Priest of Bothell Henry Foreside Priest of Lingiah James Nesmith Priest of Hambleton Robert Semple Priest of Losmahaga Thomas Garony Priest of Edenbrough John Burnet Priest of Hilbride Hugh Archballs Doctrine and Principles Priest of Stravan in Anandale These are his Principles as follow Pr. THat Christ hath not enlightned every one that comes into the world Ans Which is contrary to Johns doctrine John 1.9 Pr. That Christ doth enlighten none but those that do receive him Ans Contrary to John 3. speaking of them which hate the light and are enlightned and will not come to it because the light will reprove them so he that hates the light is enlightned and will not receive Christ Pr. That it is blasphemy to say that the true light doth enlighten and condemn the world Answ Contrary to John 1.9 3.19 that saith This is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world And this is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world Pr. To say that which reproves for sin is from Heaven is blasphemy Answ Contrary to John 16.8 which saith it is the spirit that reproves which comes from the Father and the Son which is from Heaven Pr. He cryeth up a natural light as Sun Moon and Stars and the light of Christ was before these was made and saith it is blasphemy to say they that did the things contained in the Law was blessed in the deed and the Apostle said the doers of the Law was justified and said he would leave the Friends that spake to him to the mercy of the people Answ Upon which they struck bitterly with books fists and stones to destroy but that some moderate people and Souldiers stayed the Persecution John Hume Priest of Lesmahaga His Principles as follows who got into a Steeple house and shut the door upon him thus he taught the people Pr. THat which was to be known of God was manifest by the the things that are created Answ Contrary to the Apostles doctrine Rom. 1.19 For whatsoever may be known of God is manifest in them for the invisible things of him from the Creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and God-head so that they are without excuse So with that of God in them they know the invisible things from the foundation of the world and with that they see the God-head Pr. That God was to be known by the things that were made as the Sun Moon and Stars Answ But Jesus Christ said Mat. 11 27. No man knowes the Father but the Son and he to whomsoever the Sun will reveal him and the heathens know not God nor the Jewes had not seen his shape And his servants and workmen did throw water stones and lime and persecuted and dirtted and abused the people called Quakers and threw a pan full of water in a Souldiers neck and he the said Priest never reproved them and these be the fruits of him and his own Family in stead of gravity well may the whole Parish be out of order when his own Family is thus So he is one that is reproved by the Apostles doctrine 1 Tim. 3. which saith If you cannot rule your own Family how can you take care for the Church of God Henry Foreside Priest of the Parish of Lingiah in Dunbarton-shire said in his Preaching to the people Pr. IF they had any Christian zeal they would stone them whom they call Quakers Answ It is the blinde zeal that stones not the Christian zeal that have the life of Christ for the Christian zeal is to pray for them that persecute Mat. 5.44 and not to stone them to love enemies it was the Jews zeal that took up stones to stone Christ John 8.59 they stoned Steven Acts 7.5.8 and stoned the Apostles Acts 14.19 In this the Presbytrians have proved their Christianity to be out of Christ and the Apostles Prin. If Paul and the rest of the Apostles had been alive they would have stoned the Quakers Answ Here all may see his work to be the envious man in Cains way Jude 11. who would murther and wrongs the Apostle who never taught nor intended any such doctrine but said Overcome evil with good Rom 12.21 and love bears all things 1 Cor. 13.7 Now see whose Minister this man is that cannot bear but would have them stoned and would have the Apostle as bad as himself which Apostle said Christ was his example who laid down his life for his enemies Rom. 5.8 who suffered the contradiction of sinners we will render evil to no man but say the contrary the Lord Jesus forgive them Luke 23.34 and the Apostle said they wrestled not against flesh and blood Eph. 6.12 but them and you that stone do ye not wrestle against flesh and blood But if the Apostles would have stoned would they not have wrestled against flesh and blood And if the Apostles should have stoned all that were contrary to their minds bidden the people stone them told them it was Christian zeal what work would they have made as the said Henry Foreside called Minister doth where would have been long suffering Gal. 5.22 and loving enemies Mat. 5.44 and where would he have had any to have converted and who would have been persecutors and who would have prayed for persecutors ye may see what a pit ye are fallen into and how should they have convinced gain-sayers Titus 1.9 and loved them when they had stoned them And this is the Presbyterians zeal of Scotland and not Christan zeal who would stone and stir up his Congregation to do so for Christ who is cloathed with zeal Isa 59 17. said Love your Enemies but ye are cloathed with madness and folly And the Apostle that was in his zeal according to knowledge said Overcome evil with good Rom. 12.21 and vengeance is the Lords and he will repay it Rom. 12.19 and love bears all things but his blind zeal cannot bear any thing but cryes stone them out of the way and so wickedly and devilishly calls it Christian zeal which is false that is the Devils zeal Now the Apostles wrestled not against flesh and blood but against the powers of darknesse Eph. 6.12 but the Presbyterians called ministers are striking against flesh and blood whilst ye would stone them whilst that time spirituall wickednesse lies within you So ye Presbyterian-Priests are as a troop of robbers that would murther in the way by consent Hos 6.9 James Dorram called Minister of Glasgow his principles Pr. THat the believers even the reall godly are not without sin in this life Ans Here is one that is charging the elect and laying sin to the elect that God justifies Rom. 8.33 that in the godly there should he sin Sin is out of the godly in the ungodly which turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and what good doth his preaching doe them if they must never be without
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 paâ—â— is just and equal against them all and tâ—â—â— we have sufficient cause to cry against them and to deny their Mâ—â—â—stry their Church their worship and their whole Religion as being not in the Power and by the Spirit 〈…〉 â—â—â—ng God as commanded of him or ever practiced by his Sain◠〈◊〉 â—ut 〈◊〉 â—â—clareth the gâ—â—und and foundation thereof to be anotheâ—â—â—â—â—g aâ—â—â—ot the same on which the true Church and Ministry anâ—â—â—actice 〈◊〉 worship and true Religion was builded in the daye◠〈◊〉 Apoâ—â—â—es And also this is an Invitation to all Sects and professioâ— of People to come forth and try if what they hold and professe be according â—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 laâ—â—â—â—e all this persecution and unrighteous dealing and stocking and wâ—â—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 oâ—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 anoâ—â—er Crown whose glorying is in the Lord all the day long and he is ouâ— Refuge our Rock and our fortresse against all our Enemies and what though the wicked arm themselves and the ungodly bend their bâ—w what though all sorts of people from the Prince upon his Tâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—he Beggar upon the dunghill exalt themselves against thâ— dâ—â—piseâ—â—â—ople of Lords inheritance who for his Names sake are kiâ—â—â—d all the â—ay long what though the wisemen bring forth their Aâ—â—â—â—â—nts anâ— what though the Rulers bring forth unrighteous Judgemeâ—â—s again 〈◊〉 â—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
the Almighty covereth us and it goeth before us and compasseth us about and the Lord is working a work in the Earth mighty and wonderful he is gathering the scattered and binding up the broken hearted and his people shall dwell in safety and none shall make them afraid and no weapon that is formed against them shall prosper nor no hand that is lifted up shall prevail For Sion shall arise out of the dust her beautiful garments shall be put on and mourning and sorrow shall flee away and her light is risen that is everlasting and the Sun shall never go down but his day shall remain for ever and the night shall not again cover her brightness nor the Sun set upon her habitations the City that hath long laid waste shall again be builded and the dwelling that hath long been without inhabitant shal be replenished for the numberles seed of Jacob is coming out of Egypt that will replenish the whole Earth and the seed of Esau shall become bondmen and wherefore are you gathered together and to what purpose have the wicked spent their strength to oppose what the Lord is bringing to passe shall not all our Enemies be broken to pieces and will not the Lord grinde them to powder will he not marr their beauty and stain their pride will he not bring down their crownes and corrupt their glory and stain it with his fire of wrath and make them ashamed of their wayes and Doctrines Hear this ye Priests and howl and lament for the misery that is coming upon you the Lord hath laid you naked and made you bare and you are seen as you are and the Elect is risen amongst us which ye cannot deceive but alass wo is me how have you caused the people to erre and how have you led the blind out of the way and how is truth fallen in your streets and you have daubed falsely with untempered morter and have cried peace to the wicked and condemned the righteous and all this hath vexed the righteous soul and the Lord will now arise and is risen and you shall not resist and escape the stroak of his hand which will come upon you and bruise you as a milstone for you have caused the wicked to rejoyce and the righteous to mourn and you have made sad his heart whom God hath not made sad have not you fed your selves with the fat and clothed with the wooll and hath not the peoples souls been starved and leanness been upon them all your plants aâ—â— dry and barren trees that brings forth no good fruit and your pâ—â—ple are like a wilderness that is untilled and unploughed and undressed and your flocks are like wild asses upon the mountains that is untamed as rude as the Horse and mule that knows no bridle and now it is seen what the end of your Ministry is and what fruit it hath brought sorth the Lord hath taken notice and he hath beheld how you have loytered and laid idle and the Nations lies yet like fallow ground that bears no fruit and mens hearts are untouched with absence of Gods word and there is no sound true and perfect sence amongst your people of the dealings of the Lord nor of the operation of his spirit but they remain in great blindness and ignorance void of the knowledge of God for ye have not caused them to hear his word but you have told your dreams and your false visions and you have spoken imaginations of your hearts and not from the mouth of the Lord neither have you stood in his Counsel nor hearkened to his voyce and therefore people remains unprofited but what they and you know it s naturally and not by the spirit of the Father but as dry trees you are not taught of the Father and as rough goats in the nature of swine that is polluted in the filth of the world and in the nature of dogs and Lyons devouring another and biting one another and killing one another which things were not in the Churches of Christ and we have a great controversie with you and that from the Lord we have tried you searched you and disovered your foundation and it s not found nor will not stand in the triall we have fetcht your Line from the first original and we have found out your beginning and we find yours of that Race which Christ prophesied of that should come which should deceive many having the sheeps cloathing but inwardly ravening and which Iohn saw was come and went out from the Apostles and true Churches which went from the truth and went into the world and had the forme of godlinesse without the power here began the Race in the Apostacie of the Churches and when they Apostatized from the true faith then came your original up and the world went after them and all that dwelt upon the earth worshiped the beast that hath reigned through all this time of Apostacie which hath been since the daies of the Apostles and we find your original goe no further then to the false bretheren and false Apostles which went out from the true Apostles and run for gifts and rewards and preached for filthie lucre and through covetousnesse made merchandize of souls seeking monie and gain to themselves I say we find your Original begins there and your Line goes no further and never came your first rise so far as the true Apostles you were not in your beginning of their life nor birth nor cannot be reckoned from their Original for you succeed not them but you truely succeed the false Apostles and fals bretheren which Christ prophesied should come after his daies Iohn saw was come and coming in his daies and we find you of this stock and generation and now you are discovered to be contrarie to the true Apostles and agreeing with the false Apostles in call in practice in maintenance and in all things and the Line of true judgement is laid upon you all and you are measured and found too short and weighed and found too light and we wil deale truely with you in judgement first we do hold controversie with you as concerning your call your Ministery it agreeth not with but is contrarie to what the Apostles call was they were called by power from on high and were made Ministers by the gift of the holy spirit received from God and their Ministrie was an absolute gift from God and not to be bought and sold for monie and they were anointed of the Father by his spirit of promise and to preach the Gospel but your call is at schools and Colledges in such and such orders which are attained through naturall industerie such and such arts and sciences and degrees having been so many years brought up in studying naturall arts and naturall Languages this is your ordination and your call having no respect to receive or to wait for the gift of the holy spirit to be made Ministers thereby and this is different from the Apostles
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
imprisoned and many hard dealings against us the worst of tongues or hands could execute sparing life of this all the North countries may witnesse and all these things are sustained and suffered from people and Rulers because of our faithfulnesse to the Lord and for declaring against the false deceivers for nothing save onely the hand of the Lord and his power could have preserved us and carryed us through all this neither for any reward outward whatsoever or advantage to our selves would we have exposed our selves to that sufferings and violence and dangers which befell us dayly but the Lord was our exceeding great reward through all these things and kept us in the hollow of his hand and under the shadow of his wings and gave us dominion in spirit over all our enemies and subdued them before us and though Rulers and people were combined against us and executed their injustice and violence upon us yet the Lord made us to prosper and grow exceedingly in strength wisdom and number and the hearts of the people enclined unto us and the witnesse of God in many stired for us for to that in all consciences in our words and sufferings and waies we did commend our selves to be known and approved And in the beginning we were but few in number onely a few that thus were carried on and dealt with all and that had received the power from on high in such a measure and for such a work and no sooner did the Lord appear to us and with us but the Devil and his power rose up against us to destroy us and it wrought in Rulers Priests and people and all the waies and meanes invented by the Devil that could be executed by his servants were brought forth to quench the work of the Lord and to stop our passage in what we were called to did ye but perfectly know as we perfectly found the craftinesse and policie and wickednesse of the Devil how to overcome this new borne babe and how to root out for ever this plant that was newly sprang forth it would make you admire and wonder with admiration all the priests and Rulers were in an uproar the Priests they petitioned to the Magistrates and run up down from one sessions and Judicatory to another took wicked oathes and slandered the just with lies and reproaches on purpose to incense all people against us and the Magistrates gave forth warrants for the apprehending of some and made their orders to break our meetings and that we should not meet in the night season and such men might not passe abroad and such stirr and opposition vvas made against us it can hardly be expressed or declared there was uproars in steeple-houses and uproars in markets and often haling before Magistrates and abused and threatned and slandred and all manner of evil done and spoken against us and great injustice cruelty and oppression acted against us where ever we came and all through the meanes of the Priests who spared not to enact and conceive mischief against us and sought dayly to the Magistrates for persecution preaching in their Pulpits and praying against us and setting daies apart to seek their God against us crying with out ceasing in publike and private heresie heresie Error and blasphemy that we were deceivers witches and seducers such like the worst they could say and Imagine to stir up the hearts of people against us and running often to the Assize and Sessions and Counts to complain and in forme upon false oathes against us and through them were the whole countries in a rage and madnesse Rulers people often imprisoning and abusing and resisting us with violence banishing us out of towns and putting of us out of our Innes and often threatning to burne the houses over our heads the whole company of rude people in a town often gathering and besetting a house or Inne about where we were entred to lodge in our travels we were often exposed to dificult and hard travels and journies giving our selves to the Crosse to take it up against all earthly often drinking water and lying in straw in barnes after a hard daies journey and yet for all these things the power and presence of the Lord was with us and we were carried on in much boldnesse and faithfulnesse in courage and without fear or doubtings through the often hazard of our lives many waies in uproars by evil men and in markets and Steeple-houses and also in travels by robbers and every way were we exposed to dangers and perrils but through all over all were we carried and are preserved to this day And after this manner it came to passe concerning us and much more might be said but this is in short declared how we were intreated and dealt withall by Priests Rulers and People through all the Northern counties of England in our first going forth through which counties we first Journied out of Westmerland through Cumberland Northumberland and into some parts of Scotland and Durham York-shire Lancashire Chesshire c. and in all these counties much opposition we had and exceeing sufferings and cruell dealings from men of all sorts every Goal may witnesse in every county how any of them seldome were without some of us or our friends imprisoned in them this six yeares and scarce one steeple-house or market in all these counties but may witnesse what beating what bruisings strikings and halings and abusings and perils we have suffered and sustained and not one priest in all those counties can cleare himselfe from hatred and malice and from envying of us and doeing mischief in words and works or thoughts or desires against us nor scarce one Justice nor any officer of the peace can be excused in all them counties from plotting and acting injustice upon us and threating and enacting cruelty against us And I call Heaven and Earth to record and the Light in every mans conscience and do appeal to that in all sorts and places of people that by all sorts of people we suffered evil and unjust works and actions and words from them and let the witnesse of God in all mens consciences in all the North give testimony what dealings and cruelty we suffered and how we have been dealt withall and also of our patience and Innocency under all what they have done to us But notwithstanding all what was acted against us and spoken maâ—â— hundreds of the honest and sober people owned us and also many rude and ungodly persons were converted to the truth I say many hundreds in all these counties in two yeares time were brought to the knowledge of the Lord and to own us all which time we laboured and traveled in patience giving up our selves to live or to die and to all manner of sufferings and reproaches and hard trials that we might fulfill faithfully what we were called unto sufferings without from open enemies and from our own kindred and relations and sufferings within for the seeds sake
false worships in the Steeple-houses in the sheeps cloathing Did God let thee see the deceit of the tythes in the Priests Did God let thee see the vanity of respecting of persons and honouring of the creatures was thou turning from these things as thou confesseth And art thou now turned to them again By whom the way of truth comes to be evill spoken of Is thy latter end worse then the beginning will not all thy words be thy burden and fall heavy upon thee thy time is not past George Emmot And as for all the reviles scoffes mocks in thy Book they are not worth mentioning and raking in the dust for among sober people Hast thou turned the grace of God into wantonness which had taught thee to deny the ungodly lusts of the world and would have brought thee to salvation and so forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God the law in thy minde and in thy heart whereby thou might have been taught to know the Lord But now thou art run out to Teachers that may be removed into a corner that will poyson thee And do put some into coâ—ners and Prisoâ—s because they will not give them maintenance and then they are them that put into prisons and corners That which brought thee to leave off thy ribbons and vanities and lusts of the world waâ— the grace of God which thou hast turned into wantonnesse and published it to the Nation see page 6. And thou art turned in to that the grace taught thee to deny Pr. He saith The Steeple-house is a holy place more holy then a house see page 8. Ans The Pope hath taught thee this and his Teachers and thou art gotten into the holy place like the Pharisees and saies the Apostle defiled it and thus you and your Popes doctrine is got up since you have apostatized from the Apostles which Apostles brought the Jewes off the holy places thou speaks of and while you and them have been in these holy places you have been in the unholiness Henoch Howet his Book titled The Quaking Principles dashed to pieces by the standing and unshaken TRVTH He hath dashed himself to pieces upon the Rock as his torn Language in his Book discovers And his Principles are here as followeth which a great part of his Book is not worth mentioning but turned back upon himselfe who must bear his owne burthen in the day that burns as an oven that his works are tryed he shall remember to the witness in him I speak Pr. HE makes the Scripture to be the onely weapon whereby Christ overthrow the Devill see page 3. Answ Who bruiseth his head and was before Scripture was Yet the Scriptures is for correction and doctrine furnishing the man of God in his place and Christ the seed was before Scripture was And all them that hath Scripture and not Christ cannot overcome the Devill you and the Papists doing his work for they that overcome him it is with the power and those have the Scriptures of truth which the Devil is out of Pâ— Here he saith the Scriptures is the hope See page 4. Ans Which is contrary to the Scriptures which saith Christ is the hope and they that had the Scripture stood against the hope Christ Pr. He saith there is nothing in man to be spoken to but man See page 5. Ans How then ministred the Apostle to the spirit And Christ spake to the spirits in prison and Timothy was to stir up the gift that was in him and the spirit of the Father speaks within them and the light it shines in the heart which God hath commanded to shine out of darknesse And the Son of God is revealed in me saith the Apostle Here the Scriptures are for correction of thee and reproof of thee who said there is nothing to speak too â—n man but man when the Apostle saith that which may be known of God is manifest in man for God hath shewed it unto them Rom. 1. And the Apostle was manifest to every ones conscience in the sight of God and that was of God which the children disobeyed Pr. He calls that a darke delusive light Ans Which John calls Christ the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world which we speak of so he is fighting against the foundation of God that stands sure And thus the man is striking at the Rock and splitting himself is not come to John but is as dark as the Pharisees Heathen whose darknesse cannot comprehend the light that John saith lighteth every man that cometh into the world that shineth in the darkness that is the true light John 1. chap. So you that deny the light which Christ hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world withall be the enemies of Christ that will not that he should reign over you who are by him to be slain and so that Scripture which he mentions there in page 10. stands for himself who gets his words and calls him Lord but doth not do as he saith and ye all that be in darknesse stumble at the Scriptures which see not the light that lighteth every one that cometh into the world Pr. Hâ— saith They that deny the honour of men are Witches and Wizards page 14. Ans Wilt thou say that Mordecai was a wizard and had a familiar spirit that would not bow to Haman And the Apostle found fault with them that worshipped the creature more then the Creator who is God blessed for ever And all the familiar spirits and wizards fell down and worshipped Nebuchadnezars Image which Daniel could not bend to their Image nor inventions Pr. And again thou saith They that love God and love Christ keepeth his commandements see page 14. Ans And thou art bringing many Scriptures to oppose the commands of Christ who saith Be not ye of men called Master So thou art seen not to be of the spirit of Christ but the spirit that is gone out into the world that is Antichrist and opposeth his Doctrine who is the end of the Prophets and was before Abraham was and so hath given judgement of thy selfe thou neither loves God nor Christ Pr. And here he accuseth Paul and saith Paul saith he is not perfect Answ When Paul saith As many of us as are perfect are thus minded and brings himself in the number and speaks wisdome among them that are perfect page 15. John Timpsons Booke called The Quakers Apostacy from the perfect Rule of the SCRIPTVRES discovered A True title to his Book concerning his own condition as his Book doth witnesse himselfe in the Apostacy whose work is to oppose the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that John bore witnesse of So opposing the Covenant of God of life and peace and the foundation of God which stands sure Christ Jesus which he may as well say nothing or do nothing But the stone is set upon his head and the foundation of God is layd witnessed by the Prophets
would not endure sound Doctrine such as was given to fables and had the itching ears and heapes to themselves teachers and those forsook the faith which such have now since the dayes of the Apostles reigned whereby none among them comes to be out of all teaching that they need no man to teach them and that they need not say know the Lord and to see the glory of God None comes into the everlasting Covenant into the power out of the form and none cometh to know all things by the anointing in them but they are all on heapes about their heapes of teachers and itching ears and so cannot endure the sound Doctrin that any should come into the Covenant of God that they need not to say know the Lord. That is the sound Doctrine to come into the Covenant of God Christ Jesus the substance of all the Prophets glorified before the world began to learn of him who is the way to the Father the truth and the life and the heaps of teachers are all erred from him and the Apostles and so from the true teacher Christ Jesus who saith learn of me And there people would destroy one another about their teachers which Christ teacheth otherwise to love their enemies and so there is men following their imaginations and not the Lord and reprobates concerning the faith in which is the unity and there are you Pr. He saith Paul did not commit the Church to the light within them for he told them deceivers should come c. page 39. Answ Paul when that deceivers was come and false Apostles among the Church of the Corinthians he told the Corinthians that the light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and so hear thou shewes thy ignorance of Scriptures and of the Church and of Pauls Doctrine whose work was to bring them to the light within them when the deceivers was got up and so committed the Church to the light within them and told them that that would give them the knowledge c. So they that draw people from the light within are the false spirits that the Apostle speaks of that went out into the world before the Apostles decease which led the world after them by whom the way of truth came to be evil spoken of for the Apostle told them that the Light that shined in their hearts would give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and not their teachers without them as you do who bring them from the Light within them and so act contrary to the Apostles Pr. He saith to bring people to the Light within is dispising the word again he saith the Light that is in a man is not able to lead him to happiness c. page 50. Answ No man cometh to happiness but who cometh to the Light within which cometh from Christ the happiness of all man kinde the Redeemer the restorer of man kinde out of the fall out of the first Adams state to God into the second Adams state who is the Covenant of God with man in which they have peace So in this Light stands every mans happiness and he that hath the happiness hath Christ the light within him and the peace with God And the light within which cometh from Christ the word is not against the word nor Scriptures which are the words but it ownes them and with them hath unity and no one sees the word but with the Light within And as for all the rest of thy unsavoury expressions and childish speeches is not worth mentioning And thou hadst better have let silence have covered thee then to have published thy nakedness to the Nation for thy words will be thy burthen in the time of thy necessity the witness shall answer in thee Ralph Farmers Booke called Satan enthroaned in his Chair c. His Principles follows Ans Which is a Title sutable to himselfe discovered by the children of the day who is his Seeds-man as to the Nation he hath declared But them that be in the Truth Love and Peace he doth not touch Pr. HE saith We do not pretend to infallibility as you do which is lying and hypocriticall c. Ans We do believe you that in the infallible spirit of God you are not but in the false fallible spirit gone out into the world that went forth from the Apostles who had the spirit of Christ And so how can you be Ministers of the Spirit and not the Letter if ye be not infallible For who be in the spirit are in that which is infallible This I say none be Ministers of the spirit nor none be in the spirit nor none have the spirit of Christ nor the holy Ghost nor the spirit of the Father speaking in them but who have that which is infallible and in that which is infallible And they be in the lying spirit and hypocrisie that be out of it and all the false spirits that is gone out into the world So ye do well to confesse that ye have not the infallible spirit yee are not infallible and so no Ministers of the spirit And how can they but delude people that are not infallible and are none of Christs which have not the spirit which is infallible and are not Ministers of the Gospell which is the power of God which is infallible Pr. He saith We are foretold that false Teachers that shall bring upon themselves swift destruction and evill men and seducers which wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived should come And there should come false Christs and seducing spirits and the doctrine of Devills speaking lyes in hypocrisie such as deceive the hearts of the simple with their feigned speeches c. See page 39 40. Answ Hast not thou here brought forth thy ignorance of the Scriptures which saith the seducers and the false Christs and the false Apostles the Doctrine of Devils and the feigned words and fair speeches which deceived the hearts of people came up before the Apostles decease and doth not thou in this shew thy spirit to be that spirit that went out into the world not able to divide the word aright but art telling people they are now come when as the Apostles saw they was come before their decease which since the dayes of the Apostles all the confusion hath been among them and you that deny the light are in distraction And yet ye that be not infallible in the infallible spirit but fallible are crying to people they are come but now and so grow until ye are worse and worse And thee and the Priests of Newcastle and many of the rest of you are crying against such as say Christ is their example And yet many of you have published to the Nation in print that Christ is an example and the men are respected who speak them and not the words simply as they are in
the Law according to your own judgement to be cut off and to dye as Sabbath-breakers for they were not to make a fire gather any meat beare any burthen Oxe or Asse man-servant or maid-servant or stranger but was to keep holy the Sabbath of the Lord if they did the Law took hold of them for sixe dayes they were to labour and do all they had to do Now the Law being received by the disposition of Angels So now the Law the first Covenant the shadows types and figures ye may run into those things from the body and so neglect the head and neglect the body and go into the Signes and so come into the will-worship and the worshipping of Angels intruding your selves into the things you never saw neglecting the body to satisfie the flesh by which your vain minds are puffed up Now the enemies of the Sabbath are such as neglect the body the substance he that 's Lord of the Sabbath Pr. And whereas thou sayst they had eaten the bread of Christ and they had turned the heel against Christ And thou sayes the Quakers some Notionists and others are against it Answ Our rest is in Christ â—he body that ends the shadow that ends the signes who is the substance of the shadows and signes and those Notionists are of thy selfe and so the Saints rest is in the substance Christ the end of the signes and shadows who was before the signe was the day was in him is rest Here all men rest from their works and every soule that believes hath entered into his rest and hath come from shadows signes and types into the body Christ that ends them and holds the head and out of the will-worship worshipping of Angels and satisfying the flesh for such are blinded as concerning the body and come to be judged about the dayes and they hold not the head But such as are come to the body and head Christ Jesus to whom all Angels bow for they that neglect the body will satisfie the flesh and live in signes and shadows and will-worship and intrude into those things they never saw and worshipping of Angels which come to be judged in respect of dayes which is but shadows and such as are in those things satisfie the flesh and keeps them from the body Christ and the head holds not and they that will rest in a shadow after the substance is come the Son of man the Lord of the Sabbath â—ill rest in that which decays and a false rest Pr. And whereas thou sayst A filthy shift of Gods Sabbath to say Christ is the Sabbath Answ This Sabbath was rest and they were to rest on that day and it was a signe and given as a signe and shadow and in the first Covenant But Christ the second Covenant the perpetuall and everlasting rest the soules rest of his people Come unto me and yee shall have rest and so he is the end the substance of the signe and the shadow who was as I said before before the day was in whom is a rest for the people of God for the Sabbath being given as a signe wherein all Strangers Servants Beasts Horses Oxen Asses and all Cattell whatsoever might rest upon the day it was given forth sanctified and given to be a signe for the whole Creation being burthened both horse man cattell servants and all things was burthened and man-kinde was oppressed by transgression So the Sabbath was a signe of rest yea to the stranger to all that was within the gates a figure of the restauration and the sanctifier Christ Jesus which destroys Death and the Devill and the power of Death and his works who is the cause and the Author of the burthen of the whole Creation and of mankind So the rest the Sabbath was a signe of its rest from their labours Christ the restorer and Redeemer and Deliverer of all the whole Creation and bringing it to unity and reconciliation again to God who is the rest both to man and beast and the Stranger should rest within the gates of the Sabbath within Christ And much more is to be said of these things which this is but a touch of that which is further in the words which might be declared Now as for the ten Commandements amongst which the Sabbath is spoken he that covets he that steals he that commits adultery and kills he that sets up graven Images he that covets his neighbours house wife or goods or any thing that is his or commits Adultery is from that principle of God in his own selfe so the Law was added upon him He that 's led with the spirit doth not transgresse nor doth not oppresse nor doth not covet nor steale nor beare false witnesse and so love fulfills the Law and his Commandements And he that believes comes to Christ the rest before the day was by whom they was made and so Christ telling them what was done in the old time for following the Oath the Lord he brings them now not to swear into himselfe the Covenant of God he brings them to the Covenant of God the oath of God and so into himselfe who is the Restorer before dayes was as I said before And the Apostle likewise brought them off from Circumcision without which was an everlasting Covenant as well as the Sabbath was a signe he brings them off of that to the Circumcision within and so to that that answers the power the life of God which hath been transgressed where love is felt in the heart that remains and so the thing comes inward for as it is said he that believes hath entered into his rest And so Christ came not to break the Law but to fulfill it every tittle who is the rest of his people yea and gives rest to to the Creation destroys the oppressor of it and the foundation of the oppressor and so he was the Lord of the Sabbath that fulfills it for the Sabbath was in the Law and Christ is the end of the Law to every one that believes he that is in Christ before dayes was profanes no day is in his rest and will give rest to his creatures will not oppresse any thing at all and comes in the wisdome of God by which they was created to order and use them to Gods glory And whereas thou sayes that Adam being in honour did not abide a night and brings Psalm for it which doth not mention Adam nor night nor day And I said before thou who art in the shadow art intruding into things thou never saw for thou never saw where Adam was before he fell and therefore art corrected and judged Pr. And thou sayes and confesses The Jewes Sabbath was given to the Jewes for a signe Answ The Apostle will tell thee that the body is Christ If the Sabbath be a signe to the children of Israel it was a signe of something to them for the other signes given were signes of something and so something those signes did signifie forth
houses but the papists have taught you it The Papists were persecutors so are you they haled out of Synagogues so do you they took tithes so do you they preached by the hour-glasse quenched the spirit so do you They preached for means gleab-lands so doe you They had the cross on the top of steeple houses so have you in many places they had Trinity Colledge Emanuel Colledge and Christs Colledge so have you They named the Saints daies so you follow them they called their houses by the name of Trinity Jesus Emanuel and their Masse-houses by Peter and Paul and Mary and so do you Is not this the papists game do not they called Quakers deny this game and you both and Christ thou art ignorant of who is come to reigne and rule and teach his people himselfe Pr. Ministers are spurring on the Magistrates to cast out the bad and scandalous Ministers Have not Lawyers and Phisitians an easier life and more honourable in the world then the Ministers and have not the ministers been the principall instruments to pluck downe Deanes and Chapters Bishops c We ministers breake our health and all our wordly interests for you And I had rather be a ploughman or the meanest tradesman but for the greatest necessity and the truths sake Ans Have not all you Ministers in this manifested your selves did ever the Apostles fly to the Magistrates or spur up them to cast out scandalous Ministers had not the Apostles authority and the spirit and power to cast out reprove and rebuke in the Church Had they not denyed their power if they had gone to the Magistrates and falen on the mountaines which is the papists game and not the Apostles was it not the soldiers that were the cause of pulling down your Railes and Surplices and your Deanes and Chapters and Bishops was it not the Magistrates work but have you had a hand in it have you killed and taken possession have you put out Bishops and got into their places who are in the Bishops Deanes and Chapters maintenance will you needs make your selves so foul and odious to all people were not many of you tradesmen and ploughmens sons poor men and yet now gotten up into great interests and takeing great sums of people of many whom you doe no worke for How can you for shame say you leave your wordly interest when you are but running into them when you come to be Priests and ministers who are the proudest people in the parish in the glories and vanities of the world and honor of it but the priest and his wife and his children Are not you worse then Lawyers and Phisitians taking the peoples money yet cannot make them perfect men but say they must not be perfect The Phisitian is to make one perfect doe they take money of people they do naught for are they not ashamed to doe so but you take money of them you doe no worke for are you not worse then the Lawyers who are bad doe you not take money of such people you do not worke for and sue them and cast them into prison Are you not the unreasonablest men upon the earth and this is the Devils game you are playing and doe you not live in more honour in the world greater gain and no worke done for it then any people in the Nation againe as the Goals in the Nation may witnesse your fruits Pr. All nations that are of the Christan world are for the ministers to this day and they that are not are the dry branches that are out from the Church Oh how have I besought the Lord that he would convert you to remember them that hath the rule over you they that hath spoken the word of God and rules well are worthy of double honour Ans You are apostatized from those Elders among the Apostles and from the Apostles in an usurped authority Ministers made by the will of men at schools and Colledges not by the will of God as the Apostles were so your honour must be defaced and you are the dry branches cut off from the true Church your Church and Ministery both wanting the vertue and life of God among you so broken into heapes and sects and names among your selves wanting the unity and bond of peace the nations have gotten the names of Christians but are dead are from the life and your prayers are as the Pharisees you being found in their steps as Matth. 23. read you all You say none must be perfect upon earth how then converted who are converted are converted into Christ who is perfect out of the first which is not perfect Pr. The enemies of the Ministers are the fore-runners of the heavy wrath of God and the Jewes were quite cut off from the Church and made vagabond upon the earth they mockt the the Messengers of God untill wrath came upon the people Ministers are either their Fathers or Nurses in the Lord their sins killed and grace is quickned by the ministers meanes Ans It was the forerunner of the wrath of God upon the Jews that they had Temples and Tithes and stood against the Ministers of Christ it is so to you as it was with them that saw not the substance that now stands against the light and fight against it And was not Railers envious men and persecutors alwaies the vagabonds and are not all you vagabonds from the life of the Apostles as the Jews were from the Law of God and are not you all on heaps about words and scriptures shewing you are without life and is not the wrath and plagues of God and over flowing scourge come upon you who are thus standing against his Ministers in this his day that are sent among you cages of unclean birds who the people comforts not their sins kills not their grace quickens not keeping the people in their sins telling them they must have the body of sin while they are upon Earth they are crept into houses before and since the Apostles decease dispersed over the Nations of the world Are not you mocking the messengers and ministers of Christ hath not the wrath come upon you many of the people stricken dead for so doing you that are out of Apostatized from the Church of the Apostles that are persecuting and mocking the Ministers of Christ which in scorn are called Quakers who are sent freely amongst you not for Gleab-lands Tithes Easter reckonings nor Midsomer dues nor like unto you that puts the Papists out of Gleab-land Tithes Easter recoknings and Midsumer dues and gets into them your selves that puts Papists out of their Masse-houses run into them your selves so in this you are not like the Ministers of Christ the Apostles who seeks not these but them but you are seeking these not them but are putting them out this causeth plagues to come upon you and so it is Papists and drunkards and them that are now called ministers which are
and Verse he can finde it again this is not like them which gave forth Scriptures which be learned of God and what they had received of God afterwards recorded which now you and the Priests fall out about and are in heaps and have no unity with it nor God nor one with another and would tear one anoâ—hers flesh to pieces about it and here your spirits are tryed William Greenhill Priest of Stepny who makes a trade of the Scripture his principle as followeth Pr. THe scripture is the Divine word and wisdome of God Ans Thou hast thrown out Christ in this and put scripture in his place and given the scripture his name who is the Word as in the Revelation Whose name is called the word of God who is the wisdome of God and this the scripture testifies of as in the Corinthians Iohn and the Revelations Pr. William Stanly a Tutor to children said That some had a priveledge to sin and yet were free from the condemnation of the Law by the sufferings of Jesus Ans But none have a priveledge to sin from God but from the devill for it is contrary to the Law of God for the Law doth not tolerate any such thing nor the Son of God who was made manifest to destroy the Devill and his works and to condemn sin in the flesh so no one hath a priveledge to commit sin but from the Devill and it is no priveledge to sin from God A book called the Relation of the Quakers shaking those whose names are at it are Iohn Gilpin Thomas Craster Thomas Sands Iohn Archer Edw. Turner Priest Walker WHo are like unto Jannes and Jambres who resist the truth being men of corrupt mindes who blaze abroad in the Nation to make truth odious and to posess the hearts of people by some that turne from truth first Iohn Gilpin who by truth was made to confesse his sin and had openings and then turned from it again and turned to the persecutors and this Gilpin was these mens convert which was most of them all the greatest persecuters in the North which after Iohn Gilpin had turned from these people called Quakers to these men whose names are to the book he turned drunkard being drunk a warrant was granted out for him by a justice of peace and yet these men whose names are at this book stiled this man one of their high converts but according to their works their reward will be Iohn Gilpin said While he was with the Quakers he never found such effects among the Ministers of England as he did amongst the Quakeres of the discovery of his sin in perticular of his Covetousnes which had a great long root in him And this all these men whose names are in the book tearms it to be of the Devill and this is their judgement because Iohn Gilpen run out in his imaginations therefore that which discovers to a man all his sins and his covetousnesse that is of the Devil too O! no my friends you have wrong judged and you will fail at last whom you have judged and what you have justified that which discovers your sin and filth and covetousnesse that which discovers the Devill which is the author of it that is the light and life of Jesus Christ and so in stead of saying the Quakers are shaking you are shaking yourselves and your foundation made knowne not to be the foundation of Jesus Christ And the light that discovers sin and when the true thing did convince and work in Iohn Gilpin then his imaginations run out and you and he calls it delusion to hearken to the voice within and yet you and Iohn Gilpin saith that he was in some measure raised to believe that God would deliver him and yet it is delusion to hearken to the voice within Ans What confusion is here amongst you and your convert doth any believe or come to deliverance or faith but who heares the light within and who heares the voice within and beares witnesse within doth not he that believes hearken to the witnesse in himselfe and hath he not it there and is not faith in the heart and any deliverance is it knowne but what is known from that within and thus you poor deluded creatures are glad to trust in lyes and make them your refuge Pr. He saith He began to consider how he had offended God by his neglect of the use of externall meanes reading hearing and prayer and rejecting the revealed will of God in his word and hearkening to the voice of God only within Ans Is reading and praying in the spirit externall meanes is this your judgement all you Priests and teachers and great professors found in this book can any pray but in the spirit and Read the scriptures and know them againe but in the spirit and is not that eternall can any man know the revealed will of God and his word but it must be by the spirit is not the word in God is not Christ the word his name is called the word of God and can any know these things but by the voice within which voice is the spirit the spirit of the Father speaking in believers the saints which led them to speak forth Scriptures so when that voice was neglected then was Iohn confused as you are all now that speak against it that whatsoever filth and durt you run into you will father it upon the voice within or the light and Christ within but you are comprehended and seen who are now flown to your external meanes you tell people of and your prayers and Reading are external we do believe you who be all out of the spirit but if ever any of you come to know God and true praying in the spirit you will deny your principle and we do believe your meanes is external and your prayers externall without the spirit of God and this Gilpin who had been thus covetous grievous sinner whom the Lord smote that he came to be almost a distracted man after he had got a little ease from under the judgement his flight being in the winter he goes to the Priests and professors which be here mentioned in this book enemies of all righteousnesse and presently turns a drunkard and a Justice of the peace granted a warrant to set him in the stocks and so he passed away about thirty miles off to Cacebie and this is Gilpins Lord who was convicted by the truth of his covetousnesse and his sin who run into his imaginations whose latter end is worse then his beginning And this is the convert of this many persecuting professors and teachers who to their shame have published it which comes a top of their own heads and truth is cleare and filth is wiped away and wiping and the refuge of lies is flying away that people shall not make them their refuge and those persecuting professors and Priests take occasion to speak of one James Miler in whom the Lord did open true prophesies and mighty
the deceivers of the Nations that say so Now are people but coming from them and now is the judgement of the great whore come and now is the vials of wrath to be powred upon her that hath corrupted the earth and now shall they go into captivity Rev 13. Rev. 1.4 and 18. And now shall people come to that which the false Prophets the beast and the Mother of Harlots went from all these heads and horns and Crowns will turn against others with their tongues Language and Babylon that hath been amongst them and now is the seed of God risen which overthrows all the excomunicators upon the earth both beast and false Prophets and Jews both which seed of God brings to see to the beginning Glory to the highest for ever and Jewes and Gentiles beasts and false Prophets and is at the top of them all and the corner stone is laid John Castairs and James Durram Priests of Glasgow when the Fast was appointed by the English they kept their Houses and caused their servants to work and took notice of all those that countenanced the English Fast and the first day they preached then after they said it was necessary that a day of Humiliation should be and that all people should be humbled for the powers they saw now ruling in the land for they were giving liberty and tolleration to all sects and blasphemies as Anabaptists Independants and said that the Baptists denyed all worship and Ordinances as they were and ought to be according to the Ecclesiastical Government which Government is the true hedge of the Church of Christ Lodowick Simerell Priest of Munkland he said before several persons that no true Justice had been or was since those enemies came to this Nation neither would be until the Lord remove them in his own time Henry Foreside Priest of Lenyey and if Paul had been alive he would have stoned the Quakers and it was Christian zeal to stone them and many friends are stoned and beat and blood is shed those that stoned the Apostles and Saints and haled them before jâ—dgement-seats and Magistrates and the chief Priests had a hand in putting Christ to death perswaded them so to do and the chief Priests had a hand in stoning of Stephen to death and the Priest had a hand in casting Jeremy into the dungeon and into the stocks and said he was worthy of death and the high Priest Ananias was examined of Paul and Peter and John was examined by the Priest was put out of the Temple by the Priests and Rulers charged no more to speak in that name and such were these who had a form of godliness but denyed the power and such ever stirred up the people to blood and tumults against the harmless and innocent in the truth Therefore come to the light you that have tasted of the power of the Lord God that with it you may see and judge how the Priests blinded the Magistrates by flattery and so truth came to be their enemies How do you receive strangers ye Presbyterians of Scotland and obey the commands of God and the Apostles commands which was be not forgetful to entertain strangers for some have entertained Angels unawares when as ye would have the servants of the Lord prisoned and stocked and stoned to death or their heads chopped off so you are them that be in Cains way vagabonds from the Spirit of God now a vagabond hath not a habitation in God but wanders from the witness of God in him like Cain who built a City and called it after his Sons name Heb. 13.2 Gen. 4. I am the light of the world that lighteth every one that cometh into the world saith Christ the Saviour of your souls every one going from the light ye be enlightned withall ye are vagabonds and have not a habitation in God and so goes into Cains way envious and would slay Balaams and Cores way which are with the light condemned and like unto those Jewes That haled out of the Synagogues That Christ spake of that goes in long Robes and are called of men Master but Christ saith be ye not called of men Master for one is your Master even Christ Mat. 23. Christ said they that went in long Robes loved the chiefest places in the assemblies should hale out of the Synagogues and they that do these things be gone from the light Joh. 3.19 Joh. 16.2 All this perswading of corrupt Magistrates to persecute them that reprove sin in the gates in the Steeple-houses streets and high wayes is because men have a selfish end and a private interest to themselves both professors of Scriptures and teachers and them that doth persecute hath a selfish honour and an interest to themselves and so the selfish Professors teachers Magistrates that persecutes for them they have a form of godliness but the witness lies slain in them and they matter not for that rising for in that rising all the deeds words and actions comes to light and then if the witness of God arise in them they will not be offended at such as reproves sin in their gates Markets Steeple-houses and Streets for all upon the earth while they are from the witness of God in them they are corrupted and they may get the form of godliness the form of Christs the Prophets and Apostles words and live out of the power and be in the Religion that is vain for none upon the earth comes to the power of godliness but first they must come to the witness of God in them and there is none upon the earth that ever comes to the first principle of the pure Religion but first they must come to the witness of God in them There 's none knows the Scriptures given forth from the power and Spirit of God which was in the Saints but first they are brought to the Spirit of God in their own perticulars Come all you officers and Souldiers now after ye have ease and have overcome your enemies without take heed least you sit down in your ease and fulness and fall down into the earth and flesh and feastings and fulness and pride and so corrupts the earth and your selves and not come down to the witness of God in you whereby the enemy of God and of your own souls might be slain that you might come to find rest and peace in God after your outward wars and so come to the inward wars which takes away the cause of the outward whereby you may all come into true understanding to answer that of God in every one for them that do evil act contrary that of God in them to such the sword is a terror and a praise to them that do well which is led by the Spirit of God up to God who is pure out of the evil and all Magistrates swords upon the earth should reach to that which is pure in every one to the soul so it takes away that which wars against it that breaks the outward so
and we are well acquainted with griefs yet in all our trials and afflictions the Lord never forsook us but his wisdome love and life and presence increased in us and with us Then in the yeare 1654 as moved of the Lord we spread our selves South-ward and entred into these South parts and came the first of us into this City of London in the fift Moneth that year and laboured in the work of the Gospel in continuall sufferings and oppressions divers waies and were oppressed and gainsaid by the wise-men and by the learned and had in reproach and contempt by all the high and lofty and proud professors and we were set at nought and rejected by the fat beasts of the South and it is well known to thousands in this City and South countrie what opposition we have had from all sorts of people opposed in our own meetings and scorned and slandered by envious and reproachfull tongues publikely and privately encountered withall by the wisest of the City and country chalenged invited and ingaged to disputes by the high Priests and Church-members so called written against and printed against by the chiefest of men accounted wise and religious which of any sect and who of all the wisest in profession and the most zealous in practices of Religion so called have not at some time or other beset us and encountered with us in high disputes and controversie opposing of us to our faces and gain-saying our doctrines and practices and denying of us and resisting of us wholly and crying against us to be deceivers deluders and hereticks and blasphemers and such like and that our doctrines were deceivable error and factious and what not that our practises were destructive to men Lawes and Government these things in the worst nature have been spoken against us without ceasing by the wisest and men of greatest parts and most Religious falsely so accounted for this certain yeares in the South aswell as in the North besides what losse have we sustained other waies in the South by beatings and strikings and abuses and slanders and false reproaches and halings before Magistrates and imprisoning and all the like dealing from Priests Rulers and people as we did in the North yea the same hard dealing and cruelty from all sorts of people we have suffered and doe daily as we did in the North Insomuch we are now accustomed to the yoke and well acquainted with sorrowes and griefes from all sorts of people and were not the Lord on our side our enemies would swallow us up quick and we had been long since devoured by the teeth of the ungodly so that I may now call to witnesse all the Goales and prisons in the South as in the North and all the Magistrates and Judges and Rulers and all officers of the Law what suffâ—rings we have sustained and what cruell and heard dealing we have undergone and what injustice and unequal and false judgement hath been executed upon us in this five yeares time which of the Goals may appear free where some of us have not suffered the losse of our liberties unjustly and who of any Justice of the peace or any other officer from the Judge to the Constable that can clear themselves from guilt in this matter and that they have not had a hand in our unjust sufferings and to the witnesse of God in all people of all sorts through this whole Nation and some other I do appeal concerning this matter how we have been dealt withall what we have sustained in our persons and in our names how many acts and words of cruelty and in justice we have borne and suffered and these Priests been as the fountain and cause of all this and the formost in all this iniquity and injustice by all what they could do to incense the Rulers and people against us by Preaching and praying and writing and printing for the space of this seven yeares yet notwithstanding all this the mighty power and presence of the Lord have been with us and preserved us from dangers great and many and carried us through trials and perplexities and sufferings and not onely so but he hath increased us in number so that thousands and ten thousands have and may own us and the truth which we give witnesse of live therein for the eyes of all people are beginning to be opened and the deaf eare is unstopped and the way of life eternall is made manifest and the Lord is gathering his flock which hath been scattered in the cloudy and dark day whilst these false idle shepherds these Priests and Teachers I meane have fed themselves with the fat and cloathed themselves with the wool and laid down in slumber and not gathered the flock nor fed them but scattered them and driven them away and with force and with cruelty have they ruled over the heritage of the Lord woe woe unto these sheepherds saith the Lord God they shall be confounded and put to shame perpetually and they shall be broken down and never builded any more and the Lord will pluck them up by the roots and they shall never again be planted And besides all there Petitioning the Magistrates against us and Preaching and praying against us and all the evil wickedness in work word desire brought forth against us from time to time yet here sober Reader thou hast a Catalogue and whole number of books Printed written against us and abundance of their Doctrines uttered against us and in opposition to us gathered up in this volume in a sum with our answers to them and if thy heart and minde be single thou maist hereby understand in measure the difference in Doctrine between them and us and compare each of them with the Scriptures and see whether their Doctrines and Principles laid down as the subject of their books or our Doctrines and Principles laid down in answer to theirs be according and agree with the Scriptures and if thou be impartial in this business and single in this search and Judgement I doubt not but thou wilt in a great measure satisfie thy self and be resolved concerning their Priests and Professors of England and us who are called Quakers and then when thou thus hast done own and deny â—â—â—ther them or us as the Lord shall perswade thee for thou maist fully perceive we differ in Doctrines and Principles and the one thou must justifie and the other thou must condemn as being one clean contrary to the other in our Principles And I wish also thou wouldst measure us and compare us in lives and conversations and truely Judge whom of us whether they or we do the more follow Christ and his Apostles in practise and conversation And in all things lay us and them to the line of true Judgement and with an upright heart Judge accordingly for know this there is not any Principle we hold nor any work which we practice in our Religion and worship but we are willing and