Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	heart_n	son_n	17,006	5	5.6134	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89842	The light of Christ, and the word of life. Cleared from the deceipts of the Deceiver, and his litterall weapons turned upon his owne head. Also the man of sin found out, who is hiding himselfe in a heape of confusion, pretending Antichrist is not yet come. Occasioned by laying open some deceipts in a booke titled, The deceiv'd and deceiving Quakers discovered; subscribed Mathew Caffin and William Jeffery, brethren in iniquitie, who are joyned to deny God, Christ, the light, and spirit, in his saints, and calls it teaching Christs spirit apart from his body, and an evill spirit, to witnesse the spirit of Christ in the saints. Set forth that the simple may see the wiles the devill hath to keepe them from the word of life, the soules salvation. / By a lover of Israels seede, called James Nayler.	Naylor, James, 1617?-1660.	1656 (1656)	Wing N293; Thomason E877_1; ESTC R206580	19,351	24

shame cease calling us deceived and deceiving Quakers many of us have been too long deceived with such blind guides enemies to the light who have alwayes resisted the Spirit but the light hath appeared and is received by which we see the deceivers and no more by them can wee be deceived neither can Antichrist cover himselfe in the letter whose worke is to devoure the light and Spirit that gave it forth it will not serve your turne whose end is contrary that which was given forth to testifie of the light of the world will never say it 's not sufficient and that which saith he is the authour and finisher you cannot make it say there must be something before him and that which saith hee is all in all will not limit him and that which saith the Spirit giveth life the same saith the letter kills so behold your work and be ashamed such dead deceitfull blind doctrine is sutable to such dead workes you bring forth and darke wayes you walke in the Children of light sees you whose faces are turned from you and are set out of the world in which your Religion stands conformable to it and in vaine doth Pharaoh pursue or A●…aleck smite the hindmost it is but that you may be drown'd in your envy and with the floods of your own confusion that thereby your names may be blotted out and become a curse before the Lord and his people for all your envy and hard speeches you have spoken against the truth slanders and false accusations you cast upon the servants thereof though wee have not desired this evill da● to come upon you by persisting in your wickednes the Lord he knoweth and for the abominable lyes thou hast cast upon us in thy booke wee are content to beare them being no other thing then our portion in this world yet that thou hast spoken them falsely every day shall make them more manifest And this I shall say unto them all before all the world if the Lord our righteousnesse whose righteousnesse we serve in soule and spirit doe not cleare us thereof by a godly conversation then paper and inck will not so to the Lord and into the hands of his power we referre our selves therein And this I say as of the Scriptures God is at liberty to speake to his people by them if he please and where they are given by inspiration he doth so and so is he at liberty to speake by any other created thing as to Balaam by his Asse or by his owne Immediate voyce but of him I have learned to know his word from that he speakes by and not to limit him though you have not And this I say further that men may read the Scriptures in the booke without all their time and till the eye and eare be opened within with the light of Christ they cannot heare the words of God in the Scriptures no nor from Christ himselfe were he in the flesh his owne words shall be my witnesse herein John 8. 47. and your practises prove it dayly ANd now a word to thy brother in the latter part of thy book whose work is to clear the Whore of Babylon from being the Antichrist and that the man of sin and the Antichrist will but be a single person such a work as none of the men of God ever undertook but the children must plead for their Mother And yet in thy pleading for her least thou should injure the kingdom of the man of sin the Antichrist thou first puts it out of question that none needs to fear him come already they may sleep quietly for that and when he doth come he will be but a single man so none that 's now alive needs fear in the least that they are he for sayest thou he will be but one man thus hast thou cleared the world of the man of sin and the Antichrist for the present but cannot see thy selfe to be he who art pleading for his kingdome till dooms day as people call it in thy 76 page And who art lying against the holy Ghost saying that Antichrist will be but one man and that he is not yet come contradicting the Spirit of Christ who saith even now there are many Antichrists 1 John 2. 18. So thou art the Antichrist who art the lyar 1 John 2. 22. And saith the Spirit he is Antichrist who denyes the Father and the Son so thy companion is one who saith To suppose God in men to teach them is an error p. 17. thus he denyes the Father to be his onely Teacher And thou art another who calls it an error to preach up the Spirit of Christ within for a Teacher p. 68. and calls it an evill Spirit and herein thou denies the Son and many such Antichrists there are in the world who both deny the Father and the Son for he that denyes the one denyes both and he is an Antichrist that so doth and no new thing it is to the children of light to see such who have received the spirit of the world in their hearts to deny the Father and Son there to teach and lead and these was the Antichrists John saw who was gone out into the world and so the Spirit of God and of the world could not both be confessed in one heart 1 John 4. but where the Spirit that was of God is there Christ is confessed in heart and God also but who hath corrupted his ways saith in his heart There is no God Ps 14. 1. So try thy wayes and try thy words who denies Christ within and calls it teaching up the Spirit of Christ apart from his body to preach Christ within and sayes its an evill Spirit to say Christ is in them and thus the Reprobate who knows not Christ in thee art become a Teacher 2 Cor. 13. 5. Hast thou not here shewed thy selfe the Antichrist indeed who thus opposes Christ in his Saints Doth not he say Without me you can doe nothing abide in me and I in you he that abideth in me and I in him the same bring●●… forth much fruit for without me you can do nothing Joh. 15 4 5. Doth not Christ say to the Father touching the Saints I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one John 17. 23. Did Christ here preach up his Spirit apart from his body Or was this an evil Spirit and a Spirit of error as thou says it is in us And did not all his Ministers preach the same Doth not Paul say when it pleased the father to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him Gal. 1. 16. And Christ in you the hope of glory whom we preach Col. 1. 27. And know ye not that Christ is in you except you be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. My little children of whom I travell in birth againe till Christ be formed in you Gal. 4. 19. And he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not

mind and guide the heart of man which is in darknesse such a doctrine as this was never preached by any of Christs Ministers whose message was to preach Christ all-sufficient in all to work the whole work in fallen man both to light and life which if thy doctrine be not quite contrary let the work in thy book testifie Thy second thing that thou wouldst prove is that the letter of the Scripture is the word of God and so the Rule and touchstone to judge spirits with and that by which the world must be judged and much such like that belongs to God and his Spirit alone in Christ Jesus wouldst thou in opposition thereto ascribe to the letter not knowing what the word Rule and Judge is And this to prove thou addes a great heap of confusions and contradictions but cannot find one Scripture that saith the letter is the word But thou instances that place Marke 7. 12 13. which hath relation to the 5 Commandement and with a deal of confidence thou affirmes that Christ calls the letter the word in this place because he saith they make the word of God of none effect by their traditions so thou hast proved the letter of that Commandement to be thy word but in thy 24 page having forgot thy word thou overthrows it againe and sayes the Apostle calls that the letter of the Law which killeth and the ministration of death written and engraven in stones by which no flesh shall be justified of which letter the Apostles was not Ministers of So by thy proofe thy word is that by which no flesh shall be justified but is the letter that killeth and ministration of death of which words the Apostles was not Ministers and in thy 39 page thou sayes it is done away so thou hast lost thy word and such like wild confused drunken stuffe thou hast to prove the letter the word wherein thou hast rightly proved thy word to be that which the Apostles was no Ministers of nor by it shall any be justified and this is thy main pillar which falls thus on thy own head but where the light of Christ is denyed the blind must needs stumble though at noon day but they that have the word know that the word they made voyd by their traditions was what God had written in their hearts of which the outward was a figure Isa 51. 7. Psal 119. 11. Mat. 13. 15. Another proof thou brings Acts 2. 41. which saith they that gladly received Peters word were baptized in which thou hast proved the letter not to be the word for they that Peter preached to had the letter before they received Peters word which word was Christ of which the letter testifies Such like as these are all the rest of thy proofes many grosse lies mixt amongst them not worth the while to gather or repeat after thee As thou art not ashamed in thy 25 page to lye against the Apostles words saying they were Ministers of the letter which the Apostle plainly denies 2 Cor. 3. 6. As indeed is the most of thy work in thy book to oppose plaine Scripture and contradict thy selfe As for instance Saith Paul Gal. 1. When it pleased the Father to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him I went c. Sayest thou page 26. The Apostles went forth testifying the Lord Jesus not come within them Saith Christ the Spirit of truth When he is come he shall testifie of me Sayest thou page 33. Which Spirit the Saints receiving did not declare him to be their onely inheritance Saith Christ The Spirit of truth shall guide you into all truth John 16. 13. Sayest thou page 15. Men are not led into all truth by a light within Saith Christ Take heed that the light that is in thee be not darknesse Luke 11. Sayest thou False and erronious is that Spirit that bids men give attendance to a light within Saith Christ John 5. 25. The houre is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voyce of the Son of God c. Sayest thou page 45. Not come and now is Saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God c. And speaks of some whom the God of this world had blinded their minds least the light of the glorious Gospell should shine unto them Sayest thou page 8. as to the same thing not from a teacher within but from the Apostles who plainly affirme that they were to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God so putting the Apostles instead of God and belying them says they affirme it when the Apostle saith God gives it and not they And thus thou shewes thy selfe all along to be that man of sin that old gainsayer who opposeth thy selfe against the truth of the Scriptures and yet would have the letter thereof to be the word which thou canst thus turne and wrest against the truth but the word thou knows not which cannot be wrested altered nor changed nor canst thou prove the letter to be it though many crooked wayes thou takes to doe it but its hard to take the letter to prove against the word which doth testifie of the word from whence it came But seeing thou canst not prove the letter to be the word I shall prove that the letter is not the word and the letter it selfe shall witnesse with me therein First That which one may have and not have the word is not the word but one may have the letter and not have the word so the letter is not it That one may have the letter and not have the word is plaine John 5. 38 39. The Jewes had the Scriptures and Christ bids them search them and they thought to have eternall life in them yet Christ tells them they had not the word So the letter cannot be the word which one may have and yet not have the word Whosoever hath the word hath life but so hath not all who have the letter Whosoever hath the word hath God but so have not all who have the letter The word is without beginning or without ending but so is not the letter That which can be changed by men is not the word but the letter is and hath been changed by men 1 Pet. 1. 25. The word of the Lord came to such as had the letter and some of them received it and some received it not yet all had the letter and believed it All that hear the word it quickens but many hear the letter but are still dead in sin And such they are who know not to distinguish between the word it selfe and the letter which is the declaration thereof which letter the Devill and wicked men get to plead against the word and for their sins which is the great use the letter is wrested to at this day let any of the servants of God reprove

life 1 Joh. 5. 12. And he that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son If any come and bring not that Doctrine receive them not nor bid them God speed 2 John 10 11. And was this an evill Spirit in all these and many more too much to set down here Or did they preach Christ apart from his body as thou chargest us for the same testimony we bear now Or were this good in them and is it an error in us to witnesse the same O how is the hidden things of Esau found out are they not blind indeed who cannot see Antichrist now revealing and who he is that denies the Father and the Son thy work and thy brothers in this book and many such Antichrists there are in the world that deny Christ come in the flesh and now the light reveals you what Spirits you are of Is all your talking of Christ come to this that if any confesse him it is called an evil Spirit and an error and out of your Synagogues must be cast Was there ever such a blind generation who have denyed the light the Spirit the Father and the Son and now deny the letter also that any should own what is in it declared further then to talk on Is it not time for all you that loves your souls to come out from amongst these blind men who thus resist the Spirit and thus blaspheme God in his Temple even in the bodies of his Saints calling him an evill Spirit 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. This blind doctrine may serve to keep your selves in your imaginations but amongst the children of light it can doe no hurt with the light are you comprehended and all your dark airy Spirits the Shepheard is in his flock it s too late to tell us its a delusion neither can you hide Antichrist nor the man of sin any longer you are seen many Antichrists who denies Christ but who hath received the Christ the anoynted and have the ●●ction in them knows all things and neither you nor your mother can be hid no● he that hath begot you thus to p●ead ag●inst Christ in his Th●on● b●ush and be ashamed you b●ood● of Babell a●d see you● confusion and stop your 〈◊〉 dost not thou in thy 69 p●ge after thou have c●lled it an evill spirit a●d an error to wi●nesse Christ within and said it was to p●each him apart from his body ●ye the● sayest thou Christ doth dwell in their hearts by faith but note sayest thou that faith is the substance of the thing hoped for a●d so being by faith thou wouldst make people believe its not ●eally so but some imagination or thought of a thing to come and yet sayes faith is the substance of the thing hoped for Also p 78. where thou art pleading for the Whore of Babylon not to be the Antichrist thy argument i● that the Whore of Babylon confesseth Christ come in the flesh so thou hast proved the Whore of Babylon to be of God for saith John expresly Every spirit that confesseth Christ is come in the flesh is of God 1 John 4 2. so thou hast w●l● proved for thy mother if any b● so blind as to believe thee but where Christ is appeared her confession is seen to be like her children who say he came 16 hundred years since but if any confesse him come now in them she and her brood would mu●●her them but but if all be of God who thus confesse him then who is not for I never yet met with any that did not Thi● confession little hurts the man of sin or his kingdome in your hearts one that confesseth the life of Christ made manifest in mortall flesh doth more trouble the Devil's kingdome then all the Whores confession and his children ever since the mystery of in●qui●y came in and therefore it is that this confession is death to her and her children and the man of sin hath all h●s up against it where it is and this is the cause why all this venome is cast upon us in your book but the knowledge of Christ in our hearts bears all without trouble yet such a body of confusion death and darknesse is amongst you since the light of Christ appeared and you resisted it as the like hath not been seen since the world was especial●y among you who once had some tendernesse in you what a wo●k is this of yours after all your venome to undertake to clear Babylon of the man of sin and of the Antichrist nay to clear all the world of him and sayes he is not risen and sayes in your 37 page you think the sixt head of the Roman Monarchy did hinder the coming of the man of sin in Pauls time and something else hath hindered him since for he is not risen yet by your doctrine but being blinded by him cannot see that it s he in you that is now uttering all this confusion to hide himself in your hearts in others also by denying Christ within and setting you to look for the man of sin yet to come which must be one man when he comes but were you not blind indeed you might look in and see from whom it is that all this lying slandering and confusion and wickednesse comes that is sent out into the world this comes not from God but from the Devil and man of sin which did you see shame would stop your mouth from being so busie in that you know not on FINIS

THE LIGHT OF CHRIST AND THE WORD OF LIFE Cleared from the Deceipts of the Deceiver and his litterall Weapons turned upon his owne head Also the Man of sin found out who is hiding himselfe in a heape of Confusion pret●nding Antichrist is not yet come Occasioned by laying open some Deceipts in a Booke titled The deceived and deceiving Quakers Discovered Subscribed Mathew Cassin and William Jeffery brethren in iniquitie who are joyned to deny God Christ the light and Spirit in his Saints and calls it teaching Christs Spirit apart from his body and an evill Spirit to witnesse the Spirit of Christ in the Saints Set forth that the Simple may see the wiles the Devill hath to keepe them from the word of Life the Soules salvation By a lover of Israels seede called James Nayler Even now there are many Antichrists and whosoever denyeth the Father and the Son the same is he that is the lyar and the Antichrist Abide in me and I in you for without me you can doe nothing LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-spread-Eagle near the West end of Pauls 1656. THE LIGHT OF CHRIST and the word of Life MATHEVV CAFFIN who to shew thy selfe amongst the body of opposition hath raked up a heape of filth out of thy owne heart to cast on the Children of light adding lye to lye so begins and so ends for in thy beginning thou sayes even now are there many Antichrists And in the end of thy booke thou say'st that Antichrist will but be one single man And as is the beginning and ending so is the whole bulke a lumpe of lyes slanders and Confusions as one would thinke the Devill himselfe might blush at As that the Quakers saith and cannot but say that Christ ascended not into heaven with that body which God raised from the dead and glorified And that we say the body and blood of Christ is unprofitable That we Imagine Christ never dyed That we say that the offering of Christs body to be broken and his blood to be shed avails not so as through faith therein to set free from sinne And that we deny the holy Scriptures And much such like which to write after thee might fill a volume but seeing they are but slanders most of them cast upon our persons and that our practises doe every day testifie against them so that none but who are willfully blind but they may both heare and see contrary and seeing we need looke for no other but that all manner of evill must be spoken against us without cause by the lyar who is that Antichrist for his names sake who hath called us out of darknesse we shall therefore willingly receive it as great rules till the Lord our righteousnesse make Esau ashamed at his envies There is onely two things which as to the way of God may prejudice some who are simple which I shall lay open thy deceipts in and for the rest leave it to discover its author and by what spirit he is guided which the least Child of light may easily Judge being nothing but a heape of slanders from the old roote severally spoken to in other places Those two I shall mention is touching the light of Christ and the Word which thou denies to set the letter in the stead which two things being cleared the whole worke falls to nothing but false ●ccusations The first is thy envie against the light of the world that lighteth every man that cometh into the world And to undervalue this thou sayes That false and erronious is that Spirit that bids men give attendance to a light within as their onely teacher And that Christ did not Commend people to a teacher within And that men are not led into all truth by a light within them And that to suppose that God in men is their teacher is an Error not knowing the Scriptures And that it is not to be found in all the Scriptures that Christ or any of his did counsell ignorant people to waite upon a light within them c. And that to declare the light within is another report and another Spirit than Christ and his Ministers and much the like thou inveighs against the light shewing thy selfe utterly blind and a Child of darknesse And yet sayest thou the Gospell is hid and the Creature lost where the God of this world hath blinded the minde and yet wilt thou have no light within And sayest thou it concernes us to have our lights burning yet denies the light within but doth not tell people where their lights must burne without them nor where their enlightened minds must be without them And much such darke mudd●e stuffe comes out from the waters of Babylon too much to gather up after thee whereby thou seekes to darken and undervalue the light of the world as not to be a teacher sufficient that so Antichrist might keepe people in blindnesse and so in their sins Such a worke as none was ever found in but the Devill and his Instruments quite contrary to Gods Covenant and the end of it even the Covenant of light in which God hath placed all his promises and power yea where God himselfe dwells even in the light of Christ the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world which was the message that the Ministers of Christ was to declare which Antichrists Ministers oppose And that this light is the onely leader and guide to all sorts of people and in all estates and that without beleeving and following this there is no salvation but without it all are in darknesse I shall make it plaine by the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and their testimony of it against whome thou beares thy testimony and the rest of the Children of darknesse even against that light which is the anoynting which was typified by that pure oyle of the Tabernacle of which the Law and the Prophets prophesied even the everlasting Covenant of light both to Jews and Gentiles As saith the Prophet Isa 42. 6. And in the 49. 6. God calls it a light to the Gentiles and for salvation to the ends of the earth And this thou would limit onely to such as thou calls beleevers which indeed appeares the greatest enemies to it And in the 10●h Chapter 17. he saith This light shall burne up as a fire the briers and thornes in his day Also Isa 60. 3. 19 20. And through his whole Prophesie he makes it the summe of his worke to foretell the Coming and beautie and power of this light and all the rest of the Prophets which would be too large to mention And John Baptist the greatest of the Prophets who came to see this light he testifies of him what he is and what he doth that through him all might beleeve whose whole testimony was of this light John 1. he saith This is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world and calls him the Word that was in the beginning by whom

the Powers of darknesse in this world yet art thou found in the world joyned with the Prince of the world to wrastle against the light of the world even the spirituall light of Christ which all the holy men of God did ever beare witnesse too and preached to them that was in darknesse and witnessed it to be that by which they was inlightened even the light within which shined out of darknesse in their hearts which gave them the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus which was their treasure in the earthen vessels which they Preached and not themselves that the Praise might be wholy of God who had given them this light in Christ Jesus wherefore they renounce the hidden things of dishonesty not handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of this truth commend themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God and not to the fleshly wisdome nor braine knowledge but to the light in every mans conscience 2 Cor. 4. and they exhorted them to have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse but to reprove them and said all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light and whatsoever doth make manifest is light and this they preach for the light of Christ Ephes 5. 11 13 14. and doth also declare that the want of this light having their understandings darkned and the blindnesse of their hearts is the cause why men are past feeling and so given themselves over to lasciviousnesse to work all uncleanesse with greedinesse Eph. 4. 18 19. But he saith the Sains have not so learned Christ if they have heard him and been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus being renewed in the spirit of their minds who sometimes were darkness but now are light in the Lord and so walk as children of the light bringing forth fruits of the Spirit in all goodnesse righteousness and truth and this light was their message which they declared to their hearers as the way to the bloud of cleansing saith John This is the message as we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is light and in him is no darknesse at all if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darknes we ly do not the truth but if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1. 5 6 7. This light they Preached to be the way out of the world following Christ who led them therein who saith I am the light of the world no man cometh to the Father but by me this light they preached to be the way to cleansing by the blood of Jesus and this light they preached to keep out of the occacion of stumbling and said they that walk in darknesse know not whether they go because that darknes hath blinded their eyes 1 John 2. 10 11. And this was the end of their Ministry which was the end of the Covenant and the end of Christs coming even to open the blind eyes and to bring them that sit in darknesse out of the Prison house Isa 42. 7. And this was the end of the Apostles Ministry to open their eyes and to turne them from darknes to light and so from the power of Satan to God Acts 27. 18. And this eye was within them that was blind which they was to open which the God of this world had blinded which Christ calls the light of the body and therefore saith Take heed that the light that 's in thee be not darknesse Luke 11. 34 35. Which eye the blind guides who loveth the world and their sin have closed and their ears they have shut whose hearts are waxen grosse so that they can neither see hear nor understand Mat. 13. 15. And in this state are all you blind guides blind leaders of the blind who can neither speak nor walk according to the Law and Testimony because ye know not the light in ye nor can any but from that light within and therefore in your blindnesse are opposing the light of the world which the Law and the Prophets prophesied of which had the Testimony of Jesus which we witness to be the light of the world who are come to the end of the Law and the Prophets even the new Covenant where the Law is written in the heart and the spirit of Prophesie received which is the testimony of Jesus which we knew not till that eye was opened and therefore went along with you in your blind worships and selfe taken on performances from the letter which gave us no life which life we witnesse now in the Spirit by faith in the light of Christ and his commands in Spirit is life and power for obedience to the faith in the light it is seen and accepted in which light we see you and your labours which are without not in the light and spirit and deny you and your sparks your kindling your literall Teaching and selfe righteousnesse and all your brick making who are in the Aegyptian darknesse enemies to the light of Israel and its seed And you we see to be enemies to Zions Redemption as you are enemies to the light of the world both in your selves and others And this I say further to thee and the rest of thy dark generation That all your boast of Religion and knowledge in the letter will not bring you to God without the light of Christ nor can any one that is in ignorance come to know the way to life but by the light of the world and untill man be led thereby he cannot come out of his darknesse even with that light that reproves the world and manifest your evill deeds must he be led though the beasts of the field who know not what liberty the Sons of God have in his garden calls this a Spirit of bondage which is bondage to the beastly nature but is freedome to the Sons and Seed of God which the love of God is too who loves purity but hates iniquity And whereas thou and the rest of you would confine the light of Christ onely to such who are enlightned already I say who must enlighten the rest is there some other light to be preached before him is not he the author as well as the finisher who are enlightned indeed knowes this that he is the light in the times of darknesse and there is none besides him and that he giveth life to all who receive his light and follow it but those that rebell against the light knows not the wayes thereof nor abides in the paths thereof Job 34. 13. There in that Chapter thou maist read thy selfe and thy way and work Is this the end of your talking of the Spirit and is it now become an error to say its sufficient to teach and guide out of darknesse and is it some carnall thing that must enlighten the

sin in the word of the Lord and presently the Serpent gets a Scripture to plead for it and so to give God the lye which was his work before the letter was to wit to oppose the word in open lying but now hath got the letter to hide him and can now come as boldly with it is written Luke 4. 10. to uphold his sin and imperfection as ever he did with his lye to Eve to set up his kingdome of sin and imperfection at the first which then he got in by subtilty without Scripture but now by the letter would maintaine it by force and if any believe to attaine that estate againe before he entred with boldnesse from the letter he will prove him an heretick and find Scripture to murther him for it also he having but power to doe it and this is the use the Scriptures are of when such give meanings of them and preach them whose eye he hath blinded and have not the word in them from which the Scriptures came and without which none know them nor understand them And thus the Jewish Rabbies put Christ to death by the letter John 19. 7. And so doth he suffer to this day in whom ever he is by the worlds Teachers wresting the letter therefore saith Peter such wrest all Scriptures to their own distruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. And this is the ground of the Devills envy against the children of light at this day because we exhort people to the Spirit of Christ and to his light to enlighten their mindes that they may not read without understanding and so wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction which things we our selves did while we was in our fallen wisdome for while man is in darknesse the best of Gods gifts are perverted to a wrong end but being enlightned from the word the gift is seen and sanctified to its right end without which it cannot for God hath placed the blessing and right use of all his mercies in his Son who is the light of the world the word by which all was made and is upholden therefore is he first to be preached who is first and last to enlighten people that sit in darknesse death and delusion which light being first received all the gifts of God are yea and amen therein to his praise and the creatures good for without faith all is lost and it is not faith in the gift that saves but faith in the giver for many did believe in the Scripture and thought to have eternall life therein but could not believe in the light of the vvorld and so denyed the giver and the Scriptures could not save these but in their thoughts thereof deceived themselves who had not the word in them and so stuck in the letter but would not come to the light of life for it is he that hath the Son hath life and not every one that hath the letter and such alone have the word of life which such as stick in the letter knows not nor can hear John 8. 47. Nay there was many that heard Christ speak but did not nor could they hear the word John 8. 43. And this was much more then the letter yet such blind and deaf creatures being blinded by the God of this world they thought to have eternall life in the Scripture Saith Christ v. 47. He that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God yet did Christ speak the words of God and they did hear him carnally as carnall men doe the letter and could make him answer to his speech but could not hear the words of God as Christ plainly saith and here thou maist read thy blindnesse Also that place Acts 17. which you think makes so much for you to prove the letter the word it doth but fall on your own heads as all other Scriptures doe for them of Berea was not called more noble then them of Thessalonica because they had the Scriptures read for the Jews of Thessalonica had the Scriptures read every Sabbath day but this was their nobility in that they received the word gladly with all readinesse of mind and then searched the Scriptures dayly first they received the word to enlighten and then searched the Scriptures in the light so this doth plainly prove that they had not the word before though they had Scripture before so that here you doe but prove that the letter is not the word Also this place clearly proves that one may have the Scriptures all their lives and read them in way of worship constantly for so did both these sorts of Jewes and yet neither know word nor Scriptures untill they received the word of light but when the word is received or not received that makes the difference of believers and unbelievers the one owns the other envies and persecute though both have the Scriptures this Scripture proves this in the Jewes and your practice proves the same in you Gentiles who call your selves Christians who are found joyning with the lewd people as they did and stirring up their minds to persecu●e through your lyes which otherwise might be silent so your worke is seene and makes it manifest what word you know as all thy yes and slanders in thy booke may test●fie thee to be one of that envious broode which is the most they serve for for us they touch not yet is thy reward no lesse yet this all may note that the searching of the Scriptures without the word first received cannot find the way to faith as this scripture doth plainly prove for till the eye be opened with the light of the word of life The Scriptures are a mystery to the Carnall understanding and all that man can doe with them in that state is to wrest them to his own destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. And you who are Judging of Scriptures and setting others so to doe without the light of Christ are they who lead the blind and resist the holy Spirit as did your fathers so doe you resist the Spirit with your Imaginations from the letter Be ashamed of your doctrine hath the Spirit given out the letter to testifie of the light of the world and its suffic●e●cy and that there is no other way out of the world but Christ the light of the world and that the light the way are one And doe you pervert this against the light to prove it not sufficient Hath God given his Word to his seede in every generation and hath promised that it shall never depart out of the mouth of that seede for ever Isa 59. 21. By which Word all was made and all his are to be guided and sanctified and because the testimony of some few of those who had this Word is in writing to witnesse that Christ is this Word and that all are to waite for him And will you take this letter and pervert it against this Word to set it in its stead to keepe from this Word and call

it the Word which doth but declare of the Word now is the deceipt of your high notion found out who have pretended so much light and Spirit that now the true light is come and the gift of the Spirit is manifest for every one to profit withall you are found the greatest opposers and set your selves to make the people evill-affected against the light and Spirits teachings though no man can say that Jesus is Lord but by that Spirit which is given to every one to profit withall 1 Cor 12. 3. 7. And all your prayers and worships that are out of this light and before it are blind and abominable And all you prove in this your opposing the light and Word is but your selves Children of darknesse and wholy Ignorant of the Spirits teaching and the least Child of light shall Judge you herein for the least that ever knew any thing from God eyther of Judgement teaching or promise or power they know they have it in Spirit and such know that what the Saints declare of in the letter which they received of God in Spirit will not satisfie their longing soules unlesse they can have it from God in Spirit also so that your opposing the spirituall light and power doth but give occasion to all that have the lest sight of the Spirit and its teaching to see you heart blind and so joyning with the God of this world to blind the minds of others also and the least of the Children of light can you not deceive with this onely you discover your Babel which you have builded without the light and Spirit in your Imaginations from the letter without the light the ground of all the false worships sects opinions and devisions The seate of the hypocrite and Court of Conceites in which you blesse your selves in darknesse without God in the world not having the Father and the Son in you and so are out of the doctrine of Christ 2 Epistle of John 9. 10. And so are shut out of the habitation of the Children of light O blind men how hath your wisdome perverted you and the Devill deceived you Is this the doctrine of Christ that his light is not sufficient to lead without something else joyned with it That the Spirit is false and erroneous that bids take heed to a light within Luke 11. 35 And that Christ did not Commend people to a light within Is this the doctrine of Christ That men are not led into all truth by a light within them John 16. 13. Rom 8. 14 That to suppose that God in men is their teacher is an error John 6. 45. John 14. 26. John 17 23 That to declare the light within is another report and another Spirit That its an error to say that Christ is in the Saints in their sufferings suffering with them Acts 9 5. 2 Cor 1. 5. Colo 1. 24 That its an error to say that is the true light even the light of the world that lighteth every man that comes into the world and that it alone is sufficient Joh 1. 9. John 8. 12. And that the light of the world is the onely way which leads to all other things but no other thing can lead to it but it selfe John 14. 6. John 8. 12. And much more such like doctrine the man of sin is not afraid to preach openly thereby to deny the light of Christ to be sufficient least that light should reveale him all against the doctrine of Christ And that he may not be suspected to be the Antichrist and man of sin who is thus opposing Christ and pleading for sin you would perswade us that the Antichrist will but be one single person when he comes That so while people are looking for him in a single person he may thus oppose the light and spirituall appearance of Christ in his Thousands and ten thousands who are gathered as the sand of the Sea for multitude to oppose the light and plead for sinne And to confound your selves you say againe that even now are there many Antichrists but cannot see your selves to be they who are armeing your selves thus against his light and appearance and as one of his last shifts to set the letter in his stead which doth but declare of his appearance who is the light of the world made manifest to enlighten them that sit in darknesse and destroy the workes of the Devill in all that beleeve and follow him And where this light is received and followed you are therewith Comprehended your worke and the end of it and in all that you doe in thus opposing the light of the world you are but breaking your selves against the Corner Stone foolish women who are pulling downe your own house with your owne hands for the more you resist the light the more it shines and the more you Raile against the light and Spirit the more you are manifest to be out of the doctrine of Christ who is that light and Spirit and you doe but give an opportunity to all that see your worke to see the Innocency of that light you oppose and to see you set against that which is the onely thing testified of in the Scriptures and so shall that in every tender Conscience witnesse against you and for that Spirit you resist So behold your doctrine and compare it with the Apostles and with Christs and the Prophets and let that of God in your conscience g●ve righteous Judgement upon you if this of yours be the doctrine of Christ had John said concerning Christ This is the true light that li●hteth every man that cometh into the world but it is not sufficient without something else had he been a forerunner of Christ or of something else Had Christ said I am the light of the world beleeve in the light and follow it but it is not sufficient without something else with it for it is but a naturall light had not he then taught them a naturall foundation in stead of a spirituall who said beleeve in the light that you may be the Chi●dren of light had the Apostles gone forth to preach Christ the light for every one to beleeve in said this is our message wee have received of God and declare unto you that God is light and whatsoever makes manifest is light and all things that are made manifest are reproved by the light but this light is not sufficient had they then preached Christ all in all a sole ground and authour of faith nay had they not been mad-men that would have beleeved them if 〈◊〉 had thus preached as you doe a light and Spirit but not 〈…〉 Had the Prophets preached a Covenant of light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beleeve and when they had done told them that it was not sufficient without the letter had not they destroyed their faith in their generation before the letter was written nay goe through all the Scriptures and find any of the Children of light in your doctrine if you can till then for