it so manifesteth thy own Ignorance in the Wayes and Working of the Spirit of God not understanding that the several Expressions of Christ relate to several States and Conditions that People are in and to know him as in one Manifestation is in order to another and although we believe the Light in every man is the Light of the Son of God and is Eternal yet it cannot be said tâ—at all that are enlightned do hear and know his Voice neither can it be said that all that know his Voice do know the Elect Seed born yâ—t there is no State so high to be attained unto but still his Voice is to be hearkned to and obeyed to be preserved in that State but Christ saith My Sheep hear my Voice and they follow me And he that will be my Disciple let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me And so it is those and only those that follow him in the denial of self whithersoever he goes that know the inward Washing and Regeneration till the new Birth is brought forth by the Immortal Word which lives and abides forever and this is the Elect Seed which is Heir of God's Kingdom Thou sayest Did not the Son of God come before this Doctrine came out of the North Answ Yes the Apostles were Witnesses of his Power and Coming and all that know he is come now must know it by the Operation of the same Power in them Thou sayest He is come implying there was a time when he was not come what dost thou mean this to be his first or second Coming Answ If thou didst effectually know his first Coming and the End thereof thou neâ—dst not ask me what I mean for then thou wouldst wait for his second according to his Promise which is that I mean John 14. 3. 18. I go to prepare a Place for you I will come again and receive you to my self This he spake unto his Disciples which knew he was come yet he had many things to say unto them which then they could not bear for which Cause it was expedient for them that he should go away that so the Comforter might come the Spirit of Truth in which he would more fully and largely manifest himself to them then before he could do but they were first to know a time of weeping and lamenting and they had a spiritual Travail to go through And then I will see you again and your Hearts shall rejoycâ— and your Joy no man taketh from you John 16. 21 22. Thou sayest Is the Light within the Elect Seed then it must be saved yet it goeth to Hell with many Answ I have told thee before what I understand the Elect Seed to be and the Light also and now how thou canst make such a Blasphemous Conclusion as this to beget a disesteem of the Light which is not fit to be mentioned is very strange to me that the Light goes to Hell with many whenas iâ— ever thou knowest Redemption from Hell the Light must be the Way and Means whereby the Lord doth bring it to pass Thou sayest We Quakers go the same Way with the Pharisees and thou knowest Christ is the Way believing in him and the Spirit can make this Way easie and short and the Work of the Law upon thy Conscience hath compâ—lled thâ—e to this Way Answ The Spirit doth make the Way easie to all that obey it and are led thereby in the Way of Holiness in which the Unclean cannot walk and it gives Ease and Satisfaction to that Seed which hungers and thirsteth that Righteousness may be exalted which hath long been oppressed under the Egyptian Bondage of Sin God hath heard the Sighs and the Groanings thereof and is come down to deliver from under that heavy Yoke Glory to his Name forever but there is no Ease to the Rebellious Nature which is in Enmity against God that is still to be yoked till it be cut off and rooted out Branch and Root So what Way soever thou hast found out short of this it will end in Sorrow and Disappointment Thou sayest Following the Dâ—ctates of Nature is not the Yoke of Christ for it leads to the Covenant of Works which is a heavy Yoke to work for Life and you are under it sayest thou Answ I know the Dictates of Nature is not the Yoke of Christ but that which teacheth to be meek and low in Heart and gives Rest to the Soul is and that yokes the first Nature which can dictate no good thing and brings to paâ—take of the divine Nature and it doth not lead to the old Covenant to work for Life but to the new where the Lord doth not only command but gives Power to fulfil what he commands which is the great Benefit in the new Covenant for he never intended by making a new Covenant to make void his holy righteous Law as to his People but brings it nearer then before and writes it in their Hearts and puts his Spirit in their inward Parts and I will cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them Ezek. 36. 27. And so those that are led by his Spirit are not under the Law for they are led out of all those things which the Law was added because of those who are meek temperate and gentle against such there is no Law Gal. 5. 18 23. And although the same Work may be wrought which the Saints work yet not being led thereunto by the Spiriâ— of the Lord they are not accepted of and Christ did not find fault with the Pharisees foâ— their outward Holines but because they were not inwardly so too and for omitting the great and weighty matters of the Law These things saith he you ought to have done and not to have left the other undâ—ne and they did it in their own Strength not submitting to the Leadings of his Spirit this Paul law to be their State after he knew the Son of God revealed in himself they being ignorant of Christ who is God's Righteousness went about to estabâ—ish their own and did not submit unto the Righteousness of God So he goes on and tells where he was to be found Say not in thy Heart who shall ascend or descend to fetch Christ but the Word is nigh in thy Heart and Mouth that thou mayâ—st â—ear and do it and that was the word which they preached to be believed in Rom. 10. 8. and so he doth clearly distinguish between the Righteousness and Works which is accepted and that which is not as in Ephes 2. 9. By Grace you are saved not of Works lest any man should boast here he excludeth man's works for we are his Workmaâ—shâ—p created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them So here he includeth the Works wrought by and in the Spirit of Christ Now thou wanting the Key of Knowledge that which openeth the Understanding to know the
true meaning of Scriptures here thou art calling Evil Good and Good Evil and because the Scriptures declare of some Works which do not avail therefore thou concludest there are none available to Salvation although wrought by the Spirit of the Lord but that which thou callest Faith alone must save and all who assert the contrary they lead to the Covenant of Works and so to Popery to work for Life which is a heavy Yoke sayest thou Surely had the Apostle James been on Earth in our Dayes thou wouldst have noted him for a Papist when he saith Shew me thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee mine by my Works and wilt thou know O vain man that Faith without Works is dead even as the Body without the Spirit and by Works is Faith made perfect Well may we say as the Prophet David did It is time for thee O Lord to work for they have made void thy Law But thou art much mistaken in us for we work not of our selves for Life but the Life helpeth us worketh all our works in us and for us and his Yoke is easie and his Burden is light â—n be it known to thee God hath a People upon Earth at this Daâ— though thou knows them not unto whom it is become as â—n eat and Drink to do his Will and who can do nothing against the Truth but for it and their Obedience is not as Egyptian Slaves for Fear of a Whip page 91. of thy Book and so thou goest on and sayest although you Christians come not up to that Height the Law requires yet do not they love God more and obey better that apprehend God's Love in Christ Vnchangeable to them then they that after all their Toyl fear they may fâ—ll short But what doth that Love signifie that keeps not his Commands He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me saith Christ And he that loves the Lord with all his Heart and his Neighbour as himself fulfils the Law and if there be any other Command it is briefly comprehendâ—d in thâ—s Rom. 13. 9. Mat. 22. 40. for on these two hang all the Law and the Prophets for Love worketh no ill But according to your Love is your Obedience and according to that is your Assurance of God's Love to you for it seems you do but apprehend that his Love is unchangeable to you but the Assurance which God's People had in former Ages and in this also is another thing for his Spirit which acteth them in their Obedience to him the same bears witness with their Spirits that they are his Children Thou sayst It is sufficiently manifest there are Errors amongst us and we have been weighed and found too light and tryed and found Drâ—ss Answ What hast thou weighed and tryed us with seeing thou dost not profess the Spirit to be thy Rule which is the just and equal Ballance The Spiritual Man or he that is led by it judgeth all things by yet himself is judged of none and nothing else is sufficient to try Spirits but the Spirit of Christ so we may be Gold weight enough too for ought thou knows and if thou sayst Thou hast tryed us by the Scriptures if thâ— Spirit be not thy Rule therein thou mayst fail for those that persecuted Christ to Death thought they tryed him by the Scripture when they condemned him as a Blasphemer and no question bâ—t they thought their Conceivings or Apprehensions from them were right else they would never have said His Blood be on us and our Children Thou sayest O that you were built upon Christ the Rock his Person is the Rock of Eternity not tâ—e Light in every man Answ We are built upon the Rock of which the Fathers drank For they drank of that spiritual Rock which followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10. 4. He who said Before Abraham was I am which was before all Time who in Time took upon him that prepared Body of Flesh wherein he did the Will of God this is the Rock of Eternity the Foundation upon which Abraham and all the Saints of old did build But thou wilt say Abraham saw he was to come and upon that he built 'T is true he saw his Day but what was that which gave him to see Christ was to come in the Flesh Was it not a Measure of his Spirit in Abraham by which he was qâ—ickened and made alive unto God Christ's own words do fully declare it Mat. 22. 32. by which he put the Saducâ—s to silence which say There is no Resurrectioâ— I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob now God saith he is not the God of the Dead but of the Living This is that first Resurrection in which he had a part over which the second Death shall have no Power Thou sayest We may hold out in a Day of Man's Persecution and Opposition but when the Tempestuous Sea of God's Justice beats upon us in an Hour of Death and in the Day of Judgment then the Sandy Foundation of our own Righteousness will fall and so thou bidst us Take heed that our Faith be the same with that which Peter professed whâ—ch was that of the Person of Christ Answ That Faith which will carry through inable to hold out in the Patience in a day of Man's Persecution and Opposition is more likely to be the True Faith and to be upon the Right Foundation then that which will not but yours will not uphold you in a day of Man's Persecution and therefore is very unlikely to uphold you when God's Justice beats upon you in an Hour of Death and in a Day of Judgment to come Thou sayest Against which Faith of the Person of Christ all the Powers of Hell shall not prevail but our Profession is thou sayest that not Christ Jesus of Nazareth but the Light in every man is Christ and against this Faith we may be sure it being false the Gates of Hell will never prevail for Satan will never fight against it Answ That we profess Jesus of Nazareth is not the Christ is wholely false and although Satan will never fight against the False Faith yet he hath already fought and prevailed against those that are in it and he doth still prevail over them first to make them believe a Lye and then to keep them in that Belief which is That although Sin which he hath wrought in them do continue in them while they live yet they may be saved when they dye And that he doth fight against the true Faith which we are in is very evident also and stirs up all the Force and Power he can too although to little purpose else what meaneth and from whence cometh all that Opposition we have mâ—t with ever since we were a People unto this day for he knows that it strikes at the Root and Foundation of his kingdom which is Darkness and the works thereof and
it a general Charge which is falâ—e But thou sayest How honest soever they be in their Callings thou knowest there are Errors of a deep die amongst them Answ I say it is easie to prove a bad Conversation to be a Fruit of Error but it is hard to prove a good one to be so and it is not thy calling our Principles Error that doth prove them so to be I have often heard thee call them so both by Word and Writing but I never heard thee prove it by either Scripture indeed thou mentionest many to that end but so iâ—pertinent to the Business that there needs no other to prove thy self to be in Error and we to be in the Truth Thou sayest The Scriptures do no where call the Light that every man hath the Light of the Son of God and I may as properly call the Sun in ths Firmament so Answ The Scriptures are plentiful in this Case but that of John 1. vers 4 9. is enough In him was Life and the Life was the Light of Men and that was the True Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World I know thy answer will be That was meant of the Person of Christ which was to be believed in But I ask thee What Possibility was there then or is there now of knowing him to be the true Christ that should come and which was to be believed in without a measure of his spiritual Light to reveal him seeing that Flesh and Blood cannot real him and he that seeth him seeth the Father also But we know it to be the Light of Christ by the Effects thereof the Works that he doth bear Testimony of him thy own words also will witness against thee iâ— this in pag. 109. of thy Book where thou grantest There is a Spark remaining in fallen man of that Light which Adam had in a full Flame before Transgression and also that it will teach some Truths and some divine things that there is a God and he is to be worshipâ— and this the Sun in the Firmament could never do Thou also sayest Thou hast this Light and walkest not contrary to it but it is not thy Guide nor Rule but the Spirit leads thee to the Scriptures as thy Rule and there thou hast seen higher things then the Light could discover to thee and so bids me take heed I have not rebelled against the Knowledge I once had from the Scriptures Answ Dost thou here speak like a Minister of Christ tâ—at had received hiâ— Spirit Did the Spirit in Paul lead him to the Scriptures as his only Rule and Guide after he knew the Son of God revealed in him then His Spirit was his Rule and Instructer as he saith Ephesians Chap. 4. Vers 12. every where and in every thing and opened his Understanding to know the true Meaning of what the holy Men before him had writ and spoke which before he knew not notwithstanding all his Knowledge from the Scriptures and the Prophets and true Ministers of Christ in all Ages did point to the Spirit as the Rule and not to their Words for those high things which they saw could not be seen but by the same Spirit in which they saw them Thou sayest Thou considerest thy self to be in Christ and that thou art doing that which he would have thee do for him in thy Generation and thou art fighting for Jesus of Nazareth against the Quakers Christ Answ To be in Christ is a high State and it were well for thee if thou knewest what thou sayest but if thou didst truly know Jesus of Nazareth and wert in him thou couldst not fight against the Quakeâ—s Christ for he is the same and not anotâ—er and he never employed thee to fight against his Spiritual Aâ—pearance in his People thou hadst better lay down thy Weapâ—ns and submit to him for he will be too strong for thee and a Woful Reward for thy Work wilt thou receive at his Hands if thou Repent not Thou sayest Thoâ— art bâ—und to do thy Duty and leave thy Work with Christ and though thou mayest apprehend our Kingdom wâ—ll prosper yet thou art not discouraged but believest we are in Error stâ—ll and though none of you can yet Christ can and will in time still the Ragiâ—g of the Sea and divide and dry up these Waters and though wâ— soar as high as the Clouds in vain Boasting yet thâ—u canst mâ—uâ—t aâ—ovâ— us in the Spirit of Faith and Confidence Answ Vain Boasting we deny but none shall hinder our Glorying in the Lord bâ—t the Day will declare and the Fire will try every man's Work of what sort it is and the Righteous Judge will determine unto whose Judgment alone we desire to stand But what Spirit is it that hath lifted thee up so high seeing thou denyest and opposest the spiritual Light of Christ which is the Door of Entrance to all that find Pasture And the same that said I am the Light said also I am the Door of the Sheep fold John 10. 9. and all that climb up another Way are Thieves and Robbers and so although thou art climbed never so high yet down again must thou come to this else the higher thou mountest the greater will be thy Fall Thou sayest thou believest and therefore speakâ—st infinitely stronger is he that is with you then he that is against you Ans If he that you think is with you be in you as Christ said he would be in his People John 14. 17. by whom they overcame because greater was he that was in them then he that was in the World then you need not fear but he will overcome for you but there is cause to question it when as thou dost not adventure to say so and thy Words afterwards do import that thou dost hardly believe he is to be so known else what dost thou mean when in answer to my witnessing to Christ's being in his People to lead and save them thou say'st Why not Emanuel as well God with us as in us Ans His being in us denies not his being with us as he is known in us he is with us but what is it that renders us so Erroneous and such who by the Consequence of thy words thou accountest God's Enemies whom he will drive back and divide as the Sea and still the Raging thereof Ans The Saints who writ the Scriptures tell us it was Sin while they were in it and wicked Works that made them Enemies of God and it was those who remained in Sin that did oppose them when they departed from it which the Lord overcame both within and without them But thou sayest Thou never expects to be free from Sin whilest in this Tabernacle and that there is none of Christ's Righteousness at all in your Minds but in his own Person then that Hope is vain and will perish which expects to see Christ conquer his Enemies to thy Comfort when thou dost not know him in thee so
as to expect he will conquer his thy Enemy which is Sin for when he is known within so as to reign then his Righteousness is there too for therein doth his Kingdom consist in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost These things truly considered thou hast Cause to fear that those whom thou accountest God's Enemies he accounts his Friends then Wo will be to those that fight against them for it is not those that cry Lord Lord but they that do the things which he commands whom he accounts his Friends Thou sayest Thou appealest to Christ with what Spirit thou hast preached and writ against the Quakers and I am too low to judge thee and out of my Place and thou caust not preach the Gospel but thou preachest against them Ans I am not to learn the Duty of my Place of thee thou art not so high but that the least Child in the Truth seeth over thee and far beyond thee I am sure thou art out of thy Place First in calling the good Spirit of God by which his People are led The Spirit of Delusion and his true and faithful Ministers Witches Jugglers and what not that is bad enough those whom he hath sent forth in the Power of his Spirit to turn People from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they may receive Remission of Sin and an Inheritance amongst those that are sanctified through the Revelation of the Son of God in them and this was the Gospel or Power that Paul believed in and which he preached to others and if that Gospel which thou preachest be another then read what follows Gal. 1. 8. And Thousands there are that do witness this Effect through their Ministry and are come to know the Lord to teach them a Teacher that cannot be removed into a Corner and so are not at a Loss as sometimes your Hearers have been when their Teachers have been removed into Corners Thou sayest Thou art not of my Mind that the Sun did rise in the North about twenty Years since and that then began the Day of God when Fox came from thence as I intimate through Grace thou seest the Light of the Gospel the Law that goes forth of Mount Sion Ans As to the time and Place and Messengers I shall not say much though much might be spoken in that particular It is sufficient to me to know the Sun is risen and that by the Light thereof I see my Way when others are groping for the Wall at Noon-day And as to the Knowledge thou hast of the Law that goes forth of Mount-Sion and thy Sight of the Light of the Gospel it may easily bâ— gathered what it is by thy expressing thy self both before and afterwards Thou sayest If I mean a further breaking forth of the Light in thee thou hast known Conversion by the Spirit but I may read in thy Boâ—k that Work is of a different Kiâ—d from that which our Light effecteth Ans I have read thy Book and I do find indeed that Conversion which thou speakest of is of a differâ—nt Kind and Nature frâ—m tâ—at which the Ligâ—t of Christ effecteth now and which the Saints in former Ages witnessed also for the Light deceives none but discovers all things as they are and doth not make them appear as they are not and so long as Sin hath a being in any it reproves for it and the Creature yielding Obedience thereunto Power is received which removeth and taketh it away and saveth from it and so a Temple is prepared for the Lord to dwell and walk in But that Conversion which thou speaks of is consistent with Sins having a Continuance for Term of Life in the best of Saints yet no Condemnation to them because they are in P. 60. 24. Christ thou sayest But thou shouldest have read the next Words after Rom. 8. 1 2. and they would inform thee they were such as walked not after the Flesh but after the Spirit whom the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ had made free from the Law of Sin and Death unto whom there was no Condemnation and such as were in Christ were new Creatures old things being passed away and all things become new And if that be the truest Conversion thou knowest I desire never to partake with thee for that Liberty is perfect Bondage and thou must retract for instead of being come so far as Mount-Sion when thy Eyes are opened thou wilt find thy self in Egypt not come so far as Mount Sinai Thou sayest Thou canst not learn from the Scriptures that the Light in every man is the Voice of Christ Ans That the Scriptures are full to this purpose nothing is more câ—ear Moses often exhorting the Israelites to hearken to the Voice of God and tells them it was not far from them but his Word was in their Mouth and Heart that they might hear and do it And Paul quotes his Words saying that was the Word which he preached to be believed in and that is his Vâ—ice also which speaks in his true Ministers Thou sayest Do not I here proclaim my self to be one of those silly Women which were ever learning And how can you but pity us to see us imbrace a Shadow and let the Substance go Ans It were well for you if you could pity your selves we need none of your Pity we are very sensible what Pity we were like to recâ—ive at your Hands but what is it that makes us such Objects of Pity in your Sight Thou sayest That Fox and Nailor should so bewitch us as to cause us to dance about this Shadow the Light and adore it we know not what to call it but rather then miss we will call it every thing that Christ is called Ans Surely thou art very full against Fox thou hast him up so often with Derision thou hadst much better let him alone for all the Darts thou shoots at him and many others whom thou mentions will but return back and wound thy self but what hath thiâ— thou callest Witchery produced This it seems is an Effect thereof in thy Account my using the Apostle's Words to testifie that many were come to witness the Saints Conditions who said The Son of God is come and haâ—h given us an Vnderstanding to know him that is true And many are in him and do know the Elect Seed born that cannot be deceived Thou askest Is the Light in every Man the Son of God then it is God Eternal and of the same Nature with the Father before it was but his Voice now it is himself sayest thou and afterwards his Light and so thou bidest me see my Inconsistency Ans His Light is his Voice and he speaketh by it and would lead all out of Darkness thereby and those that follow obey it he leadeth unto the Life And my expressing of Christ under several Denominations doth not manifest my Inconsistency but thy terming