sin neerer hand for whoever opposeth the end of Christs coming which was to take away sin and to set free from it and to present perfect unto the Father without spot or blemish such are Antichrists and the man of sin acts in them to uphold his own kingdom which is sin and there you are as your practise printing and preaching may witness and are discovered by the Spirit of Christ where it is though you have long acted in a mysterie for are not you the same men who have had great sums of mony for crying out against sin but now that the kingdom of sin begins to fall you have changed your voyce and tels people they must never be free from sin while they live nor ever attain to perfection and so takes peoples money for pleading against the commands of Christ who saith Be ye perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5. 48. Be ye holy for I am holy 1 Pet. 1. 15. 16. Eph. 5. 27. and so being found to minister against Christ he is blinde who cannot see you to be ministers of Antichrist for they who were ministers of Jesus Christ prayed and preached for the perfecting of the Saints that they might perfect what was lacking in their faith 1 Thes 3. 10. that they might present every one perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1. 28. and bring up to perfection even to the measure stature and fulness of Christ Eph. 4. 12. and such said how can you that are dead to sin live any longer therein Rom. 6. which you deny that any can attain to perfection or freedom from sin while they are here and so are acted by a contrary Spirit to Christ and all that ever he sent forth and would make people beleeve that Christ had commanded that which none should ever attain to and those who witness it and would press others to press after it in the power of Christ such you reckon up among those you call blasphemers and heretical doctrine but all this is that you may be made manifest whose ministers you are And whereas you reckon us up among the Papists thereby to make us odious unto people but are you not ashamed of it who are found amongst them your selves in many things which you call your worship wherein we deny both them and you and they are one with you against us in persecution and revilings have not they builded the Idols Temples and you worship in them are not you one with them in observing many dayes and times and forms as sprinkling infants singing and many such like things are you not one with them in bearing rule as lords and masters over the Common People and would have to doe in ordering of the State-affairs are you not one with them as in your tythes and fat parsonages and divers other things which might be mentioned all which we deny yours and their practise as being contrary to the Saints in Scripture and commands of Christ And where is there one Papist ownes us I command you all you Priests to make your slander good or else lay your hands on your mouths in silence and confess your selves to all the world to be lyars And now to the particulars wherein you charge us to be one with the Papists I charge you to be lyars and do answer As we receive not the ground of what we practise from the Papists or you neither do we deny what is truth because they or you may profess it but shall owne it before all the world though by you we be reproached for it And first You charge us with denying Justification without us and for witnessing justification by Christ alone in us which we owne Christ in us according to the measure made manifest our sanctification justification redemption from sin and the hope of glory Col. 1. 26 27. and this we owne within us which is a mystery and hath been hid from ages and is now hid from you and the wisdom of the world as you make it appear And here he thâ—t sits in Heaven may have you in derision and you to be ignorant of the mystery who have shewed forth your folly For the second You charge us for being justified by inherent righteousness which word we deny it is a word of your own coyning but by being made the righteousness of God in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. and denying all our own righteousness are we justified And this Christ and this righteousness we witness within us in measure Thirdly you charge upon us that we say Every Saint is perfect and that it is possible to be perfectly holy and without sin and yeeld perfect obedience to the Law of God I answer To your first it is a lying slander that we say every Saint is perfect for we witness the Saints growth and the time of pressing after-perfection To your second we own it that it is possible to be perfectly holy and without sin and herein we have the Saints in Scripture to witness with us which I charge you to be ignorant of and not come to the first principles who witnessed the new birth freedom from sin and perfection Heb. 10. 14. As to your third I answer that not one jot or tittle of the Law shall pass till all be fulfilled and it was the end for which God sent his Son manifest in the flesh that by him the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 3 4. And herein we have the Saints in Scripture to witness with us The fourth thing which you charge upon us is That the Spirit is not to be tried by Scripture To which I answer That Spirit which is of God is one with that which gave forth the Scripture where-ever it is yet can none who have not that Spirit try the spirits by the Scripture for they who have not that infallible spirit that gave forth the Scriptures have the spirit of Errour and judge amiss both of Spirit and Scripture as the Scribes and Pharisees did and you do But they who have that infallible spirit which gave forth the Scripture have that which tryed the spirits before the Scripture was and such have their touchstone witâ—in them and not without them and such need not go to the letter to try the spirits The fifth thing you charge upon us is to cry down the necessity of the written Word and call it a dead letter and that it is but a declaration of them that spoke it forth To which I answer Where read you of a written Word But if you thereby mean the Scriptures which we call a declaration of them that spake them forth It is true we do so and they who spake them forth witness them with us to be a declaration Luke 1. 1. 1 Joh. 1. 3. and the letter and not the spirit But that we cry down the necessity of the Scriptures is false for they are our own and we see them
Position That the Scriptures are not the word of God but a Declaration of the condition of them that spoke them forth And in your Reply you alledge many Scriptures but not one that speaks of a written word or that the letter is the word but that it is a Declaration is plain as Luk. 1. 1. 1. Joh. 1. 3. and divers other places where they that had the word in them declared it in writings to others Gal. 1. 16. And whereas you say The seed is the word it 's true but that seed is not the letter nor can any sow that seed but where Christ is revealed in them And you argue carnally and say Can the devil take Christ out of their hearts I answer Where the devil is received in there Christ departs and in that sense may be said to be taken away but if you minde the words that follow Lest they should believe and be saved it will appear to be the seed of Christ for in what else could they be believe to salvation but in Christ and this seed is not the letter as you would prove it to be and for that place 1 Thess 2. 13. where it is said That which the Saints heard of the Apostles was not the words of man I answer It 's true and that word was Christ the word of faith as is plain Rom. 10. 6 7 8. neither can you prove that ever the Apostles preached any other word but Christ Gal. 1. And whereas you say there are two words of God an essential and a declarative word which is your own language but the Scripture speaks no such words And whereas you accuse us to destroy the Scriptures Divinity and Authority but is this to destroy their Authority when we say They were spoken forth by the Holy Ghost which was in them that spoke them forth and ye would make people believe the letter to be the foundation of the Saints and hath the Authority over the Soul and here you deny Christ to establish the letter in his stead who is the foundation of Saints and hath the Authority of Souls for they who preached Christ the foundation denied themselves to preach the letter but your ministration is of the letter who knows no other word but what you read in books And this is your foundation you stand on and here it 's tried and by which you get your living in the world and here you deny Christ for the letter is not Christ And whereas you talk of the commands of God but his commands you know not who have them to seek in the letter for his commands is in Spirit and ever was and yet this doth not destroy the Scriptures but witness the same Spirit that gave them forth and that which the Saints spoke was the word of the Lord and not the letter according to their several measures and conditions And whereas you accuse me to say that the words which the Prophets spoke was Christ wherein your deceit appears to all that read my words for I do not say their words were Christ but that Spirit by which they spoke was the Spirit of Christ And this is that which I spoke of which came to the Prophets which you deny to be Christ and therewith the life of Christ and the Apostles you are all judged out of truth and here your deceit and blindeness and slanders are laid open for every spiritual eye to see The fourteenth Position That the Spirits are not to be tried by Scriptures And here because I say that the infallible Spirit which is the original of all Scriptures is the trial of all Spirits from thence you argue that I set the minde and will of the Spirit in opposition to the Spirit which is false for I set the Spirit of God in whom it is in opposition to all deceitful Spirits for so the Apostle bids them who had the Spirit of God try the deceitful Spirits and this was not spoken to them who were guided by the Spirit of the world for such cannot try the Spirits neither with the letter nor without it as I have formerly proved neither did Christ send them to try his Spirit when he bad them Search the Scriptures nor did the Bereans try the Spirit of Christ but searched the words which Paul spoke from those Scriptures that declared of Christ And here by the visible eye they tried visible words but the Spirit of God is invisible and cannot be tried by any but those who have it and are guided by it And you that would make people believe that all that can read the letter can try the Spirit of God would set up carnal judges over the Spirit of God when the Scripture saith The natural man understands not the things of God and you confess the eternal Spirit to be the trier of Spirits though formerly you seemed to deny it but say your question is what the Saints had to try the Spirits by I answer By the same Spirit by which they are sanctified and prove in Scripture where the Saints are commanded to try the Spirits by any other things and here see your confusion for the letter is dead and speaks nothing for the Apostles said They served God in the newness of life and not in the oldness of the letter and if any man read this letter and not by the same Spirit that gave it forth he is not able to judge of it but wrests it as you do for your several ends if any man read it by the same Spirit that gave it forth it is the Spirit that judgeth of the letter and not the letter of the Spirit And whereas you talk of trying the doctrines of men by the Scriptures it is true they that have had the Spirit of God in all ages have made use of the letter against the deceitful doctrines as we do at this day and yet this letter is not the judge of the Spirit of God in them for this were to set the letter above the Spirit And whereas you accuse us to exclude the Scriptures because we say the holy Ghost is the original of them which slander is false for hereby we confess and own the Scripture to be given forth by the holy Ghost And whereas you say the light which a spiritual man hath is a Scripture-light I answer A spiritual mans light is the light of Christ and is infallible and cannot be altered and therefore all that are guided by it are one where there is no disputes nor janglings but you that have your light from what you gather out of the letter are confused amongst your selves adding to it your own meanings for your own ends and do not speak one and the same things but every man according to his imaginations of the letter so he judgeth and so he worshippeth and here are you Teachers of the world divided in your several judgements and your several worships And thus you are putting meaning upon Paul's words where he saith He is
A DISCOVERY Of The Man of Sin Acting in A Mystery of Iniquitie Pleading for his Kingdom against the coming of Christ to take away Sin OR An ANSWER to a Book set forth BY Tho. Weld of Gateshead Richard Prideaux Sam. Hamond Will. Cole and Will. Durant of Newcastle By way of Reply to an Answer of James Nayler's to their former Book called The Perfect Pharisee Who call themselves Ministers of Christ but are found ministring for the kingdom of Antichrist Published for clearing the innocency of the Truth from their malicious slanders and discovering their deceits By one whom the world calls James Nayler London Printed for Giles Calvert at the black Spread-Eagle neer the west-end of Pauls 1654. To the Reader TO no mans wisdom are we known nor do we desire by it to be approved but to that in every ones Conscience which is the light of Christ are we made manifest and as that arises by it shall we and what we declare be approved and to that do we speak in every one to be known and by that shall we eternally be witnessed when the book of Conscience comes to be opened Now Reader to strive for the mastery by multitude of words is not the way of the Spirit of God nor wilt thou finde it practised in this Volume but lyes and slanders are denied and plain truth in few words is declared not from the wisdom of man nor to the wisdom of man but for the simple ones sake in obedience to God from a pure Conscience to strengthen the simplicity and of any pure desires which may be in thy minde towards God And if there be any thing by the Spirit of the Lord raised in thee which convinces thee and lets thee see how unprofitably thou hast spent thy time in running from one man to another which call themselves Ministers and hast got no true bread for thy soul but art yet in thy fallen estate thy carnal minde ruling which is death reigning And if thou hast any desire and hungerings after truth and righteousness wait upon the Lord in thy desires and in the light which convinces thee and by the Lord shall thy soul be satisfied And if there be in thee any simple honest desires to know who the false Prophets deceivers and seducers are which in this day of the Lord is to be revealed go not to any man to know but wait in the light which is in thy conscience which shews thee sin in thy self which light will discover the man of sin in the world for that is the brightness of his coming and of this light every one hath a medsure though these five and all that love the deeds of darkness who would not be discovered strongly deny it and such are against Christ the light of the world and there is Antichrist discovered and the man of sin and here in thy measure thou art partaker of the same light by which these five and all their generation are discovered and have been in all generations by the children of light and thereby are we separated out of the kingdoms of the world into the kingdom of Christ for which they hate us and would devour us but Michael our Prince is risen and the war is begun with the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet but the Lamb shall take the victory and wo unto them that are found upholding the Beast and the false Prophet for he that helpeth and they that are holpen shall fall together for now the Lord is risen to be avenged of his enemies and down they must though their number be as the sand of the sea for multitude Take heed whom you side with you Powers of the earth Friends I was moved in my Answer to your Perfect Pharisee at the end of it to write a few words to you five who had subscribed that book that upon the consideration of the many lying slanders there cast upon us some gathered by false reports and some out of books which books did witness so plainly against you both to you and to all that have read them that if it might have been the will of God any of you might have searched your conscience by that light which would teach you to do as you would be done by and have come to repent and found mercy for so I thought that perhaps some of them may be drawn to believe lyes through report that when they see them laid open will not persist in it for so was my heart in love to you if there had been but any innocency in any of you â—hat it might have been awakened to have pleaded against the deceit and led you out of it which was and is my desire But since you are the same yea worse according to that Scripture Evil men and seducers grow worse and worse wherefore I leave you to the righteous Judge of all causes and for the sake of the simple who else may come to be deceived by your subtilties and slanders proceed to lay open some of your deceits in plain words as God shall move A Discovery of the Man of Sin Acting in a Mystery of Iniquity ANd first a few words to your boastings wherein you would make me vile and contemptible and glory much in what you have done as though you were the only men and had overturned all before you To which I answer You might have spared your great boastings of your selves if your pride would have suffered you and have left it to the Judgment of those who are guided by a spirit of Judgment both yours and mine to have been judged of for it is not your great swelling words that can overturne the truth but you must appear to be proud boasters that the Scripture Rom. 1. 30. 2. Tim. 3. 2. Jam 4. 16. may be fulfilled upon you in this as it is in other marks left in Scripture by which those of your generation have been known and are at this day 1. You charge me That I have not sufficiently answered your Book called The Perfect Pharisee To which I answer That which moved me to write what I did in answer to the slanders in it was not to satisfie your wils nor wisdom nor any who stand in their own wils or wisdom for then had I become a man-pleaser Gal. 1. 10. and should have forsaken the direction of the spirit of God which did never in any age serve and seed the serpents wisdom but what it spoke was foolishness and a mystery to the wisdom of the world and it is the same at this day But that which moved me was for the simple ones sake lest he should come to be deceived by the sleights of your slanders and by the envious serpent And I know and am assured it hath and shal accomplish the end for which it was sent forth and shall not returne in vain but shall be a savor of life unto some according to his purpose by whom it was sent forth for it was not my
the presence of the Lord to be slanderers and false accusers who say we deny these things And whereas you would deny that you persecuted us and would put it upon those who are sent to you from the Lord to witness against your deceit as though they were the persecutors but whether those whom the Lord sent out to cry wo against the false prophets and hirelings calling them greedy dumb dogs blinde guides and many such like playn words or they who caused them to be haled before Rulers there accused them cast them into prison and put them to death whether of these were the persecutors then the same are the persecutors now as some of us can witness who have been haled before Magistrates and there vehemently accused and cast into prison and some stoned and not a few of you who call your selves ministers have had a hand in it and been the cause of it and whereas you say You have been hindred in the seed of the word I answer What word have you to sow who deny the word of the Lord coming to you but your seed being stollen makes a bad harvest and little fruit to be reaped and whereas you tell of bringing our selves within the compass of the Law for declaring our message to you from the Lord and that we suffer as evil doers here take notice whose ministers you are who have had papists Law that guarded the Jesuites contrary to the Scripture to defend you with which the ministers of Christ never had and Christ all the Saints suffered as evil doers in the account of those who were protected by carnal Laws whereas you say You are set for the confirmation and defence of the Gospel I pray you who set you since you deny the immediate call of God and so have set your selves or are set by the will of man and that the Gospel should be defended by persecution and persecutors was never known Now a few words to your reply to my answer and first to your first position as touching your accusing George Fox that he said that he was equall with God and you say your proof is not at all denied I answer That those words were spoken is not denied but that they are the words of George Fox is denied And you use many words and say I make a difference between George Fox and himself so that though George Fox is not equal with God yet he that is called George Fox is equal with God And thus when you have made up a piece of deceit to blinde the people then you go about to frame an answer to confute it and so you confute your own deceit and not my words For the sum of mine answer was this That George Fox was denied as dust but the Spirit that spoke in him is equal with God according to the Scripture and the words of Christ who saith When you are called before Rulers for my Names sake take no thought what to speak for it is not you that speak but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Matth. 10. 20. Now George Fox being called before Rulers for the Name of Christ he denies George Fox to speak and the creature who is but dust and witnesseth the Spirit of the Father speaking in him though the words pass through George Fox and the words of Christ fulfilled And are not the Father and the Son and the Spirit equal where-ever they are and must they not be suffered to speak where they are But you that are carnal know not the voice Thus the answer is plain to any spiritual eye but to satisfie you who cavil on purpose is impossible but what I say is for the simple ones sake And I shall not follow you in your arguments for I know they shall deceive none but such as are deceived already and are willing so to be Now whereas you say I blasphemously abuse the Scriptures are you not ashamed to charge me with the abusing of them who do but onely set them down as they are without giving any meaning to them which Scriptures you take and wrest them to another end then for which the holy Ghost spake them forth adding your own invention words which the Scripture speaks not For where doth the Scripture speak of a Physical or relative oneness But by these words you darken knowledge and blinde peoples mindes lest they should seek after an oneness with God for the Scripture faith He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. and Christ saith That they may be one even as thou Father and I are one Joh. 17. 21 22 23. and As he is so are we in this present world 1 Joh. 4. 17. Which Scriptures you wrest to another end by your subril words added to them Now who blaspemes the Scriptures whether you or I let truth judge and your accusation fall upon your own pate And for your falsly accusing me to say I was as holy just and good as God himself what I have said in mine answer in my former book may sufficiently convince any one that fears God that I am clear of it And whereas you bring William Baldwinson's testimony which may give evidence against your selves and shew it to any honest heart both your deceit and his For before I was charged with this in particular and now you say Richard Farnworth and I both said it and he confessed there was a great deal of people in the house Now it was strange we should both say it and none hear it but himself for the great deal of people he speaks of they do witness against him in it and divers of them have offered their testimony against him But fending and proving becometh not Saints nor did they ever use it nor dare I stand by the witness of men but have the witness of God against you and your slanders who will reward every one according to their doings both the slanderer and the lyer and not onely by your reporting these but also your seeking evidence to back them herein you are serving the devil the father of lyes and so make that appear to be true which I have spoken of you Now for your charging George Fox to say he was the judge of the world and you say I deny it not but tell you that you are grosly ignorant of Christ I answer If you be not grosly ignorant of Christ and the Scripture let any wise man judge for you say God hath committed all judgement to the Son and yet you will not own him to be judge where he is wherein you go about either to exclude him from being in the Saints and so would limit him into a particular place or from being judge in them where he is Now that you are ignorant of Christ all that know him shall witness for all that know him know him in them and that he judgeth the world in them and the things of the world in every particular and he that is
and Greek bond and free Col. 3. 11. And this is the true light that enlightens every one that comes into the world John 1. 9. John 8. 12. And you say you have fully proved that all men in the world do need an outward light and that it is the way of Christ to make himself known by outward discoveries and you say you have proved it by arguments I answer Your deceitful arguments I deny and they are no proof to me nor any that fear God who receive that truth by the Spirit and not by arguments but bring one Scripture in plain words that all men need an outward light or that an outward discovery is the way by which Christ makes himself known to his people and till then I deny you and your Philosophy and prove one Saint that ever knew Christ since his ascension but by revelation And what talk you of preaching the Gospel who denies the immediate call of Christ or any hearing his voice or to talke of Officers given for perfecting of the Saints which say none shall ever be perfect while they live which shew you to be none of those Officers given by Christ for the perfecting of the Saints for you plead against such as witness that work and that end And whereas you say That the light spoken of 2 Pet. 1. 19. that Peter doth not send them to a light within but to books and words of the Prophets which Scripture shall witness against your deceit and blindeness for the Apostle exhorts them to wait on the light til the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts which is not without nor in books and if the testimony of the old Prophets was a more sure word then that which Peter heard from the mouth of God then it must needs follow that the testimony of the old Prophets who spoke but darkly of Christ and did not see his day though they desired it must be a more sure testimony then the Apostles who were his eye-witnesses and the words of books a more sure word then the voice that came from heaven which was the immediate voice of God which blinde absurdity all who have the Spirit of prophesie which is the sure word and testimony of Jesus shall condemn your blindeness who knows not that sure word of prophesie that was in them And whereas you wish the Reader to observe that Nayler cries down the Scriptures as needless here you would have the Reader to observe your lyes for though the letter doth not discover Christ but the Spirit yet it is not useless for it is a witness against your practice opinions traditions and casts you all amongst the false Prophets and hirelings and herein it is of use and authority and also is a witness without against all who will not own the witness within nor do I cry down the publishing the Gospel by the Ministery nor the hearing God and his word but you who deny the immediate call and the word of God coming to any now denies both the word and Ministery which we own and witness The twelfth Position That there is no need of any outward teaching by reading or hearing the Scriptures opened or applyed And herein you accuse me of shuffling railing and lying because I say you apply the promises of God to them who are in the first birth and preach them up all believers and say men must commit sin while they are here and sow pillows under mens arm-holes now is not this true of you who sprinkle Infants by the faith of their Parents and calls them your flock and receives them to your Ordinances and do you not here preach them up believers within your liberty or Parish though they live in sin and here you sow pillows under every arm-hole and then do you not fine them who refuse to pay you Tythes or hire and so you prepare war against them who put not into your mouthes And you hold forth that none can be free from sin while they live Now where are the lyes or what wrong have I done you let any that is spiritual judge for lying I abhor or to wrong any but I speak the truth of you as your practice doth witness And in your answer to that Scripture which saith They shall no more teach every man his neighbour saying Know the Lord Heb. 8. 11. This you say doth onely concern the children of God and such as have their sins pardoned wherein you exclude all your Parish people from the children of God and pardon of sin for how many have you that are taught of God and needs not your teaching as you say I desire your hearers that they would consider of it that so they might come to the teachings of God and so witness the children of God and sin pardoned and so to witness the everlasting Covenant and no need of your teachings And whereas you tell of 4 Arguments and above 30 plain Scriptures in your Perfect Pharisee Your Arguments I deny and sees them to be deceit and there is not one of the thirty nor in the whole book that doth plainly witness to your way of teaching but the whole Scriptures are against you and all that teach for hire and denies the immediate call and the word of the Lord coming to you Jer. 23. 21 32. And you ask why the Apostle wrote to the Hebrews to teach them if that were the meaning that no man should teach their neighbour I answer To draw them to the teaching of Christ as is plain when he tells them of a growth that need no man to teach them and though he say You have need that one teach you again which is the first Principle of the Oracles of God doth he say this to continue them in a need of that as you would inferre or to shame them that they were not yet grown up to the teachings of God Heb. 6. 1. and out of mans teachings towards perfection And whereas you alledge the exhortation of the Apostles we own it which was to draw up to the light and teaching as is plain in their exhorting them to wait for the appearing of Christ who was their light and life Col. 3. 4. And whereas you say You press all to struggle after that perfection they do not yet enjoy now how this agrees with your saying they shall never be perfect while they live and what encouragement you give them to struggle is evident who tells them they must struggle but never prevail while they live And here you are found to be the juglers you speak of whose teaching is yea and nay And whereas you charge me with casting dirt upon the Scriptures because I say the Holy Ghost did not put it into Chapters and Verses but the hireling-Priests to trade withal Here you appear to be false accusers and the railers and lyars you speak on for I have not spoken one word against the Scriptures but own them as the Holy Ghost gave them forth The thirteenth
present in Spirit which you go about to deny by your meanings and so would make Paul a lyar like your selves but they who believes your wrestings before Paul's words are blinde like you and so with the Apostles light you are all judged and so the blinde leads the blinde And because I say the Spirit of God was the trier of Spirits before the letter was therefore you would make people believe that I hold forth that the Word is not to be regarded nor the Law looked upon nor the Scripture heeded and when you have thus falsly slandered you say you leave the Reader to laugh at it it shews that light Spirit rules in you but whilst you are thus in your laughter and perswading others to laugh also all that fear God may mourn to see your doctrine to see you profess the name of the Lord who is holy and you to gather up such filthy consequences as these to slander the truth withal and when you have done make it a matter of laughter but the day is at hand when your laughter shall be turned into howling and weeping and then wo unto you and those that laugh with you And for what I said of your several judgements and worships and imagined Gods according to your several judgements it is true as all that take notice of you and your divisions through the whole Nation may witness with me for the true God is but one and his worship one And whereas you say you hold the head the Lord Jesus it is false for they who hold him for their head the Lord and Master denied to be called Masters themselves amongst the Saints or of the world but owned one Master which is the Head which is Christ and they were all brethren neither did they exercise authority one over another as the Heathen do neither were they bowed to and worshipt with cap and knee as you are and do to others for they had one Master whom they worshipped and bowed their knee to which was spiritual in whom they believed which faith they had not in respect of persons but you are enemies to that faith neither can you believe who receive honor one of another John 5. 44. and here you hold not the Head the Lord but walk as Lords your selves amongst your hearers which Peter and Paul never did whose conditions you talk so much on and this is not my venom but a true witness against your unrighteous practice And whereas you talk of things hard to be understood in the Scriptures which the unstable and unlearned wrest It is true and you are those unlearned who were never taught of God nor heard his voice but reproach them that have and you are they who wrest these Scriptures to your own destruction and not rightly understanding them cannot discover every Spirit nay you are so blinde that you cannot discover that spirit in you that acts you in covetousness pride slander envie and persecution is the spirit of the devil and that spirit that acts you to plead for sin while men live to be the spirit of the man of sin and though you talk of the word that is sweeter then the hony and the hony combe and so have stoln Davids words yet that word you know not nor that sweetness of it who deny the word of the Lord coming to you and know no word but the letter for that word which David speaks of was within him and not without him which word I witness and its sweetness And whereas you charge me to set a gloss upon that Scripture Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them and because I say The Law of God in the new Covenant is written in the hearts of men which is plain in the Scriptures Heb. 8. 10. Therefore you say I overturn all Scripture so that for me to speak Scripture and witness the promise of God in the new Covenant and the end of the old by your deceit you would make it to overturn Scripture and you say it hath reference to the Law written in tables of stone 'ts true and that was in the old Covenant a type of the new and of that Law that should be written in mens hearts in the new Covenant you that would deny the new Covenant to establish the old make it appear that you are blinde and ignorant of that Covenant and that pure Law which is within written by the Lord in the heart and are in your own righteousness and Covenant of works and so have no light in you whose light and Law is without and all that are spiritual against you who saies herein I overturn all Scriptures who witness the Scriptures fulfilled and as for John Gilpin whom you say is delivered out of the snares of the devil and would make him a stumbling-block to the truth his practice since hath shewed how he hath been delivered out of the snares of the devil and the judgement of God hath overtaken him and whether they consulted with John Gilpin against Christ who caused his book to be printed over again and framed it at the first the truth may easily judge and their reward shall be according to their works To your fifteenth Position That there ought to be no sence meaning or exposition given or studying of the Scripture And in your Reply you say The Scriptures are in some places given out darkly and when you have done you say it is from the darkness that lies on the Spirits of the Saints Here is your confusion and darkness and for the key of David you speak on it is not committed into the hands of any hirelings as you are nor ever was but where Christ is and such live the life of the Scriptures and so open them in their conversation as well as words and till your lives witness what you preach you shut them to others and not open them And how long your generation have been about opening them all may see and yet they are shut from your selves and you cannot agree about them and then how will you open them to others but who waits for that Spirit that gave them forth shall not need you and your openings but by that Spirit will deny you and your openings and with that Spirit judge you all and the blindeness of you hearers your own practice shews what openers you are for they are a book sealed to your wisdom and carnal learning Therefore let them alone as they are for they are of no private interpretation nor are they committed to you to open nor doth any Scripture you alledge prove any such thing And whereas you say you have the infallible Spirit dwelling in you I answer Where that Spirit is it is one and admits of no disputes and janglings but speaks one and the same thing in all that have it in their measure but your divisions amongst your selves witness what Spirit
own nor in my own will and wisdome and though you would make the people beleeve it is not answered that so you might glory in your selves and provoke others to glory in you also yet any that is wise may see that what your envy hath cast upon us in your 17. particulars That which we hold and practise is owned and proved by Scripture and that which is false is denied in plainness of speech without deceit but to follow you in your janglings and wrestings of Scripture wherein you bring one Scripture to cross another as is plain in your Book and so walke unprofitably was not my way but rather to edification for your confusion is plain to any spiritual eye and I need not add to it nor do I delight in such things further then for the truths sake I am moved for the day is come that all shall be manifest and you cannot be hid Secondly You accuse me for grosly perverting the Scripture to which I answer I suppose the Reader will not finde any private interpretation by me put upon any Scripture but quoted as they are without adding any sense to them but leaves them to the Reader to view now whether I pervert them who quotes them as they are in plain words as they are set down or you who give your private meanings on them and brings one to oppose and cross another and who perverts the Scripture is plain to any who are guided by the same Spirit who gave them forth and I leave it to such to judge Thirdly You accuse me with palpable shufflings to which I answer Shuffling and deceit I abhorre and love and practise plainness and truth and that is your advantage you have against us as all your forefathers the persecutors ever had against Christ and his Saints who when they could not condemn them by any witness without them yet they would aske them many questions to ensnare them for the subtil serpent knows that they who are of the spiritual Seed dare not deny that before men which they own before God though they suffer for it and I know I shall not be accused as shuffling in my answer by any but those of your Generation and in my Conscience I am cleared of it in the sight of God and so your slanders toucheth me not but shal be your own garments to wear Fourthly You accuse me of miserable weakness and you say you cannot but smile at it and may laugh at my ignorance to which I answer Herein you declare to all men what Spirit you are of who glory in your own strength and laugh at the weakness of others which none that ever was guided by the Spirit of Christ ever did but laugh on a while yet know your woe is coming and your laughter shall be turned into weeping and howling and for my weakness as you call it where is my strength and ignorance at which you so much rejoyce if the strength and wisdom of God be but made perfect in it that is it I wait for and herein shall the Scriptures be fulfilled 1 Cor. 1. 27. that God hath chosen the weake and foolish things to confound the mighty and wise take notice of it betimes you sturdy oakes and tall cedars and tremble ye mountains at his presence Fifthly You accuse me with horrible rayling To which I answer What language have I used against you except such as the Spirit of God in Scriptures gives to those of your generation if I have not the language of the same Spirit why doe you not mention it in particular but so often accuse in general to render me odious but deceit is got into such fine colours that it cannot beare a plaine language for the divel would not be discovered and plainly dealt with where he is and therefore he hath bred up his children in manners that they must not call him that vents his lyes a lyar nor him whom he hath deceived and sent out deceive others a deceiver nor one who takes hire a hireling though they be found in the very act but some finer words must be used and here you that cannot beare the Scripture language but cals it rayling shews to all what brood you are of who would not be plainly dealt with but who is guided by the Spirit of God is taught not to flatter but to use plainness of speech yet not in envy and whosoever is free from opinion and reads over both our writings may easily finde out raylers scorners lyars slanderers and false accusers and let such judge And now a few words to the rest of your slanders in particular as for that you call a short draught of my answer I shall not say any thing to it here being the many lyes that are in it are so plainly discovered to all who have read my answer and will more fully be layd open hereafter when we come to the particulars The first slander is grounded upon my subscribing my self one whom the world cals James Nayler and you say you are jealous of a mystery of Iniquitie from these words and though you confess the ground to be your own jealousie yet you proceed to slander upon it and tels where the mysterie lyes and this you say is to cloake our pretence of being equal with God and that we herein depart from Scripture and would conclude God and Christ under carnal observations or else teach them to speak To which I answer How any whom these men love not can be free from their aspersions let any man judge who can so highly slander upon the ground of their own jealousie and how this jealousie is grounded any may judge For first are not the words true am not I one whom the world cals James Nayler and they know no other name and yet the Scripture speaks Rev. 2. 17. of him that overcometh having a new Name that no man knows but he that hath it and how do we here depart from Scripture nay who witness the new man establish the Scripture and witness the promise of Christ fulfilled in him and here I charge you in the presence of the living God to be coatrary to the Scriptures and the Spirit that gave them forth and with it shall be judged eternally and that new name you know not as you make it appear and how we exclude God and Christ under carnal observations or teach them to speak in owning the promise fulfilled and if this be not a most wicked and wilfull slander cast upon us to make us odious let the Reader judge And you would have the people beleeve that the man of sin is to be found at Rome that so they may not discover him neerer hand in your selves but they who observe your practise preaching loe here and loe there and printing for the upholding of the kingdom of sin making people beleeve they shall never be free from it while they are on the earth they where the Spirit of Christ is doth discover the man of
and they want nothing And as for those that do not work that they should not eat and those who live disorderly not working at all 1 Thess 3. 10. 11. how are you not ashamed to take these Scriptures into your mouthes when all that know you may witness this against you that no sort of people in the Nation lives like you for idleness like beasts and swine for 1. Your families are provided for by the sweat of other mens brows 2. You are those that walk disorderly not working at all and therefore ought not to eat 3. And for abiding in our callings we are in them and there abide with God but you are crept in and are not called of God by your own confession who never heard his voice And whereas you make an Objection lest we should say that the Apostles left their callings and followed Christ and you say 'T is true the Messiah had his disciples following him but Paul after Christs ascension left a standing rule say you for all to abide in their callings As if when Christ should ever call out any more they should not obey him as though Paul had left a standing rule to the contrary And thus you bring Paul to oppose the commands of Christ and one Scripture to cross another and yet would not be counted wresters of Scriptures nor opposers of Christ But you are found out and can no longer be hid And whereas you tell of them who were called forth having an immediate call and to pub like work in the Ministery herein I say silence flesh who knows nothing of that immediate call to that publike work but denies it And whereas you tell of Paul reproving Christians for leaving their callings I answer Did Paul reprove them for leaving all and coming forth at the commands of Christ O with what subtilty do you go about here to make people believe that Christ should never call out any more not they obey And whereas you tell that a man may forsake the world and yet enjoy his possessions in it I answer Such a forsaking of the world pleaseth you well and so do you forsake the world when you leave one Parsonage to go to a greater Living and this is all the forsaking of the world that you know or can judge of But did ever any that Christ called forth to be Ministers forsake the world so but they left all at his command And whereas you tell of using this world as not abusing it and many such-like words which you know nothing of I answer When you come to live in what you speak and so to use this world you will cease to compel your hearers to pay you Tythes or Money for your hours talk or one to pull out another for greater Livings for he who spoke those words did no such things and till you come to live that life you have nought to do with those words And whereas you say you spoke not a sillable of the pride and lusts of the world in your Epistle but it is foisted in by James Nayler I answer Doth not he that forsakes the world forsake the pride and lusts of it which you live in and seem to speak evil of them that do forsake the world as is plain in your book and then what wrong have I done you for I do not charge you with the words but with the thing And now for those things you have set down as trivial observances they are these our not saluting which we witness a command to the contrary our not putting off the hat before the Magistrate wherein we have the example of Christ and all the Apostles and Saints and are plainly forbidden to have the faith of Christ in respect of persons and our Thouing every one which is the Scriptures language and none of the holy men of God ever used any other to a particular and our not calling men Masters which is the command of Christ in plain words Now you that call your selves Ministers and call the commands of Christ trivial observances I charge you in the presence of the living God to be in the doctrine of devils and there are seen by all the children of the light and makes it plainly appear how little you regard the language of the Scriptures given out by the Spirit of God or the practice of the Saints who were guided by the same Spirit or the express commands of Jesus Christ but stand up to maintain the customs of the world against all these and here you plainly appear to whom you belong for you who are guided by the spirit of the world stand up to maintain the customs of the world and they that are guided by the Spirit of God are led into the same way words worship and obedience that those walked in who were guided by the same Spirit before them and none can live in the kingdom of Christ and conform to the customs of the world neither doth the Apostle speak of any of these when he saith Touch not taste not handle not as you would make people believe but of your carnal Ordinances And whereas you say we place Holiness and Religion in these things It is false our holiness is in Christ but these things we cannot neglect being the commands of Christ to us and practice of the Saints in Scripture And whereas you say we will not submit to Christs righteousness I charge you to be lyers and slanderers and that we also deny many other truths with full opposition to Gospel Ordinances Prayer Baptism Supper Church-Government and Ministery which is all false and a lying slander for the righteousness of Christ we own and in him alone are we made the righteousness of God 1 Cor. 5. 21. But your righteousness which live in sin and talk of righteousness without you and are not made conformable to Christ but are conformable to the world that righteousness we deny And Christ the Gospel-Ordinance we own and deny your carnal Ordinances and set Forms And Prayer we own which is with the Spirit and as the Spirit helps our infirmities so we ask and receive of the Father and deny the vain bablings of you Heathen and you that under pretence make long prayers And the Supper of the Lord we own which is spiritual and deny your carnal Sacrament for which there is no Scripture and your mixt multitudes The Baptism of Christ we own and are baptized by one Spirit into one body And the Holy Ghost and the fire we own and do witness but deny your sprinckling of Infants for which there is no Scripture Church-government we own and Jesus Christ the head and governour of his Church to whom we submit but deny your Classes Assemblies and Masterships by which you rule and govern in your own wils the Ministers we own which is of Iesus Christ and immediate call to it and deny all whose call is mediate and are made ministers by the will of man and here I charge you in
the cross for his people he doth the same now and so is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. which cross you that live in your pride and lusts of the flesh will not take up and therefore the works of the devil remain in you undestroyed And for the Scriptures you alleadge do any of them say that Christ hath destroyed the works of the devil for them who live in sin for to commit sin is the work of the devil And first you say Christ hath destroyed the works of the devil upon the cross and then you say the works of Satan shall be destroyed in the time appointed of the Father and he shall present us spotless at his coming which time of the Fathers appointment and coming of Christ to present spotless you appear to be ignorant of for the Fathers time is To day to them that will hear his voice And the coming of Christ without sin unto salvation and presenting spotless is witnessed And whereas you go about to make people believe that though they die the servants of sin yet they shall be compleat in Christ and be made glorious and perfect and holy after death which is your own imagination here I charge you in the presence of the living God to be in the Papists faith to encourage people to live in sin while they live and for which you have no Scripture for I challenge you to bring one Scripture which doth say That perfection and holiness are reserved till after death or that any shall inherit them after death or one Scripture that saies Men shall live in sin while they are upon the earth who cannot witness them here but as men die so shall they come to judgement and so shall be proceeded against without any holiness added to them after death And thus you are not afraid to deceive souls and hold things contrary to plain Scripture to deceive withal which at that day you shall accompt for which will be terrible to all deceivers and whereas you would wrest those words of Christ Mat. 5. 18. Not one jot or tittle of the Law shall pass away until all be fulfilled and this you would wrest to make the Law void as though God did not require it to be fulfilled and you say this was the scle and alone work of Christ which work of Christ you know not in your selves who puts it far from you for they who witness the work of Christ they know that he who did fulfil the Law doth fulfil the it in every generation of the Saints who believe in him and so by faith the Law is established and not made void and whereas you say It is not said in all the book of God that the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in this life in any Saints and here I charge you all to be lyers in the presence of the living God But you say the contrary is asserted I answer It seems you hold a fulfilling of it after death but read Rom. 8. 3 4. and let the Scripture be witness against you which saith in plain words That Christ came for that end to fulfil the Law in the Saints which they could not do through the weakness of the flesh and there is no Scripture that asserts the contrary without your wrestings which I deny as you have wrested and turned many Scriptures here to your own destruction and to destroy others turning them into your sence to another end then for which the holy Ghost gave them forth for the Spirit of God did never give out the Scripture to plead for sin while men live but they are so plain to all your wresting of them that I forbear to mention them in particular and whereas you slander us to hold up Popish notions and inherent holiness that is your own practise and your own words which we deny And you that say May not a man be in part unclean and yet pure and spotless too by reason of imputation Here you now shew your confusion and I command you to shew plain Scripture for this without twining And now let any who sees your pleading for sin and uncleanness which Christ came to take away judge if you are not the upholders of what Christ came to destroy and here you are Antichrists and by your pleading for sin is the man of sin discovered in you who pleads for his kingdom while men live and how I am a Railer for laying open these truths let any judge where the man of sin is discovered and you are found faithful to therein you are in the doctrine of the Papists your Master The eleventh Position That every man in the world hath a light within him sufficient to guide him to salvation without the help of any outward light or discovery And in your Reyly you deceitfully put in that word saving light which is not spoken by me for though Christ be the light of the world that enlightens all yet none are saved by him but who believe and follow him out of the works of darkness but to the rest it is the condemnation that light is come into world and they love darkness and their evil deeds and here are you to be condemned with it who are enemies to the light and pleads against it and so lives in works of darkness And whereas you say None can come except the Father draw them it 's true but those drawings you and all that hate the light do resist And whereas you say Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to me It 's true and that 's the reason why you who own not the teachings of the Father but counts it blasphemy to witness his voice come not to Christ but are at a distance from him and for John 1. 4 5. which you say Is clear against me and you say They were in darkness for want of light but John saith The light shined in darkness and he came unto his own and they received him not John 1. And here John shews the cause why they were in darkness was because they received not the light for as many as received him became the sons of God and thus what John saith you hold the contrary and you say that of Joh. 3. 19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world is full against me but how that is full against my witnessing every man to have a light let any man see but you sure think that people are bound to believe any thing you say without any further trial but the light is come and you must now lead none but who are wilfully blinde And for the third branch of my answer That where the light of Christ is there needs no outward discovery to this you say You have abundantly proved that Christ is not in all nor doth enlighten all I answer Your proofs are contrary to plain Scripture in this as in all the rest for the Scripture saith Christ is in all Jew
the serpent is he would be worshipped but the Spirit of Christ where it is keeps the creature upright to God and not to bow to pride And notwithstanding your light and scornful words against A. P. for saying there is a power without persons yet the Saints know that there is a power which is of God to which they are subject for conscience sake whether there be any persons to execute that power or no for many times the persons who should have set up that power which is of God have set up their wills instead of it and so have turned the edge of the sword put into their hands against them that do well which is appointed by God for a terrour to evil doers Rom. 13. 3. and when such persons have ruled God hath sent his servants to witness against the person and his practice but the power they are still subject to for conscience sake which is one and is not changed nor corrupted though the person be for it remains and is one with that in the conscience and that in the conscience owns and honours it where-ever it is and so in setting up that power which is of God is the person honoured in the sight of all that fear God and not in setting up himself but you who look upon the person as your rule and not the power change as mens mindes change and such will be of the same minde with the powers of the earth turn what way they will and by these the Saints who are faithful to God and his power have alwaies suffered but these will never suffer for any truth The third Principle That no man must have the title of Master which is false for Masters and servants we own but to call any Master out of a flattering title or for his riches or his pride or greatness this we deny being expressly forbidden of Christ both in us and in the Scriptures And whereas you say You have brought at least ten Scriptures out of the new Testament to prove calling men Masters I say You cannot instance one Scripture without wresting that ever commands it after Christ forbad it but here as in the rest of your book you would turn the Scriptures against the plain commands of Christ to maintain your pride and here you are discovered to be the Ministers of Antichrist and pleads for his kingdom and worships against Christ and his commands And for the four things you say we charge upon you viz. 1. That ye love the highest places in the Synagogues 2. That ye wear long robes 3. Stand praying in the Synagogues 4. That you preach for hire And whereas you say You have proved these to be the proper guilt of the Pharisees I answer There are many more may be added to them which were marks of false teachers which you practice and then what difference of the Pharisees and you for one spirit acts to one and the same things in you both and one Spirit of Christ witnesseth against you both to be in one condemnation And for other things you say we charge you with as going to Universities using an hour-glass preaching upon a text not using the language of the Scriptures in thouing a particular running to the powers of the world to protect you Now are not these things true of you and then what need I say any more to them And as for stealing the word from your neighbour what word have you else but what you steal who denies the word of the Lord coming to you and the immediate call and scorns it in them who witness it which none ever did but the false Prophets who stole the word from the true Prophets and here your own mouths shall witness to what I say in the sight of all men and for the pure language you speak of is not thou and thee I answer The Scripture-language is the pure language given out by the pure Spirit though Babylon hath another language of it's own and denies the Scriptures but that language is confusion and here are you who Ye one and Thou another but the Scripture-language you own not And now to that you call our Practices The first Practice Quaking and here you adde groveling on the ground and foming at the mouth to be our practice and to prove this you bring John Gilpin and William More Priest of Kellit I answer Your witnesses are suitable to your slander but all that ever have been at our meetings yea those of your own that have come to spie shall witness against Gilpin and William More and you that those are not our practice and the whole country shall more and more see into your lying slanders And whereas you say Quaking is our great perfection It 's false for Christ is our perfection though quaking and trembling we own to be a condition the Saints passed through as is plain in Scripture else should we deny the Scripture as you do though you use it as a name of reproach The slanders of William may easily be disproved by what follows I Jane Withers was moved of the Lord to go to the Steeple-house of Kellit to speak to Priest Moor these words Thou art the beast that all the world worships and wonders after the plagues of God must be poured upon thee When these words came to me the power of the Lord seized upon me but the deceit prevailed so over me that I did not obey at the first movings but the power of the Lord so seized on me again that I was bound about my body above the middle as if I had been bound with chains and it was said to me That if I went not I should repent it and he should know it and in the afternoon I was forced to go and as I went in at the door I should have said The plagues of God must be poured upon thee but I did not speak the words then and then the power of the Lord came upon me but in that Priest Moor saies I was in a trance it is a lye for I was as sensible all the while as ever I was and for foming at the mouth I did not that is a lye but for the working of the power of the Lord in my body I deny not and two of the Priests own hearers which were close by me we sent for hearing this lying slander was sent to be printed being examined whether or no they saw her some at the mouth the one of them did affirm that it was a lye and she laid me on her lap and the other said She saw no such thing but the Priest went his way and I went after him then I spoke the words that was commanded and as soon as I had spoken them the power ceased and the maid that Moor sent to George Fox which carried the lyes to him one of the women Annes Clapin one of his hearers said she was a lyar and it did not matter what she said this is Moor's ground to
commands of God into which the wisdom of the world could never enter God hath made many as signes among you as to go naked in your Steeple-houses in your markets in your streets as many in the Northern parts which is a figure to you of all your nakedness Priests in your first page you say It is their greatest work to deny his righteousness fulfilled in his person to be imputed to you for your justification Rep. What righteousness is there imputed to the workers of iniquity which are cursed the righteousness of Christ we own which he fulfilled in his own person who is the Lord our righteousness we through him are become the righteousness of God and from this you Priests are shut out who would do as your fathers did who persecuted the Lord of glory and I charge you here in the presence of the living God to be lyers for what Christ fulfilled and came to fulfil we own which Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever and the same Ministery and the same immediate call we witness and have all the Prophets Apostles and Christ the Corner-stone to witness us in the same and all you reprobates and all your weapons you strike with against the truth do but confirm us and establish the innocent and confirm the truth against all you opposers Priests you are speaking of faith being swallowed up in vision I charge you to shew such an expression in Scripture amongst all the Saints which was in faith Priests whereas you say That George Fox called Mr. Nichols hypocrite in Carlile though he never saw his face Here I charge you all Priests to be confused And you say How doth this bottom upon Christ who gave it to none but such as they had a particular knowledge of Here I charge you to be contrary to Châ—st contrary to the Apostles for Christ said Judge not according to outward appearance as the Pharisees did And here I prove you to be Pharisees and the Apostle said He was present in Spirit beholding the order of the Saints though he never saw their faces and here I judge with the Spirits of the Apostles to be out of their life And you say That Christ gave that title as hypocrite to Herod and the teachers of false doctrine Now to you I speak The Scripture it self and Christs words in it shall be your judge to be in the steps of the Pharisees and false teachers and in the nature of Herod which are called of men Masters as the hypocrites were and hath the cheif places in the assemblies and stand praying in the Synagogues which are painted with the Prophets Christs and the Apostles words as your fathers were with the Prophets words laying heavy burthens upon the people as some of your fellow-Priests have imprisoned some because they would not pay Tythes which are pretended teachers and here you are under the wo which Christ pronounced against your fathers as you may read Mat. 23. and so with all the children of the light you are judged and with the light of Christ you are condemned to be out of his doctrine eternally and for condemnation of old with the light which gad in the way of Cain and after the error of Balaam who received gifts and rewards You are casting out your lyes and slanders upon the innocent but with the light of Christ they are for eternal condemnation and you that act them to that in all your consciences I speak which shall witness it eternally and condemn all you that are acquainted with lyes and slanders for the book of conscience is opened Priests you say Paul disclaims all equality with God in your one and twentieth page Here I charge you to be lyers in the presence of the living God Paul saith Let the minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet made himself of no reputation c. Phil. 2. 5 6 7. Priests and whereas you say The light which is by Christ is the light of the first covenant Rep. Christ Jesus saith He is the light of the world and doth enlighten every one that comes into the world and the Prophet said God would give him for a Covenant a light to the Gentiles and here let the Scripture judge you to be out of the light that stumbles at the light and the covenant And whereas you would have James Nayler confess George to be the adopted Son of God what Son was that that was revealed in the Apostles but the confessing of the Son of God vexeth you and shews you had not life for you that have not the Son of God have not life Christ saith He is that true light that enlightens every one that comes into the world and your answer is This light is not Christs will and here you blasphemously declare your selves to say The light of Christ is not his will when Christ saies I am the light that enlightens every one that coms into the world him that hates it shall be his condemnation and here you shew you are in darkness that stumbles at the light and your darkness cannot comprehend it Priests you say The light of Christ is not a knowledge of Christ as Mediator Here again I charge you to be lyers in the presence of the living God whoever comes to know Christ as a Mediator is with the light of Christ which hath enlightned him and here again I charge you to be stumblers at the light And whereas you speak in your seven and thirtieth page of a natural light and so blaspheming the light of Christ but with that light ye shall be condemned before you know the Gospel Priests in your sixtieth page you say Christ did not give a saving light to every man Rep. Christ the Saviour saith He enlightens every one that comes into the world and he that walks in the light shall bave the light of life and not walk in darkness and as many as believes in him and receives him to them he gives power to become the Sons of God but you which stumbles at the light of Christ and hate it shall be your eternal condemnation and all your profession to be air and winde and empty and shews you do not believe in the light of Christ and so with the light you are condemned and your mouthes stopped And whereas you are speaking of your outward helps and discoveries or to help the light of Christ here you declare your light to be darkness for the visible doth not open the invisible but the invisible the visible He that hath an ear to hear let him hear but I see you have none that stumble at the light of Christ You speak of a Trinity of sprinkling Infants of merits and of inherent righteousness I command you to shew a word in Scripture that speaks of any of these words you speake of a moral Law of the word essential or suggestion shew forth where the Scripture speaks any such words so take the slander upon your selves wherewith you slander George Fox as jugling which he abhors and your slander reacheth him not and so finde out these words in Scripture else lay your hands on your mouths and confess your selves to be juglers to all the world and let the Scripture it self judge you that teach those things there is no Scripture for who saies it is your touch-stone and standing oyle and so the title of Perfect Pharisee shall stand to your selves who would be justified in the sight of man so the beast shall be burned and the false Prophet cast into the lake of fire The thing that was seen concerning Newcastle all his pillars to be dry and his trees to be bare and much nakedness that they have not scarcely the bark but are as a wilderness where much winde and cold comes where there must be much labour before the ground be brought into order for it 's a stony ground and there is much bryers and thorns about her and many trees have grown wilde long and have scarce earth to cover their roots but their roots are seen and how they stand in the stones and these trees bears no fruit but bears moss and much winde pierce thorow and clatters them together and makes the trees shake but still the rootes are held amongst the stones and are bald and naked FINIS