but the letter declares of the spirit and it was before the letter was and given by the Lord it is his gift and not the gift of the letter yet the letter declares of it but God is the giver contrary to their affirmation witnessed in John 14.16 17. John 14.26 John 16.13 Acts 2. Gal. 4.6 1 John 3.24 There it no spirit and life in outward bread and wine neither is Christ spiritually in it at the institution as the Papists and Scots affirme Therefore they contradicts the Scriptures and the late Act of Abjuration that so affirme For Christ it the bread of life John 6. 〈◊〉 such as eate that bread live in him and he in them Ver. 57 58. A VINDICATION OF THE SCRIPTURES In Answer to the Scottish Contradictors I Received a Printed Paper that came out of Scotland into York and Yorkeshire in England published by one John Stalham and as he calls himselfe Preacher of the Gospel at Edenborough in the said Scotland but he hath manifested himselfe and his subtile and serpentine spirit by his lies and slanders for all his glosses and covers to be a Minister of deceit and so of Antichrist as hereafter will more appear who falsly accuses the people of the Lord and shewes forth a bitter spirit of envy against them and the truth which doth manifest his deceit and though he be painted and deckt with his notions implications and contra distinctions and gilded coloured and borrowed and form'd up imagined expressions yet with the Light which is not common reason as he calls it but the true Light which discovereth errour and deceit and leads out of darknesse into the light of life John 8.12 such as obey it with the Light John 1.9 is he seen and known to be one that hates it and also bears record of himself against Christ and his Apostles and therefore he must needs be an antichristian and a deceiver and so to be denyed and holden accursed Gal. 1.8 9. For he calls the true Light the light of nature and the common light of reason but cannot prove what he hath therein said Therefore he is a lyar a false accuser and lyars and false accusers are antichristian so is he Therefore let him be an Anathema Maranatha and all such as he is 1 Cor. 16.22 To that which thou calls touching the Scriptures themselves John Stalham Thou calls thy Pamphlet or Book of lyes The Quakers Contradictions to the Scriptures and to that which thou begins with and calls it Touching the Scriptures themselves First thou sayes They say the Scriptures are not the word of truth I answer That the Scriptures are words that proceeded from the spirit of truth we doe not deny but own and so they are words of truth and therefore thy saying is false and in that thou art charged to be a lyar and false accuser of the truth but that the Scriptures are the Word God and eternal Life as thou wouldst have them thou canst not prove nor all the Magicians to help thee and that thou wouldst have them to be and thou art seen to be a lyar of them and the truth and such as witnes to the word and Gods power they witnesse against thee And where thou Queries and sayes How can the Scriptures be Gods witnesse if not true I answer That the spirit of truth in the Prophets were Gods witnesse and testified before-hand of the sufferings of Christ and declared of in the Scriptures by words that proceeded from that spirit of Christ that in them did signifie those things 1 Pet. 1. And the spirit of Christ in the Apostles of Christ Gal. 4.6 did carry them forth after they had received power from on high to witnes him forth Acts 1. But the spirit is not in the letter as thou in thy 22 page hath said neither is the spirit giby the letter but by God and Christ of whom the letter doth declare being words of truth that proceeded from the spirit of truth Luke 11. 1 John 13. The letter proceeded from the spirit but the spirit did not proceed from the letter and therein thou hast erred not knowing the spirit nor power of God declared of in the Scriptures Thou saith Another saith the Scripture is not a standing rule to you who cannot believe contrary to Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets for a standing rule thou sayes Here let all the honest hearted judge of thy deceite who hath perverted that Scripture for thy own ends Luke 16.29 from it raising a false doctrine saying You have Moses and the Prophets for a standing rule when the ver saith not so here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be a lyar of the Scriptures and so contradicts them for if Moses and the Prophets had been left to all and for ever for a standing rule as thou asserts then Christ and the Apostles might not have been after Moses and the Prophets for following examples or rules and therein thou brings the old Covenant to contradict the new and crosseth that Scripture where it saith Be ye followers of God as dear children Eph. 5.1 And they that follow him in the Gospel are led by his Spirit and that is not the letter though the letter declare of it Rom. 8.14 c. For God is that spirit as saith the Scripture 2 Cor. 3.17 But we follow God who are guided by the Spirit as such did and that is our guide and rule to wit the Spirit of truth as Christ hath since he promised it appointed it to be the rule and guide into all truth John 16.13 But thou that would have the letter to be the rule and Moses and the Prophets onely then thou wouldst not have Christ and the Apostles followed after and so contradicts the Scripture also which was spoken after Moses and the Prophets after the Law under the Gospel by a minister of the same who in his godly exhortation said Be ye followers of me even as I am of Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 And that was not Moses and the Prophets but Christ and his Apostles there spoken of Seeing then we are not under the Law but under Grace the spirit of Christ is our rule and guide and even unto this day when Moses is read the vaile is upon their heart as saith the Scripture 2 Cor. 3.15 But thou art reading and pleading for Moses to be a standing rule and so sets up the Law in stead of the Gospel therefore the vaile is upon thy heart but we witnesse the glory that exceeds for if the ministration of condemnation were glorious much more the ministration of glory exceeds but thou art ignorant of that and where thou hast pleaded for Moses and the Prophets to be a standing rule saying they have Moses and the Prophets let them heart them Luke 16.31 Here thou sayes the Scriptures are asserted by our Lord to be a more standing rule then Visions and Revelations thou hast here raised a fals assertion of the Lord
and spirituall songs we are not against but owne and Davids prayers prophecies But your Poetry we deny and teaching people to sing lyes in hypocrisie saying they are not puft in minde when they are puft in minde and saying they have no scornfull eye when they have and much more of that nature Be ashamed lyar and give over lying Concerning Elders Ministers Maintenance Immediate calling and Immediate teaching c. Ordaining of Elders thou sayes was not by man Quoting the Discovery of the man of sinne by James Nayler Pag 38. Let the wise-hearted read that booke and it will witnesse cleare him and the truth declared in it but this I say The holy Ghost made Overseers and so Elders in the Church and that doth not contradict the Scripture but agree therewith Act. 20.28 and the holy Ghost is not such men as you are and he said Seperate mee Barnabas Saul for the worke whereunto I have appoynted them and they were sent out by the holy Ghost Act. 13. And he was not taught the Gospel which he preached of man but of God Gal 1. and so taught immediately and went after Christ was revealed in him immediately to preach the Gospel And thou sayes They say that God sends forth Immediately contrary to Gal 1. and saith there Paul speakes of a sending of man c but that Chapter may be a sufficient witnesse against thee prove thee to be a lyar of them and of that booke of the warning to Vnderbarrow by Edw Burr from which thou sayes they pretend to an Infallible Judgement to a calling not by man but Immediate as the Prophets and Apostles had whom God sends say they he sends Immediately and thou sayes that is contrary to Gal 1. here let the Scripture be a witnesse against thee that he that was Immediately called sent doth there witnesse the same and as for pretences we doe not pretend to be Immediately called and sent but we witnesse that we are and so witnesse with him that thou accusest and all thy Mediate calls sendings will not prove thee to be as Paul Timothy was that had the gift within him and the testimony by the holy Ghost as they had And for Rich Farneworth in that Booke called Light risen out of darknesse P 16. saying The Apostle had a free spirit and was chargeable to no man but preached freely he witnesseth the same and said also that he Coveted no mans silver nor gold nor apparell but preached the Gospel freely his hands ministred to his necessities That is truth and will stand as a witnesse against all proud Covetous selfe-seeking hireling Priests in Scotland elsewhere and at the Truth which witnesses against your deceit thou art offended And where thou sayes wee pretend to be Immediately taught wee doe not pretend so to be as I said before but we witnesse that we are so taught according to the promise of the Lord And thou that art not taught of him shews that thou speakes a vision of thy owne heart not from the Mouth of the Lord and for the true Prophets studying the word that is thy Imagination and contrary to Scripture for no prophecy of the Scripture came in old time by the will of man then not studied but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost and the Scripture is of no private Interpretation but thou that denies immediate teachings and saith the spirit is in the letter given by it thou may well accuse us falsely that so lyes against God his Spirit to manifest to all the children of Light that thou art ignorant of him and never was called nor sent by him but ran as the false Prophets did and so doth not profit the people at all Jere 23 Chapter Concerning Questions And as for Questions The Novices shall stand for your scorners and deceivers who are puft up in Pride and Conceits And where thou sayes They deny or say Questions are of the Devill such Questions as are of the Devill we deny But we owne Questions in their place and therefore thou hast cast that out as a slaunder but it is turned backe upon thee againe receive it into thy old bottle from whence it came To that of thine concerning Civill honour c. Civillity and honour wee owne and knows to whom honour is due to whom it is not for if I honour a proud man for his pride I dishonour God in so doing for pride is one of the abominations and if I honour a covetous man and an oppressor for his covetousnesse and oppression I should offend God in so doing or if I honour the Serpent and his seed But all men that are joyned to the Lord and walke in union with him and his seed I honour love and this I speake in sincerity and yet besides all this I can love my enemies But to follow foolish idle fancies to worship men with cap and knee and flatteries as the Serpents feed doe and which thou pleads for we doe that deny against it testifie how can yee beleive that seeks honour one of another seeks not the honour that cometh of God onely Joh 5.44 and what the Scriptures doe allow we doe know without thy ranking together but where doth the Scripture say put off your hatts and flatter with your tongues as proud flesh and deceit and such as thou dost or where doth it say respect the rich and disrespect the poore Are you not partiall and of them that have mens persons in admiration because of advantage have respect to persons for selfe-ends and so are Infidells and out of the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ which is not with such respect of persons for selfe-ends and carnall considerations Concerning Oaths And where thou sayes They take up the words of Christ Math 5.34 Sweare not at all as they doe other Scriptures against his meaning as if they did absolutely exhibit all oaths before a Magistrate whereas thou sayes he forbids oaths onely by creatures heaven and earth a mans head c The same meaning thou sayes hath James Thou sayes Christ doth not forbid all oaths but by creatures onely here thou art a lyar of Christ and his words beares testimony against thee for he doth not forbid swearing by creatures onely but he forbids swearing by all things els whatsoever for he saith Sweare not at all neither by heaven for it is Gods Throne nor by earth for it is his footstoole and he that sweares not by heaven must not sweare by what is contained in it he that sweares not by earth must not sweare by what is contained in it but Christ forbids swearing by heaven and earth and so by things contained in them and likewise the Apostle James sayes Sweare not at all and if a man must not sweare at all then he must not sweare by a booke or any other thing And though thou plead against the doctrine
of Christ and saith he doth not forbid all oaths but by creatures onely yet to confute thy selfe and manifest thy contradictions thou sayes he forbids not swearing by creatures onely but all oaths and here out of confusion thou hast confest to the Truth after thou hadst contradicted it And if thou had not made swearing null and voyd by thy words in confessing that all oaths are forbidden The very expresse words of Scripture would have been a witnesse clearely in the second place against thee James 5.12 And as for this saying we take the words of Christ contrary to his meaning therein thou hast also in that cleared us and contradicted thy selfe for we take his words according to his mind and so denies oaths abides in his doctrine But the Lord hath suffered thee to lay open thy folly that by thy words thou mayest be judged knowne to be in confusion selfe contradiction and so Babylonish Take heed of uttering thy folly as thou hast done Selfe Contradictions And where thou sayes they deny the Letter of the Scriptures to be Scripture that is one of thy lyes and yet thou sayes they stick to the Letter of the Scripture Mat. 23.8 10. which saith Be not called Masters here thou hast cleared them and contradicted thy selfe againe but thou art offended that they witnesse against thy deceit and cuts of thy Mastership by thy own rule though thou wouldst cover it over yet thy covers are seen and thou art left bare And thou sayes they say he that believeth hath the witnesse in himselfe and if they say so the Scripture saith the same 1 John 5.10 herein they do not deny nor crosse the Scriptures Acknowledge thy lies error and confusion and upon them own thy condemnation for after thou hast said that they should say They deny the Letter of the Scripture to be Scripture to confute thy selfe and clear them in p. 21 thou sayes that they say the Scriptures they own to be true in themselves as they were given forth by the spirit of truth which ruled in them that gave them forth and for proof sets down Light risen out of darknesse by Richard Farneworth p. 13. here both thy own witnesse and that Book of Richard Farneworths doth witnesse aganst thee And thus thou hast cleared them from the slander that thou sought to cast upon them and art under the guilt and the pit which for others thou diggedst thou are faln in thy selfe and catcht in thy own snare and craftinesse take notice of that see how thou hast contradicted thy selfe And where thou sayes one of them saith you are ignorant of the life of the Scriptures that are ignorant of the Letter herein thou hast manifested the same therefore take thou the shame for the life from whence the Scriptures proceeded is not the Letter yet the Letter doth declare of it and such as thou art that had the Letter but were ignorant of the Life Christ said Search the Scriptures in them you think you have eternall life they testifie of me but saith he Ye will not come to me that ye might have life John 5. 39 40. And againe saith he I am the Way the Truth and the Life Joh. 14.6 And he that hath the Son hath Life but the Son is not the Letter neither is the Letter the Son yet the Letter declares of him Concerning the new Birth and the word in the heart He that believeth thay say is born of God I answer so saith the Scripture 1 John 5. and that the word of Faith is nigh in the heart is witnessed Rom. 10.8 and he that believes and is born of God knowes the seed of God within him as saith the Scripture 1 John 3.9 but he is not born of the Letter as thou wouldst have him yet he is begotten by the immortall word which endureth for ever which the Letter declares of and that doth not contradict the Scripture Therefore where thou twines about to raise a lye of them saying they say and unsay that is thy own as before is proved for thou art he that sayes and unsayes and where thou sayes take the meaning of their words that hast not the same minde knows not the meaning but wrests them as thou perverts the Scriptures and so raiseth lyes by thy imaginations to manifest also thy contradictions for thou sayes they say and say truly then they lye not neither do they say and unsay and thou sayes they say truly because the Scripture saith so then they agree with the Scripture being of God and speaking truly 1 John 4.4 5 6. and they that are of God hear his word then they crosse not the Scripture neither do they say and unsay if they say truly and as thou also say But they say truly therefore they do not say and unsay and so thou art taken with the lye againe and clears them thy self and where thou sayes they deny that in John 1.9 to be a naturall Light If we do we have warrant for it for it is the Light supernaturall John 8.12 and if one of them did say he lived in a naturall condition before his conversion is that such a strange thing such as were witnesses for God as the Apostles and others had been naturall before they were spirituall and when it pleased God to reveal his Son in them Gal. 1. he also commanded the Light to shine out of darknesse to give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus and they had the heavenly treasure manifested in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.6 7. and if it had not been there in a mystery Col. 1. 27. how could it in them have been so after manifested in them but that thou art mindfull to cavill on purpose against the work of God to shew forth the envy of thy heart against the breakings forth of Light whereby your deeds of darknesse are discoverd and against testified And where thou sayes they magnifie the Light and the Law written in the heart to judge and condemn sin then thou sayes the day of Judgment is come I answer Where Judgement is brought forth into victory sin is condemned in the flesh and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit and such have boldnesse in the day of Judgement for as some mens deeds goes before hand to Judgement others they come after and therefore a day of Judgement is to come and that thou and the wicked will know to be a day of torment though the righteous may rejoyce in it Againe thou sayes They affirme that every man in his first estate may fee himse fe to be naturall but not able to judge of the things of God citing particulers concerning the Law by John Cam let that book be a witnesse to the truth against thy ignorance and sottishnes that sets thy corruptions and pleads for them the light which doth discover the naturall corruptions is not not
of sinne Pag 28. Let all that reads that booke see if there be such words so expressed by James in that Page and if not as they are not so set downe by him then let them take notice of thy deceitfull spirit And as thou hast lyed of James who witnesseth purity as the Saints did so also hast thou lyed of the Apostle and those spoken of in Hebr 12. and contradicted his words where thou sets downe Hebr 12.23 saying from that in contradiction to James that he contradicts that Scripture when hee witnesseth with it but thou contradicts it that sayes that the Spirits that is soules seperated as thou sayes from the bodyes of Just men made perfect in holinesse which is at death or at an Instant when the Spirit is seperated from the Body sin is as the wild figtree thou sayes rooted in the Joints of a Stonewall and when the wall is taken downe the stones cast asunder body and soule seperated then is sin thou sayes pluckt up by the rootes as the roots of a figtree and not before Thou subtile Serpent and Scotch Polititian how hast thou wrested the Scripture The Apostle saith that the word of the Lord is quicke and powerfull so is not the Letter of the Scripture to devide asunder soule and spirit Joints and Marrow and is A descerner of the thoughts and Intents of the heart Heb 4.12 Here soule and spirit is devided by the Living word and the Ground of sin shaken at the roots and rooted out of such before their soules and bodyes part asunder for those that thou speakes of in Heb 12.22 did not say it should be at an Instant of death when their bodyes and soule parted that they should be perfected but they witnessed that then they was come to Mount Sion and to the Citie of the Living God to the Innumerable company of Angells and to the spirits of Just men made perfect and in the present Tense they there spoke and not in the future and doth it say they was then parting body and soule asunder or that sin was rooted in them as the wild figtree is rooted in the Joints of a stone-wall and did they say when the wall is taken downe the stones cast asunder body and soule parted then should sin be rooted out and not before or then they was in that state of perfection they spoke of but by this thou hast manifested thy Scottish pollicy and Antichristian deceitfull Spirit and to be one that would uphold the Kingdome of the Devill in people and so art an enemie to Christ and his worke which is to take away sin here and to sanctifie by his Spirit 1 Cor 6.11 1 Joh 3 4 5. and so art against purity and holinesse here and therefore against the Scripture which saith As hee that hath called you is holy so be yee holy in all manner of conversation But thou denyes the holy call also as well as the holy conversation that pleads for sin to act and presse downe and make you all your Lift time to sigh it our and under it groane but that is one of your Scottish tricks of deceipt take notice of that And where thou hast shewed forth another piece of thy pollicy and serpentine subtilty from the words as thou sayes in the short Answer Pag 1. They are not so set downe there and therefore thy pollicy hath manifested subtilty and thy particular lyes But all thy pleading is against purity yet Christ hath said Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Math 5.8 then there was and are pure in heart as Christ said and they are blessed but thou sees it not that art of a corrupt heart and pleading against Christ and his doctrine and so accursed and thy witchcraft and deceipt that Loves not purity in heart nor the Lord Jesus Christ and what hee hath therein said And where thou sayes thou art sure that the least degree of purity makes a soule sensible of continuall Impurities mixed therewith That is thy owne condition confirmed by thy assurance and so thou Judges others by thy Continuall Impurities and therefore thy Judgement must needs be false and not true and that is thy Contradiction to the Scriptures for such as witnessed the word of God which endureth for ever and were begotten by it they had purified their soules through their obedience to the Truth through the Spirit which thou denyes and so denyes their doctrine who said Seeing yee have purified your soules have purifyed in the present Tense in obeying the Truth through the Spirit See that yee Love one another with a pure heart fervently but thou art against a pure heart also and so against the Scripture 1 Pet 1.22 And where thou sayes one in Answer to M Eaton P. 14. saith Did ever Paul deny perfection Thou in Reply saith what thinkes hee or others of that Phil 3.12 I Answer hee is so far from denying it that he pressed hard after it and said to such as had attained to it presse others on after it and they did Heb 6.1 and such obtained as so pressed after it Heb 12.22 23. And Paul obtained it and preached wisdome amongst them that were perfect 1 Cor 2.6 7. and said Finally my Brethren Farewell and be perfect but thou denyes it and so contradicts the Scripture and crosseth the Apostles doctrine therefore thou and such are to be holden accursed Gal 1.8 Thou sayes The question asked of one G Fox was Have yee no sin and his Answer was no I Answer If it were it was not contrary to such as were in the eternall Life and did abide in Christ but hee is in the Life of Truth and abides in Christ and therefore his Answer did not contradict the Scripture in the 1 Joh 3.6 but agree therewith and for that of the 1 Joh 4.16.17 it witnesseth the same though thou would wrest it yet thy twistings is not sufficient grounds to overthrow the truth for it will stand a witnesse against all Gainesayers like thee when thou art wearied with making opposition against it to manifest thy folly as thou hast done And thou sayes in Answer to Samuel Eaton Pag 19. They deny Saints to be alwayes in the warfare if they doe they deny not the Scripture but agrees with it for such as have overcome are more then Conquerers and thou brings that of Paul in the warfare to contradict it saying Rom. 7.23 I see a Law in my members warring c. but thou brings not his after Experience where hee sayes the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ hath made mee free Rom 8. And where hee with the rest in that union with him saith they are more than Conquerers through him that Loved them ver 37 and such as are carnally minded as thou art are in death but such as are spiritually minded are in life and peace and greater is hee that is in them then hee that is in the world 1 Joh 4.4 and such as have overcome
the wicked one knowes the father and are strong because they have overcome and are in union with him that giveth them victory and the word of God abideth in them that have so overcome 1 Joh 2.13 14. which thou art ignorant of and knowest not that pleads for sin and so for the Devill therefore his servant thou art expect his reward for doing his worke Concerning Repentance They Question that Implyeth a deniall of Repentance in such as make a trade of sinne take heed and looke to thy selfe that art so hardened in thy sins and pleads so strongly for them least thou be given over to hardnesse of heart and Repentance be hid from thee as from Esau it was for wee know that the goodnesse of God leadeth to repentance and the Scripture witnesseth the same with us therefore wee contradict it not but agree therewith and witnesse the gift from the Goodnesse Rom 2.4 But take heed that thou harden not thine heart and treasure up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgement of God ver 5. And where thou sayes wee disclaime a Godly sorrow which thou calls remorse there thou hast uttered another lye but thou art accustomed to it and it is hard for thee to leave it Concerning Reading Singings and Prayer Baptisme and the Lords Suffer c. Thou would raise a slander and cast it upon us from some words which thou hast wrested in the Booke called the Standard of the Lord by C Athinson Pag 22. as if wee should deny the way and the meanes that God useth to reveale himselfe to his people by and through but that is but further to manifest thy lying and deceitful Spirit of errour and deceit for Christ is the Light to lead out of errour and deceit such as follow him into the Light of Life Joh 8.2 And he is the way to the Father and that wee owne and none can come to the Father without him and hee reveales his secrets by his Spirit even the deepe things of God 1 Cor 2.10 and no man knowes the father but the sonne and he to whosoever the sonne will reveale him And this doth not contradict the Scriptures but are witnessed by them Math 11.27 Luke 10.22 But the Scriptures are not Christ then they are not the Spirit that reveales the deepe things of God But God hath sent the Spirit of his sonne into our hearts whereby we cry Abba father Gal 4.6 and by his Spirit hee tcacheth us to profit 1 Cor 12.7 and to understand 1 Joh 5.20 and teacheth us how to read with an understanding and how to pray as wee ought Rom 8.26 1 Cor 14.15 and that doth not contradict the 2 Tim 3.15 nor Rom 10.17 nor Luke 11.13 nor James 1 6. for wee know that faith is Given by the ministry of Christ in the Spirit and that God giveth us his holy Spirit 1 John 3 24. and the wisdome which is pure peaceable Gentle and easie to be entreated James 3.17 and the fruite of righteousnesse is sowne in peace of them that make peace James 3.18 for which wee praise God and owne hearing reading and prayer and the teachings of God according to his promises Therefore thy slaunder and accusation harmeth us not But your braine Imaginations wee deny and sprinkling Infants with water which thou calls Sacramentall water but canst thou prove it yet the Baptisme by one Spirit we owne 1 Cor 12.12 13. into one body where there is one faith one Lord one Baptisme Ephes 4.4 5. and such as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ and that wee witnesse as doth the Scripture which is not Contradiction Gal 3.27 But sprinkling Infants is an Invention and none of Christs Institution But thou perverts the Scripture Act. 2.38 39. saying Be baptized every one of you you and your Children Here thou art a lyar It doth not Command Children to be baptized with water neither did they ever so baptize them that thou canst prove by one plaine Scripture and where thou sayes that one of them sayes The Lords Supper is a carnall Invention I charge thee in that to be a grosse lyar I said that your Imagination was a carnall Invention but the Lords Supper I owne and witnesse that he is come in to supp with mee Rev 3.20 And the bread which we breake it is the communion of the body of Christ and the Cup which we drinke it is the communion of the blood of Christ and as Paul said so say I Let those that are spirituall Judge what is said but thou canst not prove that Paul broke outward bread and drunke outward wine with the Corinthians nor the manner how and therefore it is thy reason that is so weake that saith The bread which you breake although it be bread in the nature and substance yet it is Spirit in the Institution c. What blasphemy is this to say that the Spirit is in the bread which is naturall in the substance here is a Papisticall tricke indeed and thy reason is very weak to carry thee out to utter thy shallownesse and emptinesse of the body and blood of Christ that would make that bread which is naturall in the substance as thou sayes the Spirit and Life of Christ and so substantiall in the Institution by yon deceivers oh Horrible delusion The Kingdome of God consists not in meate and drinke but righteousnesse peace Joy in the holy Ghost and in that kingdome wheat bread and red wine is not soules food but the pretious blood of Christ such as eate him they live on hum and dwells in him he is my meate and drinke and food for my soule to feed on and for such as are in him John 6. Who is the bread of Life And where thou sayest wee are against publique prayer these thon sayes are their very expresse words in Answer to Samuell Eaton P 26. contrary to the order 1 Cor 14 14. Here thou hast manifested thy deceitfull spirit and wronged the words in that Booke by turning them into a wrong sense by thy filthy minde to manifest thy mischeife against the Truth that is harboured in thy deceitfull heart for the words in that page thou hast cited is that wee are against a publique prayer which is in the state of the Pharisee which Christ forbids and that doth not contradict Scripture nor the counsell of Christ but agree therewith Math 6.5 but the praying with the Spirit we owne and those are the following words in that booke agrees with the saying of Christ in Math 6.6 and with the order of the Spirit in the 1 Cor 14. which is to pray with the spirit and the understanding ver 15. Therefore thy lyes and slanders harmes us not And thou sayes wee are against all Davids prayers and prophesies and singing contrary to Scripture and cites the Answer to Sam Eaton P 26. Let that Book witnesse for the truth against thy deceit singing of Psalmes and hymns
spoken by the Spirit of truth which we owne and now the time is come that deceivers such as you are cannot endure sound doctrine but utters your folly to make your selves manifest what generation you are of even of him whose comming is after the working of Satan with all deceiveable of unrighteousnesse in them that perish 2 Thes 2. 2 Pet 2. Concerning Ordinances Instructing of Children and the Resurrection Praying in familyes thou sayes they say they own with reading and instructing of Children and bringing them up in the feare of the Lord and teaching according to the Apostles doctrine proved by a short Answer to 7 Priests P 19. which thou hast cited and art thou offended at this set thy conceivings that ariseth out of thy darke minde aside and thy vaine Imaginations and close to the Truth and stand not up to oppose it wilfully least thou be found one of those that sins wilfully after grace received to whom there is no more sacrifice for sin but a fearful looking for of Judgement fiery Indignation of the Lord which shall devour the Adversaries and where thou sayes they pretend to owne all that is Gods we doe owne that which is Gods free love mercy to us and all that is Gods as Baptisme the Lords Supper Church-fellowship Sabboth The flesh of Christ the resurrection and all that we owne and what thou hast cited out of the book of James Naylers called Spirituall wickednesse in heavenly places or an answer to a book entituled Freedome of Religious Worship or the Jubile of Ordinances set forth Let the wise-hearted read that book to further witnesse for the Truth on our behalfe to be a witnesse against their deceit such as would falsely slander and reproach us and the Truth and where thou sayes there must be no Lawes concerning Religion yet says they admonish Rulers to see that their Lawes be according to that in the Conscience of every man then thou says after thou hast wrested their words by this it seemes there is no Religion in the Conscience or els why should there not be Lawes according to religion aswel as according to the Conscience Thou deceitfull Spirit how hast thou wrested the words set downe about the Law of God which answers his Justice the Light in the Conscience which answers the law of God which is perfect according to that in the conscience Let the wise-hearted read that Booke which thou hast wrested called The Glory of the Lord arising shaking terribly the earth overturning all untill righteousnesse be set up being an Encounter with the Ministers of the world touching their Maintenance wherein they are beaten with their owne Weapons confuted by their owne Scriptures and Arguments and that will sufficiently witnesse against thy lyes witnesse against to the Law of God which is for Establishing Religion and seeing thy lyes are so made manifest I shall leave this to the simple-hearted that they may take notice of thy deceits herein made manifest besides much filthinesse in thy booke of slanders where thou deceifully hast wrested our words by thy sorcery and witcheraft but Truth is cleared and thou art ensnared and proved to be the contradicter of Scriptures and not those whom thou scornfully calls Quakers This is a Testimony against that Pamphlet namelesse Author called The serious reveiw of some Principles of the Quakers IN a paper called A serious review of some Principles of the Quakers one that saith He hath ceased from man and is dead to Sects and saith There is many in this Age who do own in their judgement many parts of Truth or severall sound Principles of Religion as it were by peecemeal who notwithftanding many more things if not in the most do erre And as for error deceit under refined subtilty that is the condition of die man that saith He is dead to all Sects but he is yet alive in the opinions and stands on the ground of fancies and fil'd with conceits and catching at truths in the notion but errs not knowing the seed of God nor the Key of the true Knowledge nor the Spirit that stands before the Throne the flaming Sword nor the Cherub but is shut out of the ground of Truth grinding and making meal or provision for the Lust feeding with the Serpent upon dust and yet with his high aiery notions and coloured expressions thinks to hide himself but is bare to the single eyed He saith he shall lay down several principles of the Quakers and as he propounds them he shall refute them yet shall speak of none of them but such as be most known that they may not have it to say that he wrests their words and do bely them but in the first place thou wrests and belies the words of J Nayler and G Fox let the wise hearted read Sauls errand and the 4th page in the Answer to the perfect Pharisee and the words are not as thou hast set them down therefore thou art a perverter of them and a lyar and instead of defending the Truth thou art labouring to uphold the Deceit but those two Books shall witnesse for the Truth against thy fancy and whimsie amongst all thy scraped up stuffe this is the weight or matter that thou stumbles at as if there should be something in man that is not creared what is the seed of God that keeps such as are born of God that they cannot commit sin that which is born after the will of God in whom that seed abides which is as the winde that bloweth and no man knows by his will the manner of the work brought forth by it but he that is not of the world and what is that unction that abideth in such which teacheth them all things is truth and no lye Is that holy unction created is not that in the regenerate And the holy Ghost is that created and is not that in such and abides in them that mysterie of Faith which is held in a pure conscience what is that is it not in man and what is that which bruises the Serpents head and the mystery of godlines in man And such as are so joyned to that seed in union with that one spirit thou and the harlot are ignorant of them and that mysterie therefore thou mayst stop thy mouth for thou hast manifeded thy ignorance and knows not our Principles they are not for thee to take up to carry about in thy foul reason dirty mire imagination words that proceeds from the Principle thou imagins of but knows neither the Principle nor the Power in which we stand that knows not that there is somthing in man that is eternall therefore thou knows not the seed of God the holy Ghost the unction the life which comes down from Heaven nor that God in Saints dwells and walks according to his Promise nor that Christ is glorified in them and being ignorant of the life of God in Saints
busie thy minde to run over the same things to shew forth thy folly and all that knows God they know that there is no other way nor Light to come to the Father by and to salvation but by Jesus Christ and if thou canst produce another way besides him and another Light pretended by thee to lead to salvation le ts know thy shallownes in it who hath set thy self to invent and follows inventions and conceits of thy braine but I see by thy Eight that thou as well as John Stalham would have a Letter Light a Letter word and so a Letter Saviour and calls Christ reason as he calls him naturall and common but for all the Scriptures you have ranked together not one of them saith that Christ the true Light is a naturall and common Light as John Stalham sayes who gives the Letter the preheminence and not Christ and so contradicts the Scriptures But thou hast manifested thy Rantisme and both of you you are found to be enemies to the Spirit and lyars of the Scriptures also And after thou hast winded about to cover thy selfe in the latter end of thy eight thou hast left thy selfe bare when all the Scriptures thou hast gathered together and thy reason will not nor cannot prove the Scriptures to be eternall life then not that word which endureth for ever nor the word by which the worlds were made nor the Spirit power of life nor Christ Jesus upon which the Prophets and Apostles were builded but thou sayes sayes falsly that the Scriptures which thou calls the Word is called the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles setting downe Eph 2.20 Now that very Scripture witnesseth against thee confutes thee for it calls Christ the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and the chiefe corner stone in whom all the building fitly framed groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord not in the Letter but in the Lord in whom they was builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit and not through the Letter but through the Spirit Eph 2.20 21 22. And say they through him through Christ not the Scripture but through Christ They both had an accesse not by the Letter as thou affirmes but by the Spirit Eph 2 18. How hast thou uttered thy folly and lyed of the Spirit that called Christ the foundation of the Prophets and Apostle and thou says the Scriptures are and in that thou hast lyed of the Scriptures also for the words that are left upon record witnesses against thee and both thou and John Stalham have shewed your ignorance of Christ the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles your foundation is the words which witnesse against you and all lyars thou hast manifested the same that the Letter is your ground for thou saith it is the ground of your faith P 12. and so your faith is not upon Christ which is the Saints ground for they witnesse Jesus Christ to be the Author and finisher of their faith Heb 12.2 But the Scripture is your ground of faith thou says and so no Scripture no faith no faith no salvation and let all the wise in heart see if thou would not here have a letter Saviour but it is good that fooles utter their folly that others may learne to be wise And where thou art offended at thou and thee words of truth and the Scripture Language there thou crosseth the Scripture contradicts them for thou canst not shew one plain scripture in all the Bible that says you to one single person all thy twisting in the 9th is but to plead for deceit and 〈…〉 and Civill honour wee are not to learne that of one that is out of the counsell of Christ as thou art and knowes not the eternall Word which thou and John Stalham have shewed your selves Ignorant of and to be without the Spirit of Christ to guide you and such are not his And as for things that stands in the Counsell of Christ and agrees with his Word wee are subject unto and owne true and just Government and the authority But your lyes flattery and deceit and scraped up stuffe wee doe deny and against you and your deceitfull Spirits dee wee declare and testifie And as for that Booke which is without a printed Name that hath P E at it this shall be as a witnesse against it with the following words also as a conclusion against your delusion There is a Paper from the same spirit of errour and deceit comed out of Scotland without a name the Author being either convicted in his Conscience that hee hath belyed the Truth or els some shame to owne that for truth which hee hath published or some such like thing but though his name be hid his heart is uncovered to the single eyed and if Peter English be his name his spirit is weighed and tryed with the light that manifests his subtilty flattery deceit secret ennity and serpentine pollicy and hee and thou John Stalham are both in one mystery of Iniquity and because hee hath in effect or substance the same things scraped up that thou hast This which I have written shall be as a witnesse against you both and the Light in your Consciences as the booke of Concience is opened will remember you in the bed of torment and be a swift witnesse against you and be your Condemenation that hare it and set your selves to worke wickednesse and that Light which convinceth you of the evill of your wayes will let you see your selves as Conscience booke is opened to be the vilest and of the same spirit of wickednesse though under a refined subtilty that the vilest of men are and that Light which yon now hate and scorne will remember you of what against it and the Lord you have acted and done and the thoughts and intents of your hearts will be seene and discovered by it and you and all that hate it will by Christ the Light of the World be judged and rewarded according to the deeds done in your bodyes and in the day of the Lords fierce wrath you will know the Judge of hearts and that you cannot hide your selves from him all your covers will be too narrow in the day of wrath when you are cast into a bed of Torment remembered you will be now you are warned though with deceit your hearts will be filled and with subtilty against the Truth you be armed It is hard for you to kicke against p ickes But for the simple ones sake have I written this that they may be aware of your subtilty least they be deceived by you and partake of the plagues with you Written by a servant of the Lord knowne to the World by the name of Richard Farneworth From Balbie in Yorkeshire the 22th of the 4th Month. 55. England FINIS
The SCRIPTURES VINDICATION Against the Scotish Contradictors By one JOHN STALHAM and as he saith Preacher of the Gospel at Edenborough in Scotland And the other tiled A serious review of some Principles of the QVAKERS wherein error is discovered and truth defended By P. E. and written with a pen at Edenborough Printed in the year 1655 and a written name as if it were the Printer called Peter English but no Printed name and thus they shuffle but laid open to their shame and truth in this short answer is defended and cleared and their errour is discovered and they ensnared Who both have manifested their Contradictions both to the Scriptures and their own writings and so have not the people which they call Quakers For the wisdome of this World is foolishnesse with God and as it is written the Lord taketh the wise in their own craftinesse And againe the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vaine 1 Cor 3.19 20. Published by a servant of the Lord Jesus in Yorkeshire in England known to the world by the name of RICHARD FARNEWORTH LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the black spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1655. To the honest Godly conscientious READER READER If thou would shew thy diligence so far as to take the paines to enquire and get the Books which John Stalham hath quoted in the margent of his Booke and in reading them and his and also this it will let thee see how he hath wronged them and taken here a word or two and there a word or two and mixed his deceite amongst them but however the books of themselves are clear and clears themselves of his slanders and this for the simple ones sake have I written that they may beware of his deceits and also that they may see and take notice how his imaginations though the spirit of deceit hath darkned his understanding and misinformed his minde and through the working of the spirit of deceit is his heart given over to lye slander and falsly accuse and much stuffe there in his Epistle which is made use of as a slander but it stands off from us and that with the rest of his lyes slanders and false accusations is back upon him returned And where he saith Light without Scripture in his 8 page is no light to them It is but as the rest of his sayings from that deceitful spirit that guides him And if Light without Scripture or letter be no Light to them then he knowes not the Light that was before Scripture or letter was and so is ignorant of Christ the true Light and it is no marvell that he so much opposeth the truth and the work of God that would not have God to be God and Christ to be Christ without the letter of the Scripture and if the Scriptures should be lost he would have no God nor Christ that would have none without them to wit the Scriptures And he saith Christ teacheth them not to receive salvation nor the word of life without the letter of the Scripture and because one said he spoke the word of the Lord to them as he sayes and spoke not Scripture though he spoke not contrary to Scripture as in Edward Burroughs Booke to Underbarrow yet they could not receive it and saith without Scripture the word of the Lord could not be spoken or to that effect here he would limit the spirit of God And if Samuel and the rest of the Prophets might have spoken nothing to the people but what was in Moses writings before them they might not many times have spoken the word of the Lord to the people because they spoke that which Moses had not written and if Christ and the Apostles might have spoken nothing but what they found written in Moses and the Prophets writings they might not have spoken much of what they did speak besides much which is not recorded neither in writing much that they spoke as the Scriptures witnesseth and if John in the Revelation might not have spoken any thing but what was written before he might not have spoken much of what he did but God was not to be limited neither is he now so to be limited as vaine men would have him but he reveals the deep things by his spirit and teaches by his spirit and sends forth his messengers by his spirit and guides by his spirit into all truth such as obey his Light and follow him which light is perfect in its least measure according to the manifestation and manifests the deceits of the heart and is the condemnation of those that hate it and act contrary to it and it the guide out of darknesse into the Light of life to such as follow and obey it and the spirit and power of God is the saints ground of acting now as it was both in the Prophets and Apostles which the Scriptures declares of and the Lord God and his spirit sent them to witnes his truth and not the letter Isaiah said The Lord God and his spirit sent him and that was the ground of his acting Isa 48.16 17. The spirit of Christ which was in the Prophets did teach them and by it were they acted and it did signifie to them and testified in them before hand of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow 1 Pet. 10 11. and Christ gave command to his Disciples before he ascended to wait at Jerusalem till they received power from on high and then should they witnesse him to the ends of the earth and they had the letter before but the spirit was more sure and the perfect rule in the Church Acts 1. John 16 13. Rom. 8.14 And the holy Ghost sent forth workmen so did not the letter Acts 13. And the holy Ghost made ever seers in the Church of Christ so did not the letter though the letter declare of it Acts 20.28 and they that preached the Gospel preached it with the holy Ghost sent down from heaven 1 Pet. 1.14 and Christ Jesus was both the Saints ground of acting and the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and not the letter as they in Scotland affirme yet the letter declares of it and contradicts their affirmation witnessed in Eph. 2.18 19 20. c. and Christ is the true light and lightneth every one that comes into the world and it not natural as they in Scotland affirme But the spirituall saving light to all that obey him as the Scriptures witnes contrary to their affirmitive witnessed in Joh. 1.9 Joh. 8.12 Heb. 5.8 9. and the Scriptures in the letter onely are not the true ground of the believers faith as they in Scotland affirme but Christ is the true groud of faith as the Scriptures say contrary to their affirmative witnessed in Heb. 12.2 and they have faith in God and are upheld by his power that abide in the true faith and the Spirit is not in the letter nor given by it as the Scots affirme
saying he asserts it and the assertion is thine and not the Lords therefore thou art a lyar and false accuser of the Lord for he saith in Matthew 11.27 that no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Sonne and he to whomsoever the Son not the Scripture but the Son will reveal him here Revelation is the surer rule of knowing God witnessed also Luke 10.22 And visions are a way of God making known himselfe by as was witnessed after Moses and the Prophets and thou contradicts the Scriptures for the Lord spoke to Ananias his messenger in a vision and gave him commission to go with his message Acts 9.10 11. and that was a more sure knowlege to him then the words of Moses and the Prophets and a rule that stood firmer to him then words of other men And Paul he saw in a vision the man named Ananias come unto him ver 12. and that was more certaine then the words of others as Moses and the Prophets And Peter saw in a vision thing cleared to him which was not cleared by the writings of Moses and the Prophets Acts 10.15 16 17. and while Peter thought on the vision the spirit spoke unto him and gave him commission to go to the Gentiles ver 19 20 c. but so did not the Scriptures then the Scriptures are not a more sure or standing rule then visions and revelations by the spirit of truth are as thou sayes therefore thou art a lyar and false accuser therein for Paul knew Christ by revelation and received the Gospel by revelation as he hath certified to the brethren Ga. 1.11 12. and when Christ was revealed within him he went to preach him Gal. 1.15 16. and that was a sure rule unto him and more sure then the Scriptures for he knew much of the writings of Moses and the Prophets and letter of the Scriptures whilest he were a persecutor but then he knew not Christ revealed in him which after he did and went up to Jerusalem fourteen years after by revelation Gal. 2. and not by the Scriptures therefore the Scriptures are not so sure a rule as visions and revelations by the spirit of truth are and the Apostle knew how sure revelatitions by the spirit of truth were so he exhorted others to wait for the grace that was to be brought to them at the revelatition of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.13 and the deep things of God are revealed not by the letter but by the spirit 1 Cor. 2.10 Therefore Revelations by the spirit of truth are more sure then the Letter for the righteousnesse of God is revealed from faith unto faith as faith the Scripture Rom. 1. through the Gospel and power of God unto salvation ver 16 17. Thou sayes that one saith the Scriptures are other mens words contrary to 1 Tim. 3.16 the Scripture is given by inspiration And then by a peece of logick thou wouldst raise a fals accusation against Francis Howgill and makes a false conclusion to wrest the Scriptures to serve thy own turne but cannot as for Francis Howgill saying the Scriptures are other mens words thou sets down truth defended page 6. Let the wise hearted read that Book and it clears him from thy slander which by thy logick thou wouldst cast upon him because he sayes the Scriptures are other mens words that spoke them freely and not for set wages or hundreds a year c. And further I answer Holy men of God spoke as they were moved so saith the Scripture 2 Pet. 1. and it doth not contradict the 1 Tim. 3.16 where it sayes the Scriptures are given by inspiration of God then the Scripture was inspired and that was by the spirit and spirituall men spoke forth those words Therefore they were words spoken by the men of God and so words from the spirit of truth spoken by the holy men of God other men that were holy and spoke freely and not by you that are sinfull and pleads for it and Preaches for hire the words of others as the false Prophets did therefore the Lord is against you hireling Priests in Scotland as he was against such in your nature spoken of in Scripture Read those Scriptures to be witnesse against all those Scottish Priests that Preach for hire and seeks for the fleece c. and makes a prey upon the people and seeks for their gaine from their quarter Jerem. 5.30 31. Ezek. 34. Micah 3.11 Isa 56.10 11.2 Pet. 2. Jude 11. That the Scriptures are the words of other men and not yours Read the words of the Preacher the sonne of David King in Israel Eccl. 1. Read the words also of King Lemuel and he was a man read the Prophecy that his mother taught him and she was a woman Prov. 31. The song of songs which is Solomens and he was a man Cant. 1. There is the words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah Jer. 1.1 To whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah King of Judah in the 18 year of his Reigne but a Printed Bible did not come unto him neither did he nor any Prophet or Apostle that thou canst prove ever stand with a Printed Bible in his hand and say hear the word of the Lord Then the word of the Lord was declared and spoken without Printed Bibles and before Printing was invented But if Printing had not been invented what would you have Preached by that knows not the word of life which was before writing or Printing was And where thou sayes they say you have nothing to try mens Doctrine and spirit by but the letter and that your tryer is a chapter or a verse of the Scriptures no more you Scotish Preists have for thou sayes the letter is spirit or the spirit is in the letter and given by it By this thou hast manifested thy Scottish tryer and as for that saying to the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to it it is because there is no light in them but we speak according to it and therefore there is Light in us For God who commanded the Light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts c. 2. Cor. 4.6 7. And where thou accusest James Nayler for saying the Law of the new Covenant is written in the heart it is but to manifest thy ignorance of it and that thou art offended at James for witnessing what the Scriptures do witnes and that the Law of the new Covenant is written in the heart Jer. 31.31 c. Heb. 8 10 11. And where thou sayes for any to call the written word which is the letter of the Scripture carnall is blasphemy Here againe thou hast shewed that thou regardest not what thou sayes and art ignorant of what the Scripture it selfe faith concerning the same which speaketh of a carnall commandement but that is all one with thy other that sayes the spirit is in the letter and the letter is the word
but cannot with all that thou hast scraped together prove that it is the word which is eternal life and so the word that was in the beginning with God and was God John 1.1 Thou accusest them for saying the saints ground of acting is not the outward Letter but the Spirit which gave forth the letter and saith here they set the word at distance from the spirit and sets figurative glosses upon the Scriptures Here thou art blinded and knows not the Saints ground and art accusing them falsly that witnesse to it and sayes they set the word at distance from the spirit The word and spirit cannot be set at difference nor distance except God could be devided and that cannot be for God is the word John 1.1 and God is that spirit 2 Cor 3.17 Therefore the word and the spirit are inseperable but the Letter is not God nor the letter is not the spirit therefore not that word which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.23 by which word the World was framed Heb. 11.3 and made Heb. 1.2 In which word is the life and the Light of men which the Letter doth declare of but is not the life and Light of men neither were all things made by the letter that were made but by the word they were John 1.1 2 3 c. This is plain Scripture without figurative glosse the glosses are thy own that with thy logick and magick art would make the Scriptures God and Christ but cannot and would make them the ground of the Saints actings when they are not but the Lord God and his spirit is for the Lord God and his spirit sent me saith the servant of the Lord Isa 48. and the Lord teacheth his that he so sends to profit v. 16 17. and the manifestation of the spirit is given to profit withall 1 Cor. 12.7 and saith God I will poure out of my spirit and your sons and daughters shall prophesie and such may speak of the things of God Thy meanings I deny and the fancy is thy own and the sure word of Prophesie we witnesse to and do not to it say no therefore in that thou hast further uttered thy lyes and manifested thy deceitfull spirit as in page 7. Thou sayes they say there is no Scripture for the Trinity contrary to John 5.7 which expresly saith There are three that beare witnesse in Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are all one here is Trinity thou sayes here thou hast perverted the Scripture saying here is Trinity when it expresseth no such word in that nor any other Scripture as Trinity but the Father Son and Spirit which are one that we witnesse and as Christ hath said At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Joh. 14.20 The Father Son and holy Ghost are one but it doth not speak of distinct persons three therefore thou art yet to prove a Trinity The Holy Ghost is no person but dwelleth in persons or bodies of Saints and he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son as saith the Scripture in the 2 Epistle of John 9 Concerning the Light and Christ the way to the Father That Christ is the way to the Father is set down in Edward Burroughs Book to Vnderbarrow p. 4. and that the Scriptures witness and do not contradict John 14.6 but thou hast wrested Edward Burroughs words and therefore thou art a lier there is not such a word as purchased in that page and there lyeth the weight of thy matter but that Christ is the true Light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the World the Scriptures witnesse John 1.9 Therefore if thou say the contray the Scriptures thou therein contradicttest and not he take notice of that and withall that Christ is the Light of the World and a saving Light to all that obey him as saith the Scriptures and such as follow him the true Light are by him led out of darknesse into the light of life as he hath said John 8.12 Heb 5.8 9 and that word magnifie the Light thou puts in but if we do and as Mary did we magnifie the Lord 1 John 1.5 and art thou offended at that therein thou contradicts the Scripture where it saith My soule doth magnifie the Lord Luke 1.26 Luke 2.29 30 31 32. and thou also contradicts thy selfe and lyes against Christ the true Light calling him naturall and common and lyes of such as witnesse Christ and the Light of his spirit and according to the declaration of the Scriptures And where thou art offended at George Fox for saying the light of Christ is life it is but to manifest thy envy against the truth and thy contradictions to the Scriptures for the Scripture saith Christ is the Light John 1.9 and he is life even the way the truth and the life John 14. and such as follow him the true Light are led out of darknesse errour and deceit into the Light of Life John 8.12 And againe thou accusest George Fox for saying the light is the word but it is but to manifest thy further contradictions to the Scriptures for the Scripture sayes God is the Light John 1.5 and God is the Word John 1.1 c. Therefore in that thou hast manifested thy ignorance of the Scriptures and knows not the Light and the word for as God is the Light and the Word so also is Christ John 8.12 Rev. 19.13 and the Father and Son are one and such as abide in the doctrine of Christ have the Light and the Word of God abiding in them 1 John 2.12 13 14. and they may speak from it that have fellowship with it And thou sayes they would send you to read the Scriptures in the creatures quoting the Book of parables That Book shal witnesse for the truth against thee and thy generation and also let the wise hearted take notice that he that is in Christ is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.16 17. and that they are Epistles written in one anothers hearts seen and read in one another that are such creatures 2 Cor. 3. And there again thou hast shewed thy ignorance of those Epistles and lyed of the truth with thy deceitfull spirit by twisting and winding about but thou may well lye of us that lyes of the Apostle Paul and wrests not our words onely but his also for where thou speaks his words where he sayes It pleased God by the foolishnesse of Preaching and as thou sayes a Text a Doctrine a Reason an Use out of the Word to save them that beleive when there is not any such words of his there as Text Doctrine Reason Use to save them that beleive and here thou hast lyed of him and thou wouldst make the Letter a Saviour for thou calls that the Word and so thou wouldst have a salvation without Christ except thou make the letter of the Scripture Christ and there againe
wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death here though Paul did cry out of the body of death he did not always groan and sigh as dissemblers and Scots doe neither did he doe it in the name of all the regenerate as thou sayes but spoke his owne condition there therefore thou hast lyed grosly therein and so art an impudent lyar And Paul did not alwayes groan under that body of sin and Law in his members but witnessed a redemption from it for which he thanked God that made him more then a conqueror and others as well as he and such did not commit sin 1 John 3.9 and then not alwayes groaning under that were delivered from it 1 John 3.1 5 6 And to manifest thy confusion thou sayes the children of God from their new birth puts of the body of sin as to guilt and reigning power and yet sin easily besets them and presseth down by the remnants of filth thou sayes and that is thy condition where it so easily besets and presseth down it reigns but it easily besets and presseth thee and you Scotchmen down that are in the filth of it and therefore you let it reigne in your mortall bodies contrary to Rom. 6. and the new birth you are ignorant of and the hope that purifieth even as he is pure as such witnessed that witnessed and witnesse that birth and are Sons 1 John 3.1 2 3 Concerning Justification and the end of the Righteous and wicked or unrighteous They deny that God Justifieth a beleiving sinner thou sayes I answer That such as are born of God doe truly beleive and faith in God purifieth their hearts and giveth them victory over the World and so frees them from sin 1 John 5. And such beleivers are Justified from sin and ungodlinesse and not in sin and ungodliness for by Christ such as are so born and beleive are Justified from all sins and such like things from which they could not be Justified by the Law of Moses and so Christ is their Justification who are Sanctified and from sin by him redeemed which sin thou art pleading for and so art an unbeleiver and not redeemed that sayes It cannot be routed out till body and soule part and faith then is sin pluckt up by the roots as the root of a wilde Figtree rooted in the joynts of a stone wall is rooted our when the wall is taken down but hath no proof for thy saying but thy pollicy and that is contrary to Scripture for it is said Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Psal 37.37 But the wicked shall be cut off and the transgressors shall be destroyed together at their end Psal 37.38 And you that plead for sin till your latter end continueth in wickednesse and so are unregenerated and the end of the wicked shall be cut off you that continue in sin to your end are wicked transgressors and such shall be cut off destroyed together as their works are so will their end be But such as are sinners and transgressors to their end their deeds are evill so will their end be and the wicked and such like shall be turned into hell Psal 9.17 and the unclean and unrighteous shall hot inherit the Kingdome of Heaven ye unrighteous Scots look to it and read 1 Cor. 6 9.10 Rev. 21.27 And for that saying of the Priests of New-Castle that said Peter when he denyed Christ was in a state of Justification and that a man denying Christ is in a state of Justification both thy blindnesse and theirs is there seen and that Scripture which thou brings to prove Peters being in a state of Justification when he denied Christ is Luke 22.33 which speaks no such thing but of the Descipies enquirery among themselves who it should be that should betray Christ see how blinde thou art was Judas in a state of Justification when he denied Christ and betrayed him no more then Peter was when Christ called him Satan but after Peter had repented of his deniall of Christ and wept bitterly upon his return and after he were united to the Faith then Christ prayed for him And where James Nayler in the discovery of the man of sin page 29 where he askes the Priests of New-Castle if pleading for sin be a discovering of the man of sinne to strengthen the Devils Kingdome and plead for an upholding of sinne and seeking to make a cover for thy sins and theirs Thou wiests James words in thy 12 page and art ignorant also of that which discovers the man of sinne that art making covers for him and by thy pollicy thou goest about to make Christ a sinner but in that thy folly is seene and contradiction to the Scripture that saith He was make unto us sin excepted and such as are in him are redeemed out of sin and abiding in him they sinne not whosoever sinneth hath not seene him neither knowne him 1 Joh. 3.4.5.6 and sin cannot be reconciled to God nor any such imperfect thing and that doth not contradict the Scripture Revel 21.27 And as for our meaning thou speakes of thou art without our minde and so knowest not our meaning by thy Imagining therein thou shewes a spirit of errour And where thou sayest they say he that beleiveth is borne of God without Scripture and yet witnessed in Scripture is contrary to James 1.17 where it saith Of his owne will begot he us by the word of Truth and to Peter where it sayes Being borne againe by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.22 23. But if thou was not blinde thou would see that thou Contradicts the Scripture and not them that attributes the worke of regeneration and the new birth to the Letter which thou cals the word and so therein denyes God who begets by his owne will by that word which liveth and abideth for ever which was in the beginning with God and was God And where thou sayes they say sin dwelleth not in act where Christ reigneth that is true for where Christ raignes the body is dead to the acts of unrighteousnesse because of sin being destroyed and the Spirit is Life because of righteousnesse Living and ruling and here thou art contradicting the Scriptures and opposing the worke of Christ which is to take away sin and such as abides in him sinnes not then sin acts not he that acts sin commits sin and there Christ raignes not but Antichrist under whose Dominion thou art that pleads for him and his worke but hee that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not and hee that acteth and doth righteousnesse is of God but hee that acteth and doth unrighteousnesse is not of God as saith the Scripture And where thou sayes they say perfection of holinesse is not reserved till after death nothing is added after death and sets downe James Naylers booke called The Discovery of the man
thou must needs erre and lie being out of the living truth guided by a spirit of error and deceit thou canst do no other as for the soule which thou puzzles thy minde about thou art ignorant of that knows not the living word of God which devides asunder betwixt soule and spirit as the Scripture declareth Heb. 4.12 and the Serpent being head in thee he is ranging and raking up stuffe out of the bottomles pit to hide and cover himself withall but thou art seen and weighed and thou art offended at the Saints life as the Serpents seed ever was and all thy wrestings cannot seperate the Father and the Son asunder and he that hath the Father hath the Son and eternall life abiding it him 1 Joh. 5.11 12. and abiding in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father the Son 2 Joh. 9. and is changed from glory to glory into the same pure Image which thou art ignorant of 2 Cor. 3.17 18. and he that hath said the Father and the Son are one I and my Father are one doth not contradict Scripture as thou dost and also as J Stalham doth who himself pleads for bread wine as an Ordinance to last till Christ come personally upon earth and to be a substantiall Christ in that bread at institution and to have a spirit in the bread and a spirit in the Letter and to be given by it to be born of the Scripture such like stuffe as that being his conjurations and without bottome from the word and so you are those that denye Gods indwelling in Saints that knows not something eternall in them God is not created and he hath said I will dwell in them and walke in them 2 Cor 6 16. and the life of Christ is manifest in Saints bodies 2 Cor 4. and the Father the Son are in union together in them that are sanctified and preserved 2 Joh. 9. and as Christ hath said At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Joh. 14.20 such may witnesse him and great is the admiration where Christ is glorified in Saints 2 Thes 1.10 that the same minde is in them that is in him Phil 2. Rom. 8. and that God sends the spirit of his Sonne into their hearts that they cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 wonderfull is the love of God to his children to be admired 1 Joh. 3. which thou art a stranger unto as thou hast made thy self manifest And to thy 2d that the light of Christ is the light of the world is witnessed the true light that lighteth every man that comes into the world such as follow him the true light are led by him into the Light of Life which light is the condemnation of such as hate it act contrary to it and that accusation of thine before is written to in answer to Jâ—â— Stalham thy companion in the Evill who are both acting against the truth so serving the Devill for that Booke of James Naylor in answer to the perfect Pharisee It will stand as a witnesse against you and your generation also all the other bookes which you wrested but cannot shake any child of Truth they stand upon you see you painted harlots to be deckt coloured with the whores atire you and your stuffe is fuel for the fire And to thy 4th that some are come out of the fall that we witnesse that the second Adam hath redeemed and is redeeming what the first Adam lost blessed are all they that waite for him but thou art opposing the Truth scraping up Scriptures to plead for sin to prove that Adam in a covenant of workes before he fell and contradicts thy selfe therein as before is proved makes thy selfe manifest to be in the fall and yet under the curse And to thy 5th no sin nor such imperfect thing can be reconciled to God nor enter into his kingdome is true and witnessed which thou accusest James Naylor of and to shew forth thy deceit thou sayes Reason would thinke that no perfect thing could be reconciled to God here thy reason would joine the seed of the Serpent the seed of God together but cannot 1 Cor 6.9 10 Rev. 2â— 8.27 for it and thou art shut out with the Light which thou art an enemie unto and when thou hast scraped up much stuffe to no purpose then thou closest it up with 2 or 3 Scriptures as if God and sin could be reconciled together which cannot be but Christ being manifested to take away sin destroy the workes of the Devill 1 Joh 3.3 4 5. c. he is the way makes way to reconcile such to God Justifying them from ungodlinesse and sanctifying them 1 Cor 6.11 Heb. 2. for both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren â— 11 so he that brings many sons unto glory v. 10. doth take away their sins and sanctifies them and presents them blameles and perfect before God Eph. 5. without spot or wrinkle or any such thing v 26 27. and where there is sin there is spot and wrinkle such like things and that conclusion of thine is a false one and from the spirit of deceit that would reconcile God and sin together but that soul in whom sin hath dwelt being seperated from sin is made righteous and the creature also and being sanctified is reconciled which thou art ignorant of and of the seed in him 1 Joh. 3.9 that is born of God and so sanctified 1 Pet. 1.22 23. And the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of god then such are not reconciled 1 Cor. 6.10 11. Gal. 5.19 20. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth but sin defileth therefore God and sin are not reconciled nor such as live and act in it and plead for it neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye look to it ye unrighteous ones but such shall enter as are without sin and are reconciled being written in the Lambs book of life Rev. 21.27 To thy sixt That Jesus Christ is the onely Light and no other Light besides him to salvation this is one thing that thou seeks to oppose and accuse J Nayler for Oh! that ever man should be so blinde and carried on wilfully to act the Devills part as thou art thy scraped up stuffe I turn unde and witnesse against thy spirit and I witnesse that Christ is the true Light and the way to the Father and the alone Saviour of all that obey him Heb. 5.8 9. and perfectly able to save all that come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 without any thing contrary to him or the invention and divination of thy brain or such in thy nature as further is cleared before in Answer to thy partaker Joh Stalham But thou must needs