loveth and will stand above thee and all thy deceit though thou hast blasphemed him 4 Partic. That they steat Scriptures to deck their false Harlots with Proof Is proved in first calling the Scriptures dead and liveless to bring their false Harlot called light within into osteem and then fills their mouths with it to seem spiritualized and to make the world believe 't is from themselves and not from Scripture and this was proved against thes in thy Title Page of thy Book to H. H. Reply The light within is already proved from plain Scripture to be Christ the light of the world and the eternal truth and power of God and the Scriptures are dead and liveless unto thee who art at enmity with the light and life from which they were declared and unto which they bear testimony and therefore we deny thee though thy mouth may be somtimes filled with Scripture expressions and of which it is now empty but the Scriptures we own and have unity with them in the same Spirit from which they were given forth and knows them to be fulfilled in us who walk after the Spirit and what thou sayest was proved before to this matter against me is a proof which was of thy own inventions as these are which thou hast now offered to thy shame for ever not giving a Scripture expression nor naming a Scripture for what thou hast said but thy mouth is filled with Lyes instead of Scripture and that thou calls a proof 5. Partic. That they labour to have the Scriptures dead in mâ—ns estâ—mation Proof Is proved plainâ—y in telling men the Scriptures are a dead Letter and a liveless Book and saying it is a damnable Doctrine to say the Spirit is received by the hearing of Faith preached and beleeving according to the Scriptures and in calling the Doctrine and Ordinances of Christ in the Scriptures outward Forms and liveless Reply That which hath not life in it self is dead and thou cannot deny it and the Book hath not life in it self neither can the Letter thereof give life to any though they may read it and hear it all their life time and if ever thou come to know the Scriptures and the true use of them thou must come to the light which is the life of men without whom all things are dead and it is a damnable Doctrine to preach the Letter for Christ and set it above him which is not according to the Doctrine of those who were Ministers of the Spirit and not of the Letter and this doth the Letter declare and the Spirit is not received by hearing or reading the Letter but by the hearing of Faith preached in the heart by the Spirit that quickneth and the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles which the Scriptures do declare and beleeving according to that Doctrine we own and in it walk by the same spirit which doth not lead any contrary who by it are guided but leads into the fulfilling of all and into the life where living vertue is received which from the beginning was ordained which is not dead nor formal but life and power but thou can sit down in thy own time to eat and drink in immitation of what thy imagination comprehends by reading the Scriptures that the Saints did and so thou glories in appearance and not in heart 6. Partic. That they deny the Scriptures Proof Is proved afore in which they are manifested to be the most audacious denyers of Scripture that ever hath been of all the Antich istian party Reply That which thou hast proved afore thou hast manifested thy self in to be a servant unto him who is an enemy to truth and every appearance of Righteousness which by the light is brought forth in the Children of Obedience that strikes at every work of darkness having no Communion with it and this makes him rage in Wrath and Fury in thee to speak great swelling words of vanity and offer them for a Proof that his Lyes might have a likeness of truth put upon them by which many are at this day deceived for the scriptures are owned and beleeved in and the Doctrine of Christ is obeyed and the light is walked in which gives us fellowship with the Father and with the Son where we have Communion with the life but Antichrist denyeth the Father and the Son and is at enmity with the divine Nature and fighting against every appearance of godliness which from the living vertue thereof is brought forth which thou makes thy great business to oppose and contend against 7. Partic. â—hat they are not guided by that light and spirit that gave forth the Scriptures Proof Is proved both by their denyal of those Scriptures and Commands gâ—vâ—n forth by the light and spirit of God in the Scriptures and also in their seâ—ting up a pretended light within contrary to any teachings of the spirit of God in the Scriptures Reply Thou art proved a Lyar by plain scripture in the Third Reply where it is proved that Christ is the light and it was in their hearts and this doth the teachings of Gods spirit in the scripture witness and we neither deny the teachings nor Commands given forth by the light and spirit of God in the scriptures but have unity with them and the sâ—me light and spirit teacheth us and unto the Commands thereof we wait to yield obedience but it is thy business to make Lyes thy Refuge and adds one to another without shame neither shewing what the Teachings and Commands are which thou sayest the scriptures teacheth and commandeth and what we deny nor what the light and spirit is nor where to be waited for which thou sayest we are not guided by but thou passeth all for Proof because thou sayest it 8. Par That they are evil dealers and fighters against God Proof Is proved in their evil dealing and fighting against the spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures and denying obedience thereunto and rayling against those that dâ— obey to exalt their lying spirit against it Reply What shall be done unto thee O thou false tongue who without fear uttereth such Lyes against the innocent who are guided by the spirit of truth out of all evil dealing or wrong doing but thou art in the depth of the bottomless pit and from thence foaming out thy own shame not fearing to speak any thing which the lying spirit puts into thy mouth and calls it a Proof when thou hast neither scripture ground nor reason to shew for what thou sayest but as the Devil hatcheth mischief in thy heart so with a ready mind thou serves him in what he will have thee to do and so falsely accuses the innocent who in all obedience serves the Lord and walks-after the spirit and yields all obedience to it and yet thou sayest they deny the spirit of God speaking in the scriptures but hast not shewed what those speakings are nor who they are that do obey that they rail against nor what
speak evil of the way of truth is not this thy great business to speak evil of Christ the light of the world who is the way and the truth which thou art speaking against so act out of the doctrine of Redemption not knowing thy Redeemer to live having not obeyed from thy heart the form of Christ doctrine so art not come to the work of Redemption which worketh by his own mighty power in all that beleeve in him saving from fin redeeming from all iniquity and making perfect for ever through the sanctification of the spirit which is his work within and yet without all men these things thou canst not reach unto in thy wisdom below 15. Partic. That they make the Word of God of none Authority Proof Is proved by their Traditions against the teachings of the Word of God which tells men that they who are without Faith are without Christ the true light Eph. 2. 12. But the Quakers tells men who are without faith that they have must look to Christ the true light within a flat contradiction to the divâ—nâ— Authority of the Word of God Reply All that knows the Word of God the teachings thereof do see thee to be in that state as they were who were without Christ the Apostle doth not say that Christ was not within them but that they were without Christ without God in the world therfore he calls them to awake arise from the dead 〈…〉 Christ might give them light which was not a light without â—nem for that they had whilst they were dead but to the light within them did he mind them which when they had received they were made light in the Lord knew him to be the Author of their Faith which he wrought in their â—eaâ—â—s by the Word of his power which is the Word of Faith preached stands in the divine authority of God that so it is the true doctrin which the Word of God teacheth without any contradiction that they who are without faith are without Christ yet who are without faith are to look unto Christ within them obey him there that he may work faith in their hearts which those who are at enmity with him doth not come to know so abides without him in the unbelief in the world having no comunion with his life though such be without him yet he is within them a faithful witness to reprove them in their own conscience for their transgression disobedience but the Book unto thee is sealed thou art unlearn'd thy heart hardened that thou wilt not beleeve truth though from the living Word of God it be declared 16. Partic. That they set their hearts against the Lords Teachings in the Scriptures Proof Is proved in their setting themselves in array against the teachings of Christ his Apostles in the scriptures which is the open manifestation of the true light calling men into the desart and secret place to look for light in the house of darkness Reply Christ said false Christs false Prophets should arise shew great figns and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very elect but saith he Behold I have told you before wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the desart go not forth Mat. 24. If thy understanding was opened to know the scriptures Christs own words declares theâ— plainly what thou art what signs wonders thou art shewing to deceive by saying Christ is without behold him there Christ saith Go not forth this is his own doctrine all believers obeys it that which they were not to go forth from was within them and when those false Prophets came vvhich Christ said should come John savv their deceit their seducing spirit in the same light in vvhich thou art novv made manifest he exhorted to bevvare of that vvhich did seduce to look unto that vvhich vvas vvithin them which is the anointing saith he that ye have received of him abideth in you you need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and no lye Joh. 2 27. And thus the Scriptures comes to be known and witnessed in the unity of that Spirit which is but one in all Christ said false prophets should come Go 〈◊〉 forth John saw them when they did come and he said Abide in the anointing which is in 〈◊〉 and here is the pure Doctrine of Christ the Apostle declared in the unity of the Spirit which thou art at enmity with and so teacheth another Doctrine as all false Prophets deceivers do 17. Partic. That they set up their own traditions Proof Is proved in setting up their pretended light which is quite contrary to the light and teachings of Scripture Rep. Thou being in the state of darkness calls good evil and so falsly accuses the truth by thy lying spirit which to make way for thy lyes to be brought in cryes out against the truth to be contrary to the Scripture-teaching and under this Vail of thick darkness was the Lord of glory crucified by the wise Scripture-learned who cried out against him to teach contrary to what was written in the Law and the Prophets and so enviously set themselves against him who was the end of the Law and Prophets and falsly accused him as thou in that Wisdom art doing who is the light of the world 18. Partic. That they pull down the Oracle of God in the Scriptures Proof Is proved in their calling the Scriptures dead and lifeless and pulling their teachings from mens hearts and minds that they might receive their false Voice which is quite contrary to them Rep. Christ's sheep hear his voice and follows him and his voice they know from strangers and it is the true Voice which is uttered from Gods holy habitation which is sweet to all that love it and a terror to all that hate it unto which we mind all people to give diligence that with a ready performance they may obey and do whatsoever it doth command and this is the still voice which is behinde thee from which thou starts aside and will not abide the reproof thereof 19. Partic. That they set up their own Idol-Books as a living voice Proof Is proved in their setting up their Books for Teachers and calling the Scriptures dead and lifelefs which books compared with their denyal of the Scriptures teaching are set forth with blâ—sphemous Tities Rep. The Lord God who lives for ever pleads the cause of the innocent against thy false tongue and he that searcheth all hearts and judgeth right in every conscience knows that thou dost falsly accuse the righteous generation and that there is no guilt upon them as to what thou hast charged against them for they do not deny the Scriptures nor sets up their Books for Teachers neither are the
delusions many are given up and do believe his lyes in which they oppose the truth and are at open enmity with it being filled with Wrath and Envy against it Now such whose deeds are evil loves not the light neither will come to it but runs from it and speaks despightfully of it as the Pharisees did of him who is the Son of God and though mighty signs and wonders he did amongst them making the blind to see and the dumb to speak yet were they filled with envy against him and said he cast out Devils by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils But he knowing their thoughts said unto them Every kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation and if Satan cast â—â—t Satan he is divided against himself how shall then his kingdome stand But if I cast out Devils by the Spirit of God then the kingdom of God is come unto you this you may read Matth. 12. And here you may read whose off-spring you are for this Scripture is fulfilled this day upon this ungodly generation though your eyes be blinded that you see it not therefore repent and be converted that the hand of love may lead you and that your sins may be blotted out for with a light of Christ are you all enlightned that doth discover your secrets parts and makes manifest the counsels of all your hearts and is the true light that lighteth every man that comes into the World Ioh. 1. 9. This is plain Scripture and you say you believe the Scripture but you say again This Scripture doth not speak of a light within then weigh it wisely and see how every man that comes into the World is enlightned and by it you may read 2 Cor. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ This is plain Scripture and this was the Apostles Testimony That the light shone in the heart that 's within people and there gave them the light of the knowledge of Gods glory But then you say These were believers and you grant that believers have a light of Christ in them but not people in their natural state the Apostle was once in the natural state and was a persecutor of those that did believe in the light yet was the light in him shining in the darkness but the darkness comprehended it not but when it came to shine round him and convince him that he was an enemy to it and kicking against it he bowed before it and submitted unto it and yeilded ready obedience Lord what wilt thou have me to do Then did it shine forth of darkness and did shine in the heart in which the knowledge of Gods glory was made manifest read this in Gods pure fear and consider if you be not where the Apostles once were and there stands in open rebellion against that which he came to believe in and bear his testimony unto and further witnessed That a people who held the truth in unrighteousness had a manifestation of God in them Rom. 1. 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them Here was a people who was not in the faith and yet that which might be known of God was manifest in them and whatsoever doth make manifest is light Eph. 5. 13. then the light was within them and the truth was within them but they did not believe in it but changed it into a lye Ver. 25. and did not like to retain God in their knowledge Ver. 28. Therefore unto vile affection did God give them up that they might believe lyes because they received not truth in the love of it this is a Witness which none of you can flye from whithersoever you go it will â—â—nd you out contend no longer against it for in it doth the Grace of God appear to all men by which the love of God comes to be felt in all that do obey and submits to the teachings of it and though there be many in the unbelief that speaks unadvisedly of it neither knowing what they say nor whereof they affirm who calls it a natural light and delusion yet in that love which unto me is freely opened and through the Grace which I have received in it I am constrained to bear my Testimony and to declare unto all people That the light of Christ with which every man is enlightened is the mighty power of God unto salvation to every one that do believe in it and a living Witness in every mans conscience is placed to condemn the Workers of iniquity who hath not a love to it because their deeds are evil there is no escaping of it for it is quick and powerful searching trying proving all secrets and the counsels of all hearts are naked and bare before it Read this soberly for it is written plainly in the love of God who is rich in mercy and plenteous in goodness and truth whose bowels of compassion moveth in pitty towards a sinful generation who hath no pleasure that any of you should dye therefore in this his day doth he reach forth a hand of love to lead and guide out of darkness all that turn unto it and are made willing to be guided by it Now all prove your selves in the light which you are enlightened withall and examine your selves truly and see if you cannot witness this testimony to be faithful and true and feel the Testimony of the Spirit bearing witness in your inward parts unto what is here declared for unto that of God in all consciences I am manifest which doth not consent to your sins but is seperate from sin and made manifest to take away â—in who is the Lamb of God pure and undefiled and though you have a general talk amongst you of Faith in Christ and living by faith upon him and that he is your Saviour and Redeemer yet you work iniquity daily and pleads for sin term of life and neither knows salvation nor redemption in him who is the Son of Gods love Therefore be not deceived with a vain hope and groundless Faith which stands onely in Words when your Works denies your Faith to be living being yet in your sins for the lusts of the flesh you do fulfil and draws iniquity with Cords of Vanity look inward the light will not deceive you but manifest every secret sin which lodgeth in your hearts which you would keep hidden to have your life in for though you may not be committing all sin so greedily as may stand with your hearts against many things which may be commonly counted prophane yet examine if you have not something secretly lodged which your minds are captivated in and which the light of Christ in your consciences doth reprove you for there is your lover and that must be cast out and trodden under foot if ever you come to vvitness redemption
obedience to it for the Witness is true and the testimony thereof doth stand against you and over it you cannot prevail and this is my rejoicing in it that I have the answer of a good conscience and peace with God though many of you may be hardened and set your selves against the Word of Truth and hates to be reformed by it yet truth is the same and you cannot change it with all your inventions And let all the simple-minded who are yet seeking rest and are not satisfied with what you are feeding upon O return unto the Lord and come again to that of God in you who will heal your backslidings and open your understandings where the right Way of the Lord will be made known unto you for it is man that doth deceive you and leads you in many Wayes that they have imagined and in their Wills sets up their own inventions for the Way of God when the Lord hath not required it at their hands and whilst you are 〈◊〉 bewitched with the Inchanters and Southsayers and 〈◊〉 your delight in their crooked pathes you will not find that wherein satisfaction is which some of you are truly seâ—-king after Therefore unto you is this moved from the living God who are tender hearted and in whom there is yet a true breathing after God who cannot be satisfied with those things that will perish but are seeking after the enjoyment of something that will abide hearken to the light of Christ and feel the Hand of Love and join your selves unto it that you may be acquainted with it and know the leadings of it this will bring you to the life from whence it comes as you yeild obedience to it there will you feel living springs opened freely to you and plentifully to refresh you where you will know the Water that faileth not which yeildeth satisfaction and pure refreshment and though many be set down with their hearts hardened and denies every motion of the Spirit in them and instead of being filled with the Spirit according to the Apostles Doctrine they are filled with envy and fury against it and every appearance of it and opens their mouths in blasphemy against it but they shall all know a day of Tryal in which a recompence of reward will be given from the righteous God who will bring every secret thing into Judgement and make all his Enemies his Footstool let not their hard heartedness be an occcasion to make your tender hearts stumble at the Way of Truth neither give your minds to harken to their Inchantments who hath so long bewitched you from obeying the truth but all be diligent to hearken to the light which is truly moving in many of you and doth couvince you that you are not walking in the right Way you see something amiss amongst you which you cannot have communion with and something which you are not come to live in and which you cannot deny but to be truth as it is brought forth from the Spirit of Truth in others Therefore do you weigh and consider vvisely vvhere you are that you may be no longer deceived but may come and knovv the right Way of the Lord So all in the light keepe your mindes stayed and hasten not but lye dovvn and patiently vvait that you may see salvation brought unto you as you are brought to stand still and so will the Lord work his own Work for you by the Arm of his power and make known his secrets and reveal his Son in you that you may not confer with flesh and blood So unto the light of Christ with which you are enlightened all give up your selves in obedience that every motion thereof you may be willing to follow that it may be your Leader guide you out of your own Ways and Words and Works and Thoughts and bring you into subjection to do the Fathers Will in all things and to obey his Teachings which by his Spirit he requireth and it will bring you to know truth in the inner parts which the Lord loveth and as you obey the light and follows it you will feel every motion thereof to be precious and bringing you nearer unto the life from vvhence it comes vvhere the pure openings of Gods love you vvill feel to satisfie you So all in Gods fear stand and sink down to the Corner-stone which in you is placed and know that to be your foundation and this will be a sure Way to come to Christ when you feel his Vertue to stay your Issue and this is the Grace of God that brings salvation and appeareth to all Men teacheth what to deny and what to vvalk in which if you take heed unto you will need no other Teacher but as the anointing teacheth you which is in you and is truth and no lye which will open your understandings to know the things of God and let you see things that differ and bring you to a true discerning betwixt the precious and the vile where mans Way and Gods Way will be plainly opened unto you For the Seeds sake this is declared Reject not counsel ye tender hearts but be willing to receive instruction that your minds may be informed where to wait for Gods loving kindness that the Hand of Love may lead you in the new and living Way that brings to the Father where the true Rest you will find and perfect peace Truth defended and cleared from the Lyes and Slanders declared by JONATHAN JOHNSON HAving observed the Envious Spirit to rage for a long season in Jonathan Johnson against the Truth as it hath been declared and published in the motion of the Spirit of Life and that as Books hath come to his hand which hath been so published he hath been set on work in his busie mind to write in the leaves thereof against the truth which hath been therein declared for which cause I having unity through the love of God with that truth so declared and being made a Witness thereof it was laid upon me as my duty to write unto him and declare against his secret working in which I offered this unto him in the fear of the Lord That he would set out his own Work and make it publike in print and also sent him some Queries for to answer publikely and thereby did let him know that I should not receive him upon any other account but as he made his Work publike having heard much of his contentious spirit unto which offer and queries he sent me a plain denial in Writing back again in which were many Words and false Accusations against the truth which I did not find my duty to reply to in Writing having before let him know that I should not receive him upon that account therefore my duty was now to let him know that it was my desire that Truth might appear and be seen where it was so was ordered to write to him again wherein I then offered in the fear of the Lord to
reason with him which he would not receive but put it by under false pretences false Accusations which in Writing he sent unto me again then the boaster was got up and told me I stood spechless and was silent and had nothing to answer and seeing he would not be brought to any way by which his false accusations might come to light and his deceit discovered I was moved to return unto him in Writing some of his lyes and slanders with which he falsly accused the truth and the righteous generation whom his scornful spirit calls the generation of Quakâ—s whom he had also accused with many other things which I did not return unto him with the rest because he said I might ere long hear him make them manifest in print and in that Writing he sent me some queries to answer though he had plainly denied to answer mine therefore I laid it upon him That what he had in private papers written and charged upon the truth he might prove and print them and his queries also with the rest which he had said he would make manifest in Print but he not being willing to make all his lyes and deceit so publick as in Print he writes unto me again and therein offers Proof to what was Returned unto him and laid upon him to prove publickly and saith he had proved them all before as his Writings made manifest and it was but shifting and dissembling to call for new Proof yet he saith That both I and others may see his readiness to prove what he had said he had sent plain Proofs of the 20 Particulars which he said I might have drawn into 12 or 14 seeing 6 or 8 of them all concerned one and the same thing but he said The Quakers loves to be numerous Let the simple-minded here observe and the spiritual judge what thick darkness is upon him to say We love to be numerous when all the Particulars which I returned unto him were invented by him or some other for him and sent with his ovvn Name unto them vvhich novv he saith might have been dravvn into fevver did not he first make them numerous by multiplying of them vvithout need and I did but vvrite vvhat I received from him vvhich he novv condemns as numerous and so out of his ovvn mouth is judged to be a transgressor allovving that in himself vvhich he condemns in another And that some of his deceit may come to vievv and that it may be seen vvhat Proof he offers and of vvhat nature they are and thereby it may be judged hovv he proved his Lyes before vvhich he saith his Writings vvill make manifest I shall here therefore give forth the Particulars vvhich unto him I returned and the Proofs vvhich he hath offered vvith a short Reply unto them severally in vvhich he is unveiled Particular The first is That the quakers observes the Worlds Form Proof This Charge was to thy self in observing the Worlds Form in thy Title Page of thy Book in which thou hast laid down thy Weapons of Defence Reply That by vvhich every thing is proved to be truth is truth but no lye is of the truth therefore thou hast but added sin to sin offering one lye to prove another for in thy Writing these vvere thy vvords I do not say that writing Scripture phrases in a title page is against the truth but against your own Principle as you are Quakers who cry out against â—thers for following the Worlds Form and yet your selves do observe it therefore thou art found guilty of making Lyes thy Kefuge and would in thy ignorance perswade others that it is a proof of the matter Let the wise in heart consider and that of God in all Consciences judge if this be a proof of what thou hast falsely accused the Righteous with or if this Charge was only to my self or in general from thy own words be thou judged which I have here truly set down that all honest minds may be truly informed and thou may be convinced by that of God in thy own Conscience to be a false accuser and that is my Weapon in which I stand to defend the truth from thy lyes and it will cut thee down and there shall be none to hold thee up 2. Partic. That they maintain their device of formal quaking Proof That they labour to maintain their formal quaking is laid open in their Books and Writings Reply Such a Proof may shame a formal Professor to reproach the Saints Condition and call it formal when the Lord by his power makes the Earth to tremble and melt at his presence of which Condition Moses David Habakknk and many others were true VVitnesses which Condition we own and on the Lord do wait that by the power of his Spirit it may be wrought in the inner man and it is the work of the Lord who is unlimited in his power and what he doth who shall say unto him VVhat doest thou vvho VVorks vvhen and vvhere he pleaseth as the vvind blovveth vvhere it listeth vvhich is in no formal practice bound up or limitted neither do we so maintain it either in Book or Writing but thou hast added sin to sin again and manifested thy envie to all moderate Spirits and no way that thou canst find out to help thy self but by making Lyes thy Refuge for a Lyar thou art proved and therefore hast no cause to think why thy words should pass for proof in any matter against which thou contendest without thou canstbring plain Scripture to manifest that what thou contendest against is contrary to the Leadings and Guidings and Work of the Spirit of truth and the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles in the Scriptures declared but what thou hast done doth manifest thy folly and enâ—ity against the truth and those who walk therein 3. Paâ—â—ic That their light within is a false Harlot Proof Their light within is their false Religion being against the light and teachings of the Scriptures and false Religion is known of all who knows any thing to be a false Harlot Reply Who comes to the knowledge of Gods glory comes to know him in the light which shines in their hearts which light shines within and brings to know God where the pure Religion is witnessed which the Scripture declares of but thouknowest nothing as thou ought to know and so puts the true light for darkness and calls pure Religion a false Harlot for the true light which lighteth every man that comes into the world is Christ Joh. 1. 9. and he is the truth John 14. 6. and they that follow him comes to the light of life Joh. 8. 12. and they examine themselves and knows Christ to be in them according to the Scripture 2 Cor. 13. 5. and he is in them the hope of Glory Col. 1. 27. and this Christ we preach and this Grace of God we declare which we know to be in us and is truth in the inward parts which the Lord
you your portion with hypocrites Consider all you vain people of the World who live in rioting and drunkenness chambering and wantonness strife and envying what will you do And what account will you make unto the righteous God who is Judge of all the Earth and will reâ—ard every man according to his deeds Run not so headily in the exercise of Wickedness but stand still and hearken to the still Voice in your conscience which tells you that is not the Way for death and destruction is before you and the pit is near unto you and many of you are come to the brink thereof be stayed in time before you fall therein from whence there will be no recovery and let the time past of your lives suffice that you have spent and lived so many years together in the lusts of the flesh against the light and love of God Therefore all in Gods fear stand and feel it placed in your hearts that from iniquity you may depart and â—in no more but all come into obedience to that of God in you which makes â—in manifest and there Gods power know to sanctifie and cleanse you by the washing of Water through the Word that a new life you may come into and walk in the regeneration He that hath an ear to hear let him hear For the love of Christ constraineth me to bear testimony of what is made manifest unto me in the light that you may all come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved and likewise knowing the terror of the Lord I cannot but perswade men to depart from the evil of their Ways which the Wrath of the Lord is revealed against and that you may all come to know that the long-suffering of the Lord is salvation and that his saving-strength is near at hand to help in the needful time and here you will find power to preserve you from the temptations which the enemy casts in and then labours to draw your minds to join unto for as obedience is given unto the light power is received that destroys the Devils Work and weakens his kingdom and then the Hand of Love is reached forth to take hold of you and to lead you out of darkness and from under his Government into the new and living Way and there gently guides you and orderâ— you and keepes you from all the assaults which the Enemy doth pursue withall and he who hath life in himself will give life unto you and make you able to stand and â—ight the good fight of Faith and here the Divine nature is felt and the glory of the onely begotten of the Father is beheld And this is the testimony of the Faithful Witness which from the Fathers Love is made manifest in the conscience of every man that you might believe in it and know the saving-strength of it working redemption for you and putting an end to sin and overturning the powers of darkness and bringing in everlasting righteousness and this is the Hand of Love reached forth unto you all to lead you out of the House of Bondagâ— into the glorious liberty of the â—ons of God where your understandings will be opened to know the Scriptures and the power of God for as you give obedience to the reachings of the Spirit so will the things of God be made known unto you and no man can know the things of God by any eâ—her way either by Art Study Learning or any industry of the natural part but as the spirit of God makes them known in the children of obedience who give up themselves to the teachings of it and by it are guided to know the Scriptures fulfilled in themselves this vvil bring you to a right understanding of the Scriptures as you receive the same spirit of Faith and walks in it as they received and walked in by whom the Scriptures were declared for he that was then light life and power unto all that did believe in him and gave them an understanding to know the things that were true he is the same now and changeth not but wicked men have changed his glory into shame and mindes earthly things yet is his light life and power the same unto all that believe and comes to have the spirit of their minds renewed by him and so the Scripture is truly owned and witnessed being fulfilled in all that walk after the Spirit and have the spirit of their mindes renewed by it as they had who hath declared it in Words which are written and so the same Spirit guiding brings into unity with the same Words which was given forth from its own movings in the hearts of those who by it was constrained to declare them and thus the children of obedience owns the Scriptures and hath unity with them in the same Spirit that gave them forth knows them fulfilled in themselves walking after the same Spirit Let this be wel weighed by you who are wise in your own eyes prudent in your own sight and in that Wisdom talks so much of what is written and gets the Words thereof and with them contend in your Wills and fights against the Lord and every appearance of righteousness brought forth in the motion of the Spirit which is the mysterie hid from your eyes and revealed unto the Babes who walk in the light which reveals secrets and makes them to be of understanding hearts to know the true God and eternal life and here is the door of hope for all you tender ones who are breathing after God come walk in the light that an entrance you may feel ministred unto you and â—n enjoyment of the possession of that which in the door of hope is opened for you where the Rivers of Gods good pleasure runneth freely with which he doth satisfie the poor of the flock who vvaits to be refreshed thereby vvhich he doth renevv their strength in to follovv him in the narrovv vvay in vvhich flesh and blood cannot walk nor no unclean thing must enter Therefore do not you hew broken Cisterns nor feed upon husks any longer but to the streams of life all come and feel how good the Lord is so all wait to know the hand of Love to lead you and the Spirit of truth to teach you which will not deceive you bnt teach you right things though such vvho are at enmity with it speak unadvisedly of it yet it is truth in it self and abides the same for ever and will overturn all who in the height of envy and fury do pursue it with swelling Words of vanity Therefore let all things be tryed and proved in the light and in it search your selves that you may come to the bottom and have all the dross purged out and the tinn taken away that your hearts may be purified in the light that so you may stand approved in the sight of the pure God And here is the right Way of the Lord opened and a Hand of Love reached forth to guide you out
of all crooked pathes and to bring you into the Way of Righteousness Truth and Holiness and bring you to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled where joy unspeakable is possessed And this honor hath all the Saints who are found faithful before the Lord to follow the Lamb whither soever he goes Therefore let this testimony come unto you who have had some openings of Gods Love and have felt the gift of Grace made manifest in your conscience that hath convinced you of many things and brought you to forsake much of the Worlds Fashions and Customs and Worship and have brought you to a seperation from it that you are not so openly prophane as many of them are but are turned from many appearances of evil which the light did truly make manifest in you and convince you of in your own conscience and a simplicity there was begotten in you that Truth was precious unto you and a love you had unto it and came to have a sight of many things afar off and a desire in you to press after the enjoyment of them and by the light you were guided out of many things which it did convince you of to be evil and you could not any longer continue therein because they were made manifest unto you to be Works of darkness Deal truly with your own hearts all of you for there is nothing secret which shall not come to light and you cannot deny but that it was something of God in your own conscience that made sin manifest and convinced you thereof and moved in your hearts to draw you from it and made discoveries of secret things which in your hearts were lodged and shewed you the Worlds Wayes and Worship to be against the truth and did convince you thereof and brought you to seperate from it in appearance And â—ere was pure breathings in you which longed for God that you might come into his Court and enjoy his presence O this was a simple and innocent state in which you were precious in Gods sight and whilst you did abide faithful waiting in patience for Gods loving kindness therein to grow up into the measure of Christs fulness the Lord was not wanting to you but was large in his love and free in his mercy as in obedience you walked to the measure of the gift of Grace and your Prayers and Tears came up before him and was had in remembrance by him O what breathings pantings and hungerings hath there been in many of you after the Lord with strong cryes and tears for a Visitation of his Love and that you might walk in the light of his countenance How zealous fervent have you been after righteousness to follow the motion of the Spirit of life wth chearfulness Have you not cried down forms and set up the Spirits Worship and its teachings And hath not the spirit judged you in your own conscience when you have not obeyed it And have you not been brought to stoop down lye low under the sence of Judgement that you could not find a resting place but stil that of God in your own conscience pursued you whithersoever you went you could not leave it in any place but near you it did appear witnessing against you and judging you for your disobedience Can you not vvitness these things to be true many of you and that this hath been your condition going heavily and mournfully under Gods displeasure made manifest against you And hath not your anguish and trouble been within you which hath brought you into meekness and lowliness and beaten you down in your selves that you have confest your own nothingnesâ— and insufficiency and here hath been brought to wait on the Lord alone in simplicity that his saving-strength you might feele to help you And did not you find him to be a God near at hand when your eye was towards him and your expectations from him Did he not open his love freely and gave you savoury refreshment and comfort and made bare his own Arm to help you wrought all your Works in you and for you that you have even admiredd his goodness and acknowledged his power in his free Gift and Grace unto you and whilst the simpliâ—ity did abide in you and you was faithful to what was made manifest unto you What pure breathings had many of you after a greater measure of the gift of Grace and that the Lord would pour forth more of his Spirit upon you that you might be made fruitful and grow up to the Lord in it And here you had precious discoveries as you stood in obedience to the measure of Gods Spirit thereby to be guided and so seperated from the Worlds form in obedience to the light of Christ in your own conscience and that it did constrain you to depart having made known unto you something more excellent which was above the Worlds Worship and which you found to be your duty to walk np unto that you might come into liberty and to serve God in the Spirit and here you stood in Gods fear and assembled together to wait for the Spirits moving that it might teach you to speak and teach you to pray and that all your duties might be offered up and performed in the Spirit Hath not this been declared by many of you from what you have truly felt of Gods loving kindness made manifest in you which brought you to deny testifie against many things which you were convinced of to be evil but you have forsaken your first Love and have not been faithful to the end therefore the Lord hath somewhat against you because you uphold that Woman Jezzabel and suffers her to teach and seduce by whom many are overcome to commit fornication with her for the true Guide you have lost which once did lead you in the way and would have brought you to the true rest had you kept your minds stayed in it and vvalked in obedience to it but the Enemy hath deceived you and prevailed over you and drawn you into crooked pathes where you are got into the Earth again for the simplicity is betrayed and your desires are cooled and your breathings and pantings after God are stayed and you are set down in a form which once you were convinced of to be dead and barren Let not this offend you for it is the truth concerning many of you and the Witness of God in your conscience doth answer to it Therefore remember from whence you are fallen and repent for the â—ord would not have you perish but still reacheth forth a hand of Love unto you having more pleasure to save then to destroy therefore is he still striving with you and gives you no rest nor peace in the way which the god of this World hath led you into and blinds your minds in for your actions witness against you daily that you are servants to sin and that Liberty you speak of and saith you are redeemed unto is but an occasion
the lying spirit is that they exalt for what thou hast here laid down is but in substance one with thy whole matter which thou calls Proofs for what thou hast to say is chiefly against the light within and disobedience to the scripture teaching in which thou hast been proved a lyar and a false accuser manifesting nothing but envy against the Righteous generation whose foundation is sure and their footsteps so ordered upon it that all thy darts cannot make them to move neither can the strength of thy might shake their foundation 9. Part. That they have nâ—ither part in nor fellowship with the Scriptures Proof What part or fellowship can they have with the Scriptures who deny their Teachings and Commands thereof and the spirits speaking 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 〈◊〉 from their Teaching except that part and fellowship of condemnation which the Scriptures doth pass sentence of against all that disobey their Teaching Reply Wilt thou not here see thy ignorance to ask a question and offer it for a Proof was ever any that thou readest of in the scriptures who were guided by the spirit of truth thus taught for the scriptures doth not set up it self to be the teacher neither canst thou prove it or that the scripture passeth sentence upon any but the Lord gives forth his Word that gives sentance against all the disobedient the scriptures do but declare that sencence which was given forth by the Lord and it is the grace of God that teacheth and the anointing within and this the scripture bears Witness of directs the minds of all people unto where true teaching is received from the true voice this we labour to draw all men unto therefore thy condemnation will be from the light which thou art at enmity with and hates it because thy deeds are evil 10. Partic. That they are guilty of taking counsel together against Christ Proof Is Proved in their binding themselves together in many several places thereby all the violence of words and writings that they can draw men from the teaching of Christ his Apostles to follow their false devices and secret pretended light Reply Thou art in the Heathens rage there fighting against the Lord speaking evil of the things thou knowest not calling the light false and pretended which Christ his Apostles preached for the doctrine of salvation unto all that love it believe in it for condemnation unto all that hate it unto this light we exhort all people to look unto be saved which is the eternal truth which thou canst not prevail against 11. Partic. That they seek to kill Christ in his Witness Proof Is proved in their seeking to kill that Christ which is preached and taught in the scriptures to set up their own falsâ— Idol which they call Christ within never preach'd or Taught in scripture but the scriptures will be lively Witnesses to their condemnation Reply Thou art a cruel blasphemer to call Christ within a false Idol dare affirm that he never was so preacht or taught in the scriptures doest thou talk so much of the scripture and their teaching hast thou never read in the declaration thereof that Christ is in heaven did not he teach unbeleevers to look for the kingdom of heaven within them and hast thou not read Joh. 17. 23. I in them and thou in me and Gal. 1. 15 16. But when it pleased God who separated me from my Mothers womb and called me by his grace to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him among the Gentiles and Col. 1. 27 28. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this Mysterie among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory whom we preach Now let the wise in heart judge thy blasphemy who hath denied Christ the plain words of scriptures saith Christ within is a false Idol that he was never so preacht in the scriptures when they preach'd that Christ that was in them not another whom we know to live in us so preaches him which thou by wicked hands crucifies slayes in thee so blasphems his holy name I am moved to warn thee to repentance that thou mayst not go on in the hardness of thy heart to treasure up Wrath against the day of Wrath revelation of the righteous judgment of God for thou art in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity 12. Partic. That they set up a Kingdom of darkness Proof Is proved in setting up their low-bred devices of darkness against the glorious and heavenly light of Christ in the scriptures Reply Let thy mouth of iniquity be for ever stopped who hath denied Christ the scriptures stands an open enemy against the glorious light of Christ declared of in the scriptures but where is it written that the heavenly light of Christ is in the scriptures but it is written that the true light is Christ and the scriptures are not Christ but are they which testifies of him therfore thy understanding is darkned the god of this World hath thee captive at his will fills thee full of Witchcraft that by thy sorceries the simple minds are deceived unto whose view thou art now opened and thy enchantments is discovered that thou may be seen naked and bare 13. Partic. That they are against the Scriptures Proof Was there ever any more grosly wickedly against the scriptures than they who denied their life disobey their teachings boldly audaciously and sets up their own darkness which they call light against the light thereof Reply Thou hast here manifested thy folly in asking a question and offering it for a Proof speaking the same sentences over again which thou hast used before and is Replied to but thou art is a lost man who knows not which way to take so many times goeth backward when he should go forward as thou art doing who knows not what to say to make up somthing to call a Proof but the scriptures thou hast denied and it is plainly proved against thee and the light which they bear Witness of thou art an enemy unto it and fighting against it 14. Partic. That they deny the Lord that Bought them Proof Is proved in their bringing in damnable hereâ—ies 2 Pet. 2. 1. under a pretence of a light within to deny the â—ight of Christ held forth in the Scripture as in the doctrine of Redemption saying Their light within is the Redeemer and that nothing without a man can Redeemâ— him by which is denied that great Redemption and Redeemer who without â—ll men did Redeem all men Reply Thou hast here brought a scripture which is owned and seen to be fulfilled in thee that hast denied Christ within who is the Lord which is a damnable heresie contrary to the scriptures doth not that scripture say that such as bring in damnable hereâ—ies shall also
Titles thereof blasphemous but in this thou hast served thy Master to the full and to all moderate Spirits art manifest to bear the Image of him who was a lyar from the beginning and thou hast neither shewed what they deny the Scriptures in not what Titles their Books bears nor how they are blasphemous neither hast given any Scripture-proof or expression for what thou hast said but as thou hatcheth mischief in thy heart so thou utters it without fear 20. Partic. That they perswade themselves and others of a light within without against any testimony of Scripture Proof Is proved in all their teachings by word and writing which chiefly consists in this to teâ—â— men who are not in the faith That they must look onely to the light within them and not to the Scriptures light which is without and against all Scripture-teaching Rep. The beast hath been sore troubled for any defence against the Lambs power for thou hast had thy proofs so far to seek that if thou hadst not gone down into the pit of darkness where lyes are invented thou might'st have stood silent which had been better for thee then to make lyes thy refuge and with them accuse the truth and rise up against the Lamb and his followers to make War rather then thou wilt stand stil thou wilt add lye to lye speak them over and over as is manifest in the particulars and what thou hast offered to prove them by and it is a true Doctrine and hath before been plainly proved That all men are to look unto Christ who is the light of the World that in his light they may walk and know him to be the Author of Faith and to work it in their hearts with power and no unbeliever is to look unto any other thing but Christ the true light and the Author of Faith and the Teacher and there is not another neither doth the Scriptures set themselves in that place but bear witness unto him unto whom all power is given who by his own living voice calls all to come unto him and they that come he doth not cast off neither sends them to the Scriptures not any thing else for life or salvation but opens the fresh springs where satisfaction and pure refreshment is received and eternal life witnessed and the Scripture-testimony owned and so by the light are thy lies and false accusations condemned Then thou saist Thâ—â— reminds me of what I ought to prove against 〈◊〉 which is That thou goes upon thy belly and feeds upon the dust Thou didst confess in thy Writing that it was the Lords Sentence against the Serpent then look into the 23. of Matthew and there see what sort of people they were that Christ calls Serpents though there be not thy name yet thou hast the nature and in that is working the same wickedness and filling up the measure of thy fathers And here thou maist read thy self and thy portion and this is a plain proof to all the children of light unto whom I offer it who hath unity wiâ—h that which proveth all things Then thou bids me labour to have my mind enlarged though my body be in prison then askest If the light within hath taught me to deny Tythes without the Scriptures and if I will say my cause is good being for the non-payment of Tythes and if the light within hath taught me that without the Scriptures then thou sayest he who throws me in prison may pretend as good a light within to demand them as I to deny them but if I deny to pay because the Scripture hath taught me otherwise thou askest Why I will not as well obey them in what they command me in other things as in the non-payment of money and then askest Why I will call them dead and lifeless and yet call them for my defence when I am in need Then thou bids me consider well of this and be not deceived It is not my own labour that can enlarge my mind unto God neither is it the imprisonment of my body that can keep my mind bound but in the Lords power my heart is enlarged and I made willing to run the way of his Commands who is near unto me and in the midst of my sufferings his comforts delight my soul and his right hand upholds me and my cause is good being for the non-payment of tythes and thou canst not overthrow it and by the light of Christ in my conscience I am taught to deny them and in the light I have unity with the Scriptures and am made to stand a Witness against all deceit and oppression as they did who gave forth the Scriptures knowing Christ the end of all types figures tythes temples made with hands who is the unchangeable life But this Gate is too straight for thee to enter in at and the way to narrow for thee to walk in and so thou lightly esteems of those that are truly called by the Lord to walk therein and unto all things which by the Doctrine of Christ in the Scriptures I am commanded I desire to wait that I may perform them with a ready mind and that I may as a good servant do the will of God who is my helper in the 〈◊〉 ful time and doth defend me from all false tongues neither 〈…〉 own or call any thing for my defence in the truth but he 〈◊〉 who is my life in whom I trust that doth not fail me but 〈◊〉 wrought great things for me by his own arm and I trust will 〈◊〉 deliver me when the good pleasure of his will he hath performed So thy secret parts are unveiled thou art manifested where 〈◊〉 goes and upon what thou feeds for it is the Serpents poyson whiâ—â— out of thy mouth is cast who would give him that casts me into â—â—â—â—on as good right to demand Tythes by a pretended light as I to deny them from the true light so by thy rule would make the thing pretended to be of equal weight with that which in the truth is â—â—â—â—blished for all that receives the spirit which is of God knows the things that are freely given of God and the light of Christ which enlighteneth every man that comes into the world doth not give unto any man as good a right to demand any part of the substance which the Lord gives and encreases unto me as it doth unto me 〈◊〉 deny that â—an of his demand to receive my own which the Lord hath encreased unto me And he who pretends such a light to â—â—mand that which is not his nor which no man can in the truth givâ— him any interest in he errs from the true light his pretence 〈◊〉 not make his demand neither equal nor warrantable for the 〈◊〉 light doth not lead any man to covet or to desire that which is 〈◊〉 his but brings all that are guided by it to be satisfied contented with the Lords free-gift and encrease unto them and so the tenth Cock of Hey or Corn or other encrease is as truly my own as the nine being the same encrease unto me from the Lord and I 〈◊〉 challenge it as the Lords blessing and so receives it as my own â—â—â—â—ly from the Lord without yeilding any account to any man 〈◊〉 have the answer of a good conscience in it and peace with God in suffering for it who receives tythes denies Christ the true light and who payes tythes are not guided by him who is the end 〈◊〉 Tythes and of that Covenant under which Tythes were paid Therefore look over thy self again and be covered with shame and let thy 〈◊〉 tongue be forever silent who hath so proudly scornfully and disdainfully spoken 〈◊〉 the right way of the Lord and those that walk therein So I have considered thee 〈…〉 light in which all things are considered welâ— and sees thee to be a blasphâ—â—â—eâ— a 〈◊〉 a lyar and a slanderer aâ—d so hath proved thee Therefore the Doctrine of 〈◊〉 is preaâ—ed unto thee W. S. THE END