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A89845 A publike discovery, of the open blindness of Babels builders, and their confused language, who have been building without, till they deny faith, knowledge and the Gospel light within, the law of the new covenant, and matter of the new creature. Plainly laid open in an answer to a book intituled A publike discovery of a secret deceipt, subscribed John Deacon, in behalf of some who pretend a call to the ministry. Wherein their first queries their replyes; their answers to my queries, and their last queries is answered, and their whole work laid open, and the end thereof with queries sent back, by them to be answered, that their boasting spirit may be farther revealed, & its blindness. Here is also some of their confusions taken out of the heap, and set by themselves to be seen, how they will stand in the eye of truth, where but the least measure of God is known. / By an enemy to deceit, but a friend to the creation, called James Naylor. Naylor, James, 1617?-1660. 1656 (1656) Wing N305; Thomason E870_2; ESTC R204793 29,385 50

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in their heart which God shewed them c. Deal plainly a●d let people know how it now comes to be without and denied within as it is by you Prove your practice and judgement herein by plain Scripture 3. Answer and Reply In this Answer you charge me with two lyes first concerning Christ preaching the Kingdom of God within unbelievers and to prove that a lye you change that Scripture Luk. 17 21. which saith the Kingdom of God is within you to among you The second lye you charge me with is because I said the Apostle said that they came to the knowledge of God and his Glory by that light that shone in their hearts To which I say it s no lye for none ever came to the knowledge of God otherwise but by that spiritual light and that the Apostle said so 2 Cor. 4. 6. may testifie and that Scripture Rom. 1. 19. which saith that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it to them this you say cannot be the spirit of God or Christ thus being stark blind you utter your lyes and confusions without sahme and would cast them upon others but how should you believe the Kingdom of God within who say faith and knowledge is not within Quer. 4. Whether that new birth spoken of in the Scriptures be Christ within or some other thing and if not he then what is it and how people may know it by the letter without the light when they have Christ and when they have a spirit of delusion and whether the light of the spirit alone be sufficient without the letter to reveal the Son of God the Father and all Truth and judge of all spirits what soever without any addition to it 4. Answer and Reply In this Answer you run a wild chase telling of Adam and Eden much the like things which you know naught of and then you tell of the matter whereof the New Man is made and you say the Mind and Will of Man is the Matter to which I say that 's like all the New Man you know so the second Adam is made of the Mind and Will of the first The Saints had Christ formed in them which was their new birth but is he formed of the Will of Man the new birth of the Saints is not of the Will of Man nor of the Will of the Flesh but of God but your birth is of the Will of Man and such like babling stuff not worth mentioning after you but leaves the Quere unanswered only addes a lye in the conclusion that our spirit opposes the commands in the Letter Quer. 5. Whether the least measure of saving faith in Christ Jesus be not present power above the Devil and all the powers of darkness which if it be then what is the cause that men must be captivated to commit sin while they live Whether it is want of faith or that there is not power in faith to overcome the evil one or hath any faith in Christ farther then they haue power over sin and the world or is there any rest to a believer short of that power 5. Answer and Reply In your Answer to this Quere your whole work is to plead for sin and that the greatest fulness cannot except from actual sin and in the conclusion you render it as a dangerous thing lest they should fight against Gods Counsel and Determination as though God had determined actual sin yet dare not deny the Quere but say the least measure of faith in Christ is sufficient to keep from the dominion of sin as though sin had not dominion where it is acted and such like confused stuff you utter lest any should believe freedom from sin and you lose your Kingdome Quer. 6. Seeing you say the Scriptures is the ground of faith and that they who can read the Scriptures have power to believe as you did the last first day then I say can any believe who have not read or heard the Scriptures if yea then is not their faith without ground by your opinion or is there more grounds of faith then one or is the Scriptures Christ 6. Answer and Reply In stead of answering this you call me a lyar for telling you the truth the time and place where and when you did affirm that whereof I told you in my Quere and hundreds may witness it for which I then withstood thee and thy companions among whom it was spoken Quer. 7. Seeing you affirm that none can be Ministers of Christ but who are called of Man and are learned men whether was the Apostle Paul a true Minister who saith he was neither of man nor by man and what he preached was not after man Nor was it but by revelation Gal. 1. 2 11 12. Or was Peter John and the rest true Ministers who were unlearned and ignorant men Act. 4. 13. and what lets that God may not chuse such now 6. Answer and Reply This is answered like the former by denying what thou and thy companions did affirm at the Mouth before many witnesses and if thou said some and another other some and all was as one was it not affirmed by you but it s no new thing to say in words what you will deny when you should prove in writing but be●ng called lyar by thee is little matter so many knowing I speak truth Farther thou sayest I oppose Christs commands and bely his Institutions in general wh●ch are but two lyes more to the number Another lye you tell of God saying you dare boldly assert that God never did nor never will use any extraordinarie meanes to destroy the ordinarie I say was not the brazen Serpent outward Circumcision and Carnal Ordinances ordinary means and did he not by the extraordinary means of his spirit destroy these and if it thus befal that which he had commanded when they committed Idolatry therewith then what shall become of your Idol-worship such as he never commanded now at his spiritual appearing though the Heathen had bespoiled of their Idols yet down you must and the event will declare it Quer. 8. What eye is that which the God of this world hath blinded how he hath blinded it and how it is opened and by what and whether the Letter can open it yea or no 8. Answer and Reply This you excuse saying you have not read any such thing I say its a hard lesson for the blinde to read but that eye was Christ and his Ministers sent to open of which you are blinde and cannot read Quer. 9. Whether the true Ministery of Christ be the same now for matter means and maintenance that it was in Apostles time or when was it changed into great Livings Tythes and set Maintenance and by whom and in what must it now differ from these 9. Answer and Reply In this you have excluded all the Parish Ministerie in the Nation in that you say the Ministerie of Christ is the same now for matter
Christ sprinkle Infants turn the Scriptures into rhimes to sing Worship and pray in the Idols Temple br●ng a book and from a verse raile Points and Reasons and Uses live upon Tythes or set Wages sue their heares for money And all the rest of your Worship is also questioned by the Apostles practise to which you are contrary and do you think words will prove it and answer it So did your Fathers the Bishops and the Pope and them and you we deny and all your proofe that stands in words while you uphold another practise Whereof I say again and yet no lye that none of Christs Ministers worshipped so So your boast of a curb be to your selves till you prove your practi●e Quer. 14. Are you wiser then the Jews was or stricter in yo●r profession or more able to search the Scriptures or are you f●●●er in your wisdome and prudence for that work any of you who deny the light of Christ And was not they ignorant of the voices of the Prophets though they was read every Sabb●th day and ●o fulfilled in condemning him and are not you in the same work as to the word of Christ though you have them every first day beating in your Synagogues and haling before Rulers and think that you do God the best service when you are greatest opposers and so fulfilling the measure of wickedness as they did and how can you escape their end Mark 13. 9. Act. 13. 27. Mat. 24. 9. Joh. 16. 2 3. And are not they who are in envy in Cains way out of Christ Hath God any respect to their Sacrifice yea or no 1. Answer and Reply This you answer with You care not and so go on to a peece of railing your old practise And you say Christ hath opened your eyes with your eye-salve of Grace But what eye or where is that Grace seeing you say faith and knowledge is not within So you say you have accomplished an Answer to our Queres which when viewed is no more but a piece of vain babling railing and lying which you would have us take for an Answer but the Queres yet stand a witness against you and all your Generation and are still unanswered And if you read them over again you may see you have scarcely spoken to any one particular Now to the rabble of the confused Queres take an Answer thus Quere I. WHether your quaking and trembling be not the effects and tokens of those curses 1 Sam 14. 15. Deut. 28. 65. Psal 69. 23. And whether the Lord hath not given you eyes that you should not se● c. Answ For Answer to this Quere I say no. But the curses therein belong to such who deny knowledge and faith within as you do So take it back and apply it at home Yet trembling and quaking we own else should we deny the Saints conditions Que. 2. Whether there ought not to be a special distinction made betwixt the dictates of the Spirit of God and the spirit of man c. Answ 2. I say yea But they who have no faith and knowledge in them cannot make it All that proceeds from such is the Dictates of their own spirit if not worse and for a pretence use the name of Christ But who have the●r light faith and knowledge from Christ within lay nothing on Christ but what i● his own Quere 3 4. and Answer To your third and fourth Quere which are about the call to the Ministery wherein you would thrust in your Presbytery under the pretence of ordaining Elders and chusing Apostles I say those whom ever Christ called into his Ministery were called by his Spirit out of the world out of its glory and worships which yours are none of as all your manner of worship makes it manifest So shelter not your selves in the world and the false worships thereof with their Scriptures who were called out of the world and never worshipped in your manner call nor maintenante And for Timothy's gift your hands are poluted and have not that gift as is manifest by your fruits you are of those who lay on hands to beat in the Synagogues such never had the gift of the holy Ghost Quere 5. and Answer For your fifth Quere which is about the light of Christ being insufficient You ●●y if it be sufficient is not this a leading to perfection I say yea it is and will lead all to perfection that follow it which is the light of life Joh. 8. 12. Yet is no means needless which God appoints to direct to that light neither doth their message make the light insufficient Yet doth not this make way for your blind guides and your false worship whose message is to oppose this light and prove it insufficient though formerly in your Book you say you do not and so prove your selves lyars Quer. 6. And if Christ preached the Kingdom of God within unbeleevers as you say he did what then is the difference between the faithful and the faithless c. Answ Were you not blind you might see you have answered the Quere you ask to wit the one believes the other believes not And therein doth the difference consist and the latter of these you are who cannot believe the light is sufficient which is one in all though some will not believe and follow it and so though the Kingdom of God be preached within unbelievers Luk. 17. ●● Yet saith Christ of such ye will not come to me that you may have life So the Gospel of the Kingdom preached doth not profit not being mixed with faith Heb. 4. 2. Quer. 7. And whether is not your spirit a lying one which saith the Scriptures are not the words of God but of men c. Answ I do not say the Scriptures are not the words of God but of men So the lying spirit is your own Yet I say in the Bible there are words of men yea and of the divel also which God never commanded and this is truth without equivocation Quer. 8. Whether it be any better then Hypocrisie to prate of and call for Scripture and yet deny the Prerogative of Scripture c. Answ Prove that I have denied the Prerogative of Scripture or else thy Question is no better then a lye And whereas you say if the commands are the words of God why are not other Scriptures the same I say if it be the Bible you call the Scripture my answer is because there be many words declared of which God never commanded them that spoke them yet the Daclaration I own to be true And whereas you ask how it is that some of us say the word of God cannot be contained in Ink and Paper I say because the word of God fills Heaven and Earth and contains all things but cannot be contrined in any place Quer. 9. And since you say that Christ onely is the word of God I Quere whether he be meet to be a teacher of others nay hath he not need himselfe
to learn the first principle of Religion that cannot discern between the temporat expressive word of God and the co-essential and co-eternal word with God for so is Christ Answ That Christ is the onely word is plain in Scripture Joh. 1. Rev. 19. 13. But what are you who have more words then you can express by Scripture language and whose word is that that is temporal seeing the word of the Lord endures for ever 1 Pet. 1. 25. Quer. 10. Your tonth Quere wherein you would deny the sufficiency of the Law written in the heart doth sufficiently manifest your selves heart-blind who would deny the new Covenant to be sufficient Jer 31. 31 32 33 34. Heb. 8. 8 9 10 11. was the Law written in the heart sufficient in Davids time Psal 37. 31. and was it sufficient in the Apostles time Rom. 8. 2. and is it now become insufficient with you that therefore you would turn us back again to the Letter to be made perfect who have begun in the spirit But this is suitable to your knowledge and your faith which you deny to be within And whereas you ask wherefore the Law in the Letter was given I say not to give life but to drive into the Law in Spirit of which it was a figure which Law of the spirit giveth life Rom. 8. 2. Quer. 11. What be those first principles of the Oracles of God made mention of by Paul as needful for believers to know what the Oracles be whether the Scriptures or what else be the Oracles or the Principles how learnt and after what manner and by what means or if the Scripture be the Oracle of God why not the Word of God also and what difference between the Oracles and the word and wherein consistent and what those principles of the Doctrine of Christ be whether the same with those of the Oracles wherein different and wherein congruent and what the growing up into perfection is and when the end and whether in this life or in another Answ All this heap of Queres cannot let in the Serpent neither can he know the Oracle which is spiritual and the letter is not it You must first know the light of Christ in Spirit which is the first principle and faith to believe in it the thing which you deny within for so the Oracle and first principle is learnt and that 's the manner and means and the Word and Oracle of God is not at difference but in all things consistent and the light of Christ which is the first principle leads to them and so is one with them not different and therein is the growing to perfection which is not in your life whose faith and knowledge is without but in the life of another Quer. 12. What is the Kingdom of God that our Saviour speaks of Luk. 11. 21. and what that Kingdom Matth. 11. how did it suffer violence by whom and after what manner Answ The Kingdom of God is one whereinto none can enter who have no faith in them so read your selves shut out in your Answer to my twelfth Quere Neither can any know how the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence but who is come thorow Johns Ministery which such as you are far off who say the light of Christ is not sufficient that lighteth every one that commeth into the world which John calls the true light and bare witness to that through him all might beleeve Which you whose faith is without resist So out of the Kingdom you are shut with the Pharisees though it be preached in you Quere 13. What is that Election what that Ordination what that Adoption and What that Drawing so often times spoken of in Scripture and who they be who are capable of it here and after what manner administred and make out your judgement herein plaine Scripture Answ That Election Ordination and Adoption is Christ and the Drawing is the Spirit of the Father which is administred in the light which draws to Christ the Election which none are capable of who deny the light to be sufficient and have no faith in them And this judgement is according to the Scriptures Quer. 14 15 16 17 18. Your 14 15 16 17 18 Queres are concerning your worship and you begin with a lye Saying you have proved Scriptures may be expounded which is yet to prove neither can you prove it as you use it by the practise of any Gospel-Minister And under this lye would you Usher in and Shelter your Doctrines Reasons Uses stinted times Tyths and Masterships Pulpit-Worship and literal Text preaching sprinkling of Infants and Sacraments as you call them which is eve●y particular as you perform them a thing besides the Saints practise Neither will the Scripture own you therein without wresting So that 's a lye which saies the Scriptures allows it For the Scripture allows no man to change any title of the manner of Gospel-worship much less them which have changed all Neither doth it allow any sort of people to set up a worship and then wrest the Scriptures to uphold it For then should we allow the Pope as well as all the Rabble of false Worshippers that are descended from him And whereas you ask are not these the Ministers which Rome would destroy which we cry down and were not the Martyrs of the same profession or wherein did they differ c. I say those Ministers which we cry down are such who had their rise from Rome however their Mother and they are faln out whose Kingdom stands most in contentions neither do we cry down 〈◊〉 who are come out from that Romish Worship and herein do those whom we cry down and the Martyrs differ in that the one were sufferers for conscience sake according to the measure of the light then made manifest and the other are persecuters of the heir now at his coming and opposers of his light in conscience whereby the Martyrs were led to suffer who suffered not for standing for Pulpits and Masterships and Tyths but for bearing witness against other of that trash both of the s●me rise and nature And such do justifie their murthers who are found persecuting for the rest of the reliques that are yet behind and so be witnesses against your selves that you are their Children who slew the Martyrs Quer. 19. And since you say I am damned c. Answ The foundation of this Quere is a lye and of the same it is builded And what thou asks concerning the ground of Faith I say it is Christ in the degrees of the several measures thereof and in the light they are known within the creature the effects whereof is truth peace and righteousness But the lyars who have no faith in them bring forth other effects as is seen in your book Quer. 20. Whether the power that worketh in you and in the rest of your quaking Fraternity be Divine or Diabollical If Divine prove it by Scripture Or may we not know the tree Antichrist by
A Publike DISCOVERY OF THE OPEN BLINDNESS OF Babels Builders and their confused Language who have been Building without till they deny Faith Knowledge and the Gospel Light within the Law of the New Covenant and matter of the New Creature Plainly laid open in an Answer to a Book Intituled A Publike Discovery of a Secret Deceipt Subscribed John Deacon in behalf of some who pretend a Call to the Ministry Wherein their first Queries their Replyes their Answers to my Queries and their last Queries is answered and their whole Work laid open and the end thereof with Queries sent back by them to be answered that their boasting Spirit may be farther revealed its blindness Here is also some of their confusions taken out of the heap and set by themselves to be seen how they will stand in the eye of Truth where but the least measure of God is known By an enemy to deceit but a friend to the Creation called James Naylor The time is come that they who seek to kill us think they do God service and this do they because they know not the Father nor the Son London Printed for Gil●s C●lv●rt at the Black Spread-Eagle neer the West end of Paul 1656. An Answer to several Replies Answers and Queries subscribed JOHN DEACON AND seeing that when you come to speak for your manner of preaching and expounding in your 48. pag. and other parts of the Book your work goes on in the number of more then one saying an evidential command we have c. Therefore I must give an Answer to more then one and to such as pretend a call to the Ministery also so to you all I direct my Answer as followeth Quere 1. If every man that comes into the world have light in him sufficient to salvation how then do you say that I am in darkness for either you must grant your first or second Assertion to be false or prove me not come into the world or not born of a Woman Answer 1. The cause why thou art in darkness is because thou dost not believe and follow that light which is sufficient according to Christs words John 8. 12. For they that turn from the darkness to the light have the promise but the unbeliever is condemned in darkness yet is the light sufficient John 3. 15 16 17 18 19. Reply answered In this Reply though nothing said to disprove my Answer nor the Scriptures that proves it yet you vent what is in the vessel calling me a Deceiver a Wolfe and a Serpent but had not your rage overcome your wisdom you first would have proved me so before you had so called me but I have the less cause to be troubled seeing the Servant doth but share with his Lord. You that are not afraid to say as Satan is a Serpent so is Christ it s not like I should be counted any better by you Yet one thing I tell you that to say that Christ is a Serpent so as the Devil is is no less then Blasphemy and so it would have been accounted had any said it but who is free born in the Kingdom of the Murtherer 2. Quer. If that light be universal that is soul-saving shall all be saved yea or no Answ 2. All that believe shall but he that believeth not the light is his condemnation Iohn 3. 19. Reply answered In this you are angry that I should witness the light of Christ sufficient because all are not saved And for this I am accused to pretend a private light and for false doctrine but seeing it is no falser then that which Christ and his Apostles taught it matters not much of the judgement of the blind guide the way is not the worse so it be but proved to be right Iohn 8. 12. Saith Christ I am the light of the world he that follows me shall have the light of life And Iohn 12. 36. Saith Christ believe in the light that you may be the Children of light wherein Christ declares the light to be sufficient to all that will believe but of some he saith ye will not come to me that ye may have life Joh. 5. 40. and to such he saith your destruction is of your selves but doth not say his light is to blame or not sufficient but their unbelief And the Apostle saith the same Heb. 4. 2. For unto us was the Gospel preached as unto them but it did not profit them not being mixed with faith but saith we which have believed do enter but they to whom it was first preached entred not because of unbeliefe but doth not say the light of the Gospel is in that 's the Devil who blames the light of Christ to clear the unbelievers O what darkness hath covered the blind guide is there some light of Christ not sufficient Did ever any bear such a testimony of the true light that lighteth every one that comes into the world Ioh. 1. 9. you never came so far as Iohus Baptism who are witnesses against Iohn against Christ and his Apostles 3. Quer. If you say yea I quere farther How is it then that you say I am damned and where is the Reprobate Answ 3. Thou art damned by thy unbeliefe Ioh. 3. 18 19. And where Christ the light of the world is not known within but denyed there is the Reprobate 2. Cor. 13. 3. 5 Reply answered In this you swell high and call me lyar often if the first word may carry it but we will try the matter and turn the lyes to the lyar First you say that I say he is damned which thing you say in your first Quere to which I have but shewed him the cause why but never said by me otherwise then in answer to your own words Secondly you say I say he believes not which is another lye as you charge it to be my saying though in him true so take these two lyes back and go to the latter end of your Reply and there is a third where you say that I say Christ is in the Reprobates as well as Saints and yet your selves so stark blind in the same Reply charges me to abuse the Text in saying that where Christ is not known within there is the Reprobate which I own for truth 2 Cor. 13. 5. but that I abuse the Text therein is a fourth lye as the words shall witness who reads them So these four lyes being returned to the founders you have your Reply to my Answer yet to make And whereas you say the Sun cannot be hid I ●●y ●o all who reads your work and knows the Son risen I leave it to be judged if to you he be not set in obscurity and you Children of the night far darker then the Clouds Quer. 4. If this light ought onely to be minded and all external means utterly abolisht I Query wherefore you teach and to what end serveth the Scriptures which were for the making perfect the man of God 2 Tim. 3. 1 6 7. Answ 4.
We teach to turn peoples mindes to the light and word which is the one thing needful to be minded 2 Pet. 1. 19. 2 Cor. 4. 1. 10 8. And the Apostle preacht that word to the people which was in their hearts Rom. 10. 6 7 8. And their preaching was to open the blinde eyes and to turn from darkness to light and so from the power of Satan unto God the Father of the light Acts 26. 18. And the Scripture serveth for declaring and testifying that th●s Christ is he that is the light of the world and lighteneth every one that commeth into the world and the Saviour of all that believe John 12. 46. John 1. 9. 1 Tim. 4. 10. Reply answered As you made up your last with lyes so you begin this saying that I grant that all external things are useless none excepted when I speak not a word to that purpose but witness the word and the light thereof to be the one thing needful nor doth confessing this make useless any thing that God made onely it makes the hirelings and false Prophets useless as to teaching who have not the word and light in them Another lye is that I say the light in every man is not sufficient to lead out of all the ways of the dark world And a third is that I grant the Scriptures to be useless A fourth is that we cry that down in others that we preach up in our selves And a fifth is that I once denied preaching So these five feet being struck off the Reply falls to naught and my Answer stands as it was at the first onely some rambling words nothing to the purpose which I forbear to mention lest I should be as vainly imployed in repeating as you in raising them 5. Quer. And if that the external means be useless to what end were those most sacred gifts bestowed upon men Eph. 4. 10 11 12. And how the end and intent for which they were given became void Answ 5. The end of those gifts was for perfecting the Saints and bringing all into one faith unto a perfect man which they that teach that none can be perfect by those gifts while they live do set up a faith in people contrary to the end of those gifts and by setting up external things in stead of these spiritual gifts have you lost the gifts and have made them void and so are become enemies to the end and intent of them in others who have them and believe the end of them And thus the end and intent for which they were given are become void to you Eph. 4. 10 11 12. Reply answered This also is made up of great swelling words and challenges and charges which are false as you charge them upon me as that I said in my Answer that thou John Deacon had set up external things and so made void the end of the spiritual gifts and this you make into three or four lyes to father upon me when my words are They that teach that none can be perfect do so but did not mention thee John Deacon nor intend it for I never looked upon thee as one of those Teachers thou never had that wit though malice enough to make a cover for one who dare not be seen lest his works be brought to light So these boults turn back upon the makers with the rest in the former and the Secret Deceipt is seen you tell on But the word perfecting the Saints sticks much on your stomack and so I am charged to produce a President of one person in all the Scripture that ever was perfect by any means and your penalty is else yeild my selfe a lyar but why a lyar because I say the end of those gifts was for perfecting the Saints and must not Paul be a lyar with you also who said so before me Eph. 4. 10 11 12. And can you believe if I produce a President in Scripture however since I am charged therewith and you ignorant of it I shall set you where you may find more then one Job 1. 8. Prov. 11. 5. Psal 37. 37. 1 Cor. 2. 6. Phil. 3. 15. Colos 1. 28. 4. 12. Jam. 3. 2. Gen. 6. 9. Luk. 6. 40. Heb. 10. 14. 1. Thes 5. 2. Search these Scriptures over before you conclude me a lvar so shall I not be alone herein But now what Reply to my Answer further then a lyer to wit that I do wrest the Scripture and your meaning which I quote as it is without the least meaning or wresting at all Quer. 6. If natural light be sufficient without the help of the means what then is become of the work of grace Eph. 2. 5. 8. Rom. 11. 6. and of the growth of faith Luk. 17. 5. Mark 9. 24. The practical use of Ordinances 1 Cor. 11. 2. 23. 24. As Baptism Matth. 8. 19. The Lords Supper Reading 1 Tim. 4. 13. Preaching Matth. 28. 20. and several other places Prayer 1 Thes 5. 17. Rom. 12. 12. Communion of Saints in publique Assemblies Heb. 10. 25. Answ 6. The light of Christ is the gift of the grace of God which brings salvation which teaches to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 11. 12. And with this light is the work of grace seen but thou that callest this natural light or wouldest make people believe it is not sufficient must needs be ignorant of that spirit whereby that work of grace and growth of faith prayer and communion of Saints Supper and Ordinances is known for without faith in the light of Christ these are not known nor accepted though dark natural imaginations may make an imitation from them in the Letter 1 Cor. 2. 14. And thus are the works of grace become to all that deny the light and spirit of Christ within and take up a tradition from the letter without sensual having not the spirit Jude 19. Reply answered The Reply to this Answer is O deceitful Sophister and so because you cannot enter upon my Answer yet to your old trade of lying your way is open that I deny the work of grace faith the growth of faith by the use of Ordinances most if not all and that I wave the Question when as I tell you what is become of the work of grace to all that deny the light and what the gift of grace is which is more rather then less then was asked me Quer. 7. Whether the Bible be the written word of God yea or no if not what means the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. 36. 37. 38. Gal. 1. 10. 11. 1 Thes 2. 13. Answ 7. That is the word which the Bible declares of which is invisible and eternal which they that received i● of God and had it in their hearts did speak or write it down which writing they called a declaration Luke 1. 1. 1 John 1. 3. But doth no where say the Bible is the word but God and Christ is the word Jeh 1.
at the plow I am not ashamed of it knowing it to be a lawful employment much better then the hireling that works not at all but lives on other mens labours taking by violence what 's other mens labours but seeing the plow is a reproach with you why should not the tythes be so also which are a fruit of the plow but it seems there is a generation to whom the plow is a reproach but the sheaves gentile but the scorners will do scornfully Quer. 15. If you are perfectly f●ee from sin as you assert you are what then is the sting of death or are you in the flesh immortal on earth Answ 15. The former part of this Quere I return thee back wi●h the latter part of thy foregoing being both of one root but to the latter part I answer where the new birth is witnessed which is not of corruptible seed but incorruptible partakers of the Divine Nature the life of Christ made manifest in mortal flesh and where life and immortality is brought to light there the sting of death is seen to be abolisht on earth but this Cains generation knows not where death reigns and therefore would murther such as are translated from death to life Reply answered In this after your old manner your Reply is O incomparable hypocritical lyar And forthwith a challenge is made to try the contest whether you or I be the lyar And you say my own writings must decide the Controversie And the charge is that I have said expresly them who say they have faith and yet their life is not the life of Christ and say they cannot be saved from their sins in this world but in part them and their faith we deny So if I have not denied this in my Answer to this Query then you are the lyars but if I have then I must be he but have you not here with your hasty railing lost your senses to put your case to tryal in so plain a thing where there is not the least shew of a word seeming to deny this in the whole Answer neither is there one word here wherein perfection is asserted so stay till I assert it in my own behalfe till then your consequence from what another said will not clear your quere of a lye cast upon me but afterward you are made to confess your lyes in both queries in these words say you for charity take this that the former part of my last query and the latter part of this are both of one root to wit the false doctrine of your spirit which is a lying one so you confess to what I told you they was so the Controversie is decided in this business and the incomperable hypocritical lyar hath confessed to the lye and what spirit it is of Que. 16. And if you have no sin to what end is Christ beneficial as an Advocate Intercessor and Mediator or is he no such Answ 16. Christ that gives a man a light to see his sin who redeems and cleanseth him from sin is of use to us and all that knows him as the Mediator and of use to keep his from the wicked one and that he toucheth them not 1 John 5. 18. And the same who sets from sin is he that keeps free from sin and this benefit we have by him as Advocate Intercessor and Mediator Ephes 16. 17. Reply answered In this the pit mouth opens againe and outcomes O Secret Deceiver with a lye at the end of it and that is that I grant what I lately denied and that must be that I asserted that I am perfectly free from sin With another lye on the Apostle John the end of which is to deny Christ to be an Advocate for the righteous where sin is not committed your words are these But if any man sin not else we have an Advocate with the Father And then you conclude if you have no sin then is Christ useless So by your Doctrine to obtain the end of Christs comming which is to set free from sin is to make Christ useless when the same Apostle saith He that abides in Christ sins not doth he make Christ useless or is it not he alone that can keep that the evil one touch not in whom he is and they in him But the lyars never knew what it was to be in him nor kept by him further then to ●nbolden your selves in the worlds wickedness by talking of him you know not And it is no strange thing to see you pervert my words all into a lye when you date turn the Scriptures into a lye to deny Christ to be an Advocate unless men sin saying not else which the Scripture saith not so he is no Advocate in prayer with you and spiritual worship so you have said enough to shew your knowledge in Christ as he is Advocate Intercestor and Mediator Quere 17. And if you be perfect in purity what is the cause you are not also perfect in glory Answ 17. Perfect glory is perfect purity and every one according to their measures are glorified therewith but this world knows not whose glory fadeth neither can they judge of it with their impure spirit 2 Cor. 3. 18. And of this glory all the Saints have a measure in this life but the world hates it Reply answered What you say in this is suitable to the former and one answer is to both Quer. 18. And if you disown method in teaching I Quere whether you have any command against it and whether you esteem better then uniformity Answ 18. That method and teaching which is out of the Doctrine of Christ which is in the wisedom of man and in the wisdom of words of mans wisedom out of the unity of the light of Christ and his Spirit this we see to be confusion and not uniformity and against it we have a command which was judged with the spirit of the Apostles so do we 1 Cor. 2. Reply answered In this Answer I am rendred as a fool though before a subtile Sophister and you say rather deserve to be laughed at then in the least to be replied to I say had you said as little to all the rest you had shewed more wisdom and less lying though your scornful laughter I justifie not Quer. 19. Whether ever intentively the Gospel was promised to be made known or practically that it was made known without the means to wit the Ministration of man if not why then do you resist it Answ 19. The Gospel was made known and promised intnetively and practically to the servants and children of God without the Ministration of man as to Adam Enoch Noah Abraham Isaiah and all the Propets John Baptist Simeon the Shepherds Paul and divers others and the same he doth at this day and none can limit him nor do I resist what meanes he uses but such as resist his works deny his light and would limit him Gen. 3. 15. Gen. 9 9. Gen. 17. 7. Luk. 3. 20. Luk. 2. 10.
means and maintenance that it was in the Apostles times which not one Steeple house-Teacher in the Nation is in so all you can plead for them will not game what you have confessed against them till they change their practice You have now left no place for any meaning but to the Apostles practise you must come or else none of Christs Ministers by your own confession and then you would plead for another practise then the Apostles and saies the Apostles emploiment requireth haste and they were to travel from one Region to another were to plant not to order the Vineyard To which I say it will be long ere your Ministers be in such haste as to leave their parsonages and go travel from one Region to another unless for a better benefit so by your confession they who are not the same are none of Christs Ministers so stop your mouth for pleading any change from what was in the Apostles time but what you say that they were not to order the vinyard I say that 's false they both planted and ordered but such as sit at home do neither as they did so their plants brings forth like fruit Quer. 10. Whether the light of Christ be as sufficient to lead to God now as it was in Abrahams time and if not what must now be added to it to make it sufficient 10. Answer and Reply In stead of one Answer to this I receive two slanders that I seek to prevent his will and fight against the spirit of God in the Primitive Saints Another lye you tell of God saying God then wrought immediately but he doth not the same now To which I say the Heathen knew him not to work then immediately nor do they now and so it is denied by you as it was by them Quer. 11. Can any preach Christ who have not Christ in them and where he is is he not sole Teacher what to preach and pray and how and when and to whom and is he to be limitted by any external thing or to any external thing or is any Ordinance to be practised but what he in spirit leads the Creature to 11. Answer and Reply Your judgement is that they may preach Christ and yet not have Christ in them and so Reprobate Preachers you would set up and it is your likest way lest you should exclude your selves and all the rest of that blind generation but do such know what they preach who preach without Christ in them for say you the Traytor preached Christ as well as any other of the Apostles I say such preachers are you of and such is your fruits and you murmur at staying for the spirit and saies it bereaves you of your glorious communion of God I say what communion is that which is without the spirit what glory that is I know it s but the glory of your imaginations and so is your prayers that is without the spirit and all the rest of your worships Quer. 12. What is the ground and rise of your knowledge whether it be received within man from God or without from the letter And if without whether this be not the knowledg which all the vain janglers comes out of and the generation of persecutors comes out of as the Jews was in which professed the letter and were strangers to the life of God And whether this generation of men and professors in our age do not begin to manifest the same as the persecuting Jews did yea or nay 12. Answer and Reply In your Answer to this you say your ground of knowledge is neither within nor without and so it seems by your Answers as without foundation not spiritual because not within and you bely the Church of Ephesus in saying their faith and knowledge too was without not within And for your blessed Candles of the Gospel as you call them whom you say waste themselves that you may grow up into perfection I say they are seen to be dart lights and such as waste all about them but withstand perfection casting into prison for their gaine and envy such candles give light to all your drunkards swearers whoremongers fighters lyars covetous proud Idolaters and all manner of licentious persons such perfection is brought forth by such as follow their candles and so cal darkness light and light darkness and their works are like their candles and you blasphemers set these in stead of Christ calling them candles of the Gospel much like your selves who say the Ephesians when they beleeved their faith and knowledge was not within such dark Lanthorns you are who have not the light in you so your light and faith is without so blame them not who say you have no faith in you and so are unreasonable men 2 Thes 3. 2. and that is seen by your tumults at the Mouth And for the fire and faggot you tel on you are going toward it fighting imprisoning whipping and blood-shed The light of your Candles Quer. 13. What Scripture have you for your manner of worship as to read a Chapter and to give meanings to it and call it Expounding to take a Text of another mans words and raise Points Reasons and Uses c. to sprinkle Infants to sing Davids words in order of your Ballades to stand praying in the Synagogues at your set times before and after your glass prove your practise by command from Christ or practise of Gospel-Ministers else for shame cease to call it Gospel-worship since none of Christs Ministers worshipped in that manner 13. Answer and Reply Your Answer to this is thus much Christ preached and his Apostles and you preach Nehemiah expounded and you expound and so doth the Pope may he say but that either he or you are in that manner of preaching that Christ and his Apostles was that I deny and that you are to prove for what is not in the same manner is another worship for if Moses vvas so faithful in his house that not one tittle must be changed much more Christ so that worship which is not the same in manner though it have got the name of Worship yet that I deny to be Christs worship But to question this your manner of Worship say you is to clip the wings of God So he that will not let men set up what they will for worship and hold it unquestionable clips Gods wings so we must beleeve as the Church believes saies your Predecessor but will you call your selves Ministers of Christ and will not the same manner serve you to preach and worship in that his Ministers used but are gone out from the same in every particular and would bring the Apostles words to justifie a practise contrary to theirs which to question you call clipping of wings And whereas you say this hath been as often answered as proposed that is false for never was it answered yet nor can be till the same manner of worship be brought forth in every particular Did the Apostles or Ministers of
its fruits Heresie in you If Diabollical then cease like Simon Magus to seem to be some great one to draw Disciples after you and resist this spirit in your self better repent then perish Ans The power that worketh in us is Divine Isa 26. 12. Phil. 2. 13. and the tree is known by its fruits and that is Antichrist and Heresie and Diabolical who hath no faith nor knowledg in them And such like Simon Magus would by or sell it for mony if they had it And these are Antichrists which John speaks on who cannot confess Christ in them And such we resist by the Spirit in us Quer. 21. Whether it be by the spirit of Satan or the power of God say you that worketh by Charmes whereby some of your Proselytes have been possessed with Divels as Gilpin Mary White and others And whether Peter or Simon Magus be the Apostles of Christ or whether it be the work of the spirit of God to inspire with the holy Ghost or with Satan and hereby let us know whether you be Saints or Sorcerers Make it out upon a Gospel account Ans The lyars and those that have no faith in them are possessed already but when the light of Christ is preached the Divel that hath possessed them comes therewith to be judged who then sets up his Charms to tempt them and turn them back again into his old way which if he effect it then his Ministers cryes them up for converted Christians as they did Gilpin till they were ashamed on him for his Drunkenness So they become your Proselytes for after the Divel get up with his Charmes in them they abide not with us For the spirit of God judgeth all Charmes and charming Worships and inspires with the holy Ghost But they who have no faith in them are inspired by Satan Hereby we know Saints from Sorcerers Quer. 22. And since you so much raile against Superiors and Dignities c. Ans Where the Quere is begun with a lye the intent thereof is easily seen What is the Superiors and Dignities we have railed against the latter part of your Quere makes it manifest Because we will not call your Ministers Masters as well as Rulers I say they are blinde that take them for either But since this is the thing you mean Is not Christ a Railer also with you who forbade the same before us if the Follower be guilty surely the Leader cannot be free And whereas you ask if Stewards of the Mysteries of God be inferior to the Word Master I say he may well be said to have no faith or knowledge in him that calls them either for there was never any of the Ministers of Christ who were Stewards of his Mysteries that were called of men Masters Neither will all your pleading for it obtain it from any who know the one Master Quer. 23. Did not your spirit speak in Korah Dathan and Abiram and their adherents c. Ans I say no Our spirit was opposed there as it is now by you And the spirit of Diatrophes you tell on is that which loved the preheminenee and is now pleading for Mastership which we oppose with its Doctrine by which the holy Men of God ever suffered and now suffers even unto blood for the testimony thereof even for the Lord Christ within us which you render as a reproach so to say which we count great riches and the hope of glory which you who deny faith and knowledge within oppose in a spirit of presumption and abomination Quer. 24. Is a lye the fruit of an in falliable or falliable spirit and may not a true Church erre and so be falliable Or may it erre and yet still be infallible or is pretence of infallibility or assurance that that Church so pretending is a true Church or did any of the Apostles boast of infallibility c. Ans A lye is the fruit of a fallible spirit Therefore is there so many heapt up in your Book who deny the infallible spirit and faith within For he that hath not an infallible spirit hath a lying spirit as you have sufficiently manifested And the true Church is in God the Father and in Christ Jesus his Son which is infallible But neither the Church of Rome nor yours is it who are without God in the world who scoff at the Lord Christ within us and render it as the sin of Korah for us to confess him How should there be ought else in you but a lying spirit And the Apostles boasted of an infallible spirit from which nothing could separate them with which they were sealed to the day of Redemption after they believed in the light which you that deny faith within have little knowledge of and so oppose you know not what and therefore are looking for miracles for your adulterous spirit and sayes is not the spirit fallible I say stop your mouths you lying spirits The spirit of God is not fallible nor did you ever know it who would so render it which spirit you that have not you speak of your selves and judge with a lye and the pure light you know not but are in the hellish darkness you tell of As these errors following which are gathered out of the heap of your confusion may witness That the new birth is a Remission of sin That the new birth is nothing else but a sanctified mind and will That the mind and will of man is the matter whereof the new Creature or Image of God is made That the new birth is the work of the spirit the ministery of man as the matter That he that knows the new birth by the letter of Scripture knows it not without the light and yet saith closing with the law written in the heart is contrary to the Gospel and that the Gospel is not made known by seeing within That their sins was no sins before the Letter of the Law was given That the Saints before the Letter was given had immediate Revelations of Gods vvill but since as Israel did in Canaan so lie at Rack and M●nger That if the Lavv vvhich God hath vvritten in the heart be novv sufficient then God vvrought a work in vain in giving the Law at mount Sinai That the Gospel is not made known by seeing within That the faith and knovvledge of the Disciples of Ephesus was not within That private Saints had never particular and peculiar commands That the Apostles was to plant but not to keep in order the Vineyards That as Satan is a Serpent so is Christ That closing with the Law written in the heart is contrary to the Gospel That the Law written in mans heart were not sufficient to its proper end Many more such blind confusions I might have gathered out of the heap but these may serve to shew what you know of the new Birth The new Covenant or Christ whom it is The Apostles Ministry or the Saints commands The Gospel light The knovvledge of sin or your selves but