hand he and his father are greater than all and sufficiently able to preserve all theirs from all delusions and pollutions of men If thou mean by their way mans way or thy way which is a way of sense and reason and flesh such as are going in this way my desire is to undeceive But in any way of God be as strict and holy as the will or rather as the grace of God shall teach you to be onely have a care that ye begin not in the spirit and end in the flesh and so stick in the washing of the cup or platter or out-side when the heart is proud and lofty and doth all it doth to justifie it self with the proud Pharisee Repl. But thou sayest again I know not the Crosse which is the power of God to them that are saved and the bloud of his Crosse who makes peace I know not and so am unwashed in the bloud of the Lamb a Sow wallowing in the mire that 's my figure I wallow in pride and covetousnesse c. Answ Through the bloud of the everlasting covenant I have seen and believed the love that God hath to me and I own the bloud of his Crosse who hath made peace for me This through faith in it becomes the power of God to save me and this Crosse having its efficacy upon my Soul becomes the ruin of Satans Kingdom in my flesh And now I am not ashamed to tell thee I know no mire I wallow in but that of scandals reproaches accusations slanders from Satan and his Spirit who rules in the dark world and yet through the power and vertue of the Crosse am I freed from fear of this mire and this power carries me forth out of the mire of corruption and teacheth me to die dayly to live more to him and in him who is my life and Saviour And this I know is accepted according to what I have And now who art thou that condemnest It is God that justifies and sets me free from the reign of sin and death though I finde still enough in the flesh within me to keep me humble and low yet thou who wilt needs be my judge know that in the midst of all Satans railings and accusings and condemnings of me by thee I can sweetly behold the Lord causing all these things to work together for my good and easily making void thy condemnations Repl. Further thou tellest me I take upon me to tell what the flaming sword is and ghesse one thing and another thing Answ Here thou art still in the image of thy father either railing or scoffing when thou knowest not what to reply or say It seems thy questions were so deep in thy conceit that none could answer them but by ghessing and so they might be in thy double doubtfull sense Didst thou ever hear of the Oracles of old among the Heathen whither people resorting to ask the event of things the subtle Devil alwayes gave forth his answers in a double doubtfull sense and by this trick he kept up his credit in that blinde generation Just like his answers then are thy questions now alwayes taken in a double sense and when they are answered in the Letter then thou flyest unto the spirit and when they are answered in the spirit then thou flyest unto the Letter and so like thy father between both thou seekest to maintain thy credit among thy blinde friends for that 's thy God thy credit and yet it may be God may open thine eyes I can but ghesse at it seeing thou hast so willingly denied the Lord that bought thee But to thy reply that may be doth not make mine answer a ghesse but lets thee understand that the flaming sword is a real thing in both those senses I named And with this sword God will confound and destroy all proud persons and things for ever And though thou see it not yet my joy is that this sword of the Lord hath kept me from the forbidden Tree and put me in minde of the new and living way of coming to the Tree of life which is by the bloud of Jesus Thus the Law and the fiercenesse of the wrath of God which cuts me off every way from entring into life through mine own power and merits puts me upon the way of the Gospel and free grace which is to enter into life by believing on him who justifies the ungodly and so to be saved by the power and merits of Jesus Christ And though thou tell me of deceit guile covetousnesse hypocrisie doubtfulnesse which the sword takes hold of Yet I tell thee again the sword of the Lord in me hath cut down the Tree where these things grow and I am risen from their power and covet dayly to finde the power of the Crosse to crucifie these things in me more and more that so I may be more freed from all these works which the sword takes hold of and so Jacobs portion even the Lord is still mine for ever notwithstanding all thy ghessing at my pride covetousnesse c. Repl. Another great fault thou findest with me is that I am called of men Master which Christs forbids Answ Sometimes thou art in the meaning and deniest the Letter as in the Crosse of Christ here thou art low in the Letter but deniest or else knowest not the meaning and therefore art thou found in the thing and power of the name Master but grudgest another the form or name outwardly of Master Thou sayest I am called Master and so I am through mans courtesie without any affectation of mine But thou thy self lovest to be the Master and Father of anothers faith the Christ the high one which Christ forbids though thou art a poor drop a worm defiled with errours blindnesse and sins like others of the sons of men Repl. But thou sayest I am telling of the 3. principle of the elementary world of the strong word and much more which I received from the mouth of the Germane vvriter I. B. not from the mouth of the Lord. Answ As for my using an expression which sets forth the life of a truth what matters it whose the words were If I had borrowed an answer out of Behemen I should soon have heard thee set down the place which had been something indeed though I know it as lawfull for me to use another mans words and speeches so as I am made one with the thing in mine own spirit as it was with Paul to use the saying of an Heathen Poet. Repl. But thou tellest me I am telling of the language of Egypt and in the same thing I witnessed against am I found Answ Here thou seemest to confesse contrary to the minde of thy father that I speak a truth yet to save thy credit because thou thy self art guilty of the language of Egypt thou sayest I have got the language of the Israel of God but the Egyptian speaks them Is not this a brave come off But stay notwithstanding this fine
may rebuke thee Though others cannot I can willingly let thee alone without persecuting imprisoning banishing I see all these things do but nourish Satans Kingdom in every dark form rather than pull it down and therefore I can pray for thee and do thee good and shew thee kindnesse and leave thee to stand or fall to the light of God in thee which is thy judge Rep. In the outside of thy paper thou callest me Priest but why is this name so odious to thee Answ Dost thou not know that all the Lords people are Kings and Priests The name upon any other account I own not The light within thee tells thee thou callest me Priest in pride and scorne Repl. In thy preamble thou sayest The just God of heaven and earth into our hands in our measures the just ballance hath committed wherein all my profession notion and comprehension is tried and denied Answ First thy just ballance thou gloriest in is not the ballance of the sanctuary full of the light truth word and power of God But 2. It is the ballance of thine own corrupt reason fancie dream full of flesh and self of thine own weaknesse blindnesse darknesse And so 3. This ballance is not committed to thee from the just God who abhors thy peevishnesse folly false visions but from thy father the Prince of darknesse he hath put into thy hand the unjust ballance of thine own wisdom which is enmity against God and every appearance of God And 4. in this ballance of flesh and fancie thou art found uncapable of weighing and trying the wayes workings of God in another And so 5. In the midst of thy comprehending others art thou comprehended and seen thy self and laid open to thy shame amongst the Heathen And so 6. Lastly the ballance that is just which comes from God hast thou lost and so hast nothing to measure and weigh things with which is accompanied with the Authority and light of God And hence all thy reply and answer to me is found to be airy frothy stuffed and filled with nothing but winde and scorn and so thou goest on and sayes Repl. My conversation is corrupt and life unsavory and I am one in nature with all the Priests of the Nation Answ Here thou beginnest to shew what thy ballance is being found presently in the corrupt will and life of the old accuser And here thou art but the mouth and tongue of Satan who is alwayes accusing and condemning when God is forgiving and healing That I differ from others in their corruptions is more through the Lords grace than my deservings And this grace of the Lord is that which leads me out of the wayes customes pride and pleasures of the world more and more And yet I cannot say I am pure without all sin and spot for then I should make God like man a lyar whose light word tells me otherwise and yet notwithstanding all the corruptions thou layest to my charge I finde the Lord through grace still forgiving and healing and warming mine heart with a strong thirsting after more of the power of godlines And this keeps me from scoffing at any thing I see in thee but the pride and folly which thou discoverest plainly which makes thee cry out I am rich full and have need of nothing and yet knowest not that thou art poore and blinde and miserable and naked and hast need of all things which if thou knewest would soon make thee meek lowly peaceable gentle doing good to all men even thine enemies which thou canst not do and so art not like the heavenly father Mat. 5. 43. 44. 45. Read that place if thou canst and weigh it in the just ballance and put in thy self in one scale thou wilt soon see how light thou art and how thy selfish carnall nature fights with the generous loving nature of God whom thou knowest not by living in his nature and spirit And so to the Questions Repl. In mine answer to the first thou scoffest at my saying Christ is the first principle of pure Religion and cryest out O shame of my profession who at the first would be at the Son the fundation in Sion and know not that which turnes the minde out of the earth and leads to Sinai There is a light which shines in a dark place which who are in it are in the welldoing and in their measure in the pure Religion and it who knows in it they see what the first principle is and know thee to be a lyar which light leads unto the day Star 2 Pet. 1. 19. Which light is before the day Star is come unto which is the Son and him who is come unto is in the pure Religion Answ From a principle are derived two things 1. The esse or being 2. The cognosse the manifestation discovery or knowing of a thing to be what it is Now according to both these Christ is the first principle of all pure Religion It 's he who begots and works it in the heart of man and so brings it into being and it is he who discovers and shewes what the pure Religion is and so brings it into knowledge and this knowledge is drawn from a sight and feeling of the work it self upon the heart and so to make some application of this to what thou sayest and wondrest so much at that thou wilt be religious and that in the best too even in that which is pure and that without the Son of God We see heare read what Christ saith of himself Mat. 11. 27. No man knows the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him and Iohn 1. 18. No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him and John 14. 6. I am the way the truth and the life and John 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing surely then if there be no knowing of the Father no seeing of the Father but by the Son no coming to the Father but by this way and means no bringing forth any fruit any thing that is pure without the Son how comes it to passe that ye must needs begin your Religion below or without the Son Must thy dark minde consult with flesh and bloud to make thee Religious Or must we needs go to Sinai as thou intimates to make us first Religious Was not Paul there and what did hee learn but to glory in that which afterwards was his losse and shame Was he not a blasphemer injurious and a persecuter till the Lord had mercy on him and revealed his Son in him Surely methinkes thou mayest easily learn this lesson from what is written to make Christ the beginning of thy pure Religion to make him the mover the power the principle that first sets thy heart aright in Religion And this thou art compelled to say in thy confused reply That hee who is come unto Christ is in the pure Religion and so art
was of old before there was a Law for either priest hood or Tythes But doth this light teach men to pay Tythes Answer It doth so it teacheth men to pay Tythes or maintenance unto their Ministers and where this light rules not there the Ministers can get no maintenance without an outward Law especially if he come in the anointing of the Lords spirit A Priest of Baal indeed may get Tythe or maintenance without a Law but a Minister of the Gospell can get none without a Law and so in pleading against Tythe or maintenance for men anointed by Christ to preach thou declarest thy self a friend of Baal and his Priests For doest thou not see how all Sects and forms in the Nation that are separated from the Ministery are almost all so farre blinded in this matter as to joyne with unbelievers worldlings and coveteous wretches to keep their Tythes especially if the Minister be anointed and called of God But where is your light within for Tythes guided by the Scripture Answer look Gal. 6. 6 7. and 1 Cor. 9. 5. to 13. And remember what Christ saith the labourer is worthy of his hire And he that labours saith Paul in word and Doctrine is worthy of double honour nay it is a hard thing to please Christ who hath called us to be Souldiers when we must labour and be intangled with the affaires of this life for a maintenance And who goes to warfare of his own charges That which Ministers have I could desire might be with lesse trouble and care However take all these Scriptures and see whether there be no maintenance or Tythe due to Gospell-Ministers But Christ said freely ye have received freely give Answer Christ in that teacheth us to doe the Lords worke willingly not by constraint or for filthy lucre but of a ready minde to be as free to communicate and distribute the heavenly Treasure as he is to bestow it on us not aiming at our selves and gain but at the advancement of his Kingdom and Gospell in the hearts of men And this the Ministers of Christ are desirous to do through his grace But into whatsoever house ye enter eat such things as are set before you Mat. 10. and Luk. 10. Answer And so we will when we are called to journey up and down the world as the Disciples were to do but being ordained over a particular place we are to feed the people with the word over which the holy Ghost hath made us Overseers and to take such things as are consecrated to us But Christ bid the Apostles take no Tythes Answer And strange it is he should seeing they were to go up and down from City to City and place to place Surely if they had taken Tythes of all they would have been very rich And besides the world being strangers to all knowledge and profession of Christ this would have hindered the advance of the Gospell Yet Paul told the Corinthians that they might be chargeable to them as other Apostles of Christ And yet thou goest on to say Repl. O shame of all Parish hirelings who have a Law to force maintenance from an whole Parish and I who call my self a Minister of the Gospell am not content with the Gospell wages and thou bid'st me prove if ever Minister of the Gospell pleaded for Leviticall wages Answ No friend this I go not about to prove but maintenance is the thing I prove and if thou call that Leviticall thou mayest thy tongue is thine own Neither would I plead for any thing if all did covet to walk according to the light within and without which teacheth that the labourer is worthy of his hire Repl. But Christ blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances Heb. 7. 10. Col. 2. 20. And so I that am subject to these things am in the world and covetous practices Answ But see whether thou thy self be not rather in the coveteous practices of the most wicked of the world in seeking to keep thy Tythes from the labourer who Christ saith is worthy of his hire mark that word hire It may be it may open thine eyes though hirelings in thy account I know the Lord abhorres who labour for themselves not the Lord Yet take heed how thou keepest the hire from the true labourer and that against all light and Law and this present Scripture in that place Heb. 7. 10. The Law of the Priest-hood is changed And so say I and Col. 2. 20. We must not be subject to ceremoniall ordinances as touch not tast not handle not seeing what was ceremoniall God hath blotted out and nailed to the Crosse of Christ and so we are not to place Religion and holinesse and worship in outward things and places and Ceremonies but may be free to that which the Law made outwardly unclean as touch not taste not And yet in this freedom we are not to be without Law to God Repl. But still thou goest on to tell me I am a Thiefe and talkest of the wages of the first Priest-hood which God did not allot to them who were to do the work of the everlasting Priest-hood Answ Yet I tell thee I am no Thief but one come in by the door by the Son of God to preach his Gospell according to the measure of the gift of Christ And no more wages do I receive than the Gospell allowes me in 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. And he is a Thief that keeps back the hire of the labourer and he is a murderer that envies and hates his brother Look to thy self Repl. But thou sayest I am telling of the Lords giving a man Tythes as a portion of the earth to nourish himself and family Answ And why may not the Lord do this And is not the earth the Lords and the fulnesse thereof And doth he not give it unto whom he pleaseth Is not Christ the Heir of all things And wilt thou murmure and tell the Heir he hath done wisely in giving away his Tythes from thee Thou worm know that Christ is the wise disposer of all things and doth all exceeding well Repl. But thou sayest I am not sent of the Lord I am one of those that teach things I ought not for filthy lucres sake Answ Whether thou own me or no is not much regarded of me seeing thou ownest not the Lord himself That I teach things I ought not as thou and others do is false what I preach is the Gospell of grace But thou settest up another Gospell and so art accursed though thou wouldest fain he accounted an Angell That I teach for gain is but thy simple prate I am contented with what I have Tythes or no Tythes if the Lord please God is my wages and he payes me well Further thou sayest Repl. I plead for Tythes sometimes as a gift from the Magistrate sometimes as a gift from the Lord and so thou cursest me from running greedily after the errour of Balaam for gifts and rewards and my God thou deniest who
and women thou sayest a Minister must be Hospitable but how and with what thou knowest not give he must but wherewith to give he must not have All Tythes maintenance set wages gifts that 's Antichristian All rewards either from God or men that 's Balaam-like as thy wisdom calls it and yet the man must be Hospitable But let him preach and trust God for maintenance And so say I too Let Ministers preach the Gospell be instant in season and out of season beseech men to be reconciled to God not to this or that form custom tradition or outward societie but onely in the will of God unto God and the truth of God and the people of God in all fellowships scattered up and down the world Let Ministers do their duty and trust God for their maintenance who in the midst of all the peoples murmurings against this grievous burden of Tythes doth still make provision for his Ministers in the Nation God who takes care for Oxen takes care for those who tread out the Corn who break the shell and dispense out the word aright unto the people though the envious hard-hearted world every where repine and murmure at this provision which the Lord makes Repl. But this thou sayest both is a taking of that which another hath painfully laboured for Answ And yet this by wise men is looked upon as no oppression Tythes being a peculiar property that no man can call his own but he to whom the providence of God and the wisdom of the Nation hath given them and though it be out of anothers labours yet all Rent Customes Taxes Use are the same payes out of other mens ventures labours paines and yet the taking of them looked upon as no such grievous oppression and sin as the taking of Tythes though with much moderation by a Minister But thou sayest Repl. Let the prisons in England judge of the Priests Hospitalitie who cast the Saints into prison some prisons have five some ten twenty twenty four of the Children of God in them Answ This I own not the putting Saints in prison especially if it be for conscience towards God those who are guilty of this have a sad account to make But yet it is not the suffering but the cause that makes the martyr A man may suffer much endure much hardship grief bonds yea and death too and yet not suffer as a Christian with Christ nor for his sake and if any suffer thus what glory is it For a man may suffer as a Murderer as a Thief as an evill doer as a busie body and that many thus suffer it 's apparent And so it behoves you to be well advised for what ye suffer before ye glory too much of your sufferings as Saints But thou comest to tell me to whom my Hospitality reaches Repl. First to mine own back and belly who live in excesse and scorn such as do not then to feast Drunkards Ranters and prophane persons and to spend the time in laughter mirth folly vanity c. Answ All this is but the devise and vision of a Quakers spirit as for fine cloathes and feasts and carnall merriments I have seen vanity and madnesse in them and can be as well content without them as the strictest Christian Neither hath any company or people at any feast or meeting been so welcom to me as the Son of God As for Ranters and Atheists and men that under a conceit of being above ordinances Ministers and all worship of God have lost all Religion and appearances of grace take all those to thy self for these usually are the people that go to the making up of thy foolish building Further thou tellest me Repl. My moderation freedom and enlargement in matters of Tythes will not colour over my deceit Answ Yet all thy railing lying envy shall not make me forget my moderation and freedom in this matter or make me guilty of that deceit pride fulnesse excesse vanity thou layest unto my charge Neither shall all thy fury against the Priest-hood provoke me to plead for any of the carnall false Priest-hood who preach for lucre gifts and rewards or the like All that I aime at in pleading for the Ministery is this to make this out in thy conscience and I know it is evident there already that God hath still a precious seed in the Ministery that in our age and ages before there have been and still are some in the Ministery that have been and are precious lights unto the Saints of God men that have stood up boldly against the idolatries superstitions inventions and sins of the Nation in their time according unto their measure of grace These are men whose weaknesses the Lord covers and whose spirits he still keeps up to commend the truth to every mans conscience in the sight of God These I have seen a strong Angell protecting and providing for and all the Ministery fare the better for their sakes These are men whom the Father pleads for And though I finde too much folly selfishnes in the best of us all yet look upon any form or way in the Nation and there you may finde the same and see we have all cause to put on patience meeknesse brotherly kindnesse charity to be subject one to another in love and to walk humbly and meekly with our God And though ye are a people that are risen up above all and pretend to a light that is infallible in every particular and to an estate free from all remnants of sinne yet I know and am perswaded by the Lord that both the light within and the light of Scripture makes it out plain to your conscience that in many things ye are dark ignorant doubtfull selfish high-minded carnall and so walk as other men And though I know you 'l say the new man sins not and ye are dead indeed unto sin and the bloud of Christ grace of Christ have purged away all our unrighteousnesse and we are as God is and as Christ is in this present world All these and the like I know are high expressions of the Saints freedom dignity and honour yet they never make use of these and the like Scriptures to any other end or purpose than to set forth what they were in Gods account grace and favourable acceptation and to comfort and encourage one another in the midst of all their weaknesses and infirmities with the new birth the new man the work of God upon the heart within in which is all the fulnesse and happinesse and compleatnesse of a Christian in this world This is the use they made of such Scriptures to highten the grace of God and to further their glorying and consolations in the Lord And yet in their flesh they saw no good thing and in themselves they were conscious of errours and sins enough to be humbled for whilst in this body of clay as we see in Job David Paul and others of the precious ones of God And so to
The scornfull QUAKERS ANSVVERED AND Their railing REPLY refuted BY The meanest of the LORDS Servants MAGNUS BYNE Beware of false Prophets They come unto you in Sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening Wolves Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they be of God Because many false Prophets are gone out into the World LONDON Printed by William Bentley for Andrew Crook at the sign of the green Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1656. To the READER DEar friend I speak to thy conscience in much tendernesse unto thy Soul Learn to fear the great God more and more For blessed is the man that feareth alwayes Wait upon the Lord and he shall renew thy strength Go unto him as unto thine exceeding joy Love all the appearances of his Son as the comfort of Saints in all generations Watch over thine own heart Stand in awe and sin not Let the Lord come into his Temple and Worship him alone Take heed of every gin and snare of the old serpent who is in a great rage because he hath but a short time Be sober and quiet in thy Spirit and hear the Lord speak His word is nigh thee within thee walk in the strength of it and this will keep thee from the paths of the destroyer Long in thy Spirit to see the new Jerusalem the new Heavens and the new earth wherein dwels righteousnesse Let thy moderation be known to all men for the Lord the desire of all Nations is at hand Stand still be calm be meek and thou shalt see his salvation Let thy Spirit groan and travel in pain with longing to see the Lord arising to work For men abused by the old Dragon seek to make void his Law And among all the vanities which I have seen under the Sun take heed of the two foolish blind mad generations of Ranters and Quakers The former of which I have seen the Lord scatter and appear in great wrath to consume rebuking the evil Spirit in them and laying them open to their shame among their enemies The latter of these I have had some dealings with and finde them more furious and raging than all that have gone before them and notwithstanding all their shew of holinesse wisdom humility temperance yet by a little dealing with them I finde nothing but impurity folly pride madnesse even to admiration and wonder in all their doting questions fowl mouthed answers vain janglings railing accusations even as if Satan had left all others and brought all his power along with him to fill their hearts and tongues with all manner of blasphemies and evil speakings against all others but their own deluded party And strange it is to see how Satan in them is divided against Satan Satan rails blasphemes and then to save himself cries out 't is Satan he blasphemes and and rails at in others The Devil mocks jeers scoffs rages in their filthy hearts and tongues and when he is seen and manifested by his carriage to be the evil one presently he condemnes himself and sayes 't is the Devil all my fury is powred out upon 't is him I condemne in men and women not the similitude of God the man or woman to whom I speak Thus the Lyar and the Murderer in these men raging speaks to excuse himself from his lying and murdering by perswading simple people 't is himself he aimes at And yet such a strong inchantment I finde in this mad carriage that some poor Souls are even overcome with their violence and have thrown away not the light and grace of God onely that once appeared in them in shew but even their reason and humanity too and subjected themselves to this carnal yoke for fear of being still condemned by the Devil Take one passage of a great Prophet of their own one Tho. Law-Cock who meeting at one Goodman Matthews house near me was called aside by the woman of the house of good report but almost turned a Quaker to whom the woman in kindenesse said Sir will you eat something which I have provided The Quaker replied What shall I eat with Devils and Dogs and pointing to a Dog There 's thy Companion thy fellow-creature of the same nature with thy self saith the Quaker and shall I eat with thee a Devil a Dog And was not this a good argument at the first meeting to perswade the woman to be a Quaker And when the woman began to reply something to excuse her great sin of asking this man of God as he calls himself to eat he opens his box again and calls her Whore and Harlot and was not this another good argument to perswade her And yet this woman and the man too begins to believe in the Quakers and to admire their light and power lusting after the painted image and innocent spotlesse religion which thâ—se poor deluded wretches have set up and made And as they have dealt with this woman so with some others whom I know prevailing with them and upon them even by the same Magical power of Satans workings in them Therefore it behooveth us all to look to our building upon the Rock to our interest in the holy one of God to our receiving and walking in Jesus Christ the Lord rooted and built up in him that so the gates of Hell may not prevail against us Further a little to lay open this blinde seer Lawcock at one meeting with some Baptists he was demanded whether Christ suffered and died at Jerusalem His answer was That Christ suffered but Christ did not die and yet it was not Christ who suffered neither but that which was born of the Virgin See here his contradictions of himself and his contempt and denyall of the death of Christ And yet afterwards at another meeting being in the presence I charged him with this and he presently cried out Thou lyest I acknowledge Christ both suffered and died and yet this man must be infallible in the midst of all these contradictions against himself Further at the same meeting when I was present and beginning to lay open his folly the Quaker exhorting to meeknesse and silence and the like but presently falling a railing cursing and roaring against Priests and hirelings I asked him in patience how these speeches could hang together we must be meek calm quiet but he must roar and rage At the first dash the man cries out thou lyest thou art a beast and the like and entreating the man to sit down and be meek according to his own speech he foams out his own shame still A litte after wondring at the madnesse of the Prophet at the trouble and torment of the evil Spirit in him I desired him to speak but two words of sense and reason and I would be silent the man roars again Thou art a belly-god thou art a beast And is not this a goodly Apostle Prophet Teacher Let all men judge that will not be like the beasts unreasonable Further desiring a Scripture to maintain something he spake against the
deceitfull above all things and knoweth nothing by nature of the spirituall things of God If thou hadst the Lord the just Judge in the midst of thy spirit quickened he would have shaken thee out of thy earthly heaven and digged up that root of bitternesse out of thine heart which springs from the bottomlesse pit in thee which root hath been spared through thine own indulgence to thy self as that within thee beares thee witnesse Repl. Thou tellest me The crosse is foolishnesse to me Answ It is so to reason in me but to faith it 's the power of God and the wisdom of God to thee indeed it is foolishnesse who instead of beleeving in the crosse of Christ makest nothing of the bloud of Christ shed at Jerusalem and so art fondly prying into the mysterie before the foundation be laid Repl. Thou sayest When I am searched into I am found an Alien to the ground of truth and yet through the pride of mine heart I said to such as I had formerly bewitched through my lies in hypocrisie that the questions were low and simple things Answ Thou I say art not capable of discerning either the truth or an Alien from it who hast no other ballance but thine own weak reason and dream to weigh things with As for my bewitching any through my lies let them speak and shew me what errour or sin or mischief I ever perswaded them unto If they came to me they were welcome if they are nearer to God 't is well if further off that 's ill I never did much glory in their company since I found them carried about with winde and fables As for thy questions thou seest I make a sober answer without bitternesse or railing though some of them I found alike and some of them I know not what This I know will grieve thee to see thy glory stained and slighted never so little seeing thou art the Pharisee that gloryest in thy questions Repl. Thou sayest The least measure of the life of the kingdom is hid from me Answ The life of the kingdom begins in the crosse of Christ since this hath had it's power in me to my crucifying and slaying in any measure I have found the life of the kingdom springing up and in this kingdom I have some measure of righteousnesse peace and so it is not altogether hid from me But thou rebellious wretch where wilt thou begin to enter into the kingdom where life is who lookest upon the crosse of Christ as a foolish thing and makest his sufferings and crucifyings in the flesh no crosse no part of his crosse and so swine-like tramplest under thy feet the precious bloud of the Son of God and makest it veil to thee so knowest not where life begins though the crosse of Christ without in the flesh and history thou mayest read and learn exactly too and yet not begin the life of the kingdom without the vertue and power of it crucifie thy self and flesh and arm thee with the minde of Christ to empty thy self of all thy glory and to humble thee at the feet of God to death as Christ did Repl. But thou sayest I use my tongue and say the Lord sayth when I have nothing but the letter and harlot-like trim my self with it and sit in an high seat in my imaginations even above the seed which by the fowls of the aire is devoured Answ The letter of the Scriptures being a declaration of the minde and love of God to man I look upon as one of the choice vessels of the Lords sanctuary and the flesh body and sufferings of Christ to purchase and make peace for us I look upon as a vessel without which the Lords sanctuary cannot be furnished with the Oyle of life or the beginnings of salvation This letter concerning Christ especially together with all the rest of the Scriptures I look upon as a precious mercy and light unto the Sons of men And yet all this without the meaning and fulfilling of Scriptures in us and to us by the anointing of the spirit availes nothing unto our salvation and inward consolation so that letter and history joyned with the spirit of the Lord opening and sealing the meaning and substance to my spirit is the Word of the Lord to me And friend this tongue of mine which thou sayest I use was given me to this end to use against all such as shall no lesse than commit fornication with the letter when it seems to favour their weak imaginations and formes but yet cannot endure to unite with the meaning and mystery couched or vayled under the letter And thus it is with the Quakers in their carnall tremblings Cattle of Tythes Priests the word Master Father the titles of thou you yea nay and the like In these things their souls are drunk with the letter and made they are against all interpretations and meanings put upon the letter though by the Lords spirit but in the great things of Christ and resurrection and judgement and heaven and hell after this life here the letter is prophanely trampled upon slighted abused contradicted and their fancie meanings and sensuall interpretations must be all the Scripture in such matters and so sometimes they are glorying in the letter but cannot endure the meaning and fulfilling at other times they are glorying in the mysterie and meaning but cannot endure the letter See here friends what a nose of wax as the Papists call it ye make of the Scriptures of truth and how they are wrested by you as by all other dark forms and professions onely to uphold your golden image that your own fingers have made This I cannot passe by in you with silence neither that high seat ye seek to creep into even the seat of God crying out lo here lo there I am Christ I am wise I am perfect without all spot All this is so manifest against both letter and meaning of Scriptures that though I should hold my peace the stones in the street would cry out against you And so thou who sayest I harlot-like trimme my self with the letter take heed how thou harlot-like trimmest thy self with Gods glory that others may ignorantly worship thee for God who art a poor broken idoll And take heed how by talking of a light within which I own in it's place thou prophanely despisest what is written in the letter seeing that also is a light that shines in a dark place and so to be owned of us too And take heed how in thy high-flowen lofty spirit thou be not found in that which thou condemnest in another viz. among the fowles of the ayre seeking to devour all the precious seed of God that is sown in any form or people besides thine own Repl. But I would deceive such thou sayest who are going right on their way Answ If by way thou understand a following of Christ in the way of life such I cannot deceive for no man can pluck such out of Christs
judge any thing in thee but what falls under the condemnation of the light and truth of God and though thou pretendest to a fulnesse of light and knowledge yet I finde thee low and dark by thy frivolous answers which thou givest to what the Soul is what the two witnesses are what the first and second resurrection is what the day of judgement heaven and hell are and many other things propounded to thee which I finde thee unable and unwilling to make out the truth of and therefore art thou angry that thy weak building is so much as questioned And yet thou knowest the Apostles counsel is to us all that we should be alwayes ready to give answer of the hope that is in us with meeknesse and fear but thou having no hope but in this life thy heaven and happinesse here art judged of all men to be most miserable according to what the Apostle saith If in this life onely we have hope in him we are of all men most miserable And so thou miserable wretch art loath to be questioned though thou send questions by the scores to other men Repl. But thou seest mine intent thou sayest I would not have my deeds of darknesse reproved Answ If thou hast received wisdom and power to reprove in the name of the Lord do it as sharply and bitterly as thou canst for let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindnesse let him reprove me it shall be an excellent Oyl which shall not break mine head But to thee I say have a care thou take not the name of God in vain for the righteous one I do not finde in thee reproving seeing thou canst not do it in the patience and meeknesse of Jesus Christ. But thou sayest Repl. Is not that the honour which is given to all the Saints to execute judgement upon the Heathen Psal 149. 6 7 8 9. And all that know not God are Heathen and he that sins hath neither seen God nor known God 1 Joh. 3. 6. That which cleanseth man leadeth man to see God The pure in heart see God and Canaan was a figure of the spiritual rest c. Answ Friend wert thou in the meaning as well as in the Letter of these Scriptures thine eyes would be in thine own head not alwayes abroad like an Heathen in the ends of the earth and so thou wouldest judge and excute vengeance upon the Heathen or carnal man in thy self and then be in a fit posture of wisdom to judge the Heathen or carnal men without bearing witnesse against all their railings and revilings both in thy words and deeds But to look a little upon the places noted by thee This honour have all the Saints to execute the Lords vengeance by the two edged sword of his Spirit upon all the Heathen But thou art found to thy dishonour judging the Sons of God and the Daughters of God to be Heathen and so thy sword is drawn against the Lords anointed ones not against the Heathen And as for the binding of their Kings with Chains and their Nobles with fetters of Iron which shall be the honour of the Saints to do I finde this Scripture not yet eminently fulfilled in spirit and power some outward binding I have seen fulfilled in our own land but the firm real strong binding and limiting that shall be by the reigning of Christ in power and great glory in his Saints this shall asswage the malice and rigour of the Kings of the earth against the Church and make them stoop and bend and be willing to bring all their glory to her because they shall see and say the Lord is in you of a truth This day of the Churches power through the presence of the Lord in her in much wisdom knowledge righteousnesse and love to binde the Heathen and their Kings I finde dawning and the desire of all Nations is not far off But yet through the Saints violence and rage one against another in their several forms and imaginations evâ—ry one making hast to have the Crown and Honour of the day to himself â—â—â—t looking so much to the coming of the Lord as to his own advancing above all others of his brethren watching rather upon one anothers infirmities than upon the appearing of the Lord in one another through this weaknesse of the Saints and too much indulgence to their forms I finde the great day of binding to be retarded and prolonged yet the Vision is for an appointed time he that shall come will come and will not tarry And had we but a little more faith patience and quietnesse in our spirits we should soon see the Lord and his salvation Therefore stand ye still and be silent O all flesh wait upon the Lord and he shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy judgement as the noon day It is his nature his power in the Saints that must bind Satan and all the wicked ones of the earth If man onely binde and kill and slay this worketh no deliverance no settlement no peace as we see at this day But when the Lord shall binde and slay and put in prison our enemies then we shall have rest and joy and quietnesse in our habitations Therefore as Bellarmine said when he came to die after all his study and labour to advance free will and mans merits that it was the safest way onely to rely upon Christ so say I after all our vain study and labour each to draw Disciples after himself to make his name and side great and strong the best and safest way will be for every one to rely upon the Lord and to think soberly of himself according as God hath given to every man the measure of truth and faith and then we shall begin to Judge the Heathen indeed and not thus shame our selves before them by our envy and railing and evill speaking one against another Repl. Further thou sayest all that know not God are Heathen and he that sins hath neither seen God nor known God Answ And so say I all that know him not in some measure of light and love are heathens and he that is in bondage to corruption that sins freely and willingly he hath no true sense nor saving knowledge of God upon him or in him and yet through infirmity temptation and weaknesse a Saint who hath a sweet taste and sense of God may be found in that which is sinfull though this man will by no means allow or approve of sin As Paul saith the evill which I do I allow not Repl. And thou sayest that which cleanseth men leadeth man to see God the pure in heart see God Answ All this is truth That which cleanseth and purifieth and leadeth to a sight of God is one power one pure spirit and by cleansing out what is contrary unto it self and making it self plain which is pure it leads the soul according to it's discovery into the spirituall rest where it satiates and fills it self with
the fatâ—â—â—e and fulnesse of God who is it's center and rest of which Canaan was a figure Wert thou in this rest thou wouldst cease from tine own works from the best as well as the worst as they are thine own and so thou wouldst learn to justifie thy self in the Lord and make him and his works thy rest and joy Repl. Thou sayest Isaiah bare witnesse against such who sought gain from their quarters Isa 5. 10 11. as I do witnesse my taking Tythe of two Parishes Answ Know friend that Isaiah witnessed this when Tythes were commanded and taken so that it was not Tythes but the greedinesse after gain that Isaiah rebukes in the watchmen calling them greedy Dogs which can never have enough though they were blinde ignorant dumbe sleeping dreaming taking no care to feed the flock or instruct the people yet they were greedy after the wages and gain This is that Isaiah condemned of old not the taking of Tythes moderately for their maintenance And this is a thing I am as ready to speak against as thy self knowing full well that the blindnesse and dumbnesse and lazinesse and formalnesse and covetousnesse of many of Englands watchmen hath brought all this reproach upon the ministery at this day Yet all this is no ground for thee and others to destroy the righteous with the wicked and to make the righteous as the wicked which have been a light to thee formerly though thou lye and shamefully deny it now to maintain thy pride and scorne against the best as well as the worst of Englands watchmen When thou canst tax me justly of being greedy after gain and of being blinde dumbe lazie as those were that Isaiah complains of then tax me for taking Tythes as if that were the end of my ministerie I could tell thee of the dumbe meetings of Quakers who when they are assembled by scores and hundreds which they glory much in and are all Prophets Diviners and Teachers as they dream yet are for want of vision half a day together dumb mute and silent and so go all away as wise as they came having never a dream to tell or word to speak because they have seen nothing And are not these dumb meetings of yours silent discoveries of the hand of the Lord against your great professions of light and perfection When your eyes are opened you shall see it to be so and be ashamed for your envy at the people of God Repl. Thou sayest further Jeremiah cried out against such who bare rule by the peoples meanes Jer. 5. 30 31. Answ Here thou art found perverting the very letter putting in peoples instead of Priest surely this was out of thy great love to the Priests or else thy Father to spare none hath opened thy mouth against both people and Priests but this is one of thy moates or small ones therefore I 'le by it passe Repl Thou goest on to say Jeremiah cals it an horrible and filthy thing and none so filthy as I who take Tythe of two Parishes and Micah cried out against such as taught for hire Mic. 3. 10 11. Answ All this being in a time when Tythes were lawfull as thou hast said I wonder how thou canst bring it in against the lawfulnesse of Tythes The Priests taught for hire and the Prophets did divine for money this indeed concerns all those who teach for coveteous ends and hire not any that teach faithfully what they have received from the Lord though they go not to warfare at their own charge but take Tythes as maintenance for their labour But all this I see proceeds from the old root of bitternesse in thee which teacheth thee to apply Scriptures after the manner of the world against all such who reprove sin in the gate Repl. But Christ thou sayest bare witnesse against such who are called of men Masters Answ And so do I against all such Quakers or others that would faine be Masters or Fathers of all other mens faith and light neither did I ever desire another to be Master and Father over the conscience but Jesus Christ the Lord For who is Paul or Apollo or Cephas but Ministers of the faith of Saints not Fathers and Masters of their faith But thee I see loving the thing Master and the thing Father and therefore all are condemned by thee that pin not their faith upon thy weak imaginations this was the sin that Christ condemned in the Priests and Pharisees of old For further answer read Mr. Baxter who hath said enough in this matter to give full satisfaction to the wise Repl. Further thou sayest Paul called such evill beasts and lyars who taught things they ought not for filthy Lucre Tit. 1. 10 11 12. so am I for filthy Lucres sake holding up the first Priest-hood and their wages c. Answ I know a necessity is laid upon me to preach the Gospell and this that I desire to teach in all meetings where I finde people met together and made free to heare and this I am ready to commend upon all occasions to every mans conscience in the sight of God And this Gospel I know itching ears cannot endure to heare And thou who criest out I teach for filthy Lucre I bring up the first Priest-hood and their wages none so filthy as I I take Tythe of two Parishes to thee I say thy wisdom hath made thee erre and hardened thy heart against the fear of God thine eye is put out by the God of this World and so like other dark forms thine envy is poured out chiefly against the Ministers and their Tythes and they are all Priests and Tythe-mongers all so and yet not all that 's but the old man in thee that saith so the lyar that never told truth nor loved any out of himself he hath taken from thee the understanding heart and so thou canst not see that here and there is a Minister that stands up in the gap that mourns for the Nations pride and beseecheth men to be reconciled to God though such an one be usually hated persecuted and that maintenance he hath be coveteously kept from him by the World And this is the man is most railed at by thy generation that stick in the Letter now and then when it seems to favour them though in other things they abhor the Letter and the meaning too What Scripture there is for Tythes and in what cases a Minister may take it as from God and man and yet oppresse none me thinks they might see who usually scoffe at the Letter for being called the word of God and pretend to the meaning to the spirit to be the chief thing in the word as indeed it is What Scripture there is for Tythes or maintenance thou shalt see afterwards and so for the present I 'le let thee alone to murmure and rail till the Lord rebuke thee Further in Canaan I said old things are passed away and all is become new and here thou criest out
of the flesh I live and so my latter end is worse than my beginning Answ Though thou say so yet know that I have found out sin by sin and it was well that God did awaken me though by sin It may be thine eyes see not what this means though thou art the seer Further know though I am vile in one sense yet not guilty in the sense of the world neither acquainted with many of those things which they falsly lay unto my charge where I am guilty I have grace in me to trouble me to humble me to groan in me for deliverance to make me more vile then thou canst make me and yet to keep me from returning into Egypt again but to wait for a full power to sin no more which if it might be in thy sense I should be glad but in the sense of the Scriptures I know it shall be made good and what that is thou canst not learn but by enjoyment Repl. And the baptisme in the death of Christ thou tellest me I do not witnesse neither a planting into the likenesse of death for the Crosse of Christ thou knowest not neither doest in it live by which thing this baptisme into his death is witnessed Answ 1. I finde thee still full of condemnation and yet Christ saith he was not sent to condemne the world Joh. 3. 17. but that the world through him might be saved 2. With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of thee or of mans judgement yea I judge not my self but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 3. Thou Hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the moat out of thy brothers eye 4. Remember the death of Christ the Crosse of Christ when thou passest under thou wilt finde work enough at home but thou hast spared thy self pitied thy self slain the just one that thou mightest live and reign thou hast cried out let him be crucified that I may live in his stead and say I am he Where the Crosse of Christ hath had its power there the first man is condemned flesh withers the poor Soul is ashamed of his works and sins But thou art full and rich and high and sayest I am not the man I never Crucified the Lord of glory Judas thou knowest suspected not himself and in this Traitor see thy self and know thy own spirit 5. If I am not as I long to be yet I see the bloud of Christ cleanseth me from all my sin the Crosse of Christ makes me not to spare my self or sin I have Jesus who was dead but is alive in me making void all my glorying in flesh and bloud and he is bearing witnesse to my Crucifying and to his resurrection which is my glory And though thou a man charge me with folly yet he the true God declares me just in himself and he goes on Conquering and to Conquer and what he sees amisse in me he will tame subdue and bring under and tell thee to thy face thou art a Satan is not this a brand plucked out of the fire Therefore friend do not thou fansie a perfect knowledge of the Crosse and yet remain a stranger to the Crosse by living out of the vertue and power of it which makes all flesh as grasse and to wither as the flower of the field It is Christ in me that is my glory and his life in me springs out of his death and mine and makes void all my glory and he by his bloud and power sets me free from the condemnation of sin and the Law and he keeps me alwayes in his eye and he searches my errours and failings out to nail them to his Crosse As for that place thou quotest 1 Joh. 1. 5 6 7 8 9. look upon it better and take the tenth verse too in thy minde and see how thou canst have sin and no sin for so the Apostle saith plainly in all the Saints there 's no sin and yet there 's sin in all otherwise we make God a lyar and his word is not in us Neither is this to plead for sin as thou sayest for there 's a vast difference between saying such a thing is and such a thing out to be That the Saints have sin is a truth written in Scripture and in every mans conscience for there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sins not But that the Saints ought to have sin this the Scripture cries ought against and calls upon us to purge out more and more therefore be not alwayes catching and snarling this is not a Christian practice but let thy sin go thy exalting of thy self go and it may be thou mayest finde out the Crosse of Christ a little more exactly yet and learn better what it is to be Crucified with him and so mayest eat of his flesh and drink of his bloud Thou tellest me Repl. I know not the one baptisme which by the Spirit is witnessed which baptizeth into one body 1 Cor. 12. 13. in this body is no sin into it no deceit enters every sin that is committed is without the body Answ Thy prating words cannot make void my glorying in the Lord to thee I say the one spirit I have which witnesseth the one baptisme which is one in all the Sons of God bond or free The spirit is one the baptisme one the body one but the Members are different and have all need of one another and therefore ought not to murmure or make a rent because every one is not an eye an hand a tongue as thou doest and so sinnest within the body and committest fornication with thy self but a Member against the rest of the body making the body a Monster even all one Member not all the Members one body that thou thy self mightest be head and Members and all and so thou who makest a rent from Christ and a rent from his Members what doest thou but make a division in the body and commit sin within the body crying out of one Member he 's a Baptist of another he 's a Presbyter of another he 's a Prieâ—t And so thou ownest not every Member in its place and lookest not upon that baptisme which is one in all the Sons of God But when thine eye is open to see this thou wilt own a Member though low and weak and love a Member whoever he be and thou wilt seek to draw him indeed more into the Unity to rejoyce more in the Lords works than his own and yet thou wilt leave him in the variety to be usefull in his place to other Members of the body But all this thy great wisdom comprehends not And whereas thou makest as though every Member of Christ were free from all spot and sin because every sin that is committed is without the body 1 Cor. 6. 10. By body in that place is meant the outward Fabrick of every man in particular which ought
I should be a lyar like thy self yet I finde to the praise of Gods rich grace that his sicknesse is unto death his body cannot be cured but by the Word of the Lord I shall destroy him and so in all his appearances he is seen And though thou plead his cause like a man well feed strongly against me yet he and all his Angells must to their place go where I leave thee with him in thy dark imaginations romping up and down to perish in his Kingdom unlesse the Lord arise mightily for thy deliverance But thou tellest me again Repl. I am found in the pollutions of the World in the spots thereof living in disobedience to the minde of Jesus Answ I know there is none can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Though I have not attained unto what I desire yet I have through grace still the victory in the end and I am not in the flesh but in the spirit according to Gods account and here I know all things shall work together for my good and not withstanding all thy hard speeches yet mine own conscience bears me witnesse that with my minde I serve Jesus not my self or any other man in the World and so am not seared Repl But thou tellest me In the children of disobedience the Prince of darknesse rules even the beast which all the World wander after Answ And so say I the whole World lies in wickednesse and are obedient to the Prince of darknesse in fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind and so wee are all till endued with power from on high and fetched out of this grave by the voice of the Son of God Repl. Thou sayest further When my measure I have filled up among the beast of the field and the Lamh have gored with my Hornes apace yet shall a band about my neck be put and tormented shall I be Answ As for the beasts of the field I leave thee to wander up and down with them in the field of the World till the Angell thrust in his sickle into the earth and gather the Vine of the earth and cast it into the great wine-presse of the wrath of God yet I desire thy life rather than thy death And still I say read thine own lesson over in thine own heart I know no band about my neck but the Lords work and will this keeps me from goaring the Lamb this makes me to own the Lamb still and this drives me still whither I with Christ would go into the sweetnesse and fulnesse of God where I can lye down and sleep in peace In mine answer to another of thy questions thou tellest me Repl. I am telling what the beast is and the number of his name whose number is 666. Answ Here I finde thee again shifting and scoffing and the reason is because thou wert discovered to be in the number of the beast this the wisdome of God saw afarre of and gave that answer to thy question as a sword to wound thee though thou spare and hide thy self For look the answer and compare thy spirit with it and see how right thou art in the number of the beast For art not thou one who cries out I am a God that cannot erre yet to the man that hath understanding though thy party be deluded in the midst of all thine imaginary fulnesse in thy self thou art but a poor miserable man that lies in errour this is the number of all thy wisdom 't is but fancie darknesse it is not wisdom and this is the summe of all the wisdom of the beast But thou art telling me Repl. Here is wisdom among them who are in it knit and from on high this wisdom is and was before the world was in it is no sin guile or spot Answ Here thou art lifted up on high to be without sin guile or spot and yet art blinde crafty subtle to say thou hast no sin and so thy sin remained upon the score I know the wisdom of God is high deep incomprehensible and was ever is and shall be ever the same and in this there is no sin or spot But what 's all this to make good thy dream of thine own party of knowing as they are known now and of being as pure in this earthly body as the Saints are in the heavenly Art thou as wise and as spotlesse as the wisdom of God is Ask thine own conscience and stiflle it not But go on Repl. In this wisdom and understanding thou sayest learned is the Vnity out of it the number Answ Well then out of thine own mouth art thou judged not to look upon or be in the Unity but in the number and so to make the number or variety the cause of dividing from the Unity where the Unity is appearing couldest thou be looking upon the Unity and not be telling of the number thou wouldest learn to love the Unity in the midst of variety and not cry out so much upon the variety or number where there is the Unity But to let thee alone in thy fancie though it condemne thy self Repl. Thou sayest That I who out of the light am turned am out of the Vnity and so in loftinesse in scoffing pride covâ—tousnesse fair speeches customes of the world Answ And why may not a Quaker be guilty of all these If but of one in form then of all in spirit And so to apply to thy self this Art thou not still lofty scoffing jeering cousening the simple exalting thy self idleing up and down to live upon other mens labours under a pretence of preaching the Gospel which is not the Gospel but thine own fancie vision and blasphemy many times against the Tabernacle of God and them that dwell in Heaven And are not these some of the ill nay worst customes of the world And so according to thy fine talk of the number of the beast thou art found even thou in his spots living out of the Unity which is the nature and work of God thou seest in others In the number of a man which is the variety of wickednesses in the world these thou art found alive in and making thy self great too in thine imagination at the sight of a number or variety of forms and failings thou seest many of the precious ones of God in bondage too much unto Repl. Further thou tellest me My head plots deceit Answ I could wish mine head were a fountain of tears that I could weep day night for all the deceit in the land for all the abominations that are done in the midst of this untoward generation And I can desire freely the Lord to consume and destroy all the deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse that is nourished in them that perish because they believe not the truth that they might be saved Let them be consumed by the brightnesse and coming of the Lord I have no plots in me against the very worst of men but can let them alone from being
not made flesh to dwell among us there men and the way form and vvorship that men are in though outwardly never so decked and adorned in shew is but like an house forsaken and left to strangers or like a poor empty cottage left alone where nothing inhabits but the Owl and the Satyr and creeping things but where the word dwells in us with us and the Lord comes down to sit at Table and to keep us company there the men and the way form and vvorship they are under though outwardly never so contemptible are an house filled with glory and kept by the Lord for his friends his mother sister brother and this is an house I desire to dwell in all the dayes of my life to behold the fair beauty of the Lord This house is one in the spirit and the way to it one and the vvorship in it one as being built by the Lord onely for his Saints and set up by his Spirit that where he is they may be also Yet in this house are many mansions higher and lower rooms and Tables spread with meat for Children fathers young men God in every corner of his house condescending to visit all his family and to feed them with food sutable to that measure they are under Friend the whole creation is an house made for the great King to dwell in and all the creatures in this great variety according to their several capacities have the King dwelling in them and with them even so the Church of God which is a new Creation is a Tabernacle pitched by the Lord for himself and every Member of this new building in the midst of this great variety of them has the presence of the Lord in him and with him according to his capacity to receive Now the way hither is one and the light one and the vvorship one as all are brought hither by regeneration and have the Lord to be their light to teach them all that vvorship which is one in spirit and truth But how then comes the variety and diversity I ananswer it flows from the several workings operations and manifestations of the same Lord so that in the original things are one but in their comings sorth to us and in us they are multiplied Grace in the Soul is one one with what it is in Christ but in the coming of it forth in us is various and cloathed with divers names as faith hope love meeknesse patience c. even so light in the Souls of men is one but in the breaking of it forth its manifold and so there is the manifold wisdom of God and hence the actings walkings of the Saints are in a variety as they are more or lesse in a manifestation of the Original and yet this variety leads up into the Unity and teaches all to walk and live and follow Christ in the regeneration This is all the variety I plead for which flowes from the various manifestation of the same Christ and leads up into him as into its root and Center But thou sayest I plead for the Leopards spots in pleading for several forms ways of vvorship Answ I plead for no form tradition or invention of men new or old neither would I have Christians make any form a vvall of separation to divide between them others that are under any manifestation of grace and love all that I say is there are diversities of gifts administrations and operations but the same spirit Lord and God who worketh all in all and is all in all to band and free and let every one that differs from another endeavour to be fully perswaded that 't is light not darknesse the Lord not the flesh that makes the difference though the difference be still in fleshly or outward things and so having nothing but what we have received let every one think soberly of himself according as God has given to every one a measure and what men observe let them do it as unto the Lord not man in honour preferring one another waiting with patience and they shall see all the Towers that men have made fall to the ground and broken in pieces by the stone cut out of the mountain Quest 3. Whether we ought to give Tribute Custome Tythes Rent to those who have an interest in them by the Laws of the Land where we live seeing Christ said render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars Matth. 22. Answ Yea let man have the things that are his and God have the things that are his this said Christ and so say we and Paul sayes render unto all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom is due Rom. 13. 7. and this say we Repl. If thine heart and thy tongue herein agree 't is well thou hast witnessed a good confession but doest thou witnesse this indeed Art thou willing to give Tribute Custom Rent to whom 't is due Art thou as Christ was and the Apostles were subject to the Magistrates that are for conscience sake Where then is thine honour where is thy fear to the powers that be ordained of God For there 's no power but of God but seeing thou hast yielded to a duty I 'le leave thee in the performance to stand or fall to thine own Master Answ Further here thou wouldst have a Cloak for thy Tythe in too Parishes which thou hast no due unto he that hath due unto nine sheaves hath due unto the tenth Repl. To this I say I and all I have are not so much mine own as Gods they are more his due than mine and when he calls for any thing I am willing to let it go and when he gives me any thing I am willing to make use of it and to him I must give account for all not to thee as for a Cloak to maintain my Tythes I desire no other then the will of God and what the Scripture allows and the Law commands Thou sayest he who has due unto nine sheaves has due unto the tenth Fy friend what a lying and to strengthen Robbery and oppression too men are prone enough to call anothers due their own and to destroy property which thou seekest by thy lying and murmuring to maintain And further thou sayest Christ is come who put an end to that Priesthood who was to have the tenth in Israel for their maintenance and the fatherlesse vviddows and strangers with the same they were to maintain Repl. That Christ came to put an end to the first Priest-hood and their carnal Ordinances I deny not but about the several Ordinances of Tythes of old I see thou art grossely ignorant Therefore there was a tenth for the poor in Israel and a tenth for the Priest and Levite too and so observe and thou shalt finde 1. That after a man had received the fruits of the earth he was to separate out of it the first fruits these were to be offered unto the Lord who gave them unto the Priest Numb
the Scribes and Pharisees that these things ye ought to have done Nay that the morality ceased and a grieving part of our substance according to Gods ordination unto those that attend upon the preaching of the Gospel this thou findest to the contrary too 1 Cor. 9. 7. to 15. here then is an approbation and an ordination and yet both not sufficient to satisfie men unreasonable Further after a little more prattle thou criest out thou dark minde in the time of the first Priest-hood Tyth was not payed nor received as by any command from Caesar or from any man whatsoever but by commandment from the Lord and in this time who payed not Tythes robbed God Mal. 3. 8 9 10. here is no telling of Caesar nor any man but God himself whose the earth is and the fulnesse thereof Repl. Here thou seekest to perswade the Magistrate not to meddle with Tythes intimating he had no finger in it under the Law indeed I know that the most high ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he pleaseth but by whom do's he give out Laws rule and govern the world but by his own will in Magistrates and so in all ages there has been polity and government in all Nations and Magistrates chosen by men according to Gods secret instinct and direction in the hearts of men and this choice cloathed with Majesty and Authority from the Lord to maintain Laws and peace in the earth and this power under the Law was for the punishment of all offenders of the Law and so surely for the punishment of those who robbed God in any thing but what this robbing is thou canst not tell and that the Magistrate had no hand in requiring obedience to and observance of the Laws statutes and judgements of God this lies upon thee to prove which because thou canst not do therefore thou must deny the Scripture and say all the complaint was to be made to God in case of injury and oppression under the Law and so none at all unto the Magistrate yet in case of injury the Magistrate is set up thou seest for a refuge to fly unto in the earth and whereas thou sayest he who payed not Tythes robbed God the same may be said of every other command he who kept it not robbed God and the Magistrate was to require recompence or to punish for all this robbery but thy drift is fain thou wouldst have the Magistrates stand for a Cypher and take no eognizance of all the robbery that is done unto God in the Nation of all the blasphemies and unrighteousnesses of men men are not to complain to men but God and so the powers of the Nation must stand still and let all the Laws of God and man be levelled and every one ride upon the Throne of his own will this is the worlds desire indeed because they love not to be governed but all must be governours and the rule and Law must be their own will and power see here where thou art friend in the midst of the vilest and worst of the sons of men fain thou wouldst have none but God to meddle with men and with their actions dreaming though foolishly that if thou couldst escape the authority and punishment of the Laws and of the Magistrates thou couldst easily escape the authority and punishment of God but God sees what every one do's in the dark in the Chamber of his imagery and what are we or what are the Magistrates your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord he sees all the pining and fretting of every one in all this untoward generation and how 't is his goverment they shake of and a King they must have to govern them like all other Nations which is their own dream and will see where thou art and remember thou owe no man any thing but love no Rent no Custome no Tribute no Tythes love will teach thee these things are due therefore cover not anothers portion owe him nothing but love for the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Quest 4. What is that double honour which is due unto the Elder that rules well and what is the Elder and his ruling well 1 Tim. 5. 17. Answ The Elder that rules well is he that rules in the authority of God over his own will in that spirit which is contrary unto the will of the flesh and that spirit is honoured of God and all good men to whom its due and double Repl. Here 's a Christian Elder a spiritual Elder and I like him and his ruling well as one who begins in the spirit and ends in the spirit and thus the Saints are called Elders Rev. 4. 4. and 5. 5. 8 and these I finde resigning up themselves and all they have unto the Lord falling down and vvorshipping him that lives for ever casting their Crowns and all their choicest Jewels at his feet saying thou art worthy to receive glory honour and power but besides these there is a preaching Elder one anointed to be an officer and servant of the vvord of God in the Lords house and unto this Elder all both high and low that will not rebell against Christ the master must yield obedience and this Elder is mentioned and what his ruling ought to be 1 Pet. 5. 1. 2 3. and 1 Tim. 5. 17 19. and such Titus was to ordain in every City Tit. 1. 5. and this Elder is called a Bishop or Overseer Tit. 1. 7 8. how he must be qualified we there read 1 Tim. 3. 1. to 8. and thus its usual with the Apostle to call such who were to rule over the spirits of men by the power of the Word Bishops Overseers Preachers Elders those were the rulers well that laboured and took pains in the Word and Doctrine not giving heed to fables and Genealogies which minister questions doting much upon their questions and answers to their doubtfull questions whereof comes envy strife railings and evil surmisings the Elders of the Lord must be of another spirit than this questioning generation sober grave wise apt to teach nourished up in the words of faith and of good Doctrine and of good life the Elder that thus rules well though the world own him not love him not rob him accuse him condemne him yet he 's worthy of all due respect and maintenance this Elder thou art willingly ignorant of and no such thing canst thou finde in Scripture because against him and his maintenance thou art filled with indignation as being some stop to thy Kingdom and reign in the dark world Answ The rest of the answer unto this query is like the former all overspread with accusations telling me I am none of the Elders he has mentioned who am covetous conforming to the world its wayes fashions customes inventions abusing my body with cuffs ribbons unnecessaries at which my high big ranting minde may scorn c. Repl. But stay friend whence comes all this from the
spirit of the Lord or from thine own private spirit doest thou in all this rule well and over thine own will What judging and condemning for thou knowest not what Where 's thy ruling well now what like the world observing and scraping up every thing which thine own fancie makes an abomination and then charging this upon the seed of God Surely thine heart is like a City broken down and without walls and therefore nothing almost comes from it but clamouring bitternesse and evil speaking and what 's thine end in all this but to make thy self righteous and another wicked thou sounding brasse that keepest a tinckling where 's thy charity in all this love covers a multitude of sins but thou makest a multitude of sins where they are covered by love and so thou condemnest thy self not to be the Elder that rules over thine own spirit and therefore fie upon all thy profession thou who pretendest to be a Lamb an holy man of God and yet still found in Ismaels generation Quest 5. What is that provision every one ought to make for his own family seeing he who provides not for them of his own house denies the faith and is worse than an infidel Answ That provision every one ought to make for his family is to fly idlenesse ranting and waiting the creatures of God upon his own lusts and not to live on the sweat of other mens brows which who denies denies the faith and is worse than an infidel Repl. Here the Quaker is seen and known and judged out of his own mouth as one who through his lightnesse denies the faith learning under a pretense of preaching to be like the wanton widdow idle wandring about from house to house and not onely so but a tatler also and a busie body speaking things he ought not neither understanding whence his spirit comes nor whither it goes not labouring at all in the thing that good is but creeping into silly peoples affections with his shew of wisdom and humility and will worship clamouring against Magistrates Ministers Tythes Customes damning men for wearing Ribbons Cuffs Lace Rings Pins Bands Hoods Veyls Points c. and for using the civil expressions of humanity in pulling off the Hat shewing some respect love honour duty unto fathers mothers masters superious friends comers and goers about these and the like ceremonies and toyes they make a great noise and win here and there an Athiest a Ranter or some discontented people to feed upon their dregs and then to feed their hungry bodies this is their great businesse thus to add unto their fathers Kingdom by railings lyings flatterings and all that come in are cried up for Saints and Children of the Kingdom but such as receive not their Doctrine and vanities and put not into their mouths must be ipso facto excommunicated for Dogs Devils Beasts Swine Belly-Gods Bulls of Boshan Whores Antichrist Witches Sorcerers behold thy model and thy spirit friend and see thou thy self in this Looking-glasse of thine own making how wanton thou art waxed in the midst of all thy framed gravity refusing thy Saviour to be married unto a delusion in all which thou hast denied the faith and art worse than a Pagan and all that regard thy pride superstitions works of superarrogations instead of making provision make destruction for their own families forsaking usually Fathers Wives Children Families callings occupations and so cloath themselves with rags and ruine and woe But thou sayest robbery for provision the Lord hates and so say I all that use a deceitfull way to get provision by the Lord abhors but surely friends the Office of a Minister anointed and called of God is good for others they are thy forefathers strikers and railers I dare not plead their cause and the preaching of the Gospel by men sent of God is no idle imployment and maintenance from the people to whom we preach is no robbery for provision seeing it is a provision due to the Lord out of all mens substance and so no deceitfull way to provide for our families and yet the murmurer must still be wiser than God that made him Further thou sayest I run unsent to provide for my family aiming at lucre this is robbery to which I say he who sent me is the Lord by his will and power am I anointed to preach and that which he aimes at in me and by me is to catch men and to make his word a savour of life or death and what he has reserved and taken and kept for my use is no robbery to take though thou prate neither will the Lord lay this to my charge as dishonest gain as the accuser do's or tell me I sell his word for money which is not bread as thou who knowest not the word for the word is life and substance and though it take not such effect upon many as it ought they may thank thy father for it for he has stollen it away from their hearts all that I can do is to commend it to the conscience and he that has an ear to hear will hear Further thou sayest many infidels will labour painfully for their families but I live on the sweat of others mens brows and what do the Quakers then who run up and down without callings without labouring at all the thing that good is wandring up and down to foam out their own shame making it their work to sow discord among brethren living wholly upon the sweat and charge of other men deluding the people with their moderation in eating and drinking that they may the better insinuate their ceremonies and delusions and in all this they have denied the faith and are worse than infidels as for my part God has set me in my calling I act in commands me to keep in it to preach the Gospel to break his bread to the hungry and to give water to the thirsty and in this work of the Lord I finde abundance of recreation being never better satisfied than when I have occasion to preach the Gospel and this I shall do with cheerfulnesse still though many mad ignorant folk be offended at preaching and many offended at me that I live upon that allowance of Tythes which God has sanctified for my use and given me freedom to take with thanks-giving Quest 6. What is that Election and Reprobation the Scripture speaks of and whether they have relation to persons or things or both Answ That Election is Christ Jesus and all that receive him wherein the Election is in him are Elected and the rest abide under the power of darknesse where all are Reprobated who are out of the light in their own wills and know not Christ and to such persons they have Relation Repl. Christ indeed is the stone dis-allowed of men but chosen of God Elect and precious but Christ without his Church do's not comprehend all the Election the Scripture intimates but Christ together with his Church makes up the Election of God and so
Crosse both within and without is the same as he was hated persecuted crucified so are we according as 't is given unto us from our heavenly father as he was dead to his own will and alive to his fathers so are we according as we have power and life from the father given to us in all these and the like there is a similitude between Christ and his Church they are of his bone and flesh one every way so far as he and his father are pleased to lead them forth into it and this was that which Christ prayed for Joh. 17. 21. 22. and Paul spake of Rom. 8. 29. and desired to live in Phil. 3. 8. to 15. and this Iohn witnessed when he said as he is so are we in this world behold your likenesse friends all ye the Lords portion and challenge as much as ye will or can in this matter so as it flow from light and truth accompanied with humility and the fear of the Lord and ye cannot anger the Lord his spirit nor his son but withall be not high proud lofty there is a dissimilitude to as well as a likenesse between Christ and his Church First He 's the father of all God over all the fulnesse of the God-head dwells in him bodily This is no where said of the Saints though they partake of the nature of God and of the fulnesse of God according as their being can receive yet they are not the father they are not the God-head neither in fullnesse nor part no friends away with such blasphemies this is a Babylonian that sayes I am and there 's none else besides me a false Prophet that cries out I am Christ an Antichrist that sits in the Temple of God as God away with this conceit we are creatures still poor nothings drops of the bucket compared to the incomprehensible Majesty Further Christ was anointed with the Oyl of gladnesse above his fellows above measure but we are anointed in measure according to the gift of Christ we have no more than we receive by the grace of God I am what I am Further Christ knows our thoughts afar off and is acquainted with all our wayes there is not a word in my tongue but loe thou knowest it altogether Christ knew from the beginning who should betray him and he saw the thoughts and carnal reasonings of the carnal dark world but what do's poor man know though the Quaker is bolder then all his fore-fathers he knows a man as soon as ever he sees him and whether he be a Saint or a Devil though the man discover not himself by word or action yet the Quaker knows him and all that he may be as Christ is and yet the Apostle sayes what man knows the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him 1 Cor. 2. 11. and the Apostles knew not the Traitor but they were low then and so art thou friend in this thy dream for Christ sayes ye shall know them by their fruit and ye shall know my Disciples by their love so that our knowledge of others is by observation fruits and appearances of things in the outward man or by special revelation and discovery from God otherwise all other mens spirits are in the dark to us we have not a vision of their hearts afar off we know them not before they are born we know not the way of God in their spirits till it be written upon their fore-heads and so are not as Christ is in this respect Further Christ â—lwayes spake the truth was alwayes free from errour never in the least errour nor in the least deceived where 's the man besides that can challenge this unto himself who can understand his errours though so far as we are lighted by the Candle of the Lord so far we are led out of errour and all delusions but he 's the original truth and we receive from him as he is manifested so we have the truth no farther for he 's the truth lo still a difference which should teach us all to be humble meek and low Further Christ created all things all things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made and Christ preserves all things by him all things consist and he upholds all by the word of his power where 's the man that can appropriate this power unto himself hast thou an arm like God canst thou make a new body or quicken an image with a Soul and make life appear canst thou retain the spirit of man or beast when the Lord commands it away I know there are that will attempt miracles and wonders but all vanishes still nothing is for ever but what the Lord do's let this teach us to fear before him knowing that 't is he who made us and not we our selves we are his off-spring and by him we have life and motion and all things Further Yet Christ was the onely begotten son of God the first-born his son by nature begotten by his power and brought forth by a Virgin but we are the sons of God by grace if we speak of the Saints nature do's not make us sons but the new birth the regeneration without which there 's no entring into the Kingdom of God Further Christ he 's the husband we the spouse and though the husband and wife be one yet the head of the woman is the man I speak of Christ and his Church he 's the man the root the head still and he 's the King we the subjects he the vine we the branches he 's the Lord and Master we the servants he 's the fountain we the streams he 's the father we the sons he 's all in all we are nothing in all this I hope I do not lessen the glory of Christ the Lord nor of his Church his Saints neither do I sad the Souls of any but such as are lifted up to forget their Saviour therefore come away friends glory as much as you will and can in your greatnesse and glory there is a likenesse between Christ and Saints that they be filled with joy and rest and abundance of consolation yet withall there 's an unlikenesse to Christ is infinitely more above us all than all the men in the world above the lowest creature therefore away away with somethingnesse self-glorying this is enough for the world to be proud and high-minded but let all the Lords people be content to lose their lives themselves their excellencies gifts Crowns throw all down at the feet of the Lambe saying thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created and thou high big flesh that sayest thou art as Christ in this present world without the least darknesse the least sin when thou knowest not the ground why he was and could not but be without sin and no man so as he whilest in this house of clay he was
revealed them unto babes and the election has obtained the promise but the rest are hardned this is an hard saying who can bear it but the true seed and yet foolish wise man will teach God what to do thou hast indeed power to lose thy Soul but power to save it without grace and the new birth thou hast none and thou vain man who art loth to fell all away to lose that part of thy life and self which lies in the dream of thine own power to believe and freedom to embrace grace as well as to deny them now thou art in the way to lose thy life and Soul for evermore and yet still I say there 's so much power given the Creature as shall leave him inexcusable I know he who believes is led to Christ his Redeemer and the saving of his Soul is by the springing up of his life and grace in his Soul who is a vvell of water springing up into eternal life and he who believes not is a stranger to Christ the Redeemer of his Soul and this saving and losing is everlasting but still the power to believe and be saved is of God Eph. 2. 8. by grace are ye saved through faith and not of your selves it is the gift of God and as for the saving and losing of the Soul for ever if it be thy faith and thou canst bear witnesse to it as a truth thou hast seen of God why then doest thou hide thy self and mince the truth as if it were not a thing to be owned by the sons of men the rest of that answer is spent after the old form in accusations by the accuser thy father Quest 17. What is the difference between the Soul and the spirit which Paul prayes may be sanctified Answ As the spirit is received which sanctifies the difference is brought into unity and they are perfected to serve the Lord in one with the whole heart and Paul was a Minister of the word which pierceth even to the dividing asunder of Soul and spirit Heb. 4. 12. Repl. Still thou art dark about the soul or unwilling to discover thy darknesse and so thou canst say nothing or that which is little unto the question when the spirit is received which sanctifies thou sayest the difference is brought into Unity and they are perfect in one yet still to us there 's soul and spirit and this spirit in us is not the spirit of God which sanctifies as thou dreamest as if the spirit Paul speaks of were the spirit of God which sanctifies the soul of man and so brings the soul into Unity with it self no friend Paul speaks not of Gods spirit which is holinesse it self but of a spirit which needs sanctification and between this spirit in man and the soul of man it seems there is a difference and therefore he prayes that both may be sanctified but this difference thou knowest not I know the soul is a spiritual thing and cannot be divided into parts and powers as being one single entire essence but unto us there 's the understanding part the minde the eye of the soul the seat of reason and light and the will which is the observer of the minde looking to be taught by it as a power obedient and willing to act as it directs counsels and commands and there 's the inferior parts the appetite desire affections which are as perturbations and motions in the soul leading it out into love joy anger peace fear or the like all these as sanctified by the Lords spirit are brought into this Unity to be all servants unto his minde and will and this spirit of the Lord as 't is received more or lesse so it more or lesse ends the quarrel between God and us in the lusting of our spirits and souls against God and makes peace and brings all into Unity and so is that word which pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit this drives away the ignorance vanity weaknesse and enmity which is in the highest and purest part of mans soul his minde which is usually taken for the spirit called the spirit of the minde Eph. 4. 23. and called the eye and light of man the spirit of the Lord opens and heals this of all its blemishes and distempers and so gives an eye to see and an heart to understand by enlightning the eye of the minde which is called the spirit as that which looks over all and over-rules all in the soul of man Further the word or spirit of God takes away the stubbornesse frowardnesse and hardnesse of the will and bowes this to follow the light sprung up in the minde and so heales that power too which I look upon as belonging still to the spirit of the Soul Further the Lord likewise rectifies the judgement and the conscience and takes away by degrees all erroneousnesse wandring and fear and guilt here too and so gives a sound judgement and a clear conscience and the Lord takes away the sottishnesse foolishnesse sinfulnesse and manifold distempers of the thoughts and imaginations that spring up in the fancie of man and of the desires and longing after earthly vanities that spring up in the appetite which is an inferior power in the Soul and of the affections which are the motions and goings out of the Soul into love hatred delight sadnesse pleasure grief hope despair fear boldnesse anger and the like all which as common to man and beasts more sensible unto us are usually called the Soul and taken for the Soul I say these inferior faculties which are usually taken for the Soul as being the discoverers of the Soul more sensibly unto us all these these the Lord heales makes holy and pure for himself by his word and so separating things that differ and uniting all in an onenesse with himself he makes unity peace and harmony in all the higher and lower powers of the Soul and so to summe up things and a little farther to discover this noble power of the Soul 1. There 's the mind that 's the seat of light reason and understanding 2. There 's the will that 's the seat of action obedience and doing either good or evil 3. There 's the judgement that 's the seat of discerning and trying things 4. There 's the conscience that 's the book of all the good and evil we do 5. There 's the memory that 's the seat of Arts and Sciences of all that we so discern feel and know 6. There 's that which they call the common sense as a power which has an influence upon all the outward senses and carries as it were from the Soul seeing hearing tasting smelling and touching into all the five senses 7. There 's the fancie that 's the seat of all the innumerable thoughts and imaginations that spring up in the heart of man and this is the seat of all the Quakers dreams and high thoughts of themselves and mean thoughts of others and of many the precious
and is at a losse in himself then Christ begins to be seen and then Christ is sweet and then he 's the onely Tree out of which life grows and so the Souls feed upon him who is that meat which perisheth not sealed by the father Further thou sayest the Tree of life comes down from heaven which is the hidden Manna and is the new name which none can know but he that hath it Repl. The Tree of life thou sayest comes down from heaven then he is not surely in the natural maâ—â—s thou sometimes dreamest if thou have this Tree in thee this liviâ—g Tree in thee why doest thou not declare him and tell us how hâ—â— the Manna and what the eating is Thou must answer nothing new no reason of thy faith hope but if these things were written in â—â—y spirit in deed and truth thou wouldest surely know that one maâ—â— end why they are given is that we might declare them Furthâ—â— thou sayest the hidden Manna the white stone the new name onely such as overcome have fed on read and know Rev. 2. 17. And yet thou in thy busie minde must needs be enquiring about it thou who art in the bondage of corruption scraping up Scriptures for sin darknesse to remain in man whil'st he is upon the earth that art an enemy to Christ the Tree of life who scoffes at yea and nay his doctrine c. Repl. All this surely do's not declare what Eden is or Paradise is or the Tree of life or the hidden Manna or the white stone or the new name unto all which thou wouldest fain pretend a peculiar interest by thine own overcoming yet canst not declare thy self surely friend if thou sawest the Lord and didst indeed abide in his presence thy foolish nature would not thus appear still in power wert thou in the light and joy of Paradise feeding upon God in thy self and upon God in every thing that is made surely thou couldest not scoffe at any truth of God and call it a scraping up of Scriptures because the Scriptures shew man his manifold errours and infirmities and so thou couldest not deny plain light written in Scripture and every mans experience that knows himself Didst thou know the Tree that the overcomer eats of surely thou wouldst not thus lye down to the Serpents power didst thou live in the Lord and feed upon the Lord who is the Paradise and Tree of life both surely thou wouldest see God in thy fellow-servant and not smite him or murmur because the Lord bears another company besides thy self for surely there 's enough in God for us all And did'st thou know the hidden Manna eat of it this would surely sweeten thine heart make thee forget the bitterness that comes through thy lips didst thou know the pure image the divine nature didst thou see this springing up in thee as a seal of life to thee surely thine heart would not thus retain the old hardnesse the old language having nothing written upon it but the name of the old man though the poor old man know it not or will not see it and so to summe up this and to leave a word or two with thee The Garden of Eden is every where where the Lord is manifested Paradise is the fulnesse and joy that grows up out of this manifestation the Tree of life is God in Christ manifested seen and know the eating is the feeding and living in our spirits upon the verâ—â—â—â— and excellencies as of God who bids all his friends eat and drink abundanâ—â—â— and the hidden Manna is the sweetnesse and inward nourishment the souâ—â—inds in God and the white stone is the purity and reality of the divine naturâ— in us and the new name written upon the stone is the Name of God the natuâ—â— minde will judgment of God the fullnesse of God let out according to oâ—â— measure into our hearts which shews to us the things that are freely given to â—s of God declares us in our experiences to be his Sons Daughters all these things are one in substance in the root being but the new man sprung up in us to bring us into Paradise and joy onely unto us thereis a variety of operations and administrations all which as we overcome so we are acquainted with Quest 25. What is the bottomlesse pit and the smoake that arises from thence and the darkning of the Sun and aire by the smoake and the locusts which came out of the smoake which John saw Answ When thou art come to the sound of the 5. Angels then thou wilt know see the bottomlesse pit out of which comes all the Sorceries Witchcrafts and Enchantments which deceive the Nations Repl. It seems thou hast heard the sound of the 5. Angels and yet hast not seen the Star fallen from Heaven unto the earth and so hast not heard the right sound if thou hast declare it neither hast thou seen the bottomlesse pit and so beholdest not the Sorceries Witch-crafts and Enchantments which come from thence neither the infatuations and strong delusions which God in wrath has given yee up unto and all your brethren in all other dark forms and superstitious vanities those delusions errours idols sins wickednesses abominations which spring up in such a variety abroad in the Nations hast thou not seen neither how all these grow up out of one original the bottomlesse pit of the angry wrathfull Kingdom of Lucifer thy father who has still been soaring up to Heaven but is still cast down unto the earth and the elect seed he cannot he must not deceive totally and finally and yet ought they alwayes to be upon their watch waiting upon their Bridegrom as knowing their own pronenesse unto evil but all yee who are secure and lofty perfect in your observations and imaginations that yee have never so much as a wandring thought prevailing much lesse sin appearing either in your lives or tongues even like your forefathers the Ranters whom yee own not in words but yet in spirit as they are pure holy undefiled in all things so are yee as they are reconciled to all things so are yee and as all that they speak is righteous altogether so all that comes from your idle lips and so yee as they are totally free from all remnants of the old Adam even ye poor wretches are thrown down into all the saddest and strongest â—â—â—usions of the evil one being down as it were at the bottom of the botâ—â—â—lesse pit perverting betraying and deceiving your selves and others with the dream of your high knowledge wisdom righteousnesse 〈◊〉 gifts high lights perfect attainments being found in all the steps 〈◊〉 the Pharisees Jews Priests Elders and Rulers of old who denied and crucified the Lord of glory And when yee pretend most love to Christ within and his light within even then ye most deny and grieve him trampling under your feet the Lord that bought yee making but a