had commanded when the everlasting Offering was come and against the outward Temple but thou art blinde and canst not see it Pharise like but thy minde is seen to be contradictory who wouldst contradict the truth and doth not see the end of God in fulfilling his Types and Figures and when they are fulfilled he doth contradict them and therefore do we contradict thee which actest these things God never commanded that which God had commanded was contradicted as Circumcision and the outward Temple and the Sabboth and all the Priests were denyed with them who had received Iesus Christ and here thou hast shewed thy self to be a blinde Pharise which knowest not the precepts nor commands of God but followest thy own imaginacions and thy own invencions which I have charged thee withall formerly and here I charge thee to be a blinde Guide Matth. 23. 16. and therefore came the Apostle to contradict all the Jews who held up the Figures after the substance was come but thou art blinde as the Pharises were and worse for when the Apostles had received the substance they contradicted the Pharises which held up the Types and Shadows which God had commanded and killed them that did witness the substance come but thou natural brute Beast who knowest nothing of God nor his truth must be consumed by unquenchable sier thou speakest of an Assembly of Christians coming together to worship God but a company of the world may come and thou joynest with them here thou shewest plainly that thy worship is no tru worship of God for they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth Iohn 4. 23 24. for such are they which he seeks to worship him but not in the Steeple-house the mighty day of the Lord is coming and God that made the world doth not dwell in Temples made with hands therefore come down thou painted Beast which deceivest the people God will overturn thee and thy worship and all such as thou art and them who are of God God is sending them forth to give you the Cup double that ye have given to them thou sayst an Assembly of Christians coming together to worship God are not bound up so close but a company of the world may come in and joyn with them here thou shewest that thy Assembly are all of one spirit and here thou shewest plainly that thy spirit and their spirit is the spirit of the world and not the spirit that was in the Apostles and Saints which sayd What concord hath Christ with Belial and what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness 2 Cor 6. 14. and here thou hast raced thy self out of the tru worship of God and I know thy spirit is not bound up but it is at liberty in the world in the broad way and therefore with them it can joyn and so here thou shewest thy self to be of a contrary spirit to them that preached the Word the Ministers of the Word are not Ministers of the Letter wherein it doth appear that thou art a Minister of the Letter a wrester of it those who are the Ministers of the Word speak forth freely and testifie against such hierlings as thou art who art bound up in thy form and set place and against all thy customary praying and singing for the preaching of the Word is to declare freely to all it is not bound up but such as thou wouldst limit it who doth keep poor simple people in bondage under thee I do believe God hath a people which is in captivity under thy dark imitated Forms and such as thine and who are misled by such as thou art for we were all under such blinde Guides as thou art until God of his infinite love did shew us his way and his light and your ways therefore in the presence of the Lord God do we testifie against all such practises as thine and for the simple ones sakes who are under such blinde Guides as thou art do we let forth our selves that they may see how such as thou bewitchest them and keepest them from worshipping the living God by thy imaginacions Gal. 3. 1. Thou bringest a place 1 Cor. 14. 23 24. to maintain singing of Davids Psalms in a Meeter but in that Scripture there is no such thing in it here again thou openly shewest thy self to be a perverter of the Scriptures and a wrester of it what communion hath the believer with the unbeliever here thou shewest thy self to be one of Babylon full of confusion and confused in thy words contrary to the Scripture and a wrester of it for the world knows not God by all its wisdom Thou sayst that your Congregacion is required to speak good of God O you Generacion of Vipers how can you being evil speak good things Mat. 3. 7. Here thou crossest Christs words thou wouldst have the Generacion of Vipers to speak good things An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit how can you speak good of God that speak nor good of his people the Pharises when they met together did they speak good of God when they sayd Christ was a Devil and gathered together with the chief Priests and sought to put him to death Iohn 11. 53. and in this generacion thou art taking counsel against Christ and against his anoynted incensing the rude multitude against them and is this speaking good of God Query 9. Whether a man shall overcome the body of sin while he â—â— on the earth yea or no Priests Answer There are divers and several victories over sin as first a victory over the dominion and reigning power of sin Rom. 6. 14. this is not given by the power of man but by the power of grace there is a victory over the condemning presence of sin sin cannot so hurt any elect Vessel as to throw him into â—ell and eternal wrath and condemnaâ—ion Rom. 8. 1. There is a victory over the being of sin in the flesh and whatsoever curse thou sayest on me for the same I must profess that I am of the minde that victory â—s not fully enjoyed while we are on the earth for then and not before when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption Death is swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15. 54. and the Apostle cals the body of sin the body of death Rom. 7. 24. A Reply to the Priests Answer Friend thou bringest so many Scriptures which is to the throwing down of thy own self as Rom. 6 14. and thou desirest to be satisfied to the contrary to thy belief for thou believest that man shall not be made free from sin as long as he is here and here I will shew thee that thou hast a lying spirit for in Rom. 6. they sayd they were made free from sin for while they were servants of sin they were made free from righteousness and here thou shewest a contrary spirit to that which was in the Apostle and thou desirest to be fully satisfied in those Scriptures in Rom. 7. 18.
world Iohn 1. 9. the one he loves the Light and brings his works to the Light and walks in the Light and there is no occasion of stumbling Iohn 11. 9. the other he hates this Light because his deeds are evil and this is his condemnacion the Light be silent all flesh Friend thou art one that hates this Light thy spirit is tryed for if thou wert in the Light there would be no occasion of stumbling but thou art Antichrist without this Light Iohn 4. 3. therefore thou dost not see the Light which hath enlightned every one the believer and the unbeliever which is his condemnacion that believes not 2 Query If in unbelievers as well as in believers whether is it one and the same Light with that Anoynting thou speakest of yea or no. Answ It is one with the Anoynting and if it were not one with the Anoynting it were one against the Anoynting an imagined Light wherein thou hast shewed thy blindness and thy ignorance thou makest appear which neither knowest the Light nor the Anoynting for thy dark minde cannot comprehend it Light shines in darkness and darkness comprehends it not Iohn 1. 5. and there thou art exalted in the foolish wisdom which is of the world which is foolishness to the wisdom of God swelling in the lying vanityes one of them that are disobedient to the Light without God in the world the son of perdicion which is exalted above all that is called God 3 Query Whether it be not the new Law of Righteousness written in the heart to condemn sin in the flesh which thou sayst a man may say he is above the Law by the Gospel be not the pure and true Gospel manifested by Iesus Christ yea or no. Answ That is thy own condicion for thou art got above professing the Gospel or the new Law of Righteousness which knowest neither in the power of truth through the death for if thou didst there would not be such a confusion in thy Queryes and in thy words for thou professest the Gospel with thy busie minde and wouldst be informed as touching those things and wouldst be up in the highest place professing the Gospel but thou must come down to the first Principle Heb. 5. 12. and see thy self a childe of disobedience in whom the Prince of the Ayer yet lodgeth for hence it is so many do profess the Gospel and the new Law of Righteousness and are not come through the Law for the Law hath power over a man as long as he lives and who are made free from the Law are made free from sin through the Law 1 Iohn 3. 4. I am dead to the Law where this is witnessed and the Gospel known and the new Law of Righteousness but Friend this is out of thy dark minde for thou art drunk yet with the Earthly spirit and appearest something in thy comprehension which is gathered in with imaginacions and conceivings but the promise is thou must be scattered and if ever thou witness that fulfilled thou wilt witness what I say but thy dark minde comprehends me not 4. Query Whether thou makest any distinction between the new Law of Righteousness written in the heart by the life of Jesus and the Law administred by Moses which sayth Do this and live and if thou make any wherein lyes it Answ Thou wouldst be comprehending with thy Reason to know a difference without thee which shews forth thy blindness Death reigned from Adam till Moses and that it doth in thee yet for that which should see is in the death the Law and the Prophets they were untill Iohn and Iohn untill Christ he that can receive it let him if thou canst receive it thou mayst and when thou comest to go through Moses and through the Prophets and through Iohn to come to Christ then shalt thou see the Light is but one but thou art making a difference betwixt Christ and Moses as the Pharises did who knew not Moses nor the Prophets nor Iohn nor Christ and in that generacion of the Pharises thou art I must deal plainly with thee thy spirit is known and tryed which is not the spirit that raised up Iesus therefore thou who wouldst be comprehending with thy Reason thou and thy Reason are comprehended which shall never search into the things of God the pure wisdom of God is shut up from that vulterous eye Iob 28. 7. and venomous Beast who art come out of the bottomless Pit and thither must return again and in the viperous generacion thou art And as touching the outward commands and observances where the life of Iesus is made manifest the substance of all Types and â—igures is come Rom. 10. 4. there is no more observing them being made free from all them by him who was under the Law made under the Law to fulfill the Law and the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 2. and who are here denyes all the carnal outward Observances Tradicions as the Temple outwardly which God had commanded and Circumcision outwardly and the Priests outwardly for they had received Iesus Christ the high Priest who is the end of the Law Rom. 10. 4. so the carnal minde had carnal Types and Figures and Shadows of heavenly things but he that is made free from the Law is made free from the curse which thou art not which gave forth these Queries if thou hadst thou wouldst not have shewed forth thy busie minde but it is now as the Apostle sayd it was then there was some doting about questions and the Law which thou shewest thy self to be one of them who hast uttered forth thy folly therefore be ashamed and lay thy hand upon thy mouth 5 Query Whether New Jerusalem and the holy Temple therein be but newly come down from Heaven as in this our Age or the like wherein the tru worshipers worshiped the Father in spirit and truth or hath it always been the place and Temple wherein the Saints of God have worshiped the Father in spirit and truth Iohn 4. 23. from the beginning of the world seeing our Saviour speaks that Abraham saw his day and rejoyced and that the time is coming yea now is that neither at Samaria nor at Jerusalem Answ Thou wouldst know whether New Ierusalem be newly come down in this our Age and it is that which ever was and ever did come down to the Saints they witnessed this but Friend to thee in thy age and generacion where thou art in it is not come but thou art a stranger querying without nor never did nor never shall come in that generacion thou art among the Serpents which the Wo was ever preached to Matth. 23. even that generacion which got the form to speak of Ierusalem and the Temple but are the Synagogues of Satan and full of dead mens bones and who are whited outsides and beautifull outwardly but full of corruption within and in that generacion wherein was
with thy carnal minde to maintain thee and to hold up thy carnal gift and these things which Christ forbids his to do so who said Freely you have received freely give but here thou art not and it shews that thou hast not received it freely therefore thou sellest that which thou callest thy gift which the Apostles never did 1 Cor. 9. 18. Paul was not hired when he was refreshed with the necessaries of the Barbarians O thou Enemy why dost thou accuse Paul and would make him like thy self let him alone for thou knowest him not nor his Ministery for he was a prisoner of the Lord a traveller of the sea when the Barbarians lodged him what is that to thee to maintain thee to bear rule by thy means which Ieremy cryed against Ier. 23. 14. holdest up the horrible filthy thing that is committed in the Land to justifie thee to be a hierling and to receive thy gift and here thou hast openly shewed thy self to be an accuser of the Apostle and wouldst make him like Balaam like thy self and would have the woman to help thee and those are thy nursing fathers Kings and Queens which hold up thy gift which the Prophet cryed wo against but it is that fools may utter forth their folly and be taken in their own snare Prov. 13. 16. here thou art answered the Beast that hath held up the false Prophet and the false Prophet shall both into the fier And thou sayst thou dost not take gifts of the world but if any Prophet of the Lord come among you son or daughter you shew your selves to be of the world you shew your selves to be strikers and of the Devil halling them out of the Synagogues Matth. 10. 17. and to be no Saints nor no Church of God nor no Ministers of Christ and here thou shewest thou takest of the world and thy self to be a Lyar for thou never readest of any of the Churches of God if any of the world came in among them that they halled them out and beat them but it shews the effect of thy ministery and blasphemy which sayth ye are Iews and are not but are Synagogues of Satan Rev. 2. 9. 3. 9. we have found thee out and tryed thee Query 5. Whether the Plagues be not added to him that adds to the Prophecy of the things written in this Book Priests Answer 'T is tru the Spirit of God sayth so Rev. 22. 18 19. I do believe it yet again the expounding and opening of it by the Light of the Spirit of God given in comparing it with other Scriptures is not that which brings the curse for then the Apostle himself would have been under it 1 Cor. 9. 9 10. Rom. 4. 3 6. Rom. 11. 3 4 5. For expounding it wherein I have added or taken away is not yet discovered by any of you and that is the waight of the business when thou didst write to me or any other the Lord judg and let all the Lords people judg whether he be not more apt by far to add to the Prophecy of this Book who by his doctrine begetsiâ— slight esteem of the Prophecy of this Book and perswades his hearers that his words are as true as any Scripture and he cannot err and therefore all is to be believed that he speaks and not to be questioned though many things are contrary to this Prophecy than they that are so much blamed by them and reproached dayly A Reply to the Priests Answer Thou sayst it is tru that the Spirit of God sayth that the Plagues are added to him that adds to the prophece of this Book here thou speakest a Lye thou sayst it is tru the Spirit of God sayth He that adds or diminishes to the prophecy of the Book which hadst thou not seen the Letter then hadst known no spirit and because the Letter sayth so that is thy spirit but as I finde thee adding wresting and lying I do see that the plagues are added to thee by the same Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures and of them thou knowest nothing in that thou speakest a Lye in that thou sayst thou dost know it for thou knowest it not to be a truth though the Letter speak it as they swore the Lord lived and swore falsly Jer. 3. â— if thou didst thou durst not add nor diminish thou sayst comparing one Scripture with another is not that which brings the curse for then the Apostle would have been under it and so with thy corrupt minde dost accuse the Apostle falsly and wouldst make him like thy self and who speaks of the Scriptures fulfilling which thou canst not witness but makest a trade of them without thee and wouldst have Points and Reasons of them as thou wouldst have made a poynt of the Resurrection in thy former writing and here the plague of God is due to thee and here I charge thee again and here the Fool is out of the truth and the Rod is for the back of the Fool Prov. 10. 13. Prov. 18. 28. and here is the Scripture fulfilled upon thee and thou sayst it is not discovered by any of us whether thou addest or diminishest here thou hast shewed thy self to be a Lyar thou hast been told both publickly and privately of it and of thy deceit and now seeing thou hast openly shewed thy self to be a Lyar here openly do I make thee manifest as a Lyar who wouldst justifie thy self in thy deceit but thou harlot art made bare and discovered Nah. 3. 4 5 6. who hast sitten long under a colour and here is the Scripture is fulfilled upon thee and the Prophets words tru we finde them fulfilled Prayses prayses be to the Lord God of Heaven and Earth for ever who gives his servants victory over the Beast and the false Prophet Rev. 15. 2 3 4. such as thou art who have been ensnared by thee therefore we see that Plagues are thy porcion thou sayst that plagues are the waight that we give thee it is so 't is thy due and porcion thou sayst the Lord judg and let all the Lords people judg 1 Cor. 6. 2. the Lord doth judg and the Lord hath judged and the Lords people doth judg all such as thou art Him that thou dost accuse as to add to the prophecy in the Book he doth not but witnesses it thou having not the same witness canst not believe and neither sees him nor the prophecy of the Book thou seest the outside of the Letter with thy visible eye as they did which saw the outside of the Vision of Daniel Dan. 10. 7. But we that do believe him do believe his Doctrine not an outward testimony but we have the witness in our selves which are one with him and it doth witness that he hath the Spirit of truth which cannot err but we do know thy spirit by the same Spirit to be the spirit of error and here thou wouldst not have the Spirit of God to be believed on but here
thou shewest thy self that would question truth for there is nothing in thee born up in thy understanding to receive truth withall here thou shewest thy self to be an open Lyar to say he acts contrary to the Prophecy who is one with it and bears testimony to it and the truth of it against all such false accusers 2 Tim. 3. 3. as thou art for false accusers should arise Tit. 2. 3. and here thou shewest thy self to be one who accusest the Spirit of the living God to be more false than those that have the spirit of Antichrist who shall be consumed and turned into the Lake by the brightness of his coming 2 Thess 2. 8. the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it Query 6. What Scripture have you that speaks of the word two Sacraments which you tell the people of and what Scripture have you to act such things Priests Answer Certainly Satan hath blinded your mindes you would never have put forth such a Question else for the substancial Word the Lord Iesus that we preach of him the Scripture speaks every where and for the Word as the Declaracion of the minde of God in and by Christ to poor sinners the Scriptures are plentifull take two or three Iohn 5. 24. Iohn 8. 31. Iohn 12. 48. Iohn 15. 3. Iohn 17. 20. Ephes 1. 13. Many more I might add but that I have a check on my spirit for gratifying your folly so far as I have done in this particular A Reply to the Priests Answer In thy Answer thou sayst that Christ is the substancial Word thou sayst so because the Letter declares he is the Word but no other knowledg hast thou but this is no answer to the word two Sacraments for Christ we know who is the Word but the word two Sacraments which there is no Scripture for which you tell people of which is an addicion to the Scripture and a thing that never was practised among the Saints as thou being one with thy fellows that holdest up those things the Query was what Scripture you have to act such things but Satan hath blinded your eys 2 Cor. 4. 4. 1 Iohn â— 11. which will not let you justifie those things which you act which shews that you serve but an ill Master that will not bear you out neither can you own the Scriptures as they are but you must give Exposicions upon them and poynts and your imaginacions and conceivings who would have the Scripture cleared but it is thy evil eye and minde that must be cleared Matth. 6. 23. for the Scriptures are as they speak thou sayst the Word you preach Alack for thee thou never knewst the Word if thou didst thou wouldst not speak of clearing up the Scriptures as in thy other Queryes thou speakest of Query 7. What Scripture hast thou to stand praying in the Synagogues before Sermon and after and where the Apostles did so or ever took a Text to treat upon Priests Answer Observe that place Matth. 6. 5. and thou shalt see that the thing Christ ayms at is not so much the posture nor the place but their end of praying in the Synagogue and that was to be seen of men for he did not before nor after condemn the dutyes of fasting praying alms-deeds but taught his Disciples how to do the same things though to avoyd the hypocrisie of others in doing of them and though another may be in the same place and posture as they were yet he may have other ends than they had which thou canst not lightly judg of as Christ did for Christians in prayer with upright hearts are not bound up to any place 1 Tim. 2. 8. And for praying in the publick meeting place and among the Assembly it was so common and usual that the place even had its name from it it was called the House of Prayer Matth. 21. 13. Isai 56. 7. and the hours of prayer were known by the Apostles Acts 3. 1. And that it was so in the times of the Gospel may be seen by Pauls Doctrine about it in the 1 Cor. 11. from the 9. to the 18. verse and in 1 Cor. 14. 13 14 15. For the times of prayer before Sermon and after the Apostle gives a general Rule 1 Cor. 14. 26. Let all things be done to edifying now what way is more edifying and building than for the servants of God to wayâ— on the great Builder God in Christ for help in the beginning of their work and in the close after mercyes received in speaking or hearing to speak good of the Name of our God in blessing and prayses the thankfull heart shall not want goodness from God but more fully the Apostle is clear in it 1 Tim. â— 1. That first of all prayers must be made to begin with that and that the thing is noâ— without example to conclude our speech with prayer see that in Acts 20. 36. This was likewise his manner in the close of his Epistles as may be seen in seven of his Epistles which I could never see in any of your Letters you like not prayer so well it seems And after that comes in thy frivolous and simple Question this is all I see thy hand to and therefore I call it thine Or ever took a Text to treat on I may well answer thee as Christ did the Saduces Thou errest not knowing the Scriptures for look Acts 8. 35. whether Philip took not a Text to treat on to the Eunuch out of Isai 53 7. Acts 10. 34. where Peter took a Text out of Deut. 10. 7. Acts 13. 17. out of Exâ—d 3. 14. and above all we have the example of Christ in this in his Sermon Luke 4. 17 18. who took his Text out of Isai 61. 1. in the Synagogue and he took a Book to reade it too though I believe he had the Scripture more in his heart than any of your Teachers thus having answered this Query I have one word to say to thee or the Inditer of it before I go on and that is this you have in this to me discovered a profane spirit that findes fault with our often seeking and calling on God and blessing his Name I am jealous that you are acted by the spirit of Satan amongst you you are so like those spoken of in the 3 of Mal. 7. 14 15. Reade and God give you to understand it well for to me it appears that the Spirit of God is quite of another nature that says Pray continually and without ceasing in every thing give thanks Ephes 6. 18. 1 Thess 5. 17 18. it calls and encourages to the thing Psal 50. 15. A Reply to the Priests Answer A Scripture thou wrests to maintain the Answer of it in Matth. 6. 5. Christ bids his Disciples pray not as the Pharises did for they prayed standing in the Synagogues but when thou prayest enter into thy Closet and shut the door and here thou art a Lyar of Jesus Christ and pervertst his words
Apostles were men that were under the same commands that were generally commanded of all men cannot be denyed and if so then they were to teach this very Lesson of singing Psalms to the world where they went see Psal 100. 1. 96. 1. 117. 1. 61. 32. 148. 11 12 13. 145. 21. 150. 6. Now because you generally keep such work about this particular but further least you should evade this the New Testament is not altogether silent in this case for we reade of Christ that he sung a Hymn with his Disciples after Supper according to the manner of the Iews at their Feasts which say some was a Part of the 116 Psalm Paul and Silas sung in Prison and besides this Paul observed the command of God in this particular for he taught the Churches this very thing Ephes 5. 19 20. â—ol 3. 16. yea and the Apostle Iames declares the very extent of the command Iames 5. 13. holding it forth as a general duty without exception he sayth Is any merry let him sing Psalms For singing them in Meeter I would ask thee such a Question whether a truth in Meeter holding forth the goodness greatness majesty or mercy of God do not remain a truth instructing comforting edifying as well as the same in Prose If so the Devil hath befooled you exceedingly to make you so busie without cause as you are in this thing and while you pretend for truth of one hand you are beating down truth on the other hand publickly and visibly but besides this the Psalms were penned by the Spirit of God so no question they were directed to be sung in the Temple to that end David sent the Psalms to the chief Musician or Master of the Musick to put them in Meeter for singing and gave them grave Tunes to sing them forth in for the Hebrew Psalms were sung in Meeter in the Temple and in Tunes invented and what makes it worse now than it was heretofore God hath required the singing of Psalms even of English men as they are a part of the world then to that end Scripture-Psalms which were Themes and Verses are translated into English Psalms which Themes and Verses in like sort that we might sing them besides all this I would have thee to know that we are not to live onely by examples but by precepts also now I have discovered general precepts for the practise of this and as we are to do it so we are to do it spiritually orderly and most to edificacion and so the general Rule is 1 Cor. 14. 26 40. the Apostle in the 26 verse specifies this particular of a Psalm now what can be more for edificacion and decency and order than to follow that order that had been used so long before with the approbacion of God himself Hezekiah set the house of God in order and this was one thing he did he put the singing of Davids Psalms in order as in the 2 Chron. 29. 30. and in chapter 7. 30. 26. God blames him not for it but saith he There is none like him from the days of Solomon and to this day the order is not contradicted by God that I know if thou knowest more discover it Last of all exception is taken because they are given forth to the world any Assembly of Christians coming together to worship God are not bound up so close but a company of the world may come in amongst them and joyn with them in those things which are required of all men as hearing the Word praying or singing of Psalms and Christians are not to refrain because they are there for this see that place 1 Cor. 14. 23 24. Now whatsoever thou judgest I dare not but judg that God hath some of his people in our meetings that are Christians indeed and though there may be more of the world I know not that this should be a ground to forbear that which all in the Congregation are required to do viz to speak good of God A Reply to the Priests Answer Whereas thou goest about to maintain the singing of Davids Psalms in a Meeter and that the Apostles did so and went into the world to give to the world Davids Psalms to sing in a Meeter which David sayth The dead cannot prayse the Lord here I charge thee in the presence of the Almighty God to be a perverter of Scriptures and of the Apostles words and Davids words and dost bring in a consequence to bring them into the same carnal invencion that thou art in and wouldst make them like thy self and thou bringest a Scripture Matth. 28. 20. that the Apostles went into the world to give to the world Davids Psalms to sing in a Meeter there is not a word in the Scripture that Christ sent his Apostles into the world to give them Davids Psalms to sing in Meeter here thou accusest Christ and wouldst make him like thy self and wouldst make the Apostles like thy self here again I charge thee to be a wrester and a perverter of the Scriptures thou speakest of Paul and Silas singing and them thou dost bring to confirm thy going into the world to give to the world Davids Psalms in a Meeter here thou hast shewed forth thy blindness sottishness and ignorance Paul and Silas when they sung prayses to God they were in Prison which condicion thou never knewest and another Scripture thou bringest concerning Christ and his Disciples when they did sing an Hymn which thou art ignorant of but art in the Generacion of the Pharises and Priests that â—ought to put him to death who hath gotten the form of his words therefore as Amos sayth The songs of the Temple shall be turned into houling Amos 8. thy songs and all your songs another Scripture thou bringest in the Ephesians and Colossians to maintain thy beastly end of going into the world who are ignorant and live in darkness and giving them Davids Psalms in a Meeter contrary to all the Scripture and the practise of all the Saints and wouldst compare the Church who are gathered out of the world the Saints to be like the world and thy beastly worship who sung with the spirit and with understanding and with grace making melody to the Lord in their hearts 1 Cor. 14. 15. Heb. 2. 12. but the world turns the grace of God into wantonness and how darest thou compare them with those that lives and dwels in the grace of God and sings with grace and with the spirit but here thou hast shewed forth thy ignorance and blindness and it is that fools may utter forth their folly and that blinde Guides might appear openly and here I charge thee again to wrest the Scriptures and David thou bringest for the justifying of thy going into the world and giving them his Psalms to sing in Meeter who sayd Sing unto the Lord a new Song and none can sing a new song but who are redeâ—med from the earth Rev. 14. 3. and who are not
25. Paul spoke his condicion that he was in to the Saints and what he had passed through which yet thou art alive in the flesh and not come to know the Law of God therefore thy carnal minde rules and reigns in thee and so thou art making a distinction in the Apostles words and wresting of them who witnessed that there was no condemnacion to him that was in Christ Iesus and witnessed the condicion under the Law and without the Law and was made free from the Law through the Law which thou knowest not so thou being a dead man canst not hear thou speakest of a Victory and reigning power of sin and yet in the conclusion of thy words thou speakest to the contrary again and that thou art of that minde that Victory is not fully enjoyed while we are on the earth and here thou speakest contrary to the Scriptures and there is a confusion in thy words for first thou sayst there is a Victory and Dominion â—ver the reigning power of sin and then again thou denyest it and here thou shewest Babylon for the Apostle sayd We are more than conqâ—â—rours through him that loved us and there is no condemnacion to them who are in Christ Iesus Another Scripture thou wouldst be satisfied in 1 Cor. 15. 54. the Apostle did speak what he saw in this Chapter which thou hast taken a word or two of and we witness and see the same yet death reigns in thee and corruption reigns in thee and the natural minde which doth despise the glory of God therefore is this Scripture hid from thine eys but it is as it speaks we witness it to be fulfilled and the Apostle was in the condicion that he spoke of for he witnessed the Victory and sayd Thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory through our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 55 56. and sayd O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Rom. 5. 9. and thou hast raced out thy self from the Apostles and from the Saints condicions and shewest that death yet hath dominion over thee and that sin hath dominion over thee and that the mortal hath dominion over the and that corrupcions have dominion over thee and that that thou art in the grave and that Victory cannot be witnessed and art an enemy to it and hast not so much as a belief in thee of overcoming of sin and here thou hast shewed thy hypocrites hope as thou sayst and so keepest poor people in death in corruption and in the mortal and carnal minde and in the grave and in unbelief as thou art in thy self and shewest that thou art damned openly he that believeth not is condemned already he that believeth is born of God and doth not commit sin but is passed from death to life Query 10. Whether any natural man can preach the Gospel yea or no Priests Answer I do believe they may preach the historical part of the Gospel I believe Iudas did preach and was not behinde in his gift to outward vieâ— of the eleven Apostles for the Apostles had no ground to have any ill conceits of him for had they they would soon have reflected on him when Christ sayd One of you shall betray me but they questioned themselves and not him Matth. 26. 21 22. And God gives great gifts many times to wicked men Rom 2. 18 19 20. 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. Ministers of Satan may be transformed into Ministers of righteousness Gal. â— 8. They cannot preach the mystery of the Gospel nor Christ from their own experience or enjoyment for this they know not 't is folly to them 1 Cor. 2. 14. A Reply to the Priests Answer Here thou art pleading for the natural man for Iudas and the false Apostles and it is true in that generacion thou art among them and therefore thou must needs love thy own and stand up for them for no other generacion thou knowest I am a witness against thee and I know thee and have tryed thy spirit to be one of these false Teachers which wouldst transform thy self into an Angel of light and which dost intrude into these things thou never knewst and so thou puffest up thy fleshly minde there thou art I witness thee there eternally by the Eternal spirit Thou sayst Ministers of Satan may be transformed into Ministers of righteousness 2 Cor. 11. 15. here thou wouldst make Satan and righteousness one and shewest forth thy error not knowing the words as the Apostle speaks and if they cannot preach the mystery of the Gospel how can they be transformed into righteousness for the Ministers of Satan transform themselves as the Ministers of righteousness but he doth not say he transforms into it here thou shewest thy self to be a Lyar and thy self to be one of those who are no Ministers of the Gospel getting the form but denying the power 2 Tim. 3. 5. which ever was to be turned away from whose end is destruction according to their works and so thou shewest all along that thou hast but onely the form of the Apostles words for thou pleadest for them who are without and against those who are within who are in the power and life of the truth thou pleadest against the truth and the life which the Apostles were in and the life of the Apostles for the Apostles did discern the false Apostles and those who did transform themselves so with the same spirit we discern thee to be in the same generation among them and there thou must own thy porcion and own the Scriptures to be tru and thy porcion in it which it speaks of to the false Prophets and false Apostles Another Scripture thou bringest 1 Cor. â— 14. thou bringest a Scripture which sayth The natural man receiveth not the things that be of the Spirit of God they are foolishness to him that is thy own condiâ—ion own that Scripture for a truth to thy self for the preaching of Christ and the Cross is foolishness to thee as it was to them that held up the Iewish Synagogues which yet thou holdest up another in imitation from the carnal Letter being carnal and blinde and ignorant of the mystery and of Christ and of the Gospel but the mystery and Christ and the Gospel we witness and own but we have not reâ—â—ived it of man neither were we taught it of man but by the revelacion of Iesus Christ Gal. 1. 12. and we do witness forth the substance as the Apostle did and therefore we do deny all such as thou art who art not so much as a Minister of the Letter and hast not yet got the form of it to speak it tru as the form is but thou hast shewed forth thy ignorance and foolishness of the form of the Letter Query 11. Whether the Tree be not known by its fruits yea or no Priests Answer No question but it is Christ himself says so but I pray thee tell me did ever a good Tree bring forth Despeâ—aâ—ion
not this condicion but art in the world among Antichrists false prophets and Beasts and yet thou wouldst be busy among the Saints condicions but this I say to thee All who are come out from among such as thou art need not any man to teach them but as the Annoynting But they who do not continu they turn from the Annoynting and he that denieth the Father and the Son is a Lyar and an Antichrist he that hath the Son hath the Father also therfore we do know thee to be Antichrist who should come Friend thou speakest of Speaking and Hearing what is not agreeable to the Anoynting be silent O flesh for thou knowest nothing of the Anoynting thou art one of those whose mouth must be stopt thou art one of those dumb Prophets who hast nothing from the Anoynting but denyest it but onely thou hast got the form of words to make a Trade of it and denyest the thing it self Query 16. Whether they do not bewitch People that draw them from the Spirit within to observe the Ordinances of the world when as the Apostle sayd They did bewiteh you that drew you to observe Circumcision which was the command of God when he who was the substance of those Types and Figures was come Priests Answer The Lord rebuke this lying spirit that is amongst you who is that which goeth to draw people from the Spirit within to observe the Ordinances of the world name them and blame them those that are lead by that Spirit of God and have him in good earnest do make use of the Ordinance of Christ in a more spiritual manner not to draw them from the Spirit but but to draw them into the Spirits likeness possession and enjoyment the Lord rebuke that prophane Spirit among you that dares to call the Ordinances of Christ the Ordinances of the world that cares not what dishonour you put on Christ his Truth his Waies his Servants The Lord judg and let all the Lords People judg whose Eyes are open whether they do not bewitch poor creatures that carries them from beginning in the Spirit to end in the Flesh Gal. 3. 1. 3. from the Gospell to the Law from Justificacion by Faith to Justificacion by works from loving the Appearance of God to Strife Malice Hatred and to the Appearance of Sathan from Peace to a constant restlesnesse either in their own Spirits or outwardly troubling others by Writing Printing braâ—en-faced-Rayling and Reproaching without heeding whether they speak Truth or a Lye A Reply to the Preists answer Thou art he that goes about to draw people from the Spirit within them to observe thy carnall Tradicion and Imitacion and to observe the Ordinances of the World and it is thy Spirit which is that Lying Spirit which thou mencionest which the Lord will rebuke and must rebuke for thy Lord and God I do deny for the living Lord God of Heaven and Earth thou knowest not no more than a naturall bruit Beast Jude 10. for thy God is the God of the World and he is thy Lord and the Lying spirit rules in thee as thou hast made it to apear thou art he therefore I name thee and blame thee Camelford and the Lord will blame thee and rebuke thee Freind none of the Ordinances of Christ dost thou know for all thy Preaching is of thy selfe Christ never commanded it nor never commanded thee nor thy Praying nor thy Singing Christ never conmanded it but it is the Invencion of thy Brain and the invencion of man and to the Ordinances of Christ thou art an Enimy Thou dost openly show thy selfe to be a witnesse against them who are the Ministers of Christ and who abides in the Ordinance of Christ that witnesse against such as thou art but all the Ordinances of Christ Iesus we witnesse and own but thou to them art an Enimy therfore thee and all thy Ordinances do we deny and all that which thou calst spirituall manners for this is but thy Gloss and Colour that thou mayst appear beutifull with thy spirituall nocion but thou art discovered Praises be to the glorious Lord God Almighty for ever Thou sayst thou dost not draw them from the Spirit but drawst them into the Spirits likenesse here thou hast made a graven Immage and the likenesse of a thing and the Lord forbids that thou shouldst make to thy self any graven Immage or the likenesse of any thing that is in Heaven or in the Earth and here thou hast showed thy spirit to be a contrary spirit in this thou showest thy self to be a Lyar for thy worship is not so much as the likenesse of a spirit for the Spirit is one and it we own but thy likenesse of Spirit we deny Thou sayest again the Lord rebuke that Lying-spirit and I say to thee thy Lord we deny and the Lord God of Heaven and Earth doth now rebuke thee thou Lying-spirit for him thou knowest not and calest it a Lying-spirit for thou prayest to thy Lord to rebuke the Spirit of truth which shall confound thee and thy Lord here thou hast shewed forth thy prophanesse and blasphemy and it is made manifest what God thou servest even the God of the world Thou sayst let the Lord judg and all whose eyes are opened The Lord doth judg and hath judged and all the Lords people doth judg whose eyes are opened they judg thee and all such as thou art in Righteousnesse and see thee clearly Prayses be to the glorious Lord God The day from on high dâ—th spring A question thou askest whether they do not bewitch poor creatures that turn them from beginning in the Spirit to end in the Flesh Ans yea I say they do and thou art one for as thou saydst before in thy Query when thou askedst whether the Light was sufficient to lead people to heaven without any more adoe thou shewest all thy doings tend to draw People from the Light into the works of the Flesh and from waiting to be justified in the Spirit and to lead them into condemnacion and there thou art one that bewitches the people who know not the Spirit but those who are led and guided by the Spirit and walk in it deny thy Freedom in the flesh and thy liberty and all thy carnall Ordinances and Tradicions And it is thou that drawest people from the Apostles doctrin and from the Law of God within and from Justificacion to the Law of works into thy carnal imitated way but the Law of Faith and the Law of God and the Teachings of the Spirit this we witnesse and own as that which the Apostles was taught by and by this we seek to bring all People from under thy carnall teaching and we deny it all and thee both And whereas thou dost accuse us for drawing people from the Appearance of God to Strife Mallice Envy and Hatred and to the Appearance of Sathan herein thou hast shewed thy selfe to be a false accuser 2 Tim. 3 â— and a Lyar in
saying we draw people from the Appearances of God we draw People up to God from Wrath and Malice and the Appearace of Sathan for in Wrath Malice and Envy and Strife thou livest in for who are drawn from thee and the Appearance of Wrath Malice and Strife lives in Joy and Love and Unity onewith another and as for what thou speakest of constant restlessenesse it is thy own for all who are drawn from you are drawn into stedfastnesse and the Spirit of them that are drawn from you thou knowest not Thou who art restlesse and keepest all other in restlesnesse ever learning and never able to come to the knowledg of the Truth 2 Tim. 3 7. and therefore thou judgest them like thy self and it seems our Papers and Writings and Speakings do torment and trouble thee as ever the power of Truth did the Pharises for the Prophet who was moved to write the Roul when he sent it to him unto whom it was directed he burned it so doth Writing now torment and trouble thee And whereas thou accufest us of brazen-faced Rayling and reproaching without heeding whether we speak Truth or a Lye Ans All this state and condicion thou art in Brazen-faced thou art for thou art a Beast and brazen-faced in uttering forth thy Lyes and thy Railing and thy venomous filthy Speeches and thou it is that dost not heed whether thou speakst Truth or a Lye for Truth thou canst not speak for thou canst do no otherwise for thou art of thy Father the Devill Who was a Lyar from the begining for the truth yet thou knowâ—st not but we speak the Truth as it is in Jesus and lye not and testifie to that which should excercise thy Conscience 2 Cor. 4. 2. and eternally shall all you witnesse us â— Cor 5 11 though the lyng-lyng-Spirit in you now judg the power of Truth to be a Lye which ever the lying-lying-Spirit did but thy Spirit is tryed and we know what thou art an enimy to the Truth and without God in the World Query 17. Whether you have the same Spirit as was in the Apostles and Christ and the Prophets which gave forth the Scriptures seeing you act contrary to the Scriptures and follow your own Invencions and Tradicions and so have erred from them all Priests Answer The same Spirit that Christ had the Prophets and Apostles had and the same have all that are Christs there is but one Spirit of Light Truth and Peace in the Body of Christ 1 Cor. 9 14. and all Dispensacions are given forth by this one Spirit Yer I do beleive this Spirit is given forth in severall measures and degrees to the Body of Christ Ephes 4 7. 1 Cor 12. from the 4 Verse to the 12. Yea I do also beleive no man to this day in the world hath so full a measure of the Spirit as the Penners of the Scriptures had they had the gift of Toungs and were by the Spirit enabled to preach to any part of the world I do not know any that hath such a gift by the Spirit they had a gift of healing the Sick and curing the Lame in their bodily infirmities I know non such no not the perfectest among you they had by the Spirit a gift of Prophesie which was tru and came to passe and though you have had those among you that have pretended to this yet all that hath been is but a discovery of that Lying-Spirit they were led by enough to make you blush but that you are brazen-faced They erred not in discovering the minde of God to us I know none that can rightly boast of such a measure I have taken the Pains to answer thy Queries particularly excuse it not but answer me I have propounded so again that is particularly The Lord open your eyes that what is of God and Truth may fix on many of you that you may escape out where the Snare of Satan is broken and I shall rejoyce in my Pains Farewell A Reply to the Priests Ans Freind here thou hast confessed that all hath the same Spirit that are Christs and here is Confusion in thy words and thou shewest that thou canst not witness it thy self but sayest others hath it thou dost beleive and yet after thou comest to deny it and sayst no man in all the world hath so full a measure of the Spirit as the Penners of the Scripture had and Freind here thou shewest thou hast not the same Spirit that was in Iesus and he that hath not the same Spirit is none of his Rom. 89. and it doth show that thou readst the Scripture with thy Carnall minde and sayst thou dost beleiv the Spirit is given forth in severall measures and degrees thou sayst it because the Scripture sayth it but thou knowest not Christ neither art thou a Minester of him and the working and Operacion of the Spâ—rit thou knowest not as thou showedst it before neither dost thou know the gift of God but art querying the Condicions of them that had received the gift and afterward fell away after they were made pertakers of the heavenly gift which showes that thou knowest not the gift of God nor art not made pertaker of it but art in the Fall and so showest forth thy Ignorance for if thou wert made a pertaker of the heavenly gift thou wouldst leave of buying and selling the Letter and making Merchandize of it Rev. 18 11. Thou sayst thou dost not know any one that hath such a gift to preach in any part of the world nor the gift of Tongues here thou shamest thy own Profession in the natural state and the natural preaching and all thy fellows who profess Tongues and your carnal Original thou sayst thou knowest not any that are so gifted to speak in all parts of the world here thou shewest thy self that Christ never sent thee for whom Christ sent to preach he sayd Go preach to all Nations to every Creature Matth 16. 15. but he did not send them for gifts and rewards for it was Balaam that looked after such things and in that generacion thou art envying the righteous thou sayst thou dost not know the same gift amongst us neither dost thou see it among the Apostles for the same that was in the Apostles we witness the blinde see the deaf hear the lame walk and them that have layd long under such false Physicians as thou art are cured the dumb speak and therefore thou ragest as thy Example the Pharises did and sons and daughrers prophecy Ioel 2. 28. but such were called mad men and fools by such as thou art in their generaâ—ion who art out of the truth and whereas thou dost accuse that we have had such amongst us as pretend to this Prophecy thou art a Lyar there is none pretends Prophecy and the lying spirit speaks in thee and thou neither art ashamed neither canst thou blush thou sayst thou dost not know such amongst us therefore thou discoverest thy self that thou knowst
nothing Thou deaf Adder and Serpent who art full of Cockatrices Psal 8. 4. for if thou couldst see but thou art blinde thou mightst see the same gift amongst us as was among the Apostles for we witness the same by the same spirit according to the operacion but the lying spirit in thee can judg no otherways of truth it self but to be a lying spirit for it is in the generacion of them that know nothing of the truth for that Spirit that we are led by thou knowest not for if thou wert led by the same Spirit we should be one with thee but Friend thy spirit is tryed and known to be the spirit of Error thou sayst the Prophets erred not in declaring the minde of God to you thou knowest not the Spirit that the Prophets were guided by nor thou knowest not the minde of God though thou hast the outside a declaracion which is to the visible eye without thee but art in the generacion of them that could tell by the Prophets words where Christ should be born yet they sought to put him to death Mark 14. 64. the chief Priests and so thou art one of them which is an Enemy to Christ where he is born now as they were them and as Iannes and Iambres witstood Moses so dost thou resist the truth out of a corrupt minde in the state of Iannes and Iambres out of the faith a Reprobate as thou hast openly shewed it but thou shalt proceed no farther for thy folly is and shall be made manifest 2 Tim. 3. 9. Thou sayst thou hast taken pains to answer these Queries thou hast wrested many Scriptures as it is made manifest to maintain thee in the state of the Pharises and to maintain thee an Enemy against Christ and to maintain thee to be one of Balaams Prophets and to maintain thee to be one of the hierlings and to justifie that which Christ forbids and to maintain thee to hold up that horrible filty thing that is committed in the Land and to bear rule by thy means Ier. 5. 30 31. which the Prophets cryed against and with the Prophets words and Christs words and with the Apostles words thou wouldst shelter thy self and make thy self a cover to maintain thee in thy filthiness but the Lord God of power is coming to uncover thee and lay thee more and more open and make thee bare that thy filthyness may appear to the end that the simple ones who are in captivity under thy subtlety and snare of iniquity may be delivered and peoples mindes directed unto God that â—e alone may be exalted to whom be all prayse honor and glory for ever And Friend thou sayst that thou desirest that the Lord would open our eys thou tempter of the Lord thy Lord we deny and thy Prayers we deny the Lord hath opened our eys Prayse and glory be to him for ever the Lord hath opened our eys without thy Prayers Matth. 20. 34. therefore we deny them they are abominacion and contrary to thy means hath the Lord opened our eys 1 Iohn 1. 1. neither is there any thing of God in thy Answers but thou and thy imaginacions are raced out for ever and all thy pains thou speakest of are the works of thy own hands which were ever cryed out against Thou desirest we may escape out of the snare of Satan where it is broken we have escaped out of thy snares where they are broken Psal â—24 7. and therefore out of thy dominion and from under thy power are we come and see thee to be one that the Devil ensnares who art one of his Souldiers and not of Christs fighting for the Devils Kingdom and fighting against the Saints with thy carnal weapons and against â—he Lamb but the Lamb hath got the victory over the Beast Prayses prayses be to the Lord God Almighty for every Amen FINIS QUERIES sent by Gabriel Camelford to the People who out of reproach and envy of the blinde and dark world are called Quakers Answered by the Spirit of the Lord which doth enlighten and shine in our hearts and those that live in the pure light of God and can reade with the Spirit may see him taken in his own Snare and condemned out of own mouth and his Deceits layd open Query 1. WHat is a Reprobate 2 Cor. 13. 5. Answer Whereas thou wouldst know what a Reprobate is thou art out of the truth hated of God a Childe of the Devil an Enemy of Righteousness the Son of Perdicion in whom Christ rules not but the works of the flesh who knows not the Light that enlightneth every one that cometh into world but denyes it and hates it Query 2. Whether Christ be in a Reprobate to lead him to God Answ Thou askest thou knowest not what Shall ever a Reprobate enter to God Jacob have I loved Esau have I hated and Christ condemns the Reprobate and the Reprobate hates the Light Iohn 3. 19 20. as thou dost which shews forth the works of darkness and there thou art a Reprobate and one that knows not the Light that enlightneth every one that comes into the world and this Light shall condemn thee who keepest others in the same nature with thy fair glosses and colours which thou settest upon the Scriptures which must go into the Lake and into perdicion who livest in thy filthy and fleshly imaginacions which ever was cursed from God Psal 101. 5. an Enemy of Righteousness whom the Lord according to his promise will scatter who livest in thy imaginacious and conceivings Rom. 1. 21. and there thou art Query 3. If so why are not all men brought to God Answ Because they hate the Light as thou dost and lovest the darkness tather than the Light because thy deeds are evil Dost thou profess thy self to be a Minister of Iesus Christ and queriest why all men are not brought to God here openly thou hast shewed thy self to be a Hater of the Light for shame give over and blush Christ sayth I am the Light which enlightneth every one which cometh into the world Ioh. 1. 9. which thou art ignorant of he that loves the Light and walks in the Light there is no occasion of stumbling but thou that hatest the Light thy deeds are evil and therefore thou stumblest Iohn 11. 9 10. and there is thy condemnacion which is the Light and with such blinde Guides as thou art are poor people lead from the Light within them which should guide them to God to hearken to thy imaginacions and to fall down to thy images but the Plagues of God will be poured down upon the Beast and the false Prophet Deut. 28. 59. and thou art one which keepest people from God Query 4. Whether any man hath power to resist in the day when he comes to draw the soul to himself Aâ—sw Here thou shewest that thou dost not know the power of God neither hast tasted of it but standst in the power of Satan and dost resist and deny but
a day of power and vengeance Ier. 51. 6. will come upon thee which thou shalt not be able to resist though now thou art querying and canst not tell whether man can resist or no by thy Query thou hast shewed forth thy subtlety Serpent like the children of Israel which had tasted of the mighty power of the Lord when they murmured they were destroyed Numb 14. 28 29. but this thou knewest not but art shutting up the Kingdom of Heaven against men as these did who were called of men Masters which stood praying in the Synagogues which Christ cryed wo against in Matth. 23. reade thy porcion there who hated Christ and there thou art for shame give over professing thy self to be a Minister of God who knowst not the power of God but art querying whether any man can resist it yea or no. Query 1. Who were they the Apostle spake this word to Ephes 2. 12. Answ They were they that were made nigh by the bloud of Christ whom thou art an Enemy to and without God in the world in the generacion of the Pharises and a childe of disobedience Light shines and Darkness doth not comprehend it the god of the world hath blinded thy eys Rom. 11. 8. and thou hast shewed thy self to be a Tempter Query 2. Whether you dare own this as a truth made out by the Spirit of God in the Apostle Answ We do witness in us what the Apostle speaks by the same Spirit that was in the Apostle therefore we witness against thee who hast nothing but the Letter and the lying spirit to be thy witness and we do witness what the Apostle sayth He that believeth hath the witness in himself 1 Iohn 5. 9 10. and this do we own therefore tremble before the Lord thou childe of the Devil Psal 99. 1. and blasphemer and Enemy of Righteousness who art querying without Query 3. If so whether your opinion is not contrary to truth and so a Ly Answ Opinions we do deny and here thou hast shewed forth thy dark minde thou canst not witness that ever thou wert in the Light for darkness cannot comprehend it Iohn 1. 5. and there thou art for thy minde is full of confusion and frivolousuess and the Lye speaks in thee and there is nothing of truth born up in thy understanding and that which should exercise thy conscience thou art an Enemy to and to the Apostles life thou art an Enemy and knowst it not though thou canst and dost make a Trade of his words and Christs words and the Prophets words O thou false-hearted dissembling Hypocrite the Plagues of God are due to thee and that is thy porcion Rev. 18. 8. Query 1. Whether there be not a time that men are darkness Ephes 5. 8. Answ Thou art in darkness and the man of sin is darkness and the Light shines in darkness and thou dost not comprehend it Iohn 1. 5. Thou hatest the Light thou childe of darkness and therefore thou art in darkness which Light shall condemn thee Iohn 3. 19. the righteousness of God is revealed upon thee in flames of fier thou childe of disobedience Query 2. Whether there be a possibility to hide Christ the Son of Righteousness quite under a cloud where he really is Answ Thou Enemy of God thou dost hide the Talent in thee under the clod of earth in thee If thou hast an ear thou mayst hear 1 Pet. 3. 19. the Ministers of God they speak to the spirits in Prison and the Prisoners shall come out of Prison Art thou a Teacher and shewest thy self to be so sottish and to be ignorant of the Form and must be taught the Letter therefore thou shewest thy ignorance because the son of perdicion is above all that is called God in thee 2 Thess 2. 3. Thou blinde Hypocrite was not he in Egypt while Herod was King and out of Egypt have I called my Son sayth the Lord Who hast thou preached all this while or who hath sent thee to preach Here thou hast shewed that thou never knewst Christ nor Christ never sent thee O thou dark dumb Prophet thou wert speaking of the Prophet and of Grace which hath appeared to all men Tit. 2. 11 12. which thou turnest into wantonness for this Grace is the Saints Teacher those who are taught of it deny thee and thou art one that keeps the Light in Prison in thee and the Devil is exalted above all that is called God in thee who art for condemnacion and destruction as it is written Query 3. Whether the Devil be stronger than Christ the flesh than the spirit or where dost thou finde he was ever a Prisoner in Satans chains Answ We witness that he was in Satans chains and is in thee else how could they crucifie him afresh thou Enemy of Righteousness who hast shewed forth thy ignorance and thou art he that keeps him in them here thou shewest thy self to be ignorant of the Letter but art one of them that imprisons the truth Christ sayth I was in Prison and is kept in Prison by thee and ye visited me not Matth. 25. 43. The Devil shall cast some of you into Prison Rev. 2. 10. And Christ sayth Saul why persecutest thou me and in that generacion thou art persecuting but in all these things thou shewest thy self to be ignorant of the life and power within but art querying without with thy busie minde looking with the eye that cannot see and hearkning with that ear which cannot hear which shews that thou never knewst Christ but dost imprison him The same which discended did ascend which sayd He had overcome the world Iohn 16. 33. If thou hast an ear thou mayst hear but thou art he that quenches the spirit and despisest prophecying who lives in the lusts of the flesh who art for destruction and the fier doth not the Letter say he was taken from Prison from Judgment and was he not in Prison when Barnabas was delivered when a company of rude fellows came from the high Priests such as thou art to take him and lead him to Prison and he it is which is imprisoned still the cause of it is thou and such high Priests as thou art Mark 15. 1. which stir up the rude company to bring him to the Magistrate and to the Prison still Matth. 26. 59. O thou Enemy of Righteousness dost thou inquire whether Christ was in Prison thou art born after the flesh and persecutest him who is born after the Spirit here thou art answered Query 1. Whether it be not a needless expression to speak of drawing the soul to Christ if Christ be so near us as in us a Teacher and Leader already Iohn 6. 44. Answ Thou Enemy the Tempter and Serpent Christ hath called thee to repentance and thou hast been convinced with the Light which is Christ but thou livest in the flesh and in the filthiness in the mystery of iniquity who wouldst have the Scripture to be answered without thee who art an
neither knewst Life nor Resurrection Query 4. What guile and craft was it he taught them by 2 Cor. 12. 1â— Answ O thou vain man thou wouldst know what guile and craft the Saints were taught by not thy guile and witchcraft and Sorcery which thou livest in Ier. 27. 9. which thou drawest People from the truth withall by thy fair colours and imaginacions and so feedest them with thy corrupt stuffâ— and it is that which thou art an Enemy to and never knewst for thou art in the gall of bitterness buying and selling the Letter catching with thy witchcraft and this is thy guile giving thy imaginacions upon the Scriptures which Paul gave forth Rom. â— 21. shewing forth thy spiritual whoredom from the life of them that gave it forth thou art not come so far as Simon Magus who would have bought the gift of God for money but the wisdom of God takes the wise in their own craftiness and here thou hast shewed thy self to be ignorant of the Ministers of God and thy self to be full of subtilty and a fool Query 1. What enlightning this is Heb. 6 4 5 6. Answ It is the enlightning which thou knowest not of which is not born up in thy understanding which thou art an Enemy to which is the Light of God which Light thou hatest Iohn 3. 20. Query â— What heavenly gift it is they tasted Answ If thou knewst the gift of God Iohn 4. 10. thou wouldst not buy and sell the Letter for the gift of God is not to be bought and sold and that gift shalt thou never know which is the gift of God Rom. 6. 23. Query 3. How or in what sense they were made Pertakers of the Holy Ghost Answ Wouldst thou draw the Holy Ghost to thy sense and to thy carnal reason with which thou shalt never know it but art blind without God in the world wouldst intrude into the Saints condicions Ephes 2. 12. Query What world to come is this they tasted of Answ Not of the dark world which thou art in that world which thou shalt never see for that world and the Holy Ghost we witness therefore we see thee in the dark world without God Rom. 5. 13. Query 5. Whether such as these did fall away Answ Thou hast shewed forth thy ignorance of the Form of the Letter many did taste of the power of God and did eat of the spiritual meat and did drink of the spiritual drink and were destroyed 1 Cor. 10. â— 4. this meat and drink thou knowest not nor art not come to eat of it Query 6. How or in what sense they cruciâ—ied the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame Answ Thou wouldst know in what sense they crucified the Son of God afresh and thou art he that crucifiest him where he is risen and made manifest and they are they which crucifie him afresh who have tasted of the heavenly gift and draw back from it which gift yet thou art not come to know hadst thou an ear thou mightst hear Rev. 2. 11. but thou art in the estate of the chief Priests and Pharises who could tell by the Letter where he should be born but were they that put him to death In these six questions thou hast shewed forth thy self that thou dost not know the Light which the Saints were and are enlightned by nor thou dost not know the heavenly gift now here thou hast shewed thy self openly to be a blinde Minister of the Letter and what dost thou speak to People but the carnal Letter which dost not know the gift of God and thou hast shewed that thou dost not know the Holy Ghost but wouldst have a carnal sense upon that which is eternal and here thou hast shewed thy self to be a natural man indeed for shame blush and give over thy Trade and prating about other mens matters thou busi-body thou hast openly shewed thou dost not know the world which is to come Heb. 6. 5. but hast shewed thy self to be one that keeps People in the dark world and here thou makest it manifest that thou never tastedst of the world to come and here thou hast raced out thy self and shut thy self up in the dark world and here thou art taken in thy craftiness and catched in thy subtle guile because thou hast shewed thy self that thou never wert in the way therefore thou dost not see them and here it is that makes it manifest thou art in the fall and in the by-path and in the dark and in the broad way and there thou keepst poor People and thou hast shewed that thou art he that crucifies Christ Mark 15. 13 14. and bringst all others to crucifie him and dost not know that condicion of them that crucified him afresh but art spending all thy strength to keep People from him which eternally thou and they and all People shall witness us to speak the truth wheras thou hast sayd thou hast given me a taste least thou shouldst tyer me but Friend thy spirit I did taste before I did see thy Queryes which is the spirit of Antichrist and knowing nothing of the tru Christ which thou hast openly shewed that spirit of thine cannot weary us for it is for destruction Thou blinde Sot how darest thou speak to People that neither knowst the enlightning nor the Holy Ghost nor the gift of God nor the world which is to come therefore what dost thou lead them out of nor what is it to crucifie Christ afresh nor the condicion of them that fall away which shews that thou art not out of the fall therefore all People who hear this fellow take notice of this blinde Guide how ignorant he hath shewed himself of the Doctrine of Christ 2 John 1. 9. and raced himself out to be no Minister of Christ as not knowing the Apostles condicions all these things we witness fulfilled Acts 13. 33. the Holy Ghost the Enlightning the world to come and the heavenly gift but not by any such Teacher as thou art Prayses be to the Lord alone for ever the Lord alone is our Teacher therefore do we deny and testifie against all such as thou art all these things hath God fulfilled in us Rom. 8. 4. therefore we witness them Prayses be to the Lord God for ever Query 1. Whether the Old Testament discovering the minde of God to man be of any esteem with you yea or no. Answ We witness the New Testament and Old both and thee to be without both but onely to make a Trade of them and there they are in esteem to thee for thou hast never come out of Egypt yet for when he lead them out of Egypt he gave them a Covenant Judges 1. 2. but thou neither knowest Moses nor the Prophets nor Christ but they are in esteem with us and we witness against thee Query 2. Whether thou canst or dare deny the generality of the Precepts given in this particular before cited Answ The Precepts of God we own all
it thou art and there 's a Hell thou shalt finde it and there thy sinfull body shall suffer who art seperated from God Heaven is Gods Throne which the Saints do enjoy he that can receive it let him but thou art shut out of it and that which asketh the Question shall never know it for thou art without the Gate as I said to thee before And whereas thou wouldst know how the Wicked should be tormented here thou wouldst learn thy Porcion Rev. 20. 131 4. with that Fier that cannot be quenched look upon Fier and Brimston and it may teach thee and thou mayst read thy Figure daily Whereas thou wouldst know if every Saint and Devil have a particular body thou art of the particular body of the mystery of Iniquity 2 Thess 2. 7. who art to be tormented from the presence of the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb and all his Saints and Angels Rev. 20. 10. and if thou call that a Locall place take it The Saints shall stand upon Mount Sion who are redeemed from the Earth by the Blood of Iesus Christ who sings Hallelujah for evermore Rev. 14. 1. Rev. 21. 10. whose Body is but one and Christ is the Head of the Body Col. 1. 18. If thou hast an Eare thou mayst hear for without this Body thou art kept from making any division 2 Thess 2. 3. Thou Enemy of God and man of Sin for destruction thou art ordained to go therein thy fear of it doth begin and the Lake that burneth and the Pit thou art for to be turned into Eternally thou shalt know me that I speak the Truth for whosoever thou art called by Name thy Spirit I know 5 Query Whether Iesus Christ be the Eternall Father and fullest Fountain of Bliss and that besides him and above him there is no God Was he the first Contriver Determiner and Former of all things the Creator of every thing the giver of every good gift Or was he the begotten of the Father so not the Father and Fountain but set apart from him being by him when he gave to the Sea his Decree so Christ is not truly God in the Originall but a Son being alwaies by the Father to see what works he doth the Son may do likewise Is he but the Gift and Dispensator or Maker-out of the Fathers Love to Sinners as a Mediator and Advocate betwixt the Father and them so not the substance and Fountain in the Bult and Dignity Therefore what is Christ hath he a body and the Father none how may he be distinguished from the Father So not the Father So no God unless there be two or three distinct Gods and no more one God Answ Whereas thou wouldst know whether Iesus Christ be the Eternall Father and fullest Fountain of Bliss thou Serpent thou askest a question and art giving an answer thy self as the Serpent did Mich. 7. 17. 2 Cor. 11. 3. he is not thy Eternall Father that puâ—st forth this Query nor Fountain for of another Fountain thou drinkest and Bliss us thou calst it which is one of thy Conjured words and thou sayst besides him and above him there is no God God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself 2. Cor. 15. 19. he that hath an Eare to hear let him hear Whereas thou wouldst know whether Christ was the first Contriver Determiner and Former of all things him who is the First and the Last shalt thou never know but death and destruction for thou art the Contriver Determiner and Former who wouldst poynt out God a way and who art contriving with thy Serpentine wisdom to intrude into the things of God and to know God and Christ Col. 2. 18. who art cursed above all the beasts of the field from God and Christ Gen 3. 14. In the world thou mayst make a division but betwixt God and Christ thou canst make none as it is written A Virgin shall have a Childe whose name shall be Emmanuel which is by interpretacion God with us Math. â— 23. Luke 1 31 32 he that hath an Eare to hear let him hear but thou hast none who art making divisions He that is the Father is the giver of every good gift and the Creator of all things and he that was in the Father and the Father in him by him were all things made and by him doth all things consist visible and invisible Col. 1. 16 17. whereas thou askest if Christ was the Begotten of the Father which shews thou neither knowest the Father nor the Son for he that knoweth him that did beget knoweth him that is begotten of him for the Son is in the Father Iohn 5. 1. who is not born by the will of man and thou in thy will shalt never know him Iohn 14. 10 11. for thou art Herod that seekest to know but it is to destroy Matth. 2. 13. if thou knewst the Son thou wouldst know the Father who cannot be divided for the Father and the Son are one from whence all good and perfect gifts flow and as he sayd to the Disciple Hast thou seen me and not seen the Father I am in the Father and the Father in me Iohn 14. 9 10. and he that hath the Father hath the Son and if there come any among you and bring any other Doctrine receive him not into your houses neither bid him God speed Friend thou art the subtle Serpent the Tempter who shewest forth thy presumptuous blasphemy thou sayst Christ is not truly God in that Original thou hast no more knowledg of him than the outward Original for through thy subtlety thou hast conjured up these many Queryes which must go into perdicion again who art making a differenâ— and distance betwixt God and Christ for as I sayd to thee before God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself and he that sees the Son sees the Father also the Mover of all things and Maker of all things but here with thy busie minde thy blindness and ignorance doth appear who art scraping in Hell to gather up your conjured stuff who neither knowest God nor Christ and it is Christ that you crucifie Friend here thou sittest as a Judg of the Father and of Christ thou Enemy of God who sayst Christ is not the Father and Fountain but set apart from him being by him when he gave to the Sea his Decree God was in Christ who is both Father and Fountain reconciling the world to himself and it was he that gave to the Sea its Decree and he that sees the Son sees the Father also for the Son is in him but thou that makest a difference to set God in one place and Christ in another art in the same nature that the Iews had that could not discern the Father that spoke in him as he sayd It is not you but the Spirit of the Father that speaketh in you Matth. 10. 20. but thou livest in Philosophy and Logick which are of the Devil Col. 2. 8. who art storming with
God hast none who crucifiest Christ now who art he that frustratest and quenchest the Spirit who must be consumed with the breath of his mouth and destroyed by the brightness of his coming thou queryest whether there be a power in every man as to be saved if he will here thou subtlety who art ditted full of Eearth hast shewed forth thy ignorance of the power of God 2 Tim. 3. 4 5. Man in his will would be saved as thou wouldst but the power of God is contrary to thy will and destroys it which saves and as many as receives Christ to them he gives power to become the sons of God Iohn 1. 12. but here thou son of perdicion hast made manifest thy self not to love Christ nor receive him therefore thou wantst power and there thou hast shewed thy self to be that wicked and slothfull servant which hidest thy Talent in the Earth Matth. 25. 26. and there is that Light and Power in every man which if he take heed to it and wait within there he shall finde his Saviour 2 Pet. 1. 19. but if he hate this pure Eternal Light it shall condem him eternally whose deeds are evil Iohn 3. 19. as thine is and so all stumbling is by being disobedient to the Light as the Iews who stumbled at Christ who sayd he was the Light that enlightneth every one that cometh into world so thou dost now at the same Light which shall be thy condemnacion eternally thou shalt witness me it is the same Light as ever was to that which should exercise your consciences do I speak which will witness me and condemn you though God is greater than Conscience 7 Query Whether there shall be a general Resurrection of all flesh all summoned to one place and to what place to receive a tru and du Sentence of Iudgment yea or no Answ Christ Iesus is the Resurrection of the just and unjust some to salvacion and some to condemnacion the same that saves the same condemns Matth. 25. 31 32 33 34. And thou desirest to know the place it is the day that God will judg thee and the world in righteousness whom he hath ordained thou busie fellow who art querying of others condicions of the world without thee but it is that thou Fool mightst utter forth thy folly and here thou hast made it appear and in thy Queryes thou art little wiser and there is a place where thou shalt finde a Judg and his Trumpet is sounding but thou art deaf yet and canst not hear it and the Sumpter-horse is gone forth 8 Query Whether may the Scriptures by the Spirit of God be opened and unfolded and expounded to the People yea or no Ans Here thou Serpent art full of subtlety High-Priest like under a colour comest and wouldst be taught but in thy other Queryes thou art teaching and judging and thou didst shew thy selfe to be one that didst not know the Light which enlightneth every one that cometh into the world and what dost thou talk of opening the Scripture who hates the Light and stumblest at it and art disobedient to the Spirit Col. 3. 6. to it thou art an Enemy Ephes 5. 6. but it is that thou mayest be kept in the high place of wickedness Ephes 2. 2. but by them who dwell in the Light thou art comprehended and taken in the snare and art without the Truth of God and an Enemy to that which should guide thee and to be a Cloud without water Iude 12. and the same Spirit where it is made manifest and lived in and walked in and not the lusts of the flesh it opens the Scriptures in the People and fulfils them for it is the same that gave them forth and where this is witnessed it needs not be queryed whether it opens the Scripture to the People or no for it doth open them in the People and to the People but thou art without the Gate of Truth what is this to thee one that art without stumblest at the Light a Childe of Disobedience whom the wrath of God abides upon Iohn 3. 36. but it is the Serpent that would be wise and wouldst paint thy self with other mens words who pretendest to have the Spirit but art a Deceiver in the world in thy Fathers Kingdom and Dominion and this shalt thou see when thou ownest the Light which is thy condemnacion and witnessest me to speak the truth George Fox FINIS Certain QUERIES given forth from one Robert Lucas of Kellet in Lancashire who is wise in his own conceit professing in words that he knows something but iâ— here found out to know nothing but what he knows naturally as a bruit Beast and in those things hath corrupted himself as Iude 10 and that through his wrath bitterness envy and malice against the wonderfull and mighty power of God which he hath manifested in his People which now makes the Devil to rage persecute and blaspheme and to set all his Servants a work to tempt to minister Questions to despise falsly accuse and to slander and contemn all those who are redeemed from the Earth and are Servants to the living God and walk in the Truth judging and condemning and overturning all those who profess the Truth in words but walk contrary which Questions were propounded to one who is despised of the Despisers for the Truths sake whose name among men is Richard Hubberthorn but are answered by the Spirit of the Lord from the mouth of the Lord as followeth I Have here received a Paper whose name subscribed to it is Robert Lucas in which are many unlearned Queryes proceeding from the subtle minde Serpent-like which minde is full of mischief and dark about Questions and strife of words 2 Tim. 2. 23. being full of darkness and in them are many temptations yet because thou Fool shouldst not be exalted in thy pride and foolery a few things in Answer I have given forth to the uttering forth of thy foolery thou that hast been a Professor so long and art querying what Faith is and whether Faith be attained by hearing the Word preached and whether all men have not Faith and whether it is possible to please God without Faith and thou queryest how Christ is in man and whether any be elected to Salvacion and whether all men be conceived in sin and queryest how it is done away after thou hast shewed forth thy foolishness thy blindness and thy ignorance as not knowing any thing thou hast made a Profession of Christ and here thou shewest thou knowst him not for shame give over thy Profession and lay thy hand upon thy mouth and be silent but to us the uttering forth thy folly is serviceable as it is written Fools are uttering forth their folly and thou hast shewed thy self to be one Prov. 13. 16. 1 Query What Faith is Answ Faith is the Gift of God and that which asks the question is without and shall never know it for thou art a Reprobate concerning it the Faith