophets and Apostles in all your waies and practices and the hand of the Lord is certainly against you and his power and dread wil come over you and lie upon your consciences Now Reader whosoever thou art that reades this following volume if thy mind be sober and thy heart right towards God thou may come to a good understanding of the ground and cause of this great controversie between the Priests and the professors of this Nation and us who are in scorne called Quakers for it is not unknown to Nations of this great debate and battel now for some yeares of continuance in this Nation no man can be ignorant what putting in prisons and what persecuting and what preaching and printing against us and what reports and same hath been through this Nation for some yeares past and the Quakers so called have written and spoken and printed against the Priests and their worships and waies and doctrines and declared against them as deceivers and false prophets and such as never were sent of God on the other hand thus have the Priests and more

abundantlie cried out against and printed against the Quakers as hereticks and deceivers and witches and all what they could say that 's evil and these things being not unknown but publiklie brought to passe therefore it will be good to discover unto every man the first ground and cause of this great strife and the matter of it and its beginning so that all may know the certaintie of these things and know they are not without good ground and sufficient reason on our part to wit that we have just cause to do and strive against that generation of Priests and Teachers and that we doe nothing rashly and without sufficient reason It is now about seaven years since the Lord raised us up in the North of England and opened our mouthes in this his spirit and what we were before in our Religion profession and practices is well known to that part of the countrie how generalie we were men of the strictest sect and of the greatest zeal in the performance of outward righteousnesse and went through and tried all sorts of Teachers and run from mountain to mountaine and from man to man and from one forme to an other as doe many to this very day who yet remaines ungathered to the Lord and such we were to say no more of us that sought the Lord and desired the knowledge of his waies more then any thing beside and for one I may speak who from a child even a few yeares old he set his face to seek and find the Saviour and more then Life and treasure or any mortal Crown sought after with all his heart the one thing that is needfull to wit the knowledge of God And after our long seeking the Lord appeared to us and revealed his glory in us and gave us of his spirit from heaven and poured it upon us and gave us of his wisdome to guid us whereby we saw all the world and the true state of all things and the true condition of the Church in her present estate first the Lord brought us by his power and wisdome and the word by which all things were made to know and understand see perfectly that God had given to us everie one of us in particular a Light from himselfe shining in our harts consciences which Light Christ his Son the Saviour of the world had lighted every man and all mankind withall which Light in us we found sufficient to reprove us and convince us of every evil deed word and thought and by it in us we come to know good from evil right from wrong and whatsoever is of God and according to him from what is of the Devil and what is contrary to God in motion word and work and this Light gave us to discerne between truth and error between every false and right way it perfectlie discovered to us the true state of all things and we thereby came to know man what he was in his creation before transgression how he was deceived overcome by the devil his estate in transgression in disobedience how he is drove banished from the presence of the Lord and the sorrow and anguish which he is in to undergo also by the Light in us we perfectlie came to know the way of Restauration and the meanes to be restored and the state of man being come out of transgression and restored these things to us were revealed by the Light within us which Christ had given us and lightened us withall what man was before transgression and what he is in transgression and what he is being redeemed out of transgression and also the Light which shined in every one of us as to it our mindes became turned and our hearts inclined the perfect estate of the Church we came to know her estate before the Apostles daies and in the Apostles daies and since the daies of the Apostles and her persent estate we found to be as a woman who had once been cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet who brought forth him that was to Rule the Nations but she was fled in the Wildernesse and there sitting desolate in her place that was prepared of God for such a season which season in the very end thereof when the time of her sojorning was towards a full end then were we brought forth if any have an eare they may hear so that all these things concerning man and concerning the times and seasons and the changing and renewing of times and all things that pertaines to salvation and Redemption and eternal Life needfull for man to know all this was revealed discovered and made knowne to us by the Light which was in us which Christ had lighted us withall And we found this Light to be a sufficient teacher to lead us to Christ from whence this Light came and thereby it gave us to receive Christ and to witnesse him to dwel in us and through it the new covenant we came to enter into to be made heires of life and salvation and in all things we found the Light which we were inlightned withall and all mankind which is Christ to be alone and onelie sufficient to bring to Life and eternal salvation and that all who did own the Light in them which Christ hath enlightened every man withall they needed no man to teach them but the Lord was their Teacher by his Light in their own consciences and they received the holie anointing And so we ceased from the teachings of all men and their words and their worships and their Temples and all their baptismes and Churches and we ceased from our own words and professions and practises in Religion in times before zealously performed by us through divers formes and we became fooles for Christs sake that we might become truelie wise and by this Light of Christ in us were we led out of all false waies and false preachings and false Ministers and we met together often and waited upon the Lord in pure silence from our own words and all mens words and hearkned to the voice of the Lord and felt his word in our hearts to burn up and beat down all that was contrary to God and we obeyed the Light of Christ in us and followed the motions of the Lords pure spirit and took up the Crosse to all earthly glories Crowns and waies denied our selves our relations and all that stood in the way betwixt us and the Lord and we chose to suffer with and for the Name of Christ rather then all the pleasures upon earth or all our former zealous professions and practices in Religion without the power and spirit of God which the world yet lives in And while waiting upon the Lord in silence as often we did for many hours together with our mindes and hearts toward him being stayed in the Light of Christ within us from all thoughts fleshly motions and desires in our diligent waiting and feare of his Name and hearkning to

not in the darknesse but hath the light of life And you that keep people from the Light that doth enlighten every one c. are the messengers of Sathan out of the truth And the God of the world blindes the mindes of such as do not believe in the Light that every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall that all through it might believe And who believes in it that doth enlighten every man c. the light of the glorious Gospell shines in them which is the mage of God Prin. And you say Visions are ceased and Revelations and immediate Inspirations Answ But I say Repent every one of you and come to the Light for the burthensome stone is fallen upon you and all that stands against the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world shall split your selves against the Rock and be grownd to powder And every one that cometh into the world Teachers Professors whatsoever must come unto the light which Christ Jesus the salvation that saveth the souls hath enlightned them withall before they come to life or know the light of the glorious Gospell shining in their hearts or come to the end of the Law or end of the Prophets or end of the Revelation or out of the apostacy or out of the Jewes state whose ears was stopt and eyes blinded out of the Gentiles state that goes astray after the vanities of their mind So all you and all upon the earth Jewes Gentiles and Christians of what sort soever must come to the light which every one of you is enlightned withall before every particular comes to see their salvation or satisfaction yea the salvation to the ends of the earth the glory of Israel the light of the Gentiles which the apostate Christians have ravened from the spirit of God within them have got the forme but stands against the Light that doth enlighten every man c. such have caused the way of truth to be evill spoken of yea among other Nations of the Heathens They have been hot and broyled in their lusts having had the forme of godlinesse and sheeps cloathing but all standing against the Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world smiting striking their fellow-servants Now the Lamb is come and the Saints to reign with him Such their portion must have with the hypocrites who to every one will give a reward according to their works And the Lamb and the Saints shall have victory him by whom the world was made before it was made glorified with the Father before the world began Now is the seed Christ come to reign and the Just have preheminence And I say to you all Subscribers to all these Books Priests Professors Teachers whatsoever your patience would have better covered your shame and folly then your hast extreams and rashnesse But your folly must come forth that to all men it might appear Abundance more of Stuffe is in it which is not worth mentioning whose words shall be your own burthen the witnesse in all your consciences in the day of your judgement when your works are all tryed with fire shall answer to a friend of your souls and your goods eternall but judges your fruits words and actions for the day of the Lord is come that will try every mans work John Stalham who calls himselfe a Servant of the great Bishop of Souls who watcheth over a Flock at Terling in Essex In his Booke called The Reviler rebuked These are some of his Principles following Pr. HE saith Immediate Ruptures and Revelations seduceth simple peoples mindes c. And the perverse Principles of their selfe-adorning light And the Quakers deny all externall worship of divine Authority as not to be found among us And let Learning be advanced among pious men for God hath his witty and learned ones And the life of their Religion is the rule of the holy Scriptures the glory of the blessed Trinity See his Epistle to the Protector Answ The life of Religion is the spirit that gave forth Scriptures for all that have the Scriptures and be out of that be in the feigned R●ligion And the Scripture no where speaks of a Trinity but the Papists who be apostatized from the life of the Scripture It speaks of Father Son and holy Ghost and the water spirit and blood and the learned ones upon earth never knew Christ with all their naturall learning And if one get all the Naturals upon the earth and the Scriptures in all the naturall Languages and one supream power of a Nation tollerate all these Languages to be the Originall and they have the Scriptures in all these Languages these are witty ones but these knows not God nor Christ by all this though they have all the Scriptures while they are from the spirit of God that gave forth Scriptures For that which brings to know God is by the revelation of the spirit of God the light which doth not deceive the minde but their mindes be deceived that be from the light And all worships that be in the spirit and in the truth that gave forth the Scriptures called the Old and New Testament that we own and is owned among the Quakers For God who is a Spirit who led his servants and Prophets and Son by his spirit to speak forth the Scriptures which Christ the Son is come to fulfill who saith they that worship God must worship him in spirit and in truth and that among the Quakers is owned And the light which cometh from Christ leadeth from perverse Principles and adorning selfe for it leads out of its righteousnesse But perverse men ever stood against it in all ages and so spurned against the foundation and overthrew themselves Pr. He saith The spirit speaking in the Scriptures And them that say they have no sin a gracious heart will slight and despise He saith the Kingdome of God is not within them Luke 4. And he saith The soule prepares it selfe for death See Epistle to the Church Answ Such as had gracious hearts never despised him that had no sin but the ungracious did As for example all the Pharisees against Christ and against the Apostles and Saints and the holy men And the Apostle which told the Romans they were made free from sin and they that were dead to sinne how could they live any longer therein he slighted them not but encouraged them So we finde thee not to be a Minister of Christ and have proved and tryed thy spirit to be of such as say they are Apostles and are not And the spirit spoke in them that gave forth the Scriptures so they were declared forth And men may have the Scriptures and not know the spirit that spoke in them that gave forth Scriptures So that is the cause that all people be on heaps about the words and saying the spirit speaks in the Scriptures which spoke in the holy men of God that spoke them forth and learned of God

spirit of life The Devill may get Scripture and therefore hath he spirit and life who is out of it This is like the Pharisees that thought they had had life in the Scriptures but would not come to Christ the life which the Scripture testified of and the Scriptures are words of God but many have the words and deny the Word it selfe and none are justified that hath the Scriptures and out of the life that gave them forth Pr. He saith It 's a sottish Doctrine to direct people onely to the Light within and what an absurd thing it is to tell our children of the Light within their conscience and to bid them obey and follow it that light and word that 's in their hearts and mouths and so fully neglect the teaching of the Scriptures Answ Is not this Souls zeal kicking against the pricks who had Scripture And this is not the neglecting to teach the Scriptures nor the Apostles doctrine to bring people and children to the Light within and the word in their hearts and mouths to obey and do it which was the Apostles doctrine and they are sottish that be out of it and they were them that made Proselytes that brought not people to the word within nor to the light within but from it Pr. He saith The Apostle thought to do many things against the Church and thought he ought to do so and the light within did not inform his conscience Answ Did not Christ say it was hard for him to kick against that that prickt him and was not that within him that pricked him Pr. And thou sayst thou art too ignorant of the ways of God and witnessing the meaning of his spirit Ans We do believe thee therefore you had better have been silent and have hearkned to the Light within thee and the Word within thee and the word of faith and wisdome which none hears the word of faith but who comes to the light within Pr. Thou sayest thou art too much troubled with carnall thoughts and vain imaginations and addicted to the world Answ Those dictates are not like to own the light within word within It is not a strange thing that thy spirit should stand against the Apostles doctrine that is light within Cor. 2.4 Pr. Thou sayst It is a disparaging the Scriptures to direct people to the light within rather then the Scriptures to direct them to eternall life Ans The Scriptures many may have and be from the light and spirit of God that was in them that gave it forth which none hath eternall life but who comes to the light within and the spirit that was in them that gave forth the Scriptures and to you this is the word of the Lord. Pr. Thou sayst The light within is grosse darknesse and what darknesse and blindnesse is there where the Scriptures are not minded and known Ans The Apostle who did direct to the light within did not call that grosse darknesse nor blindnesse but turned people from darknesse to light from the power of Satan to God And Abraham and Enoch was not in grosse darknesse and ignorance who had not the Scripture to minde which was in the spirit and faith as they were in that gave forth the Scripture who comes to witnesse the same spirit as was in them that gave forth the Scriptures they shall come to witnesse the Covenant of God written in their hearts and shall not need say Know the Lord and cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils and they that comes into this owns the Scripture without and be in Abrahams faith Pr. He saith The elect may be deceived and fall from their own stedfastness for a time and come under the death and power of Satan Answ The elect seed is in the grave which it is not possible to deceive and the elect shall be brought from under all the deceivers and death and bonds and the gates of Hell they shall come over and on top of them although the seed hath been in captivity and it is not possible to deceive the Elect it is the world that is deceived that which hath led captive shall go into captivity Eve and the first Adam may be brought into transgression but Christ the second Adam the seed in you all you must know which is that which bruiseth the Serpents head and the ground of all deceiving and so the Elect may lye under for a time and suffer but the election shall obtain and not him that wills nor him that runs but come over to the crown of honour and glory Pr. He saith Satan deceives men into bringing them to a self-denying posture Answ It is not the Devill that brings men to be humble and to deny themselves that which teacheth self-denyall is Christ that which keeps out of self-denyall is the Devill for that he went into himselfe out of the truth Pr. He sayes They can never be clear of a degree of blasphemy that hath the spirit of God in them and speaks against Ministery Magistrates and Ordinances and bid people listen to the light within them and to the spirits teaching and that they are all taught of God Answ They that witnessed the spirit and light within were taught of God and were moved of the Lord to declare both against Ministers Magistrates and Ordinances that stood against Christ the power of God and these were called blasphemers which were not the Scripture declares it but owned the power that ended all changeable things which upon all the heads of the transgressors and blasphemers came which power was a praise to them that did well Pr. He saith That Scripture may be bought and sold they say and it doth not profit but the Light within is of an eternall nature an infallible guide So obeying it they shall be sure of perfection and eternall life Now he saith those that say so are the poor ignorant and unstable soules Answ Cannot yee buy and sell the Scriptures and your Sermons and Prayers And can any have the comfort of the Scriptures and an infallible guide perfection and eternall life and the soule established and come out of ignorance but who comes into the light and spirit of God within that gave forth the Scriptures with which they came to know God the Father of spirits of whom they learned that gave forth the Scriptures and so come into the spirit and the bond of peace and unity with the Scriptures with God and one with another And the sp●rit of God doth not bring men to dislike of Scriptures nor Ministers of Christ But to see what estate and condition they were spoken forth too Pr. Thou sayest The measure of Christ must be so that you ought to lay downe your lives for the brethren and love one another much more to lay downe your estates Answ When was there a Priest in the Nation that did lay downe his estate for the love of Christ or his brethren but he had a selfish principle in another thing Or

of glory Pr. He saith It is a Devillish doctine not to forsake quaking and trembling Answ So in this thou mayest say it is Devillish doctrine to say salvation must be wrought out by trembling and quaking so thou shewest thou never knew salvation for before men have salvation wrought out they must know trembling and quaking and so thou hast shut thy selfe out from Moses and Davids condition and such as the Lord regards and trembles at his word Prin. He saith Flesh and bone cannot be a measure in one and a measure in another Answ Whereas the Apostle saith we are of his flesh and of his bone Here thou art contrary to the Apostle and that was more then one that had the flesh of Christ and his bone and his spirit Pr. He cries Oh Luciferian pride to save souls Answ What good doth all your preaching do Here thou spoilest all the rest of the Priests and shews thy selfe to be contrary to the Apostles who watched for the soul and saved souls that turned people from a multitude of sins Pr. He saith God the Father never took upon him humane nature Answ Contrary to the Scripture who saith God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe and art ignorant of the great mystery God manifest in the flesh and his name is called the everlasting Father As for the word Humane which is from the ground it comes from thy own knowledge which is earthly and Christ took upon him the seed of Abraham and David according to the flesh and this is Scripture-Language Pr. He saith The holy Ghost is a person and that there was a Trinity of three persons before Christ was born Answ Thou knowest not him that is in the Father and the Father in him glorified with the Father before the world began And the Scriptures doth not tell people of a Trinity nor three persons but the Common-prayer-Masse-book speaks of three persons brought in by thy father the Pope and the Father Son and holy Spirit was always one Pr. He compares immediate revelation from heaven like unto the false Prophets dreams And again he saith the Scriptures is the word of God Answ Here he fights with the rest of his fellows who saith Scriptures signifies writings and writings are not God but the Scriptures of truth are Gods words which Christ the Word fulfils They are not the word of God which thou hast blasphemously affirmed but Christ is the word of God and they be out of the feare of God and the spirit and knows not the Son nor the Father that denies Revelations but are among the false Prophets and false Dreamers Pr. He saith The Scriptures are the Word except you dare to deny Christ is God And he brings a Scripture Let the word of God dwell in you richly Answ So he makes the Scripture Christ and God and he doth not say let Christ dwell in you but means the Scripture and God dwels in you And the Apostle said Let Christ dwell in your hearts by faith and God will dwell in you but thou saith Christ doth not dwell in them personally Doth not Christ dwell in his Saints as he is in the person of the Father the substance and are not they of his flesh and of his bone Pr. They that hear the Word of God do not hear the Son the holy Scriptures are the mediate Word of God Ans Now all people where ever did you read of a mediate word of God Doth not the word of God endure for ever and is it mediate And that he calls God heavenly Father and never heard his voyce nor his Sons and denies immediate teachings and he that knows the spirit that gave forth Scriptures hears the Son Pr. He saith God limits the supream holy one by the inspired writings of the Apostles and that is his third dispensation of his minde to men And he saith they are taught by inspired Scriptures which is mediate not by Letter which is litterally the Letters or Letter Answ Inspired Scriptures and yet mediate the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy and the Spirit inspires which the Letter doth not and Gods teaching is by his spirit and the holy one is not limited by the words of the Apostles who fulfils them and many words the Apostles spoke which he did not write Pr. And he calls the Devill the tutor to say not made Minister of the Letter Answ So we speak the Apostles words and he makes the Devill the Apostles tutor who said the letter killeth but the spirit gives life who was not a Minister of the Letter but of the spirit said and sayes this that makes the Devill the Apostles tutor which is a lye and his own and the Devill is the Tutor of the Ministers of the Letter and not of the Spirit who can run into it who is out of the truth Pr. He speaks of a morall Law Answ Which he hath no Scripture for the Scripture speaks no such thing but darkens counsell by his words Pr. He saith The Scripture contains the mediate inspired teachings written word of God that was and is God Ans Which the Scriptures say the heaven of heavens cannot contain him and God and Christ was before any written words was and the mediate teaching of the whole Scripture-letter he speaks of which he calls God and Christ and all the mediate teaching is carnall and the Scriptures doth not continue the immediate teachings of Gods inspiration but testifies of those things Pr. He saith The written word is the sword of the spirit And he makes another rule besides the Scripture's false Answ Which we say is the spirit that gave them forth whereby peace is known upon the Israel of God And the Pharisees had the Scriptures but had not the sword of the spirit the Scriptures testifies of the sword of the spirit Pr. He saith It is a lye to say the Saints shall judge the world Answ So he would make Christ and the Apostles lyars and would take the judgement from the Son and make Christ at a distance from the Saints so he is ignorant of the Saints and Christ both and knows not the time of the Saints judging when the Lord is come but stands in the counsels of his own heart and in the hidden things of darknesse Pr. He saith No Saint can be a judge of the world Answ Contrary to Cor. 6. where the Apostle saith Do ye not know the Saints shall judge the world And they abide not in the truth that affirms it as thou saith so hast shewed thy ignorance and one of them that is judged by the Saints Pr. He denies the Son of God to be revealed in man onely by adoption and cries against equality with the Father Answ And that is contrary to the Apostle who had the Son of God revealed in him And the Assembly of Divines gave forth a Catechisme which children old and young was to learn and said the holy Ghost and Son was equall in substance

of the Prince of the Air out of the disobedience to the thing he had disobeyed but who comes to the light within which shines in his heart which gives him the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and there is none knowes the working of Christ but by the light within Pr. When they were prickt in their hearts the Apostle did not bid them look to the light within them Answ Did not the Apostle bid them repent And was not there something in them that did give them to understand their trangression who might repent and come to receive remission for their sins by Christ the light who lightened every man that cometh into the world which shines in the darkness and the darkness comprehends it not which light shined forth it gives the light of the knowledge of God in the heart and that which pricks them is within them Pr. To look at the light within puts us by the experience of the created word Answ The light within brings to look at Christ whose name is called the word of God by whom all things was created and the light within gives experience of him which is beyond all created experiences that are changeable and the Scripture doth not tell us of the created word Pr. To follow the light within the natural man that is said to lead to perfection drawes from and puts us from waiting upon the commands of God Answ No natural man comes out of his natural state to perfection to know the commands of God that which discovers all these things to him is the light within which comes from Christ and brings him to know the Covenant of God who are kept from the light within are kept from perfection and the commands of God and the Covenant of God and Christ Pr. There can be no reproof for breaking of a Law if it were not written Answ Adam broke the Law before it was written and was reproved Prin. Light within and watching in that light to bring us to perfection will be a vain watch Answ None sees perfection nor none comes to the true watch but they who come to the light within which doth manifest that which must be stood against and not received and all watches are vain that be not in the light within for they will put evil for good and good for evil darkness for light and light for darkness that watches not in the true light that shines in their hearts which makes manifest Pr. Let us leave leaning on the light within for direction Answ Then you turn your selves from the Apostles doctrine the light that shines in your hearts to give you the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 4. and you turn into darkness from that which should give you the knowledge Pr. To look to the Light within drawes us from or puts us past the blood of the new Covenant the application of it Answ There 's none sees the new Covenant Christ Jesus to Jewes and Gentiles the covenant of light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and the blood of it he that sees this his eye is opened and is a believer for who sees the blood of Christ and his righteousnesse and comes to the blood of Christ who hath enlightned him he comes to life and none doth come to life but who comes to the light which Christ hath enlightned him withall For in him was life and the life was the light of men and the light shines in darknesse and the darknesse comprehends it not though all things were made by him And them that live in the darknesse hate the light and do not believe in it and so they are condemned by the light Pr. That this doctrine the light within draws us from Christ Answ None comes to Christ nor is drawn unto Christ but with the light and that 's within and gives them to know what they are come from and what they are come to for it gives them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus As for all thy other works of darkness in thy Book they are not worth mentioning but whose messenger he is the day doth bring him to light the witnes of God in his conscience shall answer in the day of his condemnation and judgment who is under the spirituall wickednesse and in whom is the high places of it who stands against and denies the doctrine of the Light within the saints and Apostles hath judged him to be a messenger of Satan a false Apostle a Minister of unrighteousnesse out of the light the truth as you may read in the Corinthians for the true Messengers Ministers and Apostles of Christ Jesus made by the will of God brought people to the light within that shines in their hearts and told them that the light would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus Priest Fergison his principles as followeth who is a Teacher in Kent confest to Ambrose Rigge Pr. THat the scripture was the Law and Testimony Answ This is contrary to the Scripture for the Scripture saith the Law is light Prov. 6. and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy and the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Marke Luke and John the Epistles and Revelations were written as in the 8 of Isaiah Pr. That the Scripture is the rule of life and doctrine and that it was the Word of God Answ Adam Abel Enoch Abraham and the holy men of God had a rule for their lives before the Scripture was written the spirit was the rule of their lives that led forth Saints to speak forth Scripture And they that have the Scripture and not the spirit of Christ they are none of his and the Jewes had Scripture but wanted the rule of life Neverthelesse the Scripture which was given forth from the spirit of God is profitable for Doctrine and the Scriptures of truth are the words of God learned of God and not the word and Christ the word before the Scriptures were given forth by whom the world was made is the word of God who fulfilled the words the Scriptures in him ends who was before they were spoken forth Pr. That the Scripture is the way to God and that the Scripture was the ground of Faith Answ The ground of faith is Christ the Apostle bids the Saints look to him which was the Author and finisher not the Scripture but Christ the Author of their faith the ground of it And Abraham and Enoch and Abel had faith before Scripture was written so who hath faith are of Abraham and they witnesse Abrahams ground and the Jewes had Scriptures but had not faith nor the ground so your faith that hath no other ground but Scriptures is like unto the Jewes And Christ is the way to God who was before Scriptures were written who fulfills the

things to him in some things his minde runned out and that he condemns and yet these wicked men will go tell the Nation of it so what will they have more of a man but his life for abundance they have cast into prison and again these persecuting professors and Priests hath published in one of their books to the world of one Hugh Bisbrowne of buggery who had some time come to the Quakers meetings but was turned from them and durst not meet them for he had been judged by the Quakers before such things were heard of him by them and yet these filthy men will villifie truth with such things that they might make it odious to the world but the sober people see all these things is but their envie and again these persecuting professors and teachers hath put in their book that they have published to the world one Cotten Crosland and they say he was a professed Quaker and that he knew higher things then the Ministers and that he hanged himselfe and he was buried in a Crosse way and a stake was driven through him that passengers might take heed of Quaking This man I saw him once at a meeting another time in the rude multitude he was amongst the Quakers the first time he said little the second time he spak something amongst the rude multitude which the Quakers did not own him and he raised a grievous lye agianst G. F. and said he said he was Christ which was on a market day among the market people This is the third time that ever I saw him amongst any of the Quakers and he told G. F. he had witness to prove it and G. F. told him he was Judas And he went away and after a while hanged himself And Christ in the male and female if he speak he was Christ the seed and the seed was Christ but he did not speak it as a creature and here 's the Priests and Professors Quaker which turned against the Quakers and would have betrayed them but Quaking we own and trembling which you all must do before you know your Salvation wrought out with fear and trembling And a many lies you have gathered up together and stuffed up your book withall and make them your refuge and think the world will refuge under them but a lack for you people begin to see it was nothing but envy in you And it was known that Gilpen was never no long Quaker though the Devil was made to tremble in him And the Lord will reward you according to your work The witness in your conscience shall answer it in you all in the day of your Judgement Thomas Collier Nathaniel Strange Thomas Glasseys who cals themselves servants of Christ in his Paper to all the Churches called Saints through the immortal seed Answer The Churches and Saints who be of the immortal seed hath viewed your paper and your principles in it As FOLLOWETH Pr. YOu say You have taken upon you to speak to God though dust and ashes and yet you said you are Saints through the immortal seed Answ Thou hast forgotten what thou hast written before in thy Preface who hath taken upon you to speak to God though dust and ashes yet says through the immortal Seed such as be Saints though the immortal seed are not dust and ashes for the immortal seed lives and abides and endures for ever Pr. You say You have been bewailing Congregation-iniquity family iniquity personal-iniquity and close-iniquity for by your Search you have found Sion full of unsoundness from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot all puterified sores and now call upon them that tremble at the word of God to come to us Answ You have cast them out that tremble at the word of God and made them your by-word and written and Printed against them and the Lord hath appeared to their glory and what Saints close iniquity family iniquity Congregation iniquity and personal iniquity and Sion from the head to the foot all full of putrified sores and no soundness from the head to the foot and now do you call to them that tremble at the word of God whom you have cast out whom in scorn you have called Quakers will you now turn Quakers do you begin to be ashamed Pr. O come and sit down in the dust and weep bitterly before the Lord for your abomination you have but as it were playd with God you have not trembled at his presence you have been wanton before him and have forgotten what manner of men and women you were and thought no more of your prayers O how often have you mocked God how doth the world canker your affections while you have been asleep in the lap of this delia Answ Thou hast even shamed thy Church dost thou call them Saints through the immortal seed and say they mock God and are asleep in the lap of this delila and the world hath cankered their affections thou hast shamed thy Church and called them Saints through immortal seed and yet they must weep bitterly for their abominations and sit down in dust and ashes are these like Saints sanctified ones of the immortal seed or like transgressors the unsanctified ones not worthy to have a name to be called Saints for such as mocked God and was in abominations must lament for it was not sanctified nor was not come to know the immortal seed but the Saints and the immortal seed reigned over all mockers and such as was cankered with the world and mocked God and was in their abominations they came to reign over all that in the wisdom of God with which they ordered the creation to his glory you call your selves servants of Christ If your people be cankered and mockers of God in the abominations you have laboured in vain and shews you have not profited them at all but are the false teachers Pr. Thou sayest you have reigning abominations cruelty to servants and children exating labours taking no time to counsell them we have mourned that we have had so great a hand in this trespasse and not born testimony against our Ministers Answ This hath been your condition your fruits hath declared it therefore it is time for you to repent and amend your lives and doings and turn to the Lord for while you have time prize it for you that have stood against the Light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world are not of the Church of Christ for none comes to it but through the light Pr. Though slavish fear had stopped our mouthes until the mouth of iniquity hath almost devoured the poor Church of Christ Answ The Church of Christ is the Pillar and ground of truth it cannot be devoured by the mouth of iniquity the gates of Hell cannot prevail against it but through your mouth of iniquity enmity and envy you have almost slain your selves who is against the tru●h turned who hath been slavish for it but against it mad in

no other way it teacheth but to the Kingdome and though men hate it and will not come to it because their deeds are evill yet that is the teacher in all men that gives them the sense of transgression and an understanding of reproof and knowing if they come so that they are reproved and there is the kingdome in men and that is it which lets all men see the most high reigning and shall make every tongue to confesse Christ to the glory of God and is that which gives every man assurance that God hath raised Christ from the dead who hath inlightned them and that is it which gives every man the hope of eternall life and in the light it is received Pr. That the seed to whom the promise of salvation is made is or hath been sinners Ans The promise of God is to the seed which hath been laden as a Cart with shaves by the sinner which seed is the hope Christ that purifies even as God is pure and here is the creature come to know its liberty amongst the sons of God and the seed Christ never sinned in the male nor in the female in the Jew nor in the Gentiles and of this mystery was the great high professors ignorant of that stood at a distance from the Gentiles that Christ had no room among them though they talked of him but in the stable in the manger and in their mouthes to talke of him with their lips and such Christ calls graves and Sepulchres and whited walls and the wall is not the seed but the seed is Christ and not the Sepulchre nor the grave so this promise is not unto seeds as many but to one the seed which is Christ Pr That there is no man doth possess the Kingdom of God whilest he is in the mortall body Ans In this thou art like Nebuchadnezer who must graze like the Oxe thy mouth downeward who knows not the most high ruling in the children of men and God will dwell in you and walke in you and where God dwells and walkes in men they are his temples which is holy there is his Kingdome his power his authority and the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell in them and walke in in them and this is the state of thousands that be in the new covenant that knowes the power of God of the most high his law put in their mindes and hearts and they that doe not know that they are the Temples of God and God dwelling in them and walking in them they are worse then the Corinthians Pr. That he that doth not preach the death and Resurection and the man Christ Jesus that rose from the dead at Jerusalem preacheth not the Gospell whatsoever else he doth declare Ans He that preacheth Christ must preach that Christ that dyed at Jerusalem for he is the same to day yesterday forever the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world which seed Christ breaks the Serpents head and destroyes death and the Devill that went out of the truth and death being destroyed the captivated one comes out by the power which is the Gospel and the prisoner of hope shews himself forth and then the covenant of light life is felt and peace with God but the Reprobate Devill death and destruction anti-christ Beast and false prophet may talke of Christ without and he not within felt such are then the Reprobates and thou saying the seed is not in all men first know it in thy selfe he is not in the man of sin that is to be destroyed who hath blinded thy mind and hath taken possession of thy heart and so first judge thy selfe Pr He that doth not expect the Resurrection from the dead of his owne person as Christ rose from the dead litterally understood hath no true hope of Eternall life borne in his understanding Ans The Saints rising is in Christ and he is the Resurrection they are of his flesh and of his bone and of his spirit and the Saints are of the flesh of Christ that saw no corruption and of his bone and hath the hope of eternall life promised of the Father and now the flesh of Christ the Jewes did not know that were the Idolaters and fornicaters for Christ according to the flesh was of Abraham who came out of all that Idolatry and generation of Fornicaters and in this the saints rise live and remaine with Christ for ever and such come to know the resurrection of the just and unjust according to the scriptures the one to eternall life and the other to condemnation Pr. That Christ by his death overcame him that had the power of death and thereby made way to life Ans But how is death overcome in thee when thou dost not see the kingdome of God in thee and saith it shall not be whiles men are in their mortall bodies and how short art thou of the Holy Ghost and the power and the joy and the righteousnesse which the Kingdome stands in and Christ which overcame death he is the life and the way to God the Father of life which doth inlighten every man that cometh into the world that by the light they might see it and believe in it that they might be children of light and come to the light of life which they that doe not believe in it with the light are condemned Pr. That the unchangablenesse of Gods purpose of his love is the onely ground of mans obedience stability or continuance in obedience not mans obedience the ground of his stability Ans Mans stability is Christ the light the life the foundation of God that stands sure the hope in him that remaineth the faith given to him of God the seed comes to be knowne the Son of God in the male and in the female which abideth in the house for ever which is the heir of the promise and there the unchangeablenesse of God is knowne he that doth not change is seen that is appeared which cannot be shaken that seeth an end of all changeable things and variablenesse and turnings and here is the obedience felt Pr. God hath ordained to eternall life every one that are or shall be saved before they had a being in this world but none come to possession of this salvation but through the obedience of the spirit Ans The ground of mans belief and obedience is Christ who doth inlighten him to the intent that he might believe and obey the truth and who knowes the seed knowes the election before the world was made Pr. That the seed of Israel are men and not onely something in man that the seed of the Serpent are men and not onely something in man Ans If the seed of Israel be men then by thy account the seed of Israel is the seed of the Serpent for they are men and Christ who came to destroy the work of the Devill and him that hath the power of death it is not said he came