delusions many are given up and do believe his lyes in which they oppose the truth and are at open enmity with it being filled with Wrath and Envy against it Now such whose deeds are evil loves not the light neither will come to it but runs from it and speaks despightfully of it as the Pharisees did of him who is the Son of God and though mighty signs and wonders he did amongst them making the blind to see and the dumb to speak yet were they filled with envy against him and said he cast out Devils by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils But he knowing their thoughts said unto them Every kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation and if Satan cast â—â—t Satan he is divided against himself how shall then his kingdome stand But if I cast out Devils by the Spirit of God then the kingdom of God is come unto you this you may read Matth. 12. And here you may read whose off-spring you are for this Scripture is fulfilled this day upon this ungodly generation though your eyes be blinded that you see it not therefore repent and be converted that the hand of love may lead you and that your sins may be blotted out for with a light of Christ are you all enlightned that doth discover your secrets parts and makes manifest the counsels of all your hearts and is the true light that lighteth every man that comes into the World Ioh. 1. 9. This is plain Scripture and you say you believe the Scripture but you say again This Scripture doth not speak of a light within then weigh it wisely and see how every man that comes into the World is enlightned and by it you may read 2 Cor. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ This is plain Scripture and this was the Apostles Testimony That the light shone in the heart that 's within people and there gave them the light of the knowledge of Gods glory But then you say These were believers and you grant that believers have a light of Christ in them but not people in their natural state the Apostle was once in the natural state and was a persecutor of those that did believe in the light yet was the light in him shining in the darkness but the darkness comprehended it not but when it came to shine round him and convince him that he was an enemy to it and kicking against it he bowed before it and submitted unto it and yeilded ready obedience Lord what wilt thou have me to do Then did it shine forth of darkness and did shine in the heart in which the knowledge of Gods glory was made manifest read this in Gods pure fear and consider if you be not where the Apostles once were and there stands in open rebellion against that which he came to believe in and bear his testimony unto and further witnessed That a people who held the truth in unrighteousness had a manifestation of God in them Rom. 1. 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them Here was a people who was not in the faith and yet that which might be known of God was manifest in them and whatsoever doth make manifest is light Eph. 5. 13. then the light was within them and the truth was within them but they did not believe in it but changed it into a lye Ver. 25. and did not like to retain God in their knowledge Ver. 28. Therefore unto vile affection did God give them up that they might believe lyes because they received not truth in the love of it this is a Witness which none of you can flye from whithersoever you go it will â—â—nd you out contend no longer against it for in it doth the Grace of God appear to all men by which the love of God comes to be felt in all that do obey and submits to the teachings of it and though there be many in the unbelief that speaks unadvisedly of it neither knowing what they say nor whereof they affirm who calls it a natural light and delusion yet in that love which unto me is freely opened and through the Grace which I have received in it I am constrained to bear my Testimony and to declare unto all people That the light of Christ with which every man is enlightened is the mighty power of God unto salvation to every one that do believe in it and a living Witness in every mans conscience is placed to condemn the Workers of iniquity who hath not a love to it because their deeds are evil there is no escaping of it for it is quick and powerful searching trying proving all secrets and the counsels of all hearts are naked and bare before it Read this soberly for it is written plainly in the love of God who is rich in mercy and plenteous in goodness and truth whose bowels of compassion moveth in pitty towards a sinful generation who hath no pleasure that any of you should dye therefore in this his day doth he reach forth a hand of love to lead and guide out of darkness all that turn unto it and are made willing to be guided by it Now all prove your selves in the light which you are enlightened withall and examine your selves truly and see if you cannot witness this testimony to be faithful and true and feel the Testimony of the Spirit bearing witness in your inward parts unto what is here declared for unto that of God in all consciences I am manifest which doth not consent to your sins but is seperate from sin and made manifest to take away â—in who is the Lamb of God pure and undefiled and though you have a general talk amongst you of Faith in Christ and living by faith upon him and that he is your Saviour and Redeemer yet you work iniquity daily and pleads for sin term of life and neither knows salvation nor redemption in him who is the Son of Gods love Therefore be not deceived with a vain hope and groundless Faith which stands onely in Words when your Works denies your Faith to be living being yet in your sins for the lusts of the flesh you do fulfil and draws iniquity with Cords of Vanity look inward the light will not deceive you but manifest every secret sin which lodgeth in your hearts which you would keep hidden to have your life in for though you may not be committing all sin so greedily as may stand with your hearts against many things which may be commonly counted prophane yet examine if you have not something secretly lodged which your minds are captivated in and which the light of Christ in your consciences doth reprove you for there is your lover and that must be cast out and trodden under foot if ever you come to vvitness redemption
reason with him which he would not receive but put it by under false pretences false Accusations which in Writing he sent unto me again then the boaster was got up and told me I stood spechless and was silent and had nothing to answer and seeing he would not be brought to any way by which his false accusations might come to light and his deceit discovered I was moved to return unto him in Writing some of his lyes and slanders with which he falsly accused the truth and the righteous generation whom his scornful spirit calls the generation of Quakâ—s whom he had also accused with many other things which I did not return unto him with the rest because he said I might ere long hear him make them manifest in print and in that Writing he sent me some queries to answer though he had plainly denied to answer mine therefore I laid it upon him That what he had in private papers written and charged upon the truth he might prove and print them and his queries also with the rest which he had said he would make manifest in Print but he not being willing to make all his lyes and deceit so publick as in Print he writes unto me again and therein offers Proof to what was Returned unto him and laid upon him to prove publickly and saith he had proved them all before as his Writings made manifest and it was but shifting and dissembling to call for new Proof yet he saith That both I and others may see his readiness to prove what he had said he had sent plain Proofs of the 20 Particulars which he said I might have drawn into 12 or 14 seeing 6 or 8 of them all concerned one and the same thing but he said The Quakers loves to be numerous Let the simple-minded here observe and the spiritual judge what thick darkness is upon him to say We love to be numerous when all the Particulars which I returned unto him were invented by him or some other for him and sent with his ovvn Name unto them vvhich novv he saith might have been dravvn into fevver did not he first make them numerous by multiplying of them vvithout need and I did but vvrite vvhat I received from him vvhich he novv condemns as numerous and so out of his ovvn mouth is judged to be a transgressor allovving that in himself vvhich he condemns in another And that some of his deceit may come to vievv and that it may be seen vvhat Proof he offers and of vvhat nature they are and thereby it may be judged hovv he proved his Lyes before vvhich he saith his Writings vvill make manifest I shall here therefore give forth the Particulars vvhich unto him I returned and the Proofs vvhich he hath offered vvith a short Reply unto them severally in vvhich he is unveiled Particular The first is That the quakers observes the Worlds Form Proof This Charge was to thy self in observing the Worlds Form in thy Title Page of thy Book in which thou hast laid down thy Weapons of Defence Reply That by vvhich every thing is proved to be truth is truth but no lye is of the truth therefore thou hast but added sin to sin offering one lye to prove another for in thy Writing these vvere thy vvords I do not say that writing Scripture phrases in a title page is against the truth but against your own Principle as you are Quakers who cry out against â—thers for following the Worlds Form and yet your selves do observe it therefore thou art found guilty of making Lyes thy Kefuge and would in thy ignorance perswade others that it is a proof of the matter Let the wise in heart consider and that of God in all Consciences judge if this be a proof of what thou hast falsely accused the Righteous with or if this Charge was only to my self or in general from thy own words be thou judged which I have here truly set down that all honest minds may be truly informed and thou may be convinced by that of God in thy own Conscience to be a false accuser and that is my Weapon in which I stand to defend the truth from thy lyes and it will cut thee down and there shall be none to hold thee up 2. Partic. That they maintain their device of formal quaking Proof That they labour to maintain their formal quaking is laid open in their Books and Writings Reply Such a Proof may shame a formal Professor to reproach the Saints Condition and call it formal when the Lord by his power makes the Earth to tremble and melt at his presence of which Condition Moses David Habakknk and many others were true VVitnesses which Condition we own and on the Lord do wait that by the power of his Spirit it may be wrought in the inner man and it is the work of the Lord who is unlimited in his power and what he doth who shall say unto him VVhat doest thou vvho VVorks vvhen and vvhere he pleaseth as the vvind blovveth vvhere it listeth vvhich is in no formal practice bound up or limitted neither do we so maintain it either in Book or Writing but thou hast added sin to sin again and manifested thy envie to all moderate Spirits and no way that thou canst find out to help thy self but by making Lyes thy Refuge for a Lyar thou art proved and therefore hast no cause to think why thy words should pass for proof in any matter against which thou contendest without thou canstbring plain Scripture to manifest that what thou contendest against is contrary to the Leadings and Guidings and Work of the Spirit of truth and the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles in the Scriptures declared but what thou hast done doth manifest thy folly and enâ—ity against the truth and those who walk therein 3. Paâ—â—ic That their light within is a false Harlot Proof Their light within is their false Religion being against the light and teachings of the Scriptures and false Religion is known of all who knows any thing to be a false Harlot Reply Who comes to the knowledge of Gods glory comes to know him in the light which shines in their hearts which light shines within and brings to know God where the pure Religion is witnessed which the Scripture declares of but thouknowest nothing as thou ought to know and so puts the true light for darkness and calls pure Religion a false Harlot for the true light which lighteth every man that comes into the world is Christ Joh. 1. 9. and he is the truth John 14. 6. and they that follow him comes to the light of life Joh. 8. 12. and they examine themselves and knows Christ to be in them according to the Scripture 2 Cor. 13. 5. and he is in them the hope of Glory Col. 1. 27. and this Christ we preach and this Grace of God we declare which we know to be in us and is truth in the inward parts which the Lord
THE Faithful Witness OR A HAND OF LOVE REACHED FORTH That the blind may be guided and the scattered gathered ALSO Mans Sinne and Rebellion declared and the long-suffering of the Lord shewed â—ith a true Call unto all People to meet the Lord by speedy repentance and vvait to yeild him ready obedience for here is the right Way of the Lord open'd Also the state of Professors plainly manifested wherein they may see how they are erred and hovv the Serpent hath deceived and betrayed them 〈◊〉 a Warning unto all the tender hearted amongst them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and receive the Hand of Love that they may no longer abide in 〈◊〉 but walk in the way of righteousness where true rest and peace 〈◊〉 â—â—joyed Truth defended and cleared from the Lyes and Slanâ—â—â—s declared by Ionathan Iohnson of Lincoln a Baptist in profession 〈◊〉 who bears no evil will to any man but wisheth well to all men and am 〈◊〉 to many by the Name of William Smith â—â—â—DON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1659. THE Faithful VVitness GIve ear all ye Inhabitants of the Earth for these sayings are true and faithful be meek and lowly in your hearts and how your ears to Wisdoms voice and turn at her reproof for in your own Ways are you wandering where peace you know not the bowels of compassion is freely opened from the Fathers love and his good will is made known amongst you in that he is striving with you to turn you into the right way that you might walk therein for he hath not left himself without a Witness in all your consciences which doth not consent to your ungodly deeds but doth convince you thereof and bears testimony against your ways of vanity which your minds are exercised in and all your wicked practices which by you are brought forth from your vain minds where you are beset with sin and servants thereunto your carnal minds being at enmity against God and not subjected to his Law you are at liberty in the flesh and satisfying the lust thereof and though you all profess to know God yet in Works you deny him and your hearts are far off from him therefore is your Worship vain for Gods fear is not before your eyes therefore you run to do evil and rebels more and more against the Lord wallowing in the mire of defilements that pollutes and stains your own consciences your minds being in the earth and your faces downward thick Clouds of darkness doth compass you about and the Prince of darkness ruleth over you and leads you all out of the way vvhere none doth good you are a Cage of unclean Birds every one follovving the lust of his own heart that you multiply your transgressions with delightings and commits sin vvith greediness and strengthens your hands in vvickedness a sinful Nation you are and a seed of evil doers filling up the measure of iniquity and nourishing your hearts as in a day of slaughter from the crown of the head to the sole of the feet there is no whole part in you O! how long will you suffer the Lord to wait that he may shew mercy to you How often have you rejected his loving kindness and grieved his holy Spirit What a day of a patience and forbearance hath he exercised towards you that you might have turned unto him and received his mercy You are a stiff-necked people who sets your selves against the Lord and every visitation of his love refusing to return and hating to be reformed for when you have been called by that of God in your own conscience you have not hearkened and when it hath smiten you have refus'd correction have you not felt a Witness in your own conscience against you when you have been acting iniquity that it hath judged condemned you for your secret faults that fearfulness hath surprised you paleness of face hath come upon you when no man hath been near you nor no tongue accused you yet that hath been within that hath numbred up your transgressions set your sins in order before you and brought them all to light in your own conscience which the eye of man hath not seen nor for which the tongue of man could accuse you yet they have appeared fresh in your minds though many years before they had been committed by you O consider what it is all you that have so long outstood it and yeild obedience to the reproof of it that you may be acquainted with it and thereby know it to be Gods faithful Witness in your own conscience placed against sin and the hand of Love reached forth to lead you out of sin and so come to have communion with it and walk in the light of it that you may not fall under the eternal condemnation thereof for though it be as a sign every where spoken against by those who are at enmity with it and that they call iâ—â—atural and a delusion yet if you turn at the reproof the of and yeild obedience to it you wil know it to be God â—ighty Power unto salvation and this vvill give you the eâ—â—â—ence in your selves that it is a manifestation of God which doth discover all that in you which is contrary to its own property which it hath no fellowship nor communion with and this can neither be natural nor a delusion which doth reprove the natural man in his natural state where he is an Enemy to God a fervant to sin and under the Devils power by whom he is tempted and deluded to consent to the motion of sin and to bring forth the Works of Iniquity vvhich the Faithful Witness doth not consent to but testifies against and shews it to be evil in the conscience of every man and reproveth thereof and calls every man to seperate from it as an unclean thing this you may all read in your selves in the light which you are enlightened withall Yea drunkards swearers lyars and all prophane persons you all have a manifestation of God in you which doth discover your sins unto you and brings them unto your remembrance and many times strikes you with fear and terror for the evil of your doings and brings you into sadness and mourning for your sins past which in the light is made manifest unto you in your own conscience and this is not a natural thing nor a delusion but it is Christ the light of the World who was before the World was and is the power of God made manifest to destroy sin and the Devils Works and this is he unto whom you are all to look and stand obedient unto whatsoever he doth command you that you may know salvation in him and redemption by him whose Hand of Love is reached forth in this his day of power that a willingness he might beget in you to follow him be guided by the Hand of Love out of darkness where the god of this World ruleth who is a deceiver unto whose
of all crooked pathes and to bring you into the Way of Righteousness Truth and Holiness and bring you to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled where joy unspeakable is possessed And this honor hath all the Saints who are found faithful before the Lord to follow the Lamb whither soever he goes Therefore let this testimony come unto you who have had some openings of Gods Love and have felt the gift of Grace made manifest in your conscience that hath convinced you of many things and brought you to forsake much of the Worlds Fashions and Customs and Worship and have brought you to a seperation from it that you are not so openly prophane as many of them are but are turned from many appearances of evil which the light did truly make manifest in you and convince you of in your own conscience and a simplicity there was begotten in you that Truth was precious unto you and a love you had unto it and came to have a sight of many things afar off and a desire in you to press after the enjoyment of them and by the light you were guided out of many things which it did convince you of to be evil and you could not any longer continue therein because they were made manifest unto you to be Works of darkness Deal truly with your own hearts all of you for there is nothing secret which shall not come to light and you cannot deny but that it was something of God in your own conscience that made sin manifest and convinced you thereof and moved in your hearts to draw you from it and made discoveries of secret things which in your hearts were lodged and shewed you the Worlds Wayes and Worship to be against the truth and did convince you thereof and brought you to seperate from it in appearance And â—ere was pure breathings in you which longed for God that you might come into his Court and enjoy his presence O this was a simple and innocent state in which you were precious in Gods sight and whilst you did abide faithful waiting in patience for Gods loving kindness therein to grow up into the measure of Christs fulness the Lord was not wanting to you but was large in his love and free in his mercy as in obedience you walked to the measure of the gift of Grace and your Prayers and Tears came up before him and was had in remembrance by him O what breathings pantings and hungerings hath there been in many of you after the Lord with strong cryes and tears for a Visitation of his Love and that you might walk in the light of his countenance How zealous fervent have you been after righteousness to follow the motion of the Spirit of life wth chearfulness Have you not cried down forms and set up the Spirits Worship and its teachings And hath not the spirit judged you in your own conscience when you have not obeyed it And have you not been brought to stoop down lye low under the sence of Judgement that you could not find a resting place but stil that of God in your own conscience pursued you whithersoever you went you could not leave it in any place but near you it did appear witnessing against you and judging you for your disobedience Can you not vvitness these things to be true many of you and that this hath been your condition going heavily and mournfully under Gods displeasure made manifest against you And hath not your anguish and trouble been within you which hath brought you into meekness and lowliness and beaten you down in your selves that you have confest your own nothingnesâ— and insufficiency and here hath been brought to wait on the Lord alone in simplicity that his saving-strength you might feele to help you And did not you find him to be a God near at hand when your eye was towards him and your expectations from him Did he not open his love freely and gave you savoury refreshment and comfort and made bare his own Arm to help you wrought all your Works in you and for you that you have even admiredd his goodness and acknowledged his power in his free Gift and Grace unto you and whilst the simpliâ—ity did abide in you and you was faithful to what was made manifest unto you What pure breathings had many of you after a greater measure of the gift of Grace and that the Lord would pour forth more of his Spirit upon you that you might be made fruitful and grow up to the Lord in it And here you had precious discoveries as you stood in obedience to the measure of Gods Spirit thereby to be guided and so seperated from the Worlds form in obedience to the light of Christ in your own conscience and that it did constrain you to depart having made known unto you something more excellent which was above the Worlds Worship and which you found to be your duty to walk np unto that you might come into liberty and to serve God in the Spirit and here you stood in Gods fear and assembled together to wait for the Spirits moving that it might teach you to speak and teach you to pray and that all your duties might be offered up and performed in the Spirit Hath not this been declared by many of you from what you have truly felt of Gods loving kindness made manifest in you which brought you to deny testifie against many things which you were convinced of to be evil but you have forsaken your first Love and have not been faithful to the end therefore the Lord hath somewhat against you because you uphold that Woman Jezzabel and suffers her to teach and seduce by whom many are overcome to commit fornication with her for the true Guide you have lost which once did lead you in the way and would have brought you to the true rest had you kept your minds stayed in it and vvalked in obedience to it but the Enemy hath deceived you and prevailed over you and drawn you into crooked pathes where you are got into the Earth again for the simplicity is betrayed and your desires are cooled and your breathings and pantings after God are stayed and you are set down in a form which once you were convinced of to be dead and barren Let not this offend you for it is the truth concerning many of you and the Witness of God in your conscience doth answer to it Therefore remember from whence you are fallen and repent for the â—ord would not have you perish but still reacheth forth a hand of Love unto you having more pleasure to save then to destroy therefore is he still striving with you and gives you no rest nor peace in the way which the god of this World hath led you into and blinds your minds in for your actions witness against you daily that you are servants to sin and that Liberty you speak of and saith you are redeemed unto is but an occasion
loveth and will stand above thee and all thy deceit though thou hast blasphemed him 4 Partic. That they steat Scriptures to deck their false Harlots with Proof Is proved in first calling the Scriptures dead and liveless to bring their false Harlot called light within into osteem and then fills their mouths with it to seem spiritualized and to make the world believe 't is from themselves and not from Scripture and this was proved against thes in thy Title Page of thy Book to H. H. Reply The light within is already proved from plain Scripture to be Christ the light of the world and the eternal truth and power of God and the Scriptures are dead and liveless unto thee who art at enmity with the light and life from which they were declared and unto which they bear testimony and therefore we deny thee though thy mouth may be somtimes filled with Scripture expressions and of which it is now empty but the Scriptures we own and have unity with them in the same Spirit from which they were given forth and knows them to be fulfilled in us who walk after the Spirit and what thou sayest was proved before to this matter against me is a proof which was of thy own inventions as these are which thou hast now offered to thy shame for ever not giving a Scripture expression nor naming a Scripture for what thou hast said but thy mouth is filled with Lyes instead of Scripture and that thou calls a proof 5. Partic. That they labour to have the Scriptures dead in mâ—ns estâ—mation Proof Is proved plainâ—y in telling men the Scriptures are a dead Letter and a liveless Book and saying it is a damnable Doctrine to say the Spirit is received by the hearing of Faith preached and beleeving according to the Scriptures and in calling the Doctrine and Ordinances of Christ in the Scriptures outward Forms and liveless Reply That which hath not life in it self is dead and thou cannot deny it and the Book hath not life in it self neither can the Letter thereof give life to any though they may read it and hear it all their life time and if ever thou come to know the Scriptures and the true use of them thou must come to the light which is the life of men without whom all things are dead and it is a damnable Doctrine to preach the Letter for Christ and set it above him which is not according to the Doctrine of those who were Ministers of the Spirit and not of the Letter and this doth the Letter declare and the Spirit is not received by hearing or reading the Letter but by the hearing of Faith preached in the heart by the Spirit that quickneth and the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles which the Scriptures do declare and beleeving according to that Doctrine we own and in it walk by the same spirit which doth not lead any contrary who by it are guided but leads into the fulfilling of all and into the life where living vertue is received which from the beginning was ordained which is not dead nor formal but life and power but thou can sit down in thy own time to eat and drink in immitation of what thy imagination comprehends by reading the Scriptures that the Saints did and so thou glories in appearance and not in heart 6. Partic. That they deny the Scriptures Proof Is proved afore in which they are manifested to be the most audacious denyers of Scripture that ever hath been of all the Antich istian party Reply That which thou hast proved afore thou hast manifested thy self in to be a servant unto him who is an enemy to truth and every appearance of Righteousness which by the light is brought forth in the Children of Obedience that strikes at every work of darkness having no Communion with it and this makes him rage in Wrath and Fury in thee to speak great swelling words of vanity and offer them for a Proof that his Lyes might have a likeness of truth put upon them by which many are at this day deceived for the scriptures are owned and beleeved in and the Doctrine of Christ is obeyed and the light is walked in which gives us fellowship with the Father and with the Son where we have Communion with the life but Antichrist denyeth the Father and the Son and is at enmity with the divine Nature and fighting against every appearance of godliness which from the living vertue thereof is brought forth which thou makes thy great business to oppose and contend against 7. Partic. â—hat they are not guided by that light and spirit that gave forth the Scriptures Proof Is proved both by their denyal of those Scriptures and Commands gâ—vâ—n forth by the light and spirit of God in the Scriptures and also in their seâ—ting up a pretended light within contrary to any teachings of the spirit of God in the Scriptures Reply Thou art proved a Lyar by plain scripture in the Third Reply where it is proved that Christ is the light and it was in their hearts and this doth the teachings of Gods spirit in the scripture witness and we neither deny the teachings nor Commands given forth by the light and spirit of God in the scriptures but have unity with them and the sâ—me light and spirit teacheth us and unto the Commands thereof we wait to yield obedience but it is thy business to make Lyes thy Refuge and adds one to another without shame neither shewing what the Teachings and Commands are which thou sayest the scriptures teacheth and commandeth and what we deny nor what the light and spirit is nor where to be waited for which thou sayest we are not guided by but thou passeth all for Proof because thou sayest it 8. Par That they are evil dealers and fighters against God Proof Is proved in their evil dealing and fighting against the spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures and denying obedience thereunto and rayling against those that dâ— obey to exalt their lying spirit against it Reply What shall be done unto thee O thou false tongue who without fear uttereth such Lyes against the innocent who are guided by the spirit of truth out of all evil dealing or wrong doing but thou art in the depth of the bottomless pit and from thence foaming out thy own shame not fearing to speak any thing which the lying spirit puts into thy mouth and calls it a Proof when thou hast neither scripture ground nor reason to shew for what thou sayest but as the Devil hatcheth mischief in thy heart so with a ready mind thou serves him in what he will have thee to do and so falsely accuses the innocent who in all obedience serves the Lord and walks-after the spirit and yields all obedience to it and yet thou sayest they deny the spirit of God speaking in the scriptures but hast not shewed what those speakings are nor who they are that do obey that they rail against nor what
the lying spirit is that they exalt for what thou hast here laid down is but in substance one with thy whole matter which thou calls Proofs for what thou hast to say is chiefly against the light within and disobedience to the scripture teaching in which thou hast been proved a lyar and a false accuser manifesting nothing but envy against the Righteous generation whose foundation is sure and their footsteps so ordered upon it that all thy darts cannot make them to move neither can the strength of thy might shake their foundation 9. Part. That they have nâ—ither part in nor fellowship with the Scriptures Proof What part or fellowship can they have with the Scriptures who deny their Teachings and Commands thereof and the spirits speaking 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 〈◊〉 from their Teaching except that part and fellowship of condemnation which the Scriptures doth pass sentence of against all that disobey their Teaching Reply Wilt thou not here see thy ignorance to ask a question and offer it for a Proof was ever any that thou readest of in the scriptures who were guided by the spirit of truth thus taught for the scriptures doth not set up it self to be the teacher neither canst thou prove it or that the scripture passeth sentence upon any but the Lord gives forth his Word that gives sentance against all the disobedient the scriptures do but declare that sencence which was given forth by the Lord and it is the grace of God that teacheth and the anointing within and this the scripture bears Witness of directs the minds of all people unto where true teaching is received from the true voice this we labour to draw all men unto therefore thy condemnation will be from the light which thou art at enmity with and hates it because thy deeds are evil 10. Partic. That they are guilty of taking counsel together against Christ Proof Is Proved in their binding themselves together in many several places thereby all the violence of words and writings that they can draw men from the teaching of Christ his Apostles to follow their false devices and secret pretended light Reply Thou art in the Heathens rage there fighting against the Lord speaking evil of the things thou knowest not calling the light false and pretended which Christ his Apostles preached for the doctrine of salvation unto all that love it believe in it for condemnation unto all that hate it unto this light we exhort all people to look unto be saved which is the eternal truth which thou canst not prevail against 11. Partic. That they seek to kill Christ in his Witness Proof Is proved in their seeking to kill that Christ which is preached and taught in the scriptures to set up their own falsâ— Idol which they call Christ within never preach'd or Taught in scripture but the scriptures will be lively Witnesses to their condemnation Reply Thou art a cruel blasphemer to call Christ within a false Idol dare affirm that he never was so preacht or taught in the scriptures doest thou talk so much of the scripture and their teaching hast thou never read in the declaration thereof that Christ is in heaven did not he teach unbeleevers to look for the kingdom of heaven within them and hast thou not read Joh. 17. 23. I in them and thou in me and Gal. 1. 15 16. But when it pleased God who separated me from my Mothers womb and called me by his grace to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him among the Gentiles and Col. 1. 27 28. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this Mysterie among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory whom we preach Now let the wise in heart judge thy blasphemy who hath denied Christ the plain words of scriptures saith Christ within is a false Idol that he was never so preacht in the scriptures when they preach'd that Christ that was in them not another whom we know to live in us so preaches him which thou by wicked hands crucifies slayes in thee so blasphems his holy name I am moved to warn thee to repentance that thou mayst not go on in the hardness of thy heart to treasure up Wrath against the day of Wrath revelation of the righteous judgment of God for thou art in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity 12. Partic. That they set up a Kingdom of darkness Proof Is proved in setting up their low-bred devices of darkness against the glorious and heavenly light of Christ in the scriptures Reply Let thy mouth of iniquity be for ever stopped who hath denied Christ the scriptures stands an open enemy against the glorious light of Christ declared of in the scriptures but where is it written that the heavenly light of Christ is in the scriptures but it is written that the true light is Christ and the scriptures are not Christ but are they which testifies of him therfore thy understanding is darkned the god of this World hath thee captive at his will fills thee full of Witchcraft that by thy sorceries the simple minds are deceived unto whose view thou art now opened and thy enchantments is discovered that thou may be seen naked and bare 13. Partic. That they are against the Scriptures Proof Was there ever any more grosly wickedly against the scriptures than they who denied their life disobey their teachings boldly audaciously and sets up their own darkness which they call light against the light thereof Reply Thou hast here manifested thy folly in asking a question and offering it for a Proof speaking the same sentences over again which thou hast used before and is Replied to but thou art is a lost man who knows not which way to take so many times goeth backward when he should go forward as thou art doing who knows not what to say to make up somthing to call a Proof but the scriptures thou hast denied and it is plainly proved against thee and the light which they bear Witness of thou art an enemy unto it and fighting against it 14. Partic. That they deny the Lord that Bought them Proof Is proved in their bringing in damnable hereâ—ies 2 Pet. 2. 1. under a pretence of a light within to deny the â—ight of Christ held forth in the Scripture as in the doctrine of Redemption saying Their light within is the Redeemer and that nothing without a man can Redeemâ— him by which is denied that great Redemption and Redeemer who without â—ll men did Redeem all men Reply Thou hast here brought a scripture which is owned and seen to be fulfilled in thee that hast denied Christ within who is the Lord which is a damnable heresie contrary to the scriptures doth not that scripture say that such as bring in damnable hereâ—ies shall also
speak evil of the way of truth is not this thy great business to speak evil of Christ the light of the world who is the way and the truth which thou art speaking against so act out of the doctrine of Redemption not knowing thy Redeemer to live having not obeyed from thy heart the form of Christ doctrine so art not come to the work of Redemption which worketh by his own mighty power in all that beleeve in him saving from fin redeeming from all iniquity and making perfect for ever through the sanctification of the spirit which is his work within and yet without all men these things thou canst not reach unto in thy wisdom below 15. Partic. That they make the Word of God of none Authority Proof Is proved by their Traditions against the teachings of the Word of God which tells men that they who are without Faith are without Christ the true light Eph. 2. 12. But the Quakers tells men who are without faith that they have must look to Christ the true light within a flat contradiction to the divâ—nâ— Authority of the Word of God Reply All that knows the Word of God the teachings thereof do see thee to be in that state as they were who were without Christ the Apostle doth not say that Christ was not within them but that they were without Christ without God in the world therfore he calls them to awake arise from the dead 〈…〉 Christ might give them light which was not a light without â—nem for that they had whilst they were dead but to the light within them did he mind them which when they had received they were made light in the Lord knew him to be the Author of their Faith which he wrought in their â—eaâ—â—s by the Word of his power which is the Word of Faith preached stands in the divine authority of God that so it is the true doctrin which the Word of God teacheth without any contradiction that they who are without faith are without Christ yet who are without faith are to look unto Christ within them obey him there that he may work faith in their hearts which those who are at enmity with him doth not come to know so abides without him in the unbelief in the world having no comunion with his life though such be without him yet he is within them a faithful witness to reprove them in their own conscience for their transgression disobedience but the Book unto thee is sealed thou art unlearn'd thy heart hardened that thou wilt not beleeve truth though from the living Word of God it be declared 16. Partic. That they set their hearts against the Lords Teachings in the Scriptures Proof Is proved in their setting themselves in array against the teachings of Christ his Apostles in the scriptures which is the open manifestation of the true light calling men into the desart and secret place to look for light in the house of darkness Reply Christ said false Christs false Prophets should arise shew great figns and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very elect but saith he Behold I have told you before wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the desart go not forth Mat. 24. If thy understanding was opened to know the scriptures Christs own words declares theâ— plainly what thou art what signs wonders thou art shewing to deceive by saying Christ is without behold him there Christ saith Go not forth this is his own doctrine all believers obeys it that which they were not to go forth from was within them and when those false Prophets came vvhich Christ said should come John savv their deceit their seducing spirit in the same light in vvhich thou art novv made manifest he exhorted to bevvare of that vvhich did seduce to look unto that vvhich vvas vvithin them which is the anointing saith he that ye have received of him abideth in you you need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and no lye Joh. 2 27. And thus the Scriptures comes to be known and witnessed in the unity of that Spirit which is but one in all Christ said false prophets should come Go 〈◊〉 forth John saw them when they did come and he said Abide in the anointing which is in 〈◊〉 and here is the pure Doctrine of Christ the Apostle declared in the unity of the Spirit which thou art at enmity with and so teacheth another Doctrine as all false Prophets deceivers do 17. Partic. That they set up their own traditions Proof Is proved in setting up their pretended light which is quite contrary to the light and teachings of Scripture Rep. Thou being in the state of darkness calls good evil and so falsly accuses the truth by thy lying spirit which to make way for thy lyes to be brought in cryes out against the truth to be contrary to the Scripture-teaching and under this Vail of thick darkness was the Lord of glory crucified by the wise Scripture-learned who cried out against him to teach contrary to what was written in the Law and the Prophets and so enviously set themselves against him who was the end of the Law and Prophets and falsly accused him as thou in that Wisdom art doing who is the light of the world 18. Partic. That they pull down the Oracle of God in the Scriptures Proof Is proved in their calling the Scriptures dead and lifeless and pulling their teachings from mens hearts and minds that they might receive their false Voice which is quite contrary to them Rep. Christ's sheep hear his voice and follows him and his voice they know from strangers and it is the true Voice which is uttered from Gods holy habitation which is sweet to all that love it and a terror to all that hate it unto which we mind all people to give diligence that with a ready performance they may obey and do whatsoever it doth command and this is the still voice which is behinde thee from which thou starts aside and will not abide the reproof thereof 19. Partic. That they set up their own Idol-Books as a living voice Proof Is proved in their setting up their Books for Teachers and calling the Scriptures dead and lifelefs which books compared with their denyal of the Scriptures teaching are set forth with blâ—sphemous Tities Rep. The Lord God who lives for ever pleads the cause of the innocent against thy false tongue and he that searcheth all hearts and judgeth right in every conscience knows that thou dost falsly accuse the righteous generation and that there is no guilt upon them as to what thou hast charged against them for they do not deny the Scriptures nor sets up their Books for Teachers neither are the
Titles thereof blasphemous but in this thou hast served thy Master to the full and to all moderate Spirits art manifest to bear the Image of him who was a lyar from the beginning and thou hast neither shewed what they deny the Scriptures in not what Titles their Books bears nor how they are blasphemous neither hast given any Scripture-proof or expression for what thou hast said but as thou hatcheth mischief in thy heart so thou utters it without fear 20. Partic. That they perswade themselves and others of a light within without against any testimony of Scripture Proof Is proved in all their teachings by word and writing which chiefly consists in this to teâ—â— men who are not in the faith That they must look onely to the light within them and not to the Scriptures light which is without and against all Scripture-teaching Rep. The beast hath been sore troubled for any defence against the Lambs power for thou hast had thy proofs so far to seek that if thou hadst not gone down into the pit of darkness where lyes are invented thou might'st have stood silent which had been better for thee then to make lyes thy refuge and with them accuse the truth and rise up against the Lamb and his followers to make War rather then thou wilt stand stil thou wilt add lye to lye speak them over and over as is manifest in the particulars and what thou hast offered to prove them by and it is a true Doctrine and hath before been plainly proved That all men are to look unto Christ who is the light of the World that in his light they may walk and know him to be the Author of Faith and to work it in their hearts with power and no unbeliever is to look unto any other thing but Christ the true light and the Author of Faith and the Teacher and there is not another neither doth the Scriptures set themselves in that place but bear witness unto him unto whom all power is given who by his own living voice calls all to come unto him and they that come he doth not cast off neither sends them to the Scriptures not any thing else for life or salvation but opens the fresh springs where satisfaction and pure refreshment is received and eternal life witnessed and the Scripture-testimony owned and so by the light are thy lies and false accusations condemned Then thou saist Thâ—â— reminds me of what I ought to prove against 〈◊〉 which is That thou goes upon thy belly and feeds upon the dust Thou didst confess in thy Writing that it was the Lords Sentence against the Serpent then look into the 23. of Matthew and there see what sort of people they were that Christ calls Serpents though there be not thy name yet thou hast the nature and in that is working the same wickedness and filling up the measure of thy fathers And here thou maist read thy self and thy portion and this is a plain proof to all the children of light unto whom I offer it who hath unity wiâ—h that which proveth all things Then thou bids me labour to have my mind enlarged though my body be in prison then askest If the light within hath taught me to deny Tythes without the Scriptures and if I will say my cause is good being for the non-payment of Tythes and if the light within hath taught me that without the Scriptures then thou sayest he who throws me in prison may pretend as good a light within to demand them as I to deny them but if I deny to pay because the Scripture hath taught me otherwise thou askest Why I will not as well obey them in what they command me in other things as in the non-payment of money and then askest Why I will call them dead and lifeless and yet call them for my defence when I am in need Then thou bids me consider well of this and be not deceived It is not my own labour that can enlarge my mind unto God neither is it the imprisonment of my body that can keep my mind bound but in the Lords power my heart is enlarged and I made willing to run the way of his Commands who is near unto me and in the midst of my sufferings his comforts delight my soul and his right hand upholds me and my cause is good being for the non-payment of tythes and thou canst not overthrow it and by the light of Christ in my conscience I am taught to deny them and in the light I have unity with the Scriptures and am made to stand a Witness against all deceit and oppression as they did who gave forth the Scriptures knowing Christ the end of all types figures tythes temples made with hands who is the unchangeable life But this Gate is too straight for thee to enter in at and the way to narrow for thee to walk in and so thou lightly esteems of those that are truly called by the Lord to walk therein and unto all things which by the Doctrine of Christ in the Scriptures I am commanded I desire to wait that I may perform them with a ready mind and that I may as a good servant do the will of God who is my helper in the 〈◊〉 ful time and doth defend me from all false tongues neither 〈…〉 own or call any thing for my defence in the truth but he 〈◊〉 who is my life in whom I trust that doth not fail me but 〈◊〉 wrought great things for me by his own arm and I trust will 〈◊〉 deliver me when the good pleasure of his will he hath performed So thy secret parts are unveiled thou art manifested where 〈◊〉 goes and upon what thou feeds for it is the Serpents poyson whiâ—â— out of thy mouth is cast who would give him that casts me into â—â—â—â—on as good right to demand Tythes by a pretended light as I to deny them from the true light so by thy rule would make the thing pretended to be of equal weight with that which in the truth is â—â—â—â—blished for all that receives the spirit which is of God knows the things that are freely given of God and the light of Christ which enlighteneth every man that comes into the world doth not give unto any man as good a right to demand any part of the substance which the Lord gives and encreases unto me as it doth unto me 〈◊〉 deny that â—an of his demand to receive my own which the Lord hath encreased unto me And he who pretends such a light to â—â—mand that which is not his nor which no man can in the truth givâ— him any interest in he errs from the true light his pretence 〈◊〉 not make his demand neither equal nor warrantable for the 〈◊〉 light doth not lead any man to covet or to desire that which is 〈◊〉 his but brings all that are guided by it to be satisfied contented with the Lords free-gift and encrease unto them and so the tenth Cock of Hey or Corn or other encrease is as truly my own as the nine being the same encrease unto me from the Lord and I 〈◊〉 challenge it as the Lords blessing and so receives it as my own â—â—â—â—ly from the Lord without yeilding any account to any man 〈◊〉 have the answer of a good conscience in it and peace with God in suffering for it who receives tythes denies Christ the true light and who payes tythes are not guided by him who is the end 〈◊〉 Tythes and of that Covenant under which Tythes were paid Therefore look over thy self again and be covered with shame and let thy 〈◊〉 tongue be forever silent who hath so proudly scornfully and disdainfully spoken 〈◊〉 the right way of the Lord and those that walk therein So I have considered thee 〈…〉 light in which all things are considered welâ— and sees thee to be a blasphâ—â—â—eâ— a 〈◊〉 a lyar and a slanderer aâ—d so hath proved thee Therefore the Doctrine of 〈◊〉 is preaâ—ed unto thee W. S. THE END
by Christ Some men are not common Drunkards as the World calls them yet secretly hath a love to be in the excess some in neither of these yet hath another lover So some in pride some in covetousness some in foolish jesting and idle talking some in vain sports and pleasures of the World that so you are all found to have some secret lover vvhich you vvould not have tried in the light novv there is nothing so secret vvhich shall not come to light though long you may hide it and smotheâ— the Witness of God in your ovvn conscience that testifies against it yet to the light must every secret thing come vvhether it be good or evil and in the light be tried and judged in righteous judgement Therefore all unto the light give up your selves and yeild obedience to every motion thereof in your own consciences that you may become followers of it in love to it for if you stand in the enmity against it and be more in love vvith your evil deeds then you are vvith the light there vvill be no escaping the condemnation of it therefore let this be a Warning unto you all who live in pleasures upon the Earth that you may cease to do evil and depart from your iniquities and break off from your sins before the time come in which you will say There is no pleasure in them O hearken hearken for this is the day of your visitation now is the accepted time now is Gods Witness striving with you now is the Hand of Love reached forth unto you therefore whilst it is called to day harden not your hearts but turn unto the Lord who stands ready to have mercy upon you for therein doth he delight Now let not your hearts be hardened to outstand this day of Visitation left the day of Vengeance and Indignation come upon you and overtake you because mercy you have refused Consider this all you who have your life in pride covetousness drunkenness swearing lying envy and malice and vanities of the World if these things be not shewed you to be evil by something in your own conscience that doth convince you of them and reprove you for them and brings you to an understanding that you ought not to do them this is the light of Christ which is pure and hath no communion with darkness nor the unfruitful Works thereof but is seperated from the unclean neither joining with it nor consenting to it but hath a life in it self which is holy and undefiled and doth pursue the evil-doer in judgement who is at enmity with it and in disobedience to it O sink down in Gods fear and consider what a day of patience and forbearance he hath continued unto you how long hath he spared you And what a time of repentance hath he given you And how many years hath he striven vvith you that with the Cords of Love he might have drawn you and with the Hand of Love have led you But you have rejected it and casts love behind your backs and likes to retain your evil deeds better and to love darkness rather What Visitations of Gods pure love have you set at nought that you might walk after the way of your own hearts the lust of your own eyes rising up in rebellion against the pure Witness of God in your own conscience and â—laying it that you might live in pleasures and walk at liberty in the flesh without reproof And thus is the just condemned and killed by you and he resists not he is rejected and despised by you wounding him by your transgressions and bruising him with your iniquities yet doth not he open his mouth but as a Lamb is he led to the slaughter O look up unto him whom you pierce and mourn let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into heaviness for he doth not so deal with you but suffers and bears in patience and in the bowels of pitty is yet striving with you that his goodness might lead you to repentance and thus doth he love his enemies and doth good to those that hates him Therefore all bow your ears and hearken and be diligent to obey the light before it cease striving with you and the long-suffering of the Lord come to an end concerning you and his tender love be shut up from you who have gain-sayed and outstood the day of your Visitation and then you begin to knock like foolish Virgins when the doors is shut and all things quiet and to seek a place of repentance when it cannot be found though you seek it with tears O prize the day of your Visitation and let all vain Disputers of this World lay their hands upon their mouths and confess they have done foolishly in contending and striving in their own wills against that which hath so long striven with them that they might be turned from the darkness unto the light and from the power of Satan unto God thaâ— the hand of Love might guide them to receive the Grace of God which so freely he hath made manifest unto them Read you Priests Professors and all people who hates the light and will not â—bide to hear of it so near you as in your own conscience but are filled with rage and fury against it speaking scornfully proudly and disdainfully of it and ast that are guided by it in this you are all friends and joins together fear and tremble before the living God for his wrath is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men and a day of sad lamentation is kindling from the breath of the Almighty and wil fall upon the heads of the ungodlyâ— who in their stout-heartedness outstand the day of Gods loving kindness this testimony wil reach you all and that of God in your conscience answers to it give all diligence thereunto for it is a sure Word and teacheth right things it will not deceive you if you incline your mâ—â—ds unto it that you may be doers of what it teacheth for it is Gods Grace that appeareth and if you yeild obedience to it you will know it brings salvation with it and will teach you to deny the ungodliness and worldly lusts in which the Prince of darkness leads you and deceives you and brings forth his Work by you in all manner of sin and wickedness in which you are serving him and in which your minds are captivated by him and the light of Christ in your conscience hath no communion with such Works of darkness but stands a Witness against them and reproves you for them as you join unto them And this is the Word of his Grace that would have you to deny them and forsake them and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil World for the fashions of this World passeth away and all your vanities will wither and your beauty consume and the later end wil come upon you when the Lord will have no pleasure in you but will give