is God and Man in one Person Answ. As for the word Trinity it is invented and he hath learnt it out of the Mass-Book or Common-Prayer-Book but we own the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ that Christ is God and the Spirit is God and there are three that bear record the Father Son and Spirit and these are one but God and the Spirit are not Persons but Infinite Beeings and the Scripture no where in true Translations expresseth God under the Name Person for Person is too Carnal to express God and Christ and the Spirit by but God was in Christ reconciling the World and this we believe and acknowledge according to the Scriptures but for this word Doctrine of the Trinity the Scriptures know no such word but the Truth we own and the Gospel and the Scriptures too They hold that Iesus Christ died onely signally or examplarily and that we are justified by the Suffering of Christ in us and to be healed by his Stripes is to be stripped off or from Sin Answ. Jesus Christ died and rose again and ascended according to the Scriptures this we do believe And Christ was and is the Substance the end of all Signs and Examples yet was he an Example to the Saints and the Apostle exhorted to walk as they had Christ for an example and while he was in the World he did and spoke and acted many things as Parables Signs and Examples the substance of which is to be received in the Saints and known by them through the Spirit and we believe Saints are justified by Christ and through Faith in him which was and is and is to come who is blessed for ever and none are justified by his Death and Suffering and Blood without them but who witness Christ within them for all are Reprobates and to be condemned and cannot be justified that have not Christ in them as thou mayest read Except Christ be in you you are Reprobates and all that believe in Christ and receive him they are healed through his Sufferings and Stripes for he sanctifies them and gives them Remission of Sin and justifies them and in him the Saints are compleat and the New-man the Regenerate is justified and the old-man is in the Degeneration and knows not Christ in him and hath not received him but onely heard of him without him and believes the Relation but this faith doth not justifie for all the false Christians upon Earth have this faith but that Faith alone justifies which gives to receive Christ and him to live in us and to dwell in us by that Faith They utterly renounce the Doctrine of Iustification by the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ or by the obedience he performed or Sufferings he sustained or underwent in his own Person without us Answ. This is partly true and partly a Lye we do indeed renounce the profession of Justification by the Imputation of Christ or his Righteousness performed without men by men while they are in the degenerated estate and unconverted and unreconciled and unborn again for by such profession of Justification many deceive their Souls but yet we say that Righteousness is imputed to us and reckoned unto us who believe in Christ and have received him even the Obedience and Sufferings that he performed without us is ours who have received him within us and witnesseth Christ in us and therefore we are not Reprobates yet we do acknowledge he wrought perfect Righteousness by Obedience and Sufferings without us and that Righteousness is ours by Faith which Faith hath received Christ to dwell in us and he and his Righteousness his Obedience and Sufferings we enjoy in us in Spirit if any can receive it let them for that he wrought Righteousness this is acknowledged but who have a part in this Righteousness that is disputable They wholly renounce the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation and it is one of the great Reasons for which they decry the Ministers because they assert it they say Jacob and Esau are in a man and the good Seed is Jacob which God electeth and the bad Seed is Esau which he reprobates Answ. The Doctrine of Election and Reprobation we do own according to the Scriptures and therefore hast thou belied us and slandered us and art found reproveable and would incense mens minds against us for advantage to thy self but to some in that House we are better known then thou canst report of us and yet thou sayest we say that Iacob and Esau are in a man and the good Seed God electetâ— and the bad he reprobates and thou mayest here see thy confusion and thy ignorance uttered in the self same Lines for thou sayest we renounce the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation and yet sayest we say the good Seed God electetâ— and the bad Seed he reprobateth and this shews what spirit thou art of and how that the spirit of unrighteousness doth possess thee and leads thee to speak without understanding and we further say man being degenerated became reprobated and cast out and all by nature are Children of Wrath and the Children of Wrath are all in the reprobate State and none are elected but who are elected in Christ the Seed of David and so in the first Adam all are reprobated and all that are in the second Adam are elected and the Election and Reprobation stands not in the Persons but in the Seeds and yet the Persons are blessed or cursed in the love or in the displeasure of God according as the Seed of God or the seed of the Serpent lives and dwells and bears rule in the Persons and we do indeed decry and deny you the professed Ministers upon many accounts more then one and we have already and may in time to come shew sufficient Reasons against you both in Doctrine and Practise and other wayes that you are not the Ministers of Christ but the Ministers of Satan generally That Iesus Christ as he is the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of Abraham is in every one and that a measure or part of the Substance that was conceived in the Womb of the Virgin Mary is in every one Answ. Jesus Christ he is the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of Abrahâ—… according to the Flesh and after the Spirit the Son of the Living God and this Christ that was and is and is to come who was dead but is alive and lives for evermore the alone Saviour of the World he hath given a measure of Light and Life unto every man and there is a Light from him that shines in the heart of all men shining in Darkness the Light shines but the Darkness comprehends it not and this was Iohn's Testimony and is our Testimony That Christ enlightneth every man or all Man-kind that cometh into the World for in him was Life and the Life was the Light of men as the Scripture saith and the Apostle preached the Light that shined in peoples
the many horrid and hideous Errors which for some years past have abounded amongst us against the Authority of Scriptures the Deity of Christ the holy Ghost Trinity of Persons Immortallity of Souls Doctrines of Repentance Humiliation Sanctification Resurrection from the Dead the Eternal recompence of Heaven and Hell yea divers Sects encreasing every day in numbers power and malice and under the name of Quakers Ranters Seekers c. oppâ—gning the received Doctrine and unquestionable interest of Christ Iesus amongst us Answ. That many horrid Errors have abounded amongst you that is very true as in many particulars might be instanced But why do you maliciously charge the Quakers with opposing the Interest of Christ Jesus The Lord shall judge you in his Day when he makes it appear to all the World that those whom you charge with the contrary are the very Friends of Christ's Interest and have been patient Sufferrers for his Name sake under the wickedness of your Generation and as for the Ranters Seekers and others whom you have reckoned up together with the Quakers it is well known that we are in opposition in spirit unto all these and have given large testimony in the Fear of God against them though it is certain that there is many as upright and sincere men towards God among these Sects you have mentioned as any of your Congregations and though in some things they are condemnable yet in some things they are as justifiable as you are before the Lord And what the Seekers Ranters Familists and the rest mentioned by you do hold as in these things you have charged them with I will leave that for I am not now pleading their cause but the Cause of God and his People whom you in scorn call Quakers and though you have joyned them in Accusation with others yet I must separate them from others in my Answer and must tell you in the fear of the Lord that you have belyed them and falsly accused them out of your malicious hearts for they do not deny the Authority of the Scriptures but gives that authority to them which the Spirit of God that gave them forth hath formerly given neither do they deny the Deity of Christ but do say In him dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead neither do they deny the holy Spirit nor the Father Son and Spirit but say there are three and these three are one but as for your Trinity of Persons that is language beside the the Scriptures and we do affirm the Soul is Immortal and as for the Doctrines of Repentance Humiliation Sanctification Resurrection from the Dead the eternal Recompence of Heaven and Hell these Doctrines are publickly held forth by them in words and also in practice more then by your selves therefore with what face you could charge them with the denial of these things it is almost wonderfull and there are thousands of your Congregations that are and have been sometimes hearing in your City that shall bear witness against your Accusations and give Evidence that they have heard them whom you call Quakers give faithfull witness of and for all these things which you charge them with denial of Do you think that your Congregations are all so blind as to receive for truth what you have herein spoken nay I must tell you some of them are offended with you because hereof First in that you have reckoned the Quakers with Ranters and others between whom there is absolute opposition and not agreement neither in Doctrine nor Practice Secondly That you should charge the Quakers with such things as they are altogether clear of and known to be so by many but this is that your folly and weakness might appear and as you speak of encreasing every day in number power and malice some part of this is true for the Lord doth encrease his People daily in number and power by his Spirit but not in Malice and that is your torment the encrease of the Quakers which as they have begun to encrease so the Lord will continue them and you nor mortal men shall not be able to hinder neither the Magistrates Persecution nor the Ministers Instigation thereunto though you have joyned hand in hand against them for the Lord is with his People and his Authority and Power is theiâ— Defence and they are not in empty Forms as you say but in the Power of Godliness and as for your Ordinances and Ministry of which you speak something I have said to it already and more I shall say to it hereafter Your third Evidence is The odious Scandals of those that profess themselves to be the People of God as their self-seeking their unparallell'd breach of all civil and sacred Oathes whereby the Mouth of Iniquity is opened and the reverence of Religion abated so that to us say you there appears no visible way of repairing the credit of strict profession but by a severe punishment of Professors c. Answ. It is true many that do profess themselves the people of God but are not but by their lives and practices gives odious Scandals and are Self-seeking as you say but upon whom the guilt of this may be truly charged that remains to be sought out doubtless it lies as near your doors as any others for is not your pride and oppression by taking Tythes suing people at Law for Wages and casting them in Prison because for good Conscience sake they cannot pay you your seeking for your gain from your Quarter and your taking great sums of Money and preaching for hire taking so much yearly are not these odious scandals and very self-seeking practices which you are guilty of while you pretend publick good as for Breaches of Oaths and Covenants I wish you to search your own hearts for that Iniquity doth lie as near your Generation as any others witness that you and your Brethren have from time to time engaged to such and such things As first Did not you engage for the Government to be without King and House of Lords And did not you then cry up the Protector contrary to your Engagements and now cry up another And thus it is very evident that the guilt of breach of Oathes and Covenants lies near unto your selves which indeed opens the Mouth of Iniquity for the very Cavaliers and Prelates say you were once strict in your Way but now you have struck hands with them and are now your selves doing that which you cried out against in them And thousands in this Nation is abated in their affections from your Church and Ministry as knowing them to be upon a false Foundation and to be of Babylon and not of the Heavenly Ierusalem And what do you mean by severe punishment of Professors Do you mean to set up Ecclesiastical Laws again and that all must be forced to your Church Way and Religion Is it in your hearts to drive the Nation by force and if they will not to punish them with Fire and Fagot and Prisons If
deny both the written Word which is your Rule and Reason too for we appeal from both Answ. Art thou not ashamed to say The Scripture is thy Rule who art found a Lyar and a false Accuser thy Rule shall try thee and shall bear witness against thee when God judgeth thee by Jesus Christ for neither by the Scripture nor thy corrupt reason canst thou know the things of God who art a natural man in the fall in the World without God But again I say let any try us in our lives and in our practices and if we speak or act contrary to the Scripture judge us by it but thy eye is blinded and when thou feest the Scripture fulfilled even crying out as a Woman in travel thou calls it uncouth howling and a spirit contrary to the Scripture and how art thou able to try who art blind and deaf in the mystery of the Kingdom of God for thy reason must never enter unto God but is shut out and in seeing thou seest not and in hearing thou dost not understanst and upon thee herein is the Scripture fulfilled And whereas thou sayest We will not have Christ to rule over us for we deny both his Person and Word which is the Rule of Life and Love I answer O thou Lyar God shall judge thee let shame cover thee and let thy own Conscience convince thee of thy Lyes and Slanders against the Innocent Christ Jesus is our Head and we are of his Body and his Word is sweet unto us even our life and rule of life and by him we see thee to be an Enemy to him and from him I judge thee not his Word but the spirit of the Devil is thy rule for he is the Ruler and Father of Lyes and Lyars and thy Portion thou must have with him in the Lake and what thou sayest of us it shall stand for thy own Condition thou wilt not have Christ to rule over thee who lives in thy lust and carnal mind without the fear of God which Christ comes to destroy in all that witness him And whereas thou sayest In the Name of God thou proclaimest That those men that disown the written Word are not Spiritual men they may have the Spirit of Antichrist Answ. Thou hast nothing to proclaim from God but as the false Prophets had other mens words and also I say if thou find any that disown the Scripture we also disown such and do say they are not spiritual men but have the spirit of Antichrist and of this number thou art guided by the spirit of Antichrist who art a Lyar and a false Accuser which is contrary to the Spirit of Christ and art without Faith and so art unreasonable in the corrupt reason without pure and undefiled Reason And whereas thou sayest Who but the spirit of Antichrist durst countermand the Commands of our Law-giver the Lord Iesus Christ I answ The Commands of Christ are Spiritual and in and by the Spirit and not traditional from the Letter without and Antichrist may conform to the Command without as the Pharisees did and yet be an Enemy to the Life and Substance of his Commands and this is thy own condition as it was the Pharisees who said He destroyed the Law who came to fulfil it as thou sayest We make void and deny the Commands of Christ when as we are Witnesses of them and directs all unto the fulfilling of them and thy spirit here is tryed to be the spirit of Antichrist the same which was in them which persecuted Christ and thou raylst and slanderest his Members And whereas thou sayest There were never any men appeared in the World so like those that Peter speaketh of in his second Epistle and these desire to overthrow the Writings of the Spirit of God I answ Peter spoke of such as thou art for as a Cloud carryed about with a Tempest thou art and a Well without water and defilest the flesh and dispisest the Saints dignity and speakest great swelling words of Vanity whilst thou thy self art a Servant of corruption serving the Devil by lying and falsly accusing and that we desire to overthrow the Writings of the Spirit of God thou art a Lyar for we go about to establish them and declares of him who is the Substance of them and God will reward thee according to thy deeds Who also accuseth us of unseemly Kissing in Glasiers-hall thou sayest if Mr Pope do not belye us I answer This is another Lye which proceeds from thee let all the honest hearted which ever have frequented our Assembly at that Place testifie against thee and Pope and your father the Devill whom by lying you serve and that no unseemly Actions have proceeded from us but Sobriety and Civility and unseemly Actions shall stand for thy own condition they are such as thy self who commits unseemly brawling and folly and vain contending against the Truth in Glasiers-hall as many Honest-hearted will witness against you and for us who have seen your base actions as Scorning and Flouting in that Place and so here you your selves are guilty of the Wontonness which Peter speaks of and of aluring through the lust of the flesh which thou slanderously wouldst cast it upon us And thou further sayest None ever promised to themselves so much liberty as these and the Ranters in being freed from the power and tryal of the Word I answer Both the Ranters and thee we do absolutely deny and testifie against you both to be in the enmity against God and against us who are his Servants Thou before didst rank us with the Papists and now among the Ranters but herein the Scripture is fulfilled upon us as they have done unto Christ so they do unto us he was numbred among Transgressors by the Generation of painted Sepulchers and whited Walls as we are by thee and all liberty which is of the flesh and to the flesh we do deny as many can witness who are Witnesses of our Ministery and again I say he that is able let him try us by the Scripture but thou art blind and hath hardened thy heart against God and hath neither salt nor savory and so are good for nothing but to be trodden under foot And whereas thou sayest The Lord bless every one of his from the condition of Chandler who formerly was the head of a Company of Shakers I answer The day is coming when thou canst not flee the wrath of God though thou pray God will not hear thee and if ever thou hast seen Chandler in this condition thou mightst have read thy figure in him weeping and howling and gnashing of teeth will be thy portion for ever and I say unto thee this condition of Chandlers is not come upon him because he was once a Shaker by the dread of the Lord upon him but because he went out from that condition out of the fear of God into the liberty of the flesh out of his shaking and fearing state which once he
of Christ Jesus wherewith he hath lightned every man that comes into the world and it will lead into the Kingdom of Peace and righteousness for saith Christ I am the Light of the World he that follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the Light of Life and this is that which thou wouldst fain call the Lye of the Devil and therefore to cover thy wickedness and impudency thou hast changed and mixed the terms of words that thou mayest have a ground for thy Slander but thou art seen and comprehended and thy folly appears Then thou sayest we say It will convince of Sin Swearing Lying Stealing c. of Sins against the Law and this thou makest a thing of little account to be convicted of sins against the Law by the Light of Christ for there is nothing else that doth convince of sin mind that And this Light thou seems to acknowledge every man hath and this Light I do affirm to be the Light of Christ Jesus and to bid People follow this the Light of Christ to lead into the Kingdom can be no Lye of the Devil for he which convinceth of sins against the Law leads up into the fulfilling of the Law and though thou and thy Generation would leap over the Law yet must the righteousness of it in Judgment be fulfilled upon you and by Christ Jesus in you if ever you receive the Salvation to your Souls Learn whâ—t it means Much more thou ramblest over which I pass by as being not pertinent to the thing in hand but Fools love to be meddling though little to the purpose and as I have said thy Maker will not blame thee for thou hast brought in of thy chiefest substance though it be but as Clay and as Dirt at least that of it which is against the Quakers and the substance of many Pages following is this that I have gathered denying or at least opposing Christ revealed within and in opposition to this quotes many Scriptures of what he did in his own Person which Scriptures I own and the Truth which they bear witness of yet must we beâ—â— witness that without the Revelation of Christ within there is no Salvation However so much is or may be spoken of him without as the Pope can do as well as thou yet are you found to be one Generation persecuting the Life under the zeâ—l of profession of the words Then the next thing that I mind is a Question which thou hast asked thyself Do not the Scriptures make mention of Christ within c And I shall ask further Doth not the Scripture witness that all who have not Christ within are Reprobates But thou hast proved deceitful in answering thy self and shuffled and I may much fear thou wilt not be faithful in answering mine however it rests upon thee to answer it or to stop thy mouth Then the next thing is thou sayest This design of deceiving the Devil carries oâ— by pretending if they follow what is made known to them from the Light within Answ. I observe all thy whole purpose is a secret smiting against the Light within which Christ hath given to every man and thy whole work is to render his â—ight odious But this I further answer The design of the Devil in deceiving souls is thy own and I turn it back to thee but this is truth as it is in Jesus He that comes to eternal Life must follow and walk in what is made known by the Light of Christ within And thou sayest Beg of God to convince thee by his holy Spirit c. And thus thou utterest thy confusion sometime treating for it and sometime against it secretly smiting the Just mixing the Truth with Lyes that thereby thy Slanders may be covered and thy deceit hid The rest of thy Epistle I pass by being from the same spirit which thy Lyes are from and thy Lying Spirit the Children of God cannot own and therefore must needs deny that which proceeds from it And thus much in answer to thy Epistle Sixteen of thy first Pages are filled with this to wit proving that there is a Christ and that he was promised and that he was waited for and expected c. To all this I shall say nothing except thou hadst proved it in opposition to some body for what is Truth I own by the Spirit of the Lord as it is Truth in Christ but as it comes from thy lying spirit I do not so well own it I own the words and I deny thy voice and this is my Answer Only I find thee wresting some Scriptures whether through subtilty or for want of wit I shall not judge especially this hast thou encreased Revel 13. 8. and faisly sayst The Blood of Christ was shed before the World was and it is Since the Foundation of the World betwixt which is great difference the one being a very Lye and the other very Truth Then thou goest on proving That he is the Saviour that was born of Mary c. which thing we never denied and therefore I need the less to answer thee except thou hadst spoken it in opposition to us which I find thee not altogether until the thirty seventh Page where thou again secretly smitest in mixing some Truth with thy Lye And thou sayest How horribly are those deceived who look on Iesus to be but a Shadow or Type This is thy Lye I know not any who do it and yet thou sayest Of something that was afterwards to be revealed c. Answ. This hath some truth in it which is this The same Christ which was born of Mary which wrought Righteousness in his Person by doing and suffering which was is the Substance was afterwards revealed in the Saints And this is no horrible deceit to witness Christ revealed or to wait for him to be revealed within Then thou sayest When he was come then was an end put to the Law c. And here I ask a Question Did Christ Jesus put an end to the Law for them who yet live in the transgression of the Law or doth be justifie that which the Law condemneth before the work of the Law be finished What is the meaning of the Scripture Not one tittle shall fail till all be fulfilled What assurance have any that it is fulfilled for them who are yet transgressors of it in themselves An Answer to this may satisfie the simple Then thou goest on and sayst How are they deceived that think to obtain Salvation by following the convictions of the Law which they call Christ c Answ. Here thou confessest the Law convinceth then it is not put to an end or fulfilled or taken away because it yet works and it is no deceit to mind that which doth convince of sin to lead to Christ to take sin away for the Scripture saith The Law is a School-Master to bring to Christ but thou art in the deceived state who healest up falsly and daubest with untempered Morter and
a blind Ministry which leadeth not unto God but keeps in Darkness ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth And in thy Page ninteenth Thou hast put forth a Question which is How shall we know this transformed Angel of Light c To which I answer Where he rules he is not known nor discerned for the god of the World hath blinded the eye which should make him manifest and this is true in thee who art led by him and perceivest it not and art doing his work and understandest not but the brightness of the coming of the Son of Man in the Children of the Father hath discovered him in the World and in thee and though thou woulst fain put him among the Quakers yet he is found in thy own house thou endeavourest to prove thy Accusation by vain consequence and false conclusions but our Assertion is proved by the Spirit of God and stands upon thy head and shall be witnessed by the Light in thy own Conscience Now something in answer to thy Arguments and false Conclusion And thy first Argument is That the Light of the Quakers will not admit of nor endure the Trial therefore the Light of the Quakers is the light of Satan c. Answ. Thy proposition and ground of thy Argument is a Lye and so thy conclusion is to no purpose for we deny not a Trial but exhort People thereunto that they search the Scripture to see whether these things be not so and are tried by the Scriptures in Doctrine and Conversation and proved to be simple thereby to be in the Truth as it is in Jesus and are testified of in Scripture by the Holy men of God who are unto us a Cloud of Witnesses in our Faith and Life and Sufferings and Tryals c. Friend thou hast fained a Lye upon us and hast confuted thy own Lye this is an easie way to prove us Deceivers if it would stand in trial neither is thy proof That wâ— do deny tryal any wit to this purpose as I. N. against F. Harris Page the tenth which thou quotest let the honest hearted read but subtilly hast thou wrested the words to bring thy false Conclusion and Lye about to take place among the ignorant People Thy Lye is condemned and thy refuge is taken away and thou art left naked for the Destroyer Thy second Argument is The Light of the Quakers putteth out the Light of Nature therefore their Light is the light of Satan c. Thou sayest by the Light of Nature thou meanest the inward Law which God set up in the heart of all mankind châ—â—king many sins against God and man c. Answ What blind confusion is this which is uttered from thy dark mind no whit savory but stuff hardly worth stirring in and quite contradiction to thy own words Page fifteen where thou chargest us with directing to the Light in the Conscience which thou callest Natural but we call it Spiritual and this is it which cheeks the sins against God which thou sayest our Light puts out and that we preach any thing for Light which puts out this light which is the work of the Law of God written in the heart this Argument is also a Lye and so thy conclusion is made void likewise but that the Knowledge and Wisdom and Prudency of the natural man which is corrupted must be put out this we own and the Quakers Light which is the Light of Christ shall confound the Wisdom of the World and be no transgression against God nor from a light of Satan but of Christ and the proof of thy Argument is as thou sayest Wâ— deny honour to all Superiours and seemest to be greatly offended with the word Thou quoting many Scriptures against it but let the wise in heart judge thee herein none of all these Scripture will prove that ever any of the Saints gave flattering Titles unto men or spoke You to a particular Person which thou art to prove or else thou sayest nothing that the word Thou to Superiours is any denying of honour due unto them and herein thy conclusion is also false being the foundation of thy Argument is a Lye and thy Argument made up of confusion saying That Light is Natural which is the inward Law set up in the heart checking the sins against God and man this is one Lye also saying That our Light puts out the Light This is another Lye Friend if Lyes would prove us Deceivers thou wouldst accomplish it How easie a thing it is for thee to confute thy own Lyes when thou hast made them Thy third Argument is Such is the Quakers Light viz. which teacheth men to forsake the Scriptures setting up a spirit in man which shall not be examined by the Scriptures therefore it is the light of Satan c. Answ. The first part of thy Argument is a very Lye and also the last as thou hast laid it down our Light teacheth not men to forsake the Scriptures but into the fulfilling of them to walk in the Life of them and it teacheth to exalt the Spirit of God in man above all things and in its fruits and opperation may be examined by the Scriptures but it self is the Searcher of all things even of the deep things of God and this is not the Light of Satan but of Christ which teacheth men into the fulfilling of the Scriptures and to exalt the Spirit in man which gave forth the Scriptures which is the trial of all spirits and whatsoever conclusion be gathered for an Argument whereof a Lye is the foundation as of this the conclusion must needs be vain and a Lye like its foundation And in thy proof of the major position thou sayest The Scriptures are left by God to be your Light and Rule c. And the Scriptures say Christ is the Light the Way the Truth and the Life and so the Rule and so thou hast set up the Scriptures above Christ and by thy lying spirit crosseth the Scriptures but thou art accustomed to Lye and so art expert therein And thou sayest Christ bids you seâ—â—câ— the Scriptures Iohn 5. 39. It is true he bids the Pharisees who had not Christ Word abiding in them and who had not heard God's Voice nor seen his Shape but persecuted Christ them he bad search the Scriptures and justly hast thou thrâ—â—â— in thy self among the Pharisees and so art an Enemy to Christ according to thy own confession And for the proof of the minor position thou hast not at at 〈◊〉 proved by any way of the Books quoted thy proposition That the Quakers Ligâ—â— teacheth men to forsake the Scriptures c. Let the wise in heart judge And thou sayst But to speak truly The Quakers make nothing of Scriptures c. This is the very falsness and of thy lying tongue and no truth in it and a Question here I ask Whether he be the more guilty of forsaking Scriptures which live the Life thereof
God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 of him who is now appeared in Power and great Glory to gather his People to Himself This is to go abâ—… among all people wâ—o arâ— worshipping in Tempâ—… made with hands â—nd who are under this Ministry and are of 〈◊〉 Church aforementioned that they may come to consider and see the Erâ—… of their Way of thâ—… Worship and of their Miâ—… And this is a Visitation from the Lord unto them all by a Friend 〈◊〉 all your Souls E. B. Some False Principles And ERRORS DISCOVERED And REFUTED 〈…〉 Answer to a Catechism-Book which is said to contain The Principles of Religion put forth by a nameless Author But is supposed to be the work of one Samuel Eaton a professed Minister of the Gospel among the Sect of the Independants in Châ—shire But upon true Examination he is found to be teaching the Traditions of Men for the Commandments of Christ and his Principles are proved to be not according but contrary to the SPIRIT of GOD and the Scriptures To the READER THE Reason and Cause of this being sent abroad is for the better Information of all but more particularly for the good of that Assembly to whom Samuel Eaton is Minister and Pastor that they may know the Truth from Error and the Way of Righteousness from all false Wayes and may turn frâ—â— Idol-Shepherds that destroy the Vine-yard and tread it down and may 〈◊〉 to Christ and receive him who is the chief Shepherd to feed his Flock with the Bread of Eternal Life And the Reason why these False Principles are charged upon Samuel Eaton is this It being doubtful to some who was the Author of that Catechism wherein these Principles and Doctrines were held forth John Gredley and Anne Sheeld by name were with the said Samuel Eaton and asked him If he owned that Book the Catechism and he said He would maintain all in it That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answer THE Wayes of the Lord are Equal and Just but the wayes of the Sons of Adam are altogether corrupted and different and contrary to the Wayes of Salvation And the Wisdom that is of this World is Foolishness with God and its End is Destruction to its self and to all that walk therein And what is Man that he shall prescribe a Way to his Makerâ— and who is it that will be more wise then God to â—et him a Way how he must â—…ch his People Therefore in-vain have men laboured and have reaped to â—…selves nothing but Wind and Confusion And in vaâ—â— have they sown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reap after them whose Fruit hath been Emptiness and not filled the Hand of the Gatherer And in particular this Book with which I am now â—…ing is the Fruit of an empty Tree which cannot satisfie the hungry 〈◊〉 nor comfort the weary Seeker for the Satisfaction and Comfort of the â—…ing hungry Soul dependeth only upon the Lord and upon the Bread of â—â—fe that commeth down from God and the soul that eaâ—â— thereof is â—…ed and comforted forever and hungereth no more nor thirsteth any slâ—… but the Fountain is in him and the Well springeth up unto Eternal Life 〈◊〉 goes no more forth And if so be that all herein were true and souâ—… Doâ—… and were learned so as to express it over again in words this might be 〈…〉 the soul still remaining in Anguish and under Sin and Death though 〈◊〉 in the Knowledge that is from below and yet in a farther Ignorance of God for the wisdom of this World knows not God neither can it teach not receive the knowledge of the things that pertain unto Life Eternal but to the Sâ—…e and to Fools doth the Lord teach and reveal the Knowledge of his Kingdom and it is not received from Books nor the Teachings and Tradition of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 by the Manifestation of the eternal Spirit which doth lead into all Truth â—…eveals the Mysteries of Salvation The first thing that I take notice of is this thou sayst God is a Spirit 〈◊〉 he is one in Beeing and is to be distinguished into three Persons and the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy Ghost are Personal Relations and if one be a Person such are the other c. Answ. The Father Son and Spirit is one this we believe and know according to the Scriptures but as for thy word Person that is carâ—… 〈◊〉 â—oo low a word to denominate God by who is Infinite for God and the Spirit hath no Person nor cannot truly be distinguished into Persons for a person has relation to Place Time and Change and is not in all places at all tiâ—es at â—…e and the Scriptures know no such distinction for God is a Spirit and hath no relation to one Time Place or Alteration more then another but filleth Heaven and Earth and his Presence is in all and over all who is bleâ—… forever and is infinite and without Person or confined Beeing and the Sâ—…pture no where in true Translation doth denominate God Christ and the Spirit by Persons and Personal Beeings nor doth distinguish them into â—…ee Persons for Persons are related to carnal as I have said and Persons is â—oo low to denominate God and Christ and the Spirit by So thy Principles are unsound and not agreeing to the Spirit of God and the Scriptures and therefore not to be believed nor received Whereas thou sayst That the one standing Rule according to which God is to bâ—â—…ht worshipped and served is the holy Scriptures in which God hath revealed himself in all things which he would have believed and doâ—e c. Answ. It is the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures which Spirit was and is within the Saints that leadeth into all Truth and teacheth to kâ—… all things and that Spirit of God only is the standing Rule to walk in and to walk by it was the Rule to Abel Enoch Abraham and the rest of the â—…ly Fathers that lived before any Scripture was written and it was the Ruâ—… to the Prophets to Christ and to the holy Apostles they all followed the Spirit and walked in it and spake and wrought and acted as the Spirit of God within them moved them and led them it was not the Scriptures but the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures that was the standing unchangâ—…le un-erring Rule of worshipping serving and obeying the Lord God and that same Spirit is the standing Rule to us also For the Apostle commandeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Spirit and that which we are to walk in is our Rule And as many 〈◊〉 the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and then the Spirit is their 〈◊〉 and that guides the Feet in the Way of Peace And in the Spirit is God â—…pped For they that worship him must worship him in the Spirit and in the â—… and such he seeketh to worship him For it is in the Hearts of his People 〈◊〉 within them that God revealeth himself by his Spirit For it is the Spirit 〈…〉 the thing â—f
I say would not many Sects ere this day have prevailed one against another had not the Powers of the Earth stopped and limitted whom they would and given liberty to set up whom they would But now the Light of the Day is arisen and hath appeared and the Lord is making a Way to establish his own Religion by his own Power and he is gathering his Seed who shall wax stronger and stronger and shall prevail through all Opposition through all false Sects and false Worships of the Earth and they shall wax weaker and weaker and shall never be established in Righteousness but they and the Power that upholds them shall be broken together and this will the Lord bring to pass in his Day And thus I have shewed you what true Religion is and how it cannot be established and how it may be and what the Authority of earthly Rulers is and how far it extends and do shew that true Religion cannot be settled thereby but by the Lord alone it must and that it is the Work of Christ's Ministry and not of earthly Power by violent Laws to establish Religion And this is a testimony from the Lord God of Heaven and Earth to ye Rulers and Parliaments that make Laws and minister Laws meddle not with Religion to establish one Sect or Sects and to limit and throw down others but fear the Lord God and wait for his Wisdom and remember that that hath been a Rock whereupon many before you have been split and brought into confusion even when they have gone about to limit or stop or establish Religion how have they been confounded and never had success from the Lord to such endeavors for the Lord hath never shewed countenance for many Generations to such as have attempted to make men religious by outward Laws and to settle Nations therein by outward Laws Wherefore now be wise ye Rulers and kiss the Son for the Wrath of the Lord is already kindled and he will break in pieces and dash Babylon's Children against the Stones and confound the great Whore the false Church and all false Sects her Daughters who have been brought forth and set up in Nations ever since the Woman the true Church hath been fled into the Wilderness and the Beast hath carried the Whore born her and upheld her and she hath journeyed through Nations upon the Beast and the Beast hath defended her if any man hath an Ear let him hear and this is a Visitation to ye Rulers and to all that make Laws and minister Laws By a Friend to Righteous Men. E. B. Satan's Design DEFEATED In a Short Answer to a Manuscript sent by a Priest out of Sussex to a Member of this present Parliament full of railing Accusations whereby he hath secretly smitten the Innocent by a secret desiring the Persecution of the People of God But herein his Folly and Madness doth appear that while he hath accused others falsly himself is found guilty of the same thing With Invitations of Love to the present Authority that they may save themselves from being the Executioners of the Priests malice least the Lord destroy them A Certain Paper being come to my hand which is said to be written by one Priest Iackson and sent to a Member of Parliament containing divers Particulars charged as Errors upon the dispised People called Quakers wherein he saith he hath set down some of their Tenents which they maintain unto which Manuscript I am moved to write something in answer as to clear the Truth from his foul Aspertions which he casts upon it to the intent that the said Member of Parliament and the whole House may be better satisfied and resolved wherein they doubt of every Particular that the Truth may appear when as the foul Vail of the Darkness and Slanders is removed That the Holy Scriptures are not the Word of God nor the Saints Rule of Faith and Life neither is it the duty of every one to search them Answ. The Holy Scriptures that were given forth by the Spirit of the Lord as holy men of God were moved they are the Words of God and a Declaration and a Treatise Luke 1. 1. and that which the Saints had handled and tasted of the Word of Life that they declared forth in Words and Writings Acts 1. 1. and the Scriptures as they were given forth by the Spirit of God are a true Declaration of what is to be believed and practised in relation to eternal Salvation It is a true Testimony concerning God and his mighty Works and of Truth and Righteousness and it is a Testimony also of the Devil and what he is and of his Deceits and Errors and Uâ—righteousness so the Scriptures are Words given forth by the Spirit but Christ is the Word that was before the Scriptures were for in the begining was the Word of God and the World was made by it and the Word shall endure for ever and Christ's Name is called the Word of God And though the Scriptures are profitable and were given forth to be read and to be fulfilled yet they are not the Rule and Guide of Faith and Life unto the Saints but the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures that is the Rule and Guide the Teacher and Leader into all Truth and them that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God and if you walk in the Spirit saith the Apostle you shall live and as many as walk acording to this to wit of the Spirit Peace is upon them and so the Spirit of God is the Rule of the Saints Faith and Life and the Spirit leads them to walk in the fulfilling of the Scriptures and according to them And as for all the Priests in England who do profess the Scriptures to be their Rule out of their own Mouthes will God judge them who are found walking contrary to the Scriptures in Life and Doctrine and Practises while they cry it up for their Rule and condemn all that will not say as they â—ay And the last part of this Proposition is utterly false for we never do assert that it is not the duty of every one to search them but we bid every one search the Scriptures and every one ought to search them but yet we say that none understands them but who have the Spirit that gave them forth nor none can profit thereby but by the Spirit that gave them forth which works the same Truth in the Heart which the Scriptures without declare of and this I do affirm they are the Words of God and the Spirit of God is the Rule of Faith and Life to the Saints and all men ought to search the Scriptures and to believe what is therein written and to receive and enjoy Christ who is the Substance and the End of all Things the first and last the beginning and ending and in him the Scriptures are fulfilled and finished They do deny the Doctrine of the Trinity and that Christ
Fined and taken out of their own Houses and Meetings to Goals and Prisons as it is at this day upon the Occasion of that Insurrection whereof they were clear and innoâ—ent both to God and Men though they are dealt withal as Plotters Conspirors and Rebellious when as hereof they are not guilty And this is all that I shall say at present as about that Insurrection and the Occasion of Semper Iidem its Publication And whereas Sir Iohn Oldcastle and Sir Roger Acton with divers others are mentioned and their Death 's related whom this Author saith were put to death for Treason and Rebellion and making Insurrection Concerning the Carriages and Death of such I shall say little nor can I justifie any in so doing neither in Ages past nor in this present Time if they were put to death only upon that Account for rebelling with Carnal Weapons and rising up in Conspiracies against the Authorities which they were under or for Evil-doing to their Neighbours I say such neither in this Age nor in Ages past do I justifie nor will vindicate their Practices nor condemn their Death but shall leave them to be justified or condemned of God according to their doings and according to the end and intent of their Hearts in their Proceedings but many others are mentioned in Semper Iidem who suffered and were put to Death burned and killed only for and because of their Principles and Practices in Religion while yet they lived peaceably and were of a harmless Conversation amongst Men the Persecution and Death of such upon that account I do condemn and do charge it to be Murder in the sight of God of such who were burned and destroyed because of their difference in Religion from the Church of Rome when as no Unrighteousness nor Double-dealing as to men could be charged and proved against them such I say as died and suffered for that Cause have been murdered by the Power of Antichrist among the Apostate Christians and the Blood of such will the God of Heaven avenge one time or other Now I come to search some Particulars which are stated pag. 3. which it s said John Wickliff held which Doctrines the Author of Semper Iidem seems to say are Errors by his condemning such for Hereticks as held them for Truths THe First That the Sacrament of the Altar is nothing but a piece of Bread This the Lollards so called are said to affirm for which the Papists condemn them as Hereticks Answ. As for the Sacrament of the Altar so termed by the Papists we find nothing of it in all the Scriptures not Sacrament of the Altar nominated only we find That Christ took Bread and brake it and gave it to his Disciples not as Himself for He only gave it them to eat in remembrance of Himself As oft as ye do it saith Christ do it in remembrance of Me. Where it is manifest that there is a distinction to be made and a separation in expression to be put between that Bread which Christ gave his Disciples to eat and his own Body for they were to eat the Bread not as Him but in remembrance of Him and this shews that the Bread which Christ gave his Disciples was Bread to be eaten in Remembrance of Him and so it is no Error but sound Truth to affirm That the Bread called the Sacrament of the Altar by the Papists is but indeed a piece of Bread and may safely so be called But suppose it were Error in men so to believe and say yet it is Murder Cruelty and not of Christ but of the Wicked One so to deal with them for their Error sake as before-mentioned Doct. 2. That Priests have no more Authority to administer Sacraments then Lay-men Held by the Lollards Condemned as a great Error by the Papists Answ. As for the Name and Order of Priests we find none such among the Apostles in the Christian-Churches in their dayes Pastors and Ministers and Prophets and Teachers we find but not Priests by that Name as a particular Order of Men in the Church saving that all the Saints are called Kings and Priests unto God neither do we find such a thing As consecrating a piece of Bread into a more holy quality then it was in it self before nor any Commision given by Christ to a particular Order of Men to administer Bread to the People as his Body we read that the Saints brake Bread when they were met together and some time from House to House but that there were particular Persons by an Office among them that did administer the Bread in the Form and Manner as among Papists we read not of this in all the Scriptures And as for Lay-men as Papists term them this word we have not in all the Scriptures but Saints we have of divers growths but the Papists have made many Inventions of Offices Titles and Names in their Church for which they have no Example at all in the Scriptures Doct. 3. That all things ought to be in Common Opposed by Papists as a great Error Answ. It is a great question what signification may be put upon the Word Common so I shall not vindicate for Truth the Doctrine as it lies and leave the Interpretation of the Word Common to my Adversaries and so I pass it only do mind that it is said in the Acts That they that believed had all things Common Though the Word Common there I understand not Absolute but with Restriction Doct. 4. That it is as lawful to Christen a Child in a Tub of Water at home or in a Ditch by the Way as in a Font-stone in the Church Opposed by the Papists as a great Error Answ. As for the Baptizing of Infants by dipping or sprinkling and calling it the Baptism into the Faith and into the Church as practised and held by the Papists we have cause to question the Lawfulness of the Thing in it self at any Place For we find no Command or President of Christ nor among his Apostles in the pimitive Churches for this thing of Christening Infants and therefore we question whether the Thing in it self is lawful at any Time or Place suppose the Papists could prove the Thing lawful and that it ought to be done by vertue of any Command or Example of Christ or his Apostles then again we question why not as lawful to be done at any other Place as in a Font-stone so called Of what holiness or purity is that more than other Places and of whose invention is it of all the Christians since the Apostles dayes seeing we find nothing at all of it in the Scriptures But suppose the Principle to hold indeed absolute Error the Papists yet do still wickedly in racking men and burning them because thereof Doct. 5. That it is as lawful at all times to confess unto a Lay-man as to a Priest Opposed by the Papists as great Error Answ. As for that manner and form of Auricular Confession so called
the City Country challenged and invited and ingaged to Disputes by the high Priests and Church-members so called and written against printed against by the chiefest of men accounted wise and religious which of any Sect and who of all the wisest in profession and the most zealous in practices of Religion so called have not at sometime or other beset us and encountred with us in high Disputes and Controversies opposing of us to our Faces and gain-saying of our Doctrines and Practices and denying of us and resisting of us wholly and crying against us to be Deceivers Deluders and Hereticks and Blasphemers and such like and that our Doctrines were deceivable and error and factious and what not and that our Practises were destructive to Men Laws and Government these things in the worst nature have been spoken against us without ceasing by the wisest and men of greatest Parts and most religious falsly so accounted for this certain years in the South as well as in the North besides what loss have we sustained other wayes in the South by Beatings and Strikings and Abuses and Slanders and false Reproaches and haling before Magistrates and Imprisoning and all the like dealing from Priests Rulers and People as we did in the North yea the same hard dealing and cruelty from all sorts of people we have suffered and do daily as we did in the North insomuch we are now accustomed to the Yoak and well acquainted with Sorrow and Griefs from all sorts of people and were not the Lord on our side our Enemies would swallow us up quick and we had been long since devoured by the Teeth of the Ungodly so that I may call to witness all the Goals and Prisons in the South as in the North and all the Magistrates Judges and Rulers and all Officers of the Law what sufferings we have sustained and what cruel and hard dealing we have undergone and what injustice and unequal and false Judgment hath been executed upon us in these five years time which of the Goals may appear free where some of us have not suffered the loss of our Liberties unjustly and who of any justice of the Peace or any other Officer from the Judge to the Constable that can clear themselves from guilt in this matter and that they have not had a hand in our unjust sufferings and to the Witness of God in all people of all Sorts through this whole Nation and some other I do appeal concerning this matter how we have been dealt withal and what we have sustained in our persons and in our names how many Acts and Words of Cruelty and Injustice we have born suffered and these Priests have been as the Fountain and Cause of all this and the formost in all this Iniquity and Injustice by all what they could do to incense the Rulers and people against us by Preaching and Praying and Writing and Printing for the space of this seven years yet notwithstanding all this the Mighty Power and Presence of the Lord hath been with us and perserved us from Dangers great and many and carried us through Trials and Perplexities and Sufferings and not onely so but he hath increased us in number so that Thousands and Ten Thousands have and may own us and the Truth which we give witness of and live therein for the eyes of all people are beginning to be opened and the deaf Ear is unstopped and the Way of Life Eternal is made manisest and the Lord is gathering his Flock which hath been scattered in the cloudy and dark day whilest these false Idle-Shepherds these Priests and Teachers I mean have fed themselves with the Fat and cloathed themselves with the Wool and laid down in slumber and not gathered the Flock nor fed them but scattered them and driven them away and with Force and with Cruelty have they ruled over the Heritage of the Lord woe woe unto these Shepherds saith the Lord God they shall be confounded and put to shame perpetually and they shall be broken down and never builded any more and the Lord will pluck them up by the roots and they shall never again be planted And besides all their Petitioning the Magistrates against us and preaching and praying against us and all the evil and wickedness in Work Word and Desire brought forth against us from time to time yet here sober Reader thou hast a Catalogue and whole number of Books printed and written against us abundance of their Doctrines uttered against us and in opposition to us gathered up in this Volum in a sum with our Answers to them and if thy heart and mind be single thou mayst hereby understand in measure the difference in Doctrine between them and us and compare each of them with the Scriptures and see whether their Doctrines and Principles laid down as the Subject of their Books or our Doctrines and Principles laid down in answer to theirs be according and agree with the Scriptures and if thou be impartial in this business and single in this search and judgement I doubt not but thou wilt in a great measure satisfie thy self and be resolved concerning their Priests and Professors of England and us who are called Quakers and then when thou thus hast done own and deny whether them or us as the Lord shall perswade thee for thou mayst fully perceive we differ in Doctrines and Principles and the one thou must justifie and the other thou must condemn as being one clean contrary to the other in our Principles and I wish also thou wouldst measure us and compare us in Lives and Conversations and truely judge whom of us whether they or we do the more follow Christ and his Apostles in Practise and Conversation and in all things lay us and them to the Line of true Judgement and with an upright heart judge accordingly for know this there is not any Principle we hold nor any Work which we practice in our Religion and Worship but we are willing and fully desire we might be brought to the Bar 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 whether 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 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 tryal 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
Counties at divers Meetings and divers particular Friends he took his leave of them saying to very many That he did not know he should see their Faces any more exhorting them all to faithfulness and stedfastness in that wherein they had found rest for their Souls And said to some I am going up to the City of London again to lay down my LIFE for the GOSPEL and suffer amongst Friends in that Place as having some sence of his Suffering before And a little after his return to the City at a publick Meeting which the People of the Lord have kept these many Years to hear and speak of the things of God to Edification at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate by certain Souldiers under the Command of Richard Brown then General of the City of London he was violently plucked down and haled away in a barbarous manner and carried to the Guard and so committed to Newgate not for Evil-Doing but for testifying unto the Name of the Lord Jesus and for the Worship of God as though this were become a great Crime worthy of Bonds and at last Death He was had to the Sessions in the Old-Baily and his Accusers were Witnesses against him and them that had abused him violently their Testimony was received as good Proof against him And at last after two or three Sessions he was fined by the Court One Hundred Marks which at last was reduced to Twenty Marks and to lie in Prison while payment where he continued a pretty long season about Eight Moneths with Six or Seven Score Prisoners besides upon the same Account many being shut up among the Fellons in nasty Places and for want of Prison-room the Natures of many were suffocated and corrupted till at last many grew Weak Sickened and Dyed At last this same Young Man grew Weak and though a special Order from the King was sent to the then Sheriffs of London for the Release of him and the rest that were left in Prison yet such was the Emnity of some of the Rulers of the City that they did what in them lay to obstruct the Execution of the Order that he should not be released And so Weakness grew upon him daily though in much Patience he was carried through all In the time of his Weakness he was very fervent in Prayer and that often both Day and Night unto the Lord as concerning himself and also his People and at several times he spoke several precious words from the sensible feeling of God's Spirit in his Heart and said I have had the Testimony of the Lord's Love unto me from my Youth and my Heart hath been given up to do thy Will And he said I have preached the Gospel freely in this City and have often given up my Life for the Gospel's sake and now Lord rip open my Heart and see if it he not right before thee Another time he said when he had a little ease There is no Iniquity lies at my Door but the Presence of the Lord is with me and his Life I feel justifie me Another day afterwards he said Thou hast loved me when I was in the Womb and I have loved thee from my Cradle and from my Youth unto this day and have served thee faithfully in my Generation And he spoke to Friends that were about him To live in Love and Peace and love one another And at another time he said The Lord taketh the Righteous from the Evil to come And he prayed for his Enemies and for his Persecutors and said Lord forgive Richard Brown he may be forgiven And though the Distemper and the Disease was violently upon him yet he was preserved sensible And in the morning before he departed this life being sensible of his deaâ—h he said Now my Soul and Spirit is centred into its own Beeing with God and this form of person must return from whence it was taken And after a little season he gave up the Ghost and died a Prisoâ—er and shall be recorded and is in the Lambs Book of Life as a Martyr for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus for which onely he suffered and gave up his life whose death was pretious in the Eyes of the Lord. But now he ever liveth with God and his Work follow him and his Labours shall testifie of him in Generations to come and thousands beside my self can bear witness his Life and Death was to the praise honour and glory of the Grace of God unto whom be the glory of all his Works for ever Amen ANd oh thou City of London who hast been a professing City of the Name of God and Christianity so many years must it be said of thee as Christ said of Jerusalem that a Prophet cannot perish out of thee Oh how many Warnings hast thou had and how dost thou remain in obdurateness and impenitency Oh thou art not worthy of those Heavenly Tydings of Salvation which hath been proclaimed in the midst of thee these many years by this faithful Messenger of God deceased with many more who is taken away in judgment unto thee because many of thy Inhabitants despised and set at nought that in which the blessedness of all Nations consisteth Oh how is thy Gold become dim and how is thy glory stained How is thy Countenance marred How is all thy Profession became dead and like a withered Tree without Sap The Symptomes of death are upon thee Your Sun is set your Glory is passed away Night is coming and Darkness is surrounding you and you shall have enough of Darkness and your Paths and Ways shall be filled with it because you have hated the Light and would not have him who is the Light of the World to rule in your hearts but have chused Darkness rather then Light because your Deeds are evil and in the end thou shalt be made to see you have chosen lying Vanities and have taken Pleasure in the Flesh and have forsaken your own Mercies Repent repent if any can find a place while it is called to Day lest you be shut up in everlasting Darkness and Truth be hid from your Eyes for ever â—ake warning cease from Persecution and afflicting the Lord's People who desire to live quietly and peaceably and to worship God in Truth and Righteousness with a pure heart It is too too much that you have done already the suffering and death of many Innocent Righteous Men who have suffered these Winters past will lie as a load upon your City in Summers to come Remember what God did to Amaleck the first of the Nations and to Moab when Israel would have passed to their own Land and Countrey that God had promised them and have eaten their own Bread and Drank their Water and have passed on peaceably but they rose up and fell upon the Poor and upon the Hindmost and Weak God was Glad to Force his Way though it proved the ruin of Amaleck and the Misery of Moab We would glad walk on
of a person justified and to be justified thy language is of Egypt and in the mystery of iniquity thou speakst it which is condemned into the â—ake of perdition by the Light of Christ and in the Light thou and it art seen and comprehended and as I told thee before I own no righteousness but what is of Christ and wrought by him which Righteousness shall confound thee and all thy unrighteousness and conjuration and the same that justifies us shall condemn thee eternally 16 Quer. Whether Christ be in his Saints in respect of that nature wherein he suffered at Ierusalem Answ. Here thou Enemy of Christ wouldst know how the Saints injoy Christ here the Scripture is fulfilled upon thee the Light shines in darkness and darkness comprehends is not when thou comes to own thy condemnation the Light in thy conscience it will let thee see thy evill deeds it will lead thee up to Christ from whence it comes and then thou wilt know that nature that he suffered in but now thou art in that nature that Iudas was in that betrayed him and that they were in that crucified him 17 Quer. How and after what manner Christ who in respect of his Divine nature is in all places may be said to be in a Saint and not in Reprobate Answ. What hast thou to do to query after the Divine Nature who art the natural man that knowes nothing of God but what thou knowest naturally as a bruit beast and knowes not the things that be of God because they are spiritually discerned and the manner of Christs Divine nature which is infinite is hid from thy eyes for with that eye that thou shouldst see with that art thou blind and the manner of his being in a Saint thou knowest not who art a Reprobate and thou shalt find him to be thine eternall condemnation 18 Quer. Whether doth Christ now in these dayes assume or take upon him the form of a servant and the seed of Abraham that is our flesh And Whether doth not this assumption cause such a perfection of the God-head and the Man-hood as that both of them are united together into one person Answ. O thou dark Beast and Conjurer who art querying with thy conjured words that which thou knowst nothing of and which is out of thy reach and comprehension thou Blasphemer dost thou limit Christ to dayes in taking upon him the form of a Servant and the seed of Abraham Is not he the same now as ever he was And for the union of the God-head and Man-hood as thou callst it let thy mouth be stopt for with thee God nor none of his Children hath any union for God hath put an utter enmity betwixt thy seed thou Serpent and the Seed of the Woman and the perfect union with Christ we witness who is the same to day yesterday and for ever and therefore are we separate from thee and thy Generation 19 Quer. Whether is Christ now conversant upon earth amongst men since his Ascension as he was before and in those times wherein the Apostles lived Answ. In thy queries thy speech bewrayes thee thy language is the language of Aegypt for in it thou makest it clearly manifest that thou knowest not Christ at all not in the least measure for where the first Principle of Truth is made manifest it is the same that ever was and never changes and thou askest whether Christ be now conversant upon Earth amongst men since his Ascension as he was in the Apostles time Dost thou know what thou askest Did he not appear to the Apostles since his Ascension in the most glorious manner that ever thou readst and is he not the same now as he was then What wouldst thou make of him thou dark sottish Beast such a one as thy self who wouldst be pleading for darkness and ignorance of God but praise and glory to him who hath discovered thee and all such Deceivers as thou art 20 Quer. Whether did not Christ dwell among his Saints after another and more visible manner than now he dwels in his Saints Answ. There again thou hast shewed thy ignorance of the Scripture and for thy word visible he is not nor never was visible to thee nor to thy Generation for those that did profess the Scriptures as thou and thy Generation doth crucified him and said he was of the Devil as thou and such as thou art dost now thou Blasphemer where hast thou a Scripture that saith that Christ would dwell in his Saints after another manner Did he not say It is expedient for you that I go away and I go and prepare n place for you and I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there you may be also and ye have heard how I have said I go away and come again unto you and if ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I go unto the Father and Christ Jesus saith in Iohn 14. 21. Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me the works that I do he shall do also and greater works than these because I go to the Father But all these Scriptures is hid from thy eyes and thou art one of those that Isaiah prophesied on and that Scripture is fulfiled on thee which saith He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts Now blessed be the Lord that hath discovered thee and such Blind-Guides as thou art So thy queries are answered in the eternal Light and Life of God and judgement is given upon thee and them which thou shalt eternally witness without roving or wandring but thou who art out of the Light art roving and wandring and stumbling in darknes who hast put forth these stumbling queries which are Answered lovingly and plainly and in the Scripture Language and Termes and with the Eternal Light and Life of God set thee in thy own place which thou shalt eternally witness These are matters of great concernment and if you refuse to answer them in writing spare your tongues and spare your Papers for I will henceforth neither hear the one nor read the other Answ. Thou sayst these are matters of great concernment We see that that which makes thee manifest and such as thou art and which layes thee open to poor ignorant people who are deceived by thee and led into the ditch and their souls kept in death by thee to make this manifest is of great concernment as these dark black stumbling queries and thy conjured words hath done which thou hast no Scripture for as ambiguity efficacy exclusively antecede and non-imputation assume and assumption Now let all people read and consider what they do that holds such as thee up who is shut out from God and shut out from the Saints life and language and art shut out of the Scriptures though thou makest a trade of them for money and deceives poor people but thou knowest nothing of the
Christ in them and no more after the flesh come to know his Resurrection he is the resurrection he is the first and the last who knows him risen and have seen him witness the first day and the last what speaks thou of a last day that never came to the beginning and so thy soul lies in death and in chains and in utter darkness and therefore lay thy hand upon thy mouth and see where thou art and the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures thou canst not witness 11 Quer. If after death there is no bodily Resurrection for the Spirits of men to possess an immortal Glory to eternity or to suffer an eternal Devil-like shame according to their deeds whether good or evil Is it not one of the vainest things in the World to discourse of God and Righteousness unless it be for earthly Gain amongst men Answ. There is a Resurrection both of the just and of the unjust the just into everlasting life and the unjust into everlasting shame and contempt and every one shall receive according to his works whether they be good or evil but this is a mystery hid for none knowes it but through death but what knowest thou who art yet alive in sin what shall be in the resurrection which is after death which whoever comes to know the resurrection knowes the end of all things therefore it is not taking their words nor thy own imaginations that is Faith nor if thou know Christ no nearer than Ierusalem nor no nearer than above the stars thou knowst not where but through thy dark imaginations this is not to know Christ risen from the dead see therefore what hast thou seen in thy self But thou art dead while thou livest in that nature and at the resurrection contempt and shame will be thy portion and turn in â—hy minde to that which shews thee sin and witness the body and sin destroyed within and then and not till then shalt thou know how it is in the resurrection 12 Quer. Thou raises a question from Pauls words to the Athenians and didst before condemn them that stole other mens words and here thou hast stolen a Query and thou askestwhat think you did that spiritual Creator dwell and sive in the Athenians Consciences or did his glorious person visibly appear in the highest heavens Answ. The Athenians to whom Paul spoke worshipped the work of their own hands as this Generation doth their own imaginations and that God whom ignorantly they worshipped at a distance which God lived in Paul's Conscience Paul declared unto them and they looked as thou dost carnally thinking God to be carnal and at a distance but he said he was not at a distance from every one of them for in him they lived moved and had their being and this was the God which Paul preached of which Creator we witness lives in the high and holy place and with him also that is of a humble and a contrite spirit and trembleth at his Word 13 Quer. And thou sayest what think you can there be any living Spirit without a body or person to display its life in or from and must not the Creator of necessity be a glorious personal substance and thou sayest doth not these men that worship an infinite Spirit without any bodily form living in mens Consciences glory only in a god of â—â—eir own imaginations instead of honouring the onely Lord of all life the man Iesus yesterday today and for ever Answ. That which is not possible with men is possible with God which God is a Spirit as Jesus Christ saith and a spirit hath not flesh and bone nor a created body but displays it self as it pleases contrary to thy will and the will of all men and thou who wouldst by thy reason tye the Creator with a necessity to a personal Beeing art void of the knowledge of God and led by thy corrupt reason which shall never know God and all those who worships God in Spirit worships an infinite Spirit which Spirit inhabiteth eternity and lives in the Consciences of the Saints and this is not to glory in an imagination but a witnessing of the same eternal Truth which the Saints witnessed which spake forth the Scripture for they witnessed Christ to dwell in them and the same God they worshipped whose temple they were and not another and the same we witness and this to the honour of the Man Jesus who was yesterday today and for ever 14 Quer. The eternal Spirit Creator and alone everlasting Father which dwells essentially in the glorified Body as our Lord Iesâ—â— his eternall Son and virtually reigns in all the Saints Elect men and Angels be Record between me and you world without end whether this Epistle shall not be sent to you and all the chosen that shall peruse it principally for the establishing of your tender spirits upon that eternal spiritual Rock Iesus Christ God and Man in one distinct body or person glorified and onely honoured with all spiritual praises from Elect men and Angels when this World is consumed into ashes and all time or times is swallowed up into eternity or eternities Ans The Eternal Spirit which is the Everlasting Father which thou sayst is essencially in the Son thy word essencially I deny and thy voice yet Christ and the Father is one and the same Spirit that dwells in the Son dwels in the Father which is one I and my Father is one the same dwells in the Saints thy word virtual I deny the same that dwells in the Father and in the Son the same dwells in the Saints not distinct nor divided For he that hath seen the Father hath seen the Son and he that hath the Son hath the Father also and Christ is not divided I in them and thou in me that they may be perfect in one and he that is joyned to Christ is one spirit and not distinct nor separate if thou have an ear thou mayst hear and that eternal Spirit which is the Father and the Son which dwels in the Saints is Judge of thee and by that Spirit I judge thee that this Epistle came not from him to none of the chosen for they who are chosen deny thy voice and what dost thou speak of Elect and Angels with whom God dwells when in thy fourth query thou saidst they were defiled and the holy Ghost saith He dwells with no uncleanness and so speaks confusion and Babylons language which is the land of thy nativity from whence all these things have been spoken by thee and all that shall ever be established with thy declaring or thy Epistles shall be thrown down for the Rock shall beat thy Image to pieces and therefore leave off thy speaking of him and of thy distinct body and of his glory for when he shall appear in his glory instead of thy praises thou shalt bowl and lament and wish the mountains to cover thee and he who is out of time shall consume thee to ashes who
sit-upon the Throne unto the Slaves and Bond-men that are made a prey The Lord's Controversie is against you and the mighty terrible Day of the Lord is coming upon you wherein he will plead with you because of your Transgressions which cannot be numbred but do exceed theirs in former Generations who were cut off by his outstretched Arm. Therefore thus saith the Lord Now also will I arise as a mighty man of War and will appear in my Majesty to gather the Nations and to fan them and to try them in the wind of my Wrath and to purge them and to refine them in the Furnace of my Fire of Indignation and Jealousie And this from my mouth is a Warning to you and a Sound in your ears by authority from my Spirit To thee Oliver Cromwell called Protector THus saith the Lord My Controversie is against thee because thou hast not been faithful to the end in my Work but hast taken thy rest and ease and pleasure upon thy high and lofty Mountain of Pride and vain Glory and hast set up thy self to be worshipped exalting thy own Horn and hast not fully given Glory and Honour to me of that which I have done by thee but in thy heart boasts thy self against me who hath hewed with thee and made thee an Instrument in my Hand to do my Will upon my Enemies and now thou performest not thy Vows made to me in the day of distress but thou hast broken Truce with me and now thou sufferest grievous and hainous Oppression and Cruelty and Tyranny to be acted in thy name upon my People whom I have chosen and elected to exalt my Name by by unjust Imprisonments and grievous Persecution do they suffer in thy name which the Cruel-hearted make a cloak of for their cruelty and even such who have been thy Enemies thy name is a cloak unto to hid their cruel intents and wicked purposes against my People whom they tread upon and this is not unknown to thee and therefore the less excusable art thou in my sight and the greater will my Judgments be upon thy head which suddenly I will bring upon thee except thou repent and return to thy first integrity which if thou dost I will honour thee next unto my Chosen and give thee the necks of Princes to tread upon and their Dominions for thy Inheritance otherwise thus shall it be done unto thee if thou wilt not hear and obey my Voice saith the Lord. To all ye his Council THus saith the Lord My Controversie is against you because ye are one with him and every whit fully guilty of his Transgressions and feed him and your selves in the valleys of vain glories with vain shews and hopes and your endeavours are more to secure your selves from Mischief and Plots and wicked Intentions which remain in the hearts of the Rebellious against you then to defend and preserve the Innocent for you neglect to take off Oppression and to ease the Oppressed but make your Fingers as heavy as your Fathers Loynes who were cast out before you and the same Laws stand still in force by which Tyranny and Oppression is acted and the same false Prophets you establish by a Law which deceive the Nations and flatter you by subtil Speeches and there is no pure Reformation wrought in the Earth but you with your power joyn with the first Beast who was wounded by a grievous blow of fury to make War against the Lamb and his Followers and you seek to set up that which I am about to throw down and you are not ignorant of the grievous Cry of the poor under the burthen of oppression laid upon them by your Laws by which they unjustly suffer the imprisonment of their Bodies and the spoiling of their Goods and you suffer this wickedness to be done and shut up your compassion and the hands of Evil-doers hereby are strengthened through your forbearance they are hardened in their cruelty and because you profess more of the Name of the Lord then some that have gone before you and perform as little the greater is your abomination and the deeper is your hypocrisie and the greater will my Judgments be upon your heads except you speedily repent and walk in my Counsel which if you do honourable in Counsel will I make you and your Renown shall Generations to come exalt otherwise if you refuse my Word to hear I will make you a Reproach and a Curse to Ages for ever To all ye Iudges and Lawyers and your Train and to all that handle the Law THus saith the Lord My Controversie is against you because of your abominations for you are the very Actors of the allowed Oppressions and in judging for Gifts and Rewards and Bribery some of you have exceeded all that ever went before you and many just Causes of the Poor have been neglected for want of a large Gift and many unjust Actions of the rich men have you pleaded against Equity for advantage to your selves your Council have respected Persons and in Bribery and Gifts have you delighted and thereby have made your selves as Lords in the Earth and have set your selves upon high Hills and you have followed the counsel of your own heatts and your human wit and learning in seeking out the justness of a Cause and in judging thereof and my righteous Law of Justice have you not regarded to be your Rule but through the policy and craft have you hidden the simplicity of the Law from the Ignoraâ—… in unknown Languages and obscure Sentences and your wills many times have been your Law and true Judgment have you turned backward and made a Feâ—… against Equity that it could not enter Some of you are guilty in a high degree of that cruelty and tyranny which of late years hath been acted upon the Innocent yea you have grinded the face of the Poor imprisoned the Harmless and laid heavy burdens and oppressive bonds upon the Guiltless who have not transgressed any Law much less the Law of Righteousness you have made my free-born Children your Slaves and have highly attempted to sit Lords in my Thrâ—… of Conscience and some of them have deeply suffered by some of you for the exercise of their pure Consciences because they could not Swear or worship and respect your Persons nor pay Tythes that grievous Oppression nor bow to your wills and lusts in things of the like nature of Cruelty And you are guilty in a gross sum of upholding the false Prophet which prophesieth Lyes and falsly with flattering words of guile and he covers himself under your shadow and under your unjust Law which is his staff and strength and he riâ—… upon the Beast till you be both taken alive and cast into the Lake of everlasting Indignation The Cup of my Vengeance will awaken you and my Law 〈◊〉 for ever condemn you and my Counsel of Equity shall plead against you in the Court of Justice and my eternal Judgment from my Throne of
whereas I said Christ is a mystery and unto hiâ—… he is Light and shall be Salvation where his person supposed son of Ioseph never came which words are true not gain-sayed by thee though thou ask Did he obtain salvation for any without that body which he took of 〈◊〉 Virgin Answ. That body which was begotten by the holy Ghost is not so carnal 〈◊〉 thou supposest and that spiritual Rock which followed them saved them aâ—… the same Son of God the Saviour who was born a Child to them was the Priâ—… of peace yea the everlasting Father but thy eye sees not this and therefore thâ—… sayst Here 's the place where he is not and the place where he hath not been Now thâ—… sayst Thou passes by many things which thou mightst justly examine and also many unseemly expressions O thou deceitful heart and tongue is this thy excuse when my words are Consider of this when thou hast a better understanding for its yet hidden from thee then when thou hast thus cried out against my just Answer thou tells me what I should have said Alas poor man thou reaches not what the knowledge of things eternal is by that wisdom in which thou art I need no man to teach me but the Lord. Then thou sayst Iesus Christ hath obeyed the Law and justified thee c. Reply Nay hold repent first and be turned from thy iniquities and believe in him and boast not thy self so proudly thou art in the transgressions of the Law in disobedience to it a Lyar Slanderer and Scorner one that the Prince of the power of the Air rules in a Child of Wrath and every one shall dye for his own iniquity and the soul that sins shall dye and wrath to every one that doth evil and the revelation of the Judgements of God Learn what this meanes or ask them that are of a better understanding then thy self Then thou seemst to minde me of some weakness and cries out Wonderful foolishness c. Because I said the Light of Christ given to every man Ioh. 1. 9. as thou confessest is not contrary to the Spirit of Christ and to the Grace of God but is one in their nature Mark and a man cannot possibly love one of them and hate another therefore one they are in the union leading in the same way unto the same End and where doth the Spirit of Christ give light or the Grace of God work or lead if not in the Conscience c. These are my words Now let honest men consider and Iohn Bunnion be silent what foolishness or wonderful weakness is in these words but only to the wisdom which is devillish which despiseth truth or what cause was there to blush when I wrote them as he impudently saith who cannot contradict them nor reprove them and yet railes upon them no marvel that thou wouldst pass them as thou sayst with such a poor shift to evade with a Lye that thou hast spoken to it already when as thou hast not medled of these things O let not thy impudency so sottishly carry thee for thy shame is seen and laid open its good in thy light to pass that which confounds thee which is past answering so to save thy credit among thy fellows the cause to blush is in thy self and it s brought to thy own door Then thou pleads for the Scripture to be the Rule in opposition to my Question which is not answered which was can there be any surer thing for the Creature to look to to walk to Life or to come to God by then the Light of Christ which every man hath given him c. But thou mayst for shame cease pleading for Scripture rule being thy self art so far contrary to it for he that walks in the Life of the Scripture I have union with him and the Light of Christ is a more surer Testimony either to witness Justification or Condemnation then any mans words without whatsoever then my other Question was whether the Turks Iewes and thee and others do serve sin and lust because Christ hath not given you Light to discover your sins or because you hate that Light that is given and much to this thou speakest not pertinent nor answerest in plainness I leave it to the Reader to judge and to read my answer Page 17. of my first which clears truth from all what thou hast said against it in this particular Now I come to the next thing where thou Foolishly chargest me That my Doctrine is not according to Truth but a Lye Charging me to affirm that which the Apostle doth deny Because I said the Spirit is given to every man though every man receives it not and it strives with the wicked though he follow it not c. My words herein are Truth and no Lye neither contrary to the Scripture â—…nd let the Reader be judge betwixt us the Apostle saith the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal and some of these to whom he writes thus were wicked given to incest and idolatry and other sins here I prove it was given to the wicked and thou confesses the Righteous had it and there is but these two on the face of the Earth Now if thou canst find a man that is neither wicked nor righteous then thou hast advantage then some hath not the manifestation of the Spirit the Saints had the Comforter the Spirit of Truth and he the Spirit of Truth convinced or reproved the World of sin they that were not Saints but wicked had it reproving them Mark these things and let honest men judge while both thou and I am silent whether thy Doctrine which denyes that which the Scripture affirms or miâ—… which bears witness to the same thing which the Scriptures speaks be to be disowned let an equal Line measure the shame and false Doctrine is fallen upon thee and thou art offended that I should say thou bringst other vain Arguments with a vapour saying Neither I nor my fellows are able to answer c. But I say true the Arguments are vain one is The Devils are convinced but have not the Spirit or such like Now what is this to the purpose that thou contendst in that wherein no body strives with thee nor none affirms against thee and it is a vain Argument to parallel the Devil in such a case as having the Spirit but thou art so blind it s hardly possible to let thee see thy ignorance herein I may not much strive with thee onely I le tell thee of those thingâ—… and the sober Reader shall judge to instance a thing impossible to proâ—… things possible are vain Arguments so that I have herein done thee no wroâ—… Then thou cries out of my weakness and that I Blaspheme and of a great 〈◊〉 of ignorance discovered in me and bidst me be silent and falsly charges me with Presumption and such like c. Because I said thus much I leave with thee 〈◊〉 thou
Pride would have appear'd and hadst thou had a better Heart less of Unfaithful Dealing would have proceeded from thee But as I have said Evil shall fall upon himself that hatcheth it for another But why dost thou say Faithful Account in the Title Page Signifying to the World that all in it is true and nothing of Truth wanting in relation to that Dispute and yet in thy Epistle sayst Thou dost not undertake to set down the multitude of words that that day was fill'd withal and pag. 29. sayst That a third man of the Company made a large Discourse concerning the Person justified but relatest not one word what was said by him and here thou hast not dealt faithfully nor given a faithful Account And pag. 31. thou sayst E. B. at such a time did multiply many words but dost not relate his particular words and so hast not in this dealt faithfully nor given a faithful Account And also in many other things thou hast not related what was spoke at all and thus thou hast contradicted thy self in saying A Faithful Account and yet confessing in effect Unfaithfulness And thy own words being compar'd together prove a contradiction in thy own Mind and Pen for to give a Faithful Account as thou sayst thou hast is to relate the whole Truth and not to keep any back neither to speak more then the Truth by adding thereto any thing But again thou sayst Thou undertakest not to relate the multitude or every particular of words neither dost relate what particular words such a one and such a one spake but sayst He said so and multiply'd many words not saying what his words were And therefore thou hast heaped a Contradiction upon thy own head and it shall remain till it hath made thee ashamed And now as to the particulars upon which the Dispute depended so far as they are truly laid down in my words and in my intent and meaning I am ready to justifie them yea at any place or time convenient or before any Auditory whatsoever upon lawful Occasion but as thou hast laid them down or some of them thou hast wronged me and the Truth and either not understood my meaning or subverted and perverted my words to thy own Advantage And whereas in the Epistle thou sayest I would not own them viz. The Particulars laid down to be mine at first and yet owned every one of them in the Discouse c. Answ. I did not own them but how and how did I own them but thus The Objector had laid down some of the Particulars not in my words which made them vary from the intent of my meaning and others of the Particulars he had laid down utterly false and so I did deny them as coming from him but as to the substance of some of the Particulars I did own having laid them down according to my own honest Meaning in my own sound Expression of words and thereupon I engaged a Dispute upon the Particulars having first denied them as laid down by him and in his corrupt Expressions and then owned them in the simplicity in the words as by me uttered I mean some of them but some I altogether denied And as to speak of that Text Ioh. 5. 39. By which sayest thou I endeavoured to skin over what I spoke but to no purpose I do deny thy words for that same verse shall stand a Witness for me and against thee in all the World and that verse shall prove that some of the Scriptures were spoken to the World and not to the Saints and the Truth it self is my Covering and I need no other thing to skin over as thou scornfully speakest And whereas thou sayest There was just matter of Reproof in the Dispute in both Parties c. Answ. Whilst thou hast condemned others thou hast judged thy self who was of the one Party a strong Contender for the Priests Party and having now accused both Parties wouldst clear thy self to be of neither but canst not for it is known thou didst take their part and in the Title thou sayest The Discourse was betwixt a party of them called Quakers with Mr. Philip Taverner c. where thou dost own thy self to be one and reckonest thy self the foremost Master of the Disputants And now upon better considerations I think when thou hast searched into their Folly with whom thou wast joyned thou wouldst absent thy self to be none of them but a third Party But let me tell thee What Disorder Prejudice and Passion as thou speakest of that was amongst the Priests thou hast a part in and must own their Sin and their Condemnation for thou art also guilty And that there was any Passion except pure Zeal for God and his Truth which thou mightest falsly so call or Prejudice or such like amongst us I do deny it and know thee to have born a false Testimony and all thy Covers as if thou wert a Moderator or the like in thy speaking will not hide thee nor cover thee from what I have said of thee But as to the things in particular I now come and may shew what my words are and the Ground of them and how I laid them down and upon what Occasion in the first Meeting whereupon the Dispute did arise and I do not here go about to give a perfect Relation of that Dispute for my Memory hath not contain'd what passed but as to the intent and meaning of my words I would give all the true knowledge thereof and how far I do own the Particulars charged against me First As to that The Scripture are not the WORD of God because the Devil spoke something and Pharoah something which is there written Answer There is some truth in this but my words were drawn up by him at the shortest and the most for his own Advantage laid down by him For I do remember That in the first Meeting I was speaking concerning the Word of God and concerning the Scriptures which are a Declaration thereof and shewing the difference betwixt the Word and the Letter and Scriptures for the Word of God was in the Beginning and the World was made by it and it endureth forever But the Scriptures were not in the Beginning for Moses was the first that wrote any thing of the Scripture who was long after the Beginning neither was the World made by them neither can they endure forever and therefore the Letter the Scriptures are not the Word of God which the Scriptures call the Word for also in the Scriptures are written what the Devil spoke and what Pharoah and other Wicked Men spoke and therefore they are not the Word of God but as I have said a Declaration of the Word and what is written of is the Word but the Scriptures the Writings are not but a Testimony and Declaration of the Word Much more as to this might be said and was spoken by me at the Meeting which is not particularly related and this is sufficient to
poor man Must I be judged upon thy own meaning nay or must thy interpretation be the judge upon my words We have no such law my words stand true as I have laid them down to be received by such as are Spiritual and such as love to raise constructions falsly where there is no just ground their judgment I do deny and Charity will teach P. T. to judge upon the best sence and so let him own my words as truth and judge himself for his false construction of true and upright words onely this I take notice of saith P. T. A perfect Conformity to the Law of God in our own Persons though not wrought in our own strength but in the Strength and Power of Grace the Spirit working all in us and for us is no other then the Righteousness of the Law I need not much strive to confound this black Doctrine by many Arguments or multitude of words for the thing as laid down in his own words is vile and abominable to the understanding of any spiritual man for say I if it be the Spirit working in us and for us not in our own strength then is it God that worketh in us both to will and to do and the fulfilling of the Righteousness of the Law in us and not the Righteousness of the Law wrought by us and if it be in the strength and power of Grace and not in our own strength then it is the work of Christ in us and the Work of God's own Righteousness in us and any man that knows the least of God in Truth will witness to this and against his imagined Doctrine held forth by P. T. I might demand a Proof of him from Scripture where it is said or signified That the working of the Spirit all in us and for us and the working of the power of Grace in the Creature is reckoned to be our own righteousness the Righteousness of the Law and my words stand true from which he draws his false Consequences and layes down his dark Assertions and my own words I do own which are Such as are taught by Christ and guided by him in all the Wayes of Righteousness are justified by him and none else not in any word or work whatsoever but in what they are led to fulfil by him and in these words there is neither Contradiction nor unsoundness though he hath ignorantly charged them with both but the words shall stand for a Testimony against him and all his false deductions and he and all shall know That God justifies the Righteous and condemns the Wicked and that it is the New Man that is justified and not the Old And let Righteous Men judge what can be in such a mans heart who can draw so bad Consequences from such upright words But further he goes on and hath transcribed more of my words as Christ Iesus the Son of God is the Light and Life of the World and hath enlightned all mankind that cometh into the World with the true Light c. now saith he How do these agree with man's State in the first Adam In transgression is a State of perfect Enmity and Death reigns in every man and he is possessed with blindness and unbelief c. I say these do very well agree and they are both true for Death reigns in every man and he is in Unbelief and Ignorance and in a State of perfect Enmity against God as he is in the first Adam yet Christ hath lightned him and the Light of Christ shines in Darkness in him and the Darkness comprehends it not and he is enlightned that he may be changed from Death to Life and from Ignorance to Knowledge and though he walk in Darkness and is in Blindness and in a State of Enmity it is because he does not walk and believe in the Light which Christ hath lightned him withal and in my words there is no disagrement nor contradiction the Darkness is in his own Mind who cannot comprehend the Light nor the words that proceed from it Further he questions upon my words of having the Witness in themselves of being restored again First whether none are restored again but such as have the Witness in themselves I answer all that are restored again and do believe hath the Witness in themselves and none do believe nor are restored but they have the Witness of it Secondly he queries whether all are restored but some want the Witness in themselves I answer All are not restored nor do believe and such want the Witness in themselves that are not restored to God but them that are restored want it not And again he queries whether the Light which is in all is sufficient without any thing of further Grace superadded to bring up every Man to believe in Christ c I answer The Light which every man is lightned withal by Christ is sufficient to bring up every man to believe in Christ that loves the Light and walks in it and unto such is Grace added and increased daily for as every man improves the Measure of the Gift of God so it is increased the Light is increased Grace is increased Faith is increased but still the Light of Christ in it self is sufficient Again from my words to wit The Spirit is given to be the Guide and Rule of Life to the Children of God from whence he queries whether the Spirit is so given to be a Guide and Rule of Life to the Saints that they have no more need to attend upon the Scriptures I answer It is promised that the Spirit shall lead into all Truth and such do own the Scriptures but not as their Teacher for the Anointing dwells in them and they need no man to teach them but as that Anointing teacheth all things and they have no need of the the Scripture to teach them for all the Children of God are taught of God and need not any other Teacher nor need not to say one to another know the Lord and yet all such do own the Scriptures to be the Testimony of that which they believe and have received Again from my words to wit The Light of Christ in every one shall give testimony to the truth of what I speak unto which I do commend my self from this he queries can these be Witnesses to me and of the Truth in me who are ignorant of the Life and Power of the Creator c. who are following the counsel of their own hearts which are evil c I answer Yes the Light of Christ in such shall judge one day and to it I commend my self and by it one day shall be approved though now the Wicked hate the Light yet doth it witness against them and for us that we are of God though its true they cannot judge between Light and Darkness between Truth and Error yet the Light in them which shines in their darkness does judge and put a difference and when the Book of Conscience is opened it
brought forth in the Earth and all that do well will have Praise and live in Rest and Peace and all Evil-doers whatsoever may stand in awe and be afraid of God and just Men and the Execution of Iust Laws Concerning Religion we believe That it is only the Spirit of the Lord that makes men truly Religious and that no man ought to be compell'd to or from any Exercise or Practice in Religion by any outward Law or Power but every man ought to be left free as the Lord shall perswade his own mind in doing or leaving undone this or the other Practice in Religion and every man of what Profession in Religion soever ought to be protected in Peace provided himself be a man of Peace not seeking the wrong of any mans Person or Estate And we believe That to oppose false Opinions and unsound Doctrines and Principles seeking to convince them that oppose themselves by Exhortation or sharp Reproof by word or writing ought nor to be counted a Breach of the Peace or to strive about the things of the Kingdom of God by men of contrary Minds or Judgments this ought not to be punishable by the Magistrates and their Laws for we believe the outward Laws and Powers of the Earth are only to preserve mens Persons and Estates and not to preserve men in Opinions neither ought the Law of the Nation to be laid upon mens Consciences to bind them to or from such a Judgment or Practice in Religion And we believe that Christ is and ought only to be Lord and Exerciser of mens Consciences and his Spirit only must lead into all Truth And we believe That Obedience and Subjection in the Lord belongs to Superiors and that Subjects ought to obey in the Lord those that have Rule over them and that Children ought to obey their Parents and Wives their Husbands and Servants their Masters in all things which are according to God which stands in the exercise of a pure Conscience towards God But where Rulers Parents or Masters or any other command or require subjection in any thing which is contrary to God or not according to him to such causes all people are free and ought to obey God rather then man and we believe That herein God will justifie them being guided and led by his Spirit in all that which is Good and out of all that which is Evil. Again We believe concerning Election and Reprobation That there is a state of Election and a state of Reprobation a state chosen of God and a state rejected of God and that all Man-kind are in one of these states all that are elected are elected in Christ and all that are out of him are in the state Reprobate bringing forth fruits of Death and Darkness being Children of Wrath and Disobedience in the alienation and separation from God in the Transgression unreconcil'd to God the Enmity ruling in the Heart being in the Fall and not restor'd to God again but ignorant of his Power and of his Wisdom having the Understanding darkened that they cannot see nor perceive the things that are Eternal and in this condition his best Works are Sin and whatsoever he doth he cannot be accepted of God for he is dead to God and alive to all evil bâ—inging forth all his works out of that Ground which is cursed This is the condition of all Mankind upon the face of the Earth in the first Adâ—… and this is the state of Reprobation and all that abide herein are rejected of God and â—…ll never inherit eternal Life but go inâ—â— Perdition yet have all such a Day of Visitation that they may return out of the state of Reprâ—…tion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ledge and desâ—…sing the Love of God â—â—ey conâ—… iâ—â—he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wrath of Gâ—…d abides upon them â—…t they tâ—…t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wrath for they believe in the Light and becâ—…â—…ldren of the Light and are renewed in Mind and Hâ—… and receiâ—… the Love of the Father and become planted into Christ the second Adâ—… 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him to bring forth Fruit â—nto the Father and â—ll their Fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—om 〈◊〉 grâ—…d which is â—…ssed for they are led by the Spirit of thâ— Faâ—…r and â—…ch are in the state of Election who are â—ade Heâ—rs with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eveâ—… Inheritance that never fades away And this we faithfully believe That â—…cy is not shewed to the Reprobate nor Judgment to them that are chosen of God And this is to go abroad in the World that all pâ—…ple mâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and whâ—◠〈◊〉 have receiv'd of God and they that believe this and walkâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father shall be saved but they that belieâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be condemned because they do not believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be â—…tten 〈◊〉 in â—…rt this is given forth by one that hath believed and received the Knowledge of thâ—se things from God A Friend unto all People E. B. Some of the PRINCIPLES OF THE QUAKERS Scornfully so called by men VINDICATED And proved Sound and True and according to the SCRIPTURES In Opposition to the False Charges and Lying Reports given forth against the Truth in two Printed Books put forth by one Philip Taverner a supposed Minister of the Gospel in Middlesex near Uxbridge And hereby Truth is Manifested and Discovered and the Controversie determined by the Judgment of Truth between Philip Taverner aforesaid the Accuser and Edward Burroughs Defendant of the Truth who contends for the Faith of the Gospel and for the Word of God in the Heart against all such Gainsayers as have the Form of Godliness but deny the Power and many such are in this Age. WHereas P. Taverner one of Truth 's Opposers whether throâ—… Ignorance or Subtilty I now determine not hath again appear'd against me and the Truth in Print as in Vindication of himself and his former Work who about four Moneths ago gave a false Relation of a Dispute but instead of mending the matter he hath made his own cause the more vile as may appear to such who take a perfect view of the Proceedings from the beginning to the end thereof Now the intent of this my Reply is to clear the Truth further and to take off his false Aspersions which he hath cast upon my innocent words in my former Book in answer to his first And as for the rest of his Book which hath no relation to mine nor to the Dispute I shall pass it by The Title of my first Book was Something of Truth Made Manifest c. To which sayst thou A plausible Title to cover a Railing and Bitter spirit under that it may walk in the World less suspected c. Reply My words are truth for in 〈◊〉 â—â—ok Truth was made â—â—â—ifest to â—…y in relation to the former Dispute to the Satisfaction of many and as 〈◊〉 â—…ing anâ—â—â—â—â—erness of spirit I do deny only I am zealoâ—â— for the
more theâ— the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them that opposed the Truth nor no Weapon shall I use against thâ—m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Spiritual and the Sword that goes out of the Lamb's Mouth 〈◊〉 the many Scriptures which he quotes page 23. â—o neither say nor sigâ—… 〈◊〉 the Letter the Writings are the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—ed though Mâ—… 〈◊〉 5. 5. â—…id He would 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Lord did he then shew 〈◊〉 Letter the Writings the Scripture I say No therefore he did not 〈◊〉 Writings and the Letter the Wâ—rd of God as you affirmed â—nd sâ—… 〈◊〉 prove but thoâ—â—…test 〈◊〉 anâ—â—rovest â—othing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though mâ—ny times the Word oâ— the Lord came to such a Prophet and to 〈◊〉 Prophet as thou 〈◊〉 proved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iâ—â—l and others yet did the Wrâ—… and the Letter come to them or that which the Letter and Writings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let Wise Men judge That noâ— all thou caâ—st â—ay doth not prove 〈◊〉 Writings the Letter is â—…e 〈◊〉 of God or thâ—…â—…ver any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—hat 〈◊〉 better Proof be given which I neâ—â—◠〈◊〉 need not revoke any 〈◊〉 that I have said contrary viz. Thâ—◠〈◊〉 Letter 〈◊〉 tings are the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called But still I say The 〈◊〉 tings and Letteâ— are not the Word 〈◊〉 the â—â—ing wriâ—â—en of is the Word 〈◊〉 that lives forever Then 〈◊〉 that I charged R. G. with saying whâ—â— I had my 〈◊〉 in my 〈◊〉 the Dispute I had the â—…ing signified in my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which thiâ—◠〈…〉 first Relation had much â—â—â—â—â—fied but now he seeâ—… to acknowledges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and excuses it by supposing it was A Slip of his Tâ—… the higheâ—â—â—…tter of 〈◊〉 in it 〈◊〉 â—s for the words 〈◊〉 only 〈◊〉 self but diâ—… others do will 〈…〉 them spoken by R. G. 〈◊〉 Fellow Dâ—…tant and had he or 〈…〉 a Sâ—… of the Tongue 〈◊〉 had gone no â—…ther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thâ—◠〈◊〉 in thy 〈…〉 lation gave a wrong Account thereof and had laid down the thing quiâ—◠〈…〉 wise then he spoke it this made the matter more a Transgression and thy 〈◊〉 count to be false neither am I reaâ—y to catch words from the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 ponâ—â—t as thou chargeâ—â— me buâ— that Charâ—â—â—… â—…â—…ust needs make use of it to shew the Folly 〈◊〉 sâ—â—h men that will so do 〈…〉 of their own Moutheâ— often and by their own words to confound them 〈…〉 â—…hou have me to give away 〈◊〉 just Cause through neglect of hearing 〈◊〉 â—…ing notice of such fouâ— words as to say I had the Thing in my hâ—…d that was 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the Bible when I 〈◊〉 the Bible in my hand and so â—et Deceit a top on me 〈…〉 of reproving Evil I am otherwise taught do thou judge what thou 〈…〉 my Principles are found to agree with the Scriptâ—re for it 〈…〉 shall be â—…ed by 〈◊〉 words and by his words shall 〈◊〉 be condemned 〈…〉 â—…y Answers to his Qâ—eries raised from some words of mine writâ—… 〈◊〉 The Standard c. My Answer sayst thou is little else 〈…〉 thing over again c. Now I say Itâ— needless here to tranâ—… 〈◊〉 and Anâ—…rs over again but let them be looked in my first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Something of Truth Made Manifest c. wheâ—… it may be seen that 〈…〉 sufficiâ—â—t and laid down to the satisfaction of all reasonable 〈…〉 be resolved though thou sayst Thâ—â—â— i◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evidence of Truth 〈…〉 first but dost not at all discover the falsness 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 any partiâ—…ar 〈…〉 been right for thee to have â—â—â—e and not to â—ave charged evil 〈…〉 my Answers and prove nothing but 〈…〉 believe him exâ—… 〈…〉 â—is words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oracle for them â—…t â—â—â—e recâ—â—ved the good 〈…〉 cannot believe him 〈…〉 Conclusion he charges me 〈◊〉 â—…sh kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Wâ—… can be in the 〈◊〉 of sâ—ch 〈◊〉 that 〈…〉 so ba◠〈◊〉 〈…〉 sâ—… 〈◊〉 wâ—â—ds when in his former he 〈◊〉 â—…luded That I 〈…〉 Doctrine and weakened the 〈◊〉 o◠〈◊〉 Scriâ—… to 〈…〉 â—…ng thoughts of them and such 〈◊〉 because I â—…d affiâ—…d the 〈…〉 saying The Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scriâ—… 〈…〉 I not Reason to question what is in his heart who had the boldness 〈…〉 â—o 〈◊〉 evilly against me as he dâ—d 〈◊〉 proving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—o what I said And in that I did charge Darkâ—ess 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—pon 〈◊〉 I do and may still till he Repenâ—â— for doth he not accuse me falsly in 〈◊〉 things as in saying My Principles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 light c. but proves not partiâ—… his Charge and in his first Book accused us as if we had a Pope in our 〈◊〉 which words are both Lies and Scornful and are not thâ—â—â— things true 〈◊〉 that he is in Darkness and Blindness and so my Charge is 〈◊〉 false upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith He will not judge E. B. â—astily c. 〈◊〉 Hast not thou falsly judged me already 〈◊〉 many things as I have shewed 〈…〉 the Lord in time may let thee see thy judgment is false and awaken thy 〈…〉 to Repentance and then shalt thou confess I have done thee no 〈…〉 but the Wrong-Dealing lies at thy Door so that by what is said the 〈…〉 thy Book is a Lye and utterly false which is Some Principles of Edw. â—… called a Quaker Examined and found too light 〈…〉 Now in this I shall not be Judge altogether in my own Cause but leave 〈…〉 the view of sober Men and require their Judgment when they have read 〈…〉 â—…erly over what one particular instanced by him is proved to be unâ—ound 〈…〉 light for according to the Testimony of the holy â—en of God in Scripâ—…â—â—â—reby may I confirm the Truth of what I have and do hold forth and to 〈…〉 â—…ns Conscience do commend my self to be approved in the sight of God 〈◊〉 good Report or bad Report of men I regard not but trâ—â—d over them both 〈◊〉 â—â—â—rein the Truth is wronged I am bound to give my Evidence for it and 〈…〉 opposers and that is the very end of this my present Work to contend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth and not for Mastery though Truth doth give me Mastery over 〈◊〉 and to hold forth the same Faith Light and Truth which the Apostles 〈…〉 before the Apostacy which hath been clouded in all this dark Night of â—…cy which hath been over the World for many Ages since the Man-child 〈◊〉 â—…ght up to God and the Woman â—â—ed into the Wilderness spoken of in the Revelations but now the Light is made manifest and the Glory of the Lord is revealing and the Day is dawned and the Night is over to â—…y and the subversion of this Ministry now in England is clearly seen from 〈…〉 Ministry of Christ was in the dayes of the Apostles And now as concerning this Controversie between Pâ— Tâ—â—â—â—â—â—r and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whoever is not satisfied herewith but desires a full and true Account of the 〈◊〉 may peruse his first Book called
tell us plainly Are you Redeem'd from Pâ—… 〈◊〉 are you such as oppress the Seed as Pharoah did And tell us who was the Inâ—… of â—…our Images and who was the Former of all your graven Images 〈◊〉 not they all invented and come up since the Apostles dayes which ye have 〈…〉 and what is Purgatory and from what had it its rise and original 〈◊〉 what ground have you out of Scripture for such a doctrine And what is the 〈◊〉 of Faith and what 's Faith and what doth it give victory over and what 〈…〉 it over come and what is the â—aiâ— that hath bin spread over all Nations and 〈◊〉 is the Mountain of the House of God and what are those Mountains the 〈…〉 shall seek to cover themselves under and what are those Mountains that people expect Salvation from in vain and did not Iohn come to throw down the â—…ins and what are the Mountains that he came to throw down and what is the Valley he came to raise up answer us And what is the Sword of the Spirit and whether have ye the Sword of the spirit and the Spiritual Armour and what is youâ— Church defended and upâ—…d by Spiritual Weapons or Carnal are not your Goals carnal Weapons 〈◊〉 your Inquisitions and your killing people aboue Religion are not all these 〈◊〉 Weapons and had ever the Church of Christ such Weapons answer 〈…〉 plainly And do you not expect the Lord will suddenly plead with you and are not 〈◊〉 them that put off the Day of the Lord and cause the Seat of Violence to come near and are not ye them that have Eyes but see not Earâ— but hear 〈◊〉 Hearts and understand not and is not your Eye blind that should see God's Presence and your Ears stopped that should hear his Voice â—nd have 〈◊〉 heard his Voice and seen his Shape if you have what is he like answer 〈◊〉 And what is his Word and where doth it dwell in your hearts or is it without you and can any thing without you purifie you and take away sin 〈◊〉 of your Hearts and must not Christ be within and what are the Fruits and Signs and Marks of a Saint and why do you go Pilgrims to visit 〈◊〉 Bones what is the reason of it and who was the first that â—â—tuted it 〈◊〉 what is the meaning of your holy Water give us Scripture for all these 〈…〉 ces or else the Power of the Lord will tear you to pieces and lay open 〈◊〉 Foundation and none that love God can joyn unto you And can any o◠〈…〉 pardon Sin truly that it shall never more be remembred and are not 〈…〉 sins remembred with the Light in your Consciences sometimes and is there 〈◊〉 a Light in your Consciences that doth convince you tell me plainly And whether do you own That Christ hath lightened every one that coâ—… into the World and what is the Light and do you know Christ as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before Abraham and have you seen his Day as Abraham did and what 〈…〉 Day of Christ doth the Carnal Eye see it give us your Knowledge and 〈◊〉 Judgment in all these things and lay down your Principles at full and 〈…〉 by the Scriptures what you hold and profess if you would have any to 〈…〉 your Religion otherwise renounce your Church and come out of â—… What is Babylon and the Mother of Harlots and what is spirituâ—◠〈…〉 and Sâ—dom where Christ is crucified and what is the Whore and what 〈…〉 flesh that has stain'd the Earth and what is the Fire that must consume her 〈…〉 Many are jealous concerning you that you are not the true Church 〈…〉 you have drunk of the Whore's Cup who hath made all Nations drunk 〈…〉 if that time be come that she hath made all Nations drunk then how 〈…〉 clear your selves being Nations and Multitudes of People To 〈◊〉 these 〈…〉 I expect your speedy Answer And what is the Death that hath raigned over all and how is Man recâ—… out of it and when and what are the Gates of Hell and what is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they cannot prevail against and whether your Church may never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vailed against and whether they be not your Inquisitions Stakes and â—… and killing people that do principally defend your Church and if yâ—◠〈…〉 cease your Inquisitions and killing those you call Hereticks whether 〈…〉 not you be prevail'd against by many other Sects Lay away yoâ—… perâ—… of People that you call Hereticks and do not deaf with them after the 〈…〉 which you have done by Inquisitions and such like and only by sound 〈…〉 guments and the Power of the Spirit defend your Religion And dare you suffer a certain number of us to come among you and pâ—…ch what we hold and a certain number of you shall freely come among us 〈◊〉 freely preach what you hold without Persecution or any Violence as we would expect and have the same from you engage man for man with us and 〈◊〉 no otherwise deal with ours then we deal with yours and take the free liberty to deal with our men as we deal with your men but no otherwise and 〈◊〉 each of the Messengers preach and hold forth what they would have and whâ—â— they really hold and believe and convert the most either of them can to theiâ— own Religion and then let all the World see which have the Power and Spirit of God with them and whether your Ministers or our Ministers do turn the more people from you to us or from us to you and send your Answer whether you will agree to the Premises and if you do send your Messengers when you pleaâ—â— and we will engage in the Lord their Persons shall not be harmed but if they were then take Man for Man Life for Life of our Men sent to you and let that God be the true God that appeareth in most Power and Authority and let him be worshipped forever whose Power converts the most to the knowledge of him out of Wickedness and let that Church be the tâ—… Church which cannot be overcome And as you are willing to be made manifest joyn issue with us in this business and propound your own time when the men shall return and whether the continuance of the Matter be for Dayes Moneths or Years and let each of the men return without harm of Person and this will be a way truly to try and make manifest all things to all the World and whether you or we be in the right Way and of the right Church and use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Weapon against us but the foundest Arguments you can by words according to the Scriptures and the same Weapons we will use against you 〈…〉 other but the Authority of the Spirit of God and Arguments thereby 〈◊〉 shall be according to the Scriptures the Apostles Writings and the â—…ony of the true Church And hereby in the sight of the whole World let your Church and Faith 〈◊〉 Principles and Practices
fighting That we might enjoy the Freedom of Conscience as well as outward Rights not only in the inner-Man but the free Exercise in all Acts of Piety and Religion of what the Lord should make manifest unto us But whether this was then intended or is now perverted it is that which is our Right which we must claim and no man may take it from us for this we know That Christ Jesus alone hath right to rule over the Consciences of men unto whom every one must give an Account of himself according to the just perfect and unchangeable Law of God which is revealed with that alone of God which is made manifest in man which he hath shewed unto him by which every one shall be judged at the Last Day when the Book of Conscience shall be opened And therefore all unequal imperfect and changeable Laws of men we do deny and by them and for their Transgression we shall not be judged of the Lord and all Laws made in their wills by their wisdoms in the things of God which concern Religion and the free Exercise of a Good Conscience towards God and Man against them all we do bear witness 〈◊〉 knowing the Commandments of the Lord and what he required of us and having tasted his tender Love to those that keep them and felt his Terrors against 〈◊〉 Disobedience we are made willing to bear the greatest Sufferings rather then 〈◊〉 against God And in this Ground we stand not careful what man can do unto 〈◊〉 or say of us nor to give him an Answer in this Matter For whether it is better 〈◊〉 obey God or Man let him judge Yet here to prevent Mistakes we do with the like clearness declare our free and willing Subjection in the things of this World to every Ordinance of 〈◊〉 that is just according to the Righteous Law of God and our Work is not to weaken but strengthen the hand of the Magistrate by labouring to bring all to own that of God which should exercise their Consciences To do in all 〈◊〉 as they would be done unto in which is fulfilled the Law and the Prophets whicâ— takes away the occasion it self of the Law and brings to live in Peace and Love wherein should be the Magistrates Joy and Glory And do but look on the Crimes charged against us and all the Sufferings we lie under and you may clearly see That not for any Evil done or just Law broken that concerns man are we thus punished but for things which concern our God and chiefly for bearing our Witness as we are moved of the Lord against the false Prophets and Hirelings of these dayes who by their Fruits are made manifest not only unto us but to many Thousands besides yea the greatest part of all the sober People of the Nation their own Hearers will confess it And we see and know that they and all Ministers and Worships in the World set up and standing in the will of man shall perish and come to nothing and the Rice of these men their Growth and End we comprehend and see their Downfall hastens greatly and all the Powers of the Earth shall not be able to support them and with them shall fall their Tythes their Temples their Gleab lands and Offerings their set dayes of Worship in their wiils and all Laws limitting the Holy One made to uphold their Craft and blessed are they who through the Day of Tryal shall stand in their Witness faithful unto God not fearing what man can do unto them Do not you approve Christ Jesus his going into the Temple And do not you own the Apostles who went into the Iews Synagogues every Sabboth Day and into the Market-places to testifie of Christ Jesus and reason with the people And do not you commend Luther and Calvin Iohn Wicklisf and others is Famous for their Zeal in publishing abroad what then was manifest unto them and those Persons which in Queen Mary's dayes went into the Popish Steeple-Houses to bear witness against their Superstitions which caused her to make a Law against them by which many of them then suffer'd and by which the Priests of England till the last Parliament were guarded and is it now become an Offence to practice the same things And is that a just Law made by the late Parliament by which many have suffered Are not the Priests sprung from the old Root of Popery and are they not forced to flee thither for their vindication and is not the spirit the same which makes these Laws to support hem How shall the Kingdoms of the Earth the Papists Turks Infidels Heathens be converted Your Priests sit down in their Ease and will not go they call themselves Ministers of the Reformed Churches And have not you taught other Nations how to make Laws to restrain the Testimony of those whom the Lord â—ends and is sending into all the Corners of the Earth Did the Command of God which gave Tythes to the Jewish Priesthood concern the Gentiles Was not the Command to the Iews themselves disannulled when the Priesthood was changed Did ever any of the believing Iews pay Tythes to the Apostles or did any of the Gentiles pay Tythes either Did not the Papists bring in this Doctrine and Oppression Did not many of the Martyrs in Queen Mary's dayes witness against Tythes And was not that an Article for which some of them suffered And do not you own and commend those Martyrs or do you judge them for holding an Error Have not all or most of those Countries that turned from the Pope and are called reformed cast off Tythes with the Pope and were ashamed of them And is it the Glory of ENGLAND who pretendeth to the highest Reformation to keep up Tythes the Popish Priests Maintenance and First-Fruits and Tenths the Wages of the very Pope himself and to hale before Courts cast into Prisons and spoil the Goods of all who for Conscience saâ—e cannot pay them Let that of God answer And how many have and at this day do suffer because they cannot Swear which Christ Jesus and his Apostles above all things forbid How are the Commands of Christ made void by the Customs and Traditions of Men Were it not easie by turning the Law against Lyars and false Witnesses which the Law of God is against to find out that which your Law against false Swearing never did or could discover Do you own Christ Jesus of whom the Iews that put him to Death gave this Witness That he Respected no mans Person Do you commend Mordecai who could not give the outward Honour and bow to Hamon And do you regard his words who said I know not how to give Flattering Titles to men for my Maker would soon take me away Hath not God made of one Mould and one Blood all Nations to dwell upon the Face of the Earth And doth not he that respects Persons commit sin and is convinced of the Law as a Transgressor And must it now
hearts and it was that Light that gave them the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God but thou hast discovered thy self to be a Stumbler at the stumbling-stone and hath taken offence at the Light like the Pharisees who professed the Scriptures as the Priests of England do but were ignorant of the Life the end of the words and knew not Christ the Substance but the Stone at which you stumble will break you to pieces and grind you to powder even Christ the Light of the World that lighteth every man that cometh into the World That the Soul is a part or measure of God as they speak and not a part of man but uncreated and so is that Light which is in every one Answ. The Soul is immortal and God is immortal for God breathed into man the Breath of Life and he became a Living Soul as saith the Scripture and the Soul is related to God for what a man works against God it is against his own Soul for all Sin is against God and against a man's own Soul And God who hath all Souls in his hand who is the Creator and gave Life into the Soul that is immortal and can never die though Death hath passed over it and hath reigned over all from Adam till Moses and Christ is the Light of the World that gives Life unto the Soul and he raiseth up the Soul out of Death and Misery and brings the Soul to rejoyce in God its Saviour and Christ is the Souls Bishop its Pastor and Feeder and who knows Christ knows him that was before the World was made and sees to the beginning and to the ending and his Soul rests in God that is over all That the Light in the Heathen who never heard that Iesus Christ died at Jerusalem is the same for the quality of it with that which is in the most godly Person onely there is a difference in the quantity And men are reconciled to God by following of it This Light they say is the sure Word of Prophesie and that it is sufficient to lead out of all Sin unto God Answ. The Testimony of Iohn is that Christ is the Light that lighteth every mâ—n that cometh into the World and if every man then the Heathen who hath not the relation of Christ's Life and his Death at Ierusalem yea and it is the same Light that is in the Heathen the same in nature and kind as it is in the Saints for the Comforter the Spirit of Truth is one in it self and the same though it comforteth the Saints and reproveth the World and the Wicked for their sins And men are reconciled to God by Christ for he was in God reconciling to himself and none are reconciled but who walk in the Light and follows it for who walks in the Light the Blood of Christ cleanseth them 〈◊〉 all Siâ— and they are reconciled and none else And the Word of God is in the Heart as the Scripture saith Deut. 30. Rom. 10. and that is the Word of Prophesie and that Word is sufficient to lead out of all Sin unto God if men believe in Jesus and receiveth him and the Spirit of Truth leadeth into all Truth all that follow it That Christ as man is not in Heaven yea that he hath ceased to be man and conseqâ—…ly to be Mediator and when I told them he should come in the Clouds in like 〈◊〉 as he ascended and that at his coming the Elements melteth one of their 〈◊〉 told me that the Clouds were scattered and the Elements melted in him Answ. Christ Jesus is ascended into Heaven and sits at the right Hand of the Father yea he is ascended far above all Heavens as saith the Scripture But that is utterly false whereas thou sayest we say he ceased to be man that is â—y Lye and so I pass it And we believe according to the Scriptures that 〈◊〉 shall come in like manner as he ascended and at his coming the Elements shall melt And it is not error for a man to say the Clouds are scattered and â—â—e Elements melted in him for Clouds are Darkness and covers the face of the Sun many times as thou mayest behold in the Firmament But Darkness is yet over thy Heart and the Elements are not melted away and therefore thou art in thy Imaginations putting Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light and calling Evil Good and Good Evil. That the Bodies of Men shall never rise again after death and that the day of Iudgement is come already and that now the Saints do judge the World Answ. We do believe the Resurrection according to the Scriptures For if onely in this Life we have Hope we were of all men most miserable And we believe that the Dead shall arise again after death and every one shall receive according to the Deeds done in the Body they that have done Evil shall arise to Eternal Condemnation and they that have done Good to Eternal Salvation in the day of Judgement And the Lord cometh with and in ten thousand of his Saints to judge the World and the Saints upon Earth do receive the Spirit of Judgement and do judge the World even all things for the spiritual Man judgeth all things even in this present Age if thou canst receive it thou mayest They are utterly against Water-Baptism and administring of the Lord's Supper with Bread and Wine because they say they have the Substance of all within Answ. As for Baptism and the Supper of the Lord we do own it and it is practiced of us in the Life and Power of God but as for your Baptism that is to say sprinkling of Infants calling it the Baptism into the Faith and that they are made Members of the Church thereby and that it is a Seal of Regeneration as you say in your Common-Prayer-Book and Directory that we do utterly deny and do say it is no Ordinance of God neither was it ever commanded by him or practiced by his Saints but is an Institution of the Whore of Rome and England received it by a Popish Institution and your practice of it is Idolatry and not any part of the true Worship of God And as for your breaking Bread and drinking Wine in that manner and form as it is practiced in the Church of England among the Unconverted and Unregenerated that we utterly deny also to be of God or to be ever commanded of him or practiced by his Saints and this is neither Heresie nor Error in us but true bearing witness against your Idolatrous Wayes and Practices with which the Nations are deceived whom the Whore causeth to drink her Cup even all people have drunk her Cup and she hath drunk the Blood of them that would not and she hath long sate upon Nations Peoples and Multitudes but now she is made bare and discovered and all you her false Ministers And whereas the Author doth say These are some of the
then thou wilt see and fathom over all this Profession of Christ and all these Churches that are without the Life of Christ which are come up in the Apostacy and as the Life of God ariseth in thee thou wilt see who the false Prophets are and Deceivers which Christ Prophesied of should come and Iohn saw were come in his dayes which have over-spread the Nations and these are they which have the Sheep's Clothing upon them but inwardly they are Ravening Wolves and such are they that will Flatter thee for great Benefices and Places and large Maintenances they have Christ's words and the Apostles words the Sheep's Clothing but they that put not into their mouthes they will prepare War against them and Raven upon them and cast their Bodies into Prison or spoil their Goods And wilt thou bring thy Name into dishonour to all the Saints upon Earth by defending of these in their Evil wayes thou oughtest not to do it nor to suffer the Innocent to be troden down and destroyed for denying such and witnessing against them that are out of the Life of Christ and a great Overthrow will the Lord make among those Teachers and such a Ministry that needs to be defended by carnal Weapons and by Stocks and Prisons for such Teachers and Ministry are not of Christ as is manifest and as People have been scattered after them for Ages so they shall again be gathered from them by the Spirit to follow the Lamb whither soever he goes And take heed these Teachers come not too near thee neither put Confidence in them for their hearts are not right before the Lord and they will flatter thee while they hatch Mischief against thee but stand over them in the Dominion of God And if they sow Spiritual Things let them reap Carnal by a Free Gift and if they have Flocks let them eat of the Milk-Freely given them and if they have planted any thing let them eat the Fruit as it comes Freely and be not thou cumbered about maintaining Ministers but free thy self of that Burden neither suffer innocent Men to be troden down and destroyed in their Persons and Estates about the maintaining of such Teachers which is become the grievousest Oppression in the Nation And as concerning thy Family Thou hast need of God's Wisdom to guide thee that thou mayst Rule in God's Authority over all light loose proud wanton ungodly and deceitful Persons take heed of such spirits for they will be a Temptation to thee to draw thee into Evil and into the World out from God let no such be thy Companions nor remain in thy House lest they betray thee with Flatteries and Honour which perish and such may profess much Love and great Duty in words yet they being out of the Fear of the Lord cannot be blessed unto thee in their Service Wherefore Love such men and let them be thy Companions that Fear the Lord and that are Solid and Sober and Upright such as may be good Examples before thee which will quench Evil and not increase it in thee and though such appear not in Flatteries towards thee nor with a double mind yet they will be Faithful to thee and such will the Lord bless unto thee And let no Drunkards nor Covetous Evil-minded Persons that seek themselves and not the Lord have place with thee for they will be a Dishonour to thee and bring the Curse into thy Family And love such as make Conscience of their Words and Wayes and be not an Oppressor of the Tender Consciences of any but let the Lord be Ruler there both in thy self and in all thy Family And be of a Pittiful Tender Mind and Spirit towards Strangers and all People and be Kind and Long-suffering towards all yet let Justice reach to all Transgressors and be an Example to all in Authority under thee And let not Evil and Cruel-hearted Men bear any Place for such render thee and thy Government Dishonourable and by such the Land is filled with Violence and the Just Mourn whereby the Blessing is kept â—â—r away and the Curse near ready to dâ—vour Now Friends if thou comest to be guided by the Spirit and with the Wisdom of the Father then thou wilt bring the Nations into good Order whereby the Inhabitants may live in Peace and perfect Freedom from all Oppressions and Vexations that now are a Bondage upon the Just and Upright for there is great Corruption entred into all places and all forts of men and when the Lord toucheth thy Heart and maketh thee rightly sensible of all things as they now stand then thou wilt see the Ministry as now it standeth to be quite degenerated from what the Ministry of Christ was in the dayes of the Apostles before the Apostacy and as it now standeth there is much of it which is to be thrown down to the Ground and crushed to pieces for it is corrupted altogether even in the way of its setting up and in its Call and in the way of its Maintenance and Practice in all these things it is corrupted and degenerated from what the Ministry of Christ was before the Apostacy and this may be proved by the Scriptures and so it is not to be upholden by thee but to be corrected and thrown down the rather And likewise in Magistracy thou wilt see great Corruption entred and aboundance to be purged out for it is much degenerated from the state as it was ordained of God and in the Laws there is much to regulate and correct when thou comest to the Principle of God in thee if ever that arise iâ— thee it will bring thee to thresh down and trample down all unjust men that handle the Law and all such that judge for Gifts and Rewards and all such Lawyers that devour the Innocent for Gifts that will not plead the Cause of the Poor without great Fees and all the Priests that preach for Hire and the Teachers that teach for filthy Lucre and to get Gain all such men will be counted as Bryars and Thornes by thee to be plucked up by the Roots and to be cut up as Evil Trees which cumber the Ground for such do corrupt the Land and cumber it and if ever the Lord doth arise in thee he will reward them by thee according to their wayes whose wayes are corrupt before the Lord. Be thou faithful in what the Lord calleth thee to and thou shalt have thy Reward and seek his Honour and he will Honour thee and let thy mind â—e to the Lord in all things and feel his Word and Power and Presence in thee to quench all that which is contrary and then thou wilt be blessed in this life and in the Life to come but if thou continuest 〈◊〉 thy Oppression the Lord will suddenly smite thee By a Friend unto thee in the Lord E B. This was given to Oliver Cromwell his hands at Hampton Court in the Sixth Moneth 1658. about a Moneth before his Death This is
of Calvin or Form of Prayer as these have now the Common-Prayer and both the one and the other have cast off the POPES Form and brought in their own get into a Form of words a Forâ— of worship without either Life or Power The PAPISTS in some things that they begin to do will say In the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And the Protestants or them who call themselves of the reformed Church that are come off from the Papists some of them when they go about to do a thing will say Our help is in the Name of the Lord which made Heaven and Earth Here both the one and the other have a Form of words but out of the Name the one as well as the other out of the Life out of the Power and Authority of our Lord Iesus Christ. Therefore what they do how can it be done in his Name which themselves are out of Though they may be in the words and do a thing in the words But that is not a doing it in the Name for to do things in so many words in their own Time and Will that which themselves have brought in is one thing But to do it in the Name Power and Authority of the Lord Iesus Christ is another for words is not the Name nor the Power and the Kingdom stands in the Power not in words Therefore all people see what you do that it be done in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ the true Light of the World who lighteth every man that cometh into the World in his Light in his Power then that will bring you to cease from your own words and following your own ways doing it in his Power in his Strength out of your own words your own ways and your own wills in his Name For what hath form or words either one or the other hitherto produced or brought forth without Life or Power Hath your long Profession and Forms of the words brought any of you yet into the possession of the things Or will it ever do If not What serves it to Who hath required it to have it done And is it not his right alone who is to be worshipped to direct himself how he will be worshipped Or is not all other service and worship in the will And so Will-worship that is not of his own direction or appointment And the Scripture saith John chapter 4. as you may read God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth Mark that He who is a Spirit will be worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth that which the Devil abode not in for into a Form of words Drunkards Swearers Lyars Prophane Persons unrighteous which are shut out of the Kingdom may get into words in such a worship out of the Spirit but that is not the worship which God requires And is it not equal that he alone direct how he will be worshipped that is to be worshipped And thou art so to perform thy service towards him that of him it may be accepted and so it is rightly done when done as he hath appointed it as he hath directed And Obedience is more than Sacrifice whom thou art to obey if thou wilt do him service who is worshipped or served in the Spirit and in the Truth whose Will then comes to be done and not thine who will be so worshipped and so served But otherwise is it not thine own will and not his that is done Therefore whosoever will come to worship the KING the LORD of HOSTS must come to worship him in his own way not in their ways to bow down to his Light to bow down to the measure of his Spirit in them for the Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withal Otherwise will not People Teachers and Professors be always in the profitless condition Ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the Truth E. B. TO THE BELOVED and CHOSEN of GOD in the Seed Elected Particularly in LONDON And elsewhere who have seen the day of Christ and received the Message of Peace and Reconciliation in these last Dayes of his Glorious Appearance THe dear salutation of my life salutes you all in the most pure and dearest love with which I am beloved of the Father and with which also at this present my Heart is filled and issueth forth towards you and the whole Body of the elected Ones and the remembrance of you in the Lord is very precious unto me as I see and behold and have fellowship with you in the Immortal Life which the Father hath begotten in you and in me and in which my knowledge is of you and my unity with you and therein only is the remembrance of my dearest love unto you and in which I hope I am also known and remembred of you even in the spiritual Relation and Heirship of Immortality being fellow Citizens of the heavenly Ierusalem and Children of her conception and bringing forth Now my dearest Friends seeing you have believed in the Light and Life of men even in him that was and is and is to come and have also tasted of that all Fulness that is in him you have a Witness in your selves even of the Spirit of the Father which is greater then all and you need no other Testimony but that of the Spirit That the Lord is good and full of Grace Truth Mercy Peace and Joy even the Fountain and Treasure of all Vertue and Blessedness in this present time and hereafter I say If you have tasted and felt of Immortal Life and if the Fountain hath been opened in you and you have seen his Glory and received of his Treasure then the Evidence dwells in you of eternal blessedness and no man needs to teach you of these things nor to say unto you know the Lord if you dwell in him and go no more forth yet bear with me a little that I may speak and be refreshed not to diminish from what Testimony you have in you but the rather to add towards it for my witness is not another but the same which ye enjoy which is faithful and true and this I say Oh how great how mighty and powerful is the Lord our God everlasting and infinite he is that eternal Spirit that filleth all the Creator and beeing of all things that are the life and vertue in all and the invisible Substance greater then all he is in himself the immeâ—â—rable and infinite Fulness the Fountain of Life of Mercy and Righteousness and Peace and of all Vertue and of every good Thing who can declare his beginning or end he is without Time Place or thing yet gives beeing to all and is present in all yet not known saving of himself and by his own Spirit yet he effecteth all things and worketh whatsoever he will who can utter his wonderous Works Who can number his Mercies Who can account his Infiniteness who can
charging all this upon us Answ. 1 That we do boast of talking with God or of Revelation This is another of his false Accusations for we boast not nor do we glory in any thing saving in the Lord and this is no Error but that which we must acknowledge unto or else deny the Truth to talk with God and God with us in and by his own Spirit for all the Saints have converss with God and union and fellowship with him in his own Spirit as the Scriptures do declare and as for Revelations we do acknowledge according to Christ's Words that we had never known the Father nor the Son but by Revelation For none known the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him as it is written and all such as have not converss with God and that have not Revelation are not in the Way of Eternal life but are ignorant and without God in the World and neither know him nor have fellowship with him 2. As for killing all the Wicked this is another false Charge for it is not our Principle to war against the Persons of any Men and kill them with carnal Weapons about Church and Ministry and Religion as the Papists and Protestants do one against another but it is our Principle to war against the evil spirit in men and to smite that with the spiritual Sword of God's Word and we would have mens wickedness killed and their Persons saved and their Souls delivered and this is the War we make even till men be changed by the Power of God and all things made new even a new World and a new Earth we do expect according to the Lord's Promise so that it is no error to expect a new Earth and a new World for there is a new Creation which the Saints do witness created anew in Christ Jesus to bring forth good fruits unto the living God and all that do not witness this are in the transgression of the old Creation which brings the Wrath of God Again The Accuser tells a story of one that professed the Gift of discerning spirits and to know the Elect from Reprobates and that made holiness consist in speaking little and living homely and sordidly as our Quakers do saith he Answ. 1. As for discerning of Spirits that is a Gift which the Saints of God do receive in all Ages for the Apostles said to some was given the discerning of spirits by the manifestation of the Spirit of God So to profess discerning of spirits is no error in us though it be stated as a great error before you by an ignorant man who knows not what he saith nor whereof he affirms And its possible to know the Elect from Reprobates by their fruits and works for the Children of God who are the Elect are known by their holy and Righteous works and fruits and the Children of the Devil who are the Reprobates are known also by their works and fruits of unrighteousness which they bring forth and this the Scriptures bear witness of 2. As for speaking little and living homely and sordidly If he means by homely and sordidly plainly and without superfluity this is also works and fruits of holiness and its better to speak little than to utter multitude of vain words and its more justifiable to God and just Men to be plain and homely as he saith in Apparrel than superfluity of naughtiness in vain Attire and more holy for true holiness consists in the Power of God which crucifies all idle words and all superfluity in Apparrel and whatsoever is not like God And was but this Accuser as wise as he is envious he would never be seen to scorn the Quakers scornfully so called with speaking little and wearing plain and sober Apparrel but Fools love to be medling to manifest their own folly as it is written Again The Accuser telleth another Story of Muntzer how he did exhort some that were on his part viz. Anabaptists to kill every Mothers Son for a Sacrifice to the Lord and saith he by this we may gâ—ess if Anabaptists and Quakers should get the upper hand what they would do c. Answ. 1. As for the Quakers getting the upper hand we strive not for it by carnal Weapons to have victory over mens Persons though we know the Lord will give us victory and dominion over the Beast and over the false Prophets for the Lamb shall get the victory and they that are with him who are called and faithful and chosen but this victory is spiritual and obtained spiritually and thus we believe the Lord will give us the upper hand even victory over â—ll our Enemies 2. But what a wicked envious siâ—rmise and suggestion is here coutched under as if the Quakers if they had victory would kill every Mothers Son for a Sacrifice and that they would make War c. The Lord rebuke his slanderous Tongue who hatched Mischief in his mind against the Innocent and presented you with forged Lyes and Surmises and imagined guessed cruel and evil things against us who are far otherwise Principled than as he suggesseth but all this his own doings doth but manifest the folly of his own Heart and 〈◊〉 own wickedness for we are of the Spirit of Mercy and Peace and not of Murder and War not to kill mens Persons but to war with the Spirit of God against spiritual Enemies that mens Iniquities may be slain and their Persons and Souls saved Again The Accuser pag. 4. tells a long story of Micher Hopman and others with him what things they held As they condemned the Baptism of Children they would not take an Oath they pulled down Magistrates they undertook to kill all Princes they taught that in their Churches all were holy and that it was lawful to have many Wives that all Learning is prophane and that mean men are fittest to expound Sâ—riptures and there must be no ordinary calling in the Church but every man must speak as he is inspired And thus it is saith the Accuser with the Quakers and Popish Agents who are their Ring-leaders have been endeavouring in these three Nations these eight or nine years by-past c. Answ. 1. It is to be considered that all these things are fully charged upon us as being guilty thereof and so to every particular I shall answer As to that of the Baptism of Children we do say there is neither Command nor Example for it in all the Scripture God never commanded it nor did the Apostle ever practise it in their dayes but it is a Tradition of the Church of Rome introduced into the World long since the Apostles dayes and except better ground can be shewed for the Practice of it than bare Tradition it is lawful to deny it as being no Ordinance of God in his true Church except I say that it can be proved that God ever commanded it or the Apostles and Saints practised it till which be done it is no error to deny the
Name of Phanaticks and then they reproached many by that Name that differed from them and did not conform to their Way of Worship and Religion but this continued not long for when others came over them and they grew under Reproach then they themselves were reproached by that Name Phanatick by which they had reproached others not long before and many that are for the Government of the Church under Episcopacy they now reproach the Presbyterians so called by the Name of Phanaticks so the word is used in scorn to them by Scorners as they used it to others that differed from them in the like scornful spirit And thus the word is made use of only in derision and reproach to any that differ from the publick way of Religion in the Land For when the publick was generally Presbyterians then they that would not conform to that but opposed it were called Phanaticks and now when the publick is Episcopal even the Presbyterians themselves and all that differ from that way and cannot conform to it are reproached by the scornful Name of Phanatick And thus the word hath been exchanged from one sort of Scorners to another and used reproachfully towards divers Persons so that as I have said the word Phanatick is truly proper to none of the Sects more than others but only proper to be used by Scoffers and Scorners against any whom they have a mind to villifie and it s exchanged from one to another and used by divers sorts of People according as Times and Religion do change by the Powers of the Earth So the Term Phanatick is changed into the Mouthes of Scorners to reproach all that differ from the Common General Way of Profession and Practice of Religion 4. Now last of all it is changed yet once more into the Mouthes of the Papists as by Semper Iidem doth appear now under my explanation and now the Papists have gotten the word Phanatick both from the Presbyterians and Episcopals and all must now be reproached by that Name that differ from them and their Way and Religion and they have already begun to cry Phanatick to the Protestants that differ from them in Principles and Practices And thus its manifest that the word Phanatick is truly proper to none but only used by Scorners to all whom they will revile and hold in derision as different from them in Religion such they villifie by the Name of Phanaticks First the Presbyterians used it to such as differed from them then Episcopal men so called used it towards all that differed from them and now last of all the Papists have got it from both and use it to all in derision that differ from them And thus I have shewed First the beginning of the use of the word Phanatick and upon what occasion and its true signification as used at this day Secondly concerning the exchanging of the word from one to another and how that its truly proper to no People but Scorners only use it to deride and reproach such as differ from them and cannot run in the same excess of Vanity Thirdly How the Papists now last of all have got it and use it against the Protestants and in their Mouthes now it remains and the Protestants so called are now the Persons and People that are accounted Phanaticks because they differ from the Papists in Principles and Practises of Faith Worship and Religion and this is manifest by the scope of Semper Iidem Secondly I shall now shew how maliciously the nameless Author of Semper Iidem hath slandred the Martyres and Sufferers for Righteousness sake in former Ages and how he hath accused the Protestants now living and what effect this would work in England if the Author's Intent were fulfilled 1. HE hath slandered accused and rendred the Martyres of old as Infamous as he possibly can even termed them by the scornful Name of Phanaticks even the Protestant Martyrs so called who are said to be the very Fathers of the Protestant Church as Bishop Latimer Cranmer Ridley and many others who have been accounted honourable in England for their faithfulness against the Church of Rome who because thereof were martyred and burned by the Cruelty of the Papists yet these Persons with Robert Woodman Thomas Hawks and many more of the Antient Protestant Martyrs are slandered by the villifying Term of Phanaticks and that they were men of mischief and licentious Tongues and seditious behaviours and they were erronious and obstinate as in the ninth Page of Semper Iidem doth appear and in pag. 16. Latimer is again called one of the Antient Phanatick And thus the main work of this nameless Author throughout his Book is to accuse the Protestant Martyrs that suffered in Queen Maries dayes to be rebellious seditious Hereticks and he villifies them by the very Title of Antient Phanaticks and this is apparent through the whole Pamphlet even by his Calumnies Reproaches and Accusations against the Protestant Martyrs who suffered for bearing Witness against the Church of Rome And thus the very Fathers of the Protestant Church so called stand now in reputation to be Hereticks seditious rebellious and jâ—dged Phanatick and this is for the Protestants so called even the very Bishops themselves in England to consider of 2. The Auther of Pemper Iidem hath accused some of the Protestants even of the King's Friends now living and villifieth them by the Name of Phanatick as William Prin c. whom he calls one of the modern Phanaticks And no doubt but the Intent of this Man with whom I am now in contest reputes even all the Protestants of this present Age to be Phanaticks and such as the Antient Phanaticks to wit the Protestant Martyrs as before-mentioned for he having accused Ridly and Cranmer and many more being such who were some of the first Promoters of the Protestant Religion in England and the very Instituters of that Book called the Divine-service-Book it must needs follow consequently and may be concluded from his words and by his meaning That all the Protestants now are such even the present Prelates of England and durst the Author have spoken plain it is likely he would have said the same but that he hath minced the matter a little as well as concealed his Name though his work be cryed up and down London which all sober People may indeed well take notice of seeing that the Martyrs of old who have to this day been of good report and fame for their Piety and Faithfulness in London and through these Lands are now accused slandered and reproached up and down the Streets of London by the Name of Rebels and Seditious and by the Term of Antient Phanaticks Is London so blind that cannot see what is in the Bottom and Intent of such a Work as renders the very Fathers of their Church Hereticks and no better than Phanaticks And as for William Pryn who is also accounted one of the chief modern Phanaticks I shall leave him to answer for himself
who are not and therefore may easily proceed in that way to punish such as Hereticks that are not truly so and except ye could affirm and Prove your possession of the infallible spirit ye can no way proceed justly reasonably to deny Liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Religion nor punish and persecute any in that case but if ye do ye do it in ignorance and know not what ye do and may as soon destroy true Christians and Saints as Hereticks for want of infallible judgment to discern who are and who are not and this is a danger ye ought to avoid by allowing the free exercise of Conscience as the Lord perswades every mans heart 15. And lastly also consider what a reproach you are under If such whom ye call Heretick and yet doth not infallibly know that they are such be punished and persecuted and destroyed for their Religion sake who are just and upright men in their Conversing between man and man and unreprovable in their dealings among men whether they err in judgment in spiritual knowledge or not err and such as are Drunkards prophaâ—e persons go at liberty in their stage-playing and gaming and the like even tolerated and unpunished and not prohibited whom all do know and can distinguish who such are when they appear this will render your Government to evil reputation both in this present time and in ages to come and therefore consider it if Drunkards Gamesters and prophane persons have more toleration and liberty in their wayes of open vanity then sober temperate persons in the exercise of their Consciences in Religion which if any such do err in principle which is not infallibly known to you it is only to their own hurt in the sight of God and he onely and not you ought to punish them in that case but prophane persons as a fore-mentioned are easily judged by all to be such and their error inpractise is hurtful to the whole Kingdoms and pertains to you to punish as Dr. Taylor now a Bishop in Ireland hath said his words in this â—ase are worth observing why are we so zealous saith he against those we call Hereticks and yet great friends with Dâ—unkards and Swearers and Fornicators and intemperate and idle persons I am certain a Drunkard is as contrâ—oy to God and lives as contrary to the Laws of Christianity as a Heretick and I am also sure that I Know what Drunkennesse is but I am not sure that such an opinion is heresie c. And these things I do in all meeknesse and due respect both to your places and persons present to your serious considerations that ye may prevent these evil effects that are so destructive unto you and these Kingdoms which absolutely must follow upon not allowing free Liberty of Conscience in the Exercise of Religion if any shall object That to tolerate and allow Liberty of Conscience in Religion is inconsistent with the safety and peace of the King and these Kingdoms I shall be desirous to hear from wise men what such objections are stated by them and wherein they say it is not Congruous with the Happiness and Peace of these Nations to grant and allow the Premises And on such Occasion I should make clearly to appeaâ— the contrary and that it is only consistant with the Peace and Prosperity of these Kingdoms considering them in their present Estate To grant and allow Free Liberty of Conscience as aforesaid in the Exercise of Religion unto all Christian People O! Remember ye Mighty Men of the Kingdom That the Great and Mighty GOD takes notice of all your Doings and accordingly will he reward you in his Dreadful Day which is near to come upon all the World and Wo unto the Wicked in that Day O! Remember that ye your selves not long since were a Suffering People and now you are raised up again and therefore be not too zealous to afflict others especially for the Cases of their Consciences in reference to their Faith and Perswasions about Religion but be Gentle Meek and Long-suffering towards all for that is the way to make Peace and preserve it with all men that will gain the Affections of the Contrary-minded but Force and Rigour will exasperate the more and never truly reconcile differences among men And make no Laws contrary or different to the pure Law of God but let pure Consciences go free without Force or Restraint in the Exercises of Religion and let God have his Prerogative and Lordship in the Exercise of Conscience but let your Authority be extended over the outward man in the matters between man and man to preserve Peace and Right in all outward relation And be Wise and Learned ye Rulers of the Earth and kiss the Son lest he be Angry and ye perish and if his Wrath be kindled but a little blessed are they that trust in him This is your Time and Day happy are ye if it be given to you to do the Work that God requires of you only The 26th of the third Moneth 1661. By a Lover of Truth and Just Government E. B. A DISCOVERY OF Divine Mysteries VVherein is Unfolded Secret THINGS of the KINGDOM of GOD Being a TESTIMONY 1. Concerning Life and Death with their several Fruits and â—…cts Distinguished 2. Concerning the Mystery of God and Godliness and concerning the Mystery of the Devil and Iniquity 3. Concerning True Liberty of Conscience what it is in it self and how obtained And what the True Guide and Rule is of the Exercise of Conscience 4. Concerning the Diversity of Judgments in Religion the Cause and Effect thereof and the Means to bring to Unity All which are Published for the Edification of such as desire to know the TRUTH The PREFACE THE Light of the Day of GOD Almighty is arisen upon us in our Day and the Shinings-forth thereof is with great Clearness and Force even as the Sun at Noon-day and many are come to the Glorious Appearance thereof and to walk in its Light with much Ioyfulness for as the Wise-Man said The Light is Sweet and a Pleasant Thing it is for the Eye to behold the Son And so fully is our Morning-Son now appeared that the Upright in Heart may Walk and not stumble and the Poor in Spirit may Run in the Path of Life and not fall For indeed we may say The NIGHT is spent and the DAY is come therefore let us Walk in the Day and put on the Armour of Light as many as are made the Children thereof And where the Light of this Son is arisen and in whose Hearts it shineth it cannot but give some Testimony through such an one of its own Glory Vertues and Excellency to them that sit yet in Darkness and in the 〈◊〉 of Corruption that they also may 〈◊〉 the same Light and Glory arise on their Tabernacles For 't is the Property of this Spiritual Heavenly Light to shine forth out of Darkness and to give Light to such as have
and yet all these have had the name of Christians and Church Members and Worshippers of God but yet are of many wayes of Worship holding different and contrary Principles of Faith and Doctrine and also of Worship and Church-Government and thus have Nations Cities and Countries been for many Ages and thus hath it been and is at this day amongst the Apostate Christians that want the Spirit of Christ to be their Rule of Knowledge of Iudgment and Worship and of their Faith and Practices in Religion And this is a shame to whole Christendom amongst whom the spirit of Antichrist hath entered which hath thus divided Nations Cities Neighbours and Brothers for all these Divisions about Religion amongst the Apostate Christians are of Antichrist and not of God it is that spirit of Antichrist that hath wrought all these Divisions and planted them in the minds of People 2dly Concerning the bad Effects of these Divisions in matters of Faith and Worship as I have said This Division in Religion hath begotten and brought forth very much Evil throughout the World much heart burning envy hard heartedness strife and contention between Kings and Rulers and between Nations between Cities between Neighbours and between Brothers this Division hath bad Effects amongst all these so that it hath brought forth much War and bloodshed between Kings and great Persecution between Rulers and their People and great Debate and Strife amongst Neighbours and Friends so that great Murders and losse of many Lives have been produced and brought forth upon this Quarrel about Difference in matters of Faith and Religion and Antichrist hath not only divided People in Iudgment but hath also Provoked People into rage and envy to the killing and destroying of one another and even that Division about Spiritual things begotten by Antichrist amongst false Christians hath been turned into personal enmity and brought forth in the end murdering and killing the bodies of Thousands when the original debate hath arisen about Church-Government or Points of Religion and this is the woful Effect that Division of Religion hath brought forth in all Christendom And all this Fruit and Effects as well as the Cause of it hath been of Antichrist and of the Dragon and the Devil throughout the World all this Persecution and spoyling of Goods Imprisoning of Persons taking away of Lives and Banishment and whatsoever Persecution otherwise that hath risen and been inflicted upon any for and because of Differences in Religion and about Faith and Worship all this hath been of Antichrist and even all Laws made for that end and all Executors of such Laws and all Penalties of such Laws and all Wars and Bloodshed whatsoever that have ensued only and upon the account of Differences in Religion that being the first and the only ground of the Quarrel All this hath been of Antichrist and it came out of the bottomless Pit and never rose from the Spirit of God but from the Antichristian spirit of Envy and Wickedness that hath first divided People about matters of Faith and Religion and then Provoked them to envy and malice stirring up Kings to fight one against another that was not of their Religion but different and contrary to it And so the hearts of Rulers have been stirred up to persecute all under them that were different contrary in matters of Faith Worship and Religion and this the spirit of Antichrist hath effected throughout Christendom and so each King that hath been strongest would maintain the Principles of his Faith and the Practice of Religion according to his own Conceit in his Dominions And thus hath Religion Worships and Church-Government been set up stood amongst Apostate Christians throughout the World by Force and Power and by violent Laws and through Persecutions and Murders and all this hath been by the spirit of Antichrist and the Spirit of God has had no hand in those matters for setting up and contriving of false Faith false Worship and false Church-Governments all this hath depended upon the Powers and Authorities of the Earth through many Ages and what Religion and Church-Government or Way of Worship that Kings or Queens have set up that only hath been promoted but all the rest Persecuted and restrained by force and violence and all this hath been of Antichrist And now to all ye that are of divers Judgments in matters of Faith and Worship in Religion this is a Caution to you all and I do warn you all in the presence of the living God that though ye be divided in the belief and practice of Spiritual things yet live in peace and unity with all men in all outward relations and do not envy nor hurt one anothers Persons though you are in difference about Religion yet suffer not that Difference to grow into persecuting or envying one anothers persons but seek to inform one another and instruct one another in the Spirit of Meekness and perswade one another out of that which is evil to that which is good by patience gentlèness and long-suffering and do not force one anothér by violence nor persecute one another neither by words evil-deeds nor actions but live in love to the persons every one of another and fight not with Persons nor kill one anothers Persons with carnal weapons about Religion but take the spiritual weapons war with the spirit against the evil one in one another and love persons though they are enemies this is Christs Doctrine neâ—er hereafter let your divisions about Spiritual things grow into personal quarrels to the envying or killing one another And this is a Charge to you all in the presence of the living God Lastly The Means and Way to be reconciled and to come out of all Division and Strife and to come into Peace with God and one with another about Faith and Church-Government is by the Spirit of God and every one of you in particular must receive the Spirit of Christ that it may work in every one of your hearts true Faith and teach every one of you the true Worship of God and the way of Doctrine and true Church-Government it is the Spirit of Christ in every one both male and female that must reconcile and bring into unity with God and one with another in all Spiritual things for it is that which is the bond of peace and love among true Christians and it is that which reconciles Peoples hearts into oneness And if you receive that Spirit every particular person of you it will bring you to be of onâ— Faith of one Worship and then your Doctrine and Church-Government will agree if you receive the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures it will work in you the same Faith and lead you in the same way of Worship which the Scriptures speak of and then you will cease taking up Conceits and making Imitations of Church-Governments from the Letter but the same Spirit will work in your hearts Faith and Knowledge in the fulfilling of the
and the like Yea and the Persecutions and Murders that ever have been acted against the Saints of God in all Generations though Cruel and Unrighteous and of the Devil yet all this hath Antichrist titled to be in Honour to Christ and for the destroying Hereticks and out of Iustice and Zeal for God and such like yea and the most Gross Idolatries and most Deceitful Wayes of Worship that ever hath been set up in the World have been named after Christ and pretended to be done in Honour to him and for his Glory and so forth so deceivable hath Antichrist been in the World and walked and wrought among the Sons of Men in deceiving of them that he hath used and taken upon him the very Name of Christ and all his Evil Works of Iniquity of all kinds hath he put the Name and Honour of Christ upon them and so deceived the World by his false Wayes Worships Doctrines and Persecutions through covering these things with the Name of Christ and pretending his Honour and Exaltation whenas his own true Nature and Property is to kill Christ and gainsay him And this indeed is Antichrist who under colour and pretence of Worshipping and Honouring Christ doth seek to Slay him This is that Crafty and Deceitful Fox that Man of Sin that hath been exalted that Antichrist that Wicked One that hath deceived the World for many Ages But the Lord is now discovering him and destroying him by the Breath of his Mouth and by the Brightness of his Coming according to the Faithful Promise of God in his Servants and Antichrist shall be discovered and destroyed the Day of the Lord is at hand upon him 8. Again It hath been the way of Antichrist that he might the better deceive the World to transform himself into the likeness of the best Way and strictest Profession of Religion and so to remove from one Way and Form unto another as I said before that he might the better deceive men according as Paul writ 2 Cor. 11. verse 13 14. for such are false Apostles deceitful Workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ and no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an ANGEL of LIGHT by which it is plain That Antichrist did change and transform himself and remove from one Way to another even till he appeared as an Angel of Light and in the very Way and Form of the Ministry of Righteousness Thus did Antichrist work and transform himself in the dayes of the Apostles and ever since unto this day in all Times and Ages for it hath been his manner and way when he could no longer cover himself nor be hid in such a Way of Worship and Religion in which he hath sometimes dwelt and walked but that his Wickedness Cruelties Persecutions and Deceits must needs be seen and made appear unto men by the Light of the Lord shining amongst them then he hath transformed into another likeness and removed his cruelties and persecutions into another form and appearance it may be into the very way in the outward prosession and practice of it in which sometime the Lord hath dwelt and walked and there hath he dwelt deceiving the World by his new form and appearance and exercised his wickedness cruelties and persecutions in some new way having quitted the Last Form in which he dwelt because he was there too publikly seen and discovered And now in his new likeness into which he is Transformed he can plead the example of Saints they did such things and held such Doctrines and Performed such Practises as now he is found in and this did the Devil sometime to Christ he pleaded Scripture against him And thus Antichrist can Change himself into divers appearances that he may deceive men Well but and if he be again discovered and his cruelties and wickedness made appear in his Last and Newest Form he can transform again into a more strict Way and zealous Performance even into an Angel of Light as if he were indeed the true Christ and were in the Truth altogether and no man needed to doubt of the Truth of his Way and then under that Form being covered with more Zeal then ever with more pretence of Duty to God then before he blinds the World and deceives them and leads men to Perdition and though changeable in his Appearance yet is he in himself Antichrist still in his own proper nature a Murderer Destroyer and a Fountain of Mischief and Evil. The Truth of this is plain if it be considered through the course of Scriptures in Generations past and Transactions of Time as in the Prophets dayes of old this spirit which is no other but the Devil sometimes opposed gainsayed and persecuted the Prophets reproached them and with-stood them and imprisoned them and killed them And sometimes we find the same spirit transformed it self into the way of the Prophets and acted by some deceivers and false Prophets in the same words and practices which the true Prophets had said and done and as the true Prophets used their Tongues and said The Lord saith it so the false Prophets in whom the Devil was transformed they used their Tongues and said The Lord saith it also when God had not spoken to them So here was this spirit of Antichrist changing and transforming himself that he might the better deceive Also in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles the Devil and Antichrist apeared against them and persecuted them and killed them and used Cruelty and Injustice towards them and as before I said this was done to Christ and his Apostles by the wicked Iews under colour and pretence of Love to their God and Zeal for their Law and for the Honour of their Ordinances and Priesthood which they supposed Christ and his Apostles made void which shews That the Devil and Antichrist appears in the World as a good Man as a Lover of God and his Laws and the like Well But though the Envious Men and Wicked Persons through the spirit of the Devil did for some time oppose gainsay and persecute Christ and his Apostles yet the same spirit possibly some of the same Persons transformed into the Profession of Christ and into the Profession of the Words and Works of Him and his Apostles For we find Envious men and Wicked men such as had persecuted Christ and killed him were gotten to preach him in words and had gotten and taken upon them the Form of Christ's Doctrine and preached him out of Envy and for Self-ends and the like So that 't is plain The same spirit that sometime opposed and persecuted the Prophets Christ and his Apostles other times was transformed into the Profession of the Prophets Christ and his Apostles words And this is the way of Antichrist to deceive men upon Earth and to lead them to Perdition For when the Devil and Antichrist perceives that his Envy Malice and Cruelty cannot prevail to subdue and keep under the Way and Truth of Christ Jesus as it
Apostles Nor have they heard the Voice of God speaking to them But take Chapter and Verse and say Hear the Word of the Lord when the Lord never spoke to them nor sent them Who is it now and where are they that are guilty hereof and that cry Peace to the Wicked when the Lord speaks no Peace to them and that are light vain persons and covetous and greedy persons and that see Vanity and daub with untempered Mortar that cry Peace unto People and say they shall have Peace by Christ while yet they kill Christ and are not Changed by Him Where are there such now by whom People are not converted to God although they preach time after time Let all People bring in their Witness For whosoever are such at this day whether they be Papists or Protestants Anabaptists or Quakers so called or whosoever Such I say are led by the spirit of the false Prophets and are in their way and practices and all such are to be judged deemed and taken for Antichrists Ministers false Prophets and Deceivers without respect of Persons or Titles of Religion 3. They were false Brethren and false Teachers that taught for filthy lucre that professed they knew God in words and in works denied him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate who had a Form of Godliness but denied the Power and were heady and high-minded men and lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God that were ever teaching and never able to bring people to the knowledge of the Truth And such were false Prophets and false Teachers that through covetousness and feigned words did make Merchandize of People that beguiled unstable Souls and that had hearts exercised with covetous practices being out of the right way and following the way of Balaam who loved the Wages of unrighteousness These and such as these were Deceivers and false Teachers in the Apostles dayes Tit. 1. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 5 7. 2 Pet. chap. 2. Now whosoever whether Papists or Protestants or of what Sect soever they be that do these things that teach for filthy lucre that profess God in words but in works deny him and that live wickedly and are disobedient to God and have the Form of Godliness but want the Power and are heady and high-minded men and love pleasures under whom people are ever learning but not able to come to the knowledge of the Truth and that through Covetousness and feigned words make Merchandize of people that are unstable men and do exercise themselves in covetous practices and are not in the right way but do follow the way of Balaam who loved unrighteous Wages Whosoever are such whether they be Papists or Protestants or Quakers or whomsoever they be they follow the Spirit of the false Prophets and are in the way of the false Teachers and are Ministers of Antichrist even false Prophets and Deceivers And now to all people whatsoever I appeal for Evidence to the Witness of God in your Consciences that you may judge in this case Where are they now and who is it are there not some such present amongst you this day in your Cities and Towns and Countries even such as teach for filthy lucre that will preach where they can get gain for preaching but not otherwise and that Profess God and Christ with their lips and shew much love but deny God in works who live unholy lives and in evil wayes and give bad Examples to People and that are reprobate to good works and that have the Form of Godliness but not the Power and that are heady and high-minded and ambitious persons and that are teaching many years together and People cannot come to the knowledge of the Truth by them but are alwayes ignorant and wicked And do not your Teachers exercise covetous practices among you and go in the way of Balaam for Gifts and Rewards viz so much for a Sermon and for a years Preaching Such who are made Ministers by man and not by the Lord and who do not profit the People at all Whosoever they are that are such now in this Age are False Prophets and Deceivers and follow the spirit and walk in the steps of the Deceivers of old and whosoever they are whether Papists Protestants or any others they may lawfully be taken judged and deemed to be false Prophets Ministers of Antichrist and Deceivers 4. The false Prophets and Deceivers in the dayes of old were feigning and flattering men and cryed peace to the wicked and cryed Peace peace to every one that put into their mouthes but Prepared War against every one that did not Micah 3. 5. And they respected mens persons and held mens persons in Admiration because of Advantage Jude 16. Now whosoever whether Papists or Protestants or any else that are Feigners and Flatterers and that cry Peace to the Wicked and cry Peace to them that put into their Mouthes but are Bitter and Angry and Perverse against such as will not or cannot give them Hire and Money for Preaching and that respect mens Persons and turn every way from one kind of Worship to another and have mens Persons in Admiration for their own Gain and Advantage whoever are such now in this Age are false Prophets and Deceivers And therefore all People bring in your Evidence Who are such now and where are they that are flattering men that cry Peace to all that will give them Means and put into their Mouthes and that Admire the Persons of Great Men and that respect the Persons of Great Men for Advantage If there be any such now amongst you whether they be Papists or Protestants Anabaptists or Quakers so called you may justly take such and let such be deemed judged and reputed false Prophets Seducers and Ministers of Antichrist And now all People upon Earth try learn and examine your Teachers and Ministers lay them to the Line of Iudgment For if they are such as are here described if they bear these Marks and Fruits declared and if they follow the same spirit and do as the false Prophets of old did according as 't is declared in the Scriptures then may you justly judge them to be Deceivers and false Prophets and Ministers of Antichrist For whosoever they be that are amongst you as Preach for Hire and that have a Quarter from whence they seek their Gain and Divine for Money and go a Preaching for Gifts and Rewards and that teach for filthy Lucre and that are Covetous Persons Heady and High-minded Persons and Ambitious Men that do not profit the People at all nor turn them from sin by their Preaching and that Prophesie Lyes and that are Flatterers and Changeable Persons and will turn from one Way to another and have mens Persons in Admiration because of Advantage Whosoever he be that is one of these above described who hath these Marks and Signs upon him of this Physiognomy of this Nature and Feature as before described wheresoever such a one shall be
Tythâ—â— nor other things for preaching And I have 〈◊〉 heed of condemning the Righteous and yet dare not let the Guilty go 〈◊〉 ed 〈◊〉 unreproved 〈◊〉 therefore 〈◊〉 I do reprove And now in the 〈◊〉 hath justified preaching for Hire 〈…〉 in the same page seemed to den◠〈◊〉 but 〈…〉 Maintenance according to Gospel Ministry as practâ—â—â—â— in the 〈◊〉 of Christ and his Apostles or whether that comes not 〈◊〉 accounts 〈◊〉 Preaching for Hire in taking Gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 States and Gifts of 〈◊〉 which thou justifiest No such Maintenance did Christ allow to his Ministers as to take sums of Money yearly for preaching nor such things were never iustified 〈◊〉 Christ But into whatsoever House ye enter eat such things as are set before you 〈◊〉 Christ And that is Balaam's practice To take Gifts of the State or 〈…〉 would have taken the Gift of Balack So by their own account the 〈…〉 for some of them â—â—ou pleadest not for go 〈◊〉 Gifts and Rewards 〈◊〉 false Brethren did in the dayes of the Apostles for though you would seem to clear them of preaching for Hire yet hast thou proved them guilty of preaching for Gifts and Rewards And is not their taking Gifts from the State and Persons which thou justifiest a perfect Preaching for Gifts and Rewards as ever the false Brethren which the true Apostles declarâ—â— against And so out of thy own moâ—th they are proved such even the best of tâ—… 〈◊〉 thou vindicaâ—est as go in 〈◊〉 's 〈◊〉 preaching â—or Gifâ—â— and Râ—… And is it not time now for people to 〈◊〉 from you who are found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 own â—â—â—fession in Balaam's way and in the way of the false Apostles â—…ing â—or Gifts and Rewards from persons and from the State and so but of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—th I 'am justified and your selves condemned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I â—…d Who are Dâ—â—â— Shephâ—rds which do not gather you to God 〈◊〉 And he â—aith There are many who lift up their Voices as a Trumpet to tell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—â—s c. 〈◊〉 It appâ—… 〈◊〉 through all the Nation that people 〈◊〉 not gathered to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth 〈◊〉 Wickedness abound and people shew forth an unconvâ—rted 〈◊〉 â—nd 〈◊〉 â—…gh manâ— may out of Hypocrisie and for Ends to themselâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Siâ—… in others and live themselves in the same people hereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—t all 〈◊〉 such as have run and not been sent do nâ—â— profit tâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—r while themselves live in that which they cry against in others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord is not with them to convert Sinnâ—rs But for a better diâ—… 〈◊〉 â—he Teachers of this Generation I refer the Reade◠〈◊〉 a Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lawful Tryal of the Teachers c. wherein thâ—â— are set forth what thâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ing he hath observed is where I charged him in my last to have given â—…on of much more then he spaâ—â— said I I belâ—â—ve fâ—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 less then I spake at that Dispâ—… and at this he seems to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself guilty but not 〈◊〉 â—o muâ—… as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were there present who hâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mâ—â—ter mâ—y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to my Charge in this particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nâ—… 〈◊〉 clâ—â—r himself at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad to confess himself guilty by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nâ—â—â—o much 〈◊〉 â—s I spoke and yet called his Relation A faithful Accâ—… 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 â—…d â—…faithful though 〈◊〉 he would seem to cover himself and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charging him too deeply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 woâ—â—â—â—â—â—ain true upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 former work was â—â—â—ther pâ—… noâ—â—…together honest and 〈◊〉 thâ—â— he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whit amended it but the rathâ—◠〈◊〉 his Weakness more 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 â—…est Reader may judge 〈◊〉 whereâ—â— I charged him with a â—…ain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit because his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…d Tâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 woâ—â—◠〈◊〉 himself from my 〈◊〉 and sayes That it was a Nâ—… accorâ—…g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 My Charge on him wâ—â— true for 〈◊〉 Title did favour of a scornâ—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name 〈◊〉 â—as given in Scorn and 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 â—o 〈◊〉 did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—â— as for going Roâ—… oâ—â—hich 〈◊〉 speaâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ilty aâ— before I have shewâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…ing a thing 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ged Thâ—… 〈…〉 prov'd in my Charge 〈◊〉 he is not aâ—… 〈…〉 and False 〈◊〉 by 〈…〉 more 〈…〉 〈◊〉 then I spoke and this he confesses â—â—ll and that I 〈◊〉 suâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—nd untrue and he 〈◊〉 noâ—â—imself â—f it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 â—… Their â—… in that 〈…〉 〈◊〉 relate truly but he hath taken in hand to relate that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly as in my â—…st I did make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something of Truâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whâ—…â—…e again charged the 〈◊〉 with a spirit of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Spâ—… saith 〈◊〉 c. Rep. He here again charges falsly for we know that Scorning and Jeers aftâ—â— the Flesh are not Works of the Spirit nor Fruits of it but that we have dâ—nyed and its caâ—â— out 〈◊〉 do we scorn or jeer any â—â—ing aâ— in Isa. 3â—… Then he no less then confesses his Wrong-Dealing who in his last changed 〈◊〉 words from called to â—â—ned which word is of much consequence in that 〈◊〉 but would cover R. G. by saying That R. G. 〈◊〉 not undertake to prove the Scâ—… considered as meer Writings but the thing contained in the Scriptures to be th◠〈◊〉 God c. Rep. Here P. T. hath endeavour'd to mend the matter by his Concepâ—… 〈◊〉 Meaning given to G's words now the words of R. Goodgroom were 〈◊〉 He would prove the Letter the Word and upon that brought his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not the Letter meer Writings and nothing else but wheâ—… 〈◊〉 see they 〈◊〉 not make good their own words then they turn off the strenâ—… of 〈◊〉 by They meant so or they meant so and no man ever yeâ— could or can prove 〈◊〉 all the Scriptures That the Letter the Writings are called the Word 〈◊〉 as I still confessed that which is written of is the Word and the Wâ—… the words that declare of the Word which was in the Beginning But 〈◊〉 would fain â—â—concile this Difference between us say they The Wâ—… Letter are the Word say I That which is written of is the Word Now 〈◊〉 these are great difference as Spiritual Men may judge as much as 〈◊〉 dead Trumpet and a living Breath sounded through it Nay it s hard 〈◊〉 concile that which is contrary in nature they must leave preaching for 〈◊〉 and â—ease to take Tythâ—â— and 〈◊〉 Preaching before I can be at 〈◊〉 another Biâ—th 〈◊〉 speak and livâ—…â—hem and that which now lives in thâ—◠〈◊〉 be slain and their crâ—wn 〈◊〉 dowâ— before reconciled I can be to them 〈◊〉 to me though I have 〈◊〉 against Persons