that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God-in him herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgement because as he is so are we in this world 1 John 4.16 17. 10. We love him because he first loved us and manifested his love to us to beget our hearts and souls to love and obey him and this commandment have we from him that he who loveth God loveth his brother also vers 19 20. 11. By this we know we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments for this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous to such as are born of God for whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our saith 1 Joh. 5.2 3 4. 12. Who is he that overcometh the world but he that is born of God 1 Joh. 5.5 6. Joh. 3.5 6 7 8 of water and the Spirit not after the flesh nor after the will of man but after the spirit and according to the will of God Joh. 1. but as many as received him to them he gave powers to become the sons of God even to â—hem that believe on his name which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of men but of God Joh. 1.12 13. and such as are born of God are in the life of faith known the witnesses and he that Believeth â—n the Son of God and is of that birth hath the witness within and the record is there known and witnessed in the life eternal and we do through the mercies of God know the teachings and workings of Gods holy Spirit within us witnessing the faith and the birth and we do not believe and love one another only but we know that the Son of God is come also and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and as they was and said so do we and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is true God and life eternal and no delusion nor deceit but according to the teachings and workings of the spirit of truth and witnessed to by the Scriptures and the servants of truth 1 Ioh. 5.10 11 12. 20. and friends and brethren who are out of the envy and hatred in the divine love and so out of the old life in the new passed by the Lord. Page 28. And where thou sayes They are under the great bondage and slavery which is laid upon them by Satan who captivates them at his will Reply Then it is by the Satanical Ministers and tything and hierling Priests that bondage and bring into prisons for speaking the truth and declaring against their false Antichristian Ministery The servants of Christs bondage by the Ministers of Antichrist as many by their means hath so been brought into bondage and outward imprisonment and could not have liberty to declare and spread abroad the truth because Satan in and by his false deceitful Ministers caused some to be laid hold on and put into prison and thereby acting the divels part brought some into bondage which by the devil in his Antichristian Ministers were laid upon even such servants of God as were Antichrists opposers and so that Scripture were fulfilled where it is said the devil shall cast some of you into prison and ye shall have tribulation for a tâ—me and so the devils Ministers hath in that acted their part to bring into bondage the servants of the Lord take notice or that ye Satanical persecuring Antichristian Ministers who bondage and imprison the servants of the Lord and you that are by them so imprisoned be faithful unto death and you will receive the crown of life Head Rev. 2.10 And whereas thou says They are made to suffer more cruel and heavy burthens then she Israelites under Pharaon in Egypt Page 28. Reply Then it is by the Satanical Priests and Antichristian Ministers as before and not onely by our bonds and imprisonments but also by causing them to pay the tenths of their yeerly increase of hey and corn The tithing and hireling-Priests false Antichristian Ministers are cruel oppressors of the people of God as Pharaoh was and tithe lamb and wooll money for Marâ—â— and foals money for kine and calves money for eggs and smoak passing the chimmeys and their geese and piggs tithe hemp and flax tithe apples and cherries Easter reckonings and Midsummer dues as they call them and causeth such to pay those things to whom they do no service except to revile them and â—ail against them and such as cannot for conscience sake towards God pay these demands to uphold an Antichristian Ministry captivates or imprisons them at his will and thus they suffer more cruel burthens by them then Israel did by Pharaoh for I do not read that ever Pharaoh did after that manner therefore you Antichristian Ministers be ashamed of your Ministery Page 40. And thou thy self saith in Page 40. That They forsake father and mother wife and children for Christs sake and they endure much affliction persecution opposition and disgrace from the men of the world c. Reply By that thou hast proved them to be none of the world but such as love Christ above all Mat. 10. 37 c Luk. 9.23 c. and art thou offended and all this while slandering and reviling them for their love they bear to Christ by doing his will and following him according to Gospel discipline The people and servants of Christ suffers affliction persecution and reproach from the men of the world for the love they have to Christ by following him and doing his will and reproving of sin rule and doctrine and so suffers for his names sake as such aforetimes did that believed loved obeyed and followed him and it is the portion from the world that His must eâ—pect to be afflicted persecuted and suffer reproach which thou calles disgrace from the men of the world and so here thou hast cleered them to be the chosen people of God that are chosen out of the world to suffer for Christs sake as they do and by this thou hast also cleared thy self to be none of the friends and disciples of Christ but one of the world for they are reproached and slandered by thee and so by the world and therefore thou lovest them not because they are not of the world and makes good the Scripture and saying of Christ who said to his If the world hate you ye know it hated me and so thou hates his and therefore hates him and saith he to his if ye were of the world the world would love its own but thou loves not us because we are not of the world but are chosen out of the world to declare against the evil of it and therefore thou art offended but we must do the will of the Lord and
do not hate our Brethren then thy necessity is taken away and we shall not be under delusion nor a deceaved People neither will the Apostle John render us to be so but on the contrary witnesse with us to be the children of thâ— Lord and Friends and Brethren in Christ and so we are shall thereby be cleared for what thou falsely would charge upon us and doth slander us withall But we whom thou calls Quakers and reviles under that name we know that we are the servants of God and bought with a Price and being called in the Lord we are his free men and so we Reckon our selves also to be Brethren and not the servants of men but of God abiding with him in that calling wherein we are called 1 Cor. 7.22 23 24. and so let every one abide in the same calling wherein he is called of the Lord ver 20. and serve him in what he requires Presenting also their body as a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is their reasonable service Roman 12. and being born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible seeing we have purified our souls in obedience to the Truth through the Spirit we love one another with a pure heart servently according to the Gospell discipline Rule fellowship and doctrine as such did who were of that Birth and Seed 1 Pet. 1 22 23. and so we witnesse as such did that he who sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are of him and he is not ashamed to call them his Brethren Hebr. 2.11 12. and we being so born sanctified and taught we Reckon such as are of that Seed and Birth in the Sanctification to be also our Brethren and we do not hate but dearly tender and love them and we also reckon that the suffering condition is not to be compared to the Glory revealed within by comming through the suffering Rom. 8.14 15 16 17 18. and we know that our brethren before who were led by the Spirit did also witnesse the same and we know moreover as the sufferings of Christ do abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ Praised be the Lord for the Riches of his Love 2 Cor. 1.5 1 John 3. Then it being that we are of the New Birth in the calling and brother-hood and have acknowledged witnessed that we are Servants of God and Brethren in and by Christ and that we do not hate but love our brethren it must needs be that we are not under any delusion according also to thy saying E. S. Being proved and tried and back-returned thy fallacy taken away and truth set up in its place and therefore thou being sound the subtil Serpent with thy sting in thy tail and envie and hatred thou al false accusers of the innocent are the deluders and in the delusions and wretchednesse thou speaks of and now that we are cleared from thy slanders and thou found the envier and hater and such in the nature the Apostle Johns words witnesseth for us and against such as you are that are in the envie and evil committing sin and so serving the Devil take notice of that and also read 1 John 3.15 and 1 John 3.8 10. It followes from Edmund Skips words that we a People whom he calls Quakers being servants of Christ and brethren not hating but loving our brethren that we are under no delusion nor guided by aspirit of Antichrist c. But we whom he calls Quakers are servants of Christ and brethren and also do not hate but love our Brethren therefore according to that we a People whom Edmond Skip calls Quakers are not deluders nor under delusion c. take notice of that Friends and Christ who are of the Royall Seed and new Birth are set forth and manifested to be the Children and servants of God by their Love to him and one to another that are if the same spirituall Birth and in Vnion with him in the pure divine Light Life and Love Or Some Rules of Love whereby the Children of God are known to to love God and also to Live one another and also of Johns words to witnesse for the Truth Johns words witnesse for the Righteous seed such as are born again are of that seed and sons of God so brethren in Christ who lives in the divine light Life and Love and we may cry out with admiration that are of that Seed and in the divine Love and say with John and John with the righteous Seed who sald First Behold what manner of Love is this that the Father hath bestowed on us that we should be called the Sons of God therefore the World knoweth us not because it knew him not 1 John 3 1 2. Secondly And saith he ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins and we know the same and in him is no sin at all whosoever abideth in him sinneth not 1 John 3.5 6. Then Thirdly little Children let no man deceive you he that doth Righteousnesse is Righteous even as he is Righteous and whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed Remaineth in him so saith the holy Ghost and he cannot sin because he is born of God 1 John 3 7 and 9. Fourthly Therefore Marvell not my Brethren if the World hate you it is but what the Lord Jesus foretold of to his John 15.18 19 20 21. and we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the Brethren 1 John 3.13 14. Fiftly Now my litle Children let us not love in Word neither in Tongue but indeed and in Truth and thereby we know that we are of the Truth and shall asure our Hearts before Him â— John 3. ver 18 19. Sixtly This is His Commandement that we should beleeve on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandment and he that keepeth his commandment dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us 1 Joh. 3.23 24. 7. In this was manifested the love of God to us whom the world now reproacheth for his names sake c. because that God sent his onely begotten Son into the world that we might live through him and herein is love not that we first loved God but that he first loved us and sent his Son to teach us and guide us Joh. 8.12 and to be the propitiation for our sins who being children have them forgiven 1 Joh. 2 1â— And now beloved if God so loved us it is our duty and we ought also to love one another for God is love and if with his love we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us 1 Joh. â— 9 10 11 12. 8. Hereby know we that we dwell in him because he hath given us of his spirit vers 13. 9. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us God is Love and he
ANTICHRISTS MAN of VVAR Apprehended and encountred withal by a Souldier of the Armie of the Lamb. OTHERWISE An Answer to a Book set forth by one that subscribes his name Edmund Skipp Preacher of the Gospel as he saith to a people at Bodenham in Herefordshire but is found one that is acting Antichrists part disguised but nakedly seen herein discovered in this Answer to his Book called the Worlds Wonder or the Quakers Blazing-Starre And in this Answer he is discovered and proved to be one that is chief in the service of the old Dragon who pretends in his Book to discover the mystery of the Quakers as he calls them and to lay open a dangerous design who is found out that whilst he hath been pretending to be chief in discovering a Plot or Antichrists misterious actings is found himself to be the chief plotter by a Satanical spirit disguised and in the transformings of Antichrist deep in the mystery which he pretended to disdiscover but is here apprehended and taken and also encountered withal as the wise-hearted in the reading with a pure understanding may see and so this may prove to be a means of a greater downfal of Antichrists Kingdom and for the furthering of the truth and setting up of purity in its right place and by this Truth and Error may be clearly known asunder that deceit may thereby be forsaken and Truth embraced and received as it is in Life and Power in the Lord Jesus who hath said Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free Iohn 8.32 Written in Worcestershire by a servant of the Lord the second Moneth called April 1655. LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-Spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1655. To my Friends and Wel-wishers that desire the welfare of Sion and prosperity of Jerusalem and to all who suffers reproaches and are reviled for righteousness sake in Hereford-shire Worcestershire Warwick-shire and elsewhere under the nick-name of Quakers THe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Bless Preserve and keep you in your faithfulness and obedience to Himself and in your diligent watchfulness and circumspect walking blamelessly before him and lovingly one to another and the Lord God of life and power settle you and establish you by his eternal spirit in the life and Power of Truth that you may walk before him in love and grow up into the pure divine excelency that you may be able to comprehend with all Saints to know what is the heighth and depth and length and bredth of the love of God that you may be comprehended into the infinitness of His incomprehensibleness and be as a peculiar people to bring praise to the Lord and if you be reproached and reviled and persecuted for righteousness sake happy are you reioyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward Dear hearts you that are so accused and slandered by the Serpent and his seed walk in wisdom and blamelesly and you will feel the pure Joy spring up into your souls to fill your understandings Oh! be faithful to the Lord and valiant for the truth that as Antichrist bestirs himself seeking to prop and uphold his Kingdom and to cast out revilings and false accusations as a mighty floud so you may be watchful over him in every place and resist him in the Faith and be able to stand in the gaps and so be keptsafe and be ready to make war against the Dragon that in the Lords strength you may be Crowned with victory and be made to triumph in His strength and all wait in the measure of the grace of God to receive wisdom from above and to be filled with the riches of the grace of God and so every one to walk as you have received the Lord Jesus rooted and grounded in him that the Eternal may rule in you all that you may be made valiant Souldiers to follow the Lamb and fear not the rage nor cruelty of the old Dragon but stand in the pure Being and so as you abide in the measure of the grace of God received you will grow strong and valiant in the Lord and be able to pass over the deceived and to withstand the Deceiver For greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world 1 John 2 24. So I am with you in the divine Being of love and you may read my name in the Book of life One who suffers with you for the Testimony of the Truth of our Lord Jesus Christ and reproached as you are by the name of Quakers R. F. Antichrists Man of War apprehended c. OR A Reply to Edmund Skipp's Book of slander and false Judgment by him called the Worlds wonder or the Quakers BLAZING-STAR MEeting with this Book upon the 28. of the Month called March in my travel in Worcestershire I was constrained to stay a few dayes to return an Answer thereunto for the simple ones sake to clear the aspersions and remove the stumbling blocks throwen in the way to cause the weak to stumble and fall And at the first view of the Book it set seemingly a great face against the truth but through the mercy of God I was made not to matter it but joyn battel against it Therefore Edmund Skipp as thou hast subscribed thy come thou hast abundantly laid open thy folly and shewed thy enmity and despite to the Truth but thou art encountered and thy deceits are discovered and laid naked and bare to any single eye as hereafter will appear I only meeting this Book of thine in my travel and both seeing and knowing that thou hast written it from a spirit of pride and despite to the spirit of Truth and against the Servants of our Lord Jesus by thy spirit of delusion coloured over with shows and pretences of godliness and a feigned humility intruding thy self into those things which thou hast not seen vainly putt up with a fleshly mind with a cover of fallacies and feigned humility and to thy first Doctrine that thou and such pretenders to be nearest the Lamb an speaking of but appears like the old Dragon in wrath against the Truth and Servants of our Lord Jesus Christ who thy self might formerly have lived Pharisee like till thou were discovered but now hast manifested thy wolfish heart and thou art slandering and accusing such as follows the Lamb not in pretences but in reality and purity whom thou revilest under the name of Quakers And thou art constrained to complain because as thou saiest thou hast lost thy society and even as it were now goes a begging to those people thou calls Baptists as in the latter end of thy book doth appear and now that Satan hath got a cheif seat in thy heart and entred into thee through that spirit of delusion thou speaks of thou ventest thy solly in acting his part in reviling the Servants of the Lord and defaming the truth And whereas thou saies that when Satan findeth a people living
and thou that will lye against the truth thou wils not let to lye against thy Conscience who art proved to be such an open lyar and thy sayings in other things is proved to be false as in that also the light against thy will which is thy condemnation is my witness and answer and that shall stand Thirdly To that which thou calls thy third charge c. Where thou say'st thou art charged to be an enemy to the Lords People as in thy 8. pag. and 4. particular thou says thou art c. I Answer that thou art and so the charge is true and not false and so it shall stand and is not by me denyed Thy trumpet is sounded thy seed of dissention east abroad and thy lyes blazes in thy Blazing-Star and thy false accusations and also thy unrighteous judgment against the truth and against the righteous seed is abundantly made manifest to the publick view and thy enmity to the light is seen so to the truth calling the power of it delusion and the like Thou art he that blasphems God in His People and so in His Temple and art a hater of the Truth in hostility against it and in the rebellion amongst such in that nature turned from the light as are haters of the ways and people of God who for their disobedience to the light and truth were and are given over to reprobate minds c. and thou art gâ—ven over to the delusion of Satan and to believe lyes and tell them abroad who art so far acted by a Satanical spirit in the mystery of iniquity that thou hast largely and rashly out of a reprobate sense vented them abroad against the truth of our Lord Jesus Read thy heart and Judg thy self for an open enemy thou art also read thy self amongst such Rom. 1.18 19. Rom. 1.28 29 30. c. 2 Thes 1.6 7.8 9. 2 Thes 2.9 c. Fourthly As for thy fourth charge where thou says thou art charged not to have passed the new birth And fifthly for backsliding thou says c. As for backsliding thou confesseth it partly thy self in thy 9. page and for not passing the new birth that thou hast not but art found in the old and the strong man armed in thee that shall stand for liers slanderers reproachers false accusers nor blasphemers are not born of God but thou art an open lyar slanderer and false accuser of the innocent hundreds may witness against thee that thou falsly accuseth under the name of Quakers therefore let the new birth alone who art blaspheming speaking evil of the power that begets to the newness of life c. The new birth thou hast cleared thy self of not to be the new man but the old then let thou that alone to whom it doth belong for such as are born of God sinneth not 1 Iohn 3.9 and he that committeth sin is of the Devil and not born of God but thou commits sin and that in a high measure so thou art of the Devil and all such therefore not born of God and herein are the Children of God made manifest and the children of the Devil so art thou made manifest to be no Child of God but a servant of sin a false accuser misapplyer of the Scripture a false Judg and an open lyar therefore on the Devil as such are Rom. 1.28 c. 1 Iohn 3.8 Iob. 8.34.44 Rom. 6.16 Rev. 21.8 Firthly And for talking of the new creature and the second Adam and knowledge therein thou art speaking without understanding also questioning thy own knowledge in the same thou speaks of saying if it be so c. so thou speaks without true knowledge or understanding in the same but the knowledge by enjoyment in the second Adam is out of thy comprehension and brain imagination though thou have had some little convictions yet thou art turned into false accusations envy disdain trechery and deceit as thy brother Cain and brother Iudas did whose end was according to his work take thou notice of it and according to the saying thou speaks of the charge upon thee is no blank but stands still and sealed with thy old actions and the backsliding thou speaks of in thy 9. page who art in the delusions and false Astronomical Judgment given over to believe lyes and labours to fill ignorant people with thy false Prophecies and lying divinations in thy Worlds Wonder who art manifested by it to be full of trechery and deceit slanders and false accusations and as I have proved thee therefore instead of mercy Judgment for thee shall stand true just upon thy Astronomical and unjust By these five particulars thou laboured to have brought about thy mysterious workings of that spirit of Antichrist whereby thou art so disguised and hid with covers of delusion and deceit and to have brought the innocent into thy snares from these thou sought to make a ground to charge the people of God to be deluders and in delusion the mystery of iniquity under the Region of Antichrist c. and thou hast laid as it were baits and coloured them smoothly over to take the minds of the ignorant withal and so bewitch them with thy lying divination and false Astronomical Judgment the Serpent hath shot forth his sting in his tayl by thee to strike the simple and thou hast laboured by thy working mysteriously so disguised and transformed as a Minister of truth and righteousnes in some seeming shews and pretences to cast stumbling blocks in the way to cause the weak to fall and be wounded and to catch the ignorant into thy trap with a bait and a snare first laying down a fair seeming shew of truth in appearance covered with some certain Scriptures wrested by thee joyning and annexing thy fallacies thereunto so conjuring by the mystery of witchcraft in the iniquity and lying wonders raising up false accusations and slanders but for the truths sake I shall through Gods assistance labour a little to clear the truth by taking away thy fallacies removing the deceit and setting truth in its place that the honest-hearted may thereby come to see whilst thou art pretending to lay open a mysterious work or design of Antichrist and casting thy mouth-floud after the woman that brings sorth the man-child accusing the innocent whom thou calls Quakers altogether upon unjust grounds so thy covers being taken off the innocent will be cleared whom thou accusest under the nick-name of Quakers and whilst thou art pretending to discover a Satanical plot or unfold his mysterious actings thou wilt be sound the chief plotter in his design and one that art disguised acting deep under a mysterious vail by a Satanical spirit in the mystery of iniquity and so truth being cleared in some measure as hereafter will appear the people called Quakers will be found out of delusion and the mysterious workings thou seeks to charge them withal but they being found in the Covenant of grace and under the power of the Lord thou wâ—lt be
left in the snare which thou hast laid and the pâ—t which thou hast dâ—gged and sounder the delusions and mysterious workings of Antichrist as to the single eye will clearly appear thereby will the innocent by thee called Quakers be cleared though thou and the wicked through plotting mischief be ensnared and seared that all simple hearts may take warning and be preserved who have the living God in any measure truly seared and served by doing his will in departing from the workings of Antichrist by his own power in himself and also though his Antichristian Ministers being as thou art transformed as a Minister of righteousness beguiling the ignorant through the mysterious actings by a Satanical spirit of Antichrist in that mystery of iniquity with thy lying wonders c. 2 Thes 2.9 10 11 12. Now I shall speak to clear the truth from some of thy accusations and slanders that deceit may be cast out and truth stand clear as hereafter will appear First To that in thy tenth page where thou seeks to render the people of God odious which thou calls Quakers and one chief thing thou accusest them withal and lays as a ground to work on and that is thou says their railing and speaking â—uch languages to all sorts of people and Rulers and Magistrates c. which doth as thou says discover a spirit of delusion error c. Now if I prove that that they do not as thou says then thou wilt be found to be what thou would charge them withal and so they cleared and thou left to be known thereby to be guided by a spirit of error and in the delusions and mysterious workings of Antichrist thou speaks of But I shall prove that those thou calls Quakers are not as thou says therefore thou art the deceiver and in the delusions c. an the people thou calls Quakers redeemed from such things and stands clear To thy second Rule whereby thou says thou wilt find out where Satan doth colour over and blind this fallacy with some Scripture words and instances And that is first as thou says their rayling and says they count it not railing but a sharp rebuking and reproving men with authority c. quoting Thus 1.13 and 3.15 and those are the places thou says Satan covers himself under and that of Nathan to David when he said thou art the man and that of Christ to Peter when he called him Satan I answer Satan cannot cast out Satan and a Kingdom divided cannot stand thou deceiver and subtil serpent doth or will Satan discover and reprove his own deceivableness No he will not strike at his own Kingdom to root it out The fallacy thou speaks of that is thy own turned back upon thee again and the Scriptures which thou hast cited we witness and own the authority spoken of but they are no covers for deceit as thou says therefore in that thou art the false accuser and lyer against the truth and truths friends thou art a stranger to the life of truth and them and that which thou calls rayling is to tell thee and men of the evil of their ways for in the second place thou says they charge men with hypocrisie aod so take the example of Christ to call men hypocrites here thou shews thou art offended at truth for declaring against the deceit and so art judged out of thy own mouth and by thy own works who art in the hypocrisie and therefore an hypocrite for we cannot follow any better examples then Christ Jesus and his true Prophets and Apostles for we are required so to follow them as for our examples and we do not errâ—n so doing but are accepted for obeying Christ and hâ—s Commands and following him for our example and the eâ—ample of such Eph. 5.1 1 Co. 11.1 and thou art offended at that and that the seed of God should sharply reprove and rebuke the serpents seed and the man of sin and darest thou say there was sin or deceit manifested by Paul forbâ—dding Titus reprove and rebuke with authority or was that any rayling and reviling in him and such to obey the commands of the spirit of truth as Nathan did and such as are sent as he was from God sent to tell David he was the man and Christ Jesus himself to Peter Get thee behind me Satan And as it was no sin nor deceit in them to say so being guided thereunto by the Lords spâ—râ—t then it is not deceit error nor delusion for such now so to say being thereunto as they was guided by the Lords holy Spirit to say so to whom they are so sent and to say as they are by the Lord required but thou and the Serpents seed are offended at the righteous judgment and language of the Spirit of Truth therefore thy sayings against such are false and so thou judgest amiss to call it rayling and reviling speaking against sin and deceâ—t and to speak plainly to Teachers People Rulers and Magistrates according as their Condâ—tâ—ons are c. As I shall prove by several Scripture eâ—amples and then let all the children of light judg and not the world which thou calls to judg of thy sayings who are in deceit as thou art and cannot judg aright but therein thy folly and enmity is discovered and for colouring delusion error and deceits with pretences and seemingly from the Scriptures by-fallacies c. none more guilty of that sin than thou art and the Hireling and Tything-Priests and such false Antichristian Ministers that are in union with Antichrist as thou art being so acted and guided by a Satanical spirit in all his mysterious actings being turned back and according to thy sayings in thy 11. page and the judgments woes c. against Kendal in the North shall stand But that which proceeds from the Spirit of truth and the true Power of the living God in His Sons and Daughters which thou calls rayling is not as thou says but are words of truth therefore thy second Rule for the discovery of the mystery thou tells of is false a lying fallacy so error and deceit therefore thou art a false Judg and so guided by an erronious spirit of delusion to judg amiss of the Saints practice by thy delusion error and deceit Example 1. To speak truth in plainness by the spirit of truth to Priests People Rulers or Magistrates is no railing but according to the Scriptures and practise of the Peop of God as is here by these Examples proved to be a witness for the truth and against E. S. lies error and all decei For first When the Lord sent the Prophet his servant Isaiah to speak to the blâ—nd watch-men and greedy Sheapherds of Israel who had transgressed the first Covenant c. he called them beasts and said All ye Beasts of the field come to devoure His Watch-men are blind they are ignorant they are all dumb-dogs yea they are greedy dogs which have never enough they all look to their own way
Antichristian ministery and speaking the Word of the Lord and reproving sin and deceit which they call railing and reviling as one of the servants of the Lord is now in prison at Worcester upon that account only and for the breach of no known Law sent from Kederminster thither by those under Richard Baxter Minister which is the chiefest Priest in Worcestershire and that Town was accounted great in profession but now like Priest like people Hosea 4.9 and Hosea 6.9 even full of envy and malice against the servante of the Lord which carrieth them forth into cruel persecution but let the wise-hearted know that the chiefest of the Priests when Christ came personally were the greatest enemies of his and did the most both stir up Rulers and people to persecute him and the greatest Professors were cruel and bitter against him And now that Christ is come and coming in the Spirits of his Saints Children and Servants to reprove the world of sin and unrighteousness and to discover the deceivableness of Antichrist and the Antâ—christian minâ—stery the chiefest Priests and many great Professors as well as Richard Baxter Chief-Priest at Kederminster and such now labour to uphold the Kingdom of Antichrist under a dark black cover which cannot hide the baseness of their hearts but lets it break forth into cruelty and persecution but it is too manifest that they are of the bloody City in the pollutions and filthiness and hath disobeyed the voice and heardened their hearts against the truth who have haled out of their Synagogues beat abused and imprisoned such as the Lord sent unto them c. But it is but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled and that they may manifest themselves to be of that Generation of persecutors and blood-thirsty ones How dangerous a thing it is to reproach and revile the people of God that ever persecuted the righteous seed and wo from God is upon all such Teachers and People and they may read their Example Matth. 23.31 32 33 34.35 But to come to the matter in hand That City which the Prophet Zephaniah speaks of and Rulers Teachers Priests and people And again the servants of the Lord that speaks truth against deceit do not revile but such as speak evil of them and salsly accuse them are the revilers as such was that reproached the people of God and magaâ—â—fied themselvs against them as the Priests and their party do now by and against those the Lords people whom they scornfully call Quakers which obeyed not the voice as in Zeph. 3. Chap. and see what the Lord by his Prophet saith in Zeph. 2. How he cries wo to such a people as are there spoken of verse 5. c. Likewise he tells a wicked people there what the Lord will do unto them and see the cause why Zeph. 2.8 9. This saith he shall they have for their pride because they have reproached and magnâ—fied themselves against the people of the Lord of hâ—sis therefore saith the Lord by His Prophet I will be terrible unto them c. Zeph. 2.10 11. c. Then take heed what you do and consider of this all ye unrighteous ones who reproaches and reviles the people of God under the Nick-name of Quakers The Prophet Zephaniah did not raid nor revile when he spoke to that City when he cried wo unto in and called the Princes within it Roaring Lyons and the Judges Evening Wolves and the Prophets light and â—echeâ—ous persons and said the Priests had poâ—uted the Sanctuary c. Zeph. 3. because it was so and they had done so yet to the eye of reason a natural man that knows not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.24 he would have been ready to say it had been harsh language and rayling as now in thâ—s generation they call the Spirits language railing and reviling when it tells people of their sins and transgressions but though the natural man say so it is not so for he that so saith and accuseth falsly is the railer and reviler but Edmâ—â—â— Skip and the Priests and Antichristian Ministers and such as are prophane proud and wicked they speak evil of the Spirits language and accuseth falsly and cannot prove their false accusations therefore they are the railers and revilers and not the people which they reproachfully call Quakers and the natural man is not to judg the spirâ—tual man but the spiritual man may judg the natural man it is his Prerogative for he that is spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man and this priviledge have all the Saints and Brethren of Christ Praised be the Lord for the riches of his love 1 Cor. 2.14 15,16 Heb. 2.11 1 Cor. 6.2 But thou art offended The seed of God may judg the seed of the Serpent but the seed of the Serpent is not to judg the seed of God that the righteousseed should judg the seed of the Serpent and thou art offended to have a hypocrite called a hypocrite but Christ gave them that name and called them so them such as are guided by his Spirit may but we and the righteous seed are so taught and guided therefore we may and so follow him for our example Maâ— 23.27 28 29. and we know we are of the righteous seed For God hath sent the. Spirit of His Son-into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father c. Gal. 4.6 7 and Rom. 8.14 And we are to call a lyar a lyar for the Scripture calleth them so and the Spirit of truth spoke it forth 2 Pet. 1.20 21. and we being guided by the Spirit Rom. 8.14 and 1 Ioh. 3.2.4 as such was that called lyars by the name of lyars therefore by the same Spirit may and do we call them so for that is the name which the holy Spirit gave them to call lyars by the name of lyars For be that saith he loveth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar 1 Ioh. 2.4 Kev 21.8 Rev. 22.15 And thou and all such as are offended to have liars called liars seeing the Spirit calleth them so and gave them that name thou and all such art offended at the Spirits teachings therefore judg your folly and the pride of your hearts And thou and all such who are offended Serpents were called Serpents by the Spirit of truth to have a Serpent called a Serpent though they appear like men in the truth but full of hypocrisie and deceit thou and all such are offended at the language of Christ in the Gospel-ministration for he called such Serpents and Vipers As by the Spirit of truth such were so called then with the same Spirit they may be called so that are so now and that is not un-Gospel like but agreeing thereunto Mat. 23.28 29 30 31 32 33. And if thou and the Serpents seed be offended Children of the Devil are called by their Fathers same the Holy-ghost calleth them so to be called by your name your burden you must
bear for the Spirit of truth called your generation so and we being guided by the Spirit of truth dare not change your name except you take up the cross and obey the light that the Serpents head may be by the Power bruised and your nature changed take notice and if thou art offended to have a child of the Devil called by the name of his Father we must call him so for that is the name given them by the Holy-ghost Iohn 8.44 Acts 13.9 10. V pers dogs and fores are to be called by their name being of such a nature for the Spirit of truth gave them such names though in the appearances of a King his subjects And though thou and such in thy nature would not have the Serpents seed called by their names yet seeing the Spirit of truth gave them names like unto their natures therefore being guided by the holy Spirit and knowing their natures we give to them their proper names as the Gospel Spirit aforetime did until we see their change of nature that so they may change their names and if thou would not have a Viper called a Viper yet Iohn the Baptist called the multitude by that name to wit Vipers who came to have been Baptised of him before they brought forth fruits meet of amendment of life Take notice of that and read Luke 3.7 8. which was not railing but words of sound truth and if thou be offended to have dogs called by their names though in the form of men yet the Prophets Christ and the Apostles by the Spirit of truth so called them before and to take off that offence from any simple minde who desires to be informed about those names let them have recourse to those Scriptures Isa 56.10 11. Phil. 3 1 2. Rev. 22.15 And if thou would not have a Fox called by his name though in the form of a man Christ so called one to wit Herod a King and that was truth and no railing True and just judgment is set upon that false Astronomicall and unrighteous judgment of Edmund Skip against the Truth in that Bock called the Blazing-Star and the Rule of discovery he speaks of is of no effect and the truth is clear and stands above his lying deceit So here thy second Rule of discovering that mystery as thou calls it is of no effect Thy judgment is false and thy sayings are weighed and thy Spirit tried and where thou sayes Let all perpl eundestand that such as Christ did call hypocrites were so indeed I Answer so art thou and the Serpent and his seed as both thou and they are to us known as is here largely proved by eâ—perience And to that where thou says Such as these creatures calls hypocrites are the most precious and eminent and faithful friends that the Lord hath amongst the sons of men I Answer They are precious eminent and faithful that are of the Royal seed and such we know and honor in our souls but lyars slanderers persecutors and false accusers are not of that seed and such are enemies to the Children of God but thou art of the Serpents seed and such like that are in the lies slanders inventing evil and devising mâ—schâ—ef â—n your hearts against the righteous seed and accusing of them falsly therefore are you of the Serpents seed and enemies to God and to his seed who are faithful eminent and precious we do not so call as thou hast falsly said and many may and doth witness against thee therefore with the true light art thou seen to be one that regards not what thou out of pride and the presumption of thy evil heart dost say and falsly accuse withal And now let the wise in heart in the wisdom of God by and with the spirit of sound Judgment now Judg of thy false and Astronomical Judgment false accusations and delusions as in thy 11. page is manifested and the Rule of thy discovery of that mystery thou tells of is nul and void and truth stands clear as to the single eyed doth appear and true Judgment stands upon thy false Astronomical Judgment in thy Blazing-Star and Book of lying Wonders Now followeth a reply to thy third Rule as thou calls it of disclosing that secret which thou says is thy own experience A Reply to thy third Rule in thy Book of lying Wonders in order to that particular as thou says whilst thou lay under temptations and that was as thou says about writing a Letter unto some that thou says thou writ unto out of much bitterness of Spirit To which I answer though thou might have some convictions and workings in the mind and not wait to have thy will bound under the cross and that kept under judgment from whence bitterness and passion hastiness and wrath doth arise but run without a true guide to write out of hastiness and forwardness before thou had any true command and so through thy disobedience to the pure and following the fancies of thy brain and the imaginations of thy evil heart giving way to thy comprehending wit and so by straying from the pure and entering into temptation through the carnal in not standing to the eternal the delusions through the mysterious workings of the man of sin might carry thee into the many inventions and up into the chamber of deceit and so delusion get in upon thee notstanding to the eternal but entering into the temptation through the carnal yet that is no ground for thee or a Iudas that betrays the pure to fetch in a multitude to condemn the just and betray the innocent but thy punishment and judgment thou for it must bear as Iudas did who betrayed the just and all who turns from the light to joyn with the darkness to betray the innocent Iudas is there and as his works was Mat. 27.1 2 3 4. so his end but after he turned from the light to joyn with the power of darkness and betrayed the just he did evil his work was evil Gen. 4.7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. so his end was wofull and miserable for he hanged himself Take warning and remember also that when Cain had killed his brother then he cryed out and said his punishment was greater then be could bear but if he had done well he had been accepted as the Lord said but he did evil and was rejected as well as Iudas when he had betrayed and thy light in thy conscience will remember thee of what against the truth thou hast acted and done and as Conscience-Book is opened Answer it will upon thee the judgments of God to be just A Reply to that where thou says We will make known the very truth of this delusion by comparing those kind of teachings of the heart with those that the Spirit of truth was and is wont to bring forth in the souls of his people in this particular c. I Answer Thou art a stranger to the teachings of the Spirit of
the Lord and speaks evil of the work that he is and hath been pleased to bring forth in the souls of His People and now thou art found a false accuser of such as witness the Spirits teachings and the bringings forth of the truth of God in their souls and thou art one that cannot put a difference between the precious and the vile but call truth railing and reviling as before is proved and calls good evil and evil good and so hath no salt to savour withall And where thou says these people are mistaken in their judgment that they accuse falsly and that must needs be a delusion c. I Answer It is thou that art so mistaken in thy false Astronomical Judgment as I have proved therefore thou art in the delusion and mysterious workings of Antichrist thou speaks of and thou must needs be mistaken in thy false Astronomical Judgment and so in delusion and guided by a Satanical Spirit that doth so accuse and condemn a people for what thou ought not and calls the workings of the Spirit of God by his power in his Servants the delusion of Satan c. as in thy 40. and 41. page and so thy sayings being false are turned back upon thee again with thee to remain and in the reproachful false accusing and lying generation from whence they came And where thou says that when they are made to write abundantly unto men charging them without knowledge of truth They are not able to make good their wrongful accusations c. I Answer as for that fallacy which lies in those words without knolwedge of the truth that we deny and therein thou art a lyar and charged to be so and also a false accuser speaking without knowledge of the truth as it doth appear in thy false Prognostication or Astronomical Judgment as thou calls it and for wrongfull accusations that we also deny they are thy own who art not able to make good by sound truth what thou accuseth withal as is before proved and thou art left with the charges standing fast upon thee and true judgment set upon the head of thy false Astronomical judgment and so thou art thereby out of the teachings of God which thou speaks of that art the lyan slanderer and false accuser of the brethren For the Spirit of God and his teachings we witness according to his Promises Ier. 31.31 to the 3â— Isa 54.13 14. whereby our souls are established in righteousness according to his teachings by his Spirit in the new Covenant Heb. 8 and the Spirit of God teacheth his servants in another way contrary to thy will and many slanderous aspersions and false accusations And where thou says quoting Malacy 3. vlt. they shall discern between the righteouss and he wicked between them that serve God and them that serve him not I Answer Wee witness the Promise of the Lord fulfilled and now we discern and know the righteous from the wicked and so see thee and all false accusers to be servants of sin so of the Serpents seed therefore no servants of God nor in his righteousness but out of his wisdom and teachings who are so slanderous and despitefully wicked take notice of that But again thou sayest if any shall say That Promise and the Promise of being guided by the Spirit into all truth are Promises made to some particular men as the Prophets Christ and his Apostles they shall find in reading that place it was speken to all the people of the Lord upon that great acceptation the Lord had of them upon their meeting together c. 1. I Answer The Promises of Gods love and mercy are to Abraham and his seed but not to the Serpent and his seed and false accusers are of the Serpents seed and hath no right to those Promises but thou and such like in the deceivableness and false accusers like thee are of the Serpents seed and so hath no right unto these Promises therefore art thou and the Serpents seed ignorant of the gifts and teachings of the Spirit of God Secondly That Promise of being by the Spirit guided into all truth The Promises of Gods blessings and happiness are to his own seed and they all chosen people beloved of God and by Christ gathered out of the world to whom He giveth h s word and Spiâ—â—t and the world â—â—teth them was not then given neither were it given upon that account as thou saiest of the acceptation that God had of the meeting of the Jews in the first Covenant often together for Christ was not then come in the flesh so that Promise was not made for it were by him given to his Disciples before his departure from them for when he had told them of his leaving them and going to the Father He said unto them a particular people to wit his Disciples Let not your hearts be troubled ye my Disciples believe in God believe also in me Iohn 14.1 and I go to prepare a place for you ver 2. and saith he after that to them I will pray to the Father and he shall send you my Disciples and Friends the Comforter and he shall abide with you for ever Iohn 14.16.17 Then that Promise was not given upon the acceptation of the meeting of those Jews spoken of in Malachy 3. seeing Christ was not then come visibly and after he was come and had suffered many things before his departure from his Disciples he told them he would pray to the Father for that Promise Ioh. 14.16 26. which was that Spirit that should guide into all truth Ioh. 16.13 and when Christ prayed for them he prayed not for the world Ioh. 17.9 and he gave them his word not the Letter but the Spirit which is the Word Ioh. 17.17 which Word was their sanctification ver 17. so one with the Spirit and Word of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 Christ himself is the Word for so is his name he is called the Word of God Rev. 19.13 and he is the Sanctifier and sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 Hebrewâ—s 2.10 11. and that Promise was not made as thou say st Edmund Skip and therein thou hast also manifested a lying pirit in that and also shewed that thou art not acquainted with the teachings of the Spirit of God nor the work of Sanctification thou speaks of and let all the children of light take notice of this Thirdly to come to the place of Scripture again because thou sayes those promises was not made to the particular people I say none knowes the right to the promises but the rightcous seed and they are one people singled out from the world who are heirs of God and joyntheirs with Christ c. Iohn 17.9 10 11. Iohn 15.18 19. and the promises of blessing and happiness are to them therefore the promises of blessing and happiness are to the Righteous feed separated from the world chosen out of it by Christ Iohn 15.18 19. to whom he giveth his word and therefore doth the
such also as supposes gain to be godliness and those likewise that sollowes pleasures which we deny and turn them back as thou art and the Priests and Antichtistian ministers such as are proud and supposes gainto be godliness which they do not that thâ—u accuseth under the name of Quakers and thou thy self if thou was not blind might see that thou clears them also of that thyself in thy 30 and 31 pages where thou sayes they are made to deny their callings c. but as for giving over labouring and following of wordly business thou says thou could bedy with that and shews thy Reason as thou says â—hat when thou considered that most men are overcome and surfeited with the cares things of this life thou thought as thou sayes that the people of God should be upon the extream on the other hand those then are not they that suppose gain is Godliness c. here thou takes them also according to that saying of thine to be the people of God and yet thou calls them a misted People what confusion is here how confused thou art saying and unsaying building up and throwing down Babylonish and thou cleares them from the cares of the World and for surfeiting with that and yet in the places of Scripture before cited as in 1 Tim. 6.5 6. that is speaking of one that is Proud c. which thing they deny and abhor and also declare and testify against it as Isaiah did that said Wo to the Crown of Pride Isa 28. and by that Scripture which thou art blind in and cannor see what in darkness thou hast done thou hast Ranked them amongst a people that doates about Questions and strife of words and such as follow pleasures c. which things they deny against them testifie and they are no such thou thy self in another place hast confuted thy self therein and cleared themof that in thy 20 Pag. for thou says there they desire to become fools and to be made weak and as thou says thou knowes not what is doth appear thou says thou knowes not what that art so confuted and so consuting thy self in thy own sayings theresore let all the wise hearted take notice of that and judge by what spirit thou art guided even by a Spirit of delusion error and deceipt And to that in thy 19 Pag. where thou says they Reckon it their perfection and bappiness to be deprived of all here thou speakest thou knowest not what a divination of thy own brain and an imagination of thy heart And whereas thou says the Spirit of God doth neither so Act nor teach c. I answer the Actings and teachings of the Sparit of God we own but deny thy sayings who are ignorant both of his actings and teachings as before is proved and as thou thy self in uttering thy Confusion hast made it plainly manifest And where thou art telling of one thing that did very much stumble thee a great while and it was this thou sayes that they said the best things that ever they Received from God mentionag knowledge and faith and high enjoyments must burnt up and destroyed I Reply they that walk in the light stumble not The best things that ever we Receaved from God as Faith Heavenly-wisdom and Spirituall enjoyments is owned c. but they that disobey the light and walk contrary to it they stumble even at noon-day but thou walks not in the light and therefore thou stumbles and would aspire to know the Saints Conditions with thy vain mind but cannot for out of their life faith and enjoyments thou art shut and for destruction to suffer but thy fallacy we deny which Iles in these words of suffering losse of all that we Received of God and where thou says of faith knowledge and high-enjoyments and would charge a Lie upon us saying that we should say we should suffer losse of them thy fallacy we deny but Faith True-knowledge and what we have receaved of God that we enjoy according as his Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and Godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Vertue 2 Pet. 1.3 c. And where thou says that they desire to become fools and to he made weak and thou knowes not what Page 20. Reply Thou hast shot forth thy sting in thy tail or hinder part of thy words in that fall acy or saying where thou says thou knows not what as thou hast said how confused thou art as I said before to say thou knowes not what therefore thy judgment and sayings must needs be false and not true that as thou thy self hath said thou says thou knows not what and an in thy confusion and falshood treachery and deceipt thou hast nothing to do to judge of the wayes of God nor of the people of God And where thou says The Holy Ghost judgeth it meet that all care and diligenoe should be used hath in Reading exhorting one another c Reply What the Holy Ghost teacheth that we do own and also at we are guided thereby to evercising of those Graces A Sting in the tail a satit cy denyed wherewith the Lord hath endued our souls we also own and to he kept diligent in the Spint to understand the mind and will of God in the making sorth of his Love that we may be to the praise of the glory of his Grace and Reading and Prayer that we do own but thy Sting in thy tail fallacy or lying-divination that we deny Reading and Prayer and all Godly exortation according to the teachings of the Spirit of God is now witnessed amonst the people of God by the world called Quakers Which is this where thou says Those beguiled wretches pretend they must not Read or Speak a good word to one-another Reply thy saying in this is all false and thou laid a smooth-ground before it and coloured it over and layes this in the middle to stumble the simple thou subtill Serpent this fallacy we deny and the pretences shall stand for thy self and the begulied and wretches thou speaks of but Reading we own and speaking good words exhorting one another and prayer by the Spirit of Truth and speaking the Truth in Love that we may grow up in Him in all things which is the head even Christ from whom the whole body joyned together and compacted by that which every Joynt supplieth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of its self in Loves Ephes 4.15 16. And where thou says They say they have no freedom to speak admonish or discowise about heavenly things or any thing whereby they may glorifie God or do good one to another Reply Math. 5.16 This saying is altogether false and not true and thy fallacy we deny but speaking about the things of God and that which may glorifie him that we do own knowing that by obeying
the teachings of the Spirit of Truth and also edifying one another in Love building up into the most holy Faith is well pleasing to the Lord and comfortable one to another and so by letting our Light shine forth to others and bringing forth fruit with an encrease in the graces of the Spirit hereby we glorify our Heavenly Father Iohn 15.5 8. Reply Thy fallacy or sting in thy tail we deny which lies in those words as they fancy it but the waiting and stirring of that which is pure and the immediate teachings of the Spirit we witnesse and own and herein thou hast manifested thy self to all the Children of light to be ignorant of the stirrings workings teachings and actings of the Spirit of Truth and so art in the fancy thou tells of and as thou calls it thy self and in this thou hast cleared thy self to be no Minister of the Spirit nor New Covenant that art ignorant of the immediate teachings of the Spiâ—â—â— but the immediate teachings of the Spirit we witnesse as the Minister of Christs in the Spirituall ministration did who were made able Ministers not of the Letters but of the Spirit as they did witnesse 2. Cor. 3.6 And no Prophesie of the Scripture came in old time by the will of man but holy of men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1.21 and that were not mediate by man but immediate by God and as they waited the holy Ghost immediatly spoke and said Separate me Sarnabas and Saul Acts 2.1 2 3 4. for the work whereunto I have appointed them Act. 13.2 and as Philip was travelling immediatly the Spirit taught him and said Go and joyn thy self to the Charet c. Act. 8 29 30. But thou that art ignorant of the immediate teachings thou art ignorant of the Spirit of God and so thy Ministry is mediate of man and not of God therefore no Minister of the Spirit and the Gospell and in that thou hast clearly also discovered thy self to be an Antichristian-minister and so in the delusions thou speaks of they turne back upon thee and are there to Remain Paul an Apostle and Minister of the Gospell was not made by mediate meanes that is not by man but He was made immediate and that was by God Gal. 1.1 And I certify you brethren that the Gospel which I preach unto you I received it not mediate of man but immediate of God take notice of that Gal. 1. neither was I taught it of man but of God vers 11.12 and by Revelation and that was not mediate but immediate vers 15 16. then foutteen yeares after Paul went up to Ierusalem by Revelation Gal. 2.12.12 the Myistery was made known unto him by the immediate teachings of the Spirit even by Revelation Eph. 3.2 3 34. But thou that art ignorant of the immediate teachings of the Spirit of God doth not know the Father nor the Son for there is no True Knowledge of them but 〈◊〉 â—â—clation Math. 11.27 and that is by the Immediate Teachin◠〈…〉 man knowes the Father but the Son and he to whomsoever 〈…〉 will reveal him Luk. 10.22 take notice of that and all that denies the immediate teachings of the Spirit of God Remember you as well as Edmund Skip have cleared your selves to be no Disciples of Christ nor Ministers of the Spirit but it is good that Fools utter their folly as thou hast done thine take notice and read 2 Tim. 3.8 9. And where thou art Reckoning up many things by thy busie minde in thy 22 23 and 24 pages and judging of their conditions with thy thoughts and summes or gathers some Scriptures together also to busie thy mind about Edmund Skips Confutation who art a Stranger to the life of them as doth appear And thou says the Words of Paul are very much abused by the false interpretation of their enemy I Answer Thou hast whipt thy self with that Rod for thou art their enemy then the words of Paul are very much abused unto them by by the false Interpretations of thee their enemy therefore be thou ashamed and blush thou enemy of the Righteous and abuser of Pauls words by thy false interpretations whereby thou seeks to cover thy lies slanders and false accusations but Antichrist even besools thee and lets thy nakedness appear thy covers will not hide thee but leaves thee bare take notice of this And that which thou calls a Grand Assertion of theirs and thou would have the world to give their judgement of it and that is concerning hell which the wicked go in at c. A Reply to that which thou calls a grand Assertion concerning Hell c. I answer How should the world or wicked give any true judgement concerning it seeing the wicked and all that forgets God shall be turned into hell Psal 9.17 and the naturall man knows not the things that stands in the counsel of God because they are spiritually discerned and so he is not able to judge them 1 Cor. 2.14 and yet thou wilt have the world to try thy expressions and renents thou speaks of they who are in the dark part with thee are not able to judge aright but thou and thy expressions and â—enets are all seen and comprehended with the light and with the light condemned and hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure and the proud and wicked Mal. 4.1 and their glory and their pompe and their multitude shall descend into it Isa 5.14 and then wo to all the Lords enemies and adversaries Mat. 25.41 to the end and z Thess 1.6 7 8 9. Rev. 21.8 And that fallacy of thine I deny which thou art to prove if thou canst or else ensnared thou art and taken with a horrible lie and the lake for the liar is prepared and then hell and torment is the reâ—â—ed of such take them a long with thee that are in the mâ—◠〈◊〉 â—orkings of Antichrist willing to be kept in his deceivâ—◠〈◊〉 for the devil that deceiveth them that are spoken of Râ—v 2â— 10 the beast and false prophet and all such are to be cast into the lake of fire and brimstome and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Rev. 20.10 11. and all who are not found written in the Lambs book of life are cast in thither c. vers 14 15. then take notice of this all ye wicked and ungodly ones And where thou sayes in Brevity thou hast given the mysterious deceit it self I answer thou hast accused with many lies and slanders and those are from the old serpent covered over with smooth pretences but thou art clearly seen and found to be in that mysterious working of Antichrist thou speaks of and so guided by his spirit whose coming is after that manner spoken of even with all deceivableness of unrighteousness 2 Thess 2.9 c. and so in short thou hast cleared thy self from the teachings and workings of God by
his spirit in the hearts of his children and servants and in that which thou hast been pretending to discover to others thou art found chief in Antichrists design and deep in his mysterious actings thy self and let all the wife heatted take notice thereof And where thou art slanderously reproaching and accusing the servants of Christ that follows Christ in the sufferings calling them their Quaking fits roarings transings swoundings passions and Agonies and exercitations of body and exâ—team tortures c. that it maketh them roar out for very bitterness thou clâ—erly judges thou sayes if the Lord did not limit the devil in their behalf as he did for Iob saying thou shalt not touch his life it would be impossible for their concaves to hold their internals in those violent motions for they are made under those Agonies to tremble and Quake as though their flesh must part from their bones and ligatures like unto men in the strongest fits of an Ague as though they had seen Belshazzars vision Dan. 10. that made his knees smite one against another in those strong passions they are thou sayes exercised with so much heat of what sort thou sayes thou knows not c. Reply Thou hast reckoned up many names and been busying thy minde about setting forth a peoples condition whereby thou would render them odious to the world but the people of God was ever so in the worlds account and Isaiah and those people that trembled at the word of the Lord Trembling Quaking and shaking the Scriptures witnesseth which is also witnessed by the holy men of God as in Isa 66.2 5. they were signs and wonders then Isa 8.18 and so are the people of God now to thee and such like and thou hast been so much bysying thy self about them to set them forth by thy gethered words and expressions the inventions and divinations of thy brain and in the latter end confesseth thou knows not of what sort it is therefore thou art ignorant of what thou hast been busying thy minde about and falsly accusing them withall thy gathered and vain expressions and vain repetitions I deny but the power of God which causeth Quaking trembling and shaking which thou calls cruel torturings c. I own and witness or else I should deny the authority of the Scriptures and the conditions of the holy men of God who witnessed Quaking trembling and shaking as Moses David Daniel and the men that were with him roared trembled and Quaked and Habakkuk whose belly shook and lipps quivered and Paul and the Corinthians that trembled and the Philippians that was to work out their salvation with fear and trembling this the Scriptures witnesseth unto and the same power and workings of the Spirit of God I witness unto but if thou who watcheth with an evil eye had seen Moses when he said he did exceedingly fear and Quake Act. 7.31 3â— Ezek. 12.18 Psal 38.8 Psal 119.120 Iob 21.5 6 37 1. Isa 66.2 5. and David when be roared by reason of the disquietness of his heart and when his flesh did tremble and Daniel when he trembled and fell down to the ground that his breath and strength went from him and seen the men that were with him when such a Quaking fell upon them that they went to hide themselves for fear and Habakkuk when his belly shook and his lips quivered and Ioh when his flesh did shake and tremble Dan. 10.7 8 11. Ior. 23.9 Ier. 30.5 6. Hab. 3.16 Act. 9.4 5 6. 2 Cor. 7.5 Phil. 2.11 12 13. that his heart thereby was removed out of its place and Ieremiah when he reeled to and fro and all his bones did shake and Paul when he fell down and trembled and when the Corinibians trembled and the Philippians wrought out their salvation with fear and trembling who witnessed the power which I have written to more fully and cleered by Scripture in a Book called the Brazen Serdent to take away that stumbling block from the mindes of the simple and such as are troubled about it let them have recourse to the book called the Brazen Serpent lifted up and because I have written so largly to this in that I shall now pass on but if thou who watcheth with an evil eye and seeks to raise grounds to raise slanders and aspersions to cast upon the people of God to render them odious to the world if thou hadst seen these servants of the Lord before mentioned in those conditions thou would have been ready to have called them their Quaking fits Roarings cruel torturings c. and thou that labors to raise such aspersions upon the people of God Psal 21.1 Ier. 5.22 Isa 2.11 12 17 19 20 21. who witness his power as such did thou mightest as well have accused them and have spoken against them that witnessed the sanie conditions before as speak evil of the people wayes and works of God now who speaks evil of them and the power of God but it is too manifest to all the children of light that thou art a false accuser of the people of God and one that speaks evil of his power and thereby hast also cleared thy self to be one that art ignorant of the wayes workings and teachings of the Spirit of God and a stranger to the condition of the holy men of God that spoke forth the Scriptures and ignorant of the conditions of these now who witness to the life of the Scriptures and knows not the manner of the work of the Spirit of God as in thy 22 Page thou confesseth thou knows not of what sort it is that maketh them cry out c. And in that let all the wise hearted take notice that thou hast also said thou knows not what and art Ignorant of their conditions that thou hast been slandering and upon them casting accusations and false aspersisions And here I charge thee to be a slanderer of the innocent and a busie body in other mens matters and knows nor of what sort their work is as thou hast said therefore silence deceit and stop thy mouth be ashamed and blush And in thy 25. Page where thou sayes By this thou clearly sees thou art delivered out of the temptations of Satan and they are befooled with Antichrist wherein thou art also telling thy generation thy lies c. Reply The children of light that dwells in the pure power of God which thou speaks evil of and art delivered from they dwelling in the pure discovery of Divine light and life they see thee the boaster excluded out of Gods Kingdom which stands not in word but in power righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost and such in the power are kept out of Satans snares and for being befooled by him and so chargeth thee to be a liar and denies thy fallacy and with the pure divine light they that in the life of it dwelleth such sees thee in the snare thy self though exalted Lucifer-like yet befooled with the delusion of
did not walk after the flesh but after the spirit and though there be no condemnation to them that are in Christ who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit who witnesse the Law fulfilled in them and so are led by the Spirit and made more then Conquerers through him that loved them who are sons and heirs of God Rom. 38. Chap. and 1 Iohn 1 22 9. and Gal. 3.29 Gal. 4.6.7 1 Iohn 2.20.27 Yet such as are not sons but bastards The unrighteous who walk in the flesh and fulfiâ—l the lusts hereof are out of Christ and under a state of condemnation luâ— they are now warned and left without excuse happy aâ—e they if thâ—y return to the Lord by forsaking the evill of their wayes but if they do not â—wo c. who walk not after the spirit but after the flesh such as are unrighteous and unrighteousness is transgression of the Spiritual Law Read 1 Iohn 3.4 and verse 10. such are under a state of condemnation take notice of that all the proud and lofty ones al the covetous oppressors lyers swearers false-accusers haters back-biters scoffers scorners coseners cheaters envious and malicious ones Rom. 1.27 29 30 c. and take notice of it all you unrighteous ones of what sort soever and you that plead for a continuance insin yet walk after the flesh Remember you are under a state of Condemnation are transgressors of the Righteous Law ye unrighteous ones therefore return from your unrighteousnesse or else you shall in no wise inherit the Kingdom of God and this I testifie unto you from the Spirit of the Lord say not but that you are warned I am clear from your blood now that I have warned you from the Lord and if you will not take warning to turn from your unrighteousnesse your blood be upon your own head and in your condemnation from God the light of God in your consciences that reproves you for sin will also be a swift witnesse against you and upon you Answer it will the Judgments of God to be just therefore take warning now whilest you have time least you die in your sins and perish and be shut out from God and cast into everlasting burnings and eternall torment also Read and Consider of those Scriptures Rev. 20.10 15 2 Thâ—s 1.8 9. 1 Cor. 5.9.10 Gal. 5.19 20 21. Rev. 14.9.10.11 Mal. 4.1 Rev. 21.8 27. Read Ezek. 33.11 12 13 c. Ezek. 3.17 18 19 c. you may see before the Reward of the unrighteous and now you are warned And where thou says It is a most devillishire and delusion to conceave that any who are one with God inâ—â—â—â—ist shall undergo the wrath of God in that manner they speak of by this they make the death of Christ of none effect citing Hebrews the 9. They that are one with God in Châ—â—staâ—e freed from siâ— â—â—d â—o from wrath Reply The death of Christ we witnesse to be of great effect and as before is proved also according to the 9 of the Hebr which witnesseth what before is said but thy conceaving fallacy we deny which lies in these words That any who are one with God in Christ shall undergo the wrath of God in such manner c. we deny the conceit and thy fallacy both and we charge thee to be a lier and false accuser for we do not say that such as are one with God in Christ shall suffer the wrath of God in such a manner there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ as before is said and that we witnesse and who walk in the light Christ is light and such as walk in him receaves the Light of life Iâ—hn 1.9 Iohn 8.12 and he leads to God the Father of Lights and in him there is the love perfected 1 Iohn 4.16 17. and he that walks in the light as he is in the light hath fellowship with the Father and Son and there is a cleansing from all unrighteousnesse and a dwelling in the divine Love and so the Unity is witnessed as Christ hath said Iohn 14.30 and he that abideth in him sinneth not 1 Iohn 3.6 neither can he sin verse the 9. and there is a freedom from sin and unrighteousnesse the cause of wrath and so a freedom from sin A freedom also from wrath to such as are one with God in Christ so this conceit and fallacy being denied and truth set in its Right place the people thou calls Quakers are not in the delusion because not within the compass of thy saying whereby they would prove them so then thy ground being ript up thy fallacy taken away Truth is cleared and thou art ensnared or in the delusion thy self that art in the lies and false-accusaions take notice of this The Serpent and his seed are shut out from God under the wrath and vengeance 2 Thess 1.6 7 8. But ye the Serpent and his seed are in the unrighteousnesse and not in God for there is no fellowship agreement nor concord betwixt them 2 Cor. 6.14.15 but enmity is placed betwixt the two Seeds and such as are of the Serpents seed as thou art must know the wrath and vengeance of God for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlines and unrighteousnes of men who hold the Truth in righteousns Rom. 1.18 take notice of that all ye unrighteous ones as is said before for it is a Righteousness things for God to Recompence to tribulation to the unrighteous and such as trouble his 2 Thess 1.6 7. And where thou says When you have weighed it see whether it can stand with the Lords Justice to call any of his servants to bear so in their bodies and spirits as they do his Iust and exact Judgment untill he have wrought out of them his own Satisfaction and Recompence in that nature The World are not to Judge the Laints but the Saints shall Judge the the World Reply The naturall man knows not the things and teachings nor workings of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 and such thou calls to judge and trie c. For thou calls upon the World to judge and the World trie thy expositions and tenents and the World are not to judge the Saints nor the Spirits workings teachings and actings yet the Saints must judge the World 1 Cor. 6.2 1 Cor. 2.15 therefore thou and the Judges in the carnall are with the Spirit of Truth judged through the eternal with that which sets up Judgment and Justice in the new Creation and we are the wormanship of God in Christ Jesus created again and changed by the operation of his spirit into the pure Image again 2 Cor. 3.17.18 and so we are out of the unrighteousness in the Righteous where the true Justice is set up through the Judgment therefore you cannot Judg us who are in the life of Truth with your earthly carnall mindes which is shut out not being
subject to the Law of God and so judged with the power that brings forth judgment into Victory The body of sin is first within and those that know Redemption from it victory over it knowâ—â— the Power of God working within Secondly To come to thy sayings they are weighed and thou art seen to stand in thy will and unrighteous false Astronomicall judgment and the Secrets of God that stands in his Counsail are hid from such Astronomers and lyers as â—hou art who art all along catcht with the lye comed out of thy mouth and that which stands with the Divine Power of god stands with his Justice to let his servants bear about in their bodies his true Judgment which bringeth forth Righteousnesse and by the execution of his Justice sin is the reby condemned in the flesh so within their bodies for the body of sin is within and the just Judgement is executed upon it within so through the judgement upon the unjust comes the freedom of the Just by the working of the power of Truth in the Spirits ministration But thy fallacy we deny thy sting in thy tail yet it stands with the Justice of God to condemn sin in the flesh Rom. 8. For what the Law could not do in that it was week through the flesh God sent his Son to condemn sin in the flesh verse 3. and the freedom from the Law of sin and death is by the Law of the Spirit in Christ ver 2. and that is within in the body which Spirit that worketh within and executes Judgment upon him setting free from the same doth also quicken the mortall body verse 11. and Paul he bore about in his Body so did the rest the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life of Christ might dwell in their mortall flesh 2 Cor. 4.10.11 and these workings and actings was within in the body and he said from henceforth let no man trouble me for I bear about in my body the marks of the Lord Iesus It stands with the Justice of God to condemn sin in the flesh and to let his servants bear about in their bodies both the dying and sufferings of the Lord Iesus Take notice of that Gal. 6.17 and they had the sentence of death within themselves and that was in their bodies and the sufferings of Christ did abound in them 2 Cor. 1. and that was in their bodies and when Paul writ unto the Colossians he Rejoiced in his sufferings for them and was to fill up that which was behinde of the Afflictions of Christ in his flesh c. Coloss 1.24 25. and he knew the mighty Power of God which wrought in him mightily verse 29. the Power of God within and the afflictions of Christ in their flesh and the works of Christ in their body and the knowledge of the terrours of the Lord and the bearing about in their bodies the dying of the Lord and the sentence of death within them and the condemning of sin in their flesh and the sufferings of Christ did abound within them these things was witnessed by them in their bodies c. which Conditions thou art â—gnorant of and so never came in by the dore which dore and sufferings and the like the people of God now witnesse whom thou Skip doth slander and Revile but as for thy saying If we bear in our bodies and Spirits Gods just and exact Judgment until he have wrought out of us his own satisfastion and recompence c. thou speaks thou knows not what and as I said before so say I still thy fallacy we deny and thy sting in thy taile but we witness to the truth and sufferings with Christs as the servants of the Lord did and by the workings of his Spirit we witness sin condemned in the flesh Judgement brought forth into victory and sanctification by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 1 Cor. 1.30 but that point of sophistry is thy own and turns back upon thee again And where thou hast gathered several Scriptures together and art speaking about sanctification and saith in the last place will you consider how Paul doth reckon the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. as in thy 28. page Reply The sanctification we own and witness unto as I said before but we deny thy point of sophistry thou tells of A Point of sophistry denyed and that thou hast any thing to do either to Judge of the people of God or workings of the Spirit that art ignorant of his teachings and art iound to be the false accuser of the Brethren The divine power of God which worketh out the corruptions doth also sanctify the soul and bringeth forth the fruits of the Spirit as is here mentioned witnessed by us whom the world calleth Quakers yet we witness the Power of God which causeth to shake tremble and quake as the holy men of God did which the Scriptures also witnesseth And as we witness their conditions so we witness the fruits of the Spirit effected by the operation of the divine power which branches forth into love without dissimulation c. which love is kind envyeth not vanteth not it self is not puffed up nor revileth nor rejoyceth not in iniquity but is a support both of faith hope and patience and causeth to go comfortably through both afflictions and tribulations 1 Cor. 13. and the same power of life brancheth forth it self by the spiritual operation into joy which is not fleshly but spiritual such a Joy as no man can take away and this remaineth within also according to the saying of Christ Iohn 15.11 and this divine power bringeth forth another fruit of the Spirit in us whiâ—h is called Peace and such a Peace as the world cannot give but such a Peace as Christ giveth unto his spoken of in the 14. of John 27. verse and it brancheth forth into long-suffering gentleness goodness meekness temperance patience godliness brotherly-kindness c. as in Gal. 5.22 23. anâ—wering with 1 Cor. 13. chap. which speaks of the Spirits fruits and likewise agreeing with that Rom. 12. and 2 Pet 1 2 3. c. This we witness unto by the Spirits workings and teachings according to the measure and manifestation of of the Spirit of truth and according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue 2 Pet. 3 4 5 6 7 8. Where thou says first whatsoever journey Satan shall suggest unto them they must undertake if it be a hundred or two hundred miles Page 29. Reply That is false and not true and here thou art charged to be an open lyer and false accuser satans suggestions we deny and turn thy saying back upon thee again and we also deny his service he is thy Teacher and Master who hath so taught thee to lye and falsly accuse and thou undertakes to do his service but thou must receive thy
According to the eternal Purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord ver 11 being now no more Strangers Forreiners but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Ephes 2.18 19 20. for which cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in Heaven and in Earth is named Eph. 3.14 15. And whereas thou says that some of them go naked and they have a colour from that of Saul and also saith they neevr knew the mind of the Lord so discovered by any of his servants either under the new or old Covenant c. pag. 35. Reply A Reply to that about going naked which thou hath accused some withall and says they bring in a cover for that from Saul Here thou hast shewed that thou art a busie bodie about other mens matters and also ignorant of the minde of the Lord discovered to Isaiah the Prophet one of his Servants undâ—â—â—â—e old Covenant to whom the word of the Lord came saying 〈◊〉 thy sackcloth from off thy loynes and thy shoe from off thy 〈◊〉 â—nd he did so and walked naked and bare-foot 3 years in obeâ—â—â—ce to to the minde and will of the Lord Isaiah 20. chapter See and take notice here was an example And the Lord so far Discovered his minde that he commanded the same thing to be acted and done which were Performed according to the Word of the Lord Therefore in that thou hast manifested thy Spirit of Errour as well as in the rest of thy sayings slanders and false accusations Secondly And thou says As for that of Sauls stripping off his cloathes and lying down naked amongst the Prophets there is nothing in that Place doth prove it to be the will of the Lord c. Reply Saul at that time was guided by a Spirit of Prophecy and that was according to the will of the Lord for no Prophecy of the Scripture came in old time by the will of man but by the will of God 2 Pet. 1.21 but Saul was then a Prophet guided by a Spirit of prophecie according to the will of the Lord and at that very time when he stript off his cloathes and day naked before Samuel all day and all night 1 Sam. 19.23 then Saul having at that time the Spirit of God and prophesied till he came before Samuel where he stript off his cloathes and then prophesied also which were according to the will of the Lord at that same time when he lay naked among the Prophets and as Balams Asse did speak to reprove him for his madness and folly so thou having manifested thy madnes and folly art Reproved and Judged for thine who art in errour delusion and filthy deceipt but are lest naked and bare as Saul was and now all thy Covers will not hide thee thy skirts is discovered take shame to thy self and beware how thou utters thy folly as thou hast done And whereas thou says if they cannot see the servants of Christ that walk according to the manifest Rules of the Gospell to be the servants of Christ but reckon them to be the servants of sin hypocrites c. as thou says they do commonly why then thou says they prove themselves to be blind and led forth by a lying and deceavable spirit of delusion by Antichrist c. pag. 37. Reply Now if we can see and know the servants of Christ that walk according to his Spirit 〈◊〉 manifest Rule in the Gospell and so do not reckon them to be blind servants of sin nor hypocrites c. and do not as thou sayes commonly call them so then we do not prove our selves to be blind nor led forth by a lying and deceaveabl spirit neither of delusion nor Antichrist c. as in thy 37. page The Serpent catcht or taken in his own snare devieâ— But we whom thou calls Quakers do see and know the servants of Christ that walk according to Gospel rules and do not reckon them to be servants of sin nor men in the darkness and hypocrisie c. neither do we commonly call them so then we do not prove our sâ—â—â—es to be blind but in the light Joh. 8.12 nor led forth by a lying and deceivable spirit but by the manifestation of the Spirit a rule in the Gospel to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 and also led by that spirit which is the Saints guide into all truth John 16.13 a Rule in the Gospel and so we are led by the Spirit of God which is the Saints guide Roman 8.14 Galat. 4.6 7. therefore we whom thou calls Quakers are not in delusion nor guided by the Spirit of Antâ—christ we are hereby cleared and thou ensnared and so thou art he that hast proved thy self to be blind and led forth by a lying Spirit therefore in that delusion of Antichrist thou speaks of and art acted and guided by his Spirit and amongst such as thou ranks together like unto the men of the world that do not know the servants and Disciples of Christ from his professed enemies according to his saying but speaks evill of the men you know not and of the things and workings of the Spirit of God and so there needs no further proof then your own open and Professed mistake who your selves are Ranked with the carnall and sinfull men of the World so that there is like Priest like People Hos 4. v 9. who are all under the Power of Antichrist and so without God in the World and the poor deluded Creatures thou speaks of according to thy 37. pag. The Covenant the Promises we witnesse but the Alienation and slanders aspersions and false accusations and lies as well in the 37 page as in other parts of thy Book that we deny turning them back upon thee and thy generation again though thou be made to cast away Tythes thou art strong in thy false accusations and lyes and so art in the deceivablenesse with the rest that took them though thou be in another colour disguised take notice of that therefore do I turn thee amongst the Serpents generation for Lyers and slandererers deceavers and false accusers therefore thou are of that generation and of the Serpents seed whose head is in the unbruâ—sed And whereas thou says if these poore deluded wretches of whom we are speaking shall judg themselves to be the servants of Christ and reckon them to be the servants of Christ also then they are brethren and if brethren and yet hate their brethren they must needs be under delusion and the words of the Apostle John will render them to be Liers and deceaved People c. pag. 37 38. Reply Now upon this Reckoning and Account as thou leaves it toour judging rnd reckoning of our selves so I say if we know that we are the Servants of Christ The wise taken in his own craftinesse and the Innocent art clear thâ—reby and reckon our selves Brethren and so love one another and
rejoyce in that he hath chosen us out of the world and counted us worthy to do his will in declaring against the deceits of the world and also in that he hath counted us worthy to suffer for his names sake Joh. 15.18 19 20 21. and more especially that our names are written in the Lambs book of life knowing also that the unrighteous and all whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life shall not enter into the holy City nor inherit the Kingdom of God but be cast into the lake that burneth c. as Jesus hath said who sent his Angel to testifie the same Take notice of this all ye persecuters gainsayers and oppressors of the truth and all the unrighteous prophane ones and all under what deceipts soever 1 Cor. 5.9 10. Rev. 14.9 10 11. and Rev. 21.8 27. Rev. 20.10 11 12 13 14 15. Rev. 22.10 11 15 16. And where thou shews thou art offended that truth should be spread abroad thou makes covers to cover over deceit but it is clearly seen and thou art falsly accusing and saying That they pretend that the Lord sendeth them hither and thither that they know not wither to go or to what person till they come to the place or person c. Reply That is false the pretence is thy own and that fallacy or sting in thy tail I deny where thou sayes They pretend the Lord sends them hither and thither they know not whither The wicked bends their tongues like their bows for lies and so shoots their arrows of reproach against the innocent c. thy pretence and fallacy is denied but the Lords sending I own and know and after what manner he sends even as he pleaseth according to the workings in his own councel after the good pleasure of his will And this I do own notwithstanding thy cover from the Lords sending of Moses to Pharaoh and Nathan to David and Ananias to Saul c. Thou art busying thy minde about them and their sending and art a stranger to the life they lived in they was not liars slanderers false accusers nor hypocrites like thee but declared against such as thou and thy generation of evil doers are by the spirit of the Lord in his servants and children declared against now at which thou art sore offended and bends thy tongue like thy bow for lies and shoots thy arrows of reproaches false accusations and slanders out against the truth and would not be told of it again but be thou sure God will meet thee and with his righteous judgements smite thee and such like and then wo to the wicked and such as thou art it shall go ill with you Isa 1.24 2 Thess 1.8 9. Isa 3.11 2. Thy pretence being denyed and fallacy cast out the former sendinâ—s of the Lords servants I own A sting in the tail denyed but the Lords sending of his servants as he pleaseth owned and also the sending of the Lords servants now by the same spirit and power which thou art a stranger unto that speaks against immediate teachings by the Spirit of God which teachings immediate I own and also know the Lords sending when I am sent to person or place as Ananias did when he wâ—s sent unto Paul in the street called straight to that person and place Act. 9.10 11. and as I do so do all witness to the truth who stands in the councel of God and to the truth I witness but thy saying that lay in thy fallacy and sting in thy tail that I deny and backe with the rest of thy lies I return open thy old botle and take them in again into the serpents seat from whence they came that with thee and in thy generation they may remain And where thou sayes Let us return and examine the manner of the Lords sending his servants and prophets upon particular messages I answer Thou hast nothing to do to busie thy minde about them The way and manner of the Lords sending forth his servants is owned according to the working of his power in his own councel after the good pleasure of his divine will and also some times to particular places and persons according to the word of the Lord. yet art an enemy to them and a stranger to the immediate teachings and so to the power by which they were and are sent but the immediate teachings I own as before is said and also the power and spirit by which the Lord sent and now sendeth his servants and the manner of the Lords sending of them as he pleaseth according to the working of his power in his own councel and after the good pleasure of his will he then sent forth his servants and so doth he now and that I also own and those that the Lord sent and stood in his councel they knew whither to go and sometimes the Lord told them to whom to go and what to say and sometimes they were to go to places c. and it should be told them when they came there what to say and sometimes waited after they came there several dayes before it was given what to say or speak c. And as the Lord did then to his servants according to his own councel and the good pleasure of his will so doth he to his servants now according to his own councel and the good pleasure of his divine will but Edmund Skip thou that art a liar slanderer and false accuser of the brethren thou art of the old serpent Rev. 12.15 c. and not in the councel of God but accusing such as are and speaking evil of the wayes and workings of the spirit and power of God then out of his councel and so not sent of him but by the false accuser and the man of sin therefore I take that from thee which thou hast stoln and return it into its right place again and I tell thee plainly the Lord is against such theeves as thou art and as may be read Jer. 23.30 31 32. But to the truth I witness and own and that when the Lord called Moses and made known himself to him he sent him according to the good pleasure of his will and so doth he now such as standeth in his counsel Exod. 3. And when Ezekiel was sent to them of the captivity at Tel-abib that dwelt by the river of Châ—ber he knew whither to go but not what to say neither when he went to them nor at first or present when he came there amongst them and where they was but he sat where they sat and remaied there amongst them seven dayes before it was given him what to say so he to wit Ezekiel the servant of the Lord when he was at that time sent by the spirit of the Lord he knew whither to go but not what to say untill it were revealed unto him Ezâ—kiels seven dayes silence at Tel-abib or given unto him what to say from the Lord to the people unto which he
were sent And as it was with that servant of the Lord so it may be with some others of the servants of the Lord they know sometimes whither to go and not at present what to say and as it was no delusion in Ezâ—kiel to go and wait so it is no delusion in them that so go in obedience to the spâ—rit of the Lord though they waite when they come there as long or little time as the Lord pleaseth as Ezekiel the servant and true Prophet of the Lord waited amongst the people of the Captivity at Tel-abib where he was sent seven dayes after he came there then he came there amongst them by the river Cheber before the word of the Lord came unto him what to say therefore silence all flesh also read Ezek. 3.14 15 16. When Ananias was sent to Paul he was told in a vision to whom to go and what to say Act. 9.10 11 c. Peter sent by the spirit c. When Peter had seen the vision though it was not told him before he went what to say yet he knew whither to go and went without gain-saying Act. 10.17 18 19 20 c. So others of the servants of the Lord may know by vision or revelation whither to God and not at present what to say and to go without gain-saying the power they do well for to obey Philp sent on the way towards Gaza 1. When Philip was in the villages of the Samaritans he was commanded to arise and go towards the South unto the way that went down from Jerusalem unto Gaza and he did obey the commands he knew at that time onely whither to go to such away that led to Gaza but he neither knew what to do there nor what to say yet he did obey and went unto that way that went from Jerusalem unto Gaza which is desert Act. 8.25 26 27. Philip joyned to the Chariot 2. And again Philip when he came there as he was going on the way he saw a Chariot and the spirit said unto Philip go and joyn thy self to yonder Chariot and he went knowing then the second time whither to go but not at that present what to say until he came at him that sat in the Chariot to whom by the Spirit he was sent Act. 8.29 30. And when Philip came at the man to whom he was sent instead of delivering a message first unto him when he came there he propounded a question Act. 8.30 But the Eunuch neither ran away nor sent Philip to prison for propounding unto him a question as many Antichristian Ministers in these dayes do Take notice thereof An observation to be â—aken notice of by the Lords servants about being sent c. And here it is to be observed that the Lord did not alwayes make known to his Servants whom he sends to particular persons and places what to say before they go their obedience is required first to go and then to wait for what he is pleased by them to say or do therefore he will have his servants to stand in his Counsel that they may be ordered by him according to the good pleasure of his will Some of the Lords servants and at sometimes knows-before they go both whither to go what to say and what to do others sometimes they know to whom to go and not at present what to say it was so amongst the Lords servants Prophets and Apostles before time and it is so with the Lords servants now they are to be ordered by his Power in his own Counsel according to the good pleasure of his will Several things acted by the servants of the Lord before time which if any of the servants of the Lord should be commanded so to do now this generation would wonder and call it delusion madness And again see a few of the Prophets acts according to command First see Jeremiah's act about the earthen bottle how the word of the Lord came to him and told him what to do which would be strange in these days if any of the Lords servants should do so and likewise concerning the girdle when he was commanded once to go and put it in a hole of the rock Jer. 13.1 2 3 4. and he obeyed that command ver 15. but he knew not at that time why he did it but shewed his obedience to the Lord then after many dayes he was commanded to go fetch that girdle again and it was so marred that it was profitable for nothing see Jer. 13.6 7. and the second time Jeremiah knew nor why he did so act but he shewed his obedience without any gain-saying Then the third time the Lord made known to him the mystery of the thing verse 8.9.10 Likewise that of Ezekiel about the tile when he pourtrayed upon it and laid siâ—ge with a pourtrayed tile c. Ezek. 4. and likewise concerning the Barbers rasor cutting off his hair and weighing it in the ballance c Ezek. 5. and about digging through the wall to carry the goods out when reason would have said the door had been more convenient and many things which the Lords servants did there which if any of the Lords servants now should be commanded to act such things to figure out the condition of a people and what the Lord would do and in his time perfect and accomplish they would in this generation be ready to call it madness delusion and folly but such as knows not the immediate teachings of the Spirit of God knows neither his sending to particular persons nor places nor the Spirits workings and actions no more then thou Edm. Skip dost who so slaundereth and accuseth the people of God and art a stranger to the immediate teachings of the Spirit of God as thou hast shewed and before is proved therefore silence deceit and stoy thp mouth thy Prognostication or Astronomical Judgment is false and stuft full of lies falshoods and untruths to fill ignorant people with fancies envy and lies that thou may make them like thy self in deceit and filthiness such as are wiling to believe it and be led by thee but to the wise hearted thou hast tittered thy shame and folly With the light that changeth not art thou and thy pernicious waies and fubtil twistings seen and comprehended and with the light judged and condemned And where thou says There was one in the North kept a fast a great while and thou conjectured it to be either Nayler or Foâ— who was commanded of the Lord to fast and as thou says if thy memory faile thee not it was seaven days and having so done he was commanded to fast so many more next ensuing that and so several of them as thou says have been commanded to fast and this thou says is the little great wonder this man having fasted as be was commanded by his enemy under the pretence of a friend c. Reply Thy sting in thy tail fallacy and little great wonder is denied where the
not our thoughts the Lying Spirit hath told thee so by which thou art deceived and so taught to lie thy Tongue is deceitfull and so is thy heart and now the Spirit of Truth tells thee the same and also witnesseth against thee and thy deceipt And that distrustfull care we deny and know that Christ doth engage his people to leave it but there is a true care which Christ engageth the hearts of his people unto and that we own And the love of Christ teacheth us diligence and faithfulness also which engageth our Hearts and Souls unto him and to do justly love mercy and walk humbly with our God to serve him with Reverence and Godly fear and also to serve our generation in Love by being faithful unto the Lord our Redeemed passing the time of our sojourning here in fear and true care therefore thou open Lyer lay thy hand upon thy mâ—dâ—â— and â—â—ish be ashamed for ever that thou should be to befooled by the Devil as thou art to be his slander-Carryer and sow his seed of distention lies slanders and evil 〈◊〉 and so Labours to harrow it into the fear of enmity and grounds of Prejudice And that saying where thou says Thou hast read 〈◊〉 what an insolent proud Authentick manner the Devil spoke to Christ c. Reply That shall stand for thy self who are the Devils-slander-carrier and Satans Proclaimer and Publisher of lies slanders and deceiptfull wicked evill and filthy aspersions in such a 〈…〉 insolent Authentick manner against the Truth of Christ and his Brethren and friends so against him in them and Reviles the servants of the living God is thy Fore-fathers did Revile our bâ—estâ—d Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ but were joyce in this that we are counted worthy to so suffer for his Names sake Math. 5.10.11.12 and with all knowing this that the servant is not greater then his Lord as he himself hath said therefore we bear it in Remembrance dwelling in his word John 4.1 〈◊〉 John 15.20 And where thou says we own visions and Revelations c Reply That we do not deny if we should we should deny the Spirit of Truth and the Condition of the holy men of God Act. 9.10 11 12. and Act. 10.17 and we also know this that there is no true knowledg of God but by Revelation as Christ himself hath said Who spoke Truth and could not 〈◊〉 and he is also to be beleeved and obeyed who is the way to the Father and the Scriptures bears testimony from his own mouth to the â—â—â—e undeniable and grounded Truth as may be read Matth. 11.27 Luk. 10.22 And where thou sayes so making themselves eithe Prophets or Apostles c The Lord maketh both true Prophets and true Apostles Reply Self we deny and all the Power of darknesse so in that thou hast told another Lie and of our selves we are not able to think any thing as our selves but our sufficiency is of God who maketh both Prophets and and Apostles and so able Ministers of of the New Testament or Covenant not of the Letter but the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life this the Scriptures witnesseth and we witnesse with them 1 Sam. 3.19 20 21. 2 Pet. 1.21 Eph. 4.4.11 12 13. Rom. 12.6 7 Acts. 13. 1 Pet. 4.10 2 Cor. 3.5 6. Gal. 1.11 12. And where thou says Let this be also wel observed these dreamers say not withstanding they pretend it is God by some speciall Revelation or Inspiration be what it wil the Lord must be the Author of it pag. 34. Reply Thy fallacy we deny and therein thou hast uttered another Lie be ashamed and blush and for the Dreamers they shall stand for thy self and such in thy nature and deceablenesse of unrighteous who defile the flesh and despiseth the Spirituall dominion and Government which we witnesse unto by which Spirituall Poner the flesh with the affections and lusts are crucified Gal. 5.24 and with the Spirit and Power of our God are we sanctified washed cleansed and justified 1 Corimb 6.11 therefore we are no Dreamers For we witnesse the Spirituall dominion and Government by which we are preserved in our sanctification by Christ Jesus as such was in theirs that spoak against the dreamers Jude 1.2 and Revelation and Inspiration and the Lords sending according to the good pleasure of his will and the working of his divine power we own but thy pretence and fallacy or sting in thy call where thou says Be it what it will be God must be charged with it that we utterly deny and so testify against this abominable lye and â—â—â—n it back upon thee and the dreamers there remain Observe it well And where thou says Did you ever know a People acted through a more glorious shew or pretence of Righteousness then they are c. Reply Thy shews and pretences is by us denied but to obey Christ in all his discoveries and divine Appearances working unto Righteousnesse and changing from glory to Glory into the pure Image by the power of the Lords Eternall Spirit 2. Cor. 3.17 18. as such afore-time did that we we with the Scriptures do also witnesse and own and as Christ hath said to his Father in the eternall love to his in the glorious appearance and discovery unto such as were changed and changing into the Glory where he saith all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them John 17.10 and the sufferings is not worthy to compared to the Glory revealed within Rom. 8.18 and God who commanded the Light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts through his glorious discovery and divine appearances of Glory and Righteousness to give us the knowledge of his Glory saith the Ministers of Christ and even in the face of Jesus Christ this treasure have we in eathren vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us 2 Cor. 4.5 6 7 and the Saints fellowship with Christ in the Glory is to be admired as the Apostle saith to the Thessalonians which glorie appears in the inwards 2 Thessal 1.10 this the Scriptures witnesse and in the fulfilling and changing into glory of Righteousnesse we also witnesse according to the measure and manifestation of his divine appearance fellowship with him in the pure enjoyment of Light Life and Love received from him who is the Lord our Righteousnesse and so made unto us Wisdom and Righteousnesse 2 Cor. 1.30 and with him and the Spirituall operation we witnesse according to his divine Appearance both in Glory and Righteousness as the Scriptures also witnesseth which we do own and with them also witnesse and of Christ according to his pure discoveries of his love according to His glorious Appearance which we do own but thy fallacies and guilded pretences we do deny and thee and thy pernicious wayes disown And where thou say Their throwing off and denying the World and all care and pains thereof for Christs sake
else for ever be ashamed and confounded Satan would have given money for that by Simon Magus but he and his money was to perish that thought to buy the Holy Ghost or receive the great power of God thereby Act. 8.18 19 20. The Holy Ghost was given by the power of God through the Apostles laying on of hands Act. 8.17 and Satan could not get it neither with money nor without it when he laboured for it and healing was a gift of God given by his power to his Apostles and it could not be bought neither did Satan ever receive that power it was alwayes kept from him and given to the Apostles of Christ onely Mar. 16.18 19 20. and though some of Satans friends would have cast out the unclean spirit they could not Satan never received that power nor never can therefore seeing thou hast so laid open thy deceit in thy false Astronomical judgement as thou calls it the worlds wonder but I say lying wonder invented in the mystery witchcrafts in the iniquity but thou art known to be of the dark power to be amongst the Antichrists false Prophets and Satanical Ministers in the transformings yet the power of healing by laying on of the hands he cannot purchase for thee nor give unto his for take this granted and seeing thou art so carried on to lie blaspheme and speak evil against Christ and his power therfore let all the world and all who hath any care of their souls take heed of thee or hearkening to thy lying divinations I warn them from the Lord as they will answer it before his judgement seat in the terrible day of his wrath wherein the strong man shall cry bitterly Zeph. 1.14 c. And also let the world and all that hath any care of their souls take heed both of thee and all such as thou art and let them take heed and give over following or hearkening to any such Antichristian Ministers whose end will be as their works are and as thine is for they are evil so will thy end be now that they are warned from the Lord by his spirit in his servant it is good for them that they turn from thee and all such deceivers in the deceivableness of unrighteousness as thou art so in regard there hath been so much of thy deceit made manifest and thy falshood discovered all along in thy book I know the wise hearted will see it and judge it and I having also warned the world and all that desires to fear God and serve him of thee and such like to beware Take warning and turn from thee and such as thou art least they and you fall together into the pit let them fear and amend and so I shall draw towards an end For that in thy 46. page where thou hast been telling the Baptized people thou had a Communion with a society of people which is now as thou sayes wholly broke off from thee I say they being guided by the light of Christ to see into that Mystery of iniquity thou art in and so know thy subtilty and sophistry It was a part of their duty to leave thee and break off from thee and thy deceivableness and now if they abide in the light and be faithful to the reachings thereof it will be another part of their duty to declare against thee and thy deceit and no more to have any fellowship with thee nor thy unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them and thee Eph. 5.11 And though thou be fâ—attering the baptized people and tell them thy conceivings of their way and thy hindrances and now even as it were goes a begging unto them let them see if thy own ends be not the cause of the flattery and if thy necessity would not cause thee to fly thither for they own ends to have a hypocrites seal amongst them and a cover to shelter thee under let them take heed what they do and how they keep company with thee as they will answer it before the Lord all such amongst them as desire to fear him now that they are warned and thy deceit so discovered and if they take counsel of God they will drive thee back and keep from thee and out of the delusions and ecclipses mystery of iniquity Astrology and star-gazing and not believe thee in thy lying words in that Astronomical judgement thou calls the worlds wonder or the book called the Blazing star And now a few words to thy last page or that called the word to a Book which thou calls The worlds wonders Where thou are telling in thy book it may expect a hue and cry to be sent after it very shortly Reply Thou the thief art guilty and fear surpriseth the hypocrits heart for thou sayes to thy book It may not expect from thee any defence by raising and Army of reasonings argumentations and disputings neither by thy pen not word Reply Thou hast filled it so full of lies and falshoods that the devil in thee cannot enable thee to defend them for truths and so thou hast left them to be broke through and scattered and thy lies and falshoods being turned back upon thee again thy burden thou must bear for now truth strikes at thy deceits and hath proved them to be as a mighty flood come out of the mouth of the serpent whereby Antichrist hath been casting forth all manner of opprobrious lies and disgraceful speeches and blasphemy against the Lamb and the woman that hath brought forth the man-child yet the child is caught up and both the woman and child is preserved and the Dragon he is now encountred and beaten back to lye in his hole who hath sent forth his book like a Goliah even in the defiance of the truth but not able to defend it self nor thou to help it and him who hast spoken to it great swelling words out of the pride of thy heart saying go forth in thy own strength like a mighty man of war even Goliah like and now goes David or a souldier belonging to Israel in the spirit and of the Army of the Lamb one of the servants of the Lord hath met thy Goliah or man of war and taken his sword and cut off his head not by the arme of flesh nor in his own power and strength but in the power and strength of the Lord. And I say now praised be the Lord who hath guided hand and heart and hath set truth above over the deceit and preserved his servants from the enemies fiery dart and doth so much assist his people as to take their part and set them free from their enemies that they may prize his great and glorious name And now I say to this my book Go thou forth not in my name power or strength as a man but in the name power and strength of the Lord to do his service and so from me in the same Go thou forth in the power of the Lord and be victorious and the blessing