defrauding one another of the Earth which is none of your own and you are Persecutors and Stoners and Strikers of the Innocent Children and Servants and Messengers of God and what Sin is there among those whom you account Heathen that is not amongst you and doth abound yea those whom you account Heathen may condemn you in much of their Practice Oh! be ashamed blush you Priests Teachers of England to see your Ministry the Fruits of your Ministry so laid open before you and thus you are those who come near the Lord with your Lips Mouthes but your Hearts are far from him in the Earth or else you would walk more uprightly But saith the Lord In vain do you worship me teaching for Doctrine the Commmandments of Men but I know some Pharisees and Priests will be ready to say We are not Drunkards nor Swearers nor such like but I say unto you You are Hypocrites and your Hearts are full of Deceit Envy Wrath and Bitterness Covetousness Pride and Earthly-Mindedness and self-Love and self-Wisdom and Persecutors and the greatest Oppressors of the Truth and Publicans and Harlots shall enter the Kingdom before you Jesus Christ the Light marked out your Fore-Fathers and found them to be such though they were more strict and zealous then this Generation and by the same Light you are soâ—nd in their Steps and those Things both Christ and his Apostles judged to be without and condemned them out of the New Covenant for there no unrighteous Person can dwell and there all Wars are ended and the Swords beat into pruning Hâ—oks and Guns into Plow-shares and there is no Oppression nor self exalting but he that would be the greatest must be the least and in Righteousness are they established and they are far from Oppression and the Lord alone is their Teacher and there is no need of an outward Law For to them there is no Condemnation who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and there is no Respect of Persons but all Members of one Body of which Christ is Head serving one another in Love and here is the New Covenant and the Children of the New Covenant who are washed and made clean by the Blood of the New Covenant but you are Aliens and Strangers from this Covenant who are in your Notions and Professions therefore all you ignorant People who are led by these deceitful Priests and Pharisees and disdâ—in to be wiser then your Fore Fathers now see who are your Fore-Fathers and the Original of your Priests and who is your Example for you are out of the Life and Practice of the Apostles and the Children of Light and by their Life are judged and condemned for they were mortified to that Life which you live in neither did the Ministers of the Gospel Baptize Infants with Water neither did they Teach for Hire or stand up in the chiefest Place in the Assembly neither were they called of Men Master neither had they the long Gowns neither did they Respect any Place more then another to teach or preach in except for Conveniency for they taught in dwelling-Houses and by the River sides or in any open Place neither did they give to the World David's Conditions to be sung in â— Meter neither did they give to natural Men and Women Bread and Wine which you call a SACRAMENT neither did they use to Church Women as you call it and take Money for it neither did they take a Text of other Mens Words and speak from it a Divination of their own Brain neither did they study what or how to preach but spoak as they were moved by the holy Ghost neither did they teach People The Letter was the Word or That the Letter was the Light but they bore witness of God to be the Word and â—hrist to be the Light neither did they teach People That they could never be free from Siâ— while they wâ—re upon the Earth but they preached Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who came to take away the Sins of the World and to redeem his People from their Sin and to set them in the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God that he might redeem unto himself a pure Church not having Spot or Wrincle or any such Thing neither did they teach People That a House of Liâ—e and Stone was the Church or the House of God neither were they set up or upheld by a Law of Man or came by the Will of Man or stood in the VVill of Man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ and from him they received their Message and Command neither were they brought up in Human Learning at an University as it is called to learn Arts and Sciences and take Degrees from Sir to Batchellor and from Batchellor to Master of Arts from Master to Batchellor of Divinity from Batchellor of Divinity to Doctor of Divinity and had so many several Gowns but the Pharisees loved these Things but the Ministers of Christ were not such but most of them were ignorant and unlearned in that Wisdom and Learning but unto them it was given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom but it was hid from the World and the wise Ones thereof and now the wise Ones of the World say That is the Means ordained of God to come to the Knowledge of the Truth and that is the Original to wit human Learning and deny all Revelation or immediate Inspiration and say it is ceased for all which they have no Scripture Proof for the Apostles never taught this Doctrine nor prescribed this Way therefore your Teachers are such as bring another Doctrine and climb up another Way who are not to be received but shut out for Thieves and Robbers who shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against Men and will neither enter in themselves nor suffer others that would and the Ministers of the Gospel never preach'd up Hebrew and Greek to be the Original but they preached the Word to be the Original neither took Tythes nor ever had a set Maintenance or so much a Year namely forty fifty or sixty or a hundred or two hundred Pounds a Year more or less to abide in one Place neither sued any at the Law for any such Thing but all their Care was to make the Gospel free and without Charge neither did they take of those that did not own them as denyed them but shoke off the Dust of their Feet and so left them neither had they an Hour-Glass to limit themselves by or had a Clark to say Amen But your Priests will tell you Now the Gospel is published and the Churches are gathered and planted Oh! with Shame might they speak it what Churches have they gathered here I have before laid down their Church the Ground thereof the Gathering thereof and the Planting thereof and what they are and also the Gathering of the Apostles Church and the Planting thereof so that here
the Ladder catching at the Rope with his other Hand missed the Rope and fell from a very great Height down upon Stones by which Fall he was exceedingly Wounded in the Head and Arms and his Body much Bruised and taken up for Dead Then they put him in a little low Hole call'd the Oven which place was so Little that some Bakers Ovens have been seen Bigger then it though not so high without the least Air Hole or Window for Smoak neither would they suffer him to have a little Charcole brought in to prevent the Smoak And after he was a little Recovered they would not suffer him to take a little Air which was but once desired by him feeling himself spent much for want of Breath And although some did offer their Bond of Forty Pounds to a Justice so called and another to lie Body for Body that James might have but Liberty to come to their House while he was well and to be returned again when he should be Recovered and that if he Dyed they should have his Body but they would not their Wills being unalterably set in Cruelty against him And it was desired That he might but walk in the Yard but it was said He should not have so much Liberty as to walk to the Castle Door which was strictly executed for the Door being open he did but walk forth into a Close Stinking Yard before the Door and the Goaler came in great Rage and lock't up the Hole where he lay and shut him out in the Yard all Night being in the Coldest Time of all Winter And seeing that their Rage did more and more encrease and there was an Addition to his Sufferings daily and seeing there was no way to satisfie their Malice but his Blood and seeing his Life could not in all likelihood be continu'd long in that Place and Condition he was in there was no little Labour and Means used to lay it before the Highest in Authority yea more concerning that Man that his Life might have been saved and they kept from Innocent Blood then ever was concerning any if not all that ever were Imprisoned of our Friends for some Years before but no Mercy could be found amongst them and though they were told of his Wounds Weakness and Ill Usage yet would not believe it till he was Dead and then some who were his Persecutors used their Wits to cover his Sufferings from being known and would cast it upon himself At his Departure there were present with him Ann Langley and Thomas Shortland who related his last words as followeth viz. HERE I DYE INNOCENTLY and further said NOW I MUST GO and turned his Head to Thomas and said THIS DEATH I MUST DYE and further said THOMAS I HAVE SEEN GREAT THINGS and bad him That he should not hold him but let him go and said it over again WILL YOU HOLD ME then said Ann Dear Heart we will not hold thee and then he said NOW I GO and stretched out himself and fell into a sweet Sleep and slept about an Hour as he often had said that ONE HOUR's SLEEP WOULD CURE HIM OF ALL and so drew Breath no more This is the Substance of a Relation given of his Sufferings and Death heretofore printed in a Book entituled The Lamb's Defence against Lyes published soon after James Parnel departed Thus did this Valiant Souldier in the Lamb's War Conquer through Sufferings and hath laid down his Head in Peace forever London the 29th Day of the 6th Moneth 1675. Written by a Lover of the Faithful Followers of CHRIST JESVS ELLIS HOOKES A TABLE OF THE Principal Heads Contained in this Book I. A Tryal of Faith wherein is discovered the Ground of the Faith of the Hypocrites which perisheth and the Faith of the Saints which is founded upon the Everlasting Rock page 1. II. Christ Exalted into his Throne and the Scripture owned in its Place 11. III. The Trumpet of the Lord Blown or a Blast against Pride and Oppression and the Defiled Liberty which stands in the Flesh 28. To the Libertine whose Liberty stands in the Flesh 41. To all Scoffers Scorners Reproachers and Revilers of the Children Servants and Messengers of God 49. IV. A Shield of the Truth or the Truth of God cleared from Scandals and Reproaches cast upon it by Scandalous and Reproachful Tongues which the Devil in all Ages did make use of whereby he Blasphemed the Truth of God striving to present it Odious to the Eyes and Ears for all People that so he might uphold his own Kingdom pag. 55. Concerning the Name Quakers 58. We are Accused to be False Prophets False Teachers and Deceivers c. ibid. We are Accused to deny the Scriptures 68. We are Accused to deny the Baptism 67. We are Accused to deny the Supper of the Lord 68. We are Accused to deny all Prayer 70. We are Accused to be destructive to the Ministry 72. We are Accused to deny all Magistracy and Government 81. We are Accused to be destructive to all Superiority and Honour Breeding and Manners c. 85. We are Accused to say That we are Perfect without Sin 97. We are Accused to deny Christ come in the Flesh 104. We are Accused that we Judge People 105. We are Accused to deny the Church 107. We are Accused to deny the Sabbath 108. We are Accused That we Justifie our selves and Condemn all others 109. We are Accused to be one with the Ranters 111. We are Accused That the Ground of our Religion is Popery pag. 113. A few words to all you Heads Rulers and Magistrates of what Degree soever 115. To all who are convinced by the Light of God in your Consciences 118. V. The Watcher or The Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands striking at the Feet of the Image whose Head is Gold and Breast of Silver and Thighs of Brass and Legs of Iron and Feet part Iron and part Clay 121. A Relation of several Passages that James Parnel had with the People called Baptists in several Meetings with the Occasion of the First Meeting 180. A Copy of some Queries which were sent to the Baptized People in Fenstanton 188. The Occasion of another Meeting between the People called Baptists and the People called Quakers 196. Another Meeting between the People called Baptists and the People called Quakers 208. The Excommunication of Ezekiel Cater and Samuel Cater out of the Baptists Society with their Answer thereunto 225. A Word to all who are still in their own Formings Self actings and Imitatings 230. VI. The Fruits of a Fast appointed by the Churches gather'd against Christ and his Kingdom who go about to mock God with their Out-side Worship and Appointed Fasts and Dayes of Voluntary Humiliation or a Declaration of the Persecution of a Messenger of the Lord by a People who go under the Name of Independents in Essex who have set themselves in the Enmity of their Spirits to oppose the Truth of God calling it a Lye and
Persecuting his Messengers as Deceivers and Wanderers wherein their Persecuting Spirits are made manifest and them to be in Cain's Generation and Strangers to the Spirit of Christ which were persecuted and so are none of his And also of the Unjust Dealings of Judge Hill who sate upon Life and Death at the Assizes at Chelmsford 229. A Reply to his Mittimus 250. A Copy of some Queries that were sent to the Justices so called 266. The Copy of a Note that was written against the Idol's Temple 271. Several Queries that were sent to four of the Chief Priests in Essex 274. The Copy of a Letter writ to Judge Hill after the Assize 282. A few Words unto you who call your selves Gathered Churches and go under the Name of Independents in Essex 286. A few Words to Friends in Essex 291. VII Goliah's Head cut off with his own Sword in a Combat betwixt Little David the Young Stripling who stands in the Power and Strength of his God and Great Coliah the Proud Boaster In a Reply to a Book set forth by an unnamed Author under Pretence of an Answer to Thirty Six Queries propounded by J. Parnel And also an Answer to several Counter-Queries propounded by the same Unnamed Author pag. 295. VIII A Warning of all People 426. IX An Epistle to Friends in London 433. X. An Epistle to Friends in Essex 438. XI Another Epistle to Friends 445. XII An Epistle to all Friends 453. XIII Some Queries sent to the Masters of the Colledges in Cambridge 457. XIV To all Judges Justices Rulers and Officers 463. XV. To all Magistrates Rulers and Officers who call Men to Swear and Imprison them if they will not 470. A TRYAL Of Faith VVherein is discover'd the Ground of Faith of the Hypocrites which Perisheth and the FAITH of the SAINTS which is Founded upon the Everlasting Rock So all may see what their FAITH is and what they Trust to COme try your Faith all you Professors of Godliness of God and of Christ who say God is your Father and Christ is your Redeemer and say You Believe in God and you are saved through Faith in Christ Come search the Ground and Bottom of your Faith what it is built upon for the Faith and Hope of the Hypocrite perisheth which stands in words and on any Unstedfast Foundation You say You are Saved by the Blood of Christ and by his Stripes you are Healed and so would make him the Ground of your Faith But what are you saved from and what are you healed of Search and see within Christ came to save and redeem Sinners from their Sin and to heal them of the Wound of Sin to bruise the Serpent's Head and to bind the Strong Man and cast him out of his House to cast out the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple of God which is made a Den of Thieves and to open the Prison Doors and to set at Liberty the Imprisoned and to lead Captivity Captive to throw Antichrist out of the Temple of God who sits as God there and saith He is God and he is come to rend that Vail of Darkness and to open the Eyes of the Blind and to unstop the Deaf Ears and to make Blind those that can see and to make Deaf those which can hear and give Strength to the Weak and to make Weak those that are Strong and to Feed the Hungry and to Famish that which is Fed and to make a separation betwixt the Precious and the Vile betwixt the Wheat and the Tares the Sheep and the Goats and to purchase to man that which man hath lost and to this end is he come and who can witness this can witness him and may claim an Interest in him and have an Assurance of their Salvation and their Faith will stand against the Beast and overcome for the Lamb shall get the Victory But who cannot witness this cannot witness Christ and so are Reprobates concerning the Faith Now here all you Drunkards are shut out here all you Swearers are shut out here all you Proud and Covetous and Lustful Ones are shut out here all you Scoffers and Scorners and Back-biters and Bevilers and Extortioners and Whoremongers and Envious Ones and Gamers and Sporters all you Self-righteous Professors who live in the Fashions and Customs of the World delighting in the Pleasures and Vanities of the World having Fellowship with the World whose Conversation is amongst the Children of the World all in one Generation cleansing only the Outside of the Cup and the Inside full of Lust and Filthiness Pride and Covetousness and all Uncleanness Whited Walls and Painted Sepulchres who deceive the Carnal Eye and Ear but the Lord searcheth the Heart Here you are all shut out from the true Faith which purifieth the Heart and the Serpent is Head in you and your Strong Man keeps the House and a stronger than he is not yet come and the Buyers and the Sellers are uncast out of the Temple and Antichrist sits in the Kingdom and raigns as an Angel of Light and the Imprisoned lies in Prison and the Wound of Sin is yet fresh and the Vail of Darkness is yet spread over and Death raigns and Christ lies low in the Manger and the Inn is taken up with other Guests and here you can challenge no Interest in the Blood of Christ and have nothing to do to Talk of God and Christ and have no Assurance of your Salvation and all your Faith is vain and Hope vain and the Foundation thereof is Sandy and will not stand in the Day of Tryal but will be as a broken Reed to to lean upon and all your Prayers and Praises and Singings and Graces and Baptism and Sacraments which you build your Faith upon and think to Merit withal are all in vain and the Enflaming Sword is set against it being offered up from an Unclean Heart For how can your Hearts be clean while you live in sin for sin lodgeth in your hearts and while sin is there no purity can dwell and nothing that is pure can come forth of an unclean Vessel and God doth not put his Treasure in an unclean Vessel and he is Pure and receives nothing that is Impure and here all your Faith is vain and here you destroy all your Faith out of your own mouthes who say You believe you shall never overcome your Sins so long as you are here or be made free from Sins And here you shew your Faith is not built upon Christ who came to destroy the Works of the Devil and to cleanse from all sin and those whose Faith was built upon him did witness it and said The Blood of Christ hath cleansed us from all sin and they that are Christ's have Crucified the Flesh with the Lusts and Affections thereof which is the Ground of Sin and he that Believeth is born of God and he that is born of God cannot commit sin and no
the same they were before but the Baptism of Christ makes a New Creature and this I witness for I received Water upon my Face as my Parents told me which they called Baptism but I grew up a Heathen as all other Children do and no New Creature though my Parents were counted Believers among the World and their Priests but now I witness the Baptism of Christ by One Spirit into One Body and now I witness a New Creature old things are past away and all things become New And now I see the other to be formal Imitation and the Invention of Man and so a meer Delusion and all are Heathens and no Christians who cannot witness this Baptism who can witness this denies all other for the Scripture saith The Baptism is but One and who can witness this are Believers but who cannot witness this are no Believers and so it is that Water or no Water availeth nothing but a New Creature for all by Nature are the Children of Wrath and except they be born again they cannot enter and as for the Baptism of Water which the Apostles used it being a Figure for its Time the Power went along with it and the Disciples received the Holy Ghost when they were Baptized but none can witness this who set themselves of acting or imitating the Apostles and so take it up by Imitation and their Ground is the Letter and are not guided to it by the same Spirit which guided the Apostles and so they are the same after Water as before and so now Water or no Water availeth any Thing but a New Creature for Water was but for its time though many in Darkness have now got the Form and are groping in it for Life but want the Life and Power and so from such turn away We are accused to deny the Supper of the Lord. The Supper of the Lord we own which is the Body and Blood of Christ which the Saints feed upon and this is Eternal Food and Life And here they all feed upon one and are of one Heart and Mind and here is pure and Eternal Union and Communion and this is not Carnal but Spiritual for Saints are Spiritual and their Communion is Spiritual and Eternal and this we witness who are of one Heart and one Mind who are in the New Covenant and herein we discern the Lord's Body and here all Drunkards are shut out and all Lyars Adulterers Proud Covetous Lustful and Envious Ones and all Back-biters Revilers Extortioners and all Deceitful and Unrighteous Persons are shut out of the New Covenant and are without feeding upon the Husk and Shadow which is Carnal for the Bread which the World breaks is Carnal and Natural and only feeds the Outward Carnal Body and goeth into the Belly and so passeth out into the Dangil and so likewise the Cup which they drink and so the Communion and Fellowship of the World passeth away but this is no Nourishment to the Soul but still the Soul lyes in Death and here is no Communion but Natural Outward and Carnal of several Minds and Hearts full of Filthiness and Uncleanness which is the Table of Devils eating and drinking their own Damnation not discerning the Lord's Body which is Spiritual which the Natural Man discerns not And here stands the Worlds Communion and Fellowship which is Carnal and cross but their Carnal Wills and it is turned into Envy and for Earthly Trifles they will go to Law and Cozen and Cheat and Defraud one another for Earthly Trifles and like People like Priest but if they lye in wait for Revenge of one another then they will not take their Sacrament as they call it And here the Devil hath as great Hold for he that envies is a Murderer and here is the Difference betwixt the Worlds Communion and the Saints Communion Life and Death For to be Carnally-minded is Death but to be Spiritually-minded is Life And here they are without feeding upon the Husk and Shadow without and would destroy the Life and Substance where it appears both Priest People and Rulers and so have a Form of Godliness and deny the Life and Power from such turn away for it is a meer Delusion to take the Shadow for the Substance We are accused to deny all Prayer The Prayers of the Wicked we deny and God denies for they are abominable for Cain the wicked one who was out of the Commands of God who was the first Birth he offered up a Sacrifice of the Earth but God had no Respect to it but Abel the second Birth who was the Righteous his Sacrifice God had Respect to so the Prayers of the Faithful and Righteous God doth accept and they avail and what comes from his own which is the second Birth his own is pure what comes from it is pure and God who is pure doth receive that which is pure but he receives nothing which is polluted or unclean for he is of purer Eyes then to behold Iniquity for his Sacrifice must be without Spot or Blemish and that which comes from an unclean Heart is spotted and defiled and unclean for nothing that is pure can come forth of an unclean Vessel But who can witness the second Birth and that the Seed of the Woman hath bruised the Serpents Head which is the first Promise and Faith which purifieth the Heart then that which comes out is pure proceeding from a pure single Heart and this Prayer God receives and he hath Respect to it and this we own and witness and this comes from the second Birth which is pure for the first Birth is unclean and out of the Command of God in the Fall in the Wrath in the Peevishness and Perversness and Frowardness Cain-like and the Seed of the Serpent is first in every one and rules the Head but the Promise is The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents Head So you who are not come to this are still in the Fall and are not come to the first Promise so all your self-acting and imitating thinking to merit with your Prayers and Praises Singings and Duties and Worships and Traditions which are all in vain and you are sacrificing to an unknown God a Sacrifice of the Earth from the first Nature which God hath no Respect to and the flaming Sword is set against that to keep from the Tree of Life for both Drunkards and Swearers Lyars Proud Covetous and all Manner of Unrighteous Persons are offering up Sacrifices and are in their Formal Worships and Duties thinking that is sufficient to pacifie for their Sins and yet do not repent But saith the Lord Bring no more vain oblations away with your New Moons and Sabbaths they are Abomination and my Soul loaths them When you spread forth your Hands I will hide mine Eyes from you yea when you
condemn Sin in the Flesh which is the Word which became Flesh and dwelt amongst the Apostles This Christ we witness no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit and before We knew him after the Spirit we had no Profit by him but were in the State of Reprobation and so are all now who profess him in Words and know nothing of him but by the Letter without them And such deny Christ come in the Flesh who plead for Sin who live in Sin and do not witness him come but those who are crucified with him do live with him and he in them and none are Christians of the Flock of Christ but who are baptized into his Death by one Spirit into one Body and he that can witness this is crucified to the World and the World to him But who talk of Christ to be their Saviour and are still alive in the World's Nature must first witness him a Condemner for his first Appearance is with Sword and breaks the Peace and maketh the War and ends the War and makes the Peace and this Peace endures for ever and so he is a Condemner before he is a Saviour and he is a Peace-braker before he is a Peace-maker But who are at Peace in their Sin the Serpent is Head and the strong man keeps the House and Christ they do not witness come in the Flesh but who endure the War shall enjoy this Peace and he that can witness Christ his Saviour can witness this but Silence all Flesh before the Lord and let him that nameth the Name of God depart from Iniquity for he that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a Lyar For saith Christ why call ye me Lord and do not the things which I say And none can call Jesus Lord but by the holy Ghost so it is plain you know not God who cannot keep his Commands then how can you believe in him whom you do not know We are accused that we judge People It is written The Saints shall judge the World and for Judgment I am come into the World saith Christ that those which see not might see and that they which see might be made blind and where Christ rules in his Saints he judges the World as Paul witnessed It is no more I but Christ in me and he is come to reprove the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment of Judgment because the Prince of the Air is judged who rules in the Children of this World and they cannot bear the righteous Judgment of Christ but kick against it and call him Devil and so they kick against the Prick which will the more torment them And this is the Spirit of Truth which came into the World which the World cannot receive because he testifies of it that the Deeds thereof are evil and this is the Condemnation of the World Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather then Light because their Deeds are evil and every one that doth Evil hateth the Light and will not come into the Light least it should reprove them yet they will say Christ is meek Love and lowly It is so but not to Ungodliness but he is meek to the meek and lowly to the lowly and Love to the Seed of God and his Saints are meek and lowly and bear all both Scandals Reproaches Persecutions and Imprisonments but to the Seed of the Serpent Christ is Judgment and Wo and a Sword to that which is for the Sword and a Condemner to the Wicked and our God is a consuming Fire and terrible to the Wicked to consume the Proud and Haughty in their Imaginations and here Christ is a Lyon and he is a Lamb he is a Condemner and he is a Saviour he that can receive him let him the Hungry Thirsty he feeds with living Food but the Fat he feeds with Judgment and that which would not bear his Judgment must never know his Peace but is for Judgment and cryes out as the Devil did who said he was come to torment them before the time but the Teachers of the World have deceived the People long crying Peace to them because they put into their Mouths and healing them up in their Sin with a feigned formed Faith which works no Reformation so sewing Pillows under their Arme-holes and here the Devil hath reigned in Peace and now Christ is come with the Sword to break his Peace with Plague and Judgment and now he rages and stands up for his Life in all both Priest and People and now the Beast makes War with the Lamb but it is hard for him to kick against the Prick for he must be bound and cast into the Pit and there be tormented quick and the false Prophet and all who bear his Image We are accused to deny the Church I answer The true Church which is in God we own and witness through Death but the Worlds Church we deny for the true Church is the Body of Christ made of tryed Stones elect and precious washed and cleansed by his Blood and Spirit that he might present it a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle but this is not a House of Lime and dead Stones nor the People that meet in it for all manner of Unrighteous Persons meet there which is the Synagogue of Satan and a Cage of unclean Birds and like People like Priest but who comes to be elected into the Church of Christ which is spiritual denies the World's Church which is carnal and the World's Teacher who is carnal selling the carnal for carnal Money and Earth for Christ himself is the Teacher of his Church who feeds it with living eternal Food freely and it needs no other Teacher and this Church we own and witness but all other Churches we deny for the Church is but one and the Temple of God we own which is at new Jerusalem the City of the living God but all other Idols Temples we deny which is the Invention and Imaginations of Man and though God commanded Solomon to build him a Temple nevertheless God that made the World dwels not in Temples made with Hands and when Christ the Substance came he prophesied against it and also Stephen was stoned to Death when he prophesied against it and this we witness whose Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost who are now stoned and persecuted by such as know not the living God but worship Idols because we speak against their Idols Temple which God never commanded to be built but was set up by the imagining Idolizing Papists and upheld by the blind Protestant so called and so they cast out the Papists and uphold their Idols and so the Inchanters Diviners and Sorcerers of England lead silly People in Blindness to worship Idols telling them they are the Houses and Temples of
received the Holy Ghost they went abroad preaching Christ and shewing thereby the fulfilling the Law and the Prophets which figured sorth and prophesied of Christ and this they declared in their Temples and in their Synagogues and they haled them out of the Temple and out of their Synagogues and brought them before Governors Rulers and Magistrates and the chief Priests and their Kindred and the chiefest Professors which were the Pharisees were the head-Actors therein but never the less they went on boldly being filled with the Power of the Holy Ghost without the Fear of Man obeying God rather then Man so they were not subject to the Authority of Man in that respect but they were subject unto the Law of Man so far as it was subject to the Law of God and so they went on preaching Christ and many believed and were baptized and received the Holy Ghost and were converted and it was so that the multitude that believed was of one Heart and of one Mind and they were so far of one being exalted over another or seeking themselves that not any of them said that ought of the things which he possessed was his Own and the Works of God went on in much Power the Ministers being acted guided by the Holy Ghost And also Stephen a man full of Faith and the Holy Ghost he declared against the Temple which God had once commanded to be built and said Solomon built him an House yet nevertheless God that made the World and all things therein dwells not in Temples made with Hands as saith the Prophet Heaven is my Throne and Earth is my Foot stool and where is the House that ye will build me and where is the Place of my Rest hath not mine Hand made all things and he judged them and said Ye Stiff-necked and Uncircumcised in Hearts and Ears ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as did your Fathers so do ye and they gnashed upon him with their Teeth and fell upon him and stoned him And when Saul was converted and became Paul his Message was for to turn Peoples minds from the Darkness to the Light and then saith Paul when it pleased God to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him amongst the Heathen immediately I conferred not with Flesh and Blood and here was Paul's call to the Ministry and they were made manifest to every Man's Conscience and were a sweet Savour unto God both in them that believed and them that perished And Paul declared against the Temple and told them that worshipped there they were too superstitious and he went into their Synagogues on Sabbath-Days and reasoned with them and they persecuted him and haled him before Rulers and there complained of him to be one that prophaned the Temple and a Ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazareans and a pestilent Fellow and a Raiser of Sedition and many cry'd out away with such a Fellow he is not worthy to live and thus they suffered by the zealous Professors in those Daies but they whose minds were turned to the Light they were translated out of Darkness into the Light and became the Children of Light and were baptized by one Spirit into one Body and had passed from Death unto Life and had put off the Old Man and put on the New the old Man being crucified with Christ though some of them were Drunkards some Swearers some Proud some Covetous Idolaters Adulterers yet then they were cleansed and washed and sanctified and justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God and here was the Church which witnessed the Spiritual Baptism into the Spiritual Body of which Christ is Head and they being thereby set free from Sin their Union and Communion was here and the Bread which the Saints brake was the Communion of the Body of Christ and the Cup which they drank was the Communion of the Blood of Christ and they were in Christ new Creatures all Members of one Body and needed not that any man should teach them because the Anointing was in them and to them the Cross was the Power of God unto Salvation though to the Greeks Foolishness and to the Jews a Stumbling-block and in this Cross Paul rejoyced by which he was Crucified to to the World and the World to him and they were not conformed unto the World but transformed by the Renewing of their Minds and had one Lord one Faith one Baptism one Way one Teacher one Life and one Shepherd and one Priest over the Houshould of God and one God and Father of all being united by one Spirit into the bond of Peace and their Conversation was in Heaven and there were the Christians And though there was a time that when Christ was preached after the Flesh some preached Christ through Envy and Strife and Contention to add Affliction to Paul's Bonds yet in all this he rejoyced that the Name of Christ was spread abroad for there were many that believed not that that was the Christ that suffered at Jerusalem and was crucified as Paul himself had not and as there are many such to this Day and so it rejoyced him that the Name of Christ was spread abroad but after his Name was spread abroad and many believed that that was the Christ then the Apostle declared against such who had the Form but denyed the Life and Power and said from such turn away for as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do they withstand the Truth being men of corrupt minds and reprobates concerning the Faith and said the Apostle we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a Stumbling block and the Greeks Foolishness but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God and said the Apostle hence know me no man after the Flesh and though we have known Christ after the Flesh hence know we him no more but he that is in Christ is a 〈◊〉 Creature old things are passed away and all things become new and they that are Christs have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts and the Apostl◠preached Christ within the Hope of Glory the Mystery which had been hid from Ages and Generations they that could not witness Christ in them were Reprobates And here it was not sufficient for them to say they believed Christ dyed for them but he that believeth hath the Witness within himself and he that believeth is passed from Death unto Life and he that believeth is born of God and he that is born of God doth not commit Sin and those were they who were made Partakers of Christ's divine Nature therefore saith John As he is so are we in this Present World and we are of God and the whole World lyeth in Wickedness and they that are of God hear us and they that are not with us are against us And then the Apostle Paul he
spoak of false Apostles that were gotten transforming themselves as the Apostles of Christ and No marvel saith he for Satan himself is transformed as an Angel of Light therefore it is no great thing also if his Ministers be transformed as the Ministers of Christ whose End shall be according to their Works and the Apostle Peter he fore told of such who through Covetousness with feigned Words should make Merchandize of the People and Jude he spoak of such who go on in the Way of Cain and after the Error of Balaam for Gifts and Rewards and saith John it is the last Time and as ye have heard that Antichrists shall come even now are there many Aâ—tichrists whereby we know that it is the last Times 〈◊〉 went from us but they were not of us Now the false Apostles were such as under a Pretence or Profession of true Apostles deceived the ignorant and brought in Heresies and so Antichrist is one that under the Profession of Christ opposes Christ and draws from him in the Life though under a Profession of his Name and of Faith in him and thus Antichrist got up even that Man of Sin that is exalted in Man above all that is called God sitting in the Temple of God as God and saith he is God and thus he deceiv'd them in that Age as an Angel of Light in a Form and Likeness of Christ but a false Christ who bewitched them from the Truth with a Form and Profession and thus Antichrist hath raigned by the Power of Darkness ever since the Apostles Dayes over the World under a Gospel-Profession yet I say not but that the Lord hath had a remnant in all Ages to himself who were zealous and faithful in what they knew but here hath been a Long time of cruel Darkness and Ignorance and the Lord hath been a long Time as a Stranger in the Earth and they that were accounted to believe on God or Christ looked at him as a God a far off in the Heavens without far off they know not where yet they that said they believed that that was the Christ that dyed at Jerusalem and that he dyed for their Sins and rose again and was sitting at the right Hand of God c. as that which they call their Creed so then they were baptized with Water and called â—â—â—istians whenas before they were called Heathen and did not believe that that was the Christ that suffered at Jerusalem but now called Christians and Believers though they were nothing chang'd from the Heathenish Nature and this was at the first coming in of the Profession of Christian Faith and Religion into England and those had the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles which are called Scripture and so were the Keepers of the Letters and that they took to be their Rule to walk by as they do now but knew not THAT which gave it forth to lead them unto the Life but had the Letter and the Form but could not walk according to it being led and guided by a contrary Principle to that which gave it forth so they gave their own Meanings and Imaginations upon it so then all that were call'd Christs were of the Christian Church and Faith and so were counted Believers Then they sprinkled the Children of those Believers and by that were they entertained into their Church and Faith and thus came up Infants Baptism for which there is no Scripture nor Example either from Christ or his Apostles and yet they call this an Ordinance of Christ and thus they begin to add their own Traditions and Imaginations and all are by Nature the Children of Wrath and a little Water on their Faces doth not change them from that but they grew up in all manner of Unrighteousness as Drunkenness Swearing Lying Covetousness Adultery Idolatry Pride Wantonness Envy Murder Deceit Fraud and Maliciousness the which were caâ— out of the Apostles Church and they were washed from such things and sanctified and regenerate into the new-Covenant and reckoned such to be without as now England's Church is upheld by Then they had their two Sacraments as they call them for which Word they have no Scripture and Infants-Baptism is one and that which they call the Supper of the Lord is another and they had the carnal Bread and Wine as the Priests and People have now and they give it to natural carnal Men and Women and the Apostle saith he that eats and drinks this unworthily eats and drinks his own Damnation not discerning the Lord's Body And the natural man receives not the things of God because they are spiritually discerned and the Bread which the Saints break is the Communion of the Body of Christ and the Cup which the Saints drink is the Communion of the Blood of Christ and here is the Communion of the Saints and the Supper of the Lord to which he that hath not on a Wedding-Garment is not admitted but England's Priests know not what a Wedding-Garment is And thus they planted their Church in England and other places and then Bishops were set up and Arch-Bishops for which Name there is no Scripture and Deans and Priests and Deacons and Popes and one ruled over another and the Popes bore rule like Kings but they found never a Pope in the Scripture and the Bishops they bore Rule by their Means and the Priests preached for 〈◊〉 and the People loved to have it so and thus Antichrist set up his Kingdom under a Profession of the Gospel and then Tythes came up for to maintain the Priests contrary to any Rule in the Gospel and then Universities were set up for to make Ministers or Priests as they call them for the which they have no Rule in the Scripture and thus they were set up by the Will and Tradition of Man as they are still upheld as the false Prophets alwaies were and then they had their long Robes like the Pharisees but not like the Apostles for from them they have no such Example then they set up these Idols Temples which the Blind and Ignorant now call Churches or the Houses of God for the which they have no Example from the Gospel-Ministers for God never commanded these to be built and though Sâ—lomon built him one Temple yet nevertheless when the Substance came he prophesied of its Downfal and Destruction and Stephen witnessed against it and was stoned to Death by those that upheld it and Paul witnessed against it and was persecuted by those that upheld it as many of the Servants and Messengers of God are now persecuted in these Idols Temples and haled out and abused and stoned and imprisoned by those that uphold them now though these were never ordained by God and then they got up into their Pulpits the chiefest places in the Synagogues as they are now and called of Men Master and Doctor and had the uppermost Rooms at Feasts and Greetings in the Markets as it is now and then
Body and Blood of Christ for thou saist thou hast declared the Mystery of both more distinctly and evidently then ever thou readst in our Writings And then by thy vain Philosophy thou goest about to justifie the Word Sacrament for the which thou hast no Scripture and many of your Blind Dâ—luded People do not know what it means Rep. But all this is no true Ground to believe thy words to be Truth for thy Hope is alreadâ— disproved and found to be Deceit and thy Lying Tongue hath been many times reproved as before thou boastest that thou uâ—ually spoakest by the Motion of the Holy Ghost and then wast presently found in a Lye so that there is no Credit to be given to thy Words without a sufficient Proof for here also thou may'st easily be proved a Lyar for out of thy own Mouth both thou thy self and thy Church were proved to be no Christians Then for your Discerning the Body of Christ or declaring the Mystery from your own Experiences yea and though thou couldest declare the Mystery from others Words who experienced it they that hear thee could not discern it without a Single Eye which appeareth they have not who are still Earthly-minded by thy own Confession And dost thou profess here now to have such a Spiritual People and yet durst not trust them for thy Maintenance without a Compulsive Law This also manifests thy self to be Earthly-minded and so ignorant of the Mystery And thus every way thou Deceiver thy Confusion is seen and by the Truth art thou overwhelmed and catched in thy own Craftiness Qu. 25. And whether dost thou not give Bread and Wine to Natural Men and Women yea or nay Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou confessest Thou dost give to Natural Men anâ— Women and also to Spiritual Ones as thou saist Christ himself did to all the Twelve Disciples Luke 22. 14 15. c. whereof thou saist Judas was one and the Apostle for a time thou saist gave the same to those that professed Repentance Faith and new Obedience but fell away afterwards which to prove thou quotest 1 Cor. 11. 18 19. 1 John 2. 19. Rep. Here thou Murderer of Souls by thy own Confession thou confessest the People to eat and drink Damnation to themselves not discerning the Lord's Body which the Natural Man and Woman cannot do and as for Spiritual Ones thou hast none in thy Flock for thou confessest they are Earthly minded And for what Christ did is a Mystery to thee and that which might be done for the fulfilling of what was before decreed which is nothing for thee to imitate And did not Judas eat and drink his own Damnation Neither doth these Scriptures prove that the Apostles did the same as thou dost for he was far absent from them when he writ this Epistle to them as a Warning to take heed what they did neither doth that in John prove any thing to this Purpose for thine can fall no lower then they are who are not yet Christians neither thou that teachest them as is before proved out of thy own Mouth And though here thou confessest they are a Mixt Multitude yet thou makest no Difference when thou takest thy Tythes neither appeareth it when thou givest them that thou callest a Sacrament Qu. 26. Can any be set free from Sin so long at they are upon the Earth and where must they be clensed if not upon the Earth Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou in words confessest That man may be Wholely set Free and that thou knowest no other Place of Purgation and also boastest That thou hast held forth this Doctrine long before the Quakers came as thou callest them Rep. But I find in Life thou still denyest it neither art thou thy self come up to it nor any that are taught by thee and therefore I hold thee the greater Hypocrite and Deceiver then if with the rest of thy Brethren thou didst in words deny it unless in Life thou didst seal it for Profession without Life and Power hath ever been a Dishonour to Truth and Religion Therefore silence Deceit and cause not the Truth to be blasphemed Qu. 27. What Scripture hast thou for thy Rule to give David's Conditions to be sung in a Meeter Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou canst bring no Scripture-Proof to maintain what thou dost but saist All are not of the World whom we take to be of the World to wit who are no Quakers thou saist And secondly thou saist Israel in the general to whom David gave his Psalms to be sung were the greatest part Unregenerate and men of the World Thirdly thou saist He gave them in Meeter or Measure to be sung as the Learned in the Hebrew Tongue know well Rep. All are of the World that are not Christians which neither thou nor thine are as before out of thy own Mouth is proved and also all that own not Quaking and Trembling by the Power of God are also of the World and know not God for all the Holy Men of God and David for one as is before proved witnessed Quaking and Trembling and the Son of Man was to eat his Bread with Quaking and drink his Water with Trembling And so you that despise Quaking and Trembling are Heathens that know not God And also the Way is but one and they that are not with us are against us But All Israel Trembled before the Lord who were not of the World as thou belyest them who were the Lord 's chosen People in the Figure whom he had chosen out of the World though when they forgot their God they were defiled with the World Neither canst thou bring any Scripture-Proof to maintain that David gave forth his Prayers his Prophecies his Quakings his Roarings his Cryings and his Lamentations â—o be sung in a Meeter as thou saist the Learned Ones know but thy Learned Ones may be Lyars like Thee and therefore I have no Ground to believe them seeing also that I have a Proof to the contrary for by your own Confession they were turned into English Meeter by Sternhold and Hopkinson and therefore stop thy Mouth thou Lyar. And fourthly Thou askest what Condition David was in into which every Man may not come in Time And fifthly thou say'st Are not David ' s Psalms Part of the Holy Scriptures which are permitted to all Men and are profitable for all Men to read And sixthly thou say'st The Jews did read all the Old Testament in Publick with a singing Voice as the Learned know And seventhly thou say'st Did not the Lord by his Servant Moses teach all Israel a Song of his own making as in Deut. 31. 19 20 21 22. Deut. 32. And thou say'st We will not deny but David ' s Psalms may have the same Effects even upon the Wicked c. which is false for we will deny it for the Wicked have nothing to do with them for unto the Wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my
48th Query thou askest â—f Christ and his Apostles did not frequent the Synagogues Answ. Yea they did and so do we your Idol-Temples but therein the Jews will condemn you who suffered them to speak as in that Scripture which thou hast quoted in Acts 13. 14 15. which shall stand and witness against you who will not suffer us to speak in your Steeple houses but suffer your Flocks to hale us forth fall upon us like Wolves and your Magistrates to hale us to Prison therefore read your Condemnation you Persecutors And thy 49th Query is answered already with the other aforesaid Qu. 50. Here thou askest If the Prophet did not complain to God against the Prophaners and Destroyers of the Synagogues in Psal. 74 4 5 6 7. Answ. The Scripture which thou hast quoted doth answer thee but it doth not uphold your Idols Temples who worship you know not what wherein you teach for Doctrine the Traditions of Men and there are found in the Steps of the Pharisees offering up your Abominations as Christ marked you out in Mat. 6. 5. where he meant as he spoak and all you do there is for self and not for God for he saith In vain do you worship him Mat. 15. 7 8 9. And here thy 51st Query is answered but take Notice your Steeple-Houses are not the Houses of God as before is proved Qu. 52. Is it unlawful to call either Baptism or the Supper of the Lord a Sacrament or oblieging Mystery since that Name imports no more and you cannot deny but that both these are mystical Things and ablieging Mysteries to the washing away of Sin and the following of Christ into his Life and Death Answ. Is thy Baptism now become an oblieging Mystery to the washing away of Sin which in thy Answer to my 21st Query thou saidst was not absolutely necessary but lawful only can it wash away Sin and yet not be necessary but this is all thou knowest of that Mystery that washeth away Sin or Desire after it for where Sin is washed away this Confusion stayes not behind Yea I do deny that there is any Thing in your spriâ—kling Infants or your Bread and Wine which doth profit as is manifest by these that receive them of you who never yet were washed from their Sins and Pollutions or ever tasted of the Death of the Cross but the Baptism I own and the Supper of the Lord I own but the Word Sacrament I deny for the which you have no Scripture whatsoever thou say'st it doth import And thy 53d 5â—th and 55th Queries are answered in my Reply to thy Answer to my 21st Query and thy 56th and 57th Queries are answered in my Reply to thy Answer to my 25th Query Qu. 58. Who is there among you who are called Quakers or the other Sectarians your Fore-fathers that hath rightly declared the Mystery of Christ's Body and Blood in your Dissentings from us since none of you have declared this according to our Lord's Intent Joh. 6. 33. Answ. As for Sectarians as thou callest them they are in your Generation and art not thou ashamed to call them our Fore-fathers whenas they now joyn with you against us yea and in this very Thing wherein they are blind as you are but the Mystery we know and have declared to the Comfort of many a restless Soul who never could find true Comfort in your dark and dead Forms as Thousands in the Nation will witness and this we have declared according to our Lord's intent therefore thou Lyar and Slanderer stop thy Mouth and take not his Name in vain and that Scripture in John 6. 33. which hou hast quoted will witness against thee in that thou would'st uphold and thy 59th Query is answered with thy 6th and 57th And thy next is concerning the present Ministers and Teachers and their Maintenance Qu. 60. Were there no Ministers in this Nation that held forth the Truth amongst us till you and your Associates rose up since we have our Lord's Promise The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church and Behold I am with you to the End of the World Qu. 61. What is become then of all your Fore-fathers their and ours who dyed since the Apostles Dayes till your rising up with a pretended Spirit Answ. Thou Carnal One hast thou nothing to do but to raise the Dead to dispute about But to answer a Fool I say They are gone as the Just and Righteous Judge hath disposed but now he calls all every were to Repent his Trumpets are sounding a Warning and there were none that preached for Hire that held forth Truth in the Life and Power of it but made a Trade and a Gain of the Letter from it speaking a Divination of their own Brain as you do now and those were your Fore-Fathers But if you had the Lord's Promise That the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against you for the Lord will be with you then what need you a Law of Man to set you up uphold you and maintain you Therefore it follows the Lord is against you and his Promises do not belong unto you who dare not trust him and therefore are but Pretenders and this the Spirit of Truth in us can tell you Qu. 62. If there were some taught of God before you were called why are they not owned by any of your Answ. Thou art not one that art so taught for thou art found out of his Doctrine therefore with that stop thy Mouth and do not belye us for who receive and obey the Truth we do own whatsoever they have been And here also thy Sixty Third and Sixty Fourth Query is answered And thy Sixty Fifth Sixty Sixth and Sixty Seventh Query is answered in my Reply to thy Answer to my Nineth and Tenth Query Qu. 68. Is the Teaching-Priesthood to cease till the Spiritual Melchizedeck comes unto us to bless us after the Slaughter of all our Enemies with the Heavenly Bread and Wine Gen. 14. 18 19. Hebr. 2. 1 2 3. that you say the Priesthood of Aaron wiâ—h the Law annexed of Tythes is ceased under the Gospel Answ. Yea so it is ceased and those Scriptures do not prove to the contrary but that is Hebr. 7. doth affirm it as is before proved But in that you uphold it in taking Tythes you deny the Spiritual Melchizedeck and if that be the Teaching-Priesthood which thou meanest it is already ceased to many who are come to see the End of it but the Gift blinds your Eyes and therefore you still uphold it and lead the Blind into the Ditch and so the Wo is to you and not the Blessing and this Scripture in Ephes. 4. 11 12 c. doth not at all maintain you And here also thy Sixty Nineth Query is answered And thy Seventy Seventy One Seventy Two and Seventy Three Queries are answered in my Reply to thy Answer to my Fourteenth Query Qu. 74. Did ever the Church of Rome cast greater Reproaches upon the
Protestant-Ministers then you do and are you not Jesuited by some of her Emissaries that you would have them all one with another rooted out at once yea can the Devil himself desire more in this kind Answ. I see no Difference in the Ground betwixt the Church of Rome and You for they are Bloody Persecutors and upheld by a Persecuting Law and so are you who call your selves Protestants and therefore no Reproaches to call you Persecutors Hirelings False Teachers and Greedy Dogs as the Prophets of old called your Fore-Fathers in whose Steps you are found as is before proved But howsoever thou with thy Lying Spirit termest us of the Jesuits both thou and thy Brethren have bin in this sufficiently prov'd Lyars Therefore by the Sword of the Lord you must all be rooted out yea you must all fall together he will make a Grievous Slaughter from the Least to the Greatest for his Hand is stretched out against you and therefore your Father the Devil bestirs himself amongst you to stand up for his Kingdom And where did ever the Church of Rome persecute any sparing the Life more then you do Therefore let Guilt strike you and put not the Devil so far from you whenas he fights for you But Carnal Weapons we shall not use against your to root you out but our Weapons are Spiritual and Mighty through God to the pulling down of Strong Holds Therefore Tremble all ye Enemies of God Thy next is concerning the Inward Light Qu 75. Is there not a False Light as well as a True Light And thou quotest 2 Corinth 11. 13 14. Answ. Thou hast answered thy self with this Scripture and I have already proved that this False Light rules in thee as an Angel of Light who art a Minister of Antichrist transforming thy self as a Minister of Christ but out of their Life and Practice art found and therefore guided by a False Light which is an Evil Eye and Dangerous Darkness so that thou canst accuse others but canst not see the Falsness Deceit of thy own heart but thinkest that thou speakest by the Motion of the Holy Ghost whenas therein thou hast sufficiently been proved a Lyar and thus Satan rules in thee and makes thee believe he is God 2 Thes. 2. 4. And here is thy Seventy Sixth Query answered also And that Scripture which thou quotest in Mat. 6. 23. shall stand and witness against thee Qu. 77. Are we not therefore to try mens pretended Light by the Law and Word of God And thou quotest Isa. 8. 20. Answ. You neither know the Law nor Word of God and therefore relie upon the Law and Word of Man contrary to the Law and Word of God and yet pretendest to the Light and the Law and the Word of God and so by it art tryed and found to be a Deceiver who puttest the Letter for the Word and the Letter for the Law both which are within but according to thy own Meaning thou art out of the Light who attestest many things contrary to the Law and Testimony as before is proved Qu. 78. What may men think of your pretended Light who hate so many of your Brethren in the Ministry of England And thou quotest 1 John 2. 9. Answ. The Thoughts of Man are Vain and wouldest thou have the Light tryed by that here thou errest from the Law and from the Testimony and so confirmest my former Answer Therefore cease thy False Accusing from the Evil Thoughts of thy Heart for none of my Brethren in the Ministry of God do I hate But I deny that thy Brethren are mine for you are sprung of another Seed and so are become another Generation in which the Righteous Blood hath been shed and therefore Murderers unto whom belongs this in 1 John 2. 9. and Chap. 3. 15. where you may read your selves Qu. 79. Is there not another Light to go before the Light of Christ seeing the Wise Men that came from the East were guided unto Christ by a Star Matth. Chap. 2. Answ. Thy Ignorance of Christ and his Light thou hast here manifested and so confirmest my Reply to thy Answer to my Thirtieth Query that wouldst not have confessed that Christ doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World had not John so plainly affirmed it in Joh. 1. and that thou never yet sawest his Star who thinkest that it is not his Light Therefore thou that wouldst set up another â—ight before the Light of Christ art a Deceiver and a bringer in of False Lights Qu. 86. Is not the sure Prophetical Word a Light that shines in a dark Corner till the true Day-Light arises in your Hearts 2 Pet. 1. 10. Ans. But it is the Light of Christ that leads unto Christ the Perfect Day which Light shineth in Darkness and Darkness comprehends it not and therefore thou lookest without for another Light before the Light of Christ John 1. 5. Qu. 81. Whether the Life of Christ be not the True Light that men are to wait for and wherein the true Children of Light are to walk And thou quotest John 1. 4. and Ephes. 5. 9. Answ. Thou hast here answered thy self for his Life is the Light of Men which they must wait to know within them to guide them and thou that wouldest set up another Light before this Light art a Deceiver And this is the Light which now is come into the World testifying against the World and manifesting you to be the Deceivers of the World who have long set up False Lights to draw from this True Light the Minds of People Therefore now you can no longer hide your selves from this True Light you stand up to Oppose it where it is set up and some call it a Natural Light and an Insufficient Light but it is your Condemnation Thy next is concerning Prophets and Prophetesses Qu. 82. Whether some men may not be acted with a Spirit of Falsâ—oâ—d and Delusion even then when they think they prophesie by the Spirit of God as Zezekiah was 1 King 22. Answ. This is already aâ—swered in my Reply to thy Answer to my Sixth Query and thou in divers places to be thus acted Qu. 83. Whether the Lord did ever send forth Boyes or Striplings to be his Prophets and publick Teachers seeing John the Baptist who was born to be a Prophet of the Most High and was filled with the Holy Ghost from his Mothers Womb was not sent forth to preach and prophesie till he was 30. Years old Luke 1. 15. Answ. How often have I made thy Folly and Ignorance in this to appear and that thou mightst be ashamed to Boast of thy Age who so often hast erred not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God who wouldest limit it to Time and Age in which I have before sufficiently answer'd thee And now I say The Lord sent forth Jeremiah when he was but a Child and Out of the Mouthes of Babes and Sucklings the Lord hath perfected
whereas thou speakest of the Promises made in the Seed but that Seed is not the Seed of the Serpent which rules in all you Children of Disobedience therefore what hast thou to do with the Promises and where dost thou prove that Infants Baptism is the Seal of the Covenant or the Badge of the Kingdom as thou termest it but thou Lyar read what the Seal is in Eph. 1. 13. and with that stop thy Mouth And whereas thou speakest of Christ's calling little Children what of that Christ baptized none therefore silence Babler And how are your Children sanctified from the Womb as thou say'st John was whenas all are by Nature the Children of Wrath and except they be born again they cannot enter and therefore thou manifests that your Church is made up of Unregenerate Persons into which thou say'st they are admitted by Water and 20. or 30. Years after they are thus baptized you preach Repentance to them and this is the Cause why the Professors therein are Earthly-minded as thou complainest and therefore no Christian Parents but blind carnal Creatures who think it profits their Children to be admitted into such a Church and as the Children grow up they show what Seal you have given them which is more like the Mark of the Beast then the Seal of the Covenant and therefore your Prayers which thou talkest of are an Abomination and avail not And thus hast thou foamed our thy Shame and Folly to the Sight of all but those who are blind and love to have it so for here is one of the main Points of your Religion proved a meer Delusion Qu. 22. What is the Estate and Condition of â— Christian Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou hast stolen the Apostles Words which he speaks concerning this Matter and saith There are Three Ages Steps and Degrees of Christianity and the first Age Step and Degree thou confessest is In Christ and begotten of the Father in the Hatred of Sin and Love of Righteousness and by him brought to the Knowledge of Redemption from all Iniquity and Renovation in all Righteousness Rep. Here thou hast destroyed the whole Faith of your Visible Church for they generally believe That they shall never be wholely set free from all Iniquity nor be perfect in Righteousness while they are upon the Earth And if this be the lowest Estate of Christianity to be In Christ and Redeemed from all Iniquity and Begotten by the Father and Renewed in all Righteousness which is Perfection in Righteousness then by thy own Confession None of them are Christians neither Thou who art a Teacher of them for thou hast been openly found in Sin and Iniquity as in Lying Covetousness Lightness Scornfulness Oppression and Deceit as before is proved And now thou art again found a Lyar in saying That we know not the First Estate of a Christian from the Last But we are able to discern thee yet uncome to the First and therefore far off the Last although in Years an Old Man yet a Child can tell thee thy Confusion Therefore stop thy Mouth thou Deceiver and sit thee down and consider how thou and thy Brethren have for these many Years deceived this Nation and labour thy self and Repent in Dust and Ashes lest the Lord in thy Destruction make thee an Example to all thy Brethren-Deceivers Qu. 23. What doth the Faith which thou professest differ from the Faith of the Hypocrite and what is the Faith of the Hypocrite Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou saist Thy Faith is a Trust in the Lord Jesus to be holpen up again from the Fall or to be saved from the Hand of thine Enemies or of all that hate thee and so to be renewed through him to be enabled to serve him cheerfully and without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the dayes of thy Life And thou saist This Faith bringeth forth Obedience and purifieth the Heart and maketh you conformable to Jesus so that thou hopest for no Benefit by his Death unless thou dyest with him to all known Sins but the Faith of the Hypocrite seeketh alwayes something by or through Christ then what it should seek to wit the putting off the Old Man and the putting on the New which is created after God in Righteousness and true Holiness And herein thou saist doth thy Faith differ from the Faith of the Hypocrite and perhaps from James Parnel's Rep. Yea it doth for my Faith is that there is no putting off the Old Man and putting on the New but by and through Christ which is no more then what I should believe And thy Faith which is contrary is the Faith of the Hypocrite which will perish yea and out of thy own Mouth I shall prove it for by thy own Confession thou art still in the Fall in saying That thou trustest in the Lord Jesus to be holpen up out of the Fall again Hereby it is concluded that thou art still in the Fall for if thou wast holpen already out of the Fall then thou wouldest have the End of thy Hope But 't is like this Faith thou hast professed these many Years and hast been a Teacher so long and yet it hath not brought thee out of the Fall and therefore it is but a Borrowed Faith And most of those Expressions thou hast stolen out of Luke 1. 71 72 73 74 75. which hath not purified thy Heart from Lyes and Deceit neither art thou in Obedience or Conformable to Jesus Christ who abidest not in his Doctrine but teachest for Doctrine the Traditions of Men neither art thou dead with him unto all known Sins for this is one to depart from his Doctrine and such hath not God and this is proved against thee in many things as in taking thy Tythes and Maintenance of the Peoples Labours which many of them it is like do want it themselves which is a great Sin and Oppression and secondly in Sprinkling Infants which is a great Delusion to the People and many other things which are before proved against thee which that in thy Conscience cannot but testifie against And thou Hypocrite durst thou trust the Lord to save thee from thine Enemies â—hose that hate thee yet durst not trust him with thy Maintenance without the Law of Man to Compel it from the People contrary to their Wills Thou Hypocrite is not this a known Sin The Power of Man was all the False Prophets had to trust to who departed from the Lord and here out of thy own Mouth thou art found a Lyar and Deceiver and therefore the Hypocrite thy self whose Trust is not only in Christ and so thou differest from him thou callest James Parnel Qu. 24. Whether all that thou givest Bread and Wine to which thou callest a Sacrament do Discern the Lordâ—s Body yea or nay Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou saist Thou hopest most of those to whom thou givest Bread and Wine have some Understanding of the