the Foundation or Fundamental Principle of the Religion which is not in Form but in Power agreeing in the Foundation and in the whole building But Friends you seem to charge the late Powers of the Nation if not your selves yet some part of your Body which now are in power with great things with no less then to be Satans Seedsmen for if allowing difference in Forms be the dangerousest and fruitfullest Seed that ever was sown by the envious One as you say it is then who do you blame either the fore-going Parliaments of which some of you have been and so cannot be clear from that evil or the Protector himself and this seem to be a very great charge upon him whose judgment is appearingly to give allowance unto difference in Forms to be the Seedsman of Satan or to allow the envious One to sow the Seed which you call dangerous it is not Christians that are divided but the Sects and false Opinions men of corrupt minds Thus much in answer to the words as they are laid down but I rather chuse to speak to the mind or intent of the Penmans spirit of your Declaration which implieth an inclining to be against many Forms and to bind up all into one Form of Worship and so thereby though some which is evil would be shut out yet would the true spiritual Worship of the Saints above all assuredly thereby be excluded and the tender spirits of People who truly seek God would be oppressed But keep your selves from that evil I warn you lest you be broken and never bound up and lay no Law nor make no Law upon Religion but let Religion defend it self only lay your Law upon Peace-breakers and violent men and bind not mens Consciences to a Worship by your Precepts either made already or by such as may be made if you ease the Oppressed so God will establish you in peace if you fulfil his Will herein Again you say In not being fully sensible though the Lord in the depth of his wisdoms and righteous Iudgments hath for some years last past been overturning several Authorities in these Nations and hath as it were been pouring them from Vessel to Vessel he hath been pleased ever since his people publickly contended for his Truths still to set up Rulers who have allowed them the free exercise and profession of them Answ. Indeed you are not sensible of the righteous Judgments of God in overturning several Authorities in the Nation and therefore you go in the same abominations as they did who were overturned till you also be overturned as they were But take heed to your selves lest you be more then poured from Vessel to Vessel even spilt in the dust of misery and never more gathered again Your last part of this particular is false for we that are in the pure Religion and in the Exercise of our pure Consciences have not from some of you our Liberty but are cast into Goals and Dungeons and banished out of yoâ—â— Towns and Cities some of us by some that have been Rulers set up if this be doubted by you examine through your Nation true testimony may be given so that here you have spoken better of the Rulers then indeed it is and would make the Nation believe untruths to establish you though I condemn not all but my words are towards the Guilty that they may repent lest they perish in their iniquities and be cut off in their transgressions and the Curse be upon you all for the sake of some Again you say In that Athiestical and luke-warm Spirit too commonly aâ—…gst you whereby not only the Form but also the Power of Godliness is reproached and accounted as a vain thing but also too many have fallon from their first love and others esteâ—… themselves rich whilst they are miserable poor and blind and naked sins which â—…e the highest aggravated by being committed in Countries where the glorious Light of the Gospel shinâ—s clearest Answ. This you have confessed truly to your own shame in the sight of other Nations your spirit is not only luke-warm unto Righteousness but it is too â—â—mmon among some of you to be zealous and hot in persecuting the Way of Righteousness and indeed many of you are grosly fallen from your first Love and Integrity and thereby the Power of Godliness is not only reproached by you but persecuted and counted vile and they that live in it oppressed such is your zeal in your dead Form some of you that even you count the true Way and Worship of God madness and you are the men that esteem your selves rich while you are miserable and blind and naked and your sins are aggravated the more and higher because God gives you warning daily by the mouth of his Servants who hold forth the Light of the glorious Gospel and bears witness unto your faces against your Abominations and Idolatries committed by you yet for all this you continue in your iniquities and evil entreat the Messengeâ— of Peace unto you souls and are the men indeed which are Athiestical evâ—â— many by their work saying in their hearts there is no God and as truly as yoâ— have confessed your sins so must you confess the justness of the Judgments of God upon your own heads if you return not unto the living God and own the day of your Visitation Again you say In being more dissatisfied that you have not obtained all you aimâ—d 〈◊〉 then thankful that you have obtained so much as you now enjoy Answ. Verily this is not the least of your sins but exceed some others fâ—r you aim at that which you shall never obtain till you be thankful and walk worthy of what you enjoy and this is the way Ease the Oppressed and take oâ—f the yoke of the Poor and Needy and of the Lord you may be heard and seek not your own honour for that is the ground of dissatisfaction and unthankfulness among you and the cause why you abuse the Mercies which you do enjoy having lost the sence of the former dealings of the Lord with you Further you say All which with other the grievous sins of these three Nations caâ—â— aloud upon all the good People in them to lie low in the sight of our offended God and bâ— Prayer and Humiliation away which in our deepest distresses we have found both our Dâ—ty and Comfort to tread in to seek to appease his Wrath and that he would be pleased fâ—… his own Names sake to remove whatever accursed thing there is found amongst us and the as he is our God so we may be his People Answ. Indeed many more grievous sins are highly abounding in these three Nations your own oppressions and self-seeking honours and vain glories in your self-performed righteousness with your persecution of the Innocent by grievous unjust Fines and Imprisonment not regarding the cry of the Poor which lie under the heavy hand of Oppression of you subordinate Rulers these aboundantly add to the
in that nature which is to be famished and glories in what hath been done by it as though it had not received power from the Lord and is exalted as though it bare the Root not knowing that it is born of the Root and that spirit spends its Treasure which it received in the Fathers house amongst Harlots and despises the poor and seeks occasion to glory over the weak that it may be renowned beware of that spirit I charge you all for it is not of the Father nor to be followed but to be condemned and resisted unto death Again believe not that spirit neither follow it which preacheth not from the measure of God received and to be manifest to it in you and approved by it only but speaks above the measure and reaches not to the measure of the Grace of God that spirit leads after words and outward shews and cries peace to the Rich and judgment to the Poor and the Word of God is not divided aright but heals up falsly and daubs with untempered morter and cries peace where God speaks war and cries war where God speaks peace and that Spirit is a Deceiver and a Betrayer and feeds but the Ear and not the Life and darkens the Counsel of God by words without knowledge and is not of the Father but of the World and to be denied and condemned Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which is not subject to rule and order and is not meck and diligent and long suffering but heady and high and untoward seeking occasions against the Just and Watcheth for evil that spirit will not bear reproof but is idle sloathfull and careless and surmising evil and backbiting and conforms in appearance making a fair shew but is not unto God as appearing unto man and that would go and is not called and will not go when it is called and seeks for the praise of men more then God and that is fruitless ground and brings forth Bryars and Thorns in secret which choaks the Seed of God beware of that spirit it is a Lover of this World have no fellowship with it for it is not of the Father but a Deceiver and is to be a denied Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which is tossed and unsetled and is given to change and is not established with Grace that is an Adulterer and hunâ—s for the precious Life and seeks by flattery to beguile the Innocent that spirit is zealous for a moment but is soon overcome and is stony ground and brings not forth fruit to perfection but withers and its latter end is worse then the beginning That spirit is exalted into presumption in peace and cast into desperation in trouble and the double minde lodgeth in it and it is unstable in all its wayes and is a ground for the Seed of Satan and to it there is no peace from God and beware of that spirit for it is not of the Father but to be condemned Again Believe not that Spirit neither follow it which is more zealous then knowing whose zeal is without true knowledge and stands in that which is corrupted that flourisheth for a moment but cannot endure for ever it hath no root in it self but is furious and passionate and not long-suffering that spirit knows not its self but would devour its Adversaries with bitterness and not gain by long-suffering that is not the spirit of the Father but must be denied in all Again Believe not that spirit which draws back into the World into its lusts and liberty and fashions which passe away that spirit forgets God and draws back for his Soul hath no pleasure in it but is vexed with it where the Cross is made of none effect and the false liberty is walked in which murders the Life that spirit is of the Devil and is to be condemned And now all Friends of God every where who knows him and are known of him whom he hath gathered out of this untoward Generation be diligent in your Callings and keep your Meetings in faithfulness waiting upon the Lord that you all may receive of his fulness to be filled with it and may be nourished up unto himself as trees of righteousness the planting of his own right hand to spread forth his Name and Glory as a people saved by him and to whoâ— there is none like besides And this know and understand that spirit is not of the Father which confesseth not the Son to be come in the Flesh who destroys the works of the Devil and takes away sin and that Spirit believe and follow whiâ—â— condemns sin and destroys it and takes it away and so gives peace with God iâ— your own Consciences and leads you into all Truth and keeps you from all evil and you that witness this the Son you know and the Father you know to dwell with you and in you and this is the first and the last believe in him and follow him and look not for any other and in this the Father of Life and Glory whose Dominion is without beginning and end establish you and preserve you Amen and Amen I a beloved Brother and a Companion unto all the Saints in suffering and in rejoyciâ—â— who have received this Testimony from the Father do with it in this Epistle salute tâ—â— whole Church in the Love of the Father as moved of him by his Eternal Spirit whiâ—â— beareth witness to me that we are of God and the whole World lieth in wickedness 〈◊〉 that all that are of God heareth us And this Testimony I give of the Father 〈◊〉 of the Son and of the Truth and of the Salvation of which I am made a Witness and against all that ever shall deny it or turn from it And this is thus far the 〈◊〉 of my Testimony by the Spirit of the Father not knowing when the time comes it 〈◊〉 be finished and the night may come when no man can work E. B. To all that suffer for the Testimony of Iesus and foâ— his Name sake THe glorious God of Truth hath appeared and made known his Way aâ—â— Truth perfectly in this our day and hath chosen unto himself faithfâ—… Witnesses to testifie of his Name and of his Truth before Rulers and People and hath brought forth a Seed which is not of this World which cannot boâ— to the Devil but is Heir of Gods Inheritance though a Sufferrer in this World under the Powers thereof and many in this Generation who are called and faithfull and chosen bear witness unto the Name of the Lord in Sufferings and Tribulations whom he will honour because they honour him who is exalting his Truth and his People through Sufferings And now all Friends who are called to suffer for the Testimony of Jesus and foâ— the exercise of a pure Conscience which you hold be valiant for the Truth upon Earth and faint not but finish your Testimony with joy for the Lord aâ—â— against all your Enemies and look
Iacob is coming out of Egypt that will replenish the whole Earth and the seed of Esau shall become bondmen and wherefore are you gathered together and to what purpose have the wicked spent their strength to oppose what the Lord is bringing to pass shall not all our Enemies be broken to pieces and will not the Lord grind them to Powder will he not marr their Beauty and stain their pride will he not bring down their crowns and corrupt their glory and stain it with his Fire of Wrath and make them ashamed of their Wayes and Doctrines Hear this ye Priests and howl and lament for the misery that is coming upon you the Lord hath laid you naked and made you bare and you are seen as you are and the Elect is risen amongst us which ye cannot deceive but alas wo is me how have you caused the people to err and how have you led the blind out or the way and how is truth fallen in your Streets and you have daubed falsly with untempered Morter and have cried peace to the wicked and condemned the righteous and all this hath vexed the righteous soul and the Lord will now arise and is risen and you shall not resist and escape the stroak of his hand which will come upon you and bruise you as a Milstone for you have caused the wicked to rejoyce and the righteous to mourn and you have made sad his heart whom God hath not made sad have not you fed your selves with the fat and clothed with the Wooll and have not the peoples souls been starved and leanness been upon them all your plants are dry and barren trees that bring forth no good fruit and your people are like a Wilderness that is untilled and unploughed and undressed and your flocks are like wild Asses upon the Mountains that are untamed as rude as the Horse Mule that know no Bridle and now it is seen what the end of your Ministry is and what fruit it hath brought forth the Lord hath taken notice and he hath beheld how you have loytered and lain idle and the Nations lie yet like fallow ground that bears no fruit and mens hearts are untouched with absence of Gods Word and there is no sound true and perfect sence amongst your people of the dealings of the Lord nor of the operation of his Spirit but they remain in great Blindness and Ignorance void of the Knowledge of God for ye have not caused them to hear his Word but you have told your Dreams and your false Visions and you have spoken Imaginations of your hearts and not from the Mouth of the Lord neither have you stood in his Counsel nor hearkened to his Voyce and therefore people remain unprofited but what they and you know it s naturally and not by the Spirit of the Father but as dry Trees you are not taught of the Father and as rough Goats in the nature of Swine that is polluted in the silth of the World and in the nature of Dogs and Lyons devouring one another and biting one another and killing one another which things were not in the Churches of Christ and we have a great controversie with you and that from the Lord we have tried you searched you and discovered your Foundation and it s not sound nor will not stand in the trial we have fetcht your Line from the first original and we have found out your beginning and we find yours of that Race which Christ prophesied of that should come which should deceive many having the sheeps cloathing but inwardly revening and which Iohn saw was come and went out from the Apostles and true Churches which went from the truth and went into the World and had the Form of Godliness without the Power here began the Race in the Apostacy of the Churches and when they Apostatized from the true Faith then came your original up and the World went after them and all that dwelt upon the Earth worshipped the Beast that hath reigned through all this time of Apostacy which hath been since the dayes of the Apostles and we find your original goes no further then to the false Brethren and false Apostles which went out from the true Apostles and run for Gifts and Rewards and preached for filthy Lucre and through covetousness made merchandize of souls seeking mony and gain to themselves I say we find your original begins there and your Line goes no further and never came your first rise so far as the true Apostles you were not in your beginning of their life nor birth nor cannot be reckoned from their original for you succeed not them but you truely succeed the false Apostles and false brethren which Christ prophesied should come after his days and Iohn saw was come and coming in his days and we find you of this stock and Generation and now you are discovered to be contrary to the true Apostles and agreeing with the false Apostles in Call in Practice in Maintenance and in all things and the Line of true judgement is laid upon you all and you are measured and found too short and weighed and sound too light and we will deal truely with you in judgement first we do hold controversie with you as concerning your Call your Ministry it agreeth not with but is contrary to what the Apostles Call was they were called by power from on high and were made Ministers by the Gift of the holy Spirit received from God and their Ministry was an absolute Gift from God and not to be bought and sold for mony and they were anointed of the Father by his Spirit of promise and to Preach the Gospel but your Call is at Schools and Colledges in such and such Orders which are attained through natural industry such and such Arts and Sciences and Degrees having been so many years brought up in studying natural Arts natural Languages this is your Ordination and your Call having no respect to receive or to wait for the Gift of the holy Spirit to be made Ministers thereby and this is different from the Apostles and true Ministers and equal and according to the false Prophets and Deceivers Secondly Again you are not according but contrary to the true Ministry and Ministers of Christ in Practise for they were led by the Spirit of the Father which dwelt in them and they preached the Gospel by the Spirit and spake as the Spirit gave them utterance and went up and down the World through Nations converting People to the Knowledge of the Truth and what they had handled tasted seen and felt of the Word of Life in them that they declared to others and preached the Gospel which they had not received from man nor by man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in them but your Practices are not such but contrary for the spirit of this World leads you and it you follow in all your Works in your Preaching Praying and in your whole Worship in Form
their Quarter and so did Ieremiah Ezekiel Micha and Malachy cry against Hirelings and against those that said the Lord saith it and he never spoke to them and against them that preached for hire and that diviâ—ed for money and that taught for the Fleece and yet leaned upon the Lord as your Pharisee doth saying Is not the Lord among us And from this same Light do we declare against all such and seeth them to be abomination to the Lord now as they did then praised praised be the Lord for ever for now the abominations of the Whore is made manifest that sitteth upon many waters that hath made all Nations drunk with the Wine of her fornication and now is the Judgment of the Whore come and the day wherein she must reckon to drink the wine of the Wrath of God and he who was and is this Light cryed Wo against them that said and did not and against them that had the chiefest places in the Assemblies and that were called of men Masters This same Light do I witness to be made manifest from God the Father of Light and am not ashamed to declare it before men for he that denies Christ before men he must be denyed by Christ before the Father and this Light lived the Saints in and spoke from who were called Mad-men and deceivers of them that professed Truth in Word but persecuted them in whom the Son was born and made manifest in which Generation you and your Priest daily makes manifest your selves to be therefore repent and come down ye high minds and lifted up spirits for the Lord is against you and hearken to the Light of God in you and wait in it according to measure and cease from all your formal customary traditional worshipping and from all your dumb Teachers who are Antichrists and denies the Light as having enlightened every one this Light is the only Way to the Father which all must who comes to God follow and walk in for he that walks not in this Light walks in darkness and stumbles and knows not whither he goes and there are all Priests and People in darkness and ignorance who walks not in this Light therefore love the Light and obey it it will separate you from all filthiness and corruption and lead you into purity and holiness without which none shall see God and here is your Teacher alwayes present with you which teaches to deny ungodliness and the wicked wayes of this World he who walked in this Light by this Light saw all the World to lie in wickedness but said they were of God and all that were of God heard them who dwelt in the Light but he who disobeyes this Light follows the blind Guides of the World as you do and sets up Teachers to themselves having iching ears and that ministry is of man and by man called to the ministry by the earthly Powers by earthly Magistrates or at Oxford Cambridge or Newcastle all this ministry who is here called is by man and their gospel is of man which the true Gospel is not and he that hath the Word of God to declare from God his call is not by man neither doth he go to man to be approved for he that preacheth the true Gospel consulted not with flesh and blood and so it is now the same thing do we witness and to be Ministers of the everlasting Gospel called not by man but by God praised be the Lord for ever from Generation to Generation who hath revealed himself unto babes and hath hid himself from the Wise and Prudent of this World stop your mouthes ye Ministers which is by man which Gospel is according to man for now the Lord is arising whose Angel is gone forth preaching the everlasting Gospel Sing praises to the Lord for ever ye Redeemed ones who are brought from under the empty dead deceitful Ministry which is by man to be true witnesses of the true Ministry which is of God Therefore be ashamed ye upholders of the deceitful Ministry which is but the Ministry of witchcraft by which your eyes are darkned and under which your souls doth lie in blindness and ignorance under the power of witchcraft and sorceries Be confounded ye Back-sliders who once heard the Word with joy and received it who were once among us yet not of us who hath chosen the glory of this World rather then the everlasting Truth and hath fold your birth-right of the Everlasting Inheritance for the satisfying of your earthly minds with the earthly treasures Hear the Word of the Lord ye sloathful servants who not abiding to wait upon God eats and drinks with the Drunkards and beats your fellow-servants and are now become Haters Mockers and Revilers suddenly will the Lord come and cut you all assunder and give you your Portion in the Lake that burns with fire except you repent Repent you Back-sliders and consider ye that forget God now while you have time before the Lord â—wear in his wrath that ye shall not enter hearken to that which convinceth you of your filthiness the Light of God within you which shall eternally witness us to be true which Light shall be your Condemnation because you love darkness rather than Light ye are returned with the Dog to his vomit and with the Sow to the wallowing in the mire your latter end is worse then your beginning and the Parable is fulfilled upon you for lying against the Truth will the Lord plead with you and wo will be your Portion for ever for the Lyars shall not enter into the Kingdom of God therefore all people fear the living God and prize your time and see where you are his servants you are unto whom you do obey all must give an account to the living God and must receive according to what is done in the body in such an hour will the Master come which you are not aware of and will take account of your stewardship for God hath given unto every one a Talent therefore spend not away your time in wickedness and in a deceitful Profession of God feeding your dark minds with the dead formal Preaching of your dead carnal blind Pharisee but hearken to the Light of God within you and improve every one his Talent the good and faithful servant improves his to the honor and riches of his Master but the sloathful servant hides his in the earth living in the filthiness saying he hath no power now see which servant you are and read your selves within how you stood covered in the presence of the living God for wo unto him that is covered but not with the Spirit of the Lord the servants of God brings forth fruit unto God bears the image of their Father and the servants of the Devil brings forth fruits of darkness and bears the image of the Devil which is glorious to the carnal eye and feeds the carnal mind
was a Spirit and here art thou a Witness against thy self that thou speakest not by the inspiration and moving of the holy Spirit but speakest thy imaginations and lyes in the Name of the Lord And whereas thou sayest In this confused Age there hath appeared variety of spirits pretending to be sent by the everlasting God yet they are at war with all their power to overthrow one another that their own Opinions may bear rule I Answer Among the Many Pretenders thou speakest of thou art one and it is true you are at war with all your power endeavouring to overthrow one another that your own Opinions may bear rule and though there be among you variety of Opinions yet by one spirit you act for the Kingdom of the Devil is but one and yet divided and it is at war with it self and therefore it cannot stand and you cannot overthrow one another but one is appearing to overthrow you all and all your Opinions for all you Pretenders are made manifest by your fruits and thereby men may try you for nothing is to be gathered from you but Opinions and airy Imaginations some of you speaking of a God and Christ a far off to believe in others of you speaking of a God and of a Christ within and a far off to believe in thus you feed people by your own imaginations and some of you pretend Revelation others of you denying Revelation and thus you strive to set up your own Opinions but you live all in one nature and are of one Generation and he that walks in the Light seeth you all and comprehendeth you all and judgeth all your Opinions and are redeemed out of all your vain imaginations into the Life of God acting and speaking as the Spirit acteth and speaketh and seeketh to exalt Christ and him to bear rule that all Opinions may be by him thrown down and that by him people may be brought out of a confused Age into the Land of Rest and Peace and Righteousness to serve the true Spiritual God in the Spirit and by the Spirit of his own Son And further thou sayest Some there are that take upon them to speak of a God and of a Christ in the invisible Heavens above the Stars but are uncapable to demonstrate how Christ by his spiritual Word liveth in mens hearts and how he reigneth visibly in glory with his Elect Angels I Answer there are not some but many which lives in and speaks forth their own imaginations upon God and Christ and one of them thou art thy spirit is tryed God who is a Spirit dwells in the Spirit of his Son even in the high and holy Place and with him also who is of a contrite Spirit and trembleth at his Word but this by thy vulterous eye is not seen neither can any demonstrate how Christ dwells in the heart but he who witnesseth it through death and where he reigns his Glory is with him and his Elect Angels this I witness but to thy carnal eye it is invisible and by thy carnal wisdom he can never be known Christ and his spiritual Word is not to be divided though thy sensual spirit would divide them but by the Flaming Sword thou that speakest art divided from both and shalt know neither but to thy condemnation And further thou sayest Others there are which speak of an eternal Spirit or Christ only in the Consciences of men as if there were no Creator or Christ at all visibly reigning upon his Throne of immortal Glory I answer they who talk of an eternal Spirit or Christ in the Conscience by hearsay or of other mens words without as thou dost and doth not in Life and Power witness it from the Father within made manifest such are denyed by them who witness the eternal Spirit dwelling with the contrite heart which Spirit is the Creator which dwells also in the high and holy Place and reigns upon his Throne for ever and who do in Power witness this sees and judges all your carnal imaginations and conceptions of the living God in your carnal minds where he dwells shall no unclean thing enter but is without to be troden in the Wine-Press of his Wrath for ever and ever and by him shall thy carnal conceptions be consumed even by the Breath of his Mouth for he is Eternal and his Throne is Eternal and by the carnal eye shall never be seen And further thou sayst There are some who through unbelief that ever any living Creature had a beginning do affirm there is no God or Christ at all but perishing nature this sort are innumerable witness the lives and conversations of people every where I answer All who do witness the Eternal Spirit made manifest to rule and guide all such do deny and declare against such Opinions for nothing was without beginning but the Eternal Word which was the beginning of all things and will be the end of all things even the destruction of the wicked and the Salvation of them that believe who are born of the immortall Seed and redeemed out of the perishing nature into the image of God and such do set to their seal there is a God who will reward every one according to their works and bears witness against them who in their lives and conversations denies God as all do who do not witness the eternall Spirit of Christ ruling in the Conscience but talkes of a God in imagination at a distance and such are innumerable and sayes in their hearts there is no God and such are the fools the Scripture speaks of and whereas thou beseeches to consider of these ensuing particulars I answer They are considered and by them thy ignorance is made manifest and thy folly disclosed and thy blasphemy who calls thy self the last Witness 1 Quer. In thy first particular thou queriest Whether these men were sent forth by the eternall Spirit to preach which in the least cannot demonstrate what the onely true God is in himself and how he is a distinct Beeing from all living Creatures and how he reigns in the Elect by a created Word Voice or spirituall Motion onely Answ. Those men were not sent forth by the eternall Spirit to preach who have not received it and such know not God what he is nor where he is but in their imaginations imagine him to be like a creature by being in a creaturely Place or Habitation God is a Spirit and he is not distinct from living creatures for in him living creatures lives moves and have their beings and he is not far from them nor distinct from them as he spake who was sent by the eternall Spirit to preach he reigns in the Elect not by a created word voice or a created spirituall motion for the Word which lives in the Elect from which voice and motion proceeds is not created but is uncreated even as God is uncreated for God is that Word and here thy ignorance appears by calling the Word which lives
Christ in them and no more after the flesh come to know his Resurrection he is the resurrection he is the first and the last who knows him risen and have seen him witness the first day and the last what speaks thou of a last day that never came to the beginning and so thy soul lies in death and in chains and in utter darkness and therefore lay thy hand upon thy mouth and see where thou art and the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures thou canst not witness 11 Quer. If after death there is no bodily Resurrection for the Spirits of men to possess an immortal Glory to eternity or to suffer an eternal Devil-like shame according to their deeds whether good or evil Is it not one of the vainest things in the World to discourse of God and Righteousness unless it be for earthly Gain amongst men Answ. There is a Resurrection both of the just and of the unjust the just into everlasting life and the unjust into everlasting shame and contempt and every one shall receive according to his works whether they be good or evil but this is a mystery hid for none knowes it but through death but what knowest thou who art yet alive in sin what shall be in the resurrection which is after death which whoever comes to know the resurrection knowes the end of all things therefore it is not taking their words nor thy own imaginations that is Faith nor if thou know Christ no nearer than Ierusalem nor no nearer than above the stars thou knowst not where but through thy dark imaginations this is not to know Christ risen from the dead see therefore what hast thou seen in thy self But thou art dead while thou livest in that nature and at the resurrection contempt and shame will be thy portion and turn in â—hy minde to that which shews thee sin and witness the body and sin destroyed within and then and not till then shalt thou know how it is in the resurrection 12 Quer. Thou raises a question from Pauls words to the Athenians and didst before condemn them that stole other mens words and here thou hast stolen a Query and thou askestwhat think you did that spiritual Creator dwell and sive in the Athenians Consciences or did his glorious person visibly appear in the highest heavens Answ. The Athenians to whom Paul spoke worshipped the work of their own hands as this Generation doth their own imaginations and that God whom ignorantly they worshipped at a distance which God lived in Paul's Conscience Paul declared unto them and they looked as thou dost carnally thinking God to be carnal and at a distance but he said he was not at a distance from every one of them for in him they lived moved and had their being and this was the God which Paul preached of which Creator we witness lives in the high and holy place and with him also that is of a humble and a contrite spirit and trembleth at his Word 13 Quer. And thou sayest what think you can there be any living Spirit without a body or person to display its life in or from and must not the Creator of necessity be a glorious personal substance and thou sayest doth not these men that worship an infinite Spirit without any bodily form living in mens Consciences glory only in a god of â—â—eir own imaginations instead of honouring the onely Lord of all life the man Iesus yesterday today and for ever Answ. That which is not possible with men is possible with God which God is a Spirit as Jesus Christ saith and a spirit hath not flesh and bone nor a created body but displays it self as it pleases contrary to thy will and the will of all men and thou who wouldst by thy reason tye the Creator with a necessity to a personal Beeing art void of the knowledge of God and led by thy corrupt reason which shall never know God and all those who worships God in Spirit worships an infinite Spirit which Spirit inhabiteth eternity and lives in the Consciences of the Saints and this is not to glory in an imagination but a witnessing of the same eternal Truth which the Saints witnessed which spake forth the Scripture for they witnessed Christ to dwell in them and the same God they worshipped whose temple they were and not another and the same we witness and this to the honour of the Man Jesus who was yesterday today and for ever 14 Quer. The eternal Spirit Creator and alone everlasting Father which dwells essentially in the glorified Body as our Lord Iesâ—â— his eternall Son and virtually reigns in all the Saints Elect men and Angels be Record between me and you world without end whether this Epistle shall not be sent to you and all the chosen that shall peruse it principally for the establishing of your tender spirits upon that eternal spiritual Rock Iesus Christ God and Man in one distinct body or person glorified and onely honoured with all spiritual praises from Elect men and Angels when this World is consumed into ashes and all time or times is swallowed up into eternity or eternities Ans The Eternal Spirit which is the Everlasting Father which thou sayst is essencially in the Son thy word essencially I deny and thy voice yet Christ and the Father is one and the same Spirit that dwells in the Son dwels in the Father which is one I and my Father is one the same dwells in the Saints thy word virtual I deny the same that dwells in the Father and in the Son the same dwells in the Saints not distinct nor divided For he that hath seen the Father hath seen the Son and he that hath the Son hath the Father also and Christ is not divided I in them and thou in me that they may be perfect in one and he that is joyned to Christ is one spirit and not distinct nor separate if thou have an ear thou mayst hear and that eternal Spirit which is the Father and the Son which dwels in the Saints is Judge of thee and by that Spirit I judge thee that this Epistle came not from him to none of the chosen for they who are chosen deny thy voice and what dost thou speak of Elect and Angels with whom God dwells when in thy fourth query thou saidst they were defiled and the holy Ghost saith He dwells with no uncleanness and so speaks confusion and Babylons language which is the land of thy nativity from whence all these things have been spoken by thee and all that shall ever be established with thy declaring or thy Epistles shall be thrown down for the Rock shall beat thy Image to pieces and therefore leave off thy speaking of him and of thy distinct body and of his glory for when he shall appear in his glory instead of thy praises thou shalt bowl and lament and wish the mountains to cover thee and he who is out of time shall consume thee to ashes who
cry up as Oracles of God I answer The most high God judge between thee and us whose wrath is kindled against thee thou enemy of righteousness and Child of wrath thou hast belyed the Lord of Heaven and Earth for to this he moved thee not for he moves none to utter lyes and slanders as thou hast done but the spirit of enmity and of the Devil hath moved thee and to the Truth thou bears no witness but against the Truth and against the Innocent and charges us with fleshly mindedness and spiritual pride O thou Lyar and false Accuser the Lord who takes our part against thee will plead with thee and render upon thy head according to thy deeds prove what thou speaks that we are fleshly minded and spiritually proud or else let thy mouth be stopped and shame cover thee forever Sorceries and witchcraft and drawing from the simplicity of the Gospel we do deny but the plain single Truth we do declare by which the eye of the blind is opened in many to see your deceits who call your selves Churches and Preachers of the Gospel which is not the Gospel that the Apostles preached but an adding your own Imaginations upon their words who witnessed the Gospel and it shall stand for thy own condition thou art in the sorcery and witchraft who draws people to observe an outward visible thing from the Light of Christ within them which leades to the simplicity of the Gospel which is inward and not outward and thou art in thy fleshly and corrupt thoughts crying up the Ordinances and Oracles of God which are but carnal and beggerly rudiments of the world which passeth away and here thou art seen and made manifest in the Light of Christ to be a Hypocrite who falsely accuses others of that which thou art guilty of thy self the same Gospel as ever was do we declare and not another which we received not from man neither was taught it by man and as the Oracles of God it shall stand forever for a witness against thee and all the world who doth not believe for even the Father beares witness of us and therefore our witness is true and the righteous God will plead with thee thou Lyar and false Accuser and here be a witness against thy self that the Lord moved thee not but the Devil acting in thy own imaginations and in the vanity of thy own mind and in thy one fleshly and corrupt thoughts And whereas thou sayest to us thou directs thy speech from the Lord Thus saith the Lord to thee O Quaker thou art fleshly minded I answer It is not the voyce of the Lord to us that speaks in thee but the voyce of the Devil and the Serpent which speaks from thee fleshly minded we are not but are redeemed out of it and our mindes are changed and are Spiritual and 't is the Spirit of the living God seals unto us and witnesses in us and here thou art of thy Father the old Dragon and Accuser of the Brethren but it is God that justifies and who art thou that condemns and this thy speech is seen and comprehended which thou hast directed to us and it is judged by the Spirit of true judgment to be a false Accusation and a Lye and not the Word of the Lord and into the Lake amongst the false Prophets thou art to be turned who useth thy tougue when the Lord never spake to thee And thou sayest we look upon the Iustitution of Christ Supper with a fleshly and carnal eye because we say that the bread and wine which Christ commanded his Disciples to eat and to drink is carnal I Answer The bread and wine is visible and carnal and fleshly and not Spiritual nor Eternal and in the eternal Light by the Spiritual eye of God opened in us we see them and do own that it was a command of Christ to stand for its time and no more but a carnal figure of a spiritual thing and the spiritual thing being the Substance bearing witness the figure is denied and declared against and thou and thy Generation who art acting in those things by tradition tying and limitting God to a visible thing that without it no salvation art in the sorcery and witchraft and an enemy to the substance for Christ never since he was sacrificed brake of the Bread or drank of the Cup with his Disciples but new in his Fathers kingdom and thou who art in the â—arnal figure acting those things without the injoyment of Christ art sensual and by the Light of Christ art to be condemned and judged with the world who art without God and without the injoyment of Christ in the beggerly rudiments of the world Thou sayst O fleshly minded men whom the god of this world hath blinded because you believe not and thou sayst thus saith the Lord and speaks the Prophet Malachic words To which I answer this again I do deny the god of the world is cast out and the eye is opened through judgments and our fleshly minds are judged and in the Name of Jesus we do believe and our belief in him hath purified our hearts to the praise of the Living God who hath wrought all our works in us and foâ— us do I speak without boasting and here again I charge it upon thee that thou art a slanderer and a false accuser and let shame cover thee who professes thy self to be a Teacher of others who thy self is not taught of the Lord but steals Malachis words and speaks them to us in thine own imaginations and calls it the word of the Lord the Lord is against thee thou false Prophet who prophesies lyes in his Name and that which thou speaks to us is thy own condition and that which shall come upon thine own head for a child of disobedience thou art and thy eye is blinded by the god of this world And whereas thou sayest we are spiritually proud that give forth our selves to be some great ones and we say we are Apostles and are not but are found Lyars proud Pharisees Hypocrites that say we are Iust Holy Humble and the poor sinful Publicans are more justified then we I answer proud we are not our God shall judge between thee and us in this thing for we have nothing but what we have freely received from him and that we give forth our selves to be great ones here thou art a Lyer and a false Accuser again this we have said and do yet again declare that we were moved of the Lord of Heaven and Earth to come to declare his mind and his Truth in this City but this is no boasting and by that same spirit which was in the Apostles were we moved and are guided and by no other but who hath found us Lyers since we came I challenge you and all thy Sect to prove one lye that we have uttered or else let shame cover thee and let thy mouth be stopped and let thy own heart condemn thee to be
your good works brought forth in your own wills in that nature in which the enmity lodges is a lame and a blind Sacrifice and of Cain's nature which God accepteth not you are in the liberty of the flesh and the daily Cross of Christ you do not know but lives daily to the World and dies not to it and your knowledge of Christ is without you by what such a Prophet and such an Apostle spoke of him and the witness of the operation of his Spirit and Power you have not in you nor his sufferings you do not know in your life but by your life make him to suffer in you in his Life the horrible filthy thing is commited amongst you and your Teachers are perfect in the false Prophets steps and some of you are as bruit Beasts in their knowledge gathered in by vain study and humane learning through Phylosophy and vain deceit and have large Quarters from which they seek their Gain and through Coveteousness with feigned words make merchandise of souls and are compleat in Balaams way of Idolatry following his Error loving the Wages of unrighteousness teaching for filthy Lucre devouring souls for dishonest Gain by trading with the Scriptures and selling their Imaginations upon them for money gaining many thousand of pounds a year thereby having stolen the Saints words into their unclean hearts uttered forth by them for advantage to themselves when the Lord hath not sent them nor spoken unto them nor ordained them for his service but their Call and Ordination have been by man and their work and testimony of themselves and have not profited you at all and yet you have loved to have it so but what will you do in the end thereof Even you that have been helped and they that have holpen shall both fall together in the Day of the Lord's Recompence which will fall grievously upon you and none shall be able to deliver you but miserable Comforters and Physitians of no value shall all be unto you and your long applyed Promises shall suddenly fly away No Peace from God is to the Wicked neither do I sow Pillows under your Elbows but to the Light in your Consciences I commend these things which Christ hath enlightened every of you withal which shines in Darkness and you cannot it comprehend nor in it believe but at it stumbles and by it shall be broken which if it you loved it would teach you in the Spirit the Living God to worship and would condemn all your set forms of worship in the imaginations the Light is given you of Christ Jesus unto Life Eternal or unto condemnation everlasting when the Hand of the Lord is upon you remember you had Warning and when you are in the Lake and in the Pit remember you had a day of Visitation upon Earth The Light in all your Consciences shall witness Gods Judgments to be just and your mouths shall be stopped To all you that are called Anabaptists WIth you also is the Controversie of the Lord for you are Children of the same seed more purged in the Fire of blind Zeal and begotten in the transforming of the Serpent into more secret hypocrisie and deeper subtilty your covering being larger the greater deceit and abomination lodges under Death reigns among you and your Kingdom is scituate in the Mountains of exaltation and you feed aboundantly in the Valleys of pride and vain glory and are nourished with the bread of prosperity you are grown high and great in your number and have joyned your selves for advantage and glory in your strength having through Policy and Craft and bowing to the beastly power highly exalted your own Horn and by Flattery have gained much of your dominion which you hold in possession by the Law of guile many simple Ones have by your curious colour and bed of fair pretences been deceived to commit Adultry with your Image brought forth in the likeness of the Saints God by imaginations from the Saints words you worship the Practice and exercise of the Saints with the same mind that the Papists do worship their Names and dayes You allow not Idols without nor a vain conversation in the World but you are stricâ—t in observation in your outward conformity in your self-righteousness which is your greatest sin you are cloathed with the Saints words and practices which you have climed up in your own wills to obtain not having entred in by the Door and while you say you eat and drink the Flesh and Blood of Christ in the Saints manner shewing forth his Death till he come to Salvation you kill him as the Heathens do till he appear unto Condemnation and you shew forth daily that you cruciâ—e him in the World eating and drinking to your selves condemnation you say Christ dyed only for you as Elect but your works make manifest that he dies by you as Reprobate You take up a command from the Letter and imitate the Apostles some of you in a lower and some of you in a higher degree in that mind and nature which in the Apostles was crucified and you say Christ commands it when the Letter doth but declare it and you are not led with the same Light which gave forth the Commands declared to observe them but say in such a Verse of such a Chapter such a Command is not having received the Command by the same Spirit Here you are proved to be them which use your tongues and say he saith it when God hath not spoken unto you but as you read it without you as the false Prophets may do the words of the true Prophets and thus you are in the Witchcraft as they were Gal. 3. who take on things in your own wills and observe Commands without from the Letter thereby drawing from the Teachings of God within by the Spirit you are zealous as they were for the Traditions and Figures and cannot see him which is the end of all that which perisheth with the using so you are not dead with Christ from the World who are yet subject to Ordinances which are of the World They that obeyed Christ and followed him were led by the Spirit and not by the Letter for they were not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit and such were judged to be in error and this is your condition who say such are Breakers of Christ's Commands and Makers void of the Scripture and Destroyers of the Ordinances who witness Christ the Substance and him to be King and Judg and Law-giver and in whom and upon whom the Scripture is fulfilled and so it established and the Commands of Christ kept which are in Spirit and his Law daily walked in which condemneth sin And this is not contrary to the Scripture but a fulfilling of it in Principles in Doctrines and in Practise and in Conversation The Apostles were sent to preach the Gospel to every Creature and they were all led by the same Spirit and did not go before it in their own wills
as you do neither did one go from the Command which had been given to another using anothers words and excercising themselves in anothers practises when the Lord had not commanded but such they bare witness against which did use their tongue and transform themselves into the likness of true Prophets and Apostles as you have done and are in the love of the World and only separated in the appearance and not in the ground You stumble at the â—ight and therefore know not the Door of entrance nor where the Commands of Christ are to be received and the Will of God to you is to be known and so your obedience is the conformity in your own wills to that which was the Will of God to another this Sacrifice is also lame and blind and God saith to you Who hath required this at your hand For if you have observed and done all those things which the Declaration of the Law and Gospel doth require you are unprofitable Servants and yet one thing do you lack the dying with Christ and the Sufferings and Cross of Christ is not known but in the liberty of the flesh you are and not in the condition of the Promise to Life Eternal Friends you have ruâ— into the form of Godliness without the Power into a Church which is not in God but of the World into a Baptism which doth not wash away sin for you live in sin and plead for it while you live upon Earth into a Communion which is not with God which no unclean thing can enter into for the Proud and Coveteous partake with you and while some of you have said they that preached for Hire have been Antichristian you your selves are fallen into the same abomination taking Gifts and Rewards and large somes of Money and upholding such who do it Here you are unjust to your own Principle and are for condemnation with the Light in your Consciences Let shame cover your heads ye Hypocrites your covering will not hide you nor your high talking of Christ without you so long professed by you will not justifie you while you are found disobeying this Light in your Consciences which Light is one with God with Christ and with the Spirit in its measure and it doth convince you of sin and is a command to you and would lead you if you walked in it from all iniquity which is the Will of God to you and to that mind which is carnal which ruleth in you the Commands of Christ which are Spiritual are not given nor can be received but say Lo here and Lo there Christ is to be found with the Light you are comprehended which if the least measure of it you did own it would lead you to the Baptism inward of the heart and to the Church which iâ— in God whereof Christ is the Head in every Member and into the Communion with God and to follow the Lamb of God wheresoever he goeth and out of your imitations and liknesses and strife and contention about the words given forth from the Spirit who are in your own unity in Division and several Meanings and divers Constructions and Judgments and several wayes of Obedience and Worships and Belief which by your imaginations you draw from the Scripture which is the Declaration but of the one God and one Truth of one Obedience and of one Faith and thus you exalt the great Image of many mixtures your selves being a chief Member of his body You say the Scripture is your Rule but are divided into Opinions and Conceits contrary to the Scripture every one worshipping that which you imagine from the Scripture not being in the Unity of the Spirit which gave forth the Scripture which is one and not divided in Obedience Worship or Faith and while you say the Scripture is your Rule your lives are squared by the spirit of the Divel and hewn out into Pride and Hypocrisie and love of the World And to you who are called Free-willers who say Christ died for All. HErein you affirm that whereof you are ignorant which may be true in Christ but a Lye unto you for you are not dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the World but are alive against him in the World they for whom he died are dead and they who yet live put him to death Free-will unto the wayes and fashions and vanities of the World stands in you you know not the daily Cross of Christ which is unto man's will nor what it is to follow Christ and obey him which is contrary to man's will You say He that is condemned it is because he will not believe this is true in Christ but not in your carnal apprehensions of the natural man in whom there is no power to believe He that hath an ear let him hear There are some true desires among you but your minds are not truly informed to the fulfilling of your desires and your minds are outward and apply peace to that which is for condemnation Your reason and wisdom is corrupted and cannot receive Truth but call it error and this is your sin Death over you hath passed and reigns over you as over all men and your knowledge is in time and you cannot hear of things which were before the World was your wisdom is sensual and your comprehension is strong and the little simplicity in you is betrayed by the subtilty which hath dominion in your Governour Your Crown must be laid down and Fools must you become before you be truly wise or can be crowned with the Lamb. And among the rest Remember you had warning and a Day of visitation before you were destroyed and this shall be by you witnessed in the day of the Lord. To all you who say you wait and believe for the Coming of Christ to Reign in Person upon Earth HEre you the Lord's Controversie which he hath against you The Way of his coming is not prepared but Rocks and Mountains are standing and Valleys are not filled up and rough and crooked is your present way your hopes and expectations in that ground wherein they spring will wither and fade away as the Grass for your hope of his comming hath no whit purified you as he is pure for you are in the flesh and in the liberty of it which is Rebellion to his Reign and Christ is kept in Prison in exile with that mind and the Divel is yet at liberty working in your earthly members and leads you captive into his covenant in his government in seeking your selves and to strengthen your selves in the Kingdom of the World and murmur that any should be above you and that is he which put Christ to death and will not have him to reign in his Power over the Earth and to you what purpose is it to desire the day of his coming for with wrath will he come and with vengeance will â—e appear and will break your Kingdom like a Potters vessel for suddenly will he come but your
expectation will be prevented for his Reign and Kingdom is not of this World Your high nature stands and Satan is not bound nor one of the dayes of the thousand years for his limit is not yet come your minds are outward and they are your own thoughts which are vain you know not of what Spirit you are The Sufferings of Christ must you know before you can see him Reign and through his War must you strive before you can obtain his Victory and him must you own in his convincing you of sin before you can witness his reign in Glory upon Earth over sin To all you that are called Ranters THe Controversie of the Lord God is against you your Seat is in the mystery of iniquity and Satan transformed into an Angel of Light is your god and King and the Kingdom of the second Beast is your Dominion your deadly Wound is falsly healed and Satan thereby hath enlarged his Government you continued not to the end but the Prince of Darkness is more strongly entred and your latter end is worse then your beginning and your last end will be the worst of all while you have scorned self-righteousness your selves have been impudently poluted with the spiritual Wine of Whoredom and though you have cryed against and abhorred the form of Religion your selves have been in the highest power of Iniquity sold to do wickedly and given up to commit sin with greediness glorying in your shame and are become vain in your Imaginations your foolish hearts being darkened because when ye knew God you glorified him not as God The womb of your corruption is the wel-favoured Harlot begotten by the false Prophet Plead with your Mother for she is an Adultress and hath aboundantly gone after other Lovers loving their Bed of Adultry where ever she saw it naked shall she be stripped and set as in the day that she was born and no Mercy shall be to you her Children You had a Convincement under the Law and were brought under condemnation some of you but as the viperous Generation you have fled the wrath and now are become Enemies to the Cross of Christ and turn the Grace of God into wantonness which largly to you appeared which would wholly have sanctified you if iâ— it you had walked but having slain the Witness of God you now are in the cursed peace following Drunkenness and cursed Speaking and Swearing and beastly Lusts and beggerly Vanities sporting your selves as in the day time and you are the Crucifiers of Christ afresh and Putters of him to open shame in the sight of the Heathen And while you speak swelling words of vanity your selves are the Servants of corruption and of sin in the highest degree and free from Righteousness in the least measure doing despite unto the Spirit of Grace and being bound in the Chains of darkness and your professed freedom is devilish stolen by you and is not the Freedom of the Son of God purchased through death you never came through the Law but by your Oaths and Drunkenness and Prophaness have cast it behind your backs you that are in wantonness do kill the Just and you that are in pleasures are dead while you live and you that live in fleshly lusts are in War against your own souls Iezabel is your Prophetess and the Dog that is turned to thâ— Vomit again is your example and seven unclean spirits worse then the first are entred upon you that is your Parable and your House is become the Den of Robbers which was once the House of prayer the Hand of the Lord is against you and his Breath will kindle the torment of Tophet upon you and everlastingly shall it burn upon you and shall not be quenched and your professed love shall be turned into my Wrath and Fury and sin shall you find in its Vengeance though you have seen none in the action and my Witness which you have slain to gain peace shall arise to your everlasting trouble saith the Lord and your myrth shall be turned into everlasting sorrow and your communion in unrighteousness shall become your unity in the just indignation of wrath and your liberty enjoyed in the World shall be turned into your bondage in the â—ake of Fire and your wisdom and knowledge shall rot in the pit and your righteousness and uprightness which once was in you shall never be mentioned to you for your own iniquities shall you bear in the Day of the Lord With the eternal Light you are comprehended your beginning which was in judgment and your time which is in false peace and false liberty and love and fleshly joy and your end which will be everlastingly miserable And though you speak of the Light and what it once wrought yet being from it turned into Darkness bringing forth fruits of Darkness and unrighteousness the Light is your eternal condemnation and because you are the highest stone in the Building of mystery iniquity the greater will be your fall into the Ditch of deeper perdition you have been the greatest dishonourers of the true God and in the way of the upright are you a stumbling unto this day your state is read and your portion is foretold and this prophesie shall not fail but upon your heads shall be fulfilled To all you that are called Seekers and Waiters THe Lord hath many things against you and his Controversie will be with you you are the highest in the Image of many mixtures and your Tent is pitched in the Plains of feigned humility and your goodly building stand upon the Sand repaired and beautified by the scattered stones gathered out of the ruins of the former Cities of confusion among you there is a simplicity and a calm spirit for you have been poured from vessel to vessel and your scent is not so strong as the former neither is your growth so perfect in the mystery of iniquity as by appearing in so perfect a shape of the Serpent you seek not at the true Door nor wait not at the Gates of Life and your seeking will end before life eternal you find for you with the rest stumbles at the Foundation and in him who is the Light of the World and enlighteneth every man that cometh into the World you cannot believe you are airy in your words and knowledge and speak of that which through death you never obtained your knowledge is high but it ariseth out of the cursed ground which is not removed in you Form outward you deny but your Form is inward and your chiefest Idol is in your heart and while you say you eat and drink the Flesh and Blood of Christ in the Substance you slay him in his least measure and your wills prophesie a false peace which will be turned into true trouble and when you speak the mans head is covered and the womans head is uncovered and this is a shame that the woman hath not power on her head your Seeking and Waiting is of your selves and
Dwellings and so Unbelief and Doubting and Murmurring and Lustings after evil arise in you and you be perverted from the Worship of the true God and grieve his Righteous Spirit by bowing to Idols and following of other Lovers and so the true God who hath brought you out of Aegypt and made manifest his Power in you be forgotten and the Faith of his Son made Ship-rack of and your latter end be worse then the beginning and the Name of the Lord be dishonoured by you and then wo unto you his Wrath shall suddenly break out against you Wherefore hear and fear and hearken unto the Word of the Lord He hath caused his Light to shine forth and his voice to be heard he hath proclaimed his Name amongst you and hath caused his marvellous Light to approach when you sate in Darkness in the Land of the shadow of death when you were lost he sought you and when you were driven away and scatterred he found you and brought you home when you were in your blood and no eye pittied you he had Mercy upon you and bound you up and healed you when you were dead he said unto you Live and it was so when you were led captive by the Devil under the power of death he broke the Chains and set you free and when there was none to help nor to save his own Arm brought deliverance and salvation and the Way of Life and Peace he set before you And now all this hath his own Arm accomplished that you should be a Praise unto him for evermore now if you walk in the Way which he hath set before you and keep his Covenant which he hath made with you and fulfil his Will and walk in Righteousness in Love and Unity in Meekness Lowliness Humbleness and in Soberness and Watchfulness and in Fear of his Name then shall his Presence never forsake you nor his outstretched Arm cease to defend and preserve you but he shall go before you and be your Reward and he shall be your God and you shall be his People and shall dwell in him and he shall be your Hiding-place and he will be to you a Father and you shall be his Children and his Blessing and Peace shall remain in your Habitations for ever and ever but if any of you turn aside for a thing of naught after vanity and deny the Way of Righteousness and forget the Lord and kick against him and follow the way and counsel of your own hearts and worship other gods and joyn your selves to Strangers and commit Adultery with other Lovers and make the Cross of Christ of none effect and turn from the Light of Christ within you and fulfil your own wills and the desire of your own minds and go out of the fear of the Lord into the liberty of the flesh which is not the Liberty in Christ Jesus and so seek your selves and strive for mastery to be one above another and so surmise evil one against another and the bond of peace be broken and vain contention and strife appear then shall the Rod of God smite you and his Wrath be suddenly kindled against you and you shall not prosper but his Countenance shall be hid and the terrors of the Lord and Lamentations shall possess you and Peace shall flee far from you and such shall be cast out of the Camp of the Lord and shall have no part in the Inheritance but the Blessing shall depart and the Curse shall enter till utter destruction yea and if any of you deny the Lord unto whom his Way is made manifest he will deny you and you shall have no part in him but Vengeance in Flames of Fire will he render upon the Disobedient manifold more then if his Love and Way of Peace had not been made manifest to you and the Light of the World is your condemnation for evermore if you turn from it And in the Presence of the living God I warn you all Believe not that spirit neither follow it which brings any other Message then what hath been declared from the beginning Believe not him which crieth Lo here or Lo there is Christ without you or that draweth from the measure of Christ within you to hearken to or to be taught by any other thing for that spâ—â—â—t is not of the Father which preacheth any other Christ then he that is the Light of the World and lighteâ—â— every man that cometh into the World or bringâ—â—â— any other Message then that God is Light in himself and hath given his Son a Light into the World and this is the true Testimony of the Father and of the Son and he that testifieth any other Message is to be judged and denied he is not a Worshipper of the true God bâ—â— out of the Truth and in the Error and a Deceiver being deceived Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which ministreth to others that which it hath not learned oâ— the Father but hath the words without the Power and liveth not in the Power of what it ministreth forth in words nor is it what it declareth but is in the outward Shews in the Hypocrisâ—â— and Feignedness and reacheth not the Life of God but vaileth and covereth it and that spirit is not of the Father but is to be denyed and judged and not received nor believed Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which is at liberty in the flesh and maketh the offence of the Cross to cease which is exalted out of the Fear of the Lord in the liberty of the earthly which crucifieth the Life and darkeneth the Eye and that spirit will boast of Joy and Peace and Experience and Knowledge and speak high words in the airy Wind and that would lead yoâ— out of your conditions to glory above the Cross till you be past feeling of the Life and that spirit begetteth into Feignedness and Hypocrisie and into the Loâ—e of the World which passeth away and beware of that spirit for it is not of the Father but to be condemned Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which is hasty and forward and rash for that goeth out of God's Counsel and betrayeth the Just and striveth to be greatest and to be above the Weak and despiseth him and would be Master and not a Servant and would rule and not be ruled in the meek and lowly Government of Christ and that spâ—â—it will judge out of thoughts rashly and unsavourly and condemn another in secret in what it self is guilty of beware of that spirit for it is not of God but to be judged with the Life of God Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which seeks it self to have praise of men and to be accounted and would beget into divisions and would have Parties to it self and respects persons and glories in gifts and knowledge and parts more then in the Giver and admires men more then he that gives the encrease and feeds of the knowledg
that who will not have hire for preaching nor be hired by great sums of money from one Country to another such as makes the Gospel of Christ free and without charge who will not be burdensome to any but walks in all wisdom as examples of righteousness to all people whose conversations are in heaven and holdeth forth in life and practice unto all men what they profess in words and by doctrine and conversation holding forth the Light of the glorious Gospel which they have received from God being Partners of all holiness of Peace and Long-suffering of Meekness and Patience unto their Flocks even such who walk in Christ and shew forth good works and the fruits of his spirit causing his Light to shine forth among men in humility and soberness and in all the fruits of peace and Truth and such are approved of God and of the Saints even they that preach Christ freely to all people and hold forth the Light of the World which lighteth every one in the World the free gift of God to all mankind that all may believe and come to the knowledge of the Truth and be saved and such Ministers respect not the person of any man for advantage neither respect dayes nor places nor things but worships God in Spirit and in Truth and teach that worship unto all people and they gather people into the new Covenant where Christ is the High Priest and our Bodies the Temples of God and the Circumcision in the Heart and in the Spirit for such are Ministers of the Spirit and not of the Letter and they divide the Word of God aright they feed the Hungry and the Rich are sent empty away they cry not peace to the wicked neither do justifie the Unconvered neither do they condemn the Righteous nor such as are of an upright Heart but Christ they preach to justifie all that do believe and are obedient to him and do condemn all that believe not but are disobedient and such Ministers have the Word of Reconciliation and their Ministry is made effectual to accomplish the work of God Sinners are converted and brought to God thereby and to be taught of him alone and the Saints through that Ministry may obtain to the Holy Ghost and to need no man to teach them but as the Anointing within them which they receive through the Ministry whose labour is and the end of it to present every man perfect in Christ and this Ministry and such Ministers we approve of and they are approved of Christ and we would have them established and who are such will not take care for an outward maintenance neither what to eat or what to put on neither will they petition to Magistrates for Tythes and Augmentations but are without care as for a Lively-hood in this World they will not remove from one Town to another for a better Parsonage â—r Place for such as do so are not the lawful called Ministers of Christ but have run and were never sent for Christ's Ministers take not though for an outward maintenance but approve themselves in Patience in all Conditions and â—omtimes are in Want and in Cold and Hunger and Nakedness and in Persecutions and Tryals and Afflictions and suffered all things for the Name of Christ and yet we do believe and know That such have power to eat and to drink and may receive carâ—â—l things where they sow spiritual things but as a free Gift and not by compulsion or force we do allow that the Ministers of Christ may eat of the Milk of the Flock which they keep and feed and they may eat of the fruit of the Vineyard which they have planted and which they labour in and they may supply their necessities from them whom they have begotten of the Faith and whom they labour among 〈◊〉 Life and Doctrine who are Sheep of the Fold and Plants of the Vineyard of Christ Jesus but I say as a free gift may they receive the fruits of their labours and not as a debt nor any title claimed thereto by the Law of the Nation neither may they receive it by force or compulsion but who are the truely called Ministers of Christ are so far from this of forcing maintenance from any that they will not make use of their power in taking what may be freely given them for they will not make the Gospel burdensome by any means and this is the maintenance we do allow the Ministers of Christ they may eat such things as are set before them in any house which they enter into which is worthy and they may supply their necessities in food and raiment as a free gift from them who are gathered out of the world who are the Church of Christ over whom the Ministers are made Stewards to watch over them to exhort them to instruct them and to edifie them but not from the world who continues in unbelief and disobedience to the Gospel may they receive any outward maintenance by compulsion or by a free gift neither may they receive great sums of money by the year or tythes or other offerings to maintain themselves and their families in pride and idleness and lust and excess and superfluity in meats and apparel such a maintenance if by free gift much less by force is not allowed by Christ and his Saints but is the maintenance of Antichristian Teachers which never were sent of Christ and such cannot be content with his allowance and wages but lives in pride and pleasures of this world and in vanity and maintained they say they must be and if they be so they care not from whence it comes nor by what means and that is the reason wherefore so many hundreds of honest people are so spoiled in their Persons and Estates the Bodies of some being cast into prison and many others having their Goods taken from them by force and distraint and all this is to maintain Antichrists Ministers who neither care how they have it or from whom or to what evil use they improve it and this plainly appears in this Nation by many evidences but the Ministers of Christ do deny such a maintenance and such practises and are come to that Life which judgeth all these things And as concerning COMPELLING of Maintenance and forcing of iâ— from people this is utterly against the Law of Christ and condemned by him and denied by the Saints for it is unreasonable and no equallity in it that people should be compelled to maintain a Ministry especially such a one as they know 〈◊〉 not the Ministry of Christ neither is profitable to them and which they receiâ—â— no fruit from for the Ministers of Christ do not desire maintenance from the people of the World neither can receive any from them neither in justice and equity should the Ministers of the World receive or compel Maintenance from the Saints by force and cruelty but this we would have and this is reason and equity let all Ministers be maintained by
the true God that made Heaven â—nd Earth in the Spirit and in the Truth he hath placed his Name amongst us â—nd made his everlasting Covenant with us and established it that it cannot be â—oved he hath given us his Spirit and poured it upon us and we are taught of him according to his promise and are established in his holy Mountain where â—one can make us afraid for he hath armed us with his power and strength to defend us from all our enemies that we should bear witness of his Name in all the world and declare unto all Nations of his power and Dominion of his Salvation and Redemption that is in Him and in his Son of which we are made â—artakers and witnesses and by him have we received the heirship of the everlasting inheritance and we are of God and he that is of God heareth us whom the Father hath chosen and redeemed out of kindreds tongues and peoples to stand before the Throne of God and the Lamb and we have sought and do finde a City whose builder and maker is God and we are known to the Lord God Almighty and approved in his sight Our light is the light of the Lamb and our government the government of Jesus and our Law the Law of the most high and our Way is the way of peace and truth he that can receive it let him This is the Testimony which the Spirit of the everlasting Father witnesseth in us and witnesseth of us unto the whole world CHAP. I. Concerning the true God this Testimony I give to all People upon the Earth THe true God he is a Spirit and is infinite eternall and everlasting the Creator of all things and the life and being of all things and the power by which all things stand all Creatures have a being in him and by him and without him no creature is or doth move upon the face of the earth this is he whom we worship and fear and doth obey and he brings to pass by his counsel whatsoever he will and nothing can prevent the purpose of his mind but his counfel stands for ever and he is the righteous Judge of all things and before him must all mankinde come to Judgement and the living and the dead by him must be judged he is a rewarder of every one according to their deeds whether they be good or whether they be evil His Greatness Power Majesty and Dominion is over all and beyond all ruling above all in the power of his own will and who may say what doth he his eye seeth all and his presence filleth all and no creature can be hid from his sight he is near at hand and afar off he searcheth mans heart and and tryeth the reins and shews unto man his own thoughts he justifieth the righteous and condemneth the wicked he is light it self and in him is no darkness at all This is the true God whom we worship and this Testimony I give of him unto all people upon the face of the whole Earth CHAP. II. Concerning the Son of God this Testimony I give unto all the World THE Son of God who is called Christ the Prince of Peace and Righteousness he is one with the Father in power and dominion and was with him before the world was and by him the Father created all things and without hiâ— was not any thing made that was made he is Heir of all things and is the Priâ—â—â— of the Kingdom of Righteousness of Peace and Truth and he is the Word aâ—â— Power by which all things doth consist and is the Salvation of mankind and thâ— very life of the World he inherits life and immortality and is the Redeemer Saviour Deliverer and Restorer of the Children of men he is the very Wisdom and Poâ—er of the Creator and the Father doth nothing without the Son and by him anâ— through him the Father brings all things to pass by him the Father will judge the whole Earth and all the Children of Adam therein and this Christ Jesus the Son of God is the Life and Light of the world and hath enlightened all mankind every 〈◊〉 that cometh into the world is lighted by him with the true light of life or condâ—â—nation and what the Son doth the Father doth also and he is at his right 〈◊〉 exalted and is the very express Image of the Father and is the Fathers gift iâ—â—â— the world and is given to all mankind that they may have life by him and all 〈◊〉 receives him hath life and salvation but many receives him not and they 〈◊〉 receive him not perish even because they do not receive him whom the Father 〈◊〉 given into the world for he is the arm alone of Gods salvation and he is the â—â—â—der of his people CHAP. III. Concerning the Spirit of God this Testimony I give unto the whole World THe SPIRIT is with the Father and with the Son and its present eveâ—â— where and filleth all places and is for ever and ever and trieth all thinâ—â— and revealeth the things of the Father and of the Son unto all that doth belieâ—â— in the Son and makes manifest and searcheth into the deep things of God 〈◊〉 it witnesseth the Salvation of the Just and the condemnation of the Unjust it is not absent from any place nor contained in any one place the Father and the Son works all things through it and brings all things in Heaven and Earth to pass by it and it works in the Hearts of the Children of men and in every one it witnesseth of the Father and of the Son to the Justness Greatness Righteousness and to the power of the Eternal Creator that made all things by the Son through his Eternal Spirit which is one with the Father and with the Son and is the Worker of their will and mind in all things it worketh in the Wicked to reprove them and to witness against them and that God is angry with them 〈◊〉 sheweth and it worketh in the Righteous and witnesseth the Love and Mercy and Peace of the Father unto them He that can receive it let him this is the Testimony of the Spirit of God and it leadeth into all Truth and out of all Evil all that are guided by it and it is given to be the Guide and Rule of Life to the Children of God CHAP. IV. Concerning Man and all Mankind this Testimony I give unto all Nations and People MAN was created and brought forth in the Image of God and was without sin or evil brought forth to do the will of him that created him and was Lord over all Creatures to use them to the glory of the Creator and all Creatures were to serve him but man transgresseth against his Maker and offended him and dishonoured him and became degenerate and grieved his Maker continually and was drove out from the Presence of the Lord and he is now a Child of Disobedience and of Wrath and an Enemy in his mind
this is the resolution of our hearts and the full purpose of our minds to give testimony through the World as we are moved both by writing and declaring of these Truths which to us is known from the Lord that truth and righteousness may come to reign and this may we do 〈◊〉 the Lord provideth way for us not fearing the face of any man nor being afraid of the threatning of high looks and that we may finish the testimony given 〈◊〉 of God our life nor any other thing is dear unto us and all ye people every where for your sake is this written to come abroad amongst you to give yoâ— warning and true information of the work of the Lord and what he is about to do that you may hear and understand and may receive the knowledge 〈◊〉 those things which belong to your peace and may be saved with an eternal Salvation or otherwise through this are you wholly left without excuse if yoâ— perish And unto this was I pressed in spirit for many days that all the World may be satisfied what we are and what we hold and what the purpose of the Lord is and I whom God hath warned do warn all people upon the face of the Earth that you prepare prepare to meet the Lord for his coming and his day is nigh at hand and his judgements shall be revealed in the Earth all flesh shall tremble before him and all the Inhabitants of the World shall be confounded at his presence The Proud shall be abased and the Poor shall be exalted the High and Lofty shall be brought down and the Meek and Upright shall be set up Truth shall reign as King and Deceit shall utterly be confounded they that now suffer all manner of evil for the Name of Jesus shall possess everlasting Freedom and the Dominion shall be in their hands and they that now cause the Just to suffer shall go into endless captivity the Seed of God shall spring forth and flourish but the seed of Evil-doers shall never be renowned And betwixt these two Seeds is an eâ—mity put and they can never be reconciled each seed hath his fruit the one iâ— cursed and the other is blessed and each Seed is known by its fruit and must receive from the Lord accordingly And this is the Testimony of the Servants of the Lord and the Witness which they give unto all the World of those things which we have handled tasted heard seen and felt blessed are all they that can receive it We are known to God in the Spirit and one to another in his Life and are known in the World by the name of Quakers cast upon us through the derisioâ— of the Heathen But Quaking and Trembling at the Word of the Lord by the Servants of the Lord we do own when the power of God reacheth to the Witness of God in the Creature which brings condemnation upon all high looks and upon the lofty nature which causeth the earthly part to tremble we do own and many of us do witness the Quaking and Trembling which is by the operation of the Spirit of God and the several operations by the one Spirit we own which brings down proud flesh whose honour God will lay in the dust and bring it to everlasting contempt and when this comes to pass Quaking shall not be a strange thing nor the Name reproached as it is at this day by the proud spirits of men who knows not the work of the Lord nor the operation of his Spirit Moreover and beside all this let all the World know that our Conversion Life and Practice is one and the same with what we hold forth in words and that we give as large a Testimony of God amongst us by pure Conversation as Doctrine and do deny them who gives Testimony in Words only and answers not in their Conversation for that is Hypocrisie our souls loath it it is abomination in the sight of the Lord where he is profest in words and not walked to in purity and righteousness of life for Righteousness being brought forth in the heart works of righteousness will spring forth in the World and where Righteousness springs not forth in the World and the fruits of the Knowledge of God it shews that righteousness is not in the heart and that God is not known Also concerning our Government it is according to Christ whom we own to be Head amongst us and no other head we have or do bow unto and we are but Members of his Body joyned to him through the Spirit as Head over us all and the greatest of us is but a Member of Christ who is the Head alone and we have not another neither can we be subject to any other Government but his or to obey any Government but what is justly according to his whose Government must be set up in the earth and for it we wait and labour and travel and counts nothing hard but all things are easie to us for this prise which is before us even the Government of Christ to be set up and all Governments of men establisht according to it and this is our Testimony which we give forth in Words and Practice and if it be required can Seal it with our Blood And this is written for no other end but that you may be certainly informed what we are and what we hold and what the Lord hath done and what he is about to do in all the Earth who is risen and hath said Ah! I will ease me of my Adversaries Given forth by a Servant of the Lord EDWARD BURROUGH THE VVofull Cry OF Unjust Persecutions and grievous Oppressions of the People of God in England through the Injustice of some of her Rulers and the Wickedness of Teachers and People who hasten to fulfil the Measure of their Fore-fathers Cruelty With a Lamentation over them all who reward the Lord evil for good and is a Warning to them all for Repentance shewing that the coming of the Lord is nigh And this may serve for an Answer in full to all such who have Persecuted by violence by Word or Writing the innocent people in scorn called Quakers With a Short Addition which shewes unto all the ground of Persecution in its first cause and the enmity which is betwixt the two Seeds is clearly discovered Reader THis is sent abroad into the World that all People may see what is brought forth is this Generation against the Innocent who suffer cruel things for well doing and not for evil and the words of Christ are fullfilled who said As they have done unto me so will they do unto you And the time comes that whosoever kills you he will think that he doth God good service And this is now come to pass according as he hath said to our rejoycing and to the sorrow of all our Enemies And as any is moved herein this is to be given to the hands of the Persecuters and of them
in but he that keepeth you reproveth and condemneth and casteth out the Devil and all his works and Workers who abide not in Christ Jesus nor in the Truth wherein we worship the Father who are called of him and faithful and chosen Followers of the Lamb who taketh away our Sin and giveth power over it and overthe Tempter who seeketh to betray the Just One. And from the Eternal God I warn you Every one know a Hiding-place in God the day of great shaking cometh upon the Garden of God the Beast that had a Wound by a Sword whose deadly Wound is healed may live and power may he given him for a Moment to make war against the Lamb and his Followers and Satan may prevail to winnow you and to try you for your Life therefore be armed with the whole Armour of Light which manifesteth the Mystery of Iniquity and the working of spiritual Wickednesses in high places and which defendeth you from his power out of the Snare of the Devil in the Simplicity as it is in Christ Jesus who is our Rock and our Strength by which we overcome the fiery Darts of the Enemy which come against us and dwell in the Truth that you may know the Life which standeth in God with whom there is no shaddow of turning but is the same forever and keepeth Covenant with his own Elect which cannot be overcome of the Devil nor deceived in whom you abiding you cannot sin but are kept from being touched with the Wicked One in the Way and in the Truth and in the Peace of God lively and precious in his sight to serve him in Fear and Faithfulness And if any go out from the Light the Living Way they become as withered Branches to be cut off from the Body no more to have Fellowship in the Body but is reprov'd and judg'd with that which keeps us in the Body And though some go from the Lord yet his Faithfulness endureth forever and his Promise is yea and amen to his own Seed which keep Covenant with him and fulfil his Law of Righteousness and Judgment and he that breaketh Covenant let him be condemned that the Creature may be saved in the Day of the Lord for who draws back such God's Soul hath no Pleasure in them but is oppressed with that and his Soul vexed Therefore all walk in God's Wisdom which is Pure and Peaceable and let not the Name of our God be spoken against through any of you who have been Partakers of the Word of Truth through any Disobedience or ungodly Walking but rather deny your own Liberty then make it an Occasion to the Flesh wherein Satan's strength stands and so God's Blessing you will receive and his Nurishment unto your Souls and will be preserved in Faithfulness not to end in the Flesh you that have begun in the Spirit And this in pure Love towards you all as a Testimony of my Love to the Seed of God in you all was I moved to write as seeing in the Light the Day that cometh upon you of which some may not be aware and I am clear thus far of the Charge committed to me of God towards you and am in the Truth it self which cannot change and am in it your Friend in the Service of the Lord God E. B. This is to go abroad among all Friends in Westmorland and Cumberland and elsewhere among the Flock of God carefully to be Copied over and read in your Meetings A Second General Epistle To all the SAINTS A Servant of the Lord and Minister of Jesus Christ thereunto ordain'd and call'd through the Powerful Operation and Gift of the Holy Ghost unto all his Brethren in the same Life who are born of God and Witnesses of his Power and unto all the Saints and Churches of Christ who have believ'd and receiv'd the sure and faithful Testimony and are call'd with the Heavenly Call to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes who is given to you and received of you a Light a Guide and a Teacher in all the Wayes of God Unto you all that are scatter'd abroad in the World whether in Bonds or at Liberty whether strong Men or Children in Christ unto you all I send Greeting and above all things wish and desire and pray unto the Father for your increase in the Knowledge of him and Faithfulness in all his Wayes and that the Increase of his Government may abound among you and that Grace Mercy and Peace may plentifully be enlarged that nothing may be lacking to you in any thing of that which maketh perfect but that in Christ Jesus you may be compleat and that through him you may receive Power and thereby be strengthned to do all things My dearly Beloved and much longed for in the Fellowship of that Spirit which hath begotten you to be Sons and Daughters of one Father and Heirs and Fellow-members of that Inheritance of Life Peace and Rest which abideth forever Oh how I long to meet you all in this and to find you perfectly settled and established upon the sure Foundation which God hath laid amongst you beyond all Doubts and Fears and Stumblings above the World and all its Temptations and above Hell and Death and all the wayes thereof having all the powers of Darkness subjected under you serving the Lord in righteous and perfect Holiness walking in his Strength and Wisdom shewing forth his Light in the World as his only redeem'd People Oh how is my desire more and more kindled and enlarged towards you all that you may perfectly attain to the Knowledge of the great Mystery of Salvation to wit God dwelling in you I say my desire is That you may know even as you are known and that you may receive him as you are received of him and that you may be a perfect Body growing up together and springing forth in all good Fruits of Truth and Righteousness unto the Father who is glorify'd through bringing forth much Fruit And you very well know that for this End he hath call'd you and in this his appointed Day caused his Glory to shine forth and hath visited and brought us to the knowledge of the hidden Mystery of Eternal Salvation which Mystery hath been seal'd up for many Ages and is kept secret forever from the wisdom of this World but unto us that have believ'd in the Light of the World are they clearly discover'd as at Noon-day being reveal'd to us by the Spirit which worketh in us the Will and Mind of the Father and is powerful and mighty and subdueth and breaketh down the Hardness of Hearts and through the working thereof every high Thought is brought into subjection to Jesus And this same Spirit quickeneth and maketh alive to God and changeth and reneweth into his Image and Likeness and it raiseth up from under the Bondage of Corruption to live to God in all things in newness of Life old things being done away and all things being made new through the working
Truth and turned from it and were unfaithfull to the Lord. FOrasmuch as in these our dayes the God of Truth hath made manifest his Name and Truth in the hearts of his people and hath gathered the minds of thousands into it to worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth in which he is accepted and of this Truth which is but one and there is not another are we made Witnesses and Ministers of and hath the Testimony in our selves that we are of God and are a good savour unto him in them that believe and in them that perish and we have the Testimony that he that is of God heareth us and we know the whole World lies in wickedness and who are in the Truth in the Light and in the Life have followship one with another in Holiness and Righteousness in that which comprehends the World and condemns all the works thereof which are evil and this Truth and Worship and Fellowship stands in Christ Jesus the second Adam whose Kingdom and Rule is not of this World but from Heaven who according to his Promise in his Counsel hath made known his Power to the raising up a righteous Branch a royal Priesthood a peculiar People zealous of his Name to shew forth his Praise and Glory in Justness and Righteousness in Love Mercy and Peace and works of Purity having our Conversation in Heaven and since that Day of the Manifestation of this Truth of the Gospel of Peace and Salvation which is the same now as was in the beginning which is in Christ Jesus the Light of the World who is the same to day yesterday and forever and changeth not I say since that very day hath the Lord prospered his Truth to the renewing of many into his Image and Likeness and to the turning of many from Darkness to Light and from Satans power to God by the Mouthes of his Ministers and through great Sufferings and Tribulations and Afflictions and Labours hath the Lord honoured his Name and his Truth in Nations and given it a praise among all that fear him and hath honoured it and exalted it in the sight of the Heathen to the confounding of the Wise and Mighty and to the bringing out of the Captivity of Darkness Sin and Death wherein in times past all have walked while Strangers from the Life of God so that thousands who have received the Truth are established in it and cannot be moved nor shaken but are built upon the sure Foundation their Faith standing in the Power of God with whom the Arm and Presence of the Lord God is defending and preserving continually and unto such the Truth is precious and the Way of the Lord and his Name and Honour is dear yea more then life or liberty or any other thing which passeth away who for the Truth 's sake as is it in Christ Jesus do daily give up themselves to suffering and to reproach for well-doing and not for evil and loves not life unto death that the Lord God and his Name and Truth may be honoured so that in the Truth which is received and learned of the Father daily do we walk in all Purity and Holiness of Life answering the Mercy and Love of the Lord in the exercise of a good Conscience both towards God and man in Patience and Long suffering and Wisdom towards all to the putting to silence of Gainsayers rendring love and mercy toward our Persecutors and are set in our hearts to fulfil the will of God in all things And now whereas that the Scriptures may be fulfilled some may and have denied the Truth which once was received and loved to the making shipwrack of Faith and of a good Conscience abusing the Mercy and Grace of God which to them appeared and follow the counsel of their own hearts and not the Lord having lost the feeling of the Spirit of the Father and are and may be separated from us in the self-separation through an evil heart of unbelief that it may be made manifest they are not of us though they arise from among us and may by disorderly walking contrary to the Truth cause the Truth to be evil spoken of giving occasion thereby to the Enemies of God to blaspheme his Name and Truth in the Earth and may be a stumbling to the weak and an offence to the Way of the Lord before the Simple through their Disorders and Confusions raising the rage of the wicked against the Lambs of Christ being not led in the Wisdom of God but in the Confusions taking liberty to their own hearts desire ful filling the will thereof without the Fear of God above the Cross of Christ in the nature uncrucified and speaking high Words in the presumption and not in the Light and Power of God and acting in the vanity of the Mind in the pretence of Truth and moving of the Spirit such things as Truth and the Children of it who are guided with the Spirit cannot justifie but is judged and denied and cast out from among the Children of Light who walk in the Truth and do try the Spirits whether they be of God Therefore in the Fear of the Lord God this is written to go abroad among Friends and others to inform and shew unto all that the Truth and we that are in it and Ministers of it do stand clear from all such who act and speak out of the Truth and contrary to it in the Disorder and Confusion and not in the Fear and Counsel of God and with the Truth such are judged and denied and fellowship with them we have not nor of their works do approve though such once owned us and were convinced of the Truth and received the Seed of the Kingdom into the unprofitable Ground yet being separated from us and gone out from the Truth and are not subject to it and its Government but are unruly and disorderly we and the Truth do such deny and the spirit that rules them being not the Spirit of Christ Jesus and such have done evil against their own Souls and against God and are Troublers of the Righteous Seed and have and do dishonour the Lord and his Truth in the sight of the Heathen causing the right way to be reviled and reproached and evil spoken of through the offence by them to the making sad the hearts of some whom God hath not made sad and even more especially in that they pretend to the Truth in their words but in works deny it and profess to be in it yet secretly condemning and openly reviling the Ministers of Righteousness which God hath blessed and doth daily bless with his eternal Power to the turning many unto God and to the strengthning of the weak and feeble which we with many others do witness to be the Ministers of Life and Reconciliation and there is no other and are established in it and cannot be moved by the temptations of the Devil though the wicked one may revile for a moment to
winnow some and to try them and to draw the hearts and minds of others into a Snare out from the obedience to Christ Jesus which do become Mockers and Despisers and Subverters of the simplicity of the Gospel of Peace and of the Ministers and Ministry thereof which is the Power of God unto Salvation and there is no other though some harden their hearts through unbelief and blind the Eye till they be past feeling through rebellion against the Truth which they hold in unrighteousness and not in the Power of God having made the offence of the Cross to cease yet boasting in the Liberty of Christ while they are unmortified having run from the Judgment and not truly came thorow it in the finishing of Condemnation and that spirit that goes out of the Cross is subverted and seeks to subvert others from the Truth as it is in Jesus and that spirit is denyed fellowship with though it have the conformity in the Hypocrisie Wherefore this is the Word of the Lord God unto you that err after that spirit Be awakened be awakened and remember and repent and come to your first work to that which condemneth you lest the Lord by his hand of Wrath and Judgment upon you make you an Example and of Misery and Destruction to all that shall hereafter deny the Lord and his Truth Hear and consider to the Light in you all I speak have you another Truth then that which hath been known and declared from the beginning is there any other way to Life then which we have been Witnesses of who have not handled the Word of God deceitfully amongst you nor sought yours but you nor preached our selves but Christ Jesus and hereof we have the witness in our Consciences in the Holy Ghost and is there any other Salvation then that which God hath manifested which is Christ Jesus the Light of the World Be awaked and consider Wherefore then do you separate your selves disoderly and resist the Word of Life which once begat you towards the Lord Consider what you are doing and whither you are walking the End of your way is Perdition and that is accursed which preacheth another Gospel How do you dishonour the Lord in the sight of the Heathen before whom you discover your Nakedness and your Shame doth appear having put off and cast aside the Armour and Weapon of Truth whereby you might have been defended But Scorners and Fools take occasion through your disorders and confusions to blaspheme the Name of the Lord and it is through you Be stirred up and consider and search your hearts and come to the tryal ye that vex the Lord's Soul and grieve his Spirit lest it cease to strive with you and you be wholly given up to fulfil wickedness till there be no place nor time of repentance found and this is a warning to you all in the Presence of the Living God that you may return to your first love to fear before the Lord and to walk in his Truth if there may be mercy and to fulfil his Will which is the Light which you are lighted withal by Christ Jesus who is the Lamb of God the Way the Truth and the Life the Author and Finisher of Faith and there is not another And know this ye that deny him that is given yea unto you all he will deny you before his Father and of all your Blood I am clear thus far whether you resist or receive who am the Lover of your Souls sometimes loved of you while you were Lovers of the Truth and am now a Witness for the Lord and his Truth and against that spirit which leads you in the Rebellion against the Government of Christ which is Order and Peace out of which you have erred to the piercing of your own Souls and though you now exalt your selves against me and the Truth and boast your selves as though you reigned yet in the day of the Lord shall the Light in you all which is now darkned bear witness to me and of my faithfulness in reproving you and the Truth is for ever dear to me and my soul delights no less in it though you rebel against it in the heady exalted presumptuous high wilful spirit which is not subject to the Government nor Authority of the Ministry of Christ but Truth is over you all and the Mountain of the Lord is established above you all and all your words and works and boastings and feignedness and disorders are denied and in them we have not fellowship but the contrary and do in the Authority of the Lord even by the same Authority which hath begotten us unto God and called us and carried us in his Work unto this day deny you all in the ground and state wherein you stand till repentance and turning from whence you are fallen to the Light which Christ hath lighted you withal And all faithfull Friends this is the Word of the Lord God to you hear and fear walk in the Truth which you have heard and learned and received of the Father in it dwell and live and know there is no other then that which is made manifest which is sure to you all and cannot deceive nor be deceived and be not shaken in mind nor troubled though some deny the Lord but let their fall be a Warning to you to be more watchfull to be kept to the Lord lest you be tempted and dwell in the Mountain of Holiness which no Beast can touch where is a hiding place to preserve you in the time of tryal And I charge you all in the Presence of the Living God of Life let your minds be setled and hearts staid in the Truth which is the Foundation of God and know the Armor of God to gird you up to God where no offence is taken against Christ nor against the Way of Truth but the Power of God doth remove that which would be offended and tramples upon that which gives the offence and in this you will be preserved until the day of Salvation and beware of that spirit that boasts above the measure and of that which makes the offence of the Cross to cease for there hardness of heart and unbelief enters and so another is followed then the Light and another joyned to then Christ Jesus and there is the way to perdition who goes from the Light within them they deny God and his Truth and follow the imaginations of the soolish heart and runs in rashness and in the forwardness and that ground receives the unclean spirit in again with seven worse and the latter end is worse then the beginning and this Truth doth not change which is the begotten of the Father but is the same for ever So in it all be faithfull and fruitfull to the Father in your Places and Callings shewing forth in all wisdom and pure conversation among yoâ—… Enemies to the putting them to silencâ— when they speak evil of you and be Examples of Holiness one to another that
his sight And 1 Pet. 1. 25. The Apostle exhorted the Christians to be holy in all manner of Conversation And Phil. 3. 20. the Christians witnessed That their conversations were in Heaven Now herein doth the fall of Christians appear in respect of their Life and Conversation and walking for the Christians in the Apostles dayes were of a holy Life and exhorted all thereunto but the Christians now both Teachers and People are degenerate in their conversation and live in all Unrighteousness as I have said And the Conversation of Christians now being compared with what the Christians Conversation was then it is altogether contrary and sheweth That though you have the Name of Chrisâ—… ye are not Followers of Christ nor led by his Spirit but by the spirit of Antichrist Oh how wofully are you fallen you Christians from the Life of Christ having a Name to live but are dead The Lord God is coming against you to break you to pieces for you have poluted his Name in that you profess to be his People in words but in works do deny him Oh! Remember remember from whence you are fallen and return lest the Anger of God consume you from off the Earth for your conversations greatly dishonour the true God Oh what Gluttonny and Drunkenness is amongst Christians What Pride and Vain-glory What Cruelty Envy and Murdeâ— one against another what Whoredoms and Fornication what Cozening what Cheating How doth all Wickedness abound amongst you in your lives and conversations Let the Lord be Witness and your own consciences be Witnesses against you for your Abominations they that were true Christians who followed Christ lived not in but were redeem'd from such Transgressions but you live in them and act in them wherefore be ye Witnesses against your selves that ye are fallen and digressed from the true Christian Estate Again Herein will you Christians appear to be degenerated from 〈◊〉 Christianity in respect of your Ministry for the Ministers of Christ in the beginning of Christianity they were made Ministers by the Gift of thâ— Holy Spirit which was given to them for they were commanded to wait at Ierusalem for the Promise of the Father and they were not to go forth till they had received Power from God by the Gift of his holy Spirit and when that was come they should be Witnesses and Ministers of Christ Acts 1. 4 8. And as they were waiting with one accord in one place the Holy Ghost fell amongst them an filled them and then they began to speak as the Spirit gave them utterance and they went up and down and testified to the World of what they had heard and seen Acts 2. 4. Now this was the Call of Christian Ministers and this 〈◊〉 the Authority by which they went forth into the World to wit The Spirit of God poured upon them and by Authority of this only they went up and doâ—… the World and declared what they had handled seen and tasted of the Word of Life 1 Iohn 1. And as every man had received the Gift so they might minister the same one to another 1 Pet. 4. 10. And this was the Practice of the Christian Ministers in the beginning of Christianity concerning their Câ—â— to the Ministry But how are the Christians here degenerated from what the Apostles were in for by another way then this are your Ministers made not by the Gift of the Holy Ghost received from God neither do the Christians now wait for such a thing to go forth by Authority and Power thereof but they are made Ministers by Natural Learning and Education at Schools having Authority by man and are approved of man and not of God And a man knoweth which of his children he will make a Minister when they are Infants and thereupon puts him to Schools to learn Arts and Knowledge of Earthly things for so long time till he hath gain'd so much Knowledge and Craft to be approved of such and such men and as is his Knowledge and Oportunity serves withal having a great Place provided where there is great store of Maintenance such a man becomes a Minister and a Preacher to others having never received nor thought to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost neither having heard seen tasted nor handled any thing of the Word of Life from God in his own particular neither hath he received the Gift of Christ to be made a Minister by This sheweth greatly your Degeneration from the true Christian Spirit none then Ministers among Christians but them who had received the gift by the Holy Ghost and power from on high but now Ministers are made and approved and sent forth amongst Christians because of natural learning and education without receiving the Gift of the holy Spirit And the Ministers of Christ then spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance but now Ministers study for what they speak and read old Authors to gather forth Matter to preach to the people Then the Christian Ministers heard and tasted and handled of the Word of Life in themselves but now the Ministers have their Knowledge from Books and what they have heard and read without them Oh! How great is your Apostacy ye Christians and in respect of your Ministry how greatly are you degenerated from the Ministry which the Christians once had Behold and consider this all ye Christians upon Earth Your Ministry is proved not to agree but rather to be contrary to that Ministry which was amongst Christians in the purity of Christianity as here by is manifest and you are fallen from the Ministry made by the Gift of the holy Ghost to a Ministry made by natural Learning Consider all ye Christians how great is this Fall Again In respect of the Maintenance of your Ministry your Degeneration doth appear for the Ministers of Christ amongst Christians as they were called by the Spirit so they were maintained in the Work of their Ministry by the 〈◊〉 Gift of the people who received their Ministry and they were to give freely and minister freely as they had received freely Mat. 10. 8. 2 Cor. 11. 7. The Apostle preached the Gospel of God freely and would not make it chargeable to any 1 Cor. 9. 18. And the Ministers of Christ among Christians at that day went through the World and preached freely the things that they had received from God and they sought no mans Money nor Gold nor Appâ—â—el Acts 20. 33. And saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 14. I seek not yours but 〈◊〉 and that was their end altogether to bring people to God by their Ministry only Christ did allow Luke 6. 4. Into whatsoever House they entred that was worthy 〈◊〉 might there abide eating and drinking such things as were set before them And it â—…s the Apostles practice sometimes to reap carnal things where they had sown Spiritual things and it was a small matter that they did so Yet by a free Gift they desir'd to reap it and not by Force and Violence did they
Truth so well agreed that it is possible to wrong us both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. pag. 4. Rep. That he wronged me it appears in his not relating all that I said 〈◊〉 the Dispute the Ground of this Quarrel not by half and more I kâ—… and in relating more then himself spoke by far And let sober men judge â—…ther he did not here wrong me in relating a thing that passed between us 〈◊〉 relating much more then ever he spoke and much less then I spoke if the truth of that Matter were it wrong or right Matter and my self also be not by this kind of Doctrine wronged I appeal to all honest People whilst both he and I 〈◊〉 silent so the False-Dealing and Wrong in his first Book is upon him still according to my Charge unremoved And the Lye in this his last Book in that he saith I say Falsly when I have spoken the Truth which is a Lye in the highest degree in saying when I spokâ— the truth That I spoke Falsly and his Proof in that the Truth and I do not agree is because I said in my first The Saints have no need of Scriptures to teach them but the Spirit of the Father leadeth and teacheth into all Truth Rep. My words are justifiable for It is the Spirit that leadeth into all Truth John 16. and the Saints need no man to teach them but they have the Aâ—â—inting within them and they know all things by the Unction 1 John and the Spirit of the Father is given them by which the Scriptures were given forth And the Lord is the Teacher of his People and they need not any to say to them Know the Lord Ier. 31. Ye they that witness this do not make the Scripture of none effect but own it in its place yet not as their Teacher for then they should deny the new Covenant Ier. 31. and then something besides the Spirit leads into Truth and they have something to teach them besides the Anointing but if this be all the Proof that can be given against me That I and the Truth do not agree I doubt not but â—ll Spiritual men will see the Emptiness and Weakness of the Witness against me and will be more confirmed rather then shaken that I and the Truth do fully agree though P. T. speaks otherwise falsly against me and as if I had contradicted the Apostles words which he quotes against me who saith Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning which Scripture I do own and no way contradict it s the Error of his Judgment which so judgeth for even they for whom the things that were written were for their learning yet they were led into all Truth by the Teachings of the Spirit and they were taught of the Father and what was written to them was not written because they knew not Truth or to teach them Truth 1 Iohn 2. 21. let him learn what this means The next thing he notes is whereas I said I then proved meaning at the Dispute bâ—… Scriptures That some were perfect in this life 1 Cor. 2. 5. even perfect without sin John 1. 47. 1 John 3. 7. And to gainsay this he hath brought 2 John 1. 8. If 〈◊〉 say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us and saith he Who speaks truth in this E. B. or the Apostle as if I had spoken contrary to the Apostle Solomon also saith he tell us There is not a Iust Man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not which also he brings as a Witness against what I have affirmed Rep. It s true I held forth a state of Perfection to be waited for and attained â—â—to upon Earth and I am not ashamed of my Principle neither is it found too light For that Scripture 1 Cor. 2. 5. doth testifie that some were perfect upon Earth in the dayes of the Apostles and if they were so the same is to be waited for and witnessed in this Age for the Hand of the Lord is not shortened And that Scripture 1 Iohn 3. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not and 〈◊〉 is born of God doth not commit sin vers 6 9. doth clearly manifest there is a â—â—â—te upon Earth free from sin wherein Power is received and felt over all Temptations and over the Devil even such an estate That the Wicked One canâ—…â—â—ch such that are born of God and this was the thing I held forth and do vindiâ—…e against all Opposers That the Saints may wait for and witness upon Earth to have power over sin and over its Temptations and free from the committing of sin by the Power of the second Adam living and dwelling in thâ—â— And thus must thou believe P. T. or else thou believest not Scripture â—â—â— that any are born of God or abide in Christ if thou believest not that tâ—… confess thou errest in Judgment who art unbelieving of what the Scriptâ—… bears witness of Therefore tell me plainly if thou believest That there â—…y that are born of God and abide in Christ then must thou believe 〈◊〉 do not commit sin elâ—e thou deniest the Scripture And what I held forth herein I do not contradict the Apostle nor Solomon's words for its true the Apostle said If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves but art thou so blind that thou dost not see he speaks there of a state before Confession of Sins and the words saith the Apostle If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us 〈◊〉 Sins and to cleanse us from all Unrighteousness so I do agree with the Apostle's words and do not contradict them For I do say If any say they have no sin before they do confess their sin and forsake their sin and be cleansed from it I do say they are Lyars and the Truth not in them and I also say If that after a maâ— hath confest his sin and be cleansed from it and hath his sin forgiven him and witnesseth that he is born of God and does not commit sin I say he 〈◊〉 the Truth also and the Truth is in him And though Solomon did say There is not a just man upon Earth that doth good and sins not yet is my affirmation true notwithstanding for Solomon forgat the Lord and his Heart went after many strange Women and became a Transgressor and in that state did not know the Birth born of God which doth not commit Sin for he was but under the Administration of the Law which doth not make perfect as pertâ—… to the Conscience and peradventure in that state he being erred from God he did not see any that did not sin These things will be plain to some though perhaps thou mayst shut thine eye against them and Solomen was not our Example in Conversation I am sure nor hardly in Doctrine And thus I 〈◊〉 weighed thy Text which thou seemest to say before I have not weighed and my Principles are proved sound and
The Qâ—â—kers-Rounds c. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Answer called Something of Truth Made Manifest in Opposition to a False 〈◊〉 c and then his second Book called Some Principles of Eâ—w Burrâ—… 〈◊〉 and then this my last let them be all read in order and soâ—…ly by 〈…〉 not satisfied about the matter and I doubt not but thereby you may 〈◊〉 who is in the Truth and who is in the Error and they may fee that 〈…〉 he hath not faithfully answered but pass'd by many material particulâ—rs 〈…〉 something hath no way seem'd to clear himself of what I have truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on him but he remains under the guilt of my Charge and to the Ligh◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every mans Coâ—science and to all whose Judgments are thereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refer my self to 〈◊〉 judged and what I have written I leave to be judgâ—â— And divers other things there are held forth by Philip Tâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have said little to but they are recorded as his Principles among a â—… ber of the Priests and Professors in a Book answered to go abroad called 〈◊〉 Priests and Prossâ—â—s Principles 〈◊〉 the Quaker ' s Answer to them wâ—… 〈…〉 desire further to he satisfied may in reading many hundred of particular 〈…〉 and affirmations of Doctrine held forth by Preaching and Print by the 〈…〉 which are ansâ—…d 〈◊〉 the Error of them shown to which I refer 〈◊〉 〈…〉 to know more if what I have here written be not enough For the â—… tion of Truth is my Crown and Life over all the World London the 20th of the 7th Moneth 1658. Edward Burrâ—… A TESTIMONY Against a Great Idolatry COMMITTED And a True Mourning Of the Lord's Servant 〈◊〉 the many Considerations of his Heart upon that Occasion of the great stir about an Image made and carried from 〈…〉 Place to another happening the 23th day of the 9th Moneth IT came to pass and happened that being at Kingston upon Thames the the 22th day of the ninth Moneth it was ordered the next Morning that I came from thence to London and as I entred in at Charing-Cross I beâ—â—ld a very great Multitude of People gathering together and thronging and pressing exceedingly and the whole Streets were filled from one side to the other upwards and downwards so far as I could see with abundance gazing forth at every Window and upon the Belconies and House-tops and the Glass was â—…d down for people to look out into the Streets and an exceeding number of people there was all the Streets so thronged that I thought it could not be possible that any more could throng in or pass by and there were Guards of Souldiers both of Horse and Foot and they stayed me and stopped my Horse and said I might not pass that way neither indeed could I well by reason of the throng of people and I stay'd a very little but presently passed back another way in a kind of wondering at this great stir I found in my way and I beheld all spirits of people were up in a Wonderment and Admiration and gazing they were and hurrying as if some marvellous and great thing had happened to them or were to be seen by them and I felt the spirits of Men Women and Children were all on Fire and they were in an admiring frame and in a condition not usual And as I passed along I turned in my Mind to see of the Lord what this thing might be and what might be the End of it and why was this gathering and running and thronging of Multitudes in this manner and in this frame and presently upon consideration I perceived that a dead Image and invented Picture would be carry'd that way and that all this pressing and stir and the gathering of this great Multitude was only to see and behold a dead Image without life or breath and then my spirit was grieved and my soul was vexed within me and it run through me Vanity Vanity Folly and Madness What is all this setting of Guards gathering of people in such thronging Multitudes and pulling down the Glass and gazing of Men Women and Children high and low rich and poor people of all sorts that were come together Is all this wondering of people and inflaming of spirits in this admiring mood Is all this said I but to see a dead invented Image of Wood or Wax arrayed and decked with some foolish Inventions Said my spirit Oh Abominable Oh Idolatry Oh Folly and Vanity and my life was grieved What is all this preparation of people in this wondering frame but to behold an Image carried and to see simple foolish people following after it in their Idolatrous Robâ—â— and Gestures such who had invented it and been at cost with it And then my spirit was burdened and the very smell of Idolatry and Abomination entred upon me and the weight of all this Iniquity came into me and vexed the Righteous and the very sence of this Abomination seized upon my Life and I felt the burden of their so great Wickedness the making the Image I felt a burden and all the foolish Circumstances about it for many dayes and the peoples Folly and Madness that so gathered and pressed to behold it and so wondred after it was a burden to me and they that carry'd it in their foolish gestâ—â—â— All this is Iniquity and Abomination said my spirit and I was loaden therewith and said Certainly the Judgments of God will meet with this Work and the Lord will be avenged because of it and their Souls should once feel the burden of it with Terror as mine at this present And it came into me It might be some would be wounded or pressed to Death or some Wickedness would come out of this Wickedness that the Anger of the Lord might break forth and smite such as were the Foundation of this sinful Abomination and my spirit had a deep sence of the greatness and sinfulness of this high and mighty Idolatry and it wounded me and made me sad But immediately from that temper on a very sudden my spirit was changed and I was filled with the Indignation of the Lord God against this Image and this stir about it his Plagues and Fury and Fire run through me to cry Plagues Plagues and Vengeance against them because of this Abomination And I found my spirit set on fire with the very Power of God rising in me against this Idolatry that if I had been moved to it and it had been possible to have done it I could have ridden through the Guards and over the Multitude to have sounded the Judgments of God and his Woes amongst them and through them and I could then have engaged the loss of my life that the Lord might have been revenged upon this Image and Image-Makers and Image-Followers and Image-Wonderers after that my Soul might be freed from its present burden through this grleâ—… Wickedness Said I What silly foolish blind ignorant people are these What a power hath the Devil over
and are in Christ for who do commit Sin are Unholy and so reputed of God and Sin is neckoned to them and this all will find in the Day of the Lord when 〈◊〉 cometh to judge righteously and to give every man according to his Works and nor according to what he may make a shew of and profess in words thouâ—â— all you false Daubers with Untempored Morter heal up the Hurt of the Daughter of Siâ—n deceitfully and cry Peace Peace by a false applying the Proâ—…ses and Words of Christ when God speaks no Peace and even you and you false daubeâ— Wall will the Whirlewind of the Lord beat down and destroy utterly And this I assert contrary to thy false Doctrine and Principles Tâ—… none are justified but who have Christ in them and really partake of Holiness and â—…sness and are really cleansed from all Sin and are born of the Spirit of God 〈…〉 〈◊〉 of the Prâ—… of Eternal Life 〈…〉 thou sayst Iustiâ—… 〈◊〉 not of any Dâ—gree 〈◊〉 if a Person 〈…〉 from any onâ— Sin he is justifieth from all Sin 〈◊〉 well from Siâ—â— to be committed 〈…〉 are already coâ—…ed and who is 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 Person is not unjustified upon 〈…〉 c. Answ. Grace and Faith and Truth and Christ himself admitteth of Deâ—… which are one and there are several Measures of Life of 〈…〉 and Faith of Sanctification and of Justification also for 〈◊〉 as every man hath received Christ so hath he received Sanctification â—… and no otherwise for Christ is made Wisdom and Sanctiâ—â—cation and Salvation and every one feels his Sanctification and his Justificaâ—… 〈◊〉 to the Measure of the Gift of Christ so that there are seveâ—… of Justification And also a man may be justified from one sin â—… and not from all sin for according to every man's Sanctificatiâ—… Witness of his Justification to him and no more and if thou 〈…〉 â—â—ing by Experience thou knowest this And no man is justified 〈…〉 which he is to commit for that saith gives Licence to sin if any 〈…〉 sin shall believe that that sin is long since forgiven and he is justiâ—… 〈◊〉 and if he shall believe that he is justified though he commits sin 〈◊〉 â—…fore he commits his sin this will be a cause to run into sin and is a 〈…〉 by thee unto all Unrighteousness Why if people can believe they 〈…〉 from the Sins which they have yet to commit what should restrain 〈…〉 running with pleasure into all Unrighteousness And if new Sins 〈…〉 committed do not make Persons unjustified then may the Sinners reâ—… their Sins and take their pleasure in Ungodliness This Doctrine of 〈◊〉 is pleasant to the Wicked and it is the Way and Principle of Liberty in â—… rather then the Principles to lead from sin and so thou hast shewed 〈◊〉 Work thou arâ— doing by strengthning the Wicked in his Way so that he cannot turn from sin rather then drawing him from sin and this is the 〈…〉 work And thou sayst Such as are justified are regenerated and sanctified and a little 〈◊〉 thou sayst To be justified is not to be cleansed nor is it to partake of real Rightâ—… and Persons are justified from Sins which they have to commit Answ. These are Contradictions and proceed out of Darkness and not 〈…〉 Light and thy Folly and Ignorance may be read by all men For who are Regenerated and Sanctified are also cleansed and partake of real â—…ness And thou further sayst That Sanctification is a real Change from sin to the parity of 〈◊〉 â—…ge of God Answ. And I say None are Sanctified but they are Justified so none are 〈◊〉 but who are changed into the Image of God this the Truth saith and wherein thou hast said contrary thou hast spoken contrary to the Truth and the Truth will judge thee 〈◊〉 Thou sayst Sanctification is not perfect in this life and the New Man â—… or Law of the Mind is that Grace or imperfect Sanctification c. Answ. Then Christ is not perfect in this life for he is made of God unto us Sanctification 1 Cor. 1. â—0 But we say Christ is perfect and therefore Sanctification is perfect and the New Man is the Image of God and is created in Râ—…sness and in true Holiness But thou sayst The New Man 〈◊〉 imperfect 〈…〉 of thy Principles when they are compared with the Scriptures and see the 〈◊〉 and Wickedness of them And the Spirit and Law in the mind â—s the Spirit of God and the Law of God in which the Apostles served God and 〈◊〉 all the Saints but thou sayst The Spirit and Law in the Mind is imperfect 〈◊〉 this is Error in the highest degree to say â—…gniâ—… That the New Man 〈◊〉 Image of God thaâ— is in Righteousness and true Holiness and the Spirit of God and the Law of God is imperfect Sanctification and Grace is the Salvation and is God's Sufficiency and that thou sayst is imperfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus thy Principles of thy Religion which thou walkest in thy self 〈…〉 wouldst teach to others are Abominable corrupted Principles of Eâ—… contrary to the Spirit of Truth and to the Scriptures also And 〈…〉 that thy Name is concealed for thy work deserves noâ— a good Mans 〈…〉 it Much more might be said to lay open further thy â—olly but this is suâ—… men of Understanding and contrary to thee I do aâ—â—ert That the New 〈…〉 Image of God the Spirit and Lâ—…f God in the Mind is perfâ—… Peace 〈…〉 Sanctification and thou hast said the contrary and now whether thy 〈…〉 ples of Religion or mine be the most true and whether false let all 〈…〉 judge with the Light in their Consciences And thou sayst The old Man the Flesh the Body of Sin the Body of 〈…〉 the Sin that remains in sanctified Persons Answ. Who are sanctified are freed from thâ— Body of Sin and Dâ—… have put it off and the Law of the Spirit of Life hath fâ—eed 〈◊〉 from 〈…〉 and from the old Man for if the old Man the Flesh the Body of 〈…〉 Death be in the sanctified Persons then there are none sâ—â—ctiâ—â—ed at 〈…〉 what are they sanctified freed and cleansed from if the old Man 〈…〉 the Body of Sin and Death be yet remaining in them Thou spâ—… unlearned man and one that knows not the sanctified state but art 〈…〉 thy mind and Judgment and in thy words also for we have put 〈…〉 Man and are crucified to the Flesh and made free from the Body of 〈…〉 Death and this is our Sanctification and who are remaining 〈…〉 things are not sanctified but are in the Degeneration and hav◠〈…〉 yet in the Kingdom of God nor in Christ Jesus but are withâ—… the World And thousayst The Sanctification of the First Day hath put an end to 〈…〉 fication of the Seventh c. Answ. Here again thou hast uttered that which thou knowest not 〈…〉 dayes are alike unto God and one sanctified as much as another and 〈…〉 of dayes with
very Land groans under the Oppression of this Church and Ministry which lies as a heavy Burden upon both Persons and Estates and Consciences of many good People even of your dearest Friends and though the Lord doth manifestly even from Heaven shew signal Tokens of his Displeasure against them and the Servants of the Lord they also cease not to warn you concerning them their own doings are sufficient Testimony of the Malice of their hearts against you and all good men in the Nation yet nevertheless some of you seem to shut your eyes as if you would see no Evil in them but are crying up your godly Ministers some of you utterly despising the man as not worthy to live that doth but speak against them and thus are you blinded and perceive not where the Cause lieâ— of your Interruption to bring forth Righteousness I say It is the favouring of that interest which stops the issue of Good Things and while you oppress peoples Persons and Estates and Consciences to uphold this Ministry and Priesthood aforesaid the Lord shall never prosper you nor make the Nations â—â—ppy under your Charge and this you shall witness eternally Wherefore I do say unto you it is high time for you to lay aside the interest of this oppressing Clergy so much leavened and tasted of the Whore of Rome your selves do know that the spirit of the Romish Clergy was in the late Bishops which you cast out for their Wickedness and the very spirit of those Bishops is entred into these Priests and bears rule in their hearts and thus by succession hath the Whore of Râ—â—e leavened the Clergy of England from one Generation to another with her taste and savour and there is the remainer of her Murders and Cruelties in those mens Brests and at every opportunity it breaks forth as of late in this Rebellion you have full Testimony and if you do not curb it speedlly it will grow over you to your undoing Therefore clear your selves do not any longer drink the Whore's Cup neither be ye Carriers of her to execute her Wickedness upon the Bodies and Consciences of people for it is written The Beast hath carried the Whore and we see it hath been thus as Iohn saw it was to come to pass and so clear your selves from her Tyrannies and Oppressions and leave this false Church and Ministry to themselves and if God will not uphold them by his Power why should you do it If these Priests have not yet planted Vineyards that will yield them Fruit and if their Flock will not yield them Milk freely why should you unjustly impose upon peoples Consciences and compel Tythes and Money from them for the maintenance of these men Ye ought not to do it for while ye Compel and Force People by Violence contrary to good Consciences to Maintain and Uphold this Ministry and Church and Worship you do but cause people to drink the Whore's Cup and you are but them which carry the Whore viz. the false Church and this is Plain-dealing to tell you the Truth whether you will reject it or receive it wherefore cast them off and let them not lurk under your Wings for one day they will rebel against you and another day flatter with you and for a season they will shew forth much Love and Kindness in Hypocrisie even while they are hatching Mischief against you and to bring the Nation into Blood and they will cry out Heresie and Error of others that themselves may seem clear while as the same lodgeth in their own Hearts wherefore I say do not make a false Peace with them nor do not flatter with treacherous minds for you had better have them your open Enemies then deceitful and flattering Friends you had better be in a just Opposition against them then in an unjust Peace with them I know it appears to many of you a thing very hard to be born What! to forsake our Godly Ministers think ye to hear tell of laying them aside is an amazement to some of your minds was it not the same concerning the King and Bishops was it not as much terrible to him and his Lords and Council to think of the overthrow of the then called Godly Fathers and Bishops but better had he cast them off and saved himself then to have perished with them and so I say unto you better were it for you to lay these men aside and their Flatteries and feigned Prayers and to save your selves from their Flattery then to perish with them and the one of these will come to pass For it s decreed of the Lord If you uphold them and oppress People's Persons Estates and Consciences on their behalf and in their evil Cause for Tythes and Wages to them ye shall fall with them and none shall be able to deliver neither you nor them For I tell you again That the very spirit of the old Idolatrous Bishops long since cast out is entred into the hearts of these men and there is as great a measure of Tyranny and Injustice and Abomination lying upon these as once was upon the Bishops and these are no less free from any Abomination then they were and these are nigh as ripe for Vengeance and Overthrow as the others were and it will as surely come upon these as it did upon them wherefore take heed unto your selves and be wise and learn and do us Justice or else God will do us Justice upon you if ye will not take off our Burdens and ease our Oppressions the Lord God will ease us of you and the Earth shall not be oppressed with you and if ye will uphold this Priesthood against Equity and Good Conscience the Lord will free Good Consciences both from you and them And this is the Word of the Lord God to you The open Enemy hath not prevailed against you but the secret Hand of the Lord will not miss you By a Friend to Righteousness E. B. A Visitation and Warning PROCLAIMED And an ALARUM Sounded in the Pope's Borders In the Name and Authority of the Lord Almighty and the LAMB Being the Account of a Journey to Dunkirk and the Proceedings there among the Iesuits and Fryars and Papists with some particular Queries and also some Propositions sent unto them Which may be Satisfaction to many who may behold the Difference in part between the Papists and the People of God and between the Idolaters and the True Worshippers The Particulars and the Heads laid down 1. The Account of the Iourney 2. A Letter to the Deputy Governour and the Officers of the English Army 3. Queries to the Fryars 4. Propositions as a Charge against the Romish Church with a Letter to the chief Jesuit Rector in Dunkirk 5. A Warning to the Officers and Souldiers of the English Army 6. Some Propositions to the English Priests in Dunkirk with some other things ACcording to the Will of the Lord and being moved of him in Spirit and as it lay
and thou of the Divel Seeing they that abide not in the Doctrine of Christ have not God hence I query of thee XII Whether by this rule thou art not proved to be without Christ and without God who abides not in Christ's Doctrine but are called of men Master and stand Praying in the Synagogue and hast the chief Seat in the Assembly and contrary to Christ's Command Answer these Queries with the Spirit of Soberness if thou hast it and shew thy self a man if thou hast the Heart of a man and Repent of thy Wickedness and own thy Condemnation upon thy Former Words and Works I am a Friend unto thy Soul but a witness against thy Deceits E. B. And after which time for the space of two years I had no Communication with Christopher Fowler till this last nineth Moneth at a place called East-Hâ—â—sted where a Meeting of Dispute was appointed and challenged by some of his Brethren at which place again I met with this my Adversary where we had some hours Discourse and many particulars of False Doctrine fell from Fowler 's mouth some few of which hereafter follow First one of his brethren in his prayer before the dispute prayed to God to forgive them the Atheism that were in their hearts of him and his Brethrens Answer now an Atheist is one that denies God and Atheism is denying of God according to common reputation Atheism is so taken so that how shall such a Generation of men bring people to the Knowledge of God by their Ministry or how should they ever convert people to profit them who yet in their own Hearts denyed God as the man acknowledged in his prayer before the Lord and many witnesses the Poor People of England had thought that the Spirit of God had been in your Hearts but now we know that you deny God in your Hearts and you have confessed it to your own shame are you Ministers of Christ and yet denies God in your hearts and in whose hearts lodges Atheism Oh! let not people be deceived by you but repent ye that know not God but with your Mouthes confess him and with your hearts do deny him Christopher Fowler also affirmed that day That the Scriptures are the Glorious everlasing Foundation of Foundations Answ. And hereby it is made manifest that he hath totally denyed Christ and so proved with his brother confest in his prayer that indeed Atheism is in their Hearts and so he hath denyed Christ whom the Scriptures say is the Foundation and no other Foundation can any man lay and upon him were the Saints builded in their Faith and all their Practices of Religion for he is the corner Stone as it is Written and thus he hath dishonoured Christ in setting the Scriptures above him and taking the Honour from him and giving it to the Scriptures and I shall leave this his Doctrine to be considered with a query to these people of his Church in Reading whether he is worth hearing or giving Money to for preaching that holds forth such Doctrine and whether it is possible he should bring them to Christ who hath in effect denied him to be the Foundation and held forth that the Scriptures are the glorious everlasting Foundation of Foundations Much I need not say to uncover the error of sucâ— a Doctrine Again he affirmed That a man at one and the same time might be a Minister of Christ and a Deceiver Answ. And here all may see the weakness and Ignorance of this strange Paradox and indeed which is contrary to the Scriptures which saith No man can serve two Masters and it s very certain that he that serves the Devil doth â—ot serve Christ at the same time and he that serves Christ doth not serve the Devil and so his Doctrine is Antichristian which would make People believe that though they serve the Devil yet they are the Servants of God and this is as much as he hath said that one may be a Minister of Christ and yet a Deceiver now a Deceiver is one that follows the Spirit of the Devil and a Minister of Christ is one that followes the Spirit of Christ and these two Spirits are contrary and not both ruling in one man at one time But then to help the matter he said a man might serve Christ in Office but not in Love to which my answer was let him say whether he and the Priests of England did serve Christ by way of Office or Love both or either and I should prove the contrary but that we prosecuted no further Some other things were affirmed by him that day not now remembred He said That Christ was a Sinner from this Argument laid down by him all that dies â—â—e Sinners Christ died therefore c. These and such things he held forth all that day besides the unsoberness of his words and carriages towards me who called me a Dog divers times and did use very ridiculous jestures and words towards me even to his own shame in the sight of many people and the people of that County do yet well remember his unchristian-like proceedings and were ashamed of him but at last went his way and all his brethen and I was left among the people and I need not now mention for many even themselves know it what loss and disadvantage they sustained that day and Gods loving Truth was advanced and the advantage of it that was obtained on the Lords behalf but I being not yet as it were wholly satisfied but would endeavour further to the laying open deceit and to invade Antichrists kingdom the next morning after the dispute it was upon me to write forth and to send him this paper of Propositions following whereunto is annexed his Answer C. Fowler FRiend seeing thou art so high in thy spirit against us and against the truth which we profess and from time to time dost open thy Mouth so wide in Justification of thy self and thy Practices and in false charges against us and though we have had divers Meetings and the differences between us alwayes appeared greater and greater therefore this I propound unto thee Whether thou wilt give another Meeting of open dispute for the tryal of thee and thy wayes and of us and the truths which we hold forth for the satisfaction of the people and these things following I propound as the subject matter worthy to be handled which may discover thee and us to the satisfaction of all that desires in that case First What be the evident signes and tokens of a Wolf in sheeps clothing and whether thou or we in the sight of the people and of the Lord God can clear our selves to be clear and free from the marks and signs of such aforesaid Secondly Whether wilt thou stand to be tried in thy Ministry in thy Call to it Practice in it and Maintenance of it by and according to the Scriptures of the old and new Testament and wilt thou admit of tryal of thy Church and
the rest but the Presbyterians and Episcopals and all of that way and these Professions stand in Reputation and are accounted Phanaticks and Hereticks even William Pryn himself and this is manifest by the Author of Semper Iidem who hath reviled and reproached all the People of England publickly and openly For seeing the Antient Martyrs the Fathers so accounted of the Church of England are villified as Phanaticks Then must needs follow that the Church of England even in the way of Episcopacy as being in their own account the Successors of the Martyrs in some things at least are also Phanaticks and such as Semper Iidem saith the Old Phanaticks were for the men being reputed Phanaticks who were as the Fathers then needs must the Children be the same and this deserves serious Consideration by the Protestants of England 3. Consider how the very Cause it self of Protestants in this their long Contest for these many years with and against the Church of Rome is now weakened and even as it seems in a way of losse and decay being now reproached and held under publick scorn in England by Semper Iidem I say the very Cause of the Protestants is new struck at and beat against and sought to be destroyed being already defamed and reviled as appears by the discourse of the nameless Author who hath rendred the Antient Martyrs that promoted as much as they could the Protestants Cause against the Church of Rome and dyed for it many of them sealing the Cause with their Blood as Hereticks Erroneous Rebels and Phanaticks and hath also rendred Fox and his Acts and Monuments who hath hitherto in England been counted a true Reporter and Historian of the PROTESTANTS Sufferings as invalid as possible even that he is a Lyar and his Chronology Untruths and hath justified Queen Mary and the Papists who put the Martyrs to Death And these things considered duly and justly how is the Protestants Cause it self struck at and weakened and as it were the very Victory given to the Papists against the Protestants in this long Quarrel between them ever since Henry the Eighth's dayes and long before 4. Consider How the Papists Cause seems to be reviving in England and how bold the Members of the Church of ROME are of late dayes growing as to appear so publickly in Print justifying their own Cause as good as Queen Mary and the Papists in her dayes in Martyring and Burning the Protestants and condemning the Martyrs of the Protestants as Hereticks and Phanaticks This I say is great Boldness in the Papists more than hath been for this Hundred of Years and a Sign of a Reviving and Recovering of their Cause more than hath been for many Years who durst not any of them appear so publick as the Author of Semper Iidem hath done with that Boldness and Courage to justifie the Papists Cause and condemn the Protestants For if such a Discouse as Semper Iidem had been brought forth and published in the dayes of Queen ELIZABETH which were Darker Dayes then these are it is possible it would not have been suffered to be cryed up and down LONDON but Restrained and Condemned for the Fire But now the Papists have taken Confidence to themselves and are of better Hopes than formerly even that they shall have Fire and Faggot again and to Burn and Destroy such as differ and dissent from them whom they may call Hereticks and Phanaticks And this I observe from the spirit of Semper Iidem 3. Consider The Nature and Constitution and Disposition of the spirit of the Church of ROME how that it is not Changed but the self-same that ever it was viz. A spirit of Murder and Cruelty that hath Killed and Martyred such as have Differed from them and been Contrary-Minded in Religious Matters and it would work and bring to pass the same still if it had its Power without Limitation in ENGLAND The Papists I say would Burn Kill and Torture such as they judge Hereticks and all that cannot Bow and Bend and Conform to their Wayes and Injunctions and Religion this they would be at again in England if it were in their Power as it was heretofore I say This ought to be considered even the Cruelty of that spirit and what Danger there is in it to give way to the Exaltation of that spirit and to embrace it in the least whereby to give it occasion to get into the Power and Judgment-Seat for if it doth then Fire and Faggot and Killing and Burning about Religion will openly appear again and this seems to be manifest by the Constitution of the spirit of Semper Iidem which may give Good and Wholsome Cautions that the spirit of the Papists is still a Cruel Spirit and would Destroy all that Differ from their Way if they had Power and that that spirit is not to be Hugged and Embraced nor set highest lest the Effect of it proves Woful to England by bringing forth again what it once did in Renewing Fire and Faggot for this is the Disposition of the spirit of the Romish Church as is apparent by Semper Iidem 6. Consider how Careful and Vigilant the People of England ought to be to wait and attend the Motions of the Spirit of the Church of Rome lest it insinuate it self into Authority and get its intended Advantage and Purpose against the Protestants and their Cause and advance it self against them and promote its own Interest and Destroy and overturn theirs For without all Controversie that same spirit is now at work to agitate its Desires and according to its old course its Hatching and Contriving how to promote it self and destroy all that 's contrary it is Undermining and secretly Surmizing its Opponents Overthrow that it self may be exalted For that spirit is diligent in its way to take the least Occasion for its Self-advantage as is manifest by Semper Iidem and therefore the People of England ought also to be Careful and Diligent in their Cause to Preserve themselves and their Interest from the defeat of the Church of ROME and they ought to watch against that spirit to keep it in subjection under Authority and Command and not to exalt it into Command over them lest they be subjected to the Idolatries and Oppressions and Persecutions of that spirit to their own Destruction both of Persons Estates and Religion for that spirit will attempt alwayes to Rule and if it Rule then will follow consequently An Utter Overthrow of the Protestants PERSONS and CAUSE that will be the Effect of the Authority of it though it bear hand in hand in seeming Love and good Agreement with the Protestants till it hath gained its desired end over them which is To promote it self and subdue by Burning and Cruel Tortures all that which is contrary to it Let the People of ENGLAND consider this Matter now while it is time and be Watchful over the Motions of that spirit and not put Confidence in it too far nor to