God to be a lyar for the word was in the beginning before any tongue was and your Hebrew and Greek is natural and the natural man knows not the things of God and the world by wisdom knows not God Pilate was a worldly man and he had this original and the wisdome of the world and there thou art and there the curse is upon thee so here thou preachest another original then the Apostles did they preached Christ the fountain and thou preachest Hebrew and Greek that is thy original and thy father Pilate had that original which crucified Christ and set it over him and the scripture came not by the will of man Therefore it is not the knowing of it by Hebrew and Greek but by the spirit that gave it forth therefore all people take warning and cease from such deceivers and take heed to the light in your conscience which is the light of Christ to guide your minds up to God the Father of light and be not deceived nor wander not up and down after such who know not the truth but put Hebrew and Greek for the original which Pilate had which crucified Christ Jesus as you may read in Luke 23. All people may see thou art brought no further yet then thy father Pilate so all thy prayers we deny for there is nothing of truth born up in thy understanding who art led with a seducing spirit into delusions who saist the spiriâ— of life stirs up the flesh to bring forth fruits and thou that art in the flesh canst not please God And there thy spirit is tryed to be the spirit of error And a great deal of such stuff thou hast in thy answers to the queries which is not worth mentioning And this thou hast written to publish thy self that them that have a love to Christ their hearts may be turned from thee to God to see how thou hast uttered forth thy solly though with many fair glosses thou and such as thou art deceive the simple But all who are in the light do see thee and comprehend thee Something in Reply to the Epistle thou wrotest to the Lady BINDLOSSE TO her thou speakest of the doctrine and spirit and the holy Ghost Here I charge thee to be a lyar who knows nothing of them who deniest immediate revelation for thou who deniest that deniest the Father and the Son as in Matth. 11.27 Wherein goest thou about to exhort others who art in the condition thy self but art as Martha that would be serving If she do but take heed to the light which Christ hath enlightened her withall she will quickly see thy folly for the light which Christ hath enlightened her withall shall be her condemnation if she hate it and if she love it it will guide her into the way of righteousness up to Christ And there O woman is thy teacher and his condemnation And the Work which is brought forth in the North doth tâ—rment thee R. Sherlock and such as the Lord doth move to exhort or to speak such thou slanderest and dost accuse as tempting for thy slanders and reproaches the wo wil turn upon thee from God who is the Justifier of his children and with such Priests as thou art the righteous seed was ever hated as you may read throught the Scriptures If she that thou callest a Lady be grounded upon thy doctrine be a member with thee of thy body let her read thy answers to the queries the replies to them to the light in her I speak which is of Christ which will witness me and let her see thee and if her mind be guided by it it will condemn all her former practises of worship and let her see thy delusions And again thou art flattering the Lady and tells her of a discourse of the Spirit and these are thy unsavoury words who art discoursing of the Spirit but deniest it for thou that deniest immediate Revelation denies the Spirit In the Corinthians the Apostle said things were revealed to him by the spirit and all thy doctrines to be denied and all that thou speakest and thou art seen to be one of the evil beasts and slow-bellies whose mouth must be stopt And what dost thou tell her of growing up in the knowledge of God and stop the way for her to pass who deniest immediate revelation which the Apostle exhorted to And the Saints were to have the loins of their minds girded up as in 1 Pet. 1.13 And what hast thou to do to talk of Heaven or happiness who art a Beast in thy colours And so this is the intent that I have written this Reply to the Epistle which thou wrote to her thou callest Lady that she might with the Light of Christ in her see thy folly for to that I speak which is the Light of Christ which if she hate it it will be her eternal condemnation Something in Reply to thy Introduction Pr. NO age hath brought forth more pretenders to the Spirit of God than this wherein we live Rep. Let all people take notice if thou be not he that pretends the Spirit who hath not the same understanding and knowledge that the Apostles had and there thou art in the pretence who art blind and thy worship as thou callest it is thou dost not know what worse than it was at Samaria who art in the pride of heart And as thou sayest the Devil hath sown his crop and reapt his harvest and there thou art one of his servants sowing his seed and amongst the delusions as thou calst them for that is in thy generation which comes out of thy own bottle which now flows out what is within issues forth this is thy own condition who seducest the people The fire is kindling and the tares are burning which makes you wicked ones to cry out And so all Impostors and Blasphemers are in thy generation and you are ignorantly worshipping and your gross Idolatry which thou speakest of is your own and thou art a Murderer and understandest not what thou speakest of them and God thou knowest not who deniest immediate revelation from Heaven but onely what thou knowest thou knowest naturally as a bruit Beast which Jude speaks of And a great deal of stuff thou hast in this Introduction which is not worth mentioning If the Reader doth but read with a single eye he may see all thy confused stuff which is not worth naming And a great deal of stuff thou hast written in discourse of the Spirit and the Holy Ghost which thou knowest not what thou speakest of and of the Trinity which there is no Scripture for A Reply to an Epistle that thou wrotest to him whom thou callest Sir Robert Bindlosse THe Queries being sent to his house from Rich. Hubberthorn being his desire that they should be made publike and we do praise the Lord that deceit is brought to light And thou saist Perhaps some satisfaction might be given to those seduced wavering souls amongst you Truly I do
Except ye eat my flesh and drink my blood ye have no life in you And this is his Supper in eating of which the creature hath life in himself Therefore fly from idolatry I speak unto wise men judge what I say the cup of blessing which we bless is the Communion of the blood of Christ and the bread which we break is the Communion of the body of Christ For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread 1 Cor. 10.14 15 16 17. For the bread of God is he that came down from Heaven and giveth life unto the World John 6.33 Then said they unto him Lord evermore give us this bread and Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst John 6.34 35. I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world v. 51. But the Jews could not belive this neither can this Priest but saith we own feâ—ding on Christs flesh but deny his Supper and so as blind as they But by the life which we receive in eating of his flesh and drinking of his bloud are we manifest to be of those that feed at his Table and cannot have communion at the Table of Devils as the Church of God could not 1 Cor. 10.21 Again He saith that we own baptism with the spirit but deny baptism with water I answer Who come to the baptism with the spirit into one body they are come to the one baptism which the Saints witnessed not laying again the doctrine of baptism which waâ— several but witnessing the one the substance of the other which was necessary to salvation so all those things in which the substance was signified whether circumcision or water is not denied in their time and place when the obedience in them was from the command of the spirit and not from tradition but people now in the ignorance of God and his ways take up things by tradition being both out of the command and out of the substance and such deny the substance where it is witnessed as for this Priest Clapham he hath never ministred water baptism as it was ministred when it was a doctrine from heaven for there is not one in all his Congregation that had first received the holy Ghost nor believed in Christ before he baptised them with water and so both the substance and the figure is denied in him so that in that in which he would accuse another without ground is he upon good ground found guilty And as for denying to give thanks that is false for we are bound in spirit to give thanks always to the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light and whether we eat or eat not we give God thanks and this we are come to witness to pray without ceasing and in all things give thanks for so is the will of God concerning us and in us is it fulfilled and we sing with the Spirit and with understanding also but such take Davids conditions which waâ— made manifest unto him in the sure mercies of the Lord to him and sing his deliverances whose soul is yet in the pit and sing his prophesies who never knew the spirit of prophesie in themselves and say they have roared all the day long by reason of their sins when as they have roared all the day long in fulfilling their sins and iniquities and for the scorners to say they have no scornful eye and for the proud to say they are not puft in mind such singing we deny which is without the Spirit and without understanding also For light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart so to the light with which Christ hath enlightned every one that cometh into the world I speak which tends to uprightness of heart and unto holiness without which no man can see the Lord those things which are reprovable are made manifest in the Liâ—ht and that which doth make manifâ—st is light which all who be out of it is in darkness and know not whether they go nor what they profit as many now in these days being kept from the light and gate of truth by the doctrines of men and so never come to read in the Lambs book of life which first all must come to know the vials poured forth upon the earth upon the Beast and his works and his sear which is found standing in all them who be from the light they be enlightned withal But the hour is coming and now is when all they that be upon the face of the earth may see the appearance of the Son of God and may receive his power in the measure which his Father hath given them to receive him in therefore every one who comes to see with the light of the Son of God enter into thaâ— which you see to be of him and out of that which you see to be of the World that so the everlasting righteousness and peace you may possess in your obedience to what is made manifest that you may come to see and favour the things of God from those things that be of the World and as every one walks in the light you will be as a sweet smelling sacrâ—fice unto the Lord and knowing and feeling the power of â—he Lord with it the everlasting door vvill be opened and the vvell-springs of life to the feeding of the plants of God with the uncorruptible food which is every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord vvhich vvill be received as that of God in every particular is kept single Again The Priest in his 3 4 5. Section saith That we deny the doctrine of the Trinity and that we hold equality with God and the soul be â—ne being with God and corrupt the doctrine of justification Answ. For a Trinity of persons there is no such docâ—â—â—ne in the Scriptures neither the vvord three Persons nor Trinity and so three distinct one from another eternally as he hath held forth saying Christ is the eternal Son of God distinct from the Father eternally and the Spirit is distinguished from the Father and the Son eternally This is a Tradition of men taught for a doctrine but no doctrine and in denying of that vve do but deny Claphams tradition but as for the Father Word and Spirit which bear record in heaven these three are one and vvas never separated eternally for Christ in the days of his flesh vvhen he vvas in the vvorld said I and my Father are one and said I in them and they in me that they may be one as we are one John 17.11 22. and so this doctrine of the unity of the Father Word and Spirit vve ovvn and vvitness and as for our equality or unity vvith God vve that believe in him are one vvith him as the Scripture saith
believe and they that believe not that he is so shall die in their sins as Christ saith John 8.24 But J.S. going on in his own devised Fables would pervert the words of truth both in our writings and in the Apostles as it is manifest in his writings of this reviling Rebuke concerning R.F. and J.N. E.B. and F.H. and others which whosoever read their words and his they may discern truth from devised fables without much Reply upon it as in places he is mingling his own words with theirs joyning a lye to the truth that he may contradict it as false as every one that reades with understanding will see which when they have spoken plain truths which he himself hath often in his Book confessed unto to be truth will afterwards give his meaning to 〈◊〉 words as he hath done unto the Apostles words saying If they meane thus c. Then he goes about to contradict his own meaning and when he hath contradicted his owne meaning then he saith he hath contradicted their words though he have before confessed the truth of their words so he hath not contradicted the words as they were spoken but because they spoke not his meaning with the words therefore the true words must be false in his judgment and bear his rebuke as his Book doth make manifest and adding his lye to the words of truth these two things are his greatest proofs to resist the truth In page 77. he hath mingled his own words with the words of R.F. in wâ—ich page he acknowledgeth a former addition and yet reneweth another R.F. having been speaking of the light which hath enlightened every man which cometh into the World he adds which where it is and it is in every man it reneweth the judgment c he here adding his own and then rebuking it would make people believe lyes that all might be damned who believ not the truth But on the contrary for we never have said that every mans judgment is renewed with the ligbt though they be enlightened for they are enlightened who haâ—e it and who are void of true judgement because they hate the light which they be enlightened withal And also the Apostles words he perverts and gives meaning unto which if he did not they would be a plain testimony with that which he hath set himself to oppose so giving meanings both to their wordâ— and our words his meanings must be the ground of his Believers Faith and not the Scriptures as he said before The Apostle Peter speaking of a more sure Word of Prophesie wherein they did well to take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place till the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts 2 Pet 1.19 knowing this first that no Prophesie of the Scriptures is of any private interpretation for the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved of the holy Ghost To this J.S. adds not heart-prophesie no breast-prophesie but written down in Books c. which is contrary to the Apostls words for he doth not exclude heart-prophesie for there was never any prophesie but did proceed out of the heart before it was written in any Book And the Apostle saith Untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts and that holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost and that vvhich moved them to speak Prophesies was in their hearts and the Apostle did not bid them wait till the day star did arise in the Scriptuâ—es but till it did rise in their hearts and then he told them how the Prophesies of the Scriptures came Peter saying Untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts J.S. saith That is untill by the study of the Scriptures more light he cleered up c. Now let all them of understanding read and compare his words the Apostles and they may well conclude with his confession that he hath an old lying heart and flesh in which dwells no truth but the root of errour and gainsaying of the truth and as for many others of his devised fables and false meanings though I let them passe here unanswered yet they may be seen with the mind informed in the truth and all who are of God and of the truth may know that it is a small matter for us to be rebuked or judged to be in confusion who so evidently hath confounded both our words and the Apostles into his owne false meanings and so contradicts them both but that remaineth sure which gaves forth the Scriptures and abideth in us and we know that they cannot be broken but must be fulfilled as they were given forth by the Word which they were given forth from by taking heed unto which the young mans way is cleansed by which the old lying heart is reproved that which was given forth from that Spirit cannot be by it denyed but that which would darken words without knowledg is denyed that which would set up devised fables above Christ the Spirit and Scriptures that by the Spirit is denyed without contradiction and as we shall by the Spirit and by the Scriptures trye John Stelhams Doctrinâ— which if he deny them both then by his owne Argument we shall prove him and see whether he will own himself to be judged by that with which he would judge others whether they be Messengers sent by Gods Spirit His Assertion laid down Page 60. to try withall is this Such Messengers as speak more than is in the Scripture are not sent by GOD'S Spirit nor guided by him to what they say By this then is all that of him before mentioned cast out being both more and contrary to what is in the Scripture as also that which is to be declared as followeth in his second head as he calls it of Scripture Contradiction he is speaking concerning a Trinity and three Persons which words are not spoken in the Scriptures he meaning the Father Son and Spirit by such nameâ— as the Scripture never did so about words names which the Scripture doth not mention arsing out of the Divination of his heart doth he multiply words to hide the truth and shuâ— the Kingdom from men and so hath no ground for the word three persons from the Scripture but the Scripture in one translation speaking of Christ being the express Image of the Fathers Peâ—son and in another â—ranslation saith that he is the expresse Figure of the Fathers substance as he is witnessed to be by those that know him and so till he find the word three persons and Trinity in the Scriptures let him owne his own rule to judg him to be no Messenger sent by Godâ— Spirit because he speakes more than is in the Scripture who saith the holy Ghost is a Person and this person dwells in Saints though not personally mark this A Person dwell in the Saints not personally all this confusion is as
tares which men gather which must be bound in bundles and cast into the fire for what is the Chaff to the Wheat or what is all such invented words to the knowledg of the Father Son and Spirit which are one which bear record in heaven and are three that beare witnesse in earth the Spirit and Water and the Blood and these three agree in one and when these are known in their witnesse in man what they witnesse unto and what they witnesse againsti within and without such will give them names according to their works and according to the Scriptures The Third head of John Stelhams Scripture Contradiction is concerning the light which every man is enlightened withall which of all things is most hated by all such whose wayes words works are contrary ot it for it being risen in the hearts of the Children of men to give the knowledge of the truth hath in this day made many wiser than their Teachers and now they which have caused people to err are by the light seen and by the Children of light are denyed and they being denyed their envie is up against the light which hath made them manifest and they walk not by the light nor according to the Scriptures buâ— there is a line of confusion comes over them by which now they walk and from which their writings doth proceed as John Stelham in page 52. saith they may affirm agreeable to the Scripture and yet contradict the Scriptures in saying Christ is in every man or that the light in every man leades to the Father saith Christ God or as God is in every man a spark of his god-head-light is in every man but there is not in every man that redemption light which leads to the Father That light which Christ hath enlightened every man withal leads to the Father all who are led by it and believe in it and condemns all from the Father which do not obey it but hate it and speak dispitefully against it who are turned out from God who is light and truth into the confusion saying that the God-head-light is not the Redemption-light but with the light that Lye and confusion is judged for ever and in affirming that the God-head-light is in every mâ—n and then calling it common and old Creation-light Scripture-light pag. 61. and the light of Nature page 74 75 and a legall light page 76. and a created light page 78. and an universal light unto which I say as God is so is his light so is his god-head not created nor natural and as every one comes to know the light which by J.S. is so reviled they shal neither follow nor believe his Doctrine till he can prove when the light of the God-head was created and how it became natural or legal or where he had those names for the Scriptures doth give no such names to the light so by his own rule he speaking more than is in the Scripture is not a Messenger sent by Gods spirit nor guided by it in what he sâ—ith As also in other things as in Pag 64. saying That light without Sâ—ripture is no light Then Enoch's light in which he walk'd wiâ—h God was no light nor Jacobs light nor Isaacs nor Abrahams for they were without these Writings this letter which he calls the Scriptures but they were not without light And thousands have so much light whether they have the Sâ—riptures or not as to see this darkness as to say light though saving light without Scripture is no light did the Scriptures make the light to be light and was the saving light made by that which was written let all take notice turne away from such in another place he calls the Scripture but the declaration that Christ is the Word calleâ—h them a Vessel that the light is put into in p. 43. 44 Now let them of understanding consider judg whether the vessel be the maker of that which is put into it whether Wine that is put into a Bottle be made wine by the Bottle or whether it is not Wine without the bottle Water put into a vessel be not Wâ—ter without the vessel or whether the vessel make it to be Water J.S. saith Every verse of Scripture is a little vessel of light that light without scripture is no light so these things have I laid open that every one may see how the Lord hath turned wise men backward and made their Wisdom foolishness and that they may see how those stumble and fall and are snared and taken whose light is turned into darkness and hovv great that darkness is and novv is the Scripture not denied but fulfilled for now is the Light and Truth come into the World by which they are found to be blind who said they saw and in which they see that vvere blind And now the depths are seen vvhich are covered vvith darkness and Babylon is seen the Mother of Harlots which bring forth in confusion and bind up in ignorance Other confusions and lyes I shall also mention given forth by J.S. in his Book As p. 68. he saith that God was and is the Word according to John 1.1 and in p. 69. he saith The Father is not the Word nor never so called which is a contradiction And in p. 70. saith Christ is more in the Scriptures than in his Saints vvhich is false for greater vvas that vvhich the vvords came from than the vvords vvhich did but declare of the fulness from vvhence they came as all that know Christ wil bear witness unto and against all such that say Christ is more in the words than in them who spake the words Again in p. 73. he saith Christ the Author of salvation to them that obey him speaking in the Scripture saveth by the Scripture which is false and contrary to the testimony of the Scriptures and the witness of them who witnessed his salvation who said By his Life are we saved and by Grace through faith which was the gift of God and not by the Letter and their Witness was true for God and his Works and against all such who are of a lying heart and spirit of error who would make the Letter to be the Light yea more even that vvhich makes light to be light and so greater for that vvhich makes a thing is greater than a thing that is made and would have the Letter to be the Word when as the Letter saith God is the Word and would make the Scriptures to be that by which people are saved as in p. 73. saying Christ saveth by the Scriptures but the Scriptures speak no such thing of themselves for they say there is no other name under Heaven by which men can be saved but by the name of Jesus neither is there such a word written in the Bible that saith men are saved by the scriptures nor that the Light of the God-head is natural as I. S. saith that he may
his folly but our judgement in this is known he that can receive it let him and the belief of the wicked we shall not beg In these things we are approved of God and in the denial of all false imitations and who is he that shall condemn In the 14 th Head concerning Prayer Concerning prayer we do not contradict the scripture in our practâ—ce J.S. is the lyar herein who hath made it a subject to treat two leafs upon for praying in the spirit and by the spirit and in publick and private too we own and do practice as is known to thousands our Enemies can witness for us and according to the scriptures too and not contradicting to it any way But this is the offence against him at which he is troubled that we should deny the prayers of the Pharisees or of such who are in the steps of the prayers of the Pharisees viz. who for a pretence make long prayers and stand praying in the synagogues who are out of Christs and the Apostles Doctrine and the prayers and practices of such we do not deny according to the scripture which saith the sacrifices of the wicked are abomination to the Lord and they shall receive greater condemnation who make long prayers for a pretence as it is manifest concerning many in this genetation and against the praying of the Hypocrites and of Hirelings who pretend to pray in love to souls when as if they had not a great sum of money from the people would not pray among them but seek a place to pray at among such who would give them money and hire and this praying is for a pretence and we do deny it in publick and do not offend God herein though we vex J. S. hereby because some wil not worship the Beast and bow a hat off while he is praying in an idols Temple which he complains of in J.P. though he himself that prayâ— hath a cap on and he confesses himself not wicked mens prayers are accepted publick or private and here he hath condemned all his own praying who confesses he is wicked and sinful and his heart is old and lying let all take notice of this which if he had not confessed it it is sufficiently proved Then why shall he ever hereafter be offended seeing his prayers are not accepted according to his own confession if any tell him so or declare against his praying and before any can truly pray they must receive the Spirit of the Father and them we know who are not led by the Spirit of the Father them and their prayers are to be declared against by the Saints and are condemned in the sight of God And J. S. saith If this counsel be followed viz waiting in the Light till the Spirits leadings be known it makes known nothing of publick Ministers Church-Officers Baptism Lords Supper publick order of prayer nor of Christ as Mediator nor of the Spirit of promise c. The Light that every man hath makes manifest nothing of this he saith he in this is a lyar and as landerer of the people of God who are led by the moving of the Spirit in the Light of the Word Christ Jesus that lighteth every man and owneth the publick Ministry of Christ which is received by the Holy Ghost and Church and Baptism and Christ as Mediator and the Spirit of promise and all these things all the Saints upon earth who have the spirit of Christ shall witness against J.S. herein to be a lyar of the Light and Spirit of God and so is a transgressor and his wickedness may largely be laid open but the least of the children of Light may see his folly and madness who also lyingly saith that Quakers they nourish up people in the Light that every man hath which is the Light of Christ Jesus in opposition to Scripture-Light This is also utterly false and a lye and the Author proved to be of the Devil for the Light of Christ leads up in the fulfilling of the Scripture and not in opposition to it but by his lightness and lyes he is made manifest to be a deceiver of the people and so take thy own words in thy conclusion to thy self thou art he that is alienated from the Scripture and from the Spirit of God also by thy lying spirit of contradiction which is manifest in thy Writings In his 15. Head concerning singing We do not contradict the Scripture herein again thou art a lyar but singing with the spirit and with understanding we own of such as are redeemed out of the World and are not of the World but singing of David's experiences sung in the World by such who are of the World this singing we do deny as it is practised in this generation in Rhime and Meeter in a vain multitude of people where all or most of them do dishonor God in singing Davids words which themselves are out of the life of and in a life quite contrary singing the Law of God is dear to them and that they exercise themselves in it when every moment of time they are exercised in wickedness and cast the Law of God behind them and thus singing lyes and that which is not true to them yet in the Name of the Lord. Other Reasons many may be given why we deny singing in this form and manner and way as singing is practised in this generation but this instance is sufficient to all honest people but cavillers mouths are not soon stopped not by the truth And all J. S. professes as to maintain this manner and practice of singing are all impertinent he proves that the saints sang and were exhorted to it but what is this to the purpose to prove the World must sing who are unconverted which singing we oppose onely and not the saints singing in 〈◊〉 spirit who are moved to it by the spirit O thou lyar Wherâ—fore dost thou say To be against singing Davids words by the World in Rhime and Meeter as we do is contrary to Eph. 5. Col. 3. doth these scriptures hold forth any such thing let the Reader try as that Davids experiences may be sang in the World in Rhime and Meeter nay they do not and so thou art a lyar on the scriptures to be taken notice of and marked for a wrester of the scriptures and in this we have often declared our minds by words and writings that poetry and J. Hopkins and T. Sternolds brain-invention we have denied yet Davids Psalms wâ— have owned and do own them as they were given forth by the spirit of God and not as they are perverted and added and diminished to such a compass of syllables as they are now in practice and thus I have given you a further testimony for and against singing wherein we deny it and wherein we own it and so leaves his muddy stuff and so counts it not worth raking in onely a lye or two or more he is proved in as the Reader may take notice also of
it fall into Scripture contradiction but R.F. nor others wil therefore c. This is unfound and laid down but not proved at all neither maâ—or nor minor and hereby he hath concluded wickedly the Apostle Iames and Christ himself to be fallen into Scâ—ipâ—ure contradictions who did exprâ—sly forbid all swearing and did not compare the precepts and examples for Swearing with the prohibition against it and thus J. S. is taken uttering folly with his tongue hath drawn a conclusion upon Christ and the Apostle Iames to be contradictors of Scripture let shame cover his impudent forehead And they that charge Christ and the Apostle James with contradicting Scripture are enemies to God and of the Devil and for eternall vengeance but Iohn Stelham hath done so and therefore he is an enemy to God and of the Devil and for eternal vengeance But further at large as concerning Swearing our testimony thereof is laâ—d down at large in a Book called The glory of the Lord arising And whereas further I. S. as a man not weary of iniquity goes on after his false charging of us with contradicting to scripture â—harges us again that we contradict our selves in many things which accusation we bear with as much patience as we do his former seeing they are all out of one heart and to the same end for it is a small thing for us to be judged by man and so that wherein he charges us with self-contradictions I passe lightly over having cleared the truth That we do not contradict the Scriptures but if this man J. S. had been in Generations past what would he have said of Isaiah who was sent to tell Hezekiah from the Lord That he should die and not live 2 King 20.1 At the same instant of time the word of the Lord came again to Isaiah that Hezekiah should be healed and that he should go up to the house of the Lord These were both the words of the Lord to Hezekiah and yet no contradiction in Isaiah though such a Spirit as J. S. would so have judged And what would he have judged betwixt David and Ieremiah Psal. 119. and the 103. and Jer. 23.29 David saith The Words of the Lord are sweet unto his taste yea sweeter than the honey to his mouth And Jer. saith Thè Word of the Lord is as a fire and like a hâ—mmer which breaks the Rock to pieces Now there is no contradiction in these two not to that Spirit by which they are guided though so it might seem to such as J.S. whose mindes are dark And what would he have judged of Christs words Matth. 12.30 and Mark 9.40 where Christ said He that is not with me is against me and he that is not against us is with us â—nd yet in these words there is not contradiction to him that hath an ear to hear But if J.S. had been in those dayes out of his evil heart would he have charged the holy men of God to be contradictions to themselves it is very like that he would and these things I leave with the Reader to be considered of for we who have the same Spirit do clear Christ and the holy men of God from contradictions and knows J.S. and such as he to be seekers of occasions against the Just and would make offâ—nces where there is none for as I have said we do not allow J.S. to be the Interpreter of our words for then no question but he would have his own end and meaning and J. S. saith We deny the letter of the Scripture to be Scripture this is charged upon him to be a lye as it is well known through this Nation both in Doctrine and conversation we own the Scriptures and to deny Matthew Mark and Johns Declarations of the Gospel is no denyal of the Scripture for the Gospel was preached to Abraham which Gospel was and is the power of God before these four men did declare it though we deny their Writings to be the very Gospel which is the power of God yet we do not deny but they truly declared of the Gospel and this is to own the Scripture as it speaks of it self to be Let J. S. judg what he will of us and whereas he speaks of Gospel-letters and Scripture Gospel the Scripture gives no such names to it but saith the Gospel is the power of God and that is the Gospel which we preach even the power of God unto all people let J. S. judge by consequence what he will And further he would plead for the Title of Master from the Example of Abrahams Servant but this is nothing to prove the lawfulnesse of a Minister of Christ that they may be called Master for Christ saith to his Ministers Be ye not called Masters and the Spirit of Christ being our rule that leads us in the fulfilling of Christs words let J. S. shuffle as he will Also he lyes of J.N. to say he denyes and grants the same thing to be in the letter for though he say He that believes hath the witnesse in himself which is truth yet he doth not say The Letter is the Belivers witnesse which he seems falsly to be charged withall and he saith the Spirit of God must give the spiritual understanding of the Scriptures But this he doth in another way than that whereby he inspired the Pen-men of the Scriptures Now this is false Doctrine For Christ the way the same to us as to them and not another way of understanding Scriptures nor by another Spirit than that which gave them forth and he saith Christ directed to himself John 5.39 as revealed in the Scriptures and more than that as conveyed by the Scriptures to a Soul Now let the Reader take notice and search that Scripture Whether he hath not added to it yea or nay or where any ever had any Christ conveyed to them by Scriptures It doth say the Scriptures testifie of him but it doth not say that he is revealed in the Scriptures nor conveyed by them to a Soul and this is his additional gloss to corrupt the Text to undervalue the eternal Spirit of the Father by which Christ is only revealed and received and not by the Scriptures And for E. B. to say That he came not to them with enticing words neither what he had gathered from the Scripture without him but to declare the Word of the Lord and not to speak his own conceivings and imaginations this is true and no contradiction in it though J. S. say these cannot both be true to say That he neither came with what he had gathered from Scripture nor his own imaginations For the Apostâ—es of Christ did not preach what they had gathered from Scripture neither their own imaginations but preached the Worâ— and Gospel of God which they had received from God and not gathered from Scripture nor in their own imaginations and because he saith both these negatives cannot be true then it is concluded that himself preaches either what
elected Ans. There he hath belyed the Ministers of the gospel for they could discern the elect from the World as it is written Ye shall discern between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not and Paul and Peter vvrote to the Elect So these Teachers vvho knovv not the Elect and yet exhort all their hearers to believe and lay hold on Christ their preaching is in vain for if God hath but intended a certain number to be saved and the rest to be condemned then they set their Hearers on work in vain and many to expect that vvhich they are never like to have So these people are in a miserable state And note that these Priests though they take sums of money and tythes of their Hearers in many parishes in the Nation yet they know not vvho are elected among them according to this mans words Pr. That the Sword of the Spirit is ineffectual without the Letter Ans. The Svvord of the Spirit is the Word of God vvhich vvas effectual before the Letter vvas to Enoch to Isaac to Jacob to Abraham and others and from the Word vvas the Letter given forth and the Letter is not effectual without it Pr. That there was no Scripture written but what is extaut and in the Bible Ans. Yes against that shall the Scripture bear witness the Book of Nathan the prophet the Book of Ahijah the Book of Iddâ— 2 Chron. 9.29 the Book of Shemaia 2 Chron. 20.15 the Book of Gad 1 Chron. 29.29 the Book of Jehu 2 Chron. 34. the Book of Jasher 2 Sam. 1.18 the prophesie of Enoch Jude 2. one Epipistle of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 5.9 one Epistle to the Ephesians Eph. 3.3 one Epistle to the Laodiceans Col. 4. All these Scriptures vvere given forth from the same spirit and to the same end and use as those are which are bound up in the Scriptures although these be left out Pr. That there was no Scripture â—or Writings appointed of God to be a Rule of Faith and Manners but what is bound up in the Bible Ans. Those Scriptures which are not bound up in the Bible were given forth from the same spirit and by the motion of the Holy Ghost and so for the same ends and uses that the other Scripture was given forth for and as he appointed the one so the other Pr. That the Letter doth antecede and go before the spirit in all that walk in the spirit Ans. This is false for the spirit did antecede the Letter in all that walked in the spirit who gave forth the Letter from the spirit Pr. That the works of Christ in some respect are not perfect Ans. That is false for every gift of God is perfect and every work of Christ is perfect in all his children but that spirit in thee which is fallible makes nothing perfect and therefore judgeth all things yea Christ and his Works to be fallible and deceivable like it self Pr. That the Law requires more strict and exact obedience than the Gospel Ans. Nay The Law saith Thou shalt not commit adultery but the Gospel saith Thou shalt not lust The Law saith Thou shalt not kill but the Gospel saith Thou shalt not be angry The Law saith Thou shalt not forswear thy self but the Gospel saith Swear not at all Matth. 5. And so the Gospel requires more exact obedience then the Law contrary to this affirmation Pr. That God chose a Devil to be one of his Ministers in chusing Judas and his proof for it is this That the Divine Natuâ—e did not see it good to communicate the knowledge of all things unto the humane nature and therefore though he was a Devil when he chose him yet he knew it not Ans. This is a charging of Christ with ignorance contrary unto John 2.24.25 which saith That Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men and needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man And though Judas by transgression became a Devil and the Devil abode not in the Truth doth it therefore follow that he was never in the truth But Christ speaks of him and to him as well as to the rest that they had power to cast out unclean spirits Matth. 10.1 and that the Spirit of the Father spoke in them Matth. 10.20 So that there was no difference while the Spirit of the Father led him and taught till the Devil entered into his heart to betray that Lord of Life So that is a false charge to say That Christ sent out a Devil to minister the Gospel Pr. That the Spirit of God may accompany a Ministry and the Minister not have the Spirit Ans. This is another Doctrine than ever the Prophets or Apostles preached for I never read in the Scripture that ever any did minister for God which had not the Spirit or that ever any was converted unto God by such a Minister as had not the Spirit Therefore prove this assertion to the people where or when the Spirit of God did accompany that Ministry when the Minister had not the Spirit so that thou mâ—ist as well as thou hast said not pretend unto any infallibility nor unto any truth in thy ministry for if thou didst people would see that thou didst pretend unto that which thou art far from So that if thou wouldst not pretend to minister neither no more than to have the Spirit it were better for thee Pr. That the power that went forth in the Apostles Ministry was in God and not in them but as they have it communicated to them by the exercise of Faith Ans. Here thou hast confounded thy self for if they had it communicated to them by their exercise of Faith then it was in them for the exercise of Faith is within in the pure Conscience and so the power was in them from which they ministred and they did not abuse their power but from the power ministred forth their gift as they had received it Thomas Ramsay said That we preach a Doctrine of Devils in saying that men may be free from sin in this life Ans. Then the Apostle Paul preached a Doctrine of Devils For he said Rom. 6 2. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein And in the 7 th verse saith He that is dead is free from sin And in the 18 th verse he saith to the Believers being then made free from sin Ye became the servants of righteousness in ver 22. he again tells them That now being made free from sin and become servants to God you have your fruits unto holiness and the end everlasting life And this was spoken to the Romans while they were in this life and it was not a Doctrine of Devils but the Doctrine of the Gospel and Christ preached the Doctrine of perfection in this life Matth. 5.48 saying Be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect and also it is written Be ye holy for I am
had some office in a Regiment and did sometime preach among his sincere and sober Companions that loved him wel according to his knowledg and judgment at that day and he obtained a good Report amongst such as were lovers of Religion And when it pleased the Lord God everlasting to raise us up to be a People in the North parts and through great Tribulations and extream distresses within and without which we passed through were we raised up of the Lord to be a holy and chosen People This same Person was one among the first of us whose heart the Lord touched with the sence of his Power and Kingdom and amongst us he had the mighty operation of the Power of God experienced in his heart Great afflictions and tribulations for many weeks was he exercised in through the dispensation of the Grace and Spirit of Christ Jesus he was in that state and while therein exercised for many dayes a wonder to all that beheld him as one passing out of the body as one under the deep sence of the hand of the Lord under the operation of his Power thus it was with many of us and particularly with him Till such time as the same Power that killed made alive as wounded also â—eâ—led as brought down also raised up and then being raised up in the holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ he was made a Minister of the Everlasting Gospel to preach Repentance Conversion Salvation and Remission of sins and accordingly went forth in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus the Saviour of mâ—n kind and was a Minister of the glad Tydings of Salvatiâ—n in many parts of this Land and elsewhere to the conversion of many Souls to God for his Ministry was made effectual by the Almighty Power of the Lord to turn many from darknesse to light from the power Satan to God and there are thousands who can in the Spirit of the Lord bear Testimony to the power and verity of his Ministry in many Countreys where he travelled for he laboured much in divers places and was very diligent and faithful in the work of the Lord and suffered imprisonment divers times and was hardly dealt withal and persecuted in Chester Cambridge and in Norwich prisons and other places and he was found faithful in all his Tryals among his Brethren and alwayes ready to do his service in what he was called unto with a willing mind being truly in body soul and spirit given up to the service of the Gospel of Christ Jesus a dispensation of which was committed unto him that he might serve the Lord in his Generation and though he how hath finished his Testimony in this World yet the remembrance of him lives with us in the Spirit of Jesus and he is accounted among the faithful Sufferers a Martyr for the witnesse of the Truth which ever liveth And for the space of nine years he laboured and travelled in the work of the Gospel aforesaid in most of the Counties of this Nation and was well known for his faithfulness among the Churches of Christ He was but little in stature in his outward man and of weak Constitution of body and was slow of speech and often more ready to hear then to speak he made little appearance in the manhood of Excellency or Authority but was contemptible among men yet he was very wise and knew his season when to speak and when to be silent and when he spoke it was with much discretion and deliberation in weaknesse of word many times yet reached perfectly the matter intended by him and his speech was with Graâ—e and in the fear of God and had Authority in the Spirits of men and was of savour and sound judgement though in weaknesse of the manhood expressed for he answered not mens Wisdom in excellent stile of words but the witnesse of God in sincerity of speech he was a Person of sound judgement in divine Mysteries and of good experience in the operations of the power of God and knew the passing through divers conditions of the inward man and was able to speak to many estates of man passing under the dispensations of the Grace of God he could well inform the mind of a person in an afflicted and tossed state of terrour and judgement and his Ministry was often savoury and seasonable and felt in the pure life though his words were plain and homely and no beauty in them to mans Wisdom and God made him and his service a blessing to many who shall speak for him in their own Consciences He was of a loving genâ—le and good disposition and acceptable was his Company to them that knew him and were like-minded a good Companion in all Conditions not soon moved into passion of either grief in Adversity or of joy in Prosperity nor had he a Spirit taking offence upon light occasions against any but watched for Good over all and not for Evil He was a man of peace and loved it and walked peaceably among his brethren in honest kind familiarity And I am perswaded in my Soul according to the experience I had of him for many years he abhorred dissention and strife among Friends and was never the real occasion intendedly by himself of any difference and dissention among brethren and what further is Truth of him I leave it to the just God whose testimony is true and never fails Among many others that were taken from Meetings and sent to Newgate according as ye have â—eard This same Person of whom I am now treating was in like manner rudely and violently taken on the 22 th day of the 4 th Month last out of a Meeting in the Bull at Aldersgate and carried before Richard Brown who used violence to him with his own hands in pulling his Hat down upon his head so that he brought his head near the ground and then he Commirted him to Newgate where he remained till the Sessions and was then indicted among the rest for being at an unlawful Meeting c. as it is said and he being throng'd up in Prison among the rest of us it pleased the Lord to visite him with sickness of body and in 10. dayes space always growing weaker and weaker in that time he deceased and laid down his body in peace About two days before his departure some of his dearest Friends went to visite him and sate by him a space and spoke somwhat to him and asked him if any thing was upon his Spirit he might now speak it to his Friends His answer was That there was no need to dispute matters for he knew the ground of his Salvation and was satisfied for ever in his peace with the Lord God and we know said he one another wel and what each of us can say about those things and spoke no further And the 17 th day of the 6th Month he departed this life and was gathered up to his Fathers the Generation of the just and though he be gone in that
witness the testimony of my Brethren the prophets that went before me who have left an example on record of suffering affliction and of patience and we count them happy who endure Elisha was a Plough-man and when the Word of the Lord came to him he left the plough and obeyed the Word of the Lord And his call was lawful Amos was a Herdsman and a gatherer of Sycamore fruit and the Lord took him as he was following the Flock and the Lord said unto him Go prophesie unto my people Israel and he obeyed the Word of the Lord and prophesied In the Kings Chappel and in the Kings Court and his calling was lawful And I do witness the same call who was a Husbandman and had a Vinyard and gathered fruit till the Word of the Lord came and called me from it and he turned my mind within enlightned my understanding and opened the Creation to me and let me 〈◊〉 the Vinyard without was but a figure and that I must come into his Vineyard to labour in his Work and gathering fruit without was but a figure for there is fruit within to be gathered A possession wirhout was but a figure there was a possession and an inheritance to be enjoyed within and that figures must pass away to come to the everlasting inheritance which is within which never fades away out of time into that which is Eternal And for this cause and by this Word did I forsake Father and Mother Lands and Livings House and Vineyard to follow Jesus Christ and do whatsoever he commands me And this Call I witness to be lawful and the Word of the Lord is gone forth to command Sons and Daughters to prophesie in his Name and thâ—y have no other call and they go as they ate commanded as ever the true prophets of the Lord did if it be to the Kings Chappel or to the Kings Palace or to the Synagogues or into the Cities or Markets to declare against sin and iniquity and where they see the people given to idolatry and prophaneness their spirit being raised up by the power of the Lord and by the Word of the Lord do they declare against it and they have no other Call but the Word of the Lord and they have a cloud of Witnesses for all the Prophets of the Lord spoke from this Word and for speaking the Word of the Lord as they were commanded were persecuted imprisoned and put in dungeons and were made a derision daily to all that were about them as Jeremiah was and was smitten and put in the stocks Jer. 20.2 and Daniel was cast into the Lyons Den for declaring the Word of the Lord Dan. 6.16 Amos was commanded not to prophesie any more in the Kings Chappel Amos 7.13 And the Apostles were imprisoned beaten scourged and persecuted from City to City and straitly commanded to speak no more in that Name And for declaring the Word of the Lord did all the Prophets Apostles and holy Men of God suffer And the Word of the Lord is the same now and the persecutors the same and those who are sent of the Lord now and called out of their own Countrey as they were then to declare his Word against your sin and ungodliness which you live in Magistrates Priests and pâ—ople you call them Wanderers and Vagrant persons who have no lawful calling What would you say by him who said The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head Luke 9.58 And the Jews said This fellow we know not from whence he is John 9.29 You may say Paul was a wandering person who had no certain dwelling place 1 Cor. 4.11 and those who wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being afflâ—ctâ—d and tormented of whom the world was not worthy they had tryals of cruel mockings scourgings and imprisonment they were stoned hewn asunder and despightfully used Heb. 11.36 37. And you shew your selves to be in the same generation mocking scourging those whom ye are not worthy to receive But all you dear ones servants of the living God blessed are you when men shall revile you and speak all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you Mat. 5.11 12. You are in the same nature and generation of those who said unto Christ Depart out of our coasts And saith Christ As they have done unto me so shall they do unto you And now I witness the same things to be fulfilled Do not you say as they did Depart out of our City and teach in thy own Countrey And the same generation called Paul a pestilent fellow a mover of sedition and the Apostles would turn the World up-side-down and the Jews said they had a Law That if any confest he was the Son of God he should dye and they said Christ was a blasphemer and Christ was crucified and the Apostles persecuted by them and all under pretence of blasphemy heresie and sedition and as it was then so it is now for they who come to witness Jesus Christ come in the flesh and boâ—h sons and daughters who come to witness the promise of the Father fulfilled in them as he hath said I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie And they who come to witness this fulfilled you say they are blasphemers and not worthy to live in the Natition and all those who will not lye and swear and use deceit but yea and nay such a one cannot have trading in your Markets for none can buy nor sell who have not the mark of the Beast upon him but he who loveth and telleth a lye hath the most priviledge and advantage among you O wicked and adulterous generation thy wo and misery is coming upon thee for the Lord is appearing who is come and coming to cleanse the Land of evil-doers This I was moved to declare from the Spirit of my Father dwelling in mr as a Testimony of his Eternal Love and Power made manifest in me and all who come to know the Power of God which is but one do witness me and all who despise the Power of the Lord this is for a testimony against them from the Lord by his Servant who is a Prisoner for the Truths sake whose Earthly Name is Chester the 12. day of the 12 th Month called February 1653. Richard Hubberthorn I came to Chester about the 29 th of the 9 th Month. The end of the first Book A Reply to a Book set forth by the Priest of Berwick who writes R. Sherlock which was an Answer to some Queries set forth to him by them whom he calls Quakers who writes himself Batchellor of Divinity and a Diviner he is proved REader This is the word of the Lord to thee Take heed unto the Light Christ hath enlightened
and the praying with the Spirit is witnessed among the Saints Qu. 8. Shew me by the Scripture when the Apostles went into the World and gave the people of the World David's Psalms to be sung in meeter the things that you practise answer them by the Scriptures or the Apostles practise without consequence or imagination And in thy answer to this Query thou perverts the Scripture as in the Acts as Paul and Silas sung Psalms in the prison with them of the World they did not go into the World to give them a psalm to sing men that were not come to repentance for saith David The dead cannot praise God there I charge thee to be a lyar that puttest no difference betwixt the Saints singing with grace and understanding and the World which have gotten the form where thou art The Apostle did not speak to such as were in thy condition to be filled with the spâ—rit who were not come to repentance but he spoke to them who were turned from the World and such sung praises to God But for such as thee to go and give to the World Davids psalms in a meeter and say O Lord I am not puft iâ— mind I have no scornful eye O you prophane ones and scornful ones how can you sing this but lye who have scornful eyes to sing all your bones quake and you tremble and you water your bed with your tears and you lie roaring all the night and day when as you scorn Quakers and hate them and speak all manner of evil of them how can you speak this but lye But Davids condition and the Saints is witnessed among them whom the World scornfully call Quakers which power makes all to tremble though you scorn it a while and have gotten the outside the Letter David's condition in a form of words scorning his life and the power of God where it is made manifest Take warning all you scoffers and scorners what came to be the end of all your Fathers that passed before you but destruction You lofty ones fear tremble before the mighty God for all your songs must be turned into howling but singing with the spirit we own the grace which hath appeared to all men teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts And here I charge thee again to be blind that puts no difference betwixt the worlds singing and the Saints Qu. 9. Whether a man shall overcome the body of sin while hâ— is upon the Earth yea or no Pr. And in thy answer to this ninth Query thou sayest It is not possible to subdue the body of sin altogether while we are in this world and thy comparison is A tree while there is life in it will bring forth fruit Rep. Here I charge thee in the presence of the living God to be the corrupt tree for by thy fruit thou art known for a good Tree cannot bring forth evil fruit and here thou art proved to be thaâ— corrupt tree who confesseth you do not attain to the same knowledge and understanding the Apostles did as thou speakest in thy Book whose harvest is ripe and now is reaping down Pr. And whereas thou sayest they shall not overcome the body of sin while in this world Rep. And here I charge thee again for say the Saints As he is so are we in this present world and thou sayest not there is the lying spirit and the Apostles said they had put off the body of sin and thou sayest it is not possible and there thy spirit is found contrary to the Scripture and the Apostle saith in Rom. 6. they were made free from sin and thou sayest not it cannot be possible and here thy spirit is tryed Let all the children of the light judge thee and that thou speakest to be contrary to the Apostles words in the Romans and all you that cannot witness these things that the body of sin is not put off wait upon God through Christ for it Qu. 10. Whether the curse be not upon him that preacheth another Gospel then Christ and the Apostles preached yea or no Pr. And in thy answer to this Query thou speakest of receiving the Gospel from Christ and the Apostles Rep. In this I charge thee to be a lyar as I said to thee before who deniest immediate Revelation from Heaven how canst thou be a Preacher of the gospel and deny revelatioâ— What a grosâ— darkness are people in that believe thee For under the curse and wo thou art that the Scripture speaks of and he that hath received the end of his prophesie is made from the curse but this is without thy understanding and knowledge Thou confessest in thy answer to the first query you preach the same gospel but do not attain the same knowledge and understanding Let all people see who are in the Light if it be not the same knowledge and understanding it is not the same Gospel but another and there the curse is upon thee Qu. 11. Whether any natural man can preach the Gospel yea or no Pr. In thy answer to this eleventh query thou speakest of understanding and of studying and of the Gospel and of a natural man and sayest he cannot preach the Gospel and thou saist Your understanding knowledg is not the same as the Apostles was Rep. Here let all who are in the Light see if it be not natural then and if thou be not him that studies a divination of thy own brain and instead of the blessing the curse of God comes upon it for how many are there that were Priests as you are that now cry against you which are come out of your generation and see the curse of God upon all your practises Pr. And thou sayest The flesh which is quickened with the Spirit of Life brings forth some kind of fleshly fruit or other Rep. Here thou hast shewed thy self to be death indeed doth the spirit cause fruits of the flesh Or are the fruits of the spirit the fruits of the flesh O thou lyar and high blasphemer which thou sayest is clear from manifold texts of Scripture all the Scriptures will witness thee to be a lyar and these Scriptutes thou bringest to maintain the spirit of life to bring forth some kind of fleshly fruits and the fruits of the spirit to be the fruits of the flesh Here all who are in the spirit will judge thee to be a blasphemer of the holy Spirit of God for the Spirit brings forth no fruits of the flesh Pr. And thou sayest in thy answer to the first query you do not go to Oxford and Cambridge to learn the Gospel you preach but to learn the knowledge of Tongues and Languages Arts and Sciences Rep. O for shame stop thy mouth here thou hast shamed thy self and all your schools with an external means to open the Gospel People are blind indeed that do follow thee but thy bottle is open and what is within pours out and the Fountain runs and thy
Rep. Here I charge thee to be a lyar and a blasphemer in the presence of the lâ—ving God let all people read these Scriptures and see if there be any such thing in them and whether thou hast not misapplied thâ—se scriptures when the spirit saith It câ—ucifieth the deeds of the flesh and walking in the spirit the lusts of the flesh iâ— not fulfilled and here I charge thee to be a lyar and of the Devil who was a lyar from the beginning and in his generation thou art Qu. 17. Whether they do not bewitch the people who withdraw them from the spirit within to observe the ordinances of the world and traditions of men without as the Galatians were bewitched Gal. 3.1 Pr. I must tell you that there is not onely a holy and good spirit within and that in too few but there is also an evil and seducing spirit within and that in too many even the spirit that doth bewitch men and draw them aside from the doctrines and commands of the spirit of truth and to strive by all means to draw the people off from giving heed to seducing spirits it is not to observe the ordinances of the world and traditions of men as you pervert the Text but to obey the command of Gods true spirit who foretelling of false Prophets and false Spirits often in the word commands exhorts and admonishes to beware of such not to give heed to such and not to believe every spirit but to trie them Rep. Here in this answer thy spirit is tried which I have given to all people to read with a single eye that all may see what confusion here is in it First thou sayest that the seducing spirit draws from the seducing spirit and in the seducing spirit thou art and from the spirit of life with the spirit of life thou art judged to be out of the doctrine of Christ nor is not guided by the holy spirit Qu. 18. Whether they be not seducers which tell people these are the ordinances of God which God never commanded as sprinkling Infants telling people of a sacrament which there is no scripture for and draw them from the spirit within to follow your imaginations and inventions Pr. But for sprinkling Infants I have already given you the grounds of it out of Scripture Rep. Here again I charge thee in the presence of the living God to be a lyar theâ—e is not such a word in the scripture to bear it out nor a word of a sacrament which there is no scripture for let all read the scripture throughout and see if they can find such a word in the scripture so let all people judge thee to be a lyar and a seducer and in the Devils invention which calls that an ordinance of God which is invention and imagination Pr. We are not blind-folded to follow the dictates of the spirit within Rep. Here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be in the flesh and to follow the flesh for who are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God and thou that dost not follow the dictates of the spirit thou dost not follow the commands of God and what hast thou to do to talk of clearing it by the Scripture when there is no Scripture for it and when the Scripture witnesses against the works of the flesh which thy spirit stirs up Que. 19. Whether you have the same spirit which was in Christ the Apostles and Prophets which gave forth the scripture seeing you act contrary to the scriptures and follow your own inventions and traditions and so err from them Pr. Our Ministerial actions are agreeable to the Scripture Rep. Here I charge thee to be a liar for in thy answer to the former Querie thou sayest you do not follow the dictates of the spirit within and art holding up sprinkling infants which there is no scripture for and so walk contrary to the scripture and to them that were led by the spirit which gave them forth Que. 20. Whether ever Christ and his Apostles did first baptize and then preach faith and repentance twenty or thirty years afterwards Pr. Christ himself was not capable of faith and repentance Rep. Here I charge thee to be a liar and a slanderer for he was capable of faith and repentance and the baptism which the Apostles baptised withal what hast thou to do with it who art holding up sprinkling infants which there is no example for in the scriptures nor in all the Apostles practice Therefore silence flesh for thou knowest nothing of the wisdom of God which the Apostle speaks of but art in the state of Simon Magus who art buying and selling the letter worse then he for he would have bought the spirit which the Apostles denied so thou art denied with the same spirit but the Saints baptism we own and the believers and the promises which is to the seed thou hast cleared thy self from who saist Christ was not capable of faith how could he be above it and not capable of it and the life that I live is by faith of the Son of God â—â—ith the Apostle which thou hast cleared thy self from Que. 21. Whether ever Christ and his Apostles received 100. or 200. pounds a year for preaching the Gospel Pr. Many of the Apostles converts sold their estates and brought it and laid it down at the Apostles feet Rep. Here I challenge all the Oxford and Cambridge Teachers in England how many of their Converts have sold their estates and laid it down at your feet but you Teachers and they are so earthly minded you are fit to sue them at the law and imprison them as Lancaster and Kendal Goals may witness where many suffer now because they will not pay tithes and so you shew you preach another Gospel so let Christ and the Apostles judge you all to be without their doctrine and your converts as thou callest them to be without the Apostles and Christ let their example judge you all and so you shew that you never sowed spiritual things but only as a custom and a cloak thou bringest these words for the Apostle did reap carnal things where he sowed spiritual things Que. 22. What scripture is there to limit God to a place calling it a Church when as the Church is in God 1 Thess. 1.1 Pr. You cry down all distinctions as savouring of humane â—earning whereby the naked truth might be clearly and distinctly seen aâ— it is in it self Rep. Here let all people take notice whether humane learning can open the naked truth Here thou wouldest make people believe that humane learning was before the naked truth and again let all people take notice and see if the meeting in a steeple-house in England be a Church when so many hath been moved of the Lord to come into meeting places among them and something hath been revealed to them and they have spoken and he that was the pretended Teacher which was in the chiefest
the Truth against Christ against the Saints and against the Scriptures they may see which hath been long hid but now is made manifest in the Light unto all who are come to know the free teachings of God who will no more give thee money for speaking a divination of thy own brain and not from the mouth of the Lord. Priest Who knows not that Tythes and Glebes were under that dispensation by Divine Law ordained for the maintenance of the Priests Ans. Here thou wouldst make people believe that thou denies tythes which was for the maintenance of the Priests under the Law But as for the glebes which thou speaks of there was never any such thing ordained in the Law here thou hast made it appear that thou art ignorant of that which was ordained for the Priests maintenance under that dispensation for they had no inheritance nor glebe lands to maintain them as some of the priests of England have and yet those priests in England which do receive tythes and so upholds that which thou seems to deny yet thou owns them as thy brethren and to be Ministers of the gospel And here your deceit is so plainly made manifest that you accuse one another and condemn one another all your hearts being exercised with covetous practices preaching for filthy lucre all being agreed together to persecute revile and slander the pure truth of God where it is made manifest in his servants to declare against all your deceits that out of your snares the righteous seed of God may be delivered to testifie against you and your Ministry under which the Seed of God is kept in bondage Priest Reader I have done our Heavenly Father taketh sleeping Disciples at the best Matth. 26.40 Ans. Here thou hast uttered forth a lye that all may plainly see who saith thou hast done and in the next words saith Our Heavenly Father taketh sleeping Disciples at the best Now from this Scripture in Matth. 26.40 thy words are proved to be false for in that condition the Disciples were then in they were not at the best who could not watch with Christ one hour and the Comforter was not then come which afterwards they did witness by travel and labour and fasting and prayer and watching day and night they did witness and we who do witness the same condition now do testifie against thee and all who make lyes of the Apostles who did witness Jesus Christ in truth and uprightness of heart and the same Christ do we witness and do freely preach him to every Nation being made manifest to that of God in every ones conscience to be witnessed Now as my first Query is printed in thy paper the latter part of it I deny which was not given forth nor spoken so by me· In thine it is written thus How can that be said to be a natural Light which witnesseth unto God against the things of the Spirit of God Which is false But in mine it is written thus How can that be said to be a natural Light which witnesses unto God in that which is holy against the natural inclinations of fallen man seeing the Scripture saith the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 Now as every one hath a desire to knovv the truth of these things that the occasion of stumbling may be taken avvay they may read the Query as it was given forth from me in pag. 16. of that printed paper called David's Enemies discovered which was put forth in print to be seen as it vvas there vvritten before Woodals paper vvhich is novv in print vvas given forth And this I have given forth that the truth may be cleared ovvning that vvhich did proceed from me and denying that vvhich is not mine And as for Frederick Woodals Ansvvers to the Queries they are replied unto in the paper above-mentioned and to the rest of his printed paper an ansvver is herein returned that he may not boast in his folly but be ashamed and repent Novv as in ansvver to that in the latter end of thy book vvhich thou directs the Reader unto thou seeing that thou hast holden forth these things vvhich thou canst not prove as the first Adam to be the Fountain of all natural good and so to blind the eyes of people that they may not see thy lye and saith thou means not primitively and here thou speaks one thing and means another but this covering is too nâ—rrow for thee and under it thou canst not hide thy self but thy nakedness and shame appears to all whose eyes are opened and by them thou art seen And whereas thou wouldâ—â— cover over thy shame of that thou hast formerly spoken in telling of two Images the Image of God and the Image of Christ and that the first was natural and the second spiritual and here thou speaks contrary to the Scriptures which saith he is the express Image of the Father And herein all who do witness the Scriptures to be true must witness against thee who speaks contrary to the Scrâ—ptures and now to blind peoples eyes thou tells them thou understands it thus Adam was made after the Image of God God the Father Son and the Holy Spirit Come let us make man not after our not my Image To this I answer Here thou hast added to the Scripture for God did not say Not my Image as thou dost charge him to say for the Scripture saith God created man in his own image in the image of God created he him as Gen. 1.27 And thou calls the image in which Adam was created the essential image and the image of Christ thou calls a personal image and hereby them who dwell in the Light thou art seen out of the substance in the images making to thy self images and likenesses from thy imaginations but in them thou canst not know God and Christ nor the image of God in which Adam was created in innocency and there is no such word in Scripture as Essential image and here thou goest about to make three images and so amongst the image-makers thou art who art out of Gods commands and there thou may read thy self But now the Lord God is gathering his own seed by his eternal light out of all images and likenesses to be conformed to the image of the Son to bear his image who is invisible which all the imaginers cannot enter into who stumble at the Light but all such are seen by the children of the Light and denyed for now do they witness from the Lord the day of Redemption yea plenteous Redemption is now witnessed by them who dwell in the Light which comprehends the World out of the World and out of the Worlds teachings and out of the Worlds wayes and out of the Worlds Worships into the pure teachings of God and into the Covenant where they know God and are taught of him and no more can they be led by the blind guides for their eyes are
as for William Jenkins Priest in Black Fryars in London who put forth his Epistle for the vindication of Clapham's Book building his hopes upon it that it would be of singular service to the establishing of those that were wandering and against us now â—t is turned to the contrary for it is of singular service unto us for making your deceit manifest unto the people from your own principles and so those who consider the things therein published the answer to them wâ—l labor to find a better foundation to build their faith upon they will see that they have long enough taken your words for a ground of their faith which now the truth hath destroyed that so every one may be brought to the true Foundation him that hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world this is my desire to the Lord for those that read it that with the measure of God in them which hath no end but that God may be glorified they may both read understand then they wil see what the wisdom of God is hid from what it is revealed unto the nature of the fruit of every plant will be known for the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life and he that winneth souls is wise For this end have I written to cut off the occasions of stumbling from the weak that the way of life may be kept clear to all who desire to walk in it and in all them that come to the way of life to walk in it answering that of God in them is my labour answered and my reward received R. H. MY Kingdom is not of this World neither do I receive honor from men saith the Son of God John 18.36 who treadeth the Wine-press alone without the City Isa. 9.6 and of the people there is none to help him and the Government is upon his shoulders who is the Prince of the children of Light and none of the Rulers of the darkness of this World is any Officer in his Kingdom which stands in righteousness neither have they who be not guided with his Light any power from him eitâ—er to bind or loose in his Kingdom but they who be in his Light and in it walk who be the Saints of the most high God this honor have all they to bind their Kings in chains and their Nobles in fetters of Iron and they be in the power which is over the power of the Rulers of this World and such do witness Christ to be their Mediator between God and man even the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 who thought it no robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2.6 7. yet took upon him the form of a servant who said I and my Father are one and of him the Father gave record and the record that God gave of his Son is eternal life and this life is in his Son and this life is the Light of men with which all men are enlightened John 1.4 and he hath enlightened every man that cometh into the World He preached to the World with Authority that every man in him might believe and they that believe might not perish but have everlasting life in themselves and they that believed not in him who had enlightened them was condemned already and here was authority in his doctrine which the Pharisees had not in their doctrine Joh. 3.18 for they knew not the Light which Christ had enlightened every one withal which they that believed not in it were already condemned with it and so their doctrine stood not in that which did save and condemn and so it was not in the authority of the Spirit as the doctrine of the Teachers of the World is now out of the authority not turning people from darkness to light which if they do not believe is condemned already And a doctrine is crept into the World which is pernicious and damnable being against the Light and is with the Light condemned Of which sort is one Jonathan Clapham of Wramplingham in Norfolk whose violence and rage is such againâ—t the Truth that he hath not spared even the foundation of it having charged both the Father Son and Holy Ghost falsly as I shall make it appear And he hath also falsly accused the Apostle Peter and the Church of Corinth in his Book called A full discovery and confutation of the wicked and damnable doctrine of the Quakers But he haâ—h more discovered himsâ—lf than us and more confuted himself than us as will appear in that which followeth As first in his Epistle directed to the Protector the honor which God will not give to another than Christ hath he given to another from Christ and so denied the Power and Work of the Son of God as Mediator saying That the Magistrate is an Officer of Jesus Christ as Mediator in his Political Kingdom And he saith also in the same Epistle That the Magistrate must not be an Officer in the spiritual Kingdom of his Church To which I answer Christ hath not a Political and a Spiritual Kingdom for the Kingdom of Christ the Heir of God is but one which stands in righteousness My Kingdom is not of this World saith Christ John 18 36. Now Clapham confesseth That the Magistrate is no Officer of Christ's spiritual Kingdom of his Church Now to say that Christ hath a spiritual Kingdom and a Kingdom of Policy or Political Kingdom is blasphemy against the Son of God and wil be taken notice of by the higher Powers And to say That the Magistrate is an Officer of Jesus Christ as Mediator is blasphemy also for what Magistrate in this Nation or what Priest or people besides thee dare own any to be joined with Christ as Mediator Was there ever any such a thing heard from any that professe to know the Scripture to tell of Christ having a Political Kingdom in which the Magistrate must be an Officer but not in the spiritual Kingdom of his Church Then why dost thou so often in thy Book press the Magistrate to exercise his Power to defend the Church as thou callest it This thy confusion I lay open for the peoples sake that they may be wiser than their Teachers Again the Priest saith That Christ is the eternal Son of God distinct from the Father eternally c. And that the Spirit was distinguished from the Father and Son from eternity as in page 17. of his Book and that there is three Substances and but one Divine Being Ans. Here thou hast shewed thy self to be brutish in thy knowledge and to have no more understanding than a Beast which perisheth Therefore let all People take notice that Priest Clapham hath exhorted to try mens doctrines by the Scripture therefore by the Scriptures he is charged to prove any such thing as that the Son of God is distinct from the Father eternally or that the Spirit was distinguished eternally from both the Father and the Son Now this I also affirm that the Devil
which did not abide in the Truth he is separated and distinguished from the Father eternally but so is not the eternal Son of God for he is in him John 17.11 John 17.21 22. And again I say False Prophets and Hirelings are from the beginning and from Eternity distinguished from the Father and the Son but so is not the Spirit of Truth So I leave it to that of God in all people that with it they may see and know which to believe for Christ saith I and my Father are one and he is not Christ without God Therefore that damnable doctrine is denied which saith That Christ the Eternal Son of God is distinguished from the Father eternally For few in this Nation are so blind besides Priest Clapham as either to affirm or believe such a thing or that there is three Subsistences and but one being Is not a Subsistence a Being Therefore if any other of the Priesthood in Norfolk have joined with Clapham in his Book or do own him in these things cover your faces together and be ashamed that your impudency and blindnesse do not lead you any more to blaspheme Again Clapham saith concerning the soul in pag. 21 That the soul came indeed from God but was not of the Being of God and that the soul is humane And when I asked him Whether the soul was not immortal He said Yea Humane and Immortal were both one To this I answer Ans. Wo is unto that people whose Leader is a fool blind and ignorant of God of the Son of God and of the soul of man of the Scriptures what they speak concerning these things Now if humane and immortal be both one then every man that is come into the World hath a humane body then the bodies of all men that are come into the World are immortal as well as the soul. But for your sakes who are led by such I say The first Adam was made a living soul the second Adam was made a quickening spirit 1 Cor 15.45 And you all have a Light from the second Adam with it to see what the soul is which was made living and how again by Christ the quickening Spirit it comes to be restored into the same Life and with the Light of Christ you will see the soul and see the Life which from Christ is manifest to quicken it up to the living God and so then you will know the Scriptures and the power of God and that the Scriptures speak not of a humane soul. Now the Ministers of Christ which are sent to turn people from darkness to lâ—ght and from the power of a Satan unto God they are to watch over the souls of those who are turned to the Light therefore you all in the Light wait to knovv the soul and know the power of God which raiseth it up out of the death and then you will be wiser than your Teachers as David was and then you wil not come short of the promises which the Father hath promised even the sure mercies of David So in the Light all who wait upon God come to the knowledge of the Son of God and of the Soul which is to be watched over and then you come to that which is sure even to the knowledge as David did over all your Teachers and so you wil come to know the key of David which will open unto you that which is sealed up from your Teachers and so come to know the one shepherd and the one sheepfold and the green pastures as David fed in and then you wil not need the Priests meanings being wiser then they you having the key of knowledg which they and the Lawyers have lost as Christ hath said Matth. 23 13. shutting up the Kingdom of Heaven against men and from men now as the Pharisees did then so that you need not say there were such then but where are there now any such I shall shew you one as John Clapham in the 37. page of his Book saith That Heaven is not to be enjoyed vvhile vve be in the flesh here Novv see vvhether he hath not shut it up from all men vvhile they are here But Christ vvho vvas annointed of the Father to preach the Gospel to the poor said not so for he said unto his Disciples Blessed are ye poor in spirit for yours is the Kingdom of Heaven Luke 6.20 Mat. 5 3. it was theirs and they did enjoy it neither did Christ shut it from the Pharises but said unto them The Kingdom of Heaven is within you Luke 17.21 And if they had believed his words they might have enjoyed and been Heirs of it as the believers were And the Ministers of Christ were to preach as they went saying The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and so they were not to shut it up from men as the Hypocrites did and false Teachers which say It cannot be enjoyed while men are here And here it appears that they shut up the Kingdom against men and neither enter in themselves nor suffer others Matth. 23.13 for if they entered in themselves then they could not deny but that it might be enjoyed And here is the Scripture fulfilled Matt. 13.19 they shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men saying None can enjoy it here but Heaven is God's Throne and the Kingdom of Heaven is within you and so here as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and they shall be my people and I will be their God And the Seed of the Kingdom was sown and was reaped amongst the Churches and it was in them that would not enter in it themselves nor suffer others as a grain of Mustard-seed and in others it was as Leaven hid in three measures of Meal And so the Kingdom was preached and the Gospel in every creature and there were parables of the Kingdom and the World had it in the Parables in them but they that did believe had it in them in the power in the power out of the parable He that hath an ear let him hear what the power speaks then shall be witnessed that vvhich is written both of the Povver and of the Kingdom Again the said Clapham hath charged God and Christ falsly in his Book as that Christ dwells in his people tvvo vvays first by his special spiritual presence Secondly By mystical union and that is more than the former bringing this comparison That one may dwell in a House and have no union with it and saith That God dvvells in the Heavens but hath no union vvith them and that the union betvven God and believers cannot be comprehended by the Saints here as in the 24 â—h page of his Book Ans. Now let all take notice and with the measure that God hath given you to judge whether Christ can dwell in his people by his special presence and have no unity with them as he hath affirmed And again judge wheâ—her a mystical union be more then his special presence as
thing in these Scriptures as that grace is a created thing nor that it is called the new creature but the Apostle saith By grace are we saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God Now was that grace by which they were saved a created thing if it was prove it by plain Scripture else stop thy mouth for we have searched the Scriptures and we find no such thing but we find that by grace they were saved and that they who are new creatures in Jesus Christ the grace of God was their teacher as it is our teacher to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly godly and righteously in this present evil world which grace is able to keep the hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God of all those who are taught by it but is not a created thing Pr. That the principles of Christian faith is established upon the Scriptures pag. 74. Answ. Faith hath but one foundation and all who are believers their foundation is established upon Christ who is the Author of Faith before any Scripture was written Jacob Enoch Abraham Isaac had no Scriptures written to establish their faith upon and when Moses and the Prophets had known seen and believed and from that wrote of him who was the true light enlightning every one that in him very one might believe so every one whether they have the writings of the Prophets and Apostles or not yet they have that in which they are to believe which if they believe not is condemned and believing in the light they come to be the children of the light and here the first principle comes to be known of faith and so the first principle of the doctrine of Christ must be known before the doctrine be profest and so all who know not the first principle of faith are far from the saith and who knows not the first principle of the doctrine is far from a doctrine and so the principle of a thing must be known before the thing but the Scripture speaks of nothing that the Christian faith is to be established upon but upon Christ who was glorified with the Father before the world was by whom all things which now are were made who hath given us of his spirit and to us it is given to believe and suffer for his names sake as it was given those who were his true witnesses before us and they did believe because it was given them to believe by the spirit so faith is the gift of God and many have the Scriptures which have not faith which is the giâ—t of God and they which are turned from the faith are pierced through with many hurtful lusts have the Scriptures and say they believe what the Scripture speaks but this I say that faith is the ground of the Scriptures and not the Scriptures the ground of faith and none can believe in Christ but they who believe in the â—ight which Christ hath enlightned every one withal that cometh into the World and all who own Christs Doctrine who saiâ—h believe in the light that ye may be the children of light which who believe in shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life and shall not enter into condemnation but who believe in any thing else their faith is vain they are yet in their sins and he that lays another foundation for faith then Christ let him be accurst Thus having laid before the people some of those things with which his book is filled and for this end do I lay them open that those for whom Christ died and unto whom his love is reached forth to bring them to the Father should not be corrupted with the unsound form of doctrine delivered unto them by their Priest And again as followeth I shall lay down some particulars which he hath held forth as affirmed principles in his book which if you receive his testimony you must believe as your principles also but if you come to try them with the measure of the light that Christ hath enlightned them withal then you will deny both him and them therefore mark them as followeth 1 That the Magistrate is an Officer of Jesus Christ as Mediator 2 That Jesus Christ hath a political and spiritual Kingdom 3 That Christ the eternal Son of God is distinct from the Father eternally 4 That the Spirit was distinguished from the Father and Son from eternity 5 That the Father Son and Spirit are three substances 6 That the soul of man is humane and that humane and immortal is both one 7 That Christ may dwell in his people by his special spiritual presence and have no union with them 8 That God dwells in the heavens but hath no union with them 9 That the union between God and believers cannot be comprehended by the Saints here 10 That heaven is not to be enjoyed whâ—le men are here 11 That the Corinthians who were baptized from the dead were ancâ—ent Hereticks 12 That the light which hath enlightned every man that cometh into the World is the light of reason and understanding and is natural 13 That natural light is the remainders of Gods image in man 14 That God is a respecter of persons 15 That the grace of God is a created thing and that it is called the new creature 16 That the principles of Christiaâ— faith is established upon the Scriptures I having here answered and laid open those things which is a mist of darkness over the peoples minds and understandings whereas they are either received or believed to the end that all who read it may come to that understanding which is a well-spring of life and to the knowledge of that truth by which iniquity is purged out and to the counsel of God in the heart which is like deep waters whereby judgment in righteousness comes to be set up by which the simple and tender-hearted comes to be preserved out of the snares of subtilty and craftiness to walk in the light of the Lord which is the path of the iust and the way of life and all they are blessed with spiritual blessings that walk in it for they shall be able to tread upon Scorpions and the deadly poyson that is under the tongues and in the hearts of the generation of Vipers and Serpents shall not hurt them and this power shall all those be indued with which believe in the light of the Lord answering that of God in all their consciences which leads into a chast conversation before the Lord ordering their conversations aright in his sight and all such who be turned to the light with which they are enlightned by Christ shall discern who serves God and who serves him not in this day when many profess him but few serve him in spirit and in truth as he will be worshipped by them whom he hath chosen Necessary Questions propounded to the Priests to be answered 1 WHat is that in every man which
because he said that all strife and contention and revenge was of the flesh and of the Divel and to be condemned with the light which testimony is also true and this testimony can we never deny nor change from And whereas thou bringest his salutation to contradict that where he saith Make war in righteousnesse against Gog and Magog and prepare for the Lord. Herein thou hast manifested thy blindness which cannot see the war which stands in righteousnesse from that which proceeds from the lust but as thou hast imagined carnally of all the things of God which was spoken from the same spirit and so as well may thou make lyes and pervert our words as thou dost the Scriptures and now having published many lyes against us thou makest a profession of thy own condition that all people may see froâ— what thou judgest us to be in delusion thy words are these Now forasmuch as I have not an infallâ—ble spirit infallibly to interpret what may be intended in these revengfull expositions notwithstanding my imaginary faculty might find ground enough of bad consequence in them yet I shall leave them to better judgments as in the ninth page of thy book Ans. Thy now leaving of us to better judgments or to them that have the spirit of truth will not excuse thee for what thou hast done already that hath had nothing to judge us by all this while that thou hast spoken and written against us but evill consequences out of thy imaginary faculty How art thou fallen from what thou seemedst to pretend against us in thy books as if thou hadst known that we had held forth false Doctrine or intended a carnall war because we spake of a war in righteousnesse But now thou speakest plainly that thou hast not the spirit of Truth truly to interpret what we intend in our expressions but leeves it to better judgments Here thou hast manifested thy self a foolish builder it had been lesse shame for thee if thou hadst not begun then having begun in thy imaginary faculties and bad consequences and now confessest thou wantest the spirit of Truth here thou hast proved thy selfe to be the Harlot and fit to be chased out of the Citie who doth raise strife accusations and lyes against the truth of God from thy imaginary faculties and bad consequence being without the spirit of truth Again in thy answer to E. B. salutation thou boasts from thy imaginary faculty and sayst in thy 11. page O thou proud presumptuous ambitious Quaker whence is thy originall thou art not yet seven yeares old and art thou the only people of the whole creation in the favour of the Almighty therefore woe be to them that live to see thee prosperous to a manly age Answ. Our original is before all ages or the number of years and before any imaginary faculties which is thy rule was and this in time being brought forth which before all times was they who are found in their imaginary faculties as thou art the woe comes upon them and thy woe and torment will increase as the truth increaseth as it was from Christ to the Jewes Scribes and Pharises in the dayes of his flesh who questioned the truth of his word from the youngnesse of his yeares as thou dost his truth now having nothing to judg with but thy imaginary faculties having nothing of infallible spirit and yet thou goes on accusing us that we deny all matter and form of worship I say where the spirit of truth is which thou sayst thou hast not there is both the matter and form of the true worship owned and not denied which spirit we have and know both the matter and form but in thy imaginary faculties there is neither And whereas thou sayest that we deny actuall obedience and the authority of the Scriptures that is false for by that authority that gave forth the Scriptures are we daily in actuall obedience to the Lord. Again thou bringest several particulars which thou callest the markes of the Harlot by which she may be known as first in her language which is to speak the word Thou to a particular person in stead of You thou wouldest make the language of the Harlot then all the Prophets Christ and the Apostles did speak the language of the Harlot and then the Scripture is translated in the language of the Harlot which doth not use the word You to any particular person But here thou hast made it more manifest to be without the spirit and to speak from thy imaginary faculties The second mark is her weapons which is saying that people is carnall and in the flesh and that they know not the light of Christ but stumble at the stumbling-stone and are in the cursed ground and that they cannot believe though the truth be declared unto them they having not the spirit but are in their sins And this thou sayest is the weapon of the Harlot Answ. Now these words were all used by the Ministers of the most high God against the Harlot as thou art manifest to be who stumbles at the stumbling-stone as it is written Romans 9.32 John 11.9 10. Here thou may see they which were no harlots told them they stumble at the stumbling-stone and told some that they were carnall 1 Corinthians 3.3 and the Prophets told them they had eyes and could not see eares and could not hear and hearts and could not understand Isaiah 44.18 and this was no marke of a Harlot in the Prophet but they whom he said was so was Harlotted from the Lord and Christ told them that they were yet in their sins and told them they should die in their sins John 8.24 if they belâ—eved not and told them they were of their father the Divell and had not known God but was from beneath John 8. And these thing in Christ was no marke of a harlot but they were harlots whom he so Judged and so thy marks discover thee The third mark Her presumption attempting to share with the Almighty And this which thou calls presumption is to be guided by God and hereby thou doth accuse all the Saints of God for they all did so far presume as to be guided by God and by his spirit and to say that all the children of the Lord should be taught of the Lord and this was no presumption nor no mark of the harlot and they said as he is so are wee in this present World and this was no presumption nor the marke of the harlot but humility if thou were not blind thou would see it The fourth mark is pretending to own the Scriptures and speak much of Religion and yet have nothing in matter form or essence Answ. This hath marked out thy condition that pretends to owne the Scriptures and professeth them and hath not that Spirit which gave them forth being guided by the imaginary faculties and so without the power and effect of that which thou professeth but we by that spirit which gave them forth
put them to an end and not destroy them nor contradict them in the sight of his Father though to their corrupt judgement and Christ tells them that they erred not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God who had old lying hearts and were sinful wretches even such as John Stelham hath confessed himself to be and therefore his words and judgement and theirs is like to be all of one nature judging Truth to be Error and the Way of God to be Heresie and Blasphemy this the Pharisees did of old and even thus doth John Stelham and his companions do at this day But why should any be troubled hereat seeing herein Christs words are fullfilled upon us who said They shall speak all manner of evil falsly against you for my Names sakâ— And so hath this man done with his light scornful spirit and fulfilled Christs words who because he hath not known the Father nor the Son hath spoken evil falsly against them that follow Christ And this were sufficient answer to his whole Book Yet let us see what follows and let the Reader try with all moderation that he may be edified and may know the true Spirit from the false and the doctrine of the Gospel from lying visions and may cleave to the Truth and escape the error And let none believe hastily things uttered without knowledge out of J.S. deceitful heart FOrasmuch as many of the Servants of the Lord have been moved of the Lord to set forth in order several Declarations of those things which the Light of the glorious Gospel shining in their hearts hath given them the knowledge of and for this end are they published that others also may know the certainty and truth of those things which are believed known and enjoyed amongst us not that they can be known by reading the Letter in which they are declared but through their diligence and obedience to the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened them though not for it which is the same Light which shined in our hearts and gave us the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ by which Light of the glorious Gospel who are faithful in it to the Lord their understandings come to be opened that they stumble not at those things which are testified in the Truth neither at that which is declared in other Scriptures but it being that in this our day it hath pleased the Father to bring forth in life and power that mercy and truth which the Scripture speaks of by which iniquity is purged out and as it is become a savour of life unto life in those that receive and believe in it so it is also become a savour of death unto that death which remains in both Priests and people in this age who hate the Light who can scarce hear it named or that people should be turned unto it as the Apostle did turn them from darkness to the Light and from the power of Satan unto God that they might receive the remâ—ssion of their sins and be partakers of the inheritance amongst them that are sanctified but when they hear that preached or printed which they may do and out of which they cannot receive the remission of their sins then envy riseth up in them a perverse mind and ungodly speeches and false accusations saying that we speak of a natural Light and of a natural Conscience when as we speak of the true Light which hath enlightened every one that cometh into the World and in which Christ's Doctrine stood who said to the people and to the Pharisees again and again I am the Light of the world as John 8.12 John 12.46 but now because the Light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon us and we declare it freely as we have received it therefore is floods of ungodliness risen up against us But it is impossible that the Seed which the Lord is manifesting his Light and Power to bring forth should be kept alwayes under the power of death which Seed is now terrible in the Lord's Power and will yet be more terrible as his power encreaseth which is now going forth as an Army with banners for the torment of the wicked is already begun because the righteousness of God is now spreading over the Nations and neither the Rulers of the darkness of this World nor all the Printings and Preachings of those who be out of the life of God can hinder that which the Lord hath begun and is carrying on by his own power though the Nations are angry because that by the Light of his glorious Gospel shining forth his wrath is revealed upon them for their ungodly deeds that the Scripture which cannot be broken may be fulfilled and therefore it were better for them there may be hope then to rise up against that which is more unchangeable than the Heavens and the Earth And therefore in vain have the Enemies of God and people in all professions joined themselves together against the Light of Truth and the Way of the Lord which many in our dayes have fallen upon but are broken to pieces and it hath fallen upon many and grinded them to powder and nothing shall escape for the day of the Lord is come and it is very nigh to you that hate it a day of darkness and of gloominess of clouds and of thick darkness and now the seed of God is as the morning spread upon the Mountains a great people and a strong there hath not been ever the like neither shall there be any more after it even to the years of many generations a fire goeth before them and behind them a flame burneth the Land is as the Garden of Eden before them and behind them a desolate Wilderness and nothing shall escape them the appearance of them is as the appearance of horses and as horse-men so shall they run c. the Earth shall quake before them the Heavens shall tremble the Sun and Moon shall be dark and the Stars shall withdraw their shining and the Lord shall utâ—er his voice before his Army as he now doth for his Camp is very great for he is strong that executeth his Word for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible and who can abide it And now according as the Prophet Joel prophesied is it come and coming to pass Joel 2.2 3 4 10 11. against which Seed men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning the things of God are risen up who in their first appearance in their Writings profess themselves to be that which they are not seeming right unto many through their feigned words and fair speeches deceiving the hearts of the simple for whom Christ dyed but afterwards in the same Writings to those that see they manifest themselves what they are and being so considered as they are seen and known cannot deceive and therefore to all people who desire to be edified and satisfied in the ground and truth
of things as they are made manifest by the Lord to the Light in you I speak that in it you may be able to understand truth in what I say and by the truth to judge of things that differ for such as the Tree is such is the fruit an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit neither can one Fountain send forth sweet water and bitter Now as concerning a Book given forth by John Stelham Priest at Terling in Essex who having an evil eye because God is good and being filled with indignation because God hath mercy on his own Seed whom he hath blessed hath out of the abundance of his heart spoken it forth Now the way to know that which is spoken in darkness is to read it in the light and if his Testimony in any thing as coming from him is to be believed it is that which is concerning his own condition and if his estate and condition be such that in it he can receive the things of God and minister them to others then they may be received but if his condition be such that in it he cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God then that which cannot receive cannot minister and so he is to be silents and none to expect the things of God from him being neither fit to reprove nor to rebuke but to be reproved and rebuked as will appear as followeth The ground in him and the heart out of which this abundance of words in his Book proceeds in it as he declares is yet the root of all error and of all sin is in him and seen by him not mortified and that he hath an old lying heart and flesh wherein there dwells no truth no good thing a sinful wretch and worm subscribing himself the sinful John Stelham as in his Introduction in pag. 80. and p. 117. Now therefore we having found out the root and the ground to be a root of Errror and the ground of Deceit and a heart wherein dwells no truth nor no good thing therefore from that which is unclean shall we not expect that which is clean to proceed nor truth from that wherein dwells no truth but from the lying heart and deceitful tongue hath the Lord delivered us so that if we be called revilers and be rebuked and a charge laid against us as to contradict the Scriptures of God and be called Antiscriptural Antichristian and Antispiritual we have now learned to know whence it doth proceed even from the lying heart and flesh wherein there dwells no truth and we can bear it because we know that til that heart be taken away and a new heart known wherein is truth we must be reproached and spoken evil of falsly for his sake who hath taken away the old lying heart and hath given us a new heart wherein truth dwelleth and where truth proceeds out from and herein are we manifest from the children of this generation and herein are the two states known and the two conditions of men according to the testimony of Scripture and the parable which Jesus spoke Luke 6.39 Can the blind lead the blind shall they not both fall into the ditch And ver 45. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good And an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh And hereby is the Tree known by his fruits and the heart of the wicked was ever filled with lying and vanity and understanding was hid from them the Lord was grieved with such that did err in their hearts and had not known his wayes Psal. 119 70. Psal. 140.2 and this was an evil which was under the sun that the hearts of the sons of men were full of evil and madnesse while they live Eccles. 9.3 And such a heart was in the Scribes and Pharisees a lying heart wherein dwelt no truth filled with evil thoughts as Christ said Wherefore think you evil in your hearts Mat. 9.4 and out of the heart did arise all false accusations calling the truth blasphemy and the way of it heresie and such who be in the state as John Stelham confesseth he is was never appointed by the Lord to watch over souls But such where Christ did dwell in their hearts and because they were sons God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into their hearts Eph. 3.17 Gal. 4.6 and such had truth in their hearts doing the Will of God from the heart and did draw near unto God with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and their bodies washed with pure water these did not profess the things of God in an old lying heart wherein dwelt no truth but called upon the name of the Lord with a pure heart and said that the end of the commandment was charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned from which some swerved in the Apostles dayes having turned aside unto vain jangling and such desired to be teachers of others but the doctrine is corrupt and the Mysterie of Faith is not held where the heart and conscience is not pure and the Lord is good unto such who be of a clean heart Now as concerning the Scriptures John Stelham's Testimony from the old lying heart wherein dwelleth no truth is this That the Scriptures are the Word of God and truly so called and the Letter and Scripture is all one as p. 3.4 but to contradict that himself he saith in p. 5. the Letter taken strictly is but legal administration using these words The Letter killeth i.e. the bare legal command without a promise of power or pardon as a bare Letter void of strength life and spirit it leaveth all men under a killing sentence and curse Let them that have understanding judge Again as concerning the Letter in page 6. he expresseth himself thus The Spirit is given by it And in the next words saith the Scripture is but instrumental to the Spirit Now mark the Letter taken strictly being legal without a promise of power or pardon void of strength life and spirit the Spirit to be given by this which he confesseth is void of strength life and spirit and is but instrumental to the Spirit whether this be not contradiction and confusion let them that read judge For in reading these things which he hath published many may seal to the confession of his own condition to be truth but that which he hath declared of the things of God to be false for now the Light being broken forth such doctrine cannot be received nor believed that thâ— Spirit is given by the Letter but that which is declared in the Letter was given forth from the Spirit vvhich vvas in them which spoke it forth but people may long have the Letter and think in it to find God and eternal life and may dye in
their sins though J.S. say that not one man in the world knows God to be God till he finds him in the Scripture But I say unto him as Christ said unto the Pharises Who had neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape had not his word abiding in them nor did not believe in the Light and that he was the Light vvhich did enlighten every man that cometh into the World search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal life and they are they which testifie of me saith Christ the Life but those thought that they had the life in the Scriptures deceived them for they vvanted the Life when they thought they had it And so I. S. thoughts that he hath the Spirit by the Letter deceâ—ves him for vvhen he finds the Spirit and Eternal Life then his old lying heart in which is no truth but the root of error will be taken away and so the Light vvhich cometh from Christ the Life in vvhich the Spirit is received condemneth all such thoughts for they proceed out of that heart which is not upright before the Lord neither is it set to seek the Lord in that way in vvhich he and his Spirit is found Again I. S. talking of the Scriptures intrudes into things which he hath not seen comparing it with that which he hath seen and so in what he saith he is blind saying The Scripture is a more standing Rule than Visions To which I ansvver The night is upon him that he hath no vision and therefore doth not know vvhat a Vision is a rule unto nor the continuance of it as those in Israel which said that every vision faileth and so vvould not have them a standing Rule and that Reproach of the Visions of God were so common that it vvas become a proverb amongst them but the Prophet vvho vvas in the Light and had the vision of the Lord had the Word of the Lord he was to reprove that proverb and to tell them that they should no more use it as a proverb in Israel and said The dayes are at hand and the effect of every vision and so with the Light who be in it do now reprove all such proverbs and preachings against the visions of God for from the visions was the Scriptures spoken forth and that which they had seen they declared so that which gives forth words is greater than the words and without vision the people perish and they may perish while they have the Letter but they cannot perish while they have the vision and although there be vain visions they do not make the true of none effect And although there be Sorceries and Enchantment that doth not make the true resurrection of the dead of none effect but the blind must stumble at the things they do not see Again J.S. sâ—ith That the Authority of the Scriptures is owned ed among the Jews to this day Ans. No Christ is not owned amongst them who is the Authority and Power unto which the Scriptures give testimony that he is so neither are they yet converted as thou thy self confessest and they who be in the unconverted estate do not own the Authority of the Scriptures though such may talk of them as thou dost speaking that of them which they never spoke of themselves Again I.S. saith in the 17. page As deep things as the Spirit hath revealed they are all in the Scripture Ans. Nay There were things revealed which were unutterable and many things which were revealed and also written which are not in the Scripture as the Book of Nathan the Prophet and the Prophesie of Ahijah the Shilomite and the Visions of Iddo the Seer which was against Jeroboam the son of Nebat 2 Chron. 9.29 And the Book of Shemath the Prophet 2 Chron. 1.2 15. And the Book of Jehu 2 Chron 20.34 and the Book of Gad the Seer 1 Chron. 29.29 and the Book of Jaser 2 Sam. 1.18 and the Prophesie of Enoch who prophesied of the coming of Christ in his Saints to execute Judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly of their ungodly deeds hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him as Jude beareth witness And he also saw and prophesied of Israel according to the flesh that they should do wickedly and slâ—y him vvho was the light of the world And much more which is not written in the Bible And that which is manifest unto Paul which he wrote to the Corinthians in an Epistle not to company with fornicators that whole Epistle is not in the Bible 1 Cor. 5â—9 And likewise that which was revealed unto Paul in the dispensation of the grace of God given unto him how that by revelation God made known unto him the mystry which he wrote unto the Ephesians in a few words whereby they when they read they might understand his knowledg in the mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it was revealed unto his holy Angels and Prophets by the Spirit which Epistle in which that mystry was written is not in the Bible Ephesians 3.3 And the Epistle which Paul wrote to the Laodiceans which he charged the Colossians to read amongst them and that theirs should be read in the Church of the Laodiceans wherein his thanks prayers to God was for their stedfastnesse in the truth wherein he made manifest the unprofitable talkers who went about to draw them from the truth of the Gospel and from their diligence in good works of eternall life as many vain and unprofitable talkers are in the world now doing the same work And whereas J. S. saith That the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians was read as the Word of the Lord in the Church of the Laodiceans Why doth he not bear witnesse that Paul's Epistle to the Laodiceans was read as the word of the Lord amongst the Colossians Collossians 4.16 And if he read in his Church the Epistle to the Collossians as the Word of the Lord why doth not he read to his people that which was written to the Laodiceans they both being given forth from one Spirit So let him consider of those things above mentioned and try whether his words will stand unreproveable 67. page saying God might have revealed more than is in the Scripture but he pleased not so to doe In that page mentioning Samuel Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles saying All that they have spoken is written both according tâ— what was written before and for substance the same Answ. What I have spoken and shall here speak may sufficiently make manifest that his words proceed from the old lying heart in which dwells no truth for I have shewed out of the Prophets and out of the Apostles many things which was both revealed and declared which is not in the Bible written And likewise I shall shew farther of the things concerning Christ testified by John and we know that
these things there was Christ held out and mentioned in the shadows and figures and so that Covenant which promiseth no salvation nor mentioneth any thing of a Saviour that we deny for there is no such Covenant in the Scriptureâ— For that which said Do this and live promised life and mentioned Christ who is the life and by Christ who is the Life and Light of men is that Covenant fulfilled and by his Power both the obedience and life is brought forth of which that Covenant speaketh and the new Covenant being come that God hath promised wherein he hath put his Law in their hearts and his Spirit in their inward parts and all such need not to come to such Priests to be taught who tel of a Covenant which promiseth no salvation nor mentioneth any thing of a Saviour for we who be in the second know the first fulfilled which Christ was held forth in under Ordinances of Divine service and a Worldly Sanctuary and divers washings and carnal Ordinances which never made the comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the Conscience But now is Christ the Covenant of God and Covenant of Light come and preached and with his Light shineth in mens Consciences that he may make perfect as pertaining to the Conscience which Covenant is now witnessed among thousands and such denyed who speak of a Covenant that mentions nothing of a Saviour and that to be the Rule of true believers Again in John Stelham's fifth head of Scripture-contradiction he speaks concerning sin saying That the more a soul is sanctified the more he sees his moats to be beams and that Paul was groaning and sighing all his life-time under the body of sin and death Both these are false for the more a soul is sanctified he is not the more taught to lye or to see falsly but the more he is taught to see clearly and discern a moat to be a moat and a beam to be a beam and knows the difference And Paul thanks God who had given him the victory over sin and death which he had not while he groaned under the body of it and so both the Saints and the Work of sanctification is falsly accused by such and such are to be denied as Enemies to God and to his Work In the reading of this let all people take notice that in the several and particular heads of J. S. Book where he saith he hath contradicted us he is proved himself to contradict the Scritures and so far as he contradicts the Scriptures in those particulars so far he may say he contradicts us our testimony being one with the Scriptures in those things Pr. For in his sixth head as concerning Justification he saith He that is justified is justified by God not under the aspect or notion of a Saint and as such but of a sinner and as a sinner believing in Jesus not as he loveth God or overcometh the world by Faith c. but as believing on Christ dying c. Now this testimony of J. S. is contrary to the Scripture for God never justified any as hating of him nor as a sinner but as made obedient through faith according to the Scriptures as the Apostle witnesseth Gal. 2.16 Even by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ c. so they believed that they might be justified and the ungodly they were first called out of their ungodliness and whom he called them he also justified and they whom he justified them he also glorified and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13.39 And so all who are justified by the Lord are justified from their sins and not in them as all shall witness who come to be justified by Christ from their iniquity And whereas J.S. vvould set the Law and Justice of God at a difference with the Gospel and as contrary in saying The Law and Justice finds and leaves us sinners Gospel and Mercy declareth and pronounceth us righteous Now the one pronouncing a man to be righâ—eous and the other pronouncing the same to be a sinner these two are contrary But the Scripture hath another testimony saying Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other Psal. 85.10 Now here is unity here is not Righteousness pronouncâ—ng one thing and Mercy another for the righteousnesse of God is revealed from Heaven against the disobedient and this vvill not leave them disobedient nor sinners if ever they come to mercy for it doth not leave them as it finds them And so that Doctrine is accurst from God which saith That Justice finds them sinners and leaves them so and to say that Justice pronounceth them sinners and Mercy pronounceth them righteous But to satisfie all people a few vvords may serve to answer the volume of that darknesse and blindnesse given forth by him before-mentioned should a man full of vvords be justified Job 11.2 Again concerning J.S. in his seventh head concerning Regeneration he saith That the Word of God that is preached was never without or besides Scripture c. And as in other places he hath said That the Spirit is given by the Letter so here he vvould make Regeneration to proceed from it which this being denied he concludes it had been better the Scripture had not been known nor written An. The Word and Gospel were preached unto Abraham without Scriptures and before the Scriptures were written and they who are regenerated and born again it is by the immortal Word which is able to save their souls which Word was before the Letter was written and who be begotten again and born by that Word it is profitable for such that the Scriptures were written given forth and the Scripture by such is honored but such who call the Letter the Light and the Word and that which begets again into the new birth by such both the Work of God is despised and the Scriptures perverted and denied Again J. S. in his 8. Head of Contradiction speaking of perfection uttereth forth more confusion and contradiction to himself in his speaking of the Communion of the Saints in Heaven and doth lye concerning the Saints on earth saying the Saints in Heaven hoped for the perfection of their bodies at the Resurrection c. And again contradicts that in saying that at death they have a final perfection and a full harvest and reward of peace c. Ans. Now this is the issue that all people may take notice he hath so envied perfection and Christ's Doctrine which saith Be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect And them who now preach that Doctrine that he hath set out a Volume to declare against the Saints being perfect here yea and his envy hath reached to Heaven to prove that the Saints in Heaven are not perfect but wait for the redemption
he hath gathered from Scripture or his own imaginations and let him chuse to say whether he will And in the next he will be proved a false Prophet and that E. B. compiled a Book out of Scripture Collections is false for having the same Spirit which gave forth the Scripture which brings the Scripture to remembrance is not compiling a Book out of Scriptures and J. S. is found a false Accuser and E.B. neither a self-Contradictor nor self-Curser and these are true words to this Generation and owned with the Spirit of God though J. S. in his scornfull spirit abuse them he that hath the Word of the Lord from the mouth of the Lord to declare he is reviled and mocked But he that speaks the imagination of his own heart from the Saints conditions he is heard and owned and this is neither Scripture contradiction nor self contradiction let J. S. judg out of his own heart what he will neither is this self-contradiction to ask Which of the Saints had the witnesse of their souls union to seek in the Letter and yet to affirm the Spirit opens and brings that which is spoken in Scripture to remembrance Let J. S. first answer the Query in plainnesse which is an honest query and not to imply from it his own conceptions to make appear self-Contradictâ—ons let the sober Reader judg where the contradiction lies and he saith the Spirit is in the leâ—ter and goes about to prove it if he could if the Spirit be in the letter then all must have the spirit that hath the letter and the Spirit is whereever the Bible is which I do deny for many have the Letter and profâ—sse it which knows not the spirit and many have the Bible in their pocket which have not the spirit there and this will be confessed by J. S. and all his fellows and so he must revoke who saith the Spirit is in the letter and the spirit gives life but the letter kills In his proof he saith The written Word viz. the Letter is of greater authority then the writer Mark here Christ was one of them which gave forth Scripture and he was a greater authority than what was written and I say as it is plain to all honest men who can believe truth that the holy men of God who had the spirit were of greater authority than the Scriptures since have been which they left behinde them But J. S. hath set Christ and all them that gave forth scripture to be lesse in authority than the scriptures Let wise men judg of this matter he saith They were imperfectly holy that wrote forth the Scriptures and this is an absolute lye for the scrâ—ptures give â—his testimony of many of them that wrote it that they were perfect men and he hath also slaundered Christ to be imperfectly holy and in his next let him prove what this imperfect holinesse is and till then we deny that there is any Holinesse imperfect Further he saith The promises of the scripture are his â—hariot to convey him spirit whither he pleases to go But where is his proof for such a Doctrine but all that he saith doth not prove that the spirit is in the letter though he say to make up the sum of his matter Daily experiences do demonstrate that the spirit is in the letter but where is the man let him answer that thus hath experienced that alwayes when he hath seen the letter and handled the letter hath seen and handled the spirit the testimony of an honest man I will believe but not J. S. assertion out of his own heart In his 2 d Head of self-contradiction Concerning hearing the Word this is not contradiction to say they who are of God hear his Word and yet to deny the hearing of such as J. S. who is not a Minister of the Word but a Professor of the Letter for proud men and covetous men and false Accusers such as J. S. is we are exhorted to turn away from by Paul and this is not a denying our selves to be of God as J. S. would charge us withall because we deny to hear Hirelings for we hear Gods Word and his Voice and therefore do we deny to hear Dâ—ceivers and this is no self-contradiction nor saying nor unsaying let J.S. judge what he will the Saints shall be my witnâ—sse and though we say that the Saints Teacher cannot be removed into a corner as saith the scripture and that the saints will finde theiâ— teachers as they lie in their beds both these are true and not self-contradiction let a sober Reader judg whether he can find contradiction in those words but fain would J. S have his lies believed for truth that he might have praise of men for his works have gained no praise of God and he saith R F. hath not proved lyes yet against him if it were so let the Reader search whether there be none proved against him now but let him not say like a Pharisee I am no lyar but rather let him repent of his lyes and wickedness His 3 d. Head concerning the Light within Wherein much ado he makes as to prove the light of Christ spoken of Ioh. 1.9 to be a natural light and he saith the light given to all men even that light spoken of Ioh. 1.9 is a dim light and is cold and insufficient to Salvation and unable to make true discovery of the true Saviour such like contemptible undervaluing words of the pure light of Christ by whom the world was made who lighteth every man in the World by this it is known more evidently what Spirit J. S. is of but there is none of us who have received the knowledge of God by the very light of Christ which shines in our hearts can believe him and this is no contradiction to say that every man is lightned by Christ with the true light and yet to say some men are living in a natural condition both these are true for some hates the light of Christ and their deeds are evil and such are in a natural condition but this doth not prove that Christ hath not given them light though they be in a natural condition I leavit to spiritual men to judge though they say it seems strange that some should live a natural condition and yet have the light of Christ given them saith he as if every man brought a Saviour with him into the world This last is his false conception but he is mans saviour by whose power every man is brought in to the World and if J. S. did but understand as we do that some love the light and some hates it such as hate it denyes Christ he that loves it receives Christ who knows this stranges not I.S. wondring shews his Ignorance who would secretly charge us to be bewitched with a Notion of accounting nature grace which we do not and it is his own condition he that conceives Lyes believes them and tells them is the
declared to be the light of the world and the true light which lightneth every one that cometh into the world Joh. 1.9 Joh. 8. Now seeing that this Author hath set up another thing to be the light which hath enlightned every man then Christ viz. the spirit of 〈◊〉 I shall trie this testimony according to the Scriptures whether it be a testimony of the Lords Christ or a testimony against him in these things following which are the Heads of his Doctrine concerning the Light Concerning the LIGHT what it is It is the spirit of every man which is in him and without which he cannot be a man and is the candle of the Lord Prov. 20 27. This spirit of a man is the Reason of a man or tht Understanding of a man What this Light doth it gives him to know his Creator and the end of his creation viz. who made him and why he was made also how he â—â—ould answer the end of him that made him and that God set up this light in man to see by both whom he is to serve and how he is to serve him together with the reason thereof because God made him And with this light God hath set up a Law which Law is called Light Prov. 6.23 whereby the will and mind of his Creator is made known unto him and he sufficiently qualified to see it understand it c. p. 7. It searcheth the inward parts of the belly At first it moved upward and it could look God in the face and serve him But now since the fall the Thief is got into this candle and hath dim'd the light covered the aspiring ascendent quality now it burns downward and discovers the things beneath p 6. That it is all eye it sees all that is done but doth nothing it neither likes nor dislikes approves nor disproves but as it is in conjunction with a Law p. 10. Thae it is the property of Light to make manifest Eph. 5 13. pag 29. That it is not in the power of the Light as it is in every man so much as to call any thing that is done either good or evil p. 32. That the Light did drive Adam from the voice and presence of God so far is the Light from leading up to God that it drives the soul from God and keeps him in the fall p. 53. That it doth not lead into all truth such as love it and obey it p. 54. Nor doth it reveal all truth to them that love it and obey it And that neither the Light nor the Law doth convince of the sin of unbelief That the Lamp and the Light are convertible terms Thy word is as a Lamp Psal. 119.105 and that the Light and the Law is one p. 30. So by this the Light which is the spirit of man or mans Reason and the Law and the Word which of that which is called a testimony of the Lords Christ we shall trie it with the former Testimony of the Lords Christ as it is written in the Scriptures which was given forth from those which were true witnesses First as in answer to these things there is not one Testimony in the Scriptures neither from Prophet nor Apostle that ever said the spirit of man or mans reason and understanding was the Light which every one that cometh into the world is enlightned withal but the testimony of truth concerning those which followed their own spirits is this The Lord sent his Prophet Ezekiel to cry Wâ— unto the foolish Prophets that followed their own spirits and had seen nothing Ezek. 13 3. Now they were not without the spirit of a man for then they could not be a man as he saith now if they had the spirit of man and reason and if this was all eye how was it that they saw nothing when he saith It sees all things so it is not a true testimony of the Light nor of the Lords Christ But the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord and the Lord having lighted it then it searcheth the inward parts of the belly And David who knew whâ—t the spirit of man was and what a candle was without light and what it was when it was lighted he said For thou wilt light my candle the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness Psal. 18.28 So if the spirit of man be the candle of the Lord then whether doth not Christ enlighten every man which cometh into the world and whether is not that light Christ seeing the spirit is but the candle and that it must be lighted Another testimony of his is this That it is the property of light to make manifest Eph. 5.13 but all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light for whaâ—soever doth make manifest is light p. 29. And again in p. 32 he saith that it is not in the power of the light as it is in every man so much as to call any thing which is done good or evil Answ. Whether of these two contraries must men believe whether the light is able to make manifest whatsoever is reprovable or that there is not power in it to call any thing good or evil But by this all men may see that this is not a true testimony to the Lords Christ nor to his Light Never was there any such doctrine preached by any that cried Hosannah to the Son of David nor that did give testimony to the Lords Christ That there is not power in the light to call any thing done good or evil Now let all who have received the measuring-line and the equal ballance weigh and consider seeing the Scripture saith Whatsoever thing is approvable is made manifest by the light Is evil deeds reprovable then they are made manifest then you see them to be evil deeds lying to be an evil deed swearing to be an evil deed drunkenness to be an evil deed covetousness to be an evil deed pride to be an evil deed whoredom to be an evil deed false accusing to be an evil deed gain-saying the truth to be an evil deed anger and wrath to be evil deeds and these things are reprovable as the light doth make them manifest so it reproveâ— them and such are convinced of sin because they believe not in Christ so that unbelief is reprovable and is made manifest by the light And whereas some say That the light doth not reprove for the sin of unbelief that is false for unbelief is reprovable and whatsoever things are reprovable is made manifest by the light but he that doâ—th evil hateth the light and will not bring his deeds to the light lest the light should reprove him Joh. 3.20 And Jesus said unto certain Greeks people which stood by him which objected against his words which was no Saints nor Believers While ye have the light believe in the light that ye may be the children of light Joh. 13.36 Now he did not bid them believe in that which could not reprove unbelief
them unto whom he wrote his Epistle for unto him no Word of prophesie was more sure then that which he had seen and heard when he was with Christ in the holy Mount So this may inform your understandings who may have more desire to know the truth then to oppose it and may put to silence the vain disputings by men of corrupt minds who are destitute of the truth always corrupting the words of truth to oppose the life of it as many such there are in these days which the Lord hath and will rebuke sharply that they may be ashamed but all vvho are led and guided by the light of Christ shall knovv the anointing in them and the vvord of faith yea the Son of God He that can receive it vvithout offence let him 5. Object But he that hath opposed us saith in pag. 25. of his Book in the second part That the dawning of the day is rather an evening then a morning Answ. Novv let all vvhich have but knovvn a day and a night in the Creation judge whether the evening or the morning be the dawning of the day or whether the day-star be a fore-runner of the day or of the night then it will not be incredible which I have said before that he calls darkness light and light darknest but in such things our opposers will not receive a good report from those which can give true judgment and to such it is left to judge of those things Obj. Again he saith in page 35. That the spirit of truth was not a Comforter to the Apostles nor a reprover to the world before Christ was ascended and yet himself to contradict himself saith that he was in them before and dwelt in them the same spirit but not in the same measure Ans. Here is Babylon at the height fit to be pul'd down but needs little answering seeing that it answereth it self and for such reasons as these he might well conceal his name And if he could have put this off by hiding his Name for an Hosanna to the Son of Daiud or A Testimony to the Lords Christ then he might well have baosted have gloryed in his shame as if there had been no spirit of discerning in those he calls Quakers nor others but the eye of truth is not yet so blind but we know an evening from a morning a night from a day and a lye from truth and we know also that the disciples had a measure of the spirit of truth while he was with them upon earth and this spirit did both comfort them and did carry them on in obedience to his will and in the power of this spirit went forth into the world and reproved the world of sin because they did not believe in Christ and the devils was subject unto them by the spirit of truth that was in them before Christ ascended and to this there is a Cloud of witnesses So that this from him filling his Book with such things as these is as if a man should fill a Barn with Chaff instead of Corn and deceive others with selling it for Corn. Another contradiction of the same nature is this That the manifestation of the spirit is given to no man for himself buâ— to every man to profit withal to edifie and build up and do service in the body as an hand foot or eye or some other member of the body c. and to contradict this in the next words he saith Not that the spirit or the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man i e. to every individual person forasmuch as some men are sensual having not the spirit therefore no manefestation thereof pag 17. Ans. This is like the former and so to be cast out with it for his distinction of words between every man and every individual person will not cover him for where the Scripture saith every man without distinction that is every individual man and women And the Apostle saith But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withall he doth not say not to every individuall person And this also I say and affirm That to every man is given a manifestation of the spirit to profiâ— withal and he that profits with it by it shall be justified and he that doth not profit with it by it shal be condemned because he is an unprofitable servant this truth shal stand when all confusion shal have an end yet some are sensual having not the spirit Obj. Again in despising the testimony from the mâ—asure of the gift of the spirit of God when they have spoken according to the measure and could not boast themselves above their measure but in their measure witnessing the work of God as it was fulfilled in them such he scornfully reproacheth saying What means those cracks and crannes in their knowedge knowing but in part there is no pieces nor parts nor measures nor degrees in absolute perfection whosoever saith he knoweth perfectly he knows not how perfect his knowledge is and the first of those is called a vain man boasting of that which is not and of a false gift and is like clouds and wind without rain Ans. Herein is Pauls Doctrine as well as ours declared against to be but as cracks and crâ—nnes and a vain boasting of a false gift for Paul saith We dare not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselves but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves with themselves are not wise But we will not boast of things without our measure but according to the Measure of the Rule which God hath distributed unto us a measure to teach even unto you for we stretch not our selves beyond our measure not boasting of things without our measure that is of other mens labours Now this measure of which he thus spoke was in Christ so in perfection and there is parts and degrees in Christ and so in absolute perfection so far as every man is in the measure of the gift of God so far he is in Christ so far his knowledge is perfect and abiding in this he abideth in that which is perfect and as he gloriâ—yes in this he glorys in a true gift and none shall make this glorying void Obj. And whereas John Jackson saith of those that say they have but attained in measure he calleth that the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of the Oxen which declares plainly that they are not at home they are not in the City but have certain miles to travel before they arrive Answ. This is a false interpretation as I shall leave it unto all of understanding to judge for the bleating of the Sheep and the lowing of the Oxen dâ—d signifie Sauls disobâ—dience unto the commandment of God for which the Lord did reject him But when Paul said he knew in part and prophesied in part and would not boast above his measure this did not signâ—fie his disobedience
souls then will they confess That it had been well if they had loved the light and walked in it which they have so long hated and despised with those that walk in it and all those which have exercised their strength to shut others out of the Kingdom of God by their Preaching Printing and false Accusations they shall know that while they serve sin they are free from righteousness and do keep others from it But the time is coming that their mouths must be stopped and the Lord wil cause his everlasting righteousness to spread abroad as broad Rivers and streams unquenchable and nothing shall hinder it and this is the day in which the Lord will try those that dwel upon earth as he hath tried many and measured them with a true line and hath found them deceitful although they have made profession of his name and of his words for a cloak for their iniquity But now the light is come into the world and there remains no more cloak for their sins nor hiding place for their iniquity An Epistle concerning the sufferings of friends shewing the Priests wickedness and persecutions GOD hath a great work to do in this generation to pul down the abominations which hath long reigned and many are straightned till it be accomplished and onely such must be exercised in this work who are called chosen and faithful and many have been called but have not been faithful but have destroyed in their works that which they seemed to have established by words and was not faithful to witness the fate of their words by their works so that by a true search we have fouâ—d the words of righteousness in many but we have found the works of righteousness but in few and though God hath shined into the hearts of many by his light yet there are but few children of it in comparison of the disobedient The eye of God hath looked into the world and he sees men differ more in words then in life and conversation and some in words do witnesse for God but in their works deny him As for example How many of late years had a zeal stirred up in them by the spirit of the Lord against the abominations of the Priests and the oppression of the tithes preaching both down even as that which denied Christ to be come in the flesh So that if words had been that which would have finished the work the Land had been cleansed before this time of that abomination but the Lord hath brought a tryal upon such spirits whether they will own their testimony through the spoiling of their Goods and imprisonment of their bodys and therefore hath God suffered an earthly power a Law to try them and now they do rather deny their Testimony then suffer by that Law which gives the Priests tithes as for Witnesses most of the baptized people in England have betrayed their testimony and profession in that thing And how are you worthy to be called Saints which bear such a testimony can this equally be compared with the testimony of the Saints of old Did they cry down false worships and false teachers in words and did they uphold them by giving them wages Have you not herein sinned against light Did you not once see that they were never sent of God And will you now uphold them because you cannot suffer for your testimony Is not your paying them wages giving them tithes a greater witness for them then your preaching them down in words is against them and may they not herein rejoyce over you Christ is not herein your example which for this end was born and for this end came into the world to bear witness to the truth and did finish the work which the Father had given him to do and was made perfect through sufferings but such never need suffer who preach down deceit in words and hold it up in workes And the Apostles is not your example for they were in workes that which they declared in words therefore hath God cast you by as not fit to be Labourers in his Vineyard But a people is the Lord raising up whom he is giving his holy spirit unto whose witness to him must stand as well in works as in words who love the truth more then their lives or liberties goods or estates and are valiant for it upon the earth which cannot be subject to the powers of darkness nor the Rulers of the darkness of this world but believeth that whatsoever they deny for Christ in this life they shall receive a hundred fold and in the world to come life everlasting And these are they whom the Father will exercise with his holy spirit in the gathering his seed from the ends of the earth and for the turning of many to righteousness and such shall shine as the stars in the firmament of Heaven when as the false and deceitfull witnesses shall be turned into darknesse because their testimony is not able to endure the tryal for the Lords house must be built with tried stones that the winds of persecutions cannot blow it down and upon such will his light arise who when they are tried are found faithfull and who are counted worthy to bear a testimony in this work though it be through sufferings in this day when the powers of the Earth have set themselves to wear out the Saints of the most High God by changing times and Laws whereby to restrain the liberty of the Lords people whose worship stands in the spirit and in the truth Times they have changed by a Law in making the first day of the week to be their Sabbath but that day is more prophaned then any of the seven And Laws they have changed to get a grouâ—â— to stop the word of the Lord from having free course and 〈◊〉 utterance among â—he people These seek to scatter the power of the holy people and to 〈◊〉 the truth to the ground by their acts of cruelty and deâ—rees 〈◊〉 unrighteousness and by a tolerating cruelty and or pression â—mong a company of Priests which are worse then those in Hosea'â— dayes who then were As a Troop of Robbers that wait for a man eveâ— so the company of Priests murther in the way by consent Hos. 6.9 and saith the Prophet I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel but now we may say We have seen a more horrible thing in the Land of England even a company of Priests taking mens horses from their work their Corn off their field driving away their Oxen and Kine out of their Pasture taking their wool out of their Barns taking away their Brasse and Pewter out of their Houses taking away their Bedding off their Beds even off their childrens Beds Such a horrible thing was never seen in Israel for the Priests Robbery was not so great then as now for they did never so spoile mens goods nor destroy mens Estates nor imprison mens bodies as now in England the Priests have
of Religion that Popery should be tolerated the blood of many thousands of the People of God having been barbarously shed by the Professors thereof or any person tolerated that worship a false God nor any that speak contemptuously and reproachfully of our Lord Jesus Christ nor any that deny the holy Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New-Testament to be the Word of God and yet we are not against tolerating of Episcopacy Presbyter or any stinted form provided they do not compel any others to a compliance therewith or a conformity thereunto For whatever Composers of any form of Worship may possibly err it is derogating from God and his holy Word and injurious to men to compel any to the practice thereof Ans. What confusion is here and contradiction both to your selves and to the exâ—mple of Christ As to Religion you wil not tolerate Popery because the blood of many of the people of God have been barbarously shed by the professors thereof neither wil you have any persons tolerated that worship a false God nor any that speak contempâ—uously and reproachfully of the Lord Jesus Christ nor any that deny the holy Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old New-Testament to be the Word of God And yet you are not against tolerating of Episcopacy Presbytery or any stinted form Why wil you not tolerate Popery as well as Episcopacy Have not the professors of Episcopacy murthered and slain and do labour to murther and slay the people of God as well as the Papists And why will you tolerate the Common-Prayer among the Episcopacy and not the Mass-Book among the Papists seeing that the Mass was the substance out of which the Common-prayer was extracted Here is nothing but partiality to tolerate one thing and not another of the same kind And why will you not tolerate the persons of those that worship a false God nor the persons of those that deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God nor the persons of those that speak contemptuously and reproachfully of the Lord Jesus Christ Ans. If you will not tolerate their persons then you will murther or destroy their persons and herein you have proved the accusation against you to be true that you have a design to murther and destroy those that differ from you in matters of Religion As for instance those that worship a false God they differ from you in matters of Religion and you will not have any of their persons tolerated and their persons must be destroyed for differing from you in matters of Religion And they that deny the Scriptures that is the Writings to be the Word of God that is to be Christ whose Name is called the Word of God you will not tolerate their persons then you will destroy them because they differ from you in matters of Religion And those that speak reproachfully of Jesus Christ you wil not tolerate their persons then you wil destroy their persons because they differ from you in matters of Religion and thus having contradicted your selves you have also contradicted the example of Christ for he came among those that worshipped false Gods even stocks and stones and graven Images the Works of mens hands and he was not against tolerating their persons neither came he to destroy mens lives because of such things but had a Gospel to preach unto them whereby they might learn to know the living God and turn from dumb Idols and those that speak reproachfully against him and said he had a Devil yet he was not against tolerating their persons but preached the Kingdom of God to them and did bid them seek it and the righteousness thereof and told them that the Kingdom of God was within them and he wâ—s among such as denied that there was a God or Christ or Resurrection Angel or Spirit and this is more than to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God which indeed is words and not the Word And Christ was not against tolerating of any of the persons as you have expressed your selves to be and so shewed forth a murthering Spirit But seeing that you wil not have any person tolerated that worships a false God what must be done vvith their persons But what difference is there in the ground or cause of toleration between those that vvorship a false god or they vvhich vvorship the true God in a false vvay And if the persons of neither of those should be tolerated then the toleration vvould but reach a little compass But vvho must be Judge of that blasphemy contempt or reproach spoken against the Lord Jesus Christ Was it not blasphemy in the Apostles days for one to say he was a Jew and was not Rev. 2. v. 9 And is it not as great blasphemy now to say that he is a Christian or a Believer that is not And must not any person be tolerated that speak such vvords And must not such a person be tolerated that denies the Scriptures to be the Word of God Then it appears they must not be tolerated that say In the beginning was the Word as John 1.4 Nor that say that Christ is the Word and that the Scriptures are they which testifie of him as John 5. And if we search out your toleration to the bottom it will be reduced into this compass That none shall be tolerated but those that say as you say and profess what you profess and you among your selves are as a Kingdom divided that cannot stand and you are not they vvhich are fit to Rule in the Nation to prescribe Liberty nor give toleration but if you had been of Christ's Spirit you would have professed Toleration and not Destruction unto all persons in matters of Religion and then they that have the Gospel of Christ may minister it freely among those that vvorship a false god and among those that worship the true God ignorantly and minister it among the Papists â—piscopal and Presbyterie Heathens Turks and Pagans which are all out of the way and so to convince the gain-sayers so that all the wicked impositions cruelty persecution and killing one another about Religion would cease and then the Gospel of peace which is the power of God would rule over deceit and Truth and Righteousnesse would encrease and spread over the Nations but you have appeared to be of a spirit of Confusion and Contradiction for vvhen you have spoken against tolerating the persons before mentioned yet you say in contradiction to it you are not against tolerating Episcopacy Presbyterie or any stinted Form provided they do not compel any others to a compliance therewith or conformity thereunto c. Now consider and let even your own foolishness correct you Is not the Papists which ye have have excepted against a stinted Form And are not those that vvorship a false god a stinted Form And are not the Sadduces that deny that there is either God Christ Angel Resurrection or Spirit a stinted Form And is not the
Jews a stinted Form although they speak contemptuously of the Lord Jesus Christ which before you have said you will not tolerate their persons because they speak contemptuously of the Lord Jesus Christ and now you say you wil tolerate because they are a stinted Form How must the Jews be converted who have spoken contemptuously and reproachfully of the Lord Jesus Christ calling him a Deceiver a Blasphemer and that he had a Devil seeing you will not tolerate their persons until they be converted And how shall the Heathens that worship false gods be converted seeing their persons must not be tolerated And what must be done with those many hundreds of Congregations in England which worship God in the Spirit and yet do deny the Scriptures as Words and Writings of the Old and New-Testament to be the Word of God but do confesse them to be a Testimony of the Word and of him who is the beginning and end of the words in whom and by whom they all come to be fulfilled to the Saints What must their persons be done with seeing they must not be tolerated But you may say That those things was spoken in your haste or at least in your fear whereby you were surprized in the Uproar of the rude Boys and Apprentices of London But a little fear entering into the Hypocrisie doth try your spirits and cause you to bring forth the intents of your hearts as in your paper is manifest To the last you say Forasmuch as we are charged to murder and destroy those that differ from us in matters of Religion We do not only abhor and detest it as a cursed practice but we hope we have approved our selves both in this City and the Nation to the contrary notwithstanding the great provocation of some who have endeavoured our ruine For that we desire is just liberty to men as men that every man may be preserved in his own just rights and that Christians may be preserved as Christians though of different apprehensions in some things of Religion in the prosecution whereof our lives shall not be dear unto us when we are thereunto lawfully called The designs of our adversaries in these calumnies are to mis-represent us to some people fearing God and also to incense the rude Multitude against us purposely to provoke them if possible to destroy us Ans. In what you have before expressed you have more given than taken away the occasion of this Charge against you by your instancing the not tolerating of such persons before-mentioned for if you did as you say desire the just liberty of men as men then every man without respect to Apprehensions Perswasions or Worships as a man and person should be tolerated that those who are Christians might inform them of the true God when they worship false gods And hereby you give great occasion unto those that seek occasion from you when you with a general consent cry against the tolerating the persons of so many sorts of people about differing from you in Religion And as for some of them whom ye would accuse as irregular many by experience can witness that neither Weapon nor Tongue formed against them can prosper and the time may come when you may be glad to be upholden with a little of their strength and not to reject those whom God hath doth and will own for his people in the midst of their Enemies for God hath made them even as eyes to behold the spirits of men and the changings of their ways and to give them a reproof in due season when they darken Wisdom and confound their matter by words without knowledge in false fears and haste when they are out of patience and out of Faith in God as the Baptists here have done and the fearful and unbelieving cannot accomplish the righteousness of God neither will he bring forth his intended Work by them but such as are of a true Spirit that look only at the glory of God and setting up of his Truth who are come to the spiritual Weapons and do not wrestle with flesh and blood but with the powers of darkness and with spiritual wickedness and such as are not false accusers of others but seek the good of all men such will the Lord honor and exalt in his Work and they shall perfect his praise So Friends you have been hasty to utter words before the Lord for which his reproof justly comes upon you Therefore let your words be few mind the fear of the Lord God which is the beginning of wisdom and that will slay your false fears from which unsavoury and unsound words hath proceeded for your Religion is vain while your tongue is not bridled for it is better to be still and keep silence then to utter words from the line of confusion that is stretched over you thereby to get a name in the Earth which Line all people walk in but those who are led by the Spirit of God to speak words that cannot be condemned for it is the Spirit of the Lord God and his Power which must slay the enmity in you which is the ground of your prejudice and hard speeches against the Lambs of Christ which when that is slain within then those evil fruits of the lips will cease without and then the fountain of Life will open in you which brings forth fruits of another nature and when the fruits of your lips is truth righteousness and peace then wil you have fellowship with the Father and the Son and with us who walk in his Light A Copy of a Paper sent to the Council of State in the Year 1659. LEt every one that will minister the Gospel do it freely according to the example of the Apostles and the Ministers of Christ. And do not you go about to provide any maintenance for any Ministers of any sort in the Nation for in that you wil but lay a yoke upon the Disciples necks and an imposition upon tender Consciences which cannot do any thing but what they do freely as unto the Lord and let every one that will preach the Gospel live of the Gospel and not upon any setled or State maintenance for thereby you will but set up another Image and continue the same oppression of tythes though under another name upon the people and will neither ease nor satisfie the people at all for the cry of the honest and godly people of this Nation is to have a free Ministry and free maintenance and are willing fâ—eely to maintain those that minister unto them the Word and Doctrine and are not willing that the Civil Magistrate should meddle with that which relates to spiritual things in this case and so every sort of people in the Nation freely maintaining their own Ministry puts an end unto all troubles suits complaints and petitions of that kind in which the Nation hath long been burdened and troubled with which with much ease and satisfaction to all people this way may be ended and
Logick its like they will set thee no more a work to defend and vindicate them with such weapons Again page 89. thou saist that it is said by the Prophet Prov. 21.4 that the ploughing of the Ploughman is sin Answ. Here thou kast belyed the Prophet and perverted his words aâ— thou hast done the Quakers for the Prophets words is an high look and a proud heart and the ploughing of the wicked is sin but he doth not say that the ploughing of the Ploughman is sin But who can escape the envy of slâ—ndrous tongues which accounteth lying no sin if thereby they can accomplish their own wicked end but the truth hath found thee out and made thee manifest and the Priests had better wanted thy defence then to be so shamed by it as they will be unless they deny both thee and it Again in the same page thou saist to hear read pray sing Psalms and giving of thanks they are works morally good being Commanded by the Lord but the person doing them being not justified they are not good to him for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Answ. This is another piece of confusion and charging of God foolishly and fasly to say that the Lord commands those things to be done and those he commands to doe them in doing of which it is not good to them but sin Where hast thou learned or where dost thou read of such a doctrine that wicked men are commanded of God to do such things which in doing is not good to them but sin Is God or Christ then the Minister of sin or commands a man to commit sin Is not this Blasphemy and Error in the highest degree And how darest thou speak of God or of his Commands or of his obedience seeing thou thus Blasphems him in his Worship but this shall remain as a Testimony against thee many other lyes and abominations hast thou spoken against us and against God and his Truth a few of which is sufficient to make thee manifest In page 107. thou saist our Quaking fits many are of opinion that they are diobolical by a kind of witchcraft and saist thou hast heard strange relations of Enchanted Ribbans and giveing drink after c. Answ. Upon the same account many was of opinion that Christ had a Devil was a Deceivâ—r that the Apostles were Ringleaders of Sects Heresyes such strange relations might have been heard concerning the Apostles in their dayes it seems to thee that such reports is sufficient proof but this is contrary to what thou hast said in an other place that thou wouldst speak nothing but according to what was written in the Scriptures And whereas thou tells of Enchanted Ribbans Is there some Ribbans that are enchanted it may be thou meanest enchanting Ribbans but if so where didst thou ever know such a thing for proofe thou names Gilpin and Toldervyes books which neither of them doth relate such a thing so that it is thy enmity and wickednesse for there was never any such thing among the Quakers as giving Ribbans and drink after but that charge thou mightst have laid upon the Priests and their Defenders for there are the most ribbans used and justified till in pride they are become the Servants of the Devill and there is the giving of drink one to another untill they be enflamed and made unsensible of God and of his fear by which they are enchanted and bewitched that they doe not obey the Gospell but are given up to their own hearts Lusts and thereby are become the Servants of sin and so free from righteousnesse Lastly not onely we have been falsly accused in these and many other things by thee but even the spirit of God which is the Fountain of cleanness is by thee charged and accused to be corrupt and defiled page 33. by passing through mans corrupt nature thou saidst it becomes defiled Answ. Is not this a sin against the holy Ghost which shall never be forgiven to charge the spirit to be corrupt and defiled And in this thou also chargest both the Father and the Son to be corrupt and defiled for they are one so that if one of them be corrupt the other is corrupt also and as the spirit is in the Saints so is the Father in them and the Son the hope of their glory and none of them are defiled by mans corrupt nature But there is that in man by which that which corrupteth his nature is wrought out so that man is made clean and undefiled by the spirit and that spirit is not made corrupt and defiled by Man for that is contrary to the Scriptuâ—e to say that by mans nature the spirit is defiled but to say that by the spirit mans nature is clensed and sanctified this is according to the Scripture but it is the work of Sathan and his Messengers to Blasphem God in his Temple and so account his spirit by which he leadeth into all truth an unholy thing and so thou art of the number of them which account the blood and spirit of the Covenant an unholy thing and we seeing and knowing these things as concerning our selves we are satisfied because the Servant is not above his Master for if the Master be called Belzebub and the spirit a defiled or corrupt thing well may we be called Deceivers although we be true and falsely accused with all manner of evil according to our Masters words and these things we should bear in patience and silence as to our selves but as in respect unto others we are constrained by the uncorrupted and undefiled Spirit of the Lords to testifie to the world that their deeds are evil and to manifest the workings of Satan in the Mystery of Iniquity which now already worketh in many justifying the wicked and condemning the just which is abomination to the Lord which his Spirit will not bear unreproved and not only the just men are condemned and falsly accused but also the just undefiled eternal and unerring Spirit is accused by him who makes a defence for the Priests in their unrighteous practices and Wages so by the plain evidence and demonstration of Truth he being made manifest to be an Enemy to God by his wicked Works and Words I do judge him not worthy of much more answer to his Book also I do judge him not able to prove any of the false accusations charged in it against us some of which is herein returned unto him again vvhich vvhen he doth but really weigh it and consider it may be he will sit down in silence and wait if there may be hope of his forgiveness for this not only ignorance but wilfulness charging us the Spirit of God and his people vvith that of vvhich they vvere never guilty for vve are in the Truth unto vvhich every tongue shall confess and by vvhich every Opposer shall become silent before the Lord in the Spirit of this Truth do vve desire not the destruction
had another day of Tryal given them into their hands but a mad zeal and fury attended them against the honest and upright-hearted people and the Fury of the Oppressour was highly exalted amongst them burning like fire in which they could not contain themselves nor possess their own Spirits in quietness in which fury was folly the effects of which did betray and destroy both themselves and others They being diverted from their first intentions and desire after righteousness a just recompence of reward for their disobedience came upon them according to many true Testimonies from the Lords servants unto them which if in time their ears had been open to the Lords instructions and their hearts inclined to righteousness that swift and sudden desâ—ruction had not so soon come upon them but they being blinded with fury in their anger would neither hear nor see that which was the effect of their own work nor the Lords hand of Justice near come upon them as now they may consider it XII The Secluded Members then came in as a rod of Gods anger and of Justice or a prey upon them and it was manifest to the seeing Eye that God had turned his hand against all those which haâ— abused his Power and neglected his work who had sought and set up themselves insâ—ead of the Lord and his righteousness and now when the Lords hand is justly stretched forth to wound those that by him would not be healed who shall forbid it until the cause be removed and they purged through judgment and suffering And now unto you the present power King and Parliament be not high-minded but fear be not lifted up as though by your Arm Power and Policie you had got a Victory For it is Righteousness yet which the Lord doth require and if by his immediate power without your Sword he have cut off all those that you might be grafted in Consider therefore Gods end in so doing for it is by that immediate power of God which hath broken them that you must stand if you do stand for God is the same and will be to you as he hath been to others as you answer or not answer his requirings For it is not Persons that God accepts but he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him therefore as you look to be established by the Lord do righteousness equity and justice to every man without respect of persons and according to the equal and Royal Law of God walk doing unto others as yee would that others should do unto you Take heed of imposing any thing relating to the matter of Worship upon the Consciences leâ—â— you kindle Gods wrath against you as others have done which will not easily be quenched for upon this Rock have many been broken and others wounded so that they could not again be healed And two things we would mind you of especially First That you are not come in by your own Sword or Power but by a remarkable hand of God in such a way as neither your selves nor any other could have expected Secondly Consider what a flood of unrighteousness licentiousness and flâ—shly liberty hath of a sudden overspread the Nation upon your comming in which although it received some little seasonable curb by a Proclamation from King Charles till which scarce a man scaring God and that could not joyn with them in their rioting and drunken healths could pass the Streets in most places of the Nation yet the body of that iniquity still stands in many places as in May-games Fiddlings Dancings Stage-Plays and divers other ungodly vain Sports by which Gods righteous Soul is still grieved the Spirits of all people that truly fear God sadned the weight of that wickedness which already lay upon the Nations mightily encreased quite contrary to what such a work as your coming in after such a manner required All which speaks dreadful things against these Nations in the sight of many who are most acquainted with Gods fear and have that Eye in them which foresees evil to come in whose hearts and mouths it is now to warn you in love to your own Souls who are in power to scatter such Wickedness and the Nations peace and wel-being that the Wrath that is already threatned might be prevented from coming in your day And we desire that you may take more notice of the Lords warnings to you then others have done that have gone before you that Gods hand and power be not turned against you as it was against them R. H. An Epistle to Friends OH my dear and truly beloved Friends by the holy Spirit of my Father is my heart freely opened and enlarged unto you even in the love which is as a Fountain of Life which plentifully flows forth in the virtue of the Father in the hearts of the beloved children of God which many Waters cannot quench amongst such who have known the Lord in the outgoings of his Power to be as the Morning to your souls the virtue of whose Grace and Love hath been as a dew remaining upon your branches and whose Doctrine hath even dropped as the rain upon your tender-Plants that you thereby might be refreshed and nourished up unto eternal life the Lord God hath honored you with his presence and hath often fed you with his living appearances and manifestations and you have known what it is to drink of the pure Waters of Life even from that living Fountain which doth always flow in the Spirit by which there is pure and spiritual refreshment ministred unto the soul and the Waters of Strife have ye refused which doth corrupt those that drink them and so as it hath been so let it always continue that you may be kept clean by the Word which you have heard from the beginning and by which you have been gathered out of the World by the Word of his Power and fed together as sheep of his pasture and lambs of his Fold So let not the feeling-sence of the loving-kindness of the Lord be forgotten neither let the purity of your first love decrease but let the dear love of the Father in the freeness of liffe flow forth plentifully one towards another which is the bond of perfection among the children of Light by which you will come to be established in the free Spirit of the Lord in the unity of Life and in the fellowship of the Gospel not being subject to change or be moved from that Word and Spirit by which you have been taught and led in the vvay of Life and by which you have known the mind of Christ and by his gift of Righteousness vvhich you have received are you able to try every spirit as you abide in it whether it be of God both as to Doctrines without and as to motions vvithin So therefore let nothing move you nor unsettle your minds from that measure of Life which in all things is a perfect Instructor which will keep you in a pure Dominion over
over the world purifieth the heart and maketh man obedient and faithfull unto Goâ— as he lives in it till he hath fought the fight of it and overcome his spiritual enemy power of darkness which hath led man from his Maker into sin and transgression so as the gift of God did largely shew forth it self in the said servant of Christ by opposing and renouncing Errors stopping the mouths of and many times convincing gainsayers 3. And though his bodily presence and his speech to some seemed weak and contemptible yet we can in the truth bear witness that he was a man both of a solid spirit and quick understanding and delivered weighty things in his ministring as were felt by such as were unprejudiced who were impartial sober and staied in their spirits and the innocency and uprightness of his life and conversation so many have a certain knowledge and can give their testimony thereof that I shall need to say little as to that and he labored for peace unfeigned love and unity in the Truth amongst people witnessing against that spirit and those things in any which would either make division or cause offences or stumblings in any thing contrary to the Gospel of peace and salvation wherein the mystery of the everlasting and true fellowship consisteth and he truly preached the Cross of Christ and true judgment to such spirits as would live in a form and notion of Truth out of the life power and true obedience who though they may profess great matters in words and strain after high things in the carnal comprehension yet are but in the state of such as were dead as unto whom the Gospel hath in judgment beeâ— preached that they might be judged as men in the flesh buâ— live according to God in the Spirit as that follower of Christ and Minister of righteousness R. H. hath held forth who walked in his integrity to the Lord and â—â—tained his first love and habitation in the truth being over all such changeable spirits as would lead from it into any ways or things tending to be get prejudice division or offences in the minds contrary to thâ—â— pure love which stands in the living unchangeable Truth Anâ— this I must needs say touching that man that I never felt more of the presence and love of God accompanying him theâ— I did in that time we were sufferers and conversant togetheâ— in Newgate before his decease And he viz. R. H. was taken away in a time of suffering and tryal for the testimony of a good conscience being in the year 1662. in which many of the Lords people were under persecution especially in the City of London for the exercise of their tender consciences in meeting together in the worship of God as the Saints and true Christians in the Primitive times did and diverse others of the innocent and faithful servants of Christ who were sufferers upon the same account in Newgate London laid down their lives for the â—estimony of Jesus about that time as he did being for the most â—art taken weak and sick in prison and as was judged by the most part their hard imprisonment and deep suffering being crouded together in great companies the hot season in prison â—nd in holes was the occasion and beginning of their distemâ—er and sickness whereon they died before they were discharâ—ed of their imprisonment So as he nor they did suffer nor â—ere taken away for any evil-doing or in wrath or judgment â—ut in the peace and love of God as to them-ward having paâ—iently endured and faithfully finished their course with joy â—nd fulfilled their testimony in faithfulness as seeing him â—hat is invisible having received a crown of glory and life â—hose memorial lives with us and is for ever blessed and â—hus the Lord hath many times taken away the righteous â—â—om the evil to come who through faith have received a â—â—od report and left an everlasting testimony behind them And now blessed are all they that in faith patience and sinâ—â—rity do follow the Lamb unto the end whithersoever â—e goeth â—hether it be through tribulations persecutions or what sufâ—â—rings soever for such are they that keâ—p their habitations 〈◊〉 the power and love of God and such overcome by the blood 〈◊〉 the Lamb and the word of their testimony and shall reign â—ith Christ as victorious Conquerors in his everlasting kingâ—â—m over death and darkness and the power of it and such 〈◊〉 abide in the love of the Truth and Faith of Gods Elect do 〈◊〉 and witness that seed which God will exalt over the earth â—â—â—ore which he will root out and overturn his enemies that his 〈◊〉 plant may take deep root and spread to the ends of the 〈◊〉 And so all friends who have received the love of the Truth and the knowledg of the life and power thereof wherein is immortality to the faithful and obedient Be valiant for the Truth upon earth and live in true love unity and peace always minding and folâ—owing those things which make for peace and feel the true and constant love and fellowship in the Gospel of peace life and salvation And so blessings from on high will fill your hearts and the glory of the Lord will be your rereward in the everlasting inheritance of life with the holy seed which will out-live all its enemies and remain when the enmity of the wicked and the seed of it is removed and gone So the Lord exalt his Name and Truth and promote his Kingdom over all that is contrary to himself that he alone may have the glory and preheminence whose right it is G. W. Waltham in Essex the 27 of the 11 month 1662. Epist. pag. 4. lin 30. for attained read retained pag. 5. lin 16. for so as he read so as neither he Reader this following Testimony was given forth by our dear Friend Edward Burroughs before he finished his testimony by death for the Truths sake which I thought fit here to insert RIchard Hubberthorne was born in the North part of Lancashire and was of very honest Parents his Father was a Yeoman of the Country and had a good Report of his Neighbours for uprightnâ—sse in all his dealings and Richard was his onely Son who was inclinable from his youth upwards to Religion and to the best way always minding the best things and following the company of good men and was never known to be addicted to vice or malignity nor ever following any evil course of life from his Child hood but fâ—â—red the Lord and walked uprightly before him and 〈◊〉 faithful according to the Light and knowledge received in all things and his natural disposition temper was meek and lowly and loved peace among men he was brought up with his Parents in good education according to the custom of the Country and in time of the late Wars he was disposed ro go into the Army and was in Scotland most of the time till the Land was reduced and he
external stuff pours out which hath poisoned many people which thou sayest thou shouldest open the Gospel withall all that have the least convincement may see thee to be a seducer for what is external is natural and what is natural knows not the things of God but the Lord be praised thou hast declared thy self abroad Qu. 12. Whether any Ministers of God were made Ministers by the wil of man yea or no Shew it me by the Scripture Pr. And in thy answer to this Query thou sayest There is 〈◊〉 Minister of God made by the will of man onely but by man in subordination Rep. Here thou crossest the Scripture Paul an Apostle not of man nor by man And here the lying spirit hath shewed it self indeed Pr. And thou sayest There is no such hope of any such calling as was in the time of the Apostles Rep. And here thou hast cast thy self and thy fellowâ— and all thy study to be without the Doctrine and Life of the Apostles for thou concludest there is no such calling yet thou talkest of laying on hands there thou and you are making likenesses which is forbidden and to be confounded and so we conclude and all the children of Light shall judge that your Hope and your Calling and your Ministry made by the will of man and not only by God to be without God and conarary to the Apostles Qu. 13. Shew me by the Scripture whether a man shall grow up to that condition that he need no man to teach him but the Lord or no Pr. We must not look for any immediate extraordinary miraculous teaching by revelation from the Lord and yet all men are taught of God too Rep. What confused stuff is this and blasphemy that comes out of thy bottle Thou wouldest make God not an immediate doth not God teach immediate Here thou shewest that thou dost not know the living God for the teaching of God is immediate in the least degree Pr. None aims to such a perfection of knowledge in his gifts as not to need teaching Rep. Here I charge thee to be a Lyar who speaks contrary to the Scripture and here I charge thee in the presence of the living God to be a slanderer who speaks of being taught of the Lord Jesus Christ outwardly by the spirit what confused stuff is this and here again I charge thee to be a lyar for the words of our Lord Jesus Christ are spirit and life but such as thou who lookest upon the outward thing cannot receive his words though you have the letter of the Gospel as they had the letter of the Law Quest. 14. Whether they be not Antichrists and disobey Christ that have the chief places in the assembliâ—â— stand praying in the synagogues which Christ did forbid his disciples to act such things and cried wo against those that did act them In thy answer to this querie thou ramblest up and down with many words to justifie that which Christ cried wo against to justifie the chiefest place in the Assemblies and to be called of men Master and for standing praying in the Synagogues which Christ pronounced wo against and so let all the people see if thou and you be not such as are called of men Masters and stand praying in the Synagogues which the wo was and is upon Mat. 23. and there is neither shelter nor hole for thee to hide thy self for them that walk in the truth will find thee out and praised be the Lord God of heaven and earth who hath given us a spirit of discerning and we are able to judge you who live in deceit for the Apostle prophesied with the spirit of the Lord that such should come and we see with the same spirit you are come and with the same spirit you are judged Quest. 15. Whether they be not Antichrists and of the Devil and no Ministers of Christ which do not abide in the Doctrine of Christ Pr. They that swerve from the Doctrine of Christ are of the spirit of Antichrist Rep. There thou art this is thy own condition who deniest immediate revelation and thou that deniest immediate revelation deniest Christ for Paul said the Son was revealed in him and so all that thou speakest is with the lying spirit in the wicked generation and whereas thou slanderest and sayest we rail that is false And again thou speakest of love because the letter declares it but the love of God who dwells in it to such thou art an enemy and as touching using plainness of speech to people because we do not flatter or use enticing words of mens wisdom which thou dost so thou hast cleared thy self from the children of God and to be in the generation of them that swerve from the doctrine of Christ who seekest to justifie that which he cried wo against aâ— Mat. 23. And whereas thou accusest us for railing upon people thou art a liar for love useth plainness of speech and love and charity is out of deceit if we should flatter we should hold it up and should be pleading for thy generation who talks of God and confesses that you have not the same knowledge and understanding that the Apostles had Therefore how can you know God then And whereas thou speakest of trying the spirits the fruits of it is love here with the spirit of love is thy generation tried for when the servants of the Lord have been moved to come into your Synagogues some have been stockt and wounded and imprisoned and hailed out of your synagogues And is this the fruits of your spirit Qu. 16. Whether they be not seducers that draw people from the anointing which is in them and tell them they must be taught of a man whereas the anointing teaches them they need no man teach them but as the anointing teacheth them and the promise is to him that doth abide in it eternally Pr. Many false Prophets are gone forth Rep. Here thou hast proved thy self to be a false Prophet who denies immediate revelation for whom the Lord sent forth he spoke to them immediately which thou deniest and there thou art one of the false Prophets which thou speakest of and knows nothing of the anointing who deceives the simple and ignorant the world may wonder after such but who are in the light and receive any thing immediate will see thee in the dark to be a deceiver for none in thy generation can witness that you need no man teach you but the anointing for who doth are come out from your teaching and you both And as touching Sects them we deny as thou speakest in thy answer to the fifteenth Querie therefore do we see thee with that which is no Sect to be colouring and deluding people telling them thy error is truth who quotes and misappliest the Scripture to maintain thy falshood Pr. The flesh is quickned with the spirit of life to bring forth some kind of fleshly fruits 1 King 8.46 Joh. 14.4 Prov. 20.9 1 Joh. 1.8 10 Eccles. 7.22
Son of God and immediate miraculous revelation and sayest there is no need of any such qualifications now therefore doth all your Teachers shew forth your railing and slanders but these things we wave for God will give you you lyars your portion who hath not the same knowledge and understanding that the Apostles had and here thou hast shamed thy mother that is adulterated from the Apostles life Pr. Our gifts are from the spirit of God though studied for with these means that are outward and moral c. Rep. Here I charge thee to be a Lyar in the presence of God the gift of God is a free gift it is not studyed for nor is it gotten by moral means and if it were studied for and found in outward means then it were not a free gift and here thou hast made it manifest that thou knowest not the gift of God for it is not him that wills nor him that runs but God that shews mercy So thou blasphemer for shame blush Pr. No man can be wise without the spirit of wisdom nor knowing without the spirit of knowledge so no man can pray as he ought without the spirit of prayer p. 71. Rep. In thy answer to the first query thou sayest you do not attain the same koowledge and understanding of the Gospel as the Apostles did then if thou have not the same knowledge and understanding it is all deceit for in thy own words thou sayest you cannot not pray without the spirit knowledge and understanding and thou sayest you do not attain the same knowledge and understanding the Apostles had then thou hast not the same spirit of love to pray withall and thou sayest you cannot pray without the spirit yet thou goes and tells people of a Gospel and hath not the same knowledge and understanding the Apostles had therefore thy knowledge is bruitish Jer. 10.14 Psal. 92.6 Psal â—9 8 Pr. That we may according to the Catholick Faith worship one God in Trinity Rep. For these things which thou tells people of there is no Scripture as Catholick Faith and Trinity and of three persons Pr. The second kind of the holy Spirits impressions on humane souls page 78. Rep. There is no Scripture which speaks of humane souls for the soul thou knows not who art a murtherer with thy Deity stuff who would dit up the way from God but praises be to the living God who hath given his sons and daughters eyes to see thee and all your Deity stuff which you imitate who are whoredomed from God but the Saints of the most high God do sing over it and you halelujah to God who witness their souls redeemed And there is abundance of stuff in that Book which thou calls the discourse of the Spirit which is not worth mentioning and abundance of lyes and slanders but them we pass as knowing the author of lyes from whence they come is for destruction And in page 95 thou speaks of Timothy studying for his gift Did he study for his gift or for the proving of it and dividing of the word aright but he did not study for it for the gift of God is a free-gift And in another place thou speaks of the blessing of God being upon your studies but I say the curse of God is upon your studies who have not the same knowledge and understanding that the Apostles had and so preaches another gospel Pr. And most blasphemously to profess and boast of an equality with God p. 66. Rep. Thy boasting is excluded without in thy generation and thou art excluded from the life and mind of the Apostle who said Let the same mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2.5 6. and this thou calls blasphemy and so thou hast shewed what spirit thou art of contrary to the Apostle Pr. And for our new sect of Enthusiasts had they the spirit of God as they pretend abiding in them and speaking in them c. Rep. All pretences and sects are denyed where the Spirit of God dwells though with thy generation such was ever called so And that is thy own who hath made a discourse of the Spirit and here thou art clearly from them that the Spirit of God spoke in and did abide in them which Spirit of God did descend into their hearts which Spirit God hath given to every one to profit withall and the Spirit of the Father speaketh in you saith Christ Mat. 10.20 take no thought and in many places thou art speaking of a study and blessing a study Here thou art contrary to Christ who saith Take no thought and art of the Devil And here I charge thee to be one of them that Jeremy speaks of who speaks a vain divination of thine own heart Pr. As here Angels are Spirits and the souls of men are Spirits but God is not a Spirit as they are Spirits pag 57. Rep. This is confusion for Christ said God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and there thou art raced out to be without the doctrine of Christ. Pr. 'T is the very ground whereupon this last upstart crew of Quakers build all their resolutions and strange fanatick opinions and heresies even that which they call the light within us whereunto we must only give ear pag. 112. Rep. O thou impudent God will make the an example thou lying spirit Is the Light which Christ hath enlighned every one withall that comes into the world a strange fanatick opinion which one he loves it and the other he hates it and he that hates it it is condemnation Here thou art against Christ and the Apostles for the Apostle did exhort the Saints to take heed unto the light within them untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts O thou Lyar did the Prophet cal the truel light a deceit of the heart or is the light of God a false vision Christ Jesus which doth enlighten every one that comes into the world which is witnessed among the Quakers and he that walks in the Light shall have the Light of Life and thou that hates this light speaks a divination of thy own brain and a lying imagination and with this Light of Christ thou shalt be condemned thou blasphemer who calls the Light of Christ heresie and fanatick opinions but here thou dost but fill up the measure of thy Fathers who calls this Light which is Christ in us Heresie p. 113. To all you Readers of his Book I speak to the Light of Christ in you which if you love it it will bring you to weigh and comprehend his words and if you walk in it you shal have the light of life and you that hate it it shal be your Condemnation when the book of Conscience is opened you shal witness that I speak the truth to every one of your souls R. Sherlock thou bids them beware
of false Prophets and saith the tryal of the spirit is the Word of God Rep. By the Word of God thou art tryed who are in the conceivings Again thou speakest of the High-Priests and Pharisees that councelled against Christ to put him to Death Rep. So do you now where he is made manifest shevving your selvet to be in the same generation Pr. It waas this spirrit also that stirred up Demetrius the Silver-smith with the rest of the Crafts-men against St. Paul and his companions because his Profit and gain which he got by making silver shrines for Diana was in danger to be lost pag. 116. Rep. The same spirit novv being made manifest it cryes against your Trades-men and Crafts-men and your Diana and your two great Schools where you learn your trade which are puddles of darkness and the same spirit being stirred up to cry against your profession it sets you in an uproar novv as in the Synagogues vve do vvitness Pr. And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed Corah and all his Company a fair warning for Lay-persons pag. 86. Rep. The judgement did not come upon Corah because they vvas Lay-persons but it vvas for gain-saying the truth as thou doest For many of them that gave forth the Scripture vvas plain men Paul a Tenâ—-mâ—ker and most of the Apostles Fishermen Moses a keeper of Sheep thou mayest call these Lay-men vvhich gave forth the Scripture vvho make a trade of their vvords And here thou hast shevved that thou hast not the knovvledge and understanding vvhich the Apostles had vvhich thou confessedst thou hadst not tberefore thou art as a bruit beast and there I leave thee to be condemned vvith the light vvhich thou callest Heresie The Mittimus answered by which R. H was sent Prisoner to Norwich Castle by Ralph Woolmer Justice of the Peace October 9 1654 WHereas I am committed to Prison by a Mittimus under the pretence of the breach of the Law in these things therein expressed and laid to my charge As first Openly to declare before all the people That he that preached viz. Mr. John Mony was a deluder of the people I answer This accusation was false for that word was not so spoken but to the Light of Christ in all your consciences I speak declare openly to all people that he that acts those things which Christ declared against is no Minister of Christ all who are hirelings as Christ saith John 10. who seek for their gain from their quarters as Isaiah saith Isa. 56.11 who bear rule by their means as Jeremiah saith Jer. 5.31 and who preach for hire as Micah saith Mic. 3.11 and all who are called of men Master stand praying in the Synagogues and have the chiefest places in the Assembly and lay heavy burthens upon the people which Christ cryed wo against Matt. 23. such are no Ministers of Christ who act such things for they who are the Ministers of Christ do abide in the Doctrine of Christ to the Light of Christ I speak that with it John Mony may see himself to be out of the Doctrine of Christ holding up those things that Christ cryed wo against Another thing charged against me is That the people in a great number gathered together about me which might have proved of evil consequence they being the under-sort of people I answer Where-ever the gospel was preached there were gatherings together and uproars and tumults as you may read in the Scriptures Acts 19. and the same gospel worketh the same effects now as in did then and those whom thou callest the under-sort of people were all quiet and were willing to hear the word of the Lord and did not offer any persecution or violence but you who profess your selves to be Saints have proved your selves to be the undersort of people as by your consequence have made it appear by your persecution by taking me out of the multitude who were willing to hear the Word of Truth sent me to Bridewell and then to prison for declaring the Word of the Lord freely as I have received it and so are persecutors and not Saints for the Saints were ever persecuted but never did persecute any Another thing charged against me is That being often asked my Name and Countrey would give no account I answer The Lord hath called me out of my own countrey and from my Fathers House to declare his Word as I have received it and I was freely declaring the Word of the Lord when opposingly thou camest and asked my Name and Countrey which when I ceased speaking I declared it unto thee before I went out of the yard and so there is no ground for this accusation but enmity Another thing charged against me That being brought before me he in contempt of Magistracy as I apprehended would not once move his hat off his head I answer O! for shame never profess to be a Magistrate and make such apprehendings the ground of thy Law as to call this contempt of Magistracy not to put off the hat Where was ever such a thing mentioned in all the Scriptures by any who were set to rule over the people to execute the Law of God upon offendors When did Moses who was a Law-giver and a Judge over all Israel command any such thing of any that came before him to put off his hat or ever in all his Writings make mention of such a thing as contempt of Magistracy or imprison any that did not But it was the transgression of the Law of God to respect persons for he that respects persons commits sin but by your Law those who cannot respect persons and so fulfil the Law of God you say they contemn Magistracy and are not to subject to Authority Oh! for shame never make Laws upon such outward traditions for here you go from the life of God and from the law of God and from the practice of all the holy men of God which the Scripture speaks of When did ever Joshua or Japhat when the people came before them command any such thing or mention it to put off their hats and prison them if they would not or tell them they contemned Magistracy When did ever Solomon who was in the large Wisdom command any such thing of the people whom he was over to put off their hats or imprison them if they would not Shew me one example amongst all the Heathenish Emperors Kings Princes Dukes Rulers or other Officers which the Scripture speaks of that ever commanded any of their people to put off their hats and imprison them if they would not Did ever Pharoah King of Egypt whom Moses and Aaron went before command any such thing and imprison them if they would not Did ever Nebuchadnezzar or Darius command any such thing of any Did ever Herod command any such thing or imprison them that would not Did ever Agrippa or Festus command Paul to put off his hat vvhen he came before them Here you outscrip all the Heathenish
was and the place of her abode and answer was made to both then they asked What their business was to Oxford they answered They were commanded of the Lord to come thither they asked What to do they answered To declare against sin and ungodliness which they lived in as pride covetousness lust and all uncleanness self-righteousness and all false worship which both Priest and people lived in contrary to the commands of God Then they asked them How they knew they were called of God they said They knew the voice of God and that they were called of God And this is to be observed as a true testimony of these two servants of the Lord that they did neither beg nor steal neither did they wrong nor violence to any man they coveted no mans silver gold nor apparel but because they obeyed the word of the Lord and did his work faithfully speaking the word of the Lord in boldness against the deceits of the Priests and people in the Streets in the Market-place in the Synagogues and in the Colledges clearing and discharging their consciences in the Lords work and service freely administring that which they had freely received from the Lord of whom they do receive their reward for their reward is with them and the presence of the Lord God doth accompany them and for their obedience to the Lord they receive the shame of the world as ever the servants of the Lord did who were mocked buffâ—tted and shamefully used being tied together at Johns Colledge and pumped and kicked and buffetted and thrust into a pool called Giles's pool so that they went into a remote place to wash the dirt off their cloathes And here both Magistrates and Schollers and they who pretend to be Ministers of the Gospel are the chiefest actors in this persecution and so do make themselves manifest to be in the same generation of the Scribes and Pharisees and Hypocrites who were ever persecutors of the righteous seed whomever it hath brought forth and so they fill up the measure of their fathers iniquities Again as concerning the Justices being assembled the Vice-chancellor being the chief actor in this persecution said That they blasphemed the name of God and did abuse the Spirit of God and dishonour the grace of Christ and asked the women Whether they did read the Scriptures they answered Yea they did then they asked them Whether they were not to be obedient to the power of the Magistrate they answered They were obedient to the power of God and to the power as it was of God their souls were subject unto it for consâ—ience sake Well said the Vice-chancellor you prophane the word of God and I fear you know not God though you so much speak of him And then they concluded that there was matter enough for their commitment and punishment and wished the women to withdraw consenting that a paper should be drawn up for their being whipped out of the City And when the paper was drawn up it was presented to the Major to set his hand to it but the said Major refused and said He was not willing to do it but one of the Justices said That it was the privilâ—â—ge of the City that if any vagrant were taken within the Franchises and liberties of the City the paper must be drawn up That I such a one Major have committed such and such persons and then it is to be sealed with the Office seal but the Major answered That he would refuse both then others said who were zealous and thought that they had done God good service That if he would not it should be done by them and it was agreed upon that they should be soundly whipped and that for the present because of the tumult be put into the cage And the next morning their wills was performed though with much unwillingness in the executioner Many other particulars might be mentioned of their sufferings afflictions and patience under reproachings revilings slanders and false accusations cast upon them which is the portion of the righteous in the world as Christ said Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute and speak all manner of evil against you falsly for my names sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you Mat. 5.11 12. and saith Christ They shall put you out of the synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service and these râ—â—â—gs will â—hey do unto you because they know not the Father nor me Joh. 16.2 3 4. Aâ—â— nâ—w both sons and daughters of the Lord comes to witness these â—hings fulfilled and you Magistrates Priests and people do fulfil the Scriptures against the servants of the living God as you have done against these And herein is made manifest your tyranny and persecution the chief Priest being the chief actor in it yet there was many in the City that have so much of the light of Christ made manifest in them as to acknowledge them to be servants of the living God and to own them in their sufferings and to confess the appearance of Christ in them before men and in love did accompany them out of the City and did own them in their persecution And this testimony is true to testifie to all people and to all the world the cruelty of unreasonable men and that the Major had no hand in any of this cruel usage and persecution The names of the two women who suffered persecution for righteousness sake is Elizabeth Heavens and Elizabeth Fletcher R.H. Two Letters written by R. H. during his imprisonment in Norwich Castle From Norwich Castle TO all my dear friends whom the Lord by his eternal spirit is gathering out of the World into the covenant of Life to be of one heart and mind and soul. Wait all in that which is pure and invisible that the pure teachings of Christ you may know every one in particular which is without form and beauty to the visible that nothing you may receive but that which speaks from the eternal moving of the living God have salt in your selves to savour with all words you may discern which is without life and power and standing single in that which is pure of God all such deny to be your teachers which have the words of truth but live not in the life and power of what they say so in the power of the living God wait in silence of all flesh and here comes that which hath been fed to be famisht and that which hungers after God comes to receive living nurture and nourishment from God So in the invisible comes to feed upon the bread of life which comes from heaven and the tender plants will come to grow up unto eternal life and fruit will be brought forth unto God dwelling in that which is invisible and all untimely fruit will wither and fade away but keeping low in the light
that in it your minds may be kept discerning will grow as the light doth arise and spring up in you you will discern all airy spirits who through great swelling words would allure and draw all the minds of those who have escaped the common pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ so all dear friends in that which is pure wait and in it watch against the nature which would keep you in bondage to corruption and out of the glorious liberty of the sons of God and from the glory of the first body and out of the order and course of nature and out of the Covenant where all things are blessed now in that which hath convinced you wait that in it you may see that which is gone out which is for the sword which is for the famine the consumption determined is to pass through the whole earth for the earth must be plowed up and the ground dressed before the Lord can reap his pleasant fruit which grows upon his own most pure Vine which he himself hath planted Now there are plants which the Father hath not planted within the light is seen and discerned from the Fathers planâ—s and here is your teacher the light which waiting in it you will come to discern between the clean and unclean and here that which is of God you will know and that which is contrary unto him and here is the true discovery and here is watching over one anothers souls in the light for in the light true judgement is given upon the deceit where it is for in the light it iâ— seen Now every one which is enlightned by Christ Jesus walk up to the light which you have received in obedience to the Lord that he in you all may be glorified and you all who are faithful may enter into his joy So the mighty God of power be with you true and faithful ones babes and children of the living God that you be not of them that turn back but of that which go on to the saving of the soul and that as faithful witnesses to God you may stand boldly against all gain-sayers and against all the powers of darkness that in the mighty power of God you may dwell and in it triumph over the World and all the deceits of it Your servant in the Lord Richard Hubberthorn Prisoner in Norwich Castle To my dear Brethren and Sisters whom the Lord is gathering inâ—o the Covenant of Life DEar brethren and sisters in my Fathers love I dearly salutâ— you in the same love and power which is immortal bâ— which we are raised from the dead in it to keep pure union anâ— fellowship together and in it to see one another and to know onâ— another and in it freely to open to one another that which from the secrets of God is made manifest that ye may all drink togetheâ— of the pure water of Life which nourisheth the living soul and so one soul we come all to witness and one bread which the Fâ—ther freely giveth that by it his own may be fed the babes and children begotten by him that which is sincere pure and immortal they feed upon and they come to know where life is in the presence of the pure living God and as into the knowledge of him you come to grow out of the worlds nature you come to be separated you come to receive of him the earnest of that inheritance which the obedient and faithful comes to enjoy walk worthy of that eternal measure which you have received for freely it is given unto you from the bowels of the love of God and it is hid from the world for the world is not worthy of it nor of them who in it live so as you all abide the pure measure which is from God you will come to see a clear separation and redemption from that which is mortal and fadeth away and from that which cumbers your minds and defiles the temple of the living God which temple ye are as you abide in that which is pure which doth cleanse and keep pure and clear the mind and understanding and the conscience where the mystery comes to be opened and all things which hath been hid comes to be made manifest in the light in soberness and patience all wait upon the living God that you may know his leadings and workings in every condition and his power in its several workings that you may know and discern and his voice you may know when it speaks that so every voice and spirit you may try 〈◊〉 now and judge by that which is eternal and heâ—e in your strength you will come to witness and your growth out of the weakness and so no more tossed to and fro with windy doctrines but a leading up into the life you will daily witness and a passing from all works the righteousness which is of faith you will witness wrought and established in you by the eternal word which is in the heart in which if you do abide and continue ye need not that any man teach you for from it have you learned where the teacher is and where your condemnation is which turns from it to the witness in you All I speak that these things you may see and know and read in the light for from the life and love of God these proceed to nourish the sâ—me life which in measure is begotten in you yea verily the bowels the tender bowels of the love of God is opened towards you that nothing may be hid from you which may add to your growth in the life of God as you have been learned and here taught by the pure word of life which from the father unto your souls hath reached so go and approving your measures to the Lord that all your enemies may be cleared so in the pure life of God the fleshly lusts which war againâ—â— the soul and all the traps and snares you may see and subtle temptations which draws the simple out of the way that into the pure wisdom of God you may every one come to grow and in his will you may all wait for counsel from him that nothing may lead you but the Lord and then in all conditions you are led by the Lord in them you will find his presence his power and peace and joy you will find in your obedience and faithfulness and herein your strength you will find increased and power to conquer and reign over that which hath been too strong for you and led you into captivity but if your minds go from that which is pure then your strength is lost and you are weak as other men therefore in the light dwell and in the innocency then you will be able to contend and stand for the pure truth of God delivered unto you against all serpents and vipers and all the enemies of God and wait all upon God out of your own wills that the workings of his mighty power you may
all know which secretly worketh to bring forth his own plant hâ—s seed his elect from the ends of the earth and from the bondage of corruption which the creatures groan under but the redemption and deliverance of the creatures is to be waited for that the glorious liberty may be witnessed which is free from corruption and this the daughters and sons of the living God is to waiâ— for abiding in the word of his grace there is nothing hid whicâ—â—hall not be made manifest nor nothing promised but shall be fulfilled to the seed in whom all the promises of God is Yea and Amen for ever Your dear brother in that which from the world is hid Richard Hubberthorn Prisoner in Norwich Castle Written the 19. day of the second Month 1655. Some Queries for you to answer who hold forth this testimony to the people That Christ is a Creaâ—ure against those that wâ—â—ness him to be the Son of God by which the World was made perfect God and Man not created but begotten according to the Scriptures 1. What knowledge of Christ that is without a man and how may a man do to lay his foundation thereon without having him revealed in spirit within seeing that was held forth by some of you 2. When was that Christ created which you say must as a Creature judge the World and if in Maries time who was judge of the World till then or did he judge the World as God till then and as a Creature ever since 3. Whether was not that Christ which you call a Creature sent out of Heaven from the Father and did he send a Creature to redeem the Creation and judge it 4. Is there any son of man as a Redeemer but he that came down from Heaven who filleth heaven and earth and was not he in heaven when he was in the flesh with his Disciples and do not the Saints partake of his flesh now upon earth 5. Whether all they which did see that body which to the world appeared in similitude of sinful flesh did see the shape and hear the voice of the Son of God or know the Man Christ Jesus 6. And if Christ was in that body which he appeared to the World before the World was as was asserted by Joshua Sprigge and he a creature as you say and the World made by a creature whether is not this to make the word of God of none effect 7. Was not the person of Christ Jesus before the World was his nature and glory the same that is now with the Father in heaven or in what is it changed and when had the man Christ Jesus his beginning if you can declare it 8 Did the Son of man take upon him the nature of the first Adam as he is in the fall when he took part of flesh and blood or do any know his nature who are in the fall and is not the flesh of Christ a mysterie to all mankinde till he be revealed in spirit 9 What that eating of the flesh of the Son of Man is seeing none can have eternal life in them but who eat it is the eating of it the eating of a creature and doth not all as they eat thereof become one flesh and spirit with him in his life and knowledge and if you have eat that flesh drunk that blood how is it you have the knowledge of God which is life eternal yet to seek seeing he that eats and drinks thereof can never thirst more but shall have the spring of life within or can the eating of that flesh which is of the nature of the first Adam give life eternal 10 How is Christ the only begotten Son of God if he be a creature or how can God beget a creature and if the whole person of Christ was not the before the earthly Adam how was the Creation made by him or how can he be of the nature of fallen Adam and not earthly and defiled or can God dwell in that nature but as it is purified and brought to the beginning seeing the fulness of the God-head dwelt bodily in him and is â—he flesh of Christ heavenly or earthly or is he Christ without his flesh 11 Whose obedience and righteousness and works is that which is not Christs and how is it that Christ makes any obedience or righteousness accepted with the Father which is not his own and of his own working this being one thing affirmed by you 12 How is it that a man can be in the spirit of God and in the spirit of Satan both at one instant and doth not the obeying the one deny the other and are not these the two Masters that no man can serve which you seem to affirm the contrary 13 Whether did God create man with any thing of the Devil in him and if not whether any can witness perfect redemption so long as the Devil hath any thing in them seeing some of you could not receive this testimony Now seeing we did answer many of your queries and you would answer none to us so now answer these things in writing that it may be manifest what testimony it is you bear of Christ Jesus for of our testimony of Christ Jesus we are not ashamed before men A lover of your souls and eternal good R. H. The innocency of the righteous seen of God cleared from all slanderous tongues and false accusers IN answer to a printed paper set forth by Frederick Woodall wherein he goes about to render the truth of God odious and by a cloak of maliciousness to cover those lies which he hath formerly published but in the light of God I do him see and comprehend and in it he is made manifest to all the children of light to be no Minister of Christ and to the light of Christ in all consciences I speak that in it they may read these things which from the light is declared that so occasion may be cut off from all who seek occasion against the truth that so peoples minds may not be incensed against the truth of God by his refuge of lyes set forth in his paper called Natural and Spiritual light distinguished But in the light of Christ which is but one which is not natural but spiritual is he seen to be natural and his distinction to be natural and so in the light the natural man with his natural doctrine and natural distinction is denied and Christ Jesus we do witness who is the true light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world Joh. 1.9 I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in darkness Joh. 12.46 and this is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather then light because their deeds were evil Joh. 3.19 20 21. Now all you who are enlightned by Christ Jesus and can read in the light and with understanding to you there is no occasion of stumbling but all
opened which were blind and now in the Light of Christ the Way is seen which leads unto God the Father of Light and in it all false Prophets and false Teachers they do see and by them cannot be deceived who come in sheeps cloathing and are beautiful outwardly decked with the Saints words but inwardly ravening Wolves And now their covering comes to be taken of which was none of their own and now the Wolf appears ravening against the Lambs of God for the day hath made them manifest and of them the Lambs of God are aware and in innocency are preserved and in the pure Wisdom which is not of this World in it they see and comprehend the Serpents Wisdom subtilty craftiness and snares which for the righteous seed are laid but in the Eternal Light made manifest to the seed a way is seen out of them all and by the Eternal Power of the pure living God of life deliverance out of them all is witnessed Eternal pure living praises to him for evermore Given forth from the love of God to the souls of those who desire to know the truth to take away all stumblings and cut off all occasions from all minds that in the Light of Gheist the truth they may see to be clear from all slanders and false accusations which from the unclean spirits proceeds which goeth out of the mouth of the Dragon to devour the innocent but from the Dragon and all his Floods the innocent are preserved Given forth from him who a witness stands for the truth of God against all deceit R. H. Written from Mondlesham in Suffolk the 29. of the 3. Month 1655. The distance between Flesh and Spirit c. THis is the Word of the Lord to all people as I am moved of the Lord to clear the scandals and false accusations cast upon the righteous seed and as the seed of God in all generations have suffered reproaches from the World so now the same seed where it is brought forth suffers by this generation of evil doers and is afflicted and tormented and shamefully accused now in England whom you call Quakers And you say we deny all the Ordinances of Christ and you say we do not honor the Magistrâ—tes nor are subject unto Authority but are disturbers and breakers of the peace which is false The first accusation You say we deny Repentance Ans. And this is false for Repentance is the gift of God and this gift we have received and his free grace which teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 by repentance we have forsaken sin as it was discover'd to us by the Light of Christ which he hath enlightned us withall and so the mercies of God we have found according to his promise and are sent of the Lord to preach Repentance to all people who would have all men come to repentance and to the acknowledgement of the truth that they might be saved 2 Tim. 2.25 And with the Word of the Lord as they are moved of the Lord do many go now with this Doctrine into your streets into your markets into your synagogues and into your cities to call you to repentance before the wrath of the Lord come upon you and both sons and daughters now are sent to preach this Doctrine amongst you from the Lord and for obeying the Lord herein are they reviled by you and persecuted and falsly accused And thâ—s is left for a Testimony against you from the Lord and shall bear witness against you The second Accusation is That we deny Baptism Ans. The Baptism of Christ we own which all the Saints were baptized into which was by one spirit into one body as in 1 Cor. 12.13 and by this baptism we do witness the washing away of sin not onely the washing avvay the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God But sprinkling of Infants vve deny which there is no Scripture for And all you who from your imagination do imitate Johns Baptism and so go into the vvater and say you are believers and have right to the Ordinances of Christ but you to be believers we deny vvho are not yet come to repentance and your Water-baptism vvhich is but an imitation from the letter for the Lord never sent you forth nor commanded you either to preach or baptize as they did vvhom you go about to imitate vvho are not yet come to repentance nor to the first principle of the doctrine of Christ nor to ovvn the light of Christ in your consciences which should exercise them and lead you to vvait upon God and lead you to repentance And the Faith of believers you know not for the mysterie of Faith is held in a pure conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 vvhich you cannot vvitness which hates the Light of Christ vvhich should exercise your consciences and so your minds and consciences are defiled and vvith that mind you talk of faith and of the Ordinances of Christ and of Water-baptism vvhich serveth unto us for a figure as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 3 21. And Jesus Christ was baptized by John by water that he might fulfil all righteousness Mat. 3.15 And John was a Prophet and Christ is the end of the Prophets and Johns baptism was but a figure for he said he did but baptize with water but Christ is the end of all figures types and shadows and did fulfil them for he fulfilled all righteousness and Johns Ministry and Johns baptism and he that fulfilled all righteousness the same baptizeth which John did bear witness unto and all men came unto him Joh. 3 16 but he baptized none with water But this is a mysterie to thy dark mind which knows not the baptism of Christ nor Johns doctrine nor Jesus Christ the true Light which enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world vvhich John bore witness unto John 1.9 but goes to hold up the types and figures which Christ came to fulfil and so deniest Christ to be come in the flesh to fulfil all righteousness and so thou art an Antichrist who holds up the figures which Christ came to fulfil and so thou denies the Scriptures and Christ who said he came to fulfil all righteousness and the Saints baptism thou art ignorant of which is by one Spirit into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 And Paul who was a Minister of Christ and preached the Gospel did bring many into this baptism and he was not sent to baptize with water but to preach the Gospel and all the Churches which he preached unto came to witness Christs baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire by one Spirit into one body and were baptized into Christ who was the head of the body Rom. 6.3 and by this baptism we are thus washed from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit but your imitated baptism of water we deny who live in your filthiness of flesh and spirit whose minds and consciences are defiled but the baptism of Christ we
be approved true unto all that come unto God by Christ. Again John Tombes in page 5. pretending to answer the Quakers Objections which was never by them Objected goeth about to pervert the Scripture Luke 17.21 Behold the Kingdom of God is wiâ—hin you saith To his apprehension it is more truly rendred among you so that in his apprehension he would make a more certain rule and form of words then the Scripture so in this he doth not answer our Objections but contradicts Christs words and to prove his apprehension he saith That the Light within each man cannot be meant the Kingdom of God for the Kingdom of God is a thing that was not before Christs appearance in the flesh and was taken from the Jews and given to the Gentiles Ans. Here thou wouldst make people believe strange things or Preach a new Doctrine which hath not been heard or read of before thou hast said That the Word written in the Bible is thy light but there is not such a Word written in that Bible that saith that the Kingdom of God was not before Christs appearance in the flesh but thou may finde it written in the Bible that his Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom Dan. 7. Was not the Kingdom of God before the World was was not the Kingdom of God in the time of Enoch Isaac and Jacob Abraham Moses and the Prophets And when the Apostles did Preach the Kingdom of God was come nigh unto them and was at hand did they not Preach that which was in the beginning But herein it is manifest that thou neither own Scripture Light nor Scripture Words but this Doctrine few will believe that the Kingdom of God was not before Christs appearance in the flesh And therefore it is returned back upon thee that thou mayest see and be ashamed of what thou hast declared from thy darkness Again in page 55. another Scripture thou goes about to pervert Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory but thou wilt not have it in you but to you and so denieth both the truth of the thing and the Scripture words for the Apostle saith That this is the riches of the glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory but against the Mystery and glory of it thou hast set thy self to oppose and also that history thou wilt not own to be true and herein thou art guilty of that whereof thou hast accused others and herein thou wouldst make it appear to those that would believe thee that thy false apprehensions is the light of Scripture and not the Scripture thy light as before thou said it was And in the same page 55. thou sayest It is a meer fantastick delusion to imagine a Christ in themselves different from that Jesus Christ born of Mary who is the Saviour of the world Answ. If so then thou ownest that Christ as aboâ—e mentioned is in those that do believe except thou wilt deny that any Christ is in them contrary to the Scripture 2 Cor. 13.5 and this which thou hast here affirmed thou and thy brethren will not own unless you deny what you have formerly preached and printed Again page 41. thou hast accused Paul falsly saying that Paul followed the light within him and yet he accounted this his great sin Act. 26.9 1 Tim. 1.13 Answ. Paul in these Scriptures doth not say that he followed the light within him but he followed his thoughts which led him to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus and what he did it was ignorantly in unbelief and that was his sin and not following the light within but if it be sin to follow the light within why doth Baxter and thou say that a man should hearken to it follow it and obey it And Baxter saith that he is no Christian that denies it and so here thy reverend brother hath proved thee to be no Christian. Again page 50. thou sayest If David had had a light within him of it self a sufficient and safe guide to God he should not have been jealous of his own heart and thoughts so as to need God to search know and try him but it is otherwise with David and therefore he knew that he had not a light within him as a sufficient safe guide to lead him into the way everlasting Answ. Dâ—vid saith Psal. 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee so that contrary to what thou hast affirmed he knew that he had a light within him which was sufficient to lead him to life everlasting and this light in him was that which made him jealous of his own heart and thoughts and let him see that he had need of God to search prove and try him lest iniquity should be found in him but what Prophet or Apostle is it that can escape thy slanderous Tongue who affirmeth that the Word of God is not a sufficient guide to lead unto him before thou saidst a supposed light was not sufficient but here thou hast accused the word of God with insufficiency and David that he did not know such a light in him and so wouldst make him like unto thy self a giver forth of lyes in writing Again page 55. thou sayest The light within each person is by creation and inward work of the Spirit but the Gospel is the wâ—rd brought to our ears by preachers without us which is never received by many of those to whom it is preached Answ. In this thou hast said more of the light within each person then thou hast heard the Quakers say of it for thou hast here affirmed that the light in each person is an inward work of the Spirit and thou hast made it to be more inward spiritual and effectual then thou hast made the Gospel to be for the Gospel thou sayest is but the word brought to your ears without you and by mâ—ny never received but the light of each person is a work of the Spirit which is more then words outward to the ear so why hast thou so much contended against those who say Christ hath enlightned every man with his light which is spiritual when as thou not onely confesseth all is enlighâ—ned but saith That each person haâ—h a light within by creation and inward work of the Spirit but whether thou plead for or against the light in every person it is but from ignorance and darkness both concerning the light and the Gospel which is preached in every creature and so whether thou own or disown the light in words it is manifest thou art out of the life of it and knows not the spiritual work by it So these things are written unto thee that thou mayest see thy self and put thy mouth in the dust waiting in silence if so be there may be hope Again page 65. thou sayest The Apostle denies mens calling 〈◊〉 the Communion of Gods grace to be universal 1 Cor. 1.9 24 26. And again
he hath affiâ—med And again consider that Heaven is God's Throne and the place of his rest And whether God can dwell in the Heavens and have no unity with them with his own Throne and with the place of his rest And consider whether there was ever such a doctrine preached or believed among the sons of men from Abel unto this day there is no record of such a Doctrine neither in the Scriptures Histories Heathens Pagans nor others therefore it is now fit to be recorded or put in Chronicle that all may see what a doctrine is crept into the World and that all may see that Night is come upon all such Prophets that they have no vision nor knowledge of God nor his wayes And this is the man that hath set himself to oppose and gainsay the truth and is a daily reproacher of those that walk in it yet professeth himself to be a Minister of Christ and those whose hearts are upright towards God is he reviling comparing them to Papists Hereticks Scribes and Pharises Indians and such like but to none of those in these things before-mentioned neither to Scribe Pharisee Pope Turk Indian or Alcaron can he be compared for they have been all restrained by something of God in them from writing so blasphemously against God and Christ and the Holy Ghost the Soul Heaven and Union and the Saints as he hath done And so this is another Gospel than that which was preached by Christ and his Apostles and so by the Spirit of God to be accursed for ever And whereas he saith That the union between God and believers cannot be comprehended by the Saints here he charges a lye upon the Saints and speaks contrary to the Scriptures 1 Joh. 1.7 1 Joh. 4.15 1 Joh. 5.20 for the Saints did witnesse union with God here for he that sanctified and they that are sanctified were one they said they were of God and the whole World lyeth in wickedness as he is so are we in this present World they comprehend with all Saints the heighth and length and the breadth of the love of God while they are in the world Now whoever would have believed it that the teachers in England had been so blind or durst have spoken so contrary to the Scriptures they professing them so much to be their rule and learning so long and studying so much to get the Letter of them but now is found both out of the Letter and Life but now the day of God is risen in his peoples hearts and they are seen to be such before their books come forth and now that which they were judged to be before they published themselves in print comes forth that all the world may see that the judgment of God is true from his servants upon them and that all the Rulers of the Nation may see that such are not fit to be held up but be cried against and if any should by a Law give such the tenth parts of mens estates they may expect that by the righteous Law of God ten parts of theirs may be taken away and given to strangers so if any people maintain this doctrine they maintain that which the curse of God comes upon and if they come not out from it will be partakers of the plague And again as concerning Hell Clapham saith that men are not in Hell while they are upon earth And here is another lye Answ. The Prophet said while he was upon earth thou hast redeemed my soul out of hell and Jonah said Out of the belly of hell cryed I unto thee and so the believers doctrine was contrary to Claphams for they knew both heaven and hell while they were upon earth and a redeeming out of the one into the other by Jesus Christ. Again he accuseth Peter saying that he speaks of the divine Nature being communicated to the Saints but understands divine graces Answ. The Apostle doth not speak one thing and understand another as the Priests do for he speaks with the Spirit and with understanding and knows how to divide the word of God aright who spoke unto them that had escaped the corruption which is in the world through lust and knew what it was to be partakers of the divine nature but herein the wickedness of this Priest is manifest who would keep people from being made partakers of the divine Nature and would shut up the kingdom of heaven from men while they are upon earth Again he accuseth the Corinthians in the 33. page of his book to be the ancient Hereticks who were baptized for the dead Ans. Those who were baptized for the dead was no Hereticks neither did they deny the resurrection of the dead though Paul said How say some among you that there is no Resurrection of the dead yet he did not call those that were baptised for the dead Hereticks for those that were baptised for the dead and stood in jeopardy every hour did believe the resurrection of the dead and did wait for it and did not deny it as Clapham saith who hath proceeded on in his book with many of the like false accusations against us also but it is a small matter for us to be judged by such a one for herein is but Christs words fulfilled As they have done unto me so shall they do unto you for neither Christ nor the Apostles nor the Church of God hath escaped his accusation for Luk. 6.26 Wo unto you saith Christ when all men speak well of you for so did they of the false Prophets but blessed are you when men shall speak all manner of evil against you falsly for my names sake for great shall your reward be in heaven now though against us all manner of evil be spoken falsly in the Book before mentioned yet in truth do we stand out of it all and over it all and our accuser is found in the evil and vve clear And as for the 13. Sect. wherein he hath wearied himself for very vanity hath he proved nothing against us but against himself in which he hath said that we are enemies to the holy Scriptures and deny Christ come in the flesh also his death and resurrection and that we have said that Christs flesh perished and that we own not the man Christ in the Heavens as pag. 11. and chargeth us to say that he did not ascend into heaven is not at the right hand of God shall not come to judge the world pag. 12. Again Whereas Clapham saith we deny prayer the Lords Supper and Water-baptism and giving of thanks at meals and singing of Psalms Ans. This is false as his own writing and confession will witness against him which in a former Letter said that I prayed three times at one Meeting and now in this book saith we deny prayer Here confusion is grown into impudency and lyes are made his proofs Again he saith we deny the â—ords Supper yet confesseth we own eding on Christs flesh Now Christ saith
Scriptures and though our way be called the sink of all heresie as the Apostle was called the ringleader of the Sect of the Nazerens and his way Heresie yet in it do we worship the God of our Fathers though the chief Priests do call it so yet that doth not mâ—ke it so no more then it did in the Apostles days for we are manifest to God in all our ways and unto that of God in every mans conscience Again Priest Clapham accuseth us for working of miracles naming several places in which they vvere vvrought in the eighth Section of his Book so that all may take notice that in vvhomsoever the Lord is manifest to make his povver knovvn in doing good that is the object of â—is envy so that it is manifest that he doth not despise us but God and his povver so as if the povver of God vvere not manifest in us to convert turn unto God and seal vve should not be despised by him And also take notice that the grounds of his knowledge of these things is reports that came to him as himself declares in his eighth Section and yet in the beginning of his book he saith he vvill lay nothing to our charge but vvhat he hath sufcient personal knovvledge of himself Novv he hath not been personally present in seeing or hearing any of those things vvhich he chargeth against uâ— as pretended Mâ—racles and so the beginning and end of his vvork is a lye and in page 51. of his book he charges us with some in Yorkshire poisoning of themselves in prison which is false and he hath it but from a false report and so hath no personal knowledge of it himself And likewise he saiâ—h That the light that all be enlightned withal is the light of reason and understanding and that this light is natural and thâ—t it is the light of nature and that the natural light is the remainder of Gods image as in pag. 57. Answ. Here hath he fully manifested his ignorance of the light and of Gods image as first Of the Light calling it the light of reason Now some are unreasonable men and so all have not reason and some are Idiots and so have not understanding So then all are not enlightned with reason and understanding but Christ calls it not reason nor understanding but calls it the light which is the condemnation of all thâ—m that do not believe in it and with it those works which are wrought in God are justified and that which is after the flesh is condemned and that which is able to justifie and condemn the creature in the sight of God according to their obedience or disobedience to God is not natural for there is no other condemnation buâ— the light which whosoever believes in it are the children of it and who are children of it are children of God and heirs of the everlasting inheritance and they that walked in it was the light of the World and their light shined before men and upon whom doth not his light arise Mat. 5.14 Job 25 3. The wicked and deceitful man doth the Lord enlighten they whose deeds are evil though they that rebel against the light knows not the ways of it nor abide in the pathâ— of it Job 24.13 And many such are in this generation and are as Job did see that such have light though they walk not in the paths of it nor known at the ways of it because they hate it but to the light in such are we made manifest and it shall witness us before the Lord And such as were fools and scorners and vvithout understanding the Lord bids them return at his reproof them vvho did hate knovvledge and said I vvill pour out my spirit upon you and make knovvn my vvords unto you but they hated knovvledge and did not chuse the fear of the Lord they vvould none of Gods counsels but despised all his reproof therefore saith God they shall eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices for the turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them Prov. 1.23 29 30 32. Mark this is one with your case who hate the light which doth reprove you by you the simplicity of Christ is turned away and despised and your folly remains who hate the light and calls it natural reason or understanding but Christ calls it the light which is the condemnation of all them that do not believe in it And again to say that is the remainder of Gods image which is natural is blasphemy for the image of God is spiritual Christ the express image of the Fathers person and if there be a remainder of Gods image in all men since the fall as Clapham affirmeth then there remains that which is spiritual in all men but to him I say let all flesh be silent from saying that the light or any thing of Gods image is natural for such things will not the Lord suffer unpunished Pr. Again Clapham in the 12. Section of his Book saith That God is said to be a respecter of persons and brings Gen. 4.4 5. to prove it The Lord had respect unto Abel but unto Cain he had no respect Answ. Abel was righteous and Cain was wicked and God had respect unto the righteous and unto the seed and so it is now in all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People every one that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him as Abel was And God is no respecter of persons for unto Cain God saith If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted so if Cain had done well he should have been accepted as Abel was So let God be true and every man a lyar that saith God is a respecter of persons when as the Scripture saith God is no respecter of persons neither did the Apostles respect any mans person but declare against such as do calling such filthy dreamers which had mens persons in admiration because of advantage and those were they which spoke great swelling words and separated themselves sensual having not the spirit against whom Jude is a witness Jude 8 16 17. and against such are we witnesses and the Apostle James in his Epistle to the twelve Tribes he is a witness against such that respect persons and told them that the Law which is light would convince them that it was sin and such was traâ—sgressors and did not abide in the doctrine of Christ hath not the Father nor the Son as John witnesseth 2 John 1.9 and all such as do respect persons now the Law of Christ which is written in the heart whose Law is light will convince them to be transgressors and so the light which convinceth is one with the Apostles doctrine but contrary to Jo. Clapham Pr. Which again saith That grace is a created thing and that the Scriptures calls it the new creature and brings Eph. 2.10 2 Cor. 5.17 to prove it Answ. Here is no such
the sight of the bird Try all things by measure of the spirit hold that which is good A friend to righteousness I am and a lover of thy soul. R. H. IN thy former Book thou hast been proved to deny the Father Son and Spirit and denied that there is any thing in thee above nature And in this book also thou hast made it manifest to be guided only by the naturall senses and so to be sensuall having not the Spirit and so in this thy sensual wisdom without the Spirit of God thou goest about to prove us to be the Harlot and to be upon two dangerous designs the first by our Doctrine the second by the Sword First as from our Doctrine to prove it thou bringest four particulars as first that wee say That the peoples soules understanding and reason were carnall fleshly and unto condemnation To which I answer All people which hate the light of Christ as thou dost and set up reason and imagination to be their guide knows nothing above nature in them their senses are reprobate and their understandings darkened and their reason carnall and fleshly which is for condemnation with the light and to those that were sensual whose reason was carnall and flâ—shly did the Apostles minister condemnation as thou mayst read in the Scripture and yet that proved them not to be harlotâ— but their design in their Doctrine was to exalt Christ which is the true light and lighteneth every one that cometh into the World and our design is the same against which no inchantments lyes nor fals accusations from Priest or Atheists can prevail The second particular wherein thou would prove us to be the Harlot and our design to be dangerous is because we say That Christ lighteneth every one that cometh into the world And to this thou thy self in the fifth page of thy Book confessest to be a truth cleere from Scripture and that this light discovers to every one that will both good and evill and in the fourth page thou callest this particular That Christ hath lightened every one that comes into the World a pure truth and yet thou would make the people believe that we were the Harlot for holding forth the pure truth and so thy own breath as fire shall devouâ— thee And hereby the pure truth of God which we hold forth is cleared and thou broken to pieces by the stone upon which thou fallest But all the Atheisme and all the Priesâ—s doctrine cannot make the people so blind as to believe that holding forth the pure truth of God will make us to be an Harlot or our design dangerous and here thou hast manifested â—hy spirit that all may see what we are accused for and by whom being accused to be harlots hereticks deceivers and deluders blasphemous and dangerous because we hold forth the pure truth of God according to the Scriptures yeâ— so far hath God turned the wise backwards and made their wisdom foolishnesse that even our enemies and accusers are forced to confesse that it is holden forth to the pure truth according to the Scripture for which we are accused as T. Winterton hath done to his owne shame and confusion The third particular from which thou would prove us to be the harlot and our designs dangerous are in these words which thou sayest thou gathered from our Doctrine That whatsoever believers in this light it is as a fire and a hammer to break and consume all carnall lust and fleshly and selfish desires whatsoever that now they cannot sin Ans. Here thou hast gathered that which we have not strewen and in thy imaginations thou hast gathered thy evill thoughts conceiving of that which never was spoken from us as thou speakest it and now they cannot sin But this I say that he that believeth in the light and follows Christ who is the light shall have the light of life and shall never come into condemnation if he abide in the light which comes from Christ the Word which is as a fire and a hammer which where it dwels consumes all carnall and fleshly lusts And hereby it is easily known who have the word from them who have but the letter And whereas thou sayest that light is but to discover and not active at all here thou hast shewed thy self to be ignorant both of the light and of the Scripture which saith the light of Israel shall be for a fire and it shall burn up and devour his thorns and bryers in one day And this light was witnessed to burn and consume that which is contrary to it and whereas thou sayest that if we will be purged we must seek somthing else for light will not doe it I answer God is light as in 1 John 1.5 and Christ is the light John 8.12 and if God and Christ who is the light will not do it then what else must people seeke unto to be purged And again thou sayst thou deniest that light or any thing within man or without man doth or ever did so cleanse purifie and make perfect the souls of men and then thou addest to make up thy darke saying as that it were safe and convenient to allow them no other guide or director but the dictates of their own light spirit within them As for the latter thou mayst take it to thine own for we deny all those which walks after their owne whether thou call it light or dictates for that which is their own is darknesse and not light but those that follow the light of Christ and deny that which is their owne for his sake we owne And as for thy former to deny that light or any thing within or without man doth or ever did cleanse or purifie and make perfect the sons of men let all here take notice of thy Atheisme who hath denied Christ and his light either either within or without men to do it The fourth particular by which thou would prove us to be the Harlot and our designes dangerous is in these words That now the Scripture is no more a guide for us to walk by nor nothing without them but the light within them and that seeks after any other guide but that within him is in the flesh still Which words are thy one and was not so spoken by any of us But to thee I say that the Scripture which did foresee that which we now do see we owne to be one with the light which was before the letter and to be our guide in the way of truth and this guide is within us but by the Scripture letter without thee thou neither sees nor foresees the things which belong to eternal life which if ever any come to see it must be by the light of Christ within them and all who own this light and with it is guided cannot deny the Scriptures which was spoken forth from the light within Again thou wouldest accuse E. B. to be changing in his doctrine from one thing to another
converted and that the ground thereof is the same wherewith Paul was converted is as evident as the rest to them that are in the Light and out of the imaginations and your envy to him since he owned the truth is no small Testimony of it and so all things testifying together the Tree will be known by its fruits to them that are not blind 10. Whethee God did not convey this new Light or Dispensation to Sauls understanding through his sences in that it is said he heard and saw as a sure ground to build his faith upon And also whether he did not give him Power and Authority by signs and wonders to convey to the understanding of those to whom he was sent to convert a sure ground of faith also Ans. Here thou hast manifested that thou art blind and in confusion for the ground of faith is but one in Paul and those that were converted and this ground of faith is not of man nor conveyed from one man to another but it is the gift of God and Christ is the Author of it In thy Query thou art speaking of the Light in which he heard and saw being the ground of Pauls Faith and the signs and wonders wrought by Paul being a sure ground to convey faith to the people If thou were not blind thou wouldest see that in Paul and the people the ground of Faith is but one and they that believed because of the Miracles their Faith as thine doth stand in that which is changeable and is not from the true ground but those whom Paul preached unto he told them that the Word of Faith was within them The Word which he preached and the Light was in them and so he was to turn them to the Light and to the Word which was within them And whereas thou asks Whether it was not conveyed through the senses to the understanding First learn to know where it is and what it doth enlighten in thee and then thou wilt know what is conveyed through for as yet in thee thy senses are ignorant of it though it shine in darkness 11. Whether if John Lilburn have received the same ground of faith so conveyed to his understanding immediately from God as Saul had or by some other whom God hath endued with Power and Authority to convey a ground of Faith as Paul did then far be it from me for blaming of J. Lilburn for being a Quaker Otherwise whether if he have not received the ground of faith aforesaid whether it be not easie to discern that John Lilburn's Resurrection is but a meer imagination or Quaking Delusion Ans. Faith is the gift of God and not the gift of Paul and herein thou art blind And Christ saith Believe in the Light while ye have the Light but he did not bid them believe in that which was of man nor conveyed by men to one another Yet thou confessest that it was conveyed to Paul immediately from God Therefore seeing thou makest a difference shew who did ever receive Faith or the ground of it and not from God and what was the ground of Abraham's Faith and Enoch's before the Scripture-Letter was written But the ground of Lilburn's Faith is immediately from God as Paul's was and therefore thou mayest cease blaming of him for his being turned to the Faith 12. Whether it be not easie to find out whether the Quakers doctrine be a dispensation of God or a dispensation of man's will Whether if it be of God he will not take the same care for the divulging of it as he did of his former dispensation that is by such evidences as no false Minister could procure as when he commanded his Apostles to preach to the world and to baptize them that believed and to teach them to observe all things c. Ans. Although our Doctrine be of God yet to thee and all in that nature it is not easie to know nor find to be so for none knows our Doctrine whether it be of God but he that doth the Will of our Father and walks in his obedience and it is manifest that thou yet hatest the way whereby our doctrine is known for thou having not the Spirit of Truth how art thou like to know that doctrine which is of God from imaginations that which thou tryes withall being thy imaginary faculty but that the Lord takes the same care for his Ministers now as ever he did is manifest even by such evidences as no false Minister can produce for never any of the false Ministers which the Lord did not send did turn any from their iniquity nor from darkness to the light nor from the power of Satan unto God which now many do witness from the Ministry which God hath now raised up in this age which is the torment oâ— the false Prophet for if it had not been evidenced in power and by the Spirit of the Lord to be contrary to the false doctrine especially in turning people from the wickedness whicâ— your doctrine keeps them in then it might have found favouâ— amongst you and would not so much have been despised but to us it is an evident token of salvation and that from God though 〈◊〉 of perdition The Rebukes of a Reviler fallen upon his own head In an Answer to a Book put forth by one John Stetham called a Minister at Terliâ—g in Essex WHereas the Ancient of days hath appeared and the Lord God of Israel and of his holy Seed for ever hath in these our days being his appointed time stretched forth his hand to gather in his Remnant which hath been scattered and starved upon the barren Mountains and he hath made known his Aâ—m and Power in raising up his righteous Branch and is bringing out of captivity his own chosen that his own name may be exalted for evermore and his marvelous light hath he caused to shine forth unto many that have set in darkness and he hath cryed Behold me behold me unto a people that hath not been called by his name yea from this time it shall be said What hath God wrought And who is like unto them that are saved by the Lord a happy people And blessed are they whom he hath chosen for his own Inheritance they dwell in their Tents and none can make them afraid for there is no Inchantment against Israel nor no divination against the Seed of Jacob he that curses them it shall return upon his own head and he that defies them shall surely be confounded in a day for God hath spoken and it shall surely come to pass he hath said and it shall not be revoked They that wait upon him shall never be ashamed but his presence shall go before them and his righteousness shall be their reward Therefore O ye Mountains and Hills wherefore are ye gathered together ye high and lofty Oaks and rebellious children to what purpose have ye set your selves as in Array for Battel against the Lord and against his Annointed in
vain have you sought divination against Israel and to no purpose have you risen up to resist Mount Sion whom the Lord is establishing and exalting above the Dominions of the Earth and though many set themselves and of the wisest too in our age to gainsay the truth which is revealed by subtil Arguments and have travelled in pain to bring forth misty vapors to blind the eyes of the simple and have laid and sought so to do stumbling-blocks of iniquity before the people by multitude of crafty productions and lying arguments Wo unto you wise Writers and Scribes you have taken away the key of knowledge and have neither entered the Kingdom nor suffered others to enter that would what will be your doom and what will be your judgement Oh the heavy hand of the Lord will be upon you your damnation sleeps not a moment And whereas John Stelham one of Gogs Army against the Lamb and his followers a falsly supposed and contrarily called and unjustly named Minister of the Gospel hath out of his corrupt wicked old lying heart which he confesseth he hath brought forth a large piece out of Babylons Treasure of falsly collected and falsly framed arguments whereby he hath sought to offend the way of the Lord but the rather hath burthened his own soul by his own wickedness and offended himself and made himself unworthy of life eternal and is reckoned in the sight of the Lord and proved in the sight of man to be indeed sinful John Stelham yea he is numbred and truly too among Babylons children and the Lyars and Hypocrites whose portion is in the Lake and not among the children of the Lord for them he hath set himself to oppose and by his subtilty secretly sought out Inchantments and endeavouring to curse whom God hath blessed he is accounted among the uncircumcised and shall not dye the death of the righteous neither shall his last end be like unto his except he repent yea God hath kept him back from honor and to shame and disgrace he is already promoted in the sight of all the Saints and all his work is trodden down as a branch of a dead Tree to be cast into the fire And what though he hath travelled full ten Months or more yet his birth is imperfect and the fruit of an Egyptian Womb which hath obtained neither praise of God nor favour of man And what though his Arguments be many and subtile through the strength of his divellish Wisdom whereby he hath descended into the darkness to fetch up his stuff and invented in his mind and framed in his evil thoughts which hath filled his Volumes by his envious pen. And what though he hath taken seeming occasion against us by his industry and bent his tongue to utter it as friendly and zealously as may blind the single eye and in as great hypocrisie and pretended righteousness as possibly may What then of all these things Let hâ—m take this for an Answer in full to all his many Arguments and to his whole Work and whatsoever is brought forth or may be yet lodging in his sinful heart ever to declare We are of God and his Covenant is with us and the whole World lyes in wickedness and he that is of God heareth us And this is enough Reply to all what he hath or can say further against us And this Testimony the Father gives of us who hath chosen us in him before the World was and let him and all our Adversaries know That our Religion is in that which keeps unspotted of the World and our acceptance with God is in him who is the Light of the World who exerciseth our consciences in all good things towards God and towards man And though we answer not yet are we no worse and though we answer yet are we no better praise of men approves us not to God nor dispraise of men makes us not sorrowful but our peace is in the Father whether the World do us love or hate or praise or dispraise us And first of all like unto Rehum and Shimshai and their companions he appears with his Dedication much like unto theirs from the same Spirit and unto the same end as may be seen Ezra 4.9 11 12. c. and in the manner of Amaziah Priest of Bethel unto Jeroboam the King with a Message much of that nature as in Amos 7.10 11. c. And this man with his feigned flattering titles appears to the chief in Authority for approbation of his Woâ—k that men may accept it the more But that 's little worth if God accept it less and in much secret hyyocrisie hath he uttered the intent of his mind in less than a sheet of paper to the Protector and Council of State whom we hope in for more honesty than to believe lyes and the indictments of a sinful wicked heart Well but if they will harden their hearts to believe unrighteousness they shall be filled therewith till both the ancient and honorable and the false Prophet that prophesies lyes which is the tayle Isa. 9.15 be consumed together 〈…〉 the Dominion shal be given into their hands then among his flattering titles he seems secretly to Complain of Abuse made of the Press for the spreading of Anti-scriptural and Anti-christian Errors as he saith Indeed his own works do prove his words true that the Presse is abused which hath by his Pen scribled so many Lyes Reproaches Slanders and Errors and the Presse the instrumental cause of spreading them abroad whereby the Press hath been abused to the dishonour of Religion and Piety if not to the dishonour of Authority also Then he seems to hint at the Cruelty and Outcry of many for crying Club-law against the men called Quakers but whether with approvement or otherwise of it his mind is not uttered however by the Lyes and Slanders ensuing out of his owne mouth it is easily proved that he is of that very generation of persecutors though he so well do not approve of Persecuting with the hand yet he allows and himself is guilty of persenting with the tongue which is one in nature so that hereby the great hypocrisie of this man appears in condemning others secretly of what himself is guilty of openly then he is pleased though the Lord be vexed to cast forth his peevish smite against the light of Jesus Christ wherewith every man in the world is lighted in words thus venomously uttered that perverse Principle of their viz Quakers self-adoring light Will the Protector and Council believe this or will they promote him to honour or magnifie him because of his opprobious speeches against the light of the Son of God let them answer and testifie against him for blasphemy who hath in his hastinesse uttered his envie and wickedness and no less then denied the Lord that bought him in calling and shamelesly stiling the pure light of Christ the Way the Truth and the Life Perverse Principle and Selfe adoring light and thus it
is manifest the Press is abused by such an Anti-scriptural and Antichristian error proceeding out of John Stelhams old heart and manifested from his Pen then with his lying Message he follows after his flattering titles and sayes ere long the Lord himself will rebuke them viz Quakers to silence that they shall neither write nor speak so presumptuously c. If his Lords believe this Message they shall never bless him but in the end curse him when the production of his lying Prophesie appears which is deceiving of their Soules and will prove a curse upon them and posterity and is feeding of them with hopes of vanity and lyes and on his owne head shall his false vision fall a Rebuke into silence shall come upon him the sin is his writing presumpuously and arrogantly and the judgment thereof shall he feel and all that believe him truth shall be established and his lying tongue is but for a moment then his lye he adds to his Message which is that the Lord Jesus is fighting against them viz Quakers with the Sword of his mouth c. What wicked presentation is this to the chief Rulers of Nations even lyes one heaped upon another to suggest into the minds of men to stir up wrath in their hearts against the just nay Jesus is our Prince of peace and righteousness and is with us and fights for us and who can be against us none but such as are his enemies and have denied him and his light and counted it a perverse Principle O how fain would John Stelham sinfull indeed gaine a Kingdom by flattering and have praise of his works by his Lyes which he hath made his Refuge and his Weapon too they that believe him shall perish with him that 's all that may be said his flattering titles and words of guile may gain upon the wicked but the just man is preserved from the fury of a deceitfull tongue then his supposed humble Supplicate after his false Vision and lying Messâ—ge is That every person whatsoever may not impute strike them viz Quakers Corporally c. This appears fair in word if his meaning was right yet while he supplicates That every one may not though whether he means any one may not I determine not strike them corporally c. Yet to publish his Lyes and Errors and Slanders he would have liberty this is but so much more secretly to strike in the greater hypocrisie in more crafty subtilty and indeed well may the Priests of England be ashamed of what hath already been acted as to striking and cruel abuses and works of that nature the blood of many harmless hath been spilt wofully in streets and Steeple-houses through the means of the false Prophets it may be they will now take another Weapon seeing that hath failed and not wrought effect no more shall any formed weapon agâ—inst the innocent and though some of them have shamefully cried Fight Lads for the Gospel others may with as much hypocrisie write for the fighting lads and in as great deceit And then he gives an Exhortation in his Supplicate and saith Be pâ—eased to let them viz Quakers know that we are guarded by a bettâ—r Law then what they upbraid us with its time to be ashâ—med that you have been so long guarded by a Popish Law yet the secret crafts of this man is noted in this subtile suggestion a better law would he have what doth it too much shame you by the name of Popish Law and would you be lesse discovered if the law of the same virtue were of another Authority then Queen Mary and of another Dominion than the Pope therefore a Law from the Protector he would supplicate if possible That how ever we may not have liberty to deliver our Doctrine in their Assemblies as he saith and this evill man and decever who waxes worse and worse in his way impudently slanders the way of God reproaches the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ and would wickedly make men more honest than himself believe that these mens viz Quakers Tenents as he saith are as reprobate stuff of the Jesuites their blasphemies as horrid as the Popish Parasites O the wickednesse and impudence vvhich hath appeared out of this mans heart in those few words wickednesse in that his words are lyes and devilish and impudent in that he dares thus to appear to an Authority with the Dedication of Lyes Let him take notice of this we are cleer from his false Accusations and of Popish Doctrines But they that are one wiâ—h him are not from being guarded with a Popish Law and these are truly Romes Subjects who are guarded with his Law more than we are Romes Emissaries which scarcely he would cast upon us and make the Protector and his Councel believe it if their hearts be so hardened But better is thought upon concerning them though I.S. would make them evill suggesting evill into their hearts But a false Prophet is known by his Lyes and Slanders and secret smiting and then he saith He would have some of this Sect viz Quakers more narrowly watched c. and stigmatized Oh cruelty out of the abundance of the heart his mouth utters like a Pot boiling with anger that cannot contain it within the mouth what lodges in tbe heart of this man consider what less then in their hearts who â—ere Queen Maryes Jesuiees and Priests if the Protector and Councel would answer the cruel intent of his mind as Queen Mary did theirs Balaam or worse he is or he hath sought inchantment and would curse before they sent for him to doe so but it shall return on his owne head who is watched against for a Wolfe and Devourer and stigmatized for a Deceiver and false Deviner one who art marked for a false Prophet and known to be so by every one who is taught of God and in the end of all this secretly uttered wickednesse and cruelty insinuatingly expressed to suggest evill into the minds of men more honest than himself he wishes for Blessing upon his Highness and Honours that they may discern true Spirits from false such who proceed out of the mouth of the false Prophet from such as proceeds from the Father and from the Son indeed of such a gift of discerning they have need and by the fruits they may try every Spiri t in a just tryal by just judgment are thou tryed they spirit is made manifest to be the spirit which proceeds out of the mouth of the Dagon who wars against the Saints and out of the mouth of the Beast who hath many Heads many Horns which Beast arose up in the Apostacy since the Apostles days thy spirit is made manifest to be the spirit of the false Prophet who deceives the Nations for thy fruits doth discover thee a lyer a slanderer a perverter of the right way of God art thou proved and such things proceeds out of the mouth of the false Prophet so let them
beware of thy spirit who art not guided by the spirit of Christ Jesus nor of the Father but a worker of darkness a revâ—ler of the light of Christ calling it false Prophet-like as being led with the spirit of the Dragon the Beast Perverse Principle We have measured thy spirit to be as I have said and he that speaks otherwise speaks as a lye and if the Protector and his Councel believes oâ—herwise they believe a lye and cannot obtain a blessing though thou with thy lying spirit pray for them whom God the Father of blessings hears not but is against thee and this is my prayer the Lord rebuke thee thy wicked tongue and give the Protector and his Councel a better understanding than to believe thee else will the Lord make them cursed to themselves and to the Nations of them my heart hopes better things and this might serve for a full Answer to thy whole Book and by this little of thy work that I have viewed and turned unto the sigh of all art thou discovered to be an enemy to God and a secret envier of his people and by what thou hast said it appeares what the rest of the whole matter can be an evil spirit cannot bring forth good works but yet a little further is my matter unvayled for the sake of the upright And further J. S. after his wicked Presentation to the Rulers of this Nation with lyes and evill Speeches proceeding out of his old heart he writes an Epistle out of the same heart to the Church as he calls them wherein is many words uttered but altogether tasted with that leaven of his malice against Quakers and Quakerism who seemes to be the greatest burthen upon his evil heart because truth is among them if truth go on his deceit wil be more made manifest wither and perish and so as subtilly as may be he would defend himself in the sight of his Church that his shame may not appear before them it may be least his Hire should be abated and he seems to cast a cloak upon them but whether out of pure love to their Soules or for his owne Gain such a sum of Money God knowes how ever the least Child in the truth dwelling in the light sees his length and can measure his state knows that good cannot come from an old lying heart he speaks something of wondering after the beast and false Prophet but hath not described what the Beast is and the false Prophet And I refer the Reader to a Book called The Measure of the Times wherein the Priests of England such as J. S. is reproved according to the Scripture to be the very branches of the same Root of false Prophets which all the World wondered after in Johns time though he speak much to his Church of Christ without and of his birth blood and his righteousness and justification thereby c. but to all that I say All are Reprobates but such in whom Christ is within them and none are justified but such nor hath any part in the inheritance of God though they may profess never so much of Christ without and what he hath done for others yet except he be within them too to change and renew them and give them power over all their sins their profession of him is vain I am no picker of Quarrels else many of his words might be searched which I run over hastily knowing his voice to be the voice of a stranger and not of Christ who never made use of an old sinful heart to pen Epistles to Churches But into this lets search he saith Christ blesseth Infants-Baptism Where or when I aske proof of this and till then I say J.S. hath belyed Christ and the generation of the just Wel may he bely us when he hath bely'd Christ who could not bleâ—s that which there was not there was no Infants baptism that ever we read of in his dayes sure people will be more wise than to be established through Lyes else their sin be upon them if through hardnesse of heart they be given up to believe Lyes that they may perish He speakes of a well ordered Conversation Inded this seems Hypocrisie to exhort others their Churches to that which many of the Independent Teachers have not thmselves who are Hirelings and takes Guifts and Rewards for Preaching and is in the way of all the Deceivers of old and they that do these things have not a wel ordered Conversation but a Conversing with the generation of ungodly when we read the plain words of Christ Luke 17. The Kingdom of Heaven is within you he saith we madly wrest the reading of the words when we neither add nor diminish now he seems to say It is the Kingdom of Heaven among you and not the Kingdom of heaven within you and so blames the Scripture and confoundâ— the doctrine of many of the Independents who say the Scripture is believers Rule but he seems to charge ths Scripture with false translations and therefore is subject to alteration and so cannot be the Rule of Believers according to his own account thus by wicked men are we blam'd when we do not speak according to Scripture language and now as wickedly charged by I. S. for speaking just in the Scripture-expressions with madly wresting the words but thus it was before whatsoever we do now by enemies must be reviled and our words abused contrary to our innocent intents Then in the end of his Epistle he desires the Prayers of his Church that his Reply may be accompanyed with power according to the truth of it Indeed so it shall and no more according to the truth of it which is very falshoods and deceits so shall the power of the Lord confound it and turne it into folly and confusion as may he seen by a sober man who this following doth with patience read and weigh Then many things is uttered by him in his Epistle to the Reader he seems to shew he saith how R. F. and his Associates have made up A Litter and Fardel of Erroneous Divinity and secretly charging us with making up of what we professe from some Writers before us But to this I answer His reproachfull words Litter and Fardel and Erroneous we beare with patience rather rejoycing that we are accounted worthy of the reproach for the truth sake from an envious man then to be angry with our reproaches But however let him and all our enemies know what we professe and bear witness of we receive not from man but from God even the Gospel which we testify of by the revelation of Jesus Christ in us we received it informs others to the same door which is by our Ministry that they may receive the same and this is but his poor shift to undervalue the power and truth of Jesus in the sight of men who would falsly make men believe That our Doctrines are but the spawn of
many ancient Errors as he saith brooded by some Modern Writers when as the Doctrine of Christ the Apostles we bear witness to by the same spirit not to any other Authors who were without the Spirit of Jesus all these shifts saves not the Priests of England from being discovered their deceits abominations to be made manifest by our Light and Doctrine which is the Light of Christ and the Doctrine of the holy men of God before us And further his wickedness appears by reproaching and reviling dead men such as H.N. Jacob B.W.E. with others whom I confidently believe were men in their Generation more honest than himself and more upright with God and sincere in what was made known to them then this same reviler who is set to revile both living and dead if they do but crosse his fancy Let all men take notice of these things and of his rebukes with an evil heart whom the Lord doth and will rebuke by the Spirit of his mouth in the day of his just judgmens who art a reviler of the just both living and dead and all alonge in that Epistle as in the rest of his Book which is the Rebukes of a Reviler he bends his very tongue as the poyson of Aspes being under it against the Quakers reckoning them with the Papists and such others but this is but as the Pharises his fore-fathers did who numbered the Son of God and condemâ—ed him with transgâ—essoâ—s and betwixt two thieves And in the end he desiers his Reader to receive in love what in his Book is found agreeable to the Spirit of God in Scripture truth agreed so let it be and therefore many things in his Book which is not given forth by the Spirit of God nor according to the Scripture truth which the honest Reader may find upon a serious reading and search with the Spirit of God according to the Scripture is to be judged and condemned not reeeived what shall the honest Reader receive this for truth That the Light of Christ Jesus is A Perverse Principle and that Christ blâ—ssed infants Baptism with very many such like things of the like nature proceeding from the same spirit which is proved not to be of God but of the Devil for every tree is known by his fruit every spirit by its works words many other things more devilish if more devilish can be he charges us withal in a most unreasonable manner that our Religion is the Fort of Babel and that Jesuitical Plots and Designs are carried on by some of us and Quakerism is built upon the fourfold pillar of Papistry with such like the very transcribing of his words shewes his wicked spirit by his unsavoury words which things we do deny in the presence of the Lord and are cleare in his sight from these devilish accusations though J. S. play the Devils part in this Epistle as well as in his whole Book is an accuser of the brethren is to be cast out and judged with the life of God and to give testimony against his lyes and slanders is sufficient Answer the next time he enterprises the like Work we demand of him witness of his words what these Jesuitical plots and Designes are we do carry on Which slander is so divelish could he prove what he sayes his words would take away our lives but to raise the uncleane spirit against us though the Nations is truly supposed the purpose of his words and not being content with what he himself can believe us in his work reaches to raise the rage of whole Nations to execute their fury as well as his own upon us and so his words gives ground to all the wicked that doth believe him for none else can to persecute the people way of the Lord under the false account of being Plotters of haveing ill Designes which thing we stand witnesse against seek the peace of all men though he have bent his tongue for Lyes and brazen'd his face to utter them without fear or shame to suggest evil into mens minds that they may harm the upright but it is known by his words what lodgeth in the heart of such a person who thus openly impudently doth slander just men to the taking away of life if any were so divilish to witness lyes and slanders as he is forging of them and declaring of them that to the Protector and his Council too but from these things we being clear are the more ready to bear his Lyes with Patience doth not pray for fire to devour him though he be our enemy and the Lords but rather wishes his returnig from his ungodilness than a destruction upon him in his ungodliness whereas the subject of his matter invented in his mind brought forth into view is a going about to prove that in 22 particulars mentioned by him we do contradict the Scriptures but his ground is false from whence his whole work proceeds for not in any particular of what is mentioned do we contradict the Scripture though his whole work be founded upon this thing of our cotradiction to Scripture and while we be proved in the sight of the Lord we reckon his slanders to be rather a testimony to us that we are of God then a discouraging of us in the wayes of God and we do not allow that J. S. be our Interpreter and the Expositor upon our words for then no question but he will judge out of his prejudicial mind false judgement and pervert the innocent words into contradiction of Scripture and of our selves but to the single mind and Witness of God in every man we appeal for judgement and do in the sight of God commend our selves to every mans conscience and beg not belief of any but know all that be in the Light of the Son of God witness to us and feel our Doctrine to be the Doctrine of godliness reaching to the Witness of God in every one whereby we are a good savour to God in all And though J. S. judge our Doctrine to be Scripture-contradictions yet his judgement is but out of his old lying heart which can bring forth no better than it self even false judgement and lying words which out of it hath plentifully abounded in his false rebukes therefore let the Reader first search into the ground from whence his Work and Judgement doth spring and try if an old lying heart and sinfâ—l wretch as he confesses he is can bring forth good fruit No we matter not what his judgement of us be when as we know the heart is corrupt from whence it doth spring not in the Light of the Spirit of God do we in any one particular insisted upon by him contradict the Scriptures though by his dark mind so he wickedly judgeth of us even as the Pharisees his fore-fathers did judge of Christ to be a blasphemer and a contradictor of Moses and the Prophets who did fulfil them and
his Testimony is true saying And there are also many other things which Jesus did the which if they should be written every one I suppose that even the World it self could not contain the Books which should be written John 21.25 So that all is not written which was revealed wrote and spoken which if much more were written which was made mâ—nifest by it with that which is written could they not know the Lord their mindes being from the light of Christ which doth reveale and make manifest that which may be known of God in them And many who have the Letter and are Ministers of it are sensual having not the spirit nor the word of God nor the testimony of Jesus and their Ministry is but as Chaffe to the Wheate and the Lord is against them For what is the chaffe to the wheat saith the Lord Jeremiah 23. Is not my word like a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer breaketh the rock in pieces Now many have the letter and know not the word of the Lord as a fire neither is the rock broken with the letter and such use their tongue for it is their own and the power of the Lord is not come over it such cause the People to err and doth not profit them being not sent nor commanded of the Lord for who are sent and commanded of the Lord the Lord useth their tongueâ— to speak his words which he puts into their mouthes and such words doth profite the people and not cause them to err being spoken according to the law which is light And the testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophesie and such do witnesse the Scriptures that as they cannot be broken so they cannot be denied by the Spirit which gave them forth to be a Declaration of those things which was revealed known and believed But they are not that which they are a declaration of the letter testifies of the eternal life but it is not it neither gives it It testifies of the light of the glorious Gospel shining in the heart whih gives the light of the knowledg of the glory of God but it is not that light which gives that knowledge It testifies of the Way but Christ is the Way of the Word but God is the Word and of Redemption but Christ is the Redemption not the Letter though it testifies of Justification Sanctification but they are wrought by the Word in the grace and power of Christ and so every one who wil own the Scriptures as they were given sorth to be owned must first own that of God in them which is manifest to work in the Creature that which they testifie of that Christ the power of God they may witness working all their works in them and for them according to the Scripture But contrary to the Scripture J.S. from the root of Errour saith That the written letter is a Spirituall Arm and Sword of the Spirit and that the very power of the written letter puts Satan to flight And in the same Page saith That the Devil hath Scripture in his mouth Answ. Let the People take notice and read the Scriptures and see if there be any such thing that the Sword of the spirit was ever in the Divels Mouth for the spiritual Armour which is said to be the Word of God But the Word of God which is the sword of the Spirit is that by which he is to be destroyed and is the mystery bid from him and all that follow his lusts But though the Divell which did not abide in the truth and his Ministers who are out of the truth may take the letter in their mouthes as they have done and say it s written so but the word of the Lord is not in their moutheâ— which is the sword of the Spirit and such will use the letter in their mouthes which cannot sease from sin whose eyes are full of Adultery beguiling unstable Souls their heart being exercised with coveteous practises cursed children which have forsaken the right way and are in the Error of Baalan loving the wages of unrighteousnesse and taking them and such have the letter in their mouthes but knows not the Word of God whâ—ch who comes but know it restraines them from all such practises Again J.S. from his blindnesse and root of Error and lying heart wherein dwells no truth but much confusion saith that the letter i. e. the Scripture is the true ground of the believers Faith and again in the same page saith That Christ in the Scripture is the true Ground of Faith And to prove the former he brings Prov. 22.19 20 21. That thy trust may be in the Lord I have made known to thee this day even to thee have not I written to thee â—xcellent things in Councels and Knowledg that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee An. By this scripture the Lord is made the ground of Faith not the Letter And therefore did the Prophet make known excellent things in writing in counsel and knowledge for this end did the Apostles both preach and write that the Faith of those which heard them read their writings might not stand in the wisdom of words nor in the letter as its ground but in Christ the power of God and Christ who preached the true doctrine that in it every one might believe said to the World the Pharisees While ye have the light believe in the light that ye may be the Children of light and these had the letter but did not believe in the light which light is Christ and which light is the foundation of Faith and is the foundation of many generations in which many did believe before this letter which declares of it was written And that Faith which stands in the light and in the power of God is the ground of the Scripture letter from whence it did proceed after they believed they spoke and wrote that which now is declared in Chapters And every one which coms to the true ground of Faith must come co the light to believe in it that they may be the Children of it and then the Scriptures will be profitable unto them they with the light having the understanding opened to see for what end they were given forth and how they come to be fulfilled and witnessed in that which gave them forth for the ground of Faith to believers is but one both before and since the Scripture was written which is Christ in whom whosoever believeth shall be saved let Christ be in what he will for he was the ground of Faith when the letter was not and he is the ground of Faith when it is and no other foundation for Faith can any man lay than that which is laid Jesus Christ who is the true light and enlighteneth every man that cometh into the Word that all men in him might
the Word and means of Grace he is setting up that which before he hath been pulling down in p. 123. where he saith That they are justified from all Legal obligations and conditions of their own workings both within them without them And in page 174. he is setting up obligations and conditions of Reading Hearing Prayer Preaching to which he saith Life and Salvation is promised and so would have salvation come by Works which he hath so much declared against before and so makes prayer reading preaching c. not only the means through which salvation comes but the cause for which they are saved saying To Prayer is promised salvation Now to the informing of the minds of people I say That all promises are to the Seed and the fulfilling of the promises is witnessed through its obedience to Christs command and through the Works of righteousness but none can pray so as to be heard of God and accepted but who have first known heard and believed him whom they call upon which none do but who own thâ— Light which Christ hath enlightened them withal which teacheth to pray hear read and preach with knovvledge and understanding Again J.S. in his tvvelfth head concerning baptism vvould go about to prove the sprinkling of Infants to be the baptism and so denyes both Johns and Christs and the manner of them and sets up another vvhich the Scripture doth not mention as sprinkling Infants which vvho reads his Books may see his proofs by consequences he would have the Scripture speak that which it never mentioneth in plain precepts and so would turn the truth into a lye and so by his own rule in the 68. page of his Book shall he be judged Such Messengers as speak more then is in the Scripture are not sent by Gods spirit nor guided by him to what they say But that all people may come to a right understanding of the Scriptures and that vvhich is testified by them is to come to the Light which Christ hath enlightened them withal which Light was before Ordinances were and vvhich Light gives to see the place of Ordinances and their time vvherein they are to be obeyed for the Light comes from the substance of all the divers vvashings and carnal Ordinances and it leads into the one Baptism vvhich is the substance of that of Water vvhich John vvho vvas a prophet vvas the Minister of and Châ—ist said unto his Disciples John verily baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire but he never commanded them to baptize with water but commanded them to go teach all nations baptizing them into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and although some of the Disciples and Paul for a time did baptize with water yet who shall judge their permission in it although Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ witnesseth that he was not sent to baptize but to preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.17 and thanks God that he had baptized no more of them yet witnessed that they were all baptized with one spirit into one body And J.S. saith To be against Infant-baptism is contrary to Acts 2.28 29. This is false for that Scripture doth not command it nor give president for it let the Reader search if he find any such thing as the Scripture proving Infants baptism but the promise is to as many as the Lord shall call And so he hath fouly belyed the Scripture for if that Scripture be contrary to such who are against Infants Baptism then must he prove from that Scripture Infants baptism to be commanded as prâ—ctised which he cannot do and so is a perverter of the Scripture And it is truth that we do deny brain-imaginations and sprinkling Infants with water But then he rambles over many Scriptures proving the Baptisme of Believers these proofs are impertinent what is this to prove Infants baptisme So that is passed by here as making arguments against believers baptism except one professing that were our present Adversary but in this he is pursued from all the Scriptures he cannot prove in Justice that ever Infants Baptism was either commanded or practised though he craftily wind about never so much in his imaginations and consequences And in the general I answer Much by us hath been written and spoken to this purpose so our judgements in this charge is fully known of which we are not ashamed before men as being fully justified herein in the sight of the Lord. And so as to that particular more need not be said Again in the 12 th Head of Scripture-contradiction as he saith concerning the Lords supper J.S. makes much ado because of our denial of carnal inventions and imitations practised by many in the exercise of that called the supper of the Lord though with one heart and mind we say and witness That Christs flesh and blood is our meat and drink and none have life within them without it yet doth receive it in the spirit and power of God and doth bear out testimony against imitations and false likenesses set up in the World as the wicked and prophane people such as live in pride and wickedness and covetousness both Teachers and people eating a little bread and drinking Wine so many times a year in such a form and manner and way as Christ nor his Apostles never practised such things in and no change wrought among people but both before and after if not in the very time fulfilling all wickedness and unrighteousness in words and wayes and thoughts yet by false suggestion from their Teachers believing vainly themselves to be the better or saints for the practice of such things whereas they do the more thereby vex the Lords soul and grieve his spirit by hypocrisie and deceit this we call carnal inventions and do deny it in the presence of the Lord that it is evâ—l and not accepted of God but condemned in his sight J. S. proves not that any thing which Christ instituted to be practiced among the saints onely ever was practised in the World among such who are not called neither sanctified and this is abomination to the Lord to practise the saints words or ways and have not the spirit of the Father which we cannot see among the people of this age no nor manage them professing to be selected Church-Members but pride and envy abounds among them all and in that spirit of disobedience in which they live to the Ordinances of Christ they have no right to practice that which onely is to be practised among them that have the spirit of the Father and nothing that Christ instituted for his saints do we deny in its life and age but lives are changed and Antichrist hath ruled and even the things which once he instituted your practice of them who are polluted are an abomination to him And this is a full answer in general as to the thing though I pursue him not in every particular word and argument to lay open
with the same Spirit bear witnesse to such as are called by it and speaks by it The Ministry of God is not of Man nor by Man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ which is not learned by natural Arts but received in the Holy Ghost and this the Scripture bears wirnisse to but the Call to the Ministry by natural Learning at Oxford and Cambridge this I deny and trample upon and all your Arts and knowledge and Humane Study and Languages is not able to make a Minister of Christ this I do affirme though they approve one another yet are they not approved of God without his Spirit and they that have his Spirit deny Natural Learning as to be made a Minister of Christ hereby and E.B. his words are owned transcribed by J.S. cited Page 16. in the Warning c. and all that he saith doth not prove that any of the Ministers of Christ were called by the Church or approved unto that work of the Ministry by them who were not called by the Spirit and guided with it he saith the sending of God is two-fold and for this he hath no Scripture to prove it and so holds forth that which the Scripture will not evidence And further he saith he pretends to no such Call of an Apostle if he have not the same Call by the same Spirit as the Apostles had he is no Minister of Christ and in measure he hath confessed to be without the same Call as the Apostles were called with and will not pretend such a Call Again He falsly Charges R. F. with Crucifying the Ministers of Christ which is a Lye and of the Devil though none of us may spare to call Hirelings greedy dumb Dogs and devourers and lazy shepherds and in this we do not contradict the Scripture nor work offence towards God nor our neighbours And he concludes Who of us we or they shall have the worst of it in Conclusion the day shall declare unto that we are willing to come by which we and all the blind Priestâ— of England shall be manifest and we know Lyers such as J. S. shall not have the better who is to us made manifest already to be out of the way and out of the power and life of God His 19 th Head concerning immediate Teaching In this we do not contradict the Scripture as J. S. falsly charges us withal but do say that we are taught of God and needs no man to teach us â—ut as the anointing of God which abides in us and the promise of God is fulfilled upon us Jer 31. we are all taught of God from the least of us to the greatest with whom the Covenant of God is established and this is the cause wherefore we set forth our selves to the World who are yet in the unconverted estate that they also may come to the knowledge of the wayes and teachings of God in the Spirit and may come into the Covenant of peace where none need to say know the Lord but all these are taught of him yea and immediatly too by his spirit and this we do witness and the Lord doth witness with us though the unbelieving heart of J. S. and his fellows cannot believe it but doth gainsay it as being contrary to the Scripture when as themselves doth contradict the Scripture in denying it so proving themselves guilty of what they do accuse us of falsly but this is that their folly may appear to all men as it doth to us and J. S. saith he is yet to learn the promise of the immediate teachings of God to be given to all that are to teach others this doth make it manifest that himself is without the promise of God and is not yet taught of God and so without Gods Covenant being not learned in the teaching of God by his Spirit which is immediate And thus to confound truth he hath by his confession shamed himself and shewed himself to all men to be unlearned in the doctrine of Salvation Further he saith If God had intended to have given teaching immediatly without any medium then would he not have sent Preachers abroad for them to hear mark this mans blinde productions and what impudence is in his heart who holds forth That God intended not the thing to be what be promised should be he promised to teach his people himself and this man holdes forth that he intended it not and so hath no lesse than charged God with Hypocrisie let the Reader mark this but this is the ground wherefore the Ministers and Preachers were and are sent abroad to bring all people to be taught of God by the Spirit and to inform their minds to the gifts of God in them that by the spirit received the knowledg of they might know the things of God which is not known but by the Spirit of God which all the Children of God are led and guided by and they that are not led with the Spirit of God which Spirit is immediate are not the heirs with Christ are none of his let J.S. say what he will or may this we believe and this the Scripture gives testimony of for us and with us Yet further to manifest his folly he saith It is erroneous enough and contradictious to the whole Scripture when R. F. truly tells him saith Thou that art not taught of God shewes that thou speaks a vision of thy own heart and not from the mouth of the Lord let the Reader search where the errour and contradiction to the whole Scripture lyes in these words or whether he hath not proved himself blind and ignorant and in errour and contradicton to the Spirit of God Further he saith Never did any but Gods slayers and Spirit-wounders go about to sâ—parate the Word of God and his breath Now let this be considered Christ did tell them the Pharises who had the words whâ—ch God had spoken by the Prophets that they had never heard â—he voyce of God here he divides or separates betwixt the words and the voyce or breath and was no God-slayer nor Spirit-wounder as thou hast vvickedly and blasphemously laid dovvn thy position vvhere thou hast concluded Christ to be one against vvhom thy vvords are laid dovvn let the Reader prove thy doctrine His 20 th Head concerning Questions In this we do not contradict the Scripture J. S. is taken with a lye in his mouth who hath made it a subject to treat upon for Questions in their places wee own but such as are of the Divell we deny as Christ did who shewed himself as a fool unto all mens wisdom when the subtile Pharisees and others tempted him who vvould not ansvver their crafty Questions though them that questioned in simplicity he did to resolve and satisfie them and informe them in the knovvledg of the Father Then some leaves he hath filled vviâ—h producing some of our Queries out of some of our Books Commenting thereupon and vvould prove them ignorant and unprofitable and the
prayer in the Spirit and who are moved by the Spirit morning or evening or at meals or otherwise and this is truth let J.S. gather what he can from it Further he saith If we teach one another why do we condemn them for teaching But to this I have answered Preaching or Teaching by the Spirit we own and without the Spirit we deny and because we say we own all that which is Gods as Baptisme the Lords Supper and Sabbath c. yet doth disown in practice their Water Baptisme and their form of breaking of Bread and Wine and their forms of Church fellowship and their form of keeping a Sabbath this he charges to be contradiction but it is not so in the sight of the Lord though I.S. falsely so judge it for their Baptism and breaking of Bread and Wine and their Church-fellowship and keeping of a day I say their exercise in these things we do deny to be of God as in measure is proved and may be further if need require and I say we own that which is Gods and which is led unto by his Spirit and practised in his fear and counsel yet we do deny all their Imaginations of any thing which God commanded doth own the command of God and yet doth not contradict our selves though I. S. falsely so judge of us Further he charges us with self-contradiction concerning speech and silence because we check some for speaking and yet speaks or writes our selves but this is the same with the former and the same answer will serve that speaking that which is not in the Spirit we check which is not the voice of Christ but of the stranger and yet doth own that which is spoken by the Spirit of God and herein doth not contradict our selves Further he saith We contradict our selves concerning Conscience and Laws because we say there must be no Law concerning Religion viz to bind any man to worship in this or the other way and to bind him from this or that way of Worship and yet in exhorting the Rulers that their Laws be according to that in the Conscience but in these words there is no contradiction for the Laws being according to the light in every mans Conscience that Law will not binde or limit the conscience from this or that way of worship in Religion for that Law is unjust which binds or limits the pure conscience of any man but that Law which is contrary to the light in every mans conscience is oppression and we bear witnesse against it and though we do say no Law must be laid upon Religion that is to say to binde any mans Conscience to or from such a form of Religion and though we further say that all just Law is and should be according to every mans Conscience yet in this there is no contradiction And whereas J.S. speaks of such Laws who persecuted prisoned and crucified for the testimony of a good Conscience God hath hewen down in all ages saith he Let the Rulers of England take notice of this from the mouth of one of their Teachers And further I adde so will God hew down in this Age all those Lawes by which many are persecuted and prisoned as he hath done in other Ages therefore let it be considered by them And he saith The Magistrate is not to level his Law with every mans conscience and light and this he speaks in opposition to us but he needs not for we say the same that some mens Consciences are defiled and we do not desire the Laws to be made according to mens several Opinions and defiled Consciences but according to the light of Christ Jesus in every mans Conscience which is but one in all and is according to the Law of God and every just Law will be according to it and though J.S. by his own meaning would make it appear Contradiction in our saying no Law must be concerning Religion and yet saying all Laws should be according to the light of Christ in the Conscience Now by these words we do not mean that we would have a Law according to Religion but no Law to limit to or from this or that manner of Religion And this doth very well agree with our saying Let all your Laws be according to the Light of Christ so by his misinterpretation of the first he makes it appear to be contradiction to the second but it is not in the light of the Spirit of God And further R. F. saying the Law of God answers his Justice and the Light of Christ in the conscience answers the Law of God which is perfect according to that in the Conscience these words J. S. charges with two Errors but let the Reader try where the Error lies and not believe J. S false deduction from R.F. plain words which are simply uttered though subtily wrested And J. S. speaks as if some would have Magistrates to make Laws to binde themselves from striking at Offenders Blasphemers Gospel and Church disturbers c. In answer to this We are not they that would have any Magistrates to bind themselves from striking at offenders who are truly able to judge of Offences we own that such should be punished according to the offence but the Magistrates Law reacheâ— but to the outward man to keep that in peace and good order and not to the inward man to binde or limit that And as for Blasphemy and Gospel and Church disturbing we find many Magistrates not able to judge thereof but many on the other side calling â—â—th blasphemy and reproving of sin in Teachers and people Gospel and Church disturbing and so by false judgment making such offenders which are not and so abusing their power and condemning the innocent rather than the guilty and these are such as J. S. speaks of where the strong man armed keeps the house and these are rather a terror to well-doers then to evil and such Magistrates and such Laws by which the just are oppressed and the hands of the wicked strengthened will the Lord confound in a day to the glory of his name and to the refreshing of all his People who are now every way oppressed by evil men both by Teachers and People And as for the rest of his Book it s but of the same nature with the former and not worth answering to onely his lyes I do deny and his first following is that all our doctrines are raised upon the ruines of the Scriptures excellency and authority this is false neither doth his proof at all make it good His second lye is that our corrupt Tenents are built upon false and novel Interpretations and this is two lyes together our Tenents are not corrupt neither do we build any thing which we hold upon false Interpretationâ— His third lye is that it is pride that hath bred and doth feed our Opinions and Practices and this is also false and to prove it hath wrested some of E. B. words His fourth lye is that unbelief
your selves who have for many ages preyed devouringly upon the upright and through perfect covetousness have made merchandize of Souls and now many hath an eye opened to see your shame and it appears with horrible detestation even the saying is fulfilled As troups of robbers wait for a man so the company of Priests murders in the way by consent as the Prophet said and as Christ said Wo unto you you will not enter your selves nor suffer others to enter that would Wherefore thou J. S. even thou repent of this thy Wickedness for the wrath of the Lord is gone forth against thee and evil hast thou done against God and against his people and against thy own soul and this thou shalt know one day to thy exceeding sorrow unto vvhich time we leave thee and could have born all thy scandalous terms vvithout replying again but only for the sake of the simple that thy neighbours may see thy folly and all men to vvhom thine and this doth come and vve have not been large but in short have in singleness of heart born our testimony once more to the truth of the glorious Gospel vvhich vve have received of God and not of man and against thee and thy sinful heart and whatsoever proceeds out of it for thou being evil how canst thou speak good things The Tree must be good before the fruit can be so but out of thy evil heart hast thou brought forth evil and must receive the reward of evil whether thou wilt or no. And vvhat if vve should go about to shew vvherein the Priests of England do contradict the Scripture Might not we have a large Catalogue even all in your Worship and in the most of your practises acting contrary to the Scripture and contradicting that spirit that gave it forth in doctrine and in conversation in such an enterprise as this might we make your folly sound abroad And as to the contradicting of your selves and being of many judgements and opinions and difference in many particulars about the things of God among your selves herein you abound almost above measure and thus if need require could I by the strength of Jesus sufficiently make you appear abominable in the eyes of all just men and so think not in thy self that thou art free from Scripture and self-contradiction but truly guilty your selves in what thou hast wickedly accused us of falsly which doth but prove ehee to be of thy Father who is an accuser of the Brethren according to Christs words we are spoken all manner of evil of falsly for the Name of Jesus Christ whom we serve and therefore are hated of the World because we are not of it but without much more words I leave this J. S. our adversary to the judgement of the great Day wherein we and he shal receive according to our deeds and til then is as willing to have dispraise as praise of men who is not a Jew outward but a Jew inward Who hath no praise of men but of God who is of the Kingdom of Christ which is not of this World The cause of stumbling removed from all that will receive the truth and from before the eyes of the wise men of London In a Treatise shewing the difference between the Spirit of a man which the Candle of the Lord and the Light which hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world Also shewing that though there be diversity of Administrations yet there is not diversity of Lights and Spirits by which they are ministred And shewing by clear testimony what the more sure Word of Prophesie is which the Apostle Peter exhorts the people to take heed unto until the day did dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts Herein also is a false Hosanna and a false testimony reproved and a false witness is rejected and an untimely birth cast out though for the time of travel it might have been a Monster being above two years but in the end is brought forth for destruction tht Name of him which hath so long travelled to bring forth wind and confusion is one known in the City of London by the Name of John Jackson being by the truth of this following made manifest that so by every motion of the Spirit of Truth and every testimony given from it Understanding and Knowledge of the Truth may be encreased in those that follow on to know the Lord. THe Light is broken forth as the morning and the health of the Nations is in it and is springing forth speedily and the righteousness of the righteous Seed is gone forth before them and the glory of the Lord is revealed to his Seed which now calleth and the Lord doth answer Here am I and the Lord hath made and is making his Seed as a watered Garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not and is raising up the foundations of many generations that people may come to build again upon thus Foundation which they have been driven from especially by their Pastors for saith the Lord Many Pastors have destroyed my Vinyard they have trodden my portion under foot and made my pleasant Portion a desolate Wilderness and have made God's Heritage as a speckled Bird the Birds round about are against her and all the Beasts of the field come to devour Jer. 12.9 10. And now is the Lord come forth against these devourers even as a Lyon bereaved of her young ones for the Lord wil not suffer the spoile of his Heritage any longer but wil dress his Vinyard that it may bring forth fruit unto him And now is the Lord casting out the blind Watchmen and the foolish Prophets which have followed their own spirit and have seen nothing and all such is the Lord casting out and his everlasting fire is he kindling amongst them And now I hear a cry of torment going through the Nation Can any kindle a fire among Serpents and they not be offended and shoot their stings Can any touch the Vipers but they wil swell with venom And when Scorpions are trodden upon wil they not shew forth their strength Can that nature suffer death patiently Nay patience proceedeth from that Seed which slayeth the enmity and destroyeth the man of sin and therefore as we have one Seed to witness for so there is one to witness against and as it is the Work of the Spirit of God to approve the things that are of God so it is his Work also to reprove those things which are contrary to sound Doctrine to the end that every one may know as well what to reject and deny as error as what to own for truth and sound doctrine Therefore of necessity must every one be turned to the Light which Christ hath enlightned them withall that they may discern what they are to approve and what they are to reprove and that judgement is true which stands in the Light and in the measure of the Spirit of Truth To the READER MEN of low degree are
where his words can never reach them to take away their peace or disquiet them for as I said we are established upon a sure foundation and are tryed and proved and cannot be blown away with any windy Doctrines of men which begets into strife and not into true sincerity of heart but wo unto that man that works offence and doth cast stumbling-blocks in the way of the simple And though the Lords people be a suffering people yet wo unto them that cause thom to suffer And though he and some others in their spirits were elevated thinking thereby to trample upon the innocent by that occasion happâ—ning concerning J. N. which was not suffered of the Lord to be as an occasion to destroy his people but as an occasion to try them and to prove them and thereby are they tryed and proved and the more setled rather than confounded and John Jackson and such like may glory in such things for a moment because the appearance of it seems evil yet the Lord will make their glorying void for the Lord hath ways enough to preserve his people and this we have found in many needful times And as concerning this thing which was looked upon as a breach among us by many yet it 's over and Truth stands a top of it and the beauty of Truth appears through it all and Truth is more lovely when it is proved and purged What if the Lord suffer his to be led and tempted for a season let not the wicked boast of this for though the righteous fall he shall rise again but the wicked fall into mischief But yet we learn something by this what a great use the Devil hath made hereof and how many Books and lying Scribblers hath been sent forth about it concerning us which are all counted by us no better than the most corrupted Treasure that ever grew in Babylon and the best of it is but baubles to please vain minds for men of sound understandings can take no pleasure therein And we see how by all means the Devil and his people seeks occasion against the ways and people of Gods and how glad are the wicked when they get an occasion against the Lords people And how do they glory in it and boast in it for a time thinking that their hands are strengthened in a greater boldness to do mischief And John Jackson is one of those that takes pleasure in these things and he hath managed his business with a great deal of craft but there are none that will praise him for it except such whose wicked hands he strengthens and such as he must have stumblings after the way of the Lord hath been so fully manifested and they receive it not and they must fall and be broken And seeing that the wicked doth take occasion and seeks occasion against the innocent this will make many more watchful and more circumspect and more to walk in God's wisdom and to deny their own wayes lest offences come by them And let him put off his Armor and lay down his Weapons and I wish he may spend the next two years to come better than he hath done these last aod that the little fire in the Embers may kindle to the burning of his corruption rather than into a blind zeal against the innocent people And what in this Book is written is not to contend or strive for mastery but to clear the Truth and to remove all cause of stumblings from before the face of all the upright in heart A Friend to all people E.B. London the third of the ninth month 1657. MAny untimely Births in ages past and present have been brought forth and the Work of such hath alwayes been to destroy the Heir the Seed which the Lord hath blessed that so the Inheritance might be theirs and so would thrust themselves into the Kingdom but they know while the Seed of the promise is alive it keeps them out and will not let them meddle with those things which they are not born unto for they are sons of bondage and children of falshood and must not be heirs with the son of the free woman c. David out of whose root the righteous seed did arise the bright and Morning-star he saw that Seed in his days and was aware of them and gave his testimony concerning them saying In heart ye work wickedness you weigh the violency of your hands in the Earth the wicked are estranged from the Womb they go astray as soon as they be born speaking lyes their poyson is like the poyson of a Serpent they are like the deaf Adder that stoppeth her ear charm one never so wisely Break their teeth O God in their mouth break out the teeth of the young Lyons O Lord let them melt away as waters that run continually when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows let them be as cut in pieces as a Snaile which melteth let every one of them pass away like the untimely birth of a woman that they may not see the Sun c. Psal. 58.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. And again he saith Behold he travelleth with iniquity and hath conceived mischief and brought forth falshood Psal. 7.14 and so there was a travelling and labouring before they could get their iniquity brought forth as we have true declarations concerning the ages past how many have travelled and brought forth wind and confusion so likewise in this age by experience can we give testimony of the like births which hath been brought forth to the slâ—ughter amongst Babylons children and here is one of the same birth born and brought forth in this City of London to which I shall speak something at present although he conceal his Name yet the seed you shall know by its fruits it is one that would be reckoned amongst those children that in the Temple cryed Hosanna to the Son of David Mâ—tth 12.15 But the Seed which David called Lord is risen and hath rebuked the false voice for it is not every one that cryeth Lord nor every one that cryeth Hosanna that enters into the Kingdom but such as heareth the Word of God and doth it Now the testimony which this Author gives to that which after a long travel is come forth is this That it hath been in his breast two years and upwards while it at length is come forth as an untimely birth or as that which is born out of due time labouring under the burden of being both unnecessary and unseasonable Such a Testimony as this seems to beget a Wonder in the airy Spirits of men as if a Monster were to be seen What two yeares travel and yet an untimely birth And many such false cryes are in this City which enters into the sensual part of men and gets into the affections but there is a Seed risen which hath received from the Father the spirit of judgement and understanding and it doth not own things according to the report nor judge of things according to
their names in outward appearance but hath a measuring line given unto it and a true ballance whereby voices ways worships and testimonies is tried before they be approved and therewith shall this spirit be tried and voice which is come forth crying Hosanna to the Son of David or a testimony to the Lords Christ which being truly weighed and searched may prove a testimony against the Lords Christ which hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world in setting up mans spirit to be the light instead of the Lords Christ. But first let us consider the burden under which this man hath laboured which is as he saith that which is both unnecessary and unseasonable First unnecessary because the same hath been before by better hands so it is not to be admired as a Monster because it hath already been and effected nothing Secondly unseasonable because those are already resolved that Jesus Christ is the true light which hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world which he would resolve that the spirit in every man is that light and so according to this every man must follow his own spirit instead of following the light which Christ hath enlightned him withal Now this burden thus considered which is both unnecessary and unseasonable having been in his brest above two years all that have received the spirit of judgement and knows the workings of the mysterie of iniquity and can truly read the state of those which are filled with unrighteousness knows that this birth is cursed before ever it came forth and it had been better that it had never been born nor brought forth into the world for it will be to the great aggravation of his sorrow and misery which did conceive it and so long travel in it and at last brought it forth but among the untimely births shall we reckon it which never saw the Sun nor never received blessing from the Father and happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast rewarded us and happy shall he be that takes and dasheth thy untimely birth against the stones Psal. 137.8 9. Against this birth hath the Lord stretched forth his everlasting arm to dash in pieces and this is not the first of Babylons children which in this age and in this City hath been brought forâ—h to the spoil nor the first which this man hath brought forth for he hath brought forth another without a name which is both as unnecessary and as unseasonable as this And so from experience he may say that it is both unnecessary and unseasonable either to conceive or bring forth any such thing against the seed which the Lord hath blessed for there was never any as yet which did strive against the Lord or his anointed ones which did prosper neither shall to the ends of the earth So the burden of this man is searched and judged and fâ—und not to be the burthen of the word of the Lord though he thought it to be so when in him he felt the fire of enmity bâ—yling and bubling up within him as in his Epistle But we have found it to be such a burthen as the false Prophets in Jerusalem did see for the people which was false burthens and causes of banishment Lam. 2.14 But if the fire of the Lord had been kindled in him it would have consumed this birth in the womb before ever it had been brought forth But the hour is coming and now is in which the Lord is fulfilling his promise according to the Scriptures which saith that he will make Jerusalem a burthensome stone for all people all that burthen themselves with it shall be cut in pieceâ— though all the people upon the earth be gathered together against it Zac. 12.3 And as this was spoken so it is fulfilled and fulfilling that the testimony of God may be sealed up among his children For now is the light risen with which the Lord Christ is gathering into the new Jerusalem the City of the living God and now hath many burthened themselves with it and so burthened that they cannot tell how to unburthen themselves of it But to ease themselves of that burthen which is ready to press them down they break forth into reviling terms and unsavory speeches and false assertions against the light and those that walk in it and will deny both the light and children of light to be spiritual Some calling it natural light some calling it natural conscience some created light some the light of reason and understanding some old creation light some a dim light some the spirit of man and so burthen themselves with it and when they have both spoken and printed such things to ease them of their burthen their burthen growâ— again and so they do not cease to vex and grieve the holy spirit of God from day to day and when they have burthened themselves with the enmity against the light and the works of righteousness proceeding forth from it to the father then they cry the burthen of the Lord the fire of the Lord within them But saith the Lord to such I will destroy that man and his house and the burthen of the Lord shall ye mention no more for every mans word shall be his burthen for ye have perverted the words of the living God of the Lord of hosts our God Jer. 23.36 Therefore is the measuring-line gone forth to measure the false burthens whereby they pervert the words of the living God with their own words and imaginations and unto those which ever were reproachers of the way and people of God the Lord saith I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you and a perpetual shame which shall not be forgotten Ier. 13.40 So this is written that no man should any more burthen themselves with the burthensom stone whereby they will be broken to pieces if they fall upon it But that every one may come to it that with it they may see their false burthens and the sin which doth so easily beset them and may cease grieving of the spirit of the Lord while his spirit striveth with them and may come to know every man his own word which will become his burthen when it returns again unto him But the word of the Lord goeth forth and returns not empty neither doth it burthen him which it goes forth from when it returns again unto him Although the true burthen of the word of the Lord be known in many before it go forth from them Therefore then seeing that it is an untimely birth and not that which is born of the spirit which is come forth from him to whom I now am to speak Now least others being in the same blindness with him think as he doth that it is a true voice or Hosanna to the son of David or a true testimony to the Lords Christ I shall weigh his testimony seeing that the true voice is gone forth both in the days of his flesh and since in which days he was truly
offence now to preach the word of Faith to be as a little light or to preach the annointing to be as a little light in those in whom the light is little doth this also offend you What then if we should say That Christ is the light of life the son of righteousness the glory and express figure of the Fathers substance in some and but as a little light or day-star in others or in others as a light before the day-star arise in their hearts Is not the light great in some little in others And is not Christ the same May that only be called Christ which takes away the sins And may not that also be called Christ which pierceth through the soul revealeth the thoughts of many hearts Luke 2.35 May he only be called Christ unto whom the Father hath given the Heathen for his inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession who reigneth and hath all his enemies under his feets is not he the same as he is descended into the lower parts of the earth which took upon him the form of a servant So therefore that none may err in their judgments concerning the testimony which is given of Christ of his light his light is more or less according to his manifestation in every one there being given to every one a manifestation of the spirit to profit withal every one is to be turned to the measure of their manifestation to know witness Christ in it though in many it be but as a little light yet they are to be turned unto it while it is so which as it doth encrease is enlarged it may be called or declared under another name than little as the Kingdom of Heaven is not alwayes like unto a grain of mustard-seed nor as a little leaven but comes to rule in the children of men And whereas the Accuser replieth against the light and against Christ to be the word of Faith saying Christ is called the Word of God Rev. 19.13 but not the Word of Faith and yet saith in page 45. That Christ 〈◊〉 the Author and finisher of Faith Answ. If Christ be the Word of God and faith come by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God then how is it that he is not the word of Faith being that word by which Faith comes when it is heard and he being the Author of it may he not then as well be called the Word of it as the Author of it seeing he is the Word by which it comes but that all may understand what this word of faith was which the Apostle preached This was Christ Rom. 10. and they preached no other Word to be the Word of faith but Christ That whosoever believed on him should not be ashamed So that if the ignorance of Christ and of the Apostles words were blotted out of the hearts of our Accusers they would be silent and the daily reproach would cease And whereas it is affirmed by us That the Light or a measure of Christ within is a sure word of prophesie or a more sure word of prophesie as Peter saith 2 Pet. 1 19. And whereas many are offended at this and labours to make people believe that this is the Writings of the Prophets which is the more sure Word of Prophesie the Apostle speaks of because he saith Knowing this first that no prophesie of the Scriptures is of any private interpretation for the prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost c. Answ. Now I shall make it appear that it was not the Writings of the Prophets which was that more sure Word as first concerning that here is one thing held out to be a sure Word and another thing held out to be more sure as unto thoâ—e to whom it was spoken And as concerning the first That whâ—ch is held out to be a sure Word is that which came from the Father the voice which came from the excellent Glory saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and this voice which came from heaven the Disciples hâ—ard when they were with him in the holy Mount This was a sure Word when it was spoken and when it was written it was a sure testimony as sure as any of the Prophets Writings for the Prophets did see that he was to come and he that was to come was the well beloved Son of the Father and they wrote this down and it was a sure testimony of Christ and Peter and the rest saw that he was come and did hear the voice from the excellent glory proclaiming him 〈◊〉 be the Son of God and when they had seen it they wrote it down and this was a sure testimony yea a surer then the Prophets and that which the Apostles were eye-witnesses of and did write down for truth was as much to be taken heed unto as that which the Prophets declared and this will all men of understanding judge that the Apostle Peter did not direct the people to the Prophets words to take heed to them because they were more sure then his own and more to be believed But although the Apostles words and writings were confirmed with more power and witness of the Spirit then the Prophets and both true yet the Apostles Ministry unto those which did not see those things which the Prophets saw much less those things the Apostles saw no not so far as the dawning of the day nor to the day-â—â—ar risen in their hearts therefore Peter dividing the Word of God aright saith unto them We have a more sure word of prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 It was more sure for them to take heed unto that which was as a light shining in a dark place till the day-star did arise and the day dawn in their hearts then the declaration from others without them declared in words and writings as thus for example by experience to suâ—h I shall direct my speech who cannot witness the day dawned nor the day-star risen in their hearts nor hath heard the voice from the excellent Glory to such I say That which I have seen and heard the visions power and glory wherein I am an eye-witness of his glory and of his appearance this I may declare and write unto you and you may believe it But to such I say It is more sure for them to take heed to the light that shines in the dark place till they come to witness in themselves the day dawned and day-star risen and the Son of God made manifest in them then to take heed to the words which I have declared though it be a true testimony for the Apostle did not write to himself nor say that it was more sure unto him but unto
Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers c. And this was by the power virtue and operation of the gift of Christ in them and as then so now for there is not another way to be called into the Ministry by neither doth any profit the people at all but they who minister from the power and moving of that gift which they have received from the Father by Jesus Christ by which gift was I called out of the World and separated for the Work of the Gospel by which gift I saw that which had corrupted the earth and by it was moved to minister against it which gift is that which hath the power in it both to convince and convert unto God according as the Apostle Peter who was unlearned in the Letter vvas made a Minister by the gift of the Spirit of Christ and saith 1 Pet 4.10 As every one hath received the gift even so let him minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God And if any man speak let him speak as the Oracle of God and if any man minister lee him do it as of the ability which God giveth that God in all things may be glorified So that that Ministry by which God is glorified and people converted is that which proceeds from the operation and power of his own gifts in them which is that Ministry which perfecteâ—h the Sâ—ints edifies the body of Christ brings into the unity of the Faith unto the knowledge of the Son of God and unto a perfect man and unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. But they vvhich gather Scriptures together in their earthly Wisdom and from that which they have gathered minister unto others this Ministry doth not perfect the Saints nor edifie the body of Christ nor bring to the unity of the Faith but into strife and divisions nor to the knowledge of the Son of God but leads from his knowledge nor unto a perfect man but pleads against perfection nor unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ no not unto the measure of the least Saint so that Ministry is to be ceased from vvhich proceeds not from the measure of the Father's gift and that onely continued unto the end of the World vvhich his gift calleth into and carryeth on in So I by the measure of his free Spirit being called and made a Minister of it unto others not of the letter but of the spirit in which in all ages the true Ministry stood having not received it of man neither was I taught it but by the revelation and manifestation of the life of Christ in me Which Spirit in me according to its measure is as true and as infallible as it was in them which by it were made Apostles Evangelists Prophets and Teachers formerly being the same in power virtue and operation as it was as able to reveal and make manifest to teach edifie and perfect as it was and to beget people out of the World into the Covenant of Light and Life and all who are Ministers of Christ for the gathering of his seed from the ends of the Earth into the Kingdom of his dear Son must from the same Spirit witness their call and separation to that Work and all other calls are false and their Ministry profits not which doth not singly proceed from the measure of that gift but all who do abide in the measure of his gift and from it minister by it they are manifest to be of God and in that Ministry they commend themselves unto every mans Conscience in the sight of God and this is the calling and Ministry in which as every one abides they glorifie God And this is the Ministry of reconciliatâ—on which was committed unto the Apostles and is unto his Ministers now by the power of which the Devil's Work comes to be destroyed and then all things reconciled in one things in heaven and things in earth But that Ministry which is received from man and taught by man never reconciles any thing unto God but doth separate from God and beget into enmity but that which proceeds from the measure of the gift of God brings every one to know the truth in their own particular which Truth as they abide in it sets them free from sin and this Ministry hath the power in it in all them that have received it to save them that preach it and them that hear it and obey it no other Ministry doth profit the people at all but that which from the gift of God is ministred so that this call and Ministry here declared is one with and according to the Apostles and the Scriptures The Heads of Priest Dance his professed Call to the Ministry as followeth Pr. If I should speak non-sence as others do then I might say that I am made a Minister by the measure of the gift of Grace and then I should be accounted a Minister as well as they c. But I do not pretend to any infallibility in my Ministry but as these Acts 6 6. which when the Apostles had prayed laid their hands upon them although saith he that laying on of hands is not of such necessity but that a man may be a Minister without it and as Timothy although he had some extraordinary gifts yet he was not infallible 1 Tim. 4.14 and saith he I desire the Office of a Bishop which he that desireth desireth a good work according to 1 Tim. 3.1 And as for his Qualifications they are such as whereby he might have advantaged himself more abundantly in the world as to outward means nnd might have been cloathed in Sâ—aâ—let c. but did rather chuse and incline himself to be a Minister of the Gospel and that the outward means was not his end in chusing to be a Minister but if that he could be satisfied or see that there did not want labourers in the Lords work he could freely leave off c. And further he said That God had made his preaching effectual for the converting of many and that there were many though not in that place yet some in that place of whom he could say as the Apostles said That they were the seal of his Ministry c. These being the heads of the particulars Objections against this Call WHereas thou sayest That it is non-sence to say that a man is made a Minister by the gift of grace Ans. Then the Apostles spake non-sence when they witnessed forth their call to the Ministry for to every one of them was given Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ from which Grace they did minister Eph. 4. But the Apostles spoke sensible truth therefore he that contradicts it speaks non-sence and ignorance as will further appear in saying that he pretends unto no infallibility in his Ministry Ans. Then he pretends to nothing of the Spirit of God much less to be a Minister of the Spirit
no other way can R. H. A word of Wisdom and Counsel to the Officers and Souldiers of the Army in England c. To weigh and consider before the light and power of their day be shut up in darkness when they cannot Act for God THe people of this Commonwealth hath by deep and sad experiences not onely seen the falseness and deceivableness of many fair words and pretences whereby they have been betrayed of their liberties and freedom and nothing yet but bondage and slavery is left upon them but they also through their deep sufferings have learned to know the spirits of men And though every appearance of a Power that ariseth gets new words and fair pretences but still in the old spirit Yet we do perfectly know that it is the new Spirit of the Lord put in the inward parts from which men must act for the Lord and for the Liberties of his people before they be established in righteousness or enjoy the liberty of their Consciences And we see that God hath given time and days which should have been days of liberty and of plenteous redemption But through mens departing from the leadings of God and suffering their own wisdom to pervert them they became days of persecution and cruelty which for the Elects sake which suffered in them was shortned as for instance 1. Oliver Cromwel in his days made many Vows Promises Engagements and Professions for the liberty of tender Consciences as the honest people of this Nation are not ignorant and how that at Dunbar he confest unto God in his prayer That if the Lord would but deliver him that time he would take away that great oppression of Tithes which when he was delivered both at that and many other times and had a prize put into his hand yet had no heart to improve it but contrary to all his prayers promises and engagements suffered and tolerated the wicked spirit of persecution in the murthering Priests and Magistrates to Rule in the Land over tender Consciences even until violence and blood covered the earth and filled the whole Nation suffering Laws to be made for Tythes and for persecuting of tender Consciences and so building again that which he had destroyed and so made himself a Transgressor but for the elects sake his dayes were shortened 2. In the dayes of R. Cromwell many of that succeeding Parliament began to declare their sensibleness how that O. Cromwel had betrayed the Nation and its Liberty and left them in great bondage debt persecution and slavery But how soon they were perverted and became more bloody and cruel against all that fear God the upright in heart are sensible setting up in themselves that which they declared against in him and instead of giving liberty and freedom to the Army and to the people of God they voted down that liberty and freedom which they already had viz. of meeting together one with another in the fear and worship of God so they became cruel as the Ostrich in the Wildernesse and as evening Wolves but for the Elects sake was their dayes shortened 3. The long and late Parl. they came up with greater pretences of liberty and freedom then all that was before them and the people generally applauding of them by telling them that they were the beginners of setling the Nation in the way of a Common wealth and did expect they should perfect the peoples Liberty and Freedom outwardly which by the other Powers they had suffered under expecting that they should remove those burthens which was laid upon tender Consciences by impositions and cruel sufferings and in their beginning they seemed to be given up to do the work expected from them and did publish it in their weekly news to the Nation several times that it was their real intent to make the Nation a Free Common-wealth not in name but in Nature and this was often expressed by them and indeed they did something more then those that went before them in setting at Liberty those that were imprisoned because they could not pay Tythes to the Priests and because they could not swear and because they could not put off their hats to honour pride and ambition and because they spoke the Truth against the deceits of the Priests which both the Souldiers and the honest-heaâ—ted in the Nation knows how treacherous they have been and the hinderance of every appearance of God in the Nation for the chief cause of Gods breaking down and of bringing into ignominy shame and reproach those late powers before mentioned was the letting in of the Priests spirit and flatteries as O. Cromwell if alive would witnesse or those that are alive may witnesse for him that he had never been such a covenant-breaker and betrayer of the Nations Liberties but by letting in that wicked interest which made him a reproach a by-word a hissing among the people And the two late Parliaments it was their joyning to that betraying interest of the Priests and neglecting of the Nations businesse that brought darkenesse and confusion and consequently a dissolution upon them And the last as I said did something more then the former But when they began to revive the Committee for plundred Ministers and did not take notice nor call any Committee to subdue or punish the plundering Ministers of which they were informed from divers parts of the Nation which had feloniously taken away the goods of many an honest innocent man then did Gods Indignation grow hot against them and then was it time for them to be dissolved for they had finished their day and they had done all that ever they would have done for the Lord for bonds and violence was in their hearts but for the Elects sake which hath alwayes borne a true Testimony against the oppression and cruelty under which the Innocent suffers was their days shortened All those before mentioned had their day from the Lord given them to try and to prove them and they have been tried and proved And now you the Army have your day from the Lord wherein you will be tried and proved and you will be more inexcusable if you do not the things pretended then any that hath been before you for you see what hath been the cause of the fall and you see how that through Pride and Ambition flatteries and fair pretences the Cause of God and the Peoples Liberties have been betrayed by those that have fought honour one of another and not the honour which belongs unto God onely Therefore if you would have the Lord to honour you and keep you in renown in the Nation seek not your selves but deny your own Lordships honours and Excellencies let none cleave unto you by flatteries in giving you titles in seeming respect and honors for that will betray you and lead you from that Innocency by which you should act for the Lord and as now you have Power exercise it in chusing men fearing God and hating covetousnesse ambition pride and honor that
woman from which thou concludest that then the flesh must be married to Christ and so wouldst make up absurdities from thy own words Answ. This is thy ordinary way of proving Errour first to affirm a lye of thy own making charging it upon another and then draw a conclusion answering this lye but Sarah Blackborow nor any other of the Quakers have ever said that the flesh was the woman but that which Sarah Blackborow said was that the flesh was to be silent and that which spoke in thee was that which was silly and was ever learning but when any doth pray or prophesie whether man or woman and speak forth that which God hath made manifest that is the spirit of the Father in both and is not to be quenched for there is neither male nor female but all is one in Christ and in the Spirit from which preaching and prophesying proceeds and the promise is that daughters as well as sons shall prophesie and in the Church at Corinth they might all prophesie one by one that all might hear and all might be edified but thou saist those women that did prophesie it was not in the Church where then did they prophesie if not in the Church or what was the Church for it is written 1 Thess. 1.1 that the Church is in God And where must a woman be when she prays or prophesies if not in the Church which is in God And where was it that Philips four daughters prophesied whether in the Church or out of it and where was it that Priscilla did minister whether in the Church or out of it and Pheba a servant of the Church whether she might not pray nor prophesie in it and Priscilla who was a helper of Paul in Christ and laboured with him in the Gospel Rom. 16. might not pray or prophesie in the Church But now to speak the truth in plainness to thee that which thou cavell'st against it is not the woman nor the man simply considered but it is the Spirit speaking in either which thou canst not bear for where the Spirit of the Father speaks in man or woman thou setst thy self against it to oppose it And thou saist Susan Bond said Christ was the husband and of him they were to â—e taught and thou saist Sarah Blackborow did like the answer well Answ. Who could like it ill was not that a good answer And thou thy self must own Christ to be thy Teacher and learn of him before ever God will make use of thee in his service or work though the Priests may make use of thee for their defender Again pag. 99. thou saist we deny that any should either rule in the Church or have any honour Answ. No We do not deny the Head of the Church which is Christ to rule and to have all the honour but we deny any Priest to bear rule by his means or to receive the honour due unto Christ for we see they are such as seek honour of one another and not the honour which belongs to God onely Now whereas-thou goes about to vindicate that wicked men may sing Psalms and to prove it makes this argument If any be merry let him sing Psalms now wicked men are merry as well as godly though they have no true cause Ergo pag. 87 Ans. This Logick doth but prove thy own ignorance and darkness and not the thing intended by thee as we shall shew but first to answer thee with thy own contradiction Dost thou not say in the next words before this argument that the chief ground or cause is the moral duty lying upon all men by the commandment of God now if wicked men do sing Psalms by the commandment of God do they do it without a true cause Is not the commandment of God a true cause of any action to them which are commanded by him But in this thou art but building again that which thou hast destroyed and so makâ—â— thy self a transgressour and so let thy own confusion correct thee In the same page thou saist Thou wilt make good what thou hast written by Scripture Come then here we shall try thee Where in the Scripture dost thou prove that wicked men may be merry and sing Psalms though they have no true cause but on the contrary hast thou not read in the Scriptures Ps. 69. that David was the song of the Drunkards and if drunkards now in Taverns and Alehouses say and sing I am not puft in mind I have no scornful eye and say that as a weaned child they have behaved themselves by thy argument if they be never so wicked yet because they are merry in their wickedness they may sing lyes in the name of the Lord and by thy argument be Justified as men doing onely that which God had commanded them And again thou maist read in Scripture Joel 1 â—5 that such wicked men and drunkards were called to weep and howl for their misery was coming upon them so the Prophet did not call them to sing Davids Psalms because they were merry in their wickednâ—sse as thou hast done and again thou mayst read Amos 8.3 That the Songs of the Temple shall be turned into howling and these wicked men in the Temple were merry and by argument might sing Pâ—alms or spirituall Songs but the Prophet saith instead of singing they must howl and come to bitter lamentation and praise is not comely in the mouth of Fools as the wise man saith who is taught of God but the mouth of a Fool poureth forth his folly and the instruction of Fools is folly Pro. 16.22 And this Scripture we see fulfilled in thee for thy instructing of Fools and wicked men because they are merry in their wickednesse they may sing Psalms as a Coâ—mand from God and herein I have answer'd a fool according to his folly least he should be wise in his own conceit and although David calleth all Gods host and all living things made and created to praise the Lord the Sun Moon and Stars the Heavens and the Waters the Earth the Dragons and the Deeps Fire Haile Snow and Vapor Stormes and Wind fulfilling his word Mountains and Hills and fruitfull Trees all beasts Cattle Creeping things and flying Fowles Kings of the Earth and all People c. And now as David waâ— in the Covenant he saw the Creatures as they stood in their Covenant uncorrupted and so in a fit capacity to praise the Lord only man degenerated and unrestored again into the Covenant he saw it was not comely for him to praise nor to pray nor to take Gods word in his mouth nor to speak of his Statutes so far from Justifying thy Argument that wicked men because they are merry therefore may sing Psalmes but when the Priests or people takes notice of thy book and what Logick thou hast learned to justify the wicked in their singing as well as the godly and how thou hast shamed both thy self and them with such foolish confusion and University
but the repentance and forgiveness of our Enemies And those that do abuse us wrong us ignorantly their sins vvil be sooner blotted out than those who wilfully have set their hearts and tongues to vvork vvickedness for they shall receive the greater condemnation The kâ—â—â—â—edge and life of Truth is that we desire all people may comâ—â—â—to that by it the povver of the vvicked one may be taken avvay vvhich so furiously vvorketh in the hearts of those vvhich receive not the Truth in the love of it but bring forth floods of enmity and bitterness against the Lambs of Christ but the love of God vvhich thinketh no evil neither doth any unto another is that which when it is felt obeyed in all wil dry up those floods from off the face of the earth that there may be a place of rest for the redeemed and elect Seed who only hath the Lord and his Light for their Habitation and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God for their Armour and Defence Something that lately passed in discourse between the King and R. H. Published to prevent the mistakes and errors in a Copy lately printed contrary to the knowledge or intention of the party concerned and not onely so but also misprinted and abusâ—d in several particulars therefore it was thought convenient for the removing of errors and mistakes to be re-printed in a more true foâ—m and ordâ—r for the satisfaction of others R. H. SInce the Lord hath called us and gathered us to be a people to walk in his fear and in his truth we have alwayes suffered and been persecuted by the Powers that have ruled and been made a prey of for departing from iniquity and when the breach of no just Law could be charged against us then they made Laws of purpose to ensnare us and so our sufferings were unjustly continued King It is true those that have ruled over you have been cruel and have professed much which they have not done R. H. And likewise the same sufferings do now abound in more cruelty against us in many parts of this Nation as for instance one at Thetford in Norfolk where Henry Fell ministring unto the people was taken out of the Meeting 〈◊〉 whipped and sent out of the Town from Parish to Parish â—â—â—ards Lancashire and the chief ground of his Accusation in his Pass which was shewn to the King was because he denied to take the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy and so because that for Conscience-sake we cannot swear but have learned obedience to the Doctrine of Christ which saith Swear not at all hereby an occasion is taken against us to persecute us and it is well known that we have not sworn for any nor against any but have kept to the truth and our yea hath been yea and our nay nay in all things which is more then the Oath of those that are out of the truth King But why can you not swear for an oath is a common thing amongst men to any engagement R.H. Yes it is manifest and we have seen it by experience and it is so common amongst men to swear and engage either for or against things that there is no regard taken to them nor fear of an Oath that therefore which we speak of in the truth of our hearts is more than what they swear King But can you not promise as before the Lord which is the substance of the Oath R. H. Yes what we do affirm we can promise before the Lord and take him to our Witness in it but our so promising hath not been accepted but the ceremony of an oath they have stood for without which all other things were accounted of no effect King But how may we know from your words that you will perform R. H. By proving of us for they that swear are not known to be faithful but by proving of them so we by those that have tryed us are found to be truer in our promises than others by their Oaths and to those that do yet prove us we shall appear the same King Pray what is your Principle R. H. Our Principle is this That Jesus Christ is the true Light which enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world that all men through him might believe and that they were to obey and follow this Light as they have received it vvhereby they may be led unto God and unto righteousness and the knowledge of the truth that they may be saved King This do all Christians confess to be truth and he is not a Christian that will deny it R. H. But many have denied it both in words and writings and opposed us in it and above an hundred Books are put forth in opposition unto this Principle That some of the Lords standing by the King said that none would deny that every one is enlightened Lord. And one of the Lords asked how long we had been called Quakers or did we own that Name R. H. That Name was given to us in scorn and derision about twelve years since but there was some that lived in this truth before we had that Name given unto us King How long is it since you owned this Iudgement and Way R. H. It is near twelve years since I owned this Truth according to the manifestation of it King Do you own the Sacrament R. H. As for the Word Sacrament I do not read of it in the Scripture but as for the body and blood of Christ I own and that there is no remission without blood King Well that is it But do you noc believe that every one is commanded to receive it R. H. This we do believe That according as it is written in the Scripture that Christ at his last Supper took Bread brake it and gave to his Disciples and also took the Cup and blessed it and said unto them And as often as ye do this that is as often as they brake bread you shew forth the Lords death till he come and this we believe they did and they eat their bread in singleness of heart from house to house and Christ did come again to them according to his promise after which they said We being many are one bread for we are all partakers of this one bread Kings Friend Then one of the Kings Friends said It is true for as many grains make one bread so they being many members were one body Another of them said If they be the bread then they must be broken R.H. There is difference between that Bread which he brake at his last Supper vvherein they vvere to shevv forth as in a sign his death until he came and this vvhereof they speak they being many are one bread for herein they vvere come more into the substance and to speak more mystically as they knevv it in the Spirit Kings Friends Then they said It is truth and he had spoken nothing but truth King How know you that you are Inspired by the
Lord R. H. According as vve read in the Scriptures That the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding so by its inspiration is an understanding given us of the things of God Lord. Then one of the Lords said How do you know that you are led by the true Spirit R. H. This we know because the Spirit of truth it reproves the world of Sin and by it we were reproved of sin and also are led from sin unto righteousness and obedience of truth by which effects vve knovv it is the true Spirit for the spirit of the vvicked one doth not lead into such things King and Lords Then the King and his Lords said It was truth King Well of this you may be assured That you shall none of you suffer for your Opinions or Religion so long as you live peaceably and you have the Word of a King for it and I have also given forth a Declaration to the same purpose that none shall wrong you nor abuse you King How do you own Magistrates or Magistracy R. H. Thus vve do ovvn Magistrates Whosoever is set up by God whether King as Supream or any set in Authority by him who are for the punishment of evil doers and the praise of them that do well such we shall submit unto and assist in righteous and civil things both by body and Estate And if any Magistrates do that which is unrighteous we must declare against it only submit under it by a patient suffering and not rebel against any by insurrections plots and contrivances King Then the King said That is enough Lord. Then one of the Lords asked Why do you meet together seeing every â—ne of you have the Church in your selves R. H. According as it is written in the Scriptures the Church is in God Thes. 1.1 And they that feared the Lord did meet often together in the fear of the Lord and to us it is profitable and herein we are edified and strengthened in the life of truth King How did you first come to believe the Scriptures were truth R. H. I have believed the Scriptures from a child to be a Declaration of truth when I had but a literal knowledge natural education and tradition but now I know the Scriptures to be true by the manifestation and operation of the Spirit of God fulfilling them in me King In what manner do you méet and what is that order in your méetings R. H. We do meet in the same order as the people of God did waiting upon him and if any have a word of exhortation from the Lord he may speak it or if any have a word of reproof or admonition and as every one hath received the gift so they may minister one unto another and may be edified one by another whereby a grovvth into the knowledge of the truth is administred to one another One of the Lords Then you know not so much as you may know but there is a growth then to be admitted of R. H. Yes vve do grovv daily into the knovvledge of the truth in our exercise and obedience to it King Are any of your Friends gone to Rome R. H. Yes there is one in Prison in Rome King Why did you send him thither R. H. We did not send him thither but he found something upon his Spirit from the Lord whereby he was called to go to declare against Superstition and Idolatry vvhich is contrary to the Will of God Kings Friend said There were two of them at Rome but one was dead King Have any of your Friends been with the Great Turk R. H. Some of our Friends have been in that Countrey Other things were spoken concerning the liberty of the servants of the Lord which vvere called of him into his service that to them there vvas no limitation to Parishes or places but as the Lord did guide them in his Work and Service by his Spirit So the King promised that we should not any ways suffer for our Opinion or Religion and so in love passed away R. H. His Answer to John Horn. J. H. IN thy Answer to my Queries thou seemest to be resolved to say something although it be absolutely contrary to the truth and to that which thou knowest to be Truth as will appear in what follows In answer to my first thou sayest Christ in his Spirit ascended up to Heaven when his Body was upon Earth Is this an answer to the Question Is the mind or Spirit called the Son of man according to John 3.13 which came down from Heaven And no man doth ascend up to Heaven but the Son of man which was then in Heaven So by this thy Answer it appears then that the Spirit is the Son of man and that there is no other Son of man that ascends into Heaven but the Spirit then what becomes of that body thou speaks of if the Spirit only be that Son of man In thy Answer to the second and third Queries thou provest in thy way that Mary did that which was forbidden by Christ when she held him by the feet and worshipped him but in Mat. 28.9 there is no forbidding of her to touch him but this is plainly manifest that thou art in a snare and cannot tel how to get out and yet thou wilt be saying something though thereby thou more ensnares thy self but this Scripture thou wilt once know fulfilled The Wicked shall be silent in darkness When thou shouldst answer to the fourth thou tellest of its being a secret and of prying into things above what is vvritten although the ground of my Query is grounded upon that vvhich is vvritten in Luke 24.4 To the fifth thou saist That the Women did distinguish which was Christ vvas certain but hovv they did so is a foolish curious Question What certainty is there that they did knovv vvhen thou knovvest not hovv but this is like the rest of the Priests doctrine beating the air and leaving all people in uncertainties and yet would be paid for so doing but the Lord hath made thee manifest with the rest that you cannot deceive much longer To the sixth thou sayest the two Angels were seen visibly but were not Bodies nor Persons of men but in thy answer to the fourth saist that they both saw them as men and heard them speak and had two individual Forms Now if thou wert but simple and not wilfully blind thou mightest be the more excused In thy answer to the seventh thou art more lost and confused then in all the rest for when thou shouldst answer who were the eleven Disciples that were met together mentioned Luk 24.33 thou saist that Thomas might occasionally be gone out Ans. If he was gone out then the eleven was not together as Luke 24. Again thou saist that Matthias was chosen before the Evangelist wrote his Book What darkness and ignorance is this Thou art not questioned when the Book was written nor when Matthias was chosen but who was the eleven that was together
and whether was Matthias one of the eleven seeing he was not then chosen when Christ did arise from the dead But there needs not much be said to thee only to let thee see thy ovvn folly lest thou should say thou art wise To the eighth thou seemest to affirm that the Scriptures are to be taken as they speak and not otherwise a Mysterie Ans. Then why dost thou and the Priests give meanings to the Scriptures and do not let people take them as they speak but makes them such a Mysterie without your meanings and so plain with them but this is thy practice and doctrine to condemn thy self in the thing that thou allowest and builds again that which thou hast destroyed and so makes thy self a transgressor Lastly In thy conclusion thou falsly chargest me That I do not believe that any of these things mentioned in these Scriptures be really done Which is not my Faith for I do believe that those things mentioned were really done and fulfilled as the Scripture speaks but it is no new thing vvith thee to accuse falsly and to make lyes thy refuge but vvhat in all those things thou hast done against me I do forgive thee and do vvarn thee for the time to come that thou go not on to commit the unpardonable sin against God and his Spirit never to be forgiven Again in thy last paper thou declarest thy ignorance of the two Seeds and askest what be those two seeds Answ. These two the Scripture speaks of the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent 2 Who did or doth sow them seeds Answ. God doth sow the one and the wicked one the other 3 Where be they sown Answ. In man 4 When be they sown Answ. When man had a being and a body to receive them 5 What be the bodies they shall rise with Answ. Their own bodies according to their own natures the one pure and the other defiled 6 Whether be these two seeds and two bodies in all the world or two seeds in every man and the two bodies to or in every man Ans. The seeds are but two in the whole world having each seed its own body and in every one until the one be cast out 7 When shall those seeds arise or be raised whether after the bodily death or after the spiritual death Ans. Every one in its own order after the death of that which is born of the flesh and also after the death of the spiritual wickedness which is yet alive in all hirelings and deceivers such as thou art where the seed of God is yet in its grave 8 What are the graves these are in and out of which they shall arise These of which the Scripture speaks which when thou comest to understand it thou wilt understand both the seeds and graves of which we speak Christ the seed made his grave in the wicked and in the rich in his death and out of that grave shall rise with his body into everlasting life if thou canst receive it thou maist be satisfied And as to the 9. Query Why I say that the one shall rise unto everlasting life and the other unto condemnation Ans. Because it is so therefore I say so and if thou say to the contrary make it manifest but in this as in other things thy folly and ignorance is manifest to ask why I speak the truth which thou thy self darest not deny to be truth R. H. A short Relation of the twelve changes of Government that hath been in England within these 8 years under all of which we have suffered Persecution SInce by the Lord we were called chosen and separated to be his people and had unto us committed the word of Reconciliation and since his eternal power broke forth and was manifest amongst us hath he done great things in the Earth for he hath prepared his way and made it plain before the face of all people by the appearance and testimony of his eternal light in their hearts which hath not onely there shined but is broken forth into a life of Righteousness in many whom the Lord hath accounted worthy to be his servants in his Work to raise up a seed unto Jacob and to gather the dispersed of Israel and Judah both Jews and Gentiles into the Covenant of Light and Life with the Father from whence they are erred by transgression and for the accomplishing of this work and service hath the Lord furnished us with spiritual Weapons to war even against spiritual wickedness in high places 2 Cor. 10.4.5 and against the Rulers of the darkness of this World Ephâ—s 6.12 which hath appeared under many Forms and Governments since the breakings forth of truth in this Nation Yea many Heads or Governments hath been raised up and cast down again by one Hand and Power and have all from the Lord through his Servants had a word of Wisdom and Counsel administred unto them what they should do that they might be established which if they did not the Lord would break them to pieces which word of the Lord was fulfilled upon them all And every divers Head had a Horn in it to push at the Lambs of Christ withal and at every appearance of his Spirit and Power in his people but for his Elect sake was their days shortned and his breakings and destruction came upon them according to his word spoken to them by his servants at divers times And it is to be observed as the Lords doing and ordering by his mighty power that within this eight years siâ—ce we have been persecuted and cruelly used for the Name and Testimony of Jesus and the Answer of a pure Conscience there hath been twelve Changes of Government in this Nation which have all of them more or less been guilty of our Sufferings either in acting against us or in suffering others to act cruelly and not endeavouring to restrain them when they had power in their hands to do it and the sufferings laid before them who suffered for righteousness sake so that they could not plead ignorance but was left without excuse which now in the day of their misery and tribulation some of them do consider it when their time is no more I. As first in the time of the long Parliament in the Year One thousand six hundred fifty two although many pretended some prayed and some fought for Liberty of Conscience in matters of Religion yet at that time were we imprisoned beat and persecuted for obeying and worshipping our God in Spirit and Truth according to his teaching and at that time the Priests rage begun to burn like fire and they run one unto another and kindled the wrath in one another against the Truth even to petition against the spreading of it and those that walked in it as a dangerous thing and they generally with one consent called the Truth Heresie Delusion and Blasphemy and those that ministred it abroad they called Ring-leaders of Sects as in the Apostles days
all feignedness and formality even to dwell in the substance which is the holy life of the Son of God where the true love the heavenly voice and pure joy is felt and known as in the beginning always remembring how the Gospel in power came unto you and how in fear and much trembling it was both preached unto you and received by you with the many blessed effects of its operation vvorking your conversation out of the earthly nature from the earthly body into the heavenly body in which you are able to take up his Cross if it be daily to follow him in the regeneration and newness of life even from the true knowledge of him in whom ye have believed and by whose povver you stand For when we consider the infinite deepness and largeness of that love with which we have been cloathed and have even covered others withal and likewise the many experiences of the Father's dealings with us in working all our Works both in us and for us this cannot but deeply engage our hearts unto him how that ever since we have known him to be our Leader he hath always gone before us preparing our vvay that we might serve him he hath for his seeds sake even reproved Kings and hath quenched the violence of fire that was kindled in many hearts against us he hath by his Wisdom put to silence the ignorance of foolish men that he may clear us from all their reproach He hath not only kept us alive in our suffering under the Wrath of our Enemies but in the power of his spirit made us to reign over them and not only over our outward and open enemies but also over the secret smitings of the wicked one which would privily slay the righteous He hath had a tender regard to his innocent ones to keep them out of the snares of the betrayers and to keep them in the unity of his power and love in the which I speak unto you that know these things whose ears the Lord hath so opened that you can try Words and whose eyes also he hath unclosed that you can see that which causeth divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and avoid it for hitherto even until this day have you learned by good experience and some through sufferings that whatsoever hath risen up to oppose the Lord in his Way to quench the strength of his Love or to break the unity of his people whether it hath been by spirit or letter under never so innocent pretences the Lord hath brought it down and confounded it and made it to be as dust under the feet of his Saints so that we may together say to the praise of our God that we knovv the depths of Satan and are not ignorant of his devices Therefore in the sence of this experience put on strenth O ye Arm of the Lord by vvhich he will do great things and through whom he will make his power known to the Nations in setting up his Kingdom and Government and his Peace of which there shall be no end Let nothing hinder the setting up of his Scepter of Truth and Righteousness amongst you and let the Life of Jesus in his Love and Power reign over all the earthly spirits and over the spirit of Jealousie which is strong as death and cruel as the grave which being not received it can hurt nothing but its own habitation in which it lodgeth So keep your selves pure in the love of God and be not partakers of other mens sins walking worthy of the holy and blessed calling in which the Lord hath given you an inheritance among the living And dwel in the spirit of meekness in which the Wisdom and Power of God you will feel to the refreshing of your souls for as you therein abide you are our joy in the Lord and a strength unto us in his Work Another Epistle to Friends IN the life of the Son of God dwell that in it you may be made manifest unto all answering the just and reproving the unjust for he is come to rule who must put down all rule and all authority under his feet and in him is the living dominion felt and the faith in the power which overcomes the edge of the sword and subdues Nations in which is the dread of the Almighty to bring under the stout-hearted even by the power of the holy seed which is spreading abroad in the earth for the finishing the Fathers work in the earâ—h which all are witnesses of who do abide and walk in his light where you may all enjoy your peace with the Lord and be kept in his power over the power and spirit of the world in the everlasting covenant of light and life where you may all feel the growth of the seed in you into the Fathers gift which is the life immortal so dearly beloved and truly begotten in my Fathers love dwell in that which gives you a sight knowledge and feeâ—ing of him who hath begotten you into a measure of his life light power and image and hereby will you all be united into one serving one another in love for God is love and we are his off spring and to the world is he manifest through us as being his natural branches and the breaking forth of his light and power and is as set upon a hill unto which all eys look and from which the sincere and tender take their example so dear hearts in the path of the Just walk which is a shining light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day so as children of it all walk that you to others may be examples and leaders out of darkness and out of the ways of death into the Kingdom of the Father which stands in the Light righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost in which the power and presence of my heavenly Father preserve you and keep you in his living Dominion Reasons why no Imposition ought to be upon mens Consciences by any but the Lord. 1. BEcause no man can perswade the conscience of another either what God is or how to worship him but onely the Spirit which God hath given to instruct man 2 Because to impose any thing upon another mans conscience either to do or practice is not to do unto another as he would have another do unto him and therefore is contrary to Christs doctrine 3 Because all obedience or service that is thereby obtained is for fear of wrath and not from love nor for conscience sake and will but continue so long as that fear or force abides upon them 4 Because thereby no man can make an Hypocrite a Believer but it is possible that thereby he may make many Hypocrites 5 Because that in all forced impositions upon mens consciences there is of the wrath of man exercised which workâ— not the righteousness of God but rather begets enmity one towards another 6 Because that men are not made thereby loving Subjects but forced Slaves 7 Because that by the force of imposing any thing upon men many are thereby hardned in their hearts and resolved to resist when as by love and leaving them free they mâ—ght easily be perswaded of that which otherwise thâ—y will not be THE END Acts 33. Rom. 4.11 John 5.3 Jer. 1.5 6. Luk. 1.66.08 1 Kin. 8.46 John 14.4 Prov. 20.9 John 18.10 Eccles. 7.23
bodily appearence and his person removed from us yet is his new-Name written among us and his Memory can never die for his Spirit still lives to praise the Lord and the life which breathed forth through that vessel cannot be removed away for it is the Infinite Immortal Eternal Life which dwells in Sons and Daughters now upon the Earth and though his outward man be put off yet he lives always in Spirit for he was a Servant of the living God upon Earth in his day E. B. These few lines were sent to London from G. F. since R. H. laid down the body DEar Innocent Richard as Innocent a man as liveth on the Earth whose Innocency manifested it self and his life is amongst us and dead he yet liveth Who never turned his back but Conquered through truth but trampled upon all evill spirits and went over them who for the truth laid down his life and in it liveth and resteth G. F. Dear Friends RIchard Hubberthornes Love was very Great to all the Flock of God and in the time of his health he was a faithful Labourer in the worke of the Lord and that you well know and in the time of his sickness he did Express much Love to Friends and was greatly refreshed in them indeed he was a Vessel filled with a mighty Waighty Spirit and all those who by that spirit were drawn near him might see know and feel him and many there are that have a witness saying in them Even so it was indeed he was hid from many and to them unknown and therefore not prized and now the Lord hath taken him into his own bosome and many were not worthy of him my whole family misseth him for in the time of his health and sickness he was a precious Example and in his sickness he minded not one person more than another but often smileing minded neither life nor death Visible but was filled with the Invisible So that his mind was redeemed out of visible things and severall times would say The word of the Lord is with me and sayed that Faith which hath wrought my salvation I well know and have grounded satisfaction in it but Faith as touching visible things it was not much matter for minding of it and said I have more in me then I am free to Declare as concerning Living or dying he had not many words all the time of his sickness but his minde was kept feeding in the retyredness within so that one might feel his strength in the still spirit which kept him so that I do not remember that ever I heard him groane all the time of his sickness the seventh day in the morning he asked for me and when I came to him he said This night or to morrow night I shall depart hence the next day in the morning understanding that he asked for me I arose went to him after a while Sitting by him he put his Arme about mee and said Do not seek to hold me for it is too strait for me and out of this straitness I must go for I am wound into largeness and am to be lifted up on high far above all so in the Evening being the first day of the weeke and the 17th of the 6 month he lâ—ft the Body This I was free to give forth because in the time of his sickness sometimes I kept friends from him desireing that he might have slept and hoping that therein he might have been refreshed These words before mentioned so near as I can remember are his own words as they came from him London the 6th M. 1662. Your Dear Friend Sarah Blackberry The Table of the Books following A True testimony of obedience to the heavenly Call c. page 1 An Answer to R. Sherlock of Berwick page 7 The Mittimus answered by which R. H. was sent prisoner to Norvvich Castle in the year 1654 page 37. A true testimony of the Zeal of Oâ—ford professors and University men who for Zeal persecute the servants of the Living God following the â—xample of their bretheren of Cambridge page 41. Two Epistles to Friends during his imprisonment in Norwich Castle page 45 Some Queryes for you to answer who hold forth this testimony to the â—eople that Christ is a Creature page 49 The Innocency of the righteous seed of God cleared from all slandeâ—ous tongues and false accusers page 51 The distance between flesh and Spirit c. page 64 The Horn of the Hee Goate broken c. page â—3 The Light of Christ within proved to be sufficient to lead unto Goâ— page 1 Truth and Innocencie Clearing Its self its Children c. page 2 The Rebukes of a Reviler fallen upon his own head page 86 The cause of stumbling removed from all that will receive the Truth and from before the Eyes of the wise men of London page 154. An Epistle concerning the Sufferings of friends shewing the Priests wickedness and persecutions page 198 A Call to the Ministry according to the Scriptures contrary to that Call which is of man and by man page 203 The reall cause of the Nations bondage and slavery and the way of their freedom from their sore and hard bondage asserted page 217 An Answer to a Declaration putt forth by the Generall consent of â—he people called Anabaptists in and about the City of London 225 A Coppie of a paper sent to the Councell in the year 1659. p. 234 A word of wisdom and Counsell to the officers and Souldiers of the Army in England c. 235. An answer to the oath of Allegiance and supremacy from the people called Quakers page 239. Antichristian sin reproved and the doctrine of Christ and his apostles justified against swearing page 242 An Answer to a Book called A just defence and Vindication of Gospell ministers and Gospel Ordinances page 252 Something that lately passed in discourse between the King and R. H. page 268. R. H. His answer to Iohn Horne page 273. A short Relation of the twelve changes of Government that hath been in England within these eight years under all of which we have suffered persecution page 276. An Epistle to Friends page 284 Another Epistle to Friends page 287 Reasons why no Imposition ought to be upon mens Consciences by any but the Lord page 288. REader it is desired that what faults thou find'st have escaped the Press in the ensuing treatise to correct with thy Pen where thou can'st not friendly to pass them by for by reason of the present difficulty of having Friends Books printed therewith came out with those Errata's which othervvise might be amended A true Testimony of Obedience to the Heavenly Call for which I suffer the losse of all things that I may be found in obedience to him who hath called me A Servant of the Lord and a Prisoner for the Testimony of Jesus whom he hath called by his grace to deny the World and am made partaker of his sufferings being in outward bonds by the