though all the Members be living in him and Elected in him yet he without them is no compleat body and so no full Election and therefore as the Election takes in Christ so all the Saints of God and whereas thou sayest all that receive him wherein the Election is in him are Elected this is true if thou understand it of the manifestation of Election to us so our receiving of Christ declares to us that we are Elected and adopted of God but if thou understand it à priori of the cause and ground in God of our Election as if he had therefore Elected us because he foresaw such and such would receive Christ then thy speech savours of an old errour for this builds Election upon the foresight of merits faith and power in man to receive Christ and so it destroyes the grace of God for if Election be by grace meere grace then it is not at all upon forseen faith and works otherwise grace is no more grace read Rom. 11. 5 6 7. And so though we receive Christ because we are Elected in him Eph. 1. 4. Yet we are not therefore Elected because we do receive him all being according to the Lords good pleasure to the praise of the glory of his grace and so as 't is in the outward world there was the image or idea of every thing first mente divina in the divine minde before it came forth in the creature not first in the creature and then in the minde of God that could not be seeing the creature was not so in the spiritual world the Church things were first in God as in their ground not first in the creature and then in God and so the idea of our Election was first laid up in the Lords minde counsell grace and good pleasure not in our acting believing and receiving Christ his beloved for this no man can do till it be given and so this building Election upon our receiving Christ is a building upon the sand upon something no man where it is not not upon the Rock which is the grace and good pleasure of God and so it makes voide the nature of grace and our Election though vain man that would be wise and something cannot receive this Quest 7. What is the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace and how ye were led out of the first and established in the second Answ The Covenant of works is that which man doth from the letter thereby to get life and the Covenant of grace is that written in the heart where Christ is the Light Life and Law-giver and by him the Law is fullfilled in us who walk no more after the flesh but after the spirit and by his light were we led out of the first and by his life were we established in the second Repl. This being a sober answer I could wish it were written in thine heart and proceeded from the life and power of that Covenant where all is written and sealed within And friend if it did so though the Letter would not be unto thee as the life yet it would never be slighted by thee being a witnesse unto the life Joh. 5. 39. much lesse would so much of the Kingdom be placed in some of the lesser observations of it when the weightier are neglected though none that live in the Kingdom will account any command of God small and much lesse yet wouldest thou make the commands of God of none effect by thy traditions neglecting the Law of faith of meeknesse of love and peace because thy ceremonies and traditions are neglected by others if you ask wherein ask thine own conscience and let that be thy witnesse and testimony in all which thou art found still walking more after the flesh then after the spirit Quest 8. What is the state of sin and wrath which all men are in and under by nature and how ye were led out of this estate Answ The state of sin is a state of condemnation and wrath from God separated in which all are by nature but by that light which is contrary to nature are we led out of this estate for he 's given to be a leader Isai 55. 4. Rep. What can poor fallen Adam or man do till God comes quickens him by a word of promise given in a spirit of power for I find the state of nature is a state of sin deadness darkness as to the things of God and the life of God wherein there 's no power to believe nor light to turn us towards God and in this estate there 's a departing from God still through unbelief and a wandring in the dark after the desires of the flesh and minde and so a separation from God and a coveting to hide our selves from his presence amongst the things that are made because we finde nothing due unto us by reason of sin and nakednesse but condemnation and wrath and so we are by nature children of wrath till the Lord in mercy and great love quicken us and raise us up through the second Adam revealed in us to live in him who is our light and life and so the onely leader of lost man out of the former state of sin and wrath and so he 's given to be a Leader and Commander by being an inward witnesse of love to us and all to free us from the Law of sin death and condemnation Quest 9. Whether any in this life are totally freed from the remnants of sin and darknesse seeing Paul saith now we know but in part and he prayed for an increase of knowledge in the Saints and Peter exhorts to grow in knowledge and Paul complains of a body of sin of a Thorn in the flesh of the lusting of the flesh against the spirit and James said in many things we offend all and John if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Answ In the life wherein thou livest is no redemption from sin for that is it which cannot bear good fruit Repl. To which I say I know that in me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing for the flesh is flesh still and sinfull still and cannot bring forth the fruit of God which springs from a new birth but in the life of Christ in me or that life which springs from the new birth there is redemption from sin and this is that which brings forth in me fruit to God Answ Further to the death of the Crosse must thou subject and obedient be else not know that life and birth which is free from sin Repl. What I am I am through the grace of God and this grace abounding towards me has brought over my flesh that Crosse whereby I am in measure Crucified and so have tasted and known that birth which is free from sin Answ The life of the new man who witnesses is free from sin Rom. 6. 6 7. and 18. 22. Repl. All the freedom from sin which this
Here 's no judging murmuring complaining dividing persecuting murdering These are the wayes of Egypt and Babell In Canaan there is rest from all the works of Egypt and darknesse Here 's unity in the midst of variety Here all are looking into the onenesse into the pure image and nature of the Father and this light keeps harmony and agreement between all the sons of Canaan And so in Canaan there 's joy melody singing Halleluja's Here the world is not mentioned flesh and bloud is not at all remembred with delight the former things are passed away and all is become new God alone is made mention of to be Lord and King and set up upon the Throne for ever Quest What is the vail which divides between the holy and most holy Answ It 's the flesh of Christ and all outward dispensations which divide and keep Saints whilest in weaknesse and bondage though holy in some measure from entring into the most holy into the substance truth it self or into the choisest glory of the father This vail of flesh in Christ was rent when he suffered death or was crucified in the flesh Through which death or rending of the vail of flesh he entred himself and made way also for us to enter into glory Hebâ— 10. 19. 20. Having therefore boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh And when this vail of flesh of letter and shadows and outward dispensations is rent and crucified by the eternall spirit in the true Christian then he the Christian enters into the holiest into the glory and joy of his Father Quest What is the death which over all men is passed and how camest thou to live Answ It 's first the breaking of the body or this earthly Tabernacle which comes upon all without exception for sin Rom. 5. 12. Secondly it's the dying unto Paradise and the Kingdom of God which man hath drawn upon himself by his lusting after and eating of the fruit of the four elements By this lusting and eating he becomes infected poysoned in his minde and will with the fruit of the Sun and Stars And this is the taking and eating of the Tree of temptation and his leaving the Tree of life and the heavenly fruit And thus he becomes an earthly man and dead Death stickes in his minde and soul and man is dead to all feeding upon God and the Son of God who is the Tree of life Man can no more feed upon the fruit which grows upon this Tree of life which is Christ till Christ awake and arise in the center of his soul and carry him through all the Trees of temptation or the pleasures pompe and glory of the outward world into the inward or holy pure element of this spirituall body and pure nature and there awaken him to eat of the Tree of life and live for ever And this is the way whereby I and all the Sons of God come to passe from the spirituall death into the spirituall life in the pure nature of Jesus Christ Quest What is deaths reign from Adam to Moses And to Moses how didst thou come Answ From Adam to Moses there was no law written without all the law was within upon the conscience here was the rule or law which God gave the worlds to walk by Now the world acting against this light and law within kept sin in the world from Adam to Moses for till the law viz. given out by Moses sin was in the world Rom. 5. 13. Now sin alwayes brings men under the reign of death and so death reigned over all from Adam to Moses All had a law given within otherwise they could have had no sin for where there is no law there is no transgression Now mens breaking of this inward law was their sin and this their sin brought them all under the power and reign of death And thus it is still though there had been no Moses to write Gods commands in outward tables or Scripture yet the law being written within upon the conscience by the finger of God we sinning against this law do plunge our selves into the reign of death wrath and condemnation we kindle the Root of the fire and that being awakened makes our Hell or self-comdemnation within because we have sinned against our light Now by this light and law within we come to know Moses and that all the law she hath written are holy just and good because we finde the same within that he hath written without and nothing without but what is in spirit and power within Quest. Who are they which sin not after the similitude of Adams transgression which till Moses death reigned over Answ They are infants in years according to some who although they sin not actually after the manner of Adam yet they have sin and death written in their nature according to the weaknesse of this creation Or they are infants in knowledge who although they have not such full discoveries of the minde of God and such strength to stand as Adam had and so their sin be not so great as Adam which is to sin after his similitude yet they have a plain law within as before which bids them not act or eat that which the Lord forbids They living contrary unto this law fall into sin and death And in this childish condition are we all sound till the Lord quicken and save us Quest Art thou called immediately by the great God of Heaven and earth into the Ministery yea or nay Answ That Ministery I act in I have the anointing of the Spirit which doth sufficiently warrant my call But as for those who are called through Arts and Sciences and mens ordinations without this anointing I know they are the Pillars of Antichrist which I cannot own for the Apostles of Christ My calling teacheth me to renounce my fleshly wisdom and to live upon the grace and love of God commending that manifestation of the truth that is in me to every mans conscience in the sight of Christ Quest Hast thou seen Gods face yea or nay Answ To see the invisible God with carnal eyes I never did nor shall for no man hath heard his voice nor seen his shape but with the enlightned minde I have in some measure seen his face nay his heart in the precious revelations and discoveries of his Son towards me in love which Son is the face and heart and brightnesse of God opened in love wherein he shews and speaks forth plainly his exceeding kindnesse and goodnesse to all his Children This face of God I have thus seen which is more to me than a thousand vvorlds Quest Hast thou heard Gods voice immediately from Heaven and earth yea or nay Answ I have heard his voice as I have seen his face viz. inwardly spiritually which voice of his hath fetched me out of the grave of darknesse sin
Scripture mentions I own knowing that the body is destroyed and dead and my Soul as a bird delivered from the snare Answ Further the second birth sins not 1 Joh. 3. 9. and 1 Joh. 5. 18. the second birth is without guile and spot Rev. 14. 5. and Christ is manifest to take away sin and he that abides in him sins not 1 Joh. 3. 5 6. Repl. All this I own rightly understood but 't is much besides the question for the question is not whether the new man sin but whether the man in whom this new man is manifested sin or not seeing that which is born of the spirit is spirit and that which is born of the flesh is flesh the spirit cannot sin but the flesh can do nothing but sin Rom. 7. 17 to the end and Gal. 5. 17. there you may see the two births the two men flesh and spirit and what their actions are and yet I own a taking away both of the guilt and power of sin where Christ is manifested in the new birth Answ Further but thou takest Tythes and so deniest Christ who takes away sin Repl. By the same argument thou mayest say to a Magistrate Souldier Landlord Labourer thou takest custome pay rent wages therefore thou deniest Christ who takes away sin Answ Further but Christ thou sayest has as much power to cleanse man as the first Adam to defile man Repl. Christ has more and greater Rom. 5. 15 to the end That which defiles do's not come from power properly but from weaknesse or want of power but that which cleanseth comes from the mighty power of God and yet though man be not cleansed God is not to be blamed for who art thou repliest shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Rom. 9. 18 19 20 c. Answ Further I who lived in the wayes customes fashions pastimes and vain recreations of the world it is high time for thee to plead for sin in this life Repl. This is but thy clamour neither do I plead for sin but for the truth of God witnessed both by the Letter and spirit unto all that are not fools and blinde and thy denial of sin Satan and Antichrist to be where they are either in power or part is the old trick of the evil one to hide himself where he is and that too many have drunk in this poison and say with their hearts and practice though not with their tongues Stand by I am holier than thou thou art a sinner a Satan an Antichrist I am none that many are under this sad delusion it appears by their clamouring and condemning all that worship not under their green Tree and whether thou and they are not greater friends to the beast and sin that dream in your hearts you have no sin and so are lifted up than those who confesse they have sin and so are kept humble meek and low which of these are the greatest friends to sin I leave to the light to judge Answ Further if all have remnants of sin when then must man be cleansed seeing as the Tree falls so it lies and no unclean person no unclean thing must enter into the Kingdom when is the time of cleansing is there a purgatory after man be turned into the dust Repl. The time of cleansing is here here we are not in the flesh but in the spirit that we may be comforted and yet in the flesh as well as in the spirit that we may be humbled God beholds no iniquity in Jacob and yet Jacob sees iniquity in himself all his iniquities are covered that he may be blessed and yet his iniquities sometimes appear that he may be lesse than the least of all his mercies Friend there is a purging here a real total thorow eternal purging in Gods account who reckons Saints by his grace and yet whilest the flesh remains it will hanker after the flesh and beget such breathings after self and things below that many times the best will see cause enough to mourn and to long after a dissolution when they shall see their enemies again no more for ever so that here needs no Purgatory after this life sin is here condemned destroyed and in part executed and when the dissolution comes 't is bid farewell to all the Saints of God and left to inhabite here below something here of this thou mayest call a contradiction 't is so unto the blinde 't is not so unto the wise Answ Further all who are led by the light of Christ into his life as they come and abide so are they totally freed from the worlds life and power of sin and darknesse and to lead up to this was the Saints exhortation into the Unity out of the woe into him who is but one in whom is all truth and no sin nor self nor deceivings Repl. All who are led by the light of Christ so far as they come and abide in his life spirit through his light and leading so far no farther are they freed from the life of worldlings and the power of sin and darknesse and the end of the Lords spirit by his exhortations unto others in his messengers and Saints was and is to perswade them more into the Unity of the spirit through the bond of peace that so they might be kept from the woe of sin and darknesse through a dividing from this spirit and might learn to live in him whose light and life is one in nature though not in measure in all the sons of God and he who walks and lives in Christ and Christ in him is so far delivered from sin and self and deceit into all light and truth as he walks and abides lesse or more in a sweet manifestation of his life in Christ so that Christ manifested is still the standard and measure of all our light and truth and redemption from sin and darknesse and if this manifestation were full and compleat in this earthly house what need the Saints groan and wait for a dissolution 2 Cor. 5. 1. to 10. and for the appearance and coming of Christ in glorie 1 Joh. 3. 1 2. and through hope of this endeavour still after the Lords purity verse 3. waiting for a full enojyment and discovery of their adoption or of that unto which they are adopted Rom. 8. 23. Answ Further Paul saith we know but in part we Prophesie but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. and so say I in the time of Prophesie man sees but in part and knows but it part Repl. Friend why doest thou here in thine ignorance like others to cover their ignorance wrest the Scriptures Paul sayes we know in part and we Prophesie in part and thou turnest it thus In the time of Prophesie indeed man sees but in part and knows but in part Paul do's not say in the time of Prophesie we know but in part but according as our Prophesie or Vision is so is our knowledge both but in
The scornfull QUAKERS ANSVVERED AND Their railing REPLY refuted BY The meanest of the LORDS Servants MAGNUS BYNE Beware of false Prophets They come unto you in Sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening Wolves Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they be of God Because many false Prophets are gone out into the World LONDON Printed by William Bentley for Andrew Crook at the sign of the green Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1656. To the READER DEar friend I speak to thy conscience in much tendernesse unto thy Soul Learn to fear the great God more and more For blessed is the man that feareth alwayes Wait upon the Lord and he shall renew thy strength Go unto him as unto thine exceeding joy Love all the appearances of his Son as the comfort of Saints in all generations Watch over thine own heart Stand in awe and sin not Let the Lord come into his Temple and Worship him alone Take heed of every gin and snare of the old serpent who is in a great rage because he hath but a short time Be sober and quiet in thy Spirit and hear the Lord speak His word is nigh thee within thee walk in the strength of it and this will keep thee from the paths of the destroyer Long in thy Spirit to see the new Jerusalem the new Heavens and the new earth wherein dwels righteousnesse Let thy moderation be known to all men for the Lord the desire of all Nations is at hand Stand still be calm be meek and thou shalt see his salvation Let thy Spirit groan and travel in pain with longing to see the Lord arising to work For men abused by the old Dragon seek to make void his Law And among all the vanities which I have seen under the Sun take heed of the two foolish blind mad generations of Ranters and Quakers The former of which I have seen the Lord scatter and appear in great wrath to consume rebuking the evil Spirit in them and laying them open to their shame among their enemies The latter of these I have had some dealings with and finde them more furious and raging than all that have gone before them and notwithstanding all their shew of holinesse wisdom humility temperance yet by a little dealing with them I finde nothing but impurity folly pride madnesse even to admiration and wonder in all their doting questions fowl mouthed answers vain janglings railing accusations even as if Satan had left all others and brought all his power along with him to fill their hearts and tongues with all manner of blasphemies and evil speakings against all others but their own deluded party And strange it is to see how Satan in them is divided against Satan Satan rails blasphemes and then to save himself cries out 't is Satan he blasphemes and and rails at in others The Devil mocks jeers scoffs rages in their filthy hearts and tongues and when he is seen and manifested by his carriage to be the evil one presently he condemnes himself and sayes 't is the Devil all my fury is powred out upon 't is him I condemne in men and women not the similitude of God the man or woman to whom I speak Thus the Lyar and the Murderer in these men raging speaks to excuse himself from his lying and murdering by perswading simple people 't is himself he aimes at And yet such a strong inchantment I finde in this mad carriage that some poor Souls are even overcome with their violence and have thrown away not the light and grace of God onely that once appeared in them in shew but even their reason and humanity too and subjected themselves to this carnal yoke for fear of being still condemned by the Devil Take one passage of a great Prophet of their own one Tho. Law-Cock who meeting at one Goodman Matthews house near me was called aside by the woman of the house of good report but almost turned a Quaker to whom the woman in kindenesse said Sir will you eat something which I have provided The Quaker replied What shall I eat with Devils and Dogs and pointing to a Dog There 's thy Companion thy fellow-creature of the same nature with thy self saith the Quaker and shall I eat with thee a Devil a Dog And was not this a good argument at the first meeting to perswade the woman to be a Quaker And when the woman began to reply something to excuse her great sin of asking this man of God as he calls himself to eat he opens his box again and calls her Whore and Harlot and was not this another good argument to perswade her And yet this woman and the man too begins to believe in the Quakers and to admire their light and power lusting after the painted image and innocent spotlesse religion which thâ—se poor deluded wretches have set up and made And as they have dealt with this woman so with some others whom I know prevailing with them and upon them even by the same Magical power of Satans workings in them Therefore it behooveth us all to look to our building upon the Rock to our interest in the holy one of God to our receiving and walking in Jesus Christ the Lord rooted and built up in him that so the gates of Hell may not prevail against us Further a little to lay open this blinde seer Lawcock at one meeting with some Baptists he was demanded whether Christ suffered and died at Jerusalem His answer was That Christ suffered but Christ did not die and yet it was not Christ who suffered neither but that which was born of the Virgin See here his contradictions of himself and his contempt and denyall of the death of Christ And yet afterwards at another meeting being in the presence I charged him with this and he presently cried out Thou lyest I acknowledge Christ both suffered and died and yet this man must be infallible in the midst of all these contradictions against himself Further at the same meeting when I was present and beginning to lay open his folly the Quaker exhorting to meeknesse and silence and the like but presently falling a railing cursing and roaring against Priests and hirelings I asked him in patience how these speeches could hang together we must be meek calm quiet but he must roar and rage At the first dash the man cries out thou lyest thou art a beast and the like and entreating the man to sit down and be meek according to his own speech he foams out his own shame still A litte after wondring at the madnesse of the Prophet at the trouble and torment of the evil Spirit in him I desired him to speak but two words of sense and reason and I would be silent the man roars again Thou art a belly-god thou art a beast And is not this a goodly Apostle Prophet Teacher Let all men judge that will not be like the beasts unreasonable Further desiring a Scripture to maintain something he spake against the
God are made and live That soul that is awakened and risen with Christ to live in the light of the inner world or new Creature and to slide from thence forth unto the darke world in the works of righteousnesse and true holiness is the soul that brings his Talent out of the earth it to improve Quest Who are they that hide their Talents in the earth to their condemnation Answ Men that sin away the light and Spirit or promise of the Father made out in their Spirits and consciences by the noble wisdome of God woing and importuning them within in the Center of their souls to turne unto the Lord and so love darkness rather then light to their owne condemnation or rather men who love to live below in flesh and sin and this creation or world rather than above with the Father and the Son making out love and truth and grace in their Spirits to bring them reconciled to God these are they who hide their Talents in the earth to their condemnation Quest Where is it and by what that God speakes unto man Answ God speakes unto man within there he stands in the gate of the soul and by many invitations woings operations which are as so many Angels or messengers of love and life he entreats men to come in and be saved as it is written Looke unto me and be ye saved for I am a God and there is none else This inward speaking of God is backed likewise with outward speakings from the heavens and earth and things that are made from the Scriptures which are a firme testimony and witnesse of the mind of God to man sometimes from Mercies sometimes from judgements sometimes from the words or mind of God put into other mens moneths All which varietie of witnesses declare the one will and mind of the Father which he is pleased more immediately to declare within by his owne voyce Quest What is that which unto the gentiles is manifest shewing unto them what of God may be knowne Answ It is the truth of the Deity or the eternall power and God-head which teaches them by the things that are made to owne and glorifie a Creator and so the unthankefull and stubborne are left without excuse Rom. 1. 20. 21. Quest. What is its operation in all from the rising of the Sun to the going downe thereof Answ The light and truth of the Deity which is manifested to and shewed in every man from the things that are made teaches every man to owne a God and to worship him and so to abstaine from evill and do good which operation being choaked and abused by most hence these wallow in the mire of sin and wickednes and superstitious vanities being given up thereunto by the Lord as a just punishment for their loving darkenes rather than the light of God Quest What is the flaming sword which turnes every way to keepe the tree of life Answ It may be the Administration of the Law within which as a light or flame shewes every man his sin and shame and so as with a sword cuts him off every way in the midst of his best actions performances and obedience from entring into life by his owne power Or the fierceness in the anger of God which turnes every way to keep every uncleance person and thing from entering into the Paradise of God to eat of the tree of life till it be washed and cleansed from its filthines as 't is written Rev. 21. 22. there shall in no wise enter into the holy City any thing that is unclean c. Quest What is the City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt Answ All the unregenerate world which are as Sodom and Egypt full of sin and wickednesse or the Antichristian formal Church which strouts it out with a shew of wisdome learning letter and History as if it were a well built City or a true Church of God but within is Wolvish Envious Dogged full of blood cruelty and persecution against Christ and every appearance of Christ in his saints This is the great City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where our Lord was crucified And in her is found the bloud of Prophets and of Saints and of all that are ssain upon the earth In brief Egypt and Sodom are the kingdome of flesh and darknesse where Christ and the true Church are presecuted and crucified in Spirit Quest What is the language of Egypt Answ Egypt speakes nothing but bondage and warre to the people of God Egypt cannot endure that an holy Church should grow up in his dominions he will murder Abell or the innocent still Egypt is all for himself to manitaine himself in greatnesse and pompe and dominion in the world to rule and be a great potent Lord in the flesh If hee preach or pray or read or hear or appear sometimes as a seeming holy man yet all is ayming at his name greatnesse and credit in the world His heart cannot cleave to and love the Son of God He must persecute and devour the poor and needy in the earth This is the language of Egypt or that which Egypt declares Quest What is the cry of the wildernesse and what is the language of the wildernesse and whether thou wert ever in the wildernesse yea or nay Answ The wildernesse unto some is a state of confusion sin and death where God is not at all remembred minded or known The wildernesse unto others is such a state wherein the soul is awakened by the voice of Christ within to remember and mind the Lord and in the midst of all its confusions to cry and long and wait for his revealing coming manifesting And in this wildernesse I have been and here I have cryed been payned and the Lord hath heard my supplication and delivered me from my feares and brought me out into a wealthy place or into a condition of love joy rest and fullnesse in himself Further the wildernesse unto others is a condition of temptation which the Lord sometimes leades his people into to try and refine them and to make his might and power known in their preservation deliverance salvation Unto others yet the wildernesse is a condition of solitarines and retiredness of spirit where the soul is carried away from the fashions and practises of the world as likewise above the tumults rage and violence of the world sweetly to solace herself in her beloved and to walke in his way which is a way of peace light and holines The cry of the soul in this state of lonenesse is all for God and the will of God it s risen as it were out of the world and gone away from all other company to enjoy a fuller sight of the Lords beauty and to have a more exact communion with his Majestie And this is a wildernesse a gracious heart delights much to be in Quest What is the language of Canaan Answ In Canaan is heard the voice of peace love and meekenesse
of the flesh I live and so my latter end is worse than my beginning Answ Though thou say so yet know that I have found out sin by sin and it was well that God did awaken me though by sin It may be thine eyes see not what this means though thou art the seer Further know though I am vile in one sense yet not guilty in the sense of the world neither acquainted with many of those things which they falsly lay unto my charge where I am guilty I have grace in me to trouble me to humble me to groan in me for deliverance to make me more vile then thou canst make me and yet to keep me from returning into Egypt again but to wait for a full power to sin no more which if it might be in thy sense I should be glad but in the sense of the Scriptures I know it shall be made good and what that is thou canst not learn but by enjoyment Repl. And the baptisme in the death of Christ thou tellest me I do not witnesse neither a planting into the likenesse of death for the Crosse of Christ thou knowest not neither doest in it live by which thing this baptisme into his death is witnessed Answ 1. I finde thee still full of condemnation and yet Christ saith he was not sent to condemne the world Joh. 3. 17. but that the world through him might be saved 2. With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of thee or of mans judgement yea I judge not my self but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 3. Thou Hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the moat out of thy brothers eye 4. Remember the death of Christ the Crosse of Christ when thou passest under thou wilt finde work enough at home but thou hast spared thy self pitied thy self slain the just one that thou mightest live and reign thou hast cried out let him be crucified that I may live in his stead and say I am he Where the Crosse of Christ hath had its power there the first man is condemned flesh withers the poor Soul is ashamed of his works and sins But thou art full and rich and high and sayest I am not the man I never Crucified the Lord of glory Judas thou knowest suspected not himself and in this Traitor see thy self and know thy own spirit 5. If I am not as I long to be yet I see the bloud of Christ cleanseth me from all my sin the Crosse of Christ makes me not to spare my self or sin I have Jesus who was dead but is alive in me making void all my glorying in flesh and bloud and he is bearing witnesse to my Crucifying and to his resurrection which is my glory And though thou a man charge me with folly yet he the true God declares me just in himself and he goes on Conquering and to Conquer and what he sees amisse in me he will tame subdue and bring under and tell thee to thy face thou art a Satan is not this a brand plucked out of the fire Therefore friend do not thou fansie a perfect knowledge of the Crosse and yet remain a stranger to the Crosse by living out of the vertue and power of it which makes all flesh as grasse and to wither as the flower of the field It is Christ in me that is my glory and his life in me springs out of his death and mine and makes void all my glory and he by his bloud and power sets me free from the condemnation of sin and the Law and he keeps me alwayes in his eye and he searches my errours and failings out to nail them to his Crosse As for that place thou quotest 1 Joh. 1. 5 6 7 8 9. look upon it better and take the tenth verse too in thy minde and see how thou canst have sin and no sin for so the Apostle saith plainly in all the Saints there 's no sin and yet there 's sin in all otherwise we make God a lyar and his word is not in us Neither is this to plead for sin as thou sayest for there 's a vast difference between saying such a thing is and such a thing out to be That the Saints have sin is a truth written in Scripture and in every mans conscience for there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sins not But that the Saints ought to have sin this the Scripture cries ought against and calls upon us to purge out more and more therefore be not alwayes catching and snarling this is not a Christian practice but let thy sin go thy exalting of thy self go and it may be thou mayest finde out the Crosse of Christ a little more exactly yet and learn better what it is to be Crucified with him and so mayest eat of his flesh and drink of his bloud Thou tellest me Repl. I know not the one baptisme which by the Spirit is witnessed which baptizeth into one body 1 Cor. 12. 13. in this body is no sin into it no deceit enters every sin that is committed is without the body Answ Thy prating words cannot make void my glorying in the Lord to thee I say the one spirit I have which witnesseth the one baptisme which is one in all the Sons of God bond or free The spirit is one the baptisme one the body one but the Members are different and have all need of one another and therefore ought not to murmure or make a rent because every one is not an eye an hand a tongue as thou doest and so sinnest within the body and committest fornication with thy self but a Member against the rest of the body making the body a Monster even all one Member not all the Members one body that thou thy self mightest be head and Members and all and so thou who makest a rent from Christ and a rent from his Members what doest thou but make a division in the body and commit sin within the body crying out of one Member he 's a Baptist of another he 's a Presbyter of another he 's a Prieâ—t And so thou ownest not every Member in its place and lookest not upon that baptisme which is one in all the Sons of God But when thine eye is open to see this thou wilt own a Member though low and weak and love a Member whoever he be and thou wilt seek to draw him indeed more into the Unity to rejoyce more in the Lords works than his own and yet thou wilt leave him in the variety to be usefull in his place to other Members of the body But all this thy great wisdom comprehends not And whereas thou makest as though every Member of Christ were free from all spot and sin because every sin that is committed is without the body 1 Cor. 6. 10. By body in that place is meant the outward Fabrick of every man in particular which ought
to be consecrated unto the Lord in holinesse as well as the spirit and therefore saith the Apostle in the last verse of that Chapter Glorifie God with your bodies and with your spirits which are Gods This body must be kept clean for the Lord not defiled with fornication flie fornication every sin that a man doth is without the body but he who committeth fornication sins against his own body intimating that this sin leaves a greater defilement upon the body than other sins so that by body there cannot be meant the Church of God which are all the body of Christ and so that place is wrested by thee to the proving of the spotlesse perfection of every Member of Christ and yet in the Lord I acknowledge every Member is compleat righteous holy but look upon the Member it self there we finde it lyable to all manner of infirmities yea to sin too onely the Lord Christ the righteous one the root he is free from all sin And therefore Christ teacheth us to pray for forgivenesse of sin This I know will be looked upon as a low thing and yet it is a truth of God and should teach us all to hunger continually after more of the righteousnesse of sanctification and after a plainer manifestation too of the righteousnesse of Christ in our justification Thou sayest Repl. I am ghessing what the baptisme unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea should be and thou sayest I tell thee of Metaphorical that word thou deniest and tellest me my shifts are seen and my darknesse found Answ Did ever wretch in the world so plainly confute his words in his constant practice as thou doest who dreamest of persecution and yet hast nothing in all thy Paper appearing but vanity pride and folly Surely the spirit said not in vain A wise man feareth and departeth from evil but the fool rageth and is confident And the heart of the righteous studieth to answer but the mouth of the wicked poureth forth evil things And there is that maketh himself pure yet his heart is not cleansed from his filthinesse Look upon all these things in thy self But to return to thy reply wherein instead of answering something thou talkest of ghessing and carpest at Metaphorical But didst thou never read in Scripture a thing like this Look Gal. 4. 24. which things saith the Apostle are an Allegory The difference between these two it may be thy learning may ghesse for thou tellest the people thou art a Scholar and hast been a Priest and yet never sawest a Metaphor in Scripture But to go on Thou tellest me Repl. I darken counsel by words without knowledge Answ Whether this be thy practice or mine let all men judge who sometimes turnest all the Scriptures into an Allegory and deniest the truth of the Letter as in the Crosse of Christ the resurrection and the like and yet sometimes there must be nothing but Letter when thou seest thy self alive in the Allegory as about the name Master Father Lord and the like But see how thou art presently found in an Allegory ghessing at the baptisme of Moses and saying Moses as a servant in his house was faithfull But thou must be the Master not a servant and this makes thee unfaithfull in the house of God like a Thief coming in to steal and to kill and destroy And hence thou criest out and liftest up thy voice in the street against all but such as wear thy mark thou art flesh thou art damned thou art a witch a ravenous beast there 's no pity nor mercy nor anointing with Christs nature appearing in thee and all because thou art not content to be servant but must be Master of all mens faith Repl. But thou sayest Moses saw the Egyptians drowned in the Sea and over them he sang which thou doest not know Answ Here 's an Allegory indeed see the question is what is the baptisme unto Moses in the Cloud and in the sea Answer Moses saw the Egyptians drowned in the Sea and over them he sang And is not this a learned Metaphoricall answer coming from a perfect man But by good ghesse thou hast spoken a truth though besides the mark It is so indeed Moses saw the Egyptians drowned in the Sea and yet there 's one Egyptian still alive in thee and he prattles on and saith Repl. I am in the fruits of the flesh and act contrary to the light of my conscience and so am for condemnation with the light Answ What 's all this to the baptisme of Moses Seeing our answer was denied we looked to have had some satisfaction from thee but all that I hear of is I must be condemned with the light Here thou alterest the phrase of Scripture to make void no doubt all other condemnation and Hell but what is within from the light This is good news for the World and so thy Religion like to prevail much with the vessels of wrath fitting for destruction But I must be condemned with the light The phrase is not proper nor savouring of the light of God for it seems as if the light and I should be condemned together and so we are by this dark generation But thy meaning is the light shall condemne me because I act contrary unto it And yet I desire to stand or fall unto the light of the Lord not to the judgement of this wise generation who put darknesse for light and light for darknesse and so the wo is upon them Isa 3. 10. Repl. But I oppresse the just lay heavy burdens upon them who out of the house of bondage would go the living God to worship so that a rest there is but I and all Magicians who deceive people with liknesses no further than the Sea must come there must I and all my glory Perish Answ Here no doubt are some of the Egyptians mentioned which I never saw drowned in me yet Yet know friend that I am so farre delivered from these Egyptians that I cannot oppresse either the just or unjust it is against my nature I cannot lay heavy burdens upon them and not touch them with one of my fingers this is enough for a Pharisee Neither am I desirous to see any soul in the house of bondage longer than the appointed time of the Father All that ever I aimed at was this to let people know that God goes down with his into Egypt is with them in their forms and bondage where they will be and stay till the day and time of their redemption and freedom But thee I see not going out of Egypt the living God to worship but to make thy self a God so know though a rest there be yet thou and all murmurers against thy fellow-servants and contemners of the wise dispensations of God because he goes down with his into Egypt together with all thy Magick and enchantments images and liknesses of holinesse and purity when the bitter root of pride remaines undestroyed all these Persons and things must
persecuted outwardly knowing that it is judgement and misery enough for God to send such strong delusions as that men should believe a lye Repl. But my heart is in the earth thou sayest Answ In the earth is not my treasure I finde all here vanity and vexation of spirit But in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength and so my treasure being above mine heart and affections are also above Repl. But my compleatnesse is in darknesse Answ Here indeed is the compleatnesse of the world but the Lord is arising to discover this delusion and in him his light and grace is my compleatnesse fulnesse and glory Repl. But to the light which comes from the corner-stone I act contrary and fall not upon it so upon me shall it fall and grinde me to powder Answ Had thy building been upon the corner-stone thou wouldst not in disobedience have denied him to be thy foundation but wouldst by this falling upon him have been broken all to pieces and never thus weakly been sodered up again to act and work for life in thine own power and merits and so to be a Christ a Saviour unto thy self making thy self whole without the bloud of the Lamb which takes away the sins of the world But be sure for this thy disallowing of the stone which is elect and precious thou shalt stumble and fall and be ground to powder for thy disobedience whereunto also thou art appointed As for me let me alone to live and walk in the light of the Lord to be all I am in the grace and righteousnesse of Christ Jesus In my self I am broken indeed my glory is gone and I am nothing But in Christ I am whole and well and need none of mine own power and merits to save me In him I feed upon that which is good upon substance upon the best upon fatnesse and he being my foundation without and within I have an everlasting covenant of grace even the sure mercies of David This I know because he is faithfull Repl. But thou tellest me I am out of the Vnity in the one spirit in the number of the beast the number of a man who professe the Letter declared from the life which life knits the Saints in one peace and thee shall eternally torment who livest in vanity and deniest the way of peace Answ Once more look home to thy self that thou even thou be not found in this number of a beast of a man that art compleat in thy form in thy observations drawn sometimes from the Letter and sometimes from thy fancie in the mystery and yet neither Letter or meaning is any more direction to thee than will stand with thy dark minde and form Therefore see and know that the life the Scripture the Christ the peace which thou art in is not the life out of the original in the one spirit but the life and Christ and peace of form of fansie of man and so notwithstanding all thy pretended Unity and holinesse thou regardest lying vanity and art in a weary land without water As for me my endeavour is to keep the Unity of the spirit in the bond of peace with all lowlinesse and meeknesse and long-suffering forbearing all my brethren in love I know the body the spirit the calling is one the Lord the faith the baptisme is one and that there is one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in us all A sense of all these constrains me to love the Saints in all this onenesse though in their wayes and walkings without they are divers yet in the substances of things they are all one and of one And upon this account could I freely and faithfully have communion with them preach and pray and enter into fellowship with them though by reason of their too much indulgence to their bodily exercise and outward wayes of walking they are for the most part against communion with any out of their own modell and way and so too much spirit of God I own it as a witnesse and Declaration of the Lords will and mind to man This I professe not out of the life and light of the spirit knowing that that is the living word the kernel the substance which quickens all the body and knits the Saints altogether in that one peace of God And this spirit declared in the Letter is that which keeps me from vanity and frees me from the Law of sin death and condemnation And now to the businesse of Tythes Thou sayes Repl. In my corrupt reason I am scraping up reasons to maintain Tythes but shew no Scripture Answ Here thou art at thine old trade prating and slighting but shewing little reason and yet thou goest on to teach and say Repl. To the Sons of Levi was Tyth paid for their service and the relieving the fatherlesse widdows and strangers Ans And why must not the Ministers of the Gospel have maintenance too for their service Doth the Gospel afford lesse than the Law But to let that passe Thou hast spoken a piece of truth to which I add Thou mayest finde even Levi himself paid Tythes in Abraham Heb. 7. 9. and so Tythes were paid before the Law and Levi were in being as to the Letter so that the payment of Tythes extended further than to the litteral Tribe of Levi And if Abraham and Jacob payed Tythes as it appears they did before the Law Gen. 14. 18 19 20. and Gen. 18. 22. surely they did it by a light within and this light was their Law and this is thine too sometimes though very seldom especially when to part with something from thy self and therefore art thou covetous to rob others of all their glory in inward things to advance thy self and of their property too in outward things and so thou art greedy to keep the tenth of all But to proceed Repl. Thou sayest When Christ came he put an end to that service and to the wages due to that service and that he continued Tythes to the Ministers of the Gospel by a Law that thou bid'st me prove by Scripture command or example Answ That Christ put an end to the Levitical priest-hood that I deny not But that Christ put an end to the priest-hood so as to set up no teaching in the room thereof that I deny But what or who hath he set up Answer Ministers not of the Letter but of the spirit But are your Ministers such Answer those whom Christ anoints and ordains are such for the rest I plead not But where have you Ministers that are such if the thing should be granted any command example or practice for Tythes Answer we have the light within written in the hearts of all Nations which teacheth them to pay Tythes or maintenance unto their Priests at this day this is the light of our Nation to pay Tythe unto their Ministers And this is of as much force still where it guides and rules to teach men what to do as it
was of old before there was a Law for either priest hood or Tythes But doth this light teach men to pay Tythes Answer It doth so it teacheth men to pay Tythes or maintenance unto their Ministers and where this light rules not there the Ministers can get no maintenance without an outward Law especially if he come in the anointing of the Lords spirit A Priest of Baal indeed may get Tythe or maintenance without a Law but a Minister of the Gospell can get none without a Law and so in pleading against Tythe or maintenance for men anointed by Christ to preach thou declarest thy self a friend of Baal and his Priests For doest thou not see how all Sects and forms in the Nation that are separated from the Ministery are almost all so farre blinded in this matter as to joyne with unbelievers worldlings and coveteous wretches to keep their Tythes especially if the Minister be anointed and called of God But where is your light within for Tythes guided by the Scripture Answer look Gal. 6. 6 7. and 1 Cor. 9. 5. to 13. And remember what Christ saith the labourer is worthy of his hire And he that labours saith Paul in word and Doctrine is worthy of double honour nay it is a hard thing to please Christ who hath called us to be Souldiers when we must labour and be intangled with the affaires of this life for a maintenance And who goes to warfare of his own charges That which Ministers have I could desire might be with lesse trouble and care However take all these Scriptures and see whether there be no maintenance or Tythe due to Gospell-Ministers But Christ said freely ye have received freely give Answer Christ in that teacheth us to doe the Lords worke willingly not by constraint or for filthy lucre but of a ready minde to be as free to communicate and distribute the heavenly Treasure as he is to bestow it on us not aiming at our selves and gain but at the advancement of his Kingdom and Gospell in the hearts of men And this the Ministers of Christ are desirous to do through his grace But into whatsoever house ye enter eat such things as are set before you Mat. 10. and Luk. 10. Answer And so we will when we are called to journey up and down the world as the Disciples were to do but being ordained over a particular place we are to feed the people with the word over which the holy Ghost hath made us Overseers and to take such things as are consecrated to us But Christ bid the Apostles take no Tythes Answer And strange it is he should seeing they were to go up and down from City to City and place to place Surely if they had taken Tythes of all they would have been very rich And besides the world being strangers to all knowledge and profession of Christ this would have hindered the advance of the Gospell Yet Paul told the Corinthians that they might be chargeable to them as other Apostles of Christ And yet thou goest on to say Repl. O shame of all Parish hirelings who have a Law to force maintenance from an whole Parish and I who call my self a Minister of the Gospell am not content with the Gospell wages and thou bid'st me prove if ever Minister of the Gospell pleaded for Leviticall wages Answ No friend this I go not about to prove but maintenance is the thing I prove and if thou call that Leviticall thou mayest thy tongue is thine own Neither would I plead for any thing if all did covet to walk according to the light within and without which teacheth that the labourer is worthy of his hire Repl. But Christ blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances Heb. 7. 10. Col. 2. 20. And so I that am subject to these things am in the world and covetous practices Answ But see whether thou thy self be not rather in the coveteous practices of the most wicked of the world in seeking to keep thy Tythes from the labourer who Christ saith is worthy of his hire mark that word hire It may be it may open thine eyes though hirelings in thy account I know the Lord abhorres who labour for themselves not the Lord Yet take heed how thou keepest the hire from the true labourer and that against all light and Law and this present Scripture in that place Heb. 7. 10. The Law of the Priest-hood is changed And so say I and Col. 2. 20. We must not be subject to ceremoniall ordinances as touch not tast not handle not seeing what was ceremoniall God hath blotted out and nailed to the Crosse of Christ and so we are not to place Religion and holinesse and worship in outward things and places and Ceremonies but may be free to that which the Law made outwardly unclean as touch not taste not And yet in this freedom we are not to be without Law to God Repl. But still thou goest on to tell me I am a Thiefe and talkest of the wages of the first Priest-hood which God did not allot to them who were to do the work of the everlasting Priest-hood Answ Yet I tell thee I am no Thief but one come in by the door by the Son of God to preach his Gospell according to the measure of the gift of Christ And no more wages do I receive than the Gospell allowes me in 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. And he is a Thief that keeps back the hire of the labourer and he is a murderer that envies and hates his brother Look to thy self Repl. But thou sayest I am telling of the Lords giving a man Tythes as a portion of the earth to nourish himself and family Answ And why may not the Lord do this And is not the earth the Lords and the fulnesse thereof And doth he not give it unto whom he pleaseth Is not Christ the Heir of all things And wilt thou murmure and tell the Heir he hath done wisely in giving away his Tythes from thee Thou worm know that Christ is the wise disposer of all things and doth all exceeding well Repl. But thou sayest I am not sent of the Lord I am one of those that teach things I ought not for filthy lucres sake Answ Whether thou own me or no is not much regarded of me seeing thou ownest not the Lord himself That I teach things I ought not as thou and others do is false what I preach is the Gospell of grace But thou settest up another Gospell and so art accursed though thou wouldest fain he accounted an Angell That I teach for gain is but thy simple prate I am contented with what I have Tythes or no Tythes if the Lord please God is my wages and he payes me well Further thou sayest Repl. I plead for Tythes sometimes as a gift from the Magistrate sometimes as a gift from the Lord and so thou cursest me from running greedily after the errour of Balaam for gifts and rewards and my God thou deniest who
speak a word to thee Remember from whence thou art fallen thou art fallen from thy light within thou hast lost thy tendernesse to the Saints of God because thy light within is turned into utter darknesse and now in the deep darknesse thou art high in thine own imaginations Nay thou art I am and there 's none besides thee and so thou ragest and art furious against every one that sees thy nakednesse and blasphemie Why poor vile worm where art thou and what art thou Thou art like the Egyptians flesh and not spirit thou art a man and the son of man that shall die a man full of infirmities and sins like all others of the sons of men Nay a man of sin in all thy proud exaltings of thy self a lyar a false Prophet thou art who criest out I am Christ the son of the most high lo here lo here In all this hast thou grieved the Spirit of God sinned away the promise of the Father made use of the light within to wrest the Scriptures to thine own destruction which light teacheth thee to fear the Lord alwayes for thy good to glory and triumph in him as in thy life and joy This light reproves thy drunken spirit thy wanton heart that is so farre in love with thy proud flesh that thou must needs be Christ and God This reproves thy scoffing jeering nature thy seeking to destroy the weak ones for whom Christ died This light shines in thy darnesse but thou comprehendest it not and this tells thee to thy face thou art ignorant bruitish foolish and knowest little of the mysteries of God and Christ and what thou knowest doth but puffe thee up and make thee forget thy Maker and yet loath thou art to be seen and made manifest to thy deluded party and therefore thou hatest the light of Christ and Gospell of grace and unwilling thou art to come to the light lest thy deeds should be discovered and though thou talke of being redeemed from the earth yet thou knowest not the earth wherein thou dwellest thou canst not see the earth in thine heart set nor how thou thy self art the earth wherein thou livest And here thou art rich and wise and honourable in this earth of flesh and bloud and knowest not that this earth must passe away and all the works that are therein be burnt up and consumed because that in it dwells no good thing Therefore thou proud wretch that art lifted up to heaven come down from thy Throne and see thy shame see where thou livest even where Satans seat is in that which is called the the old man the Serpent Satan the accuser This is thy nature thy seat and habitation where thou dwellest And up and down the World thou goest like thy Father to devour the noble seed of God that thou alone mayest be the seed the King the God and all Therefore be wise for thy self look home turn thine eyes inward be not alwayes like the fool abroad Thou hast a great work yet to do Nay all thy work yet to beginne which is to deny thy self Thou hast almost all the weaknesses blemishes errours sins of all the forms abroad centred in thy self and therefore lay the Ax to the root of the Tree hew down thy self or rather let the Lord do it for thee he is wiser and stronger than thy self he 'l search and prove and try what wickednesse there is in thee and lead thee in the way everlasting Know in all this I am not thine enemie mine aime is at the destruction of Antichrist and the man of sin in thee and fain I would see thee what thou pretendest to be holy harmelesse undefiled separate from sinners according to some measure of Christ learning to see the Father in the face of Jesus Christ and then thou wilt soon fall down at his feet and say I am a man a poore drop of the bucket one who cannot in all my search finde out the Almightie in his perfection he is high and deep and incomprehensible but I am vanity a weak poor shallow thing and so I cannot but in admiration of the Lord wisdom and knowledge say How unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Who hath known the minde of the Lord or been his Counsellour For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever and ever MAGNUS BYNE A REPLY TO LAWSONS ANSWER To 28. Questions Wherein his darknesse and bitternesse are still manisted by the same Authour MAGNUS BYNE Quest 1. WHence the name arose and whether you own any such thing as the trembling and quaking of the body and flesh which hath befallen some at your meetings and whether that may not be a delusion Ans The name arose and is cast upon us by Ismaels brood a generation of scorners Repl. Ismaels brood are scorners indeed and this Spirit in thee calls me Priest Hireling c. and so thou art hereby witnessed to be of that generation of scorners but wisdom is justified of her Children Answ Further the thing quaking we own and the power of it as the Saints of God have alwayes done Repl. And why not then the name seeing names are but shadowes of things themselves and if the thing be justified by wisdom the name which is a manifestation of the thing must needs likewise be justified but me thinks I see your guiltinesse and knowledge of the thing to be a delusion that you are so offended at the name as for the trembling and quaking which the Scriptures intimate 1. It ariseth from an emptinesse of God a state of division and separation from his presence in love and light and so it belongs unto Devils and wicked men James 2. 19. the Devils believe and tremple Isa 33. 14. the sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulnesse has surprised the Hypocrite and again the wicked man shall not feel quietnesse in his belly in the fulnesse of his sufficiency he shall be in straits God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and so they are like the troubled Sea peacelesse restlesse and where this fear is there is torment Hell because a sense of wrathfulnesse and anger began no taste of perfect love which casteth out fear this trembling is a sad judgement of God and a certain fore-runner of weeping and gnashing of teeth for ever see it threatned Deut. 18. 64 65 66 67. the Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and thy life shall hang in doubt and thou shalt fear day and night at evening would God it were morning and at morning would God it were evening for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear and see the world filled with this fear Psal 14. 5. and 53. 5. there were they in great fear where no fear was and the issue of such is everlasting woe Rev. 21. 8. the fearfull and unbelieving shall be cast into the lake of fire 2. There is a trembling at the coming appearing of
God in the shining brightnesse and terrours of the Law to us so Israel trembled feared and stood afar off at the giving of the Law Exod. 20. 18 19 20 21. thus the Law revealed in the conscience works fear at first arising out of a spirit of bondage with all that are born of the bond-woman Agar or after the flesh as soon as they come to Mount Sinai are possessed with Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 23. 24 25. and so Paul when the Law came with power was strucken with death Rom. 7. 9 10. and at the coming of Christ to declare his sin he 's found trembling Act. 9. 6. this trembling of Paul was a trembling of the immer man the old man which Christ was now come to destroy this old man was he in Paul who kept Christ under who persecuted Jesus this old man which was Pauls own will reason minde lust and made him injurious blasphemous and a persecuter of Christ this was he whom Christ came to break to pieces and upon him falls the trembling and so Pauls trembling was his striking with inward horrour at the kindling of the Law in him and the shining of the Majesty thereof upon him this made him cry out who art thou Lord What wilt thou have me to do as for the flesh and outward body of Paul that was acted by his minde and inner man and therefore Christ did not come so much to make this tremble as the root whence this did spring the fleshly minde the body of sin this must now tremble and come under the Crosse so that this trembling of Paul and his being stricken to the ground and his falling to the earth can be no sufficient ground to justifie the fleshly trembling and quaking of these men For 1. As Paul was stricken with trembling so with bliudnesse but those who have this trembling have not likewise the blindnesse 2. Paul was sensible both of trembling and blindnesse these are onely sensible of quaking not of blindnesse 3. Paul was strucken to the earth and all that were with him Act. 26. 14. but here is one quakes and the rest are free and some have no experience of the thing at all 4. When Paul trembled the people that were with him are said to hear a voice and to see a light but at your tremblings there 's no such light or voice Lastly Pauls trembling let in so much of Christ that ever afterwards he was full of love meeknesse patience moderation towards all as one sensible what man was and this trembling brought such a piercing sight along with it that Paul ever afterwards saw a body of corruption a fleshly part in him fighting and carrying him forth many times to the Law of sin but these mens trembling lets in no such light nor life but rather madnesse fury murmuring condemning all to Hell that come not under the power of their form as likewise pride conceit and a foolish imagining a freedom from all remnants of sin and darknesse a state of fulnesse and perfection in the midst of all their palpable follies and abominations There surely Pauls trembling at the beginning of his conversion agreeing with these mens trembling in no circumstance can be no Warrant or vvitnesse for their fleshly trembling I call it a fleshly trembling because it 's a trembling of the outward flesh when the inward remains in its full force and power and rather stronger then weaker after the trembling is passed over 3. And lastly the Scriptures mention a trembling or fear which flowes from a sense and taste of what God is and what we are and this is a trembling that is alwayes joyned with faith and love and joy and this trembling and fear belongs unto the adoption or the true seed of the free-woman the Sons and Heir of God they seeing as Job speaks what an infinite incomprehensible being the Lord is and that he 's love it self and life and power and goodnesse it self unto all his Saints having a true touch of this upon their spirits and likewise of their own low weak poor empty condition in themselves that all they have they have it in the Lord and from the Lords rich grace and love without the least merit of theirs hence they learn to abhorre themselves and to tremble before the Lords Majesty and yet upon another consideration to wit of being taken into Union and fellowship with him through his son and grace they can go unto him in faith as unto their exceeding joy this is to rejoyce with trembling to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling to be afraid of God because of his power and greatnesse and so to stand in awe and sin not and yet likewise to rejoyce in the Lord and in his grace to be afraid of God because of our own pronenesse unto sin and yet to go unto him as to a father with great affection delight and joy as those who are kept by him from the power of sin and evil This is a trembling which is not for a fit and time onely but kept alive in the Soul during our abode in this house of clay whether yours be such a trembling as this let your own light be judge this is the trembling that Job and David and the holy men of God witnessed of old and do still witnesse to this very day but away with thy fleshly bodily litteral trembling and quivering this is rather like Belshazzars trembling or like a fit of Mahomet when the falling evil fell upon him which he feigned to be the holy Ghost or like a man possessed with the Devil than like the trembling of the Saints of old I know when God arises to save a Soul from death he shakes the earth and the heavens that men have made but this is inward spiritual and invisible to the bodily eye like that of Job when he said he hath broken me asunder he hath taken me by the neck and shaken me to pieces and set me up for his mark he cleaveth my reins asunder he poureth out my gall upon the ground he breaketh me with breach upon breach What was all this literal outward carnal Surely no it was rather the breaking in pieces of all Jobs somethingnesse and the grinding of him in spirit to nothing before the Lord and thus it is in measure with all his dearest Saints This is a trembling I own have not a word against and when ye can witnesse this your other trembling will no more be mentioned or gloried in at all Quest 2. Whether or no God have not a precious people found in various forms and wayes of vvorship where they are waiting on him according to their light and several attainments Answ The way of God is one his vvorship one his light one and all that are in this light are in the one way one vvorship according to their measure and by this light are all forms wayes vvorships and attainments which vary from it condemned Repl. Where the word is
would not I finde a Law that when I would do good evill is present with me I finde a Law warring in my members contrary unto the Law of my minde and bringing me into captivity unto the Law of sin which is in my members O undone man that I am c. Wilt thou imagine that this was all warfare with sin without witnessing no peace but a sword to the earth or if thou mean by earth for thy words have alwayes a double meaning the earth within in the time of his warfare how canst thou see in him a freedom from this earth or a freedom from all remnants of sin the like may be said of that Thorn in the flesh mentioned in the Corinthians in with is this remarkable that it was after his abundance of visions and Revelations being caught up into the third heaven and into Paradise where he heard unspeakable words even after all these enioyments he felt a messenger of Satan buffeting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was sent to strike me on the face with his fist as it were to upbraid me with mine inward pride and pronenesse to be exalted above measure did Paul witnesse this and canst thou see no pronenesse in thy self to sin and pride Surely thou art joyned to thine idoll and God lets thee alone to perish for want of vision Answ Further did Paul cry and groane all the dayes of his life and witnesse no deliverance did he alwayes fight and never overcome Repl. Paul never fought but was still more than a conqueror by the grace of God he had deliverance and victory still through grace and greatest deliverance when he was most sensible of his infirmities and therefore in the Lord he could Triumph and sing though in himself he was still nothing Rom 8. 2. 32. c. Col. 1. 11 12 13. And so may every Saint who lives in the light say in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength in him I have all things and so in him will I glory and though there be a fleshly minde and will sometimes stirring in me yet greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world and so he can run his race with patience wrestle with boldnesse fight with courage and when he comes to die cry out with Paul I am now ready to be offered the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is layed up for me a Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day Answer Further its true James sayes in many things we offend all Jam. 3. 3. here James speaks winningly for the seeds sake for the raising up of the simplicity Repl. Here 's a simplicity raised up in thee indeed by thine own evil heart and this thou lovest and this hides thy sin and folly and makes thee wrest and play with Scripture and so James must speak winningly for the seeds fake what wilt thou have James a lyar or an Hypocrite in telling the people that he and all did in many things offend and yet have no experience of this in his own Soul surely thine eye is out and darkned by the smoak and so neither Paul nor Iames nor the raising of one up from the dead will ever perswade thee to be humbled for thy sottishnesse and so Scriptures are of no force at all with thee But thou goest on and sayest that Iames in the 9. vers sayes with the tongue we curse men was Iames a curser or was he an offender in many things But to reply Iames was under the powerof no evil and yet he declares a pronenesse in himself and all flesh to run into sin and when thine eye is opened thou wilt see in thy tongue a fire a world of iniquity and how it defiles thy whole body and wipes away the glory of all thy profession and that this tongue of thine is set on fire of Hell and therefore thou goest on to hide thy nakednesse say Iames was writing to such who were getting the mastery in the flesh which is for condemnation Iam. 3. 1 2. Repl. And what thinkest thou of thy self Art not thou getting to be master and a great potent Lord in the flesh damning and judging all that wear not thy mark and so art to be judged and condemned thy self Math. 7. 1 2. But Christ thou sayest is the end of condemnation so of sin which is for ccondemnation to which I say Christ was the end of the Law for righteousnesse and he 's said to be made sin for us and to come into the world not to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved but I never read that Christ was the end of condemnation and the end of sin though these things I know are overcome when he comes but thy phrase is new even like thy form which yet must be no form and in almost all thou sayest I see that Scripture sadly fulfilled in thee that evil men and seducers was worse and worse deceiving and being deceived Answ Further 1 Ioh. 1. 8 9. here Iohn wrote to such who were not come through the confession but to such as confesse he saith Christ cleanseth from all unrighteousnesse 1 Ioh. 1. 9. and the bloud of Iesus Christ cleansed from all sin Repl. Even before and after the confession thou mayest read there 's sin still to be confessed before if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves after if we say we have not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not in us here 's sin still to be looked upon otherwise we deceive our selves we make him a lyar the truth is not in us his word is not in us and so he who covers his sins shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh shall have mercy and if we confesse our sins God is faithfull to forgive our sins not to impute but cover them and cleanse us from them by the pardoning and healing vertue of the bloud and spirit of Jesus this confession must be real if we look the cleansing should be real and this forgivenesse cleansing is an encouragement to us to make our confession and our resolution to sin no more which resolution being like the confession in truth God accepts of it as 't is written if there be a willing minde 't is accepted according to that a man has not according to that he hath not and so that Soul sins no more who do's not love sin peccatum facere make it to delight in it but it sins unwillingly it lusteth against lust would not for a world be under the dominion of sin this the Apostle speaks of Rom. 6. 11 12. reckon your selves sayes he to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God let not sin reign c. and so this is the reasoning of a gracious heart shall I continue in sin that grace may
abound God forbid if Christ have suffered for me and in me its high time for me to suffer with him and to arm my self with the same minde and this is the dying to sin and the sinning no more when the Soul bears witnesses against it and walks out of the reign and power of it which reign of sin is that which the Scripture witnesses against Answ Further Iohn wrote to such who were not come through the confession to babes young men and fathers Repl. Then by thine own confession he wrote to all sorts of Christians to make confession of sin why then doest thou hide spare and cover thy sin What neither babe nor father nor young man Where art thou neither in the vvorld nor in the Church Monstrum horendum Surely if ever God awake in thee he 'l despise thine image and bring thee to Sion by weeping crosse and then he 'l remove this stumbling block out of thy way and shew thee this thine opinion is but an old errour raked out of the dunghill of Hell sprung up afresh in this iron age where the love of many waxes cold and so thou wilt learn to tremble prepare thine heart by brokennesse of spirit for the lofty God to dwell in and so he 'l be mercifull unto thine iniquity and remember thy sin no more Answ Further Iohn wrote to some who knew all things 1 Ioh. 2. 20. and so were out of the knowledge in part Repl. The Unction indeed reveals the deep things of God and so gives us an understanding to know him that is true by our abode in him and so teaches all things that are freely given to us 1 Cor. 2. 12. all things that the Lord gives all things necessary to know all things that pertain to life and godlinesse credenda agenda all things to be believed of us and done by us and that in such a clearnesse that the Soul knows 't is not deceived and so we are taught to know our election vocation justification sanctification regeneration adoption c. we are taught to believe hope love be patient penitent obedient we are taught to deny our selves to lose our lives to let all go to come and follow Christ in the new creature and so we are taught according to our measure to set our affections above to live in Heaven where all our treasure is these and the like things the Unction teaches us still limited to the things freely given to us and yet there are secreta Dei the secrets of the Lord which man cannot see and live the secrets of the Scriptures the secrets of nature the secrets of the times and seasons which man knows not but the father onely canst thou see God God in his glory canst thou behold the ballancing of the Clouds the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge poor vain man who art darkning the counsel of God by words without knowledge canst thou see the Ordinances of Heaven or set the dominion thereof in the earth canst thou by all thy search finde out these things in their perfection therefore why doest thou vaunt thy self vain man would be wise though man be born like a wilde Asses Colt remember that knowledge puffs up but 't is charity edifies knowledge perverts but wisdom keeps thou hast so long fed upon the Tree of knowledge that thou art glutted and darkned by it and even poysoned to death with thy great knowledge for as too much light destroyes the sight as well as too little there must be debita distantia a due distance even so knowledge without charity and prudence to keep a due distance between God and the creature presently destroyes and may as soon be too much as too little and so as some perish through too little so many through too much knowledge Therefore remember what the spirit sayes of the wise Gentiles professing themselves to be wise they became fools Rom. 1. 21. and so let no man deceive himself if any among you seem to be wise let him become a fool that he may be wise 1 Cor. 3. 18. and if any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. consider these things and be not thou wise above what is written and given and revealed unto thee lest thou perish among the wise Greeks and Jews and the Disputers of this world Further after a little prating and railing which is very natural to thy generation thou answerest more yet to confirm thy perfection and sayes he that do's righteousnesse is righteous as he is righteous to which I say he is so so far as he do's righteousnesse and righteousnesse cloaths him even so far he answers the patterne and has the righteousnesse of Christ in him walking not after the flesh but after the spirit Answ Further thou sayest as he is so are we in this present world 1 Ioh. 11. 17. Repl. So far as he is received in us and dwells in us so far we are as he is in this present world seeing we can be no more than what he is in us and we in him for he is all in all Further know that as there is a similitude so a great dissimilitude between Christ and Saints for both I own according to what I have seen and heard in him as for the similitude or likenesse in brief take in these particulars First his Father and our Father his God and our God are one his spirit and his anointing and the spirit and anointing in us are one even the same in nature though not in measure Further his light life our light and life are one in God and so our life is hid with Christ in God then he 's a King Priest and Prophet so are we according to his springing up in us made Kings and Priests and Prophets unto God he ha's Union and fellowship with the Father so have we I in my Father and you in me and I in you I pray that these all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they may be one in us and according as this onenesse is manifested which is our life so we have fellowship with the Father and he with us Further Christ was humble meek lowly patient holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners so we according to our grace have received the same thing for nature and truth still that was in Jesus though our measure be not the same Further he made it his meat and drinke to do the will of God he was alwayes going about and doing good and this is the work of Saints as we have opportunity let us be doing good Further he was hated persecuted denied blasphemed mocked scourged a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief so are the sons of God more or lesse under a taste of all these in this world being still called to suffer before their Crown and though not in the same measure that Christ suffered yet the
from one root and father proud man exalted I know Christ is but one and his light is one in Jew and Gentile the same as to himself in the state of nature that 't is in the state of grace onely in the first 't is natural in the last 't is spiritual and so it s one in the Original but double in the birth Answ Further Thou who art querying of a difference between the light of natural conscience and grace prove such a light by Scripture of natural conscience or else thou must be plunged Repl. Consult that place Rom. 2. 14 15. Rom. 1. 21 22. when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts c. and because when they knew God they did not glorifie him as God and knowing the judgement of God c. here 's a doing of the things of the Law by nature and the witnessing of the conscience as a light either for or against them and may not this be called a natural light a light of natural conscience being a light onely in Gentiles or natural men here I have proved what thou biddest me prove yet thou in darknesse and nature hast sinned away thy light and reason and so canst not see the light of Scripture in all this I do not seek to divide the light but to give every discovery its due place and to stir up men to wait for the hearing and learning of the father Quest 11. What is meant by the Saints judging the world Answ The Scripture means as it speaks but thy dark minde wants clearing when thou knowest a Saints life and him come who is the Judge then thou shalt see the Prince of the Judged and all his subjects condemned Repl. This answer is like thy self savouring of malice and darknesse both and loth thou art to discover and shew a reason of thy faith and hope in this matter of the Saints judging the world when thou knowest him whom thou speakest of then will thy judgement fall upon the Prince thou speakest of and all his subjects not so much upon the Saints of God and the truths of God Quest 12. Whether your cursing condemning all that come not under your light savour not of pride and a spirit of Antichrist seeing Antichrist is said to be one who exalts himself and Christ sayes we must not judge that we be not judged and Paul bids us speak evil of no man Answ This query thou hast made up of lying and false accusations 't is not your practice Repl. How dar'st thou before the face of God and man thus deny thy practice so read thy Papers Sermons carriage is there any greater pride than to be proud of our Gifts Visions Revelations High worth condemning all for Whores Sorcerers Reprobates Beasts Hirelings Dreamers Heathens prating against all sorts of Christians with malicious words casting them out of the Church and Kingdom of God forbidding to receive any as brethren but men of your own model form and way is not this judging and condemning another Where is thy light thy conscience what all asleep and gone to deny thy constant practice But this is not cursing Ans In Scripture language cursing evil speaking are all one Exo. 22. 28. thou shalt not revilâ— the Gods nor curse the ruler of thy people which Paul renders by evil speaking Acts 23. 4 5. revilest thou Gods High-Priest then Paul answered I wist not brethren that he was the High-Priest for it is written Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people whether or no thou and thy party be not deeply guilty of this I leave to all to judge I say guilty of evil speaking and evil and false accusing condemning all instead of speaking evil of none as if all light and truth were bound up in your spirits who wallow in all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse which springs up in the man of sin who exalts himself above all that is called God and vvorshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God here thou seest Antichrist is very devout he 's in the Temple and he 's there as God behold thy figure in this letter and read it in thine own practice and spirit and see whether this savour not of pride and evil speaking Quest 13. What is the reverence and subjection we owe to Magistrates and all higher powers and whether your carriage towards the present Magistrates be not unmannerly and uncivil seeing Paul said we ought not to speak evil of rulers and Jude calls those filthy Dreamers that despise Dominion and speak evil of dignities and bring railing accusations against them Answ The reverence and subjection we owe to Magistrates and all higher powers is that every Soul is to yield unto the power of God and where the Magistrates Soul is subject unto that power there the sword is not born in vain but is a terrour to evil doers and a praise unto them that do well and to that power our Souls are subject and do reverence to such Magistrates who God has honoured with that power yet doth not our reverence stand in respect of persons Repl. As every Magistrate is cloathed with the power of God and is in that power a form or figure of God therefore called Gods so every one is to yield unto that power though the man that be cloathed with it be good or bad yet the power is of God in anger or love unto a people and so the power must still be owned though the man that has it may be evil and wicked the power is of God still I gave them a King in mine anger though in mine anger yet he 's a King and I gave him and by me Kings reign and Princes rule yea Nobles and all the Judges of the earth and the most high ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will though an Hypocrite reign for the sins of the people yet his power is of God and the Saints alwayes have yielded unto the power though not to the wickednesse in him that had it as the three Children called Nebuchadnezzar King be it known unto thee O King they yielded to the power though not to the golden image even so Christ yielded to the power of wicked Pilate knowest thou not sayes he that I have power to crucifie thee and power to release thee and Jesus answered thou couldest have no power at all against me unlesse it were given thee from above I know thou hast power and that 't is given thee from above and Paul sayes there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordered or ordained of God Rom. 13. 1. and so to the powers must men be subject either in doing or suffering the will of God by them though the power be in Nero a cruel bloudy wicked man yet 't is
the false Prophets shut out of the Kingdom of God because they love not the great chain in the hand of the Angel but to leave thee where I finde thee the chain I love and own as that which keeps me from the paths of the destroyer neither am I telling as thou sayest of Satans binding without me for this is not mine interest but the inward binding and yet when I see Satan bound in any measure without me that I can look upon with joy too well knowing that there is joy in heaven at the conversion of one sinner but I must not cast pearl before Swine lest thou turn again and rent me for the angry brood love not the Pearle Answ Further Satans binding is in the life onely learned not in the imagination Repl. And yet it may be too but in the imagination though it seemingly appear in the life as we see in a Nun Monk Hermit Pharisee and the like here 's a seeming binding of Satan in the life and yet but an imagination therefore take heed God looks most upon the heart yet upon the tongue too and when Satans binding is better manifested in thy carriage tongue then I may have better hope to say thou believest with the heart Answ Further John saw Satan bound a thousand years since which thou art still querying about Repl. John I know had a Vision of Satans binding in himself and a Vision of all the binding and loosing that was to be in ages to come and therefore the Revelation of Jesus in him was to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to passe now I know about this binding and loosing of Satan and the living and reigning with Christ a thousand years called the first resurrection there is a great variety of opinions and judgements amongst the Saints and in the world and all the opinions almost look unto things without unto some intable observation to the outward eye abroad making this and that the beginning of the thousand years and the first resurrection so making the spiritual Kingdom to spring up with some great outward glory and to begin with some observation visible to the outward man all which methinks suits not with the nature of a spirituall King and Kingdom and so seeing men feel after that without which was to be fulfilled within and hearing of the great talk of the Quakers knowledge therefore I sent to thee to know and see thine experience of this resurrection and of this binding Satan and reigning with Christ and behold I see nothing in all thine answers but vanity pride and deep darknesse so much to that answer to which I 'le adde Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection that hath Christ to be his resurrection and life by whom he 's fetched out of the grave and passed from death into life by a strong hand this man as he has bowed and given himself to Christ so Christ is come down as it were to him to set him upon the Throne of his glory and here he sees judgement executed upon the beast and Dragon and Satan bound in him all the dayes of his life and Christ living and reigning in him for evermore this is the first resurrection over which the second death hath no power and this is that I commend to all as the better part which the Saints in their measure all injoy and without which the last resurrection will be but a sad hour of sorrow and woe unto the world and so though the last resurrection I own and the day of judgement yet the first resurrection of Christ raising us up from the death of sin and darknesse to live with him to God in newnesse of life is that which every man and woman ought to look earnestly after in this world And now some may imagine that this spiritual resurrection is not the thing meant in this 20 Chap. of the Revelations because 't is said to be a thousand years and then to be finished and Satan to be loosed out of his prison again to whom I answer that the thousand years has respect to the reign of Christ in the Saints in all ages during the time of every dispensation of God towards his people in the world and so the first resurrection has still been passed through and is to be passed through by all the people of God here and finished at their departure hence in the Lord and as this resurrection was more glorious in John's time and the first ages of the Church after Christ than before under the Law so it shall be more glorious yet than ever before called therefore the new Jerusalem wherein God shall come down and dwell with men to wit more in the fulnesse and glory of his spirit than in all the dispensations that have gone before and the more glorious the resurrection is the more the evil shall be bound and the appearing of this in all ages has been the binding of Satan and is that which limits and puts a stop to this Kingdom and so a torment to him before his time and the more this grows the more he shall bound so the great binding of Satan shall be not by a personal reign of Christ in a body but by the personal or more eminent reign of Christ yet in the fulnesse of the spirit this is that which every Saint is to look at in himself and not to put off the resurrection from himself to some other men or some other time but to look at his own resurrection and the binding of Satan in his own soul as well as without in others that he may reign with Christ here and hereafter in the 12. of the Rev. 8. 9. we read of a war in Heaven and of a great fight between the Dragon and Michael but the Dragon and his Angels prevail'd not but are cast out and their place is found no more in Heaven this is that we are to look at in our selves for the Church of God is the Kingdom of God on earth and where this Kingdom is set up there Satans Kingdom is pulled down and his time finished I say where Christ is set up in power 't is so not where he 's onely set up in shew for where things are but in shew there the unclean spirit is said to go out not to be driven away by the sun of God but to feign a going away and so to return again and bring 7 other spirits that is more power along with him and finding the house swept and garnished to enter in again and dwell there and so to make the last state worse than the first but when he 's castout by the finger of God then we have the true Champion on our side and now the evil one must leave the house for ever and further though the Scriptures speak of a finishing the thousand years yet that is meant in reference unto every dispensation of God to his people here and their abode