charging all this upon us Answ. 1 That we do boast of talking with God or of Revelation This is another of his false Accusations for we boast not nor do we glory in any thing saving in the Lord and this is no Error but that which we must acknowledge unto or else deny the Truth to talk with God and God with us in and by his own Spirit for all the Saints have converss with God and union and fellowship with him in his own Spirit as the Scriptures do declare and as for Revelations we do acknowledge according to Christ's Words that we had never known the Father nor the Son but by Revelation For none known the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him as it is written and all such as have not converss with God and that have not Revelation are not in the Way of Eternal life but are ignorant and without God in the World and neither know him nor have fellowship with him 2. As for killing all the Wicked this is another false Charge for it is not our Principle to war against the Persons of any Men and kill them with carnal Weapons about Church and Ministry and Religion as the Papists and Protestants do one against another but it is our Principle to war against the evil spirit in men and to smite that with the spiritual Sword of God's Word and we would have mens wickedness killed and their Persons saved and their Souls delivered and this is the War we make even till men be changed by the Power of God and all things made new even a new World and a new Earth we do expect according to the Lord's Promise so that it is no error to expect a new Earth and a new World for there is a new Creation which the Saints do witness created anew in Christ Jesus to bring forth good fruits unto the living God and all that do not witness this are in the transgression of the old Creation which brings the Wrath of God Again The Accuser tells a story of one that professed the Gift of discerning spirits and to know the Elect from Reprobates and that made holiness consist in speaking little and living homely and sordidly as our Quakers do saith he Answ. 1. As for discerning of Spirits that is a Gift which the Saints of God do receive in all Ages for the Apostles said to some was given the discerning of spirits by the manifestation of the Spirit of God So to profess discerning of spirits is no error in us though it be stated as a great error before you by an ignorant man who knows not what he saith nor whereof he affirms And its possible to know the Elect from Reprobates by their fruits and works for the Children of God who are the Elect are known by their holy and Righteous works and fruits and the Children of the Devil who are the Reprobates are known also by their works and fruits of unrighteousness which they bring forth and this the Scriptures bear witness of 2. As for speaking little and living homely and sordidly If he means by homely and sordidly plainly and without superfluity this is also works and fruits of holiness and its better to speak little than to utter multitude of vain words and its more justifiable to God and just Men to be plain and homely as he saith in Apparrel than superfluity of naughtiness in vain Attire and more holy for true holiness consists in the Power of God which crucifies all idle words and all superfluity in Apparrel and whatsoever is not like God And was but this Accuser as wise as he is envious he would never be seen to scorn the Quakers scornfully so called with speaking little and wearing plain and sober Apparrel but Fools love to be medling to manifest their own folly as it is written Again The Accuser telleth another Story of Muntzer how he did exhort some that were on his part viz. Anabaptists to kill every Mothers Son for a Sacrifice to the Lord and saith he by this we may gâ—ess if Anabaptists and Quakers should get the upper hand what they would do c. Answ. 1. As for the Quakers getting the upper hand we strive not for it by carnal Weapons to have victory over mens Persons though we know the Lord will give us victory and dominion over the Beast and over the false Prophets for the Lamb shall get the victory and they that are with him who are called and faithful and chosen but this victory is spiritual and obtained spiritually and thus we believe the Lord will give us the upper hand even victory over â—ll our Enemies 2. But what a wicked envious siâ—rmise and suggestion is here coutched under as if the Quakers if they had victory would kill every Mothers Son for a Sacrifice and that they would make War c. The Lord rebuke his slanderous Tongue who hatched Mischief in his mind against the Innocent and presented you with forged Lyes and Surmises and imagined guessed cruel and evil things against us who are far otherwise Principled than as he suggesseth but all this his own doings doth but manifest the folly of his own Heart and 〈◊〉 own wickedness for we are of the Spirit of Mercy and Peace and not of Murder and War not to kill mens Persons but to war with the Spirit of God against spiritual Enemies that mens Iniquities may be slain and their Persons and Souls saved Again The Accuser pag. 4. tells a long story of Micher Hopman and others with him what things they held As they condemned the Baptism of Children they would not take an Oath they pulled down Magistrates they undertook to kill all Princes they taught that in their Churches all were holy and that it was lawful to have many Wives that all Learning is prophane and that mean men are fittest to expound Sâ—riptures and there must be no ordinary calling in the Church but every man must speak as he is inspired And thus it is saith the Accuser with the Quakers and Popish Agents who are their Ring-leaders have been endeavouring in these three Nations these eight or nine years by-past c. Answ. 1. It is to be considered that all these things are fully charged upon us as being guilty thereof and so to every particular I shall answer As to that of the Baptism of Children we do say there is neither Command nor Example for it in all the Scripture God never commanded it nor did the Apostle ever practise it in their dayes but it is a Tradition of the Church of Rome introduced into the World long since the Apostles dayes and except better ground can be shewed for the Practice of it than bare Tradition it is lawful to deny it as being no Ordinance of God in his true Church except I say that it can be proved that God ever commanded it or the Apostles and Saints practised it till which be done it is no error to deny the
Rudiments of the World we testifie against being Witnesses of the Substance and your taking on practices in that nature which is contrary unto Christ from the Words and Commands of Christ unto them that followed him we also testifie against and in it you are found among the Papists which walks by Tradition and not from the Motion of the Spirit of God and here thou art found a Lyar for the Commands of Christ is our life our joy our peace and glory and hereby we know that we love him because we keep his Commandments and they are not grevious unto us which is not received by tradition from without us but by the Eternal Spirit Christ Jesus revealed in us which is not contrary to his Commands without but a fulfilling of them for he is not a Iew who is one outwardly whose praise is of men neither is the Obedience which Christ doth require a conforming the outward man unto an outward thing which Obedience is your boasting onely and there only your difference lieth from all the World in the outward appearance Pharisee-like but the ground of enmity and seat of the Beast is standing within and you are twofold more the children of the Devil and God is risen to confound you and to break your Image to pieces and he shall have the praise of God who is the Jew inward whose obedience and circumcision is inward and who have no confidence in the flesh And whereas thou exhorts to hear one loving Reproof out of the Scripture which their Predecessors I mean the Papists thou sayest would have taken from us in the English Tongue and these would take from us the vertue of it that is to say the sharpness and sweeness of it by working upon us a dislike to it I Answer we do deny thy voice and though thou mayst bring Scripture in thy mouth to us it is but as the Devil brought it to Christ and we deny it from thee for if thou sayst God lives thou swears falsly and the Papists they are thy Predecessors who walks only by tradition as thou dost from a thing without them separate from the Life and both them and thee we do deny and bears witness against you to be without God in the World in the alienation out of the Covenant knowing nothing of him but what you have heard by a Fame and a Report and that we in the least would take from any the virtue of the Scripture it is a Lye uttered by the Devil in thee for we testifie unto all that it shall every tittle be fulfilled even upon the ungodly and thou shalt know it one day to be fulfilled upon thee thou Lyar must be cast into the Lake that burns for ever and this is the sharpness and sweetness which thou must have from it who art a false Accuser of the Brethren bearing the Image of the Dragon the Devil whose servant thou art as it is made manifest by thy Writing and this many will witness with us that often we do declare upon the just and the unjust the Scripture must be fulfilled and the righteous must have a Reward and the ungodly must have their Portion in utter darkness according as the Scripture saith and herein we establish the Scripture in its place to be a true Declaration of God and Christ and what the righteous and the wiced shall enjoy but that it is God and Christ or the Way unto Life we deny it for this is its vertue a declaration of that which the Saints believed and he that witnesses the same Life and Truth which it testifies of to be made manifest in him is a Witness of it and it is a Witness unto him and this is the vertue of it if thou hast an ear thou mayest hear and that we work upon Any a dislike of the Scriptures I charge thee to be a Lyar for to the fulfilling and establishing of it we declare that every one may walk up in the Life of it by that which gave it forth and to be a true witness of it as they were that spoke it but thee and all such we do deny which adds your imaginations upon it to sell for money And whereas thou sayst by way of Query to us Hath the Scripture no power over you have you a spirit to guide you without a written word it is out of Gods Government if it cannot be brought to the Law and to the Testimony I answer Jesus Christ onely hath power over us and not a Letter without us and the Spirit by which we are guided is no other but that which gave forth the Scripture which Spirit is the Word of God and which Spirit the Scripture bears witness unto and this we often say if we speak or act contrary to Scripture let us be judged by the Scripture and we as Paul did do commend all that shall search the Scripture to try whether these things be not so which we declare and herein we are under the Government of God who alone hath power over us but you who have not the same spirit which gave forth the Scripture neither knows it nor us but out of the evil corrupt ground thou judgest of it as thou dost of us and both thy judgment of it and us is to be judged by the Eternal Light of Christ which never erreth nor changeth And whereas thou sayest We may be Familiar-spirits for ought thou knowest what muttering and uncouth howling is among us which you cannot but impute to be a spirit contrary to the Word if we will not come to the Word to be tryed I answer it is true thou knowst us not for we are unknown to thy Generation though you have the Scripture which we in our lives and practices are Witnesses of as Christ was unknown to the Pharisees who had the Scripture which he came to fulfil and thou art ignorant of the Scripture and a Scorner of the Power of it who callst the Power of the Lord uncouth howling what would you have said concerning David who lay roaring all the day long even as a man distracted and concerning Habakkuk whose belly trembled and whose lips quivered when he heard the Voice of God But here you are made manifest who scorns that which the Scripture bears witness of and never knew what it was to be pricked to the heart as they were which cryed out what shall we do to be saved and if thou canst thou may try by the Scripture whether this be any other but that which the Scripture speaks of and not the same Spirit which made the Servants of God to quake and tremble which the Scriptures speaks of which this day is become a reproach even unto them that profess the Scripture for by the Word of God which the Scripture declares of shall all flesh tremble and be confounded and then thy self shall be judged into the Lake that burns for ever except thou repent And whereas thou sayest How shall you do to try spirits if we
any Creature was made and the whole World is comprehended and mans state in his first Creation is here known what it was and mans state in Transgression is also known what it was and mans state restored again is also witnessed and the difference perceived betwixt the first Adam which was overcome of the Devil though he was innocent and without sin and bore the likeness of his Maker and of the second Adam who cannot be overcome of the Devil whom Satan hath nothing in who is the express Image of the Creator it self He that hath an ear to hear let him hear Eye hath not seen Ear hath not heard it hath not entred into the heart of man that which the Father hath revealed by his Spirit things not lawful to be uttered of which there is no declaring that which is Infinite Endless Eternal and in this I shall end By one who hath measured and viewed in true Iudgment the condition of all Mankind who is a Lover of Souls and a Friend to the Creation of God known in England by the name of EDWARD BURROUGH London the 6th of the 3d Moneth 1656. Truth Defended OR CERTAIN ACCUSATIONS ANSWERED CAST Upon us who are called Quakers by the Teachers of the World and the People of this Generation WITH A clear Discovery who are the false Prophets and when they came in and how they may be known and who they are that deny Christ and that preach another Gospel and who deny the Scriptures Churches Ministers and Magistrates whereby the Magistrates and People of this Nation may see they justifie that which the Scripture condemns and condemns that which the holy men of God justified and may read their example and our example through the Scriptures The Epistle To all you who call your selves Ministers of the Gospel and all People in all Relations under what form of Worship soever in England or in all the World whâ— profess your selves Christians THe mighty day of the Lord is come according as he promised of old and this day is witnessed wherein he is establishing his Mountain and exalting it above all Mountains and is gathering his People which have been scattered in the dark and loâ—â— Night of Apostacy which Christ and his Apostles saw coming into the Churcâ—… then and hath had dominion long over the World and hath reigned till now and reigns nâ—â— in all the Professors in all Forms every where But now the time is come wherein the Kingdâ—… of the World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and thousands witness it to the praise of his everlasting Name And therefore the Nations are angry and 〈◊〉 Pâ—inces of the Earth because Michael one Prince is arisen to plead with all who make 〈◊〉 against him And now Herod and Pilate and all Jerusalem are in an uproar and Ammâ—â— and Amaleck and the Egyptians and the Philistines are joyned now against him And all you who live in Forms and know not the Power do now persecute and joyn your selves tâ—gether being in the same nature as the Persecutors of old which were born after the Flesh. And now you Sons of Bondage and of Hagar are to be cast out and now you are all 〈◊〉 manifest that you are in the Flesh for all your Bows are bent and all your Arrows are 〈◊〉 at a People which are accounted by you as the filth of the World and as the off-scouring of all things whom the World calls Quakers in whose foreheads is written the Name of the living God and unto you I say that make war against them and now take part with the Dragâ—â— against the Lamb you shall all drink of the Cup of Fury and indignation of the Lord 〈◊〉 unto the Living God who is holy and jealous for his own Glory and Name which hath manifested his Mind and Will by his eternal Spirit unto us shall you all bow and stoop For now the Lord hath rent the Vail of the Covering which hath been spread over 〈◊〉 the Nations in all Professions and you are all seen by the ternal Eye which is opened in thousands even all from the highest to the lowest who have stolâ—n and painted your selves with 〈◊〉 â—ens words And all your Images which you have set up and all your traditions from â—en in which you have walked are all seen to be stubble and â—ill not abidâ— in the day of the Lord. And all your Churches which you have gathered together by imitation from the 〈◊〉 shall all be scattered and there you all are for you all deny Revelation and say it is ceased and so you call the Letter the Light and the Word but with that which was before the Scripture you are seen and judged even with that which shall endure for ever And seeing you have cast reproach upon the Name of the God of Heaâ—â—â— and Earth whom we worâ—â—ip and which you call delusion for the truths sake are we moved to lay open your â—akedness that you may be judged by that which you say is your rule Here in this Little Book thou who hast any honesty in thee or any desire of truth and wilt search the Scripture thou wilt see thâ—◠〈◊〉 the teachers of the world in all Forms and all Professors ever cryed out who had but the Form against them who had the Life and Power as you all 〈◊〉 now against them who Worship God in the Spirit and have no confidenâ—e in the flesh and therefore in this following Discoâ—rse which 〈◊〉 written by the same Spirit that gave forth the Scripture thou shalt see who are the false Prophets and who they are that preach another Gospel and who they are that deny the Scriptures and thou mayst see when the false Prophets came in and who they are clearly proved to be by their own rules And all you who call your selves Magistrates and Christians you may see your selves to hold up that which Christ the Prophets and Apostles cryed oâ—â— against and Persecute them who stand in the counsel of God and them thâ—â— Declare against all the deceit as the Holy men of God did and so you are the beast which holds up the false Prophets and those whom the Scripture declareth against God is arisen to dâ—… to pieces all them who withstand him and therefore come out of Babylon â—â—d out of all your painted forms and come to own the first Principle which will change your mindes even the Light of Christ which he hath enlightned every one withal and by it you shall see what you are doing Now if you deny this you deny the Corner-stone and you stumble and shall be broken and by thâ—â— which you call natural shall all your Image of gold and silver and all your mixed invented worship be dashed to pieces and 〈◊〉 for the Pit Therefore all be silent and speak not evil of those thingâ— you know not for now you are all seen you who say you are â—â—ws and are not but are of the Synagogue
the Saints and Churches of Christ look upon them that acted those things to be Ministers of Christ but on the contrary declared against them to be Deceivers So that all you People and you professed Ministers that act those things that the false Prophets acted and all you People that love to have it so and give Hire to your Ministers for Preaching and consent unto it none of you are of the Christian Religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures because this part of your Practice in Religion is not according but contrary to Scriptures Now substracting all these in these Nations from the whole which practiseth and professeth these things mentioned for Ordinances of God and for his Worship none of you are of the true Christian Religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures because these things which you Practice for Religion is not held forth in all the Scriptures by any example or command likewise you are of the greatest number of people in all these Nations and that Practice and Profession of Religion which the greatest number follow and exercise themselves in cannot be the true Christian Religion because the Scripture saith Few are in the straight way that leads to Life to wit in the pure and true Religion but many are in the Broad way that leads to destruction and such that are the greatest number who are in the broad way are not in the Religion in the purity thereof as it is held forth in the Scriptures likewise many of you who Practice those things mentioned for Religion are yet unconverted to God but live in wickedness in the Pride and Vanities and in all the evil of this World in Double-dealing in Drunkenness in Whoredom and in the Works of Darkness therefore you are not of the true Christian Religion neither do your walk with God in Purity and Holiness neither are you changed by Christ into his Image nor are guided by his Spirit neither do you live to God in any thing but to this World in all things and your Religion is manifest not to be according to the Scriptures but contrary And so let all people consider whether or no you must be maintained in your Religion Come forth and plead your cause all ye that are called Presbyterians and Independants and all others stand up and prove if you can your Practice in Religion to be according to Scriptures but seeing no man is able to prove these things mentioned which is practiced by you for Religion to wit Sprinkling of Infants and singing David's experiences in Rhime and Meeter and Worshipping God in set-places as Idol-Temples and preaching for and giving great sums of Money for preaching with other things practiced by you for Religion neither were these things ever commanded in Scriptures neither is there any example for the practise of these things in Scripture by any of the Lords people and therefore you cannot justly own a Title in the Protectors Oath to be maintained and upheld by vertue thereof in these your practises of Religion for it appears he is but bound onely to uphold and maintain that Religion which is according to Scriptures and not them who practiceth those things for Religion which are not according but contrary to the Scriptures Likewise all ye that are called gathered Churches who holds sorth for Doctrine that the Scriptures are the Word by which the World was made and that the Scriptures are the Foundation and that the Scriptures are the Way to Salvation and that the Letter and the Spirit are unseparable and that the Scriptures are both the Writings and the thing fignified and that except a man be Baptized with Water he cannot be saved with such like Doctrines which have been held forth by some professing themselves to be of the Church of Christ all you are manifest not to be of the Christian Religion because those Doctrines are not according but rather contrary to the Scriptures Likewise All ye whose Practice in the Exercise of Religion is but by Imitation from the Scriptures and you are not led by the Spirit of of the Father in what you speak and practice you are not of the true Christian Religion which the Scripture speaks of for the Sons of God and who are of the true Religion are led by the Spirit of God and not by their own Thoughts and Imaginations and the Traditions of men And all that are not led by the Spirit of the Father are not of the true Christian Religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures and not any that are such can justly own to be protected in their Religion because it is not according to the Scriptures Likewise All ye that do profess the things of God and Christ and that you are Members of the Church of Christ and profess Righteousness and Truth in words and yet live in Pride and the Vanities of this World and in Unrighteousness and the Customs of the Heathen which are vain and are not cleansed from Unrighteousness nor freed from the Body of sin and death neither do answer your Profession with a Conversation shewing that you are not guided with that Spirit whose words you do profess All you are Hypocrites and live in Hypocrisie none of you are of the true Christian Religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures For the Exercise in true Religion sheweth forth in Life what is prosessed in words Come try your selves and prove your selves all sorts of people for now your Religion is to be try'd what Name soever you go under And all you that practice and profess those things for Religion for which there is neither Command nor President in Scripture your Religion is concluded not to be according to Scriptures and so no Title or Priviledge can any of you justly own of being upheld or maintain'd by the Protector 's Oath But as I have said For sprinkling of Infants and singing of David ' s Experiences in Rhyme and Meeter c. there is neither Command nor President in Scriptures and therefore you that practice those things which I have mention'd for Religion are not of the true Christian Religion which is according to the Scriptures which is to be protected Likewise all ye that persecute by Reproaches or Revilings and Cruelty or that cause the People of God to be persecuted many of you there are in these Nations which profess Religion yet are Envious Persons and Persecutors of the Innocent Hereby it is manifest that you are not of that Religion which is according to Scriptures for the Saints never persecuted any but were themselves persecuted for Righteousness sake so you are not to be protected in such Exercise because it is not according but contrary to the Scriptures for you have no Example from the Saints for professing and practizing Religion and yet persecuting such as are of the true Religion whose Consciences are truly exercised towards God and towards all men Now seeing that it is discovered in part who it is that
and thou of the Divel Seeing they that abide not in the Doctrine of Christ have not God hence I query of thee XII Whether by this rule thou art not proved to be without Christ and without God who abides not in Christ's Doctrine but are called of men Master and stand Praying in the Synagogue and hast the chief Seat in the Assembly and contrary to Christ's Command Answer these Queries with the Spirit of Soberness if thou hast it and shew thy self a man if thou hast the Heart of a man and Repent of thy Wickedness and own thy Condemnation upon thy Former Words and Works I am a Friend unto thy Soul but a witness against thy Deceits E. B. And after which time for the space of two years I had no Communication with Christopher Fowler till this last nineth Moneth at a place called East-Hâ—â—sted where a Meeting of Dispute was appointed and challenged by some of his Brethren at which place again I met with this my Adversary where we had some hours Discourse and many particulars of False Doctrine fell from Fowler 's mouth some few of which hereafter follow First one of his brethren in his prayer before the dispute prayed to God to forgive them the Atheism that were in their hearts of him and his Brethrens Answer now an Atheist is one that denies God and Atheism is denying of God according to common reputation Atheism is so taken so that how shall such a Generation of men bring people to the Knowledge of God by their Ministry or how should they ever convert people to profit them who yet in their own Hearts denyed God as the man acknowledged in his prayer before the Lord and many witnesses the Poor People of England had thought that the Spirit of God had been in your Hearts but now we know that you deny God in your Hearts and you have confessed it to your own shame are you Ministers of Christ and yet denies God in your hearts and in whose hearts lodges Atheism Oh! let not people be deceived by you but repent ye that know not God but with your Mouthes confess him and with your hearts do deny him Christopher Fowler also affirmed that day That the Scriptures are the Glorious everlasing Foundation of Foundations Answ. And hereby it is made manifest that he hath totally denyed Christ and so proved with his brother confest in his prayer that indeed Atheism is in their Hearts and so he hath denyed Christ whom the Scriptures say is the Foundation and no other Foundation can any man lay and upon him were the Saints builded in their Faith and all their Practices of Religion for he is the corner Stone as it is Written and thus he hath dishonoured Christ in setting the Scriptures above him and taking the Honour from him and giving it to the Scriptures and I shall leave this his Doctrine to be considered with a query to these people of his Church in Reading whether he is worth hearing or giving Money to for preaching that holds forth such Doctrine and whether it is possible he should bring them to Christ who hath in effect denied him to be the Foundation and held forth that the Scriptures are the glorious everlasting Foundation of Foundations Much I need not say to uncover the error of sucâ— a Doctrine Again he affirmed That a man at one and the same time might be a Minister of Christ and a Deceiver Answ. And here all may see the weakness and Ignorance of this strange Paradox and indeed which is contrary to the Scriptures which saith No man can serve two Masters and it s very certain that he that serves the Devil doth â—ot serve Christ at the same time and he that serves Christ doth not serve the Devil and so his Doctrine is Antichristian which would make People believe that though they serve the Devil yet they are the Servants of God and this is as much as he hath said that one may be a Minister of Christ and yet a Deceiver now a Deceiver is one that follows the Spirit of the Devil and a Minister of Christ is one that followes the Spirit of Christ and these two Spirits are contrary and not both ruling in one man at one time But then to help the matter he said a man might serve Christ in Office but not in Love to which my answer was let him say whether he and the Priests of England did serve Christ by way of Office or Love both or either and I should prove the contrary but that we prosecuted no further Some other things were affirmed by him that day not now remembred He said That Christ was a Sinner from this Argument laid down by him all that dies â—â—e Sinners Christ died therefore c. These and such things he held forth all that day besides the unsoberness of his words and carriages towards me who called me a Dog divers times and did use very ridiculous jestures and words towards me even to his own shame in the sight of many people and the people of that County do yet well remember his unchristian-like proceedings and were ashamed of him but at last went his way and all his brethen and I was left among the people and I need not now mention for many even themselves know it what loss and disadvantage they sustained that day and Gods loving Truth was advanced and the advantage of it that was obtained on the Lords behalf but I being not yet as it were wholly satisfied but would endeavour further to the laying open deceit and to invade Antichrists kingdom the next morning after the dispute it was upon me to write forth and to send him this paper of Propositions following whereunto is annexed his Answer C. Fowler FRiend seeing thou art so high in thy spirit against us and against the truth which we profess and from time to time dost open thy Mouth so wide in Justification of thy self and thy Practices and in false charges against us and though we have had divers Meetings and the differences between us alwayes appeared greater and greater therefore this I propound unto thee Whether thou wilt give another Meeting of open dispute for the tryal of thee and thy wayes and of us and the truths which we hold forth for the satisfaction of the people and these things following I propound as the subject matter worthy to be handled which may discover thee and us to the satisfaction of all that desires in that case First What be the evident signes and tokens of a Wolf in sheeps clothing and whether thou or we in the sight of the people and of the Lord God can clear our selves to be clear and free from the marks and signs of such aforesaid Secondly Whether wilt thou stand to be tried in thy Ministry in thy Call to it Practice in it and Maintenance of it by and according to the Scriptures of the old and new Testament and wilt thou admit of tryal of thy Church and
God or any part of his Worship though you say it is yet we never had other proof of you then Tradition of time and long Custom and by this you would seem to plead the practice to be a Duty But this satisfies not us though we do not quarrel nor deride at your practice in this particular as thou groundst thy Argument but this we do we freely give our Testimony against your practice from time to time in the Fear and Power of the Lord yet not as quarrelling and deriding after the Flesh though we do say they were composed in Rhime and Meeter by Sternhold and Hopkins and others which were Musitioners to the Queen and in this we say true and are neither ignorant foolish nor prophane as thou sayst and we give witness against such your practice to be Antichristian and you Deceivers of the People thereby so hereby is thy Conclusion made void and a place is brought in for another They that act such things and observe such practices in pretence of Honour and Worship to God which is not commanded nor instituted of God nor which his Spirits leads unto They are Idolaters and their Worship and their Practice is Abomination unto the Lord But thus do the Ministers and People of the Church of England and therefore the Ministers and People of the Church of England are Idolaters and their Practices Abomination unto the Lord. Answer to the tenth Thy minor Proposition I do deny for we do not charge the Office and Call of the Ministers of the Church of England with Lies and Calumnies but this we say their Office and their Call is not from the Lord nor by the Authority of his Spirit neither is their Office and Call according to the Scriptures but it is different and contrary both to the Spirit of God and the Scriptures and is not from Heaven but rather from the Whore of Rome And though we do affirm these things concerning the Ministry of England yet we do not charge it with Lyes and Calumnies but we speak the Truth in righteousness And what would C. Fowler and his Brethren have said of the true Prophets that called the Priests and Watchmen of Israel that were made by Divine Institution which the Office and Call of England's Ministry never was that called them blind Watchmen and greedy dumb Dogs and devourers of Souls Might not they have said to the true Prophets you charge the Office and Call of the Priests of the Lord with Lyes and Slanders And this is like the case between us and the Priests of England And did not Christ call the chief Priests Serpents Vipers and Hypocrites and those Priests were in their Office and Call of Gods Institution but might not they have said that he charged the Office and Call of the Priesthood with Calumnies c. and the case is the same with us and it is accounted no sin by the Lord for us to give our witness against the Wayes and Practices of the Priests of England and utterly to deny both its Office and Call for they that do profess their Office and Call to be of God and from him and yet can give no true Testimony thereof by the Spirit of God and according to the Scriptures such are deceived and Deceivers of others but such are the Priests of England and therefore c. And thus I have returned Answer to his Ten Propositions and laid down some others in their place his being confounded and I must leave it to be judged of by the Witness in every mans Conscience whether he hath not shewed his madness and folly in his matter and in the way of his proceedings as for the matter he charges us withal it s wholy invalid as for the end propoâ—ed by hâ—â— and we account of his Work as but the malice of an Antichristian spirit And as for his proceedings they are inconsistent with a Minister of Christ for him and his Brethren to fly from me at his Dispute at East-Hamsted as before mentioned as being not able to defend their Cause this he and they did as many in that Country knows â—â—d then for him the next morning when I did invite him to meet again upon sober reasons which he also denied and refused to meet me any more and yet afterwards when I was gone out of the Country to go and hatch such mischief in his mind as to invent ten such rain Arguments and cause them to be set up on the Steeple-house-door oâ— purpose to villifie and reproach the Innocent People of God this was his Wickedness as all upright men may see And further for him to challenge to dispute these Particulars and leave time and place to our appointing which when time and place was appointed sutable and equitable on all parts and yet for him to refuse to meet at that time and place this was his fâ—dy and madness as understanding men may discern And further for him yet to rail behind our backs against us in his Pulpit and to charge us as if we refused to meet him this is his hypocrisie and the deceitfulness of his heart whereby he thinks to keep the People in blindness but the Light is now arising in the Hearts of People whereby such Deceits and Deceivers are fully discovered and they cannot now be hid And though for many Ages Deceivers and false Prophets have hid themselves under the Profession of Ministers and fine names yet the Day of the Lord is dawned which hath made them fully manifest and now their Sheeps cloathing will not hide them though they cover themselves therewith and have deceived the World thereby and these Babylons Merchants they have made great gain upon people and traded with the Souls of men and Souls have been murdered even for dishonest gain but the Plagues of God is coming upon the Earth which the Whore the false Church hath corrupted through her Sorceries and Witchcrafts and as she hath done unto others in causing them to drink her Cup of Abominations and false Principles Doctrines and Practices which the Beast and his Power hath imposed upon the Nations and Nations have been made drunk thereby and in particular this C. Fowler with whom I am now dealing is made manifest to be one of these Merchants of Babylon who hath made Merchandize of people for gain to himself and such are his covetous cursed Practices having a heart exercised with Covetousness and Oppression as is well known in the Town of Reading as for instance First It was charged upon him and confessed by him that he sued at Law twelve poor men of Reading for the Tythe of their Turnips and with much malice and greediness did prosecute the twelve poor men and put himself and them to great Charges and Trouble onely he confessed he took but twenty Nobles of them and thought he did favourably with them Now this was acknowledged by his own Mouth which is a clear demonstration of the Coveâ—ousness and Oppression of this man
weight thereof as to encourage such a Work of value and worth for many know what a great Sufferer F. H. was and how he lay many years in a bad Prison at Appleby in Westmoreland for the Testimony of Jesus and of a good Conscience for that he could not Swear so that in the same Prison under the Hands of his Persecutors he cheerfully and with much Satifaction and Peace gave up his Life and ended his Dayes in Peace Oh! the remembrance of these two Faithfull Witnesses who both died Sufferers being Prisoners for Truth is never to be forgotten And thus Dear Friends as the Salutation of our dear Brother E. B. according to his desire while in the Body I recommend unto you this Volumn of his Books with my Love in the Truth to you all being therein The Truth 's and your Servant and Friend Ellis Hookes London the 1st of the 2d Moneth 1672. THE EPISTLE TO The Reader TO all the World to whom this may come to be Read that they read with a good understanding and hereby they may come to the perfect knowledge of the ground of difference between the Priests and Professors and all Sects in these Nations and Us who are in scorn called Quakers shewing that the Controversie on our part is just and equal against them all and that we have sufficient cause to cry against them and to deny their Ministry their Church their Worship and their whole Religion as being not in the Power and by the Spirit of the Living God as commanded of him or ever practiced by his Saints But this declareth the ground and Foundation thereof to be another thing and not the same on which the true Church and Ministry and Practice and Worship and true Religion was builded in the days of the Apostles And also this is an Invitation to all Sects and Professions of People to come forth and try if what they hold and profess be according to the Scriptures of truth and to do this in tryal by evident and sound Arguments and by the best spiritual Weapons they have and to lay aside all this Persecution and unrighteous Dealing and Stocking and Whipping and Imprisoning of us for speaking against their Religion and that they come forth in fair dispute to contend in the Spirit of meekness for what they Profess and Practice and to prove according to the Scriptures their Ministry Church and whole Religion that it is in and by the Spirit and Power of God or otherwise to renounce and deny all their Religion and the Profession and Practices thereof that every man may be satisfied who it is that are in the true and right Way and of the true Worship and true Religion and who it is that are not and this is desired by us who are called Quakers and also a true Account of our first beginning and coming forth in the World and of that great Sufferings we have sustained and how we have been carried on and are preserved to this day The Lord God everlasting who is true and faithful hath fulfilled his promise in us and unto us and we are gathered from the Mouths of all dumb Shepherds and out of the mouths of all Hirelings who have made a prey upon us and fed themselves with the fat and devoured souls for dishonest gain And we are come to the Fold of Eternal Rest where Christ Jesus is the chief Shepherd and he is the Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls that feedeth his Flock with living Bread that nourisheth us unto Life Eternal he hath called us by his Name and put us forth and he feedeth us in green Pastures and we are fed with hidden Manna and lie down at Noon with his gathered Flock and out of Nations Kindreds Multitudes and Peoples are we redeemed to God and are come out of the World and out of great Babylon and out of spiritual Sodom and Egypt where the Lord Christ was and is crucified and lieth slain to this day and a top of the World hath the Lord set us on the Mountain of his own House and Dwelling where we behold and feel the Life and Glory and Crown of the World that hath no end and the world that hath an end is seen over and its crown and glory is his Footstool that reigns amongst us And as for all that which this perishing world brings forth which men seek after only it s reckoned our temptation though all the Sons of Adam are seeking its glory its riches its crowns its contentments but of that Birth are we which hath no crown no glory nor rest under the Sun and a Birth is brought forth amongst us which is Heir of another Kingdom and Possessor of another Crown whose glorying is in the Lord all the Day long and he is our Refuge our Rock and our Fortress against all our Enemies and what though the Wicked arm themselves and the Ungodly bend their Bow what though all sorts of People from the Prince upon his Throne to the Beggar upon the Dunghil exalt themselves against the despised People of the Lord's Inheritance who for his Name 's sake are kill'd all the day long What though the Wise-men bring forth their Arguments and what though the Rulers bring forth unrighteous Judgments against the Seed that God hath blessed what though the Revilers and Scorners open their mouthes and Reproachers and Revilers cast out their bitter words as a Flood against the Remnant of the Woman's Seed that has long been fled into the Wilderness And what then if the Teachers the Prophets and the Elders and the Heads and Wise men of the World set themselves to pray and preach and print against the chosen Seed of Iacob yet notwithstanding all this though this is come to pass and Hell open her Mouth and her Floods break forth to overflow and be much more increased yet shall the King of Righteousness rule among his People and his Presence will not forsake his chosen Ones but the Lord is with us a Mighty and Terrible One and the shout of a King is amongst us and the Dread and Terror of the Almighty covereth us and it goeth before us and compasseth us about And the Lord is working a Work in the Earth mighty and wonderful he is gathering the Scattered and binding up the Broken-hearted and his People shall dwell in safety and none shall make them afraid and no Weapon that is formed against them shall prosper nor no Hand that is lifted up shall prevail for Sion shall rise out of the Dust her beautiful Garments shall be put on and Mourning and Sorrow shall flee away and her Light is risen that is everlasting and the Sun shall never godown but his day shall remain for ever and the Night shall not again cover her brightness nor the Sun set upon her habitations the City that hath long laid waste shall again be builded and the dwelling that hath long been without Inhabitant shall be replenished for the numberless seed of
or in the day of Judgment when we and all Man-kind shall appear and come sorth to tryal and every mans work shall be tryed and all shall receive according to their deeds And so gladly would we be made manifest to all the World if that after the reading of this Book any be unsatisfied still in this matter And if any especially of the Heads and Rulers have doubts or Jealousies raised in them concerning us and the Priests and that they further would be satisfied and resolved for that end let any Wise-men propound for full satisfaction of all sorts of People that we with the consent of the chief in Authority that have power in this Nation who may preserve peace and safety among people and thereby to stop all Jealousies may freely and chearfully Four Ten Twenty Thirty more or fewer of us give as many of the wisest and ablest of the Priests and Professors a meeting for dispute at any place in England at what place time and for what continuance as they shall ascribe and consent unto and to dispute and controvert betwixt us and them any such thing and every such particular as shall or may be objected by any of the Heads and Rulers or other Grave Understanding Men wherein they are doubtful betwixt us and would thereof be satisfied that by such Dispute and opening of such causes objected full and real and toal satisfaction may be given to the whole Nation and every particular man and member therein Otherwise Let the Priests or Professors or any of them object what they can against us in our Principles Profession Faith and Practice and our whole Religion And if they shall affirm and alledge any one or more things against us that any Principle we hold or Practice we profess in any part throughout all our Religion are false Principles and false Practices and not according to Truth nor the Scriptures but shall affirm that our Religion is not the true Religion nor we of the true Church of Christ and they shall have free liberty to give their best proof and reason for what they affirm and alledge yet by the Strength of Christ and in the power and authority of God and according to the Scriptures we shall confute all their Proofs and strongest Reasons and on the contrary we shall joyn our Principles Doctrines and Practices and all our Religion and every part and particular thereof to be the very truth and agreeing with the Scriptures according to that shall maintain by lawful Arguments and plea that our Religion and Worship and all that we profess and Practice is according to the mind of the Lord and justified of him and that whatsoever is and may be spoken against us upon that account is utterly false and to be condemned and upon this we will ingage with them and with any of our Enemes of what Sect and Profession soever to the intent onely that Truth may be manifest and embraced and Deceit and Error discovered and denied And also upon such an Engagement we should agree to have the liberty freely and soberly to object against the Priests concerning their Ministry their Call their Practice their Maintenance and their Fruits and Effects and concerning their Church and Principles and Worship and whole Religion and shall hear patiently all that can be said in defence thereof by any or all of them and shall prove by the Spirit of the Lord and according to the Scriptures that their ministry is not the true Ministry of Christ nor they true and lawfull Ministers of the Gospel but shall manifest by evident Arguments that their Call Practice Maintenance Fruits and Effects are not according nor agreeing but contrary and differing to what the true Ministry was and its Call Practice Maintenance Fruits and Effects were in the true Apostles and among the true Churches and furthermore by the Grace of God we shall prove their Church their Worship and their whole Religion in all parts thereof to be degenerated from what the true Church was the true Worship and true Religion in the days of the Apostles and true Churches of old and these things shall we make manifest by faithful and sound Arguments according to the Scriptures that all the Earth may know and all people perceive who is in the Truth and of the true Worship and Religion and who are in the contrary and whether the Priests and that which they profess and practice for Religion or the Quakers and that which they profess and practice for Religion be of God and according to him and whether are contrary that the end of this long Travel and War and controversie may be desided and justly ended between us and all people may be resolved and satisfied concerning us and them that do oppose us And let all the Priests and Professors lay aside and give over their Houses of Correction and imprisoning people and whipping of them and stocking of us and dealing in this manner of violence and cruelty as for years by-past they have done in defence of their Religion and resisting of ours and let them lay aside their carnal Weapons and fighting against our persons and imprisoning of us about our Religion and let them come forth in sound Arguments the best they have and let us see what spiritual Weapons they have to resist us and defend themselves and let us try whether their spiritual Weapons or ours be the strongest and the most powerful and mighty and let theirs that are so prevail against the other be it ours or theirs and this is the way to try the truth and to make all things manifest and to deside and end all the whole controversies between us and them which hath been great this many years and let the Truth be set up and exalted where ever it is and all Deceit thrown down to the Ground and let us war with the Weapons of the Spirit against Errour and false Religion one in the other but le ts not hurt Creatures nor imprison Persons nor stock and whip Creatures and make them to suffer but let us thresh Deceit and whip and beat that and all false Opinions let us throw them down where they are found whether in them or in us and let us fight with the Weapons of the Spirit that are spiritual let them fight no longer with such cruel carnal Weapons and then let such as get the victory and overcome appear to be in the truth of the Church and such as falls and is overcome be manifest to be in the Error and of the false Church and Religion and let us love one anothers persons and let them act no otherwise towards our persons then we do upon theirs and towards them and let them take the liberty to deal with us and our persons as we deal with them and their persons and no otherwise And let such whether them or us that cannot prove our selves to be the true Church of Christ nor of the true Worship and true
now I am but praised praised be the Lord for evermore who hath separated me from the World and worldly glories and hath made me a partaker of his Love in whom my Soul hath fall satisfaction joy and content Thus have I travelled through the World even unto the end and am now come to the beginning of that which never shall have end which the dark mind of man knows not E. B. I Am a Prisoner for the Truth sake and for Declaring to man of his Wickedness and of his Transgression of the spiritual Law of God which is spiritual and for writing of a Letter which was written from God to shew to man of his wicked ways and how he stood in the presence of God as by the spiritual Light of God which shines in the hearts of his servants was discovered and made manifest unto me for who Speaks Writes or Declares from the Light of God which doth discover all the dark paths of fallen man and all his spiritual Wickedness Speaks Writes and Declares not as from man whose light is only natural and carnal which is darkness in the pure Light which is eternal but as from God whose Light is spiritual and doth make manifest the secret Whoredom of fallen man and from this Light did the Prophets and Ministers of God who were sent by him to reprove Sin and Transgression Speak Write and Declare and in this Light did the true Prophets Ieremiah and Hosea discover Israel to be adulterous and in the presence of God to be guilty of Whoredom from whose presence they declared And all now who are sent of God to reprove for Sin and Iniquity declares from the same Light of God and by the same Spirit which Ieremiah and Hosea did For the pure Light of God is but one from generation to generation in all generation which discovers Sin and Iniquity the same Light now as in the time of the Prophets and Apostles and from this Light which is not carnal but eternal did all the holy men of God Write and Declare And all who are sent of God now witnesses the same Light and Speaks from the same Light now as they did then for who cannot witness this Light are no Ministers of God neither ever were sent of God to Declare the Truth from God but are Deceivers and blind Guids and speaâ—â— from the natural and carnal light the imagined and supposed light which hath not seen the living spiritual God for Declaring by Writing to a man that he is guilty of all manner of wickedness naming pride drunkenness and whoredom I am imprisoned I wrote not as from man whose light is only natural and carnal and doth only make manifest carnal Transgressions of a carnal Law but as from the eternal and spiritual light which doth make manifest spiritual Transgressions of a spiritual Law And in this Light is he to whom I wrote guilty of all manner of Wickedness Now this which I declared from God who is spiritual is above the reach and comprehension of the carnal and earthly Law for by the natural light through the earthly Law is no natural man able to judge of that which is spoken or declared from that which is eternal and spiritual for darkness cannot comprehend the light which light all the Servants and Ministers of God are guided by to Act Speak or Write and therefore do I deny to have this Cause put into the Judgement of carnal Lawyers who judges by the natural light through the earthly and carnal Law yet willing I am before any Authority to Answer for my self that whereof I am Accused but to the Judgement of earthly Magistrates I do not stand but to the Judgement of the Living and Eternal Judge who Judges not according to the sight of the eyes and hearing of the ears but who judges with Equity and Righteousness thus rather I chose to suffer imprisonment in the Body yet free as to God in the Truth waiting to be Redeemed not by the earthly Powers through the earthly Law but by him who is Eternal whose Law is Eternal who orders all things by his mighty Power to which Power I give up my self to be kept in it and ordered by it continually Here I have given to all People the ground of my Imprisoment in the particular of it though I might in few words have declared the thing for between the feed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent is Enmity put and he in whom the Seed of the Serpent is Ruling seeks the destruction of him in whom the Seed of the Woman is Raised And here is the Ground of all the Saints Imprisonment now as ever was the envy of the Devil working in Fallen man against the living Truth of God where it is made manifest By one who is a Labourer in the Vineyard who is not known to the World though named of the World EDWARD BURROUGH THE Walls of Jericho Razed down to the GROUND OR An Answer to a Lying Book called The Quaking Principles dashed in pieces Wherein one called Henoch Howet which goes under the name of an Anabaptist doth falsely accuse and maliciously belye us his seven Principles which he calls ours I shall lay down and what we own is vindicated and what he hath belyed the Truth in is turned upon his own head NOw is the time wherein the Lord God of Heaven and Earth is setting up a Kingdom and exalting his Name in the Earth and is exalting his own Son upon the holy Hill of Sion and is discovering the Mother of Harlots who hath made all Nations drunk with her Fornication and Iezabel shall be cast into a Bed of Torment and the fire of the Lord God is come down from Heaven and is kindled in the Earth to burn up and destroy and to consume to ashes even all those that have worshipped the Beast and hath his Image and the false Prophets that have deceived the Nations and they both shall be taken alive and cast into the pit for the Lord is grieved and wearied with this adulterous and viperous Generation who are offering up that which stinks in his nostrils and strange fire and are professing him and his Resurrection who crucifie him and put him to open shame and they deny the end of his coming and are offering in Cains nature while they slay the Just and are in the gainsaying of Corah who perished in it and so shall all those that gainsay the Lord in his Way and now the Lord of Heaven and Earth is proclaming War with the Dragon and his Angels and they shall be cast out and whosoever doth resist him in his way shall be broken to pieces as a Potters vessel and thou Henoch Howet who would limit the holy One of Israel and bind him up in thy carnal reason and stint him in his Way and Form up things in thy imagination from the Scripture and walks by Tradition thou art accusing us among the Papist but let it stand for
found the lyer thy self and this we testifie against thee and all the world that by Jesus and in him are we made Holy Just and Humble he is made these things in us and for us and the Publican state is witnessed by us who have passed through the figure and parable into the life and substance And whereas thou sayst we that boast of our light within and faith thus saith the Lord and brings Christs words I answer this is another lye we do not boast of our Light within but we witness it to be within us and to have enlightned every one that comes into the world which thou and thy Generation denies and so would make Christ a Lyer and the Scripture a Lye but against you all with all the world we bear testimony the Father bears witness with us that every man that comes into the world is enlightned by the Light of Christ which teacheth righteousness unto all that loves it but condemn them that hate it whereof thou art one who utters forth thy lyes and Slanders and false Accusations against the Innocent and that Scripture Ioh. 9. we own and do witness to be fulfilled in us by the coming of Christ he which did see is Blind and he which was Blind now sees and while we did see our sin remained but being Blind we have no sin but this to thee and to thy spirit is a mystery sealed and never to be known in that nature and wisdom and here again thou hast used thy tongue false Prophet like and must receive a false Prophets reward And whereas thou sayst if Christ had not spoke to us in his word we had no sin but now we have no cloak for our sin I answer Christs words we own but here thou art made manifest to all to add to the Scripture in his word this thou hast added false Prophet like and therefore the Lord will add his plagues unto thee as the Scripture saith be ashamed and blush thy folly and wickednesse is made manifest who is not ashamed to carry on thy designe to add to Christs words And whereas thou sayest we do not only neglect the weightier matters of the law but tâ—… law it self teaching men so to do for we said that the Scripture is not the rule of faith and conversation as one of us taught Sept. 27. in thy hearing and many others that will witness it I answer here I challenge thee to prove that thou hast spoken and all thy witnesses which thou speakes of oh thou Lyer be ashamed to forge such Lyes and declare them in writing for Truth we neglect not the weightier matters of the Law nor the Law nor teach any so to do all that ever heard us will bear witness against thee and they though our Enemies shall witness for us and against thee in this thing for we declare the Everlasting Gospel which is the fulfilling of the Law and this we declare that the Law must have its thorow operation before the Gospel be witnessed and one of thy own society said to us we had preached the Law and brought men to understand 〈◊〉 from Grace now let all take notice of the confusion you live in and let your own hearts condemn you and the light in your own consciences convince you that you are in Babylon and in confusion and are no true Church of Christ where all are oâ— one heart and one mind and this again I affirm as before I did in thy hearing that the Scripture is not the Saints rule but the Spirit which gave forth the Scripture as the Scripture it self witnesses Rom. 8. Faith was before the Scripture was and therefore the Scripture is not the ground of it but a Declaration of it and no other faith we own but the faith which Abel had and which Moâ—â—â— had which was when no Scripture was written and that we own to be the Rule of our Conversation which they walked by the immediate Spirit of God which was before the Scripture was written and all you who profess the Scripture to be your rule your own rule shall testifie against you when the eternal God judges you and they who witness that to be their rule which gave forth the Scripture walkes up in the life of the Sdripture more then you all and you are proved to be but the Iew outward who boasts of the Ordinances from the Letter but persecutes them by slanders and false reproaches who witness the Substance and your praise is only of men and not of God and the same woe which thou pronounces upon us will fall upon thy own head for this thy grievous slander that we neglect the Law and teach men so to do And whereas thou brings many Scriptures and saith thus saith the Lord. I answer the Scriptures we own and by that spirit which speaks them forth we witness them to be true and they are ours and though you say they are the savour of death to us that perish yet thou art found a Lyer for we are saved out of the perishing state and death is destroyed through death through faith and thou hast diminished from that Scripture 2 Tim. 3. 15. false Prophet like again and so art both an adder and a diminisher and thou mayst read thy portion in Rev. 22. 18 19. And whereas thou sayest know this thou perverter of the right way of God thou shalt be judged by the word that Christ spake I answer here thou sets the Scripture in the room of Christ and art the perverter of the right way of God thy self for the Scripture saith all judgement is commited to the Son and the Scripture is not the Son and thou didst say and now again writes that the Scripture shall judge the world and so I charge it upon thee that thou art a Blasphemer who exalts the Scripture above the Son of God and shalt be judged by the Son into utter darkness and into the pit from whence thou art come yet this I testifie he that receives the Son rejecteth not those words which was spoken by him though thou and thy Generation Pharisee-like may make a profession of the words which Christ spoke and yet reject the Son and all to whom Christ speaks which receives him not shall be judged by the word which he speaks for he speaks eternally which shall stand eternally but when did he speak to thee For this I do declare thou mayst have those words which he spoke and yet never have heard his word nor voice as the Pharisees had those words which God spake by the Prophets but never had heard his word nor seen his shape Iohn 5. And thou sayst quake and tremble at this that word which you reject and dispise shaâ—â— judge you at the last day and sayst thus saith the Lord and bringst Christs words and the Apostles words I Answer The Lord rebuke thee thou Scorner here thou hast made the filthiness of thy heart known for out of the abundance thereof
but what is declared of in the Scripture by the Holy Men of God and neither without it nor above or beyond it do we speak I challenge thee to prove what thou hast asserted and all the City of London whether we have spoken or declared any thing but what the Scriptures bears witness to and the Light which we declare of is the Light of Christ which the Scripture saith hath enlightened every one that comes into the World and it is not besides the Scripture so as contrary to it but the Scripture bears witness of the Light And here I charge thee with Blasphemy who calls the Pure Light of Christ thick Darkness and that the Light of Christ which is the Light which we declare of hath led men or leads any to contemn God or his Ordinances or Righteousness let shame strike thee in the face thou impudent one who blasphemously sayes that the Light of Christ is thick Darkness and leads into contempt of God let the Light in thy own Conscience condemn thee thou Enemy of God for thy Lyes and Slanders and Blasphemy which in this thy Book thou hast uttered And whereas Thou exhortest to labour to see an excellency in Christ in the Word of Christ and in the Church and Ordinances of Christ. I answer For the simple Ones sake that they may not be deceived none ever shall see any excellency in those things but who owns and walks in the Light of Christ which lets every one see themselves first and your talking of the same and report of Christ and of his Word and Ordinance is not to know the excellency of those things for death in you talks of the same but the thing in Substance you are ignorant of and you who stumble at the Light wherewith Christ lighteneth every one are above the Door which is the entrance unto the life of these things And so I exhort all to mind the Light of Christ and to walk in it and it will lead unto Christ from whence the Light comes and it will lead to the fulfilling of Christs Words and to the one Bread and to the one Baptism and the Light is the Door and Entrance unto the Life of those things But you who hate the Light and deny it to be in every one hath but the Husk and outward Declaration of those things and are without the Life And whereas thou sayst They that are of God will hear John Peter and Paul and the rest that were the Servants of Christ not the fleshly conceits of those or any other men and Christ Sheep hear his Voyce and a Stranger they will not hear I answer They that are of God do own the writings of all the Servants of Christ but many may profess their words as the Pharisees did the Prophets words and as thou dost now and yet not be of God but children of the Devil but that our conceits are fleshly I do deny for all conceits of the flesh we deny and bears witness against and it shall stand for thy own condition and thy voice is the voice of a stranger and they that are of God will not follow it though thou bringst the Saints words in thy mouth as the Devil did unto Christ yet in the Light of Christ thou art seen and comprehended and from the Light of Christ answered and by it judged to be without the life of those Scriptures which thou speakst of and they are to thee but as an empty sound And whereas thou cites many more Scriptures which are exhortations of the Apostles to the Church and exhorts thy Brethren with them To which I answer as before The Scriptures I do own but to thee thou envious man they do not belong for as in this thy writing thou art proved a Lyar and a Scorner and a Slanderer and a false Accuser and a Blasphemer out of thy own mouth be a Witness against thy self and let all thy whole Assembly bear witness against thee that the Scriptures which were spoken to the Saints who walked in the light and had denyed ungodliness do not belong unto thee who art an hater of the light and lives in the pollutions of the world but the Scriptures will surely be fulfilled upon thee The wicked shall be turned into Hell and the Lyar shall have his portion in the Lake and he that works abomination is to be troden in the winepress of the wrath of God without the City and such like And now somthing in answer to some things in the Epistle to the Reader Whereas thou and the rest of you there say although the light hath appeared yet there is a Generation of men in the world that do hate the light and endeavour to put it out crying against the Scriptures of Truth it s a dead letter and against the form of doctrine therein contained To which I answer It is true the light hath appeared Christ who is the Light lightneth every one that comes into the world which light hath appeared in every mans conscience and there is a Generation which hates the light and you are of that Generation which say every man hath not the light and calls the Light of Christ thick darkness and endeavour to put it out and here you have read your own condition though you make a large profession of the Scriptures which is not the light but words declared from the Light as the Iewes did profess the Prophets words but persecuted Christ and spoke against him who was the light and substance of the Prophets words and if you know any who cry against the Scripture and against the doctrine therein contained we cry and declare against such for the Scripture we own in its place to be a true declaration of God of Christ and of the Saints conditions but they are not the light but Christ is the light as themselves bear witness nor are they the Saints guide but the Spirit that gave them forth as they themselves bear testimony neither were the Scriptures given forth to give your own imaginations and suppositions upon but they themselves are doctrine and are as they speak he that hath the same spirit which speak them forth reads them and understands them and none else And whereas thou sayst Lest that simple plain meaning men should be kept in Babels darkness or the enlightned fall into the errour of the wicked for that reason your Book came to publick view I answer truly you are deceived who think to gain into your form the simple plain meaning men by Lies and false Slanders and false Accusation who are simple and plain unto God will descern your deceits and how falsly you have accused the innocent and will see you to be in Babels darkness and who walks in in the light wherewith they are enlightned will see you to be in the errour of the wicked and out of the Truth and it is well for the Truths sake that your Book came forth that thereby your filthiness and deceitfulness and
enviousness might be laid open to the simple And truly I say unto you you have and will miss of your end in putting forth this Book of yours And whereas you say you shall be willing at any time to vindicate every conclusion therein contained against any that shall oppose I answer I challenge you all in this particular to prove those accusations which you have laid to our charge whom you call Quakers in many particulars which before I have demanded what they are is before spoken of And whereas you say you account that light within not witnessed by the Scripture without which some so much talk of to be deep darkness I answer if you know any who speak of any Light which the Scripture doth not witness of we with you freely declare against such and such a light is darkness but the Light of Christ which we speak of which hath enlightned every one that cometh into the world I hope you are not so impudent but you will acknowledge that the Scriptures speaks of this light and dare not deny but that the Scripture witnesses that Christ is the Light of the word for as I said we freely give way and desire that all might search the Scripture whether these things be not so as we declare And whereas you say and exhort to let the Scripture be the rule of faith and practice I Answ. Here you would alwayes keep people in darkeness under your teaching and would make void the new Covenant which is the Law written in the heart and the Spirit of the Lord put in the inward parts to be the rule and guide of the Saints for who walks by the rule without them and teaches men so to do would make void the Covenant of life and peace where the Teacher is not removed into a corner which Teacher all that have faith and an holy Conversation do witness which teaches not contrary to what the Scripture speak but is a teaching and fulfilling of the Scripture and an establishing of it though thou and many may profess the teaching of the Scripture and may in your own wills conform unto it in the outward appearance as the Pharisees did and yet be but Hypocrites and deceived as they were and I say again that faith was before the Scripture was written which faith is declared of in the Scripture which faith comes as is manifested by hearing of the word preached which word is even in the mouth and in the heart if you have an ear you may hear and now I advise you all in the Name of the Lord to cease striving and contending against the truth for verily the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands will dash your image of many mixtures to peices and it falling upon you will grinde you to powder and your conforming the outward man to an outward thing and teaching men so to do and limitting and tying the Holy one to a visible thing will not cover you in the Day of the Lord nay verily though concerning the Scripture without you may walk blameless yet one thing will be found lacking even the cross of Jesus Christ by which all sin is crucified in them who walk in it and I say unto you that your covering is to narrow and it will not hide your secret parts for in the eternall Light of Christ you are seen and comprehended your beginning your time and your end for though you have the Scriptures and Jewish like walks up in the outward appearance of them crying up the Ordinances and Churches yet your praise is of men and not of God for you are enemies to the life of the Scriptures as is made appear by your many Lyes and Slanders against us which you have uttered and I say return your minds every one within to that in your own consciences which reproves you in secret for your secret iniquities it will let you see where your hearts are and how far they are mortified to the world and the love of it and this light wherewith every one of you is enlightned is the Light of Christ and it is the Lords true Witness and shall witness for him eternally against all whose deeds are evil who walk in disobedience of it and all who love it and walk in it it leads unto Christ and into all purity and holiness and uprightness of heart towards God and man and this light leads unto justification all tâ—eâ— who are taught by it and herâ— is your Teacher loving it and your condemnation eternally continuing to hate it And thus I have answered thy Book and the Truth is witnessed and many false Lyes and false Accusations denied and testified against and thus I rest waiting for an answer to clear thy self if thou art able of those things which I haâ—e denied which thou hast charged upon us for God is my Witness this I do desire that Truth may be made manifest and imbraced and Deceit and Errour discovered and denied By one who is a Witness against the Deceits of the World called Edward Burrough TO THE Camp of the Lord IN ENGLAND TO all you Called Chosen Elected and Beloved of the Lord who are of the Circumcision made without hands of the Seed of Abraham who are Iews indeed not after the flesh but in the Spirit unto whom belongs the Everlasting Promise and Covenant which God hath and is fulfilling in you and establishing with you We your Fellow-Citizens of the Heavenly Ierusalem which is the Mother of us all and of the same Body and of the same Seed and same Birth begotten and brought forth by the immortal Word of Life which lives for ever do send greeting and do imbrace you in the Arms of our Beloved who is and is to come God blessed for ever You who are called Quakers who are so not onely in word nor in shew but in Life and in Power whom God hath called chosen to place his Name in and to take up his Habitation among above all the Families of the Earth the Tabernacle of God is with you and his Dwelling-place is among you and onely among you is God known and his Name is great in your Assemblies We who are of the same Root and Off-spring do bring in our witness and do set to our seal That God of a truth is with you and among you and he is the God of the living that answers by Fire he is I am and there is none besides him the First and the Last the Beginning and the End of all things Praise him for ever ye Redeemed of him lift up your heads your Redemer is come clap your hands and shout for joy and let the everlasting Praises of God be in your mouthes for ever and ever Exalt ye his Name above all gods and glorifie him in the sight of all the Heathen and let his marvellous Works stand upon Record from Generation to Generation Wonderful hath his Work been among you and that my soul knows right well
the end and numbred thy work into a total sum which is a secret smiting and obscure shooting against the Manifestation or Belief of Christ within which there can be no Salvation without as I have proved and in words only I find thee exalting Christ without and worshipping the name of Mary like the Pope I have good ground so to judge And whereas thou callest the Doctrine of Christ within false Opinions and takeâ—â— in hand to discover it as in Page 203. I say to all honest men who have but any knowledge of the Letter of the Scripture thou art hereby sufficiently discovered who callst the chief thing which is the chief unto Salvation and without which can be none false Opinions God shall judge thee thou wicked heart and much more I need not say but shall leave this to the view of any that are honest to judge so have gone through thy Book and passed by many things only I have spoken to that in which thou hast treated any thing upon us and the Truth I have cleared from many Lyes and Slanders and thy Vail of false Reproaches is rent and our Innocency doth partly appear and thy vail of Hypocrisie is a little removed and thy deceitfull heart weighed and seen And as for the rest of thy Book whicg I have not medled with thus much I say of it I suppose you will confess it was all given forth by one spirit and it is proved some of it is given forth by a lying spirit then let the Reader judge what the rest of it can be though the words be true yet is thy spirit false and at the best what thou hast said is but bearing false witness as to thy self of a true thing I own the words and I deny the voice and here I deal plainly with thee Thou then askst a Question Doth not the Scripture speak of Christ within unto which I further add answer it as thou canst Doth not the Scripture say Christ is within except you be Reprobates And is not this thus much all are reprobate but they in whom Christ is within Answer iâ— plainness and darken not knowledge by words without wisdom And towards the end I find thee making up the sum of thy wickedness with this numbring the Quakers with Ranters Sin Death and the Devil I will not bring a railing Accusation against thee but the Lord rebuke thee thou unclean spirit who hast falsly accused the Innocent to clear thy self from guilt but at thy door guilt lodges and I leave it with thee clear thy self if thou art able And thy wicked Reproaches we patiently bear till the Lord appear for us and we are not greater then our Lord who was said to have a Devil by thy Generation and their measure of wickedness thou fulfils and art one of the Dragons Army against the Lamb and his Followers and thy Weapons are Slanders and thy Refuge is Lyes and thy work is confused and hath hardly gained a name in Babylons Record and by us so much of it at least as is against us is cast by as our spoiled prey and trampled upon in all thy reproachfull speeches who art unclean and of more price to us is thy hatred and envy then thy love can be except the gâ—und were better in which you stand Now a few words I may write in Answer to the Queries in the end of thy Book which thou directst thus Some Questions to the Quakers or a few Queries to those possessed with a Spirit of delusion in this Generation Question 1. If sayst thou that every man hath a measure of the Spirit of Christ within him why say the Scriptures That some are sensual having not the Spirit aâ—â— Christ saith The World cannot receive it John 14. Answ. Some men are sensual and have not the Spirit because they received it not some cannot receive it because they believe not in him from whence it comes yet is the measure of the Spirit given unto every man to profit withal as the Scripture saith And it is given to within him to reprove him of sin but few do receive it and when thou canst learn to distinguish between a thing being given and a receiving of such a thing then thou mayst be answered in thy self It is one thing in God to give the Spirit and another thing in the Creature to receive it He gives it to many that receive it not to follow it and to be guided by it thus far I answer and let them that are led with a spirit of Delusion answer thee further Qu. 2. What is the Church of God redeemed by from under the Law is it by something that is done within them or by something done without them If it be redeemed by something that worketh in them then why did the man Christ Iesus hang upon the Cross in Mount Calvery without the Gates of Jerusalem for the sins of his People and why do the Scriptures say That through this man is preached unto us forgiveness of sins c. Answ. The Church of God is redeemed by Christ Jesus which is revealed within all that believe and Christ Jesus wrought in them mightily and it was he that wrought in them to will and to do this is plain according to Scripture And the man Christ Jesus was hanged upon the Cross on Mount Calvery because they wickedly judged him to be a Blasphemer and through their envy persecuted him to death because he bore witness against them and as in their account he died and hanged upon the Cross for an Evil-doer and this is one ground at least why he hanged upon the Cross and the Scriptures say That through this man is preached the forgiveness of sins because there is no other that can forgive sin nor the blood of any other thing that can take away sin but the Blood of God as it is written And thus far I answer If thou wilt have more seek it from them who are led with a spirit of Delusion Qu. 3. What Scripture have you to prove that Christ is or was crucified within you risen within you ascended within you Answ. There is no Scriptures that mention any one of our particular names and thy Query is raised from thy mis-understanding of us so I judge but Christ is within us that we dare not deny and he is the Lamb that was slain in the streets of the great City which is spiritually called Sodom and Aegypt mind spiritually and he is now risen and ascended this we know through Faith in his Name And I leave thee to receive a fuller Answer from them that are led with a spirit of Delusion if they will give it thee Qu. 4. Is that very man that was crucified on Mount Calvery between two Thieves whose Name is Iesus the Son of Mary is he the very Christ of God ye or nay Answ. Yea he is the very Christ of God which was before the World was by whom the World was made who was made
foolish matters as for not putting off a Hat or for Theeing men and for denying the foolish circumstance of Swearing and we do not read that the worst of Tyrants in the Apostles dayes or before or since ever caused any to suffer for such things as these or ever questioned any upon any such small accounts for hundreds have suffered upon suspition when nothing at all can be charged against them and this is contrary to Magna-Carta And in many other respects which might be named this suffering is greater than hath been in any Age for many have suffered in this Common-wealth which have been faithful and hazarded all in time of war for the good of the Common-wealth and many of them suffer by them who have been Enemies and in Arms against the Common-wealth and herein the suffering appears more intollerable But doth the Magistrate think to come to account for these things Yea the Lord is Just and his Way is Righteous What flesh could but be provoked hereby But the Saints are changed in nature and are to fullfill the Will of the Lord by Suffering the Cruelty of men is become exceeding great against the Lord and his people Again hereby the Persecution in this Age appears more to exceed former Ages because Liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Religion was never so much promised and professed as in this Nation at this day and yet for the exercise of a pure Conscience many are wofull Sufferers even by such who in words profess Liberty of Conscience themselves and yet persecutes the exercise of it in others even for not putting off a Hat or the like to them these with many other things may aggravate the hainousness of the sin of persecution to be great and more unjust than in-former Ages Alas how is the Sword of Iustice turned backward and the Innocent smitten and persecuted and that for Righteousness sake and not for Evil-doing By a Friend to the Suffering Seed of God EDWARD BURROUGH Truth the Strongest of all Witnessed forth in the Spirit of Truth against all Deceit And pleading in Righteousness it s own Cause to the understanding of the Simple against a very great number of Lyes Slanders Perverting of the Scriptures Contradictions and false Damnable Doctrines held forth by the INDEPENDANTS And is a Reply to Bunion's second Book called A Vindication c. Wherein what was wanting in his former of fulfilling wickedness is now appeared by his adding sin unto sin against God and against his own soul. Reader THOU hast here a very great number of Lyes and Slanders and Unjust-dealings and False-doctrines c. Laid open and reproved in plainness and not in hypocrisie and of contention there is not suddenly an end being begun therefore seeing the unbelieving heart of Iohn Bunion cannot believe me when I speak the truth in justness nor may I believe his Lies and Slanders uttered in hypocrisie what is laid down is left to thee soberly to judge of betwixt us while we are both silent And this know the one is a Deceiver and the other is as a Deceiver yet true and thus mayst thou weight things equally First considering of many Lyes and Slanders truly charged upon him in my first of which he is guilty from his first and he hath not at all cleared himself of them in his second which an honest man ought to have done before he had gone further for I soberly desired witness of what he said But be hath added to the number of his wickedness and not proved justly what he hath said against us And it is not for his sake for little thoughts I have of his conversion but thâ—…â—…ther that he will be hardned nor for may own sake as if I were unsatisfied concerniâ—…m that this is written but to undeceive the simple of what his wickedness may falsly suggest into the mind as if all were truth that he spoke if his wickedness were not reproved Again Consider that I have cleared the Truth of my words which he hath wrested and thereby taken occasion against the Truth by answering his own conceptions and not my plain words so my words which are words of Truth being defended all his Reply is made void So I have not so much desired to answer every particular of his words as to vindicate my own words and the Truth from his false Slanders and Accusations O HOW hath Satan filled the hearts of men in this Generation as well as in former Ages with Envy against the Truth and with Wrath against the Way thereof and how hath he filled them with Craft and deceitfull Subtilty to offend the Way of the Lord in all manner of Persecuting and Evil-speaking against it openly and also in secret Gain-saying in Hypocrisie and how are men armed to defend themselves in their naughtiness lying hid under the Vail of fair Speeches and fine Arguments using the Scripture in the words of mans wisdom to oppose the Power and Life of Righteousness even as the Scribes and Pharisees of old how zealous were they in their Observances and in fullfilling the Commands and Traditions of their Fathers having set themselves in Moses Seat professing Moses and the Prophets words and yet persecuted Christ the Life and Substance of Moses and the Prophets And as it was then so is it now how are Christs words and the Apostles professed and preached by such who are Enemies to the Life of Christ made manifest in mortall flesh and secretly opposing the doctrine of the Apostles who said Know ye not that Christ is within you except you be Reprobates But the mighty Day of the Lord is come and coming wherein all hearts are made manifest and the secrets thereof discovered and the light is springing out of darkness and the Sun is breaking thorow the Clouds to give light to all men and Nations and the great Whore which hath decked her self in divers colours to deceive shall be made naked and bare and the day of great striving is come and now every man stands up for his Interest to defend his Possession for the just Judge standeth at the Door to enquire by what Law every man holds his Inheritance and he findeth many holding their Religion and Profession by the Traditions of men only and not by the Revelation of Christ Jesus in them and such he will dispossess though they strive against him yet all is in vain and though they plead Antiquity yet that will not prevail and in that the day of great striving is come betwixt the Lamb and his Followers the Draggon and his Followers every one of that Party appearing with such weapons as the Devil hath armed them withal and with such Armour as the wicked hath they come appearing under divers colours to fight against Zioâ— yet under one Head and Prince of Darkness and unto one Purpose evâ—… that the Seed of Iacob may be rooted out and that the Way of Truth may 〈◊〉 prosper that then the Wicked may go on in
use of his wisdom he can he can but serve the Devil with it while his wisdom is sensual and divillish And let him leave us to our childishness and folly and let the issue prove whether is the safer guide 7. His seventh Reason is saith he Their malignancy doth blinde them to make that the principal cause of their rage and reviling the Ministry which is plainly agreeable to the will of God and necessary to the Churches good Ans. This is false also we are not blinded but doth see Richard Baxter and all such to be out of the Way of Truth and Peace And as for rage and reviling against the Ministers that is false also though indeed we do openly reprove deceivers and we know it is not agreeable to the will of God and necessary to the Churches good though he saith it is for Ministers of Christ to take tythes or to have a set-maintenance for never none of the Ministers of Christ that we read of in Scripture either took tythes to maintain them or had a set-maintenance but all that Christ allows to his Ministers is to eat such things as were set before them And in that he saith We liken them to covetous Priests among the Iews that is true to whom should we liken them but to them that practised the same things as they do And I am sure there never was Priests in any Generation that were more covetous then these of England are as in many particulars might be shewed for as the false prophets in Israel did so do these in many things and what the Ministers of Christ did these do not And whereas he pleads for Tythes never Minister of Christ did in the Gospel-administration claim the tenth of peoples labours nor none of the Ministers of Christ were Maintained by Tythes but lived of the Gospel which they preached which livelyhood was not great sums of money and compelling some of it too from the people by a Law but the Churches ministered to the Apostles necessities whom the Apostles had begotten to the faith and planted them as a Vinyard and kept them as a Flock But the manintenance of the Priests of England is another case they must have so much a year and people is bound to pay them and sometimes so much a Sermon and they maintain themselves in idleness and fulness and pride and spend the Creation more then upon their necessities but he saith Concerning Tythes That Tythes are the Churches and not the peoples and by the Law of the Land too What the Law of the Land requires which is just we do own and do not resist it but what the Law of the Land commands which is contrary to the Law of God as the Law is which commands to pay Tythes we cannot be obedient to it for we read in the Hebrews that Law which commanded to pay Tythes and take Tythes in the old Covenant is put to an end and Christ the second Priesthood established and the Priesthood being changed there was a necessity of the change of the Law also which upheld the priesthood Then whence is that Law of the Land which commands â—ythes of God or otherwise judge ye seeing the Scripture saith The Commandment going before viz. that gave Tythes is disannulled 8. His eighth Reason The Quakers way is too cruel and uncharitable to be the way of God they damn saith he the most humble holy faithful Servants of God to whom God hath promised life c. Answ. This is not the least of his Lyes our Way is Christ and is neither cruel nor uncharitable but pure and holy and zealous against all sin and cannot bear and suffer iniquity but reproves it neither do we damn any but warns all to repent to be humble and lowly that they may have the promise of life and we sharply reprove sin and Deceivers and Deceit and this makes the men of this Generation mad and calls it cruel and uncharitable when as we do but warn them of their sins shewing them if they live in sin they perish and if they repent and turn to God they shall be saved and God hath given us the spirit of discerning and by their fruits we do know a child of God from a child of the Devil and herein do establish the Gospel and not repeal it though he falsly saith so neither do we condemn any who fear the Lord in any thing they do or speak in his fear but with such we have unity who walks in uprightness in the midst of a malicious World and perverse Generation as this is 9. His nineth Reason saith he After all their sins they most impudently pretend to 〈◊〉 sinless perfection c. Ans. What such as are in darkness doth conceive of us and so utters iâ— matters not but many of us do witness that Christ hath done away our sins and in him we are compleat through saith in which we are perfect without sin and it is not of our selves and that perfection we exhort all to press after that they may be perfect in Christ Iesus without sin And he saith They themselves desire a sinless perfection and confesseth it is their command and duty and yet saith it is an impudent pretâ—â—â—â—e in us to profess that which himself confesseth they desire and is their comman and duty and this is great confusion and comes out of Babylons store And though he would falsly suppose that the Quakers suppose to have no need of Christ and saith he They dare it seems say they will not 〈◊〉 beholding to God or to the Blood of Christ for the pardon of sin but these are his foolisâ—â— imaginations for we are beholding to Christ and to his Blood onely which hath clensed us from all sin and by it our sins and trespasses are blotted out and forgiven And we do not think highly of our selves though he impudently chargeth it upon us and hath bent his tongue for Lyes and made them his refuge and strong Reasons 10. His tenth Reason That we do in many Doctrines so openly comply with the Papisâ— that people may see plainly that the Iesuits and Fryars are our Leaders and he saith this hath been proved by many Confessions c. Ans. The Papist we utterly deny their Doctrines their wayes and whatsoever favours of Popery and are not lead by any other but by Jesus Christ a our lives and Doctrines doth make appear to all that have an eye to see iâ— true we may be falsly slandered and accused by Richard Baxter and by tâ—â— Priests and the wicked people of the World for it is enough for us to be as oâ—â— Master Christ who was called a Devil and as was he so are we slandered anâ— accused in this and many other things But that ever it was proved that we aâ—… led by Jesuits and Fryars this is one of our Adversaries slanders he hath onâ—… and again accused us but he never proved it though now he saith the Papiâ—… make the Scriptures a dead
is contained in the Old and New Testament of the Scriptures which Oath he is bound to perform before the Lord and unto all men Now it remains to be tried and proved what the Christian Religion is and who they are in these Nations that are of the true reformed Protestant Christian Religion in the purity thereof as it is contained in the Scriptures seeing there are abundance of Sects and diversity of Judgements and many Assemblies and Gatherings of people who are divers in their Wayes in their Practices and in their Form of Religion in these Nations which do all profess the Scriptures and that their Form of Religion is according to the Scriptures but this cannot be but it will be manifest otherwise for the Scriptures which were given forth by the one Spirit of God bears not witness of many true Ways or unto many true Religions but unto one Truth and unto one true Religion and is the Declaration of one way of Life and Salvation by one Jesus Christ and there is no other Name under Heaven given for Salvation And they that believe in him and receive him those are they onely that are of the true Religion who are guided by the Spirit and changed thereby from Death to Life and such have unity with the Father and with the Son and one with another and are not of this World but Heirs of the Kingdom of God and these may own and claim a Title to be defended and preserved in their exercise and Practice of Religion Therefore come all sorts of People and let us try and prove who it is that is of the true Religion and who it is that he is bound to maintain and uphold by his Oath Come I say all Sects and sorts of people and appear to Trial Dare you joyn issue with me in this matter to try your Profession and Practise oâ— Religion whether it be according to the Scriptures in the purity thereof yea or nay for the Lord hath put it into my Heart to lay you all to the Line of true Judgement and to prove you whether you must be upholden and maintained in your Religion yea or nay Come claim your Priviledge if your Profession and Practice in Religion be according to the Scriptures then you may own your right and the benefit of the Protectors Oath but if your Profession and Practice in Religion be otherwise and not according to the Scriptures then you must stand back and defend your selves if you can for the Protector is not bound to maintain and uphold you in your Practice of Religion And with this Argument I shall try you all Whatsoever is professed and practised for Religion for which there is neither command nor president in Scripture is not aecording to the Scripture let this fall where it may this is Truth and therefore all people come to tryal and receive your judgement by this rule And first the true Religion is a walking with God in purity and holiness a performing of good to him and not doing any evil a belief in Christ and receiving of him and a living in him and through the operation of his Spirit to be changed into his Image and the Body of Sin and Death put off and a living to God in all things and not a living to this vain World in any thing but in all things to be guided by the Spirit of Christ This in short is a description of the true Religion and they that are of this Religion shall be saved in the Day of the Lord and in Equity and Righteousness should be protected according to the Oath before-mentioned or else the Oath is not performed in justice but rather broken through transgression And first of all as concerning that profession and practice in Religion which is most general in these Nations I mean such as sprinkle Infants and are sprinkled being Infants professing it to be the Baptism into the Faith of Christ and that it is a seal of the new Covenant and of remission of sins and that thereby people are made capable of union with Christ and that it is a sign of regeneration c. This is practised and professed by many for Religion but this Practice and Doctrine is not according to the Scripture therefore all ye through all these Nations that are made Christians and own your Title in Christianity and a right to fellowship with Christ and that ye are joyned to the Church and become Members of Christ because you were sprinkled when you were Infants and all ye that preach this for Doctrine and practise it for Religion you are not of the true Christian Religion in the Purity thereof as it is contain'd in the Scriptures this I do affirm Therefore stand you by for what you practise and profess there is neither Command nor President in Scripture if you could shew any you are now called and a Necessity is put upon you to make use of your Knowledge if you would be protected in this Common-Wealth in your Practice of Religion Likewise you sing and give to sing David's Psalms in Rhyme and Meeter professing it is to the Glory and Honour of God ye practise this as an Ordinance of God as a part of his Worship and as a part of your Religion but this Practice and Profession also is manifest not to be according to Scriptures because it was never commanded neither is there any President for this Practice in the Scriptures in Gospel Times therefore in this part of your Religion you cannot justly own to be pro tected and maintained because the Protector 's Oath reacheth not to uphold and maintain any such Practices in Religion which are not according to the Scriptures Likewise all ye that meet together to exercise your Religion and to worship God in Temples made with hands set a part by you for that Practice professing them to be Churches of Christ this is not according but contrary to the Scriptures which say God dwells not in Temples made with hands neither did the Saints of old constantly practice any such thing But they were the Persecutors that met in Temples made with hands who cast out and haled the Apostles out of such Temples so that in this Practice you cannot justly own to be protected as not being a Practice in Religion according to Scriptures Likewise All ye whose Ministers preach for Hire and have Hire for preaching so much a Year and so much a Sermon at a Town or a Parish in a settled Place and who take Tythes and compel People to pay Tythes by a Law such are not the Ministers of Christ and ye that uphold such for Ministers of Christ are false in Judgment and blind in Understanding and are not of that Christian Religion which is according to Scriptures in the Purity thereof neither Ministers nor People for the Ministers of Christ never acted any such thing they were the false Prophets and false Apostles that preached for Hire and for Gifts and Rewards neither did
and Assemblies of the Lord's People practiz'd the same thing in Ages past as the Servants of the Lord do at this day so this Practice is to be upholden and maintained because it is proved to be according to the Scriptures for the same thing was practiz'd heretofore And we read Acts 20. 7. That the Church met in the Night for Paul continued his Sermon till Midnight And as for their Practice in Speaking either man or Woman as the Spirit gives utterance this is according to the Scriptures though it be much wondred at and cry'd against by the Wise-men and People of this Age for we read Acts 2. that they spoke in their Meeting as the Spirit gave them utterance without studying before-hand what to say And the Lord promised That Sons and Daughters should Prophesie And in Acts 21. 9. we read of one that had four Daughters that did Prophesie And divers other places in Scripture do shew That Women labour'd in the Gospel which doth prove that a Woman speaking and declaring the things of God is not contrary but according to the Scriptures and that any who are moved of the Lord may declare the things of God Man or Woman And the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 4. 10. As every man hath received the Gift even so minister the same one to another So that this Practise in Religion is proved to be according to the Scriptures And as concerning their call to the Ministry some are called from their ordinary callings as from the Plough or from handicraft work or tradings or such like this is according to the Scriptures also for we read Matt. 4. 18 19. where the Disciples were called from their Nets and some were called from the receipt of Custom and we read Amos 7. that he was a Herdsman and a gatherer of Sycamore fruit and Elisha was called from the Plough and some others were called from keeping of Sheep So that their call to the Ministry and Practice in the Ministry is according to the Scriptures for the Servants of the Lord in former Ages were called to the Ministry after the same manner so in that they do agree to the Scripture both in Ministry and ministring and so may own protection herein by the Protectors Oath And as concerning their going up and down through the Countries and from City to City and from one Town to another and from one Nation to another this is according to the Scriptures though some seek occasion thereby against them and unjustly take them as for Vagabonds and executes their envy upon them yet it was the Apostles Practice as you may read in the Book of Acts where the Apostles travelled from Country to Country and from one City to another And though some of the Servants of the Lord are moved now to speak and dispute in the Markets and reprove Sin in the Gates and in the Streets and in the High-wayes and threatning God's Judgments against the Wicked all these things are according to Scripture and their Practice herein is justified by the Scriptures for we read Acts 17. 17. That Paul disputed in the Synagogues with the Jews and with the devout Persons and in the Market daily with them that met with him And we read Ier. 7. That he was commanded to stand in the Gate of the Lord's House and to speak to all that passed into it And Ier. 26. we read That he was commanded to stand in the Court of the Lord's House without doors and to speak to all the Cities of Judah And we read in the Book of Ionas How he was commanded to go through the Streets and to reprove Sin and to threaten God's Iudgments against the Wicked and these Practices were strange in that Generation as they are at this day unto the World who are not acquainted with the Wayes of God But all people may see though the Servants of the Lord do practice these things now as they are moved their Practice herein is according to the Scriptures for the Servants of the Lord in former Ages acted the same things so that in this Practice the Servants of the Lord ought not to be persecuted but protected and maintained in it and that by the Protector 's Oath because it is proved to be according to the Scriptures which he is sworn to maintain And as concerning their crying against such and declaring against them by word and writing That Preach for Hire and Divine for Money and seek for their Gain from their Quarter and such who go for Gifts and Rewards and have Sums of Money by the Year for Preaching and though they deny such that act those things to be Ministers of Christ this Practice also is according to the Scriptures for we read in Mic. 3. that he declar'd against such as Preached for Hire and Divined for Money and such were no Ministers of Christ And we read Isa. â—6 that he declared against them that sought for their Gain from their Quarter which were Greedy Covetous men such as are many of the Teachers of England Again we read Mat. 23. where Christ declar'd against such and did not own such to be any of his Ministers Who were called of men Master who stood praying in the Synagogues and had the chief Places in the Assemblies And we read in 2 Pet. 2. and in many other places where the Apostles declared against such and deny'd such to be Ministers of Christ that preached for filthy Lucre and took Gifts and Rewards for Preaching and by feigned words made Merchandize of Souls who were Heady and High-minded-men as you may read 2 Tim. 3. chap. and such men were deny'd to be Ministers of Christ by the Prophets Christ and his Apostles so that all people may see this Practice of the Servants of the Lord at this day who are moved to declare against such men that act these things mentioned is perfectly according to the Scriptures for the Servants of the Lord spoken of in Scripture did the very same things in this particular as are done at this day Therefore for this Practice they ought not to be persecuted as they have been but ought to be protected and maintained in it and that by the Protector 's Oath who hath sworn to maintain that practice which is according to the Scripture and to declare against them that preach for Hire and have great sums of Money for Preaching and that are called of men Master and that take Gifts and Rewards of people for Preaching I say to do thus is a practice which the Scripture gives a large Example for and so it must needs be according to Scripture and ought to be protected in this Government Again as concerning their denying to respect Persons or to bâ—… with the Hat or Knee in respect of worshipping any Creature this also is according to the Scriptures though the people of the World who live in pride and vain customs are offended with them in this Practice for we read that God commanded
the Word And though they press people to Perfection and do say Men 〈◊〉 be pâ—…ect upon Earth and compleat in Christ Iesus This Doctrine also is according to the Scriptures for you may read 1 Cor. chap. 2 6. of 〈◊〉 that were perfect who were men upon Earth and the Ministâ—â—â— of Christ spoke Wisdom among them that were already perfect And Col. 2. 10. the Apostle saith unto the Church who were men in this Life upon Earth he saith to them Ye are Compleat in him And though they press the people to live without sin and do say They that are born of God do not commit sin This also is according to the Scripture for it is Christ's Command Mat. 5. Be perfect as yâ—â—r Faâ—â—er in Heaven is perfect And 1 Iohn 3. there it is spoken of some that were the Sons of God already and he saith Whosoever is born of God â—oth not commit sin for he cannot sin because he is born of God and saith 〈◊〉 As he is Christ so are we in this present World And now all people may understand that in all these Doctrines which they do hold forth they do fully agree with the Scriptures and they beâ—â—â—…ness to the Truth of their Doctrines that the Servants of God and the Apostles of Christ did preach the very same things for Doctrine aâ—…done at this day and so these Doctrines are not to be wondred at not so much as they are by the wicked to be cryed against for 〈◊〉 and error and these few particulars onely I have mentioned at which the people of this Age the most stumble at and all other things whatsoever which is held forth for Doctrines unto people I am able to prove them by the Scriptures that in all things they are according to the Scripture and not different or contrary to the Scriptures so 〈◊〉 all people may take notice and see that whatsoever they do practice for Religion or hold forth for Doctrine they do herein justly according to the Scriptures and they justifie their Practices and Doctrines in these things mention'd and in whatsoever else can be objected by any man And this I shall take in hand to prove before all the World That the People of God called Quakers do practice nothing for Religion or preach for Doctrine but what is perfectly according to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and in the fulfilling of them and so they are proved to be of that True Christian Religion which is according to the Scriptures and so may fully claim Protection and Preservation in their Practice of Religion And this is to be consider'd by the Protector and all Magistrates and People in these Nations that they may know what the true Christian Religion is and who is in it and who is not in it and for this purpose is this written for the satisfaction of all people that they may see who it is that hath a Right and Priviledge to be protected and upholden by vertue of the Oath Likewise all may understand That what such practice and profess for Religion is not without good Ground but that the very same things were practized by them that were of the true Christian Religion and preached for Doctrine by them that were Saints which is now practiz'd and held forth by the People of God and the Scriptures do fully bear witness in all things shewing that such are guided by the same Spirit which the Saints were guided by in Ages past and as they had so have these the Testimony That they are of God and that the whole World lies in Wickedness And as concerning their being persecuted by many of the Rulers Priests and People though they be sent to Prison and banished out of Towns and whipped and beaten and scorned and reviled this is also according to the Scriptures and the Scripture is fulfilled upon them for the same things were done to the Apostles and to the Servants of the Lord as you may read through the Acts the people mocked the Apostles and slandered them and said they were full of new Wine and the chief Priests conspired against Christ and the Apostles and incensed the Magistrates against them and the Magistrates put Christ and many of the Apostles in Prison and caused them to be whipped and beaten and to be banished and many other cruelties done unto them the Scripture is full to prove this from the beginning to the end of it and Christ said They shall persecute you and speak all manner of evil of you for my Name sake and as they have done unto me so shall they do 〈◊〉 you ye shall be hated of Nations And the Apostle said All that will give godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution So that all people may see though the people of the Lord be persecuted and reviled and imprisoned and cruelty done unto them and though it be done by the chief Magistrates and chief Rulers and the wise men of this Age all this is according to the Scriptures and that the Scriptures might be fulfilled and the same things which are now done unto the people of God were done unto the people of God in Ages past by the same Instruments to wit the Rulers and Magistrates and by the same means to wit by the information and false accusations of the chief Priests and Teachers in Ieremiah you may read how the Priests sought to take away his Life and you may read how the chief Priests consulted against Christ and how they complain'd to the Magistrates against him and the Apostles and the same things are now come to pass and we do not strange at it for they are the chief Priests of England that do most seek the Persecution and cause the People of God to be persecuted by their complaining and petitioning to the Magistrates so that in all these things not only what is practised and preached for Doctrine but also in what is suffered is perfectly according to the Scriptures and all people that are not blind may see that this Religion is in all things agreeable with the Scriptures both in what they do and in what they suffer so that this is given forth for the good Information of the Protector and all Magistrates that they may hear the Tryal of all things and may not falsly conjecture or suppose and thereupon give Judgement without any true Knowledge let them search the Scriptures and try I hope the worst of men have so much Conscience that they will stand in owe of the Breach of their own Oaths and that they will perform unto the Lord and unto all men what they have firmly and not compell'd sworn to do and thus it may be hoped the wâ—… Persecution will cease which is lamentable to be declar'd how the People of the Lord have suffer'd in many things even them whose Religion is proved to be according to the Scriptures who practice nothing for Religion neither hold forth any thing for Doctrine but that which is
any honest man that is Spiritual who hath an Understanding to judge hereof Now I suppose themselves none of them are so ignorant as they will say The Scriptures are that WORD which was in the Beginning and which shall Endure forever But say they the Scriptures are another Word a Declarative Word or such like termes Now when we dispute or contend with any about the Word of God we dispute what that Word is which the Scripture saith is the Word and do deny that Word to be the Scriptures Writings though still we do own the Scriptures a Declaration of that very WORD of GOD and that the Scriptures in any place do call themselves the Word or signifie so much I do deny it and it is left for any of our Opposers to prove it that can if they do I will confess it to be the Word and revoke all that I have spoken to the contrary And as for thy Deductions and Consequences drawn from my words I do deny them for they are not to me but will turn upon thy self for thou sayest A strange kind of Assertion as if nothing of the Mind Will and Counsel of God were declared in the Scripture And whitherto can be the tendency of such giddy Doctrines then to a weakening of the Authority of the Scriptures and begetting Slightings and undervaluing Thoughts and that the effects may be lightly esteeming the Scriptures These and such Deductions hast thou drawn through thy Ignorance from my words from all which I am clear as having no Intent to any such things nor any Intent but to testifie to the Pure Innocent TRUTH And thy Deductions are far more ignorant and impudent then my Assertion is strange and let thy Consequences be what they will from my words the truth of my words will justifie me in the Sight of God and his Saints for I do honour the Scriptures above other Writings and give them the Authority and Esteem and Respect due unto them and more I dare not And some of thy pages I pass over as not worth taking notice of only I do say Thou hast wronged me in not relating so much as was spoken by us by far and in relating more then was spoken by thee or thy Party And the next thing I note is this where R. G. said he would and went about to prove That the Letter is the Word of God but was not nor is ever able to prove and thou hast changed the words of his Argument in thy Relation from what they were as he laid them down in the Dispute from called to owned for thus his words were laid down at that time said he That which Christ and the Apostles called the Word of God is indeed the Word of God but Christ and the Apostles called the Scriptures the Word of God Ergo. Now I denied and do yet that it can be proved That ever Christ and the Apostles called the Scriptures the WORD of GOD and neither do thy Proofs now nor his then of the minor Proposition prove That the Scriptures viz. the Writing were ever called the Word although it be true that the Pharisees made the Word of God of no Authority by their Traditions But that Scripture doth not say That the Letter is the Word which thing he was to prove or else he said nothing to the purpose And as to the other Scripture 1 Thes. 1. 13. that will not prove that the Apostle called the Letter the Word for it was the Gospel which they received as the Word of God and not the Letter The Gospel is the Word of God not denied by me but sealed unto but the Gospel is not the Letter and Writings but the Gospel is the Thing written of and that is it which the Apostle means to be the Word of God for that is the Word which he preached to the Thessalonians and which they received And so thy Arguments and Proof of thy minor Position is deny'd and so the major Position falls to the Ground And by this nor any other Argument can all you Priests of England prove the Letter of the Scriptures to be the Word of God which thing R. G. took in hand to prove but could not and would have cry'd against it in me as a great deal of Heresie for denying it but Error is fallen upon his own Head The next thing I note is in pag. 13. where thou wouldst seem to cover over R. G. thou sayest his words were not That I had the thing signified in my hand when I had the Bible but that I had that which declares of it Now to justifie him in Evil thou hast wronged me and the Truth for he did say when I held up my Bible I had in my hand the thing herein signified upon this very Occasion I holding up my Bible in my hand and saying to this very effect That in my hand I had the thing which did signifie in words of such and such things but I had not the thing signified And Richard Goodgrom made answer and said But I had the Thing signified and this some can witness Whereupon I made answer and said If it be so that I have the Thing signified in my hand then I have God and Christ and the Spirit and Heaven and Hell and Men and Beasts and all things that herein are written of and then he saw the Folly of his own Ignorance I perceive And much more might be related as upon this Subject which was said on both Parties which I desire not much to recollect only what I have said I can certainly remember and can justifie it And I must confess that Philip Taverner hath done pretty fairly though in some things he hath not done so And no was to the next thing charged against me in the Relation being placed the second though it is the third That evil Motions not consented to were not sin In the first private Meeting I remember my words were laid down thus and so I own'd them in the Dispute That Temptations or Motions unto evil are not sin to any man who doth not consent and obey to serve Temptations or evil Motions and they are not sin to the man except they be consented to by the man and this was proved in the Example of Christ who was tempted of the Devil and had motions to do evil yet did not consent nor commit sin for he resisted and overcame the Tempter and so the Devil's Motions and Temptations which were sin in themselves yet they were not sin to Him And this Proof then they could not deny neither can any sober or upright Man And so in the Dispute the thing was put to a farther Question thus But are not those Motions which arise out of a Man 's own Heart Sin except they be consented to To which I was willing to speak something and to own the very TRUTH and to justifie that there is a State wherein Evil Motions may rise out of a Man 's own Heart which are
bring People to your Way and Worship and Religion upon these Ingagements and by the Authority of the Almighty I lay it upon you to answer and for you to return your knowledge and opinions to the Particulars following which I am moved by the Lord to query and demand of you that your Doctrines Practises and Worships and whole Religion in every part thereof may be viewed and examined and measured according to the Saints and Apostles writings and may thereby be cleared or otherwise reproved and condemned And if your Profession and Practises in Religion be sprung from the true Grounds and true Spirit and your Church be indeed the true Church that can prove her pedigree truly descended from the Church of Christ before the Apostacy and clear her self from all degeneration in every degree and that she is perfect in the faith and worship and practises of the holy Church and Apostles of old then shall all that love God and fear him and hopes for life eternal separate themselves from all Sects and Apostates separated from you and come in and return again to you as to a faithful Mother and joyn with you in all things and add themselves to your Church only and renounce and deny all the contrary that is not of you and so shall your names and honour be increased through all the Earth But and if after lawful trial and just examination and searching out the matter it be proved against you that you are degenerated from what the true Church and Apostles were and are not builded upon Christ the true Rock and Foundation but diverted from the Power Life and Spirit and true Religion which the Apostles were in and that your Church is not the true Church but a false Sect and your original cannot be fetch'd from the Apostles but is of a latter and more corrupted Race then shall you deny all your Religion and Church and renounce your Profession and Practises and come to them and joyn with them that can prove their Church to be the true Church and can fetch their original from the Spirit of the Apostles and that is builded upon Christ the everlasting Foundation whoever this shall be proved to be wherefore appear and come forth to trial upon this condition joyn issue with us and answer these things in plainness and let us know your Judgements that a return you may reâ—â—ive First Whether you are indeed the only true Church of Christ his Body of 〈◊〉 Fleâ—â— and of his Bones called and gathered and united by the eterâ—… Spirit of Jesus perfect in the Faith of Christ perfect in Doctrine and perfect is â—…ip as were the Churches of Christ in the dayes of the Apostles and 〈◊〉 the Eternal Spirit dwell in every particular Member of your Church and doth lead each one of you into all Truth insomuch that you need now no 〈…〉 teach any one of you but as that same Spirit that dwells in you answer 〈◊〉 â—…inly yea oâ— nay 2. â—…ther are you not in any particular of your Faith Doctrines Praâ—… Worships in any degree degenerated nor deviated from what the 〈◊〉 â—…ne Practice and Worship were that the true Church was in in 〈…〉 the Apostles And whether will you admit of tryal in all things you pâ—… and practice by the Scriptures the Writings of the Saints yea or â—y 3. Wâ—…ther your Church of Rome doth receive the pouring-down of the Spirit upon Sons and Daughters immediately and every Member receive the Holy â—…st and is â—â—lled therewith and baptized therewith as in the true Câ—… Acts z. Anâ— whether you have received the Holy Ghost and Eveâ—… Comforter immediately as did the true Church iâ— the dayes of the Apostâ—… Answer me these things in the Truth of your Hearts that you may be own'â—… 〈◊〉 denyed 4. Wâ—…er the Faith you profess hath perfectly purified your hearts from all 〈◊〉 and hath given you Victory over the World that now the body of sin is 〈◊〉 and you are free from sin and do not commit sin but are every Memâ—… 〈◊〉 you without Spot and Wrinkle and cleansed from all Unrighteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Servants of Righteousness and not of Sin and whether you believe 〈◊〉 Condition to be attainable in this life upon Earth and to be enjoyed and â—…d for yea or nay 5. What is your ground of sprinkling Infants with Water and whether he thâ—â—â—…st instituted it had the Gift of the Eternal Spirit and was led thereby for we know it was first ordain'd at Rome in your Church and all the Protestants received it from you who are not able to give us a sufficient Reason thereof but we are not satisfied therein therefore tell us Whether are people thereby made Meâ—…rs of the Body of Christ and baptized into his true Church and is it a perfect Seal and Sign of the new Birth and Regeneration as is professed and doth that give all Children that are sprinkled a Right to the Kingdom of God and to be Members of the Church of Christ and satisfie us plainly Is the sprinkling of an Infant never having heard the Gospel but while unconverted and â—â—thanged in Nature the true Baptism into the true Faith of Christ as it is professed answer me plainly yea or nay 6. Whether the Body and Blood of Christ that is Meat indeed and Drink indeed be carnal and visible things to be seen felt and known visibly and carnally and whether Bread and Wine that is Mortal and will corrupt be the very Body and the very Blood of Christ Jesus and whether Christ hath any other Body and Blood to be known in any other way or manner then what is professed to be visibly and carnally known by you and is that Bread after Consecration the very Express Image of the Father and was with the Fatheâ— before the World began else it is not the Body of Christ answer me plainly 7. Again We are not satisfied concerning your Burning and Torturing and Imprisoning in cruel Inquisitions and Goals such as dissent from you and cannot believe in your Church which ye call Hereticks whether is not this done by your Church or any Member thereof and do you justifie the doing of it by the Authority of your Church and we demand of you to give us Example for such Practices in Scripture ever Practised by the Apostles or true Church or any Member thereof to Burn or Kill or Imprisâ—â— such as would not own them or were Hereticks otherwise we must coâ—… it and judge you eternally for it And whether such Practices done a◠〈◊〉 and in her Dominions be not Murder and Cruelty and Tyranny 〈◊〉 shedding of Innocent Blood and of the Devil the Wicked One 〈◊〉 me plainly and satisfie us herein that we may know how to deal with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 controversie 8. Again We are not satisfied concerning the abundance of 〈◊〉 of the Saints set up and bowed to amongst you and your praying 〈◊〉 them and to the Saints and by Beads and in Set-Forms such thâ—…
〈◊〉 practice and also your keeping and setting apart the Saints dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy-dayes and eating with respect to dayes denying of Flesh such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dayes and observing of Dayes and Meats and Drinks and Fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 own wills and your Nunneries and keeping Men and Women one frâ—â—â—…ther in secret Houses whether are these things commanded and required 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord from you and we charge you to give us some Example that 〈◊〉 true Church practized such things otherwise if you do not not caâ—â—◠〈◊〉 these your practices from the Scriptures and Example of the Apoâ—… 〈◊〉 you we must deny you and condemn your practiâ—es forever and 〈◊〉 â—…lieve that your Church is the true Church nor you lawful Successors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ly Apostles 9. What you believe concerning the Reign and Government of Câ—… and his coming is He his Reign and Government visible and of this World or invisible and from Heaven and whether Lyars Whoremongers â—…terers Drunkards Man-slayers and contentious Men or any that 〈◊〉 in any Sin or Transgression in the first Nature be of the Kingdâ—◠〈◊〉 Government of Jesus or have any part or portion therein in time to 〈◊〉 â—…ever and how may such ever have part therein and give us yoâ—…â—…ge in these things And also what you hold and profess concerning Eâ—… 〈◊〉 Reprobation that we may know whether your Knowledge and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sound and perfect in these things and to be embraced or condemned and 〈◊〉 10. What is the Man-child that hath been caught up to God and 〈◊〉 the reason of his being caught up and what is the Woman that fled into the Wilderness and what is the reason of her so fleeing and when is the tâ—… is it come or to come that the Man-child hath been caught up aâ—◠〈◊〉 Woman fled and that the Man-child shall come down again and the Wâ—… again return and what is that Beast the first and the second and is â—…s kingdom come or yet to come who reigned over the Kings of the Earth and caused all both small and great to worship him and killed the Saints and overcame them that would not worship him and made war against the Lâ—… and persecuted the Woman's Seed and when is it that the World wondred â—â—ter the Beast is it come or to come Answer these things in plainness 〈◊〉 â—â—mand of you 11. What and who is that great Whore that sits upon many waters with 〈◊〉 the Kings of the Earth commits Fornications and who hath made Nations dâ—… with the Wine of her Fornications and who hath reigned over the 〈◊〉 and Dominions of the Earth and is that Whore come or yet to come 〈◊〉 whether is your Church every whit free from the Fornications of that Whâ—… and will you admit of lawfull trial by your fruits and works and suffer 〈◊〉 men accordingly and whether the whole Church of Rome or any part of 〈◊〉 Dominions be the Multitudes Peoples and Nations and Tongues the Wâ—… on which the Whore sits and whether your Church be wholly free from 〈◊〉 Woman which hath drunk the Blood of Saints and of the Martyrs of Iâ—… and shew us plainly who that Whore is if you can and what is her Flesh and the Fire that must burnt it 12. Whether are the false Prophets and Deceivers come or to come which 〈◊〉 said should come if you say they are come when did they come and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they and how may they be known and what was their first original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of what doth all false Prophets and false Prophecies come is the Church 〈…〉 clear of all the false Prophets and whether is your Ministry in the very 〈◊〉 Power Spirit and Authority which the Apostles were in is its Call and â—…tion the very same is its Maintenance and Practice the very same and is iâ—â— Fruits Effects and End the very same or some other let us know from you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may â—ay you to the Line of true Judgment for all People and Nations â—… â—…ome Friends let us reason a little with you further We are not satisâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop of Râ—…e is true and lawful Successor of the Apostle Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tripple Crown and did Kings Bow and Kneel to him and had 〈…〉 â—â—â—enues and Money out of the Nations as the Pope hath 〈…〉 Pardon 's for Money 〈◊〉 or did any buy Religion of him and did 〈…〉 over mens Consciences and was Peter named Holiness We 〈…〉 you to prove rightly and truly That the Pope doth succeed Peter 〈…〉 Spirit in the same Power and in the same Conversation and that 〈…〉 â—…er-see the Church be justly the same as Peter's was and that he exeâ—…â—…ctly as Peter did 〈…〉 â—…wer us plainly What is the Seed of the Woman and what is the 〈◊〉 the Serpent and is his Head bruised yea or nay And what is the 〈…〉 what is his beginning and what is the kingdom that he is Ruler 〈◊〉 and how is his kingdom to be destroy'd And what is the Flesh of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blood which was before Abraham and how is Christ made under the 〈◊〉 answer me these things 〈◊〉 what is the Death that hath reigned over all and what is the power 〈◊〉 and what is the fruits of that death and when must that death be 〈◊〉 and is it destroyed among you and what was man in his Creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the ground and what was he that was the very Image of God 〈◊〉 and Female before Adâ—… was formed of the Dust of the Ground or â—…en out of him declare these things plainly if you can and what is 〈◊〉 Transgression and the Curse and whether any can be made free from 〈◊〉 Curse upon the Earth yea or nay and what is the Kingdom of Heaven 〈◊〉 is like a little Leaven and that is like a Net cast into the Sea and what 〈◊〉 which must be leavened and what is that good Fish that must be gatherâ—… into the Vessels and that bad that must be cast away and how doth the 〈◊〉 of Heaven bring the bad out of the Waters to the Shore and why is 〈◊〉 and wherefore and what is the reason that none can enter the Kingdom 〈◊〉 Goâ— nor see it but such as are born again and how is a man born again 〈◊〉 what is that Mothers womb that Iob and all mankind came out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must return thither again naked and what are the Fig-leaves that â—…vered in Transgression and what is the Covering of the Spirit and 〈◊〉 must be covered and what not and why is it and how comes it to pass 〈◊〉 one and the same thing is sin and wickedness acted by one and the same 〈◊〉 good and just acted by another These things answer to us plainly and 〈◊〉 â—…ve all your Practises and Profession by plain Scripture and give us Exâ—… from Peter and the true Churches that he and they practiced the same 〈◊〉 which the Pope and you do if you would have any to own you otherâ—… 〈◊〉
tell us plainly Are you Redeem'd from Pâ—… 〈◊〉 are you such as oppress the Seed as Pharoah did And tell us who was the Inâ—… of â—…our Images and who was the Former of all your graven Images 〈◊〉 not they all invented and come up since the Apostles dayes which ye have 〈…〉 and what is Purgatory and from what had it its rise and original 〈◊〉 what ground have you out of Scripture for such a doctrine And what is the 〈◊〉 of Faith and what 's Faith and what doth it give victory over and what 〈…〉 it over come and what is the â—aiâ— that hath bin spread over all Nations and 〈◊〉 is the Mountain of the House of God and what are those Mountains the 〈…〉 shall seek to cover themselves under and what are those Mountains that people expect Salvation from in vain and did not Iohn come to throw down the â—…ins and what are the Mountains that he came to throw down and what is the Valley he came to raise up answer us And what is the Sword of the Spirit and whether have ye the Sword of the spirit and the Spiritual Armour and what is youâ— Church defended and upâ—…d by Spiritual Weapons or Carnal are not your Goals carnal Weapons 〈◊〉 your Inquisitions and your killing people aboue Religion are not all these 〈◊〉 Weapons and had ever the Church of Christ such Weapons answer 〈…〉 plainly And do you not expect the Lord will suddenly plead with you and are not 〈◊〉 them that put off the Day of the Lord and cause the Seat of Violence to come near and are not ye them that have Eyes but see not Earâ— but hear 〈◊〉 Hearts and understand not and is not your Eye blind that should see God's Presence and your Ears stopped that should hear his Voice â—nd have 〈◊〉 heard his Voice and seen his Shape if you have what is he like answer 〈◊〉 And what is his Word and where doth it dwell in your hearts or is it without you and can any thing without you purifie you and take away sin 〈◊〉 of your Hearts and must not Christ be within and what are the Fruits and Signs and Marks of a Saint and why do you go Pilgrims to visit 〈◊〉 Bones what is the reason of it and who was the first that â—â—tuted it 〈◊〉 what is the meaning of your holy Water give us Scripture for all these 〈…〉 ces or else the Power of the Lord will tear you to pieces and lay open 〈◊〉 Foundation and none that love God can joyn unto you And can any o◠〈…〉 pardon Sin truly that it shall never more be remembred and are not 〈…〉 sins remembred with the Light in your Consciences sometimes and is there 〈◊〉 a Light in your Consciences that doth convince you tell me plainly And whether do you own That Christ hath lightened every one that coâ—… into the World and what is the Light and do you know Christ as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before Abraham and have you seen his Day as Abraham did and what 〈…〉 Day of Christ doth the Carnal Eye see it give us your Knowledge and 〈◊〉 Judgment in all these things and lay down your Principles at full and 〈…〉 by the Scriptures what you hold and profess if you would have any to 〈…〉 your Religion otherwise renounce your Church and come out of â—… What is Babylon and the Mother of Harlots and what is spirituâ—◠〈…〉 and Sâ—dom where Christ is crucified and what is the Whore and what 〈…〉 flesh that has stain'd the Earth and what is the Fire that must consume her 〈…〉 Many are jealous concerning you that you are not the true Church 〈…〉 you have drunk of the Whore's Cup who hath made all Nations drunk 〈…〉 if that time be come that she hath made all Nations drunk then how 〈…〉 clear your selves being Nations and Multitudes of People To 〈◊〉 these 〈…〉 I expect your speedy Answer And what is the Death that hath raigned over all and how is Man recâ—… out of it and when and what are the Gates of Hell and what is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they cannot prevail against and whether your Church may never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vailed against and whether they be not your Inquisitions Stakes and â—… and killing people that do principally defend your Church and if yâ—◠〈…〉 cease your Inquisitions and killing those you call Hereticks whether 〈…〉 not you be prevail'd against by many other Sects Lay away yoâ—… perâ—… of People that you call Hereticks and do not deaf with them after the 〈…〉 which you have done by Inquisitions and such like and only by sound 〈…〉 guments and the Power of the Spirit defend your Religion And dare you suffer a certain number of us to come among you and pâ—…ch what we hold and a certain number of you shall freely come among us 〈◊〉 freely preach what you hold without Persecution or any Violence as we would expect and have the same from you engage man for man with us and 〈◊〉 no otherwise deal with ours then we deal with yours and take the free liberty to deal with our men as we deal with your men but no otherwise and 〈◊〉 each of the Messengers preach and hold forth what they would have and whâ—â— they really hold and believe and convert the most either of them can to theiâ— own Religion and then let all the World see which have the Power and Spirit of God with them and whether your Ministers or our Ministers do turn the more people from you to us or from us to you and send your Answer whether you will agree to the Premises and if you do send your Messengers when you pleaâ—â— and we will engage in the Lord their Persons shall not be harmed but if they were then take Man for Man Life for Life of our Men sent to you and let that God be the true God that appeareth in most Power and Authority and let him be worshipped forever whose Power converts the most to the knowledge of him out of Wickedness and let that Church be the tâ—… Church which cannot be overcome And as you are willing to be made manifest joyn issue with us in this business and propound your own time when the men shall return and whether the continuance of the Matter be for Dayes Moneths or Years and let each of the men return without harm of Person and this will be a way truly to try and make manifest all things to all the World and whether you or we be in the right Way and of the right Church and use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Weapon against us but the foundest Arguments you can by words according to the Scriptures and the same Weapons we will use against you 〈…〉 other but the Authority of the Spirit of God and Arguments thereby 〈◊〉 shall be according to the Scriptures the Apostles Writings and the â—…ony of the true Church And hereby in the sight of the whole World let your Church and Faith 〈◊〉 Principles and Practices
was come to search them and try them and would hew down their Idolatrous wayes and worships and works c. And in order to a fair proceeding with them the next day I was moved to write this following Paper to them by way of Queries as to lay some ground of Opposition hoping to have received their Answer that I might have joyned tryal with them for it was in my heart to search and oppose their Wayes and Practices and their whole Religion And these Queries were delivered to them in Latine though from them I have received no Answer to this day but the Queries stand upon them and my Charge they lie under charged upon them in the Name of the Lord. To all ye that profess your selves Devoted to the Service of God and Separation from the World and Mortification in your lives who are called by the the name of Fryars and Nunns in and about Dunkirk THe Mighty Day of the Lord God is come and coming upon you and all the World Awake awake ye that sleep in the Earth for the Dreadful God is arising to plead with you and to give unto all the World the Cup of his fierce Indignation because of your Idolatries and Hypocrisies and Abominations which have corrupted the Earth and are come up before him and have provoked him and the Cry of the Just who hath been smitten and laid slain is entred into the Ears of the Most High and his Sword which is the word of his Mouth is awakened to wound and slay all his Enemies And the Day of your Visitation is now come wherein the Lord is searching you and trying you that he may recompence you and this is the Word of the Lord to you Wherefore I am moved of the Lord to propound some few Queries to you for the tryal of your spirits and wayes to which I demand your Answer that all things may be brought to Light and true Judgement and that you may be judged justly and by the Spirit of the Lord cleered or condemned accorto your Deeds 1. Whether there were such order of Men and Women in the true Church of Christ in the Apostles dayes and where did Christ give Institution for such Worships Practices and manner of Life slouthful idleness and unprofitableness to God and Men as ye hold forth And whether any are bound to believe you and follow your Religion and Practices except you can prove by the Scriptures the Words of Christ or Example of his Saints and Apostles your Religion and Lives and Practices and Worships and whether you do admit of tryal in all your whole Religion by and according to the Scriptures and Writings of the Apostles yea or nay 2. Whether the World in your Hearts and the World's nature even the root of Lust the root of Pride Covetousness and the love of this World and its Vanities and the root of Idolatry is subdued in you to the Light in your Consciences I do speak and what is the root of all these things and what is it that subdues it Is it an outward abstinence by the force of Locks and Doors and Bolts or self-separation and secret Places that subdues the World's nature in Men and Women and is it by such means that Christ gives Victory over Sin and overcomes it in his People or is it not by the Power of God in the Heart onely and whether is it not damnable Hypocrisie in you to appear outwardly Holy and free from these things while yet the Nature and Root of all these things are alive in you and boyling up in the motions of them and is any outward thing the Cross of Christ and Christ crucified which mortifies to the World which the Apostles preached and rejoyced in 3. Whether is it a true denial of the World in you to deny it in one manner and place and to run into it and imbrace it in another way and place it doth not appear to me that you have denyed the World as the Apostles did For answer me where had they any such Seats in the finest and fattest Places of the Cities and Towns as ye have such great fine Houses and Gardens and such Revenues by the year as ye have staying all their dayes in a great House and spending their time in slouth and idleness as ye do they went up and down the World preaching the Gospel and had no certain dwelling Place but followed the Lamb of God in the Spirit and did not settle themselves in fat Places of the Earth continuing all their dayes as ye do therefore we judge that you are out of the Life and not in the spirit as the Apostles were in but are in the Form of Righteousness and Holiness without the Power So I demand an Answer to clear your selves if you can and to prove that you are of the true Church and that your Wayes and Practices are in and by the Spirit of God and according to the Scriptures 4. What is that Death that hath passed over all and reigned from Adam to Moses and whether it doth not reign yet in and over you and what is Moses's Ministration and whether ever through it you yet truely came and whether that part be subdued in you which the Law of God was added upon and whether are you come to Christ and know him as he was before Abraham and before Mary and how was he David's Lord and how his Son and is Christ within you born and revealed to you by whom the World was made and do you expect to be perfectly freed from Sin that ye shall not commit Sin in this Life upon Earth yea or nay 5. What is the Soul and what was its state and condition before Transgression and what is its state and condition in Transgression and whether may man come to be restored by the second Adam into the same estate while upon Earth as he lost in the first Adam yea or nay Friends I demand of you in the Name and Power of the Lord God to answer me these things in writing some of you and to subscribe your names that I may return you an Answer and query further of you for we are sent of God to visit you and to try you and if you be in the perfect Truth and would convert others to your Religion be plain with us and use your best Spiritual Weapons in your Zeal towards us and defend your Cause and appear for your God and if you doubt of your own Wayes and Practices and be not able to defend your Religion then let your Mouthes be stopped then turn from Idolatry for now is the Lord God risen that will judge ye and all the Earth righteously I am a lover of Souls but a Witness against all false Idolatrous Wayes of Antichrist and the Whore that hath reigned in the World and I am the Lord's Servant E. B. By the Scorners of the World called a Quaker These queries were sent to the Fryars in Latine ANd we were with
are to wait for Counsel to receive it from the Lord by that of him made manifest within you and as for all your outward Teachers that have used their Tongues amongst you and said The Lord saith it when God hath not spoken to them nor sent them and that preach for Hire and Sums of Money and these are them that cannot profit the People nor ever bring you to the Knowledge of God nor give you Counsel from the Lord and if you seek to uphold them and defend them against the Power of the Lord and his Word which is gone forth against them then shall you not prosper but fall with them and if you do enterprize any work in that spirit that doth oppose the Spirit of Christ Iesus in his people you can never have good success but the Lord will confound you before your Enemies And so now that you may all come into the New Covenant to be taught of the Lord and to be far from all Oppression this is the thing that you are all to wait for and to know the Power of the Lord and to go on in that against Unrighteous Men and Unrighteous Laws which are set up in the Nations that they may be destroyed and brought under and yet though such a Victory would be honourable unto you yet there is a Victory more Honourable to wit The Victory over Sin and Death and the Devil in your selves and that you are to mind and there is a Kingdom which is not of this World which cannot be obtained by an Outward Sword and this Kingdom are you to wait for that you may know it and feel it in your own particulars and this is the Doctrine of the Gospel of Peace unto you and the Glad-tidings held forth unto all of you come into the Power of the Lord and mind it that you may be lead by it and then may you be fit Instruments for the Lord to work by And take heed how you oppose those whom the Lord hath sent and is sending abroad in the Nations to proclaim the Mighty Day of the Lord they are no Enemies to you nor to any mans Person and therefore be tender over them for they go about the Lord's Work of this I warn you all in the Presence of the Lord. And so you dwelling in the Power of the Lord there is nothing shall destroy you nor confound you but you shall have Victory over all your Enemies within you and without you and the Lord will make you a Dread and a Fear to the Nations And so this is a Warning unto you all both Officers and Souldiers that you may mind what the Work of the Lord God is in the Nations Your Work hath been and may be honourable in its Day and Season but he hath a Work more honourable to work after you that is To destroy the Kingdom of the Devil and the ground of Wars And your Victory hath been of the Lord but there is a more honourable Victory to be waited for even the Victory over Sin and so we are the Friends of the Creation that do preach this Victory and this Kingdom and Peace which is Endless and Everlasting and which many are come into And as for the many and divers sorts of Worship which are come up since the dayes of the Apostles and are of the Whore and not of the true Church they are all to be thrown down and the Worship that is in Spirit and Truth to be set up by the Lord and he is gathering people into that Worship but if you be out of the Fear of God in the Rudeness and Wickedness of the World and seek your selves and not the Freedom of the Nations only then the Lord will lay you aside as a broken Pot-sheard and raise up unto himself a People that shall fulfil his work and do it for he hath much Work to do in the Nations for he is gathering his Elect Seed and changing the Kingdoms of the World and making them become the Kingdoms of Christ and so be low in your own eyes and do not seek your selves but seek one anothers Good and seek the Glory of the Lord and the Freedom of the Oppressed and in that you will be blessed and prosper till you have set up your Standard at the Gates of Rome I am a Lover of all your souls and a Sufferer in Patience under the Cruelties of men E. B. And some small Discourse we had with our English Priests that supply the Place of Chaplins to the Army and in particular one of them which had spoken something behind our backs against us and we proffer'd to have some discourse with him but he refused it only to evade the matter at that present he bid us state some of our Principles in writing and he would answer them in dispute in some publick place and being he was not willing to engage to dispute otherwise we were free to write this following Paper but we had no answer in agreement to dispute with us but shifted the thing from himself by telling us The Governour was 〈◊〉 willing But this was not the same Priest before mention'd that we had discourse with at our first coming into the Town Friend FOr the manifestation of Truth and that the perfect difference between thee and us may be known and who are in the Truth and who in the Error and that Truth from Error may be clearly discerned therefore according to thy own Proposals and expressed Desires thereof before many we do here assert some Particulars of that Truth which we have receâ—â—ed from God and do hold forth and maintain in the World in opposition to thee or any other that shall gainsay them viz. 1. That Christ hath lightened all men with a Light sufficient in it self to bring them to Salvation if they follow it 2. That God hath given Christ to be the Saviour of all men 3. That none are justified by Christ and his Righteousness without them but as they have receiv'd Christ and his Righteousness and witness them reveal'd in themselves 4. That the Saints of God may be perfectly freed from Sin in this life so as no more to commit it 5. That the National Ministers and Churches not only of Papists but of the Protestâ—â—ts also as they now stand are not the true Ministers and Churches of Christ. 6. That the Scriptures are a true Declaration given forth from the Spirit of God by holy Men of God moved by it to write them and are profitable but are not the Foundation nor the most perfect Rule of Faith and Life to the Saints These things we are freely willing and desirous to discourse upon with thy self and any others that shall joyn with thee in the presence of sober and wise men who may judge between us in any publick Place that may be procured by thee according to thy Engagements in this Particular provided it may be in the Spirit of Meekness and Moderation and that all fair
them The third Particular consisteth about the Magistrates Power in matters of Faith and Worship and the Authors say Though they greatly prize Christian Liberty yet they profess utter dislike and abhorrency of an Universal tolleration as being contrary to the mind of God in his Word Answ. It appears the Authors are lovers of themselves and prizers of their own Liberty but not of the Liberty of others but do utterly dislike and â—â—ber the tolleration of others which may indeed be more righteous then themselves and this is no less then the very Principle of the Whore of Rome which Promotes her own Liberty and makes others Slaves and ahhorâ— tolleration to any but themselves and they plead Scriptures as well as you for proof of their Religion and they will say all that differs from them are contrary to the Scriptures even as you say when as there is very little better foundation in the Scriptures for your Religion then there is for theirs and it is doubtful to many what Religion this day extant is perfectly according to the Scriptures but yet thus much may be said That Church and that Religion which are not in the same Spirit as gave forth the Scriptures are not according unto the Scriptures and he that can distinguish of this and who it is that hath the same Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures is only able to judge what Religion is according to the Scriptures But can the Authors shew plainly out of the Scriptures that their Religion is only according thereunto and all others the contrary and until they prove this why may not the Rulers that are of may be in this Nation give Tolleration unto other sorts of People as well as to the Independants the supposed Authors of this Paper The fourth Particular consisteth concerning Tythes and say they The taking away of Tythes for Maintenance of Ministers until as full a Maintenance be as equally secured and as equally settled tends very much to the Destruction of the Ministry and Preaching of the Gospel in these Nations Answ. Alas for you poor ignorant Creatures ye foolish men that seems to have no understanding of the Ministry and Gospel of Christ Do you indeed think that the true Ministry of Christ and the Preaching of the Gospel depends upon Maintenance by Tythes Oh ye Robbers of God who have secretly dishonoured him in your hearts and publickly disgraced him as much as in you lyes to the Nation as if he were not able to save his Ministry and the Preaching of his Gospel from destruction if Tithes be taken away Surely you err in your Judgements and have no acquaintance with God nor with his Ministry nor Gospel who have thus dishonoured him in setting up that Maintenance by the forcible and unjust oppression of Tythes to be the preserving of Ministry and Gospel and as if Tythes were the uphold ing of Ministry and Gospel and you have thus falsly and wickedly measured God his Ministry and Gospel by the wickedness of your own hearts who seem to be indeed of those Hirelings that cheat Souls for money and run for the gift like Balaam and for the lucre like the evil Beasts and Slow-bellies and so I do believe that your false Ministry indeed and your feigned pretence of preaching the Gospel do depend upon great sums of money and upon large Maintenances and we believe that indeed is the chief Reason of your Preaching and of your Ministry and it is very possible that your Ministry and Preaching may fall which is Antichristian when Tythes and Hire is taken away which Ministry dependeth thereupon but the true Ministry and preaching of the Gospel will God maintain and uphold though the oppression of Tythes be vanquished and I hope some of the Rulers of this Nation and Officers of the Army will not believe your advice but yet you seem to be willing to renounce Tythes if you could have as full a Maintenance setled another way so that however great maintenance comes you regard not so you can have that whether by this way of Oppression or the other it s your Maintenance you love and follow after and seek unto the Powers of the Earth for that end and how equally and legally Tythes have been setled which you seem to affirm let all good People judge given they were and setled first in our Nation by the Popes Authority to be the Maintenance of that Whore's Ministers and the Laws that gave them and setled them have been Antichristian and Oppression in the Nation and there is the guilt of Blood and of cruel unjust sufferings lying upon this Nation in that very cause of Tythes and the Hand of the Lord is gone out against it and against all Contenders for it and God will redeem the Nation from â—â—der it though you be putting your strength to uphold it through your hypocritical Prayers and Preaching and Flatteries with God and man The fifth particular is these Authors desire that countenance be not given unto nor trust reposed in the hands of Quakers being persons of such Principles that are distructive to the Gospel and inconsistent with peace and civil society Answ. Here your wickedness and the malice of your hearts is let forth against the dispised People for their righteousness sake and this spirit of yours would not only discountenance them but destroy them from the face of the Earth if it were in your Hands and you are worse then Baalam ever was and far more blind then he for you are as it were seeking inchantments against the People of God for Money and you see not the goodly tents of Iacob as he did nor the People that are altogether blessed Oh! ye envious persons that are even a preparing as much as in you is the destruction of a peaceable People and that would keep them in slavery under you and you would have the countenance of the powers of the Earth but they must not and you would Monopolize all the places of trust for advantage to your selves and you would hardly allow the People of God a place on the Ground Oh! ye sinful Hypocrites and Flatterers and Slanderers of the just but what need you have made such preparation against them do they seek places of honour among you do they delight in great places among men do they love to be great in this World nay their Kingdom is from above and they reject the countenanance of the Beâ—â—â— Authority and they reject any confidence that the Dragon and unjust poâ—… can repose in them and you need not have been afraid in this matter and thereupon slandered us and have back-bited us to the powers of the Earth what do you fear even the thing which you fear will God in a judgement bring upon you and there is a Government to be set up in this Nation even that which is of the Lamb and your Antichristian Monarchy the Beast with all his Heads and Horns shall fall to the Ground and the Lord may
well Oh that such would consider and not be hasty in any thing to perform or profess Religion in their degenerate estate but that they would come to know the Regeneration and the renewing of their minds by the holy spirit and that the Immortal Birth might be born in them even the Birth of the Spirit which is Heir of God Oh that that might live and rule in them then should they be Heirs of God and Citizens of the New-Ierusalem And oh ye People of London lay it to heart you must be born again or else you can never enter into Gods Kingdom you must be changed in nature and must be crucified to this world that you may live unto God this must you come unto or else you have no part nor portion in Eternal Life and your Duties and Performances in your Forms of Religion they cannot save you not justifie you all your Preaching Praying Singing and all your Duties whatsoever they are all nothing till you come to know changing and renewing inwardly and do witness the Seed of God raised up in you and the head of the Serpent bruised in you by the Seed of the Woman this must you come to witness that your Souls may live Oh that you would consider be not so zealous against that which you may call Heresie and Schism for while you err in judgment you may soon speak evil of Truth and persecute it under the name of Error many have wofully faln into that Snare and brought sorrow upon themselves thereby The wise Iews even the chief Priests Scribes and Pharisees they were as confident in their Way as you can be and yet they erred in judgment and would not receive Christ but persecuted him under the very name of a Deceiver and thus it is possible for many to do in this Age What though you have Christ's words and the Apostles words yet if you have not the Spirit of Christ that was in the Apostles you know nothing rightly of the Scriptures neither can you understand them nor have Salvation by them for you must know Christ in you your hope of glory else you are Reprobates and shut out of the Kingdom of God And search the Scriptures and see if they do not witness this Do not they say Christ is in you except you be Reprobates and do not they say The Law of God is written in the heart and the Spirit of God is put in the inward part And do not they say That Christ hath lightned every man that comes into the World with the true Light And do not they say that the Apostle exhorts people to hearken to the Word of God in their hearts and to be followers of the Spirit of God that was in their hearts And do not the Scriptures say That it was the Light that shined in the heart that gave the knowledge of God unto the Saints Search the Scriptures and see whether these things be so and must not men be born again of the Immortal Seed Oh consider and let not these Doctrines seem new unto you neither reject them though they come unto you in weak appearance not with words of mens wisdom but in Simplicity and in sincerity and in the Power of God And search the Scriptures whether these things be so were not they false Prophets That preached for hire and divined for money and sought for their gain from their Quarter were not such Deceivers in the true Prophets time and them that preached for filthy lucre and for money and for gifts and rewards were not such false Brethren and false Apostles search the Scriptures whether these things be so for the day of trial is now come wherein all must be searched and that Religion and Worship and Ministry which is not according to the Scriptures which was given forth by the Spirit of God let that Religion Worship Church and Ministry be utterly condemned of the Lord and all his People and let such Ministers as cannot prove their Call their Maintenances and Practices to be according to Scriptures let such Ministers be confounded and silenced for ever and come to try this matter when you will For whereas you cry out against us as if we were Deniers of Scriptures as if we were Enemies to Church and godly Ministry and Religion and as if we were Deceivers Hereticks Papists c. But I say unto you these things have you never yet justly proved against us but rather accused us behind our backs to make us odious among people and though for divers years together we have been publick yet when did ever any of you Ministers seek by lawfull means to convert us or shew us our Errors if we were as you say of us oh it had been your time to have sought our conversion and not to have Persecuted to have sent to Prisons Houses of Correction and by such Weapons of any outward force and cruelty have you dealt with us and not in meekness and by the Spirit of the Lord as Ministers of Christ ought to do but have cried to the Magistrates to defend you and your your Church and Worship being unable as it were by the Authority of God's Spirit to defend your selves Therefore I say unto you now lay down your Carnal Weapons and come out in the Spirit of Meekness and come out in the Authority of God's Spirit if you have it convince us thereby if we be in an evil way as you say let us hear your soundest Arguments by the Spirit of God and according to the Scriptures to prove those things which you say of us prove it by evident Arguments that we deny Scriptures and that we are Hereticks and that we are Papists I challenge you all in the Name of the Lord even all you Ministers of London let us hear your sound Reasons openly in the spirit of Meekness and do not back-bite nor slander in the dark and let us not be bawled against by your rude Members as often we have been even in the spirit of wickedness but come out you Ministers we are willing to be tried according to the Scriptures and by the Spirit of God in our Religion and in every part of it and if you be the same then come forth in the spirit of Meekness like Ministers of Christ and lay down your Carnal Weapons and let us have fair dealing openly that Truth may be manifested publickly and Error may be discovered and let us not envy one anothers persons and seek to destroy one anothers lives but let us seek to destroy the evil in one another that men might be saved and this would be a Christian-like way we would hear what you have to charge against our Religion by sound Arguments in Meekness that we may answer it and then we will charge something upon your Ministry Church Religion and Worship and we will prove what we say against you according to the Scriptures and we will not impose our Religion upon you by the force of outward Powers
and outward Laws neither would we have you force your Religion Ministry and Church upon us by such means but we will leave the effect of all thing to the Spirit of God and come out when you will in such a way as this and this would satisfie thousands and let Meekness and the Fear of God be amongst you and this is the way to exalt Religion and we would think it a happiness more then otherwise to be joyned in sober debate and dispute against you that you and we in your Religion Church and Ministry and in ours also might be tried according to the Scriptures that all may be satisfied who are doubtful and may hear you Principles and our Principles discussed in the presence of the People who may judge by the Light and Witness in their own Consciences for to that in all we do appeal and in such a proceeding come forth when you will lay down your Carnal Weapons and take the Weapons of of the Spirit and come to the trial for the Day of the Lord is approaching upon all the World E. B. The FOURTH General Epistle To all the SAINTS Being a Visitation of the Fathers Love unto the whole Flock of Cod who are called and gathered into the spiritual Kingdom of Righteousness and Peace To be read in all the Assemblies of them that meet together to worship the Father in the Spirit and Truth in the silence of all Flesh. Dearly Beloved WHom the Father hath called and chosen into the Election of Eternal Salvation and who have handled and tasted and felt of the Judgments and Mercies of the Lord and amongst whom the God of Heaven and Earth hath appeared in his Spirit and in his Power which 〈◊〉 gotten you into the Heirship of the heavenly Kingdom Oh Friends our Kingdom and Victory is not of this World nor earthly but from above and spiritual wherein we have Peace and Comfort endless and everlasting which the World knows not of I say unto you all that know these things Live in the Peace and Victory and Kingdom which is invisible and mind the things as your greatest Treasure that pertain to that Kingdom even the weighty matters of it which aâ— eternal and infinite and that every one of you may feel and enjoy a Portion in that Kingdom Oh! it is precious for a people to be Subjects of the heavenly Kingdom and for a man to have an assurance of Life and Peace in God and to be an Heir of that Kingdom that fadeth not away and to have his name written in the Record of Life and blessed is every one whose Hope and Confidence and Peace and Assurance is in the living God and whose Soul resteth under the Government of the Almighty and who knows him to be Judge King and Lawgiver in all things and this is the Kingdom that is heavenly and is altogether blessed for Peace and Truth and Righteousness and all Vertue is enjoyed in it for evermore Now Friends you must all be subjected in all things under the Power of the Lord God and unto his will and he must work in you to will and to do for in this is true Rest and Peace unto the Soul where the Will of the Father is done and suffered in all things and not the Will of man which worketh sorrow to the Creature and not peace in the obedience to it and where it rules and that must be subjected in you even in every Word Work and Motion unto the eternal Power that you may die and Christ may live and in this you will have union and fellowship in spirit with the Lord God and he alone will be your trust and confidence and your glory if he live in you and walk in you and then you are his People and he is your God And Friends are to mind this even Peace and Union and Fellowship with the Lord and the comfort of his Presence which is the onely happiness of the Creature even the enjoyment of him that is invisible who is God infinite over all to whom mortal eye cannot approach neither can the mortal mind him apprehend but in his own Life manifested in mortal Flesh and by the measure of his own Spirit that dwells in us is he seen felt preceived and enjoyed of us so mind the Immortal Life begotten of the Father in you that that may live in you even the Heir of God which is his Image and likeness for in that alone is Covenant with God made and kept and in it is the Fathers presence enjoyed and he Worshipped without respect of time place or visible thing and if that live in you then yoâ— in that will live unto God in all that which is answerable unto him and your words and works will be accepted of him and well-pleasing to him even because it is him that worketh in you to will and to do all good things and he alone exalted in you and you subjected and the Maker is become the Husband and you married unto him and he lives in Power and Rule and Command and you livâ— In subjectiâ—â— unto him and in fulfilling his Will in what he guideth in by his Holy Spiriâ— And this life is very precious Oh Friends live in it and dwell in it always and then your Joy and Peace will be with you over all this World and you will be Comforted wheâ— Fear and Terrour comes upon all men for the Lord God whom we serve â—nd worship in the Spirit will cause his Enemies to know his Power and that he doth and can do whatsoever he will and will smite his Enemies and wound them in their Consciences for all Power Dominion and Authority is with him he is mighty to save and mighty to destroy and his Reward is to every one according to their deeds and this is the God whom we fear and worship and all Flesh must bow before him when he shews his presence though men 〈◊〉 high and lifted up and go on in Rebellion against him without fear yet thâ— hand of the Lord will be upon theâ— and he shall smite them with the â—od of his mouth Wherefore all Friends have respect unto the Lord in your 〈◊〉 in all things that you do and in all things that cometh to pass for that is â—â—â—â—â—ed in a people and they shall prosper their Souls shall be nourished and their lives refreshed with the Mercies of the Lord even all they that do waiâ— upon the Lord and have respect unto him and his Eternal Power which doth and suffereth all things that be In which Power you must dwell and walk and feel it in your hearts and it will be your Armour and Defence in all things and it will carry you through all that which worketh contrary And it is very pretious to be Armed with the Armour of God in the Day of Temptations and Tryals that you may not be overcome of the wicked nor spoiled of the Heavenly Inheritance Oh Frinds put on strength that you
and divers practises thereunto pertaining it is not the true Worship of the True and Living God though never so zealously practised because it cannot be believed that the Authors and Composers of it were moved led and guided by the Holy Spirit of God in their very Institution and forming of it and whatsoever is brought forth whether in Faith or any practise in any kind of Profession and practises in any way of Religion and not onely by the Spirit of God is not the true Worship of God which is only in Spirit and Truth and consists onely of such practises moved unto and guided in by the Spirit and the true Worship of God is not otherwise neither for matter nor manner but in what things and after what manner as the Spirit of God leadeth unto and guideth in for the Father seeketh such to Worship him as Worship in Spirit and Truth 4. As for the Method and Form of the matter it is not according to the example of the Holy Scriptures nor agreeing to the practise of Worship held forth by the Apostles but different from and partly contrary to the Spirit that was in the Saints and their example of Worship as in many circumstances pertaining to the orders of Common-Prayer-Book might be instanced but even some of the Practises themselves and the manner of performing them are for the most part Invention and Tradition traduced into the World long since the Apostles days and they are not according to the Scriptures nor example of the Saints Worship in the Church of Christ in their days and therefore the Matter in it self partly and the Method of it are not the true Worship of the Living God which is not after the traditions of men as the manner of performance of Common Prayer-Book is when as the Worship of God is in and by the Spirit of God as before witnessed 5. And as for the Practice of it in this Nation as by Imposition and force upon pains penalties as it was practised for many years together as so held forth it was not the Worship of God but Abomination to him as I have shewed and that Worship which is practised by any people being forced upon them is but Hypocrisie and deceit and outward conformity in such Worshippers and God requires it not of them and such was the Worship in the Common-Prayer so called for there were many who did bow and conform thereunto even because of the terror of men even many in the Ignorance of their Consciences and some against their Consciences and contrary to the Light thereof and some were persecuted because they could not conform all which was Abomination in the sight of the Lord even the consequence of the thing was as evil as any part of either matter or manner also even while many conceited themselves in their Ignorance that they had Worshipped God and done well while they had onely performed such Worship forced upon them and which the Lord never required at their hands and that cannot be the true Worship of the true and Living God which can be performed by a People without the Spirit of God by which alone and without it God cannot be Worshipped and the practise of Worship after the order of Common-Prayer did many thousands if not most perform without the Spirit of God whereby it fully appears that in the practise of the Book of Common-Prayer the Worshippers did not Worship the true and Living God but walked only in a part of the Form of Godliness but had not the Power 6. But as for the Practise of it as now in England without Imposition upon all by force and penalty but by some out of supposition that it is the best way of worship and that willingly and neither forced upon them nor they forcing it upon others as thus practis'd is not so great Idolatry nor of so bad effects as if it were violently forced upon all but if any suppose it to be the best way of worship and be so perswaded such may more equally have their Liberty in the exercise thereof while they allow Liberty to others to follow what worship as they are preswaded and as it is unjust to impose by violence that or any other Form of worship upon people so it is unjust to impose penalty or punishments on the Bodies or Estates of any for their conformity to the Book of Common-Prayer or any other kind of Worship for as it is contrary to God to compel by force to that Practise of Worship so it is unjust to stop by force from that Way of Worship or to inflict Penalties upon the Persons or Estates of any because thereof for though many exceptions may be justly made by sound Arguments against that way of Worship in matter manner and effects as I have said yet none ought to be afflicted in Person or Estate for the error of their minds while their error extends not to destroy the Person and Estate of another for all force by violence that hath been put on the Bodies and Estates of men about Church-Worship Ministry and Religion of any kind hath been Antichristian and not of God even for many Generations 7. And therefore them that read the Book of Common-Prayer and all other sort of Worshippers that are either perswaded by the Spirit of God or suppose in their hearts of the Verity and Truth of their Way let them all have their Liberty in their way of Worship without force or restraint by outward Laws while they impose not one upon another violently for the true Worshippers ought not to be persecuted for their Worship but if they are it will confirm them in the truth of their Way the false Worshippers ought not to suffer affliction of Persecution nor loss of Estate though they do err in their Minds and Judgments about Worship in spiritual things but if they are afflicted because thereof it will harden them in their evil wayes and not convert them nor turn them from the evil of their wayes for men are converted to the right way and out of that which is evil by the Spirit of God and through perswading of the Conscience inwardly and not by force or violence put upon their Bodies or estates outwardly never any were converted to God by such means And this is my Answer to the Objection and my judgment of the case inquired into The Book of Common Prayer so called partly the Matter it self and the Method of it and the Manner of its performance is not the true Worship of the True and Living God no not the free Practise there of without Imposition much less the Practise of it by Imposition and force for that is altogether Abomination and hath with it woful effects upon whatsoever People it hath been or shall hereafter be forced and violently Imposed This is given forth for the Satisfaction of all that desires in this Matter The 5th Moneth 1660. E. B. A Postscript AND some set up the Institution
because thereof And how easie a thing it is for the present King and Parliament to walk in the same way even to account the true Ministers 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ and his People through want of infallible knowledge Hereticks and Deceivers and Blasphemers and to destroy them on that account while Deceivers may be accounted true Ministers by them even till Gods displeaâ—â—â—â— breaks forth against them to confound them And this is worthy to be consiâ—â—â—ed by them against the evil counsel of wicked men who would lay snarâ—◠〈◊〉 their feet and cast stumbling-blocks before them that they may be taken and fâ—â—â— to their overthrow 6. It is of the Devil the Dragon and Antichrist all this killing and perâ—â—â—â—ting of one Sect by â—nother about Religion since thâ— Apostles days the â—…ts and Witnesses have been slain and all that would not worship the Beast â—…e been killed by the Dragon the Devil and false power as may be read in the â—velations and never any of the true Churches of Christ nor any Memâ—er thereof at any time in or since the dayes of Christ and his Apostles did ever kill or cut off by death nor sought so to do any false Prophet Heretick or Blasphemers the true Christians never proceeded in that way but forgave Enemies and did win their Opposers by sound Doctrine and Conversation or gave them up to Satan and separated from them but nevâ—r killed them but it was the Antichrist the Wolves in Sheep's cloathing that killed about Worship even all that would not Worship The Saints and Martyrs their Blood was shed by the Beast because they would not worship and it was the Whore that hath drunk all this Blood of Prophets and â—ust Men and not the true Church who wars with spiritual Weapons and â—ills Enmity and Powers of Darkness but kills not Persons nor wars with â—arnal Weapons 7. And if they should proceed to kill and cut off by death such as are Hereticks and Deceivers who err in their minds how unjust would that be to destroy the lives of Men for the error of their minds and judgements in spiritual things And this the King and Parliament ought not to do though false Prophets Hereticks and Blasphemers must not escape unpunished but ought to be proceeded against yet not in and by the way of killing and destroying mens lives for that is a Punishment not answerable to the Offence and every Offence ought to have a Punishment just equal and answerable to the Crime and to punish the Body by death for the error of the mind in spiritual things this is not equal nor according to the Spirit of the Gospel but if any shall be destroyed in their Persons or Estates by Cruelty for or because they are in Error of Mind and Judgement in Matters Spiritual or may be supposed so to be it is no less then robbery and murder in the sight of God And let the King consider this and keep his Hands from shedding of Blood on that account lest he provoke the Lord against him And now I come to the second Branch of the Petition where the Petitioner doth request in these words saith he I most humbly beg your Grace that the â—oly Sabbath of the Lord the Christian Sabbath may by your Majesties strict Command be more religiously kept and observed then heretofore c. Answ. I answer to this It is well worthy to be considered by the King 1. That God did indeed command the People of the Iews to keep and observe the seventh day of the week for a Sabbath and that they should not do any manner of work therein they their Servants nor their Cattle but that day â—â—ould be kept holy unto the Lord by them and to this the Prophets and Servants of God in the time of the first Covenant did instruct and exhort upon the Penalty of God's Displeasure against that People of the Iews if they neglected to keep the seventh day of the week Sabbath and upon many the Lord did execute Judgement because thereof onely upon the People of the Iâ—ws for to them onely was commanded the observing the seventh day of the week as a Sabbath as a Sign between God and them 2. That God never commanded the keeping of the seventh day of the week 〈◊〉 a Sabbath to the Gentiles nor to any Nation or People saving onely the Pâ—ople of the Iews of which people we are not this Nation I mean according to the Flesh after the Generation of Men we are not of the Iews 〈◊〉 of the Gentiles and therefore the seventh day of the week was never commanded of God to this Nation to keep as a Sabbath neither can we be conâ—â—mned or judged of the Lord though we keep it not because it was never commanded of God unto us nor to any of the Gentilâ—s nor to any but to the People of the Iews as I have said and it was but a sign to them and Christ fulfilled all shaddows and was the end of the Law and the finishing of the Sabbath dayes and in him that Type was ended 3. That the observing of the first day of the week for a Sabbath which hath been done in this Nation for many Ages is onely by Tradition and not from any Command of God nor binding Example of the Apostles that we read of it is not of Commandment from God or Christ Jesus The first day of the week hath been observed as a Christian Sabbath but from Tradition and original Ordination of the Church of Rome as themselvâ—s do confess and the Protestants have taken it up from them though it is acknowledged that the Scripture saith The Saints and Churches of Christians in the Apostles dayes did meet together on the first day of the week for they that witnessed Christ come did deny Temple-Worship and first Priesthood and Circumcision and Synagogues and Sabbath-dayes which were a shaddow Col. 2. 16 17. and it s said They came together on the first day of the week but that this Practise of theirs is a Command to us at this day or binding Example to any Christians that all must keep the first day of the week as a Sabbath by force and upon such or such Pains Forfeitures and Penalties this I have not learned neither from God nor out of the Scriptures but it is doubtful to many even whether the God of Heaven requireth it now of Christians and Believers the keeping of any one day of the week as a Sabbath of rest from all Labour and to observe that day for Worship and to others it is doubtful if a day the Lord requireth then which day whether seventh day or first day of the week And concerning these Cases there is present Controversie in the minds of many men 4. That to force and compel upon any Nation by violent Laws and Edicts the observing any one day as Sabbath upon such and such Penalties and that onely upon the ground of Tradition and long Custom while the Scriptures in that
if the same things come to pass which they declare 〈◊〉 you deny them in this Age and â—ry against such as Hereticks who witâ—… the fulfilling of them which shews you are of Antichrist and that you quench the Spirit in the Sons and Daughters which God hath promised in the New Covenant that he would give and pour forth upon Sons and Daughters and they shall prophesie And are not we to look for these things now What must not God's Promises be fulfilled must not an Heards-man now preach if the Word of the Lord come unto him and must not Plow-men now speak of the things of God if they have experience of them and must not Fisher-men and Tent-makers bear witness to the Name of Christ if they have received of his Spirit and will you deny the Scriptures which saith As every one hath received the Spirit and the Gift so let him administer the same one to another 1. Pet. 4. or do you say None must have the Gift of the Spirit but such as are brought up at Schools and Colledges or will you limit the holy One to such and such Men and Wayes Oh you are blind and ignorant who would quench the Spirit of God that it should not speak in these dayes and thus you are denyers of the Scriptures but God hath given of his Spirit and spoken in our Hearts and we must prophesie and speak as the Spirit of God giveth utterance as the Saints of old did Act. 2. 4. Now for your way of making Ministers at Schools and Colledges and so quallifying them with knowledge in the seven Sciences as it is said and ordaining them in that manner and way as among Papists and Protestants hath been practised for Ages this way of making Ministers and sending of them forth was never known among the Apostles for they were not thus made and ordained and sent to preach nor was this way of making and sending forth Ministers till the Spirit and Power of God was lost and forsaken by the Apostate Christians and the Scriptures make no mention of such ways nor give no Example for such things and we cannot own any Religion nor any Practice thereof but what we have Example for from the Saints of old before us and we believe that it is generally of Antichrist to invent and introduce such and such Practices for Religion towards God and for the Worship of him for which there is no Example in all the Christian Churches in the Apostles dayes and we believe that way of making Ministers and sending of them forth which is not approveable by the Scripture nor according to them is of Antichrist and not of God neither can we own such Ministers nor their Ministry who are not ordained of God and according to the Scriptures nor can we deuy private Preachers nor their Ministry as you call them if they have received the Spirit of Christ though they be not so learned outwardly nor ordained according to what some may call the right way but who are Ministers made and sent of God and have the Authority of his Spirit such we own and cannot deny and such the Lord will bless with his Presence to the confounding of all their Enemies Concerning Settlement in a happy Government Object There hath been great Divisions and Distractions in these Nations for many years and in the midst of them the great cry hath been by many for Settlement and Peace and for a quiet and happy Government Answ. These things hath the Lord suffered to come to pass in the World even great Contentions Divisions and distractions and much Changes of Government in these Kingdoms And the appearing Cause of these things hath been from the Lust that hath warred in the Members for from thence doth Wars and Strife arise and many have been Ambitious Vain-glorious Self-seeking and Covetous of the Honours and Pleasures of this World the lust and desire of these things hath possessed the minds of Men and induced them to Envy and Wrath one against another and hath filled them with Heart-burnings and cruelty of mind to the killing and destroying of one another by Wars and Blood-sheds and by Plots and Contrivances have sought how to extinguish one another from the Earth that themselves might be exalted and thus from the desires that have warred in mens minds have Wars arisen against the Persons of Men and among them and this is the appearing Cause of the Wars and Distractions that have been in these Nation though the hidden cause which hath not so appeared hath been in God and because of the wickedness of Men both high and low and because of their Oppressions and Abominations which have been many and great in the World therefore hath the God of Heaven been provoked in just Judgement towards Rulers and People to suffer Men to destroy one another and to execute Bloodshed and Destructions one upon another and he hath brought it to pass in giving up men to the fulfilling of their cruel intents which have been hatched in their evil Minds every Man against his Neighbour and even because they have been departed out of his Counsel and followed their own wicked Wayes and Justice and Mercy and Truth have been wanting amongst Men in these Nations so that this is the principal cause wherefore the Lord God hath brought about and suffered these Wars Distractions Confusions and Discord in these latter dayes and out of the justness of God's Judgments because of the wickedness of men have these things been And now these Distractions and confusions and Discords amongst Men can never wholly and truly cease to be till Iniquity and Transgression be repented of and turned from which is the very cause wherefore God hath done and suffered these things as I have said and so Men must cease from Oppression from Cruelty and from all Unrighteousness and must turn to the Lord and become cleansed from their Sins ere ever the Judgements of the Lord be removed and these Distractions Wars and Confusions cease to be in these Lands and till Men become Meek and Humble and till they cease to seek revenge one of another and till they cease all Oppression and Covetousness Injustice and Unmercifulness and till they forsake their worldly Honour and high Titles which puff them up in Arrogancy and Ambition and even till every Man forsakes his particular Iniquity till all these things be Distractions will not cease nor shall Settlement and Peace and happy Government ever be This is certainly so for except the Cause be removed the Effect can never cease and there appears to be at this day as great if not far more Dissatisfactions in the Minds of some People than hath been heretofore and it appears to be as far from Settlement and true Peace in an happy Union in Government as for many years though it hath been expected by many that we should have Peace and Settlement in Government yet behold it cannot be for there are Discontents and Murmurings in the
sprinkling of Infants and to deny it to be the true Baptism into the true Church 2. Concerning taking an Oath we say Christ Jesus commanded Mat. 5. Not to Swear to all and the Apostles Iames said Above all things my Brethren Swear not so that to deny to Swear and take Oathes is according to the Command of Christ and his Apostles and is no error though the Accuser hath here charged it on us as a heinous crime but we do deny all swearing in obedience to the Commands of Christ and our Yea is Yea and our Nay is Nay as Christ hath taught us without an Oath who hath commanded us not to take Oaths nor Swear at all 3. As for pulling down Magistrates and killing all Princes and that it is lawful to have many Wives These are Lyes and Slanders charged upon us by a false Accuser for our Principle is to obey all Magistrates and all Princes in every thing either by doing or suffering and we would have Princes and Magistrates to rule and reign in the Power of God justly righteously and according to the Law of God and would not have them killed and pulled down And we say it 's better to keep in the single chaste life than to have many Wives but any Accusation to make us appear vile this your Informer spareth not but according to his Work will be his Reward in the Day of the Lord. 4. Concerning all being holy in the Church we say That every Member in the true Church of Christ is holy for the Church of Christ is his Body and every Member of his Body which are Flesh of his Flesh and Bones of his Bones are holy as he is holy in kind and quality and it is his Exhortation to his Saints Be ye holy for I am holy saith Christ So that to hold that every member of the Body of Christ is holy is no error though it be so reputed by an ignorant man 5. Concerning all Learning being prophane and that mean men are fittest to expound Scriptures I do say that Learning in it self is a gift of God and is not prophane though as to the knowledge of God and the things of his Kingdom learning in Tongues and Languages is little available for it 's the Spirit of God that teaches the things of God and reveals all the things of his Kingdom and none can know God but as the Spirit of God discovers him for the Disciples who were some of them unlearned men in Books and letters had the knowledge of the matters of God's Kingdom taught them by the holy Spirit and such as have the gift of the Spirit of God be they poor or rich are fitted to expound and understand Scriptures for none can understand the Scriptures nor the things therein declared but by the Spirit of God that gavâ— forth the Scriptures and it is not Latine Greek or Hebrew that teacheth to understand the Scriptures but it is the Spirit of God and to whomsoever that Spirit is given and God gives it to whom he pleaseth they only are fit to declare the things of God unto others and to expound Scriptures and none else but them who have experience of the operation of the Spirit in their own hearts and this we hold and believe 6. Concerning ordinary Calling and speaking as he is inspired I say the Scriptures no where speak of ordinary calling and if by ordinary calling it be meant calling to any Office in the Church without the Spirit of God I say there was no such Calling for the Ministry of Christ in the Apostles dayes was called by the holy Spirit and the Ministry of the true Church is made ordained and called according to the Gift of God's holy Spirit which he giveth And as every one saith Peter hath received the Gift of the Spirit so let him administer the same one to another So that it is manifest by the Scriptures that the Call to the Ministry in the Apostles dayes was not of man nor by man saith Paul but according to the gift of the holy Anointing the Spirit of God and also every one in the true Church might speak as it was revealed to them for saith Paul If any thing be revealed to another that stands by let the first hold his peace for â—e may all speak one by one that all may be edified So that it is no Error to hold that every one in the true Church may speak as the Spirit of God gives them utterance and to whom the things of God are revealed by the Spirit 7. That there are Popish Agents among us and that such are our Ring-leaders this is a false slander and you ought to put the Accuser to prove it it is your duty so to do and that such Popish Agents be named and where they are And I challenge the Accuser to name one among 〈◊〉 or else let him stop his Mouth for a Lyar who hath abused your Names with dedicating Untruths to you for your approof Again He accuseth us for saying The Spirit bloweth where it listeth and he saith we judge none have the Spirit but our selves Answ. 1 Christ himself said The Wind bloweth where it listeth and so iâ— every one that is born of the Spirit And we do judge God hath given of his Spirit to many that are yet Ungodly and many are convinced of sin by the Spirit of God in their Consciences that are wicked and ungodly who are not of Us but yet we say as the Saints in Ages past said We know that we are of God and that the whole World lies in Wickedness and they that are of God hear us and are one with us and we do inform all People to the measure of the Spirit of God in their Consciences that they may come to the Knowledge of God and to be one with us Again He accuseth us to be acted by the same deluding spirit as John of Leyden was acted by Answ. 1. What spirit Iohn of Leyden was acted by we now dispute not neither doth this Accuser well know but what he hath from the reports of others which may be false as like as true in fome particulars but the Spirit that we follow is the Spirit of God by which we are acted in the wayes of Truth and Righteousness and are not deluded nor Followers of a deluding spirit for we are willing to be tried in our Doctrines and Practices according to the Scriptures and though we stand accused of these and the like things yet we challenge him to prove it before you and that we may be admitted to make our defence and we shall the rather easily prove that our Accuser is acted by the spirit of the Devil who is an Accuser of the Brethren like the Devil and that is a deluding spirit that teacheth men to backbitâ— lyâ— and slander as this man hath done so he is proved fully guilty of that whereof he hath accused others and must own the shame and condemnation to himself
it and mould it for honour or dishonor and if his Spirit blow upon you and if he smite you you perish and none can restore you Take heed to this God and have respect unto him and remember you are but as Dust before him and you now have a time for a moment which the Lord hath given you to try you what you will do and how you will walk towards him an Account unto him must you give of all your wayes Remember this now in your life-time while you have time and the day of your visitation is not quite extinguished 4 Be tender and compassionate towards all men not perverse hasty and froward thinking to bow men to your wills by rigour but rather win them by love and this is of good report to you to be humble meek and tender towards all even towards your Enemies and insult not over the Afflicted neither add to their Sufferings for the Lord can raise up and bring down whomsoever he will according to his pleasure and remember that Law to walk by it Do to others but aâ— ye would have others do unto you in the same case and be not too cruel to such who cannot conform to Times and Things and Men for what know you but some mens Consciences may be tender in things which you yet make no Conscience of meddle not to persecute any for their Conscience sake in religious matters but rule and govern well in outward Affairs according to the Law of God but afflict not nor persecute any for their Conscience sake towards God while they walk justly as men in things between man and man Take this Counsel lest you vex the Lord against you to destroy you 5. Be moderate and compassionate towards this same People that are accused before you though they are at this day a People under Afflictions and Sufferings every way yet shew not the height of Rigour and Oppression against them though you have Power to imprison them and to deal hardly with them yet be tender and meek and shew bowels of mercy and forbearance and use not the extent of your Power to seek their Destruction lest ye provoke the Lord against your selves for the God of Heaven remembreth their Cause and doth give ear to the cry of their innocent groanings under their heavy Burdens and Deliverance may he work for them whether you will or no Though it be an hour of Affliction and a day of great Tryal upon them yet Wo unto them that shall be found adding to their Afflictions by encreasing their Burdens through Injustice and Persecution Therefore as ye hope to receive Mercy from the Lord and as ye would have his Compassion shewed to you do the same to his People for Power is in your Hands to be Merciful or Cruel to relieve them or persecute them and it is your day of tryal what you 〈◊〉 do ye have your hour to do Good or evil and according to your Works will the God of Heaven reward you 6. Consider the Innocency of this People they are clear before the Lord and you of plotting or contriving or designing Evil againâ—â— you or this Government they seek not the hurt of any mans Person nor do they intend Evil towards the Government or Governours Who have found them agitating any such things of all such things they are innocent and are peaceable Subjects under the Government and are perswaded in Conscience so to â—â—ntinue And as for their Deportment in their Callings and Occasions and Tradings amongst Men ask their Neighbours Do not they deal justly truly and equally in all their Dealings and Occasions Do not they speak the Truth to their Neighbours in all Matters and are they not Persons of upright and inoffensive Lives and Conversations Do they defraud their Neighbours or are they Drunkards or vain Persons â—et the very Witness of God in their Neighbours answer And if you should fall a persecuting this People and seek to destroy them concerning whom the Witness of God in Mens Consciences giveth such an Evidence Wo wo will be unto you for you cannot hurt them but you act contrary to the Witness of God in your own Hearts which will condemn you in the Day of Judgment So let this dwell upon your spirits and be aware what you do take good Consideration lest you act out of God's Counsel to your own overthrow 7. Consider what became of all the Persecutors of old Were not they Eminently destroyed by the Hand of God who persecuted the Lord's People What became of Pharoah and what became of Hammon and what became of Herod who persecuted the Lord's Heritage Let this enter into your Hearts to be Examples to you that you persecute not the Innocent lest God overturn you by the Roots for as I have said The Cause of this People God regardeth and he will avenge himself in his season of all their Persecutors Have not your Hands dipped in their unjust Afflictions that God may bless you and spare them that you may be spared in the Day of Vengeance if you have no matter of Evil against them in things between man and man nor in the Affairs of your Government as contriving against it nor nothing but concerning the Worship of their God and the Matters of their Conscience in spiritual things Touch them not Persecute them not Afflict them not but be tender towards them as you will answer the same before the God of Heaven These are only Considerations of Warning to you and I commit the Matter to the Lord and ye have time to do Good or Evil and accordingly will God reward you A Testimony concerning Government and Authority WE are a People whom God hath raised up out of the Apastacy Darkness and Ignorance which all Christendom hath long been fallen into for since the dayes of the Apostles many have professed the Words of Christ and had a Name of Churches and the shew of Religion and have professed the Scriptures but have wanted the same Spirit and Power of Godliness which the Apostles lived in the Life and Spirit of God hath been wanting amongst the false Christians and they have been persecuting one another about Religion and the Worship of God and imposing upon one anothers Consciences in spiritual Matters and Kings and Rulers have been setting up what kind of Worship and Religion and Church Government as they pleased and they have imposed upon Kingdoms and made people subject to them to profess and conform to such a Way of Worship and Religion some in the ignorance of their Consciences and some contrary to their Consciences and all this hath been in the Apostacy since the Apostles dayes while men have been fallen from the true Faith and many have been subject to their Rulers and Governours by force and for fear and not for Conscience sake for Love Peace and Unity hath been wanting among Christians and Bitterness Frowardness and False heartedness hath been amongst them but out of all this the Lord
extream Reproaches as I have said in Contempt and Derision of that People and all this as if those People were guilty of heinous Crimes that it might appear to thee as if these Petitioners had done nothing but Iustice in what they have done and they seek to cover themselves and to hide their Wickedness before thee in what they have unjustly acted and this seems to be the Current of some part of the same Petition already presented unto thee like as if they had done no Evil though they have Unjustly Banished 〈◊〉 off Ears Whipped inhumanly and taken away lives as aforesaid And they would have thee believe they are Innocent towards thee and towards us whenas it is evident as the Sun at Noon-day that they are our Persecuters and that they have â—â—justly persecuted us unto Death for the Name of Christ and that also they are not unto thee as they Hypocritically feign themselves And therefore O King for the clearing of our selves and the Name of the Lord which we profess and for reproving of their bold impudent Insolencies both in what they have already done to us and now in seeking to cover themselves unto thee And also if there be any doubtfulness in thy Heart of these Matters for these Ends and Causes with Respect to the Fear of God and Honour 〈◊〉 the King I hereby presume to pursue their said Petition even unto thy Court and to wipe away the Slanders and Reproaches of Ungodly Men as much as possible hoping thereby thou wilt receive due and just Information in this matter of proceeding between us and them that thy just Judgment may be given accordingly And I shall transcribe some few of their own words presented to thee and thereupon spread some few Considerations before thee also and I pray God give thee an Understanding to judge justly in this and all other cases The first thing that I note is whereas they say That they have chosen rather the pure Scripture-Worship with a good Conscience in this poor remote Wilderness to â—it New-England among the Heathens than the Pleasures of England with subjection to the Imposition of the then so disposed and so far prevailing Hierarchy which we could not do without an evil Conscience c. say they The Considerations presented unto the King upon these words are divers 1. The Worship Doctrine Discpiline and Constitution of the Church of New-England is different and contrary and not purely according unto the Scriptures in the Administration of the Gospel nor in a pure Conscience purely guided by the Spirit of God though they seem to justifie their own Way and Case before the King and this may justly be made appear in his Presence upon good Occasion only at this time I assert the Case and if ever God gives oportunity I may prosecute it with Proofs and Evidences and that to the great Reproof of the Church so called of New-England who are not only in Doctrine Worship and Conversation contrary to the Scriptures but impudent and too presumptious to affirm their own Self-justification and Innocencâ— before the King when as it is manifest as the Day is from the Night that the Pastors and Members of the Church of New-England want the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures and follow the spirit of Persecution Violence and Cruelty and are void of a Good Conscience both towards God and Men. To prove this there needs no greater Evidence than their own Deportâ—…nt towards the Harmless Quakers for these five years time who as I have said have spoiled their Goods and imprisoned their Persons cut off their Ears Banished them and inhumanely put them to Death and all this because of difference in Iudgment and Practice in Religious Matters when as no manner of Evil could be charged upon them in the things between man and man And if these be not works contrary to the Scriptures and the Spirit that gave them forth and contrary to a Good Conscience I am yet ignorant and must leave it to the Judgment of the King before whom this Matter is brought to receive his Judgment 2. Let the King consider how they have ignorantly condemned themselves in the same things for whith they have judged others for while they seem to complain of the Impositions of the Bishops which they stile prevailing Hierarchy if it was Transgression in the Bishops in dayes past to impose upon these Petitioners and to Persecute them for Non-conformists how much more are these men guilty of Imposition and Persecution of tender Consciences Nay they have exceeded in the same Transgression and become seven-fold guilty of the sins themselves which they complain against in others for they have gone further in Cruelty and Persecution towards the Innocent Quakers than ever the Bishops proceeded against them even so far further as the murdering of a man is more than cutting off his Ear And the Cause of the Quakers towards these Petitioners hath been as Innocent as ever theirs was towards the Bishops Oh hypocritical Generation who are condemning of others for that whereof themselves are guilty and imposing upon others in a far higher degree than ever the Bishops imposed on them witness their Law in New-England which judgeth every man to pay 5s per day who come not to their Assembly and imposing Fines of 40s and 50s apiece on such as meet together to worship the Lord which are evident signs of an evil Conscience as themselves speak The next thing that I note upon which the King ought to consider the Petitioners say concerning the Quakers Open Capital Blasphemers open Seducers from the Glorious Trinity the Lord 's Christ the Blessed Gospel and from the holy Scriptures as the Rule of Life open Enemies to the Government it self as established in the hand of any but men of their own Principles malignant Promoters of Doctrines directly tending to subvert both our Church and State By way of Answer to this let the King consider 1. The envious and detestable spirit of maliciousness of these Accusers and how vehement and fervent their persecuting spirit is drawn forth with reproachful Tearms in the highest degree like as if they could not utter sufficiently the Envy of their Hearts or as if they wanted words to demonstrate their Malignity and devouring Malice against that People whom they in scorn call Quakers and all this to present us Odious and Abominable before thee O King I say but this of them unto thee The Lord forgive them if they have not sinned unto Death and Unpardonably I have no desire of Revenge towards them but I leave Vengeance to the Lord who will recompence in his season neither do I desire to provoke or incense the King against them only Duty to God and the King teacheth me and Love Constraineth me and an absolute Necessity presseth much upon me to spread our Denyal of their Bitter and Malicious Accusations against us before the King unto whom we are thus foully accused And I say I
Fined and taken out of their own Houses and Meetings to Goals and Prisons as it is at this day upon the Occasion of that Insurrection whereof they were clear and innoâ—ent both to God and Men though they are dealt withal as Plotters Conspirors and Rebellious when as hereof they are not guilty And this is all that I shall say at present as about that Insurrection and the Occasion of Semper Iidem its Publication And whereas Sir Iohn Oldcastle and Sir Roger Acton with divers others are mentioned and their Death 's related whom this Author saith were put to death for Treason and Rebellion and making Insurrection Concerning the Carriages and Death of such I shall say little nor can I justifie any in so doing neither in Ages past nor in this present Time if they were put to death only upon that Account for rebelling with Carnal Weapons and rising up in Conspiracies against the Authorities which they were under or for Evil-doing to their Neighbours I say such neither in this Age nor in Ages past do I justifie nor will vindicate their Practices nor condemn their Death but shall leave them to be justified or condemned of God according to their doings and according to the end and intent of their Hearts in their Proceedings but many others are mentioned in Semper Iidem who suffered and were put to Death burned and killed only for and because of their Principles and Practices in Religion while yet they lived peaceably and were of a harmless Conversation amongst Men the Persecution and Death of such upon that account I do condemn and do charge it to be Murder in the sight of God of such who were burned and destroyed because of their difference in Religion from the Church of Rome when as no Unrighteousness nor Double-dealing as to men could be charged and proved against them such I say as died and suffered for that Cause have been murdered by the Power of Antichrist among the Apostate Christians and the Blood of such will the God of Heaven avenge one time or other Now I come to search some Particulars which are stated pag. 3. which it s said John Wickliff held which Doctrines the Author of Semper Iidem seems to say are Errors by his condemning such for Hereticks as held them for Truths THe First That the Sacrament of the Altar is nothing but a piece of Bread This the Lollards so called are said to affirm for which the Papists condemn them as Hereticks Answ. As for the Sacrament of the Altar so termed by the Papists we find nothing of it in all the Scriptures not Sacrament of the Altar nominated only we find That Christ took Bread and brake it and gave it to his Disciples not as Himself for He only gave it them to eat in remembrance of Himself As oft as ye do it saith Christ do it in remembrance of Me. Where it is manifest that there is a distinction to be made and a separation in expression to be put between that Bread which Christ gave his Disciples to eat and his own Body for they were to eat the Bread not as Him but in remembrance of Him and this shews that the Bread which Christ gave his Disciples was Bread to be eaten in Remembrance of Him and so it is no Error but sound Truth to affirm That the Bread called the Sacrament of the Altar by the Papists is but indeed a piece of Bread and may safely so be called But suppose it were Error in men so to believe and say yet it is Murder Cruelty and not of Christ but of the Wicked One so to deal with them for their Error sake as before-mentioned Doct. 2. That Priests have no more Authority to administer Sacraments then Lay-men Held by the Lollards Condemned as a great Error by the Papists Answ. As for the Name and Order of Priests we find none such among the Apostles in the Christian-Churches in their dayes Pastors and Ministers and Prophets and Teachers we find but not Priests by that Name as a particular Order of Men in the Church saving that all the Saints are called Kings and Priests unto God neither do we find such a thing As consecrating a piece of Bread into a more holy quality then it was in it self before nor any Commision given by Christ to a particular Order of Men to administer Bread to the People as his Body we read that the Saints brake Bread when they were met together and some time from House to House but that there were particular Persons by an Office among them that did administer the Bread in the Form and Manner as among Papists we read not of this in all the Scriptures And as for Lay-men as Papists term them this word we have not in all the Scriptures but Saints we have of divers growths but the Papists have made many Inventions of Offices Titles and Names in their Church for which they have no Example at all in the Scriptures Doct. 3. That all things ought to be in Common Opposed by Papists as a great Error Answ. It is a great question what signification may be put upon the Word Common so I shall not vindicate for Truth the Doctrine as it lies and leave the Interpretation of the Word Common to my Adversaries and so I pass it only do mind that it is said in the Acts That they that believed had all things Common Though the Word Common there I understand not Absolute but with Restriction Doct. 4. That it is as lawful to Christen a Child in a Tub of Water at home or in a Ditch by the Way as in a Font-stone in the Church Opposed by the Papists as a great Error Answ. As for the Baptizing of Infants by dipping or sprinkling and calling it the Baptism into the Faith and into the Church as practised and held by the Papists we have cause to question the Lawfulness of the Thing in it self at any Place For we find no Command or President of Christ nor among his Apostles in the pimitive Churches for this thing of Christening Infants and therefore we question whether the Thing in it self is lawful at any Time or Place suppose the Papists could prove the Thing lawful and that it ought to be done by vertue of any Command or Example of Christ or his Apostles then again we question why not as lawful to be done at any other Place as in a Font-stone so called Of what holiness or purity is that more than other Places and of whose invention is it of all the Christians since the Apostles dayes seeing we find nothing at all of it in the Scriptures But suppose the Principle to hold indeed absolute Error the Papists yet do still wickedly in racking men and burning them because thereof Doct. 5. That it is as lawful at all times to confess unto a Lay-man as to a Priest Opposed by the Papists as great Error Answ. As for that manner and form of Auricular Confession so called
practised among the Papists we have no Command or Example for it in all the Scriptures only the Apostle exhorted to confess your faults one to another but no mention of distinction of persons as if there was an Order of men among the Saints Ordained for Confession to be made unto as is among the Papists practised But such kind of Inventions are among them and all that gain-say them in their Wayes must be burned as Hereticks and this is the way that the Papists do uphold their Religion not by sound Arguments and by the Spirit and Power of God but by killing such as will not Believe and Practise as they do Doct. 6. That it is not necessary or profitable to have any Church or Chappel to pray or perform Divine Service in Opposed by the Papists as a great Error Answ. As for the Church it is in God 1 Thes. 1. and the Body of Christ is the Church Ephes. 1. 23. the Saints of Christ that have Believed in the Church of Christ for the Church was in Aquilla's House as may be read and in this Church of Christ wheresoever come together is the Divine Holy Acceptable Service of God performed in the Spirit and in the Truth And as for Houses of Wood and Stone builded and called Churches and Chappels which Papists have builded to perform their Service in these are Idolatrous Places and not true Churches God dwells not in Temples made with Hands as it is written And though a man affirm That God may be worshipped and served as well in any Place as in your Churches and Chappels and that such Places are not necessary but God may be served in other Places This is no Error deserving Fire and Faggot as the Papists do affirm and Practice Doctrines 7. and 8. That burying in the Church-Yard is unprofitable and vain That Holy Dayes Instituted by the Church are not to be observed and kept in reverence in as much as all Dayes are alike Opposed by the Papists as Errors Answ. There is no respect of Places with God neither are the Dead more or less acceptable to him notwithstanding the Place of Burial whether it be on the Land or cast into the Sea if occasion so happen as some times it doth The Patriarchs of old had Places appointed and purchased for Burial of their Dead as it is at this day among the Lord's People but that the Church-yard so called is more Holy than another Place as the Papists do account This we believe not nor can it be proved to us by Scripture or sound Reason And as for Holy Dayes instituted and observed is but a meer Invention of the Romish Church without any ground from the Apostles and it is no sin against God not to observe them and all dayes are as to God alike holy in His sight without respect of one or another And for the Papists to invent Practices without Example in the Scriptures as Religious and then to impose them by force upon all People and to kill and burn such as Hereticks as cannot conform thereunto How Impious Oppressive and Antichristian this manner of work is let all sober People judge And this is but a mocking of God for the Papists to profess Holy Dayes and with a pretence of God's Worship to observe them as Holy when as more Rudeness Drunkenness Wantonness and Ungodliness is usually committed that Day which they profess to keep Holy than is on the other dayes beside And this is manifest to all People that thus the Papists do mock God in their exercise of keeping Holy Dayes Doctrines 9. and 10. That it is sufficient to Believe though a man do no good Works at all That no Humane Lawt or Constitutions do oblige a Christian Opposed by the Papists as Errors Answ. It is sufficient to believe in Iesus Christ and that Believing is a good Work and if a man truly believes he cannot but bring forth by that Faith good Works and it is impossible for a true Believer in Christ but to do good Works if a Man do no good Works he is not a Believer For Faith without Works is dead and that is no true Belief which is without good Works and a Christian one that is truly so is obliged and bound by the Law of God To do all Good and to forsake all Evil and the Laws of men they are subject to them all for Conscience sake by performing them or suffering under them And as for Humane Inventions of the Papists which they bind on the Consciences of Men upon loss of Life or Estate or Damnation These things we say do not oblige the Conscience nor any Laws or Constitutions of men do oblige Christians to Obedience which are not truly grounded upon the Law of God Doct. 11. That God never gave Grace or Knowledge to a great Person or Rich Man and that they in no wise follow the same Answ. This is a false Doctrine for God gave Grace to all The Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared unto all men as it is written which Grace teacheth the Saints to deny all Ungodliness and the Wicked turn the Grace of God into Wantonness but the true Knowledge of God is given but to a few and not many Wise men after the flesh are called but God chooseth the Poor and Contemptible as saith Paul to confound the Wise and Mighty of this World and yet God gives Knowledge to Rich and Poor without respect of Persons as it pleaseth Him Doct. 12. That any Lay-man may preach by his own Authority without Licence of the Ordinary Opposed by the Papists as a great Error Answ. All in the true Church and that are of the Church may Prophesie and Speak in the Church one by one as Paul saith without distinction of Titles such as the Papists use Clergy and Lay-men and such like Terms of their own Inventions without Example from the Churches of Christ in the Apostles dayes for the Apostle saith If any thing be revealed to another that standeth by let the first hold his Peace for ye may all Prophesie one by one that all may be edified And again Peter saith As every man hath received of the Gift of the Spirit let him administer the same one to another Thus it is manifest by the Scriptures That every Member of the true Church of Christ may Preach by the Authority of the Spirit of God as that moveth and leadeth and this was the Example of the holy men of God declared in Scriptures Elisha that was a Plow-man and Amos that was a Herds-man and Peter that was a Fisher-man these and such as these whom the Papists would have called Lay-men did Preach and Teach without any Licence from men but as the Lord Commanded them who said Ier. 23. He that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully and this without respect of Persons and without distinction of Names of Lay-men or otherwise though contrary to this the Papists would limit the Holy
Hereby and in this Way is true Conversion wrought in the heart to the turning men from all Error unto the Truth and from all false Worships and Heresies and Evil Wayâ—s unto the true Christian-Worship and Conformity to holy Church and Religion This I say was the Way among the primitive Christians â—…d Apostles of old and is the same among the true Christians in this Age and they that would conform others and are conformed themselves otherwise in this Case of Religion and Worship to God-wards are not in the Example of Christ and his Saints but out of the Life and contrary to the first Christians and President of the Holy Scriptures as hereafter is manifested The Way and Practice of Imposing Religion and Conformity in Worship and Church-Government by Force as aforesaid is so far from being according to the Practice and Example of the Apostles and the primitive Churches of Christians that they are even contrary to the Commands and Exhortations of CHRIST and his Apostles and Example of the Scriptures 1. As in the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares Mat. 13. when it was desired of the Servants that they might go and gather out the Tares that the Enemy had sown from among the Wheat it was commanded to the contrary by the Husbandman even that they should suffer the Tares to grow among the Wheat till the Harvest and not pluck them up lest they hurt the Wheat thereby Now though there be an invisible Mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven secretly signified in this Parable more then may here be said yet 't is also clearly signified That Christ would have no Imposition nor Violence used upon thâ— Tares nor that they should pluck them up by Force but that the good Corn and the bad 〈◊〉 grow together in one Field till the Harvest And thus much this Parable bears the Proof of Suppose there be Heresies and Hereticks and Prophane Persons that are not in the Truth but in Errors who are bad Corn even as the Tares to the Wheat in that Kingdom City or Family where there is also converted Saints and holy Persons and true Members of Christ who are as the Wheat to the Tares yet such Hereticks and Prophane Persons that are in Error ought not to be plucked up violently to wit Imprisoned Bannished and put to Death Burned and Destroyed from amongst the Righteous though they grow amongst them even in the sâ—… Field The converted Saints ought not I say to destroy by â—â—nnishment or Death the Hereticks and Unconverted and Unconformable Persons from amongst them but they are to let them live even grow amongst them in the same Field in the same Kingdom City or Family till Harvest And thus much the Parable may truly signifie Even a Liberty to live for the Tares the bad Corn the evil Persons among the Wheat the Righteous Persâ—… without being imposed upon by Cruel Force and Outward Violence to compel into Conformity 2. As in the Case among the Saints and true Believers where some believed 〈◊〉 might 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 others did 〈◊〉 Hâ—…s and some esteemed one day above 〈◊〉 â—nd otheâ—â— esteemed every day alike Rom 14. Here was some difference in Judgment and Practices amongst the Believers about Mâ—â—ts and Dâ—â—es abouâ—â— which thiâ—… there hath been much Imposition and Force used in the World since the Apostle dayes Well But what doth the Apostle Paul 〈◊〉 and advise in this Case Doth 〈◊〉 threaten Violence towards any of them or signifie any forcible Commands or Impositions to be used to bring them into Conformity and Unity in the things and Matters about which they were divided No no but this is his advice to the Church of Christ of which he was a true and able Minister Iudge not one another about such things nor do not impose any Practice upon thy Brother for to Christ Iesus â—…is Master every Believer stands or falls And saith the Apostle Lâ—â— every Man be fully perswaded in his own Mind vers 5. And hereby it is manifestly proved That in the Churches of Primitive Christians the Saints and true Christians were not imposed upon by Commandments of Mâ—n or outward Laws in the matters of their Religion and Practice of Conscience there was no signification of force to be used for Conformity but whâ—â—y contrary even every Believeâ— had the Liberty of the Spirit of Christ and as he was by that perswaded in his own mind to do or leave undone in such cases and every one was to mind the Teachings of the Spirit of Christ in himself for to that he was to stand or fall and not to impose upon another no not so much as to judge his Brother in any case of difference in Judgment or Practice but they were to leave one another to the Perswasions of the Spirit of Christ in their own minds 3. As in the Case where the Apostle exhorted the Saints to be Like-minded â—â—il 3. But saith he If any 〈◊〉 Otherwise-minded God shall reveal even this unto you By which Saying it is mâ—nifest That the Unity and Conformity of Saints in Mind and Practice was not by Imposition or any outward Force threatned or exercised upon their Persons or Estates but contrary-wise if there was any Difference in Mind and Practice amongst any of them that was to be amended and Unity made up when God revealed the same Truth in all as he had done in some if any were not so minded in any thing as others were they were not to be imposed upon but let God reveal the same and bring into Conformity this was the Apostle's Counsel And vers 16. Nevertheless whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule that is to â—â—y so far as the Rule of the Spirit of Christ is made manifest or in whâ—â— measure the perfection thereof is attained unto let every one walk in the same measure and by the same Rule and if any have not the self-same measure of the Spirit and know the self-same things let such alone without imposing upon them leave them to walk in the measure of Light and knowledge that they have received though it be not the self-same measure that others have received and if they want any Knowledge or be in any thing otherwise-minded God shall reveal the same unto them even the same thing as they grow in the same measure of Grace and Knowledge And here is the perfect Way of Unity and Conformity as the Primitive Christians were exercised in the true Faith and Worship and true Christian Religion in their dayes And so to impose by Force upon Paint and Forfeitures in Religious Matters is clearly contrary to all these Scriptures and to many more in the New Testament 4. In that Case 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. where the Apostle exhorts the Elders To take â—â—e Overâ—â—ght of God's Flock not by Constraint or Force but Willingly not for 〈◊〉 by Lucâ—â— but of a ready Mind neither 〈◊〉 being Lords â—ver God's Heritage which câ—…ly signifies against
be with you all Edw. Burroughs Underbarrow the 18th day of the 8th Moneth 1661. THE CASE Of the People called QUAKERS ONCE MORE Stated Published TO THE WORLD VVith the ACCUSATIONS charged upon them and their ANSWERS WE are an afflicted and Suffering People in these Kingdoms at this day Mocked Reproached Haled before Magistrates Violently abused and Imprisoned and much Hard-dealing exercised upon us This is apparently visible to all people and needs no further Proof But whether these Afflictions and Sufferings Imprisonments and Hard-dealing be Just or Unjust according to our Deserts or out of the Malice and Enmity of our Adversaries this is the Question to be enquired into Unjust and Unrighteous and out of Malice and Enmity and not of true Desert say we are these Sufferings imposed on us But Justly and according to Desert and the Laws of the Land say our Adversaries Who shall be judge in the Case between us Even the Law of God the Gospel of Christ the Scriptures of Truth the Example of Primitive Christians our Neighbours and the Witness in every Mans Conscience and to the Judgment of all these we appeal and shall abide their Sentence First We are Accused of an Heinous Crime and as if we deserved the greatest Punishments Because we are Dissenting and Differing from the Church of England and cannot Conform to all Her Worships and Ceremonies therefore are we said to be Hereticks Because holding and practizing Different Things from Her c. Plea First The Scriptures of Truth which are according to both Law and Gospel do say and Judge That they who sometimes did Dissent and Differ from some of the Church of Christ in some Principles and Practices and could not practice in all things what some others did as Romans 14. where it is signified That some of the Church of Christ believed they might eat All Things some others of the Church did eat Hearbs some esteemed One day above Another others esteemed Every day Alike this kind of dissenting and difference about Meats and Dayes and Ceremonies were amongst the Members of the True Church but What is the Judgment of Scripture in this case of Difference amongst them Not that the Dissenters one from another should be Punished and Imprisoned and Banished but ver 5. Let every man be perswaded in his own mind And One was not so much as to Judge Another in this case of Difference and Dissenting much less to Imprison one another for that Cause And in Phil. 3. 15. it is there signified That if any persons were dissenting and different in Judgment or in the growth in Grace from the rest of the Church every one was to walk in that measure of Truth as he had attained to And if any were otherwise-minded viz. Different in the Growth in the Grace of God then God should reveal the same unto them And notwithstanding their difference in Judgment whether in cases Substantial or Ceremonial yet they were still to be in Love and Unity and walk in their measures to which they had atained and they were not to be Imprisoned and persecuted as we are at this day Hence observe That the Judgment of Scriptures which the Law of God and Gospel of Christ are according to is clear for us and against them that hate us that imprison us and afflict us for dissenting and differing in some Doctrines and Practices from the Church of England But Secondly If we were indeed Hereticks and Erroneous People suppose so which never yet was truly proved of us nor can be What Judgment do the Scriptures which are according to the Law of God and Gospel of Christ give in that case Not that we should be thus imprisoned and Afflicted with corporal punishments but according to Titus Tit. 3 10 11. we should first be Admonished in Love and Exhorted once and again and then if we gain-say and will not hear Reproof to be Rejected cast Out and Denyed of the Assembly of Saints but not imprisoned and banished and according to 1 Cor. 5. where it is signified That some in the denomination of the Church did Offend against Christ and the Church and were Hereticks and Dissenters because of their Evil deeds from the True Church yet these were not to be imprisoned and persecuted in their persons but delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the Flesh that the Spirit might be saved in the Day of the Lord they were to be Spiritually dealt withal and they were to be cast out into the Wicked World anong the Ungodly to have their portion from God with the Wicked to be delivered to Satan for the destruction of the Flesh that it might be destroyed and the Spirit saved in the Day of the Lord. So if we were indeed such as these were Dissenters and in Difference from the true Church because of some Wickedness yet the Judgment of Scriptures are against our Enemies in this Case who persecute and imprison us for thus it ought not to be done unto us if the Church of England were the true Church of Christ and we in difference from her by False Principles or Evil Conversation or any thing else Thus you see the Judgement of the Scriptures and of the Law of God and Gospel of Christ is against our Persecutors Thirdly But suppose we doubt That the Church of England and its Ordinances Discipline its Worship and Ceremonies be not according to the Scriptures of Truth but are in the Form of Godliness without the Power suppose we in Conscience believe this and think we can prove it which is the very truth of the Case and therefore do deny Conformity to her lest we should sin against God and wrong our own Consciences at least as we believe What Judgment doth the Law of God and Gospel of Christ give in this Case We are Exhorted and Comanded in Scripture 2 Tim. 3. From Covetous Men and Proud Men Lovers of themselves false Accusers Despisers of them that are Good High-minded Men and Lovers of Pleasures they that have the Form of Godliness but deny the Power from all such we are to turn away And therefore we believe we are Justified by the Scriptures in turning away for these divers years past and till we be otherwise perswaded by sound Doctrine from the Ministry and Churches that are in England or lately have been and sound Reason hath not been yet shewed us to the contrary by you because they are such as the Scriptures exhort us to turn away from and because we have judged that they have had the Form of Godliness but not the Power so we are not to be imprisoned and persecuted though we differ and dissent and turn away from all them that are Covetous Proud Boasters Lovers of themselves Despisers of them that are Good High minded Men and such as have a form of godliness but not the Power But we are Judged Just and our Case not condemned by the Law of God and Gospel of Christ and by the holy
Magistrates so as to punish them for Breach of the Laws for the preventing of these Evils But such Wickedness is too much suffered though there be divers Acts of Parliaments against such Persons and such Actions as well as there is one against our Meetings yet the Act against us is more put in Execution some Places for the breaking of out Meetings which are for the Worship of God than the good Laws for suppressing Wickedness though there is better Law for the one than for the other Divers other Laws and Statutes made for good Ends for the suppressing of Wickedness in the Land there are which are but easily Executed at this day but here is one Act against Peaceable meeting together for the Worship of God which is violently prosecuted and executed upon Innocent Men and let all just Men judge of these things Though there be a Law Enacted against our Meetings so there is against Drunkards and Drunkenness and Unreasonable Tippling in Taverns and Ale-Houses and against Minstrels Fiddlers Pipers and Players Common-Players and Stage-Players that go up and down the Countries and have their Play-Houses in publick Cities which Statutes ought rather to be Executed though they are not But these things we shall leave to all sober People to judge of And seeing that the Law against us is more put in Execution than these other Laws it doth appear That there is more Envy against us and our Peaceable Religious Meetings than there is against Prophaneness and Wickedness Drunkenness and Stage-Playing and such like and such Magistrates wheresoever they are are not excusable in the Sight of God though there is a Law against us while they prosecute it against us and not these other good Laws against Prophane and Ungodly Persons and Practices And therefore seeing we do suffer we must say It is not only because there is a Law against us but it is also or rather Because there is Enmity and Wrath and Wickedness in the Hearts of Men against us which is the main Cause of our Sufferings at this day And let the Magistrates compare this Law made against us with that Saying in Doctor and Student Chap. 2. speaking concerning the Law written in the Heart teaching every man what is to be done and what is to be fled And saith he Because it is written in the heart therefore it may not be put away nor is it ever changable by any diversity of place or time And therefore against this Law Prescription Statute nor Custom may not prevail and if any be brought in against it they be not Prescriptions Statutes nor Customs but things void and against justice and all other Lawes as well the Law of God as the Acts of Men ought to be grounded upon the Law written in the Heart And in cap 4. of the same it s said Every mans Law must be consonant with the Law of God and therefore the Lawes of Princes the Commandements of Prelates the Statutes of Commonalties nor yet the Ordinances of the Church are not Righteous nor Obligatory but as it is consonant to the Law of God And we are sure the Law of God and holy Scriptures do justifie our Meeting together as afore is expressed Also in the Statute 28. Hen. 8. chap 7. it is said in these words That no man of what Estate Degree or Condition soever he be hath Power to dispence with Gods Lawes as all the Clergy of this Realm and the most part of all the Universities of Christendom And we also Affirm and think these things truly compared one with another We leave them to the Judgment of the Law of God Gospel of Christ holy Scriptures and our Neighbours and let Truth determine So be it Edward Burroughs A TABLE OF THE Several Books Contained in this VOLUMN And of the Principal HEADS and Matters contained in the said Books A Warning from the Lord to the Inhabitants of Underbarrow and to all the Inhabitants in England Which containeth 1. A Warning to all who hold up the false Teachers and false Worship page 1. to 11. 2. A true Declaration to all the World of his manner of Life what he had been and what he was at that present p. 15. 16. The Walls of Ierico razed down to the Ground Which containeth an Answer to a Book called The Quarkers Principles dashed in pieces put forth by Enoch Howet called an Anabaptist p. 18 c. An Answer to several Queries Put forth to the People called Quakers by Phillip Bennit a pretended Minister of Christ and John Reeve one who called himself The Last Messenger and Witness p. 29 c. An Answer to a Book called Choice Experiences put forth by J. Turner p. 45. The Copy of a Letter sent to the Assembly of them called Anabaptists in Newcastle p. 51. An Answer to a Book called A Voice from the Word of the Lord put forth by one John Griffith against the People called Quakers p. 54. A Visitation of the Rebellious Nation of Ireland and a Warning from the Lord Proclaimed to all the Inhabitants thereof with a Lamentation over its Unfruitfulness and Rebellion after so many Visitations p. 77. Containing several particular Papers written in that Nation to several sorts of People viz. 1. An Information to the Heads and the Ground of the Law laid down to the Iudges and Iustices c. p. 83. 2. An Exhortation sent to the chief Commander and his Council and the Iust Cause of the Innocent laid before them p. 85. 3. The Unjust Sufferings of the Iust declared and their Appeal to the Iust Witness of God in all their Consciences p. 88. 4. A Challenge to the Priests of Dublin to try their Godd and their Ministry and their Worships p. 90. 5. A Discovery of the Idol Dumb Shepherds in that Nation and a Lamentation ever their starved and strayed Flocks p. 91. 6. An Invitation to all the poor desolate Souldiers to Repent and make their Peace with the Lord and their Duty shewed them what the Lord requires of them p. 93. 7. A Warning from the Lord to the Natives of that Nation of Ireland p. 94. A Trumpet of the Lord sounded forth of Zion Which containeth a Testimony from the Word of the Lord 1. To Oliver Cromwell and his Counsel p. 97. 2. To all the Iudges and Lawyers p. 98. 3. To all Astrologers Magitians South-sayers and Wise-Men p. 99. 4. To all the Generals Collonels Commanders Officers and Souldiers in England Scotland and Ireland p. 99. 5. To all the Priests and Prophets and Teachers of the People p. 100. 6. To all them called Papists and to their whole Body and Head at Rome p. 102. 7. To all them called Protestants of the eldest sort p. 103. 8. To all them called Presbyterians and Independants p. 103. 9. To all them called Anabaptists p. 105. 10. To all them called Free-willers who say Christ dyed for all p. 107. 11. To all them that say They wait and believe for the coming of Christ to