Jesus Christ that was called of men Master In thy answer to this Query thou bringest the Prophets and Priests under the Law called Fathers to oppose Christ's doctrine Thou wouldst compare Oxford and Cambridge to such as the Prophets and Apostles yet thou deniest immediate Revelation from Heaven And here thou hast cleared thy self and Oxford Cambridge from the life of the Prophets for they had immediate revelation And so thou bringest many names as Pastors and Shepherds and Ministers and Apostles and Evangelists to oppose Christ's Doctrine who saith Be not you called of men Master So let all see if they be not under the delusion who say Master is a civil honor and so opposeth Christ's Doctrine Here thou hast shewed thou dost not believe For how can you believe that receive honor one of another and shewest that thou lovest it as the Scribes and Pharisees did and would not part with it and art in thy pride and vain-glory as the Scribes and Pharisees were who say that is a civil honor and respect which Christ cryed wo against And herv thou hast brought thy self and all thy company under the wo and Oxford and Cambridge in the state which Christ pronounced wo against and thou art judged with the same life that gave forth the Scriptures Qu. 4. Shew me by the Scriptures where ever the Ministers of Christ took Tythes of the people or Augmentations In thy answer thou saist The Priests under the Law received Tyâ—hes Rep. There was a time that they received Tythes they might not neglect them as denying their Tythes to the first Priesthood There was a time after Christ when he was sacrificed up that he was preached the unchangeable Priesthood Heb. 7. then the Priesthood which received tythes was denyed therefore the wo is come upon thee and all thy generation who receive tythes according to the changeable Priesthood Here thou hast shewed thy self without judgement and rhe love of God and the wo is come upon thee and all thy generation who receive tythes and hold up the changeable Priesthood and so deny Christ come in the flesh They that preached the Gospel who lived on the Gospel denied the changeable Priesthood who received Tythes but for shame you Ministers of Oxford and Cambridge stop your mouths for they must be stopt do not you sue men at the Law and imprison men for Tythes And here you shew you do not preach the Gospel for it will not maintain you for them that preached the Gospel lived on the Gospel There thou thief art taken who hath gotten the Apostles words who art for judgement Qu. 5. Shew me by the Scriptures and what Scripture have you which speaks of the word Sacrament which you tell the people of and deceive the simple Pr. And in thy Answer to this Query thou art confused First thou sayest there is no Scripture for the word Sacrament and yet thou sayest Christ commands it and yet thou sayest there is not such a word in Scripture Rep. Here thou which addest to it hast brought thy self under the plagues and wo. And here let all who are in the Light see if thou art not a deceiver who deceives thy soul. I charge thee again that thou knowest not Christ for thou deniest immediate revelation so thou knowest not his commands nor dost not obey them for none know the Son but to whom he is revealed And here I charge thee to be a deceiver and a deluder of the soul from the Lord. This is in reply to the answer of the fifth Query Qu. 6. Shew me what Scripture you have which speaks that the Apostles sprinkled Infants Thou bringest the Scriptures as Christ saith Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God And this thou bringest to justifie sprinkling Infants for circumcision outwardly was a type of circumcision inwardly So thou hast not a word in the Scripture to maintain it but thou ramblest up and down and perverts many Scriptures in which there is not such a word for it And here I charge thee in the presence of the living God to be a lyar for Christ never commanded sprinkling Infants neither is it any Ordinance of Christ neither is there any example among the holy men of God that ever it was practised the plagues of God are added to thee Let all people see if there be any word for sprinkling Infants let the scriptures which thou bringest judg thee Luke 18.15 Jer. 15.6 Luk. 1.66.80 Act. 10.47 Here I charge thee with all these scriptures to be a lyar and they shall judge theâ— which thou hast brought for sprinkling of Infants let the Reader of thy Book examine the scriptures and find thee a Lyar and all thy dirty stuff which thou hast gathered from them is to be trodden under foot with the children of the Light who witness baptism and circumcision and new birth born again and all who are here do see thee to be blind deaf and a fool and there thou mayest read thy self Let all people see thee here who art without the life of the scripture who deniest immediate revelation from Heaven which the Apostles witnessed and the Prophets for without God thou art eternally I witness it Qu. 7. Shew me what Scripture you have to stand praying in the Synagogues before Sermon and after and whether the Apostles did so In thy answer to this query thou bringest the Apostles words which said pray alwayes to justifie standing praying in the Synagogues and having the chiefest place in the Assemblies which Christ cryed wo against And here I charge thee to be a false Prophet who puts no difference betwixt the Apostle and the Pharisees though he said the Temple which Solomon built him it was a house of prayer Christ said there should not be one stone of it left upon another when Christ Jesus was witnessed Stephen for witnessing him was stoned to death And here thou hast shewed thou hast no judgement and errs not knowing the Scripture And as for Christ's whipping them out of the Temple read thy self to the Light in thy Conscience I speak and so all thy praying before thy Sermon and after as thou callest it in the Synagogues in the chiefest place of the Assemblies the wo which Christ pronounced against thy Fathers hath light upon the son thou who art found in the same place let Matth. 23. judge thee the life which gave forth these words the life of these words is upon thee and so all thy prayers are abomination to the Lord God in the state thou art in and the praying of the Saints who were moved by the spirit thou hast cleared thy self from for thou deniest immediate Revelation from Heaven and how canst thou pray and not with the spirit And here let all people judge and see what thy prayers are if thou be not in the state of the Pharisees who deny immediate revelation and to be one that is blind
believe and they that believe not that he is so shall die in their sins as Christ saith John 8.24 But J.S. going on in his own devised Fables would pervert the words of truth both in our writings and in the Apostles as it is manifest in his writings of this reviling Rebuke concerning R.F. and J.N. E.B. and F.H. and others which whosoever read their words and his they may discern truth from devised fables without much Reply upon it as in places he is mingling his own words with theirs joyning a lye to the truth that he may contradict it as false as every one that reades with understanding will see which when they have spoken plain truths which he himself hath often in his Book confessed unto to be truth will afterwards give his meaning to 〈◊〉 words as he hath done unto the Apostles words saying If they meane thus c. Then he goes about to contradict his own meaning and when he hath contradicted his owne meaning then he saith he hath contradicted their words though he have before confessed the truth of their words so he hath not contradicted the words as they were spoken but because they spoke not his meaning with the words therefore the true words must be false in his judgment and bear his rebuke as his Book doth make manifest and adding his lye to the words of truth these two things are his greatest proofs to resist the truth In page 77. he hath mingled his own words with the words of R.F. in wâ—ich page he acknowledgeth a former addition and yet reneweth another R.F. having been speaking of the light which hath enlightened every man which cometh into the World he adds which where it is and it is in every man it reneweth the judgment c he here adding his own and then rebuking it would make people believe lyes that all might be damned who believ not the truth But on the contrary for we never have said that every mans judgment is renewed with the ligbt though they be enlightened for they are enlightened who haâ—e it and who are void of true judgement because they hate the light which they be enlightened withal And also the Apostles words he perverts and gives meaning unto which if he did not they would be a plain testimony with that which he hath set himself to oppose so giving meanings both to their wordâ— and our words his meanings must be the ground of his Believers Faith and not the Scriptures as he said before The Apostle Peter speaking of a more sure Word of Prophesie wherein they did well to take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place till the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts 2 Pet 1.19 knowing this first that no Prophesie of the Scriptures is of any private interpretation for the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved of the holy Ghost To this J.S. adds not heart-prophesie no breast-prophesie but written down in Books c. which is contrary to the Apostls words for he doth not exclude heart-prophesie for there was never any prophesie but did proceed out of the heart before it was written in any Book And the Apostle saith Untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts and that holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost and that vvhich moved them to speak Prophesies was in their hearts and the Apostle did not bid them wait till the day star did arise in the Scriptuâ—es but till it did rise in their hearts and then he told them how the Prophesies of the Scriptures came Peter saying Untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts J.S. saith That is untill by the study of the Scriptures more light he cleered up c. Now let all them of understanding read and compare his words the Apostles and they may well conclude with his confession that he hath an old lying heart and flesh in which dwells no truth but the root of errour and gainsaying of the truth and as for many others of his devised fables and false meanings though I let them passe here unanswered yet they may be seen with the mind informed in the truth and all who are of God and of the truth may know that it is a small matter for us to be rebuked or judged to be in confusion who so evidently hath confounded both our words and the Apostles into his owne false meanings and so contradicts them both but that remaineth sure which gaves forth the Scriptures and abideth in us and we know that they cannot be broken but must be fulfilled as they were given forth by the Word which they were given forth from by taking heed unto which the young mans way is cleansed by which the old lying heart is reproved that which was given forth from that Spirit cannot be by it denyed but that which would darken words without knowledg is denyed that which would set up devised fables above Christ the Spirit and Scriptures that by the Spirit is denyed without contradiction and as we shall by the Spirit and by the Scriptures trye John Stelhams Doctrinâ— which if he deny them both then by his owne Argument we shall prove him and see whether he will own himself to be judged by that with which he would judge others whether they be Messengers sent by Gods Spirit His Assertion laid down Page 60. to try withall is this Such Messengers as speak more than is in the Scripture are not sent by GOD'S Spirit nor guided by him to what they say By this then is all that of him before mentioned cast out being both more and contrary to what is in the Scripture as also that which is to be declared as followeth in his second head as he calls it of Scripture Contradiction he is speaking concerning a Trinity and three Persons which words are not spoken in the Scriptures he meaning the Father Son and Spirit by such nameâ— as the Scripture never did so about words names which the Scripture doth not mention arsing out of the Divination of his heart doth he multiply words to hide the truth and shuâ— the Kingdom from men and so hath no ground for the word three persons from the Scripture but the Scripture in one translation speaking of Christ being the express Image of the Fathers Peâ—son and in another â—ranslation saith that he is the expresse Figure of the Fathers substance as he is witnessed to be by those that know him and so till he find the word three persons and Trinity in the Scriptures let him owne his own rule to judg him to be no Messenger sent by Godâ— Spirit because he speakes more than is in the Scripture who saith the holy Ghost is a Person and this person dwells in Saints though not personally mark this A Person dwell in the Saints not personally all this confusion is as
that in it your minds may be kept discerning will grow as the light doth arise and spring up in you you will discern all airy spirits who through great swelling words would allure and draw all the minds of those who have escaped the common pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ so all dear friends in that which is pure wait and in it watch against the nature which would keep you in bondage to corruption and out of the glorious liberty of the sons of God and from the glory of the first body and out of the order and course of nature and out of the Covenant where all things are blessed now in that which hath convinced you wait that in it you may see that which is gone out which is for the sword which is for the famine the consumption determined is to pass through the whole earth for the earth must be plowed up and the ground dressed before the Lord can reap his pleasant fruit which grows upon his own most pure Vine which he himself hath planted Now there are plants which the Father hath not planted within the light is seen and discerned from the Fathers planâ—s and here is your teacher the light which waiting in it you will come to discern between the clean and unclean and here that which is of God you will know and that which is contrary unto him and here is the true discovery and here is watching over one anothers souls in the light for in the light true judgement is given upon the deceit where it is for in the light it iâ— seen Now every one which is enlightned by Christ Jesus walk up to the light which you have received in obedience to the Lord that he in you all may be glorified and you all who are faithful may enter into his joy So the mighty God of power be with you true and faithful ones babes and children of the living God that you be not of them that turn back but of that which go on to the saving of the soul and that as faithful witnesses to God you may stand boldly against all gain-sayers and against all the powers of darkness that in the mighty power of God you may dwell and in it triumph over the World and all the deceits of it Your servant in the Lord Richard Hubberthorn Prisoner in Norwich Castle To my dear Brethren and Sisters whom the Lord is gathering inâ—o the Covenant of Life DEar brethren and sisters in my Fathers love I dearly salutâ— you in the same love and power which is immortal bâ— which we are raised from the dead in it to keep pure union anâ— fellowship together and in it to see one another and to know onâ— another and in it freely to open to one another that which from the secrets of God is made manifest that ye may all drink togetheâ— of the pure water of Life which nourisheth the living soul and so one soul we come all to witness and one bread which the Fâ—ther freely giveth that by it his own may be fed the babes and children begotten by him that which is sincere pure and immortal they feed upon and they come to know where life is in the presence of the pure living God and as into the knowledge of him you come to grow out of the worlds nature you come to be separated you come to receive of him the earnest of that inheritance which the obedient and faithful comes to enjoy walk worthy of that eternal measure which you have received for freely it is given unto you from the bowels of the love of God and it is hid from the world for the world is not worthy of it nor of them who in it live so as you all abide the pure measure which is from God you will come to see a clear separation and redemption from that which is mortal and fadeth away and from that which cumbers your minds and defiles the temple of the living God which temple ye are as you abide in that which is pure which doth cleanse and keep pure and clear the mind and understanding and the conscience where the mystery comes to be opened and all things which hath been hid comes to be made manifest in the light in soberness and patience all wait upon the living God that you may know his leadings and workings in every condition and his power in its several workings that you may know and discern and his voice you may know when it speaks that so every voice and spirit you may try 〈◊〉 now and judge by that which is eternal and heâ—e in your strength you will come to witness and your growth out of the weakness and so no more tossed to and fro with windy doctrines but a leading up into the life you will daily witness and a passing from all works the righteousness which is of faith you will witness wrought and established in you by the eternal word which is in the heart in which if you do abide and continue ye need not that any man teach you for from it have you learned where the teacher is and where your condemnation is which turns from it to the witness in you All I speak that these things you may see and know and read in the light for from the life and love of God these proceed to nourish the sâ—me life which in measure is begotten in you yea verily the bowels the tender bowels of the love of God is opened towards you that nothing may be hid from you which may add to your growth in the life of God as you have been learned and here taught by the pure word of life which from the father unto your souls hath reached so go and approving your measures to the Lord that all your enemies may be cleared so in the pure life of God the fleshly lusts which war againâ—â— the soul and all the traps and snares you may see and subtle temptations which draws the simple out of the way that into the pure wisdom of God you may every one come to grow and in his will you may all wait for counsel from him that nothing may lead you but the Lord and then in all conditions you are led by the Lord in them you will find his presence his power and peace and joy you will find in your obedience and faithfulness and herein your strength you will find increased and power to conquer and reign over that which hath been too strong for you and led you into captivity but if your minds go from that which is pure then your strength is lost and you are weak as other men therefore in the light dwell and in the innocency then you will be able to contend and stand for the pure truth of God delivered unto you against all serpents and vipers and all the enemies of God and wait all upon God out of your own wills that the workings of his mighty power you may
stumbling and the occasion of it is in them who hates the light and calls it natural which light is Christ for him a witness I am against all such who deny Christ to be the true light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world who is of the World called Richard Hubberthorn NOw as in answer to thee Frederick Wodall who hath put a stumbling block before the eyes of many by thy lyes and deceit to keep them from receiving the pure truth of God which the Lord is now spreading abroad and making manifest to gather to himself his own from the mouths of all false shepherds that Jesus Christ the true shepherd they may come to witness who is the true light and is not natural as thou wouldsâ— make him to be nor that light in the conscience is not natural which Jesus Christ hath enlightned every one withal but all who in it dwell shall witness against thee and thy malicious spirit who hath uttered forth thy bitterness and venome against those who walk in the light and who witness the truth of God in the life and power of it and against all false accusers In the beginning of thy Epistle to the Reader thy enmity thou utterest forth against those â—ho for the name of Christ do bear his reproach in the world in whom the Scripture is fulfilled which saith they shall speak all manner of evill of you falsly for my name sake and thou art one of them who art speaking evil and encouraging others to speak evil against those whom thou and the rest of the scorners call Quakers and calls them a nest of stinging Wasps and saith that they have leavened a dear brother and sister of thine and made them Prosylites unto them I answ This accusation is returned back again upon thy own head for the poison of asps is found under thy tongue and forth of the venome doth proceed as all who hath understanding may see and discern and those whom thou callest thy dear brother and sister are made able in the light to testifie against thee and thy lie and to witness that they are brought out of the Prosylites condition and out of the leaven of the false Prophets and false teachers which they were in so long as they followed thy doctrine but now that doctrine they do see which doth leaven and draw peoples minds to the light of Christ within them and so makes Prosylites and children of the Devil but in the light of Christ art thou and all that uphold that doctrine seen and denied In the first page of thy paper thou wouldst make people believe that thou makest no defence against my reply to thy answers and yet in the second page thou repliest against mine concerning the tenth Querie and chargest me in reputing thee the author or father of a lie in returning to thee again thy own words in answer to the tenth Querie which words are these It is intolerable that Christ should be the Prince of Peace I answer Let every one that hath a desire to know whether this be so read thy own words in thy printed Paper in thy answer to the tenth Querie in the twelfth page whether these be not thy own words the tenth is intolerable and the rest of thy words which are in answer to that Querie are full of confusion and all wdo reads them may see it so I leave thee to be judged of all and condemned of all who in the light of Christ do see thy confusion which proceeds out of thy own mouth Priest 'T is a priviledge we have cause to bless God for every day viz. that unto us are committed the Oracles of God Answ. Here I charge thee to prove when ever the Oracles of God was committed unto thee or to the Priests of England unto the Jews they were committed which was before Christ came in the flesh and they who had the oracles of God committed unto them did seek to kill and crucifie the Son of God as you the Priests of England who go in the way of Cain and after the error of Balaam do now seek to destroy the Son of God where he is made manifest and the oracles of God were never committed unto you nor the ministration of the Gospel but in the steps of those you are found who ever persecuted the righteous seed of God as you have made it manifest in this generation And again thou art bringing scriptures to prove the letter to be the word of God which Scriptures will witness against thee for the Scripture saith that God is the Word Joh. 1.1 and thou art diminishing from some and adding to others and perverting the Scriptures to thy own ends thou bringst that scripture in Titus 2.10 11 12 13. and these words thou speakest from them this is the grace of God bringing salvation when the Apostle saith For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world and here though thou bringest this scripâ—ure in thy paper yet it thou canst not own that the grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared who denies Christ to have enlightened every one that comes into the world Pr. This Word for the manner of delivery unto us is called Scripture and we are commanded to search it Joh. 4.39 and laid under the promise of blessing in that way Psal. 1.2 Answ. Here thou hast numbred thy self amongst those whom Christ commanded to search the Scriptures and amongst them shalt thou be numbred and in that scripture thou mayest read thy condition and the rest of the Priests with thee as Joh. 5.37.38.39 40. ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape and ye have not his word abiding in you for whom he hath sent ye believe him not search the scriptures for in them ye think to have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me and ye will not come to me that ye might have life now all you who are in the same condition the same command is unto you But there is no promise of blessing promised unto you in that way no more then was to them which was so commanded but never prove your selves Ministers of Christ for they were no Ministers of Christ that this was spoken unto nor Saints but such as received honour one of another as you do who are in that generation And they were such as did not believe that which they did profess Moses and the Prophets but Christ tells them plainly they did not believe Moses nor his writings al you no wthat profess Christ you cannot believe Christs words who saith He is the true light which doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world Therefore out of the doctrine of Christ you are shut and out of the Scriptures which you do profess for the Sons life which witnesseth the Scriptures you
before-hand to judgement so their works are wrought in God who answer the light which they be enlightned withal but the light is not sutable nor according to that birth which is born after the flesh but condemns that in all its ways and actions and is given to lead the creature out of that nature and out of that birth into the regeneration to lead out of the deeds of darkness and out of the shadow of death into the living inheritance among those that are sanctified in Christ Jesus Another testimony concerning the light relating to the two Covenants is this That as there was a new Covenant diverse from the former the old so there must of necessity be another light to accompany it diverse from the former that is as then mans spirit so now the spirit of the Lord c. page 35. Answ. There are diversities of gifts but the same spirit and there are differences of Administrations but the same Lord and there are diversities of operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all 1 Cor. 12.4 5.6 Now all people is to know that there was a ministration different from the administration of the Gospel the new Covenant a different administration from the old but there is no necessity that it be ministred from another spirit nor from another Lord nor from another Light therefore to say that because the Covenants or Administrations are diverse one from another that therefore it must not be the same spirit but the one by the spirit of man the other the spirit of God and that the lights is to be diverse the one from the other this is a false Testimony for the same spirit in which the Law was administred the first Covenant in the same was the second administred which doth make perfect according to the conscience Now as all people is brought out of their own inventions and imaginations and from following their own spirits to own the light of Christ which hath enlightned them they should know the diversities of Administrations and the diversity of operations and yet but one Light and one Power and one Spirit and not as many lights as births nor as many spirits as operations not every Administration to have a diverse light to accompany it for though there be that are called gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be gods many and lords many but to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are things and we by him howheit there is not in every man that knowledge 1 Coâ— 8.5.6 7. and though there be in the world many lights yet to us there is but one him by whom all things was made which doth enlighten every man that commeth into the world that in him all men might believe as every one believes in this light they shal know that mans reason understanding is not the light which every man is enlightned withal for some are unreasonable men and some are void of understanding Neither is the spirit of man the light of the world which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world neither is any thing called the light of the world in the Scripture but Christ for saith Christ I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness Joh. 12.46 Then spake Jesus again unto them saying I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life Job 8.12 And again I am the light of the world Joh. 9.5 And the messenger which was sent before his face to prepare the way of the Lord and to bear witness to the truth said In him was life and the life was the light of men and that was the true light which enlightneth every man that cometh into the world Joh 1 4 9. And this is the light which in all ages generations and under all administrations the Saints did bear their testimony in and this light did never change nor alter though ages and generations have changed and men have changed and do change and the minds of men change and their ways change and their worships change and forms and religions which are not according to the light which Christ hath enlightned them withal which changeth not which as it is followed will lead them out of those ways which do change which is not the living way for the new and living way is one with the light which every man is enlightned withal which is every mans way to the Father who follow it and every mans condemnation who disobey it Another testimony concerning the first man Adam in his first estate without sin the sum of it is this That as it was at first that is at his beginning made so that is without sin for so was he made Eccles 7.29 upright without crookedness without invention that this man yea in his purest naturals cannot receive nor discern the things of the spirit of God until he is born of the Spirit or from above according to Joh. 1.13 8.3 6. 1 Cor. 2.14 Answ. This testimony is false for the first Adam before the fall was the son of God Luk 3 38. and did know and perceive Gods voice and power and he knew Gods command That he should not eat of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil which if he did he should die the death for he was in Gods image and the Lord spoke unto him and he perceived it and he had right to eat of the tree of life which was in the midst of the Garden and if Adam had continued in that state there needed no Law to have been added because of transgression neither had there needed any precept upon precept nor line upon line neither any teacher or instructer of the ignorant for there had no death passed over to separate God from his creature which he had made in his own image and given him power over all creatures but to say the Son of God in the image of God without sin in uprightness and power to say that he is sensual having not the spirit or to say that he is the natural man that cannot receive nor discern the things of the spirit of God this is greater blasphemy then that which the Apostle reproved Rev. 2.9 in those which said they were Jews and were not but were the Synagogue of Satan and all such which brings forth such mists of darkness ignorance to blind the eye in people which should see the things of God in clearness are to be reproved sharply that they may be ashamed and no more bring forth that which is both uâ—nâ—cessary and unseasonable and contrary to truth as J. Jackson hath done And further he adds That the natural man which Paul speaks of 1 Cor. 2.14 and compares it with 1 Cor. 15.44.45 is not to be taken for the carnal sinful man
but for a man in puris naturalibus meerly natural p. 37 Let all therefore consider Pauls words Which things also we speak not in the words which mans wisdom teacheâ—h but which the holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual but the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.13 14. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man ver 15. Now whether any man that hath the spirit of God can judge that this is not spoken of carnal and sinful men or whether any by the spirit of God can judge that this was spoken of a man in the pure nature without sin and let all who have the spirit of judgement judge whether Adam in the image of God without sin did account the things of God as foolishness unto him and if any so judge let them prove it That in Adams innocency without sin the things of God were foolishness unto him or whether the cross of Christ which Paul preached was foolishness unto any but unto carnal and sinful men So every man I exhort to come to that of God in you to know the salt in your selves to savour withal that you may know that Doctrine that stands in the devised words of mans wisdom and not in the power of God which would turn the truth of God into a lye and pervert the mind from the right understanding of the things of God But the day is come which hath brought forth light and knowledge understanding to the simple whereby they see the deeps which are covered with darkness they come to see and comprehend mens wisdom and their fountain what it brings forth for how should that which is unclean bring forth that which is clean So that now we do not only know the words of those which have set themselves against the truth but the spirit and power from whence they speak and so in faithfulness bear our testimony against it that the folly of those may be made manifest unto all men who wilfully oppose the truth and their own selves through wilful-blindness and so count themselves unworthy of eternal life exercising their strength wisdom and knowledge to shut up the kingdom of God against themselves and others labouring to keep all people from the light in the darkness as is made manifest in this generation How many have set themselves to preach and print against the light which Christ the way to the Father hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world withal But now hath God the Father raised up his own seed accoâ—ding to his promise out of the North to spoil Babylon Jer. 51.48 I have raised up one from the North saith the Lord and he shall come from the rising of the Sun he shall call upon my name and he shall come upon Princes as upon morter and as the Potter treadeth clay Isa. 41.25 The promised seed of the Lord is come forth and is spreading over the Nations as the morning over the mountains and blessed are they that receive their testimony for from the wrath of the Almighty shall they be delivered their bread shall not fail them and their waters shall be sure and their fountain shall never be empty but plenteous redemption shall they daily witness and waters of life shall their thirst be satisfied with and all the noise of the Bruits shall not hurt them for the Lord is with them therefore can they not be afraid nor dismaid at that which cometh to pass upon the earth now because light is risen therefore is the evil eys offended aâ—d have now turned their testimonies against the light to make people believe that it doth the same works that darkness sin Satan doth which is to drive the soul from God keep it in the fall and that it is not able to shew the good or the evil of an action to approve nor disapprove which is true of the darkness but not of the light For there is nothing that doth make manifest those things which are reprovable but the light neither is there any thing which doth bring man from that estate where he is driven from God and lead him out of the fall but the light and so it is time to come out from among all such for all people that desire to know Gods ways lest they be partakers of their plagues and there be none to deliver for many are hardning their hearts in this day of Gods tender love and mercy â—nd so evil do they requite the Lord that instead of turning at his reproofs that they may find mercy they are in their wisdom devising evil words and reproachful terms against the light by which the Lord doth reprove man for his iniquity and are exercising all their abilities to make the light even as darkness and would exclude the power of God from it Whenas there is no man that doth receive power or wisdom from God but in the light which Christ hath enlightned him withal therefore is Christ now preached as he declared himself to be the light of the world Joh. 8. and as his messenger declared him to have enlightned every man that cometh into the world and this light is now preached and witnessed to be sufficient to lead unto God all that obey it and to let them see that their works are wrought in God Joh. 3. and is sufficient to be the condemnation of all the world that hate it according to Joh. 3.19 And for our thus bearing witness of the sufficiency of the light many are risen up against us even slanderous tongues such as the poison of Asps is under but the Lord hath delivered us from them and will manifest his strength unto us in bearing testimony to his light and the power of it against all the powers of darkness and overcome them for God hath given his power to his own seed the children of light and those that rise up against them it is but that they may be broken to pieces for whosoever falleth on this stone they shall be broken to pieces and on whomsoever it falls it will grind them to powder Object But some men say That the light is not sufficient to lead unto God those that obey and follow it and for a proof saith That Paul did not disobey but follow the light which was in him and yet saith That he obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly which if he had disobeyed the light he had sinned against knowledge so the light in him was either not sufficient to discover to him the errour of his way or at least it did suspend its act of enlightning him in the knowledg thereof it checkâ—d him not it convinced him not c. Answ. To say that Paul did not disobey but follow the light within him that is false For he followed his zeal in madness and persecuting