Spirit of God And are the wolves in sheeps clothing worrying the Lambs that comes to witness Christ in them the substance and hath proved and examined themselves and found him and so there people sticking in that they call the sign and keeping people from the substance receiving Christ Jesus in them for these things was to be done in remembrance of Christ until he came now if bread and wine be the body of Christ and his bloud then he is come how do you that in remembrance of him untill he come was they to eate his body and drink his bloud till he come did he go away in the Spirit and leave his body behind answer this whether or no his body did not rise and whether his body be elementary there was a Protestant against you that said the body of Christ was corruptible and you said the bread and wine is the body and bloud of Christ and that will corrupt and so we see you all in the error Pr. He saith the bare form of bread and wine doth change And though the light lead up to Christ they see nothing but that which doth change namely bread and wine Answ. Hear thou hast confounded thy self and all the Papists the whole body of them and confounded your own wisdom and knowledge and your own faith in things you do professe foâ— the body of Christ and his bloud doth not change and yet you say that bread and wine after consecration is the very body and bloud of Christ and hear you say doth change which is not comparable to the body and bloud of Christ that corrupts not nor changes not in this you have confounded your selves and blinded your souls in looking at things which are seen which the Divel and wicked ones out of the light do run into which you poor Creatures are captivated under his power things that are not seen are invisible but things that are seen as bread and wine are visible Pr. Our faith and doctrine is that Jesus Christ hath but one body and that the same body which is in that Sacrament shall come at last to judge us all Answ. The body of Christ which you call the bread after consecration which thou hast confessed is a changeable thing the â—orm of bread that which is changeable is not a judge Christ and his body is not changeable so therefore to judge and shall remain his body when bread and wine ceases So in this thou hast overthrown your own doctrine and faith and foundation and proved your selves to be stones of Babylon who with them builds up and throwes down again Pr. Whereas thou Queriest whether God is able to make one body to be in two or two thousand places at once Answ. The body of Christ is his flesh which he gives for the life of the world which they that eat it and feed upon it are of his flesh and lives for ever and are in more places then one comes to be of his flesh and of his bone and at this the Jewes stumbled that followed him for temporal bread and if temporal bread had been the body of Christ why would he bid them labour not for the meat that perisheth and that he said well in saying this is may body this is my bloud and except ye eat my flesh and drink my bâ—â—ud ye have no life in you but he did not tell the people after they had consecrated bread and wine that it was his body and bloud and he would drink with them in the Kingdom and did Christ eate his own body and drink his own bloud answer these Queries we see that the body of Christ is hid from you all Papists and Protestants and his flesh and his bloud and his wordâ— are spirit and life and that remains and bread and wine it is the elements did it come down from above from heaven after you have consecrated it is it not the wine that came of the grapes and the bread which was baked Christs body which is the bread is above the Manna which is given from heaven much more far above the bread of man Christ the true bread far above Angles-food is the body of Christ which who eates it lives for ever they that eated the Manna the Angels-food perished in the wildernesse many of them and far above mans bread that 's temporal and drink which they may eate and drink and hunger and thurst again and perish and which will perish Which they that decernes the Lords body decernes him that gives every creature its being the word of God by which all things was made and none of the figures nor shadowes nor types are the body of Christ but that which ends them all to you that is the word of the Lord which body was before they were which body is the Church the Piller and ground of truth and bread is not the Church after consecration for the Apostles never told us of that doctrine no vvhere in the Scriptures but you that of the body of Christ be ignorant the Top-stone is laid on your heads and the body of Christ makes us free from the Lavv Pr. We do not teach that bread after the consecration is the flesh of Christ but we say that after Christ had uttered these words this is my body or after the Priests according to Christs command do this in remembrance of me do utter the same words which we call consecration then the substance of bread vanisheth and is no more there but the body of Christ commeth in its place Answ. This again is confusion and you are confused and confounded in your own principles if the bread and wine which you say is not the flesh of Christ after consecration how is his body there and how can you say it is his body And thus you confound your selves Pr. Thou saist thou dost not find any expresse command of the Apostle in Scripture for observing of dayes nor meats nor none of these things as meats or crosses but what the Church shall command and saith but the Church hath commanded us to observe dayes and meats and that a crosse should be made in remembrance of Christs passion and the Images of Christ and his Saints may be set up and honored and that we should invoke the Saints c. and whatsoever the Church commandeth us And this is the sure and unmoveable ground upon which our Catholique faith even to the very least circumstance and ceremony is built c. And the contrary ground is the ground of all Hereticks Answ. We do believe you that all these observing of meats dayes and crosses is set up by your Churches command and all your Tythes Priests Pulpits and Temples amongst you and the Protestants which hath been set up by your Church command which is offended if they be not observed which is set up since the dayes of the Apostles which is Apostatized from the Apostles and the true Church in the Apostacy and are fallen into schisms and
heresies and lying signes which is your crosse who are gone from the power of God which is the cross of Christ who are them which the Spirit spoke of expresly before the Apostles decease that should depart from the faith forbidding eating of meats and marriage which is the Divels doctrin who has given heed to seducing spirits now you may see it is your Mother which you call the Church which is the Mother of Harlots which your Mother harlotted from the true Church the Apostles doctrin for the true Church of the Apostles did never command that men should abstayn from meats or set up a crosse of wood or stone or worship Images or Saints or names or bow down to them but worship God and worship not the Angels Now these things hath been sett up since the dayes of the Apostles in the Apostacy from the true Church which has made war against the Saints and over-come them but now is the Saints and the Lamb come to have victory and now the Lamb and Saints will have victory who is come to reign and the holy Prophets and the Saints shall rejoyce over you sing and rejoyce ye heavens and rejoyce ye Saints and holy Prophets over her That 's your Church which is inwardly ravened from the spirit of God and has reigned over the Kings of the earth and all other that hath had the name of Christianity out of the life of Christ found in your skirts the Lamb will tread you together in the press without the City of the living God the Church which is the Pillar and ground of truth against which the gates of hell cannot prevail though they may fall all on heaps one among another about their worships And we say that your Mother the Church so called hath commanded and laid the foundation of tythes amongst the Protestants and all their observing of Saints dayes holy dayes and you have been them that has taught them to give the names yea to their Schooles Colleges Steeple-houses which were your mass-houses which the Protestants has made their Churches of them you were the first root and layer of the ground and Author of them you and they are all judged with the Spirit which is not Apostacy which was before Apostacy was Pr. I say again that Christ is not without a body and the same body which is in the Sacrament is that which was born of the Virgin Mary which dyed for us and now sitteth at the right hand of God and none other Answ. Heaven is above and earth is beneath there is an earthly body and there is a heavenly body a naturall and a spirituall and if that which was born of the Virgin Mary be your bread after consecration which body saw no corruption though put in the grave Now see if your bread which you call the body of Christ will not corrupt after it lye a while though you have consecrated it then how can you say that is the body of Christ at the right hand of God and outward bread which will corrupt which the body of Christ saw none which was born of the Virgin the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world yet he did not corrupt nor saw no corruption Pr. And to say is Christ to be looked for in the Saints is so profound that he cannot reach the depth of the meaning the Roman Catholiques use no such manner of speech Answ. I do believe you Since the dayes of the Apostles amongst you that are got up in your likenesses and Images that sayes its so profound you cannot reach the meaning of it to ask you whether Christ be in the Saints and amongst the Roman Catholiques you have no such manner of speech I do believe you And so you put him in the Sacrament without you and call the bread and wine his body and blood so this is to prove your selves to be reprobates so are judged by the Apostles doctrine and the Scripture Know you not in your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Priest The more honour we give to Saints the more honour we give to Christ Indeed to give godly honour to Saints is to commit idolatry Answ. If that you do not give godly honour to the Saints it is ungodly and here in this you have again confounded your selves and that honour which belongs to the Saints is of God and godly and not idolatry but that honour which you give which is not godly is given to such which are not Saints which is idolatry and so that honour which you should give to God you give to Images in kneeling to them and so in that you are as the heathen and are found idolaters which never did any of the Apostles kneel before an Image but you that inwardly ravened from the Spirit of God and so lost the image of God and fallen down to Images Pr. A Crosse a Crucifix or an Image of Christ or any Saint whether they be made of silver stone or wood are according to our doctrine but dead creatures neverthelesse are profitable and honourable memorials of them and do much help our devotion and demonstrate our love and affection to them and they are not Idols but they represent unto us Christ and his Saints Answ. So then they being but dead things and you bowing to dead things is to Idols for bowing to a dead stock or a stone is a bowing to Idols as saith the Prophet and dead images Now you having them as you say to represent unto you Christ and to put you in minde of him and the Saints shews that you have not Christs spirit in you nor him in you nor his mind in you so are reprobates and are none of his for those that have Christ in them and his minde in them need no such representations as to put them in minde of Christ or to fall down before Crosses Crucifixes Images dead things to stir up the love towards Châ—ist which the blood of Christ purgeth the conscience from dead workes and not to bow down to dead Images but thiâ— shews the love of God is not in you Dead things do not stirre up the love of God in people but the faith which works by love this stirs up the love towards Christ who is the Author of it and the Saints to make Images of the Saints and observing of dayes shews that you are not come to just mens spirits which who are need no other thing to put them in mind nor observe dayes for they see over dayes and so in these principles I see ye are reprobates concerning the faith which works by love for the love of God is not in you you are not come to the jâ—st mens spirits so not to the Church of the living God the mind of Christ you have not his spirit ye have not and Christ is not in you and so in the reprobation in the apostacy and are fain to have dead Images and pictures and crosses dead
representations to put you in mind of Christ and to stir up your love otherwise it would grow cold and that is the nature that will murther and all those things Images Crosses are held up by the spirit of murther and not by the power of God the cross of Christ Pr. In some particulars he saith there is no difference between them and the heathens as first I confesse their Idols are made of silver wood and stone and so are our Images their Idols were but dead creatures which had eyes and see not and so are our Images they bow to their Idols and we bow to our Images so far the resemblance is good and the heathens do believe that their Idols were able to help them and we say our Images and Idols stirs up our love to Christ Answ. So therein the Images helps you as the Heathens do and you may see that all those things are got up since the dayes of the Apostles you that be inwardly ravened from the spiri of God and gotten the sheeps cloathing as the Jews and the Gentiles which was astray from the spirit of God worshipping Images Idols which when the Jews was in the spirit of God they kept above them all So you being gone from the spirit of the Lord are fallen under Images and dead Idols since the days of the Apostles and bows down to them as the heathens they are dead aâ— the Heathens and so you are apostaâ—ized from the spirit of God in which God is worshipped and apostatized from the true Church who said Keep your selves from Idols for there was never any talk of worshipping of Images and bowing to Images amongst them but the Jewes while they lived in the law of God they broke down the Images of the Heathens so all that be in the life of God will break down the founder of the Images amongst you Apostates which sees not and hears not And Jeremiah saying to them that worshipped Images who said unto a stone thou art my father and to the wood thou hast brought me forth So say you to your Images Pictures and Crosses thou putst us in minde thou art our similitude and puts us in minde of Christ of Mary and shewing that you have not the minde of Christ in you but dead stocks and stones must put you in minde so this of yours is a higher mystery of iniquity then that of the heathen Pr. You say you account of the pictures no more then we account of any picture or pictures in our houses Answ. That is not so thou dost not speak with the bit in thy mouth we do not fall down to them but deny them Pr. And the heathens did all kinde of godly honour directly to their Idols but the small honour which we do to the Images or pictures of the Saints is no more then an outward complement as I may say just as it was the fashion in England to put off ones hat or bow to the Kings Throne in honour of the King Neither do we this honour to the pictures simply considered as pictures but as they are representations of Christ and his Saints Answ. That honour which the heathen did to their Idols was not godly honour for that which gave the honour to the Idols might be confounded before that came up that gave the godly honour to God though they worshipped the creatures and served idols who should have worshipped the Creator who is God blessed for ever and served him and your bowing and kneeling down to Images and before them it is the worship of the Beast and that is more then a complement to kneel down and bow down to Images which you call representations and this is come up and got up amongst you since the power of God hath been lost which should have brought you to have bowed down to the Lord and to have prayed in the spirit and to have had him in your mindes and not an Idoll to put him in your minds And the bowing before the Kings Throne in the Kings absence and the hat in England that is but the dead minde that bows the dead hat to the dead throne and a dead honour and so all the honour that is given to Images is but a dead honour given from the dead principle and not from the living principle of God within which brings to worship God who never accepts the other and that bowing the hat before the Kings Throne in the Kings absence is denyed by all that fears God and judged and worships him and bows to him for that is supâ—rstition your bowing before images and pictures and crosses as bad worse then that profâ—sse Christ and have him not in your minds then the heathens bowing to Molock Baal Jupiter Bacâ—hus Venus c whose spirits are as unclean as theirs who have set up Images and Crosses to bow down to them You are the unclean spirits as the heathen and a higher mystery of iniquity then the heathen but now is discovered by that which hath long been hid by the light Christ Jesus and the seed of God which hath discovered the mystery of iniquity which is the mistery of godlinâ—sse and all these pictures crosses and bowings is come up since the days of the Apostles for amongst them there was no such things Amongst you who have lost the power of God the Crosse of Christ and the image of God and has not the mind of Christ in you so are fain to have dead images crosses and pictures which you call representations to put your dead minds in remembrance of Christ and to stir it up which kills and slayes the just all that be contrary to it and the heathen and you do not differ for they bow to Images and so do you but yours as I have said is a greater mistery of iniquity who has fled from the true foundation of the true Church which is the pillar and ground of truth and so since have got up your images and idols Pr. Now because the main thing which you do carp at is at our bowing before Images or pictures of the Saints to the end that all your mouths may eternally be stopt I will shew you out of the Scripture that notwithstanding the bowing down to Idols is most strictly forbidden in the second commandâ—ment and other places of Scripture yet was it lawfull both to make honour and bow down to other images and other representations although they were but dead creatures and the worke of mens hands The Arke of the Covenant you must confess was but a dead creature made of wood and other materials by the hands of men and upon this Arke were placed two Images or representations of Cherubims read the 7 of Joshua vers. 6. and you will finde that he and all Israel did worship and fall down before this Ark and these Images after the same manner that we fall down before a Crosse or a Crucifix or the Images of the Saints Answ.
was not the work of the Apostles nor of them that kept the faith of Gods elect that gives victory over the world and so those whom you call bad and those whom you call good are all found one here having drank the whores cup found in the fornication without husband out of the true humility which is Christ the seed that bears the sin and iniquity Pr. You take offence because the Roman faith doth teach it lawfull to punish Schismaticks and Hereticks with the sword but if you will be mad and say that those which seduce mens souls cause schisms and heresies in the Church and disturb the peace thereof must be let alone and may in no wise be punished who can help it Answ. The faith of the true Church did not teach any such doctrine to punish Schismaticks and Hereticks or Seducers with an outward sword but said on the contrary their weapons was not carnall but spirituall Now the carnall weapons who punish them you call Hereticks and Schismaticks whose Church is disturbed by such You shew you have not the power to convince gainsayers stop the mouths of them and make them to confess that God is in you of a truth and this doth shew that you are reprobated from the true faith which the Apostles were in and of Christ who said love your enemies and if any one smite thee on the one cheek turn the other novv the beast and false Prophets and the Anti-christs Mother of Harlots should drink the bloud of the Saints Martyrs and Prophets and kill them which the faith and patience of the Saints did not rise against now again the Lamb and the Saints should have the victory which should slay with the sword which are the words of his mouth not vvrestle against flesh and bloud killing creatures but over-comming with the bloud of the Lamb And here is the faith and patience of the Saints whose Kingdom is not of this world but you that are killing with the sword fire and fagots and inquisition bowing before Images Idols Pictures crosses these be all of this world and Kingdomes of it carnal weapons and carnal things held up by the carnal and not spiritual Now of your speaking of the Magistrates of the higher power which is higher then all Image-makers and Idols which gave them to see before transgression was which Transgresser set up Idols and Images which they in the higher power broke down that was the work of the Magistrates and they had the wisdom to make the true figure and shadow which Christ came to put an end to And they that set up Images Idols since the dayes of the Apostles and Pictures and crosses and holds them up by an outward power and Magistrates and compels others to bow down to them is the worship of the beast and not the worship of God and this I declare in the presence of the Lord God and all the Magistrates that be in Gods fear they will break down your Idols and Images and crossâ—s and crucifixes and masse-houses Schooles and Colledges which you make Priests and Ministers in which they that know the Ministers made by the will of God will do this and the exposition of the Scriptures by your Church we cannot own which is Apostatized from the true Church which bid the Saints keep from Idols which all that be of the true Church are so to do And your Church which is run into Idols Pictures and Likenesses is run into error and is not infallible and so you are gone from the life which gave forth the Scriptures which Peter was in and so run into Idols and must have Images and likenesses to put you in mind of Christ and the Saints And you are gon from the Spirit the holy Ghost which they was in which over-saw the Churches who watched for the Souls and had the rule over the Saints so from this Church are you apostatized its peace which Church is the Pillar and ground of truth the Divel is out of the Pillar and ground of truth he abode not in it and all schismes heresies they cannot disturb the peace of this Church here comes no sword-men here nor carnal weapons nor inquisitions fire nor fagget stockes and prisons nor Idols all such are wâ—thout that deceives Nations and tells them they are a Church which slayes the Sâ—ints Pâ—ophets and Martyrs the same nature slew Christ and his Aâ—ostles and Abel with their carnall weapons for all are one out of the life and power of God striking at creatures wrestling against flesh and bloud in stead of striking at the power that captivates the creatures to the intent that creatures might come to the liberty of the sons of God now you hâ—ving not continued in the Aposâ—lâ—s faith mind and spirit but Apostatized from them you have all lost the guide and rule as they were in both Protestants and your selves that be out of the life and faith that the Apostles was in that led them to give forth the Scriptures so you have been the wolves in the Sheeps clothing destroying one another about outward things and powers but with the power of God and life of God by them that are in the wisdom of God are you all judged to be out of the Kingdom of peace which is the Kingdom of Christ fighting with carnal weapons hailing to the Goals Inquisitions whips stocks houses of correction faggots fires either Protestants or Papists are you here like the Kingdom of Christ his subjects but like Pharisees Jewes and Cain apostatized from the Apostles lost the faith lost the unity lost the Spirit of God which the Saints was in which led them to give forth the Scriptures in which is the unity which is the bond of peace into which all that is called Christendome must come before they be one and all the names blotted out that is amongst them given to them in the apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles and all their prayers is abomination that be out of that unity and to you that is the word of the Lord and the Quaeries thou hast not answered and your prayers is denyed and your peace also for you have not abided in that which the Apostles and the Saints was in which did oversee the Churches but you are turned strikers which the Apostle saith they should not be so And the Apostle saw the comming in of the man of sin and Christ speaks of Anti-christ and the false Prophets coming in with their signs and lying wonders which if it were possible would deceive the very Elect which John saw was come and went forth from them and bid the Saints keep themselves from Idols for they were them that got up Idols which went forth from the Apostles which Apostles bid the Saints keep to the anointing in them and they need not that any man should teach them but as the same anointing teacheth them which is truth and no lye and even as it had taught them so
are you not in the fornication and set up places for fornication among you and no fornicator or idolater must enter into the kingdome of God For are you not worshipping of Images and do you not trust in them and doth not the Lord say Cursed be all them that trust in graven Images Now the Apostle faith The mystery of iniquity doth already worke and there should be a falling away before the man of sin should be revealed who exalts himselfe above all that is called God or is worshipped and sits in the Temple of God and shews himselfe that he is God The Apostle bid remember that he told these things and that he might be revealed in due time and now he is revealed is not the man of sin a devourer and was the Apostles so and are not you devourers who worships the names of Saints and Images and Reliques and so contrary to John who was not to worship the Angell but God How are you fallen from the truth and from the state of John how are you revealed 2 Thes. 2. And this man of sin whose coming is after the workings of Satan destroying with his power Now have not you a great power and lying signes and wonders have you not your lying signes and great wonders among you and the deceiveableness of unrighteousness who have not believed the truth but are given up to believe the lying signs and wonders so God hath sent strong delusions among you And was it not the Apostles charge to Timothy that he should teach no other Doctrine neither give heed to fables Now are not you run into the fables run into Images and reliques and purgatory and idols beads and jewels and so puts them in your Inquisitions that denies your fables and witnesseth the contrary that which is the sound doctrine so are you not contrary to the sound Church here and given up to them that believe fables 1 Tim. 1. are not your Ministers made of men and by men so gone forth from the power the Apostles was in which was not of man nor by man so no true Ministers And did not the Apostle say in his charge Tim. 3. to prove Ministers and Bishops they might not be brawlers they must not be given to filthy lucre they must not be given to wine they must not be covetous they must not be strikers Are not you strikers killing and slaying in Cains way them that be contrary minded to you so not of the true faith not of the true Church not of the true stockâ— nor of the true Ministry This I have proved by the Apostles separated from them out of their way are not you covetous would you not sell pardons for money are you not ashamed of your christianity to the very heathen about you hath not God here brought the very man of sin to light and revealed him Now the Apostle said The spirit spoke expresly at the latter times some should depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils speaking lyes in hypocrisie having their consciences seared with a hot iron forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats Are you not departed from the faith that purifies and the word that sanctifies and so the Church made up of such as the spirit spoke should come that forbids to marry commands to abstain from meats and so your Church made up with the seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils Doth not the fruits declare this to all the Nations about you so are not you gone from the example of the Apostles who bids follow us as you have us for an example both Church and Ministers You have forsaken the example of the Apostle both your Church Ministers The Apostle commanded Timothy to keep his commandement without spot unrebukeable untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ And do not your fruits make you manifest that you are fallen into all these things that the Apostle saw should come and the Spirit said should come And moreover the Apostle said If you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world as living in the world why are you subject to ordinances And if you be risen with Christ seek those things which are above Set your affections on things that be above and not on things that be on the earth as your Images Reliques Idols Pictures Beads Jewels earthly Crosses Crucifixes are not all these things below and doth not these make up your Church and is not this the voluntary humility that beguiles people Such doth not hold the head which are in the outward shews which are not to be tasted and handled which things perish with the using after the commandements and doctrines oâ— men which shews you are not risen with Christ not seeking the things that are above but your affections are on things on the earth Col. 2. Again the Apostle saith In the last dayes perillous times should come that men should be lovers of themselves blasphemers covetous proud boasters heady traitors high minded despisers of them that are good of this sort are them that creep into houses leading silly women captive laden with divers sins and lusts always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth like Jannes and Jambres which with-stood the faith to keep people in Aegypt keeping people in bondage and spiritual Aegypt having the form but denying the power And hath not the Church been made up of such since the days of the Apostles and evill men seducers should wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived And the time will come saith the Apostles that they would not endure sound doctrine they heap to themselves teachers that would not endure the truth running into fables Now these things being come up before the Apostles decease of which your Church is is made up of which are turned from the truth that have itching ears and seducers are reprobate concerning the faith that keep to the fables And this to the view of all people may be seen hath made up your Church for these things hath come up since the days of the Apostles which were coming up before their decease and the Apostle speaks to Titus of the unruly talkers whose mouths must be stopped who taught for filthy lucre which were evill beasts slow bellies which followed fables made by the will of men and of these your Church is made up of which to every good work are reprobates being reprobate to the good and disobedient Tit. 1. And the grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us to live righteously sobâ—rly and godly Are not you run into the worlds lusts and from the soberness and from the grace of God which brings salvation by which people are saved into the foolish questions and strivings about the law unprofitable and vain which are the hereticks which went forth from among the Apostles Tit. 3. and so from the grace by which men are justified Are not you gone into the
Is this the love of Christ Is this the love of God Is this the love that was in the Apostles Did the Apostles do so did Christ do so that had all power c. to all that were not of their minde yea or nay answer 6 What differs your works from the works of the Pharisees for that which they did they did to be seen of men And the young man boasted of his works yet when it came that he should have sold all and followed Jesus the beloved of God there was the hard thing whereby he might have had treasure in heaven And how differs your giving almes from the Pharisees seeing the Pharisees were in your state to murther and murthered the just and you give almes and are found in the same nature that will and do murther them that be contrary minded to you wherein do you here differ from the Pharisees And Châ—ist saith love enemies and you have your Inquisitions and Fagots here his love differed from the Pharisees and yours And saith John Let us love in deed not in word not as Cain the wicked one who slew his brother because his works were righteous the others were evill And saith John He that killeth with the sword must perish with the sword here is the faith and patience of the Saints Now where is your patience that are killing and prisoninâ— And we wrestle not against flesh and blood saith the Apostle but against principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places How do you wrestle against principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places Does it not shew that your weapons are carnall and not spiritual while you are prisoning burning making inquisitions for the bodies of people that are contrary to your minde Do not you wrestle against flesh and blood Is not this to wrestle against flesh and blood to prison to burn to kill creatures are not you apostatized from the true Apostles and true Church which is the pillar and ground of truth who said We wrestle not against flesh and blood answer these things by Scripture 7 Do you own the Law and Prophets which is to do as you would be done by would you have all that be contrary to your minde do unto you as you do unto others to make Inquisitionâ— and to burn and to kill them that be contrary to their minde as you have your Inquisitions Fagots Fires for such that be contrary to your minde not observing your customes would you have others do so unto you and serve you so that will not observe your customes Is not to do as you would be done by the Law and the Prophets 8 Did ever Christ or the Apostles give any command that any should be put to death touching worship touching Religion shew me a command in Scripture from Christs or the Apostles mouths Are not they that murther slay and make war the Beast and the false Prophets under the dominion of the mother of Harlots and in the steps of Cain and Jezebel out of the steps of Christ and the Apostles 9 What is will-worship Does any worship God in the spirit truth but who be in that which the Devil is out of Can any being in the spirit and in the truth which the Devil is out of the Murtherer slay any concerning Religion or worship but on the coÌ„trary if they be in the evil overcome it with good Now if you kill murther slay make Inquisitions burn where is patience where is long suffering where is stopping the mouths of gain-sayers concerning gain saying if you cannot you have a fagot for them or a prison or an Inquisition are you not here like unto them that rose against Stephen that were not able to resist his spirit but stoned him to death wherein differs your nature and spirits from these did Stephen do so to others the Apostles were stoned did they do so to others Now this is Christs command he sent them forth as sheep amongst Wolves he sent out Prophets and Wisemen and said some they should kill and some they should thrust out of their Synagogues some they should persecute from City to City and said they should be hated of all men for his names sake and they should speak all manner of evil of them and were these to do so again to others kill hate hale out of Synagogues persecute Nay did not Christ say love enemies blesse them that curse now are not they that are contrary to this out of this Anti-christs and false Apostles 10. Has not the true Ministery true Spirit true Power true Church the true crosse been lost since the dayes of the Apostles and the false Ministery false Prophets false Apostles Antichrists Synagogues of Satan has appeared since which all your Crosses your names your pictures your Images your praying by beads has come up have not you lost the true spirit the Image of the Father and his name by which men are saved and so since run into other names run into Images lost the true Image run into Crosses lost the true Cross the power of God run into praying by beads and lost the true praying in the spirit and is not the Candle put out within and so ye have set up your lights burning without you defiled the Temple of God within and so set up Temples without are they not set up by that which defiles the inward Temple and is not that it which will murther slay prison and bring before Inquisitions which defiles the Temple of God seeing they that witnessed the Temple of God said love enemies and does not it shew that the love of God was there if love enemies which was a command of Christ who are them that are to be persecuted and hated and who are they that you are to slay and kill answer 11 Have you heard the voyce of God immediately from heaven as the Prophets Apostles did have you the same spirit wch Christ and the Apostles had which gave forth the Scriptures which was before they were given forth yea or nay 12. Is that the blood of Christ that is your wine which was shed upon the Cross when Christ was crucified alter you have consecrated it 13. Is that the body of Christ that is your bread after you have consecrated that said Lo a body hast thou prepared me to do the will of God and will not your bread corrupt and let it lye after you have consecrated it and does the body the flesh of Christ see corruption answer 14. What is the ground and cause of all the destractions amongst the called Christians is it not because they have the words of Christ the Prophets and Apostles but be cut of the life of them 15. What is that thing wch four men do carry on staves that all men must bow before it when you carry it in the streets and what do you do it for and where did Christ or the Apostels do any such thing 16. Why do
and names 51. Where did the Apostles and Saints that were amongst them the true Church give any such Commands that there should be any dayes set apart for fish to be observed as you do answer me these things out of the Doctrines of Christ or the Apostles or Disciples of the Apostles and the true Church 52. Where was there any amongst the Apostles and Disciples which was the true Church amongst the true Christians that had the name of Pope before their decease or Fryeries or Abbies or Nunneries or Monkes or any such names amongst them answer me by the Scriptures out of the practice of the true Apostles and true Christians which the Apostles were amongst before their decease 53. Where did the Apostles and Disciples take a vow of any Christians or make them to give them a vow that they should never possesse any thing of their own or never marry but put them into houses where they should never come out again and is not that the Doctrine of Devils which was coming in before the Apostles decease forbidding the eating of meats and forbidding of marriage 1 Tim. 4. and from what ground and root has this had its rise 54. What were the false Prophets and Anti christ that Christ said should come in the 7. and 24. of Math. to his Disciples which the Disciples â—aw was come as in 1 Joh. 2. and 4. which went forth from them wch he saith in his revelations all that dwelt upon the earth went after and all Nations drunk the cup of the fornication and the Kings of the earth and all that dwelt upon the earth worshipped the Beast what Kings of the earth were thâ—y that drunk this cup of fornication and all Nations and what Nations were they that cup was this was not it them that ravined from the life which went forth from the Apostles which made war against the Saints and should overcome them for a season that kept the testimony of Jesus the spirit of Prophesy whose names were written in the Lambs book of life slain from the foundation of the world 55. Where did the Apostles and the Church that they were amongst before their decease set up Crosses and did they fill their windowes full of pictures and Images of males and females answer me this by Scripture out of the Apostles practice Now if you say that Joshua bowed before the Arke and Solomon made Images Joshua bowed to the Lord before the Arke and Christ is come the substance of all tipes and figures and shadowes and to him must every knee bow who is a greater then Solomon that built the Temple and Stephen that was stoned to death for witnesing the substance and denying the figure 56. And where did the Apostles and Disciples or the Ministers of Christ Jesus which was amongst the Apostles before their decease consecrate bread and wine or Christ give them any such Commâ—nd to consecrate it tell me out of the Commands of Christ or the Commands of the Apostles before their decease that they practised any such thing amongst the Saints And what Scripture have you or Command from Christ or the Apostles or the Church that was amongst them that speaks of seven Sacraments or any such names that they had amongst them or give forth any such thing to be practised after them let the practice of Christ and his Apostles and the Saints then speak for it or declare it or else you must acknowledge your selves to be besides them and acknowledge it to be but an invention and your own words 57. If your Church be the Pillar and ground of Truth the gates of Hell cannot pervail against it but if the gates of Hell have prevailed and you swallowed up in darkness and in inventions and are fain to hold up your selves with Prisons and Inqâ—isitions and Goales and outward Carnal weapons does not this shew that your weapons are carnal and not spiritual and that you are out of the power of Truth which the Apostles were in I am none of those that you cal your sects separated from you and drove you out of your houses and taken them and call them the Church nor any of them that holds up Tythes or Temple outward which has your Crosses on the end of them nor any of them that holds up Priests which have been made by Schooles and Colledges and has their Temples and Pulpits imitating Ezra or Solomon not Christ who came to put an end to them nor any of them that are taught to call the dayes by the Saints names nor any of them that are taught to call the Colledges by Jesus by Christ by Immanuel by Trinity none of them that ever was learned to call them by these names nor any of them taught by the Heathen to call moneths by the names of January February March April May c. and to name dayes and to call them by such a Saint or such a God or Sun or Moon or Starres But am a witnesse against all the Priests made by Schooles and Colledges by mans will and Tythes and Temples set up since the dayes of the Apostles in the Apostacy and a witnesse against all the Jews Temples Tythes Pulpits Priests and offerings one of them that are the Elect that witness the everlasting Priest-hood and everlasting covenant 58. Are not all these Pulpits Temples Tythes Priests Schooles Colledges made by the will of man and set up by the will of man in the apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles and are not you all in the Apostacy from Christ and the Apostles who said when they curse blesse ye and the Apostle sayes my brethren bless and curse not Now you that do curse by your Bell by your Book and by your Candle are not you apostatized from the Apostles Doctrine here who saith bless and curse not and ye curse Did not the Apostle Peter see the Cursers cursed speakers come up before his decease 59. Did the Apostles give the names as Whitsontyde or Easter or Christmas the names of holy dayes are not all these set up since the Apostles seeing the Apostle said he was afraid of them that observed dayes Did not the Jews dote upon the shadow more then the substance dote upon the day more then they did upon Christ But shew what your observing of Whitsontyde Easter or other holy dayes does signify forth and who was the first author of your Church or where the Apostles or the Church before their decease practised or commanded any such thing if not grant your selves Apostates 60. Where did the Apostles or Ministers of Christ or the beleivers before their decease build great Abbies Monasteries and set crosses on the ends of them Nunneries Cloysters build walkes in the ground shew it by Scripture by that prove your practice else acknowledge your selves to have set up these things who be in the apostacy 61 Where had the Apostles or the Saints Bells jangling to call them together like a company of Heathen or
like they that have a horn to call their hounds together or the Swine-heard for people to put forth Swine or hower-glasses to preach by the hower prove it by scripture else acknowledge your are in the Apostacy and have set up â—hese things by your own inventions and are them that limit the spirit 62. Where did ever the Apostles consecrate any thing or the scripture speak of Sacraments or where did the Apostles use that which you call holy Water to sprinkle people withal if you cannot shew it by scripture where the Apostles or Christ diâ— practise any such thing acknowledge your selves that you be in the Apostacy that have set up such things since the dayes of the Apostles and erred from the true Church in your inventions 63. Where did the Apostles when they went to preach or to pray put on white Hoods Copes Tippets white Surplisses and cornered Caps are not all these things got up since the dayes of the Apostles amongst such as are apostatâ—zâ—d from them 64. Who are the inwardly Raveners that Christ said should come which was the false Prophets which should have the Sheeps clothing but inwardly ravening Wolves an inwardly ravening Wolf worse then a dog which got the sheeps clothing is not this it that has made war against the Saints that kept the testimony of Jesus the Spirit of prophesy and has not the wolf been covered with the sheeps clothing long such as ravined from the spirit such as has inwardly ravened and would ravine and destroy all that be contrary minded 65. Have not men fallen into the flesh since the dayes of the Apostacy and ravined from the spirit that went forth from the Apostles are not they them that has set up all these outward things as Temples Tythes Priests crosses crucifixes Schooles Colledges to make them Ministers Images Idols Abbies Nunneries Candels Altars Holy waters Praying by Beads sprinkling children with the sign of the crosse and have not you gone back who are ravened from the spirit and so lost the substance and so imitating Aaron and his Sons and imitating Altars and outward things that stood in Moses which the Apostle sayes while Moses was read the veil was over their hearts 66. Was not the first Priest-hood a true tipe and the Temple a true tipe of the inward and the Sanctuary and Altar a tipe and the outward things in the Law shadowing forth the good things that were to come which were but to have their times and seasons and did not the Apostle witnesse the substance of all tipes figures and shadows and signs and similitudes and likenesses and witnessed that which gave him to see where there was no shadow nor changing Now are not all your tythes Temples Priests Altars Crosses Crucifixes Images Similitudes Beads Cloysters Abbies Nunneries set up by your own inventions which men and people has been compelled to worship are not all these lying signs and wonders and the worship of the beast that which they that inwardly ravened set up and is not this to give worship to them that inwardly ravined from the spirit of God who are the Wolves that â—an make a profession of Christs and the Apostles words the Beast and false Prophets which the world has wondred after and should deceive them with their lying signes and wonders Did not the Apostles give hints of such things before their decease did not John see such come as the whole world went after and all that dwelt upon the earth worshipped the Beast Now answer me these things and clear me them by Scripture where the Apostles did practise or act any such things before mentioned and if ye be not such that John and the Apostles speaks of and Christ that should be the inward ravening wolves and go forth from the Apostles which John saw all that dwelt upon the earth worshipped and went after and all that dwelt upon the earth drunk the cup of fornication and should deceive them that dwell upon the earth with their lying signes and wonders and miracles and if you be not them tell me who they are 67 What is the Beast and the number of his names and what are his names and what is his marke that they that would not receive should be persecuted And what is his image and what are his heads and what are his crowns and what is the mother of the harlots and what is the great whore which hath corrupted the earth and what is the cup of fornication that all Nations has drunk of and who are the Beast and false Prophets what are they that are come up since the dayes of the Apostles How to say you believe as the Church believes and you will not trouble your selves about the Scriptures because they are hard to â—e understood you are to see that you be of the Church that the Apostles were of which was the pillar and ground of truth which was without spot or wrinkle or blemish and so their belief stood in Christ and God And when any did wrong yea Peter Peter was withstood and not believed as he believed And as for saying the Scriptures are hard to be understood that is to shew you want the spiâ—it as was in them that gave them forth in which is the unity and the bond of peace And none comes to be a member of the Church in God the pillar and ground of truth without spot or wrinkle or blemish but who comes into the spirit that they were in that gave forth the Scriptures with which spirit every one in particular hath his particular satisfaction in the Scripture it opens it to them with which spirit he hath unity with God unity with the Scriptures of whom they learned that gave them forth and there is the bond of peace Now to tye up men to believe as others believe and to compell them by a law or a prison or an inquisition this was not in the true Church but this is a marke of the apostacy from it and is a marke that they that do so are the wresters of the Scriptures and err'd ravened from the spirit that they were in that gave them forth For it was not their worke to compell people by a Law by a prison by an Inquisition to obey their faith and to bring them into their worship and doctrine that was not the worke of them that had the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures but this shews and signifies and declares it selfe forth that you would have power over mens faith which saith the Apostles we have not but bade them look at Jesus the author of the faith And again to believe as others believe which do call themselves a Church Is not this different from the Apostles doctrine who saith he that believes hath the witnesse in himself and hast thou faith have it to thy self 68 Is your Church the body of Christ and is your bread the body of Christ after consecration and is that bread after you have consecrated it the Church
THE PAPISTS STRENGTH Principles and Doctrines which they are sworn to Preach from the Councel of TRENT by the Popes Authority and after confirmed by the last General Assembly at ROVEN 1571. All which they have sworn to perform Answered and confuted Furthermore their Principles and Doctrines Answered and Confuted as they were laid down in two or three severall Papers by R. W. Papist lately sent from HOLLAND Also a challenge to the Pope and all his Adherents to choose out of all his Dominions some Cardinals Fryers or Jesuits to try their Bread and Wine after Consecration by watching on their side and on our side to prove that if afterward they have consecrated it whether the Bread and Wine doth not loose its taste and savour and so not the Body and Blood of CHRIST Also a paper to all them that fast and afflict themselves who are in the will-worship and voluntary humility Also some Quaeries to all the Papists upon Earth to be answered in writing and sent to them which all Sects upon the Earth call QUAKERS By GEORGE FOX LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth neer Aldersgate 1658. The Papists Principles as followeth whose name subscribed thereunto is R. W. Priest HE saith He cannot but admire to see what a power Satan hath over the sons of Adam and especially â—ver Schismaticks and Apostates from the union of the Roman Catholique Church Answ. Theâ— that be in the true Light Chrâ—â—â— Jesus that fathoms the world 〈◊〉 not admire to see the great power of Satan over the sons of Adam in the fall and over all the Schismaticks and Apostates for Schismaticks and Apostates and the sons of Adam in the transgression be all â—n the Devils power where he is in the transgression out of the truth in one power murderers for the Devil a murtheâ—er sons of Adam mâ—râ—herers in the fall out of the truth Schismaticks and Apostates out of the truth murtherers and will all murther and noâ—â—dmired at with the children of Light who has tryed their spirits So Devil sons of Adam in the fall and Papists and Protestants that will all murther for Religion and worship be all in the Devils power Murtherers out of the truth that Christ and the Apostles was in so the Roman Catholique Church which will murther is Satans synagogue for he is the murtherer and there he hath his seat And all the Protestants that be murtherers about Religion and worship are Satans synagogue are Apostates and Schismatâ—cks as well as you they were the first great synagogue of Satan and the first Apostates and Schismaticks from the life of the Apostles and Christ though since the dayes of the Apostles you have apostatized from the life others has professed against you and so are broken into heaps and names Satan has got up many synagogues in many parts of the world and gotten the sheeps cloathing and cryed up himself to be the name of Châ—â—stian which is meer Antichrist quite against him compelling all by sword or faggot or prison or stocks or whips or houses of Correction or Gaols or Inquisitions to worship him This is quite against Christ the Apostles spirit in the apostasie from them apostatized So you may strange to see the Devils power over the sons of Adam Apostates and Schismaticks and not see your selves swallowed up in the Devils power doing his work Thus judging others not seeing your selves for the Devill sons of Adam in the fall from the truth and you who are apostatized from Christ and the Apostles Doctrine and the Schismaticks that be from you in words and sects and names that be called Protestants that will murther for Religion and Worship they be all in the same power which the Devil is in for the Devil is out of the truth the sons of Adam out of the truth and the church of Rome out of the truth apostatized Protestants and all others that be out of the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures be out of the truth such are murthering one another about words and are Satans synagogues wreâ—â—ling against flesh and blood Striking at creatures in stead of striking at the power that captivates creatures to the intent that creatures might come into the liberty of the Sons of God which was the work of the Apostles and Christ Pr. No man can discern head or foot of the Quakers method or order yet there is some shew of reason in their Quaeries Answ. Thus he confounds himself Babylon And we do believe that neither the Papists Apostates Protestants nor sons of Adam nor Dâ—vill out of the truth can know either head or foot of the Quakers principles with all their thinkings for the Quakers is come into that which the Devil is out of sons of Adam is out of the Papists are out of and the Protestants that which overwhelmes them all Devill sons of Adam Papists Protestants out of the life of God with it are they all judged which Life the Quakers are in Pr. He saith not one Papist that he knows doth call himselfe a defender of the Faith yet he saith in a sense in writing against our principles he might call himself a Defender of the Catholique Church and Faith and yet notwithstanding he could not defend himselfe from the Devill Answ. In this thou hast shewed thy faith and the faith of the Catholique Church which will not defend you from the Dâ—vill so ye are the reprobates from the faith of the Elect that quenches the fiery darts of the Devill and gives victory over the world and the Devill and is their shield and with that faith is his Kingdom subdued And we do believe that the faith will not defend you from the Devill and if thou knowest never a Papist that is a Defender of the Catholique Faith what have you done with all the fires and faggots and inquisitions and killings and slayings and writing of your great Volumns against them that have protested against you all this time but now your faith fails and your wheel is gone off and the confusion of Babylon is confounded and the faith of Gods Elect contended for witnessed amongst them called Quakers whose weapons are not carnall but spirituall And your wicked Priests and such as be in the reprobate sence like Judas betraying the just have been the Preachers and Teachers which has gotten the form of godlinesse but are out of the power and the life and these are them that have risen against the Saints and overcome them which are now warring against the Lamb and the Saints but the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory Pr. And whereas you say you give the title of holinesse to the Pope after the same manner as was given to the high Priest in the Old Testament and wicked Magistrates was called gods and the Priests wear their titles upon their breasts and Jacob called his wicked brother Esau Lord and there is Scriptures enough to give honourable titles to wicked men Answ. These are
lives unto the death And sometimes they have been more visible and sometimes lesse yet two or three that know the name of Christ and live in the power of Christ Christ is in the midst of them and they may be truly said to be a Church of Christ and these God hath promised to be with who believeth in Christ the power of God to the end of the world and against these the gates of hell shall never prevail And whereas thou saist He gave some Apostles and some Evangelists Pastors and Teachers for the worke of the Ministry for the perfecting of the Saints This is granted and it did and doth effect the same end for which he gave it But when ordained he the Popes the Cardinals the Fryars the Monks the Jesuites the Nunâ— for the work of the Ministry or whether have any of all these effected the same things which the Apostles did by their gifts But rather on the contrary They have perverted the straight way of the Lord and have made the word of God of none effect by their traditions and hath introduced and brought in those things to be observed amongst people which God hath neither commanded nor commended but on the contrary forbidden and condemned 3 Prin. That all those people or Congregations or meetings or Churches which have not been constantly visible from Christs time till now are not nor cannot be the Church of Christ and then thou makes this conclusion that the Roman Church can shew its constant and successive visibility from Christs time till now therefore the Roman Church must needs be the Church of Christ Answ. By thy own words thou hast proved your Church to be no Church of Christ neither your officers and Ministers to be Ministers of Christ for Matthew Mark Luke and John Peter Paul and the rest of the Apostles makes no mention of any such officers as Poâ—es Cardinals Fryars Monks nor Jesuites neither of any such doctrine did they allow of as you preach to wit the doctâ—ine of Devils in forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats wch God hath created and also teacâ—ing to make Images and set up Images and Idols and also teaching to burn and kill and destroy them whom you call Hereticks which Christ nor none of the Apostles ever did So that it is manifest from the Scripture of truth that your visible Church was not always since Christs day for Peter Paul and many of the Apostles lived after Christs day and they make no mention of any such ministry doctrine or practice as is found amongst you onely foretels of you and prophesies of you that Antichrist should come Deceivers should come and false prophets should come and Peter whose successors you say you are he foretold of you and hath left his testimony against you against them who preach for filthy lucre those things the Apostles taught not Amongst many things this is one in teaching and making people believe a purgatory after they be dead and this was invented by you to get filthy lucre and to get dishonest gain Another thing to give pardons that you may get money and filthy lucre so that it is manifest you are none of Peters successors but are apostatized from the faith from the doctrine from the practice of Christ of the Churches of Christ in the dayes of the Apostles and were not visible then nor counted the Church of Christ by any in many years aâ—ter the decease of the Apostles But the false Prophets that Christ spake should come which John and Paul and Peter saw creeping in then who erred from the faith and apostatized from the truth who subverted whole housholds from the faith there 's your originall they that did subvert and they that were subverted and held part of the form of godlinesse denyed the power there is the beginning of your visible Church Antichrists false Prophets Seducers and seduced you are their successors and from thence your visibility came to be seen in the world So in that which I have said doth clearly evidence that you have not constantly visibly had the name of a Church since Christs time although you call your selves the ancient Church And I say unto thee in thine owne words Except thou be bewitched and possessed with a spirit of blindnesse here is enough to convince thee and all thy visible members that your Roman Church is not so ancient as Christ nor the Apostles But you are quite another thing which hath sprung up since and are apostatized from the Doctrine and from the Faith which the Churches which were before you were in as the Church at Jerusalem at Antioch and the rest of the Churches which had received the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ without respect of persons from which faith you are now reprobated 4 Principle Thou saist that Luther Calvin Memno Beza and others were first popish Priests and those that followed them was first of the Church of Rome and these thou saist fell from the Faith and were accounted by you Hereticks and sayes they ought to produce more evidence for their faith which they professed being separated from you then you need to do from whom they separated Answ. They are Hereticks who denies the true foundation and who erre from the true faith which the Saints possessed and and lived in But your visible Church have left the true foundation and have erred from the faith which Christ and the Apostles declared and lived in therefore you are the Hereticks Therefore Luther Calvin Memno and Beza and the rest seeing your Doctrine Principles and Faith to be contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and the Primitive Churches God opening their eyes and let them see that you had innovated and brought in another Doctrine and other practices then had been taught or practised amongst the Apostles therefore they denyed yoâ— in many things although they were not clearly come off your principles nor did not see clearly thorow your deceit yet so far as they saw by the light of the Lord they bore testimony against you and gave a clearer demonstration that you were out of the faith then you ever did or can do that you were in the Faith But that is made manifest in this the day of the Lords power which sees over you and beyond you and comprehends your ground and all the body of your Religion which stands in imitations imaginations inventions and traditions And further thou saith that you can bring more Scripture for your Catholique doctrin then they that are separated from you and thou brings two Scriptures to prove some of your doctrine and sayest that the Church of Rome teaches that Christs body is reall in the Sacrament for which thou brings the 11 Cor. 23 24. verses which proves nothing to the purpose for the body of Christ is incorruptible and saw no corruption But bread corruptâ— and will corrupt notwithstandâ—ng all your consecration but as concerning this I shall refer the
that is contrary to the Light Then you must know a shame which is to be despised in the sight of all the world in breaking covenants who with them hath made covenants and bound your selves in vowes Therefore come to feel the witnesse of God in you which gives you to feel and see that all the covenants upon earth must be broken that is made from the light the minde that is from it which if you come into the light you will know the marriage of the Lamb your Fast shall cease for God doth not accept your extreams your passions your fast your afflicting your selves for a day while there is prejudice and envy seated among you the man-slâ—yer which shews that you be out of the light and life of the Prophets and of Christ and his Apostles both Magistrates and Ministers and Teachers And the Pope which sits now on high whose arms fingers legs and head is brancht out but with the power of the Lord is compassed and seen the end that he is in and all is but earth and the worshippers but earth and in the earthly things the threshing Instruments must thresh for you lie like a wildernesse for the Lord God of power is coming to plow up and so seed it and that the truth over may passe and Christ in power come to reign who is Law-giver and Judge and to break your wills and bow down your thoughts who will subdue all things to himself Who will reign and to exalt his kingdome whose dread and terror is gone out into the earth All what is done in mans will which he pretends to God he will be judged for it and all your observances and fasts and circumstances and worships who hath required this at your hands saith the Lord Come to truth and singlenesse and innocency then you will see Cain is a vagabond the envious man the man-slayer a murtherer from God a vagabond and fugitive though he built a City And he observed outward things but comes not to witness the spirituall Sacrifice but it shewed that you be in envy and slayes men concerning Religion being another spirit then Christ and the Apostles wherein as iâ— is declared in Scripture with it ye are judged and your reading over prayers cumbers and wearies the just with reading over prayers and praying to names your observing of Images and your earthly Crosses and this keeps you from the life and power of God which is the Crosse of Christ and the Spirit in which you should pray which the Lord knows the mind of G. F. This is to go abroad among the Papists in all the Earth Friend AS thou hast spoke of giving a reason which reason is fathomed and comprehended to be earthly Now there is a reason which flows from the faithful that makes reasonable and that gives dominion over the earthly but this reason is but earthly and stands in the earthly as hereafter will be made appear as thou art brought before the judgement and weighed in the ballance And as for the Church in the days of the Porphet that was in the days of Baal that would not bow to him nor serve him Now it seems there was some that did bow to Baal that had been of the Jewes and remained as in the outward name But those were of the Church that bowed not to Baal to the earthly mark that and those stood in the truth and bowed to the Lord and kissed not Baal and there 's a distinction between the holy kisse and the contrary Now that was invisible that kepâ— them from bowing to Baal and that was invisible that they were gone from viz. these Jews that did bow to Baal As for the seven Churches of Asia that 's agreeable to these words for many got the words of the Church but the Life they fell from Then as for the Church of Rome as for the dissolution of the Roman Catholique Faith which was before Luther and Calvin which is as a dark puddle the smoak of the bottomlesse pit that hath not a foundation but from the foundation Christ fled And Luther and Calvin something there was stirring in them Luther was true in his place but it was but a little but so much as comprehended you and as for their falling from you before Luther and Calvin they were but in your outward Ceremonies For neither you the Church of Rome nor those you beget nor Luther nor Calvin was in the very life that is infallible the Apostles were in and Christ that the Scriptures were given forth from Therefore kill you and slay you that be contrary to you in your Religion and it is the cause of all people running into Sects and heaps upon earth Calvinists and Lutherans because they are not in the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures that hath been lost among you all since the dayes of the Apostles which is now found among them that are called Quakers whom all the Sects upon earth are against that are got up since the dayes of the Apostles and with the spirit that the Apostles were in you are all fathomed as a span You that are the Church of Rome came to be made up of all these rotten members that fell away from the Apostles before the Apostles deceased that got the forme of godlinesse but denied the power that forbid meats and marriage that minde earthly things So you have been the ancientest Apostates and all that have apostatized from you you call Sectaries which you Apostates was the mother of all And so I tell you you are the most ancient in the form of godlinesse and that have denyed the power as your Gaols and Inquisitions declares your fruits And you lye like a barren field unplowed up but now the plough of the Lord is going the servants of the Lord are driving on the horses which will tear your ground And the publique worship that the Apostles were in who were led by the Spirit of God hath been lost since the dayes of the Apostles amongst you for Christ said false prophets should come that were inwardly ravened that were wolves that had the sheeps cloathing which John saw was come and that the whole world were gone after them and so there you lost the infallible spirit and have held up part of the visible form and run into some inventions of your own making and so is become the Mother of Harlots and have brought them forth that are harlots Now that which Christ said should come which false Prophets John saw was come and the whole world was gone after them they made war with the Saints that kept the testimony of Jesus them that had the forme the sheeps cloathing and were ravened from the spirit and so overcame the Saints then power was given to the beast over all kindreds tongues and nations and all that dwell upon the earth should worship him Then the beast and his names and his images and his mark and horns then the Vials and Thunders should come again to
be poured upon him and his seat So the Author of all these sects and names hath been from you that first ravened from the spirit of God all Sects upon the earth would kill one another about their worship which shews the spirit of the Devil and not the spirit of the Apostles So when the Beast had overcome the Saints and killed them and got power over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations And the woman fled into the wildernesse and the man-childe caught up to God And the Dragon made war with the â—emnant of her seed that kept the commands of God and here by this you may see where the Church hath been And the great Whore which went forth from the Apostles and ravened from the spirit of God yet hath had the sheeps cloathing which all Nations hath drank her cup She hath corrupted the earth and made the Inhabitants of the earth drunk and the Kings of the earth hath committed fornication with her and all nations have drunk her cup of fornication She sits upon the waters and the waters are peoples not a people and the waters are nations where the Whore sits and multitudes and tongues Now mark if Nations be waters and Peoples be waters and Multitude waters and Tongues waters And the earth is corrupted and the Inhabitants of the earth drunke and all nations have drunk the cup of fornication and the Kings of the earth hath committed fornication with her Now where is the Church and the Rock all this time when nations peoples multitudes and tongues are waters and the Inhabitants of the earth drunk and the earth corrupted and all nations have drunk the whores cup And the whore cannot be said to be the heathen for the Whore goes from something and there is the ancient visible Church And the Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and all nations have drank the cup of fornication and fornication is before you be married And these are them that have drank the blood of the Prophets Saints and Martyrs that have kept the testimony of Jesus But now again the Lamb is brought forth to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron though the Beast and false Prophet and Kings of the earth and the old Dragon make war against the Lamb and the Saints yet the Lamb and the Saints shall get the victory and the everlasting Gospel shall be preached to all nations kindreds tongues and people and life and immortality shall come to light through the Gospel which your old great Grand-father went from in the dayes of the Apostles and so to that that they went from is people now come and coming and the Lambs wife is making her selfe ready and the Saints do sing the Lord God omnipotent reigns and you are all too immoderate spirits you and all other Sects then to be like the Apostles and Christ or to be like the Church of Christ your fallibility and your Idols Inquisitions and Cruelties makes it appear Two Queries being propounded to thee In thy answer to the first Query thou saist That all Churches or meetings of all sorts of men which have not the spirit of God they may erre In thy answer to the second Query thou saist That the Church of Christ or the meetings of those Christians that follow the rule and law of Christ and are always guided by them cannot erre in any truth Reply Your Church the Church of Rome have erred from the spirit of truth and the truth in which there is no errour As instance you have set up Idols and the spirit of truth in the true Church said Keep your selves from Idols as in Johns Epistle And you have made Ministers by men and by the will of man and so gone into your own wills which the Scripture came not by nor which Christs Ministers were not made by and you and all Apostates since are of men and made by men and so you are erred â—rom the spirit of truth that leads into all truth You are erred from the Crosse of Christ the power of God and have set up outward Crosses and falls down to that instead of falling down to the power of God You have erred from the true Image of God the Saints were in and have set up outward Images of wood and stone You have erred from the Saints life and spirit and from the spirits of just men and so from the true Church and so set up the Reliques as pieces of Cloath and old bones So you know after the flesh which the Apostles did not And you are erred from the Rock and falln into the waters as in Revelations And your Idols Pictures and Images have corrupted the earth so you are erred from the true Church and the true Spirit which cryed against Idols in all ages as Moses said in his command to the people and the Apostles Your Church is commanded to make Images and Idols and the Church in Moses time and the Apostles Churches were commanded to keep from them So no true Church you are but apostates but fallible and erred in matter of faith and doctrine and praised be the Lord who hath brought you to the Light And multitudes of instances may be shewed who compares the Church with what the Churches of Christians were in the dayes of the Apostles And thou saist the difficulty is where the Church of Christ is to be found for Papists Lutherans Calvinists Anabaptists Arminians and all schismatical meetings they do claim the title of Christs Church to themselves c. Answ. All these the Roman Church being the mother of the Apostates and all these before-mentioned are started from her her sturdy sons and severall names still in the forme for the light within they are all against and Christ within to reigne and teach and the Law within in the heart and in the mind whereby all comes to know the Lord and the word in the heart and in the mouth to obey and do and the spirit of truth to lead into all truth whereby the Saints have unity one with another and with the Scriptures and with God This the Papâ—sts are run from into Images and Idols and this the Baptists Lutherans and all other Sects are run from into other Images within but with the spirit of truth which leads the Saints into all truth are these comprehended and out of all these sects and sorts are people coming I 'le break your names and marr your Images with the spirit of truth fence your selves never so wisely And so none of these nor you neither are of the true Church but the beast and his names but some of these you calâ— Sâ—cts are neerer the true Church then you for the world who lives in Images and Idols wonder after you who lives in Images and Idols who are apostatized from them keep your selves from Idols As for the Quakers who are risen in the Ancient of dayes in the end of the night of apostacy among whom that's appeared that cannot be shaken
hath reigned since the days of the Apostles and whether or no the spirits of people hath not separated from since the dayes of the Apostles which they were in and is not that the cause that all Nations are brought into Sects and heaps and lost their unity with God and the Scriptures with which spirit they learned of God the Father of spirits that gave forth Scripture are you come unto the spirits of just men made perfect to the Church in God the Father the Judge of all What Scripture have you for taking Tythes and where did the Apostles take tythes so that denyed the first Priest-hood and witnessed Christ the sum the change of the Law by which the Priesthood was made And the disannulling of the commandement that gave tythes and are not you transgressors and made your selves transgressors that have set up these things the Apostles threw down And where did the Apostle take tythes and what is the first principle of pure Religion and what is the soul of man And have you not lost the Crosse of Christ which the Scripture saith is the power of God and hath set up Crosseâ— of wood and stone on the end of your Steeple-houses and do take bread and wine on the day-time which Christ took at night What is the light what is the word what is the Gospel what Scripture have you for sprinkling Infants Are you them that have heard and learned of God which Christ saith them that have heard and learned of God comes to the Son Have you seen the shape of God are you them that God speaks to by his Son who is heir of all things upholding all things by his word and power Is your Church the Church that is in God have you heard of the Father seeing it is written ye shall all be taught of God Are you not them that looks at things that are seen for things that are seen are temporall the things that are not seen are eternall Are not Images Idols Pictures Reliques Bones pieces of Cloath things that are â—een and temporall Answer these Queries in writing and send them to the people who are scornfully called Quakers in England by all the sects of the earth Shall a man whiles he is upon the earth be made free from sin and be made perfect and the body of sin put off And what Scripture have you for consecrating bread and wine and where did the Apostles so Will you try your Church by the Scripture of truth and measure your selves by the Apostles Declaration and venture your selves to be tryed and judged by them that the spirit of truth led them to speak forth And what is the Wine-presse that was troden without the City and whether you bid every man examine himselfe whether Christ be in him except he be a reprobate And whether or no you are as the Apostles who preached Christ in them the hope of glory warning every man that you may present every man perfect in him in Christ Jesus To prove the Papists Church to be a false Church contrary to the Apostles and that they are wolves which Christ said should come which are inwardly ravening Ye have the sheeps cloathing and are the false Prophets that should arise according to Christs words that should shew lying signes wonders which if it were possible should deceive the very elect and should say Loe Christ is here and loe Christ is there Do not you tell people that he is in the bread and that he is in the wine and tell them that he is in the chamber and that he is in the desert where you put the bread and the wine is not there Christ cannot you put him in the cup-board and in the chamber and in the desert cannot you put and tell people he is there And have you not the sheeps cloathing but are you not ravening wolves inwardly ravening from the spirit of God So doth not your fruits appear contrary to the Church of God For have not you fulfilled the Scriptures having the sheeps cloathing but inwardly are the ravening wolves Have not you ravened wearied and destroyed and killed many hundreds and have you not your holes and Gaols which you call Inquisitions which you put them in are you like the Church in this Did ever Lambs and the sheep weary and tear them to pieces and then carry them into dens and make wracks and tortures for poor creatures or for the wolves either Did ever the sheep destroy the wolves Now which doth your fruits make you appear to be the sheep or the wolves judge your selves by the Scriptures Now let all people judge you all that be in the wolvish nature that are not sheep no more then you So Christ calls them wolves inwardly ravening from the spirit of God these Christ said should come and they have come up since the dayes that Christ said they should come And the Apostle saith in Acts 20. That after his departure grievous wolves should enter in among them not sparing the flocke which should arise from among themselves speaking perverse things drawing many Disciples after them Now have not you Papists risen since the dayes of the Apostles and you know the Apostles did not prison persecute devour any but the wolves should do it Now these rise among the Saints that should not spare the flock mark make havock of the flock to devour and destroy the flock Now we remember that Christ told of you and of these things and the Apostle tells of these things 1 John 2. said it was the last time then Whereas they had heard that Antichrist should come even now there are many Antichrists and false prophets come into the world 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. Paul speaking there of cutting off occasion For as much as false prophets deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ no marvel for Satan himself transformed himselfe and his Ministers transforming as the Ministers of righteousness Now this the Apostle saw come up among the Corinthians before his decease So now again you may see Satans Ministers they are murtherers and his Angels they are murtherers Now the Apostle said he out off the occasion he did not cut off the outward bodies of people as you do and the Apostles were persecuted whipped and beat now you see that you are whippers persecutors and beaters and though you persecute one another which have the name of Christians yet are not the sheep nor the Ministers or true Apostles nor the true Church And when the true Ministers and Apostles saw that these false Apostles should come and Ministers of Satan should tranâ—form themselves into Angels of light he brings them to the light that shined in their hearts them that would give them the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. And are not you as bad as the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus Christ and their own Prophets who kill the Prophets that are sent among you 2 Thes. 2. And
your hard speeches against him who be the filthy dreamers defiling the flesh speaking evill of the dignities of the dominions that goes over all transgression which lets see the first transgression that was befoâ—â— transgression was this is dignity and the higher power Now are you not in Cains way and lost the patience that kills slays and murthers let all the world bear witness that be in the fear of God Are not you fallen into the deeds of the Nicholaitans and so like them which said they were Jewes and were not but synagogues of Satan and so doâ—h not your fruit declare you that you are synagogues of Satan murdering killing And was there not such before Johns decease which said they were Jews and were not which John told should cast into prison and try and many of the faithful Martyrs were slain Have not you held the doctrine of Balaam your Idols and do you not here commit fornication with them and is not this the stumbling-block you here lay for all people Balaam-like and is not the fruits of your Church made up of such And was not the woman Jezebel beginning to teach before Johns decease teaching to seduce the servants of God and to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to Idols and was not all this separated from the true Church these Idols Balaam this Prophetess And hath not these made up your Church which hath the stumbling block the word of the Lord doth try all this Hath not he promised and the Church doth know that he was the Lord that tryeth the reigns and searcheth the heart For is not Jezebels mark upon your fore-heads and your Idols your Church is full of them which defiles the land And do you not kill and slay Jezebel-like and betray and after fast your hands full of blood your heart full of deceit strife and murther Is not this Jezebels teachings Jezebels fast and your Idols Balaams stumbling block And was not this coming up before Johns decease creeping up among the true Church If a true Church fall into these things God removes his Candlestick from them so are you them the Candlestick is not among Therefore you set up great outward Candlesticks among all your Idols and so you have a name of Christians but are dead Thou hast a name of a Christian to live but art dead and so deceives Nations by your name but now you are proved your Church your Ministers all Jezebels mark Balaams stumbling block your Idols you have not repented of your fornications all your Idols God will cast you into your bed of sorrows And now your day of tryal is come and he that overcomes shall be a pillar in the house of God And so you have lost the key and are shut up in darknesse for was not Jezebel a murtherer a slayer and yet did she not fast Did not the Apostles fast and yet were no murtherers nor slayers And at the opening of the 5th Seal was not the cry of the souls heard How long Lord how long wilt not thou be avenged on them that are put to death for the testimony of Jesus and dost not thou avenge our cause O Lord And was not the answer again They should rest a season till the rest of their brethren were killed Now who are the killers who are the murtherers have you not been the killers and murtherers one of another and so out of the true Church and all along apostatized from the true Church Revel. 6. And so are not you them that are brought to poverty among all the earth for want of the vertue of God among all people and choaks them with your Idols and so the bottomless pit hath been opened which hath no foundation your smoak and your locusts hath swarmed abroad so are you not them that fell the Star that fell that fell from the Apostles that fell from the truth Is not your Church made up of locust and have not you worshipped Devils Idols and gold and silver brass wood iron and stone that can neither see nor hear And doth not Iohn speak of this in the Revelations which was distinct from the true Church And is not your Church here found your Idols of brasse of silver of stone and can neither see nor walk Revel. 9. And hath not the two Witnesses been killed which was called the two Olive trees and Candlesticks the Olive trees fruits is the oyl and what doth oyl do Hath not this been killed and the Candlestick which stands before the God of the earth and the great City Sodome and Gomorrha where Christ was crucified and them that crucified him was the professors of Scriptures and you the professors of Scriptures where is the Olive tree now where is the Candlestick How is spiritual Sodom full of your Idols and Images now there is none turnes from the Olive tree and the Candlestick but who are become spiritual Sodome and Aegypt in themselves and consider was not the Dragon cast from Heaven to the Earth and did not he persecute the Womâ—n and is not all persecutors of him did not the Woman flee into the Wilderness where hath she been all this time of Idols where hath been the Church was not the man-child caught up to God did not the Dragon make war with the seed which keep the Commands of God did not the Beast rise out of the Sea which had his power and authority from the Dragon who have been like Bears and Lions and Leopards and all the world wondered after the Beast and they wondered after the Dragon which had power from the Beast Now mark where hath the Church been now who is like to the Beast which rose out of the Sea which all the World worshipped which ravened from the Spirit of God which went out from the Apostles in Corahs Cains Balaams way erred from the Spirit of God they like a sea out of truth so here came in the Dragons power which gave the Beast his authority which all the World worshipped which dragon had made war was that which persecuted the Woman And the Beast made war with the Saints and had his power from the Dragon which all that dwelt upon the Earth should worship and over-come the Saints then power was given to the Beast over all tongues kindreds and Nations over all kindreds your tongues your Teachers which saith tongues is the originall Orthodox men which have their learning from tongues hath the Beast power over and all that dwelt upon the Earth should worship him and he should deceive them that dwelt upon the Earth by reason of his miracles he should make Images to the Beast and they should worship the Beast and they should neither buy nor sell but who had the mark of the Beast and his Image now it is the Beast that sets up the Image now here is the Image the Beast here is your Church and here is the Beast that hath his power over all kindreds tongues and Nations and the
Is that the body of Christ the Church for the Apostle saith the body of Christ which is the Church 69 Is God worshipped in truth but in the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures and in that which the Devil is out of Now can any of you worship God in the truth unlesse you be in the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures then being in the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures how can you say that the Scripture is hard to be understood or any that be in the Church seeing the true Church is made up of living stones and the Scripture was given forth from the spirit 70 And whereas it is a generall word to say you believe as the Church believes and the Scriptures are hard to be understood Doth not this shew that you be all afraid of your standing and shew that your Church is in the state of apostacy from the Apostles and Disciples of the Lord Jesus that there is a cry amongst you the Scripture is hard to be understood And we must believe as the Church believes and the Church is the Pope and his Councel Now if he or his Councel dare not venture to try their standing to meet the spirit of God and to answer these Qâ—eries or all his train that be under him then shall we know and then shall it be seen who is the true Church and who are the apostates and set up a likenesse an Image And if you do shelter your selves in the darkness and not come forth to the light and dare not venture your Principles and is afraid of the heat and for fear that your heads should be cut or slashed and your principles dasht to pieces and see that your weapons will not carry you out and that your righteousnesse is but as rags and you have been but wolves covered with the sheeps cloathing and have been devourers of the Lambs and can do nothing without your swords and carnall weapons and your Inquisitions then may the whole world see you Therefore come out I challenge you all and give an answer either in print or in writing and bring your deeds to light that they may be manifested to the whole earth and declared on the house-top our weapons are not carnall with which we shall handle you neither need you fear your persons neither need you be afraid that we will wrestle with flesh and blood for that which was amongst the Apostles is come to that which hath been since the Apostles is seen The arm of flesh is not our weapons but the Lord of hosts Come thou Pope with all thy Jesuites and Cardinals and see if thou can stand this day before the truth for these queries be to the whole body and thee scattered up and down the face of the whole earth and the power of the Lord God of life of heaven and earth is gone over you and hath fathomed you 71 Was it the work of the Christians to be beating Dâ—ums up and down fighting destroying one another where has been loving enemies where has been overcoming evill with good and rendring to no man evill for evill 72 Doth not Christ say It hath been said of old time thou shalt perform thy oath unto the Lord But doth not he say swear not at all Now ye swearers have not you bâ—oken Christs command and have apostatized from his doctrine but if ye say the Prophets swore or Abraham swore or David swore or Solomon swore or Moses swore or the Priests swore Christ is the end of the Prophets and Priesthood a greater then Solomon then Joseph or Jacob Before Abraham was I am who saith swear not at all Now if you say did not the Apostles say an oath was an end of controversie and strife amongst men that men swore by the greater which the Apostle brings as an example shewing how God could not finde a greater and therefore swore by himselfe concerning his covenant that doth not change betwixt God and man in which covenant man comes to have peace with God Now if ye say did not the Angel swear in the Revelations I bring forth my first begotten into the world and let all the Angels worship him and this is the beloved Son heare ye him saith God And above all things my brethren saith the Apostle swear not at all neither by heaven nor by earth lest ye fall into condemnation So are not all you swearers fallen under condemnation and out of the Apostles doctrine and apostatized from it Nay is not the power which you call your supream under the condemnation and Magistrates that are swearers and giving oaths no Christian Magistrates but they and their power is all under condemnation all swearers upon the earth for saith the Apostle Above all things my brethren swear not at all left ye fall into condemnation So are not ye swearers who calls your selves a Church Pope Magistrates all upon the earth under condemnation and out of the doctrine of the Apostles false brethren and out of the power of Christ who has all power in heaven and eâ—rth given unto him who saith let your yea be yea and your nay nay in all your communications who is the end of oaths whose doctrine the Apostles preached and abode in Now are not all Churches Teachers powers Magistrates under condemnation that be the swearers and not the help-government to Christ out of the higher power all Magistrates from under the higher power that be swearers and out of Christs power and help Magistracy and government for him who has all power in heaven earth given unto him and out of the Apostles Doctrine and Christs Doctrine who saith Let all your communication be yea yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more is evill And so how can a company of swearers be a Church or the supream power which are the Beasts and false Prophets apostatized from the Apostles and Christs Doctrine and them that inwardly ravened from it and has had the shâ—eps cloathing that tear and rend all in pieces that will not come into the wolves way and bow down to that which he has set up and so therefore is the cry amongst you the Scripture is hard to be understood and you are tyed to believe as yoâ—â— Church believes so by that means you have held the out-side the sheeps cloathing and pretend to be saved by your works and meritâ— when the wolfe has been in your hearts tearing to pieces and rend and devour them that will not believe as you believe I cannot gainsay you in this as for your saying the Scriptures are hard to be understood when you are all ravened from the spirit that gave them forth 73 Where did ever any of the Saints change their names unlesse they had a command for it as ye do when ye are made Popes Did Peter change his name 74 Where was it amongst the Apostles that some might not marry and they might not at some times of the yeare marry but at those times they might