Truth Ascended OR The Annointed and Sealed of God defended IN AN ANSWER Written by Richard Farnsworth AS A TESTIMONY AGAINST A Conterfeit Commission And all Injustice and false Judgement done and pronounced under pretence of the same LONDON Printed in the Year 1663. Truth ascended or the Annointed and sealed of God defended c. Lodowick Muggleton THough thou pretend to be the chosen Witness of the Spirit and the last that ever shall speak by Commission from God and to be the chief Judge in the World ordained of God to give sentence upon men and women spiritual and eternal and what shall become of them after death and saist That in obedience to thy Commission thou hast already cursed and damned many hundreds of people both body and soul from the presence of God elect men and Angels to Eternity and pretend'st to go by as certain Rule in so doing as the Judges of the Land do when they give Judgement according to Law and saist That no infinite Spirit of Christ nor any God can or shall be able to deliver from thy sentence and curse c. as appears in a Sheet of paper dated Aug. 10. 1662. written by thee in answer to Edward Bourns to Dorothy Carter and also four sheets dated Novemb. 3. 1662. written by thee and directed to Thomas Highfield in Nottingham for Samuel Hooton and W. S. I am bold on the behalf of the Lord once again to bear my Testimony against thee and against thy pretended Commission and the Doctrine thereof and shall make it appear that it ought not to be entertained by any man or woman upon earth because it is contrary to truth and that thy judgment ought by all to be reversed undone and made void because it is contrary to truth and that thy judgement ought by all to be reversed undone and made void because it is erroneous and false for thou art no chosen Witnesse of the Spirit of Truth neither hast thou received any Commission from Christ to whom all the Prophets gave witnesse as hereafter appears 1. That there were chosen Witnesses of Christ to whom all the Prophets gave witnesse is certainly true Acts 10.38 39 40 41. Acts 5.31 32. Acts 1.8 2. That they had a Commission from Christ to whom all the Prophets gave witness or that he Commanded them to preach to the people is as true Acts 10.42 But that thou either art or dost so I do deny 3. They who were chosen Witnesses of Christ whom God the Father annointed sealed and sent and had a Commission from the Spirit and Power of Christ to whom all the Prophets gave witness in testifying on the behalf of Christ their Testimony stands as an evidence against thy pretended Commission and the Doctrine thereof because they say on the behalf of Christ that he commanded them to preach to the people and to testifie to them that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead Acts 10.42 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Acts 10.43 But thou dost not so by thy pretended Commission and the Doctrine thereof who instead of preaching to the people and testifying to them that Christ is chief Judge ordained of God to judge the quick and the dead thou wouldst dis-throne him to set up thy self in his stead whereby it appears That thou art not a chosen Witness of the Spirit of Truth and that thy pretended Commission is a counterfeit thing by which thou presumes to give judgement contrary to Truth which makes it evident That thy doctrine and judgement is false and being so it ought not to be entertained or received by any but to be denied and against testified by all that love the Lord Jesus 4. By their Commission they were to preach to the people and by the same Commission and the Doctrine thereof they were to testifie to them that Christ was ordained of God to be the Judge both of quick and dead but thou art not Christ to whom all the Prophets gave witness therefore it is evident that thou art not chief Judge ordained of God to judge the quick and the dead though thou presume to say that the dead after death shall never see any other God or Judge but the remembrance of that sentence which you the pretended Witnesses of the Spirit did pass upon them in this life which is a false Doctrine and contrary to the Doctrine of Truth left upon record in Scripture where it is said That the Father hath given authority to the Son to execute judgement and all that are in the grave shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation as it is written John 5.26 27 28 29. and Christ shall give judgement upon them Matth. 25.31 32 33 34.41.46 And as thou wouldst exclude Christ from that great office and work and assume it to thy self so thou wouldst exclude his Officers and deny him of them to set up thy self alone in their places and stead because thou falsly saith No man knows the Scriptures but thy self and that no man can truly interpret the Scriptures but thy self and that none ought to officiate the Office of a Minister Messenger or Ambassador of Christ but such as are appointed by John Reeves and thy self which assertions or doctrines of thine are false and not true for this I say That the only knowledge and right of interpreting Scriptures belongs not to thy self but to the Lord Jesus and his blessed Spirit who is the true Judge and hath power to open mens understandings and can give them the true knowledge and right understanding of Scriptures Luke 24 32. 24.45 And the Gospel is preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven as it is written 1 Pet. 1.11 12. and the holy Ghost hath a true power and right Authority without John Reeves and thy self to make overseers over the Flock of God to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Acts 20.28 and to appoint Ministers Messengers or Ambassadors of Christ and to call to the work of the Ministry Acts 13.2 4. And they who by the Holy Ghost are called to the Work of the Ministry may with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven preach the Gospel without the appointment of John Reeves and thy self Take notice of that for as every man hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God if any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God if any man minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ as it is written and left upon Record in Scripture 1 Pet. 4 10 11. 5. The chosen Witnesses of Christ who had a Commission
from his blessed Spirit they were anointed 2 Cor. 1.21 and sealed of God 2 Cor. 1.22 but so art not thou therefore thou art nothing like unto them and they who are annointed and seal d of God as such were they may be Ministers Messengers and Ambassadors of Christ now without the appointment of John Reeves and thy self neither art thou at all owned by the Doctrine of their commission to do as thou dost and pretendest to do under pretence of thy pretended commission it takes no notice of thee and such as thou art to appoint to so great and glorious a Work though thou presume in thy imaginations to be greater then either Prophets of God or Apostles of Christ yet thou never approved thy self to be a Messenger Minister or Ambassador of Christ as they do and did who are and were annointed sealed and sent of God as aforesaid 6. For the Ambassadors who had a commission to preach and were annointed and sealed of God 2 Cor. 1.21 22. and had the Ministration of reconciliation given unto them 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. a glorious Ministration 2 Cor. 3.8 9 10 11. which is the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.5 6. their sufficiency was not of any like John Reeves and thy self but of God who made them and hath the same power now without John Reeves and thy self to make able Ministers of the New-Testament they approved themselves as the Ministers of God not by reviling cursing and damning but on the contrary in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in imprisonments in labours in watchings in fastings by pureness by knowledge by long-suffering by kindness by the holy Ghost by love unfeigned by the Word of truth and by the power of God See 2 Cor. 6.4 5 6 7 8 9 10. And the Messengers of Christ whose sufficiency is not of John Reeves and thy self but of God who by virtue of his blessed power and spirit are made able Ministers of the New-Testament and are spiritually annointed and sealed of God they stand approved to God as the Ministers of God according to Gospel-order and the dispensation of the Gospel which is the Ministration of the Spirit but thou hast not so approved thy self who fled from Chesterfield to Bakwell for fear of a few stripes or a whipping when the same was but threatned against thee for thy false Judgement and Doctrine in reviling cursing and damning whereby it is evident that thou art nothing like an Ambassador of Christ and very unfit to appoint to that work and that thy pretended Commission and the greatnesse of thy pretended power is nothing worth Take notice of that 7. The Ambassadors of Christ who were annointed and sealed of God and had the Ministration of Reconciliation given unto them that glorious Ministration of the Spirit wherein they approved themselves as the Ministers of God which thou hast not done they were so far from reviling cursing and damning and rejoicing therein as thou dost that they forgave in the person of Christ 2 Cor. 2.10 and by manifestation of the Truth commended themselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.1 2. but thou dost not so who art so full of reviling cursing and damning whereby it 's apparent that thy pretended Commission Power and Doctrine thereof is nothing like unto theirs though thou falsly saist it 's as true and of a more higher nature then theirs was in their time thou hast lyed therein and hast born a false Testimony which makes it evident that thou art no chosen Witnesse of the Spirit of Truth 8. The Ambassadors of Christ who were annointed and sealed of God and had the glorious Ministration of the Spirit given unto them by virtue of their commission of the Spirit and the doctrine thereof they commanded for to prove all things and hold fast that which is good and to try the spirits whether they be of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the World 1 Thess 5.21 1 John 4.1 to the end that they might not entertain the Doctrine of any false Prophet nor bid such God spead as abide not in the doctrine of Christ lest they become partakers of their evil-deed 2 John 9.10 11. but by the Doctrine of thy pretended commission thou denies that viz proving of doctrines and trying of spirits saying That neither the Light of Christ within nor no man upon earth can or ought to judge of the Doctrine because thou saist that neither the Light within nor no man upon Earth can or ought to judge of the Doctrine of a Prophet who hath a Commission from God and saist That there neither is nor ever shall be any such Prophet but thy self whilst the World doth endure which is a false assertion or doctrine of thine but hereby it is manifest that thou art against trying of spirits and proving of Doctrines and so art against the reception thereof because Judgement in point of Doctrine is in order to the reception of Doctrine And for want of judgement in that respect they may be deceived who take doctrines upon trust without judging trying thereof how should spirits be tryed and doctrines be proved or how should the Doctrine of Truth be performed which commands to try and prove them if none can or ought as thou falsly saist to judge of the same Whereby it appears that thou art not the chosen Witnesse of the Spirit of Truth and that thy doctrine is contrary to the doctrine of truth and ought not to be received by any man upon earth and it is evident thereby that thy pretended commission is a counterfeit thing invented to beguile and deceive withal and not at all owned by the commission and doctrine of the Ambassadors of the Lord Jesus who were and are annointed and sealed of God 9. The Ambassadors of Christ and chosen Witnesses of the Spirit who were annointed and sealed of God they were workers together with God 2 Cor. 6.1 and did pray in Christ's stead 2 Cor. 5.20 but thou dost not so who instead thereof goes about reviling cursing and damning the beloved people of God who preach from the Scriptures and Light within and by virtue of the power which they have received of God Devils are cast out and as thou saist much good is done by them who ought not to be reviled and cursed by thee as they are whereby it appears that thou art no chosen Witnesse of the Spirit of Truth nor an Ambassador of Christ neither art thou annointed and sealed or sent of God to go about reviling cursing and damning the beloved people of God as thou dost for they who were the chosen Witnesses of the Spirit and Ambassadors of Christ did not so but thou hast exceeded Balaam in that who refused to curse those whom God had blessed And the Ambassadors of Christ annointed sealed and sent of God they approved themselves as the chosen Witnesses of the Spirit annointed and sealed of God
as Messengers Ministers or Ambassadors Fourthly Because thou denies the holy Scriptures Fifthly Because thou hast lyed against God and Christ and hast born a false Testimony of them and of the true Prophets of God and Apostles of Christ 1. As to the first That thou denies Almighty God himself is evident by thy own Doctrine because thou saist That the dead after death shall never see any other God or Judge but the remembrance of that Sentence which you the pretended Witnesses of the Spirit did pass upon them in this life which is quite contrary to the doctrine of Christ and the Scriptures of truth John 5.26 27 28 29. Mat. 25.31 32 33 34 41. 2 Pet. 2.9 2. And as to the second that thou deniest Christ of his offices is evident against thee by thy own doctrine in three particulars First Thou deniest Christ as chief Judge ordained of God to set up thy self in his stead because thou saist Thou art ordained chief Judge in the world to give sentence upon men and women spiritual and eternal and what shall become of them after deaâ—h contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and the Scriptures of truth Mat. 25 31 32. c. Ioh. 5.26 27 28 29 30. Acts 10.42 17.31 2 Tim. 4 1 1 Pet. 4.5 and as before is proved Secondly Thou deniest Christ as he is the Saviour of men and the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him in whom eternal life is to be had because thou accounts that there is no eternal life to be had but in the faith of thy doctrine saying There is no eternal life to be had but in the faith of the doctrine or declaration of a Prophet who hath a Commission from God saith There neither is nor ever shall be any such Prophet but thy self whilst the world endureth In answer to the which I say That the holy Scriptures which were spoken and declared from the movings of the Holy Ghost in the holy men of God 2 Pet. 1.20 21. were better doctrine declaration of Prophets of God then thine who had a better commission or authority from God then ever thou hadst And concerning their declaration Christ said to the Jews Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life they are they which testifie of me and ye will not come to me that ye might have life Iohn 5.39 40. And Christ said to his Disciples I am the way and the truth and the life no man cometh unto the Father but by me Ioh. 14.6 And the Ambassador of Christ hath declared and said That the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord as it is written Rom. 6.22 23. then not in the faith of thy doctrine And Christ doth give unto his sheep eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of his hand Ioh 10.27 28. And the Messengers of Christ have declared and said This is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son 1 Ioh. 5.11 then not in the faith of thy doctrine He that hath the Son hath life eternal though he deny thy doctrine and he that hath not the Son hath not life eternal though he may have faith in thy doctrine By what hath been said it is evident and remains certainly true 1. That Christ Jesus is the Saviour of men and the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him Acts 5.31 32. Heb. 7 25 Heb. 5.9 and is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him 2. That he is the way to the Father without which no man can come unto him Iohn 146 3. That the gift of God is eternal life which Christ doth give unto his sheep that they may never perish Rom. 6.23 Iohn 10.27 28. 4. That eternal life is not in the faith of thy doctrine or declaration but in Christ the Son according to the Record that God hath given For he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life as it is written 1 Iohn 5.11 12. Thirdly Thou deniest Christ as he is the Advocate with the Father and the propitiation for the sins of the whole World because thou saist That no infinite Spirit of Christ nor any God can or shall be able to deliver from thy sentence and curse which is contrary to truth and the holy Scripture where it is said My little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them as it is written Heb. 7.25 3. And as to the third That thou deniest Christ of his officers is evident by thy own doctrine because thou falsly saist That no man ought to officiate the Office of a Minister Messenger of Ambassador of Christ but such as are appointed by John Reeves and thy self contrary to the Scriptures 1 Pet. 4 10 11 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. Acts 13.2.4 Acts 20 28. Acts 10 19 20 21. Acts 11.12 21. Acts 10.42 43 2 Cor. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 2 Cor. 4.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. and as before I have proved 4. And as to the fourth That thou deniest the holy Scriptures I prove against thee by thy own doctrine first because thou saist That the words which Christ said to his Disciples Bless and curse not concerns not thee nor any man upon earth at this day contrary to the Doctrine of Christ where it is said Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them he shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven Matt. 5.17 18 19. and one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass till all be fulfilled Secondly Thou deniest the holy Scriptures because thou saist The dead after death shall never see any other God or Iudge but the remembrance of that sentence which you the pretended Witnesses of the Spirit did passe upon them in this life contrary to the Scriptures as before I have proved Thirdly Thou deniest the holy Scriptures because thou saist Thou art chief Iudge ordained of God to give sentence upon men and women spiritual and eternal and what shall become of them after death contrary to the Scriptures and as before I have proved Fourthly Thou deniest the Scriptures because thou saist That no man ought to officiate the Office of a Minister Messenger or Ambassador of Christ but such as are appointed by John Reeves thy self contrary to the Scriptures and as before I have proved