Delight is with the Sons of men Again If the Spirit in the Saints be as J. N. to the wounding of his own Cause saith of the same nature tendency and power with the Father and Son then there is a sufficient Saviour in man for the Tendency of the Son is to save as J.N. himself I dare say will acknowledge and his Nature is to save which was the end of his coming and he is of power to save For all Power in Heaven and Earth is given to the Son and the Nature of the Father is to save as I have befor shewed out of the Prophets therefore the Spirit that is given into the hearts of People which reproves them for sin being of the same nature power and tendence with the Father and Son is sufficient to save else it cannot be said to be of the same nature tendency and power so that none need go far or look to the Hills and Mountains for a Saviour but look unto him that is nigh who is of power to save even to the Light or Grace that hath appear'd as a Reprover of the deeds of Darkness and this will lead into all Truth and save out of all Unrighteousness and unto them that walk here in Christ the Light not after the Motions of the Flesh but after the Leadings of the Spirit there will be no Condemnation And although this God who is Light and is a Spirit be a God afar off also as being that Infinite Incomprehensible Fulness that fills all things yet all that can be known of him by any man is manifested within man Rom. 1.19 And thus the Confusions and Contractions of J. N. appears who thereby declares that he hath not the knowledg of Christ nor of God to exercise his Faith in nor yet doth he keep to Scripture neither to exercise his Faith therein but is seen and discovered to have his mind and his Faith exercised in Fancies and Imaginations which is the cause of his thus contradicting himself of his affirming so many Absurdities and Blasphemies without sound reason or Scripture Arguments sometimes dividing Christ and his Spirit and sometimes acknowledging them to be of one and the same beeing and sometimes joyn the Spirit and Scriptures and arguing that they cannot be separated and the reasons he gives is because the Scriptures are the givings forth of the Spirit and yet notwithstanding will say Christ hath a distinct beeing from his Spirit which is of his givings forth and thus as fancy leads him he affirms things as in Page 43. he saith If Scripture be denyed to be the Word of God it maketh void the exercise of Faith for Faith must be exercised in the Scriptures or else upon fancy and imagination and in Page 73. he saith if there be no personal beeing of Christ then there is no Christ to exercise Faith in so by this kind of Arguments of J. N. if Faith be exercised in a personal being of Christ it s exercised upon fancy and imagination which is very true for a personal beeing of Christ is not Scripture and he saith Faith must be exercised in Scripture or else upon fancy and imagination But the truth is he cannot tell what the true Faith is nor what it is exercised in sometimes Scripture is the only thing and another while a personal beeing of Christ and what will it be next but even what his Fancy and Imaginations bring forth which he appears full of like one that knows not Christ the Power of God manifested in him who is the Author of true Faith or the begetter thereof and is also the object thereof in which it is exercised and in whom it stands whom all must hear that receive the true Faith which is the victory that overcometh the World and which giveth access unto God in which Faith there is Peace and Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Again in Page 87. mentioning that Scripture which seems as a Block in his way which I perceive he would fain remove Gal. 4.19 till Christ be formed in you and therefore gives this meaning viz. This forming of Christ in the Saints was but to bring them forth into a Gospel-Purity c. this is his Interpretation of that Scripture and a very favorable one too but whereby should they be brought forth into a Gospel Purity Was it not by the Spirit 's operation that was in them which they received by the hearing of Faith Gal. 3.2 which J. N. acknowledged to be of the same beeing of the Father and the Son If so then was not Christ according to Measure who fills all things really in them who hath diversity of operations who came for judgment and to send Fire on the Earth and were they not to be brought forth into that Gospel Purity that J. N. speaks of by his Spirit of judgment and of burning which they had received who came for judgment and to send Fire seeing God signified by his Prophet that the Filth of the Daughter of Sion should be purged away with the Spirit of judgment and of burning Isa 4.4 and this was that Spirit by which the Saints were washed cleansed sanctified and justified when the Apostle told them they were so in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 and they that were thus washed and brought forth into this Gospel Purity they were made a Habitation for God who as J. N. Confesseth is that Spirit even through the Spirit 's operations which is of the same Being or Substance with Christ so that the filth being purged away there was room for him to dwell there and so was really in them formed and they brought forth in his own Image by his own operation with whom the Apostles were Co-workers and therefore travelled for this forming of Christ in them or for the subjecting them in the Faith wholly unto Christ's Goverment that he might raign in them over all who is God Blessed forever One thing more which I find in the close of his Book which he entitules A Caution to all I cannot well pass by with silence where he saith Seeing God has cast us into a day wherein there is such a spirit running too and fro in this Nation that will seemingly own Truth and yet will draw all into a Mystery within man denying Truth according to Truth 's Intent let us therefore labour with our God for his blessed Spirit to guide us into all Truth Answ Mark Reader Is it contrary to Truth 's intent to own the Truth to be a Mystery within man Doth not God love to have Truth manifested in the inward parts Is not Christ the Truth which the Apostle declared to be the Mystery within saying Christ in you the Hope of Glory How then can it be said That that Spirit that owns Truth to be a Mystery within does not own it according to Truth 's intent Surely J. N. hath besotted his Understanding else he would not thus speak
are of the Election of Grace and of the true Shepherds Fold whom it hath pleased my heavenly Father in his Love Life and Spirit to gather out of the World and to sepatate from amongst men to be the first fruits unto Him and to the LAMB in this Day of his Power and glorious Appearance and hath manifested his Power and reveal'd his glorious Arm of Strength in and amongst you and hath made known his blessed sweet refreshing Presence in the midst of you whereby you have been refreshed comforted and strengthened in the midst of many Trials Tribulations and Temptations which have been suffered to come upon you for the trial of your Faith since you were a People unto him and you know right well that he hath not been wanting unto you in any state or condition that you have been brought into as you abode faithful unto him And the mighty things which he hath done for you and the great delieverances which he hath brought unto you in the time when you were in great distress surely cannot be forgotten by you but is worthy to be had in everlasting remembrance And the things which you have seen of this kind and the endless loving-kindness of God unto you therein manifested is and I hope will be for ever sufficient to engage you to walk with the Lord in singleness and uprightness of heart that in all tryals of what nature or kind soever that you meet withal for the future time you may hold fast your testimony for him and your Faith and Confidence in him and be nothing daunted in your minds hearts nor spirits but in all things give up unto the Lord and resign up your Cause unto him alone and he will certainly plead for you in the hearts of your Enemies and they shall assuredly know that his controversie is very great with them for your sakes For he hath regard unto your sufferings and the Cryes and deep Groans of his Oppressed suffering Seed is continually before him and he is near to bring deliverance unto all who in patience and contentedness wait upon him and that trust in him with an upright and with a perfect heart Wherefore I say unto you all my beloved Friends Lambs and Babes of God be patient and therein wait upon God for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh and the day of a great deliverance is at hand wherein he will do and bring to pass such things which cannot be believed by many though they should be told unto them Therefore murmur not against the Lord in any wise because of these things which are come to pass and happened unto us nor because of the greatness of the rage of the Adversary for it is because he hath but a very short time and though you have born long and suffered much in divers kinds and the oppressive yoke of Antichrist is not yet removed nor taken away yet I say my Friends Fear not nor faint not in your minds but endure to the end in the Faith and Patience of Jesus and when the things determined shall be accomplished and the measure of iniquity shall be filled up then shall the day of a great deliverance come unto you and your eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation the praise of the whole Earth And then shall the Lord God Almighty be known to reign in the Kingdoms of Men and his Glory shall spread forth its self to the ends of the World and be declared of throughout all the Nations of the Earth and the Knowledge of God shall cover the Earth as the waters cover the Sea These sayings are faithful and true and things that must shortly come to pass and be fulfilled the Lord hath spoken it and blessed are all they who believe and obey the Word of the Gospel and wait for the fulfilling of these things Wherefore my dear Friends dwell low in God's Fear and in his Covenant of Light into which you are gathered and wait to receive his pure Divine Heavenly wisdom to order you and be you ordered thereby and that will keep you out of all extreams so that none will be lifted up above what is meet because of the Promises of God nor yet be cast down because of the threatnings of the Enemy that so you may neither turn aside to the right hand nor to the left but that you may walk on in the even way which is the path of peace and feel the Eternal Life which is of God to remain and abide in you so will you be kept fresh and lively in the beauty of Truth and Holiness and shine as Lights to the World For you are the Salt with which the Earth must be seasoned and with which all things must be salted to make it savory unto God and acceptable unto him For as the state of the World is in which they now lie they are unsavoury unto God and not at all a pleasant smell neither hath he any delight in their Sacrifices for even their prayers are abominable unto him and their solemn Assemblies he hath no pleasure in but his soul even loaths and abhors them and he will certainly work a Reformation is the Earth and he will beat down Babylon with a mighty blow and will bring a great desolation upon her and amongst her Merchants shall the noise of a great howling be heard and all her delicacies shall come to nought and all her costly attire the works of cunning Workmen shall be consumed for she is come into remembrance before the Lord and as she hath loved blood so must she have blood to drink for the Cup of God's Fury is already filled into the hands of the Saints of the Most High to pour out unto her And as she hath lived deliciously and glorified her self so much torment and sorrow must she have given unto her yea she shall have doubled unto her according to all her works and then shall the Saints Prophets and holy Apostles rejoyce over when God shall have avenged us on her And now my beloved Friends this I say unto you in and by the Spirit of the Lord That the time hastens and draweth nigh in which these things must be brought to pass yet nevertheless the things decreed and determined of the Lord must first be accomplished So that although the power of darkness hath been long working and doth still work as it were in a prevalent manner by which sufferings and tribulations are brought upon us yet I say it is by the permission of the hand of the Lord that these things are so and he hath an end in suffering it so to be and that for his own glory and who shall say him nay for so doing or reason with him about matters of so deep concernment seeing his way is hid from man and is not known unto any but only them unto whom he reveals it But this my Friends I know from the Lord That he hath an intent and purpose of good unto us thereby and
the Name of the Lord and for God that the Spirit of Christ doth not nor never did admit or allow of persecution or of destroying mens lives about Worship and Faith towards God neither are any of them true Christians whatsoever they profess that are found so doing For it is not a bare profession of Christ and of zeal for his cause and crying up Ordinances c. that makes people true Christians or that gives them acceptance with God or will make them well-pleasing unto God But that which makes a man a true Christian is his obedience unto that Spirit which baptizeth into the true Faith by which Righteousness is wrought Heb. 11.33 and into Christ who is the Author of faith and will bring him to have the mind of Christ as the true Christians had and will make him partaker of his divine nature and will teach him to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World and to do to all men as he would they should do unto him which is according to the Law and Prophets that Christ came to fulfil And indeed there is nothing that can bring a man into this true Christian state but only the working and operation of the Spirit of Christ in his inward parts which all ought to obey and submit unto For the persecuting Jews who were uncircumcised in heart and ears and did alwaies resist the holy Ghost they professed as great Zeal for God and his Cause as the Apostate Christians now do and they look'd for the coming of the Messiah of whom all the Prophets prophesied and professed they would Adore him and Reverence him c. and said That if they had been in the dayes of their Fathers they would not have slain the Prophets Mat. 23.31 who prophesied of the coming of Christ and so they had seemingly a great Zeal for God and his Truth But alas a Murdering spirit was found in them for notwithstanding they professed That they would not have kill'd the Prophets yet they kill'd the Son who was the end of the Prophets And although the Prophets signified the Time when Dan. 9.24 and the Place where the Messiah should be born Mic. 5.2 yet when he was come according to the Prophets which they profest these Professing Jews would not own him nor receive him John 1.11 because he reprov'd their Hypocrisie and their Murdering spirit John 8.40 but they Crucified and Slew Him And this is the very State of the Apostate Christians this day For who is there now amongst them but will profess as great Love to Christ as the Jews in Christ's dayes did to the Prophets who prophesied of him and who is there now among'st them but will say Had we been in Pilate's dayes 〈◊〉 would not have crucified Christ nor delivered him up to be crucified as the Jews said of the Prophets yet notwithstanding their so saying they do as the Jews did for now in this day of his spiritual appearance which they profess they look for and expect they are found persecuting of him in his Members under the sam̄e pretence that the Jews persecuted him in their day viz. as a Blasphemer c. And so the Persecutors were in all ages blinded by the godd of the World who was a murtherer from the beginning and though they could see the iniquities of their fathers and predecessors in persecuting and killing the Prophets yet the envy of their hearts was such that they could not see their own iniquities in persecuting and slaying the Son who was greater than the Servants whom their fathers slew so as I said before it is not a profession of Christ and his Ordinances or zeal for his cause that makes people true Christians neither is God Worshipped upon any of those mountains where the persecuting and destroying one another is but the Worship of God consisteth in obedience to that Spirit of Truth which condemns all those works of darkness and cruelty and in his own Mountain of Holiness where nothing hurts nor destroys Isa 11.9 And such is the Father now seeking to worship him that will worship him there and is now gathering his Sheep from off the barren Mountains upon which the Whore sits where they have been scattered in the dark and cloudy day of Anchrist's reign and where the Wars and Fightings are even to his own Holy Mountain where they shall learn war no more Isa 2.4 And this is the work that the Envious and Murtherous one opposeth and bestirs himself with all his force and might in his Instruments of Cruelty and Men of War arming of them with all kind 〈◊〉 weapons that possibly he can form to fight against this Appearance and Work of God for so it hath been that since we who are reproachfully called Quakers were raised up to be a people to bear Testimony for the Name of the Lord and of the working of his Spirit and Power we have alwayes been even as a Butt for all the Archers of Babylon even from every Mountain to shoot at and our sufferings have not been only in our persons and estates as the spoyling of our goods and scourgings and cruel mockings and imprisonments many unto death as this Nation to her anguish must be made to know but even all sorts of Babylons Merchants or they that trades in every part of her or within her Subburbs have oft made it their business to write and print against us endeavouring thereby as much as in them lay to render us odious to our own Nation and to Nations about us under pretence that we were Papists and Jesuits and that we propagated Jesuitical Principles c. but they being almost if not altogether weary of that work finding it to be to no purpose for the truth which we profess hath still got ground and flourisheth through all these things now at last the Papists or Jesuits themselves who I perceive have a secret hope of a day once more in this Nation they begin to put out their heads and to print against us and so both Protestants and Papists even every head and horn of the Beast after whom the whole World wonders are found pushing against the Lamb and the Saints Rev. 17.14 For of late a certain Pamphlet accidentally came to my hands written by a perfect Roman Catholick who subscribed his name A. S. in which he seems to shew himself sensible of the great distractions that are throughout the whole Christendom about the true way of worship and concerning the true Church and first states a Question viz. which is this Church c. and afterwards makes it his business to prove the Church of Rome to be this true Church and that by divers Arguments by him stated in a Syllogistical manner And I also finding the Author of the aforesaid Pamphlet therein smiting at the People of God called Quakers and endeavouring to render them odious by affirming they are led by a deluding spirit c. I found my self somewhat concerned to return a brief reply
the Scripture that he would praise And I have hoped in thy Word Was his Hope in the Scriptures or in Christ as in him that was to come And mine Eyes fail for thy Word Was it the Scriptures that his Eyes fail'd for Surely no the Scripture so much of it as was then written which were chiefly the Books of Moses was obvious enough to him when the Word might be withdrawn out of his sight for a Tryal unto him as David said concerning Joseph Psal 105.18 19. Whose Feet they hurt with Fetters Until the time that his Word came the Word of the Lord try'd him And who dares deny without Presumption but that it was the same Word which David said Was a Light unto his Path and a Lamp unto his Feet So that all J. N s. tearing assunder the Scriptures with his additional Imaginations will not prove that it was the Scriptures David spoke of in this place but was indeed the Word by which David as a Prophet to whom the Word of the Lord came spoke forth that part of the Scriptures And although David did meditate on the Law of God which if I should grant it to be only the outward Law that came by Moses yet that doth not prove that he call'd it the Word nor can it be understood that he meant the Scripture when he so spoke of the Word for the Reasons afore given The Word was precious or scarce in those dayes which came to the Prophets saying So and so and those Sayings are signified or contain'd in the Scriptures But the Scriptures were not more scarce then then at times before though the Word was of which there was a Famine And though the Scriptures may be heard now which contain the Saying of the Word which the Word demonstrated yet all that hear them cannot be said to hear the sound of the Word as they did who heard those sayings demonstrated or sounded out of the Mouthes of the Prophets by the Word that so spoke And although J. N. saith It s plain the Word here is not mean of Christ because the Prophet calls it the Word of God and saith He had sworn to keep it and it cannot in reason be understood that David or any man did ever keep Christ Answ I answer Here J. N. hath wrong'd the Prophet's word for he did not say That he had sworn to keep the Word but He had sworn to keep his Righteous Judgments as if he should have said He would observe the Judgments of the Lord to walk in the Paths thereof or That he would walk according to the Spirit of Judgment Yet notwithstanding this It is but the unreasonableness of J.N. to conclude That David nor any man did never keep Christ for they that keep in subjection to the Spirit of Christ and dwell under his Government may be properly said to keep the Word which is Christ And there were in the Church of Philadelphia those that kept the Word and such deny'd not his Name Rev. 3.8 Mark that He that kept the Word deny'd not his Name which is call'd the Word and in vers 10. he said Because thou hast kept the Word of my Patience I will keep thee c. Now can it reasonably be understood That it was the Scriptures that were here call'd the Word of Patience which they kept or that Scriptures were that Name which they deny'd not who kept the Word Certainly I cannot rationally judge that any should be so blind but if they should the very next verse will sufficiently clear the matter where it is said Hold fast that thou hast that none take away thy Crown Mark He having kept the Word of Patience was exhorted to hold that fast which he had that he might not lose his Crown And can any rationally conclude That the Scripture was his Crown Or else Was it not the Word of Life and of Patience which was in the beginning before the Scriptures were written and would be his Crown when Scriptures should be no more For Paul exhorts Timothy To lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.12 And must he not then lay hold on Christ who is the Word and the Life 1 John 1.1 and John 14.6 And they that had receiv'd him who was the Word and the Life and was to be their Crown as before is shew'd and were to keep or hold fast that which they had receiv'd May it not be properly said That they kept Christ Certainly none can be so ignorant who understand the Scripture to conclude that no Man did ever keep Christ although all his are kept from the hour of Temptation by him who is the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation By all which it plainly appears That the words of the Prophet produc'd by J. N. do not prove nor intend to prove the Scriptures to be the Word of God that the Prophets and Holy Men of God kept although I shall easily confess that they do contain many sayings and words that proceeded from the Mouth of the Lord all which were and are according to the several Dispensations of time to which they relate to be observ'd also The next Scripture produc'd by J. Newman to prove Scripture the Word of God is Isa 28.9 10 13. where the Prophet said Whom shall I teach Knowledge and whom shall I make to understand Doctrine c Precept must be upon Precept Line upon Line c. the Word of the Lord was to his People Precept upon Precept and Line upon Line c. So that saith J. N. its clear the Word of God is that Doctrine Teaching and Precepts that was given at large to God's People c. so its plain c. the Scripture is properly and principally called the Word of God Answ To which I answer This doth not at all prove the Scriptures to be the Word which the Prophet said was Line upon Line and Precept upon Precept unto them for though he said Whom shall I make to understand Doctrine and in order to it said The Word of the Lord must be Precept upon Precept Yet that doth not prove that the Doctrine was the Word but the Doctrine was of the Word and by the Word that came unto the Prophet was the Doctrine demonstrated and they thereby made to understand it And so the Word oft times came unto the Prophets not the Scriptures and bid them go and speak so and so and the Doctrine which they preached could not be properly call'd the Word it self that came to them though the sound of the Word was heard in the delivery of that Doctrine But their Doctrine proceeded from the Word which bid them so speak so that there was the Word the Teacher and the Doctrine thereof the Teachings And this Word so oft coming unto the Prophet to bid him go and speak unto the People it might well be said That the Word of the Lord was Line upon Line unto them so that it plainly appears that this Word here spoken of was
it be receiv'd and that will keep down all that may arise to make any Dissention to cause any straitness or strangeness amongst you and so you will be kept in the unity of the Truth which will be a good savour amongst all people and in that the Lord will take Delight to dwell amongst you and to do you good and in that God Almighty be with you and bless you and water you with the Dew of Heaven and cause the Showers of his Love to descend upon you that you may be refreshed and kept alive in the Truth therein to live according to God in the Spirit and not according to men in the Flesh but in that by which you are judged according to men and by which you are crucified unto the World and therein your Joy Peace and Comfott will be Everlasting And so dear Friends Let nothing enter that would deprive you of your Peace and Comfort lest you lose the Reward of your Sufferings but keep in Lowliness and Watchfulness and in true Humility of mind and spirit for therein is Safety And it s the Humble that God teacheth and supporteth And without his assisting Spirit of Grace we can do nothing that will add to our Comfort or Consolation and therefore whatever our state be we have daily need of an Assistance from him and of the renewing of our strength by him by whom alone we are able to do all things and in him nothing is too hard for us for it s through him that we are more then Conquerors and by Faith in him we stand and that gives Victory over the World And in that my Dear Friends all live and walk and thereby you will have free access to God and will meet with us at the Throne of Grace and Ocean of Life and there the Minister of the Sanctuary is seen alwayes near at hand administring unto every one according to their necessity who will give Ability and Strength sufficient to endure all things and to answer his Requirings in all things and will also keep down and under all which would arise to exalt the mind above measure in the time of enjoyment of the Reward that is receiv'd through Sufferings and hereby you will be preserv'd out of all the Snares of the Enemy And in this my Love is dear to you all and to the whole Flock of God in all Parts of the World and to this Spirit of Grace I do commit you all and resign you up to be govern'd and protected thereby for by it I was at this time moved to write these Lines to you in which I doubt not but it will be received by all whose hearts are sincere towards God And in that God Almighty be with your spirits Amen London this 28th of the 11th Moneth 1665. I am your Dearly Loving Brother in the Patient Long-Suffering Spirit of the Lamb. Josiah Coale Let this be read amongst Friends who are Ezil'd or sentenced for Exilement when they are met together in the Fear of the Lord. An Epistle to FRIENDS In Holland MY Dearly Beloved Friends I ofttimes remember you make mention of you in my Prayers to the Lord since I outwardly saw your Faces and my Love in the Lord is unfeigned to you in which I have for your Good travel'd amongst you and in which at this time I dearly salute you as those whom God Almighty hath reached unto and visited that you might have Acquaintance with him and that you might be made Partakers of his Endless Love in his Son Christ Jesus and therewith might love one another as he hath loved you who hath forgiven you your Trespasses that you might take Example thereby to Forgive one another that so you may have the Mind of his Spirit of Love and be like him in this present evil World and that you might bear his Image amongst the Children of Men and stand as Witnesses for him and appear on his behalf in that Life through which you will answer the Witness of God in the Hearts of all People that so you bring Honour and Glory and Praise to the Name of the Lord who hath visited you To whom all Glory belongs forever Amen My Beloved Friends Prize the Mercies of the Lord with which he hath visited you and walk worthy of his Love which hath been additionally manifested through the many tender Visitations which he hath sent unto you by his Servants whom he hath moved from time to time to come amongst you with the Message of Life as Dispencers of his Word of Reconciliation for your Consolation and Comfort And every one in your own particulars feel the Measure of the Meek Spirit of the Lamb that your minds may be daily exercis'd thereby in the Cross to all that is contrary to the Nature thereof that so your Hearts and Souls may be season'd therewith and the contrary kept down and bow'd under it And as all are exercised with this Spirit of the Lamb you will more and more grow into its nature through the refreshing Vertue which therein and thereby you will daily receive and this is alone that which presents all a Good Savour unto God and in this you know we have labour'd among'st you and therein you will feel my Love and Life which is in that which is not of this World and therein the Fellowship of the Children of Light stands which is a Mystery to the World and in that Love Unity Peace Meekness and Gentleness will encrease amongst you which are excellent Vertues and amiable to behold and that which is Passionate or Hasty and Unsavoury shall not have a place amongst you but you will all be Examples of good one unto another And also Your Life and Holy Chaste Conversation will preach unto the World by which they that are without shall be convinc'd and made to confess That God is in you and in this you will be a Good Savour unto God and he will take Delight to manifest his Presence and Blessings amongst you and to multiply his Mercies unto you and will water you daily with the Dew of Heaven through which you will be kept in the Freshness of the Life of the Blessed Unchangeable Truth for the Lord waits to be Gratious unto all them that wait upon him for the Teachings of his Spirit of Grace and are taught thereby and such he enricheth with the Riches of his Grace through which they live unto him and in that all are a strength one unto another and a Refreshment and Comfort to each other And so my dear Friends In that God Almighty keep you and be with you and water you daily with the Dew of Heaven that you may grow thereby and dwell all in Watchfulness in the Light and keep in the weighty Truth the true Foundation that the Understandings of all may be kept clear and open that none may be beguil'd of their Peace nor Crown of Life And all watch over one another in Love and bear ye one anothers
things were honest and of Good Report and by which the Truth might have been adorn'd how readily would you have been made conformable thereunto though you had deny'd your selves therein And then how did the Blessings of God with Peace and Unity one with another abound amongst you Well I hope and doubt not but that you are still like-minded in the same thing many of you and that you have the same Consolation abounding amongst you But if any be otherwise-minded I would have such know that the Truth is of the same worth as ever it was and of as great price with all who really walk therein as ever it was esteem'd by such and this God shall reveal unto them in his Day And if any retain not their first Love Zeal and Fervency but walk disorderly and not according to the Truth of the Gospel which was preached unto you by us in the beginning I say if we or any other shall walk amongst you not according to that Holy Order of the Gospel by which it may be adorn'd and shall refuse the Admonition of the Spirit of Meekness to be humbled for his disorderly walking have no Fellowship with such a one but let him be accounted as a Heathen and a Publican unto you that God may deal with him for his Iniquity according to his Deserts Yet nevertheless against an Elder receive not an Accusation except it be by the Mouthes of two or three Witnesses that nothing be done but that which may tend to the Edification of all and not to the Destruction of any And farther my Friends If any amongst you shall walk not as becomes the Gospel of Christ nor according to that savoury holy Order that the Truth hath led and doth lead into but by any unsavoury Actions or Motions whatsoever shall vary from the Simplicity and Purity of the Truth yet let not that become a Stumbling-Block unto any nor cause any to fall from the Faith which you have receiv'd and through which you have obtain'd Remission of Sins and Immortal Life For the Unfaithfulness or disorderly walking of some will not be a sufficient Excuse for others in the Day of the Lord when they are called to an account but every one who have tasted of the Power and Love of God and have receiv'd the Gift of his Spirit be faithful thereunto that you may improve your Tallent which is committed to you For every one must give an account for himself unto God and none can excuse you before him therefore I say Look not at the Haltings of others though it should be such who have seem'd to be as Pillers nor think to make that a Plea or an Excuse to decline from the Purity of the Holy Way of the Lord for although that may serve for an Argument amongst men yet that will not serve when God shall come to plead with such before whom all Hearts are open and all things naked and bare and he will give to every one a just Reward according to their Deeds Wherefore I say Let every one have an Eye unto the Lord in all things and mind their own state and how it stands betwixt them and the Lord and that will keep them from looking-out and consulting about the state of others who may vary from the Purity of the Truth for hereby the occasion of stumbling comes unto many But rather let the halting of such be as Dreadful Examples unto you to take Warning by that so you may be kept in Fear and Faithfulness in Watchfulness and Diligence lest you fall into the same Temptation and Snare of the Devil For my Friends Whither can any go to find Life Immortal Consolation and Satisfaction to their Souls if they should forsake the precious Truth of which we have born testimony in the Life and Demonstration of God's Spirit amongst you and through which many of you have found Rest to your Souls after many long and sore Travels Truly there is not another thing that can add unto your everlasting Consolation if once any of you should vary or slip aside from that And this I hope and doubt not but that many or most of you are perswaded and satisfied in Therefore continue therein and therein be unanimous in your Service and Obedience unto the Lord that by him his Good Spirit and Word of Grace you may be established forever And as concerning the state of Marriages You know the comely Order of the Church in the primitive Times before the Apostacy began and how the Apostle said If any be called being Married let him nor seek to be loosed nay though he or she had an Unbelieving Wife or Husband but let the Husband render due Benevolence to the Wife and likewise the Wife to the Husband And further By Commission from God he said Let not the Wife depart from her Husband And so say I unto you in the Name and Fear of the Lord Let none give place in the least to that spirit that would beget Inclinations in the Wife or Husband to depart one from another but let every man have his own Wife and every woman her own Husband For whatsoever Pretence or Covering that spirit that would separate them may come under yet it is a spirit of Fornication and it will lead out of the comely Order into the Disorder and into the Defilements and Pollutions of the World and into a Pit and a Snare And for such things sake the Wrath of God will be reveal'd and he will make such Examples of his Vengeance For as the Apostle said The Wife is bound by the Law so long as her Husband liveth and if she depart from him and Marry another Man she is an Adulteress and a Transgressor of the Law And therefore my dear Friends as I said before In that comely Order in which you may adorn the Gospel and be kept in Favour with the Lord and in Unity and Fellowship one with another in his Spirit of Life let all walk together and in your places and stations where the Lord hath set you and order'd you therein abide with him having the Loins of your Minds girt about with the Truth it self and be zealous for the Honour thereof and keep stedfast therein with the Lord in Fear and Faithfulnes in Fervency and Simplicity all being Examples one to another of Chastity and Holiness and Godliness of Conversation that you may also be as Lights unto the World answering the Witness of God in all that none may have any thing against you nor whereof to accuse you but only concerning your Obedience to the Law of your God then will you have strong Consolation in the Lord and great Boldness and Confidence towards him and also in the sight of all men and the Lord will encrease your Spiritual Substance and will also enlarge your Borders by daily adding to your Number such as shall be saved And so the Everlasting God keep you all and be with and amongst you and cause the plentious
discourag'd because of Tryals and Sufferings and Persecutions nor because of the Frowns of the Enemy for God's Truth neither be Dismayed because of the prosperity of the Wicked whose Day shall pass away swiftly and shall be no more but every one put on Strength and Courage and Boldness in the Name of the Lord and as valiant Souldiers endure Hardship and fight the Good Fight of FAITH and lay holy on Eternal Life for the Lord God Almighty is with us and take our part and he assuredly will fight our Battels for us before whom all the Nations of the Earth are but as the Drop of a Bucket and therefore it s in vain for them to contend with the Almighty who is on our side and is greater in us then he that is in the World whose eternal Glory and Excellency is now revealed Praises and Halelujahs to the Most High forever Wherefore Arise arise thou Seed of the Covenant arise and shine for thy Light is come and the Glory of the Lord is arisen upon thee though the Earth be covered with Darkness and gross Darkness be over the People yet the Lord is become thy Everlasting Light and thy God thy Glory Wherefore shake thy self from the Dust of Earth and put on thy beautiful Garments Oh Jerusalem the holy City for this I testifie in the Name of the Lord That henceforth there shall not come into thee the Uncircumcised nor the Unclean but thou shalt be called the City of God the Place wherein his Honour dwells Wherefore all ye Inhabitants thereof my Fellow Citizens and beloved Brethren and Sisters with whom my Life is bound up and with whom my soul rejoyceth who are surrounded with the great Salvation of God and know it to be the Wall of this Holy City the Gates whereof is Praise and stand open Night and Day though the Unclean cannot enter into it I say unto you all Let the High Praises of God be in your Mouthes and cease not to make mention of the Wonders of the Lord and of his Works which he hath wrought for you and tell of his Goodness and Loving-kindness and speak of his Praises that the Glory of his Appearance in you may be admired amongst the Heathen in this the Day of the Lords Power wherein his Excellency and Majesty is seen of which we are Eye-witnesses and therefore can we not cease to make known his Power and Coming that others also may be turned to the Light of God in them their to wait for his Appearance And though there be a Generation that would have us silenced as the Pharisees would have Christ to rebuke his Disciples when they went Triumphing to Jerusalem and the High Praises of God were in their Mouthes yet they were not to hold their peace but to go on and preach his Name amongst all Nations that People might be turned unto God And though they were again afterwards charged to speak no more in his Name yet they considered That it was better to obey God than Man For they who followed the Lamb were Called and Chosen and Faithful and they loved not their Lives unto the Death but went on boldly preaching in the Name of Jesus not regarding the Threatnings of corrupt Man but had respect unto the Lord above all who is the same at this day as ever he was and his Faithfulness is the same forever unto them that are truly Faithful unto him And his wonderous Works and Majesty and Glory is now seen by us in this our Day even as by them in the dayes of old wherefore let the same Courage Boldness and Faithfulness appear amongst you as was in them though I do not at all upbraid you neither was it in my Heart so to do but as a Brother of the same Root and Off-spring with you who are begotten by the same Word and brought forth by the same eternal Womb which is Holy forever do I exhort you in Bowels of the same tender Love with which our Hearts are filled to continue in Stedfastness hold fast your Integrity in Faithfulness unto the End every one in your several Stations and Callings that you may adorn the Glorious Gospel of Peace and of Salvation that so you dwelling in the Pure Divine Heavenly Power thereby your Lips may be opened and your Mouthes may shew forth his Praise that his Name may be known to be great in the Assemblies of his Saints and in the Congregations of the Righteous that so Nations may be gather'd unto him and Kings unto the Brightness of his Rising that so the Name of the Lord may be spread even to the Ends of the Earth which is now to be exalted above every Name to which every Knee must bow and all Tongues confess Wherefore all you my beloved Friends Brethren and Sisters who are of the Royal Off-spring and of the Holy Seed which is the Heir of the Blessing and Promise of the Father I say unto you all dwell in the feeling of the Immortal Birth every one in your own particulars for therein the Heirship stands and to that the Blessing is sure and as you keep Faithfully joyn'd unto it therein you will know the Heavenly Dominion and Power which goes over the Powers of the Earth and Darkness with which the Earth is cover'd and will give you to see before they were And here the Son is known who was glorified with the Father before the World began and who is the express Image of his Father's Substance and in whom the Fulness of the Godhead dwells and unto whom all Power in Heaven and in Earth is given And this is he who now is come in Power and great Glory of whose Power and Coming you are his Cloud of Witnesses who know the Birth of the Immortal Seed and it is because of this that the Heathen rages and the Nations are angry and therefore do they Revile and Persecute and Smite with the Fist of Wickedness according as it is written He that is born after the Flesh persecutes him that is born after the Spirit And these things they do unto you because they know not him of whose Coming you are Witnesses Nevertheless Dwell ye in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit ye that have the sense and feeling of the working and operating thereof in your inward Parts in any measure and answer the Motions thereof in all things for therein your Peace and Consolation consisteth and your Everlasting Refreshment which none can hinder you of as you obey the Truth according to the Motions of the Spirit of Truth and therein walking you will not fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh but the Cross will be dwelt in and Self-denyal will be known and witnessed and the Power of the Lord will be felt which makes willing to come into the Obedience of the Cross whereby the contrary part will be crucified and mortified and the Old Man will be wholy put off with his Deeds and the New Man put on which is created
of darkness by which all who are guided by it comes to receive power over sin which made a separation between God and you And this is he which the Holy Prophets of God prophesied of in the dayes of old who is given a Light to lighten the Gentiles and for Salvation to the Ends of the Earth And whom Moses said the People should hear and said that he that would not hear this Prophet which the Lord should raise up to wit Christ Jesus the Light of the World Even he should be Cut off from amongst the People and therefore every one you being enlightened with a measure of the Light which comes from this Prophet Christ Jesus by whom the World was made and whom the people is to hearken to it is a thing of concerment to you all to wait to hear his voice who calls your minds out of the vanities of the World and the love thereof that you may hear live and no longer to spend your labour for that which doth not satisfie the soul But to hearken diligently to the Voice of God who is Light that you may come to eat of that which is good and let your Souls delight in fatness and so every out who prizeth the Everlasting Peace and welfare of your Souls beyond the pleasures and delights of the World Return unto him who calls in your minds out of the visible and perishing things of this World and the love thereof and wait to know the Sword of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Prince of Peace to Cut down the Transgressor in every particular of you and to know the Righteous Law of God revealed in you to take hold on the unrighteous Nature which hath led you into Rebellion against God and against his pure witness in you which hath long called for purity and for a holy Life and a godly Conversation that so into purity and holiness you might all come without which none can see the Lord And so they who comes to the Light of Christ in them such comes to that which is pure and holy with which they may come to see God And Friends This is the Word of the Lord God to you all and his Everlasting Counsel to you all who have desires in Truth and Righteousness to walk in the way of Life that you hearken diligently to the Voice of God the Light in every one of your Consciences and to it be obedient at all times in whatsoever it makes manifest to be the mind and Will of God the Father that so his will may be done by you in Earth as it is in Heaven and that your sins and iniquities may be blotted out by him for his own Names sake Who is now arisen for his Glories sake which hath been long trampled upon and for his Seeds sake which hath long cry'd unto him from under the burden of oppression which hath ruled above the pure in every one of you And the Cries and Groanings of the Oppressed hath entered into the Ears of the Lord God of Rest and he is arisen and is zealous for his Glory And in the valley of Judgment will he plead with Egypts King and with all the Host of the Egyptians and by his out-stretched Arm will he bring deliverance unto his own Elect Seed and the Host of the Egyptians will he destroy in the Red-Sea of his Wrath and then shall the Seed rejoyce over its Oppressors And so Friends as you hearken to and obey the Voice of the Lord the Angel of his presence you will see leading you in the way in which he will have you to walk and beware of him and obey his voice for he will not at all pardon your transgressions any more Exod. 23.20 21. But will give a just reward to every one according to their deeds whether they be good or whether they be evil And so that you may come and receive the reward of Everlasting Life which is enjoyed in my Fathers Kingdom Every one be good and faithful Servants and improve your Talents which is committed to you that so when the Lord shall come you may be found doing his will and not your own So shall an enterance be Administred unto you into the Kingdom which is without end where you may feed on the Heavenly Manna and drink of the water of Life out of the Wells of Salvation even abundantly and be filled and your Souls satisfied therewith And so Friends and people arise and come out of Death you that have desires after the way of Life and Salvation Which is now Preached freely and be all obedient to the measure of the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation which hath appeared unto you and believe in the Light which you are enlightned withal for saith Christ I am the Light of the World he that believeth in me shall not abide in darkness but shall have the Light of Life and this is the sure word of Prophesie unto which you do well if you take heed as unto a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts which Star being followed will lead unto the knowledge of the Saviour as it did the wise men who found him lying in a manger for there was no room for him in the Inn because it was full of other guests him that reads let him understand and so when you have found him according to the Angels Inteligence though it be but in a low place in you yet wait to know him to grow in stature and you in him to increase in Wisdom and in Favour with God for truly People no Union nor Fellowship with God can be known by you until you come to be Obedient to the Son of God and to hear him in whom the Father is well pleased and in whom alone we are accepted of God and by whom we have free access to his Throne of Grace where he sits at the Right hand of the Majesty on High Judging and Condemning all who walk contrary to his Light and that disobey the Gospel which is now Preached and justifieth and giveth life unto all that obey and follow him and stand in his Counsel which is the desire of my Soul that you all may do who have desires in the least measure after this Life of Holiness And for your sakes have I written these Lines according as the Lord gave it me by his Spirit Who am a true lover of all your Souls and a Labourer and Traveller for the Seeds sake which is Scattered throughout the Earth That those who are wandering upon the Barron Mountains and in desolate places may be gathered into the Everlasting Rest and Fold of Jesus Christ with me to lie down in peace and safety where none can make us afraid Josiah Coale A SALUTATION TO THE Suffering-Seed OF GOD Wherein the Things are Declared and Signified before-hand that must shortly come to pass DEarly beloved Friends Brethern and Sisters Babes Lambs and Children who
of reputation in the World and seeks the praise of men and the honour of men and not the honour that comes from God only and whatsoever pretence or shew of humility this spirit comes under yet it seeks it self and its own reputation and will admire mens persons for its advantage and will justifie the wicked for reward or for its advantage or to set up and exalt it self and will cry peace to the wicked and ungodly and preach judgement to the righteous And this is the temper of that unrighteous exalted self-seeking spirit where or in whomsoever it gets an entrance as hath been largely made manifest and as by woful experience we have seen Wherefore beware of that spirit and receive it not but deny it for it is not of God but shall fall and wither and come to nought the Lord hath spoken it Wherefore dwell every one in true subjection to the Cross and see that your joy and rejoycing be in that for therein alone is your safety and there you learn of Christ and have and feel the teachings of his good Spirit and this keeps in the true humility which goeth before the true honour and in this you are sensible of the prosperity or going on of the Work of God in you and here you will know a daily weakning of the strength and power of the wicked one whose work is to lead or drive out of the straight pure and holy way into which God hath brought you which leads unto life and so diverting you from this he then leads or drives into exaltation or desperation both which leads to the chambers of death But as you all wait in the true simplicity and in obedience to the Word of Gods Power in your own hearts you will be kept clear in your understandings for as said the Apostle He that heareth the Word of God and doth it not is like unto a man that beholds his natural face in a glass and straightway goeth his way and forgetteth what manner of man he was But be not you forgetful Hearers but Doers of the Word and let it dwell plentifully in you so will you be kept sensible of your state and condition but if you go from that then you lose your fence and underandsting that you had before of the manner of your state and then deadness will grow and carelesness and negligence and thou wilt become dry and barren and unfruitful and so my dear hearts having large experience and being largely sensible of the many wiles subtilties and craftinesses of the wicked one I cannot do less for the love sake which I bear in my heart towards you then to lay these things before you and to re-mind you of them although you have been told of them before yet as the Apostle said I think it meet yea and it is my duty so to do while I remain in this Tabernacle to re-mind you of these things and according to the working of the Power of God and Word of life to stirre you up to watchfulness diligence and obedience knowing that therein your preservation and safety consisteth So dwell and watch in the Light and in the sense and feeling of Gods eternal quickning Spirit of life and in simplicity and true subjection thereunto and there all the snares of the wicked one will be discovered to thee and a Way seen to escape them all so that none will fall therein but be kept by the Power of God in the even pure straight and holy way which is narrow and leads to life eternal and herein is no exaltation nor desperation nor deadness nor dulness of spirit but a diligent and patient witing upon the Lord to receive his Counsels and Instructions in all states straits and tryals whatsoever that may come upon thee for the tryal of thy Faith which is much more pretious then that of gold which perisheth And Friends be nothing terrified nor yet dismayed at the prosperity rage or fury of the wicked for they have their day and their consolation here and when that is over as David said they shall be cut off for their feet are set in slippery places and their Rock is not as our Rock they themselves may be Judges but wait you upon the Lord for the manifestation of his will and give up your selves to do or suffer whatsoever he calls you unto and be you resigned up to be wholly disposed of according to the ordering of his Hand of Love or Arm of Power manifested in his Covenant of Light and follow the Lord Christ your Captain whithersoever he leads you not loving your lives unto the death and as valiant Souldiers endure hardships and continue to the end looking over and beyond all difficulties that may appear in your way and keep your eye upon the mark that stands before and then you will feel forcible drawings in your hearts by the Spirit of the Lord to press on towards it and nothing will be accounted dear to part with for it nor any thing grievous to be born or suffered that in the end thou mayst purchase it but there will be courage and strength sufficient given thee of the Lord to bear all things and endure all things as thou resign'st up thy self unto him and thou wilt have peace with God in thine own heart and conscience in all tryals and in all tribulations and in the end thou wilt have the full desire of thy soul and satisfaction to it and so my love is dear to you all who are Babes in Christ and is largely extended to the whole flock of God in all Countreys Regions and Quarters of the Earth But for your sakes have I chiefly written this Epistle who are young in the Truth and have not so full acquaintance with the workings of Satan and so full a knowledge of the depths of the mystery of iniquity as others have who are of a more full age in the truth and receive this as a Salutation of my dear love to you and a manifestation of my tender care for you and the Lord God Almighty give you wisdom and understanding and discerning that you may chuse the good and refuse the evil and may follow after that above all things which makes for your everlasting peace and happiness Amen Kingston the 25th of the 1st Moneth 1664. I am your dear Brother in the Tribulation and Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ Josiah Coale To the KING AND Both Houses OF PARLIAMENT Who have made Laws and Decrees and caused them to be put in Execution to Restrain and Prohibit People from having the Liberty of their Consciences in the Exercise of the Worship of God This is sent as a Warning from the LORD FRIENDS WHat do you mean by these Practises Or what do you expect to bring to pass by these your Undertakings and Proceedings Do you think thereby to root out the Holy Seed and Royal Off-spring of God which he hath raised and brought forth in these North parts of the World
that the Miracles wrought in the Church of Rome are wrought by the Power of God or how can you distinguish between Miracles wrought by the Power of God and Miracles wrought by the Dragons power Answ I answer we have an infallible way to judge in this particular For all Miracles wrought by the murdering power are not wrought by the Power of God but by the Dragons power for the Dragon that old Serpent who is called the Devil was a Murderer from the beginning but Christ the Power of God is not a murdering power for he came not to destroy mens lives but to save them Luke 9.56 Therefore the Miracles wrought by Christ the Power of God are not wrought by a murdering power But the Miracles of the Church of Rome if now there be any are wrought by a murdering power for the many murders she hath acted sufficiently testifieth to the whole Christendom that a murdering power rules in her By which its clear that the Miracles wrought in the Church of Rome if there be any are wrought by the Dragons power and not by the Power of God So that my judgement concerning the Miracles in the Church of Rome is not harsh but according to the Spirit of Truth and sound Reason Thirdly but for all A. S. in his Epistle Dedicatory hath made such a great noise about Miracles wrought by a Roman Catholick Priest in and about London and Westminster yet when he comes to prove that the Church of Rome is powerful in Miracles then he doth just as much as nothing but takes an easie way to get out from that thing which seemingly he undertook to go thorow with by referring of us for a witness of his Affirmation to nostre dame de Loretto nostre dame de Montague nostre dame de Hall and to the whole World c. Now what a pittiful proof or witness is this which A. S. directs us to For as the Apostles saith the whole World lies in wickedness 1 John 5.19 and wonders after the Beast by whom lying Miracles are wrought Rev. 13.3 So that the Miracles which the World bears witness to are lying Miracles for the World knows not Christ nor his Church 1 Joh. 3.1 by whom true Miracles are wrought for when Christ wrought Miracles amongst the World they did not bear witness to him but said he did it by the Prince of Devils Mat. 9.34 So that the witness that A. S. calls for confirmeth my forementioned Affirmation viz. That the Miracles in the Church of Rome are wrought by the Dragons power in the Beast and false Prophet that the whole World wonders after Fourthly and for nostre dame de Loretto and the rest mentioned they signifie nothing as to our satisfaction in this particular because they are altogether unknown to us neither can we attain to a certain knowledge of them if we would for the information of the Church of Rome is to us no satisfaction so as I said before that A. S. for matter of proving his Affirmation hath done just as much as nothing only made a shew like a Cloud without Rain But methinks if there were so many Miracles wrought daily by a Roman Priest about London c. as A. S. seems to make a noise of he should have instanced some of them particularly for our satisfaction but seeing he hath not instanced any we have just cause to believe that there are none at all Ninthly So to proceed to the ninth part of A. S. his first Argument viz. Out of the True Church none can be saved I answer That thing I do not at all deny for all that are saved are of the true Church but that none can be saved out of the Church of Rome that I do deny for the Church of Rome is not the true Church but the Whore that drinks the Blood of the Saints as afore-proved therefore out of the Church of Rome people may be saved Wherefore let all who expect or desire Salvation make haste out of this great City Babylon And run for your lives towards Jerusalem the holy City the true Church the Lambs Wife in whose Light the Nations of them that are saved must walk Rev. 21.24 lest you perish within the Borders of Babylon whose desolation shall certainly come in one day Yea Death and Mourning and Famine for strong is the Lord who is now arisen and judgeth her The Mystery of the Whore farther discovered Well But if the Church of Rome saith That she doth not drink the blood of the Saints but the blood of Hereticks c. and therefore she is the true Church 1. I answer so or to that effect said the Destroyers and Murderers in all Ages even they that put Christ to death they did it not in their own account as he was the Son of God but as a Blasphemer and the Apostles were persecuted as Spreaders of Heresie and Shedders of Sedition and not as Saints and Servants of the Lord in their Adversaries account Acts 24.5 and thus the murdering persecuting spirit hath in all Ages as at this day sought to shelter it self but this covering must now be ript off for the Power of God is arisen that rends the vail of Darkness and the Day is dawned that makes all things manifest 2. And further If they were Heretick c. whose blood the Church of Rome drinks yet that doth not argue that she is the true Church but the contrary for the true Church did never drink the blood of Hereticks nor persecute any because they were Hereticks but the greatest punishment that ever Christ appointed for Hereticks was that they should account them as Publicans and Heathens Mat. 18.17 3. So its clear that Christ the Power of God and the true Church that had the mind of Christ did never kill nor persecute any because they were Hereticks or did not believe nor yet because after they believed they made shipwrack of faith but laboured in the Spirit of Love and Meekness to restore them and to convince them by sound Doctrine but if they refused to receive admonition or to submit to the Church after due admonition given then they let them receive the punishment aforesaid and refused to have fellowship with them and this was the greatest punishment that ever the true Church inflicted upon any though they were Rebellious and this was the way to make true Believers of people which force and compulsion by penal Laws will never do though its true compulsive Laws may make many of them Hypocrites who fears man more then God but they who fears not man that can kill the body and can do no more but fears the Lord God almighty above all such will not bow to the compulsive Laws of men which violates the righteous Law of God in their own hearts no more then Shadrach Meshach and Abednego would bow to the Image that Nebuchadnezar set up though for their stedfastness they suffer the pangs of death as many of their Predecessors
Hereticks did she Condemn Answ I answer she hath not been in a capacity in her Wilderness-state to hold General Counsels as in the time of her flourishing state yet the mighty God hath alwayes been her wonderful Counsellor Isa 9.6 and the Members of her hath stood in and held to his Counsel according to the manifestation thereof received by them not loving their lives unto death as the Church of Rome well knows who have drunk the blood of many of them or shall know to her sorrow and pangs And as for the true Churches condemning Hereticks the Church of Rome knows that those members of her whose blood she hath drunk did alwayes condemn those Heresies that are healed and the Idolatries acted in the Church of Rome and did always give Testimony against her Superstitious inventions and denied to have Fellowship with her therein and looked upon her as reprobated from the true Faith as Fox his Acts copiously relates and this was a great Condemnation as the Spirit of Christ gave commission to the true Church to pass upon Hereticks Again as to that question viz. What Academies did she erect Answ I answer A people Erecting of Academies is not an Argument sufficient to prove them to be the true Church for what Academies or Universities did the Apostles erect or confirm or attain the Knowledge of God in Was it not the Light that shined in their Hearts that gave them this knowledge 2 Cor. 4.6 And was not this Light the Law that was the Apostles Schoolmaster till Christ Gal. 3.24 And is not the Law which is Light Pro. 6.23 written in the hearts of all people And is it not a sufficient Schoolmaster now to bring people who are taught by it unto the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ as it did the Apostles then What need then is there of erecting Academies for people cannot attain to the Knowledg of God by natural Learning 1 Cor. 1.21 nor thereby be made true Ministers of Jesus Christ Yet I am not against having an outward School-house or some convenient place for the educating or bringing up of children in Natural Learning which is good in its place but that any can thereby be brought to the Knowledge of God or made true Ministers of Jesus Christ that I cannot own Neither was this way of making Ministers by Natural-Learning or setting of them up by man in being untill people had forsaken the right way and went into Cains way and Balaams and then the envy and murder began amongst the profest Christians and then they could not endure sound Doctrine but heapt up to themselves Teachers according to their own hearts lusts who knew nothing but what they knew naturally as bruit Beasts c. and this the Apostle Paul foresaw and wote of to Timothy 2. Tim. 4.3 and Peter prophesied of them also 2 Pet. 2. and John and Jude saw them come 1 John 2.18 Jude 10.11 so that by natural learning and ordination of man no true Minister of Christ was ever made or sent forth but contrariwise the Apostle Paul was made a Minister viz. not of man nor by men nor yet by natural learning but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ Gal. 1.1 so we do not understand that in the Apostles dayes they did erect Accademies or that they had any need of them and indeed I cannot but look upon it as an Ignorant question to be proposed by A. S. upon this account But to his next Query viz. What Churches and Monasteries did she build Answ I answer this is as Ignorant a question as the former and great foolishness to ask what Churches the Church built however this I say they who were Members of the true Church did build up one another in their most holy faith Jude 20. And as for Monasteries or Monk-houses we hear of such thing that was in being in the Apostles dayes neither do we believe that there is any need of them for we do not read in the holy Scriptures that ever the true Church in any Generation built such places but we know that many such places have been erected and built within the borders of the great City Babylon since the Apostacy began and since the right way was forsaken and many other Superstitious inventions and Idolatries as before hinted hath been set up relating to the Beasts and Dragons worship all which God hath determined to throw down and when the Desolation of all these things cometh and the seven Mountains upon which the Whore sits comes to be laid waste according as hath been prophesied in Ages past Isa 42.15 And when the great Whore comes to drink the Cup of Gods fury which is already filled into the hands of the Saints of the most High to pour out unto her Rev. 12. I say then shall she knows that God hath spoken by me and that I have herein declared the Truth according as I received it from and by the Spirit of the Lord. And thus much as to his Queries But then he speaks of another Clear and Easie Way to find out the True Church te try all Churches by the true Catechism and see which of them all sayes it truly believes it rightly c. and that which doth is the true Answ I answer to try all Churches by their Doctrine and Practice and see which is most agreeable to the Principles Doctrines and Practice of the true Church in the Apostles dayes is indeed a way that I do very well approve of and if all controversies betwixt you and us might be decided after this manner laying aside all carnal Weapons carnal Laws Prisons Fires and the like which hath been the Weapons that the Church of Rome hath defended her self with for many Ages past and doth at this day I say then it would be indeed well and we shall be very willing to engage with you with spiritual Weapons bring the best you can form or find out but for carnal Weapons we are redeemed from them and the Weapons of our warfare are spiritual so I say upon equal terms we shall be very willing to dispute the matters with you that are in controversie betwixt us and they who are found either you or us in Doctrine Life and Practice to be most agreeable to the true Church in the primitive times shall be owned and acknowledged to be the true Church now at this day And they who are detected to be in the Steps Practises and Doctrines of them whom the holy Prophets Christ and his Apostles testified against shall be concluded to be the false Church now at this day and upon these termes as I said before we shall be very ready and willing to joyn issue with you at any time or place that you with us shall agree upon And whereas A. S. saith That all the Schismaticks Sectaries and Hereticks in the World cannot truely say that Prayer that Christ taught his Disciples viz. Our Father which art in Heaven c. or
forementioned Scripture by which it is plain that he condemns himself in the things he is doing 5. Again Fifthly he saith That the Spirit of God saith Hear the Church but the spirit of the Devil contradicts and saith Hear not the Church but Christ alone for of Christ saith he it s written This is my beloved Son him hear ye behold the Devil pleads for Christ of purpose to deceive Christions c. Answ To which I answer That I think I need not say much to convince all that reads but A. S. his own words that he is either grosly ignorant or else abominably wilful and wicked for who can believe that the Devil will plead for Christ or perswade people to hear Christ and disswade them from hearing of the Church certainly if he would perswade people to hear the greater he would not disswade them from hearing the lesser And how can people possibly be deceived that hears Christ and obeys him I cannot believe that its the spirit of the Devil that perswades people to hear Christ but rather that its the drawings of the Spirit of the Father that invites them to come unto the Son and to hear him for Christ said None cometh unto me except my Father who hath sent me draw him Joh. 6.44 But A. S. contrariwise in effect saith That the Devil draws people to come unto Christ and to hear him By which he hath manifestly shewed that he is of a contrary spirit unto Christ Therefore A. S. is an Antichrist and one that puts Light for darkness and darkness for light against whom the woe is pronounced Isa 5.20 And although A. S. so much pleads for the Church whom I know all will hear that hears Christ yet upon serious consideration I find its of purpose to deceive Christians and so he hath shewed himself as bad as the Devil he speaks of being found doing the same work of which he seems to accuse the Devil for in his sixth Chapter I find him as afore declared in effect perswading people Not to adhere to the motions of the Spirit of Christ under pretence that they cannot tell whence from God or the Devil it comes or whither to Heaven or Hell it goeth c. And as above he is again perswading people That its a dangerous thing to hear that Spirit that invites them to hear Christ calling it the Devil because it doth not invite them to hear the Church of Rome also But I never read or heard before that any spirit did invite people to hear Christ but the Spirit of the Father and his Spirit said This is my beloved Son him hear ye Mat. 17.5 Therefore that Spirit that invites people to hear the Son of God is not the Devil but the Spirit of the Father and ought to be heard and obeyed by all Sixtly Again S. A. affirmeth that the Spirit of God saith That Carpenters Smiths Masons and other Tradesmen must not meddle with Ecclesiastical things as to Preach or Teach c. But saith he the evil spirit affirmeth the quite contrary by perswading them they may all prophesie one by one But alas then saith A. S. He deceiveth for that place is understood of the real and True Prophets of whose number all the Devils in Hell cannot prove all Tradesmen to be Answ Here A. S. seems to oppose that which for my part I know none affirms for who is there that saith all Tradesmen have the Spirit of Prophesie I know none Yet although all Tradesmen have it not it doth not therefore follow that no Tradesmen have it neither did I ever read that the Spirit of God did forbid Tradesmen to meddle with those things nor doth that Scripture which A. S. quotes confirm any such thing which he affirmes but rather the contrary And we do read in the Scriptures of Truth that Christ did call some of several Tradesmen to Teach the Way of God and to Preach the everlasting Gospel witness St Peter a Fisher-man St Paul a Tent-maker with divers others that might be mentioned so that though all Tradesmen have not the Spirit of Prophesie yet we see that some had and they were not forbidden but commanded to Preach and Teach and therefore they who have the Testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophesie although they be Tradesmen they may Preach and Teach according to the Gift thereof received for the Apostle said Every one as he hath received the Gift of the Spirit so let him administer 1 Pet. 4.10 Seventhly And saith A. S. the Apostle said Women must not speak in the Church but the Devil saith they may For the Scripture averreth saith he That your Sons and Daughters shall Prophesie this Devil deceiveth the Women-Quakers But alas that Scripture was fulfilled in the Apostles and in the true Prophetesses in their times as Anna Luke 2.28 and now is in such as have the True Spirit of Prophesie which Quakers Wives and Daughters can never prove themselves to have Answ Here A. S. hath confessed that there was Prophetesses in the Apostles dayes and that there now is at this day also and the Apostle spake of Women that were helpers with him in the Gospel Phil. 4.3 So then its undeniable that Women did speak and Prophesie and now may though the Apostles did not Permit Busie-bodies and Tattlers to be asking Questions in the Church but said they should ask their Husbands at Home So the thing disputable is whether or no Quakers Wives and Daughters have the true Spirit of Prophesie concerning which I say this The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesie and many Wives and Daughters of the people called Quakers have received the Testimony of Jesus and knows the Life of Jesus manifested in them as by their fruits of Love Meekness Gentleness Patience Long-suffering c. which are fruits of the Spirit doth appear unto those who have a knowledg of them Therefore they have the Spirit of Prophesie And further several of the Wives and Daughters amongst the people called Quakers have Prophesied of the desolation of the great Whore the Church of Rome and when that comes to pass it will be thereby proved that they have the true Spirit of Prophesie and then shall every Tongue confess to it and in the mean time let none speak evil of the things they know not lest they be found fighters against God Eightly Again A. S. saith That the good Spirit saith It is a Religious Act to Swear by God in a Just Cause but the Evil-spirit contradicts for it s written saith he Sware not at all Behold the Puritanism of this impure spirit but alas he deludeth for God expresly commands Jer. 4.2 Thou shalt Swear the Lord liveth in Truth in Judgment and in justice c. Answ I answer although in the Law and Prophets people were commanded to Swear in Truth and Righteousness and to perform their Oaths to the Lord yet Christ the new Covnant whom God promised should not be according to the
the many Writings of his own which remain upon Record will speak forth to those who are of a true spiritual understanding what he was yet notwithstanding all these things were in my mind and divers other Considerations which occasioned me to defer the publication hereof so long as till now yet being I could not be so clear in my duty towards God and my Brother in neglecting to give forth this my Testimony concerning him and in suffering so precious a Testimony as his last was wholly to be put in oblivion I have with freeness and cheerfulness of heart undertaken it And when it pleased God to manifest his Eternal Power in the heart of the aforesaid R. F. it is well known unto many how effectually it wrought in him insomuch that although he was before a man of great abilities and parts and knowledge accounted of among men even excelling many of his equals yet he was content and willing in obedience to the Power of God to become a Fool to the World and to be stript and emptied of his own wisdom and knowledge which stood in the state faln from God and his Power and to suffer the loss of all worldly reputation and favour and the pleasures and delights thereof that he might win Christ Jesus and be found his Servant clothed with the Righteousness of Faith preferring the simplicity that is in Christ beyond all worldly wisdom and honour whatsoever and his Sufferings for the sake of Christ beyond all worldly reputation and so great was the change that was wrought it him that he became a wonder amongst many and the Word of God and his Power was great and mighty in him and through him in which he was sent forth by the Lord who had manifested himself unto him to preach the Everlasting Gospel to the Poor and to declare of that great Power of God of which he was made a Witness and of the Effects of its operation and so powerfull was his Message and Testimony that many were begotten into a firm belief thereof and believing the Report were turned from Darkness to the Light of Jesus with which they were enlightned and from Sathans power unto the Power of God which wrought mightily in their hearts to the changing of their minds and affections from things that are below towards things that are above all that is fading and corruptible and to the bringing of Life and Immortality to light in them And although they were atttended with many foul temptations because of their obedience to the Truth and Light of the Spirit of Grace and brought in many distresses in their passage from Death unto Life yet was he so experienced in the Depths and Subtilties of Sathan and also in the Dealings and Goodness of God in such conditions and estates that he had obtained the tongue of the Learned and could as oft times he did speak words in Season to the strengthning of the weak and refreshing of the weary and to the reviving of that which was near ready to faint So that he was in the Lords Hand even as a Father to the fatherless and as eyes to the Blind and feet to the lame and the eye that truly saw him blessed hm and the ear that heard him gave witness unto him for through the Power of God which enabled him he delivered the Poor and the needy and built up many that believed in their most precious Faith and confirmed them therein And went about from place to place through the Land of his Nativity turning many from Darkness to Light and confirming the Churches and doing good And his Service was very great for the Lord in his day for he was so furnished with Heavenly Wisdom and Understanding through the Grace of God and also so seasoned thereby that his Patience Meekness and Humility exceeded many And although God had so endued him with Heavenly Vertues and Abilities exceeding many yet was he not pufft up therewith neither sought to exercise Lordship over those that were weaker and younger then himself but gave place unto any that had the least Gift of God to exercise so that through the Spirit of Meekness and Humility with which he was adorned he was exceeding lovely and beautiful and the hearts and souls of many were affected therewith who in simplicity thirsted after Righteousness and such waited for him as for the Rain upon whom his Doctrine so dropped Yet nevertheless he was terrible to the Worker of Iniquity and the Sword of his Mouth was very sharp for the Word of God was therein and when he had to do with any who opposed the Truth and Way of Life and Salvation which we profess and walk in as oft-times he had his Weapon was very sharp to them and they were not able to resist the Wisdom of the Spirit by which he spoke for thereby he confounded their wisdom and broke their Weapons in pieces so that they were oft ready to Blaspheme God because of the plague that it was to them and a Conqueror he was over the Beast and false Prophet against whom he made War in Righteousness in and though the Power of the Lamb in whose Spirit he finished his Testimony and Course in the Faith And as the Enemies of the Truth of God were many and in divers shapes that this valiant Souldiers of the Lamb had to encounter withal so he was alwayes furnished with Armor and Weapons fit for the Work and Service in which he was exercised by which he was enabled to encounter with and Conquer all But at last that his Armor and Weapons might be proved to be sufficient to encounter with the Enemy of Truth in all kind of Appearances and Transformations it was his lot with me and divers others of the Servants of the Lord to be engaged against the Enemy of Truth who had transformed himself into the likeness of an Angel of Light and under a seeming pretence of appearing on the behalf of God and his Cause c. and against Formality and Traditions begun strongly to oppose the Truth of God and the Ministry thereof in and through his Servants and Messengers who have approved themselves as the Ministers of God and as his Embassadors and to cry against our Assemblies and manner of Worship and our Exercise therein as only Formal in which we have always found the glorious Presence Power and Majesty of the Lord amongst us refreshing comforting and strengthening of us even according as our Hearts Souls can or could desire so that we were engaged to justifie the Lord in opposition to that gainsaying spirit of delusion by which many were beguiled led away after Satan to their hurt And in our Testimony for the Lord and against that self-separating gainsaying Spirit the Power of the Lord did greatly accompany and assist us and was as greatly with us as in any service that he had called us unto The sincere and upright in heart who have kept their first Love and their first Faith
are Witnesses of it and how in Love we laboured for the restoration of those who were beguiled through the craft of the Enemy and for the preservation of those who hitherto have escaped his Snare that is well known to many witnesses But if none were sensible of it the Lord he knows and is Witness that in sincerity of heart in the Name of the Lord towards God and his People we were exercised and in our Labour and Travel for them the Blessings of the Lord and his Peace and the comfort of his Spirit did possess and fill our hearts beyond the understanding of the World although many towards whom we were so in love exercised could not believe but some withstood our Testimony and kicked against it in their hearts and resisted the Counsel of God against themselves to the grief and sorrow of our hearts Therefore it pleased the Lord in Love Mercy and good Will to his Servant my dear Brother R. F. that his Travels Burdens and grievous Sufferings might be put to an end and that our testimony for the Lord might be sealed with the Life of his Servant against that Antichristian intruding Spirit of Opposition which laboured to intrude its self into the Church to sit as Ruler and Judge there I say for these causes and for none contrary hereunto it pleased God to visit my dear Brother R. F. and to take him out of the Body at which I perceive some who are ignorant of what the Lord intended thereby have rejoyced But let such know that they have made a wrong application of the dealing of the Lord therein by which they have hardned themselves instead of being humbled through that which was ordered of God for their humiliation and good and if possible that such may yet see and turn to the flock of the Companions of Christ And also that the flocks who are and have remained in the true Fold may be refreshed thereby I shall here insert the Last Testimony of the aforesaid R. F. which was given by him a very short space before his departure out of the Body in the presence of several good Friends at which time in the Name Strength and Power of God he was moved to sit up in his Bed and spake concerning the Love of God and concerning our Testimony against the aforesaid Antichristian intruding factious spirit with as much strength Power and freeness of spirit as at any time he had done in the time of his outward health Whose words were as followeth Friends God hath been mightily with me and hath stood by me at this time and his Power and presence hath accompanied me all along though some think that I am under a Cloud for something but God hath appeared for the owning of our Testimony and hath broken in upon me as a flood and I am filled with his Love more than I am able to express and God is really appeared for us If God himself had come down and spoken as a man he could not have spoke more clearer to us than he hath done by the many Testimonies from Heaven in his People concerning this thing Therefore I beseech you Friends here of this City of London whether I live or dye be you faithful to your Testimony which God hath committed to you and as it ariseth in your hearts be faithful to the Lord therein After which he was silent for a little season and then his Mouth was again opened in the Name and Power of the Lord even as before and he spake very preciously unto Friends concerning the things before mentioned testifying of the greatness of the Love and Power of God of which he was made partaker and which he then felt and of the preciousness of the Truth which he had with us born witness of and exhorted them to faithfulness and stedfastness therein and to singleness that nothing might be suffered to creep in of another nature to intermix therewith saying No Linsy-woolsy Garment must be worn c. with much more to that effect which cannot be remembred And having thus given his last Testimony as a Seal unto all the former Testimonies which he had given for the Lord and on his behalf in about two or three Hours time after being filled with the Peace and Love of God beyond declaring as himself signified he departed this Life even like a Lamb and Slept with his Fathers and Brethren and is entred into everlasting rest with the Lord. And this may serve also as a sufficient Testimony to stop the Mouths of all who vaunt themselves in his death as though he had been taken away in Judgment and Displeasure of the Lord because of his appearing on the behalf of God against that Antichristian spirit of opposition which contends against our Meetings and Preaching and the manner of our exercise in the Worship of God as Formal c. And let such know that if his being removed prove a Judgment unto any it will be to them who rejected the Mercies of God by him tendred to them and have thereby hardned themselves against the Lord and his Servants and have made a wrong application of the dealings of the Lord with his Servant even as those who know not the purpose of God therein and so have shewed themselves not to be the Friends of God as Abraham was from whom God did not hide the thing that he intended but let such yet repent if a place can be found for them And so let all my dear friends every where who believe in the Light of Jesus and who have tasted of the Love Goodness and Power of God dwell in the sence and feeling of his Love and Power and let nothing divert or turn aside the minds of any from persevering in that pure holy way of Life which they are called to walk in and in which the daily renewings of the peace and good will of God is witnessed neither let any be slack or remiss in performing that ancient godly Christian practice of Assembling your selves together in the Name and Fear of the Lord forasmuch as ye know the exceeding benefit and advantage that ye have received thereby because of the Lords Appearance amongst us who acording to his Promise hath not failed us unto this day but his Name and Power hath been great amongst us and still is opening the mysteries of his Kingdom and revealing of the vertue of his Life in our Hearts and Souls by his own Spirit to our great refreshment and comfort so that we have not at any time been sent empty away who have in sincerity thirsted after him and in faithfulness waited for his Appearance which is sufficient to encourage all to persevere in that godly practise of meeting together with all integrity without wavering And forasmuch as our assembling together at this day is the great thing that the Enemy of Truth strikes at in all his Instruments of all kinds in which he appears against us it behoves all to stand and be faithful
primative Christians were taught as by a standing Rule according to which they walked And by which through Faith they were saved as the Apostle testified Eph. 2.8 though many turned from this Grace into Wantonness and did dispite to the Spirit thereof as they do at this day And those are they that Rebel against the Light wherewith every one is enlightned and labours to render it insufficient to save not considering that this is that Grace that hath appeared to all and by which they were saved and which God said unto Paul was Sufficient for him and so they trample under foot that blood of the everlasting Covenant which is Drink indeed by which they that walk in the Light are clensed from all sin But then he saith in page 68. There is an Objection brought against him from 2 Cor. 5. where Paul saith Though he had known Christ after the Flesh yet henceforth know I him so no more But in page 70. he saith The Apostle is so far from denying to know Christ in a Body of Flesh though Glorified that he doth affirm the same to the Church of the Ephesians Eph. 5.30 where he saith We are Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone but saith he the Apostle did not intend to know Christ in the Flesh attended with all those Infirmities as he was subject to in his suffering Estate Answ If by the Body of Flesh that Christ had he means the Church which the Apostle speaks of which was the Body of which Christ the Power and Word was Head and they Members of then I am one with him for his having that Body after his Ascention I never denyed nor intend to do so but that Body could not be call'd the Saviour for Christ was the Saviour of that Body of which they were Members was yet on Earth And the Apostle was not without expectation of the same Sufferings in measure to attend Christ in those Members of his Body as had attended him before for in Col. 1.24 he saith thus Who now Rejoyce in my Suffering for you and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his Body's sake which is the Church by which it appears that Afflictions did still attend those Members of Christ's Body who as J. N. confesseth was Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone And such a Body we own Christ had after his Ascension and still hath though not free as yet from suffering Afflictions yet his Body shall be fashioned like unto his glorious Body which is not so confined as he vainly imagins they were Flesh of his Flesh c. This doth not in the least prove that Christ is not in man but rather the contrary for can it be rationally concluded that he should be at a distance from the Members of his own Body No certainly If the Body be divided from the Head it is no more a perfect Body but dead Members So that Christ the Head the Quickening Spirit having men to be Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bone we may rationally conclude if we had no other Evidence That he is not at a distance from his Body but present with them and therefore in them as himself said Joh. 14.17 He is with you and shall be in you And in verse 20. At that day you shall know that I am in my Father Mark in the Bosom of the Father and you in me and I in you Well Reader There are many things remaining in this Book of J. N's concerning Christ's being in man and also out of him to which an Answer might be return'd to manifest his Ignorance and Confusion which for brevity-sake I shall omit for it would fill too large a Volumn to publish to the World at this time especially because those same things have been answer'd by us again again yet I cannot well but observe some few things more that his Confusion and Opposing of himself may further appear Concerning the Spirit 's Guidance IN pag. 84. speaking of the Spirit being given to the Saints he saith It is of the same Beeing of the Father and Son and also of the same Nature Power and Tendency of both And in pag. 54. he said ' That Spirit is God Answ If the Spirit given to the Saints be of the same Beeing of the Father and Son as J. N. in this place truly affirmeth then it is of the same Substance of the Father and Son for the same Beeing is the same Substance and the same Substance or Beeing is not divided into several Beeings therefore if the Spirit which is of the same Beeing of the Father and Son be in man then the Father and Son is according to the measure thereof in men also And herein J. N. hath contradicted his own sayings in pag. 78. where he tells us of a distinct Beeing of God and Christ out of all men For if a part of the same Beeing of them be in man how can it rationally be concluded that they are a distinct Beeing from their own Beeing in Man Mark Reader I would not be mistaken but rightly understood in this matter it being a matter of the greatest weight and moment I do not oppose the Beeing of God and Christ out of man in the highest Heavens nor in the lowest Hell because Infinite and Incorruptible but his so being distinct as to exclude his Nature and Presence from man thereby denying his In-dwelling is the thing which I oppose and which J. N. hath confounded himself about because the Beeing of God who is a Spirit and Christ who is the Quickening Spirit cannot be divided and J. N. in pag. 62. also saith Christ cannot be divided And the Spirit of God which is in man being of the same Beeing or Substance with the Father and Son All which is that Infinite Beeing or Substance which the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain it cannot be said they have not a Beeing in man but a measure of the same Beeing or Substance which is not divided ought as properly to said in man as in the highest Heavens And this is that God who is Light 1 Joh. 1.5 who is in all through all and over all blessed forever whom the World by wisdom can never attain to the knowledg of Again If the Spirit be God as J. N. in pag. 54. affirms which is certainly true because God is a Spirit and the Spirit be in the Saints and in Man leading into his most holy Will as J. N. also confesseth in pag. 77 84. Then how can it be said That God that fills Heaven and Earth who is a Spirit dwells not in man as he elsewhere saith Unless he will conclude the Spirit of God to be divided into several Beeings which cannot be therefore his Beeing is not only afar off but near at hand even in man but that lofty One that dwells in the high and holy place is known also with him that is poor c. and his
And whereas he saith Let us labour with God for his blessed Spirit to guide us in all Truth He therein seems to own Truth to be a Mystery within also for if the Spirit be to be receiv'd it must be within and the Spirit is Truth because as J. N. elsewhere confesseth It is of the same beeing nature power and tendency with God who is Truth and with Christ who is the Truth And the Spirit is the Unction which was received from the Holy One which was True and not a Lye so here he seems to own Truth a Mystery within the Spirit being Mystery which before he said was contrary to Truth 's Intent and thus his Confusion appears from time to time And moreover if in such a dangerous time as he supposes this to be the Spirit be the only Thing to be labour'd for as a Guide to lead in all Truth wherefore then does he so much cry against the Quakers whose Principle it is and also their Practice To labour with people to wait for the Spirit 's Operation that by it as the most certain Guide they may be led into all Truth Hath he not also oppos'd himself hereby who not long before asserted the Scriptures to be the only Rule which do but testifie of the Spirit which now he would have people labour for as a Guide in all Truth which indeed is the only Guide without which the Scriptures cannot be known because they are things of God and the things of God know no man but the Spirit of God and he to whom the Spirit of God reveals them And he saith Let us not be hasty to receive an Opinion before we have weighed the same by the Law and Testimony seeing there are many false spirits gone out into the world Answ That there are many false spirits gone out into the World I grant and that is a false babilonish spirit that contradicts it self as the spirit of J.N. has done as before shew'd And that is the true Spirit of Grace which teacheth to live God-like in this present World but that which leads into Confusion is not God-like but such is the spirit of J.N. therefore not to be receiv'd And that all Opinions and Spirits are to be try'd by the Law and Testimony I own but what is this Law and Testimony is it not the Light and Spirit in the inward parts for Solomon said The Law is Light and the Angel said The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesie Pro. 6.23 Rev. 19.11 So here is the Law and Testimony declar'd which I dare say J.N. never intended to direct people to as a Touch-stone to try Opinions by as he call them And is not this Light the Law of the Spirit which the Apostle speaks of and which he sometimes called The perfect Law of Liberty Jam. 1.25 And by this Law indeed Paul said He was set free from the Law of sin and death So as the Prophet said Let all to the Law and to the Testimony or as the Apostle said Look into the perfect Law of Liberty the Law of the Spirit or Light thereof in the inward parts for this is that perfect Rule that leads in the Way in which a Wayfaring-man though a Fool cannot err And without this there are none able to understand the Scriptures nor to practise them because of our selves we can do nothing yet we are willing to having our Doctrines Principles and Practices try'd by the Scriptures of Truth But then saith J.N. the most dangerous spirit is this that draws all the Happiness of this Life and that which is to come into man and finishes all the Glory of man at the brink of the Grave Answ If by the Glory of man he means the Glory of Man as simply a Creature then I do say all that is to be finish'd at the brink of the Grave for it s but the glory of Flesh which as the Flower of the Grass passeth away But if by the Glory of man he means that which the Wise in Heart shall inherit Prov. 3.35 and which is the Reward of those before whom the Righteousness of God goeth then I know none except Athiests and Ranters that affirm or assert any such thing and I say also that is the most dangerous spirit of all and to be shun'd by all But that spirit which would keep people out of an Expectation of seeing and beholding that Glory that is endless while on this side the Grave is not much inferior as to the Ill-consequences of it to the other for that would deprive people of the chief Happiness of this Life and of the happy Enjoyment of that Glory which their Peace and Joy is full of in believing while they remain on this side the Grave and may also endanger to deprive them of the enjoyment of that which is to be receiv'd in the Life that is to come For if the Earnest of the incorruptible Inheritance which is a part thereof be not receiv'd in this Life what true Comfort can there be enjoy'd in this Life So then that Spirit of Grace or Word of Grace which manifests its Light and Strength in the Inward Parts by its own Operation for the begetting of Faith in and concerning it self in all that hear and receive it this I say is not to be shunn'd but adhered unto by all as unto the Author of true Faith seeing Faith cometh by Hearing and hearing by the Word of God and the Word is nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth Rom. 10.17 and the Spirit is in the inward parts which with the Word is one by which Faith is given And all that hear this Word and obey this Spirit of Faith shall doubtless behold the Glory of the Word as the Apostles did even as the Glory of the only Begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth and shall doubtless know that Faith in which is Peace and Joy unspeakable and full of Glory and this will be unto them an Earnest of the Everlasting Inheritance that never fades by which they will be assured of the full Possession thereof when time shall be no more And thus having examin'd the principal matters in this Book viz. Concerning the Scriptures being the Word of God and the perfect Rule and the sad Consequences which he saith will follow the denying of them so to be and concerning Christ being the Word really so and as he saith but comparatively so and concerning Christ being a Saviour as he is God or a Saviour only as he hath a Body of Flesh and concerning his being in Heaven with the Father at his Right-hand and his being in man really so I say having gone through with these things and spoken as to them I shall leave them to the Judgement of the Judicious Reader desiring of God by his own Spirit to give a right Understanding unto all that desire after him that they may know him that is true to be manifested in them that they may by his spirit be baptized into him to live and have their Beeing in him that so they may understand the things that appertain to his Kingdom and to their own everlasting Peace that in the Faith of the Unchangable Truth they may stand as Mount Sion that cannot be moved And the rest of his Book consisting of a large pretended Answer to six Queries that were sent to him by a certain Person whom I do not well know I shall not much concern my self therein at this time though I do acknowledge that divers things therein contained do concern the Truth which I profess and therein I am concerned but it consists chiefly of things that I have already spoken to so that what I have written may serve for an Answer to all for it would be superfluous to reiterate that which in substance I have already gone over J. C. A TESTIMONY Concerning LODOWICK MUGGLETON FOR as much as I have been informed That Lodowick Muggleton hath vaunted concerning my departure out of the Body because of his pretended Sentence of Damnation given against me I am moved to leave this Testimony concerning him behind me viz. That he is a Son of Darkness and a Co-Worker with the Prince of the Bottomless Pit in which his Inheritance shall be forever And the Judgment I passed on him when with him stands seal'd by the Spirit of the Lord by which I then declar'd unto him That in the Name of that God that spanneth the Heaven with his Span and measureth the Waters in the hollow of his Hand I bind thee here on Earth and thou art bound in Heaven and in the Chain under Darkness to the Judgment of the great Day thou shalt be reserved and thy faith and strength thou boastest of I defie and trample under Foot And I do hereby further declare the said Lodowick to be a false Prophet in what he said to me at that time who told me That from henceforth I should be always in fear of Damnation which should be a Sign to me that I was damned which Fear I was never in since so that his Sign given by himself did not follow his Prophesie which sufficiently declares him to be a false Prophet Josiah Coale What Josiah Coale spake a little time before he died to Friends that were about him WEll Friends Be faithful to God and have a single Eye to his glory and seek nothing for self or your own glory and if any thing arise judge it down by the Power of the Lord God that so you may be clear in his Sight and answer his Witness in all People then will you have the Reward of LIFE For my part I have walked in Faithfulness with the Lord and I have Peace with the Lord and his Majesty is with me and his Crown of Life is upon me So mind my Love to all Friends Then he ceased speaking After he spake to S. C. saying Dear Heart keep low in the Holy Seed of God that will be thy Crown He said after A minister of Christ must walk as he walked THE END