or in the day of Judgment when we and all Man-kind shall appear and come sorth to tryal and every mans work shall be tryed and all shall receive according to their deeds And so gladly would we be made manifest to all the World if that after the reading of this Book any be unsatisfied still in this matter And if any especially of the Heads and Rulers have doubts or Jealousies raised in them concerning us and the Priests and that they further would be satisfied and resolved for that end let any Wise-men propound for full satisfaction of all sorts of People that we with the consent of the chief in Authority that have power in this Nation who may preserve peace and safety among people and thereby to stop all Jealousies may freely and chearfully Four Ten Twenty Thirty more or fewer of us give as many of the wisest and ablest of the Priests and Professors a meeting for dispute at any place in England at what place time and for what continuance as they shall ascribe and consent unto and to dispute and controvert betwixt us and them any such thing and every such particular as shall or may be objected by any of the Heads and Rulers or other Grave Understanding Men wherein they are doubtful betwixt us and would thereof be satisfied that by such Dispute and opening of such causes objected full and real and toal satisfaction may be given to the whole Nation and every particular man and member therein Otherwise Let the Priests or Professors or any of them object what they can against us in our Principles Profession Faith and Practice and our whole Religion And if they shall affirm and alledge any one or more things against us that any Principle we hold or Practice we profess in any part throughout all our Religion are false Principles and false Practices and not according to Truth nor the Scriptures but shall affirm that our Religion is not the true Religion nor we of the true Church of Christ and they shall have free liberty to give their best proof and reason for what they affirm and alledge yet by the Strength of Christ and in the power and authority of God and according to the Scriptures we shall confute all their Proofs and strongest Reasons and on the contrary we shall joyn our Principles Doctrines and Practices and all our Religion and every part and particular thereof to be the very truth and agreeing with the Scriptures according to that shall maintain by lawful Arguments and plea that our Religion and Worship and all that we profess and Practice is according to the mind of the Lord and justified of him and that whatsoever is and may be spoken against us upon that account is utterly false and to be condemned and upon this we will ingage with them and with any of our Enemes of what Sect and Profession soever to the intent onely that Truth may be manifest and embraced and Deceit and Error discovered and denied And also upon such an Engagement we should agree to have the liberty freely and soberly to object against the Priests concerning their Ministry their Call their Practice their Maintenance and their Fruits and Effects and concerning their Church and Principles and Worship and whole Religion and shall hear patiently all that can be said in defence thereof by any or all of them and shall prove by the Spirit of the Lord and according to the Scriptures that their ministry is not the true Ministry of Christ nor they true and lawfull Ministers of the Gospel but shall manifest by evident Arguments that their Call Practice Maintenance Fruits and Effects are not according nor agreeing but contrary and differing to what the true Ministry was and its Call Practice Maintenance Fruits and Effects were in the true Apostles and among the true Churches and furthermore by the Grace of God we shall prove their Church their Worship and their whole Religion in all parts thereof to be degenerated from what the true Church was the true Worship and true Religion in the days of the Apostles and true Churches of old and these things shall we make manifest by faithful and sound Arguments according to the Scriptures that all the Earth may know and all people perceive who is in the Truth and of the true Worship and Religion and who are in the contrary and whether the Priests and that which they profess and practice for Religion or the Quakers and that which they profess and practice for Religion be of God and according to him and whether are contrary that the end of this long Travel and War and controversie may be desided and justly ended between us and all people may be resolved and satisfied concerning us and them that do oppose us And let all the Priests and Professors lay aside and give over their Houses of Correction and imprisoning people and whipping of them and stocking of us and dealing in this manner of violence and cruelty as for years by-past they have done in defence of their Religion and resisting of ours and let them lay aside their carnal Weapons and fighting against our persons and imprisoning of us about our Religion and let them come forth in sound Arguments the best they have and let us see what spiritual Weapons they have to resist us and defend themselves and let us try whether their spiritual Weapons or ours be the strongest and the most powerful and mighty and let theirs that are so prevail against the other be it ours or theirs and this is the way to try the truth and to make all things manifest and to deside and end all the whole controversies between us and them which hath been great this many years and let the Truth be set up and exalted where ever it is and all Deceit thrown down to the Ground and let us war with the Weapons of the Spirit against Errour and false Religion one in the other but le ts not hurt Creatures nor imprison Persons nor stock and whip Creatures and make them to suffer but let us thresh Deceit and whip and beat that and all false Opinions let us throw them down where they are found whether in them or in us and let us fight with the Weapons of the Spirit that are spiritual let them fight no longer with such cruel carnal Weapons and then let such as get the victory and overcome appear to be in the truth of the Church and such as falls and is overcome be manifest to be in the Error and of the false Church and Religion and let us love one anothers persons and let them act no otherwise towards our persons then we do upon theirs and towards them and let them take the liberty to deal with us and our persons as we deal with them and their persons and no otherwise And let such whether them or us that cannot prove our selves to be the true Church of Christ nor of the true Worship and true
witness praised be the Lord for evermore who hath in his Light led us to himself and hath shewed the deceits of him to us and of all such as he is he is in the generation shutting the Kingdom of Heaven against men neither entring himself nor suffers others to enter that are entring Through the Power of the Lord made manifest am I bold to declare against him who walks not in the Doctrine of Christ and therefore is an Antichrist and doth deceive you professing himself to be sent of God and walking contrary to the Truth of God a Hypocrite saying and not doing Ye my Country men be not deceived by him try him by the Scriptures see how he walks according to the Declaration as they did who were Ministers of Christ not by the will of man but his Ministry is by man and according to man and had his Call from man as it is known to you all but they who were true Ministers witnessed the contrary neither received they their Gospel from man but by the revelation of Jesus The true Ministers of Christ sent sorth by Christ witness now the same thing for Christ is the same that ever he was which is now made manifest in the Saints and his Ministry is the same which is not by man but contrary to man be not deceived God will not be mocked for he is terrible and his day is powerful and dreadful that shall come upon the Heathen and upon the workers of Iniquity and upon all Dissemblers and Hypocrites all your carnal Worship and Ordinances and Observances is but mocking of God and dissembling with him and is but an imitation an imagination of the Mind of fallen man imitated by you and your Minister droven by the imaginations from the true Worship of God which the Saints in former generations was exercised in who were led not by imagination as you are but by the Spirit of God as all the servants of God are Now as ever was true Baptism I own which is by the holy Ghost and with Fire and the Baptism with one Spirit into one Body do we witness but that which your Chief Priest and false Hireling holds up I deny it it is not of God but is an imitation and is abomination in the sight of God and therefore from God do I Declare against it and against your Hireling that upholds it among you True Communion of Saints I own for we have Union and the Bread which we break is the body of Christ and the Cup which we drink is the Blood of Christ by which we are nourished and fed up to Eternal Life for he that eats not Christ's Flesh and drink his Blood he hath no life in him he among you that can receive it let him but your Communion I deny for it is Heathenish and no more but an imitation having proceeded out of the imagination of the Proud Your breaking of Bread and drinking of the Cup is abomination and God never commanded it and this doth your Pharisee uphold sitting in the seat of Christ and of the Saints as the Pharisees did in Mose's seat saying and not doing True singing I own with the Spirit and with Understanding singing in the Spirit making Melody in the heart to the Lord this singing was and is among the Saints in the Church of Christ this is well pleasing to God for it is not an imitation nor by tradition as your singing is but it is true Sacrifice the song of the redeemed ones which none can learn but the redeemed ones of the Lord who is come and coming to Zion with songs and everlasting Joy upon their heads but your singing is Carnal Traditional and Heathenish and is an Imitation and is not with the Spirit of Jesus but with the spirit of the World with the spirit of Drunkards Swearers Lyars Mockers Scorners Coveteous ones with the spirit of Wrath Envy Malice with the spirit of Cain with the spirit of the Scribes and Pharisees and chief Priests who persecuted the Saints which sang in Truth in former Generations and now the deceit is turned into the form of singing and they that live there persecutes them that sings in the Power for thus it was ever they that lived in Profession of the Word outwardly persecuted them that lived in the Power of which was professed and there you and your Hireling is but know that the Lord will take an account of you and give unto every man his reward according to his deeds You and your Priest have got the form of Baptism of the Communion of Singing and of a Church but the Power and Substance of these Ordinances you know not for they are hid from all vulturous eyes and from the generation of the Pharisees and Serpents who are called of men Master and which have the chief place in the Assemblies as your Hireling hath and who is called of men Master as they were which Christ cryed Wo against True preaching of Jesus Christ Crucified we own and do witness for the preaching is out of the will of man out of Form and Custom and is foolishness to the wisdom of the World now as it was ever this is not with the inticing words of mans wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of Power and the preaching of the Word of Faith which is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that preaching we do own for Faith comes by the hearing of this Word preached And the Prayer with the Spirit of Truth we do own for that is not in word to be seen of men but led to that not by Custom Form and Tradition but by the Eternal Spirit which proceeds from God which hath free recourse to God which God heareth and doth accept for their iniquity is purged out of the heart and is not regarded for he that regards iniquity in his heart God will not hear his Prayer but the Preaching and Praying of your Hireling I do deny for they are abomination to the Lord for his preaching leads from God stands in his own Will in his own Time in Form Custom and Tradition and your souls are not refreshed by it neither is true Faith known among you for how can he being evil speak good things A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit said he who cryed Wo unto them that said and did not in which generation he is how can he teach and direct towards true Religion being he denies the Corner Stone the first Principle of Religion which is the Foundation which no other can any lay the Light of God which hath enlightened every one that comes into the World which he denies to have enlightened every one Poor people I do pitty your souls God is my witness to see you lie in darkness in ignorance and blindness and in deadness under your dead Hireling and under his dead traditional Preaching your wisdom reason and dark minds
a blind Ministry which leadeth not unto God but keeps in Darkness ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth And in thy Page ninteenth Thou hast put forth a Question which is How shall we know this transformed Angel of Light c To which I answer Where he rules he is not known nor discerned for the god of the World hath blinded the eye which should make him manifest and this is true in thee who art led by him and perceivest it not and art doing his work and understandest not but the brightness of the coming of the Son of Man in the Children of the Father hath discovered him in the World and in thee and though thou woulst fain put him among the Quakers yet he is found in thy own house thou endeavourest to prove thy Accusation by vain consequence and false conclusions but our Assertion is proved by the Spirit of God and stands upon thy head and shall be witnessed by the Light in thy own Conscience Now something in answer to thy Arguments and false Conclusion And thy first Argument is That the Light of the Quakers will not admit of nor endure the Trial therefore the Light of the Quakers is the light of Satan c. Answ. Thy proposition and ground of thy Argument is a Lye and so thy conclusion is to no purpose for we deny not a Trial but exhort People thereunto that they search the Scripture to see whether these things be not so and are tried by the Scriptures in Doctrine and Conversation and proved to be simple thereby to be in the Truth as it is in Jesus and are testified of in Scripture by the Holy men of God who are unto us a Cloud of Witnesses in our Faith and Life and Sufferings and Tryals c. Friend thou hast fained a Lye upon us and hast confuted thy own Lye this is an easie way to prove us Deceivers if it would stand in trial neither is thy proof That wâ do deny tryal any wit to this purpose as I. N. against F. Harris Page the tenth which thou quotest let the honest hearted read but subtilly hast thou wrested the words to bring thy false Conclusion and Lye about to take place among the ignorant People Thy Lye is condemned and thy refuge is taken away and thou art left naked for the Destroyer Thy second Argument is The Light of the Quakers putteth out the Light of Nature therefore their Light is the light of Satan c. Thou sayest by the Light of Nature thou meanest the inward Law which God set up in the heart of all mankind chââking many sins against God and man c. Answ What blind confusion is this which is uttered from thy dark mind no whit savory but stuff hardly worth stirring in and quite contradiction to thy own words Page fifteen where thou chargest us with directing to the Light in the Conscience which thou callest Natural but we call it Spiritual and this is it which cheeks the sins against God which thou sayest our Light puts out and that we preach any thing for Light which puts out this light which is the work of the Law of God written in the heart this Argument is also a Lye and so thy conclusion is made void likewise but that the Knowledge and Wisdom and Prudency of the natural man which is corrupted must be put out this we own and the Quakers Light which is the Light of Christ shall confound the Wisdom of the World and be no transgression against God nor from a light of Satan but of Christ and the proof of thy Argument is as thou sayest Wâ deny honour to all Superiours and seemest to be greatly offended with the word Thou quoting many Scriptures against it but let the wise in heart judge thee herein none of all these Scripture will prove that ever any of the Saints gave flattering Titles unto men or spoke You to a particular Person which thou art to prove or else thou sayest nothing that the word Thou to Superiours is any denying of honour due unto them and herein thy conclusion is also false being the foundation of thy Argument is a Lye and thy Argument made up of confusion saying That Light is Natural which is the inward Law set up in the heart checking the sins against God and man this is one Lye also saying That our Light puts out the Light This is another Lye Friend if Lyes would prove us Deceivers thou wouldst accomplish it How easie a thing it is for thee to confute thy own Lyes when thou hast made them Thy third Argument is Such is the Quakers Light viz. which teacheth men to forsake the Scriptures setting up a spirit in man which shall not be examined by the Scriptures therefore it is the light of Satan c. Answ. The first part of thy Argument is a very Lye and also the last as thou hast laid it down our Light teacheth not men to forsake the Scriptures but into the fulfilling of them to walk in the Life of them and it teacheth to exalt the Spirit of God in man above all things and in its fruits and opperation may be examined by the Scriptures but it self is the Searcher of all things even of the deep things of God and this is not the Light of Satan but of Christ which teacheth men into the fulfilling of the Scriptures and to exalt the Spirit in man which gave forth the Scriptures which is the trial of all spirits and whatsoever conclusion be gathered for an Argument whereof a Lye is the foundation as of this the conclusion must needs be vain and a Lye like its foundation And in thy proof of the major position thou sayest The Scriptures are left by God to be your Light and Rule c. And the Scriptures say Christ is the Light the Way the Truth and the Life and so the Rule and so thou hast set up the Scriptures above Christ and by thy lying spirit crosseth the Scriptures but thou art accustomed to Lye and so art expert therein And thou sayest Christ bids you seââcâ the Scriptures Iohn 5. 39. It is true he bids the Pharisees who had not Christ Word abiding in them and who had not heard God's Voice nor seen his Shape but persecuted Christ them he bad search the Scriptures and justly hast thou thrâââ in thy self among the Pharisees and so art an Enemy to Christ according to thy own confession And for the proof of the minor position thou hast not at at ãâã proved by any way of the Books quoted thy proposition That the Quakers Ligââ teacheth men to forsake the Scriptures c. Let the wise in heart judge And thou sayst But to speak truly The Quakers make nothing of Scriptures c. This is the very falsness and of thy lying tongue and no truth in it and a Question here I ask Whether he be the more guilty of forsaking Scriptures which live the Life thereof
the Word And though they press people to Perfection and do say Men ãâã be pââ¦ect upon Earth and compleat in Christ Iesus This Doctrine also is according to the Scriptures for you may read 1 Cor. chap. 2 6. of ãâã that were perfect who were men upon Earth and the Ministâââ of Christ spoke Wisdom among them that were already perfect And Col. 2. 10. the Apostle saith unto the Church who were men in this Life upon Earth he saith to them Ye are Compleat in him And though they press the people to live without sin and do say They that are born of God do not commit sin This also is according to the Scripture for it is Christ's Command Mat. 5. Be perfect as yââr Faââer in Heaven is perfect And 1 Iohn 3. there it is spoken of some that were the Sons of God already and he saith Whosoever is born of God âoth not commit sin for he cannot sin because he is born of God and saith ãâã As he is Christ so are we in this present World And now all people may understand that in all these Doctrines which they do hold forth they do fully agree with the Scriptures and they beââââ¦ness to the Truth of their Doctrines that the Servants of God and the Apostles of Christ did preach the very same things for Doctrine aââ¦done at this day and so these Doctrines are not to be wondred at not so much as they are by the wicked to be cryed against for ãâã and error and these few particulars onely I have mentioned at which the people of this Age the most stumble at and all other things whatsoever which is held forth for Doctrines unto people I am able to prove them by the Scriptures that in all things they are according to the Scripture and not different or contrary to the Scriptures so ãâã all people may take notice and see that whatsoever they do practice for Religion or hold forth for Doctrine they do herein justly according to the Scriptures and they justifie their Practices and Doctrines in these things mention'd and in whatsoever else can be objected by any man And this I shall take in hand to prove before all the World That the People of God called Quakers do practice nothing for Religion or preach for Doctrine but what is perfectly according to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and in the fulfilling of them and so they are proved to be of that True Christian Religion which is according to the Scriptures and so may fully claim Protection and Preservation in their Practice of Religion And this is to be consider'd by the Protector and all Magistrates and People in these Nations that they may know what the true Christian Religion is and who is in it and who is not in it and for this purpose is this written for the satisfaction of all people that they may see who it is that hath a Right and Priviledge to be protected and upholden by vertue of the Oath Likewise all may understand That what such practice and profess for Religion is not without good Ground but that the very same things were practized by them that were of the true Christian Religion and preached for Doctrine by them that were Saints which is now practiz'd and held forth by the People of God and the Scriptures do fully bear witness in all things shewing that such are guided by the same Spirit which the Saints were guided by in Ages past and as they had so have these the Testimony That they are of God and that the whole World lies in Wickedness And as concerning their being persecuted by many of the Rulers Priests and People though they be sent to Prison and banished out of Towns and whipped and beaten and scorned and reviled this is also according to the Scriptures and the Scripture is fulfilled upon them for the same things were done to the Apostles and to the Servants of the Lord as you may read through the Acts the people mocked the Apostles and slandered them and said they were full of new Wine and the chief Priests conspired against Christ and the Apostles and incensed the Magistrates against them and the Magistrates put Christ and many of the Apostles in Prison and caused them to be whipped and beaten and to be banished and many other cruelties done unto them the Scripture is full to prove this from the beginning to the end of it and Christ said They shall persecute you and speak all manner of evil of you for my Name sake and as they have done unto me so shall they do ãâã you ye shall be hated of Nations And the Apostle said All that will give godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution So that all people may see though the people of the Lord be persecuted and reviled and imprisoned and cruelty done unto them and though it be done by the chief Magistrates and chief Rulers and the wise men of this Age all this is according to the Scriptures and that the Scriptures might be fulfilled and the same things which are now done unto the people of God were done unto the people of God in Ages past by the same Instruments to wit the Rulers and Magistrates and by the same means to wit by the information and false accusations of the chief Priests and Teachers in Ieremiah you may read how the Priests sought to take away his Life and you may read how the chief Priests consulted against Christ and how they complain'd to the Magistrates against him and the Apostles and the same things are now come to pass and we do not strange at it for they are the chief Priests of England that do most seek the Persecution and cause the People of God to be persecuted by their complaining and petitioning to the Magistrates so that in all these things not only what is practised and preached for Doctrine but also in what is suffered is perfectly according to the Scriptures and all people that are not blind may see that this Religion is in all things agreeable with the Scriptures both in what they do and in what they suffer so that this is given forth for the good Information of the Protector and all Magistrates that they may hear the Tryal of all things and may not falsly conjecture or suppose and thereupon give Judgement without any true Knowledge let them search the Scriptures and try I hope the worst of men have so much Conscience that they will stand in owe of the Breach of their own Oaths and that they will perform unto the Lord and unto all men what they have firmly and not compell'd sworn to do and thus it may be hoped the wâ⦠Persecution will cease which is lamentable to be declar'd how the People of the Lord have suffer'd in many things even them whose Religion is proved to be according to the Scriptures who practice nothing for Religion neither hold forth any thing for Doctrine but that which is
I say would not many Sects ere this day have prevailed one against another had not the Powers of the Earth stopped and limitted whom they would and given liberty to set up whom they would But now the Light of the Day is arisen and hath appeared and the Lord is making a Way to establish his own Religion by his own Power and he is gathering his Seed who shall wax stronger and stronger and shall prevail through all Opposition through all false Sects and false Worships of the Earth and they shall wax weaker and weaker and shall never be established in Righteousness but they and the Power that upholds them shall be broken together and this will the Lord bring to pass in his Day And thus I have shewed you what true Religion is and how it cannot be established and how it may be and what the Authority of earthly Rulers is and how far it extends and do shew that true Religion cannot be settled thereby but by the Lord alone it must and that it is the Work of Christ's Ministry and not of earthly Power by violent Laws to establish Religion And this is a testimony from the Lord God of Heaven and Earth to ye Rulers and Parliaments that make Laws and minister Laws meddle not with Religion to establish one Sect or Sects and to limit and throw down others but fear the Lord God and wait for his Wisdom and remember that that hath been a Rock whereupon many before you have been split and brought into confusion even when they have gone about to limit or stop or establish Religion how have they been confounded and never had success from the Lord to such endeavors for the Lord hath never shewed countenance for many Generations to such as have attempted to make men religious by outward Laws and to settle Nations therein by outward Laws Wherefore now be wise ye Rulers and kiss the Son for the Wrath of the Lord is already kindled and he will break in pieces and dash Babylon's Children against the Stones and confound the great Whore the false Church and all false Sects her Daughters who have been brought forth and set up in Nations ever since the Woman the true Church hath been fled into the Wilderness and the Beast hath carried the Whore born her and upheld her and she hath journeyed through Nations upon the Beast and the Beast hath defended her if any man hath an Ear let him hear and this is a Visitation to ye Rulers and to all that make Laws and minister Laws By a Friend to Righteous Men. E. B. Satan's Design DEFEATED In a Short Answer to a Manuscript sent by a Priest out of Sussex to a Member of this present Parliament full of railing Accusations whereby he hath secretly smitten the Innocent by a secret desiring the Persecution of the People of God But herein his Folly and Madness doth appear that while he hath accused others falsly himself is found guilty of the same thing With Invitations of Love to the present Authority that they may save themselves from being the Executioners of the Priests malice least the Lord destroy them A Certain Paper being come to my hand which is said to be written by one Priest Iackson and sent to a Member of Parliament containing divers Particulars charged as Errors upon the dispised People called Quakers wherein he saith he hath set down some of their Tenents which they maintain unto which Manuscript I am moved to write something in answer as to clear the Truth from his foul Aspertions which he casts upon it to the intent that the said Member of Parliament and the whole House may be better satisfied and resolved wherein they doubt of every Particular that the Truth may appear when as the foul Vail of the Darkness and Slanders is removed That the Holy Scriptures are not the Word of God nor the Saints Rule of Faith and Life neither is it the duty of every one to search them Answ. The Holy Scriptures that were given forth by the Spirit of the Lord as holy men of God were moved they are the Words of God and a Declaration and a Treatise Luke 1. 1. and that which the Saints had handled and tasted of the Word of Life that they declared forth in Words and Writings Acts 1. 1. and the Scriptures as they were given forth by the Spirit of God are a true Declaration of what is to be believed and practised in relation to eternal Salvation It is a true Testimony concerning God and his mighty Works and of Truth and Righteousness and it is a Testimony also of the Devil and what he is and of his Deceits and Errors and Uârighteousness so the Scriptures are Words given forth by the Spirit but Christ is the Word that was before the Scriptures were for in the begining was the Word of God and the World was made by it and the Word shall endure for ever and Christ's Name is called the Word of God And though the Scriptures are profitable and were given forth to be read and to be fulfilled yet they are not the Rule and Guide of Faith and Life unto the Saints but the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures that is the Rule and Guide the Teacher and Leader into all Truth and them that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God and if you walk in the Spirit saith the Apostle you shall live and as many as walk acording to this to wit of the Spirit Peace is upon them and so the Spirit of God is the Rule of the Saints Faith and Life and the Spirit leads them to walk in the fulfilling of the Scriptures and according to them And as for all the Priests in England who do profess the Scriptures to be their Rule out of their own Mouthes will God judge them who are found walking contrary to the Scriptures in Life and Doctrine and Practises while they cry it up for their Rule and condemn all that will not say as they âay And the last part of this Proposition is utterly false for we never do assert that it is not the duty of every one to search them but we bid every one search the Scriptures and every one ought to search them but yet we say that none understands them but who have the Spirit that gave them forth nor none can profit thereby but by the Spirit that gave them forth which works the same Truth in the Heart which the Scriptures without declare of and this I do affirm they are the Words of God and the Spirit of God is the Rule of Faith and Life to the Saints and all men ought to search the Scriptures and to believe what is therein written and to receive and enjoy Christ who is the Substance and the End of all Things the first and last the beginning and ending and in him the Scriptures are fulfilled and finished They do deny the Doctrine of the Trinity and that Christ
is God and Man in one Person Answ. As for the word Trinity it is invented and he hath learnt it out of the Mass-Book or Common-Prayer-Book but we own the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ that Christ is God and the Spirit is God and there are three that bear record the Father Son and Spirit and these are one but God and the Spirit are not Persons but Infinite Beeings and the Scripture no where in true Translations expresseth God under the Name Person for Person is too Carnal to express God and Christ and the Spirit by but God was in Christ reconciling the World and this we believe and acknowledge according to the Scriptures but for this word Doctrine of the Trinity the Scriptures know no such word but the Truth we own and the Gospel and the Scriptures too They hold that Iesus Christ died onely signally or examplarily and that we are justified by the Suffering of Christ in us and to be healed by his Stripes is to be stripped off or from Sin Answ. Jesus Christ died and rose again and ascended according to the Scriptures this we do believe And Christ was and is the Substance the end of all Signs and Examples yet was he an Example to the Saints and the Apostle exhorted to walk as they had Christ for an example and while he was in the World he did and spoke and acted many things as Parables Signs and Examples the substance of which is to be received in the Saints and known by them through the Spirit and we believe Saints are justified by Christ and through Faith in him which was and is and is to come who is blessed for ever and none are justified by his Death and Suffering and Blood without them but who witness Christ within them for all are Reprobates and to be condemned and cannot be justified that have not Christ in them as thou mayest read Except Christ be in you you are Reprobates and all that believe in Christ and receive him they are healed through his Sufferings and Stripes for he sanctifies them and gives them Remission of Sin and justifies them and in him the Saints are compleat and the New-man the Regenerate is justified and the old-man is in the Degeneration and knows not Christ in him and hath not received him but onely heard of him without him and believes the Relation but this faith doth not justifie for all the false Christians upon Earth have this faith but that Faith alone justifies which gives to receive Christ and him to live in us and to dwell in us by that Faith They utterly renounce the Doctrine of Iustification by the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ or by the obedience he performed or Sufferings he sustained or underwent in his own Person without us Answ. This is partly true and partly a Lye we do indeed renounce the profession of Justification by the Imputation of Christ or his Righteousness performed without men by men while they are in the degenerated estate and unconverted and unreconciled and unborn again for by such profession of Justification many deceive their Souls but yet we say that Righteousness is imputed to us and reckoned unto us who believe in Christ and have received him even the Obedience and Sufferings that he performed without us is ours who have received him within us and witnesseth Christ in us and therefore we are not Reprobates yet we do acknowledge he wrought perfect Righteousness by Obedience and Sufferings without us and that Righteousness is ours by Faith which Faith hath received Christ to dwell in us and he and his Righteousness his Obedience and Sufferings we enjoy in us in Spirit if any can receive it let them for that he wrought Righteousness this is acknowledged but who have a part in this Righteousness that is disputable They wholly renounce the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation and it is one of the great Reasons for which they decry the Ministers because they assert it they say Jacob and Esau are in a man and the good Seed is Jacob which God electeth and the bad Seed is Esau which he reprobates Answ. The Doctrine of Election and Reprobation we do own according to the Scriptures and therefore hast thou belied us and slandered us and art found reproveable and would incense mens minds against us for advantage to thy self but to some in that House we are better known then thou canst report of us and yet thou sayest we say that Iacob and Esau are in a man and the good Seed God electetâ and the bad he reprobates and thou mayest here see thy confusion and thy ignorance uttered in the self same Lines for thou sayest we renounce the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation and yet sayest we say the good Seed God electetâ and the bad Seed he reprobateth and this shews what spirit thou art of and how that the spirit of unrighteousness doth possess thee and leads thee to speak without understanding and we further say man being degenerated became reprobated and cast out and all by nature are Children of Wrath and the Children of Wrath are all in the reprobate State and none are elected but who are elected in Christ the Seed of David and so in the first Adam all are reprobated and all that are in the second Adam are elected and the Election and Reprobation stands not in the Persons but in the Seeds and yet the Persons are blessed or cursed in the love or in the displeasure of God according as the Seed of God or the seed of the Serpent lives and dwells and bears rule in the Persons and we do indeed decry and deny you the professed Ministers upon many accounts more then one and we have already and may in time to come shew sufficient Reasons against you both in Doctrine and Practise and other wayes that you are not the Ministers of Christ but the Ministers of Satan generally That Iesus Christ as he is the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of Abraham is in every one and that a measure or part of the Substance that was conceived in the Womb of the Virgin Mary is in every one Answ. Jesus Christ he is the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of Abrahâ⦠according to the Flesh and after the Spirit the Son of the Living God and this Christ that was and is and is to come who was dead but is alive and lives for evermore the alone Saviour of the World he hath given a measure of Light and Life unto every man and there is a Light from him that shines in the heart of all men shining in Darkness the Light shines but the Darkness comprehends it not and this was Iohn's Testimony and is our Testimony That Christ enlightneth every man or all Man-kind that cometh into the World for in him was Life and the Life was the Light of men as the Scripture saith and the Apostle preached the Light that shined in peoples
upon me many dayes I passed to Dunkirk And that which I found upon me chiefly was to visit and warn the Papists the Iesuits and Fryars and that Company of Idolaters and to sound the Mighty Day of the Lord among them and to proclaim it in the Pope's Borders and to warn them of the Day that is at hand upon them by the Word of the Lord and to sound forth among them the Everlasting Gospel of Truth and against all their Idolatrous Wayes Worships and Practices which I have often felt the weight and burden of before ever I saw outwardly what their Wayes or Practices are which when I saw their Idolatrous Practices and Worships and heard their Doctrines and what they profess I found it to be according to what I had seen and felt in the Light that trieth all things And about the sixth day of the third Moneth 1659. I with Samuel Fisher who was moved to go with me shipped from Dover and came into Dunkirk the next day and being Strangers upon Earth as the Generation of the Righteous Seed ever was we waited in the Will of the Lord to be guided by his Wisdom what to do and how to be guided to act and speak to his Glory So the next Morning the Town Mayor came to us in the Street and required an account of our coming and our Names and from whence we came to which we gave him sober Answers and a reasonable Account And that day it much spread over the Town of our being come thither which wrought no small Cogitations in the Hearts of many as what our Business was and wherefore we were come so that the Deputy Governour Colonel Alsop with the Council of Officers sent for us that Night the chief Governour not being in Town so we went to them who did kindly intreat us and examine us concerning our coming thither and what our Business was there and such like to which we gave them Answers and staid with them in Discourse some Hours and the Deputy Governour much pleaded to us the Danger of our staying in the Town and feared the Division that might grow amongst them through us and withal much desired us to depart the Town supposing as he said the great Danger that might incur unto the Garrison through our stay But our Answer was in much plainness If he desired us we could not receive any such Desire and if he commanded us we could not obey his Command in that case neither could we depart the Town but in the Will of God according to which Will we came thither and having many words and much reasoning with them that Night we parted from them And the next Morning I was moved to write this Letter following and to give them all a sober Account of our coming and what our Work is in this World wheresoever we come which Letter was delivered to them and read by many of them but to it we received no Answer according as the latter part did require as may be seen Dunkirk the eleaventh of the third moneth English account 1659. To the Deputy Governor and the Officers of the English Army in Dunkirk these FRiends we the Servants of the Lord are Lovers of all your Souls and wisheth well unto you in the Lord that Truth and Peace and Righteousness may be among you and in your Hearts and we are Travellers in the Labour of the Gospel of Christ Jesus for the Elect Seed âake having received the glad Tydings of Life and Eternal Salvation into our Hearts through the Revelation of Christ in us who is our Hope of Glory and the Lord hath manifested greatly his Power amongst us and revealed the Riches of his Grace in our Souls to our own everlasting satisfaction and peace with God and also he hath made us Ministers of his Grace and of his Word to many others to the turning of many from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power to God and of him we are called and ordained by his Spirit into this his Work to preach the everlasting Gospel to the Nations and to war against Antichrist the Whore and false Prophets who came up since the dayes of the Apostles and have reigned over all the World for many Generations and this is our work in the World to fight the Lamb's Battel with his Spiritual Weapons and Armour and to follow him whithersoever he goeth and to give up our âelves in his Service to do or suffer for him whatsoever he calleth us unto and in this hitherto hath the Power and mighty Presence of the Lord God been with us and is with us unto this day and great is his Name amongst us his People and to be praised for evermore And of this hath God given us the sure Witness in our selves even the Testimony of his good Spirit which bears us witness in our own Consciences that these things are true whether men believe or reject our Testimony for we are not Ministers of Man nor by man's will neither do we stand to man's Judgement to be approved or disapproved thereby but to the Witness and Testimony of God's Spirit in every Conscience we do commend our selves where ever any of us do come in the simplicity of Truth in the demonstration of the Spirit and not by words of Man's Wisdom and in the Day of the Lord shall we be justified herein by him and by his Witness in all mens Consciences and in the mean time we do suffer all things patiently and in the meek and quiet Spirit of the Lord And as for us two in particular who are now come into the Town of Dunkirk as we have in some part declared unto you already and so here I again say unto you not being ashamed nor unwilling to give you an account of our coming for we came to be made manifest openly in the sight of all men in our Doctrines Principles and Practises which are of and from the Lord and fully agreeing in all things with the Scriptures of Truth which were given forth by the Spirit of Truth as the holy Men of God were moved and as we have said to you we still testifie we were moved of God and by his Spirit to come unto this Place in love to the Souls of People and it is the Lord God that hath sent us and not Man and whether you believe us herein or do reject us the Testimony of God is sure and remains with us and for the Truth hereof we are not afraid to do and suffer but can do and suffer in the strength of Christ whatsoever is put upon us though chiefly our coming was so far as the Lord shewed us in relation to these Popish Idolaters to discourse with their Iesuites Friars and Priests and to discover to them the Errors óf their Wayes and the falsness of their Worships and to testifie unto them in the Fear and Power of the Lord concerning their Church that it is not a true Church of Christ but a false
The Scripture was the Foundation of Foundations but when he heard this he ran away and fled like a Hireling and would not stay and I was and am ready in the Presence of God and any sober men to prove this to be false Doctrine and of the Devil and him to be no Minister of Christ who holds it forth And all you sober minded men may be ashamed of him who managed his work with so much wickedness and impudency while he staid and when it came to the very trial then he run away and would not stand though I desired him hereby did his guilt appear is flying the tryal and this is the substance of the Business though not every particular word and I have gathered it up to send you and him that when you see it and consider and read what you have done you may be ashamed of him and of your own unreasonableness And further He is already proved and may be more largely hereafter to be one that God never sent both by Conversation and Doctrine and no Minister of Jesus Christ and not only in the House but when we were come forth such was your Violence to the stopping of us when we were pasting and had not the Mayor prevented it our Suffering from some of you had been more then it was let the Fear of God strike you and let his Light search Wicked and Ungodly Hearts and repent of your doings and cease to do Evil and turn from your Deceiver if you love your own Souls and learn the Way of Righteousness and Peace which you have not yet known for in the broad way you are and the end of it will be unto your everlasting Destruction And to you this is a Warning and a Visitation from the Lord by a Lover of your Souls who is true though by you called and counted a Deceiver and this in Love to your Souls is sent unto you E. B. Here also followeth certain Queries to Christopher Fowler the same time to which he never yet could give any Sober Answer therefore I here insert them that he may yet give his Answer Christopher Fowler SEeing thou art a man so irrational and so unsober to speak and fairly to debate things in Discourse and thy Auditory so rude and inhumane in Behaviour and words therefore to thee these few Queries I propound to try thee whether thou wilt shew the spirit of a Man by writing more then by speaking seeing therein I have tryed thee to be more like a Wild Inhumaine Creature than a Sober and Upright Christian. Seeing the Scripture saith the Word of God was in the Beginning and the World was framed by it and it shall endure forever hence I query of thee I. Whether the Scriptures be the very Word of God yea or nay Seeing the Scriptures were not in the Beginning neither was the World framed by them neither can they endure forever hence I query of thee II. Whether the very Word of God be Scripture yea or nay Seeing it is confessed that which is written of and declared of in the Scriptures is the Word of God and the Truth which shall endure forever hence Iquery of thee III. Whether the Scriptures the Writings and the Thing or Subject declared and written of are not two distinct things so as one may have the one and not the other yea ãâã nay Seeing God and his Word Will and Mind is Eternal Infinite and Endless hence I query of thee if thou hast an Understanding answer IV. Whether God his Word Will and Mind is or can be contained or holden in Scriptures and Writings or but only part of the Declaration of him of his Word Will and Mind yea or nay Seeing such were false Prophets which preached for Hire and divined for Money and sought for Gain from their Quarter hence I query of thee V. Whether by this Rule art not thou proved a false Prophet who preachest for Hire and takest Hire for Preaching and hast a Quarter reading of some part of it from which thou seekest Gain answer in Plainness Seeing every Tree is known by its Fruit as Christ saith hence I query VI. Whether by this rule thou that bringst forth the same fruits as the false Prophets did viz. Lies Lightness Pride Covetousness and false accusing art not the same Tree viz. a false Prophet Seeing they were false Prophets who ran and were not sent and did not profit them the people at all but clothed themselves with the Wool and prepared War against them that put not into their Mouths c. hence I query of thee VII Whether by this rule thou art not proved a False Prophet who canst not prove that thou art sent of God neither are the people profitted by thee but are rude and wanton and wicked and thou preparest war against them that put not into thy mouth by suing them at law for Tithes c Seeing Scorning Lying Slandering Envy Hatred Lightness c. with much more of which thou art guilty are the fruits of the flesh and of the Divel hence I query of thee VIII Whether by this rule art thou not proved to be no Minister of Christ but of the Devil and a Servant to him and a Liver to the Flesh and not in the Spirit in whom these Fruits of Darkness and of the Flesh are abounding Seeing the Scripture saith the Word of God was in the beginning and Christ Jesus is the Foundation and no other can be laid hence I query of thee IX Whether by this rule thou art not proved a Deceiver and thy Doctrine false and Error and contrary to Scripture who said the Scriptures are the Word of God which were not in the Beginning and said that the Scriptures which are not Christ are the Foundation of Foundations and whether this Doctrine of thine doth not deny Christ and so art proved to be Antichrist answer according to Truth Seeing thou confessest thou hast Hire for Preaching yet sayst thou preachest not for Hire hence I query of thee X. Whether any of the People of Reading would give thee so much a Year if thou didst not preach to them and if no then whether they do not give thee so much and thou receive it because thou Preachest unto them or did they give thee so much before thou preachest or will they give thee any when thou dost cease to preach to them try them when thou wilt and prove thy self a true Prophet by Preaching some years and receiving nothing and till then I charge thee to be a false Prophet Seeing the Ministry which Christ Jesus sent by the Apostles did bring people that they needed no man to teach them but as the anointing within them hence I query of thee XI Whether by this rule thy Ministry is proved not to be of Christ Iesus nor thou sent of him by which none can come to this condition that they need no man to teach them produce any one if thou canst and so a Ministry of Anti-christ
especially in this day wherein there are so many Ways and Professions of Church-Ministry and Worship and yet all professing the Scriptures are their Rule of Faith Worship and Practice and seeing that all Sects do profess Proof from Scripture for what they hold forth what Ground have the people to believe you more than others or others more than you for where people receive Doctrine or Religion by Report from others without the Evidence of the Spirit of God in their own Hearts this is not receiving of the Truth unto Eternal Life wherefore I exhort your Congregations That every one amongst them may wait upon the Lord to have a feeling and discerning in their own hearts and that each one may be led and taught oâ the Spirit of God which leads into all Truth that they may deny all false Ministers and false Worships and may worship God in Spirit and Truth though the ministration of his own Spirit in their Hearts and Consciences and thereby will they discern between Truth and Error and will love the one and hate the other Thirdly You exhort That they keep themselves unspotted from the prevailing Corruptions of these back-sliding Times c. Answ. Concerning the Times many are ignorant but this is certain at the present Time wherein we are is the Lord disquieting of men and its the latter dayes of Antichist's Raign and Government that hath been in full Power and Authority for many Generations and Babylon that great City her Ruin is threatned because of her Abominations that have been many and great for the whole Earth hath been corrupted as it s written and now the Call of the Lord is That every man come out of Babylon and deliver himself that he may not partake of their Plagues and happy are they that are made clean unspotted from their Sins that they may not be found covered with her Garments for the Day of the Lord is come and coming upon Babylon and all Back-sliders from God and his Wayes Now Babylon is that great City which hath ruled over the Kings of the Earth and in her hath the Blood of Souls and of all just Men been found Fourthly You exhort To endeavour a Healing of those sad Breaches and Divisions which have been amongst you c. Answ. Now the sad Breaches and Divisions which are indeed at present in this Nation cannot be healed but as the Cause and Ground thereof be removed which is the Sins of Rulers Teachers and People and this is the Cause wherefore the Lord hath brought Distraction amongst them Oh what Ambition and Self-seeking hath been among the Rulers What judging for Gifts and Rewards What neglect of Mercy and Judgment amongst them And oh how have they oppressed the Poor and trodden down the needy and because hereof is the Righteous God vexed And oh what Covetousness and Greediness of Gain âre the Teachers guilty of How do they Preach for Hire and Divine for Money How have they unreasonably caused men to be imprisoned and their Goods to be spoiled for Wages and Tythes and Hire Oh how hath Covetousness and Idolatry and Superstition abounded amongst the Teachers in this Nation Oh abominable have been their Sins their Oppressions and Self-seekings and because of these things hath the Lord brought Distractions amongst People and the Sins of Rulers and People cry for Vengeance from the Lord and till these Iniquities be removed by Repentance and forsaken the Fruit and Effect thereof shall never cease but Breach upon Breach will the Lord make till the Rulers and Priests repent them of their Iniquities God's Hand will be upon them both in Judgment and for their sakes that divine for Money and preach for Hire and judge for Rewards will the Lord make the Nation as Heaps and as a Ploughed Field Therefore let all people Repent of their Iniquities and return to the Light of Christ in their own Consciences and become Followers of the Lamb and this is the perfect Way of healing of all Breaches inwardly and outwardly Fifthly You exhort To be diligent in the Spiritual and Conscientious Performances of Family-Duties c. Answ. Men must first be awakened and enlivened unto God before they can act for God in Holy Duties and as for Duties performed in pretence unto God traditionally and without the Teachings of the Spirit of God is but Idolatry and the Nation is weary of such a Religion which they have received and held traditionally for thereby the Soul Immortal cannot be nourished unto Eternal Life and while you teach Duties towards God by that Rule while you teach Praying Singing Repeating Catechizing by Tradition and Immitation without the Leadings of the Spirit of Christ in them you do but teach Idolatry as long hath been taught in the Christian Nations the doing and performing such and such things as Christian-Duties and Practices and the Forcing and Compelling of doing such things upon People in the unregenerate state and unconverted nature this Religion and such Performances of Duties have been of Babylon and of Antichrist and a Cheat upon Peoples Souls whereby many have been murdered and slain in that great City and the Form of Godliness without the Power hath been practiced while Duties have been performed unto God without the Teachings of the Spirit of God and such their Consciences are blinded and the Lord abhors their Sacrifices And people must first come to feel the Word of God in their Hearts to regenerate them before they can perform any acceptable thing to God and therefore do not teach People to be Hypocrites do not teach them such and such Performances in the corrupt Nature without the Teachings of the Spirit of God in their own particulars for if you do you make them but two fold more the Children of the Devil and such Duties performed in that nature shall not cover nor hide from the Wrath of the Lord which is coming upon all Hypocrites Sixthly You exhort That they would cause their Children and Servants to submit to Catechizings and train them up in the reverence of Godly Ministry c. Answ. It may be enquired into what you mean by cause them to submit how cause them by Force and Imposition upon their Consciences by outward external personal Punishments or Threats Is this your Meaning Will you set up Religion by Violence And must Children and Servants be compell'd by Restraint and Force This is not the right Way to promote Religion and the Worship of God nor to make Children and Servants truly Religious it was the Beast that received power from the Dragon that caused all to worship both Small and Great Children and Servants and this causing to worship was in the time of the Apostacy when the true Church was fled into the Wilderness and all the time ever since have Nations been caused and compelled to such and such performances and practices of Religion and Worship and such causing I am jealous your Meaning is whereby you would force and compel such manner
or to persecute any for their Conscience and the exercise thereof towards God And now I come to the Accusation it self which is this in substance That the Quakers are Enemies unto and have sought to root out the true Protestant Religion The words are these calling upon the King to honour the Lord which saith he is done by establishing and preserving the true Protestant Religion which of late years hath been in great danger to be rooted out by Anabaptists Quakers and Atheists page 6. line 1 2 3. of his Book Answ. In answer to this divers things are considerable as to the manner of his Charge against us That this Accuser hath proceeded in the same manner and by the same spirit as the Iews Scribes and Pâââisââs and chief Priestâ proceeded against Christ Jesus for they numbred him with Transgressors as it is written and crucified him between two Thieves that they might add to his Afflictions and bring him under the greater reproach to Ages after and thus this Accuâââ hath done in numbring the Innocent People of God called Quakers with and among Transgressors even that he may the more add to their Reproach and have his Accusation heard before the King even that it might be received for truth as if the Quakers were no better then Atheists that deny God for for this end this Accuser in these Terms vilified us and made us equal in this account to the Atheists and thus numbered us with Transgressors and Sinners and that unto the King and for this end no doubt that we might be destroyed and cut off and crucified with such as deny the Lord God Oh how unjustly and unmercifully hath this our Accuser proceeded in thus dealing towards us let the King and all People consider 2. As for such as are Atheists who deny there is a God or who deny the true God that is and who live after the desires of their own lusts saying Let us eat and drink for to morrow we must die and there is no pleasure in the Grave nor state of happiness or misery after this Life such we do deny and have no Affinity Amity Union nor Fellowship with them nor they with us and this is well known through the whole Nation and fully believed in Bristol and I am perswaded in the very Conscience of this our Accuser he knows we are not such as deny God nor have any fellowship with such therefore how hainous is this man's Crime both to God and Men who hath abused the whole Nation with his Slanders and endeavoured to mis-use the King's Ears with false Informations and hath perverted his own Conscience in speaking contrary to it and hath vexed the Lord by his Lyes and all in this his numbring of us in Accusation with the Atheists as if we were one with them and no better then they 3. As for the Anabaptists so called the other Party with whom we are accounted and numbred in the Accuser's charge It is well known what difference there is between us and them and how that we have been opposite one to the other in Controversie about spiritual things and also in matters of Judgement about Government and fighting with carnal Weapons c. and they have dealt sometime with us and proceeded towards us too hardly and maliciously as some of themselves know in accusing us to the Powers of the Nation as this man hath done But I shall at this time say no farther of them then this There may be a sincerity and uprightness amongst them in many of them more then is in this our Accuser though there is no small measure of Error in Judgement in them as concerning many Doctrines and Practises held by them and it s not my work now to accuse them neither to reward them evil for their evil but only on this occasion I am forced to clear the truth for the better information of all and I do wish well to them and even that they may confess to the justness of God's Judgment in what hath befallen them in this the day of their reproof who have been too ambitious and hard-hearted towards others that have not been of their Way and Sect and now the Lord deals justly with them in bowing them under others and in defacing their glory which was of man and not of God But to the case in hand I return and say How unrighteous still doth appear the manner of this our Adversary's Charge for whatsoever the Anabaptists or any others may hold or do though I at this time shall neither justifie nor yet condemn all what they profess and practise cannot we be charged guilty of except it first be lawfully proved that we holâ and practise the same things And as for us who are scornfully called Quakers which Title was given unto us of derision and nick-naming I cannot in this place say much of us lest I should be said to justifie our selves which I seek not to do because it is the Lord that justifies us neither do I love much to be heard in our own Cause when it is onely our own nor do I seek praise of men for us nor of men to be ââ¦ed yet this I may say on Gods account and in his cause and not of our ãâã we are the people of the Lord whom he hath called and chosen and ãâã and though hated of men yet it is for the Lords sake and not for any ãâã amongst men that can be chaâged upon us And we are Worshippers of ãâã ââue God in spirit and in truth and we are of God and they that are of ãâã are not against us but with us and as for any Doctrine or Practise in ãâã Religion held forth by us they are according to the Scriptures of Truth ãâã I assert and can prove if need require in opposition to any that shall ââây it for we are not of a new Religion as if we worshipped strange godds though by the ignorance of men we are so reputed but are of the same Spirit ãâã in the same way of truth and we walk in the same light and life even as tââ Apostles and Churches of Jesus Christ were of and walked in in the days ãâã old and this I am ready to make proof of if so it come to pass even beââââ the King and the whole Nation and do further declare That whatsoeâââ Church-Government Ministry Doctrine and Ordinances Faith and âââship and whatsoever Religion in whomsoever that is not according to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament but differing from and coâârary to that Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures I do for my self and on the behalf of all them that are one with me utterly renounce and âây and freely give witness against notwithstanding upon whatsoever foundation such Church-Government Ministry Doctrine Faith and Worship be builded if not upon Jesus Christ as the alone Foundation and according to the Scriptures and proveable thereby they are Antichristian and the Lord will confound
which he would bring upon others Again The Accuser chargeth us That we would neither have King Magistrate ãâã Ministers but of our selves c. Answ. 1. I have before mentioned what kind of Rulers and Government we would have even such as are just men and men of Truth and Righteousness and that hate Covetousness and every evil Way and such are of us even such we would have to reign as are approved of God who would be a praise to them that do well and a terrour to Evil-doers and that would only rule and reign for the Lord exercising and executing his Righteous Laws by the Spirit of God and such will be blessed in their Authority 2. And till such only rule and bear the Sword of Justice in the Earth we do know Peace and Happiness can never be in the Kingdoms of the World but divisions and confusions will arise and be brought forth for it is the only blessedness of a Government in any Nation when the Authority it self is just âad according to God and when such as bear the execution thereof are just Kings Righteous Magistrates and Ministers of Justice that will judge for God and not for man and we seek not the Place of Government in this World nor do we intrude our selves into such Places though this we say while that spirit reigns and rule in the Nations of the Earth which is not of God but contrary to us Peace and Happiness in good Government amongst men through the World can never be though we are truly subject to whatsoever Authority is set over us by doing or suffering Then the Accuser speaks of teaching the Wayes of Righteousness and saith according to this the Quakers have gone through Ireland and he speaks of God's Wrath following for hardness of Heart and this saith he is just like the Quakers Doctrines now Answ. That the Quakers scornfully so called have gone through Ireland and through many other Nations of the Word to teach and preach Truth and Righteousness this is true and without occasion of an evil Charge against them for so doing and the Lord hath prospered us and been with us to the turning of many from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God and we have Testimony in the Consciences of many for the truth of our Doctrines and Practices and this is not Error nor Heresie to proclaim the Wrath of God because of the hardness of Peoples Hearts for that is the Portion of all hard-hearted men and we are not ashamed of this Doctrine for it is according to the Scriptures of Truth and but that this Accuser is given up to blindness of mind he would never have mentioned these things against us nor used our Names in reproach in this matter And lastly whereas he saith some of the Quakers say they are Jews and are not but are of the Synagogue of Satan and thou chargest Iames Naylor with ââying that he was Christ and that one should say George Fox was Iohn Baptist and such false Prophets and Prophesies we have heard too much of c. Answ. 1 That they say they are Iews and are not are such as have a Name to live but are dead who say and do not but we are not such so this his Charge is false and wicked and of the Synagogue of Satan he doth manifest himself to be by his accusing of the Brethren And as for Iââ¦s Naylor he never said he was Christ through this hath been cast as a foul Reproach upon him by others yet it never was proved against him lawfully noâ any thing tending thereunto saving that he said Christ was in him as ãâã iâ in every Member of his Body according to measure And as for the story of George Fox there are many such lying stories that have gone abroad in these Nations in opposition to the Truth of God made manifest but over all these things Truth âath gotten the victory and the Lord's Work must prosper in the Earth and all Lyârs must be confounded and have their Portion in the Lake And this iâ our Portion from the World as Christ said They shall speak all manner of evil against you falsly for my Name sake but great shall be your Reward in Heaven And this is for a Testimony against them that our Enemies are of the Devil and for a Testimony to us that we are of God And thus I have returned our Defence before you against his several Lyes and Slanders and it s left to the Witness of God in your Consciences to be Judge in this Case between us and him and if you be cloathed with the Spirit of moderation and meekness and will judge according to Equity I doubt not but the Cause is clear against our Adversary who wrongfully and to a wicked and evil intent hath hatched Mischief against us and brought it forth before you and we desire nothing of Revenge towards him for his evil work but do leave him to be rewarded of the Lord who will justly give him and all men according to their Deeds And now I have a few Considerations to present unto you three in particular as such in that capacity who bear rule in this Land 1. Consider how that you are set in Place and Authority and ought to judge and govern for God alone and to be a Terror to all Evil-doers and a Praise to all that do well and the living God requireth of you To do Iustice Truth and Righteousness in the Land to hear the cry of the Widow and Fatherless and to judge uprightly the Cause of the Poor without respect to your own self-ends and ye ought to be meek and humble men in your Places of Care and Trust which iâ committed unto you and take heed that your hearts be not lifted up in the honour of high Places and so Iudgment Mercy and Truth be neglected and Oppressions and Cruelties be brought forth 2. Consider that if ye do Iustice and Righteousness and walk humbly with the Lord and exercise Mercy and Truth in the Land and hear the Cry of the Poor and deliver the Afflicted then the Lord can make you a Blessing to your selves and to the People But if you be proud and exalted and ambitious and vain-glorious and exercise Cruelty and Oppression and tread down the Poor and vex the Needy and grieve the Lord God by your Iniquities then God will cast you down and lay your honour in the Dust and make you a Curse and a Reproach and your Names and Memorial shall be a stink and the justice of the Lord's Hand shall effect it 3. Consider that ye are Men and not God and your strength flesh and not spirit and there is a God greater than all who is above all who can suddenly in a moment save his People and destroy his Enemies and he can break you down and never raise you up he can turn his Hand upon you and all man-kind as the Potter doth with his Clay even tread
am confident That the King hath better Experience of us than to believe these our Malicious Accusars And I do appeal to him from the knowledge which he hath already of us that he believes we are Innocent and not guilty of those things thus unjustly charged upon us and I question not but he will rightly understand that these Accusations are more out of Hatred and Envy against us than out of desire to benefit the King by such Presentation 2. I do testifie unto the King and before the whole World That we do profess and believe concerning the Father Son and Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Blessed Gospel and the Holy Scriptures I say we do believe and make prefession in Truth and Righteousness concerning all these things and by our Doctrines and Instructions do perswade all people to believe and not seduce any from these Truths of the Gospel and this is known through these Kingdoms concerning us though we stand now accused falsly concerning these Matters before the King But as for the Scriptures being the Rule of Life we say The Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures is the Rule of Life Faith unto the Saints and leads not contrary but according unto the Scriptures in the Belief and Practice of whatsoever the Scripture saith And if these Petitioners did make the Scriptures the Rule of their Lives and Practices for the denyal of which they here accuse us they would not have cut off Ears Banished and put to Death for the Cause of Conscience which is contrary to the Scriptures and proceeded from another spirit than that which gave forth the Scriptures 3. Concerning Government our Principles and Practices are well known to many and partly to the King We are not Enemies unto Government it self as these our Accusers do charge us but it is our Principle and hath ever been and is our Practice to be subject to whatsoever Government is set up over us either by doing or suffering and neither to vilifie nor rebel against any Government or Governours by any Malicious Plots or Contrivances but to walk in Meekness and Humility towards all being subject for Conscience sake as I have said either by doing or suffering and I doubt not but the KING is sufficiently informed hereof and believeth this Testimony 4. As for our Doctrines tending to subvert both Church and State this is also a false Accusation and Slander for our Doctrines are to convert and not to subvert even to convert to God and Truth and Righteousness that men should live in these things and forsake all that which is contrary and this Effect our Doctrines have wrought in the World as the Testimony of many Consciences shall bear witness Oh let the King consider of our Defence as well as of our Enemy's Charge who have thought it not enough to Whip most cruelly Banish cut Ears and put to Death the Innocent but must still accuse them âalsly and seek to cover themselves by fawning and flattering Addresses unto the King like as if they had done no Evil whenas the God or Heaven is Witness to whom we can appeal That our Brethren suffered the Tortures of shameful Death in New-England through their unjust Laws and Sentences as Saints and Servants of the Living God for the Name of Christ Jesus and for his Truth which they held until Death and not for Evil-doing And the Executioners of these inhumane Cruelties seem so far from Repentance for their Evil doing that they rather justifie themselves in what they have done and cease not to smite and wound and reproach the Innocent and that before the King and that after they have Martyred them Again These Petitioners say After all other means for a long time used in vain we were at last constrained for our own safety say they to pass a Sentence of Banishment against them upon Pain of Death such was their Dangerous Impetuous and Desperate Turbulency to Religion and to the State Civil and Ecclesiâstical as that ãâã unwilling soever could it have been avoided the Magistrate at least in Conscience both to God and man judged himself called for the Defence of all to keep the Passage with the Point of the Sword held towards them this could do no harm say they to them that would be warned thereby their willing rushing themselves thereupon was their own act and we with all humility conceive a Crime bringing their Blood upon their own Heads By way of Answer to this let it be considered 1. What Means was for a long time used before they put them to Death is shameful to mention Was it not by the means of Cruel Whippings Banishment Imprisonment Cutting off Ears and taking their Goods by Violence It s true by this Means the Petitioners dealt with the Quakers and never by any Christian like Means for the very first of our Friends that ever came among them they made them Prisoners ere they came on shore and inhumanely dealt with them and Banished them and this was the first and fairest Means that ever was used by them which are not Gospel-Means nor the Way by which the Church of New-England ought to have proceeded Had our Friends been in Error and such as they say of them it had been their Duty to have gained them by Love by Mercy and by Long-suffering these are the Weapons of the Spirit of God which ought to be us'd towards them that are in Error in order to the converting of them from the Error but contrary to this the Magistrates and Church-Members of New-England took Cain's Weapons and dealt Cruelly and not like Christians nor like sober Men towards the Innocent but their thus proceeding was in vain as themselves acknowledge for notwithstanding the Gospel of Christ grew and encreased and many were converted to the Faith of Christ Jesus throughout New-England 2. Let it be considered what their dangerous and desperate Turbulency was to States Civil and Ecclesiastical Did ever these poor People whom they condemned and put to shameful death lift up a Hand against them or appear in any Turbulent Gesture towards them Were they ever found with any Carnal Weapon about them or What was their Crime saving that they warned Sinners to Repent and the Ungodly to turn from his way We appeal to the God of Heaven on their behalf whom they have Martyred for the Name of Christ That they had no other Offence to charge upon them saving their Conversations Doctrines and Practices as Saints of the Most High God and this is witness'd by many of their Neighbours though themselves have hardened their Hearts against the Reproof of God's Witness And we certainly believe it was their Malice and Envy that constrained them to pass Sentence of Death upon them and not the Equity of either just Law of God or man for they deserved not the merit of Death such was the Innocency of their Cause And they are no more safe by the taking away the Lives of our
though some may profess good Conscience and cry for Liberty thereof in their false Sect and Religion not taught them by the Spirit of Christ yet the Civil Magistrate ought not to punish and use Violence to such for their Religion but if they do they persecute and the Lord will lay it to their charge But yet this is safe for all first to obtain true Liberty of Conscience to God-wards and to receive the Spirit of Christ to be taught only by it in the Exercise of Conscience and Religion that they may not err in Conscience and Judgment in spiritual Matters nor suffer Wrongfully under pretence of Righteousness sake whenas it is not truly so CHAP IV. Concerning the Diversity of Iudgments in Religion TO all ye that are of divers Judgments and Opinions in and concerning Spiritual Matters who are divided about Faith Doctrine Worship and Church Government some of you holding one thing some another different and contrary to that being diversly divided in mind and heart concerning the matters that are one in themselves to which you all assent as to the things in themselves and yet are different contrary minded about the self-same things To you all I am moved to write that so ye may be informed perfectly First What the Cause is of your Divisions and why it is thus amongst you And Secondly Of the bad Effects and Fruits such Divisions have brought forth And Lastly The Meant and Way of Reconciliation that ye may come into Love and Peace and Unity with God and one with another in all things pertaining to his Kingdom First The Cause of your Divisions and of the Diversities of Judgments and Opinions that are amongst you concerning the Things and Matters of God's Kingdom is Because you want the Spirit of God to guide you and it is not the Rule of your Knowledge and Iudgment and you wanting the Spirit of God in which is Unity among Saints therefore is it you are so divided and divers and different and contrary one to another in these things it is because ye want the Spirit of God I say which only teacheth the true Knowledge of God and gives an Understanding in all his Wayes and Matters It is the Spirit of God that teacheth true Faith true Doctrine and true Worship and all things about Church Ministry and Religion and if that you had the Spirit of God in you and were taught and guided by it it would teach you into one Faith and one Truth and into the true Worship and into the true Church-Government and you would be in Unity and Peace And if you all had the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures and by which Spirit the Saints of God were guided in dayes past it would teach you into Unity and to be of one Mind one Heart and one Soul in all the Matters pertaining to God's Kingdom in Faith Worship Doctrine and all things else If you had the Spirit of God I say and were taught by it then you would have Unity with God and one with another in all his Wayes and there would have been no Division nor Contention amongst you about spiritual Matters but because you want that therefore you have Strife and Division amongst you even throughout all Christendom Here 's a Nation and a Kingdom holding such a Faith and Worship and there 's another People holding Faith and Worship contrary to that and here 's one Sect of People and there 's another different in Faith Judgment and Opinion and this is a Shame to whole Christendom That all should profess Christ Iesus and Faith in him and Salvation by him and his Doctrine and Worship and yet be in strife division and in great contentions concerning the same some holding and practizing one manner of Faith Worship and Doctrine and others holding contrary and different and this shews that ye are all fallen from the Life of Christianity as it was held in the Apostles dayes amongst the true Churches for they were of one heart mind soul and spirit as it is written they were of one Faith of one Worship of one Doctrine and had one way of Church-Government and this continued amongst the Churches of Christ till there were some that had Erred from the Spirit of God in their own Consciences and then they also Erred in Faith in Doctrine and in all other things relating to God and these were the Apostate Christians that had erred from the Spirit and divided themselves from the true Church and differed in Judgment amongst themselves and this was because they had erred from the Spirit of God which would have kept them in Unity with God and one with another for the Spirit is the Bond of Peace and the Seal of the Covenant of Love amongst the Saints So now All ye who are divided in your Knowledge and Iudgement and are in contention one with another about the matters pertaining to God's Kingdom you are the apostate Christians and you are without the Spirit of Christ The first apostate Christians erred from the Spirit and so became divided from the true Faith and from the true Worship and also among themselves and you never yet received the Spirit of Christ that you might come into Unity and Fellowship with God and one with another and that is the Reason of all your Divisions in Religious matters because you have not received the Spirit of Christ to teach you and to unite your Hearts to God and one to another but you having the Scriptures traditionally by discent through Ages which do describe and declare of that Faith and Doctrine and of the Worship and Church-Government which were among the Saints of old which they held and practised and from the Scriptures which declare of the things from thence you take up a Conceit and false Judgment and an Imitation and a false Conformity and then each sort of you call that your Faith and Church-Government and some after one manner of form and some after another and thus you are divided because you want the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures which Spirit did work true Faith in the hearts of them that gave them forth in dayes of old and it taught them Worship Faith Doctrine and all things concerning Gods Kingdom for the Spirit led them into all Truth and now you wanting the same Spirit that wrought in them and taught them and you having but their words to wit the Scriptures from thence in the Wisdom which is below and in the carnal Reason and in the first mans understanding each Nation takes up a conceit that it is so and so and takes up an Imitation of Worship and Church-Government according to their own sensual wisdom and according to the breadth and depth of their Conceits and then imitates and that severally and diversly and in a divided manner and this is amongst Kingdoms and amongst Neighbours and Brethren this Division in matters of Faith Worship and Doctrine and Church-Government
Scriptures but rather such as inflict Sufferings upon us And for any of our Principles and Doctrines that we hold we deserve no punishment nor persecution because hereof for we testify before God Angels and Men That we hold and maintain no principles of Religion nor practice of Worship nor Doctrines of Gospel but what are according to Scriptures of Truth And we are ready to be tryed and proved in that case and to bring the matter to Issue in fair proceedings with any man that shall object the contrary And thus the Judgment of Scriptures are for us as we suppose at least and if we are in Errour either by denying any thing on the one hand or affirming any thing on the other we have not been hitherto well Proceeded against in order to our Conviction Secondly We are accused as for a great Crime and Imprisoned because we meet together in the Name and Power of Iesus Christ to wait upon him and to Worship him in Spirit and Truth in Prayer to God and Exhortations one to another to Righteousness and Holiness But what Iudgment doth the Law and Gospel and holy Scriptures give and our Neighbours also between us in this Case Le ts come all to their Barr and receive Iust Sentence Plea First The Judgment of God's Law Christ's Gospel and holy Scriptures are not against our meeting together but on the contrary do command us and Exhort us with promises of blessings to meet together in the Worship of God and to wait upon him And it was the practice of the primitive Christians to assemble themselves together in that form and manner as we do at this day to wit in a private manner and separate from the multitude and all the Iews Synagogues as in Acts 1. 17. The Saints and Disciples both Men and Women to the number of one hundred and twenty which were far more then five went into an upper Chamber being a private place and no publique Synagogue and their waited upon the Lord in Prayer and Supplication according as we do at this day Thus the Scriptures justify the way and manner of our Meetings and condemns them not Again in Acts 20. 8. the Saints and Disciples were gathered together in an upper Chamber and Paul Preached unto them until mid-night Here was a private Meeting far above the number of five and out of any Publick Synagogues and Christ Iesus said Where two or three are met together in my Name there I am in the midct of them And He and his Disciples often met together in private places apart from the Jews publick Worships sometimes in a Ship and sometimes in Desarts and on the Mountains and in particular Houses and Preached and Prayed this the Scriptures Prove And also in Heb. 10. 25. we are expresly commanded not to neglect the Assembling of our selves together but to exhort one another and so much the more as the day approached By all which Scriptures with many more that might be quoted it is Evident to all the World That our meeting together for the Worship of God in that form and manner as Practised by us is according to the Law of God the Gospel of Christ Jesus and the holy Scriptures And all these give Just Judgment for us and Justify us and therefore consequently condemn such as do violence to us for this practise of Meeting together for the Worship of God And thus though we are Accused and Imprisoned as Evil doers yet such our practise of meeting is manifestly according to the Law of God Gospel of Christ Scriptures Example of Saints and President of primitive Christians all which give Judgment for us Secondly What Judgment do our Neighbours give in this Case they say concerning our Meetings That they have known us to meet together in such manner for diverse years in their Towns and Villages and never knew nor understood of any harm or danger herein nor ever were any way prejudiced either in their Persons or Estates by our meetings The very witness of God in all our Neighbours do Testify and give Iudgment that our Meetings have alwayes been peaceable and quiet and that we come together in peace and good order and parted in the same and no person hath been harmed by such our Meetings enquire of the Nighbourhood and they will tell you they believe in their Consciences our Meetings are for good and have good effects and are not evil nor brings forth any evil to any And as for the manner of our Meeting and and sitting together it 's orderly and decently and of good report among men and for any Doctrine that ever was there held or heard by any none can truly accuse it to be either Error or Heresie or Sedition but on the contrary they know it witnesseth against all Sin and Iniquity and tends to the turning of people from Ungodliness and Unrighteousness to Truth and Holiness And many can tell this is effected by our Doctrine Preached in our Meetings and our Neighbours can witness that we part again in Peace and Good order and in convenient time and they can shew you they are not terrified nor the peace of the Land disturbed on our part by our Meetings which are in God's fear and to the Glory of his Name which all sober men know are according to the Law of God and Gospel and primitive Christians Example And thus our Neighbours give Judgment for us and in their Consciences do not Justify them that Imprison us for this matter of meeting together which Gods Law Gospel Scriptures and our Neighbours do thus clearly justifie Thirdly We are Accused as guilty of a heinous Crime and Imprisoned Because we refuse to Swear at all or take any Oath in any Case Plea First The Judgment of the Law of the New Testament of God and Gospel of Christ and Scriptures in this case is clear on our behalf As in the express Command of Christ in his Law and Scriptures Recorded Mat. 5. where he saith Swear not at all by Heaven nor Earth nor by Ierusalem nor by the Head but let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is more comes of Evil. And again Iam. 5. the Apostle commandeth the Saints in these words Above all things my Brethren Swear not by Heaven nor Earth nor any other Oath And many holy Martyrs since the Apostles dayes did deny all Swearing Thus you see the Judgment of Christ Jesus and of the Gospel and of the Apostle and of Scriptures are so far from Condemning of us to Imprisonment and Banishment for our refusing to Swear that we are Commanded and Exhorted by them not to Swear at all and therefore consequently justify us in our refusing to Swear and thus give not Judgment for such as do Imprison and Persecute us for not Swearing Come to the Judgment of Christ his Gospel and holy Scriptures Let you and us appear together be fore their Judgment Seat whether they give judgment against us that deny all Swearing or
his being removed was in Judgment from the Lord against his Persecutors who desired and sought his Destruction and what they have done against him hath greatly added to the fulfilling of their Iniquities That the Blood of the Righteous which cries for Vengeance may be avenged to the utmost upon them who would not suffer the Righteous to have a Beeing amongst men nor lay to heart their being taken away from the Evil to come And they who in a byast or prejudiced spirit of Enmity are listed up because of his Decease they were not worthy of him nor of his Testimony and they have cause to Mourn and Lament amongst those that have pierced the Just and slighted and despised the Messengers of Truth and Righteousneds whom God hath therein Honoured and God will debase such and their vainglory unto the Dust and exalt the Testimony and Life of his faithful Witnesses over all their Heads But we who have been well acquainted with the deep suffering of the Righteous Seed and with the worth of true Unity in the weighty Body and Spirit of Christ and therein do behold the Glory and Compleatness of the City of our God which is at Peace within it self cannot but prize the Ministers of Righteousness and every Member of the same Body and oh how blessed and precious is the Memorial of the Righteous in our eyes and how deeply is my Soul affected with that comfortable Communion and those many and living Refreshments that we have enjoyed one with another even with him and others who have finished their Course Well however in this I am satisfied That though we be left in Travel and our Dayes have been Dayes of Affliction and Suffering for Christ and the Gospel's sake as in the World yet in him whom the Prince of this World hath nothing in we have Peace being come into Communion with the Spirits of Just Men who are the Family of God written in Heaven and called by one Name both in Heaven and Earth and the God of Life is their Portion and his Glory is the Rereward of his Called and Chosen and Faithful Ones who have dealt their Bread to the Hungry and brought the Poor to their House even to the Habitation of the Righteous where the Living Bread is received and the Heavenly Mansions lived in and enjoyed by all who abide in the Truth and retain their first Love and Habitation therein in which True Fellowship is enjoyed and the Prosperity of the Elect Seed known Blessed be the Name of our God forever and ever London the 12th day of the 1st Moneth 1663. George Whitehead JOSIAH COALE HIS TESTIMONY Concerning The Servant of the Lord and Minister of Jesus Christ Edward Burroughs FRiends a necessity is upon me and I am even constrained and pressed in my spirit to bring in and give my Testimony concerning my beloved Brother before mentioned that it may remain and stand upon record for Ages and Generations to come And this first I say and declare unto all people unto whom this shall come That he was a man endued with the Almighty Power of God which lived and reigned in him and the Treasury of pure divine heavenly Wisdom was opened in him c. and understanding in the things that relate unto God's Kingdom of Peace and Righteousness and in the things that concern the Everlasting peace and well-being of all mankind was plentifully manifested unto him by the good Spirit of God which I may say he had received in a plentifull Measure And this many can testifie unto and his own Writings which remain upon record will in a large Measure manifest the truth thereof And this Spirit dwelt plentifully in him so that thereby he was able to instruct many in the Way of Life Peace and true Holiness and if any were afflicted in spirit or mind by reason of the Wiles of the Enemy of their Souls or if they met with any difficulty in their journey as they passed from Death to Life he was a man able through the large experience that he had of the dealings of the Lord and also of the Wiles of Satan having followed the Lamb in the Regeneration to administer a word in season to their refreshment and comfort and for their establishment in the most precious holy Faith and this I know the Witness of God in thousands must and shall testifie unto who are the Seal of his Ministry And moreover he was a man that was able through the Wisdom and blessed Gift of God that was in him to convince and stop the mouths of all Gain-sayers of the Truth which he with us professed and lived in And it is well known to many that he was never backward but alwayes ready and willing to appear in a way of publick conference as in vindication of and against any that should oppose the blessed Truth of God which he held and professed and also to manifest the Grounds and Reasons wherefore we deny and dissent from the National Priests of the World and their traditional Ways of Worship and the hypocritical Professors thereof who have not the Life and Substance of what they profess in words And these things it is well known unto many he was oft exercised in and he did not go about in Corners nor creep into dark Places hiddenly nor secretly but preached the Truth of God and Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ boldly and openly even upon the House-top and his valour for God's Truth on Earth was well known unto many and his voice was as the found or ratling of the Charriots of God's Host upon the tops of the Mountains and was oft uttered sorth in the Name of the Lord even like Thunder and the Voice of the Son of God was uttered forth through him by which the Dead was raised the Witnesses are now alive let them bring in their Testimony that the truth hereof may be confirmed His Doctrine dropped as the Oyl of joy upon the spirits of the Mourners in Sion His life extended it self as a sweet Stream into the hearts of the Children of Light that thirsted after Righteousness He was one of the Cloud of Witnesses that dropped down the Dew upon the tender Plants of God He pleaded the Cause of the innocent suffering Seed and earnestly contended with the Powers of the Earth of all sorts in the behalf and for the freedom of the suffering people of God He fore-prophesied unto them that were in Authority in the dayes past of their destruction and of their overthrow because of their deceitfulness to God and their false and cruel treacherous and merciless dealings towards his people who had made many fair Promises both to God and Man in the time of their adversity That they would grant free Liberty of Conscience in things relating to the Worship of God and that Oppression should be removed and the like but in the time of their prosperity when they were waxen fat and grown great and lived at ease and in Pleasures
Heathen and under the barren dry and empty Ministry of Man which stands in the will of man and have proceeded out of the carnal inventions and imaginations of fallen man and is not according to God nor to the practice of the Saints in former Ages and Generations To you all do I clear my conscience in the presence of God by declaring to you in writing being that I cannot have freedom through the subtilty of the Serpent who doth work alwayes to prevent the living Truth to be declared and the deceits of himself to be discovered and made manifest to declare in word among you I have been sent by the Lord moved of him to come and to declare to you the Word of the Lord to the directing of your minds where to wait to attain the true Knowledge of the Lord and to that one Thing needful the Eternal welfare of your souls and to lay open the deceits of the Serpent who doth work in the cursed deceitful Ministry which is upheld by you whereby your souls are kept in the death and only your dark minds fed and nourished by the painted and Serpent-like expressions and declarations coming out of the carnal wisdom and brain knowledge of your Hireling who walks in the way of the false Prophets of Israel which the true Prophet called greedy dumb Dogs four several times hath the Lord by his Eternal Spirit working in me moved me to come into the Congregation and Assembly he himself is the Witness that I came not of man nor by the will of man but contrary to the will and desires of man wherein stands the true Ministry of God now as it was ever the true Prophets Ieremiah and Ionah witnessed the same and the Apostle Paul and as it is known to you unto whom I speak that I could not have liberty to declare to you the Truth from God who came not to you with entising words neither what I had gathered out of Scripture from without me neither to speak my own imaginations and conceivings as your false Hireling doth but to declare the Word of the Lord to the convincing your dark understandings that you might see the deceits by which you are and have been led that your souls might have been redeemed up to God out of the imagined worships of the World to worship in Spirit and in Truth Hear ye the Word of the Lord ye people all your carnal traditional Ordinances and Observances is abomination to the Lord all your praying and praising is odious in his sight for all your worship is an imitation and an imagination of the dark mind of man and was never commanded by God therefore consider all ye people what you are doing and reject not the Lord nor his Everlasting Truth but prize your time and now seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon his name while he is near Your souls are kept in the death under your dead Minister and under his dead Doctrines dead Reasons Points and Uses which he speakes from the Saints conditions and experiences but is an enemy to the substance and to them in whom the same conditions are made manifest in the power of Truth and he doth make manifest himself to be in the same generation of them who had the form of Godliness but denies the Power having the Letter as the Pharisees had but persecuting the substance as they did All people consider whether he be not in the generation professing God and Truth in Word as the Scribes and Pharisees were but persecuting the Son of God who is the Substance of Truth where he is born and made manifest he is in the generation of them who professed Abraham's freedom and that God was their Father but were of their father the Devil for his workes they did they said and did not as he doth as it is made manifest he is a whited Wall a painted Sepulcher which Christ the Son of God cryed wo against who was and is the Light by which all Deceivers Hirelings and false Teachers are discovered and cryed out against The Light which is Christ do I witness to be made manifest in me from God the Father of Light daily leading me up to him to live in Purity and Uprightness praises be to him for ever in which Light I see your Teacher to be a Hireling a greedy dumb Dog seeking for his gain from his Quarter one that God never sent but hath run and was not sent therefore doth he not profit you at all and from this Light which is Christ do I declare against him as knowing him that he hath not the Word of the Lord but the Letter Freely do I declare against him as knowing him to be a Deceiver and an Antichrist being once I was deceived by him but now through the rich Love of my Father who hath made himself known to me hath shined by his Eternal Light in my heart do I see him and all such to be Antichrist and no Minister of Christ from the mouth of the Lord I do declare it that you are led blindly by him your blind Guide and you are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Living Truth by his Ministry He layes heavy burdens upon you He is in the generation of them who had the Law and Prophets but persecuted him who came to fulfil the Law and who hath the substance of the Prophets He hath the Conditions and Experiences of the Saints in the Letter but who are brought to witness the same Conditions and the same strait Way in which they walked He is an enemy to all people to you from God I do declare it he is one that God never sent to speak his Word to you he calls good evil and evil good and puts Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light and therefore wo is his Portion and wo is the Portion of all that upholds him What will ye do in the end thereof He doth bewitch you to observe That calling is an Ordinance of God which he never commanded Poor people your souls lies in the death under the power of darkness and corruption under your dead Minister and under his dead carnal Observances and your dark Minds your Wit and Reason is only fed and so the enemies of the Lord are strengthned by him and you remain in ignorance and in blindness and cannot attain the true Riches for Christ only is the Way to the Father the Light in every man which leads to the Father but this Light he denies as having enlightened every one that comes into the World as several times he hath done to me in Argument Here he makes Christ a Lyar and doth not know the first Principle of Religion nor the Light which leads unto God but is a Heathen and knows not God for this is the Light which all the Servants of God in all Generations witnessed and which Light we do now
your fruits it made manifest leaning in the imaginations and not in the counsel of the Lord and in lying swearing drunkenness covetousness and oppression and according to the course of this world these iniquities are ruling among People Priests and Rulers in this Nation from the least of them even to the greatest every one is given too covetousness from the Prophet even to the Priest every one deals falsely All your Hirelings and greedy dumb Dogs I do deny and all who are of God denies all such and are taught of God in the ways of God which ever the world derided All thy Teachers O England is denied of them who are taught of God and whose Teacher is the Anointing needs not any man to teach them And by thy Teachers who are in the way of the Pharisees art thou blindly led in the ways of darkness and ignorance and all thy carnal worship which is in every part of thee upheld which is to Read Sing and Preach upon the Saints Conditions which were witnesses of God All this I do deny and freely declare against as from the mouth of the Lord to be no worship of God but imagination and an imitation of the Worship of God And the living eternal God of Heaven and Earth is but mocked by you in your imagined worship for your reading of anothers condition and singing of that which you live not in and preaching that which is gathered from without by imagination and conceiving upon that which the Prophet Prophesied or which Christ spoke who was and is the Substance and which the Apostles witnessed this is carnal and heathenish and was never commanded by the Lord nor is no worship of the true God and against this worship I do from the Lord declare as in the eternal Light of God seeing it to be deceitful and abomination to the Lord being I am Redeemed up to God by his eternal Spirit and to worship in Spirit and in Truth and not limitted to a day place or time neither at Ierusalem nor in this Mount c. and am freed and redeemed out of this fallen mans invention and tradition which is but Cains sacrifice which God doth not accept but is abomination in his sight praised be the Lord for evermore And O England I do declare against all these thy Teachers and against this all thy Worship as from the mouth of tbe Lord as moved of the Lord to speak this word unto thee Thou hast spent thy money this many Generations for that which is not bread and thy labour for that which doth not satisfie thee all thy imagined formal Worships and carnal Traditions and Ordinances of man is the Lord risen in his Servants to declare against And the same Light which ever made manifest deceitful Worships and the deceitful Hirelings and them that cryed Peace peace to the people when the Lord spake no peace is now risen and speaketh in thy ears O Nation the same everlasting Light which the true Prophets lived in who cryed against them that sought for their gain from their quarter and that cryed against the horrible filthy thing which is upheld in thee O England this same Light is made manifest in the despised People called Quakers in this North part of the Nation O People your Teachers have beguiled you and have taught for the Fleece and fed themselves with the fat but your souls are hungred by them for they are in the Generation of them that said and did not they love the Wages of unrighteousness and follows the error of Balaam for Reward and have devoured souls for dishonest Gain but the only true God is arising to beat the Mountains to dust and to cleave the Rocks assunder In thee O Land will the Lord manifest his Power and will stretch forth his Arm for the deliverance of his Chosen and for the Redemption of his two Witnesses which have layn slain in the great City in this Land which they that dwell upon the Earth have rejoyced over and made merry and triumphed in their slaughter the Lord is arising to require his Flock at the hands of the Idols-shepherds O ye Idol dumb Shepherds the Lord will be avenged upon you for you have scattered the sheep of his pasture and have fed your selves with them the Lord of Hosts is grieved with you and have shaken his hands at your dishonest Gain and ye shall no longer wear Garments to deceive ye have long deceived the simple by your lyes and by your lightness but now you are discovered and made manifest in the eternal Light of God and the mystery of witchcraft is not hid now from the Saints Therefore O England hear the Word of the Lord Thy Prophets are light and treacherous Persons thy Judges judges for Reward and thy Priests preach for Hire and thy Officers imprisons the Just and thy Rulers are evening Wolves which seeks for the Prey and the Lord of Heaven and Earth is grieved with these things therefore O Land tremble at the presence of the Lord God of Iacob for Esau shall become a place for Dragons and shall be dis-inhabited in the day of mourning and lamentation is coming upon thee for that which the Lord hath not planted will he pluck up and every corrupt Tree shall be cast into the fire All thy corrupt Judges and Officers and Rulers will the Lord cut off utterly from the face of the Earth and will restore to his People Judges as at the first and Councellers as at the beginning the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Therefore O Land prepare to meet the Lord thy God by true repentance by putting off the works of darkness thy Pride and thy Oppression O Nation is seen by the Lord and the cry of the Oppressed through thy pride and tyranny is heard in the ears of the Lord of Sabbath and he will avenge the cause of the poor and needy that is Oppressed by Priests in their Tythes by Lawyers in their Fees and by Officers in their unrighteous dealing and the Seed of Abraham shall go free and Israel shall no longer be subject to Pharaoh nor to his Tax-masters O England in the North part of thee is the Light of God arisen which shines clearly and which discovers the abomination of thy Teachers and of thy Worship and we are bold to declare against them and against all thy corrupt Officers Judges and Rulers and this Light shall shine through the Nation and shall be spread over Kingdoms and the fire is to be kindled which the Lord hath promised which shall burn as an Oven and the proud and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble This fire shall proceed out of the mouth of the two Witnesses as it did before they were slain and shall devour the enemies of the Lord the Sword of the Lord is drawn in thee O Nation and put into the hands of them which is hated and despised by the Rulers Officers which is scornfully called Quakers but they
who saith in your hearts you are the onely people but your lying hearts deceives you and you are found naked and without a covering All ye that desire after the way of the Lord of all sorts of people who are simple and honest hearted whether prophane or professor you have a day of visitation from the Lord yet stretched forth unto you Come ye unto the Lord and forsake all your lovers lay aside your evil hearts which hath led you aside from the way of salvation and now learn the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom and mind the one thing needful which is of great prize even the salvation of your souls press after and come out of the broad way of perdition wherein the world goes on to destruction and enter into the strait-way where the unclean walks not cease from all the deceitful wayes and worships of the world and love truth and walk in simplicity Cease from all your Idoll Temples for God dwells not in them but his Saints are his Temples wherein he dwells and walks cease from all your Idoll worships and feigned prayers and praises for God is not worshipped in vain traditions as in observing dayes and times and outward things but in Spirit and truth is he worshipped and such he seeks to worship him and a broken spirit and an upright heart is accepted with him Cease from all your Idol Shepherds and Priests of Baal that preaches for hire and divines for money and seeks for their gain from their quarter for they profit not the people at all who are ever learning while they live upon earth and none able to come to the knowledge of the truth therefore cease from man and wait upon the Lord who is now risen to teach his people by his Spirit in his way of truth and righteousness in his peace and purity where his blessing is received from his presence which is with all that fear him Therefore awake awake out of darkness and love not to slumber in the dark night which long hath ruled over you this is the day of your return and of your visitation wherein the Lord would gather you Therefore resist not the love of the Lord wherein he calls you to repentance from dead works to serve him in righteousness but every one turn your minds inward to the Light of Christ Jesus wherewith every one of you is lightned which light is it which convinceth you of sin and lets you see your evil deeds and whom you have served and how you have spent your time the Light shines in darkness and reveals unto you the secret intents of your dark hearts and doth secretly reprove the wicked purposes of your minds with this light in your consciences your sins are written and all that ever you have done is recorded and this light shall be the swift witness and the condemnation of the wicked in the day of the Lord and by it all your works will be brought to remembrance and your sins will be set in order before you to receive judgement by Christ Jesus And here is the free love and gift of God unto you who hath given you a light to guide you in his way if you own it and wait in it it will manifest the judgements of God against sin in you and will condemn sin in your flesh and will reveal the righteousness of God to be your covering if you dwell in the light it is your Teacher and way unto life eternal and if you bring all your deeds to it it will reprove every evil word and work and give you discerning of things that differ it will manifest the secretest deceit of your heart and winding of the Serpent and will be judge thereof till unrighteousness be taken away and a birth brought forth from above and born of another nature and Seed which if you be not born again you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Therefore in the fear of the Lord all consider and search your selves in tender love to all your souls I write You must be judged in the flesh that you may be justified in the Spirit and you must be made poor and emptied of all your knowledge and wisdom that you may be filled and made truly wise So if you believe in Christ Jesus the Light and life of the world your hearts will be cleansed by the word of God which endures for ever and the Covenant of peace will be established with you where sin is no more remembred being condemned so âow you have all time this is to you all a warning as I was moved of the Lord. Repent the dreadfull day is at hand and meet the Lord by confessing and forsaking your sins and prepare the way of the Lord his coming draweth near lest his Judgments come upon you unawares and his Wrath sweep you away in fury and your Nation become more cursed then the rest all your applying of Christ's Righteousness whilst your selves are Sinners is to no purpose for no Hypocrite can enter into Life nor none that work wickedness have Eternal Life abiding in them but are in the death which hath passed over all men and the curse remaineth upon the Disobedient and all in the first nature are Children of wrath Therefore every one wait in the Light that you may be changed and take up the daily Cross of Christ that your own wills affections lusts and desires may be crucified and you may become dead to the World and may live unto God in his Nature and Likeness that your souls may be satisfied therewith and all that hunger and thirst after Righteousness shall be filled with the true Food Therefore wait all you that fear the Lord and meet together in his Counsel and wait for his Law that you may walk therein and lay aside the works of Darkness which are made manifest by the Light and also condemned in all that come to Sion Spend not your time in the vain deceits of the World nor follow noâ the delights thereof for according to your works must you be judged in the day of the Lord. Depart from Iniquity and all the works of the Flesh Pride and Cotousness Lying Swearing and Double-dealing and all the fruits of unrighteousness let them be judged and let the time past be sufficient that you have wrought evil and now return and work Righteousness in God by the Light which all that love works in God And deceive not your selves with a deceitful covering of self-making and self-righteousness professing Scriptures in your carnal minds which was given forth by the Spirit and is not understood but by the same Spirit Whilst the first nature stands alive in you you cannot please God but are in the emnity against him Humble your selves and come down to the Light and search your hearts thereby Wo unto the Lofty and High-minded who will not be instructed but hatââ reproof Wo is unto all Lyars and Swearers and Whoremongers and Vagabonds and prophane Persons
those things by way of sober Questions which we have to propound to you not for any end to our selves nor to set up a Kingdom of our own God is our Witness but that the Way of our God may be made manifest and all deceit and error discovered and all People may be informed the Way to Salvation and as you are true to your God and will answer for him and are willing to be made manifest in your way of Worship and Doctrine and Ministry you are not to neglect but herein to answer our desire and the desires of many hundreds that you and we may be made manifest in the sight of God to all mens Consciences who are in Truth and who are in Error that Shame and Condemnation may come upon the guilty and Truth may be exalted over all Deceit Given under my hand who am a Prisoner for the Testimony of Iesus whose name in the flesh is Edward Burrough Sent forth the 23d of the 12th moneth from the Sergeant at Arms his house in Dublin You are desired to send your Answer of these Propositions to us and if you consent to meet us let sufficient notice be given abroad that the Inhabitants of the City and Country may know five or six dayes time before This was sent to the Priests of Dublin but no answer to this day have we received from them whereby it is manifest that they are not true to their God nor willing to be tryed and made manifest but love Darkness and hate the Light and back-bite in secret and cannot give a Witness openly but fall before the tryal and Truth reigns over them and is exalted over their Deceit A Discovery of the Idol dumb Shepherds in that Nation and a Lamentation over their Starved and Strayed Flocks THe Day of the Lord is approaching and the Day of account draws near upon you the Inhabitants of the Earth the time of your Covenant is expired made with Death and Hell and the Lord God will plead with you and reckon with you and give unto you a just reward every one according to your deeds even the condition of your Bond. Ye Shepherds and Pastors of the flock and Teachers of the people what account will ye render to the Lord in the Day of his appearing Should you not have gathered the Flock and fed them and taught them in the Way of Righteousness and preserved them from straying abroad but instead thereof you have scattered them upon the barren Mountains and have starved them and have strayed them and led them into by-paths of Idolatry and made a Prey upon them and have fed your selves of them and the Heritage of the Lord hath been wasted by you and the Pastures of the Fold eaten up by Wolves and Devouters and Lyons Whelps which made the Flock affraid driving them into secret corners of Darkness Leanness and Poverty where they are dead for want of Food O ye Shepherds your account will be woful and miserable in the dreadful day which is hastening upon you not one Lamb have you brought forth to Perfection to lie down in Peace in the Fold but have nourisht it into the nature of a Doge and a Wolf and you have fed them with Swines-flesh and with the Husk and Milk they have not received from you thereby to grow up unto God in his Image and not one Fleece hath the Lord gathered from all your Flock You Teachers Shepherds and Pastors your debt of wickedness is a gross sum of great abomination in the Record of account you have taught innocent Children into subtle hypocrisie out of Uprightness into Guile you have taught Lyes instead of Truth and thereby have the People been instructed into Error Sects and false Opinions and not one Child have you taught perfect in the Way of the Lord neither one of your Hearers have you presented perfect in Christ Jesus unto the Father but for Gifts and Rewards have you taken the charge of the Hearers and not one hath come to the Knowledge of the Truth by you under your teaching for you have been a cursed Example in Pride in Coveteousness in Oppression and in Hypocrisie And how could you teach Children in the Way of Purity when your selves have walked in the way of Idolatry The langââge of Babylon have you instructed the People and not one verse have you learned in Sions Record you have nurtured them in the nature of whoredom and their Virginity have they lost What will ye do ye Shepherds and Teachers the Arrest of Judgment from the Court of Equity is come forth against you and sealed never to be changed Whether will you flee to hide you Gods Judgments will pursue you and your Reward will be Indignation and Vengeance and your charge will be the devouring and murdering of souls and the Flock will be required of you and every Lamb which carelesly you have starved the blood thereof will be put upon your account and every Child you have taught in the way of iniquity the iniquity thereof will be laid to your charge O Doleful reckoning when the Lord appears a grievous sum are you guilty which you are never able to pay and just he is that calleth you to an account and the truth of his Bill will be sealed with the Light in your own Consciences which is the Lords Witness which hath been privy to all your abominations one year after another have you been spared and interest upon interest will be put upon your score not one day of faithful service and true watching over the Flock can you give testimony of but idle Shepherds have you been and slumbring Watch-men have you proved and the whole Flock have been devoured and scattered and not one Lamb is found in the Fold nor one strayed sheep brought home from wandring but the Fences of the Fold are laid waste and the door is shut up and bolted against him that would enter and you have removed the Pastures out of the pleasant Valleys into the desolate and wilde and untilled Mountains where every wilde Beast playeth and every desolate Bird inhabiteth What will you plead for your selves Oh ye deceitfull Hirelings who have run and were not sent by whom the People are not profited at all But you Leaders of the People have caused them to err in unknown Paths and you have taken the charge of that you were not able to perform you have wasted the the Masters goods and his Children have not been taught the Way of Holiness you have spent his Portion among Harlots and have given your Lord's Money to abominable uses nothing is gathered of your Vines but wilde Grapes and sower Grapes which the Lords Soul loatheth no Figs of your Thorns have been reaped but your best fruit have been of a loathsom taste the most Innocent among you have been found guilty of Innocent Blood of Souls Wo is me for you ye Flocks of these Shepherds Folds alas alas your souls are starved and your feet are
of the Temples in the Chappel and in the Kings Court and his example doth witness to our practises as the example of the Wicked in their wickedness do witness your practice whom you succeed in oppression And also you may read through the Scriptures how the children of God who were called of him were hated and persecuted by the seed of Evil-doers they slew the Prophets and persecuted them that were sent unto them David was a Scorn and a Reproach and a Hissing to his Enemies and Job was mocked of his Friends and counted a Mad-man and many of the Servants of the Lord suffered cruel deaths under the Hands of the Oppressor and they that were Sufferers and were mocked scorned and persecuted are our Example and the Mockers and Persecutors are your example Christ and the Apostles in their time were Sâfferers and you may read how Herod and Pilate and the Officers and chief Priests caused Christ to suffer unjustly by Imprisonments and Scourgings and Sufferings and revilingâ though no evil could be justly laid to his charge and he is our Example in the like things and as they did unto him so you do unto us as being of the same Seed and thââ he âaid And Herod and the cruel Officers and chief Priests are your example of whose seed you are brought forth fulfilling their measure of wickedness and cruelty in this your day and time and oppressing the just with cruel bonds of iniquity And you may read how the Apostles were persecuted through the whole Book of Acts and put out of their Towns and Stoned some unto death and were forbid to speak any more in the Name of Iesus and were thought to be men not worthy to live upon the Earth were called Pestilent Fellows and Movers of Sedition and Turners of the World upside down and these were our example who had left their Callings Countries and Relations and gave themselves to be spent for the Lord's sake and declared against the false ministry which preached for Hire and Gifts and Rewards and against them that had the form of Godliness but not the Power and went into the Idol Temples and declared against them and against their outward traditional worships In these things and many more we follow them as an Example even as you follow the wicked in their cruelty and oppression Nero and Festus and Caesar and such like who were Enemies unto God as you are and brought forth the same works as you do being of the same nature and following their example so that now as ever He who is born of the flesh persecutes him that is born after the Spirit And the wisdom of this World is enmity against God and cannot receive the things of God's Kingdom Therefore repent when you have read your example of wickedness then read your example in the cursed end of wrath from the Lord God which came upon the Persecutors of old as it will come upon you The Vengeance of God you cannot flee his fierce Wrath will come upon you and Weeping and Howling and Lamentation and Misery will be your Portion O tremble to think âpon your ignorance To what purpose have you made a profession of the Scriptures who ââ¦tifie those things and those men which it plainly declares against and condemns those practices and those men which it plainly witnesseth of Repent and take warning betime before the Decree of the Lord of Host be sealed against you for I have cleared my Conscience in letting you see your own ignorance and blindness ye Magistates and People And thus you are left without excuse whether you will hear or forbear By one who is a Labourer in the Vineyard who is not known to the World though named of the World EDWARD BURROUGH THE TRUE FAITH OF THE Gospel of Peace Contended for in the Spirit of Meekness and thâ Mystery of Salvation Christ within the Hope of Glory Vindicated in the Spirit of Love Against the secret opposition of Iohn Bunyan a professed Minister in Bedfordshire Or an Answer to his Book called Some Gospel Truths opened c. Wâ⦠in also he hath mixed many Lyes and Slanders and hath secretly gainsayed the Way of Truth and Doctrine of Salvation under the account of Error and Heresie as the Generation of chief Priests ever did Or A Return of Truth in simplicity in the denial of his false Accusations aâ⦠his dark Vail of false Reproaches taken off and the Innocency of the Upright appearing With some Queries given forth for him to answer that Truth may further appâ⦠and Deceit may be ashamed where ever it is found READER UNto whom this may come especially you in Bedfordshire for whose sake chiefly tâ⦠sent forth after the false Reproaches of a professed Minister among you who hath ãâã called himself in his Title Unworthy as is proved in this Return wherein the ãâã hearted may see that I have not striven for Mastery by multitude of words nor many ãâã Arguments to obtain a name but in simplicity of heart have born my Witness against ãâã Lyes and Vindicated the Truth as it is in Iesus not in a curious mind but in the simpliâ⦠of the Gospel And unto you that are honest in any measure towards God and towards ãâã I leave this and his to be judged with an impartial mind and what is made manifest to be Tâ⦠let it be owned by you and this is the end wherefore it is given forth that Truth may be ãâã braced and Deceit condemned and the Light of the World may be followed which leads ãâã eternal Life and without which there is no Salvation E. B. HOw long ye crafty Fowlers will ye prey upon the Innocent and ãâã at him secretly How long shall the Righteous be a Prey to your teeââ ye subtil Foxes who seek to devour The just One against whom yoâ Bow is bent cryes for Vengeance against you in the ears of the Lorâ yet you strengthen your hands in iniquity and gird your selves with the zeal ãâã Madness and Fury you think to swallow up the Harmless and to blot out tâ⦠Name of the Righteous that his Generation may not be found on Earth Yâ⦠shoot your Arrows of cruelty even bitter words and makes the Innocent your Mark to prey upon You dispise the Way of Uprightness and Simplicity and the path of craft and subtilty you tread your Dens are in Darkness and your mischief is hatched upon your beds of secret whoredoms When will you cease to grind the face of the Poor and to oppress the Humble upon whom you tread in your vain glories and outward shews of Holiness as though you were the blessed People And you are exalted above Innocency in your feigned Hypocrisie and subtilty and yet are found out with the searching Eye of the Lord who knows your thoughts afar off to be wicked and your purposes to be vain and as with a Whirle-wind will he scatter you and your name shall rot and your memorial shall not be
departed from the Faith after the Apostles time which they ãâã would come and these do seduce and their Doctrines are of the Devil who denies the Truth which the Scripture bears witness of and say Sprinkling Infants ãâã water when they are two or three dayes old is Baptism into the Faith of Christ this is the Doctrine of the Devil and Lyes they speak in great numbers and in hypocrisie and write them forth to the World in great hypocrisie with feignedness and pretence of holiness and its plain many of their Consciences are seared How do many of them cause the poor people to suffer grievous imprisonment and spoiling of their Goods to the ruin of Families almost for their maintenance as Tythes and such like which if their Consciences were not seared they could not do also some of them cried to the rude wicked People in their Idol-temples Fight Lads for the Gospel and many who have born witness to the Truth and against their deceits have been beat and abused and knocked down as for dead in their presence and their consciences are absolute seared else they would tremble at these things Also the Apostle Peter he saw false Prophets would come in 2 Pet. 2. And false Teachers who would bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and many should follow their pernicious wayes and through covetousness with feigned words they would make Merchandize of people and they would walk after the Flesh in the lust of Uncleanness and despise Government and be presumptuous and self-willed and not afraid to speak evil of Dignities and they would speak evil of things they understand not and their hearts are exercised with coveteous practises and were cursed Children and they sport themselves with their own deceivings and these had forsaken the right Way and are gone astray following the way of Balaaâ who loved the Wages of Unrighteousness and these are Clouds that are carried with a Tempest and they speak great swelling words of vanity and while they promise to others liberty themselves are the Servants of corruption and such were Scoffers and Mockers which would come after the Apostles dayes and they would walk after their own lusts And now according to this Prophesie of Peter who saw false Teachers coming in he gave these Characters of them whereby it doth plainly appear that this Generation of Teachers are they and of that Stock which then came in for these bring forth the very same fruits which they did which he spoke of and we know them by their fruits as Christ hath said for these have filled the World with damnable Heresies as holding forth That sprinkling Infants with Water is Baptism into the Faith of Christ and that a Steeple-House is the Church and that singing Davids Experiences in the World among wicked People in Rime and Meeter is singing to the Praise of God and these are damnable Heresies even to the denying the Lord that bought them for they deny the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ given to every man to be the only Teacher and the only Guide of man and they that do deny the Light of Christ with which every man that comes into the World is lighted to be sufficient to lead to Christ and to the Kingdom of God as these Teachers in this Age do they deny the Lord that bought them and many even whole Nations all the World as Iohn saw in the Revelations have followed their pernicious wayes and run after their Idolatry and pernicious wayes of Superstitions and they do make Merchandise of souls through covetousness with their feigned words for where they can make their Bargain to have the most money there they will preach and no where else and if any will give them more the next year they will sell that People and go to another for very covetousness by feigned words and they do walk after the flesh in the lust of Pride and Covetousness which is uncleanness of the flesh and they despise the Saints Government and Order for they will not suffer the Saints to prophesie one by one in their Assemblies according to the Saints Government but do despise that and persecute it by the government of the Beast unto whose government they are subject and not to the Government of Christ and the Saints and thus they are presumptious and self-willed presuming to afflict and cause the Children of God to be cast into Prison and suffering them to be beat and abused by their Flock out of their wicked self-wills and they are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities and do speak evil of the Wayes of God and of his Truth which they understand not and their hearts are exercised with covetous practises and are cursed Children for they make poor People that have but ten Eggs give them One and that hardly can get any Fewel for the Fire pay them a Fenny for the smoak with many such other exceeding covetous practises as suing men two hundred miles to answer for three Shilling claimed by them for Tythes And these sport themselves in their vanity in their own deceiving and wheâ they have oppressed People for their Wages and make People pay them for whoâ they do no work and force Wages from them that never hired them which arâ unheard of coveteous practises they sport themselves in their pride and lustfâlness and they are out of the right Way and gone astray from the Wayes of God which are holy and are in the way of Balaam who went after unrighteous Wages who sought for enchantment against Israel as these do and these loââ unrighteous wages by taking maintenance from People by force unto whom is nothing owing by them and these are carried with a Tempest of every Wiâd according as the Powers of the Earth blow these are carried sometimes under such a Government and sometimes against it and so are Clouds carried aboât and are unsettled on the foundation and they speak great words of Christ God and the Scriptures which are but words stolen by them because they are not spoken by the spirit of God but by a lying spirit and they promise to others liberty that they shall receive the Kingdom of God after death and that Christ hath taken away their sins with such like Promises of liberty but themselves are the Servants of corruption living in Pride and Hatred and Coveteousness and these serve sin and are Servants of corruption and they are Scoffers and Mockers and Walkers after their own lusts as it is evident in all mens sight so that according to the Judgmenâ of Truth we judge these Teachers of this Generation ãâã be of the same root which then sprang forth for these bring forth the same fruiâs as they in that time did and in the Apostacy they have over-spread the whole World And also the Apostle Iude gave a Description of them according as Peter had done he saw certain men creeping in who turned the Grace of God in to Wantonnes and they were
others which we have not received from man but from God are ãâã purposed in the Lord to declare abroad and he hath put it into our hearts to ãâã his Will herein for he hath spoken who can but prophesie and he hath given ãâã word and many are they that publish it in faithfulness against the kingdom ãâã the Man of Sin which hath long been exalted in the Earth over the Seed of ãâã which the Lord is now a gathering and establishing his Covenant with and Ierusalem that hath long lain waste shall be made the praise of the whole Earth ãâã the Gentiles which hath polluted her shall be cast out and the Saints shall Rejoyââ over all their Enemies And know you assuredly from us who know the Lord that God is doing greâââ things in the Earth he is begun to work and his arm shall bring it to pass he will overturn and overturn till he come to reign whose right it is who will change times and things even that which cannot be believed though a man declare it unto you is the Lord bringing to pass the Eye shall bless that sees it and the Heart shall praise that can understand and behold the Lord comes quickly and they are blessed that wait for him whose Reward is with him and his glorious Work is before him to be wrought by his own hand without the help of any other who needs not the help of man and he that doth oppose him shall be overthrown confounded and destroyed And again All ye Kings Princes Rulers and People whatsoever know ye assuredly that we are not Enemies against but Friends unto all Civil Government and to all just and righteous Orders and Decrees and wholsome Laws and Customs of any Common-wealth and no way are we destructive to or Destroyers of the Peace and Welfare and wholsome Laws which is according to God of any Nation whatsoever But are Preservers of the Peace of all people and wait in patience for the establishment of Justice and true Judgement and that Righteousness may spring forth and the Government of all Nations may be according to the Law of God Neither are we such who makes void the just Government of any Nation or City Neither are we such who through evil purposes plot or conspire or contrive Evil in our Hearts against any Governours or Government whatsoever but wish Peace and Truth and the Fear of the Lord unto all men and Nations and desire not the overthrow or evil to any people or their Government but are subject to just Government everywhere by obedience to it and subject to evil Government by suffering in patience under it so that righteousness alone we wait to see set up through the World and for that cause suffer patiently under our Enemies not seeking revenge against them nor envying the persons of any but pity our enemies and desire their Repentance rather than their Destruction Yet this we give all to know that the Lord will be avenged on all them who hate the Way of Righteousness and all that oppose the Lord and his Way and despise his Truth which he hath revealed they shall be confounded and broken to pieces and shall confess to the Lord and his Way and his Truth in the day of their Destruction Again let all the Earth know that against all unrighteousness injustice oppression whoredom murder and drunkenness and all sin whatsoever we do declare and acknowledge our selves to be Enemies against all sin and they that commit it and we cannot hide Sin and Iniquity in any but give our testimony against it and against all that live in it whatsoever without Respect to men or places and cannot flatter any man in his Transgressions but say that Lying Swearing Drunkenness Covetousness Jniustice Dissimulation Hypocrisie Murder and Envy Lust of the Flesh Pride and Wantonness and all the works of the Flesh whatsoever are contrary to God and of the Devil and they that lives in them and brings them forth are the Servants of the Devil and must not inherit the Kingdom of God who brings forth those works which grieves the Spirit of God and vexes his righteous Soul and this is that Government onely which is the Government of Sin and Death which we declare our selves Enemies to which is of the Devil and not of God and this is that Government which we testifie against and war against by the Sword of the Spirit of God and by his Power and not by the carnal weapons or subtil conspiracies or violent Insurrections for this way and by this means shall not the Government of Satan be overthrown or the Kingdom of Christ ever exalted Again let all the World know that we are not such as disanul or makes void the Covenant and bond of Relations or teach any so to do or give any example by our practice to any subjects to be rebellious to their Governors or children to be disobedient to their Parents or that servants be undutiful to their Masters But on the contrary do say and affirm it that it is the duty of Subjects to be obedient and subject in the Lord to their Rulers and Governours whether Kings Dukes or others who have rule over them and also that Children should be obedient to their Parents and Servants to be dutiful and subject to their Master in the Lord in all things and that Husbands and Wives live in all unity and peace in the Lord Provided onely where Rulers Parents or Masters or Husbands require of their Subjects Children or Servants or any other whatsoever requiring of their Relations that which is unjust and contrary to God and his righteous Law in such a case we say that Subjects Children Servants and all other whatsoever are free and we say where man requires any thing contrary to God and God requires another thing contrary to man the obedience to God is rather to be chosen and the obedience to all mâ⦠is to be denyed and this is our judgement which is acording to truth and iâ the mind of God concerning subjection and obedience and the duty of Relations one to another And lastly Know ye assuredly that we do not hold and maintain any thing by conversation or doctrine but the very same Truth in word and practice ãâã all our fore-Fathers did but bears witness of the same Salvation by the same Christ as they did and are not setters forth of strange gods for no other God is worshipped by us than he which Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the rest of the servants of the Lord in every generation worshipped served and obeyed neither are we such as do maintain Heresie Error or Idolatry or the worship of any strange god though hereof we are accused falsely yet against us cannot it be proved truly and this we give the whole world to know that no other end or purpose or design is in our hearts but onely to fulfil the will of God in all things as it is to us made manifest Even
foolish matters as for not putting off a Hat or for Theeing men and for denying the foolish circumstance of Swearing and we do not read that the worst of Tyrants in the Apostles dayes or before or since ever caused any to suffer for such things as these or ever questioned any upon any such small accounts for hundreds have suffered upon suspition when nothing at all can be charged against them and this is contrary to Magna-Carta And in many other respects which might be named this suffering is greater than hath been in any Age for many have suffered in this Common-wealth which have been faithful and hazarded all in time of war for the good of the Common-wealth and many of them suffer by them who have been Enemies and in Arms against the Common-wealth and herein the suffering appears more intollerable But doth the Magistrate think to come to account for these things Yea the Lord is Just and his Way is Righteous What flesh could but be provoked hereby But the Saints are changed in nature and are to fullfill the Will of the Lord by Suffering the Cruelty of men is become exceeding great against the Lord and his people Again hereby the Persecution in this Age appears more to exceed former Ages because Liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Religion was never so much promised and professed as in this Nation at this day and yet for the exercise of a pure Conscience many are wofull Sufferers even by such who in words profess Liberty of Conscience themselves and yet persecutes the exercise of it in others even for not putting off a Hat or the like to them these with many other things may aggravate the hainousness of the sin of persecution to be great and more unjust than in-former Ages Alas how is the Sword of Iustice turned backward and the Innocent smitten and persecuted and that for Righteousness sake and not for Evil-doing By a Friend to the Suffering Seed of God EDWARD BURROUGH Truth the Strongest of all Witnessed forth in the Spirit of Truth against all Deceit And pleading in Righteousness it s own Cause to the understanding of the Simple against a very great number of Lyes Slanders Perverting of the Scriptures Contradictions and false Damnable Doctrines held forth by the INDEPENDANTS And is a Reply to Bunion's second Book called A Vindication c. Wherein what was wanting in his former of fulfilling wickedness is now appeared by his adding sin unto sin against God and against his own soul. Reader THOU hast here a very great number of Lyes and Slanders and Unjust-dealings and false-False-doctrines c. Laid open and reproved in plainness and not in hypocrisie and of contention there is not suddenly an end being begun therefore seeing the unbelieving heart of Iohn Bunion cannot believe me when I speak the truth in justness nor may I believe his Lies and Slanders uttered in hypocrisie what is laid down is left to thee soberly to judge of betwixt us while we are both silent And this know the one is a Deceiver and the other is as a Deceiver yet true and thus mayst thou weight things equally First considering of many Lyes and Slanders truly charged upon him in my first of which he is guilty from his first and he hath not at all cleared himself of them in his second which an honest man ought to have done before he had gone further for I soberly desired witness of what he said But be hath added to the number of his wickedness and not proved justly what he hath said against us And it is not for his sake for little thoughts I have of his conversion but thââ¦ââ¦ther that he will be hardned nor for may own sake as if I were unsatisfied concerniââ¦m that this is written but to undeceive the simple of what his wickedness may falsly suggest into the mind as if all were truth that he spoke if his wickedness were not reproved Again Consider that I have cleared the Truth of my words which he hath wrested and thereby taken occasion against the Truth by answering his own conceptions and not my plain words so my words which are words of Truth being defended all his Reply is made void So I have not so much desired to answer every particular of his words as to vindicate my own words and the Truth from his false Slanders and Accusations O HOW hath Satan filled the hearts of men in this Generation as well as in former Ages with Envy against the Truth and with Wrath against the Way thereof and how hath he filled them with Craft and deceitfull Subtilty to offend the Way of the Lord in all manner of Persecuting and Evil-speaking against it openly and also in secret Gain-saying in Hypocrisie and how are men armed to defend themselves in their naughtiness lying hid under the Vail of fair Speeches and fine Arguments using the Scripture in the words of mans wisdom to oppose the Power and Life of Righteousness even as the Scribes and Pharisees of old how zealous were they in their Observances and in fullfilling the Commands and Traditions of their Fathers having set themselves in Moses Seat professing Moses and the Prophets words and yet persecuted Christ the Life and Substance of Moses and the Prophets And as it was then so is it now how are Christs words and the Apostles professed and preached by such who are Enemies to the Life of Christ made manifest in mortall flesh and secretly opposing the doctrine of the Apostles who said Know ye not that Christ is within you except you be Reprobates But the mighty Day of the Lord is come and coming wherein all hearts are made manifest and the secrets thereof discovered and the light is springing out of darkness and the Sun is breaking thorow the Clouds to give light to all men and Nations and the great Whore which hath decked her self in divers colours to deceive shall be made naked and bare and the day of great striving is come and now every man stands up for his Interest to defend his Possession for the just Judge standeth at the Door to enquire by what Law every man holds his Inheritance and he findeth many holding their Religion and Profession by the Traditions of men only and not by the Revelation of Christ Jesus in them and such he will dispossess though they strive against him yet all is in vain and though they plead Antiquity yet that will not prevail and in that the day of great striving is come betwixt the Lamb and his Followers the Draggon and his Followers every one of that Party appearing with such weapons as the Devil hath armed them withal and with such Armour as the wicked hath they come appearing under divers colours to fight against Zioâ yet under one Head and Prince of Darkness and unto one Purpose evâ⦠that the Seed of Iacob may be rooted out and that the Way of Truth may ãâã prosper that then the Wicked may go on in
thou impudently dost in thy comparing the principles of the Ranters with the Quakers And to save thy brother from shame and guilt thou art fallen thy self into the Snare and justly may be judged to exceed him in Wickedness and thou sayst with shame to thy self I repeat it that the Quakers will not own Christ without them but thou brings not testimony of this Assertion till then art thou reckoned and shall be plauged for a Lyer which will be forever for we own him as he is ascended far above all Heavens who fills all things yea and without us too So that instead of proving the first false Accusation thou adds another Slander and the second thing wherein thou comparest them is unsound for though we witness yea thousands that we need no man to teach us as the Saints did 1 Iohn yet we cry not down the Ministry of God but owns it and cryes down such by whom people cannot come to the Knowledge of the Truth though they be ever learning who Preach for Hire and goes for Gifts and Rewards loves the Wages of Unrightousness this was the Apostles Doctrine as it was ours and is no Heresie though thou mayst so judge it for we say by the same Spirit as the Apostles did they that are of God heareth us who are in the Truth which is but one and there is not another and the Apostles which witnessed Saints needed no man to teach them did exhort them and yet did not condemn principles by practice Then thou goest on and sayst The Ranters are not for Baptism and Breaking if Bread and are not the Quakers the same But what doth this prove and thou sayst the Ranters are they that would profess themselves without sin and how far short of ãâã Opinion are the Quakers and the Ranters would not own the Resurrection c. And how say you Do you believe the very Bodies shall rise c. Reply Friend this is far short of proving these things upon us by querying them to us let the Reader consider But it may be impudency hath not so wholy eaten out honesty in thee as that thou darest charge us wholy with these things but would intrude into us be thy Questions as though the thing were so indeed but thou mayst by ashamed of thy work Is this sufficient proof of evil against us to ask us whether it be so what hast thou proved in all this against us if we were guilty thinkest thou we will accuse our selves this is absurdity and wickedness in thee falsly to charge us and to bring no better evidence but thy bare words and as we deny the Ranters so do we thee and sees you both to be Enemies to the Life of God But thy last and chieâ⦠proof as thou thinkest that we are one is that the Ranters are Sinners and the Quakers are Lyers the first I wilâ not vindicate but this last is disputable and thy proof of it is first thoâ⦠sayst from what thou hast said already to some pages of my first Book to which I ãâã Replyed and leaves it to the Reader only doth say thou hast not yet proved one Lye against me in the sight of God nor men thou art the Lyer if thou say thâ⦠hast and honest men shall be judge betwixt us And thy second proof is moâ⦠to the discovering thy ignorance then yet hath been And to clear thy self from my charge against thee viz to be a wrester of the Scripture which yet I stand to thou art fain into grievous error my first charge is true upon thee ãâã thou perverted or wrested that Scripture Rev. 13. 18. in saying the Lamb was ãâã before the Foundation of the World for that Scripture saith since or from ãâã Foundation of the World hast thou no more sence art thou and all thy compaâ⦠so ignorant that you know not betwixt before and since a time how are you blinded and yet persists in your wickedness and will not be reproved therefore this is a double iniquity in thee to thy shame remember it for I have said true though thou understand it not there is as much difference betwixt before and since in that thing as betwixt a Lye and Truth for to say the blood was shed before the Foundation of the World as thou didst is a very Lye but to say iâ was shed since or from is truth and that Scripture is truth Rev. 13. And thou art the Lyar and Wrester of it and I have not wronged thee in my first though thou impudently and ignorantly wouldst clear thy self and lay iniquity upon me But further to clear thy self thou sayst thou said in Gods account it was shed before the World was and this is little less then Blasphemy what is God a Hypocrite like thy self to account that for Truth which is a Lye as I have proved O horrid error and perfect blindness but this will not cover thee nor thy shame from the eye of men where is thy Proof for such a Doctrine that God accounts that which is a Lye for Truth largely is manifest thy folly Repent if thy heart be not void of shame for what thou hast spoken heâ⦠in and let the Reader understand this difference thou sayst the Blood of Christ was shed before the Foundation of the World according to that Scripture Rev. 13. I say thou perverts the Scripture and lyest grosly in the main thing it self and saith it is* since or from the Foundation of the World let the honest judge and now it is seen the Lye rests upon thy own Head who wrests the Scripture and belyes the Lord and me and goes on in thy wickedness after reproof and take thou the Ranters they are thy Companinons in lying and sinning and not ours And further thou art offended that I should say and would fain reckon it for a Lye that all thy work is a secret smiteing and an obscure shooting against the manifestation of Christ within which words I own to be truth concerning thee and am not ashamed of them though thou say I say falsly and when the Book of thy Conscience is opened thou shalt confess it only I leave this to be considered seriously and judged by them who are spiritual and they shall be my Witnesses and the Lye is of thee and thy Father whose wickedness is sufficiently seen by what is said if I should say no more Again thou sayst it is an untruth of thee to say thou art one of those that do preach for Hire through Covetousness making merchandize of Souls my words are not so laid down thou hast wrested them for thy purpose though it availes nothing but I said thou art in their steps that through covetousness with fained words makes merchandize of Souls and thou art found among them that preaches for Hire and I have spoken the truth herein let the Light in all Consciences judge who are not feared in many things I might instance that
thou art in their steps and among them that act such things as further may be proved and the wisdom of God so fore-saw to keep me clear and my words to be defended though I expected no less from thee as to this thing then is come to pass but the Lye is of thy self who would deny the Truth The next thing that thou wilt charge upon to be a Lye I pass here the Reader may expect it in its place and though thou sayst the Rantors and I and my Fellows are of the same mind in many things c. To which I Reply Their practices I deny and the ground in which they stand and their false doctrines yet dare we not deny any truth as it is in Christ though they as thou mayst profess it in words which is seldom they do for we have respect unto the Truth for the truths sake only but how uncharitable art thou in thy measure and judgement consider as if he should say Iohn Bunion is of the same mind with the Pope in many things the Pope holds Christ was born of Mary and was crucified and raised again and ascended c. And this holds I. Bunion and is of the same minde with the Pope in many things and therefore must partake of the same plagues with the Pope as thou said of us though thou hast by unequal measure thus judged us yet I render not evil for evil but in love to thy soul shews thee thy folly and weakness Then thou goest on having passed by the two slanders cast upon us by I. Burton in your first Book which I charged you withall in mine to which not one word as to evidence your slanders but hath slippen it over as a foul guilty man which charge stands upon you both that you are Slanderers herein and my first answer I am not ashamed of though you snarle much about it and would taint it or undermine it but thy subtilty is to weak Truth confounds thee and thy simple policy which is that we prize the Lord Jesus Christ God man to be precious unto us and hath owned him alone to be the Foundation whom God hath laid and in his Light we are saved c. As I said in Page 7. against which words thou canst not justly except nor yet prove the contrary and yet as a man that loves to hear thy own tongue thou lays down many things impertinent as to the cause in hand But it had been more honest to have helped thy brother Burton from under my true Charge and cleared the Truth if thou hadst been able but thou hast left âim in the dirt under the Charge of a Slanderer and are unfaithfull to him ând goes about to inquire what it is as thou sayst to lay Christ for a Foundation thou confesses what I have said is fairly spoken and yet thy envious minde ând unbelieving heart seems to be offended at my words and to them that can believe I speak plainly and doth not beg thy belief nor any mans but commends my self to every mans Conscience in the sight of God and knows no other Jesus the Saviour nor Foundation then he that Iohn was sent to prepare the Way before who was and is and is to come who said I am the light of the World and now my words are defended to be truth in the sight of them that are spiritual and thou and such may hear but must not understand who have hardened your hearts least you should believe and therefore is given up to Gainsayings till the Wrath of God break out against you and let Iohn Burton remember my words where I said he is fallen into the pit which he digged for another and he undervalues the Lord Jesus whose Doctrine is to speak Truth but he hath lyed and slandered and so is out of Christ the Foundation and undervalues him who keeps not his sayings but is a Worker in Darkness and not in the Light And as to that where I say thus much is the mind of the Penmans spirit of the first Epistle of the first Book secretly smiting at the Doctrine of true Faith and Salvation to wit Christ within I have said the truth in righteousness and do own my words though thou sayst I have done him a great deal of wrong c. But I leave it to be judged by them that are spiritual and not unto thee to give false meaning of my words and doth not he say in that Epistle of some that have been depending too much upon some thing they call Christ and the Righteousness of Christ within them c. Let the wise in heart judge whether this be not as I said even a secret smiting against Christ within without which as I have said there can be no Salvation for he that hath not Christ in him is a Reprobate and this I speak not in opposition but as a testimony of Christ Jesus that dyed and rose again and ascended who is within and without also and if any preach another Jesus let him be accursed and repent thou who art in the wrong doing thy self falsly charging me noting in the Margent with speaking falsly when I spaâ⦠the truth and the false speaking rests at thy door and is driven thither with the power of truth Then whereas thou wouldst justifie thy former wickedness in charging the Quakers to be Deceivers against my just Answer in page 8. of mine whicâ stands free from any of thy vain Argument and uncontroled though resisted but it appears my words sticks close unto thee and torments thee and thou sayd with much confidence it will easily be proved that we are Deceivers but thy Arguments we shall try And sayst thou First the Quakers deny the man Christ Jesus without them and own Christ no otherways but as he is within c. Reply How impudent art thou in forging Lye after Lye and building them up in thy Work one upon another and a wicked course thou takes to clear thy former Slanders truly charged upon thee in my first even by laying another upon it Friend By this thy deceitful Slander while thou hast thought to prove us Deceivers hath proved thy self one even a false Accuser mayst thou not blush to say we own Christ no otherwayes then as he is within we own him which was is and is to come who is within us and without us as I have said in my first we own him as the Scripture speaks of him and it is known ãâã the Lord and in his sight we are approved whether thou believe it or not fâ⦠I beg not beleif of thee but leaves thy double Slanders to be read and judged of by all honest people and in the interim know it is a bad way to prove us Deceivers by thy Lyes this the rather is a Witness to us that we are of God and against thee and thou to be of the Devil who was a Lyer from the beginning and ãâã his Child succeeds him in
of Christ without and with as good or better understanding though both a like far from the Kingdom of God yet in thy Answer thou askest me if I put ãâã difference betwixt the speaking of and beleeving in Christ without Yea I do a great deal for he that believes in him hath the Witness in himself of him and his heart is purifyed and he is a new Creature which thou art not but thou I suppose wouldst be reckoned a Believer nay for I think the Pope hath both more words and more good works and makes as much Conscience of lying and false accusing as thou for ought as may be understood of a tree by the fruits which is our way to judge as Christ hath given us example then is that I said thou hast answered thy self a question deceitful thou art offended and boasts thy self against me Charging me to be an Enemy to the truth and the liââ in that I did not manifest thy deceit but now I shall therefore to stop thy proâ⦠boasts in that answer thou calls it a sad doctrine which saith follow the Light which Christ hath enlightned every man withall and other such like things following that question which are deceitful and wicked and thou thereby art proved the Enemy to truth thy self and thou and thy words are both deceitful and therefore boast not thy self Then thou answers my Question which was doth not the Scripture witness that all who have not Christ are Reprobates the Question is sound and of worth to be noted and in thy answer thou sayst yet it is true to which I soberly Reply then what a condition are all in that hath ãâã Christ within nor no knowledge of him but what they have of him as he is without by the letter without do thou consider this and whether it be not of the chiefest prize to Life and Salvation to wait for him and seek for him within seeing all that have not him within are Reprobates But farther thou wouldst seem to manifest a great deal of folly in me when as the folly lies in thy own bosome and by thy confused words I understand thâ⦠groundst thy Answer upon alye and false understanding and therefrom bringâ⦠the false reproof as if I should hold forth that every man hath received Chriâ⦠or the Spirit of Christ in him This I have never said but that every man hath the Light of Christ giâ⦠him which I say is one in union with the Spirit of Christ and I say Christ ãâã given to all but all receives him not and I see thou understands not my forâ⦠words that I write in answer to one of thy Queries thou canst not distingâ⦠betwixt a thing being given of God and a thing being received by man so ãâã the folly is fallen back on thee take it who understands not my words ãâã opposes thy own conceivings and false understanding and though I might ãâã truly apply this word folly in that extent then thou applyed the like word ãâã thy self in this same page yet I leave it to the judgement of the serious Reader and say thy folly is want of wit in the World and not for Châ⦠sake Then thou wouldst defend thy first wickedness in that thou saidst the Devil deceives Souls by perswading them to follow the Light within which all men have but my answer to it thou hast not reached in that I said ãâã that comes to Life eternal must follow the Light within which Christ haâ⦠given which stands over thy head for ever to be truth but yet how bliâ⦠art thou in confessing the Light within even Conscience to be the Light ãâã Christ as God and yet sayst the Devil deceives souls by bidding follow the Light within O abominable doctrine what doth the Devil deceive souls by bidding foâ⦠the Light of Christ as God so Iohn Bunion's doctrine is let it be noted ãâã see thou thy folly how it is manifest and thy pittiful evasions are weighed ãâã stead of contradicting my former sufficient answer which thou could no ãâã reach to wrest or otherwise to answer it askes a question which I may ansâ assoon as thou hast sufficiently replyed to my former answer and this is in ãâã an answer to it it is heresie to say that the Light of God or any Light of ãâã or Christ can or doth deceive the Soul and though thou stumble at it I said ãâã in saying that thy whole purpose is a secret smiting against the Light within ãâã the Reader judge And now to manifest thy ignorance fully thou hast confessed the Light witâ⦠even Conscience is the Light of God hast not thou cause to repent of ãâã absurdities and blindness who holds forth that the Devil deceives Souls by the Light of God seeing thou canst find no Light within man but that which thou confessest is the Light of God Then thou sayes Thy whole design was first to shew Souls where Salvation is to be bad namely in Christ without and yet hath confessed all that hath him not within are Reprobates and such have not salvation by him without Consider therefore without Christ within no Salvation as I have said and thou hast confessed it Mark it then to clear thy self from contradiction which I charged thee with thou wouldst cast a confusion upon me in that thou says I would make a defiled Conscience the Law and Spirit of Christ to be all one This is falsly spoken I have never said nor thought that a defiled Conscience is the Law and Spirit of Christ a Lyer thou art to be noted and this Lye adds to the number and yet consider thou hast said several time that Consciences is the Light of Christ as God and now calls Conscience defiled Is the Light of God defiled Iohn Bunnion saith so O horrid read thou thy confusion and grievous Error which is brought to thy Door and there I leave it thou mayst Blush and all thy Witnesses at this and in that thou callst my Answer Scoulding against thy Epistle and persumptuously sayst The truth of which thou couldst be willing to seal with thy Blood Reply Scoulding I deny but I have reproved thy Lyes in the Authority of the Lord and be not so proudly pust up in boasting what sayst thou shall thy Blood go for this that the Quakers are Deceivers and that the Devil deceives Souls by bidding them follow the Light within which thou sayst is Conscience which thou confesses is the Light of God and that the Blood of Christ was shed before the World was and that the Scripture say so and that we deny that Salvation was compleatly wrought by the man Christ Jesus with several other things noted for Lyes what sayst thou Iohn Bunnion art thou so desparte as that thou wilt hazard thy Blood upon this account if it be so sure the Devil hath great power over thee cease thy boasting lest the Lord make thee an Example and though thou wouldst exhort me thy spirit I deny
whereas I said Christ is a mystery and unto hiâ⦠he is Light and shall be Salvation where his person supposed son of Ioseph never came which words are true not gain-sayed by thee though thou ask Did he obtain salvation for any without that body which he took of ãâã Virgin Answ. That body which was begotten by the holy Ghost is not so carnal ãâã thou supposest and that spiritual Rock which followed them saved them aâ⦠the same Son of God the Saviour who was born a Child to them was the Priâ⦠of peace yea the everlasting Father but thy eye sees not this and therefore thâ⦠sayst Here 's the place where he is not and the place where he hath not been Now thâ⦠sayst Thou passes by many things which thou mightst justly examine and also many unseemly expressions O thou deceitful heart and tongue is this thy excuse when my words are Consider of this when thou hast a better understanding for its yet hidden from thee then when thou hast thus cried out against my just Answer thou tells me what I should have said Alas poor man thou reaches not what the knowledge of things eternal is by that wisdom in which thou art I need no man to teach me but the Lord. Then thou sayst Iesus Christ hath obeyed the Law and justified thee c. Reply Nay hold repent first and be turned from thy iniquities and believe in him and boast not thy self so proudly thou art in the transgressions of the Law in disobedience to it a Lyar Slanderer and Scorner one that the Prince of the power of the Air rules in a Child of Wrath and every one shall dye for his own iniquity and the soul that sins shall dye and wrath to every one that doth evil and the revelation of the Judgements of God Learn what this meanes or ask them that are of a better understanding then thy self Then thou seemst to minde me of some weakness and cries out Wonderful foolishness c. Because I said the Light of Christ given to every man Ioh. 1. 9. as thou confessest is not contrary to the Spirit of Christ and to the Grace of God but is one in their nature Mark and a man cannot possibly love one of them and hate another therefore one they are in the union leading in the same way unto the same End and where doth the Spirit of Christ give light or the Grace of God work or lead if not in the Conscience c. These are my words Now let honest men consider and Iohn Bunnion be silent what foolishness or wonderful weakness is in these words but only to the wisdom which is devillish which despiseth truth or what cause was there to blush when I wrote them as he impudently saith who cannot contradict them nor reprove them and yet railes upon them no marvel that thou wouldst pass them as thou sayst with such a poor shift to evade with a Lye that thou hast spoken to it already when as thou hast not medled of these things O let not thy impudency so sottishly carry thee for thy shame is seen and laid open its good in thy light to pass that which confounds thee which is past answering so to save thy credit among thy fellows the cause to blush is in thy self and it s brought to thy own door Then thou pleads for the Scripture to be the Rule in opposition to my Question which is not answered which was can there be any surer thing for the Creature to look to to walk to Life or to come to God by then the Light of Christ which every man hath given him c. But thou mayst for shame cease pleading for Scripture rule being thy self art so far contrary to it for he that walks in the Life of the Scripture I have union with him and the Light of Christ is a more surer Testimony either to witness Justification or Condemnation then any mans words without whatsoever then my other Question was whether the Turks Iewes and thee and others do serve sin and lust because Christ hath not given you Light to discover your sins or because you hate that Light that is given and much to this thou speakest not pertinent nor answerest in plainness I leave it to the Reader to judge and to read my answer Page 17. of my first which clears truth from all what thou hast said against it in this particular Now I come to the next thing where thou Foolishly chargest me That my Doctrine is not according to Truth but a Lye Charging me to affirm that which the Apostle doth deny Because I said the Spirit is given to every man though every man receives it not and it strives with the wicked though he follow it not c. My words herein are Truth and no Lye neither contrary to the Scripture ââ¦nd let the Reader be judge betwixt us the Apostle saith the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal and some of these to whom he writes thus were wicked given to incest and idolatry and other sins here I prove it was given to the wicked and thou confesses the Righteous had it and there is but these two on the face of the Earth Now if thou canst find a man that is neither wicked nor righteous then thou hast advantage then some hath not the manifestation of the Spirit the Saints had the Comforter the Spirit of Truth and he the Spirit of Truth convinced or reproved the World of sin they that were not Saints but wicked had it reproving them Mark these things and let honest men judge while both thou and I am silent whether thy Doctrine which denyes that which the Scripture affirms or miâ⦠which bears witness to the same thing which the Scriptures speaks be to be disowned let an equal Line measure the shame and false Doctrine is fallen upon thee and thou art offended that I should say thou bringst other vain Arguments with a vapour saying Neither I nor my fellows are able to answer c. But I say true the Arguments are vain one is The Devils are convinced but have not the Spirit or such like Now what is this to the purpose that thou contendst in that wherein no body strives with thee nor none affirms against thee and it is a vain Argument to parallel the Devil in such a case as having the Spirit but thou art so blind it s hardly possible to let thee see thy ignorance herein I may not much strive with thee onely I le tell thee of those thingâ⦠and the sober Reader shall judge to instance a thing impossible to proâ⦠things possible are vain Arguments so that I have herein done thee no wroâ⦠Then thou cries out of my weakness and that I Blaspheme and of a great ãâã of ignorance discovered in me and bidst me be silent and falsly charges me with Presumption and such like c. Because I said thus much I leave with thee ãâã thou
the Scripture something ãâã conââ¦ce ãâã and besides or contrary to the Spirit of God whââ¦ââ¦ou ãâã ãâã ãâã do for though thou sayst as none affâ⦠the Light in every ãâã ââ¦ience is not the Spirit of God yet hoâ⦠doâ⦠thou proye ãâã ãâã ãâã ââ¦ontrary to the Spirit of God which in my last a put ãâã ãâã leave it with thee and then thou wouldst exââ¦se tây ãâã ââ¦ds ãâã ââ¦on called the Quakers fond Hypocrites but hast ââ¦ot yet proââ¦ed ãâã live in Hypocrisie and so art a Lyar still and ây ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a perverter of the right Way of God thou aââ and in ãâã ãâã ââ¦f ãâã it shall be proved by thy recompence Then thoâââ¦est ãâã ãâã ãâã That a natural man may have power over sin aâd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Law and for thy proof thou instâ⦠in pââl ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Phil. 3. Now this was before the Commandment caââ ãâã God ãâã which let him see the Law was spiritual and this doth ãâã pââve that ãâã power over sin for he was an Envy and so a ãâã and had ãâã over sin according as I asked thee if thou ââ¦yst he had power over ãâã ãâã ââ¦st to do before he was convicted while he was a ââ¦al ãâã ãâã no siâ⦠to persecute Jesus and this would âe blasphemy the pâ⦠ãâã ââ¦t this thou hast câââingly slipped ââ¦e I ââ¦ed thâ⦠get ãâã sin and to abstain from those things ââ¦idden in the Law ãâã not ãâã thou ever came and because thou wilt not answer I do and say ãâã concludes that Iohn ãâã staâ⦠iâ not so good ãâã Pââle while he was ââ¦er according to his own Doctrine and thou sayst the Gentiles did by nature the things containted in the Law true but that state was not coâ⦠ãâã ââ¦stined before the Circumcision and I ask thee Is any condemâ⦠ãâã who are exââ¦sed in his light or is any justified who is accused ãâã ãâã ãâã ââ¦d which thou ignorantly comments upon where I ãâã ãâã chose to be of that profession which abstains from those things ãâã in the Law and to have power over sin then to live in the transgâ⦠the ãâã and under the power over sin yet talking of belief in the Son oâ ãâã Let the Reader ãâã whether of these Religions is more accepâ⦠sââhn of God thy Religion is proved to be talking of belief in thâ ãâã and ãâã in the traâsg âession of the Law a Lyar a false Witnese ãâã ãâã and Backbiting and such like thy false belief will not save thee in ãâã ãâã the Lord. Then further thou still confessest that as he is God Christ lighteth everâ⦠ãâã come into the Woâ⦠then wherefore dost thou make all this ado in ãâã us in this particular yet let 's try thy Doctrine whether it be sound ãâã sayst This Light wherewith Christ as God hath lighted every man is Câ⦠and yet sometimes saith This Conscience is seared and hardned and evil ãâã is the Light of Christ as God seared heardened and evil Iohn Bâ⦠it forth this is thy great Ignorance and Blasphemy and sometimes ãâã This Light is Nature and Nature is corrupted and sinfull and in it ãâã ãâã dren of ââ¦th What is the Light of Christ as God corrupted and sinfulâ⦠ãâã are aââ by iâ Children of Wrath Iohn Bunions Doctrine holds it forth ãâã blindness possessed thee when thou writst this yet mayst thou blush at the ãâã hereof Then thou goest to give a meaning upon my words in that I said tâ⦠is Light and Light is the Law which is truth but I spoke them not ãâã to Interpret with thy lying spirit but let spirituall men judge of them ãâã much ado thou makes in answering my question to thee but hits not my ãâã at all I asked thee and bid thee shew if thou canst any sin which ãâã against the Law but this thou canst not do though thou wouldst proâ⦠thou couldst that imbelief is not a sin against the Law of God then thou ãâã of the obedience of the Son of Mary imputed to us c. But I say ãâã obedience of him without doth not justifie any who are in the Naâ⦠cââ¦ty against him who is not a new creature nor condemned in tâ⦠ãâã and whereas thou secretly chargest us with mingling Law and Gospel to ãâã I tell thee we know the operation of each and doth witnesâ the Ministâ⦠each and they are not divided nor oppsite one against the other but ãâã the ââ¦ing of the other and though thou saidst you leap over the ãâã Iustification yet it is too high for thee to leap over for Condemnation ãâã member this and all thy feign'd saith while in that Nature thou stâ⦠condemned is but as the stubble for the fire Then whereas I charged tâ⦠preaching another Gospel then the Apostle preached and my chargeâ⦠upon thy head and my proof is found against thee he directed to the ãâã withing in the heart Rom. 10. what saith it the Word is in the heart ãâã he turned to the Light from Darkness but thou sayst who shall ascend ãâã hiââ ââ¦en ââ¦st follow him to the Cross without and to Heaven without c. ãâã art one that faith âo here and lo there but these things thou hast paâ⦠with thy lying excuse of quarreling a many pâ⦠shirts thou art ââ¦ain to ãâã and in that I said thou wast a Lyar in saying the Light vit of Chrâ⦠God doth not shew the soul a Saviour or Delivâ⦠my charge ãâã is true and stands unremoved and I asked thee if the Light of Châ⦠not shew Christ to ãâã will in the Light then what cââ but thiâ⦠hast passed also most ââ¦fully which stands upon thee to answer or ãâã thy mouth then thou wouldst excuse thy contradictions charged upon ãâã that thou saydst they are wickedly delââed who own Christ no otherwise ãâã as he was before the World and yet saying God onely is the Saviour and ãâã is none besides him and all thou sayst clears not thy self from contradiction herein let honest men be judge betwixt us both for thou judgest falsely me to be âaught and I am sure thou art naught and thou wilt not take my judgement I may not take thine let impartiallity judge betwixt us then thou wouldst excuse thy slanders charged justly upon thee in saying that Quakers make light of the Resurrection and to prove thy wickedness thou askest us whether so it be ãâã ââ¦e enough for us to answer when thou hast brought evidence of the first aââ¦sation what poor proof is this for to cover thy self though to add to thy wickedness Thou sayst thou knowst we deny it I ask thee when it was or where it was O thou Enemy of Righteousness yea thou shalt arise in the day of Judgement to shame and contempt and this I affirm except thou repent of this thy wickedness Then whereas thou urgest me that I should have answered the Query raised from Eph. 4. 10. better or
Spirit is given to eveâ⦠man this thou hast catched at and wouldst prove it unsound but truth is oâ⦠thee and both these are true and further I say that Christ is given unto ãâã World yea to all but all receives him not and they that do not receive him ãâã Reprobates though he be given but not received and the folly and figâ⦠against truth is in thy self who says it is contrary to the Scriptures to say ãâã Spirit is given to every one thou here lyest of the Scripture as it s proved ãâã I do not befool my self in saying the words or some of them I own in ãâã Book though I have written against the Book for though thou speak Châ⦠words and the Apostles words yet thy voice is the strangers and thy ãâã I deny what ever words thou speakst and is not bafooling my self and ãâã I could justly end my discourse and what is said is sufficient to manifest thee and me to the honest Reader And thus far thy weapons of Slanders are broken and thy refuge of Lyes are layd waste and this also is cast by as our spoyled prey of Babylââs treasure and trampled upon and know that we are of God and be that is of God heareth us and to our God shall all bow and before him tremble And whereas thou seemest to be greatly offended and stumbling very much at my answers to thy Queries because thy carnall conceptions is not satisfied nor thy vain minde gratified having as thou thinkst great occasion against me thereby which causes thy mouth to be opened in vapouring words aloft against the simplicity of the Gospel not understanding my words for the things of the Kingdom of God is a parable to thee and sealed from thee never to be known in the reason in which thou judgest But in short thus I Reply I did not purpose to answer fully to them to feed any mans wisdom with my knowledge of the things of Gods Kingdom for the Queries were not fully directed to the Quakers so that quench thy anger and according to my answer go seek a further answer or else be thou still unsatisfied from them who are led with a spirit of delusion for such a direction requires no full answer from me nor any of us who are in the truth and not in the delusion neither did I purpose nor do I at any time to answer fully to such things as are directed in a great part to others I am not a servant especially to them that are led with a spirit of delusion to fufil thy will But yet the short answers that I gave which was not in the behalf of delusion but for the truths sake I still own though thou cannot understand them but products many bad lying wicked consequences from them and my purpose was not to feed thy foolish wisdom in answering nor to satisfie thy reason to receive praise from thee or any man for so I know it must be in hearing and seeing thou must not perceive nor understand who art of the Generation hardened and in parable is the Kingdom of Heaven unto thee and I rejoyce the rather in being a stumbling to thee in that state wherein thou standed then that I should have gratified thee for I seek not nor receives honour from man in what I do but is covered from the Worlds knowledge and know this if thou cannot receive the Kingdom of Heaven as a little leaven thou shalt never know it But yet how wicked art thou in this also though not understanding me in what I said yet so fouly wronging me with above 30. false charges and slanders from my words which thou reaches not the knowledge of so it will be enough Reply to sum up thy Lyes and send them back to thee to seek them out and an evidence for them and the Querys and my Answers shall stand as they are to be judged of by honest men while we are both silent in our own cause they are to be seen at large in my first Book The true faith of the Gospel contended for c. in the 26 27 28 pages And whereas further I speak at the end of my Answers of Christ within the hope of glory and said it is that mystery which long hath been hid from Ages but now is made manifest and declared and though the wise of this World cannot receive it but speaks evil against it yet it is dear unto us and so much more precious because despised by such as him and such things are a testimony to us and against you viz. our Enemies c. As in my 29. Page of my first may be sâen and most wickedly this or part of it he calls babling and says he passes by it O horrible impudency What marvel that he should so belye me when as he hath called the very Scripture truth spoken forth in righteousness bablings and these things I leave the Reader to Judge of and all his Lyes thrown upon ãâã ââpudently and consider what ground this man hath from my answers to be seen in my first Book to broach out and belch out such a number of Lyes and Slanders in five sides of paper not any one of them charged against me falsly were spoken by me or ever in my thoughts to speak or ground given by any of my words for such productions as it is seen what lodges in the heart of such a Fellow even desperate wickedness who is without any ãâã or honesty who dare utter such things against the upright who hates not his Enemies but while I am clear in the sight of God from all his false Slanders I matter not what Iohn Bunion says of me who is as a man given up to wickedness who in less then a sheet of paper hath uttered thirty Lyes or more which I may particularly manifest before he can find evidence a great wickedness ãâã this mans Converts be good while himself is unconverted is he a Minister of Christ for shame let it not be told so well I beg not vengeance against him he leaves my answers to be read who will clear me from his lying consequences ãâã wickedly conceived and as wickedly uttered By one of Gogs Army against a Member of Jesus Now I come to reckon up his damnable Doctrines and errors which are contrary to the truth as will manifestly appear to him that is spiritual some of thââ damnable without comparison Iohn Bunion said That Christs second coming is not his coming in Spirit for ãâã coming in Spirit is no coming He saith this or part of it is a lye made of hiâ by me when as several Witnesses doth testifie in righteousness that those very words were spoken by him in Pauls steeple-house in Bedford Town Mâ 23. 1656. as is witnessed and yet this man is so impudent that he deâââ what he spake or is ashamed of his words and so would cast the Lye upââ me who is clear and the wickedness lies at his door and whereas he
the Assembly and stood praying in the Synagogues and loved the uppermost rooms at Feasts and that were called of men Master and such like and the Apostle said such were Deceivers to take gifts and rewards and lucre and that loved unrighteous wages and that were Back-biters and false Accusers and Covetous and having a form of Godliness but denying the Power who ever taught and the people were not able to come to the knowledge of the truth with many other such like Now this is my appeal to all mens Consciences in the sight of God whether thou art not found under some of these Charracters at least or whether thou art not one in union and fellowship with such who act these things yea thou are among them and not crying against them and so art guilty of their sin though not as fully in the act as are some may be so that I doubt not but they who have not hardened their hearts and blinded their eyes will see how thou hast condemned thy self in confessing the truth and the time is coming that further it will be made manifest concerning thee only at present thou art sufficiently discovered to be out of the truth in the way of perdition and however though thou hast covered thy self as much as is possible from the stroke of thy own hand and from the guilt of thy own confession yet Ioh. Burton thou hast condemned an hundred I think of Independant Ministers so called thy brethren who are known to be found guilty of those things all or most of them which thou confessest are marks of a false Prophet and while thou bidst us examine our selves thou art the man or among them that are proved truly guilty He saith He is not come to one of the dayes of the thousand years of Satans being chained and this is truly confessed and so he is in the Reign and Government of the Devil and Satan is not bound but at liberty in him as it well appears and Christs reign is not known and so it must needs be true that he is of the Army of the Dragon against the Lamb. Some of the same Members with him said in Bedford That they scorned that Light which convinceth of sin which the Quakers speak of Further most falsly I am charged by him with railing against the Lord Jesus which is absolute false my words are spoken in fear and reverence of the Lord Jesus Reader these things I leave to thee to be judged of his false Slander and his Damnable Doctrines and wicked lying Accusations and Contradictions which his nine sheets of paper is filled with as if he had set himself to lye and slanders and speak wickedly against the truth which is over him and is a testimony against him and though opposed by him yet not confounded but him it confounds and by it he shall be judged and condemned and the time comes when further he may be made manifest if this be not sufficient out of the abundance of his heart hath his wicked Tongue uttered these things which are but a little of what lodges in him but let him prove these things first and then utter more AND now Iohn Bunion thou and thy false Witnesses and all thy Company and brethren in iniquity Remember and repent for the day of your visitation is upon you blessed were you if you could receive it before it be spent not to be recalled and before the long suffering of God come to an end and you be shut up in utter darkness And indeed friends the day hastens wherein every man shall receive according to his deeds he that hath done evil shal not be cloaked and he that hath done good shall not be uncovered in that day when the secrets of all hearts shall be laid open and searched with the eternal Eye the end of my work is to clear the Truth and the Way thereof God is witness from thy slanderous and lying and perverting Tongue and only I reprove thee by the Spirit of the Lord and so leaves thee to receive thy reward from the Just God of righteous Judgement who upon thy head wilâ render vengeance in flames of Fire in his dreadfull day which upon thee comes suddenly even when thou and you cries peace peace then shall destruction come as an armed man from which thou shalt not fly to escape though now you all be hardened against the Lord and his Way and Truth and hath even bent thy Tongue for Lyes and hath reproached the Innocent to the piââcing of thy own soul and one day shalt thou know it therefore bow and tremble before the Lord God thou and all thy Companions a Lyar and Slanderer thou art a Perverter and Wrester of the right Way of God and of the Scriptures a Hypocrite and Dissembler a holder forth of damnable Doctrines an envious man and false Accuser condemning another falsly in what thy self is fully guilty of these things I lay to thy charge justly in the presence of the Lord God and upon thy account are they reckoned by him and proved by testimony in the sight of man and may be more fully hereafter if any thing be wanting and one day shalt thou feel the burthen of them though now thou be above shame and all thy Lyes Slanders Deceits Confusions Hypocrisies Contradictions and damnable Doctrines of Devils with impudency held forth by thee shall be consumed in the Pit of Vengeance and then shall the Witness in thy Conscience justifie the Lord in condemning thee and me to be true in reproving thee and this I say to thee and you all the Living God you know not nor his Son Jesus Christ but are Enemies to God and * persecuters of the Lord of Life and shall perish among the Uncircumcised Ye false Witnesses and wicked Helpers you may be ashamed of your testimony subscribed at the beginning of his lying scribble will you yet say through Grace those things are true the rather stop your mouthes in the dust who hath offended the Lord more then defended him or your selves and be ashamed in the presence of God and man much more may be said hereafter to lay you further open if you yet harden your hearts in your wickedness but I do rather reprove you then strive with you and rather desires your return to God then your Condemnation by him and with this I shall end and by what is said in short is sufficient to manifest you and Iohn Bunion to all honest people what Generation you are of and that you are guided by a lying and unclean spirit and that you are doing the Devils works in gain-saying the Way of Truth and Righteousness by your multitude of Lyes and Slanders and damnable Doctrines and what ever you account or falsly judge of me yet am I true though as a Deceiver and the Lords Servants and a Witness for him and against all your Lyes and Slanders and Wickedness hatched amongst you and brought forth by a lying Orator whom you have
this is my only Plea which I have often and may by the Spirit of the Lord alwayes clearly demonstrate and I do indeed wave all the multitude of Arguments that have been or can be made by the Lawyers in this Business and not by words of man's wisdom but by Truth must I be justified And I do here again return to my first manner of proceeding and stand to the naked simplicity of Truth and I have no other defence to shelter under neither do I chuse any nor no other Weapon to resist my Enemy with but the Word of the Lord which is Truth and if Truth will not justifie me I will not be justified and if it will condeâ⦠me my Mouth shall be stopped for by the Truth I stand and if I fall fall for it in this matter and therefore you my Judges patiently hear few words again as to the beginning of the matter betwixt Richard Mayo and me which is thus He sent for me by a Messenger to come to him anâ being come to him he challenged me to speak what I had against him and again under his own hand he challenged me to dispute either in publique or private with him and he again bad me call him Deceiver if I durst and upon all these four particular Invitations and Challenges and also knowing him to be guilty as I am still able to prove I did say to him That he held forth Damnable Doctrine and Error and that he was a Deceiver and this was the beginning of the Controversie Whereby I would have you to take notice how Unrighteously he hath dealt with me first to invite me and challenge me several times and then for speaking the Truth of him which I am able to prove to Arrest me Imprison me and thus to prosecute me Is not this Unchristian-like and not like a Minister of Christ And this I proved in your Court His challenging of me And also I have manifested divers particular Saying of his which do appear to all sober men to be damnable Doctrine and Error And for the manifesting of my innocent Cause further and that you may know that you ought not to condemn me neither câ⦠you with a safe and good Conscience in the sight of God and to lay the Truth as plainly as I can before you therefore I do here insert the particulars to you again which I proved in the open Court against Richard Mayo which I do say is damnable Doctrine and Error all or some of them at least 1. That Paul as a Minister of Christ exhorted Saints the Corinthians to follow and obey a Light which was not Christ nor the Light of the Gospel 2. He did exhort the people of Kingstone as a Minister of Christ in his Preaching to them To follow and obey a Light which said he is not Christ nor the Light of the Gospel 3. He said That a man may be a Righteous Man and not a Godly Man without distinction 4. Also at another time before that Richard Mayo affirmed That the Light of Christ which every man is lightened withal John 1. 9. is Carnal and Darkness 5. He did affirm under his own hand That Christ was not the Word that David walked by 6. He affirmed That the Devil is the Power of God 7. He affirmed That the Gospel is not the Power of God no more then a Rose Cake is which he laid his hand on in the Window at that present of his so saying 8. He affirmed If one man murder another he did it by the Power of God Now hereby it may appear to you if you do not wilfully harden your selves against the Truth and the Righteousness of my Cause that I have done Richard Mayo no Wrong only I have spoken the truth of him I said He held forth damnable Doctrine and Error which saying is truth and I had a good Cause to speak it for he invited and challenged me divers times to speak it and then when this is considered by you let your Consciences judge what wrong I have done him seeing it doth appear I have spoken the truth of him and had good Reason so to do Ye my Judges at whose Door my Cause which is Innocent lies despised and ready to be condemned come but to plainness and honesty in your own hearts and be not passionate towards me but use Meekness and let the Sincerity of your hearts tell me whether I have lyed or spoken truth But if you do the worst that can be done against me I must and have already committed my Cause to God and I doubt not but he will avenge my Cause and recompence my Adversaries in his Season Now again consider If Richard Mayo did make his Invitations to me on purpose to ensnare me as it may be justly supposed that he did that he might have occasion to execute his Malice upon me then you ought not to give Judgment against me and to be his Executioners for if he hath laid his Plot to ensnare me how can you justly give him power over me And he hath no power over me except you give it him by unjust Judgment and you can but give him power over my Body for my Spirit is at Liberty and in dominion over you and him because I have the Truth on my side and it is hard for you to strive against that for it cannot be buried but the Truth of my Cause will alwayes live to vex its Opposers But and if his Challenges to me were not to insnare me but for Information supposing himself to have been clear from all damnable Doctrine and Error then he had done well to have owned my words as a Reproof and to have repented and not to have held forth any more such Doctrine And you ought not for my reproving him to condemn me for r eproving any man for Evil ought not to be condemned Good Men will not do it neither would he were he not an ungodly man prosecute me thus violently and thus continually beg your Judgment of 100 l. against me for reproving of him and declaring against his false doctrine which he delivers to the people when as himself invited me to speak to him And the Lord knows the Souls of people are so dear to me that where I hear false doctrine held forth which would destroy the innocent Souls I cannot but reprove it lest people receive false Dostrine for true to the Destruction of their own Souls and upon that account I spoke in this Cause Wherefore take you into Consideration what Mayo's End was in inviting me and do not you fulfil his evil purpose which I believe if he had power over me would execute his farthest Cruelty upon me I have good Reason to believe it for many cruel threatning words have proceeded from him already against me but the Lord can deliver me from them all but if he will not He will give me Patience to bear it whatsoever is suffer'd to come to me But if any shall
doubt and cannot receive these things and believe that these particulars are damnable Doctrine and Error as they are laid down in themselves and if what is spoken already be not sufficient I may upon any just Opportunity prove unto you and unto all men in the sight of my Enemies That these particulars held forth by Richard Mayo and alledged by me before you are damnable Doctrine and Error And if I could be convinced to the contrary by him or any man in sober Arguments according to the Scriptures and if he shall be able to prove that these things are true and found and saving Doctrines then may I confess That I have wronged him which never can be done Therefore can I never confess without lying against my Conscience that I have wronged him but God justifies me and just Men and my own Conscience excuses me from all wrong in this matter and here or hereafter shall you and he know it also that I am without Offence to him in this Cause And if I suffer be it upon you that are my Judges and the Guilt of my Sufferings will be upon you one day For for the Truth 's sake am I not afraid nor ashamed to suffer whatsoever you lay upon me And whereas it is chiefly pleaded by my Adversary and his Council That he is damnified and much endangered by the speaking of my words And because I said He held forth damnable Doctrine Therefore say they he is in danger to lose his Place and so He and his Wife and Family cannot tell how to live c. These things they plead and upon this account beg Judgment against me because he is or may be in danger to be damnified To this I reply and Friends I would have you to consider He hath not yet proved to you the Dammage of the value of Two Pence nor is he in any outward Estate worse by loss of any thing outwardly by any thing that I have spoken and it is unjust to condemn me in an 100 l. upon supposed Danger and Dammage which may come while as he hath sustained none at present And further I say unto you I have had no Intentions of Evil against him nor Purpose in my heart to endanger or damnifie him in any outward thing God is my Witness but that nakedly and simply I spoke the Truth of him And if speaking the Truth to him doth endanger him and damnifie him according as they plead then is he a bad man and an evil person and not well worthy of your taking part with him if you be just Men as yet I kââ¦w nothing to the contrary nor worthy of giving your Judgment against me for him If the speaking Truth to him can so endanger him then consider you what a man he is for speaking of the Truth can never hurt an honest Man nor damnifie a good Man for honest Men rejoyce in the Truth and the speaking of it is an Honour to them But the speaking the truth may indeed damnifie a bad Person as to discover his Wickedness and to prevent him of more Wickedness which he may intend but speaking the truth cannot damnifie a good Man And if it be so that Richard Mayo because of his badness be damnified by my speaking the Truth to him must I therefore be condemned for speaking Truth or ought you to do it Let that of God in you answer Will you justifie his false doctrines and condemn me for reproving him Did ever any good Men or just Iudges of old condemn any man for speaking the Truth Or will you shame your selves in the sight of Wise-men by acting contrary to a good Conscience Which if you do condemn me for speaking the truth I do and must tell you while I live That your Iudgment is Unjust and you act contrary to a good Conscience and are Unrighteous Iudges and that you commit the great Abomination in justifying the Wicked and condemning the Righteous And is it not a Shame to him that professeth himself to be a Minister of Christ to plead The Loss of his Livelihood and of his Calling and the Poverty of his Wife and Family c. because of my speaking the Truth to him Never any of Christ's Ministers pleaded any such thing Were not they reproached and much spoken against And they were called Deceivers and Seditious Men and such like And did they proceed on this manner as he hath done against me Nay They forgave their Enemies And if I had spoken falsly of him as I have not he ought not to have done thus if he had been a Minister of Christ as he professeth And doth his Livelihood and his Place and his Maintenance of himself and his Family depend upon my forbearing to speak the Truth For he pleads That he is damnified and endangered in all these by what I have spoken And I still testifie and all good Men know that I have given no Offence saving then speaking the Truth And rather then he shall be damnified by my speaking the truth of him will you unjustly damnifie me for speaking the truth Is this the Way of JUSTICE to condemn the Truth that I have spoken to save the Guilty from supposed Danger Consider of this and save your selves from Unjust Iudgment lest the Lord justly judge you and condemn you This I shew in short and much more I might as to the Unjustness of the Action prosecuted against me and now I come to shew something of the unjust Proceedings in this matter against me in the time of my Tryals and other times and some part thereof I here lay before you that you and all may see I have had as unjust Proceedings against me in the matter as an unjust Action at first brought upon me At my first appearance in my first Answer I demurred to the jurisdiction of your Court and shewed That your Court and Judicatory being Temporal you could not in that Court take Cognizance of this Cause being of a Spiritual Dependancy and ought only to be try'd in spiritual Jurisdiction by spiritual Judges if there were any such and shewed out of the Laws of England reasonably that your Court had no power to try this matter But one of the Bailiffs Iohn Forth said which should have been my equal Judge They would over-rule that and they would try the matter without shewing any just Reason out of the Laws against my Argument grounded upon the Laws and they did over-rule me in that And the Court-day before the Tryal when the Jury-men were to be chosen and nominated I told them That the Jury-men should be such as had the Gift of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost in them or else they could not try the Matter because it was Doctrine that was to be try'd which none could try but by the Spirit of God neither could I cast my self into the Determination of any in this Cause but such And the Bailiffs Obadiah Wicks and Iohn Forth answered If they were men that
could take the Evidence that I spoke my words against Richard Mayo they were sufficient to try the Matter Whereby it doth appear that they had unjustly determined in themselves not to try the Doctrines but to have a Verdict against me however Again Some that were called to be of the Jury were heard to say before they saw me or ever heard the Matter If I came into their hands they knew well enough what to do with me Hereby it doth appear they were not equal men but malicious and prejudiced against me And moreover In the very time of the Tryal some of the Jury at the Bar said They would not believe any thing or take any Witness for Testimony which any of these on my part that were called Quakers spoke And this was also the Witness of their malicious and envious spirits against me who were rather as a Party against me then my Equals And were not these unjust men for the Tryal of such a Matter And moreover When all his Witnesses could not say enough to give colour for a Verdict against me one of the Bailiffs Iohn Forth by name who was one of the Judges upon the Bench proffered to come down off the Bench and swear as a Witness against me and when some spake against that he sent for a man into the Court out of the Town Iames Levite by name and whispered with him upon the Bench and told him what he should swear and he went to the Bar and took his Oath against me That I followed Richard Mayo with Reviling Language in three several Rooms in Bailiff Gunstone ' s House Which I do testifie was a false Oath before the Lord and all men and many know that I speak the Truth and that that man took a false Oath who was sent for into the Court and told by one of the Judges what he should swear I suppose Bayliff Gunston himself knows that this was a false Witness and are not these unjust Proceedings I appeal to your Consciences and upon such proceedings as these was a Verdict gained against me by much ado in above three hours time and the Foreman of the Jury himself said he would not have brought a Verdict against me but onely for the man's Oath Iames Levite which as I have said swore falsly being sent for and told by another man what he should say Again when the Fore-man of the Iury said they could not try the Cause and desired it might be referred the said Bayliff Forth on the Bench cryed no and told Richard Mayo he should have a Verdict first and ought my Judge thus to have spoken No he appeared to be rather a Party against me then my equal Judge and to all sober men these Proceedings may appear to be unjust And I hope some of you will make more conscience of your doings then to pass Judgment upon such an Unrighteous Verdict And moreover the Iury did not try the Cause which onely ought to have been tryed which was whether I had spoken truely or falsly of Richard Mayo that is to say they ought to have tryed and that was the thing in controversie between us whether these particulars alledged by me against Richard Mayo were true and sound Doctrine or damnable Doctrine and Errors for if the Particulars mentioned be true and sound Doctrine which were affirmed by Richard Mayo then I have wronged him and I must confess it and assent to your Judgment but if the Particulars be false Doctrine and Error then I have done him no wrong for I have spoken nothing but the truth and for that how can you condemn me And this was the Cause to be tryed which the Jury themselves confessed they did not try and therefore the Matter is not yet tryed in truth neither have I had a legal Tryal before you and then how can you give Judgment against me being the Action it self is so unequal and the Proceedings so unjust also and the Matter yet not fully tryed Do but consider of these things in the coolness of your spirits and let not me receive worse dealing from you because I am a Stranger neither because I am a Quaker so called but deal justly and truely for I desire nothing else of you but true Judgment for that will justifie me and clear me and respect not Persons but have respect to the Law of God which commandeth you to hear and judge the Cause of the Poor and the Strangers without respect of Persons and if you give regard to the Law of God in this Matter you cannot give Judgment upon this Verdict which is unjustly brought in by partial men as is manifest and you must either wholly arrest Iudgment or at least you must bring it to a new Tryal else you do me much wrong and injustice and all good men will so judge of it And further divers sufficient reasons hath been shewed by men of knowledge in the Law first against this Action and also against the Proceedings herein which might be reasons to you not to go on in Judgment against me but to clear me and even in your own way as I may say you have been dealt with and you have been shewed my Innocency so that if your Hearts be not hardened you cannot go any further against me but go contrary to the truth of my cause and contrary to your own Law also and though it was the dear love and respect of Friends to the Truth in freeness of their love to me more then any desire of mine or my knowledge I do own their love and justifie it yet much that hath been spoken in forms and tricks of Law and puntillio's of Law I do wave and let it pass and keep always to the naked truth of the Matter as before laid down And therefore if any Jury shall upon their Oaths justifie Mayo's Doctrines to be true and sound Doctrine and if you your selves upon your Oathes dare give Iudgment that Richard Mayo's Doctrine is not damnable Doctrine and Errors then I must lie patiently under your Judgment and under the breach of such Jury-mens Oaths and of your own Oaths also and therefore I demand of you according to right and justice let me be cleared otherwise let me first have a fair Tryal before I be condemned which yet I have not had because the Matter was perverted from that whether I had spoken the truth upon which the true Issue dependeth and upon no other thing Whether I spoke malitiously was a straining of the Cause to a wrong head and perverting it from its proper Issue and hereby was the just Cause of the Innocent clouded over and rejected and vilified and even betrayed into another meaning more then it ought to have been but it can shew its face above all this and Truth cannot be daunted though it may be vailed and lie hid for a season and though I be condemned by the Prejudiced and unfaithful Jury for speaking malitiously yet the Lord bears me witness to
the contrary that I have no malice in me against any man and I love your Souls better then that you should endanger them to destruction and to everlasting burning by giving Iudgment upon your Oaths against me upon this Verdict in this Cause which is thus unjust and unequal in it self and in its Proceeding also for if the Jury had tryed whether I had spoken the truth or whether I belyed Richard Mayo then it would easily have been known whether I spoke maliciously for if I belyed him and if his Doctrine be true and sound and not Error then may it be easily judged that I spoke maliciously because I spoke not the truth but if his Doctrines alleadged by me be not true and sound Doctrine but damnable Doctrine and Error then I have not belyed him but spoken the truth in love and not maliciously for Truth and Malice goes not together and till this be tryed to wit whether I have spoken truly or falsly who shall be able upon their Oathes without forswearing themselves to give it upon their Oathes that I spoke maliciously nay how shall any men lawfully swear that one speaks malitiously it is a hard cause to swear that any man speaks in malice for who enters into the heart of another man to know the thoughts save God and his Spirit And this I say at least and safely too that that Jury which gave into the Court upon their Oaths that I spoke my words maliciously against Richard Mayo have greatly endangered the forswearing themselves and the breach of their own Oaths and some of them know before this day that they did transgress therein against God whom God suddenly after cut off with Judgment and took off the Earth by death and though they that are yet living may be insensible of their own wickedness yet let all good men fear to dye out of this Body with that burden upon their Consciences as some have and others of them may have in this particular for breach of Oaths and though they have given it to you upon their Oaths that I spoke maliciously yet âwo will be unto you if you shall upon your Oaths justifie they have done well and condemn me falsly upon their false Verdict and if you do condemn me it is upon their false Verdict because I spoke maâiciously against Richard Mayo and you cannot do that but you forâwear your selves and act contrary to your trust who are set in place to âudge justly by what doth appear to your view and cannot nor dare not I know upon your Oaths say that I have spoken falsly and maliciously against Richard Mayo but and if you do one day you will feel that you have spoken against your own Oaths and Consciences and against God and against your own Souls And this is all that I can lay before you as to this Particular to warn you that you do judge justly and that you condemn not the innocent and just Cause of the Upright but that you may save your selves from the anger of the Lord who will be avenged upon all false Swearers and Unrighteous Judges that judges not in righteousness the Cause of the Poor and of the Stranger and the Cause yet remains before you to shew your selves just or Unjust Righteous or Unrighteous Judges in this Matter And whereas Richard Mayo and some of your selves spake to me to confess I have wronged him and would have me to acknowledge that I am in a fault and that I have spoken wrong of him yea it was said to me if I had not wronged him could I not confess that I had to preserve my self c To this I must answer Nay I cannot confess contrary to a good Conscience and contrary to Truth that I have wronged him if my life stood upon it as it is but my liberty at most for God hath given me to make Conscience of my words and to keep it void of offence towards him and all men and to confess that which is false to be true would stain a good Conscience in the sight of God and his People and that I may not do no not for my own preservation and the Lord deliver me from the Judgment of such who would have me confess that which I am not guilty of for that is all one to say I am clear when I am guilty as to say I am guilty when I am clear and I rather chuse to suffer what may be imposed upon me then to transgress the Truth in my own Heart and if I should say his Doctrine were sound and true Doâârine and not Damnable and Error I do believe the Witness in your own Consciences would rise against me and many more would say I then spoke falsly then doth now for I hardly ever heard any no not your own selves say that his Doctrines alledged by me against him are sound and true Doctrine neither can you in good Conscience say it So I say I cannot lye against my Conscience what ever comeâ of it for to walk with the Lord and to have his Peace and not to lose his Presence is of more worth to my Soul that is immortal theâ all the Sufferings that you can lay upon me can be dammage to my mortal Body for my life and soul you cannot touch but therein am I free though outwardly entangled amongst Bryars and Thorns which woâ⦠pierce me and seek to catch me and if there be no other way for me to be preserved but by confessing contrary to my Conscience that I have wronged Richard Mayo I freely give up my self to suffer rather then to be preserved by such means and you do evil in putting such a thing upon me and expecting it from me which I cannot give bâ⦠transgress the Law of God and offend him and my own Conscience and if you defer the determination of the Matter upon such hopes that I may confess that I have wronged Richard Mayo I desire you would not defer it one moment longer but let me be quitted of your Temptation for it is your Temptation and not true love for I cannot confess any such thing though I do acknowledge it hath now depended in your Court and at your door near two years and I should be glad that it were ended justly because I am not a man given to Suits of Law neither do I love it though it be so that I am fallen into it to offend any man or be offended in that way by any yet may I not use any unlawful means or any indirect way to obtain an end of this business but the rather I am content with what the Lord suffereth to come to pass though it be the very greatest Malice of my very devouring Enemies and because I would have Peace with all men and have all men reconciled to God and one to another to live in love and unity one with another upon that account I would this business were ended and though I do not doubt my Cause nor am
but one the same to day yesterday and forever who is the Foundation of God and abides forever was preached unto you all to be the Way the Truth the Life and Salvation and there is none besides him why then are there Divisions amongst you and some for one and some for another And herein are you carnal and your minds abroad and not'staid upon him which gives the increase and all this is to be judged with the Life of God Wherefore I beseech you in the Fear of the Lord as you love him and his Glory yea as you love your own souls Come to the Light which lets you see all this and condemns it and strive not one with another nor exalt not your selves one above another but let all that be condemned and all your evil Surmisings and foolish Jealousies separate Worshippings Backbitings be brought to Judgment and let condemnation pass upon it all never more to appear to hinder your Fellowship with the Lord and know the Life of God in you all which is but one which is not at strife nor divided and let that arise that all Vails may be taken off and Hardness of heart judged and the Countenance of the Lord may shine upon you when that exalted spirit which has appear'd in some is brought down of which I charge you all to beware lest there be a total departing from the Lord and his Name be reproached through you among the Heathen and it had been better for such they had never been born Therefore I say unto you all lay it to heart till the Judgments of the Lord take it away and purifie your hearts from all these things which ariseth out of that which is not of the Father that my joy may be renewed who have been in travel for you tell Christ be formed in you that he alone may rule in you over all those things which are at enmity against the Life and hinders your growââ And if you yet harden your heart against Reproof who are stubborn well the Lord will ease him of his Adversaries and break you as a Potter's Vessel And though you oppress the Life of God for a moment yet my Peace with him âââll these things never take away but over all these things I tread am not offendââ in him who is my Peace forever And though those things cause sadness of heart yet the Lord giveth no cause of Sorrow to them that are faitful to him but will arise to confound all Deceit and Deceitful Workers who err from his Way and count the Knowledge of his Wayes a Burden and of you all though you perish I am clear who am not hated of the Lord though falsly judged by his Enemies over whom I trample as the Dust and the Living God gives Victory over you all I am not of this World E. B. Something of TRUTH Made Manifest In Relation to a Dispute at Draton in the County of Middlesex in the first Moneth last In Opposition to the False Account given of it by one Philip Taverner in his Book stiled The QUAKERS ROUNDS OR A Faithful Account c. FOrasmuch as one who hath I suppose ambitiously stiled himself Mr. Philip Taverner hath taken in hand to set forth to the view of the World an Account and Relation of a Dispute hapning in the eleaventh Moneth last at Draton near Colebrook to which Relation I am a little engaged to write something by way of answer thereunto that all people may know the Truth and being the Truth is somewhat concerned herein that is the Reason wherefore I have taken in hand to write a little by way of answer to his Relation being without any prejudice towards the man as concerning any Wrong he hath done to me though me as well as the Truth he hath wronged as may appear to such who desire to know the Truth It 's true a publique dispute I had the time and place mentioned with a company of Priests and this same Philip Taverner was one of them and the occasion of the Dispute was thus I being a few weeks before at a Meeting with some Friends in the said Town one Richard Goodgroom in his relation mentioned was present at the hearing of what was spoken but at that time did not object any thing though afterwards in London and other places he went up and down in a backbiting manner and gave forth That I had held forth blasphemous Doctrines or the like whereupon I much desir'd a Dispute for the tryal of those things and it was accomplished and that day the Truth was much made manifest and Deceit confounded And as to all the things objected against me by Richard Goodgroom which he would have seemed to have taken great occasion thereby as if some great matter of Heresie and Error had been utter'd by me I say the very Truth of all these things was demonstrated according as I had laid them down and his Arguments against them made of none effect And though such as hardened their Hearts might go unsatisfied and in greater Unbelief then they came yet I am sure the Upright-hearted and such as desired the knowledge of the Truth were wholy satisfied and this many can give Testimony of with me And though by his Relation it may appear otherwise to some yet wherein he hath related falsly it shall fall upon his own head and his Folly shall truly more appear in the End then he would have or seem to cause any in me to appear at this present and so he might with more Credit to himself been silent then to have meddled in that wherein he hath shewed himself so imperfect For I believe That this same Philip Taverner hath given a Relation of four times as much as he did speak at that Meeting and hath related as though he spake that which he never uttered by so many times fo much as I have said and hath not related so much by many times as was spoken by me and them of my part as many may witness Which Work of his seems not to be perfect neither yet altogether honest as sober Men may judge but such a thing must redown more to his own Dishonour then to the Truth 's Disadvantage And first As to the Title of his false Relation which is stiled The Quakers Rounds or A Faithful Account c. To this I answer That the very Frontispiece and Title of his Book savours of a vain light scornful spirit and so every Spiritual Man may judge of it to be so But why dost thou Philip Taverner say A Faithful Account but that to confirm Falshood with audacious words having a shew of Confidence upon it thereby the more easily to enter ento the Hearts of the People as if it were irreprovable coming also from the hand and under the hand of a Mr. Philip c. having so stil'd thy self to make thy Fame great and to publish thy Work under a seeming Authority but hadst thou had more Humility less
shall justifie us and condemn our Enemies Again he queries whether I make the Holy Ghost and the Eternal Spirit two I answer no they are one neither do I seem to make them two it is want of knowledge in him who cannot understand but raiseth Objections where there is no cause Again from my words this is acceptable and well pleasing to God above all words and outward conformity c. from this he questions whether the doing the greater things of the Law is acceptable where the less are neglected I answer no for every tittle of the Law less and greater must be fulfilled by Christ in us in whom we are accepted and thus I have returned a few words to the consideration of people and particularly to the people of Draton and the Country there about to whom I direct my speech thus All ye people who are scattered as Sheep without a Shepherd and know not Christ the Everlasting Shepherd to lead you and to rule you Cease oh cease from all your Teachers without you who are dumb Shepherds which do not gather you to God such are they that preach for Hire and divine for Money and that take Gifts and Rewards for preaching who through Covetousness by feigned words do make Merchandize of Souls Such do keep you alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth under their Teachings your Souls are starved under them and you perish for want of true Knowledge and Death raigns amongst you and many are in the broad way that leadeth to Destruction but few in the strait Way that leads to Life and Iniquity and Wickedness abounds amongst you and like Teachers like People for from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to Covetousness Jer. 6. 13. Great Ignorance hath blinded your Minds and great Darkness is over your Hearts and your Teachers do deceive you and they cause you to err and you give your Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which doth not profit even as the people of Israel did so do you and in their Transgressions do you walk and your Teachers are in the steps of the Pharisees they are called of men Master as the Pharisees were they stand praying in the Synagogues and Temples as the Pharisees did and they have the chief Seats in the Assemblies as the Pharisees had and they even shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men as the Pharisees did and will not enter in themselves nor suffer them that would Cease from all your outward Priests and hearken to the Voice of the Lord which breaks down that nature which is contrary to God and raiseth up the Seed which is Heir of God's Kingdom and turn your minds to the Light in you which Christ hath lightened you withal which Light shines in your Consciences and convinces you of your evil Deeds it reproves you for Vain words and Ungodly speeches it will let you see what your hearts go after and what your love goes out unto and if you love that it will lead you to Christ and he will be revealed in you to teach you and to give you the Witness of Peace and Reconciliation with God The Light is your Eye by which you may see God it will lead you out of all idolatrous worships and works and from your false worships which are an Abomination to the Lord and you must be converted and changed into a new Nature and you must put off the Old man and his Works before you can worship God aright for he is worshipped in Spirit and in Truth only and such the Lord is now seeking to worship him Therefore cease from your Steeple-house-worship which is in the Traditions of men and not in the Spirit of the Lord and that worship must be confounded for its Root is corrupted and its Branches will wither and the Breath of the Lord is kindled against it If you love the Light of Christ and walk in it there is your Teacher and if you hate it there is your Condemnation The next day after the Dispute this was written and sent in a little time after to Draton and up and down that ways Richard Goodgrom FRiend hath not thy Ignorance Folly and Wickedness towards me now appeared And is it not manifest in the sight of many people And now thou mayest cease to boast and also to backbite for the time to come and no more secretly to surmise behind my back to the raising of unruly spirits against me so much as in thee was possible and hadst thou been more crafty and more subtile more Mischief thou mightest have done but the Innocent is delivered and thou art taken in the Snare thou laidst for another and false doctrine is prov'd to proceed forth of thy mouth And thou and thy Company may be ashamed when you consider the managing of your Work against me who many times appeared immoderate in speaking many at once confusedly and also were unreasonable in not being satisfied with just Answers but it shews your Blindness and Unbelief who cannot understand the Truths of the Gospel of Christ but contend against them though in the end you are forced to confess to them as was sufficiently witnessed that day of the Dispute and thou in particular who reproachedst me behind my back in divers places where I have heard of it by my Friends whom thou judg'dst had not been so yet they have discover'd the naughtiness of thy heart both in the Country and in the City Thou hast given forth that I had preached false doctrine and such like wicked reproachful back-biting language behind my back not like a man faithful to God and thy Neighbour but one that hath surmised Evil against the Harmless And thou mayest remember all these things thou objectest against who wouldst have made a great matter of them against me yet are they sufficiently prov'd to the Understanding of many honest People And if thou and thy Company will be blind it is because you harden your hearts against the Truth and I am clear in the sight of the Lord and all shall know that have an Ear to hear That what I profess preach and practice are the saving Truths of Iesus Christ though they may be branded to be Heresie by such as thee who may call Light Darkness and Darkness Light and put Good for Evil and Evil for Good And at a convenient Opportunity I may take in hand to prove That thou thy self hast held forth that which cannot be justified by the Scripture but are condemned thereby Many things fell from thee in my hearing which I may object against and prove the contrary and I shall not go behind thy back as thou hast done to slander thee but I shall rest contented and wait the opportunity to lay open thy Nakedness and Weakness in the sight of all people And whatsoever thou judgest The Scriptures the Writings and the things written of are two things
in for then the Worship of Christians was one and in one Spirit but now the Worships of Christians are many and divers and divided one from another and they are not in unity in their Worship ãâã in strife and division and herein you are apostatized from the Life oââ¦ââ¦ristianity and its manifest that the Worship of Chrââ¦s now is not in ãâã Sââ¦t and in the Truth but in vain Traditiâ⦠learned in natural knowlââ¦ge by people that are not converted unto God and any part of the Worship which is now practised amongst Christians whether amongst Papists of any sort or Protestants of any sort I say every part of the Worship now practised amongst Christians through the World may by taught unto and learned of and exercised in by a man that knows âât God neither is in the Truth nor converted to the Truth neither hath the Spirit of God guiding nor leading of him And I say That which may be done or practised by a man that is not in the Spirit nor in the Truth not is yet converted to the Knowledge of God nor is not in any measure guââed by the Spirit of God is not the Worship of the true God which is in the Spirit and Truth but as I have said any part of the Worship now prââ¦sed amongst Christians may be done and practised by aman that is out of the Spirit and out of the Truth and unconverted to the Knowledge of God ãâã therefore the Worship now practââed amongst Christians is not the true worship of the true God which is in the Spirit and in the Truth and which câânot be practised without it Many more things might be said as to prove the Worship of Christians now ãâã practised by them is not the true Worship of the true God but this is ãâã which I have said that which is practised without the Spirit of God is not the true Worship of God which must be in the Spirit and cannot be practised without it but such is the worship of Christians for the Christiansââow ââow generally pray some after one Form and some after another in their own wills and times and know not the movings of the Spirit of the Father tâereunto nor guiding them therein but in such a manner as they set unto themselves or as the custom of the Country instructs them therein and know not the intercession of the Spirit of the Father in them nor know not the praying in the Holy Ghost and as for the preaching of Christians it is not now practised as the Christians of old practised it nor by the same Spirit now they study for what they speak and gather out of the Scriptures âome having it written in a Book what they will preach to the people and this is not to preach as the spirit gives them utterance neither is this from the teaching or moving of the Spirit of God but by humane Art and humane Craft knowing before-hand what and how much to speak so much as they have collected in their thoughts from such a Verse and how long to preach till a Glass be run and know what to have for preaching and this and such like is the manner of the Preaching now among Christians which hath no savour in it of God's Spirit or of the Teachings and Leadings of God's Spirit in it but altogether contrary to wit This Practice savours of Idolatry and of vain Traditions and Superstitions And in short This Practice of Preaching among the Christians now is not in the same manner neither by the same Spirit nor for the same End as the Preaching of the Christians was in the dayes of the Apostles which sheweth that the Christians now are Apostatized and greatly Degenerated from what the Christians were then For again The Christian Ministers now do not go as they are moved of the Lord up and down from Country to Country to convert people to God as the Christian Ministers did then But enquire for places of great Maintenance where there are great store of Tythes and Set-Wages and if they can there they settle themselves and preach in manner as I have said And this practice savours nothing of the Teachings of the Spirit of God nor of the Movings of that Spirit whereby the Christian Ministers of old were guided which sheweth that the Christian Ministers now are in the Apostacy and in the Degeneration from God and from what the Christian Ministers were then And as concerning the Practice of Singing noâ amongst Christians it is not in the Spirit nor with a good Understandiâ⦠but in a vain Form and Tradition and not in the Spirit of the Lorâ⦠ãâã now the Christians many of them in a Form sing the Conditions ãâã as David's Prayers and Praises Troubles and Afflictions when as themselves are in a condition quite contrary to what David was and so sing that which unto themselves is false as being out of that condition of which they sing and this is not singing with the Spirit neither is it to sing spiritual Songs And others of Christians have another manner of singing all which singing of Christians now hath no savour of the Teachings of God's Spirit in it neither is it according nor by the same Spirit as the singing of the Christians once was A woful Apostacy is fallen upon you ye Christians through the World and you are fallen you are fallen from the Life of Christ and the true Praâ⦠of Christianity as the first Christians were in then their praying was in the Spirit and the holy Ghost but now without the Spirit in Forms and Traditions Their Preaching then was as the Spirit led them and as it gave them utterance but now by humane Learning and Policy at such a Place for so much a Year an Hour by a Glass what they have gathered by study upon other mens Works Then the Singing of Christians was in the Spirit and their whole Worship was spiritual in the Spirit and in the Truth but the Singing of Christians now and all their Worship is in vain Traditions exercis'd without the Leadings and Movings of the Spirit of God Then the Worship of Christians was one and by one Spirit now it is divers and in division and in many coâtrary spirits Alas oh ye Christians consider how great is your Fall and how woââl your Degeneration in respect of your Worship fallen greatly from the teaching of the Spirit of God in your Praying in your Preaching and in your Singing to follow humane Learning and worldly Policy and vain Traditions the Customs of the Country and your own Imaginations in your Praying Preaching and Singing as I have proved unto you Oh consider how great is your Apostacy from the true Life of true Christianity Greatly do you err from the pure Way wherein the true Christians walked and being truly paralell'd with them and measur'd with the Spirit of true Judgment you are found not equal to them in any measure but rather contrary altogether shewing you are guided
Singings their Baptisms and Breaking of Bread and even all that which you perform as unto God as the Worship of him is not accepted but Abomination unto him and his Soul is burdened with all these things you not being led with the Spirit of Christ And even your practizing of these things which the Saints and Christians once practiced and were accepted of the Lord in so doing while they were led by the Spirit of Christ I say The very practice of those things now by the Christians being degenerated is become Idolatry and Abomination to the Lord. And this I declare in the Fear and Presence of the Lord Even all your Praying and Preachings and Profession all your Sabboth-keeping and Set-dayes of Humiliation and even all your Practices of Religion which you do and perform are Idolatry and a Burden to the Lord's Soul in the state that now you stand not being led by the Spirit of Christ but being from it departed and your works not brought forth by it but by another spirit And now saith the Lord unto you Christians who are degenerated from the Spirit of Christ To what purpose is your Preaching Praying and Singing They are a Vexation and Burden to the Righteous Soul and the Lord hath no delight therein away with it away with it Your Profession and Practices stincks in the Nostrils of the Lord All your Baptisms and your Sacraments which ye perform in a vain Tradition and not by the Spirit of the Lord they are hateful in his sight away with them away with them they shall crumble to the dust and immediate Desolation in one day the Lord will break them down and never build them up again Your Preaching by a Glass for so much a Sermon or so much a Year what you have gathered out of Books and studied for from other mens words town with it down with it it is ãâã Abomination to the Lord. And your Ministry which is made and sent forth at Schools and ãâã natural Learning through the attainment of such Arts and Sciences and being approved of such and such men and sent forth to such and such a Parâ⦠ãâã have so much Money by the Year for preaching what hath been studied foâ⦠and not by the Gift of the Holy Ghost away with this Ministry away with it it s a mocking of God and a deceiving of Souls the Lord will confound it and bring it to Destruction And your singing of the Saints words in Rhyme and Meeter and their Conditions which your selves never knew this is Abomination to the Lord and a Practice which his Soul hater away with it the Lord is risen to confound it Away with all your Worship which is not in the Spirit nor in the Truth but in vain Traditions of ãâã practiced by you in a vain Form and not the Power of God The Lord will being it down to the ground restore and establish his own Worship which ãâã in Spirit and in Truth and he will give and hath given his Ministry again by the Gift of the Holy Ghost which hath been lost for many Ages while this Night of Apostacy hath over-spread the World and the Lord shall ãâã longer be worshipped in vain Traditions of men but his people shall be reââred and renewed to worship him in Spirit and Truth and the Christianâife âife shall again be brought forth and the Spirit of Christ shall be the Leader and Teacher of his People And now the Day of the Lord's Visitation is again revived for togather his People and to restore them again to his perfect Way and Worship Therefore hearken and behold ye Christians this is the Testimony of the Lord ââ¦erning you You have been fallen and degenerated from the Life of Righteousness and from the true Way and Worship of the true God and you have long been slumbring and sleeping in this long Night of Darkness which overshadow'd you and darkned that glorious Appearance of the ãâã of God which once shined upon the Christians and in Blindness and Dâ⦠have ãâã walked for many Ages and your Worship hath been subscribed To the Unknown God and wofully have you been wallowing in unclean Paths and you have erred you have erred from the Life of Christ and from his Spirit and you are gone from your Husband and follow'd other Lovers and you have been ââ¦ed in Iniquity and altogether poluted by Transgtession and the state in which you now stand is a state seperated from God a state of great Ignoraâ⦠and Darkness and a state of hainous Rebellion against God whose Soul and Spirit is greatly oppressed and grieved because of your Degeneration who ãâã become more ignorant of God then the Ox is of his Owner oâ the Ass of his Master's Crib and even the very same Vision is seen concerning you as the Prophet saw concerning Israel Therefore hear oh Heavens and give ear oh Earth for the Lord doth speak unto you Christians I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebell'd against me and the Ox knows his Owner and the Ass his Master's Crib but the Christians do not know the People do not consider Ah! sinful Nation a people laden with Iniquity a seed of Evil-doers Children that are corrupted that have forsaken the right Way and provoke the Living God to Anger and ye are gone away backward the whole Head is sick the whole Heart is faint and from the sole of the Foot even unto the Head there is no Soundness but your Conditions are Wounds and Bruises and ââ¦fying Sores you are not closed neither bound up neither mollified with Oyââ¦ent and your Country is desolate and your Cities are burnt as with Fire your Land Strangers devour it in your presence and it is desolate and overthrown by Strangers and but that the Lord of Hosts has left us a soul Remnant even a Seed ye Christians would have been as Sodom if any man hath an Ear to hear let him hear This Vision is as true unto you Christians throughout all the World as ever it was unto the seed of the Iews This is your state and this is your condition and thus ye stand in the sight of the Lord though in your beginning in the beginning of Christianity I mean the Lord brought up the Christians and nourished them by his Living Word and with his Word he cherished them and they grew unto a goodly state and were ââ¦pleat in Christ Col. 2. 10. And they were come to the ãâã of ââ¦st Men made perfect and unto Mount Sion the ãâã of the Living God the Hââ¦ly Jerusalem and to an innumerable Company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the First-Born which are written in Heaven and to God the Iudge of all Hebrews 12 22 23 24. TO this state were the Christians nourished and brought up in the dayes when they were first brought forth when they were begotten and born again of the immortal Word that abides forever and they were sanctified and purified and
The Qââkers-Rounds c. ãâã ãâ¦ã Answer called Something of Truth Made Manifest in Opposition to a False ãâã c and then his second Book called Some Principles of Eâw Burrâ⦠ãâã and then this my last let them be all read in order and soââ¦ly by ãâ¦ã not satisfied about the matter and I doubt not but thereby you may ãâã who is in the Truth and who is in the Error and they may fee that ãâ¦ã he hath not faithfully answered but pass'd by many material particulârs ãâ¦ã something hath no way seem'd to clear himself of what I have truly ãâã ãâã on him but he remains under the guilt of my Charge and to the Lighâ ãâã ãâã in every mans Coâscience and to all whose Judgments are thereby ãâã ãâã refer my self to ãâã judged and what I have written I leave to be judgââ And divers other things there are held forth by Philip Tâ⦠ãâã ãâã have said little to but they are recorded as his Principles among a â⦠ber of the Priests and Professors in a Book answered to go abroad called ãâã Priests and Prossââs Principles ãâã the Quaker ' s Answer to them wâ⦠ãâ¦ã desire further to he satisfied may in reading many hundred of particular ãâ¦ã and affirmations of Doctrine held forth by Preaching and Print by the ãâ¦ã which are ansââ¦d ãâã the Error of them shown to which I refer ãâã ãâ¦ã to know more if what I have here written be not enough For the â⦠tion of Truth is my Crown and Life over all the World London the 20th of the 7th Moneth 1658. Edward Burrâ⦠A TESTIMONY Against a Great Idolatry COMMITTED And a True Mourning Of the Lord's Servant ãâã the many Considerations of his Heart upon that Occasion of the great stir about an Image made and carried from ãâ¦ã Place to another happening the 23th day of the 9th Moneth IT came to pass and happened that being at Kingston upon Thames the the 22th day of the ninth Moneth it was ordered the next Morning that I came from thence to London and as I entred in at Charing-Cross I beââld a very great Multitude of People gathering together and thronging and pressing exceedingly and the whole Streets were filled from one side to the other upwards and downwards so far as I could see with abundance gazing forth at every Window and upon the Belconies and House-tops and the Glass was ââ¦d down for people to look out into the Streets and an exceeding number of people there was all the Streets so thronged that I thought it could not be possible that any more could throng in or pass by and there were Guards of Souldiers both of Horse and Foot and they stayed me and stopped my Horse and said I might not pass that way neither indeed could I well by reason of the throng of people and I stay'd a very little but presently passed back another way in a kind of wondering at this great stir I found in my way and I beheld all spirits of people were up in a Wonderment and Admiration and gazing they were and hurrying as if some marvellous and great thing had happened to them or were to be seen by them and I felt the spirits of Men Women and Children were all on Fire and they were in an admiring frame and in a condition not usual And as I passed along I turned in my Mind to see of the Lord what this thing might be and what might be the End of it and why was this gathering and running and thronging of Multitudes in this manner and in this frame and presently upon consideration I perceived that a dead Image and invented Picture would be carry'd that way and that all this pressing and stir and the gathering of this great Multitude was only to see and behold a dead Image without life or breath and then my spirit was grieved and my soul was vexed within me and it run through me Vanity Vanity Folly and Madness What is all this setting of Guards gathering of people in such thronging Multitudes and pulling down the Glass and gazing of Men Women and Children high and low rich and poor people of all sorts that were come together Is all this wondering of people and inflaming of spirits in this admiring mood Is all this said I but to see a dead invented Image of Wood or Wax arrayed and decked with some foolish Inventions Said my spirit Oh Abominable Oh Idolatry Oh Folly and Vanity and my life was grieved What is all this preparation of people in this wondering frame but to behold an Image carried and to see simple foolish people following after it in their Idolatrous Robââ and Gestures such who had invented it and been at cost with it And then my spirit was burdened and the very smell of Idolatry and Abomination entred upon me and the weight of all this Iniquity came into me and vexed the Righteous and the very sence of this Abomination seized upon my Life and I felt the burden of their so great Wickedness the making the Image I felt a burden and all the foolish Circumstances about it for many dayes and the peoples Folly and Madness that so gathered and pressed to behold it and so wondred after it was a burden to me and they that carry'd it in their foolish gestâââ All this is Iniquity and Abomination said my spirit and I was loaden therewith and said Certainly the Judgments of God will meet with this Work and the Lord will be avenged because of it and their Souls should once feel the burden of it with Terror as mine at this present And it came into me It might be some would be wounded or pressed to Death or some Wickedness would come out of this Wickedness that the Anger of the Lord might break forth and smite such as were the Foundation of this sinful Abomination and my spirit had a deep sence of the greatness and sinfulness of this high and mighty Idolatry and it wounded me and made me sad But immediately from that temper on a very sudden my spirit was changed and I was filled with the Indignation of the Lord God against this Image and this stir about it his Plagues and Fury and Fire run through me to cry Plagues Plagues and Vengeance against them because of this Abomination And I found my spirit set on fire with the very Power of God rising in me against this Idolatry that if I had been moved to it and it had been possible to have done it I could have ridden through the Guards and over the Multitude to have sounded the Judgments of God and his Woes amongst them and through them and I could then have engaged the loss of my life that the Lord might have been revenged upon this Image and Image-Makers and Image-Followers and Image-Wonderers after that my Soul might be freed from its present burden through this grleâ⦠Wickedness Said I What silly foolish blind ignorant people are these What a power hath the Devil over
bring People to your Way and Worship and Religion upon these Ingagements and by the Authority of the Almighty I lay it upon you to answer and for you to return your knowledge and opinions to the Particulars following which I am moved by the Lord to query and demand of you that your Doctrines Practises and Worships and whole Religion in every part thereof may be viewed and examined and measured according to the Saints and Apostles writings and may thereby be cleared or otherwise reproved and condemned And if your Profession and Practises in Religion be sprung from the true Grounds and true Spirit and your Church be indeed the true Church that can prove her pedigree truly descended from the Church of Christ before the Apostacy and clear her self from all degeneration in every degree and that she is perfect in the faith and worship and practises of the holy Church and Apostles of old then shall all that love God and fear him and hopes for life eternal separate themselves from all Sects and Apostates separated from you and come in and return again to you as to a faithful Mother and joyn with you in all things and add themselves to your Church only and renounce and deny all the contrary that is not of you and so shall your names and honour be increased through all the Earth But and if after lawful trial and just examination and searching out the matter it be proved against you that you are degenerated from what the true Church and Apostles were and are not builded upon Christ the true Rock and Foundation but diverted from the Power Life and Spirit and true Religion which the Apostles were in and that your Church is not the true Church but a false Sect and your original cannot be fetch'd from the Apostles but is of a latter and more corrupted Race then shall you deny all your Religion and Church and renounce your Profession and Practises and come to them and joyn with them that can prove their Church to be the true Church and can fetch their original from the Spirit of the Apostles and that is builded upon Christ the everlasting Foundation whoever this shall be proved to be wherefore appear and come forth to trial upon this condition joyn issue with us and answer these things in plainness and let us know your Judgements that a return you may reââive First Whether you are indeed the only true Church of Christ his Body of ãâã Fleââ and of his Bones called and gathered and united by the eterâ⦠Spirit of Jesus perfect in the Faith of Christ perfect in Doctrine and perfect is ââ¦ip as were the Churches of Christ in the dayes of the Apostles and ãâã the Eternal Spirit dwell in every particular Member of your Church and doth lead each one of you into all Truth insomuch that you need now no ãâ¦ã teach any one of you but as that same Spirit that dwells in you answer ãâã ââ¦inly yea oâ nay 2. ââ¦ther are you not in any particular of your Faith Doctrines Praâ⦠Worships in any degree degenerated nor deviated from what the ãâã ââ¦ne Practice and Worship were that the true Church was in in ãâ¦ã the Apostles And whether will you admit of tryal in all things you pâ⦠and practice by the Scriptures the Writings of the Saints yea or ây 3. Wââ¦ther your Church of Rome doth receive the pouring-down of the Spirit upon Sons and Daughters immediately and every Member receive the Holy ââ¦st and is ââlled therewith and baptized therewith as in the true Câ⦠Acts z. Anâ whether you have received the Holy Ghost and Eveâ⦠Comforter immediately as did the true Church iâ the dayes of the Apostâ⦠Answer me these things in the Truth of your Hearts that you may be own'â⦠ãâã denyed 4. Wââ¦er the Faith you profess hath perfectly purified your hearts from all ãâã and hath given you Victory over the World that now the body of sin is ãâã and you are free from sin and do not commit sin but are every Memâ⦠ãâã you without Spot and Wrinkle and cleansed from all Unrighteousness ãâã ãâã Servants of Righteousness and not of Sin and whether you believe ãâã Condition to be attainable in this life upon Earth and to be enjoyed and ââ¦d for yea or nay 5. What is your ground of sprinkling Infants with Water and whether he thââââ¦st instituted it had the Gift of the Eternal Spirit and was led thereby for we know it was first ordain'd at Rome in your Church and all the Protestants received it from you who are not able to give us a sufficient Reason thereof but we are not satisfied therein therefore tell us Whether are people thereby made Meââ¦rs of the Body of Christ and baptized into his true Church and is it a perfect Seal and Sign of the new Birth and Regeneration as is professed and doth that give all Children that are sprinkled a Right to the Kingdom of God and to be Members of the Church of Christ and satisfie us plainly Is the sprinkling of an Infant never having heard the Gospel but while unconverted and ââthanged in Nature the true Baptism into the true Faith of Christ as it is professed answer me plainly yea or nay 6. Whether the Body and Blood of Christ that is Meat indeed and Drink indeed be carnal and visible things to be seen felt and known visibly and carnally and whether Bread and Wine that is Mortal and will corrupt be the very Body and the very Blood of Christ Jesus and whether Christ hath any other Body and Blood to be known in any other way or manner then what is professed to be visibly and carnally known by you and is that Bread after Consecration the very Express Image of the Father and was with the Fatheâ before the World began else it is not the Body of Christ answer me plainly 7. Again We are not satisfied concerning your Burning and Torturing and Imprisoning in cruel Inquisitions and Goals such as dissent from you and cannot believe in your Church which ye call Hereticks whether is not this done by your Church or any Member thereof and do you justifie the doing of it by the Authority of your Church and we demand of you to give us Example for such Practices in Scripture ever Practised by the Apostles or true Church or any Member thereof to Burn or Kill or Imprisââ such as would not own them or were Hereticks otherwise we must coâ⦠it and judge you eternally for it And whether such Practices done aâ ãâã and in her Dominions be not Murder and Cruelty and Tyranny ãâã shedding of Innocent Blood and of the Devil the Wicked One ãâã me plainly and satisfie us herein that we may know how to deal with ãâã ãâã controversie 8. Again We are not satisfied concerning the abundance of ãâã of the Saints set up and bowed to amongst you and your praying ãâã them and to the Saints and by Beads and in Set-Forms such thââ¦
Joy and Pleasure of this World and in your Exercise spiritual and temporal the spirit that is of this World doth lead you and guide you the spirit of Unrighteousness that leadeth contrary to him and can you be otherwayes deceived or more deceived For you are without God already and want his Peace and the Inheritance of Life Eternal that is in him you want the possession thereof and you are following dead Idols and Vanities which steal away your minds whereby it is manifest that you are deceived For all people upon Earth that are not led by the Spirit into all Truth that have not received the Promise of the Father they are all deceived and cannot be more deceived then they are And so is the Cry in general among people if any one forsake and deny their way of Worship and Religion and Profession be it of what manner or nature soever presently there is a Cry chiefly by the Priests Take heed you be not deceived and you are in Heresie and Error and such like Thus have the Papists cryed against them that have dissented from them and the Prelates cry'd the same and now yoâ cry the same to them that dissent from you But your Zeal is not so much against Heresie and Error simply so as it is to have your own Sect and Worship upheld and against them that do dissent from you and it hath been Antichrists way since the Apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles to cry Heresie and Error and you are deceived to all that did decline and dissent from him for you may read in the Scriptures Power was given to the Beast to compel all to worship him and all that would not he made War against and had power to kill them and ãâ¦ã have the Papistâ done ãâ¦ã against ãâ¦ã that denyed their church ãâ¦ã the Prâ⦠ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã your cry ãâã Heresie and Error ãâ¦ã deceived who do ãâ¦ã church and your ministry and ãâã ãâã have you learned âf your ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã church ãâ¦ã ââ¦se all sorts of people â⦠That ãâ¦ã ãâã and that ãâã arâ is ãâ¦ã and see how your selves ãâã ãâã ãâã the spirit of Unrighteoâsness ââ¦ness and Ignorance and a Cloud of Error is over you and ãâã â⦠and the Son of God who is ââ¦ring now in Majesty and Renoâ⦠to ãâ¦ã Name over all the Earth and Antichrist's way you have been in ãâã ãâã have all to how under his power unto his worship But noâ⦠eyes of ãâ¦ã are opened and Life and Rigââ¦ness and Truth it self ãâ¦ã ââ¦ung ãâ¦ã ââ¦he Clouds of Dââ¦ness and ãâã ãâ¦ã ãâã ãâã the Unknown God and him you ignorantly worship afâ⦠of men ãâã not afâ⦠ãâã Comââ¦s of God ãâã ãâ¦ã of the Fore-fathers is seated in you ãâã ãâã Witness and â⦠and quencheth the Spirit your old ãâã Traditiâ⦠and ãâ¦ã your Exercise therein ãâã thaâ part which iâ carnal and ãâã ãâ¦ã others and your Worship which is out of the Spirit of God ãâ¦ã Spirit of God in others to ãâã âny truly to the Living ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã will destroy your Worship and confound it and no more is tâ⦠ãâ¦ã ââ¦shipped iâ Stââple-Houses they are left desolate of God's Preâ⦠ãâã more in Dayes and Tiâes and Things but they that worshâ⦠ãâ¦ã ãâã in the Spirit changed by it and led by it into the Truth So ãâ¦ã doth open your Eyes you will see the Worship of God to be ãâ¦ã thing then you suppose it you cannot be educated naturally in the Worship of God nor learn it by Traditions for it stands only in the Spirit and is taught by the Spirit unto all them that are born of the Spirit and who ãâã ãâã be born of that are the true Worshippers of God in which the Father is well pleased And as for your Worship in Steeple-Houses God hath no Delight in he ââ¦th it not but it is an Abomination to him it is not pleasing to him beââ¦e you be out of his Spirit and worship after your own Traditions ãâ¦ã after his Spirit And this worship hath stood all this long time of Anâ⦠while the Whore and the Beast hath ruled over Nations and so one Tradition after another hath been brought in and one false Worship hath risen out of another and what people have had it hath been by Tradition and not from the immediate Spirit of God and so the True God hath not been woââ¦d in his Spirit And now all the World have been pleading for theââ Traditions and they be in respect above the Commandments of God among ye that worship in Steeple-houses you are even mad against them that ãâ¦ã ââ¦inst the Steeple-houses and plead the Antiquity of your Worship ãâã ãâã your Traditions and Ordinances now they are ancient even as anciââ¦âs since the false Prophets and Antichrist came in and did put on the Shâ⦠Clothing but inwardly ravening Wolves these killed the Life and slew the Prophets and they set up Inventions of their own and your Traditioâ⦠and Worships are as ancient as since power was given to the Beast over Kindreds and Peoples and the Lord God is bringing down your Worship the Original of which came up when Antichrist went out into the World as you may read in Iohn's Epistle and so you may plead Antiquity yet not as ancient as the True Church is for when the truâ Churches were apostatized then came up your Worship and your many Traditions and this hath been while the Woman hath been fled into the Wilderness and the Man-child caught up to God which when the Woman returns again your worship ordinance will be over-thrown and the True Worship again established and Liberty but first you must know the Spirit to teach you before you can worship in it and the Spirit must purifie your Hearts and make them ãâã before you can offer to God an acceptable Sacrifice for your Sacrifices are not acceptable but they are stained and polluted in the fight of the Lord who ãâã hath beheld what you are a doing and you are in that which his Soul hath no Pleasure in and in the Day of your ââ¦ation the Witness in your Consciences shall answer it so you are to know God by his Spirit before you can worship him the Word of the Lord must be ãâã in your Hâârtâ as a ãâã as a Hamâ⦠and ãâã muââ be crâ⦠ãâã ãâã aâd have ãâ¦ã Spirit ââ¦ore ye can ãâã ãâã So all you false Worshippers you are called that you may return and may come into the True Worship which is in tââ Commandment of God and not the Traditions of ãâã and in that Law written in the Hearâ is God knownâ who worketh man's Salvation ãâã which leadeth in the true and perfect Worship of the True and Living God ãâã ãâã Lord ãâ¦ã all in aâ⦠Thââ¦efâ⦠retuâ⦠Why wiâ⦠yoââ¦ye aââ perish ãâã your ãâ¦ã A ãâ¦ã ââ¦n is taâân uââ⦠Oâ⦠why ãâã you âârish ââ¦ough ãâ¦ã yoââ ãâã Sâ⦠tiâ⦠Câ⦠into the Spâ⦠ãâã ãâã the Truth that you may ââ¦ship
Christ and his sake we bear all things having Prophesie and Example before us of the same things that came to pass between the Men of this World and the People and Saints of the Most High And for as much as one that subscribes himself George Willington of Bristol City hath publickly appeared in Print even in the Work aforesaid with his Accusations and Reproaches against the People of God whom he in scorn calls Quakers in his Book called The thrice Welcome of King CHARLES the Second c. Because of which his Accusations are the very present Occasion of this my present Work and that his Accusations may be turned backward and the minds of Men even of King Charles may be better informed for he hath accused us to the King and being we are somewhat concerned in this matter being thus reproached and that to the King who hath yet little knowledge of us and our Principles therefore it is upon me to give reasonable Answers to that Part of his Book wherein we are concerned and accused lest that the King to his own hurt should receive such Accusations for Truth when as they are otherwise and so be induced to proceed upon Reports if the Charge should not be answered And first I shall affirm and prove it in its season That this same Man whose Accusations I am now going to answer hath proceeded in the same spirit of all the false Accusers beforementioned and he hath lifted up his voyce in contempt of the Lord's People and hath rendered an evil Report of the Lord's Elect and though we forgive our Enemies him and such as he yet will the Lord plead with and give unto them according to their Deeds and we only may reprove them and leave Vengeance to the LORD our GOD unto whom it belongs Now though we are and have been thus proceeded against ever since we were a People even falsly reproached and all manner of evil spoken against us foâ the Name of Christ by them whose Hearts are filled with Fury and Rage against us yet we are known in our integrity unto the Lord who hath placed his Nâme with us and we know one another in Faithfulness and Truth and Righteousness and I hope we have a Witness in many Consciences even of our Enemies and also of many in Bristol that as to our Doctrines Practises and Conversations they are according to the Truth and answerable to the Scriptures and justifiable even of the Witness of God in all sober-minded People even of them that have not yet joyned themselves to us and we are known to that in many even to the Witness of God in their Consciences to which in all we daily commend our selves in Doctrine Practise and Conversation that thereby onely we may be known and approved and we praise not our selves neither do we boast of what we are sâving in the Lord yet from time to time we do and can make our Appeal in the sight of God to the just Principle of Him in all Men and even to the King before whom we now stand accused by this our Enemy do I make this desire though yet we are in a great measure Strangers to him in Doctrine Practises and Conversation that he may in all Cases of this and other Matters shew Moderation and the Spirit of Meekness and may first try all things and then he may judge the more justly for we are not afraid to be tryed before him and all the World in any Matter of Doctrine or in any Part of our Religion and we should judge it greatly honourable in the King to hear our Answers as well as our Enemies Accusations and to the Witness of God in him we can appeal for determination in any matter that is or may hereafter come in controversie before him concerning us And it is most certain that the proceedings of George Willington in this case of his accusing us to the King is not in love to Us nor to the King and his Government but altogether contrary as upon divers found Reasons I might âemonstrate and may in its season and his present work against us is from old in-bred Enmity and Malice against us who would have us destroyed if it were in his Power for he hath formerly manifested himself in writing Reproaches and Slanders against us which were sufficiently answered and hereproved and refuted to his great shame among all sober People to which he never yet replied as being too Ignorant and too weak ever to clear himself from what is charged against him in the Answer given to his former Book but now as I have said out of and from that bitter old long-seated Enmity and devouring Malice he hath again appeared in Print against us supposing himself to have so excellent opertunity more then ever before to have his devouring mind satisfied of us and therefore hath he in haste presented the King with a Welcome partly of Reproaches and Accusations against the People of God but his Heart hath deceived him in this case for we shall live and not die God will preserve us and no man shall destroy us Now it had been a Welcome of love far more to the King to have sought his Mercy and Meekness towards all at his first enterance into the Government and the rather to have stirred him up thereunto then to seek to provoke him to rigour and wrath against any to destroy them as this Welcome of Willinton's tends unto which is not true love to the King but rather a preparing a Net for to entangle him and to lay stumbling Blocks of Iniquity before the Feet of the King that he might be destroyed and fall and never rise And let the King consider this for if he be provoked by any means to dâstroy or seek to overthrow the Innocent People of God that same shall be a Net to entangle him to destruction and a stumbling Block to fall upon and be everlastingly broken So that hereby the Welcome of Geo. Willington doth appear to be not of love but of ignorant hatred to the King and indeed it is such especially that part of it now under hand that it deserves reproof more then acceptation even from the King if he rightly consider the ground and end of the Author in his Accusations against us notwithstanding his seeming fawning and Flatteries by which he appears to be some Pick-thank or some News-teller or rather Tale-carrier for some hope of Promotion or Reward But I wish better to the King then that he receive or accept of the false Informations of this Author our Accuser or of any such like lest that he ensnare himself and be taken and stumble and fall in receiving mis-Informations instead of Truth and thereupon proceed in judgement or censure unjustly which is a way to destroy himself Let him take heed to himself I desire better for him and that he may shut his Ear against evil Informations and may never have his Heart opened to the sheding of Blood
the World might condemn him and every sober Subject would cry in their Consciences against him for unjust judgement and cruel proceedings if he upââ report of others through prejudice should act against any people and the Heathen King Agrippa would rise up in judgement against him who would not âââdemn Paul from the Accusation of others without first hearing the Accused âimself and a Christian King ought to shew as much Mercy Justice and Reason in what he doth as the Heathen Kings have done in the like case And let the King consider this 3. Let him also consider what Enmity and Malice and Rage is in the hearts of these men these Priests I mean of whose Fraternity and Alliance this our Accuser is one and how they seek after innocent blood who are thus ready and ââââard at his first enterance into the Land to present the King with Accusations of Falshood and Reproaches against an innocent people to move his heart if possible to destroy and devour the harmless The spirit and nature of these men are to be considered whose works are often tending to shed blood but if he shall be guided and counselled by such they will lead him into the ditch for they are of the spirit of Envy and Mischief and Mischief rests with them even against all who will not bow under their Authority and submit unto their false Worââips And let the King beware of that Generation of men lest they be a snare âpon him and wound him And I shall now proceed to some other things in his Book to that where he âaith He doth upon his bended Knees most bumbly beseech the King and the Honourable Parliament that they will first Cut off false Prophets Hereticks and perverse and incorrigible Seducers and ââââphemers for these are the Pâst saith he of both Church and State ãâã Answ. I answer to this Many things are considerable to the King and Parliâent and whole Kingdom 1. It is to be considered who these false Prophets Hereticks Seducers and ââââphemers are which the Petitioner would have cut off and destroyed âââm his meaning is of is doubtful for that there are false Prophets Heâ⦠Seducers and Blasphemers in these Nations and that very many ââis is not doubtful but certainly believed and known but what sort of men ãâã perfectly who these are distinguished from all others this requireth ãâã debate and large tryal especially seeing that each sect and sort of ââople cries against others as if they were such and such and this is usual with ââââsts Protestants and others to cry for their own Liberty and Toleration a such who are in the right way and each one sort almost desiring and petitiâââââ the Powers of the Earth against others that are not of their way to deâ⦠and cut off such as differ from them as Hereticks and Deceivers but such ââââit that seeks to destroy menslives on that account is of Antichrist and ãâã ãâã God 2. And if false Prophets Hereticks Seducers and Blasphemers were cerâ⦠known and distinguished from others that are not so yet the King ãâã âââliament ought not to destroy such and to cut them off from the Earth ãâã ââ¦lling of them or executing outward punishments and afflictions upon ãâã for God hath not committed such power and authority to them neiââer to be Judges infallibly who are false Prophets Hereticks and Blaspheââââ âor yet to execute death and outward sufferings upon such as are for these are spiritual matters and Causes to try and judge who deceivers are and to proceed towards Hereticks and Blasphemers and these Cases belong to the Jurisdiction of Christs Spiritual Kingdom and not to any earthly Kingâ and Rulers at this day 4. And if King and Parliament were able to judge of false Prophets and âlasphemers and who they are that are such from others that are not yet how contrary to the way of God would it be even to the example of Christ and his Apostles to destroy and cut off by death the lives of such false Prophets and Blasphemers for if men be in an evil way even in the way of Heresie and Error and Blasphemy and be deceived and deceivers of others yet it is not a time to destroy and kill such like as if such should be sent straight to Hell being cut off in their wickedness and in their Error This is not God's way I say for he desires not the death of sinners not to cut men off in their Errors and evil wayes but it s rather the time to instruct and exhort such and to correct and reprove them by sound Doctrine and to win them to the Truth and out of their errors that they may be saved and this Christ and his Apostles gave example for for there were many in their dayes that were false Prophets and Hereticks Seducers and Blasphemers and that were perverse and incorrigible that did Blaspheme against Christ and called him Devil and that did oppose the Gospel and scorned the Apostles and such were Blasphemers and Hereticks but did Christ and his Apostles at all desire that such might be killed and cut off by death Nay they forgave their Enemies and did instruct them by sound Doctrine and sought to win their Persecutors and not to have them killed as this Petitioner would whose Spirit is manifest to be of Antichrist and the Dragon and not of the Lamb and if the request were granted and the lives of such as this Petitioner calls false Prophets cut off then the King and Parliament would rather provoke the Lord against themselves to destroy them then to give unto themselves blessings and peace 5. But they being ignorant who the Deceivers and Blasphemers are and not being equal and just Judges in that case but also divided among themselves about it and it being not committed of God to them to destroy by death of body such as may err in their minds by killing such whom they may suppose false Prophets and they wanting infallible judgement to know who are false Prophets how soon may they destroy and cut off the lives of true Prophets and Christ's Ministers and men that Fear God instead of false Prophets and Blasphemers even for want of true judgement and discerning and because of their own division in judgement in that case for iâs possible that some of the Parliament may judge such to be Deceivers whom others of them may judge to be true Ministers and whose judgement then shall stand and also thus it hath often come to pass in the World the true Prophets and Christ himself and the holy Apostles and Ministers of Christ were accounted Deceivers Hereticks and Blasphemers and such like by thâ Kings and Rulers of the World in former Generations and thâ true Prophets Christ and his Apostles were persecuted as such and destroyed as such some of them even by the Kings and Rulers of this World till they ãâã provoked God against them to destroy them and some of them he did bring wrath upon
and bad experience of and so that you may speak what you have heard and seen and handled and tasted of the Word of Life All that will be saved must come to this and witness it IX Again Whosoever will be saved must believe in Jesus Christ and receive him and they must take up his daily cross and follow him and must know him to mortifie and crucifie them to the World and he must work the same things in you by his Spirit spiritually as he wrought without you in his Person or else you have no part in him nor salvation by him For it is not enough unto eternal life only to believe that there was such a one as a Christ and that he did and spoke such and such things at a distance without you for many may make a belief and a profession of this and yet perish but Him that was of whom you read without you must you receive and witness within you and you must know Him as he was before Abraham was and before the World was and He himself by his Spirit in you must give you the knowledge of Himself what He was before the beginning what he is now and what he shall for ever be X. Again Every one that will be saved must come up out of the Apostacy into which all Christendom hath been fallen and must come into the same Spirit Life and Power as the Apostles were in from which Life Spirit and Power all Christendom have been Apostates and they have held the words and practices of the Apostles without the same Life and Power and made Sects Churches and Ministers but out of the same Life and Spirit as the holy men of God were in and all that will be saved must be restored and received into the same Spirit and Life in their Churches Ministry and Ordinances as the Apostles of Christ Jesus were in and this is Restoration when People come again into the same Life and Spirit of God which the Apostate Christians have all wanted and been in the Form of Ministry Churches Religion and Godliness without the Power And unto this is the Lord God restoring People his Day is dawned and his everlasting Light is risen and his Name will be known in the Earth and none can be saved with the Salvation of God but who believe receive and understand these things A General Objection answered ââ¦ject 1. And whereas there is a great cry by some People of late That there must be no private Meetings but all People must come to Church as they say ââd that there must be no more Conventicles c. Answ. As for Conventicles I understand you mean Meetings out of publick Steeple-houses and that there must be no private Meetings for preaching and Praying but all People must be forced to come to publick Places of Worship Now I say If the Authority that is now set up and hath the Power doth exercise it self in this way then the God of Heaven will be provoked against it to overthrow it and confound it if it proceed contrary to the End of just Rule and Authority ordained of God which is for the punishment of them that do evil things between man and man but not to impose upon mens Consciences in things relating to the Worship and Service of God But the Lord God ãâã wholly Judge in such Matters and not any Man and if any Men ãâã erâ in their Minds concerning Faith and Doctrine and the Worship of God that belongs to the Lord to punish and not to any Earthly Authority And what must not the People of God come together to worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth Must not People conveen together in this Age as the People of God did in Ages past Did not Christ many times preach in the Dâsert and sometimes in a Ship by the Sea-side and sometiâes on a Mountain as you may read in the Scriptures And did not he often preach unto the Pharisies and sometimes to his Disciples out of the publick Synagogues And might not the Iews have called those Meetings Conventicles because they were not in their publick Synagogues And also did not the Apostles and Saints after the Resurrection of Christ when they returned from Ierusalem meet together privately for they went into an upper Room and waited upon the Lord anâ continued with one accord in Prayer and Supplication And again at aââ¦er time they were about an hundred and twenty in number that were in one Place to wait upon the Lord and Peter preached unto them and were these Meetings Conventicles because they were not in a publick Synagogue but in ãâã upper Chamber and in a private Place And thus the Saints of old met together as ye may read Act. 1. and worshipped God in Spirit and in Truth and preached and prayed and must not the People of God now meet together to pray and wait upon the Lord but they must be reproached with thâ ãâã of Conventicles and threatned and punished for so doing Oh how blind iâ this Generation and how contrary to the true Christian-Spirit in their Practices And did not Philip preach Jesus unto the Eunuch in a Chariot as ãâã âent on the way and this was not in a publick Synagogue as in Act. 8. ãâã âid not Peter preach to Cornelius with many others in Cornelius his house ãâã âis was a Meeting and not in a Synagogue Acts 10. And did not the ââ¦les and Saints meet together in an Upper Chamber where Paul preached until midnight amongst the Saints Act. 20. and was this a Conventicle and aâ unlawful Meeting Might not the Iews have said this was an Unlawful Assembly being in a Chamber and not in a Publick Synagogue And again Did not Paul preach in his own Hired House for two whole years together and received all that came in unto him Act 28. And here were Privatâ Meetings out of Publick Synagogues But did the Iews threaten them and inflict sufferings upon them because they met in private houses and would not come to their Synagogues and Publick Worship or did they reproach them with the name of Sectaries and Conventiolers when they met together to wait upon the Lord sometime in praying and sometime in preaching And thus you may see by many Examples that the Saints and true Christian Churches in the dayes of old met together sometime on Mountains and sometimes in Deserts and sometime in Upper Chambers their own hired houses and not in the publick Synagogues but they were gathered from the Temple and first Priesthood and from the Worship which God had once commanded which stood in outward things and Ordinances and when they had received the substance they denyed the shadows types and figures and did not uphold them any longer And they were gathered by the preaching of the Gospel into the second and new Covenant and they met together in private Houses and upper Chambers and by the Sea-side to preach and pray and to worship the Lord and we do
present help unto us in the time of our trouble for the plotting of the Wicked and the purpose of ungodly Men hath often been broken for our sakes even many a time have we been delivered out of the Snare that hath been laid for us and we have seen our Enemies fall before us on the right Hand and on the Left even the Wise in their worldly wisdom and the Foolish in their brutishness both Professors and Prophane hath our God often cut short in their desires and endeavours of our destruction and we have been wonderfully preserved unto this day and all this I attribute to the infinite Love and Power of the Lord God who is blessed for evermore And through all these things we are yet alive and the Lord doth not fail us unto this hour but he lives and walks in us and with us and his Testimony is with us even the Seal of his good Spirit in our Hearts that we are his Sons and Servants and we are confirmed by many tokens that he is our God and we are his People and that great Oppression which we have met withal hath not restrained us but thorough it all have we grown and prospered unto this day and concerning the things whereof we have testified these divers years I am no way doubtful but our God will fulfil them neither can my confidence be shaken by what is or can come to pass for Antichrist must fall false Ministry and Worship false Ways and Doctrines God will confound false Power and false Church the Lord will lay low and Truth and Righteousness must raign and God will gather his People more and more and glorious dayes will appear God will exalt his Kingdom upon Earth and throw down the kingdom of the man of sin all Oppression must cease and the Oppressors shall no more be and God will free his People and they shall be happy in this World and forever These things have we prophesied from day to day and my faith is constant and unmovable that God will effect these things in his season for the Lord never yet deceived me but what he hath said will surely come to pass And therefore Brethren let us be in Hope and Patience and live in the Word of Patience and not be faint-hearted as though the Lord had forgotten us or was unmindful of us or as though he would not perform what he had testified of by us for he is not a Man that he should lye nor as a Man that is given to change But lift up your Heads for the Lord is with us even in our greatest Tribulations and Afflictions and he will accomplish his Purpose for he is mighty to save his People and to destroy his Enemies It is true the Gates of Hell at this time seem to be open against us and we are a People like to be swallowed up of our Enemies and floods of wickedness seem to over-flow and the waves of the great Sea seem to be void of mercy and the hope of our Adversaries is to extinguish us from being a People and to destroy us from the face of the Earth and the Hands of our Persecutors are highly exalted at this day as though all that we have done for the Lord by our Labours and Travels should now be made of none effect Well dear Brethren though it be thus yet our God can deliver us and confound our Adversaries and we can appeal unto our God and can spread our Cause before him and he knows that our Sufferings and Afflictions are altogether Unjust and Unequal and Unrighteous and that our Persecutors do afflict us out of their Envy and without any just cause administred unto them by us our God knows it Angels and Saints know it that we are at this day a Persecuted People for Religions sake and this our present Affliction is not any just Punishment either from the Justice of God or from the justice of men For God hath given us the Witness of his eternal Spirit that Wrath is not in him towards us his Wrath be to his Enemies but unto us is Joy and Peace for evermore and the Lord clears us and he justifies us who then shall condemn us he chargeth no guilt upon us as if we were unto our selves the cause by our evil deeds of this our present sufferings and as if this were come to pass upon us as punishment from the Hand of God I say it is not so these our present Sufferings are not out of God's Anger towards us for his Love is to us let his Wrath be to his Enemies and as I said neither is this suffering in the justice of men for unto all the World we can say and God himself shall plead our Cause whom have we wronged or done evil to What evil have we done to any Mans Person Whose Goods have we falsly taken or coveted Against whom have we designed Mischief even the Lord himself be Judge between us and our Persecutors in this matter for unto him we are known that we do desire the good of all and not the hurt of any and yet we are dealt with as Evil doers whenas the God of Heaven is Witness in our Consciences that we neither plot nor contrive nor agitate in thought or word the hurt of any mans Person but we walk justly towards all being our Principle to do to others as we would be done unto and we can plead our cause unto our God and he shall plead our cause with our Enemies and this is the present state of our case what we suffer at this time it is singly in the Cause of God and for Righteousness sake and for the Testimony of Jesus which we hold therefore freely let us commit our Cause unto the God of Heaven and if we dye it is for him and if we live it is to him and we seek not vengeance against our Enemies but leave it to the Lord to plead with them And dearly Beloved I hope I need not exhort you to be patient and faithful in this day of our tryal knowing that the Cause is so excellent in which we are tryed it is God's Cause and not our own and I hope you all have the Testimony of his Spirit in your Consciences verifying the truth of the Cause for which we suffer and having that Evidence we need not to be doubtful as towards God not ashamed before-Men if so be that every one feels the Evidence of the Spirit of God bearing witness that we suffer for Righteousness sake and for the Name of Christ Jesus And so dear Brethren lift up your Heads and be asââ¦d that we are the Lord's and in his Cause we are tryed and he will judge and avenge our Persecutors in his season and we shall be a People when the Egyptians lie dead upon the Sea-Shore and when the raging Sea is dryed up this saâe People shall be safe for hath the Lord done so excellent things for us hath he led us forth and
the Church of ROME who are in the said Book Villified and Reproached by the Name and Term of Antient Phanaticks And this is sent forth as an Answer thereunto to Pursue it Apprehend it and Condemn it as a Pamphlet of Calumnies and Slanders against the Protestants both of former and present Dayes who are all of them Scorned in the said Book the one as Ancient the other as Modern PHANATICKS Which is sent abroad as a Warning to ENGLAND to beware of the spirit of the Church of ROME lest it Exalt it self in Cruel Persecution against the PROTESTANTS and all that differ from it HOW Great and Miserable hath been that Darkness and Ignorance which hath over-spread the Nations and Kingdoms of the World since the Apostles dayes And how manifold is that Error into which many have been fallen even as into a Snare of Destruction And how woful is that Strife Division and Contention about Religion that hath highly abounded among the Christian People so called For the whole Christendom have been divided and in Opposition one part against another about the True God and his Worship and concerning the knowledge of Salvation by Jesus Christ And divers kinds of Religion Church-Government and Practices of Ordinances of Faith Worship have been extant in the World and Nations Countries have been all in Division Strife and Contention about these Matters and have been also persecuting one another violently unto Bonds and Death for and because difference in Judgment and Practices concerning Spiritual Things Papists against Protestants and Protestants against Papists and one sort of Christians so called against another and the men of such a Judgment and Faiââ and Way of Religion have been persecuting and seeking to destroy all that have been contrary minded to them And thus have been the woful Divisions and evil Effects thereof in the World among Christians about Faith and Worship and Religious matters this has come to pass because of the spirit of Error Darkness that hath possessed the minds of men since the falling away from the Truth as it was once manifest among the Apostles And thus it s come to pass because of the erring from the Spirit of God and because that hath been wanting amongst men therefore have People been divers and divided about Matters of Religion each one sort following their own Invention and Traditions of men and also persecuting one another and killing and imprisoning one another because of the same and all this because the Spirit of Truth hath not dwelt in the Hearts of Christians as it did in the Apostles not led guided and taught them in true Unity and Fellowship as it did the true Christians in the dayes of old And while the Spirit of Christ hath been wanting and is not received into the Heart to mortifie guide rule and teach in all the Wayes of God and the whole exercise of Religion and Duty towards Him and while there is any kind of imposing and forceing of Religion by Laws of men upon Penalties and Forfeitures and setting up Worship and Church Government by that means and in that way without the immâ⦠Teaching of the Spirit of Christ in the Conscience I say while this hath been and is continued nothing but Division Strife Contention Persecution and Nations and Peoples destroying one another about Religion hath been is or can be in the World amongst Christians And of this same to wit of Division and Contention about Religion with the Enmity of such as are so divided one against another to the persecuting and killing one of another that are contrary minded as it hath been brought forth in the World for Generations past we have here a sufficient large Testimony lately published in a Book called Semper Iidem or A Paralel of Phanaticks c. wherein is made mention of what Strife and Contention there hath been in former dayes among the false Christians and how they have cruelly Persecuted Burned and Destroyed one another in this Cause only for and because of the difference in Maters of Judgment and Religious Things and these Persecutions and Cruelties effected contrary to the Example of Christ and his Doctrine who hath exhorted to Love and Peace and not to Kill and Destroy and that a man should love his Enemies and not Kill and Destroy them contrary to which Doctrine the false Christians of all kinds have walked and acted since the dayes of the Apoâ⦠who have been Apostatized and fallen from the very Life and Power of Godliness as held amongst the primitive Saints into Forms and empty Shadows being all in strife one with another about such things and have wanted the Spirit of Christ which should have led and guided into all Truth and exercised them in the true Worship of the true and living God who is a Spirit and is only truly worshipped in Spirit and in Truth but out of this Spirit and spiritual Worship the false Christians have been erred and so all divided and in Centention aâ aforesaid and persecuting one another because thereof each one sort justifying their own Way ãâã Right and condemning that which hath differed as the Wrong and all as Hereticks that have been otherwise minded But as ãâã ãâã ãâã Book Semper Iidem c. I would gladly animadâ⦠ãâã conââ¦ing it and do intend to write a few things by way of anââer thereunto and this is the present Occasion of my present work for having met with the said Pamphlet and perusing of it I found divers Considerations on my spirit to send forth in Answer to pursue the said Semper Iidem up and down the World till it returns again unto the place from whence it came to wit Unto the bottomless Pit out of which it lately arose and in reading the same Book I have principally observed the Mischievout End and secret Evil Intents of the Nameless Author more than the Matter it self contained and though the Author be Nameless yet is his nature and spirit known by his Book and for what end he hath concealed his Name I know not except he was ashamed of his Work and durst not Authorize his Matter by his Name but however the spirit end and intent of the said Nameless Person is perceived and known as much as any Tree can be distinguished by its Fruit and he is of an Envious Disposition of Heart and of Malicious Countenance and in nature and stock of the descent of Cain for his spirit is of an evil constitution hot and fiery and enclinable to destroy all that are not like-minded with himself in the Iudgment of Religious Matters and his proceedings and the end of his work is of an Intent and Purpose wicked enough if every Effect answers the Cause appearing and be not diverted from the End proposed by the Author and this I find by Calculation of his Birth and the Temper of his spirit and of the Time wherein his Book is published and by the Cause and End and Intent of the
Fined and taken out of their own Houses and Meetings to Goals and Prisons as it is at this day upon the Occasion of that Insurrection whereof they were clear and innoâent both to God and Men though they are dealt withal as Plotters Conspirors and Rebellious when as hereof they are not guilty And this is all that I shall say at present as about that Insurrection and the Occasion of Semper Iidem its Publication And whereas Sir Iohn Oldcastle and Sir Roger Acton with divers others are mentioned and their Death 's related whom this Author saith were put to death for Treason and Rebellion and making Insurrection Concerning the Carriages and Death of such I shall say little nor can I justifie any in so doing neither in Ages past nor in this present Time if they were put to death only upon that Account for rebelling with Carnal Weapons and rising up in Conspiracies against the Authorities which they were under or for Evil-doing to their Neighbours I say such neither in this Age nor in Ages past do I justifie nor will vindicate their Practices nor condemn their Death but shall leave them to be justified or condemned of God according to their doings and according to the end and intent of their Hearts in their Proceedings but many others are mentioned in Semper Iidem who suffered and were put to Death burned and killed only for and because of their Principles and Practices in Religion while yet they lived peaceably and were of a harmless Conversation amongst Men the Persecution and Death of such upon that account I do condemn and do charge it to be Murder in the sight of God of such who were burned and destroyed because of their difference in Religion from the Church of Rome when as no Unrighteousness nor Double-dealing as to men could be charged and proved against them such I say as died and suffered for that Cause have been murdered by the Power of Antichrist among the Apostate Christians and the Blood of such will the God of Heaven avenge one time or other Now I come to search some Particulars which are stated pag. 3. which it s said John Wickliff held which Doctrines the Author of Semper Iidem seems to say are Errors by his condemning such for Hereticks as held them for Truths THe First That the Sacrament of the Altar is nothing but a piece of Bread This the Lollards so called are said to affirm for which the Papists condemn them as Hereticks Answ. As for the Sacrament of the Altar so termed by the Papists we find nothing of it in all the Scriptures not Sacrament of the Altar nominated only we find That Christ took Bread and brake it and gave it to his Disciples not as Himself for He only gave it them to eat in remembrance of Himself As oft as ye do it saith Christ do it in remembrance of Me. Where it is manifest that there is a distinction to be made and a separation in expression to be put between that Bread which Christ gave his Disciples to eat and his own Body for they were to eat the Bread not as Him but in remembrance of Him and this shews that the Bread which Christ gave his Disciples was Bread to be eaten in Remembrance of Him and so it is no Error but sound Truth to affirm That the Bread called the Sacrament of the Altar by the Papists is but indeed a piece of Bread and may safely so be called But suppose it were Error in men so to believe and say yet it is Murder Cruelty and not of Christ but of the Wicked One so to deal with them for their Error sake as before-mentioned Doct. 2. That Priests have no more Authority to administer Sacraments then Lay-men Held by the Lollards Condemned as a great Error by the Papists Answ. As for the Name and Order of Priests we find none such among the Apostles in the Christian-Churches in their dayes Pastors and Ministers and Prophets and Teachers we find but not Priests by that Name as a particular Order of Men in the Church saving that all the Saints are called Kings and Priests unto God neither do we find such a thing As consecrating a piece of Bread into a more holy quality then it was in it self before nor any Commision given by Christ to a particular Order of Men to administer Bread to the People as his Body we read that the Saints brake Bread when they were met together and some time from House to House but that there were particular Persons by an Office among them that did administer the Bread in the Form and Manner as among Papists we read not of this in all the Scriptures And as for Lay-men as Papists term them this word we have not in all the Scriptures but Saints we have of divers growths but the Papists have made many Inventions of Offices Titles and Names in their Church for which they have no Example at all in the Scriptures Doct. 3. That all things ought to be in Common Opposed by Papists as a great Error Answ. It is a great question what signification may be put upon the Word Common so I shall not vindicate for Truth the Doctrine as it lies and leave the Interpretation of the Word Common to my Adversaries and so I pass it only do mind that it is said in the Acts That they that believed had all things Common Though the Word Common there I understand not Absolute but with Restriction Doct. 4. That it is as lawful to Christen a Child in a Tub of Water at home or in a Ditch by the Way as in a Font-stone in the Church Opposed by the Papists as a great Error Answ. As for the Baptizing of Infants by dipping or sprinkling and calling it the Baptism into the Faith and into the Church as practised and held by the Papists we have cause to question the Lawfulness of the Thing in it self at any Place For we find no Command or President of Christ nor among his Apostles in the pimitive Churches for this thing of Christening Infants and therefore we question whether the Thing in it self is lawful at any Time or Place suppose the Papists could prove the Thing lawful and that it ought to be done by vertue of any Command or Example of Christ or his Apostles then again we question why not as lawful to be done at any other Place as in a Font-stone so called Of what holiness or purity is that more than other Places and of whose invention is it of all the Christians since the Apostles dayes seeing we find nothing at all of it in the Scriptures But suppose the Principle to hold indeed absolute Error the Papists yet do still wickedly in racking men and burning them because thereof Doct. 5. That it is as lawful at all times to confess unto a Lay-man as to a Priest Opposed by the Papists as great Error Answ. As for that manner and form of Auricular Confession so called
One to such and such kind of Persons whom they name Clergy-men as if they knew all Religion and might only Preach and all besides themselves might be in Ignorance and know nothing nor can be fit to speak of the Matters of God's Kingdom which is contrary to the Scriptures and Example of Saints in former Ages As for the 13th and 14th Doctrines about Baptism of Infants I have spoken somewhat to it in my Answer to the fourth Doctrine so here I pass them Then Semper Iidem goes on and saith Who sees not among these the principal Tenets of our Anabaptists Fifth-Monarchy-Men Levellers and Quakers c Answ. As for the Anabaptists Fifth-monarchy-men and Levellers so called I shall not now plead their Cause but shall leave it to themselves to do it against Semper Iidem neither shall I condemn them with him or justifie them against him But as for the Quakers so called I have a few word to plead for them against their Adversaries though I shall be brief at this time They are neither Rebellious Seditious Hereticks nor Phanaticks though accused at this time of these things and accounted by the Author of Semper Iidem as such though neither he nor any of their false and envious Accusers that have ever risen against them can prove any such matter nor ought against them saving That they are an Innocent and Harmless People towards all people and though Sufferers by Injustice and Cruel Imprisonments under all Authorities yet not Rebellious nor Seditions against any but Peaceable and Quiet under all this is their Practice since they were a People And as for their Principles of Faith and Worship and Doctrine and Religion they are according to the Scriptures and Example of the Saints in former Ages and not ever yet convicted by any either Protestants or Papists of Error False Iudgment or Heresie though all manner of Evil hath been spoken against them in that Case yet never to this day truly detected or reprehended concerning the same And they desire no better way to be made manifest in their Doctrines and to be approved or disproved therein through the World than to have free Egress and Regress among the Papists and Protestants and all others in the Way of sober Arguments and Disputations and Reasoning out the Truth of what they hold and profess and if they can possibly be convicted that their Way and Doctrines and Religion are not found Verities but Errors then it is time to forsake them But all the Persecution that is already or can be acted upon them will never make them change their Minds till Death nor renounce the things which the Spirit of God in their own Hearts doth bear witness to the truth of And therefore let the Church of Rome lay down her Cruel Weapons of Persecution by Burning and Destroying of such as differ from them in Religion and let her admit of Disputations and sound Arguments to uphold her self thereby if she be able and to Confute and Convince such as are contrary minded to her even the Quakers so called if she can and let her cease her Fire and Faggot and Inquisition-Disputation of Murders and Cruel Tortures against such whom she calls Hereticks and let her appear in the soundest Arguments of Reason and Scripture and Antiquity that she can adorn her self withal and the Quakers so called will not doubt nor fear to advance towards her and meet her and answer her in the same for the true and legal Tryal of both that all the World may see and understand the difference between these two and whether the Papists Religion or the Quakers Religion is of more Reason Verity and Antiquity and the Quakers are willing to try this Case with the Papists engaging upon the adventure of certain Proof or Disproof of their Religion in the view of the whole World And this is the most I shall say at present on their behalf and in the mean time till this be performed let the Church of Rome and all her Members cease to persecute and accuse such whom they know not but by the Evil Reports of others and the Tenets and Principles of the Quakers so called will be justified where the false Christians cannot stand nor appear in Judgment Then Page 7. The Author of Semper Iidem complains of some Phanaticks as he calls them that nick-name what they dislike saith he They call the Church a Steeple-House the Surplice a Rag of Popery the Organs Grumbling-Pipes c. Answ. As for the True Church it is in God 1 Thes. 1. The People of God that are regenerated and sanctified wheresoever come together are the true Church of Christ for the Church was in Aquilla's House as it is written So that it is the People that are the Members of Christ the true Church and not the House or Place wherein they assemble at any time And as for calling the publick Meeting Places which some call Churches Steeple-Houses this is no Error for the Form Fashion and Service of the Place prove it to be so A great House made of Wood and Stone and a Steeple with Bells in it erected at the End of the House may properly be called a Steeple-House without Error and cannot at all be called a Church but in Error And as for the Surplice which the Priests put on this is without Question an Invention of the Church of Rome because there is no such thing in the New Testament nor was there any Surplices worn by any of the Ministers of Christ in the Apostles dayes but is an Invention introduced into the World by the Church of Rome and so is and may be called A Piece or Rag if you will of Popery And as for Organs and the Practice of them as held forth for the Worship of God there was no such thing among the Apostles neither did the Saints of the Primitive Church hold forth the Worship of God by playing on the Organs but the true spiritual Gospel-Worship is more heavenly and spiritual even in the Spirit and in the Truth is God worshipped as Christ said and not by outward Musick on Organs and such like but this is also an Invention of the Church of Rome since the Apostles dayes And Organs having Pipes of different sounds may be called Grumbling-Pipes without Offence Again Page 11. It is charged as a great Error in some that held It was not lawful for a Christian to take an Oath Answ. To deny all Swearing and taking of Oaths is according to the Doctrine and Command of Christ Jesus who hath said Swear not at all so it s manifest that the false Christians accuse and condemn such for Hereticks as abide in the Doctrine of Christ and keep his Commands And thus both Papists and Protestants are found in Error and Heresie themselves and breaking the Command of Christ and walking contrary to his Doctrine in Swearing and taking Oaths and condemning such as Hereticks as cannot take an Oath for Conscience sake and so
but it was not according to True Knowledge And thus the Iews were zealously performing that as their Duty and as out of a Good Conscience which the Lord required not at their hands and so they made Conscience to do that which the Lord required not and their Consciences were mis-led and not righly informed and as it was amongst the Iews in this case in the dayes of old so now is it amongst the Christians in the Apostacy their Consciences being mis-guided by a false spirit they are doing and performing the things in great Zeal and for the exercise of their Consciences which the Lord doth not require of them Thus do the Papists they do and practise the things in great Zeal and through a false Fear in their blind Consciences which things are in themselves Idolatry and not commanded nor required of the Lord as in many particulars I might shew even in many parts of their Worship and Religion which out of a Fear and blind Zeal and mis-guided Conscience they practise which is in it self but Idolatry and not required nor accepted of the Lord. And many things in relation to the Protestants Worship and amongst all the several false Sects upon Earth which are done and practised in great Zeal and out of a false Fear and as in pretence of a good Conscience and yet are things in themselves Idolatrous as done and practised by them And this comes to passe as I have said because the Conscience is mis-informed and a false spirit guides and rules in the exercise of Conscience and the understanding of the People is blinded and they know not but they do well though their minds are captivated and their minds and judgments in error and though there be a sincerity to God-wards and a desire of Him in the bottom among some People of all Forms and Sects and some of all are zealous towards God in their practices in their Religion and Worship yet among all People and the Churches that have been for many Generations there hath been great Error in Judgment and much blindness in mind and the Conscience falsly exercised towards God and the Superscription hath been To the Unknown God and He hath been ignorantly worshipped and the Spirit of the Lord hath not truly exercised Peoples Consciences nor guided their Zeal nor been Ruler in the Judgment And by this means the sincerity and humility towards God hath been eaten out and always quenched and the bare practice of things and profession of Religion in the outward appearance hath been more lookt at than the presence of God felt in the Practices and the Zeal hath been more for the performance of such things than for God purely enjoyed through them And thus it hath been through Christendom in the Apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles and true Churches Many have erred in their Judgments and the Zeal for God hath proceeded out of the error of Iudgments and out of mis-information of Conscience some other things than only the Spirit of God hath ruled in the Iudgment and been the exercise of Peoples Consciences And this is a hint of things about true Liberty of Conscience and about the Error in Iudgment and the blind Zeal in captivated sincerity Now it may be objected What is the only absolute Rule of the right Exercise of Conscience and when are Mens Consciences truly guided To this I answer The only chief and perfect Rule of the right Exercise of Conscience both to God and all men is The Spirit of Christ for it is only that which can truly guide the Conscience in Faith Doctrine and Worship and in all things towards God even the Spirit of Christ which is the gift of the Father it only leadeth into all Truth as it is written and all whose Consciences are guided and exercised by it are in unity and Peace in their Worship Doctrine and Religion for the Spirit of Christ is but one in it self and guideth the Conscience into the exercise of one Truth and Faith and in this same Spirit is true ânion and Communion of SAINTS in Religion and Worship and this is manifest through the Scriptures for the Apostle exhorted To walk in the Spirit and by it and as many as walked by the Rule of the Spirit Peace be upon them and it is the Spirit of Christ the Everlasting Comforter that teacheth all Truth and the Holy Anointing of the Spirit that dwelt in the Saints taught them all things and they need no man to teach them but as the Anointing that dwelt in them And then are mens Consciences truly guided in all the Ways of Righteousness when the Spirit of God guides the Conscience and is the Rule of all Faith Doctrine and Practices So that Traditions of Men Prescriptions of Councils Antiquity of Time Commandments of Men nor Example of others without the Spirit of Christ cannot be the only true Rule of the Exercise of Conscience for all these things are changeable alterable and subject to variations and therefore cannot infallibly guide the Conscience in the Duty towards God nor rightly exercise the Conscience in Unity and Peace but while a Nation or Kingdom or People walk by the Rule of Traditions Prescriptions Commandments of Men Example of others or the like they err in Judgment in Faith Doctrine and Worship and are all divided in Contention about these matters because their Rule of Conscience and Judgment is doubtful and alterable and not infallible and therefore they have no perfect assurance of Gods acceptation to them in their Faith and Religion nor perfect Peace and Unity in their Faith and Worship But as the Rule of their Consciences in their Duty towards God is divers some make one thing and some another their Rule so are they divers and divided in what they hold profess and practice and are but of great Babylon in their Religion And because that something besides the Spirit of God exercises the Conscience therefore it is that here are so many Wayes and Sects of Religigion and kinds of Worship in Christendom and amongst Christians while the Spirit of Christ only is not the Rule of Iudgement and Exercise of Conscience to God and Man for the only perfect Rule of Conscience in the Exercise to God is the Spirit of Christ and not any other thing And now Whosoever shall persecute the Exercise of Conscience when guided by the Spirit of Christ such persecute Christ Jesus And this is Persecution for the Name of Christ when Sufferings are inflicted as Reproaches Imprisonment or whatsoever for the Exercise of Conscience towards God by his Spirit but and if any are persecuted for Religion-sake only so if that in such their Exercise of Religion they are not guided by the Spirit of Christ yet that suffering is a kind of Persecution also if I say the Suffering be only for and because of their Religions-sake and they walk Justly and Righteously as men so that as is signified about the middle of this Chapter
of his truth so in conversion and regeneration that many can say the Way of the Lord is so made manifest that we look not for another nor are doubtful of the Way of Eternal Life therefore be established stedfast and constant in that way not easily moved nor tossed too and frô with men nor new Doctrines nor changeable things but approve your hearts in uprightness before the Lord by being faithful to the end faithful I say to be and do according to the measure of Light and Grace and Knowledge that God hath already committed to you that ye may not offend against the Grace of God but may glorifie the Lord in your Souls and Spirits being joyned in your hearts and married to the Living God and the Lord becomes Your Husband according to the Promise but if any be of a changeable Spirit such will receive Temptations and go out of the Covenant of God and abuse the gift of God if their heart be not meek and lowly and humble and perfect in the sight of God though there may be a taste of the Love of God yet there can be no assurance of it if the heart be not aright before the Lord and faithful and constant in his Truth and therefore all must wait to receive the assurance of Eternal Life in themselves even such an assurance of Life and Peace and Joy and Comfort that there can be no departing away being established in the Heir-ship never to loose the Crown Heirs of the power of God of his Wisdom of his Righteousness inheriters and Possessors of the Eternal Life that ye may dwell in the house forever not onely as Servants but as Sons not onely as such that have tasted of the Love of God but as such as are born Heirs thereof and must inherit the same forever Now dear Friends if this were my last unto You more then this the Lord hath not to say by me and last of all in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus I charge all the Saints to be faithfull to the Principles and Doctrines which Ye have heard and received and been taught of Christ through his Gospel Oh be not inconstant and unfaithful in those Principles and Doctrines which the Spirit of God hath perswaded your Consciences of the truth of for if any are unfaithful they deny the Lord of Life before men and must be denyed of him before the Father therefore let us put on strength and courage to be faithful and constant in life or death to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes and if we must suffer for our profession and practice of those truths which God hath perswaded our Consciences of the verity of we shall never be ashamed nor confounded before the Adversary though we gaom Tribulations Persecutions yea death it self for the Name of the Lord and his Truth yet we shall obtain the Crown of Glory which never fades away and verily all the Suffering and afflictions of this Present time are not worthy to be compared to that weight of Peace and comfort which is and shall be revealed amongst us And as concerning our Obedience to Government ever since we were a People Ye know what our Principle and Practise in that case hath been even to obey all men in all things either by doing or suffering if at any time ye are required to do any thing by any in Authority which is not agreeing but contrary to the Scriptures example of the Saints and the Spirit of Christ in your own consciences then ye are to suffer whatsoever if it be death it self rather then to obey and submit to the doing of that which is contrary to a good conscience this hath ever been our Principle and Practise since we were a People agreeing with the practise of the holy Prophets Apostles and Martyrs in all ages who rather did suffer grievous oppressions and persecutions then to obey any command of men in power by doing any thing contrary to the testimony of the Spirit of God in their own particulars let us all be like-minded this day not to do nor bend nor be in any wise contrary to the Spirit of Christ that dwels in us but rather suffer whatsoever may be imposed then to sin against that Light and knowledge of the Spirit of Christ which he hath given us but let us keep a clean heart and a pure Conscience to God-wards and therein we shall triumph over all in our inward Man though our outward man be afflicted and in this we shall have peace and comfort in God over all our Adversaries And as concerning your meetings the Lord hath given you the testimony of his Spirit in you for the verity and righteousness thereof though ye should suffer persecution for the same yet ye have the Spirit of Christ testifying in your hearts that this Way and Practise of meeting together as our practise hath been is of God and he Justifies us in the same and we have sufficient of assurance by the holy Spirit to stand faithful in that practise of assembling together to Worship God First we have the testimony of Scriptures and example of Saints in the Apostles daies to prove this practice of Meeting together The first Christians they met together in this manner and way as we do now they met in private houses and from house to house separate and apart from the Publique Synagogues and all other Sects and it is clear that we have the example of Saints and Scripture Proof for this our practise of meeting together 2. We have our own experience for these divers years how that the Spirit of the Lord hath moved our hearts to assemble together and the presence and power of the Lord Jesus Christ hath been amongst us and we have tasted of the goodness and love of the Lord being so met together how often hath the Lord met with us and his countenance shined upon us and our souls have been refreshed strengthened and comforted in this practise of meeting together these things are true and may confirm us in this practise of meeting together and to be faithful to the end 3. We have the full perswasions of the Spirit of God lively and fervent in our hearts at this moment that we ought not to neglect the Assembling of our selves together but that God requires it of us and it is his will that his People meet together to worship him in Spirit and Truth separate from all the world even in one Spirit and in the Name and power of Jesus I hope ye are all like-minded herein and that the Spirit of Christ perswades your Consciences in the Truth of that practise therefore be faithful unto God herein and sin not against the testimony of Scriptures and example of the first Christians nor against your own experience nor against the admonitions of the Servants of the Lord who are the first fruits unto God since the Apostacy and have again and again in the Name and Spirit of Christ exhorted you to meet
Imposing Religion and the Example hereof may be read in Nations and Countries at this day what Discontents and Contentions have arisen dangerously among people one towards another and towards their Rulers upon this Cause and Occasion of Imposing Religion by Force Unrighteously and 't is a Danger this day that all the Rulers of the World are exposed unto and deeply involved in where this Cause of Imposing Religion is extânt in Force 3. It is Dangerous to Impose Religion by Force because it must needs produce Oppression Persecution Violence and Hatred in the prosecution thereof and this is dangerous to any Kings Rulers or Governours to be reputed Oppressors Persecutors and Violent Men this is Infamous and of bad Report amongst men and Abomination and Wickedness in the sight of God for any Rulers upon Earth to be Oppressors Persecutors and Cruel Men and such consequently must they be that are Imposers upon mens Consciences in Matters Religious And this Danger all the Rulers of the World are in that do Impose Religion by Force even to render themselves Infamous by Oppression in the sight of men and to render themselves Sinners against God and this Danger falls upon the Imposers of Religion because of such their Impositions by Force upon the Consciences of men Lastly 'T is Dangerous because 't is of Antichrist and not of Christ as before proved and all that do Impose by Violence on the Consciences of Men in Religious Cases are of Antichrist in so doing and because thereof liable to God's Indignation and Heavy Wrath in this World and hereafter and 't is Dangerous to bring the Wrath and Judgments of God upon Men that are guilty thereof for God will be avenged upon such his Enemies that exercise Violence and Persecution upon Men for their Conscience sake And this is a Danger unavoidable which all that impose Religion are liable unto even to be Cut Off in the Wrath of the Lord and to undergo his Indignation for all the Reasons before shewed These with many other Dangers are they involved in that are Imposers in Religious Matters Therefore Oh that the Rulers of this World would be Wise now in their last day and would consider the Unjustness and Unreasonableness of their Imposing Religion and the many Dangers that attend the same Oh that they would learn God's Counsel and Rule only for him in Justice Mercy Truth Equity and true Judgment exercising the same in the Meek and Lowly Spirit of Jesus among men and over whom they are set to Rule in this World and would give to God Almighty his Due and Right and Priviledge in exercising the Consciences of Men by his Spirit in all Cases of Christ's Kingdom for it only belongs to him to be Ruler in the Inward Man Oh! that the Rulers of this World would give this Power and Dominion unto God and would from henceforth never more exercise Lordship over Conscience by Imposing Religion through Force but would only Rule well over the Outward Man in the things pertaining to Man and would leave to God the Rule and Exercise of Conscience Oh! then would it go well with them and Happy and Blessed should they be in such their Authority and Peace should be unto them if that they only took the Government as appointed of God over the outward Man and did not impose upon the inward man by Force in Religious Matters but committed that Authority to God Then I say should Peace and Blessings be unto them But while it is otherwise even while they exercise Dominion and Lordship over Conscience as aforesaid they do unjustly and Unreasonably and bring upon themselves many Dangers and are liable to Contentions Oppositions Wars and many Mischiefs in this World and to the Anger and Wrath of God in the World that is to come CHAP. II. Concerning Heresie the Case Stated What it is in it self and who a Heretick is and who are the absolute true Iudges of it and what Punishment pertains to such as are truly convicted of Heresie 1. THere is such a thing as Heresie in it self even many Heresies and Errors abounding amongst the Sons of Men in the World at this day and there was Heresie in the dayes of the Aposties and amongst them brought in by such as erred from the Truth after they had once known the Truth and received it as ye may read the Iews they cryed out of Heresie in their time which caused the Apostle to say to them Acts 24. 14. After that Way which ye call Heresie do we worship the God of our Fathers And the Apostle said 1 Cor. 11. to the Church There must be also Heresies amongst you that they that are approved of God may be made manifest And 2 Pet. 2. 1. it is spoken of some who should privily bring in Damnable Heresies into the Church By all which it is manifest there was in the Apostles dayes Heresie and Heresies as there is at this day even many Heresies and Errors in the World held professed and maintained by the Apostate Christians that are gone into the Form of Godliness without the Power and are turned from the Spirit of Christ and the soundness of his Doctrine into the formal Profession of Religion and of the words of Christ and his Apostles and among such are the Heresies and Errors 2. Heresie is somewhat believed and professed in Practice of Worship and in Point of Faith and Doctrine that is either contrary to or different from the perfect Truth of the Gospel of Christ something I say held and practiced in Point of Worship Faith and Doctrine which is not justly according to the pure Truth of Jesus but either in whole or in part different from and contrary thereunto and whatsoever Practice of Worship or Point of Doctrine as is so held professed believed or practiced is Heresie and Error because it is different from and contrary to in whole or in part the perfect Truth of the Gospel of Christ Jesus and because thereof it is Heresie and such is Heresie in it self different from and contrary unto the Gospel of the Kingdom of Christ though as for the particular Parts and Points of Heresie in Worship Doctrine and Practice which are at this day held professed and believed among Apostate Christians are so very many that they would be too large here to ennumerate but my present Intention is only this To shew at large what Heresie is in it self and who is a Heretick 3. A Heretick one that is properly so is such a Person as hath sometime believed in the Truth and made Profession and Acknowledgment of the Way of true Christianity and hath received and held the true Faith of the Gospel of Christ and been in some measure united to Christ and a Member of his Church but is fallen and degenerated in whole or in part from the said Faith and Acknowledgment of Christ Jesus and the Way of Christianity and hath erred from the Truth of the Gospel once believed and
received and so is divided in whole or in part from the true Church of Jesus Christ and from being a Member of the same and not only so but hath received also and doth hold some False Principles Opinions and Practices either different from or contrary to the Truth of the Gospel before believed in known and professed such a man is a Heretick though generally yet truly described Not such as are Heathens Unconverted who never believed yet in the Gospel such who have alwayes resisted the Truth and never yet were convinced of the Way of the Lord nor ever tasted of his Word and Power but have alwayes been Strangers to the Israel of God and Enemies to the Church of Christ such are not properly called Hereticks though they do err in Mind Heart and Practice but such only as have believed in Christ and Professed his Truth and been of the Church and yet are fallen away from the perfect Truth into some false Principles and Practices and are become unsound in Judgment and erroneous in their Understandings and have forsaken the Way of Truth in whole or in part and are corrupted and lost their Love to God and his Wayes and are obstinate and hardened against the Truth which once they believed and with False Doctrines Principles and Practices do gainsay and oppose the Truth and them that are stedfast in it These are Hereticks and truly so called Men that have erred from the Faith that have made ship-rack of it and of a good Conscience that are turned against the Lord and his People and gainsay the Truth that once themselves have believed and professed These are Erroneous Men and Hereticks and such Hereticks there were in the Church and among the Corinthians and there were such who did creep into the Church and privily brought in Heresies amongst them as before is proved And these Hereticks were such as had once been amongst the true Members of the true Church and been convinced of the true Jesus and had sometimes walked with them but were departed from them and had forsaken the Truth and received false Principles and Opinions and therefore they were truly nominated Hereticks and all such at this day are truly so called And this is the Description in general of a Heretick 4. Now I come to declare who are the true Judges of Heresie and Hereticks Not every man can judge in this case in his own Thoughts Imaginations and Suppositions who are Hereticks and who are guilty of Heresie though it hath been the practice for many Generations amongst the Apostate Christians to reproach traduce and accuse one another to be Hereticks and each sort and sect of false Christians to judge censure and condemn others that are not of their Judgement and Opinion but different from them to be Hereticks and Erroneous and this hath been usual among many but this is not the true Judgement not the way to try and judge truly who Hereticks are by one Sect and sort slandering and accusing others to be such because they have not conformed to their Way and Principles but been different from them true Judgement hath not been brought forth in this case on this wise but rather Envy and Enmity hath judged and men's thoughts imaginations and jealousies have falsly judged in this matter and no sound judgement determined who have been Hereticks for men have judged of one another by their private jealousies and evil conceivings and censured one another to be Hereticks without the Spirit of sound discerning and just Judgement and all that Judgement brought forth in that case without the infallible Spirit of Christ Jesus which is onely true Discerner and Judge in the matter hath been false Judgement and men have judged one another falsly upon envy and evil suppositions and without the Spirit of the Lord and it hath often happened by reason hereof That such so judged for Hereticks have been more righteous and more in the truth then they that have so judged them and the Judges have been more out of the truth and more Hereticks themselves then they whom they have falsly Judged And this might be made appear through several Times and Ages since the Apostles dayes among the false Christians 5. None are able to dilcern of Heresie nor to try and judge justly who are Hereticks none but they I say that have the infallible Spirit of God in them to guide them and have infallibility and perfect certainty of Judgment and Knowledge in that case of Heresie none else are rightly able to judge who are Hereticks but such I say as have the infallible Spirit of Christ and are infallible and certain in their Judgments these onely and none else are able to judge they onely are competent Iudges in this case of Heresie and who are Hereticks and if any judge in that Case it is but out of Envy and Enmity and in the evil Suppositions and Conceivings as aforesaid and must needs be false and unjust Judgment if they have not the infallible Spirit of God and infallibility of Judgment to discern by and determine with in that Case for no man nor men may or can justly judge another in the matter of Heresie as a Heretick by their own thoughts or suppositions out of their enmity and for their self-Interests but the Judgement in that matter must be just equal holy and true and onely by the Spirit of Christ Jesus which is infallible and gives infallibility of Judgement and discerning into all cases and things for it was Christ Jesus and his Apostles and the Saints that had the infallible Spirit of God and infallibility of judgement that could onely judge justly of such things who were Hereticks and who were not and it was not the Iews nor Pharisees that could justly discern or judge in God's Spiritual matters but they alwayes judged of Christ and his Apostles and of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God falsly and unjustly in their evil suppositions and envy and this was because they had not the infallible Spirit of Judgement nor the certain infallible knowledge and discerning of different things in Spiritual Cases and so it is now at this day amongst them called Christians there is none can discern truly nor judge justly what Heresie is nor who is a Heretick but such as are guided by the infallible Spirit of God and have infallibility of Judgement nor none can make Laws whereby justly to judge of Heresie and Hereticks but them who have the same infallible spirit of God guiding them and have received infallibility of Judgement So both the Law-makers and the Judges of the Law must be infallible in knowledge and judgement in this case of Heresie otherwise the Law made for that purpose and the Judgment given by that Law are both False and Unjust and not according to God and his Truth but are to be justly judged and condemned of the Lord God in his day and season 6. Now it remains to be enquired into Whether there is any
Punishment pertaining to Hereticks as such for such Heresies held by them Being first convicted truly thereof as aforesaid by the true Church of Christ in whom there is infallibility of Judgment Knowledge and discerning in that case for in the true Church of Christ doth infallibility of true Judgment and Knowledge dwell and every true Member of the true Church hath its particular Measure of the infallible Spirit of Christ whereby he is certainly perswaded of the Way of Truth in which he walks and knows and believes the infallibility of the Truth he professeth and is certain and secure of the Way of his Peace and Assurance in God which he hath received and believed and also hath certainty and infallibility of Judgment and Discerning who are out of the Truth and in the Way of Error and are Hereticks such are infallibly known and discerned by the Spirit of God in the true Church of Christ and by every Member of the same according to his measure of the same Spirit and Gift of Knowledge and Discerning by it And to such as are so convicted by the infallible Spirit of Christ for such their Heresies there is a Punishment pertaining for Hereticks were to be punished in the Apostles dayes according to Paul's Instructions 1 Cor. 5. 5. which was That such a one as had erred from the Truth which once he knew should be delivered up unto Satan for the Destruction of his Flesh that the Spirit might be saved in the Day of the Lord Here was a Punishment described by the Apostle for this Heretick that had erred and gone from the Truth and acted against it though once he believed in it and knew it And again Tit. 3. 10. he exhorts and advises That a man that is a Heretick after the first and second Admonition should be wholy rejected and turned away from and judged with the Holy Spirit of God And thus it is clear there is such a thing as dealing with men that are Hereticks and punishing them for such their Heresie according to the Apostle's Doctrines and Instructions And without all controversie such as do err from the Faith which once they have received and turn from the Truth in principle or practice must not escape unpunished but must receive the sentence of just Judgement from God and from his Saints that continue faithful 7. But what kind or nature this punishment is of in what way and manner such as are Hereticks may be and ought to be punished is doubtful to many and is a case at this time to be inquired into for that way and practice of punishing such as have been supposed to be Hereticks as among the Christians so called for many generations to wit the way and practice of burning banishing killing imprisoning and afflicting corporally the persons of them that have been called Hereticks for their heresies and laying forfeitures and penalties on their bodies and estates as hath been the practice of Papists and Protestants towards one another since the Apostles dayes this way and practice hath not been of God nor by any example or precept of the Apostles or first Christian Churches established in their dayes they did not practise or prescribe such dealing towards them that were truly Hereticks and were erred from the Faith and Truth of Jesus Christ not Killing Burning Banishing and Prosecuting the Persons of Hereticks this was not the way of the Spirit of God among the Primitive Christians they did it not nor gave institution for the doing of it at any time but this way of dealing towards Hereticks in such cruel proceedings as hath been in practice for many Ages is of Satan and Antichrist and is down-right Murder Robbery and Wickedness in the Eye of the just God while one Sect or Sort of Christians so called have punished and enviously persecuted another Sort different from them as Hereticks with grievous Afflictions in Body and Estate even unto Death and Banishment this hath not been of God nor true Christian-like but of the wicked one and Cruelties and Murders before the Lord neither are the same proceedings at this day in any part of the World where they are extant any just legal Righteous Christian-like way of proceeding according to Apostolical example but are of Antichrist and of the Wicked one as I have said And this Way and Practice of proceeding towards Hereticks hath been so far from effecting the return of any to the Way of the Lord that have been erred from it as the end of proceeding toward Hereticks should effect that the way and practice of Killing Banishment and Persecuting by violence Hereticks so called hath hardned men in their evil way and made such as have been Hereticks more bold confident and obstinate in their Way Heresie and Errors and many that have been more righteous and clearer from Heresie then such as have so judged them have been destroyed by cruel dealing and many others have been destroyed in their Iniquities and Errors by being so proceeded against And thus true Judgment and Justice in this case have been perverted and turned backwards and because of Ignorance and Cruelty the Righteous have suffered unjustly as the Wicked and the Wicked have suffered by unjust proceedings and thus the Way of Righteousness hath not been known in the Earth but Error upon Error one evil upon another hath come onesin added to another among the Sons of men in the Apostacy amongst the false Christians 8. But the perfect Way of the Lord in proceeding towards such as are truly Hereticks so discerned and infallibly judged to be by the true Church of Christ is this Let such first be admonished advised instructed and warned again and again to beware return from and renounce such false Principles Doctrines and practices held by them and this in the spirit of Christ Jesus in perfect love and in meekness and in the wisdom of the Lord God such I say as are erred from the way of the Lord and from the faith of Christ once received into error ought thus in the first place to be dealt withal by the Way of Admonishing Instructing Warning and Reproving that there may be a Returning and Repentance towards the Lord and his Truth again from whence they have erred and if such shall not receive the Instructions Reproofs and Admonitions of the true Church of Christ then such Hereticks shall be rejected and cast out according to Titus the 3. 10 11. saith the Apostle A man that is an Heretick after the first and second Admonition reject knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself here is the Description of the punishing of an Heretick if he will not receive Admonition after being given him again and again but doth harden his heart against the Church and against the truth of Christ and will not repent but persicts in his errors and heresies and that after reproof and admonition then he is to be rejected rejected what is that but a casting out from
of his People he is at a distance from the Lord God and the Spirit which should comfort him doth daily vex and judge him and the people among whom he should be saved he is separated from and cast out to Satan is now among the Sons of Belial the Children of Wickedness and Ignorance that must be condemned And this man is now rejected of the Saints that once was embraced of them and thus he is punished for it is the greatest Punishment and Vexation for a man that hath once tasted of God's Love Mercy Peace and Blessings amongst God's People and to be forsaken of God and without his Love in his Anger in his Judgment and in the Curse amongst the Wicked without Peace and Blessings amongst the Saints this is Punishment indeed from which the Lord deliver all his People that fear him Yet notwithstanding this kind and manner of Punishment pertains to Hereticks as such most properly and not to be destroyed in Person or Estate by outward Penalties this I onely mean and intend where the Error of a man and his Heresie in his Mind and Judgment doth only extend to the hurt of his own Soul and against God and not to the harm of his Neigbours Person or Estate in that Case he ought only to suffer as before-mentioned To be delivered up to Satan and to be rejected c. But if his Error and Heresie do extend further then onely against God and his own Soul even to the wronging injuring and defrauding of his neighbours person and estate and outward wrongs or evils or violence or visible mischiefs be committed as Murders or other the like visible crimes against men to the injuring of others then I forbid not outward external punishments to be corporally inflicted upon the person and estate of such a man but it ought to be done and that by Laws of men provided for the same end even such a mans Error in such his wrong dealing may justly and lawfully be punished with death banishment or penalties according to the desert of the crime if his sin and error be against men let men deal with him and punish him accordingly If his offence and error be onely against God and his own soul let God deal with him and punish him by his wrath in his Conscience which one day will be executed upon all that err from the Truth and tribulation and anguish shall be upon his soul that doth evil as it is written But it is utterly unlawful and sin against God for men to kill burn or banish men for the error of their minds and judgments in Spiritual matters while they do walk justly and truly as men in the things pertaining to men and are not injurious to the Persons or Estates of any by reason of such their Error but they only sin and err against God and their own Souls to the hurt thereof and not man by any outward Punishments or Violence executed upon their Persons but God and his People in the way and manner of the Spirit of Christ as afore declared ought for such their Errors and Heresies to deal with them and proceed towards them in respect of Punishment for the same Lastly These things are but said in general concerning Error and Heresie how they are to be judged and Punished and by whom and to manifest that there is Error and Heresie Hereticks and Erroneous Persons in the World for as I have said before it was not now my work to ennumerate the particular parts of Errors and Heresies that are held in Principle Doctrine and Practice in the World at this day they are so many and large but yet more particularly thus I would in brief define Hereticks and Heresie That man whatsoever he be is in Error in all parts of his Principles and practises held and maintained by him in point of Religion and Worship of God especially that is not Perswaded of the Truth and verity of his Way by the holy Spirit of God and led guided and taught in the performance and practice thereof by the same Spirit of Jesus if the holy Spirit of God dwell not in him and doth not preswade the heart in the belief of the Truth and teach and lead the man in the practice of it such a man even that man Errs and is in Error in all what he is and what he doth in point of Religion and Duty to God-wards and that because the Spirit of Truth and Righteousness is not the only Leader and Teacher in the things professed and practised but either Traditions Example of others or Custom of Places and Times or something else besides the Spirit of God which only perswades into the belief of Truth and teaches into the performance of the same and thus is distinguished and known A man that is Erroneous in his Faith and Practice not taught and perswaded by the Spirit of Christ in what he is and in what he doth he is in Error and in a degree of Heresie erring in Mind and Judgment and Conscience in Principle and practice and subject to err in all things Now as for the Case of Error and Heresie as the matter hath stood in distinguishing of Hereticks and Heresies in judging of the same and in proceeding with Hereticks in the manner aforesaid for many Generations in the Apostacy since the Apostles dayes all this hath been wrong and not in the Spirit and Power of Christ Jesus but Men Cases and Proceedings all have been perverted from Truth in that matter because the spirit of darkness and ignorance hath ruled and not the Spirit of God in the Hearts of men and the spirit that is not of the Father which Spirit of the Father is only pure perfect and infallible because it is of God and can truly judge and determine in these Cases has been Lord and Judge in this matter and men out of their Envy and Hatred one towards another have judg'd one another to be erronious and Hereticks and proceeded against them thereupon and such as have differ'd in Iudgment or Opinion one Sect and Sort from another and would not conform to one another in their Wayes Practices and Religion it hath been common for all different sorts of men to cry out one upon another and against each other Heresie Heresie Hereticks Erronious Persons and the like and proceeded against one another men against men differing from them and sect against sect contrary to it self and especially that sect or sort of People that hath had the Government of Nations and Countries in their Power could and hath easily proceeded against all others dissenting upon the account of Error to the destroying of many absolutely through envy hatred and prejudice and not upon the Truth Soundness and Verity of Judgment in that matter and this hath been common for many Ages Sometimes according to the occasion offered Papists have destroyed Protestants and sometimes Protestants have destroyed the Papists on this account of Heresie and Error All which
there is much Difference amongst men concerning this Matter and 't is the general way of People one sort to accuse another that are different from them in Profession and Religion That ye and ye are of Antichrist but this hath been for the most part in Enmity and in the Spirit of Wrath and Contention and is not from true Judgment and Knowledge now therefore it remains to be made manifest according to the Gift of Grace Knowledge and Understanding what Antichrist is in himself and how he appears in the World seeing we have proved That there is such a thing as Antichrist now Ruling and Raigning somewhere amongst men throughout the Nations of the Earth 3. Antichrist is not as some suppose a particular visible Person upon Earth Distinct and Divided from all other Persons as if none besides such an one were Antichrist but Antichrist is rather an Invisible Spirit a spirit I say dwelling in Persons even in many Persons throughout the World which makes them all of Antichrist or to be many Antichrists according to 1 Iohn 2. 18. There are many Antichrists saith Iohn whereby we know it is the Last Time So that it is plain There are in the World many Antichrists many Men of Sin or many Sinful Men many Sons of Perdition and Ungodliness not onely one man that is such but many men in the World even all such in whom the spirit of Antichrist or Antichrist that spirit dwells and walks they are all Antichrists or of Antichrist because of that spirit of Antichrist which doth possess them and rule them in the Wayes of Sin and Death in Idolatry and false Wayes and in opposition to and against Christ Jesus the Lord of Life even all the Deceivers in the World all that are erred from the Spirit and Power of CHRIST and are not of the true Church Gathered into his Name and Power but bringeth another Doctrine than that of Christ and his Saints and truly confesseth not in Word and Practice unto JESUS come in the Flesh all such are Antichrists and of Antichrist according to 2 Iohn 7. even all the Apostates who profess Christ and his Truth and his Church and are not in the Spirit and Power of Christ but in the Form of Godliness without the Power professing God in Words but in Works denying him all such are Antichrists by reason of that spirit of Antichrist which dwells in them and into which spirit they are leavened and moulded and are one with it and bring forth the Fruits of it in the World and therefore they are Antichrists more than one even many Antichrists as I have said 4. Antichrist in himself is the Man of Sin the Son of Perdition which is indeed and in Truth the very Devil in his Nature and Kind and in his Power and Spirit and of him and yet not divided nor distinct from him but is him to wit the DEVIL as he is in himself And he is against Christ and wholy contrary to Christ and bringeth forth Fruits and Works to the Dishonour of Christ and opposeth Christ and is in all things of a contrary Nature and Quality to Jesus Christ. And he is called Antichrist to wit before or against and contrary to Christ. And this is Antichrist in himself An Adversary to God an Enemy to all Righteousness a Perverter of the Wayes of God a Hater of all Good a Despiser and Persecutor of God's People and indeed a certain Spirit and Power Distinct Divided and Separated from the Living God and his Son Jesus Christ and contrary in Nature and Quality in Fruits and Effects And there is no Fellowship in any thing between Christ and Antichrist but they are divided and separated one from the other contrary and opposite one to the other in all their Wayes and Works and in their Kinds and Natures For as I have said Antichrist in himself in his nature and kind is the Devil and no other he is the Man of Sin the Sinful Man that conceiveth and worketh all Evil the Son of Perdition the Son that is lost from God and Reprobate forever he that is fallen diverted and cast out from the Presence Glory and Power of the Creator he that is sealed unto Vengeance in the Wrath and Enmity against God and Christ Jesus as being contrary irreconcilably to the Nature and Works of Christ. This is said of Antichrist as what he is in himself as that particular spirit and not of the many Antichrists which are only Vessels retaining this one spirit and Members of him through his Power dwelling in them and by which they are one with this spirit and one in Action and bring forth the Works and Fruits of it For 't is possible some that are such in their present standing even under the power of Antichrist may be converted and turned from him and changed into another Nature and so saved But as for the Antichrist in himself as such he is the Devil and sealed up in the Anger of God never to be redeemed nor saved nor changed into another Nature 5. Though Antichrist in himself be the Devil yet his Appearances in the World are divers and many and he appears in outward and visible Actions amongst men diversly somtimes he appears in the way and form of open Prophaneness by the Works of Men in all manner of Unrighteousness and Iniquity for all Sin of what kind soever in every appearance of it is of the Devil and Antichrist even all prophane Wayes and Works of Evil Men Lying Drunkenness Whoredom Double-dealing Envy Malice and every Evil Work and Word brought forth by the Sons of Adam in the Fall are all of Antichrist and the Devil and is his visible Appearance in the World though sometimes his Appearance is in another way and manner even in a way of seeming Righteousness and Holiness and in the Profession of Christ and Christianity and pretence of Faith towards God and Worship of God and crying up Church and Fellowship in the same and Forms of Godliness as if Antichrist were a Saint and Servant of God thus and after this manner doth Antichrist appear in the World amongst men now in these latter dayes since the Apostles time in the Apostacy of Christianity Antichrist I say though the Devil in himself yet hath he often appeared as a Saint upon Earth in the pretence of Holiness Righteousness Worship and Religion such hath been his Policy and Deceivableness that he hath put on the Appearance of Gospel Doctrine Ministry and Ordinances and covered himself thereby that he might the better beguile entangle and deceive Mankind in the Form and Profession of a Saint and Member of the true Church he hath put on the Sheep's-Clothing hath made use of the Saints words and Practices and hath exalted himself in the Temple of God as if he were God shewing himself to be God and hath been lifted up above all that is called God according to 2 Thes. 2. 4. and Christ himself said to his Disciples
That there should arise false Christs and false Prophets and should shew Signs and Wonders if it were possible to deceive the very Elect Mat. 24. 24 which doth signifie that the Antichrists and false Prophets should come into the World after his Prophecy which are already come since that time They should pretend to be Christs and should shew Signs and should deceive many with the Profession of Christ and Signs of Godliness and they should have upon them and be covered with Sheep's-Clothing that is with the Saints words and practices in outward appearance but inwardly that is in their own proper Nature Fruits and Works should be ravening Wolves that is Destroyers of the Flock Mat. 7. 15. and the Antichrists which Iohn speaks 1 Iohn 2. 19. they were such as went from the Saints that were in the Power of Godliness they went out of the true Church and carried with them the Form of Righteousness and Truth and the Profession of Christianity but without the Power and had lost it and were departed from the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of Antichrist had possessed them and now led them and ruled them and they were Antichrists to wit against him and contrary to him And these were the false Prophets and Deceivers that went out into the World and deceived it and led many aside into Error and many followed their pernitious and hurtful wayes as Peter saith 2 Pet. 2. 2 3. And Paul speaks of such as had the Form of Godliness but denyed the Power and in Words professed God but in Works denyed him Such were the Antichrists and Deceivers in the Apostles dayes and such they are this day in the World whereby it is manifest that Antichrist often appears in the World as a Saint as a Righteous one and the many Antichrists they have gotten the Form and Appearance of Church Ministry Worship and Ordinances and thus they appear deceiving the World and them that dwell therein with the Appearance and Vain-shew of Faith Worship and Religion without the Power of Godliness for unto that Antichrist is an Enemy even a Destroyer a Persecutor and Gainsayer of Christ and his Works and the Power of Godliness and true Faith brought forth by the Spirit of Christ though to deceive the World he can transform himself into and appear as an Angel of Light 6. Again So Deceivable and Mysterious is and hath the Appearance and Working of Antichrist been in the World that he hath not alwayes dwelt in one kind of Form and Profession of Religion and Righteousness but he hath dwelt in many Appearances and removed out of one false Form into another according to his Oportunity and Advantage whereby he could deceive and sometimes dwelling in one Form with pretence of Zeal and performance of Duty to God he hath envyed Persecuted and destroyed many others in other Wayes of Profession more Zealous Upright and Sincere to God than themselves have been in the other Form and by the colour of Zeal and Performance of Duty hath Antichrist clothed himself in his Envies Persecutions and Murders of others as if he did not persecute nor impose upon the Conscience of any nor exercise that Rigour or Justice as he hath named his Proceedings though never so Cruel and Unjust towards any upon any terms or account of Wrath Bitterness Envy or Cruelty but Zeal Duty and Love to Religion and to entinguish Heresie c. This hath been the Pretence and Cloak of Antichrist in his cruel and hard Dealing with many men that have differed in Principle and Practice of Religion he hath often shewed himself in his present Form of Godliness so zealous and dutiful for the truth of his Way though never so Idolatrous against all that have opposed it and gainsayed his Form and Vain Shew that he hath killed slain and exercised Cruelty towards all that have been contrary or different-minded and though this hath been brought forth by Antichrist as he is the Devil in himself and in down-right Envy Malice Persecution and Wickedness yet it hath been acted and effected under the Cloak of Zeal Duty and Sincerity and out of Pretence of Love to Christ and his Church and out of Pretence of Hatred against the contrary Thus hath Antichrist though the Devil that Wicked One as he is in himself in his own Nature Kind and proper Sphear appeared in the World as a Zealous Church-Member as a Saint as a Promoter of Righteousness and a Destroyer of the contrary With these false Covers hath Antichrist been cloathed and hidden from men and appeared to be in his Works and Transactions as a Good Man as a Lover of God and Hater of Iniquity while in the mean time he hath been deceiving Men and destroying the Innocent and leading the World to perpetual Misery and Destruction 7. Again So Deceivable hath the spirit of Antichrist been in the World that he hath alwayes put the Name of Christ and the Name of his Church and the Pretence of Duty to God and the Name of Gospel Doctrine Ordinances Ministry and Worship upon whatsoever False Way Feigned Worship and Deceitful Profession that he hath gone about to set up and promote in the World among men I say Upon the Worst and most Idolatrous Wayes of Superstition and the most false Feigned Formal Worship that ever hath been in the World Antichrist hath put the Name of Christ his Church and Worship upon them and Imposed and forced the Belief and Practice of much false Worship false Doctrine and formal Wayes under the Name and Title of the true Christ his Doctrine and Worship and upon Pains and Penalties hath enjoyned and commanded the Belief and Practice of such things not as if they were of Antichrist Superstitious Evil False or Feigned but as if they were of Christ altogether and must be believed and practiced as by his Name and under his Authority Thus hath been the working of the Mystery of Iniquity of that Man of Sin the Antichrist all the Evil Wayes he hath conceived and brought forth in the World all the Idolatrous Worship and false Faith and Doctrine and all the Cruelties Murders and Unjust Dealing to the very destroying of the Saints and all the Unrighteousness and Deceivableness exercised by Antichrist in the World hath put all this on the Name of Christ and pretended Christ for it as if it were indeed and in Truth of him and from him when indeed and in Truth it hath been contrary to the true Christ and tended to kill and destroy him Thus hath Antichrist the Devil been cloaked with false Covers and deceitful Pretences in his working among men that wicked spirit hath falsly called the greatest of Pride and Ambition Decency and true Honour Covetousness and Deceitful Dealing hath he stiled Good Husbandry and Prudent-Walking and the most Cruel and Unjust Iudgment the Oppression of the Poor and the Grinding of the Face of the Innocent hath that spirit falsly titled Equal Proceedings Iustice and according to Law
them The truth of these things being proved and rightly considered by the King ãâã all others no just occasion will be found for this our Adversaries Charge nor ãâã place can rightly be found in the heart of the King for the reception of the ãâã ãâã tion but may upon just tryal condemn both Accuser and Accusatiââ I mean not destroy the man but reprove the Accuser and his lyes ââ¦er And now I shall proceed to the Accusation it self and shall lay open the folly ãâã âânorance of the matter of his Accusation as well as I have done the wickedââââ ãâã the manner of it ãâã the true Protestant Religion hath been in danger to be rooted out by the Quakers ãâã This is the Charge it self ââsw If by true Protestant Religion the Accuser mean true Christan Reliââââ then I deny his Accusation utterly and do charge him to be a Slanderâ⦠Lyer and False Accuser and must desire of the King that such a ãâã ãâã taken notice of who hath abused and dishonoured him and that very ãâã in presenting him with Lyes and Falshoods for Welcomes which is inâ⦠lesâ then disgrace to both the Person and Office of a King What a ãâã ââtending so much to Love and Loyalty and so much rejoycing on his beââââând as if he were one of his choice Subjects and gave such reverence and ãâã to him and attempted so high as to be the Kings Informer and Instructer ãâã to be found a Presenter of Falshoods and Slanders against as good Subâ⦠ãâã the Nation as himself O how abominable is this both to God and the ãâã and the whole Kingdom that these things should be much more that ãâã should pass unreproved for we are of the true Christian Religion as beâ⦠ãâã have said even in the same way and of the same Spirit as were the holy ãâã and for that Religion we stand to do and suffer all things for that cause ãâã for the true Christian Religions sake But if this our Accuser by Protestant Religion mean the Sects of Lutheââ¦âr âr of the Sect of Calvinists so called or whomsoever else which I do ãâã heartily that I had the full intent of his mind of whom he means by the true Protestants for his words admit of divers acceptations and so a sound Answer can hardly be given while I do answer onely what I suppose to be his meaning by true Protestant Religion for there are divers sorts of Protestants Lutherans Calvinists and many others which are all Protestants and have protested against the Pope each one sort of them saying They are the true Christians and true Protestants yet are very much divided among themselves even to the killing and persecuting one of another so that which sort this man means and who of them are of the true Protestant Religion which we would root out c. this is doubtful I would I knew his meaning that I might give him a true Answer and sound for we may deny and oppose Protestant Religion or some part of it that is some Sects or divers sorts that have protested against the Church of Rome and yet be no Transgressors in the sight of God not many men for divers of the Protestants themselves are denying others of the Protestants and their Religion and it is my belief in this case that some have deserted the Pope and the Papists Religion upon bad grounds and have taken up a Religion as bad and no better then Popery not that I justifie Popâry in all things but have a large Witness to give against it and men ought to protest against it yet I say some called Protestants in their Religion are as corrupt as any of the Church of Rome so on some account I may as lawfully deny Protestant Religion or some sort of them that do profess it as the Church of Rome for it is as corrupted some part of it and no more acceptable to God in the Profession and Practise of it This is spoken in general of it because his Accusation is general Now if I had his full intent whether he means Lutherans or Calvinists or what others if not them that are of the true Protestant Religion that we would root out then I should insist upon that particular sort and give my exception against them for I have many things to object at least and some things wholly to except against in the Protestant Religion or some sort of it not that I condemn or judge every individual man of the Protestant Religion for I believe there are many that are sincere and zealous towards GOD though with some Error in Judgement yet as to the Form of Worship and Constitution of Church and Ministry and Ordinances in the Protestant Religion it is much if not wholly differing and contrary to the Church Ministry Worship and Ordinances of the Apostles and true Christians in their dayes and more then this I now may not say a more full Answer I cannot give to this Charge except that I did know what sort of Protestant he intended which if I did I should utter my mind more large as to the Matter according as the Spirit of God gave me utterance And now that I have spoken of the manner and also of the matter of his Charge I shall hint partly of the end and purpose of his thus accusing as to the King His end intent and purpose of his thus charging us must needs be and it will appear to be out of Malice Wrath and Enmity for to incense and move the Heart of the King against us to destroy us as I have before mentioned And in answer to this some things most especially are considerable to the King and all his Friends 1. If he should upon the Report of this Man or any others let his Heart be moved into Rigour and Enmity against us and thereby seek intend or work Evil against us to destroy us he did but fill the Land with Violence Cruelty and Persecution and Innocent Blood and fill his Government with Oppression and Tyranny and provoke the God of Heaven against him to destroy him and overthrow his Kingdom and Power and Government and this would doubtless be the effect of receiving such a Mans Counsel and of his so proceeding if that he seek to pluck up what the Lord hath planted and if he dip hiâ Hand in innocent suffering of God's People unjustly and if he reach forth his Hand to touch God's Anointed and hurt the Peaceable in his Land thââ shall the Lord take him from his Authority and give his Dominion to another more worthy then he And this is for him to consider in the coolness of his ãâã 2. âf he did proceed to do any thing against us or be moved in his heart ââ¦unto barely upon the report of this or such other men without hearing Face to Face and lawful tryal in the matter and hearing our Answer and ââfence as well as our enemies Charge against us then all the Nations of
your Power if that I say ye oppose his Work and will seek to bind and limit his Spirit in his People and will yet force and impose upon Conscience by outward Violence and Kill and Persecute unto Death and Banishment for matter of Conscience and because of difference in Iudgement in Spiritual Things then thus it shall be done unto you Ye shall Fall and Perish and be Troubled and Blessings and Prosperity shall not be unto you If it be not thus the Lord hath not spoken by me Well Friends even all ye that have Authority and Power in the Government of this World are nearly concerned to take special notice of these things presented unto you seeing the Effects of these two Causes are both very weighty and infallibly certain even to you-wards particularly Very weighty because Peace Prosperity and Happiness or Misery Distractions and Downfall to you is depending upon the Effects of the Causes infallibly certain because the Iustice of God Almighty is such that he must bring Reward upon all according to their Deeds and his Iustice cannot be diverted But if ye permit Free Liberty of Conscience in the Exercise of Godliness in Faith and Worship unto all People under your Power then shall Peace and Prosperity be unto you according to the Purpose of God But if ye impose upon Conscience in any wise by Force in Religious Matters and will not be instructed and advised to the contrary Then shall Misery and Destruction certainly be unto you according to the Justice of God's Vengeance These things are so as a Servant of God I present them to you and not upon Fiction or Fancy but as I have received them from the Lord God by his Spirit which signifies the Verity and Certainty of those Things in my Soul Friends Doubt not of these things for verily the Time is at hand and it must surely come to pass my Spirit shall see it and rejoyce therein if in this Body I may not behold it That imposing and forcing of Conscience by Laws and Ordinances of Men upon Penalties on Mens Persons and Estates in Religious Matters shall be expunged subdued and abandoned in these Nations and Kingdoms of the World and it shall be no more But Liberty Liberty shall be Re-planted Embraced and Renowned amongst Men and Truth and Righteousness Mercy and Peace True Liberty and Freedom Justice and True Judgment with all the Causes and Effects thereof shall flourish and grow and prosper on the Earth and the contrary shall fall and rise no more This Day is dawning nigh it s at the Door Blessed are they that are prepared for it Wherefore let all Flesh Hear and Fear Bow and Tremble and let the Hearts of the Righteous rejoyce and be exceeding glad let all the Upright in Heart put on the Garment of Praises and Deliverance For the Day is at hand that Antichrist with all his Strength and Power Force and Policy shall be a Hissing and Reproach and Shame Contempt unto the Saints of the Most High and amongst whom the Lord God Omnipotent doth and must Raign and Rule in Dominion and Glory and Power over all forever and evermore E. B. London this 12th Moneth 1661. Antichrist's Government Justly Detected c. CHAP. 1. Concerning Imposing Religion the Case stated and the Unrighteousness thereof shewed with the Danger thereof also made appear by manifest Proofs Presented unto the Rulers and People of our Age throughout the World TO Impose any Kind of Religion any Way of Worship or Form of Faith and outward Conformity in any Practices of Duty to God-wards by an External Authority of men through force of Laws commanding and requiring such Conformity in Faith and Worship upon Pains Penalties and Forfeitures on mens Persons and Estates as hath been practiced in the World since the dayes of the Apostles amongst the Nations professing Christianity This thing is not of the Lord nor according to Commands of Christ and Example of the Apostles and Primitive Christians declared of in the Scriptures but is of Antichrist and Unrighteous Unequal and Dangerous to the Destruction of the Souls and Bodies of both the Imposers and the Imposed 1. Such kind of Forcing and compelling by force of outward Laws into such outward Conformity of Religion Faith and Worship Church-Government and Ministry was never in beeing nor ever practiced in the true Christian Churches amongst the Apostles in their dayes nor ever was such a thing known among the Primitive Christians There was no such kind of Laws made nor executed amongst them nor such Force exercised on mens Persons and Estates in such Cases there was no outward Violence used in the Primitive Times to compel any to Conformity to Christian Faith Worship and Practice of Christian Religion None of the first Christians were made truly Religious and converted from the Way of Error to the Way of true Christianity by such means of outward Force and Commandments of Men put upon them They were not I say converted themselves to the Christian-Faith and Religion nor made Conformable Worshippers of God in his Spirit by that Way and Means nor did they seek to convert others into Conformity to Church-Government and Christian-Worship by force of outward Laws upon Pains and Forfeitures These things were not in the true Church of Christ in the Apostles dayes amongst the Primitive Christians 2. But the true Way of Conversion among them to the Christian-Faith and Worship and true Church-Government whereby people were made rightly conformable to the true Christian Religion as it was amongst the Apostles was by and through the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ Jesus preached amongst them in the Power and Demonstration of the Spirit of God of such as were truly called and sent of him which did turn People to the Spirit of God and that Ministry wrought in them to receive it by which their Consciences were convinced and their Hearts perswaded in the Love of christ to believe in him and receive him and follow him and thus were they drawn and begotten and converted into the Faith and Worship and Practice of the true Christiââ¦-Religion and made conformable to the Government and Order of the true Church of Christ in all things by this Means and Way only and not at all by any outward Force and Compulsion exercised upon them they were converted to the true Christian-Religion and to the true Worship of God and by the same Way did they convert and turn others to the same and this only is the Perfect Way of Christian-Conformity to the true Christian-Worship and Church-Gââ¦ment it ever was since the beginning of Christianity in the World and iâânto this day even to perswade the Heart and to convince the Conscience inwardly by the sound Doctrine of the Gospel through the Operation of the Spirit of Christ and by Love and Meekness and Patience and all the Fruits of Righteousness held forth in Doctrine and Conversation which may answer the Testimony of God in all mens Consciences
Hereby and in this Way is true Conversion wrought in the heart to the turning men from all Error unto the Truth and from all false Worships and Heresies and Evil Wayâs unto the true Christian-Worship and Conformity to holy Church and Religion This I say was the Way among the primitive Christians ââ¦d Apostles of old and is the same among the true Christians in this Age and they that would conform others and are conformed themselves otherwise in this Case of Religion and Worship to God-wards are not in the Example of Christ and his Saints but out of the Life and contrary to the first Christians and President of the Holy Scriptures as hereafter is manifested The Way and Practice of Imposing Religion and Conformity in Worship and Church-Government by Force as aforesaid is so far from being according to the Practice and Example of the Apostles and the primitive Churches of Christians that they are even contrary to the Commands and Exhortations of CHRIST and his Apostles and Example of the Scriptures 1. As in the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares Mat. 13. when it was desired of the Servants that they might go and gather out the Tares that the Enemy had sown from among the Wheat it was commanded to the contrary by the Husbandman even that they should suffer the Tares to grow among the Wheat till the Harvest and not pluck them up lest they hurt the Wheat thereby Now though there be an invisible Mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven secretly signified in this Parable more then may here be said yet 't is also clearly signified That Christ would have no Imposition nor Violence used upon thâ Tares nor that they should pluck them up by Force but that the good Corn and the bad ãâã grow together in one Field till the Harvest And thus much this Parable bears the Proof of Suppose there be Heresies and Hereticks and Prophane Persons that are not in the Truth but in Errors who are bad Corn even as the Tares to the Wheat in that Kingdom City or Family where there is also converted Saints and holy Persons and true Members of Christ who are as the Wheat to the Tares yet such Hereticks and Prophane Persons that are in Error ought not to be plucked up violently to wit Imprisoned Bannished and put to Death Burned and Destroyed from amongst the Righteous though they grow amongst them even in the sâ⦠Field The converted Saints ought not I say to destroy by âânnishment or Death the Hereticks and Unconverted and Unconformable Persons from amongst them but they are to let them live even grow amongst them in the same Field in the same Kingdom City or Family till Harvest And thus much the Parable may truly signifie Even a Liberty to live for the Tares the bad Corn the evil Persons among the Wheat the Righteous Persâ⦠without being imposed upon by Cruel Force and Outward Violence to compel into Conformity 2. As in the Case among the Saints and true Believers where some believed ãâã might ãâã all ãâã others did ãâã Hââ¦s and some esteemed one day above ãâã ând otheââ esteemed every day alike Rom 14. Here was some difference in Judgment and Practices amongst the Believers about Mââts and Dââes abouââ which thiâ⦠there hath been much Imposition and Force used in the World since the Apostle dayes Well But what doth the Apostle Paul ãâã and advise in this Case Doth ãâã threaten Violence towards any of them or signifie any forcible Commands or Impositions to be used to bring them into Conformity and Unity in the things and Matters about which they were divided No no but this is his advice to the Church of Christ of which he was a true and able Minister Iudge not one another about such things nor do not impose any Practice upon thy Brother for to Christ Iesus ââ¦is Master every Believer stands or falls And saith the Apostle Lââ every Man be fully perswaded in his own Mind vers 5. And hereby it is manifestly proved That in the Churches of Primitive Christians the Saints and true Christians were not imposed upon by Commandments of Mân or outward Laws in the matters of their Religion and Practice of Conscience there was no signification of force to be used for Conformity but whâây contrary even every Believeâ had the Liberty of the Spirit of Christ and as he was by that perswaded in his own mind to do or leave undone in such cases and every one was to mind the Teachings of the Spirit of Christ in himself for to that he was to stand or fall and not to impose upon another no not so much as to judge his Brother in any case of difference in Judgment or Practice but they were to leave one another to the Perswasions of the Spirit of Christ in their own minds 3. As in the Case where the Apostle exhorted the Saints to be Like-minded ââil 3. But saith he If any ãâã Otherwise-minded God shall reveal even this unto you By which Saying it is mânifest That the Unity and Conformity of Saints in Mind and Practice was not by Imposition or any outward Force threatned or exercised upon their Persons or Estates but contrary-wise if there was any Difference in Mind and Practice amongst any of them that was to be amended and Unity made up when God revealed the same Truth in all as he had done in some if any were not so minded in any thing as others were they were not to be imposed upon but let God reveal the same and bring into Conformity this was the Apostle's Counsel And vers 16. Nevertheless whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule that is to âây so far as the Rule of the Spirit of Christ is made manifest or in whââ measure the perfection thereof is attained unto let every one walk in the same measure and by the same Rule and if any have not the self-same measure of the Spirit and know the self-same things let such alone without imposing upon them leave them to walk in the measure of Light and knowledge that they have received though it be not the self-same measure that others have received and if they want any Knowledge or be in any thing otherwise-minded God shall reveal the same unto them even the same thing as they grow in the same measure of Grace and Knowledge And here is the perfect Way of Unity and Conformity as the Primitive Christians were exercised in the true Faith and Worship and true Christian Religion in their dayes And so to impose by Force upon Paint and Forfeitures in Religious Matters is clearly contrary to all these Scriptures and to many more in the New Testament 4. In that Case 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. where the Apostle exhorts the Elders To take ââe Overââght of God's Flock not by Constraint or Force but Willingly not for ãâã by Lucââ but of a ready Mind neither ãâã being Lords âver God's Heritage which cââ¦ly signifies against
appears in the World then he transforms into the Likeness and formal appearance of the Way of the Lord and his Truth and when the Devil cannot kill Christ so but that Christ will rise again appear and live for ever contrary to all the malice and enmity of the Devil then rather then he will submit to be no more he will transform himself and take upon him the Name of Christ of his Honour and Glory and profess him in words and seem a Friend to Christ and his Kingdom And this he doth that he may live still in the World and by deceiveableness beguile the sons of men into perpetual destruction 9. And the very work of Antichrist this day in the World is to deceive beguile seduce and betray the World and all mankind 't is his only work and calling as I may say to deceive 't is his nature and property to work deceitfully and thus it ever was with him it hath been his Property and his Work in all Ages and in every Age since the beginning of the World to deceive and beguile to lead men from God and to lead them into Perdition this I say hath ever been his work in the World and by the means aforesaid to wit by transforming and changing himself into the likeness of Righteousness and Verity and putting the pretence of Goodness Vertue and Holiness upon his Actions and Doings though never so evil and unrighteous he hath always I say by this means and in this way deceived the World by appearing as a Saint as a Well-doer as an Angel of Light pretending Wisdom Righteousness and Vertue and colouring his Deeds thereby as is proved in the Case of the first deceiving of Eve What said Satan to the Woman Not that I am such a one and do intend to deceive thee with Falsity but Thou shalt be as God Thou shalt be wise of thy self and know and be and do as God Here was a fair pretence by which he deceived the Woman And the false Prophets and false Apostles in the dayes of old did not deceive the World into an absolute denial of God and Christ and Truth but did deceive them into the false Profession of the same holding out the Form of Godliness without the Power and by feigned words and good Speeches did deceive the hearts of the Simple and by false Doctrine and Ordinances and Form of Religion did the Antichrist deceive the World in dayes past as he doth at this day For if he did appear to be as he is in his own nature and property a Devil Deceiver and wicked one a Leader to Perdition and Destruction and should vindicate himself as such and entice and tempt People as such then none would believe him nor follow his Wayes for none would willingly be destroyed But he appears not as such in the World but alwayes transforms himself into the Likeness of God and Goodness still pretending the same And by this means is he more capable to deceive mankind for he cannot so readily deceive and lead men to Perdition in his own proper Nature if he appear as he is such but therefore he appears contrary to what his own nature is and transforms himself And thus doth Antichrist deceive the Christian World so called at this day even by his false Wayes of Religion false Worship false Doctrine false Humility false Faith and false Church pretending Zeal and Sanctity and such like Herein and hereby generally doth Antichrist that Man of Sin deceive and beguile the World unto Perdition and Destruction Oh! how many thousands of Peoples of Nations and Countries are at this day deceived on this wise thinking they are in the Truth and true Way of Religion Faith and Worship professing and performing these things with much Zeal as if they were indeed the wayes and Ordinances of Christ when as they are but false feigned formal and of Antichrist and deceivable to the souls of men even Shews without Substance Forms without Life and Power of Antichrist and not of the true Christ. And thus and after this manner with the very likeness of Righteousness and appearance of Godliness and profession of Faith and duty to God hath Antichrist deceived the World and doth at this day delude Nations to the perdition of thousands And Antichrist doth not generally deceive men in his works and appearance as he is in his own Proper Nature but in his appearance and works transformed and changed into another likeness even into the likeness of Truth and Righteousness By this means and way Satan Antichrist and that Man of Sin doth delude and deceive the Nations of the World 10. What the Works of Antichrist are by what is said doth partly appear His Works are all deceivableness to deceive and delude the World to lead mankind captive in the wayes of sin and death unto the destruction of their souls and to be cruel and hard-hearted envious malicious and perverse a hater and persecutor of goodness and good men and to murder and work wickedness to do all evil and to oppose gain-say and deny all good This in general is the work of Antichrist though as to particulars I now intend not to mention saving as I have before shewed to impose upon Conscience in Religious matters by outward force and violence is a main principle work of Antichrist and to kill and destroy Persons on the account of Heresie and Error and to use violence and cruel impositions in Spiritual Cases contrary to the Spirit of Christ Jesus These are works and wayes of Antichrist which he brings forth in the World as also the promoting of all the false and Idolatrous Worships and false Church-Governments in the World and in short every evil work and word brought forth amongst the sons of men are the Works of the Devil and Antichrist which he seduceth the World into the working and doing of and to consider the state of the World as it is at this day and how it is deceived in many grievous and abominable wayes of Error Superstitions Idolatries and Wickedness it makes the hearts of the Righteous sad and mournful because of the deceivableness of the working of the Mystery of Iniquity of Antichrist that Man of Sin in the World who deceiveth Mankind with the appearance and shew of godliness and leads the Children of Men in the wayes of Ignorance Death Blindness and Error yet holds them under a false pwerswasion of safety and security as if they were in the right way and walked in the pathes of Happiness when indeed and in Truth they are beguiled and deceived and nigh unto the pathes of perdition Oh! how hath Antichrist prevailed in these latter Dayes since the dayes of the Apostles and deceived the World with the very Formal Profession and practice of such Doctrines and Things as the Apostles held and Practised in the Power of God in their dayes But now Antichrist he holds the Form in his False Spirit and hath the appearance and likeness of
Righteousness Truth Faith and Worship without the Power of God even likeness of the things that the Apostles and Saints held in the Power of God And hereby is the World deceived though Antichrist hath taught them to Plead Scriptures and Prove by Scriptures ââ¦t the Apostles did the same things and held the same Profession yet being now held and professed out of the Power of God and not in the same Spirit that the Apostles were in 't is but of Antichrist and deceivable and leads captive the souls of men into destruction Oh therefore that the World and all that dwel therein would consider the danger of that deceivable Spirit of Antichrist and how he deceiveth mankind and would turn from him and forsake the wayes and works of Antichrist that they may be saved and not destroyed Oh! all ye called Christians 't is time to consider what Spirit ye are of and what Spirit leads you and how ye may escape his delusions for the Day of the Lord is come and he is gathering People out of the wayes of Antichrist and setting them free from his cruel Bonds to serve the Lord in Liberty and Freedom of the Spirit of Christ Jesus and blessed are all they that witness this where Christ reigns and Antichrist is subdued with his works and fruits and discovered and destroyed by the Spirit of the Lord and the brightness of his Coming who comes to judge the World in Righteousness and Truth 11. These things are said in general of Antichrist Now it remains to be shewed What the Government of Antichrist is in it self and where it is in beeing and who the Subjects of his Kingdom are That Antichrist the Man of Sin hath a Government a Kingdom a Power an Authority a Rule and a Dominion which is indeed his Government this is not doubtful to any but acknowledged by all but what this Kingdom and Government is many are Ignorant Now the Kingdom and Government of Antichrist is not the Government and Authority of some particular man in some particular Countrey and Nation upon Earth distinct from all other persons and Nations as if such a particuler visible Kingdom and Authority were Antichrist's Government and none besides But the Authority Kingdom and Government of Antichrist is more invisible more hidden as it were more spiritual and undiscernable unto the sons of men then any visible outward Kingdom is And indeed the Kingdom of Antichrist is the Authority and Power of Spiritual Wickedness of Spiritual invisible Iniquity or the Rule and Dominion of the Son of Perdition of the Man of Sin exercised in the hearts and Spirits of all ungodly men This is the Kingdom and Government of Antichrist an Authority of Spiritual Wickedness a Power of the Mystery of Iniquity and of invisible prevailing of the Son of Perdition in and over the hearts of the Sons of men not onely of one person or in one Nation or Kingdom of the World but in all sinful persons and over all Nations of the Earth Antichrist's Government is such throughout Kingdoms of this World even a Spiritual Power of Wickedness a Dominion and Authority of the Mystery of Iniquity ruling and raigning in the hearts of many men even of all sinful men of all unjust men of all unconverted men through all Nations in the World So that it may not truly be said that Antichrist's Kingdom and Government is onely the particular Authority of any particular man in a particular Nation of the Earth and all others Men and Nations are free but it is as I have said the Authority Power and Rule of the Spirit of Wickedness of the Mystery of Iniquity in the hearts of all evil men in all Nations through the World And this is truly the Kingdom of Antichrist in it self 12. This Government is placed and set up and chiefly the place and beeing of it is not only in all Nations at large but in the Hearts even in particular Hearts of the Sons of men in the Heart and Inward Parts of man is the place where Antichrist's Government is his Authority Power and Dominion is in the Hearts of the Ungodly in the inward Parts of Transgressors in the Heart Antichrist that Man of Sin dwells and works according as it is written 2 Thess. 2. 9 10. speaking of the Man of Sin Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all lying Wonders and with all Deceivableness of Uurighteousness in them that perish His dwelling and working is in them that perish in the Ungodly in the Hypocrites in all ââ¦aters in all false Worshippers Thus it is manifest That the Government of Antichrist is in the Heart not only to one man in some Nations but in the Hearts of all such men mentioned in all the Kingdoms of the World even the Mystery of Iniquity the spiritual Wickedness the authority and power of that spirit that is against Christ and contrary to him which is the Rule Kingdom and Government of Antichrist dwelleth and worketh in the hearts of the Sons of men even like as Christ Jesus dwelleth and walketh in his Saints as it is written so accordingly doth Antichrist dwell and walk in all that are the Subjects of his Kingdom Yet notwithstanding the Government of Antichrist is in the hearts of men originally there as having got dominion and Power over the seed of God and placed it self in the heart which is its seat and where Christ should reign yet the Government of Antichrist is not so spiritual so hidden and invisible in the heart but that it appears outwardly and visibly in the actions and fruits of men so that the outward actions and works of men are ãâã and sinted with the spirit of Antichrist and his government apaears visible in Antichristian Ways and Works brought forth by men the Sinfulness of men the Hypocrisies of men the Idolatries of men and the false Principles and Doctrines of men which appear visibly are the Works of Antichrist and his Government stands in these things in these Works he Governs men and to the doing of them he leads and rules men by his authority and power which is in the Hearts of men And thus Antichrist's Government appears visible and outward and is in the outward Actions and Works of men to be seen in the World as well as the working of his Power and Authority is in the Heart inwardly And also Antichrist's Government is extended not only as first dwelling and working in the Hearts of the Ungodly nor secondly as over the Works of men particularly but over the Governments of many Nations and Countries in general is Antichrist's Power and Rule extended so that the Governments of the World are leavened and tasted with Antichristian-power and authority in many Nations even the spirit of Antichrist hath possessed many hearts many Works and not only so but many Governments amongst men and this hath appeared and broken forth visible in all the works of Unrighteousness Injustice Oppressions and Persecutions brought forth in