made thy self manifest and being guided by a lying spirit thou art to be denyed but thou says now is the hour of temptation for if these be not wicked errors I know not what is Yes thy many lies which before with the rest that are set down are so and the Scriptures which thou so much talks of hath not kept thee for falling into them but thou would put it off and say they are those which are laid down to their view which Farnsworth did stand by to vindicate if his own testimony may stand Here again I charge thee to be a lyar and a false accuser and that they was not so testified by Farnsworth as thou hast set them down thinking thereby to strengthen thy deceit neither canst thou prove them to be so in his testimony or book which thou hast written thine in answer unto and there thou art proved the Lyar in that as well as the rest and therefore thou art left with them charged upon thee and there they are to remain clear thy self if thou can for this book doth not clear thee but lets thy filthiness more appear neither doth it at all weaken the book thou pretendest it against but it stands yet for the truth against thy deceit as this doth stand to witness against thy lies which in thine thou hast scraped together or heaped up to manifest that thou art not builded upon the rock and therefore thy building cannot stand who makes lies thy refuge being set upon the sand as thy lies and confusion maketh it manifest for the tree is known by its fruits as thou art by thine Matth. 7.15 And where thou saist to the Reader that we deny the rule of Tryal to try the spirits withal that is another of thy lies For in thy 28. Lie page the 14. thou saist The rule of tryal to try the spirits withal is thrown away by them And in thy 29 Lie Thou saist it is become of none use to those men except it be for advantage take notice of thy Lies and also of thy own confusion within thy exception for that which is for a good use and right advantage is not thrown away but made use of but the tryal or Tryer spirits is not by us thrown away though thou say it is but made use of according to thy saying in thy self-confutation and it is both advantagious and profitable for us and also to try your deceits withal take notice of that and take heed how thou utterest thy folly as thou hast done And where thou saist many poor souls have been misled as to say that which men call sin doth as highly honor God as that which men call Prayers and holy performances and faith these things thou hast heard uttered by mouth and seen in print and hath as it were cast it as a slander upon upon us and doth accuse us with it where thou saist this is their principle and how doth it open a door of loosness pag. 14. Such Principles we do deny and thy slander also and all that knows our Principles and practice may witness against thee in thy filthy Slanders And I charge thee in the presence of the Lord and also Haggar thy partaker to prove that ever such things were ever spoken or printed by us or else be ashamed for ever and own condemnation upon your wicked lies and gross errors who are so far misled as to act Antichrists part making lies your refuge seeking thereby to hold up your deceir And to thy fourth That thou says Farnsworth affirmed that Christ had not a visible Church in the world for thou saies they are his principles set downe in his book that the Church was in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is in his books that he affirmeth and the Scriptures witnesseth the same 1 Thessalon 1.1 2 Thessalo 1.1 and that the Church is made of living stones elect and pretious a spirituall house for God to dwell in by the Spirit and officers and over-seers were made by the Holy-Ghost and he is not visible for the world seeth him not neither knoweth him and that is in his book and the Scriptures witnesseth the same at which thou art offended 1 Pet. 2.5.6 John 14 17. Ephes 2.20.21.22 Acts 20.28 And God is a Spirit and his Church is spirituall and they endured as seeing him who is invisible which thou appeares to be ignorant of and thou saith to manifest thy darkness and ignorance therein because Farnsworth tells of an invisible or spirituall Church he thou saies is no member nor officer in that Church because he is a visible man as much as to say Paul that eminent Apostle because he was a visible man as to the outward body his visible or bodily absence did exclude his invisible or spirituall presence from the Church and that is contrary to the Scriptures and Crosseth his experience and spirituall doctrine also who him-self said that tho he was absent in body yet he was present in Spirit beholding their order Col. 2.5 then it was a spirituall order and rule or government in the Church and the visible and bodily absence of Paul did not exclude his invisible or spiritual presence but that thou art blind in the things of God the Spirit of God as the Serpents seed ever was and according to that former saying of thine because Christ was visiblely ascended far beyond all Heavens Acts. 1.11 Jesus of Nazareth could not be invisibly persecuted by the contrary Spirits invisible men c. And that is cross to the Scriptures for after Christ was so visiblely ascended he spake to Saule that persecuted his seed and he said Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee he said Lord who art thou that I persecute he said I am Jesus of Nazareth and he were ascended far beyond all Heavens Acts 9.4.5 When he were invisible by a contrary Spirit in a visible man so persecured or his seed in his Saints and such as were his Church that was chosen out of the world Joh. 15.18.19 which Church thou hast shewed thy ignorance of and thy blindnesse in That Farnsworth should say or affirme that all ordinances ceased when Christ ascended and gave the Spirit was never so spoken by him neither canst thou find such a saying in that book which thou pretends to write thine in answer unto therefore thy ground or fifth head being false so is thy scraped up stuffe and turned under by which thou seeks to make a cover and thou art also left charged with that thy 30 Lie And where thou hast gathered many Scriptures in thy book about the Spirits teaching and Baptisme c thou saies when thou instanced those Scriptures before which thou hast set downe thou saies Farnsworth said that was not water Baptisme here thou hast lied againe and that is thy 31 Lie saying thou did before mention those Scriptures when thou did not then mention them and thou saies many can witness it but then it must be against thee and
Henry Hagger and Iohn Griffith are though they may have a forme of godlinesse from the letter yet denying the light and life or power of godlinesse in the Spirit they are to be turned away from and denied Thy Queries and considerations differs somthing in the name yet little in the nature or matter but to them I shall returne this answer as followeth To thy first that the light which is of the Spirit of God in man which doth convince him of sin the transgression of the law 1 Joh. 3.4 if it be obeyed and followed it will lead as it doth us him out of darknesse and sin into the light of life Joh. 8.12 and so into the life of the law and not from it which is the end of thy Queries for the righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in such as walke not after darknesse and the flesh but after the light and so after the Spirit Rom. 8.3,4 or in short and to thy Question in breife that the light of God in man doth not lead him contrary to his law and testmony in the Spirit But according to it and so through the law into the Gospel so that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 and therefore thy lie and slander in thy first Querie turnes back upon thee againe and also those in thy second who art given over to lie and speake falsly as thou hast done And to thy second such as despise the light of the Spirit and the living truth and undervalue the light of life Joh. 8.12 preferring the letter before it and set the letter above the Spirit they must needs be in darkness and so the God of this world hath blinded their mindes as he hath done thine and such liers and false-accusers of the light and the truth least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the image of God should shine unto you and unto them 2 Cor. 4.3.4 But the Scriptures we do not undervalue as thou saies nor dispise these are two of thy lies neither do we walke in darknesse no more then such did that preferred the light of the Gospel above the letter and were Ministers of the light and Spirit within and not of the letter 2 Cor. 3.6 and they preached not themselves but the light and the Lord Jesus as we do and said God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse did shine within them even in their hearts as it doth in ours to give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and this treasure have we in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us And they that preached the light and the Lord Jesus they had the same light c within them which thou being in darknesse stumbleth at 2 Cor. 4.5.6,7 Colos 1.27.28.29 3. That true light which is of God in man the Scriptures declareth of and according to Psal 119 130 where it saith The enterance of thy words giveth light which words had enterance in David before he spake or writ them then the words that giveth light or the teachings of the Spirit of God that giveth an understanding is within as David witnessed who said Light was sowne for the righteous and gladnesse for the upright in heart Psal 97.11 and the law of his God was within him even in his heart Psal 37.31 and the word were hid in Davids heart Psal 119.11 which word were as a lampe and so a light to him even the word of God in his heart but thou would have the letter to be the word and the light and there thy designe and also deceipt is seene And in thy 5th thou asketh what that light which is in any man teacheth him more then the Scriptures teacheth him I answer that the Scriptures witnesseth with the light and the teachings thereof yet the light teacheth such as obey it when they have not the Scriptures or Printed Bible to looke on and teacheth such as obey if they be not book learned and teacheth them more then the Scriptures yet hath taught thee that art given over to lie as in thy latter part of that Querie also where thou saies thou hast seene an end of all perfection then an end thou saies of that light that these men pretend c The light that we do not pretend only but witnesse also is that light which is without end and was in the beginning with God Joh. 1.1.2,3,4,5 which light darknesse cannot comprehend therefore take notice of thy slander and lie if thou have seene an end of that light hast thou not seene an end of God who is light 1 Joh. 1,5 and also of his work When thou hast considered of it acknowledge thy rashnesse and folly for the light which is our witnesse will witnesse against thee for it and reprove thee in secret for acting and speaking so contrary to it which light is the condemnation of such as hate it which light doth reprove and forbid thee for doing evill which light the Scriptures witnesseth with as in thy 5th yet the letter is not the light as thou would therein have it and though the Scripture be profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect and thorowly furnished unto all good works it is through faith in Christ Jesus and so through the light Joh. 1.9 Joh. 8.12 as the first and cheife or moving cause and therefore the light is more then the letter take notice of that for the light and Spirit is the convincer and guides such as obeyeth it into all truth and sheweth things to come revealing also the deepe things of God so doth not the letter do that which is the worke of the light and Spirit of God though it declare of it and witnesse unto it Iohn 16. 1 Cor. 2.9.10 Thy sixth is whether there was not a greater light in the Lord Iesus then ever was in any man else or ever shall be and thy seventh is whether he did not declare it and make it known by his words and actions more then ever any man else could do I answer that Iesus was the true light and is according to those two Scriptures which thou hast cited John 1.9 and John 8.12 And as he is called the light of the world so did he call them that saw with his light and were in it the light of the world also as in Mat. 5.14 and for manifesting it more by actions c he said that it was the Father which was in him that wrought the works John 14.10 and he said also that what he did some should do and greater works also John 14.12 and there was great works done by others from the same light and power or working of the Father in them and for words there was such spoken after he had sent them the Holy Ghost
true Spirits order to further make manifest your disorder and also your Spirit of delusion and errour And again you say God will judge the secrets of all hearts by the written word or letter of the Scripture when the Minister of Christ saith the contrary who saith that God will Judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ Rom 2.16 then not by the lettet of the Scripture and the Son saith All judgment is Committed unto him and the Father hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son but he hath not given authority to the letter of the Scripture to execute judgment because it is the letter of the Scripture and declareth or testifieth of the Son but is not the Son then the Scripture is not the judge of all hearts but the Son is so to wit the judge of all hearts as the Scripture declareth Joh. 5.22 and Joh. 5,26.27 Act. 17 31. Take notice how you would deprive Christ of his Kingly office and take the authoritie from him to put upon the letter and hath againe thereby further manifested your Spirit of errour THE HOLY SCRIPTURES Are cleared of Scandals OR AN ANSWER TO A BOOK Written by Thomas Pallord Henry Hagger As they say In Answer to a Book set â—orth by Richard Farnworth wherein they pretend to clear the truth of Scandals but are found Lyars and the Lyes is sent them back in a bundle or number that they may see their deceipt and Spirit or Lies Errors and Slanders THo Pallord and Henry Hagger who are mighty in the work of your Father John 8.44 you pretend to clear the truth of Scandals but of it are Lyars and Scandallers and evil Speakers and false Accusers and therefore that you may take notice of the fruit of your Fathers Spirit by which you are guided and taught to lie I have viewed your work or scandalous and deceitful Book and gathered out of it being numbred up the sum of 60 and odde or Threescore Lies and more besides many that I have passed by these being sufficient for to manifest your Spirit and the deceit of your heart as also severall lies gathered out of a Paper written or caused to be Printed under the name of John Griffith oue of the water Baptizers with you or in your number and I hare also sent them back amongst you into the lyars Generation again take them and keep them for they are returned back upon you and into the lyars generation from whence they came that Truth may be kept clear and you appear in your lying colours or be laid open who are such great deceivers unto your shame who hath taken upon you to slander and revile the Lotds people by you in disdain called Quakers and also to Prophesie or publish your lies in pretence of the Lords Name But to bo wort I shall lay several of them down return them back upon you from whence they came Tho Pollard Thou hast set down things which I neither spoke nor writ and says I affirmed them when I did not and therefore thy gronnds being lies that which springs out of them is so as well as thy Grounds or Heads but I turn them under and drive them back with the rest of thy Lies into the Serpents seat ugain lyars Generation from whence they came Eâ—…or or Lie the first In thy third page Thou says it is such a deceipt that they that say they have no sin the truth is not in them but thou cannot prove thy saying therein whose fallacy is laid down in that word they which includes any when the Scripture says not so as thou dost and therefore in that thou hast lyed of the truth and truths friends as it appeareth And here thou goes about to prove that Christ and such as are in him hath no truth in them and that is contradiction to the Scripture and the Spirits Doctrine for thou fetbheth Christ in with them and includes all in that word they saying They that say they have no sin the truth is not in thom as much as to say They that are without sin are without truth and have no truth in them but Christ and such as are in him are without sin Therefore if they say they are without sin there is no truth in them as thou says for that is contrary to thy proofless Argument Pollard or Hagger whether of you laid it down take notice of your folly therein here thou would by that have Christ and such as are in him to have no truth in them see what a trick the deceit hath taught thee in that for first it is said of Christ That he sinned not and so was without sin for no guile was found in his month and therefore he was without sin and the truth was in him contrary to thy lying of him for he is both the way the truth and the life Joh. 14.6 and is without sin but full of truth and such as abide in him they sin not as saith the Scripture 1 Joh. 3.5,6 then such as abide in Christ sin not as the Scripture saith they are without sin 1 John 3.9 and the truth is in them for such said That as he was so was they in this present world 1 John 4.16,17 Pallard take notice of thy Errors and Lies and also of thy contradiction of the Scripture For they that did abide in Christ and sinned not 1 John 3.6 they were so far trom being without truth or having no truth in them that they were full of grace and truth for the Spirit of God was in them which was truth and no lie 1 John 3.24 And secondly the word of God was in them 1 John 2.14 and they were strong in the Lord and the power of his truth for they had overcome the wicked one and the word of God were abiding in them and so the truth of God abode within them for saith Christ to his Father Sanctifie them with thy word thy word is truth John 17.17 Then they that had overcome the wicked one and were sanctified through the truth and were without sin having also the word of God abiding within they were full of truth and not without it or no truth in them take notice of thy absurdities and lies for they had the holy Unction within them that were without sin and that was truth and no lie 1 John 2.20 and 27. and greater was he that was in them then he that was in the World 1 Iohn 4.4 take notice of thy lie and that trick of thy deceit Error or Lie the second Thy second Lie is that thou saies we boast of perfection perfection in and by Christ we own else we should deny the truth and the worke of grace according to the working of the Spirit of God as it is witnessed according to the Scripture and by the Ministrie of Christ in the new Covenant Math. 5.48 and Eph. 4.11.12.13 1 Cor. 2.6 Heb. 6.1 Heb. 12.22.23 but though we witnesse
thy lies as I have done That one Scripture thou didst mention of Ananias going to Saul and saying Arise brother Saul and be Baptised and wash away thy sins whereupon I asked thee if your water Baptisme did or could wash away sins and thou stood and gave little or no answer therein as many can witnesse And if nothing can wash away sins but the blood of Christ or the water of regeneration then it must needs be that the Baptisme which washeth away sins is either by one Spirit into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 and so into Christ Gal. 3.27 and into the blood or life of the Covenant or else into the holy unction and water of regeneration where there is but one faith one Lord one God and Father of all them that are borne of the Spirit and so Baptised into that one Baptism Eph. 4.4.5.6 But thou couldest not witnesse that your outward water Baptisme did or could wash away sins then it is not that Baptisme which doth and being confounded in thy selfe thou would have gon forth of the doores but that I took thee by the arme and stayed thee awhile and spoke to thee till thou could not tell what to say for thy selfe but said the letter which thou called the written word and the Spirit were inseparable and then said the letter was a Historie And I told thee if I should have called it a History then others would have been ready to have called that blasphemy and being put to prove thy sayings thou could not but to thy shame got from mee and went away and they of thy own company spoke to thee of it and were grieved to see thy folly so made manifest as many can witnesse but in that I cease and let the other book witnese in that thing and the rest further to and for the truth against thy deceipt And in thy 32 lie Being so accustomed to it thou saies we wickedly speake against Christ and his ordinances But wickednesse and wicked speaking we deny who own honour and dearly love the Lord Jesus Christ and his ordinances speaking wickedly against them shall stand for thy selfe and such liers and false accusers as thou art and that is thy 32 lie And in thy 33 lie Thou saith that when I asked thee whether thy water Baptism did or could wash away sins in thy book to make a cover and manifest thy lying Spirit the more in that as well as in the rest of thy lies thou hast done thou sayes thou told me such words as is expressed in thy 17. page when there was then no such thing by thee done and therefore in that thou hast lyed of thy self but lying is thy work and that Spirit which guides thee is accustomed to it And in page 19 thou sayes we have a spirit of delusion that is thy 34th lie comming from Hell and darkness but cannot prove it yet that spirit by which thou art taught of old Antichrist to delude which hath caused thee to utter these lies is such a one and therefore what thou art guilty of thou would cast upon us but we deny thy spirit of delusion and lies and testifie against it and thee and such hellish darknesse as thou art possessed withall that regards not what falsely against us and the truth thou ventest but it toucheth us not and therefore turnes back upon thee againe and is to be cast into the bottomless pit from whence it came Lie the 35 that spits out such venome against the ordinances of Jesus Christ that is thy own and turnes back upon thee againe for Christ Jesus and his ordinances and worship in Spirit and spiritualI ordination we honour and own but spitting of venom comes out of thy brest take it into thy old bottle from whence it came And for thy 6th thing or head is another of thy lies and makes thy number 36 such words as are there set downe was not set downe in my booke which thou pretends to write this in answer unto therefore the absurdities spoken of and also the lies is turned back upon thee againe pag. 20. 21. For the Scriptures I own and that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 20.21 but liers like thee I deny and against testifie Eph. 5.11 and the Scriptures serves to be a witnesse against such as professe them in words and walke contrary to them in life and conversation but liers slanderers and false accusers doe so as thou Haggar and Griffith and such like doth and therefore the Scriptures doth witnesse against you and your generation and seed of evill doers And such hath the benefit and comfort of the Scriptures as are guided by the holy Spirit into the life and power from whence good Scripture words proceeded yet the letter is not the life Joh. 5.39.40 and power of God to salvation but Christ and the Gospel is which the letter or Scriptures declares and testifies of Joh. 14.6 1 Joh. 5.12 Act. 4.12 Hebr. 5.8,9 Rom. 1.16 But thou seems as if thou would have a letter God a letter Christ a letter Spirit and a letter power to salvation or set the letter or Scripture up as God and Christ and power of God to salvation for thou saies faith comes by hearing the Scriptures preached which thou calls the Gospel and if by it thou saies then not without it and so according to that no Scripture no faith no salvation for without faith it is impossible to please God and be saved but according tothy saying or false doctrine no Scripture no faith and so making Scripture the moving cause of mens salvation for if there can be no saith without the Scripture then Christ might not be the author of it neither upon that account could he give faith if the Scripture were wanting and if there an be no faith without the Scripture thou would not have Christ to be the author and finisher of it but the letter and so sets the Scripture in the roome of Christ saying take away the Scripture which thou calls the cause and then the effect thou saies ceaseth so no Scripture no savtation upon thy account as much as to say the Scripture is the cause of mans salvation and not Christ and rake away the Scripture the cause and the effect ceaseth mind your Error or Lies herein Christ cannot give faith nor save without them and by that meanes or according to that saying or false doctrin of Haggars and thine for he hath backed thee in it no faith without the Scripture though Christ be the way to faith and the moving cause of it and so both the beginning and ending or author and finisher of it as the Scripture saith and saith Christ without mee you can do nothing then not beleive without him for he is the way to the Father Joh. 14.6 and so to faith who is both the author and finisher of it Hebr. 12.2 and here thou hast shewed thy ignorance of the Gospel and
that the adversaries were not able to resist the spirit by which they were spoken as the Scripture witnesseth and behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them Rev. 21.3 and the Lord God and the Lamb is the light and the Nations which are saved shall walk in it Rev. 21.23,24 so the light according to the manifestation of it is the forme that it was and as Christ hath said At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you John 14.20 but thy drift is to set up the letter of the Scripture instead of the light and here thou sayes in thy 8th did not the Apostles of our Lord Iesus declare and testifie the same things to others that they hear and say who shunned not to declare to others the whole Counsel of God yes in that the Apostle John said that the Message which they had to declare was the light 1 John 1.5 which thou seems to be so much offended at and Paul that Apostle declared and said that God which John called light would dwell and walk in his people 2 Cor. 6.16 and he also declared of the light and the glory of God and the heavenly treasure within 2 Cor. 4.6,7 and of the life of Christ to be manifest in mortal flesh verse 10. 11. and and the mystery of Godliness he said was great and also within Col. 1.27 But thou being blind and ignorant of the things and workings of the light and the spirit of God thou would have all without in the letter of the Scripture which doth but declare of them for in the 9th thou askes whether you can know the things which Christ and his Apostles did but by the Scriptures If thou know not thou knows not the Father dwelling in thee that so wrought by his power and spirit in them John 14.10.11,12 Gal. 1. Col. 1.29 And so if thou be in doubt and question the thing out of ignorance and darkness thou shews that thou knowes not the same spirit of Christ within Gal. 4.6 to bring to rememberance what Christ hath said John 14.26 which is the guid into all truth and shews things to come John 16.13 And being without the life of the spirit of Christ and of God to rule and guid in thee Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.14 which spirit searcheth and revealeth the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 which in the Prophets did also testifie before hand of the sufferings of Christ and doth now witness with them 1 Pet. 1.11,12 and thou that knows not the spirit to guide thee and reveal the things of God now as they did then thou art not of the spiritual but carnal minded men and so knowes not the glorious light of the Gospel of Christ that shineth within as such did and do that witness the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 and the holy unction within whereby they knew all things 1 John 2.20 But thou would have the Scripture to be the same which thou queries of and about in thy tenth and eleventh Queries and therein thy design is seen who thy self that followeth not the light walks after the dictates or evil sayings of thy own heart which is as thou sayes deceiptful and desperately wicked yet it is known and with the light reproved which thou art offended at And it is no better then folly and madness in thee and such like that would put the letter of the Scripture for the light and Gospel which is the power of God to salvation which light thou sayes is not sufficient to lead to happinesse c. And so denies Christ the true light to be sufficient to lead unto happinesse and denying the true light thou denies the true guide that leads into true comfort such as do follow the Counsel of it and that light which leads the obedient into true comfort it therefore leads them into true happiness and such did witness the consolation and so the happiness within that said As the sufferings of Christ did abound in them so their consolation also abounded by him 2 Cor. 2.5 and the light which shined in the face of Iesus through the new Covenant did shine within them and the glory and heavenly Treasure as well as the light which the Scripture declareth of therein was revealed within them and so the true comfort and comforter was within them who did experience the sufferings before Rom. 8.18 John 14.26 2 Thes 1.10 2 Cor. 3.17,18 and 2 Cor. 4.5,6,7 But the Letter is not that light c. as thou would have it though it declare of it c. which light of the glorious Gospel thou art a stranger unto for thy dark reason cannot comprehend it who art in those and so thy brain expectations thou speaks of and art out of that Covenant which thou out of darkness art quering after and about that art such a lyer and false accuser and with the liers and false accusers art a partaker as this Book maketh manifest which stands a witness against thee and them c. Henry Hagger that refuseth the glorious light of the Gospel of Christ and would set the Letter up instead of the light spoken of or queried about in thy 11th refusing it to follow or walk by as thou sayes instead of his thy own imaginations or dictates and sayings of thy evil heart which is so deceitful and desperately wicked the heart thou speaks of in thy Query And now according to thy 12th such as thou art being found out after query or search that hath so lyed and sought as thy Brethren hath done to set up the letter of the Scripture instead of the light and spirit or power of God unto salvation which is the Gospel of Christ and refusing the light within also and that which Paul and the Gospel-Ministers witnessed in them who called it the glorious light of the Gospel of Christ in the face of Jesus which was in them and shined within in their hearts 2 Cor. 4,4,5,6,7 in which light the Nations that are saved shall walk Rev. 21.23,24 which light we chuse to walk by and in as Paul and the faithful in Christ did giving thanks unto the Father of lights James 1.17 who of his own will begot us with the word of truth James 1.18 who hath made us meet to be partakers of what the Saints doth inherit of the Inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 And so we are required to hold such accursed as denies Christ within which Paul preached and said to the Colossians great is the mysterie of godliness Christ in you whom we preach c Col. 1.27.28.29 and such we are to deny as denies the light within which the Gospel preachers witnessed in them 2 Cor. 4.6.7 which thou opposeth and stumbleth or art offended at as the Serpents seed ever was But the light and the Spirit of truth we own to be within us which is not darknesse as thou would have it but being
obeyed leadeth out of darknesse errour and deceipt into the light of life Ioh. 8.12 Ioh. 16.13 and so into the truth of the Gospel spoken of in thy last Querie and that slander of the undervaluing of the words of Christ shall stand for thy selfe c that speaks against and undervalued the inward spirituall and true light which leadeth into true happiness happinesse such as follow and obey it and so it leadeth out of darknesse errour and deceipt into the light of life though thou lier say it do not therein thy testimony is false and not true and thou art found to be a false witnesse of the light and the truth and thy testimony is denied and against testified as is required Eph. 5.11 And thou that would have the words as they are printed in the Bible there to be Spirit and life as in thy last Querie But thou shews by that that thou art ignorant of the eternall word and so of the word of life and knows not the true spirituall life that would put the letter for the life And where thou saies how can ye know that the dead shall rise and come to Judgment but by the Scriptures page 54. I answer even as they knew the things declared of in the Scriptures by that Spirit of God that revealeth the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 and also sheweth things to come as the Scripture witnesseth Joh. 16.13 That the dead shall rise and come to Judgment is one of the deepe things of God And also a thing to come But the Spirit of God revealeth and searcheth or maketh knowne the deepe things of God without the letter as the letter witnesseth which Spirit also sheweth things to come as the Scripture declareth Therefore the Spirit of God so revealing and making knowne even the deepe things of God could make knowne the day of judgment and things to come as the Scripture witnesseth but the blind like thee sees it not who stumbles at the light and knows not the eternall word not yet the worke of the Spirit of God as thy booke of slander maketh manifest Where did any true Prophet or Apostle of the Lord Jesus goe either to prophecy or preach with a printed Bible in their hand and from that say Thus saith the Lord c. And if printing had not of late beene invented what would you have preached here in England who knows not within you the eternall life and word of God Therefore they being out of the truth and false accusers they must needs be also cut of Gospel-order And in that thou hast told another lie and Thomas Pollard when thou had accused Richard Farnsworth falsly at the meeting at Harliston Hugh Read said unto thee why would thou stand charging things upon him which thou could not prove and Humphyry Beeland who had beene a teacher to the Baptised people he said to thee Thomas Pollard Instance any one particuler and prove against him which thou taxeth him withall c but thou then made no answer as to prove any one thing which thou had falsly charged upon him and accused him withall and therefore art a false accuser of him and the truth and thy lies heads of deceit and false accusations are witnessed against by some that were present at the meeting at Harliston that time by name Hugh Reed Anthony Briklay Humphey Beeland and John Smith If there want any of thy number of lies it is but for want of setting them downe for I have as many numbered up in writing out of Iohn Griffiths and thine as amounts to the number of one hundred fifty and four lies c. Which fruits may cause you to blush if you consider thereof and serve to be a shame to your profession that are attended with such a company of lies cover your faces with shame and learne to amend bring forth better fruits even such as are meete for amendment of life and make not lies your refuge as you have done for it maketh you manifest that you are not yet come into Johns doctrine and so instead of fulfilling all righteousnesse you are adding one lie to another and sin unto sin being fulfilling deceipt or filled with all unrighteousnesse c Rom. 1.28.29 THE END
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES From Scandals are cleared OR An Answer to a Book set forth by the Baptizers to wit Henry Hagger and Thomas Pollard Entituled The Holy Scriptures clearing it self of Scandals But is scandalled or perverted and so scandalized by them as in this Answer to theirs will further appear so by them Entituled or bearing the Title of an Answer to a Book written by Richard Farnsworth called Truth cleared or Truth lifting up its head above Scandals occasioned by a dispute at Harliston in Staffordshire between Richard Farnsworth and Thomas Pallard in the year 1654. Also here is in this the heads of an Order or late Act made at Coventry by the Baptized People there subscribed with the names of seven Elders and Brethren as they say in the behalf of the rest and set forth from them sent to Shittington in Warwickshire shewing whom they denyed to be Ministers and Members of Christ c which is set down in this and several Considerations or Observations and Answers thereunto And something here is in Answer to a false Prophet called John Griffith set out by him and several others in a false Prophesie or Book bearing the Title of True Gospel Faith collected into 30 Articles or in the middle part called A Voice from the Word of the Lord with at least an hundred lies numbred up out of the Books as aforesaid being answered such as are of concernment and they are with the other sent to them back in a bundle or number as herein will appear and being cast out now truth stands pure and clear Pror 18.18 The lot causeth contentions to cease and parteth between the mighty Written by a Servant of the Lord in the sixth Moneth 1655. by R. F. London Printed for Giles Calvert at the Sign of the Black Spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1655. To the Reader and whom it may concerne c. READER instead of an Epistle I shall lay downe a few of the particulers or affirmatives in that act or law made by the water baptized people at Coventry and sent to Shittington signed or subscribed at the end with the names of Mannasses King an Elder and Jefford Youngbone an Elder John Murdock Francis Blabby John Fairbrother George Copson and Thomas Hardway Brethren who from Coventrey say they subscribed it in the name of the rest c. And from them I shall lay downe some observations or answers thereunto The second thing which in that Coventrey law or late Act is that they say they deny any to be Ministers of Christ and the Gospel or to speak in the Church that say they speak from or by an internall light prove it not by the visible rule of the Scriptures c. And by this rule and law though God be light 1 Joh. 1.5 and dwell within in his people 2 Cor. 6.16 1. Joh. 4.4 yet he must be debarred or limitted and not suffered to speake in the Church except he confine himselfe to the letter of the Scriptures and that is contrary to his former actings for to be limitted and who are you that dare presume or offer to seeke to limit the holy one of Israel As much as to say though Abraham Isaack and Iacob were endued with the Spirit of God yet except they could prove what they said by the words of Adam Enoch and Noah they might not be permitted to speake from the Spirit of God in the things of God revailed and made knowne unto them thereby Though Moses Aaron Caleb and Joshuah might be guided by the Spirit of God yet except they could prove by words from Abraham Isaack and Iacob what from the Spirit of God they had to declare they might not speake of the things of God but be denyed to be any Ministers or Messengers of God Though Samuel and the rest of the Lords true established Prophets that were by him called and sent and could witnesse that the Lord God and his Spirit did call establish and send them yet if they said so and said they spake from an internall light or the Spirit of God within and could not prove by Scripture or the writings of Moses and those before them all that that they said they might not be suffered to speake but be denyed to be the Ministers and Messengers of God Though the Ministers of the new Covenant had the light and the heavenly treasure within them 2 Cor. 4.6.7 and were guided by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.14 who made them able Ministers of the new Covenant not of the letter but of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 and they was not to serve in the oldnesse of the letter but in the newnesse of the Spirit Rom. 7.6 yet if they said they preached from an internall light or the Spirit of God within them c. and denyed to prove all they said by the Scripture or to serve in the oldnesse of the letter and not Minister from the Letter but from the Spirit in which their Ministry stood they might not by these baptized people be suffered to speake but be denyed to be any Ministers or messengers of Christ though his true Ambassadors take notice you Baptizsts of your errour herein and acknowledge the same and own your condemnation thereupon And where you say you deny any to be members of Christ that either goe themselves or suffer others to goe heare them that preach from an internall light c. Here you are against Christ the true light and against the Ministry of the Gospel and against the Kingdome of Christ in the Spirit against the new Covenant and the doctrine of the Apostles also that were Ministers from the light and the life of the Spirit within which you deny and they were Ministers of the Spirit and not of the letter and said to others try all things and hold fast that which is good 1 Thessa 5.21 Here you are against the Scriptures also that would deprive people of a Christian liberty that so binde them by your law contrary to the Gospel and contrary to the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles for the true Christ saith Preach the Gospel to every Creature but you would not have every Creature to heare it Preached by the Spirit in the power of light in the endless life that so denies them liberty to heare those that are Ministers of the new Covenant and not of the letter but of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 so hereby your Spirits are discovered and made manifest to be Antichristian Againe you say you deny liberty for any to object in the Churches either in the time of speaking or after c. In this you have denyed the true Spirits order who said If any thing be reveiled and that is not by the letter but by the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.10 to him that sits or stands by let the first hold his peace and let the other speak c. 1 Cor. 14.30 But you say the contrary and therefore you have crossed the Scripture and denyed the
to the truth and the worke of the Spirit of Grace yet boasting of perfection c that we deny and therefore thou hast acted Antichrists spirit and told thy second Lie Error or Lie the third In thy third Lie thou saies that we make it our whole worke to turne away poore soules from the truth but art without proofe for that Lie for such as are guided by the Spirit of truth to turne people from the darkness to the light turnes them to the truth and not from it as thou saies Act. 26.16.17.18 and we being so guided are made instrumentall to turne people from the darknesse to the light and so from the power of Satan to the power of God and many souls that art turned to the truth can witnesse for us and against thee and such thy disciples who hast herein manifested thy third Lie and so made it thy work to Lie and businesse to sin and doe evill which is the work of thy Father the Devill Lrror or Lie the fourth and fifth Thou saies we turne people from the Scriptures so didst thou say to me at Harliston but could not prove it and many reproved thee for it And in thy fifth lie thou sayst we turne them from the ordinances or Christ Error or Lies the 6. 7. c. And in thy sixth Lie thou saies that we are proud presumptious and selfwilled but art to prove thy lying slanders therein and all that feares God and knows our conversation may witness against such thy absurdities or thy grosse Lies Lie the seventh Thou saies we strike at Jesus Christ but such as are obedient to him do not strike at him neither are they self-willed nor proud and as thou-saies but we obey him that walke in his statutes and keepe his ordinances as he hath delivered them unto us therefore tâ—ou art charged with the Lies left behind and they shall stand for thy selfe and such in thy nature And thy eight Lie is where thou saies that we are scorners but scorning we deny and also striking at Jesus or doing as thou saies and therefore thou art charged with the Lies who makes lying thy refuge In thy tench Lie thou saies we are turned with the dogg to his vomit and the sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire and that thou canst not prove and therefore in it art the Lier as also in the other accompanied with the tenth Lie to and in thy sixth page The eleventh Lie is in page the seventh where thou saies we impudently boast of perfection but impudency and also boasting as I said before that we denie and there in thou art charged with the eleventh Lie And in Lie the twelfth thou saies we judge all to be in darknesse that throwes not away the rule of truth But we judge all to be in the light and not in darknesse that are led by the Spirit of God the rule and guide into all truth for they that are led by the Spirit of God are we Sons of God Rom. 8.14 c. Joh. 16.13 Gala. 4.6 and there againe thou art charged with another Lie which makes up the number a whole dozen or twelve of thy Lies left without proofe take notice thereof and be thou ashamed and Haggar also who is thy backer or partaker therein that hath either acted the same or joyned with thee to carry on that deceit wherein so many Lies are brought forth and more also which may be for your shame In the thirteenth Lie Thou saies we justifie our selves but self-justification we do deny and therefore thou art left charged with the thirteenth Lie And thou saies we judge rashly of all men that are not of our minde calling them Devills c. But that is as the rest of thy proofless Lies though thou say thou can shew it under some of our hands I charge thee to doe it if thou canst or else thou art left changed with the fourteenth Lie And Lie the fifteenth sixteenth and seventeenth with the other in page the seventh Thou saies we glory in appearances appearances having a kinde of voluntary humilitie and saith we goe about to set up our selves and not the Lord but selfe is by us denyed who walke in obedience to the commands and teachings of the Spirit of the Lord and voluntary humility that we deny and all false and fleshly appearances which is not the Lords and therefore the fifteen sixteene and seventeenth Lies are left for thee and shall stand for thy selfe take them in againe for they are returned back into the Liers generation from whence they come And in thy 18 lie Thou slandereth us with deluding tongues and Lie the nineteenth with out-side holiness and in Lie the twentieth with and for throwing dirt in the face of truth And in lie 21 Thou saies we destroy men by our doctrine c. Lie the 22. Which had its rise from Hell as thou saies but these are but like the rest of thy lies who art so accustomed to it and therefore goes on in it to manifest thy deluding tongue lying and hellish doctrine c. proceeding from an Erronious and deceitfull Spirit for lying and deluding tongues is by us denied who walke in obedience to the truth through the Spirit as such did 2 Pet. 1.22.23 who were borne againe and were of the incorruptible seed and all outside holinesse which is not the holinesse of God is by us denyed and throwing dirt in the face of truth shall stand for thy selfe who art such an abominable lyer which is by us denyed and also all doctrine that is from darknesse and Hell arid thou canst not prove what thou hast said thy witnesse is but from darknesse and the corruptions of thy evill heart and so of thy selfe and not true therefore the 18. 19. 20 21. and 22 Lies with the rest of thy Antichristian worke is charged upon thee and left for thy selfe and such as with thee in it hath taken thy part take notice of thy errours or lies and thy Antichristian worke And thy 23 lie Is one of thy first heads or ground of thy booke where thou saies R.F. said he was a man wholly free from sin and not subject to any one temptation such words were not so spoken by me though to the truth I did witnesse as I doe still against thy deceit and such as thou art neither canst thou produce them so set downe together in that my book which thou pretends thine answer unto therefore in that thou hast made a lie thy refuge and grounds much upon it but if thy first head or that ground be a lie then the rest is but that which the lier hath scraped together to guard it withall seeking thereby to uphold his deceit therefore be ashamed that thou shouldest so utter thy folly to make thy selfe manifest as thou hast done But such as are wholly free from sin are sanctified by Christ and them and their condition I truly love 1 Cor. 6.11 Heb.
lie page the 29. passing by many in the 28 page saying we go about to destroy order and that we will not come into the propheticall office c but these and the rest of thy lies proceeds from the same spirit of thy Father John 8.44 who saies thou dare be bold to say we are Ministers of Antichrist c so art thou bold to go on in lies as thou hast done being led by a lying spirit as the Jews were bold to call the master of the house Belzebub but it was not so because a lying spirit led them to say so neither are we so as thou saies because thou lier that hath uttered so many lies art by a lying spirit led to say so and hath no proofe for the same but instead of proving proving what thou hast falsly affirmed thou goes on boldly to lie without proofe still saying without question if Peter were now alive you would say he were an hypocrite and one that rested in the letter but in that as well as the rest thy imaginations hath taught thee lie without question and so added one more to thy number of lies And Peter when he went to preach to the Gentiles did not rest in the letter for the Spirit bad him go and gave him commission which thou art a stranger unto and continues in lying which both the letter and the Spirit forbids if thou had any regard unto either thou would not do as thou doest and herein hast done but the lying Spirit hath possessed thee and thou art without a bit or bridle for thy tongue and so thy religion must needs be vaine And being given over to lie thou asketh where our pittie and tendernesse is towards any that are not as thou saies black-mouthed as you are to raile against the Scriptures and ordinances as you do page 29. That stands for thy selfe where thou hast added 2 lies more which makes thy number 49. lies which is by us denied and against testified because we can have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse but rather reprove them Eph. 5.11 And to that where thou saies thou art slandered in saying that Christ had not judgment committed to him whilst he were on the earth that was so spoken and also pleaded for by thee as many can witnesse and therefore no slander is cast upon thee but the same that came from thee in that which is left upon thee the slanderer there to remaine who would be unburdened but thy burden thou must beare that would cast it off but cannot and there is added thy 50th lie And the 51 is in page the 32 which shall stand for your selves that make it your worke to slander falsly accuse and so to lie who as thou saies make it instead of theirs your worke to draw away souls from the word and ordinance of Christ in the Spirit c but what will you do at that day as thou saies when he comes to render vengance upon the ungodly and all liers fals accusers and such like that obey not his Gospel who still continues in thy lying saying we say we are past the eternall judgment and justifie our selves but cannot prove it and selfe justification we deny and own the eternall judgment as such did Hebr. 6. but saying we are past it that is a wicked lie whereby the lying Spirit hath taught thee to add 2 more which makes up thy number 53 And where thou saies my ignorance is seene in judging all without making a difference which I doe not and that is thy follie and ignorance to speake so rashly and unadvisedly and cannot prove thy saying therefore thou art left charged with the 54 lie And where thou saies thou gives all men to understand that thou ownest not the word of God for thy rule that shall stand for thee for liers and false-accusers must needs disown the word of God for their rule because it testifies against them and judgeth them but thou art a lier c fals-accuser and charged here with 55 lies besides what followeth and therefore the word of God is not thy rule to guide into such deceipt but with it thou art reproved and with the light of God and his word art thou lier and fals-accuser judged and to be condemned and in that saying of thine and denying the word of God for thy rule in condemning all that follow the ordinances or Christ equally with those that observe traditions of men in the worship of God as Pope prelate and other sprinklers do I set thy lie aside and turne it into the number of thy 56 lies and Pope prelate and the sprinklers shall stand for thy selfe that art in the nature and deceipt of that wicked seed as those are that denies ordinances of Christ in the Spirit and observe traditions c take notice of that whose lying Spirit hath led thee to utter thy folly and lay open the wickednesse of thy heart in venting so many of thy mischeivous lies and envious slanders which are turned back upon thee againe for here is no roome for them with us truth casts them out because it delighteth to be kept pure and cleare And where thou saies thou shalt answer breifly to that saying of Paul Christ sent me not to Baptise but to preach the weight of thy answer is in thy 2 argument where thou saies it Paul was fit to be imployed in the greater then I am sure this lesser is required But Paul was imployed in the greater that is to say to preach the Gospel then Baptism which is the lesser is of him required that is thy answer and proofe which stands upon thy own witnesse where thou saies thou art sure of it but doth not prove it by that for if I argue in the contrary it will overturne that if such as are and were not sent by Christ for to Baptise with outward water were and are not by Christ required so to do then they that are not sent by Christ for to Baptise with outward water are not required so to do but Paul was not sent by Christ for to baptise with outward water or required so to do where is thy self assurance once For Paul hath confessed and said that Christ sent him not then required him not to baptise but to preach 1 Cor. 1.17 But thy breife answer is not to the ground of the question by me propounded saying in my other book where was Paul sent by commission to baptise and why was there a necessity laid upon him for to preach and not to baptise seeing the care of the Church was committed to him and he knew the whole counsell of God 1 Cor. 9.16.17.18 1 Cor. 1.17 Acts 20.28.29 And where did he in declareing the whole Counsell of God preach up water baptism as the dore by which all must enter and the foundation upon which all must build or else no Church fellowship nor salvation without it as some water-baptists and they at Soylby did ignorantly affirme
aske for them all and returne us an answer if he please But however Godwilling I shall to stop his boasting returne in short an answer to his onely spareing the labour of setting most of his downe but those that would compare the answers and Queries may take his book and see them and in this see an answer to them for the boaster Henry Hagger in his proud challenge faith thus much by Henry Hagger and as he saies a setvant of the Lord Jesus Christ and the congregations of the Saints which a desire of an answer by any who will or can But this I say that lyers slanderers and false accusers and such as joynes and partakes with them helping Antichrist to carry on his designe in such an evill work of falshood and deceipt and by a number of lies 70. and odd makes opposition against the truth they are no Servants of Jesus for he doth not imploy his in such an evil work neither are they sanctified and so of the Congregation of Saints but enemies to them and the work of sanctification c. Yet such a one is Henry Haggar who hath joyned himself with Pollard and backed his number of lies slanders false accusations and therefore he is no Servant of Christ but of Antichrist and the Congregations of Saints are ashamed of him and denies him and Pollard and also denies the workes of their hands proceeded from their evil hearts which long hath lien hid but now is brought to light which manifests their Antichristian spirit in their book of slanders with the number of lies as it doth appear and is left to the view that others may thereby take warning and feare And further it is considered and known that false Apostles were and are deceitful workers in that work of iniquity c. so are lyars slanderers and false accusers c. But such are Thomas Pollard and Henry Hagger and deceitful workers c. as it is manifest by their book of lies and wicked deceitful mischievous slanders therefore they are false Apostles that so acts Antichrists part under a refined subtlety and are such false accusers and deceitful workers 1 Cor. 11.13 c. Rom. 1.29 c. 2 Thes 2.7 c. 2. Consideration I answer that it is considered and known that the false Prophets that come to deceive did as you do preach the words of others and say thus faith the Lord when he never spoke to them Jer. 23. and they preached the Letter as you do and their brain imaginations but knew not the spirit and word that were as a fire and a hammer Jer. 23.29 c. which were within in the true Prophets and were as a fire in the bones Jer. 20.9 which words within you being ignorant of you preach the Letter of the Scripture and others words with your brain Imaginations added thereunto and are not guided by the same spirit from which it did proceed as your lies maketh it manifest and therefore you ate like the false Prophets also that as thou sayes pretended to come in the name of the Lord to preach their lies as you have done yours and therefore in that you are considered and known to be as the false Prophets were that said thus saith the Lord when he never spoke to them And as John Griffith in that Book called the Gospel-faith collected into 30 Articles and subscribed with the names of Thomas Lover John Foxwell John Parret Francis Smith John Griffith who in that Book called the Baptized Believers Faith or a Voice from the word of the Lord c. hath taken upon him to prophesie lies in the name of the Lord and the ground of his Prophecy is from the imaginations and corruptions of his own heart who speaks from that and from the Letter and the words of others and not from the voice of the Lord unto him and where did any of the true Prophets take upon them to go and prophecy to a people from anothers writings when they were not called by the Lord and sent so to say by his spirit and word within for they spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and that was from the spirit and word within 2 Pet. 1.21 and the spirit of Christ was within them 1 Pet. 1.11 and they were not sent by a printed Book to preach and prophecy but by the Lord God and his spirit Isay 48.16.17 and therefore they spoke and prophecyed truly that were so taught called and sent by the Lord God and his spirit moving in them but the false Prophets took the words of others without them and spoke from them a divination of their own brain as John Griffith hath done and spoke not from the word and voice of the Lord God and his spirit within and therefore they prophesied lies in the name of the Lord and were reproved for it c. as this John Griffith the false Prophet is that speaks the brain imaginations and divinations of his own heart from others words and not from the mouth of the Lord as the false Prophets did and therefore the said John Griffith is a false Prophet as such was which the Lord was against therefore he is against him that hath prophesied lies in his name as they did Jer. 23.21 30. 31 32. verses The beginning of John Griffith's false Prophecy where he prophesieth lies in the name of the Lord saying thus saith the Lord to thee Oh Quaker thou art fleshly minded John Griffith that is thy lying spirit that hath told thee so and thou that pretends to speak so from the Scriptures without thee and calls thy saying a word from the voice of the Lord I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to shew that Scripture that faith O Quaker thou art fleshly minded or else I charge thee here to be a lier both of the Scripture and of the Lord for such as walk in obedience to the word and spirit of the Lord are not fleshly and carnally but spiritually and peaceably minded Rom. 8.6 Phil. 2.5 1 Cor. 2.15.16 But they that walk in obedience to the word and spirit of the Lord and are born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.22.23 and are in Covenant with God though reproached by the name of Quakers c. 1 Pet. 4.14 for the name of Christ c. are spiritually and peaceably minded and not as John Griffith hath said therefore he hath taken upon him to prophesie or publish a lie in the name of the Lord And the said John Griffith in his second lie and false Prophesie page 2. saith Oh fleshly minded men whom the God of this world hath blinded that is a third lie because you believe not that is a fourth lie for such as walk in the light of the Gospel 2 Cor. 4.4,5,6,7 and are born of God and in the faith which purifies the heart and overcomes the world as such was Act 15.9.1 John
5.4.5 c. they ate not as John Griffith falsely saith and these Scriptures and the faith and birth spoken of in them and the light we also own who walk in it and are not as John Griffith saith therefore he hath prophesied or spoken other three lies and more also in the name of the Lord and hath manifest thereby his false Prophecy and himself to be a false Prophet as it is considered of and known And he goes on with his lies and speaks them in pretence of the name of the Lord saying and saith falsely thus saith the Lord ye have said it is in vain to serve God and what Profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances c. John Griffith when didst thou hear us say so here thou false Prophet that art without proof for thy lies I testifie unto thee from the witness for God that the Lord never so said unto thee nor sent thee to prophecy those lies in his name neither didst thou ever hear us and the righteous seed say as thou falsely hath done and therefore thou art one that prophecies lies in pretence of the Lord who never said that he would fire root and branch of the righteous seed though reproached by the name of Nazerens or Quakers c. as thou sayes and so thy lies and false Prophecies hath laid thee open and made thee manifest to be a false Prophet And we who fear the living God and serve him that keep his Ordinances and walk humbly or mournfully before him do testifie against thy lies and false Prophecies whom thou and the Serpents seed revilest and reproachest under the nick-name of Quakers And since we knew God and his word Oracle Worship and Ordinances never said that it was in vain to serve him and therefore thou hast added thy fifth lye Neither did we say that are in Covenant with God that it was in vain to keep his Ordinances since they were delivered unto us God is our witness which witness is greater than the witness of men 1 John 5.9.10 c. therefore in that thou hast prophecied falsely and added thy sixth lye Neither did we say nor ever declare it to thee that it was in vain to walk humbly or mournfully before the Lord in that as well as the other God is our witness before whom we appeal and to the truth of it his â—pirit doth witness with ours that obey him and walk humbly before him Rom. 8.14,15,16 And therefore John Griffith thy prophecy is false and in that thou hast added thy seventh lye in thy false Prophecy And therefore from the spirit of the Lord in obedience to the word of the Lord this do I declare and testifie which shall stand a witness against thee and thy lying and false Prophecy wherein thou sayes we are spiritually proud when we are not for that is by us denied as well as all other pride and therefore in that thou hast prophecied falsely and added thereunto thy eighth lye Wherein thou goes on in lying saying that we are proud Pharisees and Hypocrits c. but hath not so proved it therefore thou hast added thy ninth lye Thou sayes that we boast of our light within but boasting we deny and all Pharisaicallism and Hypocrisie and that is thy tenth lye Yet the light we own and follow else we should deny Christ who is the light of the world that lighteth every man that commeth into the world John 1.9 and such as follow him as he hath said are by the light led out of darkness into the light of life as the Scripture declareth which we witness with Col. 1.27 John 8.12 Thou sayes in thy false Prophecy that we neglect the weightier matters of the Law that is thy eleventh lye And the Law it self that is thy twelveth lye p. 3. For righteousness mercy and true judgement c. is the weighty matters of the Law for he hath shewed it unto us and therefore walking humbly before him and doing justly loving mercy c. Mica 6.8 we do not neglect neither the weightier matters of the Law nor the Law it self Rom. 8. for the righreousness of the Law is fulfilled in us that walk not after darkness and the flesh but after the spirit and spiritual light and Law within which doth condemn unrighteousness and sin Rom. 8.2,3,4 as the Scripture witnesseth And thou sayes amongst the rest of thy lies that the Scriptures is the Rule of faith and conversation when Christ and his Spirit is both the way and guid into all truth John 14.6 John 16.13 and so into faith Heb. 12.2 and a holy Converstion for without me saith he ye can do nothing then not believe without him and he is both the Authour and finisher of faith that calleth also into an holy Conversation for saith the Apostle as he that hath called you is holy so be you holy in all manner of coÌ„versation 1 Pet. 1.13,14,15 Take notice of thy contradiction to Scripture and thy error in that who hath thereby added thy thirteenth lye Thou sayes we erre not knowing the Scriptures nor power of God that shall stand for thy selfe which is also thy fourteenth lye For the Scriptures are they that testifie of Christ and that we know as they also witness of themselves where Christ saith search them but he is the life and ye will not come to him that ye might have life that are such enemies to him like their example that were lyars and false accusers like you And as the Scriptures testifie of Christ John 5.39.40 so do they also testifie of the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 which power we know and witness unto and in with the Scriptures that testifie of it and therefore thou John Griffith hath told that fourteenth lie And thou sayes we are they that perish page 3. but such as are kept by the power of God and are thereby saved do not perish which power and salvation by and in it through the Lord Jesus we witness and so do not perish as thou falsely saith and therefore thou art charged with that lie which makes the number fifteen Thou sayes that the Scriptures without faith in Christ for thou leaves that out is able to make a man wise to salvation and to furnish him thoroughly to every good work page 3. when it is Christ that doth it and thou hast belied the Scriptures for thou hast left out the chief and moving cause to wit Christ and faith in him and sayes the Scriptures are able to do it when the Apostle tells Tymothy that the holy Scriptures were able to make him wise to salvation c. Through faith in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3.15,16,17 and he saith that Christ is the giver and so both the Authour and finisher of faith Heb. 12.2 and the Apostle prayed that the Colossians might be strengthened and so furnished according to the working of his glorious power giving thanks unto the Father which made them meet to be partakers of the