for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting 1 Tim. 1. 16. here the Apostle speaks of the true Christ suffering in him and first to shew it forth for a pattern mark that and Paul told the Galathians what a persecutor he had been of those that preached in the Name of Christ while he was among the professing Jews But when it pleased God who separated me from my mothers womb and called me by his gace to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him among the Heathen Gal. 1. 15 16. and Christ was in them the Hope of Glory and the Apostle said Little children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formâ—â— in you Gal. 4. 12. and again the Apostle said but that with all boldness as alwayes so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Philip. 1. 20. and God was their Father who was above all and through all and in Eph. â—â— them all and Christ was at the right hand of God in them all and Christ lived in Paul and he said The life that I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God Galat. 2. 20. Many more Scriptures might be brought to prove that Christ was in people whom the Father sent to be the onely Saviour of the world and that was the true Christ which was in them and they were in him as John said He is come that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ 1 John 5. 20. but these Bapâ—ists have denied him to be the Christ And them will he deny before his Father which is in Heaven Matth. 10 33. And so you may see how the Baptists preacheth Christ in words but now when they are tried they deny him to be come in them and also deny him in all others and now it may be said by some that are ignorant of the things of God that Christ did say unto his Disciples He would go away and come to them again and be in them and that the Apostle said He was come and was in them but yet they speak of his coming to Judgement and also of their waiting for him until he did come and all this is true I shall answer it in short for the truths sake all that did wait and watch in a readiness for his coming in them they knew his appearance in them and also the Resurrection from the dead without for he was manifest with them and revealed in them and they preached him so to come in like manner unto others and the Apostle bid them watch and wait for his coming and the Apostles themselves did meet with such and wait with them for his coming and hoped to see him appear in them in due time unto whom he had been preached and among whom they had laboured and the Apostle Paul said My little children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you Gal. 4. 19. and so they looked for his coming into them and for his appearance even as we do now in whom he is come to rule in our hearts and the Apostles did look and we do look for his coming in the Clouds of Heaven and all his holy Angels with him at the last to Judge the secrets of men according to the everlasting Gospel and this is the Word of truth to all that can recieve it And now all you simple-hearted people which desire to know the truth concerning water-baptism and breaking of outward bread whether you have been dipt or would be dipt if you were sure God did require it of you who have thought or do think water-baptism and breaking of outward bread had been commands of Christ to his Disciples after his Resurrection and so to all believers after the Apostles decease And now in the fear of the Lord lend your ear and hearken diligently that your Souls may live for in true love and pitty unto your poor Souls do I write unto you of these things even as it hath been manifested unto me in the light which gives the true knowledge of the things of God unto they that are spiritual And by the Revelation of the Spirit I have perfect knowledge given unto me of those thingâ— which the natural man doth not know because they are spiritually discerned and revealed by the Spirit unto the Children of the Lord to the praise and glory of our God and to the comfort of their Souls which are redeemed out of death to reâ—oyce in God the Saviour for ever And when there doth arise in you a desire to read and understand these things then let your minds be turned unto the light of Christ in your Consciences which is so freely given unto you for to make manifest that which may be known of God unto you and in you mark and when the mind is turned unto the light then will the darkness and ignorance be manifested to be within which is the very cause why people doth not rightly understand the things of God when they speak or read of them with their minds blinded and the nobility of their understandings clouded with enmity against the light and therefore doth not know those things they read or speak of but naturally as bruit beasts yet will they be judging or saying this or that is their Judgement or Opinion then when they are contradicted they wring or wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction thinking thereby to uphold their Opinion and so to get victory over one another such is the Pharisee practise who love to have the praise of men in these our dayes and therefore now you simple-hearted that would walk in the right way but do not know it I do write unto you that you may not be hasty and so run rashly into any opinion but believe in the light in your own Conscience for he that Isa 28. 16. believeth shall not make haste and then waiting in the light the power of God will arise in due time and rent the vaile and overturn the dark mountains and so may you come to Rom. 14. 5 be perswaded in your minds such was the Apostles Doctrine when there was striving or contending about dayes even as there is among the chief Baptists now and so now people may see the Baptists are gone into Opinions and Sects like the Priests some for one thing and some for another one Sect for free Will and another for Election as they call them and another Sect of them are among the shadows and figures observing the seventh dayes for their sabbath which God gave unto the Children of Israel for a sign Ezek. â—0 1â— and the Apostle said unto the Colossians Let no man therefore Judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moon or of the Sabbath day which are a shadow of things to come but the body
the visible body being received in the fear of the Lord but the bread of life and the fruit of the heavenly Wine doth satisfie the hungry Soul and the immortal Soul that hungereth and thirsteth after righteousness cannot be satisfied without that Bread of Life and Blood which Christ gave unto his Disciples and with the light you may easily perceive that proved to be the spiritual meat for Christ said I am the Bread which came down from Heaven John 6. 41. but that troubled the professing Jews even as our words of Truth doth trouble both Papists and the rest of the Sects that use visible bread and set that in stead of the invisible Bread of God which came down from Heaven and gives life unto the world John 6. 33. and when we say the bread and drink which Christ gave unto his Discâ—ples was his body and blood according to the Scriptures then they wonder and some of them hath said how could he give them his body to eat and drink and such was the Jews carnal reason when Christ said The bread that I will give is my John 6. 52 flesh then the Jews strove among themselves saying How can this man give us his flesh to eat then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood you have no life in you John 6 51 52 53. but this was a hard saying unto the Jews and also to the Disciples that looked without at the flesh and blood that was visible insomuch that many were offended and went back and walked no more with Jesus for he said unto them Doth this offend you What and if you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before it is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life vers 63. and so he did give his body and blood and life unto his Disciples as he said in Matth. 26. for he had life in himself to give John 5. 26. unto whom he would and unto this agree those Scriptures which speaketh of heavenly and spiritual gifts that were given unto the Saints which were to feed the flock of God with that which they had received and they did feed some with the milk of the Word that were as new born babes and 1 Cor 3 â— Heb â— 1â— some with strong meat as they were able to bear it and so they broke bread or devided the Word aright as good stewards of the manifold grace of God 1 Pet. 4. 10 and so that which they received of the Lord they ministred unto others 1 Tim. 2. 15. according to their gift or ability as Paul said after he had asked the Corinthians whether they had not houses to eat and to drink in For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you 1 Cor. 11. 23. and they had received the word of reconciliation and the life and truth it self and that they declared and delivered a right according to every ones ability and so they break bread from house to house as Acts 2. 46. the Scripture saith And they kept the Feast but not with the â—â—aven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sâ—ncerity and truth 1 Cor. â— â— and this was their manner of breaking of bread or ministring spiritual things who did not handle the Word of God deceitfully but devided that a right which they had seen tasted and handled which was 2 Câ—r 4. 2. Heb. 6 5 1 John 1. 1. good unto them whose affections were set upon things above those natural things which the natural man looketh at Now you may see there is not a word in Scripture that ever Christ or the Apostles did Command breaking of outward visible bread but Christ whose Words were Spirit Life said I am the bread that came down from Heaven that a man may eat of and not dye again he said Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you John 4. and the true worshippers worship the Father in Spirit and in truth and he that eateth of Christs body the bread of Life shall live by him said Christ John 6. 57. and he said the bread that he brake and gave to his Disciples was his body and the cup was his blood which he gave them then mark what he said But I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom John 5. 1. and he that will drink of the fruit of this vine with Christ must first come into the Kingdom of God for there is the Throne and Table of the Lord known and when one of them that sate at meat with him heard these things he said unto him Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God Luke 14. 15. Here it speaks of eating and drinking in the Kingdom of God but the natural Jews and Baptists doth not know how those things should be because they are spiritually discerned and so they deceive themselves and others that set up and cry up visible things in the room of that which is invisible and such beguile people in a voluntary humility intruding into those things which they have not seen vainly puft up by their fleshly earthly and sensual knowledge and not holding the head such the Apostle Paâ—l speaks of to the Câ—lâ—ssians that they might beware of them saying Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to Ordinances touch not taste not handle not which all are to perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines of men which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will-worship and humility and neglect of the body Col 2. And so in love and pitty unto poor Souls have I freely declared and rightly proved that which first I received of the Lord in the Light which gives the right understanding hâ— that can receive them let him do it freely in the Light THE END
THE FALL OF A Great Visible Idol By the coming of the INVISIBLE POWER And SUBSTANCE In this day and time of the Lambs War which is come Wherein Christ the true Light is exalted at the right hand of God who dwells and walkes in his people which are his Temple Which doth bring down the boasting Baptists that hath highly exalted themselves upon the high and dark mountains of their own imaginations as may be known by their own principles which are herein answered with something to the simple hearted that are among them concerning water baptism and breaking of outward bread which these Baptists hath so much Idolized in the night Thus saith the Lord cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his Arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord for he shall be like the heath in the desert and shall not see when good coâ—â—eth Jer 17. 5. 6. And blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is Jer. 17. 7 for it is the spirit that quickneth the flesh presiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life John 6. 63. From a true friend unto all that loves truth in the inward parts in true love and pitty unto the lost sheep that they may be of the house of Israel Joseph Fuce London Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 165â— This is to the Reader that he may the better understand NOw first of all before thou comest to the matter hereafter written thou art to be turned unto a measure of the true light in thy own conscience and with it to search thine own heart and to see whether there be not envie or prejudice lodging in thee against the way of truth which hath been so abominably abused and evil spoken of as if it were the most damnable Heresie that ever was declared in so much that people hath often been stirred up by their Teachers into a great rage against the truth before they know it or hath heard us declare it or seen our writings so as to understand the matter and therefore if there be any of the envious ones leaven in thee let that be laid aside and wait thou in the light not turning to the one hand nor yet to the other not joyning with me nor against me before thou doest understand rightly the things there spoken of in love to thy poor soul but wait in the pure fear of the Lord to feel the Power of God to arise within and rent the vail which hath been over thy heart that so the measure of the true light may come up in thee to bare rule so as to give thee the true knowledge and the right understanding for happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding for it is better then the gain of gold and except the light make these things manifest thou canst not understand this which I have spoken of in the wisdom of God which I have received this knowledge cometh a far off the wisdom of the flesh thereâ—ore I will ascribe wisdom and righteousness unto my Maker for he that is perfect in knowledge is with God the fountain of wisdom true knowledge and verily I shall leave the truth of my words to answer the witness in thy own conscience and be thou so honest to thy own soul before thou judgest to try these things aright with that which will not lie in thee that is the true ballance and just weight that weigheth things a right that so thou mayest come to be perswaded in thy own minde who are in the truth it self that gives true peace unto the soul and who are in the profession of the truth without the possession in the hypocrisie but have no true peace And truely I have seen the hypocrisie and great deceit of those Baptists many times at several places where they have opposed the very life of truth withal the strength and subtilty they have received from the wicked one to deceive the hearts of the simple even to the grieving of my soul to think that ever these Baptists should so impudently gainsay the truth and life of what they prosess in words and often I have been moved of the Lord in the power of the spirit to reprove them for their lies and false accusations which they have brought against us that witness forth the truth against their deceit and when I have so done I have had peace in the light and did not desire nor think to lay their wickedness open unto the world in Print but rather desired they should have owned reproof and repented and have turned unto the Lord in time as some hath done that did walk with them but they have despised reproof and hated instruction and set themselves against the light and spirit of the Lord until his anger is kindled against them And now seeing how they have set themselves against the truth and will not cease to pervert the right way in going on in their dâ—ceit bending their tongues like a bow for lyes thereby to deceive the hearts of the simple Therefore the Lord hath put it into my heart to begin to lay open their wickedness in Print for the truths sake and in true love and pitty to the poor simple-hearted people that they may not run so rashly into their snares to go with them they know not whether until their steps take hold on Hell for they have openly denied the true light as is hereafter mentioned and they that walk in darkness know not whether they go and therefore thou that lovest thy own Souls peace be warned in time to weigh things rightly with that which is a Just weight and true Measure in thy own Conscience so mayest thou come to be perswaded in thy own mind who are in the right way and then let the light be thy guide in it to walk that so thou mayest come in due time to have peace with God in the Covenant of light and life for evermore At a Meeting at Nethurst upon the 24th of the 6th Month 1659. appointed by Matthew Caffin Baptist but there were several of the chief Baptists in all these South parts namely William Jeffery Matthew Caffin John Parsons William Steel and several others of Kent and Sussex It was pretended by the Baptists there to shew the cause wherefore they could not joyn with the Quakers as they with other scoffers in these last times call us the People of the Lord but in stead of proving any Just cause why they do not own and joyn with us they gave sufficient cause for us and all that fear the Lord to deny them and to have no fellowship with them except they repent And the cause they gave us at this Meeting and at other places was those errours damnable heresies and lyes which are hereafter mentioned and answered as moved by the Spirit of love to all the simple-hearted people that doth
desire to walk in the way of truth unto Zion the City of the living God where Peace is to be enjoyed for evermore FIrst the Baptist affirmed That the Eternal Spirit that was in Christ was not the Saviour of the world Answ Here they deny the true God to be the Saviour of the world who was in Christ the Authour of Eternal Salvation the ground and foundation of all truth who is a Spirit and is Eternal and God the Father and Christ the Son whose Name is called the Word of God and the Eternal Spirit or Holy Ghost are one and the Father was in the Son and the Son was in the Father John 14. 11. and he that hath seen the Son hath â—oh 10. 30 seen the Father and God who is the onely Invisible and Eternal Spirit saved all the holy men of God in the dayes of old since the beginning and when the old world was drowned God saved Noah 2 Pet. 2. 5. and the Eternal God said by the Prophet Isaiah Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Isa 45. 22. there is no God effectual besides the Eternal Spirit that is a Just God and a Saviour vers 21. and this Saviour said I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour Isa 43. 11. And the Apostle said The Lord is the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 17. and this Eternal God who is a Spirit was he that saved all the holy men of God and they both Prophets and Apostles called God their Saviour 1 Tim. 4. 10. Titus 7. 3. and this Everlasting God and Eternal Spirit that was the â— Pet. 1. 1. â—ude 25. onely Saviour of all the holy men of God the Apostle said to wit That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5. 19. and Christ was in God and sometime the Apostle called Christ Lord and Saviour and they also called God their Saviour for they were one in the beginning before the world was but the Baptists doth not see how Christ â—ut the boâ—y without â—he Spirit is dead â—am 2. 26. and God are one as one of them said and therefore denies the Eternal Spirit that was and is in Christs body to be the Saviour and so blaspemously hath denied both the Father and the Son and there is no Saviour besides the Eternal Spirit which was God manifest in the flesh and if any should read this and not perceive the things of God and so not believe the Words of truth read the 13th of Hosea and 14th verse were God saith Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt and thou shalt know no God but me for there is no Saviour beside me and all those that readeth this with a right understanding may see and perceive the Baptists to be ignorant of the Power of God and also of the Scriptures which doth so largely speak of that God that was in Christ to be the onely Saviour but time might fail us to bring all those Scriptures which doth speak of God to be the Saviour Baptists Affirmed That Christ was not come to them yet the second time nor yet to any man upon the face of the earth Answ Here the Baptists hath manifested themselves openly to be Reprobates according to the Scripture and therefore it is no marvel why they oppose the light in others so much seeing they deny Christ the light to be come to them the second time and there were such in the Apostles dayes that sought a proof of Christ speaking in the Apostle Paul who said unto them Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. and now you may see the Baptists yea the very chief among them are Reprobates out of the Faith the Saints were in who preached Christ in them the Hope of Glory and said He is come that is true and they were in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ and so they that did receive him at his coming to dwell in them he gave them an understanding how to preach him up in others and also in Heaven at the right hand of God but they that do not know him come to them they do not know him in any other Creature in Heaven or in earth and where the true Christ the Son of God who is a quickning Spirit doth not Rule there the Antichrist ruleth the son of perdition ruleth the old man of sin reigneth in them and over them and he maketh them subject to sin and now Antichrist is come up very high in these Baptists and he doth appear very bold in them insomuch that they deny the true Christ to be come the second time to them or to any other Creature but the Scripture is so far a witness against them that all the moderate people may see that they are ignorant of the things of God and also of the Scriptures and so altogether unfit to preach unto others for how can any truly preach Christ to come to others that doth not know him come unto themselves Paul was a persecutor before he knew Christ revealed in him but after it pleased God to reveal his Son in him then he was fit to preach the manner of his coming in others Gal. 1. 16. and Christ said unto his Disciples he dwelleth with you and shall be in you I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you John 14. 18. and John in his Epistle said We know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ 1 John 5. 20. here John said he is come but the Baptists saith he is not come and so are out of the Faith and Doctrine that the Apostles were in and John spake of such false prophets that were entred into the world as these Baptists are who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh this is a deceiver and an Antichrist 2 John 7. Mark he doth not say there he that denies that he was come or shall come but he saith who confess not that he is come in the flesh Mark that for both Papists and other Priests and the Baptists and we do all believe that he did come in the flesh and was crucified without the Gates of Jerusalem and also that he shall come at the last day to Judge the quick and the dead according to the Scriptures but this is the great controversie which we have with all those about this matter that is whether Jesus Christ be manifested or come in the flesh now according to the Scripture but all that resist the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world they resist the true Christ which the Apostles and we say
the Father are one John 1â—â—0 but neither the Jews nor these Baptists doth not see how for they neither know the Christ of God nor the Father that say he is not a Spirit Joh. 8. â— but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. â— 1â— and therefore the Baptists being natural saith Christ is not a Spirit but they in whom Christ is revealed know him to be a Spirit as the Apostle said and so it is written The first man Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit â— Corin. 15. 45. mark that you may see how carnal the Baptists are Another Baptist at the aforementioned meeting affirmed That Christ and God was not one Answ This is altogether contrary to these Scriptures which are Christs own words read these Scriptures in the light and you need no farther proof I and my Father are one Joh. 10. 30. Holy Fathâ—r keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are Joh. 17. 11. and now people may see with the light that is risen in the conscience how these Baptists hath separated themselves sensual having not the Spirit Jude 19. And when these Baptists were justly charged with confusion for speaking three or four together to one of us Matthew Caffin said to Joseph Fuce it was to make him silent and also when Matthew Caffin was required to prove what he had accused us of or else he had proved himself a false accuser then Matthew Caffin Baptist Teacher said they were fain to cavil hard with us and many such like swelling words and boasting false accusations and affirmations against the truth and us that own it but their proud boasting words being so unsavoury I shall not meddle with them all they are too many but those that are so much against the truth I am constrained to answer for the truths sake and in the Power of the Spirit did I justifie the truth against its gainsayers to their faces and then they fled into confusion and cavilling making use of that to make us silent as Matthew Caffin said and all that doth understand the Scriptures of truth knoweth such there were and such there are as Peter said There shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction 2 Pet. 2. 1. Now if their hearts should be vexed because their Ezek. 3. 9. folly is so manifested openly they may blame themselves for these damnable heresies were taken from their own mouths at the meeting aforementioned and most of them were affirmed by Matthew Caffin one of their chief Teachers who said they were fain to cavil hard and use confusion to make us silent who did then as at other times earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Jude 3. Saints but now mark what James said But if ye have bitteâ— envying and strife in your hearts glory not and ly ' not againâ—t thâ— truth this wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devilishs or where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work â—ames 3. 14 15 16. And those Baptists were found boasting themselves enviouâ—ly and cavilling hard and in confusion as Matthew Caffin said and gloried into his own shame and the rest of the Baptists that resist the truth let it be especially to them that were with him and did not reprove him such as is here mentioned and answered have they often brought forth since they opposed the light and gainsayed the truth and so by their fruits are they known unto those that do not wilfully resist the light More of the Baptists Principles declared and affirmed by Matthew Caffin Baptist Teacher at another time and place as is hereafter mentioned at Chichester upon the 30th day of the 3d month 1659. MAtthew Caffin affirmed That Christ and his Spirit was distinct one from the other and at a Meeting at Henry Copeses at Ellsted in Surrey he declared and stood to affirm the same thing again before many people at that Meeting Answ Here this deceiver goeth about to divide Christ or to make people believe there is a dead Christ without a Spirit for James saith The body without the Spirit is dead James 2. 26. and Christ said I am alive for evermore Rev. 1. 18. and this deceiver hath falsly said we deny the Resurrection but now it is fallen upon his own head for if Christs body were without a Spirit then were it dead according to the Apostles Words and if he were dead without a Spirit according to the Baptists doctrine then were he not risen so in effect he hath plainly denied the Resurrection but if thousands should deny him yet he abideth faithful and lives forever you may take notice there were such that came among the Corinthians that were in contention and Paul asked them whether Christ were divided or was Paul crucified for them as if one might be as possible as the other but of a truth Christ is not divided but he is both Lord and Christ and the Lord is that Spirit which proceeded from the Father and went again unto the Father and he and the Father is one and all that doth truly and rightly know these things they must be converted into the light first for great is the Mystery of Godliness And now if there be any so wilful as not to believe that Matthew Caffin is a deceiver by all these fore-mentioned fruits of his which are sufficient proofes mark then see how William Jeffery one of his chief brethren proves plainly that Matthew Caffin is led by the spirit of Antichrist and in a very deceitful secret way denies Christ come in the flesh but that ignorant envious man William Jeffery did intend that should have been a proof against us but it doth not at all concern us for all people that hath heard and rightly understood our Doctrine of Christ and his Spirit which is in his body they know we have declared Christ to be a quickening Spirit in his body and also to be the head of the Church which is his body as the Scriptures saith Eph. 5. 30. Col. 1. 2â— and the Saints were Members of his body and of his flesh and of his bones and he was their head over them and in them all Col. â— 11. and so in his Name and Power do we preach him up to be the light within the body and not apart from the body as Matthew Caffin hath affirmed him to be distinct the body from the Spirit But how fit a proof hath William Jeffery brought against his brother and fellow-messenger Matthew Caffin in the 68 pag. of their own book with their names to â—â— in the 68 pag. William Jeffery his words chiefly is to prove them