Perfection in the creature is Christ who destroys the Devill and his works and bindes the strong man and spoyls his goods and takes the possession of it to himselfe and the creature is a perfect creature out of transgression He that is borne of God doth not commit sin being the seed of God remains in him and that is the doctrine of Perfection in the creature and Christ makes all things new and thou that cannot witnesse any thing made new art in the old things crying up imperfection and that is perfect that brings men to confesse their sin and that is in the creature Thomas Hodges Rector in Oxfordshire Batchellor in Divinity saith Pr. THat the holy Ghost speaks in the Scriptures Ans Here all may see his ignorance whether this man be fit to be a Rector who is thus corrected with the Scriptures which saith that the holy Ghost moved in them that gave forth Scriptures which led them into all truth and did not say the holy Ghost moved in the Scriptures but said the letter was dead and did not give life And thus he Rects into darknesse in telling the people the holy Ghost is in Scripture when the Scripture never gave forth that speech but said it was in them that gave it forth for many may have the Scriptures and want the holy Ghost as the Pharisees Pr. To the Law and to the Testimony and thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven Image that is in heaven or in earth Answ I say to the Law and to the Testimony before Matthew Marke Luke John Epistles and the Revelations were written The law is light the testimony of Jesus the spirit of prophecy as in the dayes Isaiah the 8. And you have told the people that it is Old and New Testament which the new was not written in his dayes in the dayes of Isaiah And why do you make likenesses of things in heaven and in earth and hang up in your houses and signes yet thou saith we should not make them for it is a breach of Gods command Of whom have you learned to make all these Images of things in heaven and things in the earth since the dayes of the Apostles but of them that went forth from the Apostles of whom ye are of the Popes tribe Richard Heath Priest in Shrewsbury His Principles as follows Pr. THat the drawing people to a light within them you draw them from God t themselves from the instruction of the spirit Answ Here thou art an unlike Minister to the Apostle who brought people to a light within them Cor. 2.4 and told them that the light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ And so none comes to the knowledge of the spirit but such as comes to the light within and from themselves though they have the Scriptures as the Jewes had Pr. If we Ministers should send people from all other lights to the light within them they should then turne them from light to darknesse from God to the power of Sathan Answ None comes to God but who comes to the light within from the power of Satan and darknesse And God will dwell in man and walk in man and make his abode who is light and the end of all other lights before they were And yee that turnes people from the light turnes people into darknesse the power of Satan and there keeps people under his dominion from the light Christ Jesus that hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world with which they might see their Saviour Daniel Gaudry Priest of great Billing in Northamptonshire His Principles as followeth Pr. THat the Saints are partly sinfull and failing in their best works and subject to continuall lustings one against another Answ The life of the Saints is Christ not sinfull at all and they are ceased from their own works and are true believers and the works of faith are not sinfull nor the works of the spirit which the Saints are led withal and they come into Christ in whom they have peace and not lust one against another but live in the spirit in which there is unity in which is the bond of peace and the lusting one against another is in the transgression of the spirit of God So who be in Christ be in peace and who be in the world be in trouble in wars but who be in Christ be in him who was before Wars was inward or outward of whom thou art ignorant Pr. The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin the guilt of it instantly and perfectly from the stain and power of it gradually Answ Where sin is there the guilt of it is felt at that instant but whoever feels the sin shall feel the guilt of it and the blood of the seed cleanseth it makes free from that which the Law takes hold of And the blood of the seed it cleanseth from sin the power and stain of it and then the guilt is gone of it and where this is known the seed that destroys death and him that hath the power of it which is the Devill the fulnesse is known which is above degrees that which degrees ends in Pr. It is the tang of Popery that a man may fall from saving grace Answ The grace of God that appeared to all men which brings salvation is saving and such thee and many Papists turns into lasciviousnesse and wantonnesse That which brings salvation is saving So you are turned to be murderers of one another about Scriptures which was not the practice of them who lived soberly righteously and godly who deny the worldly lusts and ungodlinesse but their hearts were established in grace which was their Teacher but you and Papists that live wildely and ungodly unrighteously in the lusts of the world that from the grace and the saving grace are fallen your fruits your actions daily declares and shews it and so you be talkers of grace which is turned into wantonness among you and the Papists both your unseasoned hearts and words makes it appear Pr. We shall not see Christ as he is till he comes to judgement then and not before we shall see him And then he adds Every man that hath this hope purifies himselfe which also argues that he is not pure and perfect but onely in hope Answ You where you are sees him not nor know him not as he is we do believe you but the Saints the true Church whom he is the head of whom he is in the midst and in whom he is And Christ told his Disciples they had known him and they knew the Son and had the Son and they had the Father also and he that had not had not life And they had handled and seen and hope in it selfe is pure and that is it which purifies man and makes him pure as God is pure The hope now is pure in it selfe a distinct thing and that is to make man
Christ within them here is two for if it be not the same Christ that ended all types and figures and shadowes If it be not him that is within they have not the possession the substance nor the comfort of the true Christ but who hath not Christ the end of the tipes shadowes figures in them they are among Ante-christs and false Christs and they that have the forme of godlinesse can confesse a Christ without them and notwithin them Pr. Again he saith The Saints have a glorious light within them but imperfect and it is an error to say they have an infallable light within them that they must follow which wil shew them all things and to Judge of Scripture that it must be fulfilled in them and these are them that are brought up in darke places of the earth that are as Sauls that goe to the witch and not to the Law and testomeny Ans None comes to the Law and to the testimony though they have the old and new Testament but who comes to the light in them for the Law is the light and who comes to the spirit within them which is the spirit of prophesy all that goe from this they goe into darke places of the earth and such are they that goe into the pathes of Sau l to such spirits that goe from the light within them and the spirit that is the testimony of Jesus and the light and the glorious light of the Saints which they are inlightened withall is Christ which is perfect and they are changed from glory to glory and so the light which thou saist the saints are in and yet not perfect and yet glorious minde thy words consider thy measure thy Judgement the infallible light which every one that comes into the world is inlightened withall is the leader of the people and the light they are to follow and it is the way to the Father out of the way from the Father that is in the first Adam in the transgression which light is Christ the second Adam that every man that comes into the world is inlightned withall and they who follow this and believe in it and walketh in it abideth not in darkenesse but have the light of life and the light within and the spirit of God within that gave forth the scripture is the tryall of the scripture of truth for men without that may wrest the words and wrong translate them so the light within the spirit of God is the Judge of the scriptures and knowes scripture which gave it forth and is the rule and ruled and led them to speak them forth and is the rule that leades them again to open them again and to lead into all truth as saith Christ Pr. He saith That which they set up above the scriptures is heathenish and the scriptures is the ground of Faith without it faith cannot act and faith hath no bottom to rest upon but scripture and scripture is more then faith the sure word of Prophesy the balme of the conscience it satisfies doubts heales wounds discerns the thoughts Ans The Pharisees and the chief Priests they were not healed except they came to Christ they found no rest for their soules though they had the scripture yet they came not to Christ the light which was before the scripture was given forth The Pharisees had the scriptures they had not faith stood against the author and the ground of it Christ so they had not faith the Pharisees had the scriptures but it was Christ and God that shewed them their thoughts so the scripture knew not their thoughts but who are in the spirit that gave forth the scriptures it is that which shewes mens thoughts Enock Abraham had faith and had not scripture all are heathens that are not in the light which was before scripture was written though they have all the scripture and the holy men of God acted in the faith in obedience to it before the scripture was given forth and they were all in the faith that gave forth the scripture and they did not act as from the scripture but from the spirit of whom they had learned who is the author of faith which the Just lives by and God and Christ the substance of the scripture Pr. And the scripture is an infallible rule of worship Ans The Jews and Pharisees they had the scripture and the Apostates since the daies of the Apostles they have had the scriptures been out of the life that gave it forth they want the rule which is the spirit in which God the father of spirits is worshipped that was the rule which all the holy men of God was led by to give forth scripture in which they worshipped God for the Pharisees had the scriptures not the spirit which gave them forth that worshipped they did not know what they wanted the rule the spirit of God that was in them that gave forth the scriptures in which they should have worshipped God so saw not the substance the ground of faith and author of faith Christ Jesus Pr. They will not put off their hatâ— they write thee and thou one to another they will not say master Ans The honour of the hat the putting of it off is an earthy honour of the earthly Adam in the fall in the transgression which Christ the second Adam the Lord from heaven not of the earthly comes to redeem man out of the sin and transgreâ—sion receives it not he will none of it but have the honour that comes from above cometh to stain that honour below and sees it a marke of an earthly honour of Adam in the transgression and not of the second the heavenly and as for thee and Thou you to a number and Thou to a singular who stumbles at this shews they have neither learned Accidence nor Bible so short of the spirit that spoke the sound words that connot be condemned and speaks proper which is the plant of renown and as for being called of men Master which Christ saith be not you ye have one master even Christ you are all brethren they be in the error that slight his commands and tramples them underfeet and hypocrits that after they have trampled his commands under foot and after makes a profession of his words Thomas Leadger thou professeth thou esteemes the scripture highly above ordinances above Angels and is not this scripture which saith be ye not called of men Master and Christs command yet thou denyes scripture and tramplest them under thy feet Pr. The scripture is the lanthorne of obedience and it directs men to Jesus and he cals the scripture the word of God the sum of truth and they could not have knowne there had been a Christ or a mediator or grace or glory or worship or father or spirit or light but as it is declared in scripture Ans I do believe you who are got up since the daies of the Apostles in the Apostacie inwardly ravening
the word but the Scripture is the word and so these poor creatures erre not knowing the Scripture to speak in the singular number is non-sence and they that translated the words thee and thou might have translâ—ted them you Answ The spirit gave to speak the proper Language singular and plural and spake such words as cannot be condemned And if translators that be out of that translate the words given forth from the spirit into what form soever they will yet the spirit will finde it out and the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world by which all things were made made lights and created lights Christ Jesus the light whiâ—h doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world need not have these outward lights or discoveries they were all made by the light which light was before these were made and they which are come into the reconciliation with God are in perfection out of the imperfection from under the wrath and the Word reconciles hammers down cuts down and burns up that which is contrary and sanctifies and makes clean and Christ Jesuâ— his name is called the word of God the Scripture saith so and they say that the Scriptures are the words of God which in Christ the word which was before they were given forth comes to fulfill them and that which is imperfect is done away Pr. To say that God is substantially in man as Essentially one with him can be no other but the man of sin the Devil himself having transformed himself into an Angel of Light and if it were possihle would â—â—â—â—â—ve the very Elect. Answ The Scripture saith that God will dwell in man and walk in him and the Saints had unitie with the Father and the Son and all that hates the Light which Christ the Light hath enlightened them withall hath not the Father and the Son in such the man of sin reigns and in such the Devil may transform but the Elect he cannot deceive the Elect hath the victory and Dominion which were elected in him before the foundation of the world glory for ever and as for all the other words in thy book they are not worth mentioning they will be thy own burthen they will fall heavy upon thee in this day when thou shalt shalt give an accompt to God James Brown His Book called Antichrist in spirit His expressions and Principles as followeth Pr. THat the light in every man is a certain guide and rule in all things this is the means whereby Scriptures are slighted Answ No one knows nor owns the Scriptures but as the light of Christ that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world doth guide and teach them the light of Christ within which gives them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and Scriptures and to see the Scriptures and doth not slight them Pr. To witnesse God and Christs glorious resurrection and heaven and the happinesse of new Jerusalem this is lookt upon as an errour Answ Christ within who is the resurrection the glory the kingdome of heaven is there and David who witnessed him was in hell he was upon the earth too and he that witnessed the new Jerusalem and that happinesse was upon the earth And they that have all these words not possessing the life they have no comfort in what they speak nor in what they professe and the babes and the children that are free knows their mother that is from above Pr. If there be no outward meanes but light within what need of the Scriptures Answ The light Christ within was in the Saints before the Scriptures was given forth and that was it which was their guide to give forth the Scriptures wherein they walked and did not stumble and that is it which gives to see the Scriptures again to what condition they are spoken and the use of them Pr. The day is not yet dawned nor the day-star the bright and morning Answ The Apostle tells the Saints of the Day-star and they were children of the day and the night was over the true light shined and the darknesse past Though some indeed were not come to the day-star and the light shined in darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not Where darknesse rules there be the works that are out of the light and among such as have apostatized since the dayes of the Apostles the day-star is not risen to them they see it not but amongst the children of light it is seen and they that see it not are comprehended The day-star is risen and they are children of the day Pr. And them that bring people to looke at the light within them are as Corah Dathan and Abiram Ans All that go from the light within them are as Corah Dathan and Abiram amongst the Lords Prophets exalting themselves and persecuting Pr. All men are not so taught of God as they shall be at Israels return Answ All men are taught of God that be in the Covenant whether Israel heare or not Pr. I know that many of the Quakers are temperate sober self-denying people but this is but the tything of hearbs Answ It was the Doctrine of the Apostle who preached Christ the end of tything and hearbs and self-denyall sobernesse temperance was not called the tything of hearbs for the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures brought to this Pr. And the light within is darkness and I never read of the Churches of the Saints that spoke by two Answ The Apostles doctrine to the Corinthians was that they might speak by two or three And the light within which is the light of Christ which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world the darknesse cannot comprehend it though it shine in it till it shine forth in the heart to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Pr. And that the Kingdome that is in the Saints is in the Pharisees I deny Answ The same that is in the Saints is in the Pharisees in the measure though it be but as a grain of mustard-seed which is like to the leaven little Pr. The state of arising from sin to grace is never called a resurrection Answ They that arise from sin to grace out of the first Adam into the second Adam comes into the resurrection the second death shall have no power over them and the Saints comes to judge the world Pr. Such as trust to a light within them forsake the holy oyle the Lords spirit that speaks in the Scriptures Answ The Lords spirit spoke in them that gave forth the Scriptures who had the holy oyle the light within them And the spirit speaks not from the Scripture but by that which gave it forth which is the Author of it Pr. I deny that any have a light within them to attain to the measure of God and Christ as they that have the writings Ans None attains to the mystery of God but by the light
one another in this Church Papists and Protestants Lutherans and Calvinists so called how is it they are not of one body broken into so many heads now the baptisme of the spirit brings all into one body in which spirit is the fellowship and the unity which spirit is the bond of peace and Circumcision outwardly was a figure of Circumcision within and that it typed forth and baptisme without typed forth baptisme within and many may run into the outward water that doth decrease and doth not come to the body of Christ the light as you may read in the fifth of John for none are grafted into Christ the body but who comes to the light John bare witness of Pr. You say though Christ he in Heaven you on Earth and you are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Answ And yet before you said your consciences accused you and your best works in this life were sinful imperfect and you could not keep the commands of God now this is confusion who are of the flesh and bone of Christ are with him and fits with him in Heavenly places for their conversation is in Heaven Pr. We are grafted into Christ by the Holy-Ghost now according to his humane nature on earth Answ Humane nature is from the ground this is old Adam but Christ who according to the flesh was of Abraham and of David the Scripture doth not tell us of humane nature for humane is from the ground but Christ is from above and though he were a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world yet his nature was not corrupted nor his flesh saw no corruption he that is made of the dust is humane he that is the Lord from heaven is not humane so you erre in your understandings that doth not distinguish Pr. Teaching the Gospel and Ecclesiastical discipline by which the heaven is opened to believers and shut against the unbelievers Ans Christ hath the key which opens to believers which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world that through it they might believe and they that do not believe in the light which Christ hath enlightned them withal heaven is shut to them light condemns them and they neglect the Gospel upon whom the wrath comes which Gospel is the power of God and as for the Ecclesiastical discipline it is got up since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostasie which shuts up the Kingdom of Heaven against men that which they should have believed in that is the light Christ hath enlightned them withall which is the key Pr. And such you say that be wicked men the Sacrament is to them forbidden and shut out of the Congregation Answ Do you not call baptisme Sacrament and hath he given them it and did not you say they are grafted into the Church by baptisme and cannot Judas take the sop but for the word Sacrament that you may look in the old Canon Book the Masse-Book and such as you like you give your Sacrament as covetous and proud and lovers of gold and surfetted with the cares of this life and drunk with it and such as are in superfluitie and yet such you will give it to and common outward drunkards you will keep it from now are not all those forbidden and out of the Church of God read and judge your selves and amend your lives and repent that you may come into the spirit that baptizeth into the body of Christ Pr. You say Christ hath redeemed you by his blood and renewed you by his spirit to his Image Ans And yet your works before were sinful and you brake the command of God now this shewes still that you have but the form and unrenewed in spirit unchanged unconverted and not in the Image of God and not in the thankfulness of God out of a pure heart Pr. To mortifie the old man is to be sorry for your sins Answ A man may be sorry for the sin he hath acted but that which puts off the body of sin is the spirit and purifies the heart is the faith and that that cleanseth from all sin is the blood of Jesus and that that blots out all sin and transgression is Christ the Covenant of God and Christ within manifest in the flesh condemns sin in the flesh so having him within the body is dead because of sin Pr. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image the likeness of any thing in Heaven above or in the earth beneath or worship them or bow down to them thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain c. and remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day for six dayes thou shalt labour and do all thou hast to do but on the Sabbath thou nor thy ox servant or stranger shall do no manner of work Answ Do you not make graven images and Pictures of things in Heaven and of things in the water and of things in the earth and so make similitudes and representations and adore them and set them up in your houses and is not this quite contrary to the commands of God and hath not the Papists been your examples for these things and not the Apostles and do ye not take the Lords name in vain dayly in your streets and markets in your buying and selling and take the Lords name in vain when you call upon him with your lips but your hearts be in your covetous practices and full of hatred envy pride voluptuousness ambition self-honour and deceit and this is taking the Lords Name in vain to call on God with your lips while your hearts be after this manner do your servants or strangers or cattel rest on the seventh day and do you not keep Markets and Fairs on that day the Lord gave to the children of Israel after the fall of Adam for a sign of the restoration of the Creation that neither man nor servant nor family nor ox nor Asse should work on that day but rest so it was a signe the Apostles saith the Sabbath day was a shadow of good things to come which was Christ the good thing who restores the Creation and giveth the liberty to Horse Asse Ox and all the Creation unto man and stranger and servant and Redeemes man up into the image of God and renewes it which hath been lost and so is restoring of the Creation and gives rest to his people and all the Creation and destroys the Devil death and all his works Christ who is the restorer gives rest to the Creation who was before dayes was by which all things was made Pr. You say Thou shalt not do no murther thou shalt not steal nor thou shalt not covet thy neighbours goods house or servant nor any thing that is his his wife or ox or Asse c. Ans Do you do no murther that was the Law without do you fulfill it in Christendom then you do not murther the just principle of God in your particulars do you not quench the spirit in
people and suffer it not to have liberty do you not do murther to the just of God in you in your own particulars and so then stop it in the general for opening its mouth with all your force and might and are you not murtherers there and do you not steal by Sea and Land and cozen and cheat and wrong one another nay do you not steal the words from your neighbour and the Prophets and the Apostles and Christ which you never came into the life of is not this called theft and robbery for you have not received it from the Lord God as Prophets as Apostles as his Son did and servants did so all your profession Church and Ministery stand in the robbery and have not received it as they did as the true Apostles and Prophets did and Ministers did ye all stand in the robbery and do not you covet your neighbours goods Oxen Cattel and servants and wife and one getting from another goods and getting servants one from another is not this out of the love in which the Commandment ends where there is serving one another in love and is not all covetous Idolaters out of the love shut in which the Commandment ends and hath not this been the practice in the whole Christendom coveting mens goods servants cattel and that which is not his is not that out of the Law and Gospel and out of a pure heart where the Commandment is done and known and that which it ends in is in Christ and love keepes the Commands of Christ they that love do not covet and they are not Idolaters Pr. We are not to make any images to be tollerated in the Churches and Chappels or figures of things made for it is not seemly for God will have his Church be taught by living Preaching Answ How is it that your Churches so called are so full of Pictures and images of Males and Females representing a figure of Adam and Eve the Apostles and Christ and your houses and signs of fish in the Sea and Lyons and others creatures upon the earth and of things as you imagine in heaven are not all these your inventions your works and inventions you have learned of the Papists and they from the heathen not from the Apostles and you have daubed your Churches and them flourished with your Pictures these things you call your Churches but the Church is in God which the gates of Hell cannot prevail against but a showre of rain or an earthquake or a great wind will prevail against your Church and the devil may come with his carnal weapons and throw it down but the Church of Christ the Pillar of truth is that the devil is out of Pr. You say a man may swear before a Magistrate and that this kind of swearing is ordained by Gods word therefore well used of the Saints and it is not lawful to swear by the Saints or other creatures Answ Here ye be out of the Doctrine of Christ who saith swear not at all and out of the Magistrates state the Apostle speaks of and out of Christs Doctrine and the Apostles and hath broken the commands of Christ and the Apostles Doctrine which saith swear not at all so you wrong Christ Jesus and the word of God you deny and though Abraham swear and Jacob and Joseph sware the Prophets and Moses swear David swore and the Angels swore and men in strife swear by the greater and the oath ended the strife and controversie amongst men yet Christ saith before Abraham was I am he reigns over the house of Joseph and Jacob he is the end of the Prophets he is the end of Moses he is the end of men of strife and brings peace on the earth the Angels must bow down to him that saith swear not at all who was before Abraham was and David called him Lord who was greater then Solomon and this is my beloved Son hear ye him now which of you hear him they said in the old time perform thy vows to the Lord this was the old time the day of Abraham David Prophets Moses Solomon but Christ who was before all time by whom all things was made the oath of God ends the time and saith swear not at all so doth his true Ministers and the Apostles above all things my brethren swear not at all neither by heaven nor by earth lest you fall into condemnation now here were true brethren that kept the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles and his commands which swearers break which are got up since the dayes of the Apostles which are the false brethren Apostatized from the true so now the fruits of false and true brethren are seen who keep the commands of Christ and walk in the Doctrine of the Apostles and who doth not Pr. You say That in the fourth Commandment God doth command that the Ministers of the Gospel and the Schools of Learning should be maintained and that on the Sabbath frequent studiously Divine Assembles hear the word diligently using the Sacraments Ans Your Schools your Sacraments your Sabbath your Studies by men you have made these since the Apostles your Ministers at your Schools and not by the Lord but among your selves Apostatized from his spirit for the Apostles had not Shools and the Apostles said let no man judge you in meats or drinks new Moons and Sabbath dayes c. for the body is Christ and he brought them off of these services to Christ the substance the body who ended the Sabbath days and the offerings upon them who was before dayes who is the rest for his people and did not bring people into dayes but into Christ by whom all things was made who was Lord of the Sabbath and such meet on the first day of the week and are taught of God and out-strip all your Teachers made in Schools and learnings of men and so not of man nor by man but the outward Schools are of men and by men Pr. You say The fifth Commandment injoyns you to yield obedience to the faithful commandments of them that be over you and the Catechisme Ans The fifth Commandment brings that men should obey the command of God not of men nor the Catechisme nor such stuff as is in this Catechisme but who are come to Christ the end of the Commandments the end of the Law him by whom the world was made and was before it was made is enjoyed Pr. You say The meaning of the seventh Commandment Is that you should live temperate modest and chaste and holy in Wedlock Answ Is this so have you not broken Wedlok both with God and man and lost the chaste Virgin state and so gotten up into intemperate immodest unchastness into uncleanness and filthiness and so shew by your fruits that you neither come to keep this Commandment nor to Christ the end of it Pr. You say The eighth Commandment doth not only forbid robbery but covetousness after other mens goods evil witchcraft devices to
kindreds and tongues which is the power of God which brings People into unity with God and Scriptures and the mystery of God is revealed and the mystery of iniquity discovered and he that was dead is alive again and lives for ever more SEVERAL SCRIPTURES Corrupted by the TRANSLATORS Jude 14. BEhold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints in the Greek it is in ten thousands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.3 Expresse image of his person gr Substance or Subsistence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2.16 He took not on him the nature of Angels in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is by true interpretation he doth not take hold of Angels as for the word Nature which is in our English Copies there is nothing for it in the Greek Mat. 3.11 In Beza his Latine Testament and our English Copies it is rendred I indeed baptize you with water and from the word with water is the act of Sprinkling pleaded for in the Greek it is I dip plunge or baptize you in water in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.23 In the Latin and English Copies 't is thus which was preached to every creature which is under heaven in the Greek it is in every creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 16.15 In the Latin and English Copies it is that which is highly esteemed among men in the Greek it is in men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.31 In our English Copies it is I protest by your rejoycing c. Now I protest is added for there is nothing for it in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2.6 We speak wisdome among them that are perfect in the Greek it is in them that are perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.29 In the English and Latin Copies it is that he might be the First-born among many Brethren in the Greek it is in many Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 28.19 In the English and Latin Copies it is baptizing them in the name in the Greek it is into the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 6.7 In the English Copies it is for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking in the Greek it is in their much speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.16 In our English and Latin Copies it is great is the mystery of Godliness God was manifest in flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles in the Greek it is preached in the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11.2 In the Latin and English Copies it is wot ye not what the Scripture saith of Elias but in the Greek it is in Elias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.1 God c. spoke to the Fathers by the Prophets in the Greek it is God spoke to the Fathers in the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hath in the last daies spoken unto us by his Son in the Greek it is hath spoken unto us in his Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15.6 That you may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God in the Greek it is in one mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.19 In the Greek Latin and English Copies it is speaking of the Gentiles that which is known of God is manifest in them or made known in them though some dare say and do say among them Amos 3.6 Shall there be evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it this is the English Translation in the Hebrew it is shall there be evil in 〈◊〉 â—â—y and shall not the Lord do somewhat Heb. 5. last Strong meat belongeth to them that 〈◊〉 full of age in the Greek it is Strong meat belongeth to them that are perfect 〈…〉 Iohn 8.6 In our English Copies it is Jesus sâ—ooâ—ed down and with his finger wrote on the ground as though he heard them not as for the words as though he heard them not they are added by the Translators for there is nothing in the Greek for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 1.14 The word became flesh and dwelt amongst us in the Greek it is in us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By true interpretation it is the Word became flesh and pitcht his Tent in us Heb. 10.20 In the English Copies it is by a new and living way in the Greek it is of late slain and living way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies recens mactatus lately or of late slain saith Leigh and Pasor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IF any one want Light let him look upon the Law and the testimony whether they speak after this meaning If he do not this he stumbles and suffers hunger and if he suffer hunger he is not patient but blasphemeth his King and his God then looketh he upward and downward to the earth and behold there is trouble and darkness vexation is round about him and the cloud of error and out of such adversity shall he not escape even like as in time past it hath been seen well this is the old Translation Isai 8. New Translation thus To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them and they shall passe through it hardly bestead and hungry and it shall come to passe that when they shall be hungry they shall fret themselves and curse their King and their God and look upward and they shall look unto the earth and behold trouble and darkness and dimness of anguish and they shall be driven to darkness Isai 8.20.21 22. Old Translation Prov. 23. when thou sittest at the Table with a Lord order thy self mannerly with the things set before thee measure thine Appetite and if thou wilt rule thy own self be not over greedy of his meat for meat beguiles and deceives New Translation thus When thou sittest to eat with a Ruler consider diligently what is before thee and put a knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to Appetite Be not desirous of his dainties for they are deceitful meat Prov. 23.1 2 3. Old Translation Amos 3. Cry they out Alarum with the Trumpet in the City and the people not affraid cometh there any plague in a City without it be the Lords doing New Translation thus shall a Trumpet be blown in the City and the People not be afraid shall there be evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it Hosea 5.6 In the first Chapter of the Heb. 3. in the new Translation it is said who being the brightness of his glory and the express Image of his Person But in the old Translation it Reads thus being the brightness of his glory and the very Image of his substance The 2 Cor. 2. Chapter the last verse in the English it is we do not corrupt the word but in the Latin it is we do not sell the word for money
imprisoned and many hard dealings against us the worst of tongues or hands could execute sparing life of this all the North countries may witnesse and all these things are sustained and suffered from people and Rulers because of our faithfulnesse to the Lord and for declaring against the false deceivers for nothing save onely the hand of the Lord and his power could have preserved us and carryed us through all this neither for any reward outward whatsoever or advantage to our selves would we have exposed our selves to that sufferings and violence and dangers which befell us dayly but the Lord was our exceeding great reward through all these things and kept us in the hollow of his hand and under the shadow of his wings and gave us dominion in spirit over all our enemies and subdued them before us and though Rulers and people were combined against us and executed their injustice and violence upon us yet the Lord made us to prosper and grow exceedingly in strength wisdom and number and the hearts of the people enclined unto us and the witnesse of God in many stired for us for to that in all consciences in our words and sufferings and waies we did commend our selves to be known and approved And in the beginning we were but few in number onely a few that thus were carried on and dealt with all and that had received the power from on high in such a measure and for such a work and no sooner did the Lord appear to us and with us but the Devil and his power rose up against us to destroy us and it wrought in Rulers Priests and people and all the waies and meanes invented by the Devil that could be executed by his servants were brought forth to quench the work of the Lord and to stop our passage in what we were called to did ye but perfectly know as we perfectly found the craftinesse and policie and wickednesse of the Devil how to overcome this new borne babe and how to root out for ever this plant that was newly sprang forth it would make you admire and wonder with admiration all the priests and Rulers were in an uproar the Priests they petitioned to the Magistrates and run up down from one sessions and Judicatory to another took wicked oathes and slandered the just with lies and reproaches on purpose to incense all people against us and the Magistrates gave forth warrants for the apprehending of some and made their orders to break our meetings and that we should not meet in the night season and such men might not passe abroad and such stirr and opposition vvas made against us it can hardly be expressed or declared there was uproars in steeple-houses and uproars in markets and often haling before Magistrates and abused and threatned and slandred and all manner of evil done and spoken against us and great injustice cruelty and oppression acted against us where ever we came and all through the meanes of the Priests who spared not to enact and conceive mischief against us and sought dayly to the Magistrates for persecution preaching in their Pulpits and praying against us and setting daies apart to seek their God against us crying with out ceasing in publike and private heresie heresie Error and blasphemy that we were deceivers witches and seducers such like the worst they could say and Imagine to stir up the hearts of people against us and running often to the Assize and Sessions and Counts to complain and in forme upon false oathes against us and through them were the whole countries in a rage and madnesse Rulers people often imprisoning and abusing and resisting us with violence banishing us out of towns and putting of us out of our Innes and often threatning to burne the houses over our heads the whole company of rude people in a town often gathering and besetting a house or Inne about where we were entred to lodge in our travels we were often exposed to dificult and hard travels and journies giving our selves to the Crosse to take it up against all earthly often drinking water and lying in straw in barnes after a hard daies journey and yet for all these things the power and presence of the Lord was with us and we were carried on in much boldnesse and faithfulnesse in courage and without fear or doubtings through the often hazard of our lives many waies in uproars by evil men and in markets and Steeple-houses and also in travels by robbers and every way were we exposed to dangers and perrils but through all over all were we carried and are preserved to this day And after this manner it came to passe concerning us and much more might be said but this is in short declared how we were intreated and dealt withall by Priests Rulers and People through all the Northern counties of England in our first going forth through which counties we first Journied out of Westmerland through Cumberland Northumberland and into some parts of Scotland and Durham York-shire Lancashire Chesshire c. and in all these counties much opposition we had and exceeing sufferings and cruell dealings from men of all sorts every Goal may witnesse in every county how any of them seldome were without some of us or our friends imprisoned in them this six yeares and scarce one steeple-house or market in all these counties but may witnesse what beating what bruisings strikings and halings and abusings and perils we have suffered and sustained and not one priest in all those counties can cleare himselfe from hatred and malice and from envying of us and doeing mischief in words and works or thoughts or desires against us nor scarce one Justice nor any officer of the peace can be excused in all them counties from plotting and acting injustice upon us and threating and enacting cruelty against us And I call Heaven and Earth to record and the Light in every mans conscience and do appeal to that in all sorts and places of people that by all sorts of people we suffered evil and unjust works and actions and words from them and let the witnesse of God in all mens consciences in all the North give testimony what dealings and cruelty we suffered and how we have been dealt withall and also of our patience and Innocency under all what they have done to us But notwithstanding all what was acted against us and spoken maâ—â— hundreds of the honest and sober people owned us and also many rude and ungodly persons were converted to the truth I say many hundreds in all these counties in two yeares time were brought to the knowledge of the Lord and to own us all which time we laboured and traveled in patience giving up our selves to live or to die and to all manner of sufferings and reproaches and hard trials that we might fulfill faithfully what we were called unto sufferings without from open enemies and from our own kindred and relations and sufferings within for the seeds sake
Scriptures and made free from sin c. pag. 18. Ans Contrary to Rom. 6. Contrary to the Apostle to the Colossians where he had put off the body of sin And contrary to Christ who saves cleanseth from all sin by his blood blots out all sin And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin Pr. He saith that Christ is in heaven in his humanity therefore not to be seen not to be heard not to be handled by us or any others that live upon earth and they cannot give their own assurance c. pag. 19. Ans So shews that they were never made Ministers by him who never saw him nor heard him so never handled the word of life from the Father nor the Son nor saw it nor heard it so are the Pastors that spoil the flock And he is the earthly Adam and humanity but Christ the second Adam is the Lord from heaven Pr He saith that Timothy was commanded to preach and yet had not heard nor seen nor handled any thing of Christ c. page 20. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who bid him to stir up the gift in him and told Timothy he was in the faith and he was to be strong in the grace of Christ And whosoever hath faith knows Christ to be the Author of it and knows something from Christ and so thou thy self hast confuted Pr. He saith that the Saints doth not see Christ for the heavens contain him page 20. Ans And the Apostle saith they sate with Christ in heavenly places so he is contrary to the Apostle And Christ was in them and walkt in them and God dwelt in them and Christ in you except ye be reprobates Pr. He saith the whole minde and will of Christ and God is left them in letters page 21. Ans And the Apostle saith it is past finding out the unsearchable wisdome and the secret things belongs to God and are revealed by the spirit and no man knows them but by the spirit Pr. And he saith the Gospel is the Letter c. Ans And the Apostle saith It is the power of God and the letter kils and many may have the form and deny the power and so stand against the Gospel which is the power of God Pr. And he saith the Devill shews his spight and spleen in them who say they have the word as it was in the beginning against the Scriptures c. page 22. Answ That is not so for they that have the word as was in the beginning own the Scriptures and are not against them but are in that which fulfils them Pr. He saith that all the Saints receive the spirit of Christ yet never heard his voyce Ans This is confusion for who are the sheep of Christ know his voyce Pr. He saith they are uncovered when commonly they have two caps on their heads and the people are covered when they have a hat on their heads c. page 29. Ans This is according to thy deceitful teaching and learning Pr. He saith the Scriptures is the voyce of Christ to them c. Ans And Christ said to them that had the Scriptures They never heard the voyce of God at any time to the Pharisees John 5. For there thou art un-put forth amongst the sheep and they heard the voyce that gave forth the Scripture and came to the life and Christ at the end of them Pr. And he saith there is an immediate voyce which speaks within which we have never heard nor do we know it within our selves experimentally and we believe and hope that we never shall know it c. page 30. Ans And so shews that they never knew the spirit of the Father speaking within them but follows their own dreams and spirits and stops their ear against that of God in them and they blesse themselves from that immediate voyce within and calls it the voice of the Devil which is the spirit of inspiration and the word of God in their hearts which men must obey and do Pr. And he saith to say Christ is within them doing all immediately and infallibly within them and so do say it is Christ and the spirit within them and not they Ans Now this he calls a spirit of Delusion And the Apostle saith I live yet not I but Christ in me And he works all in us and for us after his own good pleasure And this was not a spirit of delusion in them And this thou art reprobated from and found in thy own works Pr. And he saith That which is within them is not eternal and infallible when the Quakers asked him whether it was or no and he saith nay that which judgeth in them is not eternal infallible He saith they assert no such things as that concerning themselves And he saith though all the Saints have the spirit of Christ dwelling in them which is eternall and infallible yet that this spirit should do all that Saints do and should say all that Saints say and should judge for them both for persons and of things after an infallible manner and that they should neither say nor do nor judge any thing by any understanding of their own but the spirit all this we deny These are his words page 31. Ans Which is contrary to the Apostle who saith As many as are the sons of God are led by the spirit of God And Christ acts all in them and for them and the fruits of the spirit c. and the spirituall man judgeth all things And that is it which leads the Saints to devide and discern all things both temporall and spirituall the spirituall wisdome of God which gives them a spirituall understanding which men must rule withall but not with their own that comes to nought and you that have not that which is infallible to judge in you know not the spirit of Christ neither can you judge of persons or things that have not the infallible judgement nor have the spirituall man Neither have you the word of God in your hearts nor Christ which is eternall and infallible all which the Quakers have to judge persons and things Pr. He saith that children are of the seed as to the Church priviledges and externall Ordinances of a spirituall nature Ans Mark his confusion But Christ saith ye must be born again or else ye cannot inherit the kingdome of heaven and such be of the Church Pr. He saith If they can but destroy all formes the power will fall with it for the forme preserves the power page 37. Answ Contrary to the Apostle many have the form but deny the power The power preserves the forme sees the end of forms and destroys them and brings to see before forms was where forms is not For the Apostles who lived in the power denyed the Jewes forms and Gentiles both as we do now deny the Popish forms and yours which you have invented and set up Pr. And an immediate teaching he saith of
Saints shall not judge while they be upon the earth Answ But the spirit did teach the Apostle to judge and his time was come And he tels some that they were of old ordained for condemnation and their damnation slumbred not and they went on to eternall judgement and it is high time not to judge Pr. And this he calls a mistake to deny all those that say they have faith in Christ and yet their righteousnesse is not perfect as the righteousnesse of Christ is perfect Ans Who hath faith in Christ is in the perfect Righteousnesse and so you are in the mistake that have a faith and a righteousnesse that is not perfect for righteousnesse and faith which is the gift of God is perfect Pr. For to say that he that saith he hath hope in himselfe and yet is not purified even as he is pure is the hope of the hypocrite c. This he calls a mistake see page 8. Answ And here he is corrected and his spirit is corrected being in the world for the hope purifies as God is pure but the hope of the hypocrite doth not Pr. He calls it a subtill delusion that owns not the Law without in Tables and Books to try the spirits within c. See page 8. Ans And the spirit of Christ within is the end of the Tables Law and Works and Books Therefore in this is discovered his own White Devill and corrected by the spirit as he speaks of and the Law is now in the heart the new Covenant is witnessed and the Pharisees had the Law in Tables as thou hast Scriptures and stood against the life and in the subâ—le delusion as thou doth who brings the external to try the eternal which it is the eternal that tryeth the external as Christ did the Pharisees who told them when they wronged it And so are you the wrongers of it who hath not the eternall to try withall so as the Devill who is fallen out of the power And it was the eternal that led forth the Saints to speak forth Scripture and with that they are tryed and seen wâ—o wrongs them and wrest them to their own destruction and Peter was one of those tryers who was in the Spirit of God and could not read letters and the Pharisees they had the letter without the life and could not try Francis Blake's Booke called Choice Collections of Scriptures against the practice of the QUAKERS c. His Principles follow Pr. HE saith Repent and become sinners because the Quakers say they are made free from sin by Christ see page 6. Ans Contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who said repent and forsake sin that they might receive the remission of sins c. And contrary to the Apostles doctrine to Simon Magus Pr. Francis Blake hath printed a Letter which shews that those that are in scorne called Quakers ownes the blood of Christ. And John Bunyan saith they deny it Ans And thus they are in confusion but the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God we own but their Lies we disown and we witnesse the repentance which cannot be repented of but we say to you Repent and turn from your sins And they that bid people repent and become sinners are Satans messengers Luke Fawnes Samuel Gellibrand Joshua Kirton John Rothwel Thomas Underhil and Nathaniel Webbs in a Book called The Second BEACON Fired Sent to the Protector Their thirst is after blood and persecution over all such spirits we see there is that in them shall Answer it Pr. THey say The Quakers Principles are Blasphemous Paganish Antichristian Anti-scripturall Ans Because we hold out the foundation of God Christ Jesus who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Pr. He calls this loathsome poysonous and blasphemous errour c. See page 3. Answ You are poysoning the people and are of the Whores stock who would have blood to drink which drunk of the blood of the Prophets and Martyrs and Saints and so lies provoking the zeale of the Magistrate against them as the Pharisees and Priests did in ages past but that was the blinde zeale that persecuted in all Ages and they are Anti-scripturall Antichristian and Anti-ministeriall that deny the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world which is the end and substance of the Scriptures and who is in that owns the Scriptures and is not against them and are the true Manisters and Christians and so you are the Pagans and Heathens that deny the light that all men are enlightned withall Pr. They say that the Quakers are in an errour to say that none are the Ministers of God and called of him who are sent forth by the authority of man c. page 7. Answ So shews their ignorance of the Apostles doctrine and words Not of man nor by man he saith he had received it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ and so you that are made by men deny this Pr. They say That is another errour of the Quakers that say he who is not infallible in his judgement when he gives counsell and advice is no Minister of Christ See page 7. Answ Now he that is not infallible in his counsell and judgement and advice is not he in errour And are not the Ministers of Christ the Ministers of the spirit And is not that out of the errour which is infallible in counsell and judgement And are they Ministers of Christ that are fallable and is not the power the Gospel infallible You may well creep and go to the Magistrates for help who denies infallibility and so naturall men knows not the things of God with the earthly spirit of the world I say that is infallible which must order all the Creation to the glory of God by which they were made and created Pr. You say again You are laying and spreading their errours and blasphemies before the Magistrates that they may stop their mouths See page 9. Ans Now you shew that you have not the spirit of Stephen nor the Apostles whom their enemies could not resist but the spirit of them that was against Stephen c. perswading the Magistrate and so your weapons ye shew are carnall not the mighty weapons to pluck down the strong hold and spiritual wickednesses which weapons are spirituall Ye are fain to fly to the mountains to cover you to hide you from the presence of the Lamb which is now risen And where did ever the Apostles go to the Magistrates for help and complain against Errors and Blasphemy and such as did so judged Truth to be blasphemy running to the Magistrates as you do now who are apostatized from the Apostles but many of the Magistrates are come to see you and will not be your pack-horses nor Executioners any longer And your whole intent is to brand the light of Christ Jesus with the same expressions of Errour and Blasphemy as the Jewes did in Ages past who are begging to the Magistrates with Petitions provoking
is a time for men to see they have sin and sinned and a time to confess it and forsake it and their is a time to witness the blood of Christ cleansing from all sin and then a time to witness the birth born of God which doth not commit sin 1 John 4. Chap. Pr. He saith Here is a strange conceit of a person that fills heaven and earth with his presence and dwells in the Saints blindness with a witness c. See page 8. Ans Here thy ignorance hath appeared again for all power in heaven and earth is given to him Christ Jesus who is in them at the right hand of God who is in the Saints dwelling and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world but this to thee is a strange conceit and blindness with a witness Thy witness is blinded with thy conceit which shews thy ignorance of Scripture and thy unskilfulness in the word and doctrine that all things is upheld by his word and his power and that there is no creature but is manifest in his sight For all things that was made was made by him that he might have a name above every name and that to his name should every knee bow and every tongue confess to the glory of God and God will dwell in man and it is he that seeth the heart Pr. He saith Sin is in the Saints c. See page 10. Ans Sin is not in the sanctified but in the unsanctified And he that saith sin is in the Saints he is blinded he is of the Serpent and he and they be in the poâ—lution themselves which the Saints have escaped and are washed and cleansed and so far as any one is sanctified it is from the sin Pr. He saith That we will not enter into the Kingdom by the Blood of the Covenant that hath been often proved c. See page 10. Ans And Francis Blake did publish it in Print that the Quakers did witness the blood of Christ that cleanseth from all sin and so thou Prints against us and he prints for us thou Prints that we deny the blood of Jesus and he Prints that we own the blood of Jesus and so ye are devouring the innocent betwixt you and the blood of the seed we own which cleanseth from all sin which doth not you which say sin must be in the Saints but make his blood of none effect which cleanseth from all sin Pr. He saith The Scriptures shall be our judge one day which we call the letter c. See page 11. Answ And the Scripture saith all judgement is committed to the Son and God will judge the world and the Saints and the spiritual man judges all things and thus thou art ignorant of the letter and this shall judge thee at the last Pr. He saith That the Kingdom is not come nor refreshing from the presence of the Lord c. Answ Which shewes they are like unto the Pharisees unconverted gazing here and there and Christ told them the Kingdom was in them And they that are not turned to the light which comes from Christ the refresher whereby refreshing might come so are not come to repentance yet Pr. He saith They that say they have no sin makes God a liar See page 12. Ans Which the Scripture saith no such thing but saith on the contrary the Scripture saith many were made free from sin And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin and they that are Christs have crucified the lusts and all things are become new and they that sin and lie are not in Christ the truth Pr. He saith All that have been are or shall be converted since the Gospel ministration are converted by the Apostles words c. See page 13. Ans So he hath thrown out the spirit that doth regenerate and Christ the way to the Father the word that sanctifieth and Christ the power of God to salvation Who said they would not come to him that they might be converted so if they get all the Apostles words and come not to Christ they are not converted and none are converted by the Apostles words but who comes to the Life that the words come from Pr. And he opposeth and saith It will be the Quakers fall because they say there is no other way to bring people to God but by the light in them c. See page 14. Ans Which is Christ the way to God from whence it comes which is mans condemnation not believing in it and so a saving light For saith God I will give him for a Covenant for a lgiht to the Gentiles that he may be my salvation to the ends of the earth the light shall and all that be not in the light are in the fall out of the Covenant in the unsaved state and knows not their salvation but as the Scripture declareth and so there is death and destruction talking of the same of wisdom and keeping people out of the light Pr. And he saith That Christ is not so the light of the World as he is the light of believers See page 14. Ans Christ is the light to the World as to believers and he that believeth in it shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life he that follows the light and believes in it shall have the light of life and shall not abide in darknesse He that follows not the light but hates it he abides in the darknesse and the light condemns him which the believer walks in and believes in and hath the light of life which light is one and the same which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world believers and unbelievers Pr. He saith That the Scriptures is the rule of the Saints and he saith the spirit is the guide to that rule c. see page 15. Ans And so would have the Scripture to be before the spirit Now the spirit was the Saints rule that led them to speak forth Scriptures and to let them to see to what condition they were spoken too and so by that they came to the law of Faith and they was not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit So in this ye have proved your selves not to be Ministers of the Spirit but of the Letter which the Spirit was before the Letter was Pr. He saith That the time of perfection will be when Christ comes from heaven and not before till then the Saints must be warring waiting groaning and mourning c. See page 20. Ans And David saith he had seen an end of all perfection contrary to Collier And the Apostle saith they should hunger no more nor thirst no more And Christ saith He that eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood shall hunger no more and thirst no more He that believeth is entered into his rest shall hunger no more and thirst no more And the Apostles and Saints witnessed Christ in them and the Kingdome while they were upon earth and
the end of groaning and gruling which thou art in that art out of this and keeps people which are apostatized from the Apostle from the Light which is the Truth John Deacon's Book called A Publique Discovery of a secret Deceit His Principles follow And as for the rest of his Lies and Slanders in his Book which are heaped up they will fall upon his own head and be his sorrow And all Liars upon the earth that are given up to believe tell lies are comprehended with the innocency and truth by which innocency is preserved and men and people shall heap to themselves sorrow by their owne lies and inventions Neverthelesse the Scriptures of Truth are owned in their place to the condition that they were spoken to Pr. HE saith That the light wherewith every one that cometh into the world is enlightned withall is the light of nature and reason and sense c. See page 5. Ans Which is contrary to John 1.9 who saith it was the true light by which all things were made which as many as received him he gave them power to become the sons of God which is beyond naturall sense and reason Pr. He saith That the worke of faith and the growth of faith is by the naturall use of Ordinances and calls it deceitfull sophistry which denyes it c. page 7. Answ Faith is the gift of God and Christ is the Author of it It cometh not by the naturall use of Ordinances The naturall man receiveth not the things that be of God which faith is the gift of God And thou art in the sophistry and in the poyson that saith faith the work and growth of it is by the naturall use of ordinances Pr. And he speaks of a temporall expressive word of God c. see page 8. Answ But the Scripture tells us of no such thing as temporal word but speaks of the Word of God that lives and endures for ever and so the other is but his own imagination Pr. He saith The Quakers go about to picke forth the right eye of Christianity Ans Because they hold forth the light that lighteth every man that comes into the world Christ Jesus the Covenant of God which makes all the apostate Christians blind And your right eye must be plucked out that offends and this the Christians shall witnesse when their eyes are open that sees the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world the covenant of God Prin. He saith The Quakers were never heard of till of late yeares c. See page 12. Ans Which is contrary to the Scriptures which speaks of them before Moses by Moses by the Prophets and Apostles and he bids them to worke out their salvation with feare and trembling And now the great Earth-quake is coming amongst you false Prophets and Antichrists John speaks of and Harlots and Apostates from the Apostle compellers to your worship And now are you comprehended with the spirit of God are you judged who are ignorant of the salvation wrought out with feare and trembling Pr. He calls them subtill deceivers and hereticks that questions the word Trinity and says it came from Rome c. see page 13. Ans Which he is justifying and so he is turning to his Teacher the Pope and Common Prayer-book of whom he hath learned it For the Scriptures have not taught it him And the Son and the Father is in unity and this we own that are called Quakers and deny you and your Pope and your Common-prayer-book and your false Teachers got up since the days of the Apostles Pr. Again he saith O incomparable hypocriticall lyars Is not this the character Paul gives of a false prophet to speak lyes in hypocrisie because we preach Perfection c. See page 16. Answ It is agreeable to Scripture Christs doctrine and the Apostles doctrine and the life of Christ And we are made free from sin saith the Apostle And again As he is so are we in this present world And as many as are perfect are thus minded c. But this thou cals hypocrisie lies and thus thou art out of the Apostles Christs doctrine and life and like a mad man rages against them that be in it and hath denyed thy owne work the work of the Ministry which was for the perfecting and so art a Physitian of no value Pr. He saith The enjoyment of immortality is not till they have put off the body c. See page 17. Ans Contrary to the Apostles doctrine who saith Immortality was brought to light through the Gospell this was when they were upon earth and the word of God was in them and Christ was in them which was immortall Pr. Again he saith They shall not have power over death and the grave untill the naturall death c. See page 17. Answ Contrary to the Apostle who saith Oh death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory And they were passed from death to life And he that believes shall never dye and such hath power over death and the grave And he that believes shall never dye they have passed from death to life Pr. He calls them secret deceivers to grant perfect purity and perfection c. See page 18. Answ Which is contrary to to the Apostles doctrine who brought people to perfection and purity and holinesse without which none shall see the Lord And they were to stir up their pure minds Pr. He saith To witnesse perfect purity is an alluding to an enjoyment of heaven upon earth and saith this is as the world c. See page 19. Ans Which is contrary to the Scriptures who witnessed the Kingdome of heaven in the Saints and their conversation in heaven and thou that brings to the contrary art a deceiver and grants not that other Pr. He saith He dare boldly assert that the Gospell is not first made known by the seeing within but by hearing tidings without c. Ans Contrary to that which they call their Originall which saith the Gospel is preached in every creature And there is none cometh to hearing and seeing of the Gospell but it is with the eye within that which is opprest For the Jews that heard not and saw not within they stood against the Gospel And Christ said their ears were stopped and their eyes were closed and so they heard words but the Gospel the power of God they could not hear but stood against Christ and so none heare but they that hear within and he is not a Preacher of the Gospel which is the power of God but he that preacheth to the inward eye Pr. He confesseth That none of the Saints had ever a particular command and then again he confesseth they had and so he is in confusion page 26. He saith It is a lye to preach the Kingdome of heaven within unbelievers Answ Contrary to Christs words who told the Pharisees the Kingdome of God was within them Luke 17. So in confusion
gave it forth and to be such as cannot divide the word aright nor speak a word in season But are rather such as burthens the just and oppresseth whereby the poor groanes and cries under not to distinguish between the fasting of the servants of God and you that appeared to fast So in this you shew you put no difference between the precious and the vile and are not able to Judge of things that differs so are Judged with that which doth put a difference in things that differ and David was a wonder to his neighbours about him Francis Higginson his Book called A brief Relation of the Religion of the Northern QUAKERS His PRINCIPLES follow c. Pr. HE saith in his Epistle The great number that is fallen away from the Word of God Answ The falling away from the Word of God was before the Apostles decease and since the world is gone after you and them that are fallen away and so you put the Letter for the Word the Scripture which are words and so run into all opinions into Sects but now are people coming to the Light and so to the Word Christ Jesus him by whom the world was made before it was made from you apostates to the word and the Apostles are we come Pr. Again he saith I do not detest Popery it selfe more heartily then I do your Religion Quakers c. Ans I do believe thee for Popery it selfe is thy stock The Tythes the Universities the Steeple-houses Masse-houses and so I know thou must be a friend to Popery and detest us before thou canst Popery the Kingdome would be divided else against it self and then it were not like to stand But Popery and you we see is come up since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy and so with the power of God yee are denyed Pr. Again he saith Beware of false Prophets for there shall arise false Prophets and false Christs and if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect Math. 7. and Matth. 24. Ans And Christ said they should come and they should be inwardly ravening Wolves but they should be cloathed with the sheeps cloathing to his Disciples he spake this and before the Disciples decease they saw that they were come the false Prophets and the Antichrists as in 1 John 2.4 which went forth from them that inwardly ravened that Christ said should come that had gotten the sheeps cloathing which the Apostle saw was come that went forth from them And in the Revelations he saith all the world went after them All the world wondred after the Beast and the false Prophets And the Beast had power over all Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and Peoples and the false Prophet which the world went after and these made war against the Saints and overcame them And so the false Prophets and the Antichrists you have had the sheeps cloathing but have been the wolves ravening and devouring the Lambs Ye could not have deceived if ye had not had the sheeps cloathing upon you And so the Beast and his names who have had power over all Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and so the Beast and Whore hath been upon you Tongues which makes you Orthodox men which John calls waters Here have been the beast and his names who have had power over all Nations And the mother of harlots the great whore wch all nations have drunk her cup of her fornication that the inhabitants of the earth are drunk with the wine of the wrath of her fornication and the Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and she sits upon the waters and the waters are Peoples and Tongues and Nations and Multitudes Now you have told long the poor people that the false Prophets are come but now and the Antichrists are come but now and bids them come to Matth. 7. and Matth. 24. and so have shewed your ignorance of the Scriptures which saith they were before the Apostles decease as in the first Epistle of John which went forth from the Apostles the false Prophets Antichrists and false Spirits which Christ said should come which the world since have gone after them Now have and doth your ignorance of the Scriptures appear and not to be men able to divide the word aright The discerning now is risen among people that they begin to see and know who divides the word aright And so all this hath been but for pretence to bid people to go to Matth. 7. Matth 24. and say false Prophets should come Now we see you which John said they were come and all that dwelt upon the earth went after them And so ye have had the form of godliness but the power hath been denyed and so you have burst into names and heaps and sects but now is the vials and thunders and plagues and trumpets sounding and going forth and the seven woes going out And now are the Kings of the Earth and the Beast and false Prophets and Antichrists and the mother of Harlots and the Beast and his names and horns gathering together with the old deceiver the Devil to battel against the Lamb and the Saints of the Lamb But the Lamb and the Saints have got the victory and the rivers of living waters is opening to all that thirst Sing and rejoyce let us give glory to God for now is the marriage of the Lamb come Pr. Again thou makes a great pudder that any one should witnesse he is equall with God c. page 2. A. And in a Catechism of the Assembly of the Priests called Divines which they put forth to the Nation in which they have laid down for young children and old men and all to learn That the holy Ghost and the Son is equall in power and glory with the Father Yet if any one come to witnesse the Son revealed in him or come to witnesse the holy Ghost in them as they that gave out Scriptures or witnesse the minde of Christ and witness that equall with the Father that equality which you speak of You Priests destroy that which you have put forth to the Nation and cry out horrid Blasphemy And thus ye confound that which you have set up and kill that which ye have begotten Pr. He saith I shall mention their errours First they hold their speakings are a declaration of the word Christ in them 2. That the letter of Scripture is carnall 3. That Jesus Christ is come in their flesh that he is in them as man 4. And that the Scriptures are not the written word of God 5. That the soule is a part of God or a Divine essence 6. That they enjoy God here and Christ here 7. And attain to a state of perfection 8. That sprinkling of Infants is a marke of the Beast 9. And our Church and worship and Temple are Idols Temples and Beast-houses 10. And not to be called of men Master 11. And the not speaking to a single person in the plurall number c.
before the Apostles decease they saw them that were false accusers and fierce despisers of them that were good They that had the forme of godlinesse but denyed the power that should be lovers of themselves and covetous and these were crept up before the Apostles decease and since the dayes of the Apostles the world have been after them That both covetous and heady and fierce despisers have rul'd they have been like Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses when the children of Israel were to come out of Aegypt And so do you that crept up since the Apostles decease who are covetous and high-minded heady fierce despisers of them that are good have a forme of godlinesse but deny the power thereof which are to be turned away from and so keeps people in spirituall Aegypt and Sodome Are ye not all covetous and lovers of your selves And do not you all deny the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world Christ the power of God and so keeps people under your teachings all their life time laden with their sins divers lusts while they be upon the earth and the body of it and telling them that there is no perfection here That Ministry that tosseth people up and down with your slights and wiles and windy doctrine and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth which truth is the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Are not ye fierce despisers of them that are good Hath not all the blood which hath been shed since the days of the Apostles of the Martyrs and Saints been by the stock that you are in who are the false spirits erred from the true spirit that the Prophets and Apostles were in and gone out into the world from them as ye confesse ye have not the same infallible spirit as the Prophets Christ and the Apostles had and Eaton the Pastor saith And the Indians will not deny the Light nor Turks neither that convinceth them of sin for to the Turks and Indians was the Covenant promised as well as to the Jewes for they are Heathen and thus your ignorance appears of the Scripture of truth and Ministers of God and with them you are judged Pr. Priest Coale saith The light which he is justified by is a created light Page 56. Answ The Scriptures of Truth which the Saints declared and Christ never held forth such a light as was created as justified them for the Saints are justified by Christ the light by whom all things were created Light was not created that was the Saints justification Pr. He saith Who are washed from their sins by the blood of Christ and made Priests unto God and in this sense if they themselves do not once become Priests they will become companions of Devils for ever See page 56. Answ They that become Priests to God and are washed by the blood of Jesus Christ are come out of the Devils power and overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and owns the light to be their justification which thou denies Pr. He tells us of Pauls mediate call and his extraordinary call of it selfe had not been sufficient Answ The Scripture tells us no such thing of Pauls mediate call and Paul declares himselfe take Pauls owne words not of man nor by man but by the will of God and that was sufficient which call you are out of since his dayes by men are ye called Pr. He saith Christ doth not forbid not simply to be called of men Master c. page 62. Ans It was Christs command plainly to his Disciples Be not ye of men called Master for ye have one master even Christ And thus thou stands against Christs doctrine and commands and so a transgressor and an Antichrist Pr. He saith Christs humane nature c. Ans Where doth the Scripture speak of humane the word humane where is it written tell us that we may search for it Now we do not deny that Christ according to the flesh was of Abraham but not the word humane And Christs nature is not humane which is earthly for that is the first Adam Pr. Priest Coals principle He saith His justification is not done within him but without him in the Court of heaven Answ Reprobates may talk of Justification Did not Christ work Justification without them upon the earth for man kinde and brought righteousnesse And where there is Christ made manifest within is not their Justification wrought there from heaven within Where faith is witnessed within doth not that justifie and none knows Justification in truth but where it is wrought within See page 77 78. Pr. Again Priest Coal saith The life that he lives is a created life Ans So thou hast shewed thy selfe a naturall man not spirituall nor a son of God led by the spirit of God nor in the faith and dost not live by faith nor a living in the spirit so hast manifested vain glory Pr. He calls trembling and quaking the shaking of the soule Answ The power of the Lord God cometh to shake down that nature which prisons the soul c. and sets it free And as for all thy other Complaints Reviles Railings and Lies will turn upon thy selfe and they will be hard for thee to bear and thou shalt cry out with Cain when thou and you feel the burthen who are cut of Christs steps who is the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world In the day of thy judgement thou shalt witnesse and the witnesse in thy conscience shall answer Francis Fullwood His Booke called A True Relation of a DISPVTE His Principles follows Pr. HE saith The Scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation Again the Son in whom eternall life is is onely found in Scripture and they are they that testifie of him and therefore eternall life is found in Scripture Ans Many had the Scriptures but stood against the Son of God and many may have the Scriptures and not the Son of God The Son of God is not Writings Scriptures signifies writings And many may have the Scriptures and not have the Son of God and so not eternall life For the Devill hath Scripture but hath not eternall life for he that envyeth his brother hath not eternall life abiding in him So who have eternal life they have that which the Scripture speaks of testifies of it testifies of Christ the life of the spirit and so they are the words given forth by the spirit of God and so are to be fulfilled by the same spirit again And the Scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus For they were not wise unto salvation who had the spirit without the faith Pr. He saith We attain our Gospell another way then Paul did And it is blasphemy to tell us that what ye deliver is by revelation from heaven c. Answ You have received your Gospell another way then Paul did I do believe who are apostates
seed of God and defiled the flesh and darkned the understanding the sense and reason and warred against the soule ye have shewed your ignorance of that power that throws all these down and that which defiles the spirit and the body whereby the body the soule and the spirit comes to be sanctified And before this be so ye must know a bodily trembling and shaking and he cries away with it before ever he came at it lest he should be tormented before his time who is one of them who ever was against the holy men of God but the power of the Lord God has overtaken thee and with that are ye comprehended and ye are in the presse and your cluster is full and the sickle is gone out Pr. He saith The Priest-hood is changed but not the Tythes abolished by the coming of any substance and they that keep back tythes of God he hath preferred his mammon before his God is guilty of the sin of Ananias And denying to pay tythes is weakning the hands of the Ministers and God in wisdome hath required by an outward Law in the absence of the inward for the maintenance of the Ministery by tythes or other maintenance and so they owe a tribute unto God and so they must pay tribute and custome to whom custome is due Again he saith custome tribute Tithes c. love will teach thee these things are due therefore covet not anothers portion Ans When the Apostle had spoken of tithes before the Law to Melchisedeck like unto the Son of God and spoken of Tithes to the Priesthood made by a Law had a command to take them he saith the Priesthood was changed the Law was changed the command was disanulled that gave them Tithes the Son of God was come the end of the similitude and the likeness before the Law Now saith he of the things for tythes were things before the Law and in the Law of the things which we have spoken this is the sum Christ a Minister of the Sanctuary which God hath pitched and not man So there is the sum of the things and the substance and the plentious Redemption that leads men out of the earth that brings them to lay down all at the feet of the Apostles which is beyond tenthes which was to the service of the Lord due Here the earth cometh to be known to be the Lords it is given up here and man Redeemed out of it of this glorious Gospel are ye all ignorant and so Tithes is not as Annanias to be compared with Annanias not now and not as a tribute but as a custome which since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy that the Nations have drunk the whores cup there have been Queens and Kings that have made Lawes that is gone out of the power of Christ which the Apostles was in into the beasts power and made Schools to make their Ministers and have set up Tenths So this custome of the sin hath taken away the sence of it that people have been hardened that they have torn people spoiled their goods and cast into prison and taken treble dammages and kept them in prison and haled them before Courts and Sessions Assizes and Benches which is not like the Ministers of Christ for the law is changed of God that gave tenths and since that was changed the Law in the heart and a new Covenant And since the apostacy from that men have got the sheepes cloathing ravened from the spirit wolves whose fruits declare it who have deceived Nations and the world and have got up a Law from man and a command from man the Pope being the Author and the Law of God is changed and the command of God is changed that gave tithes and they have got up this to take them the Law of man the command of man and the Law of God and his command is denyed spoken by the Apostle Heh 7. which all that be in the wisdom of God sees over these things and feels over them and Judges you all and executes Judgement and is in the power and Authority to execute Judgement and convince all and are in the honour of Saints So your Ministry if Tithes fall is weakened but the Ministry of Christ came in when Tithes fell and that Ministry fell that held up tithes and that Priesthood which the Priests lips was to preserve the peoples knowledge So by the fall of that Ministry that took Tithes the Ministry of Christ came in is the rise of this Ministry since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy that is made by Kings Bishops Popes Schools and Colledges in the fall this Ministry that takes tithes which Tithes falling say they and saith thou the hand is weakened of the Ministry it is not the power that strengthens the hand but the earthly Now I say in the fall of this maintenance which weakens this Ministry weakens you Ministers in the apostacy ye have shewed what ye are covered withall in the rise of the Lamb and his Ministry in the Preaching of the everlasting Gospel and the everlasting Gospel shall be Preached to them that dwell on the earth which is the power of God and though the Devil and the beast and the false Prophets and the Kings of the earth do make war against the Saints and the Lamb yet the Saints and the Lamb shall get the victory and that 's come to that the Apostles were in before you was and so in your fall this rises Pr. He saith Christ without the Church doth not comprehend all the Elect and we are not elected though we receive Christ because we are elected in him c. Page 80. Ans Thou art medling with things too weighty for thee Christ is the Elect who God upholds and the election obtains it the victory and Christ knowes his and said he had other sheep and he knew all the Elect and is the wisdom of the Father the Light the Life and the power of God the offering the sacrifice for the whole world the Redemption of man-kinde and who receives him and are in him are the Elect and out of their own works and have possessed him and his Image and glory and are come to the throne of grace who is in all and over all the salvation to the ends of the earth and who are elected receives Christ and are in him Pr. He saith thy denyal of sin and Satan and Antichrist to be where they are in power and part is the old trick of the evil one c. page 83. Ans Who are come into the Lambs power they are come out of the power of the beast sin and Satan into the City the midst of the Paradice of God where no unclean thing enters but the tree of life is the food and they are a top of sin Satan and Antichrist and all thy tricks and witness against all sin Pr. He saith when the dissolution comes he bids farwell to all the Saints of God pag. 94.
Again if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us if we say we have not sinned we make him a lyar page 89. Ans The Saints are in Christ and God and at the dissolving of the earthly or sin they do not bid all the Saints farewell for then they come into unitie with them with the Elect. And John doth shew there was a time to see they had sinned and a time to see they had sin and a time to confesse it and forsake it and a time to witness the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse from all sin a time to witnesse the birth of God born which doth not commit sin and the seed of God remaining in them that the wicked one could not touch them Pr. He saith the Saints are neither in the fulness of the Godhead nor part away with this Blasphemy that saith this is c. page 92. Ans The work of the Ministry was to bring people to the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the unity of the faith to the measure and stature of the fulness of Christ and Christ will dwell in the Saints and God will dwell in them and thou saith they have no part of the fulness of the Godhead and John saith of his fulness have we all received in whom dwells the Godhead bodily And ye be all in the Blasphemy that be out of this part of the fulness Pr. He saith the Quakers knowes a man whether he be a Saint or a Divel as soon as they see him or hear him speak or act and they are beyond all our forefathers And the Apostle saith what man knoweth the things of a man saving the spirit of a man that is in him so we are not as Christ in this respect and thou saith thou art as Christ in this present world and no man can be without sin in this house of clay and saith I was shapen in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me and my flesh is sins free-hold c. page 94. 95. Ans Here thou hast shewed that the Quakers have a spirit given to them beyond all the forefathers which we do witness since the days of the Apostles in the apostacy And they can discern who are Saints who are Divels who are apostates without speaking ever a word they that be in the power the life of truth And the natural man knows not the things that be in another man but with the spirit within him may know what is in himself but the spiritual man searcheth all things yea the deep things of God Here thou hast made no distinction betwixt the spiritual and natural And as Christ is so are we in this present world and where Christ is manifest he destroyes the sin in the flesh where they come to be as he is they come to be above clay and mortal and fading and so the flesh comes to be put off which thou calls sins free-hold and the body of it and cometh to be made free from the Law by the body of Christ and this the Saints witnessed while they were on earth And the creature comes into the liberty of the Sons of God And as thou was born in iniquity thou shewes thou was born in the unregeneration there was some sanctified from the womb there is some children clean who are believers he that can receive it let him so thou art an ignorant man not able to divide the word aright nor canst Minister unto the people not knowing the condition they be in unless they tell thee and so apostatized from the Apostles and not Ministers of the spirit that Ministers to the spirit for could not the Apostles Preach and speak to the Jewes and Gentiles unless they come and told them what condition they were in or did all the Jewes and Gentiles come and tell the Apostles what condition they were in before they Preacht to them Pr. He saith the Light in man is imperfect a weak faint light page 97. Again the light in the Gentiles is called a natural light page 88. Ans The light that every man hath that cometh into the world is not an Imperfect light a weak or faint light or natural light but who are weak go from it and faint and hate it and dispiseth it as Esau and run into the earth And who believe in it have the light of life and receives it becomes the Sons of God And the light in the Gentiles which brought them to do the Law was spiritual not natural which the Apostle sets up to be the Circumcision and the Jew inward and throwes out the Jew outward and Circumcision both and this he brings to have the praise of God which the Jewes had not in the outward and this makes the Jew no Jew and their Circumcision no Circumcision and Judged them And all professors upon the earth that be from that that doth the Law in the heart and the Jew inward you be from that who stands against the Light of Christ that doth enlighten c. Pr. He saith If an hypocrite reign his power is of God and Saints are to yield to the power and it must be honoured and have obedience from the Saints Page 101. And so they that call them corrupt Magistrates are the filthy dreamers that Jude speaks of Pag. 102. Answ Such as are turned into corruption and are hypocrites they are gone from the higher power which the soul should be subject to and it s gone over them and so for the Lords sake the Saints cannot be subject to that power but that power that brings down the hypocrisie and the corruptions in Magistrates and as they come to be clothed with the power of God they are able to put a difference betwixt the precious and the vile and that they own those are a praise to them that do well The Jewes of old time could not obey the heathen Magistrates bow to their gods that feared God that lived in the Law of God nor to their Commands nor their power nor authority nor the Apostles could not bow to the Authority of the Jewes to their ordinances their power that held them up which Christ came to put an end to which was held up by Magistrates nor that among the Gentiles held up by Magistrates For Christ was come to reign who had all power in heaven and earth given to him And since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy the Saints cannot now bow to that which the Pope and Kings and Queens set up though they call it a Supream power that commands the things which who be in the power of God that destroyes that which defiles the flesh and the evil speaker and that is the dignity which the Saints own and live in and speakes not evil of but they do that transgresse the Spirit of God and goes from it as Jude speakes of therefore have the Martyrs and Saints and Prophets suffered since the dayes of the
Apostles by the Beast and the false prophets and the great whore which have been in the power of the Devil that went out of truth and that the Saints was not subject to But now Christ is come to reign the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory and the higher power is owned that is higher then all the transgressors upon earth that reaches to the soul and the transgressed principle of God in every man upon the earth for the Beasts power hath set up your Tythes Temples and Colledges and compeld men to worship which the Saints could not and therefore have suffered by it that have worshipped God in the spirit and truth that the devil is out of and such was in the higher power Pr. He saith there is a kinde of Infiniteness in the soul and it cannot be Infiniteness in it self Pag. 103. Ans Is not the soul without beginning coming from God returning into God again who hath it in his hand which hand goes against him that does evil which throwes down that which wars against it And Christ the power of God the Bishop of the soul which brings it up into God which came out from him hath this a beginning or ending And is not this infinite in it self and more then all the world Pr. He saith the soul is a creature and yet it is a noble power and an Essence and is the appetite fancy c. Again he saith he knowes that the soul is a spiritual thing and cannot be divided into parts and powers as being one single entire essence Page 107. Ans The soul being in the death in transgression so mans spirit there is not sanctified and the soul is in death And fancy and the appetite and anger and pleasure c. which thou saith is taken for the soul usually and called the soul are them that wars against it so thou divides the soul into parts which is one and art ignorant of it and yet thou said it cannot be divided So thou art in the Babylon and confusion So the living of the soul and the spirit sanctified that diligent hearkening is come to where the Counsel of God is stood in his voyce heard his hand felt that the soul comes up into that comes from him from God that 's living and Immortal and gives a Creature its feeling and sencibleness through things and so the Covenant of God comes to be received wherein the soul lives the Bishop of it which is immortal and then the new creature born is known whereby the spirit of man is sanctified whereby the God of the spirits of all flesh is known Now where the power and life guides up to God the Father of life that works down and directs the mind up to God where the soul hath the issue the immortal to the immortal whereby light springs in Christ is known the soul praiseth God the Saviour the low estate that God hath regarded and reached down to it Now where the light is hated that of God within transgressed that doth pertain to the righteous Law of God and answers it the spirit of man is not sanctified and mans understanding darkened the higher power is denyed the soul comes into death transgressing of the Law is known the witness buried which should guide the mind whereby the soul should live in the diligent hearkening thereby comes man to be defiled and his spirit and body and minde whereby he glorifies not God in his body and soul and spirit and glorifies not the God of the spirits of all flesh thereby he comes to be an alien and a stranger to the life of God and his wayes and Covenant and thou sayes the soul is a spiritual thing and yet a creature an appetite and fancy And every man that cometh into the world having a Light from Christ the second Adam though they be in the first Adam the Bishop of their souls So every one being turned to the Light which Christ the second Adam hath enlightened them withall they shall see the Bishop of their souls Christ the power of God which is immortal brings the immortal soul into the immortal God Christ their sanctification who sanctifies their spirits and bodies and brings the soul up into God from whence it came whereby they come to be one soul For in the lusts of the world and the affections of it is the war against it and there is the powers of wickedness the soul must be in the higher power higher then the flesh which stains the man spirit and body and powers of wickedness So the light being turned to he receiveth the spirit of God which sanctifies him the spirit of Sanctification in Christ Jesus the Sanctification and Redemption So every man that cometh into the world having a light from Christ Jesus the way out of the fall the second Adam receiving the light they receive their Redemption and Sanctification whereby their spirits bodies and souls are sanctified Pr. He saith The binding of Sathan shall not be by a personall reigne of Christ in a body He saith the Quaker denies the light written in Scripture And he saith when yee that pretend most love to Christ within and light within ye deny the Lord that bought yee And the high talke of a Light within goes out for ever into utter darkness Ans The Light within and Christ within who owns this and are come into it owns the Lord that bought them Christ and no other and they that receive not this within are Reprobates without him and deceives him yet talk of him as the Devils false Prophets and Deceivers And they that go from the Light within go into utter darknesse and stumble and do not know whether they go and wants the garments and the Lambs cloathing And so the Light within he that believes in it hath the witnesse in himselfe abides not in the darknesse nor in the condemnation but hath the light of life And the light within that shines in the heart gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And who knows Satan bound and false Prophets and Antichrists and Beasts and mother of Harlots taken and cast into the fire and Christ reign and know his bodily presence they know his flesh and are of his flesh and of his bone and his spirit and minde and power who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him over the Devil over the Aâ—tichrists false Prophets Beast and mother of Harlots reigns above their power triumphs tramples above their power and this is known by the Light within And now doth Christ reign in his Saints and the Paradice of God is known and Eden where all things are sanctified and blessed and good where there is no curse but blessing and he that went out of this did transgresse and disobeyed which brought the death upon all his posterity earthly Adam But who are come in through the obedience of another the second Adam Christ Jesus who
is upon them that leave the Scriptures to look to the light within them Page 9. And many deceivers should come into the world that confesse not Christ come in the flesh receive them not into your houses And the man Christ is testified against by the light Pag. 13. and he saith they publikely deny the resurrection of the dead body And he saith Christ in the flesh his sufferings was but an example and a figure Ans Christ ended all figures in suffering and examples and paterns yet he is the Saints patern and example as the Scripture witnesses and there is no other example nor patern to be heeded but Christ alone which they are to learn of but to say he is nothing but a figure for that thou and you all will be judged for he ended all figures and is the resurrection and the life both and thy dead body shall live with my dead body this is Scripture and they that said the resurrection was past in the dayes of the Apostles overthrew the faith of some That which overthrowes the faith denying the resurrection kept the seed in death where it hath been in you all since the dayes of the Apostles for who are of faith are of Abraham of Christ according to the flesh and so if the dead arise not their Preaching is vain and their faith is vain So I say mortal must put on immortality and corruption must put on incorruption the first man was made a living soul the second was made a quickening spirit there is earthly bodies and heavenly bodies and there Is a resurrection of the just and unjust the one to eternal life the other to condemnation And the Judge is the man Christ Jesus to Judge the quick and the dead who both dyed and rose again that he might be God of the dead and the living And the light which every man hath that cometh into the world doth not testifie against Christ And the light doth not bring to deny the Scriptures but to own them And none ownes them aright nor Christ but who are in the light which cometh from him And all that do deny the light that doth enlighten every man c. are the wolves and the false Prophets and Antichrists that have gotten the sheeps cloathing and such cannot be received into the houses of the Saints that are from the light which every man is enlightened withall And none confesseth Christ come in the flesh but who is in the light which Christ hath enlightened them withall And so now is all Professors and teachers upon the earth and Kings of the earth ravened inwardly from the light which Christ enlightened them all withall standing against the light and the Lamb and the Saints that be in it and are not to be received into the houses of the Saints neither to bid them God speed for they be out from God that be out of the Light which Christ the Son hath enlightened them withall Pr. And he saith Christ hath a humane reasonable soul Again Christ the Eternal Son of God distinct from the Father Eternally before he was made flesh his spirit was distinguished from the Father and the Son from Eternitie and not onely when he was manifested by descending on Christ in the likeness of a Dove or by falling upon the Apostles like cloven tongues c. page 17. Answ Christ saith he is in the Father and the Father is in him and he will send them the Spirit of Truth the Comforter that proceeds from the Father and the Son and Christ saith he was glorified with the Father before the world began and yet ye say the Son is distinguished from the Father from Eternity and the Son saith he is in the Father and the Father is in him and you say the spirit is distinguished from the Father and the Son from Eternity and Christ saith it proceeds from him and the Fathers and he is the God and Father of the spirits of all flesh and the substance of all things And is not a humane soul earthly for you say that Christ had a humane soul and is not humane earthly and hath a humane body and is not a humane body an earthly body Is not his body of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh and is not his body a glorified body was not the first man of the earth earthly and had an humane body the second man the Lord from heaven And is not the soul immortal which cometh out from God which is immortal and goes into God again and is not humane or earthly mortal And are there not three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and are not they all one how then are they distinct and three that bear record in earth the spirit the water and the blood which agree in one And Christ saith I and my Father are one and I in the Father and the Father in me and he is in the Saints and so not distinct Pr. He saith it is impudency in the Quakers to deny the word Trinity and three Persons And the Church ever denyed such as denyes the Doctrine of the Trinity Page 18. 19. Ans As for the word Trinity and three Persons we have not read it in the Bible but in the Common-prayer Book or Masse-book which the Pope was the Author of but as for Unity we own and Christ being the brightness of the Fathers glory and the expresse Image of his substance of the Father we own That we own which agrees with the Scriptures and for that which the Scripture speakes not which men speak and teach for Doctrine their own words that the Scriptures speakes not nor teacheth such the Scriptures shut out and we deny Pr. He saith that is the weak ignorant dark and the wicked Sect of the Devil that maintains an equality with God the soul to be one being with God or part of God And saith the Quakers say there is no Scriptures speakes of a humane soul and the soul is taken up into God and God is all in all Answ The Assembly or Synod of Priests put forth a Catechisme and say that the Holy Ghost and the Son is equal with the Father in power and glory and this they put forth that people should learn it what then if any come to witness the Holy Ghost they come to witnes that which is equal in power and glory with the Father what if any come to witness the Son of God revealed in them which he that hath not him hath not life do they not come to witness him who is equal in power and glory with the Father this is your own Catechisme and is it blasphemy to confesse your own words that ye have given people to learn God breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soul God who hath all souls in his hand And is not this that cometh out from God which is in Gods hand part of God of God and from God and to
God again which soul Christ is the Bishop of and doth not thou speak of a humane soul an earthly soul and is earthly immortal and cannot die nor be killed And is not that which came out from God which God hath in his hand taken up into God again which Christ the power of God is the Bishop of is not this of Gods being And doth not the Scripture say God is all and in all And how dost thou here devide the word of God aright who shewes so much ignorance of the letter of Scripture Pr. He saith It is a wretched doctrine to say men have not a humane soul in them and to say that the soul is a part of the Divine Essence Ans Is not that of God that come out from him and is not the earthly and humane of the ground and is not that mortal and is that which is immortal humane And dost thou say it is humane and is not that earthly And where doth the Scripture of the Prophets Christ or the Apostles tell people of a humane soul and of Christ having a humane body in heaven and doth not the Apostle speak of his glorified body Pr. He saith that God should dwell in his Saints and Christ inhabit in believers how can this be the heaven of heavens cannot contain him how much lesse shall the strait heart of man Answ The Scripture saith God will dwell in men and walk in men and Christ that fills heaven and earth is in you except ye be reprobates and so in this thou hast shewed thy self one not able to divide the word aright and the bodies of the Saints are the Temples of God and God will dwell in them and walk in them and he will be their God and they shall be his people Pr. He saith Nor is it an essential in-dwelling of the Divine nature in Gods people c. Answ Doth not the Apostle say the Divine nature the Saints was made partakers of and God dwells in the Saints and Christ in them except they be reprobates And doth not the Saints come to eat the flesh of Christ and if they eat his flesh is it not within them Pr. He saith God dwells not in the Saints as a personal union c. page 22. Answ How comes the Saints then to eat of his flesh and to be of his flesh and bone and God dwelling in them and have unity with the Son and the Father and to be of his body which is the Church and Christ the head Pr. To say a man is justified and made righteous by Gods putting righteousness into us and by righteousness wrought in the creature confounds Justification and Sanctification c. See page 25. Answ The Apostle brought the people to the faith by which they was justified that was in their hearts for with the heart man believes unto righteousness c. And the light they was to believe in that was Christ And the light that shined in their hearts gave the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus their Saviour Now Justification by the works of the Law was do this and live Circumcise the children if they did not they was to be cut off and they was to keep the Law and the works of the Law the faith of Christ ended for it took away the nature that the Law went upon now the Papists and Priests be out of the works of the Law or the works of faith that works by love for they are slaying one another about Religion though they pretend works and this was ever out of the faith of Christ Jesus to kill one another about Religion Now the Apostles was in the works of faith who neither prisoned nor persecuted any that was a contrary minded that did so nor wrestled not against flesh and blood but against the power that captivated creatures And so all this work about works doth shew you and the Papists both be out of the faith that works by love where love should overcome all things and bear all things I do not measure Priests and professors nor Papists by the works of the Law which the Apostles speakes of which the false teachers were bringing people to in the dayes of the Apostles Neither do I compare or measure Papists or Priests with the works of faith that works by love that becomes all to all for the winning some of them Papists and Priests and professors will kill one another about their faith which is not the faith that works by love and contrary to the Apostles and Quakers faith Pr. He saith our warfare cannot be expected to be over as long as we are in the body and the best of Saints do not live free from sin Pag. 27. Ans The Apostles said they was made free from sin and the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth us from all sin and such as witness the everlasting Covenant of God that blotted out their sins and transgressions And they did witnesse the one offering that perfected for ever them that are sanctified And the Saints did witnesse the Kingdom of God which stands in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and were new Creatures and the old man put off and they were more then conquerours So thou art ignorant of the Scriptures And it is the Doctrine of Devils that Preacheth that men shall have sin and be in a warfare so long as they be on earth that is not the Doctrine of Christ which brings people to the faith the which gives the victory in which they have unity one with another and please God Pr. He saith to witnesse heaven within and hell within and the resurrection is the mystery of Iniquity Page 31. Ans Which shewes thou never knew heaven in thy self nor hell there nor Christ the resurrection and the life which they are blessed that are made partakers of the first resurrection on them the second death shall have no power And the Scriptures doth witnesse heaven within And if Christ that was offered up the resurrection and the life be not within thee thou art a reprobate Pr. He saith We shall have incorruptible powerful glorious and spiritual bodies and yet they say Christ is in heaven with a humane body which is earthly See pag. 34. Again the spirits can enter into heaven while the body is upon the earth c. And he saith the fourth Commandment commandeth the keeping of a seventh day and he that breaketh the least Commandment and teacheh men so to do is least in the Kingdom of Heaven Page 41. Answ Have not all the Priests and teachers in England denyed the Jewes Sabbath the seventh day and do not you work on it And do not you meet together on the first day of the week And do not you all teach men to break the Commandment there And you keep markets and fairs on the seventh day the Jewes Sabbath ye meet together on the first day of the week which
his Apostles and his messengers and truth is a top of him and them all and with it are shut out Pr. He saith honour is the expressing of the inward respect that we hear to persons and many Scriptures he brings for bowing and for master pag. 23. and so stumbles at thee and thou Ans Which shewes he never learned his accidence or Bible and is a transgressor of Christs commands who saith be ye not of men called master for ye have one master even Christ and ye are all Brethren and a transgressor of the Law which they that respects persons commits sin and are convinced of the Law as transgressors and reprobate concerning the faith which is held without the respect of persons And though they bowed in the old time several that bowed before the Angels yet Christ is come by whom all things was made the salvation to the ends of the earth to whom powers principalities Thrones and dominions must be subject to whom Angels and Thrones must bow yea things in heaven and things in earth and every tongue confesse him to the glory of God and every knee bow and there people comes into the unity and there they hold the head Pr. He saith the Quakers light teacheth to forsake the Scriptures and set up a spirit in man which will not be examined by Scriptures page 26. Answ This is he which is out of the truth speakes it for the Quakers have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit of God by which they know the things which are freely given of God and know the Scriptures given forth from the spirit of God and with the same spirit the Scriptures is owned again Pr. He saith Paul swore after Christ and the Angells swore page 27. He saith I wonder Paul should so forget himselfe and sin so fearfully in swearing c. So the Quakers light that denies swearing is of Satan and not the light of Christ page 28. Answ Christ the Light which Satan is out of who is the oath of God ends all oaths sworn by Prophets or Angels whatsoever And who swears be fallen into the condemnation of the Devill and it is no where said that the Apostle swore but such as thou art matters not what thou speaks So that spirit that preaches for swearing is not the spirit of Christ but is the spirit of Antichrist preacheth up that which Christ and the Apostles preached down and preached Condemnation to them that did swear Pr. He saith The light in the conscience that takes them from the Law of God is the light of Satan Answ The light Christ in the conscience is the end of the Law for righteousnesse sake And that which keeps men from that which doth end the Law is not the Doctrine of the true Apostles but the false And the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which is the substance leads men off of all types and figures and signes who comes to enjoy him enjoys the end who comes off of all outward Elements as Bread and Wine and such things to the substance it self to look at things that are not seen For things that are seen are temporall but the things that are not seen are eternal Pr. He speaks of a new creature distinct from Christ and saith while we live sin lives And saith I deny that the righteousnesse of Christ whereby a believer is justified doth dwell in him page 36. Answ Is not the new creature in Christ He that is in Christ is a new creature and is not distinct from him and how hast thou divided the word here And Christ is justification sanctification and wisdome and righteousnesse and if he be not within ye ye are Reprobates And where Christ is he is not without righteousnesse Therefore they are not without righteousnesse and wisdome Justification and Sanctification if Christ be within that is within for where he is that is not wanting And the Apostle said they were made free from sin And let not sin have dominion over your mortall bodies minde mortall bodies which sin was not to have dominion over And old things passe away and all things become new Sin is an old thing from the old deceiver So while any sin is standing all things is not made new and sin hath its dominion Pr. He saith He hath not read where a believer dwells in Christs righteousnesse page 37. Answ Every believer that is true is born of God and he that is born of God doth not commit sin And he that dwells in Christ dwels in righteousness and truth is that which sin and the Devill is out of which blots out sin and transgression where the body of it comes to be put off Pr. And the light which teacheth men to say they have no sin is of Satan And saith The Quakers light teacheth them to deny prayer Answ The Apostles light taught them to say they were made free from sin they had put off the body of sin and their sin and transgression was blotted out Little children their sins was forgiven them that walked in the light the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth them from all sin taught them to know the saith that gave them victory over the world that purified their hearts held in a pure conscience And this is the Quakers light which teacheth them the path of the Apostles and it teacheth men to be holy as God as holy and perfect as he is perfect This was the light of Christ and bid them to be as Christ is and said as he is so are we in this present world And the light that guides the Quakers doth not teach them to deny prayer but brings them to pray aright with the spirit and with the understanding which all prayers without it be in the hypocrisie Pr. He saith We acknowledge there is a thousand of perfect men in England as perfect as children tossed too and fro page 40. But he saith I deny that any man hath that perfect knowledge of Christ in this life c. Answ Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And the Scripture speaks of such as had both the Son and the Father And all those children that are tossed too and fro and are carried about with the windy doctrine which hath gotten up in the apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles that are ravened from the spirit of God Such their doctrines are windy and doth not settle nor doth not perfect not doth not bring into the unity of the faith nor the knowledge of the Son of God the faith that gives the victory nor to a perfect man nor to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ which was the work of the true Ministry which was before the Apostacy Nor none comes to the knowledg of Christ but by the light Pr. He saith The Church teacheth to pray without ceasing but you bid stay till the spirit moves us c. Ans The Church prayes not without the spirit which
with the light that cometh from him nor none knowes the Saviour Christ Jesus but with the light that cometh from him and that le ts see the body prepared Christ who was the seed of Abraham according to the flesh the one offering that ends all offerings and his blood that is the attonement which is the Saints drink which who drinks it shall live with which their consciences are purged from dead works to serve the living God And none knowes the foundation of God that standeth sure nor feels it nor sees it but with the light which cometh from Christ the foundation which breaks down all other foundations which light that every man is enlightened withall gives him the knowledge of the foundation of God Pr. He saith I do believe that there was never a Saint perfectly free from sin here but they shall have the body of sin and death which will be their burthen to keep them humble Page 52. And it doth not appear that they do attain purification or perfection before the change of the body Answ That which is the true humiliation bears the sin and iniquity which is Christ such as are not brought down with the Judgments for their sinful actings never knew the seed that puts off the body from which all the roots proceed in that is the true humility and the righteousness of Christ and the glory revealed And the Saints witnessed the body of sin and death put off while they were upon the earth and such as was in Christ was new creatures all things become new And the Apostles spoke wisdom among them that was perfect and that was before the change of the body as ye look upon And the work of the Ministery was for the perfecting of the the Saints until they all come into the unity of the faith that gives victory and to the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure and stature of the fulness of Christ This was the Ministers work Not as children tossed up and down with every slight and windy doctrine of men who lie in waite to deceive So ye have tryed the work of your Ministry and brought it to the Light Pr. He saith such a trembling as a way to perfection is to set it in the roome of Christ beside the truth and slight and undervalue the word of God and justifie trembling let all men beware of this trembling page 78. Answ Who ever ownes the word of God that reconciles to the Father and hammers down and brings out of the fall and cuts down and burns up they must know their salvation wrought out with fear and trembling And these ownes the word of God and the words of God the Scriptures and these owns this trembling there is a cloud of witnesses in the Scriptures and none will deny this trembling that ownes the salvation wrought out or to be wrought out but such as be out of the truth and that gets Scriptures being out of the truth and deny the power of God who are with it judged those that have the form but deny the power deny the trembling so they deny the salvation to be wrought out with fear and trembling and none knowes the salvation but them that know trembling And such may say that are the the Devils messengers beware of this power that makes to tremble Pr. He saith the Scripture is truly the Ministry of the spirit to us pag. 67. Answ Those were the Ministers of the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures And those are the Ministers of the Letter that be out of the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures and that cannot Minister the spirit Pr. He saith the Scriptures doth not speak of a general Redemption of all from the state of sin and freedom from sin pag. 75. Answ There is a general state and redemption of all and freedom from sin by believing in the one offering the blood of Jesus Christ and unbelief shuts out Pr. He saith mystical Babylon shall fall by the Kings of the earth And many precious Saints shall destroy Babylon with the sword pag. 84. And he saith I cannot apprehend that the Saints shall have the Government of the world pag. 86. And the beast when he ariseth shall give a mark in the right hand c. Answ Christ hath all power in heaven and earth given to him who believe in him and are in his power who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him have the government and are in the government the Lambs government but the unbelievers are out of it And that which slayes mystical Babylon is not the Kings of the earth and the Saints that be on the earth slay not with the carnal sword for they that kill with the sword must perish with the sword here is the faith and patience of the Saints Their weapons are not carnall but spiritual mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds And the Lamb slayes and kills with the sword and takes them the beast and the false prophet and the Devil and casts them alive into the Lake of fire where they shall be tormented for ever that burns with brimstone who kills and slayes with the sword which is the words of his mouth And the Beast hath been long up his marks and his heads and horns with his names but the Lamb and the Saints is trampling him to pieces under and over him getting the victory And the everlasting Gospel is Preaching and the witnesses you are ignorant of but are them that have been the slayers of them Pr. He saith I do not professe my self infallible but I shall freely give my apprehensions pag. 110. to contend earnestly for the faith which is the first unto Justification and services of faith pag. 111. he saith false Christs and false prophets shall come And to the Law and to the testimony c. Answ The Law is light and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie and men may have all the Scriptures of the old and New Testament yet being from the light the spirit of prophesie from the Light and from the spirit they know not the Law and testimony And we do believe thee that thou art not infallible but art onely in the apprehensions and before thou come to contend for the faith and to know that by which the Saints are justified thou must come into the Light that doth enlighten every man c. which lets see Christ the Author of the Faith And false Prophets and Antichrists Christ said should come which should get the sheeps cloathing and say loe Christ is here and loe he is there These Christ said to the Apostles should come which before their decease did come which since their decease the world hath gone after them So every man that cometh into the world being enlightned and having a light from Christ the Saviour of the soule every man being in the Light Christ hath enlightned him withall Every man with the light
which cometh from Christ with it they shall see a Saviour Christ Jesus from whence it comes And the light shining from the East to the West and the coming of the Son of man and receive Christ and so come to the Rock And so people having been from the Light which every man is enlightned withall that cometh into the world they have been all brought on heaps But now they are coming to the Rock And thy words Thomas Collier shall be thy own burthen and for them thou shalt receive judgement And this is the word of the Lord God to thee and thy time is not yet past John Billingsley who calls himselfe Mr. of Arts Minister of the Gospell and Pastor of the Church at Chesterfield in his Booke called Strong COMFORTS for weake CHRISTIANS His Principles follows c. Pr. HE saith He would have the Mayor and Aldermen of Chesterfield to shew themselves to be really affected to the cause of Christ and his blessed Sabbaths c. Ans In this thou hast shewed thou art one that keeps people in darknesse and not a Minister of the Gospel of Christ and the new Covenant but of the Law and in the signes and shadows For the Sabbaths the Apostles did bring people off of them and they met together on the first day of the week and denyed the Jewes Sabbath and still it is your practice and yet thou cryest up to shew themselves for the cause of the blessed Sabbath what blind and dark stuffe is this For never did Pastor or Minister of Christ preach up such a Doctrine as to stir up Aldermen and Mayors and great men to shew themselves zealous for the Sabbath And thus thou hast shewed thy selfe to be one of them the Apostles was afraid of that observed the dayes which he brought the people off to the substance which they met together on the first day of the week which Christ rose on and so was a crosse to the Jewes who met together on the seventh day And Circumcision was on the 8th day on that day Christ rose Pr. He saith The Scripture and the Spirit are unseparable which he calls the Word Page 7. and that the spirit is alwayes in the Scriptures Again He is in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity who calls the spirit a dead Letter page 9. Ans Every one that hath the Scriptures cannot say he hath the spirit that gave it forth for the Devill may have Scripture who is out of the spirit And the Apostle which said the Letter kills and was old was not in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity And the spirit was in them that gave forth the Scriptures And the Scriptures are the words of God which ends in Christ the Word who fulfils them Pr. He saith Prize the holy Scriptures through which is all our hopes of eternall life communicated to us And I wonder what any soule hath to shew for eternal life but the Scriptures So I call it Gods warrant Page 13. And in the midst of thoughts prize the Covenant of free grace And if ye would have substantial comforts from the Covenant do not lay hold of Covenant comforts Page 12. Answ Thou cannot speak a word to the wearied who art in the presumption thy selfe and to be brought down who art applying the promises to the wrong nature And many may have the Scriptures and many have the Scriptures and all ignorant of eternall life untill they all come into the life as they was in that gave forth the Scriptures For the Scripture communicates not the life but God of whom they learned that gave forth Scripture it is it that testifies of eternall life And the souls comfort is Christ which it speaks of Pr. He saith The Apostle to the Philippians speaks of Saints as Citizens our trading is in heaven Now Citizens great trading is Mercandize as ships go from London to India c. So thousands of soules go towards heaven worth nothing a poore empty creature See page 15. Answ The merchandize is in the earth in Babylon and there thou and you are all The soule is worth more then all the world which goes to heaven it goes richly full of all attire and fruitfulnesse and not empty Is not an empty creature that which God breathed into man the breath of life whereby it became a living soule And he hath all soules in his hand and Christ is the Bishop of it the power of God and therefore it is not empty for the Saints had the heavenly treasure in earthen vessells Pr. He saith The Sacrament and Baptisme is a most refreshing cup for we walke by faith and not by sight page 18. I can say frequent mention is made of salvation by Christ without mentioning any act of faith in us c. page 19. Answ Sacraments and sprinkling Infants called Baptisme who walks after them walks after sight not by faith for these things are seen and they follow their owne traditions and not the Scriptures for them either sprinkling Infants or Sacrament And who walks by faith and not fight comes off the things that are seen For things that are seen are temporall but things that are not seen are eternall saith the Apoâ—â—le And he that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not shall be condemned this is the doctrine of Christ to the Apostles they are condemned already And where the belief is there is faith and salvation seen and known but where belief is not there is condemnation there salvation is not known and every one that is saved believes Pr. I do not say that there is perfect victory against every corruption But that grace will be eating out and curbing sin in the heart page 21. And there is no peace nor comfort that is miantained without warring and constant combating c. Yea peace and war against sin are alwayes inseparable companions page 22. All true comfort hath its foundation from the written Word they are fancies and flashes rather then comforts from pretended immediate revelations page 23. Answ None knows true comfort but who comes to the immediate Revelation that is to the spirit that reveals the things of God If men have all the Scriptures the written words and not the word in which they end they have not comfort neither can they do any thing without Christ neither have the wearyed rest neither is the Bishop of the soule known neither is the burthen and the old yoak gone off though they have all the Scriptures but as every one doth come to the life that gave forth the Scriptures with which they see Christ the end the substance of them him by whom the world was made before it was made these have comfort of the words And the Scriptures are words not the Word and such as are here comes to know peace and the end of war and the occasion of war taken away And sin and corruption is separated from the precious and contrary to the Just with it
it hath no unity And there is no true peace untill they come into the Kingdome which stands in joy in peace in righteousnesse Now where the body is standing and the root of sin in the heart not a perfect victory The Circumcision is not known that puts off the body the victory is not known while the body stands which the Apostle withessed the body of sin put off by the circumcision of the spirit which was in the inward man and he thanked God through Christ who had victory who was manifested in his flesh to condemn sin in his flesh that he through him became the righteousness of God And the life that he lived was by the faith of the Son of God And such as are made free from sin and dead to it and cannot live no longer therein these had the peace And such have not the peace where the body of sin is standing and sin in the heart there is the war But such as stand in the faith which purifies the heart and comes to witnesse the Circumcision of the heart they come to have the heart purified and the victory over the body as the Apostle declares Pr. He saith James Naylor deserved to be hanged page 5. He saith I tell my people they cannot be free from sin a perfect freedome from the being of corruption in them while they are on this side heaven pa. 9. And your speaking against Ministers and speaking in Markets is as bad or worse as to bait a Bull page 8. And he saith The Steeple house is the Church Ans The Ministers of Christ and the Prophets of the Lord which spoke his word which spoke in Synagogues and in Markets in high wayes and under the hedges and upon the mountains which disturbed the world and all professors upon the earth that had the words of truth which was out of the life and disturbed the Heathen that knew not God And all such Ministers of the Letter that have it and not the spirit that gave it forth are disturbed by the Ministers that be in the spirit that preach and speak forth the substance of the Scriptures And we know you and do believe you who saith your people shall not be made free from their corruption and tells them the Steeple-house is the Church and say the creature deserved to be hanged to be such at inwardly ravened which Christ said should come John saw was come and the whole world hath been after you that are wrestlers against flesh and blood and strikes at creatures in stead of striking at the power that captivates Creatures and so have kept people under the bondage of corruption and led people alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth and kept them in spirituall Aegypt Sodome and Gomorrah in filthinesse and telling of them the Masse-house is the Church the Steeple-houses Was it not a place for the Masse set up for the Masse with a Crosse at the end of it Look is it not on yet And is the Masse-house become thy Church thou mayst thank the Papists for that Was not the Pope and the Papists the setters up of all your Masse-houses and Colledges which have gotten up since the dayes of the Apostles among you inwardly ravenors from the Church which is in God and so have gotten up the Masse-house for your Church and there ye do keep up people telling them they must have corruptions while they be upon the earth So ye are Ministers of corruption which is contrary to the Apostles who said they sate in heavenly places and had escaped the pollutions of the world and they were children of the day not of the night and the true light shined So you that are ravened from the spirit of God have got up the Masse-house got people thither and telling of them they must have their corruptions and they must have sin and they must not be perfect while they are on this side heaven Now they can but have sin and can be but imperfect if they never came at you nor at your Masse-houses Now you are the Devills Messengers and Ministers that preacheth up sin and corruption and imperfection that people must be in and have sinne while they be upon the earth But the Ministers of Christ preached up perfection to be perfect and overcoming sin and made free from sin and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin and they had faith which gave them victory and the Circumcision that puts off the body of sin and the new Covenant that blotted out sin and transgression And such Ministers as you that make a trade of Scriptures as the Scripture it selfe the Prophets the Apostles and Christ doth make you manifest your fruits to be contrary to them that gave forth Scriptures So with it are you disapproved and judged with the life that gave it forth Pr. He saith And it seemes to me to be no more sin to bait a Bull then any other recreation And he saith The Quakers came into the Steeple-house and bid people to look to the light within them and to tell him that he was an Antichrist and blinde guide And saith I had rather be a hireling such as Christ hath hired in his Vineyard and receive a penny then some of the Quakers that go naked in the markets Answ The Quakers who be in the power of the Lord God have been moved of the Lord God to go into the world among Apostates who are ravened from the spirit of God and so are the Wolves that tears and rends and are ravening up and down for your Benefices and would eate one another out if you could and swallow one another like the fishes to the Sea Are you contented every one with your penny from Christ Are not you all fighting and striking and smiting and casting into Prisons for meanes for Tythes which ye do no work for Is not Christ come and hath found you smiting and striking your fellow-servants eating and drinking like Sodome and living in pleasure like the old world some having two hundred some three hundred pounds some lesse some more is here equall a penny Are ye like Christs Vineyard dressers Husband-men in the Vineyard Blush and be ashamed The stones are thrown now at Babylon and dasheth her children to pieces And Sion is building and the Tabernacle of David is rearing up Come up ye Saints and Prophets the Lamb and the Saints hath the victory And all those upon the earth and you all are the blinde guides and Antichrists who guides not people to the Light within and bids them not look at that but leads them from the Light within ye lead them in the darknesse and you are from the light in your own particulars and so the blinde guides for the fleece for the earth out of the Apostles Doctrine and Christs who brought people to the Light and bid them believe in it who told them the light that shined in their hearts would give them the
absent from them And the Son of God was revealed in the Saints And he that hath not the Son of God hath not life such may say they are absent from him But such as have him revealed have life and he is not absent And such as be absent from him have not eaten his flesh nor drunken his blood and so are not of his flesh nor of his bone And they may talk of him and say he is come as the Jewes did that he was to come and he not in them and so reprobates And the grace of God that brings salvation which hath appeared unto all men which is the Saints teacher whose hearts are stablished with grace this is within them which brings them to know the hidden man of the heart and a strength in the inward and comes to look at the light within them agreeable to the Apostles Doctrine who said the light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And such as have Christ in them have the possession have the substance have the glory which was with the Father before the world began Pr. He saith there is none here hath yet ceased from their own works as God did from his pag. 9. And the Apostles received the last Revelation to be given forth immediately And such as slight the word and call it a dead letter and brings people to the light within them a spirit within them this is a strange doctrine And if there be not something to be added and given forth by men and another manner of Preaching then by the Apostles what need is there of Printing c. Page 15. Ans He that believes hath entered into his rest and ceased from his own works as God did from his And since the dayes of the Apostles there hath got up another Ministry by man of man made by man which is not as the Apostles who received it not of man nor by man And these stands against the light within and the spirit of God within which none knowes true teaching nor true instruction nor opening of the Scriptures but as they come every one to the spirit of God in them as was in them that gave forth Scriptures And who be here have the thing within them as they had that gave forth the Scriptures enjoying and possessing it And these Fathomes the Apostates out of the Apostles Doctrine and witnesse the Preaching as the Apostles was in which all they since the dayes of the Apostles that ravened from the Spirit of God be out of and this doth not deny the Scriptures but sees them all in their place and to what condition they were spoken And the letter is a dead letter of it self and gives not life to any but who comes to the Spirit of God in their own perticulars as was in them that gave it forth For the Jewes had not life though they had Scriptures until they came to Christ which the Scripture testified of Pr. He saith Christ is not natural Answ Yet some of ye say he is humane And as for thy speaking of his mortality ye speak ye do not know what Christ is the same to day yesterday and for ever Pr. He saith It is the Apostles sence of them that served their bellies they pretended to an inward light and this is the Apostles sence of belly who did cause divisions contrary to the Doctrine they had learned and here their belly maybe understood their minde heart and spirits or also their experience of these inward c. To rejoyce in any thing under the Sun is opposite to the Apostles who had their conversation in heaven Page 42. Answ None comes to witness their conversation in heaven but who is come to witnesse Christ within them the substance the second Adam who redeemes out of the earth and the Apostle which brought the Saints to the light that shined in their hearts c. this was not a serving of Bellies that walked in the light that light shining in them and believing in the light Christ out of whose belly flowed rivers of living waters and such made not divisions but were in unity in the light and fellowship But those were they that made the divisions that inwardly ravened and went from the light which Christ had enligtened them withall and such went from that which should give them the knowledge and enjoyed the earthly things and served not the Lord Jesus Christ that be out of the light which comes from him but their own bellies And they act contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and rejoyceth in things under the Sun which who doth serves their bellies Pr. He saith yea when enlightened by that heavenly light even from Jesus yet they are of themselves deceitful c. pag. 44. And the light is something else besides the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus Page 45. Answ The light which every man is enlightened withall c. is not deceitfull but leads men out of all deceit And it is of God that gives them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God c. and it is one and the same that le ts see to the begiâ—ning and ending which comes from the beginning Pr. He saith That none may expect to receive the word immediately from Christ as the Apostles but mediately Page 46. Ans Such as receive not the word of God immediately from Christ as the Apostles did they are not Preachers of the living word that lives and abides for ever And we do believe you that since the dayes of the Apostles ye have not received the word immediately from Christ as the Apostles did but are onely Ministers of the letter And such were they in all ages that closed their eyes and stopt their ears and inwardly ravened from the spirit That marred the face of Christ above all men who was the spiritual Sodom and Egypt where Christ is crucified These got Scriptures but were from the spirit of God within that gave them forth and such was the hypocrites that Judged all wayes the spirit of God that gave foâ—th the Scriptures â—nd shut out of the Kingdom in which spirit now ye are found in these last dayes Pr. He saith That Christ ascended without material blood and the Apostle dâ—â—â—â—t Preach both the word and faith in the heart pag. 50. and that the new Jerusalem is 〈◊〉 come down from heaven pag. 51. and a brief discovery of the wolves in sheepes skins c. Page 57. Answ The blood of Christ which satisfies the Father which the Saints â—â—ink and his flesh which they eate which in so doing have life is that which the world stumble at which who drinkes it lives for ever And the Apostle Preached the word of faith in their hearâ—â— and in their mouthes and the word reconciles to the Father and hammers down â—â—d cuts down and burns that which separates from
of Harlots And so they served their bellies when they went from the immediate teaching into the strong delusion as since the dayes of the Apostles it hath discoverâ—d it How are people all on heaps out of the life and spirit and power of God And so all that perish in the deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse they are from the light which Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world withall for none perisheth who be in the Light And the Saints witnessed they were risen with Christ and them that were risen sought the things that were above and not the things upon the earth And they that know the first Resurrection and are in it are blessed the second death hath no power on them and they are a top of Adam and they are in Christ the resurrection and the life And such as be in the first Adam drove from God and loveth to live in the Fall looks not after the first Resurrection neither desire to come into it Pr. He saith The glorious bringing down of the Kingdome and glory is yet to be waited for even by the Disciples all the time of this mortality page 54. All believers are personally from Christ in their mortall bodies and none of the Fathers saw the day of Christ as actually revealed accomplished in their time Ans He that believes is born of God and overcomes the world and abides in the doctrine of Christ and hath the Son and the Father and the spirit of Christ the life of Christ in the mortall flesh And the Kingdome of heaven Christ said was in the Pharisees and the Saints comes to and possesseth the Kingdome And the Kingdome of heaven is within them is in righteousnesse in peace in joy in the holy Ghost and in power and they were changed from glory to glory and they rejoyced with joy unspeakable and full of glory and that was in the Kingdome and this was while they were upon the earth And Enoch and Abraham saw the day of Christ and David saw the betrayer and whose feet should be snared whose eyes should be blinded and whose back should bow down and he saw Judas that betrayed Christ And Isaiah saw the suffering of Christ and how God laid the iniquity upon him And Isaiah saw his name and made his soule an offering for sin And Daniel said the Messiah should be cut off but not for himselfe which the Apostles witnessed fulfilled Pr. He saith The Scriptures is the power of God unto salvation page 59. Answ Many may have the forme but deny the power of God which is the Gospell And the Letter doth not give life neither is it the power of God unto salvation Pr. He saith That Christ is distinct from every one of us and without us in our particular persons page 61. Answ The Apostle said Christ was in them except they were reprobates and they were of his flesh and of his bone and they eate his flesh and drank his blood then it was within them and he is distinct from none but Reprobates who hates the Light Pr. Nor are we to wait for a further Revelation to us to be given forth then the Scriptures For the Word of GOD came not first to the Gentiles immediately but to the Apostles page 77. Answ The Apostles that preached the Word of God it was immediate to whomsoever they preached it for they had received it immediately For the Word it selfe is immediate for it is the savour of death to the death and of life to the life and none knows the Scriptures but by the spirit that doth reveal them So all that witnesse the spirit of God witnesse the Revelation and the revealing of the Scriptures to them by it and the things of God layd up for them that love God which the eye hath not seen which the eye may see the Scriptures outwardly And none knows the Son of God neither knows any man the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveales him And so people may have the Scriptures but not the revâ—lation of the Son of God by them For the Pharisees had the Scriptures but not the thing they testified of Pr. He saith The Scriptures are the Word of God and the key of knowledge page 79. and the opening of all things contained in the Scriptures Answ The Scriptures are the words of God and that is his Word who fulfils them Christ Jesus whose name is called the Word of God And that which opens the Scriptures is the spirit that gave them forth that is the key of David who in the light saw more light For the Pharisees who crucified Christ had that which testified of Christ the Scriptures And you that be in the apostacy since the days of the Apostles but ye want the key and have taken away the key of knowledge And all that dwells upon the earth that stops their eares and closeth their eyes against that of God in them that doth deny the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world wants the key of knowledge Pr. He saith He gives gifts unto men for the work of the Ministery some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the body of Christ untill all come into the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man Page 81. Answ And yet he said before Perfection was a devillish Doctrine and a fancy so out of this work and this Ministry thou hast thrown thy self For this work and this Ministery hath been lost since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy but now is appearing in the end of Babylon the knowledge of the Son of God people are coming to and the unity of the faith from among the Apostates who have had the sheeps cloathing but all on heaps about it being ravened from the spirit of God inwardly Among whom the Proclamation hath been in the Steeple-houses and Pulpits in Markets Towns Disputes No perfection no overcoming of sin Perfection is a Doctrine of Devils a devillish Doctrine and a fancy c. And this hath been proclaimed among the Apostates in the apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles by the Beasts authority under Satans power the deceiver of the Nations where the mother of Harlots is But I will reward her double and shall take the Devill and with him the Beast and false Prophet and cast them alive into the fire Rejoyce ye holy Prophets over her and Saints who are come into the unity of the Faith and to a perfect man and to the knowledge of the Son of God And the everlasting Gospel shall be preached to them that dwell upon the earth and God shall be feared and glory given to him And none comes to the knowledge of the Son of God the salvation to the ends of the earth the Covenant of Jewes and Gentiles untill they come into the light which Christ doth enlighten every one withall that
wayes also pag. 211. And the Quakers think it a lie against God to say the spirit is in the Letter and Scripture and is given by it and makes a jangling about immediate teaching Page 222. Answ There is no one is furnished for the work of the Ministry of God but who is in the immediate Spirit of God which is to Minister to the Spirit And there is no one made a Minister of God by the mediate but by the immediate For who hath the spirit of God the spirit of wisdom and understanding to sing in the spirit or pray in the spirit it is immediate And all that be out of that be in the earthly sensual and Devillish perishing knowledge and that understanding must come to nought and wisdom must be confounded and as for the word Function it is thy own and must come to nought And the spirit is immediate that led the Saints to give forth Scripture And the spirit is not in the letter but it was in them that gave it forth And them that have not the spirit in them that was in them that gave it forth and are disobedient to that are them that say the spirit is in the letter And such say that the teachings immediate is jangling that be from the spirit that is immediate ravened from it in their own particulars such are never like to beget to God but are the Ministers of the letter not of the spirit and by that which the Devil and they are out of are they comprehended who be in the jangling and in the lie Pr. He saith Christ took up a Bible and Preached on a text And as for uses points tryals and motives you must go to Titus 3.16 Answ Christ who came to fulfill took the book and read and said it was fulfilled He did not take a Text as you do and lay half a year in it as some of you and have ten shillings a day for your pains or more or lesse but he said it was fulfilled And that place in Titus there is no word of motives nor points nor tryals nor uses as you pretend though he who was in the faith did study to divide the word aright in whom was the gift of God which was perfect This is not like your divination of your brain for money which ye sell weekly nor your taking a text and laying half a year in it And thou hath shewed your selves to be the novices Pr. He saith Though the righteousness be wrought in us by the strength of Christ and be found in us that are sanctified yet as to Justification of a person Paul would not be found in it for a world pâ—ge 229. Answ The righteousness of Christ fulfilled in us and be found in the righteousness of Christ that was the thing the Apostle strove after not in his own righteousness in that which ended the Law And that righteousness which is wrought in us by the strength of Christ is Christs where sanctification is witnessed this is Christs who is the end of the Law and in this was the Apostle found and stood for which was out of the world Pr. And honour all men And the fifth Commandment he brings for bowing the knee and he saith putting off the hat is but a token of respect Page 234. Answ Honour all men that is to have all men in esteem all men are had in esteem for Christ hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world that they might all through this light believe and he that doth not is condemned and that will bring all men to seek the honour that comes from above that love it but if they hate the light they seek the honour that is below that is of the first Adam in the transgression and that 's the hat But Christ the light that doth enlighten every man c. receives not honour of men and the light of Christ which every man hath c. will not receive the honour of men Now he that receives the honour of men is of the first Adam from the light in the transgression Earthly Adam looks for honour of the earth these are the marks of an unbeliever And the fifth Commandement doth not speak of bowing the knee And Jacobs bowing and Davids bowing to Saul c. There is a time the elder must serve the younger And Joseph and Abrahams bowing before the heathen and the rest of bowings which thou speaks of in the Scriptures the old Testament Christ is come to whom every knee must bow and tongue confesse to the glory of God and not the Angels bowed down to nor worshipped So ye have shewed whose Ministers ye are of that are crying up bending and bowing the knee is not this like kissing of Baal and bowing the knee to Baal Now Christ is come to whom every knee must bow down to him And as for Master ye have thrown your selves into that transgression for Christ saith Be not yee of men called master for yee have one master even Christ and ye are all brethren and excluded your selves from among the brethren Pr. He saith Swearing is a part of Gods worship pag. 235. And Christ was far from overthrowing the worship of God And it was the formall part of an oath when the Apostle Paul said God was his witness pag. 238. Answ Christ who said God was a spirit and would be worshipped in spirit and in the truth said swear not at all who was the oath of God that ended oaths but said in all your communication let your yea be yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more cometh of evill And the Apostle was so far from swearing who in the doctrine of Christ abode as he saith above all things my brethren swear not at all not by heaven nor by the earth nor by any other oath Neither did any of the Apostles though men that were in strife swore and their oath ended the strife among them and they swore by the greater that is the true oath But Christ in whom is the peace the covenant of peace where soules comes to be one and hearts one who are the true brethren in him are in the oath of God the end of all oaths For God when he could not finde a greater swore by himselfe that did not change concerning of his Covenant with men that doth not change in which men come to have peace with God And so men swear by the greater whose oath ends their strife and controversie But God could not finde a greater swore by himselfe concerning of his Son the Covenant of God which ends the strife among men and between God and man and is the peace on earth and good will towards men Now the swearing of the Angels the swearing of the Priests the swearing of Jacob and Joseph and David and Solomon Christ is the end of all these the oath of God in which their faith stood and to which all the Angels must bend and bow to him that saith sweare not at all
the Temple who was to swear by the Lord and to performe the oath to him Which that oath Christ ended and brought men out of strife and the earth into peace with God to the beginning to the glory which was with the Father before the world was began who brings the peace on earth and good will towards men And do not you that swear by the Bible swear by all that 's contained in it like as the Jewes swore by the Temple and so hath not the Bible judged you Here Christs words and the Apostles that tells you ye should not sweare and yet you swear And if yee say the Prophets and Moses and Abraham and Jacob and Joseph and the Angels swore and men of Strife swore Doth not Christ and the Apostle tell you he is the end of the Prophets a greater then Solomon David called him Lord Before Abraham was reignes over the house of Jacob and Joseph to him the Angels bow sayes sweare not at all This is my beloved Son hear him is the end of the Law and the Prophets to him that believes which hears him But it seems you will not hear him that are the swearers and forswearers And the Apostle brings that concerning an oath is the end of controversie among men of strife and men swear by the greater Yet they sware by the Lord he brings the example not that men should swear but shewing how God could not finde a greater sware by himselfe concerning his Son who is the oath of God the end of Oaths and the true oath that men swear that ends the strife He brought peace on earth and good will towards men that ended that oath and brought men to unity to God and one another out of the Earth to the beginning Pr. That Oaths are to be performed if the Scriptures were silent The Law of Nature and Nations would speak loud in this point because of the particular miscarriages in humane Societies Therefore sayes the Lord Mine oaths ye despised and my covenant ye have broken It would be a great dishonour to the nature of an Oath if it should tye any man to disobey the commands of God Governours are ready to thinke it their great security to establish themselves by Oaths Answ The commands of Christ let the Law as ye call it of Nature and Nations cry never so loud for swearing who stablish themselves by sin and trangression in the earthly humane societies the commands of Christ forbids swearing And I know that the Law of Nations and the Nationall Laws have sworn by severall Heathen gods and Idols as the Jewes swore by the Temple and you by the Evangelists and Christ sayes swear not at all and his Apostles And here 's great out-cries for oaths but here is a cry from the Lord Christ sayes swear not at all And oaths was in the Covenant which Covenant was to change mark that Oaths despised and Covenant broken This was the first covenant in which were the oaths that was to change and decay which Christ came to end both Covenant and Oaths and bid them swear not at all and took away the first covenant that he might establish the second And so as the Jewes brake the first covenant and despised the Lords oath which was to swear by himself who is the greater and to him to perform it So you despise his covenant his Son the everlasting covenant that ends oaths and the first covenant that are teaching men to swear and so there is swearing and for-swearing The lamentable work and doings as you may see in your Courts how they will swear a man hath so much when he hath not halfe so much as the Writs and Indictments and all their bad stuff declares it And so you that swear do break the commands of Christ though it was the command of God in the old time to swear yet it is the command of Christ who makes all things new swear not at all And the Governours that are established by Oaths are out of the doctrine of Christ that establish themselves by that which Christ denies and so establish themselves out of the power command and authority and doth not hear the Son and are not the true christians but are apostatized from the true Church hath onely his name but are dead to the life Now Christ that takes away oaths and shewed the danger of them that went into oaths more then yea and nay in all their Communications bid them swear not at all and that they went into the evill that did he established a way by two or three witnesses every word is established So they that would have any more then yea and nay may take the order of Christ minde the order of Christ two or three witnesses that yee may establish every word And this is aâ— way for all Trades-men and Magistrates and all whatsoever that they may follow and practice the commands of Christ yea and nay in all their communications and if they will have any more two or three witnesses that every word may be established And such are the true Christians the true Brethren that abide in the Doctrine of Christ they are not transgressors but hath the Son and the Father which the other hath not and that 's a practice for all true Christians Cities Countries and Magistrates upon the earth Pr. Thou saith Those that be engaged take oaths and they must be circumspect in taking of it and this is the word thou adds And you my Lord Major and Sheriffs under the bond of an Oath shall execute your office Answ The command of Christ the doctrine of the Apostles engageth men they shall not swear and doth not engage any to swear nor Christ who is the end of the Law and the Prophets but you Ministers of unrighteousness and false Apostles teach men to disobey and transgresse the commands of Christ which are the false Prophets and Antichrists which Christ said should come John saw was come went forth from them the Apostles and since the world is gone after you and so you have taught the world to swear and men to swear and Christ and his Apostles teach them not to swear And so here 's the Land mourning because of oaths among boyes and girles it 's become common in your Streets Courts and Houses Swearing for-swearing and profane swearing and that which is out of the command of Christ is profane for they bewitch people that draw people from the command of God The Apostle instances Circumcision which Christ ended and what are they that draw people to those things which Christ forbids but such as would not have him to reigne but Antichrists which hath been from the Apostles And so you and the Papists are one here doing what you do by an oath and the Apostle saith which you are apostatized from Above all things swear not at all neither by heaven nor by earth nor by any other oath Marke this was to the brethren true christians true believers such
as obeyed Christs doctrine for he tells them the danger lest ye fall into condemnation Let all your communication be yea yea and nay nay what ever is more is evill Not by heaven nor by earth nor by any other oath Now there was true and false and prophane whatsoever was comprehended in these words Not by any but keep to yea and nay in all your communications Now tell the Apostle he doth not mean as he speaks give him the lye pervert his words and Christs words who sayes swear not at all and sayes he meanes profane oaths And Christ brought the people off the true Oath which was in the old time that was performed to the Lord a profane oath was not performed to the Lord that 's not meant of that but that as was sworn by him Christ sayes now Swear not at all and so they that break the oath break the covenant the true oath and so they that swear now do not own the new covenant which ends the true oath and covenant in the old time The profane oaths they were judged by them that lived in the first covenant and they did not type out any thing but a true oath did which ended controversies among men which the oath Christ ends which is the peace between God and man and reconciles them to God and one another These be true brethren true christians that 's come to yea and nay in their communications and cannot swear by heaven nor by earth nor by any other oath lest they come into the evill but yea and nay in all their communications lest they come into condemnation So you that teach men to swear have brought them into the evill and a great out-cry to break the commands of Christ and under condemnation He that teacheth them to swear any oath whatsoever cast behind your backs the commands of Christ and doctrine of the Apostles And the Apostle that bid the Saints keep to yea and nay in all their communications and swear not at all said if yee will have any more take two or three Witnesses And for all thy other confusion and thy perverting and wresting of Scriptures to bring people into the condemnation and evill to swear is not worthy the mentioning and will but come upon thy selfe in the day of thy condemnation and judgement thee and all upon the Earth that are departed from the Apostles shall witnesse how ye have transgressed the commands of Christ and teach people to transgresse them and to sin have hath brought them into the evill and condemnation So repent and while ye and time prize it Samuel Hammond In his Book called The Quakers House built on the Sands A very fit Title for himselfe and the rest of his PRIESTS These are some of his Principles following Pr. YOung men and women having some convictions and awakenings of the Law and have followed the light of an awakened conscience and sit down before they have closed with Christ and there be not a distinction between the righteousness imputed upon the account of the blood of Christ and the righteousness inherent wrought in us by his spirit and this inherent righteousness they confound the attainments brought forth by the Light in every man not being able to distinguish the working of Satan Answ Inherent righteousnesse is a word of thy own and the Papists inventing and thou art a man that cannot distinguish between the workings of Christ and the workings of Satan For the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall which brings men and women to know the Law and the convictions of it it brings them to the end of the Law Christ and to see that appear that cannot be shaken and the Righteousnesse imputed to a believer that is within felt For he that believes hath the witnesse in himselfe and feels it there and the blood of Christ is felt within justifying and cleansing the conscience from dead works And the righteousnesse of Faith is found within and that righteousnesse which is wrought within is found within and no man sees this but with the light which Christ hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world withall and this Light is that which confounds all thy attainments for Christs righteousness and his blood and spirit are all one which justifies and sanctifies Pr. They dream of a perfection to obey the light within and this is delusion they are not able to distinguish between justified freely by grace which is the favour of God upon the account of Christs satisfaction and the grace that wrought by Christs spirit in the soul that natural light within being improved they call grace the work of God upon the soul leads into Covenant of works then it is no other then to tread in the Papists steps so this is delusion and the ground of their delusion is their not distinguishing between saving light given forth by Christ in conversion and the light of conscience that every man hath Answ None come to the perfection out of the delusion but who comes to the light within and followes that it gives him the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ the Covenant of grace is one that which was wrought without is within in the soul for Christ in you c and he is the Covenant of grace of light of life and of peace and none knowes him without nor Justification by grace but who knowes it in the heart and it is the one and the same thing it is not another grace nor another Covenant nor another Christ but the the same Christ in you the Saints are in his spirit and in his mind and are of his flesh and of his bone And thou who art so full of thy delusions Art out of this and thou alwayes have been in the dreams and never knowes perfection till thou come to the light within And Gods work in the soul leads to the end of the Covenant of works who works all in us and for us as sayes the Apostle who works faith grace commands the light to shine out of darkness shines in the heart to give the knowledge of the Son and so thou art in the delusion and the Papists doctrine that knowes not this within but calls it the Covenant of works dost not thou tread in their steps and have crept up in their great Masse-houses and the light given forth by Christ in conversion and the light in the conscience is one and it is not natural it was before natural was it exerciseth the conscience towards God and towards man in them that love it but in them that hate it they are not converted but they live in the many wayes out of the one way to God for he that 's the Covenant of light is the Covenant of grace and thus thou art blinding people with many things Pr. The owning not the imputation of Christ as the matter and formal cause of Justifications is damnable doctrine
Moones and sacrifices that the Actions Baptisme and breaking of bread are the signes of a Christian Sabbath its high presumption to alter the word of God in calling every day the Lords Sabbath and honouring any other day as the Sabbath So if we be followers of God as dear children and take the spirit to be our guide we must honour the Sabbath withall holy devotion Answ The Sabbath is mentioned with new Moons and sacrifices but the Apostle sayes they were shadowes of good things to come when this is come which was before the shadowes was which is the body Christ which was before dayes new Moons or sacrifices was the body who be in that ends them all and to that the Apostle brought people and not to the dayes now there was some brought them to observe dayes and he was afraid of them that did observe them and he brought them to the body Christ to whom all the Angels did bow for they as did observe the dayes new Moons and Sabbathes are worshipping of Angels neglect the body which is Christ and this was for the satisfying of the flesh and now what art thou satisfying which art teaching to observe dayes signes and shadowes which the Apostle brought people off to the body and to the head Christ Jesus and to worship God in spirit and brought them into that that ended all shadowes for the devil will lurk in a shadow or a type or a sign or figure and creeps into those things after the substance is come to keep people from the body and they will persecute such as will not bend to the shadow and come from the substance and breaking bread and baptisme is no sign of the Sabbath day of the Jewish Sabbath day the Sabbath was a figure of the rest and sanctification of the Creation and breaking of bread among the Saints was a figure of the bread Christ which the Saints eat and live for ever and the word of God cannot be altered and the word of God cannot change man may alter but the word of God cannot be altered but abides and lives for ever And the Saints which comes to the body Christ comes to honour him who ends the Sabbath which is a sign and a shadow and such honors God the Redeemer and Creator and Christ by whom all things was created and made and which are the dear children of God the Apostle speaks of he did not bring them into dayes and to observe Sabbaths and signes but brings them to the body Christ the Lord of the Sabbath and doth not set up that which thou cals devotion in holding up the Jewish Sabbath which was a sign on which they should rest the rest of the creation and the rest of all man kinde cattel and beasts that God would restore and redeem all things by Christ who is the word and gives rest and is the sanctification and gives rest to the whole creation Prin. Thou sayes this is the time of Gods worship observing the seventh day Christian look well to thy walkings see that thou make all things according to the pattern in the mount Answ They that worshipps God they come into Christ the truth the body which ends the sign and the shadow and the end of Moses who made a pattern which was a figure of that which was to come and he made it at the command of God and the Christians are not to make the pattern which was shewed to Moses in the mount for while Moses is read the vail is upon the hearts of Christians and all people whatsoever and the sign shadowes and figures the body is not seen nor come to which is Christ And Paul and the Saints the true Christians worshipped God in the spirit and in the truth who witnessed they was in the body that ended the shadowes and types and Moses the Law and the Prophets Christ Jesus him by whom the world was made before it was made and a pattern is not the thing there is the thing the pattern is of and that ends the pattern and lives in the thing and they need not have the pattern for the pattern was made of a thing that was to come Pr. Thou sayes if the Apostle of the Gentiles who was the rejecter of the ceremonies did constantly celebrate the seventh day Sabbath then much more them Apostles among the Jewes there 's not a plainer precept in all the Scripture then Pauls practice herein for the seventh day Sabbath if we tread in the steps of Paul he was but a man and sometimes a very angry man and he strictly requires all believers to follow his example as he followed Christ and certainly in observing the Sabbath and Paul reasoned with the Jewes on the Sabbath day and Christs custome and Pauls was to go into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and was there difference betwixt Christs preaching and Pauls and where is the difference between Christs observing the Sabbath and Pauls Answ The Apostle never taught the Christians Neither Jewes nor Gentiles to celebrate the seventh day nor never mentions it to them to keep it not in all the Epistles there 's not such a thing but tels them they were shadowes the body was Christ and Christs and the Apostles going into the Synagogues and temple on the Sabbath dayes was to fulfill and shew the fulfilling of the types and figures of him and brings to the substance of the signes types and shadowes not to hold up dayes times offerings but to bring them to the body Christ as Colos 2. and so Paul and Christ doth not disagree for he Preached Christ the end of the Law and the substance and though Paul went among the Jewes and circumcised and did several things went into the Temple yet thaâ— was not to hold up the Temple or to hold up the offerings types and shadowes but to bring them to the substance And mind what the anger was as Paul was in and Paul followed the substance and was more then a man there was more in him then a man Paul nor the Apostles no where commands the Saints to observe the Jewes Sabbath day though he went into the Jewes and consented to many things to the intent to bring them out of them not to keep them in them but to bring them to the substance and that was the end of Pauls going into the Jewes Synagogues and Temple to bring them out of the shadowes types and signes to the substance and the end of Christs going thither was to bring them to the substance of which was typed forth that people might believe in him who was the body which was before heaven or earth was who fulfils every jot and tittle of the Law and to him did the Apostle bring the people to this body which types signes and shadowes signed shadowed and typed forth which the body of them all is Christ and in thy principles thou art confused and so who followes the Apostle comes to the body out of the sign and the
for the believer in the light is led with the spirit of truth into all truth and he that believes not in the Light is with the spirit of truth reproved Pr. They say for one to be convinced of his sins against the Law and have some power against them these they call miserable blind Pharisees Ans Them that was blind Pharisees transgressed the Law of God lived out of the power and that which convinced of the transgression of the Law so they said and did not and wo was pronounced against them and so judgement came to be neglected and the doers of the Law was justified and not called blind Pharisees and that was in its place but Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness sake to them that believes and those was not called blind Pharisees which followed that which shewed them the transgression of the Law for those was the doers Pr. They say the spirit shall convince all men and women sufficiently of that righteousness which Christ fulfilled Ans That which doth convince of righteousness all men and women as thou coâ—fesseth if they believe in the light which Christ hath enlightened them withall it will lead them from their own righteousness and be their teacher and come to be taught of God Pr. They say the light convinceth of sin against the Law but will not shew a soul a Saviour or a deliverer Answ That 's contrary to the Apostle who saith the light that shined in their hearts will give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ who is the Saviour and he shall be my salvation to the ends of the earth covenant to Jewes and Gentiles Pr. They say the light will not shew a man his lost condition righteousness blood death resurrection and intercession of Jesus Christ. Answ There 's nothing makes manifest but light Nor none knowes the blood death righteousness and resurrection of Jesus Christ but with the light which comes from Jesus Christ who hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world and that 's it shall give all men assurance that he is raised from the dead the light of the body is the eye that lets see salvation Pr. They say Christ went away into heaven from his Disciples and so not within them Answ Did not he say he would come again to them did he not say he was in them I in you and did not the Apostle say Christ was in them except they were reprobates the hope of glory was not he revealed in the Apostle and so in him and did not the Apostle Preach Christ within and you Preach Christ with out Prin. They say that those believers that are in the body now at this day are absent from the Lord. Answ Doth not the Apostle say that Christ is in them except they be reprobates and he is in them the hope of glory and they have fellowship with God and God will dwell in them and walk in them and he that believes believes in him in Christ so not absent Pr. And they say he is absent from them as touching his flesh Answ Doth not the Apostle say that they are of his flesh and of his bone and he that eats not his flesh hath no life in him and they fit in heavenly places with him and he that eats his flesh hath it within him Pr. They say that there is not any heaven within into which the man Christ is ascended for can any man contain a man four foot long Answ Christ is a mystery and is not he to be revealed within who is a mystery he who did ascend to be revealed and made manifest in his Saints in flesh and spirit that did descend which is now manifested that the world wonders at that is ascended far above the heavens who is the Saints life living bread and drink and where ever used the Ministers of Christ any such expressions as thou doth which shews that Christ is yet to thee a mystery Prin. They say Stars falling from heaven is professors falling from the faith to the earth Answ This is fulfilled upon you all who have given Judgement upon your selves and so from the faith in which is the unitie in which men please God and hath victory over the world and this you may read since the dayes of the Apostle who are fallen all down into the earth for mony and stipends Pr. They say that God hath given assurance to all men and commands all to repent every where in that he will Judge the world in righteousnesse by the man Christ Jesus Answ That every man that cometh into the world is enlightened by Christ the light of the world him by whom it was made who will give them a reward according to their works that denyes his Light and are found in the works of daâ—kness â—r They say That the end of Christs coming is that the people of God should shine as the sun and the cause that hinders them for shining is the body of death Answ The righteous and the Saints comes to witnesse the body of sin put off and thanks God who hath given them victory and comes into the second Adam the Lord from heaven out of the first Adam where the shining state is witnessed the holy mount of God the city that cannot be hid Pr. They say If a mans obedience flow not from the faith it is but sin in the sight of the great God Ans And yet they say faith is not perfect in the measure and degree Pr. And they say Four times that Christ ascended away from his Disciples and was not in them Ans And Christ said I in you you in me and he would come and dwell in them and make his abode with them which the Apostles came to witness and sate with him in heavenly places Pr. They say that the man Christ that was crucified his body is now in the presence of his Father absent from his people as touching his bodily presence Answ Doth not the Apostle say he is the head of the Church And doth not the Apostle say they are of his flesh and bone and sit with him in heavenly places with Christ And Christ saith they must eat his flesh and he is in them Pr. And they say that Christ is absent from the Saints in the world its clear Answ When the Apostle saith Christ was in the Saints and Christ in you the hope of glory And the Apostle saith he hath revealed the Son in him And he that hath not the Son of God hath not life And after the same Christ which was crucified and risen came to be manifest in his Saints and not another And so the Saints come to feed upon his flesh and drink his blood which is their life which body Christ gives for the the life of the world and which blood appeaseth the wrath of the Almighty And as for the rest of John Burton and John Bunians lyes and slanders they are
eight and that was before Matthew Mark Luke and John or any of the Epistles was written and as for the rest of thy lies slanders and hard speeches they shall fall upon thy self and be thy own burthen the witness in thy conscience shall answer me in the day of thy judgement And they that have not the Eternal Spirit are none of his Thomas Weld Richard Prideaux Samuel Hammond William Coles and William Durant their Book called A discovery of a generation of men called Quakers In it are their Principles as followeth Pr. FIrst That the soul is a part of the Divine Essence Asw That which comes from God which God hath in his hands which Christ is the Bishop of is of God and Divine and immortal which many of the Priests say is appetite lust and pleasure and the soul of Christ say they is humane which is earthy and so you that are come from one mother are not agreed here among your selves and people begins to see you the time hath been they knew not which of you to believe but now they believe in Christ who is the Bishop of their souls Pr. There lies a Mystery of iniquity for to say The world calls them so by such and such names or gives them their Christian name Answ There are names given by the heathen the heathen outwardly which men are called there is a new name which the world knowes not written in the Book of life here is the new man known after God in rigteousness created and true holinesse Now who is this new man and this new name the world may call him by the old So it is not a mystery of iniquity to say the world calls him so Pr. It is a sinful neglecting of their families to wander up and down And the forsaking of apparel changeable he calls it monkish holiness Answ When people runs into transgression from the life of God into the earth Then comes up the lusts of the eye the lusts of the world and the pride of life which leads them into all the fashions of the world which is not of the Father but of the world Now the lusts and the affections must be mortified which have outwardly transgressed the pure principle of God within whereby the minds hath gone out into the creatures and things without whereby it falls under the creatures and so comes to worship the creatures thereby more then the Creator who is God blessed for evermore being gone from the Principle of God in their own particulars that is it which mortifies the world when men turn to it and this brings off all the lusts of the world and excess and affections and professions whether they be such as thou cals monkish or notionists or whatsoever it brings into the possession into the life which mortifies for this which thou calls monkish holiness is like unto your own who have not the spirit as they lived in who gave forth the Scriptures so all holiness which stands out of that is self righteousness And the Apostles and the faithful in all ages that wandred up and down did the will of God spoke the word of God were commanded and moved of the Lord forsooke all for Christ Christ did not teach men sin And he that doth not forsake all is not worthy of him House Lands wife children whatsoever he that esteems any of those more then Christ he lives still below he lives still not given up he is not worthy of him and they that do not forsake all and come out of all are in the sinful neglect of the family of the Lord of heaven and earth and they stick below in their own cieled houses habitations nests holes and rocks falling into the mountains and there garnishing the Sepulchres and living in all fashions customes honours and pleasures of the world And the Priests work hath been this to teach the people to keep in the lust and not to forsake and come out of all their lusts to Christ who are not worthy of him and if any do they look upon them to be sinful neglecters of their family which wisdom was before all things were made and is the preserver and finisher of all things and not the destroyer but tha it rebukes and in this are men ordered to Gods glory Prin. The Quakers deny the imputed righteousness prayer baptisme Church-government Ministery Answ That ever ye five that are called Ministers should ever thus publish your lies to the Nation The higher powers the one government the Church the Pillar and ground of truth The Ministry that is in the spirit that Ministers to the spirit in the prison baptized with the spirit into the one body prayer in the spirit the Lords Supper who dwells in the Saints and walkes in them and Sups in them the Gospel the power of God imputed righteousness to the believer Abraham believed and it was accounted to him for righteousness and Christ come and Christ in you who is the end of the belief who is the justification it self and righteousness it self nigher then when they did believe And so here is justification it self without imputation the righteousness of God here the belief ends And all these things are owned according to the Scriptures but all such teachers that be in the earth and teaches for money and means we deny and baptiseth and sells your prayers and Preaching and Supper for mony we deny Pr. Will a discerning of the Gospel mysteries prove a power to discern the state and condition of souls what it shall be to all eternity is not this a large ignorance Answ The Ministers of the spirit did watch for the souls the Prophets and Apostles knew its state and knew Christ the Bishop of it and saw when the soul was in death and saw when God had pleasure in it when it lived and saw the soul in Gods hand for who have the mysteries of the Gospel which is the power of God which gives liberty to the captive to the soul and all that is imputed in man this is glad tydings to the Just this is a true work-man that divides his work aright and is not ashamed of his work of his building but presents the soul to God and knowes when it is in death and when it is living And so who are come up into the Bishop Christ they are one soul they know the hand of God which the soul lives in which is the power and so knowes it from eternity to eternity And so ye Priests which do not discern the soul and its state to eternity and from eternity ye are not in the mystery of the Gospel which gives liberty to it neither have ye it for ye are stumbling at the light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world which comes from Christ the Bishop of the soul so your darkness cannot comprehend that and so what fellowship hath the light with darkness it is not a strange thing It hath no fellowship with it for
your darkness cannot comprehend it though it shines in your darkness So for you to talk of Saints judging the world and medling with such things who are to be judged with the Saints who are that darkness that cannot comprehend the light that shines in you who have not light to comprehend the Saints that be in the light who have the just weight measure and balance who are the Judges of the world reaching measuring answering agreeable to that of God in every man And are stumbling at such as are become the Sons of God Adopted Sons and heirs and of the flesh and bone of Christ and of his mind and spirit who are in the possession of the Scriptures the durable life of the Saints which makes you darkness that cannot comprehend the light in your own particulars to rage which none comes to witness Sons-ship heir-ship Sons of God but who comes to the light in their own particulars and receives it and with it comprehends darkness It expels it away sees over the night and are the children of the day And you five Priests have shamed your selves that do not know the soul from eternity to eternity Pr. It is blasphemy to say the soul is a part of the Divine Essence Answ Ye may read in this Book how the rest of the Priests that are called Ministers some of them say Christ is humane the soul is a creature some again say it is part of the Divine Essence it is immortal and again it is appetite and pleasure and in this now is their confusion made manifest The soul is that which came out from God and is in Gods hand which hand goes against him that doth evil and transgresseth against the Principle of God that is in him which goes against the lust which Wars against the soul which hand the soul being in praises God the hand felt the power felt that turns against that which Wars against it here the soul magnifies God and the soul rejoyceth in God the Saviour the soul praiseth God here is Gods pleasure The living Lord taketh pleasure in the living soul and appetite and pleasure are humane these are not immortal which the soul is and so you five have judged your selves to be blasphemers who said the soul was part of the Divine Essence and yet 't is blasphemy to say so Pr. Christ is to rule as a King but in all he doth not Answ Those and you that hate the light will not hear him nor have him to rule over you and them such are for the sword and to be slain before him Pr. And the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is not sufficient to salvation nor gives a light sufficient to bring to the Gospel know the Mediator and that light which hath enlightened all men withall is not the way but a created light by Christ Answ The light which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world all lights were made by it and created and this is the eye of the soule which gives to see Christ the Bishop of it from whence it comes and this light is the Covenant of God which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and this light doth let see the Mediator the salvation the Gospell And all that be from the light are out of the truth they that went out of the truth the god of the world hath blinded their eyes lest the light of the glorious Gospel should shine in them which is the image of God So created Lights were created by it and none knows the truth but by this light and all mens professions be but from that nature that be from this light which hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world which all men must come into before they come into unity with God And none can know the Mediator nor Christ by the created and made lights which were made by the light Christ but as they come into the Light by which they were made that gives them the wisdome of the Creation and lets them see how they were made and so they that hate the Light receive not the spirit of God but remain in their natural state and what such know they know as naturall from Books Authors and Studies So men come not to the Author of their Faith Christ who hates the Light Pr. How ridiculous is it to say Christ dwels in all so in all Answ Christ is the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and the Scripture saith Christ he is searching the hearts of the wicked and trying their reins and bringing to them their thoughts to the light that shines in the darknesse and the darkness comprehends it not He was in the Saints and the Saints were in the light so he is in all over all and through all and blindnesse darknesse comprehends it not who fills heaven and earth If thou goest to the utmost parts of the earth he is there if thou goest to the deep and to the nethermost hell he is there where wilt thou flye from his presence Have not the holy men of God found this Are all ye Ministers of the Letter so ignorant of the Letter so short and come short of the state that gave it forth And I say such as sit under the shadow of darknesse shall feel if they do but hearken listen and such whose hearts be bad shall feel him searching of them and knocking such as go down to the nethermost Hell and to the utmost parts of the earth they shall feel him if they never stirred forth present and should not need to wander for a habitation but should feel their habâ—tation Such then should come to know their soules progresse which is an inward travel before it come into its Bishop Christ the rest him by whom the world was made before it was made and was glorified with the Father before the world began Pr. And it is an errour to say that the righteousnesse of Christ justification sanctification and redemption that this is all within Answ If Christ be within if not they are Reprobates and reprobates can talke of Christ and them that be out of the truth and the life they can talk of Christ and bring the Scriptures but who have Christ within they have sanctification redemption and justification they have the wisdome and power of God for Reprobates are talkers without for he that hath Christ hath all the other redemption sanctification wisdome righteousnesse is spoken to man and the work is known within as he comes out of the fall of the first Adam Pr. Its errour to say the light that discovers sin justifies Answ The light which is the Covenant of God that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world discovers sin makes it manifest blots it out justifies sanctifies redeems and condemns them that hate it Pr. It 's an errour that the light within men will bring men to the feare of God and lead men
to the house of Israel and Judah which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world a leader of the people a leader of them from death to life to God out of the fall the first man Adam a bringer in of righteousnesse peace and joy and truth and grace to all that believe and receive him but them that hate the light it is their condemnation The light Christ the Covenant of God is the leader of the People out of the fall out of all deceit unto God and it is sufficient It is the end of the Prophets and the Apostles teaching the fountain of life in which every one sees life Pr. Hath every man a light sufficient to bring him to God when none comes to God but by Christ If there be a light sufficient within for the enjoyment of life For direction to the Father the fountain of life the holy Ghost saith Ye shall teach no more every man his neighbour ye need not that any man teach you He doth not speake absolutely and strictly Answ Jewes and Gentiles who witnesse the new Covenant of God promised the Law in their hearts it is absolute they need not say to one another Know the Lord in the Covenant of life and peace with God in him by whom the world was made before it was made But they that have these words in a form are they that set to themselves heaps of Teachers And the teachings of the Apostles to all Nations were Ambassadors of this Covenant declaring the substance to the bringing of people off all Teachers that they needed not be taught by any man to know the Lord and the light Christ which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world is sufficient to guide to eternall life and he that believeth in it shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life and shall come out of condemnation and he that hates it abides in darknesse and knoweth not whether he goes And it is sufficient to let every man see his salvation For I will give him for a covenant of light saith God he shall be my salvation to the ends of the earth the Covenant of light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Pr. What Christ and the Apostles saith swear not at all neither by heaven or earth or any other oath They did not mean as they spoke but that men should swear and they did not speak against all swearing And the Quakers may blush for it is as if God should speak as he meant by Moses in the Law Answ Christ and the Apostles meant as they spoke to what state and condition they spoke the words was truth to that state if it was by parables or patterns or figures Now Christ being the end of Oaths and Types saith Swear not at all who is the Covenant of God the end of the Prophets of Abraham of David of Solomon of Jacob of Joseph Oaths and swearing and Angels which must bow to him who sâ—ith swear not at all And the Apostles preached this Covenant this Oath of God Christ Jesus and the Apostle that was in the Doctrine of Christ bid them above all things my brethren swear not at all but in all your communication let your yea be yea your nay nay for whatsoever is more cometh of evill And they spoke as they meant for they came into condemnation that broke the doctrine of Christ Now Apostates and Hypocrites and false Brethren may swear that be out of the light the Covenant of God that have the form of godlinesse and denies the power and such be Antichrists against his doctrine and wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction and say that Christ and God and the Apostles did not mean as they spoke which God did mean as he spoke when he spake to Abraham And Christ meant as he spoke when he said swear not at all And the Apostle meant as he spake my brethren above all things swear not at all Pr. We are Ministers under the new Covenant and have the allowance of the Gospel and the tythes being onely designed unto us we may with a good conscience take it And the tythes are not in themselves Ceremoniall Abraham paid tythes to Melchisedeck If there be not a maintenance setled out to the Ministery we know we cannot subsist to do service to their soules without a worldly support a sufficient maintenance They call us greedy dogs because nursing Fathers and Mothers have provided for our nourishment a maintenance for us To work or to beg are two straits whereof the world might be ashamed but especially the Saints Answ The world would not be ashamed nor the Saints to see you work who have taken the peoples bread for whom you do no work and the Saints do witness against you The Prophets Christ and the Apostles declares such to be greedy dogs that can never have enough And Christ came to put an end to tythes before the Law to Tythes in the Law to a Priest-hood made by the Law which had a command to take Tythes who is a Priest-hood for ever after the order of Melchisedeck who was the similitude and likenesse and not after the order of Aaron who continues a Priest for ever And so when the first Priest-hood was ended Tythes and all ended and the command that gave them and the Priest-hood and the Law which was made when Christ reigns over the house of Jacob who asore Abraham was I am that Abraham paid tythes too the similitude and likenesse which Christ is the end of here the Rock and the substance This is my beloved Son hear him saith God who was in the bosome of the Father So they that know him come to preach the Gospel and live of the Gospell who breaks down the earthly part and opens the hearts of people who breaks down the earthly part and reaches to the seed And as for your nursing Fathers and Mothers such as give you maintenance else you could not continue your Ministery without a worldly support That is it which hath held you up long and who are fain to fly to the old worship among whom the Tenths were payd and so roving up and down in sheeps cloathing for your owne ends to get maintenance and if that falls your Ministry falls And your nursing Father and Mother was the Pope the Pope was the Author that set forth your Tenths at the first since the apostacy from the Apostles and the Apostles doctrine hath been lost Therefore that life the Apostles were in is people now come to by which ye are seen and comprehended And a worldly support is not that which holds up the Ministery but Christ which is with them to the end of the world and they that preach his Gospel live of it and they are far above shaming the Saints or the world either for maintenance but ye have both shamed your selves and the Saints are ashamed of you and many of the world and your own
seeking the peoples means not the people which makes the true Ministers of Christ odious which are in scorne called Quakers who seekes not theirs but them and you are neither the true Fathers nor the true Nurses but in the Apostacy from them and kicking against that which pricks you going in Sauls steps who went with Priests that had Tithes who were strayed from the life saw not the substance as you Raveners from the spirit of God have set up Tithes who see not the substance you harden your selves not hearing the voice from whose eyes repentance is hid posting on for your earthly interests and meanes posting to Courts Sessions Assizes Benches and this is the work you are doing and posting on in the Nation as the Courts Sessions and Assizes declares your hurrying the people thither seeking theirs not them your spirits are tryed at Courts Sessions and Assizes to be the false spirits that went forth into the world which Peter Jude and John speakes of which went forth from them and seperated themselves which since the world went after you who have been in Caines Cores and Balaams way Pr. Tradesmen and princes labours preserves health but mine consumes it Ans Here thou hast shewed that thy labour work and ministry is not of God that preserves health and strength for the work of the ministry is to bring into the saving health and preserve it and not consume it as thy worke doth that they may honour God with their substance and serve him with all their strength Pr. The law gives Tithes say the priests and allowes We may forbare working and we are content with food and rayment and to give away our tithes if the people will allow us food and raymet for us and our children as is fit to make them servicablâ— yet the Qâ—akers call the ministers covetous Ans The Jews priests who were made obedient to the faith which had a commandement while they were under the Priesthood to take Tithes according to to the Law but the ministers now turne again from the faith to the Law and saies the Law of God gives it them and saies the Tythes are not the people 's but the Lords Did not the Apostles cut off tithes afore the Law and in the Law the priest-hood and law both and have not you here shewed your selves Apostatized from the Apostles so in the Apostacy who have set up a Law the first author whereof was the Pope and say the Law gives it us and you would not leave tithes unlesse the people would make a bargain with you to maintain you your wives and children was this the work of the Apostles Ministery what shamelesse words are these what set your selves thus that all people may view your folly what the Apostles did give was it upon this condition the people should give them food and rayment for it Dâ—d not the Apostles say he that wil not worke let him not eate but from the whole practice of the Apostles you are apostatized and is not your covetous practises discovered through all the Courts Sessions and Assizes in the Nations you posting up thither and suing and causing them to go thither you doe not worke for what is this but covetousnesse and unrighteousnesse Pr. That the Quakers say that the priests are persecutors like the priests and phari sees of old but they shall be taught one day to know that if the Magistrats stop their mouthes he does no more persecute them then a thiefe when he is hanged c you say you wish all the Lords people were prophets Answ This is a lye found in your mouths for you say prophecying is ceased this you sound abroad all the world over as farre as you can This shews that you are not able to stop their mouths nor resist the spirits of them whom you say it will be no more persecution for the Magistrate to stop their mouths then to hang a thief And thus to all Magistrates that feare God you appear with shame and all may see what you crouch for under the mountains for blood Jezebe like and makes the Magistrates your pack-horses and executioners of your malice but the Lord God of heaven and earth in his wisdome is opening the eyes of many that moderation appeares in such in whose hearts the feare of the Lord is placed that tries many of you and turns many of you to your own weapons to see what weapons you have and they finde you but wrestlers against flesh and blood striking at the creatures not at the power which captivates them to bring them out of it into the liberty of the sons of God The true Ministers work was to beat down blasphemers errours false Prophets and stop the mouths of gain-sayers Rebuke exhort teach instruct with all authority cut off occasions with spirituall weapons And this power had they in the Church and cryed not to the Magistrate take them away they disturb me Oh shameless shame thy selfe before all the people in the Congregation This was not the work of the Ministers of Christ to do so And this authority in the Church before mentioned had the Ministers of Christ to stop the mouths of Gain-sayers silence false Prophets and blasphemers This power and authority they had from God and looked not at men to help them but they which apostatized from the Apostles the Beast the false Prophet the mother of Harlots that deceived the Nations that be out of the power of the Apostles and Christ have their power from men all the false Ministers upon earth are seeking to them to stop blasphemers as they imagine being but contrary to their mindes while they themselves are the blasphemers as weighed and judged by the Scriptures and spirit of Truth And the Magistrates work the power which he receives from God is to punish prophane open sins and the Ministers work is to bring people from under that occasion Pr. The Magistrates sets their guards at our doors and lets in none but who they please Let the Kings of the earth shew an uninterrupted succession giving them right to their Crown and I will shew a more undoubted succession to the Ministery All the Christians in our Parishes are our Flock we undertake to prove the truth oâ— such Churches Answ Your â—hurch is guarded with carnall weapons and the succession of your ministery is like unto the succession of earthly Kings Crowns which are all made by the will of men And the Magistrates have been but your servants and through ignorance have quenched the spirit and your work hath been to destroy the order concerning edification practice and doctrine of the Apostles in the true Church which said let all speak one by ne If any thing be revealed to another that sits by let the first hold his peace The spirit of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets From this you are apostatized and have gotten a law to stop the practice of this in your Church-apostacy whose doors many of
Revelations but Christ is the Word in whom they end and it is not horrid blasphemy to say the soule is a part of God for it came out of him and that which came out of him is of him and rejoyceth in him Why wilt thou lye in saying the Quakers deny the Word wee say it sanctifies them His lies Christ is not ascended into heaven That there is no Heaven nor Hell nor Resurrection of the body That we have no Sacrament nor no Trinity Answ As for the word Sacrament and Trinity is from the Pope and the Masse-book the Bishops Common-prayer but Unity and the Lords Supper is owned and Heaven Hell Christ and Ascension and Resurrection is owned by the Quakers as the Scriptures declares it And your old Masse-house with the Cross atop of it which you call your Church that the Beast hath set up since the dayes of the Apostles with his lying signe at the end of it the Popes Crosse And Christ did come to destroy selfe and reconcile into one and Christ forbid men to be called of men Master and said the Pharisees did so and Magistrates are owned in their place But all such Ministers that teach for filthy lucre that serve an Apprentiship at Schools and Colledges like Tradesmen such we deny such are not fit to study nor expound Scripture for they bring people into heaps and into blood as their fruits in whole Christendome declares it but the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and Ministers their practices are owned and Elders and their honour but the honour of the false Prophets and Apostles is defaced by the true and the Scripture doth not speak a word of sprinkling of Infants but the Baptisme of the spirit is owned and all your prayers in your Masse-house Pharisee-like and your songs in the Temple shall be turned into howling but that which is according to the spirit of God is owned and private and publique instructions are owned who be in the spirit of God and Davids Psalms in their place are owned and the Saints singing with understanding also we own Pr. They say The Church is in God therefore God is not in the Church they may say Answ This is like thy reason and thy measure and weight the Church is in God and God is in the Church and where two or three are gathered together He is in the midst of them Pr. He says We speak against Tythes and Clarks wages for saying Amen and this thou sayeth is an absurd opinion Answ Tythes before the Law and in the Law was owned that they should give the tenth of the spoil and the tenth of the earth for the services â—hat were required widdows strangers fatherless and Levi who had no portion therein that there might not be a beggar among them this tenthes preserved them from beggars and this was the Law and Melchesedeck before the Law took the tenth of the spoil who was without father or mother and Christ the end of the Law who put an end to all spoils and Redeemes men out of the ninth and tenth parts of the earth to God and here the day of salvation is known to Reign upon the earth for man transgressed being drove from God in the earth â—hen the Law came that was over all transgression and led out of it by that Law was they to offer up the tenth and Melchesedeck before the Law had the tenth of the spoils but Christ who ends the Wars ended the spoils who is the heir of all things and the tenths the Covenant of God who reconcils all things in one things in heaven and things in earth and this the Apostles Preached who was in the power of God brought men out of the ninths of the earth and tenths to and brought men out of the occasion of the Wars in that which ended who was the power of God but they which went forth from the Apostles into the earth that had the form of godliness and denyed the power thereof which lead the world after them set up ninths and tenths unlike the Ministers of the Gospel who brought them out of the ninths and tenths into unity with the power of God and the Son and to reign upon the earth and them that took Tythes now are unlike them that took Tythes under the Law or afore the Law who met them with bread and water that Abraham gave the tenths of the spoil to and who now have no store-house for widows strangers and fatherless that there need not be a beggar among them so you who are called Christian Priests are worse then the Jews who cannot get their tenths without prisons Courts and writs and treble damages and cast into prison untill death for them this is called the Christian practices in our dayes who are Apostated from the true Apostles and Church and from the power of God they were in but the maintenance that Christ speaks of to his Ministers is owned but all that make a trade of the Prophets Christ and Apostle words who laid down their lives for speaking them forth we deny and the Apostles did not give a Clerk wages to say Amen but that came up since the Apostles dayes and judged by the spirit of truth and whosoever will make Alixander Rosses lies their refuge are in a sad condition in his book called A view of Religion which he and his lies are condemned to the fire and Lake by the power of God glory in the highest rejoyce over them ye Saints Richard Mayo Priest of Kingston his Doctrine And PRINCIPLES as followeth Pr. THat the Light within is the light of Nature which teacheth to do all things that the Law commands and to deny all things that the Law forbids Answ That which teacheth to do all things the Law commands and deny what the Law forbids is above nature that is it which keeps nature in its course that it shall not be of a fire but we see thy nature is gone out of its course and is all of a fire among you Priests and professors Pr. That God set up a dim light in every man Answ The light that God set up in every man is not dim but men grows dim when they transgresse the light which God hath set in them to give them the knowledge and feeling of himself Pr. He said the Devil was the power of God and that Christ was made manifest to destroy the power of God and to destroy him that was the power of God Answ The devil that went out of the truth went out of the power of God and Christ was manifest to destroy the works of the devil and not the power of God though Christ came to put an end to all figures types and shadowes Priests first Covenant and Temple Christ who is the power of God did not come to destroy the power of God the power of God is not divided against it self and the devil that went out of the truth the power of God went against him so he is not
the power of God that went out of the truth that tempted others out of the truth to transgresse and to sin by which came death by which the devil hath the power of death that went out of the truth so is the power of death which Christ the power of God destroys death and him that hath the power of it Prin. Mayo saith To say the Gospel is the power of God is but a Metapohrical speech Answ The Apostle doth not say so for the Apostle saith the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes in plain words Rom. 1. Chapter Pr. He said That Lanthorn and that Light spoken of in the Psalms which was a light unto Davids path was not meant Christ the word Ans Why then doth the Apostle bring often Davids words to prove that David did speak of Christ And spake of the sure mercies of David the everlasting Covenant of light and in his light should see more light and called him Lord and David saw his flesh that should see no corruption and see his resurrection and many other Scriptures might be brought to prove this Prin. He said The Scriptures was the seed which the sower went forth to sow Mat. 13. Answ The seed is that which the Scripture speaks of which Christ said is the word which many have the Scriptures which knowes not the seed nor the thing it speaks of nor the seed that is sown which is the word as instance the Jews and you Christians which put Scripture for it for if the Scripture be the seed it is sown already it is printed and what need you go out to sow it Pr. He faith That Paul in the 5. of the Ephes 18. Exhorts the Ephesians to follow a light which was not the light of the Gospel and it is said in plain Scripture in so many words he could not prove that any of the Ministers of Christ doth exhort the Saints to follow a light which was the light of the Gospel Ans We herein see his confusion who confounds himself and Paul and that in the Ephesians which he saith was not the light of the Gospel let all people read who bids them not be drunk with wine but be filled with the spirit And this is the light of the Gospel which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which darkness cannot comprehend where the God of the world hath blinded the minds of the Infidels least the light of the glorious Gospel should shine into them as the minds of all the Priests of the world doth appear to be blinded with the God of the world that the light of the glorious Gospel which is the image of God which shines in the hearts of believers which they do not behold and though the light shines in darkness there darkness comprehended it not therefore they rage like the Jewes and are professing the Letter as the Jews did standing against the light with which Light they are comprehended which was before ages was Pr. He saith That Paul persecuting the Saints was a righteous thing in the sight of men and he said that he denyed that any doer of the Law is justified so as to be saved Answ Paul persecuting the Saints was not a righteous thing amongst righteous men that was in the righteousness of God for Christ the righteousness of God saith Paul why persecutest thou me now Pauls persecuting was justified by them which were in the self righteousness out of the righteousness of Christ and such that be in that righteousness may justifie thee and thy persecution and the doers of the Law are justified and who are justified are saved and Christ the end of the Law they come to know salvation it self who redeemes from under it so I through the Law am dead to it and know it a School-Master and the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in me Pr. That a man may be a righteous man and not a godly man Answ A righteous man in the righteousnesse of Christ is a godly man who have the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in him but a righteous man in self-righteousness is ungodly Pr. That a man may be justified by God and yet condemned by his own conscience and justified by his own conscience and condemned by God Answ A man that is justified by God is not condemned by his own conscience for the mystery of faith is held in a pure conscience in which men are justified in the sight of God and a man that is condemned in his own conscience is not Justified in the sight of God that which condemnes is the light and that is the cause of condemnation the hating of it and not believing of it and that is the cause the conscience comes to be seared whereby comes condemnation and that in the Romans proves no such thing which thou layes down Pr. That every believer hath not the witness in him Answ That is contrary to Scripture and the Ministers of Christs Doctrine which saith he that believes hath the witness in himself mark he and after he believes he comes to be sealed with the spirit of promise and can set to his seal that God is true and comes to believe the record of his Son which is the spirit that recordeth all things Pr. That the Gospel is not the power of God Answ The Gospel is the power of God in this thou art contrary to the Ministers of the Gospel which said the Gospel was the power of God to salvation to every one that believes and in this thou haâ—t proved thy self to be an unbeliever Pr. He would make Christ speak blasphemy leaving out half his words Answ That is false thou couldst not make Christ the power of God the light the life the truth speak blasphemy in leaving ouâ— many of his words for all blasphemy is out of the truth and the power of God and in the power and life of God there is no blasphemy Pr. That a man may persecute Christ in the Saints and be a righteous man and that the Scriptures saves instrumentally Answ A man cannot persecute the Saints and be in the righteousness of God or the righteousness of the Law but they that persecute Christ are in their own self-rightrousness and the Scripture saves not instrumentally but as men be in the faith and men knowes not salvation but as they be in the Life that gave it forth and Christ the Saviour it speakes of and there 's the instrumental saving that the Scripture owns for Christ asked them that had Scriptures how they could escape the damnation of hell that were out of the life of it Pr. They that did not sware broke the Law of God and man Answ They that sware are not come to Christ the end of the Law and they are out of Christs Doctrine and the Apostles who said sware not at all not by heaven nor by earth nor any other oath but let your communication be yea yea nay nay least thou
end of the types and figures and shadowes the substance Pr. And the woman that Paul speaks of that is forbidden to speake in the Church but must learne of her husband at home is the whore that drinks the blood of the Saints in Revelations Ans That is false for the woman the Apostles speaks of there that must learne in silence and must be in subjection aske her husband at home is in the state of Eve who must not teach but learne in silence as also said the Law for shee was first found in the transgression now the woman here hath a husband to aske at home and not usurp authority over the man but Christ in the male as in the female who redeems from under the Law and makes free from the Law the man may speak Christ in the male and female who are in the spirit of God are not under the Law but the whore who drinks the blood of the Saints is gone from her husband from under the Law to aske the whore-master that doth drinke the blood of the saints which Christ the seed judgeth upon to whom he gives judgement Pr. And the outward creatures which God had made and created and blessed are the serpents meat as the old Ranter of Bristow when he was gnawing a peece of plum pudding said he was eating the serpents meat Ans The Serpents meate is dust and he goes on his belly and so hath proved him selfe to be a serpent who eates his meat which the children of God the seed doth not and Christ who eate of the bread he did not eate the serpents meate he did not call it serpents meat and that is cursed and judged that doth so Francis Duke his book intituled The fulnesse and freenesse of Gods grace his Principles are as followes Pr. GGod made man perfection of parts in this life but not perfection in degrees Ans Perfection of parts is perfection of degrees for where there is a part there a degree so in this thou medlest with things that are too heavy for thee Pr. That God did elect that drop of humane seed to be personall God man as the text is the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head Ans The elect is Christ the seed and Christ the second Adam is not humane for humane is earthly so thou erres in thy judgement for as Christ the seed saies he that is born of the flesh is flesh and he that is born of the spirit is spirit and the election obtaines it and he that is of the earth is earthly but he that is from above is heavenly Pr. Men may obey imperfectly but truly Ans Truth is perfect Christ is truth who is perfect and they that obey truly obey perfectly for perfect obedience and true obedience is one Pr. The seed of the Serpent and the Devils seed remaines in the best of men in this life for without this seed of the Devil issuing in humane nature it is not capable of Eternal life Ans This seed of the Devill hinders men to be capable of eternall life and such as are sanctified from the wombe was capable of eternall life and such as were made free from sin and the body of death and sin put out of them could not sin because the seed of God remaineth in them and witnessed redemption the works of the Devill destroyed and Christ manifested in their flesh condemned sin in their flesh and Christ in them the body being dead because of sin which was borne of God and they did not commit sin they were past from death to life for sin brought death and where the Devill had the power of it which went out of truth but the seed having destroyed death and him that hath the power of it which is the devill and God the God of all peace have bruised Satan under the faints feet such is a top of the seed of the devill and they are capable of eternall life and tells thee thy doctrine is a lye Pr. Man may believe truly but never rightly Ans He that believeth truly and is in the true beliefe believes rightly and he that believes truly is borne of God and he whose beliefe is false and not born of God it is as his that is out of truth which is not right which the true beliefe in truth is over him in that the Devill is out of all his generation that stands in an outward beliefe Pr. The will of man remaines in good men and bad men in heaven and in hell and in earth Ans There 's noe prophesie of the scriptures came by the earthly will of man but that mans will be subdued denyed with the Crosse and power of God whereby he that doth the will of God abides for ever but he that doth his own will abides not ever and flesh and blood enters not into the kingdom of God and they that goe downe into Hell go down into their owne wills and wilfulnesse but he must be born againe before he can enter into Gods Kingdom he that is borne of the flesh is flesh and will persecute him that is born after the spirit for there 's the two wills and earth is their footstool Pr. The Saints affirme themselves that they are all unclean things and their righteousnesse as filthy rags Ans The Saints are cleane and are sanctified and are washed and are cleansed now are you clean saith the Lord ye were such and such and the saints rightousnesse is Christ such as never will grow ragged which was before the world was made which was before rags and ragged righteousnesse was this is the Saints righteousness and true believers and the saints are not unclean things for it is the unsanctified that be unclean Pr. The Saints have a twofold righteousnesse in this world Ans The righteousness of the Saints is one Christ and is in one in God from whence all righteosnesse comes and the true believers righteousnesse is Christ Jesus the end of the Law Pr. Thou saist that James envies those that brag of their faith without works thou saist the Lord attributes that to the eye which is not proper the eye is the light of the body but yet the eye hath no light in it selfe to enlighten the body so he attributes that to the eye which is not proper to the Light Ans James did not envy for envy was of Cain and of the devill and of the wicked one he did not envy them whose faith was dead without works and Christs speech was proper who said the light of the body was the eye and without the eye the body hath not light looke of it either inward or outward t is proper within and proper without for when the eye is blinded within the body is full of darkenesse when the eye is blinded without the body is darke and he wants the light and the light of the body is the eye that being single the body is full of light and that is perfect
Prophets Abraham and Davids words and the Jewes had Scriptures but stood against the way to God Christ Jesus the light as all you doe that stand against the light And Abraham and Abel and Enoch had the way to God before the scripture was written and Christ Jesus is the way to God Christ saith I am the way to the Jewes who had scriptures Pr. That there is no perfection to be attained to while people live upon earth A Then by thy doctrine Christ is not attained to while man lives which is contrary to the Apostles and Christs own doctrine who said I in you and you in me and Christ in you the hope of glory and then none abides in the Vine by thy account which is Christ and none bears fruit to the glory of God who abides not in the Vine and who abides in the Vine abides in the perfection of God and thou art contrary to the Ministers of Christ whose work was for the perfecting of the saints Pr. That Justification and Sanctification differs Answ Justification and Sanctification is one for Christ who is the justification and sanctification is one and it is thou that differs from him Pr. That the word of faith in the heart spoken of in the 10â—h of the Romans is the Scriptures Answ The Apostle doth not say so for many had the scriptures and were under the Law and knew not the word of faith the gift of God Pr. He said the Scripture leads into all truth Ans This is contrary to Scripture for the Scripture saith the spirit of truth shall lead you into all truth this is the promise of Christ and Christs words And Abraham had his leader and Enoch to Christ and to God before the Scripture was given forth Oh that ever men should be set up to be Teachers that are so blind concerning the Scriptures and receive so many thousand pounds a year for teaching And the Jewes had scriptures and were not led into all truth as you Christians are now therefore are you all in heaps about them wanting the spirit to lead you into all the truths of them Pr. He said That Christ and the Father and the holy Ghost are not one but they are three therefore distinct Answ This is the denying of Christs doctrine who saith I and my Father are one and the holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son and he was conceived by the holy Ghost and they are all one and not distinct but one in unity that which comes out from him leads the Saints into all truth that ever was given forth from the spirit of truth and so up unto God the father of truth and so goes back again from whence it came Pr. It is blasphemy to say the Son is one with the Father and not distinct from him Answ The Father and the Son are one the Son is in the Father and the Father in the Son so that which is in him is not distinct from him and they blaspheme that say the Son is not in the Father and deny Christs doctrine Pr. He said The Father is a distinct incommunicable being from the Son and the Son a distinct incommunicable being from the Father and the holy Ghost a distinct incommunicable being from the Son Ans The Son is one and in unity with the Father and not distinct but equall and thought it not robbery The holy Ghost is in unity with the Son and the Father which proceed from them and they are one in unity and not distinct Thy doctrine is drosse and you Priests are not fit to judge in such things as they are they are too weighty and too heavy for you Pr. He affirmed That the Scripture is the power of God and that the Scripture is the Gospell Answ The power of God leads them to speak forth the Scriptures and the power of God is Christ and the power of God endures for ever but Scripture is writing and doth not and the Gospel is the power of God saith the Scriptures and doth not say that the Scripture is the Gospel for many had that and witnessed not the glad tidings and so thou art here distinct from the Ministers of the Gospell and art not a Minister of it the power of God but puts writings for it which power of God was before writings were Pr. He affirmed That the Father was the Creator and not God Answ This is contrary to the Scripture For in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth the Father and God is one the maker of all things for God the Father that made the world saith the Apostle Gal. 4.6 One God and father of all Pr. He said That Christ was not his rule but the Scripture was his rule Ans I do believe thee that Christ is not thy rule so life is not thy rule wisdome is not thy rule truth is not thy rule and so Christ not being thy rule thou art ignorant of Scriptures and knows them not for he who is the substance of the scriptures is not thy rule so thou knowest them not neither art subject to them Pr. He saith That God justifieth them that are not sanctified Answ He that is justified is sanctified for he that justifieth sanctifieth Pr. And another Priest saith That Christ was not the resurrection of the body Ans Christ is the resurrection and the life and the Saviour of the body who brings the creature into the liberty of the Sons of God The Priests of Lancashire their Principles PRiest Jacus the foreman of them said the letter and the spirit were inseparable Answ Contrary to the Apostle 2 Cor. The letter kills and the spirit gives life And we are Ministers not of the letter but of the spirit so the spirit that ends the letter was before the letter was and men may have letter and not the spirit and deny the Ministers thereof And the Apostle said they were one anothers Epistles written in one anothers hearts and not with paper and ink but with the spirit of the living God so you are contrary to the Ministers of Christ and if every one which hath the letter have the spirit what need you teach your teachings are at an end for the spirit will open to you the scriptures The Professors Principles at Westmerland Edward Briggs the leader of them said Pr. IT was heresie and deceiving the people to bid people believe in the power of God Ans Then they must not believe in Christ who is the power of God and it is not heresie nor deceiving of people to bid them believe in the power of God which is Christ and they are in the heresie and deceiving state that do not believe in the power of God and deceiving people and keeps them all in heaps under the power of the Devil and so to believe in that which is the cause of peoples destroying and persecuting one another Pr. And others of the Professors said That God had no hand in working out
his salvation Ans This is contrary to scripture for God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe And God is the Author of salvation who sent his Son into the world to be a Leader a Captain a Teacher and a Redeemer and a Covenant And there is no name by which men must be saved but by this Name Ellet and Crabs Principle who are Baptists Pr. THat it was blasphemy for any one to say he was justified by a Christ within him and that if they should looke to a light within they should not have peace an houre Ans If Christ be not within you to justifie you are Reprobates for he is justification and sanctification both and the light within you looking at that it will not let you have peace but let you see your works actions deeds thoughts and words which you have acted and spoken Now the Saints peace is in the light which is within for the light is Christ the Covenant of God Priest Fowler of Reading his principle Pr. HE said That the Scripture was the foundation of foundations A. Here thou hast thrown out Christ who is the tryed stone and the sure foundation and not the scripture but the scripture declares of it by the Prophets and the Apostles and no other foundation can any man lay but what is laid Christ Jesus and so thou hast laid another foundation and so art contrary to the Prophets and Apostles and thy work will come into the fire For God layd the foundation of the waters which is not Scripture God laid the foundation that all the lost state of men the sons of Adam that be in the transgression that all might come to build upon him the foundation Christ Jesus when wise men are turned backward and the soothsayers and inchanters are gone mad and the chaffe scattered and all makers of trades of Christ and the Apostles words Babel and the builders fall the foundation of God remaines Christ Jesus who are built on him are sure and doth remain Pr. Priest Goodgroom and the Priest of Ware affirmed and said the Scriptures were both the writings and the thing signified Answ By this the Scripture is Christ and God and spirit and life and saviour and Devill and Hell and errour and blasphemy by your Principle and Doctrine which is all false which is not errour nor blasphemy nor heaven nor hell nor Christ but declares of these things How have you led people in the ditch ye blinde guides their wallowing in their sins in the mire and crying out of them and then you tell them they shall never be made free from them while they be upon earth making a trade of saints words Prin. That Christ justified persons secluding and seting aside the new birth and worke of sanctification Answ Justification sets not aside the worke of sanctification nor new birth but is one with it for justification is sanctification for they who are justified it is by Christ who is the sanctifier and who are in him witnesse the new birth for as many as receive him Christ who doth enlighten every one that comes into the world And as many as receive him to them he gives power to become the sons of God And those which hates the light which they be enlightned withall which is their condemnation For this is the condemnation that light is come into the world but mâ—n love darknesse rather then light because their deeds be evill Prin. That the Letter is the Word and denies that any were converted by a light within Answ The principle of God hath been transgressed within so comes unconversion going from God and the higher power added upon the transgressor the Law which who had it had the types figures and shadows which made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope which hope is Christ within and none is converted to God out of types figures and shadows out of transgression Adams state in the fall and knowing the renewing of the inward man life and immortality come to light but as they come to know the light within Christ who is the way to God and who is in him is in conversion translation and regeneration in a new life serving God and the Scripture or Letter is not the Word Christ is the Word And they that had the Letter killed him who was before the Letter was who were the blinde Priests and Pharisees like your selves Pr. â—hat Christ ju tified sinners as sinners Answ Christ justifies them as they have been sinners and come from it in the faith for by faith are they justified and faith purifies them from their sin but them that hate the light which Christ hath enlightned them withall they are condemned by it and that is the worlds condemnation the light in which light the saints witnesse their Justification and see Christ the Author of their Faith Lamb in the City of London the Baptists Teacher and some of his company their principles as follows Pr. HE affirmed That the Scripture was the Kingdome of heaven and that the scâ—ipture was the light of the Lamb. Ans The kingdome of heaven is within people as in Luke 17. And the Pharisees had Scripture and knew not the Kingdome of heaven within them but were gazing for it without them as thou who art gazing without and saith the scripture is it when the scripture doth but declare of it and tells people it is within them and saith Christ is the light and the scriptures is a Declaration of it Pr. Two of the Baptists said That the light which doth enlighten every one that comes into the world is a naturall light and Christ was a naturall man Answ The light which doth enlighten every that comes into the world is Christ the Covenant of God which was before the Sun and Moon and Stars was which were made by him which are naturall lights and Christ is not a naturall man nor was not for a naturall man receiveth not the things of God but they are foolishnesse unto him and the things of God Christ did receive and they were not foolishness unto him Two Baptists affirmed The Quakers denyed the Scriptures because they did not speak with a book in their hands Ans This is ignorance for a man may speak the Scripture and have never a book in his hand and though he do not name Chapter and Verse which is set up by mens wits which the spirit that gave them forth did not set them in a frame to please mens wills withall And the Quakers do not deny the Scripture because they do not tell people Chapter and Verse and hold a book in their hand but are come into that it speaks of which are come into that which cannot be shaken And here the blinde ignorance of the Teacher appears who can get no further then the Chapter and Verse and Book in the hand this is like the horse which can finde the pasture again when he hath been there So when he hath seen Chapter
was to bring them in the end to work all manner of uncleanness I now judge they be carryed from one degree to another to act righteousness Answ Here thou confounds thy imagination and hath shewed thou hast followed thy own spirit and thy false prophesie is come to an end and proved thy self to be a dreamer for they are in the righteousness which comprehends thee Pr. Thou sayest The Lord doth not regain any of our age to walk so they that are called the Anibaptists and yet thou ownest them Answ Dost thou own that which the Lord doth not require and do they practise that which the Lord doth not require and so thou hast given Judgement upon tny self and them both Pr. I having also Communion with my former societie which is broken of through the mysterious working of Antichrist I would have spared my pen for a few lines but for the sake of a very few in the Nation and I have not time to write one line from first to last twice expect not from me an army of reasons and arguments Answ Thou hadst been better spared thy pen and tongue both then have written from that which thou hast written whose Communion is with the mysterious working of Antichrist and there is but a few in the Nation but will see thy work is but fuel for the fire and abundance of stuff thou hast in thy book which is not worth mentioning but will fall upon thy head In the day of thy judgement the witness shall answer Priest Tombes Baptist of Leo-Minster His Principles as FOLLOWETH Pr. THe words Joh. 1.9 enlighteneth every man are meant of a natural life or light Answ Christ that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world this light is not natural neither is he natural that is called the power of God who was before all natural light was made Sun Moon and Stars and so this light that doth enlighten every man that believes in it and is their condemnation that doth not believe in it that is above all natural for the light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world is that all men might believe that is not natural life or light but of the Divine nature which is above nature for in him was life and the life was the light of men and is the salvation to the ends of the earth and in this thou hast shewed thy ignorance and dost not Preach that which people are to believe in Pr. Thou sayes the Ministers of Christ may seek what they shall have by the year and are not to go up and down to Towns and eat and drink what is set before them as those did Luke 10.7 Answ We do believe such Apostate Ministers from the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles as you are who have thrown aside the Doctrine of Christ trampled it under your feet and sees up your selves in great Benefices which lives in a Town doth not go up and down to eat and drink such things as are set before them but how are you then those that Christ said he would be with to the end of the world and how do you then observe all things that he hath commanded for lo I am with you to the end of the world and they were to observe all things that were commanded and how are you here out of Christs doctrine and are you not the wolves among the sheep with sheepes cloathing deceiving the world but not the sheep And how are you them that Christ said was to go into all nations and Io I am with you to the end of the world and this is not your work as you say and so judged out of the Apostles practices and Christs Doctrine Pr. Thou sayes That in the 1 Cor. 9.14 is meant of natural food which is to be obtained by civil Lawes and our declaring against such Shepherds as in Isai 56. doth not touch thee and that thou hast received the Gospel from the Epistles of Paul and that thou ownes not Revelations tremblings and quakings Answ The Saints did not by civil lawes or the Lawes of the Nation nor the Ministers of Christ get maintenance neither doth the Scripture then brings speak they did read it over again and let all sober people read it the Gospel thou hast received from the Epistles the Epistles doth not give thee the power of God and the Gospel is the power of God here thou hast shewed thy Ministry is of the Letter and of man and not from God for the Gospel is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes Preached to Abraham before the Epistles was written and that 's everlasting not received from Epistles and Paul an Apostle not of men nor by men but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ and thou that denyes Revelation denyes the Son of God and the grace that was brought by Revelation and denyes knowing the Father for none knowes the Father but whom the Son reveals him and thou hast denyed the â—ear of God and the Lords secrets for the secrets of the Lord are with them that fear â—im they are revealed to them and thou that denyes trembling and Quaking hath denyed thy salvation and the Apostles Doctrine and denyed thy self to be a Minister of Christ for the Apostle sayes work out your salvation with fear and trembling and thou that denyes trembling denyes salvation as is wrought out by it And Esa 56. doth judge thee for thou art one that seekes thy gain from thy Quarter a greedy dumb dog can never have enough as witness thy Eggs and how thou didst hale before the Justice for not paying of them Pr. Thou sayes Thou dost not uphold such as Mic. 3. speakes of Ans Art not thou one that Divines tor money and prophecies for money Preaches for money and if people will not put into thy mouth thou prepares War against them as I said before witness thy Eggs and give thee Eggs thou wilt say they are good Church-men and stop thy mouth with Eggs but if not thou hast them before Magistrates Pr. Thou sayes If any of the Church joyned to me leave me because I take maintenance it will be their sin Answ The true Prophets left the false prophets and the true Apostles did the false as taught for covetousness and means and declared against them and such as goes out from the spirit goes into the earth and such as comes to the spirit comes from the earth and teaching for gifts rewards and hire as thou Tombes dost upon whom is thy old garment Pr. Thou sayes Thou denies an absolute perfection of degrees in this life Ans In this thou hast denyed the work of the Ministry which is for the perfecting and doth none come to perfection in a degree of perfection doth none come to Christ who is perfect doth none come to the spirit who comes to the spirit comes to be perfect for who comes to the spirit and to Christ comes to that which is perfect
of those who calls themselves ministers of Christ That would have you to slay to stone to stock to prison and to put to death them that be contrary to them Those be murtherers in Cains way man-slayers wrastlers against flesh and blood and not Ministers of the Gospell which saith love enemies and render to no man evil for evil Mat. 5.44 and this differs from the Scribes and Pharisees who loved their owne and persecuted others and stoned others and drew the Magistrates to doe it which saith the Ministers of Christ we wrestle not with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places Eph. 6.12 Now those Ministers that would have the persons of men slain are like Cain and Jezabel the beast and false Prophets that slew Abel Gen. 4. 1 Kings 21. the persons of men stoned imprisoned and put to death are as the Jewes Priests and those Magistrates that executes their malice are as the Jewes Magistrates unchristian Magistrates And so those are they that are wrestling stoning striking and imprisoning against flesh and blood And in the mean time spirituall wickednesse rules among them And rulers of darkenesse in high places where flesh and blood are wrestled against so in this state both Ministry and Magistracy are blind that be out of the feare of God They turn their sword backward whilst they are executing the Priests malice and the Priests will strengthen the hands of evil doers and provoking to slay and against flesh and blood wrestling and doe not profit the people at all and stires up the multitude against the just That he may keep himselfe in his place for his own ends and admiring the Magistrates persons and mens because of advantage Iude 16. and respects their persons which shewes they be out of the faith Iam. 2. which gives victory over the world 1 Iohn 5.4 and out of the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles now the Magistrates is for the punishment of evill doers and for the praise of them that doe well which walkes in the life which he that doth evill goes from where the rulers of darknesse and spirituall wickednesses are and this Magistrate he can see he turnes not the sword backward he answeres that of God in every one and is for a praise to them that doe well 1 Pet. 2.14 so every evill doer acts contrary to that of God in them now a Minister of Christ wrestles not against flesh and blood but against spirituall wickednesses in high place so every one that doth evil acts contrary to that of God in him so the higher power goes above him Rom. 13.1 So the higher power is above him and before he was all power in heaven and in Earth is given to the Son of God Io. 5.22 above all the powers of the earth that lighteth every man that cometh into the world Io. 1.9 but they who does evill goes from the light and so the higher power goes against him The Magistrates that be in the power is a terror to the evil doers that acts contrary to the light wherewith every one that cometh into the world be enlightned The Magistrates be in that power which goes over him and is a prâ—ise to them that be in the light and the Ministers of God is to bring from under the occasion of the Magistrates sword George Weare being with his friend standing in the field neer Foord meeting house as they call it he neither speaking nor acting any thing against any man but standing in the fear of the Lord with his friend Wlliam Lowry and Iohn Hambleton called justices commited him to prison where they lay twenty and three daies and here is his innocency preached The originall righteousness was before the fall The originall of selfe righteousnesse was that which fell and is in the fall that transgressed And in the Catechism which is tollerated by the generall Assembly and in the Catechise of Scotland called a short Catechism They say that the word of God is contained in the scriptures Ans And the scriptures are writings and it saith God is the word Io. 1.1 1. Kings 8.27 Solomon saith the heaven of heavens cannot containe him you say he is containned in the scriptures with his writings you say there is three persons the scripture doth not speak of three persons the Jews had the scriptures knew not Christ the word of God Then ye tell people of an outward ordinary meanes by which Christ communicates the benefit of Redemption The word Sacraments the scripture doth not speak of three persons Sacraments they are Papists words of them ye have learned them the means of salvation is not ordinary or outward but Christ is the salvation who is eternall Heb. 5.9 and they that come to him come to the end of the outward Col. 1.27 ye say the Sacraments are the Effectuall meanes to salvation and ye say againe they are not as they are themselves so here is confusion but onely by the blessing of Christ his spirit in them How doe ye differ from the Papists for they say he is in them and ye say his spirit is in them and where his spirit is is not he Oh blind are ye found out goe ye home to your Mother the Papist where Christs Spirit is he is And ye say your two sacraments is Baptisme and the Lords Supper The scripture doth not call Baptism and the Lords supper two sacraments which names you and the Papists adore and worship which you have given to them againe you in your Catechize call the first day in the weeke the Sabbath day where did ever any of the Ministers of Christ or the Christians unapostatized call it so are not you come unto the breach and guilty of your own judgement of the third commandement when ye give another name to the scriptures then they give themselves in calling them the word calling Baptism and the Supper the Sacraments Exo. 20. Moses saith God spake all these words when he gave forth the commandements marke words and the words of Christ are spirit and life Io. 6.63 God is the word Jo. 1.1 and Christ is the word Rev. 19.13 and the word became flesh and dwelt among us Io. 1.14 And them that had the words of the scriptures which cannot be broken Io. 10.35 the Law and the prophets they knew not Christ the word before they be brought to the light that Christ hath inlightned them with and they be brought to the spirit Io 5 37. Io. 8.19 Can the whole world say the Lords prayer in truth or was it taught his Disciples or to the world doth not people draw nigh to God with their lips that say it Isai 20.13 and are not in the light which every man is lighted that cometh into the world withall can ye say the Lords prayer which is forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us without hypocrisy how do ye for give them when ye
it any other except such as the Pope gave to his ministers having your degrees in your schools and attaining from one art and office to another till at last you professe to be attained to the ministry but this is not Gods way of Commissionating but antichrists way and the Lord God is risen who will confound it for the Lord hath not spoken to you neither hath he revealed his glory to you you have neither seen his shape nor heard his voice neither is the tidings you bring effectual to convert sinners for you are climed up another way and enters not in at the door and the Ape is truly your figure for your deformity appeares to the saints and all the children of light does see you and your originall which came up in the falling away of the true Churches when anti-christ took the Throne and the man of sin got up into the temple which for many generations amongst you hath shewn himselfe to be God and hath been worshipped as God Pr. The complices of Corah Dathan and Abiram who usurps the Priests office were destroyed a warning-peece for such as usurp the ministerial function uncalled and unordained let them take heed when they persume to vent their illiterat rude incoherence and blasphemous stuff Ans This belongs to your selves ye men of unholy lives who hath usurped to the ministry uncalled and unordained of the Lord by his spirit and you may take warning at Chorahs destruction whom the Lord shall as surely destroy with the fire of his jealousie for while the beast hath had power over nations and the whore made Nations drunk all this time hath your authority been exalted by which you have been set up and your ministers without the life that the true ministers were in and without that call and ordination which they had for you are of man and by man and your effects not the worke of the true ministrie of Christ but are left desolate and are desolate of the presence of God being your selves unlearned in the doctrine of Christ venting your imaginations out of the truth and out of the power of God and there stands your ministrie Pr. Vnsanctified ministers may possibly convert to God Ans No he that is unsanctified is out of the power of God and the word of God abides not in him and he runs and is not sent and it is not possible that such can convert sinners who are themselves unconverted from their iniquities Pr. That some learned Christians have been able to squees the greatest mysteries of our Religion out of the writings of some Heathens Ans This is the sum of your principles you 15. Priests and here is the sum of your ignorance and wretchednesse discovered and the vanity of your Religion whose foundation is the writings of heathens and the heathens that knew not God out of their writings is your religion made up as you confesse this is the whores Religion that sits upon the beast that the world hath long wondred after and not the true religion which the Apostles and true Churches were in and they are no Christians no Saints nor true Christians that goes to the writings of Heathens to squees out mysteries they that do so are the Christians in the Apostacie who are falne from the life of righteousnesse such as you and thousands are at this day being without the spirit and without Christ therefore you run to the Heathen for knowledge and shames true Christianity and true Christians in reputing the heathen wiser then your selves who are faine to run to their writings to make up your mysteries and such is your religion deceit and vanity and the mysterie thereof studyed for out of the heathens writings this is Christianity in the Apostacie and the Religion apostatized from the life of true Christianity for the true Christian Religion the foundation thereof is Christ who is the mysterie of God and of life and salvation and the mysteries of our true Christian Religion which we live in that are come out of the Apostacie are revealed to us by the spirit of the father that dwells in us is in all that are in the true Christian Religion who denies the Heathens and your Apostatized Christians and are come into the mysteries of eternall salvation which is not squeesed by imaginations of men but revealed by the spirit of God the great mysterie Christ in us and the mysterie of the Kingdome all this is made manifest to us and to true Christians whose Religion stands in the power of God and not in the tradition of men nor fetched from the Heathens writings and this Religion will stand for ever but your Religion and mynistries and Church will the Lord confound the author of whom is the heathens writings and how then shall it stand it is out of the bottomlesse pit and ariseth out of that your Religion and mysteries and thither shall it be turned into the pit that hath no bottome oh how have you blinde leaders led the blind that have been professing to teach Christ this many years and faith in him and have you taken so much money of the Nations and do you now tell us that the greatest mysteries of your Religion are squeesed out of the heathens writings oh ye unrighteous men blind leaders the Lord God Almighty is now risen and the Nations can no longer be satisfied with this Religion but the Lord is a gathering out of your mouths and you must howl and lament all the Idols dumb shepherds and they shall be confounded and the soules delivered of which they have made a prey for the soules of men have been the merchandize of Babylons merchants they have bought and sold the souls of men they have blinded the eye of it and troden it downe and the immortall soule hath not been respected otherwise then to make merchandize thereof to get gaine thereby there has been many traffickers since the daies of the Apostles that have made merchandizes of souls but the judgement of the great Whore is come and of Babylon the Mother of Harlots and the Lord God and the Lamb will plead against her and the jawes of the wicked shall be broken and their hearts shall utterly faile in the midst of them and the Lord will reveal his righteousness from heaven and by his judgements shall he be known in the earth a mighty God and a dreadfull and his dread and terror shall take hold upon your consciences come down and sit in the dust for the Lords controversie is against you he will bruise you with an Iron rod hee 'l break you as a potters vessel and his hand ye shall not escape for ye are but like Bryers and thorns in battel before him and like the stubble in which the fire is kindled and you will be as the dross in time of purging and at reprobate silver the Lord God hath said it W. S. His Book called A Parsons guide concerning of Tythes and the Law of Tythes
Errors and found in them did not they set up the Tithes and the Masse-houses and the Colledges where thou wast made a Minister and give you the names of Rectors and Curates and your means to your Colledges and old Masse-houses art not thou found in them and among them their errors false Church great whore since the true Church went into the wildernesse among them that drinks the blood of the Saints with sheeps cloathing having not the spirit as the sheep had nor in the nature so in the Error Pr. Thou saist The Scripture speakes of God after the manner of men Ans The Scripture speakes of God after the manner of the Spirit and to the spirit whereby men might receive him and know him by the spirit which naturall men cannot Pr. Thou Queries to know whether the Holy Ghost be a distinct person and the worship of God in three persons Ans Art thou going about to confute the Papists errors and hold them up and justifying of them which the scripture doth not Mat. 28. but the Papists common prayer book and old Cannon book speaks of three persons but the scripture speakes of Father Son and Holy Ghost and thou speakest of Christ but yet are not come to the Light which Christ hath enlightned every man which comes into the world withall and thou speakest of Adams being the Image of God and yet art not come to Adams state as he was in the beginning so therefore knowes not redemption and knowes not predestination nor election but found in Adams state in the fall and reprobation thou speakest of Ordinances and yet art a transgressor of the commands of Christ who art called of men Master and an imitator of the Pharisees doctrines thou speakest of the Church but art found one of those that are dressed with the whores rags since the true Church went into the wildernesse thou speakest of the Magistrates yet not in the higher power which goes over all sin and transgression which answers the transgressed in every man upon the earth thou speakest of Dogs and evil workers seducers and Hereticks who are doing their work as your Goales and prisons may witnesse in the Nation and whole Christendome the fruits of Dogs and evill workers and seducers and hereticks which was not Christs worke nor the Apostles Thou speakes of the Common wealth but yet art out of that which is the generall good to all men Christ the light of the world who is the saving health all power in heaven and Earth is given to him in whom men have wisdome by which all things was made and created to order the things by the wisdome by which they were created thou speaks of Souldiers and yet art not come to Iohn a man sent from God but art one from the Colledges the Papists houses since the Church went into the wildernesse and men made by the will of man who have been set up by the dragons power so art not come to the Light that Iohn came to bear witnesse to that did enlighten every man that comes into the world so art short of rectifying solderie who stops up the eye by which they should see thou speakest of the error of the Quakers who art found in the error thy selfe not come to see that which must be shaken before that do appear which cannot be shaken nor come to the trembling of the Devills not knowing the strong man bow himselfe that hath kept the house who is at peace who is the author and ground of the error and not he that is stronger then he that kept the house made the Devil tremble shake the Earth where he hath had his foundation yea and the heavens also thou also speakest of the first birth whose habitation is in the earth and propriey there who made me a divider of mens inheritances me who am the end of the Law for the Law is just among you to devide to every man his right but I who am the end of the Law redeemes you from under the Law and out of the earth but you who are found in this first birth in the earth have set up your tenthes and keeps people in the ninths your greediness of it your presence declares thou speaks of mine thine in collections so selfe you are found in and your coldnesse incollections the blind and lame Fatherlesse and widdowes the streets in London declares you and the countries abroad yet you are all Christians and baptized and you weare rings and scaries and points and others crying for bread thou speakest of buying and selling c. who art arming thy selfe to hold up the honour of the beast which was simple words spoken and as for your buying and selling the fruits of the great whore hath declared it selfe made merchandize of souls and all other things out of the Law of equity which who acts in acts in the will of God thou speakest of good morrow and good evening and would blind the world though thou broughst scripture for it and makes them believe it is the Quakers error to say the contrary the morning is good and the evening is good and all is good that God created and made as it was in the beginning but by transgression they come to be vile and evill going out of the truth as things were created and standing in the truth are all blessed thou speakest of giving of thanks and craving a blessing and yet you say you must have a body of sin whilst you be upon earth so your thanks and your blessings is from the unclean lips in the mouth that blesses and curses and so proceeds from the bad fountain thou speakest of Christian Magistrates and higher powers and thou speakest of saluting and honoring and bowing downe before men who art not come to Christ the power of God who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him being not come to the light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world and hath all power who subjects all Magistrats to himselfe who doth enlighten them to see him and you are not come to the Angels state that said to Iohn see that he did not bow to the Angel but worship God Iohn who saw all the World worshipping the beast in the old time they had bowed to the Angell but Christ is come to whom the Angels must bow and who is in him hath life and worship and that is honourable which is in the truth for who honours God God will them honour but honour to a fool is not seemly but like snow in summer and thou speaks of Christs Freemen and thy choosing it rather then to serve Idolatrous Masters and these Freemen that have chosen their freedome and cannot serve you Idalaters who are spirituall Egypt to worke in the earth for you to make you brick to set up your building you persecute them as Idolaters you Imprison who have the forme of godlinesse and denies the power who will talk of the words but deny the