his present light within is not this to make several Sects and opinions in the World which they some time cry out of would it not be more agreeable to the Truth to exhort them to take heed lest the light within be not darkness that which may be darkness that is not to be turned unto as a rule to walk by but the light within may be darkness therefore not to be turned unto as a rule to walk by Take heed saith Christ that the Light in you be not darkness Luke 11.35 But we find the Prophets Jesus Christ his Disciples and Apostles commanding and exhorting Souls to obey the commands of the Lord the Prophets under the Law exhort the People to keep the Law of Moses Christ exhorteth to keep his Commandements If you love me keep my Commandements John 14.15 Which are now recorded in the Scriptures and so the Apostle Paul this I say to you by the word of the Lord that those that are asleep c. that is to say by what the Lord hath said I tell you these things by which is now recorded Mat. 24.38.39 40. So the Apostle John 2 Epistle 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not neither bid him God speed what Doctrine he tells us the Doctrine of Christ his sayings Precepts Commandements which are now recorded in the Scripture of Truth because of the shortness of the Volume I cannot shew you concerning all the rest of the Apostles how they had an eye to what was written in what they write and therefore in a word there was never any true Prophet or Jesus Christ or any of his Disciples and Apostles but did make it their business to provoke persons to keep the Commandements of God and that there was never any of the Faithful Servants of the Lord did esteem the Commandements the worser because brought to them in writing this I say by the Testimony of Scripture that the light within hath carryed Persons to do that which was not acceptable in the sight of God nay to do that which was very offensive to God even to persecuto his People see this in the Apostle Paul before conversion I thought within my self I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazereth Acts 26.9 from whence you may see that he did follow his light within in persecuting the Church of God and saith Christ those that kill you shall think that they do God good service from whence you may plainly see they shall follow their present light within in killing the Saints therefore I would exhort all to this that they will labour to get their consciences rightly informed by the word of the Lord that is to say his precepts and promises and threatnings of the Lord and then be zealous according to their light within and not before for know ye that the conscience is a light of acceptation and not a light of information until it becomes inlightned and whereas he saith It is the alone Salvation of God it gives me to believe that he is of the same mind with Nicholas Blith one of his principle who did assert before a Congregation of People that his obedience to the light within did make attonement for Sins that are past therefore this I desire to speak unto you in the fear of the Lord to desire you to consider of such expressions whether such expressions do not plainly and manifestly declare that Christ dyed in vain if Justification freedome from fin is procured by our obedience such an opinion is damnable folly and weakness for if it was possible to become as holy in nature and life as the holy Angels it would be very dangerous to reckon attoining vertue thereto my souls desire is that you would not get up in the vanity of your minds and plead perfection when such great imperfections remain in you see 1 Pet. 1.18 For as much as we are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gould but with the pretious blood of Jesus Christ and now I shall according to my promise to the second general thing that is to answer his main drift and aim which is to lay low and make void the two Ordinances of the Gospel to wit Baptisme and the Lords Supper and answer some Objections First then to Baptisme that it is to remain continue and be stedfast unto the end of the World see Mat. 28.18.19 20. Jesus Christ after he had accomplished the work of our Redemption and was risen again and that the Father had conferred all power upon him in Heaven and in Earth he gives out his commission to his Disciples go ye and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things what I command you and loe I am with you to the end of the World Truly the very reading of the words doth evidence this to be Truth to wit that Baptisme must and ought to remain untill the end of the World Such was the state of the People of God under the Law that if at any time they found the Law of God though not spoken immediately to them nay though hundreds of years distance so long as they was under that dispensation did judge it their duty to do those things that the Law required as Josiah 2 Kings 22.23 Chapters make appear when he had found the Law of God he doth not say it is true such things are commanded in the Primitive time but they are not commanded me he doth not say it is true we walk contrary to the Laws of God commanded in Mount Horeb but these things was not commanded us they have been lost and we have been in a Wilderness condition and now they do not belong unto us no but he believeth that he was bound to observe those Laws and commands as well as those they was first delivered unto and accordingly did set upon the work and the Lord was well pleased with them read those two Chapters and the Prophet Malachi though many hundred years after the Law was given upon Mount Horeb yet is perswaded that it is the Peoples duty to observe Mal. 4.4 Remember the Law of Moses with the Statutes and Judgments it was the duty of the People of God to keep these Laws and cerimonies until the coming of Christ in the flesh so it is the duty of the People of God to keep the commandements of Christ until his coming in the glory of his Father with all his holy Angels If any persons can prove which I am sure they cannot that there is another Prophet risen that the People of God are to hear as the appointment of the Father then the commauds of Christ do cease to be a duty or else to remain while he comes to put an end to them the Law of Moses or any precept of it had not such adjuncts adjoyned to them to demonstrate it to be a duty until they
TRUTH UINDICATED Being An ANSVVER To the high flown Fancies of John Perrot known by the name of a Quaker in a Paper with this Inscription to all BAPTISTS every where or to any other who are yet under the shadows and watry Element and are not come to Christ the substance Wherein is laid open the airy vain Foolishness if not Blasphemousness of his words covered over with ambiguous and doubtful tearms unto all unbiazed and rational men But I will come unto you shortly and will know not the speech of them that are puffed up but the power Cor. 4.19 Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son 2 Epistle of John 9. Take heed that the Light that is in you be not darkness Luke 11.35 By Randall Roper a Servant of Christs LONDON Printed for the Author 1661. To the Reader ALthough I am not ignorant of the prejudice which a Subject of this nature hath upon the minds of many men and likewise conscious of my own inability to such a work yet notwithstanding I shall not omit Writing according to the measure of the Tallent that the Lord heth given me in regard of that encouragement that I have met with from the Lord to this work since I first thought on it I shall intreat and beseech thee in the fear of God to read with an unbiazed affection and not to be rash in judging but on the contrary be fond like those Bereians that were more noble than those of Theselonica and the reason is there rendred because they searched the Scriptures whether those things were so or no alledged by the Apostle Paul Acts 17.11 I am nesessiated to say as Laban said to Jacob in an other case it must not be so done here the short volume that I intend to comprize what I shall write at this time is such that it will not bear a long Epistle and therefore I shall with as much brevity as I can give you my reasons of answering that Paper although I think there is abundance of folly at the best if not lies as shall be made manifest first reason that constrains me is the restless condition of the People called Quakers in giving them up and down to People that they think there is any hope to work upon together with that high confidence they have of it as an Oracle of God and that which cannot be answered when it is nothing less than the senseless Prophane and divised words of a brain-sick-apostate Secondly that high estimation they have of the Author of that Paper insomuch that I have been told of two of his judgment which I am sure they will own that he had as great a measure of the Spirit as ever man had and that he had talked face to face with God as a man talketh with his friend and several other things of a like tendency which would be too tedious to insert which I have cause to think nay believe are lies therefore my Friends who ever you are that desire to abide in the Doctrine of Christ having respect to all his Commandement that you may experience Communion with the Father the Son you have cause to praise him magnifie the name of your God that hath so given up and in the way of his justice which men hath so honoured that as he is a rageing wave of the Sea so he hath foamed out his own shame Secondly we have cause of sorrow that any poor souls that aims at the glory of God should follow such Teachers And so I shall leave but shall continue my Prayers that the Lord would keep his Children and Babes from that deceit and that the Lord would grant some that are already turned after Satan Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth which is the end and aim of him that desireth truth may flowrish and that errour and darkness may be done away RANDAL ROPER TRUTH UINDICATED Being An ANSVVER To the high flown Fancis of John Perrot known by the name of a Quaker GOd who at sundry times and in divers manners hath in times past spoken to our Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last daies spoken unto us by his Son even the Lord Jesus who hath told us that false Prophets should arise Mat. 24.24 and by the Apostle Peter whom he did in a special manner Authorize to feed his Lambs and Sheep John 21.15 who hath told us that as there were false Prophets among the people even so there shall be false Teachers amongst you who privately mind that shall bring in damnable Hericises denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction and many shall follow those preniscious waies by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken of whether this Scipture is not in a great measure fulfilled by the People called Quakers I will leave the impartial Reader to Judge for those that deny the Doctrine of Christ do privately and covertly deny Christ but they do deny the Doctrine of Christ therefore do privately deny Christ that they do deny declare as useless the Doctrine of Christ is manifest and shall be made manifest and that the truths of the Gospel is evill spoken of by reason of them experience doth testifie is it not the cry of the People you first turn Annabaptist and then Quaker you do not continue in what you first take up But because I design brevity I shall come to the words of this subtil deceiver who is pleased rather with emminancy of words then pregnancy of reason That you may know his words they are in a different caracter from mine which I am necesesiated to insert because I may not beat the air if any be offended at my writting by way of argument I know not any way to demonstrate things beter than that in this critiall age if I did I would take it the Auther of that Paper is confident in his assertions but proveth nothing but I do intend to prove what I say by the Scriptures of truth and in order to the words I shall take this way First by taking a Veiw of the exprese words by him spoken and shall give particular answers Secondly I shall answer that which I apprehend to be his drift and aime in what he saith and that is to lay low extenuate and make void the two Ordinances of the Gospel to wit Baptisme and the Lords Supper or breaking Bread and drinking Wine in remembrance of Christs death not to be used by such as are come to Christ the substance wherein I will shew the duration continuation of Baptisme and the Lord Supper untill Christ shall come himself or personally which is all one and that the coming of Christ by his Spirit into the hearts of his people doth not put an end to those two Ordinances and shall answer some Objections First then he begins with this inscription To all
Baptists every where or to any other that are under the watry Element and are not come to Christ the substance This inscription is full of ambiguity and doubtfulness if he means by watry Element water Baptisme and by coming to Christ the Substance the coming to Christ the Substance the coming of Christ by his Spirit and if he means that none of the Baptists that do own Baptisme to be a Principal of the Doctrine of Christ are come to Christ or Christ come to them I answer that it is a Lye for many with my self can experience his coming by his Spirit into our hearts and yet we dare not let go the Ordinances of Christ and this we have the sure Word of the Lord to all sincere hearted Souls that have respect to all the Commandements of God and of Christ whosoever abideth in the Doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son that is Fellowship by the Spirit and that this is a Doctrine of Christ see Math. 28.19 20. Go yee teach all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things that I command you and Loe I am with you alway unto the end of the World I shall have occasion anon to treat more largly upon this Text therefore I shall not now but you may see plainly and manifestly that it was to be practised in all Ages in all Nations and therefore this I say and testifie in the Lord Jesus that they that do keep close to the Ordinances of Gods House and do adorn it by any Holy Conversation they are come to Christ and Christ is come to them by his Spirit which is all the coming that is promised on this side the Grave in an unchanged condition as to their Bodies If thou wouldest perswade the World that a person cannot own water Baptisme have the Spirit of God thou art found a false Witness I shall shew anon though persons had the Spirit of God yet was to pass under and obey that Ordinance of Water Bpatisme he begins God dwelleth in deeps bottomeless beneeth your Element of Water whence he is utterly departed for it was too shallow for him and his incomprehensible Majesty liveth and raigneth farr above your cloudy Heavens which comprehended not but darkned his Brightness In which words instead of Proof there confident assortions and insteed of sound Arguments to prove what he saith he maketh use of Retorical sentences to deceive the Heart of the simple therefore I beseech you that fear the Lord to consider how he beats the Aire or else tells a manifest Lye If he means God dwelleth not by his special Presence in the Element of Water simply as water which I may safely take so because he calleth it your Element of Water then it is beating the Aire for who ever assorted any such thing I never heard the Baptist assert any such thing neither is he able to prove they Preach any such thing but if he meanes that God is not present with his People in the Administration of Water Baptisme then it is a Lye for the Promises of the Lord are sure he is God that cannot Lye and his counsel must stand who hath promised in the Administration of that very Ordidinance he will be with them to the end of the World Loe I am with you to the end of the World Math. 28.20 I shall not enlarge because of several Books which are yet extant wherein this truth hath been commended to the Consciences of men I would fain know of the Author of that Paper whether any men hath cloudy Heavens which may be appropriated to them for sayeth he your cloudy Heavens Oh thou private subtile and close deceivers when thou writeth again this I say to thee not to sturr up that Spirit of Errour in thee God knows my entent but if by any means it might awaken thee to return to the Lord from whence thou art deeply revolted write plainly that there may not be double meanings in thy words for know this that truth needs not doubtful words to hinder the bright â—rrayes to shine unto men but if he means by Heavens any coverings that are not of Gods alowance such as are forbidden Isa 30.1 We say so too and if so doth he not beat the Aire when the person that he writeth to own no such thing as he speaks of and he further saith He hath given them for a day of fire and your old Earth for a Consnmption in their flames If he meaneth by our old Earth the Earthy mindedness of Professors of the Truth then it may be read that God will cast his Ordinances into the fire that the sins of the People may be consumed though God may and doth cast his People into the fice yet he doth not use to cast his Ordinance into the fire but I find that though some Professors grew weary of the Ordinance of God by Earthly mindedness as in Mal. 3.14 Saying It is ni vain to serve the Lord and what Profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord what doth the Lord do not destroy his Ordinances and Statutes but on the contrary commandeth the Observations of them Mal. 4.4 Remember ye the Law of Moses with the Statutes and Judgments that the Lord doth not take that way that this notionest Dreams of take this reason That wherein there is no Dross that is not to be cast into the fire but there is no Dross in the Ordinances of the Lord therefore not to be cast into the fire every Ordinance of the Lord is pure therefore doubtless it ariseth from impure hearts to say they must be cast into the fire consider this and hide the word of God in your hearts that you sin not against him He further saith you eat Bread and drink Wine as the Israelites did Manna and Water and yet in unbeliefe dyed in the Wilderness you rest in shaddows like the unbeleeving Jews though you know that in them you are but in the Touching Tasting Handling of the things that Perrish with the using I do answer that the visible Forms of Bread and Wine do remain and are not Transubstantiate yet this let we tell you by the word of the Lord that we do by faith in that Ordinance pertake of the Body and Blood of Christ Take saith Christ This is my Body drink you all of it this is my Blood of the new Testament Math. 26.26 27. And though we practise the Ordinances as they were delivered yet we live upon Christ in them and though I can not say every one discerns the Lords Body that eats the Bread and Drink the Wine for that was not found in the Church of Corinths which is manifest by what the Apostle saith 1 Corinth 11.29 For he that eats and drinks unworthly eats and drinks Damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body for this cause some are sick c. From