had another day of Tryal given them into their hands but a mad zeal and fury attended them against the honest and upright-hearted people and the Fury of the Oppressour was highly exalted amongst them burning like fire in which they could not contain themselves nor possess their own Spirits in quietness in which fury was folly the effects of which did betray and destroy both themselves and others They being diverted from their first intentions and desire after righteousness a just recompence of reward for their disobedience came upon them according to many true Testimonies from the Lords servants unto them which if in time their ears had been open to the Lords instructions and their hearts inclined to righteousness that swift and sudden desâ—ruction had not so soon come upon them but they being blinded with fury in their anger would neither hear nor see that which was the effect of their own work nor the Lords hand of Justice near come upon them as now they may consider it XII The Secluded Members then came in as a rod of Gods anger and of Justice or a prey upon them and it was manifest to the seeing Eye that God had turned his hand against all those which haâ— abused his Power and neglected his work who had sought and set up themselves insâ—ead of the Lord and his righteousness and now when the Lords hand is justly stretched forth to wound those that by him would not be healed who shall forbid it until the cause be removed and they purged through judgment and suffering And now unto you the present power King and Parliament be not high-minded but fear be not lifted up as though by your Arm Power and Policie you had got a Victory For it is Righteousness yet which the Lord doth require and if by his immediate power without your Sword he have cut off all those that you might be grafted in Consider therefore Gods end in so doing for it is by that immediate power of God which hath broken them that you must stand if you do stand for God is the same and will be to you as he hath been to others as you answer or not answer his requirings For it is not Persons that God accepts but he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him therefore as you look to be established by the Lord do righteousness equity and justice to every man without respect of persons and according to the equal and Royal Law of God walk doing unto others as yee would that others should do unto you Take heed of imposing any thing relating to the matter of Worship upon the Consciences leâ—â— you kindle Gods wrath against you as others have done which will not easily be quenched for upon this Rock have many been broken and others wounded so that they could not again be healed And two things we would mind you of especially First That you are not come in by your own Sword or Power but by a remarkable hand of God in such a way as neither your selves nor any other could have expected Secondly Consider what a flood of unrighteousness licentiousness and flâ—shly liberty hath of a sudden overspread the Nation upon your comming in which although it received some little seasonable curb by a Proclamation from King Charles till which scarce a man scaring God and that could not joyn with them in their rioting and drunken healths could pass the Streets in most places of the Nation yet the body of that iniquity still stands in many places as in May-games Fiddlings Dancings Stage-Plays and divers other ungodly vain Sports by which Gods righteous Soul is still grieved the Spirits of all people that truly fear God sadned the weight of that wickedness which already lay upon the Nations mightily encreased quite contrary to what such a work as your coming in after such a manner required All which speaks dreadful things against these Nations in the sight of many who are most acquainted with Gods fear and have that Eye in them which foresees evil to come in whose hearts and mouths it is now to warn you in love to your own Souls who are in power to scatter such Wickedness and the Nations peace and wel-being that the Wrath that is already threatned might be prevented from coming in your day And we desire that you may take more notice of the Lords warnings to you then others have done that have gone before you that Gods hand and power be not turned against you as it was against them R. H. An Epistle to Friends OH my dear and truly beloved Friends by the holy Spirit of my Father is my heart freely opened and enlarged unto you even in the love which is as a Fountain of Life which plentifully flows forth in the virtue of the Father in the hearts of the beloved children of God which many Waters cannot quench amongst such who have known the Lord in the outgoings of his Power to be as the Morning to your souls the virtue of whose Grace and Love hath been as a dew remaining upon your branches and whose Doctrine hath even dropped as the rain upon your tender-Plants that you thereby might be refreshed and nourished up unto eternal life the Lord God hath honored you with his presence and hath often fed you with his living appearances and manifestations and you have known what it is to drink of the pure Waters of Life even from that living Fountain which doth always flow in the Spirit by which there is pure and spiritual refreshment ministred unto the soul and the Waters of Strife have ye refused which doth corrupt those that drink them and so as it hath been so let it always continue that you may be kept clean by the Word which you have heard from the beginning and by which you have been gathered out of the World by the Word of his Power and fed together as sheep of his pasture and lambs of his Fold So let not the feeling-sence of the loving-kindness of the Lord be forgotten neither let the purity of your first love decrease but let the dear love of the Father in the freeness of liffe flow forth plentifully one towards another which is the bond of perfection among the children of Light by which you will come to be established in the free Spirit of the Lord in the unity of Life and in the fellowship of the Gospel not being subject to change or be moved from that Word and Spirit by which you have been taught and led in the vvay of Life and by which you have known the mind of Christ and by his gift of Righteousness vvhich you have received are you able to try every spirit as you abide in it whether it be of God both as to Doctrines without and as to motions vvithin So therefore let nothing move you nor unsettle your minds from that measure of Life which in all things is a perfect Instructor which will keep you in a pure Dominion over
external stuff pours out which hath poisoned many people which thou sayest thou shouldest open the Gospel withall all that have the least convincement may see thee to be a seducer for what is external is natural and what is natural knows not the things of God but the Lord be praised thou hast declared thy self abroad Qu. 12. Whether any Ministers of God were made Ministers by the wil of man yea or no Shew it me by the Scripture Pr. And in thy answer to this Query thou sayest There is 〈◊〉 Minister of God made by the will of man onely but by man in subordination Rep. Here thou crossest the Scripture Paul an Apostle not of man nor by man And here the lying spirit hath shewed it self indeed Pr. And thou sayest There is no such hope of any such calling as was in the time of the Apostles Rep. And here thou hast cast thy self and thy fellowâ— and all thy study to be without the Doctrine and Life of the Apostles for thou concludest there is no such calling yet thou talkest of laying on hands there thou and you are making likenesses which is forbidden and to be confounded and so we conclude and all the children of Light shall judge that your Hope and your Calling and your Ministry made by the will of man and not only by God to be without God and conarary to the Apostles Qu. 13. Shew me by the Scripture whether a man shall grow up to that condition that he need no man to teach him but the Lord or no Pr. We must not look for any immediate extraordinary miraculous teaching by revelation from the Lord and yet all men are taught of God too Rep. What confused stuff is this and blasphemy that comes out of thy bottle Thou wouldest make God not an immediate doth not God teach immediate Here thou shewest that thou dost not know the living God for the teaching of God is immediate in the least degree Pr. None aims to such a perfection of knowledge in his gifts as not to need teaching Rep. Here I charge thee to be a Lyar who speaks contrary to the Scripture and here I charge thee in the presence of the living God to be a slanderer who speaks of being taught of the Lord Jesus Christ outwardly by the spirit what confused stuff is this and here again I charge thee to be a lyar for the words of our Lord Jesus Christ are spirit and life but such as thou who lookest upon the outward thing cannot receive his words though you have the letter of the Gospel as they had the letter of the Law Quest. 14. Whether they be not Antichrists and disobey Christ that have the chief places in the assembliâ—â— stand praying in the synagogues which Christ did forbid his disciples to act such things and cried wo against those that did act them In thy answer to this querie thou ramblest up and down with many words to justifie that which Christ cried wo against to justifie the chiefest place in the Assemblies and to be called of men Master and for standing praying in the Synagogues which Christ pronounced wo against and so let all the people see if thou and you be not such as are called of men Masters and stand praying in the Synagogues which the wo was and is upon Mat. 23. and there is neither shelter nor hole for thee to hide thy self for them that walk in the truth will find thee out and praised be the Lord God of heaven and earth who hath given us a spirit of discerning and we are able to judge you who live in deceit for the Apostle prophesied with the spirit of the Lord that such should come and we see with the same spirit you are come and with the same spirit you are judged Quest. 15. Whether they be not Antichrists and of the Devil and no Ministers of Christ which do not abide in the Doctrine of Christ Pr. They that swerve from the Doctrine of Christ are of the spirit of Antichrist Rep. There thou art this is thy own condition who deniest immediate revelation and thou that deniest immediate revelation deniest Christ for Paul said the Son was revealed in him and so all that thou speakest is with the lying spirit in the wicked generation and whereas thou slanderest and sayest we rail that is false And again thou speakest of love because the letter declares it but the love of God who dwells in it to such thou art an enemy and as touching using plainness of speech to people because we do not flatter or use enticing words of mens wisdom which thou dost so thou hast cleared thy self from the children of God and to be in the generation of them that swerve from the doctrine of Christ who seekest to justifie that which he cried wo against aâ— Mat. 23. And whereas thou accusest us for railing upon people thou art a liar for love useth plainness of speech and love and charity is out of deceit if we should flatter we should hold it up and should be pleading for thy generation who talks of God and confesses that you have not the same knowledge and understanding that the Apostles had Therefore how can you know God then And whereas thou speakest of trying the spirits the fruits of it is love here with the spirit of love is thy generation tried for when the servants of the Lord have been moved to come into your Synagogues some have been stockt and wounded and imprisoned and hailed out of your synagogues And is this the fruits of your spirit Qu. 16. Whether they be not seducers that draw people from the anointing which is in them and tell them they must be taught of a man whereas the anointing teaches them they need no man teach them but as the anointing teacheth them and the promise is to him that doth abide in it eternally Pr. Many false Prophets are gone forth Rep. Here thou hast proved thy self to be a false Prophet who denies immediate revelation for whom the Lord sent forth he spoke to them immediately which thou deniest and there thou art one of the false Prophets which thou speakest of and knows nothing of the anointing who deceives the simple and ignorant the world may wonder after such but who are in the light and receive any thing immediate will see thee in the dark to be a deceiver for none in thy generation can witness that you need no man teach you but the anointing for who doth are come out from your teaching and you both And as touching Sects them we deny as thou speakest in thy answer to the fifteenth Querie therefore do we see thee with that which is no Sect to be colouring and deluding people telling them thy error is truth who quotes and misappliest the Scripture to maintain thy falshood Pr. The flesh is quickned with the spirit of life to bring forth some kind of fleshly fruits 1 King 8.46 Joh. 14.4 Prov. 20.9 1 Joh. 1.8 10 Eccles. 7.22
deny and are strangers unto He that hath an ear to hear let him hear Pr. Satan hath from the beginning envied a people this priviledge and saith at Christs first coming the commandements of God was made of none effect through tradition Mat. 15.6 and saith at Christs second coming the commandements of God will be of none effect through revelation Answ. Here thou hast uttered forth words without knowledge but it is that thy ignorance and folly may be laid open unto all for it was they that made the commandements of God of none effect through tradition which precryed standing in the Synagogues had the chiefest places in the assemblies and was called of men Master and in these steps art thou and the rest of the Priesâ—s in England who say the same things for at Christs first coming he cried wo against such and the same Christ cries wo against the same things now and whereas thou sayest that at â—hrists second coming the commandements of God will be of none effect through revelation Here I charge thee to be a blasphemer and dost speak that thou hast no scripture for and contrary to the scriptures and contrary to the Apostles doctrine for Paul did witness Christs second coming which was in the spirit as in Gallatians 2. and 2. and saith I went up by revelation and communicated unto them that Gospel which I preached amongst the Gentiles and he did witness the Son of God revealed in him and all the Apostles who did witness him to be come again to them the second time to reveal the will of the Father unto them this did not make the commandements of God to be of none effect and the same Christ we do witness to be come and hath revealed the Fathers will unto us for no man knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him this we do witness eternal living praises to him for evermore and by his revealing his Son in us his commandements are fulfilled and so all such we do deny that say by the revelation at the second coming of Christ they shall be made of none effect Pr. Certainly many Old Testament Saints saw into the glory and liberty of New Testament times yet durst not cease from that worship which was burdensome worldly and carnal till the Lord did come in person and call them out Answ. Here I do charge thee to prove where ever any of the Saints before Christ was made manifest in the flesh did continue in that worship which they saw to be burdensome worldly and carnal but did declare against all false worship sacrifices and services which was worldly and carnal and against all who drew near to God with their mouths whose hearts was from God and against all idolatrous worships which were carnal and did cast off every burden as is witnâ—ssed in the Prophets which were before Christ came in the flesh and here all the Prophets and holy men of God shall witness against thee as Isaiah Jeremiah David Ezekiel Micah and the rest who worshipped God and their worship was not carnal nor worldly neither did Christ come in person to call them out of their worship for they had finished their testimony before Christ came in the flesh who did fulfil their testimony and did bear witness unto it that it was of God and did declare all that were out of that worship which the Saints were in who worshipped God before Christ came in the flesh who was the end of the Law and the end of the Prophets let him that hath understanding read these things now here doth Christ the Saints and the Scriptures all bear witness against thee and thy doctrine whâ—ch would make people believe that the Prophets and holy men of God who were before Christ came in the flesh did live and continue in that worship which was burdensome worldly and carnal which here is proved against thee by Christ the Saints and the Scriptures that shame may cover thy face and that thy mouth may be stopped and that the simple may know the truth for whose sakes this is given forth Pr. So New Testament Saints may see into that liberty and glory which is to be revealed but let them not go forth before the time but abide in New Testament worship till the Lord come in person and call them out and then they shall go out all together Mat. 24.27 It is indeed a worthy life whâ—ch we live in the spirit but it is an unworthy deceit that except we live out of the Gospel we cannot live in the Spirit Answ. O be ashamed for ever to confess thy self a Minister of Christ and of the Gospel why dost thou preach at all or what art thou a Minister of if that Christ be yet to be revealed or uncome in person which thou holdest forth to the people and how many souls hast thou led into that pit of darkness and blindness as to believe that Christ is yet to come in person he that confesseth not Jesus Christ to be come in the flesh is an Antichrist and he that preacheth any other Gospel or any other Christ then that which did come in the flesh and was made manifest in the Saints and is now made manifest and witnessed to be come in the flesh let him be accursed now the Scripture which thou bringst in Mat. 24.27 proves no such thing as another Christ coming in person for the same Scripture we do witness to be fulfilled in us and in his light do we see all those who are in the desert and who are in the secret chambers whom they go out unto who turn from the light of Christ within them to hearken unto those who cannot witness the comâ—ng of the son of man as the lightning from the East shineth even unto the West but talks of an expectation of the appearance of Christ in person and professed to be Ministers of that Christ which yet is to come in person and here thou art rased out from the Apostles doctrine who did not preach any other Christ but that which was come and made manifest and did never tell of Christ's second coming in person nor of his personal reign and thou that tells of such a deceit that except ye live out of the Gospel ye cannot live in the Spirit here thy deceit is indeed made manifest and thy life who would separate the Gospel from the Spirit But against that life and deceit we bear witness who by this Spirit do and according to the Gospel Again thou art teaching people how to set up Popery as followeth Priest If they will prove the Pope supream Monarch this way it may be done God made two Lights the greater to rule the day viz. the Pope the lesser to rule the night viz. the Emperor Ans. Here thou hast professed thy self long to be a Teacher and preached against Popery and hast not been ashamed to accuse others of it who stand clear in the truth of God witnessing
Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers c. And this was by the power virtue and operation of the gift of Christ in them and as then so now for there is not another way to be called into the Ministry by neither doth any profit the people at all but they who minister from the power and moving of that gift which they have received from the Father by Jesus Christ by which gift was I called out of the World and separated for the Work of the Gospel by which gift I saw that which had corrupted the earth and by it was moved to minister against it which gift is that which hath the power in it both to convince and convert unto God according as the Apostle Peter who was unlearned in the Letter vvas made a Minister by the gift of the Spirit of Christ and saith 1 Pet 4.10 As every one hath received the gift even so let him minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God And if any man speak let him speak as the Oracle of God and if any man minister lee him do it as of the ability which God giveth that God in all things may be glorified So that that Ministry by which God is glorified and people converted is that which proceeds from the operation and power of his own gifts in them which is that Ministry which perfecteâ—h the Sâ—ints edifies the body of Christ brings into the unity of the Faith unto the knowledge of the Son of God and unto a perfect man and unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. But they vvhich gather Scriptures together in their earthly Wisdom and from that which they have gathered minister unto others this Ministry doth not perfect the Saints nor edifie the body of Christ nor bring to the unity of the Faith but into strife and divisions nor to the knowledge of the Son of God but leads from his knowledge nor unto a perfect man but pleads against perfection nor unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ no not unto the measure of the least Saint so that Ministry is to be ceased from vvhich proceeds not from the measure of the Father's gift and that onely continued unto the end of the World vvhich his gift calleth into and carryeth on in So I by the measure of his free Spirit being called and made a Minister of it unto others not of the letter but of the spirit in which in all ages the true Ministry stood having not received it of man neither was I taught it but by the revelation and manifestation of the life of Christ in me Which Spirit in me according to its measure is as true and as infallible as it was in them which by it were made Apostles Evangelists Prophets and Teachers formerly being the same in power virtue and operation as it was as able to reveal and make manifest to teach edifie and perfect as it was and to beget people out of the World into the Covenant of Light and Life and all who are Ministers of Christ for the gathering of his seed from the ends of the Earth into the Kingdom of his dear Son must from the same Spirit witness their call and separation to that Work and all other calls are false and their Ministry profits not which doth not singly proceed from the measure of that gift but all who do abide in the measure of his gift and from it minister by it they are manifest to be of God and in that Ministry they commend themselves unto every mans Conscience in the sight of God and this is the calling and Ministry in which as every one abides they glorifie God And this is the Ministry of reconciliatâ—on which was committed unto the Apostles and is unto his Ministers now by the power of which the Devil's Work comes to be destroyed and then all things reconciled in one things in heaven and things in earth But that Ministry which is received from man and taught by man never reconciles any thing unto God but doth separate from God and beget into enmity but that which proceeds from the measure of the gift of God brings every one to know the truth in their own particular which Truth as they abide in it sets them free from sin and this Ministry hath the power in it in all them that have received it to save them that preach it and them that hear it and obey it no other Ministry doth profit the people at all but that which from the gift of God is ministred so that this call and Ministry here declared is one with and according to the Apostles and the Scriptures The Heads of Priest Dance his professed Call to the Ministry as followeth Pr. If I should speak non-sence as others do then I might say that I am made a Minister by the measure of the gift of Grace and then I should be accounted a Minister as well as they c. But I do not pretend to any infallibility in my Ministry but as these Acts 6 6. which when the Apostles had prayed laid their hands upon them although saith he that laying on of hands is not of such necessity but that a man may be a Minister without it and as Timothy although he had some extraordinary gifts yet he was not infallible 1 Tim. 4.14 and saith he I desire the Office of a Bishop which he that desireth desireth a good work according to 1 Tim. 3.1 And as for his Qualifications they are such as whereby he might have advantaged himself more abundantly in the world as to outward means nnd might have been cloathed in Sâ—aâ—let c. but did rather chuse and incline himself to be a Minister of the Gospel and that the outward means was not his end in chusing to be a Minister but if that he could be satisfied or see that there did not want labourers in the Lords work he could freely leave off c. And further he said That God had made his preaching effectual for the converting of many and that there were many though not in that place yet some in that place of whom he could say as the Apostles said That they were the seal of his Ministry c. These being the heads of the particulars Objections against this Call WHereas thou sayest That it is non-sence to say that a man is made a Minister by the gift of grace Ans. Then the Apostles spake non-sence when they witnessed forth their call to the Ministry for to every one of them was given Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ from which Grace they did minister Eph. 4. But the Apostles spoke sensible truth therefore he that contradicts it speaks non-sence and ignorance as will further appear in saying that he pretends unto no infallibility in his Ministry Ans. Then he pretends to nothing of the Spirit of God much less to be a Minister of the Spirit
elected Ans. There he hath belyed the Ministers of the gospel for they could discern the elect from the World as it is written Ye shall discern between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not and Paul and Peter vvrote to the Elect So these Teachers vvho knovv not the Elect and yet exhort all their hearers to believe and lay hold on Christ their preaching is in vain for if God hath but intended a certain number to be saved and the rest to be condemned then they set their Hearers on work in vain and many to expect that vvhich they are never like to have So these people are in a miserable state And note that these Priests though they take sums of money and tythes of their Hearers in many parishes in the Nation yet they know not vvho are elected among them according to this mans words Pr. That the Sword of the Spirit is ineffectual without the Letter Ans. The Svvord of the Spirit is the Word of God vvhich vvas effectual before the Letter vvas to Enoch to Isaac to Jacob to Abraham and others and from the Word vvas the Letter given forth and the Letter is not effectual without it Pr. That there was no Scripture written but what is extaut and in the Bible Ans. Yes against that shall the Scripture bear witness the Book of Nathan the prophet the Book of Ahijah the Book of Iddâ— 2 Chron. 9.29 the Book of Shemaia 2 Chron. 20.15 the Book of Gad 1 Chron. 29.29 the Book of Jehu 2 Chron. 34. the Book of Jasher 2 Sam. 1.18 the prophesie of Enoch Jude 2. one Epipistle of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 5.9 one Epistle to the Ephesians Eph. 3.3 one Epistle to the Laodiceans Col. 4. All these Scriptures vvere given forth from the same spirit and to the same end and use as those are which are bound up in the Scriptures although these be left out Pr. That there was no Scripture â—or Writings appointed of God to be a Rule of Faith and Manners but what is bound up in the Bible Ans. Those Scriptures which are not bound up in the Bible were given forth from the same spirit and by the motion of the Holy Ghost and so for the same ends and uses that the other Scripture was given forth for and as he appointed the one so the other Pr. That the Letter doth antecede and go before the spirit in all that walk in the spirit Ans. This is false for the spirit did antecede the Letter in all that walked in the spirit who gave forth the Letter from the spirit Pr. That the works of Christ in some respect are not perfect Ans. That is false for every gift of God is perfect and every work of Christ is perfect in all his children but that spirit in thee which is fallible makes nothing perfect and therefore judgeth all things yea Christ and his Works to be fallible and deceivable like it self Pr. That the Law requires more strict and exact obedience than the Gospel Ans. Nay The Law saith Thou shalt not commit adultery but the Gospel saith Thou shalt not lust The Law saith Thou shalt not kill but the Gospel saith Thou shalt not be angry The Law saith Thou shalt not forswear thy self but the Gospel saith Swear not at all Matth. 5. And so the Gospel requires more exact obedience then the Law contrary to this affirmation Pr. That God chose a Devil to be one of his Ministers in chusing Judas and his proof for it is this That the Divine Natuâ—e did not see it good to communicate the knowledge of all things unto the humane nature and therefore though he was a Devil when he chose him yet he knew it not Ans. This is a charging of Christ with ignorance contrary unto John 2.24.25 which saith That Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men and needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man And though Judas by transgression became a Devil and the Devil abode not in the Truth doth it therefore follow that he was never in the truth But Christ speaks of him and to him as well as to the rest that they had power to cast out unclean spirits Matth. 10.1 and that the Spirit of the Father spoke in them Matth. 10.20 So that there was no difference while the Spirit of the Father led him and taught till the Devil entered into his heart to betray that Lord of Life So that is a false charge to say That Christ sent out a Devil to minister the Gospel Pr. That the Spirit of God may accompany a Ministry and the Minister not have the Spirit Ans. This is another Doctrine than ever the Prophets or Apostles preached for I never read in the Scripture that ever any did minister for God which had not the Spirit or that ever any was converted unto God by such a Minister as had not the Spirit Therefore prove this assertion to the people where or when the Spirit of God did accompany that Ministry when the Minister had not the Spirit so that thou mâ—ist as well as thou hast said not pretend unto any infallibility nor unto any truth in thy ministry for if thou didst people would see that thou didst pretend unto that which thou art far from So that if thou wouldst not pretend to minister neither no more than to have the Spirit it were better for thee Pr. That the power that went forth in the Apostles Ministry was in God and not in them but as they have it communicated to them by the exercise of Faith Ans. Here thou hast confounded thy self for if they had it communicated to them by their exercise of Faith then it was in them for the exercise of Faith is within in the pure Conscience and so the power was in them from which they ministred and they did not abuse their power but from the power ministred forth their gift as they had received it Thomas Ramsay said That we preach a Doctrine of Devils in saying that men may be free from sin in this life Ans. Then the Apostle Paul preached a Doctrine of Devils For he said Rom. 6 2. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein And in the 7 th verse saith He that is dead is free from sin And in the 18 th verse he saith to the Believers being then made free from sin Ye became the servants of righteousness in ver 22. he again tells them That now being made free from sin and become servants to God you have your fruits unto holiness and the end everlasting life And this was spoken to the Romans while they were in this life and it was not a Doctrine of Devils but the Doctrine of the Gospel and Christ preached the Doctrine of perfection in this life Matth. 5.48 saying Be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect and also it is written Be ye holy for I am
thee withall to guide thy mind into the fear of God to the Light of Christ in thy conscience I speak which if thou hearken unto it it will lead thee out of pride and lust and envy and will bring condemnation upon that nature thou hast lived and acted in that is out of the fear of God and hearkening to this Light in thy conscience it will direct thy mind to God and draw thy mind and affections out of earthly things and the pollutions of the world by which thou art defiled thy mind and conscience is defiled by lust and unâ—leanness lusting after earthly things and the flesh is defiled by that mind â—hat wallows in the Earth Now minding the Light in thy conscience Christ hath enlightned thee withall thy understanding will come to be enâ—ightned to see the deceipts and the blind Guides which have led thee â—rom this Light in thy Conscience which should exercise it and lead thee â—o go to fear him and to be taught of him and will lead thee from the â—eachings of man which keeps thee in thy sins and draws thee from this Light in thy Conscience which convinceth thee of sin and lets thee see sin â—nd evil and all ungodliness and will bring thee to deny it and lead thee 〈◊〉 repentance and so thou wilt come to know Jesus Christ which gives â—epentance and remission of sins and then thou wilt deny Priest Sherlock â—nd all that generation of Priests who saith in thâ— 32. page of his Book â—hat Christ was a person not capable of Faith and Repentance And here I â—o charge him in the presence of the living God to be a lyar for he is â—he author and finisher of faith and he preached repentance and gives repentance to his people And he denies the knowledge and understanding the Apostles had and yet saith he preaches the same Gospel pag. 10. And saith That external Tongues Arts and Sciences gives them to understand the meaning of the Gospel p. 11. And saith That the spirit causeth fleshly fruits p. 22. and saith That to understand the Doctrine of God they must use the light of distinctions p. 54. and saith That Religion is the Art of Arts p 86. And saith That Prayer in all the parts and species thereof is a means to fetch down the holy spirit of God p. 144. When as the Saints said the Spirit taught them to pray and that they prayed with the spirit and with understanding Now to the Light in your consciences I speak which will let you see these lying Priests and blind guides which have deceived you so long and kept you blind and ignorant So all people cease from them and wait upon the Lord for teaching A lover of the Truth and a witness against the deceit and deceivers and a lover of the souls of all people and that righteousness might be established was I moved tâ— write this Richard Hubberthorn Quest. 1. WHether your Gospel be the same which the Apostles preached And if it be why go you to Oxford and Cambridge when the Apostle saith the Gospel that he preached was not after man neither was he taught it by man Pr. Thy answer is You preach the same Gospel the Apostles preached but do not attain the knowledge and understanding of this Gospel by the same means Rep. Here let all people see what wooden stuff this is How can you preach the same Gospel and have not the same knoâ—ledge and understanding If it be not by the sâ—â—e knowledge and understanding it is not the same Gospel for the spirit oâ— understanding is but one and from this Spirit of underâ—tanding thou hast cleared thy self Pr. And thou sayest You ought not to depend upon any such immâ—diate Revelations from Heaven as the Apostles had Rep. Here again thou hast cleared thy self from the Spirit thâ—â— gave forth the Scriptures who deniest immediate Revelation from Heaven And here thou hast denied thy self to be anâ— Minister of Jesus Christ for no man knows the Son but the Father and he to whom he is revealed And thou that deniest immediate revelation thou hast denied the Son of God and hast shewed that thou hast not life for he that hath not the Son of God hath not life And therefore we deny such Schools as Oxford and Cambridge where the rudiments of the world are invented And abundance of filthy words are in the Answer to this Query that are not worth mentioning Qu. 2. Whether you can give another meaning to the Scriptures than they are Or whether the Apostles did give the meaning to them when they spoke them forth yea or nay And if they did what need learned men give the meaning of them Pr. And in thy answer thou sayest The sence and meaning of the Scripture is involved in it Rep. Here thou wouldest make people believe Christ were in the Letter who is the substance that gave it forth and was in them that spoke it forth for the Scripture doth declare another thing of God and Christ it doth not declare God and Christ is in the Letter but here it is that fools might appear blind and such as thou sayest learned men must give the meaning to the Scripture Pr. And thou sayest That Christ took a Text and that Philip took a Text. Rep. O thou enemy and slanderer of Christ and the Apostle Did they take Texts to get money with them and to lie a quarter of a year or half a year in a Text Christ came to fulfil the Scripture and the Apostle shewed how Christ fulfilled the Scripture and came to fulfil that which the Prophet spoke The Scribes and Pharisees were learned men and they could not open the Scriptures Peter an unlearned man he opened the Scriptures Pr. And thou speakest of standing up in a Pulpit of wood Rep. In the time of the Law when they read it there was a Pulpit of wood to a particular people to whom the Law was given but Christ said Go preach the Gospel to every creature And Christ cryed wo against them that had the chiefest place in the Assemblies And here thou art one of them that would be under the Law and would have a Pulpit of wood and pleadest for thy learning that the Scribes and Pharisees were in which is to no purpose who saith the kernel of the Nut is in the shell and that comparison thou bringest to make people believe that the Life is in the Sâ—riptures and so the poor people are groping in the Letter to find life there when the life was in them that gave it forth Pr. Thou speakest of flying to God by prayer Rep. Yet thou deniest the Revelation from Heaven which the Saints were to wait for the Revelation of Jesus from Heaven and this makes all you blind guides to stumble because you have not the life which gave forth the Scripture which now is made manifest to the children of God Qu. 3. Shew me by the Scriptures who ever was made a Minister of
and the praying with the Spirit is witnessed among the Saints Qu. 8. Shew me by the Scripture when the Apostles went into the World and gave the people of the World David's Psalms to be sung in meeter the things that you practise answer them by the Scriptures or the Apostles practise without consequence or imagination And in thy answer to this Query thou perverts the Scripture as in the Acts as Paul and Silas sung Psalms in the prison with them of the World they did not go into the World to give them a psalm to sing men that were not come to repentance for saith David The dead cannot praise God there I charge thee to be a lyar that puttest no difference betwixt the Saints singing with grace and understanding and the World which have gotten the form where thou art The Apostle did not speak to such as were in thy condition to be filled with the spâ—rit who were not come to repentance but he spoke to them who were turned from the World and such sung praises to God But for such as thee to go and give to the World Davids psalms in a meeter and say O Lord I am not puft iâ— mind I have no scornful eye O you prophane ones and scornful ones how can you sing this but lye who have scornful eyes to sing all your bones quake and you tremble and you water your bed with your tears and you lie roaring all the night and day when as you scorn Quakers and hate them and speak all manner of evil of them how can you speak this but lye But Davids condition and the Saints is witnessed among them whom the World scornfully call Quakers which power makes all to tremble though you scorn it a while and have gotten the outside the Letter David's condition in a form of words scorning his life and the power of God where it is made manifest Take warning all you scoffers and scorners what came to be the end of all your Fathers that passed before you but destruction You lofty ones fear tremble before the mighty God for all your songs must be turned into howling but singing with the spirit we own the grace which hath appeared to all men teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts And here I charge thee again to be blind that puts no difference betwixt the worlds singing and the Saints Qu. 9. Whether a man shall overcome the body of sin while hâ— is upon the Earth yea or no Pr. And in thy answer to this ninth Query thou sayest It is not possible to subdue the body of sin altogether while we are in this world and thy comparison is A tree while there is life in it will bring forth fruit Rep. Here I charge thee in the presence of the living God to be the corrupt tree for by thy fruit thou art known for a good Tree cannot bring forth evil fruit and here thou art proved to be thaâ— corrupt tree who confesseth you do not attain to the same knowledge and understanding the Apostles did as thou speakest in thy Book whose harvest is ripe and now is reaping down Pr. And whereas thou sayest they shall not overcome the body of sin while in this world Rep. And here I charge thee again for say the Saints As he is so are we in this present world and thou sayest not there is the lying spirit and the Apostles said they had put off the body of sin and thou sayest it is not possible and there thy spirit is found contrary to the Scripture and the Apostle saith in Rom. 6. they were made free from sin and thou sayest not it cannot be possible and here thy spirit is tryed Let all the children of the light judge thee and that thou speakest to be contrary to the Apostles words in the Romans and all you that cannot witness these things that the body of sin is not put off wait upon God through Christ for it Qu. 10. Whether the curse be not upon him that preacheth another Gospel then Christ and the Apostles preached yea or no Pr. And in thy answer to this Query thou speakest of receiving the Gospel from Christ and the Apostles Rep. In this I charge thee to be a lyar as I said to thee before who deniest immediate Revelation from Heaven how canst thou be a Preacher of the gospel and deny revelatioâ— What a grosâ— darkness are people in that believe thee For under the curse and wo thou art that the Scripture speaks of and he that hath received the end of his prophesie is made from the curse but this is without thy understanding and knowledge Thou confessest in thy answer to the first query you preach the same gospel but do not attain the same knowledge and understanding Let all people see who are in the Light if it be not the same knowledge and understanding it is not the same Gospel but another and there the curse is upon thee Qu. 11. Whether any natural man can preach the Gospel yea or no Pr. In thy answer to this eleventh query thou speakest of understanding and of studying and of the Gospel and of a natural man and sayest he cannot preach the Gospel and thou saist Your understanding knowledg is not the same as the Apostles was Rep. Here let all who are in the Light see if it be not natural then and if thou be not him that studies a divination of thy own brain and instead of the blessing the curse of God comes upon it for how many are there that were Priests as you are that now cry against you which are come out of your generation and see the curse of God upon all your practises Pr. And thou sayest The flesh which is quickened with the Spirit of Life brings forth some kind of fleshly fruit or other Rep. Here thou hast shewed thy self to be death indeed doth the spirit cause fruits of the flesh Or are the fruits of the spirit the fruits of the flesh O thou lyar and high blasphemer which thou sayest is clear from manifold texts of Scripture all the Scriptures will witness thee to be a lyar and these Scriptutes thou bringest to maintain the spirit of life to bring forth some kind of fleshly fruits and the fruits of the spirit to be the fruits of the flesh Here all who are in the spirit will judge thee to be a blasphemer of the holy Spirit of God for the Spirit brings forth no fruits of the flesh Pr. And thou sayest in thy answer to the first query you do not go to Oxford and Cambridge to learn the Gospel you preach but to learn the knowledge of Tongues and Languages Arts and Sciences Rep. O for shame stop thy mouth here thou hast shamed thy self and all your schools with an external means to open the Gospel People are blind indeed that do follow thee but thy bottle is open and what is within pours out and the Fountain runs and thy
thou deniest that deniest immediate Revelation from heaven And here I charge thee in the presence of the living God to be a lyar and false Prophet and that thou art guided by the Father of lies Where thou tells of Elisha's Colledge and saist that it was so full that it was enlarged and bringest in that place of Scripture to colour over thy lyes 2 King 6.1 Let that Scripture be a witness against thee that thou artâ— lyar and a perverter of the Scriptures thou full of all subtilties blush for shame thou lyar is there any mention of any Colledge there Or is there any mention of the Schools of the Prophets where the Word of God was studied in those places of Scripture before-mentioned as thou sayest Let them witness against thee All the Prophets were taught of God and there was no studying for what they spoke at Naioth see if they did not receive the Spirit of Prophesie and spoke by immediate Revelation which thou denies knows not their manner of teaching and learning 1 Sam. 19 20. to the end of the chap. And the Prophesie came not in the old time by the will of man but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost and the Scâ—ipture is of no private interpretation 2 Pet. 1.20 21. Here art thou proved a lyar and a perverter of the Scripture wresting it to thy own destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 Now call not Truth railing thou dissembler and enemy of all righteousness the Scripture turns edge against thee and witnesses against thy deceit and filthiness whereby thou seeks to strangle the truth but thou art found out to be among the dogs sorcerers and lyars spoken of in Scripture and art shut out of the Kingdom of God and art no Minister of Christ Rev. 22.15 18 19. Thou Enemy of God how darest thou say that the Prophets studied the Word when no prophesie came by the will of man but by the will of God and no man knoweth the Father but the Son neither knoweth any man the Son but the Father and he to whom is revealed Maâ—th 11.27 And here thou deniest both the Father and the Son and the Prophets and Apostles that deniest immediate revelation for they all bear witness against thee and such as thou art for the Apostle said Hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ And all the true Prophets witness that which thou deniest And here I have proved thee a lyar a false prophet and a deceiver perverting the Scriptures and they bear witness with me And thou full of all guile and deceit the word of the Lord shall rise up in judgement against thee and such as thou art Something in reply to thy Discourse of the Spirit as thou callest it FRiend the Spirit of the living God thou hast not for thou deniest immediate Revelation from Heaven who art discoursing of the Spirit and here thou art made manifest but to be in the pretence of the spirit and knows nothing that is revealed with the spirit For thou that deniest immediate revelation from Heaven deniest the spirit of the living God The Apostle saith Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him but God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2 9 10. And here thou hast denied immediate revelation from Heaven hast denied the spirit of God and manifested thy self to be in the natural state Therefore I command thee and charge thee in the presence of the living God to be silent and to give over receiving of the people 2. Thou that denies immediate revelation from Heaven thou denies the grace that was to be brought unto the Saints whose minds were to be girded up which grace was to be brought unto them at the revelation of Jesus Chrisr And thiâ— thou hast denied again as all people may see 1 Pet. 1.13 and here thou hast denyed Jesus Christ and his grace who deniest immediate revelation and art in the fashion of the world and a blasphemer 3. Thou that hast denied immediate revelation from heaven hast denied the Spirit to pray withal and so all thy prayers are hyyocrisie 4. Thou that hast denied immediate revelation from heaven hast denied the Son of God For none knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him Mat. 11.27 5 And thou that hast denied immediate and miraculous revelation from Heaven hast not denied the Son of God onely but the Father also And thou that haâ—t not the Son of God hast not life Pr. The power is originally from God as the Fountain but conveyed through the Ministry of man as the conduit p. 90. Rep. Paul an Apostle not of man nor by man but by the will of God And here thou art proved to be a seducet and thy Ministry contrary to his here thy spirit is tryed And thou slanders them who hear the voice of God and art scorning them and in a deriding way calls it a deceitful eccho but we know that God scorns the scornful and hath them in derision Pr. For any man to pretend immediate calling from God without the Ministry of man is a new Gospel distinct from Christ and his Apostles and such can be no other then ths dictates of seducing spirits and doctrine of devils p. 9. Rep. Here I take all the children of Light to record to prove and try thy Spirit and Gospel to be of man and whether thy Ministry and Gospel which thou preachest which is of man be of God For Paul said that Gospel which he preached was not of man And here again thou art contrary to the Apostle and thy spirit is tryed to be a seducing spirit and thy Doctrine to be of the Devil who deniest immediate revelation Pr. For thou sayest That which is immediately from God and without the Ministry of man is the doctrine of the Devil and of the seducing spirits Rep. Paul said the Gospel that he preached he received it not of man but by the revelation of Jesus Christ and here thou art contrary to the Apostle and thy self in the state thou speaks of And Paul an Apostle not of man nor by man but by God the Father Thou impudent enemy of God and blasphemer wilt thou say his doctrine was of the Devil who denied man as Gal. 1.1 who said Paul an Apostle not of man nor by man Pr. Therefore there is no need of any such qualifications for the best of us dare not stand to such sublime and eminent gifts of the spirit or to any immediate and extraordinary spiritual gifts p. 93 94. Rep. Here thou preachest up that which is not qualified for we do believe you that you dare not stand to such eminent gifts of the spirit for we have tryed you and know your spirits how can you have the same gifts who deny the
Son of God and immediate miraculous revelation and sayest there is no need of any such qualifications now therefore doth all your Teachers shew forth your railing and slanders but these things we wave for God will give you you lyars your portion who hath not the same knowledge and understanding that the Apostles had and here thou hast shamed thy mother that is adulterated from the Apostles life Pr. Our gifts are from the spirit of God though studied for with these means that are outward and moral c. Rep. Here I charge thee to be a Lyar in the presence of God the gift of God is a free gift it is not studyed for nor is it gotten by moral means and if it were studied for and found in outward means then it were not a free gift and here thou hast made it manifest that thou knowest not the gift of God for it is not him that wills nor him that runs but God that shews mercy So thou blasphemer for shame blush Pr. No man can be wise without the spirit of wisdom nor knowing without the spirit of knowledge so no man can pray as he ought without the spirit of prayer p. 71. Rep. In thy answer to the first query thou sayest you do not attain the same koowledge and understanding of the Gospel as the Apostles did then if thou have not the same knowledge and understanding it is all deceit for in thy own words thou sayest you cannot not pray without the spirit knowledge and understanding and thou sayest you do not attain the same knowledge and understanding the Apostles had then thou hast not the same spirit of love to pray withall and thou sayest you cannot pray without the spirit yet thou goes and tells people of a Gospel and hath not the same knowledge and understanding the Apostles had therefore thy knowledge is bruitish Jer. 10.14 Psal. 92.6 Psal â—9 8 Pr. That we may according to the Catholick Faith worship one God in Trinity Rep. For these things which thou tells people of there is no Scripture as Catholick Faith and Trinity and of three persons Pr. The second kind of the holy Spirits impressions on humane souls page 78. Rep. There is no Scripture which speaks of humane souls for the soul thou knows not who art a murtherer with thy Deity stuff who would dit up the way from God but praises be to the living God who hath given his sons and daughters eyes to see thee and all your Deity stuff which you imitate who are whoredomed from God but the Saints of the most high God do sing over it and you halelujah to God who witness their souls redeemed And there is abundance of stuff in that Book which thou calls the discourse of the Spirit which is not worth mentioning and abundance of lyes and slanders but them we pass as knowing the author of lyes from whence they come is for destruction And in page 95 thou speaks of Timothy studying for his gift Did he study for his gift or for the proving of it and dividing of the word aright but he did not study for it for the gift of God is a free-gift And in another place thou speaks of the blessing of God being upon your studies but I say the curse of God is upon your studies who have not the same knowledge and understanding that the Apostles had and so preaches another gospel Pr. And most blasphemously to profess and boast of an equality with God p. 66. Rep. Thy boasting is excluded without in thy generation and thou art excluded from the life and mind of the Apostle who said Let the same mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2.5 6. and this thou calls blasphemy and so thou hast shewed what spirit thou art of contrary to the Apostle Pr. And for our new sect of Enthusiasts had they the spirit of God as they pretend abiding in them and speaking in them c. Rep. All pretences and sects are denyed where the Spirit of God dwells though with thy generation such was ever called so And that is thy own who hath made a discourse of the Spirit and here thou art clearly from them that the Spirit of God spoke in and did abide in them which Spirit of God did descend into their hearts which Spirit God hath given to every one to profit withall and the Spirit of the Father speaketh in you saith Christ Mat. 10.20 take no thought and in many places thou art speaking of a study and blessing a study Here thou art contrary to Christ who saith Take no thought and art of the Devil And here I charge thee to be one of them that Jeremy speaks of who speaks a vain divination of thine own heart Pr. As here Angels are Spirits and the souls of men are Spirits but God is not a Spirit as they are Spirits pag 57. Rep. This is confusion for Christ said God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and there thou art raced out to be without the doctrine of Christ. Pr. 'T is the very ground whereupon this last upstart crew of Quakers build all their resolutions and strange fanatick opinions and heresies even that which they call the light within us whereunto we must only give ear pag. 112. Rep. O thou impudent God will make the an example thou lying spirit Is the Light which Christ hath enlighned every one withall that comes into the world a strange fanatick opinion which one he loves it and the other he hates it and he that hates it it is condemnation Here thou art against Christ and the Apostles for the Apostle did exhort the Saints to take heed unto the light within them untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts O thou Lyar did the Prophet cal the truel light a deceit of the heart or is the light of God a false vision Christ Jesus which doth enlighten every one that comes into the world which is witnessed among the Quakers and he that walks in the Light shall have the Light of Life and thou that hates this light speaks a divination of thy own brain and a lying imagination and with this Light of Christ thou shalt be condemned thou blasphemer who calls the Light of Christ heresie and fanatick opinions but here thou dost but fill up the measure of thy Fathers who calls this Light which is Christ in us Heresie p. 113. To all you Readers of his Book I speak to the Light of Christ in you which if you love it it will bring you to weigh and comprehend his words and if you walk in it you shal have the light of life and you that hate it it shal be your Condemnation when the book of Conscience is opened you shal witness that I speak the truth to every one of your souls R. Sherlock thou bids them beware
Kings Rulers that the Scripture speaks off He contemns Authority vvho is a fighter or quarreller or drunkard or lyar or swearer and they vvho abuse themselves vvith mankind but not they vvho declare the Word of the Lord to such to lead them from all such practises but such you account disturbers and contemners of Authority who stand patiently before you because they will not put off their hats for it is your pride that is disturbed and not Justice for the Law of Justice is vvithout respect of persons and doth judge thee vvho doth respect persons Another thing charged against me is That I said I dwelt in God and where the Lord called me I ansvver Let shame and terror take hold upon you both Priests Magistrats who make a Law in your wils to imprison those vvho come to vvitness they dvvel in God as the Saints did Paul said In him we live move and have our being and said he had no certain dvvelling-place and by this Lavv he vvould be imprisoned and he vvas persecuted and reviled and suffered it 1 Cor. 4. and John said He that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him 1 Joh. 4.16 and he that keeps his commandments dwelleth in him and he in him And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit that he hath given us 1 John 3.24 and by this Lavv John should be imprisoned because he said he dvvelt in God and all the Prophets and Apostles did go vvhere the Lord called them O blush and be ashamed before the Lord to profess Christ and Justice and make a Lavv to imprison those vvho are obedient to the commands of God and dwell in God that ever such a thing should be acted or once named in your Courts or Sessions who profess your selves Christians The Heathens have so much light as to see your nakedness and folly The Law was added because of transgression for the lawless and disobâ—dient and not for the righteous who dwel in God and are obedient to him Another thing against me is Because I would not enter into Recognizâ—nce to appear at the next Sessions to answer the premises being charged in his Highness Name to the Gaol at Norwich I answer The Lord God who is above all Names and Highnesses in his Name and Presence do I speak clear my conscience before him and all the World who hath set me free from being bound to the wil of any man for he is comâ—ng in his mighty power to bring down all Powers Names Highnesses and Laws under which the seed of God suffers This is the word of the Lord to all you who in your wills make laws by them cause to suffer the servants of the living God but by his Law which is perfect changeth not both you and your Laws are to be condemned The Discharge Norf. ss Whereas I sent you yesterday the body of Richard Hubberthorn late of Yelland iâ— Lancashire by the Constables of Wâ—mondham Now these are to require you forthwith upon the receit hereof to set at liberty the said R. Hubberthorn provided he be charged with nothing else but his Mittimus from me laid to his charge and this shall be your warrant for so doing Octob. 10. 1654. To the Keepers of the Gaol in the County of Norf. in ehe City of Norwich Ralph Woolmeâ— I being by the same Law and Power set at liberty by which I was committed to prison under the same hand seal by which the Keepers of the gaol were charged to keep me by the same command under the same hand seal are the Keepers of the gaol commanded to set me at liberty by the same power which charged these things against me in the Mittimus by the same power am I cleared discharged of them in this Warrant nothing else being laid to my charge I desire to know by what Law I am yet kept prisoner or vvhat I have to ansvver the next Sessions This vvas I moved of the Lord to declare and lay open that all people in the Light vvhich Jesus Christ hath enlightned them vvithall may see the changeable Lavvs made in the Will of man vvhich is changeable being turn'd from that in tht conscience from the Lavv of God vvhich is perfect and changeth not and by all such Laws as are made in the Wil of man did ever the servants of the Lord suffer do novv Let all vvho are lightned by Christ to knovv the perfect Lavv judge R.H. Prisoner in Norwich-Castle A true testimony of the zeal of Oxford-Professors and Vniversity-men who for zeal persecute the servants of the living God following the example of their brethren of Cambridge Also the lewdness of those two great Mothers discovered who have brought forth so many Children and never had Husband From Oxford the 26 day of the fourth Moneth 1654. A Brief and true testimony to all the people of the unjust and unlawful proceedings of those called Justices in Oxford against two Northern women who in obedience to the Lord came to Oxford upon the 20 of the fourth Moneth who several days as they were moved of the Lord passed through the Streets Colledges and Steeple-houses declaring the word of the Lord freely And upon the 15 day being the first day of the week were moved to go to a Steeple-house and when the Priest had done one of the women began to speak in answer to what was delivered and in exhortation to the people Then two of the justices cried out Take her away carry her to prison and they took them away and carried them to prison called Buckerdo where onely fellons and persons are committed for murther and other hainous offences are and secured And on the morrow being the second day of the week some of the Justices asked the Major whether there was no meeting appointed the Major said No he knew no business they had that there should be a meeting the Justice answered There is two Quakers committed to prison the Major answered Let those Justices that committed them if they have any Law against them let them act it upon them if not set them free and the said Major said further That he had nothing to say against them but he said that if they wanted food money or raiment he would take care that they should be supplied so the Major left them and went about his publick imployment and would have no more to do in the matter nor act any thing against them but did rather think it convenient to leave it to them to act according to their wills and he free from it himself But upon further consideration and for the more satisfaction the Major went up where the Justices were to examine the women and that their cruelty might the more be made manifest the Vice-chancellour of the University was sent for to come up before them and then they proceeded to examination and the first Question propounded was What her name
Except ye eat my flesh and drink my blood ye have no life in you And this is his Supper in eating of which the creature hath life in himself Therefore fly from idolatry I speak unto wise men judge what I say the cup of blessing which we bless is the Communion of the blood of Christ and the bread which we break is the Communion of the body of Christ For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread 1 Cor. 10.14 15 16 17. For the bread of God is he that came down from Heaven and giveth life unto the World John 6.33 Then said they unto him Lord evermore give us this bread and Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst John 6.34 35. I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world v. 51. But the Jews could not belive this neither can this Priest but saith we own feâ—ding on Christs flesh but deny his Supper and so as blind as they But by the life which we receive in eating of his flesh and drinking of his bloud are we manifest to be of those that feed at his Table and cannot have communion at the Table of Devils as the Church of God could not 1 Cor. 10.21 Again He saith that we own baptism with the spirit but deny baptism with water I answer Who come to the baptism with the spirit into one body they are come to the one baptism which the Saints witnessed not laying again the doctrine of baptism which waâ— several but witnessing the one the substance of the other which was necessary to salvation so all those things in which the substance was signified whether circumcision or water is not denied in their time and place when the obedience in them was from the command of the spirit and not from tradition but people now in the ignorance of God and his ways take up things by tradition being both out of the command and out of the substance and such deny the substance where it is witnessed as for this Priest Clapham he hath never ministred water baptism as it was ministred when it was a doctrine from heaven for there is not one in all his Congregation that had first received the holy Ghost nor believed in Christ before he baptised them with water and so both the substance and the figure is denied in him so that in that in which he would accuse another without ground is he upon good ground found guilty And as for denying to give thanks that is false for we are bound in spirit to give thanks always to the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light and whether we eat or eat not we give God thanks and this we are come to witness to pray without ceasing and in all things give thanks for so is the will of God concerning us and in us is it fulfilled and we sing with the Spirit and with understanding also but such take Davids conditions which waâ— made manifest unto him in the sure mercies of the Lord to him and sing his deliverances whose soul is yet in the pit and sing his prophesies who never knew the spirit of prophesie in themselves and say they have roared all the day long by reason of their sins when as they have roared all the day long in fulfilling their sins and iniquities and for the scorners to say they have no scornful eye and for the proud to say they are not puft in mind such singing we deny which is without the Spirit and without understanding also For light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart so to the light with which Christ hath enlightned every one that cometh into the world I speak which tends to uprightness of heart and unto holiness without which no man can see the Lord those things which are reprovable are made manifest in the Liâ—ht and that which doth make manifâ—st is light which all who be out of it is in darkness and know not whether they go nor what they profit as many now in these days being kept from the light and gate of truth by the doctrines of men and so never come to read in the Lambs book of life which first all must come to know the vials poured forth upon the earth upon the Beast and his works and his sear which is found standing in all them who be from the light they be enlightned withal But the hour is coming and now is when all they that be upon the face of the earth may see the appearance of the Son of God and may receive his power in the measure which his Father hath given them to receive him in therefore every one who comes to see with the light of the Son of God enter into thaâ— which you see to be of him and out of that which you see to be of the World that so the everlasting righteousness and peace you may possess in your obedience to what is made manifest that you may come to see and favour the things of God from those things that be of the World and as every one walks in the light you will be as a sweet smelling sacrâ—fice unto the Lord and knowing and feeling the power of â—he Lord with it the everlasting door vvill be opened and the vvell-springs of life to the feeding of the plants of God with the uncorruptible food which is every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord vvhich vvill be received as that of God in every particular is kept single Again The Priest in his 3 4 5. Section saith That we deny the doctrine of the Trinity and that we hold equality with God and the soul be â—ne being with God and corrupt the doctrine of justification Answ. For a Trinity of persons there is no such docâ—â—â—ne in the Scriptures neither the vvord three Persons nor Trinity and so three distinct one from another eternally as he hath held forth saying Christ is the eternal Son of God distinct from the Father eternally and the Spirit is distinguished from the Father and the Son eternally This is a Tradition of men taught for a doctrine but no doctrine and in denying of that vve do but deny Claphams tradition but as for the Father Word and Spirit which bear record in heaven these three are one and vvas never separated eternally for Christ in the days of his flesh vvhen he vvas in the vvorld said I and my Father are one and said I in them and they in me that they may be one as we are one John 17.11 22. and so this doctrine of the unity of the Father Word and Spirit
because he said that all strife and contention and revenge was of the flesh and of the Divel and to be condemned with the light which testimony is also true and this testimony can we never deny nor change from And whereas thou bringest his salutation to contradict that where he saith Make war in righteousnesse against Gog and Magog and prepare for the Lord. Herein thou hast manifested thy blindness which cannot see the war which stands in righteousnesse from that which proceeds from the lust but as thou hast imagined carnally of all the things of God which was spoken from the same spirit and so as well may thou make lyes and pervert our words as thou dost the Scriptures and now having published many lyes against us thou makest a profession of thy own condition that all people may see froâ— what thou judgest us to be in delusion thy words are these Now forasmuch as I have not an infallâ—ble spirit infallibly to interpret what may be intended in these revengfull expositions notwithstanding my imaginary faculty might find ground enough of bad consequence in them yet I shall leave them to better judgments as in the ninth page of thy book Ans. Thy now leaving of us to better judgments or to them that have the spirit of truth will not excuse thee for what thou hast done already that hath had nothing to judge us by all this while that thou hast spoken and written against us but evill consequences out of thy imaginary faculty How art thou fallen from what thou seemedst to pretend against us in thy books as if thou hadst known that we had held forth false Doctrine or intended a carnall war because we spake of a war in righteousnesse But now thou speakest plainly that thou hast not the spirit of Truth truly to interpret what we intend in our expressions but leeves it to better judgments Here thou hast manifested thy self a foolish builder it had been lesse shame for thee if thou hadst not begun then having begun in thy imaginary faculties and bad consequences and now confessest thou wantest the spirit of Truth here thou hast proved thy selfe to be the Harlot and fit to be chased out of the Citie who doth raise strife accusations and lyes against the truth of God from thy imaginary faculties and bad consequence being without the spirit of truth Again in thy answer to E. B. salutation thou boasts from thy imaginary faculty and sayst in thy 11. page O thou proud presumptuous ambitious Quaker whence is thy originall thou art not yet seven yeares old and art thou the only people of the whole creation in the favour of the Almighty therefore woe be to them that live to see thee prosperous to a manly age Answ. Our original is before all ages or the number of years and before any imaginary faculties which is thy rule was and this in time being brought forth which before all times was they who are found in their imaginary faculties as thou art the woe comes upon them and thy woe and torment will increase as the truth increaseth as it was from Christ to the Jewes Scribes and Pharises in the dayes of his flesh who questioned the truth of his word from the youngnesse of his yeares as thou dost his truth now having nothing to judg with but thy imaginary faculties having nothing of infallible spirit and yet thou goes on accusing us that we deny all matter and form of worship I say where the spirit of truth is which thou sayst thou hast not there is both the matter and form of the true worship owned and not denied which spirit we have and know both the matter and form but in thy imaginary faculties there is neither And whereas thou sayest that we deny actuall obedience and the authority of the Scriptures that is false for by that authority that gave forth the Scriptures are we daily in actuall obedience to the Lord. Again thou bringest several particulars which thou callest the markes of the Harlot by which she may be known as first in her language which is to speak the word Thou to a particular person in stead of You thou wouldest make the language of the Harlot then all the Prophets Christ and the Apostles did speak the language of the Harlot and then the Scripture is translated in the language of the Harlot which doth not use the word You to any particular person But here thou hast made it more manifest to be without the spirit and to speak from thy imaginary faculties The second mark is her weapons which is saying that people is carnall and in the flesh and that they know not the light of Christ but stumble at the stumbling-stone and are in the cursed ground and that they cannot believe though the truth be declared unto them they having not the spirit but are in their sins And this thou sayest is the weapon of the Harlot Answ. Now these words were all used by the Ministers of the most high God against the Harlot as thou art manifest to be who stumbles at the stumbling-stone as it is written Romans 9.32 John 11.9 10. Here thou may see they which were no harlots told them they stumble at the stumbling-stone and told some that they were carnall 1 Corinthians 3.3 and the Prophets told them they had eyes and could not see eares and could not hear and hearts and could not understand Isaiah 44.18 and this was no marke of a Harlot in the Prophet but they whom he said was so was Harlotted from the Lord and Christ told them that they were yet in their sins and told them they should die in their sins John 8.24 if they belâ—eved not and told them they were of their father the Divell and had not known God but was from beneath John 8. And these thing in Christ was no marke of a harlot but they were harlots whom he so Judged and so thy marks discover thee The third mark Her presumption attempting to share with the Almighty And this which thou calls presumption is to be guided by God and hereby thou doth accuse all the Saints of God for they all did so far presume as to be guided by God and by his spirit and to say that all the children of the Lord should be taught of the Lord and this was no presumption nor no mark of the harlot and they said as he is so are wee in this present World and this was no presumption nor the marke of the harlot but humility if thou were not blind thou would see it The fourth mark is pretending to own the Scriptures and speak much of Religion and yet have nothing in matter form or essence Answ. This hath marked out thy condition that pretends to owne the Scriptures and professeth them and hath not that Spirit which gave them forth being guided by the imaginary faculties and so without the power and effect of that which thou professeth but we by that spirit which gave them forth
his Testimony is true saying And there are also many other things which Jesus did the which if they should be written every one I suppose that even the World it self could not contain the Books which should be written John 21.25 So that all is not written which was revealed wrote and spoken which if much more were written which was made mâ—nifest by it with that which is written could they not know the Lord their mindes being from the light of Christ which doth reveale and make manifest that which may be known of God in them And many who have the Letter and are Ministers of it are sensual having not the spirit nor the word of God nor the testimony of Jesus and their Ministry is but as Chaffe to the Wheate and the Lord is against them For what is the chaffe to the wheat saith the Lord Jeremiah 23. Is not my word like a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer breaketh the rock in pieces Now many have the letter and know not the word of the Lord as a fire neither is the rock broken with the letter and such use their tongue for it is their own and the power of the Lord is not come over it such cause the People to err and doth not profit them being not sent nor commanded of the Lord for who are sent and commanded of the Lord the Lord useth their tongueâ— to speak his words which he puts into their mouthes and such words doth profite the people and not cause them to err being spoken according to the law which is light And the testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophesie and such do witnesse the Scriptures that as they cannot be broken so they cannot be denied by the Spirit which gave them forth to be a Declaration of those things which was revealed known and believed But they are not that which they are a declaration of the letter testifies of the eternal life but it is not it neither gives it It testifies of the light of the glorious Gospel shining in the heart whih gives the light of the knowledg of the glory of God but it is not that light which gives that knowledge It testifies of the Way but Christ is the Way of the Word but God is the Word and of Redemption but Christ is the Redemption not the Letter though it testifies of Justification Sanctification but they are wrought by the Word in the grace and power of Christ and so every one who wil own the Scriptures as they were given sorth to be owned must first own that of God in them which is manifest to work in the Creature that which they testifie of that Christ the power of God they may witness working all their works in them and for them according to the Scripture But contrary to the Scripture J.S. from the root of Errour saith That the written letter is a Spirituall Arm and Sword of the Spirit and that the very power of the written letter puts Satan to flight And in the same Page saith That the Devil hath Scripture in his mouth Answ. Let the People take notice and read the Scriptures and see if there be any such thing that the Sword of the spirit was ever in the Divels Mouth for the spiritual Armour which is said to be the Word of God But the Word of God which is the sword of the Spirit is that by which he is to be destroyed and is the mystery bid from him and all that follow his lusts But though the Divell which did not abide in the truth and his Ministers who are out of the truth may take the letter in their mouthes as they have done and say it s written so but the word of the Lord is not in their moutheâ— which is the sword of the Spirit and such will use the letter in their mouthes which cannot sease from sin whose eyes are full of Adultery beguiling unstable Souls their heart being exercised with coveteous practises cursed children which have forsaken the right way and are in the Error of Baalan loving the wages of unrighteousnesse and taking them and such have the letter in their mouthes but knows not the Word of God whâ—ch who comes but know it restraines them from all such practises Again J.S. from his blindnesse and root of Error and lying heart wherein dwells no truth but much confusion saith that the letter i. e. the Scripture is the true ground of the believers Faith and again in the same page saith That Christ in the Scripture is the true Ground of Faith And to prove the former he brings Prov. 22.19 20 21. That thy trust may be in the Lord I have made known to thee this day even to thee have not I written to thee â—xcellent things in Councels and Knowledg that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee An. By this scripture the Lord is made the ground of Faith not the Letter And therefore did the Prophet make known excellent things in writing in counsel and knowledge for this end did the Apostles both preach and write that the Faith of those which heard them read their writings might not stand in the wisdom of words nor in the letter as its ground but in Christ the power of God and Christ who preached the true doctrine that in it every one might believe said to the World the Pharisees While ye have the light believe in the light that ye may be the Children of light and these had the letter but did not believe in the light which light is Christ and which light is the foundation of Faith and is the foundation of many generations in which many did believe before this letter which declares of it was written And that Faith which stands in the light and in the power of God is the ground of the Scripture letter from whence it did proceed after they believed they spoke and wrote that which now is declared in Chapters And every one which coms to the true ground of Faith must come co the light to believe in it that they may be the Children of it and then the Scriptures will be profitable unto them they with the light having the understanding opened to see for what end they were given forth and how they come to be fulfilled and witnessed in that which gave them forth for the ground of Faith to believers is but one both before and since the Scripture was written which is Christ in whom whosoever believeth shall be saved let Christ be in what he will for he was the ground of Faith when the letter was not and he is the ground of Faith when it is and no other foundation for Faith can any man lay than that which is laid Jesus Christ who is the true light and enlighteneth every man that cometh into the Word that all men in him might
these things there was Christ held out and mentioned in the shadows and figures and so that Covenant which promiseth no salvation nor mentioneth any thing of a Saviour that we deny for there is no such Covenant in the Scriptureâ— For that which said Do this and live promised life and mentioned Christ who is the life and by Christ who is the Life and Light of men is that Covenant fulfilled and by his Power both the obedience and life is brought forth of which that Covenant speaketh and the new Covenant being come that God hath promised wherein he hath put his Law in their hearts and his Spirit in their inward parts and all such need not to come to such Priests to be taught who tel of a Covenant which promiseth no salvation nor mentioneth any thing of a Saviour for we who be in the second know the first fulfilled which Christ was held forth in under Ordinances of Divine service and a Worldly Sanctuary and divers washings and carnal Ordinances which never made the comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the Conscience But now is Christ the Covenant of God and Covenant of Light come and preached and with his Light shineth in mens Consciences that he may make perfect as pertaining to the Conscience which Covenant is now witnessed among thousands and such denyed who speak of a Covenant that mentions nothing of a Saviour and that to be the Rule of true believers Again in John Stelham's fifth head of Scripture-contradiction he speaks concerning sin saying That the more a soul is sanctified the more he sees his moats to be beams and that Paul was groaning and sighing all his life-time under the body of sin and death Both these are false for the more a soul is sanctified he is not the more taught to lye or to see falsly but the more he is taught to see clearly and discern a moat to be a moat and a beam to be a beam and knows the difference And Paul thanks God who had given him the victory over sin and death which he had not while he groaned under the body of it and so both the Saints and the Work of sanctification is falsly accused by such and such are to be denied as Enemies to God and to his Work In the reading of this let all people take notice that in the several and particular heads of J. S. Book where he saith he hath contradicted us he is proved himself to contradict the Scritures and so far as he contradicts the Scriptures in those particulars so far he may say he contradicts us our testimony being one with the Scriptures in those things Pr. For in his sixth head as concerning Justification he saith He that is justified is justified by God not under the aspect or notion of a Saint and as such but of a sinner and as a sinner believing in Jesus not as he loveth God or overcometh the world by Faith c. but as believing on Christ dying c. Now this testimony of J. S. is contrary to the Scripture for God never justified any as hating of him nor as a sinner but as made obedient through faith according to the Scriptures as the Apostle witnesseth Gal. 2.16 Even by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ c. so they believed that they might be justified and the ungodly they were first called out of their ungodliness and whom he called them he also justified and they whom he justified them he also glorified and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13.39 And so all who are justified by the Lord are justified from their sins and not in them as all shall witness who come to be justified by Christ from their iniquity And whereas J.S. vvould set the Law and Justice of God at a difference with the Gospel and as contrary in saying The Law and Justice finds and leaves us sinners Gospel and Mercy declareth and pronounceth us righteous Now the one pronouncing a man to be righâ—eous and the other pronouncing the same to be a sinner these two are contrary But the Scripture hath another testimony saying Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other Psal. 85.10 Now here is unity here is not Righteousness pronouncâ—ng one thing and Mercy another for the righteousnesse of God is revealed from Heaven against the disobedient and this vvill not leave them disobedient nor sinners if ever they come to mercy for it doth not leave them as it finds them And so that Doctrine is accurst from God which saith That Justice finds them sinners and leaves them so and to say that Justice pronounceth them sinners and Mercy pronounceth them righteous But to satisfie all people a few vvords may serve to answer the volume of that darknesse and blindnesse given forth by him before-mentioned should a man full of vvords be justified Job 11.2 Again concerning J.S. in his seventh head concerning Regeneration he saith That the Word of God that is preached was never without or besides Scripture c. And as in other places he hath said That the Spirit is given by the Letter so here he vvould make Regeneration to proceed from it which this being denied he concludes it had been better the Scripture had not been known nor written An. The Word and Gospel were preached unto Abraham without Scriptures and before the Scriptures were written and they who are regenerated and born again it is by the immortal Word which is able to save their souls which Word was before the Letter was written and who be begotten again and born by that Word it is profitable for such that the Scriptures were written given forth and the Scripture by such is honored but such who call the Letter the Light and the Word and that which begets again into the new birth by such both the Work of God is despised and the Scriptures perverted and denied Again J. S. in his 8. Head of Contradiction speaking of perfection uttereth forth more confusion and contradiction to himself in his speaking of the Communion of the Saints in Heaven and doth lye concerning the Saints on earth saying the Saints in Heaven hoped for the perfection of their bodies at the Resurrection c. And again contradicts that in saying that at death they have a final perfection and a full harvest and reward of peace c. Ans. Now this is the issue that all people may take notice he hath so envied perfection and Christ's Doctrine which saith Be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect And them who now preach that Doctrine that he hath set out a Volume to declare against the Saints being perfect here yea and his envy hath reached to Heaven to prove that the Saints in Heaven are not perfect but wait for the redemption
of their bodies which now if people mind the Scripture there is no such doctrine in it as the Saints in Heaven have not received the Redemption of their bodies for they who had received the first fruits of the Spirit upon earth did wait for the adoption and for the redemption of the body till the creature it self be delivered into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Rom. 8. And this was witnessed and is witnessed and this is the Work of the Worlds Teachers instead of presenting them perfect in Christ Jesus as the Apostles did they would make people believe that the Saints in Heaven their bodies are unredeemed if so where is that redemption wrought And whereas I. S. vvould make people believe that there are none clean novv Christ said concerning those that follovved him Now are ye clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you John 15.3 And David saith that the Lord is good unto such as are of a clean heart Psal. 73.1 And the Lord said concerning his people that he would pour clean water upon them and they should be clean from all their filthiness Ezek. 36.25 and this Prophesie was to be fulfilled And the Lord said also by his Prophet Zephaniah That his Remnant should do no iniquity nor speak lyes neither should a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth Zeph. 3 1·3 And Paul preached Wisdom among them that were perfect and as many as were perfect should be so minded and Christ preached to the pure in heart that they should see God Matt. 5. Now if there were none perfect Christ preached unto such as there was not Now this is the chief ground of J. S. and the rest of the Enemies of truth and of perfection to declare against it because some fall from it as his instance of C. A. or others in the like To which I answer Their falling into that which is not perfect doth not make that which they fall from imperfect for the Angels that kept not their first state which was perfect did fall from that which was perfect A Virgin state is perfect but if any go out of that state and become foolish yet that which they depart from is perfect And if any do fall from the Truth and do not abide in Christs Doctrine that doth not make his Doctrine to be imperfect for Christ saith Except they abide in him who is perfect they cannot bring forth fruit Is not he that is in Christ perfect though some do not abide in him And is not the Truth Truth because some deny it Was not Christs Doctrine and the Apostles true because Demas did forsake it and love the present World And was not that part of the Ministry which Judas had committed unto him perfect And was not he the true Christ that Judas preached though afterwards he betrayed him Now if people do but truly consider all those that now do turn from the way of Truth which is now preached and lived in by us it may be an evident token to justifie us in the Way of Truth seeing what they go into when they go from the Light which Christ hath enlightened them withall which while they abide in it are kept out of all filthiness of flesh and spirit and so long they may speak of perfection and of the gift of God which is perfect But if any go from the Light then they are let at liberty to act all uncleanness with greediness and so are cast out from us and from perfection And if any such deny the Truth and forsake it yet there remains in them a witness for the truth and against their own uncleanness as in C. A. who from the Witness of God in him was made to confess that if he had continued in the Light of Christ he could not have so sinned against the Lord and so by his transgression fel from the way of Life and could not continue in Christs Doctrine any longer so such things may satisfie people concerning the way of Truth for while they are of us all such things is denyed by them but when they go out from us then they become Drunkards Swearers Prophane Adulterers Fornicators and so every evil Work is committed and then they turn to the Priests Doctrine there all such things are and are excused and then the Priests rejoice and give thanks if any turn from the Light of Christ and the obedience of the Gospel into drunkenness and prophaneness again where they were before and if they wil but swear and respect mens persons and use the rod of violence and persâ—cute and shed the blood of the innocent and be conformable to the World that is the Priests rejoicing and if any turn from the truth into any act of uncleanness then they take that as a proof against those that abide in the truth and such a thing is a better proof to them then all the Scripture and those are they that rejoice in iniquity and watch for evil and so they rejoice in that which we have cast out as abomination and these are they that plead for a life in sin while they are here and that say that the saints glorified in Heaven do yet hope for the resurrection of their bodies and so not come to the end of their hope though in Heaven when as the Saints upon earth witnessed the end of their hope the salvation of their souls Now these may wel deny perfection on earth who deny it in heaven which the Saints we and the Scriptures do witness it in both and against all such who are not fit to speak of the things of God Again in his ninth Head of contradiction he speaks of a warfare which yet himself never came unto and in it he wrests Pauls words and so would turn the truth into a lye saying as if Paul should say thus If sin that wars and sights in me hath no power to condemn me then there is no condemnation to me Which words Paul never spake and it is a lye in the ground for it is not sin that is the condemnation but the Light which lets men see their sins because men love darkness rather than light as many in this age have manifested themselves to do and the light shall be their condemnation who are not yet come to the War nor to the Victory which the Scripture speaks of Again in his tenth Head of contradictions speaking of repentance as if he would prove that we denyed or disclaimed godly sorrow and his proof is this If we disclaim in-dwelling sin in the godly we disclaim godly sorrow Let all people take notice of this If we deny in-dwelling sin we deny godly sorrow this is contradiction in the highest degree but against it this I shall affirm that none comes unto godly sorrow but they deny in dwelling sin and they that do not deny in-dwelling sin denies godly sorrow Again John Stelham in his eleventh Head of contradictions to the Scripture in his speaking of
with the same Spirit bear witnesse to such as are called by it and speaks by it The Ministry of God is not of Man nor by Man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ which is not learned by natural Arts but received in the Holy Ghost and this the Scripture bears wirnisse to but the Call to the Ministry by natural Learning at Oxford and Cambridge this I deny and trample upon and all your Arts and knowledge and Humane Study and Languages is not able to make a Minister of Christ this I do affirme though they approve one another yet are they not approved of God without his Spirit and they that have his Spirit deny Natural Learning as to be made a Minister of Christ hereby and E.B. his words are owned transcribed by J.S. cited Page 16. in the Warning c. and all that he saith doth not prove that any of the Ministers of Christ were called by the Church or approved unto that work of the Ministry by them who were not called by the Spirit and guided with it he saith the sending of God is two-fold and for this he hath no Scripture to prove it and so holds forth that which the Scripture will not evidence And further he saith he pretends to no such Call of an Apostle if he have not the same Call by the same Spirit as the Apostles had he is no Minister of Christ and in measure he hath confessed to be without the same Call as the Apostles were called with and will not pretend such a Call Again He falsly Charges R. F. with Crucifying the Ministers of Christ which is a Lye and of the Devil though none of us may spare to call Hirelings greedy dumb Dogs and devourers and lazy shepherds and in this we do not contradict the Scripture nor work offence towards God nor our neighbours And he concludes Who of us we or they shall have the worst of it in Conclusion the day shall declare unto that we are willing to come by which we and all the blind Priestâ— of England shall be manifest and we know Lyers such as J. S. shall not have the better who is to us made manifest already to be out of the way and out of the power and life of God His 19 th Head concerning immediate Teaching In this we do not contradict the Scripture as J. S. falsly charges us withal but do say that we are taught of God and needs no man to teach us â—ut as the anointing of God which abides in us and the promise of God is fulfilled upon us Jer 31. we are all taught of God from the least of us to the greatest with whom the Covenant of God is established and this is the cause wherefore we set forth our selves to the World who are yet in the unconverted estate that they also may come to the knowledge of the wayes and teachings of God in the Spirit and may come into the Covenant of peace where none need to say know the Lord but all these are taught of him yea and immediatly too by his spirit and this we do witness and the Lord doth witness with us though the unbelieving heart of J. S. and his fellows cannot believe it but doth gainsay it as being contrary to the Scripture when as themselves doth contradict the Scripture in denying it so proving themselves guilty of what they do accuse us of falsly but this is that their folly may appear to all men as it doth to us and J. S. saith he is yet to learn the promise of the immediate teachings of God to be given to all that are to teach others this doth make it manifest that himself is without the promise of God and is not yet taught of God and so without Gods Covenant being not learned in the teaching of God by his Spirit which is immediate And thus to confound truth he hath by his confession shamed himself and shewed himself to all men to be unlearned in the doctrine of Salvation Further he saith If God had intended to have given teaching immediatly without any medium then would he not have sent Preachers abroad for them to hear mark this mans blinde productions and what impudence is in his heart who holds forth That God intended not the thing to be what be promised should be he promised to teach his people himself and this man holdes forth that he intended it not and so hath no lesse than charged God with Hypocrisie let the Reader mark this but this is the ground wherefore the Ministers and Preachers were and are sent abroad to bring all people to be taught of God by the Spirit and to inform their minds to the gifts of God in them that by the spirit received the knowledg of they might know the things of God which is not known but by the Spirit of God which all the Children of God are led and guided by and they that are not led with the Spirit of God which Spirit is immediate are not the heirs with Christ are none of his let J.S. say what he will or may this we believe and this the Scripture gives testimony of for us and with us Yet further to manifest his folly he saith It is erroneous enough and contradictious to the whole Scripture when R. F. truly tells him saith Thou that art not taught of God shewes that thou speaks a vision of thy own heart and not from the mouth of the Lord let the Reader search where the errour and contradiction to the whole Scripture lyes in these words or whether he hath not proved himself blind and ignorant and in errour and contradicton to the Spirit of God Further he saith Never did any but Gods slayers and Spirit-wounders go about to sâ—parate the Word of God and his breath Now let this be considered Christ did tell them the Pharises who had the words whâ—ch God had spoken by the Prophets that they had never heard â—he voyce of God here he divides or separates betwixt the words and the voyce or breath and was no God-slayer nor Spirit-wounder as thou hast vvickedly and blasphemously laid dovvn thy position vvhere thou hast concluded Christ to be one against vvhom thy vvords are laid dovvn let the Reader prove thy doctrine His 20 th Head concerning Questions In this we do not contradict the Scripture J. S. is taken with a lye in his mouth who hath made it a subject to treat upon for Questions in their places wee own but such as are of the Divell we deny as Christ did who shewed himself as a fool unto all mens wisdom when the subtile Pharisees and others tempted him who vvould not ansvver their crafty Questions though them that questioned in simplicity he did to resolve and satisfie them and informe them in the knovvledg of the Father Then some leaves he hath filled vviâ—h producing some of our Queries out of some of our Books Commenting thereupon and vvould prove them ignorant and unprofitable and the
rather bewitched And further he saith the light in every man is a poor base beggarly scrap to the Gospel treasure these words are uttered in his hastiness and without either fear or knowledge for he that lighteth every man with the true light of life or of Condemnation is not base beggarly scrapâ— as I. S. saith it is for it brings to the â—nowledge of the Gospel treasure and pearle and not other light and thus whilst he thinks to prove us self-contradictors he proves himself a vilifier and a blasphemer of Christ Jesus the Saviour of the World who lighteth every man that commeth into the World Again he would make this contradiction becâ—use we say every man in hiâ— first state is as a Beast and yet saying every man is lightned but this is not contradiction no more than the former is then he speaks of naturall conscience and sâ—cretly charges us as if we should say it is potent and victorious at last but this is a secret slander of his for we say Christ only is victorious and through him are we made Conquerers and not by natural conscience and he speaks of Gospel conviction to be above the conviction of natural conscience but I would know of him where the Gospel conviction works if not in mens consciences and so in his next let him divâ—de if he can and shew the dâ—fference of such convictions Further he would say that this is contradiction to say thâ—t every man in his first birth may see himself to be natural and yet to say that the light which discovers natural corruptions is not natural but spiritual both these are true for the light shines in darkness which shews the darkness and is not darkness but light and he that câ—n understand that Scripture Iohn 1.5 shall see the truth of both these to be no self-contardiction Further he saith the Scriptures are a rule above the Saints light and unto it and not so their light above the Scripture this is confusion and he knows not whereof he affiâ—ms for the Spirit of God is the the Saints rule and that is greater than the Scriptures and the rule of the Spirit of God is above the Scripture but such as J. S. who talks of Scripturres to be a rule yet acts these things which the Scriptures declare against are but found in deeper hypocrisie for he that is ruled by the Spirit of God walks up in the fulfilling of Scriptures And further J. S. confessâ—d and saith this he knows that he is more brutish then any man and hath not the knowledge of the holy and this is truly â—onfessed his own works manifest his own condition to be true and he confesses he never obeyed natural light as he ought and as he might and this is truly confessed for if he had obeyâ—d that light which he calls natural he would not thus have stumbled at him who hath lightned every man And further he charges a deceit when men will put off that for redemption light which is but old creation light let him charge them that are guilty but yet we say that the same is Redeemed by whom the world was created and this is without any deceit and he that lighteneth every man with the light that is but one he is the Saviour of all that receive him in the light and he is the condemner of all that hate his light this is no self-contradiction but the very truth as it is in Jesus Further â— S. would make it appear if he could that we contradict our selves concerning sin and Christ but his whole Section I leave to be read in his Book and let the wise Reader judge whether his proof be any such thing only his lye will prove what he saith he saith We hold Christ to be in all this is his Lye for we say Christ is not in the Reprobate neither did we ever affirm that Christ is not in the Reprobate and so is not in all neither do we concerning Justification contradict our selves in the Spirit of God though so it may appeare to J. S. blind mind and so would make it appear to others by blind arguments by his own meaning Again J. S. would charge self-contradiction upon us because we bear witness to the New-Covenant and doth say the children of God are taught of God and needs no man to teach them but as the annointing within them and yet doth write and print here he saith we condemn in others what we allow in our selves Now to all honest people this is no contradiction neither a condemning in others what we allow in our selves for therefore we write and print and speak that all may come to the knowledge of this thing may be converted to God and know his teaching wiâ—hin them but what would J. S. have said of John who told them they needed no man to teach them but as that within them and yet did write Epistles to them â—ery like he would have called this contradiction And the same is our cause who doth and must do though J. S. and his companions be grieved therewith because their folly is laid open thereby print and write and speak that people through the Ministry be brought to know the teaching of God in themselves and yet herein in the light of the Spirit of God do we not contradict our selves let J.S. say what he will neither do we allow in our selves what we condemn in another this is one of J.S. his lyes we allow the Ministry of Christ yet doth not allow the Ministry of Deceivers and yet is not in contradiction and this in short may give the Reader to understand the deceit and deceivableness to lye in J. S. who is found seeking offences against us without any cause given him and he layes snares for another which doth entrap his own feet And whereas he hath transcribed E B his Confession in the warning to Underbarrow which confession is still owned and no self-contradiction proved by it For though God spake by G.F. to him yet this doth not contradict the teaching of the spirit of God as that E. B. was not taught by the spirit of God For as I have said G. F. did minister as many do at this day that people should come to the teaching of God in themselves and herein we do not contradict the scriptures let J. S make as many blind Arguments as he can and that instance about J. L. being of the same nature with the former The Answer supplies both his Proofs neitâ—er of which doth prove us in contradiction but is a witnesse to the Ministry of Christ and to the Conversion received through it wherein we are taught of God and need no man to teach us but as the anointing the spirit of God within us which is immediate and yet we preach the Gospel to others that they may come to witnesse the same with us even the teaching of the spirit of God and for this end is the Ministry of God
sent by us to bring others to the knowledge of God through it and this is no self-contradiction let J.S. say what he will Further J.S. doth instance E.B. his calling mans light natural and carnal in the Warning c. and would cal his contradiction to some who deny the light of Christ to be natural and carnal as the Priests of England terme it but this is no contradiction for though we do deny that the light of Christ Jesus is natural and carnal and doth not allow any so to call it yet the light of man by which carnal men do judg of carnal transgressions is natural E.B. doth never say that the light of Christ is natural and carnal but the light of Mâ—n is so he saith and in this Instance there is no contradiction neither in any parts of the words following which are transcribed and much might be said as to the occasion of those words being uttered when E. B. was in prison falsly as many have been since who was one of the first that by imprisonment was a sufferer for the name of Jesus in the North part of England before J. S. was troubled with any of us but it is sufficient what is said to the mans light by which carnal men judg of any thing is one thing and the light of Christ Jesus which is spiritual mens guide is another thing E. B. spake of mans light and J.S. foolishly opposes him as if he spake of the light of Christ Jesus and so opposes his own conception And further J. S. asserts That Scripture light is the standing rule for faith and manners so are not immediate revelations and teachings Here he hath set up the Scriptures above the Spirit of God and above the Revelation of Jesus Christ the Saints were led by what the Spiâ—it revealed and taught Christ said he should teach into all truth and they that were the Sons of God were loved by the spirit of God and that was their rule to be led by in their Faith and manners But yet see a Hypocrite J.S. is he that pleads for scripture to be the rule and yet is acting in many things contrary to the scriptures as at large may be instanced neither is in all the scripture the scripture called light but scripture saith Christ is the light Further he saith There is sufficient light in the scripture to guide men to salvation Mark his Doctrine whether he hath not preached another thing than Christ to be the way and whether he hath not made Christ and the blood of Christ of none effect without which no salvation But he saith there is sufficient in the Scripture to lead men to salvation and neither Christ nor his blood is in Scripture let it be moved Further he saith The scripture was given by the spirit for a rule this we desire a proof of by plain scripture and till then we deny it And further he saith The spirit gives out himself by scripture and yet he saith he never said the scripture did give the spirit and this is an absolute contradiction as may be noted so J.S. is taken in the snare contradicting himself in one quarter of a sheet of Paper and hath not at all proved us to be self-contradictors concerning any of these things mentioned by him Further he saith in his 8 th Head That our possessing perfection and quaking after Moses Example cross shins on the other but wherein he doth not shew neither can the honest-minded read any contradiction in it but only it seems J. S. hath set himself to cavel Further he saith We contradict our selves concerning Quaking and trembling from this confession That the same power that made Moses to quake and tremble the same power we witnesse but wherein doth this contradiction appear in these words let honest men try the cause and J. S. be silent And whereas he instances J. P. standing in an evil cause and of I. P. he may be silent whose bloud he or his Generation fought after and now might they well be quiet of him their wills being stifled by drinking his blood as it were but that wicked men must add to their own wickedness till it be fulfilled that they may receive their reward and I. P. was bold as is the children of God and though J. S. would clear himself and his company from what was done to I. P. yet by the effect it appeared that there was enough envy in them towards him and the truth and though his body be in the ground yet the Spirit of the Lord which guided him stands alive a sufficient witness against them and all their cruell and wicked dealing and let J. S. judgement be what it will neither concerning growth of Grace nor forms of Religion nor fruits of the Spirit do we at all contradict the Spirit of God neither doth he prove us in these things whereof he accuseth us in strife and debate except against such as J.S. and the Devils Kingdom neither in emulation hatred scoffs or any of these things which the Lord hath redeemed us from though we be falsly accused in these things as in many other by him and whereas he would prove their preaching in their method Points and Reasons and Uses from the example of the Saints in former ages he falls far short in effecting his extent for he cannot prove that they studied for what they spake nor that in such a way they delivered what they said an hour by a glass c. as the Priests of this age do also if it were they preached in the like manner as the Apostles did yet not by the same spirit but by the spirit of error and for a wrong end that is the thing which makes their manner abominable when as they are not guided with the same Spirit of the Apostles and their preaching in their method of points and particulars is rather an art of preaching by humane policy and not the gift of preaching by the Spirit of God neither do we concerning humility and love contradict our selves but are in humility love towards all men even such as wrongs us we seek no revenge against and herein doth our humility and love appear yet cannot we respect any mans person with hat or knee and that is it which J. S. I suppose is offended with In his 13 th Head concerning Ordinances He charges us with self-contradiction because we say we own praying c. and yet hath given over Family prayer morning and evening and at meals but this is no contradiction for we own praying in the Spirit of God bur do deny it without the Spirit and this is no contradiction he may as well say it was contradiction in Christ to cry against the prayers of the Pharisees and yet to teach his Disciples to pray and to pray himself this is the same cause of ours which he foolishly charges with contradiction and as I have said the prayers of the Wicked we deny and yet doth own
prayer in the Spirit and who are moved by the Spirit morning or evening or at meals or otherwise and this is truth let J.S. gather what he can from it Further he saith If we teach one another why do we condemn them for teaching But to this I have answered Preaching or Teaching by the Spirit we own and without the Spirit we deny and because we say we own all that which is Gods as Baptisme the Lords Supper and Sabbath c. yet doth disown in practice their Water Baptisme and their form of breaking of Bread and Wine and their forms of Church fellowship and their form of keeping a Sabbath this he charges to be contradiction but it is not so in the sight of the Lord though I.S. falsely so judge it for their Baptism and breaking of Bread and Wine and their Church-fellowship and keeping of a day I say their exercise in these things we do deny to be of God as in measure is proved and may be further if need require and I say we own that which is Gods and which is led unto by his Spirit and practised in his fear and counsel yet we do deny all their Imaginations of any thing which God commanded doth own the command of God and yet doth not contradict our selves though I. S. falsely so judge of us Further he charges us with self-contradiction concerning speech and silence because we check some for speaking and yet speaks or writes our selves but this is the same with the former and the same answer will serve that speaking that which is not in the Spirit we check which is not the voice of Christ but of the stranger and yet doth own that which is spoken by the Spirit of God and herein doth not contradict our selves Further he saith We contradict our selves concerning Conscience and Laws because we say there must be no Law concerning Religion viz to bind any man to worship in this or the other way and to bind him from this or that way of Worship and yet in exhorting the Rulers that their Laws be according to that in the Conscience but in these words there is no contradiction for the Laws being according to the light in every mans Conscience that Law will not binde or limit the conscience from this or that way of worship in Religion for that Law is unjust which binds or limits the pure conscience of any man but that Law which is contrary to the light in every mans conscience is oppression and we bear witnesse against it and though we do say no Law must be laid upon Religion that is to say to binde any mans Conscience to or from such a form of Religion and though we further say that all just Law is and should be according to every mans Conscience yet in this there is no contradiction And whereas J.S. speaks of such Laws who persecuted prisoned and crucified for the testimony of a good Conscience God hath hewen down in all ages saith he Let the Rulers of England take notice of this from the mouth of one of their Teachers And further I adde so will God hew down in this Age all those Lawes by which many are persecuted and prisoned as he hath done in other Ages therefore let it be considered by them And he saith The Magistrate is not to level his Law with every mans conscience and light and this he speaks in opposition to us but he needs not for we say the same that some mens Consciences are defiled and we do not desire the Laws to be made according to mens several Opinions and defiled Consciences but according to the light of Christ Jesus in every mans Conscience which is but one in all and is according to the Law of God and every just Law will be according to it and though J.S. by his own meaning would make it appear Contradiction in our saying no Law must be concerning Religion and yet saying all Laws should be according to the light of Christ in the Conscience Now by these words we do not mean that we would have a Law according to Religion but no Law to limit to or from this or that manner of Religion And this doth very well agree with our saying Let all your Laws be according to the Light of Christ so by his misinterpretation of the first he makes it appear to be contradiction to the second but it is not in the light of the Spirit of God And further R. F. saying the Law of God answers his Justice and the Light of Christ in the conscience answers the Law of God which is perfect according to that in the Conscience these words J. S. charges with two Errors but let the Reader try where the Error lies and not believe J. S false deduction from R.F. plain words which are simply uttered though subtily wrested And J. S. speaks as if some would have Magistrates to make Laws to binde themselves from striking at Offenders Blasphemers Gospel and Church disturbers c. In answer to this We are not they that would have any Magistrates to bind themselves from striking at offenders who are truly able to judge of Offences we own that such should be punished according to the offence but the Magistrates Law reacheâ— but to the outward man to keep that in peace and good order and not to the inward man to binde or limit that And as for Blasphemy and Gospel and Church disturbing we find many Magistrates not able to judge thereof but many on the other side calling â—â—th blasphemy and reproving of sin in Teachers and people Gospel and Church disturbing and so by false judgment making such offenders which are not and so abusing their power and condemning the innocent rather than the guilty and these are such as J. S. speaks of where the strong man armed keeps the house and these are rather a terror to well-doers then to evil and such Magistrates and such Laws by which the just are oppressed and the hands of the wicked strengthened will the Lord confound in a day to the glory of his name and to the refreshing of all his People who are now every way oppressed by evil men both by Teachers and People And as for the rest of his Book it s but of the same nature with the former and not worth answering to onely his lyes I do deny and his first following is that all our doctrines are raised upon the ruines of the Scriptures excellency and authority this is false neither doth his proof at all make it good His second lye is that our corrupt Tenents are built upon false and novel Interpretations and this is two lyes together our Tenents are not corrupt neither do we build any thing which we hold upon false Interpretationâ— His third lye is that it is pride that hath bred and doth feed our Opinions and Practices and this is also false and to prove it hath wrested some of E. B. words His fourth lye is that unbelief
I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in darkness And Jesus cried anâ— said He that believeth on me believeth on him that sent me Also Joh. 12.44.46 This light was not mans reason nor understanding neither was it mans spirit that was the true light which lightneth every one that cometh into the world Joh. 1 9. Again another false testimony concerning the light is this That the light did drive Adam from the voice and presence of God and so far is the light from leading up to God that it drives the soul from God and keeps him in the fall p. 53. Answ. This Doctrine is to turn the truth of God into a lye and to call light darkness and darkness light for there is no such testimony in the Scriptures that the light did drive Adam from the voice and presence of God but Adam saith I was afraid because I was naked and I hid my self It was because he had disobeyed Gods voice not because he was enlightned for the Scripture saith It is your sins that hath separated you from God it doth not say that it is the light which hath separated you from God or driven you from him this may well be called a damnable Doctrine or Doctrine of Devils Hath God sent his Son a light into the world to drive the souls from God and keep them in the fall Now let all consider and judge that ever knew the light whether it be darkness or it be light which drives the soul from God and keeps it in the fall Now this doctrine being compared with the Scriptures is utterly false and there is a few that profess godliness in this Nation that can bear it or approve of it and for such as account themselves the highest profession and above forms under the name of Seekers to publish such a thing in print here it appears that the best of men iâ— but as a Briar and the most upright is sharper then a Thorn-Hedge for the day of thy Watch-men and thy Visitation cometh now shall there be perplexity Mic. 7.4 Now here is a day for tryal that they which can may try the spirits and doctrines whether they be of God Now I shall lay it to that of God in all is it not the work of the Devil to drive the soul from God and to keep people in the fall If so then it is not the work of the light which lightneth every man that cometh into the world is not this to call light darkness to say that the light is so far from leading up to God that it drives the soul from God and keeps him in the Fall What is that which leads man out of the fall if the light keep man in it As this is contrary to Scripture and to truth so it is contrary to his own words as in pag. 7. there saying That by the Light is the will and mind of the Creator made known unto man and he sufficiently qualified to see it and understand it Answ. How can these two stand together That the light drives man from God keeps him in the fall and again That it makes known the will and mind of the Creator unto him and sufficiently qualifies him to see and understand it This cannot truly be called Hosanna to the Son of David nor A Testimony to the Lords Christ but a line of confusion which is stretched out wherein darkness is come forth as a cloud and spreads it self over the earth to darken peoples minds from the knowledge and understanding of truth by words without knowledge but his folly shall proceed no further unreproved and made manifest Another false Testimony concerning the light is this That at first it moved upward and man could look God in the face and serve him but now since the fall the Thief is got into the Candle and now the Spirit burns downward and discovers the things beneath Answ. What is the nature of the Light changed or is the spirit so changed that before it ascended upward and now downward We shall try this according to the Scripture which saith Who knoweth the Spirit of man that goeth upward and the spirit of a Beast which goeth downward to the earth Eccles. 3.21 so then if it goes downward it is the spirit of a Beast not the spirit of a man And here it is plainly evident that he knows not the spirit of man from the spirit of a Beast so unfit to cry Hosanna to the Son of David or bear testimony to the Lords Christ. But as for the Light which hath enlightned man that cometh into the world the fall did not â—hange the quality of the light for the light is the same as it was but darkneâ—s cannot comprehend it neither knows how to give a true testimony of it but confusedly speaks of two lights the one springing up with man in his naturall birth suitable to his naturall birth and another light sutable to the new birth that is born of the spirit This is a testâ—mony which is not to be found in Scripture to be two Lights sutable to the two births for he that is born of the flâ—sh persecutes him that is born of the Spirit and God hath put enmity between the two Seeds but to say that there is two lights sutable and so the one natural and the other spiritual the one of the earth earthly and the other of the Lord from Heaven as the two births are this is not a testimony according to truth for the light is but one and the spirit of truth is but one and the same spirit which led the Saints which believed into all truth the same did convince the world of sin because they did not believe in Christ Joh. 16.3 And that light which is the condemnation of the world who love the darknes rather then Christ the same is the Saviour of all them that believe and one man loves it another hates it yet it is the same light Joh. 3.19 but the Scripture bears no such testimony as that there is two lights in man the one spiritual the other natural and for any man to say that the light of Christ is natural is blasphemy against the Son of God and is a sin not easily forgiven and it is hard for such to find the place of repentance for every one that comes to repentance must first come to the light which Christ hath enlightned them withall and must know it to be spiritual and confess it so and with this light come to discern the two births the one from the other and their several natures and how that the one birth is guided by the light it being as the eye giving them to see what to speak before they speak and so keeps them out of the worlds line which is confusion and as a Teâ—cher giving them to understand what to do before they do it and so keeps them out of the condemnation bringing their works
to the Lord but contrariwise his obedience and that he waâ— in Christ Jesus so this was not as the bleating of the Sheep or the lowing of the Oxen neither did it shew that they were not in the City for Paul testifieth of the holy brethren which he was a Minister unto That they were come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born whâ—ch are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling Now let him that hath thus accused shew how many miles these had to travel before they came to the City and whether there was any parts measures or degrees in these or whether there was absolute perfection without any measure of degrees of it and whether Paul was not come so far as these unto whom he preached wisdom even among those that were perfect and might he not in that estate say that he would not stretch himself beyond his measure But this I say none are true witnesses of perfection but those who know their measure and abide in it and likewise those that call the witnessing of the truth in a measure of the Spirit the bleating of the Sheep or the lowing of the Oxen such never knew perfection neither yet presseth after it but would keep all others from it by despiteful terms against the measure of the spirit which leadeth unto it But the day is come and the light is risen which hath found out and discovered all the cunning craftiness of men in whâ—ch they go about to deceive the hearts of the simple and beguile unstable souls but the elect seed is risen which iâ— is impossible to deceive for it is not the Scripture words which men may take and speak in the hypocrisie which can darken our knowledge nor any way hinder the testimony of truth in those which have received it in the power of God only with such things the blind may lead the blind and with such things they may strive to keep others out of the kingdom which have not tasted of the good word of God neither are brought to know a measure of God in themselves whereunto to be obedient but I see the Lord is opening a way for such to come out of the pits which they have been led into in opening their eys and letting them see that their Watchmen are blind and that understanding is departed from them even from their Leaders and the counsels of God is depâ—rted even from the ancient and the people are even like to perish for want of vision because they have not seen for themselves but their Teachers have seen for them vain visions and lying divinations and prophesied lyes causing the ignorant to believe them but the Lords hand is stretched out against such and is stretched out to gather his own seed from such to bring them into the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom and into the knowledge of the holy whithis understanding Prov. 9.10 which understanâ—ing is a Well sprinâ— of life Another seeming strength risen up against us is the conceit of the discovery of a Schism in the body as if the Band or Girdle which bound up the body were broken and as if there were now a character brought forth amongst us shewing a variety of persons doctrines and practises and as if the testimony of our being of the body of Christ from the unity in the body were ceased and as if the Heads were divided and as for proof instances G.F. to J.N. J.N. to G.F. J.B. to J.N. and as if it were not person but party which some wonder at admiring and waiting to see the Lords counsel and pleasure in it Answ. All those that wait to see the Lords counsel and pleasure and his wisdom in this thing shall see it and be satisfied and it vvill for the time to come be more for the confounding of those that vvatch for iniquity then any vvay for confirming them in iniquity and by that vvhich God hath done and is doing shall the Girdle and Band of our love be made stronger and in this shall the sight of our enemies fail and become blindness for their thoughts is not as Gods thoughts in these things neither their eye as his eye for he saw a better thing for us in these things then they have imagined for that vvhich they thought vvrought for evil hath wrought together for good unto those that stand in Gods counsel who alwayes waits to see those works which stands in his wisdomâ— contrary to mans reason for that which they thought did break that hath bound and that which they thought did separate that hath united together so that there is not a difference nor dividing of Heads not in persons nor in parties nor in doctrines not in practices but the same unity in the body in the faith in the seed in the covenant in one heart and one soul one way and worship of God in the Spirit is now as much or more then ever before witnessed so that God hath cut off occasion from those that seek occasion hath taken away the corner-stone that the wicked thought to build upon and hereby hath God tryed and discovered and brought to light that which lay in the bottom of the deepest pits for God hath brought in this his day many things forth to try prove those who said they were his people and those that a few dayes since seemed to be like Lambs do now manifest themselves to be in the nature of Lyons and ravening Wolves and those that pre-end to wait for the coming of Christ in power and had the Name of Seekers they are now found to reject his coming and to be such as watch for iniquity in those among whom Christ is come now they are turned backward and now drink up that which they had vomiâ—ed up for now if they could but finde any iniquity among such as God hath made known the glory of his power among or if they can but suppose or imagine any such thing from false conceptions conclusions this would be a sufficient ground to them to print a Book upon and publish it abroad and but that the Lord hath been on our sides well may we say when all sorts of men and religions hath risen up against us by their violence had we been consumed for the powers of darkness and all the divers worships of the Beast are now more joyned together then ever and the deepest subtilty of the Serpent is now at work in his members to devise wayes and change the Laws and times whereby the spirit might be quenched which God hath raised up in his children whereby a mighty cry is gone forth through the Nations against the Mystery of iniquity where it worketh both in
the root and the branches of it and now is the burden of the Beasts of the South felt as truly as in the Prophets dayes Isa. 30.6 from whence cometh the young and old Lyon the Viper and fiery flying Serpent and now doth the mighty and terrible cry of the spirit of the Lord go forth to the men of this generation as it went forth before time to the Egyptians concernig this which the Lord hath wrought your strength is to stand still and if this counsel of the Lord be by you received you shall know more of the ways and workings of the Lord with his children and that all things which the Lord hath done is for the furtherance of the Gospel and that those which are approved may be made manifest what a strong ground of occasion would the envious one have thought he had if he had come among the babes in Christ who were met together at Corinth hearing Paul say that there was divisions among them said that there must be heresies among them that they which are approved may be made manifest 1 Cor. 11.19 and this was no character that God had broken them without hands nor that he had made their profession of unity of no force but through this manifestation he did work schism out of the body that so there should be no Schism Rent Heresie nor any such thing in the body and this thing was not that the enemies of God might glory against the truth and if any labour to seek occasion against the holy Brethren and say they are divided into Heads because two eminent men of them withstood one another as concerning eating with the Gentiles viz. Paul and Peter to such I say he that gathered at first into unity is the healer and Repaired of such breaches and they may profess and witness as much unity after this as ever before And these three which the envious one hath mentioned to be at difference in Doctrine and practice viz. G.F. J.N. J.B. the unity in the life and power of God in them and in their Doctrine and practice shall stand for a witness and for a condemnation against all the accusers and now seeing that their occasion is taken away their accusations may cease and if such Prophets be deceived then let them consider who hath deceived them I the Lord hath deceived that Prophet Therefore what would such a Prophet think of the Apostles words when he saith There must come a falling away first that the man of sin may be revealed Would he or could he judge this a charecter that the day of Christ were at hand or that through such things the power of it should be made more manifest or that those among whom these things were wrought should be thereby the more united To believe this will bring men even to their wits end it being so contrary to their thoughts and conceivings and this may well confound their vvisdome and turn them backvvard and bring them to question truth of all that vvhich ever they have vvritten spoken or acted against those vvhom the Lord hath manifested his povver and vvork among contrary to their judgement and discerning for the vvays and vvorkings of the Lord is deep and his secrets are vvith those that fear him and not vvith those that despise his appearance and speak evill of that they knovv not and the Lord vvill yet vvork greater things in the earth that such may be confounded And what wil such say if the words of Daniel the Prophet be fulfilled in these dayes saying And some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and to make them white even to the time of the end c. Dan. 11.35 Doth not God hereby try men and try their spirits and try their discernings should any in such cases judge before the time the Lord will mâ—ke it manifest for this cause wil God bring such into judgement Therefore I say unto you that your strength is to sit still and let the Lord alone and let his people alone and let him work his own work in his own way and presume not to be his counseller for who hath known the mind of the Lord let such as have dwell in it and preserve knowledge so shall they always abide in strength and power Union with the Lord and one with one another men shall yet know for all that hath been that we are his Disciples because we love one another and none shall make our glorying and rejoycing in the unity of the spirit and in the love of God void but it shall abound more and more to torment the spirit of enmity which would break it or accuse us for professing of it but over that spirit we are in the Lord But what if some should rise up evâ—n froâ— among our selves speaking perverse things and draw Disciples after them and go out from us as they did from among the Apostles that it might be made manifest that they were not all of us Ought this to be laid to our charge Or ought the way of God to be accused because of such things to be Heresie or Schism If this seem to you an evident token of perdition and of error yet to us of our Salvation and that of God And we are assured that we are of God having the witness in our selves yet not bearing witness of our selves for there is one that beareth witness of us even the Father which is in Heaven and his witness is true being unto us a seal of assurance Therefore from henceforth this is a Warning to small and great that they no further proceed in that which is both unnecessary and unseasonable For this I say unto all such that it is unnecessary and unseasonable to seek to perswade us that the truth is error or that the light which every man is enlightned withal is the spirit of every man for that is not according to the record which God hath given of his son nor which the Son hath given of the light but blessed be that day and blâ—ssed for ever be that poâ—er in which a seed is brought forth unto which the Father hath given a true testimony in which they shall never be confounded which abide faithful for great is the mysterie of godliness God manifest in the flesh and against this manifestation is the power of darkness risen up and all the messengers and ministers of Satan under all forms and professions hath joyned themselves together to make their arm strong against the Son of righteousness his righteous life and righteous wayes which now he is bringing forth among his children but out of the mouth of Babes hath God ordained strength against which all the powers of darkness cannot prevail and unto which strength all our enemies must bend and bow and come for salvation For that which now the leaders of the people have set themselves against when they have finished their course and the anguish comes over their
as Paul was 2 Cor. 3.6 For every measure of the Spirit is infallible or undeceivable buâ— that which is fallible is deceivable and whosoever is taught by that Spirit is deceived and Thomas Dance pretends to have no other Spirit but that which is deceivable and fallible so that it is time to turn away from such Again he chargeth Timothy that he was not infallible which is a false charge For wherein was he fallible or deceivable but he was so infallible that he not neglecting the gift of God that was in him he by it was able to save himself and those that heard him 1 Tim. 4 16. And he ministred from the gift of God in him which he had received by prophesie and so not from a fallible spirit but from the infallible and so he is accused falsly by T. Dance Again Tho. Dance saith That he desireth the Office of a Bishop c. Ans. But consider what such a one must be which is blameless vigilant sober not rude and scornful but of good behaviour apt to teach not apt to laugh and jeer and cause the people to be light and vain he must not be given to wine no striker not greedy of filthy lucre but patient not a brâ—wler not covetous as it doth appear those Priests are guilty of which have nothing to preach from but the infallible spirit vvhich doth always deceive people but one that ruleth his own house well having his children in subjection with all gravity for if a man know not how to rule his own house wel how shall he take care of the Church of God but it is manifest that Tho. Dance ruled not his own Church or people well but rather provoked them to wantonness rudeness and laughter which is madness Not a Novice lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil But T. D. was so lifted up in the pride of his heart that he gave two meanings to one place of Scripture and so falls into the condemnation of the Devil Pr. And whereas Thomas Dance saith That his qâ—â—â—ification is such that he might have been cloathed in scarlet c. Ans. What mightest thou have been a Lawyer or Doctor as one of thy Brethren said Which if thou hadst by that the Nation is deceived though not in so high a measure as by professing the Ministry but that is taken up as the most profitable Trade to get means and live in pride What if thou hadst been cloathed in Scarlet in Velvet in Purple or any other gorgeous apparel and in that apparel which thou art already cloathed with wilt thou be condemned when thou comes to know any measure of the gift of the true Ministry to be thy guide Pr. Again whereas thou takest the people to be a seal of thy Ministry Ans. All the people that were in place and some more may seal it to be fallible and deceivable as thou hast confessed it to be but there is not one that can set to their seal that it hath brought them to a perfect man nor to the knolwedge of the Son of God nor to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ and so it hath not effected any of the Work of the true Ministry but when thou comes to be searched narrowly filthy lucre wil be found to be the end for which thou Ministrest without which thou wouldst be silent And now further to manifest that that he pretends not to any thing of the infallible Spirit in his Ministry these his principles or doctrines declare as followeth with the answer of truth to them Pr. That every individual man was not enlightened by Christ. Ans. Which doctrine is contrary to John 1.9 which saith that was the true Light which enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world and to pervert the Scripture he gave two meanings that the people might take whether they would so that they would but deny the form of sound words and the plain Scripture The first was this That Christ enlightened every man that is enlightened Or else Secondly That he enlighteneth some in every Nation Now let people consider how that this can be the meaning of the Holy Ghost as he said it was seeing that here is two meanings and it is either the one or the other but he knows not which which doth plainly manifest that he hath not the mind of the Spirit which is but one and speaks as it means but the Scriptures cannot be broken by such meanings which saith thâ—â—â—very man is enlightened with the true Light Pr. That the whole body of the Gentiles was not enlightened Ans. Then by what shall those Gentiles be condemned who are not enlightened seeing that Christ was given for a Light to the Gentiles as the Prophet Isaiah saith But he doth not say to some of the Gentiles and not to the whole body and though the Gentiles were once darkness Eph. 5. yet the Light shined in the darkness and the Apostle turned them unto that Light which shined in the darkness that the eye which was blinded might be opened He did not come to give them eyes but to open the blind eyes not to give them light but to turn them to the Light that was in them as Acts 26.10 Pr. That the Gospel is an external Light and not invisible and that it is not thâ— Light within Ans. Which is contrary to the Apostles doctrine which saith the gospel is the power of God Rom. 1. which is not external nor visible but invisible and shined in their hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 and it was hid unto those that were lost but that which was visible they could see and hear with the visible eyes and ears but both the Gospel which is the power of God and the eye that sees are invisible Pr. That Christ being the propitiation for the sins of the whole world as John said 1 John 2.2 is meant onely the world of believers Ans. In this he would break the Scriptures and contradict the Apostle which saith He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely who were the believers but for the sins of the whole world Which whole World John said lies in wickedness but the whole World of believers lies not in wickednesse but is of God Pr. That they must reconcile the Scriptures Ans. The Scriptures cannot be broken John 10.35 but is reconciled and at unity in themselves and in all those that know them but he that gives two contrary meanings to one Scripture he doth not go about to reconcile but rather to pervert them and to take away the plain testimony of truth which they give from peoples understandings but the key of knowledge is found again which opens the Scriptures 〈…〉 mystery of them And herein is the ignorance of â—eachers and people in saying the Scriptures are not reconciled it is they that are not reconciled to God nor the Scriptures and so they utter forth their blindnesse ignorance and error
woman from which thou concludest that then the flesh must be married to Christ and so wouldst make up absurdities from thy own words Answ. This is thy ordinary way of proving Errour first to affirm a lye of thy own making charging it upon another and then draw a conclusion answering this lye but Sarah Blackborow nor any other of the Quakers have ever said that the flesh was the woman but that which Sarah Blackborow said was that the flesh was to be silent and that which spoke in thee was that which was silly and was ever learning but when any doth pray or prophesie whether man or woman and speak forth that which God hath made manifest that is the spirit of the Father in both and is not to be quenched for there is neither male nor female but all is one in Christ and in the Spirit from which preaching and prophesying proceeds and the promise is that daughters as well as sons shall prophesie and in the Church at Corinth they might all prophesie one by one that all might hear and all might be edified but thou saist those women that did prophesie it was not in the Church where then did they prophesie if not in the Church or what was the Church for it is written 1 Thess. 1.1 that the Church is in God And where must a woman be when she prays or prophesies if not in the Church which is in God And where was it that Philips four daughters prophesied whether in the Church or out of it and where was it that Priscilla did minister whether in the Church or out of it and Pheba a servant of the Church whether she might not pray nor prophesie in it and Priscilla who was a helper of Paul in Christ and laboured with him in the Gospel Rom. 16. might not pray or prophesie in the Church But now to speak the truth in plainness to thee that which thou cavell'st against it is not the woman nor the man simply considered but it is the Spirit speaking in either which thou canst not bear for where the Spirit of the Father speaks in man or woman thou setst thy self against it to oppose it And thou saist Susan Bond said Christ was the husband and of him they were to â—e taught and thou saist Sarah Blackborow did like the answer well Answ. Who could like it ill was not that a good answer And thou thy self must own Christ to be thy Teacher and learn of him before ever God will make use of thee in his service or work though the Priests may make use of thee for their defender Again pag. 99. thou saist we deny that any should either rule in the Church or have any honour Answ. No We do not deny the Head of the Church which is Christ to rule and to have all the honour but we deny any Priest to bear rule by his means or to receive the honour due unto Christ for we see they are such as seek honour of one another and not the honour which belongs to God onely Now whereas-thou goes about to vindicate that wicked men may sing Psalms and to prove it makes this argument If any be merry let him sing Psalms now wicked men are merry as well as godly though they have no true cause Ergo pag. 87 Ans. This Logick doth but prove thy own ignorance and darkness and not the thing intended by thee as we shall shew but first to answer thee with thy own contradiction Dost thou not say in the next words before this argument that the chief ground or cause is the moral duty lying upon all men by the commandment of God now if wicked men do sing Psalms by the commandment of God do they do it without a true cause Is not the commandment of God a true cause of any action to them which are commanded by him But in this thou art but building again that which thou hast destroyed and so makâ—â— thy self a transgressour and so let thy own confusion correct thee In the same page thou saist Thou wilt make good what thou hast written by Scripture Come then here we shall try thee Where in the Scripture dost thou prove that wicked men may be merry and sing Psalms though they have no true cause but on the contrary hast thou not read in the Scriptures Ps. 69. that David was the song of the Drunkards and if drunkards now in Taverns and Alehouses say and sing I am not puft in mind I have no scornful eye and say that as a weaned child they have behaved themselves by thy argument if they be never so wicked yet because they are merry in their wickedness they may sing lyes in the name of the Lord and by thy argument be Justified as men doing onely that which God had commanded them And again thou maist read in Scripture Joel 1 â—5 that such wicked men and drunkards were called to weep and howl for their misery was coming upon them so the Prophet did not call them to sing Davids Psalms because they were merry in their wickednâ—sse as thou hast done and again thou mayst read Amos 8.3 That the Songs of the Temple shall be turned into howling and these wicked men in the Temple were merry and by argument might sing Pâ—alms or spirituall Songs but the Prophet saith instead of singing they must howl and come to bitter lamentation and praise is not comely in the mouth of Fools as the wise man saith who is taught of God but the mouth of a Fool poureth forth his folly and the instruction of Fools is folly Pro. 16.22 And this Scripture we see fulfilled in thee for thy instructing of Fools and wicked men because they are merry in their wickednesse they may sing Psalms as a Coâ—mand from God and herein I have answer'd a fool according to his folly least he should be wise in his own conceit and although David calleth all Gods host and all living things made and created to praise the Lord the Sun Moon and Stars the Heavens and the Waters the Earth the Dragons and the Deeps Fire Haile Snow and Vapor Stormes and Wind fulfilling his word Mountains and Hills and fruitfull Trees all beasts Cattle Creeping things and flying Fowles Kings of the Earth and all People c. And now as David waâ— in the Covenant he saw the Creatures as they stood in their Covenant uncorrupted and so in a fit capacity to praise the Lord only man degenerated and unrestored again into the Covenant he saw it was not comely for him to praise nor to pray nor to take Gods word in his mouth nor to speak of his Statutes so far from Justifying thy Argument that wicked men because they are merry therefore may sing Psalmes but when the Priests or people takes notice of thy book and what Logick thou hast learned to justify the wicked in their singing as well as the godly and how thou hast shamed both thy self and them with such foolish confusion and University
all feignedness and formality even to dwell in the substance which is the holy life of the Son of God where the true love the heavenly voice and pure joy is felt and known as in the beginning always remembring how the Gospel in power came unto you and how in fear and much trembling it was both preached unto you and received by you with the many blessed effects of its operation vvorking your conversation out of the earthly nature from the earthly body into the heavenly body in which you are able to take up his Cross if it be daily to follow him in the regeneration and newness of life even from the true knowledge of him in whom ye have believed and by whose povver you stand For when we consider the infinite deepness and largeness of that love with which we have been cloathed and have even covered others withal and likewise the many experiences of the Father's dealings with us in working all our Works both in us and for us this cannot but deeply engage our hearts unto him how that ever since we have known him to be our Leader he hath always gone before us preparing our vvay that we might serve him he hath for his seeds sake even reproved Kings and hath quenched the violence of fire that was kindled in many hearts against us he hath by his Wisdom put to silence the ignorance of foolish men that he may clear us from all their reproach He hath not only kept us alive in our suffering under the Wrath of our Enemies but in the power of his spirit made us to reign over them and not only over our outward and open enemies but also over the secret smitings of the wicked one which would privily slay the righteous He hath had a tender regard to his innocent ones to keep them out of the snares of the betrayers and to keep them in the unity of his power and love in the which I speak unto you that know these things whose ears the Lord hath so opened that you can try Words and whose eyes also he hath unclosed that you can see that which causeth divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and avoid it for hitherto even until this day have you learned by good experience and some through sufferings that whatsoever hath risen up to oppose the Lord in his Way to quench the strength of his Love or to break the unity of his people whether it hath been by spirit or letter under never so innocent pretences the Lord hath brought it down and confounded it and made it to be as dust under the feet of his Saints so that we may together say to the praise of our God that we knovv the depths of Satan and are not ignorant of his devices Therefore in the sence of this experience put on strenth O ye Arm of the Lord by vvhich he will do great things and through whom he will make his power known to the Nations in setting up his Kingdom and Government and his Peace of which there shall be no end Let nothing hinder the setting up of his Scepter of Truth and Righteousness amongst you and let the Life of Jesus in his Love and Power reign over all the earthly spirits and over the spirit of Jealousie which is strong as death and cruel as the grave which being not received it can hurt nothing but its own habitation in which it lodgeth So keep your selves pure in the love of God and be not partakers of other mens sins walking worthy of the holy and blessed calling in which the Lord hath given you an inheritance among the living And dwel in the spirit of meekness in which the Wisdom and Power of God you will feel to the refreshing of your souls for as you therein abide you are our joy in the Lord and a strength unto us in his Work Another Epistle to Friends IN the life of the Son of God dwell that in it you may be made manifest unto all answering the just and reproving the unjust for he is come to rule who must put down all rule and all authority under his feet and in him is the living dominion felt and the faith in the power which overcomes the edge of the sword and subdues Nations in which is the dread of the Almighty to bring under the stout-hearted even by the power of the holy seed which is spreading abroad in the earth for the finishing the Fathers work in the earâ—h which all are witnesses of who do abide and walk in his light where you may all enjoy your peace with the Lord and be kept in his power over the power and spirit of the world in the everlasting covenant of light and life where you may all feel the growth of the seed in you into the Fathers gift which is the life immortal so dearly beloved and truly begotten in my Fathers love dwell in that which gives you a sight knowledge and feeâ—ing of him who hath begotten you into a measure of his life light power and image and hereby will you all be united into one serving one another in love for God is love and we are his off spring and to the world is he manifest through us as being his natural branches and the breaking forth of his light and power and is as set upon a hill unto which all eys look and from which the sincere and tender take their example so dear hearts in the path of the Just walk which is a shining light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day so as children of it all walk that you to others may be examples and leaders out of darkness and out of the ways of death into the Kingdom of the Father which stands in the Light righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost in which the power and presence of my heavenly Father preserve you and keep you in his living Dominion Reasons why no Imposition ought to be upon mens Consciences by any but the Lord. 1. BEcause no man can perswade the conscience of another either what God is or how to worship him but onely the Spirit which God hath given to instruct man 2 Because to impose any thing upon another mans conscience either to do or practice is not to do unto another as he would have another do unto him and therefore is contrary to Christs doctrine 3 Because all obedience or service that is thereby obtained is for fear of wrath and not from love nor for conscience sake and will but continue so long as that fear or force abides upon them 4 Because thereby no man can make an Hypocrite a Believer but it is possible that thereby he may make many Hypocrites 5 Because that in all forced impositions upon mens consciences there is of the wrath of man exercised which workâ— not the righteousness of God but rather begets enmity one towards another 6 Because that men are not made thereby loving Subjects but forced Slaves 7 Because that by the force of imposing any thing upon men many are thereby hardned in their hearts and resolved to resist when as by love and leaving them free they mâ—ght easily be perswaded of that which otherwise thâ—y will not be THE END Acts 33. Rom. 4.11 John 5.3 Jer. 1.5 6. Luk. 1.66.08 1 Kin. 8.46 John 14.4 Prov. 20.9 John 18.10 Eccles. 7.23