God can hinder that which the Lord hath begun and is carrying on by his own power though the nations are angry because that by the light of his glorious Gospel shining forth his wrath is revealed upon them for their ungodly deeds that the Scripture which cannot be broken may be fulfilled and therefore it were better for them to be silent and put their mouths in the dust if so be for them there may be hope then to rise up against that wihch is more unchangeable than the heavens and the earth and therefore in vain have the enemies of God and People in all Professions joyned themselves together against the light of truth and the way of the Lord which many in our dayes have fallen upon but is broken to pieces and it hath fallen upon many and grinded them to pouder and nothing shall escape for the day of the Lord is come and it is very nigh to you that hate it a day of darkness and of gloominess of clouds and of thick darkness and now the seed of God is as the morning spread upon the mountains a great people and a strong there hath not been ever the like neither shall there be any more after itâ— even to the years of many generations a fire goeth before them and behind them a flame burneth the land is as the garden of Eden before them and behind them a desolate wilderness and nothing shall escape them the appearance of them is aâ— the appearance of horses and as horse-men so shall they run c. the earth shall quake before them the heavens shall tremble the Sun and Moon shall be dark and the stars shall withdraw their shining and the Lord shall utter his voyce before his Army as he now doth for hâ—s Camp is very great for he is strong that executeth his word for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible and who can abide it And now according as the Prophet Joel Prophesied is it come and coming to pass Joel 2. 2 3 4 10 11. against which seed men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning the things of God are risen up who in their first appearance in their writings profess themselves to be that which they are not seeming right unto many through their feigned words and fair spâ—eches deceiving the hearts of the simple for whom Christ died but afterwards in the same writings to those that see they manifest themselves what they are and being so considered as they are seen and known cannot deceive and therefore to all people who desire to be edified and satisfied in the ground and truth of things as they are made manifest by the Lord to the light in you I speak that in it you may be able to understand truth in what I say and by the truth to judge of things that differ for such as the tree is such is the fruit an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit neither can one fountain send forth sweet water and bitter Now as concerning a Book given forth by John Stelham Priest at Terling in Essex who having an evil eye because Gods is good and being filâ—ed with indignation because God hath mercy on his own seed whom he hath blessed hath out of the abundance of his heart spoken it forth now the way to know that which is spoken in darkness is to read it in the light and iâ— his tâ—stimony in any thing as coming from him is to be believed it is that which is concerning his own condition and if his estate and condition be such that in it he can receive the things of God and minister them to others then they may be received but if his condition be such that in it he cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God then that which cannot receive cannot minister and so he is to be silent and none to expect the things of God from him being neither fit to reprove nor to rebuke but to be reproved and rebuked as will appear as followeth The Ground in him and the Heart out of which this abundence of words in his Book proceeds in it as he declares is yet the root of all Error and of all sin is in him and seen by him not mortified and that he hath an old lying heart and flesh wherein there dwells no truth no good thing a sinful wretch and worm subscribing himself the sinful John Stelham as in his Introduction in page 80. and page 117 Now therefore we having found out the Root and the Ground to be a root of Error and the ground of Deceit and a heart wherein dwells no truth nor no good thing therefore from that which is unclean shall we not expect that which is clean to proceed nor truth from that wherein dwells no truth but from the lying heart and deceitful tongue hath the Lord delivered us so that if we be called revilers and be rebuked and a charge laid against us as to contradict the Scriptures of God and be called Antiscriptural Antichristian and Antispiritual We have now learned to know whence it doth proceed even from the old lying heart and flesh wherein there dwells no truth and we can bear it because we know that till that heart be taken away and a new heart known wherein is Truth We must be reproached and spoken evil of falsly for his sake who hath taken away the old lying heart and hath given us a new heart wherein truth dwelleth and where truth proceeds out from and herein are we manifest from the children of this Generation and herein are the two states known and the two conditions of men according to the testimony of Scripture and the parable which Jesus spoke Luke 6. 39. Can the blind lead the blind shall they not both fall into the ditch And vers. 45. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good And an evil man out of the evil Treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh And hereby is the tree known by his fruits and the heart of the wicked was ever filled with lying and vanity and understanding was hid from them the Lord was grieved with such that did err in their hearts and had not known his wayes Psal. 95. 10. and such their hearts was fat as grease and in their hearts they imagined mischief and studied destruction Psal. 119 70 Psal. 140. 2. and this was an evil which was under the Sun that the hearts of the sons of men was full of evil and madness while they live Eccles. 9. 3. And such a heart was in the Scribes and Pharisees a lying heart wherein dwelt no truth filled with evil thoughts as Christ said Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts Matth. 9. 4. and out of the heart did arise all false accusations calling the truth blasphemy and the way of it heresie and such who be in the state as John
and thou shalt be scattered in thy imaginations and thy whole work hath God confounded and it shall not accomplish any whit of that end propounded in thy sinful heart which hath brought forth milchief for it 's blasted in the anger of God and men shall neither call it nor the Father of it any more blessed And Friend hadst thou known how little it doth accomplish of thy evil intent thou would have spared thy labour and employed thy service to another end and then had not thy wickedness so greatly appear in the sight of God nor thy shame and nakedness in the sight of men as it now doth by this thy sinful deed brought forth of a cursed womb and conceived in unrighteousness Alas alas man How art thou fallen into the pit which thou hast digged for another And how doth the shame overtake thee which thou hast thought should fall upon us let thy wickedness correct thee and know thou that the Lord will not forsake his people who cannot be offended in Christ though thou cast stumbling blocks of iniquity in the way and would cause them to sin but even so much the more as thou speaks evil against the way of the Lord are they the more upright therein and the more loving and delighting in the path of righteousness and thou hast but the more fully discovered in many things from thy own pen the wickedness and wrath that hath secretly lodged in thy heart and it appears that thy wisdom is devillish and from below deceiving and being deceived and thy path is in craft and subtilty and not in innocency and plain simplicitâ— and â— this manner and by this means chiefly is thy work managed unto an evil end but the Lord hath rebuked it and will do yet more till it appear to all men as it doth to us to be what I have said of it and it shall be a shame to thee and shall not receive prayse neither of God nor man but condemnation in the sight of both and hadst thou known that we are established even on the top of Gods holy mountain and cannot be moved nor shaken by such weak pitiful blasts of confusion and ignorance coming out of thy mouth where poyson lodges under thy tongue sure hadst thou known it thou would have travelled in another path but that thy folly might appear unto all men is thy work sent abroad that they may see what lodges in thy mind even more envie then in the heart of Balaam and more desire of evil to the Lords people than ever was in him and thou fulfils the measure of thy forefathers wickedness till the sum be accounted and destruction follow thou hast too much troubled thy self in labouring and thy reward will not countervail thy pains hadst thou but only spoken against us we should have born it and thou might have been the more excused but in that thou hast spoken against the light of Christ and called it perverse Principle and many other blasphemous words of bitterness against the very truths of Jesus This is the cause wherefore we have answered thee and thou art utterly inexcusable for what thou hast done it is not altogether through ignorance though much ignorance be in it but out of perfect rebellion and purpose of mischief and for Mastery we do not strive with thee but rather wisheth thy repentance than thy destruction and who doth not believe but your kingdom I mean the Priests of England is going down apace and your glory fading as a flower and the Lord will make you a shame to your selves who hath for many ages preyed devouringly upon the upright and through perfect covetousness have made merchandize of Souls and now many hath an eye opened to see your shame and it appears with horrible detestation even the saying is fulfilled As troups of robbers wait for a man so the company of Priests Murders in the way by consent as the Prophet said and as Christ said Wo unto you you will not enter your selves nor suffer others to enter that world Wherefore thou J. Stelham even thou repent of this thy Wickedness for the wrath of the Lord is gone forth against thee and evill hast thou done against God and against his people and against thy own Soul and this thou shalt know one day to thy exceeding sorrow unto which time we leave thee and could have born all thy scandalous rearms without replying again but onely for the sake of the simple that thy neighbours may see thy folly and all men to whom thine and this doth come and we have not been large but in short have in singleness of heart born our testimony once more to the truth of the glorious Gospel which we have received of God and not of man and against thee and thy sinful heart and whatsoever proceeds out of it for thou being evill how canst thou speak good things the Tree must be good before the fruit can be so but out of thy evill heart hast thou brought forth evill and must receive the reward of evill whether thou wilt or no and what if we should go about to shew wherein the Priests of England do contradict the Scripture might not we have a large Catalogue even in all your Worship and in the most of your practises acting contrary to the Scripture and contradicting that Spirit that gave it forth in Doctrine and in conversation in such an enterprise as this might we make your folly sound abroad and as to the contradicting your selves and being of many judgements and opinions and difference in many particulars about the things of God among your selves herein you abound almost above measure and this if need require could I by the strength of Jesus sufficiently make you appear abominable in the eyes of all just men and so think not in thy self that you are free from Scripture and self-contradiction but truly guilty your selves in what thou hast wickedly accused us of falsely which doth but prove thee to be of thy Father who is an accurser of the Brethren and proves us to be of God according to Christs words we are spoken all manner of evill of falsely for the name of Jesus Christ whom we serve and therefore are hated of the world because we are not of it but without much more words I leave this I. S. our adversary to the judgement of the Great Day wherein we and he shall receive according to our deeds and till then is as willing to have dispraise as praise of men who is not a Jew outward but a Jew inward who hath no praise of men but of God who is of the Kingdom of Christ which is not of this World E. B. * viz Quakers * viz. Quakers * viz. Quakers * viz. Quakers * viz. Quakers * viz. Quakers * viz. Quakers Answer Answer Answer Answer Answer Answer Answer Priest Priest Answer Priest Answer Answer Priest Answer Rom. 8.
THE REBUKES OF A REVILER Fallen upon his own head In an Answer to a BOOK put forth by one Iohn Stelham called a Minister at Terlin in Essex Wherein is shewed unto all Spiritual men that he himself is justly proved to be a Contradictor of the Scriptures while he falsly accuses others thereof that are clear and the saying is fulfilled upon him he is fallen into the Pit which he digged for others for even that way which he calls Heresie do we Worship the God of our Fathers By R. H. London Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-spread-Eagle at the West-end of Pauls 1657. THE REBUKES OF A Reviler Fallen upon his own Head In an Answer to a Book put forth by one John Stelham called a Minister at Terling in Essex VVHereas the antient of dayes hath appeared and the Lord God of Israel and of his holy Seed for ever hath in these our dayes being his own appointed time stretched forth his hand to gather in his Remnant which hath been scattered and starved upon the barren Mountains and he hath made known his arm and power in raising up his righteous branch and in bringing out of Captivity his own Chosen that his own Name may be exalted for evermore and his marvelous light hath he caused to shine forth unto many that have sit in darkness and he hath cryed behold me behold me unto a people that hath not been called by his name yea from this time it shall be said What hath God wrought and who is like unto them that are saved by the Lord a happy people and blessed are they whom he hath chosen for his own Inheritance they dwell in their tents and none can make them afraid for there is no Inchantment against Israel nor no Divination against the Seed of Jacob he that curses them it shall return upon his own head and he that defies them shall surely be confounded in a day for God hath spoken and it shall surely come to pass he hath said and it shall not be revoked They that wait upon him shall never be ashamed but his presence shall go before them and his righteousness shall be their reward Therefore O ye Mountains and Hills wherefore are ye gathered together ye high and lofty Oaks and rebellious Children to what purpose have you set your selves as in Array for Bâ—tâ—â—l against the Lord and against his Anointed in vain have you sought Divination against Israel and to no purpose have you risen up to resist Mount Sion whom the Lord is establishing and exalting above the Dominions of the earth and though many have set themselves and of the wisest too in our age to gainsay the truth which is revealed by subtil Arguments and have travelled in pain to bring forth misty vapors to blind the eye of the simple and have laid and sought so to do stumbling blocks of iniqâ—ity before the people by multitude of crafty productions and lying arguments Wo unto you wise Writers and Scribes you have taken away the Key of Knowledge and have neither entred the Kingdom nor suffered others to enter that would what will be your doom and what will be your judgment O the heavie hand of the Lord will be upon you you damnation sleeps not a moment And whereas John Stelham one oâ—Gogs Army against the Lamb and his followers a falsly supposed and contrarily called and unjustly named Minister of the Gospel hath out of his corrupt wicked old lying heart which he confesseth he hath brought forth a large Piece out of Babylons treasure of falsly collected and falsly framed Arguments whereby he hath sought to offend the way of the Lord but the rather hath burthened his own Soul by his own wickedness and offended himself and made himself unworthy of life eternal and is reckoned in the sight of the Lord and proved in the sight of man to be indeed sinful John Stelham yea he is numbred and truly too among Babylons Children and the Lyars and Hypocrites whose portion is in the lake and not among the Children of the Lord for them he hath set himself to oppose and by his subtilty secretly sought out Inchâ—ntments and endeavouring to curse whom God hath blessed he is accounted among the uncircumcised and shall not die the death of the Righteous neither shall his last end be like unto his except he repent yea God hath kept him back from honour and to shame and disgrace he is already promoted in the sight of all the Saints and all his work is troden down as a branch of a dead tree to be cast into the fire and what though he have travelled full 10 Months or more yet his birth is imperfect and the fruit of an Egyptian Womb which hath obtained neither praise of God nor favour of man and what though his Arguments be many and subtil through the strength of his devilish wisdom whereby he hath descended into the darkness to fetch up his stuffe and invented in his mind and framed in his evil thoughts which hath filled his Volums by his envious pen and what though he hath taken seeming occasion against us by his industry and bent his tongue to utter it as feinedly and zealously as may blind the siâ—gle eye and in as great hypocrisie and pretended Righteousness as possibly may What then of all these things let him take this for an Answer in full to all his many Arguments and to his whole Work and whatsoever is brought forth or may be yet lodging in his sinful heart ever to declare We are of God his Covenant is with us and the whole World lyes in wickedness and he that is of God heareth us and this is enough Reply to all what he hath or can say further against us and this Testimony the Father gives of us who hath chosen us in him before the world was and let him and all our adversaries know That our Religion is in that which keeps unspotted of the world and our acceptance with God is in him who is the light of the world who exerciseth our Consciences in all good things towards God and towards man and though we answer not yet are we no worse and though we answer yet are we no better praise of men approves us not to God nor dispraise of men makes us not sorrowful But our peace is in the Father whether the world do us love or hate or praise us or dispraise And first of all like unto Rehum and Shimshai and their companions he appears with his Dedication much like unto theirs from the same spirit and unto the same end as may be seen Ezra 4. 9 11 12 c. and in the manner of Amaziah Priest of Bethel unto Jeroboam the King with a Message much of that nature as in Amos. 7. 10 11 c. and this man with his feigned flattering titles appears to the chief in Authority for Approbation of his work that men may accept it the more but that 's little worth if God accept
one with him are not from being guarded with a Popish Law and these are truly Romes Subjects who are guarded with his Law more than we are Romes Emissaries which secretly he would cast upon us and make the Protector and his Council believe it if their hearts be so hardened But better is thought upon concerning them though I. S. would make them evil suggesting evil into their hearts But a false Prophet is known by his Lyes and Slanders and secret smiting and then he saith He would have some of this Sect * more narrowly watched c. and stigmatized Oh cruelty out of the abundance of the heart his mouth utters like a Pot boyling with anger that cannot contain it within the mouth what lodges in the heart of this man consider what less then in their hearts who were Qâ—een Maries Jesuits and Priests if the Protector and Council would answer the cruel intent of his mind as Queen Mary did theirs Balaam or worse he is for he hath sought inchantment and would curse before they sent for him to do so but it shall return on his own head who is watched against for a Wolf and Devourer and stigmatzed for a Deceiver and false Deviner one who art marked for a false Prophet and known to be so by every one who is taught of God and in the end of all this secretly uttered wickedness and cruelty insinuatingly expressed to suggest evil into the minds of men more honest than himself he wishes for Blessing upon his Highness and Honours that they may discern true Spirits from false such who proceed out of the mouth of the false Prophet from such as proceeds from the Father and from the Son indeed of such a gift of discerning they have need and by the fruits they may try every Spirit and in a just tryal by just judgement are thou tryed and thy spirit is made manifest to be the spirit which proceeds out of the mouth of the Dâ—agon who wars against the Saints and out of the mouth of the Bâ—ast who hath many Heads and many Horns which Beast arose up in the Apostacy since the Apostles dayes and thy Spirit is made manifest to be that spirit of the false Prophet who deceive the Nations for thy fruits doth discover thee a lyar aslanderer a perverter of the right way of God art thou proved and such things proceeds out of the mouth of the false Pro and so let them beware of thy Spirit who art not guided by the Spirit of Christ Jesus nor of the Father but a worker of darkness and a reviler of the light of Cstrist calling it false Prophet-like as being led with the Spirit of the Dragon and of the Beast Perverse Principle We have measured thy spirit to be as I have said and he that speaks otherwise speaks a lye and if the Protector and his Council believe otherwise they believe a lye and cannot obtain a blessing though thou with thy lying Spirit pray for them whom God the Father of blessings hears not but is against thee and this is my prayer The Lord rebuke thee and thy wicked tongue and give the Protector and his Council a better understanding than to believe thee else will the Lord make them cursed to themselves and to the Nations of them my heart hopes better things and this might serve for a full Answer to thy whole Book and by this little of thy work that I have viewed turned nto the sight of all art thou discovered to be an enemy to God and a secret envier of his people and by what thou hast said it appears what the rest of the whole matter can be an evil spirit cannot bring forth good works but yet a little further is thy matter unvayled for the sake of the upright And further I. S. after his wicked Presentation to the Rulers of this Nation with lyes and evil Speeches proceeding out of his old heart he writes an Epistle out of the same heart to the Church as he calls them wherein is many words uttered but altogether tasted with that leaven of his malice against Quakers and Quakerism who seems to be the greatest burthen upon his evil heart because truth is among them and if truth go on his deceit will be more made manifest wither and perish and so as subtilly as may be he would defend himself in the sight of his Church that his shame may not appear before them it may be lest his Hire should be abated and he seems to cast a cloak upon them but whether out of pure love to their Souls or for his own Gain and such a sum of Money God knowes however the least Child in the truth dwelling in the light sees his length and can measure his state and knows that good cannot come from an old lying heart and he speaks something of wondring after the beast and false Prophet but hath not described what the Beast is and the false Prophet And I refer the Reader to a Book called The Measure of the Times wherein the Priests of England such as I. S. is reproved according to the Scripture to be the very branches of the same Root of false Prophets which all the World wondered after in Johns time and though he speak much to his Church of Christ without and of his birth blood and his righteousness and justification thereby c. but to all that I say All are Reprobates but such in whom Christ is within them and none are justified but such nor hath any part in the inheritance of God though they may profess never so much of Christ without and what he hath done for others yet except he be within them too to change and renew them and give them power over all their sins their profession of him is vain I am no picker of Quarrels else many of his words might be searched which I run over hastily knowing his voice to be the voice of a stranger and not of Christ who never made use of an old sinful heart to pen Epistles to Churches But into this lets search he saith Christ blessed Infants-Baptism Where or when I ask proof of this and till then I say I. S. hath belyed Christ and the generation of the just Well may he belye us when he hath belyed Christ who could not bless that which there was not there was no Infants Baptism that ever we read of in his dayes sure people will be more wise than to be established through Lyes else their sin be upon them if through hardness of heart they be given up to believe Lyes that they may perish He speaks of a well ordered Conversation Indeed this seems Hypocrisie to exhort others their Churches to that which many of the Independen Teachers have not themselves who are Hirelings and takes Gifts and Rewards for Preaching and is in the way of all the Deceivers of old and they that do these things have not a well ordered Conversation but a Conversing with the
generation of ungodly and when we read the plain words of Christ Luke 17. The Kingdom of Heaven is within you he saith we madly wrest the reading of the words when we neither â—dd nor diminish now he seems to say It is the Kingdom of heaven among you and not the kingdom of heaven within you and so blames the Scripture and confounds the doctrine of many of the Independents who say the Scriptures is believers Rule but he seems to charge the Scripture with false translation and therefore is subject to alteration and so cannot be the rule of Believers according to his own account and thus by wicked men are we blamed when we do not speak according to Scripture language and now as wickedly charged by I. S. for speaking just in the Scripture expressions with madly wresting the words but thus it was before and whatsoever we do now by our enemies must be reviled and our words abused contrary to our innocent intents Then in the end of his Epistle he desires the Prayers of his Church that his Reply may be accompanied with power according to the truth of it Indeed so it shall and no more according to the truth of it which is very fâ—lshoods and deceits so shall the power of the Lord confound it and turn it into folly and confusion as may be seen by a sober man who this following doth with patience read and weigh Then many things is uttered by him in his Epistle to the Reader he seems to shew he saith how R. F. and his Associates have made up A Litter and Fardel of Erronious Divinity and secretly charging us with making up of what we profess from some Writers before us But to this I Answer His reproachful words Litter and Fardel and Erronious we bear with patience rather rejoycing that we are accounted worthy of the reproach for the truths sake from an envious man than to be angry with our reproaches But however let him and all our enemies know what we profess and bear witness of we receive not from man but from God even the Gospel which we testifie of by the revelation of Jesus Christ in us we received it and informs others to the same door which is by our Ministry that they may receive the same and this is but his poor shift to undervalue the power and truth of Jesus in the sight of men who would falsly make men believe That our Doctrines are but the spawn of many ancient Errors as he saith brooded by some Moderne Writers when as the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles we bear witness to by the same Spirit and not to any other Authors who were without the Spirit of Jesus and all these shifts â—aves not the Priests of England from being discovered and their deceits and abominations to be made manifest by our Light and Doctrine which is the Light of Christ and the Doctrine of the holy men of God before us And further his wickedness appears by reproaching and reviling dead men such as H. N. Jacob B. W. E. with others whom I confidently believe were men in their Generation more honest than himself and more upright with God and sincere in what was made known to them than this same reviler who is set to revile both living and dead if they do but cross his fancy Let all men take notice of these things and of his rebukes with an evil heart whom the Lord doth and will rebuke by the Spirit of his mouth in the day of his just judgements who art a reviler of the just both living and dead and all along in that Epistle as in the rest of his Book which is the Rebukes of a Reviler he bends his very tongue as the poyson of Asps being under it against the Quakers reckoning them with the Papists and such others but this is but as the Pharisees his fore-fathers did who numbered the Son of God and condemned him with transgressors and betwixt two theeves And in the end he desires his Reader to receive in Love what in his Book is found agreeable to the Spirit of God in Scripture truth agreed so let it be and therefore many things in his Book which is not given forth by the Spirit of God nor according to the Scripture truth which the honest Reader may find upon a serious reading and search with the Spirit of God and according to the Scripture is to be judged and condemned and not received what shall the honest Reader receive this for truth That the Light of Christ Jesus is A Preverse Principle and that Christ blessed Infants Baptism with very many such like things of the like nature proceeding from the same spirit which is proved not to be of God but of the Devil for every tree is known by its fruit and every spirit by its works and words many other things more devilish if more devilish can be he charges us withal in a most unreasonable manner that our Religion is the Fort of Babel and that Jesuitical Plots and Designes are carried on by some of us and Quakerism is built upon the fourfold pillar of Papistry with such like the very transcribing of his words shewes his wicked spirit by his unsavory words which things we do deny in the presence of the Lord and are clear in his sight from these divilish accusations though I. S. play the Devils part in this Epistle as well as in his whole Book and is an accuser of the brethren and is to be cast out and judged with the life of God and to give testimony against his lyes and slanders is sufficient Answer and the next time he enterprises the like Work we demand of him witness of his words what these Jesuitical Flots and Designes are we do carry on Which slander is so divelish could he prove what he saith his words would take away our lives but to raise the unclean spirits against us though the Nations is truly supposed the purpose of his words and not being content with what he himself can believe us in his work reaches to raise the rage of whole Nations to execute their fury as well as his own upon us and so his words gives ground to all the wicked that doth believe hâ—m for none else can to persecute the people and way of the Lord under the false account of being Plotters and of having ill Designes which things we stand witness against and seeks the peace of all men though he have bent his tongue for Lyes and brazen'd his face to utter them without fear or shame to suggest evil into mens minds that they may harm the upright but it is known by his words what lodgeth in the heart of such a person who thus openly and impudently doth slander just men to the taking away of life if any were so divilish to witness lyes and slanders as he is in forging of them and declaring of them and that to the Protector and his Council too but from these things we being
Stelham confesseth he is was never appointed by the Lord to watch over Souls But such where Christ did dwell in their hearts and because they were sons God sent forth the spirit of his Son into their hearts Eph. 3. 17. Gal 46. and such had truth in their hearts doing the will of God from the heart and did draw neer unto God with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and their bodies washed with pure water these did not profess the things of God in an old lying heart wherein dwelt no truth but called upon the name of the Lord with a pure heart and said that the end of the Commandment was Charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith unfeigned from which some swarved in the Apostles dayes having turned aside unto vain jangling and such desired to be teachers of others but the doctrine is corrupt and the Ministry of Faith is not held where the heart and conscience is not pure And the Lord is good unto such who be of a clean heart Now as concerning the Scriptures John Stelhams Testimony from the old lying heart wherein dwells no truth is this That the Scriptures are the word of God and truly so called and the letter and Scripture is all one as page 3 4. but to contradict that himself he saith in page 5. the letter taken strictly is but legal Administration using these words the letter killeth i. e The bare legal command without a promise of power or pardon as a bare letter void of strength life and spirit it leaveth all men under a killing sentence and curse let them that have understanding judge Again as concerning the letter in page 6. he expresseth himself thus The Spirit is given by it And in the next words saith the Scripture is but instrumental to the Spirit Now mark the Letter taken strictly being legal without a Promise of Power or Pardon void of strength life and spirit The Spirit to be given by this which he confesseth is void of strength life and spirit and is but instrumental to the spirit whether this be not contradiction and confusion let them that read judge For in reading these things which he hath published many may seal to the Confession of his own Condition to be truth but that which he hath declired of the things of God to be false For now the light being broken forth such doctrine cannot be received nor beleeved that the spirit is given by the letter but that which is declared in the letter was given forth from the Spirit which was in them which spoke it forth but people may long have the letter and think in it to find God and eternal life and may die in their sins though I. S. say that not one man in the world knows God to be God till he finds him in the Scripture But I say unto him as Christ said unto the Pharisees who had neither heard his voyce at any time nor seen his shape had not his word abiding in them nor did not believe in the light and that he was the light which did enlighten every man that cometh into the world search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me saith Christ the life but those thought that they had the life in the scriptures deceived them for they wanted the life when they thought they had it so I. S. thoughts that he hath the spirit by the letter deceives him for when he finds the spirit eternal life then his old lying heart in which is no truth but the root of error will be taken away and so the light which cometh from Christ the life in which the spirit is received condemneth all such thoughts for they proceed out of that heart which is not upright before the Lord neither is it set to seek the Lord in that way in which he and his spirit is found Again I. S. talking of the Scriptures intrudes into things which he hath not seen comparing it with that which he hath seen and so in what he saith he is blind saying The Scriptures is a more standing rule than visions To which I Answer The night is upon him that he hath no vision and therefore doth not know what a vision is a rule unto nor the continuance of it as those in Israel which said that every vision faâ—leth and so would not have them a standing rule and that reproach of the visions of God was so common that it was become a Proverb amongst them but the Prophet who was in the light and had the vision of the Lord and had the word of the Lord he was to reprove that Proverb and to tell them that they should no more use it as a proverb in Israel and said the dayes are at hand and the effect of every vision and so with the light who be in it doth now reprove all such proverbs and preachings against the visions of God for from the visions was the Scriptures spoken forth and that which they had seen they declared so that which gives forth words is greater than the words and without vision the people perish and they may perish while they have the letter but they cannot perish while they have the vision and although there be vain visions they do not make the true of none effect And although there be Sorceryes and Enchantment that doth not make the true resurrection of the dead of none effect but the blind must stumble at the things which they do not see Again I. S. saith That the Authority of the Scriptures is owned among the Jewes to this day Answ. No Christ is not owned amongst them who is the Authority and Power unto which the Scriptures give testimony that he is so neither are they yet converted as thou thy self confessest and they who be in the unconverted estate doth not own the Authority of the Scriptures though such may talk of them as thou dost speaking that of them which they never spoke of themselves Again I. S. saith in the 17. page As deep things as the Spirit hath Revealed they are all in the Scripture Answ. Nay There was things Revealed which was unutterable and many things which was Revealed and also Written which is not in the Scripture as the Book of Nathan the Prophet and the Prophesie of Ahijah the Shilâ—â—mitâ— and the Visions of Iddoa the Seer which was against Jerâ—bâ—ans the Son of Nabat 2 Chron 9. 29. And the Book of Shemath the Prophet 2 Chron. 1. 2. 15. And the Book of Jehu 2 Chron. 20. 34. And the Book of Gad the Seer 1 Chron 29. 29. And the Book of Jaser 2 Sam. 1. 18. and the Prophesie of Enoch who prophesied of the coming of Christ in his Saints to execute Judgement upon all and to convince all that are uugodly of all their ungodly deeds and hard speeches
it and whether Wine that is put into a Bottle be made Wine by the bottle or whether is it not Wine without the bottle and Water put into a vessel be not Water without the vessel or whether the vessel make it to be Water John Stelham saith Every verse of Scripture is a little vessel of light and that light without Scripture is no light so these things have I laid open that every one may see how the Lord hath turned wise men backward and made their wisdom foolishness and that they may see how those stumble and fall and are snared and taken whose light is turned into darkness and how great that darkness is and now are the Scriptures not denied but fulfilled for now is the light and truth come into the world by which they are found to be blind which said they saw and in which they see that were blind and now the depths are seen which are covered with darkness and Babylon is seen the Mother of Harlots which bring forth in confusion and bind up in ignorance other confusions and lyes I shall also mention given forth by I. S. in his Book As page 68. he saith That God was and is the Word according to Joh. 1. 1. and in page 69. he saith The Father is not the Word nor never so called which is contradiction and in page 70. saith Christ is more in the Scriptures than in his Saints which is false for greater was that which the words came from than the words which did but declare of the fulness from whence they came as all that know Christ will bear witness unto and against all such that say Christ is more in the words than in them which speak the words Again in page 73. he saith Christ the Author of Salvation to them that obey him speaking in the Scripture saveth by the Scripture which is false and contrary to the testimony of the Scriptures and the witness of them which witnessed his Salvation who said By his life are we saved and by Grace through faith which was the gift of God and not by the letter and their witness was true for God his Works against all such who are of a lying heart and spirit of errour who would make the letter to be the light yea more even that which makes light to be light and so greater for that which makes a thing is greater than the thing that is made and would have the letter to be the Word when as the letter saith God is the Word and would make the Scriptures to be that by which people are saved as in page 73 saying Christ saveth by the Scriptures but the Scriptures speak no such thing of themselves for they say that there is no other name under heaven by which men can be saved but by the name of Jesus neither is there such a word written in the Bible that say men is saved by Scriptures nor that the light of the Godhead is natural as I. S. saith that he may set up a light of Scriptures as he calleth it And he speaks in page 82. of having our minds darkned with the light of Scriptures mark doth that light which he hath in all his Book been exalting above the Godhead light and above that light which Christ hath enlightened every man withal darken mens minds what is it then that must enlighten them here is his testimony of the light brought up to the full that all who can receive it may believe it for he saith to us if our minds were not darkned with the light of the Scriptures the two texts in Rom. 10. 18. and Col. 1. 23. might resolve us how the Gospel is preached to every Creature and not to the principle of light in the Conscience how can the Scripture resolve us of the light if it darken our minds but by these things this is made manifest that darkness hath blinded his eyes that he neither knows the light nor the Scriptures which was given forth from it Again another of his contradictions concerning the light in page 23 24. compared with page 75. is this saying the light that shined in Pauls heart and the light that shineth in the Scripture is the same light and God who shineth in the heart by Gospellight according to the Apostles words 2 Cor. 4. 4. contrary unto which in his 75 page saith That the Gospel light about matters of Salvatioâ— of which the Apostle speaks never entered never shined into mens hearts Answ To this let all take notice and consider whether of these two Contraries they are to believe the one saying God shineth in their hearts by Gospel light and the other saith It never entred nor shined into mens hearts But if the Scriptures or the Apostle is to be believed he saith for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ but we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us â—Cor. 4. 6 7. here was the light of the Gospel shining in their hearts in matters of Salvation giving them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and they were the vessels in which the light did shine and from which they spoke the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery and so that which they spoke of the light and of the Gospel is yet a mystery unto such whose eye is blinded with the God of this world and the wayes of unrighteousness knowing neither the light nor the Gospel of Salvation but filling up their line of confusion as hath been already manifest and may further be made manifest Again John Stelham in his 6. head of Scripture Contradiction speaks concerning the Law and goes about to distinguish between the two Covenants which the Scriptures speaks of but knows not what he speaketh nor of what he affirmeth but contrary to the Scriptures speaking of a Moral and of a Ceremonial Law which the Scriptures speaks of no such words nor no such distinctions as of a Moral Law to be the Covenant of Works and that the Ceremonial Law is not a Covenant of Works but of Grace And whereas he tells of a Covenant of Nature which is one with the Covenant of Works and so here is several Covenants which I. S. hath made and several Names here given to the Covenants which God never gave nor they which spoke of the Covenants never gave such names to the Law in the words of Scripture as Moral Legal Natural Ceremonial so that is all without and contrary to the Scripture language And whereas he goeth about to prove Adam to be under a Moral Law which he calls a Law of Works but hath no Scripture to prove it from but from his suppositions as thus If it was not of Grace it was a Covenant of Works and again If
the converting of many hundred of souls by Paul and many other works of God wrought by him but dung and losse so I. S. holds forth this is Ignorance indeed he hath shewed his Ignorance by what he hath said and not proved in any thing that concerning questions we contradict the Scriptures His 21th Head concerning Civill Honour In this we do not contradict the Scripture by arguments nor practise but doth honour all men in the Lord and cannot respect mens persons nor have them in any admiration for any advantage yea we honour men in reproving them in their unrighteousness and I. S. pleads much for civil honour the Scripture speaks not of Civil honour and the question is what this honour is that he calls civill and wherein it may be done and not in transgression nor in respect of persons Magistrates is to be honoured by subject on to their just commands requests and laws and by patient suffering under their corrupt Laws and evill commands and not resisting evill yet the person of no man is to be respected for he that doth commit sin and is a transgressor of the law of God and Ministers of Christ are to be respected for their works sake and they desire no honour nor praise of men but knows reproach and infamy is their respect from the men of this Generation and as for hirelings deceivers they are respected of the world but condemned of God and of his Saints and testified against and Parents are to be respected in the Lord by their children and Masters by their servants but where God commands one thing and Parents or Masters another as it often comes to pass in Christs time as it doth now whether to give respect to God or man this I leave to be judged by sobe men that makes conscience of what they say and thus in short I give a testimony how we honour and would have all honoured in the Lord and leaves I. S. long discourse to himself and his company and doth bear witness against the vain superstition and foolish customes of this Generation His 22d Head concerning Swearing In this we do not contradict the Scripture but saith and practiseth according to Christs words Swear not at all which is spoken absolute and without condition and mitigation and he saith we take these words of Christ against his meaning and this is false and wicked too in I. S. who would he seen to hold forth that when Christ said Swear not at all he meant not as he spake for both Christ and the Apostle James were righteous in what they delivered concerning Swearing who forbids all manner of Swearing no cause excepted and we take Christs words according to his mind and doth deny all Oaths and abides in Christ and the Apostles Doctrine and our yea is so and our nay is so and whatsoever is more cometh of evill and I. S. would plead for swearing before a Magistrate but that Magistrate which fears God and loves his way will believe a man sooner that cannot swear for conscience sake then he that makes no conscience of Swearing and such a one is liker to testifie lyes with Oaths then he that for conscience sake denyes Oaths and in his conclusion he saith scholastically though Ignorantly they that will not expound Scripture by Scripture and compare the precepts and examples for Swearing without prohibition against it fall into Scripture contradiction but R. F. nor others will therefore c. this is unsound and laid down but not proved at all neither major nor minor and here by he hath concluded wickedly the Apostle Iames and Christ himself to be fallen into Scripture contradictions who did expresly forbid all swearing and did not compare the precepts and examples for Swearing with the prohibition against it and thus I. S. is taken uttering folly with his tongue and hath drawn a conclusion upon Christ and the Apostle Iames to be contradictors of Scripture let shame cover his impudent forehead And they that charges Christ and the Apostle Iames with contradicting Scripture are enemies to God and of the devil and for eternall vengeance but I. Steâ—haâ— hath done so and therefore he is an enemy to God and of the Devill and for eternall vengeance But further at large as concerning Swearing and our testimony thereof is laid down at large in a Book called The glory of the Lord arising And whereas further I. S as a man not weary of iniquity goes on after his false charging of us with Contradictions to Scripture charges us again That we contradict our selves in many things which Accusation we bear with as much patience as we do his former seeing they are all out of one heart and to the same end for it is a small thing for us to be judged by man and so that wherein he charges us with self-contradictions I pass lightly over having cleared the truth that we do not contradict the Scriptures but if this man I. S. had been in generations past what would he have said of Isaiah who was sent to tell Hezekiah from the Lord That he should die and not live 2 King 20 1. At the same instant of time the Word of the Lord came again to Isaiah that Hezekiah should be healed and that he should go up to the house of the Lord These were both the Word of the Lord to Hezekiah and yet no contradiction in Isaiah though such a Spirit as I. S. would so have judged And what would he have judged betwixt David and Jeremiah Psal 119 the 103. and Jer. 23. 29 David saith The Words of the Lord are sweet unto his taste yea sweeter than the honey to his mouth And Jer. saith The Word of the Lord is as a fire and like a hammer which breaks the Rock to pieces Now there is no contradiction in these two not to that Spirit by which they are guided though so it might seem to such as I. S. whose minds are dark And what would he have judged of Christs words Matth. 12. 30. and Mark 9. 40. where Christ said He that is not with me is against me and he that is not against us is with us and yet in these words there is not contradiction to him that hath an ear to hear But if I. S. had been in those dayes out of his evil heart would he have charged the holy men of God to be contradictions to themselves it is very like that he would and these things I leave with the Reader to be considered of for we who have the same Spirit do clear Christ and the holy men of God from contradictions and knows I. S. and such as he to be seekers of occasions against the just and would make offences where there is none for as I have said we do not allow I. S. to be the interpreter of our words for then no question but he would have his own end and meaning and in I. S. saith We deny the letter of the Scripture to