said and did not professed God but brought forth the works of the Devil and the depth of their ignorance and height of pride brake out so aboundantly in their practise that all that were not utterly blind might see it and it was the practise of Christ and his Ministers to declare these openly to be hypocrites lyars children of the devill serpents vipers and much the like and they did not herein accuse the brethren nor Godly Ministers nor godly people but such as walked contrary to God and to speak the same words to the same generation that are found in the same works by the same spirit is the same to God as it was then and the same to that generation who are found in their works if not prove thou when it was changed else thou art the accuser of the brethren and that falsly qu. 9. Is it no kinde of blasphemy of the Holy Ghost for such WRETCHES when they have powred out the most horrid LYES SLANDERS RAILINGS and false Doctrines to profess solemnly that all this is from the Spirit of Christ within them and make God and his holy Spirit the pater of all Ans To be found in the same practise that Christ and his Ministers 〈◊〉 â— 44. was found in bearing witness against the same things is no railing slandring nor no false Doctrine being done from the Spirit of Christ within them is no blasphemy against the Holy Ghost but obedience to it and in thee who knows not Gods holy Spirit to be the author and patern of all thy author and patern is the Devil where God is not the Author and Father the works begotten and brought forth by him such are of your father the devill and his works you do this is that Spirit I told thee of before who denies God to be thy author and paterne the author and finiâ—her of our faith and works so must we needs be contrary the one to the other both in judgment and practise as far a Christ and Belial as in our measures we have received him who is the faithfull witness in all Generations against those wayes you now live in qu. 10. Can that man that hath one spark of Grace believe that he hath no sin c. Ans I say by grace we are saved which we have received of God which teacheth us to speak the truth by which truth we are set free so far as we know him and so far we declare our freedome according 2 Cor. 4. 10. to our measures and he that sees himselfe set free from all sin by that Gal. 2. 20. power and brought wholly unto Christ where there is no sin selfe-shame 1 Iob. 8. 5 6. the body of sin put off and nothing living in him but the life of Christ if he declare this to his praise he is no lyar and if such an one abide in Christ he sinneth not neither doth such an one say he hath no knowledg of Christ nor need of the Physician nor that he wil not be beholding to him for his blood or to make intercession neither doth he deny that he hath sinned but confesses to his praise who hath him cleansed according to his measure nor is this to say he wil not be beholding to God any more who stands by faith in his power and is beholding to him daylie and to his blood dayly which as it hath washed so keeps pure from horrid railing slandering and other wickedness thy swearing and drinking thou speaks on and this is to confess Christ come in the flesh the just man on the earth that doth good and sins not who is greater then Solomon and such deny the Pharisees and Papists and all that justifie themselves are Lyars before him and to Heb. 7. 19. him Solomon confessed though the Law made not perfect yet he doth all that come to him and so presents them to the father and this is Isa 59. 19. our standart against the enemy that would overflow us which the hireling knows not whos 's the sheep are not nor their pasture who are not wretched nor under the power of the deceiver which things thou would charge upon us qu. 11. Whether those that deny Scripture to be Gods Word as these quakers do and deny that there is any such person as Jesus Christ which suffered at Jerusalem now glorified in Heaven in the humane nature and only cals somwhat that is within themselves by the name of Christ I say whether are not these abominable infidells having nothing to do with the name of Christians Ans That we deny the person of Jesus who suffered at Ierusalem now glorified in Heaven in his body is a lying slander but thou that denies God to be the word and sayes the Letter is the Word art ignorant both of the word and Scriptures as plainly they shall witness a-against thee which sayes God is the word and the word of God is the Ioh. 1. Name of Iesus as the Scripture declareth but never takes that name Rev. 19. 11. to its selfe And the word of God endures for ever and this is the word 1 Pet. 1. 25. which by the Gospel is preached which is not the Letter and thou that knowest not the Letter within thee art the Infidel and Reprobate 2 Cor. 13. 5. thou speaks on who hath nothing to do with the name of a Christian who art adding thy lyes and slanders as though only we limited Christ within us because we witness him in us so with the Scripture thou art proved to be ignorant of them and the power of God from which they were written qu. 12. Is it not damnable hypocrisie in the wretches to prate so much of Scripture and call for Scripture while they thus deny it to be Gods word Ans In this query thou shews thy confusion one while charging us to prate too much of Scriptures and call for Scriptures and yet thy end is to make people believe that we deny Scriptures because we will not own the Scriptures by the name of Christ who is called the word of God and in thy seeking occasion to slander but can finde none thou shews thy damnable hypocrisie and wretchedness denies both the Word and Scripture que 13. Is it not damnable hypocrisie in them to call themselves Christians when they are infidells and deny the person of Christ crucified to be in Heaven Ans It is damnable hypocrisie and wickedness for thee to continue thylying saying that we deny the person of Christ crucâ—fied to be in 2 Cor. 13. 5. Heaven and thou thy self art the infidell who cannot believe Jesus Christ in the Saints but calls it a thing within us but canst not own it by the name of Christ as in thy 11 query and that faith is Reprobate Ioh. 5. 10. and thou that knows not Christ in thee art the Infidell for he that believes hath the witness in himself qu. 14. Is not he a Pagan and no christian
AN ANSWER TO A BOOK CALLED The Quakers Catechism Put out by RICHARD BAXTER Wherein the Slanderer is searched his Questions Answered and his Deceit discovered whereby the Simple have been deceived And the Popery proved in his own bosom which he would cast upon the Quakers Published for the sake of all who desire to come out of Babylon to the Foundation of the true Prophets and Apostles where Christ Iesus is the Light and Corner Stone where God is building a Habitation of Righteousness and everlasting Peace where the Children of Light do rest Also some Quaeries for the discovering the false Grounds of the literal Priest-hood of these days in the last times of Antichrist If you know the truth the truth shall make you free Iames Nailor London Printed in the Year 1655. AN ANSWER TO A BOOK CALLED The Quakers Catechism To thee Richard Baxter WHo hast bent thy Tongue against the Innocent casting out thy envious slanders against the Lamb who is appeared against the oppression and deceit of all sorts of people who have professed his pure Name in words but have not joyned to his life and Spirit but are joyned to the worldly lovers and stand in your own will and the poor is oppressed by him that is too strong for him and with that proud Spirit art thou joyned pleading its cause against the Lamb who cannot bow to any unrighteousness and against him art thou fighting with the same weapons that ever thy Generation used Canst thou behold and not blush at the lies thou hast mustered up in this book against the truth Is this the end of all thy profession that thou art become a bloody persecuter Is there no difference with thee now between suffering for conscience sake and burning a Thief in the hand thou art he that ever numbered the Lamb amongst transgressors and what are we that thou art set against a poor despised people troden upon every where at your wills and pleasures Will this be for your honor to combine together against a people which by thy own words are so contemptible Is all your proud hye-flovvn spirits joyned against so low a people that any one can trample under-foot It 's easily seen there is something in the bottom of greater price then all that 's visible else why should you gather thus from all Quarters truly this will not be for your peace He against vvhom you are risen will break you to pieces vvhat ever become of our persons and thou vvilt see the day Rich Baxter vvhen thy deeds vvill come to remembrance and thy slanders set in order and thou shalt see to whom thou art an enemy though novv thou be wilfully ignorant of him Were there any jot of his fear left in thee might thou not once look back and see thy vvays to be such as none of Christs Ministers vvere ever found in Dost thou believe that ever thy vvorks must be proved or that thy Kingdom of Sin must come to an end must not thy Covenant of sin be broken though thou intend it for term of life yet remember thy latter end Was not ever the old Persecuters as blinde as thou art till vvrath vvas upon them from Heaven must they accompt for it that do not visit him in Prison and shall such escape as cast in Prison Will it avail thee then to say thou knevv not that it vvas he Is not this sufficient ground for thee to suspect thy vvay seeing none of Christs vvas ever in it before but remember novv thou art warned while thou hast time Though striving for master-hood and vain jangling I abhor yet for the truths sake and the seed that is scattered I cannot be silent but must reprove that lying Spirit that 's gone out into the World and hath got entrance and hath hardened many vvho sometimes vvere somewhat tender but novv hath he brought them forth against the Lamb to battle and he hath none like these for his design being finely covered with words but their Works finde them out Blessed be God for ever In vvhat thou vvrites to the Reader in thy Book thou says thou says thou supposes he vvill marvel thou troubles thy self vvith so vvilde a Generation as the people called Quakers are or that thou writes these fevv hasty lines on such an occasion but thou saist thou vvilt tell the cause vvhich is that they have sent to thee five several Papers one of them vvith these Quaeries vvhich thou Ansvvers and others of them almost nothing but a bundle of filthy railing vvords as Serpent Liar Deceiver Childe of the Devil cursed Hypocrite dumb Dog I say every rational man may well marvel that these words should be so hastily by thee called filthy railing words who professes thy self a Minister of Jesus Christ and the Scripture thy rule seeing there is not one of these words but by the spirit of Jesus Christ they have been used to such who are in that nature to whom they belong and the same Spirit can do no other but use the same words without respect of persons where ever any is found in that practice Hadst thou said we had been railers the sin had not been so great but to say those words given forth by the holy Ghost as is plain in Scripture are filthy railing words here thou calls the Spirit filthy and unclean but if thou read Mark 3. 29 30. there thou mayest read thy blasphemy and what generation thou art of and what shall befal thee Dost thou profess thy self a Minister of Christ and says the Scriptures are the word and calls the Language of them filthy railing words That â—hese words belong to thee and that thou art in the same Generation against whom they were spoken I shall manifest it from thine own mouth and bring thine own Book to witness against thee and leave them to any honest heart who shall read them both to judge if thou be not found in the same practice and so guilty of the same reproof I tell thee the Scribes and Pharisees and false Prophets might have had more shew to have spoken thus of these words then thou hast for they had no Scripture that had them in but thou professes that Scripture which declares of the words from whom they were spoken and to what sort of people and art found in their works and of such Christ himself was judged to be besides himself and we are called a wilde Generation So the servant is no better then his Lord and the Scripture is fulfilled Thou saist further They chose a day to come into your assembly and fell a questioning the Preacher thine assistant and because he avoided disputing with them and fled therefore they called him the hireling that fleeth and so confessed themselves to be Wolves I say that you are hirelings is plain by your practice and thou confesses he avoided to dispute with thâ—m and fled and was not this true but though the hireling did flee doth this prove them Wolves or did they then
this apparent pride for us to be so confident that we are wise and beloved in the eyes of God and that we run about with the shels on our head c. in comparison of thee I say the hellish pride thou hast plainly discovered where it is But whose righteousness is all this by which thou hast thus ingaged God to thee who art but yet praying for the Spirit of truth and grace will God be ingaged with thy graceless lying spirit which thou uses in this thy Book wherein thou utters so many graceless untruths to ingage the world to thee thou art mistaken God will not be so ingaged nor with that Spirit he will be served with his own Thy earnest prayers and righteousness before the Spirit of truth and grace and without it how they ingage God thou mayest read in 1 Kings 18. from the 16. to the 30. and Luke 18. 11 12. and there thou may read thy boasting lines and their acceptance and thy ingagements and thy name We know God freely gives a measure of his Spirit to every one of us freely to profit withal and improving that to his praise we receive more freely and we are so far from ingagement of God by all we do that we finde our selves unprofitable servants but this thou knowest not with thy vaâ—n light words who tells of our running away with the shell on our head Our head thou knows not who must break thee to pieces with all thy light boasting vain words Thou tells of Paul forewarning Timothy to ordain none who was a novice lest he should be lifted up with pride and so fall into the condemnation of the Devil then thou mayest take this back aâ—ain and apply it and therein read thy self and thy end in whom the pride is sound and not in the Quakers and they are blinde who cannot see it And thoâ— saist Pride is the master sin of the Quakers and thou proves it because that we go in a poor garb and cry our-against pride as if we were sent from Heaven to perswade men to wear no lace cuffs or points and to damn so many Ministers for being called Master But saist thou spiritual pride is the most killing and so goes on railing against us for these things calling that spirit in scorn An excellent Spirit that can trample on all worldly glory I say Blasphemer thou shalt know when thou hast finished thy rage that thou hast spoken against the holy Spirit of God sent from Heaven which both in Christ and his Apostles did perswade against and condemn such things which thou by the spirit of the Devil would uphold and dost plead for and thou sets down four particulars wherein thou wilt prove our language of Hell and the Devil speaking by our mouthes and the first is They affirm themselves perfect without sin and this thou saist is unpossible and they are mad that believe it I say That we affirm self-perfection is but thy lying slander or that we say we are Christ or God as thou saist we do but that we witness perfection from sin so far as we have received Christ we own it as Gods commands and guift the end of Christs coming and of giving forth his Ministery as these Scriptures may witness Matth. 5. 48. James 1. 17. 1 John 3. 8. Eph. 4. 11 12. 13. And that it was the work of the Ministery whereunto they labored read Col. 1. 28 29. and thou that Ministers against this and calls it the Language of Hell and the Devils mouth which the Scriptures witness art a Blasphemer and a Minister of Antichrist and it s no railing to judge the tree by its fruit and when thou hast done Thou saist the Devil himself hath less pride then to think himself perfect without sin and if we have no sin what need we pray or what need have we of the blood of Christ I say Thy confusion is manifest who before accused us that the Devil spake this in our mouthes and now thou art clearing him of it but what hast thou to do or he either with perfection who art out of Christ and in your own wills worldly-pleasing and envious murtherers in rage what perfection is there unless perfect wickedness neither doth perfection exclude praying and the blood of Christ for in his blood and prayer it is wrought and we kept Thy second thing is That we set up our selves above all the people of God on earth that we vilifie the most holy and eminent servants of God and condemn all the Churches of the World To which I shall say no more but this That these are three of thy lies rancked up together lest thou should fail Thy third thing is That we damn all the people of God for 1600. years at least I say This may well be matter of offence to thee to deny all thy Generation since the Popâ— to this day therefore thou call'st it unmatchable pride but â—or those whom you have tortured martyred and burned whipt and imprisoned to this day who suffered for conscience sake followâ—ng the Lamb in their measure them we own and with them we suffer though thou say God had never such a people on earth of these mens ways yet was this the Church of Christ whereof he was the head and is the head and there it was visible and there it is to all who are not blinde but none of these pleaded for honorable Titles as thou dost nor none ever did that believed such was ever out of the faith read James 2. to the 10 verse John 5. 4. and 44. and if these be the few Hereticks thou tells on that thou says were our Predecessors of old I say We cannot but own these in their measure though we go under the name of Hereticks with them by the same Generation Thy fourth thing is That which thou callest our proud scornful railing Language which thou saist should put it out of doubt what spirit we are of to any who are acquainted with Christs Spirit and of Satan and are able to judge of Spirits and know darkness from light I say The Language of Christ we use to thee who aâ—t found in the work of Satan therefore thou canst not bear it but thy filthy â—nclean words thou hast cast upon us in thy Book which none in Scripture ever used we shall leave to the judgement of Him that judges Spirits and to all who know light from darkness But thou fore-seeing thy self guilty makes an Objection It is Scripture Language which they speak and when thou hast done deceitfully answerest saying The greater your presumptious sin in making so ill an use of Scripture Language and calls it serving Satan and thus thou proves iâ— saying What if Christ called Judas a Devil is it therefore lawful to call Peter so I say yea If Peter be found in the Devils work Matth. 16. 23. much more thou and thy Generation who none of you yet came so far as Peter who denyed all to follow Christ but
be found clear of it though now you be stirring up these Powers against the peaceable people as you did the oâ—her as a Generation never well but when you are in mischief but our defence is the same against you who will accomplish his own work and set his King upon his hill notwithstanding your Hellish rage Thou goes on telling if any further ask thee why the Papists are so diligent in those works and thou sets down many hopes we have to accomplish great things which words are not worth taking up after thee But to them all I shall say this Whosoever hath but heard of the Blood that hath been shed and the violence done to the Innocent by your Fore-fathers the Popish Clergy before they was denyed in the Nation also what Blood hath been shed and misery undergone to bring down your power set up in the Presbytery in Scotland and England the two last of these which we can witness by sad experience I say here 's small hopes for any that either loves God or their souls or bodies either or the Peace of the Nation to labour in bringing forth such a birth of Vipers nay we rather rejoyce to see the work begun thus far in the Nation whereby he will rid us of the rest of that brood and their burthens which is the greatest oppression that remains in the Nation though this must be done with suffering as the other was done with acting the Lord having drawn forth many to that purpose against whom you are gathered as the sand for multitude yet are we not dismayed though beset on every side yet not destroyed for we know him in whom we have believed And thou saist Consider well of that Scripture Eph. 4. 12 13 14. c. where Christ gave Ministers for edification unity and the perfecting of the Body amongst which thou hast thrust in thy cursed addition saying at last the perfecting of the body I say When must that last be seeing thou hast denyed any perfection whilest any lives in this world it seems thou dreams your Ministery must last in another world else how must you perfect them by your Ministery or shall death do that which cannot be done while they are living So we have considered of that Scripture and finde you to be none of those Ministers whom Christ gave nor Ministring for that end but against it and so Ministers of Antichrist blaspheming the work of God who call his power at which all flesh shall tremble the power of the Devil And saist thou If you turn to the Quakers we shall know that you were before an unsetled Novice and thou brings that of 1 John 2. 19. they went out from us but they were not of us I say What hast thou to do with these words John was no hireling nor Persecuter as thou art thou art one of those which John forewarns of who abides not in the Doctrine of Christ and all that owns John or his Epistle must keep thee out of their Houses and have nought to do with thee if thou read his second Epistle 9 10 11 verses there thou may read thy self cast out by Johns Ministery and there â—s few that comes from thee need to look for ought but reproaches for then the hope of thy gain is lost further then thou takes by force And thou falls a praying the Lord to open his eyes and acquaint him with his great darkness and imperfection I say what eye is that which thou would have opened since thou denies the Light within Is the man blinde of his bodily eyes and to what end should he see his imperfection seeing that thou denys that ever perfection can be attained to Thy Prayers are an abomination and they are blinde indeed that stands in need of such a Teacher and knows no better spirit to pray with Then thou makes an Oration before thou Answers the Quaeries wherein thou tells of several Papers which thou received from seveâ—al persons as one Jane Hicks Tho Chandler and Edward Newway Richard Farnworth and Tho Goodair but not being acquainted in the business and seeing nothing herein of moment but what is answered in other places I shall leave it till more knowledge of the thing Then thou goes making a show as that thou would Answer our Quaeries and these thou folds up by six together which thou canst not answer and sends us to a Book we know not where to seek an Answer which thou calls a Defence of a Petition yet though thou Answer not one of the six in what thou falls short in Answering thou makes up in asking asking ten where thou answerest not one so that instead of answering 24. thou hast asked above threescore but few of those thou wast asked hast thou gone about to Answer but thou begins as followeth with our first Quaery and thy false slanders and lies thou casts upon us are double to thy Quaeries as I shall make it appear if I be called to number them but I am weary with raking in that filthy puddle yet thy Queries are answered and some of thy lies disproved In page 43. line 12. for the Letter read Christ OUr 1. Query is What 's the first Principle of pure Religion Thy answer is That God is and neâ—t that he is a rewarder of them that dilâ—gently seek him and thou queries the ground of our asking I say the ground of our asking is that the folly of such Teachers as know net God and his way may be made manifest as it is by thy Answer for the knowledge of what God is is the substance ground and end of all pure Religion which admits of no second for it is life eternal But if thou say thou means believing there is a God then there is something God hath appoâ—nted as a way to God which must be learned before God can be known wherein the creature must be principled which must turn the mind towards God before the creature know God seeing God is not known to the world till the creature be turned out of the world So saith Christ Noâ—e knows the Father but to whom the Son reveals him such aâ— thou have got the name of God to talk on but when you should come to principle people in the way to him you say God is it which if bare saying God is it be all thou can do in way of teaching then you may stop your mouths if it be not for losing your gain for all can say that there is a God as Jam. 2. 1â— well as thou yea the Devil can preach that doctrine but thou knows if thou had answered this Query to the satisfaction of any honest desires then thou must have confessed to the light that God hath given Joh. 8. 12. in Christ Jesus to lead out of darkness but that destroys the Devils Kingdom and therefore all his Ministers are deaf of that ear and so children of darkness and keep others so 2. Query Whether they are a Church of
and that it is not words we contend about but your whole practise which being found in and condemned words and meanings cannot hide you and if the Scriptures be not right translated as thou pleads then is less confidence to be put in any of you who had it in doing yet thou sayes its a standing rule thus Babylons Children are clashing one against another but all against the Stone by which we see your fruits to be the same with the Pharises change the letter as often as you will wo to him that hath no other guide and rule but that which you have so often chopt and changed and not still wil it please you thou may wel call it a temporall word for you wil make it serve all times or you must want of your wils it s no haâ—d thing with you to take Pauls words who wandred up and down in hunger and nakedness 2 Cor. 11. 27. coveted no mans money nor gold nor apparell and was chargeable to none nor took ought against the will of the owner c. and with two or three consequences and meanings from your originall you wil make it prove you four or five hundred a yeer and a great house to live in and this you will not have by favour but force and yet they are thieves that denies to give you their goods when you ask it but now when your practise and Pauls are compared they are as far distant as before could you bend his life as you do his words to your own then might ye deceive the elect but God hath left this a rule for ever by their fruits shall you know them so by your works you are so farre from Paul that you are out-run Balaam and all the false Prophets and greedy dogs you read on in the Scriptures who never took it by force under pretence of a Law taking three for one as you do yet this truth which is as clear as the Sun must be called railing because it falls upon your deceit and because a servant calls master in Scripture sayes thou why may not thou be so called as a minister thou may as wel say because a servant doth own his master why may not I break the commands of Christ and sayes thou Paul he was called a wise master builder I say those words wil not fit thee who would build up thy pride with them he was Paul a Servant and not Master Paul if thou canst own it thou may if not let it alone I say thou must be proved by thy deeds not with wresting his words nor was the masters of assemblies Solomon spoke on such as thou but of one shepheard which the hirelings never knew nor any who would take Solomons words to destroy Christs commands did thou know him thou would not teach men to break one of the least of them much more that which hath ever distinguished false Prophets from true nor is there any one command more plainly expressed nor more faithfully obeyed by his ministers then this that thou art teaching men to break it being now the great controversie with Christ and Antichrist who should be master and who should be bowed to and how loath are his ministers to lose it as is seen by thy crooked wayes thou takes to keep it but thou must lose it and the Lamb must have it who wil not bow to thee and Abraham and Festus and Agrippa cannot bear the out in breaking Christs command those was not forbidden as thy practise Iohn 5. 44. is who art pleading for titles of honour to you Priests as a duty O shame thou infidel how canst thou believe that 's seekâ—ng for honour from men was ever any mâ—nister of Christ found in that work and is not this the greatest thing thou stands for in thy book is it not seen whole honour thou art seeking against the commands of Christ nor is he void of the fear of God who denies thee to be a faithfull Minister of Christ who ministers against the command of Christ nor are we so soâ—tâ—sh but we can judge who is in the work of Christ and who is against him with lyes saying a Minister of Christ is called Master and that to deny your Greek and Hebrew is to deny Christ as though a naturall language was Christ and thou calls some sacred languages thou â—dolater is not every language natural to them who are bâ—ed in them is not our Englâ—sh as sacred among the Greeks as theirs is here but such as thou wil worship any thâ—ng rather then the Spirit and after all thy lyes in this book sayes we are not able to charge thee with any câ—ime but humaine frailtâ—es when thou art found full of gross wickedness as in thy book is laid open and here thou may receive an answer to thy query and thou boasts that thou can talk better then we I say thou makes it not appear in thy book for it truth had ordered thy tongue I had not found so many open falsehoods and conâ—usions as I have laid open already and thou â—ayes thou would thresh and dig and labour if God would give thee leave I say what a God doâ—t thou serve which will not allow of labour our God condemns â—dleness and sayes if any wil not work neither should he eat but the God of this 2 Thess 3. 10 World is the God of idleness and fulness of bread which the Priests of this nation have been known to serve more than any one sort of people else and thou sayes our prater is a lyer foâ— saying if thou had no pay thou would not preach I say prove him a lyar and shame him come out and preach freely and then if he say so of thee I shall say he is a lyar too but I suppose thy Godwil not suffer thee to do this no more than he wil suffer thee to labour for these must go together but let me ask the one question amongst all thâ—ne qu. The Ministers or Christ said follow us and walk as you have us for examples but if thou should say so to thine and all the Parish masters in this nation also and your hearers should follow you as you do what a nation would here be all idle all proud and covetous all live on the sweat of other mens brews all Masters c. would not this destroy relations who would you have to worship you therefore take heed how you bid them sollow you I have heard oâ— some of you may be foreseeing part of this have been so wise as to say do as I say but not as I do I say this is plain dealing compared with thee who acts all this charges God with it and when thou haâ—t done sayes we are not able to chaâ—ge thee with any crime so thou would have us to charge it upon him who wil not let the labour 20. qu. Did ever the Lord of Heaven and Earth or Jesus Christ bid thee or any of you go and preach to
Antichrist who denyed Christ in them but they that believe hath the witness in themselves and they that abode not in the Doctrine of Christ and had the Father and 2 Iohn 9. 10 the Son they was not to receive them into their houses neither bid them God speed and wouldst thou be found in these practises and have us to apply these Scriptures to us who deny those practises thou canst not hide thy self here when thou finds us in those things apply thou those Scriptures unto us in the mean time take thy portion from them being condemned by them and we have considered those Scriptures and finde them written against thy generation and your practise and so we apply them unto you And for the clearer manifesting what Gospel and faith thou Preaches I shall lay down these queries following they being that which every true Minister knows and very needful to be known to all people FIrst Hath the first Adam power upon earth to defile all that are in him and hath not the second as much power and vertue to cleanse from all sin all that are in him if so then what is the cause men must commit sin and be imperfect while they live in this world 2. Whether is that new birth spoken on without which none can be saved Christ formed in believers or only a believing that he was manifest in the flesh 1655 years since and hath not the Devil and reprobates this beliefe latter mentioned 3. Hath any life eternal in them but who hath the flesh and blood of Christ in them and is life eternal known any other way savingly in this world while people live 4. Is any the Sons of God further then they are guided by the Spirit of God in all things and is not the Spirit of God a sufficient guide to all who have it in all things without any other help according to the measure received 5. Whether the Spirit of God in them who have it according to its measure be not the absolute Judge of all Spirits the opener of all Scriptures and whether needs it any visible thing to add to it or can any other thing judge it 6. Whether can any other Spirits judge of Scripture or any of the works of God aright but wrests Scripture to the destruction of creatures and calls light darkness and darkness light and can any other spirit judg according to God in any thing 7. Whether the Word of God can be changed or can it admit of severall meanings as to one particular thing is it visible or invisible â—â—r is there any word but one and whether was that word before the letter and shall be when the letter is turned to dust 8. Whether is the least measure of saving faith present power against the greatest power of darkness and able to keep out of all sin whatsoever if the creature abide in it 9. Whether ever any Minister of Christ had any hand in imprisoning any man for coming into their meeting places or was any beat in the meeting places where a Minister of Christ was preacher and was it not the manner of the Apostles to reason and dispute in the Synagogues against their false worship and was not all persecutors and fighters against God who opposed them and is it not the same now where the same Spirits are and is that the Spirit of God or of the Devil which sayes its no more persecution to put such in prison than to burn a thiefe in the hand as thou dost 10. Where that temple of God is where the man of sins sits shewing himself that he is God and must not the Light of Israel reveale him first where he is and then binde him and cast him out and when he is cast out whether is not the body of sin wholly put off yea or nay or can he return in again unless the creatures mind go out to his temtations first and do not such depart out of the covenant of life and faith and so make shipwrack of the good conscience 11. Whether is the light of Christ Spirituall or can it be known any other way but in Spirit within and is not the light of Christ within the absolute way out of death and darkness or doth it stand need of any temporall thing to help it to enlighten those who are turned to it believe in it and love it 12. Whether is the Gospel Ministry the same it was in the Apostles times both for matter and manner means and maintenance if nor when was it changed and by whom into Steeplehouses Tythes and great Parsonages and that order of worship now used seeing you are erred out of the way of the Apostles in every particular of your worship 13. Whether may not the Spirit of God in whom it is use the same words against false teachers now as it former hath done against them that was found in the same practise and is there any plainer tryall of these two Spirits in this world theâ— by their fruits herein as is found in Scripture and is it now any more railing and blaâ—pâ—emy than it was then or by what name mâ—â—t a lye be called according to Scripture and the practise of Christ These queries I have not put forth to keep up strife but being things much contended about with many if thou in plainness give an accompt oâ— thy faith herein the difference may be known betwixt us and you Priests Teachers and whether of us owns the Saints practise as is declared in Scripture but if thou fold them up by six together and send us to a book to seek an answer we know not where as thou dâ—dst in thy last book or if thou answer them with sleighting and shuffling when thou come to the Thing intended as thou hast done thou wilt be seen and thy cover wil discover thee to all the children of light FINIS
more than others that say the like Ans Our call and commission is invisible as to you as ever it was to the world yet herein is it shewed that we are found in the same practise and suffering that all the Saints of God ever was for declaring against the false worships and this we refuse not to show in the midst of your envy in the patience of Christ and his long suffering in the midst of your bloody persecution and here is your commission shewed also and from whom you have it even him that is within you who is known by his fruits outward a murderer from the beginning so is the Spirit of God by its fruits outward a sufferer from the beginning so each tree is known by its fruit whatsoever you tel us and that 's the sot which cannot see it nor believe it qu. 18. Seeing you cry down our Ministry and Churches tell us which is the the true ministry and Church and when yours begun and where it hath been since Christs abode on earth til now speak plainly and let us know whether you indeed are Papists or Pagans Ans The true Ministry and Church is those who abide in the doctrine of Christ guided by his Spirit in the way of his worship and this Church begun to be seperated from the world first in Abell and since Christs abode on the earth hath been thrust into corners persecuted and imprisoned and killed by Cains generation who was ever worshippers yet in their murderous nature and here we speak plainly such was Pagans and Papists though they called themselves Catholicks the same are you now who are found in the same works though you call your selves christians and such churches we cry down and their ministry who hath their hands in blood and persecution whatsoever they are called by and now that we have spoken plainly and truth also see thou be not angry and call trailing and plot mischiefe against us in secret as your father Cain did and all his generation when you cannot do it openly qu. 19. Is not that man an infidel and a scorner of Christ that dare say he came into the world and shed his blood to gather onely a few raging quakers â—n England 1652 years after his incarnatâ—on if Christ have no subjects but these he is a poore King â—f Christ have been tâ—ll now without subjects he was no King if without a Body he was no Head if without a spouse he was no husband Therefore shew us what a church Christ had or confess your selves infidels Ans The nearest comparison as I finde in Scripture whereby to shew what a Church Christ had since the mystery of iniquity and Popish Priesthood and Parish Masters was set up in the â—ailing away may be compared to his Church from the time that the hirelings and false Prophets begun amongst the Jews to preach for hire and bear rule by their means c. even til Christs comming in the flesh which Church was sometimes visible but â—n a few dâ—spised Prophets who were sent one after another to cry down the false worships covetous practises and to testifie of his comming which alwaiâ—s suffâ—red by the multitude oâ— Priests and salâ—e Prophets who when they came stil conspired against him and if thou look back since your lordly authority was set up in your Ministry you may see they have had their hands in the like practise against those who lived in hope of his appearance denying their worships and now it is â—alne into your hands who are garnishing their Sepulchers crying out against your fathers the Popes and the Bishops for their cruelty but are found deeper in it to your power than ever they was scarcely ever ceasing to stir any authority of the nation against the Lamb and his Light where it is made manifest yea many of your Generation not finding the Magistrate so ready to execute your bloody designes as you would have them have shed blood with your own hands even of the innocent and they are not a few that are guilty hereof in the north parts of this Nation and the kingdome of Christ hath been poore according to thy judgement yet hath these been his subjects nor hath he been without a body nor without a spouse so thou mayest read what a Church Christ hath and what a Church he hath had formerly yet is he not come to save a few raging quakers only but with ten thousand of his saints is he come to be avenged of that bloody Generation and for the Infidell thou tells on and the scorner of Christ that is he that cannot believe in him and his Light to be sufficient and what a church Christ hath had and hath we have shewed qu. 20. Did not the spirit of the Quakers speak in numbers 16. 3. just as you do now against magistrates and ministers and is not God very patient that causeth not the earth to open and swallow you up quick as it did them do you understand that the Simonians or disciples of Simon Magus and the Nicholaitans whose Doctrine and deeds Christ hateth Rev. 2. and other gnostick heriticks in the Apostles dayes did deal by them and the Church then as you do by us now and that the second Epistle of Peter the Epistle of Iude much of the first of Iohn and the second of Iohn were written purposely against them besides many other Scriptures and have you wel considered those Scriptures and applyed them to your selves Ans That Spirit of Christ we own is that meek Spirit that was in Moses against which the Rebellious Levites was then gathered who would condemn it of too much purity saying that all the congregation was holy the same which you do now calling all Christians and sprinklâ—ng their Children under the name of believers and that Spirit which we own speaks not against Magistracy nor Ministry such as are appointed by God though it hath ever testified against the corruption of that Magistracy which by God was appointed yet canst not thou here shelter thy selfe who art out of the Doctrine of Christ in all thy Ministry and was never called by him and thy spirit we understand to be worse than Simon Magus for he believed in the Light of the Gospel but thou denyest it and he would have bought the gift which thou would sel if thou hadst it neither had he a hand in such works of envy against the Truth as thou and thy generation are found in though there then was heriticks who dealt with the Apostlesthen as you do with us now and those was and are the heriticks who abides not in the Doctrine of Christ who are proud and covetous cannot cease from sin have hearts exercised in wicked practises after Cain and Balaam and of these did Peter and Iude speak of in their Epistles 1 Iohn 4. 2 3 and Iohn also who declared that then Antichrist was gone into the i Iohn 5. 9 i0 World and that was the Spirit of