as Messengers Ministers or Ambassadors Fourthly Because thou denies the holy Scriptures Fifthly Because thou hast lyed against God and Christ and hast born a false Testimony of them and of the true Prophets of God and Apostles of Christ 1. As to the first That thou denies Almighty God himself is evident by thy own Doctrine because thou saist That the dead after death shall never see any other God or Judge but the remembrance of that Sentence which you the pretended Witnesses of the Spirit did pass upon them in this life which is quite contrary to the doctrine of Christ and the Scriptures of truth John 5.26 27 28 29. Mat. 25.31 32 33 34 41. 2 Pet. 2.9 2. And as to the second that thou deniest Christ of his offices is evident against thee by thy own doctrine in three particulars First Thou deniest Christ as chief Judge ordained of God to set up thy self in his stead because thou saist Thou art ordained chief Judge in the world to give sentence upon men and women spiritual and eternal and what shall become of them after deaâ—h contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and the Scriptures of truth Mat. 25 31 32. c. Ioh. 5.26 27 28 29 30. Acts 10.42 17.31 2 Tim. 4 1 1 Pet. 4.5 and as before is proved Secondly Thou deniest Christ as he is the Saviour of men and the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him in whom eternal life is to be had because thou accounts that there is no eternal life to be had but in the faith of thy doctrine saying There is no eternal life to be had but in the faith of the doctrine or declaration of a Prophet who hath a Commission from God saith There neither is nor ever shall be any such Prophet but thy self whilst the world endureth In answer to the which I say That the holy Scriptures which were spoken and declared from the movings of the Holy Ghost in the holy men of God 2 Pet. 1.20 21. were better doctrine declaration of Prophets of God then thine who had a better commission or authority from God then ever thou hadst And concerning their declaration Christ said to the Jews Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life they are they which testifie of me and ye will not come to me that ye might have life Iohn 5.39 40. And Christ said to his Disciples I am the way and the truth and the life no man cometh unto the Father but by me Ioh. 14.6 And the Ambassador of Christ hath declared and said That the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord as it is written Rom. 6.22 23. then not in the faith of thy doctrine And Christ doth give unto his sheep eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of his hand Ioh 10.27 28. And the Messengers of Christ have declared and said This is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son 1 Ioh. 5.11 then not in the faith of thy doctrine He that hath the Son hath life eternal though he deny thy doctrine and he that hath not the Son hath not life eternal though he may have faith in thy doctrine By what hath been said it is evident and remains certainly true 1. That Christ Jesus is the Saviour of men and the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him Acts 5.31 32. Heb. 7 25 Heb. 5.9 and is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him 2. That he is the way to the Father without which no man can come unto him Iohn 146 3. That the gift of God is eternal life which Christ doth give unto his sheep that they may never perish Rom. 6.23 Iohn 10.27 28. 4. That eternal life is not in the faith of thy doctrine or declaration but in Christ the Son according to the Record that God hath given For he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life as it is written 1 Iohn 5.11 12. Thirdly Thou deniest Christ as he is the Advocate with the Father and the propitiation for the sins of the whole World because thou saist That no infinite Spirit of Christ nor any God can or shall be able to deliver from thy sentence and curse which is contrary to truth and the holy Scripture where it is said My little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them as it is written Heb. 7.25 3. And as to the third That thou deniest Christ of his officers is evident by thy own doctrine because thou falsly saist That no man ought to officiate the Office of a Minister Messenger of Ambassador of Christ but such as are appointed by John Reeves and thy self contrary to the Scriptures 1 Pet. 4 10 11 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. Acts 13.2.4 Acts 20 28. Acts 10 19 20 21. Acts 11.12 21. Acts 10.42 43 2 Cor. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 2 Cor. 4.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. and as before I have proved 4. And as to the fourth That thou deniest the holy Scriptures I prove against thee by thy own doctrine first because thou saist That the words which Christ said to his Disciples Bless and curse not concerns not thee nor any man upon earth at this day contrary to the Doctrine of Christ where it is said Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them he shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven Matt. 5.17 18 19. and one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass till all be fulfilled Secondly Thou deniest the holy Scriptures because thou saist The dead after death shall never see any other God or Iudge but the remembrance of that sentence which you the pretended Witnesses of the Spirit did passe upon them in this life contrary to the Scriptures as before I have proved Thirdly Thou deniest the holy Scriptures because thou saist Thou art chief Iudge ordained of God to give sentence upon men and women spiritual and eternal and what shall become of them after death contrary to the Scriptures and as before I have proved Fourthly Thou deniest the Scriptures because thou saist That no man ought to officiate the Office of a Minister Messenger or Ambassador of Christ but such as are appointed by John Reeves thy self contrary to the Scriptures and as before I have proved
altogether just they were commanded to follow Deut. 16.20 But thou dost not so 1. Consider then that thou hast not only done injustice both in the eye of the Law and of the Lord but also thou hast done the same by colour of office First in the eye of the Law thou hast done it because thou presumes to pass the sentence of Death upon the bodies of men and women as a pretended Judge and hast no certain outward known Laws as a rule of Direction to guide thee in the ways of right Justice to give judgement upon them nor can produce no commission to put any known Law in execution or impower thee so to do and are therefore no competent Judge in that matter And secondly injustice in the eye of the Lord thou hast done and also by colour of office under pretence of chief Judge in the world and by a pretended commission of the Spirit pretended to be received from a God without thee that spake thou saist by voice of words to the hearing of the ear 2. Consider the nature of thy offence how far it extends it self and that is to pass the sentence of eternal death and damnation both upon the bodyes and souls of men and women and that to Eternity 3. Consider that thy injustice done by colour of office deserves to have a punishment proportionable to the offence and can the offence in the eye of the Lord be any less then sin against the Holy Ghost because thou hast pretended to do it in the Name of the Holy Ghost and so wouldst make the holy Ghost the Author of thy offence which it is not And seeing thou art guilty of sin against the holy Ghost there is a punishment already proportioned for such an offence and also thou art punishable by the Law of the Land for presuming under pretence of a commission and as a Judge to pass the sentence of death upon the bodies of men and women and pretends to go by as certain a rule in so doing as the Judges of the Land do when they give Judgement according to Law which thou hast no cognizance or right unto neither hast thou done so as before I have proved and I had not medled with the outward Laws of the Land but that I have such a pretended chief Judge to deal with to shew him his folly and injustice done by colour of office as I have done thee which thou Lodowick maist for ever be ashamed of for presumptuously doing as thou hast done who hast also erred in thy judgement and hast given it contrary to truth and against the Law of the Land And it 's said That if any Judgement be given contrary to the points of the great Charter it shall be undone and holden for nought 25 Ed. 1 2. and by a Statute made Anno 25. Ed. 3. it is declared That if any thing be done against the Law it shall be redressed and holden for none as thine is and is therefore reversed undone and holden for nought Take notice of that And whereas thou saist That in obedience to thy Commission thou hast already cursed and damned many hundreds of people both soul and body to eternity I say the greater is thy presumption and sin who hast no Right nor Authority to do the same thy judgement is contrary to truth and is against the Law of God and the Law of the Land and is therefore reversed and holden for none as aforesaid Whereas thou saist That no infinite spirit of Christ nor any God can or shall be able to deliver from thy sentence and curse I say That is false or no less then blasphemy and there is a punishment due to the nature of the offence Thou hast hereby denied Christ as he is the Advocate with the Father and the propitiation for the sins of the whole World 1 John 2.1 2. What a miserable condition art thou in And how great is thy sin of presumption and folly Wouldst thou have the great King of Heaven the Lord who is a great God and a King above all Gods Psal 95.3 and Christ Jesus who is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Rev. 1.5 to commit their whole power solely to thee who may abuse it as thou hast done under pretence of a Commission and reserve no power in the Eternal God-head to pardon offences committed against them and preserve and save poor penitent offendors by shewing mercy unto them and forgiving of them And wouldst thou have no power reserved in the Eternal Godhead to correct and punish thee and such as thou art for abusing the Power and People of God as thou hast done Wouldst thou make the Eternal Power and Godhead inferior to the Kings of the Earth Do not they reserve a pardoning and punishing power in themselves besides what they give to their Judges by their commission But notwithstanding thy pretended Commission false Judgement and Doctrine This I affirm on the behalf of the Lord and the Eternal God-head That there is a pardoning and a punishing power in them reserved beyond thy pretended Commission First as to the pardoning power it is declared by them that were sent of the Lord God and his Spirit saying Let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous his thoughts and let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God and he will abundantly pardon Seeing it is so it remains certainly true that there is a pardoning power reserved and remains in the Eternal God-head and it also remains true That the unrighteous and wicked upon the forsaking of their evil thoughts and wicked ways and returning to the Lord according to his requirings are objects of mercy and pardonable as aforesaid which is contrary to thy false doctrine and judgement Secondly As to the pardoning power that remains in the God-head is manifested in Christ whom God the Father hath exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance unto Israel and forgiveness of sins and we are his Witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him Acts 5.31 32. Thirdly Christ Jesus who is the chief Judge ordained of God to judge the quick and the dead Acts 10.40 41 42. he hath manifested the pardoning power that remains with the God-head by shewing of mercy and forgiving offences The Scribes and the Pharisees sought an occasion against him because he was merciful and forgave sins and they took a woman-sinner and brought her to Christ and set her in the midst First They brought her before Christ and set her as an offender before the Judge Secondly They accused her unto him of the act of Adultery John 8.1 2 3 4. Thirdly They pleaded both Law and Fact to make their case good and to have shut up Christ's mercy and compassion against her to have moved him to give judgment upon her who it's like thought he could not otherwise have done
if he owned Moses Law and if he had denyed it then they would had an occasion against him which they sought for They pleaded Fact saying Master This woman was taken in Adultery in the very act Joh. 8.4 Then they pleaded Law saying Now Moses in the Law commanded that such should be stoned Joh. 8.5 But what saist thou This they said tempting of him that they might have to accuse him John 8.6 And they continued asking of him John 8.7 shewing how earnest they were to have had an accusation against him they tempted him for that very end and to see if he would deny putting Moses Law in execution upon that woman which they had taken in Adultery and brought before him to accuse unto him But Jesus himself who was chief Judge ordained of God and had power or authority given him to execute judgement John 5.22 27. he did neither accuse the offender nor countenance those bloody accusers that brought her before him though they pleaded both Law and Fact unto him as aforesaid who teacheth by his example in that case That it is not the duty of a Court to accuse any though a known offender nor to countenance bloody accusers but rather to mollifie their rigour as Christ did in the same case who in great wisdom answered their question and said unto them He that is without sin among you let him first cast a stone at her Joh. 8.7 or put Moses Law in execution upon her but those accusers were none of them without sin because they sinned in tempting of Christ and the Witness of God in their own conscience testified the same unto them whereby they were convicted and thereupon went out one by one beginning at the eldest even unto the last and Jesus was left alone and the woman standing in the midst John 8. ver 9. First By which wise answer of his he put a stop to their cruelty against the offender and thereby he delivered her from their cruelty and took her into his mercy who knew better how to deal with her then they would have had him Secondly He by that gracious wise answer unto them put a stop to their subtilty and crost their intent which they had in their minds in their temptation against him Thirdly He hath shewed by that wise answer unto them That criminal persons are no competent Judges to condemn others for that which themselves are guilty of 4. He also by that wise answer unto them preserved himself out of their snare for he thereby owned Moses Law in its time and place which if he had then denyed they thought to have had an occasion against him or whereof to have accused him and having preserved himself out of their snare and taken the woman sinner out of their cruelty into his mercy as aforesaid He then as a gracious and merciful Judge looked upon her with an eye of compassion saying Woman where are all those thine accusers Hath no man condemned thee Joh. 8.10 She answered and said No man Lord. And Jesus to manifest his mercy and the pardoning power which remained with the God-head he said Neither do I condemn thee go and sin no more Joh. 8.10 11. And as a merciful Judge he forgave her that offence and set her free and gave her commend to abstain from sin for the time to come saying Go and sin no more as much as to say let mercy held forth in forgiving thy offence that is past engage thy heart against sin and unto God for the time to come But though thou Lodowick pretend to be the chief Judge in the World thy example doctrine and practice teacheth quite contrary to the doctrine and example of Christ whereby it appears and is plainly made manifest That thou art not ordained chief Judge in his stead First Thy Example Doctrine and Practice teacheth to be both Judge Accuser and Witness contrary to the Law of God and the Law of the Land Secondly To condemn at a distance without any due course of Law or orderly proceedings before thou have the parties and their Accusers face to face before thee to hear what they can say Thirdly To condemn at will and pleasure contrary to any known Law either of God or the Land 4. It teacheth not the preservation of any known Law but rather the destruction of all known Laws both of God and the land 5. Thy example doctrine and practice teacheth to condemn the bodies of men and women without any known law either of God or the land as a rule of direction to guide and lead in the ways of right Justice to give judgement upon them accordingly Lastly Thou teachest thereby That if judgement or sentence be given pronounced or past though never so contrary to truth it ought not to be redressed or reversed undone and holden for nothing which is quite contrary to the law of the land And we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth Rom. 2.2 but thine is not so whereby it is evident that it is not the judgement of God It appears and is evident first That thou art an unlawful Judge because thou presumes to pass the sentence of death upon the bodies of men and women without cognizance or lawful Authority so to do 2. That thou art a foolish unwise Judge because thou passest the sentence of death upon the bodies of men and woman at a distance from thee without having them and their answers face to face before thee Thirdly That thou art an unjust Judge because thou passest the sentence of death upon the bodies of men and women contrary to truth without any known laws either of God or the Land as a Rule of direction to guide and lead thee in the ways of right justice to give judgement upon them accordingly 4. That thou art a cruel unmerciful Judge because if thy sentence be once pronounced and past though it be never so erroneous and false thou wouldst have it impossible for any God to reverse and undo the same or to deliver therefrom Seeing that it is so it remains certainly true That thou art no true and competent Judge neither ordained of God nor man to pass the sentence of death upon the bodies of men and women and it remains as true That the souls in the Father's hand thou hast nothing to do withal First Because Christ giveth to them eternal life and they shall never perish John 10.28 Secondly Because no man is able to pluck them out of the Father's hand as it is written John 10.29 And thirdly Because the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against them Likewise it remains true That thou art not the chosen Witness of the Spirit of Truth and that thou hast not received thy pretended Commission from the God of Truth to do as thou hast done and pretendest to do by colour thereof First Because thou denies Almighty God himself Secondly Because thou denies Christ Jesus of his Offices Thirdly Because thou denies him of his Officers
11.3 by what hath been said as aforementioned meant and intended so likewise it is evident That thou Lodowick art not the other of them two Witnesses because it is said of them that in order to the finishing of their Testimony They should prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes clothed in sackcloth Rev. 11.3 But when didst thou so And it is said concerning them That if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies and if any man will hurt them he must in that manner be killed Rev. 11.5 These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their Prophesie and have power over waters to turn them into blood Rev. 11.6 But when didst thou prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore days in sack cloth And when did fire proceed out of thy mouth to kill any And when didst thou shut up the heavens that it did not rain during the time of thy pretended prophesie Or when didst thou turn the waters into blood whereby it might have been made manifest that thou hadst been one of them who couldst manifest no such thing by thy pretended Commission and the greatness of thy pretended power Whereby it is manifest that thou art not one of those Witnesses And seeing thou pretends a new Commission which is not owned by the Scriptures or by the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles saist Thou hast received power since to the contrary to vindicate thy cursing and damning When was the new Covenant and Ministry of the Gospel changed Or how canst thou make it appear by the Scriptures that it is not so seeing thou pretends a contrary Commission to what the Scriptures or the Doctrine of Christ his Apostles do own And it is said concerning Christ and the new Covenant that he hath obtained a more excellent Ministry then that of the old Covenant by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises Heb. 8.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. And because he continueth for ever he hath an unchangeable Priesthood or Ministry wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him because he ever liveth to make intercession for them as it is written Heb. 7.24 25. And if none ought to officiate the office of a Minister Messenger or Ambassador of Christ but such as are appointed by John Reeves and thy self as thou saist wouldst not thou have the Ministry changed now during thy life and wouldst not thou have the Ministry of the Gospel to cease and dye at thy death because thou saist Thou art the last that ever shall speak by Commission from God and that the Lord will never chuse any more after thee whilst the world doth endure And it is evident That thou wouldst have such a Ministry as the Scriptures no where own and quite contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and not at all owned by the New-Covenant and Ministry of the Gospel 1. Because those who are appointed by John Reeves and thy self to officiate the office of a Minister Messenger or Ambassador of Christ are such as are not chosen of God to that Work 2. Those that are appointed by John Reeves and thy self to the Work of the Ministry are such as have no commission from God to impower them to officiate the office of a Minister Messenger or Ambassador of Christ and are therefore very unfit for so great and glorious a Work 3. They are such as are never like to have any Commission from God to impower them to the Work of the Ministry whilst the World doth endure and that according to thy own doctrine 4. They are such as know not the Scriptures neither can they truly interpret the Scriptures and that according to thy own sayings Because for proof thereof thou saist That thou art the chosen Witness of the Spirit and the last that ever shall speak by Commission from God Then not those that are appointed by John Reeves and thy self they neither have nor are not like to have any commission from God to impower them to the work of the Ministry thou hast excluded them from that by thy pretended commission and the Doctrine thereof Take notice of that And thou saist That God will never chuse any more after thee whilst the world doth endure If so then God will never chuse those that are appointed by John Reeves and thy self Therefore they are no fit Ministers Messengers or Ambassadors of Christ that are appointed by John Reeves and thy self First Because they are not chosen of God to that Work nor ever like to be whilst the World doth endure Secondly Because they have no commission from God to impower them to so great and glorious a Work And thirdly Because according to thy doctrine they are never like to have any commission from God to impower them whilst the World doth endure to officiate the office of Ministers Messengers or Ambassadors of Christ and there is no need for them to officiate the office aforesaid after the end of the world Mind how thou art confuted And thou saist No man knows the Scriptures but thy self nor no man can truly interpret the Scriptures but thy self if so then not those that are appointed by John Reeves and thee to the Work of the Ministry if none ought to officiate the office of a Minister Messenger or Ambassador of Christ but such as are appointed by John Reeves and thy self And seeing that those whom you appoint are not fit for that Work thou hast as much as in thee lieth excluded all the Ministers Messengers and Ambassadors of Christ from the work of the Ministry take notice of that And all may behold thy presumption folly and how thou art confuted ensnared and taken in thy own craftiness at which thou maist blush for evermore be ashamed of Silence deceit and Deceiver let truth stop thy mouth and all such Tit. 1.11 By what hath been said it is evident and remains certainly true 1. That John Reeves and Lodowick Muggleton are not the two Witnesses spoken of Rev. 11.3 neither are they in any thing like unto them 2. That the New-Covenant which Christ Jesus is the Mediator of is establish'd upon better promises then the old Covenant was 3. That That the Ministry of the Gospel is a more excellent Ministry 4. That the Priesthood of Christ or the Ministry of the Gospel is an unchangeable Priesthood or Ministry 5 That Christ the Saints High Priest Mediator of the New-covenant is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him because he ever liveth to make intercession for them 6. That none who are appointed by John Reeves and Lodowick Muggleton ought to officiate the office of a Minister Messenger or Ambassador of Christ because all who are appointed by John Reeves and Lodowick Muggleton to the Work of the Ministry are very unfit