is not meer carnal bread and wine after Christs institution to be used nor an ordinary bread and wine And he saith In the Lords Supper is Christs body and it is his blood page 188. And this is my body and blood the word of a Command do this page 191. And Christ fed not the soules with wheat bread and red wine c. Answ By all this what differ ye from the Papists have not ye laid their foundation and layd their ground Bread and wine is but bread and wine a temporall thing a thing seen and may turn to ashes but the body and blood of Christ will not do so And the bread is not spirituall and the wine is not spirituall but is a thing seen and visible And who eats the flesh of Christ and drinks his blood hungers no more and thirsts no more but who eats temporall bread and wine hungers more and thirsts more And Christ did say as often as ye do eat this bread drink this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come And that which the Apostle had received of the Lord he delivered to the Corinthians As often as they eate that and dranke that they were to do it in remembrance of him shewing the Lords death till he come But then saith the same Apostle to the same Corinthians in his last Epistle Examine your selves Know you not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And said while we looke not at the things which are seen for the things that are seen are temporall So bread and wine are things that are seen are things temporall but the things that are not seen are eternall Now bread and wine is but bread and wine not spiritual after consecration it is but the same bread as it was before and it is no nearer the body of Christ after they have consecrated it then it was before Who is in the life and power of God that gives every creature its being and causeth every creature to come forth is in the life and vertue of all creatures and the being of all creatures and the wisdome of all the Creation that is spiritual He giveth every creature its being and causeth every creature to come forth and gives the sense and feeling of all creatures that is spirituall And there comes up the soule to be known and the seed CHRIST his body and his blood Pr. He saith The worship of God in the spirit stands out of mans will and they must waite in the light to feele the Spirit but let all lost souls beware of this counsell And to bring people to the commands of the Spirit is opposite to the Scripture Letter page 204. Answ All true worshippers of God that he seeks to worship him is in the spirit in the truth that which the Devill is out of and in the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures that is that which mans will is out of where all poor souls comes to worship God aright and magnifie God and glorifie God and to pray in the spirit and to stand in the counsell of God For no prophecy of the Scriptures came by the will of man It was that which led them to speak forth Scriptures which was beyond mans will So mens will getting the Scriptures which no prophecy of it came by it they cannot worship God in the truth nor in the spirit but in their own wills But who be in the spirit and truth that led them to speak forth the Scriptures that learned of God the Father of spirits and God of all truth this is not will-worship Now will-worship is among them that have the Scriptures given forth by the spirit of God in their owne wills which no prophecy of it came by it and can sing pray preach read in their own wills and be out of the spirit that gave it forth they are in a will-worship out of the worship of God in the spirit And such are opposite to the Scriptures and cannot agree with the letter of the Scriptures that are fighting about words falls into sects and heaps about the words which the worship of God is in the spirit that gave forth Scriptures which learned of God the Father of spirits owns all the Scriptures in their places and nor opposite to it Pr. He saith Never was Psalms sung as they ought to be but had some musicall tune or Poetry page 205. And the holy Ghost made overseers and Elders over the Church but that was not immediate page 207. That no man can read out of Scripture that Paul was free from covetousness c. Answ Paul saith Let not covetousnesse be once named amongst you as it becometh Saints And no covetous one should enter into the kingdom and hee saith it is idolatry And the Apostle lived the life of the Son of God through the faith and witnessed he was made free from the body of sin and had victory over it thanks God and said there was no condemnation to them that were in Christ Jesus and Paul was in Christ where there was no condemnation which covetousnesse is out of And the holy Ghost is immediate that makes the officers in the Church It is the same as was in them that led them to speak forth Scriptures And the holy Ghost that leads men to speak forth the Scriptures and makes Elders and overseers in the Church these are not made by men but these see the fulfilling of the Scriptures and comes into that which fulfils it and are in it And your singing your Psalms and your Poetry and setting them in frame and a musicall way these are come up since the Pope as Tunes Organs since men have ravened from the spirit and gone from that they got up this Poetry and turned Davids conditions into a Meeter and given them to a people who are ignorant of Davids conditions And Psalms are spirituall songs and all are ignorant when they are from the spirit of God that led the holy men of God to speak forth the Scripture with which spirit of God all the Psalms and Spiritual Songs and Hymns are seen which from it was given forth and all the Scriptures and in that is the singing in the spirit And the Ministers maintenance which the Apostle said Have not I power to eat and power to drinks And as Christ said freely ye have received freely give This was not spoken to the Heathen nor Jewes nor Gentiles who were unconverted but spoken among the Saints who was a Vineyard and spirituall things sown and to such as they were made partakers of their hope which hirelings and those that taught for filthy lucre the love of money that minded earthly things that seek for their gain from their Quarter that beare rule by their means was all out from this judged with the Prophets Christ and the Apostles to be such spirits and have got the forme and taught for the earth and made the earth a Wildernesse and such got not out the Wheat nor plowed but
for it is the earth shall help the woman Answ The courtesie the Saints received which was from them whose hearts was opened that the Lord had opened by his power that is not condemned But your taking Tythes of people you do not work for and casting into Prison till death for not giving it you How are you like the Apostles or like the Ministers of Christ or like the woman thou speaks of the Church that was persecuted Now you persecute this signifies she was persecuted And you persecute for meanes and hale up and down in Courts and Sessions and will take treble damages treble tythes of them you do no work for and so you will not stand to the courtesie of people nor wait for the power to open their hearts but are in a power that will take it by compulsion and by violence away from people So you have given judgment against your selves and are not of the number of them the Lord opened their hearts that ministred to their necessities and so unlike the Ministers of Christ that received the courtesies of the people whom the Lord opened their hearts Pr. Thou saith When people have no guide but what is within and that this principle be rooted it will turne all into Babel And thou questions whether it be not a principle of sedition to say that every man hath a light within him Answ All people in the world runs into Babel and Babylon and are building up and throwing down and so goes into confusion about Law and Gospel Prophets Christ and the Apostles words when they be from the spirit within of truth to lead them into all truth and up to God the Father of Truth of whom they learn that gave them forth and with that spirit are they seen in which spirit is unity which is the bond of peace And the light which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world leads all men out of sedition and they be in the sedition that denies it and sayes to the contrary and in darknesse and cannot comprehend it as John sayes which says this is the true light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world And Christ says Believe in the light And the Prophets said God gave him for a Covenant of light to the Gentiles and a new Covenant to the Jewes and he shall be the Leader of the people and salvation to the ends of the earth and every man that comes into the world is enenligtned He that believes is saved and he that believes not is condemned already Pr. Thou queries When the Act of the Commission for the Ministry was repealed since Christ said he would be with them to the end of world And thou saist It is not said simply they shall teach no more every man his neghbour but it is added Know the Lord. Thou saist that every man is enlightned onely with a naturall reason and the elect are enlightned with a saving knowledge Thou saist I bring John 4.23 to overthrow all outward worship Thou saist You can praise God with your bodies and spirits Answ The 7th of Matthew Matth. 24. Christ said false Prophets should come and should be inwardly ravening wolves having sheeps cloathing and John said they was come Chap. 2. Chap. 4. And in Revel All that dwelt upon the earth went after them and such killed the Saints When they had gotten a head they killed the Saints and the true Ministers and they that were of the false killed the true and since those dayes the false hath reigned which hath wrestled with flesh and blood prisoning killing the creatures and warring against them and not with the Principalities and spirituall wickednesses and powers of darknesse and such hath been out of the power the Gospell the Apostles were in hath killed them that kept the testimony of Jesus the spirit of Prophecy And it is said plainly Heb. 8. They shall not teach every man his neighbour nor every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the greatest to the least saith the Lord And so thou perverts the Scriptures and art judged by them for it that belies them And the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is the same Light that the Elect lives in which the world not believing in the Light Christ Jesus the Elect and covenant of light and life and peace promised to the world they are condemned already but he that believes in the Light is saved so that saving is sufficient And Christ sayes they that worship the Father must worship him in spirit and in truth Not at Jerusalem not at Samaria nor at the Mountain So say I not at your Masse-houses with a Crosse at the end of them which the Popes set up and you since the dayes of the Apostles So they that worship God must worship him in the spirit and in the truth Truth doth not change neither doth the Spirit and these be them the Father seeks to worship and hath found many And Christ overthrows the outward worship at Samaria and Jerusalem and the Mountain and so do we at your Papists Masse-houses and tell you God is worshipded in the spirit and in the truth and those are the true worshippers that God seeks to worship and that will stand when Masse-houses Samaria and Jerusalem is down the spirit and the truth that remains In the mouth of the wicked praises is not comely And as for your singing Davids conditions or the Saints conditions given forth from the spirit when you confesse you are not in the spirit as they was that gave them forth So then judged with it to be such whose mouths the praises are not comely that be in another state then they where that gave Scriptures forth And Adams state before the Fall thou knowest not but art found in the steps of the Pharisees and Papists As the Pharisees got words of the true Prophets and Moses out of the life so the Papists and you have got the words of Christ and the Apostles and be out of the life and persecuting them that be in the life as the Pharisees did and killing the just the just being imprisoned in your own particulars as it was in the Pharisees And you with your dark eyes have looked upon the Scriptures ever since the apostacy and ravened from the spirit of God the pure eye and so with that you are comprehended felt over and seen over and with that shall the principle of God in you all be answered that you are apostatized from the Apostles in life and power and doctrine and so are in heaps about their words out from that which is the ground of communion the bond of peace And all thy confusion in thy Book is thy own garments who with it is for the fire the witnesse in thy conscience in the day of thy condemnation shall witnesse it Thomas Tillam his Booke called The seventh-day-Sabbath His Principles answered as Followeth Pr. ALl
and then hold them in his memory Pr. He saith Every man that cometh into the world hath not the light of Christ in him c. page 16. Answ This is the true light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and it shines in the darknesse and the darkness comprehends it not Now this light reproves where it is come to where it is hated and their deeds be evill and not loved it is their condemnation and so is not that which reproves them in them which doth make manifest the heart and are not those that do quench the spirit the wicked and those that are led by the spirit are not these the good And is not here both â—ood and bad Thou art that darknesse that John speaks of that cannot comprehenâ— the Light which shines in darknesse like the Pharisees Pr. He saith There may be a light to convince people of sinne and yet not within them Ans There is no people convinced of sin but they are convinced within themselves and with the light within them and it is the light that makes manifest to a man when he is convinced It answers to something and reacheth to something in their particulars though the words be spoken without them from the Light Pr. That every man in the world should not have his sins pardoned c. page 17. Answ Christ gave himselfe his body for the life of the world he was the offering for the sins of the whole world and paid the debt and made satisfaction and doth enlighten every man that comes into the world that all through him might believe and he that doth not believe in the offering is condemned already Pr. He saith It is an errour to say that every man hath a light within him to teach him to worship God c. page 18. Answ Every man that cometh into the world having a light from Christ Jesus the truth Every man that cometh into the world being in the light which Christ Jesus the truth hath enlightned him withall and walking in it he shall worship God aright in the truth and come into that the Devill is out of and worship God in the spirit But none worships God aright but who be in the Light which Christ hath enlightned every man with that cometh into the world For who is in the light is in the truth for it is truth And all other worships out of the Light is as the Devill is and there thou art condemned with the Light Pr. He saith That is the errour that he chargeth us with that the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world it is an errour to say it is within every man c. page 19. Answ Which he is ignorant of the Scripture I will give him a covenant of light to the Gentiles a leader unto them and a new covenant to the house of Israel and Judah and this Covenant was written in their hearts And as I said before the light shines in darkness and the darkness comprehends it not And where the light shines out of darknesse it shines in the heart He that hates the light is enlightned and he that loves it and that reproves the evil deeds of him that hates it which is within him and it is in the Saints heart Pr. He saith It is miserable darkness to direct people to the Light within them c. page 26. Answ Which was the Apostles doctrine he was sent to turn people from the darknesse to the light And he told people that the light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And Christ bids them walke in the light and believe in it and they be in miserable darkness that doth not Pr. He saith It is a known errour to say that a man was in hell and in heaven c. page 21. Ans Who in this shews his ignorance of Scripture for it gives testimony of men that did witnesse that they had been in hell in the nethermost hell and witnessed again they were in heaven and sate in heavenly places in Christ Jesus and such were in heaven as is spoken of in the Revelations Pr. It is an errour to say they have perfection and they themselves not perfect c. And to say they have communion with the body and blood of Christ at the Gentiles Table c. page 23. Ans There is many of the servants and children of God whose meat and drink is the body and blood of Christ that comes among the Gentiles and their Tables to witnesse against them yet neverthelesse they have communion with the body and bloâ—â— of Christ And many may witnesse Christ the perfection in words though they are â—ot in it as the whole world doth yet who are in Christ are in the spirit and are perfâ—â—t So that it is one thing to be in the thing and another thing to have sight of the tâ—â—ng and another thing to professe the thing without the sight Yet I say the sight that â—eeth Christ is perfect and sees perfection and the faith is perfect whereby he comâ—th to the knowledge of the Son of God and to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Pr. He saith The writings of the Scriptures may be burned but the Word of God contained in them cannot be burned c. page 34. Ans If he had said the word that it speaks of or testifies of he had spoken proper like Scripture But to say the Word is contained in the writing and the writing saith it testifies of Christ the Word And there is a proof to thee that the Quakers are sent of God who speak to thee of the Scriptures right as they are Pr. He saith It is a lye to say every man hath the light of Christ c. page 44. Ans Contrary to John who saith every man that cometh into the world is enlightned And as many as receiveth him to them he gives power to become the Sons of God And he that believes in the light shall not abide in darknesse but shall have the light of life and so it is sufficient And he that doth not believe is condemned already and he hath it to believe in or to condemn him Prin. He saith Thousands stumble because they have no light in them c. Page 44. Answ They are such as hate it and doth not receive it which hath enlightned them and not walking in it and so is their condemnation and it shineth in the darknesse and the darkness comprehends it not And so they are in darknesse and there is the unregenerate state Pr. He saith The Pharisees were farre enough from having the Kingdome of heaven within c. page 45. Ans Contrary to Christs words who said it was within them Pr. He saith It is a notion to say the light of Christ is in every one c. page 47. Ans Which is contrary to Johns
These he calls Errours Ans All your Temples set up imitating the Temple of Solomon built since the dayes of the Apostles are Idols for God never commanded them And have not the Papists had them And have they not been Masse-houses Beast-houses and are they not Is God worshipped in Temples made with hands Is not he worshipped in the spirit and in the truth And the Scriptures are words of the Prophets and Apostles and Christ they are words and so called in the Scripture they are not called the written word but words and Christ the Word cometh to fulfill them And all you that doth not speak from the Word if your Declaration be not from it you are the spirits gone out into the world apostatized from the spirit that was in the Prophets Christ the Word and the Apostles that doth not speak from Christ the Word in you And the Letter written in paper and inke now paper and inke is not spirituall but that which it speaks of is spirituall And thou to a single and you to a single makes it appear that neither thou nor you never learned your Accidence yet neither are perfect of the Bible what it saith For neither the Bible nor the Accidence teacheth to speak any such language as you to a particular Therefore ye are pittifull men to go to instruct the Nations cannot endure sound righteous words and simplicity of speech but stumble at it And again God will dwell in you and walk in you and your bodies are Temples of the holy Ghost And Christ is in you except you be reprobates saith the Apostle And again God breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soule For that which came out from God was the cause that man became alive a living soule and is not this of God And God who hath all soules in his hand and Christ the Bishop of the soule And is not that of God which comes out from God Is not that of his being the soule which he hath in his hand and so divine and is not Christ in man And doth not Christ say they must eate his flesh And so if they must eate his flesh is not his flesh in them and have they not the spirit And how can any eate Christs flesh if his flesh be not in them And doth not the Scriptures say that he was manifest in the Apostles flesh And how can ye call him Christ in man without the man be there And sprinkling Infants which the Scripture doth not hold forth but a thing got up since the dayes of the Apostles not witnessed by Scripture they cannot shew by the Apostles that it was one of his marks but a tradition of men an invention of men and then they may all see such as say they have not a command to do it if it be not a mark of that beastly spirit that is erred from the Apostles who is out of the power And Christ saith be not yee of men called Master it is his command for yee have one Master even Christ and ye are all brethren So thou that opposest the commands of Christ and teacheth men to practice the contrary thou and you are Antichrists and shew your spirit of errour from Christs spirit Now let all read and see if this man divides the word aright to people Pr. He saith They have an unction need not that any man teach them And waiting for the Spirit to come down upon them by inspiration and give them utterance And he saith they sit silent and not whisper among them And they do not own Davids Psalms to be sung See page 12 13. these are errours saith he A. Was it not the Apostles Doctrine that they need no man to teach them but as the same anointing teaching them that abide in it And was not they seducers that drew from it 1 Joh. 2. And did not the Apostles wait for the receiving the Holy Ghost the Comforter the Spirit of truth And did not the holy men of God speak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and so the Gospel and the things of God was revealed to them what they had heard and seen and was revealed to them and spoke as the spirit gave them utterance and prayed for a door of utterance and others was to pray that they might have a door of utterance given to them when they was to Preach And to sing Davids Psalms without Davids spirit people sings not with the understanding now in all these things have not ye shewed and made manifest your spirits to be all the false spirits gone out into the world from the Apostles Spirit holy-mens spirit that spoke forth the Scriptures as they were moved and waited for the Spirit which led them into all truth and revealed to them the things of God so you that be out of this Revelation and Preach against this you have Preached up your spirits out from the Apostles and declared your folly to all the Nation And then because they wait in silence and not a whisper among them Is not that agreeable to the Apostles Doctrine and the Prophets Is there not a learning in silence And was not whispering forbidden by the Apostle And doth such things as these offend thee and so thou hast shewed thy spirit Pr. He saith they meet in the night and they make their object of their teaching of Ministers and Tithes and of the pure light that is in every man that cometh into the world And for any man for to know what is in him by looking at him or upon him or discern his soul this he suspects to be an evil eye And he saith that the learned men and Ministers and Physitians to be in the power of Satan c. page 16. 17. 18. Ans Here again ye have made manifest your power who are gone forth from the Apostles into the mystery of Iniquity which hath wrought long since their dayes And now is the power of God made manifest which breakes down the mystery of Iniquity and raiseth up the mystery of godliness that of this power neither the learned men Physitians or Ministers are able to Judge of it but as they do own Christ the power of God Formerly in the dayes past as the learned Rabbies Judged of Christ so do they Judge of the power now so not strange to us And the Saints met in the night yea till mid-night And we do deny the Ministry that takes Tythes and say the Priesthood is changed and the Law is changed by which is was made and the Commandment disanuled that gave tithes and the Priesthood changed that took them Heb. 7. And we say Christ is come a Priesthood after the order of Melchisedeck the similitude and likeness who ends the similitude and likeness in Christ is the end of similitudes and liknesses and wars in whom is peace So no tythes paid to the similitude and likeness But all is to come to the Son and to hear the Son and honor
Apostles by the Beast and the false prophets and the great whore which have been in the power of the Devil that went out of truth and that the Saints was not subject to But now Christ is come to reign the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory and the higher power is owned that is higher then all the transgressors upon earth that reaches to the soul and the transgressed principle of God in every man upon the earth for the Beasts power hath set up your Tythes Temples and Colledges and compeld men to worship which the Saints could not and therefore have suffered by it that have worshipped God in the spirit and truth that the devil is out of and such was in the higher power Pr. He saith there is a kinde of Infiniteness in the soul and it cannot be Infiniteness in it self Pag. 103. Ans Is not the soul without beginning coming from God returning into God again who hath it in his hand which hand goes against him that does evil which throwes down that which wars against it And Christ the power of God the Bishop of the soul which brings it up into God which came out from him hath this a beginning or ending And is not this infinite in it self and more then all the world Pr. He saith the soul is a creature and yet it is a noble power and an Essence and is the appetite fancy c. Again he saith he knowes that the soul is a spiritual thing and cannot be divided into parts and powers as being one single entire essence Page 107. Ans The soul being in the death in transgression so mans spirit there is not sanctified and the soul is in death And fancy and the appetite and anger and pleasure c. which thou saith is taken for the soul usually and called the soul are them that wars against it so thou divides the soul into parts which is one and art ignorant of it and yet thou said it cannot be divided So thou art in the Babylon and confusion So the living of the soul and the spirit sanctified that diligent hearkening is come to where the Counsel of God is stood in his voyce heard his hand felt that the soul comes up into that comes from him from God that 's living and Immortal and gives a Creature its feeling and sencibleness through things and so the Covenant of God comes to be received wherein the soul lives the Bishop of it which is immortal and then the new creature born is known whereby the spirit of man is sanctified whereby the God of the spirits of all flesh is known Now where the power and life guides up to God the Father of life that works down and directs the mind up to God where the soul hath the issue the immortal to the immortal whereby light springs in Christ is known the soul praiseth God the Saviour the low estate that God hath regarded and reached down to it Now where the light is hated that of God within transgressed that doth pertain to the righteous Law of God and answers it the spirit of man is not sanctified and mans understanding darkened the higher power is denyed the soul comes into death transgressing of the Law is known the witness buried which should guide the mind whereby the soul should live in the diligent hearkening thereby comes man to be defiled and his spirit and body and minde whereby he glorifies not God in his body and soul and spirit and glorifies not the God of the spirits of all flesh thereby he comes to be an alien and a stranger to the life of God and his wayes and Covenant and thou sayes the soul is a spiritual thing and yet a creature an appetite and fancy And every man that cometh into the world having a Light from Christ the second Adam though they be in the first Adam the Bishop of their souls So every one being turned to the Light which Christ the second Adam hath enlightened them withall they shall see the Bishop of their souls Christ the power of God which is immortal brings the immortal soul into the immortal God Christ their sanctification who sanctifies their spirits and bodies and brings the soul up into God from whence it came whereby they come to be one soul For in the lusts of the world and the affections of it is the war against it and there is the powers of wickedness the soul must be in the higher power higher then the flesh which stains the man spirit and body and powers of wickedness So the light being turned to he receiveth the spirit of God which sanctifies him the spirit of Sanctification in Christ Jesus the Sanctification and Redemption So every man that cometh into the world having a light from Christ Jesus the way out of the fall the second Adam receiving the light they receive their Redemption and Sanctification whereby their spirits bodies and souls are sanctified Pr. He saith The binding of Sathan shall not be by a personall reigne of Christ in a body He saith the Quaker denies the light written in Scripture And he saith when yee that pretend most love to Christ within and light within ye deny the Lord that bought yee And the high talke of a Light within goes out for ever into utter darkness Ans The Light within and Christ within who owns this and are come into it owns the Lord that bought them Christ and no other and they that receive not this within are Reprobates without him and deceives him yet talk of him as the Devils false Prophets and Deceivers And they that go from the Light within go into utter darknesse and stumble and do not know whether they go and wants the garments and the Lambs cloathing And so the Light within he that believes in it hath the witnesse in himselfe abides not in the darknesse nor in the condemnation but hath the light of life And the light within that shines in the heart gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And who knows Satan bound and false Prophets and Antichrists and Beasts and mother of Harlots taken and cast into the fire and Christ reign and know his bodily presence they know his flesh and are of his flesh and of his bone and his spirit and minde and power who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him over the Devil over the Aâ—tichrists false Prophets Beast and mother of Harlots reigns above their power triumphs tramples above their power and this is known by the Light within And now doth Christ reign in his Saints and the Paradice of God is known and Eden where all things are sanctified and blessed and good where there is no curse but blessing and he that went out of this did transgresse and disobeyed which brought the death upon all his posterity earthly Adam But who are come in through the obedience of another the second Adam Christ Jesus who
not in the darknesse but hath the light of life And you that keep people from the Light that doth enlighten every one c. are the messengers of Sathan out of the truth And the God of the world blindes the mindes of such as do not believe in the Light that every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall that all through it might believe And who believes in it that doth enlighten every man c. the light of the glorious Gospell shines in them which is the mage of God Prin. And you say Visions are ceased and Revelations and immediate Inspirations Answ But I say Repent every one of you and come to the Light for the burthensome stone is fallen upon you and all that stands against the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world shall split your selves against the Rock and be grownd to powder And every one that cometh into the world Teachers Professors whatsoever must come unto the light which Christ Jesus the salvation that saveth the souls hath enlightned them withall before they come to life or know the light of the glorious Gospell shining in their hearts or come to the end of the Law or end of the Prophets or end of the Revelation or out of the apostacy or out of the Jewes state whose ears was stopt and eyes blinded out of the Gentiles state that goes astray after the vanities of their mind So all you and all upon the earth Jewes Gentiles and Christians of what sort soever must come to the light which every one of you is enlightned withall before every particular comes to see their salvation or satisfaction yea the salvation to the ends of the earth the glory of Israel the light of the Gentiles which the apostate Christians have ravened from the spirit of God within them have got the forme but stands against the Light that doth enlighten every man c. such have caused the way of truth to be evill spoken of yea among other Nations of the Heathens They have been hot and broyled in their lusts having had the forme of godlinesse and sheeps cloathing but all standing against the Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world smiting striking their fellow-servants Now the Lamb is come and the Saints to reign with him Such their portion must have with the hypocrites who to every one will give a reward according to their works And the Lamb and the Saints shall have victory him by whom the world was made before it was made glorified with the Father before the world began Now is the seed Christ come to reign and the Just have preheminence And I say to you all Subscribers to all these Books Priests Professors Teachers whatsoever your patience would have better covered your shame and folly then your hast extreams and rashnesse But your folly must come forth that to all men it might appear Abundance more of Stuffe is in it which is not worth mentioning whose words shall be your own burthen the witnesse in all your consciences in the day of your judgement when your works are all tryed with fire shall answer to a friend of your souls and your goods eternall but judges your fruits words and actions for the day of the Lord is come that will try every mans work John Stalham who calls himselfe a Servant of the great Bishop of Souls who watcheth over a Flock at Terling in Essex In his Booke called The Reviler rebuked These are some of his Principles following Pr. HE saith Immediate Ruptures and Revelations seduceth simple peoples mindes c. And the perverse Principles of their selfe-adorning light And the Quakers deny all externall worship of divine Authority as not to be found among us And let Learning be advanced among pious men for God hath his witty and learned ones And the life of their Religion is the rule of the holy Scriptures the glory of the blessed Trinity See his Epistle to the Protector Answ The life of Religion is the spirit that gave forth Scriptures for all that have the Scriptures and be out of that be in the feigned Râ—ligion And the Scripture no where speaks of a Trinity but the Papists who be apostatized from the life of the Scripture It speaks of Father Son and holy Ghost and the water spirit and blood and the learned ones upon earth never knew Christ with all their naturall learning And if one get all the Naturals upon the earth and the Scriptures in all the naturall Languages and one supream power of a Nation tollerate all these Languages to be the Originall and they have the Scriptures in all these Languages these are witty ones but these knows not God nor Christ by all this though they have all the Scriptures while they are from the spirit of God that gave forth Scriptures For that which brings to know God is by the revelation of the spirit of God the light which doth not deceive the minde but their mindes be deceived that be from the light And all worships that be in the spirit and in the truth that gave forth the Scriptures called the Old and New Testament that we own and is owned among the Quakers For God who is a Spirit who led his servants and Prophets and Son by his spirit to speak forth the Scriptures which Christ the Son is come to fulfill who saith they that worship God must worship him in spirit and in truth and that among the Quakers is owned And the light which cometh from Christ leadeth from perverse Principles and adorning selfe for it leads out of its righteousnesse But perverse men ever stood against it in all ages and so spurned against the foundation and overthrew themselves Pr. He saith The spirit speaking in the Scriptures And them that say they have no sin a gracious heart will slight and despise He saith the Kingdome of God is not within them Luke 4. And he saith The soule prepares it selfe for death See Epistle to the Church Answ Such as had gracious hearts never despised him that had no sin but the ungracious did As for example all the Pharisees against Christ and against the Apostles and Saints and the holy men And the Apostle which told the Romans they were made free from sin and they that were dead to sinne how could they live any longer therein he slighted them not but encouraged them So we finde thee not to be a Minister of Christ and have proved and tryed thy spirit to be of such as say they are Apostles and are not And the spirit spoke in them that gave forth the Scriptures so they were declared forth And men may have the Scriptures and not know the spirit that spoke in them that gave forth Scriptures So that is the cause that all people be on heaps about the words and saying the spirit speaks in the Scriptures which spoke in the holy men of God that spoke them forth and learned of God
wayes also pag. 211. And the Quakers think it a lie against God to say the spirit is in the Letter and Scripture and is given by it and makes a jangling about immediate teaching Page 222. Answ There is no one is furnished for the work of the Ministry of God but who is in the immediate Spirit of God which is to Minister to the Spirit And there is no one made a Minister of God by the mediate but by the immediate For who hath the spirit of God the spirit of wisdom and understanding to sing in the spirit or pray in the spirit it is immediate And all that be out of that be in the earthly sensual and Devillish perishing knowledge and that understanding must come to nought and wisdom must be confounded and as for the word Function it is thy own and must come to nought And the spirit is immediate that led the Saints to give forth Scripture And the spirit is not in the letter but it was in them that gave it forth And them that have not the spirit in them that was in them that gave it forth and are disobedient to that are them that say the spirit is in the letter And such say that the teachings immediate is jangling that be from the spirit that is immediate ravened from it in their own particulars such are never like to beget to God but are the Ministers of the letter not of the spirit and by that which the Devil and they are out of are they comprehended who be in the jangling and in the lie Pr. He saith Christ took up a Bible and Preached on a text And as for uses points tryals and motives you must go to Titus 3.16 Answ Christ who came to fulfill took the book and read and said it was fulfilled He did not take a Text as you do and lay half a year in it as some of you and have ten shillings a day for your pains or more or lesse but he said it was fulfilled And that place in Titus there is no word of motives nor points nor tryals nor uses as you pretend though he who was in the faith did study to divide the word aright in whom was the gift of God which was perfect This is not like your divination of your brain for money which ye sell weekly nor your taking a text and laying half a year in it And thou hath shewed your selves to be the novices Pr. He saith Though the righteousness be wrought in us by the strength of Christ and be found in us that are sanctified yet as to Justification of a person Paul would not be found in it for a world pâ—ge 229. Answ The righteousness of Christ fulfilled in us and be found in the righteousness of Christ that was the thing the Apostle strove after not in his own righteousness in that which ended the Law And that righteousness which is wrought in us by the strength of Christ is Christs where sanctification is witnessed this is Christs who is the end of the Law and in this was the Apostle found and stood for which was out of the world Pr. And honour all men And the fifth Commandment he brings for bowing the knee and he saith putting off the hat is but a token of respect Page 234. Answ Honour all men that is to have all men in esteem all men are had in esteem for Christ hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world that they might all through this light believe and he that doth not is condemned and that will bring all men to seek the honour that comes from above that love it but if they hate the light they seek the honour that is below that is of the first Adam in the transgression and that 's the hat But Christ the light that doth enlighten every man c. receives not honour of men and the light of Christ which every man hath c. will not receive the honour of men Now he that receives the honour of men is of the first Adam from the light in the transgression Earthly Adam looks for honour of the earth these are the marks of an unbeliever And the fifth Commandement doth not speak of bowing the knee And Jacobs bowing and Davids bowing to Saul c. There is a time the elder must serve the younger And Joseph and Abrahams bowing before the heathen and the rest of bowings which thou speaks of in the Scriptures the old Testament Christ is come to whom every knee must bow and tongue confesse to the glory of God and not the Angels bowed down to nor worshipped So ye have shewed whose Ministers ye are of that are crying up bending and bowing the knee is not this like kissing of Baal and bowing the knee to Baal Now Christ is come to whom every knee must bow down to him And as for Master ye have thrown your selves into that transgression for Christ saith Be not yee of men called master for yee have one master even Christ and ye are all brethren and excluded your selves from among the brethren Pr. He saith Swearing is a part of Gods worship pag. 235. And Christ was far from overthrowing the worship of God And it was the formall part of an oath when the Apostle Paul said God was his witness pag. 238. Answ Christ who said God was a spirit and would be worshipped in spirit and in the truth said swear not at all who was the oath of God that ended oaths but said in all your communication let your yea be yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more cometh of evill And the Apostle was so far from swearing who in the doctrine of Christ abode as he saith above all things my brethren swear not at all not by heaven nor by the earth nor by any other oath Neither did any of the Apostles though men that were in strife swore and their oath ended the strife among them and they swore by the greater that is the true oath But Christ in whom is the peace the covenant of peace where soules comes to be one and hearts one who are the true brethren in him are in the oath of God the end of all oaths For God when he could not finde a greater swore by himselfe that did not change concerning of his Covenant with men that doth not change in which men come to have peace with God And so men swear by the greater whose oath ends their strife and controversie But God could not finde a greater swore by himselfe concerning of his Son the Covenant of God which ends the strife among men and between God and man and is the peace on earth and good will towards men Now the swearing of the Angels the swearing of the Priests the swearing of Jacob and Joseph and David and Solomon Christ is the end of all these the oath of God in which their faith stood and to which all the Angels must bend and bow to him that saith sweare not at all
mouth goes the unclean spirit But that is stirr'd and stirring and rising in people which ye all ravened from and went from with which ye are all comprehended And the judgement of the great Whore is come and her garments shall be plucked off and that which ye all ravened from high and low shall answer the judgement and it is set a top of you all For such as ravened from the spirit of God inwardly got the sheeps cloathing but turned against the Saints and the woman fled into the wildernesse but now the Lamb and the Saints shall get the victory Though now the Beast and false Prophets and mother of Harlots and the Devill and the Kings of the Earthâ—â—ake war against him He that was dead is alive and lives for evermore The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world who rides on conquering and to conquer who slayes with the sword and kills with the sword which is the words of his mouth Now wo to the Dragon and false Prophets Beast and mother of Harlots and them that worship the Beast the unclean Spirits Woes Vials Thunders Plagues Earth-quakes is come and coming upon you And he is manifest and come that treads the Wine-presse alone without the City who is the Wonderfull Counseller the Prince of Peace whose name is called the Word of God With him are the Saints singing victory over the Beast and the false Prophets great Whore mother of Harlots Babylon Antichrists Babylon is fallen the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory The body of witch-craft in it thou art found that all that reads thy Book that be in the spirit of discerning may see whose body is redeemed and reigns over thine in the glory and victory Ralph Farmer his Booke called The great mystery of Godlinesse and Vngodlinesse In which these PRINCIPLES are following c. Pr. HE saith The soule is of an immortall and spirituall nature And GOD hath made man to serve him in an outward and visible way of worship Answ Christ saith God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth and is the Spirit without and visible the Spirit that makes all that is contrary to bend in that is God worshipped And others that say they are Teachers as ye may see in this Book say that the soule is humane yea the soule of Christ and thou saith the soule of man is immortal and a spiritual nature Now the soule that gives the sense and feeling of all things is spiritual and immortal as it comes out from God which is in Gods hand whom Christ is the Bishop of the noble Principle that guides it is the light and life Prin. He saith the eternal word enlighteneth all men with the common light of nature Answ The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall is not natural For the light was before any thing was made and all things that was made was made by it which lighteth every man that cometh into the world though he be in the first Adam in the sin and transgression which light to him doth make it manifest which cometh from Christ the second Adam the way to the Father who was glorified with the Father before the world began to restore that which the first lost and this is the obedient Son and the other the disobedient one which brings the death upon him and all his posterity and all his house So the sons of Adam in the transgression may say and do say that the light which Christ the second Adam the Redeemer and the Restorer the salvation to the ends of the earth doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world withall say this is natural And so that is to deceive people to keep them from the light with which they might all see their salvation and come to receive Christ by which they might have power to become the Sons of God Pr. The measure and degree it must be without thee And it is a cheating to tell people of God within and Christ within and a word within and they are without which he calls a mystery of meer confusion and emptiness Page 27. Answ The degrees and measures was in the Saints which spoke forth Scriptures and knew the Scriptures But those that have the Scriptures and are from their degree and measure in themselves are without them And Jesus Christ is within except ye be reprobates And where Jesus Christ is within the word is there and God is there And this is the great mystery of godliness And where the power of God is set the Crosse of Christ is felt for the Crosse is the power of God And if it be not the same Christ as did ascend it is Antichrist it is against him and false which now many hundreds and thousands do witness Christ within him the Apostles preached who have their Joy and reward who do possesse that which they long looked for And all that stands against Christ within and God within and the word within and the Crosse within the power of God they be reprobates and in the mystery of confusion Pr. The Apostle bid Timothy to Preach the word in season and out of season c. not immediate Revelation pag. 32. And the time will come they will not endure sound Doctrine but after their own lusts they will heap up to themselves teachers having itching ears turning to fables immediate Revelations Page 35. Answ There is none can Preach the word in truth but who Preach it immediately and by the immediate spirit and knowes immediate Revelations And all that be in the Faith as Timothy was they be in the immediate Revelations the gift of God But the Apostle seeing such as would not endure sound doctrine would get up teachers after their own lusts as covetous and minded earthly things and evil beasts that serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies Such the Apostle bid Timothy and Titus examine before they Ministred prove them and lay hands on no man suddainly and keep himself clear not preferring one before another And such as went into their own lusts got up heaps of teachers lost the immediate Revelation and the immediate word of God and erred from the faith that purifies the heart and gives victory in which people have unity And such now that are got into the lusts that cannot endure sound doctrine lost the Revelation and speaking the word immediately have ruled and reigned of whose generation thou Farmer art And people have heaped to themselves teachers after their own lusts and that is the cause of all the strife and wars amongst them and teachers denying the immediate Revelation and Preaching the word of God immediately have declared your selves to be the false prophets openly to the Nation that never heard the voyce of God nor Christs voyce nor the voyce of the spirit nor Ministry of the spirit which all sâ—eak immediately And the Apostle saw them come up before
not capable of such a rest Answ In the sixe dayes thou was to do that which was just and that which the Law commanded which was justice and to do to all men as thou wouldst be done to Not to covet steale bear false witnesse nor kill the seventh day was the rest that signified Christ Jesus the end of the Law the rest If any man can receive this let him And the Sabbath-day that all servants strangers cattell son and daughter might rest upon it the seventh day the signe the shadow which Christ the body ends was a figure and a signe and a shadow of the restauration of the Creation to the rest whereby the Gospel might again be preached to every creature under heaven This is a touch of the thing more might be said in it The Sabbath was everlasting to the state wherein it was and Circumcision was everlasting to the state wherein it was through their generations and it was in the first covenant shadows types and figures but the body is Christ that came to do the will of God which ends them all and sanctifies man and brings him to rest and peace with God before dayes was Pr. And thou saith J. E. was instructed in the Old Testament which is able to make wise unto salvation through faith therefore be instant in season and out of season Now the onely morall season the Scriptures enjoynes us is the seventh-day sabbath never changed till the little horne arose And the holy spirit in the Apostles highly approves us in our fulfilling the Royall Law which as to the season of worship is none other then the seventh day-sabbath Answ They who are made able and wise to salvation they know the Scriptures through the faith they see the substance of them Christ Jesus and they see while Moses was read the vail was upon their hearts ' for the Sabbath was the signe type and circumcision and this was in Moses and this was the signe read the shadow was read the type was read and the figure read the vail over the heart Now as the seed Christ the body comes to be known the signe the shadow the type is ended the body is known that doth the will of God that brings people to the rest So who knows the Scripture that is able to make wise unto salvation mark that word through the faith that is in Christ Jesus they have salvation which are able to make wise unto salvation that testifies of it and so Christ the seed the body takes off the vaile of mens hearts that ends the types figures and shadows And such as come to know the fulfilling of the royall Law according to Scriptures he comes to the body Christ in which the Law ends to every one that believes and so they as be in dayes Sabbaths which Moses speaks of was a signe and Ezekiel and the Apostle said was a shadow they be not yet come to the body which is Christ that was before any dayes was who is the sanctification and rest of his people and who are in him that is the truth worships God in the truth and in the spirit which never changes but shadows signes of a thing is not the thing that 's signed too for signes and shadows will change but the spirit and truth doth not change in that is God worshipped Pr. And thou saith It cannot be that horne except he change your times also and that he had no time to change but the seventh-day-sabbath and the Sabbath is perpetuall a rule of righteousness Answ Christ made all things new he ends the Law and brings it in the heart he ends the Covenant and changes things as was in the old time changing circumcision offerings Priests and ends the Sabbath which was perpetuall to the Jewes in that generation among the types as the Covenant was and Circumcision and the Law was a rule of righteousnesse for them but Christ who is the end of the Law comes to redeem them that are under the Law and ends their covenant and ends their shadows and changes those times him by whom time was made and so thou that knows not the time in his hands shews thou art not in the time that are in his hands and so not of the body of Christ Pr. And vvhereas thou saith No other time but simply the seventh part must from week to week be devoted to Gods worship for whensoever the seventh part of time is altered the morality must be destroyed Answ They worshipped God that said the body vvas Christ and the Sabbath day vvas a shadovv of good things to come and so they that vvorship God must vvorship him in spirit and in truth and in that vvhich all figures and shadovvs and signes doth end in the spirit and truth before they vvas and not one day in seven a signification of rest sanctification the Lords signe he gave to the people in transgression Before transgression ye do not read it was to men given as a command to the first Adam but of the earth earthly But who comes to the second Adam the Lord from heaven he by whom the world was made comes into that that all types figures shadows ends and so doth not destroy nothing of the Law but comes to that which ends it Pr. And thou saves It 's a great stumbling block as to believers in Christ because Christians violated the Sabbath Answ Christ is the body that ends the shadows and the signes and fulfills the Law him who was before the world was made in him are the Christians the body that ends the shadows and the signes in whom the vayl is come off of their hearts and so Christ did not break the Law but fulfilled it and in him that fulfills it the Saints met who met together in him and gathers together in him Who is the body they are the members he is the head who is the Church in whom he is in the mids of Pr. And thou saith So that to produce the world of wonder manifest it is that night was the beginning of time Answ That 's false the beginning of time was God and Christ and times and seâ—sons are in his hands and God is Light read that who can Pr. And thou saith Thou supposest it will not be questioned in Moses time Answ This was while Moses was read while the body was not come Christ Jesus that ends the signe the shadow the type and blots out the Ordinances and Commandements that held them up from which vaile the Apostle brought the People to the body Christ Jesus where no shadow was nor changing Now dayes are changing but Christ doth not change which is the body And you that hold up the signe the shadow the type the figure you hold up the dead and come not to Christ the life the body the Sanctification it selfe before dayes was by whom they was made Pr. And thou sayst The unthankfull Christian ought to sanctifie the Sabbath Answ Here thou brings them into dayes
Moones and sacrifices that the Actions Baptisme and breaking of bread are the signes of a Christian Sabbath its high presumption to alter the word of God in calling every day the Lords Sabbath and honouring any other day as the Sabbath So if we be followers of God as dear children and take the spirit to be our guide we must honour the Sabbath withall holy devotion Answ The Sabbath is mentioned with new Moons and sacrifices but the Apostle sayes they were shadowes of good things to come when this is come which was before the shadowes was which is the body Christ which was before dayes new Moons or sacrifices was the body who be in that ends them all and to that the Apostle brought people and not to the dayes now there was some brought them to observe dayes and he was afraid of them that did observe them and he brought them to the body Christ to whom all the Angels did bow for they as did observe the dayes new Moons and Sabbathes are worshipping of Angels neglect the body which is Christ and this was for the satisfying of the flesh and now what art thou satisfying which art teaching to observe dayes signes and shadowes which the Apostle brought people off to the body and to the head Christ Jesus and to worship God in spirit and brought them into that that ended all shadowes for the devil will lurk in a shadow or a type or a sign or figure and creeps into those things after the substance is come to keep people from the body and they will persecute such as will not bend to the shadow and come from the substance and breaking bread and baptisme is no sign of the Sabbath day of the Jewish Sabbath day the Sabbath was a figure of the rest and sanctification of the Creation and breaking of bread among the Saints was a figure of the bread Christ which the Saints eat and live for ever and the word of God cannot be altered and the word of God cannot change man may alter but the word of God cannot be altered but abides and lives for ever And the Saints which comes to the body Christ comes to honour him who ends the Sabbath which is a sign and a shadow and such honors God the Redeemer and Creator and Christ by whom all things was created and made and which are the dear children of God the Apostle speaks of he did not bring them into dayes and to observe Sabbaths and signes but brings them to the body Christ the Lord of the Sabbath and doth not set up that which thou cals devotion in holding up the Jewish Sabbath which was a sign on which they should rest the rest of the creation and the rest of all man kinde cattel and beasts that God would restore and redeem all things by Christ who is the word and gives rest and is the sanctification and gives rest to the whole creation Prin. Thou sayes this is the time of Gods worship observing the seventh day Christian look well to thy walkings see that thou make all things according to the pattern in the mount Answ They that worshipps God they come into Christ the truth the body which ends the sign and the shadow and the end of Moses who made a pattern which was a figure of that which was to come and he made it at the command of God and the Christians are not to make the pattern which was shewed to Moses in the mount for while Moses is read the vail is upon the hearts of Christians and all people whatsoever and the sign shadowes and figures the body is not seen nor come to which is Christ And Paul and the Saints the true Christians worshipped God in the spirit and in the truth who witnessed they was in the body that ended the shadowes and types and Moses the Law and the Prophets Christ Jesus him by whom the world was made before it was made and a pattern is not the thing there is the thing the pattern is of and that ends the pattern and lives in the thing and they need not have the pattern for the pattern was made of a thing that was to come Pr. Thou sayes if the Apostle of the Gentiles who was the rejecter of the ceremonies did constantly celebrate the seventh day Sabbath then much more them Apostles among the Jewes there 's not a plainer precept in all the Scripture then Pauls practice herein for the seventh day Sabbath if we tread in the steps of Paul he was but a man and sometimes a very angry man and he strictly requires all believers to follow his example as he followed Christ and certainly in observing the Sabbath and Paul reasoned with the Jewes on the Sabbath day and Christs custome and Pauls was to go into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and was there difference betwixt Christs preaching and Pauls and where is the difference between Christs observing the Sabbath and Pauls Answ The Apostle never taught the Christians Neither Jewes nor Gentiles to celebrate the seventh day nor never mentions it to them to keep it not in all the Epistles there 's not such a thing but tels them they were shadowes the body was Christ and Christs and the Apostles going into the Synagogues and temple on the Sabbath dayes was to fulfill and shew the fulfilling of the types and figures of him and brings to the substance of the signes types and shadowes not to hold up dayes times offerings but to bring them to the body Christ as Colos 2. and so Paul and Christ doth not disagree for he Preached Christ the end of the Law and the substance and though Paul went among the Jewes and circumcised and did several things went into the Temple yet thaâ— was not to hold up the Temple or to hold up the offerings types and shadowes but to bring them to the substance And mind what the anger was as Paul was in and Paul followed the substance and was more then a man there was more in him then a man Paul nor the Apostles no where commands the Saints to observe the Jewes Sabbath day though he went into the Jewes and consented to many things to the intent to bring them out of them not to keep them in them but to bring them to the substance and that was the end of Pauls going into the Jewes Synagogues and Temple to bring them out of the shadowes types and signes to the substance and the end of Christs going thither was to bring them to the substance of which was typed forth that people might believe in him who was the body which was before heaven or earth was who fulfils every jot and tittle of the Law and to him did the Apostle bring the people to this body which types signes and shadowes signed shadowed and typed forth which the body of them all is Christ and in thy principles thou art confused and so who followes the Apostle comes to the body out of the sign and the
of the first Adam O mystery of deceit the deceitfull unfolding by antichrist to say that Christ sayeth the houre is coming now is that neither at this mountain nor as Jerusalem shall the Father be worshipped but he that worships him must worship him in spirit and in truth Answ Thousands in the Nation may witnesse the work the Quakers hath wrought and thousands are convinced of you to be the gain-sayers of the truth and the ante-christ come up since the daies of the Apostles and all your praying reading and meditations is but the first Adams state in the fall where the mystery of deceit is for yet you are not come to own the light Christ Jesus the second Adam that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world and so you be the ante-christs standing against Christ the light the truth and so are not come into the worship of God in the truth and in the spirit but are crying up at your Masse-houses is God worshipped as the Jewes did the Temple and Samaria the mountaine at Jerusalem which Christ saith not at Samaria nor the Mountain nor Jerusalem nor the Temple but in spirit and in truth and so we say not at your Masse-houses nor at Samaria nor Jerusalem neither not the Mountain but God hath seeked us to worship him in spirit and in truth and therefore you rage that hate the light Pr. They reckon their perfection and happinesse to be deprived of all the spirit doth neither so act or so teach and I was kept from this temptation and they that are overcome by it are brought into bondage a vaine deceitfull waiting for a power when the Apostles saith ye must pray without ceasing and not quench the spirit the Thessalonians they must cease from their owne words and wait for the immediate striving and working of the spirit as they fancy it Ans This thou calls fancie who saith the spirit of God doth not teach men nor so act to be deprived of all things Yes I say to thee thou must be deprived of all things before thou come to happinesse and thou art in the bondage and in the temptation that hath not forsaken all things and come to Christ the onâ— thing and thy praying and prophesying and not waiting for the spirit and power for to pray withall art in the fancy and following thy owne Spirit and out of the perfection of Christ Pr. It is blasphemy to say we must fill up the sufferings of Christ Answ And so thou art unlike the Apostles anâ— hast not drunk the cup of the wrath and judgement of the Almighty and that you must drink before you come to know the â—eed of God come from under all the power of wickednesse in thee and that is the world And Christ who bore the sin of the whole world felt it and was under it and was offered and over it all and makes his enemies his footstool Pr. The false interpretation of the enemy he saith that every mans work must be tryed with fire what sort it is and you shall hardly gain a speech of one sort or other sometimes from the Quakers and this thou cals dumb devill Answ And thus thou shewest where thou art who hath not known a time to be silent before thou didest know a time to speak and the dumb devill hath been found amongst your selves your Priests for when many of the Quakers have been moved of the Lord to come to speak to you in your Pulpits you have proved the dumb devils turned your backs and have gone your waies and spoken never a word to them and thy works and all mens shall be tryed by the fire and that is not perverting scripture as also saith the Apostle and thou never hast past through the wrath of God but it is yet to come and the sufferings of Christ thou knowest not Pr. And it will be a lye and delusion for the spirit when it sanctifies the hearts to go about to tear their hearts out of their bodies when Davids bones was broken and his flesh would scarce to cleave it is far from me to think that this was under the apprehension of wrath shall a man think that he suffered for his sanctification Answ The spirit of God teares out the old hearts and so before men be sanctified throughout he must know suffering and his wretched state yet Sanctification that brings him peace in the end and life And Davids condition thou art ignorant of and knows not for he was sensible of the wrath before his sins were removed as far as the East is from the West and he had joy and peace but trembling and quaking is become a mock and scoffe amongst you for there is a trembling and rejoycing and there is a trembling in the sorrow Pr. When the Quakers are commanded many times to go they have not that leisure to dress them this is a hard Master surely not Christ therefore by Satan for the Lord is not wont to do things ignorantly to deceive his servants and they are brought to fast from all manner of food three nights and three dayes most feeble wretched creatures contrary to the Law of nature so they are not capable of bearing the glory of God so Ministers of Antichrist and they are made to deny their callings and possessions I would eat more then I desired because I would give no offence Answ In this thou hast shewed thy ignorance of the Scriptures and Christ for he that is on the house top let him not come down to put on his cloaths And they that went on his message were not to take two coats And when they went on his message they did not goe to dresse themselves with boot-hose-tops and double cuffs and ribbons and rings as the Priest doth and what God doth it is in his wisdome beyond the ignorance of man-kinde and they that receive it must be in his fear And Christ is not a hard Master as thou thinkst because some goes not dressing them in their apparell which goes to do his command but thou who art wicked and sloathfull hath so judged with the wrong and false judgement and many of the Saints have fasted till they might number their bones and Christ fasted and this was not contrary to the Law of nature and did not make them uncapable of receiving the glory of God Neither was it Antichrist and thou who art of him canst eat and drink more then thou hast desire because thou wouldst not offend others and that is contrary to the Law of nature And the Saints forsook their callings and possessions and the world but you Priests runs into great possessions which you get out of poor peoples labours so like the false Apostles and Antichrist not like Christ and his Apostles Pr. They have a glosse put upon Christs words to his Disciples when he bids them that they should take no care what to speak it should be given them in the same hour And of their gâ—ing naked I
and true ministers and equall and according to the false prophets and deceivers Secondly Againe you are not according but contrary to the true ministry and Ministers of Christ in practise for they were led by the spirit of the Father which dwelt in them and they preached the Gospel by the spirit and spake as the spirit gave them utterance and went up and down the world through Nations converting people to the knowledge of the truth and what they had handled tasted seen and felt of the word of life in them that they declared to others and preached the Gospell which they had not received from man nor by man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in them But your practise is not such but contrary for the spirit of this world leads you and it you follow in all your works in your preaching praying and in your whole worship in forme and tradition what you have studied for out of books and old Authors you preach to people and what ye have noted in a book that you preach by an hour-glasse and not as the spirit of God gives you utterance and you seek out and enquire after great benefits and much money by the yeare and where there is much Tithes and Gleab-lands and such like thither and to such a place you goe and seeke after to be Ministers there and there you remain 20. 40. more or fewer yeares as you can agree with the people and while they will give you so much as will content you and maintain you your wives and families as you say respect not whether any be converted to God by your preaching but people remaines alwaies in blindnesse and ignorance generally and without the knowledge of God for you preach other mens words and what you have collected in your imaginations from the Saints words an hour by a glasse leaning upon a soft cushion and for money and and hire preaching to the people and this is your manner of practise and Ministery in these Nations but thus did not the Apostles nor Christs Ministers but the contrary and by your fruits and works it appeares that you are not followers of that spirit that Christ and his Ministers were guided by neither are lawfull successors of the Apostles but by your fruits and practise you manifest that the Lord never sent you nor Christ never called you into his service to be his Ministers for in all your practises and in your whole performances of worship you differ and doth not agree but are contrarie to what the practise and worship of Christs Ministers and Churches were in the daies of the Apostles this I charge upon you in the Name and by the Authoritie of the Lord God and am able to prove it against you face to face or otherwise to shew that you are not of the same spirit but contrary to the Saints and Apostles of old and so not true succeeders of them nor lawfull Ministers of Christ as to all people it is and shall be made manifest Thirdly You disagree and are contrarie altogether to the true ministrie and to the Apostles in respect of your maintenance and wages for the wages which Christ allowed his Ministers was into whatsoever house they entered that was worthy they might eate such things as are set before them for the workeman saith he is worthy of his hire and the Apostles eat onlie of the fruit of the vineyard that they had planted and of the milk of the flock which they kept by a free gift of the people which they had begotten to the faith and to whom they sowed spirituall things it was but as a small matter if they reaped their carnall things yet as a free gift they would doe it and the Apostle said he would not make the Gospel of Christ chargeable And in this manner were Christs Ministers and Ministrie in wages and gifts upheld and maintained outwardly in the world But your practise and maintenance is not such but contrary as is fullie made manifest for you will have so much by the Yeare promised to you in Tythes money or Gleab-lands or stipends and of drunkards and swearers and prophane wordly people who are not sheep of Christs flock nor plants of his vine-yard you will have so much of each of them and of every man in such a compasse as you call your parish and if any either out of covetousnesse or good conscience cannot pay you you sue at Law and cast into prison for wages and spoile their goods and take treble nay some times 5. double damage and through violence and injustice and cruelty are you maintained in such a manner and not as the true Ministers and Apostles of Christ were but in a way and manner quite contrarie as it is manifest and so herein it is proved that you are not lawfull successors of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ Fourthly Againe you follow not the Apostles and true Ministers of Christ but are contrarie to them in doctrine as this following vollume will clearly manifest which for this very end is collected from your own mouths and pens that all men may see what you are and what you hold and professe and being truely laid down and answered let your selves and all sober men compare your doctrines and sayings with the doctrines of the Apostles and they may see you agree not with them but are contrary to them and now friends to all you that professe your selves to be Ministers of the Gospell I do hereby declare unto you in the name and authority of the Lord that we have controversie with you and a great charge against you in all these things in your call in your practice and in your maintenance and in your doctrines and our mouthes hath the Lord opened and they cannot be shut from declaring and crying against you as such whom the Lord never sent but are contrary to Christ his prophets and Apostles in all your waies and practices and the hand of the Lord is certainly against you and his power and dread wil come over you and lie upon your consciences Now Reader whosoever thou art that reades this following volume if thy mind be sober and thy heart right towards God thou may come to a good understanding of the ground and cause of this great controversie between the Priests and the professors of this Nation and us who are in scorne called Quakers for it is not unknown to Nations of this great debate and battel now for some yeares of continuance in this Nation no man can be ignorant what putting in prisons and what persecuting and what preaching and printing against us and what reports and same hath been through this Nation for some yeares past and the Quakers so called have written and spoken and printed against the Priests and their worships and waies and doctrines and declared against them as deceivers and false prophets and such as never were sent of God on the other hand thus have the Priests and more
and deceivers were throughout all ages and this I charge upon it in the face and view of all men to whom this may come for this we saw concerning it in the beginning and our first assurance And as for other places and orders of men and callings we saw them also corrupted and degenerated and evil and iniquity abounding among all sorts of people and blindness and darkness covered the face of the earth and of the world and all people were in their transgressions and making void the Law of God and that it was time for the Lord to work and to arise to ease himself of his adversaries and as for all Churches so called and professions and gatherings of people we beheld you as all in the Apostacy and degeneration from the true Church nor being gathered by the spirit of the Lord nor anoynted thereby as the true members of Christ ever were but to be in a form and in forms of righteousness without the power and in Immitations without life and perfect knowledge so that all the practices of Religion we beheld without power and life though some had a sencerity in them and a zeal and a desire towards the Lord yet all people erred in Judgement and none were guided in Judgement by the Eternal spirit and because of the error in Judgement that made their zeal blind and their performances of righteousness not accepted though acted in some sincerity and zeal because they were not guided in practice and led in Judgement by the spirit of the Lord which onely leads into all truth and none are in the truth but are who led onely thereby so that we beheld all profession but as coverings with figg leaves while the nature of transgression stood uncondemned not crucified Also then we saw not only the performance and practice in Church state and in Religious orders were corrupted but also Goverment and Magistracy and all things in civil state were not aright in the sight of the Lord nor as the Lord required neither as he had ordained in the beginning for Government we know as ordained of God is to punish and limit and terifie all evil doers and to preserve and defend all that do well and that mens consciences are to be left free to be ruled by the Lord alone and guided by his spirit and that outward power and civil Magistrates and Lawes so called ought not to be Lord or Ruler in mens consciences nor over them but we beheld how unrighteousness and iniquity and sin and wickedness was strengthened and encouraged in the Government and by such as were in Authority and how the fear of God and the exercise of a good conscience was abused so that it was turned backward from what it ought to be them that did well were punished and limited as transgressors and the evil doers were set free and not made afraid so that we could truely cry truth was fallen in the streets and justice and true Judgement turned backward and equity had no place to enter and the innocent was devoured through want of true and just Judgement and the needy was spoiled and made a prey and thus it was framed for no sooner had we opened our mouthes but the Magistrates begun to put us in prison and execute great injustice upon us and became oppressors of the innocent and laid grievous unjust burdens upon us grievous to be born and true justice and judgement was neglected and wrong judgement brought forth and good Government abused and men in authority not ruled by the Lord neither ruling for the Lord among men and thus it came to passe upon us through the corruption and degeneration in Government and Magistrates which we saw to be as it was fulfilled by them to wit not as the Lord required nor as he in the beginning ordained it but quite the contrary and this we saw in the beginning when the spirit of the Lord was poured down upon us and power from on high was revealed to declare against all the the abominations of the Earth and to make war against all corruption in all orders and places and men Then being prepared of the Lord and having received power from on high we went forth as commanded of the Lord leaving all relations and all things of the woâ—ld behind us that we might fufill the work of the Lord into which he called us and with flesh and blood nor any creature we consulted not nor took councel of men but of the Lord alone who lifted up our heads above the world and all fears and doubtings and was with us in power and dominion over all that which opposed us which was great and mighty and gave us power over it all and to bind Kings in chains and Nobles in fetters of Iron and this is the saints honour and the word of the Lord we sounded and did not spare and caused the deaf to hear the blind to see and the heart that was hardned to be a wakened and the dread of the Lord went before us and behind us and terror took hold upon our enemies And first of all our mouthes were opened and our spirit filled with indignation against the Priests and teachers and with them and against them first we began to war as being the causers of the people to erre and the blind leaders that carried the blind into the ditch and against them as the fountain of all wickednesse abounding in the Nations and as being the issue of prophanes for from them hath prophaness gone forth in all nations and against them we cryed a loud as being redeemed from their mouths who had made a prey upon us as they do upon all that follow their waies and in steeple-houses we did visit them often and in markets and other places as the Lord moved and made way for us shewing unto all them and all their people that they were not Lawfull Ministers of Christ sent of him but were deceivers and Anti-christs and such whom the Lord never sent and we spared not publikely and at all seasons to utter forth the Judgements of the Lord against them and their waies and against their Churches and worships and practices as not being of God nor commanded by him by which they deceived the world and this was our first work which we entred upon to thresh down the deceivers and lay them open that all people might see their shame and come to turne from them receive the knowledg of the truth that they might be saved and this we did with no smal opposition nor danger yea often times we were in danger of our lives through beating abusing punishing haling casting over walls striking with staves and cudgelâ— and knocking downe to the ground besides reproaching Scorning revilings and houtings at and scoffings and slanderings and all abuses that could be thought or acted by evil hands and tongues and often carried before Magistrates with grievous threats and some times put in the Stocks and whipped and often
fully desires we might be brought to the Barr of true Justice together and in every particular of Principles and practices examined and tryed to the full and each of us judged in truth and equity whither it be they or us that are of the true Religion and true faith and true worship of God that the Apostles were in and which of us it is that are in a wrong way and in a false Religion and false faith and worship and in this we will joyn issue with them in the sight of the whole Nation if they will come forth to triall if what already is brought forth by them against us and by us against them for this seven years in disputes and in printing and otherwise be not sufficient for all people to try us in and judge us by whether they or we be in the right and whether in the wrong And now to all people in the Nation I do appeal to that of God in all their consciences to judge between the Priests and Professors and all the Sects and us ye have heard their Doctrines and ye have heard something of ours ye have seen their conversation and ye have seen something of ours ye have heard them long and something of us ye have heard for a little season and now give your evidence is it not with them as we have said are not your Priests in the steps of the false prophets and of the deceivers and do not they seek for their gain from their quarter as they did that Isaiah cryed against do not they Preach for hire and Divine for money as they did which Micah cryed against are not they such by whom you have not been profited as Jeremiah cryed against let that of God in you answer to these things and are they not proud men and covetous men and envious men and heady high-minded men and given to filthy lucre and are they not such as through covetousnesse makes merchandize of souls and that by good words and fair speeches deceives the hearts of the simple such as Paul and Peter declares against And are they not such as the true Prophets Christ and his Apostles cried against and doe they not bring forth the same fruits as did the false Prophets and fâ—lse Apostles I leave it to your consciences to be the judge compare them and lay them to the line of true judgement if you shut not your eyes you may see it is thus and have we charged them falsly or have not we spoken the truth concerning them we have said they are false ministers and deceivers and not true Ministers of Christ and is it not so let the light in your consciences answer we have said they have run and never was sent and that they have not profited the people at all and is it not so to the witness of God in you I do appeal and let that justifie that we have spoken nothing but the truth examine and try in all things that we have charged them with and are they not guilty in all things that we have charged upon them let the witness of God in you testifie to this and what do you judge of them are they not of that stock which Christ said should come and should be wolves in sheepes cloathing and should deceive many and which John saw was come in his dayes and which the world went after and the whole world run after them are not they in the nature of wolves devouring and tearing the Lambs of Christ and do they not tear people by causing their bodies to be imprisoned and their goods to be spoiled and do they not deceive many and yet they have the sheepes cloathing the Saints words and their practices but inwardly are they not ravening and doth not the world go after them and hath not the world run after them for many ages and is it not thus with them And have they received the gift of the holy Ghost or are they not made Ministers by the will of man and not by the will of God do they not differ and are contrary in call in practice in maintenance and in fruits and effects to the true Ministers and true Apostles and do they not agree and are they not according to the false Prophets and false Ministers and deceivers in their call practice maintenance fruits and effects search the Scriptures and lay them to that line and then let the witness in your consciences judge and answer and do not they prepare War against such as doth not put into their mouths and do not they feed with the fat and cloath with the wool do not they oppresse the Nation and the Creation and are not they such whose Call and practices and maintenance and whole Ministry hath a dependance upon Popery and doth it not all savour of Popery and in the main and Principal parts thereof were ordained by the Pope this may be fully made manifest And are not all Professors and Sects of people such as have the form but are without the power of godliness are not people still covetous and earthly minded and given to the world and proud and vain even such as professe Religion and to a seperated people is not Professors as covetous and proud as such as doth not professe and are not they given to the world and doth it not shew that they are unchanged nor translated but death Reigns among them and is it not manifest that they have taken up the form of the Apostles and Christs words and practices and are without the life and not guided by the spirit of Christ and the Apostles in their praying and Preaching and are not your souls lean and starved to the witness of God in you all I speak which may testifie that many people have a shew of Religion without life and therefore have not we spoken the truth of them in what we have said in the day of Judgement you shall answer it And as concerning the Quakers what do you say of them you have seen their conversation few Towns but some of them have been and are amongst you do not they fear God and do not they walk justly and truly among their neighbours and speakes the truth and doth the truth in all things doing to all no otherwise then they would be done unto and are they not meek and humble and sober and do not they take much wrong rather then give wrong to any and are they not such as delights in the ways of the Lord and do not they deny the world and its pleasures and forsakes all iniquity more then your selves and do not they take up the daily Crosse of Christ to all its wayes and earthly glories and do not they Preach in the power of God and reacheth to your consciences when you hear them and doth not the light in you answer that they speak the truth and is not their Call and practice and maintenance the same as was the Apostles and faithful Ministers compare them with the
nor imprison persons nor stock and whip creatures and make them to suffer but let us thresh deceit and whip and beat that and all false opinions let us throw them down where they are found whether in them or in us and let us fight with the weapons of the spirit that are spiritual let them sight no longer with such cruel carnal weapons and then let such as get the victory and overcomes appear to be in the truth of the Church and such as falls and is overcome be manifest to be in the error and of the false Church and Religion and let us love one anothers persons and let them act no otherwise towards our persons then we do upon theirs and towards them and let them take the liberty to deal with us and our persons as we deale with them and their persons and no otherwise And let such whether them or us that cannot prove ourselves to be the true Church of Christ nor of the true worship and true Religion nor in the truth but is found to be in the error and out of the truth let such deny their worship and Church and renounce all their Religion and confesse to all the world under their hands that they are and have been deceived and for ever hereafter stop their mouthes and never professe nor practice any more what they have done in such Religion And freely upon these Issues and conditions we will joine trial with them let them appoint time place and profer terms at their own pleasure and then to all the world it shall be manifest and to all people discovered whether we have not good ground and sufficient reason to war against these Priests and it may perfectly appear that what we have said and written against them these divers yeares have been upon a good foundation and we have had sufficient cause to speak and write against them as we have done and none thenceforth shall have cause to say or doubt that what we have spoken and written against them hath been out of malice or envy and without cause and good reason but on the contrary all shall know the ground of quarrel is sufficient and full of equity on our part And upon these or any equal tearms and conditions would we and are we willing to engage with these Priests and all or any one of these Sects in a lawful tryal in disputes or writings for the tryal and searching out of the truth and the true Religion And were it not equal reasonable that we had the same liberty among all these Priests and in their Church and Assemblies freely to declare our minds and to let forth our selves in what we hold and profess without being violently haled and beat and whipped and sent to prison as we have been this many years which liberty we do freely grant and allow among us to all to query or declare what is upon them without such violent dealing or whipping or sending them to prisons and houses of correction and the same and no other do we desire of others in this particular of freedom to declare the truth and what we hold then what we do and would allow to others and that no weapon be used by them against us nor dealing towards us but the weapons of the spirit the best they have or can bring forth against us and let them let creatures alone and not hurt nor do violence to them and no other weapons shall we use against them nor deal with them by any other thing but the weapons of the Spirit of God which is powerful and will bring down strong holds and as for creatures we shall not hurt nor do violence nor imprison them and whose weapons are the strongest let such overcome And such as are overcome is not the true Church for the true Church of Christ which is builded upon the Rock the gates of hell cannot prevail against and who doth overcome with such let it be manifest that God of a truth is with them and let them all cease to defend their Church and Ministry and Religion with prisons and whips and houses of correction for by such things was never the true Church Ministry and Religion defended but onely the power and Authority of God preserved them and resisted all their enemies and so it is at this day and let all cease to cry deceivers and being afraid to be deceived for if they be the true Church all or any of these Sects and Professions of Religions then if we be deceivers and come among them they cannot be deceived if they be in the election for no deceivers nor the gates of hell cannot prevail against the true Church of Christ nor against them that are elect which the Devil hath nothing in And if we be the true Church of Christ and in the election then if all the deceivers upon earth come among us they cannot prevail against us nor deceive us for the elect cannot be deceived and upon these tearms we may engage with any people and Sect upon earth therefore come to this and joyn with us take you the liberty to declare in soberness what you own and profess you shall not be persecuted nor your bodies nor persons harmed by violence and let us have that liberty to deelare in meekness and soberness and in Gods Authority amongst you what we hold and professe and let us not be persecuted and dealt violently withall and then let it appear whether we or our enemies hath a greater testimony and more powerful in the hearts of people And were not this a way full of equity for the tryal of all things But doing contrary as you have done these many years against us by violence and whipping and persecuting it shewes you have not the spirituall weapons nor the Authority of God with you nor among you and that is the cause of running to Magistrates and putting in Goals and whippings and all violence because the Authority of Gods spirit is wanting amongst you which all the false Sects and false Churches since the dayes of the Apostles have wanted to defend themselves and resist their enemies and so all sects have been fighting one with another and killing persons and creatures and defended themselves by prisons and inquisitions and destroying of lives and all this have been out of the power of God and not in it but by the power of the Dragon and of the Beast who hath caused all to worship and them that would not he hath had power to kill and hath killed them by fires and tortures and cruel deaths and all these have lost the spiritual weapons and been without the power and Spirit of God And what a Church is this of yours which hath need to be defended by Goals and prisons and whips and stocks and violent dealing this Church is not the Church of Christ for the power and Spirit of God defends her alwayes and not inquisitions and prisons and whips these are Cains weapons and
319. Some of the Principles of the Priests of Bishoprick p. 321. Daniel Roberts teacher to the baptists in Reading his principles p. 323. Timothy Trevers his Principles p. 324. The Doctrines and Principles of the Priests of Scotland p. 327. The Principles of 15. Priests of the Isle of Weight p. 361. W. S. his book called the Parsons guide p. 369. Thomas Hodges of Soldren in Oxfordshire his book called a Scripture Catechisme p. 369. Several Scriptures Corrupted by the Translators p. 373. An ANSWER to many Principles held forth by some of those called Ministers Teachers and Professors in England taken out of their severall Books with their names at them And also several other Sayings and Writings of the Priests and Professors of this Nation gathered up together and Answered Samuel Eaton who calls himselfe a Teacher of the Church of Christ at Stockeport in Cheshire In his Book called THE QVAKERS Confuted sent to the Parliament SAITH in his Epistle to the Parliament then sitting at Westminster That they are not to judge of Saintship according to the large charity of some who are truly good c. Ans So here is another Doctrine then Christs was who said The tree is known by its fruits and by their fruits ye shall know them And the fruits of the Spirit is known from the fruits of the flesh Again in the conclusion of his aforesaid Epistle he begs a pardon of the Parliament for the thoughts of his heart that he hath spread before them and so puts them in the Popes place Likewise in his Epistle to the Reader because Richard Waller witnesseth his Teacher within and bids others to minde the Light within them and that he was come off of all other Teachers c. he judgeth this to be delusion Contrary to John the Apostle who saith Ye need no man to teach you but as the same anointing doth teach you which is truth and is no lye John 2.27 And again in Heb. 8. Ye shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know him from the least to the greatest for the Lord will write his law in their hearts and put his spirit within them c. Prin. He saith he doth not believe that there is any substantiall essentiall or personall union betwixt the eternall Spirit and believers Answ Although the Scripture saith the spirit dwels in the Saints 1 Cor. 6. and he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 John 1. As though the Saints had not union with God which the scriptures saith they have Prin. He saith It is palpably false and blasphemy to say that Saints know all things and have power to work miracles to the glory of God Answ Contrary to the Minister of Christ John who saith But yee have anoynting from the holy one and know all things 1 John 2.20 And Christ said Greater things then these shall yee do that believe in me Prin. He saith Though we believe that the spirit of Christ dwells in the Saints yet we assert the spirit of Christ to be distinct from the Saints c. Answ How are they led by the spirit how are they led into all truth And how are they sanctified by the spirit and their unity in the spirit by which spirit they have unity with God by which spirit the Saints worship him And he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his And so they are distinct from it but they are not so that have it and be in unity with it and one with another with God Prin. He saith Although there be the same spirit in all the Saints that gave forth the Scriptures yet all Saints have not the same inspiration of the spirit that the Prophets and Apostles had so as that they should be able to give forth infallible truths and immediately discover the pure and clear will of God as the Prophets and Apostles did Answ In this his Ignorance of the spirit he hath shewed and of the holy Ghost And himself is the false spirit gone out into the world For the spirit of truth shall lead into all truth and bring to memory Christs words and doth inspire into them the things of God and doth reveal to every one according to their measure Pr. The Spirit doth not communicate according to the capacity in the creature Ans Then there is none can divide the word aright and God gives to every man as he will and reproves the world and leads the Saints into all truth Prin. He saith they had not known the signification of the words of Christ but by the Evangelists c. Ans I say he nor none knows the signification of Christs words by the Evangelists words but by the Evangelists spirit and the same inspiration which thou saist thou looks not for Pr. He saith The Scriptures do give their own sense and is a standing Rule c. And yet thou said a little before in page 4. They are darke and are left to you to give a sense Ans Here then thou confoundest thy selfe and the spirit of God is the standing rule which leads them to speak forth scripture and not others words and the Prophets and Apostles words did not lead to speak forth scripture but the spirit Pr. He saith They that have the anointing within them had not an infallible judgement c Ans And John saith They know all things and bid them try the spirits whether they were of God And said they had the spirit of God which spirit is infallible and gives an infallible judgement which spirit was to try the false Prophets that was gone out into the world Pr In some places thou said the Scriptures were dark and hard to be understood Ans And here thou saith it is plain and easily to be understood page 8. Mark thy confusion for the Scripture is not understood without the spirit Pr. He saith there is an infallible judgement which may be made from the Scriptures without the spirit page 9. Ans Who can judge infallibly without the spirit Christ told the Pharisees who had the Scriptures They were of the Devill and judgement they had neglected and he did not own their judgement to be infallible And the Apostle saith what they knew who are separate from the spirit they knew naturally as bruit beasts Jude 10. 19. â—hough they may speak high words in hypocrisie And there art thou with thy infallible judgement as thou said without the spirit which is proved fallible and there is no infallible judgement to be given that stands without the spirit they that judges without the spirit will judge amisse and not infallible as the Jewes did of Christ and as the naturall bruit beasts did which Jude speaks of there art thou Pr. And he further saith there in the same page That the Scripture is to be judge of the spirit and a light sufficient to
the spirit and to wait for secret inspiration of God is to subject men to satannicall delusions c. page 40. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who said holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost and they were to wait for the revelation as in Peter and all be in the Satanical delusion that be not in the immediate teachings from the spirit And every one that hath this spirit and the leading of the spirit hath that which is immediate Pr. He saith the Prophets and Apostles drew people to an outward word c. Ans Now is that which lives and endures for ever outward and did not they bring them to Christ the power of God which is the end of words which is immediate Pr. He saith Is not the Gospel an external way c Answ No the Gospel is a living way which is revealed within and is the power of God to salvation Pr. Are not they seduced saith he who are drawn off from the externall means by which the spirit is given and faith wrought to wait for the receiving of the spirit without any word to convey it to them which spirit when they have it is not the spirit of truth but of delusion c. page 41. Ans The spirit and faith is not conveyed to any man without the word and they are seduced that rests in the externall from the eternall and the spirit is not given by external means neither is faith wrought Pr. And he saith They need not any mans teaching them but as the spirit in the Scriptures teaches and they need not that any teachings of man should be added Ans And so by this he hath thrown out himself from being a Pastor and all other Pastors and Teachers and the spirit is not in the Scriptures but in them that gave it forth And the spirit which gave forth the Scriptures which was in the Saints opens the Scriptures again and leads into all truth Pr. And he saith there is an excesse in that Scripture which saith Ye need no man teach you but as the anointing teacheth you Ans And here he makes as if John did not mean as he spake and would make John as false as himself who spoke truth Pr. And he saith the Apostles sayings to the Saints And ye know all things he calls it an excessive speech for no one knows all things but God page 42. Ans So contrary to John and would make him a lyar the Minister of God So he is in the false spirit gone out into the world Contrary to 1 John 2. who knew all things Pr. He saith Outward teaching is the way and meanes whereby the deep and profound and necessary truths of Scripture come to be understood but not immediate page 44. Ans So he hath denyed the spirit to open the Scriptures immediate inspiration by the spirit and its teaching and set up an outward in the room of it Here his spirit is tryed again gone out into the world For salvation is immediate and the means that brings to it and none knows the Scriptures by outward teaching but immediately by the Lord God Pr. And he saith Ministeriall gifts are not now to be found in the world such as the Mininisters of the Gospel had in the Primitive time Ans Therefore no such work ministerial now as was then nor any such officers as Pâ—stors Teachers c. as was then Ans He hath preached himselfe to be one of the false spirits which went forth from the Apostles into the world And yet he saith Christ is with them to the end of the world And yet saith no hearing of his voyce nor seeing him nor handling of him so he hath confuted himself and hath shewed you he hath quenched the spirit among you all Pr. He saith that the Apostle was silent in that point that men must be endued with extraordinary gifts Ans Which the Apostles Epistles prove to the contrary who saith without faith ye cannot please God which is a gift and an extraordinary gift and saith He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his which is an extraordinary gift So you are another Ministry and other Pastors and Teachers and that which is another gift then the Apostle is not the gift of God Pr. He saith How comes the Apostle to raise up a living to some persons for preaching when he saith That they that preach the Gospel must live of the Gospel c. page 48. Ans It was contrary to the Apostle to preach to raise up a living for preaching but saith they were not to preach for filthy lucres sake But they that preach the Gospel live of the Gospel that is not as you raising Livings making a trade of the forme and denying the power which is the Gospel Pr. Here he cries out against gifted mens preaching and saith Paul prophecyed against them page 49. and names them to be such as have itching eares Ans As he is gone out from the Apostles and so cries up his imagined gifts his own gifts which the Apostles did not cry against but said every one must minister that had received a gift and thou art one of the itching eares gone out from the Apostles Pr. He saith that their Synagogues commonly called Churches were not ordained for any spiritual uses as for serving God in them c. pa. 51. Ans Which is contrary to all the professed Teachers in the Nations who say they are ordained for the use and service of God and cals them Churches but to this I believe he will call his words back again Pr. And to break Christs command be not of men called Master Ans He calleth it a civil honour Pharisee-like a teacher of the Pharisees And here he hath proved himselfe not to be a guide of the way and the governor of a mans life for that title Master belongs to Christ and not to any man These are his words and the signification which he gives of that title there See page 52. And yet he dare presumptuously take it and plead for it which Christ denyed in the Pharisees and so impudently break Christs command and so hath shewed that he walks out of his Doctrine and is a transgressor and no Minister but an Antichrist Pr. He saith the Apostle never bred up any that they needed no man to teach them pag. 53. Ans And so giveth John the lye who saith Ye need no man to teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you And the Apostle who saith ye need not say every man to his neighbour know the Lord c. and denies the effectual work of the new Covenant But all shall know him from the least to the greatest Hebr. Pr. He saith Paul denies perfection to himselfe Ans Paul did not deny perfection to himself nor others but his work was to the perfecting of the Saints but your work is to keep men from perfection and that hath been the Ministers work since they apostatized from
contrary to Christ who is the Saviour of the soul and men are justified through faith that is within in the heart which is held in a pure conscience and Christ is in the Saints who is their justification and the Apostle preached Christ in them and where he is there is justification and who hath his light and receive him not there is condemnation Pr. And he saith The Quakers are deceived because they say Christ is within them kept down by something within them Ans Corrected by the Apostle who saith to the Saints Christ is in you the hope of glory and he was prest down as a Cart with sheaves and Christ was in prison and they visited him not and hungry and ye fed him not and thou never knew Christ formed in thee nor the reigning of the seed which is the Heir of the promise of God How was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world buâ— among such as thou art And reprobates may talk of justification in whom Christ is not who witness him not within he is not your justification Pr. And his principle is that the place where Christ shall come to judgement is at the mount of Olives on the East side of Jerusalem Ans Thou hast put him far enough off from thee and hast not yet judged thy self and Christ is come to judgment and so art one of the false Prophets who bids people look for him beyond the Sea loe here be there But who are come to Christ the light the life they need not go forth who abide here are sealed by the spirit puts not off the good and evill day Pr. He saith It is a delusion of the Devill and a dangerous doctrine to bid people follow the light within them Ans And they be in the dangerous doctrine and the delusions of the Devill that draws people from the Light within and thus he doth oppose the foundation of God the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world And the doctrine of the Apostle who saith the light that shines in their hearts must give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus So he is one of the Devils ministers opposing the foundation of God drawing people from that the Apostles drew them too for no one comes to the Kingdom but who comes to the light within them Pr. He saith That every man hath not the spirit of Christ within him Answ And John said Every man that cometh into the world is enlightned And Christ said I will send you the comforter the spirit of truth which shall lead you into all truth and he shall take of mine and give it unto you and he shall reprove the world of sinne the spirit shall Mark all people here is Saints here is Disciples here is the world get from under this how thou canst for under reproof thou art come and that which doth reprove the world is manifest to them and the wicked quencheth the spirit but the Saints are led by it and here are all men Pr. And again thou sayst That it is a filthy errour to say that that light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world will lead man to the Kingdome of righteousnesse and peace Ans Thus he is splitting himself against the Rock and striking against the foundation which every man that cometh into the world being enlightned that through it he might believe and believing in the light he might not abide in darknesse and this he makes insufficient which he that doth not believe in the light is condemned And thus the spiritual Sodomite and Aegyptian is blinde raging about the door and no man comes to the Kingdome of Righteousnessâ— and peace but by the light within and so he is in the filthy errour himself denying the light and hating it Pr. Thou sayst Christ is the light of the world and yet not in every one that cometh into the world Ans So corrected by John who saith he doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And the light shines in darknesse and the darknesse cannot comprehend â—t and he that hates the light is enlightned and will not come to it because it will reprove him that which doth manifest to man an understanding of reproof is within him and that condemns him hating it and the Saints believed in the light and they abode not in darkness which the unbelievers do and stumbles which the others do not Pr. And he saith Christ was not in his Disciples when he sâ—id I am the light of the world Ans And so is corrected by Christ who saith I in you and you in me Pr. He saith They that will come to justification they must go to Christs grave without and to Mount Calvery page 9. Answ And the Scripture saith ye need not go up to heaven nor to say who shall go over the sea for us and bring unto us that we may hear it and do it but the word is nigh in thy heart Deut. 30. so corrected by the Scriptures And the Angel said unto them that went to the grave without Why seeke ye the living among the dead he is risen and the Saints sits with him in heavenly places and need not go to Mount Calvary for him Pr. Hâ— saith The light wherewith Christ doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world is but a creature and is not a spirit pâ—ge 10. Ans And John saith all things was made by him made by the light in him was life and the life was the light of men And this shines in darknesse and the darknesse cannot comprehend it but all stumbling at the foundation of God which was before any creature was made who is the power of God Christ Jesus the light and the Prophets and Johns doctrine they stumbled at who saithâ— the light is a creature by which all things are made and created and so art corrected by the Scripture Pr. He calls the light conscience and a poor dunghill creature that will convince of sin Ans Which light was before conscience was or creature was or created or made light was He made the Sun the Moon c. and the light was before these were made and he is both life and spirit too for that which convinceth of sin is above the creature which checks him and reproves him and lets him see when he goeth astray from the Creator and that 's the light of Christ with which all men may see their salvation with that which lets them see their sin Pr. He saith The law doth not lead men to Christ but under the curse page 17 Answ That is to them that transgresse it Solomon said the law was light And David said the Law was a light unto his feet and a Lamp unto his paths and so led him from the curse them that do it which Christ is the end of and redeems from under it Pr. He saith It is not faith and works together that justifies in the sight
of God but it is faith and good works that justifies in the sight of men onely and saith Works will not justifie in the sight of God And he saith that works is onely but to justifie their faith to be true before men Answer Abraham was not justified to men only by his obedience but to God and where there is faith there is justification which works by lâ—â—â— And the Saints faith and works was not only to justifie them in the sight of men for the work of God is to do what he saith and his will which who doth not are not justified in so doing but to be beaten with stripes who seeks to be justified by their faith and works in the sight of men are dead faith and works both Pr. He saith They are no Christians that doth not hold Christ absent from his Church but Antichrists Ans Which is contrary to the Scriptures which say they are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and they are as nigh together as husband and wife And thus he is ignorant of the great mystery Christ and the Church which Christ is the head of Pr. He saith That the light wherewith Christ as he is God hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world is not the spirit of Christ page 19. Ans And so makes that which comes from God and Christ not spirit as he is God and thus the man is beating the ayre He saith Christ was God that lighteth every man c. And yet saith he not with the spirit how then cometh men to be condemned not believing it and so thou hast reproved thy selfe and art blinde and into the Ditch fallen Pr. And again thou sayest Though Christ as he is God doth give every man a light which is conscience otherwise called nature Ans A d so thou hast given those new names to the light of Christ contrary to the Apostles as thou mayest read John 1.2 John doth not tell us that is conscience or natural light as thou doth and the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall which was before all things and by it all things was made So it was before any Naturals was and is that which gives all men the wisdome of God to order the Naturalls so by the Scriptures thou art reproved Pr. And he saith Christ will not give his spirit to the world Answ And Christ said he will send his spirit to reprove the world and that is sent to them and that which doth reprove them iâ— manifest to them in the world to their own understanding and in them which spirit leads the Saints into all truth There is no man reproved but it is within him manifest to his understanding And if he quencheth the spirit that reproveth him he is not lead by it and that is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men love darknesse c. And this thou calls not spirit Now this is the condemnation of them whose consciences are seared and of them who have the created and made and natural lights the Sun the Moon and Stars which light was afore they was Pr. And thou saith The Scripture plainly denies that conscience can justifie though it may condemn See page 23. Ans Which is contrary to plain Scripture where the Apostle saith Rom. 2.15 Their consciences either accusing or excusing And again saith he Herein do I exercise my selfe to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men And the light condemns which you call conscience Pr. He saith that the Gospell is called the ministration of life but not of condemnation Same page Ans But they are condemned that obey not the Gospel of Christ And the Scripture speaks of a savour of death unto death and a savour of life unto life and the Gospel is so the power of God Pr. He denies that Paul bid the Saints listen within c. see page 25. Ans When as Paul said that the light which shined in their hearts to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ And it was the treasure in the earthen vessell and Christ was within them And the ingrafted word that was able to save their souls And the hidden man of the heart And he had revealed his Son in them and many other Scriptures And he saith he served the law of God with his minde And yet thou saith he did not bid any listen within And he saith the word was in their hearts to obey it and in their mouths And can they obey that and not listen within and do that and not have their minds stayed upon the Lord Pr. He saith the light doth not shine in the consciences of them that be lost See page 26 Ans But John saith the light shines in darknesse but darknesse cannot comprehend it and there is that of God in the children of disobedience and reprobates as in Rom. 1. and 2 Chap. Pr. And he denies that every man hath the light Ans Contrary to John who saith that is the true light which inlightneth every man that comes into the world John 1. Pr. He saith It is a counterfeiting of the new birth for men to follow the light wherewith men coming into the world are inlightned withall c. Answ Which none comes to the new birth but who comes to the light which every man that comes into the world is lighted withall which believing in is a child of the light Believing and receiving comes to receive power to become the Sons of God Pr. He saith To say that Christ is risen within there is no Scripture to prove it See page 28. Ans Doth not the Apostle say Christ formed in you And Christ in you the hope of glory which hope purifies as God is pure And Christ within doth he not arise there before all waves be still and shall he not arise with healing under his wings How ignorant of the Letter are the Priests grown much more of the mysterie Gal. 4. and Malachy Pr. And whereas thou saith thou art confident that while some would perswade others that they have no sinne their consciences will tell them they lye see page 41. Ans The Apostle told the Romanes that they were made free from sin and the Romanes did not tell the Apostle that their consciences told them he lyed as thou saith Pr. He saith the body of Christ is out of the sight of all his Saints c. see page 47. Ans And the Apostle saith They sate with Christ in heavenly places and the Saints are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and the Church which he is head of is his body And every one that eats his flesh knows his body given for the life of the world and the body of Christ is not out of the sight of the Saints that are in the Church Therefore you Ministers and Teachers that say Christs body is out of your
sights are not Saints neither are you of his Church which is his body neither have you eaten his flesh nor know that which is given for the life of the world but are out of the sight of the Church which is his body Pr. And thou saith they shall have a greater judgement without them then they shall have within them c. see page 48. Ans And the Scripture saith If ye judge your selves ye shall not be judged of the Lord. Pr. And that place in Jude he brings to prove that all men have not the Spirit c. See page 49. Where he saith They walke after their own ungodly lusts these be they who separate themselves being sensuall and have not the spirit who went in Balaams way Ans Who shews that they went forth from the spirit and turned the grace of God into wantonnesse And this doth not make for thee to thy purpose but rather against thee and the same spirit that reproves the world leads the Saints into all truth Pr. He saith That God did not give the Law that people should live in it c. See page 49. Answ And the Scripture saith that they that did the Law had life and were justified by it For do this and live saith God to Moses and therefore thou wouldst make God a lyar who cannot lye who saith that God did not give forth his Law that men should have life Is not the Curse and the Death in the transgression of it Christ is the end of the righteous Law who is the light that doth enlighten every man that doth come into the world which believing in it he comes to be a child of Light Which light thou blasphemously calls conscience or Naturall which is Christ the Light the foundation of God which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world that with the light they might see Christ who hath enlightned them the foundation of God from whence light comes And the Apostle saith the law is spirituall and just and good and he it was that was the carnall and so thou art the carnall not yet come to the Law which is spiritual Pr. He saith He that will but observe the motions of that light which every man hath within him say they so as to obey and close in with it to follow it shall undoubtedly save himselfe from the wrath to come Now this is clearly a great errour as thou saist See page 50. Ans Contrary to Johns doctrine and Christs who saith the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is the true light that men through the light might believe Therefore be they enlightned and he that believes in the light shall not abide in darknesse nor in errour nor in condemnation but shall have the light of life Saith Christ I am the light of the world And saith moreover believe in the light before they be children believe in the light that ye may be children of the light So every man is enlightned with a light before they be children with the true light He that believes in the light is a child of the light he that doth not believe in the light the light condemns him Pr. And whereas thou saith The Law gives not life nor justifies See page 50. Ans It is false thou art mistaken in the Scriptures and rebuked with them The Law gives life to him that obeys it and lives in it and he that doth it lives and is justified the doer of the Law and not the hearer only and it is righteous and just and good But Christ Jesus the Law and the spirit of life which is the end of Gods righteous Law is the justification to life Gods righteousnesse who is the end of the other law And the Apostle Paul saith The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Pr. And thou would make it an errour to say the Saints are saviours of the world See page 50. Ans The Apostle said when he writ to the Saints he should save himselfe and others and this was by the power of Christ And Jude saith others saving with fear but hating the garments spotted with the flesh Now thou art a deceiver and not a Saviour both of thy selfe and others and ignorant of the power and the spirit Pr. He saith there is no such Scripture as saith the light within the conscience See page 52. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who saith the light shines in their hearts and is not there the conscience 2 Cor. 4. And Christ saith they will not come to the light lest their deeds should be by it manifested they by it reproved and this is not conscience nor nature And the Apostle Paul saith Our rejoycing is the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but in the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world Pr. The new Covenant which God promised to write in their hearts he calls that the law by nature see page 52. Ans And thus he is stumbling at the corner stone and errs in his judgement for that which orders nature is above nature and all naturallists and transgressors do call it naturall Doctor Glisson's Paper concerning James Parnels death in prison which the Lyes that are in it are not worth mentioning but upon themselves will fall but here is one of their lying slanders taken off as followeth who strikes at the Rock splits themselves and the blood of that Innocent lies upon their heads Pr. IN the Preface he saith That the most knowing part of these Quakers have received their principles from Rome c. Ans It is false for the Instructions which they have received is from Christ who was glorified with the father before the world began and before Rome was or revilers either which makes the world to rage The corner-stone the light which lightens every man that comes into the world before it was which makes the Beast and the false Prophet and the Pope and you to arme themselves against the Lamb and his light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world withal And the Priests Instructions have been from Rome to set up their Schools to make Miinsters and Temples East and West with a Crosse at the end of them and the Tenth which they imprison men to death for and their preaching by the hour-glasse and naming their Colledges and Masse-houses by the Saints names Your Instructions have been from Rome to do these things but the Lamb shall have the victory glory to the Lord in the highest for ever George Emmot who calls himself a spirituall Quaker converted Who is turned with the Dog to the vomit and gone in the way of Core exalting himself and gain-saying Truth and gone in the way of Cain into his first birth turned against the second DId God smite thee for thy pride Did God let thee see the
Christ and the Apostles and the Scriptures are owned by them in scorn called Quakers and the light it speaks of who out of the apostacy are come and so from among the apostates And as for the lyes and slanders in his Book that are not worth mentioning but they shall turn upon his own head whose immodesty hath discovered them Pr. In his Preface to the Reader He saith It is an expression of a darke deluded minde to say that God is not distinguished from the Saints Ans But God and Christ is in the Saints and dwell in them and walk in them and he is a Reprobate and out of the Apostles doctrine Pr He saith We have broken the everlasting Covenant of God Answ Because we own the teaching of God by his spirit and the light which doth enlighten every one that that cometh into the world which is the covenant of God Pr. He saith The Scriptures is the rule of life See page 4. Answ Contrary to Christ who said the spirit should lead them into all truth And they that are the sons of God are led by the spirit of God And the Churches was to hear what the spirit saith for the spirit led them to speak forth Scripture Pr. Again he saith It is a contradiction and a confused sencelesse thing to preach the word of faith in the mouth and in the heart see page 6. Again he saith Most senseless is this profession of Christ in the mouth and believing in him with the heart God that made all things These are his words page 8. Ans It is not a senselesse profession to preach the word of Faith in the heart and in the mouth and to say God will dwell in you and the word is in the heart and in the mouth The word is God and thou art senselesse and fallen in confusion in the contradiction out of the Apostles doctrine and the Apostle saith Christ in you and with the mouth confession is made to salvation Pr. And he calls it a Notion to say that Christ lighteth all and therefore the light is Christ. Ans So here he is kicking and spurning against the light Christ that lighteth every man that cometh into the world which is the Rock the foundation of God the corner-stone which is fallen upon thy head and all be in the notion that be out of it Pr. He scoffs at the Quakers because they say they have the word of God in them Ans Christ his name is called the word of God Pr. He saith God blessing or blasting his owne Word to some according to the different ends intended by himselfe see page 9. Ans Now the Word of God is not blasted God never blasts his own Word but it is they that are blasted that disobey the Word For the Word of God doth its service and accomplisheth the end which it goeth forth for and doth not return in vain And it is the sword of the spirit and that is not blasted It is a hammer and a fire and it lives and doth endure for ever So thou art blasted who saith the Word of God he blasts and art to be cut down by the word of God for thy blasphemy Pr. He saith the Quakers are deceivers because we say that Christ is not in outward observations and formes And John Bunyan saith that he is distinct from the Saints and would have him in the forms c. see page 13. Ans And we say he hath triumphed over the Ordinances and blotted them out and they are not to be touched and the Saints have Christ in them who is the end of outward forms and thou art deceived who thinks to finde the living among the dead and Bunyan is deceived who said he is distinct from the Saints and so you are a company of pittiful Teachers Pr. He saith Every true Christian doth believe that the holy Scriptures alone is to be the object of faith c. page 17. Ans So he hath thrown out God the giver of it and Christ the Author of it for many have the Scriptures and deny Christ the Author of faith and object Pr. He asketh Did you ever read of law and testimony in the heart c see page 18. Ans Yea God saith I will write my law in their hearts The law was in Davids heart the law was in the Apostles heart The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy and that is in the heart See Heb. 8. Rev. Pr. He saith The covenant of God is not to all in the Church of Christ see page 19. Ans Which is contrary to the Scriptures for where the Church is there is the Covenant the head Christ Jesus And God saith I will give him for a covenant to the Gentiles those are the heathen And I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah and these are called the people of God And therefore thou art in the fall in ignorance and a man without understanding and affirms thou dost not know what and silence would become thee better then to publish thy shame in print for they are not in the Church of God that be not in the covenant of God Pr. And he saith The Scriptures is the sure and perfect rule page 20. Ans And the Scripture saith Christ is the Bishop of the soule and God hath all souls in his hand And many have Scriptures but their soules the Bishop of them they know not but they remain in death and the life they want that gave it forth and so are all on heaps about the Scripture one with another and calling them the rule and the spirit And the spirit of God that led them forth to speak forth the Scripture was the rule to the Saints and holy men of God but they that be in the transgression will kill one another about their words and the spirit leads to see them again and brings them into unity with them and God Pr. He saith It is blasphemy to say that Christ is in them as God and man c. see page 23. Ans How are they of his flesh and bone And doth not the Scripture say Christ in you and God will dwell in you and walk in you And are not the Saints of his flesh and of his bone And are they not partakers of the divine nature Pr. He saith It is a fancy to say the eternall word of God is in them see page 26. Ans Thou art in the fancy that the eternal word is not in and witnessed and under the fire and sword and hammer to be hammered down And so art corrected by the Apostle who saith Let the word of God dwell in you richly The ingrafted word which is able to save your souls and immortal word which is immortal Pr. He saith The Scriptures is the only rule of knowing God c. See page 26. Ans Christ saith none knoweth the father but the Son who spoke among them that had the Scripture and so he
they obey it to lead them to eternall life c. See page 73. Ans Yet thou saith every one hath so much light as shall leave all men without excuse before the great tribunall of Jesus Christ And yet thou saith that which leaves them without excuse is not sufficient and so would make God unjust and unrighteous and the light is sufficient which doth enlighten every man in the world to lead them to eternall life believing in it and receiving it which not believing is sufficient to condemn them who all believing in it shall see and receive their salvation Pr. He saith It is a contradiction in it selfe and a speaking lyes in hypocrisie to deny swearing and calling of men Master and to witnesse the teaching of the Lord and the spirit to guide into all truth and to say the spirit is the rule Ans They be in the lyes and hypocrisie and transgressors of Christs commands that are swearers and called of men Masters and the spirit of truth which leads into all truth is the rule and guide of men into truth as Matth. 5. 23 Chap. and these be the Antichrists contrary to him that swear and are called of men Masters which Christ saith swear not at all nor be called of men Master Pr. He saith Christ was in the world and the world was made by him and yet Christ was not in all parts of the world c. see page 76. Answ And he is the light to the Gentiles and Jewes and salvation to the ends of the earth and yet he saith that Christ is not in all parts of the world Pr. The light wherewith Christ hath enlighten every one that cometh into the world he calls a little sparke of reason subject to errour and vanity Ans Which is Christ the light the foundation of God which stands sure that which makes manifest all errour and his flesh saw no corruption The greatest part of his work in his Book is to strike at the Rock and foundation of God and there is no errour in the light which enlightneth every man that comes into the world neither is it subject to it but condemns it and thee that saith it Pr. He saith page 79. All the light is to be understood in words and an outward dispensation c. Ans The Jewes had outward words and a dispensation and yet knew not the Light Christ by the words without life Neither did they understand the dispensation of God Pr. He speaks of an externall Ministry c. See page 80. Ans That which led them to minister was not externall and the externall reaches no further then the external and that is of men and by men but the eternal reaches to the eternal which reacheth beyond external Pr. John saith This is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world and he saith this is to be understood with limitation and saith Christ was not in all ages places of the world See page 81. Ans How was he the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world And how did he minister to the spirits in prison and how speaks he in the Law and how is he the same yesterday and to day and for ever and that is the Devill in thee that would have a hold for thee to dwell in that would limit Christ the light not to be in every man That which darkens every man is the Devill and that which lightens every man is Christ without limitation and he limits that which would limit him and that understanding Pr. He saith He knows not what the true light is and eternall life nor the eternall word the everlasting Gospel the light which gave forth the Scriptures and the Judge of the world and the kingdome of heaven within and the law of the new covenant and Christ within these he saith he knows not c. Ans We do believe thee And yet he goes about to oppose them and knows not what they are and so he fights like a blinde man who knowes not the eternall word within nor the Light nor the everlasting Gospell which the Saints did and doth know withiâ— Pr. He saith That infants and fools and such as are borne blinde were never enlightned with the light of Christ which he calls the light of nature c. See page 85. Ans Which is contrary to Johns words 1 John 9. who came for a witnesse to bear witnesse of the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world which light is above nature and contrary to Isaiah who said Fools shall not erre in the way And a blinde man and an infant is inlightned with the light of Christ for that is the Light in the blinde man that reproves his thoughts and words that be evill which believing in it he shall not be condemned but hath the light of life and becomes a childe of Light And in Christ is light and that is the life of men and where there is life in an Infant there is light Pr. He calls it a fancy and a pernicious errour to say Christ hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world c. see page 88. Ans And thus he opposeth Johns doctrine They be in the pernicious errour that deny that light that lighteth every man according to Johns doctrine John 1. who saith this is the true light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world and the Pharisees stumbled as much at this true light as you do now though it shined in their and your darknesse yet your darknesse cannot comprehend it but it shall be all your condemnation that hate it Pr. He saith The commands of Christ within Christ and the light is inconsistent with the Scriptures c. see page 89. Ans Which is contrary for the light within owns the Scriptures without and yet he said it was the gift of God and the gift of God doth own the Scriptures in their place as they were spoken and none knows the commands and Scriptures but with the light within and they be in unity and the light within gives the knowledge of them 2 Cor. 4. Pr. He saith It is a fancy to say the Covenant of God is to all men in the world and the grace of God hath appeared unto all men c. See page 89. Answ Contrary to the Apostle who saith The grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared unto all men And contrary to the Prophet who saith I will give him for a covenant to the Gentiles a light unto the people salvation to the ends of the earth and a new covenant to the house of Israel and Judah And they that do not believe this are condemned Pr. He saith It is most desperate and diabolicall to talke of a sufficient light and grace in all to be saved c. Ans And yet thou saith in page 73. of thy book That every man hath so much light that shall leave all men without excuse before the great
stirring up the blinde zeale where it is against Christ where he is in his Saints such as keepeth his Testimony whose thirst is after blood and persecution who would stop the Presse that Truth should not be published to the Nation Shewing yee have not the spirit that is able to gain-say nor able to contradict the spirit that is in the Quakers Therefore do you beg with your Petitions and feigned humility for the powers of the Earth them to stop But where the spirit of wisdome and of God and of a sound minde is ruling the intents of your minds are seen such as was then in all ages that brought upon heaps and stirred up tumults and made Insurrections among people and casting mists before Magistrates eyes whereby they might be blinded and turned against the just For which cause brought Gods judgements upon such as you and Magistrates both and rebuked KINGS for his Anointeds sake John Toldervyes Booke called The Foot out of the Snare His Principles And these whose names were subscribed to the Book viz. Thomas Brooks Thomas Jacomb George Cockayn William Adderley John Goodwin John Tombes William Jenkins and Matthew Poole Priests WHom the Priests and his intent is to father the work of the imagination that was in John Toldervy upon the spirit of the living God and of Christ that is in the Quakers But all their work and imaginations is with the Light and the spirit of Truth judged and him and his Priests and all them their feet fast in the snare And all that is in this Book which is contrary to the truth and the Scriptures is judged but all that is truth is owned And here is some of their Principles as followeth John Toldervy and the rest in the Book entitled The foot out of the snare he and they would lay all his actions upon the Light but they split themselves against the Rock and he himselfe hath split himselfe upon the Rock which made him recant again and deny all his foolish actions and so these great high Priests come off with shame Pr. He saith the declaring against all sin is nothing of the mystery of the Gospell of Christ See page 3. Ans Ignorant are you for that which makes manifest sin is the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ the mystery all his will-worships and his will-actings his self-righteousnesse and obediences and motions and fancies which he followed the Priests would lay it upon the Covenant in the heart and Christ within and doth not clear the Covenant and Christ within from all those actions which was destructive to the creature which Christ the Covenant preserves and the creation and brings the creature into the liberty of the sons of God and here your madnesse and blindnesse appears without distinction Pr. He saith Not to call any one Master nor to pull off the hat to any one not to you any one but to use the word thee thou to a single person not to use any Complements or greetings to any not to bow to any man to honour the Creature not drinking to any and to pull off the points and ribbons from his knees band-strings and hat-hand and buttons that was unnecessary on his Coat and other things and burned divers books c. And call this that put off all these things which were unnecessary they calls it seduced perswasions c. See page 15. Ans Now all these that have born record with thee under the life are ye come and judged which abides and remains and for ever with it judged For to instance as for not calling men Master that is the command of Christ As for the not fashioning your selves according to the world in your former lusts of ignorance that is the command of the Apostle And as for the forsaking of gorgeous apparell naughtiness and superfluity they are corrected by the Scriptures and judged by the spirit And as for drinking to one another and tempting one another with Beer and bowing the Hat and respecting and honouring the Creature which is earthly Adams honour in the Fall which Christ receiveth it not the second Adam And as for respecting of persons they that do so commit sin and are convinced of the Law as transgressors And now see where thou wast and all the Priests in your seduced perswasions and judgeth good of evill and evill good And thou and the Priests may see that all this that which thou did from thy own perswasions is thy own will But that which led thee from sin and from the world to righteousnesse was owned that shall be recorded for ever against thee and all the Priests and stand a witnesse against you though now thou art in the flower of thy age And it will be hard for thee John the Priests to get in that which ye have spread abroad and the weight and the feeling the burthen of all thy words and your words ye are not yet come to feel But when the fire and the heat enters into your flesh that ye are scorched with the vehement heat then remember every word that ye have given forth comes pat upon you a burthen From a lover of your soules and a cherisher of truth And John and the Priests all the Actions which was done in thy will and set forth in the same to the view of the world by the Priest which abused the power and that which was of God rising in thee to the sight of the world crucifying afresh the Son of God and so puts him to open shame Thou wilt suffer and the Priests and that which was done in thy presumption which abused the power of the Lord God that was never accepted of the Lord God nor never owned by the men of God But there is a thousand I do believe in the Nation that can see and do see what thou and the Priests have recorded to the world and are able to judge when the power moved thee and when there was imaginations and see that the Priests took thy part and are one with that nature in thee which betrayed the just even Judas like and mind and take notice those that Judas betrayed Christ to as thou betrayed the just too See what friends they were to Judas and what friends they will be to thee after that Judas has done and after that thou hast done now come to the just principle in thee John thy flight was in the winter And as for the word Thee and Thou spoken to a particular shews they have forgotten the Latine books that which they call their Learning for is it righteous to call one many or many one That is a sound speech which cannot be condemned And all people upon the earth that have run out in their imaginations whereby truth comes to be hurt if they have done it willingly the greater shall be their punishment they shall be whipt however But all you that have bent your wills and given your strength to the adversary of God whereby the way of
from me to imagine that the spirit of God moved the Apostles to preach when they did onely and not at other times and that they always waited in silence till then c. See same page Answ So he would make it that the Apostles preached when the spirit moved them not and run without the moving of the spirit and so would make them like himselfe And Peter said they spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost And they that are the sons of God are led by the spirit of God And the spirit shall lead them into all truth And the spirit should tell them what they should speak and shew them things to come and that was their guide and rule and thou who speaks and not the spirit moves thee art no Minister of the spirit and sayes far be it from thee to imagine the Apostles preached onely when they were moved and so doth not own the Apostles were the Ministers of the spirit with thy imaginations Pr. And the singing of the Saints in the spirit and grace is not like the ungodly singing without the spirit Ans And saying the grace of God hath not appeared unto all men and all have not the spirit which is contrary to Scripture It saith the grace hath appeared unto all men and I 'le powr out my spirit upon all flesh And the spirit that reproves the world leads the Saints and you that sing Davids quakings and prayers is not in the understanding nor grace but distinct from the Saints which must be turned into howling How can ye give them the Psalms to sing then that have no grace Pr. And the Priests of Scotland say Cursed is he that sayes grace is free These are the Scottish principles c. Answ And yet ye give the Psalms to all to sing and yet ye say all have not grace and all have not the spirit of God and then can they not sing in the grace and sing in the spirit Is there any prudent reason or good understanding without the spirit Pr. He saith We deny the Scripture to be the Word of God Answ The Scriptures are the words of God and Christ is the word in which the words end Pr. And he speaks these detestable words and sayes Is not our tongues oyled with a spirit of confused delusion which is his own c. See page 5. Ans Because we say such as pray or preach it must be by the moving of the spirit of God which they be not in that are in the spirit of delusion Pr. And he is opposing the commands of Christ who said be not of men called Master for ye have one Master even Christ who conquers death and hell And he saith Why may they not be called Master Ans It is his Master that teacheth him to be called of men Master that is gone out of the truth but Christ said be not of men called Master and wo be to them that are Matth. 23. And you are them that are made by the will of man that breaks his commands George Willington's Booke called The Gadding Tribe Reproved A right Title to his condition in his Book who like a wilde Beast is gadding up and down but the Lord rebuke such spirits His PRINCIPLES follow c. Pr. HE himselfe falls a judging others and then he cries Oh man who art thou that judgeth another c. page 9. Answ And doth not see the worke that he is doing himselfe But bids others they should not judge and falls a judging himselfe which is like all the rest of his gadding Tribe and how they run with their horns at the righteous and push at the upright in heart But the Lamb is above them all and the wrath of the Lamb is kindled therefore the Beasts rage who against the Lamb makes war And where judgement is come through into victory he may judge and the hidden things of darkness is brought to light and the counsel of the heart made manifest and the Lord is come and the spirituall man judgeth all things which shews the counsell of his heart is not made manifest nor his hidden things of darknesse brought to light and the Lord is not come to him and so cannot judge And George Willington hath judged before his time with which he is charging others therefore his words shall be his burthen Pr. And his principle is That he is justified by faith alone without good works c. See page 10. Answ What without the faith that works by love hast thou concluded those works the works of Popery which are the works of faith that works by love that gives the victory How dost thou gad now whether art thou gadding now Know faith that works by love is owned and he that believes is ceased from his works as God did from his and hath entered into his rest And faith gives victory overall the Popish murthering spirits and thine both and your works which gives to have accesse to God and their works is wrought in him Pr. He saith Whilst the upstart sect of Quakers do looke after the light within he saith we have a more sure word of prophesie c. and so would make the sure word of prophesie not the lihgt within See page 12. Answ Whose spirit he hath made manifest where it is amongst them that are gone from the Apostle who stands against the light within For they that draw from the anointing within are the seducers and they went forth from the Apostles that went from the anointing within Art not thou and you all gadded and the world from the anointing within you and so seducing one another therefore have you so many heaps of Teachers and arming your selves and making lies your refuge against them that are come to the anointing which you are all gadded from given judgement against your selves who will not have people to own the light Christ Jesus who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and none owns the anointing within who owns not the light which you deny which have apostatized from the Apostles and the Quakers are risen up in the night of apostacy and discovers you all what you are in and what you went from and what hath been lost since the dayes of the Apostles and an Earth-quake is coming upon you that hath not been since the foundation of the world out of which Earth-quake we are come into that which cannot be shaken As the Quakers are not the Gadding tribe but they have the anointing in them and as it shall teach them they shall abide in the Son of God and the Father But it is manifest that thou and the whole world is gadded from the anointing within you which should teach you and so are turned against the Saints and the Lamb And have been the Harlots the mouths of the false Prophets blaspheming God in his Tabernacle and drunk the blood of the Saints and the Martyrs and the Prophets and made war against the Saints to overcome them
and have overcome them but the Lamb and the Saints shall get the victory Pr. And thou tels us of a Creed and Catholique Faith commonly called the Apostles Creed which except a man believe this Creed and Catholique Faith he cannot be saved c. See page 16. Ans Who taught thee all this language Where did the Apostles teach thee any such things as the Catholique Creed The Apostle teacheth us no such things as a Catholique Creed didst thou not learn this of the Pope who apostatized from the Apostles And the twelve Apostles taught thee no such Doctrine as the Catholique Creed and thou saith they signed it Nay the Pope signs thee that Creed and the Sacraments the Pope signes thee that And we are come to the foundation of God which was before the Pope was and we gad not Thou shouldst not tell lies to say they gad that come unto God the Elect of God Gods Elect and Christ the light is the salvation before thee and the Pope was Pr. And thou saith Doth any forsake the Ministry to follow a new light c See page 17. Ans That Ministry that doth deny the Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world as this gadding Tribe of Ministers and Professors have done since the dayes of the Apostle and do so by denying the Light they deny the foundation of God The Light we own which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall which is the foundation of God and them deny to be any Ministers of Christ that denies the Light that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world and his Ministers we own Pr. And thou saith do not forsake the Temple and truth of God to follow the bleating of Jeroboams calves in Dan and Bethel c. Ans Now whither art thou gadded Art not thou gadded in this from the Apostles Doctrine to the Temple which the Apostles brought the people off from where is thy light now How ownes thou Christ who keepes people to the Temple and tels them of Jeroboams Calves in Dan and Bethel where is there any people gadding thither whether hast thou not lost thy reason and sobrietie to publish thy madness to the Nation And did not Christ say the Temple should be thrown down Mat. 24. And Stephen witnessed against it and was stoned to death and thou art calling people to it and your Popish Masse house which you call your Temple you have set up since the dayes of the Apostles is like unto the Idol set up at Dan and Bethel Pr. And he saith your Ancient Divines are them that have entered in at the door c. See pag. 20. Ans How can you and your Ancient Divines enter in at the door when you deny the Light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world which is Christ the Door Therefore it makes you to gad up and down without light in the dark Now is the stone fallen upon you and the rock you are splitting your selves against it Now shall the Saints know the Song of the Lamb rejoycing over the Beast and the false Prophets Pr. He saith the written word the ingrafted is able to save the soul c. See pag. 21. Ans The Ingrafted word is able to save the soul but the letter the written words are not The Pharisees had the written words but stood against the Saviour of the Soul And how art thou gadded here in thy Judgement how art thou like to own the word that saves the Soul when thou denies the Light Pr. He is stirring up the Magistrate to persecute his own mouth condemns him who pretends love c. Ans And thou that gads abroad in thy mind to stir up the Magistrate to prosecute art not in the life of the Apostles nor Christ but in the Spirit of the false Prophets and Antichrists and one in that which all persecutors come from out of the truth Pr. Again thou saith we ought not to Judge c. See pag. 23. Ans Let all people that read thy Gadding tribe see if thou doth not Judge and so comes under Judgement by thy own words And the time was come to the Apostles when they went on to the eternall Judgement which we own But this is not for such as are crying up Temples and Persecutors nor stumbling at the Light your measures are all too short of your whole gadding tribe that be from the light that every man is enlightened withall that comes into the world Pr. Again thou saith the Apostles was to call the Ministers of Christ mediately and the Immediate call from God is not enough c. See pag. 24. Ans So thou hath set up the Mediate before the immediate and judgeth the immediate and not sufficient But thou art corrected by the Scriptures and the Apostle corrects thee who saith I have not received it of man nor by man and bad others look at Jesus the Author of their faith And the Apostle doth not say that they was to call men mediately he doth not teach such Doctrine that their Ministers was called mediatly nor send them forth so but it is thou that art gaded from the Counsel of God and the Apostle confutes thee who said he was not of men nor by men and all that went forth from the Apostles went forth by the immediate power of God who was the Church of God and by the power of that But you are the mediate fallen from the Apostle and made by the will of men But now with the immediate you are all comprehended Pr. And thou brings many Scriptures to oppose Christs commands and the Apostles Doctrine which saith be ye not of men called master c. See pag. 28. For thâ—â—â— saith Christ doth not mean as he speaks for thou saith the meaning is not that it is unlawful to be called master Ans Here thou shewes whither thou art gadded one that teacheth to break Christs commands But the wo that is denounced in the same Chapter where the command is belonges to thee So an Antichrist that teacheth to deny Christs commands and dispiseth his Authority And one that calls him Lord but doth not the thing that he commands but it is not such that enters into the Kingdom of God and this thou shalt witness at last when thy words falls heavy upon thee Joshua Millers Booke called Antichrist in man the greatest Idol Which is a fit Title for himself who cals that Antichrist and Mistery of Babylon that justifies within Contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who saith we are Justified by faith in Christ Jesus which is in the heart As for the rest of his slanders and Lies in his book they are not worth mentioning but these that follows Pr. ANd he cals them devout men that denyed the light that hath enlightened every man that cometh into the word c. He saith the Quakers are the most saddest and deplorable Spectacles of revolted Professors that ever I heard or read of since
These comes under the judgements of the Almighty Gods decree is against them and the Spirit the holy Ghost doth lead into all truth and doth reveal and the Apostle bids the Saints wait for the revelation of Jesus And the grace was brought by the revelation of Jesus and the secrets are revealed to them that feare God and the spirit reveals the things of God and thou saith it reveals no more which shews thou doth not know Scriptures nor God nor spirit Pr. Whereas thou saith Ye have the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles Christs words and so are not to look for new Prophets and that would be a question to the Church and that would shew mutability in Christ See page 6. A. In this thou hast shewed thy self of what generation thou art For there hath been the Mother and the Harlot that hath drunk the blood of the Prophets and the Martyrs and the Saints and such as drink the blood have the forme and get the sheeps cloathing but cries prophesie is ceased and revelation from heaven is ceased onely they have a standing rule the Scriptures without and so there they have their cloathing the sheeps cloathing but ravened from the spirit and so hath denyed the Church in which there is prophecy and the spirit of God for where that is there is prophesie amongst sons and daughters but not amongst you apostates Pr. He finds fault with a man that will not believe except he see as instance a man will not believe they are Ministers of Christ except they worke miracles c. And a man will not believe there is a Parliament or Holland or France or Spain except he have been in them c. See page 6. 7. Answ Thou and thy wits are compassed for Revelations and Prophecies are now spoken forth and witnessed and thou cannot believe because thou dost not see and thou art finding fault with others that do not believe because they do not see Thou art seen and disapproved and so now in that thou judges others thou art judged thy selfe who art blinde and out of the life and many may see there is a Holland and other Countreys though they have not seen them with an outward eye And we believe the Ministers of Christ though they do not work miracles but from them are you apostatized we do believe and see Pr. He saith The Saints were not to forsake the assembling of themselves together as the manner of some was c. See page 8. Answ That was in the time of the Apostles before the aposâ—â—cy But since the apostacy the Beast and the false Prophets and the murtherers of the Saints are got up which assemble themselves together and deceive the Nations and are breaking the Saints meetings which gather â—ther that keep the testimony of Jesus and the spirit of prophesie and overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the testimony of Jesus And Christ who is the Rock and his Church doth continue but that which Christ said should come is come the false Prophets that should get the sheepâ— cloathing and John saw was come which went forth from them which made war against the Saints and the Lamb but the Saints and the Lamb shall get the victory And we are come to the assembly of the Saints before you were apostatized for your assemblies hath forsaken the Saints your fruits declare it Pr. He saith Because they have the peoples consent and the Magistrates allowance therefore that is true ordination c. See page 11. Ans Balaam he had the peoples consent and the Heathenish Magistrates allowance when he should have cursed the children of Israel and so this is no proof of ordination And the chief Priests had the peoples consent and the Magistrates many of them which turned against Christ this is no ordination to be Ministers of Christ And the Beast and the false Prophet shall rise against the Lamb and the Saints and yet they shall have sheeps cloathing this is no proof of their ordination from God but all this proves it from man But all who have their ordination from God are not owned neither by people nor Magistrates in their wills but who feare God and are come to the spirit of God by that to which they minister and never went to the Magistrates for their allowance and here again you are apostates from the Apostles and in the steps of the false Prophets whose ordination is by the consent of the people and your allowance from the Magistrates who are from the allowance of Christ that he gives to his Ministers and the ordination of the Apostles that was not from man nor by man Pr. Thou bids us marke the Canon of the Holy Ghost in Timothy See page 11. Ans And there is no such word as Canon in Timothy and thou tells us of a Catholique Church and we cannot finde any such word in Scripture that it speaks of any such word but we perceive whom thou hast learned these words of what center and stock thou comest of from the Pope and not from the Apostles Pr. He saith They have an un-interrupted succession drawn from the Apostles c. See page 13. Answ For your succession is from the Pope apostatized from the Apostles ye are out of the Apostles Doctrine in all your whole worship corrected and reproved by Scripture Did the Apostle set up a Temple set up tythes set up your Schools and Colledges Is not the Pope the Author of all this Are not yee his Successors Pr. Thou sayes Ye are the Ministers of Christ because ye have the Scriptures and books and such like and you are not usurpers of the authority c. See page 16. A. Now there is never a one of you all that ever durst say ye have heard Gods voice immediately from heaven or Christs voyce or have the same spirit as the Prophets and Apostles and Christ had or immediate revelations from heaven as they had So then you be in another ordination then they was in and usurpers of authority into your ministry and intruders into those things you never saw And cannot any one be as good a Pastor or Minister as you seeing all your teaching is but from books and other mens writings Why may not others learn the same books and writings and so come to be Teachers and Pastors as well as you seeing you have nothing but from Books and Writings and old Authors Why may not all that read those be Pastors and Teachers and so then where be the hearers and so with the life are you all judged The spirit of God which gave forth Scriptures which was before your old Books and Authors were Thomas Higginson his Book called The Testimony of the True JESVS His PRINCIPLES follow c. Pr. HE saith The Word is not righteousnesse without the flesh c. See page 3. Ans The Word is righteous it selfe and the flesh righteous as it became Pr. He saith Men are presented perfect to God and
word of life And was this without the faith of Gods elect or sense Therefore in this thou may see in this how uncapable thou art to divide the word Pr. He saith They that put spirituall working for the grace of Christ they destroy Christ Jesus See page 11. Ans They do not destroy Christ Jesus that put spirituall working for the grace of Christ for the works of the spirit doth not destroy Christ for where the works of the spirit are there is the grace of Christ Jesus and none owns Christ but who be in the works of the spirit and his graces and they destroyed Christ and deny him that be out of the works of the spirit and his graces are spiritual workings Pr. He saith The sight of the God-head without faith in Christ is the foundation of all false worships c. See same page Ans Can any see the God-head have a sight of the God-head and not see Christ and have faith in Christ And who have faith in Christ do they not see the fulnesse of the Godhead dwells in him Christ And was not their minds turned from that of God in them which declared the invisible things of him from the Creation of his Eternal Power and Godhead which the Apostle sound fault withall Let all examine and Judge and read the Scripture Rom. 1. and try Pr. He saith obedience to Christ within is a sentence of the Law not of grace and denying Christ overwhelming the afflicted in sorrow without hope and turning the feet of the lame out of the way And bids beware of such Doctrine c. See page 12. Ans If people must beware of the Doctrine of the Apostles who hath told them Christ was in them except they were reprobates And Christ was within them the hope of glory to whom he Preached For they turn people out of the way who keep them reprobates without hope and is a denying of Christ that Preacheth not Christ within and a keeping people under the Law which Christ is the end of and where Christ within is there is obedience which is the end of the Law and there is grace Pr. He saith the Justification and redemption by obeying the Light within appears to his understanding to be a mystery of iniquity c. See page 13. Ans Thy understanding must come to nought for he that believeth is Justified from all things and comes not into condemnation and he hath the witness in himself And that lets him see his Redeemer his Mediator and Saviour the Light which walking in it he is cleansed from all sin and so no mystery of iniquity for the mystery of iniquity is out of the Light none sees Justification and Redemption but with the Light within which comes from Christ who hath enlightened him Pr. He saith the Ministration of grace cannot he known by the Light which Christ hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world withall c. See page 14. Ans Contrary to John who saith as many as receiveth him to them he gives power to become the Sons of God and no one knowes the Ministration of grace but by the Light which comes from Christ the Covenant of grace Pr. He saith none can know the mystery of God in Christ with the Light in them c. See page 14. Ans Which is contrary to Scripture I will give him for a Covenant for a Light to the Gentiles he shall be my salvation to the ends of the earth saith the Lord. So this was the salvation so it gives the knowledge of the Ministery of salvation the Light that shines in the heart gives the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus who is the mystery that shines in the heart of them that believe in it and them that do not are condemed with the Light And so they are reproved with the spirit of truth which leads the Disciples into all truth which spirit the world cannot receive for they do not receive the Light and so are not like to receive the Spirit of truth Pr. He saith the Light of Christ in natural man knowes nothing of the spirit c. And the Scripture was the Image of Christ without c. See page 14. Ans Scriptures without are writings and endures not for ever but the power Christ the power of God endures for ever And who ever is in the Light cometh to know Christ in the spirit him who is the life And it leads the natural man from his natural state that believes in it For all by nature are the children of wrath who believes in it it leads from the nature and from the wrath which who believes in it is made free from the wrath to come and they that believe not in the Light are reproved by the spirit and that which reproves them is manifest to them and so they know it Pr. He saith to affirm the Light in the conscience which we say is the Light of Christ the way or guide to Christ whereto onely to attend is a darksome fleshly and most legal principle and calls it grave wherein Christ is buried c. See page 15. Ans Which is contrary to Christs Doctrine who saith he that believes in the Light shall not walk in darkness but have the Light of life And he that does believe in the Light hath entered into his rest and come to the Sabbath out of the grave and out of the legal and out of the fleshly and out of condemnation And none comes to the Son Christ but who comes to the Light which comes from him which he hath enlightened them withall Pr. And again he saith to say the Light in every man is Christ the Redeemer is a two-fold errour c. See same page Ans Contrary to John who saith this is the true Light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And he was in the world and the world knew him not So shewes himself to be one of the stock of the world that knowes not him that was and is in them the Light of the world and the world knew him not which he that believeth in the Light hath the Light of life and he that receiveth the Light receiveth Christ the Redeemer And he that receiveth Christ receiveth his spirit And he that receiveth not the Light that he is enlightened withall receiveth not his Redeemer but hates him it is his condemnation and he is in the errour Pr. He saith the Light within was not given for righteousness neither could it reveal or give life c. page 16. Ans Contrary to Christ who saith he that believes in the Light shall have the Light of life So thou art unskilfull in the word and Doctrine of Christ and Christ within is given for righteousness who reveals the Father and gives life and they that have not Christ the Light within are reprobates Pr. He saith the Light within knowes nothing of the precious Gospel Mystery
never finde him And as for the rest of thy lyes and slanders in thy Book and unsavoury expressions which are not worthy mentioning upon thy own head they will come one day and thy own words shall be thy burthen Jeremiah Ives his Booke called Innocency above Impudency or the strength of Righteousnesse exalted above the QVAKERS Weaknesse and Wickednesse His Principles are as followeth Pr. HE saith It is a rare thing to see any of the seed of the Devill grown up to that degree of impudence to charge a man that he hath done that which he never did do c. Answ The seed of the Devill always said that which was not true so not a rare thing to finde them for the Devill and his seed is out of the truth and when he speaks a lye he speaks of himselfe and so speaks a thing that is not and there thou art Pr. He saith The Apostle in his Catalogue of the evils of the times c. page 1. Ans Is it not better to call the Scripture a declaration as they call themselves then to call them a Catalogue and some of you vvill say it is a History and some a Catalogue and again ye vvill say it is the Word of God which the Scriptures of truth is words and God is the Word and thou art in the evill time out of the good and thy time and day is evill Pr. He saith The Quakers give that name as quaking to themselves and others do not give it them as a Nick-name c. See page 2. Answ The first that ever I did hear them called Quakers and the name given to them of Quakers was one Gervase Bennet in Darby a persecutor called a Justice of Peace though many years before the power of the Lord was witnessed yet I never heard them have that name of Quakers given before that corrupt Justice gave it them and misnamed them so and in scorn called them so and thou art one of his Scholers and Quaking and trembling we own though they in scorn calls us so and the salvation wrought out with fear and trembling we witness Pr. He saith The Devill speaks truth sometimes c. page 2. Ans Christ saith he was a lyar from the beginning and when he speaks a lye he speaks of himselfe and hath no truth in him and so he cannot speak truth as it is in him And the greatest professors upon the earth are there of the Devill that speaketh the words of truth but not as they are in it as so saith Christ to the Jewes they were of their father the Devill they speak of themselves So they that speak the Scriptures not by the spirit as was by them that spake them forth they speak of themselves as the Devill doth that abode not in the truth but a lyar from the beginning and thus the truth comprehended it For it is one thing to speak the truth in the truth and to be in it for he speaks not of himself but the truth in him but the other all speaks of themselves and there thou art and so doth the Devill and truth is not in him nor them and there with truth they are comprehended Pr. He chargeth us Whether ever any gave worse words to us then we did to others c. page 9. A. To speak truth is not to give bad words to tell a Cain he is a Cain or an Esau or an Ishmael to be an Ishmael or a Wolfe he is a Wolfe and say the evil Beasts are the evil Beasts that are worse then the common beasts And to say the greedy dogs that can never have enough are worse then the common dogs that are biting and tearing and are worse then the common beasts that feed in peace and eates their meate in peace Now to speak such words and names as these are to them that are not so that is a giving of bad names wrong names But the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures it gave such names to such as was found in those steps It le ts see now and the whole Nation may witness that friends may answer to his Challenge and the Gaols and the Courts doth shew the greedinesse of such and their persecution and their malice against the Lambs and so the Saints in the spirit doth give them their proper names to properties in their places among which names thou art found Prin. He saith Much of the Scriptures may be understood without the spirit c. page 12. Ans The Scriptures was given forth from the spirit of God and they are the things of God and the words of God and they are not known nor understood but by the spirit of God again for there is a spirituall understanding Neither can they understand any of the Scripture of truth which cannot be broken but by the spirit of God within that gave them forth which is of God of whom they were learned Pr. He saith Christ was not a Minister of the circumcision c. See page 14. Ans And the Apostle said they were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands and the putting off the body of sin of the flesh they were circumcised with the spirit but who was the Minister of this Circumcision For the Apostle saith it was the circumcision of Christ Coll. 2.11 And again the Apostle saith We are the circumcision that worship God in spirit and have no confidence in the flesh Pr. He saith What man in his right wits would say a wildernesse was a City c. page 14. Ans When the people have transgressed the Law of God they are erred from his wayes they are become a Wildernesse and bears the fruit of brambles and bryars and not seeing any way to get out till the Lords mercy be manifest to them which is further then the Law of justice And thou hast not seen thy wits end yet nor seen the Wildernesse in thy heart fenced though a City and the children of Israel were called a wildernesse in trangression though in Cities Pr. He saith He can tell things to come without the spirit of God And thou saith the Pharisees could tell by the skies what should be the weather and the dayes should bring forth and this without the spirit of God c. page 15. Ans That which gives to understand the Creation and the altering and changing of the Creation either in weather or dayes It is the wisdome of God and his spirit by which all things was made that knows these things in the truth who counts the Stars and numbers them in their kinde who sets the Sun to rule the day and the Moon to rule the night Now who understands these things it is by the spirit of wisdome who understands them aright and there may be a wilfull rejecting and a having these things in the form yet not a knowing these things in truth and so Christ calls them hypocrites And a man may know things by the spirit and go in the errour from the spirit
the Son I will give him for a Covenant of light unto the Gentiles and a new Covenant to the house of Israel and the house of Judah Among the Jews to whom Christ was promised he told them he was the light of the world and the Prophet said he would give him for a Covenant of light unto the Gentiles And Christ bid them believe in the Light and they should have the Light of life and they should not walk in darkness And John saith if ye walk in the Light then have ye fellowship one with another and the blood of the Son of God cleanseth you from all sin So none cometh out of the darkness and out of the stumbling and have peace with God but who cometh to the Light And art thou offended at this object Dost thou stumble at this Light at the door the Rock the corner-stone splitting thy self against it but it is fallen upon thy head Again the spiritual man discerns and Judgeth all things And as face answers face so doth the Spirit of the Lord in man And man may discern by the Spirit of the Lord God where the seed is in the Death and where the seed is not and where the soul is living in which the Lord hath pleasure and where it is in the death as the Scriptures of truth doth testifie The holy men of God discern it and ye being ignorant of this doth manifest that ye have neither salt nor savour nor handling nor tasting nor seeing nor feeling But what ye know ye know naturally as bruit beasts and so there is the evil eye not having spirits of discerning and savoury How should ye minister unto people to their states and conditions if ye cannot discern their spirits which is in them How are ye ministers of the spirit The natural man though he have all the natural tongues doth not receive the things of God yet the natural man may get the letter and if he have not the spirit that gave it forth he is â—ot a Minister of the spirit but of the letter and câ—red from the spirit that the Apostles was in as you are and you have made your selves manifest Pr. He saith the Quakers will have no Tooles taken out of the shops of humane learning to work withall See page 26. again they call our Ministers States Ministers or Priests and some of them quakers go naked through the streets c. Answ How ignorant art thou here of Scripture will not all people here judge thy ignorance and your ignorance which the Scripture lets them see that the Lord did make his Prophet Isaiah to put off his cloathes and go naked for a signe among the Egyptians and Ethiopians to Egypt and Ethiopia a figure of their nakedness and if the Lord did make some signes among you or have made some as signes among you to go naked a figure of your nakedness who are of spiritual Egypt and of their root and stock And of those spirits false spirits that went out into the world from the Apostles If the Lord make some signes as among you of your nakedness how you have ravened from the spirit of God and wants the cloathing of that look upon your own shame are they not Innocent people that go naked among you and are an offence unto you who sees not your shame that that may be covered And are not ye State Ministers made by men and Schooles and Colledges set up by States maintainance from the State and Tythes from the State out of the States allowance And ye say ye never heard the voyce of God nor Christs voyce immediately from heaven whose Ministers are ye then but States Ministers and deny immediate Revelation and inspiration How can we say ye are Ministers made by the will of God when as ye tell us ye never heard his voyce Or how can we say you are Ministers of Christ and deny Revelation and inspiration and immediate voyce from heaven and so knowes not the Son and the spirit that reveals As for your tooles that comes out of your shops of humane learning The Quakers deny your shops of tools that comes out of the humane learning And the Scripture gives no such expressions as a shop of tooles that ever the Prophets or Aâ—ostles had a shop of tools of humane learning But your shops of tools of humane learning hath come up in the Apostacy since the days of the Apostles and these are your tools that you work withall in the Apostacy And so ye workmen will fall out with one anothers work and with your tools strick at one another Ye have had a shop that inwardly ravened that went forth from the Apostles the false spirits that went out into the world ye have had a shop of tooles with which ye have worked and lived in your old Aâ—thors and books and studies and Fathers and so burst into many heads and heapes and one destroying another about one anothers work since the dayes of the Apostles who have a shop of tools out of your humane learning So all your tools ye have wrought withall since the Apostacy hath been taken out of the shops of humane learning which is earthly this proves ye are apostates and the spirits gone out into the world And Luke saith the tongues of the Hebrew Greek and Latin was set up a top of Christ by Pilate who crucified him And John saith the beast had power over all tongues And the whore sits upon the tongues and the tongues are waters What hath the beast sate upon our tongues our Orthodox-men our Schooles and Colledges what doth the whore sit on our tongues Original and upon our tools and shops that which is a top of Christ It is not unlike but that the Beast may have power over all these The earth was of one language before they built Babel and when they imagined to build Babel God confounded them into many Languages And so the life is risen Christ Jesus which was before Babel was and when Babylon is not and before Pilate was that set the many Languages upon him The life is risen over them and you all which life is Christ which breaks your shops to pieces of your tools of humane learning and your tools both which was before Babel was and when Babylon is not and so your glory is marr'd there and your pride is stained The life is risen Christ the life is risen over you The Merchants and the Trades-men rages which hath long had your shops Sing and rejoyce over them ye Saints Pr. He saith the Apostle saith The last times are perillous there should be false accusers and fierce despisers of them that are good Again he saith a Turke or an Indian will deny the light within him Again Christ is in heaven with his carnall body See page 43. 45. 48. Answ Christs body is a glorified body and the Scripture doth not speak any where that Christs body is a carnall body in heaven Again the perillous times came
that the Officers and Elders of the Church are to be ordained by a mediate way the power without the person government without governour is a meer fancy Ans Since the dayes of the Apostles that Christ said should come and inwardly ravened that went forth from the Apostles the false-spirit gone out into the world and the world hath run after them They can speak no therwise but of a mediate call and their Elders and Members are made mediately and so have all erred from the power and spirit of God of that which they call a Church and this is since the dayes of the Apostles For all Elders and Officers of the Church of God the pillar and ground of Truth they are made immediately by the spirit For the Church is spirituall else how should they see the things that are immediate or behave themselves in the Church of the living God which is the ground and pillar of Truth the Church which is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ The power of God rules and orders people when there is no outward government Nay it strikes down government of men and governors as in the days of Daniel and Pharaoh and in many other places of Scripture mentioned the power of God strikes down government and Governours out of it and this is the power that is honoured which strikes down false governours and Government and which is not a fancie as you ignorantly say Pr. And ye say Christ doth not forbid to be called of men master in the expression of civil honour and we will warrant a Pulpit from the Scripture Ezra's example and ye say they that stand praying in the Synagogues that are reproached as Antichrist c. Answ They that pray for mony and Preach for mony and get up a Pulpit and plead Ezras example They might have pleaded the Pharisees had the chiefest seat they are ignorant of Christ the Light and the life and the power who came to put an end to Ezra and the Pulpit both who Preached up and down the mountains and wildernesses and denyed the Pharisees praying and all that are got up there without the power and that is the Antichrist that is got up in the long robe and praying for mony and pleads Ezras Pulpit and saith it is a civil honour to be called of men master and so slights and transgresseth Christs Commands and calls it civil respect these I say are they that have gotten the sheepes clothing upon their backes but inwardly ravened from the spirit of God and deceives the world But now their hypocrisie cannot be hid but must come to light and be published upon the house top and give light to the whole house and not under the bushell and the children of light shall shine that men shall come to glorifie their Father which is in heaven and you Antichrists in the Apostacy has got up in Ezras Pulpit which comes to end Pr. They say it is a civil respect to say you to one Again Christ laid down the very reason why his disciples should take neither gold nor scrip but wholly depend upon the means due unto them for Preaching c. Ans When saw we the New castle Priests go out in this manner without gold or scrip and wholly depending on the Preaching of the Gospel Or when saw we any of them called Ministers of England do so go without a scrip depending only upon Preaching the Gospel nay are not there Petitions flying up and down the Nations to the Magistrates for maintenance enough to shame both Magistrates and Church and themselves too if they had any shame that their flocks and Vineyards would not maintain them to shame all the people that ever they have Preached too and make people so ashamed of them to turn their backs on them For they cannot say that they have lived upon the Gospel but they have lived upon the States and what they have got by ravening He that lives upon the Gospel gets a flock and gets a Vineyard ye are found in the Popes maintenance which is tithes and offerings from men and not in the maintenance of Christ which he allowed to his disciples whom he is with to the end of the world Now these are States Ministers made by man and so have their allowance so put in and taken out by men so are out of the allowance of Christ which he gives to his disciples whom he is with to the end of the world which you may see ye are out of the steps of them and will appear to all sober people to be the Apostates in the Apostacy ravened from the spirit of the living God and the power the Apostles was in who said have not I power to eat and to drink not great sums of mony Stipends and Gleab-lands and tithes set forth by the Magistrates And the Apostles often would not use their power to eat though they had power And never did any of the Prophets or Apostles bring up their people they Preached too with an hour-glasse no such form or custome or when any spake within their hour glasse they had a law to prison that is the beast that doth so that quencheth the spirit and is not the Ministery of Christ And doth not many of you shake the glasse and think the time long And you could not tell when to give over and you would run all into confusion but for a glasse And is not this carnal glasse your limit See how ye can Preach without it and so tell well when ye have done without a sickness in your spirits which must have a carnal to limmit them which shewes man hath not power over his own spirit And the power of God knowâ—s when to speak and when to keep silent And so all your Preaching by the glasse which is a limit of your earthly spirits which went out into the world forth from the spirit the Apostles were in which they Preached by but that which ye study out of old Authours the sheepes clothing ye sell yearly by the glasse Is that your measure The Priests measure that he measures out to people look in any steeple-house almost and see if the Priest have not a measure or it may be two measures a day Do not call this the weakness of the people for many people are ashamed of these things that you should give them but two glasses a week Now is it not more honour to lay by your glasse and come into the spirit and Preach by the spirit and so speak as it moves and gives utterance and quench it not in any and so that all may learn and all may be comforted in your Church and you to one is not a form of sound words so not civil but to be condemned and shewes you have not learned your accidence nor Grammar Pr. Such as trembles at the word of God and works out their salvation with fear and trembling is judged to be notorious bringing back to the Covenant of works Ans
would not endure sound Doctrine such as was given to fables and had the itching ears and heapes to themselves teachers and those forsook the faith which such have now since the dayes of the Apostles reigned whereby none among them comes to be out of all teaching that they need no man to teach them and that they need not say know the Lord and to see the glory of God None comes into the everlasting Covenant into the power out of the form and none cometh to know all things by the anointing in them but they are all on heapes about their heapes of teachers and itching ears and so cannot endure the sound Doctrin that any should come into the Covenant of God that they need not to say know the Lord. That is the sound Doctrine to come into the Covenant of God Christ Jesus the substance of all the Prophets glorified before the world began to learn of him who is the way to the Father the truth and the life and the heaps of teachers are all erred from him and the Apostles and so from the true teacher Christ Jesus who saith learn of me And there people would destroy one another about their teachers which Christ teacheth otherwise to love their enemies and so there is men following their imaginations and not the Lord and reprobates concerning the faith in which is the unity and there are you Pr. He saith Paul did not commit the Church to the light within them for he told them deceivers should come c. page 39. Answ Paul when that deceivers was come and false Apostles among the Church of the Corinthians he told the Corinthians that the light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and so hear thou shewes thy ignorance of Scriptures and of the Church and of Pauls Doctrine whose work was to bring them to the light within them when the deceivers was got up and so committed the Church to the light within them and told them that that would give them the knowledge c. So they that draw people from the light within are the false spirits that the Apostle speaks of that went out into the world before the Apostles decease which led the world after them by whom the way of truth came to be evil spoken of for the Apostle told them that the Light that shined in their hearts would give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and not their teachers without them as you do who bring them from the Light within them and so act contrary to the Apostles Pr. He saith to bring people to the Light within is dispising the word again he saith the Light that is in a man is not able to lead him to happiness c. page 50. Answ No man cometh to happiness but who cometh to the Light within which cometh from Christ the happiness of all man kinde the Redeemer the restorer of man kinde out of the fall out of the first Adams state to God into the second Adams state who is the Covenant of God with man in which they have peace So in this Light stands every mans happiness and he that hath the happiness hath Christ the light within him and the peace with God And the light within which cometh from Christ the word is not against the word nor Scriptures which are the words but it ownes them and with them hath unity and no one sees the word but with the Light within And as for all the rest of thy unsavoury expressions and childish speeches is not worth mentioning And thou hadst better have let silence have covered thee then to have published thy nakedness to the Nation for thy words will be thy burthen in the time of thy necessity the witness shall answer in thee Ralph Farmers Booke called Satan enthroaned in his Chair c. His Principles follows Ans Which is a Title sutable to himselfe discovered by the children of the day who is his Seeds-man as to the Nation he hath declared But them that be in the Truth Love and Peace he doth not touch Pr. HE saith We do not pretend to infallibility as you do which is lying and hypocriticall c. Ans We do believe you that in the infallible spirit of God you are not but in the false fallible spirit gone out into the world that went forth from the Apostles who had the spirit of Christ And so how can you be Ministers of the Spirit and not the Letter if ye be not infallible For who be in the spirit are in that which is infallible This I say none be Ministers of the spirit nor none be in the spirit nor none have the spirit of Christ nor the holy Ghost nor the spirit of the Father speaking in them but who have that which is infallible and in that which is infallible And they be in the lying spirit and hypocrisie that be out of it and all the false spirits that is gone out into the world So ye do well to confesse that ye have not the infallible spirit yee are not infallible and so no Ministers of the spirit And how can they but delude people that are not infallible and are none of Christs which have not the spirit which is infallible and are not Ministers of the Gospell which is the power of God which is infallible Pr. He saith We are foretold that false Teachers that shall bring upon themselves swift destruction and evill men and seducers which wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived should come And there should come false Christs and seducing spirits and the doctrine of Devills speaking lyes in hypocrisie such as deceive the hearts of the simple with their feigned speeches c. See page 39 40. Answ Hast not thou here brought forth thy ignorance of the Scriptures which saith the seducers and the false Christs and the false Apostles the Doctrine of Devils and the feigned words and fair speeches which deceived the hearts of people came up before the Apostles decease and doth not thou in this shew thy spirit to be that spirit that went out into the world not able to divide the word aright but art telling people they are now come when as the Apostles saw they was come before their decease which since the dayes of the Apostles all the confusion hath been among them and you that deny the light are in distraction And yet ye that be not infallible in the infallible spirit but fallible are crying to people they are come but now and so grow until ye are worse and worse And thee and the Priests of Newcastle and many of the rest of you are crying against such as say Christ is their example And yet many of you have published to the Nation in print that Christ is an example and the men are respected who speak them and not the words simply as they are in
Again if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us if we say we have not sinned we make him a lyar page 89. Ans The Saints are in Christ and God and at the dissolving of the earthly or sin they do not bid all the Saints farewell for then they come into unitie with them with the Elect. And John doth shew there was a time to see they had sinned and a time to see they had sin and a time to confesse it and forsake it and a time to witness the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse from all sin a time to witnesse the birth of God born which doth not commit sin and the seed of God remaining in them that the wicked one could not touch them Pr. He saith the Saints are neither in the fulness of the Godhead nor part away with this Blasphemy that saith this is c. page 92. Ans The work of the Ministry was to bring people to the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the unity of the faith to the measure and stature of the fulness of Christ and Christ will dwell in the Saints and God will dwell in them and thou saith they have no part of the fulness of the Godhead and John saith of his fulness have we all received in whom dwells the Godhead bodily And ye be all in the Blasphemy that be out of this part of the fulness Pr. He saith the Quakers knowes a man whether he be a Saint or a Divel as soon as they see him or hear him speak or act and they are beyond all our forefathers And the Apostle saith what man knoweth the things of a man saving the spirit of a man that is in him so we are not as Christ in this respect and thou saith thou art as Christ in this present world and no man can be without sin in this house of clay and saith I was shapen in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me and my flesh is sins free-hold c. page 94. 95. Ans Here thou hast shewed that the Quakers have a spirit given to them beyond all the forefathers which we do witness since the days of the Apostles in the apostacy And they can discern who are Saints who are Divels who are apostates without speaking ever a word they that be in the power the life of truth And the natural man knows not the things that be in another man but with the spirit within him may know what is in himself but the spiritual man searcheth all things yea the deep things of God Here thou hast made no distinction betwixt the spiritual and natural And as Christ is so are we in this present world and where Christ is manifest he destroyes the sin in the flesh where they come to be as he is they come to be above clay and mortal and fading and so the flesh comes to be put off which thou calls sins free-hold and the body of it and cometh to be made free from the Law by the body of Christ and this the Saints witnessed while they were on earth And the creature comes into the liberty of the Sons of God And as thou was born in iniquity thou shewes thou was born in the unregeneration there was some sanctified from the womb there is some children clean who are believers he that can receive it let him so thou art an ignorant man not able to divide the word aright nor canst Minister unto the people not knowing the condition they be in unless they tell thee and so apostatized from the Apostles and not Ministers of the spirit that Ministers to the spirit for could not the Apostles Preach and speak to the Jewes and Gentiles unless they come and told them what condition they were in or did all the Jewes and Gentiles come and tell the Apostles what condition they were in before they Preacht to them Pr. He saith the Light in man is imperfect a weak faint light page 97. Again the light in the Gentiles is called a natural light page 88. Ans The light that every man hath that cometh into the world is not an Imperfect light a weak or faint light or natural light but who are weak go from it and faint and hate it and dispiseth it as Esau and run into the earth And who believe in it have the light of life and receives it becomes the Sons of God And the light in the Gentiles which brought them to do the Law was spiritual not natural which the Apostle sets up to be the Circumcision and the Jew inward and throwes out the Jew outward and Circumcision both and this he brings to have the praise of God which the Jewes had not in the outward and this makes the Jew no Jew and their Circumcision no Circumcision and Judged them And all professors upon the earth that be from that that doth the Law in the heart and the Jew inward you be from that who stands against the Light of Christ that doth enlighten c. Pr. He saith If an hypocrite reign his power is of God and Saints are to yield to the power and it must be honoured and have obedience from the Saints Page 101. And so they that call them corrupt Magistrates are the filthy dreamers that Jude speaks of Pag. 102. Answ Such as are turned into corruption and are hypocrites they are gone from the higher power which the soul should be subject to and it s gone over them and so for the Lords sake the Saints cannot be subject to that power but that power that brings down the hypocrisie and the corruptions in Magistrates and as they come to be clothed with the power of God they are able to put a difference betwixt the precious and the vile and that they own those are a praise to them that do well The Jewes of old time could not obey the heathen Magistrates bow to their gods that feared God that lived in the Law of God nor to their Commands nor their power nor authority nor the Apostles could not bow to the Authority of the Jewes to their ordinances their power that held them up which Christ came to put an end to which was held up by Magistrates nor that among the Gentiles held up by Magistrates For Christ was come to reign who had all power in heaven and earth given to him And since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy the Saints cannot now bow to that which the Pope and Kings and Queens set up though they call it a Supream power that commands the things which who be in the power of God that destroyes that which defiles the flesh and the evil speaker and that is the dignity which the Saints own and live in and speakes not evil of but they do that transgresse the Spirit of God and goes from it as Jude speakes of therefore have the Martyrs and Saints and Prophets suffered since the dayes of the
is upon them that leave the Scriptures to look to the light within them Page 9. And many deceivers should come into the world that confesse not Christ come in the flesh receive them not into your houses And the man Christ is testified against by the light Pag. 13. and he saith they publikely deny the resurrection of the dead body And he saith Christ in the flesh his sufferings was but an example and a figure Ans Christ ended all figures in suffering and examples and paterns yet he is the Saints patern and example as the Scripture witnesses and there is no other example nor patern to be heeded but Christ alone which they are to learn of but to say he is nothing but a figure for that thou and you all will be judged for he ended all figures and is the resurrection and the life both and thy dead body shall live with my dead body this is Scripture and they that said the resurrection was past in the dayes of the Apostles overthrew the faith of some That which overthrowes the faith denying the resurrection kept the seed in death where it hath been in you all since the dayes of the Apostles for who are of faith are of Abraham of Christ according to the flesh and so if the dead arise not their Preaching is vain and their faith is vain So I say mortal must put on immortality and corruption must put on incorruption the first man was made a living soul the second was made a quickening spirit there is earthly bodies and heavenly bodies and there Is a resurrection of the just and unjust the one to eternal life the other to condemnation And the Judge is the man Christ Jesus to Judge the quick and the dead who both dyed and rose again that he might be God of the dead and the living And the light which every man hath that cometh into the world doth not testifie against Christ And the light doth not bring to deny the Scriptures but to own them And none ownes them aright nor Christ but who are in the light which cometh from him And all that do deny the light that doth enlighten every man c. are the wolves and the false Prophets and Antichrists that have gotten the sheeps cloathing and such cannot be received into the houses of the Saints that are from the light which every man is enlightened withall And none confesseth Christ come in the flesh but who is in the light which Christ hath enlightened them withall And so now is all Professors and teachers upon the earth and Kings of the earth ravened inwardly from the light which Christ enlightened them all withall standing against the light and the Lamb and the Saints that be in it and are not to be received into the houses of the Saints neither to bid them God speed for they be out from God that be out of the Light which Christ the Son hath enlightened them withall Pr. And he saith Christ hath a humane reasonable soul Again Christ the Eternal Son of God distinct from the Father Eternally before he was made flesh his spirit was distinguished from the Father and the Son from Eternitie and not onely when he was manifested by descending on Christ in the likeness of a Dove or by falling upon the Apostles like cloven tongues c. page 17. Answ Christ saith he is in the Father and the Father is in him and he will send them the Spirit of Truth the Comforter that proceeds from the Father and the Son and Christ saith he was glorified with the Father before the world began and yet ye say the Son is distinguished from the Father from Eternity and the Son saith he is in the Father and the Father is in him and you say the spirit is distinguished from the Father and the Son from Eternity and Christ saith it proceeds from him and the Fathers and he is the God and Father of the spirits of all flesh and the substance of all things And is not a humane soul earthly for you say that Christ had a humane soul and is not humane earthly and hath a humane body and is not a humane body an earthly body Is not his body of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh and is not his body a glorified body was not the first man of the earth earthly and had an humane body the second man the Lord from heaven And is not the soul immortal which cometh out from God which is immortal and goes into God again and is not humane or earthly mortal And are there not three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and are not they all one how then are they distinct and three that bear record in earth the spirit the water and the blood which agree in one And Christ saith I and my Father are one and I in the Father and the Father in me and he is in the Saints and so not distinct Pr. He saith it is impudency in the Quakers to deny the word Trinity and three Persons And the Church ever denyed such as denyes the Doctrine of the Trinity Page 18. 19. Ans As for the word Trinity and three Persons we have not read it in the Bible but in the Common-prayer Book or Masse-book which the Pope was the Author of but as for Unity we own and Christ being the brightness of the Fathers glory and the expresse Image of his substance of the Father we own That we own which agrees with the Scriptures and for that which the Scripture speakes not which men speak and teach for Doctrine their own words that the Scriptures speakes not nor teacheth such the Scriptures shut out and we deny Pr. He saith that is the weak ignorant dark and the wicked Sect of the Devil that maintains an equality with God the soul to be one being with God or part of God And saith the Quakers say there is no Scriptures speakes of a humane soul and the soul is taken up into God and God is all in all Answ The Assembly or Synod of Priests put forth a Catechisme and say that the Holy Ghost and the Son is equal with the Father in power and glory and this they put forth that people should learn it what then if any come to witness the Holy Ghost they come to witnes that which is equal in power and glory with the Father what if any come to witness the Son of God revealed in them which he that hath not him hath not life do they not come to witness him who is equal in power and glory with the Father this is your own Catechisme and is it blasphemy to confesse your own words that ye have given people to learn God breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soul God who hath all souls in his hand And is not this that cometh out from God which is in Gods hand part of God of God and from God and to
is the eight day and so not one in seven And if the Saints-sat in heavenly places with Christ Jesus And if the Saints in heaven must have a glorious body and Christ an humane body which I say is earthly how doth this agree with Scripture that says Christs is a glorious body And is it an earthly body the Saints eats when they eat the flesh of Christ And is not people in their first state in the earthly before they come to witnesse a spiritual body like unto his glorious body How do you divide the word aright and they that have the spirit of Christ their spirits are in heaven and they have unity with the Father Pr. We have no such immediate converse with God now as to see him face to face page 42. Ans We do believe you have not who are gone from the spirit that the Prophets and Apostles were in ravened from it since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy and so are not in the counsell of God and are out of his teaching and instruction and so farre off of having fellowship with God for who have fellowship with him comes to see him and you are not of Abrahams seed who saw God face to face but are of the Pharisees stock who never saw his shape John 5. Pr. And you say In the last dayes false Prophets should arise and shew signes and wonders and if it were possible they should deceive the Elect. And the coming of the man of sin is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders c. page 44. Answ Christ said they should come the false Prophets and the Antichrists which John saw were come yea many Antichrists were gone out into the world And the Apostle Paul saw the man of sin before his decease the coming of him with the lying signes and wonders which since the dayes of the Apostles in this night of Apostacy they have rul'd and reign'd the man of sin with his lying signes and wonders and these are not the true signes but lying And when they were ravened from the spirit of God they got the sheeps cloathing inwardly ravening wolves which if it were possible they would deceive the very elect which went forth from the Apostles in the apostacy and since they have deceived the Nations the wolves the inwardly raveners though covered with the sheeps cloathing And here these things have been among you in the apostacy And the Apostates have reigned and rul'd and have had the dominion since the dayes of the Apostles But now with that which ye all have ravened from are ye made manifest and comprehended So this man of sin with his lying signes and wonders who ravened from the spirit of God as the Devill did who went from the Truth is he that compels all his members to plead for the body of sin while they be upon earth and so to keep them out of the faith of Gods Elect that gives the victory over the world And such he cannot deceive nor none of his members that ravened from the spirit of God Pr. He saith The Quakers the despising the fashions of the world contemning the honours and pleasures thereof and their sober carriage and deportment among men and willingnesse to suffer all these he calls wickedness See page 49 50. Answ But it seemeth this practice sobernesse denying the fashions of the world and contemning of honours and pleasures thereof and the sober carriage offends him and the world and the rest of the Priests and Professors and to deny their lusts which they be in Pr. He saith The Devill is not an Adulterer page 51. Answ Did the Devill abide in the Truth And did not he go out of it Are not all that go out of the Truth of him Adulterers who begets his own image and is the foundation of adultery Pr. He saith The light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is a naturall light or law page 56. Ans Which light is the end of the Law Christ Jesus before any naturall light was made or created for all things that was made was made by him and he doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world who is the end of the Law Pr. He saith the light will not bring men to salvation page 56. Answ The light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is Christ the salvation to the ends of the earth Pr. He saith again The light is not sufficient to lead men to salvation page 60. And to witnesse Sanctification within and Justification there is to confound justification and sanctification And grace and justification is a created thing and the sight within is meer darknesse which the Quakers speak of See page 61. Ans The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall comprehends all darknesse and leads out of it and there is no occasion of stumbling in it for as many as receives him to them he gives power to become the sons of God And the light is not darknesse but he that saith the light is darknesse is out of the light in the darknesse And Justification and Sanctification within doth not confound it without but is the same that is within as is without And grace is the gift of God and Sanctification both Christ Jesus who was before any creature was created and the grace comes from the Throne Pr. He saith They are the unstablished people that are running after every way of errour that owns the Quakers in these Nations page 62. Ans In that the Nation will witnesse against thee for them that own the Quakers it 's known that they have been the most knowingest seeking people that have been in the Nations and the most sincerest people and none comes out of errour but who comes to the Quakers light which they follow which is Christ Pr. He saith That Christ hath a humane created soule See page 63. Again and the light in the conscience to be Christ is a false Doctrine And the Quakers seeke to bring people from all other teaching but the light within them page 65. Answ The soule of Christ is witnessed But to say it is humane earthly and created when the Scripture doth not teach us that doctrine we cannot own your words nor believe but deny them And Christ is the light in the conscience which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world who was before any creature was which he that receiveth it comes to him to be his Teacher and feels him reign And every man must come to the Light which Christ hath enlightned them withall c. who is the Covenant of God to feel the Law written in their hearts and in their mindes to bring them off all other Teachers whereby they need not teach one another nor to say Know the Lord. Pr. He saith Men may be called of men Master and it is but a cavill to deny it And they may deny to be called
Father as well as Master c. See page 68. Answ Thou hast in this denyed the doctrine of Christ and slights it who saith be not ye of men called master for yee have all one Master which is Christ and ye are all brethren And thou hast shewed thy selfe out of the Brother-hood and there is a birth to be born which can call no man Father upon earth which thou art ignorant of Pr. He saith There is lawfull respects of persons and it is said God himselfe is the respecter of persons and the Quakers overthrow all authority because they do not respect persons because they deny that page 71. Answ God is not a respecter of persons as saith the Apostle for his Covenant he gives to the Gentiles as well as to the Jewes And the faith of Gods elect is held without the respect of persons and he that respects persons commits sin and transgresseth the Law And so thou divides not the word aright Pr. He saith False Prophets shall arise and damnable heresies and many shall follow their pernicious wayes by which the way of truth shall be evill spoken of Ans The Apostles saw them come up the false Prophets that brought in the damnable heresies that was covetous c. and many followed their wayes And the false Prophets goes from the light that Christ hath enlightned them withall and raveneth from the Spirit and gets the sheeps cloathing and through their covetousnesse makes a trade of that and you are such which causeth the truth to be evil spoken of which are come up manifest since the days of the Apostles Pr. And the Quakers are not to be received into their houses nor bidden God-speed and such as creeps into houses leads silly women captive laden with sin and led away with divers lusts Ans The Apostle saw such as crept into houses and saw such as transgressed the Doctrine of Christ that was not to be received into houses and saw the deceivers that walked after their ungodly lusts before the Apostles decease and such as led people always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth as it is manifest now in the world they are learning 40. 50. or 60. years and yet there is a cry among them that they must have the body of sin while they be upon the earth and live in their sins and none can be without it and this is the height of your doctrine it leads too which is now in the mouths of all people that be under your teaching that teach that Doctrine and yet you will say the work of the Ministry is for the perfecting of the Saints to the edifying of the body of Christ till all come into the unity of the faith unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ And this work ye have denyed your selves to be in but such that are as Jannes and Jambres how should it be otherwise that ravened from the spirit of God inwardly that went forth from the Apostles that be covetous that keeps people alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth So you are them that keeps people from the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and keeps them in spiritual Aegypt Sodome and Gomorah where they be always learning having the forme of godlinesse and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth and this to you all will be a sad cup at last And as for all thy lyes and slanders in thy Book which are not worth mentioning they will come sad upon thy selfe one day for the grievous lyes thou hast uttered in it unto the Nation which thousands in the Nation that are not under the name of Quakers knows and sees the contrary to what thou hast published but they will fall upon thy own selfe and be thy own burthen And then thou shalt say when thou feelst thy owne works burn thou hadst better have been silent and not have published forth thy folly and made thy name to stinke and brought thy name upon record who hath made lyes thy refuge but the haile is come and coming that will sweep them away William Thomas called Minister of the Gospell of Vbley His Book called A Vindication of the SCRIPTVRES and MINISTERS His PRINCIPLES followeth Pr. HE saith Christ directs to looke for life in Scriptures because they testifie of him and that the Scriptures are the ground of Faith and the Saints rule And again We are justified by Christ without us and not within us See his Epistle Ans The Scriptures many had and searched them and found not life in them for Christ is the life and if men have all the Scriptures and have not Christ they have not life And so Christ did not say they should have life in Scriptures but he saith they thought to have life there and they testified of him And they would not come to him that they might have life How ignorant art thou of the Scriptures and of Christs words to divide them on this manner And Christ is the Author of the Faith And many if they have Scriptures they have not the ground of faith untill they have Christ the Author of it and God the giver of it which is able to make wise unto salvation through the faith which Christ is the Author of For Enoch and Abel c. had faith before the Scriptures was written and so before thy ground was And the Saints had a rule before the Scriptures was written for the spirit was their rule that led them into all truth and to speak forth Scriptures that is the rule that mortifies circumciseth baptizeth and leads into all truth The Word of God that fulfills Scriptures leads into all truth that is the truth that leads into all truth Now the Scriptures cannot lead into all truth but it testifies of that that doth so And if Christ be not within people they are reprobates And is a reprobate justified And if Christ be within is not the Justification there redemption and Sanctification witnessed Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Pr. He saith We consider how few there be in the Church that belongs to God See his Epistle Answ This is your owne Church which is not the pillar and ground of truth For who be in the Church of Christ the pillar and ground of truth where there is not a spot nor wrinkle nor blemish nor any such thing they are them that belong to God they are living stones built up together a spirituall houshold but this thou art afar off Pr. He saith We willingly acknowledge we are fallible men that may be deceived and to finde infallible Teachers is against experience None pretends infallibility but the Pope See page 9. He saith The Scriptures is the Well and living Fountaine from whence living waters have been drawn this hundred or thousand years page 8. Answ If every one that hath the Scriptures hath
the fountain hath the Devill the fountain for he can bring Scriptures Hath he the Fountain and Well of living waters Nay we say God and Christ is the fountain of all good And saith David all the springs are in him And so many may have the Scriptures and yet want the waters want the fountain which hath had them since the dayes of the Apostles which have had them this many hundreds of yeares in the Apostacy the sheeps cloathing and have known no other Fountain but it nor no other Well So there hath all the leannesse of soules been among people that they have not known the Fountain of whom they learned that gave forth Scriptures And we do believe you that yee are fallible men that say the Scriptures is the well and fountain of living waters and you are not infallible And it is contrary to your experience to be infallible And we say the Pope is not infallible neither though he be your Father the Ancient Yet we say he and you are apostatized from the infallible spirit that the Apostles was in in which we are come with which ye are seen and judged So not to have the spirit of Christ Jesus not to have the spirit of the Prophets and Apostles not to be led by the spirit of truth into all truth not to be in the spirit not to speak as ye are moved of the Holy Ghost But to be such as ravened from the spirit of God inwardly and have gotten the sheeps cloathing ye and the Pope and so have devoured Nations for this many hundred yeares so have all been like ravening Wolves For who witnesse these conditions that they were in that gave forth the Scriptures they witnesse infallibility an infallible spirit which is now possessed and witnessed among those called Quakers glory to the highest for ever That your folly now should be made manifest the morning is springing in the night of apostacy is going So I say the Devill false Prophets Antichrists Deceivers Beast mother of Harlots none of these can witnesse an infallible spirit nor the Well nor Fountain but the Letter though they may get all the sheeps cloathing and come in likenesse of a Lamb or a Sheep to deceive people withall But being out of the spirit that Christ the Prophets and Apostles was in that gave forth Scriptures they are not infallible as they were but with that they are all judged out which will answer that which they are all gone from where the key is known and the Well was and is in believers Pr. And the Scriptures is the rule and the Quakers dream of the Light to be their Rule to walk by Page 14. Answ The word of God which lives and endures for ever which came to the Saints of old which caused them to give forth Scriptures and to write them which fulfills all the words again is the Rule which word was spoken to the Saints before Scripture was written which lets all people see that declaration and fulfils that declaration to them Christ the leader of the people the Covenant of God who is the light and they are in the dreams that denyes it Pr. He saith But Christ by his Magistrates hath appointed Tythes a maintenance for his Ministers Page 21. Answ Since the dayes of the Apostles the Pope did give Tythes and other Magistrates that followed him and he hath had the tenths of the Tythes since this night of apostacy and the reprobation hath been from the Apostles Doctrine And many have had the sheepes cloathing but have been raveners from the life that they lived in that gave it forth so have not seen to what state and condition the Scriptures was spoken from and to being out of the life they was in that gave it forth And sees not the substance Christ Jesus who came to end the first Priest-hood and the Ministers that took Tythes tolerated by the first Covenant which the Apostle witnessed the end of an everlasting Covenant and another ministry and another maintenance to them which since the dayes of the Apostles such as are ravened from the spirit of God have lost the maintenance the Apostles and Christ gave and so set up another Tythes and a ministry which is neither agreeable to Jewes nor Gentiles nor Christs but more darker But the night of apostacy is going over the true Light shines and the light of the living springing in Pr. He saith The immediate spirit excludes the word to be the rule Page 38. And the word and the spirit he saith are different things And the Pharisees thought right that eternal life was laid up in the Scriptures Page 39. Answ Christ told the Pharisees they would not come to him that they might have life and he was the life and he was the way and no one cometh to the Father but by him he doth not say he was scripture but he bids them search it for it testified of him and no one hath life but who are in him And the word and the spirit are one and the spirit doth not exclude the word nor the Scriptures for they was given forth from it and ownes them again with it are they seen given forth in time fulfilled in time cannot be broken and the Saints life is hid in Christ who ends them Pr. He saith Men are saved but not by Christ within us Page 42. Ans How is mans salvations wrought out but by the power of Christ wihtin How is the old man destroyed but by Christ within How is the Justification felt but by Christ within And the seed Christ made manifest that suffered without is made manifest within there is redemption and life He that hath the Son of God hath life redemption to God out of the first Adam and who feels Christ within feels salvation and who doth not are reprobates though they may talk of him Pr. He saith It is a fond signe to depend upon an unwritten word immediately within themselves and say from that word is the life manifested within Pag. 43 And Christ is not come to them in the flesh and he saith Timothy had the gift of God freely and Elders are called ordinarily and not Immediately This call ordinary is common to all Ministers to continue to all ages in the Church Page 47. Ans All they that have not the unwritten word in their hearts which is immediate knowes not the word of faith knowes not the word of reconciliation knowes not the Ingrafted word that is able to save their souls knowes not that which lives and abides and endures for ever knowes not eternal life neither have they it that hath not the word the immediate word within them knows not the immortal seed And such be in the fondness and have the Scripture and put that for the word which is words And since the dayes of the Apostles in your Churches your Ministers your Elders your makers of your Ministers have been all mediate and so it is ordinary as ye call it But
whom the world was made before it was made which light people are to believe in which is not natural which gives to see over the nature before the natural was for the natural lights are the Sun the Moon and Stars which may be seen with a visible eye which Christ the light the Covenant of light to Jewes and Gentiles the salvation to the ends of the earth which doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world that all men through him might believe Here is God no respector of persons he that believeth in the light shall be saved and he that doth not is condemned And he comes to be a Child of light who believes in the light and now shall the world be reproved for not believing in the light and humane learning is that which is earthly and natural that doth not open the heavenly that which reveales the things of God is the Spirit of God beyond all the worlds wisdom For that you call humane learning and humane soul and humane body is earthly not heavenly nor understands them The earth is below so they that are of the earth and they that is from above speak of the things above and so they that are below measure by the earthly wisdom below and so that which gives to understand the heavenly things is the spirit of God and the spiritual wisdom which is not of man nor from man for saith the Apostle neither knowes any man the things of God but the Spirit of God Pr. And the righteousness of Christ by which we are justified he saith is not within us Again the Lord will poure out his Spirit upon all flesh but that is not meant that all should have the spirit for some have not the spirit as in Jude Page 79. He saith he desires God to lighten with a better light then that which lightens every man c. and to lead them out of these grosse delusions See page 80. Answ You that are not justified by that Christ that suffered without manifested within you shall never know Justification if the Justification be not within you are reprobates And the Lord hath fulfilled his promise by pouring out his spirit upon all flesh Sons and Daughters handmaids old men though they quench it And they in Jude prove they had the spirit which went in Balaams Cores and Cains way but they erred from it where you are in the sensual state in the sects and seeing not the promise of the Father pouring out of the spirit upon all flesh Apostatized out of the life the Apostles was in and the Prophets manifest your selves to the whole world And so you that ownes not the Light Christ Jesus that God sent into the world and gave his only begotten Son into the world which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that all through him might believe but thou that desires a better light of God then he to wit Christ shewes thy tempting and Blasphmy For there is no other way to the Father but by Christ the Light of the world that doth enlighten every one c. and he that doth not believe in that light is condemned Pr. He saith And Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that is meant the Church See Post-script Paul and Peter instructed by immediate Revelation which we are not so presumptuous as to expect And he saith Reproaches are cast upon the Ministers because they are not infallible and preach not by immediate inspiration as the Apostles did Post-script Ans You that do not instruct and preach by the same immediate infallible spirit as the Prophets and Apostles was in you be all in an usurped authority out of the spirit run and not sent from God For whom God sends he sends immediately and teacheth he teacheth immediately and they know his infallible spirit And none knows the Scriptures of Truth of you all since the dayes of the Apostles in this night of apostacy but who are in the infallible spirit and immediate which the Propâ—ets and Apostles was in which you from it are gone forth and it is presumption in you to teach without it And so you are not reproached nor the Pope that are the false Prophets and Antichrists that Christ said should come and the Apostle John saw was come that inwardly ravened and have gotten the sheeps cloathing have the forme but deny the power who deny infallibility and the immediate call and the immediate Ministry have denyed the power of God and so keeps people alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth in the usurped authority which the Apostles stopt and rebuked before his decease And so you do not see the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which Christ faith I am the light of the world not of Saints onely And saith the Prophet I will give him for a Covenant to the Gentiles not a new Covenant to the house of Israel onely and there he was prophecyed of before John came the greatest Prophet who was born of a woman who said This is the true light that doth enlighten every man c. And when Christ was come he said he was the light of the world And whosoever did believe in him should not abide in darknesse but should have the light of life And so since ye ravened from the spirit of God and have onely had the sheeps cloathing ye have brought people upon heaps and Sects and they that be not in the infallible are they that reproach for they be in the reproachfull spirit which the spirit of God never did which was immediate and infallible which the Prophets Christ and the Apostles were in which alwayes judged the reproachers which was from the infallible spirit Pr. And thou saith To the Law and to the Testimony and how that he gave some Apostles for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministry for the edifying of the body till all come into the unity of the faith to the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature and fulnesse of Christ Answ Thou and you all that have denyed infallibility and immediate inspiration and teaching have shut your selves out of the Law and Testimony and the work of the Ministry which is for the perfecting of the body and bringing them to the unity of the faith to the knowledge of the Son of God c. For the Law is light that is infallible and immediate The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy that is infallible and immediate And ye may have the Old and New Testament and say that is the Law and Testimony which the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Marke Luke John the Acts the Epistles and the Revelations was written in the days of Isaiah see Isa 8 chap. And that which perfects the Saints is infallible that gift which was given to the Ministry is infallible and immediate that which
edifies the body of Christ is infallible and immediate that which brings to the knowledge of the Son of God is infallible perfect and immediate that which brings to a perfect man to the unity of the faith is infallible and immediate and perfect that which brings to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ is perfect and infallible and immediate And the infallible and immediate you having denyed yee have shut your selves out of the worke of the Ministry in the Apostacy As for the rest of the lyes and slanders in thy Book will be thy own burden which uttereth forth thy own folly and it toucheth not the Saints but falls off like dust they are of no weight And the day is come that tries mens works infallibly what is for the fire and what not Jeremiah Ives His Booke called The Quakers Quaking His Principles follows c. Pr. HE saith Have a care of slighting your watchmen lest the Lord remove them into corners Answ Christ the Teacher is witnessed who is the end of Moses the Prophets the Covenant of God with his people in which people know God if all their Teachers were removed into corners And they that have their Teachers in corners their houses are left desolate from the Covenant of God they are strangers So in this thy ignorance appears of that Teacher that cannot be removed into a corner who is the salvation to the ends of the earâ—h Pr. He saith It is an errour to say the Light within is equall with Scripture and Gods Word Ans Christ within is the Light and he is above Scripture and Gods Word which was before Scriptures was given forth Pr. He saith Is it any more a Nick-name to call a man a Quaker that quakes by the power of God page 3. Answ Yes if the power of God doth make that to quake and tremble that must quake before the salvation be wrought out and man come out of the Fall of Adams state in the transgression in the earth and darknesse corruption and pollution and death he must know the power of God that shakes that which is to be shaken before he knows that raised up that cannot be shaken which the world is ignorant of though they have the form of it And the first nick-namer of the Quakers that ever I heard was a corrupt Justice in the year 1650 whose name was Gervase Bennet in Darby that ever named the people of God with the name of Quakers though the mighty power of the Lord God had been known years before Pr. He saith It is an errour in those men that will allow nothing to be called Gods Word but Christ page 6. Ans Christs name is called the Word of God his name is above every name and over all things he must have the preheminence words and names Yet I say the Scriptures of truth given forth from the spirit of truth are the words of God Gods words which Christ the Word fulfilled by him in whom they end who was before the words was spoken forth Pr. He saith It is an errour to say they are immediately sent of God and to have an immediate call from God to goe out of their Countries to preach the Gospell c. Page 9. Answ Thou and all you that speak or preach or go to people but not by the immediate spirit and a call from God are them that run and the Lord never sent you and you profit not the people at all as all the fruits in the Nation declares upon the house top Therefore are yee wrangling and envying such as are immediately sent from God and left their Callings as the Saints did and Prophets I say none can preach the Gospell upon the earth but who is in the immediate call for the Gospell is the power of God and that is immediate The Prophets Christ and the Apostles which gave forth the Scriptures they all spoke by the immediate spirit of God and all that be not in that they are not able to know the Scriptures as that unsavoury Pearsival saith he hath not the infallible spirit yet he will bawl of the Scripâ—urâ—â— that was given forth from the infallible spirit Though the Devill wandered from â—â—e trâ—th that compasseth the earth though the Pharisees compasse Sea and Land thâ—ugh the false Prophets and Antichrists have gone over Nations Now all these may get Scriptures but be out of the life of them Such makes Proselytes Devils Disciples and Messengers But such as be in the power of God and life that gave forth Scriptures that comprehends and fathoms the world they are in that which the Devils Antichrists false Prophets mother of Harlots and all their proselytes that have Scriptures out of the life they be in that which they are all out of Such are the Quakers therefore doth all the world rage against them who witnesse that which cannot be shaken Pr. He saith It is an Errour to say that every man hath a light within him that wil teach him to worship God aright page 18. Answ Christ the truth who hath preheminence doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which shall make every tongue to confesse him to the glory of God which if they love the light which cometh from Christ the truth who is the life it will teach and direct every man to worship God in the truth in that which untruth is out of So every man having a light sufficient to salvation for it cometh from the salvation Christ the power of God the salvation to the ends of the earth And this light will let every one see the Son of God beyond all externall meanes wisdome knowledge whatsoever It is that which darknesse cannot comprehend this light which John bears witnesse of which is the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world which the Jewes and Levites stumbled at which set all Jerusalem up in an uproar as it doth the wisest Priests and Professors in this age And no one upon the earth shall ever know Christ but by the light which he hath enlightned him withall If he have all the Scriptures that speaks of him come already as the Pharisees had that spoke he was to come yet if they hate the light they shall all be snared and stumble and fall and split themselves upon the Rock And such as are now stumbling at the light which every man that cometh into the world is lighted withall are the builders with the words which saith Christ is come as the Pharisees did with the words that said he was to come And so both these builders reject the corner-stone and stumble at the elect stone laid in Sion and none seeth God but with the light they be enlightned withall And all the preaching of the Apostles the substance of it was to bring people to the Covenant of Light both Jewes and Gentiles to whom he was promised And all upon the earth that be from this light that doth enlighten every
Answ None knowes nor is made Ministers of Christ by Arts nor by Languages let them get all the Languages upon the earth they are still but naturalists and men learning anothers mans natural Language and he hath learned but that which is natural and he knowes but that which is natural what another natural man can speak and all their Arts is there Now that which makes a Minister of Christ is beyond the natural yea all the natural Languages upon the earth and seeth before they was let it cost them never so much yea gold and silver a wedge of gold and silver to get naturals and the most precious things upon the earth cannot purchase nor make a Minister of Christ that which makes them is the Spirit of God nor none knows the Scriptures but with the Spirit of God given forth from the Spirit of God Nor none knowes the errours but by the Spirit of God Now if all men upon the earth have Scriptures in every one of their natural Languages yet none of these knowes the errours nor none of these knowes the Scriptures without the Spirit of God from which they was given forth Pr. He saith If the Magistrates could find out any other way for maintenance for Ministers they would part with tythes which have been this many hundreds of years Page 9. And there is many Ministers will not take their Tythes but they compound with the people for their Tythes And we dare not trust the people for maintenance But we see care hath been taken for us many many hundred years before we were born c. Page 10. And why doth not the Quakers charge us with idleness as well as with taking wages Answ Are ye not all a company of idle fellowes bred up at School in the filthiness of the earth pride and filth and when ye come out ye raven after great Benefices and troubling Parishes and stirring up the people to envy against one another like a company of mad-men and suing and hailing people up and down to Courts for maintenance Are not these the works of belly-gods And is the Magistrate the Lord of the vineyard that he must allot Ministers maintenance and the labourers Hath not Christ told his Ministers what they must have already And was not the Apostles to go forth without any thing and to trust the Lord and the people which you dare not trust them And trust to the Gospel which ye dare not trust the Gospel to maintain you but you have a set Benefice or augmentation or a Magistrates power to give you maintenance before you go out to a Parish Oh how are ye biting and devouring one another for such things as was not accounted of or esteemed among the Saints who suffered joyfully the spoiling of their goods by such devourers as you are And is that your deceit to compound with people for their Tythes and is that your cloak then to say you do not take Tythes and since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy since the power of God the Gospel hath been lost hath tythes been set up which men should have Preached and lived on So you that have had the form of godliness denyed the power the Gospel ravened from the life of God your Gospel will not maintain you and ye cry help Magistrate help Law cast into prison summon up to Courts and this hath been your work for many hundred years for maintenance And so all sober men that stands and looks on are ashamed of you Thus the poor people are deceived with your false covers wolvish spirits you have gotten the sheepes cloathing upon your backs but now is the vials and hail storms fallen upon your heads which makes many of you gnaw your tongues and now is the thunders coming out and plagues which makes many of you free your selves Pr. He saith False Apostles and deceitful workers and Satan transforming himself into an Angel of light c. Page 11. Answ Christ said false prophets Antichrists the inwardly ravenors in the sheepes cloathing should come the Apostles saw they was come before their decease which was devouring as most of the Epistles declare of them the Apostles saw them before their decease that made a prey upon the Saints that served not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies now since the dayes of the Apostles hath the world run after them and they have devoured the world and they have gotten the sheepes cloathing upon their backs therefore have ye deceived the world Now you have been the skirts and the suburbs of this great City the day hath declared you your City is besieged and the Lamb and the Saints have conquered it by whom the Saints have been slain and their blood drunk In which City hath a trumpet sounded and the piping hath been and the mourners have gone about the City But now is come Lamentation desolation and wo to her and all her Merchandize that hath builded up and thrown down whereby the world is brought into confusion the faith and truth and life and love being reprobated out of and from that the Saints was in that gave forth the Scriptures that which the Apostles saw coming in before their decease which Christ said should come hath ruled and raigned since their decease until this day that Christ hath come and made it manifest Pr. He saith the devil could not do mischief in the Church where the candle is burning and light shining but he gets on his garbe and the weakest of children are carryed about with every winde of Doctrine pag. 17. He saith the prince of darkness is transformed into an Angel of light he walketh in the Churches pag. 18. Answ The Church of Christ is the pillar and ground of truth which truth the Devil is out of and abode not in it he walkes on the out side and is not in the Church and so children thou knowes not that are heirs of the Kingdom of Christ and are of his Church the pillar and ground of truth And the devil and false prophets and mother of harlots though they have all the sheepes cloathing yet cannot get into the Church where the candle is and the burning shining light with all his Garbe as thou calls it Let the whore be arrayed never so gorgiously who hath ravened from the spirit of God that 's the Church the pillar and ground of truth that be in the spirit of God the Candle is burning and light shining this the whore and the Devil and the wolves and the false prophets and Antichrists and beast is out of raging on the outside in the earth so the Church is the pillar and ground of truth the Church of Christ and here the elect is known that cannot be deceived And the Devil and the Prince of darkness though he transform himself into an Angel of light yet he doth not walk in the Church for the Church is in God the pillar and ground of truth and out of that he is and all
his Apostles and his messengers and truth is a top of him and them all and with it are shut out Pr. He saith honour is the expressing of the inward respect that we hear to persons and many Scriptures he brings for bowing and for master pag. 23. and so stumbles at thee and thou Ans Which shewes he never learned his accidence or Bible and is a transgressor of Christs commands who saith be ye not of men called master for ye have one master even Christ and ye are all Brethren and a transgressor of the Law which they that respects persons commits sin and are convinced of the Law as transgressors and reprobate concerning the faith which is held without the respect of persons And though they bowed in the old time several that bowed before the Angels yet Christ is come by whom all things was made the salvation to the ends of the earth to whom powers principalities Thrones and dominions must be subject to whom Angels and Thrones must bow yea things in heaven and things in earth and every tongue confesse him to the glory of God and every knee bow and there people comes into the unity and there they hold the head Pr. He saith the Quakers light teacheth to forsake the Scriptures and set up a spirit in man which will not be examined by Scriptures page 26. Answ This is he which is out of the truth speakes it for the Quakers have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit of God by which they know the things which are freely given of God and know the Scriptures given forth from the spirit of God and with the same spirit the Scriptures is owned again Pr. He saith Paul swore after Christ and the Angells swore page 27. He saith I wonder Paul should so forget himselfe and sin so fearfully in swearing c. So the Quakers light that denies swearing is of Satan and not the light of Christ page 28. Answ Christ the Light which Satan is out of who is the oath of God ends all oaths sworn by Prophets or Angels whatsoever And who swears be fallen into the condemnation of the Devill and it is no where said that the Apostle swore but such as thou art matters not what thou speaks So that spirit that preaches for swearing is not the spirit of Christ but is the spirit of Antichrist preacheth up that which Christ and the Apostles preached down and preached Condemnation to them that did swear Pr. He saith The light in the conscience that takes them from the Law of God is the light of Satan Answ The light Christ in the conscience is the end of the Law for righteousnesse sake And that which keeps men from that which doth end the Law is not the Doctrine of the true Apostles but the false And the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which is the substance leads men off of all types and figures and signes who comes to enjoy him enjoys the end who comes off of all outward Elements as Bread and Wine and such things to the substance it self to look at things that are not seen For things that are seen are temporall but the things that are not seen are eternal Pr. He speaks of a new creature distinct from Christ and saith while we live sin lives And saith I deny that the righteousnesse of Christ whereby a believer is justified doth dwell in him page 36. Answ Is not the new creature in Christ He that is in Christ is a new creature and is not distinct from him and how hast thou divided the word here And Christ is justification sanctification and wisdome and righteousnesse and if he be not within ye ye are Reprobates And where Christ is he is not without righteousnesse Therefore they are not without righteousnesse and wisdome Justification and Sanctification if Christ be within that is within for where he is that is not wanting And the Apostle said they were made free from sin And let not sin have dominion over your mortall bodies minde mortall bodies which sin was not to have dominion over And old things passe away and all things become new Sin is an old thing from the old deceiver So while any sin is standing all things is not made new and sin hath its dominion Pr. He saith He hath not read where a believer dwells in Christs righteousnesse page 37. Answ Every believer that is true is born of God and he that is born of God doth not commit sin And he that dwells in Christ dwels in righteousness and truth is that which sin and the Devill is out of which blots out sin and transgression where the body of it comes to be put off Pr. And the light which teacheth men to say they have no sin is of Satan And saith The Quakers light teacheth them to deny prayer Answ The Apostles light taught them to say they were made free from sin they had put off the body of sin and their sin and transgression was blotted out Little children their sins was forgiven them that walked in the light the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth them from all sin taught them to know the saith that gave them victory over the world that purified their hearts held in a pure conscience And this is the Quakers light which teacheth them the path of the Apostles and it teacheth men to be holy as God as holy and perfect as he is perfect This was the light of Christ and bid them to be as Christ is and said as he is so are we in this present world And the light that guides the Quakers doth not teach them to deny prayer but brings them to pray aright with the spirit and with the understanding which all prayers without it be in the hypocrisie Pr. He saith We acknowledge there is a thousand of perfect men in England as perfect as children tossed too and fro page 40. But he saith I deny that any man hath that perfect knowledge of Christ in this life c. Answ Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And the Scripture speaks of such as had both the Son and the Father And all those children that are tossed too and fro and are carried about with the windy doctrine which hath gotten up in the apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles that are ravened from the spirit of God Such their doctrines are windy and doth not settle nor doth not perfect not doth not bring into the unity of the faith nor the knowledge of the Son of God the faith that gives the victory nor to a perfect man nor to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ which was the work of the true Ministry which was before the Apostacy Nor none comes to the knowledg of Christ but by the light Pr. He saith The Church teacheth to pray without ceasing but you bid stay till the spirit moves us c. Ans The Church prayes not without the spirit which
which since their dayes they have had the reign over the world But now to that which they ravened from and into the truth the Devill abode not in is the Saints comâ— and the Lamb reigns that is the substance of the Scriptures the end of the Scriptures that hath dominâ—â—â— Glory in the highest for ever And as for all the reviles lyes slanders vilifyings hard expressions in thy Book they will fall upon thy selfe and to thee they will be sad and thou shalt feel every one of thy owne words shall be thy burthen and they shall come home unto thee cramed into thee again for thou must eat thy own dung and drink thy own pisse that comes from thee for all that in thy book is but dung in the day of thy Judgement the witnesse in thee shall answer All along thou hast shewed thy ignorance of the spirit that is poured upon all flesh that 's infallible for whosoever prayes or hath a humility or sings and not by the infallible spirit they sing not with the understanding nor pray not with the understanding And under the Judgement of God thou hast brought thy self and all thy generation Thomas Collier his Booke called a Dialogue between a Minister of the Gospel and an Enquiring Christian In it his Principles are as Followeth Pr. HE saith that the Scriptures is the absolute rule of Saints that are endued with the spirit and faith page 7. Answ Such as were endued with the spirit and faith before the written Scripture was they had a rule and they knew the seed and they knew the promises and they knew Christ more then the Pharisees that had the Scriptures nay more the the Apostates since the dayes of the Apostles that have the Scriptures and the Epistles and Revelations For by faith they saw the glory they was in the Foundation they saw Christ the everlasting Covenant and that is the foundation still Christ Jesus him by whom the world was made before it was made and all that have the Scriptures and have not him they can do nothing And that which ruled the Saints before the Scriptures was written is the Saints rule after the Scriptures is written to know the Scriptures what is written and to know God of whom they learned that gave it forth or writ it with that they know to what state and condition it was spoken And the spirit is the record and he that hath all the Scriptures and wants the true record which is the spirit he cannot know all things Pr. And the Scripture is the New Testament of the Saints rule and the rule of Judgement page 10. Answ The Scriptures given forth from the Spirit of God people knowes not to what state they were spoken but as they come into the spirit that gave them forth And besides the Epistles was written to the Saints in several conditions according to their growth and some of them grew higher then others for some of them the day-star was not risen in their hearts and some of them was children of the Day So that still was the rule that led them to give forth the Epistles and revealed to them the states and conditions of the Saints and to ages and to generations and to Nations and the condition the world was in and should come upon it that was the rule and is the rule by which all these words are seen again and there is the record of the Spirit of God And he that hath found the true record the Spirit of God with that he shall know all the Scriptures and is come within the book where all things are written and which writes all things forth the spirit Pr. He saith the Scriptures is that word which makes the Devils to stand in aw and tremble The written word for after generations by which mens souls are brought to Christ pag. 14 15. again that the Scriptures is the sword of the spirit pag. 16. Answ The Pharisees had the Scriptures which Christ said was of the Devil and was swallowed up in his power and they stood against Christ the life the substance The Devil came with Scriptures who is out of the truth to tempt Christ the Word but the Word the substance of Scriptures hammerd down the devil and Pharisees that had got the Scriptures but were out of the life that gave them forth And they have the sword that have the word of God which was before the Scriptures was given forth and they be in that the Devils be out of So if the Devil and wicked men bring Scriptures they hammer them under and redeem the Scriptures out of their ungodly mouthes And the written word brings no soul to Christ the life but who comes to the life that the written words speak of and so it testifies of him the â—iâ—e that brings them to Christ that gave it forth Pr. God is willing that all should be saved but he worketh not all into a saving condition page 21. He saith it is true there is a spirit and life in the Scriptures pag. 22. Answ The spirit and life is not in the Scriptures but the spirit and life the Scriptures testifies of and the light Christ Jesus the salvation to the ends of the earth doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world with a saving light And the light which every man hath that cometh into the world is saving but many hating the light and not coming to it which hath enlightened them they neglect their salvation and slight their salvation and not believing in it they walk in darkness and come not to the light of life But they that believe in it come to the light of life and abide not in the darkness And the grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared to all men such as turns it into wantonness and walkes despitefully against the spirit of grace ownes it not for their teacher but sets up teachers according to their own lusts so turns against that which brings their salvation and walks despitefully against it and followes their own lusts and tramples upon the Covenant of grace and the blood of the new Covenant And all that see the Bishop of their souls Christ Jesus the Saviour of their souls it is with the light that cometh from him and God wils that all men should be saved Pr. He saith to use Christs name to catch souls when indeed it is but Jugling and to stab him and crucifie him a fresh pag. 42. If Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world c. If this were truth then Christ died in vain and in vain hath Christ spoke of himself saying I am the way the truth the life the light c. pag. 45. Answ Such as do not believe that Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world are such as mentions his name and haters of the light that cometh from him these be in the Jugling state deceivers of souls and people And none sees Christ the one offering but
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus Pr. The Priests bear rule by their means this is the meanes of the false Prophets saith he If there be a burthen upon paying of Tythes lay it upon God and the Magistrates and not upon me the Pastor Answ Tythes to the similitude Melchisedeck Tythes to the Priest-hood made by the Law of God Christ is come the end of the similitude the end of the Priest-hood and disannuld the commandement that gave Tythes and all his Ministers Pastors and Teachers preached down Tythes and preached up the substance and preached down the Priests that took them and the Law that gave them and the authority and the Magistrates both that held them up And so you that have gotten Tythes since the dayes of the Apostles whose root and ground was by the Papists in the apostacy are such that burthens the Creation and a griefe to all true Christians that be in the life and the power and the spirit that the Apostles was in before the apostacy Now if thou wert a true Minister of Christ if the Magistrate would give thee tythes thou wouldst not take them which is got up since the Apostacy came in them that have got the sheeps cloathing but are ravened from the spirit of God And doth not thou think that the Priests that were obedient to the Faith if they would have turned again to the Jews Magistrates dost thou think they would not have given them tythes And dost thou think that any of them that was obedient to the Faith that they took Tythes after they were converted to Christ and his faith the substance And dost thou think that any that is out of the apostacy now will take Tythes of the Magistrates now if they would give them which were set up since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy I will warrant thee they will dye before they will lose their glory and their Crown And they that preach the Gospell shall live of the Gospell And the Prophets prophesie falsly and the Priest beares rule by his meanes What doth the Priest receive his gifts by the false Prophets means Doth not the people love to have it so And are not you all found fallen into this Ditch that are inwardly ravened from the spirit of God The false spirits gone into the earth for money and for tythes for lucre for means for gifts admiring mens persons because of advantage yet covering your selves with the sheeps cloathing crept up into a Masse-house and calls it a Church and tells people while they be upon the earth they must have corruptions and the body of sin and this is the work of your Ministry So among the Lyars Whoremongers Sorcerers Adulterers inwardly ravened from the spirit of God out of the Kingdome are ye found And as for all the rest of thy rabble and unsavoury expressions in thy Book they are not worth mentioning But in the day of thy judgement thou shalt feel thy owne words thy burthen in the tryall of the Fire thy works will burn Immanuel Bourne who calls himselfe Pastor of 〈◊〉 Church in Ashover in his Book called A Defence of the Scriptures and the holy Spirit speaking in them are these Principles following And Priest Gifford of Bedford his PRINCIPLE Pr. HE saith Christ himselfe sent his hearers to the Scriptures as the chiefe judge of Controversie and of Faith Answ Christ did not put the Scriptures above himselfe he said All judgement was committed to the Son and for judgement he was come into the world And the Pharisees that had the Scriptures they could not judge of Faith nor of controversie nor knew not Christ the Author of the Faith nor none can judge but who be in the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures And the Scriptures was given forth from them that was in the faith of Truth but such as be not in the faith knows not the Scriptures neither is it able to make them wise unto salvation without the Faith For the Pharisees and chief Priests were not though they had Scripture and they judged and condemned the Author of Faith that had Scriptures without the life and so do all that are out of the life still that have the Scriptures judge the Author of the Faith Christ Jesus who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And the holy spirit spake in them that gave forth the Scriptures and so they spoke it forth Now they that be from the spirit of God in their owne particulars speaking there knows not the spirit that spoke in them that spoke them forth but such are they that saith The spirit speakes in the Scriptures Such are the Ministers of the Letter and not of the Spirit that gave it forth And the spirit that gave forth the Scripture is that which judged of all conditions which gave them the spirituall understanding For people have not the spirituall understanding to judge and to discern if they have all the Scriptures unlesse they be in the spirit that gave it forth And so the Scripture it selfe without the spirit that gave it forth cannot be the Judge of Controversie nor of Faith but is a dead Letter in it selfe but the spirit is it that gave forth Scriptures Pr. He saith Christ within is inherent holinesse And George Fox professed equality with God page 20. Answ Christ within is beyond all mens righteousnesse or holinesse for he is the righteousnesse it selfe And the Assembly of Divines gave forth a Catechisme presented to the Parliament for people to learn wherein they say that the Holy Ghost is equall in power and glory with the Father Now every one that cometh to witnesse the Son of God and the holy Ghost that gave forth the Scriptures by your account they witnesse that which is equall in power and glory with God And doth not the Assembly give forth this in their Catechisme that people should learn And is it blasphemy for to come to witnesse this which you have given forth and the minde which was in Christ Yet neverthelesse Georges words was not spoken as yee preach them for his words were spoken beyond all creatures and out of all creatures and he did not say Geo Fox Pr. He saith no natural man that is darkness is bound to look to the light within him to direct him to salvation for it is in vain to look for light in darkness Page 22. Answ The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall the salvation to the ends of the earth which no man cometh out of darkness out of his natural state but who doth believe in the light which was Christs Doctrine believe in the light that ye may be the children of the light and he that believeth in it shall not abide in darkness And so they come to see the spending of the night and the light shining out of darkness giving them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
cometh into the world that gives him the knowledg of the Son of God of the author of his faith and the taste of his fulness and to become a perfect man Pr. He saith The Scriptures is the meanes whereby the righteousnesse is revealed from faith to faith page 82. Answ The Pharisees had the Scriptures read every Sabbath and the form of godlinesse denyed the power and was reprobate concerning the Faith and the righteousnesse of Christ Jesus And God it is that reveals the faith and gives the faith and the righteousnesse and many have the words and yet not it who hath it hath the word in their hearts and the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures and seeth God the original of all good and the Scriptures cannot reveal it but they testifie of it and all must come into the spirit before they know revelation or know the Scriptures either Pr. He saith New Jerusalem is not come down from heaven and be will make all things new not hath made page 83. He saith The body is dead because of sin yet there is a remainder of the old man in the members page 84. Answ Where the body is dead because of sin and that put off by the Circumcision of the spirit If the root be holy the branches are holy also and such comes to glorifie the Lord in their bodies and soules which are the Lords who hath redeemed them out of the sin So they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts and all things are become new And the new Jerusalem is witnessed come down from heaven among the Saints for who witnesseth Christ and know Christ knows the Tabernacle of God and knows the new Jerusalem and knows the place where there is no curse And many knows their Mother now and that which had led captive is gone and going into captivity Pr. He saith The Apostles gave the last and full revelation of the Gospell to all Nations And Timothy learned Doctrine mediately and since none may expect to receive so immediately as Paul did but all mediately page 88 89. Again God now gives and teacheth mediately and spiritually by the testimony of him mediately page 90. It is a little necessary to shew the vanity of their pretence of immediate revelation from Gods spirit page 91. Answ All them be in a pretence and in vanity that are from the immediate revelation of the spirit of God And if all people have all Pauls Declaration and if they have it not immediately revealed to them by the spirit of God as Paul had they have not the comfort of Pauls words neither have they the comfort of the revelations And John saith the everlasting Gospell must be preached to them that dwell upon the earth since the apostacy from the Apostles mark that And that which Timothy preached who was in the faith the gift of God and spoke his word and divided it aright it was immediate But since the dayes of the Apostles hath the immediate been lost and I know yee cannot expect it in the state ye all stand in inwardly ravened from the spirit of God and truth But now is the Saints come to that which ye ravened from and the Apostles were in who witnessed the immediate teachings of God and Gods teaching is immediate and the testimony of Jesus is immediate which is the spirit of prophecy but many have that which testifies of him and be from the immediate spirit as was in them that gave forth the Scriptures And all upon the earth that be from the immediate spirit of God as was in them as gave forth Scriptures and their Ministry be but mediate and they be but in the mediate they are all Ministers but of the Letter made by man and what they have it is but from man and not from God immediately Such have nothing but the sheeps cloathing and inwardly ravened from the spirit of God in them And here is Babylon the mother of Harlots and the Beast and his names but over all have they victory that be in the immediate in that which the Apostles was in and answer that in them all which they ravened from Pr. He saith Even now in the dayes of their adversity while the person of the Lord the fountaine of their teaching for whom they waite is personally absent from them Page 92. Answ All they that hate the light sees not Christ the fountain of teaching and these be them that inwardly ravened Such have their teachers in corners and are in the dayes of adversity and eate not the flesh of Christ nor drink his blood and are not of his flesh and bone and receives not his spirit But all who wait in the Light which Christ Jesus hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world withall Every man that cometh into the world with which light he hath enlightned them their eyes shall see their Teacher that cannot be removed into a corner Salvation they shall see and dayes of adversity shall end and his guiding they shall know and come to be in unity with Christ and eate his flesh and drink his blood and be of his flesh and bone which thousands do witnesse this and the Prophet raised up the end of the Prophets and they that heare him not are to be cut off And none lifts up the Son of God but who be in the Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world and that brings him to understand the Scriptures and the substance of them Pr. He saith The grace of God that brings salvation it is a fancy to say it is stirred up in them but is a thing wrought in another for them And to say the Word of the Lord is within and the spirit within is mens following their own brain and visions of their own hearts And he saith whereas they imagine of a light within them all that knows God shewes the light in them to be darknesse it selfe See Post-script Answ All that knows God owns the Light within them to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus which light shines in their hearts And all that knows God owns the Light that doth â—â—lighten every man that cometh into the world Christ Jesus and believes in the Ligâ—â— and hath the witnesse in themselves And all that be from the Light within them be in the darknesse and stumbles which have been in this night of the apostacy from the Apostles Doctrine And all Gog and Magog and the Beast and false Prophets and the Kings of the Earth are making war against the Light that doth enlighten every man c. but the Light shall get the victory And all that be from the Word of God within in their hearts and their mouths though they speak of the Scriptures without yet they use their tongues and follow their own dreams and visions of their own hearts and brains and be from the Word of God that lives and abides
the Father is one the Father is in him and he is in the Father and the Father and the Son dwells in the Saints who are out of the transgression of his Doctrine and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life and he that hath the Son of God hath life eternall really in possession and such perverts not the right way of the Lord but such as have not the Son of God they are all in the first Adam in the crooked wayes and crooked by-paths in the world nâ— witnessing life but standing against the Light which shineth in the Darknesse which their darknesse cannot comprehend which are all the inwardly raveners since the dayes of the Apostles among whom hath been the apostacy and the Apostates from wâ—om the light of life hath been hid But he that followeth the Light he cometh to have the light of life And he that receiveth the light receiveth life eternall and to receive the Son of God And he that receiveth the Son of God hath eternall life in substance and possession Prin. He saith Death which hath passed over all men is not a spirituall Death page 51. Answ Thou and all you shall feel it as a spiritual Death before ye know life and immortality come to light and the spirituall wickedness wrestled against whose weapons are spirituall and not carnall that wrestles not against flesh and blood but spirituall wickeâ—nesses in high places And that is it which causeth the life of all creatures to groan and oppresseth it whereby life and immortality is hid from the eyes and the power transgressed whereby the spirit and soule of man must be sanctified before he witnesse thorow purification before he come from under the death and spirituall wickednesses For sin brings death and that is the spirituall wickednesses that is to be wrestled against and transgressing the pure Law of God the commands of God brings death And so he entertains the spirituall wickednesse which brings death upon his life so comes oppression on his body and on his spirit and his soule burthened and wearyed and unsanctified and polluted which Christ gives rest to who is the Sanctification and Redemption and Justification which the Law goes upon man agreeable to that of God in him but Christs body makes free from the Law and redeemes from under it So as the power of God the Gospel is known and Christ known the creature comes from under the bondage of corruption and life and immortality comes to the light through the Gospell whereby the death is known which who believes shall never dye and the life is known which shall never dye Pr. The Quakers deny Water-baptisme and slight it and call it a carnall thing Answ Outward water is not spirituall but it is a carnall thing as it is in it selfe and it is the spirit alone that baptizeth into the body which brings off of things that are seen which are temporall as the Apostle said while we look not at things that are seen for the things that are seen are temporall c. and water is seen Pr. He saith False Prophets and Antichrists should come in sheeps cloathing Answ These Christ said should come to his Apostles And before the Apostles decease they saw they were come And the Apostles saw before their decease the Devill transform himselfe into an Angell of light and Satans Messengers and Ministers come up such as had a feigned humility and will-worship got up and the abstaining from meats neglecting the body and such as Jannes and Jambres that crept into houses which had the sheeps cloathing the form of godlinesse and such were the seducing spirits the doctrine of Devills which ran into the strange delusions bringing in the damnable heresies which went in Cains Cores and Balaams way and they saw the coming of the man of sin and the Apostles all saw by the spirit of God before their decease which Christ said should come which inwardly ravened which since the dayes of the Apostles the world hath gone after them All this which Christ said should come which the Apostles saw was come and coming before the coming of the just One But the Just One now is come who hath revealed it the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Cain Core Balaam false Prophets Antichrists such as goes into strong delusions and brings in the damnable heresies and forbidding the eating of meats and Marriage these all inwardly ravened anâ— these all have been up since the dayes of the Apostles and these have been covered with the sheeps cloathing and the false Prophets and Antichrists they inwardly ravened and the Devill the man of sin he went out of the Truth and abode not in it which Truth which he went out of all they that have the sheeps cloathing and he and they all can get Scriptures but inwardly ravened and gone from the spirit of Truth in their own particulars such are the destroyers of the creatures and of the Creation But with that which they all ravened from are they all manifest and discovered which to that are now people come and coming which these inwardly raveners have had the sheeps cloathing which have been the Beast and false Prophets Devills messengers and Ministers out of the truth which have reigned since the dayes of the Apostles having had the sheeps cloathing which have long deceived the Nations But now the Devill Beast Antichrist and false Prophets are all discovered with the light and life which they all went from and the truth And the place is seen where there is no Curse and the Beast and the false Prophet is taken that they shall deceive the Nations no longer and is cast into the lake of fire under whose dominion thou art whose words shall be thy burthen Pr. He saith Let us minde the Law and Testimony Answ Then ye must all minde the Light for the law is light saith Solomon then ye must all minde the spirit for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy which many may have the Old and New Testament yet be from the Law and Testimony for the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Marke Luke John the Acts Epistles and Revelations was written as in the 8. of Isaiah which the Prophet minded And they that say the Old and new Testament is it shews themselves to be ignorant of the spirit and ignorant of the Law and Testimony And the Law and Testimony doth not deny the Scriptures but owns them in their place and sees the fulfilling of them with the Testimony of Jesus they see Jesus who was afore Scripture was and comes to fulfill it William Jefferies his Booke called ANTICHRIST made known In which these PRINCIPLES are following c. Pr. HE saith Men are mistaken in saying the Romish Whore of Babylon is Anti-christ And the chiefe City of this great Whore the mother of Harlots is the City of Rome the Pope Cardinals Bishops and Clergy And the spirit of Antichrist denies
Christ come in the flesh and say the light within them is Christ when at the best it is but the light of nature And this is the spirit of errour and darknesse and their light is become darkness See page 63 64. 68. Ans The light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is Christ and none can confesse him in Truth nor see him nor lift him up as the Serpent was lifted up in the Wildernesse but who be in the Light which cometh from him And by this thou hast overthrown thy self for them that confesse the light in them to be Christ which Christ saith he is the light these doth not deny Christ come in the flesh And the Devill may confesse the Son of God and the Jewes may confesse him he is come as the Apostates confesse him he is come But none of all these knows him in the flesh confesse him come in the flesh or knows his flesh or the flesh of the Son of Man but who be in the Light that comes from him that doth enlighten every man c. which light was before any naturall created lights was made glorified with the father before the world began and in the light walking it leads into the day where there is no night which light is Christ the Covenant of God and such here cometh to know darknesse past Now I say neither Apostates nor Jewes whose cares were stopt eyes closed to that of God in them and the Apostates that are inwardly ravened having sheeps cloathing which are Babylon which are the Harlot who ravened inwardly from the spirit of God brought the world after them which was the mother of them all None of all these can confesse Christ come in the flesh but onely from the Letter for these knows not his flesh the Devill is out of the truth and truth is a top of him The Jewes eyes must be opened and their eares unstopt before they know his flesh The Apostates must come all to that which they have ravened from inwardly before they come to know Christs flesh and are of his flesh and eate his flesh and confesse that Christ come in the flesh who is the offering and the sacrifice of the whole world that makes the peace between God and man and perfects for ever them that are sanctified The top-stone layd a top of all sin and transgression Death Hell and Grave bruised the Serpents head Here is no Babylon nor here is no Antichrist and this the Quakers confesse with the Light within them And all upon the earth are Antichrists and knows not Christ not Christ come in the flesh that be from the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and owns not that but denies it And all Sects Bishops mother of Harlots Antichrists Popes Cardinals and Clergy Babylon Romish Whore which is gotten up since the dayes of the Apostle inwardly ravened having had the sheepes cloathing they are not like none of these that are ravened to own the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And so Babylon and so Harlots and so waters and so from the Rock Pr. And he saith the Whore will confesse Christ come in the flesh Satan transforming himself into an Angel of light he maketh the fountain of waters bitter the sweet promises the water of life which maker glad the City of God like wormwood and changeth the taste of them Page 72 74. Answ Antichrist the mother of harlots false prophets which went forth from the Apostles as in Johns Epistle These will confesse Christ come in the flesh as ye do and all Sects upon the earth else ye could not deceive the Nations but as ye get the sheepes cloathing So ye have brought the Nations tongues people Languages and multitudes to be like waters But these are the waters which now begins to grow bitter for neither the Devil nor Antichrist nor false prophets nor mother of harlots who are gone from the Truth and are inwardly ravened though they may have the sheeps cloathing they cannot touch the waters of life nor the fountain to make them waters better that makes glad the City of God For ye that inwardly ravened which got the sheepes cloathing are as the Devil which went out of the Truth get Scriptures and their confession of Christ is as his is which since the dayes of the Apostles the world hath been after them The inwardly raveners have gotten the Scriptures who are out of the Truth which the Devil who is out of the Truth the deceivers of the Nations And there the beast false prophets Antichrist mother of Harlots deceivers man of sin Devils messengers and Ministers damnable Heresies their tongues are waters their peoples are waters their Nations waters and multitudes waters all on heapes about Scriptures destroying one another about the prophets words the Apostles words Christs words Ministers maintenance Now the Devil the Beast false prophets and Antichrist is taken and mother of Harlots and cast in the Lake of fire and Babylon confounded and the everlasting Gospel shall be Preached to every Nation kindred tongue and people And as for all the rest of the stuffe in thy book thy pack of confusion Babylons children it will fall heavy upon thy self and be thy own burthen and presse thee under which in the day of thy Judgement thou shalt remember that I am a friend to all soules There is neither Jewes that professeth a Christ was to come nor Christians that professeth a Christ is come nor none upon the earth though ye have all the Scriptures knowes the flesh of Christ but who ownes the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world For the Jewes knew not the flesh of Christ though they had Scriptures but crucified him whose ears were stopt and eyes closed to that of God in them the Gentiles knew not the flesh of Christ who was astray from the life of God neither do those called Christians know the flesh of Christ who are inwardly ravened from the spirit of God in them though they have gotten all the sheepes clothing and talk Christ is come and died at Jerusalem as the Jewes could say of him to come and to be born at Bethlehem yet they could not confesse him come in the flesh nor did not know his flesh no more do these Christians know his flesh though they have all the form of godliness But who cometh to the seed Christ himself they know it in them then they shall know the one offering a top of all the worlds Sects for the sins of the whole world which none knowes the flesh of Christ nor Christ nor as God was in Christ but as every one comes to the light with which they are enlightened which who hate it knowes him not but it is your condemnation and that ye shall all feel at last So the one offering which is Christ is set over the whole world and his flesh the world knowes not nor
the Father of spirits So who have not it the spirit have but Letters and are Ministers of the Letters and not of the Spirit And the Kingdome of heaven is within you saith Christ in Luke 17. to the Pharisees and thou saith with or among them And I say that is the Kingdome within them which never consented to sin and in you all which one day ye shall witnesse which the gazer and observer abroad his eye and eare is closed and stopt too which he must come to before he be as a little child and know the leven that levens up the new lump and knows the Kingdom which is like unto a grain of mustard-seed and where the diligent waiting is the soule comes to live and the everlasting Covenant felt And thou that brings souls to be prepared for death thou art more like to do that then to present them to God a slayer and executioner so not a servant to the Bishop of soules where the soule liveth and rejoyceth and comes out of death and magnifies God the Saviour And so all the Ministers of Christ their work is to prepare souls out of death for life Pr. He saith The Bible is the soules physick And people must depend upon the spirits speaking in the Scriptures He saith the person of Christ is not his man-hood and the naturall light the Quakers call Christ within and nature grace And he saith The body of sinne is in the believer till he lay down the body Epistle Answ The souls refreshment is Christ and Physitian Christ Many may have the Bible and not know it and the Scriptures as the Pharisees had The soules Physitian is that which the Scriptures speaks of which many may have the words the Bible and yet have not the thing it speaks of and they that have the thing it speaks of have both And many holy men had their souls Physitian before the Scriptures was written and printed and they that had the spirit that gave forth Scriptures they had the souls Physick and they know all the springs is in God and the Lord who in his hand was the souls And such as are in the spirit they depend upon that and they come to see the Scriptures by the spirit given forth from it and such comes into the unity of the spirit and the light which is Christ within by which all things was made and created was before the naturall Lights was and Nature For all the Naturalls that was made was made by the Light Christ Jesus the wisdome who is the wisdome of God by which all things was made with which wisdome we see over the naturall Lights and over Nature And the grace that comes from the Throne that brings salvation which is the Saints Teacher teacheth not to call Nature grace And he that believeth is borne of God and he overcometh the world and entereth into his rest and shall never dye And he that believeth hath victory yea while he is upon the earth he cometh to witnesse the Circumcision that puts off the body of sin and makes free from it which the synagogue of Satan cannot witnesse Pr. He saith The Scriptures are the Word of God page 4. And the Spirit is given by the Letter And he saith the spirit proceeds from that which is put within the Book or Bible page 5. And I judge them that pretend the spirit without the Scriptures And the Scripture is a more sure rule then visions and revelations pag. 7. And God that gave the letter gives the spirit with it and by it page 9. Answ God gave the spirit before he gave forth Scriptures And the Devill and wicked men may get Scriptures but they have not the spirit nor none have it but as they come to feel it given from God as it was given to them that gave forth Scriptures And so people are to finde the spirit of the Father speaking in them as it did in them that gave forth Scriptures then the spirit answers to the spirit that gave forth Scriptures then there is an unity with the words and with God of whom they learned which many may have the Bible and not know the spirit that spoke it forth but be erred from it And the Scriptures are the words of God of truth God spake all these words He that adds to these words the words of God is pure Christ is the Word his name is called the Word of God who was before the words were spoken forth who comes in the volume of the Booke to fulfill the words And the spirit was before the Scripture was given forth for it led them to speak it all forth the words of God as they had learned of God So the spirit comes not by the Letter but the Letter comes forth from the spirit And many had the Scriptures and knew not the Revelation and judged the Revelation of the Son of God and judged Christ who was come the end of the vision which was for an appointed time So therein thou hast concluded thy selfe to be among them that have the Scriptures and sets up that beyond the Revelation of the Son of God which is the end of Scriptures which none knows the father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him though they may have all the Scriptures And the things of God is revealed by the spirit of God Pr. And he saith The Scriptures is the rule and the guide of Saints And saith the old administration of the Covenant of grace is abolished page 13. He that understands Matth. 11.2 27. of immediate revelations onely shuts out all mediate revelation by the Scriptures and falsely accuseth the Lord of the Scripture page 14. And the Apostle saith not that the spirit reveals the deep things of God If we should deny the Scriptures to be the rule we should deny the Scriptures of God page 18. Answ The Saints rule was the spirit that gave forth Scriptures and the Word of God which fulfills the Scriptures without him they can do nothing if they have all Scriptures And the spirit of truth shall lead into all truth And none knows the Scriptures nor God nor can be a Minister of the spirit by a mediate Revelation but a Minister of the Letter for who are Ministers of the spirit are immediate and are in the immediate revelation of the Scriptures to them by the spirit that gave them forth and these ministers to the spirit and brings people to God the Father of spirits that they may know what to reveal to others they minister to And all they that have the Scriptures and not the spirit that gave them forth they are on heaps about words and wants the rule And the Covenant of grace which is the end of the old Covenant is witnessed and stablished and cannot be abolished which ends the decaying Covenant And as for abolishing the Covenant of grace thou dost not know what thou speaks of And the Apostle said the deep things of God was revealed
by the spirit of God no one knows the Scriptures and the things of God but as God unto them doth reveal by his spirit which in this thou hast shewed thy ignorance of that spirit guided the Saints to God the Father of spirits which revealed unto them the deep things of God with which spirit again the Scriptures are known And the spirit which always rules the Saints and guides them up to God and to speak forth the Scriptures They did not deny the Saints words spoken before them but was in unity with them in the spirit and so came to the spirits of just men which none doth but who are come into the Saints rule that gave forth Scriptures And so people have had the Scriptures but inwardly ravened from the spirit thou and the rest of thy fellows and have been all on heaps about words and so voyd of the revelation that they were in that gave forth Scriptures For all are unlearned upon the earth that are not in the immediate inspiration as they were in that gave forth the Scriptures and in the tongue of the unlearned like the Aegyptian Sea Pr. He saith Printing was a rare invention and it was the gift of God page 21. And onely Gods servants preached by the written Copies and since by the printed volume page 22. Answ That which is invented and men have invented it is not the gift of God and men only preaching from the Copies written and since by the Volumes printed in this hast thou shewed that you have had only the sheeps cloathing and that hath been it which hath made you Ministers For they that were the Ministers of the spirit their only preaching was not from copies and volumes that did not make them Ministers but what they had received from the Lord that they declared forth and was not Ministers of copies and writings only But the copy and writings of the Scripture had you them in the life that gave them forth you would have gathered people into the unity which being ravened from it you bring them all upon heaps Pr. The letter or writing of the spirit of God is the Law and touch-stone page 23. He saith the Scriptures is the spirituall sword page 26. And the Scriptures is the ground of all Saints actions And have not I written unto thee excellent things in counsell and knowledge page 32. Answ The Pharisees had Scriptures and had not the spirit that gave them forth so they wanted the Word of God the sword of the spirit and they stood against the substance of the Scriptures And they had Scriptures but they were out of the Saints actings for they turned against the Just And so doth all upon the earth that have the Scriptures but out of the spirit that gave them forth they are out of the ground of the Saints actings And none knows the excellent things written of knowledge nor counsell but who be in the spirit that gave forth Scriptures Though they have the Scriptures in their own knowledge and wisdome yet they understand not the excellent things written but as they come into the spirit that gave them forth So thou art a man not dividing the word aright and many may have the Scriptures yea the whole world may have the Scriptures and not being in the spirit that gave them forth they break into Sects among one another And the Devil may come with Scriptures but hath not the spirit to fight withal who is out of the Truth Pr. He saith Women are excluded from speaking though endued with more then ordinary gifts and they are not allowed to teach page 34. And the Canon of the Apostles is the key to open the Scriptures And the sure word of prophecy is the Scriptures page 38. which is a more sure word then an immediate voyce from heaven He saith the word which the Apostle speaks of to the Romans in the mouth and in the heart is the Gospell promises without Deut. 30. And the Scripture Books Chapters is the light that shines in mans heart and the new Creature is too narrow for a rule page 44. A. The new creature is subject to the Law of God for he is in Christ who is the end of Law Types Figures Shadows Parables and there is rule direction counsell wisdome and the old man cometh to be subjected which is not subject to the Law of God and here comes the blessing and the peace of the Israel of God who walk according to the rule of the new creature for he walks in the life that gave forth Scripture which the old man walks out of And he may say the Scriptures is his rule but he is not subject to the witnesse of God in himself nor owns not the light which Jesus Christ hath enlightned him withall but doth the evill and loves the darkness which light is his condemnation And the law is light and the Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy And many may have the old and new Testament and stand against the light the spirit of prophecy within And many may have the Scriptures Books and Chapters and stand against the Light Christ Jesus that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world And so put the Letter for the Light and walk from the light in their own particulars which should lead them into a new life Such comes not to know the new life nor the blessing of the Israel of God And the woman the Evah must be silent for she was first deceived and the woman Jezebel that calls her selfe a Prophetesse that must not be suffered to teach or to usurp authority But Christ in the male and Christ in the female is beyond the first Adam or Evah or she that calls her selfe a Prophetesse or the great whore that reigns over the Kings of the earth there is all their languages under Christ in the Females shall comprehend this as well as in the Male and give judgement and the daughters shall prophecy as well as the sons And such as limit or quench the spirit in the Males or Females are them that are apostatized and ravened inwardly from the spirit of God and despise prophecy only have the sheeps cloathing such as thou and you and knows not the spirit but are ravened from it the spirit of God that hath power over all flesh and so makes your selves ignorant of it are such as quencheth it in others And the spirit of God in the Apostles being witnessed it opens the Scriptures is the key lets to see what hath been since the dayes of the Apostles and rul'd and reign'd and had the dominion the Wolfe in the sheeps cloathing which have deceived the Nations and such as have led the world and brought them all upon heaps and have never heard the voyce of God and have published it in the Nation in print nor the voyce of Christ and have not the same infallible spirit as the Apostles had and no immediate revelation nor inspiration
of the light and so out of unity and seeth not the Saviour the Redeemer the substance of all types figures Parables the end of the Law that goes upon the man of strife And so being out of the light out of the unity out of the Covenant with God In the light is the Covenant of God Pr. He saith the whole soul and body of Saints and every faculty of the soul and member of the body there is some presence of sin in them all their dayes Page 113. Ans The Saints are sanctified and washed and cleansed body soul and spirit and they are made free from sin and then can live no longer therein and the body of sin is put off And they witnessed the darkness was past so then the works of the true light shined and the day was come and they was of one soul And they witnessed as he was so was they in this present world And he that is in Christ is a new creature And where Christ is within the body is dead because of sin And he that is born of God doth not commit sin And the Saints was upon the earth when they was made free from sin and not all their dayes sin in them as thou speakes of Prin. He saith sin dwells in the Saints if any Saint think otherwise he knowes not himself and if he be one really sanctified he is under a strong delusion and drousie dream Page 119. Answ He that is sanctified is sanctified from sin and washed and cleansed and he that is out of this sanctification is in the drowsie dream For who are in sanctification are in Christ the righteousness of God and they are awakened to righteousness out of the fall in the second Adam and drowsiness and dreames and delusions that come in the first Adam And sin and drowsie dreams and delusions dwells in them that pretend that they are sanctified ones and not really Pr. He saith it is a Popish Tennent that sanctification is wrought within men and Justification or a believers being justified from sin and ungodliness and not in it but the mystery of iniquity lies in this qualification pag. 120. And they that are justified by their sanctification it is a falshood And that none are justified but Saints perfect in holiness is a notorious contradiction Page 121. Answ He that is the sanctification is the justification and so by their sanctification are they justified it is one and the same that which sanctifies justifies And every man that cometh into the world having a light that cometh from Christ the sanctification redemption justification but them that be not in the light are with it condemned And such as be in the light they come into perfect holiness and their sins are not imputed to them But them that doth not believe in the light the spirit of truth that leads the believer into all truth reproves them for their unbelief and their righteousness and their judgement and so doth not justifie them but reprove them And the justification within roots out all Popery and all contradiction But to speak of justification and sanctification without and not manifest within ye are yet in the first Adam in the Popery where ye must have a Puratory to cleanse and not the righteousness of Christ within and sanctification within and Justification So such be reproved that can talk of it without sanctification without so there is the old Adam in the sin and transgression And all falshood is among them that can talk of justification without them and not witnesse it within them For who witnesse Christ within them they witnesse justification there and sanctification for Abraham believed and it was imâ—uted to him for righteousness and his belief was within and he saw Christ his glory And such as believe they come to witness the imputation But such as come again to witnesse that they are nearer then when they did believe and to witness that they have received Christ within is the end of their belief there they witness the righteousness it self without imputation which is the substance that which the promise ends in and all the fathers hoped for who stood in the imputation and all the believers in him But Christ being come the end of mans belief the righteousness it self here is a justification alone without the imputation Christ the righteousness of Gods blessing and glory for ever And a believer that is jâ—stified he is a new Creature and is past from the death which came by the sin comes to enter into his rest where sin is not And all the falshood and the contradiction is without the possession of justification and sanctification which reprobates talk of it in the mystery of iniquity and unbelievers in the mystery of iniquity which have the sheepes cloathing the outside the clothing of the Saints yet ravened from the spirit inwardly These have not been like to own justification within or sanctification there that inwardly ravened from the spirit of God which all must come to that which they ravened from and they themselves before they feel the justification sanctification Christ within them and have received the substance the thing the Scripture speakes of which not believing in the Light and going from it though they get all the sheeps cloathing yet are they not thereby justified though they get all the good words and the forme of godlinesse and obey not the Gospell the power of God for none obeys the Gospell but whâ— obeys the Light within And who are justified it is by the faith of Christ Jesus and without faith they cannot please him And who are in the Faith are the believers in the Light and so the Justification and the Faith doth qualifie from their old nature and mindes Pr. He saith They are not justified because they are new borne nor for their believing page 122. And I can say I am crucified with Christ and yet I have a corrupt rotten heart and an old lying heart as before he saith and Christ lives in him and there is a body of sin and death dwels in him And the life that he now lives in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God Page 124. Answ Where Christ is within the body is dead because of sin and where the saith of the Son of God is lived in it gives victory over sin And the life of Christ is out of Adam in the Fall in sin and transgression And the Circumcision comes to be witnessed that puts off the body of sin And where the life of Christ is lived in the new Covenant is there the new heart rotten corrupt lying is put off the old man and his deeds with his deceitful lusts And he that believes is borne of God is justified and he comes into the faith by which he pleaseth God and he that doth not believe is out of the faith and it is impossible he should please God and is out of that which should justifie him Pr. He saith Christs
degrees of obedience and conformity to it in this life before death hath drunk Antichrists cup. page 144. Answ The Saints after they witnessed the body of sin put off and made free from sin they glorified God in their bodies souls and spirits And so the body of fin is not the creature for that causeth the creature to groan before it cometh into the liberty of the Sons of God that causeth the body of sin the cloathing that comes upon the Creature the old man which cometh by transgression the first Adam that leads out of transgression brings the creature into the liberty of the sons of God and so who is in Christ is a new creature And old things passe away and the body is the Temple of God a holy Temple And the living soule is immortall yet many of thy generation say it is humane that is earthly yea that Christs soule was humane as ye may see in this Book in the rest of your Principles of them that call themselves Teachers and Pastors whose soules are in death and life And immortality not come to the Light through the power of God which is the Gospell and so have shâ—wed your ignorance of the soule And whosoever witnesse the perfect holinesse and preacheth up that they come from under Antichrists Kingdome They that preach up Imperfection they weare Antichrists livery and his colours and sounds the Trumpet of Antichrist and who be in the righteousnesse are in the perfection it selfe without a thing meritted by man in his will And who loves God keeps his Commandements and to him and them they are not grievous And this was the seed that kept the Commandements of God that Antichrist Beast mother of Harlots and false Prophets made war against as you may read in the Revelations But this seed is a burthensome stone unto yoâ— all tâ—at keeps the commands of God that loves God and they that be born of God doth not commit sin And the naturall body which is flesh blood and bone is not the body of sin it was never read so in the Scripture that that was the body which was to be put off for the Saints had bodies after they witnessed the body of sin put off and made free from sin Pr. He saith That R. F. is against the doctrine of sin continuing in the godly till death page 148. Answ That doctrine of Sin was never preached up by the Apostle that it should continue in the godly till death I say it continues not in the godly for the godly are like God out of sin it continues in the ungodly that is not like God And he that is in Christ is at the end of the Law and the Precepts and the Statutes and the Ordinances and the Commandements and is in the substance Gods righteteousnesse Pr. He saith The Letter is no dead letter and it hath life in it selfe And if there be but this letter or Ministry it is Christs two-edged sword page 153. 155. It serves unto his designe of searching hearts And the Apostle would take people off from the conceit of perfect attainments pag. 162. And may not filthy hearts transform themselves in the fancy of perfection as the Devill into an Angell of light Answ The Devill transforming himselfe into an Angell of Light or into a similitude is like unto all the filthy hearts who fancy perfection without them not within thâ—m and speaks of Christ without them not within them as the Devill did But the Doctrine of the Apostle who preached Christ the Covenant of God and brought people off of that which made nothing perfect to that which was perfect and bid them be perfect and of one minde and he spoke wisdome among them that were perfect so he did not bring the people from it but to it And the Letter it selfe is dead as it is of paper and inke And all Ministers of Letters and Books written in paper and ink and speaks from letters of paper and inke and have not received from God what they preach are Ministers of the Letter and they are the Ministers of death though they minister all the Letters written in the Scripture and have onely but the sheeps cloathing and begets not to God but only making Proselytes as the Ministers did in old time as the Jewes did But they that were Ministers of the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures they have the sword of the Spirit which the Jewes the Ministers of the Letter had not Nor they that be out of the spirit though they have all the Scriptures given forth from it they that be out of the spirit be out of the spirituall weapons And that which searcheth the heart is that which gave forth the Scriptures which led all the holy men of God to speak them forth who is the Lord the searcher of the hearts which spirit owns all the words of the Scriptures of truth declared forth from the spirit but the spirit was before the Scripture was given forth Pr. He saith Men that are redeemed from all earthly worships perfectly justified before God sincere in their sanctification yet they are in concupiscence and blemishes and conflicts page 166. And the Word of God doth not abide in them that say they have no sinne page 179. Answ Who are redeemed out of all earthly worships and sanctified they are redeemed from the blemishes from the conflicts from the concupiscence and by their redemption they come to witnesse the Kingdome of God that stands in righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost out of the conflicts and who are in the spirit they are in that which mortifies sin And the Word of God it makes clean where it dwels they are sanctified by the Word and made clean It comes and finds the sin and takes it away and makes clean and hammers it down cuts it down burns it up reconciles to the Father which sin and iniquity separated from Pr. He saith Sacramentall water and sprinkling Baptisme and water c. shewes our being ingrafted into the body mysticall p. 176. 178. which consists of a signe of a thing signified Answ Sprinkling Infants is a signe of your own making and Sacramentall water which the Scripture doth not hold forth but it is a thing presumed above what it written And that signe a tradition doth not bring into the body mysticall but leads from it neither doth any elementary thing But that which baptizeth into the body is the spirit whereby all cometh to be one And that baptizeth not into an elementary body but into a glorious body the spirituall body For there is lying signes come since the dayes of the Apostles which is out of the Apostles practice You can shew nothing for your sprinkling with your Sacramentall water but the Baptisme that the Scripture declares of and the spirit is owned in its place Pr. He saith Bread and Wine are spirituall Institutions and is not carnall in a sense as set in opposition to spiritual Institution and that
But your swearing now is not like to the Jewes for they swore by the Lord not swore by the book of the Prophets writings neither did they swear by the Tables in which the Law was writen Neither did the Apostles nor the Saints swear by the Epistles nor Christs words after they were wriâ—ten and recorded Now this is worse then the Jewes for they were to swear by the Lord from whom the Law came they were to swear by the Lord of whom the Prophets learned and not by the Tables nor by the Prophets words Now the heathen was to swear by Moloch and to swear by Baal and kist Baal and the children of Israel to swear by the Lord not to swear by any Writings or Declarations of the Prophets or Moses Neither do we read that the Saints swore by the Epistles or the Revelations or Matthew Marks Luke or John and kist it For the true Christians that wiâ—nessed Christ the end of the Prophets the end of Moses a greater then Solomon Him by whom the world was made before it was made before Abraham was which reigns over the house of Joseph and Jacob to whom the Angels must bow saith swear not at all This is my beloved son saith God heare ye him Pr. He saith A believer hath both the rise and furtherance of his faith and evidence from what is written And if the Scripture be a dead letter and the word in the heart be one with the Scripture then that in the heart is dead page 246. Let them tell the world how the Scripture is the Declaration without contradiction and yet the word in the heart page 247. Answ The Scripture as it lies and is in it selfe is a dead letter but as the word is felt in the heart that gave it forth then it is its own words Now to them that be from the Word within the dead mind the dead letter And so the words themselves there gives not life to that but as the words is raised up within as it was in them that gave it forth and that is it which gives life and that sees the Scriptures and the fulfilling of them and then that knows the Scriptures that cannot be broken and in that the words ends the word Christ And that 's it that gives life to all people and saves the soule which the Letter doth not as it is in it selfe without one have that which gave it forth and that is not dead And a believer the author of his Faith is Christ and the giver of it And if he have all that is written and be not in the light Christ who is the author of his Faith he wants the foundation of God that stands sure Christ Jesus that all the Fathers and holy men of God rest in in the faith before any Scripture was written in him stood their faith the foundation of God Israels glory the light of the Gentiles this is that which fulfills all Scriptures and ends the faith the salvation And the Ministers of the Word that comes to fulfil the words those Ministers of the Word they took in hand to set forth in order a Declaration of the things wrought among them which had a perfect understanding from the very first of what Christ both said and did And so this Declaration was given forth to be read believed fulfilled and people to enjoy the thing it speaks of that which the Apostles preached to Jewes and Gentiles the new Covenant the one offering the blood of Jesus Christ him the end of the first Priesthood that Abraham saw and David saw and Moses had the type of the Prophets wrote of Now who enjoyes him that these all spoke of saw and preached they have the end the comfort of the Scriptures And here is the Declaration seen and known and here is the substance possest and here is the words of God and here is the Word of God that fulfills the words which word was before the words in which word the words end and are all sum'd up into Pr. For to say Christ and faith is not to be found in Scriptures He saith I hope no humble Saint will pin his faith upon this c. And they crying up thee and thou to a particular c. pag. 247. Answ Christ was before the Scripture was written and Christ is life not found in a dead letter nor faith and he is the end of the Scriptures and the substance of them and many had the Scriptures and could not finde faith in them nor Christ nor life And Christ told the Pharisees he was the life the Scripture testified of him but they would not come to him that they might have life who is the end and substance of the Scriptures by whom the world was made And as for the words thee and thou and you who are stumbling at it shews they have never learned their Accidence or Bible So short oâ— the language of the spirit that teacheth to speak sound words that cannot be condemned who are ignorant of the literall knowledge Pr. He saith The Scriptures was breathed forth by the spirit of God but we receive the spirit another way then they did as gave forth the Scriptures and the Scriptures was given forth immediately but thus the Scriptures comes not to us nor the understanding of them We have Books and Canons and printed Translations in the Mother Tongue page 248. Answ All your Books and Canons and if ye have all the Scriptures printed in all the Languages of the world and if ye have not the same immediate inspiration that gave them forth ye understand not the Scriptures And we do believe you that ye have not an immediate inspiration as they had nor do not receive the spirit as they did that gave forth the Scriptures who are ravened from it But who ever knows the Scriptures of truth it is by the same spirit as gave them forth with this and by this is the Scriptures of truth the excellent words known again to what state and condition they were spoken Pr. He saith The spirit is in the Letter or the whole Scripture Page 254. And they that writ forth the Scriptures were imperfectly holy but Gods Word was holy To conclude the spirit is in the Letter and given by it daily experience demonstrates it And they that owns not the spirits dwelling in the letter have lost their faith of the spirits presence and runs to other Gospels and Doctrines the spirit of errour is in all mens Doctrines that have not the spirit in them page 255. Answ The holy men of God that gave forth the Scriptures as they were moved by the holy Ghost but the Apostle said they were holy and we shall believe him before we believe any of you apostate Teachers which say they were not holy And the spirit was in them that gave forth the Scriptures received of God the Father of spirits and dwells in God And they that be from the spirit of God within which gave
forth the Scriptures are such as follows their own spirits and useth their tongues and gets the good words the sheeps cloathing deceives the hearts of the simple and tels them the Spirit is in the Letter which never did none of the experienced Saints say the spirit dwelt in the Letter But did conclude the spirit dwelt in their hearts the faith in their hearts the light in their hearts the word in their hearts the anointing within them God dwelt within them Christ within them the Law in their hearts the witnesse within them the ingrafted word that saved their soules the gift within the hidden man in the heart strength in the inward man the holy Ghost moved them the spirit of the Father spoke in them this led them to speak forth Scriptures And these never said the spirit was in the Letter as all the filthy dreamers say who are in the sensuall separation from the spirit of God and in Cains Cores and Balaams way turning the grace of God into wantonnesse ravened from the spirit of God inwardly but wolves in sheeps cloathing These are such as have got the good words but deceives the hearts of the simple makes a trade of them tells people the Spirit is in the Letter and that is them that ravened from the spirit of God in their own particulars and so they deceive people and keep them from the spirit of God in their particulars But the spirit that gave forth Scriptures is witnessed by which that is known they cannot deceive any longer who are reprobates concerning the faith which crept into houses before the Apostles decease which have kept people always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth led away with divers lusts So have kept people in spirituall Aegypt and Sodome and Gomorrah and have been guarded with Magistrates and powers of the earth all over the world But now is the Light breaking forth and shining that ye are all discovered And so they have set up other Gospels and lost the Faith that tels people the Spirit is in the Letter when the spirit and the faith was in them that gave it forth and is to be in all them that knows it again and knows God the giver of it Pr. He saith He that is borne of the Spirit is borne of the holy Word written page 257. Answ He that is borne of the spirit is borne of that which gave forth the Scriptures of the Word which was before the Scriptures was given forth which lets them see the end of the words so cometh to dwell in God of whom they learned that gave forth Scriptures Pr. He saith If setting the Scripture in the heart of every man be nothing else but telling people they have a light of conscience within them and stirring up that light which every man hath that cometh into the world They delude poor people who never heard that light called Scripture before page 257. Answ Them that never heard the Scripture outwardly the light that every man hath that cometh into the world being turned to it with that they will see Christ with that they will know Scripture with that they will be led out of all delusion come into covenant with God with which they will come to worship God in the spirit and serve him and that is more then conscience Pr. He saith The light which John speaks of which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is a dim light and it is a piece of the mystery of Iniquity as subtile as any Antichrist to say that the light shines in the darknesse and shineth out of darknesse the light of Christ for salvation page 261 262. He saith Christ in you the light in every man is a poor base beggerly scrap Page 264. Answ And the ligâ—t which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is Christ the substance the righteousnesse of God and not beggerly but all the beggarly they be out of the light and it is not dim but all be in the dim that be out of him the Light that with which he hath enlightned them And all be in the mystery of iniquity and are Antichrists that seeth not the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world where it shines and where it shineth out of the darknesse This the true Ministers who be in the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures Ministers of Christ within witnessed and saw And John was not antichrist nor Paul who said Light shined in darknesse and who said light shined out of darknesse and who said this was the true light that lighteth every one that cometh into the world Now ye are all ignorant of the Prophets before John who said I will give him for a Covenant for a light unto the Gentiles and a new Covenant to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah mark here was every man and John the greatest Prophet born of a woman saith this is the true light that lighteth every one c. Christ Jesus him by whom the world was made before it was made in whom is life and the life was the light of men and the light shined in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not Pr. The law written in every mans heart doth not condemn all sin nor the branches of it not originall sin nor unbelief pag. 266. He saith To say that every man in his first state is naturall and every man in his first state is as a beast is a contradiction And I every where deny the naturall light of every man but I deny the highest degree of light to be here attainable And the Saints light is not to be seen while we are under the Sun And he saith he knows he is more brutish then a man and hath not the knowledge of the holy pag. 272. And the light that shineth in the Scriptures I professe my selfe to know nothing the least degree of it is above the highest degree of the light that every one that cometh into the world is enlightned withal pag. 273. Answ The light which every one that cometh into the world is enlightned withall was before degreâ—s and ends degrees and is not natural for it was before the naturall was made or created and this bears not witnesse against the naturall the Sun Moon and Stars but ownes them in their places And the light which every one that cometh into the world is enlightned withall which comes from Christ the Son they not believing in it it is their condemnation And that which doth make manifest sin is light and doth reprove is light yea all sin branches and roots and originall and unbelief that which doth make it manifest is light and where this light is that makes all this manifest there is the law in the heart and new Covenant written the law and the spirit of life that makes free from the law of sin and death And the light which every man is enlightned withall they
thy self manifest that thou hast not the spiritual weapons And thou maist well deny immediate Revelations was it not in all ages such as pretended themselves to be Ministers that had not the life that gave forth Scriptures that called to the Magistrates to stop the mouthes of Blasphemers was not the mouth of the Priests against Christ to the Rulers at the Counsell And against the Apostles and against the Prophets And is it your mouth now to your Magistrates in the Apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles But do you think that the Magistrates will let you get a top of their backs and gallop upon them to be their executioners If ye be Ministers that have the Spirit of God stop the mouthes of the gain-sayers for never did the Apostles nor the true Church wrestle against flesh and blood But they struck at the power that captivated the Creatures to the intent that the Creatures might come into the Libertie of the Sons of God But thy fruits hath stunck about thee and your fruits how Barbarously the Saints have been used among you and true Christians in the spirit and so them that make War against the Saints are such that inwardly ravened from the spirit and so got the sheepes cloathing and turned against them that had the Spirit of God ravened from the Spirit of God inwardly lost the spiritual weapons and had onely the sheepes cloathing and that would not carry them out in the time of need and so was fain to flie to Magistrates to the carnal weapons and so by this means in all ages the righteous have been slain by them that had the Scriptures but from the spirit that gave them forth and all the Saints upon the earth have been slain by them that have been from that of God in their own particulars which now that is awakened by which men come to be turned unto God And so you now that do deny the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world that preach men should have sin while they be upon earth and the body of it and imperfection are such as have led people captive all their life times with the form of godliness without the power And keepes people in spiritual Egypt Sodom and Gomorah in filthyness and darkness where Christ was crucified by them whose ears were stopt to that of God in them and that was spiritual Egypt And so are all you that be inwardly ravened from the Spirit of God in your own particulars yet having a form of godliness denying the power you are from that of God ravened inwardly Ye are like to be reprobated concerning the faith ye are not like to lead people to the knowledge of the truth but like to keep them in the divers lusts laden with their sins and alwayes learning never able to come to the knowledge of truth there is all the witchcraft and sorcery and inchantments and familiar spirits and such doth deny the light which doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world And as for all thy lies and all thy slanders and reviles they will be thy own clothing and wear thy own garments thou must and they will cover thee in darkness in the day of thy judgement when thy works are tried with fire the witness in thy conscience shall answer I am a friend to thy soul And thy shame and folly and wickedness thou hast published to the Nation which all sober people see thy folly and thy silence had been better to have Preached thee a sober man But novices and fools must utter their folly And the Truth is gone over ye and thou shalt feel it one day when thou and thy works are tryed with the fire And Eternally shalt thou witnesse â—â—ey are Judged and condemned Edward Boules who calls himself a Teacher of the Gospel at Yorke in his Book he calls The duty and danger of Swearing opened as he saith in a Sermon preached at Yorke the day of swearing the LORD MAYOR This is the Title of his Book which he directs to Stephen Watson Lord Major the Aldermen and Common Councel of that Citie whose work is to teach them to break the commands of Christ throughout his Book in that which he calls a SERMON Pr. FIrst he sayes Christ brought down the rigteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees and how that the Pharisees wrests the Scriptures or made the Scriptures to bend to their own righteousnesse Answ This is your own condition and the Papists who cannot own the Scriptures as they speak but you will make the Scriptures bend to your own wills and wrests them as the Pharisees did and as you and the Papists do Christs words who sayes Swear not at all and you say swear How now Edward Bouls who makes the Scriptures bend now Thou teaches men should swear and Christ said Ye shall not swear at all and so art an Antichrist and against the Doctrine of Christ and teachest thy own tradition for doctrine and makes the commandement of Christ of none effect He that 's against the doctrine of Christ is an Antichrist and so the Papists and Protestants and Pharisees all are found swearers out of Christs Doctrine that sayes swear not at all and yet in your pride will make a trade of his words and a talking of his words to get money by Pr. Thou sayes Christ came not to destroy the Law and it hath deceived some to say Swear not at all The Scriptures must not be taken in generall termes for Paul said he became all things to all men And Christ and our Saviour his intent is this that we should not swear as we were wont to do for the word Generall not at all must be interpreted so that you see it is the scope and circumstance of this place that this Swear not at all be interpreted vain and unnecessary customes and abuse of swearing among the Jewes and it is not unlawfull to swear but to all men not onely a liberty but in just cases a duty of swearing and part of divine worship not Ceremoniall or Mutable there 's no shadow or type in it An Oath is for confirmation and the end of strife it gives the last peale to all differences and gives a great honour to God and is the proper end of worship and consequently a great honour Answ They are deceived that breaks Christs commands for when he says swear not at all He sayes in all your communication let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is contrary is evill So he layeth down no other Doctrine that men should practice then not to swear at all but yea yea and nay nay them that goes any further go into the evill whatsoever is more is evill So minde these 3 things and the Apostle becoming all to all men yet not without the Law of Christ Mark the Law Christ which was Swear not at all so still that 's agreeable to Christs words the Scripture is taken generall and Christ
for he abode not in it Pr. They say Faith is not perfect in respect of its degree and measure in us Answ The faith of God is the gift of God and it is pâ—rfect in us in it's measure and degree though thy measure and degree is not perfect and here thou hast tryed thy faith and thy gift which is not perfect for the gift of God is perfect Pr. And yet they say The worke of this faith is for purifying and justifying and not perfect in the degree and measure of it in us Answ Can an unperfect thing purifie and justifie And doth not the Scripture speak of one Faith that gives victory And doth not the Apostle say that faith abides And can that abide which is not perfect And Christ saith He that hath faith as a grain of mustard-seed shall remove mountains and is not that perfect Now here all men may see if you who call your selves Ministers divide the word aright We say faith is perfect in the least measure and degree the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 10. And it is that with which men please God which faith works by love and so brings off the works of the Law by which faith men are justified which is in the heart Pr. They say It 's a manifestation of the deluding of poore soules to hold forth a crucified Christ within risen within ascended within and Scriptures within and saith this is a new Gospell Answ If Christ that 's crucified be not within and Christ that 's risen be not within I say that you all are Reprobates and if the Scripture be not within which was spoken forth from within you all want the spirit that gave it forth and Christ the substance of it and you have not eaten his flesh neither are you of his bone and this is not opposite to Jesus Christ without that dyed at Jerusalem but the same for who eats his flesh has it within them and this is not a new Gospel Pr. And they say False Christs hath a new false faith to apprehend this crucified Christ within Answ Which is contrary to the faith of the Apostles which preached Christ that 's crucified within and not another him that was raised up from the dead was risen that Lord Jesus Chrâ—â—â— within the same yesterday to day and for ever by whom the world was made glorified with the Father before the world began It was he that was manifest in the Saâ—nts that was and is and not another for the other is the Antichrist Pr. And they say It is a Scripture of the Devills making to apprehend this crucified Christ within Answ Now I say if there be any other Christ but he that was crucified within he is the false Christ and the Scripture holds forth this and the Devill never made it but he and his messengers are against it And he that hath not this Christ that was risen and crucified within is a Reprobate though Devils and Reprobates may make a talk of him without Pr. They say The light of revelation renders Gods Christ odious Answ None knows the Son of God but by revelation and with the Light and they are them that renders Christ odious that be out of the light of revelation of the Son as the Pharisees did as now the Beast and false Prophets doth in making war against the Saints in light and the Lamb but the Lamb and the Saints shall get the victory glory to the highest They that walke in the light are not opposite to Christ but to the Beast and the false Prophets but are in unity with the Son and with the Father Pr. And they say What a sad doctrine is that which saith follow the light with which Christ hath enlightned all which cometh into the world A. This is contrary to the Apostles doctrine which was to go into all Nations to turn people from darknesse to light and preach the new Covenant to Jewes and Gentiles the salvation to the ends of the earth a leader of the peeple and contrary to the Apostles doctrine which bid the Saints walk in the light and they should have fellowship one with another and so not sad but fellowship but thou and you that are Apostates are from this light gone and that which doth make manifest is light and with it are you that are apostates from it seen and so follows not the light that every one is enlightned with that comes into the world and so be out of unity one with another and fellowship with the Son and with the Father and be out of his covenant all on heaps in the apostacy that walks not in the light but calls it a sad doctrine to bid others to follow it Ye children of the light ye are the light of the world let your light shine before men that they may glorifie your Father which is in heaven like lamps burning for ye are as a City set on a hill that cannot be hid And Christ saith he that followeth the light shall not walk in darkness Pr. They say It is a rendring of the Scriptures odious and Law by telling of the Scripture within which Christ never taught nor his Disciples but God hath given them up to a reprobate minde Answ Was not all the Scriptures from the spirit within and was it not there before it came out And must not all upon the earth have the spirit within that gave it forth before they can understand the Scripture without given forth from the spirit of God within others And was not the Apostles and Christs preaching of the Scripture within the Law in the heart and the Word in the heart And the Kingdom within and the spirit within leading into all truth the spirit of the Father speaking in you and Christ within and is not this extolling Scripture of truth and are not all they reprobates that have Scripture without and not within Pr. And they say But this is the Devils designe by pretending that people may attain a more excellent way following what is made known to them from the Light withiâ— them A. I never read such a Doctrine that the Devill taught that any should follow that which the light made known within them and I know he did not for he is out of the light and that which it makes known within for the light which shines within makes known the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ whereby men come to be changed from glory to glory till they come into the image of God and this the light makes known within 2 Cor. 4. Pr. And they say God hath a Christ distinct from all other things whatsoever whether they be spirits or bodies Answ Gods Christ is not distinct from his Saints nor his bodies for he is within them nor distinct from their spirits for their spirits witnesse him And God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe who is the head of every creature And there is not any creature but it's manifest in his
for the believer in the light is led with the spirit of truth into all truth and he that believes not in the Light is with the spirit of truth reproved Pr. They say for one to be convinced of his sins against the Law and have some power against them these they call miserable blind Pharisees Ans Them that was blind Pharisees transgressed the Law of God lived out of the power and that which convinced of the transgression of the Law so they said and did not and wo was pronounced against them and so judgement came to be neglected and the doers of the Law was justified and not called blind Pharisees and that was in its place but Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness sake to them that believes and those was not called blind Pharisees which followed that which shewed them the transgression of the Law for those was the doers Pr. They say the spirit shall convince all men and women sufficiently of that righteousness which Christ fulfilled Ans That which doth convince of righteousness all men and women as thou coâ—fesseth if they believe in the light which Christ hath enlightened them withall it will lead them from their own righteousness and be their teacher and come to be taught of God Pr. They say the light convinceth of sin against the Law but will not shew a soul a Saviour or a deliverer Answ That 's contrary to the Apostle who saith the light that shined in their hearts will give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ who is the Saviour and he shall be my salvation to the ends of the earth covenant to Jewes and Gentiles Pr. They say the light will not shew a man his lost condition righteousness blood death resurrection and intercession of Jesus Christ. Answ There 's nothing makes manifest but light Nor none knowes the blood death righteousness and resurrection of Jesus Christ but with the light which comes from Jesus Christ who hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world and that 's it shall give all men assurance that he is raised from the dead the light of the body is the eye that lets see salvation Pr. They say Christ went away into heaven from his Disciples and so not within them Answ Did not he say he would come again to them did he not say he was in them I in you and did not the Apostle say Christ was in them except they were reprobates the hope of glory was not he revealed in the Apostle and so in him and did not the Apostle Preach Christ within and you Preach Christ with out Prin. They say that those believers that are in the body now at this day are absent from the Lord. Answ Doth not the Apostle say that Christ is in them except they be reprobates and he is in them the hope of glory and they have fellowship with God and God will dwell in them and walk in them and he that believes believes in him in Christ so not absent Pr. And they say he is absent from them as touching his flesh Answ Doth not the Apostle say that they are of his flesh and of his bone and he that eats not his flesh hath no life in him and they fit in heavenly places with him and he that eats his flesh hath it within him Pr. They say that there is not any heaven within into which the man Christ is ascended for can any man contain a man four foot long Answ Christ is a mystery and is not he to be revealed within who is a mystery he who did ascend to be revealed and made manifest in his Saints in flesh and spirit that did descend which is now manifested that the world wonders at that is ascended far above the heavens who is the Saints life living bread and drink and where ever used the Ministers of Christ any such expressions as thou doth which shews that Christ is yet to thee a mystery Prin. They say Stars falling from heaven is professors falling from the faith to the earth Answ This is fulfilled upon you all who have given Judgement upon your selves and so from the faith in which is the unitie in which men please God and hath victory over the world and this you may read since the dayes of the Apostle who are fallen all down into the earth for mony and stipends Pr. They say that God hath given assurance to all men and commands all to repent every where in that he will Judge the world in righteousnesse by the man Christ Jesus Answ That every man that cometh into the world is enlightened by Christ the light of the world him by whom it was made who will give them a reward according to their works that denyes his Light and are found in the works of daâ—kness â—r They say That the end of Christs coming is that the people of God should shine as the sun and the cause that hinders them for shining is the body of death Answ The righteous and the Saints comes to witnesse the body of sin put off and thanks God who hath given them victory and comes into the second Adam the Lord from heaven out of the first Adam where the shining state is witnessed the holy mount of God the city that cannot be hid Pr. They say If a mans obedience flow not from the faith it is but sin in the sight of the great God Ans And yet they say faith is not perfect in the measure and degree Pr. And they say Four times that Christ ascended away from his Disciples and was not in them Ans And Christ said I in you you in me and he would come and dwell in them and make his abode with them which the Apostles came to witness and sate with him in heavenly places Pr. They say that the man Christ that was crucified his body is now in the presence of his Father absent from his people as touching his bodily presence Answ Doth not the Apostle say he is the head of the Church And doth not the Apostle say they are of his flesh and bone and sit with him in heavenly places with Christ And Christ saith they must eat his flesh and he is in them Pr. And they say that Christ is absent from the Saints in the world its clear Answ When the Apostle saith Christ was in the Saints and Christ in you the hope of glory And the Apostle saith he hath revealed the Son in him And he that hath not the Son of God hath not life And after the same Christ which was crucified and risen came to be manifest in his Saints and not another And so the Saints come to feed upon his flesh and drink his blood which is their life which body Christ gives for the the life of the world and which blood appeaseth the wrath of the Almighty And as for the rest of John Burton and John Bunians lyes and slanders they are
not worth mentioning but the Scriptures are owned And Iohn art thou finding fault because men wears no hatbands and eats and drinks bread and water and casts by their pride Now thou mayst see who thou hast taken part with and who is the scoffer and sheweth thy self and who is thy Master short of all good And as for all your bad names and misconstruing of Scriptures it will come upon your selves and thou hast shewed in all thy Book that thou art not able to divide the word aright nor an instructer of Babes Pr. And thou saith that Christ dyed for the sins of the elect Answ And the Scripture saith he was an offering for the sins of the whole world and who shall lay charge to Gods elect whom he justifies Pr. And thou speaks of God destroying men for their ignorance and they shall finde no favour in the day of judgement Answ Whereas the Scripture saith in the time of ignorance God winked at but now he commands all men every where to repent and every man that cometh into the world is enlightned And the spirit of truth shall reprove the world of sin of righteousnesse and of judgement which leads believers into all truth And the grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared to all men but they turne it into wantonnesse which is the Saints teacher And this shall make every tongue to confesse to the glory of God and every knee to bow at his name which is the Emanuel and so none shall plead ignorance as thou saist who art in the ignorance thy selfe but inexcusable because convicted and hast rejected the tender mercies who hast lifted up thy selfe against the Saints and the Lamb but a stone is set over thy head that shall grind thee to powder and the Saints shall have the victory and the Kingdome that is an everlasting Kingdome the witnesse in thy conscience shall witnesse against thee for all thy hard speeches and let thee know that you and thou had better have been silent then to fight against the Lord the Lamb and his Saints that 's the word of the Lord God to thee and you all When ye are judged the witnesse in all your consciences shall answer W. P. his Principles in his Book intituled according to truth that quakes not trembles not nor quailes Pr. THey say If the Apostles had been put to preach upon a short Text or methodically as by a long practice in the Church it is expected from us that they might oft times have studyed for it Answ In this you have shewed your spirits and made manifest you are voyd of the revelation from God and your ignorance of the Scriptures for the holy Ghost shall not speak of it selfe but take of his And the Apostles what they had seen and heard they declared And Christ what he had received of the Father he declared and the spirit that which speaks in the Church and it shews the fulfilling of the Scriptures and it keeps not people long in Texts as the world doth that wrests Scriptures up and down and keep people in sects and so there is the spirit leading into all truth and the spirit of the Father speaking within and the holy Ghost that moved men to give forth Scripture that teacheth to divide the word aright which is the spirit of prophecy in the Church not studying Pr. They say Every man that hath the spirit in some measure doth not attain to the great height and degree that they did that gave forth Scriptures that therefore may not lawfully and infallibly teach as they did Ans Every man that hath a measure of the spirit of God in the least measure or degree it is infallible and so far may they teach infallibly and know Scriptures but they cannot know all Scriptures but as they attain to the full measure of the spirit of the Prophets and Apostles and to the measure and stature and fulness of Christ and if they do not attain to all this they are not able to know all the Scriptures and the work of the Ministers of God was to bring people to this to the measure and stature and fulnesse of Christ and saith Let every one minister as he hath received the grace And take heed of any of you going beyond your measure and them that deny the grace of God appearing to all men cannot minister Pr. They say The greatest part of professors in the visible Church were and are always earthly minded nor can rightly value spirituall and heavenly things Ans In this you and your Ministers hath shewed your fruits like Balaams which withers and are earthly such as Jude speaks of that separateth themselves sensuall and had not the spirit but went forth from the Apostles that are got up since the days of the Apostles Church and Ministry like Priest like people and to be such as was coming up before the Apostles decease as he speaks on in Timothy which minded earthly things like Teacher like People that preach themselves thorow with many hurtfull lusts while they coveted after money they lost the faith and so came people to be all on heaps out of unity in the earth being out of the faith of Gods elect so this is all in the apostacy since the Apostles Pr. And he saith That he is not a hireling that takes wages The wages are allotted to him for his worke Ans But do not all you preach for hire and is it not for hire you preach Now the least in the truth may see you Is there ever a Priest in the Nation but he is hired to work or if he have it not he will not stay Now to prove that you do preach for hire where many Steeple-houses in many Parishes that hath no Priest thither you go not because there is but a little Benefice and they have soules as well as others and where there is agreement for so much a year thither you go is not this for hire and so the Prophets words fulfil'd the Priests preach for hire and all these great sums of money which has lifted you up and gathered a great deale of it out of poor mens labours this hath been the undoing of you all and Nations and many poor people because they cannot put into your mouths but now is God come to judgement upon you all in the apostacy apostates Pr. And thou calls the Steeple-house a Church Ans Which is the Church which is come up since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy for the Church is the people of God the elect seed which Christ is the head of who in the midst of this Church doth sing praises which is the pillar and ground of truth without spot or wrinkle Whereas the Steeple-house you call your Church will spot wrinkle and blemish and decay and fall down and wicked men may prevail against it but the gates of Hell cannot prevail against that Church which is built upon the rock Pr. And thou sayst Thou dost not
speak in that degree of the holy Ghost as the Prophets and Apostles did that spoke forth Scriptures Answ Then thou must take heed of exalting thy self above thy measure for thou canst not know Scripture but by the same degree of the spirit the Prophets and Apostles had Pr. And he saith He hath no command in Scripture to sprinkle Infants and he holds it not absolutely necessary he hath no command in Scripture against it and he hath a commandement of the Governors and so he is subject to every Ordinance of man Answ An ordinance of man that is not of absolute necessity consider what it is and that which the Scripture no where commands nor thou hast no example for it consider what that is and to say the Scripture no where forbids it it forbids all the traditions and doctrines of men so that is judged by the spirit of God that is set up by men Pr. Thou saist The Lord may give with the outward washing the spirit to the childe Answ Can man receive the spirit of God by following traditions of men and outward things Was not they all from it and from the spirit and doth it not judge them for setting up such things God never commanded Pr. And he speaks of Davids Psalms given to the world sutably Answ The world must repent and be in the spirit for it lyes in wickednesse before they can know Davids singing for the Prophet saith their songs must be turned into howling and Davids condition is not the worlds Pr. He saith men may respect persons in their places Answ That 's contrary to the Apostle who said God was without respect of persons and that the Gentiles should be accepted as well as the Iewes He that doth righteousnesse is accepted with God who holds the faith of Christ it is without respect of persons it is in the unity and they that be out of that be out of the unity So thou hast pleaded for that which art out of his Doctrine He that respects persons commits sin and is convinced of the Law for a transgressor as saith the Apostle W. P. thy works are tryed and weighed and found too light and condemned for the fire the witnesse in thy conscience shall answer but now in thy security thou art asleep but the wrath of the Lamb shall finde thee out And as for all thy lies and slanders thou heaps up in thy Book they are not worth mentioning but will come upon thy own self for they are thine own covering which is judged the witnesse in thee shall answer The Elders and Messengers of the severall Churches of Ilston Abergevenny Tredingnoge Carmarthen Hereford Bredwerden Cledacke and Liangors Meeting at Brecknocke whose Book is Titled An ANTIDOTE against the Infections of the TIMES Which hath shewed your selves full of poison and such as infect the Times but with the spirit of Truth ye are comprehended and judged Your Principles are as Followeth Pr. YOu say you are conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity Psal 51.1 Answ David doth not say you who were conceived in sinne but I and W. P. saith John was sanctified from the womb and the Scripture speaks of such as were sanctified from the womb and children that were clean And so you do not speak as Elders and Messengers of true Churches or men dividing the word aright but you are one against another though you are all against them you call Quakers that be in the truth Pr. They say They observe the designe of Satan to cast down the walls of Sion and to remove the living stones thereof from the sure foundation the rock of ages the Lord Jesus Christ and draw them to build upon the sands Answ Is this like that the Elect should be deceived living stones should be drawn from the sure foundation the rock of Ages the Lord Jesus Christ for these living stones to be built upon the sand and drawn from the Rock of Ages this Doctrine doth not sound like men of understanding For the living stones are the spirituall houshold and the royall Priest-hood and there 's the foundation that stands sure the Rock the Devill is out of and the gates of Hell cannot prevail against it you in your Notions let living stones alone for none can pluck them out of the Fathers hand Pr. And they say No man can redeem the soul of his brother Answ Solomon saith the fruits of the righteous â—s a tree of life and he that wins souls is wise And he that saves a man from his evill wayes saves a soule from a multitude of sins Again thou saist No man the greatest of men can redeem the soule of his brother Ye should not have left out Christ the Saviour the Redeemer the man Christ Jesus the elder Brother so you are a company of blinde Pastors contrary to them that gave forth Scriptures Pr. To say heaven and glory is in man which was before man was they are sottish and blinde Answ There 's none have a glory and a heaven but within them which was before man had a being Pr. Wherefore take heed of depending upon any righteousnesse within you or any righteousnesse done by you Answ This is a strange Doctrine that men must take heed of any righteousnesse done by them or within them This is contrary to Scripture which saith the kingdome of heaven is within that stands in righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and the fruits of the spirit is righteousnesse and goodness and this is that which ends the righteousness of the Law and he that doth righteousness is righteous and Christ the righteousness of God is with them Prin. Man hath received a light from Christ as a creature but not as a Redeemer Answ That 's false For whosoever hath received a light from Christ hath received a Redeemer and a Saviour and he that doth believe in it is saved and he that doth not is condemned Pr. And they say If you love your souls beware of such delusions least ye perish eternally that say it is the true light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world following it it is sufficient to bring men to heaven which light is natural reason and conscience Answ The light that every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall cometh from the salvation Christ which is the way to the Father whose throne is in Heaven and Christ saith believe in the light that ye may become the children of the light and he that believes in the light shall not come into condemnation All men is enlighened that through the light they might believe so you are not able to divide the word aright and all that be from this light are lo here lo there and so are in the natural reason and conscience which the light is not the light was afore they was Pr. They say none should never have known a Justification nor a Sanctification if it bad not been written Answ I do believe you had not
but hear you have laid aside the Holy Ghost how knew they before they gave it forth hear thou hast denyed Revelation of the spirit for though a man has all the writings yet he knowes nothing of God but by the the Spirit of God nor sanctification nor justification which is Christ and the light which comes from him Pr. You say You are fallen into the last times prophesied of by Christ and you are to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints Answ The faith delivered once to the Saints ye are out of in respecting persons and are Apostates from it and the last times which Christ spoke of should come which John saw was come when the false prophets which Christ prophesied of was come which went forth from the Apostles which since their days the world went after them and now from them is the Lord God bringing his people to the rock of ages into the faith they are out of Pr. Foolish man would have his righteousness in himself Answ Every one that hath Christ hath the righteousness of God wrought in him and none owneth the righteousness of Christ but who owneth the light that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world and they are foolish that know not this and the righteousness of faith in them Pr. It is blasphemy they say and colourable pretences to witness an infallible spirit in them Answ The spirit that leads the Saints into all truth is infalliable and that shall reprove the world and he that hath the spirit of Christ hath that which is infalible and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his but are in the colourable pretences Pr. They say The Scriptures is the quick and powerful word Answ Many may have the Scriptures and the form and deny the power and the Scriptures are words of God and the word is God and this word is in the heart which led them to speak forth Scripture And many Scriptures they bring to oppose the Doctrine of Christ who saith be not ye called of men Master for ye have one Master even Christ to whom every knee shall bow and every tongue confesse to the glory of God will men receive worship when Angels would not receive it but bad them worship God Pr. They say They rail and cavil at the lawful maintenance that God hath ordained for them Answ God hath suffered the beast to make havock and spoil the Saints goods but where doth God ordain that you should take Tythes and treble damages Easter reckonings and Mid-summer dues and that you should sue men at the Law and cast them in prison till death where did God command this they that Preach the Gospel should live on the Gospel and they bring glad tidings to people and this is not glad tidings to cast into prison till death and hale up and down to Courts and Sessions for outward maintenance if these men bring glad tidings let the spiritual judge or whether they do not make their folly manifest to all men that can but read the Scripture Pr. They say Such as trust in their own inherent righteousness compasse Sea and Land to make prosolytes Answ It was so in the dayes of the Pharisees it hath been so since the dayes of the Apostles since the beast and the false prophet got up who deny the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world Gods righteousness Christ and such as denyed the light had the form and such gather people into the form of Moses the Prophets Christ and the Apostles words establishing their own righteousness and denying the righteousness of God the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world and all you that doth deny the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world hath troden the blood of the Covenant under foot and you tell us of humane and inherent righteousness which the Scripture tels us no such words and as for all the rest of the lies in the book we let them go home again upon their own heads and every word shal be their own burthen and that in your conscience shall witness and the Scriptures are owned by the Quakers and denyed by you but owned for your own ends that deny the light A BOOK Entitled The Quakers Cause But no name is found in it but is a Book of darkness railing and lies is come to light and because some who leave father and mother and wife therefore he rages who is out of the Light and Doctrine of Christ And the Principles are as followeth Pr. SUch as forsakes husband and wife to do the will of God this he cals a breaking of relations Ans And thus ignorantly speaks evil of those things he knowes not Thus ignorant of the command of Christ and the Scriptures but hath shewed himself to be a member of the world and not of Christ who saith he that doth not forsake father and mother wife and children is not worthy of me Pr. He saith Because he saith thou to God it doth not follow that he should say thou to his earthly father to speak to God as he doth to man Answ Now minde what proud flesh would have of whom thou hast learnt to speak you to an earthly man or to a particular person which the Scripture hath taught no such Language nor the accidence that which teacheth thee to give more to man then to God is the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God teaches to speak righteously and when there is but one not to say as of many and so there is thou to one and you to many And so here is the form of sound words that cannot be condemned now you may see where your Original stands which cannot endure the form of sound words Prin. He saith To be justified by grace which is Christ in them this is a kind of Popery Answ Contrary to Scripture and the Apostles Doctrine Before the Pope was and them either which saith Christ was in them who are justified by faith and faith was in the heart and justified in the spirit and who witnesse the spirit the spirit of grace and by grace ye are saved and that which saves justifies and being justified by grace and thou that art of the Pope and in the Apostacy denies this Pr. To say Christ is within is never to mention Christ without Answ There 's none knowes Christ within but he knowes him without the same yesterday to day and for ever and there 's none knowes him but they know him within revealed of the Father which is beyond flesh and blood Pr. And he sayes To run upon new birth self-denial light within Christ within man if this be not a kinde of Popery and a fair gate for Rome he is deceived Answ Light within Christ within new birth self denial is out of your works and Romes which was the Doctrine that the Apostles held forth and the Saints witnessed Christ within
light within and new birth such were they that came into the the Kingdom of God over the Kingdoms of the world and because some have been moved of the Lord to go naked among you a figure of your nakeâ—ness and want your cloathing at which you rage that you may appear more naked of the spirit of God And as for all thy lies and slanders and hard expressions in thy book though thou hast hid thy name yet truth will bring thy works upon thee and make the witnesse in thee to answer who and which is for the fire and to thee this shall be thy burden who art like a man that scorns and scoffes and thou hides thy self Pr. And thou sayest That good woman called which went naked Answ Thou hast justified her to be good and thou canst not say that that which was good called that which was good beastly or bad that went naked which was your figure then thou talkest of higher power and honour of men like thy brethren the Pharisees and not like one that knew the higher power which respects no mans person and the good women are those that fear God that have the adorning of the hidden man of the heart that hath the Aray of Sarah John Jackson Entitled Stength in weakness His Principles are as followeth Pr. ONe thats kept groaning and waiting for the adoption for the adversaries assaults and contests within her and yet she 's in the kingdom thou sayest and union with Christ and spiritual Son-ship Answ Spiritual Son-ship and in the kingdom and yet groaning for adoption how hast thou brought thy self to the light to be judged for the least in the kingdom was greater then John he that 's in the kingdom is in righteousness peace and joy in the Holy-Ghost and thou sayest in the Kingdom of grace groaning that is but a notion of the Kingdom that keeps them groaning for adoption Pr. And as thou sayest false prophets and Christs and dâ—ceivers many should come if it was possible to deceive the very elect Answ Yea Christ said they should come to his Apostles which before their discease they did come and went forth from them which Christ said should inwardly raven and get the sheepes cloathing which since the dayes of the Apostles all the world went after them as thou may read in the Revelation and now are people but coming from them to the Rock and now shall the everlasting Gospel be Preached to them that dwell upon the earth over the heads of the beast and the false prophet and they shall be taken and the Lamb and the Saints shall have victory Pr. He saith I hope you will not condemn the generation of the righteous because they are not perfect Answ That which condemnes is righteous it condemnes that which is not perfect and that which is righteous is perfect and the generation is righteous and not to be condemned Pr. A son or daughter that 's translated into the kingdom of the dear Son hath filthinesse pollutions of flesh and spirit to put off and the members to be mortified Answ How is he translated into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God or grace if he have that before mentioned to put off and what is he translated out of that when he is translated into the Kingdom he hath filthiness of flesh and spirit and members to put off and to mortifie there after he is translated into the kingdom the which filthiness of flesh and spirit and unmortified members comes not into the kingdom for they are mortified in their passage to it for no unrighteousness enters into the Kingdom and as saith the Apostle nor no unmortified thing comes into the Kingdom of God for it consists of joy and peace in the Holy Ghost and unrighteousnesse and all filth of flesh and spirit and unmortified is without it Pr. It is the comforter that convinceth the world of sin but all men have not the spirit neither are they convinced so of their unbelief Answ Every man that cometh into the world is enlightened that he may believe in the light and he that believes in the Light receives the Comforter and he that believes not in the light the spirit of truth reproves him for his unbelief for his righteousness and his judgement and I say the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is sufficient believing in it and shall have the light of life and shall not abide in darkness and come to the rock Christ and all being in the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world shall in the light see their salvation to the ends of the earth and need not say lo here or lo there and as for all the wrangling stuff in thy book what he said and what she said and what sayest thou a garment to cover you had been better silent and not have laid open your nakedness to the Nation I say unto thee this stuff and bush will burn in the fire and the witness in thee shall answer which shall witness me and judge thy contentious spirit which shewes you are far from the Kingdom and silence had Preacht more and the patience then the strife which stands in self justification and to justifie that â—o be mortified and put off which never came there And all men that doth not believe in the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world the spirit doth convince them and is manifest to them and in them A Book Title Page called Hosanna to the Son of David But the Book is namelesse and so reviles and rails and hides himselfe in the darke and his intent and drift in his Book is to make the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world a Covenant of works or Law without which Christ the Light is the Covenant of God the end of the first Covenant and its works and end of the Law to Jewes Gentiles in which they have peace one with another and with God And secondly he goes about to make the Comforter above Christ the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which Christ the light saith that he will send to them that hath the light the Comforter and he shall take of his and give to them and not speak of himself which Christ had not spoken of himselfe but as he heard and saw of the Father he spoke And the rest of his Principles are as followeth Pr. THou saist The lying murtherer he hath sent forth his Instruments which goes under the name of Quakers and disguised with piety and purity to preach the everlasting Gospell and they hold forth a light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world what it doth in every man and what it is in every man and how it will lead men to purity and righteousnesse and from drunkennesse and taking Gods name in vain and check them when they do wrong and make manifest all ungodlinesse
your order and Gospel since the dayes of the Apostles who are such as Christ said should come inwardly ravening forth from the Spirit of God and have got sheepes cloathing which since the dayes of the Apostles they have walked after you who have deceived the world and Nations But we see that the false Ministers the worshippers of the Beast Antichrist and the deceivers among whom is the Devil to deceive is now taken with the false prophets the Beast and Antichrist the Mother of Harlots and confounded and cast into the lake of fire and the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory And the Gospel is immediate and he is cursed that Preacheth another the word I say is immediate it lives abides and endures for ever and the Ministers that are in the spirit are immediate and these are furnished with the mysteries of the Gospel and their calling is immediate and the Overseers of the Church which the Holy-Ghost makes are immediate and all that be in the life that gave forth Scripture which nones knowes the Scriptures but by it they are all immediate that which doth convince of sin is immediate But now your mediate Calls your mediate Ministry and Overseers knowledge Word Gospel and people Church are mediate we do believe you all this is so amongst you since the dayes of the Apostasie from the Apostles Doctrine power life and spirit which they were in with which ye are judged and who are in the life they are in that gave forth Scriptures which you are ravened from and are not like to talk of immediate Pr. The Scripture is the Word and the Rule Answ The Scriptures are the Words of God and Christ is the Word in whom they end and the Word of God is the end which fulfills all Scriptures which came to the Prophets which the Apostles Preached which they discerned and spoke forth the words and the fulfilling of the words which the Scriptures of truth cannot be broken but fulfilled by Christ the word and the spirit is the rule that gave forth Scriptures and that led the Saints into all â—ruth Pr. Thomas Castel went naked in the streets of Kendal and Thomas Holmes of Kirkby Steven Answ This hath been a figure of your nakedness who are Egypt spiritual and the Ethiopian black and the Prophet Esaiah did not put off all his clothes say they conrary to the Prophets words and he was to go among all the transgressors in Ethiopia and Egypt a figure of their nakednesse so since the dayes of the Apostles and the Apostasie ye have gone from the spirit of God inwardly ravening from that ye have wanted the cloathing with the spirit ye have had only the outside the sheepes cloathing but have been naked of the life such the Lord hath moved his servants to give a true sign amongst you and not a lying who have their cloathing of the spirit which ye want which ye shall witness the truth of the Lord God in the signe if ever ye come into the true cloathing of the spirit of God Pr. And ye say Christ did not mean as he speak when he said be not ye called of men Masters Answ Which shewes they are none of his Ministers which trample upon his Commandments and teach people that it is lawful to break them shewing the lawfulness of them to be called of men Masters so as for their calling of men Masters standing praying in the Synagogues their long robes salutations their Tythes and their Pulpits these are the works of the perfect Pharisees which all people may look upon their fruits their works and practices and see the very image and that they have their very garments and places according to their condition fruits and works and as for all the rest of their hard speeches lies slanders villifyings and railings which they have poisoned people withall will be their own burthen and fall heavy upon them and turn upon their own heads Their way is compassed their bounds is set and their limits and in this the day of their accompt every one shall feel his words to be his burthen And their patience had been better then to have uttered forth their folly and published it to the Nation But the day is come that tries every mans work and a witness is rising in people the morning is broak the Sun is rising the day-Star is risen that lies people do not make their refuge neither do feed upon them nor upon any thing but what comes from God but the living bread that comes from God above which who eats of it lives for ever Many have their bread and their water that hunger no more nor thirst no more The Worcestershire Petition to the PARLIAMENT which are said to be six thousand Pr. HE hath made a Law commanding all people to whom we Preach the Gospel to allow us a sufficient maintenance that we may not be hindered from or in his work Answ The Scriptures and the Apostles did not speak of any such thing that Christ did make a Law for them commanding all the world to whom they Preached to allow them a sufficient maintenance that they might not be hindred from or in their work What! will maintenance hinder them if they have it not was not this the command of Christ to give freely as they from him had received freely and then if any set meat before them they might eat it But if this Law commanding all the world a sufficient maintenance and allowance to the Apostles and Disciples had been first which they might have been sure of maintenance this had been the way to have clogged the the peoples minds have brought them into trouble which the Gospel was otherways glad tidings but if the Apostles had not Preached to the world without this law which ye speak of wâ—ich commands all the world to give them sufficient maintenance what a condition would all people have been in But they that had received freely was to give freely so you have manifested your spirits to be the deceivers of the people for means That ever 6000 people should say he made a Law commanding all the world to whom they Preach the Gospel to allow them sufficient maintenance When Christ saith they were to Preach as they went as the disciples went and they were to Preach if they did not receive them and they were to go into all Nations yet the Apostles did not plead a Law where they came that they were all to maintain them no they were in fasting often and would not use their power to eat among many people though they had power yet they would not use it and so the maintenance did not hinder the Apostles from their work for they Preached often in fastings and sometimes their own friends communicated to them when they were up and down among the heathen in other Nations Preaching the Apostles did not plead a Law to the Nations whom they Preached to and thus they brought glad tidings keeping
hearers are ashamed of you and will not justifie your practices and so yee have shewed your consciences who take the tenths that you are not exercised with the light neither be in the mystery of the Faith which gives to see the end of all changeable things And are not you begging with your Petitions for more maintenannce with your Petitions flying up and down for Glebe-lands and Augmentations to the powers of the earth and sending for Writs summoning up to the Courts people that you do no work for and this hath been the end of your fruits Pr. He that scorns to make use of the labours of men for his improvement in the things of God shewes himselfe proud If there be occasion to make use of humane Authors which we offer to our Hearers Answ Humane Authors are from the earth from the fallible nature to mixe and mingle that with that which is received from God he shews that he hath not discerning and makes that not sufficient which he hath received from God and this is contrary to the Apostles what the Saints of the Lord had delivered they did not mixe it with mens enticing words of wisdome neither did they speak it in the words which mans wisdome taught but which the holy Ghost did teach them Therefore this is to teach from mens labours or humane Authors for mens Labours and the humane authors invented come out of that nature which prisons the seed of God and so that is not agreeable to that which is received from God but every ones words there shall be his burthen and so humane authors are not to be mixed with the word of God for the word is pure nothing is to be added to or taken from it he that doth shall be proved a lyer and the higher power is not humane nor fallible Pr. Paul and Peâ—er were instructed by an immediate revelation which we are not so presumptuous to expect or to make the Ap stles condition our condition humane learning wil not acquaint us with the mind of God yet being sanctified it is a great assistance to that end Ans Are not ye in the presumption usurp authority to preach or to teach that have not the immediate revelation as the Apostles had but have got their words and usurps the authority and are out of their power is not this usurping Are not all who be not of the power in the words of the Apostles such as are to be turned away from by the command of the Apostle And are not all who be of God and in the power the life that the Prophets Christ and the Apostles were in the immediate revelation of God Can any know the Scriptures or the truth given forth from the spirit of truth learned of God the Father of truth but by the immediate revelation which is the spirit of God which reveales the things of God And thou speakest of study and prayer can any dvide the word aright or pray aright but in the spirit and where that is is not there immediate revelation from God and this thou calls presumption to be in the revelation as the Apostles were in which it is presumption to meddle with their words and not to be in the condition they were in that is persumption and to usurp athority and so ye are them that are got up since the daies of the Apostles ravening inwardly from the spirit of God that they were in have sheeps cloathing which Christ said should come Iohn saw was come went forth form them which since the daies of the Apostles the world have gone after you all but who have their names written in the book of life before the foundation of the world keep Jesus testimony And humane learning doth not help in the way and things of God as it is in it self but as the spirit doth open through all things and beyond all things and comprehends all Languages and sees before languages were that is it that ministers to the spirits in prison and that is not called humane learning which sees over languages and beyond languages and comes to have power over tongues languages and speeches and sees before they were Pr. Costome hath made it the civility of our language to say you to one and not to say thou to a Superiour except it be a Familier It is no great fault to respect mens persons and the Scripture onely makes men wise to salvation And it is a pernitious error in placing justification and salvation in righteousnesse within Ans That the righteousnesse of Christ might be fulfiled in us and where Christ is within there is sanctification and there is justification there is salvation known for there is no salvation known nor felt without but first it is found within Faith evidenceth it the spirit witniâ—sing the spirit comes to witnesse it the light sees it this is within And so they that have these words of righteousnesse of sanctification of Justification without not within are in the error none knows them without but first they know them within and you to a superiour and Thou to a familiar Is not God the Superiour the supream and dost thou say You to God dost thou esteem man higher in a place beyond God is not this ambition and pride and presumption and foolishnesse must thou not come to be judged here and be humbled for your miscariages and Thou to a familiar a person of low degree canst thou speak more familiarly to God then to man Thou to him and You to man is this righteous and sound speech that cannot be condemned Dost thou not in this shew that thou never learned the Accidence or Bible he that respects persons commits sin dost thou respect the poor and the rich in thy words and is by the law reproved to be a transgressor and is out of the faith that is held without respect of persons And as for the rest of all thy lies and hard expressions in thy Book they shall come upon thy self and to thee be a heavie burthen And the day hastens upon thee apace to the witness of God in thy conscience I speak which will let thee see that it had been better for thee if thou had never opened thy mouth then to have opened thy nakedness to the Nation and this is not the way to convert souls to rail for railing never converted any but brought them into a form out of the power and so encreased knowledge which was their sorrow R. Sherlock His Principles as followeth Pr. HE saith They do not attain the knowledge and understanding of the Gospel by the same means as the Apostles did saith he we Preach the same Gospel as the Apostles preached but do not attain to the knowledge and understanding of this Gospel by the same means Answ That which the Apostles received they received from God so ye receiving it not by the same means have received it from men and not from God Pr. He saith
The Apostles were eye witnesses and understood by immediate Revelation from God inspired with the gift of the spirit more then any man could hope for since and he saith they do not pretend any such gift nor depend upon any such immediate miraculous Revelation from Heaven Answ Then all may see now in this what ye have received that hath been from man which is not from Heaven immediate nor the gifts of the spirit nor received the Gospel by the same means the Apostles did who are not the eye witnesses as the Apostles were neither have ye attained to the same knowledge and understanding as the Apostles did nor received it from heaven now let all people question whether it is the same Gospel which is not received from Heaven nor immediately nor by Revelation for the Gospel is immediate which is the power of God Rom. 1. they are in the same power understanding knowledge and immediate Revelation from Heaven that the Apostles were in that understand the Gospel and they that be in another cannot understand that Gospel so he confesseth to the Nation in his answer to some Queries and in his discourse upon the holy spirit that they have not the same knowledge gift nor immediate Revelation as the Apostles had so he hath made himself manifest and the rest of the Priests that he is in the Apostacy not to have the Gospel the Apostles had Pr. He saith page 11. An external means enables them to open the meaning of the Gospel Answ An external opens not the eternal this all may judge that is in the fear of God and that is it which keepes them from being deceived and seduce the external which opens the eternal he saith so which is false for the eternal opens the external and the Gospel is eternal and that which reacheth to the soul which is immortal and all they are seduced and seducers that thinks and saith the external must open the eternal Prin. He saith Learned men are them which must give the sence of the Scripture Answ Pilate was a learned man and had Hebrew Greek and Latine and knew not the sence of the Scripture which crucified Christ And the learning of God is that which knowes the Scriptures by the spirit that gave them forth and not the confounded natural Languages and the Querie to him was whether any was to be called Master his Answer is Master is a Title of civil honour a Pharisee a transgressor of Christs commands Mat. 23. that tramples upon Christs command and his doctrine and makes the doctrine of Christ uncivil and this is your Lordship and your usurped Authority who would lord it over Gods heritage but he is throwing you out as dung upon the face of the earth Pr. He saith The Pharisees paid Tythes when they neglected the Law of God Answ Do not all you so Is not this your condition that takes Tythes whose fruits in the Nation make it manifest and the Apostle said the Priesthood was changed that took Tythes and the Apostles denyed the Pharisees that took them but you take them by compulsion and carry to prison till death if you cannot get them and in this you are worse then the Pharisees and first Priesthood that took Tythes which denyed Christ was come in the flesh Pr. He saith That children are of the Kingdom of God and yet they must be born again before they can enter into the Kingdom of God page 17. and sprinkling of Infants is Baptisme Answ Which there is no Scripture for he saith Christ commanded both his disciples and them to take and eat this and yet they never heard his voyce Pr. He saith To give an answer without imagination or consequence is without reason or Judgement Answ There is a reason and a Judgement out of imaginations and consequences to be given which is in truth and out of the doubtful dispute Prin. He saith While men be upon the earth the body of sin is not wholly subdued Answ Contrary to the Apostles doctrine who saith they were made free from sin and this is to deny the Circumcision which puts off the body of sin this is to keep out of Christ the second Adam in the first Adam in the fall Pr. He saith The contents of the Gospel are things of the spirit of God attained by an external means and the Apostles was called of God immediately which he saith no man must hope for since Answ Then you have all followed your own spirits and are found amongst the number of the false Prophets and them that ran and the Lord never spake to them and the things of the Gospel and of the spirit are not attained by an external means Pr. He saith We must not look for an immediate extraordinary miraculous teaching from the Lord. Answ Yet he saith all men are taught of God what confusion is here the grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared unto all men and teacheth us and this he calls an outward teaching by the Lord Jesus Christ Is that which brings salvation outward all in the truth may Judge this and try thy spirit and the teachings of the Lord is not mediate but extraordinary above all yours which are men got up since the dayes of the Apostles Pr. He saith They shall teach no more every man his neighbour saying know the Lord but they shall all know me from the least to the greatest and he saith again the most knowing man hath not attained such a perfection of knowledge in his gift as not to need teaching Answ So he is one that believes not in the promise they that love are of God and they that loveth knoweth God and they that loveth not God knoweth not God here are the spirits of the world made manifest and the spirit of God in his Saints from thy confusion so them that know God are taught of him Pr. He saith The anointing within people is a measure of spiritual wisdom Answ And yet they attain to the Gospel by an external means and it is onely all they that give heed to such spirits as these that go from the anointing within them that did not take heed to the anointing so going from the eternal means to the external means and from the immediate to the mediate with which they are now tryed which the Apostle saw come in which hath been since over the world but now made manifest Pr. He saith Sprinkling of Infants is Gods Ordinance Answ For which they have no Scripture but a tradition which hath been taught men for a doctrine by them who cannot shew where God commanded it Pr. He saith pag. 31. For the spirit within we are not so blind folded to follow the dictates thereof and we draw men from the spirit within It is humane learning that distinguishes the naked Truth whereby it is clearly seen and calls them blind that saith otherwise and cannot distinguish persons from houses he confesseth it is contentions to go to Law Answ Here he hath given
Judgement upon all the Priests the rest of his fellowes who in most coasts of the Nation are troubling people for Tythes and their maintenance and you are blind-folded who leads people from the spirit within who are ravened from it and hath the sheepes cloathing in the humane learning which is from the earth from the ground and that cannot distinguish the naked truth and with that the Pharisees could not see Christ as you be that cannot see the light which hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world nor the Sons of God who are led by the spirit Pr. He saith The Scripture was given forth in the Hebrew Greek and Latine which we truely say is the Original and to attain spiritual wisdom by depending upon miraculous Revelations from heaven is attempting the good Spirit of God Answ And here he is contrary to the Apostle what he had received from the Lord he declared and David waited upon the Lord and all the Prophets of God for Counsel and teaching and Revelation and this he calls a Temptation which no one knowes the Son but by Revelation nor the Father nor the Scripture not a Hebrew nor a Greek nor a Latinist but they that think to find it out by natural Languages are in the temptation from the Spirit of God which reveals the deep things of God which to all you inwardly raveners is miraculous and as for the rest of thy confusion and lies it is not worth the mentioning but shall cover thy self thy Judgement the witness shall answer and manifest thy cloathing John Wallace Priest of Kendal William Moore Priest of Kellet Priest WALKER Their Principles as followeth Pr. THey say That the Devil is transforming himself into an Angel of Light and this is to oppose the Light of Christ Answ The Light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall is that which Satan is out of and you that be out of the Light which Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world withall in you may Satan transform who tranformed before the Apostles decease which since their decease it hath been him that hath made this work among all creatures which you be under his power since the dayes of the Apostles in the night of the Apostacy and he hath been the cause of destroying people which be out of the Light in which is the unity To sing without the spirit to sing words made ready to their hands as the Jews could whose songâ— might be turned into howling and to sing in â—he spirit there is the melody made to the Lord where hymnes Psalms and spiritual songs are known but to say that Christ and the Apostles sung Davids Psalms turned into Meeter as you do now a thing made ready to their hands this would make as though the Apostles and Christ could not sing without Davids Psalms and would put every one besides the spirit for Christ was Lord of David and the Apostles Preached the end of David in that they sung and every man that cometh into the world having a Light from Christ and that which may be known of God is manifested within man though Jewes and Gentiles be from it it guiding all minds it will bring them to sing in the spirit as David Solomon Christ the Apostles and the Saints and in this let all make melody to the Lord in their hearts all having moving and breath from the Lord. So let all praise the Lord in the spirit and in it unto him sing who in him moves and lives and have their being Gawen Eglesfield His Principles as followeth Pr. THat his call into the Ministery is mediate Answ So is not a Minister made by the will of God which is immediate nor a Minister made by the spirit which is immediate Mediate is naturall and the naturall man knows not the things of God for they are spiritually discerned Pr. And he saith The Law is not changed that gave tythes Answ The Law of God is changed and the Commandement disannul'd though the Pope set up another Law since the apostacy from the Apostles Ambrose Dickinson His Principles as followeth Pr. HE saith That there is nothing within man but what puts him on a Covenant of works Answ First there is faith within man and there is Christ within man that works by love and God will dwell in man and walk in man and the Son of God is revealed within Dost thou liken all these to things without in the Covenant of works which ends them all and was before they was Pr. He saith There is no knowledge of Christ in this generation but by the Scripture Answ Many may have the Scriptures and not know Christ they will not give the knowledge of Christ that which comes from him and shines in the heart doth give the knowledge of Christ the light And the Jewes had the Scriptures but had not the knowledge of Christ as you that doth not know the Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world the eare being stopt to that of God in you and eyes closed and it is not the spirit and the letter of it cannot give life Pr. John Stockdale said the Scriptures must try the spirits Answ The spirit was before the Scriptures was and the Jewes had the Scriptures yet knew not Christ but crucified him and that must try the spirits that gave forth Scriptures Pr. He saith The spirit and the Scriptures are one and the same thing Answ Scriptures are writings as the Priests and professors say and Christ was before it was given forth which owns it and is when it ends and is fulfilled Pr. Priest Heywood in Lancashire said It was blasphemy to say that the Church was in God Ans Contrary to the Apostle 1 Thes 1.1 who said the Church was in God Prin. Again he said It was blasphemy to say that God dwels or walked in his Saints Answ Contrary to the Apostle 2 Cor. 6.16 Eph. 4.6 which saith God will dwell in you and walke in you and ye are the temples of God Christopher Wade His Book called Quakery Slain His Principles are as followeth Pr. HEe saith in page 3. Oh horrible to say the infallible spirit must open the Scriptures Answ Which hath shut himselfe out of the spirit that gave forth Scriptures and must open them again in which is the unity and that is infallible and he that hath the spirit of God hath that which is infallible and he that hath not the spirit is none of his so out of the infallibility where thou art in the horrible state Pr. He saith It is whimsicall to say Christ God and man flesh and spirit is in them Answ Contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who said they were of his flesh and of his bone and Christ in you and he would walk in them And he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his and they are of his flesh and of his bone and Christ in you the hope
of glory Pr. He saith It is a Devillish doctine not to forsake quaking and trembling Answ So in this thou mayest say it is Devillish doctrine to say salvation must be wrought out by trembling and quaking so thou shewest thou never knew salvation for before men have salvation wrought out they must know trembling and quaking and so thou hast shut thy selfe out from Moses and Davids condition and such as the Lord regards and trembles at his word Prin. He saith Flesh and bone cannot be a measure in one and a measure in another Answ Whereas the Apostle saith we are of his flesh and of his bone Here thou art contrary to the Apostle and that was more then one that had the flesh of Christ and his bone and his spirit Pr. He cries Oh Luciferian pride to save souls Answ What good doth all your preaching do Here thou spoilest all the rest of the Priests and shews thy selfe to be contrary to the Apostles who watched for the soul and saved souls that turned people from a multitude of sins Pr. He saith God the Father never took upon him humane nature Answ Contrary to the Scripture who saith God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe and art ignorant of the great mystery God manifest in the flesh and his name is called the everlasting Father As for the word Humane which is from the ground it comes from thy own knowledge which is earthly and Christ took upon him the seed of Abraham and David according to the flesh and this is Scripture-Language Pr. He saith The holy Ghost is a person and that there was a Trinity of three persons before Christ was born Answ Thou knowest not him that is in the Father and the Father in him glorified with the Father before the world began And the Scriptures doth not tell people of a Trinity nor three persons but the Common-prayer-Masse-book speaks of three persons brought in by thy father the Pope and the Father Son and holy Spirit was always one Pr. He compares immediate revelation from heaven like unto the false Prophets dreams And again he saith the Scriptures is the word of God Answ Here he fights with the rest of his fellows who saith Scriptures signifies writings and writings are not God but the Scriptures of truth are Gods words which Christ the Word fulfils They are not the word of God which thou hast blasphemously affirmed but Christ is the word of God and they be out of the feare of God and the spirit and knows not the Son nor the Father that denies Revelations but are among the false Prophets and false Dreamers Pr. He saith The Scriptures are the Word except you dare to deny Christ is God And he brings a Scripture Let the word of God dwell in you richly Answ So he makes the Scripture Christ and God and he doth not say let Christ dwell in you but means the Scripture and God dwels in you And the Apostle said Let Christ dwell in your hearts by faith and God will dwell in you but thou saith Christ doth not dwell in them personally Doth not Christ dwell in his Saints as he is in the person of the Father the substance and are not they of his flesh and of his bone Pr. They that hear the Word of God do not hear the Son the holy Scriptures are the mediate Word of God Ans Now all people where ever did you read of a mediate word of God Doth not the word of God endure for ever and is it mediate And that he calls God heavenly Father and never heard his voyce nor his Sons and denies immediate teachings and he that knows the spirit that gave forth Scriptures hears the Son Pr. He saith God limits the supream holy one by the inspired writings of the Apostles and that is his third dispensation of his minde to men And he saith they are taught by inspired Scriptures which is mediate not by Letter which is litterally the Letters or Letter Answ Inspired Scriptures and yet mediate the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy and the Spirit inspires which the Letter doth not and Gods teaching is by his spirit and the holy one is not limited by the words of the Apostles who fulfils them and many words the Apostles spoke which he did not write Pr. And he calls the Devill the tutor to say not made Minister of the Letter Answ So we speak the Apostles words and he makes the Devill the Apostles tutor who said the letter killeth but the spirit gives life who was not a Minister of the Letter but of the spirit said and sayes this that makes the Devill the Apostles tutor which is a lye and his own and the Devill is the Tutor of the Ministers of the Letter and not of the Spirit who can run into it who is out of the truth Pr. He speaks of a morall Law Answ Which he hath no Scripture for the Scripture speaks no such thing but darkens counsell by his words Pr. He saith The Scripture contains the mediate inspired teachings written word of God that was and is God Ans Which the Scriptures say the heaven of heavens cannot contain him and God and Christ was before any written words was and the mediate teaching of the whole Scripture-letter he speaks of which he calls God and Christ and all the mediate teaching is carnall and the Scriptures doth not continue the immediate teachings of Gods inspiration but testifies of those things Pr. He saith The written word is the sword of the spirit And he makes another rule besides the Scripture's false Answ Which we say is the spirit that gave them forth whereby peace is known upon the Israel of God And the Pharisees had the Scriptures but had not the sword of the spirit the Scriptures testifies of the sword of the spirit Pr. He saith It is a lye to say the Saints shall judge the world Answ So he would make Christ and the Apostles lyars and would take the judgement from the Son and make Christ at a distance from the Saints so he is ignorant of the Saints and Christ both and knows not the time of the Saints judging when the Lord is come but stands in the counsels of his own heart and in the hidden things of darknesse Pr. He saith No Saint can be a judge of the world Answ Contrary to Cor. 6. where the Apostle saith Do ye not know the Saints shall judge the world And they abide not in the truth that affirms it as thou saith so hast shewed thy ignorance and one of them that is judged by the Saints Pr. He denies the Son of God to be revealed in man onely by adoption and cries against equality with the Father Answ And that is contrary to the Apostle who had the Son of God revealed in him And the Assembly of Divines gave forth a Catechisme which children old and young was to learn and said the holy Ghost and Son was equall in substance
and David with sin which God justified and said Job did not sin with his mouth Though Paul did cry out of the body of sin yet he found victory over the body of sin and knew the redemption which the creatures waited for the liberty of the Sons of God and said they were made free from sin in Rom. 6. and they were justified from all things and by the one offering for ever he had sanctified Because the Quakers own the light Christ and are come into the spirit that gave forth Scriptures and heard the voyce of the Son of God and denies all them that sayes they have not heard the voyce of the Son of God and Christ to be in them Therefore he saith they have forsaken the truth because they deny them that have the forme and are out of the life and despises and denies the power that shakes that which is to be shaken for no one knows salvation but by the light Pr. He said God did not come in his spirituall Essence with his Son on the earth And he saith that God the Father was not in his spirit with his son upon the earth Answ And the Scripture said the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt in him bodily and the Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father I in thee and thou in me so he was not alone but the Father was with him Pr. He saith The Quakers are lying deluders in saying the Kingdome of heaven is within them Answ That 's contrary to Luke 17. which saith the Kingdome of heaven is within you Pr. And he hath not heard of any other people in the world taught immediately by Christ but the Quakers Answ And the two witnesses which he calls them he brings against truth which opposed truth in London So shewing what he and all people are taught by a mediate use of the Scriptures all may judge where that is and the Devill rules such that be from the immediate and all that are not taught immediately are not taught by God nor by his spirit Pr. This sort of people that are for immediate Revelation and it is dangerous for any man to trust to immediate Revelations and preach Christ within man and the two Witnesses preached Christ without And this he saith is a hellish snare to please every mans pallate Answ And thus he may charge all the people of the Lord who were taught and are taught of the Lord And thus he fights against them that were taught immediately and his teachings and mans teachings are mediate and they are in the snare that be out of the immediate teaching and all that know God and the Son are taught immediate by the spirit that is immediate And so it is not a very strange thing that he should give forth so many ill-favoured railing expressions which his Book is stuffed full withall against the people of God whose work in it is to charge the Elect with sin but we say the Lord rebuke him Pr. And he saith The Saints are not any time without sin even when they were borne of God Ans So not knowing the creatures coming into the liberty of the sons of God nor the birth born of God Pr. And saith Sin is in the saints for their humiliation Ans Contrary to the Scripture which saith Christ is their humiliation and bears their sins and destroys it which humility is not like mans being brought down by sin for sin exalts Pr. That the inward man and the power of God in man never brings the outward man so subject as to be without sin Answ This we say God wrought salvation by Christ alone without mans works and who believes in him are saved and who doth not are condemned and the power of God and Christ subdues the sin in man and destroys it that man becomes the Temple of God His Query is Whether God could not have saved man without Christs dying Ans God can do what he will who was in Christ reconciling himselfe to the world and Christ did not save the world without God And thou hast shewed in thy Book stuffed with lyes how thou hast been tormented and of the filthy ayre come out of thee And the Devill was in thee and thou saith thou art saved by Christ without thee and so hath recorded thy selfe to be a Reprobate and ignorant of the mystery of Christ within thee for without that thou dost not know salvation And these before mentioned be thy Principles which thou to the Nation hath published in print and all sober people may judge thee as for thy lies they are not worthy mentioning neither are they worth reading of them but upon thy own head they will fall and a heavy weight and burden thou must bear who goes about to sow discord among the brethren but the accuser of the brethren is cast out but the witness shall answer me in the day of thy judgement Christopher Wades Principle in his book called Quakery slain irrecoverably who himself hath slain irrecoverably and the same judgement wherewith he judgeth us he hath brought upon himself and the Quakers are recovered out of his snare and hath taken him in his own and hath chained him and bound him Henry Hagger's Book called The holy Scripture clearing it self His Principles in it as followeth Pr. DAvid never boasted of perfection nor Paul nor John and such as say they are free from sin it is their whole work to carry away poor souls from truth Answ There is none comes into the truth nor no soul comes out of the deceived estate but who comes out of the sin and is made free from it as the Apostles speaks of to the Romans such as served God in a new life was made free from sin and God said Job was a perfect man and eschewed all evil mark all and David said he had seen the end of all perfection and Paul spoke wisdom among them that were peâ—fect and said the life that he lived was by the faith of the Son of God though the Apostle had cryed out of a body of sin ye the saith he was manifest in his flesh to condemn the sin in his flesh and through Christ he hath victory and witnessed the Circumcision that put off the body of sin and saw where there is no condemnation Pr. The Scripture is the sure word of prophesie and the Scripture will bring men to the knowledge of God Answ The spirit is the rule that gave forth the Scripture and the Word of God gave them to discern and to savour who spoke the word of the Lord and who stole their word from their neighbour when the Lord had never spoken to them where the spirit was in the prison where the spirit was out of prison with whom they had unity and who had the form of godliness but denyed the power and who was the false spirit that went out into the world and the Antichrists and the false prophets and such as was turned from the
Christ within them here is two for if it be not the same Christ that ended all types and figures and shadowes If it be not him that is within they have not the possession the substance nor the comfort of the true Christ but who hath not Christ the end of the tipes shadowes figures in them they are among Ante-christs and false Christs and they that have the forme of godlinesse can confesse a Christ without them and notwithin them Pr. Again he saith The Saints have a glorious light within them but imperfect and it is an error to say they have an infallable light within them that they must follow which wil shew them all things and to Judge of Scripture that it must be fulfilled in them and these are them that are brought up in darke places of the earth that are as Sauls that goe to the witch and not to the Law and testomeny Ans None comes to the Law and to the testimony though they have the old and new Testament but who comes to the light in them for the Law is the light and who comes to the spirit within them which is the spirit of prophesy all that goe from this they goe into darke places of the earth and such are they that goe into the pathes of Sau l to such spirits that goe from the light within them and the spirit that is the testimony of Jesus and the light and the glorious light of the Saints which they are inlightened withall is Christ which is perfect and they are changed from glory to glory and so the light which thou saist the saints are in and yet not perfect and yet glorious minde thy words consider thy measure thy Judgement the infallible light which every one that comes into the world is inlightened withall is the leader of the people and the light they are to follow and it is the way to the Father out of the way from the Father that is in the first Adam in the transgression which light is Christ the second Adam that every man that comes into the world is inlightned withall and they who follow this and believe in it and walketh in it abideth not in darkenesse but have the light of life and the light within and the spirit of God within that gave forth the scripture is the tryall of the scripture of truth for men without that may wrest the words and wrong translate them so the light within the spirit of God is the Judge of the scriptures and knowes scripture which gave it forth and is the rule and ruled and led them to speak them forth and is the rule that leades them again to open them again and to lead into all truth as saith Christ Pr. He saith That which they set up above the scriptures is heathenish and the scriptures is the ground of Faith without it faith cannot act and faith hath no bottom to rest upon but scripture and scripture is more then faith the sure word of Prophesy the balme of the conscience it satisfies doubts heales wounds discerns the thoughts Ans The Pharisees and the chief Priests they were not healed except they came to Christ they found no rest for their soules though they had the scripture yet they came not to Christ the light which was before the scripture was given forth The Pharisees had the scriptures they had not faith stood against the author and the ground of it Christ so they had not faith the Pharisees had the scriptures but it was Christ and God that shewed them their thoughts so the scripture knew not their thoughts but who are in the spirit that gave forth the scriptures it is that which shewes mens thoughts Enock Abraham had faith and had not scripture all are heathens that are not in the light which was before scripture was written though they have all the scripture and the holy men of God acted in the faith in obedience to it before the scripture was given forth and they were all in the faith that gave forth the scripture and they did not act as from the scripture but from the spirit of whom they had learned who is the author of faith which the Just lives by and God and Christ the substance of the scripture Pr. And the scripture is an infallible rule of worship Ans The Jews and Pharisees they had the scripture and the Apostates since the daies of the Apostles they have had the scriptures been out of the life that gave it forth they want the rule which is the spirit in which God the father of spirits is worshipped that was the rule which all the holy men of God was led by to give forth scripture in which they worshipped God for the Pharisees had the scriptures not the spirit which gave them forth that worshipped they did not know what they wanted the rule the spirit of God that was in them that gave forth the scriptures in which they should have worshipped God so saw not the substance the ground of faith and author of faith Christ Jesus Pr. They will not put off their hatâ— they write thee and thou one to another they will not say master Ans The honour of the hat the putting of it off is an earthy honour of the earthly Adam in the fall in the transgression which Christ the second Adam the Lord from heaven not of the earthly comes to redeem man out of the sin and transgreâ—sion receives it not he will none of it but have the honour that comes from above cometh to stain that honour below and sees it a marke of an earthly honour of Adam in the transgression and not of the second the heavenly and as for thee and Thou you to a number and Thou to a singular who stumbles at this shews they have neither learned Accidence nor Bible so short of the spirit that spoke the sound words that connot be condemned and speaks proper which is the plant of renown and as for being called of men Master which Christ saith be not you ye have one master even Christ you are all brethren they be in the error that slight his commands and tramples them underfeet and hypocrits that after they have trampled his commands under foot and after makes a profession of his words Thomas Leadger thou professeth thou esteemes the scripture highly above ordinances above Angels and is not this scripture which saith be ye not called of men Master and Christs command yet thou denyes scripture and tramplest them under thy feet Pr. The scripture is the lanthorne of obedience and it directs men to Jesus and he cals the scripture the word of God the sum of truth and they could not have knowne there had been a Christ or a mediator or grace or glory or worship or father or spirit or light but as it is declared in scripture Ans I do believe you who are got up since the daies of the Apostles in the Apostacie inwardly ravening
from the spirit of God you had not known there had been a father or spirit or grace or worshâ—p if the scripture had not declared it but they that had not scripture had faith had the Hoâ—y Ghost had the Father knew the Father knew Christ knew the spirit they that had the scripture the Pharisees knew not the father knew not the holy Ghost nor the Redeemer but resisted as it was in Steven knew not father nor Christ the author of it knew not him that was borne of the spirit Now they that had the scriptures knew all these things that had the spirit that gave them forth they that had the scriptures and not the spirit knew not these things they that had the spirit of error that were in heaps about the saints words now they had the scriptures the Pharisees walked in darkenesse had not Davids Lanthorne to their feet and so could not see Christ as David did saith the Apostle their table was their trap there they struck David that had the life that gave forth the scriptures who had the lanthorne to his feet and had not they a lanthorne before the scripture was written Abraham Enoch what led them all to give forth scripture are not all they that have the scripture and out of that that they was in that gave them forth out of the light and out of the Lant-horne and they had a rule of obedience before the scripture was given forth the word of God that lives and abides and endures for ever that is the word of faith in which the scripture the words of God ends And man had the scripture and knew not Christ that was from the life that they were in that gave forth the scripture Pr. The Gospell is the scripture Answ Many may have the Scripture and deny the power of God which is the Gospel many had the Scripture and the form and stood against the Son of truth Christ Jesus the power of God the Gospel And as for thy other lies and slanders which are not worth mentioning which comes from thy drunken spirit when the spirit is awakened that suffers by it thou shalt feel every word of thy own thy burthen and thou that doth set the Scriptures above Christ and God and the spirit art a heathen THOMAS LEADGERS Antiquakers Assertions His Principles in it as followeth Pr. HE saith The Divine nature is without mixture of sin but it doth not destroy wholly the sinful nature that is in us and the being of sin dieth not until the body die and sin hath been in us to humble us Answ Sin is that which doth not humble but lifts up That which humbles people which brings down the sin Is the humilitie which bears the sin and iniquity which is Christ And the Saints were made free from sin while they were upon the earth and had the body of sin put off And the Divine nature they which have received it knoweth it and have escaped the pollutions that is in the world and the lust of it and so the Divine nature destroyes sin in its being Prin. Again he saith The Scripture is a quickening spirit the wisdom of God the power of God unto salvation the words of the blessed Scriptures every Line of it I have had saith he the righteousness of God revealed in my soul I have had the love of God the grace of Christ the Communion of the Holy Ghost manifest in me but I trample upon all attainments the highest as dung Answ Many had the Scriptures and stood against the wisdom of God and stood against the power of God yea killed and persecuted the Lord of glory of life They that had the dead Letter without the life and many got the form and denyed the power and denyed the quickening spirit and the Spirit of Christ doth not bring to trample upon attainments not the love of Christ nor the righteousness of Christ the love of Christ the grace of Christ the righteousness of Christ this was never esteemed on as the dung trampled upon as the dung such as was transgressors was as dung and they trampled upon the love of Christ the righteousness of Christ but who comes into this tramples upon their own notion Pr. He saith again that perfection is a golden dream and the Scriptures is the word of God Answ Perfection is over all dreams be they never so golden and it ends them all and is above them all and Christs name is called the word of God and the Scriptures are the words of God which Christ the word of God by which all things were made came to fulfill A Book called A serious review of some PRINCLES of the QUAKERS Pr. NO man hath reason to say that the spiritual substance is in the creature the Divine Essence is subject to change as is the soul of man and every one is enlightened that comes into the world by the light of Christ and this he cals a natural light and that some persons are come up out of the fall is an errour I do not own a perfection without sin and it is an errour to say there is any perfection without sin Answ All erring is in the fall and that which is come up out of the fall is come out of the errour into the second Adam where no errour is which many witness for all errour is in the first Adam in the fall and in him that tempted And the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world by which the world was made which was before the world was made by which all things was made and created in whom is life and this life is the light of men which men being in the light which they be enlightened withall they coming by the light to him from whence the light doth come they come into the perfection out of sin for all sin and imperfection is in the first Adam in the earth And perfection is in the second Adam Christ Jesus who bruiiseth the Serpents head the Author of imperfection And who be in him are in a perfection without sin and there is no sin in the perfection nor any errour in the perfection of Christ and all who be in the unreasonableness are â—gnorant of the spiritual suâ—stance and power of God and Holy Ghost the spirit of truth the Spirit of Christ the nature that dwels in the Saints which all this is substance and not shadow and the Divine power and the power of the Lord God and Gâ—d doth not change nor his spirit nor the soul nor his power so read thy self God doth not change in his being neither doth that which comes from him that which he hath in his hand and in his power Pr. Hâ— saith That which is imperfect can be reconciled to God and that they are poor blind creatures that say the light doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and needeth no light and discovery to help and the Scripture doth no where call Christ
Principles as followeth Priest of Cockermouth in Cumberland Pr. HE said He would come to Christ and never own the light within him Answ None comes out of transgression to the second Adam but who comes to the light within which is the way to the Father and that is it which gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ which comes from him Pr. George Larcum said I would to God I had power thou shouldst be severely punished Answ Here thou hast shewed thou art limited and thy weapons and thy Armour and art not a Minister of Christ in the armour of God the shield of faith nor shod with the Gospel but such is the Priests and false Prophets who got the Magistrates into the forme that denyed the power of God on their side that they might be ready to help the false Prophets against the truth when ever it ariseth Thomas Warwicke Priest came to the meeting of those called Quakers on a Green and struck John Grave and plucked him off the Green and his wife struck and beat sore and drew blood of friends And the same Priâ—â—t said If the Law were rightly executed thou might not stand there it would cut off all your necks Thomas Dentham Priest called me out of the meeting to him and said he would stand to prove his practice and then he went his way and bade the people take me away hang me and at his words the people did beat me and pulled the hair off my head John Grave witnesse Answ You shew your selves not to be Ministers of Christ â—ut to be such that ever was out of the Saints life who was found in the spirit of murderers and persecutors of him you are that is out of the truth would drink the bloud of the Saints this is the mark of the Beast and false Prophets that would kill creatures and wrestle with flesh and blood Pr. That the Devill is a Minister of Christ in some sense Answ Christ the seed of the womâ—n bruises the Serpents head and destroys death and him that hath the power of it and destroys the works of the Devill and judges the Prince of this world and takes him together with the false Prophets and the Beast and casts them alive into the lake of fire that he shall deceive the the Nations no more and so he will not suffer the Devill to minister and thus the Devill and his Apostles are bound under with the Truth which he is out of Pr. The Scribes and Pharisees were Ministers of Christ in the same sort as Moses was when Christ commands to hear them though in a lower degree of manifestation Ans The Scribes and Pharisees were not as Moses for Moses was in the life and light with which he saw Christ The Pharisees had the words of Moses and the Law and Prophets but out of the life that Moses was in and the Prophets though got up in Moses Chair they stood against Christ and saw him not as Moses did whom Christ cryed woe against So they were not the Ministers of Christ but against him who was the end of the Prophets John Owen who calls himself a Minister of the Gospell his principles as followeth in his Catechisme which he gives forth 1657. Pr. ALl truth concerning God and our selves is to be learned from the holy Scripture the Word of God Ans There was truth learned before the Scriptures were written and the Scriptures of truth are the words of God which ends in Christ the Word and there is no truth learned buâ— as the spirit doth lead into all truth which comes from Christ the truth which was before the Scripture was written And the spirit of truth leads into all truth of the Scripture And many has the Scriptures but knows not Christ the Truth but as the spirit leads them and reveals them and so he hath thrown out Christ and the spirit Pr. There is one God in three persons c. Ans Where doth the Apostle tell us of three persons but tels us of Father Son and holy Ghost but thou out of the Masse-book and old Common-prayer-book who are the mutterers about three persons Pr. I am conceived in sin and borne in iniquity Answ Then thy Parents were not believers so children unholy for by nature children of wrath that is in the unconverted state in the transgression unbelievers for they who by nature are children of wrath are not borne of the believers for the unbelievers are sanctified by the believers else were their children unholy but now are they clean Pr. We have not kept the Commandements of God but are all sinners and transgressors of them Ans We do believe thee John Owen and the rest of you who call your selves Ministers of the Gospell and yet have not kept the ten Commandements and would conclude all men in with you to be sinners and transgressors of them Nay John was separated from you who said He that loves God keeps his Commandements But what are not you false-witness-bearers that calls your selves Ministers of the Gospel and coveters after other mens goods houses c Are not you committers of Adultery and stealing Are not you murdering men in holes for goods like a troop of Robbers as the company of Priests did in the day of the Law and Prophets Do not you live in dishonouring your parents and God and taking it to your selves And do not you all come short of keeping the Sabbath bearing of burdens making a fire gathering your meat when you should be at rest Are not you all taking Gods holy name in vain both in Pulpit Town house Alehouse Streets Market-houses and naming Christs name in your iniquity so not held guiltlesse Are not you all making Images and graven Images and hanging them up in your Steeple-houses and signes and houses and gardens and high wayes and things above and things that are beneath And do you think that people do not believe you when you tell people in your Catechism that you have broken all the ten Commandements when we see your fruits have declared it And are you not ashamed to set forth such a Catechisme who say you keep not the Commandements Pr. The Sacraments are the seals of the Covenant of grace Answ It 's God that seal's the Son and sent him into the the world and not outward shadows And as for thy word Sacraments the Pope was the Author of them in his Common-prayer book And as for the rest of thy work in thy book of Catechism is like unto the old Doctors of the Jewes that broke the commands of God that loves him not whom Christ cryed woe against S. Palmer and R. Hooke who say you are the servants of Christ your Principles which followes in a Book called The forme of sound words And who directs their Book to the Friends Neighbours and Parishioners of Gedling and Sowdham Pr. THat henceforth ye be not children tossed too and fro and carried about with
seeking the peoples means not the people which makes the true Ministers of Christ odious which are in scorne called Quakers who seekes not theirs but them and you are neither the true Fathers nor the true Nurses but in the Apostacy from them and kicking against that which pricks you going in Sauls steps who went with Priests that had Tithes who were strayed from the life saw not the substance as you Raveners from the spirit of God have set up Tithes who see not the substance you harden your selves not hearing the voice from whose eyes repentance is hid posting on for your earthly interests and meanes posting to Courts Sessions Assizes Benches and this is the work you are doing and posting on in the Nation as the Courts Sessions and Assizes declares your hurrying the people thither seeking theirs not them your spirits are tryed at Courts Sessions and Assizes to be the false spirits that went forth into the world which Peter Jude and John speakes of which went forth from them and seperated themselves which since the world went after you who have been in Caines Cores and Balaams way Pr. Tradesmen and princes labours preserves health but mine consumes it Ans Here thou hast shewed that thy labour work and ministry is not of God that preserves health and strength for the work of the ministry is to bring into the saving health and preserve it and not consume it as thy worke doth that they may honour God with their substance and serve him with all their strength Pr. The law gives Tithes say the priests and allowes We may forbare working and we are content with food and rayment and to give away our tithes if the people will allow us food and raymet for us and our children as is fit to make them servicablâ— yet the Qâ—akers call the ministers covetous Ans The Jews priests who were made obedient to the faith which had a commandement while they were under the Priesthood to take Tithes according to to the Law but the ministers now turne again from the faith to the Law and saies the Law of God gives it them and saies the Tythes are not the people 's but the Lords Did not the Apostles cut off tithes afore the Law and in the Law the priest-hood and law both and have not you here shewed your selves Apostatized from the Apostles so in the Apostacy who have set up a Law the first author whereof was the Pope and say the Law gives it us and you would not leave tithes unlesse the people would make a bargain with you to maintain you your wives and children was this the work of the Apostles Ministery what shamelesse words are these what set your selves thus that all people may view your folly what the Apostles did give was it upon this condition the people should give them food and rayment for it Dâ—d not the Apostles say he that wil not worke let him not eate but from the whole practice of the Apostles you are apostatized and is not your covetous practises discovered through all the Courts Sessions and Assizes in the Nations you posting up thither and suing and causing them to go thither you doe not worke for what is this but covetousnesse and unrighteousnesse Pr. That the Quakers say that the priests are persecutors like the priests and phari sees of old but they shall be taught one day to know that if the Magistrats stop their mouthes he does no more persecute them then a thiefe when he is hanged c you say you wish all the Lords people were prophets Answ This is a lye found in your mouths for you say prophecying is ceased this you sound abroad all the world over as farre as you can This shews that you are not able to stop their mouths nor resist the spirits of them whom you say it will be no more persecution for the Magistrate to stop their mouths then to hang a thief And thus to all Magistrates that feare God you appear with shame and all may see what you crouch for under the mountains for blood Jezebe like and makes the Magistrates your pack-horses and executioners of your malice but the Lord God of heaven and earth in his wisdome is opening the eyes of many that moderation appeares in such in whose hearts the feare of the Lord is placed that tries many of you and turns many of you to your own weapons to see what weapons you have and they finde you but wrestlers against flesh and blood striking at the creatures not at the power which captivates them to bring them out of it into the liberty of the sons of God The true Ministers work was to beat down blasphemers errours false Prophets and stop the mouths of gain-sayers Rebuke exhort teach instruct with all authority cut off occasions with spirituall weapons And this power had they in the Church and cryed not to the Magistrate take them away they disturb me Oh shameless shame thy selfe before all the people in the Congregation This was not the work of the Ministers of Christ to do so And this authority in the Church before mentioned had the Ministers of Christ to stop the mouths of Gain-sayers silence false Prophets and blasphemers This power and authority they had from God and looked not at men to help them but they which apostatized from the Apostles the Beast the false Prophet the mother of Harlots that deceived the Nations that be out of the power of the Apostles and Christ have their power from men all the false Ministers upon earth are seeking to them to stop blasphemers as they imagine being but contrary to their mindes while they themselves are the blasphemers as weighed and judged by the Scriptures and spirit of Truth And the Magistrates work the power which he receives from God is to punish prophane open sins and the Ministers work is to bring people from under that occasion Pr. The Magistrates sets their guards at our doors and lets in none but who they please Let the Kings of the earth shew an uninterrupted succession giving them right to their Crown and I will shew a more undoubted succession to the Ministery All the Christians in our Parishes are our Flock we undertake to prove the truth oâ— such Churches Answ Your â—hurch is guarded with carnall weapons and the succession of your ministery is like unto the succession of earthly Kings Crowns which are all made by the will of men And the Magistrates have been but your servants and through ignorance have quenched the spirit and your work hath been to destroy the order concerning edification practice and doctrine of the Apostles in the true Church which said let all speak one by ne If any thing be revealed to another that sits by let the first hold his peace The spirit of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets From this you are apostatized and have gotten a law to stop the practice of this in your Church-apostacy whose doors many of
them you keep with clubs and staves lest any should be moved from the spirit of the Lord to speak amongst you from the Lord. And your Parishes and Flock which you undertake to prove to be a true Church alack for you that people should be so impudent to say these are pillars and ground of truth or the Steeple-houses be the pillars and ground of truth A company of Drunkards Swearers covetous proud persons given to pleasures you are like them that said they were Jewes and were not but the synagogue of Sathan a nest of unclean birds Pr. We expect not perfect unity till we have perfect knowledge and holiness Ans Have you cryed up your selves to be the ministers of Christ all this while and have not perfect knowledge perfect holinesse perfect unity The least unity is perfect in the spirit and the least knowledge and the least holinesse in the spirit and this you acknowledge you have not perfect unity perfect knowledge perfect holinesse and this hath been the cause you have kept all people since the Apostles in blindnesse out of the unity in that which is unholy who say you have not the perfect knowledge for the least of holinesse is perfect and in the holinesse is the unity in whith is the perfect knowledge though in the least degree and this thou hast confessed you have not and we doe believe you and so out of thy own words thou and you are proved unsanctified for who are sanctified have perfect unity perfect knowledge perfect holinesse Pr. I use notes as much as any man when I am laâ—y or busy c. Ans This is it which holds up your lazy minds which you gather out of books selling it again by the hour-glasse and make that day you call sabbath your market day selling both prayers and preaching who have not the spirit of the Lord to lead you to speak as it moves and to lead you to all truth as it did the Disciples so it is lazynesse indeed that hath set up your notes and reads them by the glasse for money and who have learnd seven years out of books Colledges and then gather up out of your authors books in notes and thus make a trade of them and then teâ—ls the people you are sent and it is the word of the Lord which it is but the reading of books and yet you tell people you never heard the voice of God if any aske you thus deluders are judged out of their own mouths who have a law if any are moved of the spirit of the Lord while they are reading their notes or speaking before or after none to speake against what they have gathered out of their books and studies which was not the works of the true ministry but the worke of those who were out from the true spirit and so were ministers of the letter and old authors and notes Pr. He saith They are unmercifull men that say more glorious dayes are appearing and that the Saints shall rule the world Answ In this thou hast judged thy selfe and there need no more words be spoken to it And the rest of thy lyes and slanders in thy Book which are not worth mentioning they will fall upon thy own head John Cole His Book printed 1658. His Principles in it as followeth Pr. IT 's a common thing for the young Harlot to say minde the Light within Answ The light which doth enlighten every man which cometh into the world all Harlots draws from and be out of it and such may beget proselytes and father them upon God which are not in the Truth but the day is come that all things are made manifest and by it doth appear and the light which every man which cometh into the world is enlightned withall is the offence to all the evill doers who be out of salvation and the Covenant of God and none sees salvation but by it Pr. The young Harlot can but mend evill old Adam by her exhortations and instructions and doings and threatnings and she doth fright some to her obedience Ans The Harlot is in that which evill old Adam is in in the transgression and so they which be harlotted from the spirit of God cannot mend and instruct the transgressor they themselves being in the transgression They may tell them of the Saints words and speak them as the Devill doth who is out of the Truth but thou John Cole art fallen into the earth and there art quarrelling And as for the rest of the stuffe in thy Book which is not worth mentioning but when thou feels the root and tree burn and fall into a fire about thee and thee in it then remember thou hast not that which doth not savour withal as thy confused childish workâ— do appear which in print thou hast published to the world Alexander Rosse his Booke which he calls A view of all RELIGIONS His Lies and Principles Pr. GOd is not in the quaking of the body Ans Was it not God that made the body of David to quake and Daniel and Habakkuk and Job and the mountains quake at the giving forth of his Law And doth not God say He doth not shake the earth but heaven also Now dost not thou manifest thy selfe to be one of them that cast them out that tremble at the Word and tells them that God is not among them And as for Alexander Rosse his lies and slanders in saying the Quakers said Christ had failings and distrusted God which thousands of thousands that can witnesse to thy face thou art a liar it is a sufficient proof to them that thy book is made up of such stuffe of lyes which is thy view from the Creation And the rest of thy Book is much like unto that and the false prophets studying a divination of their owne brain to get money by we deny but such as divide the word aright we own and all that pray and preach and sing for money and make a trade of the Scripture to get money by we disown but such as pray and sing by the spirit we own and all your Readings for money we deny but who reads freely we own and all your Seremonies we do deny and are come to the substance Christ Jesus before the world was made Pr. The leaves of a tree are not the fruits thereof and yet without them the fruit would not prosper Answ Art thou a fit man to give a view from the Creation of the World who erres thus in Naturals For pluck off the leaves of the Vines and see if the grapes will not prosper Art thou a fit man to give a view of Religion and blasphemy and errour from the Creation who art not able to give a true view of the Naturalls Pr. Thou sayest It is horrid blasphemy to say the Scripture is not the Word of God and to say the soule is a part of God Answ The Scriptures are the words of God in Exodus and the four Books of the
Revelations but Christ is the Word in whom they end and it is not horrid blasphemy to say the soule is a part of God for it came out of him and that which came out of him is of him and rejoyceth in him Why wilt thou lye in saying the Quakers deny the Word wee say it sanctifies them His lies Christ is not ascended into heaven That there is no Heaven nor Hell nor Resurrection of the body That we have no Sacrament nor no Trinity Answ As for the word Sacrament and Trinity is from the Pope and the Masse-book the Bishops Common-prayer but Unity and the Lords Supper is owned and Heaven Hell Christ and Ascension and Resurrection is owned by the Quakers as the Scriptures declares it And your old Masse-house with the Cross atop of it which you call your Church that the Beast hath set up since the dayes of the Apostles with his lying signe at the end of it the Popes Crosse And Christ did come to destroy selfe and reconcile into one and Christ forbid men to be called of men Master and said the Pharisees did so and Magistrates are owned in their place But all such Ministers that teach for filthy lucre that serve an Apprentiship at Schools and Colledges like Tradesmen such we deny such are not fit to study nor expound Scripture for they bring people into heaps and into blood as their fruits in whole Christendome declares it but the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and Ministers their practices are owned and Elders and their honour but the honour of the false Prophets and Apostles is defaced by the true and the Scripture doth not speak a word of sprinkling of Infants but the Baptisme of the spirit is owned and all your prayers in your Masse-house Pharisee-like and your songs in the Temple shall be turned into howling but that which is according to the spirit of God is owned and private and publique instructions are owned who be in the spirit of God and Davids Psalms in their place are owned and the Saints singing with understanding also we own Pr. They say The Church is in God therefore God is not in the Church they may say Answ This is like thy reason and thy measure and weight the Church is in God and God is in the Church and where two or three are gathered together He is in the midst of them Pr. He says We speak against Tythes and Clarks wages for saying Amen and this thou sayeth is an absurd opinion Answ Tythes before the Law and in the Law was owned that they should give the tenth of the spoil and the tenth of the earth for the services â—hat were required widdows strangers fatherless and Levi who had no portion therein that there might not be a beggar among them this tenthes preserved them from beggars and this was the Law and Melchesedeck before the Law took the tenth of the spoil who was without father or mother and Christ the end of the Law who put an end to all spoils and Redeemes men out of the ninth and tenth parts of the earth to God and here the day of salvation is known to Reign upon the earth for man transgressed being drove from God in the earth â—hen the Law came that was over all transgression and led out of it by that Law was they to offer up the tenth and Melchesedeck before the Law had the tenth of the spoils but Christ who ends the Wars ended the spoils who is the heir of all things and the tenths the Covenant of God who reconcils all things in one things in heaven and things in earth and this the Apostles Preached who was in the power of God brought men out of the ninths of the earth and tenths to and brought men out of the occasion of the Wars in that which ended who was the power of God but they which went forth from the Apostles into the earth that had the form of godliness and denyed the power thereof which lead the world after them set up ninths and tenths unlike the Ministers of the Gospel who brought them out of the ninths and tenths into unity with the power of God and the Son and to reign upon the earth and them that took Tythes now are unlike them that took Tythes under the Law or afore the Law who met them with bread and water that Abraham gave the tenths of the spoil to and who now have no store-house for widows strangers and fatherless that there need not be a beggar among them so you who are called Christian Priests are worse then the Jews who cannot get their tenths without prisons Courts and writs and treble damages and cast into prison untill death for them this is called the Christian practices in our dayes who are Apostated from the true Apostles and Church and from the power of God they were in but the maintenance that Christ speaks of to his Ministers is owned but all that make a trade of the Prophets Christ and Apostle words who laid down their lives for speaking them forth we deny and the Apostles did not give a Clerk wages to say Amen but that came up since the Apostles dayes and judged by the spirit of truth and whosoever will make Alixander Rosses lies their refuge are in a sad condition in his book called A view of Religion which he and his lies are condemned to the fire and Lake by the power of God glory in the highest rejoyce over them ye Saints Richard Mayo Priest of Kingston his Doctrine And PRINCIPLES as followeth Pr. THat the Light within is the light of Nature which teacheth to do all things that the Law commands and to deny all things that the Law forbids Answ That which teacheth to do all things the Law commands and deny what the Law forbids is above nature that is it which keeps nature in its course that it shall not be of a fire but we see thy nature is gone out of its course and is all of a fire among you Priests and professors Pr. That God set up a dim light in every man Answ The light that God set up in every man is not dim but men grows dim when they transgresse the light which God hath set in them to give them the knowledge and feeling of himself Pr. He said the Devil was the power of God and that Christ was made manifest to destroy the power of God and to destroy him that was the power of God Answ The devil that went out of the truth went out of the power of God and Christ was manifest to destroy the works of the devil and not the power of God though Christ came to put an end to all figures types and shadowes Priests first Covenant and Temple Christ who is the power of God did not come to destroy the power of God the power of God is not divided against it self and the devil that went out of the truth the power of God went against him so he is not
pure as God is pure Pr. God may justly require his due of man though man cannot give it Answ God requires no more of man then he gives Pr. That the Quakers sends men to the light within them to be perfected which is no better then darknesse Answ Thou that sendest men to any thing but not to the light within them thou keepest them out from Perfection in utter darknesse And none comes out of utter darkness to perfection but by the light within them and so growing up in the light they grow up in that which is perfect and so in the fulnesse which is Christ which is the perfection of God Pr. Christ saves his people from the guilt of their sins here in the state of justification The state of the best Saints here are imperfect Answ Who are justified are saved from the guilt of sin and who commits sin feels the guilt and cannot say they are justified in the committing of it for he that saves sanctifies redeems and destroys the Devill and his works and death where he hath power where he keeps up his authority And if the best Saints here are imperfect then they are not brought out of Adams state in the transgression for a Saint is one that is sanctified and one that is redeemed and one that comes to know the works of the Devill destroyed and washed and cleansed and sanctified through the name of the Lord and that which justifieth takes away sin and it's guilt both For as it is written he shall save his people from their sins and from the guilt and from the wretched state Pr. Surely they cannot be perfect here or hereafter in equality but onely in quality Ans Christ makes no distinction in his words but saith Be ye perfect even as your heavenly Father is and be ye mercifull as he is And as he is so are we And that which is perfect and mercifull as he is perfect and mercifull is in equality with the same thing which is of God and from him Pr. The Saints they were come to the spirits of just men made perfect but not on earth Answ The just mens spirits that led them to give forth Scriptures was the spirit of God and that was perfect and was while they were upon earth the Saints were come to which was Christ the end of all words and so to God the Judge of all the Earth Philip Taverner called Preacher of the word in his Book called The QVAKERS Rounds These are his Principles as followeth Pr. WE distinguish between the Essential word and the declarative word we own Christ to be the Essential and the Scripture to be the Letter Answ The Scripture tells us that Christ is the word the Scriptures of truth that was given forth from the spirit of truth were the words of God in whom they end in Christ the word and you talk of a declarative word and the Scripture you call a History and you call it a Creed and you call it a Catologue and these Titles and names you have given to the Scripture of truth the words of God which as I said before was the Scripture of truth the words of God given forth from the spirit of God which ends in Christ and doth not speak of a declarative word but you in your nicity Prin. There is a two-fold comming of the Gospel the one in word the other in power Answ The blind people here thou wouldst make believe that the word was not the power which the word and the power is one for Christ the word and Christ the power of God his name is called the power of God and he that Ministers the word Ministers the power of God and the Gospel Pr. The Saints that stood upon mount Sion that followed the Lamb those Saints that was without guil before the throne of God is to be understood in the justification and not in sanctification that is spoken of in the Revelations 14. Answ Here thou hast manifested thy self to be an accuser of the Brethren who are justified and said to be without fault now who are justified are sanctified and are justified it was said in their mouths was no guile they were not defiled and now these that have no guile and are justified and were not defiled with women such are sanctified so that thou Judgest of things that are too mighty for thee and medles with things that are two weighty and brings Judgement upon thy own head whose measure is measured and weights are tryed and thou art of them that art found too light Prin. He that is born of God sins not after the same sort as them that are of the Devil Answ He that commits sin is the servant of sin and he that commits sin is of the Devil and he that is born of God doth not commit sin for he cannot because he is born of God born of that nature which cannot sin and those who doth sin is of the Devil is of the same nature of their father but he that is born of God doth noâ— commit sin at no rate for he is of the same nature of his father Pr. As John saith as he is so are we in this present world that Scripture saith he cannot be so in the latitude of it Answ I believe you for from the men of your generation it was not given forth but them that are the Sons of God understands it as it is and believes it as it speakes Pr. Christ was holy from his conception so are not we saith he but we are sanctified in time Christ was holy and so are not we for there still remains the in dwelling of sin in us Ans And some was sanctified from the womb and some children was holy that were born of the believers Christ in the male and in the female is as he was in his eternal generation and is the same and remains and is the sanctification sanctifies the unsanctified Sons of Adam in the transgression and who hath that without and not within are hypocrites and Christ changeth them and makes them like himself Pr. That the Saints are compleat in point of justification and not in sanctification Ans They that are not compleat in sanctification they are not compleat in justification for they are one they that are compleat in the one are compleat in the other and so farre as a man is sanctified so far is he justified and no farther for the same that sanctifies a man justifies him for the same that is his sanctification is his justification and his wisdome is his redemption he that knows one of them knows all he that doth not feel one of them feels none of them at all for they are all one Pr. Faith justifies onely instrumentally neither doth it justifie instrumentally as a worke wrought in us by the spirit Answ The man is blinde he is angry there and fretting himself about things that are too weighty for him about things that he knows not For faith is the
end of the types and figures and shadowes the substance Pr. And the woman that Paul speaks of that is forbidden to speake in the Church but must learne of her husband at home is the whore that drinks the blood of the Saints in Revelations Ans That is false for the woman the Apostles speaks of there that must learne in silence and must be in subjection aske her husband at home is in the state of Eve who must not teach but learne in silence as also said the Law for shee was first found in the transgression now the woman here hath a husband to aske at home and not usurp authority over the man but Christ in the male as in the female who redeems from under the Law and makes free from the Law the man may speak Christ in the male and female who are in the spirit of God are not under the Law but the whore who drinks the blood of the Saints is gone from her husband from under the Law to aske the whore-master that doth drinke the blood of the saints which Christ the seed judgeth upon to whom he gives judgement Pr. And the outward creatures which God had made and created and blessed are the serpents meat as the old Ranter of Bristow when he was gnawing a peece of plum pudding said he was eating the serpents meat Ans The Serpents meate is dust and he goes on his belly and so hath proved him selfe to be a serpent who eates his meat which the children of God the seed doth not and Christ who eate of the bread he did not eate the serpents meate he did not call it serpents meat and that is cursed and judged that doth so Francis Duke his book intituled The fulnesse and freenesse of Gods grace his Principles are as followes Pr. GGod made man perfection of parts in this life but not perfection in degrees Ans Perfection of parts is perfection of degrees for where there is a part there a degree so in this thou medlest with things that are too heavy for thee Pr. That God did elect that drop of humane seed to be personall God man as the text is the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head Ans The elect is Christ the seed and Christ the second Adam is not humane for humane is earthly so thou erres in thy judgement for as Christ the seed saies he that is born of the flesh is flesh and he that is born of the spirit is spirit and the election obtaines it and he that is of the earth is earthly but he that is from above is heavenly Pr. Men may obey imperfectly but truly Ans Truth is perfect Christ is truth who is perfect and they that obey truly obey perfectly for perfect obedience and true obedience is one Pr. The seed of the Serpent and the Devils seed remaines in the best of men in this life for without this seed of the Devil issuing in humane nature it is not capable of Eternal life Ans This seed of the Devill hinders men to be capable of eternall life and such as are sanctified from the wombe was capable of eternall life and such as were made free from sin and the body of death and sin put out of them could not sin because the seed of God remaineth in them and witnessed redemption the works of the Devill destroyed and Christ manifested in their flesh condemned sin in their flesh and Christ in them the body being dead because of sin which was borne of God and they did not commit sin they were past from death to life for sin brought death and where the Devill had the power of it which went out of truth but the seed having destroyed death and him that hath the power of it which is the devill and God the God of all peace have bruised Satan under the faints feet such is a top of the seed of the devill and they are capable of eternall life and tells thee thy doctrine is a lye Pr. Man may believe truly but never rightly Ans He that believeth truly and is in the true beliefe believes rightly and he that believes truly is borne of God and he whose beliefe is false and not born of God it is as his that is out of truth which is not right which the true beliefe in truth is over him in that the Devill is out of all his generation that stands in an outward beliefe Pr. The will of man remaines in good men and bad men in heaven and in hell and in earth Ans There 's noe prophesie of the scriptures came by the earthly will of man but that mans will be subdued denyed with the Crosse and power of God whereby he that doth the will of God abides for ever but he that doth his own will abides not ever and flesh and blood enters not into the kingdom of God and they that goe downe into Hell go down into their owne wills and wilfulnesse but he must be born againe before he can enter into Gods Kingdom he that is borne of the flesh is flesh and will persecute him that is born after the spirit for there 's the two wills and earth is their footstool Pr. The Saints affirme themselves that they are all unclean things and their righteousnesse as filthy rags Ans The Saints are cleane and are sanctified and are washed and are cleansed now are you clean saith the Lord ye were such and such and the saints rightousnesse is Christ such as never will grow ragged which was before the world was made which was before rags and ragged righteousnesse was this is the Saints righteousness and true believers and the saints are not unclean things for it is the unsanctified that be unclean Pr. The Saints have a twofold righteousnesse in this world Ans The righteousness of the Saints is one Christ and is in one in God from whence all righteosnesse comes and the true believers righteousnesse is Christ Jesus the end of the Law Pr. Thou saist that James envies those that brag of their faith without works thou saist the Lord attributes that to the eye which is not proper the eye is the light of the body but yet the eye hath no light in it selfe to enlighten the body so he attributes that to the eye which is not proper to the Light Ans James did not envy for envy was of Cain and of the devill and of the wicked one he did not envy them whose faith was dead without works and Christs speech was proper who said the light of the body was the eye and without the eye the body hath not light looke of it either inward or outward t is proper within and proper without for when the eye is blinded within the body is full of darkenesse when the eye is blinded without the body is darke and he wants the light and the light of the body is the eye that being single the body is full of light and that is perfect
of the Prince of the Air out of the disobedience to the thing he had disobeyed but who comes to the light within which shines in his heart which gives him the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and there is none knowes the working of Christ but by the light within Pr. When they were prickt in their hearts the Apostle did not bid them look to the light within them Answ Did not the Apostle bid them repent And was not there something in them that did give them to understand their trangression who might repent and come to receive remission for their sins by Christ the light who lightened every man that cometh into the world which shines in the darkness and the darkness comprehends it not which light shined forth it gives the light of the knowledge of God in the heart and that which pricks them is within them Pr. To look at the light within puts us by the experience of the created word Answ The light within brings to look at Christ whose name is called the word of God by whom all things was created and the light within gives experience of him which is beyond all created experiences that are changeable and the Scripture doth not tell us of the created word Pr. To follow the light within the natural man that is said to lead to perfection drawes from and puts us from waiting upon the commands of God Answ No natural man comes out of his natural state to perfection to know the commands of God that which discovers all these things to him is the light within which comes from Christ and brings him to know the Covenant of God who are kept from the light within are kept from perfection and the commands of God and the Covenant of God and Christ Pr. There can be no reproof for breaking of a Law if it were not written Answ Adam broke the Law before it was written and was reproved Prin. Light within and watching in that light to bring us to perfection will be a vain watch Answ None sees perfection nor none comes to the true watch but they who come to the light within which doth manifest that which must be stood against and not received and all watches are vain that be not in the light within for they will put evil for good and good for evil darkness for light and light for darkness that watches not in the true light that shines in their hearts which makes manifest Pr. Let us leave leaning on the light within for direction Answ Then you turn your selves from the Apostles doctrine the light that shines in your hearts to give you the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 4. and you turn into darkness from that which should give you the knowledge Pr. To look to the Light within drawes us from or puts us past the blood of the new Covenant the application of it Answ There 's none sees the new Covenant Christ Jesus to Jewes and Gentiles the covenant of light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and the blood of it he that sees this his eye is opened and is a believer for who sees the blood of Christ and his righteousnesse and comes to the blood of Christ who hath enlightned him he comes to life and none doth come to life but who comes to the light which Christ hath enlightned him withall For in him was life and the life was the light of men and the light shines in darknesse and the darknesse comprehends it not though all things were made by him And them that live in the darknesse hate the light and do not believe in it and so they are condemned by the light Pr. That this doctrine the light within draws us from Christ Answ None comes to Christ nor is drawn unto Christ but with the light and that 's within and gives them to know what they are come from and what they are come to for it gives them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus As for all thy other works of darkness in thy Book they are not worth mentioning but whose messenger he is the day doth bring him to light the witnes of God in his conscience shall answer in the day of his condemnation and judgment who is under the spirituall wickednesse and in whom is the high places of it who stands against and denies the doctrine of the Light within the saints and Apostles hath judged him to be a messenger of Satan a false Apostle a Minister of unrighteousnesse out of the light the truth as you may read in the Corinthians for the true Messengers Ministers and Apostles of Christ Jesus made by the will of God brought people to the light within that shines in their hearts and told them that the light would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus Priest Fergison his principles as followeth who is a Teacher in Kent confest to Ambrose Rigge Pr. THat the scripture was the Law and Testimony Answ This is contrary to the Scripture for the Scripture saith the Law is light Prov. 6. and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy and the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Marke Luke and John the Epistles and Revelations were written as in the 8 of Isaiah Pr. That the Scripture is the rule of life and doctrine and that it was the Word of God Answ Adam Abel Enoch Abraham and the holy men of God had a rule for their lives before the Scripture was written the spirit was the rule of their lives that led forth Saints to speak forth Scripture And they that have the Scripture and not the spirit of Christ they are none of his and the Jewes had Scripture but wanted the rule of life Neverthelesse the Scripture which was given forth from the spirit of God is profitable for Doctrine and the Scriptures of truth are the words of God learned of God and not the word and Christ the word before the Scriptures were given forth by whom the world was made is the word of God who fulfilled the words the Scriptures in him ends who was before they were spoken forth Pr. That the Scripture is the way to God and that the Scripture was the ground of Faith Answ The ground of faith is Christ the Apostle bids the Saints look to him which was the Author and finisher not the Scripture but Christ the Author of their faith the ground of it And Abraham and Enoch and Abel had faith before Scripture was written so who hath faith are of Abraham and they witnesse Abrahams ground and the Jewes had Scriptures but had not faith nor the ground so your faith that hath no other ground but Scriptures is like unto the Jewes And Christ is the way to God who was before Scriptures were written who fulfills the
Prophets Abraham and Davids words and the Jewes had Scriptures but stood against the way to God Christ Jesus the light as all you doe that stand against the light And Abraham and Abel and Enoch had the way to God before the scripture was written and Christ Jesus is the way to God Christ saith I am the way to the Jewes who had scriptures Pr. That there is no perfection to be attained to while people live upon earth A Then by thy doctrine Christ is not attained to while man lives which is contrary to the Apostles and Christs own doctrine who said I in you and you in me and Christ in you the hope of glory and then none abides in the Vine by thy account which is Christ and none bears fruit to the glory of God who abides not in the Vine and who abides in the Vine abides in the perfection of God and thou art contrary to the Ministers of Christ whose work was for the perfecting of the saints Pr. That Justification and Sanctification differs Answ Justification and Sanctification is one for Christ who is the justification and sanctification is one and it is thou that differs from him Pr. That the word of faith in the heart spoken of in the 10â—h of the Romans is the Scriptures Answ The Apostle doth not say so for many had the scriptures and were under the Law and knew not the word of faith the gift of God Pr. He said the Scripture leads into all truth Ans This is contrary to Scripture for the Scripture saith the spirit of truth shall lead you into all truth this is the promise of Christ and Christs words And Abraham had his leader and Enoch to Christ and to God before the Scripture was given forth Oh that ever men should be set up to be Teachers that are so blind concerning the Scriptures and receive so many thousand pounds a year for teaching And the Jewes had scriptures and were not led into all truth as you Christians are now therefore are you all in heaps about them wanting the spirit to lead you into all the truths of them Pr. He said That Christ and the Father and the holy Ghost are not one but they are three therefore distinct Answ This is the denying of Christs doctrine who saith I and my Father are one and the holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son and he was conceived by the holy Ghost and they are all one and not distinct but one in unity that which comes out from him leads the Saints into all truth that ever was given forth from the spirit of truth and so up unto God the father of truth and so goes back again from whence it came Pr. It is blasphemy to say the Son is one with the Father and not distinct from him Answ The Father and the Son are one the Son is in the Father and the Father in the Son so that which is in him is not distinct from him and they blaspheme that say the Son is not in the Father and deny Christs doctrine Pr. He said The Father is a distinct incommunicable being from the Son and the Son a distinct incommunicable being from the Father and the holy Ghost a distinct incommunicable being from the Son Ans The Son is one and in unity with the Father and not distinct but equall and thought it not robbery The holy Ghost is in unity with the Son and the Father which proceed from them and they are one in unity and not distinct Thy doctrine is drosse and you Priests are not fit to judge in such things as they are they are too weighty and too heavy for you Pr. He affirmed That the Scripture is the power of God and that the Scripture is the Gospell Answ The power of God leads them to speak forth the Scriptures and the power of God is Christ and the power of God endures for ever but Scripture is writing and doth not and the Gospel is the power of God saith the Scriptures and doth not say that the Scripture is the Gospel for many had that and witnessed not the glad tidings and so thou art here distinct from the Ministers of the Gospell and art not a Minister of it the power of God but puts writings for it which power of God was before writings were Pr. He affirmed That the Father was the Creator and not God Answ This is contrary to the Scripture For in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth the Father and God is one the maker of all things for God the Father that made the world saith the Apostle Gal. 4.6 One God and father of all Pr. He said That Christ was not his rule but the Scripture was his rule Ans I do believe thee that Christ is not thy rule so life is not thy rule wisdome is not thy rule truth is not thy rule and so Christ not being thy rule thou art ignorant of Scriptures and knows them not for he who is the substance of the scriptures is not thy rule so thou knowest them not neither art subject to them Pr. He saith That God justifieth them that are not sanctified Answ He that is justified is sanctified for he that justifieth sanctifieth Pr. And another Priest saith That Christ was not the resurrection of the body Ans Christ is the resurrection and the life and the Saviour of the body who brings the creature into the liberty of the Sons of God The Priests of Lancashire their Principles PRiest Jacus the foreman of them said the letter and the spirit were inseparable Answ Contrary to the Apostle 2 Cor. The letter kills and the spirit gives life And we are Ministers not of the letter but of the spirit so the spirit that ends the letter was before the letter was and men may have letter and not the spirit and deny the Ministers thereof And the Apostle said they were one anothers Epistles written in one anothers hearts and not with paper and ink but with the spirit of the living God so you are contrary to the Ministers of Christ and if every one which hath the letter have the spirit what need you teach your teachings are at an end for the spirit will open to you the scriptures The Professors Principles at Westmerland Edward Briggs the leader of them said Pr. IT was heresie and deceiving the people to bid people believe in the power of God Ans Then they must not believe in Christ who is the power of God and it is not heresie nor deceiving of people to bid them believe in the power of God which is Christ and they are in the heresie and deceiving state that do not believe in the power of God and deceiving people and keeps them all in heaps under the power of the Devil and so to believe in that which is the cause of peoples destroying and persecuting one another Pr. And others of the Professors said That God had no hand in working out
paper and ink that is not infallible nor the scripture is not the ground of Faith but Christ who was before scripture was written that the scripture tells you so and saith God is Divine and the scriptures are the words of God which Christ the word ends who is the author of the faith and Abraham and Enoch had a rule and had faith before scripture was written and the spirit is the rule that leads people into all truth so saith Christ and you that put the letter for the ground of your faith your rule paper and ink that will come to dust it is humane as you call it and give it that which the scripture doth not And as for your creed that you have learned of your Father the Pope the scriptures tells you not that nor doth not teach you the word humane neither so you and the Papists hath creeped into the Apostles words but be out of the life who are proud and covetouss Pr. That its Heresie to say there is an other Rule of Faith then the scripture if any are proved to teach any doctrine contrary to Scriptures the Ministers and pastors do their parts to correct and restrain them Ans You by your judgement have judged your selves to be corrected by the Ministers and pastors and are to be corrected by the true Pastors and to be restrained by your own judgement who hath taught contrary to the scriptures for the scriptures saith Christ is the author of Faith and Faith is the gift of God and you say scripture is the rule of it and Abraham and Enoch and Abell will tell you they had Faith before they had the scripture which you say is your rule so have you not thrown out the true rule of Faith and the giver of it and put up the words in the place so are ye not corrected here by the true pastor Christ the author of faith and Faith the gift of God did not say scriptures was the ground of it but bid looke to Jesus the author of it and the Apostles did not turn them to the ministers to correct them that did oppose them or did not believe them nor receive them as they spoke or as went from them And all they be in the heresie that have not Christ the author of their Faith which was before the the scripture was given forth though they have all the scriptures and be not in the life of them that gave it forth in which was the unity and therefore you being out of this faith and unity and from the author of it put the letter for the rule be all on heaps about the Saints words being out of the life that they had that spoke forth the scriptures and then after was written and printed and so ye Wolves in sheeps cloathing put that for your rule of your dead Faith and have no other and are killing and mangling one another about it and so death and destruction talks of the fame of the scriptures and knowes not the author of Faith nor that there had been a Faith had not the scripture declared it the Priests confesse it Pr. We deny not to teach people young ministers to stop the mouthes of slandrous adversaries to cure jealousies of distempred minds we all are ready in every Protestant Church to give men a full account of our faith in plaine confession but with this protestation that onely that the holy scriptures is the rule of faith if any thing in our confession be found disagreeable to that rule we are ready when we understand so much to disowne it and to Correct it Ans How do you stop their mouthes in haling them before Magistrates and casting them in prisons is this your stopping is not this your worke let the Goales witnesse the houses of correction witnesse how you have stopped their mouths and convinced gain-sayers now that which is truth and speakes plainly to you ye call that adversaries or slanderers Now it is not a slander to call a Lamb a Lamb a Dog a Dog or Swine Swine But to say a Lamb is a Swine a Dog is a Sheep that is a lye or a Wolfe is a Sheep though he hath got on a sheeps cloathing on him and is covered with them and therefore would be called a sheep that he may deceive and would not be called a Wolfe though his fruits declare it His reviling devouring having sheeps cloathing casting into Prison and yet is offended if ye call him not a sheep or a Minister of the Gospel of Christ Nay the truth the Lambs the Sheep cannot do so but they must speak the truth to you and though you do devour them and tear them they will not tear you again And though you Wolves have on the sheeps cloathing which cast into prison because they will not feed you Did ever the Lambs do so the Ministers of Christ Were not they fed in his pasture followed him and knew his voyce and did not want But how have you cured the jealousies and diseased mindes all this while Yee have wounded them made them sick and filled them full of jealousies therefore are the people broken into heaps and sects that 's the fruit of jealousies one of another And how have you been ready you called Teachers apostatized from the Apostles to render to every Protestant Church a full account of your faith in plain confession when many hundreds have been moved of the Lord God to come in those places called Churches and asked you a question cry take him away Mngistrate to prison with him he hath broken the Law neighbours and this hath shewed your faithlesnesse And many have been moved to come to the Steeple-house and look the Priest in the face and he hath cryed take him away I cannot go forward I cannot speak as long as he stands there and here you have shewed your faithlesness again wanting the weapons the shield of faith But you say again they must own the holy Scriptures to be the rule of faith So then not Christ not God the Author What rule might Abraham and Abel and Enoch own was not God the author of their faith And is he not the same now Had not the Pharisees the Scriptures had not they the rule that stood against Christ the Faiths Author and the rule which the Saints looked at Are not they that are of faith of the faith of Abraham which was before Scripture was written Is the Scripture the ground of these Nay the ground of this is that which was before Scripture was written and they were in the faith that stood in God that gave it forth and the Scriptures and so here you be corrected by the Scriptures and your Churches both For all may speak one by one in the true Church but this authority you have thrown down who are such as preach for the fleece and the filthy lucre and gain from their Quarters called of men Masters suing for Tythes going to Law about earthly things which did
regard and receive but if one come in the Name of the Lord him you put out so you will not have the Lord nor his Christ to reign neither his servants to labour in his Vineyard Pr. Ministery is like a mighty tree whose fruit the Lord hath appointed for the healing of the Nations Answ But your Ministers and the Papists hath been them got up since the days of the Apostles that brings Nations all into heaps and into blood and doth not heale the Nations but wounds and burthens and kills and casts into prison as this your fruit declares it who casts into prison such as you doe no work for Pr. To the Law and to the Testimony pray to the Father of lights that he would enlighten us with his truth and shew us the way that he would have us to walke in and pray for us who watch for your soules as those that must give account Answ The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy And the Law is light and the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn and the Epistles were written and the Revelations which outward Books you call Law and Testimony which the Scripture saith the testimony of Iesus is the spirit of prophesie and the Law is light Prov. 6. Are you them that are the makers of Ministers and Ministers who watch for the soules of people and yet do you bid people pray to the Father that he would enlighten you with his truth and shew you the way that you may walke in it How can you present soules to God that doth not know the way and are yet to be enlightned and yet to have the way shewed so you that you might walke in it Is this your conclusion of all you Ministers in Ireland Now I say Christ hath enlightned every man which comes into the world which is the way and though your darknesse cannot comprehend it and yet you pray that he would enlighten you When John saith he doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and that is the true light Have you the light to seek and the way to seek and truth to seek and yet watchers for souls And the soule you that are called Ministers saith it is humane yea the soule of Christ the soule of man is appetite and lust and pleasure and humane from the earth from the ground Is Christs soule from the ground and appetite lust and pleasure wars against the soul in them that be in the unreasonablenesse You that have the light to seek truth to seek and way to seek are in the earth and so gives the soule the name of that which comes from the ground Now the soule is immortall God breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soule It is that which came out from God who hath all souls in his hand that 's his power which hand goes against him that doth evill And Christ the power of God which is immortall is the souls Bishop which is immortall from whence it hath its nourishment and the immortall which is able to save the immortal soul And as for all the rest of your ignorance and non-sence in your Book which comes from your confused earthly spirit who are found in the nature spirit and stock of your Father the Pope who hath apostatized since the dayes of the Apostles with all the rest of your stuffe which is but fuel for the fire in that day of your account the witnesse in all your consciences shall answer it John Stillom his Book called Margent Notes His Principles as followeth Pr. HEe calls it the Quakers adoring their own light magnifying the light of nature The Church is ashamed of your doctrine and walking saith he Ans The Quakers light is Christ the truth in whom they worship God which light was before naturall lights were and this the Church owns and is not ashamed of in which stands the Doctrine by which light the Church is gathered up unto God the Father of light but the imitated Churches in the Apostacy are ashamed of it Pr. Not any man knows him speaking of Christ to be God till he finde him in Scripture and saith as deep things as the spirit hath revealed they are all in the Scripture Ans Many knew God and knew Christ and yet had not written Scripture to tell them of those things as Enoch and Abel and many again hath Scripture speaking of God and Christ and yet doth not know God and Christ and doth not finde him in Scripture As instance the Pharisees knew not God and Christ which had the Scripture and had not life untill they came to Christ the Scripture speaks of and many things the spirit did reveal which was not written in the Scriptures and was spoken to the Saints Pr. John meaneth not that there was any substantiall truth necessary to be known to salvation which is not revealed in the written Word but the spirit that ordered the Copies and mysteries of the Gospell to be contracted within a narrow compass of lines Answ Many knew their salvation as in the dayes of Noah Enoch and David which had not the written Scriptures And though people have the Copies that speaks of the Gospel of the mysteries of the Gospel put together and compassed and contracted into lines yet they do not know the Gospell nor the mysteries of it nor the Word though they testifie of these things and the Pharisees did not that had Scripture which Scripture doth not tell us of written words but that the Word is Christ and God which was in the beginning before words were given forth And Gospell and salvation and the mysteries of it is known by the Spirit and the Light which come from Christ Jesus which none knows it but by that Pr. Stillom adds not onely heart rising prophesie nâ—r breast-prophesie in the minde but written downe in books The Apostle excludes not heart-prophesie so he includes Scripture-prophesie but till the day-star did arise in their mindes by the reading and heeding of the Scriptures that is plain meaning Answ The Scriptures were given forth by prophesie and the spirit of it and no man knows but by the same spirit and the Apostle did not exclude heart-prophesie and the Day-star doth not rise in the heart by mens reading and heeding the Scriptures in their own wills and having them in books written down but as men do come to the life and spirit as they were in that gave them forth and heed that with that they heed Scripture and knows Scripture and with that they know the Day-star and Christ who is the end of them and so men must come to take heed of the light that shines in a dark place before they know the Day-star arise For the Jewes had Scripture and did not heed that for the spirit within of prophesie doth not deny any tittle of the Scripture without And in thy Principle thou hast confounded thy selfe who saith Not heart-prophesie heart-rising
Apostles and Christs words and minister of unrighteousnesse transforming your selves into the true ministers words whose soules is under the horrible delusions and misterious deceits under the observances oâ— the world who would beguile the soule that is not stablished but light is broke forth that few you can deceive and thy New-years gift is judged and proceeds from Cain and is his sacrifice from the earth for tâ—e Apostles saw such as was transforming into the false Apostles and false ministers he brings the saints to the light that shined in their hearts to give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus which you deny to the false transformed into their words and judged with their spirit which brought people to the light within and you bring them from it so from that which should give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Chriâ—â— Jesus Pr. The Devil is called the Prince of darknesse because he lives in the darknesse as to the apprehention of divine love an enemy to all the Image of God which is light and purity and the devil transformed himselfe into the likenesse of God under a faire pretence heavenly words selfe-denyall actions righteous conversations Answ This is like your fruits who hath deceived the people but is your divine love to the devill who is out of truth doth not Christ come to destroy him and his works and there is none that can apprehend the divine love of God but who be in the truth And the Devill cannot transforme himself to be like God not in his image nor in his righteousnesse that is out of truth and his conversation that is out of truth is altogether unrighteous and is but in the pretence of selfe-â—enyalâ— but is not the thing though he and you may get the words that be heavenly and stands against the light and Image of God and purity it selfe for all you be of the devil that doth deny the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world for you come not into the truth which the devill is out of nor into the pure conversation which is in heaven and purity Pr. Thou saist Thou hast many occasions offered by the Quakers upon thy poor weake and sinfull heart the Lord hath filled my heart with moderation in giving my own once uncomfortable experiences Ans We believe thee that thy heart is weak and sinfull and a weak and sinfull heart is not filled with moderation and thy experiences which are uncomfortable are not the experiences of the Saints for the Saints experiences are comfortable and their heart is a pure heart that is filled with moderation and the Quakers will torment all sinfull and corrupt hearts for such the Lord is against and so be his Saints not to take his words into their mouthes Pr. Thou saist Thou hatest hypocrisie when thou livest in the light life and power of the first Adam and because the Quakers say they know my conscience better then my self I see they are acted through delusion I am able to to speak this truth from my own heart which is better known to me I do know that a naturall man may make a large progresse in the Gospel profession and conversation and that which the Quakers call back-sliding is my turning to my God Ans In the light and life and power of the first Adam as he was in the beginning thou art not in which he was in before the fall and the Apostles knew the state and condition of Jewes and Gentiles and people better then they did themselves and so doth the Quakeâ—s that be in their spirit and this is not delusion and thy owne heart yet thou dost not know as thou oughts nor the truth but first thou must come to the light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world which is the truth and a naturall man doth not make a progresse into the Gospell nor doth not come into the conversation of it whilst he lives in the naturall estate and thy God thou art turned too which is the God of the world as all hirelings and diviners for money and teachers for filthy lucre did that went forth from the spirit of the Apostles and prophets and Christ and back-slided from them and so went from the true God and thou serves the God of the world for love of thy benefice and see if thou will not look upward and downeward and curse thy God Pr. I would have all the world to observe how that the Quakers that Anti-Christ hath cast that blindnesse upon their understandings for their reproving men sharply and rebukeing them crying woe to the hypocrites it s the devils policy to keep close to the scriptures I used arguments to people to look for the glorious way and discovery of the divine light and power to be brought forth among all the children of the most high O mystery Babylon of this delusion Ans Hears thy confession for the spirit of God where it is doth rebuke reprove sharplie and tell them that are hypocrites the woe is to them and the Quakers ante-christ cannot blind them they are come from under his power and authority but you are them that cannot feare reproof and the Lord may send a man as he did Philip to such a place and he not know what he shall do nor whom he shall speak to till he come to such a place and the devil is out of the life that gave forth scriptures though he and you may pervert the words who may get them but not own them as they speak and thou calls good evill and evill good for the children of the most high doth waite for the most glorious discovery of divine light and power which delusion and mystery Babylon is out of and so the Quakers is come to that which ante-christ is ravened from with that they comprehend him Pr. And thou saist These people that thou callest the Quakers will send most rayling accusations against the pillars of the Chuâ—ch of Christ Ans That is false but antichrists Church and his pillars which are waters which you call tongues which is your originall that Iohn calls waters the Quakers do judge according to truth and declare it in full power and majesty and can make it good which you call rayling which they deny for a company of greedy drumb dogs can never have enough that will prison and pesecute men till death for speaking to them and for meanes such as are apostatized from the true church and is a false Church who hath transformed themselves into the true Churchs words but now the true Church hath discovered you to be the false apostatized from the true and reigned since the daies of the Apostles Pr. I see no conviction the Quakers hath wrote by their speaking or any subjection of fear or love or any such thing wrought by them and to tell such that be praying reading or in meditation to say it is the power
never knew the minde of the Lord discovering by any of his servants neither under the old nor new Covenant And these dreamers go to a place and doth not know what to say till they come to the place Answ Philip was sent to a place and then it was told him what to say when he came to it And he was not a dreamer but thou art who goes without a command from God and runs when he never sent thee and follows thy own spirit And they that speak as the spirit gives them utterance and moves them and takes no thought but it is given them in the same hour and thou that art out of this art in the glosses It was the minde of the Lord for Isaiah to go naked and to strip himselfe in Aegypt and Aethiopia as many are moved of the Lord to go naked among you spirituall Aegypt and Ethiopians and to put off their cloaths which is a figure to you that the sheeps cloathing must be taken off of your ravening wolves backs Pr. Thou saist For the present thou dost not apprehend any thing more but that the Devill shall transforme himselfe into an Angel of light And there are hardly a people to be found that cry out more against sin and the appearance of sin and unrighteousness then they do as far as I know or have heard to declare them to be carried forth as Ministers of righteousnesâ— Answ Thy apprehension is vaine and judgement false for the Devill transformed himselfe into an Angell of Light before the Apostles deceased and so is transformed into you who have the words but out of the life for the Devill could not transforme into the Apostles while they were in the life and you are Antichrist that are crying out against sin and unrighteousness and lives in it but the Quakers are the sins enemie and the soules friend which are the Ministers of righteousnesse and declared so to be in all your consciences to be in the life of all the Prophets Apostles and Christ and do see that you be transformed into their words but out of the life with that judged Pr. I am perswaded the Quakers do not tell a lye that Satan he will either choose to do some things as healing some infirmity and turning water into wine and the like this is a deceitfull way enough that all the belly-gods in England may become Quakers this labour of mine may make thousands to refuse their errours and delusions because it can be done through a great light that is in Antichrist Answ The Quakers are in the truth and out of the lie and see you are in it for Antichrist is turned from the light and the Devil is not he that turns water into wine and heals the sick and infirmities nor Antichrist but the true Christ where did you read that they turned water into wine or heal the sick therefore thou and you by your delusions and errours your labour is to deceive thousands And thou hast cleared the Quaker from being in the errour or delusion for thou sayest they dare not lie then they are not of the Devil who is the ground of all error and delusion and you Priests are the greatest belly-gods in the Nation for you devour up the tenthes of the Nâ—tion of poor husband-men and so you cannot endure the power that makes to tremble so cannot endure the salvation Pr. What if one of these Quakers should be sent to a blind leader of the people and a man is not able to reply a word and it may be a good Scholar Answ Them in scorn you call Quakers hath been moved by the power of the Lord God to come against such as thou art leaders of the blind and though you have been great Scholars and when you have not been able to resist their spirit but found naked from the spirit of the Lord you have cryed to your Rulers and Magistrates to help take them away cast them into prison and there hath been your weapons and Antichrists Court and Fort and the wolves in the sheepes cloathing strong against them that be in the Apostles and Christs power and life and doctrine and now you are discovered Pr. The crucifying the Son of God a-fresh that is Christ without or else in the heart of another not in his own that doth it and thou saith thou ingages thy affections to the seekers because of their attainments Answ He that crucifies Christ a-fresh to himself first crucifies him in his own heart before he crucifies him in anothers heart without him and it is the affections that thou art joyned withall to people and not with the spirit to the notional attainments for hadst thou been in the spirit thou wouldst not have writ such a book as this is against the truth or affections above or answered the principle of God in the seekers or minded the life in them or in thy own particular in which you might have lived in unity with God and Scripture but whither art thou turned now to thy great fat Benefice and didst steal some words from the seekers and sell them to poor people to make a trade of them Pr. Thou sayest thou wouldst have all people take a right way in opposing the Quakers with a strong understanding in the Scriptures to reason with them Answ All your understanding and your reasoning if you get all these Scriptures in it yet you are not able being out of the life that gave forth Scriptures not to resist the spirit of the Quakers which is that which was in them that gave forth Scriptures though you may gain-say and oppose like Cain Core and Baalam but wo unto you Pr. I shall give my consent if the Quakers transgresse our Lawes they might have double punishment and if you will not believe the truth that comes from them I hope you will believe it as it comes from the mouth of God with speed forsake the Quakers society wholly publike and private Answ Here is thy confession again and judgement and thy unjustice wouldst thou have double punishment inflected upon them that breakes the Law and dost thou say that the Quakers are the mouth of God and if you will not believe the truth as it comes from them believe it comes from the mouth of God and yet must people wholly forsake the societie of the Quakers publike and private and call this overcoming strong questions This is the strengthening of strong questions overcoming you that be in the deceit who are to be Judged Pr. That God is all and in all Answ The Scripture saith so God is all and in all and through you all and over you all blessed for ever and this is not to justifie any prophanness nor wicked actions but it is you that would not have the Lord to have no Roome in your hearts that would not have him to be in people nor have him there to Reign Pr. I have sometime told the Quakers that I did conceive the design of Antichrist
no other way it teacheth but to the Kingdome and though men hate it and will not come to it because their deeds are evill yet that is the teacher in all men that gives them the sense of transgression and an understanding of reproof and knowing if they come so that they are reproved and there is the kingdome in men and that is it which lets all men see the most high reigning and shall make every tongue to confesse Christ to the glory of God and is that which gives every man assurance that God hath raised Christ from the dead who hath inlightned them and that is it which gives every man the hope of eternall life and in the light it is received Pr. That the seed to whom the promise of salvation is made is or hath been sinners Ans The promise of God is to the seed which hath been laden as a Cart with shaves by the sinner which seed is the hope Christ that purifies even as God is pure and here is the creature come to know its liberty amongst the sons of God and the seed Christ never sinned in the male nor in the female in the Jew nor in the Gentiles and of this mystery was the great high professors ignorant of that stood at a distance from the Gentiles that Christ had no room among them though they talked of him but in the stable in the manger and in their mouthes to talke of him with their lips and such Christ calls graves and Sepulchres and whited walls and the wall is not the seed but the seed is Christ and not the Sepulchre nor the grave so this promise is not unto seeds as many but to one the seed which is Christ Pr That there is no man doth possess the Kingdom of God whilest he is in the mortall body Ans In this thou art like Nebuchadnezer who must graze like the Oxe thy mouth downeward who knows not the most high ruling in the children of men and God will dwell in you and walke in you and where God dwells and walkes in men they are his temples which is holy there is his Kingdome his power his authority and the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell in them and walke in in them and this is the state of thousands that be in the new covenant that knowes the power of God of the most high his law put in their mindes and hearts and they that doe not know that they are the Temples of God and God dwelling in them and walking in them they are worse then the Corinthians Pr. That he that doth not preach the death and Resurection and the man Christ Jesus that rose from the dead at Jerusalem preacheth not the Gospell whatsoever else he doth declare Ans He that preacheth Christ must preach that Christ that dyed at Jerusalem for he is the same to day yesterday forever the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world which seed Christ breaks the Serpents head and destroyes death and the Devill that went out of the truth and death being destroyed the captivated one comes out by the power which is the Gospel and the prisoner of hope shews himself forth and then the covenant of light life is felt and peace with God but the Reprobate Devill death and destruction anti-christ Beast and false prophet may talke of Christ without and he not within felt such are then the Reprobates and thou saying the seed is not in all men first know it in thy selfe he is not in the man of sin that is to be destroyed who hath blinded thy mind and hath taken possession of thy heart and so first judge thy selfe Pr He that doth not expect the Resurrection from the dead of his owne person as Christ rose from the dead litterally understood hath no true hope of Eternall life borne in his understanding Ans The Saints rising is in Christ and he is the Resurrection they are of his flesh and of his bone and of his spirit and the Saints are of the flesh of Christ that saw no corruption and of his bone and hath the hope of eternall life promised of the Father and now the flesh of Christ the Jewes did not know that were the Idolaters and fornicaters for Christ according to the flesh was of Abraham who came out of all that Idolatry and generation of Fornicaters and in this the saints rise live and remaine with Christ for ever and such come to know the resurrection of the just and unjust according to the scriptures the one to eternall life and the other to condemnation Pr. That Christ by his death overcame him that had the power of death and thereby made way to life Ans But how is death overcome in thee when thou dost not see the kingdome of God in thee and saith it shall not be whiles men are in their mortall bodies and how short art thou of the Holy Ghost and the power and the joy and the righteousnesse which the Kingdome stands in and Christ which overcame death he is the life and the way to God the Father of life which doth inlighten every man that cometh into the world that by the light they might see it and believe in it that they might be children of light and come to the light of life which they that doe not believe in it with the light are condemned Pr. That the unchangablenesse of Gods purpose of his love is the onely ground of mans obedience stability or continuance in obedience not mans obedience the ground of his stability Ans Mans stability is Christ the light the life the foundation of God that stands sure the hope in him that remaineth the faith given to him of God the seed comes to be knowne the Son of God in the male and in the female which abideth in the house for ever which is the heir of the promise and there the unchangeablenesse of God is knowne he that doth not change is seen that is appeared which cannot be shaken that seeth an end of all changeable things and variablenesse and turnings and here is the obedience felt Pr. God hath ordained to eternall life every one that are or shall be saved before they had a being in this world but none come to possession of this salvation but through the obedience of the spirit Ans The ground of mans belief and obedience is Christ who doth inlighten him to the intent that he might believe and obey the truth and who knowes the seed knowes the election before the world was made Pr. That the seed of Israel are men and not onely something in man that the seed of the Serpent are men and not onely something in man Ans If the seed of Israel be men then by thy account the seed of Israel is the seed of the Serpent for they are men and Christ who came to destroy the work of the Devill and him that hath the power of death it is not said he came
to destroy all Israel and all men upon the earth but thou errs in thy judgement and in thy understanding for I know it is the seed of the Serpent that speakes in thee that puts no difference between the pretious and the vile and when Israel thought Christ had called them serpents many of them were converted to the faith their outward creatures were not destroyed thou talkes foolishly and given up to the Devils power and who works wickednesse and mischiefe and if men be the serpents seed as thou doth say who shall be saved for the Serpent and his seed must be destroyed and if men be the seed of the serpent then must the seed of the serpent obey the spirit must not the spirit destroy him and the brightnesse and breath of the Lord consume him and it is men whose lives Christ came to save that are captivated by the seed of the serpent and redeemed and turned from the power of Satan to God and thou must be threshed and feel the weight of the Lords hand before thou beest humbled and what hast thou to doe to talke of ordination before man had a being in the world and would make men like thy self and say they are the serpents seed which man is not so as he is man and we and thousands do witnesse election and salvation before the foundation of the world was laid and are come into that which comprehends time and being which are since time in which power the elect reignes where salvation is known Pr. The woman that the Serpent deceived her seed breakes the Serpents Dominion Ans The seed of the woman doth bruse the serpents head where ever he is found in any male or female that Christ may rise in the male and in the female and this seed is a top of thy head and thou hast no power but to reach to his heel and thou art the house of darknesse and the seed is yet in Egypt not come forth yet and there is a strong man must bow himselfe and them that keep the house must tremble and hath kept thy heart from the Lord God and hath carryed it a whoring abroad and a stronger he is then he that keeps the house that spoiles his goods and takes possession who comes to rule and will rule and reigne Pr. That the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man in the Church to profit withall and not to every man in the world Answ The manifestation is given to every man to profit withall without distinction I will power out my spirit upon all flesh for the spirit of truth shall lead the Saints into all truth and he shall reprove the world and that which doth reprove the world is manifest to the world Pr. That no man hath received a measure of the spirit of Christ but such as doe believe in Christ and that no man doth believe in Christ but such as Christ is revealed to in time and that he is revealed to none but by the manifestation of his spirit Answ The true believers that believe in Christ the revelation knew him in time and out of time and the unbelievers are reproved Pr. Which of the people of God Prophets or Apostles did direct all people to a Light within them for their instruction and guide before the manifestation of the spirit unto them or the worke of Regeneration wrought in them Answ The Prophet said I will give him for a Covenant of light unto the Gentiles and a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah will I make and write my Law in their hearts and put them into their minds and this was in generall directed to them before they was converted and Regenerated and this light was to inlighten the Gentiles whereby the prisoners should come out of the pit where there is no water and the new Covenant was held to the Jewes before they were converted that all may see who can read but the outward letter and the Apostle was sent to turn people from darknesse to light and Iohn the highest Prophet borne of woman said that was the true light which did inlighten every man that cometh into the world which he was a witnesse of and shined in the darknesse and the darkness comprehendeth it not and Christ directed the Pharisees to the kingdome of heaven in them which were not converted read the pearl and the lost piece of silver read the talent and the pearle hid in the field read the slothfull servant his talent and then read thy selfe how blind and ignorant thou art in the things of God and be silent that thou may come to know the Lord and his feare that the witnesse of God may stir in thee that thou may do righteously in the fight of God and men least the judgement of God be upon thy head for thou art manifest to all that be in the light THE DOCTRINS PRINCIPLES OF THE Priests of Scotland CONTRARY to the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST and the APOSTLES Here all may see The Priests of Scotland and their Church and their Persecution against the Saints and Lambs Servants and Children of God which the Lord moved to go among them to visit the Seed of God in that dark wilderness-Country who has been as Sheep among Wolves Also How pure Religion is turned upside down and vain Religion got in its place And the pure Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles which saith Entertain Strangers Love Enemies is lost among you In stead of entertaining strangers and loving enemies they Imprison and Persecute and have made their Church unsavoury And the Teachers fruits declares to be false who are wrestlers against flesh and blood and strikers at creatures which Christ and the Apostles did not George Weare John Hart. William Grey William Lowry William Mitchell Richard Isamaell FIRST These Presbyterian Priests of Scotland which Excommunicate and puts out of the Synagogues knowes not the Father and the Sun John 16. so no true Christians for how can they be true Christians that knowes not the Son of God nor the Father Secondly They are no Ministers of Christ for Christ saith When they curse blesse ye so they be out of Christs doctrine and teaching not blessing but cursing and giving forth curses and all the people must say Amen to their Curses Thirdly They be out of the Apostles doctrine who saith Blesse and curse not Rom. 12.14 so are no Ministers of Christ that curseth and gives forth their Curses to the people to say Amen to them and here they are shut out of the Apostles doctrine and Christs all people mark and take notice them they are that curse which the Apostle saith Blesse and curse not these are the Cursers and not blessers that Excommunicate you out of the Synagogues Hugh Archball Priest of Stravan John Hume Priest of Lesmabaga William Hambleton Priest of Glasford James Durram Priest of Glasgow John Castaires Priest of Glagow Francis Ard Priest of Discert Matthew Mackel
sin whilst they are upon earth they can be but in their sin if they never preach to them But the scripture saith He that believes is borne of God and he that is borne of God cannot sin because his seed remaines in him 1 Iohn 3.9 But this is of another world to him who is called James Dorram Minister of Glasgow Minister of darknesse who puts no difference between the children of God and the children of the devill 1 Iohn 3.10 They would have sin whilst they are upon the earth and it is darknesse but the Apostles said they were made free from sin Rom. 6.22 whilst they were upon the earth Pr. Christ being sinlesse separates him from all others Answ Christ being seperated from sinners Heb. 7.26 who are in Christ are seperate from sinners and sin both 2 Cor. 6 17. But this James Dorram hath made the offering of none effect Heb. 10.14 which hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified And hath made the blood of Jesus of none effect which cleanseth from all sin 1 Iohn 1.7 And he hath made the everlasting Covenant of none effect which blots out all sins trespasses And he hath made the faith of the Son of God of none effect which purifies the heart and gives victory over the world Acts. 15.9 1 Iohn 5.5 Thou dost herein preach and hold up sin and doth not preach it down and yet thou saist thou preachest not to hold it up and yet thou preachest they must have it whilst they are upon the earth here is confusion in thy tongue Prov. 17.20 Thou shouldst have preached it down and have brought them to a Church where there is neither spot nor wrinkle nor blemish nor any such thing Eph. 5.27 if thou wert a true Minister but your Church is full of spots and blemishes and wrinkles whilst ye are preaching up zeale to stone people and sin while they live as Henry Foreside and Iames Dorram doth Pr. God be thanked the scripture speakes nothing for freedome from sin and perfection Ans Thou thankest God that thou maist live in thy sin and imperfection and art glad of this thy false hope but thou art a lyar thou art out of the truth in this for the scripture saith they were made free from sin Rom. 6.26 and they preached wisdome among them that were perfect 1 Cor. 2.6 and he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 So the scripture speakes of freedome from sin and perfection and be perfect Pr. That the condemning power of sin is taken away Answ The believer doth not sin 1 Iohn 5.1 1 Iohn 3.9 but he that the believer overcomes commits sin 1 Io. 3.8 1 Io. 5.5 if the believer commits sin who overcomes the believer and so he that commits sin is under the condemning power of sin which thou saist not which thou and all other shall witnesse Pr. The believer is not in sin as the unbeliever is he sins not as the unbeliever doth and in an other place he saith the Law is the same to the believer that it is to the unbeliever Answ Here any may read thy confusion but I say unto thee he that believeth doth not commit sin but the unbeliefe is sin Rom. 11.20 and Christ is the end of the Law to every one that believes for righteousnesse sake Rom. 10.4 and yet thou puts both believers and unbelievers under the Law Lodowick Simerell priest of the new parish of Munckland his Principles and Doctrines Pr. THat it is blasphemy to say that the light in man which reproves of sin is the light of God is perfect is the gift of God Answ Contrary to scripture contrary to Christs words and contrary to the Apostles words is thy doctrine and Principles for every gift of God is perfect Isa 1.17 Isa 49.6 Iohn 1.3 Iohn 4. For Christ is the gift of God and he will give him for a Covenant of light to the Jewes and Gentiles which doth enlighten every man that commeth into the world which every one that doth truth comes to it which every one that doth evill hates the light and will not come to the light because the light will reprove him and so This is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds be evill So this light is perfect which doth reprove every man of sin and is from above and it is the gift of God and thou art blind and in darknesse that comprehends it not And the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Christ Jesus the gift of God him by whom the world was made this light was before any naturall light was made Sun Moon or Stars for all things that was made was made by the light which came a light into the world that all through him might believe for he that believes not in the light is condemned already and he that does believe in the light hath the witnesse in himselfe to set to his seale that God is true and the spirit of truth that doth reprove the world is perfect of God The light which every one that cometh into the world is enlightned withall is not conscience for the light was before any thing was made or conscience named So the light is that which exerciseth the conscience towards God and towards man where it is loved and the voice heard but where it is hated and the voice not heard the conscience is seared and the light is their condemnation whose consciences is seared which light was before conscience was The Priest would not have thee and thou to be to a single person and so is the man that would not indure sound words that cannot be condemned thee and thou was the language between God and his Saints and one another and you is to many and thou was to one and this was the language between Jeptha and his daughter and between the Saints and the Kings this shewes thou hast not learned the Accedence nor Bible nor art come to the forme of sound words Iohn Castaires called Minister of Glasgow his principles Pr. THis is naturall folks duty to pray to God and worship him although they sinfully keep themselves under a sinfull necessity to sin against God through ignorance Answ This hath been your worke to keep people in ignorance which you may be ashamed of A naturall man cannot worship God for he cannot receive the things of God nor a sinfull man but worship the Devill for he that commits sin serves him and he that serves sin serves the devill and worships him Iohn 8.34 And Christ said the Pharisees should receive the greater damnation for their pretended long prayers Mat. 23.14 and so he did not justifie them in their long prayers but rebuked them and said Wo unto them who draw near with their lips when their hearts were far off Isa 29.13 And they that pray and worship God must pray in the
free and let all the people say Amen Answ And so they curse the Apostles and the Apostles doctrine and all that witnesse to it who said The free grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Titus 2.11 and was the Saints Teacher These things the Apostles commanded to teach with all authority Titâ—s 2.15 but the ungodly men turne this grace of God into wantonnesse of old ordained for condemnation Ye are the raging waves of the Sea sending and fomeing out your own shame whose fruits wither neglecting the common salvation Read Jude Ye are like to Sodome and Egypt clouds without water who run greedily after the wages of Balaam going on the way of Cain and shall perish in the gain-saying of Core and walking despitefully against the spirit of grace and they that turne the Grace of God into wanttonnesse denies the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. Jude 11. Ye are the trees without fruite wells without water carryed about with tempests cursed speakers teaching the people to say Amen to your cursing the Apostles doctrine and so willingly ignorant that your damnation may be just that your madnesse and folly might appeare to all and so sensuall having not the spirit waves of the Sea wandring stars reserved for darkness of blackness read Jude The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Titus 2.11 So that which brings salvation and hath appeared to all men ye Curse that which is the Grace of God which ye with your damnable doctrine and doctrine of Devills curse them that witnesse it 2 Pet. 2. 1 Tim. 4. upon whose consciences the hot Iron hath come hardned them that went to the doctrine of Devils went to them that did not hold forth the Saviour of all men but especially them that believe 1 Tim. 4.10 These things command and teach let no man despise thy youth Now they that went to the doctrine of Devills from the Saviour of all men but especially them that believe and from the grace of God which hath appeared to all men which brings salvation are they which have turned the grace of God into wantonnesse ordained of old for condemnation which is the light Jude 4. Such be in Caines way from the command of God Cores way from the truth and Balaams way from the spirit those be the clouds and tempests upon whose heads comes the Woe The Priests second curse which all the people were to say Amen to Cursed be all they that say the Scripturs is not the word of Gods and let all the people say Amen Ans Here they have cursed Luke who calls the scripture a Declaration of the word Luke 1.1 and Acts 1.1 where it is called a Treatise and they have cursed their own company who saies the scriptures signifies Writings and they have cursed John who did not say the scripture was the word who said In the beginning was the word Iohn 1.1 and the scripture is words as Revelations the last he that addeth to the words and Christ his name is called The word of God Rev. 19 13. And the scriptures are words not a word Exod. 20. and which words Christ came to fulfill The Priests third Curse to which all the people were to say Amen Cursed be all they that say Faith is without sin and let all the People say Amen Ans Faith is the gift of God and the gift of God is without sin Ephes 2.8 Faith is that which gives the victory John 3.4 And that which gives victory is without sin And here they have cursed the Apostles and their doctrine who saith Faith is without sin and Faith is precious 1 Pet. 1.7 and that which is precious is without sin Faith is the gift of God and the gift of God is perfect and that which is perfect is without sin and gives victory over sin Without Faith a man cannot please God and that which men please God in is without sin Heb. 11.6 And so ye have cursed the Apostle and his doctrine the just and that which is pure that by which they were healed through Faith they were justified Rom. 3.28 and what is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23 So what is of Faith is not sin and what is righteous is not sin and the Scripture speakes of the righteousness of Faith Rom 4.13 Faith is not of sin but what is not of Faith is sin Faith gives victory over sin 1 John 3.4 in which Faith man is justified and hath peace with God Rom. 5.1 and it is a mystery held in a pure conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 The Priests fourth Curse to which all the people were to say Amen Cursed are all they that say every man hath a light sufficient to lead him to Christ and that within him and let all the People say Amen Answ Here they have cursed the Apostles doctrine who said God would dwell in them 2 Cor. 6.16 and Christ in you the hope of glory Col. 1.27 and God is light 1 John 1.5 And they have cursed the Prophets who said I give him for a Covenant a Leader of the people I will dwell in them and walk in them saith God Jer 31.31 Heb. 10.16 and he saith I will send you the Spirit of truth and it shall lead you into all truth John 14.17 John 16.13 And I will be their God to rule them and they shall be my people Jer. 31.33 Thy curses are but winde for we are redeemed from the curse and the Apostles said the light that shined in their hearts was to give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 and they that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 the light to guide our feet in the way of peace and he that hath the Son hath the Father also And if any bring another doctrine receive them not into your houses neither bid them God speed 2 John 9.30 You have here shewed your sâ—lves in the cursed estate out of the Apostles rule the same Spirit of truth that led the Disciples into all truth that shall reprove the world of sin John 16.8.13 The Priests fifth Curse to which all the people were to say Amen Cursed be all they that deny the Sabbath day and let all the People say Amen Answ Here thou hast cursed thy self and all the Apostles and all the Saints and their own generation hast not thou and thy owne gâ—nâ—ration denyed the Sabbath day the Jewes met on which is the Sabbath day according to the Scripture do not ye meet togâ—tâ—er upon the first day and was not Christ crucified on the sixth day and did not he arise on the fiâ—st day and did not the Saints meet together on the first day and not keep the Jewes Sabbath day do not you work upon it your selves and keep markets and Fairs on it but as it is said before we are Redeemed from the curse Thâ—se are the particular sentences whereupon
Apostles that be in Cains way who be out of the life and sacrifice the Saints were in that would murther and Cores way that gainsayeth the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world so against the common salvation and ye be like Cain foaming and raging in your Pulpits and would murther all that are contrary to you whose Sacrifice God accepts and yours he does not and God would have accepted of Cain if he had done well Gen. 4. So God is mercifull and a just God but Cain he did not well Therefore wo went out from God against him and so there was fault in him and not in God which was the cause of his condemnation so you that be in Balaams way for the wages of unrighteousness admiring mens persons because of advantage Ye are out of the faith that is held without respect of persons Iam. 2. and so separated from the Apostles to whom Christ said Freely ye have received freely give and you will not give freely who are rageing and foming without you have augmentations stipends gleabe Lands or Tythes great sumes of money gifts or rewards from great â—ouses so you deny the light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world so gain-sayes the common salvation Jude 1. You gain-say the truth that doth enlighten every man that cometh thto the world so in Cores way you are and would have the persons of the Saints murthered so in Caines way as ye confesse that ye have not the spirit that gave forth the scriptures so in the self-separation and ye deny the the light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world which is the Lord Iohn 8.12 And so denies the Lord that bought you 2 Pet. 2.1 And so are for condamnation who are of that stock that separate themselves from the Apostles sensually having not the spirit who are in Cains way that would kill and murther and out of the Apostles way who said love your enemies who are in Balaams way for gifts and rewards and admiring mens persons because of advantage to them speaking high words in hypocrisy and out of the Apostles way to whom Christ said Freely ye have received freely give Mat. 10.6 And out of the Prophets way who said come without a price Isa 55.1 2. And ye will have the price or else you will not come let all that can read Iude over and see if there was not cause in man of his condemnation not in God and so have not you proved your selves in the Doctrine of Devils and in lyes and would make God unrighteous and the Apostles unrighteous for there was fault in Cain fault in Balaam and fault in Core and fault in Sodome and fault in them that turned the grace of God into wantonnesse which were of old ordained for this condemnation Iude 4. Which condemnation is that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evill and so the Apostles taught that there was fault in man as ye may read Iude and thou hast taught there is none so then thou art unrighteous who would make God and the Apostles unrighteous like thy selfe let all that feare God judge of it who are now come to the judgment Seat before the Almighty God who have been them that erred from the Apostles Doctrine with it is judged and are judged and you must have a reward according to your works and he that comes to life comes out of his wickednesse and not the wicked man enters into the kingnome of God Rev. 21. and the promise is to the seed and he that works iniquity departs from the seed Gal. 3.16 And the Election obtaines it Rom. 11.7 Not him that wills nor runs But God that shewes mercy And whereas thou saist the wicked man is ordained to life without any cause in the creature lesse or more This is just the Devils Doctrine againe and to bring every one to hide his Talent and none neither to watch nor pray for that is in the creature that brings him to lay a side wickednesse and to depart from sin and iniquity which lets him see it and covetous and drunkennesse soe through the obedience of the Spirit and that is in the Creature that brings him to confesse his sin and forsake it whereby mercy is shewed the power of God worketh in us saith the Apostle And as they had been servants to unrighteousness so came to yeeld themselves servants unto righteousnesse Rom. 6. How comes the commands of God to be obeyed if there be not somthing in the creature that causes him to obey it For thou saist without any cause in the creature why were all these expressions spoken in scripture that they should obey all things that Christ commanded Mat. 28.20 And all the statutes and Ordinances spoken of in the scriptures if there be not something in man to cause him to obey it but thy intent is to make God unrighteous who respects no mans person but gives to every man a reward according to his works Rev. 2 23. The one as well as the other and all shall appear before the judgement of Christ 2. Cor. 9.10 He will judge the world in righteousness but there is something in the creature for every man that cometh into the world being enlightned whereby he is capable of obeying or disobeying and not believing comes to be condemned and in believing he is saved he hath the witnesse in himselfe Iohn 3.8 1 Io. 5.10 For he that commits sin is the servant of sin Io. 8.24 And there is no respect of persons with God but whosoever doth righteousness is accepted of him Acts 10.34 35. The Apostle said He perceived God was no respecter of persons but whosoever doth wickedly be hates the light and is condemned but whosoever doth the truth cometh to the light Joh. 3.21 and so out of condemnation so thou teaches another Doctrine so as I said before The promise is to the seed the seed is Christ and Christ all and in all 1 Cor. 15.28 And all ungodly and wicked men are shut out of the Kingdom of God where no wicked men enters one nor other and man must be turned again from wickednesse before he enters Rev. 21.8 Pr. He being asked what he would do with Quakers and he said if he had been a civil Magistrate he would have thought it good service to have cut off all their heads Ans There ye may all see if he be not of Cains stock and what an envy proceeds out of his mouth and unchristian Spirit and how would he convert them if they were out of the way and how would he convince them who would cut off their heads hath not this proved the Quakers to be in the truth and he out of it and is not the command of Christ that ye should love your enemies Mat. 5.44 Now ye may see he is out of the command and example but followed the example of Cain the
of those who calls themselves ministers of Christ That would have you to slay to stone to stock to prison and to put to death them that be contrary to them Those be murtherers in Cains way man-slayers wrastlers against flesh and blood and not Ministers of the Gospell which saith love enemies and render to no man evil for evil Mat. 5.44 and this differs from the Scribes and Pharisees who loved their owne and persecuted others and stoned others and drew the Magistrates to doe it which saith the Ministers of Christ we wrestle not with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places Eph. 6.12 Now those Ministers that would have the persons of men slain are like Cain and Jezabel the beast and false Prophets that slew Abel Gen. 4. 1 Kings 21. the persons of men stoned imprisoned and put to death are as the Jewes Priests and those Magistrates that executes their malice are as the Jewes Magistrates unchristian Magistrates And so those are they that are wrestling stoning striking and imprisoning against flesh and blood And in the mean time spirituall wickednesse rules among them And rulers of darkenesse in high places where flesh and blood are wrestled against so in this state both Ministry and Magistracy are blind that be out of the feare of God They turn their sword backward whilst they are executing the Priests malice and the Priests will strengthen the hands of evil doers and provoking to slay and against flesh and blood wrestling and doe not profit the people at all and stires up the multitude against the just That he may keep himselfe in his place for his own ends and admiring the Magistrates persons and mens because of advantage Iude 16. and respects their persons which shewes they be out of the faith Iam. 2. which gives victory over the world 1 Iohn 5.4 and out of the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles now the Magistrates is for the punishment of evill doers and for the praise of them that doe well which walkes in the life which he that doth evill goes from where the rulers of darknesse and spirituall wickednesses are and this Magistrate he can see he turnes not the sword backward he answeres that of God in every one and is for a praise to them that doe well 1 Pet. 2.14 so every evill doer acts contrary to that of God in them now a Minister of Christ wrestles not against flesh and blood but against spirituall wickednesses in high place so every one that doth evil acts contrary to that of God in him so the higher power goes above him Rom. 13.1 So the higher power is above him and before he was all power in heaven and in Earth is given to the Son of God Io. 5.22 above all the powers of the earth that lighteth every man that cometh into the world Io. 1.9 but they who does evill goes from the light and so the higher power goes against him The Magistrates that be in the power is a terror to the evil doers that acts contrary to the light wherewith every one that cometh into the world be enlightned The Magistrates be in that power which goes over him and is a prâ—ise to them that be in the light and the Ministers of God is to bring from under the occasion of the Magistrates sword George Weare being with his friend standing in the field neer Foord meeting house as they call it he neither speaking nor acting any thing against any man but standing in the fear of the Lord with his friend Wlliam Lowry and Iohn Hambleton called justices commited him to prison where they lay twenty and three daies and here is his innocency preached The originall righteousness was before the fall The originall of selfe righteousnesse was that which fell and is in the fall that transgressed And in the Catechism which is tollerated by the generall Assembly and in the Catechise of Scotland called a short Catechism They say that the word of God is contained in the scriptures Ans And the scriptures are writings and it saith God is the word Io. 1.1 1. Kings 8.27 Solomon saith the heaven of heavens cannot containe him you say he is containned in the scriptures with his writings you say there is three persons the scripture doth not speak of three persons the Jews had the scriptures knew not Christ the word of God Then ye tell people of an outward ordinary meanes by which Christ communicates the benefit of Redemption The word Sacraments the scripture doth not speak of three persons Sacraments they are Papists words of them ye have learned them the means of salvation is not ordinary or outward but Christ is the salvation who is eternall Heb. 5.9 and they that come to him come to the end of the outward Col. 1.27 ye say the Sacraments are the Effectuall meanes to salvation and ye say againe they are not as they are themselves so here is confusion but onely by the blessing of Christ his spirit in them How doe ye differ from the Papists for they say he is in them and ye say his spirit is in them and where his spirit is is not he Oh blind are ye found out goe ye home to your Mother the Papist where Christs Spirit is he is And ye say your two sacraments is Baptisme and the Lords Supper The scripture doth not call Baptism and the Lords supper two sacraments which names you and the Papists adore and worship which you have given to them againe you in your Catechize call the first day in the weeke the Sabbath day where did ever any of the Ministers of Christ or the Christians unapostatized call it so are not you come unto the breach and guilty of your own judgement of the third commandement when ye give another name to the scriptures then they give themselves in calling them the word calling Baptism and the Supper the Sacraments Exo. 20. Moses saith God spake all these words when he gave forth the commandements marke words and the words of Christ are spirit and life Io. 6.63 God is the word Jo. 1.1 and Christ is the word Rev. 19.13 and the word became flesh and dwelt among us Io. 1.14 And them that had the words of the scriptures which cannot be broken Io. 10.35 the Law and the prophets they knew not Christ the word before they be brought to the light that Christ hath inlightned them with and they be brought to the spirit Io 5 37. Io. 8.19 Can the whole world say the Lords prayer in truth or was it taught his Disciples or to the world doth not people draw nigh to God with their lips that say it Isai 20.13 and are not in the light which every man is lighted that cometh into the world withall can ye say the Lords prayer which is forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us without hypocrisy how do ye for give them when ye
comes the soul to be subject to the higher power that 's above the transgressor which all the Magistrates and Rulers upon the earth must give an account to and there is none upon the earth that comes to worship God in the spirit and in truth but who first come to own that of God in them and there is none upon the earth that are like to retain God in their knowledge nor his Covenant while their minds is reprobated from that of God in them There all may see the Covenant of grace to all men and the Covenant of light and life with the Father he gave him for a Covenant of light to the Gentiles to the Heathen I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and Judah the people of God I will write my Law in their hearts and their minds so saith Christ the Covenant of God I am the light of the world and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that all men through the light of the covenant of God might believe it is the covenant of God that every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall and every one that hates the light wherewith they are enlightned withall hates the Covenant and the light condemns him and here all men may see the free grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men The grace of God that brings the salvation the turning the grace of God into wantonness and walking despightfully against the spirit of grace they neglect their salvation and bring punishment and condemnation upon them as it s written in Jude Concerning election and what is elected the grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared to all men to the clearing Gods Justice and the fault is in man for his condemnation There is a precious thing in these Scots but there is a filthy beastly durty thing lyeth over A Book I have received out of Holland the Title of which is called A Catechism of Christian Religion Printed at Amsterdam by Iohn Frederick Stationer at the signe of the Hope 1639. The principles in it as followeth Pr. OUt of the Law they say they learne they should love the Lord God with all their strength and mind and soule and their Neigbour as themselves Ans Now these words are said but where these words are performed the commandement is knowne and God is loved and his Neighbour as himselfe so loves the Creation the work-manship of God but where these words are talked of and not done and they say they have not power then they be out of that state as the Jewes was in that came out of Egypt which had the power and ability to answer the law of God to which the Law was committed and God is equall and righteous and commands nothing but what is equall and just and measurable and reasonable according to that which men may performe and such as he gives the Law to he gives power but if men transgresse the Law they abuse the power and such were not justified and may say they had not power but that is false that is a lye Pr. They say They are not able to keep the word of God perfectly that is to say to love their Neighbours as themselves and love God for man is prone to evil-hatred by nature Ans That which brings men to keep the commandements of God is beyond nature to order nature and to rule nature and above nature and it is to subject that which is prone to evil and that nature that the law goes upon so he that lookes into the law and loves God is turned from the evill nature for the evill makes the nature corrupt man in the beginning which had the law of God within the commandement man in the fall had the commandement given to him and there he had power as man had in the beginning the Law and the power but they both transgressing abusing the power so became unrighteous not to make God unrighteous or a hard task-master to lay more upon a man then he can doe as the corrupt wills of men and the slothfull servants look upon God so to doe as to command them to do the thing they cannot so to make God unreasonable they that love the darknesse and the pleasures and the lust more then God and so have not regard to God and their Neighbour for man in the beginning lost his uprightnesse by transgressing the Law and so the Devils seed comes to be sowed in mankind and the Image of God lost and the Image of the devil is set up in man and so comes darknesse hardnesse mists dimnesse and blindnesse and death reigned from Adam to Moses so then came the Law by Moses that went over all transgressors answered the principle of God in all men that was transgressed and the Lord that gave man the Law gave him power and ability who saith his waies was equall and righteous and they then to love God with their strength and their souls and their neighbour as themselves and such were preservers of the creation and lovers of the workmanship of God but such as were transgressors was destroyers and defacers of the workmanship of God and not lovers of God nor their Neghbour Pr. That the anger of God is most dreadfull for the sins wherein they were borne Ans Then you are not the believers which were borne in the sin nor of believing parents if you do owne the Apostles doctrine for the unbelieving is sanctified by the believing else were their children unholy but now are they cleane saith the Apostle the Minister of God if you can believe his doctrine and beare it and receive it but if you do object and say borne in sin and transgression and all by nature the children of wrath yea I say this is the estate the Apostle speaks of among unbelievers Jewes and Gentiles gone astray from the life of God from the Covenant of promise but who came into the life of God and the covenant of promise are believers the believing wife or the believing husband sanctifies the unbelieving else were their children unholy but now are they cleane he that can receive this let him this was the Apostles Doctrine Pr. Because the Justice of God requires that the same nature of man which had sinned do it selfe make recompence for sin Ans All that makes the recompence for sin is he that never sinned Christ the second Adam and not the first so in this your blindnesse and darknesse hath appeared and it is not the same nature that hath sinned that destroyes it but it is Christ that cleanseth the nature of Man that had sinned and destroyes sin it selfe that is to say the Devill that hath defiled the nature of Man and so Christ is called the sanctification Justification redemption cleansing of mans nature blotting out of the sin and transgression Pr. Salvation is not offered to all men who perished in Adam but onely to those men who are grafted in
freedome thou speakest of one sitting and an other standing to serve at meat and put yonr selves among the Pharisees and doth not Christ serve the children at the table who is the Master but in the world there is the Lord-ship and exercising authority and doth not know their own brethren as Paul to Philmon but Masters and servants as the Scriptures declares is owned thou speaks of Cains and Abels offerings you who are the persecuters and slayers and prisoners of the just offerers up of the Earth and are the City got up since the true woman went into the wildernesse but the City of the living God is known againe and you are judged and your false Church Thou speakest of salutations and saluting enemies how do you salute those that you imprison till death for your Tithes what a salutation is that and cause them to be whipped and imprisoned for speaking to you this is like Judas salutation to Christ when he betrayed him and not the salutation of the saints Thou speaks of calling daies by other names then the first second c. yes you and your mother the Papists Church and the heathens contrary to the Jewes and true Apostles and true Christians call them Moonsday and Sunsday and Friday after the name of the great Idol in England and Wensday and Saturnsday and this is contrary to the scripture and the form of sound words and contrary to the Law of God which Judges the heathen and every day is the Lords and many names you give to your Moneths which the heathen is fain teach you thou speaks of Interpreting the word and giving sence and meanings and thus with your Interpretations and sences and meanings you have brought whole Christendom in heapes your fâ—uits declare it to be out of the Scriptures to be out of the Spirit that gave it forth so your own spirits give the meaning in which lodges the Envy and serve your own bellies but it is the spirit that leads into all truth and not you thou speakest of singular and plural as though thou neither knew Scripture nor accidence thou speakest of the Ministers going without gold and silver brasse or purse or scrip c. yet you will not go without augmentations tythes and gleab-lands amongst them you call brethren your baptized People and thou speakest of taking a purse and scrip and sword and selling his garment to buy one Christ did so to fulfill the Law and bids them put it up again and said it was enough who ends it so are out of the faith and patience of the Saints thou speakest of good men and calling them good yes I say such as be full of the Holy Ghost and of faith but wicked men wolves and beasts would have this title persecutors warriers and devourers in sheepes cloathing therefore is that angry which is exalted above all that is called God who sits in the Temple of God that man of sin in you all who cannot have that given to him which is given to God by them that is in the deserning Thou goest about to prove the word Land-Lord and would thrust that in the Scripture which the Scripture speaks no such word but the Law of righteousness which comes from God which is equall and just and the Prophets to do as you would be done by thou art speaking of the Angels that said nay they would tarry all night in the street and yet went in the Angels are servants and their time is not come and they may say nay and yet after see their time they must go in thou speakest of perfect and yet in your Doctrine say none shall be perfect while they are upon the earth and hath denyed the work of the Ministry so Profits People not at all and thou sayst who can understand the error of his wayes and that which thou dost thou allowest not and sin remains in a man then there the Devil hath a habitation and there is death but he that believes is passed from death and so from the sin and that which gives a man to understand his error turns him from his sin such as comes to know the annointing within them that teaches them that continues in the Son of God and in the Father these knowes all things but such as be in the transgression not denying themselves know not the error of their wayes as you may see your selves what you have run into whose fruits are come to Publike view Pr. Thou speaks of Christ speaking in the Synagogue and false Christs and false teachers in corners and chambers and Ministers must prove by Scripture for with that they convince the Jewes Ans Christ went into the Synagogues and the Apostles to shew the fulfilling and he who was come to fulfill that which they had in the Synagogues and the Apostles shewed them out of the Prophets and the Law that Jesus was the Christ and the Apostle was not a false Christ nor a false Teacher who Preached in his own hired house nor the Saints that met in several houses which were come off of the Jewes and Synagogue but they are the false Teachers and false Christs that deny the light that doth enlighten every man that is come into the world which Christ hath enlightned them withall and they are them that draw People into corners and Chambers and deserts and say lo Christ is here lo Christ is there that are gone and ravened from the light in their own selves that Christ hath enlightned them withall and such are the corrupt trees that cumbers the earth whose fruits hath sufficiently declared themselves who are to be thrown down into the fire who will be condemned with the light which they have ravened from in their own particulars and to you that is the word of the Lord in the day of thy visitation the witness in thy conscience shall answer it and as for all the rest of thy stuff to the Papists who would make People believe thou wast not found among them and their errors in this book first come out of the Papists work before thou find fault with them and cry against them art not thou one of them that kills and takes possession but the time is come you are all comprehended you and the Papists found in one bond one cord one City against the elect but he is over you all set and the Judgement of the great whore is come which is got up since the true women fled into the wilderness and the man-childe caught up to God but now is the man childe come again to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron and the Lamb the bride the Lambs wife is known and the mystery of iniquity is discovered and the mystery of godliness is revealed and the Saints shall have victory the beast and the false Prophet shall be taken and cast alive into the lake of fire and the old Dragon and the everlasting Gospel shall be Preached to them that dwell upon the earth to all Nations and
is the pillar and ground of truth And such as prays without the spirit prays without understanding And they that pray as the spirit doth move them they know what they ought to pray for So every man that cometh into the world being in the light that lighteth every man it will direct him to pray and to pray aright and to aske in the name of Christ who is the way to the Father Prin. He saith The Children of GOD never assumed to themselves an infallible spirit Ans Did not the Apostles say they that had not the spirit of Christ were none of his and was not that infallible And was not all the Scriptures given forth from the spirit of God and is not that infallible Pr. The spirit of Christ is a spirit of wisdome and a rationall spirit The light that brags of an infallible spirit and cannot speake sense nor reason is the spirit of Sathan page 46. Answ The spirit of Christ that was in the Apostles which led them to speak to the world who was in their own wisdom knowledge and understanding It was foolishnesse always judged with that wisdome knowledg and understanding for they ministred to the spirits in prison And Christ the Covenant of God which was promised to come and should say to the prisoners shew your selves forth who was accounted as a mad man by the wise Jewes the Apostles and Prophets likewise was as fooles Was not ever the Saints judged by the world to be by the sense and reason but just like mad men and fools Christ a mad man the Prophets fools and the Apostles mad a babler Who be in the spirit of the Prophets of Christ and the Apostles with this generation are judged the same So is the spirit of the Quakers so tryed and known of all men the witnesse in all mens consciences shall answer them Pr. Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne And they that plow in hope and thresh in hope are made partakers of their hope And we are denyed of our corne and are fain to go to the Magistrate our nursing Fathers And so we thresh halfe a yeare and can get no wages then are we fain to goe to the Magistrate page 47. Answ How can you thresh or plow and have not the infallible spirit Can any get out the Corn the Wheat that hath not the infallible spirit Now we say all them that hath not the infallible spirit cannot get out the corn they may beat the ayr they may get the sheeps cloathing upon their backs and go out and beat the ayre and so when their Gospell will not maintain them then they are fain to flye to the Magistrate and to the hills that must be beaten as chaffe because they cannot live of the Gospel they preach which doth not open the hearts of people doth not get out the seed of God Prin. He saith The Quakers light condemns such as the light of Christ approves And saith Tell us what it is to walke holily as the holy men of God did c. Page 49. Answ Who walke holily walke in the spirit that the holy men did walke in that gave forth the Scriptures which is infallible And none walks holily but who are led with that out of the self-righteousnesse And the light which the Quakers be in is the light with which Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which cometh from Christ and is one with him And no one upon the earth owns Christ but who owns the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which the Quakers are in which thou calls a light from Sathan And they must all come to the Quakers if ever they own the light and if ever they own Christ the way to the Father and come into the power of godlinesse Pr. He saith It is wretchedness to say that Christ hath redeemed them perfectly and now lived in them the Lord of all things by which they are the sons of God page 50. Ans The Scriptures saith he is in all and through all who is God blessed for ever And who are redeemed are they not redeemed into perfection into Christ are not they redeemed perfectly Are not they redeemed out of imperfection And doth not Christ say he will dwell in the Saints who is Lord of all And are not all they in the wretched state that will not have him to reign over them Pr. He saith The Ministers of Christ received the Gospell not by man nor are taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ but we owne no such Revelation as this page 51. Answ We do believe you who are apostatized and ravened from the spirit of God having onely the sheeps cloathing and are the Wolves abroad in the world which if it were possible ye would deceive the very elect But the elect is kept in the arme of Christ ye cannot pluck one of them out of his hands His father and he is greater then all And none knows the Gospel but who knows immediate revelation for the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation and this is immediate And so all you since the dayes of the Apostles are fled from the foundation Christ Jesus that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world in the Apostacy with it you are all seen and fathomed over the world doth the light reach answered with that of God in every one the salvation to the ends of the earth which light cometh to fulfill Scriptures The Apostles were judged deceivers who came to bring the people to the substance the Scriptures spoke of so they were judged deceivers Pr. If the Quakers say that the Ministers have not the spirit that the Prophets and Apostles had then positively we say we have not And if the Quakers say they have it so then I say the Prophets and Apostles had it not page 53. Ans We do believe you that ye have not the same spirit that the Prophets and Apostles and Christ had Therefore doth it make manifest that ye be all on heaps about their words and are fain to run to Schools and Colledges to be made Ministers by men and not by the spirit And the Quakers witnesse the spirit that the Prophets and Apostles and Christ had with which they own their words with which spirit they see you who have gotten their words and makes a trade of them and are all on heaps about them and falls out about Church and Ministers Pr. He saith The infallible spirit did not guide Isaac when he blessed Jacob for he missed the person page 53. Answ God with his eternall spirit did direct Isaac what to do for that stood in his counsell though of that spirit thou have shewed thy ignorance and thy fallibility and thy selfe in whom the Devil is transformed into an Angel of Light which Christ said should come the false Prophets and Deceivers and false Apostles which the Apostles saw was come