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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	father_n	ghost_n	spirit_n	4,016	5	5.4768	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90808	The holy scripture clearing it self of scandals: or, An answer to a book written by Richard Farnworth, who is commonly called a Quaker, bearing this title, Truth cleared of scandals. In this answer, you have the substance of a dispute at Harliston in Staffordshire, between Richard Faruworth [sic] and the author, in the yeer 1654. Written by Tho. Pollard, a member of the Church of Christ, gathered in, and about, Leichfield. Whereunto is added, Certain considerations and queries concerning those people called the Quakers; with desire of an answer. As also, a postscript, manifesting their folly in pretending a necessity of using the terms thee and thou to a single person. / By Henry Haggar, a servant of Jesus Christ, and of the congregation of his saints.	Pollard, Thomas, fl. 1655.; Haggar, Henry.	1655 (1655)	Wing P2775; Thomason E857_8; Thomason E842_10; ESTC R206619	43,888	64

use to these men except it be for advantage But dear souls consider first that the heart is deceitful and he that trusteth to it is a fool And then to have no other judge in thy own case but thy self as this is their principle how doth it open a door to loosness And many poor souls have been so far misled as to say That which men call sin doth as highly honour God as that which men call prayer or holy performances I say these things I have heard uttered by mouth and have seen in print and if this be not sad and dangerous I know nothing But to you of the Church of Christ that are by these men called Pharisees and outward Jews and branded with reproach see what Peter saith 1 Pet. 2.20 If when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God for even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps And in Chap. 4. vers 14. he saith If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happie are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you On their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified And further friends let us call to minde how sweetly the Lord hath appeared to us in the use of Ordinances and then I hope you will take heed of entertaining such an opinion that is so wicked as to overthrow all the Ordinances of Christ that belong to his Church O but labour for oneness of spirit and you will be terrible to all your enemies as an army with banners Fifthly Farnworth affirmed that all Ordinances ceased when Christ ascended and gave the Spirit But dear friends let us not take the thing for granted upon his bare word because he saith so but let us be like the Bereans search the Scripture to see if the thing be so And first we will minde the commission and the time when Christ gave it and that is clear it was after his resurrection as the last chapter of Matthew witnesseth at large If so then it must be that this commission was given when Christ entered into his Kingly office and this his own words make good for now saith Christ All power is given into my hands in heaven and in earth go ye therefore and teach all nations and baptize them And the continuance of these Ordinances is plain in the last verse Lo saith Christ I am with you alway to the end of the world Now this is to me so strong an argument that surely it will make a gracious heart tremble to deny it 2. If this be true that Farnworth affirms then see how short a time Ordinances were to be of use in the world Read Acts 1.1 The former treatise have I made O Theophilus of all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up after that he through the holy Ghost had given commandment unto the Apostles whom he had chosen to whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them fourty days Pray ye minde it seems then by this mans judgement that Ordinances were to be of use but fourty days which is very corrupt And further then the end of the world should have been if this he saith be true when Christ ascended two great absurdities 1. To 〈◊〉 that Ordinances were of use but fourty days 2. Then it must follow also that at Christs ascension should be the end of the world and so all the promises of the Spirit had been nothing worth But minde dear friends what Christ saith to his Apostles Tarry at Ierusalem and go not out thence till ye have received power from on high and when the holy Ghost is come upon you ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Ierusalem and in all Iudea and in Samaria and in all the uttermost parts of the earth Acts 1. at large By all which it is plain if the Scripture may be heard to speak for it self that the Apostles were not so fully fitted for that great work to preach the Gospel to every creature until Christ ascended gave the Spirit Read Acts 2.3 4 5. And Christ told them Ioh. 14 26. the Father he would send the Comforter which is the holy Ghost and this is his work He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Then minde If it be the work of this Spirit of Truth that cometh from the Father and the Son to bring to their remembrance what Christ before spake to them then it is plain that the commission is one part of what Christ spake to them before his ascension Yea there is much wrapt up in it that the Spirit was to inmind the Apostles of and not them onely but all those now that carry on the same work by the same rule for one and the same end namely To glorifie God to be useful to his Church and to all men Now we will see how the minde of Christ was when he was gone to heaven and we shall finde he was of the same minde to maintain Ordinances as well as when he was on the earth and for this see a plain text of Scripture Acts 9.6 And the Lord said unto Saul Arise and go into the city and it shall be told thee what thou must do And as the Lord sent him into the citie minde the end the Lord had in sending Ananias who told him as he had received from Christ what Saul must do and this was one thing that Ananias told him as it is plain Acts 22.14 15 16. first that he was chosen of the Lord that he should know his will and see that Just One and should hear the voice of his mouth for saith he thou shalt be his witness to all men of what thou hast seen and heard And now why tarriest thou arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the name of the Lord. By which it is plain that Christ was of the same minde to maintain Ordinances in his Church after his ascension as before But when I instanced these Scriptures Farnworth said that this was not Water-baptism that Paul was baptized with but the Baptism of the Spirit as many can witness But I think no sober man will be of this mans judgement for 1. Consider if it were the baptism of the Spirit it were too high for Ananias as he was a disciple to carry on and without question we should have found Ananias answering Paul as Iohn confesseth in another place I indeed baptize with water but there is one coming after me he shall baptize with the holy Ghost 2. It would be very absurd to give that to men that is Christs proper and peculiar right But it is no wonder to finde these men thus dealing with Christ himself that will thus wickedly speak against his Ordinances But

28.26 The second thing that this Farnworth affirmed That when Paul spoke those words in the seventh of the Romans where he cries out of a body of death and of the warfare he had in himself he said That Paul was not converted To which I answered O man minde thy error what Paul a Messenger of the Gospel and so eminent an Apostle of Christ and unconverted Here let us try by the Scripture whether it be so or no first see Acts 9.5 6. When the Voice from Heaven which Voice was Christ that said to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me He trembling and astonished said Lord what wouldst thou have me to do The Lord sent him to Ananias and when he had manifested his Faith in Christ by his obedience to Christ he straightway preached Christ in the Synagogues to be the Son of God And further see vers 27. of this ninth Chapter where it was made plain to the Apostles And he was with them coming in and going out at Ierusalem and he spake boldly in the Name of Iesus Christ and disputed against the Grecians And this whole Chapter makes it evident both in what he did and suffered that he was converted And further see Rom. 1.1 Paul a servant of Iesus Christ then sure converted else no fit Servant for so great a work and not onely so but called to be an Apostle separated unto the Gospel of God And pray you minde who called him to this great work not himself but the Holy Ghost Acts 13.2 The Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them By which it is plain he was converted before as I at that time told thee Then thou wouldst turn it and didst say that he spake of his condition before conversion in that Rom. 7. And this is as false as the other if the words be weighed vers 22. to 25. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man Pray you minde at that time he did see a law in his members warring against the law of his minde Nay further if all this had been before conversion then how could he have said as he saith vers 25. that with his minde he served the Law of God for it is evident that his minde before conversion was onely to persecute the Church and people of God And here we will bring his own words to witness 1 Cor. 15.9 I saith Paul am the least of the Apostles not worthy to be called an Apostle minde the reason Because I persecuted the Church of God By all which we may plainly see how contrary to the Scripture and unfound this opinion is Therefore take heed poor souls of following men any further then they follow Christ and keep his way And you deluded ones that speak against the holy Scripture in the whole it is no wonder that you make such tearing it in pieces as you do And though you use the Scripture so frequent in your writing it is out of subtilty to ensnare souls as that great deceiver did to Christ Mat. 4.6 But one word to the Lords people Take Scripture-arguments to fight against Deceivers and for your progress in the Lords way take Jeremiah's counsel Chap. 6.16 Stand ye in the way and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein And then minde the promise Ye shall finde rest for your souls And how we may find the way of the Lord read Isai 8.20 To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Compared with Gal. 1.8 9. The Third thing Farnworth affirmed that where John spake those words If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves he said John did not here speak of himself but the people to whom he spake these words were unconverted In answer to this minde the Apostles words 1 Iob. 1.3 That which we have seen and heard that we declare unto you that ye may have fellowship with us and truely our fellowship is with the Father and the Son And These things we write unto you that your joy may be full and this was joy to them Chap. 3.2 Now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And in Chap. 2.24 25. Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning if that shall abide in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father and this is the promise he hath promised us even eternal life And John saith vers 21 of this chap. 2. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth but because ye know it By all which it is plain they were built on the foundation for else it had been absurd for the Apostle to have exhorted them to abide in Christ and his commandments if not converted for then the exhortation was of no use and beside it is very improper to advise any man to keep that which he never had Again 2. The Apostle doth here press them to persevere and to go on and to walk in the light then they must know it before 3. I do not finde any Epistle written to any but to the Saints as Rom. 1.7.1 Cor 2.2 Cor. 2. By all which it is plain To the Saints at Rome To the Church at Corinth To the Saints at Ephesus To the Church at Galatia Saints at Philippi Saints at Colosse Saints at Thessalonica 4. The Apostle put himself in If WE say WE have no sin WE deceive our selves Here he puts himself one of the number Not that I go about as Farnworth falsly saith to plead a continuance in sin for I do own that believers as they are in Christ are justified from sin and God is satisfied with his Son as Isaiah saith he looked on the travel of his soul and was satisfied But that which I say is this That believers do see some defect in themselves in their outward man as they carry about with them an earthly tabernacle but through grace they overcome all defects by degrees And we will see what the Scripture faith from the mouth of other godly witnesses See Solomon 1 King 8.46 There is saith he no man that sinneth not with Prov. 20.9 Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin With Eccl. 7.20 Saith the wise Preacher There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Now then I say with the Apostle Let God and his Word be true and all men lyers And I do appeal to every godly soul for to witness this who are sensible of flesh and self appearing in them at one time or other But dear Saints look up to the Lord for strength and let us be sure if we would conquer to fight with spiritual weapons and let us

take heed of such an opinion that will be judge himself in his own cause and will not be tried by the Scripture accounting it dead and carnal and of no use to bring men to Christ As when I asked Farnworth how he would witness the truth of what he affirmed in that he denied the Scripture he laid his hand on his heart and said I witness this Now minde this delusion as I said before what Jeremiah saith Chap. 17.9 1. The heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it 2. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool Prov. 28.26 And now dear friends let us take counsel of the Lord to try the spirits whether they be of God for many false prophets are gone out into the world 1 Joh. 4.1 And vers 6. We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us and he that is not of God heareth not us Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error From whence we may honestly argue that if they and they onely be the friends of God that walk in obedience to the commands of God then they must needs be enemies that oppose But the first is clear Joh. 15.14 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you with Joh. 14.23 If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him And 1 Joh. 5.2 3. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous And further dear friends let us embrace that advice that Peter gives 2 Epist 3.17 18. Beware lest you being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness And to prevent you from falling his counsel is But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Now is the hour of temptation for if these be not wicked errours I know not what is I mean these which are laid down to your view which Farnworth did stand by to vindicate if his own testimony may stand O then what need have all the Lords people to be upon their watch now Satan by his instruments is sifting poor souls out of the Truth if he can It is high time to look to our foundation that we be built on the Rock Christ that you be firmly knit to him and made one with him and then the gates of hell shall not prevail against you And you strong Christians help the weak Lambs of Jesus Christ that they may grow in that good way of Christs commandments that the Saints of old have walked in O be stirring up one another by way of remembrance of the good path of Christ which discovers fully all the by-paths of iniquity Oh I say let there not be a want of care among you in your several Societies to watch over one another lest any be entangled by these seducing spirits and overcome I say by these that throw aside all the Laws and Ordinances of the Lord Jesus as they were delivered to the Saints and ought now by us to be observed for you know what the Scripture saith of them that turn from the way of Truth It had been better for them that they had never known it then after they have known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them 2 Pet. 2.20 21. O then I say to all you that are employed in the Lords work whether by Office or Gift that are faithful Stewards diligent in feeding the flock of Christ remember what the Lord saith to such When the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5.4 And saith Daniel Chap. 12.3 They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever And if these men be so forward in pulling down the Ordinances of Christ you have greater encouragement to follow Christ in his way 1. You have his own presence promised Matth. 2820. in the work 2. See your reward after the work Joh. 10.27 28. Fourthly Farnworth affirmed that Christ had not a visible Church in the world and scornfully said to me What a Church in the world I answered Yea in the world though not of the world but gathered out of the world And 1. See what Paul saith 1 Cor. 1.2 Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints with all that in every place call on the Name of Jesus Christ Reader pray you minde this must needs be a visible Church 1. Because this Epistle is directed to a visible place Corinth 2. It is as clear that here were men and that under this general term brethren vers 10. I beseech you brethren by our Lord Jesus that you all speak the same thing and that there be no division among you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgment 3. Paul makes mention of housholds vers 11. the house of Cloe and Stephanas vers 16. 4. He speaks of persons by name as Crispus and Gaius and others By all which it is clear this poor man is much beside the Rule of Truth Again see what Paul saith unto the Churches of Galatia Chap. 1.1 Vnto the Churches of Galatia And mind Rom. 16.1 Commend unto you Phebe our sister which is a servant of the Church at Cenchrea Minde how full the Scripture is to prove this thing and makes manifest the blindness of this mans understanding that will thus oppose the Truth that is so full of wintnesses And how doth the holy Ghost write to the seven Churches in Asia And how I pray you Farnworth will you answer that place in Acts 8. when Steven was stoned and the Church at Jerusalem all scattered 1. This must needs be a visible company because they were visibly scattered 2. They were at Jerusalem which was a visible place the Scripture is full for 3. See whither they were scattered some into Judea and some into Samaria And Saul he made havock of the Church vers 3 But here we may see your subtilty and cunning craftiness whereby you lie in wait to deceive for if you can bring poor souls to this That God hath not a visible Church in the world then you may easily perswade them to throw aside all the visible Rule of Scripture and so make all Doctrine and Church-Discipline of none effect and thus you would put out the eyes of poor souls and then bring them to see with your eyes and then your words they may quickly learn which are onely thus to say they must hearken to a light within but if the light in thee be darkness how great is that darkness And here thy darkness doth appear in denying a visible Church which is so plainly proved But Reader by these men the Rule of tryal to try the Spirits withal is thrown away and become of no

relate to the Law given by Moses much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven for John saith The Law came by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ John 1.17 Reas 2. Grounded on vers 28. We receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us have Grace that we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear But now the Question between Farnworth and my self was Whether he was in the possession of these priviledges he sa●● he was But Reader consider I pray you weigh the words a little with what he hath before affirmed and you will finde he lyes and speaks not the Truth First it is clear That these promises are to a visible Church as the Law was given to a visible Church then he denying a visible Church he cannot have any right to these promises as he is a visible man Secondly If these Hebrews had been in the possession of these things that is to say the new Jerusalem then for the holy Ghost to have warned them to take heed of refusing him that spake from heaven had been in vain Thirdly Then they needed not that exhortation To hold fast Grace as the Margin reads it vers 28. That we may serve God acceptably for that were fully done already if in the possession of it Fourthly The Scripture saith All lyars are without then they are not possessed of this enjoyment and that Farnworth is a lyar is plain else he would never say That all Ordinances ceased when Christ ascended and That Christ hath not a visible Church and see what lyars shall be possessed of Rev. 21.8 They shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever which is the second death Fifthly If they and onely they are blessed that do his Commandments and they shall have right to the Tree Life then there is nothing but Curses Woes and Misery to all them that make it their work to keep poor souls out of these promises by perswading them to a slight esteem of the Ordinances of Christ And here is the pride of these men discovered that will boast of priviledges before they have any right to them In the next place I shall speak a word of perfection And this I say That I own a perfection in Christ to be attainable in this life thus that is to say by believing in Christ and obedience to Christ add this James tells us That Abraham's faith wrought with his works by works was faith made perfect And Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God Jam. 2.22 23. Now I say this faith that worketh by love perswadeth that soul wherein it is to yield obedience to Christ and God the Father is fully satisfied with his Son in the behalf of such a one Now I say that such a one may slip through infirmity or neglect of duty to God but see what Iohn saith to such 1 Ep. 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to for give us our sins to cleanse us from all unrighteousness And this is by Iesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiati-through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God To declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Iesus And truly Reader for my part I know no way to attain perfection but by believing in Christ and yeilding obedience to Christ and this I own the Gospels preaching doth fully hold out the great love of the Father in giving his Son to die for us which Gospel being preached is the means of faith and is a perfect rule for all to walk by But for a perfection in glory to be attained on this side the Grave this I utterly disown As also what Farnworth said to me at Harliston That the resurrection and eternal judgement was then past in him I own not but disown for I believe the resurrection of the dead both of the just and of the unjust as Paul saith Act. 24.15 And now Reader you having a view of these men that their principles are very unsound and why I say these men because what Farnworth then affirmed others of his company stood by to maintain And in a few words I shall give you briefly what one Daniel Bott a brother in the Gospel resident at a Town neer Tamworth in Warwickshire who was once deluded by them but now through mercy is brought back to the joy of his heart and rejoycing of the Lord's people and this I received from his own moth That the said Farnworth and others did press him to lay aside the form of Scripture and he would they said have visions and revelations immediately Now consider Reader whither would they plunge a poor soul if they can once bring him to slight that form of sound words and that form of doctrine which was delivered unto us And further he saith to me That he heard one George Fox say these words I am that eternal Spirit that gave forth the Scripture and he told me He did believe that Fox did think when he spake this that there was none present but these of his own judgement And I assure the Reader this that I cannot gather that the said Daniel doth speak any thing out of malice for I judge the man to the best of my understanding one truely fearing God and one that can say much of their delusions and that they are false Prophers by their endeavouring to turn him from consenting to the wholesome words of Christ and that doctrine which is according to godliness Now Reader if thou dost throughly consider what is before laid down that this Farnworth did stand by to maintain you may plainly see what spirit this poor man is possessed with and if it be the work of the Spirit of Truth to lead his into all Truth then this man is led by an evil Spirit and this appears in its operation and by the evil fruit it brings forth you may see what the Tree is And this is evil to say That all that is gotten from the Scripture is but brain-knowledge and a great deal of such-like stuffe he is filled with If any man make search into them by questioning them else let them alone in their road of speaking and they will present a fair gloss before you This I have experience of And now Reader to his principles that he saith in the beginning of his book he owns as worship in the Spirit he owns he saith Ans To this if the way of worship that Jesus Christ hath commanded and hath promised to be present with them that so worship him to the end of the world be spiritual worship which worship is plainly laid down in the Scripture then all that refuse to take the words of

the Gospel for their rule and direction in the worship of God as thou Farnworth dost say falsely that say you own the worship in the Spirit but by your denying the rules you are Pharisee-like that say and do not Secondly Thou sayest Thou ownest the Church of Christ. Answ But here thou lyest in thy saying Christ hath not a visible Church and so thou shuttest thy self out both of Church and Ministery of Christ by thy own grant as being a visible man Thirdly Thou sayest The teachings of Christ thou ownest And here thou speakest a lye also as is evident by thy calling the Ordinances carnal which Christ taught his Disciples Mat. 28. Mark 16. Fourthly Thou sayest Thou ownest the baptism of Christ Answ But here thou lyest also for believers to be baptized is by Christ's Commandment and he gave himself and example to us herein and this thou callest an image and idol Fifthly Thou sayest Prayer in the Spirit thou ownest And Reader minde for this man to pray for himself c is perfect and freed from all acts of sin and past the eternal judgment as he saith then I say by this we may see that prayer is useless as to himself and for his prayer for me I do not desire it neither do I beleive it is his judgment to pray for others by his wicked censuring all men that go not his way But this I further say That by his fruit he brings forth it is made evident that he is a stranger to the Spirit of Truth for this Spirit it leads into Truth then it doth not lead out of the Truth I demand of thee Farnworth where ever the Spirit of Truth did or doth contradict the written word But to ask thee such a Question who art as it is evident possest with a Spirit of error I do not look for satisfaction from thee And now Saints you having briefly a discovery of this man's folly let us labour to take Solomon's counsel Prov. 23.4 Cease from thy own wisdom with Prov. 3.1 My son forget not my law but let thy heart keep my commandments Vers 5. Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not to thy own understanding It is high time for the Lords people to be continually upon their watch now Satan is thus transforming himself like an Angel of light that we be not overtaken with his devices but this I hope dear friends you well know that it becometh the Lord's people to speak the things which become sound doctrine that so we may stop the mouthes of all our adversaries for now is that day come that Paul speaks of 1 Tim. 4.3 For the time will come when they will not endure wholesome or sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they shall turn away their ears from hearing the truth then minde what such come to they shall be turned unto fables And it is the Apostles counsel to the Hebrews chap. 3.1 2. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God and for your direction herein minde vers 13. But exhort one another dayly while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceit fulness of sin For vers 14. we are made partakers of Christ How if saith the Apostle we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end For as it is plainly laid down in this Chapter That the unbelieving Israelites came short of temporal Canaan so without question will it be with all those now that turn back from the holy Commandments delivered unto them For the just shall live How by faith but if any man draws back What follows my soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 And he that once puts his hand to the Lord's plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God And it is worth the observing how Paul tells the Romans chap. 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to whom to every one that believeth minde that for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith and saith Paul as many as walk according to this rule peace be unto them And let us minde Paul's counsel Rom. 14.19 Let us therefore follow after the things that make for peace and things where with one may edifie another And as Paul advises the Church Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue it there be any praise think on these things those things you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you And as Paul said to the Church at his departure Act. 20.32 so I say to you Brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified And to thou Farnworth and the rest that walk up and down and live idly without a calling if you would observe the Scripture for your rule you would see what Paul saith 2 Thess 3.10 For even when we were with you this we commanded you that if any would not work he should not eat O see thy folly in going about to deceive which thou art not called to by God nor man according to the rule and what would be the condition of all people in our Nation if this were generally practised Certain CONSIDERATIONS and QUERIES Dear Brother in the Lord OUr neer relation that we have one to another in the bonds of the Gospel doth engage me to manifest my unfeigned love unto Christ and unto thee in answering thy desires in propounding some Queries by which we may examine and try the Spirits of these men who say they are Jews and are not that so they may be found liars and their falshood and folly may be made manifest and all that yet fear the Lord may beware of giving heed to their cunning-devised fables lest they be led away with the error of the wicked and so fall from their own stedfastness and to that end my desire is that they will consider their cunning craftiness wherewith they lie in wait to deceive by handling the word of God deceitfully sometimes denying it to be of any authority at all and sometimes confessing it to be indeed a declaration of the minde of God but nothing comparable to that light which is within them yet other times they will make use of it for their own ends that so they may as Paul saith by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple And therefore that their snares may be broken and poor souls delivered I shall commit certain things in the first place to their

according to these Scriptures John 1.9 chap. 8.12 7. Whether did he not declare it and make it manifest to the sons of men both by his words and actions more then ever any man else could do according to these Scriptures Joh. 12.49 50. Whatsoever I speak therefore even as the Father said unto me so speak I and as the Father gave me commandment even so do I chap. 14.31 Again All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you chap. 15.15 8. Whether did not the Apostles of the Lord declare and testifie the same things to others that they heard and saw and learned of him according to these Scriptures 1 John 1.3 That which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you and Acts 20.27 Paul saith He had not shunned to declare unto them all the counsell of God 9. Whether we came to know any of these things that Christ or his Disciples did or whether we can know them but by the holy Scriptures or how can we know that either Christ or his Disciples were ever in the world but by the holy Scriptures consider and judge If these things be so 10. Then whether is there not a greater light shining to us in the face of Jesus Christ through the New Testament which he hath sealed with his own blood then we can possibly expect to come from the heart or brain of any man now living or to live untill Christ himself shall again appear 11. If a greater light now shineth through Christ by the New Testament then ever hath or by men or Angels can shine to the sons of men then whether is it not folly and madness for any man now to refuse this light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ to walk by the light and dictates of his own heart which is deceitful and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17.9 even as a man should light a candle to walk by when the sun shineth in his full strength 12. Whether may we not now according to Paul's directions Gal. 1.8 9. account all men or Angels accursed that refuse the light of the glorious Gospel thus shining unto us and chusing rather to walk by another that is to say by the light within them Lastly if the spirit of truth when it cometh into a soul shall lead him into all truth then whether may we not safely conclude that they have none of the spirit of God which err from the truth of the Gospel as it was once delivered to the Saints and under value those words of Christ which himself who had the spirit without measure said They are spirit and they are life and if they were not so to any man it was because they believed not John 6.63 64. For how can we know that the dead shall rise and come to judgemens but by the holy Scriptures of Truth This much by Henry Haggar a Servant of the Lord JESUS CHRIST and the Congregations of his Saints with a desire of an Answer by any who will or can POSTSCRIPT ALthough there is much spoken in the former part of the Book in answer to the vain conceit impudedent practise of these foolish men in using the term Thee and Thou to all single persons whatsoever by which they break the Commandment of the Lord which is That we give no offence to Jew nor Gentile nor to the Church of God Therefore I thought it fit to put down these following lines to make their folly manifest First They affirm that the word Thee and Thou is onely proper to a single person and none else in which they belye the Scriptures and deceive themselves and others as appeareth thus Deut. 25.17 18. Remember what Amalek did unto Thee how he met Thee by the way and smote the hindmost of Thee when Thou wast faint and weary c. Thus you see plainly the word Thee Thou is as well proper to thousands as to a single person see also 27.9 10. Secondly That the word or term You was used by Christ and that to a single person is evident Luk. 22.31 where Christ saith Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have You that he might sift You as wheat but I have prayed for Thee that Thy faith fail not Here we see that the Lord Christ used the word You as well as the word Thee to a single person by all which it is evident that it is no sin nor yet an improper speech and therefore the people of God may and ought to use it upon occasion and they which do affirm it to be a sin do blasphemously conclude that Christ was a sinner And thus is their folly made manifest Henry Haggar FINIS