Joshua and Israel falling down before the Ark which was in prayer to the Lord and the Lord heard him and spoke to him and answered him Now he doth not say that he fell down to the Ark or to the Images or bowed down to them for the Law was contrary which saith thou shalt not bow down c. But he and Israel fell down before the Ark to the Lord and this is nothing to the bowing now to Images and pictures and crosses for that was the time of the Figure there was a Temple made and many things Tabernacle and Sanctuary which was all in the types and figures before the substance was come But now the substance is come Christ Jesus who ends all types and figures and similitudes and the patterns for he is the substance of those things that figured him forth who hath opened their mouths So now your crosses and your images and your pictures and your bowings before them wch you have made and set up is Antichristian without any command of God against Christ who is the substance And if Joshua had bowed to the outward Arke or Altar or Temple or any of the Figures c. But it was not so and the command of God was the contrary and we say Christ is come the everlasting covenant the everlasting Priesthood for in the first Covenant and priesthood was the Figures and there was singings c. But now they that sing must sing in the spirit and they that pray must pray in the spirit and they that worship must worship in the spirit so it was the work of the Apostles to bring people off the shadows and changeable things to Christ the substance where there was no shadow not change nor variablenesse and to keep them from Idols and so all your idols images crosses crucifixes representations are set up since the Apostacy from the Apostles and so our mouths are eternally opened and that Scripture in Joshua the 7. brings nothing for you for the Jewes Ark is gone and down now and their Altar and Temple is down and gone and denyed by them that be true Christians in the life but them that have a name but be dead are setting up imitations and likenesses that has lost the life of Christ and his minde and the image of God are falling down before dead Idols but Christ is risen and those that be risen with him are seeking those things that be above for crosses crucifixes images idols be below among the dirty mud where the Devill is in the earth the murtherer and murthering one another about their Idols and these dead things which are all out of the truth Pr. And even as Joshua and the Israelites made their prayers to God after this manner and Ceremony so do we make our prayer unto Christ and the blessed Trinity and because we have or at least ought to have a sense of our own basenesse and of the just indignation of Christ against us we turne our selves to his Saints and blessed Mother who are likewise represented unto us by these pictures and do humbly beseech them to mediate between us and Christ Answ. Joshua his falling down before the Arke to pray to the Lord your falling down praying before your Images and Idols and Crosses to put you in minde of Christ is not measurable nor comparable with Joshua's but for the Ark which Joshua fell down before it is ended which Arke was a command of God but yours God never commanded but have been invented by you that have apostatized from the Apostles who saith Little children keep your selves from idols so that which God commanded being denyed which they fell before much more ought yours to be denyed which God never commanded and both are judged with the spirit of truth in which the Saints pray to God the Father of spirits who can pray without Images or representations or Idols and the Saints and the Apostles Christ bade them pray in his name not in the name of Mary not in the name of the Saints nor in the name of his Mother but ask in his own name for saith he Who is my mother sister and brother but those that do the will of my father So this I say though people be never so vile they are not to ask in the name of the Apostles nor of the Saints nor in the name of Mary but in the name of Christ and he hears such who asks in his name for there is no other name under heaven given by which any can be saved then by the name of Jesus Pr. He saith when ye shall see the signe of the Son of man which is the signe of the Cross in the ayre c. then shall all the mockers of this signe of the Cross seeke to hide themselves in the clifts of the Rocks Answ. Who be in the Crosse of Christ which is the power of God they are in Christ and are made free from the wrath that is to come and are in Christ which was before the hills rocks and mountains was setled but your rocks and your mountains and hills in the Apostacy hath covered you and to them you have cryed and under them you have sheltered who has drunk the blood of the Martyrs and Prophets and Saints since the days of the Apostles and your Crosse is in the Ayr set up by the prince thereof who have inwardly ravened from the spirit of God which is the lying signe and the wonder and not the signe of the Son of Man so spirituall Sodome and spirituall Aegypt which is darknesse mystery Babylon the great mother of harlots which inwardly ravened from the spirit of God which has reigned over the Kings of the Earth which have set up her inventions and turned against them that was in the spirit of God who be in the lying signes and wonders And the Son of man is coming upon you like a Thief in the night the same to day yesterday and for ever And all schisms and heresies in the whole Christendome so called is amongst you and such that professe the Scriptures but be out of the life that gave it forth which with it the life we comprehend you all which life was before the Scriptures was given forth and who be in it be of the Church Pr. He saith If you will look upon others then draw your eyes from the bad and worser sort and look upon the better sort whose lives and conversations are without reproof whose godlinesse innocency love and charity to all men c. more then any other sort and the very best amongst you in true reall worth and weight may no more compare then lead or dirt may be compared with gold Answ. Your works and fruits should praise you that is the counsell of a wise man and not thy own tongue and your own tongues but how can you speak of innocency or godlinesse or humility when that Fires Inquisitions and Gaols and killing of such as be contrary to your minds which
they should continue in the Father and in the Son and they that went forth from the Apostles went forth from this and in the Revelations it is declared that all the world went after them who had the lying signes wonders and the miracles and deceived them that dwelt upon the earth and that has been the worship of the beast and this has been since the dayes of the Apostles who said some should depart from the faith which is the shield and so made war against the Saints which was in the faith and over-came them but now the Devill shall be taken and with him the beast and the false Prophets and cast alive into the lake of fire and Babylon the great whore confounded and the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory and the everlasting Gospel shall be preached to them that dwell upon the face of the earth which is the power of God and strike down all those that has got the words but not the power and reach to the life and immortality that that may come to light through the Gospel which is the power of God and to you that is the word of God The Profession of the Catholique Faith of the last Councell of Roüen holden in the year 1571. according to the Councell of Trent holden the year 1360. which they have taken upon oath and sworn to perform Answ. WHich Faith and profession and Catholique which is held up and performed by an oath a company of swearers which are sworn to perform the Catholique Faith and Profession is got up since the dayes of the Apostles and since the dayes of Jesus Christ in the flesh and separate from them for Christ saith swear not at all though they had sworn in the old time Christ who was the oath of God and the Apostle saith above all things my brethren swear not who was in the covenant of God the oath of God not by heaven nor by earth nor any other oath least ye fall into condemnation so all swearers whatsoever Papists or other that are called Christians are fallen under the condemnation And the Apostles contended for the Faith and was in the Faith till death and true brethren vvhich vvas held up vvithout an oath so all that hold up or perform their Profession of Faith vvith an oath are apostatized from the true Church Faith and Profession from it reprobated and are under condemnation from the Apostles Saints and Christ vvhich vvas never svvorn to perform the Profession of their Church though the first Priest-hood svvore and the Angel and men in strife and Abraham and Solomon and Moses and the Prophets yet Christ the second Priest-hood the covenant of God and the oath of God is that vvhich ends all oâ—ths and denyed svvearing and the Apostlâ—s that vvere in the faith of him denyed swearing and these was of the true Church and pure Religion And though the Angell swore the Angels must bow down to the Son of God that saith Swear not at all who is the end of the Prophets greater then Solomon the end of Moses reigns over the houshold of Jacob and Joseph and before Abraham who said swear not Christ Jesus him by whom all things was made before it was made the Master of the family of Heaven and Earth who is the Author of the true faith which is held without an oath which Author of Faith denies oaths and swearing and ends them and they deny swearing that be in his faith 1. and 2. Prinâ—iples IN N. believe of firme faith and professe all and every of the things contained in the symball of the Faith which the holy Roman Church uses viz. 1 I believe in God the Father all powerful Creator of heaven and of the earth and of all things visible and invisible 2 And in one Lord Jesus Christ the onely Son of God and begotten of the Father before all the worlds God of God Light of Light true God of true God begotten and not made consubstantial with the Father by whom all things have been made who for all men for our salvation is descended from heaven and hath been incarnated by the holy spirit of the Virgin Mary and hath been made man hath been also crucified for us under Pontius Pilate hath suffered and hath been entombed and is risen again the third day according to the Scriptures and is ascended into heaven is set at the right hand of the Father and again shall come in his glory to judge the living and the dead the Kingdome of whom shall have no end Answ. You are not in the true faith of the Son of God nor know him not to be come in the flesh that be swearers and you that be not in the faith of the Son of God you know not God but swearers are under the condemnation and knows not him that was crucified that said swear not at all And knows not him that dyed and rose again and him that is the Light of the world and the Judge of the world Christ Jesus the Saviour by whom all things was made made of a woman born of a Virgin who is one with the Father him ye know not that be out of the faith of him and the Apostles who said Swear not at all whose profession Church Faith and Religion is held up by swearing and oaths with all your stuffe and invented words apostatized from Christ and the Apostles Church profession and faith and Religion under the condemnation and all professions besides upon the earth which is held up by oaths and swearing are under the condemnation in the reprobacy concerning the faith which is in Christ Jesus which gives the victory and is the shield and in which men please God without an oath you cannot please men nor worship without an oath 3 Prin. And in the holy Spirit Lord and quickning power who proceeds from the Father and the Son who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified who hath spoken by the Prophets Ans. You talk of believing in the Spirit that proceeds from the Father and the Son or God that spoke by his Prophets which Christ is the end of the Prophets and you talk of true worship as speaks in spirit and truth which the Devil and enmity is out of you talk of these things who holds up your Church profession and Religion with oaths a company of Apostates from the true faith which the Apostles were in which Christ is the Author of which faith hearing the spirit is received which denies oaths and then in that spirit is God worshipped and the Scripture known given forth from it and the Son and the Father known the Spirit received and the spirit of the Prophets and the end of their words Christ Jesus these are all known by the hearing of faith wherein the spirit is received 4 Prin. And one holy Church Catholique and Apostolique 5 Prin. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins and wait for the resurrection of the dead and for
against whom you and all the sects upon eaâ—th appears that are come up since the dayes of the Apostles whom they comprehend and will tread to dust and to powder The seed of God is risen and the top-stone is laid glory to God in tâ—e highest Come out all Sects and Sâ—ctaries to the battel and you are all in the vanity contenders and pretendeders got up since the days of the Apostles the marks are appeared not to be the marks oâ— the Sâ—ints who hath the Fathers name written in their foreheads but you have the mark of the Beast upon you and without the true ground and the true reason of the Apostlâ—s â—re you out of For instâ—nce the true Church taught not to persecute and the true reasonable men that was in the faith for faith gives victory over that nature in particular that would persecute and so doth not lead to kill the Creature for the sake of the nature in it in general And fafth teaches not this Dâ—ctâ—ine but denies it and brings to suffer all things through which mountains are subdued Thou further saist They that are of a wicked life may have a right faith and reproves others that cannot believe it Answ. A wicked man he hath not faith of the elâ—ct of God for faith gives victory over wickednesse and faith purifies and faith makes reasonable and who are of the faith are of Abraham and come out of all these adulterous generations the mystery of Faiâ—h is hâ—ld in a pure conscience Now here you are in the errour you Papists and all Apostates from the Apostles like the Jewes and the Devil that hath a belief but is out of the truth yet may get a belief in the Letter as the Jewes held a belief long in the Letter but kill'd the Son And you have had the Letter and form of godlinesse long but killed the Saints and Martyrs who are reprobated Devils Jewes Apostates Papists from the elect of God for who are of faith â—re of Abraham and who are of Abraham are of the elect of Christ which doth not pertain to Idols And here is the mystery of the Church known the body of Christ which is a top of your flesh and Idols both which is not of the flâ—sh of Abraham nor of the Church All you are but the pretenders of the Spirit of Christ in the apostacy from it since the dayes of the Apostles as your fruits declare your names and Images So I confesse to you it is the ancientest form that hath been since the dayes of the Apostles but had I never known the Papists nor none of these Sectaries we had knowâ— truth We came not through the Popes channels but are come to that which all Apostates ravened from and so you your selves must be put to silence and your mouths stopped which are the evill beasts that tears one another worse then the common beasts which the Apostles speak of which was coming up before his decease How are you learning one another about your meat and husks and worships and images and helps and Teachers and Scriptures which was not the work of them that gave it forth with your horns And how many Images have you upon you and names and marks and what are all these Images and marks but the marks and Images of the beast which is risen since the days of the Apostles Whereas thou Queriest what be all these but sect as Independents Anabaptists and other Sectaries which sayest thou was first of the Church of Rome and thou sâ—yest the Church of Rome cannot be said to be sectaries because it hath been constant since the dayes of the Apostles and all Sectaries springed from it and not you from them Answ. The Roman Church was the first made up of Hereticks Schismaticks and Apostates and Reprobates and Antichrists and false Prophets which Christ said should come Matth. 7. and John said was come and as you may read in Timothy and Titus Reprobate from the faith and erred from the faith and had the form of godlinesse and denyed the power and kept the form and as John said was come and they went after Idols before his decease and he writ to the little children to keep themselves from Idols And Jude saw them crept up before they were aware which went in Corah's Balaams and Cains way that were Murtherers And are not you Murtherers that murther one another as Cain about his sacrifice And Jude saw they turned the grace of God into wantonnesse which should be their teacher and salvation So all these self-separations Apostates Reprobates which went after the doctrine of Devils and forbid meats and marriages and the spirit spoke expresly should depart from the faith and â—ll these have made up the Church of Rome and there 's your visible Church held up by Cains weapons Then as for all these Sectaries springed from you you were like to beget no other children but bastards which is but a false conception brought forth by the will of man which is applyed that God got it and fathers it upon God And as for all these Sects which are sprung of you are like no other wayes but like to a Sea and burst into names which went from the spirit of God you are not like to be kept in unity who ravened from the spirit of God the life of Christ and the Apostles was in and to that which you ravened from are people come and coming which stands a-top of you all They that worship God must worship him in spirit which mortifies all sin and corruptions and they that worship God must worship him in truth in that the Devill abode not in To all the Papists upon the Earth TO come out and try their faith and strength without Cains weapons for there was two that did sacrifice and the one killed the other about the sacrifice and whether of these two was excepted can you read your selves and which was the vagabond It 's said that the Pope and the Church of Rome hath the Key and it 's left to them and ye are the keepers of the Key Now if you be keepers of the Key ye are to open to Nations about you and to render a reason of the hope that is in you if the Lord be sanctified in your hearts you will Are you according to the Scriptures Is the practice of your Church according to the Scriptures Is the spirit of the Lord powred upon you and all flesh Doth your sons and your daughters prophesie And if any thing be revealed to another that sits by you and bids another hold his peace that is speaking for you may all prophesie one by one Or are you not like others and the rest of the Sects that will put them in prison and say they have disturbed you and so shew your selves both Reprobates and Hereticks from the Church and the Spirit that the Apostles were in And can you say Christ is in you male and female Or are you not reprobates and say you
Is that the body of Christ the Church for the Apostle saith the body of Christ which is the Church 69 Is God worshipped in truth but in the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures and in that which the Devil is out of Now can any of you worship God in the truth unlesse you be in the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures then being in the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures how can you say that the Scripture is hard to be understood or any that be in the Church seeing the true Church is made up of living stones and the Scripture was given forth from the spirit 70 And whereas it is a generall word to say you believe as the Church believes and the Scriptures are hard to be understood Doth not this shew that you be all afraid of your standing and shew that your Church is in the state of apostacy from the Apostles and Disciples of the Lord Jesus that there is a cry amongst you the Scripture is hard to be understood And we must believe as the Church believes and the Church is the Pope and his Councel Now if he or his Councel dare not venture to try their standing to meet the spirit of God and to answer these Qâ—eries or all his train that be under him then shall we know and then shall it be seen who is the true Church and who are the apostates and set up a likenesse an Image And if you do shelter your selves in the darkness and not come forth to the light and dare not venture your Principles and is afraid of the heat and for fear that your heads should be cut or slashed and your principles dasht to pieces and see that your weapons will not carry you out and that your righteousnesse is but as rags and you have been but wolves covered with the sheeps cloathing and have been devourers of the Lambs and can do nothing without your swords and carnall weapons and your Inquisitions then may the whole world see you Therefore come out I challenge you all and give an answer either in print or in writing and bring your deeds to light that they may be manifested to the whole earth and declared on the house-top our weapons are not carnall with which we shall handle you neither need you fear your persons neither need you be afraid that we will wrestle with flesh and blood for that which was amongst the Apostles is come to that which hath been since the Apostles is seen The arm of flesh is not our weapons but the Lord of hosts Come thou Pope with all thy Jesuites and Cardinals and see if thou can stand this day before the truth for these queries be to the whole body and thee scattered up and down the face of the whole earth and the power of the Lord God of life of heaven and earth is gone over you and hath fathomed you 71 Was it the work of the Christians to be beating Dâ—ums up and down fighting destroying one another where has been loving enemies where has been overcoming evill with good and rendring to no man evill for evill 72 Doth not Christ say It hath been said of old time thou shalt perform thy oath unto the Lord But doth not he say swear not at all Now ye swearers have not you bâ—oken Christs command and have apostatized from his doctrine but if ye say the Prophets swore or Abraham swore or David swore or Solomon swore or Moses swore or the Priests swore Christ is the end of the Prophets and Priesthood a greater then Solomon then Joseph or Jacob Before Abraham was I am who saith swear not at all Now if you say did not the Apostles say an oath was an end of controversie and strife amongst men that men swore by the greater which the Apostle brings as an example shewing how God could not finde a greater and therefore swore by himselfe concerning his covenant that doth not change betwixt God and man in which covenant man comes to have peace with God Now if ye say did not the Angel swear in the Revelations I bring forth my first begotten into the world and let all the Angels worship him and this is the beloved Son heare ye him saith God And above all things my brethren saith the Apostle swear not at all neither by heaven nor by earth lest ye fall into condemnation So are not all you swearers fallen under condemnation and out of the Apostles doctrine and apostatized from it Nay is not the power which you call your supream under the condemnation and Magistrates that are swearers and giving oaths no Christian Magistrates but they and their power is all under condemnation all swearers upon the earth for saith the Apostle Above all things my brethren swear not at all left ye fall into condemnation So are not ye swearers who calls your selves a Church Pope Magistrates all upon the earth under condemnation and out of the doctrine of the Apostles false brethren and out of the power of Christ who has all power in heaven and eâ—rth given unto him who saith let your yea be yea and your nay nay in all your communications who is the end of oaths whose doctrine the Apostles preached and abode in Now are not all Churches Teachers powers Magistrates under condemnation that be the swearers and not the help-government to Christ out of the higher power all Magistrates from under the higher power that be swearers and out of Christs power and help Magistracy and government for him who has all power in heaven earth given unto him and out of the Apostles Doctrine and Christs Doctrine who saith Let all your communication be yea yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more is evill And so how can a company of swearers be a Church or the supream power which are the Beasts and false Prophets apostatized from the Apostles and Christs Doctrine and them that inwardly ravened from it and has had the shâ—eps cloathing that tear and rend all in pieces that will not come into the wolves way and bow down to that which he has set up and so therefore is the cry amongst you the Scripture is hard to be understood and you are tyed to believe as yoâ—â— Church believes so by that means you have held the out-side the sheeps cloathing and pretend to be saved by your works and meritâ— when the wolfe has been in your hearts tearing to pieces and rend and devour them that will not believe as you believe I cannot gainsay you in this as for your saying the Scriptures are hard to be understood when you are all ravened from the spirit that gave them forth 73 Where did ever any of the Saints change their names unlesse they had a command for it as ye do when ye are made Popes Did Peter change his name 74 Where was it amongst the Apostles that some might not marry and they might not at some times of the yeare marry but at those times they might
THE PAPISTS STRENGTH Principles and Doctrines which they are sworn to Preach from the Councel of TRENT by the Popes Authority and after confirmed by the last General Assembly at ROVEN 1571. All which they have sworn to perform Answered and confuted Furthermore their Principles and Doctrines Answered and Confuted as they were laid down in two or three severall Papers by R. W. Papist lately sent from HOLLAND Also a challenge to the Pope and all his Adherents to choose out of all his Dominions some Cardinals Fryers or Jesuits to try their Bread and Wine after Consecration by watching on their side and on our side to prove that if afterward they have consecrated it whether the Bread and Wine doth not loose its taste and savour and so not the Body and Blood of CHRIST Also a paper to all them that fast and afflict themselves who are in the will-worship and voluntary humility Also some Quaeries to all the Papists upon Earth to be answered in writing and sent to them which all Sects upon the Earth call QUAKERS By GEORGE FOX LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth neer Aldersgate 1658. The Papists Principles as followeth whose name subscribed thereunto is R. W. Priest HE saith He cannot but admire to see what a power Satan hath over the sons of Adam and especially â—ver Schismaticks and Apostates from the union of the Roman Catholique Church Answ. Theâ— that be in the true Light Chrâ—â—â— Jesus that fathoms the world 〈◊〉 not admire to see the great power of Satan over the sons of Adam in the fall and over all the Schismaticks and Apostates for Schismaticks and Apostates and the sons of Adam in the transgression be all â—n the Devils power where he is in the transgression out of the truth in one power murderers for the Devil a murtheâ—er sons of Adam mâ—râ—herers in the fall out of the truth Schismaticks and Apostates out of the truth murtherers and will all murther and noâ—â—dmired at with the children of Light who has tryed their spirits So Devil sons of Adam in the fall and Papists and Protestants that will all murther for Religion and worship be all in the Devils power Murtherers out of the truth that Christ and the Apostles was in so the Roman Catholique Church which will murther is Satans synagogue for he is the murtherer and there he hath his seat And all the Protestants that be murtherers about Religion and worship are Satans synagogue are Apostates and Schismatâ—cks as well as you they were the first great synagogue of Satan and the first Apostates and Schismaticks from the life of the Apostles and Christ though since the dayes of the Apostles you have apostatized from the life others has professed against you and so are broken into heaps and names Satan has got up many synagogues in many parts of the world and gotten the sheeps cloathing and cryed up himself to be the name of Châ—â—stian which is meer Antichrist quite against him compelling all by sword or faggot or prison or stocks or whips or houses of Correction or Gaols or Inquisitions to worship him This is quite against Christ the Apostles spirit in the apostasie from them apostatized So you may strange to see the Devils power over the sons of Adam Apostates and Schismaticks and not see your selves swallowed up in the Devils power doing his work Thus judging others not seeing your selves for the Devill sons of Adam in the fall from the truth and you who are apostatized from Christ and the Apostles Doctrine and the Schismaticks that be from you in words and sects and names that be called Protestants that will murther for Religion and Worship they be all in the same power which the Devil is in for the Devil is out of the truth the sons of Adam out of the truth and the church of Rome out of the truth apostatized Protestants and all others that be out of the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures be out of the truth such are murthering one another about words and are Satans synagogues wreâ—â—ling against flesh and blood Striking at creatures in stead of striking at the power that captivates creatures to the intent that creatures might come into the liberty of the Sons of God which was the work of the Apostles and Christ Pr. No man can discern head or foot of the Quakers method or order yet there is some shew of reason in their Quaeries Answ. Thus he confounds himself Babylon And we do believe that neither the Papists Apostates Protestants nor sons of Adam nor Dâ—vill out of the truth can know either head or foot of the Quakers principles with all their thinkings for the Quakers is come into that which the Devil is out of sons of Adam is out of the Papists are out of and the Protestants that which overwhelmes them all Devill sons of Adam Papists Protestants out of the life of God with it are they all judged which Life the Quakers are in Pr. He saith not one Papist that he knows doth call himselfe a defender of the Faith yet he saith in a sense in writing against our principles he might call himself a Defender of the Catholique Church and Faith and yet notwithstanding he could not defend himselfe from the Devill Answ. In this thou hast shewed thy faith and the faith of the Catholique Church which will not defend you from the Dâ—vill so ye are the reprobates from the faith of the Elect that quenches the fiery darts of the Devill and gives victory over the world and the Devill and is their shield and with that faith is his Kingdom subdued And we do believe that the faith will not defend you from the Devill and if thou knowest never a Papist that is a Defender of the Catholique Faith what have you done with all the fires and faggots and inquisitions and killings and slayings and writing of your great Volumns against them that have protested against you all this time but now your faith fails and your wheel is gone off and the confusion of Babylon is confounded and the faith of Gods Elect contended for witnessed amongst them called Quakers whose weapons are not carnall but spirituall And your wicked Priests and such as be in the reprobate sence like Judas betraying the just have been the Preachers and Teachers which has gotten the form of godlinesse but are out of the power and the life and these are them that have risen against the Saints and overcome them which are now warring against the Lamb and the Saints but the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory Pr. And whereas you say you give the title of holinesse to the Pope after the same manner as was given to the high Priest in the Old Testament and wicked Magistrates was called gods and the Priests wear their titles upon their breasts and Jacob called his wicked brother Esau Lord and there is Scriptures enough to give honourable titles to wicked men Answ. These are
Inquisitions and this hath been held up by the same nature and the same weapons by which the Heathens held up their Idol gods and the apostate Jews as the apostate Christians from the true faith and from the true Christians of the true Church whose weapons were not carnall but spirituall by whose faith they overcame the world the kingdomes and subdued mountains and quenched the fiery darts of Satan So your overcoming and all other Apostates hath been with outward weapons Gaols Inquisitions and death bound with oaths out of the Covenant of God whose Religion is built upon that who are all the Wolves ravening devourers and so doubts the ground of them in your selves you feel not yet your pasture and fields hath been so large for the Beast to raven up and down in but now the Lord God Almighty with his power will hedg you up and bring you into a narrower compasse And anathematized and hereticks are ye all from the Apostles as the Gentiles from the Jewes but Jewes and Gentiles all come to be one out of the life which gave forth the Scriptures So Christians that be apostatized and anathematized from the life that the Apostles were in be as the Jewes and Gentiles from the life of God and with the life all comprehended amongst the Jewes and Gentiles from the life of the Apostles and true Christians and with the life of God are all judged who be out of the life of the Saints So it is not the professors of the words of the Saints but they that be in the life that are justified they are they who have unity with God and one with another 19 Prin. And this faith Catholique out of which any cannot be saved the which presently I professe of my good minde and hold truly I say promise vow and swear for to retain and confesse God helping most constantly intirely and inviolately untill the last teach and preach as much as shall be possible for me through them that shall be subject to me or shall be in my charge so God me help and these holy Evangelists of God Answ. All swearers are out of the faith of Christ Jesus who said swear not at all and the faith the Ministers of Christ and the Apostles were in who said swear not at all and the Ministers of Christ was not made by oaths nor sworn to preach but you are apostatized from their faith and life that gives victory And the Evangelists all of them was against swearing there is not one example among them all not among the Apostles that they broke the doctrine of Christ in swearing and was made Ministers by oaths but by the will of God which you all are apostatized from them and are held under with the Life and from their faith reprobated and your faith and Catholique is out of that which saves and Church and so come under the condemnation which was the false brethren went out from the Apostles and since the world have gone after them which have had the Scripture and your own traditions and ceremonies the sheeps cloathing which have been fain to binde one another and tye one another by oaths to uphold what you professe which is all out of the Covenant of God and the saving faith you are ignorant of and from it apostatized wch gives victory over the world and your teaching and preaching hath been out of the true faith who multitudes hath gathered after you and so deceived the souls of people telling of a Purgatory and your souls be in it and this is all judged with the true Judge of the world the Bishop of the soul 20 Prin. Ye say that ye ought to honour the Reliques of Saints and that God hath not forbidden Images and that ye ought to honour Images of Saints because their bodies hath been the organs and temple of the holy spirit and that God doth by vertue of their holy Reliques many miracles and because that the honour redounds to themselves that they represent unto us and when one worships the Crosse the honour of the worship redounds to Jesus Christ But the Idols ye say are forbidded which doth represent the false gods which the heathen worship Answ. God hath forbidden to make Representations and Images of Saints and Reliques and the Images of Christ and the Crosse is set up by you who are apostatized from the spirit of God in which spirit God is to be worshpiped and not the Images of Christ nor the Saints nor Crosses for those be all out of the power of God and the crosse of Christ which is the power of God which all must bend to and the Crosses and Images of Male and Female whatsoever they that worship and honour them are as the heathen for Reliques Images and Crosses are set up since the days of the Apostles by you who are inwardly ravened from the spirit of God by the same nature which went astray from the life in the Jews and Gentiles which whâ—n they went astray from the spirit of God they set up Images which displeased God as you that wâ—nt forth from the spirit of God since the dayes of the Apostles inwardly ravened from that who say that after bread and wine is consecrated iâ—'s Christ so are the Antichrist that hath set up the false Christ who cries Loe here loe there and so put him in your chambers deserts and secrets and yet you say he was crucified and rose again and at the right hand oâ— God and say he was before all time and that by him all things was made And yet ye likewise say after ye have consecrated bread and wine which you call Transubstantiation it is Christ and thus you confound your selves And the lying signes and wonders which ye call miracles which ye say are wrought by the Reliques of the Saints is that which John speaks of in his Revelation The beast shall deceive because of his miracles And the Apostle speaks of concerning the man of sin which shall deceive with his lying signes and wonders and to the Reliques ye have given the honour and worship and not to God and so lives in the outward Now Jannes and Jambres could do miracles by the power of witchcraft by the same power the Beast and the false Prophets the mother of harlots Babylon and man of Sin acted to deceive the Nations since the dayes of the Apostles with all which is the mystery of Iniquity she hath sate as a Queen Lady of Kingdomes and hath seen no sorrow but now she will come to lâ—sse of children for the Lord God of heaven and earth will be honoured and worshipped who will not give his glory to any other and not to Images Reliques nor Crosses And the Apostles you are all got up since from them apostatized for when they was adoring of Paul or adoring of Apollo the Corinthians came under rebuke by the Apostles who said Who is Paul or who is Apollo It 's Christ that dyed and was crucified and bid them prove
Is this the love of Christ Is this the love of God Is this the love that was in the Apostles Did the Apostles do so did Christ do so that had all power c. to all that were not of their minde yea or nay answer 6 What differs your works from the works of the Pharisees for that which they did they did to be seen of men And the young man boasted of his works yet when it came that he should have sold all and followed Jesus the beloved of God there was the hard thing whereby he might have had treasure in heaven And how differs your giving almes from the Pharisees seeing the Pharisees were in your state to murther and murthered the just and you give almes and are found in the same nature that will and do murther them that be contrary minded to you wherein do you here differ from the Pharisees And Châ—ist saith love enemies and you have your Inquisitions and Fagots here his love differed from the Pharisees and yours And saith John Let us love in deed not in word not as Cain the wicked one who slew his brother because his works were righteous the others were evill And saith John He that killeth with the sword must perish with the sword here is the faith and patience of the Saints Now where is your patience that are killing and prisoninâ— And we wrestle not against flesh and blood saith the Apostle but against principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places How do you wrestle against principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places Does it not shew that your weapons are carnall and not spiritual while you are prisoning burning making inquisitions for the bodies of people that are contrary to your minde Do not you wrestle against flesh and blood Is not this to wrestle against flesh and blood to prison to burn to kill creatures are not you apostatized from the true Apostles and true Church which is the pillar and ground of truth who said We wrestle not against flesh and blood answer these things by Scripture 7 Do you own the Law and Prophets which is to do as you would be done by would you have all that be contrary to your minde do unto you as you do unto others to make Inquisitionâ— and to burn and to kill them that be contrary to their minde as you have your Inquisitions Fagots Fires for such that be contrary to your minde not observing your customes would you have others do so unto you and serve you so that will not observe your customes Is not to do as you would be done by the Law and the Prophets 8 Did ever Christ or the Apostles give any command that any should be put to death touching worship touching Religion shew me a command in Scripture from Christs or the Apostles mouths Are not they that murther slay and make war the Beast and the false Prophets under the dominion of the mother of Harlots and in the steps of Cain and Jezebel out of the steps of Christ and the Apostles 9 What is will-will-worship Does any worship God in the spirit truth but who be in that which the Devil is out of Can any being in the spirit and in the truth which the Devil is out of the Murtherer slay any concerning Religion or worship but on the coÌ„trary if they be in the evil overcome it with good Now if you kill murther slay make Inquisitions burn where is patience where is long suffering where is stopping the mouths of gain-sayers concerning gain saying if you cannot you have a fagot for them or a prison or an Inquisition are you not here like unto them that rose against Stephen that were not able to resist his spirit but stoned him to death wherein differs your nature and spirits from these did Stephen do so to others the Apostles were stoned did they do so to others Now this is Christs command he sent them forth as sheep amongst Wolves he sent out Prophets and Wisemen and said some they should kill and some they should thrust out of their Synagogues some they should persecute from City to City and said they should be hated of all men for his names sake and they should speak all manner of evil of them and were these to do so again to others kill hate hale out of Synagogues persecute Nay did not Christ say love enemies blesse them that curse now are not they that are contrary to this out of this Anti-christs and false Apostles 10. Has not the true Ministery true Spirit true Power true Church the true crosse been lost since the dayes of the Apostles and the false Ministery false Prophets false Apostles Antichrists Synagogues of Satan has appeared since which all your Crosses your names your pictures your Images your praying by beads has come up have not you lost the true spirit the Image of the Father and his name by which men are saved and so since run into other names run into Images lost the true Image run into Crosses lost the true Cross the power of God run into praying by beads and lost the true praying in the spirit and is not the Candle put out within and so ye have set up your lights burning without you defiled the Temple of God within and so set up Temples without are they not set up by that which defiles the inward Temple and is not that it which will murther slay prison and bring before Inquisitions which defiles the Temple of God seeing they that witnessed the Temple of God said love enemies and does not it shew that the love of God was there if love enemies which was a command of Christ who are them that are to be persecuted and hated and who are they that you are to slay and kill answer 11 Have you heard the voyce of God immediately from heaven as the Prophets Apostles did have you the same spirit wch Christ and the Apostles had which gave forth the Scriptures which was before they were given forth yea or nay 12. Is that the blood of Christ that is your wine which was shed upon the Cross when Christ was crucified alter you have consecrated it 13. Is that the body of Christ that is your bread after you have consecrated that said Lo a body hast thou prepared me to do the will of God and will not your bread corrupt and let it lye after you have consecrated it and does the body the flesh of Christ see corruption answer 14. What is the ground and cause of all the destractions amongst the called Christians is it not because they have the words of Christ the Prophets and Apostles but be cut of the life of them 15. What is that thing wch four men do carry on staves that all men must bow before it when you carry it in the streets and what do you do it for and where did Christ or the Apostels do any such thing 16. Why do
representations to put you in mind of Christ and to stir up your love otherwise it would grow cold and that is the nature that will murther and all those things Images Crosses are held up by the spirit of murther and not by the power of God the cross of Christ Pr. In some particulars he saith there is no difference between them and the heathens as first I confesse their Idols are made of silver wood and stone and so are our Images their Idols were but dead creatures which had eyes and see not and so are our Images they bow to their Idols and we bow to our Images so far the resemblance is good and the heathens do believe that their Idols were able to help them and we say our Images and Idols stirs up our love to Christ Answ. So therein the Images helps you as the Heathens do and you may see that all those things are got up since the dayes of the Apostles you that be inwardly ravened from the spiri of God and gotten the sheeps cloathing as the Jews and the Gentiles which was astray from the spirit of God worshipping Images Idols which when the Jews was in the spirit of God they kept above them all So you being gone from the spirit of the Lord are fallen under Images and dead Idols since the days of the Apostles and bows down to them as the heathens they are dead aâ— the Heathens and so you are apostaâ—ized from the spirit of God in which God is worshipped and apostatized from the true Church who said Keep your selves from Idols for there was never any talk of worshipping of Images and bowing to Images amongst them but the Jewes while they lived in the law of God they broke down the Images of the Heathens so all that be in the life of God will break down the founder of the Images amongst you Apostates which sees not and hears not And Jeremiah saying to them that worshipped Images who said unto a stone thou art my father and to the wood thou hast brought me forth So say you to your Images Pictures and Crosses thou putst us in minde thou art our similitude and puts us in minde of Christ of Mary and shewing that you have not the minde of Christ in you but dead stocks and stones must put you in minde so this of yours is a higher mystery of iniquity then that of the heathen Pr. You say you account of the pictures no more then we account of any picture or pictures in our houses Answ. That is not so thou dost not speak with the bit in thy mouth we do not fall down to them but deny them Pr. And the heathens did all kinde of godly honour directly to their Idols but the small honour which we do to the Images or pictures of the Saints is no more then an outward complement as I may say just as it was the fashion in England to put off ones hat or bow to the Kings Throne in honour of the King Neither do we this honour to the pictures simply considered as pictures but as they are representations of Christ and his Saints Answ. That honour which the heathen did to their Idols was not godly honour for that which gave the honour to the Idols might be confounded before that came up that gave the godly honour to God though they worshipped the creatures and served idols who should have worshipped the Creator who is God blessed for ever and served him and your bowing and kneeling down to Images and before them it is the worship of the Beast and that is more then a complement to kneel down and bow down to Images which you call representations and this is come up and got up amongst you since the power of God hath been lost which should have brought you to have bowed down to the Lord and to have prayed in the spirit and to have had him in your mindes and not an Idoll to put him in your minds And the bowing before the Kings Throne in the Kings absence and the hat in England that is but the dead minde that bows the dead hat to the dead throne and a dead honour and so all the honour that is given to Images is but a dead honour given from the dead principle and not from the living principle of God within which brings to worship God who never accepts the other and that bowing the hat before the Kings Throne in the Kings absence is denyed by all that fears God and judged and worships him and bows to him for that is supâ—rstition your bowing before images and pictures and crosses as bad worse then that profâ—sse Christ and have him not in your minds then the heathens bowing to Molock Baal Jupiter Bacâ—hus Venus c whose spirits are as unclean as theirs who have set up Images and Crosses to bow down to them You are the unclean spirits as the heathen and a higher mystery of iniquity then the heathen but now is discovered by that which hath long been hid by the light Christ Jesus and the seed of God which hath discovered the mystery of iniquity which is the mistery of godlinâ—sse and all these pictures crosses and bowings is come up since the days of the Apostles for amongst them there was no such things Amongst you who have lost the power of God the Crosse of Christ and the image of God and has not the mind of Christ in you so are fain to have dead images crosses and pictures which you call representations to put your dead minds in remembrance of Christ and to stir it up which kills and slayes the just all that be contrary to it and the heathen and you do not differ for they bow to Images and so do you but yours as I have said is a greater mistery of iniquity who has fled from the true foundation of the true Church which is the pillar and ground of truth and so since have got up your images and idols Pr. Now because the main thing which you do carp at is at our bowing before Images or pictures of the Saints to the end that all your mouths may eternally be stopt I will shew you out of the Scripture that notwithstanding the bowing down to Idols is most strictly forbidden in the second commandâ—ment and other places of Scripture yet was it lawfull both to make honour and bow down to other images and other representations although they were but dead creatures and the worke of mens hands The Arke of the Covenant you must confess was but a dead creature made of wood and other materials by the hands of men and upon this Arke were placed two Images or representations of Cherubims read the 7 of Joshua vers. 6. and you will finde that he and all Israel did worship and fall down before this Ark and these Images after the same manner that we fall down before a Crosse or a Crucifix or the Images of the Saints Answ.
the life of the world to come 6 Prin. I admit and embrace most firmely the traditions Apostolique and Ecclesiastick and all the other observations and ordinances of the same Church Answ. Your traditions your word Catholique your sprinkling Infants which you call your baptisme does not remit your sins for there is no Scripture for it so Church traditions sprinkling Infants all have got up since the dayes of the Apostles and so the unholy Catholique and Apostolique Church traditions is got up since the dayes of the Apostles and your fruits declare it in the Apostacy from the true Church of the Saints and Apostles and the resurrection Christ you be ignorant of and the power of the world to come that be gone out of the faith that the Apostles were in 7 Prin. I admit also the holy Scripture according to the sense that hath been given by the holy mother Church to the which it appertaineth to judge of the true sense and interpretations of the holy Scripture and shall never take in hand to interpret them then according to the common consent of the Fathers Answ. Your mother which you call the holy Church which gives the sense is the whore from the spirit of God which the Apostles was in and Christ and the Prophets for that is it that knows the Scripture and that was in the Saints that gave it forth and all must have it in them before they know the words again and come into unity with God again of whom they learned that gave it forth and unity with the Scripture and one with another and this both Papists and Protestants are out of the spirit and falling out about the sense of Scripture and your Father and Mother sons which ravened from the spirit of God and so thou and you all teachers from others inventions and your teaching is traditions for Doctrine which are the commands of men but now to the Lord be glory ye are all discovered by his life 8 Prin. More I professe that there is seven truly and properly said Sacraments of the new Law instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ and necessary for the salvation of humane people but not all to every one viz. Baptism Confirmation Eucharist penitence the extream unction the Order and Marriage and that they confirme the grace and that among them the baptisme the confirmation and the order cannot be rejected without sacriledge Answ. In this you have shewed your Apostacy again from the Apostles and Christs doctrine which sayes Go preach the Gospell to all nations baptizing them without any limit and Marriage they that forbid that is the doctrine of Devils which is honourable the Bed undefiled in all And the Apostles doth not call them Sacraments neither Baptisme nor Marriage nor the visiting of the sick nor the Lords Supper Your confirmation and order and your penitence whipping and beating your selves for your sins is your own invention a sacrament of your owne making which the Apostle does not call repentance a sacrament or confessing of sin or sorrowing for sin the nature within should be afflicted and circumcised in the spirit which puts off the body of sin and that brought down and not to strike the creature and beat the creature that is as you wrestle with flesh and blood the power of darknesse causes you to do that which guides you within that strikes at the creature which power of darknesse should be struck at that the creature might come into the liberty of the sons of God 9 Prin. I receive also and admit the Ceremonies of the Church Catholique receive and approve in the administration solemnly of all the abovesaid sacraments 10 Prin. I embrace and receive all and every of the things which hath been defined and declared by the sacred holy Councel of Trent touching the sin originall and the justification 11 Prin. I protest likewise that in the masse is offered to God true proper and propitiatory sacrifice for the living and for the dead and that in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist is truly really and substantially the body the blood with the soule and the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ and that there is made a conversion of all the substance of the bread into the body and of all the substance of the wine into the blood and the which conversion the Church Catholique calls Transubstantiation 12 Prin. I confess also that under one of these one receiveth Jesus Christ all entire and one true sacrament Answ. In these four Principles which ye teach for Doctrine is but your owne traditions and commandements which are learned of one another of men at the Council of Tâ—ent and at your Fathers which is your sin in the apostacy from the Apostles who was not of man nor by man And as concerning Justification ye are ignorant of for where that is known the sin is done away which came by the first Adam And they that believe are passed from death to life And there are some children of believers which is holy yet all by nature children of wrath in the unbelief and your Church is held up by tradition and traditions and vows and oaths which is all in the Apostacy from the spirit where it seems the root of the word protesting is come from your selves who are Apostates and not ftom the Scriptures but you have thrust it in your offering and mass it is but a dead thing it is neither good for the dead nor the living the living do not accept of it but as Cains sacrifice for are not you murtherers and destroyers of one another about Religion sacrifice and traditions as Cain did whom God did not accept his sacrifice And as the Jewes did without the life which gave forth the Scriptures turn against the just and all the Apostates since the dayes of the Apostles which are inwardly ravened from the spirit of God who set up all your lying signes and wonders and traditions and deceive people with them that dwell upon the earth who be from the spirit of God inwardly ravened from it in which spirit God is worshipped which spirit brings to offer living sacrifice And the bread and wine after they have consecrated it which you say is the very body and blood of Christ and soule and it 's divine and that ye call Transubstantiation and he that receives either bread or wine receives Christ Now seeing that this Doctrine and Principle is laid down by you the Council of Trent and tollerated by the great Bishop of Rome the Pope and taught by the Jesuites I shall demand one thing of you out of every Nation and from every Dominion and Island belonging to the Bishop of Rome the Pope Let there come forth a Bishop and a Jesuite and consecrate bread and wine and after consecration and conversion which you call transubstantiation which you say then is the very body blood and soul of Christ which is divine Let that then be set by and kept and let us take of
Reader to that which is written in answer to the former papâ—r Again Thou saith that the Apostles and their successors had power to remit sins according to John 20.23 The Apostles who believed in the Son of God unto whom all power is committed and had received power from God could do nothing against the power which was their life and what they said and did from that power stâ—ndeth for the same power that Christ received of the Father the same he gave unto them and the same that they did remit was remitted But what is this to the Pope who is out of the power of God who follows his Successors the Antichrists Deceivers Apostates and vagabond Jewes and Exorsists who would have cast out Devils in the name that Paul preached but could not When did Christ or any of his Apostles say to the Pope or any of the Cardinals Fryars Monks Jesuites whose sins ever you remit are remitted Or when did he give the Pope or any of his Cardinals Fryars Jesuites Monks power to sell Pardons for money Is not this a doctrine of the Devill which Peter whose successors you say you are who declared against you and such as you who said concerning you that you taught those things for filthy lucre which you ought not to teach And further thou saiest thou confâ—sses that there are other points of Popish Doctrine which you teach that there is not such evident Scripture for as for those before mentioned if thou hadst said there had bin none at all thou had spoke truth this is the Popish doctrine which thou sayest you have not clear Scriptures for for Purgatory praying to Saints and baptizing of Infants c. I say there is no Scripture at all except it be your own devised Fables For the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sinne them that do believe and there is no need of any other thing to cleanse and so your Purgatory is a feigned fiction and a lying invented thing invented by the Pope to get money by And as for praying to the Saints there is no Scripture for but against it For it is written thâ—u shalt worship the Lord thy God and him ONLY shalt thou serve and cal upon me in the day of trouble It doth not say call upon the Saints And farthermore Christ said Whatsoever â—e aske in my name it shall be given you And farthermore Christ said to his Disciples Whatsoever you aske my father in my name it shall be granted unto you He exhorteth them not as the Pope doth to ask in the name of St. Mary and St. Peter and St. Dominick And as for baptizing of Infants that is an invention of your own framed and formed since the dayes of the Apostles For the Apostles were commanded to teach and preach before they baptized any but you baptize those that are untâ—ught and unlearned and these they call members of youâ— visible Church and so all this fâ—igned doctrine before mentioned is denyed and and condemned by the spirit oâ— the Lord which you are erred from 5 Prin. That the Scripture doth no where clearly teach that we must do nothing nor believe noâ—hing whiâ—h is not written in the Scripture so thou saith even by our own rule the whole foundation of all our nâ—w faith falls to pieces For if I am bound to believe nothing but what stands in Scripture then thou sayest thou art not bound to believe this maxime of Heretickes because it stands not in Scripture Answ. Paul was no Heretick and he said If I or an Angell from heaven preach any other Gospel let him be accurst And Moses he was no Hâ—retick and he said to the Church of the Jewes concerning the book of the Law given unto them Thou shall not adde thereto nor take therefrom And John he was no Hâ—retick and he said If any man shall add unto these things written in the book God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in the book And yet all these were Hâ—reticks in thy account their faith stood in the power of God and this the Scripture bears witness of and those things were written in the Scripture that they might be believed and from the spirit of truth they were written And so if thou professe thou have the spirit of truth thou art bound not to believe any thing contrary to the Scripture and here your foundation and doctrine is dashed to pieces by the spirit of God who spoke for the Scripture And farther thou goes on in thy blindness and ignorance and sayes thou art not bound to believe that the Bible is the word of God because it stands not in Scripture is not the Scripture that which is written in the Bible And dost thou not call the Scriptures the Word of God and yet foolishly saith the Bible stands not in the Scripture Thou goes on and says it is most clear that we are bound to believe and receive some things that are not written in the Scripture they who know the bond of the spirit are not bound by iâ— to beliâ—ve any thing which is contrary to the spirit which speak forth the Scripture Further thou brings 2 Thes. 2. and 15. 21 John 25. to prove that we are bound to believe something that is not â—ritten in the Scripture because the Apostle exhorts the Thessâ—lonians to stand fast and to hold the traditions which they had been taught whether by word or writing Now if thou can produce thou may the words that he taught to the Thessalonians which was spoken by the same spirit which he wrote the Epistleâ— by and that which he spake doubtlesse is not contrary to that which he wrote and so this proves nothing that every one is to believe your vain traditions which you have invented in your carnal minds being erred from the faith and having lost the spirit And although John say that there were many other things that Christ did which are not written Yet what doth this prove that your innovated stories and devised fables ought to be believed And I say unto thee and unto all you it is meer madnesse to aver or to believe that which is contrary to that which is written And then thou says if any man ask thee what those things be which Christ and the Apostles taught and have not written thou gives an answer thy selfe that they taught to baptize Infants and that we must sanctifie the Sundays and other holy days and to fast in Lent and acknowledge Sr. Peters successors for the governours of Christ-Church and to say Masse and with all other points of Catholique doctrine all which pack of lyes and foolish fopperies and invented imaginations which is all contrary to that which Christ spake and the Apostles wrote of him For these are all invented stuffe some from the Heathens you have by traditions and the rest has been invented both the words and the things themselves since the Apostles dayes wherein there hath been a great Apostacy and
that is contrary to the Light Then you must know a shame which is to be despised in the sight of all the world in breaking covenants who with them hath made covenants and bound your selves in vowes Therefore come to feel the witnesse of God in you which gives you to feel and see that all the covenants upon earth must be broken that is made from the light the minde that is from it which if you come into the light you will know the marriage of the Lamb your Fast shall cease for God doth not accept your extreams your passions your fast your afflicting your selves for a day while there is prejudice and envy seated among you the man-slâ—yer which shews that you be out of the light and life of the Prophets and of Christ and his Apostles both Magistrates and Ministers and Teachers And the Pope which sits now on high whose arms fingers legs and head is brancht out but with the power of the Lord is compassed and seen the end that he is in and all is but earth and the worshippers but earth and in the earthly things the threshing Instruments must thresh for you lie like a wildernesse for the Lord God of power is coming to plow up and so seed it and that the truth over may passe and Christ in power come to reign who is Law-giver and Judge and to break your wills and bow down your thoughts who will subdue all things to himself Who will reign and to exalt his kingdome whose dread and terror is gone out into the earth All what is done in mans will which he pretends to God he will be judged for it and all your observances and fasts and circumstances and worships who hath required this at your hands saith the Lord Come to truth and singlenesse and innocency then you will see Cain is a vagabond the envious man the man-slayer a murtherer from God a vagabond and fugitive though he built a City And he observed outward things but comes not to witness the spirituall Sacrifice but it shewed that you be in envy and slayes men concerning Religion being another spirit then Christ and the Apostles wherein as iâ— is declared in Scripture with it ye are judged and your reading over prayers cumbers and wearies the just with reading over prayers and praying to names your observing of Images and your earthly Crosses and this keeps you from the life and power of God which is the Crosse of Christ and the Spirit in which you should pray which the Lord knows the mind of G. F. This is to go abroad among the Papists in all the Earth Friend AS thou hast spoke of giving a reason which reason is fathomed and comprehended to be earthly Now there is a reason which flows from the faithful that makes reasonable and that gives dominion over the earthly but this reason is but earthly and stands in the earthly as hereafter will be made appear as thou art brought before the judgement and weighed in the ballance And as for the Church in the days of the Porphet that was in the days of Baal that would not bow to him nor serve him Now it seems there was some that did bow to Baal that had been of the Jewes and remained as in the outward name But those were of the Church that bowed not to Baal to the earthly mark that and those stood in the truth and bowed to the Lord and kissed not Baal and there 's a distinction between the holy kisse and the contrary Now that was invisible that kepâ— them from bowing to Baal and that was invisible that they were gone from viz. these Jews that did bow to Baal As for the seven Churches of Asia that 's agreeable to these words for many got the words of the Church but the Life they fell from Then as for the Church of Rome as for the dissolution of the Roman Catholique Faith which was before Luther and Calvin which is as a dark puddle the smoak of the bottomlesse pit that hath not a foundation but from the foundation Christ fled And Luther and Calvin something there was stirring in them Luther was true in his place but it was but a little but so much as comprehended you and as for their falling from you before Luther and Calvin they were but in your outward Ceremonies For neither you the Church of Rome nor those you beget nor Luther nor Calvin was in the very life that is infallible the Apostles were in and Christ that the Scriptures were given forth from Therefore kill you and slay you that be contrary to you in your Religion and it is the cause of all people running into Sects and heaps upon earth Calvinists and Lutherans because they are not in the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures that hath been lost among you all since the dayes of the Apostles which is now found among them that are called Quakers whom all the Sects upon earth are against that are got up since the dayes of the Apostles and with the spirit that the Apostles were in you are all fathomed as a span You that are the Church of Rome came to be made up of all these rotten members that fell away from the Apostles before the Apostles deceased that got the forme of godlinesse but denied the power that forbid meats and marriage that minde earthly things So you have been the ancientest Apostates and all that have apostatized from you you call Sectaries which you Apostates was the mother of all And so I tell you you are the most ancient in the form of godlinesse and that have denyed the power as your Gaols and Inquisitions declares your fruits And you lye like a barren field unplowed up but now the plough of the Lord is going the servants of the Lord are driving on the horses which will tear your ground And the publique worship that the Apostles were in who were led by the Spirit of God hath been lost since the dayes of the Apostles amongst you for Christ said false prophets should come that were inwardly ravened that were wolves that had the sheeps cloathing which John saw was come and that the whole world were gone after them and so there you lost the infallible spirit and have held up part of the visible form and run into some inventions of your own making and so is become the Mother of Harlots and have brought them forth that are harlots Now that which Christ said should come which false Prophets John saw was come and the whole world was gone after them they made war with the Saints that kept the testimony of Jesus them that had the forme the sheeps cloathing and were ravened from the spirit and so overcame the Saints then power was given to the beast over all kindreds tongues and nations and all that dwell upon the earth should worship him Then the beast and his names and his images and his mark and horns then the Vials and Thunders should come again to
be poured upon him and his seat So the Author of all these sects and names hath been from you that first ravened from the spirit of God all Sects upon the earth would kill one another about their worship which shews the spirit of the Devil and not the spirit of the Apostles So when the Beast had overcome the Saints and killed them and got power over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations And the woman fled into the wildernesse and the man-childe caught up to God And the Dragon made war with the â—emnant of her seed that kept the commands of God and here by this you may see where the Church hath been And the great Whore which went forth from the Apostles and ravened from the spirit of God yet hath had the sheeps cloathing which all Nations hath drank her cup She hath corrupted the earth and made the Inhabitants of the earth drunk and the Kings of the earth hath committed fornication with her and all nations have drunk her cup of fornication She sits upon the waters and the waters are peoples not a people and the waters are nations where the Whore sits and multitudes and tongues Now mark if Nations be waters and Peoples be waters and Multitude waters and Tongues waters And the earth is corrupted and the Inhabitants of the earth drunke and all nations have drunk the cup of fornication and the Kings of the earth hath committed fornication with her Now where is the Church and the Rock all this time when nations peoples multitudes and tongues are waters and the Inhabitants of the earth drunk and the earth corrupted and all nations have drunk the whores cup And the whore cannot be said to be the heathen for the Whore goes from something and there is the ancient visible Church And the Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and all nations have drank the cup of fornication and fornication is before you be married And these are them that have drank the blood of the Prophets Saints and Martyrs that have kept the testimony of Jesus But now again the Lamb is brought forth to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron though the Beast and false Prophet and Kings of the earth and the old Dragon make war against the Lamb and the Saints yet the Lamb and the Saints shall get the victory and the everlasting Gospel shall be preached to all nations kindreds tongues and people and life and immortality shall come to light through the Gospel which your old great Grand-father went from in the dayes of the Apostles and so to that that they went from is people now come and coming and the Lambs wife is making her selfe ready and the Saints do sing the Lord God omnipotent reigns and you are all too immoderate spirits you and all other Sects then to be like the Apostles and Christ or to be like the Church of Christ your fallibility and your Idols Inquisitions and Cruelties makes it appear Two Queries being propounded to thee In thy answer to the first Query thou saist That all Churches or meetings of all sorts of men which have not the spirit of God they may erre In thy answer to the second Query thou saist That the Church of Christ or the meetings of those Christians that follow the rule and law of Christ and are always guided by them cannot erre in any truth Reply Your Church the Church of Rome have erred from the spirit of truth and the truth in which there is no errour As instance you have set up Idols and the spirit of truth in the true Church said Keep your selves from Idols as in Johns Epistle And you have made Ministers by men and by the will of man and so gone into your own wills which the Scripture came not by nor which Christs Ministers were not made by and you and all Apostates since are of men and made by men and so you are erred â—rom the spirit of truth that leads into all truth You are erred from the Crosse of Christ the power of God and have set up outward Crosses and falls down to that instead of falling down to the power of God You have erred from the true Image of God the Saints were in and have set up outward Images of wood and stone You have erred from the Saints life and spirit and from the spirits of just men and so from the true Church and so set up the Reliques as pieces of Cloath and old bones So you know after the flesh which the Apostles did not And you are erred from the Rock and falln into the waters as in Revelations And your Idols Pictures and Images have corrupted the earth so you are erred from the true Church and the true Spirit which cryed against Idols in all ages as Moses said in his command to the people and the Apostles Your Church is commanded to make Images and Idols and the Church in Moses time and the Apostles Churches were commanded to keep from them So no true Church you are but apostates but fallible and erred in matter of faith and doctrine and praised be the Lord who hath brought you to the Light And multitudes of instances may be shewed who compares the Church with what the Churches of Christians were in the dayes of the Apostles And thou saist the difficulty is where the Church of Christ is to be found for Papists Lutherans Calvinists Anabaptists Arminians and all schismatical meetings they do claim the title of Christs Church to themselves c. Answ. All these the Roman Church being the mother of the Apostates and all these before-mentioned are started from her her sturdy sons and severall names still in the forme for the light within they are all against and Christ within to reigne and teach and the Law within in the heart and in the mind whereby all comes to know the Lord and the word in the heart and in the mouth to obey and do and the spirit of truth to lead into all truth whereby the Saints have unity one with another and with the Scriptures and with God This the Papâ—sts are run from into Images and Idols and this the Baptists Lutherans and all other Sects are run from into other Images within but with the spirit of truth which leads the Saints into all truth are these comprehended and out of all these sects and sorts are people coming I 'le break your names and marr your Images with the spirit of truth fence your selves never so wisely And so none of these nor you neither are of the true Church but the beast and his names but some of these you calâ— Sâ—cts are neerer the true Church then you for the world who lives in Images and Idols wonder after you who lives in Images and Idols who are apostatized from them keep your selves from Idols As for the Quakers who are risen in the Ancient of dayes in the end of the night of apostacy among whom that's appeared that cannot be shaken
hath reigned since the days of the Apostles and whether or no the spirits of people hath not separated from since the dayes of the Apostles which they were in and is not that the cause that all Nations are brought into Sects and heaps and lost their unity with God and the Scriptures with which spirit they learned of God the Father of spirits that gave forth Scripture are you come unto the spirits of just men made perfect to the Church in God the Father the Judge of all What Scripture have you for taking Tythes and where did the Apostles take tythes so that denyed the first Priest-hood and witnessed Christ the sum the change of the Law by which the Priesthood was made And the disannulling of the commandement that gave tythes and are not you transgressors and made your selves transgressors that have set up these things the Apostles threw down And where did the Apostle take tythes and what is the first principle of pure Religion and what is the soul of man And have you not lost the Crosse of Christ which the Scripture saith is the power of God and hath set up Crosseâ— of wood and stone on the end of your Steeple-houses and do take bread and wine on the day-time which Christ took at night What is the light what is the word what is the Gospel what Scripture have you for sprinkling Infants Are you them that have heard and learned of God which Christ saith them that have heard and learned of God comes to the Son Have you seen the shape of God are you them that God speaks to by his Son who is heir of all things upholding all things by his word and power Is your Church the Church that is in God have you heard of the Father seeing it is written ye shall all be taught of God Are you not them that looks at things that are seen for things that are seen are temporall the things that are not seen are eternall Are not Images Idols Pictures Reliques Bones pieces of Cloath things that are â—een and temporall Answer these Queries in writing and send them to the people who are scornfully called Quakers in England by all the sects of the earth Shall a man whiles he is upon the earth be made free from sin and be made perfect and the body of sin put off And what Scripture have you for consecrating bread and wine and where did the Apostles so Will you try your Church by the Scripture of truth and measure your selves by the Apostles Declaration and venture your selves to be tryed and judged by them that the spirit of truth led them to speak forth And what is the Wine-presse that was troden without the City and whether you bid every man examine himselfe whether Christ be in him except he be a reprobate And whether or no you are as the Apostles who preached Christ in them the hope of glory warning every man that you may present every man perfect in him in Christ Jesus To prove the Papists Church to be a false Church contrary to the Apostles and that they are wolves which Christ said should come which are inwardly ravening Ye have the sheeps cloathing and are the false Prophets that should arise according to Christs words that should shew lying signes wonders which if it were possible should deceive the very elect and should say Loe Christ is here and loe Christ is there Do not you tell people that he is in the bread and that he is in the wine and tell them that he is in the chamber and that he is in the desert where you put the bread and the wine is not there Christ cannot you put him in the cup-board and in the chamber and in the desert cannot you put and tell people he is there And have you not the sheeps cloathing but are you not ravening wolves inwardly ravening from the spirit of God So doth not your fruits appear contrary to the Church of God For have not you fulfilled the Scriptures having the sheeps cloathing but inwardly are the ravening wolves Have not you ravened wearied and destroyed and killed many hundreds and have you not your holes and Gaols which you call Inquisitions which you put them in are you like the Church in this Did ever Lambs and the sheep weary and tear them to pieces and then carry them into dens and make wracks and tortures for poor creatures or for the wolves either Did ever the sheep destroy the wolves Now which doth your fruits make you appear to be the sheep or the wolves judge your selves by the Scriptures Now let all people judge you all that be in the wolvish nature that are not sheep no more then you So Christ calls them wolves inwardly ravening from the spirit of God these Christ said should come and they have come up since the dayes that Christ said they should come And the Apostle saith in Acts 20. That after his departure grievous wolves should enter in among them not sparing the flocke which should arise from among themselves speaking perverse things drawing many Disciples after them Now have not you Papists risen since the dayes of the Apostles and you know the Apostles did not prison persecute devour any but the wolves should do it Now these rise among the Saints that should not spare the flock mark make havock of the flock to devour and destroy the flock Now we remember that Christ told of you and of these things and the Apostle tells of these things 1 John 2. said it was the last time then Whereas they had heard that Antichrist should come even now there are many Antichrists and false prophets come into the world 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. Paul speaking there of cutting off occasion For as much as false prophets deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ no marvel for Satan himself transformed himselfe and his Ministers transforming as the Ministers of righteousness Now this the Apostle saw come up among the Corinthians before his decease So now again you may see Satans Ministers they are murtherers and his Angels they are murtherers Now the Apostle said he out off the occasion he did not cut off the outward bodies of people as you do and the Apostles were persecuted whipped and beat now you see that you are whippers persecutors and beaters and though you persecute one another which have the name of Christians yet are not the sheep nor the Ministers or true Apostles nor the true Church And when the true Ministers and Apostles saw that these false Apostles should come and Ministers of Satan should tranâ—form themselves into Angels of light he brings them to the light that shined in their hearts them that would give them the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. And are not you as bad as the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus Christ and their own Prophets who kill the Prophets that are sent among you 2 Thes. 2. And
your hard speeches against him who be the filthy dreamers defiling the flesh speaking evill of the dignities of the dominions that goes over all transgression which lets see the first transgression that was befoâ—â— transgression was this is dignity and the higher power Now are you not in Cains way and lost the patience that kills slays and murthers let all the world bear witness that be in the fear of God Are not you fallen into the deeds of the Nicholaitans and so like them which said they were Jewes and were not but synagogues of Satan and so doâ—h not your fruit declare you that you are synagogues of Satan murdering killing And was there not such before Johns decease which said they were Jews and were not which John told should cast into prison and try and many of the faithful Martyrs were slain Have not you held the doctrine of Balaam your Idols and do you not here commit fornication with them and is not this the stumbling-block you here lay for all people Balaam-like and is not the fruits of your Church made up of such And was not the woman Jezebel beginning to teach before Johns decease teaching to seduce the servants of God and to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to Idols and was not all this separated from the true Church these Idols Balaam this Prophetess And hath not these made up your Church which hath the stumbling block the word of the Lord doth try all this Hath not he promised and the Church doth know that he was the Lord that tryeth the reigns and searcheth the heart For is not Jezebels mark upon your fore-heads and your Idols your Church is full of them which defiles the land And do you not kill and slay Jezebel-like and betray and after fast your hands full of blood your heart full of deceit strife and murther Is not this Jezebels teachings Jezebels fast and your Idols Balaams stumbling block And was not this coming up before Johns decease creeping up among the true Church If a true Church fall into these things God removes his Candlestick from them so are you them the Candlestick is not among Therefore you set up great outward Candlesticks among all your Idols and so you have a name of Christians but are dead Thou hast a name of a Christian to live but art dead and so deceives Nations by your name but now you are proved your Church your Ministers all Jezebels mark Balaams stumbling block your Idols you have not repented of your fornications all your Idols God will cast you into your bed of sorrows And now your day of tryal is come and he that overcomes shall be a pillar in the house of God And so you have lost the key and are shut up in darknesse for was not Jezebel a murtherer a slayer and yet did she not fast Did not the Apostles fast and yet were no murtherers nor slayers And at the opening of the 5th Seal was not the cry of the souls heard How long Lord how long wilt not thou be avenged on them that are put to death for the testimony of Jesus and dost not thou avenge our cause O Lord And was not the answer again They should rest a season till the rest of their brethren were killed Now who are the killers who are the murtherers have you not been the killers and murtherers one of another and so out of the true Church and all along apostatized from the true Church Revel. 6. And so are not you them that are brought to poverty among all the earth for want of the vertue of God among all people and choaks them with your Idols and so the bottomless pit hath been opened which hath no foundation your smoak and your locusts hath swarmed abroad so are you not them that fell the Star that fell that fell from the Apostles that fell from the truth Is not your Church made up of locust and have not you worshipped Devils Idols and gold and silver brass wood iron and stone that can neither see nor hear And doth not Iohn speak of this in the Revelations which was distinct from the true Church And is not your Church here found your Idols of brasse of silver of stone and can neither see nor walk Revel. 9. And hath not the two Witnesses been killed which was called the two Olive trees and Candlesticks the Olive trees fruits is the oyl and what doth oyl do Hath not this been killed and the Candlestick which stands before the God of the earth and the great City Sodome and Gomorrha where Christ was crucified and them that crucified him was the professors of Scriptures and you the professors of Scriptures where is the Olive tree now where is the Candlestick How is spiritual Sodom full of your Idols and Images now there is none turnes from the Olive tree and the Candlestick but who are become spiritual Sodome and Aegypt in themselves and consider was not the Dragon cast from Heaven to the Earth and did not he persecute the Womâ—n and is not all persecutors of him did not the Woman flee into the Wilderness where hath she been all this time of Idols where hath been the Church was not the man-child caught up to God did not the Dragon make war with the seed which keep the Commands of God did not the Beast rise out of the Sea which had his power and authority from the Dragon who have been like Bears and Lions and Leopards and all the world wondered after the Beast and they wondered after the Dragon which had power from the Beast Now mark where hath the Church been now who is like to the Beast which rose out of the Sea which all the World worshipped which ravened from the Spirit of God which went out from the Apostles in Corahs Cains Balaams way erred from the Spirit of God they like a sea out of truth so here came in the Dragons power which gave the Beast his authority which all the World worshipped which dragon had made war was that which persecuted the Woman And the Beast made war with the Saints and had his power from the Dragon which all that dwelt upon the Earth should worship and over-come the Saints then power was given to the Beast over all tongues kindreds and Nations over all kindreds your tongues your Teachers which saith tongues is the originall Orthodox men which have their learning from tongues hath the Beast power over and all that dwelt upon the Earth should worship him and he should deceive them that dwelt upon the Earth by reason of his miracles he should make Images to the Beast and they should worship the Beast and they should neither buy nor sell but who had the mark of the Beast and his Image now it is the Beast that sets up the Image now here is the Image the Beast here is your Church and here is the Beast that hath his power over all kindreds tongues and Nations and the
like they that have a horn to call their hounds together or the Swine-heard for people to put forth Swine or hower-glasses to preach by the hower prove it by scripture else acknowledge your are in the Apostacy and have set up â—hese things by your own inventions and are them that limit the spirit 62. Where did ever the Apostles consecrate any thing or the scripture speak of Sacraments or where did the Apostles use that which you call holy Water to sprinkle people withal if you cannot shew it by scripture where the Apostles or Christ diâ— practise any such thing acknowledge your selves that you be in the Apostacy that have set up such things since the dayes of the Apostles and erred from the true Church in your inventions 63. Where did the Apostles when they went to preach or to pray put on white Hoods Copes Tippets white Surplisses and cornered Caps are not all these things got up since the dayes of the Apostles amongst such as are apostatâ—zâ—d from them 64. Who are the inwardly Raveners that Christ said should come which was the false Prophets which should have the Sheeps clothing but inwardly ravening Wolves an inwardly ravening Wolf worse then a dog which got the sheeps clothing is not this it that has made war against the Saints that kept the testimony of Jesus the Spirit of prophesy and has not the wolf been covered with the sheeps clothing long such as ravined from the spirit such as has inwardly ravened and would ravine and destroy all that be contrary minded 65. Have not men fallen into the flesh since the dayes of the Apostacy and ravined from the spirit that went forth from the Apostles are not they them that has set up all these outward things as Temples Tythes Priests crosses crucifixes Schooles Colledges to make them Ministers Images Idols Abbies Nunneries Candels Altars Holy waters Praying by Beads sprinkling children with the sign of the crosse and have not you gone back who are ravened from the spirit and so lost the substance and so imitating Aaron and his Sons and imitating Altars and outward things that stood in Moses which the Apostle sayes while Moses was read the veil was over their hearts 66. Was not the first Priest-hood a true tipe and the Temple a true tipe of the inward and the Sanctuary and Altar a tipe and the outward things in the Law shadowing forth the good things that were to come which were but to have their times and seasons and did not the Apostle witnesse the substance of all tipes figures and shadows and signs and similitudes and likenesses and witnessed that which gave him to see where there was no shadow nor changing Now are not all your tythes Temples Priests Altars Crosses Crucifixes Images Similitudes Beads Cloysters Abbies Nunneries set up by your own inventions which men and people has been compelled to worship are not all these lying signs and wonders and the worship of the beast that which they that inwardly ravened set up and is not this to give worship to them that inwardly ravined from the spirit of God who are the Wolves that â—an make a profession of Christs and the Apostles words the Beast and false Prophets which the world has wondred after and should deceive them with their lying signes and wonders Did not the Apostles give hints of such things before their decease did not John see such come as the whole world went after and all that dwelt upon the earth worshipped the Beast Now answer me these things and clear me them by Scripture where the Apostles did practise or act any such things before mentioned and if ye be not such that John and the Apostles speaks of and Christ that should be the inward ravening wolves and go forth from the Apostles which John saw all that dwelt upon the earth worshipped and went after and all that dwelt upon the earth drunk the cup of fornication and should deceive them that dwell upon the earth with their lying signes and wonders and miracles and if you be not them tell me who they are 67 What is the Beast and the number of his names and what are his names and what is his marke that they that would not receive should be persecuted And what is his image and what are his heads and what are his crowns and what is the mother of the harlots and what is the great whore which hath corrupted the earth and what is the cup of fornication that all Nations has drunk of and who are the Beast and false Prophets what are they that are come up since the dayes of the Apostles How to say you believe as the Church believes and you will not trouble your selves about the Scriptures because they are hard to â—e understood you are to see that you be of the Church that the Apostles were of which was the pillar and ground of truth which was without spot or wrinkle or blemish and so their belief stood in Christ and God And when any did wrong yea Peter Peter was withstood and not believed as he believed And as for saying the Scriptures are hard to be understood that is to shew you want the spiâ—it as was in them that gave them forth in which is the unity and the bond of peace And none comes to be a member of the Church in God the pillar and ground of truth without spot or wrinkle or blemish but who comes into the spirit that they were in that gave forth the Scriptures with which spirit every one in particular hath his particular satisfaction in the Scripture it opens it to them with which spirit he hath unity with God unity with the Scriptures of whom they learned that gave them forth and there is the bond of peace Now to tye up men to believe as others believe and to compell them by a law or a prison or an inquisition this was not in the true Church but this is a marke of the apostacy from it and is a marke that they that do so are the wresters of the Scriptures and err'd ravened from the spirit that they were in that gave them forth For it was not their worke to compell people by a Law by a prison by an Inquisition to obey their faith and to bring them into their worship and doctrine that was not the worke of them that had the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures but this shews and signifies and declares it selfe forth that you would have power over mens faith which saith the Apostles we have not but bade them look at Jesus the author of the faith And again to believe as others believe which do call themselves a Church Is not this different from the Apostles doctrine who saith he that believes hath the witnesse in himself and hast thou faith have it to thy self 68 Is your Church the body of Christ and is your bread the body of Christ after consecration and is that bread after you have consecrated it the Church