of Christ we own them so but to raile at any we deny unlesse you will call such Language as Peter spoke to Simon Magus spoken by the same spirit to be railing and with them have we unity but against thee and such as thou art do we bear testimony for severall reasons they were redeemed from all Iniquity but ye are drawing iniquity with cords of vanity The grace of God had taught them to deny ungodlinesse c. Your abhominations reigne they were saved by the vvashing of Regeneration but your sin hath eaten out all the Divine svveetnesse of regenerating and sanctifying grace and so by their fruits of holinesse were known to be what they profest but your works of wickednesse deny God though in words you confesse him witnesse Tiverton writing and Paul bids Timothy stir up the gift that was in him Query 10. Why is it not lawfull for Saints now to be raised on in the way of holinesse by imitation or example and as a meanes or a help as well as in the Primitive times according to these Scriptures Mat. 11.29 John 13.14,15 Phil. 3.17 2 Thes 3 9. Answ Christ is given for an example and is a perfect pattern for his to follow and the Saints are to be followed while they walk so as they have him for example but the word Imitation we finde not in the Scripture nor the practice as we take it unlesse the Magicians of Aegypt the sons of Sceva and such like and the Scriptures beforementioned we own Query 11. Whether it be not a cunning device of Satan to judge and condemn all the Saints to be formall and without the spirit of Christ that walke in the Ordinances of Christ on purpose to cause contempt and reproach upon both Christ and his Ordinances Answ Yea it is and as cunning a device likewise of Satan to perswade persons in a form that they are Saints walk in the Ordinances of Christ are set for the defence of the Gospel and yet abhominations reign in them iniquities apparently written in their fore-heads and are drawing iniquity with cords of vanity while they confesse to wait for the counsell of the Lord. Now such as come to the Light of the world and follow it are led out of both into the practice of the true Ordinance and worship whch is in Spirit and Truth Query 12. Whether as the Ministry of the legall Ministration was to open the law of that Ministration Nehem. 8.4.8 So the Ministers of the Gospel are not to have respect to the written rule of the Gospel and to open and apply the same rightly dividing the word of truth according to 2 Tim. 3.15,16,17 Answ The true Ministers of the Gospel are not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit and they know the Law written in the heart and have the anointing dwelling in them whose teaching they are to follow and speak as the spirit gives them utterance and then they rightly divide the word of truth Query 13. Whether if any speak not according to the Law and the Testimony it is not because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 Answ They that speak not according to the Law and the Testimony are turned from the light for the Law is light and the Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy 14. Qu. If all have the true light in them which leads to God why doth the Apostle say Ephes 5.8 Ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord Answ The true light lighteth every man that cometh into the world He was in the world and the world knew him not but unto as many as received him unto them he gave power to become the sons of God and the light shined in the darknesse when the darkness comprehends it not but a time is witnessed that God commands the light to shine out of darknesse Qu. 15. Whether Christs ascending into heaven when he was taken up in a clond Acts 1.10 be meant that he ascended into the hearts of men Answ It is meant as it is spoken and the Saints have their conversation in heaven and are in Christ and Christ in them John 17. 16 Qu Whether his sitting at the right hand of God making intercession for the Saints be in the hearts of Saints or in heaven Answ The glorious God at whose right hand Christ sits fils heaven and earth and dwells in the Saints whose conversation is in heaven as the Scriptures witnesse 17 Query Whether the Scriptures do not make a reall distinction between Jesus Christ and the Spâ—…t John 16.13,14 Chap. 14.26 Chap. 5.39 Answ The Scriptures testifie that Christ is the Word and that the Father Word and Spirit are one 18 Query Whether God or the Spirit be at all called man or the Son of man the seed of David as Christ is and whether you own Christ to be indeed truly a man of flesh and blood as we are according to Heb. 2.14 Answ Christ is called the Son of Man and he saith I and the Father are one And unto us a Son is borne his name is the mighty God c. And unto the Son he saith Thy throne O God c. And the man Christ Jesus do we own and his flesh and blood do we witnesse which is meat indeed and drink indeed Yea him we own according to Heb. 2.14 but not as you are for he was perfect without spot without sin but ye are wicked your abhominations reigne are drawing Iniquity with cords of vanity Iniquity apparently written in your foreheads as by your own confession appears in Tiverton writing but in his mouth was found no guile Now the wicked think that God is like unto them but he will reprove them and set their sins in order before them 19 Qu. Why the Saints if perfest as you pretend were so much in the sense of sin and confession of it as we finde they were Ps 32.5 Isa 6.5 Rom. 7.24 25. Answ The Saints as they declared a sense of sin so also a purging healing and deliverance from sin as Isa David Paul and others whom the Scriptures witnesse and as they confessed so they forsook and found mercy 20 Qu. Whether a lowly self denying frame of the spirit sensible of finne and corruption and warring against it be not the frame of spirit that most of all becomes the Saints and is most approved of God in Scripture as Isa 57.15 Mat. 5.3 Rom 7.24,25 Answ We know that the Lord dwells with him that is of a contrite spirit and an humble heart and the poor in spirit are blessed and are approved of God even they and onely they that deny selfe daily but there is no peace to the wicked and they do not war against sin whose abhominations reign but they war against Christ who are drawing iniquity with cords of vanity 21 Query Whether this temper of spirit be found in you yea or nay Answ Yea lowly self-denying and truly poor For we suffer the losse of our
and Prophets who stole the words c. against whom the true Ministers recorded in the Scriptures were sent by the Lord to bear witnesse and the same is witnessed in this day of the Lord For on him do we wait to know his will and receive his counsell and as he commands we obey and when we have received a word from him and a command to utter it we dare not dispute but obey and speak as the spirit gives utterance and untill then we dare not but be silent for such as runs and the Lord sends not shall not profit the hearers and so not to take a Message that another hath received and run with it when the Lord never commanded us And this also we say the baptisme of Christ we have received and the communion of his body we partake and do discern it even one Lord one Faith one Baptisme And if he shall command us to go into the water and to eate bread and drink wine together we shall be obedient but to do it our selves or administer it to others because some of the Saints did it we dare not unlesse we are commanded of the Lord for such as medled with the things of God and not commanded by him nor as he commanded though some of them might have good intentions in what they did yet the Lord shewed his high displeasure on them by severe punishments and sending his faithfull servants to testifie against them witnesse Nadab and Abihu the men of Bethshemesh Vzza Saul and the false Prophets who stole the words from their neighbour and run when the Lord never sent them And therefore let all such as do things by imitation of the Saints in Scripture or of others who obeyed the commands of God and have not received the like authority as they had feare and tremble and take warning in time lest the Lord make them examples of his wrath and indignation as he hath done others before Now let no envious cavilling or ignorant person slander us and say we deny the Scripture for of the truth thereof are we witnesses And also of the spirit of truth which gave them forth which was and is the Saints guide and leader and dearly do we owne them and this is the truth from our hearts Page 4. Another of his lies charged upon us is That we disown the coming of Christ from heaven And for proof of this he brings E. B. in his Book called The true faith of the Gospel wherein he saith The very Christ of God is within us we dare not deny him c. Now T. C. saith If the very Christ of God be within them he cannot come from heaven E. B. further saying they that are led by the spirit of Delusion shall answer the rest of thy Query by which saith T. C. he gives to understand that those that owns the being in and coming of Christ from heaven and looks for him are led by a spirit of Delusion So that they do not only condemn the generation of the just c. but the Saints of God in the primitive dayes How is this man hasting to fill up his measure of lies and slanders against the innocent Doth E. B. because he saith The very Christ of God is within us deny his coming from heaven Might it not rather have been from thence concluded that he witnessed his coming But T. C. is found adding three lies instead of clearing himselfe of one for he saith that E. B. gives to understand that those that own the being in and coming of Christ from heaven and look for him are led by a spirit of Delusion 2 That we condemn the generation of the just that are now waiting for the Son from heaven 3 And the Saints and servants of God in the Primitive dayes He further saith that it is no part of Naylers Creed in his Love to the Lost the Ascention Intercession and coming of Christ observe Naylers Creed a scoffing vain light spirit the Scripture in him and such like is fulfilled The leaders of the people cause them to erre by their lies and their lightnesse but if J. N. hath not a word of it in that Book is it not blinde impudency therefore to say the people called Quakers deny it And further we answer This is he whom we beare testimony unto who fills all things he that came down from heaven even the Son of man which is in heaven and dwels in us as he did in the Saints in the Primitive dayes whom we now own and witnesse to be our King and Law-giver and are so far from condemning them that we give our testimony with them and leave it to the understanding unprejudiced Reader to judge whether T. C. by saying that Christ was not in the Saints as he did lately at Glastonbury before many witnesses be not found condemning the Saints in the Primitive dayes who said that Christ was in them as Paul and others And also the generation of the just now who are witnesses of his being in them and obedient to his commands and so what he is charging us upon true tryall he is found guilty himself Another of his Lies by him charged on us is That we disown the kingdome of Christ which is the great and blessed promise of the Gospel the faith and hope of Saints for proof hereof he saith If the very Christ be in them he is not in heaven and that Naylor in his Salutation to the seed of God contemptably saith you observe dayes and years persons and forms loe here and loe there and the time and manner of his Reign you are jangling abouts and what a one he shall be all which as T.C. saith declares that he accounts the Reign of Christ so much witnessed in Scripture c. to be but jangling and conceits Now mark the insufficiency absurdity and falsnesse of this proâ—… as if E. B. because he saith the very Christ of God is in us the â—…ore he disowns his kingdome and denies his being in heaveâ—… Might he not as well charge the same on Paul who saith Christ lives in me And Christ himselfe because he useth these words I in them c. in his prayer for the Saints John 17. And if the Saints faith hope be according to Christs prayer who is it that disowns denies the coming and kingdom of Christ according to their faith and hope either E. B. and the people called Quakers who witness Christs being in them according to his prayer promise or T.C. who denies Christs being in the Saints contrary to both He further alleadgeth that J. N. saith you observe dayes and years c. as before exprest We say as before may not T. C. as well charge Paul nay Christ himselfe for disowning his Kingdome and denying his coming whose words were to the same purpose We further answer that this is the King who reigns in righteousnesse and rules in judgement and for such who live in wickednesse have abominations reigning
to discover the vanity of such a people who would conceit a possession of justification without sanctification or mortification like the Authors of that Writing from Tiverton who say they are joyned to the Lord and yet confesses abominations reigning in their souls drawing iniquity with cords of vanity A light spirit slavish fear mockers of God living short of the true sight and sense of Gods Majesty a wretched worldly spirit coldnesse and deadnesse on their souls formality in holy duties indifferency Laodicean spirit without the sense of the work and true travail of soul as in that writing with more such fruits is exprest Now J. N. clearly lays the work of justification sanctification and mortification on Gods righteousnesse saying it is the work of God wrought by Christ and they who had received the Spirit were called to all these by faith in his blood And in what he writes concerning Redemption in the same Book he saith All who knows the redemption of Christ by his precious blood c. And in another place Who hath redeemed us to God by his blood and so it 's clear by his words as he expresseth them without T. Colliers Expositions that he lays the work on Gods righteousness wrought by Christ and why should T. C. conclude a meaning from some of his words contrary to his own expressions but the thing is very probable that he had laid this charge from his own imagination before he had ever seen J. Naylers Love to the Lost Another testimony he offers for proof of this particular is what himself heard as he saith at a meeting of ours at a place called Himmington but it 's like it was intended Limmington where he and another as he saith taking occasion to hold forth Christ amongst them they heard with patience untill they came to hold forth justification through his blood Then their Teacher cryed out blasphemy and said that they spake stories to the people and denyed the spirit by which they spake There coming to the meeting and speaking there of justification by the blood of Christ is confest and their preaching of that which they knew not might well be called stories but that our friend Christopher Holder called Justification through the blood of Christ Stories or Blasphemy is utterly denyed as severall do witness who were then present and do affirm that our friend said he owned the words but their spirit he denyed for them to talk of that which they were ignorant of might well be called Stories the Prophet saith Jer. 5.2 Though they say the Lord liveth surely they swear falsly Dare any say the Prophet denyed the Lord lived Now for such whose abominations reign are drawing iniquity with cords of vanity c. as T. C. confest of himself since that time witnesse Tiverton writing We say for such to take upon them to preach Justification through the blood of Christ Their testimony is by the truth in us denyed and may well be called stories they blasphemers and the Lord will say to such what have you to do to take my words into your mouths And further we know that Christopher Holder at that time and believe yet doth if living own no other way for justification but Christ crucified by faith in his blood as the Scriptures declare and so both those which T. C. produces as witnesses for him are found bearing testimony against him and so the two first particulars and this which follows are found false We also say that if both those before produced by T. C. for evidence had declared the thing asserted which is utterly denyed yet could no rational unprejudiced man take them for sufficient evidence to prove the people called Quakers hold such principles And further we do declare for our selves and that which is also assented unto by the people called Quakers that this we own and witnesse Jesus Christ is come a light into the world that all men through him might believe and is the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world And whosoever follows him shall not abide in darknesse but shall have the light of life This is he who is the way to the Father and none can come to the Father but by him even he who was in the beginning before all things and by whom all things were made even he that was dead but is now alive and lives for evermore who is made unto the Saints sanctification and righteousness as well as justification and redemption and saves his people from their sins And they who are made witnesses of him know him dwelling in them and for that end made manifest to destroy the works of the Devill And all those who make a profession of his name and say he is their Redeemer Saviour or Justifier and have abominations reigning in their souls Iniquities written in their fore-heads and are drawing it with cords of vanity are Lyars and Deceivers for none can know him a Justifier but they who know him a Sanctifier and a Mortifier and whosoever knows his salvation from condemnation must know his salvation from sin This is that Christ we bear record unto the seed of the woman that bruises the Serpent head whose day Abraham saw and was the Rock that followed Israel of whom they drank The same the Prophets prophecyed of who was born of the Virgin in the City of David preached himselfe the light of the world the way to the Father was hated persecuted mocked reviled and delivered to be crucified by those who profest they were in expectation of his coming yet chose a Murtherer before him This is he who is the living bread that came down from heaven whose flesh is meat indeed and whose blood is drinke indeed and whereof whosoever doth not eat and drink have no life in them He that can receive it let him who was a man of sorrows acquainted with griefs his visage more marred then any mans of whom many were and are astonished was crowned with thorns crucified between Theeves was buried rose again and ascended far above all heavens and fills all things being glorified with the Father with the glory which he had with him before the world was the same to day as yesterday and for evermore who makes intercession for the Saints and is the Mediator of the New Testament even the man Christ Jesus and he that hath seen him hath seen the father also through whose blood we are justified and are redeemed from our former vain conversation and witnesse remission of sins who hath baptized us with the holy Spirit and is our righteousnesse with whom we have fellowship and with the Saints in light And they that walk in the light as he is in the light have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin who though we are many are one bread for the bread that we break is the Communion of the body of Christ and the cup that we drink is the Communion of the
man judge what proof here is more then the reiterating of a company of lies and therefore need no further answer Another of his Lies charged on us is That we have found another way to go to God by then Christ the Mediator this he affirms in his Dialogue and for proof says it over again in his Glasse and to it adds another lye That we disown Christ to be a man he adds further and sayes Naylor in his Love to the Lost where all their principles are stated such as they are yet there is never a one of Christs Ascention and Mediatorship Doth J. N. or any other except thy selfe say that all the Quakers Principles are there stated Thou hast said before they have set up another way to Justification then by Christ that is by quaking Dost thou find such a principle in that Book It 's like thou wilt not deny but the way to Justification is a principle And if we have set up quaking to be the way and all our principles be there stated then that must be one or thou must be a Lyar It were well if thou knew a bridle for thy tongue but because his Ascention and Mediatorship are not stated there as thou sayest doth it follow that they are denyed by the people called Quakers and then thou draws thy conclusion sutable to thy premises saying by all which it appears that they have indeed another way such a one as themselves have invented to go to God by and not by Christ page 4. By what doth it appear because thou hast said it here is nothing else remaining to prove it but who can believe thy testimony that art thus given over to lying except such as are as blinde or impudent as thy self He still goes on charging that they own not Christ in his Authority will not submit to him in his word In stead of hearkning to the voyce of Christ in Scripture they hearken to and follow after either the voyce of Satan or suggestings of their own deceitfull hearts within them and call this Christ and his voyce which they must and do obey though contrary to all rules of God in Scripture And instead of proving this with an audacious impudent face he asks the question saying Oh all you Quakers is this a lye too do you not witnesse it to the world that you hearken not to the voyce of Christ in Scripture nor obey him on the account of faith but to the voyce of Satan or at best your own deceitfull hearts though contrary to all rules of Scripture Will any rationall man account this a proof was ever such impudency heard of First to slander and accuse falsely and when called upon for a proof then aske whether this be a lye too What is it but as much as to say who dare deny what he affirms though never so false Can any of thy own followers be so blinde as to owne thee here And thou goest on page 4. filling up thy measure of lies saying you call it the light within the voyce of Christ the true Word c. when it is but your own lying fancies at the best witnesse your turning aside from all the glorious truths of Christ in Scripture And then for proof of all this beside thy own false affirmation thou bringest J. Naylers words in his Salutation to the seed of God Nor can your litterall promises sure your condition nor save you from Satans power Doth this any way tend to the proof of what is asserted that wee owne not Christ in his authority c But thou goest on as if thy main work were to invent lyes and saist by which he would give to understand that all the Scripture must be laid aside onely looking to and following the Lights within Didst thou ever hear of such a thing from any of those called Quakers as to presse any to follow Lights within Or is there any thing in those words of J. N. tending to the laying aside of Scripture but thy Master sets thee forth to manifest thy self We further answer the truth of the Scriptures do we own and witnesse the voyce of Christ have we heard to his authority are we subject and have his word abiding in us which is a light to our steps by which we come to see the deceit of our own hearts and are delivered from it by which also we see where all those are who are imitating the Saints recorded in Scripture without the life and power which they had and so are no better then those vagabond Jews who would cast out Devils because Paul others did but were void of that power and authority by which they did it For this we say in the name of the Lord there is many have and read the Scriptures but few know the commands of Christ of which sort are all those that know not Christ made manifest in them for those whom the Lord sent spake as the spirit gave them utterance and had the word abiding in them Acts 2.4 And the Saints knew the anointing in them which taught them all things and needed not mans teaching 1 Cor. 2.12,13,14 and so they did not steal the words every man from his neighbour but as they had received the gift so they ministred and if they had not received a word from the Lord they dare not speak a divination of their own brains but in the name of the Lord did bear their testimony against all such to be deceivers and such as run and the Lord never sent them for by their fruits they are known And by the same rule do we walk as they did even the spirit of Truth and not by another mans line And so as all are kept to this rule every one is kept in his place and so are serviceable to one head one Lord and Master Of the Apostles some were sent to preach and baptize another was sent to preach the Gospell and not to baptize Some were sent to the Circumcision and others to the Gentiles Now as they all were obedient to the commands they had received they discharged their duties and not like a generation of men in these dayes who are crying up the Scriptures but being ignorant of the commands of Christ intrude themselves into things they know not and runs on in a vain imitation of the Saints recorded in Scripture in outward observations and bodily worships but comes not to the life power and authority which they witnessed and are ignorant of the true guide and Leader And so many seeing in the Scripture what Paul or others of the Lords faithfull Ministers wrote unto particular persons or Churches according to their severall conditions or occasions take a part or parcell of it and read to their hearers or followers and then add a Divination of their own brains but the voyce of Christ or Word of the Lord they never knew and so they go contrary to the rules of Scripture unlesse it be in following the false Teachers
Christ had all his weapons wrested out of his hands by the strength of sin and whether such a one can stand in the warfare against sin or for the defence of the Gospel 29 Qu. If sin or sinners be purged out of the house of God whether those that remain must not be perfect and if so whether any of you will be left there 30 Qu. If the Church take effectuall course to purge away sin or sinners as in the Writing from Tiverton is directed whether thou must not be purged away whose Abominations reigne are drawing iniquity with cords of vanity Slavish feare hath stopt thy mouth sinne hath wrested all thy weapons out of thy hand a light spirit living short of the true sight and sense of Gods Majesty in the Churches Coldnesse and deadnesse on thy soule formall in holy Duties and indifferent and Laodicean spirit on thee without the sense of the worke and true travail of soule as in that writing by thy own confession appears Besides those many lyes slanders and reproaches thou art found guilty of in what is before declared A word to those called Baptists AND now a few words to you called Baptists who stumble at the same stumbling stone as all the rest of the professions in the world do Oh who would or could have thought that truth should have become such a burthensome stone to you of all others who are professing that you waite for his Reigne yet when he is witnessed to reign and have dominion whose right it is and must reigne untill and his enemies become his foot-stool even the promise of the Father The same the Prophets prophesied should come and whose day Abraham saw and rejoyced And the Apostles were eye-witnesses of when he is owned and witnessed obeyed and followed now is all of an uproar and many of you among the rest are engaged against him But know that this is the stone upon which whosoever falls it breaks them to pieces but on whomsoever it falls will grind them to powder for assuredly he is the same and not another Jesus Christ the same to day as yesterday and for ever And therefore we beseech you in bowels of love consider what you are doing and against whom you strive Oh! Its hard for you to kicke against the pricks For wee beare testimony in the name and feare of the living God that its the Son of God many of you persecute revile and reproach and that you shall one day confesse though now you may think you do God service And therefore cease striving against him and come down to his foot-stool and let every thing bow to his Name that so his reign in the particular you may come to witnesse For truly unlesse you know his Reigne there over sinne and corruption and all that is contrary to God his appearance who you professe yee are waiting for will be a day of dread and terrour of woe and misery of bitter lamentation though many of you now dispute preach and print against him yet in that day shall your mouths be stopt and palenesse cover your faces when this sentence you must hear Depart ye workers of Iniquity I know you not Then shall you see that nothing that 's unclean can enter this City And verily unlesse you know him a Saviour from sin and your Redeemer from iniquity in the particular he will not be a Saviour to you from hell and condemnation for they that hope for the latter and know not the former this is the hope of the hypocrite that will perish and not stand in the time of greatest need So think it not sufficient to be offering sacrifice to the Lord and crying out The Temple of the Lord c. And that you professe his Ordinances and walk in Church-fellowship as you call it But in coolnesse and moderation of spirit let each put this question to himselfe Hath the Lord commanded me Is this required at my hands or do I it because others have done it and left it upon Record and so the testimony in my selfe is wanting that the Lord required it Oh consider of it in time yee that have not heard the voyce of God nor seen his shape and have not his Word abiding in you but are enemies to those that this witnesse Surely the Lord will not hold you guiltlesse when he comes to judgement neither can you stand before him with any boldnesse for want of the testimony in your selves Then must your profession come to the ground So be not hasty or rash but try your selves search your selves Know you not that Christ Jesus is in you except ye be Reprobates And where he is made manifest it is to destroy the works of the Devill And if it be not done in the particular while you are upon Earth when doe you think it shall be seeing the Tree lies as it falls Think of this all yee that are yet strangers to it in your selves and oppose it in others even by pleading and printing against it Surely the Lord is arising yea in glory and great Majesty is he arising to rip off all unrighteous coverings And now must all appeare as they are before him who will not respect the persons of any nor the highest profession whilest they are strangers to his life and enemies to his Crosse and opposers to his work Now wee appeale to Gods witnesse in you which many of you so slight and set at nought Whether it be not the condition of many of you notwithstanding your high profession and know assuredly unlesse you return and repent this shall one day witnesse for the Lord and for us against you though for the present you may set light by it you shall one day bow unto it Oh! do not many of you now bow to the pride of the world and respect persons and receive honour one of another You that so long have professed to be separated from the world and yet uphold the worlds Teachers lest you should suffer Abominable deceit what to declare against them in words and yet uphold and maintain them in actions Nay do not many of you in words writings and actions joyne with the world against the innocent denying the same as the vvorld doth even the beginning and the end of the work of God the light and perfection Whereas the work of Christs Ministers was To turn people from darknesse to the light and the end of their Ministry for the perfecting of the Saints Oh! how can it be but that you should be overcome by the enemies of your own houses while you thus oppose the works of God and plead against it as many of you do How is your glory turned into shame who are become the degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto God How are you smitten with blindness and wearying your selves to finde the Door You were once hated by the world but now joyned with the world against the Heir And truly it s now no marvail to the Children of Light though the
Scripture be fulfilled in you even to reject Jesus the Light of the World and choose a Murtherer joyne with any rather then children of Light How can it be otherwise seeing many of you are just fencing your selves against the Truth and not therewith content but are likewise what in you lyeth making bars and fences for those that you judge are weaker lest they should own it and not onely refusing to enter the Kingdome your selves but shutting it up against others Your zeale for God being turned against Truth in a great measure and nothing you account so dangerous and so much cry out against Even for this have teares been shed for you in secret your piety is now turned into policy complying with the world lest you should suffer by them Consider in the cool of the day what 's the difference between you and the vvorld Doe you not speak when you will and pray when you vvill go vvhen you vvill and come vvhen you vvill as the vvorlds Teachers do Dare any of you say you speak as the Oracles of God or as you are moved of the Holy Ghost and as the Spirit gives you utterance Even that which your eyes have seen your eares have heard and your hands have handled of the word of life Doe you not rather steale the words of the true Prophets Christ and the Apostles being strangers to their Life and enemies to that Spirit they were guided by and so run in your owne wills not knowing another to gird you and carrie you whether you would not crying peace to the wicked as the worlds Teachers do But woe is to the wicked and to them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity even now pronounced from the same Spirit as formerly it was and this shall stand in heaven against you all that live in it pleads for it and cry peace to it let your profession be what it will And therefore we perswade and beseech you to be reconciled to God Wash you make you clean put away from you the evill of your doings Cease to do evill learn to do well c. And this know by your owne power nor in your own wills you can never do it but you must believe in obey follow be guided and led by him who is the Light of the world and leads contrary to the will of man in which all sin is committed and so leads to do the will of another and they onely are happy that knowes him borne in them the first taken away and the second established So this we say to you There is no other name given under heaven by which men can be saved but the name of Jesus he that saves his people from their sins and preached himselfe the Light of the World He that reproves in secret for that which none can lay to your charge not onely for wicked actions but for idle and unprofitable words and vaine thoughts and blessed are all they vvho knovv him their guide and leader King and Lavv-giver and are vvholly subject to him they shall reigne vvith him upon Mount Sion and shall sing that nevv song vvhich none can sing but the Redeemed from the Earth He that hath an ear to heare let him heare So the vvay to true peace is through the svvord the vvay to life through death the vvay to obtaine mercie is through judgement the vvay to reign is to suffer vvith him and this must all vvitnesse in the particular all must know the living slain and the dead raised by the mighty power of God and such as have part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power And therefore we warn you all in love to your souls that ye wander not abroad salvation must be witnessed at home or all is vain We further say as living witnesses for the Lord we now stand who have obtained mercy after long travail and cruell bondage under the oppressor wandring from Mountain to Hill and groaning under the burthen of corruption as we are perswaded some of you do Yea we could even have laid down our earthly tabernacle to have been rid of it but in all professions that we were the enemie carried us captive for vvhich vve vvept in secret and oft bevvailed our conditions and breathed for deliverance but knevv not hovv to obtain it sinking under the burthen vvithout hope of relief in this vvofull sad and lamentable estate vvhere vve long continued and had untill this day had not the Lord in his eternall love revealed his Son in us vvhom vve vvitnesse is mighty to save and on whom only salvation is laid even the light of the world he that shevved us sin and made manifest our conditions and oft times had called upon us to turn from the evill of our ways but vve knevv him not and as soon as vve believed that this was he not looking for another but gave up to be guided by him that discovered our lost estates the vvar vve soon vvitnessed betvveen Light and Darknesse the Lamb and the Dragon in the particular even such dayes as vve had not knovvn since the foundation of the world And this vve found the same that made manifest sin gave victory over it vve standing single in it adding nothing to it nor joyning any thing of our ovvn vvith it but let the Lord vvork his ovvn vvork and so dominion vve vvitness over those sins that we so long had groaned under and now we know Jesus a Saviour from sin and a Redeemer from iniquity glory to his name for ever and ever in whose saving health we now-rejoyce even with joy unspeakable which none can take from us And verily the desire of our souls is that ye may come to partake of this joy with us and the way how we came to it have we truly laid down before you and no other end have we in declaring this but our earnest desire of your eternal happinesse being pressed in spirit to it by the Lord who bears record to the truth of our hearts herein Oh that you could receive our testimonie yea the testimonie of the Lord by us Oh! that that eye might be opened in you which the God of this world hath blinded That you might know in this your day the things that belong to your peace before they be hid from your eyes and the day of your visitation passe over your heads For verily your leaders cause you to erre by their lyes and lightnesse and have cryed peace unto you when the sword of the Lord pierces to the very soule Oh! return return to him who is the Light of the world who is made manifest within who is the living bread which came down from heaven whose flesh is meat indeed and whose blood is drinke indeed and no longer seek your food in desolate places and hew unto your selves broken Cisterns that will hold no water For the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him And if you walke in darknesse and say you have fellowship with him ye lye and do not the truth but if you walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sinne And therefore no longer wander abroad for the Kingdome of God is within you And say not in your selves who shall ascend up into heaven to bring Christ down to us For the word is nigh unto you even in the heart and in the mouth he that can receive it let him And now are vve clear in the sight of God concerning you whether you heare or forbear and though Israel be not gathered yet a good savour shall we be unto the Lord both in them that are saved and in them that perish Oh! slight not the counsel of the Lord unto you by those who sometime drunk of the Cup of fornication with you and since have drunk of the Cup of tribulation yea of the Lords indignation but now drinke of the cup of consolation and salvation and are well knovvn unto many of you by the names of Streat the 21 day of the fourth moneth 1658. John Pitman Jesper Batt THE END