world Iohn 1. 9. the one he loves the Light and brings his works to the Light and walks in the Light and there is no occasion of stumbling Iohn 11. 9. the other he hates this Light because his deeds are evil and this is his condemnacion the Light be silent all flesh Friend thou art one that hates this Light thy spirit is tryed for if thou wert in the Light there would be no occasion of stumbling but thou art Antichrist without this Light Iohn 4. 3. therefore thou dost not see the Light which hath enlightned every one the believer and the unbeliever which is his condemnacion that believes not 2 Query If in unbelievers as well as in believers whether is it one and the same Light with that Anoynting thou speakest of yea or no. Answ It is one with the Anoynting and if it were not one with the Anoynting it were one against the Anoynting an imagined Light wherein thou hast shewed thy blindness and thy ignorance thou makest appear which neither knowest the Light nor the Anoynting for thy dark minde cannot comprehend it Light shines in darkness and darkness comprehends it not Iohn 1. 5. and there thou art exalted in the foolish wisdom which is of the world which is foolishness to the wisdom of God swelling in the lying vanityes one of them that are disobedient to the Light without God in the world the son of perdicion which is exalted above all that is called God 3 Query Whether it be not the new Law of Righteousness written in the heart to condemn sin in the flesh which thou sayst a man may say he is above the Law by the Gospel be not the pure and true Gospel manifested by Iesus Christ yea or no. Answ That is thy own condicion for thou art got above professing the Gospel or the new Law of Righteousness which knowest neither in the power of truth through the death for if thou didst there would not be such a confusion in thy Queryes and in thy words for thou professest the Gospel with thy busie minde and wouldst be informed as touching those things and wouldst be up in the highest place professing the Gospel but thou must come down to the first Principle Heb. 5. 12. and see thy self a childe of disobedience in whom the Prince of the Ayer yet lodgeth for hence it is so many do profess the Gospel and the new Law of Righteousness and are not come through the Law for the Law hath power over a man as long as he lives and who are made free from the Law are made free from sin through the Law 1 Iohn 3. 4. I am dead to the Law where this is witnessed and the Gospel known and the new Law of Righteousness but Friend this is out of thy dark minde for thou art drunk yet with the Earthly spirit and appearest something in thy comprehension which is gathered in with imaginacions and conceivings but the promise is thou must be scattered and if ever thou witness that fulfilled thou wilt witness what I say but thy dark minde comprehends me not 4. Query Whether thou makest any distinction between the new Law of Righteousness written in the heart by the life of Jesus and the Law administred by Moses which sayth Do this and live and if thou make any wherein lyes it Answ Thou wouldst be comprehending with thy Reason to know a difference without thee which shews forth thy blindness Death reigned from Adam till Moses and that it doth in thee yet for that which should see is in the death the Law and the Prophets they were untill Iohn and Iohn untill Christ he that can receive it let him if thou canst receive it thou mayst and when thou comest to go through Moses and through the Prophets and through Iohn to come to Christ then shalt thou see the Light is but one but thou art making a difference betwixt Christ and Moses as the Pharises did who knew not Moses nor the Prophets nor Iohn nor Christ and in that generacion of the Pharises thou art I must deal plainly with thee thy spirit is known and tryed which is not the spirit that raised up Iesus therefore thou who wouldst be comprehending with thy Reason thou and thy Reason are comprehended which shall never search into the things of God the pure wisdom of God is shut up from that vulterous eye Iob 28. 7. and venomous Beast who art come out of the bottomless Pit and thither must return again and in the viperous generacion thou art And as touching the outward commands and observances where the life of Iesus is made manifest the substance of all Types and â—igures is come Rom. 10. 4. there is no more observing them being made free from all them by him who was under the Law made under the Law to fulfill the Law and the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 2. and who are here denyes all the carnal outward Observances Tradicions as the Temple outwardly which God had commanded and Circumcision outwardly and the Priests outwardly for they had received Iesus Christ the high Priest who is the end of the Law Rom. 10. 4. so the carnal minde had carnal Types and Figures and Shadows of heavenly things but he that is made free from the Law is made free from the curse which thou art not which gave forth these Queries if thou hadst thou wouldst not have shewed forth thy busie minde but it is now as the Apostle sayd it was then there was some doting about questions and the Law which thou shewest thy self to be one of them who hast uttered forth thy folly therefore be ashamed and lay thy hand upon thy mouth 5 Query Whether New Jerusalem and the holy Temple therein be but newly come down from Heaven as in this our Age or the like wherein the tru worshipers worshiped the Father in spirit and truth or hath it always been the place and Temple wherein the Saints of God have worshiped the Father in spirit and truth Iohn 4. 23. from the beginning of the world seeing our Saviour speaks that Abraham saw his day and rejoyced and that the time is coming yea now is that neither at Samaria nor at Jerusalem Answ Thou wouldst know whether New Ierusalem be newly come down in this our Age and it is that which ever was and ever did come down to the Saints they witnessed this but Friend to thee in thy age and generacion where thou art in it is not come but thou art a stranger querying without nor never did nor never shall come in that generacion thou art among the Serpents which the Wo was ever preached to Matth. 23. even that generacion which got the form to speak of Ierusalem and the Temple but are the Synagogues of Satan and full of dead mens bones and who are whited outsides and beautifull outwardly but full of corruption within and in that generacion wherein was
and is all the righteous bloud shed and in that nature which thou wouldst know these things in it was ever hid from who have the chiefest places in the Assemblyes and called of men Master Matth. 23. 7. and in that generacion thou art which the Wo was ever preached to try thy self for to that in thy conscience which should exercise it do I speak 2 Cor. 4. 2. and when it doth appear it will witness me 2 Cor. 5. 11. the time is coming and now is that not at Ierusalem in your highest profession of Christ nor your highest glorious nocions of him which you live in nor none of your Steeple-houses nor none of your Exercises as you call them nor the daintiest Dish you have will be meat for the tru worshipers of God for they have run to this Steeple-house and that Steeple-house and to this mountain and that mountain and here is a dainty Dish and there is a dainty Dish sayth the Harlot which hath long deceived the simple ones but now all you Harlots are discovered which have deceived the Nations and now Abraham shall arise who is the Friend of God whom thou knowest not but art in the generacion of them who professed Abraham and freedom and God to be their Father but were of their Father the Devil Iohn 8. 44 4â— doing his work who was a Murderer crucifying the just who are in the fall and not come to the beginning for thy Father was a Murderer since the beginning and Dives must be turned into Hell and the Dives with your dainty Dishes must be layd low and you who profess the New Ierusalem will be found to be in the old Ierusalem where the Lord Iesus Christ was and is crucified in your Ierusalem now in the highest place of Worship the tru worshipers of the Father in Spirit and Truth witness it to be so and the time is come that the Scripture is fulfilled and the words of Christ Iohn 4. 23. Praises Praises to the Eternall glorious God of Heaven and Earth for ever and ever who now hath made his Power known by which we see the Deceits of you all 6 Query Whether it be not Gods Ordinance that the inward living spiritual powerful word of God whereby all the Saints of God are taught and the tru inward spirituall Worship of the Saints should in the outward appearance of them be held forth in earthen vessels as under a form of Speech or word yea or no Ans Freind in this Query thou hast uttered forth thy weakness and thy ignorance in the form of the Letter doth appeare yet Serpent-like thou art full of Subtilty but thy nakedness doth appeare openly The word of God is as a Fire and cannot be limited no not with thy carnal Reason It is as a Hammer to beat thee to peices and as a Sword to cut thee asunder whensoever thou comest to know this powerfull word of God And this is the word which the Prophets spoke from who cryed Wo against all them that sayd the Lord sayth and he never spoke to them and cryed against all them that bear rule by their meanes Ier. 5 30 31. the horible filthy thing is committed in the Land which is and was held up with Preist and People but now the same living spirituall eternall Word is made manifest and is preached abroad against all you Hyerlings and greedy dumb Dogs which have not a word from the Lord but seek for your gain from your quarters and get up into the cheifest place of the Assemblies and are called of men Masters and stand praying in the Synagogues he that is the Word cryed Wo against all such and them that had this Word he bade them not to be as they were Math. 23. 8 9 10. And this Word is made manifest in the Saints which is declared abroad but thou who livest in Appearance and wouldst see things in Appearance in thy carnall wisdom and Reason â—hou art shut out from this knowledg for to thee it is death to thy carnall minde therefore freely do I publish the Eternall Truth abroad and as knowing you that you have not a word from the â—ord but are in that generacion of those that did shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men neither go in your selves nor suffer others laying heavy burthens upon the People and will not toutch them with one of your fingers but what you do you do it to be seen of men making broad your Philacteries and devouring Widdows houses Math. 23. 45. who art desolate from Christ who hast got the Form of Christs words but art in the steps of the Scribes and Pharises who had got the form of Moses and the Prophets and were enemies and strangers to the Life of God Moses and the Prophets and their Form you have got in your comprehension in the earthly vessel and that 's your heavenly Treasure but now you are tryed with what you hold forth in a Form of words but the word of God is powerfull and in him is no Form but thou art a Theif and a Robber who stealest the Prophets words Ier. 23. 30. who art without who knowest not the Word nor the Lord nor the tru Ministers of the Word shutting out thy self in the dark world and Querying whether the Word should be held forth in earthen vessels if thou hadst an Eye or if thou hadst an Eare thou mightst hear and see it preached dayly but as I said to thy first Query thou knowst not the Light whith enlightneth every one that commeth into the world but art ignorant deaf and blinde one that hates the Light that makes thee let forth so many stumbling Queries for hadst thou the Light thou wouldst not stumble but be as a Citty set upon a Hill but thou art without who hast shewed forth such a dark minde but that minde is for destrukcion for if thou didst walk in the Light and love it it would lead thee to the Day which would let thee see all things and there would be no ocasion of stumbling but thou art him that hates the Light so all thy Preaching as thou callest it leads from God being blinde and leads the blinde and must both go into the Ditch together but we who are Ministers of the Eternal Word see it and dwell in the Light and declare freely without a Bag or a Staffe without Brass and Silver or two Coats for the workman is worthy of his meat freely you have received freely give Math. 10. 8. therefore we do deny your preaching and for the simple ones sake who are in the Simplicity who have been ensnared by you who are in the Subtilty and such as you are who have let forth these Queries for we know your Spirits though you have not let forth your names so who are in the simplicity seeking after the Truth for their sakes have I let forth my self and shewed forth your folly Query 7. Whether the Idols Temple and the Worship that 's done therein
had commanded when the everlasting Offering was come and against the outward Temple but thou art blinde and canst not see it Pharise like but thy minde is seen to be contradictory who wouldst contradict the truth and doth not see the end of God in fulfilling his Types and Figures and when they are fulfilled he doth contradict them and therefore do we contradict thee which actest these things God never commanded that which God had commanded was contradicted as Circumcision and the outward Temple and the Sabboth and all the Priests were denyed with them who had received Iesus Christ and here thou hast shewed thy self to be a blinde Pharise which knowest not the precepts nor commands of God but followest thy own imaginacions and thy own invencions which I have charged thee withall formerly and here I charge thee to be a blinde Guide Matth. 23. 16. and therefore came the Apostle to contradict all the Jews who held up the Figures after the substance was come but thou art blinde as the Pharises were and worse for when the Apostles had received the substance they contradicted the Pharises which held up the Types and Shadows which God had commanded and killed them that did witness the substance come but thou natural brute Beast who knowest nothing of God nor his truth must be consumed by unquenchable sier thou speakest of an Assembly of Christians coming together to worship God but a company of the world may come and thou joynest with them here thou shewest plainly that thy worship is no tru worship of God for they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth Iohn 4. 23 24. for such are they which he seeks to worship him but not in the Steeple-house the mighty day of the Lord is coming and God that made the world doth not dwell in Temples made with hands therefore come down thou painted Beast which deceivest the people God will overturn thee and thy worship and all such as thou art and them who are of God God is sending them forth to give you the Cup double that ye have given to them thou sayst an Assembly of Christians coming together to worship God are not bound up so close but a company of the world may come in and joyn with them here thou shewest that thy Assembly are all of one spirit and here thou shewest plainly that thy spirit and their spirit is the spirit of the world and not the spirit that was in the Apostles and Saints which sayd What concord hath Christ with Belial and what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness 2 Cor 6. 14. and here thou hast raced thy self out of the tru worship of God and I know thy spirit is not bound up but it is at liberty in the world in the broad way and therefore with them it can joyn and so here thou shewest thy self to be of a contrary spirit to them that preached the Word the Ministers of the Word are not Ministers of the Letter wherein it doth appear that thou art a Minister of the Letter a wrester of it those who are the Ministers of the Word speak forth freely and testifie against such hierlings as thou art who art bound up in thy form and set place and against all thy customary praying and singing for the preaching of the Word is to declare freely to all it is not bound up but such as thou wouldst limit it who doth keep poor simple people in bondage under thee I do believe God hath a people which is in captivity under thy dark imitated Forms and such as thine and who are misled by such as thou art for we were all under such blinde Guides as thou art until God of his infinite love did shew us his way and his light and your ways therefore in the presence of the Lord God do we testifie against all such practises as thine and for the simple ones sakes who are under such blinde Guides as thou art do we let forth our selves that they may see how such as thou bewitchest them and keepest them from worshipping the living God by thy imaginacions Gal. 3. 1. Thou bringest a place 1 Cor. 14. 23 24. to maintain singing of Davids Psalms in a Meeter but in that Scripture there is no such thing in it here again thou openly shewest thy self to be a perverter of the Scriptures and a wrester of it what communion hath the believer with the unbeliever here thou shewest thy self to be one of Babylon full of confusion and confused in thy words contrary to the Scripture and a wrester of it for the world knows not God by all its wisdom Thou sayst that your Congregacion is required to speak good of God O you Generacion of Vipers how can you being evil speak good things Mat. 3. 7. Here thou crossest Christs words thou wouldst have the Generacion of Vipers to speak good things An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit how can you speak good of God that speak nor good of his people the Pharises when they met together did they speak good of God when they sayd Christ was a Devil and gathered together with the chief Priests and sought to put him to death Iohn 11. 53. and in this generacion thou art taking counsel against Christ and against his anoynted incensing the rude multitude against them and is this speaking good of God Query 9. Whether a man shall overcome the body of sin while he â—â— on the earth yea or no Priests Answer There are divers and several victories over sin as first a victory over the dominion and reigning power of sin Rom. 6. 14. this is not given by the power of man but by the power of grace there is a victory over the condemning presence of sin sin cannot so hurt any elect Vessel as to throw him into â—ell and eternal wrath and condemnaâ—ion Rom. 8. 1. There is a victory over the being of sin in the flesh and whatsoever curse thou sayest on me for the same I must profess that I am of the minde that victory â—s not fully enjoyed while we are on the earth for then and not before when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption Death is swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15. 54. and the Apostle cals the body of sin the body of death Rom. 7. 24. A Reply to the Priests Answer Friend thou bringest so many Scriptures which is to the throwing down of thy own self as Rom. 6 14. and thou desirest to be satisfied to the contrary to thy belief for thou believest that man shall not be made free from sin as long as he is here and here I will shew thee that thou hast a lying spirit for in Rom. 6. they sayd they were made free from sin for while they were servants of sin they were made free from righteousness and here thou shewest a contrary spirit to that which was in the Apostle and thou desirest to be fully satisfied in those Scriptures in Rom. 7. 18.
God hast none who crucifiest Christ now who art he that frustratest and quenchest the Spirit who must be consumed with the breath of his mouth and destroyed by the brightness of his coming thou queryest whether there be a power in every man as to be saved if he will here thou subtlety who art ditted full of Eearth hast shewed forth thy ignorance of the power of God 2 Tim. 3. 4 5. Man in his will would be saved as thou wouldst but the power of God is contrary to thy will and destroys it which saves and as many as receives Christ to them he gives power to become the sons of God Iohn 1. 12. but here thou son of perdicion hast made manifest thy self not to love Christ nor receive him therefore thou wantst power and there thou hast shewed thy self to be that wicked and slothfull servant which hidest thy Talent in the Earth Matth. 25. 26. and there is that Light and Power in every man which if he take heed to it and wait within there he shall finde his Saviour 2 Pet. 1. 19. but if he hate this pure Eternal Light it shall condem him eternally whose deeds are evil Iohn 3. 19. as thine is and so all stumbling is by being disobedient to the Light as the Iews who stumbled at Christ who sayd he was the Light that enlightneth every one that cometh into world so thou dost now at the same Light which shall be thy condemnacion eternally thou shalt witness me it is the same Light as ever was to that which should exercise your consciences do I speak which will witness me and condemn you though God is greater than Conscience 7 Query Whether there shall be a general Resurrection of all flesh all summoned to one place and to what place to receive a tru and du Sentence of Iudgment yea or no Answ Christ Iesus is the Resurrection of the just and unjust some to salvacion and some to condemnacion the same that saves the same condemns Matth. 25. 31 32 33 34. And thou desirest to know the place it is the day that God will judg thee and the world in righteousness whom he hath ordained thou busie fellow who art querying of others condicions of the world without thee but it is that thou Fool mightst utter forth thy folly and here thou hast made it appear and in thy Queryes thou art little wiser and there is a place where thou shalt finde a Judg and his Trumpet is sounding but thou art deaf yet and canst not hear it and the Sumpter-horse is gone forth 8 Query Whether may the Scriptures by the Spirit of God be opened and unfolded and expounded to the People yea or no Ans Here thou Serpent art full of subtlety High-Priest like under a colour comest and wouldst be taught but in thy other Queryes thou art teaching and judging and thou didst shew thy selfe to be one that didst not know the Light which enlightneth every one that cometh into the world and what dost thou talk of opening the Scripture who hates the Light and stumblest at it and art disobedient to the Spirit Col. 3. 6. to it thou art an Enemy Ephes 5. 6. but it is that thou mayest be kept in the high place of wickedness Ephes 2. 2. but by them who dwell in the Light thou art comprehended and taken in the snare and art without the Truth of God and an Enemy to that which should guide thee and to be a Cloud without water Iude 12. and the same Spirit where it is made manifest and lived in and walked in and not the lusts of the flesh it opens the Scriptures in the People and fulfils them for it is the same that gave them forth and where this is witnessed it needs not be queryed whether it opens the Scripture to the People or no for it doth open them in the People and to the People but thou art without the Gate of Truth what is this to thee one that art without stumblest at the Light a Childe of Disobedience whom the wrath of God abides upon Iohn 3. 36. but it is the Serpent that would be wise and wouldst paint thy self with other mens words who pretendest to have the Spirit but art a Deceiver in the world in thy Fathers Kingdom and Dominion and this shalt thou see when thou ownest the Light which is thy condemnacion and witnessest me to speak the truth George Fox FINIS Certain QUERIES given forth from one Robert Lucas of Kellet in Lancashire who is wise in his own conceit professing in words that he knows something but iâ— here found out to know nothing but what he knows naturally as a bruit Beast and in those things hath corrupted himself as Iude 10 and that through his wrath bitterness envy and malice against the wonderfull and mighty power of God which he hath manifested in his People which now makes the Devil to rage persecute and blaspheme and to set all his Servants a work to tempt to minister Questions to despise falsly accuse and to slander and contemn all those who are redeemed from the Earth and are Servants to the living God and walk in the Truth judging and condemning and overturning all those who profess the Truth in words but walk contrary which Questions were propounded to one who is despised of the Despisers for the Truths sake whose name among men is Richard Hubberthorn but are answered by the Spirit of the Lord from the mouth of the Lord as followeth I Have here received a Paper whose name subscribed to it is Robert Lucas in which are many unlearned Queryes proceeding from the subtle minde Serpent-like which minde is full of mischief and dark about Questions and strife of words 2 Tim. 2. 23. being full of darkness and in them are many temptations yet because thou Fool shouldst not be exalted in thy pride and foolery a few things in Answer I have given forth to the uttering forth of thy foolery thou that hast been a Professor so long and art querying what Faith is and whether Faith be attained by hearing the Word preached and whether all men have not Faith and whether it is possible to please God without Faith and thou queryest how Christ is in man and whether any be elected to Salvacion and whether all men be conceived in sin and queryest how it is done away after thou hast shewed forth thy foolishness thy blindness and thy ignorance as not knowing any thing thou hast made a Profession of Christ and here thou shewest thou knowst him not for shame give over thy Profession and lay thy hand upon thy mouth and be silent but to us the uttering forth thy folly is serviceable as it is written Fools are uttering forth their folly and thou hast shewed thy self to be one Prov. 13. 16. 1 Query What Faith is Answ Faith is the Gift of God and that which asks the question is without and shall never know it for thou art a Reprobate concerning it the Faith