which since their dayes they have had the reign over the world But now to that which they ravened from and into the truth the Devill abode not in is the Saints comâ— and the Lamb reigns that is the substance of the Scriptures the end of the Scriptures that hath dominâ—â—â— Glory in the highest for ever And as for all the reviles lyes slanders vilifyings hard expressions in thy Book they will fall upon thy selfe and to thee they will be sad and thou shalt feel every one of thy owne words shall be thy burthen and they shall come home unto thee cramed into thee again for thou must eat thy own dung and drink thy own pisse that comes from thee for all that in thy book is but dung in the day of thy Judgement the witnesse in thee shall answer All along thou hast shewed thy ignorance of the spirit that is poured upon all flesh that 's infallible for whosoever prayes or hath a humility or sings and not by the infallible spirit they sing not with the understanding nor pray not with the understanding And under the Judgement of God thou hast brought thy self and all thy generation Thomas Collier his Booke called a Dialogue between a Minister of the Gospel and an Enquiring Christian In it his Principles are as Followeth Pr. HE saith that the Scriptures is the absolute rule of Saints that are endued with the spirit and faith page 7. Answ Such as were endued with the spirit and faith before the written Scripture was they had a rule and they knew the seed and they knew the promises and they knew Christ more then the Pharisees that had the Scriptures nay more the the Apostates since the dayes of the Apostles that have the Scriptures and the Epistles and Revelations For by faith they saw the glory they was in the Foundation they saw Christ the everlasting Covenant and that is the foundation still Christ Jesus him by whom the world was made before it was made and all that have the Scriptures and have not him they can do nothing And that which ruled the Saints before the Scriptures was written is the Saints rule after the Scriptures is written to know the Scriptures what is written and to know God of whom they learned that gave it forth or writ it with that they know to what state and condition it was spoken And the spirit is the record and he that hath all the Scriptures and wants the true record which is the spirit he cannot know all things Pr. And the Scripture is the New Testament of the Saints rule and the rule of Judgement page 10. Answ The Scriptures given forth from the Spirit of God people knowes not to what state they were spoken but as they come into the spirit that gave them forth And besides the Epistles was written to the Saints in several conditions according to their growth and some of them grew higher then others for some of them the day-star was not risen in their hearts and some of them was children of the Day So that still was the rule that led them to give forth the Epistles and revealed to them the states and conditions of the Saints and to ages and to generations and to Nations and the condition the world was in and should come upon it that was the rule and is the rule by which all these words are seen again and there is the record of the Spirit of God And he that hath found the true record the Spirit of God with that he shall know all the Scriptures and is come within the book where all things are written and which writes all things forth the spirit Pr. He saith the Scriptures is that word which makes the Devils to stand in aw and tremble The written word for after generations by which mens souls are brought to Christ pag. 14 15. again that the Scriptures is the sword of the spirit pag. 16. Answ The Pharisees had the Scriptures which Christ said was of the Devil and was swallowed up in his power and they stood against Christ the life the substance The Devil came with Scriptures who is out of the truth to tempt Christ the Word but the Word the substance of Scriptures hammerd down the devil and Pharisees that had got the Scriptures but were out of the life that gave them forth And they have the sword that have the word of God which was before the Scriptures was given forth and they be in that the Devils be out of So if the Devil and wicked men bring Scriptures they hammer them under and redeem the Scriptures out of their ungodly mouthes And the written word brings no soul to Christ the life but who comes to the life that the written words speak of and so it testifies of him the â—iâ—e that brings them to Christ that gave it forth Pr. God is willing that all should be saved but he worketh not all into a saving condition page 21. He saith it is true there is a spirit and life in the Scriptures pag. 22. Answ The spirit and life is not in the Scriptures but the spirit and life the Scriptures testifies of and the light Christ Jesus the salvation to the ends of the earth doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world with a saving light And the light which every man hath that cometh into the world is saving but many hating the light and not coming to it which hath enlightened them they neglect their salvation and slight their salvation and not believing in it they walk in darkness and come not to the light of life But they that believe in it come to the light of life and abide not in the darkness And the grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared to all men such as turns it into wantonness and walkes despitefully against the spirit of grace ownes it not for their teacher but sets up teachers according to their own lusts so turns against that which brings their salvation and walks despitefully against it and followes their own lusts and tramples upon the Covenant of grace and the blood of the new Covenant And all that see the Bishop of their souls Christ Jesus the Saviour of their souls it is with the light that cometh from him and God wils that all men should be saved Pr. He saith to use Christs name to catch souls when indeed it is but Jugling and to stab him and crucifie him a fresh pag. 42. If Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world c. If this were truth then Christ died in vain and in vain hath Christ spoke of himself saying I am the way the truth the life the light c. pag. 45. Answ Such as do not believe that Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world are such as mentions his name and haters of the light that cometh from him these be in the Jugling state deceivers of souls and people And none sees Christ the one offering but
as they had so these have taken away the key of knowledge from among people since the days of the Apostles and as for the word Canon ye may go to the Papists The Apostles shewed the fulfilling of the Scriptures that Christ was come and the Apostles saw what Christ said should come which inwardly ravened went forth from them which the world hath gone after which now we with the same spirit the Apostles was in which you all ravened from do see ye and what hath reigned since the dayes of the Apostles Now is the fulfilling of the Prophets And the word was in the Apostles and in the Saints yea the word of faith and this comes to fulfill the Scripture this word of faith which was preached in the heart and in the mouth and which was promised before And the light was in the Apostles heart that shined and the sure word of prophesie that did let see and foresee was in the hearts of people which led them to give forth Scriptures and that which fulfills the Scriptures the prophesie is of Christ who ends it and the spirit led them to speak it forth the spirit of prophesie which many may have the Scriptures and not have the more sure word of prophesie And many may have the Scriptures as the Pharisees had and stand against the Revelation of the Son of God from heaven which is surer for he was before Scripture was who ends the Scriptures for many may have Scriptures and be out of the life and not know him the Revelation of the Son of God as the Jewes did not and so say the Scriptures is more sure then Revelation from heaven so more sure then the Son of God who is greater then all and the Scripture was given forth by Revelation and none knowes it but by Revelation Pr. He saith Christ doth not give to every man the light that leadeth to the Father and there is not in every man that redeeming light which leadeth to the Father And it is false to say the light which John speakes of is a salvation light he saith the light in every man is but the candle light of natural understanding pag. 56. And the light which every man hath is a low common benefit and no drop of this immortal seed pag. 57. 58. Nor is the light which every man hath his Mediation And I call the light which every man hath natural pag. 59. And the light which every man hath teacheth nothing of the way truth and life of Jesus Christ. pag. 60. And the light which is in every man is opposite to Scriptures pag. 61. This is the light which is in every mans conscience which is but natural And the Apostle saith he warneth every man and teacheth every man that he might present them perfect in Christ Jesus But he saith the Apostle did not warn every man he did not levell the Saints light with every mans page 62. It is not meant that every man is enlightened but the Church Page 63. Answ I am the light of the world and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world saith Christ the life So the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall wil let them see the life which it cometh from will let them see their salvation Christ Jesus will let them see their Mediator will let them see the truth for the light is truth which cometh from Christ the truth And the light is Christ the way the truth the life that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world In him was life and the life was the light of men in him by whom the world was made which light was before any natural lights was the Sun Moon and Stars are natural lights and these was made by Christ the light who doth enlighten every man c. which men having a light from him by whom the world was made by whom all things was created who was afore any things was created Le ts them see before any created light natural light made lights which gives every one the knowledge of life which lets every one see the salvation to the ends of the earth which lets every one see the Covenant of God that love it and believe in it they come to the life Christ him from whence the light cometh The light is of the immortal seed of Christ Jesus one with the Saints light the Saints believe in that the world hates and receives that which the world hates so it is the worlds condemnation it is the condemnation of them that hate it And so was he promised a Covenant to the Gentiles aswell as to the Jewes and so doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world according to Johns witness and testimony to the Priests and Levites which came from Jerusalem to examine him So the Priests now examine us in this age and professors which the Quakers are witnesses of and bears testimony to which Paul warned every man and taught every man that he might present them perfect in Christ the light So the light is one with the Saints light that condemnes the unbelievers And the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall that through it he might believe and who believes in it and receives it he hath the light of life and they become the Sons of God and who hate it it is their condemnation and they are against Scriptures but the light is not against Scriptures but ownes them And so the light is not so low as ye esteem it for it was before any thing was made or created as for the word Trinity there is no Scripture for it without ye finde it in the Common-prayer Book And the light in the converted shines out of Darkness in their hearts and gives them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God c. And the light in the unconverted shines in the Darkness and the Darkness comprehendes it not Pr. He saith that the light without the Scriptures is no light Pag. 64. And to call the light that doth enlighten every man the word of God is contradiction And there was no light before the Scriptures which is now revealed in Scripture pag. 64. That God is light not the light in every mans conscience pag. 68. And the best light that every man hath is but created Not one man in the world knowes God till he finde him in Scripture pag. 69 The Lord Christ the Eternal Son the Essential word of the Father is more in Scripture then in every man or any man pag. 70. They that speak from the Scripture rightly understood speak more from Christ then they that speak from the light within them Answ The light was before Scripture was given forth the light was before the Created lights was and makes manifest all created lights for all created lights was created by it and all that ever had the Scriptures and are not in the light that doth enlighten every man that
fully desires we might be brought to the Barr of true Justice together and in every particular of Principles and practices examined and tryed to the full and each of us judged in truth and equity whither it be they or us that are of the true Religion and true faith and true worship of God that the Apostles were in and which of us it is that are in a wrong way and in a false Religion and false faith and worship and in this we will joyn issue with them in the sight of the whole Nation if they will come forth to triall if what already is brought forth by them against us and by us against them for this seven years in disputes and in printing and otherwise be not sufficient for all people to try us in and judge us by whether they or we be in the right and whether in the wrong And now to all people in the Nation I do appeal to that of God in all their consciences to judge between the Priests and Professors and all the Sects and us ye have heard their Doctrines and ye have heard something of ours ye have seen their conversation and ye have seen something of ours ye have heard them long and something of us ye have heard for a little season and now give your evidence is it not with them as we have said are not your Priests in the steps of the false prophets and of the deceivers and do not they seek for their gain from their quarter as they did that Isaiah cryed against do not they Preach for hire and Divine for money as they did which Micah cryed against are not they such by whom you have not been profited as Jeremiah cryed against let that of God in you answer to these things and are they not proud men and covetous men and envious men and heady high-minded men and given to filthy lucre and are they not such as through covetousnesse makes merchandize of souls and that by good words and fair speeches deceives the hearts of the simple such as Paul and Peter declares against And are they not such as the true Prophets Christ and his Apostles cried against and doe they not bring forth the same fruits as did the false Prophets and fâ—lse Apostles I leave it to your consciences to be the judge compare them and lay them to the line of true judgement if you shut not your eyes you may see it is thus and have we charged them falsly or have not we spoken the truth concerning them we have said they are false ministers and deceivers and not true Ministers of Christ and is it not so let the light in your consciences answer we have said they have run and never was sent and that they have not profited the people at all and is it not so to the witness of God in you I do appeal and let that justifie that we have spoken nothing but the truth examine and try in all things that we have charged them with and are they not guilty in all things that we have charged upon them let the witness of God in you testifie to this and what do you judge of them are they not of that stock which Christ said should come and should be wolves in sheepes cloathing and should deceive many and which John saw was come in his dayes and which the world went after and the whole world run after them are not they in the nature of wolves devouring and tearing the Lambs of Christ and do they not tear people by causing their bodies to be imprisoned and their goods to be spoiled and do they not deceive many and yet they have the sheepes cloathing the Saints words and their practices but inwardly are they not ravening and doth not the world go after them and hath not the world run after them for many ages and is it not thus with them And have they received the gift of the holy Ghost or are they not made Ministers by the will of man and not by the will of God do they not differ and are contrary in call in practice in maintenance and in fruits and effects to the true Ministers and true Apostles and do they not agree and are they not according to the false Prophets and false Ministers and deceivers in their call practice maintenance fruits and effects search the Scriptures and lay them to that line and then let the witness in your consciences judge and answer and do not they prepare War against such as doth not put into their mouths and do not they feed with the fat and cloath with the wool do not they oppresse the Nation and the Creation and are not they such whose Call and practices and maintenance and whole Ministry hath a dependance upon Popery and doth it not all savour of Popery and in the main and Principal parts thereof were ordained by the Pope this may be fully made manifest And are not all Professors and Sects of people such as have the form but are without the power of godliness are not people still covetous and earthly minded and given to the world and proud and vain even such as professe Religion and to a seperated people is not Professors as covetous and proud as such as doth not professe and are not they given to the world and doth it not shew that they are unchanged nor translated but death Reigns among them and is it not manifest that they have taken up the form of the Apostles and Christs words and practices and are without the life and not guided by the spirit of Christ and the Apostles in their praying and Preaching and are not your souls lean and starved to the witness of God in you all I speak which may testifie that many people have a shew of Religion without life and therefore have not we spoken the truth of them in what we have said in the day of Judgement you shall answer it And as concerning the Quakers what do you say of them you have seen their conversation few Towns but some of them have been and are amongst you do not they fear God and do not they walk justly and truly among their neighbours and speakes the truth and doth the truth in all things doing to all no otherwise then they would be done unto and are they not meek and humble and sober and do not they take much wrong rather then give wrong to any and are they not such as delights in the ways of the Lord and do not they deny the world and its pleasures and forsakes all iniquity more then your selves and do not they take up the daily Crosse of Christ to all its wayes and earthly glories and do not they Preach in the power of God and reacheth to your consciences when you hear them and doth not the light in you answer that they speak the truth and is not their Call and practice and maintenance the same as was the Apostles and faithful Ministers compare them with the
Christ and the Apostles and the Scriptures are owned by them in scorn called Quakers and the light it speaks of who out of the apostacy are come and so from among the apostates And as for the lyes and slanders in his Book that are not worth mentioning but they shall turn upon his own head whose immodesty hath discovered them Pr. In his Preface to the Reader He saith It is an expression of a darke deluded minde to say that God is not distinguished from the Saints Ans But God and Christ is in the Saints and dwell in them and walk in them and he is a Reprobate and out of the Apostles doctrine Pr He saith We have broken the everlasting Covenant of God Answ Because we own the teaching of God by his spirit and the light which doth enlighten every one that that cometh into the world which is the covenant of God Pr. He saith The Scriptures is the rule of life See page 4. Answ Contrary to Christ who said the spirit should lead them into all truth And they that are the sons of God are led by the spirit of God And the Churches was to hear what the spirit saith for the spirit led them to speak forth Scripture Pr. Again he saith It is a contradiction and a confused sencelesse thing to preach the word of faith in the mouth and in the heart see page 6. Again he saith Most senseless is this profession of Christ in the mouth and believing in him with the heart God that made all things These are his words page 8. Ans It is not a senselesse profession to preach the word of Faith in the heart and in the mouth and to say God will dwell in you and the word is in the heart and in the mouth The word is God and thou art senselesse and fallen in confusion in the contradiction out of the Apostles doctrine and the Apostle saith Christ in you and with the mouth confession is made to salvation Pr. And he calls it a Notion to say that Christ lighteth all and therefore the light is Christ. Ans So here he is kicking and spurning against the light Christ that lighteth every man that cometh into the world which is the Rock the foundation of God the corner-stone which is fallen upon thy head and all be in the notion that be out of it Pr. He scoffs at the Quakers because they say they have the word of God in them Ans Christ his name is called the word of God Pr. He saith God blessing or blasting his owne Word to some according to the different ends intended by himselfe see page 9. Ans Now the Word of God is not blasted God never blasts his own Word but it is they that are blasted that disobey the Word For the Word of God doth its service and accomplisheth the end which it goeth forth for and doth not return in vain And it is the sword of the spirit and that is not blasted It is a hammer and a fire and it lives and doth endure for ever So thou art blasted who saith the Word of God he blasts and art to be cut down by the word of God for thy blasphemy Pr. He saith the Quakers are deceivers because we say that Christ is not in outward observations and formes And John Bunyan saith that he is distinct from the Saints and would have him in the forms c. see page 13. Ans And we say he hath triumphed over the Ordinances and blotted them out and they are not to be touched and the Saints have Christ in them who is the end of outward forms and thou art deceived who thinks to finde the living among the dead and Bunyan is deceived who said he is distinct from the Saints and so you are a company of pittiful Teachers Pr. He saith Every true Christian doth believe that the holy Scriptures alone is to be the object of faith c. page 17. Ans So he hath thrown out God the giver of it and Christ the Author of it for many have the Scriptures and deny Christ the Author of faith and object Pr. He asketh Did you ever read of law and testimony in the heart c see page 18. Ans Yea God saith I will write my law in their hearts The law was in Davids heart the law was in the Apostles heart The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy and that is in the heart See Heb. 8. Rev. Pr. He saith The covenant of God is not to all in the Church of Christ see page 19. Ans Which is contrary to the Scriptures for where the Church is there is the Covenant the head Christ Jesus And God saith I will give him for a covenant to the Gentiles those are the heathen And I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah and these are called the people of God And therefore thou art in the fall in ignorance and a man without understanding and affirms thou dost not know what and silence would become thee better then to publish thy shame in print for they are not in the Church of God that be not in the covenant of God Pr. And he saith The Scriptures is the sure and perfect rule page 20. Ans And the Scripture saith Christ is the Bishop of the soule and God hath all souls in his hand And many have Scriptures but their soules the Bishop of them they know not but they remain in death and the life they want that gave it forth and so are all on heaps about the Scripture one with another and calling them the rule and the spirit And the spirit of God that led them forth to speak forth the Scripture was the rule to the Saints and holy men of God but they that be in the transgression will kill one another about their words and the spirit leads to see them again and brings them into unity with them and God Pr. He saith It is blasphemy to say that Christ is in them as God and man c. see page 23. Ans How are they of his flesh and bone And doth not the Scripture say Christ in you and God will dwell in you and walk in you And are not the Saints of his flesh and of his bone And are they not partakers of the divine nature Pr. He saith It is a fancy to say the eternall word of God is in them see page 26. Ans Thou art in the fancy that the eternal word is not in and witnessed and under the fire and sword and hammer to be hammered down And so art corrected by the Apostle who saith Let the word of God dwell in you richly The ingrafted word which is able to save your souls and immortal word which is immortal Pr. He saith The Scriptures is the only rule of knowing God c. See page 26. Ans Christ saith none knoweth the father but the Son who spoke among them that had the Scripture and so he
Father as well as Master c. See page 68. Answ Thou hast in this denyed the doctrine of Christ and slights it who saith be not ye of men called master for yee have all one Master which is Christ and ye are all brethren And thou hast shewed thy selfe out of the Brother-hood and there is a birth to be born which can call no man Father upon earth which thou art ignorant of Pr. He saith There is lawfull respects of persons and it is said God himselfe is the respecter of persons and the Quakers overthrow all authority because they do not respect persons because they deny that page 71. Answ God is not a respecter of persons as saith the Apostle for his Covenant he gives to the Gentiles as well as to the Jewes And the faith of Gods elect is held without the respect of persons and he that respects persons commits sin and transgresseth the Law And so thou divides not the word aright Pr. He saith False Prophets shall arise and damnable heresies and many shall follow their pernicious wayes by which the way of truth shall be evill spoken of Ans The Apostles saw them come up the false Prophets that brought in the damnable heresies that was covetous c. and many followed their wayes And the false Prophets goes from the light that Christ hath enlightned them withall and raveneth from the Spirit and gets the sheeps cloathing and through their covetousnesse makes a trade of that and you are such which causeth the truth to be evil spoken of which are come up manifest since the days of the Apostles Pr. And the Quakers are not to be received into their houses nor bidden God-speed and such as creeps into houses leads silly women captive laden with sin and led away with divers lusts Ans The Apostle saw such as crept into houses and saw such as transgressed the Doctrine of Christ that was not to be received into houses and saw the deceivers that walked after their ungodly lusts before the Apostles decease and such as led people always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth as it is manifest now in the world they are learning 40. 50. or 60. years and yet there is a cry among them that they must have the body of sin while they be upon the earth and live in their sins and none can be without it and this is the height of your doctrine it leads too which is now in the mouths of all people that be under your teaching that teach that Doctrine and yet you will say the work of the Ministry is for the perfecting of the Saints to the edifying of the body of Christ till all come into the unity of the faith unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ And this work ye have denyed your selves to be in but such that are as Jannes and Jambres how should it be otherwise that ravened from the spirit of God inwardly that went forth from the Apostles that be covetous that keeps people alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth So you are them that keeps people from the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and keeps them in spiritual Aegypt Sodome and Gomorah where they be always learning having the forme of godlinesse and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth and this to you all will be a sad cup at last And as for all thy lyes and slanders in thy Book which are not worth mentioning they will come sad upon thy selfe one day for the grievous lyes thou hast uttered in it unto the Nation which thousands in the Nation that are not under the name of Quakers knows and sees the contrary to what thou hast published but they will fall upon thy own selfe and be thy own burthen And then thou shalt say when thou feelst thy owne works burn thou hadst better have been silent and not have published forth thy folly and made thy name to stinke and brought thy name upon record who hath made lyes thy refuge but the haile is come and coming that will sweep them away William Thomas called Minister of the Gospell of Vbley His Book called A Vindication of the SCRIPTVRES and MINISTERS His PRINCIPLES followeth Pr. HE saith Christ directs to looke for life in Scriptures because they testifie of him and that the Scriptures are the ground of Faith and the Saints rule And again We are justified by Christ without us and not within us See his Epistle Ans The Scriptures many had and searched them and found not life in them for Christ is the life and if men have all the Scriptures and have not Christ they have not life And so Christ did not say they should have life in Scriptures but he saith they thought to have life there and they testified of him And they would not come to him that they might have life How ignorant art thou of the Scriptures and of Christs words to divide them on this manner And Christ is the Author of the Faith And many if they have Scriptures they have not the ground of faith untill they have Christ the Author of it and God the giver of it which is able to make wise unto salvation through the faith which Christ is the Author of For Enoch and Abel c. had faith before the Scriptures was written and so before thy ground was And the Saints had a rule before the Scriptures was written for the spirit was their rule that led them into all truth and to speak forth Scriptures that is the rule that mortifies circumciseth baptizeth and leads into all truth The Word of God that fulfills Scriptures leads into all truth that is the truth that leads into all truth Now the Scriptures cannot lead into all truth but it testifies of that that doth so And if Christ be not within people they are reprobates And is a reprobate justified And if Christ be within is not the Justification there redemption and Sanctification witnessed Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Pr. He saith We consider how few there be in the Church that belongs to God See his Epistle Answ This is your owne Church which is not the pillar and ground of truth For who be in the Church of Christ the pillar and ground of truth where there is not a spot nor wrinkle nor blemish nor any such thing they are them that belong to God they are living stones built up together a spirituall houshold but this thou art afar off Pr. He saith We willingly acknowledge we are fallible men that may be deceived and to finde infallible Teachers is against experience None pretends infallibility but the Pope See page 9. He saith The Scriptures is the Well and living Fountaine from whence living waters have been drawn this hundred or thousand years page 8. Answ If every one that hath the Scriptures hath
edifies the body of Christ is infallible and immediate that which brings to the knowledge of the Son of God is infallible perfect and immediate that which brings to a perfect man to the unity of the faith is infallible and immediate and perfect that which brings to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ is perfect and infallible and immediate And the infallible and immediate you having denyed yee have shut your selves out of the worke of the Ministry in the Apostacy As for the rest of the lyes and slanders in thy Book will be thy own burden which uttereth forth thy own folly and it toucheth not the Saints but falls off like dust they are of no weight And the day is come that tries mens works infallibly what is for the fire and what not Jeremiah Ives His Booke called The Quakers Quaking His Principles follows c. Pr. HE saith Have a care of slighting your watchmen lest the Lord remove them into corners Answ Christ the Teacher is witnessed who is the end of Moses the Prophets the Covenant of God with his people in which people know God if all their Teachers were removed into corners And they that have their Teachers in corners their houses are left desolate from the Covenant of God they are strangers So in this thy ignorance appears of that Teacher that cannot be removed into a corner who is the salvation to the ends of the earâ—h Pr. He saith It is an errour to say the Light within is equall with Scripture and Gods Word Ans Christ within is the Light and he is above Scripture and Gods Word which was before Scriptures was given forth Pr. He saith Is it any more a Nick-name to call a man a Quaker that quakes by the power of God page 3. Answ Yes if the power of God doth make that to quake and tremble that must quake before the salvation be wrought out and man come out of the Fall of Adams state in the transgression in the earth and darknesse corruption and pollution and death he must know the power of God that shakes that which is to be shaken before he knows that raised up that cannot be shaken which the world is ignorant of though they have the form of it And the first nick-namer of the Quakers that ever I heard was a corrupt Justice in the year 1650 whose name was Gervase Bennet in Darby that ever named the people of God with the name of Quakers though the mighty power of the Lord God had been known years before Pr. He saith It is an errour in those men that will allow nothing to be called Gods Word but Christ page 6. Ans Christs name is called the Word of God his name is above every name and over all things he must have the preheminence words and names Yet I say the Scriptures of truth given forth from the spirit of truth are the words of God Gods words which Christ the Word fulfilled by him in whom they end who was before the words was spoken forth Pr. He saith It is an errour to say they are immediately sent of God and to have an immediate call from God to goe out of their Countries to preach the Gospell c. Page 9. Answ Thou and all you that speak or preach or go to people but not by the immediate spirit and a call from God are them that run and the Lord never sent you and you profit not the people at all as all the fruits in the Nation declares upon the house top Therefore are yee wrangling and envying such as are immediately sent from God and left their Callings as the Saints did and Prophets I say none can preach the Gospell upon the earth but who is in the immediate call for the Gospell is the power of God and that is immediate The Prophets Christ and the Apostles which gave forth the Scriptures they all spoke by the immediate spirit of God and all that be not in that they are not able to know the Scriptures as that unsavoury Pearsival saith he hath not the infallible spirit yet he will bawl of the Scripâ—urâ—â— that was given forth from the infallible spirit Though the Devill wandered from â—â—e trâ—th that compasseth the earth though the Pharisees compasse Sea and Land thâ—ugh the false Prophets and Antichrists have gone over Nations Now all these may get Scriptures but be out of the life of them Such makes Proselytes Devils Disciples and Messengers But such as be in the power of God and life that gave forth Scriptures that comprehends and fathoms the world they are in that which the Devils Antichrists false Prophets mother of Harlots and all their proselytes that have Scriptures out of the life they be in that which they are all out of Such are the Quakers therefore doth all the world rage against them who witnesse that which cannot be shaken Pr. He saith It is an Errour to say that every man hath a light within him that wil teach him to worship God aright page 18. Answ Christ the truth who hath preheminence doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which shall make every tongue to confesse him to the glory of God which if they love the light which cometh from Christ the truth who is the life it will teach and direct every man to worship God in the truth in that which untruth is out of So every man having a light sufficient to salvation for it cometh from the salvation Christ the power of God the salvation to the ends of the earth And this light will let every one see the Son of God beyond all externall meanes wisdome knowledge whatsoever It is that which darknesse cannot comprehend this light which John bears witnesse of which is the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world which the Jewes and Levites stumbled at which set all Jerusalem up in an uproar as it doth the wisest Priests and Professors in this age And no one upon the earth shall ever know Christ but by the light which he hath enlightned him withall If he have all the Scriptures that speaks of him come already as the Pharisees had that spoke he was to come yet if they hate the light they shall all be snared and stumble and fall and split themselves upon the Rock And such as are now stumbling at the light which every man that cometh into the world is lighted withall are the builders with the words which saith Christ is come as the Pharisees did with the words that said he was to come And so both these builders reject the corner-stone and stumble at the elect stone laid in Sion and none seeth God but with the light they be enlightned withall And all the preaching of the Apostles the substance of it was to bring people to the Covenant of Light both Jewes and Gentiles to whom he was promised And all upon the earth that be from this light that doth enlighten every
the Father is one the Father is in him and he is in the Father and the Father and the Son dwells in the Saints who are out of the transgression of his Doctrine and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life and he that hath the Son of God hath life eternall really in possession and such perverts not the right way of the Lord but such as have not the Son of God they are all in the first Adam in the crooked wayes and crooked by-paths in the world nâ— witnessing life but standing against the Light which shineth in the Darknesse which their darknesse cannot comprehend which are all the inwardly raveners since the dayes of the Apostles among whom hath been the apostacy and the Apostates from wâ—om the light of life hath been hid But he that followeth the Light he cometh to have the light of life And he that receiveth the light receiveth life eternall and to receive the Son of God And he that receiveth the Son of God hath eternall life in substance and possession Prin. He saith Death which hath passed over all men is not a spirituall Death page 51. Answ Thou and all you shall feel it as a spiritual Death before ye know life and immortality come to light and the spirituall wickedness wrestled against whose weapons are spirituall and not carnall that wrestles not against flesh and blood but spirituall wickeâ—nesses in high places And that is it which causeth the life of all creatures to groan and oppresseth it whereby life and immortality is hid from the eyes and the power transgressed whereby the spirit and soule of man must be sanctified before he witnesse thorow purification before he come from under the death and spirituall wickednesses For sin brings death and that is the spirituall wickednesses that is to be wrestled against and transgressing the pure Law of God the commands of God brings death And so he entertains the spirituall wickednesse which brings death upon his life so comes oppression on his body and on his spirit and his soule burthened and wearyed and unsanctified and polluted which Christ gives rest to who is the Sanctification and Redemption and Justification which the Law goes upon man agreeable to that of God in him but Christs body makes free from the Law and redeemes from under it So as the power of God the Gospel is known and Christ known the creature comes from under the bondage of corruption and life and immortality comes to the light through the Gospell whereby the death is known which who believes shall never dye and the life is known which shall never dye Pr. The Quakers deny Water-baptisme and slight it and call it a carnall thing Answ Outward water is not spirituall but it is a carnall thing as it is in it selfe and it is the spirit alone that baptizeth into the body which brings off of things that are seen which are temporall as the Apostle said while we look not at things that are seen for the things that are seen are temporall c. and water is seen Pr. He saith False Prophets and Antichrists should come in sheeps cloathing Answ These Christ said should come to his Apostles And before the Apostles decease they saw they were come And the Apostles saw before their decease the Devill transform himselfe into an Angell of light and Satans Messengers and Ministers come up such as had a feigned humility and will-worship got up and the abstaining from meats neglecting the body and such as Jannes and Jambres that crept into houses which had the sheeps cloathing the form of godlinesse and such were the seducing spirits the doctrine of Devills which ran into the strange delusions bringing in the damnable heresies which went in Cains Cores and Balaams way and they saw the coming of the man of sin and the Apostles all saw by the spirit of God before their decease which Christ said should come which inwardly ravened which since the dayes of the Apostles the world hath gone after them All this which Christ said should come which the Apostles saw was come and coming before the coming of the just One But the Just One now is come who hath revealed it the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Cain Core Balaam false Prophets Antichrists such as goes into strong delusions and brings in the damnable heresies and forbidding the eating of meats and Marriage these all inwardly ravened anâ— these all have been up since the dayes of the Apostles and these have been covered with the sheeps cloathing and the false Prophets and Antichrists they inwardly ravened and the Devill the man of sin he went out of the Truth and abode not in it which Truth which he went out of all they that have the sheeps cloathing and he and they all can get Scriptures but inwardly ravened and gone from the spirit of Truth in their own particulars such are the destroyers of the creatures and of the Creation But with that which they all ravened from are they all manifest and discovered which to that are now people come and coming which these inwardly raveners have had the sheeps cloathing which have been the Beast and false Prophets Devills messengers and Ministers out of the truth which have reigned since the dayes of the Apostles having had the sheeps cloathing which have long deceived the Nations But now the Devill Beast Antichrist and false Prophets are all discovered with the light and life which they all went from and the truth And the place is seen where there is no Curse and the Beast and the false Prophet is taken that they shall deceive the Nations no longer and is cast into the lake of fire under whose dominion thou art whose words shall be thy burthen Pr. He saith Let us minde the Law and Testimony Answ Then ye must all minde the Light for the law is light saith Solomon then ye must all minde the spirit for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy which many may have the Old and New Testament yet be from the Law and Testimony for the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Marke Luke John the Acts Epistles and Revelations was written as in the 8. of Isaiah which the Prophet minded And they that say the Old and new Testament is it shews themselves to be ignorant of the spirit and ignorant of the Law and Testimony And the Law and Testimony doth not deny the Scriptures but owns them in their place and sees the fulfilling of them with the Testimony of Jesus they see Jesus who was afore Scripture was and comes to fulfill it William Jefferies his Booke called ANTICHRIST made known In which these PRINCIPLES are following c. Pr. HE saith Men are mistaken in saying the Romish Whore of Babylon is Anti-christ And the chiefe City of this great Whore the mother of Harlots is the City of Rome the Pope Cardinals Bishops and Clergy And the spirit of Antichrist denies
not in the darknesse but hath the light of life And you that keep people from the Light that doth enlighten every one c. are the messengers of Sathan out of the truth And the God of the world blindes the mindes of such as do not believe in the Light that every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall that all through it might believe And who believes in it that doth enlighten every man c. the light of the glorious Gospell shines in them which is the mage of God Prin. And you say Visions are ceased and Revelations and immediate Inspirations Answ But I say Repent every one of you and come to the Light for the burthensome stone is fallen upon you and all that stands against the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world shall split your selves against the Rock and be grownd to powder And every one that cometh into the world Teachers Professors whatsoever must come unto the light which Christ Jesus the salvation that saveth the souls hath enlightned them withall before they come to life or know the light of the glorious Gospell shining in their hearts or come to the end of the Law or end of the Prophets or end of the Revelation or out of the apostacy or out of the Jewes state whose ears was stopt and eyes blinded out of the Gentiles state that goes astray after the vanities of their mind So all you and all upon the earth Jewes Gentiles and Christians of what sort soever must come to the light which every one of you is enlightned withall before every particular comes to see their salvation or satisfaction yea the salvation to the ends of the earth the glory of Israel the light of the Gentiles which the apostate Christians have ravened from the spirit of God within them have got the forme but stands against the Light that doth enlighten every man c. such have caused the way of truth to be evill spoken of yea among other Nations of the Heathens They have been hot and broyled in their lusts having had the forme of godlinesse and sheeps cloathing but all standing against the Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world smiting striking their fellow-servants Now the Lamb is come and the Saints to reign with him Such their portion must have with the hypocrites who to every one will give a reward according to their works And the Lamb and the Saints shall have victory him by whom the world was made before it was made glorified with the Father before the world began Now is the seed Christ come to reign and the Just have preheminence And I say to you all Subscribers to all these Books Priests Professors Teachers whatsoever your patience would have better covered your shame and folly then your hast extreams and rashnesse But your folly must come forth that to all men it might appear Abundance more of Stuffe is in it which is not worth mentioning whose words shall be your own burthen the witnesse in all your consciences in the day of your judgement when your works are all tryed with fire shall answer to a friend of your souls and your goods eternall but judges your fruits words and actions for the day of the Lord is come that will try every mans work John Stalham who calls himselfe a Servant of the great Bishop of Souls who watcheth over a Flock at Terling in Essex In his Booke called The Reviler rebuked These are some of his Principles following Pr. HE saith Immediate Ruptures and Revelations seduceth simple peoples mindes c. And the perverse Principles of their selfe-adorning light And the Quakers deny all externall worship of divine Authority as not to be found among us And let Learning be advanced among pious men for God hath his witty and learned ones And the life of their Religion is the rule of the holy Scriptures the glory of the blessed Trinity See his Epistle to the Protector Answ The life of Religion is the spirit that gave forth Scriptures for all that have the Scriptures and be out of that be in the feigned Râ—ligion And the Scripture no where speaks of a Trinity but the Papists who be apostatized from the life of the Scripture It speaks of Father Son and holy Ghost and the water spirit and blood and the learned ones upon earth never knew Christ with all their naturall learning And if one get all the Naturals upon the earth and the Scriptures in all the naturall Languages and one supream power of a Nation tollerate all these Languages to be the Originall and they have the Scriptures in all these Languages these are witty ones but these knows not God nor Christ by all this though they have all the Scriptures while they are from the spirit of God that gave forth Scriptures For that which brings to know God is by the revelation of the spirit of God the light which doth not deceive the minde but their mindes be deceived that be from the light And all worships that be in the spirit and in the truth that gave forth the Scriptures called the Old and New Testament that we own and is owned among the Quakers For God who is a Spirit who led his servants and Prophets and Son by his spirit to speak forth the Scriptures which Christ the Son is come to fulfill who saith they that worship God must worship him in spirit and in truth and that among the Quakers is owned And the light which cometh from Christ leadeth from perverse Principles and adorning selfe for it leads out of its righteousnesse But perverse men ever stood against it in all ages and so spurned against the foundation and overthrew themselves Pr. He saith The spirit speaking in the Scriptures And them that say they have no sin a gracious heart will slight and despise He saith the Kingdome of God is not within them Luke 4. And he saith The soule prepares it selfe for death See Epistle to the Church Answ Such as had gracious hearts never despised him that had no sin but the ungracious did As for example all the Pharisees against Christ and against the Apostles and Saints and the holy men And the Apostle which told the Romans they were made free from sin and they that were dead to sinne how could they live any longer therein he slighted them not but encouraged them So we finde thee not to be a Minister of Christ and have proved and tryed thy spirit to be of such as say they are Apostles and are not And the spirit spoke in them that gave forth the Scriptures so they were declared forth And men may have the Scriptures and not know the spirit that spoke in them that gave forth Scriptures So that is the cause that all people be on heaps about the words and saying the spirit speaks in the Scriptures which spoke in the holy men of God that spoke them forth and learned of God
for it is the earth shall help the woman Answ The courtesie the Saints received which was from them whose hearts was opened that the Lord had opened by his power that is not condemned But your taking Tythes of people you do not work for and casting into Prison till death for not giving it you How are you like the Apostles or like the Ministers of Christ or like the woman thou speaks of the Church that was persecuted Now you persecute this signifies she was persecuted And you persecute for meanes and hale up and down in Courts and Sessions and will take treble damages treble tythes of them you do no work for and so you will not stand to the courtesie of people nor wait for the power to open their hearts but are in a power that will take it by compulsion and by violence away from people So you have given judgment against your selves and are not of the number of them the Lord opened their hearts that ministred to their necessities and so unlike the Ministers of Christ that received the courtesies of the people whom the Lord opened their hearts Pr. Thou saith When people have no guide but what is within and that this principle be rooted it will turne all into Babel And thou questions whether it be not a principle of sedition to say that every man hath a light within him Answ All people in the world runs into Babel and Babylon and are building up and throwing down and so goes into confusion about Law and Gospel Prophets Christ and the Apostles words when they be from the spirit within of truth to lead them into all truth and up to God the Father of Truth of whom they learn that gave them forth and with that spirit are they seen in which spirit is unity which is the bond of peace And the light which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world leads all men out of sedition and they be in the sedition that denies it and sayes to the contrary and in darknesse and cannot comprehend it as John sayes which says this is the true light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world And Christ says Believe in the light And the Prophets said God gave him for a Covenant of light to the Gentiles and a new Covenant to the Jewes and he shall be the Leader of the people and salvation to the ends of the earth and every man that comes into the world is enenligtned He that believes is saved and he that believes not is condemned already Pr. Thou queries When the Act of the Commission for the Ministry was repealed since Christ said he would be with them to the end of world And thou saist It is not said simply they shall teach no more every man his neghbour but it is added Know the Lord. Thou saist that every man is enlightned onely with a naturall reason and the elect are enlightned with a saving knowledge Thou saist I bring John 4.23 to overthrow all outward worship Thou saist You can praise God with your bodies and spirits Answ The 7th of Matthew Matth. 24. Christ said false Prophets should come and should be inwardly ravening wolves having sheeps cloathing and John said they was come Chap. 2. Chap. 4. And in Revel All that dwelt upon the earth went after them and such killed the Saints When they had gotten a head they killed the Saints and the true Ministers and they that were of the false killed the true and since those dayes the false hath reigned which hath wrestled with flesh and blood prisoning killing the creatures and warring against them and not with the Principalities and spirituall wickednesses and powers of darknesse and such hath been out of the power the Gospell the Apostles were in hath killed them that kept the testimony of Jesus the spirit of Prophecy And it is said plainly Heb. 8. They shall not teach every man his neighbour nor every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the greatest to the least saith the Lord And so thou perverts the Scriptures and art judged by them for it that belies them And the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is the same Light that the Elect lives in which the world not believing in the Light Christ Jesus the Elect and covenant of light and life and peace promised to the world they are condemned already but he that believes in the Light is saved so that saving is sufficient And Christ sayes they that worship the Father must worship him in spirit and in truth Not at Jerusalem not at Samaria nor at the Mountain So say I not at your Masse-houses with a Crosse at the end of them which the Popes set up and you since the dayes of the Apostles So they that worship God must worship him in the spirit and in the truth Truth doth not change neither doth the Spirit and these be them the Father seeks to worship and hath found many And Christ overthrows the outward worship at Samaria and Jerusalem and the Mountain and so do we at your Papists Masse-houses and tell you God is worshipded in the spirit and in the truth and those are the true worshippers that God seeks to worship and that will stand when Masse-houses Samaria and Jerusalem is down the spirit and the truth that remains In the mouth of the wicked praises is not comely And as for your singing Davids conditions or the Saints conditions given forth from the spirit when you confesse you are not in the spirit as they was that gave them forth So then judged with it to be such whose mouths the praises are not comely that be in another state then they where that gave Scriptures forth And Adams state before the Fall thou knowest not but art found in the steps of the Pharisees and Papists As the Pharisees got words of the true Prophets and Moses out of the life so the Papists and you have got the words of Christ and the Apostles and be out of the life and persecuting them that be in the life as the Pharisees did and killing the just the just being imprisoned in your own particulars as it was in the Pharisees And you with your dark eyes have looked upon the Scriptures ever since the apostacy and ravened from the spirit of God the pure eye and so with that you are comprehended felt over and seen over and with that shall the principle of God in you all be answered that you are apostatized from the Apostles in life and power and doctrine and so are in heaps about their words out from that which is the ground of communion the bond of peace And all thy confusion in thy Book is thy own garments who with it is for the fire the witnesse in thy conscience in the day of thy condemnation shall witnesse it Thomas Tillam his Booke called The seventh-day-Sabbath His Principles answered as Followeth Pr. ALl
for he abode not in it Pr. They say Faith is not perfect in respect of its degree and measure in us Answ The faith of God is the gift of God and it is pâ—rfect in us in it's measure and degree though thy measure and degree is not perfect and here thou hast tryed thy faith and thy gift which is not perfect for the gift of God is perfect Pr. And yet they say The worke of this faith is for purifying and justifying and not perfect in the degree and measure of it in us Answ Can an unperfect thing purifie and justifie And doth not the Scripture speak of one Faith that gives victory And doth not the Apostle say that faith abides And can that abide which is not perfect And Christ saith He that hath faith as a grain of mustard-seed shall remove mountains and is not that perfect Now here all men may see if you who call your selves Ministers divide the word aright We say faith is perfect in the least measure and degree the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 10. And it is that with which men please God which faith works by love and so brings off the works of the Law by which faith men are justified which is in the heart Pr. They say It 's a manifestation of the deluding of poore soules to hold forth a crucified Christ within risen within ascended within and Scriptures within and saith this is a new Gospell Answ If Christ that 's crucified be not within and Christ that 's risen be not within I say that you all are Reprobates and if the Scripture be not within which was spoken forth from within you all want the spirit that gave it forth and Christ the substance of it and you have not eaten his flesh neither are you of his bone and this is not opposite to Jesus Christ without that dyed at Jerusalem but the same for who eats his flesh has it within them and this is not a new Gospel Pr. And they say False Christs hath a new false faith to apprehend this crucified Christ within Answ Which is contrary to the faith of the Apostles which preached Christ that 's crucified within and not another him that was raised up from the dead was risen that Lord Jesus Chrâ—â—â— within the same yesterday to day and for ever by whom the world was made glorified with the Father before the world began It was he that was manifest in the Saâ—nts that was and is and not another for the other is the Antichrist Pr. And they say It is a Scripture of the Devills making to apprehend this crucified Christ within Answ Now I say if there be any other Christ but he that was crucified within he is the false Christ and the Scripture holds forth this and the Devill never made it but he and his messengers are against it And he that hath not this Christ that was risen and crucified within is a Reprobate though Devils and Reprobates may make a talk of him without Pr. They say The light of revelation renders Gods Christ odious Answ None knows the Son of God but by revelation and with the Light and they are them that renders Christ odious that be out of the light of revelation of the Son as the Pharisees did as now the Beast and false Prophets doth in making war against the Saints in light and the Lamb but the Lamb and the Saints shall get the victory glory to the highest They that walke in the light are not opposite to Christ but to the Beast and the false Prophets but are in unity with the Son and with the Father Pr. And they say What a sad doctrine is that which saith follow the light with which Christ hath enlightned all which cometh into the world A. This is contrary to the Apostles doctrine which was to go into all Nations to turn people from darknesse to light and preach the new Covenant to Jewes and Gentiles the salvation to the ends of the earth a leader of the peeple and contrary to the Apostles doctrine which bid the Saints walk in the light and they should have fellowship one with another and so not sad but fellowship but thou and you that are Apostates are from this light gone and that which doth make manifest is light and with it are you that are apostates from it seen and so follows not the light that every one is enlightned with that comes into the world and so be out of unity one with another and fellowship with the Son and with the Father and be out of his covenant all on heaps in the apostacy that walks not in the light but calls it a sad doctrine to bid others to follow it Ye children of the light ye are the light of the world let your light shine before men that they may glorifie your Father which is in heaven like lamps burning for ye are as a City set on a hill that cannot be hid And Christ saith he that followeth the light shall not walk in darkness Pr. They say It is a rendring of the Scriptures odious and Law by telling of the Scripture within which Christ never taught nor his Disciples but God hath given them up to a reprobate minde Answ Was not all the Scriptures from the spirit within and was it not there before it came out And must not all upon the earth have the spirit within that gave it forth before they can understand the Scripture without given forth from the spirit of God within others And was not the Apostles and Christs preaching of the Scripture within the Law in the heart and the Word in the heart And the Kingdom within and the spirit within leading into all truth the spirit of the Father speaking in you and Christ within and is not this extolling Scripture of truth and are not all they reprobates that have Scripture without and not within Pr. And they say But this is the Devils designe by pretending that people may attain a more excellent way following what is made known to them from the Light withiâ— them A. I never read such a Doctrine that the Devill taught that any should follow that which the light made known within them and I know he did not for he is out of the light and that which it makes known within for the light which shines within makes known the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ whereby men come to be changed from glory to glory till they come into the image of God and this the light makes known within 2 Cor. 4. Pr. And they say God hath a Christ distinct from all other things whatsoever whether they be spirits or bodies Answ Gods Christ is not distinct from his Saints nor his bodies for he is within them nor distinct from their spirits for their spirits witnesse him And God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe who is the head of every creature And there is not any creature but it's manifest in his
was never the way to beget to God but that which strikes at the power which captivates creatures reacheth to the witnesse in prison and brings people into unity with God and one another in the spirit which is the bond of peace Pr. To love the Word for the good parts that in regard of the Christian is a dangerous thing and in regard of the Word of God a dishonourable thing Answ Where the good parts are not in the Christian that is a dishonourable thing to the Word and causeth the Word of God to be evill spoken of As the whole Assembly of you Ministers have done by your bad conversations earthly covetous impatient spirits that cannot endure any should speak but your selves in your places so by you hath the Word of God been dishonoured and not honoured for the Apostles did write that they were to shew themselves Patterns and Examples to the Flock of God in life and conversation that the Word of God might not be evill spoken of Now where the Word is evil spoken of and the bad parts in a Christian proceeds this grieves the righteous and causeth the truth to be evill spoken of and the Word makes them vessels of honour in whom it is Pr. Now when Christians leave the Word and Sacraments and Sabbaths it is a dangerous pride lifting up the Light within as they do Answ The Christians that denyed the Sabbaths and witnessed Christ the substance the rest said The light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ And they lifted up Christ the Light and they walked in him the Covenant of God and of light to the Jewes and Gentiles come which who walk in it are in peace with God and unity one with another and have the light of life and rest and all be in the dangerous state that be out of that And as for the word Sacrament there 's no Scripture for it but one of the Papists common words and the Light brings off it and the Jewish Sabbath Pr. Buy the truth and sell it not not pleading for sufficiency of a common light and leaving their Callings as the Monks and their books flying abroad their wings unclipt and no mention of eternall salvation from the wrath to come And he saith he loves the word Sacraments Sabbaths and Ministry Answ Christ came to put an end to the Jewish Sabbaths and the Apostles preached their end and forsook all for Christ and so to revile such as are in the same power and to call it by the unsavoury expression Monkish thou and yee are more like to that that tells us of Sacraments which is from the Monkish holinesse And for speaking of clipping the wings of our Books that flies abroad that 's another unsavoury expression and shews that spirit that it is not able to resist that spirit that gives forth the Books As for the Word and Ministry that thou hast shewed thy selfe against though thou professes the Scripture to be the Word And those are the words of God which Christ the Word fulfilled and this the Ministers of Christ witnesse And ye never read that the Ministers of the Gospell said they loved the Jewish Sabbaths and held up the Sabbaths those were the Ministers of the Law that held up the Sabbaths which Christ the Rest came to put an end to by which the world was made before it was made glorified with the Father before the world began And you sell the Truth and take the world which deny the Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world which is sufficient to him that believes in it Pr. We exercise and order our preaching for the getting of money and maintenance And the greetings in the Markets is but that which humanity requires nor to be called of men Rabbi else Christ would not have taken it Must a Minister lose the members of his Church and the maintenance of his place both at once Answ Christ said to his Disciples they should know the false Prophets by their fruits and said be not ye called of men Master to his Disciples for one is your Master even Christ and denyed the Pharisees greetings in the Market which thou calls humane right And the Apostles ordered not their preachings to get money by them but they laboured to keep the Gospel without charge and the Ministers of Christ brought the people off the Jewes Assemblies and their maintenance both And yee that be found out of the Apostles Doctrine in the apostacy such as come from you that you do no work for how can you expect that they should give you maintenance or how can you in righteousnesse take maintenance of them that you do no worke for So if ye lose the members will ye take the maintenance which of the Apostles did so Nay is it not the way to gain members to deny the maintenance Is not that the way whereby the power of God may be known that raiseth the seed of God whereby the hearts of people may be opened and whereby the seed is known And the Apostle declared against such as taught for filthy lucre and made merchandize of the Word and that which thou calls humanity which is your earthly right seeing your conversation is in earth and not in heaven Pr. It cannot be concluded that there is a light in every man teaching unto Christ and unto salvation And if Christ put a light in every man that cometh into the world to guide him unto the Father and unto life I deny that to be true for that 's a naturall light which is onely the light which Christ the Word communicates to all men Nay the light that all men have though it seem to make them to know God as God yet it is not sufficient to make them to know that there is a Father or a Son or the holy Ghost that there is a Gospell And saith I am the light of the world that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that is both Jews and Gentiles And he that walks in the light shall have the light of life Now here lyes the deceit Answ The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall the Câ—venant of God to Jewes and Gentiles which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which they that walk in the light walk in Christ and come to see before any naturall light was And he that walks in the light shall not abide in the darknesse but shall have the light of life and with the light he shall know God he shall know the Son he shall know the Gospell he shall know the holy Ghost and that light is not naturall And he that knoweth God knoweth the Father and none knows him but with the light of Christ Jesus who reveals him for God is the Father And I will give him for a Covenant a light to the Gentiles a new Covenant
Christ within them here is two for if it be not the same Christ that ended all types and figures and shadowes If it be not him that is within they have not the possession the substance nor the comfort of the true Christ but who hath not Christ the end of the tipes shadowes figures in them they are among Ante-christs and false Christs and they that have the forme of godlinesse can confesse a Christ without them and notwithin them Pr. Again he saith The Saints have a glorious light within them but imperfect and it is an error to say they have an infallable light within them that they must follow which wil shew them all things and to Judge of Scripture that it must be fulfilled in them and these are them that are brought up in darke places of the earth that are as Sauls that goe to the witch and not to the Law and testomeny Ans None comes to the Law and to the testimony though they have the old and new Testament but who comes to the light in them for the Law is the light and who comes to the spirit within them which is the spirit of prophesy all that goe from this they goe into darke places of the earth and such are they that goe into the pathes of Sau l to such spirits that goe from the light within them and the spirit that is the testimony of Jesus and the light and the glorious light of the Saints which they are inlightened withall is Christ which is perfect and they are changed from glory to glory and so the light which thou saist the saints are in and yet not perfect and yet glorious minde thy words consider thy measure thy Judgement the infallible light which every one that comes into the world is inlightened withall is the leader of the people and the light they are to follow and it is the way to the Father out of the way from the Father that is in the first Adam in the transgression which light is Christ the second Adam that every man that comes into the world is inlightned withall and they who follow this and believe in it and walketh in it abideth not in darkenesse but have the light of life and the light within and the spirit of God within that gave forth the scripture is the tryall of the scripture of truth for men without that may wrest the words and wrong translate them so the light within the spirit of God is the Judge of the scriptures and knowes scripture which gave it forth and is the rule and ruled and led them to speak them forth and is the rule that leades them again to open them again and to lead into all truth as saith Christ Pr. He saith That which they set up above the scriptures is heathenish and the scriptures is the ground of Faith without it faith cannot act and faith hath no bottom to rest upon but scripture and scripture is more then faith the sure word of Prophesy the balme of the conscience it satisfies doubts heales wounds discerns the thoughts Ans The Pharisees and the chief Priests they were not healed except they came to Christ they found no rest for their soules though they had the scripture yet they came not to Christ the light which was before the scripture was given forth The Pharisees had the scriptures they had not faith stood against the author and the ground of it Christ so they had not faith the Pharisees had the scriptures but it was Christ and God that shewed them their thoughts so the scripture knew not their thoughts but who are in the spirit that gave forth the scriptures it is that which shewes mens thoughts Enock Abraham had faith and had not scripture all are heathens that are not in the light which was before scripture was written though they have all the scripture and the holy men of God acted in the faith in obedience to it before the scripture was given forth and they were all in the faith that gave forth the scripture and they did not act as from the scripture but from the spirit of whom they had learned who is the author of faith which the Just lives by and God and Christ the substance of the scripture Pr. And the scripture is an infallible rule of worship Ans The Jews and Pharisees they had the scripture and the Apostates since the daies of the Apostles they have had the scriptures been out of the life that gave it forth they want the rule which is the spirit in which God the father of spirits is worshipped that was the rule which all the holy men of God was led by to give forth scripture in which they worshipped God for the Pharisees had the scriptures not the spirit which gave them forth that worshipped they did not know what they wanted the rule the spirit of God that was in them that gave forth the scriptures in which they should have worshipped God so saw not the substance the ground of faith and author of faith Christ Jesus Pr. They will not put off their hatâ— they write thee and thou one to another they will not say master Ans The honour of the hat the putting of it off is an earthy honour of the earthly Adam in the fall in the transgression which Christ the second Adam the Lord from heaven not of the earthly comes to redeem man out of the sin and transgreâ—sion receives it not he will none of it but have the honour that comes from above cometh to stain that honour below and sees it a marke of an earthly honour of Adam in the transgression and not of the second the heavenly and as for thee and Thou you to a number and Thou to a singular who stumbles at this shews they have neither learned Accidence nor Bible so short of the spirit that spoke the sound words that connot be condemned and speaks proper which is the plant of renown and as for being called of men Master which Christ saith be not you ye have one master even Christ you are all brethren they be in the error that slight his commands and tramples them underfeet and hypocrits that after they have trampled his commands under foot and after makes a profession of his words Thomas Leadger thou professeth thou esteemes the scripture highly above ordinances above Angels and is not this scripture which saith be ye not called of men Master and Christs command yet thou denyes scripture and tramplest them under thy feet Pr. The scripture is the lanthorne of obedience and it directs men to Jesus and he cals the scripture the word of God the sum of truth and they could not have knowne there had been a Christ or a mediator or grace or glory or worship or father or spirit or light but as it is declared in scripture Ans I do believe you who are got up since the daies of the Apostles in the Apostacie inwardly ravening
the power of God that went out of the truth that tempted others out of the truth to transgresse and to sin by which came death by which the devil hath the power of death that went out of the truth so is the power of death which Christ the power of God destroys death and him that hath the power of it Prin. Mayo saith To say the Gospel is the power of God is but a Metapohrical speech Answ The Apostle doth not say so for the Apostle saith the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes in plain words Rom. 1. Chapter Pr. He said That Lanthorn and that Light spoken of in the Psalms which was a light unto Davids path was not meant Christ the word Ans Why then doth the Apostle bring often Davids words to prove that David did speak of Christ And spake of the sure mercies of David the everlasting Covenant of light and in his light should see more light and called him Lord and David saw his flesh that should see no corruption and see his resurrection and many other Scriptures might be brought to prove this Prin. He said The Scriptures was the seed which the sower went forth to sow Mat. 13. Answ The seed is that which the Scripture speaks of which Christ said is the word which many have the Scriptures which knowes not the seed nor the thing it speaks of nor the seed that is sown which is the word as instance the Jews and you Christians which put Scripture for it for if the Scripture be the seed it is sown already it is printed and what need you go out to sow it Pr. He faith That Paul in the 5. of the Ephes 18. Exhorts the Ephesians to follow a light which was not the light of the Gospel and it is said in plain Scripture in so many words he could not prove that any of the Ministers of Christ doth exhort the Saints to follow a light which was the light of the Gospel Ans We herein see his confusion who confounds himself and Paul and that in the Ephesians which he saith was not the light of the Gospel let all people read who bids them not be drunk with wine but be filled with the spirit And this is the light of the Gospel which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which darkness cannot comprehend where the God of the world hath blinded the minds of the Infidels least the light of the glorious Gospel should shine into them as the minds of all the Priests of the world doth appear to be blinded with the God of the world that the light of the glorious Gospel which is the image of God which shines in the hearts of believers which they do not behold and though the light shines in darkness there darkness comprehended it not therefore they rage like the Jewes and are professing the Letter as the Jews did standing against the light with which Light they are comprehended which was before ages was Pr. He saith That Paul persecuting the Saints was a righteous thing in the sight of men and he said that he denyed that any doer of the Law is justified so as to be saved Answ Paul persecuting the Saints was not a righteous thing amongst righteous men that was in the righteousness of God for Christ the righteousness of God saith Paul why persecutest thou me now Pauls persecuting was justified by them which were in the self righteousness out of the righteousness of Christ and such that be in that righteousness may justifie thee and thy persecution and the doers of the Law are justified and who are justified are saved and Christ the end of the Law they come to know salvation it self who redeemes from under it so I through the Law am dead to it and know it a School-Master and the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in me Pr. That a man may be a righteous man and not a godly man Answ A righteous man in the righteousnesse of Christ is a godly man who have the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in him but a righteous man in self-righteousness is ungodly Pr. That a man may be justified by God and yet condemned by his own conscience and justified by his own conscience and condemned by God Answ A man that is justified by God is not condemned by his own conscience for the mystery of faith is held in a pure conscience in which men are justified in the sight of God and a man that is condemned in his own conscience is not Justified in the sight of God that which condemnes is the light and that is the cause of condemnation the hating of it and not believing of it and that is the cause the conscience comes to be seared whereby comes condemnation and that in the Romans proves no such thing which thou layes down Pr. That every believer hath not the witness in him Answ That is contrary to Scripture and the Ministers of Christs Doctrine which saith he that believes hath the witness in himself mark he and after he believes he comes to be sealed with the spirit of promise and can set to his seal that God is true and comes to believe the record of his Son which is the spirit that recordeth all things Pr. That the Gospel is not the power of God Answ The Gospel is the power of God in this thou art contrary to the Ministers of the Gospel which said the Gospel was the power of God to salvation to every one that believes and in this thou haâ—t proved thy self to be an unbeliever Pr. He would make Christ speak blasphemy leaving out half his words Answ That is false thou couldst not make Christ the power of God the light the life the truth speak blasphemy in leaving ouâ— many of his words for all blasphemy is out of the truth and the power of God and in the power and life of God there is no blasphemy Pr. That a man may persecute Christ in the Saints and be a righteous man and that the Scriptures saves instrumentally Answ A man cannot persecute the Saints and be in the righteousness of God or the righteousness of the Law but they that persecute Christ are in their own self-rightrousness and the Scripture saves not instrumentally but as men be in the faith and men knowes not salvation but as they be in the Life that gave it forth and Christ the Saviour it speakes of and there 's the instrumental saving that the Scripture owns for Christ asked them that had Scriptures how they could escape the damnation of hell that were out of the life of it Pr. They that did not sware broke the Law of God and man Answ They that sware are not come to Christ the end of the Law and they are out of Christs Doctrine and the Apostles who said sware not at all not by heaven nor by earth nor any other oath but let your communication be yea yea nay nay least thou
regard and receive but if one come in the Name of the Lord him you put out so you will not have the Lord nor his Christ to reign neither his servants to labour in his Vineyard Pr. Ministery is like a mighty tree whose fruit the Lord hath appointed for the healing of the Nations Answ But your Ministers and the Papists hath been them got up since the days of the Apostles that brings Nations all into heaps and into blood and doth not heale the Nations but wounds and burthens and kills and casts into prison as this your fruit declares it who casts into prison such as you doe no work for Pr. To the Law and to the Testimony pray to the Father of lights that he would enlighten us with his truth and shew us the way that he would have us to walke in and pray for us who watch for your soules as those that must give account Answ The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy And the Law is light and the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn and the Epistles were written and the Revelations which outward Books you call Law and Testimony which the Scripture saith the testimony of Iesus is the spirit of prophesie and the Law is light Prov. 6. Are you them that are the makers of Ministers and Ministers who watch for the soules of people and yet do you bid people pray to the Father that he would enlighten you with his truth and shew you the way that you may walke in it How can you present soules to God that doth not know the way and are yet to be enlightned and yet to have the way shewed so you that you might walke in it Is this your conclusion of all you Ministers in Ireland Now I say Christ hath enlightned every man which comes into the world which is the way and though your darknesse cannot comprehend it and yet you pray that he would enlighten you When John saith he doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and that is the true light Have you the light to seek and the way to seek and truth to seek and yet watchers for souls And the soule you that are called Ministers saith it is humane yea the soule of Christ the soule of man is appetite and lust and pleasure and humane from the earth from the ground Is Christs soule from the ground and appetite lust and pleasure wars against the soul in them that be in the unreasonablenesse You that have the light to seek truth to seek and way to seek are in the earth and so gives the soule the name of that which comes from the ground Now the soule is immortall God breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soule It is that which came out from God who hath all souls in his hand that 's his power which hand goes against him that doth evill And Christ the power of God which is immortall is the souls Bishop which is immortall from whence it hath its nourishment and the immortall which is able to save the immortal soul And as for all the rest of your ignorance and non-sence in your Book which comes from your confused earthly spirit who are found in the nature spirit and stock of your Father the Pope who hath apostatized since the dayes of the Apostles with all the rest of your stuffe which is but fuel for the fire in that day of your account the witnesse in all your consciences shall answer it John Stillom his Book called Margent Notes His Principles as followeth Pr. HEe calls it the Quakers adoring their own light magnifying the light of nature The Church is ashamed of your doctrine and walking saith he Ans The Quakers light is Christ the truth in whom they worship God which light was before naturall lights were and this the Church owns and is not ashamed of in which stands the Doctrine by which light the Church is gathered up unto God the Father of light but the imitated Churches in the Apostacy are ashamed of it Pr. Not any man knows him speaking of Christ to be God till he finde him in Scripture and saith as deep things as the spirit hath revealed they are all in the Scripture Ans Many knew God and knew Christ and yet had not written Scripture to tell them of those things as Enoch and Abel and many again hath Scripture speaking of God and Christ and yet doth not know God and Christ and doth not finde him in Scripture As instance the Pharisees knew not God and Christ which had the Scripture and had not life untill they came to Christ the Scripture speaks of and many things the spirit did reveal which was not written in the Scriptures and was spoken to the Saints Pr. John meaneth not that there was any substantiall truth necessary to be known to salvation which is not revealed in the written Word but the spirit that ordered the Copies and mysteries of the Gospell to be contracted within a narrow compass of lines Answ Many knew their salvation as in the dayes of Noah Enoch and David which had not the written Scriptures And though people have the Copies that speaks of the Gospel of the mysteries of the Gospel put together and compassed and contracted into lines yet they do not know the Gospell nor the mysteries of it nor the Word though they testifie of these things and the Pharisees did not that had Scripture which Scripture doth not tell us of written words but that the Word is Christ and God which was in the beginning before words were given forth And Gospell and salvation and the mysteries of it is known by the Spirit and the Light which come from Christ Jesus which none knows it but by that Pr. Stillom adds not onely heart rising prophesie nâ—r breast-prophesie in the minde but written downe in books The Apostle excludes not heart-prophesie so he includes Scripture-prophesie but till the day-star did arise in their mindes by the reading and heeding of the Scriptures that is plain meaning Answ The Scriptures were given forth by prophesie and the spirit of it and no man knows but by the same spirit and the Apostle did not exclude heart-prophesie and the Day-star doth not rise in the heart by mens reading and heeding the Scriptures in their own wills and having them in books written down but as men do come to the life and spirit as they were in that gave them forth and heed that with that they heed Scripture and knows Scripture and with that they know the Day-star and Christ who is the end of them and so men must come to take heed of the light that shines in a dark place before they know the Day-star arise For the Jewes had Scripture and did not heed that for the spirit within of prophesie doth not deny any tittle of the Scripture without And in thy Principle thou hast confounded thy selfe who saith Not heart-prophesie heart-rising
Apostles and Christs words and minister of unrighteousnesse transforming your selves into the true ministers words whose soules is under the horrible delusions and misterious deceits under the observances oâ— the world who would beguile the soule that is not stablished but light is broke forth that few you can deceive and thy New-years gift is judged and proceeds from Cain and is his sacrifice from the earth for tâ—e Apostles saw such as was transforming into the false Apostles and false ministers he brings the saints to the light that shined in their hearts to give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus which you deny to the false transformed into their words and judged with their spirit which brought people to the light within and you bring them from it so from that which should give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Chriâ—â— Jesus Pr. The Devil is called the Prince of darknesse because he lives in the darknesse as to the apprehention of divine love an enemy to all the Image of God which is light and purity and the devil transformed himselfe into the likenesse of God under a faire pretence heavenly words selfe-denyall actions righteous conversations Answ This is like your fruits who hath deceived the people but is your divine love to the devill who is out of truth doth not Christ come to destroy him and his works and there is none that can apprehend the divine love of God but who be in the truth And the Devill cannot transforme himself to be like God not in his image nor in his righteousnesse that is out of truth and his conversation that is out of truth is altogether unrighteous and is but in the pretence of selfe-â—enyalâ— but is not the thing though he and you may get the words that be heavenly and stands against the light and Image of God and purity it selfe for all you be of the devil that doth deny the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world for you come not into the truth which the devill is out of nor into the pure conversation which is in heaven and purity Pr. Thou saist Thou hast many occasions offered by the Quakers upon thy poor weake and sinfull heart the Lord hath filled my heart with moderation in giving my own once uncomfortable experiences Ans We believe thee that thy heart is weak and sinfull and a weak and sinfull heart is not filled with moderation and thy experiences which are uncomfortable are not the experiences of the Saints for the Saints experiences are comfortable and their heart is a pure heart that is filled with moderation and the Quakers will torment all sinfull and corrupt hearts for such the Lord is against and so be his Saints not to take his words into their mouthes Pr. Thou saist Thou hatest hypocrisie when thou livest in the light life and power of the first Adam and because the Quakers say they know my conscience better then my self I see they are acted through delusion I am able to to speak this truth from my own heart which is better known to me I do know that a naturall man may make a large progresse in the Gospel profession and conversation and that which the Quakers call back-sliding is my turning to my God Ans In the light and life and power of the first Adam as he was in the beginning thou art not in which he was in before the fall and the Apostles knew the state and condition of Jewes and Gentiles and people better then they did themselves and so doth the Quakeâ—s that be in their spirit and this is not delusion and thy owne heart yet thou dost not know as thou oughts nor the truth but first thou must come to the light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world which is the truth and a naturall man doth not make a progresse into the Gospell nor doth not come into the conversation of it whilst he lives in the naturall estate and thy God thou art turned too which is the God of the world as all hirelings and diviners for money and teachers for filthy lucre did that went forth from the spirit of the Apostles and prophets and Christ and back-slided from them and so went from the true God and thou serves the God of the world for love of thy benefice and see if thou will not look upward and downeward and curse thy God Pr. I would have all the world to observe how that the Quakers that Anti-Christ hath cast that blindnesse upon their understandings for their reproving men sharply and rebukeing them crying woe to the hypocrites it s the devils policy to keep close to the scriptures I used arguments to people to look for the glorious way and discovery of the divine light and power to be brought forth among all the children of the most high O mystery Babylon of this delusion Ans Hears thy confession for the spirit of God where it is doth rebuke reprove sharplie and tell them that are hypocrites the woe is to them and the Quakers ante-christ cannot blind them they are come from under his power and authority but you are them that cannot feare reproof and the Lord may send a man as he did Philip to such a place and he not know what he shall do nor whom he shall speak to till he come to such a place and the devil is out of the life that gave forth scriptures though he and you may pervert the words who may get them but not own them as they speak and thou calls good evill and evill good for the children of the most high doth waite for the most glorious discovery of divine light and power which delusion and mystery Babylon is out of and so the Quakers is come to that which ante-christ is ravened from with that they comprehend him Pr. And thou saist These people that thou callest the Quakers will send most rayling accusations against the pillars of the Chuâ—ch of Christ Ans That is false but antichrists Church and his pillars which are waters which you call tongues which is your originall that Iohn calls waters the Quakers do judge according to truth and declare it in full power and majesty and can make it good which you call rayling which they deny for a company of greedy drumb dogs can never have enough that will prison and pesecute men till death for speaking to them and for meanes such as are apostatized from the true church and is a false Church who hath transformed themselves into the true Churchs words but now the true Church hath discovered you to be the false apostatized from the true and reigned since the daies of the Apostles Pr. I see no conviction the Quakers hath wrote by their speaking or any subjection of fear or love or any such thing wrought by them and to tell such that be praying reading or in meditation to say it is the power
never knew the minde of the Lord discovering by any of his servants neither under the old nor new Covenant And these dreamers go to a place and doth not know what to say till they come to the place Answ Philip was sent to a place and then it was told him what to say when he came to it And he was not a dreamer but thou art who goes without a command from God and runs when he never sent thee and follows thy own spirit And they that speak as the spirit gives them utterance and moves them and takes no thought but it is given them in the same hour and thou that art out of this art in the glosses It was the minde of the Lord for Isaiah to go naked and to strip himselfe in Aegypt and Aethiopia as many are moved of the Lord to go naked among you spirituall Aegypt and Ethiopians and to put off their cloaths which is a figure to you that the sheeps cloathing must be taken off of your ravening wolves backs Pr. Thou saist For the present thou dost not apprehend any thing more but that the Devill shall transforme himselfe into an Angel of light And there are hardly a people to be found that cry out more against sin and the appearance of sin and unrighteousness then they do as far as I know or have heard to declare them to be carried forth as Ministers of righteousnesâ— Answ Thy apprehension is vaine and judgement false for the Devill transformed himselfe into an Angell of Light before the Apostles deceased and so is transformed into you who have the words but out of the life for the Devill could not transforme into the Apostles while they were in the life and you are Antichrist that are crying out against sin and unrighteousness and lives in it but the Quakers are the sins enemie and the soules friend which are the Ministers of righteousnesse and declared so to be in all your consciences to be in the life of all the Prophets Apostles and Christ and do see that you be transformed into their words but out of the life with that judged Pr. I am perswaded the Quakers do not tell a lye that Satan he will either choose to do some things as healing some infirmity and turning water into wine and the like this is a deceitfull way enough that all the belly-gods in England may become Quakers this labour of mine may make thousands to refuse their errours and delusions because it can be done through a great light that is in Antichrist Answ The Quakers are in the truth and out of the lie and see you are in it for Antichrist is turned from the light and the Devil is not he that turns water into wine and heals the sick and infirmities nor Antichrist but the true Christ where did you read that they turned water into wine or heal the sick therefore thou and you by your delusions and errours your labour is to deceive thousands And thou hast cleared the Quaker from being in the errour or delusion for thou sayest they dare not lie then they are not of the Devil who is the ground of all error and delusion and you Priests are the greatest belly-gods in the Nation for you devour up the tenthes of the Nâ—tion of poor husband-men and so you cannot endure the power that makes to tremble so cannot endure the salvation Pr. What if one of these Quakers should be sent to a blind leader of the people and a man is not able to reply a word and it may be a good Scholar Answ Them in scorn you call Quakers hath been moved by the power of the Lord God to come against such as thou art leaders of the blind and though you have been great Scholars and when you have not been able to resist their spirit but found naked from the spirit of the Lord you have cryed to your Rulers and Magistrates to help take them away cast them into prison and there hath been your weapons and Antichrists Court and Fort and the wolves in the sheepes cloathing strong against them that be in the Apostles and Christs power and life and doctrine and now you are discovered Pr. The crucifying the Son of God a-fresh that is Christ without or else in the heart of another not in his own that doth it and thou saith thou ingages thy affections to the seekers because of their attainments Answ He that crucifies Christ a-fresh to himself first crucifies him in his own heart before he crucifies him in anothers heart without him and it is the affections that thou art joyned withall to people and not with the spirit to the notional attainments for hadst thou been in the spirit thou wouldst not have writ such a book as this is against the truth or affections above or answered the principle of God in the seekers or minded the life in them or in thy own particular in which you might have lived in unity with God and Scripture but whither art thou turned now to thy great fat Benefice and didst steal some words from the seekers and sell them to poor people to make a trade of them Pr. Thou sayest thou wouldst have all people take a right way in opposing the Quakers with a strong understanding in the Scriptures to reason with them Answ All your understanding and your reasoning if you get all these Scriptures in it yet you are not able being out of the life that gave forth Scriptures not to resist the spirit of the Quakers which is that which was in them that gave forth Scriptures though you may gain-say and oppose like Cain Core and Baalam but wo unto you Pr. I shall give my consent if the Quakers transgresse our Lawes they might have double punishment and if you will not believe the truth that comes from them I hope you will believe it as it comes from the mouth of God with speed forsake the Quakers society wholly publike and private Answ Here is thy confession again and judgement and thy unjustice wouldst thou have double punishment inflected upon them that breakes the Law and dost thou say that the Quakers are the mouth of God and if you will not believe the truth as it comes from them believe it comes from the mouth of God and yet must people wholly forsake the societie of the Quakers publike and private and call this overcoming strong questions This is the strengthening of strong questions overcoming you that be in the deceit who are to be Judged Pr. That God is all and in all Answ The Scripture saith so God is all and in all and through you all and over you all blessed for ever and this is not to justifie any prophanness nor wicked actions but it is you that would not have the Lord to have no Roome in your hearts that would not have him to be in people nor have him there to Reign Pr. I have sometime told the Quakers that I did conceive the design of Antichrist
does not say the Elect onely and he through death hath destroyed the power of death the Devill Heb. 2.14 and thou art to be reproved for thy judgement for thy unbelief for thy righteousnesse for thy sin because of thy unbelief for thy judgement because the Prince of this world is judged Io. 16. so Christ doth not say I am the light of the Saints of the elect onely but I am the light of the world Io. 8.12 and saith that light is come into the world this is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then it because their deeds are evill Io. 3.19 So its unbelief that shuts out Rom. 11.20 So the gates stand open night and day and every one that doth evill hates the light will not come to it because it wil reprove him and he will not come in to the gate for he that comes to the gate comes to the light he that comes to the light comes out of condemnation comes to be a child of the light he that hates the light wil not come into the kingdome of God And for thy saying God hath ordained a great part of the world to Hell let them repent and doe all that ever he hath commanded them he that doth the things that Christ commands enters the Kingdome he that repents his mind is changed and whosoever believeth shall not perish and this command is generall Io. 10.28 through the whole world therefore thou with the Devills Doctrine shuts up the Kingdome of Heaven against others and wilt not goe in thy selfe who saies let men repent and doe all that ever they can they must goe to hell when God wils not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turne from his wickednesse and live Ezek. 33.11 but he is mercifull and judges not as thou dost whose eyes are blinded and hands full of blood so I say whosoever repents and doth the things they are commanded they shall be saved and that which thou sayest to the contrary we conclude to be the Devills doctrine and whosoever resists the thing that is commanded that will be their condemnation but hates the light which was before the world was which lighteth every man that cometh into the world that all through him might believe for he that believes in the light shall not abide in darknâ—sse Io. 8.12 shall not come into condemnation shall come to be a child of light Io. 12.36 and they shall have the light of life and so the light is sufficient to save them and condemn them that believe not Jo. 3.18.14 Ia. 4.12 and every one that cometh into the light that they are enlightned withall such come into the election and into the covenant of God and evill consciences thou maist frighten them that hates the light which is their condemnation but the elect thou can neither save nor deceive thanks be to God Christ reigns who will give to every man according to his works who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world not believing is condemned and shut out and such turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and are ordained of old that hate the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world such be in Cain and Balaams way persecutors and murtherers turnes the grace of God into wantonnesse Pr. From the words of Jude 4. they were of old ordained from these words he said That God had predestinated one to life without any cause in the creature lesse or more and the other wicked man to Hell without any cause in the creature lesse or more and both wicked men And before thou said part of the cause that God cast into hell was in the man part in God In this 7th principle and doctrine thou saist there is no cause in the creature that God casts into hell condâ—mns him in the other thou said there was part blame in man part in God 〈◊〉 â—s the devils doctrine a lye found in thy mouth thou hast wrested perverted wronged that scripture in Jude who saith there is no part in man causeth condemnation that all may see that you are lyers he saith they were ungodly they turned the grace of God into lasciviousnesse that brings salvation that denyed the Lord that bought them Jude 11. 2 Pet. 2.1 They were covetous made merchandize of the people through fained words so no covetous nor Idolater shall enter into the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6.9 and all they deny the Lord that bought them but who owns the light that comes from him which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world and none sees him but with the light that comes from him and they goe in Cores way and gain-sayeth the truth who goe from the light that Christ hath inlightned them in the particuler and he that gain-sayeth the truth there is a fault in him and they goe in Caines way that are from the command of God who said if thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted and if he did not well sin lay at the door now these were of old ordained unto condemnation which turned the grace of God into wantonnesse were in Caines way Cores way and brake the commands as Cain did in Balaams way erred from the spirit and admired mens persons because of advantage which Balaam did and loved the wages of unrighteousnesse and so these did not doe the things they were commanded Cain he did not do the thing that he was commanded nor Core that offered strange fire and his company Num. 16. So these of old were ordained for this condemnation which condemnation is the light Io. 3. light foresees them and sees over them and condemns them when they arise and goes out from the spirit of God in them and here all may see here was fault worthy of condemnation and those were they that sensually seperated them selves from the Apostles and had not the spirit Jude 19. in their daies which were covetous which went for the gift and reward which were like raging waves of the Sea which were spots in feasts of charity feasting feeding without feare 2 Pet. 2. Which admired mens persons because of advantage and spoke the high words in hypocrisy Wells without water Trees without fruit raging waves of the Sea foming out their own shame clouds without water carryed about with tempests spots in the feasts of charity like unto Sodom and Gomorah in filthiness which goe from the light that does convince them so there is the self-separation and there is the condemnation that comes over them the light and these are they that seperated from the Apostles which said love your enemies Mat. 5.44 Which are men gone into the world which be in Caines way in envy in Cores way gainsaying the the light they are like raging waves of the Sea foaming out their shame in their pulpits so you are the men that seperates from the
abundantlie cried out against and printed against the Quakers as hereticks and deceivers and witches and all what they could say that 's evil and these things being not unknown but publiklie brought to passe therefore it will be good to discover unto every man the first ground and cause of this great strife and the matter of it and its beginning so that all may know the certaintie of these things and know they are not without good ground and sufficient reason on our part to wit that we have just cause to do and strive against that generation of Priests and Teachers and that we doe nothing rashly and without sufficient reason It is now about seaven years since the Lord raised us up in the North of England and opened our mouthes in this his spirit and what we were before in our Religion profession and practices is well known to that part of the countrie how generalie we were men of the strictest sect and of the greatest zeal in the performance of outward righteousnesse and went through and tried all sorts of Teachers and run from mountain to mountaine and from man to man and from one forme to an other as doe many to this very day who yet remaines ungathered to the Lord and such we were to say no more of us that sought the Lord and desired the knowledge of his waies more then any thing beside and for one I may speak who from a child even a few yeares old he set his face to seek and find the Saviour and more then Life and treasure or any mortal Crown sought after with all his heart the one thing that is needfull to wit the knowledge of God And after our long seeking the Lord appeared to us and revealed his glory in us and gave us of his spirit from heaven and poured it upon us and gave us of his wisdome to guid us whereby we saw all the world and the true state of all things and the true condition of the Church in her present estate first the Lord brought us by his power and wisdome and the word by which all things were made to know and understand see perfectly that God had given to us everie one of us in particular a Light from himselfe shining in our harts consciences which Light Christ his Son the Saviour of the world had lighted every man and all mankind withall which Light in us we found sufficient to reprove us and convince us of every evil deed word and thought and by it in us we come to know good from evil right from wrong and whatsoever is of God and according to him from what is of the Devil and what is contrary to God in motion word and work and this Light gave us to discerne between truth and error between every false and right way it perfectlie discovered to us the true state of all things and we thereby came to know man what he was in his creation before transgression how he was deceived overcome by the devil his estate in transgression in disobedience how he is drove banished from the presence of the Lord and the sorrow and anguish which he is in to undergo also by the Light in us we perfectlie came to know the way of Restauration and the meanes to be restored and the state of man being come out of transgression and restored these things to us were revealed by the Light within us which Christ had given us and lightened us withall what man was before transgression and what he is in transgression and what he is being redeemed out of transgression and also the Light which shined in every one of us as to it our mindes became turned and our hearts inclined the perfect estate of the Church we came to know her estate before the Apostles daies and in the Apostles daies and since the daies of the Apostles and her persent estate we found to be as a woman who had once been cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet who brought forth him that was to Rule the Nations but she was fled in the Wildernesse and there sitting desolate in her place that was prepared of God for such a season which season in the very end thereof when the time of her sojorning was towards a full end then were we brought forth if any have an eare they may hear so that all these things concerning man and concerning the times and seasons and the changing and renewing of times and all things that pertaines to salvation and Redemption and eternal Life needfull for man to know all this was revealed discovered and made knowne to us by the Light which was in us which Christ had lighted us withall And we found this Light to be a sufficient teacher to lead us to Christ from whence this Light came and thereby it gave us to receive Christ and to witnesse him to dwel in us and through it the new covenant we came to enter into to be made heires of life and salvation and in all things we found the Light which we were inlightned withall and all mankind which is Christ to be alone and onelie sufficient to bring to Life and eternal salvation and that all who did own the Light in them which Christ hath enlightened every man withall they needed no man to teach them but the Lord was their Teacher by his Light in their own consciences and they received the holie anointing And so we ceased from the teachings of all men and their words and their worships and their Temples and all their baptismes and Churches and we ceased from our own words and professions and practises in Religion in times before zealously performed by us through divers formes and we became fooles for Christs sake that we might become truelie wise and by this Light of Christ in us were we led out of all false waies and false preachings and false Ministers and we met together often and waited upon the Lord in pure silence from our own words and all mens words and hearkned to the voice of the Lord and felt his word in our hearts to burn up and beat down all that was contrary to God and we obeyed the Light of Christ in us and followed the motions of the Lords pure spirit and took up the Crosse to all earthly glories Crowns and waies denied our selves our relations and all that stood in the way betwixt us and the Lord and we chose to suffer with and for the Name of Christ rather then all the pleasures upon earth or all our former zealous professions and practices in Religion without the power and spirit of God which the world yet lives in And while waiting upon the Lord in silence as often we did for many hours together with our mindes and hearts toward him being stayed in the Light of Christ within us from all thoughts fleshly motions and desires in our diligent waiting and feare of his Name and hearkning to
and we are well acquainted with griefs yet in all our trials and afflictions the Lord never forsook us but his wisdome love and life and presence increased in us and with us Then in the yeare 1654 as moved of the Lord we spread our selves South-ward and entred into these South parts and came the first of us into this City of London in the fift Moneth that year and laboured in the work of the Gospel in continuall sufferings and oppressions divers waies and were oppressed and gainsaid by the wise-men and by the learned and had in reproach and contempt by all the high and lofty and proud professors and we were set at nought and rejected by the fat beasts of the South and it is well known to thousands in this City and South countrie what opposition we have had from all sorts of people opposed in our own meetings and scorned and slandered by envious and reproachfull tongues publikely and privately encountered withall by the wisest of the City and country chalenged invited and ingaged to disputes by the high Priests and Church-members so called written against and printed against by the chiefest of men accounted wise and religious which of any sect and who of all the wisest in profession and the most zealous in practices of Religion so called have not at some time or other beset us and encountered with us in high disputes and controversie opposing of us to our faces and gain-saying our doctrines and practices and denying of us and resisting of us wholly and crying against us to be deceivers deluders and hereticks and blasphemers and such like and that our doctrines were deceivable error and factious and what not that our practises were destructive to men Lawes and Government these things in the worst nature have been spoken against us without ceasing by the wisest and men of greatest parts and most Religious falsely so accounted for this certain yeares in the South aswell as in the North besides what losse have we sustained other waies in the South by beatings and strikings and abuses and slanders and false reproaches and halings before Magistrates and imprisoning and all the like dealing from Priests Rulers and people as we did in the North yea the same hard dealing and cruelty from all sorts of people we have suffered and doe daily as we did in the North Insomuch we are now accustomed to the yoke and well acquainted with sorrowes and griefes from all sorts of people and were not the Lord on our side our enemies would swallow us up quick and we had been long since devoured by the teeth of the ungodly so that I may now call to witnesse all the Goales and prisons in the South as in the North and all the Magistrates and Judges and Rulers and all officers of the Law what suffâ—rings we have sustained and what cruell and heard dealing we have undergone and what injustice and unequal and false judgement hath been executed upon us in this five yeares time which of the Goals may appear free where some of us have not suffered the losse of our liberties unjustly and who of any Justice of the peace or any other officer from the Judge to the Constable that can clear themselves from guilt in this matter and that they have not had a hand in our unjust sufferings and to the witnesse of God in all people of all sorts through this whole Nation and some other I do appeal concerning this matter how we have been dealt withall what we have sustained in our persons and in our names how many acts and words of cruelty and in justice we have borne and suffered and these Priests been as the fountain and cause of all this and the formost in all this iniquity and injustice by all what they could do to incense the Rulers and people against us by Preaching and praying and writing and printing for the space of this seven yeares yet notwithstanding all this the mighty power and presence of the Lord have been with us and preserved us from dangers great and many and carried us through trials and perplexities and sufferings and not onely so but he hath increased us in number so that thousands and ten thousands have and may own us and the truth which we give witnesse of live therein for the eyes of all people are beginning to be opened and the deaf eare is unstopped and the way of life eternall is made manifest and the Lord is gathering his flock which hath been scattered in the cloudy and dark day whilst these false idle shepherds these Priests and Teachers I meane have fed themselves with the fat and cloathed themselves with the wool and laid down in slumber and not gathered the flock nor fed them but scattered them and driven them away and with force and with cruelty have they ruled over the heritage of the Lord woe woe unto these sheepherds saith the Lord God they shall be confounded and put to shame perpetually and they shall be broken down and never builded any more and the Lord will pluck them up by the roots and they shall never again be planted And besides all there Petitioning the Magistrates against us and Preaching and praying against us and all the evil wickedness in work word desire brought forth against us from time to time yet here sober Reader thou hast a Catalogue and whole number of books Printed written against us and abundance of their Doctrines uttered against us and in opposition to us gathered up in this volume in a sum with our answers to them and if thy heart and minde be single thou maist hereby understand in measure the difference in Doctrine between them and us and compare each of them with the Scriptures and see whether their Doctrines and Principles laid down as the subject of their books or our Doctrines and Principles laid down in answer to theirs be according and agree with the Scriptures and if thou be impartial in this business and single in this search and Judgement I doubt not but thou wilt in a great measure satisfie thy self and be resolved concerning their Priests and Professors of England and us who are called Quakers and then when thou thus hast done own and deny â—â—â—ther them or us as the Lord shall perswade thee for thou maist fully perceive we differ in Doctrines and Principles and the one thou must justifie and the other thou must condemn as being one clean contrary to the other in our Principles And I wish also thou wouldst measure us and compare us in lives and conversations and truely Judge whom of us whether they or we do the more follow Christ and his Apostles in practise and conversation And in all things lay us and them to the line of true Judgement and with an upright heart Judge accordingly for know this there is not any Principle we hold nor any work which we practice in our Religion and worship but we are willing and
sights are not Saints neither are you of his Church which is his body neither have you eaten his flesh nor know that which is given for the life of the world but are out of the sight of the Church which is his body Pr. And thou saith they shall have a greater judgement without them then they shall have within them c. see page 48. Ans And the Scripture saith If ye judge your selves ye shall not be judged of the Lord. Pr. And that place in Jude he brings to prove that all men have not the Spirit c. See page 49. Where he saith They walke after their own ungodly lusts these be they who separate themselves being sensuall and have not the spirit who went in Balaams way Ans Who shews that they went forth from the spirit and turned the grace of God into wantonnesse And this doth not make for thee to thy purpose but rather against thee and the same spirit that reproves the world leads the Saints into all truth Pr. He saith That God did not give the Law that people should live in it c. See page 49. Answ And the Scripture saith that they that did the Law had life and were justified by it For do this and live saith God to Moses and therefore thou wouldst make God a lyar who cannot lye who saith that God did not give forth his Law that men should have life Is not the Curse and the Death in the transgression of it Christ is the end of the righteous Law who is the light that doth enlighten every man that doth come into the world which believing in it he comes to be a child of Light Which light thou blasphemously calls conscience or Naturall which is Christ the Light the foundation of God which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world that with the light they might see Christ who hath enlightned them the foundation of God from whence light comes And the Apostle saith the law is spirituall and just and good and he it was that was the carnall and so thou art the carnall not yet come to the Law which is spiritual Pr. He saith He that will but observe the motions of that light which every man hath within him say they so as to obey and close in with it to follow it shall undoubtedly save himselfe from the wrath to come Now this is clearly a great errour as thou saist See page 50. Ans Contrary to Johns doctrine and Christs who saith the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is the true light that men through the light might believe Therefore be they enlightned and he that believes in the light shall not abide in darknesse nor in errour nor in condemnation but shall have the light of life Saith Christ I am the light of the world And saith moreover believe in the light before they be children believe in the light that ye may be children of the light So every man is enlightned with a light before they be children with the true light He that believes in the light is a child of the light he that doth not believe in the light the light condemns him Pr. And whereas thou saith The Law gives not life nor justifies See page 50. Ans It is false thou art mistaken in the Scriptures and rebuked with them The Law gives life to him that obeys it and lives in it and he that doth it lives and is justified the doer of the Law and not the hearer only and it is righteous and just and good But Christ Jesus the Law and the spirit of life which is the end of Gods righteous Law is the justification to life Gods righteousnesse who is the end of the other law And the Apostle Paul saith The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Pr. And thou would make it an errour to say the Saints are saviours of the world See page 50. Ans The Apostle said when he writ to the Saints he should save himselfe and others and this was by the power of Christ And Jude saith others saving with fear but hating the garments spotted with the flesh Now thou art a deceiver and not a Saviour both of thy selfe and others and ignorant of the power and the spirit Pr. He saith there is no such Scripture as saith the light within the conscience See page 52. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who saith the light shines in their hearts and is not there the conscience 2 Cor. 4. And Christ saith they will not come to the light lest their deeds should be by it manifested they by it reproved and this is not conscience nor nature And the Apostle Paul saith Our rejoycing is the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but in the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world Pr. The new Covenant which God promised to write in their hearts he calls that the law by nature see page 52. Ans And thus he is stumbling at the corner stone and errs in his judgement for that which orders nature is above nature and all naturallists and transgressors do call it naturall Doctor Glisson's Paper concerning James Parnels death in prison which the Lyes that are in it are not worth mentioning but upon themselves will fall but here is one of their lying slanders taken off as followeth who strikes at the Rock splits themselves and the blood of that Innocent lies upon their heads Pr. IN the Preface he saith That the most knowing part of these Quakers have received their principles from Rome c. Ans It is false for the Instructions which they have received is from Christ who was glorified with the father before the world began and before Rome was or revilers either which makes the world to rage The corner-stone the light which lightens every man that comes into the world before it was which makes the Beast and the false Prophet and the Pope and you to arme themselves against the Lamb and his light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world withal And the Priests Instructions have been from Rome to set up their Schools to make Miinsters and Temples East and West with a Crosse at the end of them and the Tenth which they imprison men to death for and their preaching by the hour-glasse and naming their Colledges and Masse-houses by the Saints names Your Instructions have been from Rome to do these things but the Lamb shall have the victory glory to the Lord in the highest for ever George Emmot who calls himself a spirituall Quaker converted Who is turned with the Dog to the vomit and gone in the way of Core exalting himself and gain-saying Truth and gone in the way of Cain into his first birth turned against the second DId God smite thee for thy pride Did God let thee see the
stirring up the blinde zeale where it is against Christ where he is in his Saints such as keepeth his Testimony whose thirst is after blood and persecution who would stop the Presse that Truth should not be published to the Nation Shewing yee have not the spirit that is able to gain-say nor able to contradict the spirit that is in the Quakers Therefore do you beg with your Petitions and feigned humility for the powers of the Earth them to stop But where the spirit of wisdome and of God and of a sound minde is ruling the intents of your minds are seen such as was then in all ages that brought upon heaps and stirred up tumults and made Insurrections among people and casting mists before Magistrates eyes whereby they might be blinded and turned against the just For which cause brought Gods judgements upon such as you and Magistrates both and rebuked KINGS for his Anointeds sake John Toldervyes Booke called The Foot out of the Snare His Principles And these whose names were subscribed to the Book viz. Thomas Brooks Thomas Jacomb George Cockayn William Adderley John Goodwin John Tombes William Jenkins and Matthew Poole Priests WHom the Priests and his intent is to father the work of the imagination that was in John Toldervy upon the spirit of the living God and of Christ that is in the Quakers But all their work and imaginations is with the Light and the spirit of Truth judged and him and his Priests and all them their feet fast in the snare And all that is in this Book which is contrary to the truth and the Scriptures is judged but all that is truth is owned And here is some of their Principles as followeth John Toldervy and the rest in the Book entitled The foot out of the snare he and they would lay all his actions upon the Light but they split themselves against the Rock and he himselfe hath split himselfe upon the Rock which made him recant again and deny all his foolish actions and so these great high Priests come off with shame Pr. He saith the declaring against all sin is nothing of the mystery of the Gospell of Christ See page 3. Ans Ignorant are you for that which makes manifest sin is the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ the mystery all his will-worships and his will-actings his self-righteousnesse and obediences and motions and fancies which he followed the Priests would lay it upon the Covenant in the heart and Christ within and doth not clear the Covenant and Christ within from all those actions which was destructive to the creature which Christ the Covenant preserves and the creation and brings the creature into the liberty of the sons of God and here your madnesse and blindnesse appears without distinction Pr. He saith Not to call any one Master nor to pull off the hat to any one not to you any one but to use the word thee thou to a single person not to use any Complements or greetings to any not to bow to any man to honour the Creature not drinking to any and to pull off the points and ribbons from his knees band-strings and hat-hand and buttons that was unnecessary on his Coat and other things and burned divers books c. And call this that put off all these things which were unnecessary they calls it seduced perswasions c. See page 15. Ans Now all these that have born record with thee under the life are ye come and judged which abides and remains and for ever with it judged For to instance as for not calling men Master that is the command of Christ As for the not fashioning your selves according to the world in your former lusts of ignorance that is the command of the Apostle And as for the forsaking of gorgeous apparell naughtiness and superfluity they are corrected by the Scriptures and judged by the spirit And as for drinking to one another and tempting one another with Beer and bowing the Hat and respecting and honouring the Creature which is earthly Adams honour in the Fall which Christ receiveth it not the second Adam And as for respecting of persons they that do so commit sin and are convinced of the Law as transgressors And now see where thou wast and all the Priests in your seduced perswasions and judgeth good of evill and evill good And thou and the Priests may see that all this that which thou did from thy own perswasions is thy own will But that which led thee from sin and from the world to righteousnesse was owned that shall be recorded for ever against thee and all the Priests and stand a witnesse against you though now thou art in the flower of thy age And it will be hard for thee John the Priests to get in that which ye have spread abroad and the weight and the feeling the burthen of all thy words and your words ye are not yet come to feel But when the fire and the heat enters into your flesh that ye are scorched with the vehement heat then remember every word that ye have given forth comes pat upon you a burthen From a lover of your soules and a cherisher of truth And John and the Priests all the Actions which was done in thy will and set forth in the same to the view of the world by the Priest which abused the power and that which was of God rising in thee to the sight of the world crucifying afresh the Son of God and so puts him to open shame Thou wilt suffer and the Priests and that which was done in thy presumption which abused the power of the Lord God that was never accepted of the Lord God nor never owned by the men of God But there is a thousand I do believe in the Nation that can see and do see what thou and the Priests have recorded to the world and are able to judge when the power moved thee and when there was imaginations and see that the Priests took thy part and are one with that nature in thee which betrayed the just even Judas like and mind and take notice those that Judas betrayed Christ to as thou betrayed the just too See what friends they were to Judas and what friends they will be to thee after that Judas has done and after that thou hast done now come to the just principle in thee John thy flight was in the winter And as for the word Thee and Thou spoken to a particular shews they have forgotten the Latine books that which they call their Learning for is it righteous to call one many or many one That is a sound speech which cannot be condemned And all people upon the earth that have run out in their imaginations whereby truth comes to be hurt if they have done it willingly the greater shall be their punishment they shall be whipt however But all you that have bent your wills and given your strength to the adversary of God whereby the way of
truth cometh to be reproached You are such as turn his grace into wantonnesse as cause the way of truth to be evill spoken of and such shall have a reward according to their works thee and you all Pr. They say The fashions of the world and the Complements are not sin to use them c. See page 45. Ans Which is contrary to the Scriptures which the Ceremonies commanded of God to use them after the substance was come was sin much more the fashions and customes of the world Yea but saith they this brings us in our living and by the other we lose our livelyhood so ye may see what minde is up in choosing And all the zeale in the wills which runs out before the Light guide that is that which the Priests catch at to make their defence withall against the truth But the Lord will reward them according to their works who hath shewed mercy to Toldervy and made him confess in another Book that which formerly the Priests and he had set forth and vilified the truth and so is published to the Nation after the Answer to this Book called The foot out of the Snare Such as deny the fashions of the world which the Priests are in points and ribbons double cuffs and boot-hose-tops and the honour of men which God will stain and be called of men Master Such things as these 8 great Priests justifies and insnares people under them and if any forsake them they will say they are snared and deluded and it is manifest who is their Master and whom they serve that the keeping Christs command is a snare to them and because we cannot call them Master and keep Christs commands therefore they rage who transgresseth his command and then say they are Ministers of him but your fruits are seen and works praysed be the Lord you eight Priests have discovered your selves who are the false spirits gone out into the world from the Apostles and out of Christs command Matth. 23. Where do you read Mr. Paul Mr. Peter and c. And where do you read that Paul and the messengers of Christ were hung about with poynts and double cuffs and boot-hose-tops and ribbons and made such a stir about doffing of hats and thee and thou as the novice Teachers do now that are found in the lusts and fashions of the world which the Apostle declares against and brought to sound words which could not be condemned and to obey the doctrine of Christ not to be called of men Master But you are the transgressors that abide not in Christs Doctrine but are the Antichrists 2 John which the Apostle speaks of that hath reigned from their dayes but now discovered by the spirit praised be the Lord God and they know in their Latine originall it is not proper to say you to a single person and they know to be called of men Master is against the command of Christs in the transgression and so usurping that authority which Christ forbids Thomas Collier his Booke called The Looking-glasse for Quakers His PRINCIPLES followes And as for all his Lies they will be heaped upon his own head and to his owne sorrow Pr. HE calls James Nayler a lyar because he said That by which the just lives is that by which the creature is justified See page 2. And he saith It is another righteousnesse because we witnesse the righteousnesse of faith which is in the heart which God is the Author of c. page 3. Answ Now that which we say God and Christ is not the Author of but gathered from the letter is a dead faith and righteousnesse and there is your justification that stands in the unbelieving state and is condemned onely speaking of the Letter as the Jews did of a Christ that is come as they did of a Christ that was to come have not heard his voice nor received faith from him who is the author of it through which men is justified and cometh to have peace with God and this faith is in their hearts Pr. He calls it a hearkning to the voice of Sathan to hearken to the voice within and saith they cry the light within the voice of Christ the true word which he saith is but their own lying fancies at the best c. See page 4. Ans Now to call the light within the word within Christ within the word of faith within which is to be obeyed and done lying fancies at the best here thou may see Collier how thou divides the word not aright and art ignorant of the Scriptures And Christ saith the Spirit of the Father speaks in you is not this all Scripture and if they hearken to this do they not hearken to Scripture and is not the Scripture fulfilled in this And is thy voice all without thee onely in the letter And judges all delusion that hath any speaking within them and so hath judged thy self from the holy men of God one of the dumb Prophets and so contrary to the true Prophets and Apostles Pr. He saith If the very Christ of God be within those that are called Quakers he cannot come down from Heaven c. See same page Ans Here he stands against the promise of Christ that he shall come and dwell in you and walk in you I will come again unto you And he hath revealed his Son in me saith the Apostle And this thou Thomas Collier and John Bunyan is ignorant of plain Scripture the Scripture it declares it and the Apostle said know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates and the Spirit of the Father speaks in you and see how contrary thou art to the Prophets Christ and the Apostles Pr. He saith The Heavenly bodies spoken of in Cor. 15. are the Sun Moon and Stars c. See page 6. Answ Let all people read that Scripture and see if it hold forth that Pr. Again he saith They abuse the Scriptures because they say he that is born of God doth not commit sin c. page 6. Answ When the Scripture is witnessed as it relates and speaks And he abuseth it when he gives private interpretations to it and owns it not as it speaks Pr. Again he saith He that saith he hath no sin deceiveth himself c. page 6. Ans But the Scripture saith If we say we have no sin c. So he perverts the Scripture for it is not he for if he say he he may put it upon Christ who is without sin and upon this account he may charge the Elect whom God lays no sin too and sees no iniquity in Jacob nor transgression in Israel And it is Colliers wicked eye that sees sin in the Elect they that are born of God and thus he abuseth the Scriptures and is not able to divide the word aright and therefore such Spirits is to be kept out of Scriptures with the Spirit that gave forth Scripture For he that is born of God doth not commit sin and there
is a time for men to see they have sin and sinned and a time to confess it and forsake it and their is a time to witness the blood of Christ cleansing from all sin and then a time to witness the birth born of God which doth not commit sin 1 John 4. Chap. Pr. He saith Here is a strange conceit of a person that fills heaven and earth with his presence and dwells in the Saints blindness with a witness c. See page 8. Ans Here thy ignorance hath appeared again for all power in heaven and earth is given to him Christ Jesus who is in them at the right hand of God who is in the Saints dwelling and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world but this to thee is a strange conceit and blindness with a witness Thy witness is blinded with thy conceit which shews thy ignorance of Scripture and thy unskilfulness in the word and doctrine that all things is upheld by his word and his power and that there is no creature but is manifest in his sight For all things that was made was made by him that he might have a name above every name and that to his name should every knee bow and every tongue confess to the glory of God and God will dwell in man and it is he that seeth the heart Pr. He saith Sin is in the Saints c. See page 10. Ans Sin is not in the sanctified but in the unsanctified And he that saith sin is in the Saints he is blinded he is of the Serpent and he and they be in the poâ—lution themselves which the Saints have escaped and are washed and cleansed and so far as any one is sanctified it is from the sin Pr. He saith That we will not enter into the Kingdom by the Blood of the Covenant that hath been often proved c. See page 10. Ans And Francis Blake did publish it in Print that the Quakers did witness the blood of Christ that cleanseth from all sin and so thou Prints against us and he prints for us thou Prints that we deny the blood of Jesus and he Prints that we own the blood of Jesus and so ye are devouring the innocent betwixt you and the blood of the seed we own which cleanseth from all sin which doth not you which say sin must be in the Saints but make his blood of none effect which cleanseth from all sin Pr. He saith The Scriptures shall be our judge one day which we call the letter c. See page 11. Answ And the Scripture saith all judgement is committed to the Son and God will judge the world and the Saints and the spiritual man judges all things and thus thou art ignorant of the letter and this shall judge thee at the last Pr. He saith That the Kingdom is not come nor refreshing from the presence of the Lord c. Answ Which shewes they are like unto the Pharisees unconverted gazing here and there and Christ told them the Kingdom was in them And they that are not turned to the light which comes from Christ the refresher whereby refreshing might come so are not come to repentance yet Pr. He saith They that say they have no sin makes God a liar See page 12. Ans Which the Scripture saith no such thing but saith on the contrary the Scripture saith many were made free from sin And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin and they that are Christs have crucified the lusts and all things are become new and they that sin and lie are not in Christ the truth Pr. He saith All that have been are or shall be converted since the Gospel ministration are converted by the Apostles words c. See page 13. Ans So he hath thrown out the spirit that doth regenerate and Christ the way to the Father the word that sanctifieth and Christ the power of God to salvation Who said they would not come to him that they might be converted so if they get all the Apostles words and come not to Christ they are not converted and none are converted by the Apostles words but who comes to the Life that the words come from Pr. And he opposeth and saith It will be the Quakers fall because they say there is no other way to bring people to God but by the light in them c. See page 14. Ans Which is Christ the way to God from whence it comes which is mans condemnation not believing in it and so a saving light For saith God I will give him for a Covenant for a lgiht to the Gentiles that he may be my salvation to the ends of the earth the light shall and all that be not in the light are in the fall out of the Covenant in the unsaved state and knows not their salvation but as the Scripture declareth and so there is death and destruction talking of the same of wisdom and keeping people out of the light Pr. And he saith That Christ is not so the light of the World as he is the light of believers See page 14. Ans Christ is the light to the World as to believers and he that believeth in it shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life he that follows the light and believes in it shall have the light of life and shall not abide in darknesse He that follows not the light but hates it he abides in the darknesse and the light condemns him which the believer walks in and believes in and hath the light of life which light is one and the same which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world believers and unbelievers Pr. He saith That the Scriptures is the rule of the Saints and he saith the spirit is the guide to that rule c. see page 15. Ans And so would have the Scripture to be before the spirit Now the spirit was the Saints rule that led them to speak forth Scriptures and to let them to see to what condition they were spoken too and so by that they came to the law of Faith and they was not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit So in this ye have proved your selves not to be Ministers of the Spirit but of the Letter which the Spirit was before the Letter was Pr. He saith That the time of perfection will be when Christ comes from heaven and not before till then the Saints must be warring waiting groaning and mourning c. See page 20. Ans And David saith he had seen an end of all perfection contrary to Collier And the Apostle saith they should hunger no more nor thirst no more And Christ saith He that eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood shall hunger no more and thirst no more He that believeth is entered into his rest shall hunger no more and thirst no more And the Apostles and Saints witnessed Christ in them and the Kingdome while they were upon earth and
and have overcome them but the Lamb and the Saints shall get the victory Pr. And thou tels us of a Creed and Catholique Faith commonly called the Apostles Creed which except a man believe this Creed and Catholique Faith he cannot be saved c. See page 16. Ans Who taught thee all this language Where did the Apostles teach thee any such things as the Catholique Creed The Apostle teacheth us no such things as a Catholique Creed didst thou not learn this of the Pope who apostatized from the Apostles And the twelve Apostles taught thee no such Doctrine as the Catholique Creed and thou saith they signed it Nay the Pope signs thee that Creed and the Sacraments the Pope signes thee that And we are come to the foundation of God which was before the Pope was and we gad not Thou shouldst not tell lies to say they gad that come unto God the Elect of God Gods Elect and Christ the light is the salvation before thee and the Pope was Pr. And thou saith Doth any forsake the Ministry to follow a new light c See page 17. Ans That Ministry that doth deny the Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world as this gadding Tribe of Ministers and Professors have done since the dayes of the Apostle and do so by denying the Light they deny the foundation of God The Light we own which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall which is the foundation of God and them deny to be any Ministers of Christ that denies the Light that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world and his Ministers we own Pr. And thou saith do not forsake the Temple and truth of God to follow the bleating of Jeroboams calves in Dan and Bethel c. Ans Now whither art thou gadded Art not thou gadded in this from the Apostles Doctrine to the Temple which the Apostles brought the people off from where is thy light now How ownes thou Christ who keepes people to the Temple and tels them of Jeroboams Calves in Dan and Bethel where is there any people gadding thither whether hast thou not lost thy reason and sobrietie to publish thy madness to the Nation And did not Christ say the Temple should be thrown down Mat. 24. And Stephen witnessed against it and was stoned to death and thou art calling people to it and your Popish Masse house which you call your Temple you have set up since the dayes of the Apostles is like unto the Idol set up at Dan and Bethel Pr. And he saith your Ancient Divines are them that have entered in at the door c. See pag. 20. Ans How can you and your Ancient Divines enter in at the door when you deny the Light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world which is Christ the Door Therefore it makes you to gad up and down without light in the dark Now is the stone fallen upon you and the rock you are splitting your selves against it Now shall the Saints know the Song of the Lamb rejoycing over the Beast and the false Prophets Pr. He saith the written word the ingrafted is able to save the soul c. See pag. 21. Ans The Ingrafted word is able to save the soul but the letter the written words are not The Pharisees had the written words but stood against the Saviour of the Soul And how art thou gadded here in thy Judgement how art thou like to own the word that saves the Soul when thou denies the Light Pr. He is stirring up the Magistrate to persecute his own mouth condemns him who pretends love c. Ans And thou that gads abroad in thy mind to stir up the Magistrate to prosecute art not in the life of the Apostles nor Christ but in the Spirit of the false Prophets and Antichrists and one in that which all persecutors come from out of the truth Pr. Again thou saith we ought not to Judge c. See pag. 23. Ans Let all people that read thy Gadding tribe see if thou doth not Judge and so comes under Judgement by thy own words And the time was come to the Apostles when they went on to the eternall Judgement which we own But this is not for such as are crying up Temples and Persecutors nor stumbling at the Light your measures are all too short of your whole gadding tribe that be from the light that every man is enlightened withall that comes into the world Pr. Again thou saith the Apostles was to call the Ministers of Christ mediately and the Immediate call from God is not enough c. See pag. 24. Ans So thou hath set up the Mediate before the immediate and judgeth the immediate and not sufficient But thou art corrected by the Scriptures and the Apostle corrects thee who saith I have not received it of man nor by man and bad others look at Jesus the Author of their faith And the Apostle doth not say that they was to call men mediately he doth not teach such Doctrine that their Ministers was called mediatly nor send them forth so but it is thou that art gaded from the Counsel of God and the Apostle confutes thee who said he was not of men nor by men and all that went forth from the Apostles went forth by the immediate power of God who was the Church of God and by the power of that But you are the mediate fallen from the Apostle and made by the will of men But now with the immediate you are all comprehended Pr. And thou brings many Scriptures to oppose Christs commands and the Apostles Doctrine which saith be ye not of men called master c. See pag. 28. For thâ—â—â— saith Christ doth not mean as he speaks for thou saith the meaning is not that it is unlawful to be called master Ans Here thou shewes whither thou art gadded one that teacheth to break Christs commands But the wo that is denounced in the same Chapter where the command is belonges to thee So an Antichrist that teacheth to deny Christs commands and dispiseth his Authority And one that calls him Lord but doth not the thing that he commands but it is not such that enters into the Kingdom of God and this thou shalt witness at last when thy words falls heavy upon thee Joshua Millers Booke called Antichrist in man the greatest Idol Which is a fit Title for himself who cals that Antichrist and Mistery of Babylon that justifies within Contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who saith we are Justified by faith in Christ Jesus which is in the heart As for the rest of his slanders and Lies in his book they are not worth mentioning but these that follows Pr. ANd he cals them devout men that denyed the light that hath enlightened every man that cometh into the word c. He saith the Quakers are the most saddest and deplorable Spectacles of revolted Professors that ever I heard or read of since
that do good that beholds by faith And so what is not of faith is sinne Pr. He saith He is in heavenly places and yet in the shadow of death with the earthly See page 38. Answ He that is in heavenly places is in Christ Jesus a new creature And he that believeth in the light shall not abide in darknesse so comes out of shadows And he that believeth abideth not in the condemnation and so comes out of the shadow of death though they have sate in the shadow of death before belief and comes out of the earth and so hast proved thy self not a true believer which comes out of the shadows and death Pr. He saith To purifie the members as reckoning it our redemption our righteousnesse all such purity is sin blindness and idolatry page 40. Ans And the Apostle calls Christ our redemption and our sanctification and our righteousnesse and so we can truly say Christ is ours and no idolaters And them that cannot say Christ is their sanctification redemption righteousness and mortification is in the idolizing and sin Pr. He saith The way to attain the spirit of Christ is not by waiting on the light within c. see page 52. Answ Christ saith believe in the light that ye way be children of the light and he that is a child of the light cometh to the birth born of the spirit And Christ doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world And as many as received him he gave them power to become the sons of God And none hears faith but who hears the light within which is Christ within who is the Author of it by which the spirit is received Pr. He saith That doctrine or spirit that calls to the Light within doth but build up the worship of the world c. page 53. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who said The light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Christ Jesus And Christ saith they that worship God must worship him in truth And he is the light and he is the truth that doth enlighteth every man that comes into the world and this throws down all the worship of the world And I say none comes out of the worships of the world and the doctrines of the world but who comes to the light wherewith Christ hath enlightned every man c. that shines in the darkness and the darknesse comprehends it not Pr. He saith To believe in God as in the Light within men redeeming from sin is to deny the witnesse of the Son and have neither Son nor Father c. page 54. Ans Which I say none owns the witnesse of the Son but who owns the Light which comes from the Son with which he is enlightned Nor none knows the Father nor the Son nor receives them but who receives the light which Christ the Son hath enlightned them withall nor knows God to be a Saviour but by the Light within Pr. He saith They that seeke for righteousnesse by obedience to the light within differs nothing from the Jewes but onely in the copies of the Law c. See page 56. Ans None sees the obedience of Christ the second Adam the end of the Law and copies of it but with the Light within which comes from Christ Jesus that brings in righteousness and ends sin and transgression who is the end of the righteous Law with which light man sees the weakness and unprofitableness of it and the types and the shadows of it which Christ is known in the light within who ends it Pr He saith To rest in hope that I am saved from sin and wrath by the blood of Christ the head and while conscience condemns for sin this is to hope against hope c. See page 57. Ans Such as are saved from the wrath by Christ the head and his blood they are saved from their sins And then they that are saved from their sins how can conscience condemn for sin and the wrath come upon them for sin and they that are saved from the wrath they are saved from their sins But where conscience doth condemn for sin there is wrath and he cannot witnesse a cleansing nor salvation wrought out nor saved from sin but is in the false hope and not in the true hope which goes against hope for the true hope is Christ within Pr. Whereas thou speaks of Christs working and giving an example c. page 67. Ans Yet thou and the rest are offended at those people that are called Quakers who say Christ was their example And so ye can allow what ye speak your selves but if another speak the same words it is an offence to you Pr. He saith Such as preach redemption by the light in every man are not of God c. See pag. 70. Ans The redemption of Christ the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And every man that cometh into the world that seeth his redemption it is by the light which he that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world hath enlightned him with which is Christ the Redeemer the Saviour the second Adam the way to the Father who shall make every tongue to confess him to the glory of God but thou that hates the light art condemned Pr. He saith Not the light in every man but the words of the Prophets and Apostles is that which leads to the Lord Jesus c. See Page 82. Ans Many may have the words of the Prophets and the Apostles but none comes to that which leads to the Lord Jesus but who comes into the light and life that the Prophets and Apostles was in which Christ Jesus is the end of who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Therefore every man that cometh into the world must come to the light which Christ hath enlightned him withal before he come to the end of the Prophets and the Apostles Christ Jesus the Lord of life and glory Pr. He saith The Scriptures are the image of Christ and he that seeks for God out of the humanity of Christ he shall lose both God and himself c. See pag. 82. Answ The Scriptures are writings and the writings will not endure for ever and the image of Christ is the image of God And all who be in the life that gave forth Scriptures be in the image of Christ which was afore Scripture was and all that have the Scriptures out of the life that gave them forth they have not the image And he that is out of the truth may have the Scriptures but he is out of the image all are who be out of the truth but who be in the truth be in the image And God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe And who knows the Son knows the Father And he that hath found the Son hath found the Father also And he that seeks after God out of Christ shall
from them And is it not blasphemy for you to speak and preach that which ye have not received from heaven so ye have brought your selves under the curse and shewed another Gospel For whosoever receiveth the Gospel which is called the power of God it is immediate and by immediate revelation from God from heaven And so your Gospel which is of men and after men is another not the power of God received from God for whosoever receiveth the Gospel the power of God must receive it immediately for the power of God is immediate and that is the glad tidings to poor souls that sets the souls free which is immediate Pr. He saith We claim Tythes not by the Law of God but by the Law of the Land and Tythes seems to be Christs wages and Melchisedeck still liveth to receive Tythes in Christ c. Answ Christ is come the everlasting Priest-hood who ends the true commandement that gave tythes and the Priests that took them which ends in him Melchisedeck that received tythes of Abraham of whom Christ came according to the flesh And so Christ doth not any where to his Disciples who ended the true command that gave tythes give forth his Disciples an order to set up another Law in the Nations to give them tythes the tythes of mens estates and so you are none of the Order of Melchisedeck never come thither but of the order of them which Christ said should come who are inwardly ravened which John saw was come went forth from them the false spirit that went forth into the world into the earth and so ye have set up Tythes and Temples and Schools and Priests by the Popes authority Had yee not your Spiritual Courts not long since And was not the Pope the first author of your Tythes And are not you of that Order far off of that spirit that leads after the Order of Melchisedeck for ye are ravened from the spirit For none comes to the Priesthood after the Order of Melchisedeck but who comes to the spirit of Christ and these are Kings and Priests to God for ever So ye have received your Tythes after the order of that spirit that went forth from the Apostles into the world into the earth that inwardly ravened and went forth from the Apostles which the world have been after since the dayes of the Apostles and have had the sheeps cloathing but ravened and devoured the Lambs and worried the sheep Ministers Prophets and Saints So your Order will all men comprehend that be of the royall Priest-hood after the order of Melchizedeck to be come of the Popes stock for the Apostles and Christ did not set up Tythes Pr. He saith Baptisme comes in in the room of Circumcision and it is called the circumcision of Christ Again he saith that thee and thou is a custome So if any man be contentious we have no such custome in the Church of God Ans Circumcision is no where said to be a type of sprinkling Infants and that sprinkling Infants is no where said to be the circumcision of Christ But the circumcision without of men was a type of the circumcision within And that the Apostle witnessed the fulfilling of it in the spirit and so denies the outward And the baptisme of John was a type of that within And you to a particular which is your custome which the Scripture doth not declare to us that that custom was in the Church of God But the Apostle bid them keep to the form of sound words that could not be condemned Now you to a particular is not a found word as they can tell that have but read either the Bible or Accidence And there is no Heathenish customes comes into the Church of God that will spot or wrinkle it nor nothing cometh into it that is the pillar and ground of Truth that will be condemned Pr. And he tells us of a word Trinity And he saith the onely ordinary way to know Jesus Christ is outward Revelation and to attain to the knowledge of Christ is by the Scriptures and he may be a Minister of Christ though he be partly out of Christs doctrine and though he be called of men Master He saith the Scripture tells us plainly that Baptisme is a Christians circumcision Again He that saith that light which is in every man is sufficient to discover and lead men to Christ is under the darkness of his own fancy having so far left the true light the word of God Answ The light in every man which Christ hath enlightned him withall loving it and walking in it it is sufficient to discover Christ and salvation and they that be out of that be in the darknesse and fancy And as for the word Trinity that comes from the old stock the Pope the Scripture teacheth us no such word And none can know Christ by the Scriptures they testifie of him but none can know Christ but by Revelation flesh and blood had not revealed it to Peter and the Son was revealed in the Apostle and none can preach Christ that deny revelation in truth and they that are Ministers of Christ they be in his doctrine For when they are out of his Doctrine and his commands then they are wrong Ministers which ministers not for Christ but they preach themselves and are Antichrists transgressors And the Scripture doth not tell any where that Baptisme is a Christians circumcision as sprinkling Infants but Circumcision in the spirit and Baptisme in the spirit is all one in which the oâ—â—ward ends And as for all thy other silly expressions published to the Nation it bad been better thou had kept silent and all of you then to have published your shame to the Nation But your folly you must bring forth to make it manifest to all men whose eyes are opening Are not you in the Devils snare who are out of the discerning For you cannot tell what to bring people into alack for you who are hung about with rags and are not covered with the spirit of the Lord but are all from that which we are in and so hast kept people in darknesse and not turned them to the light being all ravened from it and so think there is life in the Scriptures which testifie of the life So I say search it and see if it do not testifie of the life And every one of your words that ye have all spoken that have not been from the life shall be your burthen the witnesse in thee shall answer it Thomas Weld Richard Prideaux Samuel Hammond William Coale and William Durant Ministers in Newcastle Their Booke called The perfect PHARISEE Their Principles as followeth Pr. THey say If they shall say that every man hath the knowledge of Christ by speciall revelation and that immediate by the spirit that which it quite contrary to the common knowledge of thousands Ans All that ever come to know Christ you and all the people upon the Earth it must be
Again if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us if we say we have not sinned we make him a lyar page 89. Ans The Saints are in Christ and God and at the dissolving of the earthly or sin they do not bid all the Saints farewell for then they come into unitie with them with the Elect. And John doth shew there was a time to see they had sinned and a time to see they had sin and a time to confesse it and forsake it and a time to witness the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse from all sin a time to witnesse the birth of God born which doth not commit sin and the seed of God remaining in them that the wicked one could not touch them Pr. He saith the Saints are neither in the fulness of the Godhead nor part away with this Blasphemy that saith this is c. page 92. Ans The work of the Ministry was to bring people to the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the unity of the faith to the measure and stature of the fulness of Christ and Christ will dwell in the Saints and God will dwell in them and thou saith they have no part of the fulness of the Godhead and John saith of his fulness have we all received in whom dwells the Godhead bodily And ye be all in the Blasphemy that be out of this part of the fulness Pr. He saith the Quakers knowes a man whether he be a Saint or a Divel as soon as they see him or hear him speak or act and they are beyond all our forefathers And the Apostle saith what man knoweth the things of a man saving the spirit of a man that is in him so we are not as Christ in this respect and thou saith thou art as Christ in this present world and no man can be without sin in this house of clay and saith I was shapen in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me and my flesh is sins free-hold c. page 94. 95. Ans Here thou hast shewed that the Quakers have a spirit given to them beyond all the forefathers which we do witness since the days of the Apostles in the apostacy And they can discern who are Saints who are Divels who are apostates without speaking ever a word they that be in the power the life of truth And the natural man knows not the things that be in another man but with the spirit within him may know what is in himself but the spiritual man searcheth all things yea the deep things of God Here thou hast made no distinction betwixt the spiritual and natural And as Christ is so are we in this present world and where Christ is manifest he destroyes the sin in the flesh where they come to be as he is they come to be above clay and mortal and fading and so the flesh comes to be put off which thou calls sins free-hold and the body of it and cometh to be made free from the Law by the body of Christ and this the Saints witnessed while they were on earth And the creature comes into the liberty of the Sons of God And as thou was born in iniquity thou shewes thou was born in the unregeneration there was some sanctified from the womb there is some children clean who are believers he that can receive it let him so thou art an ignorant man not able to divide the word aright nor canst Minister unto the people not knowing the condition they be in unless they tell thee and so apostatized from the Apostles and not Ministers of the spirit that Ministers to the spirit for could not the Apostles Preach and speak to the Jewes and Gentiles unless they come and told them what condition they were in or did all the Jewes and Gentiles come and tell the Apostles what condition they were in before they Preacht to them Pr. He saith the Light in man is imperfect a weak faint light page 97. Again the light in the Gentiles is called a natural light page 88. Ans The light that every man hath that cometh into the world is not an Imperfect light a weak or faint light or natural light but who are weak go from it and faint and hate it and dispiseth it as Esau and run into the earth And who believe in it have the light of life and receives it becomes the Sons of God And the light in the Gentiles which brought them to do the Law was spiritual not natural which the Apostle sets up to be the Circumcision and the Jew inward and throwes out the Jew outward and Circumcision both and this he brings to have the praise of God which the Jewes had not in the outward and this makes the Jew no Jew and their Circumcision no Circumcision and Judged them And all professors upon the earth that be from that that doth the Law in the heart and the Jew inward you be from that who stands against the Light of Christ that doth enlighten c. Pr. He saith If an hypocrite reign his power is of God and Saints are to yield to the power and it must be honoured and have obedience from the Saints Page 101. And so they that call them corrupt Magistrates are the filthy dreamers that Jude speaks of Pag. 102. Answ Such as are turned into corruption and are hypocrites they are gone from the higher power which the soul should be subject to and it s gone over them and so for the Lords sake the Saints cannot be subject to that power but that power that brings down the hypocrisie and the corruptions in Magistrates and as they come to be clothed with the power of God they are able to put a difference betwixt the precious and the vile and that they own those are a praise to them that do well The Jewes of old time could not obey the heathen Magistrates bow to their gods that feared God that lived in the Law of God nor to their Commands nor their power nor authority nor the Apostles could not bow to the Authority of the Jewes to their ordinances their power that held them up which Christ came to put an end to which was held up by Magistrates nor that among the Gentiles held up by Magistrates For Christ was come to reign who had all power in heaven and earth given to him And since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy the Saints cannot now bow to that which the Pope and Kings and Queens set up though they call it a Supream power that commands the things which who be in the power of God that destroyes that which defiles the flesh and the evil speaker and that is the dignity which the Saints own and live in and speakes not evil of but they do that transgresse the Spirit of God and goes from it as Jude speakes of therefore have the Martyrs and Saints and Prophets suffered since the dayes of the
became the Curse and tooke away the Curse who is the sanctification and brings the blessing and redemption by whom and through whom are many entered into the Paradise of God and have the right to the tree of Life And they are not come into this who are yet in the disobedience the unbeliever and lyar and reviler and whoremonger and Adulterer hates the light in the disobedience and cannot touch the tree of life for the sword turns every way upon them And as for all thy hard expressions and reviles in thy Book they come from the Disobedience over which the sword is that keeps it in awe over whom goes the higher power and that cannot touch nor taste of the tree of Life in the Paradice of God in the Ancient of Dayes thou shalt feel my words to be truth Robert Simpson Robert Parnell John Andrews Thomas Ewen Bryan Hanson and Richard Moon In their Book called The Church of Christ in BRISTOL recovering her VAILE Their Principles as followeth Answ It is a true word to you And that you are recovering the vaile more then the life and substance that takes away all vails as your Principles that follows in your Book makes it manifest Pr. YOu say Now the spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devels And also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things and draw many Disciples after them And they went out from us it is manifest they are not of us 1 John 2 c. Ans You have brought these words to shew your ignorance for the Apostles saw such as should depart from the faith and the false Prophets and Antichrists that Christ said should come John saw was come and went forth from them before the Apostles decease And they went forth from the Church and departed from the faith in which faith the Church had unity and this they apostatized from which since the dayes of the Apostles they have had the sheeps cloathing and so got up an imagined Church with a vail on it in the apostacy and these were they that drew Disciples after them which caused the way of truth to be evill spoken of and the seducing spirits and the doctrine of Devills have been up since the dayes of the Apostles which they saw come in before their decease and such went from the faith in which is the unity And thus they be in the enmity destroying one another persecuting one another prisoning one another about Religion and Church Doctrine and Scriptures and Christs and the Prophets and Apostles words which shew they be out of unity with God with the Scriptures and there you are and out of the faith that works by love by which they should heap coals of fire on the heads of all the adversaries And so this is the dawning of the day the ending of the night of apostacy you who be of the skirts of the great Whore are seen as you have manifested by your tale you have told to the world in your Booke who stiles your selves The Church of Christ which is made up by the Letter How want ye the life the Saints lived in that gave forth the Scriptures Oh! ye want the covering of the spirit of the Lord God And now are all your spirits and men departed from the Faith and false Prophets that should inwardly raven that Christ said should come that got the sheeps cloathing but inwardly ravening wolves whose fruits should declare them which John saw was come which went forth from them which led the world after them and the false Apostles and Satans Ministers and messengers which the Apostle saw come up before his decease These since the dayes of the Apostles have been the guides and leaders of the world and Teachers and gatherers of people into Names into Heads into Horns whereby one hath been against another that they have gathered people out of peoples and brought people to a head and not to Christ and yet all have professed themselves Christians So they have had the sheeps cloathing but inwardly ravened from the spirit of God and so have been Wolves cloathed with the sheeps cloathing tearing the Lambs to pieces yea and many Gaots and Beasts too sometimes which the fruits of this hath declared sufficiently since the dayes of the Apostles and in this Nation And these have deceived the world and have been the wrestlers against flesh and blood strikers at the Creature such as have departed from the faith ravened from the spirit went forth from the Apostles had sheeps cloathing such have been the Teachers and gatherers into Sects and Names and Heaps and every one will cry his Church his Church and all against the light which comes from Christ where the Church stands But now he is redeeming and recovering that which hath been lost since the dayes of the Apostles in this night of the Apostacy The light is come the night is gone the Lamb and the Saints are going on conquering and to conquer The Throne of the Lamb is set up and all those false Prophets Beasts Antichrists and mother of Harlots great Whore and Kings of the Earth and the Devill are making War against the Lamb and the Saints Now are all the Antichrists appearing and are in armes and rising against Christ and his light The Lamb is on the white Horse who slayes with his Sword which are the words of his mouth and the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory Glory in the highest and rejoyce ye holy Prophets over her Pr. They say The mysticall body may sometimes be subject to distempers and humours and wants page 1. Answ Are you Judges Can you judge of the mysticall body which the Saints are baptized into Is their humours wants and distempers in the body which the Saints are baptized into Is not the wants humours distempers in your body Do you here in this divide the word aright Distinguish things in the ground and speak aright of things and yet ye would not be judged and say Judge not and is not mysticall spirituall Pr. You say The Scriptures are the word of God Answ The Scripture saith it selfe the Word is God Christ whose name is called the Word of God and the Scriptures are words the words of God the words of Christ the Declaration which the Ministers of the Word set forth which words ends in Christ the Word who fulfills them And it is called the Scriptures of Truth which cannot be broken and so ye do not speak as the Church did that gave forth Scripture And the spirit of God was the rule that led them to speak forth the Scriptures which brings to know the right use of them again Pr. They say To call that light in every man Christ is to slight Christs glorious person in heaven and to nullifie it Ans In this have not you shewed your ignorance And to be them that went forth from the Apostles and
Christ come in the flesh and say the light within them is Christ when at the best it is but the light of nature And this is the spirit of errour and darknesse and their light is become darkness See page 63 64. 68. Ans The light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is Christ and none can confesse him in Truth nor see him nor lift him up as the Serpent was lifted up in the Wildernesse but who be in the Light which cometh from him And by this thou hast overthrown thy self for them that confesse the light in them to be Christ which Christ saith he is the light these doth not deny Christ come in the flesh And the Devill may confesse the Son of God and the Jewes may confesse him he is come as the Apostates confesse him he is come But none of all these knows him in the flesh confesse him come in the flesh or knows his flesh or the flesh of the Son of Man but who be in the Light that comes from him that doth enlighten every man c. which light was before any naturall created lights was made glorified with the father before the world began and in the light walking it leads into the day where there is no night which light is Christ the Covenant of God and such here cometh to know darknesse past Now I say neither Apostates nor Jewes whose cares were stopt eyes closed to that of God in them and the Apostates that are inwardly ravened having sheeps cloathing which are Babylon which are the Harlot who ravened inwardly from the spirit of God brought the world after them which was the mother of them all None of all these can confesse Christ come in the flesh but onely from the Letter for these knows not his flesh the Devill is out of the truth and truth is a top of him The Jewes eyes must be opened and their eares unstopt before they know his flesh The Apostates must come all to that which they have ravened from inwardly before they come to know Christs flesh and are of his flesh and eate his flesh and confesse that Christ come in the flesh who is the offering and the sacrifice of the whole world that makes the peace between God and man and perfects for ever them that are sanctified The top-stone layd a top of all sin and transgression Death Hell and Grave bruised the Serpents head Here is no Babylon nor here is no Antichrist and this the Quakers confesse with the Light within them And all upon the earth are Antichrists and knows not Christ not Christ come in the flesh that be from the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and owns not that but denies it And all Sects Bishops mother of Harlots Antichrists Popes Cardinals and Clergy Babylon Romish Whore which is gotten up since the dayes of the Apostle inwardly ravened having had the sheepes cloathing they are not like none of these that are ravened to own the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And so Babylon and so Harlots and so waters and so from the Rock Pr. And he saith the Whore will confesse Christ come in the flesh Satan transforming himself into an Angel of light he maketh the fountain of waters bitter the sweet promises the water of life which maker glad the City of God like wormwood and changeth the taste of them Page 72 74. Answ Antichrist the mother of harlots false prophets which went forth from the Apostles as in Johns Epistle These will confesse Christ come in the flesh as ye do and all Sects upon the earth else ye could not deceive the Nations but as ye get the sheepes cloathing So ye have brought the Nations tongues people Languages and multitudes to be like waters But these are the waters which now begins to grow bitter for neither the Devil nor Antichrist nor false prophets nor mother of harlots who are gone from the Truth and are inwardly ravened though they may have the sheeps cloathing they cannot touch the waters of life nor the fountain to make them waters better that makes glad the City of God For ye that inwardly ravened which got the sheepes cloathing are as the Devil which went out of the Truth get Scriptures and their confession of Christ is as his is which since the dayes of the Apostles the world hath been after them The inwardly raveners have gotten the Scriptures who are out of the Truth which the Devil who is out of the Truth the deceivers of the Nations And there the beast false prophets Antichrist mother of Harlots deceivers man of sin Devils messengers and Ministers damnable Heresies their tongues are waters their peoples are waters their Nations waters and multitudes waters all on heapes about Scriptures destroying one another about the prophets words the Apostles words Christs words Ministers maintenance Now the Devil the Beast false prophets and Antichrist is taken and mother of Harlots and cast in the Lake of fire and Babylon confounded and the everlasting Gospel shall be Preached to every Nation kindred tongue and people And as for all the rest of the stuffe in thy book thy pack of confusion Babylons children it will fall heavy upon thy self and be thy own burthen and presse thee under which in the day of thy Judgement thou shalt remember that I am a friend to all soules There is neither Jewes that professeth a Christ was to come nor Christians that professeth a Christ is come nor none upon the earth though ye have all the Scriptures knowes the flesh of Christ but who ownes the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world For the Jewes knew not the flesh of Christ though they had Scriptures but crucified him whose ears were stopt and eyes closed to that of God in them the Gentiles knew not the flesh of Christ who was astray from the life of God neither do those called Christians know the flesh of Christ who are inwardly ravened from the spirit of God in them though they have gotten all the sheepes clothing and talk Christ is come and died at Jerusalem as the Jewes could say of him to come and to be born at Bethlehem yet they could not confesse him come in the flesh nor did not know his flesh no more do these Christians know his flesh though they have all the form of godliness But who cometh to the seed Christ himself they know it in them then they shall know the one offering a top of all the worlds Sects for the sins of the whole world which none knowes the flesh of Christ nor Christ nor as God was in Christ but as every one comes to the light with which they are enlightened which who hate it knowes him not but it is your condemnation and that ye shall all feel at last So the one offering which is Christ is set over the whole world and his flesh the world knowes not nor
are reprobates for Christ is the righteousness of God and the sanctification and the justification of man from the Law and its works who stands between God and man So he is the redemption who Redeemes man out of the fall which he fell into and he doth sanctifie him and he doth justifie him and this is all found within and this not being found within he is reprobate And so none are saved but who witnesseth this within They have the letter the wolves the sheepes cloathing the ravenors inwardly from the Spirit of God and those are them that denyes it within Pr. He saith The spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking lies in hypocrisie having their consciences seared as with a hot Iron forbidding to marry and abstaining from divers meats Page 73. Ans Before the Apostles decease he saw these things come up and the spirit speakes this mark it speakes exprestly Now since the Apostles decease the things have been fulfilled the faith hath been departed from the unity among all Christians hath been lost in all Christendom on heapes have they all run destroying one another about the Scriptures Churches Ministry yea for maintenance from the spirit ye have departed to speak so out of the unity of it which is the bond of peace which should have kept peace in all Christendom and all the Professors of Christ it should have kept them in peace and in it is the unity From that ye have ravened you and the Papists and all Sects upon the earth So some forbiding of meats and forbiding to marry whose consciences are feared as with a hot iron The Devils Doctrine speaking lies in hypocrisie and giving heed to seducing spirits you are the spirits that inwardly ravened from the Spirit of God that deny immediate Revelation and hearing the voice of God immediately these are the seducing spirits and keepes all people in the burning and heating lusts from the marriage of the Lamb all the seducing spirits doth that deny Revelation immediate inspiration hearing the voyce of God immediately from heaven now as ever And therefore their fruits declares they are burning one against another destroying one another about their Religion and Ministry their consciences seared as with a hot iron tenderness lost and gone destroying people and casting into prison for their bellies for maintenance for Tythes So ye have got up your Church which was a Mass-house and Tythes and sprinkling Infants who have had the time of compelling others to worship But the day is breaking the light is springing life is rising and glory is appearing your Torment is coming and you can be no longer hid Pr. He saith Beware of false prophets there shall be false prophets among the people which shall bring in damnable heresies denying the Lord that bought them bringing upon themselves swift destruction and many shall follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these resist the Truth but they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be made manifest to all men as theirs was Answ Christ said Antichrist should come false prophets should arise to his Apostles before their decease they saw they was come as Peter and John declares already in the world whereby they knew it was the last time and they went forth from them the Apostles and in the Revelations the whole world went after them that the Nations come to be like waters and the peoples waters and their tongues waters and multitudes waters so many followed their pernicious wayes by whom the way of truth hath been evil spoken of by you and them both And they brought up the damnable Heresie and are as Jannes and Jambres being men of corrupt minds and are Reprobates concerning the faith But they shall proceed no further for now is their folly made manifest and shall be made manifest to all men Doth not the very heathens cry out against Christendom of the hardness of their hearts and of their unrighteous dealings of their actions and causeth the way of truth to be spoken of by you that are called Christians Is not the damnable Heresie among you Are not you run into all heathenish wayes to set up Temples and Tythes and Priests and Schooles and Colledges and never heard the voyce of God as ye confesse as may be seen in this book Is not all this trumpery and trash come up and fables among the Papists and you since the dayes of the Apostles And do not you deny the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world The grace of God which brings salvation which hath appeared unto all men to bring every man to a teacher And doth any one know the Lord that bought them but who owns the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Doth not all deny the Lord that bought them that doth deny the light Doth any see the Lord and his blood that bought them and purchased them but with the light that cometh from him And are not you all as Jannes and Jambres that withstood Moses to have kept the people in Egypt Are not you all denying the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world And was not all them that inwardly ravened got the sheeps cloathing which Christ said should come which the Apostles saw was come went forth from them the whole world went after are not all these in the witchcraft Sorcery Inchantment Negromancy wizards familiar spirits witches that doth deny the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world Hath not Babylon the mother of Harlots Beast false Prophet unclean spirits Dragon and Antichrists and deceivers all these been up since the dayes of the Apostles And the great whore that deceives the Nations drest with the sheepes cloathing and hath not this been the mystery of Iniquity which hath ruled since the dayes of the Apostles That cryes prophesie is ceased and slayes the Prophets and none can keep the commands of God and made War against them that keep the commands of God and calls the Scriptures the testimony and the Law and makes War against them that have the Law in their hearts and the spirit of prophesie and hast not thou manifested thy self to be of this number and of the stock of the great whore that hath drunk the blood of the Saints and Martyrs and the Prophets Pr. Art not thou crying to Magistrates Help stop the mouths of Blasphemers In page 23. And stirring up the zeal of the Magistrates and shewing them the zeal of the Jewes Magistrates how they did tear their clothes off at blasphemers in thy page 31. And saith thou could rejoyce that they would breath such an ayre throughout all the English Quarters and wouldst not that the Quakers should have Countenance from the Magistrates Answ Now thou hast made
the Law of God the types and shadowes and figures which they was to rest on a sign of rest But when Christ came who gives rest to the day from the inward burden that men were bound the Apostle that Preached him who was the body Preached the end of the shadowes types and figures that took off the nature which caused the oppression and transgression and so the Disciples which was in the rest Christ in the body they was in the sanctification and the Apostle no where speaks that the Disciples did sanctifie the seventh day and bid people do it but thou dost not sanctifie the seventh day that bids people make a fire and so art a breaker of it and Preaches up that people should break that which thou affirms should be kept holy Pr. Thou sayes there 's already many signes of displeasure upon Sabbath breakers against the Oracle of God labouring wtih all their might against it in the Birth upon Quakers yea the Galileans were great sinners but I tell thee except you repent ye shall all likewise perish and thou compares them to the sow wallowing in the mire that goes from the Sabbath of the Lord. Ans This thou mightest turn upon the Apostles who brought the people off from types figures signes and shadowes to the body Christ and to the end of the Law and told them all things must become new Mark all things become new what wouldst hold up any old thing what a new Sabbath then and hath the Quakers been persecuted as thou cals examples and signes for witnessing the body Christ is he persecuted They go in the wallowing mire like swine and like the Prodigal feeding upon the husk as goes into the signes and shadowes and from the body Christ the life the substance and comes not to the rest the body and holds not the head and so they satisfie the flesh and runs into the mire and wallowes there and are satisfying it and such are the intruders worshipping Angels will worshippers without the body Pr. Thou sayes the seventh day is a perpetual royal rest established by precept and president for Gods praise and Saints priviledge the unchangeableness of the seventh day Sabbath Ans It was so to the Jewes in their generation perpetual to them in the generation where they was and so was circumcision and so was the offerings but Christ by whom the world was made came to end the offerings who is the rest to weary souls and takes of all burdens is the everlasting rest and restores the creation and ends the Jewish signes given as a sign and shadow of the body Christ him by whom the world was made before it was made and so he changes the covenant and Priesthood ends the Law ends the shadowes the body Christ who believes in him are entered into his rest and there 's the Saints priviledge Pr. Thou sayes when will the the new Moons be gone that we may sell corn and the Sabbath day that we may set forth wheat All the Discipline of the Gospel cals for self-deniall as this weekly duty of the holy Sabbath The Christian complains for want of spiritual injoyments with Christ and acquaintance with Christ the Sabbath opens the door of the Holy of Holies and is as a spring of the spiritual joyes Ans In the time of the Law and Prophets they was crying up new Moons and Sabbathes which were shadowes types and signes But the Saints denyed themselves and was come to the body and did not set up weekly duties of the Holy Sabbath but said they were shadowes and came to see the end of Sabbathes and new Moons and witnessed the body Christ before the day was made in whom is the rest and the Christian complaining for want of spiritual enjoyments and acquaintance with Christ are such that is among thee that is in the shadowes and come not to the body Christ in whom there 's Communion and life for the body is the light of the world the body is the life given for the life of the world in whom there is rest yea to them that had the true Sabbath which was the sign which they was to rest on a sign a shadow is of something that is to come therefore the sign and shadow is not the thing and they that lives upon the sign and shadow and cryes up them keepes from the door of Holies where all the springs of Spiritual Joyes are in which all the signes and shadowes and types and figures ended in Christ before they was in Christ by whom the world was made before shadowes and types was And a great deal more confusion is there in thy book not worthy mentioning but will fall into the mire and the dirt with thy self therefore now thou hast time prize it and give over deceiving the people for thou art wallowing in the mire thou speakes of and would bring people thither into the shadowes from Christ the body the substance and Life John Burton and John Bunian cals themselves Ministers of the Gospel in their Booke called Some Gospel truthes opened Their Principles are as Followeth Pr. THey say To witness Christ manifest in our flesh is to deny Christ come in the flesh and saith that Christ saith he shall be absent from his Apostles touching his body Ans Contrary to Christ who said that they might eat his flesh and contrary to the Apostle who said that they were of his flesh and bone so they do not divide the word aright and to witness Christ within is not to deny him come in the flesh but to witness him and such are not absent from him Pr. And they say Others have been depending upon something that they call the righteousnesse of Christ within and Christ within them and this they say is opposite to Christ without and this they call the spirit of the Devill Ans Which is not agreeable to the Apostles doctrine but contrary to the Apostle who said he was manifest in his flesh to condemn sin in the flesh that he through him might become the righteousnesse of God and this is not opposite to Christ that dyed at Jerusalem but it is the same that 's manifest and not the spirit of the Devill but that which destroys him For the Devil and Reprobates may talk of him without but the Apostle said that Jesus Christ was in them that 's the Emanuel God with us except they be reprobates and none knows righteousnesse but within Pr. And they say This is one of the Devills lyes to deceive to bid people follow the light Answ That 's contrary to the Prophets Christ and the Apostles who bids them walk in the light and Christ who bids them believe in the light And I will give him for a Covenant of light a leader of the people And Christ said I am the light he that followeth me shall not walke in darknesse but shall have the light of life And that 's the Devill and the Lyar that leads people from the Light
your order and Gospel since the dayes of the Apostles who are such as Christ said should come inwardly ravening forth from the Spirit of God and have got sheepes cloathing which since the dayes of the Apostles they have walked after you who have deceived the world and Nations But we see that the false Ministers the worshippers of the Beast Antichrist and the deceivers among whom is the Devil to deceive is now taken with the false prophets the Beast and Antichrist the Mother of Harlots and confounded and cast into the lake of fire and the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory And the Gospel is immediate and he is cursed that Preacheth another the word I say is immediate it lives abides and endures for ever and the Ministers that are in the spirit are immediate and these are furnished with the mysteries of the Gospel and their calling is immediate and the Overseers of the Church which the Holy-Ghost makes are immediate and all that be in the life that gave forth Scripture which nones knowes the Scriptures but by it they are all immediate that which doth convince of sin is immediate But now your mediate Calls your mediate Ministry and Overseers knowledge Word Gospel and people Church are mediate we do believe you all this is so amongst you since the dayes of the Apostasie from the Apostles Doctrine power life and spirit which they were in with which ye are judged and who are in the life they are in that gave forth Scriptures which you are ravened from and are not like to talk of immediate Pr. The Scripture is the Word and the Rule Answ The Scriptures are the Words of God and Christ is the Word in whom they end and the Word of God is the end which fulfills all Scriptures which came to the Prophets which the Apostles Preached which they discerned and spoke forth the words and the fulfilling of the words which the Scriptures of truth cannot be broken but fulfilled by Christ the word and the spirit is the rule that gave forth Scriptures and that led the Saints into all â—ruth Pr. Thomas Castel went naked in the streets of Kendal and Thomas Holmes of Kirkby Steven Answ This hath been a figure of your nakedness who are Egypt spiritual and the Ethiopian black and the Prophet Esaiah did not put off all his clothes say they conrary to the Prophets words and he was to go among all the transgressors in Ethiopia and Egypt a figure of their nakednesse so since the dayes of the Apostles and the Apostasie ye have gone from the spirit of God inwardly ravening from that ye have wanted the cloathing with the spirit ye have had only the outside the sheepes cloathing but have been naked of the life such the Lord hath moved his servants to give a true sign amongst you and not a lying who have their cloathing of the spirit which ye want which ye shall witness the truth of the Lord God in the signe if ever ye come into the true cloathing of the spirit of God Pr. And ye say Christ did not mean as he speak when he said be not ye called of men Masters Answ Which shewes they are none of his Ministers which trample upon his Commandments and teach people that it is lawful to break them shewing the lawfulness of them to be called of men Masters so as for their calling of men Masters standing praying in the Synagogues their long robes salutations their Tythes and their Pulpits these are the works of the perfect Pharisees which all people may look upon their fruits their works and practices and see the very image and that they have their very garments and places according to their condition fruits and works and as for all the rest of their hard speeches lies slanders villifyings and railings which they have poisoned people withall will be their own burthen and fall heavy upon them and turn upon their own heads Their way is compassed their bounds is set and their limits and in this the day of their accompt every one shall feel his words to be his burthen And their patience had been better then to have uttered forth their folly and published it to the Nation But the day is come that tries every mans work and a witness is rising in people the morning is broak the Sun is rising the day-Star is risen that lies people do not make their refuge neither do feed upon them nor upon any thing but what comes from God but the living bread that comes from God above which who eats of it lives for ever Many have their bread and their water that hunger no more nor thirst no more The Worcestershire Petition to the PARLIAMENT which are said to be six thousand Pr. HE hath made a Law commanding all people to whom we Preach the Gospel to allow us a sufficient maintenance that we may not be hindered from or in his work Answ The Scriptures and the Apostles did not speak of any such thing that Christ did make a Law for them commanding all the world to whom they Preached to allow them a sufficient maintenance that they might not be hindred from or in their work What! will maintenance hinder them if they have it not was not this the command of Christ to give freely as they from him had received freely and then if any set meat before them they might eat it But if this Law commanding all the world a sufficient maintenance and allowance to the Apostles and Disciples had been first which they might have been sure of maintenance this had been the way to have clogged the the peoples minds have brought them into trouble which the Gospel was otherways glad tidings but if the Apostles had not Preached to the world without this law which ye speak of wâ—ich commands all the world to give them sufficient maintenance what a condition would all people have been in But they that had received freely was to give freely so you have manifested your spirits to be the deceivers of the people for means That ever 6000 people should say he made a Law commanding all the world to whom they Preach the Gospel to allow them sufficient maintenance When Christ saith they were to Preach as they went as the disciples went and they were to Preach if they did not receive them and they were to go into all Nations yet the Apostles did not plead a Law where they came that they were all to maintain them no they were in fasting often and would not use their power to eat among many people though they had power yet they would not use it and so the maintenance did not hinder the Apostles from their work for they Preached often in fastings and sometimes their own friends communicated to them when they were up and down among the heathen in other Nations Preaching the Apostles did not plead a Law to the Nations whom they Preached to and thus they brought glad tidings keeping
to the house of Israel and Judah which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world a leader of the people a leader of them from death to life to God out of the fall the first man Adam a bringer in of righteousnesse peace and joy and truth and grace to all that believe and receive him but them that hate the light it is their condemnation The light Christ the Covenant of God is the leader of the People out of the fall out of all deceit unto God and it is sufficient It is the end of the Prophets and the Apostles teaching the fountain of life in which every one sees life Pr. Hath every man a light sufficient to bring him to God when none comes to God but by Christ If there be a light sufficient within for the enjoyment of life For direction to the Father the fountain of life the holy Ghost saith Ye shall teach no more every man his neighbour ye need not that any man teach you He doth not speake absolutely and strictly Answ Jewes and Gentiles who witnesse the new Covenant of God promised the Law in their hearts it is absolute they need not say to one another Know the Lord in the Covenant of life and peace with God in him by whom the world was made before it was made But they that have these words in a form are they that set to themselves heaps of Teachers And the teachings of the Apostles to all Nations were Ambassadors of this Covenant declaring the substance to the bringing of people off all Teachers that they needed not be taught by any man to know the Lord and the light Christ which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world is sufficient to guide to eternall life and he that believeth in it shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life and shall come out of condemnation and he that hates it abides in darknesse and knoweth not whether he goes And it is sufficient to let every man see his salvation For I will give him for a covenant of light saith God he shall be my salvation to the ends of the earth the Covenant of light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Pr. What Christ and the Apostles saith swear not at all neither by heaven or earth or any other oath They did not mean as they spoke but that men should swear and they did not speak against all swearing And the Quakers may blush for it is as if God should speak as he meant by Moses in the Law Answ Christ and the Apostles meant as they spoke to what state and condition they spoke the words was truth to that state if it was by parables or patterns or figures Now Christ being the end of Oaths and Types saith Swear not at all who is the Covenant of God the end of the Prophets of Abraham of David of Solomon of Jacob of Joseph Oaths and swearing and Angels which must bow to him who sâ—ith swear not at all And the Apostles preached this Covenant this Oath of God Christ Jesus and the Apostle that was in the Doctrine of Christ bid them above all things my brethren swear not at all but in all your communication let your yea be yea your nay nay for whatsoever is more cometh of evill And they spoke as they meant for they came into condemnation that broke the doctrine of Christ Now Apostates and Hypocrites and false Brethren may swear that be out of the light the Covenant of God that have the form of godlinesse and denies the power and such be Antichrists against his doctrine and wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction and say that Christ and God and the Apostles did not mean as they spoke which God did mean as he spoke when he spake to Abraham And Christ meant as he spoke when he said swear not at all And the Apostle meant as he spake my brethren above all things swear not at all Pr. We are Ministers under the new Covenant and have the allowance of the Gospel and the tythes being onely designed unto us we may with a good conscience take it And the tythes are not in themselves Ceremoniall Abraham paid tythes to Melchisedeck If there be not a maintenance setled out to the Ministery we know we cannot subsist to do service to their soules without a worldly support a sufficient maintenance They call us greedy dogs because nursing Fathers and Mothers have provided for our nourishment a maintenance for us To work or to beg are two straits whereof the world might be ashamed but especially the Saints Answ The world would not be ashamed nor the Saints to see you work who have taken the peoples bread for whom you do no work and the Saints do witness against you The Prophets Christ and the Apostles declares such to be greedy dogs that can never have enough And Christ came to put an end to tythes before the Law to Tythes in the Law to a Priest-hood made by the Law which had a command to take Tythes who is a Priest-hood for ever after the order of Melchisedeck who was the similitude and likenesse and not after the order of Aaron who continues a Priest for ever And so when the first Priest-hood was ended Tythes and all ended and the command that gave them and the Priest-hood and the Law which was made when Christ reigns over the house of Jacob who asore Abraham was I am that Abraham paid tythes too the similitude and likenesse which Christ is the end of here the Rock and the substance This is my beloved Son hear him saith God who was in the bosome of the Father So they that know him come to preach the Gospel and live of the Gospell who breaks down the earthly part and opens the hearts of people who breaks down the earthly part and reaches to the seed And as for your nursing Fathers and Mothers such as give you maintenance else you could not continue your Ministery without a worldly support That is it which hath held you up long and who are fain to fly to the old worship among whom the Tenths were payd and so roving up and down in sheeps cloathing for your owne ends to get maintenance and if that falls your Ministry falls And your nursing Father and Mother was the Pope the Pope was the Author that set forth your Tenths at the first since the apostacy from the Apostles and the Apostles doctrine hath been lost Therefore that life the Apostles were in is people now come to by which ye are seen and comprehended And a worldly support is not that which holds up the Ministery but Christ which is with them to the end of the world and they that preach his Gospel live of it and they are far above shaming the Saints or the world either for maintenance but ye have both shamed your selves and the Saints are ashamed of you and many of the world and your own
hearers are ashamed of you and will not justifie your practices and so yee have shewed your consciences who take the tenths that you are not exercised with the light neither be in the mystery of the Faith which gives to see the end of all changeable things And are not you begging with your Petitions for more maintenannce with your Petitions flying up and down for Glebe-lands and Augmentations to the powers of the earth and sending for Writs summoning up to the Courts people that you do no work for and this hath been the end of your fruits Pr. He that scorns to make use of the labours of men for his improvement in the things of God shewes himselfe proud If there be occasion to make use of humane Authors which we offer to our Hearers Answ Humane Authors are from the earth from the fallible nature to mixe and mingle that with that which is received from God he shews that he hath not discerning and makes that not sufficient which he hath received from God and this is contrary to the Apostles what the Saints of the Lord had delivered they did not mixe it with mens enticing words of wisdome neither did they speak it in the words which mans wisdome taught but which the holy Ghost did teach them Therefore this is to teach from mens labours or humane Authors for mens Labours and the humane authors invented come out of that nature which prisons the seed of God and so that is not agreeable to that which is received from God but every ones words there shall be his burthen and so humane authors are not to be mixed with the word of God for the word is pure nothing is to be added to or taken from it he that doth shall be proved a lyer and the higher power is not humane nor fallible Pr. Paul and Peâ—er were instructed by an immediate revelation which we are not so presumptuous to expect or to make the Ap stles condition our condition humane learning wil not acquaint us with the mind of God yet being sanctified it is a great assistance to that end Ans Are not ye in the presumption usurp authority to preach or to teach that have not the immediate revelation as the Apostles had but have got their words and usurps the authority and are out of their power is not this usurping Are not all who be not of the power in the words of the Apostles such as are to be turned away from by the command of the Apostle And are not all who be of God and in the power the life that the Prophets Christ and the Apostles were in the immediate revelation of God Can any know the Scriptures or the truth given forth from the spirit of truth learned of God the Father of truth but by the immediate revelation which is the spirit of God which reveales the things of God And thou speakest of study and prayer can any dvide the word aright or pray aright but in the spirit and where that is is not there immediate revelation from God and this thou calls presumption to be in the revelation as the Apostles were in which it is presumption to meddle with their words and not to be in the condition they were in that is persumption and to usurp athority and so ye are them that are got up since the daies of the Apostles ravening inwardly from the spirit of God that they were in have sheeps cloathing which Christ said should come Iohn saw was come went forth form them which since the daies of the Apostles the world have gone after you all but who have their names written in the book of life before the foundation of the world keep Jesus testimony And humane learning doth not help in the way and things of God as it is in it self but as the spirit doth open through all things and beyond all things and comprehends all Languages and sees before languages were that is it that ministers to the spirits in prison and that is not called humane learning which sees over languages and beyond languages and comes to have power over tongues languages and speeches and sees before they were Pr. Costome hath made it the civility of our language to say you to one and not to say thou to a Superiour except it be a Familier It is no great fault to respect mens persons and the Scripture onely makes men wise to salvation And it is a pernitious error in placing justification and salvation in righteousnesse within Ans That the righteousnesse of Christ might be fulfiled in us and where Christ is within there is sanctification and there is justification there is salvation known for there is no salvation known nor felt without but first it is found within Faith evidenceth it the spirit witniâ—sing the spirit comes to witnesse it the light sees it this is within And so they that have these words of righteousnesse of sanctification of Justification without not within are in the error none knows them without but first they know them within and you to a superiour and Thou to a familiar Is not God the Superiour the supream and dost thou say You to God dost thou esteem man higher in a place beyond God is not this ambition and pride and presumption and foolishnesse must thou not come to be judged here and be humbled for your miscariages and Thou to a familiar a person of low degree canst thou speak more familiarly to God then to man Thou to him and You to man is this righteous and sound speech that cannot be condemned Dost thou not in this shew that thou never learned the Accidence or Bible he that respects persons commits sin dost thou respect the poor and the rich in thy words and is by the law reproved to be a transgressor and is out of the faith that is held without respect of persons And as for the rest of all thy lies and hard expressions in thy Book they shall come upon thy self and to thee be a heavie burthen And the day hastens upon thee apace to the witness of God in thy conscience I speak which will let thee see that it had been better for thee if thou had never opened thy mouth then to have opened thy nakedness to the Nation and this is not the way to convert souls to rail for railing never converted any but brought them into a form out of the power and so encreased knowledge which was their sorrow R. Sherlock His Principles as followeth Pr. HE saith They do not attain the knowledge and understanding of the Gospel by the same means as the Apostles did saith he we Preach the same Gospel as the Apostles preached but do not attain to the knowledge and understanding of this Gospel by the same means Answ That which the Apostles received they received from God so ye receiving it not by the same means have received it from men and not from God Pr. He saith
from the spirit of God you had not known there had been a father or spirit or grace or worshâ—p if the scripture had not declared it but they that had not scripture had faith had the Hoâ—y Ghost had the Father knew the Father knew Christ knew the spirit they that had the scripture the Pharisees knew not the father knew not the holy Ghost nor the Redeemer but resisted as it was in Steven knew not father nor Christ the author of it knew not him that was borne of the spirit Now they that had the scriptures knew all these things that had the spirit that gave them forth they that had the scriptures and not the spirit knew not these things they that had the spirit of error that were in heaps about the saints words now they had the scriptures the Pharisees walked in darkenesse had not Davids Lanthorne to their feet and so could not see Christ as David did saith the Apostle their table was their trap there they struck David that had the life that gave forth the scriptures who had the lanthorne to his feet and had not they a lanthorne before the scripture was written Abraham Enoch what led them all to give forth scripture are not all they that have the scripture and out of that that they was in that gave them forth out of the light and out of the Lant-horne and they had a rule of obedience before the scripture was given forth the word of God that lives and abides and endures for ever that is the word of faith in which the scripture the words of God ends And man had the scripture and knew not Christ that was from the life that they were in that gave forth the scripture Pr. The Gospell is the scripture Answ Many may have the Scripture and deny the power of God which is the Gospel many had the Scripture and the form and stood against the Son of truth Christ Jesus the power of God the Gospel And as for thy other lies and slanders which are not worth mentioning which comes from thy drunken spirit when the spirit is awakened that suffers by it thou shalt feel every word of thy own thy burthen and thou that doth set the Scriptures above Christ and God and the spirit art a heathen THOMAS LEADGERS Antiquakers Assertions His Principles in it as followeth Pr. HE saith The Divine nature is without mixture of sin but it doth not destroy wholly the sinful nature that is in us and the being of sin dieth not until the body die and sin hath been in us to humble us Answ Sin is that which doth not humble but lifts up That which humbles people which brings down the sin Is the humilitie which bears the sin and iniquity which is Christ And the Saints were made free from sin while they were upon the earth and had the body of sin put off And the Divine nature they which have received it knoweth it and have escaped the pollutions that is in the world and the lust of it and so the Divine nature destroyes sin in its being Prin. Again he saith The Scripture is a quickening spirit the wisdom of God the power of God unto salvation the words of the blessed Scriptures every Line of it I have had saith he the righteousness of God revealed in my soul I have had the love of God the grace of Christ the Communion of the Holy Ghost manifest in me but I trample upon all attainments the highest as dung Answ Many had the Scriptures and stood against the wisdom of God and stood against the power of God yea killed and persecuted the Lord of glory of life They that had the dead Letter without the life and many got the form and denyed the power and denyed the quickening spirit and the Spirit of Christ doth not bring to trample upon attainments not the love of Christ nor the righteousness of Christ the love of Christ the grace of Christ the righteousness of Christ this was never esteemed on as the dung trampled upon as the dung such as was transgressors was as dung and they trampled upon the love of Christ the righteousness of Christ but who comes into this tramples upon their own notion Pr. He saith again that perfection is a golden dream and the Scriptures is the word of God Answ Perfection is over all dreams be they never so golden and it ends them all and is above them all and Christs name is called the word of God and the Scriptures are the words of God which Christ the word of God by which all things were made came to fulfill A Book called A serious review of some PRINCLES of the QUAKERS Pr. NO man hath reason to say that the spiritual substance is in the creature the Divine Essence is subject to change as is the soul of man and every one is enlightened that comes into the world by the light of Christ and this he cals a natural light and that some persons are come up out of the fall is an errour I do not own a perfection without sin and it is an errour to say there is any perfection without sin Answ All erring is in the fall and that which is come up out of the fall is come out of the errour into the second Adam where no errour is which many witness for all errour is in the first Adam in the fall and in him that tempted And the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world by which the world was made which was before the world was made by which all things was made and created in whom is life and this life is the light of men which men being in the light which they be enlightened withall they coming by the light to him from whence the light doth come they come into the perfection out of sin for all sin and imperfection is in the first Adam in the earth And perfection is in the second Adam Christ Jesus who bruiiseth the Serpents head the Author of imperfection And who be in him are in a perfection without sin and there is no sin in the perfection nor any errour in the perfection of Christ and all who be in the unreasonableness are â—gnorant of the spiritual suâ—stance and power of God and Holy Ghost the spirit of truth the Spirit of Christ the nature that dwels in the Saints which all this is substance and not shadow and the Divine power and the power of the Lord God and Gâ—d doth not change nor his spirit nor the soul nor his power so read thy self God doth not change in his being neither doth that which comes from him that which he hath in his hand and in his power Pr. Hâ— saith That which is imperfect can be reconciled to God and that they are poor blind creatures that say the light doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and needeth no light and discovery to help and the Scripture doth no where call Christ
Principles as followeth Priest of Cockermouth in Cumberland Pr. HE said He would come to Christ and never own the light within him Answ None comes out of transgression to the second Adam but who comes to the light within which is the way to the Father and that is it which gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ which comes from him Pr. George Larcum said I would to God I had power thou shouldst be severely punished Answ Here thou hast shewed thou art limited and thy weapons and thy Armour and art not a Minister of Christ in the armour of God the shield of faith nor shod with the Gospel but such is the Priests and false Prophets who got the Magistrates into the forme that denyed the power of God on their side that they might be ready to help the false Prophets against the truth when ever it ariseth Thomas Warwicke Priest came to the meeting of those called Quakers on a Green and struck John Grave and plucked him off the Green and his wife struck and beat sore and drew blood of friends And the same Priâ—â—t said If the Law were rightly executed thou might not stand there it would cut off all your necks Thomas Dentham Priest called me out of the meeting to him and said he would stand to prove his practice and then he went his way and bade the people take me away hang me and at his words the people did beat me and pulled the hair off my head John Grave witnesse Answ You shew your selves not to be Ministers of Christ â—ut to be such that ever was out of the Saints life who was found in the spirit of murderers and persecutors of him you are that is out of the truth would drink the bloud of the Saints this is the mark of the Beast and false Prophets that would kill creatures and wrestle with flesh and blood Pr. That the Devill is a Minister of Christ in some sense Answ Christ the seed of the womâ—n bruises the Serpents head and destroys death and him that hath the power of it and destroys the works of the Devill and judges the Prince of this world and takes him together with the false Prophets and the Beast and casts them alive into the lake of fire that he shall deceive the the Nations no more and so he will not suffer the Devill to minister and thus the Devill and his Apostles are bound under with the Truth which he is out of Pr. The Scribes and Pharisees were Ministers of Christ in the same sort as Moses was when Christ commands to hear them though in a lower degree of manifestation Ans The Scribes and Pharisees were not as Moses for Moses was in the life and light with which he saw Christ The Pharisees had the words of Moses and the Law and Prophets but out of the life that Moses was in and the Prophets though got up in Moses Chair they stood against Christ and saw him not as Moses did whom Christ cryed woe against So they were not the Ministers of Christ but against him who was the end of the Prophets John Owen who calls himself a Minister of the Gospell his principles as followeth in his Catechisme which he gives forth 1657. Pr. ALl truth concerning God and our selves is to be learned from the holy Scripture the Word of God Ans There was truth learned before the Scriptures were written and the Scriptures of truth are the words of God which ends in Christ the Word and there is no truth learned buâ— as the spirit doth lead into all truth which comes from Christ the truth which was before the Scripture was written And the spirit of truth leads into all truth of the Scripture And many has the Scriptures but knows not Christ the Truth but as the spirit leads them and reveals them and so he hath thrown out Christ and the spirit Pr. There is one God in three persons c. Ans Where doth the Apostle tell us of three persons but tels us of Father Son and holy Ghost but thou out of the Masse-book and old Common-prayer-book who are the mutterers about three persons Pr. I am conceived in sin and borne in iniquity Answ Then thy Parents were not believers so children unholy for by nature children of wrath that is in the unconverted state in the transgression unbelievers for they who by nature are children of wrath are not borne of the believers for the unbelievers are sanctified by the believers else were their children unholy but now are they clean Pr. We have not kept the Commandements of God but are all sinners and transgressors of them Ans We do believe thee John Owen and the rest of you who call your selves Ministers of the Gospell and yet have not kept the ten Commandements and would conclude all men in with you to be sinners and transgressors of them Nay John was separated from you who said He that loves God keeps his Commandements But what are not you false-witness-bearers that calls your selves Ministers of the Gospel and coveters after other mens goods houses c Are not you committers of Adultery and stealing Are not you murdering men in holes for goods like a troop of Robbers as the company of Priests did in the day of the Law and Prophets Do not you live in dishonouring your parents and God and taking it to your selves And do not you all come short of keeping the Sabbath bearing of burdens making a fire gathering your meat when you should be at rest Are not you all taking Gods holy name in vain both in Pulpit Town house Alehouse Streets Market-houses and naming Christs name in your iniquity so not held guiltlesse Are not you all making Images and graven Images and hanging them up in your Steeple-houses and signes and houses and gardens and high wayes and things above and things that are beneath And do you think that people do not believe you when you tell people in your Catechism that you have broken all the ten Commandements when we see your fruits have declared it And are you not ashamed to set forth such a Catechisme who say you keep not the Commandements Pr. The Sacraments are the seals of the Covenant of grace Answ It 's God that seal's the Son and sent him into the the world and not outward shadows And as for thy word Sacraments the Pope was the Author of them in his Common-prayer book And as for the rest of thy work in thy book of Catechism is like unto the old Doctors of the Jewes that broke the commands of God that loves him not whom Christ cryed woe against S. Palmer and R. Hooke who say you are the servants of Christ your Principles which followes in a Book called The forme of sound words And who directs their Book to the Friends Neighbours and Parishioners of Gedling and Sowdham Pr. THat henceforth ye be not children tossed too and fro and carried about with
Revelations but Christ is the Word in whom they end and it is not horrid blasphemy to say the soule is a part of God for it came out of him and that which came out of him is of him and rejoyceth in him Why wilt thou lye in saying the Quakers deny the Word wee say it sanctifies them His lies Christ is not ascended into heaven That there is no Heaven nor Hell nor Resurrection of the body That we have no Sacrament nor no Trinity Answ As for the word Sacrament and Trinity is from the Pope and the Masse-book the Bishops Common-prayer but Unity and the Lords Supper is owned and Heaven Hell Christ and Ascension and Resurrection is owned by the Quakers as the Scriptures declares it And your old Masse-house with the Cross atop of it which you call your Church that the Beast hath set up since the dayes of the Apostles with his lying signe at the end of it the Popes Crosse And Christ did come to destroy selfe and reconcile into one and Christ forbid men to be called of men Master and said the Pharisees did so and Magistrates are owned in their place But all such Ministers that teach for filthy lucre that serve an Apprentiship at Schools and Colledges like Tradesmen such we deny such are not fit to study nor expound Scripture for they bring people into heaps and into blood as their fruits in whole Christendome declares it but the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and Ministers their practices are owned and Elders and their honour but the honour of the false Prophets and Apostles is defaced by the true and the Scripture doth not speak a word of sprinkling of Infants but the Baptisme of the spirit is owned and all your prayers in your Masse-house Pharisee-like and your songs in the Temple shall be turned into howling but that which is according to the spirit of God is owned and private and publique instructions are owned who be in the spirit of God and Davids Psalms in their place are owned and the Saints singing with understanding also we own Pr. They say The Church is in God therefore God is not in the Church they may say Answ This is like thy reason and thy measure and weight the Church is in God and God is in the Church and where two or three are gathered together He is in the midst of them Pr. He says We speak against Tythes and Clarks wages for saying Amen and this thou sayeth is an absurd opinion Answ Tythes before the Law and in the Law was owned that they should give the tenth of the spoil and the tenth of the earth for the services â—hat were required widdows strangers fatherless and Levi who had no portion therein that there might not be a beggar among them this tenthes preserved them from beggars and this was the Law and Melchesedeck before the Law took the tenth of the spoil who was without father or mother and Christ the end of the Law who put an end to all spoils and Redeemes men out of the ninth and tenth parts of the earth to God and here the day of salvation is known to Reign upon the earth for man transgressed being drove from God in the earth â—hen the Law came that was over all transgression and led out of it by that Law was they to offer up the tenth and Melchesedeck before the Law had the tenth of the spoils but Christ who ends the Wars ended the spoils who is the heir of all things and the tenths the Covenant of God who reconcils all things in one things in heaven and things in earth and this the Apostles Preached who was in the power of God brought men out of the ninths of the earth and tenths to and brought men out of the occasion of the Wars in that which ended who was the power of God but they which went forth from the Apostles into the earth that had the form of godliness and denyed the power thereof which lead the world after them set up ninths and tenths unlike the Ministers of the Gospel who brought them out of the ninths and tenths into unity with the power of God and the Son and to reign upon the earth and them that took Tythes now are unlike them that took Tythes under the Law or afore the Law who met them with bread and water that Abraham gave the tenths of the spoil to and who now have no store-house for widows strangers and fatherless that there need not be a beggar among them so you who are called Christian Priests are worse then the Jews who cannot get their tenths without prisons Courts and writs and treble damages and cast into prison untill death for them this is called the Christian practices in our dayes who are Apostated from the true Apostles and Church and from the power of God they were in but the maintenance that Christ speaks of to his Ministers is owned but all that make a trade of the Prophets Christ and Apostle words who laid down their lives for speaking them forth we deny and the Apostles did not give a Clerk wages to say Amen but that came up since the Apostles dayes and judged by the spirit of truth and whosoever will make Alixander Rosses lies their refuge are in a sad condition in his book called A view of Religion which he and his lies are condemned to the fire and Lake by the power of God glory in the highest rejoyce over them ye Saints Richard Mayo Priest of Kingston his Doctrine And PRINCIPLES as followeth Pr. THat the Light within is the light of Nature which teacheth to do all things that the Law commands and to deny all things that the Law forbids Answ That which teacheth to do all things the Law commands and deny what the Law forbids is above nature that is it which keeps nature in its course that it shall not be of a fire but we see thy nature is gone out of its course and is all of a fire among you Priests and professors Pr. That God set up a dim light in every man Answ The light that God set up in every man is not dim but men grows dim when they transgresse the light which God hath set in them to give them the knowledge and feeling of himself Pr. He said the Devil was the power of God and that Christ was made manifest to destroy the power of God and to destroy him that was the power of God Answ The devil that went out of the truth went out of the power of God and Christ was manifest to destroy the works of the devil and not the power of God though Christ came to put an end to all figures types and shadowes Priests first Covenant and Temple Christ who is the power of God did not come to destroy the power of God the power of God is not divided against it self and the devil that went out of the truth the power of God went against him so he is not
end of the types and figures and shadowes the substance Pr. And the woman that Paul speaks of that is forbidden to speake in the Church but must learne of her husband at home is the whore that drinks the blood of the Saints in Revelations Ans That is false for the woman the Apostles speaks of there that must learne in silence and must be in subjection aske her husband at home is in the state of Eve who must not teach but learne in silence as also said the Law for shee was first found in the transgression now the woman here hath a husband to aske at home and not usurp authority over the man but Christ in the male as in the female who redeems from under the Law and makes free from the Law the man may speak Christ in the male and female who are in the spirit of God are not under the Law but the whore who drinks the blood of the Saints is gone from her husband from under the Law to aske the whore-master that doth drinke the blood of the saints which Christ the seed judgeth upon to whom he gives judgement Pr. And the outward creatures which God had made and created and blessed are the serpents meat as the old Ranter of Bristow when he was gnawing a peece of plum pudding said he was eating the serpents meat Ans The Serpents meate is dust and he goes on his belly and so hath proved him selfe to be a serpent who eates his meat which the children of God the seed doth not and Christ who eate of the bread he did not eate the serpents meate he did not call it serpents meat and that is cursed and judged that doth so Francis Duke his book intituled The fulnesse and freenesse of Gods grace his Principles are as followes Pr. GGod made man perfection of parts in this life but not perfection in degrees Ans Perfection of parts is perfection of degrees for where there is a part there a degree so in this thou medlest with things that are too heavy for thee Pr. That God did elect that drop of humane seed to be personall God man as the text is the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head Ans The elect is Christ the seed and Christ the second Adam is not humane for humane is earthly so thou erres in thy judgement for as Christ the seed saies he that is born of the flesh is flesh and he that is born of the spirit is spirit and the election obtaines it and he that is of the earth is earthly but he that is from above is heavenly Pr. Men may obey imperfectly but truly Ans Truth is perfect Christ is truth who is perfect and they that obey truly obey perfectly for perfect obedience and true obedience is one Pr. The seed of the Serpent and the Devils seed remaines in the best of men in this life for without this seed of the Devil issuing in humane nature it is not capable of Eternal life Ans This seed of the Devill hinders men to be capable of eternall life and such as are sanctified from the wombe was capable of eternall life and such as were made free from sin and the body of death and sin put out of them could not sin because the seed of God remaineth in them and witnessed redemption the works of the Devill destroyed and Christ manifested in their flesh condemned sin in their flesh and Christ in them the body being dead because of sin which was borne of God and they did not commit sin they were past from death to life for sin brought death and where the Devill had the power of it which went out of truth but the seed having destroyed death and him that hath the power of it which is the devill and God the God of all peace have bruised Satan under the faints feet such is a top of the seed of the devill and they are capable of eternall life and tells thee thy doctrine is a lye Pr. Man may believe truly but never rightly Ans He that believeth truly and is in the true beliefe believes rightly and he that believes truly is borne of God and he whose beliefe is false and not born of God it is as his that is out of truth which is not right which the true beliefe in truth is over him in that the Devill is out of all his generation that stands in an outward beliefe Pr. The will of man remaines in good men and bad men in heaven and in hell and in earth Ans There 's noe prophesie of the scriptures came by the earthly will of man but that mans will be subdued denyed with the Crosse and power of God whereby he that doth the will of God abides for ever but he that doth his own will abides not ever and flesh and blood enters not into the kingdom of God and they that goe downe into Hell go down into their owne wills and wilfulnesse but he must be born againe before he can enter into Gods Kingdom he that is borne of the flesh is flesh and will persecute him that is born after the spirit for there 's the two wills and earth is their footstool Pr. The Saints affirme themselves that they are all unclean things and their righteousnesse as filthy rags Ans The Saints are cleane and are sanctified and are washed and are cleansed now are you clean saith the Lord ye were such and such and the saints rightousnesse is Christ such as never will grow ragged which was before the world was made which was before rags and ragged righteousnesse was this is the Saints righteousness and true believers and the saints are not unclean things for it is the unsanctified that be unclean Pr. The Saints have a twofold righteousnesse in this world Ans The righteousness of the Saints is one Christ and is in one in God from whence all righteosnesse comes and the true believers righteousnesse is Christ Jesus the end of the Law Pr. Thou saist that James envies those that brag of their faith without works thou saist the Lord attributes that to the eye which is not proper the eye is the light of the body but yet the eye hath no light in it selfe to enlighten the body so he attributes that to the eye which is not proper to the Light Ans James did not envy for envy was of Cain and of the devill and of the wicked one he did not envy them whose faith was dead without works and Christs speech was proper who said the light of the body was the eye and without the eye the body hath not light looke of it either inward or outward t is proper within and proper without for when the eye is blinded within the body is full of darkenesse when the eye is blinded without the body is darke and he wants the light and the light of the body is the eye that being single the body is full of light and that is perfect
of the Prince of the Air out of the disobedience to the thing he had disobeyed but who comes to the light within which shines in his heart which gives him the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and there is none knowes the working of Christ but by the light within Pr. When they were prickt in their hearts the Apostle did not bid them look to the light within them Answ Did not the Apostle bid them repent And was not there something in them that did give them to understand their trangression who might repent and come to receive remission for their sins by Christ the light who lightened every man that cometh into the world which shines in the darkness and the darkness comprehends it not which light shined forth it gives the light of the knowledge of God in the heart and that which pricks them is within them Pr. To look at the light within puts us by the experience of the created word Answ The light within brings to look at Christ whose name is called the word of God by whom all things was created and the light within gives experience of him which is beyond all created experiences that are changeable and the Scripture doth not tell us of the created word Pr. To follow the light within the natural man that is said to lead to perfection drawes from and puts us from waiting upon the commands of God Answ No natural man comes out of his natural state to perfection to know the commands of God that which discovers all these things to him is the light within which comes from Christ and brings him to know the Covenant of God who are kept from the light within are kept from perfection and the commands of God and the Covenant of God and Christ Pr. There can be no reproof for breaking of a Law if it were not written Answ Adam broke the Law before it was written and was reproved Prin. Light within and watching in that light to bring us to perfection will be a vain watch Answ None sees perfection nor none comes to the true watch but they who come to the light within which doth manifest that which must be stood against and not received and all watches are vain that be not in the light within for they will put evil for good and good for evil darkness for light and light for darkness that watches not in the true light that shines in their hearts which makes manifest Pr. Let us leave leaning on the light within for direction Answ Then you turn your selves from the Apostles doctrine the light that shines in your hearts to give you the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 4. and you turn into darkness from that which should give you the knowledge Pr. To look to the Light within drawes us from or puts us past the blood of the new Covenant the application of it Answ There 's none sees the new Covenant Christ Jesus to Jewes and Gentiles the covenant of light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and the blood of it he that sees this his eye is opened and is a believer for who sees the blood of Christ and his righteousnesse and comes to the blood of Christ who hath enlightned him he comes to life and none doth come to life but who comes to the light which Christ hath enlightned him withall For in him was life and the life was the light of men and the light shines in darknesse and the darknesse comprehends it not though all things were made by him And them that live in the darknesse hate the light and do not believe in it and so they are condemned by the light Pr. That this doctrine the light within draws us from Christ Answ None comes to Christ nor is drawn unto Christ but with the light and that 's within and gives them to know what they are come from and what they are come to for it gives them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus As for all thy other works of darkness in thy Book they are not worth mentioning but whose messenger he is the day doth bring him to light the witnes of God in his conscience shall answer in the day of his condemnation and judgment who is under the spirituall wickednesse and in whom is the high places of it who stands against and denies the doctrine of the Light within the saints and Apostles hath judged him to be a messenger of Satan a false Apostle a Minister of unrighteousnesse out of the light the truth as you may read in the Corinthians for the true Messengers Ministers and Apostles of Christ Jesus made by the will of God brought people to the light within that shines in their hearts and told them that the light would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus Priest Fergison his principles as followeth who is a Teacher in Kent confest to Ambrose Rigge Pr. THat the scripture was the Law and Testimony Answ This is contrary to the Scripture for the Scripture saith the Law is light Prov. 6. and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy and the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Marke Luke and John the Epistles and Revelations were written as in the 8 of Isaiah Pr. That the Scripture is the rule of life and doctrine and that it was the Word of God Answ Adam Abel Enoch Abraham and the holy men of God had a rule for their lives before the Scripture was written the spirit was the rule of their lives that led forth Saints to speak forth Scripture And they that have the Scripture and not the spirit of Christ they are none of his and the Jewes had Scripture but wanted the rule of life Neverthelesse the Scripture which was given forth from the spirit of God is profitable for Doctrine and the Scriptures of truth are the words of God learned of God and not the word and Christ the word before the Scriptures were given forth by whom the world was made is the word of God who fulfilled the words the Scriptures in him ends who was before they were spoken forth Pr. That the Scripture is the way to God and that the Scripture was the ground of Faith Answ The ground of faith is Christ the Apostle bids the Saints look to him which was the Author and finisher not the Scripture but Christ the Author of their faith the ground of it And Abraham and Enoch and Abel had faith before Scripture was written so who hath faith are of Abraham and they witnesse Abrahams ground and the Jewes had Scriptures but had not faith nor the ground so your faith that hath no other ground but Scriptures is like unto the Jewes And Christ is the way to God who was before Scriptures were written who fulfills the
Prophets Abraham and Davids words and the Jewes had Scriptures but stood against the way to God Christ Jesus the light as all you doe that stand against the light And Abraham and Abel and Enoch had the way to God before the scripture was written and Christ Jesus is the way to God Christ saith I am the way to the Jewes who had scriptures Pr. That there is no perfection to be attained to while people live upon earth A Then by thy doctrine Christ is not attained to while man lives which is contrary to the Apostles and Christs own doctrine who said I in you and you in me and Christ in you the hope of glory and then none abides in the Vine by thy account which is Christ and none bears fruit to the glory of God who abides not in the Vine and who abides in the Vine abides in the perfection of God and thou art contrary to the Ministers of Christ whose work was for the perfecting of the saints Pr. That Justification and Sanctification differs Answ Justification and Sanctification is one for Christ who is the justification and sanctification is one and it is thou that differs from him Pr. That the word of faith in the heart spoken of in the 10â—h of the Romans is the Scriptures Answ The Apostle doth not say so for many had the scriptures and were under the Law and knew not the word of faith the gift of God Pr. He said the Scripture leads into all truth Ans This is contrary to Scripture for the Scripture saith the spirit of truth shall lead you into all truth this is the promise of Christ and Christs words And Abraham had his leader and Enoch to Christ and to God before the Scripture was given forth Oh that ever men should be set up to be Teachers that are so blind concerning the Scriptures and receive so many thousand pounds a year for teaching And the Jewes had scriptures and were not led into all truth as you Christians are now therefore are you all in heaps about them wanting the spirit to lead you into all the truths of them Pr. He said That Christ and the Father and the holy Ghost are not one but they are three therefore distinct Answ This is the denying of Christs doctrine who saith I and my Father are one and the holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son and he was conceived by the holy Ghost and they are all one and not distinct but one in unity that which comes out from him leads the Saints into all truth that ever was given forth from the spirit of truth and so up unto God the father of truth and so goes back again from whence it came Pr. It is blasphemy to say the Son is one with the Father and not distinct from him Answ The Father and the Son are one the Son is in the Father and the Father in the Son so that which is in him is not distinct from him and they blaspheme that say the Son is not in the Father and deny Christs doctrine Pr. He said The Father is a distinct incommunicable being from the Son and the Son a distinct incommunicable being from the Father and the holy Ghost a distinct incommunicable being from the Son Ans The Son is one and in unity with the Father and not distinct but equall and thought it not robbery The holy Ghost is in unity with the Son and the Father which proceed from them and they are one in unity and not distinct Thy doctrine is drosse and you Priests are not fit to judge in such things as they are they are too weighty and too heavy for you Pr. He affirmed That the Scripture is the power of God and that the Scripture is the Gospell Answ The power of God leads them to speak forth the Scriptures and the power of God is Christ and the power of God endures for ever but Scripture is writing and doth not and the Gospel is the power of God saith the Scriptures and doth not say that the Scripture is the Gospel for many had that and witnessed not the glad tidings and so thou art here distinct from the Ministers of the Gospell and art not a Minister of it the power of God but puts writings for it which power of God was before writings were Pr. He affirmed That the Father was the Creator and not God Answ This is contrary to the Scripture For in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth the Father and God is one the maker of all things for God the Father that made the world saith the Apostle Gal. 4.6 One God and father of all Pr. He said That Christ was not his rule but the Scripture was his rule Ans I do believe thee that Christ is not thy rule so life is not thy rule wisdome is not thy rule truth is not thy rule and so Christ not being thy rule thou art ignorant of Scriptures and knows them not for he who is the substance of the scriptures is not thy rule so thou knowest them not neither art subject to them Pr. He saith That God justifieth them that are not sanctified Answ He that is justified is sanctified for he that justifieth sanctifieth Pr. And another Priest saith That Christ was not the resurrection of the body Ans Christ is the resurrection and the life and the Saviour of the body who brings the creature into the liberty of the Sons of God The Priests of Lancashire their Principles PRiest Jacus the foreman of them said the letter and the spirit were inseparable Answ Contrary to the Apostle 2 Cor. The letter kills and the spirit gives life And we are Ministers not of the letter but of the spirit so the spirit that ends the letter was before the letter was and men may have letter and not the spirit and deny the Ministers thereof And the Apostle said they were one anothers Epistles written in one anothers hearts and not with paper and ink but with the spirit of the living God so you are contrary to the Ministers of Christ and if every one which hath the letter have the spirit what need you teach your teachings are at an end for the spirit will open to you the scriptures The Professors Principles at Westmerland Edward Briggs the leader of them said Pr. IT was heresie and deceiving the people to bid people believe in the power of God Ans Then they must not believe in Christ who is the power of God and it is not heresie nor deceiving of people to bid them believe in the power of God which is Christ and they are in the heresie and deceiving state that do not believe in the power of God and deceiving people and keeps them all in heaps under the power of the Devil and so to believe in that which is the cause of peoples destroying and persecuting one another Pr. And others of the Professors said That God had no hand in working out
is in you who are got up since the dayes of the Apostles and such as are born of God and begotten of him cannot call any man father upon the Earth which is born of the immortal seed heirs of the world which hath no end Pr. We through patience and comfort of the Scriptures have hope Answ Who hath Christ in him in whom the Scriptures ends and he hath the hope hath the comfort of the Scriptures who was before the Scriptures was given forth Christ Jesus who hath not him hath not comfort Pr. The Scriptures is able to make wise unto salvation Answ Not without the faith the Scriptures are not for the Pharisees had Scriptures and was not wise unto salvation and was out of the faith and knew not Christ the salvation Pr. Fear hath its rice from faith and hope in God by the means of Christ which is made known in the Scriptures Answ The Scriptures testifie of faith of God of fear but people receive not hope nor faith nor God nor fear from the Scriptures but from God as they did that gave forth the Scriptures who feared him for many that had Scriptures were out of the true fear of the Lord and called Christ a devil and was from true hope and true fear though they had the Scriptures given forth from them that were in hope and fear but their ears and eyes was stopped to that of God in them and such are never like to receive God and Christ until their ears and eyes be open to that of God in them Pr. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us and there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not and in many things we offend all and the state is not attained in this life but that men shall be growing under weaknesses the highest attainments of Saints is but a spark but the dawning of the day that highest enjoyments is not to the attainment of desires Answ The truth it is that lets men see they have sinned and lets them see they have sin that is within them and it brings them to confesse it and forsake it and the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth from all sin then he that is born of God doth not commit sin neither can he because the seed of God remains in him here in the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil which makes him to roar in whom he hath no habitation he that is born of God which doth not commit sin nor cannot because he is born of God he is not born of the Devil nor by the will of man nor flesh nor blood And Solomon saith in Eccles 7. speaking to the just man that doth no good under the Law where no flesh is justified saith the Apostle but he that comes to Christ the just the end of the Law his faith gives him victory over sin and the word whereby he becomes dead to it and comes to the end of the Law which faith the just lives by by the life and the faith of the Son of God the Apostle saith in the Epistle to the twelve Tribes in many things we offend all Mark in the many things we offend all but we are come to the one thing Christ Jesus the end of the many things and in him there is no sin And who is in him sins not who put an end to the many things that must end and change and the Saints was come to the day and the children of the day further then a spark And they witnessed the night was gone and some again was not come to the day-Star that was according to their growth And the Saints again was made free from sin Rom. 6. And had put off the body of sin by the Circumcision of the spirit Colos 2. And they was compleat in Christ and they witnessed the Kingdom of heaven that stood in joy and peace in the Holy Ghost and so not groaning alwayes and the Saints witnessed the Marriage of the Lamb and Christ in them and their bodies the Temple of God and the end of their desires and so was not alwayes desiring but they witnessed their bread from above which they that eat of it should hunger no more nor thirst no more Pr. The Light which is in every man is but darkness being compared with a Revelation of Christ in the Saints our Justification hath its rise from what Christ hath done and suffered for us not from what he hath done in us Justification and Sanctification are ever distinct in their nature distinct one from the other Justification is not Sanctification nor Sanctification Justification but two things real distinct in their nature Answ The light which every man that cometh into the world is lightned withall is Christ and this light reveals Christ and the Saints light and this light is condemnation to the world which hates it And no man knoweth justification but as he knoweth it wrought within from Christ and no man knowes the seed that was offered the sacrifice of the whole world but as he knowes it within through the faith and who are of the faith they are of Abraham they are of the flesh of Christ the flesh of him that suffered and if men have not Christ within them they have not justification and though they may talk of him without and have him not within such are reprobates that hath not Christ within them reprobate from Christ from justification and sanctification both but are of the generation that caused him to suffer and justification and sanctification are one not distinguished the one from the other in their natures but are one in nature not two things really distinct in their nature but really one for Christ our sanctification and justification he that sanctifies and justifies they are one in nature which is Christ which is sanctification and justification both and thou art rebuked which makes two of them and distinct when it s but one thing the same that justifies sanctifies Pr. If the fulfilling of the righteous Law in us be Justification then Christ died in vain Justification is the direct opposite to condemnation that which makes a change in the heart of the creature is sanctification and justification faith doth not save nor justifie by vertue of any worth or excellencie found in it nor merely because Christ is the object of it Ans He that fulfills the righteousness of the Law in us is Christ the justification hereby men come to know him that he redeems them from under the Law and they are led by the spirit And they know he is their intercession and died not in vain and he ends the Law who fulfills it And he is the justification to every one that believes And this is known in us that do believe to the justification of it whereby a tittle of it is seen not to be broken whereby the body of Christ is seen which makes
free and let all the people say Amen Answ And so they curse the Apostles and the Apostles doctrine and all that witnesse to it who said The free grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Titus 2.11 and was the Saints Teacher These things the Apostles commanded to teach with all authority Titâ—s 2.15 but the ungodly men turne this grace of God into wantonnesse of old ordained for condemnation Ye are the raging waves of the Sea sending and fomeing out your own shame whose fruits wither neglecting the common salvation Read Jude Ye are like to Sodome and Egypt clouds without water who run greedily after the wages of Balaam going on the way of Cain and shall perish in the gain-saying of Core and walking despitefully against the spirit of grace and they that turne the Grace of God into wanttonnesse denies the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. Jude 11. Ye are the trees without fruite wells without water carryed about with tempests cursed speakers teaching the people to say Amen to your cursing the Apostles doctrine and so willingly ignorant that your damnation may be just that your madnesse and folly might appeare to all and so sensuall having not the spirit waves of the Sea wandring stars reserved for darkness of blackness read Jude The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Titus 2.11 So that which brings salvation and hath appeared to all men ye Curse that which is the Grace of God which ye with your damnable doctrine and doctrine of Devills curse them that witnesse it 2 Pet. 2. 1 Tim. 4. upon whose consciences the hot Iron hath come hardned them that went to the doctrine of Devils went to them that did not hold forth the Saviour of all men but especially them that believe 1 Tim. 4.10 These things command and teach let no man despise thy youth Now they that went to the doctrine of Devills from the Saviour of all men but especially them that believe and from the grace of God which hath appeared to all men which brings salvation are they which have turned the grace of God into wantonnesse ordained of old for condemnation which is the light Jude 4. Such be in Caines way from the command of God Cores way from the truth and Balaams way from the spirit those be the clouds and tempests upon whose heads comes the Woe The Priests second curse which all the people were to say Amen to Cursed be all they that say the Scripturs is not the word of Gods and let all the people say Amen Ans Here they have cursed Luke who calls the scripture a Declaration of the word Luke 1.1 and Acts 1.1 where it is called a Treatise and they have cursed their own company who saies the scriptures signifies Writings and they have cursed John who did not say the scripture was the word who said In the beginning was the word Iohn 1.1 and the scripture is words as Revelations the last he that addeth to the words and Christ his name is called The word of God Rev. 19 13. And the scriptures are words not a word Exod. 20. and which words Christ came to fulfill The Priests third Curse to which all the people were to say Amen Cursed be all they that say Faith is without sin and let all the People say Amen Ans Faith is the gift of God and the gift of God is without sin Ephes 2.8 Faith is that which gives the victory John 3.4 And that which gives victory is without sin And here they have cursed the Apostles and their doctrine who saith Faith is without sin and Faith is precious 1 Pet. 1.7 and that which is precious is without sin Faith is the gift of God and the gift of God is perfect and that which is perfect is without sin and gives victory over sin Without Faith a man cannot please God and that which men please God in is without sin Heb. 11.6 And so ye have cursed the Apostle and his doctrine the just and that which is pure that by which they were healed through Faith they were justified Rom. 3.28 and what is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23 So what is of Faith is not sin and what is righteous is not sin and the Scripture speakes of the righteousness of Faith Rom 4.13 Faith is not of sin but what is not of Faith is sin Faith gives victory over sin 1 John 3.4 in which Faith man is justified and hath peace with God Rom. 5.1 and it is a mystery held in a pure conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 The Priests fourth Curse to which all the people were to say Amen Cursed are all they that say every man hath a light sufficient to lead him to Christ and that within him and let all the People say Amen Answ Here they have cursed the Apostles doctrine who said God would dwell in them 2 Cor. 6.16 and Christ in you the hope of glory Col. 1.27 and God is light 1 John 1.5 And they have cursed the Prophets who said I give him for a Covenant a Leader of the people I will dwell in them and walk in them saith God Jer 31.31 Heb. 10.16 and he saith I will send you the Spirit of truth and it shall lead you into all truth John 14.17 John 16.13 And I will be their God to rule them and they shall be my people Jer. 31.33 Thy curses are but winde for we are redeemed from the curse and the Apostles said the light that shined in their hearts was to give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 and they that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 the light to guide our feet in the way of peace and he that hath the Son hath the Father also And if any bring another doctrine receive them not into your houses neither bid them God speed 2 John 9.30 You have here shewed your sâ—lves in the cursed estate out of the Apostles rule the same Spirit of truth that led the Disciples into all truth that shall reprove the world of sin John 16.8.13 The Priests fifth Curse to which all the people were to say Amen Cursed be all they that deny the Sabbath day and let all the People say Amen Answ Here thou hast cursed thy self and all the Apostles and all the Saints and their own generation hast not thou and thy owne gâ—nâ—ration denyed the Sabbath day the Jewes met on which is the Sabbath day according to the Scripture do not ye meet togâ—tâ—er upon the first day and was not Christ crucified on the sixth day and did not he arise on the fiâ—st day and did not the Saints meet together on the first day and not keep the Jewes Sabbath day do not you work upon it your selves and keep markets and Fairs on it but as it is said before we are Redeemed from the curse Thâ—se are the particular sentences whereupon
Apostles that be in Cains way who be out of the life and sacrifice the Saints were in that would murther and Cores way that gainsayeth the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world so against the common salvation and ye be like Cain foaming and raging in your Pulpits and would murther all that are contrary to you whose Sacrifice God accepts and yours he does not and God would have accepted of Cain if he had done well Gen. 4. So God is mercifull and a just God but Cain he did not well Therefore wo went out from God against him and so there was fault in him and not in God which was the cause of his condemnation so you that be in Balaams way for the wages of unrighteousness admiring mens persons because of advantage Ye are out of the faith that is held without respect of persons Iam. 2. and so separated from the Apostles to whom Christ said Freely ye have received freely give and you will not give freely who are rageing and foming without you have augmentations stipends gleabe Lands or Tythes great sumes of money gifts or rewards from great â—ouses so you deny the light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world so gain-sayes the common salvation Jude 1. You gain-say the truth that doth enlighten every man that cometh thto the world so in Cores way you are and would have the persons of the Saints murthered so in Caines way as ye confesse that ye have not the spirit that gave forth the scriptures so in the self-separation and ye deny the the light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world which is the Lord Iohn 8.12 And so denies the Lord that bought you 2 Pet. 2.1 And so are for condamnation who are of that stock that separate themselves from the Apostles sensually having not the spirit who are in Cains way that would kill and murther and out of the Apostles way who said love your enemies who are in Balaams way for gifts and rewards and admiring mens persons because of advantage to them speaking high words in hypocrisy and out of the Apostles way to whom Christ said Freely ye have received freely give Mat. 10.6 And out of the Prophets way who said come without a price Isa 55.1 2. And ye will have the price or else you will not come let all that can read Iude over and see if there was not cause in man of his condemnation not in God and so have not you proved your selves in the Doctrine of Devils and in lyes and would make God unrighteous and the Apostles unrighteous for there was fault in Cain fault in Balaam and fault in Core and fault in Sodome and fault in them that turned the grace of God into wantonnesse which were of old ordained for this condemnation Iude 4. Which condemnation is that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evill and so the Apostles taught that there was fault in man as ye may read Iude and thou hast taught there is none so then thou art unrighteous who would make God and the Apostles unrighteous like thy selfe let all that feare God judge of it who are now come to the judgment Seat before the Almighty God who have been them that erred from the Apostles Doctrine with it is judged and are judged and you must have a reward according to your works and he that comes to life comes out of his wickednesse and not the wicked man enters into the kingnome of God Rev. 21. and the promise is to the seed and he that works iniquity departs from the seed Gal. 3.16 And the Election obtaines it Rom. 11.7 Not him that wills nor runs But God that shewes mercy And whereas thou saist the wicked man is ordained to life without any cause in the creature lesse or more This is just the Devils Doctrine againe and to bring every one to hide his Talent and none neither to watch nor pray for that is in the creature that brings him to lay a side wickednesse and to depart from sin and iniquity which lets him see it and covetous and drunkennesse soe through the obedience of the Spirit and that is in the Creature that brings him to confesse his sin and forsake it whereby mercy is shewed the power of God worketh in us saith the Apostle And as they had been servants to unrighteousness so came to yeeld themselves servants unto righteousnesse Rom. 6. How comes the commands of God to be obeyed if there be not somthing in the creature that causes him to obey it For thou saist without any cause in the creature why were all these expressions spoken in scripture that they should obey all things that Christ commanded Mat. 28.20 And all the statutes and Ordinances spoken of in the scriptures if there be not something in man to cause him to obey it but thy intent is to make God unrighteous who respects no mans person but gives to every man a reward according to his works Rev. 2 23. The one as well as the other and all shall appear before the judgement of Christ 2. Cor. 9.10 He will judge the world in righteousness but there is something in the creature for every man that cometh into the world being enlightned whereby he is capable of obeying or disobeying and not believing comes to be condemned and in believing he is saved he hath the witnesse in himselfe Iohn 3.8 1 Io. 5.10 For he that commits sin is the servant of sin Io. 8.24 And there is no respect of persons with God but whosoever doth righteousness is accepted of him Acts 10.34 35. The Apostle said He perceived God was no respecter of persons but whosoever doth wickedly be hates the light and is condemned but whosoever doth the truth cometh to the light Joh. 3.21 and so out of condemnation so thou teaches another Doctrine so as I said before The promise is to the seed the seed is Christ and Christ all and in all 1 Cor. 15.28 And all ungodly and wicked men are shut out of the Kingdom of God where no wicked men enters one nor other and man must be turned again from wickednesse before he enters Rev. 21.8 Pr. He being asked what he would do with Quakers and he said if he had been a civil Magistrate he would have thought it good service to have cut off all their heads Ans There ye may all see if he be not of Cains stock and what an envy proceeds out of his mouth and unchristian Spirit and how would he convert them if they were out of the way and how would he convince them who would cut off their heads hath not this proved the Quakers to be in the truth and he out of it and is not the command of Christ that ye should love your enemies Mat. 5.44 Now ye may see he is out of the command and example but followed the example of Cain the
saith whatsoever man doth God hath a hand in doing of it whether good or evil if a man commit never so much sin and live never so wickedly he shall goe to heaven if he be ordained there to come how was God grieved when David sinned the Lord was angry the Lord was wrath when the children of Israel sinned against him it grieved the Lord that he had made man when all flesh had corrupted his way Gen. 6.6 and thou and you goe about to make God the author of sin and saith God hath a hand in it whatsoever a man doth here againe you and thou be in the doctrines of Devils what shall we say that God is the author of sin God forbid Rom. 6. they that transgresse the commandements 〈◊〉 God provoke him to anger and though God created the evil Isa 49.7 yet his commandement was to man that he should not goe into it Gen. 2.17 Gen. 4.7 Eze. 18. but when he did he transgressed the command of God so he who saith if ye murther God is the author of it if ye persecute God is the author of it if ye doe unrighteously God is the author of it you that murther persecute and doe not righteously are of him that kept not the command of God of whom ye are Io. 44. that would persecute and murther thou art gon out of the command of God and joyned with the devill 1 Io. 3.8 that went out of the truth the devil he went out of his estate and the woman hearkned to him and went out of her estate and man to the woman Gen. 3. The Jewes went out of their state when they persecuted Mat. 27.25 Cain went out of his state when he murthered Gen. 4. the Christians went out of their estate since the daies of persecution who had the name of Christianity Cain went out of his state when he murthered and Balaam went out of his state when he coveted the wages of unrighteousnesse and admired mens persons Numb 22. Jude 11. Core went out â—f his state when he gain-said the truth Numb 16. Iude. 11. the false prophet and the Anti-christ which is the beast and the mother of Harlots went forth from the state of the Apostles 1 Io. 2.19 which hath been since the daies of the Apostles and so all wars and fightings and adversaries is because of being out of the truth fallen out of it Iam. 4. there is pride and Lucifer Isa 14. and that is it that is of old ordained to condemnation Jude 4. and to be kept down and to be condemned everlastingly and there the time that shall be witnessed fit for the fire and death and Hell and the false prophet and the Dragon and the Serpent cast into it Rev. 20.14 but leaven is known that leavens into the new lump 1 Cor. 5.7 the everlasting fire that burns for ever Mark 9.46 how are the professions formes and religions fallen from the state and lost the state and out of the state that Christ was in the prophets were in Abraham was in David was in Moses and the Apostles was in and remaines in a forme of their words 2 Tim. 3.5 and murthers them that enjoyes their life and persecutes them The devill abode not in the truth Io. 8.44 Adam and Eve abode not in the truth but trâ—nsgressed Gen. 3. Cain abode not in the truth when he murdered Abel Gen. 4. The Jewes abode not in the truth but crucified the just James 5.6 The anti-christ and the false prophets since the daies of the Apostles and the beast abode not in the truth 1 Io. 2.19 that made the war against the saints Rev. 13. And here is the murderers envious and persecutors warring and fighters and their sacrifice God never accepted Gen. 4.5 in all ages and these are them that persecuted those that was in the truth whose sacrifice God accepted to the witness of God in you all I speak that you may see your fall from the truth out of the prophets life Christs life and the Apostles life so be out of the commands and fallen from God and say that none can keep the commandements that is the word that shall stand for ever so ye are they that loves not God Jo. 14 13. 1 Jo. 2.4 but are of the beast and false prophets that makes war against them that keeps the commands of God Rev. 22.11 so that which saith none can keepe the commandments is fallen out of the truth and the commandements of God 1 Io 2.4 Io. 8.44 And to him the truth is death and the commands of God in which the saints live to whom the commandements are not grievous 1 Jo. 5.3 Thomas Garwine Priest of Edenborough his doctrine and principles Pr. That the Child that is not sprinkled with outward water is in a damnable state and worse then an infidell Ans Now here he and the rest of the Presbyterian Priests of Scotland may say Abraham was in a damnable state Isaac was in a damnable state Jacob was in a damnable state and Joseph was in a damnable state and David was in a damnable state and John the Baptist was in a damnable state which were not sprinkled by a Priest with outward water nor named by the Priest so thou and you with your traditions that say a Child is in a damnable state if ye do not sprinkle it with water and the Apostle bids them not look at the things that are seen and you are in the damnable state and the damnable doctrine teachers of lies and many simple people have been deceived by you and given over to believe you but God hath taken the vail off their hearts that you begin to be seen and their salvation shall they know stands not in elements as though you with your sprinkling Infants with outward water could bring out of the damnable state Oh ye deceivers did not the Apostle say they that were Circumcised Christ profited them nothing Gal. 5.2 ye have long deceived people with your beggerly rudiments and elements and doctrines and traditions Col. 2. hatched up at Schools and never commanded of God and say if people will not observe your traditions or your elements which you call a Papist word Sacrament and perishing they not observing it are in a damnable state and worse then the Heathen and Infidels an Infidell is an Heathen one that knows not God But your generation says it is blasphemy to say any hath known God hath seen God and spoken to God so they themselves have concluded to be Heathen The Heathen know not God The Heathen observes traditions and they that know God cannot observe the traditions of the Heathen but obeys the Apostles doctrine and touches not tastes not nor handles the traditions of men and Ordinances which will perish so not saving so they that observe not traditions are not worse then Heathen but they that observe traditions are as the Heathens and be out of the Apostles doctrine in their own traditions and rudiments and are offended
require at the hand of such Teachers and such Shepherds Pr. The most faithful Messengers of Christ will acknowledge they came short of their duty Answ They that are faithful messengers of Christ have the answer well done thou good and faithful servant where did Paul or John or Peter acknowledge they came short of their duty hath not thou slandered the servants of the Lord thinking them to be like your selves and falsly accusing them that you may seem Justified who are false messengers and comes in his name when you have no Commission from him and you come short of every good work but thus it is not with Christs true messengers for they fulfill his will that sent them and it is the Lord that worketh in them whose they are and whose duty they perform by his spirit Pr. The best of us have stammering tongues in this great work and often times we do it coldly and by halves like Pellipher we see but with one eye like Milkes hear but with one Ear like Vnicorn push against sin but with one horn place not good Preaching in large speaking Judge of a Minister by his brains not lungs by his heart not throat Answ This is confessed to your own shame who doth your work coldly and by halfes it shewes you have not the same spirit that was amongst the Apostles who were zealous and faithful in the work of the Lord and not coldly nor by halves as you do and they saw with their eyes and heard with their ears and their hearts God had opened and they were a terror to all unrighteousness where ever it appeared and the way to Judge of a true Minister is not by his braines nor Lungs nor throat but whether he hath received the Holy Ghost and whether they have the same spirit that was amongst the Apostles and whether the presence of the Lord be with them and effects his own work thorow them these are the signs of Christ Ministers to Judge them by so you have missed the true Charecter to Judge justly and your Judgement is false and it shewes you are not guided by the infallible Spirit of God Pr. We must attend to the words of the Minister though himself be fruitless in which sence we may be said to gather grapes on thorns and figgs on thistles unsanctified Ministers may possibly convert and comfort sinners though our candle be in a dark Lanthorn and the Saints know not what God is a doing Answ Christ said either make the tree good and his fruit good or the tree nought and his fruit nought and none can gather grapes on thorns or figgs on thistles but you say the contrary and are pleading for fruitless Ministers that they should be attended to but the Apostle exhorted to turn from them that had the form of godliness but not the power and judge in your own selves how your words agrees with Christs and the Apostles they appear to be quite contrary And unsanctified men are not Christs Ministers nor Christ ever sent unsanctified Persons and they that run and were not sent should not profit nor did not profit the People at all could neither comfort Saints nor convert sinners but you are pleading for unsanctified Ministers and for sinful Ministers and saith that People should not despise their Doctrine Yea the Doctrine and words of unbelievers are dispised and rejected by the Saints and though thou say Scripture is Scripture though uttered by Satan yet I say Scripture in the mouth of Satan is temptation and not edification and it is true your hearts are dark and minds are dark even as a dark Lanthorn we do believe it and the light in you shines in darkness and is held in the dark Lanthorn and no light in you appears unto the dark world but unholy lives and unsanctified spirits and you know not what God is a doing who are unbelievers but the Saints hath the mind of Christ and knowes what God is a doing for his spirit dwels in them but you have shut out your selves that you are ignorant of God and what he is doing but Christs Ministers their light shines among men and their good works are seen but you have shewed your folly and ignorance to all the world Pr. But what if some what in the lives of Ministers contradict the word they preach disorderly teachers are pretty well purged out if any continue it is the fault of them that do not bring their wickednesse to light that such may be rooted out who make the offering to be abhorred the sins of the teachers being teachers sins Ans The true Ministers of Christ their conversations were in heaven and their good works and holy lives were agreeable to the word they preached on but disorderly teachers are not purged out to preach for hire is a disorder and to cause people to be put into prison and to be persecuted and to be whipped and to have their goods spoiled these are disorderly practices and such are disorderly teachers many of which there is yet unpurged out but now the Lord God is arisen to try and to purge and to bring wickednesse to light and to condemn the sins of teachers and teachers for their sins and such shall be rooted out whose offering is abhorred of the Lord because iniquity lodges in their hearts and their lives are unsanctified contradicting in their practices what they preach in words such are hypocrites whom God will judge and the Lord will utterly root you out in his season you that are disorderly and out of the order of the true Church of Christ Pr. We do not thunder in our Pulpits nor lighten in our conversations as we might our thundrings are no more heard by glorifying Christ then their Halilujahs are by us Ans You want the word of the Lord which is terrible it is not in your mouthes but the words of your own imaginations and your words answer not to the witnesse of God in the peoples consciences but you are like the dreamers the Apostle speaks of whose conversations are bad examples to all that looke upon you your unholy lives gives an ill savor and doth not enlighten any man in the way of truth and Saints that are glorified doth deny you and heares you not excepting to give their witnesse against you neither do you know what the Saints Halelujahs are who rejoyceth over the whore that hath made all nations drunk but of these things are you ignorant and you are shut out from the assembly of them that can sing Halelujah to God and the Lamb for evermore Pr. It is treason to undertake an Embassage without commission I sent them not yet they run saith the Lord not knowing why nor whether they can tell no tidings for climing on high with the Ape they do but shew their owne deformity Ans There is none more guilty then your selves of this treason and out of your owne mouthes will the Lord judge you where is your commission and what is
Errors and found in them did not they set up the Tithes and the Masse-houses and the Colledges where thou wast made a Minister and give you the names of Rectors and Curates and your means to your Colledges and old Masse-houses art not thou found in them and among them their errors false Church great whore since the true Church went into the wildernesse among them that drinks the blood of the Saints with sheeps cloathing having not the spirit as the sheep had nor in the nature so in the Error Pr. Thou saist The Scripture speakes of God after the manner of men Ans The Scripture speakes of God after the manner of the Spirit and to the spirit whereby men might receive him and know him by the spirit which naturall men cannot Pr. Thou Queries to know whether the Holy Ghost be a distinct person and the worship of God in three persons Ans Art thou going about to confute the Papists errors and hold them up and justifying of them which the scripture doth not Mat. 28. but the Papists common prayer book and old Cannon book speaks of three persons but the scripture speakes of Father Son and Holy Ghost and thou speakest of Christ but yet are not come to the Light which Christ hath enlightned every man which comes into the world withall and thou speakest of Adams being the Image of God and yet art not come to Adams state as he was in the beginning so therefore knowes not redemption and knowes not predestination nor election but found in Adams state in the fall and reprobation thou speakest of Ordinances and yet art a transgressor of the commands of Christ who art called of men Master and an imitator of the Pharisees doctrines thou speakest of the Church but art found one of those that are dressed with the whores rags since the true Church went into the wildernesse thou speakest of the Magistrates yet not in the higher power which goes over all sin and transgression which answers the transgressed in every man upon the earth thou speakest of Dogs and evil workers seducers and Hereticks who are doing their work as your Goales and prisons may witnesse in the Nation and whole Christendome the fruits of Dogs and evill workers and seducers and hereticks which was not Christs worke nor the Apostles Thou speakes of the Common wealth but yet art out of that which is the generall good to all men Christ the light of the world who is the saving health all power in heaven and Earth is given to him in whom men have wisdome by which all things was made and created to order the things by the wisdome by which they were created thou speaks of Souldiers and yet art not come to Iohn a man sent from God but art one from the Colledges the Papists houses since the Church went into the wildernesse and men made by the will of man who have been set up by the dragons power so art not come to the Light that Iohn came to bear witnesse to that did enlighten every man that comes into the world so art short of rectifying solderie who stops up the eye by which they should see thou speakest of the error of the Quakers who art found in the error thy selfe not come to see that which must be shaken before that do appear which cannot be shaken nor come to the trembling of the Devills not knowing the strong man bow himselfe that hath kept the house who is at peace who is the author and ground of the error and not he that is stronger then he that kept the house made the Devil tremble shake the Earth where he hath had his foundation yea and the heavens also thou also speakest of the first birth whose habitation is in the earth and propriey there who made me a divider of mens inheritances me who am the end of the Law for the Law is just among you to devide to every man his right but I who am the end of the Law redeemes you from under the Law and out of the earth but you who are found in this first birth in the earth have set up your tenthes and keeps people in the ninths your greediness of it your presence declares thou speaks of mine thine in collections so selfe you are found in and your coldnesse incollections the blind and lame Fatherlesse and widdowes the streets in London declares you and the countries abroad yet you are all Christians and baptized and you weare rings and scaries and points and others crying for bread thou speakest of buying and selling c. who art arming thy selfe to hold up the honour of the beast which was simple words spoken and as for your buying and selling the fruits of the great whore hath declared it selfe made merchandize of souls and all other things out of the Law of equity which who acts in acts in the will of God thou speakest of good morrow and good evening and would blind the world though thou broughst scripture for it and makes them believe it is the Quakers error to say the contrary the morning is good and the evening is good and all is good that God created and made as it was in the beginning but by transgression they come to be vile and evill going out of the truth as things were created and standing in the truth are all blessed thou speakest of giving of thanks and craving a blessing and yet you say you must have a body of sin whilst you be upon earth so your thanks and your blessings is from the unclean lips in the mouth that blesses and curses and so proceeds from the bad fountain thou speakest of Christian Magistrates and higher powers and thou speakest of saluting and honoring and bowing downe before men who art not come to Christ the power of God who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him being not come to the light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world and hath all power who subjects all Magistrats to himselfe who doth enlighten them to see him and you are not come to the Angels state that said to Iohn see that he did not bow to the Angel but worship God Iohn who saw all the World worshipping the beast in the old time they had bowed to the Angell but Christ is come to whom the Angels must bow and who is in him hath life and worship and that is honourable which is in the truth for who honours God God will them honour but honour to a fool is not seemly but like snow in summer and thou speaks of Christs Freemen and thy choosing it rather then to serve Idolatrous Masters and these Freemen that have chosen their freedome and cannot serve you Idalaters who are spirituall Egypt to worke in the earth for you to make you brick to set up your building you persecute them as Idolaters you Imprison who have the forme of godlinesse and denies the power who will talk of the words but deny the
minded earthly things But how can ye reprove these things and live in the things your selves one to reprove another and be in the same thing himself this will stinck among all sober men and set you all on heapes among one another as ye are So how can ye or they know any thing of the foundamentals of Religion or salvation or your people either that deny the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Christ Jesus the foundation of God the wisdom of God the end of the Prophets and the Law types figures and shadowes ye have denyed the very key that opens to it Therefore ye all come short of the glory of God and Teachers and people are all fallen into ignorance since the dayes of the Apostles in the Apostacy but now Christ is come and coming to reign Pr. They say upon the sad experience of mens ignorance we have been brought to consideration of our neglect c. And our hearts have been brought low to think how we have wronged Christ least God should require your blood at our hands Pag. 19 Ans Repent repent for ye have long deceived the people and the blood will lie upon you and the blood of many that hath been shed in the Nation and have dyed in prison and whipt and stockt and beat through your means the blood lies upon you all Repent the Judgement of the great whore is come The Magistrates begin to see you and you shall not ride upon them And your ignorance and all your hearers you may well cry out of them Repent and come to the light which Christ Jesus hath enlightened every one withall that comes into the world to give you the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus out of the ignorance which none cometh to the light of the knowledge of the glory of God c. but who comes to the light that shines in their hearts yea in darkness Christ hath enlightened them withall Where it shineth out of darkness it gives them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And all are ignorant who are from the light and wrongs Christ and you have all wronged him that have denyed the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world who are inwardly ravened from it and have had the sheepes cloathing and so have kept people in ignorance blindness and darkness But now the true light shines the day of glory is dawning Christ and the Saints is reigning and have the Kindom glory to the Lord for ever Pr. They say Alas that any reasonable soul should be so bruitish most of their lives is spent in ignorance and worldliness living in the flesh c. Page 24. Ans Here is the fruits of your Ministry Are not ye ashamed to manifest your fruits thus now to the whole Nation Is this like a vineyard that your people that you have taken maintenance of and the Magistrates that they should give you maintenance all this time and your people spend most of their lives in ignorance worldliness and the flesh Is this like the fruits of the Ministers of Christ or the fruits of the false prophets that have not profited the people at all Did not the Apostles keep them from them that bewitched them and would have brought them into the flesh And ministred to the spirit got out the wheat and the corn And are not you ashamed to publish such a thing to the Nation you 58. Ministers To say a reasonable soul should be so bruitish can that which is reasonable be brutish that which is bruitish Warrs against the soul But this is but to discover your Ministry and what ye minister to and that the soul ye are ignorant of it Pr. They say Is it not pity that God should have any reasonable Creature that knowes not his maker or his Lawes or his own happiness Is it not pity that after all that Christ hath done and suffered for the world that any that calls themselves Disciples should so little know him and the salvation and should set so light by him Pag. 26. Answ In this you all Pastors and Teachers have shewed your work what doth not the creatures yet know their Maker what are they heathen yet what do not the creature yet know Gods Lawes what worse then the Jewes heathen and them that call themselves the disciples of Christ and Christians so little know him after Christ hath suffered for them what hath been your work all this while what have ye been doing what have ye had wages for that they so little know him that hath suffered for them and their salvation and should set so light by him how can they prize him or see any light from Christ when ye keep them from the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which none seeth salvation but with it and by it and none seeth Christ that suffered but with it and by it and none cometh to see and know Christs end and the end of Gods Law and prize him and set much by him but by the light And doth not reasonable creatures know the Law of God Are not reasonable creatures in the faith are not the unreasonable out of the faith now that knowes not their Maker nor his Law nor little of the suffering of Christ or their own happiness and little know their salvation and set light by Christ Are not all these your fruits Are not all these your hearers that ye complain of to the Nation Have not ye now discovered your selves in this that have the form of godliness but denyes the power that keepes people alwayes learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth But such as be led away by with diverse lusts and laden with sins And now are ye complaining that your people serves the lust of the flesh and the earth not knowing their Maker nor knowing his Lawes nor their salvation and setting light by Christ this ye may complain of with shame who are such as crept into houses before the Apostles decease and since ye have gone over the world But now ye are discovered with that which gives to see the end of the Apostacy and Apostates which gives to see before the world was made Prin. They say if the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds of them that believe not least the light of the glorious Gospel should shine unto them who is the image of God And the people perish when visions fail c. Page 28. Answ Who believes not in the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world the God of the World blinds their mindes Every one that cometh into the world is enlightned that through the light they might believe And every one that believeth in the light hath the witnesse in himselfe and abides