speak a word to thee Remember from whence thou art fallen thou art fallen from thy light within thou hast lost thy tendernesse to the Saints of God because thy light within is turned into utter darknesse and now in the deep darknesse thou art high in thine own imaginations Nay thou art I am and there 's none besides thee and so thou ragest and art furious against every one that sees thy nakednesse and blasphemie Why poor vile worm where art thou and what art thou Thou art like the Egyptians flesh and not spirit thou art a man and the son of man that shall die a man full of infirmities and sins like all others of the sons of men Nay a man of sin in all thy proud exaltings of thy self a lyar a false Prophet thou art who criest out I am Christ the son of the most high lo here lo here In all this hast thou grieved the Spirit of God sinned away the promise of the Father made use of the light within to wrest the Scriptures to thine own destruction which light teacheth thee to fear the Lord alwayes for thy good to glory and triumph in him as in thy life and joy This light reproves thy drunken spirit thy wanton heart that is so farre in love with thy proud flesh that thou must needs be Christ and God This reproves thy scoffing jeering nature thy seeking to destroy the weak ones for whom Christ died This light shines in thy darnesse but thou comprehendest it not and this tells thee to thy face thou art ignorant bruitish foolish and knowest little of the mysteries of God and Christ and what thou knowest doth but puffe thee up and make thee forget thy Maker and yet loath thou art to be seen and made manifest to thy deluded party and therefore thou hatest the light of Christ and Gospell of grace and unwilling thou art to come to the light lest thy deeds should be discovered and though thou talke of being redeemed from the earth yet thou knowest not the earth wherein thou dwellest thou canst not see the earth in thine heart set nor how thou thy self art the earth wherein thou livest And here thou art rich and wise and honourable in this earth of flesh and bloud and knowest not that this earth must passe away and all the works that are therein be burnt up and consumed because that in it dwells no good thing Therefore thou proud wretch that art lifted up to heaven come down from thy Throne and see thy shame see where thou livest even where Satans seat is in that which is called the the old man the Serpent Satan the accuser This is thy nature thy seat and habitation where thou dwellest And up and down the World thou goest like thy Father to devour the noble seed of God that thou alone mayest be the seed the King the God and all Therefore be wise for thy self look home turn thine eyes inward be not alwayes like the fool abroad Thou hast a great work yet to do Nay all thy work yet to beginne which is to deny thy self Thou hast almost all the weaknesses blemishes errours sins of all the forms abroad centred in thy self and therefore lay the Ax to the root of the Tree hew down thy self or rather let the Lord do it for thee he is wiser and stronger than thy self he 'l search and prove and try what wickednesse there is in thee and lead thee in the way everlasting Know in all this I am not thine enemie mine aime is at the destruction of Antichrist and the man of sin in thee and fain I would see thee what thou pretendest to be holy harmelesse undefiled separate from sinners according to some measure of Christ learning to see the Father in the face of Jesus Christ and then thou wilt soon fall down at his feet and say I am a man a poore drop of the bucket one who cannot in all my search finde out the Almightie in his perfection he is high and deep and incomprehensible but I am vanity a weak poor shallow thing and so I cannot but in admiration of the Lord wisdom and knowledge say How unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Who hath known the minde of the Lord or been his Counsellour For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever and ever MAGNUS BYNE A REPLY TO LAWSONS ANSWER To 28. Questions Wherein his darknesse and bitternesse are still manisted by the same Authour MAGNUS BYNE Quest 1. WHence the name arose and whether you own any such thing as the trembling and quaking of the body and flesh which hath befallen some at your meetings and whether that may not be a delusion Ans The name arose and is cast upon us by Ismaels brood a generation of scorners Repl. Ismaels brood are scorners indeed and this Spirit in thee calls me Priest Hireling c. and so thou art hereby witnessed to be of that generation of scorners but wisdom is justified of her Children Answ Further the thing quaking we own and the power of it as the Saints of God have alwayes done Repl. And why not then the name seeing names are but shadowes of things themselves and if the thing be justified by wisdom the name which is a manifestation of the thing must needs likewise be justified but me thinks I see your guiltinesse and knowledge of the thing to be a delusion that you are so offended at the name as for the trembling and quaking which the Scriptures intimate 1. It ariseth from an emptinesse of God a state of division and separation from his presence in love and light and so it belongs unto Devils and wicked men James 2. 19. the Devils believe and tremple Isa 33. 14. the sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulnesse has surprised the Hypocrite and again the wicked man shall not feel quietnesse in his belly in the fulnesse of his sufficiency he shall be in straits God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and so they are like the troubled Sea peacelesse restlesse and where this fear is there is torment Hell because a sense of wrathfulnesse and anger began no taste of perfect love which casteth out fear this trembling is a sad judgement of God and a certain fore-runner of weeping and gnashing of teeth for ever see it threatned Deut. 18. 64 65 66 67. the Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and thy life shall hang in doubt and thou shalt fear day and night at evening would God it were morning and at morning would God it were evening for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear and see the world filled with this fear Psal 14. 5. and 53. 5. there were they in great fear where no fear was and the issue of such is everlasting woe Rev. 21. 8. the fearfull and unbelieving shall be cast into the lake of fire 2. There is a trembling at the coming appearing of
God are made and live That soul that is awakened and risen with Christ to live in the light of the inner world or new Creature and to slide from thence forth unto the darke world in the works of righteousnesse and true holiness is the soul that brings his Talent out of the earth it to improve Quest Who are they that hide their Talents in the earth to their condemnation Answ Men that sin away the light and Spirit or promise of the Father made out in their Spirits and consciences by the noble wisdome of God woing and importuning them within in the Center of their souls to turne unto the Lord and so love darkness rather then light to their owne condemnation or rather men who love to live below in flesh and sin and this creation or world rather than above with the Father and the Son making out love and truth and grace in their Spirits to bring them reconciled to God these are they who hide their Talents in the earth to their condemnation Quest Where is it and by what that God speakes unto man Answ God speakes unto man within there he stands in the gate of the soul and by many invitations woings operations which are as so many Angels or messengers of love and life he entreats men to come in and be saved as it is written Looke unto me and be ye saved for I am a God and there is none else This inward speaking of God is backed likewise with outward speakings from the heavens and earth and things that are made from the Scriptures which are a firme testimony and witnesse of the mind of God to man sometimes from Mercies sometimes from judgements sometimes from the words or mind of God put into other mens moneths All which varietie of witnesses declare the one will and mind of the Father which he is pleased more immediately to declare within by his owne voyce Quest What is that which unto the gentiles is manifest shewing unto them what of God may be knowne Answ It is the truth of the Deity or the eternall power and God-head which teaches them by the things that are made to owne and glorifie a Creator and so the unthankefull and stubborne are left without excuse Rom. 1. 20. 21. Quest. What is its operation in all from the rising of the Sun to the going downe thereof Answ The light and truth of the Deity which is manifested to and shewed in every man from the things that are made teaches every man to owne a God and to worship him and so to abstaine from evill and do good which operation being choaked and abused by most hence these wallow in the mire of sin and wickednes and superstitious vanities being given up thereunto by the Lord as a just punishment for their loving darkenes rather than the light of God Quest What is the flaming sword which turnes every way to keepe the tree of life Answ It may be the Administration of the Law within which as a light or flame shewes every man his sin and shame and so as with a sword cuts him off every way in the midst of his best actions performances and obedience from entring into life by his owne power Or the fierceness in the anger of God which turnes every way to keep every uncleance person and thing from entering into the Paradise of God to eat of the tree of life till it be washed and cleansed from its filthines as 't is written Rev. 21. 22. there shall in no wise enter into the holy City any thing that is unclean c. Quest What is the City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt Answ All the unregenerate world which are as Sodom and Egypt full of sin and wickednesse or the Antichristian formal Church which strouts it out with a shew of wisdome learning letter and History as if it were a well built City or a true Church of God but within is Wolvish Envious Dogged full of blood cruelty and persecution against Christ and every appearance of Christ in his saints This is the great City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where our Lord was crucified And in her is found the bloud of Prophets and of Saints and of all that are ssain upon the earth In brief Egypt and Sodom are the kingdome of flesh and darknesse where Christ and the true Church are presecuted and crucified in Spirit Quest What is the language of Egypt Answ Egypt speakes nothing but bondage and warre to the people of God Egypt cannot endure that an holy Church should grow up in his dominions he will murder Abell or the innocent still Egypt is all for himself to manitaine himself in greatnesse and pompe and dominion in the world to rule and be a great potent Lord in the flesh If hee preach or pray or read or hear or appear sometimes as a seeming holy man yet all is ayming at his name greatnesse and credit in the world His heart cannot cleave to and love the Son of God He must persecute and devour the poor and needy in the earth This is the language of Egypt or that which Egypt declares Quest What is the cry of the wildernesse and what is the language of the wildernesse and whether thou wert ever in the wildernesse yea or nay Answ The wildernesse unto some is a state of confusion sin and death where God is not at all remembred minded or known The wildernesse unto others is such a state wherein the soul is awakened by the voice of Christ within to remember and mind the Lord and in the midst of all its confusions to cry and long and wait for his revealing coming manifesting And in this wildernesse I have been and here I have cryed been payned and the Lord hath heard my supplication and delivered me from my feares and brought me out into a wealthy place or into a condition of love joy rest and fullnesse in himself Further the wildernesse unto others is a condition of temptation which the Lord sometimes leades his people into to try and refine them and to make his might and power known in their preservation deliverance salvation Unto others yet the wildernesse is a condition of solitarines and retiredness of spirit where the soul is carried away from the fashions and practises of the world as likewise above the tumults rage and violence of the world sweetly to solace herself in her beloved and to walke in his way which is a way of peace light and holines The cry of the soul in this state of lonenesse is all for God and the will of God it s risen as it were out of the world and gone away from all other company to enjoy a fuller sight of the Lords beauty and to have a more exact communion with his Majestie And this is a wildernesse a gracious heart delights much to be in Quest What is the language of Canaan Answ In Canaan is heard the voice of peace love and meekenesse
God in the shining brightnesse and terrours of the Law to us so Israel trembled feared and stood afar off at the giving of the Law Exod. 20. 18 19 20 21. thus the Law revealed in the conscience works fear at first arising out of a spirit of bondage with all that are born of the bond-woman Agar or after the flesh as soon as they come to Mount Sinai are possessed with Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 23. 24 25. and so Paul when the Law came with power was strucken with death Rom. 7. 9 10. and at the coming of Christ to declare his sin he 's found trembling Act. 9. 6. this trembling of Paul was a trembling of the immer man the old man which Christ was now come to destroy this old man was he in Paul who kept Christ under who persecuted Jesus this old man which was Pauls own will reason minde lust and made him injurious blasphemous and a persecuter of Christ this was he whom Christ came to break to pieces and upon him falls the trembling and so Pauls trembling was his striking with inward horrour at the kindling of the Law in him and the shining of the Majesty thereof upon him this made him cry out who art thou Lord What wilt thou have me to do as for the flesh and outward body of Paul that was acted by his minde and inner man and therefore Christ did not come so much to make this tremble as the root whence this did spring the fleshly minde the body of sin this must now tremble and come under the Crosse so that this trembling of Paul and his being stricken to the ground and his falling to the earth can be no sufficient ground to justifie the fleshly trembling and quaking of these men For 1. As Paul was stricken with trembling so with bliudnesse but those who have this trembling have not likewise the blindnesse 2. Paul was sensible both of trembling and blindnesse these are onely sensible of quaking not of blindnesse 3. Paul was strucken to the earth and all that were with him Act. 26. 14. but here is one quakes and the rest are free and some have no experience of the thing at all 4. When Paul trembled the people that were with him are said to hear a voice and to see a light but at your tremblings there 's no such light or voice Lastly Pauls trembling let in so much of Christ that ever afterwards he was full of love meeknesse patience moderation towards all as one sensible what man was and this trembling brought such a piercing sight along with it that Paul ever afterwards saw a body of corruption a fleshly part in him fighting and carrying him forth many times to the Law of sin but these mens trembling lets in no such light nor life but rather madnesse fury murmuring condemning all to Hell that come not under the power of their form as likewise pride conceit and a foolish imagining a freedom from all remnants of sin and darknesse a state of fulnesse and perfection in the midst of all their palpable follies and abominations There surely Pauls trembling at the beginning of his conversion agreeing with these mens trembling in no circumstance can be no Warrant or vvitnesse for their fleshly trembling I call it a fleshly trembling because it 's a trembling of the outward flesh when the inward remains in its full force and power and rather stronger then weaker after the trembling is passed over 3. And lastly the Scriptures mention a trembling or fear which flowes from a sense and taste of what God is and what we are and this is a trembling that is alwayes joyned with faith and love and joy and this trembling and fear belongs unto the adoption or the true seed of the free-woman the Sons and Heir of God they seeing as Job speaks what an infinite incomprehensible being the Lord is and that he 's love it self and life and power and goodnesse it self unto all his Saints having a true touch of this upon their spirits and likewise of their own low weak poor empty condition in themselves that all they have they have it in the Lord and from the Lords rich grace and love without the least merit of theirs hence they learn to abhorre themselves and to tremble before the Lords Majesty and yet upon another consideration to wit of being taken into Union and fellowship with him through his son and grace they can go unto him in faith as unto their exceeding joy this is to rejoyce with trembling to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling to be afraid of God because of his power and greatnesse and so to stand in awe and sin not and yet likewise to rejoyce in the Lord and in his grace to be afraid of God because of our own pronenesse unto sin and yet to go unto him as to a father with great affection delight and joy as those who are kept by him from the power of sin and evil This is a trembling which is not for a fit and time onely but kept alive in the Soul during our abode in this house of clay whether yours be such a trembling as this let your own light be judge this is the trembling that Job and David and the holy men of God witnessed of old and do still witnesse to this very day but away with thy fleshly bodily litteral trembling and quivering this is rather like Belshazzars trembling or like a fit of Mahomet when the falling evil fell upon him which he feigned to be the holy Ghost or like a man possessed with the Devil than like the trembling of the Saints of old I know when God arises to save a Soul from death he shakes the earth and the heavens that men have made but this is inward spiritual and invisible to the bodily eye like that of Job when he said he hath broken me asunder he hath taken me by the neck and shaken me to pieces and set me up for his mark he cleaveth my reins asunder he poureth out my gall upon the ground he breaketh me with breach upon breach What was all this literal outward carnal Surely no it was rather the breaking in pieces of all Jobs somethingnesse and the grinding of him in spirit to nothing before the Lord and thus it is in measure with all his dearest Saints This is a trembling I own have not a word against and when ye can witnesse this your other trembling will no more be mentioned or gloried in at all Quest 2. Whether or no God have not a precious people found in various forms and wayes of vvorship where they are waiting on him according to their light and several attainments Answ The way of God is one his vvorship one his light one and all that are in this light are in the one way one vvorship according to their measure and by this light are all forms wayes vvorships and attainments which vary from it condemned Repl. Where the word is