own Destruction and this we witness who through the Lamb our Saviour do reign above the World Death Hell and the Devil but none can witness this whose Eye is outward looking at a Redeemer afar off and still live in Sin but who cannot witness this Redemption here must never witness it for as the Tree falls so it lyes and Sin is the Mark of the Beast and who lives in Sin hath the Mark of the Beast and bears his Image and it is written that the Beast and false Prophets and all that have his Mark and Image must be cast into the Lake that burneth and must drink of the Wine of the Wrath of the Almighty poured out without Mixture But as for that Scripture that saith If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us All have sinned and fallen from the Lord and he that hath Sin and saith he hath no Sin deceiveth himself and is a Lyar but if he confess and forsake his Sin God is faithful and just to forgive him his sin and to cleanse him from all Unrighteousness and this John witnessed and he that can witness this is no Lyar if he say he is cleansed from all Unrighteousness but witnesseth forth the Truth a perfect Redemption and the same John said He that is born of God sins not neither can he sin because his Seed remaineth in him and he that sins is of the Devil and never knew God By this are the Children of God and the Children of the Devil made manifest This John witnessed he was no Lyar neither did deceive himself but spoak the Truth And the same John said God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all If we say we have Fellowship with God and walk in Darkness we Lye and do not the Truth but if we walk in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Christ cleanseth us from all Sin This John witnessed he was no Lyar neither did deceive himself And this John said He that hath Hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure and Faith in God purifieth the Heart Now try your Faith and Hope who plead for Sin for Sin lodgeth in the Heart and while there is Sin the Heart is unclean now here you may see all your Faith is vain and your Hope which doth not purifie the Heart and so it is feigned Hypocrites Faith and not Faith in God and so perisheth And who can witness Christ dyed for them have passed through Death for none can live with him but those that dye with him and this is the true Baptism to be baptized into his Death by one Spirit into one Body and how can they that are dead to Sin live any longer therein and who can witness this hath Faith in him which purifieth the Heart and removes Mountains and the pure in Heart sees God And this the Apostle witnessed and that he was made free from Sin and more then Conqueror through Faith in Christ Jesus he was no Lyar and said that Christ was come to redeem unto himself a pure Church not having Spot or Wrinkle and though once they were Sinners like the World but they were washed and cleansed by the Blood of the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of our God and had put off the Old man and put on the New which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness but this you are Strangers from who plead for Sin and are such as call your selves a Church and are not but the Synagogue of Sathan in whom the Prince of Darkness reigns which ruleth in the Children of Disobedience And as for that which blind People call Scripture who sayes The Righteous Man that is sins seven times a Day There is no such Scripture for it is false But though the Righteous fall he riseth again by Repentance and this the holy men of God wituessed and though David through Lust disobeyed the Lord and forgot his God yet he rose again by Repentance and after witnessed that he walked in the midst of his House in the Pureness of his Spirit and though Peter sinned through Weakness yet he rose again by Repentance and afterward exhorted the Church to be holy as God is holy but this you cannot witness who plead for Sin and are not yet come to Repentance but deny Christ daily and are convinced but do not repent but they who dwell in the Righteousness of Christ sin not for they that are alive in Righteousness are dead to Sin and they that live in Sin are dead to Righteousness but how can they that are dead to Sin live any longer therein And this is the Devil which pleads for Sin the Enemy of the Soul for by Sin did he obtain his Kingdom and so his Kingdom stands in Sin and your Teachers which tell you you can never get out of Sin nor be cleansed from Sin here ERR not knowing the Scripture nor the Power of God but deny the End of Christ's coming and bring another Doctrine which they have from their Father the Devil and so are the Deceivers which Paul speaks of who creep into Steeple-Houses and lead silly People captive full of Sin and Corruption ever learning and never come to the Knowledg of the Truth and so are not to be received but held as accursed for they daub you up with untempered Mortar seeing Vanity and divining Lyes who say the Lord saith when he never spoak to them they have healed the Hurt of the People slightly and have sewed Pillows under their Armeholes crying Peace when there is no Peace because they put into their Mouths and they are not ashamed neither do they blush therefore they shall fall amongst them that fall in the Day that I visit them saith the Lord And these are your Teachers that make your Habitation in your Sin while you are upon the Earth and so your Leaders cause you to err but when the Day of Account comes wherein the Books must be opened and every one judged out of the Books according to their Works by him who sits upon the white Throne and all must be cast into the Lake that burneth but those whose Names are written in the Book of Life then you will find those the utter Enemies of your Souls who perswade your Hearts in Sins and he that hath no Sin will be in the best Condition and here all your feigned formed Faith is unbottomed and all your Priests found Lyars Deceivers and Antichrists in whom the false Prophet ruleth which deceives the Nations who must be cast also into the Lake that burneth and there tormented for ever and all that uphold him We are accused to deny Christ come in the Flesh. We witness the same Christ which ever was now manifested in the Flesh and is appear'd in the Likeness of sinful Flesh to
the Ladder catching at the Rope with his other Hand missed the Rope and fell from a very great Height down upon Stones by which Fall he was exceedingly Wounded in the Head and Arms and his Body much Bruised and taken up for Dead Then they put him in a little low Hole call'd the Oven which place was so Little that some Bakers Ovens have been seen Bigger then it though not so high without the least Air Hole or Window for Smoak neither would they suffer him to have a little Charcole brought in to prevent the Smoak And after he was a little Recovered they would not suffer him to take a little Air which was but once desired by him feeling himself spent much for want of Breath And although some did offer their Bond of Forty Pounds to a Justice so called and another to lie Body for Body that James might have but Liberty to come to their House while he was well and to be returned again when he should be Recovered and that if he Dyed they should have his Body but they would not their Wills being unalterably set in Cruelty against him And it was desired That he might but walk in the Yard but it was said He should not have so much Liberty as to walk to the Castle Door which was strictly executed for the Door being open he did but walk forth into a Close Stinking Yard before the Door and the Goaler came in great Rage and lock't up the Hole where he lay and shut him out in the Yard all Night being in the Coldest Time of all Winter And seeing that their Rage did more and more encrease and there was an Addition to his Sufferings daily and seeing there was no way to satisfie their Malice but his Blood and seeing his Life could not in all likelihood be continu'd long in that Place and Condition he was in there was no little Labour and Means used to lay it before the Highest in Authority yea more concerning that Man that his Life might have been saved and they kept from Innocent Blood then ever was concerning any if not all that ever were Imprisoned of our Friends for some Years before but no Mercy could be found amongst them and though they were told of his Wounds Weakness and Ill Usage yet would not believe it till he was Dead and then some who were his Persecutors used their Wits to cover his Sufferings from being known and would cast it upon himself At his Departure there were present with him Ann Langley and Thomas Shortland who related his last words as followeth viz. HERE I DYE INNOCENTLY and further said NOW I MUST GO and turned his Head to Thomas and said THIS DEATH I MUST DYE and further said THOMAS I HAVE SEEN GREAT THINGS and bad him That he should not hold him but let him go and said it over again WILL YOU HOLD ME then said Ann Dear Heart we will not hold thee and then he said NOW I GO and stretched out himself and fell into a sweet Sleep and slept about an Hour as he often had said that ONE HOUR's SLEEP WOULD CURE HIM OF ALL and so drew Breath no more This is the Substance of a Relation given of his Sufferings and Death heretofore printed in a Book entituled The Lamb's Defence against Lyes published soon after James Parnel departed Thus did this Valiant Souldier in the Lamb's War Conquer through Sufferings and hath laid down his Head in Peace forever London the 29th Day of the 6th Moneth 1675. Written by a Lover of the Faithful Followers of CHRIST JESVS ELLIS HOOKES A TABLE OF THE Principal Heads Contained in this Book I. A Tryal of Faith wherein is discovered the Ground of the Faith of the Hypocrites which perisheth and the Faith of the Saints which is founded upon the Everlasting Rock page 1. II. Christ Exalted into his Throne and the Scripture owned in its Place 11. III. The Trumpet of the Lord Blown or a Blast against Pride and Oppression and the Defiled Liberty which stands in the Flesh 28. To the Libertine whose Liberty stands in the Flesh 41. To all Scoffers Scorners Reproachers and Revilers of the Children Servants and Messengers of God 49. IV. A Shield of the Truth or the Truth of God cleared from Scandals and Reproaches cast upon it by Scandalous and Reproachful Tongues which the Devil in all Ages did make use of whereby he Blasphemed the Truth of God striving to present it Odious to the Eyes and Ears for all People that so he might uphold his own Kingdom pag. 55. Concerning the Name Quakers 58. We are Accused to be False Prophets False Teachers and Deceivers c. ibid. We are Accused to deny the Scriptures 68. We are Accused to deny the Baptism 67. We are Accused to deny the Supper of the Lord 68. We are Accused to deny all Prayer 70. We are Accused to be destructive to the Ministry 72. We are Accused to deny all Magistracy and Government 81. We are Accused to be destructive to all Superiority and Honour Breeding and Manners c. 85. We are Accused to say That we are Perfect without Sin 97. We are Accused to deny Christ come in the Flesh 104. We are Accused that we Judge People 105. We are Accused to deny the Church 107. We are Accused to deny the Sabbath 108. We are Accused That we Justifie our selves and Condemn all others 109. We are Accused to be one with the Ranters 111. We are Accused That the Ground of our Religion is Popery pag. 113. A few words to all you Heads Rulers and Magistrates of what Degree soever 115. To all who are convinced by the Light of God in your Consciences 118. V. The Watcher or The Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands striking at the Feet of the Image whose Head is Gold and Breast of Silver and Thighs of Brass and Legs of Iron and Feet part Iron and part Clay 121. A Relation of several Passages that James Parnel had with the People called Baptists in several Meetings with the Occasion of the First Meeting 180. A Copy of some Queries which were sent to the Baptized People in Fenstanton 188. The Occasion of another Meeting between the People called Baptists and the People called Quakers 196. Another Meeting between the People called Baptists and the People called Quakers 208. The Excommunication of Ezekiel Cater and Samuel Cater out of the Baptists Society with their Answer thereunto 225. A Word to all who are still in their own Formings Self actings and Imitatings 230. VI. The Fruits of a Fast appointed by the Churches gather'd against Christ and his Kingdom who go about to mock God with their Out-side Worship and Appointed Fasts and Dayes of Voluntary Humiliation or a Declaration of the Persecution of a Messenger of the Lord by a People who go under the Name of Independents in Essex who have set themselves in the Enmity of their Spirits to oppose the Truth of God calling it a Lye and
Ground of the Religion made manifest to us is God himself for God is the Fountain of all Truth and Truth is Religion and Religion is Truth and this Truth we witness made manifest by God the Life of Truth and here is the Religion which we witness forth and here is the Ground witnessed forth from the Ground and this Religion is pure unspotted and springs from the Light which is pure wherein there is no Deceit neither can be for it discovers all Deceit and leads out of it both within and without but Deceit discovers not Deceit for Satan divided against himself cannot stand bâ—t all Sects and Opinions arise out of Darkness and the End is Confusion and so as Darkness is opposite to Light and Death to Life so are all Sects and Opinions against the true Religion and all will side together against the Truth though they be opposite one to another in Judgment as Pilate and Herod did against Christ and the Scribes and Pharisees and high Priests and Saducees and rude Multitude So it is now both Papist and Protestant as they call them and all other Sects and Opinions which arise out of the Fall for though they differ in Judgment yet they spring from one Root and no Difference in Life but the Light strikes at the Root which is Darkness and layes open the hidden things done in Darkness so Darkness cannot endure the Light and this is the Condemnation of the World who love Darkness rather then Light because their Deeds are evil And this is the Cause why our Religion is spoaken against more then any Profession besides all Drunkards Swearers Lyars Whoremongers Adulterers Thieves Murtherers Proud Covetous Lustful ones and all Unrighteous Persons will speak against it and call it Delusion and Heresie and Witchery and all manner of Evil which the Devil can invent and those stand up for the Priests and persecute the Truth as it was in the time of Christ and his Apostles times and this will all Pharisees and Professors do as they ever did for they can wink at one another and bear with one another in Deceit but Truth cannot at all bear with Deceit because there is perfect Enmity as there was ever in all Ages and it is no new thing And here all your Sects and Opinions are shut out of the Light and are in Darkness and so is Confusion both Popery and all other But the Truth is but one and who dwels in the Truth dwels in the Light and are the Children of the Light and there is no Confusion but all of one Heart and one Mind Epistles written in one anothers Hearts and there is that in every Conscience which shall witness it be the everlasting Truth which ever was is and is to be for ever both in them that believe and in them that perish though to the Condemnation of them that hate it And this I witness by the infallible Spirit of the Lord which cannot lie And now I have discharged my Conscience before all People in the behalf of the Truth of God not that I would have any to speak well of it but from the Ground of it for the Love and the Hatred of the Unrighteous is all one to me but for some Simple ones sake I have laid open my self and freely discharged my Conscience and I doubt not that my Labour is in vain but whosoever owns the Truth of God must own it through good Report and evil Report and must be content to loose their good Name in the World as both Christ and his Servants did and the Servant must not be greater then his Lord. And now a few words to all you Heads and Rulers and Magistrates in what Degree soever who have the Power in your own Hands who by your Power persecute and imprison the Servants and Messengers of Jesus Christ as Deluders and Deceivers Witches and Vagabonds and have no Ground for it but only by Hear-say and the evil Thoughts and Imaginations of your own Hearts and because they cannot please nor satisfie your corrupt proud Wills which is your Law by which you persecute them not weighing nor searching the Ground of things You are they in whom the Beast reigns and his Image you bear which upholds the false Prophet and Tyrannize over the Nations by his corupt Will and cause them to bow to and worship his Image and you oppress and persecute those who cannot You must drink of the Wine of the Wrath of the Almighty poured out without mixture for in the bloody Generation you are found filling up the measure of your Fathers Wrath upon whom must come all the righteous Blood shed from righteous Abel until now and this I say in the Presence of the living God by the Spirit of the living God that all you who have had a hand in persecuting of them Guilt shall follow you in the Conscience until you come to Judgment And therefore I charge you all by the Lord to take heed of medling about Religion or to lay your Law upon any tender Conscience but see that your Law be according to that in the Conscience which is pure and perfect and medle with such Affairs as you are set about and rather give Liberty to Religion then take it away as you own the Grace of God you will and see that you discharge your Consciences there lest that while you are persecuting the Truth you neglect that which you are set about for you will both persecute them your selves and suffer the Bruits to stone strike buffet them which is all contrary to your own Law Neither when they are brought before you can they have the Liberty of the Law to clear such Accusations as are laid against them but you will hear the Accusers but not the Accused and this is contrary to the Heathenish Law and are more unjust then the very Heathen who said Doth our Law judge any one before it hear him And so for Shame profess no more Love to Christ in this Nature who execute your Law upon his Servants upon such a fallible Ground which no Judge ought to do by the Law of God especially about Religion but to search out the Ground of the Matter on both side before he judge but this he cannot do about Religion except he have the Spirit of the Lord therefore take heed of medling about spiritual Matters lest through Ignorance you call Christ Beelzebub and persecute him as a Blasphemer and Deceiver as many of you have done which is written in the Book of Conscience and there you shall read it to your Sorrow And all you blind People who persecute rail and revile and reproach the Truth of God and have no Ground for it but by hear-say and the evil Thoughts and Imaginations of your own Hearts one imagining one Thing and another another Thing as the Multitude which gathered together against Paul one crying one Thing and another
Gâ—insayers stopt which made many gnash their Teeth on him and some undertook to club out the Priests Professors Arguments by beating this dear Lamb with Fists and Staves who took all patiently as particularly one who struck him with a great Staff as he came out of one of the Steeple-houses called Nicholas and said There Take that for Jesus Christ's sake To which he returned this Answer Friend I do Receive it for JESUS CHRIST ' s sake And many other intolerable Affronts were offered him in all which his Spirit was not seen to be raised in Heat or Anger but was a Pattern of Patience and Meekness And having laboured in that great Town about Ten Dayes it lay upon him to go back to Cogshall to a Meeting holden as a Fast of which read more in that part of his Writings called The Fruits of a Fast from whence he was committed to Colchester Castle and from thence had up to Chelsford Assizes in Irons and again thither re-committed where he remained until he offer'd up his Life for his Testimony He lived in that Castle about Ten or Eleven Moneths in great Self-denyal and Carefulness being truly watchful over the Flock of God both in Essex and in Cambridgeshire Huntingtonshire and the Isle of Ely and elsewhere where he had travaled and turned many to God and wrote many blessed and heavenly Epistles both to particular Persons to the Churches in general which were so many that we have no certain Account of them nor cannot place them in order as we would if all could be collected together but those Books and Papers which could be found are here composed for the View of those who desire to taste the first Fruits of this Tender Plant who in the Dayes of his Youth laid down his Life for his blessed Testimony Many Things he suffered in that Prison which is other-where in this Book to be found And as he lay in Prison he laboured for the building up of them that were Convinced and he saw the Desire of his Soul concerning many in whom he saw the Seed which he had sown Multiply and Grow to his Refreshment And at last having passed through many Tryals and Exercises both Inward and Outward and fulfilled his Testimony in Patience Courage and Faithfulness and been a Comfort to us who had believed He at length laid down his Head in Rest and Peace stretching forth Himself saying Here I Dye Innocently And after his Departure he was buried in the Castle Yard where other Prisoners use to be buried because the Cruel Goaler would not deliver his Body without Fees And though he be as to the Outward taken away his Life doth remain and his Testimony doth yet live in the Hearts of many and will live through Generations to come and happy and blessed are and shall all they be who are Partakers thereof and are Faithful therein they shall be also Partakers of that Crown Immortal with which He is Crowned Thus honest Reader have I given thee a brief Account of this dear Plant of God and of his blessed Fruit some whereof thou may'st find in this following Book which if read in Sincerity and in Uprightness of Heart will tend to thy Benefit and will give thee Cause with me and many more to bless the Lord on his Behalf who is the Well-spring of Life from whom all Good Gifts come and to whom all Glory and Honour doth belong now henceforth and forever Amen Stephen Crisp. Samuel Cater's TESTIMONY Concerning James Parnel COncerning our Dear Friend and Brother Iames Parnel I have this Testimony to bear for him in a true Remembrance of him as being Turned unto the Truth of God by him through Obedience unto which Heavenly Light Truth of God within which he turned me unto I have found and do enjoy Peace with God so that although the Dark World and Envious Priests and Professors Raged against him Imprisoned him and Persecuted him unto Death and made Lyes of him when he was dead speaking Evil of him accounting of him a Deceiver when he was alive I do say He was unto Me a True Minister and Messenger sent of God who brought Tidings of the Way of Life and Salvation unto me and many more in these Parts of the Nation whom I know have the same Testimony to bear for this Innocent Man For God hath made us Seals of his Ministâ—y through a blessed Experience of the Work of Regeneration brought to pass by this Heavenly Light Everlasting Truth unto the which he turned our Minds And this I can say also As the Lord was pleased to call him into his Blessed Work so he furnisht him with Virtues suitable for the same according to the Work of the Day in which he brought him forth and did mightily appear for him and with him in giving of him Courage and Wisdom and Power whereby he was Prepared and Fitted for every Service Exercise y â— the Lord called him unto which Service he faithfully perform'd of a Ready Mind with a Willing Heart not neglecting Nor did he refuse to appear in any Service in which his Testimony was concern'd which God had called him to bear although it were to the Ieopardy of his Life which many times he did both in Going to Steeple-Houses amongst the Rude Schollars in Cambridge both in Disputing with them and Declaring the Truth And after he went from Us he was moved of the Lord to go into Essex where he was gladly received by the Honest-hearted which wanted the Knowledge of the Lord and his Wayes which he declared unto them and many there were that Received him and Believed in the Truth which he declared But the Envious Professors roâ—e up against him in Cain's Murdering Spirit and cast him into Prison and there kept him in Hard Bonds until Death at whose Doors Hearts and Consciences the Guilt of this Innocent Man's Blood lies which all their Outward Washings nor Carnal Ordinances nor Outside Performances neither could nor can purge away but the Judgments of the Lord have been and yet will be executed upon all that have had a Hand or have taken a Part with them in shedding of Innocent Blood which the Lord will not acquit And now as to the Person Virtues and Parts of this our Dear Friend it is something upon me to give some Account of as having a Certain Knowledge of him not only because I was turned unto Truth by him but my Heart loved him which Love constrained me as oft as I could to be with him so that what Service he had in these Parts in Meetings of Friends or amongst Professors or with Priests I was frequently with him whereby I was both Eye and Ear Witness of the Mighty Power and Wisdom of God that attended him by the which He was prepared for every Work and Service which he was called unto and which he performed to the Honour of God and Comfort of his People and to the Confounding of those that
because he hath no Fellowship with the World nor the Vanities of the World but testifieth against their Wayes Fashions Traditions Customs Fellowship Words and Worship and seeth them all to be Formal Imitation and the Invention of Man out of the Covenant of God so cannot but deny them and for this Cause he is Hated of all both Priest and People Whose Name according to the World is JAMES PARNELL The Servant is not Greater then his Master Try your selves prove your selves know ye not that Christ is in you unless you be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. Christ Exalted Into His THRONE And the SCRIPTURE Owned in its Place THis then is the Message that we have received of the Father That God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all if we walk in Darkness and say we have fellowship with him we lye and do not the Truth but if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light then have we fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son clenseth us from all sin 1 John 1. 5 6 7. And this is the Word which was in the beginning by which all things were made and in him was Life and his Life was the Light of men John 1. 1 2 3 4. By which Light all the holy Men of God in the dayes of old were inspired By which Light Moses saw the things that were done in the beginning and wrote of them Which Word was a Lamp unto David's Feet and a Light unto his Pathes Psal. 119. 105. Which Light dwelt in the Prophets and holy Men by which they saw the Day of Christ and wrote of him Isa. 49. 6. 60. 19 and spoke as they were moved by it and by it saw the Deceit Iniquities and Transgressions of Israel and declared against it both in Priest People and Rulers speaking the Word of the Lord faithfully whether they would hear or forbear Ezek. 2. Mic. 3. Isa. 56. And this Word came unto the Prophets which was as a Fire and a Hammer in their Bones Jer. 20. 9. 23. 29. Which Word in due time became Flesh and dwelt among the Apostles and they saw the Glory thereof as of the Only Begotten Son of the Father full of Grace and Truth John 1. 14. whom John bears witness of to be the Light of the World who doth enlighten every one that comes into the World John 1. To which Light Paul was sent to turn the minds of the Heathen Acts 26. 17 18. Which Light is the Condemnation of the World who love Darkness rather then Light because their deeds are Evil and he that hates it hath it though he will not bring his deeds to it by it to be proved therefore his Condemnation it is John 3. 19 20 21. And there is a time Light shines in Darkness and Darkness comprehends it not John 1. 5. and this is the Cause why many stumble at it and are offended in it And there is a time Light shines out of darknes and darkness flees away and then is witnessed the perfect Day where the Children of the Day do walk Isa. 42. 16. Mat. 4. 16. Eph. 5. 8. Which Light is the true Tryer of spirits gives the discerning of spirits and discovers the works of darkness and manifests the deeds of darkness and by it the Secrets of the heart are seen and hidden things searched out and by it all things are manifest and whatsoever makes manifest is Light Heb. 4. 12. Ephes. 5. 13. all which the natural man knows not and therefore cannot receive the things of God but by this Light is seen and judged for by this Light the Spiritual Man is able to discern and judge the natural man but he himself is judged of no man 1 Cor. 2. 14 15. For this is the Judge of the World and by this the Prince of the Air is judged wheresoever he ruleth John 16. 11. and therefore at it rageth and stirreth up his Servants to persecute it where it is manifest and so it is a Stumbling Stone and a Rock of Offence to the Children of the World in whom the Prince of this World lodgeth Rom 9. 33. And of this Word the Apostle Paul beareth witness to be quick and powerful and sharpe then a two-edged Sword to the dividing assunder betwixt the Marrow and the Bones Heb. 4. 12. to which Word the Apostle directed the minds of people within them from looking without for to find it without Rom 10. And from this same Word the Apostles spoke forth the Scripture which Word was their Guide and Rule and Teacher all along from the beginning by which both the Apostles and Prophets and the holy Men were acted moved and carry'd forth in the Power of it to declare that which by it they were taught 1 John 1. 2. Pet. 1. 21. And this is the free Grace of God which bringeth Salvation and hath appear'd to all men Tit. 2. 11 12. which is their Condemnation who do despite unto it Heb. 10. 29. but this was the Saints Teacher by which they were taught to deny all Ungodliness and worldly Lusts and to live Godlily Righteously and Soberly in this present evil World And this is the Anointing which teacheth all things freely which is Truth and no Lye and leads into all Truth and he that knows this needs no man to teach him but is come to the end of mans teaching 1 John 2. 27. unto which the Prophet was come and therefore called freely Come buy Wine Milk without Money or Price Why spend ye your Money for that which is not Bread or your Labour for that which profitteth not Isa. 55. 1 2 3. And from this the Apostle spoke freely nor coveting any man's Silver or Gold but as they freely had received freely they gave Acts 20. 33. And whosoever speaks from this speaks freely and its Ministry leads to the end of Teaching and here let all flesh keep silence before the Lord Zach. 2. 13. And let all Hirelings and greedy Shepherds stop their mouthes who cry Peace Peace to them that put into their mouthes but if not they even prepare War against them and such like the Prophet in the Light saw and by it testified against them Mich. 3. 5. And all this the Scripture bears testimony of which was spoken from the Light but is not the Light nor the Word nor the Life nor the Judge nor the Rule nor the Guide nor the Tryer of spirits for all this belongs to Christ who is the Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the heart Heb. 4. 1 2. who is the Light John 8. 12. who is the Word John 1. 14. who is the Life John 14. 6. who blamed the Pharisees that thought in the Scriptures to find eternal Life but would not come unto him that they might have Life John 5. 39 40. who is the Anointing who is the Guide and Teacher and the Rule 1. John 2. 27. who when we are going to the right hand
Vindication of the Power of God which is now manifesting in his Sons and Daughters lest the Simple who are not yet acquainted with it should stumble at the Name By a Friend of the Truth and a Lover of these People which you who are out of the Truth scornfully call Quakers but the Scorners God will judge and the Righteous God will bless who work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling for saith the Lord To such a one will I look that is of a Humble and Contrite Spirit and Trembleth at my Word Prov. 16. 29. Phil. 2. 12. Isa. 66. 1 2. JAMES PARNELL A SHIELD OF THE TRUTH Or the Truth of God cleared from Scandals and Reproaches Cast upon it by Scandalous and Reproachful Tongues which the Devil in all Ages did make use of whereby he Blasphem'd the Truth of God striving to present it Odious in the Eyes the Ears of all People that so he might uphold his own kingdom But the Day hath made him manifest and the Lord is come and is coming to make War with him and bind him and cast him into the Bottomless Pit and all who bears his Image and under his Dominion is To the READER REader to thee whosoever thou art I shall clear my Conscience and to all people To the Light of God in all your Consciences I speak which is one in all in the behalf of a despised People with men yet not with God who are scatâ—red abroad in several Countries yet one in the Lord whom the Lord hath chosen out of the Generation of the Children of this World out of all Sects Forms and Opinions into the Light of Life to bear his Image and so to bear his Cross and because they have not the same Image with the Children of this World but are chosen out from amongst them their Fellowship their Kindred and Acquaintance and Breeding Manners Customs Fashions Words Wayes and Worships for Light can have no Fellowship with Darkness and so the Devil who goeth about like a Roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devoure who is the Godd of the World who ruleth in the Children of Disobedience hath stirred up all who bear his Image who under his Dominion are to persecute slander revile and reproach all who bear the Image of God who testifies against him and all who bear his Image so as he hath done in all Ages from the beginning so it is now that he may uphold his Image and his Kingdom so the Beast is making war with the Lamb and now is the war begun but the Lamb shall get the victory praises praises to our God forever And so for the Turths sake and the good of all tender Consciences I shall clear my conscience in the clearing of the Truth from the Scandalls false Accusations and Reports which are cast upon it by the Priests and people who bear the Image of the Beast left any who are unsettled and ungrounded in the Truth should by giving ear to those false Reports and Scandals and Accusations turne from the Light and so lose their Convincement and get up into hardness of heart and lose their part in the promised Land for there are a company of Priests in all parts of the Nation where the Truth comes who are the Devils greatest Agents who are daily plotting and inventing and seeking every way to blot the Image of God of the Nation by Writings by Printings by Petitioning to Rulers and Magistrates with all the false aspersions and scandals they can get together to present the Truth of God odious to all people and likewise in their Pulpits doe the same as it was in the time of Christ and his Apostles but we have but one Ruler and Governour to Petition to and relye upon from whom we have our Image even God over all who knoweth the hearts of all who is our Witness and our Justification then who art thou that condemnest or layest any thing to the charge of Gods Elect but he hath promised No weapon formed against him shall prosper for his work he will carry on by his own unlimitted power in despite of the Beast and his Image And so Reader I charge thee and all people in the presence of the Lord before whom you must come to Judgment to take heed of speaking evil of that you know not lest you speak evil of Gods Elect for it is a fearful thing to enter into the hands of the Living God for if those be cursed that doe not receive the Messengers of Jesus Christ how much more them that revile them and persecute them He that hath an ear to heare let him heare for in as much as thou dost it to one of his thou doest to him J. P. A Shield of the Truth c. 1. COncerning the Name QUAKERS by which the World scornfully calls us As for the Quaking and Trembling caused by the unresistable power of the Lord Iown which the holy men of God witnessed before us in all Ages Isaac the seed of the Promise trembled Moses the Servant of God Quaked and Trembled Jeremiah the Prophet of the Lord his Bones shook Habakkuk his Belly Trembled and Lips Quivered when Daniel heard the voyce he fell down and Trembled and David the King was as if his Bones were out of Joynt and the Rest of the holy Men of God Quaked and Trembled and so it was no new thing but that which was from the beginning which all the holy Men of God witnessed though new to the World who live in Darkness And for this cause are we scornfully called Quakers but the Scorners God will judge and the Righteous God Will Bless who work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling 2. We are accused to be the false Prophets and false Teachers and Deceivers that are foretold of in the Scriptures to come in the last times But saith Jesus Christ You may Know them by their Fruits and so we desire to be Judged according to our Fruits Jesus Christ said Beware of false Prophets that appear to you in Sheeps Clothing but inwardly are Ravening Wolves you shall know them by their Fruits Do men gather Grapes of Thornes and Figs of Thistles A good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit nor a Corrupt Tree bring forth good Fruit. Pride is a Fruit of the corrupt Tree now see whether we or your Teachers be guilty of this who go in double Cuffs and Bott-hose-tops with great store of Points and Ribbands which are of no use but for the satisfying of the Proud minde and also following the new Fashions and Inventions of the World they and their Wives and Children decking and adorning themselves according to their Proud minds to make the Creature seem something in its own eyes and in the eyes of others and those are the outward signes of Pride which lodgeth in their hearts And they are called of men Masters and have the chiefest places in the Assemblies
seek not the Honour that cometh from God only And here the true Honour is no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit And here you who are giving and receiving out-side earthly Honour you are in the Unbelief out of the Doctrine of Christ cringing and bowing and honouring and exalting the Devil and worshipping the Beast and his Image which all the World wonders after and worships Rev. 13. And as for Manners and Breeding Courtesie and Civility Learn to do as you would have all to do unto you and speak every one Truth to his Neighbour And let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth but such as is good for the Use of Edifying for evil Communication corrupts good Manners but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay be Nay for whatsoever is more is Evil And breed your Children so and here is good Manners and Breeding Courtesie and Civility and who are of the right Noble Seed have these Manners and this Breeding but the Nobles and Great Ones of the Earth want these Manners and this Breeding and both Priest and People of all Sorts according to the World And here is the Ground of all true Nobility Gentility Majesty Honour Breeding Manners Courtesie and Civility no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the Natural Man minds Natural Things and the Spiritual Man Spiritual Things but the Natural Man receives not the Things of God and this we own and witness And the Time is coming and now is that before this Seed every Knee shall bow and every Tongue confess and the Kings and Nobles of the Earth shall be bound in Chains and Fetters of Iron And here is also the Ground of the Nobility Gentility Superiority Honour Breeding and Manners of the World which is after the Flesh but not after the Spirit sprung from proud Lucifer the Lust that reigns in man and is not Yea and Nay but calls it Manners to say Nay and take it or do it and so they have the Name but not the Nature and so are Bastards and no Sons who are not sprung from the Noble Gentile Seed and to those Honour is not due neither can we bow unto them for if we should we should set the Devil in the room of God give unto him that which is due to God which when we were in Blindness through Ignorance we did and so worshipped the Beast and his Image which all the World worships and wonders after For they that are Proud and Lofty which is the Image of the Devil for the Devil is the Father of Pride and in gay Attire those the World worships and wonders after and extols and exalts into High Places But since the Lord hath opened our Eyes this we cannot do but testifie against it wheresoever we come both in Words and Actions and so we are destructive to the World's Superiority Nobility Gentility Honour Breeding and Manners which is after the Flesh and not after the Spirit therefore the Devil hates us in the Nobles and Great Ones of the World but we give unto Caesar the Things that are Caesar's and unto God that which is Gods but we cannot give unto Caesar that which is God's but Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour is due He that hath an Ear to hear let him hear and understand For saith the Lord If I be a Master where is my Fear If I be a Father where is my Honour Mal 1. 6. â—â— And now something concerning the Partiality that is among the Children of this World in their Breeding and Manners First Concerning the Word Thou or Thee which all those which are their Priests and Teachers know that Thou is the proper Word to one particular Person and is so all along the Scriptures throughout to any one without Respect of Persons yea to God himself And the Word You is the proper Word to more then one but not to one and so it is all along the Scriptures through out As for Example at all Times when the Apostles spake to Christ they used the Word Thou or Thee unto him and when he spoak to more then one of them he used the Word You or Ye but if he spoak but to one he used the Word Thou or Thee as in Mat. 16. 14 15 16 17. verses And also Paul Thou'd King Agrippa and King Agrippa Thou'd him as in Acts 26. ver 27 28. and so all along the Scripture And so it is plain that now it is an invention of Proud Lucifer in man to exalt himself as it will plainly appear for amongst the Great and Rich Ones of the Earth they will either Thou or You one another if they be equal in Degree as they call it but if a man of low Degree in the Earth come to speak to any of them then he must You the Rich Man but the Rich Man will Thou him nay you shall find it so betwixt Priest and People If a poor labouring Man come before one that you call a Minister though he be one of his Hearers one who helps to maintain him according to his Ability yet he must You the Priest and the Priest Thou him And here the Heathen Lord over one another by their corrupt Wills but this is contrary to the Apostles and Ministers of Christ who made themselves Servants to all and yet those will call themselves the Ministers of Christ And the Word Minister signifies a Servant and they are Masters and so they have gotten the Name but not the Nature and so are Bastards and no Heirs who are not sprung from the Gentile Seed and yet they are hired as Servants of Men and yet bear Rule by their Means as Masters over those that maintain them so that he that hath an Eye to see let him see the Deceits of the professed Ministers of England And now as concerning the Putting off of the Hat which is another Invention of proud Lucifer whereby he is honoured and worshipped and exalted in man but the Scripture doth not speak of any such Fashion used in any Age but man hath found out many Inventions since the Scripture was recorded and now it is so that it is a Fashion throughout the Land whereby one man is exalted above another for if a poor man come before a Rich Man it may be the Rich Man will move his Hat that is called Courtesie and Humility but the Poor Man must stand with his Hat off before him and that is called Honour and Manners and due Respect unto him but if the Rich man do bid him put it on it is counted a great Courtesie and he gets Honour to himself there to be counted a Courteous man But this Difference or Respect of Persons was never ordained by God but by the Devil whereby he exalts himself in Man but James the Apostle of Jesus Christ witnessed against it as in James 2. 1 2 3 4 5. and so on and
condemn Sin in the Flesh which is the Word which became Flesh and dwelt amongst the Apostles This Christ we witness no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit and before We knew him after the Spirit we had no Profit by him but were in the State of Reprobation and so are all now who profess him in Words and know nothing of him but by the Letter without them And such deny Christ come in the Flesh who plead for Sin who live in Sin and do not witness him come but those who are crucified with him do live with him and he in them and none are Christians of the Flock of Christ but who are baptized into his Death by one Spirit into one Body and he that can witness this is crucified to the World and the World to him But who talk of Christ to be their Saviour and are still alive in the World's Nature must first witness him a Condemner for his first Appearance is with Sword and breaks the Peace and maketh the War and ends the War and makes the Peace and this Peace endures for ever and so he is a Condemner before he is a Saviour and he is a Peace-braker before he is a Peace-maker But who are at Peace in their Sin the Serpent is Head and the strong man keeps the House and Christ they do not witness come in the Flesh but who endure the War shall enjoy this Peace and he that can witness Christ his Saviour can witness this but Silence all Flesh before the Lord and let him that nameth the Name of God depart from Iniquity for he that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a Lyar For saith Christ why call ye me Lord and do not the things which I say And none can call Jesus Lord but by the holy Ghost so it is plain you know not God who cannot keep his Commands then how can you believe in him whom you do not know We are accused that we judge People It is written The Saints shall judge the World and for Judgment I am come into the World saith Christ that those which see not might see and that they which see might be made blind and where Christ rules in his Saints he judges the World as Paul witnessed It is no more I but Christ in me and he is come to reprove the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment of Judgment because the Prince of the Air is judged who rules in the Children of this World and they cannot bear the righteous Judgment of Christ but kick against it and call him Devil and so they kick against the Prick which will the more torment them And this is the Spirit of Truth which came into the World which the World cannot receive because he testifies of it that the Deeds thereof are evil and this is the Condemnation of the World Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather then Light because their Deeds are evil and every one that doth Evil hateth the Light and will not come into the Light least it should reprove them yet they will say Christ is meek Love and lowly It is so but not to Ungodliness but he is meek to the meek and lowly to the lowly and Love to the Seed of God and his Saints are meek and lowly and bear all both Scandals Reproaches Persecutions and Imprisonments but to the Seed of the Serpent Christ is Judgment and Wo and a Sword to that which is for the Sword and a Condemner to the Wicked and our God is a consuming Fire and terrible to the Wicked to consume the Proud and Haughty in their Imaginations and here Christ is a Lyon and he is a Lamb he is a Condemner and he is a Saviour he that can receive him let him the Hungry Thirsty he feeds with living Food but the Fat he feeds with Judgment and that which would not bear his Judgment must never know his Peace but is for Judgment and cryes out as the Devil did who said he was come to torment them before the time but the Teachers of the World have deceived the People long crying Peace to them because they put into their Mouths and healing them up in their Sin with a feigned formed Faith which works no Reformation so sewing Pillows under their Arme-holes and here the Devil hath reigned in Peace and now Christ is come with the Sword to break his Peace with Plague and Judgment and now he rages and stands up for his Life in all both Priest and People and now the Beast makes War with the Lamb but it is hard for him to kick against the Prick for he must be bound and cast into the Pit and there be tormented quick and the false Prophet and all who bear his Image We are accused to deny the Church I answer The true Church which is in God we own and witness through Death but the Worlds Church we deny for the true Church is the Body of Christ made of tryed Stones elect and precious washed and cleansed by his Blood and Spirit that he might present it a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle but this is not a House of Lime and dead Stones nor the People that meet in it for all manner of Unrighteous Persons meet there which is the Synagogue of Satan and a Cage of unclean Birds and like People like Priest but who comes to be elected into the Church of Christ which is spiritual denies the World's Church which is carnal and the World's Teacher who is carnal selling the carnal for carnal Money and Earth for Christ himself is the Teacher of his Church who feeds it with living eternal Food freely and it needs no other Teacher and this Church we own and witness but all other Churches we deny for the Church is but one and the Temple of God we own which is at new Jerusalem the City of the living God but all other Idols Temples we deny which is the Invention and Imaginations of Man and though God commanded Solomon to build him a Temple nevertheless God that made the World dwels not in Temples made with Hands and when Christ the Substance came he prophesied against it and also Stephen was stoned to Death when he prophesied against it and this we witness whose Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost who are now stoned and persecuted by such as know not the living God but worship Idols because we speak against their Idols Temple which God never commanded to be built but was set up by the imagining Idolizing Papists and upheld by the blind Protestant so called and so they cast out the Papists and uphold their Idols and so the Inchanters Diviners and Sorcerers of England lead silly People in Blindness to worship Idols telling them they are the Houses and Temples of
vanishes away pulling down one Judgment and setting up another pulling down one Form and setting up another and thus are building Babel and so are confounded with this Confusion by him who confounds the Wisdom of the Wise and brings to nought the Counsel of the Prudent And so I seeing many poor Creatures in this Distraction tossed about with every Wind of Doctrine and sucking at the Husk for Life and so get into the Comprehension a great deal of light airy notional Knowledge which is all but aâ— Chaff which the Wind will scatter in the Day of the Lord and so it will stand in no stead when the Lord comes to plead with all flesh for nothing will stand in the Day of Tryal but what comes through Death thus I see many a poor Creature lost and tossed in this wide Wilderness even this dark World being Carried Captive by the Prince of the Air not knowing the true Light to be its Guide into the Way of Truth which is the Way of Life and Peace Now in the Light which was before the World was I do comprehend the World and the Ground and End of all Forms Sects and Opinions And so for some Simple Ones Sakes and the Tender-hearted have I here laid them Open and withall directing the Mind how and where to find the true Light by which these Things are seen and read and understood and as it is loved and followed the Mind will be brought into the Life and Power out of these fading empty Shadows unto the Possession of the Substance even the Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands the End of all Forms Shadows and Imaginations and thus doth the Stone which the Builders rejected become the Head of the Corner and thus the Creature is turned from the Power of Satan unto God J. P. THE WATCHER Striking at the Feet of the IMAGE c. IN the Dayes of old the Holy Men of God who were indued with the Spirit of God did as they were acted and guided moved and commanded by the Power and Spirit of God which dwelt in them and here was their RULE And also the Serpent as an Angel of Light he acted and worked in his Instruments by the Power of Darkness in Opposition to the Spirit of God the Enmity being placed betwixt the two Seeds and the more gloriously the true Light appear'd in any Age Satan also reform'd himself and appear'd accordingly in the Shape and Form and Likeness thereof as it is now to this Day but his was alwaies but the Form and Likeness of the thing but not the Thing it self His is the false Light the other the true Light and so the true Light all along discover'd him and made him manifest to those in whom it ruled But thus by his Subtilty and Deceit he hath ever deceived the World and blinded the World so that he might keep his Kingdom who is the God of the World as for Example Moses a Servant and Messenger of the most high God to whom God had revealed and made known himself when he and Aaron were sent unto Pharaoh to require him to let Israel ge free for a Sign unto him they cast down their Rod and it became a Serpent and the Magicians of Egypt they were brought and by their Sorceries and Inchantments they cast down their Rods and they became Serpents and thereby Pharaoh's Heart was hardned and they would not obey nor believe And thus the Devil imitated and opposed the Truth but Aaron's Rods swallowed up their Rods so that it was manifest that He that was with them was Greater then he that was in the World And also when Israel had sin'd against God and done that which is Evil in the Sight of God the Lord God sent forth his Prophets and Messengers to declare the Word of the Lord amongst them against Sin and Evil Pride Deceit and Oppression and all Ungodliness Iniquities Disobedience and Rebellion and they had Visions and Revelations and the Word of God dwelt in them by which they were led guided and acted And Satan he also wrought in his Instruments with a Spirit of Delusion and he sent forth his Prophets with their Visions lying Divinations and false Dream and they cried Peace where the true Prophets cried Wo and the People hearkned unto them and set them up and the Prophets prophesied falsly and the Priests bore Rule by their meanes and the People loved to have it so But What will you do in the End thereof saith the Lord by the mouth of his Prophet Jeremiah who declared against it freely and said It was an horrible filthy Thing and he was persecuted And the true Prophets who dwelt in the Light and in the Power of God they saw them to be such as run and the Lord never sent them and therefore they profited not the People at all and they stole the Word from their Neighbour and they spoak a Divination of their own Brain and not from the Mouth of the Lord and say the Lord said when he never spoak to them and they were light and vain and daub'd the People up with untempered Morter and sewed Pillows under their Arm-holes and healed the People slightly crying Peace Peace where there was no Peace but they turnd them not from their Evil Wayes nor from their Evil-doings and the Lord was against them And the true Prophets of God who dwelt in the Light they saw them and plainly freely declar'd against them then whether they would hear or forbear and told them They built up Sion with Blood and Jerusalem with Iniquity and the Heads judged for Rewards and the Priests preach'd for Hire and the Prophets divined for Money and yet said the Prophet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us as that none Evil can come upon us And they saw them to be such as sought for the Fleeces and regardeâ—â— ot the Flock but fed with the Fat and cloathed with the Wool and made a Prey upon the Sheep but the Prophets of the Lord did not spare them but freely and publickly declared against them and they were persecuted and imprison'd and destroyed by those who upheld sided with the false Prophets Priests Hirelings and Deceivers And they had then a Way of Worship unto God with their New Moons with their Sabbaths with their calling of Assemblies and Prayers and Sacrifices and Burnt-Offerings which were once prescribed by God unto Israel but when their Hearts were gone from him so that they walked not uâ—rightly before the Lord then said he Who hath 〈◊〉 these things at your hands to tread my Couâ—◠〈…〉 were vain 〈◊〉 Iâ—cense is an 〈…〉 the NewMoâ—ns and Sabbaths 〈…〉 I cannot away with It is Iniquity even the 〈…〉 and your appâ—inâ—◠〈…〉 spread forth your Haâ—â—s I wiâ—◠〈…〉 Eyes wheâ— you make many Prayers I will not hearken your Hand are full of Blood wish you
would do the Works of Abraham and he also said If God were your Father then would you love me for I proceeded forth and came from him but saith he ye are of your Father the Devil and his Works you do and will do And thus are the Pharisaical Professors of these Times marked out to be in the Steps of their Fore-fathers for this is the same Christ that suffered at Jerusalem but they are blind and cannot see neither indeed do believe the Scripture nor walk according to it but are in the old and broad Way of the World wherein their Fore-fathers walked and led many to Destruction but if these did believe the Scripture they would believe on this Light which is come into the World which the Scripture bears Testimony of even the Spirit of Truth which the World cannot receive and some of them scoff and scorn and revile reproach and slander and rail at the Messengers of Truth and some strike them and stone them and buffet them and stock them and whip them and imprison them and despightfully use them yet they are made able through the Power of him that hath sent them for to go on in Boldness but those Persecutors are not found worthy Therefore the Lord will send forth his Armies and destroy these Murderers and burn up their City and these are they that have professed to be his near Kindred Friends and Acquaintance but now are found Strangers who prophesied in his Name and in his Name done many woundrous Works and yet they must depart for Workers of Iniquity he knows them not Now read your selves you Wicked Ones you Murderers you Rude Multitude you Priests you Pharisees and Professors you Formalists Self-Actors and Imitators for now all joyn Hand in Hand and Gog and Magog joyn in Battel against the Lamb and Pilate and Herod are made Friends and you chief Priests and Pharisees who are the Professors of these Times and you Rulers and you rude and brutish ones and you Formalists and Sectaries now at the coming of Christ in the Spirit even the Substance of what you have long talked of all joyned together in one who formerly have been at great Division Wars among your selves but now you are made Friends and muster up all your Strength against the Substance even Jesus Christ whom you as your Fore-fathers did call a Blasphemer a Seducer a Deceiver and a Devil and now the rude Multitude they stand up for their Priests and they fall upon the Messengers of Christ when they come into their Synagogues and they hale them out of their Synagogues and strike them and buffeâ— them and despightfully use them and stone them as their Fore-fathers ever did and the Priests they seek to Rulers and Magistrates and hale them before them and they persecute them and imprison them as their Fore-fathers ever did and the Pharisees and ancient hypocritical rotten Professors they side with the Priests and go about railing and evil speaking of the Truth learning and incensing Peoples Minds against it with their Lyes and Slanders and Reproaches to present it odious to all People and also fawning and crouching and seeking to Magistrates to act in their Wills and persecute as their Fore-Fathers alwayes did against the same Seed and likewise the Formalists and Sectaries do the same and thus they that were after the Flesh alwayes persecuted them that were after the Spirit and yet these are ready to cry out What Hard-hearted Jews wâ—re those that crucified Christ and persecuted his Apostles and if they had been in those dayes they would not have been Partakers with them in the Blood of Christ and his Apostles Whenas they are now found the same Generation of Persecutors persecuting the Righteous Seed and so they fill up the Measure of their Fathers Wrath that upon them might come all the Righteous Blood-shed from Righteous Abel until now And now the Priests and the Baptists can agree and they joyn together and the Priests call them Honest Men and the Baptists call them Gentlemen of Divinity And the Baptists and Independents they joyn together and the Independents and the Presbyterians they joyn together all against the Life and Power which the Lord hath now manifested in his Sons and Daughters and hath sent them to declare and lay open their Hypocrisie and Deceit which they have long covered with a Gospel-like Profession but now all their Coverings are found too Narrow before the Light which is come now into the World to convince and reprove them of their Sin of their Righteousness and of their Judgment and therefore now they have enough to do to joyn together with all their Strength and Wisdom to put out this Light and so they endeavour to sow their Tares in Peoples Hearts and all the Wayes they can invent to destroy the Work which now is begun and as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do they withstand the Truth according to the Prophesie of the Apostle Being men of Corrupt Minds and Reprobates concerning the Faith which I have much experienced in several Meetings which I have had with the Teachers of the Baptized People which shall follow in order afterward But the more they strive in their Wills and Wisdoms the more doth the Work of the Lord Prosper and go on and flourish by his Mighty Power and Out-stretched Arm and their Shame and Folly and Down-fal the more appears and when they have done all they can they shall be glad to lay down their Cronws and bow unto this Truth which they now so oppose and every Tongue shall confess it though to their Condemnation who do now oppose and gain-say it Wo unto such they shall perish in the Gain-saying of Core And the Time shall come that when the Master of the House shall have shut the Door they shall knock and shall strive to enter and shall not be able all who now oppose and reject the Counsel of the Lord and will not hearken now they are called And thus the LORD will exalt his SON in his Saints when his ENEMIES shall be his Foot-stool and be made to bow before him And thus do all Sects Judgments and Opinions joyn in one against the Life and Substance they being all sprung from one Root so make up all one Image whose Head is Gold Breast of Silver whose Thighs are Brass and Legs of Iron and Feet Part of Iron and Part of Clay and the Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands which strikes at the Feet of the Image Now the Head of the Image which is of Gold and those that have had a Light shining into them and have had a Sight of many things and have seen the Emptiness of many Forms and have gotten the Thing in their Comprehension and have a Notion above others of much of that which is now witnessed and possest in Life by the Faithful and there have been exalted and gotten up a Life therein and a False Rest but have lost
who would try the Living by the Dead and again he said that one Spirit could not try another for by that Judgment the Evil Spirit might try the Good Spirits to which I replyed By the Spirit of God all other Spirits are tryed and also that by the Light Darkness is discovered but Darkness cannot comprehend the Light neither discover the Light and here again his Blindness and Ignorance and Deceit was much discovered to the People although he fed himself and would have shuffled it off by his Consequences and filthy Logick but it the more laid open his Deceit and presently the said Elligood was found with another Lye in his Mouth for he said that I said the Thing should be proved by every Man's Spirit which was a very Lye for I said that the Baptism of the Spirit was the Substance of the outward Baptism the which he denyed and bid me prove it and I said I spoak to the Witness in every Man's Conscience which his dark Mind could not comprehend but with his dark Mind wrested my Words and therefore said that I said it was witnessed by every Man's Spirit but his Spirit was a lying Spirit there tryed and made manifest to the People and his Blasphemy against the Spirit of God in calling Truth Error and Error Truth and putting Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness because the God of the World hath blinded his Eye and many witnessed against him for his filthy Spirit was odious to many of the Hearers then afterward he again said that I was a Deceiver and his Proof was that I was not obedient to the Command of Christ to be baptized and I told him I was baptized but he said with Water and he said that was a Command of Christ to be baptized with Water and I bid him shew me that Scripture but he could not but brought a Scripture in the Acts where the Apostle commanded some to be baptized and this by his filthy Logick and Consequences he would have made a Command of Christ but he could not deceive the Light which did him try and make him manifest to the Shame of his Prosession but he could not bring one Scripture to prove it to be a Command of Christ to baptize with Water and then he shuffled to that Scripture where the Apostle said Be ye Followers of us even as we are Followers of Christ and then he said Christ was baptized but he confessed it was to fulfil all Righteousness and I said he was also circumcised and he said that was not for Example then not the Baptism for both were to fulfil all Righteousness to which End he the Substance came but Christ himself baptized not with Water neither do they read that the Apostles were baptized with Water then who is their Example and how do they follow the Apostles in that seeing they are baptized and the Apostles were not then he fled from that being there routed and said They might be Disciples before they could take up the CROSS of Christ and I replyed with Christ's Words That they might take up his Cross before they could be his Disciples which he denyed and said That Wicked Men upon that Account might take up the Cross of Christ and that Christ required Wicked Men to take up his Cross and I said it was so he did require them so to do for by taking up his Cross they come to deny their Wickedness for they that bear his CROSS live not in Wickedness but this Elligood said That Wicked Men could not take up his CROSS for he said Reproaches and outward Sufferings were the CROSS of Christ for his Name 's sake but this was not the Cross by which Paul was crucified to the World and the World to him and saith Paul where he was speaking concerning Wickedness and Unrighteous Ones to the Corinthians Such were some of you but you are now cleansed c. And here Wicked Ones and Unrighteous Ones took up his CROSS which to them was the Power of GOD unto Salvation though to the GREEKS Foolishness and to the JEWS a stumblingâ— Block amongst whom this ELLIGOOD is found who is a Stranger to the CROSS OF CHRIST who saith REPROACHES and Outward SUFFERINGS are the CROSS OF CHRIST whenas the CROSS OF CHRIST makes DISCIPLES and they must be DISCIPLES before they can suffer REPROACHES or PERSECUTION for the NAME OF CHRIST and must depart from Iniquity before they be a Prey to the World for CHRIST's sake for the VVorld loves its own and they that take up the CROSS do depart from Iniquity which is before Reproaches or Persecution is suffered for the Name of CHRIST And here ELLIGOOD is found the Lyar who said Wicked Men were not called to take up the Cross of CHRIST whenas all are wicked before they take up this Cross and here ELLIGOOD is found to be no Disciple of Christ who is such a Stranger to the Cross of Christ who is a Lyar and so are not the Disciples of Christ for the Lyar is of the Devil and therefore is ELLIGOOD Then I knowing him to be one of the Baptists Teachers I took out some Queries which not long before I had sent them but no Answer to them had I received and I would have read them openly that the People might have heard and also he that was one of their Teachers but as I was reading he not having Power over his own VVill could not bridle his Tongue but disorderly run into many VVords so that the People could not understand and I spoak to him for it and he said He had not Time to stay and further said That he was not of the Society of these Baptists at Fnestanton and yet he came with them and from them and then I replyed That be owned them to be the Church of God and this he did and then if he was not of their Society he was shut out of the Church and then he would have shuffled off with his Consequences and said he dwelt for off and then I replyed with the Apostles Words Though absent in Body yet present in Spirit and the Multitude that believed were of one Heart and Mind and here was the Society of the Saints and he being out of this Society is shut out of the Church and then he would have made it stood by his Logick which only is to make a false Thing seem true but it the more laid open his deceitful Heart and Shame to the Hearers who severally witnessed against him to speak nothing but Deceit and then saith he you call the Apostles Words Deceit because he had often stoln the Apostles Words to make his DECEIT seem TRUTH by covering it with the APOSTLES Words and this is a more subtil Deceit and then in his Will he called me Deceiver the which he was to prove and all the People was silent and there he uttered several Lyes and laid open himself to be the Deceiver as I had told him in
not by it you are left without Excuse and it will judge you at the last Day For he that loves the Light shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life but he that doth Evil hates the Light which is his Condemnation Now the VVay is plain to all simple Ones who have a Desire to find it declared by a Friend and VVitness to the Eternal Truth who am called J. P. THE Fruits of a Fast Appointed by The Churches gathered against Christ and his Kingdom who go about to mock God with their Outside Worship and Appointed Fasts and Dayes of Voluntary HUMILIATION Or A Declaration of the Persecution of a Messenger of the Lord by a People who go under the Name of Independents in Essex who have set themselves in the Enmity of their Spirits to oppose the Truth of God calling it a Lye and persecuting his Messengers as Deceivers and Wanderers wherein their Persecuting Spirits are made manifest and them to be in Cain's Generation Strangers to the Spirit of Christ which never presecuted and so are none of his Rom. 8. 9. And also Of the Unjust Dealings of Judge Hills who sate upon Life and Death at the last Assizes at Chansford which began upon the Eleventh Day of the Sixth Moneth And also Several Queries that were sent to the Priests and Magistrates which may be serviceable for them or any other to Answer whom they do concern By a Witness and Sufferer in Outward Bonds for the Vnchangeable Truth of God by Cain's Generation who am known to them in Colchester Castle by the Name JAMES PARNEL Printed in the Year 1675. THE Fruits of a Fast Appointed by the Churches gathered against Christ and his Kingdom c. FIrst I shall give unto the Reader a Declaration of the Work of God in my Soul and the Conversion of my Heart from Darkness unto his marvellous Light and from the Power of Satan unto God and out of the Path of Death into the Path of Life where I now walk in the Light of my God with the Ransomed of the Lord who are availing towards the Holy City and also the Cause of my coming forth into the World to declare the Truth for which I now suffer Bonds by the Persecuting Generation wherein I once lived a Child of Wrath as all are by Nature and then I was loved of the World while I followed the Vain Courses and Wayes of the World where by Nature I was led in Imitation of others being in that Nature which is prone unto the same the time I was sent unto the Schools of Humane Learning for to learn the Humane Wisdom for which End the Schools are profitable but for the attaining of Heavenly Wisdom and Knowledge they are as far unprofitable and many Books that are there read are much for the Corrupting of Youth and nourishing of the Wild Prophane Nature which then ruled in me and I was as Wild as others during the time I followed the School and after I was taken from the School I still continued in the same Nature growing and encreasing in Sin and Iniquity following the vain Courses of the Wicked World and also was trained up in the Customary Way of the Worship of the World which is held in the Idols Temple every First Day of the Week but no Conversion there was wrought but all still continued in the old Nature both Priest and People Young and Old and as was the People so was the Priest all walking in Darkness and Blindness by Form Custom and Tradition but ignorant of the pure Light which is the Guide and Teacher of the Faithful which oftentimes did reprove in Secret when I was alone but then I knew not what it was but oftentimes it did strike me into a Consideration of my Ways and Doings and set Life and Death before me so that I have sometimes promised within my self never to do the like again but the Promise being in the Will made it did not stand but when the Temptations came the Careless Mind got out again and led me still to delight my Heart in the Vanity which my Eye did see and my Ear did hear which all passed away with the using thereof and left me to the Judgment which was due unto me for my Iniquity which did follow me time after time calling me to Repentance and the more I did incline my Mind and draw nigh to it it also did draw nigh to me and so the Goodness of God led me to Repentance and the Grace of God wrought in my Heart a Reformation and so I was found of him when I sought not and thus he both wrought the Will and the Deed of his own good Pleasure and plucked me as a Brand out of the Fire to make me a Vessel of Honour to his Name all Living Eternal Praises be to his Name forever my Soul shall Praise and Magnifie his Name forever For I may well say with Paul of Sinners I was chief for according to my Years I was as perfect in Sin and Iniquity as any in the Town where I lived yea and exceeded many in the same so that there was as little Hopes of my Conversion as any in the Town and yet though it is a Place of many People I was the first in all that Town which the Lord was pleased to make known his Power in and turn my Heart towards him and truly to seek him so that I became a Wonder to the World and an Astonishment to the Heathen round about but they were such Enemies to Goodness and so given up to Idolatry that as much as before they had loved me in my Vain Conversation so much the more they hated me in my Conversion yea and they oâ— my Family came to ensnare me and lay wait for me to entrap me but when they could not prevail they stood afar off me and Reproached me with Lyes and proved my Greatest Enemies yea and my Relations became my Adversaries and laboured to destroy what God had begun in me because that thereby I came under the Reproach and Shame of the World because I could not conform to the World in their invented Fashions Customs and Traditions and their Words Wayes Fellowship and Worship but was made subject to the Law of God and could not Respect Persons neither in Word nor Deed then the Beast which rules in Proud Flesh was disturbed who before ruled in Peace while he was worshipped but when I came to see proud Lucifer the Lust in Man to be the Beast which all the World worships and wonders after but those whose Names are written in the Book of Life therefore I could no longer follow the World in Blindness for by the Power of God my Eye was opened so that I did behold their Idolatry and therefore I could no longer be conformable to them so that their Rage and Persecution arose against me and I became a Mock in the Streets yea and I was accounted
Generation yet nevertheless I continued in constant Preaching of the Word to the Consciences of the People freely and publickly in several Plains of the Country notwithstanding much Opposition both of Priests People and Professors and much did the Truth prevail in the Hearts of the People to the Glory of God the Father of Truth which did make glad the Hearts of many who have long expected this Day to appear but the false Prophet began to utter forth his Lyes Blasphemies against the Truth the Beast by whose Power the false Prophet stands began to rage and persecute and the Ministers of Anti-christ stood up for their Kingdom crying against Truth striving to present it odiouâ— in the Ears of the People but when I came to their Faces they fled like Hirelings and left their Flock behind so that the Truth much prevailed notwithstanding their railing and raging so that they begun to appoint Meetings purposely to set themselves against the Truth to presenâ— it to the People as Error and Heresie so that if by any Means they could by their evil incensing and leavening of the Minds of the People turn away their Minds from hearkning to the Truth and on the other Side they had the Earthly Powers to uphold them and strengthen them against whomsoever should come to gainsay them and to lay their Law upon them so I hearing of a publick Meeting that was appointed by the Priests and Professors of these Times to be at a Town call'd Great Coggashall upon the 12th Day of the 5th Moneth called July as was declared in publick by the Priest of the said Town to Fast and Pray against the Errors as they said of the People called Quakers and also their Intent was to ensuare me and to bring my Body into Bonds if that I came amongst them for to defend the Truth which afterwards appeared and although I did see their Intent towards me I was made willing not only to be bound but also to suffer for the Pâ—re Eternal Truth which I am made a Witness of so I being pressed in my Spirit for to go amongst them and in Obedience to the same I went and there was one Priest Willis an Independent Teacher who was set up in the Seat of the Pharisee the chiefest Place of the Assembly there speaking a Divination of his own Brain and not from the Mouth of the Lord and therefore knew not how to divide the Word aright but cryed against false Prophets and Deceivers and he himself one of them and when the Priâ—st had done I spoak unto the People in Vindication of the Truth of God which the Priest had before reproached reviled and blasphemed but the Priests and the Rulers interrupted me and 〈◊〉 into many Words which bred much Disorder and Confusion and then another of the Priests got up into the Pulpit and they bid me put of my Hat and stand with my Hat off the Time the Priest was praying which Worship I denyed and therefore could not be conformable to it and so I said Before I should be subject to their Wills I would pass out of the Meeting Place and so I did and many People came out after me for I intended to declare the Truth in the Town being I could not have Liberty in the publick Place And as I was passing on the Way quietly towards my Friends House he that is called Justice Wakering came rushing behind me amongst the People and suddenly smote me with his Hand upon my Back and said He arested me in the Name of the Lord Protector and so I turned me about and looked upon him but knew not that he was a Magistrate so I asked him Where was his Writ and he said He had one but none he shewed me then they hurried me into an House and there some Friends engaged that I should be forth-coming when their Worship was done and so I went unto my Friends House and there spoak the Word of the Lord unto the People that there came together and was also ready when their Worship was done according to my Friends Engagement And when I came before them there were four Men called Justices and six or seven Priests yea there were nigh nine or ten Priests that Day that were gathered together against the Truth and when I was come before them he that is called Justice Wâ—â—ering came and plucked my Hat off my Head and threw it away then they fell to question me of many Things to which I made answer and many frivolous Questions they asked me whereby to ensnare me which was neither just nor honest for Men of their Profession to do so when they had satisfied their Wills in examining of me they caused a Mittimus to be made and committed me to the Common Goal at Colchester And there were several of the chief Priests in Essex that were Actors in this Persecution Priest Willis who is a Teacher of an Independent Company at Brantry and Priest Sammes a Teacher of an Indepâ—ndent Company at â—reat Coggashal and Priest Spaâ—row a Teacher of an Independent Company ar Halstead and Priest Stellum a Teacher of an Independent Company at Tarling yet are all Parish Priests and are maintained by those that â—re not of their Church and those were the Head-Actors in this Persecution yea and Priest Stellum speak to the Rulers in the publick Place thereby to stir up their Spirits to persecute and this was plotted amongst the Priests and their gathered Churches to appoint Meetings thereby to ensnare the Innocent and raise Persecution against the Truth yea and two of the Men called Justices who were my chief Persecutors are Members of the Independent Church and thus the Churches gather themselves against Christ and his Kingdom and now the Ravening Wolves in Sheeps Cloathing do appear yea their Fruits make them manifest and those are they who call themselves Jews and are not but the Synagogue of Satan and those are the Builders who have do reject the Corner Stone which is now become the Head of the Corner and over their Heads is set and Wo unto them on whom it lights And after I was sent to Prison there I was kept close and could not have my Friends and Acquaintance to come to see me with Peace and Freedom and so when I was there I wrote an Answer to the Mittimus whereby I was falsly accused and imprisoned and sent to the Men that committed me for to clear my Conscience unto them and lay the Injustice and Cruelty before them and leave them without Excuse in the Presence of the Almighty And so when the Time came that I was to go to the Assize they put me on a Chain amongst Felons and Murderers and joyned me to one suspected for Murder and thus I was numbred amongst Transgressors that the Scripture might be fulfilled and thus six of us were hooked together upon a Chain so that we could not go into a Bed for four of us remained upon the Chain
yet nevertheless it is but for a Time for the Hand of the Almighty is against you and who shall deliver you And when you have laid all these Lyes Slanders and false Accusations upon my Back you commit me to the Common Goal for this County as you say in the Name of his Highness the Lord Protector and so you make his Name a Cover for your Lyes and a Protector of Persecution and Oppression But according to his own Declaration he took not upon him that Place and Title for that End but by your Proceedings in his Name it doth so appear or else the Messengers and Servants of Jesus Christ would not be so persecuted and cast into Prisons and Dungeons and Holes in his Name as they are But what a Liberty of Conscience is this and how will this stand in the Presence of the Almighty God who will judge him that judgeth as well as him that is judged That all Sects Forms Judgments and Opinions should be at Liberty and be protected therein and the dear Children of God persecuted and imprisoned and shamefully entreated as they are and all this done in the Name of the Lord Protector of England Therefore in the Day of the Lord's Vengeance he will be avenged of all his Adversaries from the least to the greatest and who shall escape his Hand in the Day that he will deliver his own and advance them above all their Enemies though here you his Enemies have cast me you say Until I shall be deliver'd by due Course of Law Reply What Law or Justice can I expect from such Unjust Lawyers and Judges as you are For you that cast me in contrary and without Law it 's likely you will proceed contrary without Law for your own Law will bear Witness and testifie against you to your Shame and Confusion of Face though to this Libel you have set your Hands and Seals who write your selves Herbert Pellham Thomas Cook Dyonisius Wakering William Harlackinden Here let your Hands bear Witness and testifie against you for Enemies and Persecutors of the Just who bind heavy Burthens and lay them upon the Oppressed but will not touch them with one of you Fingers but the greater will be your Condemnation when there is none to deliver you from the Hand of the Almighty neither Rocks nor Mountains to shelter you but the Refuge of Lyes shall be done away therefore while you have Time prize it and bring your Deeds to the Light and own your Condemnation by the Light that your Souls may be saved now you are warned and the Messenger of the Lord discharged by whom you are warned and the Truth cleared from your Lyes and false Accusations which in the Enmity of your Spirits you have cast upon it And so in the Liberty and Peace I rest and stand wherein Christ hath set â—e free which none can take away who am a Sufferer in outward Bonds for the Testimony of a pure Conscience at Colchester-Castle who am known to you my Persecutors by the Name J. Parnel Here followeth a Copy of some QUERIES that were sent with the fore-going Letter to the Justices so called Several Queries to all you Magistrates and Officers and Proud and Lofty Ones who Rage Persecute and Despise Men because they cannot put off their Hats to you and call it A Contemning of Authority and Mis-behaviour and yet say you are Christian-Magistrates and profess the Scriptures to be your Rule Now try your selves and prove your Practice by the Scripture and by it Answer these Queries Query 1. WHat Rule have you in the Scripture for the putting off the Hat 2. What is that in Man that would be honoured with the putting off the Hat or bowing the Knee 3. Why is it called Courtesie to put off the Hat to the Poor and Honour and Manners and Due Respect to put off the Hat to the Rich 4. Whether is this Respect of Persons because of Advantage yea or nay or what makes this Difference 5. Where is your Example for this amongst all the Christians under the Gospel as you profess 6. And what is that in Man that so swells and causeth such Wrath and Rage to appear against another for not putting off the Hat if the putting off the Hat or bowing the Knee be such a small Matter as some acconnt it 7. Whether is that right Authority or Justice in man that commands his Fellow-Creature to put off the Hat before him and so to stand until he suffer him to put it on and if he doth not so stand then to fall into Wrath and Rage and say He Contemns Authority yea or nay 8. Where is there any Law that commands a man to put off his Hat to one man more then another 9. And if there was a Law that did so command whether he that obeyes the Law of God that commands No Respect of Persons and disobeys the other Law do Contemn Authority yea or nay 10. Whether was that Authority in Haman to be obeyed who was a Chief Ruler and would have had Mordecai to have bowed unto him 11. And what was that in Haman that made him full of Wrath so that he would have destroyed Mordecai and all the Jews in the Nation because Mordecai could not bow unto him and what Difference is there betwixt Haman and you in this Matter who now are full of Wrath and Rage and imprison those that cannot put off their Hats to you 12. And whether was that Misâ—behaviour or a Contemning of Authority in Mordecai in not obeying the Kings Command to bow unto Haman as you say it is in not putting off the Hat or bowing to you now and wherein do you see any Difference betwixt these men now and Mordecai in that Matter seeing they suffer Imprisonment before they can do it 13. And what Lordship and Authority was that which they that were accounted to rule over the Gentiles did exercise upon them which Christ declared against to his Disciples and wherein do you differ from them in that Matter 14. And what Honour was that which the Pharisees received one of another for which Cause Christ judged them to be in the Unbelief and whether you be not guilty of the same yea or nay 15. And what is the Honour which comes from God which Christ there spoak of and whether it stands in the putting off a Hat yea or nay 16. What is the Beast which all the World worships and wonders after and what is the Worship of that Beast and his Image and whether the Power and Authority of that Beast is to be obey'd yea or nay 17. How is Justice to be honoured 18. And whether a Man may not put off his Hat to a Magistrate and yet envy him and hate him in his heart And whether many in these dayes do not so And whether this be the Honour that a Magistrate ought to seek for yea or nay 19. And whether a Man may not honour Justice and
a Despiser thereof and therefore out from among the Ministers of Christ thou art raised and thy Answer is not according to Truth but a Lye as shall further be made to appear hereafter by him whom thou callest the Young Quack and it seems Fear surpriseth the Heart of the Hypocrite so that thou art ashamed to own thy Work with thy Name Priest And whereas thou saist Courteous Reader we are forced notwithstanding so many Pamphlets extant against the People called Quakers to give Answer to thirty six Queries of James Parnel's the Young Quaker Reply Although thou hast boasted thy self an ancient Minister and contemnest me as a young Boy yet here it appears that thou art glad of others to help thee to answer my Queries as these Words before mentioned do testifie and yet it is but a Pamphlet as thou and thy Helpers do confess that those many are that are extant against the People called Quakers And then thou runst on in Way of Reproach and Scorn against me because of my Youth but the Wisdom of Solomon answereth you That a poor and wise Child is better then an old foolish King who will no more be admonished and therefore when you think of your Age consider also your Folly and let that stop your Mouthes from professing your selves Ancients who manifest such a light scornful Spirit and hate to be reformed Priest And whereas thou saist Thou doubtest not but his Queries are the Dictates of others deceiving and being deceived which yet they put under the Boy 's Name for the Credit of their Cause Here also without Doubt thy unbelieving Heart is manifested who without Ground measurest others according to thine own Heart who because thou makest Use of the Dictates of others as here doth plainly appear therefore censurest others which doth not add Credit to thy Cause because thou boasts of thy Age. Priest But according as thou believest so be it to thee yet nevertheless thou shalt find that the Truth I shall maintain against thee who with thy Unbelieving Heart art deceiving and being deceived and then thou runnest on in the Pride of thy Spirit accusing of me to be Ignorant of the Truth of God because as thou sayst of the false wording of my Queries Reply But with Shame mightst thou speak it for openly hast thou manifested to the Understanding Reader thy self to be a meer Stranger both to God and his Truth also who wouldst limit the Truth of God to an human Art which many of the Children of God had not and therefore the Power of God was the more manifested And when Peter and John were brought before the learned Men to wit the chief Priests and the Rulers and they wondred at them because they perceived they were unlearned Men and thus with thy Wisdom and thy great Learning thou art shut out of the Truth in the natural but by this I do not own thy Accusation to be Truth against me for I have a Copy of the Queries of my own Hand-writing which was the Original of those that were sent to thee which will bear Testimony against thee to be a false Accuser and how thou thy self hast wronged them and misworded them because they were in the Cross unto thy Wisdom and to maintain this thou bringest a Story in Erasmus nevertheless the Story which thou bringest doth not at all touch me but may fitly be returned into thy own Bosom where it shall lâ—e Then thou and thy Agent do beseech the Reader to read without Partiality which if he do he will judge no otherwise of you then as I have declared but will see how you have uttered forth your Folly and foamed out your Shame in going about to contradict the truth And at the End of this your Epistle to the Reader I find W. P. which I judge to be one of thy Agents to this your shameful Work to which thou darest not own thy Name My first Query Where and how and by what wast thou called to the Ministry which thou professest Pr. Answ. And in thy Auswer thou goest about to plead many Excuses whereby to flee the Answering of my Queries saying It is easier for him that is yet in Darkness to propound Doubts and Queries then for some of the Children of Light to auswer them on a suddain Which to prove thou quotest Daniel and that our Saviour thou say'st himself refused to answer the Pharisees Interogatories till they had first answered his Mat. 21. 23 24. And albeit thou say'st Thou might'st put me off with Solomon's Words Prov. 26. 4. Answer not a Fool according to his Folly lest thou also be like unto him Reply I did not propound the Queries unto thee as any Doubts of mine but that thou in thy Answer thereunto mightst either prove thy Practice by the Scriptures unto them that are in Doubt thereof or unto them manifest thy self to be a Deceiver which last thou hast plainly done to the least Child of Light and therefore it doth not follow that I am in Darkness or that thou art a Child of Light Neither didst thou suddainly answer the Queries though they concerned thy own Condition and therefore this Place in Daniel doth not at all stand for thee for it was for Daniel to tell and interpret Nebuchadnezzer's Dream which was a hard thing for any to tell unless it was immediately revealed to them by God's Spirit as it was to Daniel but all the Magicians and Learned Men could not find it out by their Arts But most of these Queries unto thee were concerning thy present Condition and Practice and herein thou manifestest thy self to be in Darkness who thus wrests the Scripture out of its Place for thy own Ends. And also Daniel was a Man that Feared the Lord and Trembled at his Power which now thou denyest and scoffest at and yet art not ashamed to take Daniel's Words for a Refuge against the Light And as for that Scripture in Mat. 21. 23 24. it shall be returned into thine own Bosom for it is thee and such as thee who are set up by the Will of Man and Authorized by the Authority of Man who joyn with the Pharisees and Scribes of these Times and combine together with the Earthly Powers to call us to question By what Authority we go abroad preaching the Truth from Place to Place and Crying against Deceivers and where we had our Commission because we receive it not from Man as you do but do witness the same Power and Authority as the Ministers of God did in all Ages and the same Commission for they received not their Commission from Man but were immediately called and immediately fitted and sent forth into the Work of the Ministry freely to give as freely they had received and were persecuted by them that were set up by the Will of Man which also we do witness and therefore the Scripture afore-mentioned belongeth unto thy Generation who were ever Persecutors And if by propounding Queries thou judgest
Body and Blood of Christ for thou saist thou hast declared the Mystery of both more distinctly and evidently then ever thou readst in our Writings And then by thy vain Philosophy thou goest about to justifie the Word Sacrament for the which thou hast no Scripture and many of your Blind Dâ—luded People do not know what it means Rep. But all this is no true Ground to believe thy words to be Truth for thy Hope is alreadâ— disproved and found to be Deceit and thy Lying Tongue hath been many times reproved as before thou boastest that thou uâ—ually spoakest by the Motion of the Holy Ghost and then wast presently found in a Lye so that there is no Credit to be given to thy Words without a sufficient Proof for here also thou may'st easily be proved a Lyar for out of thy own Mouth both thou thy self and thy Church were proved to be no Christians Then for your Discerning the Body of Christ or declaring the Mystery from your own Experiences yea and though thou couldest declare the Mystery from others Words who experienced it they that hear thee could not discern it without a Single Eye which appeareth they have not who are still Earthly-minded by thy own Confession And dost thou profess here now to have such a Spiritual People and yet durst not trust them for thy Maintenance without a Compulsive Law This also manifests thy self to be Earthly-minded and so ignorant of the Mystery And thus every way thou Deceiver thy Confusion is seen and by the Truth art thou overwhelmed and catched in thy own Craftiness Qu. 25. And whether dost thou not give Bread and Wine to Natural Men and Women yea or nay Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou confessest Thou dost give to Natural Men anâ— Women and also to Spiritual Ones as thou saist Christ himself did to all the Twelve Disciples Luke 22. 14 15. c. whereof thou saist Judas was one and the Apostle for a time thou saist gave the same to those that professed Repentance Faith and new Obedience but fell away afterwards which to prove thou quotest 1 Cor. 11. 18 19. 1 John 2. 19. Rep. Here thou Murderer of Souls by thy own Confession thou confessest the People to eat and drink Damnation to themselves not discerning the Lord's Body which the Natural Man and Woman cannot do and as for Spiritual Ones thou hast none in thy Flock for thou confessest they are Earthly minded And for what Christ did is a Mystery to thee and that which might be done for the fulfilling of what was before decreed which is nothing for thee to imitate And did not Judas eat and drink his own Damnation Neither doth these Scriptures prove that the Apostles did the same as thou dost for he was far absent from them when he writ this Epistle to them as a Warning to take heed what they did neither doth that in John prove any thing to this Purpose for thine can fall no lower then they are who are not yet Christians neither thou that teachest them as is before proved out of thy own Mouth And though here thou confessest they are a Mixt Multitude yet thou makest no Difference when thou takest thy Tythes neither appeareth it when thou givest them that thou callest a Sacrament Qu. 26. Can any be set free from Sin so long at they are upon the Earth and where must they be clensed if not upon the Earth Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou in words confessest That man may be Wholely set Free and that thou knowest no other Place of Purgation and also boastest That thou hast held forth this Doctrine long before the Quakers came as thou callest them Rep. But I find in Life thou still denyest it neither art thou thy self come up to it nor any that are taught by thee and therefore I hold thee the greater Hypocrite and Deceiver then if with the rest of thy Brethren thou didst in words deny it unless in Life thou didst seal it for Profession without Life and Power hath ever been a Dishonour to Truth and Religion Therefore silence Deceit and cause not the Truth to be blasphemed Qu. 27. What Scripture hast thou for thy Rule to give David's Conditions to be sung in a Meeter Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou canst bring no Scripture-Proof to maintain what thou dost but saist All are not of the World whom we take to be of the World to wit who are no Quakers thou saist And secondly thou saist Israel in the general to whom David gave his Psalms to be sung were the greatest part Unregenerate and men of the World Thirdly thou saist He gave them in Meeter or Measure to be sung as the Learned in the Hebrew Tongue know well Rep. All are of the World that are not Christians which neither thou nor thine are as before out of thy own Mouth is proved and also all that own not Quaking and Trembling by the Power of God are also of the World and know not God for all the Holy Men of God and David for one as is before proved witnessed Quaking and Trembling and the Son of Man was to eat his Bread with Quaking and drink his Water with Trembling And so you that despise Quaking and Trembling are Heathens that know not God And also the Way is but one and they that are not with us are against us But All Israel Trembled before the Lord who were not of the World as thou belyest them who were the Lord 's chosen People in the Figure whom he had chosen out of the World though when they forgot their God they were defiled with the World Neither canst thou bring any Scripture-Proof to maintain that David gave forth his Prayers his Prophecies his Quakings his Roarings his Cryings and his Lamentations â—o be sung in a Meeter as thou saist the Learned Ones know but thy Learned Ones may be Lyars like Thee and therefore I have no Ground to believe them seeing also that I have a Proof to the contrary for by your own Confession they were turned into English Meeter by Sternhold and Hopkinson and therefore stop thy Mouth thou Lyar. And fourthly Thou askest what Condition David was in into which every Man may not come in Time And fifthly thou say'st Are not David ' s Psalms Part of the Holy Scriptures which are permitted to all Men and are profitable for all Men to read And sixthly thou say'st The Jews did read all the Old Testament in Publick with a singing Voice as the Learned know And seventhly thou say'st Did not the Lord by his Servant Moses teach all Israel a Song of his own making as in Deut. 31. 19 20 21 22. Deut. 32. And thou say'st We will not deny but David ' s Psalms may have the same Effects even upon the Wicked c. which is false for we will deny it for the Wicked have nothing to do with them for unto the Wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my
11. 1 2 3. 2 Cor. 8. 23. and many other which do not at all concern the Matter of my Query yea thou sayâ—st Men may respect Persons and be in the Faith which to prove thou quotest Acts 26. 25. 2 Kings 3. 14. Psal. 15. 4. But thou confessest It is a great Hindrance to the Faith and believing in the true Word for Men to seek the Honour of Men more then the Honour that comes from God John 5. 44. Aâ—d thou say'st â—t is also a Blos Blemish to the true Believers to respâ—â—â— the Ungodly that are great and rich in this World â—efore the true Saints that are poor yea thou say'st It is a plain Denyal of the Faith and a good Conscienâ—e also to respect Persons in doing of Justice whether for Favour or Reward Exod. 23. 2 3 4 5 6 7 â— Rep. All these Scriptures which â—hou hast here quoted do not at all justifie the Earthly Honour which you Earthly Ones give and receive one of another neither were these Things written to the World as thou makest Use of them neither did those whom the Apostle speaks of seek after or receive Earthly Honour as you do who are called of Men Master who are set up in the chief Seats of the Synagogues and love Greetings in the Markets and uppermost Rooms at Feasts and all the Earthly Honour as may be all which Christ declared against to the Pharisees and judged them to be in the Unbelief in whose Steps ye are found and therefore in the Unbelief also neither doth any such Earthly Honour belong to any Vertue or Grace for Christ hath declared against it but they that honour God them will God honour neither do any of these Scriptures which thou hast quoted justifie the Respect of Persons which the Apostle declared against in James 2. neither did Paul respect the Person of Festus when he called him Noble Festus for in that he did not adore his Person nor bow to nor worship it but Festus did that which was Noble towards Paul and judged him not worthy to suffer Bonds according to their Law which few of the Rule 's of these Dayes will do but rather will wrest and pervert their Law to their own Wills to persecute those that not are in Paul's Condition and guided by Paul's Spirit and such they now call Pestilent Fellows and Raisers of Sedition and adjudge them not worthy to live amongst Men though they have nothing more against them then the Heathen had against Paul And notwithstanding all this doth not justifie your Adoring Worshipping and Respecting Mens Persons having them in Admiration for Advantage sake yea though Wicked Corrupt Men though you do not see it because the Gift blinds your Eye for they that are Proud and Persecutors are Wicked and Corrupt and by such you are set up upheld and maintained and therefore adore and worship their Persons having them in Admiration because of this Advantage but the poor Saints are both by you and them persecuted and despised and you joyn together against them because they cannot worship the Beast and his Image as you do and thus out of thy own Mouth art thou judged and that Scripture which thou quotest in James 2. will witness against thee and that also in Exod. 23. For it is well-known that you professed Ministers have been the greatest Actors ever in stirring up the Rulers to persecute the Innocent yea any in whom the Appearance of God was manifested in Testimony against your deceitful Wayes and the Rulers through Favour and Respect to you have and do act in their corrupt Wills contrary to all Law or Equity against such and have oppressed the Strangers as Vagabonâ—s and Idle Fellows though the Law of the Nation allows them Liberty being free-born in it which to this Day is witnessed in divers Places of the Nation which that of God in your Consciences will also witness and such as those deserve neither Honour nor Respect but must perish in their Iniquity but in that thou accusedst us to deny deserved Honour and Respect to be lawful is a very Falshood for we honour and respect Justice Grace Vertue and all Goodness in our Hearts but you that are blind put Injustice for Justice and Evil for Good and turn the Grace of God into Lasciviousnes Jude 4. Qu. 33. Wilt thou own Trembling and Quaking now yea or nay Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou seemest to own it in Words also stealing others Expressions out of the Scripture to answer my Query but thy Life doth not steal it neither dost thou own it where it is witnessed but makest a Scoff at it as before is proved and thy Ignorance of the same may easily be discerned in thiâ— thy Answer by any who have tasted of the Power of God who are come to the Earth's Trembling and Quaking and whereas thou denyest to tremble and shake as John Gilpin and others did comparing them with the Man possessed with the Unclean Spirit in Mark 9. 20. and to be a Quaker alwayes thou denyest Rep. Thou never wast a true Quaker yet as may easily be discerned by this thy Discourse of it who judgest by Reports and comparest the Power of God unto as Unclean Spirit which Power made the Devils to tremble in John Gilpin unto which thou art not yet come though John Gilpin from that departed and followed the Deceit and so was led into deep Deceit and Imitation and so gave Occasion to such as thee who wait for Occasion to blaspheme the Truth and speak Evil of the Things thou knowest nothing of but by Reports which if the true Fear of God was in thy Heart placed thou durst not do therefore thou and John Gilpin shall receive your Reward where thou shalt quake forever if thou dost not speedily repent and own the Truth which in thy Conscience is witnessed But those other of ours whom thou accusest thou dost not nominate and therefore accusest thou knowest not who but any such Foaming at the Mouth and the like which thou here speakest of we do deny and return it into thy own Bosom who art foaming out thy own Shame Qu. 34. What is the pure Religion and whether in it thou dwellest Priest Answ. And in thy Answer thou hast nothing to say but what thou stealest out of the Scripture from their Experience who spoak it forth and thou quotest that in Jam. 1. 27. which saith The Pure Religion and Undefiled before God is this to visit the Widdows and Fatherless in their Affliction and to keep themselves unspotted of the World and thou also quotest that in Mat. 23. 33 38 39 40. and saist It is to love the Lord our God with all our Hearts Mind and Might and our Neighbour as our selves and in this Religion thou say'st thou desirest to dwell and walk and remain forever without being shaken Rep. But thou must be much shaken before thou comest into this Religion for thou hast not yet proved
Hardships and Impossibilities do appear before you and Doubts and Fears and Questionings and Murmurings Repinings and Unbelief rise in you and many Temptations bâ—take you soâ—etimes to return back and dye in Aegypt sometimes after the Delights and Flesh-pots of Aegypt sometimes that God hath utterly forsaken you sometimes to question the very Truth of God and ready to call it a Lye and here is the wavering and unstable Mind all which ariseth ouâ— of Darkness where self stands all which comes by hearkning unto self Therefore unto the Light the Messenger of God keep your Minds whâ—ch brings the Message of Peace and glad-Tidings of Salvation unto which keep close own it lone to be your Teacher Guide and Counsellor in all the Way you are to pass and in all Things that you are to do standing in the Denyal of self with all its Ends and own the Light which leads intâ— Singleness to God out of Ends and all stumbling-Blocks it will remove and through the Bryars and Thorns it will you lead and in the Mire you shall not stick but the crooked Way shall be made streight and the rough and hard Way plain and easie for in the Light is none Occasion of stumbling but keeps your Feet from erring and straying your Tongues from Evil speaking as you hearken unto this which when you are going to the right Hand or to the left cryes This is the Way walk in it This is the Word in you from whence comes Faith which makes all Things easie and possible but without Faith it is impossible to please God and Faith is the Gift of God and so is this Word of Truth from whence Faith springs which judgeth down all Murmurings Doubtings and Repinings and all Carelesness Lightness Lustings and Earthliness and condemns the Ground from whence all these Things do spring And here the Ministration of Condemnation is witnessed which in its Time is glorious through which comes the Ministration of Peace which doth the other exceed but take Heed of getting these Things in the Comprehension to talk of but let the Time of Silence and Patience have its Work in which wait for the fulfilling of these Things that within you may read them and the Life it self may shew forth it self which dothadorn and honour the Truth and so you become the Vessels of Honour but out of Faithfulness this is not witnessed For it is the Willing and Obedient that shall eat the Good of the Land Therefore Friends see how you stand in Faithfulness to what in your Measures is made known unto you for Faithfulness is of great value and Faithfulness is as well in secret as in publick knowing that all Things are publick unto God who will jâ—dge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ therefore he that is faithful over a little is approved of God and shall be made Ruler over much but he that is â—sloathful is cast out and from him taken that which he hath These Things you have read without but now learn within and read your selves and you need not be Deceived for by the Light your Hearts are searched by it all Things are made manifest by which you are either approved or disapproved unto God in all your Words and Actions therefore by this set a Watch over all your Thoughts Words and Actions that the Righteous judge may be set up in your Hearts which judgeth down Deceit and iniquity and establisheth Righteousness in the Earth and Truth and Equity in the inward Parts and cleanseth the Heart from Evil that this alone may guide you and act you forth in all yourâ— Wayes and Doings and then self hath no Part but all Things are done in the Cross unto selâ— in Singleness unto God and he alone is glorified and the Fear and Awe is placed and the Tongue is bridâ—â—d and the Will curbed and the Heart cleansed and kept clean for it is that which goeth out that dâ—fileth Therefore I say unto you all Watch that the Pure may exercise your Minds which is the Cross to the Carnal which crucifies the Carnal and mortifies the Deeds of the Flesh and establisheth Purity in the Heart and brings forth the Fruits of the Spirit which is Love in a pure Life that here you may come to live and walk and grow together in Unity in your Measures for that which separates from the Unity is self which causeth Love to wax cold but in the Love of God abiding self is denyed for where self is owned the Love of God is denyed So here is the Enemy of your own House that you are to war against and in the Light which discovers self is your Power and Strength and as you receive the Light you receive Power to deny self in its Appearances which Power reconciles your Hearts together and works you into perfect Friendship Unity which stands not in the Will but in the pure Nature which is the Cross to Will which Nature the World cannot bear which Nature breaks the World's Fellowship Love and Friendship all which stands in their corrupt Wills wherein stands all their Customs Fashions and Traditions and all their Worship and Profession out of which also ariseth Persecution against you who dwell in the pure Nature and the single pure Language which their corrupt Wills cannot bear nor savour but look not out at what they can do unto you knowing that the uttermost is but to take the Life of the Body but eye the Lord your God in it and count it your Riches that you are found worthy to suffer for Righteousness sake for through many Tryals and Tribulations you come forth pure unto the Lord and strong in the Faith So the Lord God of Power be with you and by his mighty Power keep you low and watchful in your Conditions that your Eternal Good you may mind above all Things under the Sun that every one in the Truth received you may walk and grow daily dying unto the Things that perish that in the Life of God you may come to dwell out of the Creatures and then the true Use of them will be given you and the pure Wisdom as it was in the Beginning when Man was in the Right to the Creatures and here Paradice will be found but he that believeth maketh not hast but by patient continuing in well-doing you will reap if you faint not wherein I bid you you Farewel Dear Friends It was the Love of God in me which run forth to the Seed in you which constrained me to write unto you and visit you with this Epistle now my bodily Presence is by the corrupt Will of Man barred from you yet my Spirit doth not cease in your Behalf that the Lord by his Power by which he hath awakened you out of Sleep and caused his Witness to answer to his Truth would bless and prosper this his happy Work in your Hearts to the bringing forth his precious Seed to rule and have Dominion that so his glorious
Prophets I Answer Christ Jesus the Fulfilling and End of the Prophets saith Swear not at all And if You do alledge That they Swore in the Old Covenant I Answer Christ Jesus the New and Everlasting Covenant saith Swear not at all but let your Yea be Yea and Nay be Nay for what is more and here You are shut out of the New Covenant in the Evil and so in the Kingdom of the Devil for in the New Covenant no Swearer can come And if you do alledge that Scripture where the Apostle said An Oath for Confirmation amongst Men to them it was the End of all Strife I Answer He brought this as a Comparison confirming the Covenant that God had made and confirmed it with an Oath but the Apostle brought it not to maintain Swearing or Oathes but he spoak it concerning Jesus Christ the Oath of God which is the End of all Oathes Controversie and Strife who saith Swear not at all And in the Old Covenant they did use Oaths for the End of Strife and Controversie and to Confirm things amongst them so the Apostle brought that then as a Comparison but Jesus Christ the New Covenant which was confirmed by an Oath and now is the End of all Oaths and Controversies and Strife who now saith Swear not at all The Apostle he declared against Strife and Controversie and he declared against Swearing for the Apostle James saith Above all things my Brethren Swear not at all neither by Heaven neither by the Earth nor any other Oath but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay be Nay lest you fall into Condemnation And here You are in the Condemnation and out of the New Covenant and draw from the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostle who are in the Oaths and Swearing and compel others to swear Therefore the greater will be Your Condemnation And if You do alledge that Scripture where the Apostle said Be subject to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake I Answer Obey God rather then Man for the Lord's sake who saith Swear not at all and Why call you him Lord and do not the things which he saith Therefore away with Your Profession of Christ and of Faith in him and are so Faithless as to depart from his Doctrine and compel others to follow You hence You are found Traytors to him and Hypocrites whom the Lord will judge with your Hypocritical Feigned Faith who cannot believe one another without Swearing and so think all like your selves but as many as believed were of one Heart and Soul which was the End of all Strife and Controversie and they made No Swearing amongst them who were in the Faith Therefore all You Magistrates Rulers and officers who are Swearing and Compelling men to Swear now read your selves by the Light of Christ which searcheth Your Consciences and with it judge your selves and Fear the Lord God and Tremble before him who do so oppose his Commands and do Despight against the Spirit of Grace for no Ignorance in this thing can you plead For it is plain by the Light of God in your Consciences that you do Evil therefore I charge You in the Presence of the Living God To take heed of Oppressing any Tender Consciences or Forcing any Tender Consciences or Fining them or Imprisoning them for Obeying God rather then Your Wills for if you do to be sure the Plagues and Woes of God shall come upon you and great shall be your Condemnation And if you ask How shall you do to End Controversie and to Confirm a Truth I Answer They that for Conscience sake dare not Swear they for Conscience sake dare not Lye but speak the Truth so far as they do know without Hypocrisie for that that judgeth Swearing that also judgeth Lying Hypocrise and Deceit and so by one Truth its confirmed And as for those that are without the Fear of God who scruple not at Swearing they scruple not at Lying for they that will tell a Lye in such a Case will also Swear and Lye Therefore whom you find thus Deceitful you may also exercise the Law upon them as upon False Swearers without Winking at them and that will bring them into Awe and Fear of the Law though they be out of the Fear of God and for this End was the outward Law ordained And thus you will be a Terror to the Evil-doers and a Praise to them that do Well for if all did Well what needs there a Law And so as you stand here in all things which belong to your Places discharging your Consciences in Equity and Justice without Partiality and then will you do that which is wholsom and good in the Sight of God and he will bless your Proceedings and thus you will be worthy of double Honour not with the Flattering Titles of Men or Respect to your Persons in Admiration because of Advantage but you will witness the True Nobility and deny all Flattery or Deceit but your Honour will be of God for Them that Honour God them will God Honour if you stand I say in that Counsel of God out of your own Wills Ruling for God and not for your selves but for the Punishing of the Wicked and the cleansing the Land of Evil doers that God may be Honoured by your Faith and Faithful and Just and Equal Proceedings And so I rest a Friend to the Tender Consciences and am subject to all Wholsom and Good Laws Ordinances of Man for the Lord's sake and do honour all such Magistrates in my Heart who observe this Government without Flattery or Hypocrisie but I find some so worthy in the Nation in whom there is no Hatred and the Unjust strive to put them out and so the â—and must needs abound with Corruption and Evil Deceit and Hypocrisie and all Ungodliness as it doth seeing these that are in Offices who ought to suppress those things do countenance those things and lay their Law upon the Innocent and Righteous and so as much as in them lieth to exalt Iniquity and beat down and tread Truth under Foot But the God of Truth is arisen with a Mighty and a Strong Arm which they are not able to overcome but the more they stir the more it conquers who is come with a Fan in his Hand and will thoroughly purge his Floor and gather his Wheat into his Garner and burn up the Chaff with Unquenchable Fire and thus will he sweep away the Seed of Evil-Doers and Refuge of them with the Beesom of Destruction and so will he cleanse the Land of Evil-doers and make all you Careless Ones that are at Ease in your Lusts all you Corrupt Unjust Judges Rulers and Officer who are Partial in your Judgments and receive Gifts in your Hands and regard not the Cause of the Just your Calamity is coming on and your Destruction is nigh at hand and God is a Just God and will not acquit the Wicked Now you are Warned and a Servant of the Lord Discharged by
Words to all my Dear Friends in and about the County of Essex AND all you my dear Friends you scattered and despised Ones in and about the County of Essex whom the Lord by his Powerful Word is now gathering out of Darkness into his Marvelous Light out of the Kingdom of this world into the Kingdom of his dear Son whom he is separating unto himself to walk before him in Holiness that you might know him and he might know you in the Light of his Countenance whose Faces he hath turned towards Sion to seek after a Land of Rest unto your wearied Souls which have been tossed to and fro from Mountain to Hill in this Cloudy and Dark Day seeking Rest but finding none But now is the Day of Beauty broaken forth nigh you even in you Yea and Glad-tidings is come unto your wearied Souls by which a pure Love is begotten in you to the Everlasting Truth which hath been freely declared amongst you by the Messengers of the Most High who have reached the Witness for God in your Consciences which doth seal the same upon your Hearts which your Teacher is and unto it you hearken and are obedient In which Light all stand still and behold the Work which the Lord hath begun amongst you and you shall have no Cause of Discouragement though the Sea doth rise and the Raging Waves do swell as if they would swallow all up yet it is limited by the Unlimited and it shall but foam out its own Shame And as I had a Time to preach the Truth amongst you to the Convincement of many so also now I have a Time to seal the same with Patient Suffering in the Bonds of the Gospel that you may see That it is no other but what we are made able and willing to seal with patient Suffering yea with our Blood if we be called to it as many of us have done in this Nation though it be called A Land of Liberty but it is for Iniquity but Truth and Equity are Strangers in it and therefore are persecuted But you that are found worthy to receive these Strangers happy are you And though the Raging Sodomites compass you about for to cause you to cast out these Strangers that they may work their Wills upon them yet be Faithful and fear them not but cast out your Darlings before them and stand in the Faith of the God of Truth and Equity and you shallâ— see the Sodomites struck with Blindness that they shall not be able to prevail against you but when they are weary with striving they shall be made to sit down in Sorrow and so shall it be fulfilled which of old was prophesied that No Weapon formed against the Faithful shall prosper but Wo unto them that lift up their Heel against them Therefore I charge you all in the Name of the God of Truth Be Faithful Valliant and Bold for the Truth received and as you have received it so walk in it that you may profess no more in Word but what in Life you seal that the Light may be preached forth in your Lives and shine forth in your Conversations to the Glory of the Father of Lights and the Confounding of the Heathen who profess God in VVords but in Life deny him And be willing that Self shall suffer for the Truth and not the Truth for Self for the Truth was ever sealed with Persecution since Gain's Generation had a Being upon the Earth and so own the Cross and despise the Shame and give up your selves to suffer for the Truth received all you that would follow the Lamb to the Land of Rest and through many Tryals you will wax strong and bold and confident in your God for God is not known what a God he is until the Time of Tryal And all keep your Meetings in the Name and Fear of the Lord God waiting for his Power in the Obedience to his Light which in your Consciences doth reprove you when you do amiss that in it you may wait and watch over the Foes that are of your own House that you may know the Warfare begun in your Hearts against your Spiritual Enemies and so the God of Power manifest himself amongst you by his Mighty Power bringing down all that in you which opposes him and would not that he should reign over it and exalt his own Seed in your Hearts and establish you in Righteousness that his Image you may bear and He shall be your God and Ye shall be his People And so in the Unchangeable Truth I rest in Unity with all the Faithful in the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God though in Outward Bonds for your sakes Known to all that can read me in Spirit JAMES PARNEL Goliah's Head Cut off with his OWN SVVORD In a Combat betwixt Little David the Young Stripling who stands in the Power and Strength of his GOD and great Goliah the Proud Boaster who stands in his Own Strength glorying in the Arm of Flesh and contemning and despising Little David because of his Youth In a REPLY to a Book set forth by an Unnamed Author under Pretence of an Answer to Thirty Six Queries propounded by Iames Parnel whom he in Scorn calls The Young QVAKER And also an Answer to several Counter-Queries propounded by the same Unnamed Author whom I understand to be one Thomas Draton a Teacher of the World at Abby Rippon in Huntingtonshire wherein his Folly and Ignorance is much laid open and the Pride and Deceit of his Spirit much manifested and also he that takes his Part who writes himself W. P. who knows not the Power of God and therefore glories in the Length of Time and the Multitude of Years But Solomon who was a Wiser Man then Great Goliah said That the Honourable Age is not that which is of Long Time neither that which is measured by the Number of Years but Wisdom is the Gray Hair and an Vndefiled Life is Old Age. And therefore let not the Wise Man glory in his Wisdom nor the Strong Man glory in his Strength for it is Vanity JAMES PARNEL Printed in the Year 1675. GOLIAH's HEAD Cut of with his Own Sword c. The Title of the aforesaid Book An Answer according to Truth that trembles not nor quakes nor quaileth given to thirty six Queries propounded by James Parnel commonly called the Young Quaker to an ancient Country Minister with some Counter-Queries by the said Minister unto the said Young Quack and his Fellows Reply HEre thou mayst be ashamed to stile thy self an ancient Minister who manifests such an Ishmael's Spirit who with reproachful Words makest a Scoff at the Power of Truth which the Ministers of God in all Ages witnessed which made them to quake and tremble And though the Truth neither quakes nor quaileth yet all that owned the Truth owned and witnessed quaking and trembling which Truth thou manifests thy self but a Professor of and a Stranger to the Power and