Nations and through Covetousness with feigned Words make Merchandize of them which you now spare not Pr. Ans. And secondly thou grantst That if Men be made of God spiritual whether Shepherds or Plowmen first they may teach But thirdly thou sayst every Man that hath the Spirit in some Measure doth not attain to that Height Growth and Degree that they did who gave forth the Scriptures and therefore may not as lawfuly nor as infallibly teach as they did and thou sayst Nor canst thou discern clearly that the best amongst them called Quakers have yet reached that Degree or Dispensation of the Spirit And after much dissembling Speeches thou manifests thy light and frothy Spirit still despising me because of my Youth but thy Words are not worth mentioning And thus when thou openest thy Mouth concerning the Spirit thou manifests thy Folly and Ignorance of the Spirit so that a Babe may comprehend thee and tell thee of thy Folly And when thou thinkst of thy Beard or Age as thou sayst Confusion of Face may cover thee For though every one that hath the Spirit in some Measure doth not attain to that Height Growth and Degree that they did who gave forth the Scripture yet it doth not follow that none do attain to that Height Growth Degree and they that have attained to the same Spirit in a Measure and by the same Spirit are moved and called forth may as lawfully and as infallibly teach as they did in their Measures for the same Spirit is infallible in the least Measure and its call is lawful and thus thou shewest thou wast never called norâ—led by it who art so ignorant of it and as here also doth further appear in that thou confessest Thou discernest not the People called Quakers and therefore are blind and from thee the Secrets of God are hid and it doth not follow that they are ever the less spiritual but rather more because thou canst not discern them who pretend'st thy self a spiritual Man And thus they are attained to that Degree they can discern thee to be a Blind Guide and Deceiver of the World and therefore is thy spirit the more against them for all thy Flattering and Dissembling Speeches from thy hypocritical Heart who bendest thy Tongue like a Bow against them uttering forth Lyes in Hypocrisie and with thy scornful spirit Reproachest me with Lyes but it was thy Generation that Quaked for Fear of the Downfal of their Kingdom and therefore persecuted me and imprisoned me yet their Fear did not overtake me for I was made as willing to Suffer as they were to Afflict as knowing it was for his Cause who will make you all to Quake and Tremble who lift up your Heels against him And as thou comparest Cambridge to Jericho so the Curse of Jericho shall come upon it for its Whoredom and Sorceries and Stiff-neckedness against the Lord and his Anointed And though thou thus Scornest me and Despisest me because of my Youth yet it is because thou knowest not the Scripture nor the Power of God Qu. 6. Whether any are the Ministers or Messengers of Christ but those that are guided by his Spirit and abide in his Doctrine as the Holy Men of God were in Scripture and whether the Wind doth now blow where it listeth Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer to the first Part thou grantest That none are the True Ministers and Messengers of Christ but those that are in some measure guided by his Spirit and abide in his Doctrine But secondly thou say'st Men may think that they have that Spirit and yet be led by the Lying Spirit as Zedekiah who smote Michaiah was 1 Kings 22. 24. Rep. Herein thou markest out thy self for a Deceiver who pretendest to the Spirit it is the Lying Spirit as is before proved and so art shut on t from the Ministers and Messengers of Christ who art not guided by his Spirit and therefore abidest not in his Doctrine as is before proved by thy Ignorance of the True Spirit And therefore thou and such False Prophets as thou thus smite at and persecute us that are called Quakers because the Lord is pleased to bestow his Spirit upon us whereby we are able to declare your Deceit and manifest your Lying Spirits who have professed your selves the Ministers of Christ yet Strangers to his Spirit and Opposers of his Truth like Jannes and Jambres who are Men of corrupt Minds and Reprobates concerning the Faith 2 Tim. 3. 8. Pr. Answ. And to the second Part of the Query thou say'st That the Wiud blows where it listeth if it be not stopped yet are there many false Winds which blow likewise from a Deceitful Spirit which to prove thou quotest Ephes. 4. 14. That we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro with every Wind of Doctrine and sayest Mind this James Rep. This I do mind and still see how thou markest out thy self with thy Deceitful Spirit for if the Wind doth blow where it listeth which thou acknowledgest then what is that in you professed Ministers which goes about to stop it with Gain-saying and Persecution and would limit the Spirit of God unto a Text or Theam from which you with your deceitful spirits do raise Uses Points Tryals and Motives c. whereby many poor Creatures are tossed to and fro and carried about with your airy spirits with the Sleight and cunning Craftiness of your Brains whereby you study to deceive as thou mayest read in the latterâ—end of the Verse which thou hast quoted Ephes. 4. 14 which here shall stand against thee And so many are the Children which are tossed to and fro by you although they have both Beards and Age as thou sayest yea some are Thirty some Forty some Fifty some Sixty yea Eighty and never yet come to the Knowledge of the Truth and thus with Feigned Words through Covetousness you make merchandize of the People beguiling Unstable Souls But think not that all you False Prophets with the Beast that upholds you can stop or quench this Spirit which now bloweth where it listeth for with all the Sleight and Craftiness that you can use you shall be made to fall before it and the Fruits of your Labours shall be given you Qu. 7. Whether thou wilt own Immediate Revelation now yea or nay Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou sayest The Apostle teacheth you to pray for the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Acknowledgment of God Which to prove thou quotest Ephes. 1. 17. but sayest There are many False Lights and Delusions of Satan who too often transforms himself as an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11. 14. which thou sayest are entertained by unwary men for the Illuminations and Revelations of God's Spirit as appears in Zedekiah aforesaid which to prove thou quotest Ezek. 13. 6. 2 Thess. 2. 11. Rep. Here again thou hast marked out thy self and also belyest the Apostle for that Scripture in Ephes. 1. 17. only makes mention how the
or to the left cryes This is the Way walk in it Isa. 30. 21. Of which the Scripture is a true Declaration spoken from this Word of Truth of which Light every one hath a measure which unto them is the free Gift of God to profit withall which Light in the Conscience reproves for sin and iniquity and manifests the deceit of the heart and checks the Creature when it swears or lyes or doth amiss telling it that it should not do so and calls for Repentance and Amendment of Life and leads unto the same as it is owned and followed and as many as receive it receive power to become the Sons of God Joh. 8. 12. and 1. 12. Rom. 2. 4. But he that doth evil hates the Light and will not bring his deeds to it by it to be proved and to him it is condemnation but he that loves the Light brings his deeds to the Light that it may manifest them whether they be wrought in God John 3. 20 21. But of this Light you People and Teachers of the World are ignorant and so are doting upon the Scripture without with your dark minds there with the blind Pharisees seeking for Life where it is not to be found but will not come to Christ the Light that you might have Life but would cast him out of his Throne and exalt Scriptures above him calling them the Judge and the Light and the Word and the Life and the Rule and the Guide and thus with your dark minds you would take the Authority from Christ and would give it unto the dead Letter which is but a Declaration of these things And thus your Leaders cause you to err Isa. 3. 12. for their own ends and of the Scripture they make an Idol to get money by adding their own Meanings Interpretations and Constructions upon them which are all the Conceivings and Imaginations of their own hearts by which they lead you in Blindness ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth in your hearts but are looking without doting without in the Letter acting and imitating out of the Light for Life and so in darkness doing your own works which are not required at your hands but are for Condemnation by the Light And so in vain are you worshipping a God whom ye know not crying up his Ordinances and crying up his Commands and crying up the Scripture exalting it in the Place of Christ and thus coming neer him with your lips and your hearts far from him still living in the corrupt sinful nature ignorant of the free Grace of God which should lead you to repentance and amendment of life Ephes. 2. 5. 8. And because we do witness this Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and Generations now made manifest in us which is Christ within the Hope of Glory Col. 1. 26 27. who is the Light of the World who doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World who is the true Shepherd John 10. and the true Teacher no more to be removed into a Corner Isa. 30. 20. who is the Anointing who teacheth all things and is the End of mans teaching therefore your Ministry of the Letter who make a Trade and a Gaine of the Letter by idolizing it and setting it up in the room of Christ by taking the Authority from Christ and applying it to the Letter that your minds who are taught by them may the more be drawn without to look at it and Idolize it expecting Life and Salvation by it and no hope without it that they may the longer make Merchandize of you and still uphold their Trade and Gain by it do now see that this our doctrine of Christ to be all in all and that without him we can do nothing John 15. 5. but that by him we can do all things without the help of Scripture or any thing else without Phil. 4. 13. and that there is no other name under Heaven by which we can be saved but that he is able to save to the utmost all that shall come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. and that he is the Word and the Scripture is not and that he is the Light and the Scripture is not and that he is the Rule and Guide and Teacheâ— and Judge and the Scripture is not but a Declaration of him to be so and that the Scripture all along witnesseth with our Doctrine to be one with it and theirs to be another Doctrine which the Scripture will not maintain but the Scripture is against and is onely brought in for Lucres sake to satisfie their own carnal ends that they may bear rule by their Means as the false Prophets did before them Jer. 5. 30 31. And this Light all along makes them manifort in all their Colours and false Covers so that they cannot hide themselves from being Deceivers and also this they do know that if every one come to know and find a Teacher within them which doth teach them the will of God and doth enable them for to obey it so that they need no man to teach them then indeed they will no longer spend their Money upon them for that which is not Bread nor their Labour for that which profitteth not and will be a Prey unto them no longer So not only their Craft and Trade and Idol will fail them but also their great Gain and Riches will be taken from them and all their Honour and Fame and Dignity will come to nought Therefore they in their hot Rage and Fierceness and Enmity of their Spirits do set themselves to oppose this Light wheresoever it is made manifest and persecuting the Publishers of this Doctrine railing against them as Deceivers Seducers Bringers in of false Lights and such as deny the Scripture and would rob it of its Authority and give it to a Light within them which the Priests call natural Light and insufficient to lead to Salvation without the help of Scripture and other outward Helps and so would set the Scripture above the Light of Christ saying among themselves If we let go the Authority of Scripture then all is gone that is to say Take away our Idol then take away our Maintenance then down with our Ministry So here is clear the Foundation they stand upon and this is the cause why they call the Scripture their Foundation and so all this Authority which they put upon the Scripture they take from Christ who alone is the Foundation of the Faithful of whom the Scripture is a Declaration and so we do own it by the same which gave it forth which unto us doth open it and reveal it and manifesteth them to be out of the Life of it and so by the Life thereof are judged and condemned as before is proved And though they call it the Word yet in the same it doth witness against them and witness Christ to be the Word before the Scripture was written John 1. And though they call
seek not the Honour that cometh from God only And here the true Honour is no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit And here you who are giving and receiving out-side earthly Honour you are in the Unbelief out of the Doctrine of Christ cringing and bowing and honouring and exalting the Devil and worshipping the Beast and his Image which all the World wonders after and worships Rev. 13. And as for Manners and Breeding Courtesie and Civility Learn to do as you would have all to do unto you and speak every one Truth to his Neighbour And let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth but such as is good for the Use of Edifying for evil Communication corrupts good Manners but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay be Nay for whatsoever is more is Evil And breed your Children so and here is good Manners and Breeding Courtesie and Civility and who are of the right Noble Seed have these Manners and this Breeding but the Nobles and Great Ones of the Earth want these Manners and this Breeding and both Priest and People of all Sorts according to the World And here is the Ground of all true Nobility Gentility Majesty Honour Breeding Manners Courtesie and Civility no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the Natural Man minds Natural Things and the Spiritual Man Spiritual Things but the Natural Man receives not the Things of God and this we own and witness And the Time is coming and now is that before this Seed every Knee shall bow and every Tongue confess and the Kings and Nobles of the Earth shall be bound in Chains and Fetters of Iron And here is also the Ground of the Nobility Gentility Superiority Honour Breeding and Manners of the World which is after the Flesh but not after the Spirit sprung from proud Lucifer the Lust that reigns in man and is not Yea and Nay but calls it Manners to say Nay and take it or do it and so they have the Name but not the Nature and so are Bastards and no Sons who are not sprung from the Noble Gentile Seed and to those Honour is not due neither can we bow unto them for if we should we should set the Devil in the room of God give unto him that which is due to God which when we were in Blindness through Ignorance we did and so worshipped the Beast and his Image which all the World worships and wonders after For they that are Proud and Lofty which is the Image of the Devil for the Devil is the Father of Pride and in gay Attire those the World worships and wonders after and extols and exalts into High Places But since the Lord hath opened our Eyes this we cannot do but testifie against it wheresoever we come both in Words and Actions and so we are destructive to the World's Superiority Nobility Gentility Honour Breeding and Manners which is after the Flesh and not after the Spirit therefore the Devil hates us in the Nobles and Great Ones of the World but we give unto Caesar the Things that are Caesar's and unto God that which is Gods but we cannot give unto Caesar that which is God's but Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour is due He that hath an Ear to hear let him hear and understand For saith the Lord If I be a Master where is my Fear If I be a Father where is my Honour Mal 1. 6. â—â— And now something concerning the Partiality that is among the Children of this World in their Breeding and Manners First Concerning the Word Thou or Thee which all those which are their Priests and Teachers know that Thou is the proper Word to one particular Person and is so all along the Scriptures throughout to any one without Respect of Persons yea to God himself And the Word You is the proper Word to more then one but not to one and so it is all along the Scriptures through out As for Example at all Times when the Apostles spake to Christ they used the Word Thou or Thee unto him and when he spoak to more then one of them he used the Word You or Ye but if he spoak but to one he used the Word Thou or Thee as in Mat. 16. 14 15 16 17. verses And also Paul Thou'd King Agrippa and King Agrippa Thou'd him as in Acts 26. ver 27 28. and so all along the Scripture And so it is plain that now it is an invention of Proud Lucifer in man to exalt himself as it will plainly appear for amongst the Great and Rich Ones of the Earth they will either Thou or You one another if they be equal in Degree as they call it but if a man of low Degree in the Earth come to speak to any of them then he must You the Rich Man but the Rich Man will Thou him nay you shall find it so betwixt Priest and People If a poor labouring Man come before one that you call a Minister though he be one of his Hearers one who helps to maintain him according to his Ability yet he must You the Priest and the Priest Thou him And here the Heathen Lord over one another by their corrupt Wills but this is contrary to the Apostles and Ministers of Christ who made themselves Servants to all and yet those will call themselves the Ministers of Christ And the Word Minister signifies a Servant and they are Masters and so they have gotten the Name but not the Nature and so are Bastards and no Heirs who are not sprung from the Gentile Seed and yet they are hired as Servants of Men and yet bear Rule by their Means as Masters over those that maintain them so that he that hath an Eye to see let him see the Deceits of the professed Ministers of England And now as concerning the Putting off of the Hat which is another Invention of proud Lucifer whereby he is honoured and worshipped and exalted in man but the Scripture doth not speak of any such Fashion used in any Age but man hath found out many Inventions since the Scripture was recorded and now it is so that it is a Fashion throughout the Land whereby one man is exalted above another for if a poor man come before a Rich Man it may be the Rich Man will move his Hat that is called Courtesie and Humility but the Poor Man must stand with his Hat off before him and that is called Honour and Manners and due Respect unto him but if the Rich man do bid him put it on it is counted a great Courtesie and he gets Honour to himself there to be counted a Courteous man But this Difference or Respect of Persons was never ordained by God but by the Devil whereby he exalts himself in Man but James the Apostle of Jesus Christ witnessed against it as in James 2. 1 2 3 4 5. and so on and
And thirdly thou say'st Thou doubtest whether any of those that are called Quakers are alwayes guided by that Spirit Rep. Here all that are guided by any Measure of that Spirit may easily see the Lyes and Confusion for thy first is a Lye That any of us do teach that all Men are taught and guided by that Spirit at Times for I deny that thou art who art now taken with a Lye in thy Mouth which all that understand our Doctrine will witness against And 2dly That thou art guided hy an Infallible Spirit is a Lye against the Holy Ghost for no Lye comes from that Spirit And again thou belyest the Spirit of Truth to say Thou art guided by it and yet canst not give an Infallible Testimony whether those thou call'st Quakers are guided by an Infallible Spirit Yea or Nay but art in thy Doubts but that Spirit is without Doubts which now judgeth thee to be a Lyar and thy God thou praisest to be the Devil the Father of Lyes who must both be tormented together Qu. 4. Whether they that are guided by that Spirit need study how or what to say Pr. Ans. And in thy Answer thou sayst Timothy had that Spirit in a greater Measure then James Parnel yet Paul saith thus unto him as in 1 Tim. 4. 13 14 15 16. And thou saist If the Apostles had been put to preach upon a short Text or Theam methodically as by long Practice in the Church is expected from you they must oft times have studyed for it as thou conceivest though if you were left at large to speak as the Spirit of God moves you and gives Matter in thou hopest some of you by God's Assistance should speak as to good or better Purpose then any who now pretend to the Spirit 's Actings Rep. Here thou hast sufficiently manifested thy Spirit and thy Ignorance of the Spirit of God to any who understand the Things of the Spirit of God and all these Scriptures which thou hast brought concerning Timothy doth not at all prove that he that is guided by the Spirit of God need study how or what to preach But Paul exhorted Timothy to the Gift that was in him which was given him by or for Prophesie for in so doing he should save himself and those that heard him which you never do by the Fruit of your Study but rather destroy them witness the Fruits of your Ministry these many Years in this Nation who have wrought no better Reformation among your Hearers and also this Scripture doth not at all prove that Paul bad Timothy study old Authors and Heathenish Commentators as you do neither to Study Arts and Sciences as you do who with your Philosophy and vain Deceit do spoil the People for thou hast manifested thy self to be altogether ignorant of the Spirit of God who by thy own Conceivings judgest the Spirit of God to be insufficient to instruct and teach the Apostles what to speak at all Times without Study when as Christ himself exhorteth them to take no Thought what to speak for it should be given them in the very same Hour for saith he It is not you that speak but the Spirit of your father that speaketh in you which Spirit speaketh not without Method which Spirit you Teachers of the Church of England are great Strangers to who think that the Spirit of God can be limited to a Text or a Theam as thou confessest you are but thou Lyar where is now thy infallible Spirit who thus speakest thy own Conceivings And therefore be ashamed hence-forward to pretend to an Infallible Spirit who hast here so openly manifested thy Ignorance of it and its Movings so that if thou wast left at large to speak from that Spirit in thee and wast shut out of thy Library and from any Text or Writing thou wouldst plainly manifest thy self to be one of the dumb Dogs that could not bark which Isaiah from the Spirit of the Lord declared against without Study For I do believe that if thou and the rest of the National Teachers whom thou confessest are tyed to a Text or Theam could tell how to please the People and get Gain without studying or speaking from a Text you would for the Credit of your Cause as thou saist for I know nothing that tyes you to it but your own Covetous Ends to make a Gain of these Scriptures and to deceive the Ignorant with feigned Words whom Peter without Study foretold of and therefore thou Hypocrite pretend no more to an infallible Spirit but with the rest of thy Brethren confess thou art void of it as many of them have done for in such Pretences thou art but the greater Deceiver and thy Folly doth the more appear Qu. 5. Whether is it as lawful now for Tradesmen Shepherds or Plowmen to preach if they be led by the Spirit of God as those that spake forth the Scripture Pr. Ans. And in thy Answer thou saist If this was wholly granted James Parnel cannot claim any Interest therein as thou conceivest for thou saist he is neither Tradesman Plowman nor Shepherd nor will take any Course to maintain himself by this Labour for he hath been tryed But herein James Parnel can plainly tell thee thou art a Lyer for he followed a Trade with his Father until the Lord by his Spirit called him from it into his own Word and so I obeyed the Word of the Lord and left my Father with his Trade as James and John did their Father in the Ship For he that will not forsake Father and Mother Lands and Livings Wife and Children and all for Christ's sake is not worthy of him in which Work neither thou nor any other can tax me for Idleness but I believe my Labour and Diligence in the same is more offensive to you Deceivers then if I had been Idle But he that would call me from this Work that I am set about into the Work of Man I should answer him God must be served before Man for if it had not been the Will of God to call me forth into his Work I should still have served my Earthly Father sooner then any other Man notwithstanding the Evil Thoughts and Conceivings of such like as thee who art given up to believe Lyes and tell Lyes but where is now thy infallible Spirit who speakest by thy own Conceivings and thus the Thoughts of thy Heart deceive thee And as for my Maintenance I need not a Law to compel it as thou dost neither am chargeable to the World as thou art who by a Law of Man takest nigh three hundred Pound by the Year of them therefore in this thou mightst have laid thy Hand upon the Mouth for thou and hundreds more of thy Brethren never followed any honest Calling whereby to get an honest Livelyhood without being chargeable to the World but were from your Youths brought up at Babylon's Schools learning her Witchcraft and Sorcery thereby to deceive the
48th Query thou askest â—f Christ and his Apostles did not frequent the Synagogues Answ. Yea they did and so do we your Idol-Temples but therein the Jews will condemn you who suffered them to speak as in that Scripture which thou hast quoted in Acts 13. 14 15. which shall stand and witness against you who will not suffer us to speak in your Steeple houses but suffer your Flocks to hale us forth fall upon us like Wolves and your Magistrates to hale us to Prison therefore read your Condemnation you Persecutors And thy 49th Query is answered already with the other aforesaid Qu. 50. Here thou askest If the Prophet did not complain to God against the Prophaners and Destroyers of the Synagogues in Psal. 74 4 5 6 7. Answ. The Scripture which thou hast quoted doth answer thee but it doth not uphold your Idols Temples who worship you know not what wherein you teach for Doctrine the Traditions of Men and there are found in the Steps of the Pharisees offering up your Abominations as Christ marked you out in Mat. 6. 5. where he meant as he spoak and all you do there is for self and not for God for he saith In vain do you worship him Mat. 15. 7 8 9. And here thy 51st Query is answered but take Notice your Steeple-Houses are not the Houses of God as before is proved Qu. 52. Is it unlawful to call either Baptism or the Supper of the Lord a Sacrament or oblieging Mystery since that Name imports no more and you cannot deny but that both these are mystical Things and ablieging Mysteries to the washing away of Sin and the following of Christ into his Life and Death Answ. Is thy Baptism now become an oblieging Mystery to the washing away of Sin which in thy Answer to my 21st Query thou saidst was not absolutely necessary but lawful only can it wash away Sin and yet not be necessary but this is all thou knowest of that Mystery that washeth away Sin or Desire after it for where Sin is washed away this Confusion stayes not behind Yea I do deny that there is any Thing in your spriâ—kling Infants or your Bread and Wine which doth profit as is manifest by these that receive them of you who never yet were washed from their Sins and Pollutions or ever tasted of the Death of the Cross but the Baptism I own and the Supper of the Lord I own but the Word Sacrament I deny for the which you have no Scripture whatsoever thou say'st it doth import And thy 53d 5â—th and 55th Queries are answered in my Reply to thy Answer to my 21st Query and thy 56th and 57th Queries are answered in my Reply to thy Answer to my 25th Query Qu. 58. Who is there among you who are called Quakers or the other Sectarians your Fore-fathers that hath rightly declared the Mystery of Christ's Body and Blood in your Dissentings from us since none of you have declared this according to our Lord's Intent Joh. 6. 33. Answ. As for Sectarians as thou callest them they are in your Generation and art not thou ashamed to call them our Fore-fathers whenas they now joyn with you against us yea and in this very Thing wherein they are blind as you are but the Mystery we know and have declared to the Comfort of many a restless Soul who never could find true Comfort in your dark and dead Forms as Thousands in the Nation will witness and this we have declared according to our Lord's intent therefore thou Lyar and Slanderer stop thy Mouth and take not his Name in vain and that Scripture in John 6. 33. which hou hast quoted will witness against thee in that thou would'st uphold and thy 59th Query is answered with thy 6th and 57th And thy next is concerning the present Ministers and Teachers and their Maintenance Qu. 60. Were there no Ministers in this Nation that held forth the Truth amongst us till you and your Associates rose up since we have our Lord's Promise The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church and Behold I am with you to the End of the World Qu. 61. What is become then of all your Fore-fathers their and ours who dyed since the Apostles Dayes till your rising up with a pretended Spirit Answ. Thou Carnal One hast thou nothing to do but to raise the Dead to dispute about But to answer a Fool I say They are gone as the Just and Righteous Judge hath disposed but now he calls all every were to Repent his Trumpets are sounding a Warning and there were none that preached for Hire that held forth Truth in the Life and Power of it but made a Trade and a Gain of the Letter from it speaking a Divination of their own Brain as you do now and those were your Fore-Fathers But if you had the Lord's Promise That the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against you for the Lord will be with you then what need you a Law of Man to set you up uphold you and maintain you Therefore it follows the Lord is against you and his Promises do not belong unto you who dare not trust him and therefore are but Pretenders and this the Spirit of Truth in us can tell you Qu. 62. If there were some taught of God before you were called why are they not owned by any of your Answ. Thou art not one that art so taught for thou art found out of his Doctrine therefore with that stop thy Mouth and do not belye us for who receive and obey the Truth we do own whatsoever they have been And here also thy Sixty Third and Sixty Fourth Query is answered And thy Sixty Fifth Sixty Sixth and Sixty Seventh Query is answered in my Reply to thy Answer to my Nineth and Tenth Query Qu. 68. Is the Teaching-Priesthood to cease till the Spiritual Melchizedeck comes unto us to bless us after the Slaughter of all our Enemies with the Heavenly Bread and Wine Gen. 14. 18 19. Hebr. 2. 1 2 3. that you say the Priesthood of Aaron wiâ—h the Law annexed of Tythes is ceased under the Gospel Answ. Yea so it is ceased and those Scriptures do not prove to the contrary but that is Hebr. 7. doth affirm it as is before proved But in that you uphold it in taking Tythes you deny the Spiritual Melchizedeck and if that be the Teaching-Priesthood which thou meanest it is already ceased to many who are come to see the End of it but the Gift blinds your Eyes and therefore you still uphold it and lead the Blind into the Ditch and so the Wo is to you and not the Blessing and this Scripture in Ephes. 4. 11 12 c. doth not at all maintain you And here also thy Sixty Nineth Query is answered And thy Seventy Seventy One Seventy Two and Seventy Three Queries are answered in my Reply to thy Answer to my Fourteenth Query Qu. 74. Did ever the Church of Rome cast greater Reproaches upon the
his Praise Therefore henceforward stop thy Mouth from despising any because of their Youth but know this That whomsoever God calls to his Ministry he by his Power and Wisdom doth fit them for the same and contrary to the Reason of Man doth the Lord work Therefore it thou wast not blind thou wouldest not so much look at the Creature but at the Power of God in the Creature But as it is written He hath hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and revealed them unto Babes And here thy Eighty Fourth Query is also answered Qu. 85. Whether Lord will break his own Orders and Commands expresly set down in his Word where he saith as you already heard by Paul 1 Tim. 3. 6. Answ. And unto this I have already answer'd as to thy Thirty Seventh Query Therefore thou Blasphemer stop thy Mouth and be ashamed thus to accuse the Lord because he is pleased to make his Power known in Babes and Youth for Timothy To whom Paul writes this Epistle was himself but a Youth as Paul wrâ—tes 1 Tim. 4. 11 12. and there read thy Rebâ—ke Qu. 6. Where did Christ or his Apostles send forth Women to be publick Prophetesses as you have done many and some of them not long since Inâ—amous for Lewdness of Life Answ. Oh thou Impudent One How dost thou provoak the Lord to Indignation against thee that darest lay any such thing to the Charge of God's Elect Oh thou Lyar Whom dost thou accuse of Lewdness We abhor thy words for all Lewdness Prophaness we testifie against wheresoever it doth appear or any thing contrary to the Pure Divine Light which now is thy Conscience and many other Consciences doth bear witness for us against thee who arâ— given up to believe Lyes and report them Therefore read thy Portion in Rev. 21. 8. and read an Answer to thy Query in Joel 2. 28. where the Lord saith the Sons and Daughters shall prophesie And none other do we own but who immediately are carryed forth by the Spirit of the Lord without the Commission of Man therefore thou falsly accusest us who saist we send â—orth any Qu. 87. If you be extraordinary Prophets Immediately Inspired as many of you pretend to be where are the Miracles which such inspired Men wrought in Times past Answ. But that we are so inspired thou dost not believe as may easily be discerned by thy querying and therefore unto thee no Sign shall be given who art in the Adulterous Generation who cannot see the Signs that follow the Truth Mat. 16. 4. Qu. 88. What have you foreâ—told by way of Prediction which hath accordingly come to pass as the Prophets Apostles aud Inspired Men were wont to do Answ. If thou canst tax us to the contrary thou may'st we bear not witness of our selves but he that believeth hath the witness within himself And as for thy Eighty Nineth Ninetieth Ninety One and Ninety Two Queries they are answered in my Reply to thy Answer to my Sixtee Qnth uery And thy Ninety Third Query is answered in my Answer to thy Query concerning Salutations Qu. 94. Whether is a Multitude of Disciples and Followers a sure Sign that his Doctrine is from Heaven who is followed seeing the Way is broad that leads to Destruction and many there be that find it And thou quotest Mat. 7. 13. and 2 Pet. 2. 22. Answ. Many are called but few chosen and many for a time followed Christ so that a Ruler said If we let this Fellow alone all men will go after him which is the Cry of you and your Rulers now against the Messengers of Truth And hast thou never read of the Multitudes that followed Christ but few there be that enter because strait is the Gate But divide England into Parts and see if the greatest Number belong not unto you who are in the broad Way your lives preach you forth Therefore now thou shouldst have first asked thy self this Query and said Is it I and so have laid thy Hand upon thy Mouth Qu. 95. Seeing this Age is Earthly minded and willing to serve God with that which costs them nothing contrary to the Pious Nobâ—e Spirit of David 2 Sam. 24. 24. is it any great Wonder that your Doctrine against Tythes should find so many willing yea greedy Entertainers of it as it hath done since it was first broached Answ. The more is your Shame who are Teachers in this Age that are so Earthly-minded who have so long taken their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which profitteth not Do You not herein manifest your selves to be such as run and the Lord never sent You and therefore You profit not the People at all but they are still Earthly-minded How have You then sown Spiritual Things But I shall prove that the Earthly minded Ones still stick unto you for you have a Law made by the Will of Man so that if they refuse to pay You and forsake You then by it You cast them into Prison and by Your Law take Tribble Dammage and this they know and therefore consult with their Earthly Minds that it is better to pay the Lesser then the Greater though the Lesser is a greater Oppression thus many deny the Truth though they are convinced in their Consciences thereof Therefore that which leads any from You to take up this Cross to own the Truth and deny You of Tythes the same crucifies the Earthly Mind and leads to suffer for Conscience And the Noble Spirit of David condemns You for whereas he refused upon Gift You take upon Gift and if They will not give it You You will take it by Force therefore this Scripture affords Witnesses against You But hereby thou confessest our Doctrine costs them nothing then how saidst thou before That James Parnel 's Gospel was not without Charge and thus out of thy own Mouth thou art proved a Lyar. Qu. 96. Did ever Christ or the Apostles disturb the Priests and Ministers of those Times while they were teaching the People as many of you and yours have done Answ. Both the Prophets Christ and the Apostles declared against the Deceivers False Prophets False Priests and Hirelings and the Apostles were haled out of the Synagogues and out of the Temple as Christ told them John 16. 2. as we by the same Spirit do now against You whom we find in the same Steps and here thou art answered if this be it thou callest Disturbance But it is because You would bear rule by Your Means and suffer nothing to be published that is against You or strikes at Your Diana Qu. 97. Doth the Gospel ordinarily call any man from his outward Calling whereby he should maintain himself and his Family And thou quotest 1 Cor. 7. 20. Ephes. 4. 28. Answ. Yea it doth and the Scripture holds forth the same that they were ordinarily called from their Outward Callings to preach the Gospel
Light may shine forth in your Conversations and his Beauty appear in your Image that the Heathen may be ashamed and â—ear before the Lord your God And here my Friends is my Comfort in the midst of Bonds yea if this Body was to be sacrificed up it would not abate my Joy that I have in you in whom the Work of God prospers Therefore I do charge you all in the Presence of the living God whom ye do profess in his Fear to abide diligent and circumspect that you grieve not the Spirit of God nor cause his Holy Name to be blasphemed lest you add Affliction to the Bonds of the Gospel From Colchester Castle in the 9th Month 1655. This from a Friend who is known in Spirit who for the Innocent Seeds sake suffers the Bonds of the Gospel JAMES PARNEL Another Epistle to Friends FRIENDS TO the â—ight of Christ Jesus in You all bring Your Deeds by it to be tryed and proved which Light in You all is the Heartâ—Seacher and Tryer which as you take heed unto it will not let you be idle or sloathful or careless nor let You set lâ— in a Formal Way or Carnal Security but will let you see the Ground and End of all Your Actions and Actings and will prove and try Your Hearts and let You see how Your Hearts stand towards God and what therein is Head and Ruler so that none of You may be acted by a False Spirit which begets into a False Liberty out of the Cross but that your own Wisdom and Reason which argues against the Light for a Liberty out of the Cross may all come unto the Death of the Cross to be mortified for all that in You which would not be tryed by the Light springs from the Enmity against the Light and is for Condemnation by the Light to which Light in You all I speak which is the Cross to Your Wills that by it You may try all Your Wayes and Actions For all You that are Bowing and Crouching and Uncovering to the Creature You are still in the Old Nature where old things are not past away but are still following the Customs of the dark World worshipping the Beast which all the World wonders after and worships for that iâ— the Beast even proud Lucifer the Lust in Man which would be honoured and bowed to and exalted which so swells in Wrath and Rage and Persecution against those that cannot worship bow to nor honour it to which No Worship nor Honour is due for Dust is the Serpentâ—s Meat And from this Beast in Man did this Persecution ever arise against this Righteous Seed which could not honour nor worship him as you may read Rev 1â— All the World wonders after the Beast but those whose Names are written in the Book of Life and those were and are persecuted by the Beast and coâ—ld not nor cannot scarce buy or sell. And that in You which honours and worships the Beast or proud Nature in Man is that which would not bear or suffer the Rage or Persecution of the Beast but would serve two Masters and so while you are seeking to please the one you displease the other and so beguile your own Souls and are a Sâ—are to others and this Heart is not right unto God bring your Ends in so doing to the Light and you shall see it so which â—ight will not deceive you but undeceive you as you take heed unto it and are willing to be led by it which will lead you into the True Worship of the Only True God whose Worship is in Spirit and in Truth And by this Light you will see that to Him alone All Honour Glory Worship Dominion and Thanks belongs And Him that Honours God him will God Honour But this Honour is not of Man for saith he I receive not Honour of Man And here all Men are honoured in the Lord but out of the Lord none are honoured And they that are Proud and High and Lofty are out of the Lord for that is one of the seven Abominations And here by the Light all Respect of Persons is condemned and the Lord honoured in all and all in him which Light condemns the Language of Babylon and begets into the plain single Language which the Beast-like Nature cannot â—ear nor savour But if you seek to please Men you are not the Servants of Christ Gal. 1. 10. And all you that still follow the Fashions of the World wherein is Excess either in Meat Drink or Apparel you are still alive in the World's Nature being conformed like unto the World and are not obedient unto the Light which convinceth you of the Vanities of the World and the Fashions thereof therefore by the Light in your selves which condemns all that in you which would be exalted and esteemed in the World which would be like the World and have the Praise of the World which is to be condemned with the World by the Light which is not of the World And so Pride comes to be rooted out of the Heart and You crucified to the World by the Light which let you see the Vanity of the World and the Fashions thereof which â—ass away which are not to be Touched Tasted nor Haâ—dâ—ed And all the Customary Words of the World which are by the Light condemned which by the Light are seen to be invented from that Nature which knows not God whereby God is dishonoured who calls to all who will follow him To come out from amongst them and be you separate and touch no Unclean thing and I will receive you saith the Lord. Therefore touch not their Customs but keep out of their Fashions and Traditions for they are all Unclean and own thâ— Crâ—ss and despise the Shame and follow the Light out or Babylon and it will lead you into the pure Religion which is unspotted of the World and so will crucifie you to the World and the World to you But that in you that pleadeth that Scripture Custom to whom Custom that is it which is willing to remain blind in Custom to save its Life which by the Light is declared and condemned with the World which would keep in Friendship with the World and in the Love of the World all which is at Enmity with the Light and is for Condemnation by the Light Therefore to the Light turn your Minds that by it you may judge all such Carnal Ends and Reasonings which would uphold these Carnal Customs contrary to the Light which gave forth the Scripture by which you may see what Custom the Apostle there spake of in Rom. 13. 7. as you may read in Matth. 9. 9. how he sate at the Recâ—it of â—ustom but this doth not at all uphold the Customs of the Heathen that are Vain Therefore to the Light take heed that it may be your Teacher and Counsellor that from it alone you may Act and Speak and so will you find the Witness within your selves for what you Act and Do.