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.
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
Truth 's Defence AGAINST the Refined Subtilty OF THE SERPENT Held forth in divers ANSWERS to severall QUERIES made by men called Ministers in the North. Given forth by the Light and Power of God appearing in GEORGE FOX and RICHARD HUBBERTHORN And they watched him and sent forth Spies which should feign themselves just men that they might take hold of his words that so they might deliver him into the power and authority of the Governours Luke 20. 20. Printed for Tho Wayt at his house in the Pavement in York 1653. To all general Professors of CHRIST in the VVorld WHat think â—e Is it not yet time to cease from strife but ye must be still beating your fellow Servants even when your Master is at the Door Have ye not yet understood the Parable of the Tares and Wheat that they should grow together till the Harvest and now is not the Harvest almost ripe Hath not the wisdom of Man had a long day of judging the righteous Seed But now that Seed iâ— rising up to judg it be silent then and ceasâ— from Man â— while and thou shalt see his highest wisdom declared to be his greatest folly what will it profit thee to resist the breathings forth of the Spirit of Righteousness in any will it not add fuel to that unquenchable fier which already burns as an Oven tho it may be thou see it not yet but as it was of old sayd In the last days shall come Scoffers men which onely have a Form of Godliness but deny and oppose the Power where ever it appears 't is well if it happen not to this Generation as it did in the days of Noah the Preacher of Righteousness the world then being drowned in the sensual life they could not hear nor understand therefore the Flood came and swept them away He not high-minded but fear for though ye have heaped to your selves many Teachers and clothed your selves with many Forms of Worship yet these will not abide the â—ier nor defend you from the Iudgment that is coming upon you consider what a Night of Confusion is already upon you how are ye shattered and rent asunder that you cannot give a tru account what ye are or where you are this is the Lords doing that will spoil you of all your Idols and make you ashamed of your hard speeches against the innocent Cannot you be content to suck what sweet you can as long as you can out of the pride and vanityes of this World but you must push with you Horns the low and contemptiblâ— Servants of Christ who through his mighty power is now raising up those Valleys whereon himself will sit in them with them to judg that spirit in you both quick and dead Divers QUERIES of great importance propounded by Thomas Atkinson of Cartmall in Lancashire TO Gabriel Camelford Parson of Stafley-Chappel with his Answers to them Also REPLIES to the ANSVVERS wherein is layd open the subtilty and deceit of the Priest and his Invencions Snares and Baits and false Imaginations discovered by the pure light of God which hath shined in our hearts and hath given us to see the darkness which he and the World live in hating this Light which hath appeared and enlightned every one that cometh into the World Iohn 1. 9. and all who are guided by this Light and have a pure eye opened in them which is the light of the body may see and discern the darkness blindness and ignorance of the Priest I Have received many confused Queries which came from a dark minde which would know the condicions of the Apostles or have another meaning to the Scriptures and that minde I do deny for if thou have the Spirit that gave them forth then thou wouldst witness us but as a Serpént full of Venom hast thou shewed forth thy self spuing forth thy venom which must be turned into Hell who errest not knowing the Scriptures and the power of God Friend in thy Queries thou askest thou dost not know what for some Queries were sent to thee and thou lookedst upon them to be frivelous and absurd things so thou mayst look upon that which Christ spoke and the Apostles and the Prophets and say that is frivolous and absurd for they were given forth all by one Spirit according to measure as they ever did in that Generation they are so with thy frivolous and absurd minde though thy frivolous and absurd minde â—â—serve such things for thy ends Thou sayst they were condemned to the fier to be burned which if they had it would have been a figure to thy self which Nature could do no other for they came to torment him and thee who are for the fier as it is written The Beast and the false Prophet shall be turned into the fier you might as well have condemned the Scriptures to the fier And I have received certain Papers in which there is confusion which thou callest thy Answers and many confused Queries which hath come from a Babylonian Merchant which hath sent some of his stuff to me who art the scarlet-coloured Beast and the well-favoured Harlot proceeding from a confused minde which art confused and come out of Egypt from a dark understanding in whom the Prince of the Ayer lodgeth who maintainst the Devils Kingdom with all thy force and might and power as it doth appear which would be satisfied who art in the unreasonable nature thy satisfaction must be Death therefore for the simple ones sake have I freely let forth my self in a few Answers and Replies to thy unlearned and confused Queries Questions and Answers that thy deceit might be discovered and the power of truth known and the simple ones directed and God alone glorified To all professed Ministers who have taken the title of Ministers of the Gospel of Christ who is the end of the Law and the Prophets and Shadows which shadow him forth a few Questions to you who have taken this Office upon you Querie 1. Whether thou hast that Light which enlightneth every one that cometh into the world which Light is Christ yea or no. Pr. Answ Through grace and love displayed and shed abroad in my soul I am able to say that my beloved is mine and I am his and therefore all he has is mine at least for my advantage his light as a Prophet and his love as a Saviour is mine and all to teach me and lead me to my Fathers house but thy inference thereon is absurd and foolish thine do I say I mistook the inference of thy Master or Scribe for it is not thy hand-writing and in that I wonder but that it is usual with you how you can be so contradictory to your own Principles for you generally charge others with speaking that which is not their own and yet thou comest in the face of the Congregation and givest that which is not thy own thy self for shame either deny your Principles or act and speak according to them But to let that
did shew forth Christ which was the substance he finding him riding in his Chariot and thou Beast dost wrest this Scripture and pervert it and so takest a place of Scripture and raisâ—st Doctrines Poynts and Uses as thou callest them and what thou conceivest and imaginest of it and so sellest it for money and so makest an hours talk of it and art in one of these Text a moneth or more and speakest thine own inventions of it Did they do so O thou Blasphemer Philip had not a set wages of him but he was moved of the Lord to go to the Eunuch when he was going to Jerusalem to worship so if any were moved of the Lord to come unto any of you who are going to worship and reading of the Scripture and should shew you the substance of it such as thou art would fall a raging for it takes away your Trade we do witness that which Philip did but we deny thee to be in Philips place but onely Antichrist like hath gotten his form O thou Enemy of all Righteousness who hath wrested many Scriptures and perverted them to thine own way Acts 23. 6. to maintain thee in thy filthiness and to make a cover for thee but thou art discovered with all who are uncovered and stand naked before the Lord God Almighty Prayses be to him for him And above all thou sayst thou hast Christ for an example for taking a Text the words which Christ spoke he said it was fulfilled Luke 4. 17. Isai 61. 1. and if thou take his words for an example Is thy Text which thou speakest fulfilled then why dost thou ly so long in a Text Christ said his was fulfilled that day who said the Lord had anoynted him to preach Luke 4. 21. which thou art not nor â—anst witness and Christ did not take it and raise Doctrines Reasons Uses Tryals and Motives and have a set time and a set wages and preach out of it a moneth or more as thou dost but sayd it was fulfilled that day which thou couldst never witness nor yet say O thou impudent and brazen-faced how darest thou take Christ for an example to maintain thee in thy silthiness Christs words we own to be tru and to be fulfilled prayâ—ed be the Lord for ever which thou hast nothing to do with but wrests them with thy corrupt carnal minde to thy own destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. but as the Prophet did speak of the Merchants of Babylon as thou art one of them in the mystery of Witchcraft and so with thy craft dost deceive simple ones and the Scriptures I know cannot err from that which gave it forth and thy spirit I know to be the spirit of errour which is the same that ever deceived the Nations and we witness the Scripture in our hearts as Christ did And as touching thy Belief we deny it for thou neither believest Christ nor us for if thou wert of God tou would own us as they sayd who needed no man to teach them but the anoynting 1 John 2. 27. but that thou art without and in the world an Antithrist and there I leave thee Whereas thou dost accuse us of a profane spirit it is the profane minde and spirit in thee which judgest the spirit of truth so because it doth shew that which the profane nature cannot bear and whereas thou dost accuse that we finde fault with your often calling and seeking to God that is false for we would have all to call upon the Lord while he is near and to seek him while he may be found Isai 55. 6. and that is the intent of all our writing and printing or coming to your Steeple-houses or coming abroad for your souls good which you shall eternally witness though your corrupt filthy mindes do reject it but thou Hypocrite and Pharise and Enemy of all Righteousness all thy prayers we utterly deny for they are abominacion to the Lord and all thy blessings are cursed as in Mal. 2. Your praying in the Synagogues as the Pharises did Christ did deny and we also do deny the same and so will every one where Christ is risen deny thee and such as thou art for he is but one the same to day yesterday and for ever whom thou art an Enemy to and in the Generacion of them that ever were so Friend thou sayst thou art jealous that we are acted by a spirit of Satan and dost accuse us to be like those spoken of in Mal. 3. these are thy companions eternally I witness it and there thou art present now among them in the same nature and one that walks out of the commands of God as I have proved before and out of the commands of Christ following thine imaginacions and therefore are we all witnesses against thee that thou art in the Sorcery in the Witchcraft and in the Adultery and in the corrupt seed whose blessings are cursed the same light sees it now and sees thee in the same Generation And whereas thou dost accuse us concerning Prayer thou gatherest many Scriptures in thine imaginacions the Saints prayed continually and from them Scriptures thou imitatest a Form and accusest us who live in the praying continually and to thee it cannot appear in thy carnal form neither dost thou know our spirit for it terrifies thee nor the spirit of the Apostle and we do witness the condicion that the Apostle speaks of praying continually and in every thing giving thanks 1 Thess 5. 17. 1 Tim. 2. 8. But this thou canst not witness to be fulfilled to that which should exercise thy conscience do I speak which shall eternally witness we for thou art dead and the dead cannot prayse God and that which should prayse God in thee is in the Grave and none in the Grave can prayse him Isai 38. 18. and thy carnal minde in thee is limiting God in thy carnal form and custom and with a pretence of thy Prayers Pharise like which is but mocking God and hatefull and abominacion to him and all who are of him thy Prayers and spirit will be denyed by them and thou accuser art without in the world among the false accusers 2 Tim. 3. 3. and thou must deny all thy prayers and all thy customs and all thy worship and all thy imitated Churches as thou callest them and all thy praysings and all the worlds ways before ever thou knowest God or us Qu. 8. Shew me by the Scriptures where the Apostles went into the world and gave the world David's Psalms to sing in Meeter these things that ye practisâ— answer them by the Scripture or the Apostles practise without consequence and imaginacions Priests Answer That the Apostles went into the world that is up and down in several parts of it is clear by all their Epistles That the Apostles Commission from Iesus Christ in their going forth to preach to all Nations was this Teaching them to observe all whatsoever I have commanded you is as clear Matth. 28. 20. That the
of the world and here thou art an adder and the Plagues are added to thee therefore all thy consequence and Songs we utterly deny and thy vain imitacions thou wouldst fain get a colour out of the Apostles words to maintain thee in thy filthiness but thy shelter is taken away and thy coverings and thou art discovered to be without and not in the practise of the Saints Friend the singing with the spirit as they did we own that singing in grace we own and making melody to the Lord in the heart we own and the singing of a New Song we own and witness as the Saints did but thy singing we do deny and witness against it Glory glory to the Highest Another Scripture thou bringest to maintain the singing of Davids Psalms in Meeter that the Apostle gave them to the ignorant world which is Iames 5. 13. where there is not a word in the Scriptures for it but he sayd If any be merry let him sing Psalms which he spoke to the Saints scattered abroad and not to the world and there thou art a Lyar of him and a false accuser of him the Apostles sayd they would sing with understanding and here thou shewest that thou hast no understanding nor no grace that thou livest in it s not to be given to people that turn the grace of God into wantonness and have no understanding in things that be eternal nor of the Saints condicions that were gathered out of the world here thou hast made thy self voyd of the knowledg of God and of Christ and of the Apostles and all the Saints thy Meeter we do deny and they who turned them into Meeter are like thy self therefore do we witness the beating down of all thy strong holds and singing in Meeter thou hast got another mans condicion into Meeter and all people I take to record if thou shouldst see David roaring quaking and trembling and water his Bed with his tears Psal 32. 3. â— 11. â— â— 42. 3. and have this turned into a Meeter and get up into a Pulpit among ignorant people of beastical mindes and then say Let us sing to the prayse and glory of God Let all people judg what thou justifiest and this is thy imitated singing which is altogether to his dishonor and this is thy Psalm but who are moved to sing with understanding and making melody to the Lord in their hearts we own if it be in Meeter we own it O thou blinde Hypocrite was David of the world when he did sing prayses and did David send his Psalms to the chief Musician to havo them put in Meeter and so to give them to the world thou neither knowest the Example nor the Precept which thou wouldst have us to know nor David and all thy Precepts we do deny and that minde in thee which doth discover them as thou sayst which is thy own practise and not the practise of the Saints for there is nothing proceeds out of thee but what comes out of thy imaginacions and invencions but the Precept which the Scripture speaks of we know and witness which thou art ignorant of as thou makest it to appear and all those Psalms which you have turned into an English Meeter we deny and such as thou art who keep people in blinde forms and customs but the singing prayses to God as David did we own and witness Psal. 104. 33. 144. 9. which thou art without and ignorant of and an Enemy to and to them who witness the same condicion as he was in And friend another Scripture thou bringest 1 Cor. 14. 26 40. to maintain thee that the Apostle went into the world and gave them Davids Psalms in a Meeter to sing and here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to wrest the Scripture and to add to the Scripture for the Apostle spoke this not to the world but he spoke to the Brethren if thou wert not blinde thou mightst see it the very Letter declares it O thou slanderous Beast why dost thou slander the Church of God and would make them like the rude world strikers fighters Ps 33. 2. 89. 5. but it is that thou mightst shew forth thy folly blindness sortishness and ignorance thou Hypocrite if thou wouldst sing now as David did then where is thy Harp Lute and thy loud Symball here thou shewest thy self that thou art neither in Davids condicion nor the Apostles nor in the Saints condicion but art without following thy own filthy imaginacions living in the cursed nature which holds up all these abominacions and the abominable invencions of men which God forbids Thou sayst God hath required the singing of these Psalms of English men in this thou art a Lyar O thou Lyar God never commanded these Psalms to be sung of English men which you have turned into a Meeter but they are your own invencions and when you reade them Hats you keep on and when you sing them Hats you put off and here you worship the works of your own hands thou sayst you ought to do it spiritually which is thy own invencion and applicacion and thee and thy application we do deny and there is nothing of the spirit born up in thy understanding to guide thee now here thou shewest to be in the same nature that the world is in they say they ought to do such things and doth not here thou shewest thy self to be one of them without and not in the same minde the Apostle was in who sayd We will sing with the spirit and we will sing With understanding and with grace but we do deny all thy imitacions And â—riend another Scripture thou bringest to hold up giving to the world Davids Psalms to sing in Meeter 2 Chron. 29. 30. and here I charge thee in this Scripture to be a Lyar in the presence of the Lord God Almighty and an adder to the Scriptures for they sang prayses to the Lord who were Brethren that came to the house of the Lord as the Scripture sayth and Hezekiah did not give them Davids Psalms to sing in Meeter which were Enemies to God but these did sing when the House was cleansed and this is nothing to thee to hold up thine abominacions and to give the world Davids Psalms in Meeter but openly to all people hast thou shewed thy self thou sayst God blamed him not there was none like him therefore thou mayst see thy self he was not of the world and here thou shewest thou dost not know the old Covenant and hastraced thy self out of them both and hast made thy self stark blinde thou sayst to this day the order is not contradicted by God Did not Steven witness and say God doth not dwell in Temples made with hands Acts 7. 48. and for witnessing forth the substance was stoned to death and the Apostle Paul witnessed against all the Figures Types and Shadows and all their Customs and outside Observances and all their offering and contradicted that which God
to Christ and yet thou professest thy self to be a Minister of Christ and yet knowest not Antichrist Query 15. Whether they be not Seducers that draw People from the Anoynting within them and tells them they must have a Teacher without them when as he who was a Minister of the Gospel sayd You need no man teach you but as the same Anoynting teacheth and the promise is to him that abideth in it eternal life Priests Answer If thou canst prove and make good thy charge that I draw People to look from the Anoynting within them to the Teachers without them spare me not God hath taught me to instruct those whom I speak to not to look on or rest on the outward Teacher but to look unto the Spirit of Christ the Teacher even within them where he is to have that made out to them by his light and power that they here speak of the Ministers without and that thy own conscience must needs convince thee of to be tru unless thou art wilfully blind which is I fear a judgment upon many of you The Lord make out discover more more let it fall where it will who are Seducers of the People and whether they be not so that teach perswade People that every man hath the Anoynting in them and a Light that will lead them to Heaven without any more ado I am much mistaken if the Preacher of the Gospel that thou speakest of prove not the very thing in 1 John 2. 18 19 20 26. reade and consider and God give thee to understand note what John sayth in that place cited by thee 1 John 2. 27. and you need not that any man teach you but as c. in this to me not quite taking off men from speaking and hearing but onely from speaking and hearing what is not agreeable to the Anoynting men are to speak as the Anoynting speaks and then they are as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4. 11. A Reply to the Priests Answer Thou wouldst have it proved have the charge made good that thou drawest People from the Anoynting within them to the Teacher without them I answer thou dost openly shew that thou dost draw People from the Anoynting within them for he that is taught of the Anoynting need not any man to teach him but as the Anoynting and he that sayd so did not bear rule by his means as thou dost and hast got the Form of words and mayst speak those words but if any come to witness that they need not any man to teach them Heb. 8. 10 11. as the Saints did them thou sayst he denyes the means which God hath afforded because they will not hold up thee and justifie thee in thy beastly and carnal worship and callest that tempting of God and fancy and desperate folly when we come to witness the Anoynting that they need no man to teach them herein thou hast shewed forth thy folly and fancy and desperate wickedness foolishness and madness as Balaam did when the dumb Ass rebuked him thou sayst God hath taught thee but thou art a Thief and a Lyar and hast stollen the word for thou denyest that which should teach thee the Light which God teacheth by the Light which enlightneth every one that cometh into the world Iohn 1. 9. yet thou denyest the immediate teaching of God I charge thee for if any witness to be taught alone with the Anoynting and deny all mens teaching but onely the immediate Spirit which all the men of God were taught by that thou sayst is a tying up of God and herein thou hast shewed forth thy self that thou dost not know the immediat Teaching nor the Anoynting for those who are taught with the Anoynting do deny thee and all such as thou art Thou sayst God hath taught thee to instruct others thou hast nothing from God to instruct others withall but keepest them in thy immitated Forms and Customs dead and husky prayers and what thou dost get with studying and devising of thy own Brain that thou feedest poor ignorant people withall and sayst God instructeth thee here I charge thee to bee a Lyar and the wo was denounced against such as thou art therfore we deny thee as the Prophets of God denied them for the same is made manifest to us now which lets us see thee as it did them then Prayses be to God for ever Friend the Light and power of God thou deniest and art ignorant of and that which should exercise thy Conscience for thou deniest the Light that enlightneth every one that cometh into the world And why dost thou talk of the Light and of the power of God who art ignorant of the Light and disobedient to it but the God of this World hath blinded thy eyes 2 Cor. 4. 4. and therfore thou endeavourest to keep others in the same heathenish nature thy selfe art in wherfore to my Conscience thou speakest nothing nor canst speak to the Conscience for thou deniest the immediat Teaching and callest that a tying up of God O thou blasphemer Thou desirest to let the Plagues and Judgments fall where they will upon them who are Seducers thou needest not desire the Plagues for they are thy porcion and here thou hast shewed thy selfe to be blind and ignorant indeed for thou dost not know a Seducer nor thy own condicion therfore thou art not fit to teach others A Question thou askest Whether they be not Seducers that teach and perswade peeple that every one hath the Anointing in them a Light that will lead them to Heaven without any more ado Answ Here thou shewest forth thy foolishness indeed for thou wouldst bring peeple forth into the doing the works of the flesh into the broad way which work is death and the End of all thy Ministry is to draw peeple from the Anoynting and from the Light within them and to draw them to thy Teaching wherby thou makest thy selfe manifest to be a Seducer All who do witness the Anoynting and walk in the Light 1 Iohn 2. 8. such thou lookest upon to be Seducers with thy dark mind who canst not see them who draw peeple from thy dark Ministry to mind the Light of God within them as the Apostle sayd take heed to the Light of God within you and this thou dost look upon to be seducing that it is not sufficient for to guide them to Heaven but that they must come out from the Light within them to thy Doing which we deny and all thy preaching practise and Invencion which is witchcraft and here I charge thee to be a Witch and to bewitch the people Thou dost bring a place of Scripture 1 Iohn 2. 18 19 20. which thou exhortest to read which is a Rod for thy own back concerning you need no man to teach you but the Anoynting for many came out with us but it is manifest they were not of us because they did not continnue with us but thou art uncome-forth and thou knowest
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-Spirit in you now judg the power of Truth to be a Lye which ever the 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
Enemy to the life that gave it forth Mark 15. 1. therefore to such as thou and to thy generacion the Wo was ever preached for thou art one of them which was in the generacion of the Pharises who tempted Christ who were Enemyes to him though they professed the Prophets words and Moses words but thou art for destruction and misery will be thy end Query 2 Whether it be not an improper speech of Christ to say You will not come to me when he is in them and they in him before according to what you affirm Answ Thou blinde Hypocrite and Pharise here thou hast shewed thy self to be a blinde Guide indeed that neither knows Christ nor the drawing of Christ how darest thou say there is improperness in his speech but it is that thou being an Enemy of him mightst utter forth thy folly who art one of them that will not come to him that thou mightst have life Iohn 5. 40. but thou art seeking the outward Letter which is a testificacion of him standing up in thy own imaginacions and wouldst have the Scripture answer thee so thou Serpent wouldst have dust but with imaginacions I will not feed thee but with judgment as it is written but thy minde I do deny and to the Spirit that is in Prison I speak 1 Pet. 3. 19. whom thou art an Enemy to and to thee the Plagues of God are due Query 1. Whether the time of dark Natures power be not a night to the soul Iohn 11. 10. Answ This is thy own condicion thou needest not to have asked it for thy soul thou knowest not but the dark power reigns and rules in thee therefore thou stumblest because there is no Light in thy understanding John 12. 10. thou art in the night and there is stumbling and knowst not whither thou goost one that hates the Light a childe of disobedience Query 2. Whence it is that they that walk in the Light stumble if they have such a pure leading Light in them Answ Thou stumblest in these Queries because thou art disobedient to the Light and hatest it as others do and these are frivolous Queries that proceed from a frivolous minde who bringest Scriptures and art ignorant as a natural bruit Beast made to be taken and destroyed as Peter sayth now the evil nature in thee at this may rage but in that generacion thou art one that hateth the Light and stumbles and walks in darkness and knowest not whither thou goest John â— 11. and here again thou hast shewed thy self ignorant of the Letter and of Christs words Query â— Whether the Reason given by Christ be a tru and solid Reason yea or no Answ Thou with thy damnable Doctrine wouldst compare Christ like thy self with thy filthy Reason who art one of the false Prophets who denyest the Lord therefore thou art questioning Christs words which shews thee a Pharise who did question Christ thou Enemy of God where canst then accuse Christ that he spoke unsolidly or unsoundly or spoke a Ly O thou busiminded fellow what hast thou to do to question Christs words Mark â— â— but thou shewest forth thy busie filthy minde Luke 23. 2. that thou mightst accuse him where he is made manifest thou Pharise and Hypocrite Query 4. If so whether they that say Every man hath a sufficient Light be not Lyars and Deceivers of the People yea or no Ans Here thou shewest thy self to be a deceiver openly and all thou speakest is deceit from thy dark minde that comprehends not the Light that enlightens every one that comes into the world who hates it stumbles at noon-day John 5. and there thou art who hast put forth so many stumbling Queries and in that generacion thou art the same Spirit is made manifest as was in the Apostles which doth comprehend thee who shalt eternally witness me who cannot flatter thee and hast shewed thy self openly to be without the Light of God in darkness yet art pleading for it Therefore thou makest Christ a Lyar and a Deceiver and art in that generacion that ever called him so Iesus Christ sayd I am the Light of the world which enlightens every one that comes into the world Iohn â— 9. One he loves the Light and walks in it and there is no occasion of stumbling the other hates the Light because his deeds are evil and because it will reprove them and this is the condâ—mnacion of the world and of thee Query 1. Whether all men are lead by the Spirit of God Rom. 8 9 14. Answ No thou art not lead by the Spirit of God but art lead by the Prince of darkness who rules in the children of disobedience Ephes 2. â— so thou art one that hatest the Light and quenchest the Spirit 2 Thess 5. 19. crucifiest Christ and shewest thy self openly blinde Dost thou profess thy self to be a Minister of God and queriest whether all be lead by the Spirit here thou makest thy nakedness and foolishness appear Query 2. Whether all men without exceptions are the sons of God Answ No thou art not nor none of thy flock we know thee so to be Except ye be born again Iohn 3. 3. ye must first be born again but thou art a childe of wrath and disobedience and here thou hast shewed forth thy natural birth and as a bruit beast which Iude speaks of Iude 10. and this must thou own before thou knowst what it is to be a son or servant which yet thou art an Enemy to Query 1. Whether the preaching of the Gospel be not a spiritual husbandry and warfare 1 Cor. â— 9 13 14. Answ We do witness the preaching of the Gospel to be a spiritual warfare and husbandry to pluck up such fruitless Trees and Briars and Thorns as thou art which cumber the ground 1 Cor. 3. 9. and to war against such Pharises as thou art which hath long stood in the Vineyard cumbring the ground whose fruit stinks as it is written Every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fier Matth. 3. 10. which thou art one and the cursed Fig-tree so the warfare is against such as thou art who livest in spiritual wickedness which Christ cryed Wo against Matth. 11. 21. that had the chiefest places in the Assemblyes Matth. 23 and there is the war that wars against such as thou art Query 2. Whether men go to war at their own Cost 1 Cor. 7. 9 13 14. Answ A Query out of the Scripture thou bringest who goeth a warfare at his own Charge but the same Apostle sayd he did use none of these things neither have I written these things that it should be so done unto me I preach the Gospel I have nothing to glory of Wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel Cor. 19. 15 61. Thou wrestest his words to maintain thy gifts and thou hast planted no Vineyard nor never wast in the Warfare and art not come to know it and the Flock the
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
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
Cor. 11. 29. and there thou art 27 Query Whether the Scripture beeing Carnall and the Letter Killing as you say wee may read them without danger Answ The Letter which killeth 2 Cor. 3. 6. is dangerous for thou takest it here to warr withall against the Saints with thy Carnall minde giving out thy Carnall Exposicions upon it and the Ministers of the Letter are the Ministers of Death which is to Condemnacion and you take it to make a Trade with it and with what the Prophets Christ and Apostles sayd and again you take it to make a Trade upon it so that some have 30 some 40 some 50 some 60 some a 100 pounds a year where was ever such things practised or heard of amongst all your Fathers the false Prophets you do exceed them all in wickedness and Paint your selves and are Hyerlings and get up in the room of Christ you seem like Christ in words having painted your selves with Christs words and the Apostles words but Christ cryed Wo unto such whited wals and here you read with danger who speak of them and speak a Lye Ier 5 2. because you speak not what is in you because you speak of your selves and it is dangerous to read that and to make a Trade of that which the Prophets Christ and the Apostles spoke forth freely and to give meanings to it contrary then it is and to raise Poynts Tryalls and Motives and Uses here is adding and the Curses and Plagues are added to him that adds to the Prophesie written in this Book and there you are for destruction is your Porcion Rev. 22. 18. But I say blessed is he that doth read and doth understand and he that doth neither add nor diminish for he walks in the Paths of the Prophets of Christ and the Apostles and in the Steps of Abraham and the Apostle said I charge you by the Lord that this Epistle be read among all the holy Brethren but you are Ignorant and unlearned 2 Pet 3 16 and you wrest the Scriptures to your own destruction Psal 56 5 and to you it is dangerous to read or speak of it who know not the Life of it even as the Pharises who were learned in the Letter but knew not Christ and some of the Apostles who were not learned men in the Letter did not wrest the Scriptures as the same Peter was learned in the Life though not in the Letter but you are in the state of the Hypocrits and Serpents which garnish the Sepulchers of the Righteous Fill yee up the measure of your Fathers yee Serpents yee generacion of Vipers how can you escape the Damnacion of Hell Matth 23 2â— 23 and the Letter is carnall and killeth and Dust is the Serpents meat Gen 3 14 and that is thy meat and Cursed is the Serpent which beguiles and thou art he look not for him without thee for he is in the Letter and you get the Letter into your mouths and come and say The Lord saith when he never spoke to you Wo is unto you and the Harlot which is dect with so many Colours and there you are read your own Porcion destruction he that hath the same Spirit that gave the Scriptures forth reads them without Conceivings or Imaginacions and witnesses them fulfilled but thou art Proud and livest in thy Imaginacions and Conceivings and thou Conceivest of the Letter and whatsoever thou buildest must be scattered Luke 1 51 52 so to thee it is dangerous 28 Query Whether they were written for our Instruction and are profitable that we may be throughly furnished Answ They are for the perfecting of the Man of God for the furnishing of him through Faith in Christ Jesus and they were written to instruct them whom they were written to which had an Eye to see them and an Eare to hear them and an heart to understand whom the Apostles spoke to for instruction till the ends of the world was come and they are for instruction to instruct to admonish but not to make a Trade of but Freind to thee I speak in this Query thou art a Tempter and that minde in thee knowes nothing of them that they were not spoken forth to instruct for that is for destruction for look within thy self and thou wilt see thou art full of Corrupcion and the man of Sin and he it is that talks and prattles of the Scripture who must be consumed but wee witness that they are for the perfecting of the man of God through Faith in Christ Iesus for to Convince and to Reprove and to Instruct but not thee thou man of Sin and Son of Perdicion who sitest in the Temple of God above all that is called God and gattest the form of words and deceivest the Simple as a coloured Beast and the Plagues of God are thy due and Porcion for thy instruction they were not written who walkest contrary to the Commands of God who art exalted above all that which is called God in thee in whom the Mystery of Iniquity lodgeth and the Son of Perdicion which shall be destroyed 2 Thess â— 29 Query Wherefore doth Christ command Iohn to write to the Angell of the Churches in the Revelacions and not teach Immediatly himself seeing you tell us that God Immediatly teacheth his People and that all men have this Teacher within them Answ Thou Enemy of Christ and of all Righteousness what hast thou to do to question Christs commanding Iohn thou full of all subtlety and busie fellow what hast thou to do to question Christ who art exalted above all that is called God here thou shewest thou would not have him to reign the same that spoke to Iohn was immediate and that which Iohn spoke was immediate if thou hast an Ear thou mayst hear what Iohn spoke to the Church but I see thy intent in thy Query to me thou art discovered for in thy Query thou wouldst have a Cloak to keep up the Teachers of the World and your imitated Churches who walkest in the path contrary to Christ and all his Apostles God immediatly doth teach his People by his Spirit by which he draws them up to himself into the everlasting Covenant Heb. 8. 11 by which they need no man to teach them 1 Iohn 2. 27 and every one is enlightned with the Light which is Christ but all such blinde Guides as your Teachers are who draw People from this Light within them to hearken to their imaginacions of the Letter without you such I say do bewitch them and draw them into the uncleanness and into the flesh that the fruits of it shews it self Gal 5. 21 drunkenness fighting wrangling quarrelling railing disputing and slandering envying persecuting lying swearing and taking the Name of God in vain idle talking and foolish jesting scoffing scorning and mocking and all manner of filthiness and uncleaness and these are they that are led from their Teacher within them which is the Light by you blinde Watchmen Isai 56. 10 11 12 from the