his present light within is not this to make several Sects and opinions in the World which they some time cry out of would it not be more agreeable to the Truth to exhort them to take heed lest the light within be not darkness that which may be darkness that is not to be turned unto as a rule to walk by but the light within may be darkness therefore not to be turned unto as a rule to walk by Take heed saith Christ that the Light in you be not darkness Luke 11.35 But we find the Prophets Jesus Christ his Disciples and Apostles commanding and exhorting Souls to obey the commands of the Lord the Prophets under the Law exhort the People to keep the Law of Moses Christ exhorteth to keep his Commandements If you love me keep my Commandements John 14.15 Which are now recorded in the Scriptures and so the Apostle Paul this I say to you by the word of the Lord that those that are asleep c. that is to say by what the Lord hath said I tell you these things by which is now recorded Mat. 24.38.39 40. So the Apostle John 2 Epistle 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not neither bid him God speed what Doctrine he tells us the Doctrine of Christ his sayings Precepts Commandements which are now recorded in the Scripture of Truth because of the shortness of the Volume I cannot shew you concerning all the rest of the Apostles how they had an eye to what was written in what they write and therefore in a word there was never any true Prophet or Jesus Christ or any of his Disciples and Apostles but did make it their business to provoke persons to keep the Commandements of God and that there was never any of the Faithful Servants of the Lord did esteem the Commandements the worser because brought to them in writing this I say by the Testimony of Scripture that the light within hath carryed Persons to do that which was not acceptable in the sight of God nay to do that which was very offensive to God even to persecuto his People see this in the Apostle Paul before conversion I thought within my self I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazereth Acts 26.9 from whence you may see that he did follow his light within in persecuting the Church of God and saith Christ those that kill you shall think that they do God good service from whence you may plainly see they shall follow their present light within in killing the Saints therefore I would exhort all to this that they will labour to get their consciences rightly informed by the word of the Lord that is to say his precepts and promises and threatnings of the Lord and then be zealous according to their light within and not before for know ye that the conscience is a light of acceptation and not a light of information until it becomes inlightned and whereas he saith It is the alone Salvation of God it gives me to believe that he is of the same mind with Nicholas Blith one of his principle who did assert before a Congregation of People that his obedience to the light within did make attonement for Sins that are past therefore this I desire to speak unto you in the fear of the Lord to desire you to consider of such expressions whether such expressions do not plainly and manifestly declare that Christ dyed in vain if Justification freedome from fin is procured by our obedience such an opinion is damnable folly and weakness for if it was possible to become as holy in nature and life as the holy Angels it would be very dangerous to reckon attoining vertue thereto my souls desire is that you would not get up in the vanity of your minds and plead perfection when such great imperfections remain in you see 1 Pet. 1.18 For as much as we are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gould but with the pretious blood of Jesus Christ and now I shall according to my promise to the second general thing that is to answer his main drift and aim which is to lay low and make void the two Ordinances of the Gospel to wit Baptisme and the Lords Supper and answer some Objections First then to Baptisme that it is to remain continue and be stedfast unto the end of the World see Mat. 28.18.19 20. Jesus Christ after he had accomplished the work of our Redemption and was risen again and that the Father had conferred all power upon him in Heaven and in Earth he gives out his commission to his Disciples go ye and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things what I command you and loe I am with you to the end of the World Truly the very reading of the words doth evidence this to be Truth to wit that Baptisme must and ought to remain untill the end of the World Such was the state of the People of God under the Law that if at any time they found the Law of God though not spoken immediately to them nay though hundreds of years distance so long as they was under that dispensation did judge it their duty to do those things that the Law required as Josiah 2 Kings 22.23 Chapters make appear when he had found the Law of God he doth not say it is true such things are commanded in the Primitive time but they are not commanded me he doth not say it is true we walk contrary to the Laws of God commanded in Mount Horeb but these things was not commanded us they have been lost and we have been in a Wilderness condition and now they do not belong unto us no but he believeth that he was bound to observe those Laws and commands as well as those they was first delivered unto and accordingly did set upon the work and the Lord was well pleased with them read those two Chapters and the Prophet Malachi though many hundred years after the Law was given upon Mount Horeb yet is perswaded that it is the Peoples duty to observe Mal. 4.4 Remember the Law of Moses with the Statutes and Judgments it was the duty of the People of God to keep these Laws and cerimonies until the coming of Christ in the flesh so it is the duty of the People of God to keep the commandements of Christ until his coming in the glory of his Father with all his holy Angels If any persons can prove which I am sure they cannot that there is another Prophet risen that the People of God are to hear as the appointment of the Father then the commauds of Christ do cease to be a duty or else to remain while he comes to put an end to them the Law of Moses or any precept of it had not such adjuncts adjoyned to them to demonstrate it to be a duty until they
TRUTH UINDICATED Being An ANSVVER To the high flown Fancies of John Perrot known by the name of a Quaker in a Paper with this Inscription to all BAPTISTS every where or to any other who are yet under the shadows and watry Element and are not come to Christ the substance Wherein is laid open the airy vain Foolishness if not Blasphemousness of his words covered over with ambiguous and doubtful tearms unto all unbiazed and rational men But I will come unto you shortly and will know not the speech of them that are puffed up but the power Cor. 4.19 Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son 2 Epistle of John 9. Take heed that the Light that is in you be not darkness Luke 11.35 By Randall Roper a Servant of Christs LONDON Printed for the Author 1661. To the Reader ALthough I am not ignorant of the prejudice which a Subject of this nature hath upon the minds of many men and likewise conscious of my own inability to such a work yet notwithstanding I shall not omit Writing according to the measure of the Tallent that the Lord heth given me in regard of that encouragement that I have met with from the Lord to this work since I first thought on it I shall intreat and beseech thee in the fear of God to read with an unbiazed affection and not to be rash in judging but on the contrary be fond like those Bereians that were more noble than those of Theselonica and the reason is there rendred because they searched the Scriptures whether those things were so or no alledged by the Apostle Paul Acts 17.11 I am nesessiated to say as Laban said to Jacob in an other case it must not be so done here the short volume that I intend to comprize what I shall write at this time is such that it will not bear a long Epistle and therefore I shall with as much brevity as I can give you my reasons of answering that Paper although I think there is abundance of folly at the best if not lies as shall be made manifest first reason that constrains me is the restless condition of the People called Quakers in giving them up and down to People that they think there is any hope to work upon together with that high confidence they have of it as an Oracle of God and that which cannot be answered when it is nothing less than the senseless Prophane and divised words of a brain-sick-apostate Secondly that high estimation they have of the Author of that Paper insomuch that I have been told of two of his judgment which I am sure they will own that he had as great a measure of the Spirit as ever man had and that he had talked face to face with God as a man talketh with his friend and several other things of a like tendency which would be too tedious to insert which I have cause to think nay believe are lies therefore my Friends who ever you are that desire to abide in the Doctrine of Christ having respect to all his Commandement that you may experience Communion with the Father the Son you have cause to praise him magnifie the name of your God that hath so given up and in the way of his justice which men hath so honoured that as he is a rageing wave of the Sea so he hath foamed out his own shame Secondly we have cause of sorrow that any poor souls that aims at the glory of God should follow such Teachers And so I shall leave but shall continue my Prayers that the Lord would keep his Children and Babes from that deceit and that the Lord would grant some that are already turned after Satan Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth which is the end and aim of him that desireth truth may flowrish and that errour and darkness may be done away RANDAL ROPER TRUTH UINDICATED Being An ANSVVER To the high flown Fancis of John Perrot known by the name of a Quaker GOd who at sundry times and in divers manners hath in times past spoken to our Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last daies spoken unto us by his Son even the Lord Jesus who hath told us that false Prophets should arise Mat. 24.24 and by the Apostle Peter whom he did in a special manner Authorize to feed his Lambs and Sheep John 21.15 who hath told us that as there were false Prophets among the people even so there shall be false Teachers amongst you who privately mind that shall bring in damnable Hericises denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction and many shall follow those preniscious waies by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken of whether this Scipture is not in a great measure fulfilled by the People called Quakers I will leave the impartial Reader to Judge for those that deny the Doctrine of Christ do privately and covertly deny Christ but they do deny the Doctrine of Christ therefore do privately deny Christ that they do deny declare as useless the Doctrine of Christ is manifest and shall be made manifest and that the truths of the Gospel is evill spoken of by reason of them experience doth testifie is it not the cry of the People you first turn Annabaptist and then Quaker you do not continue in what you first take up But because I design brevity I shall come to the words of this subtil deceiver who is pleased rather with emminancy of words then pregnancy of reason That you may know his words they are in a different caracter from mine which I am necesesiated to insert because I may not beat the air if any be offended at my writting by way of argument I know not any way to demonstrate things beter than that in this critiall age if I did I would take it the Auther of that Paper is confident in his assertions but proveth nothing but I do intend to prove what I say by the Scriptures of truth and in order to the words I shall take this way First by taking a Veiw of the exprese words by him spoken and shall give particular answers Secondly I shall answer that which I apprehend to be his drift and aime in what he saith and that is to lay low extenuate and make void the two Ordinances of the Gospel to wit Baptisme and the Lords Supper or breaking Bread and drinking Wine in remembrance of Christs death not to be used by such as are come to Christ the substance wherein I will shew the duration continuation of Baptisme and the Lord Supper untill Christ shall come himself or personally which is all one and that the coming of Christ by his Spirit into the hearts of his people doth not put an end to those two Ordinances and shall answer some Objections First then he begins with this inscription To all
which words it is plaine that some did not discerne the Lords Body but did take it as common eating and drinking and that the Lord was angry for so practising that Ordinance but the faithful Souls that come rightly qualified discerne the Lords Body and eat the Lords Body and drink his Blood and therefore for to say that shall perish to wit the Body of Christ and the Blood of Christ is Blasphemie it is my Souls desire that as the Lord hath made me sensible would make me more and more sensible of the Wretched Blind and Lame condition of such Souls that speak evil of the Body and Blood of the Lord Oh that my words might be acceptable that I might perswade some poor Souls from perverting the right way of the Lord that the Body of Christ doth not perish see Psal 16.10 Neither thy Holy one to see Corruption which all agree is ment of Christ and that the Blood of Christ doth not perish 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 1.18 Where the Apostles doth oppose the Blood of Christ to corruptable things as things that perish with the using Oh that private Indignity Emulation and Hatred they have to the Blood of Christ which I have cause to say not only from what is here said but from an other Testimony from one Rob. Gresinham who I am sure they do own said he doth thou think that the Blood of Christ that thou mightest have taken up in thy hand can wash away Sin there is one besides my self to testifie this if out of the abundance of the hearts the Mouth speaketh then surely there is very Low and Contemptable thoughts of the Blood of Christ in the heart of that Person that dares speak such Contemptable words surely the Fountaine from whence such streams do Flow is not a pure Fountaine and is much contrary to what the Apostle Peter beleeveth he calleth it pretious Blood consider this you that forget that Fountain that you was washed and cleansed by if you was ever washed Who hath washed us in his Blood Revel 1.5 I would fain know of thee oh thou high Flown talker whether the Apostle Paul Gal. 2.21 22. When he exhorteth from whence I suppose you borrow your Expression Notto Touch Taste Handle which all are to perish with the using whether he meaneth the Ordinances belonging to Moses house as the Ordinances belonging to Christs house or those that God did command by Moses surely I beleeve have ground so to do that they are those that was commanded by Moses for saith the Apostle they were such that were against us such as Christ nailed to the Cross and if so then is it not wresting the Scripture to apply it to the Ordinances of Christ in the Gospel and whereas you say we rest in shaddows it is possible it may be true in some that profess the Truth they may hold it in unrighteousness as the Apostle saith some did in his time but this I can say that those that the Lord hath intrusted with the work of the Ministry do Perswade Exhort and Entreat poor Souls that have laid a good Foundation That they goon to Perfection according to that Heb. 6.1 2. And this there Exhortation in the fear of God hath not come in Word only but in Power and Strength upon our Souls so that many can say with the Apostle Paul Phil. 3. From the 10. To the 15. Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after c. And further I press towards the Mark of the high Calling in Christ Jesus and therefore I would perswade all that own that Paper that if they know any that are in such Condition to be perswading them not to rest in it for it is dangerous to hold the Truth in Unrighteousness likewise not to lay it as a general Aspertion upon all that walk in the way of the Lord and are as much for purity of Life as purity of Ordinances and do desire to keep the Forme and Power together and not to disjoyne that which God hath joyned lest they be found Sinners I would have no Soul to think because I am upon this Subject that I am not for purity of Life as well as Obedience to the Ordinances of Gods House I am as free to bear a Testimony against an evil Conversation as corrupt Principles yet not to let them pass but to contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints he further saith We are in the true Water and Blood which washeth the Soul and Baptiseth Dippeth and Plungeth the Conscience and cleanseth it from all Sin which leads into the Heavens where God dwelleth and we eat and drink the true and real Body and Blood of the Lamb hereby we know it because it nourisheth us and giveth us Blessed growth in the Life and Inocency of the Lamb which was with God before shaddows were and henceforth we in it have passed and left them all as Images of Gold and Silver to be cast to the Moles and to the Batts for ever It hath made me affraid to speak sometime against such a People that should declare such things as being washed from Sin as being lead and having Blessed growth in the Life and Innocency of the Lamb and such like expressions but upon consideration I am confident both to speak and to Write although I desire to own any thing of the Lord in any profession whatsoever becauss I find the Apostle Paul prophesing there should be a people Declaring things that are not so concerning their own State and Condition 1 Tim. 4.2 Speak Lyes in Hypocrisie having their consciences seared with an hot Iron Speaking Lyes in Hypocrisie That is declaring they have Communion with God and are washed from Sin and have Growth in the Innocency of the Lamb such like when it is not so that Persons may have a high Estemation of them when it is not so neither is those things found in them and I will prove he speaks Lyes in Hypocrisie although I do remember that Water is put for the Spirit as John 7.38 39. He that beleeveth on me out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water but this he speaks of the Spirit But when John speaks in that place that he alludeth unto 1 Epistle of John 5.8 There are three that bare Record on earth the Spirit the Water and the Blood That it cannot be the Spirit not that I beleeve he hath the Spirit no for this I â—estifie that he that hath the Spirit of God saith not that he hath cast the Ordinances of God to the Moles and to the Batts for evermore my reason is this because the Spirit is one of the other two and therefore it is undoubtedly Truth that it is not the Spirit therefore it must be Water that is used in Baptisme and if so is not his words a manifest Lye when they disown make void and declare as useless that Ordinance of Baptisme nay say themselves here passed
through and left to be cast to the Moles and to the Batts Oh the Contradiction that is in that Paper and whereas they say they eat the true Body and Blood of the Lord this will be nothing less then a Lye Take this argument founded upon the Scriptures of Truth if Christ hath instituted visible forms to wit bread and wine when persons do by faith pertake of the body and blood of Christ then those persons that do not pertake of the visible forms can not partake of the Body and blood of Christ but Christ hath instituted bread and wine to be pertaken of when persons do pertake of the Body and blood of the Lord therefore those persons that do not pertake of the visible forms cannot pertake that is to say eat and drink the Body and Blood of the Lord that which will be questioned is whether persons must pertake of Bread and Wine when they do pertake by Faith of the Body and Blood of Christ which is plain Mat. 26.26.27 28. Mark 14.22.23 Luke 22.19.20 agree all in one I shall repeat onely that which Mathew writteth and as they were eating Jesus took Bread and blessed it and breake it and gave it to his Disciples and said take and eate this is my Body and he tooke the Cup and gave thanks saying drink you all of it for this is my Blood of the New Testament shed for the remission of sins you see what way Jesus Christ taketh in order to their eating the Body Blood of Christ he gives them Bread and Wine and this must be granted Christ did nothing in vain that needed not be done now if it had been the mind of Christ that they should have eaten his Body and drink of his Blood without eating the bread and wine he would not have given them to his Disciples therefore let none be wise above what is written this I say that I do not find in all the Scriptures of the New Testament that any person did eat the Body and blood of Christ but those that did pertake of the visible forms but I would not be mistaken for I do beleive that it is not the want of Ordinances but the contempt of Ordinances that condemneth for in daies where his Ordinances cannot be injoyed the Lord hath been and will be to his people that in the want of Ordinances and without Ordinances as he is to them in the use of them but that cannot be pleaded now in this day of light the Lord commands obedience to all his Ordinances and will not hold men excused that lives without them see Iohn 3.19 Oh let not the meanest of the Commands of God to carnall reason be a means to hinder thee from the practise of them for it is matter of commendation to keep the Ordinances as they were delivered 1 Cor. 11.2 and whereas he saith we know it because it gives us blessed gronth in the life iunocencie of the Lamb if that which they say they know by that they are in the water and blood and that they eat the body and blood of the Lamb. If that be not true then we may conclude that the things are not true now I say though you do that which is right and just between man and man although that is not found in all your Principle yet this is fare short of the innocency of the Lamb the innocency of Christ appeared in his in that he stooped to the meanest of Gods Commands to carnal reason as Mat. 3.15 Suffer it to be so for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness if any person might have been exempted from the obedience of that commandement Christ might yet he takes a painfull journey to that end to be Baptised of Iohn that he might not only be a commander but a leader to his People Secondly his innocency appeared in that he doth not prove himself to be the Son of God only by the signs and miracles which he did though he had the spirit without measure but by the Scriptures and saith had you beleived Moses you would have beleived me for he wrote of me Iohn 5 46. and though Persons are to honour the Son as the honour the Father yet such was the innocency of Christ that he exhorteth them to search the Scriptures and gives these two reasons First they was such that in them they did beleeve was taught the way to eternal life Secondly not only because it was that they owned beleeved that there was such vertue in them but it was so in Christs account for saith he they testifie of me they declare of me Iohn 5.35 As if he should say if you question whether I am sent of God whether I am the Christ of God search the Scriptures you shall find I am so they testifie of me and further adds an imposibility of beleiving on him if they did not beleive Moses writings 47. verse he did not say turn to the light within and that will satisfie and that will Testifie no he doth not say as the Author of that Paper that the light within is the alone salvation of God and therefore for persons to say they are nourished in the life and innocency of the Lamb and to lay low the Scriptures of Truth not to be the rule to walk by and that which will not deceive that which doth witness whether Doctrines be Truth or Error they that say this is not true are not in the innocency of the Lamb. For how shal any thing or Doctrine be tryed if we have not assure word of prophecie one man saith by his present light within such a thing is an error another saith by his present light within that thing is truth therefore of necessity there must be some thing to inlighten which is sure therefore saith David thy word is lamp to my feet and a light to my path Psal 119.105 Oh therefore search and mediate in the word of God that is to say the mind of God contained in Scripture and be calling to the Lord for his Spirit that thou maist have a right understanding be not puffed up and think you are in the innocency of the Lamb when it is not so but this is the will of God concerning you what you search the Scriptures for they testifie what Christ would have his Disciples do and if you would be Disciples then walk according to his Commandement contained in Scripture I would hope that there is some of you that love the Lord let your love be manifested in this that you have respect to all the Commandements of the Lord be not partial prefering one thing before another 1 Tim. 5.21 But resist Satan in all his deeps and wills which he hath halled you into though some of you be ignorant of it surely you may have an holy conversation to wards men and yet walk in the worship of God blameless and let the form and the power be kept together bear with me and be not rash and give
not way to that Spirit of errour that will be getting up in you and let my words be acceptable unto you to this end to own the Scriptures of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles which is able to make the wise to Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3.15 and not to contemn them as is usual as one said to me which I am sure they owne when I said I had the word of God the Scriptures of Truth in me he asked me whether I had ink and paper in my heart Oh that such expressions might cease from amongst you I would fain know from any one of you whether all the Commandements contained in Scripture whether spoken by the Lord himself or by his Prophets or by his Son Jesus or by his Apostles which are not yet abrogated by the death of Christ are not the duty of the People of the Lord to observe and obey and whether the Commandements of God are of less vertue because they are written then if Jesus Christ did immediately speak them unto us and whereas you say we have passed through and left them this is no wonder if I may be certain in any thing what you mean by your expressions I may in this that you mean Baptisme other Ordinances of Gods House for the little number receiving Tenth and the few of them that do receive the Truth continuing in it it is an argument to me we are in the Truth rather than otherwise for saith Christ Fear not little flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome Luke 12.32 It is not only so now but it was in the time while Christ was personally present many left him and walked no more with him John 6.66 And this is what is prophesied of 2 Thes 2.2 Let no man deceive you for that day shall not come except there come a falling away and saith the Apostle to Timothy some shall depart from the Faith but let us inquire into the reason which the Servant of the Lord Paul gives The first Reason 2 Thes 2.11.12 Is because they received not the Truth in the love of it and this hath been the reason of some falling away and receiving strong delusions for it hath been confessed to me by one of that Principle that she did submit to the Truth to wit Water-Baptisme because others did submit to it because it was in fashion and if any of your Consciences condemn you in this God is greater than your Consciences and knows all things repent of that your wickedness The second Reason which the Apostle rendreth of persons falling away of receiving strong delusions is because they had pleasure in unrighteousness it is possible that some may receive the Truth in the love of it and yet in time loose their first love and take pleasure in unrighteousness and so loose their peace and so run to airy notions of things that they may get peace which is not the true peace of God and this I find not only by the Scriptures of Truth but from their own expressions some of them hath said to me that they had not peace though at the first they had it and that they lived contrary to their consciences for some years before they received that which they call Truth Oh! that they would juslifie the Lord in his giving them up to believe strong delusions and take shame to themselves for doubtless the Lord will not be mocked for what they sow that they shall reap and though the way of God is at this day called Herisie and hath been so in daies past yet know this that Herisie is a fruit of the flesh as well as prophaneness in conversation and if you live and allow your selves in it you shall dye not only a natural death but the second death dear souls who are much upon my heart that have no ends but to glorifie God in what you do know this that the Devil can transform himself into an Angel of light and this I say to you by the word of the Lord that if men have never so much outward holiness upon them if they perswade you to forsake any of the Commandements of God do not believe them as you will answer it at the great day of the Lord read Galatians the first Chapter and let your Souls tremble at the word of the Lord now that it is the word of the Lord or the mind of the Lord which is all one which the Apostle Paul writeth see 1 Cor. 14.37 If any man think himself to be a Prophet or a spiritual man let him acknowledge the things that I write to be the Commondements of the Lord. Oh! that you of the Ministry as you are called would consider of this Scripture and not to appropriate that to your own Books which you will not allow the Scriptures and for you that say you went away because of the carnality of some Professors you ought to indeavoured their reformation and if not to have dealt with them according to the rule of Christ in that case and not to have forsaken the truth upon that account return return to the Lord and the Truth and you will find many amongst the Baptists as willing to own any thing that is of God as you can be to perswade them He further saith for know ye where God is present there needs not arepresention of him by any thing and where the eterual Fountain of all vertue is set open there needs not digging of other Wells for Water turn therefore to the light within the Conscience which is able to Baptise and wash your Souls from all Sin and make Rivers of living Water flow out of your belly which light is the alone Salvation of God he that loveth it and obeyeth it shall know it In answer to which I know not any Baptist that doth practise or doth set up any thing to represent God but hath renounced those hidden things of darkness and if so doth he not beat the Air when those persons that he writeth to doth not own any such thing but if he means where God is present there needs not outward forms in his Worship as Water in Baptisme and Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper then it is not true as to Baptisme that there must be Water I might give you many Scriptures yet I shall only give you but one because it is full pregnant Acts 10.47 Can any forbid Water that these should not be Baptised which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we For Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper see Mat. 26.16 He took Bread and so likewise the Cup compared with Luke 22.19 20. And therefore let none deceive you with vain words and whereas he saith turn to the light within which is able to Baptise wash from all sin and further saith it is the alone Savation of God such an exhortation we find not in all the Scriptures of Truth if every man is to turn to