The Seed of the Woman is but one in all generations and the Seed of the Serpent is but one which ever was is ruling and reigning in the Children of Disobedience who are disobedient to the Light of God within them and betwixt these two Seeds is Enmity the one against the other each Seed is known by its fruit the old bottle pours out old Wine the new bottle new Wine therefore all people sink down to within and call in all your wandring thoughts imaginations and affections and desires and see which seed is head in you and see what your desires and affections goes out after for where your hearts are there is your treasure see what you do possess of God in your Souls and what you are made witnesses of for he that believeth hath the witness in himself and Faith is the Victory over the world he that can receive it let him Dear people I have freely Declared to you the Truth and from the love of God shed abroad in my heart to your Souls and for the Seed sake in you which lieth in death captivated under your Wisdom and Reason have I spoken the Word of the Lord which if you own it and abide in it shall be the savor of Life and in eternal joy shall you witness me to be true in what I have Declared but if you harden your hearts and kick against the Truth and against what I have Declared shall be the savor of death unto Death and in eternal torment and misery shall ye witness me in what I say for to that which should exercise the Conscience do I speak in every one of you and to that in you have I cleared my Conscience and have freed my Spirit this is the day of your Visitation the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Remember that you have been shewed the Deceits which you live in and have been warned of the misery and desolation that shall come upon you except you lay these things to heart and turn to the Lord. Farewel By him who is dispised and had in derision among you who is not greater then his Lord and therefore is contented to be called a Blasphemer and a Seducer as he whom I serve was by them of your Generation E. B. TO all you my Country people of every degree who are Inhabitants in Underbarrow have I cleared my Conscience and have freely Declared to you the Word of the Lord and have laid open the Deceits of your Deceitful Ministry and Ministry and have directed you to that in every one of you which leads unto God and which is the way to the Father which is the true Light which hath enlightned every one that comes into the World which light all who loves and follows walk not in darkness but walks up to God out of the Fall from under the Curse into the Being but all who hates this Light and follows the imagination of their own brains and of the divination of their Hirelings and Pharisees this Light shall be their condemnation because they walk not in it even this Light which is come into the World in every man even the witness in the Conscience which is placed by God shall for ever witness against you and against all your false worships and Hirelings and shall bear testimony to what I have in this little Volume declared to be true when the Book of Conscience shall be laid open for to every mans Conscience am I made manifest in what I have to you declared as concerning your Hireling whom God hath never sent but is in the way of the false Prophets and Pharisees for he that abides not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God 2 Iohn 1. 9. but is an Antichrist and of the Devil And as concerning the Light within you that Light will bear witness to it self that every one of you to whom I speak hath this Light which shews you sin your lying swearing pride and wicked wayes covetousness and wantonness to be sin this is the true Light which is as ever was foolishness and a stumbling block to the wise ones This is the Light which your Pharisee denies to have lightned every one and this Light shall for ever witness me to be true and shall witness this poor people among you who are despised and contemned by you and scornfully called Quakers to be the servants of God whom I do own as my Brethren in the sufferings of Jesus who are my joy in the Lord. Now all people every where to you all a word from the Lord though I have spoken in this small Volume as moved by the Lord of Heaven and Earth to the Inhabitants of Underbarrow as declaring against their false Teacher and false Worships which they uphold now freely and plainly do I declare against all thy Teachers O England who are one in the same generation with him in the Seat of Christ and of his Apostles professing themselves to be sent of God but walking contrary to his commands in the same footsteps which the Scribes and Pharisees walked in which were persecutors of the Son of God and which he cried wo against they who said and did not as all these thy Teachers do who are called of men Masters as they were and have the chiefest places in the Assemblies as they had and prayed standing as these thy professed Ministers do Now the same Light which ever was which is Jesus Christ is now born and made manifest which is witnessed among the Saints in which Light I see all thy Teachers O England to be drunk with the Wine of her that hath deceived the Nations who sits upon a scarlet coloured Beast and is arrayed in purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious stones and hath the golden cup in her hand full of abominations whose name is written in her forehead Mystery Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots and abomination of the Earth And in this Light to I declare against them all which are in the generation of the false Prophets of Israel which seeks for their gain from their Quarter and which steals the word from their neighbor and have taken the words of the Prophets of Christ and of his Apostles and selleth the divination of their own brain upon the Scriptures which the holy men speak forth freely to the poor blind people and teacheth for the Fleece and if ye stop not into their mouths they prepare War against you and which are called of men Master which Christ forbids Against all these freely as from the Lord I do Declare to be no Ministers of Jesus Christ but are Seducers and blind Guides and are Antichrists and leads the poor blind people in the wayes of death and destruction for they are no Ministers of Christ that abides not in the Doctrine of Christ these have run but have not been sent by God and therefore is not your Souls profited by them but are in the dark heathenish nature as by
self and the living God who is Light above all who hath begun his work in you and among you with his right Hand will finish it And dear Friends keep nothing back nor the best nor the fat let not be spared from slaughter but let the Sword pâ—ss upon all that you peace may be for ever and your righteousness may never perish Oh how doth my Soul long to know and understand of the growth and unmovableness in the Truth manifested among you and gladly received by you even your Crowns you laid down at the feet of the Lamb and your glory and renown in the World Ye dispised for the Lights sake but your Reward shall be everlasting and your Inheritance shall never wither I speak not to puff you up but that you may the rather be kept low in subjection to the Light of the Lord Jesus by which self and that which would be exalted must be crucified and this is the victory and precious Faith which will purifie you and sanctifie you throughout from all filthiness of flesh and spirit in that Faith to stand as Witnesses for the Lord God in that great City and against all its pollutions and Idol gods which neither do hear see nor taste in wisdom as examples one to another in love and unity walk as children of the Day being past through he dark night where the works of darkness were committed but now being separated from the World joyn not your selves any moâ—â— to strange women which enticeth from God but sit under your own vine in peace dwelling with the Lord who is Light of whom you are become the Temple anâ— Tabernacle and watch in diligence one over another that as the day appears yoâ— may edifie one another and may be made one in the Light which is Christ upoâ— whom you have believed which unto you is precious but a stumbling Stone and a Rock of offence to all the World The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ preserve you that by it you may be preserved to walk in the pure Religion where your owâ— will is not to be done the Power of God Almighty fill your hearts with joy ad peace and love in him and this is the desire of my Soul who is a Labourer amongâ—â— you in the Work and Travel of the Gospel of Christ E. B. A General Epistle to Friends in London MY dear beloved Friends and Brethren in the Everlasting Unerring Trutâ— of which you are made Partakers who are called of God his Witnesseâ— to be of his Name and of his Truth with my dear love I do salute you dearly and tenderly and all the rest of the Begotten of God in that City whom my soul longeth after your growth in the inward man the Everlasting Father strengthen you and refresh you with the living Streams from his Presence and his Love and Power and Grace be multiplied among you unto whom he hath opened a Door and made an entrance into the true Rest which remaineth for you unto which the Lord of Glory is gathering you and leading you and carrying you as Lambs in his Arms into the Fold of everlasting Refreshing my dear hearts walk woâ—thy of the love of God wherewith he hath loved you and let your Light shew ye Children of Light forth into the World that your good Works they may see who over you watch with an evil eye Dear Friends to you that believe he who is the Light of the World is precious therefore in the Light wait that your Understandings may be opened and your Feet prepared to walk in the Wayes of the Lord which to all the Children of Light are pleasant Wayes and be not entangled with any yoak of bondage which may burthen you from running the raâ—e that is set before you but in the death of all mortal stand and there the Life of immortallity you will see and witness and the daily Food you will receive to that Life which the love of the World doth crucifie for do you not know that the friendship of this World is at emnity against God but you are called not to serve the World but God who is the Light and the World must serve you so take heed lest your affections and desires and hearts be drawn aside from the pure Way of Life into that which is visible which will not endure forever for that life is death and that glory is shame in the Light I read you and do behold many pleasant Plants springing up in the Garden of God and I bear you record some of you have laid your Crowns down at the Lamb's Feet and have scorned the glory of Babylon and Aegypt surely your Reward will be everlasting and your Câ—ps will the Lord fill in the sight of your Enemies and your Glory shall be above the glory of the Earth and your Crowns shall never wither therefore press on and look not back nor spare not the fat nor the best from slaughter but to the Sword bring all your Enemies which have been they of your own house which over you have prevailed but now the Lord is arising among you and the day you have seen of the shaking of the Earth and the Heavens and of the darkness of the Sun and of the falling of the Stars therefore wait to the end that the Crown of Immortallity you may wear and with the Instrument of the Lord the Mountains you may thresh and may give the Whore double reward into her bosom for all her wayes The day among you begins to dawn therefore put of every work of the night and walk all in the day for ye are the Light of the World and a City set upon a Hill which cannot be hid the Lord prosper you and preserve you and be with your spirits and establish you Amen Edw. Burrough Dublin the 14th of the 5th Moneth 1655 THE VISITASION Of the Rebellious Nation of Ireland And a Warning from the Lord proclaimed to all the Inhabitants thereof to make their Peace with him before his Long-suffering come to an end With a Lamentation over its Unfruitness and Rebellion after so many Visitations And an Exhortation to all the honest-hearted to meet the Lord by repentance while the patience of the Lord continues Or the Sealing of the Lord's Testimony unto all sorts of People in that Land by his Servants after their several moneths sore labours and travels and sufferings therein who loved not their lives for the Seed sake Also some particular Papers written in that Nation to several sorts of People I. An Information to the Heads and the Ground of the Law laid down to the Iudges and Iustices and to all that handle the Law through that Nation II. An Exhortation sent to the chief Commander and his Councel and the just cause of the Innocent laid before them III. The unjust Sufferings of the Iust declared and their appeal to the just Witness of God in all mâ—ns Consciences IV. A Challenge to the Priests of Dublin to try
and the Lord appeared daily to us to our Astonishment Amazement and great Admiration insomuch that we often said one unto another with great joy of Heart What is the Kingdom of God come to be with men And will he take up his Tabernacle among the Sons of Men as He did of old And what shall we that were reckoned as the Out casts of Israel have this Honour of Glory communicated amongst us which were but men of small Parts and of little Abilities in respect of many others as amongst men Howbeit thus it seemed good unto the Lord to chose the weak things and the foolish things of this World as to the aspect of men that no Flesh might glory that no man because of his Parts might glory or because of his strength or wisdom might glory but that the Glory which is his might only be given to him Unto whom be the Glory of all his Works forever and ever Amen And from that Day forward our Hearts were knit unto the Lord and one unto another in true and servent Love not by any External Covenant or External Form but we entred into the Covenant of Life with God and that was as a strong Obligation or Bond upon all our spirits which united us one unto another and we met together in the Unity of the Spirit and of the Bond of Peace treading down under our Feet all reasoning questioning debating and contending about Religion or any part or parts or practice or practices thereof as to any external thing and we waited at time and times as God did grant us Oportunities and the more we had and could obtain from our necessary Occasions of this present life the better we were and the more we were confirmed and strengthened in our Hope and Faith and holy Resolutions were kindled in our Hearts as a Fire which the Life kindled in us To serve the Lord while we had a Beeing and to make mention of his Name and Power whilst we did live and to hold forth that Testimony which was committed to us in the sight of Men and Nations by Doctrine by Practice by a holy Conversation and mightily did the Word of God grow amongst us and the desires of many were after the Name of the Lord. Oh happy Day Oh blessed Day the memorial of which can never pass out of my Mind And thus the Lord in short did form us to be a People for his Praise in our Generation Howbeit after all this and much more which time would fail me to write of neither is the purpose of my spirit bent that way at this time we did come through very great Tribulations extream Distresses great Perplexity and passed out oftentimes hungry and hard put to it both within and without yet such was our love to the Lord and such servency in our hearts That we rather chosed to dye and to undergo every Difficulty than to dishonour or deny the Name of Christ in the midst of suffering because of that Taste that we had of his Goodness and immortal Life revealed in our Hearts this Young Man of whom I am speaking had his share though but a Youth at that time of 16. or 17. years of age Because of the I ruth which crossed all the world's wayes his nearest Relations even his own Parents cast him off as an Alien and turn'd him out from their House as not to have any Part or Portion therein as a Son nay not so much as a hired Servant which this young Man bore very patiently without Murmuring or Complaining having a taste of that then which was better then all the World and through conversing with his people and amongst them the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding entred into his Heart and the Spirit of Knowledge and sound Judgment came to be seated in his Reins and the Spirit of Prophesie came upon him like as it did upon many more through the Holy Ghost's Power and Operation and he spake of the wonderful things of God among them that believed and was one of the first among us which the Lord opened the Mouth of to shew forth his Praise and to speak of the things of his Kingdom to as many as he met with who waited for the Consolation of Israel for the Riches of the Gentiles and to as many as desired and hoped after Eternal Life At last the Lord signled him out and commanded him to go forth into Countries unknown to him as he did some more besides upon whom he laid a necessity to preach the Gospel freely without Money without Price without Tythes Augmentations Gifts or Rewards and in that he was as faithful a man none exeeeding him in his Generation for those things were an abhorrency to his heart and where he met with any such Hireling Shepherds and deceitful Workers which had gull'd the Nations and cheated the people for dishonest Gain and kept them in Blindness the Indignation of the Lord was kindled in his Heart and the Sword of the Lord was very Sharp in his Hand and whomsoever he met with which walked after this sort they were sure to feel the weight of his Weapon and the force of his Blow by which many have been deeply wounded that they have grinned like Dogs on him as greedy Dogs indeed because of their present Wound and Blow that he did give them and though he was but young in years yet he was full of fortitude and true valour The Lord oftentimes when he exercised him in such War as this hath filled his Quiver full of polished Shafts and made his Bow to abide in strength and he was as dextrous and as ready handed as any that I knew in his day against the Dragon and his power against the Beast and his Followers and indeed he was very even-handed and had a special good Arm and seldom mist the Mark God had fill'd his Mouth with Arguments so that he hath often made a breach in the Face of an Host. And it was my lot which I cannot but say fell in a good ground to be his Companion and Fellow-Labourer in the Work of the Gospel whereunto we were called for many years together And oh when I consider my heart is broken how sweetly we walked together for many Moneths and Years in which we had perfect knowledge of one anothers hearts and perfect unity of spirit not so much as one cross word or one hard thought of discontent ever rose I believe in either of our hearts for ten years together but our Souls were bound up in unity and peace having the frame of our hearts bent after one and the self same thing to wit the propagation of that Truth by which Liberty was obtained and Salvation received through Jesus Christ the true Light of the World seeing through his Light the whole World to lie in wickedness a necessity lay upon this person of whom I am speaking being constrained by the Spirit of the Lord
for pain for the torment that is coming upon them all that have resisted the Counsel of the most high God and have gainsayed the Lord they shall perish in their gainsaying and we are clear and free from the blood of all men in this Nation thus far yea of every City Town and Village unto which we were moved to go and the blood of all the rest be upon those that have resisted us and a good savour we are unto God in them that have believed in his Name of whom we have born true witness unto and in them that perish we are clear in the sight of God And oh thou City of Dublin thou art as Moab at ease and art lifted up in thy heart and rejoycing in thy spoil and art making thy self merry in the abundance of thy delicacies oh how full of profaness art thou oh how full of pride and vain glory of deceit and unrighteousness of lust and filth lying and swearing and full of Briars and Thorns a careless untoward People Oh your abominations are loathsom to all the Children of Light professing God in words but in your lives and works deny him oh that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace a crooked Generation you are the yoke must be laid upon you necks will neither Plague Famine nor Sword bring thee into subjection unto the Lord will neither Mercy nor Judgment take place in your hearts Oh how long shall the Lord bear with you how long shall he spare you his long-suffering is near at an end his patience is near out concerning you and then wo wo to him that shall see the day which will come the Lord will arise as a Lion and will rend and tear you and his Sword shall be bathed in the blood of his Enemies and he shall be wrath as in the Valley of Acor and as in the dayes of Gibâ—a and will bring ye down ye Mountains and level you ye Hills and will make his Name known in your overthrow except ye repent and they that are round about you when they shall see Calamity coming upon you this shall be their Proverb This is the City and People that dispised the Counsel of the Lord and contemned the Instructions of the most high God and provoked the Lord to wrath till his Patience was worn out and his Long-suffering came to an end and therefore is this evil come upon them Therefore gird your selves in Sackcloth and pour Ashes upon your heads houl and weep ye cureless People misery is coming uâ—… you the dreadful God will visit with a Scourge and will make you know 〈◊〉 is the Lord Blessed is he that hears and considers and repents and turns 〈◊〉 his iniquity before the Decree be sealed against you which will never be altered This is the day of your visitation and If you contemn it â—wo unto you for ever and fo we are clear in Gods sight of you all from the highest to the lowest aâ—â— your blood if you perish will the Lord require at your own hands from this 〈◊〉 forth and for evermore We are Friends to all just Powers and are subject to the highest Power for Conscience 〈◊〉 but witness against all deceit and unrighteousness and against all that hold the Truth 〈◊〉 unrighteousness who are Prisoners of the Lord for the testimony of Iesus our Consciences bearng us witness in the Holy Ghost Edw. Burrough Dublin 24th of the 12th Moneth 1655. The unjust Sufferings of the Iust declared and their appeal to the just Witness of God in all mens Consciences TO all ye Colonels and Commanders and Officers and to all the honest hearted in the City of Dublin and elsewhere to whom this may come Hereby we the Prisoners of the Lord for the Testimony of Jesus and for the exercise of a pure Conscience do lay down our cause before you and to the Light of Jesus Christ in all your Consciences we appeal in this our cause of Rightousness and Innocency to be judged thereby We are men fearing God and working righteousness and are Friends to the Commonwealth of Israel and are Exalteâ—s of Justice and true Judgment in the Earth and are subject to all just power and to every just ordinance of man for Conscience sake and have suffered the loss of all and have born part of the burthen with you that we might obtain the freedom of the righteous Seed and the liberty of tender Conscience to serve the Lord in his own way and we are well known to the Lord though Strangers to you and are Free-men in the record of Heaven though now Sufferers unjustly under your present authority who have taken the place of exercising lordship over our pure Consciences and have imprisoned us and endeavoured to give judgment of banishing us onely upon false Accusations and Informations and Slanders without the proof or testimony of any Accusation of 〈◊〉 justly laid to our charge And to you hereby be it known that not for evil doing do we thus suffer for to this present no man hath convinced us of any evil nor justly proved the transgression of any Law Martial or Civil against us though we stand accused of many grievous things of which we are clearly innocent in the sight of him that lives for ever and do nothing more desire herein but â—o be tryed by the Law of Equity and Righteousness and judged according thereunto By vertue of command given unto us by the eternal Spirit of the Lord came we into this Land of Ireland contrary to the will of man not to seek our selves nor our own glory not to prejudice your Nation nor Government nor to be hurtful to your Commonwealth but with the Message of the Gospel of Christ Jesus we came to turn from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to the Power of God and 〈◊〉 minister the Word of Reconciliation and Salvation â—â—eely without a Gift or a Reward unto lost souls and hereof God is our Witness and also we have the sealâ— of our Ministry which unto us herein can give testimony by the same Spirit and this are â—e ready to seal with our blood And these six moneths and upwards have we laboured in travels and sufferings and reproaches and have passed through your Cities and Towns in soberness and in meekness have we preached the Kingdom of God and have holden forth the Word of Truth and the Testimony of Jesus and our lives have we not loved till this day though sometimes dangers on every side have beset us that we might hold forth the Faith of Jesus the Authour of our profession in the exercise of a pure Conscience both by doctrine and conversation and herein we are justified in the sight of God and who is he that condemns us And do call Heaven and Earth to record and the Light in all mens Consciences who have heard our Doctrine and seen our conversation to witness for us herein and we challenge
out of the Life of them thinking thou dost God service in speaking evil of his people and thy Rules by which thou walkst is proved by thy works and words to be imperfect and erroneous and thy darkness is of Satan and not the Light of Christ. Thy sixth Argument is Such is the Quakers Light that it destroys the institutions of Christ therefore is the light of Satan c. Answ. Hast thou no foundation but a Lye to place thy Argument upon surely thy time is neer an end because thou hast no refuge but a lye to fly unto Thy major Proposition is not altogether sound for that light was the Light of God and of Christ which commanded circumcision and the seventh day to be kept a Sabbath and the Worship in the Temple which was instituted by God c. And that was the Light of God and of Christ also which led the Disciples from these things to deny them and bear witness against them and yet no offence in God nor no contradiction in the Light of Christ but this to thy dark mind is a mystery sealed and I leave it as a Parable to thee Then for the proof of thy minor Proposition thou instancest That we deâ—â— Baptism and breaking of Bread yet darest thou not contend for sprinkling of Infants that imagination of man and no institution of Christ. But makest use of the Baptist herein unto whom I perceive thou art an Enemy what poor shifts art thou fain to run unto now when thou art likely to be discovered and rambles up and down wresting our words to blind the eyes of the simple for you that live in your filthiness yet professing the Supper of the Lord it is made manifest you eat and drink your own damnation and discerns not the Lords Body and while you are of the World and not come to Repentance you have nothing to do to speak of the Institutions of Christ which was to his Church to be practised therein only and not among the Children of this World so thy darkness is of Satan and not of Christ and thy Conclusion it is to thy self Thy seventh Argument is Such is the Quakers Light viz. Which denies agreâ— Work of Christ in the hearts of them who believe in him therefore it is the Light of Satan c. Answ. What hast thou nothing but a Lye in thy mouth to ground thy Discourse upon and to draw thy Conclusion from we deny not the work of Christ in the hearts of them who believe the proof of this minor position makes it not at all evident when thou hast wrested our words as much as thou canst much less if the simplicity of our words were used so it being a Lye in the ground I need noâ— much pluck down the building for it fals of it self as being not so firm as upon the Sand for we hereunto exhort that every one may know and witness the work of Christ in the heart to change and translate and to give power over the World But among thy many blind Arguments thou sayest Thou deniest that the Righteousness of Christ whereby a Believer is justified doth dwell in him c. The Scripture saith Except Christ be in you you are Reprobates and where Christ is there is his Righteousness for they are not divided and the Word of Faith which is the Righteousness of Christ is in the heart as Paul saith but I have cause to think thou art not much ashamed of being proved a Lyar because thy impudency hath overcome simplicity and honesty for when thou hast committed abomination thou canst not blush nor be ashamed but thy shame will the Upright see Thy eighth Argument is Such is the Quakers Light viz. which teacheth men â—o omit their duty to God therefore it is the light of Satan c. Answ. Thou Enemy of God when wilt thou cease thy Lyes and to pervert the right way of God we teach no man to omit his duty neither doth thy witness of thy minor Proposition stand any whit for thy purpose we are our selves daily exercised in Prayer unto God and omits it not as thou falsly accusest but to bear Testimony against the Sacrifice of the Wicked prayer self-righteousness c. that it is abomination and not accepted of the Father this is no whit to the purpose of teaching men to omit their duty as thou falsly accuseth us and thy multitude of vain Arguments are to no purpose herein and thou shews a vain wontoâ— spirit at I. Ns words whose Exhortation is to wait for the Spirit which we testifie no man can be heard or accepted of God in what he doth without it and this is the Duty of the Children of God to wait upon the Father to be led by his Spirit and he who is without the Spirit hath not received Christ Jesus and though thou scornst at this yet of it we are not ashamed and thy false conclusion is like thy foundation both to be condemned with the Lyar. Thy ninth Argument is Such is the Quakers Light viz. which teacheth men to say they have no sin therefore the light of Satan c. Answ. In the proof of thy major Proposition thou sayest The Light of Christ doth teach that all his People are freed from the dominion of sin and Christ Jesus no where saith That any are free from the dominion of sin who are not free from the committing of sin but the contrary he saith He that commits sin is the Servant of sin and such a one is under the dominion of it where he is Servant sin is Lord so he who is redeemed from the Dominion and committing of sin and cleansed from all unrighteousness by Christ Jesus through his Blood if he saith he hath no sin he is no Lyar but if before confession and forsaking of sin he saith he hath no sin he deceives himself according as the Scripture witnesseth unto both these conditions 1 Iohn 1. 8 9. Again He that is born of God sins not as the same Apostle saith and if he that sins not saith he hath no sin he is no Lyar but his Light is the Light of Christ and not of Satan And thy blindness is seen in that thou sayest in effect as though some may be free from the dominion of sin and yet not free from the committing of sin if thy Light teacheth thee thus it is contrary to the Light of Christ which gave forth the Scripture our Light teacheth from the committing of all sin and gives dominion over all unrighteousness and of this Light we are not ashamed This is the strength of thy Argument which is answered so much of the rest I pass by only may mind thee of thy confusion Thou sayest Where sâ—n hath no dominion that man is perfect c. And thou allowest that the Light of Christ teacheth men that they are freed from the dominion of sin and it is proved that none are free from the dominion of sin but who are saved
self-separate Congregations and wait upon the Lord that you may know him to be your Teacher who is the Teacher of all his People and he teacheth in the perfect Way of Peace and Truth and giveth Peace unto all that wait upon him and causeth the heart of the Upright to rejoyce he taketh away sin and removes it from his People and he forgiveth all their iniquities and healeth all their backslidings and blessed are all they that put their their trust in him for he is a God near at hand for he dwells with his People and he is worshipped only in the Spirit and in the Truth He dwelleth not in Temples made with hands neither is he worshipped in outward Observations his Soul hath no pleasure among any self-separate People who cry I am holyer then another neither is he well pleased with the Sacrifice of the Proud all their Baptisms and Fellowships and Meetings is but a weariness to the Lords Soul and he hath no pleasure in any of their works who follow their own spirit and are not led with the pure Spirit of God alone but unto every one of sâ—ch will he look who is poor in spirit and of a contrite heart and of a single and upright mind he giveth regard unto every one that fears his Name who thirst and hunger after him in Truth and Righteousness and this is of exceeding great price in the Sight of the Lord yea more then all Offerings and Oblations whatsoever even more then thousands of Rams and ten thousand of Rivers of OYLE Therefore hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord and seek him with an upright Heart and thirst for him as for your daily Food loose not your precious time but call upon his Name while he is near for he is come neer unto many he stands at the door if any will open he will come in and will dwell with them for evermore All sorts of People be Awakened be Awakened How doth the Lord wait to be gratious unto you He even tarrieth for you till you return to him 〈◊〉 his Soul may have pleasure in you who hath long been grieved by you Therefore search your own hearts and see how you stand prepared to meet the Lord by following of his Counsel who hath so loved you and all Man-kind that he hath given his Son into the World to be a Light unto you all and every onâ— of you is lighted by him and with the Light you will know your evil deeds and are convinced of them and reproved for them and with this Light Jesâ—… Christ calleth you Sinners to Repentance to turn from your evil that you may be restored If you love this Light you love Christ who will save you from all your 〈◊〉 and from condemnation If you hate this Light you hate Christ and you â—â—main in your sins to be everlastingly condemned And thus is the Way of Life aâ—â— the way of Death set before you all if you follow the Light of Christ Jesus it will teach you to deny this World and all the vanities of it it will teach you to deny your own wills and the counsels of your own hearts and whatsoever is contrary to God in thought word or action and in all things it will teach you to follow Jesus Christ that you may be justified by him But if you follow not tâ—… Light then you choose your own wayes to follow your own wills and yoâ— own lusts and all temptations and you deny Christ and the Way of Truth and 〈◊〉 the Wrath of God abides upon you for you continue in unbelief and in hardness of heart and are the Servants of sin unto death if you follow not the Ligâ—â— which Christ hath enlightened you withal who lighteth every man that comes â—â—to the World that they may believe and be saved Therefore take heed to the Light if you be guided by it you shall not transgress against God but you wâ—… receive the Power of God to overcome all evil all sin and iniquity will be condemned in you and your hearts will be made clean for the Lord to dwell in whoâ—â— dwelling is in his People and you must all cease from professing of what you 〈◊〉 not possess and from talking of what you do not enjoy for that is Hypocrisie anâ— to be judged So all ye Professors be Awakened Christ without you will not justifie you exâ—… ye know Christ within you the Profession of him will not take away sin not â—â—stifie in the Sight of God except you come to witness the operation of his Spirit 〈◊〉 you to teach you to depart from all evil and to lead you into all good Therefore come to the feeling of the Spirit of Jesus in you and the workiâ—â— of it which changeth reneweth and sanctifieth and bringeth to witness 〈◊〉 same Truth to be manifested in the heart which the Scriptures speak of without and as you receive the same Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures so you will uâ—derstand the Scriptures and by no other means For all your preaching anâ— talking of the Scriptures without the Spirit is but vain babling and that moutâ— is to be stopt for God is not known where the Operation of his Spirit is noâ— felt in the heart nor he cannot be worshipped in Truth but where his Spirit leadâ— and guides Much vain Profession there is in thee O City in which the Lord hath no delight and this is the Testimony of the Lord which I give concerning thee and do yet once more call unto thee as often I have done and do seal the Lords Testimony against thee even against all thy righteousness and against all thy sin which are both alike unto God and both to be condemned Thou hast been warned and thy People and the day of a glorious Visitation hath passed over thee the Lord hath reached unto many and stricken many who have not grieved but carelesly walked and slighted the day of their Visitation and have not hearkened to the Lords Call Unto thousands hath the word of the Lord been declared and the Kingdom of God preached nigh at hand and the very Way of Life and Death hath been set before you for the Lord hath sent to thee to warn â—hee and to shew unto thee what the Counsel of the Lord is and thousands have been reached with the Power of God and convinced of the Way of Life â—nd Peace who yet continue in hardness of heart and disobedience following the â—ounsel of their own hearts and the desire of their own minds which are wholly evil â—ontinually and the condemnation of such will be just in the day of the Lord and greater then theirs to whom the Way of the Lord hath not been known And yet â—mongst thy Thousands who are in the way to destruction the Lord hath a Remâ—ant a Few among so many which are precious unto him and whom his soul deâ—ighteth in who are despised in thee and set at nought and cast out of the saâ—our
and their work of God and their end alone his glory such we own to be Ministers of Christ and doth not revile or deny as he falsly saith such a Church and such Ministers of Christ but this we do and without offence to God too we do deny and bear our witness against such a people who professeth themselves to a Church and yet are in the pride in the wickedness and in the evil of this World and not redeemed clensed and seperated from the works and iniquities thereof such we do reprove for their Hypocrisie even â—…ll them that owns a title to a Church because they were sprinkled when they were Infants and hath not another ground and such who professeth themselves Ministers of Christ who hath not received their Ministry by the Gift of the Holy Ghost neither are led by the Spirit of Christ but are such as Christ â—nd the Apostles declared against such we cannot own to be Ministers of Jesus Christ but doth reprove them and deny them even such who Preacheth for Hire and hath Gifts and Rewards for Preaching and set-places for so much a â—ear these we disown and yet doth not offend God herein And this in honesty 〈◊〉 do shew to all people what that professed Church and professed Ministry is which we do deny and what that Church and Ministry is which we do set up to â—e preferred which is a right Ministry and a right Church And thus his reasonless reason is overturned and confounded and is found to be no sufficient reason wherefore a man should not be a Quaker 2. His second reason is No wise man can be a Quaker saith he because their Religion is an uncertain thing and so is not the Religion that must save us c. I answer This again is utterly false and no man that hath Gods wisdom would speak it for our Religion which we profess is a certain thing and we have openly declared it once and again and this is it To believe in Christ and to receive Christ and to be lead by the Spirit of Christ and taught in all things to love God with all the Heart and a mans neighbour as himself and through the Power of Christ dwelling in man to do all good and to be kept from all evil This in very short is our Religion and it is a very certain and established Religion and this Religion we all agree in And this in short is the substance of our faith Even Christ in us believed on and received by us This is the Truth and his lyes is judged and if he say this is an uncertain Religion let him give it under his hand and subscribe to it and he shall have a further Reply 3. His third Reason is No man of Reason should be a Quaker considering that amongst those scraps of their Religion which is made known there is so much notorious falsâ—â—d and ungodliness saith he Ans. Let all Christian people mark this his Reason they are even lyes heaped one upon another What secret Slanders are these behind our Backs who never would clear himself of what is truly charged against him in answer to his Catechism his words are turned by as utter lyes for that which we profess and practice for Religion which we have made known by word and writing is uprightness godliness sincerity and truth and neither notorious falshood not ungodliness as he wickedly saith And why did not he make it appear what this notorious falshood and ungodliness had been that had been more honest then to cast his charges and prove nothing And whereas he saith The very persâ—â— of Christ Iesus many of them do blaspheme c. this is utterly false for Jesus Christ have we owned and believed in onely and for his sake we do and suffer haâ—â— things 4. His fourth Reason is saith he Because their false pernicious Doctrines tâ—… practical Religion doth much consist in most notorious wicked injustice and uncharitableness c. Ans. Here is lye upon lye uttered and wickedness joyned to wickedness and drunk up as an Oxe drinks up water and no conscience made thereof by Richard Baxter it had been just to have mentioned these pernicious Doctrines their practical Religion injustice and uncharitableness and not to have slandered in the dark but we are delivered by the Lord from all pernicious Doctrines and notorious wickedness whatsoever and we find this false Reproacher guilty himself and his people of what he accuseth the Innocent And so his words are true unto himself and upon his own head I turn them 5. His fifth Reason is The worst of all saith he is That they behave themselves like malignant Enemies to the very Church and Gospel and Servants of Iesus Christ c. Ans. This man speaks as if he had sold himself wholly to lye but my answer to his first Reason is sufficient to answer this also and doth say That the Câ—…se and the Church and the Gospel and Servants of Iesus Christ we do fully and freely 〈◊〉 and are daily exercised therein as the very Servants of Iesus and are Friends thereof iâ— our hearts and doth not behave our selves in any way as Enemies thereunto God will judge every lying tongue and shall condemn our false Accusers guilty of that which they charge the guiltless to reprove and bear witness against the wilâ—… wicked and rude conversations and against such as have gotten the Saints words and by art frame an hours discourse thereupon for so much a Sermon or so much a year to deny such to be a Church of Christ and Ministers of Christ this we do and doth not behave our selves like Enemies to the Church or Gospel or Ministers and Servants of Christ as our Adversary wickedly saith 6. His sixth Reason saith he That part of the Quakers peculiar Religion which consists not in error and malignant impudency is made up very much of it of childish and unreasonable foppery c. Ans. As I have said No part of our Religion consists in error and malignant impudency and as for that which he calls childish and unreasonable foppery we stand not to mans judgement for it is a small thing with us for to be judged of any man for we do acknowledge that we are become fools for Christs sake and herein we have cause to glory though he upbraid us with it and it was such as he who called Paul a Babler and that his Doctrine was madness as he saith ours is foppery and let him know that which is foolishness with man is wisdom with God and we know God will confound the wisest of men by that which they may judge to be foolish and unreasonable and foppery for to such who are lost our Gospel is hid where the god of this World hath blinded their Eye as it is plain he hath done this our Adversaries and that is the reason wherefore he hath sent forth such lying Scribbles from his study of wicked inventions and let him make the best
thereof and in this same Spirit is the Father alone worshipped and by it God is known and his Promise is fulfilled it witnessing in all things unto the Father and is the Earnest of the Inheritance which fadeth not away and by it know we the deep things of God which the World by wisdom knoweth not and thereby are we seal'd and bound up in Covenant with the Father This is known to you that are Children of the Light and hereof you have the Witness in your selves and of God you are approved and not of men And all ye my Brethren who are call'd into the Work and Ministry of the Gospel unto whom the Word of the Lord is come and the Gospel of Christ to you committed Dwell in the Life of God and feel his Power and Authority and live in the same Life of which you minister to others that you may bring People to God and may effectually turn them from the dominion of sin unto the Dominion of Christ Jesus People may be guided out of Darkness in the marvellous Light Cry aloud spare not proclaim the Mighty Day of the Lord in all the Earth and fear ye not neither be ye dismay'd at the Face of any man but be bold and valiant for the Truth upon Earth and give your Testimony as you have receiv'd from God and preach Christ Jesus the Light of the World unto all People that they may receive him and be converted and live For Blindness and Darkness hath cover'd the whole Earth and all have gone astray from the Lord as Sheep without a Shepherd Therefore awake ye them that sleep and cause the Deaf to hear and the Dead to rise that such as have been stray'd may be gather'd for this is the fulness of time he is now seeking his Sheep that have been lost and bringing them Home that have been stray'd and you as Instruments in the Lord's Hand hath he chosen into this Work Therefore get on the Strength of the Lord and preach the Gospel of Peace even the Power of God that Sinners may be converted and the Wounded healed and the Weak may be strengthned and they that are ready to dye may be restored to Life and Salvation This is the Work of the Lord whereunto you are called therefore all who unto it are called be faithful unto the end and not only by word but by Life and Conversation also hold forth the Way of Life For you must feel that in your selves of which you minister to others and you must hold forth the Life the same which you minister in words and thereby shall you be made manifest to that of God in all People and God's Testimony shall answer for you And see that in all things you divide God's Word aright not crying Peace to the Wicked nor healing up the Wound falsly but that true Judgment in all things may be brought forth by you to all people Judgment to the Fat and Bread to the Hungry they that are Naked must be clothed and they that are falsly covered must be made bare Improve the Gift which God hath given you to him only and not unto your selves Be not hasty to utter words before the Lord but wait for Power from on High that the Way of God unto Salvation may be faithfully and truly held forth by you unto all people And faint not though your Burdens and Tryals be many but bare all things patiently love not your lives unto death that the good Work of the Lord may be accomplished which he hath begun by us and made prosperous and powerful in our hands unto this very day you have the Witness of this Our Cause is good we seek Truth and Righteousness that it may be established in the Earth and people may be brought unto God unto this God hath called us and hath owned us in it and will never forsake us for the Work is his and the Power is his and whatsoever he will he bringeth to pass and therefore why should we doubt or be weary For we shall see the Travel of our Souls the Scattered shall be gathered and a Remnant of the Seed shall be brought in which is scatter'd in every Nation as dry Bones unable to live How shall we hide that Treasure which God hath given us from them that perish for want thereof Or How shall we rest satisfied till the scatter'd Sheep be brought Home to the Fold Our Hearts are troubled to see so many Thousands walking in thick Darkness and to see the Seed of Israel devoured by the Destroyer Therefore my Brethren let us put on strength the Lord is with us let us make War in Righteousness for the Lord against all the Powers of Darkness let us continually be armed to do and to suffer all things for the Name of the Lord that People may be instructed in the right Way we know no man can have power over us but what is given them from above and all that which comes to pass against us is not worthy to be compared with the Crown of Glory and that Inheritance of which we have already received the earnest and sealed with the spirit of Promise and the Fathers Name is written upon us therefore in all things unto which he hath called you be faithful and obedient that his Work may be accomplished And all ye Children and Babes in Christ that are begotten of God and are thirsting and seeking after him in Truth and Righteousness he whom ye seek is coming to raign amongst you and his Dominion shall be set up and enlarged and the desire of your Hearts shall be fulfilled Righteousness and Truth shall meet in one and Judgment and Mercy shall be exalted Wait upon the Lord and feel his Power and his Presence continually that you may grow as Plants of Righteousness and may partake of the Heir-ship with Christ being crucified to the World and become dead to all its Wayes and no more you to live but Christ to live in you through the Light which he hath lightned you withall hath he given you an entrance into the Inheritance of the Father And as you walk in the Light you grow into Fellowship with the Father and with the Son Abiding in the Son you cannot sin for he keeps you from the wicked One and he hath no power over you that abide in Christ who is the Power of God which is the Salvation of all that believe and a Condemnation of all that believe not therefore all you that are convinced everywhere hearken to the Voice of the Lord that your Souls may live and mind the Power of God and the workings thereof in your Hearts which conquereth Hell and Death and subdueth all the Powers and Wayes thereof and every one be obedient to the Lord as Children of one Father that of his fulness you may receive and be filled therewith and meet together in every Place and as the Day approacheth exhort one another that you may grow up in Unity as
the Lord God may dwell amongst you and may never have cause to with-hold his presence from you which is Life and Peace and Rest for ever And believe not every spirit but dwell in that which discerns spirits and if any say Lo here or lo there is Christ go not after them without you for you have not been so taught but know the Christ of God the Lamb of God within you and follow him and obey his voice and be established all of you on this sure Foundation whom God hath laid and no man can lay any other and if you build thereupon and thereby you sâ—…ll never suffer loss but your Work shall abide the Fire and in the Fathers House your Bread you shall receive and never shall hunger noâ— Thirst but the Life will be refreshed and increased daily and you Lamps will alwayes shine and you shall never be darkned not stâ—…ble for that which stumbles is out of the Truth and the ground stands to receive the seed of Satan who is a Devourer of the Simplicity and the Betrayer from the Truth Therefore I charge you all in the Presence of the Living God that you hold fast the Faith and Hope which you have received through the Gospel that you may never be moved 〈◊〉 the Grace of God and from the Love that hath abounded in you â—…t may be found watching in the Door with your Light shining when the Bridegroom cometh and behold he cometh quickly and his Rewâ—…d is with him blessed are they that tarry for him This is the Testimony of my Love unto all the Seed of God who am as a Deceiver and yet true and as not known yet well known unto the â—…d E. 〈◊〉 To such as have Backslided from the Truth WHEN the Life in you all doth arise it shall witness me and answer the Word of the Lord unto Life or unto Death Friends all you to whom the Word of the Lord came and â—…n whom the Way of Truth was made manifest hear and consider How â—…t hath the Love of the Father been unto you How many and infinite have been his Mercies from day to day often visiting you with his Power and with his Presence yea when you sate in Darkness and in the shadow of Death his marvellous Light appear'd unto you and when you were held captive in the covenant of Sin and Death he stretched forth his Hand to redeem â—… he loved you while you knew him not and he brought Deliverance out of a â—…nge Land where you were strayed among Devourers and scatter'd and gâ—â—e aâ—â—ray as Sheep without a Shepherd yea when you were dead in Transgression he said unto you Live and he also bound you up when no eye pitty'd you even then when you were Enemies to him walking in the Vaâ—â—tâ—en of your own hearts and knew not him who lives forever who had been sougâ—â— by you but not found in that very day he sent to visit you with his Eâ—… Gospel of Peace and Truth to gather you unto himself I am a 〈◊〉 and he caus'd his powerful Voice to be heard and his Name to be 〈◊〉 among you and his Truth was declared in the Demonstration of the â—…rit and the Power of the Lord was made manifest in you to the bringing of you from Darkness to Light and from Death which had reign'd over you 〈◊〉 know a Measure of the Life of God Yea the Way of Life Eternal was set 〈◊〉 you that you might not perish but live and his Witness in you all 〈◊〉 iâ— but one the Word of the Lord reacheth unto you by the Mouthes of 〈◊〉 â—…ts to the revealing of Sin and judging it by his Righteous Law 〈◊〉 in your hearts causing his Terror to be known among you and his â—udgments reached your hearts and in that day beautiful was his Presence 〈◊〉 you and precious was his Truth among you in your first Love and his Liâ—â—t and Power and the Knowledge of his Ways were pleasant to you and the Sâ—…l of the Kingdom of God which you receiv'd with Joy grew up in you and â—…per'd at that day and the Lord loved you his Presence was with you â—…g his own Children whom he begat by his Everlasting Word that you 〈◊〉 be a Praise unto him forever And when the fear of the Lord and his Jâ—â—gâ—â—nts were placed among you and your Hearts were broken and while you were of a hungering Soul and thirsty after the Lord then was it well with you and the Day of Peace dawn'd unto you and the Word of the Lord was â—weâ—t unto you and he was gladly receiv'd that came in the Name of the Lord. Bâ—t O how have some of you lost your first Love and are again darkened and ready to faint and to turn aside for a thing of nought And how do such grieve the Spirit of the Lord and vex his Righteous Soul and are become a Sâ—â—deâ— to him in dishonouring his Name the envious man having entered â—nd sown his Seed in some of you and brought forth Strife and Divisions and Disorders among you which are not of the Father nor of the Truth and Prejudice and Evil-Surmisings and secret Jealousies one against another is risen in you all which is to be condemned with the Light for the Fire I judge it all under my Feet in the Power of the Lord God and am in that which reigns over it all and through these things Unity is decay'd and Love is waxed cold and there is fainting in the way and the Zeal for the Name of the Lord perisheth which ought to be among you and Rendings and Tearings Biting and Devouring one another and striving for Mastery there is which ought not to be which the Wrath of God is against all this is out of the Light out of the Wisdom and Counsel of God My Spirit is vexed and my Heart is troubled within me because of these things not for my self but for you and for the Glory of the Lord over whom I am jealous with a Godly Jealousie that you may not perish nor his Glory be dispised among the Heathen What mean you thus to deal against the Lord in dishonouring his Name in the sight of the Enemy even to the wounding of your own souls and to the piercing of the hearts of the Faithful who have watched over you and been Messengers of Glad-tidings unto you from the Lord Every one of you in particular be awakened and stirr'd up and fear before the Lord and come to the Light which the Son of God has lighted you withal and search your own hearts and try your selves that the ground of these things may be seen and condemn'd and remov'd and Love may yet spring amongst you to the Lord and one to another O Friends Consider It was one Father that begat you into the Truth which is but one by one Word of Life which is not divided and you were begotten unto him and not unto your selves And Christ Jesus which is
shall justifie us and condemn our Enemies Again he queries whether I make the Holy Ghost and the Eternal Spirit two I answer no they are one neither do I seem to make them two it is want of knowledge in him who cannot understand but raiseth Objections where there is no cause Again from my words this is acceptable and well pleasing to God above all words and outward conformity c. from this he questions whether the doing the greater things of the Law is acceptable where the less are neglected I answer no for every tittle of the Law less and greater must be fulfilled by Christ in us in whom we are accepted and thus I have returned a few words to the consideration of people and particularly to the people of Draton and the Country there about to whom I direct my speech thus All ye people who are scattered as Sheep without a Shepherd and know not Christ the Everlasting Shepherd to lead you and to rule you Cease oh cease from all your Teachers without you who are dumb Shepherds which do not gather you to God such are they that preach for Hire and divine for Money and that take Gifts and Rewards for preaching who through Covetousness by feigned words do make Merchandize of Souls Such do keep you alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth under their Teachings your Souls are starved under them and you perish for want of true Knowledge and Death raigns amongst you and many are in the broad way that leadeth to Destruction but few in the strait Way that leads to Life and Iniquity and Wickedness abounds amongst you and like Teachers like People for from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to Covetousness Jer. 6. 13. Great Ignorance hath blinded your Minds and great Darkness is over your Hearts and your Teachers do deceive you and they cause you to err and you give your Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which doth not profit even as the people of Israel did so do you and in their Transgressions do you walk and your Teachers are in the steps of the Pharisees they are called of men Master as the Pharisees were they stand praying in the Synagogues and Temples as the Pharisees did and they have the chief Seats in the Assemblies as the Pharisees had and they even shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men as the Pharisees did and will not enter in themselves nor suffer them that would Cease from all your outward Priests and hearken to the Voice of the Lord which breaks down that nature which is contrary to God and raiseth up the Seed which is Heir of God's Kingdom and turn your minds to the Light in you which Christ hath lightened you withal which Light shines in your Consciences and convinces you of your evil Deeds it reproves you for Vain words and Ungodly speeches it will let you see what your hearts go after and what your love goes out unto and if you love that it will lead you to Christ and he will be revealed in you to teach you and to give you the Witness of Peace and Reconciliation with God The Light is your Eye by which you may see God it will lead you out of all idolatrous worships and works and from your false worships which are an Abomination to the Lord and you must be converted and changed into a new Nature and you must put off the Old man and his Works before you can worship God aright for he is worshipped in Spirit and in Truth only and such the Lord is now seeking to worship him Therefore cease from your Steeple-house-worship which is in the Traditions of men and not in the Spirit of the Lord and that worship must be confounded for its Root is corrupted and its Branches will wither and the Breath of the Lord is kindled against it If you love the Light of Christ and walk in it there is your Teacher and if you hate it there is your Condemnation The next day after the Dispute this was written and sent in a little time after to Draton and up and down that ways Richard Goodgrom FRiend hath not thy Ignorance Folly and Wickedness towards me now appeared And is it not manifest in the sight of many people And now thou mayest cease to boast and also to backbite for the time to come and no more secretly to surmise behind my back to the raising of unruly spirits against me so much as in thee was possible and hadst thou been more crafty and more subtile more Mischief thou mightest have done but the Innocent is delivered and thou art taken in the Snare thou laidst for another and false doctrine is prov'd to proceed forth of thy mouth And thou and thy Company may be ashamed when you consider the managing of your Work against me who many times appeared immoderate in speaking many at once confusedly and also were unreasonable in not being satisfied with just Answers but it shews your Blindness and Unbelief who cannot understand the Truths of the Gospel of Christ but contend against them though in the end you are forced to confess to them as was sufficiently witnessed that day of the Dispute and thou in particular who reproachedst me behind my back in divers places where I have heard of it by my Friends whom thou judg'dst had not been so yet they have discover'd the naughtiness of thy heart both in the Country and in the City Thou hast given forth that I had preached false doctrine and such like wicked reproachful back-biting language behind my back not like a man faithful to God and thy Neighbour but one that hath surmised Evil against the Harmless And thou mayest remember all these things thou objectest against who wouldst have made a great matter of them against me yet are they sufficiently prov'd to the Understanding of many honest People And if thou and thy Company will be blind it is because you harden your hearts against the Truth and I am clear in the sight of the Lord and all shall know that have an Ear to hear That what I profess preach and practice are the saving Truths of Iesus Christ though they may be branded to be Heresie by such as thee who may call Light Darkness and Darkness Light and put Good for Evil and Evil for Good And at a convenient Opportunity I may take in hand to prove That thou thy self hast held forth that which cannot be justified by the Scripture but are condemned thereby Many things fell from thee in my hearing which I may object against and prove the contrary and I shall not go behind thy back as thou hast done to slander thee but I shall rest contented and wait the opportunity to lay open thy Nakedness and Weakness in the sight of all people And whatsoever thou judgest The Scriptures the Writings and the things written of are two things
God who are thus made free whose Sins are remitted and Iniquity covered and the Life rules and reigns and hath overcome Death and Death is swallowed up of Life and this is the Promise of God which must be fulfilled in you that ye may possess the Treasure of God in your Hearts and be Feeling-Witnesses of Immortality your Hands must handle the Word and you must taste and feel and see the Word of Life within you and you must find the Pearl and your own Lamps must have Oyl in them for people have long been running without after men Lo here and Loe there and have been applying the Promises in the wrong nature but now people must turn to the Light of Christ within them for Christ is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World and this Light must men follow and then they shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life and men must walk in the Light and then the Blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin and men must believe in the Light and then they shall be the Children of the Light and then Light shall shine out of Darkness and the Light that shines in their hearts shall give them the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. So Friends love the Light and walk in the Light for it is the Light within that lets men see whether their Deeds are wrought in God or contrary to him the Light within will let you see of what nature your Works are whether of the corrupt nature or of the Divine Nature for all mens Works are of the one of these and all the Works that spring from the corrupt nature are but Abomination unto God though they appear never so Righteous and that Righteousness which is of Man cannot be justified before the Lord but man must be a Partaker of God's Righteousness of an uncreated Righteousness and that will cover all his Infirmities and in that only can man be presented Righteous unto God So Friends Wait to be Witnesses of this Righteousness that you may be cloathed with it and may be stripped off all your own which is but as filthy Rags and will not hide mans Nakedness but his Righteousness and his Sin must be condemned together and God must be known to work to will and to do in the Creature and this is God's Righteousness for which you must all wait that you may be Heirs of it and Possessors of it unto your Eternal Peace and live in the Fear of the Lord and be not immoderate nor excessive in any thing nor let your hearts be drawn away with the Creatures for then you commit Idolatry and are overcome of this World and you want the Authority of God and are in Bondage unto the Creatures and they defile you and burden you in that state while your Minds are captivated with them So Friends Mind God's Wisdom amongst you that it may lead you in all things and live in Love and Unity one with another and let no Strife be amongst you nor Contention for that will destroy you and eat out true Love and your Hearts will be hardened but bear one with another and be in Patience and Long-suffering one towards another and then the Presence of the Lord will fill your Hearts with Satisfaction and you will be comforted in God and one in another if Love and Unity be amongst you in the Spirit And meet together in the Name and Fear of the Lord and mind the Lord's Presence amongst you mind not words but mind the Presence of the Lord and feel his Power in your hearts and the words that come from the Power will refresh the Seed of God but if any speak words out of the Power the Seed of God will be burdened and will judge such words So every one feed upon the Bread of Life that comes from God and feel the Water of Life springing up in your Hearts that you may grow unto God as Plants of Righteousness and may make your Calling and Election sure So dwell in the Light and take up the daily Cross of Christ and walk not in the Flesh but in the Spirit and so shall the Blessings of the Lord be upon you My dear Love even the same Love wherewith I am loved of my Father doth salute you all and the Seed of God in you that I know and to that am I known who am a Brother and Companion unto all the Faithfull and Upright Edw. Burroughs Let this be coppied over and sent abroad and read in all your Meetings Good Counsel AND ADVICE Rejected by Disobedient Men And the Days of Cromwell's Visitation passed over And also Of Richard Cromwell his Son late Protectors of these Nations And the many Precious Warnings neglected by them and set 〈◊〉 nought which from time to time were given unto them as declared in these following Letters whereby all may see the Kindness of the Lord towards them by his Faithful Invitations to them and their own Apostacy and Carelesness who rejected Warning till the Time and Day of their Visitation is shut up with the Vail of Darkness and Reproach which lies over them and their precious Day of Love is spent and cannot be re-called To the READER FRiend Out of the same Love from whence these were written do I put them to publick view and it was not without much Doubtings and Questioning in my own spirit 〈◊〉 at last having found perfect Freedom and Strength from the Lord knâ—… that I am 〈◊〉 and frâ—â— altogether of other Ends saving then for the Honoâ—â— of the Truth and that all may see that the Dâ—â—nfalls of these â—en were not before sufficient Warnings which makes the Lord free 〈◊〉 his Servant free from what is coâ—â— to pass upon them and even their Fall lies upon their own heads that dispised the Lords Warnings and would none of his Counsel but suffered the Innocent to be oppressed under their Power and relieved not the Heritage of the Lord from her Cruel Enemies though they had Power to do it but 〈◊〉 their own glory and how to be established in greatness in the Earth till that â—he Lord 〈◊〉 cast them â—ut and made them as a Reproach And these things that have come to pass 〈◊〉 them may be as Warnings to all other Rulers that do succeed them and they may 〈◊〉 that the Lord is 〈◊〉 and his Iudgments Righteous and whosoever shall follow their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be Oppressâ—â—s of the Lord's Heritage as they were the Lord shall extend his Iudgments 〈◊〉 them also and their Destruction shall come even like as upon thâ—se before them Therefore let all the Earth be warned I am a Lover of Sion For the hands of the Protector FRIEND MAny Wâ—rnings hast thou had from the Mouth of the Lord his Love hath been towards thee and the glorious Day of his Visitation hath shined over thy head wherein he hath called unto thee to hear
and obey his Voice and would have instructed thee in the Way that thou shouldest walk that thy Soul might live forever in Peace and Rest when this World is passed away and that in this present World he might have made thee a Blessing to thy self and Posterity and People and a Praise in thy Dominions and unto Ages after tâ—ee if thou hadst hearkened and obeyed his Voice and chosen his Way and Counsel and not thine own and then would â—e have made thine Enemies to have bowed under thee and the Force of their Policy and Arm should never have prevailed against thee and thou shalt be delivered from the Will of all that hate thee if thou yet wilt hearken unto him and receive his Instruction and set thâ— heart to seek his Honour â—ore then thiâ—e own and wilt let his Counsel be thy Guide and Ruler and not vâ—in man which must be brought to nought even now before the Day of thy Visitation be spent never more to be re-called and the time come when God will cease to strive with thee and will not call unto thee but will leave thee to thy own heart's false Judgment and the Counsels of Treacherous Men. And Friend I as one that hath obtained Mercy from the Lord unto wâ—om his Word is committed being moved of him do hereby in his Presence yet once more warn thee That thou fear before him and diligently hearken to him and seek him with all thy heart that thou mayst know his Will and Câ—â—â—sel concerning thee and mayst do it and â—â—nd Favour in his Sight and live and now is the Day that his Hand is stretched forth unto thee to make thee a Blessing or to leave thee a Curse forever and the Dayes of thy Visitation are near an end when God will no more call unto thee nor hear thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the the Day of thy Trouble thou callst to him neither will answer theeby Vision nor Dream nor Prophets but will leave thee to the counsels of Trâ—…us men who will seek after thy Life and wait for thy Over-throw and 〈◊〉 for Evil against thee that they may glory in thy Desolation and such thâ—â—â— are of whom thou hast need to beware and if thou rejectest the Counsel of the Lord and followest the Desires of thine own Heart and the Wills of men and wilt not have the Light of the World Christ Jesus only to rule thee and to teach thee which condemns all Evil then shall Evil surely fall upon thee if thou lovest not the Light in thee which condemns it and the Judgâ—â—â—ts of God nor the Day of his last Visitation with Vengeance thou mayst not escape Therefore consider and mark my words and let this Counsel be acceptable unto thee thâ—â— thy dayes may be many and Blessed upon Earth and â—â—â—st consider and let it move upon thee to Meekness to Humbleness and to fear before the Lord assuredly knowing that it is he that changeth times and things and that bringeth down and setteth up whomsoever he will and how that thou wast raised from a low estate and set over all thine Enemies and thy 〈◊〉 was exalted above them all and he gave thee the Necks of Princes to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and more Honourable and their Dominions to inâ—â—rit and thou wast 〈◊〉 a Ruler in much Dominion and had Favour in his Sight and in the â—ight of many people who wished well to thee for a Blessing many Victories honorâ—â—â—â— and remarkable were given unto thee over them who had exalted themselves against God and this thou knowest That not by Might nor by Multitude 〈◊〉 by the Arm of the Lord were they subdued and made a Pâ—ey unto thee and their Treasures a Spoil unto thy Hands and so it was that thou mightest have glorified him forever and exalted him in the great Congregation and gone on in Faithfulness unto the End and in that day when thou wast raised up when the Fear of the Lord was before thy face and thy Heart was towards him and thou wast but little in thy own eyes then was it well with thee and the Lord blessed thee and made thee honourable and his People had love towards thee and desire for thee that thou mightest have been as a Helper to the Poor and a Father to the Faithful and a Preserver of the Upright from Unreasonable Men and an Easer of the Oppressed and a Taker away of every Oppressive Bond and it was not once thought concerning thee that the hands of the Ungodly would have been strengthened against the Righteous under thee or that such grievous and cruel Burdens and Oppressions would ever have been laid upon the Just and acted against them in thy Name and under thy Dominion as unrighteously have come to pass in these three years as a large Testimony might be given and this thy suffering of such things is thy Transgression and thou hast not requited the Lord well for his Goodness unto thee nor fulfilled his Will in suffering that to be done under thee and in thy Name which the Lord raised thee against to break down hadst thou been faithful to the end Again consider and let it move on thy Heart not to exalt thy self nor to be high minded but to fear continually knowing that thou standest not by thy self but by another and that he is able to abase thee and give thee into the will of thy Enemies whensoever he will and how the Lord hath preserved thee sometimes wonderfully and doth unto this day from the murderous Plots and crafty Policy of evil Men who seek thy evil and would rejoyce in thy fall and in the Desolation of thy Family and Countries how have they and do they lay Snares for thy Feet that thou mayst be cut off from amongst men and dye unhappily and be accounted Accursed and yet to this day he hath preserved thee and been near thee to keep thee though thou hast hardly known it and the Lord's end is love to thee in all these things and yet a little longer to try thee and that thou mightst give him the Glory O that thy Heart were opened to see his Hand that thou mayst live unto him and dye in him in Peace and beware lest Hardness of Heart possess thee if thou slight his Love and so be shut up in Darkness and given to the Desires of thine Enemies and left to the Counsels of treacherous Men who may seek to exalt thee by flattery that they might the better cast thee down and destroy thee and blot out thy Name in reproach and make thy Posterity a People miserable but now O consider and let it enter into thy Heart for thou hast not answered the Lord but been wanting to him for all this and hast chosen thy own way and glory rather then his and not fulfilled his Counsel in raising thee for the Bonds of Cruelty are not loosed by thee and the Oppressed are not altogether set free neither is Oppression taken off from the Back of the
charged against them whereby the Lord hath been offended But all things and places of men must be new moulded and corrected and purged and regenerated that true Judgment may flourish and Righteousness and Truth prosper as in the Beginning and this will the Lord suddenly bring to pass by his own Power and if thou opposest it thou shalt not prosper but be cut off and taken out of the way For the Spirit of the Lord hath been provoked to Wrath because of these things and his Anger is kindled against the Nations and he hath overthrown and yet will once more overthrow till he comes whose Right it is to Rule whose shall be the Government and Kingdom and all his Enemies shall be slain And as for the publick Ministry as now it is in its present estate we certainly know and testifie from the Lord unto thee and to the whole Nations that it is not the same Ministry of Christ which the Apostles had nor by the same Power and Spirit but is wholy degenerated in Call in Practice and in Maintenance and in all things from what the Ministry of Christ was in the dayes of the true Churches before the Apostacy and it is as now it stands in degeneration not of God nor in the Power and Spirit of Christ Jesus nor hath it the same End and Effects as the Ministry of Christ once had but it s tasted and tainted with the Spirit of Antichist which long hath ruled in the World and it s become a grievous Oppression in the Nations and people are not converted nor turned to God from their evil wayes but remain unprofited and to say no more of it though much I might say what I affirm of it I may prove by the Scriptures against the wisest of them before thee if thou pleasest viz. That as now the Ministry stands it is not perfectly the same Ministry the Apostles had but is degenerated from what the Ministry of Christ was in the dayes of the Apostles and true Churches before the Apostacy and if ever God toucheth thy heart thou wilt see it so when the Spirit of Christ is chief Judge in thee thou wilt witness this to be true and then may not thy Power uphold any thing which is contrary to God when Government is purged and made pure from all its present Degeneration Again There are many and divers sort of Sects and Gatherings of People and Professions in Reliigion of several contrary Judgments and Opinions Worships in these Nations and these People over whom thou art set to rule are divers and divided in their Wayes and Minds and Professions of Religion some looking for and seeking after Christ in such a manner and others after another manner all crying Loe here is Christ and thus he will come and loe he is there and so will he appear and some are inventing and supposing such a Government to be best and others contrary to that and many are as distracted in their thoughts not knowing what to seek or what to look after some are for such a Government and Religion and others for another and peradventure each one of these may seek to thee for Protection against such as oppose them commending and justifying their own Way and Sect and Form and Religion against all others and craving Laws to maintain themselves and their Sect and to stop and limit all other Ways as Heresie because differing from them and they will each of them turn and rest the Scriptures from the mind of the Spirit that gave them forth to prove their own Opinions and Professions to be right against all others but now thou mayst know that the Scriptures were given forth by the one Spirit of God and is the Testimony of one Truth of one Saviour of one true Worship and one only true Religion and not many and diverse Wayes and them that are of divers Judgments and Worships and Religions and yet all plead Proof from the Scriptures for what they profess and practice all such pervert the Scriptures and wrest them who are thus divided and unsettled in Religion and they shew that none of them have the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures which Spirit leads into all Truth and in it is the true Worship of God and the true Profession and Practice of true Religion and that Spirit only understands its own words in Scripture but all these divers Sects and Heaps of People that are divided in Worship and about Religion have not the Spirit of God that gave forth Scriptures to lead them into all Truth and guide them in the perfect Way and pure Religion which the Apostles and Churches of Christ were in in their dayes but all these many Sects that are thus divided are risen up since the days of the Apostles and are of another spirit and of a false Religion And as for such called Ministers they will be hurrying about thee and flattering thee with fair and crafty words and smooth Petitions and Requests for Protection and Establishment from thee and for large Maintenance and Stipends and Tythes and possibly they may complain to thee against such as cannot give them Hâ—re and Tythes but may reprove their Evil and Covetousness and Wickedness begging for Laws against such and crying out against Error Herisie because some may be mov'd to cry against their Deceits Oppressions and for the like causes they will run about thee and seek their own Advantage and this we know their nature and spirit is such and hath been for many Ages But now Friend Do thou stand in God's Authority out of and over all such Teachers and Sects and come not under any of them that have the Form of Godliness but want the Power who are in the Apostacy from the Life and pure Religion that the Apostles were in nor believe them not that shall say Lo Christ is â—â—rt or Lo he is there or Who shall ascend to fetch him from without or When shall be come from far to save his People Go not thou after any of these but he arken to the Word of God in thy heart and know that Christ is within thee else thou art reprobate neither do thou take in hand to exalt any one of these Sects or some of them above others neither defend maintain any of them against others of them nor tollerate not one of them above another for if thou dost it will betray thee and the Nations Peace and set all spirits on Fire about thee and while one is pleased and may pray for thee others will be vexed against thee and curse thee wherefore be not troubled about these things nor cumber not thy self about Religion how to establish it for it is God's Hand only to establish his Worship and Religion it belongs to him as he will and not as man by his Policy and Wisdom but stand free from them all and neither establish any nor persâ—â—ute any Sect whatsoever but let them all have their couâ—se and
season they will fall and perish of themselves and the Good Old Way and Truth and the pure Religion only will remain and let them cry one against another and rebuke one another and meddle not thou with that but only let thy Laws and Authority preserve mens Persons and Estates from the Wrong one of another that all men may live peaceably under thee and no man wrong his Neighbour's Person or Estate and that 's only thy Place to rule in outward Affairs but not to Rule over any mans Conscience to compel him to such a Worship or to limit from such a Worship in Religion that belongs not to thee but to the Lord who alone will be the Ruler and Guide and Exerciser of his People's Consciences and if thou dost meddle therein thou shalt not prosper nor be blessed in thy Deed So leave the establishing of Religion to the Lord and let all these Sects manifest if any of them have the Spirit and Power of God in them and with them and let them shew their Weapons of the Spirit for only such as have the Power and Spirit of God in them will overcome and such will be increased and grow and thou nor none can hinder and such that want the Power and Spirit of God in and with them may flourish in their Form for a while but they will be blasted and wither and it s in vain for thee or any to uphold such or endeavour to establish them but if thou meddlest on these accounts it will undo thee and confound thee therefore be wise and know what the Lord requires of thee perfectly for if thou leavest that undone which God requires then shalt thou be condemned and if thou dost that which he requires not then shalt thou not be free And this is written in Love to thee to inform thy mind how to walk towards the Lord and the People over whom he hath set thee And as for the maintaining of Ministers Let that alone also and be not troubled about it for it was ever the false Prophets and Deceivers that preached for Hire and went after Gifts and Rewards and sought Money and Gifts of people and they that do the same now were never sent of God nor are they such as shall convert people to God for who are true Ministers of Christ will not seek to thee nor to men for Wages nor Tythes nor Money but live of the Gospel and not compel great sums of Money from people to maintain them in their Families in Pride in Fulness and Idleness such things are great Oppressions in this Nation and a horrible filthy thing in the Sight of God and because thereof will the Lord's Judgments come upon the Land If thou wert but rightly sensible what casting into Goals and what suing at Law of poor People and what spoiling Peoples Goods by Restraint and all for and about Tythes and Priests Wages it would make thee admire the Wickedness of that Generation but do thou let them alone for they do shame themselves and undo themselves and lose the Hearts of all good People by their own doings and stand over them all in God's Authority and know a measure of the Spirit of God in thy own heart and thereby thou wilt discern and try and judge of the spirits of all men and their Religion and the Spirit will lead thee in the pure Religion to worship God in Spirit and in Truth So let not thy mind be cumbred at all about establishing Religion nor about maintaining the Ministers but be faithful to what the Lord requires of thee and learn his Will and do it and then thou wilt be Blessed and Honoured in this world and in the World to come And Friend Know thou that the Lord is doing of a great Work in these Nations he is raising up a Seed to serve him and to worship him aright and the God of Heaven is setting up a Kingdom over all the kingdoms of the World and he hath a Controversie with all sorts of people in as much as Corruption and Degeneration is entred amongst all and all must be purged of all Orders of men and the Evil cast out the Work of the Lord is Great and Mighty and he requires no help of thee nor any man whatsoever for his own Arm will bring it to pass yet he would not have thee to gain-say his Work and strive against it and seek to quench what the Lord is bringing forth if thou dost it then shalt thou be condemned and the Lord will speedily execute his Judgments and Remove thee and overthrow thy Power and Authority into Destruction wherefore be passive in this matter and look thou at the Lord and protect and defend mens Persons and Estates from Wrong but meddle not with their opinions and professions in Religions to exalt any of them nor yet to persecute them And thus Friend according as it lay upon me from the Lord I have written this unto thee in dear and pure Love God is Witness and I have cleared my Conscience to thee thus far and if thou fall by thy own Transgression it will lie upon thy self I have warned thee and I am clear and if thy Fall comes remember thou wast advised Who am a Lover of Iustice and True Iudgment and a Friend to this Common-Wealth and to thee wisheth well in the Lord E. B. London the 18th of the 8th Moneth 1658. This was delivered to him in the Eighth Moneth 1658. To the Protector and his Council THE Lord God will shortly make you know that we are his People though we be accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter yet our King of Righteousness will break you to pieces if you harden your Hearts and Repent not And seeing that Love will not draw thee neither the Gentle Leadings of our God have any place in you yet Judgment shall awaken you and his heavy Hand of Indignation shall lie upon your Cousciences and you will be scatterred and distracted to pieces E B. This was written in White-Hall in the Tenth Moneth 1658. to Richard and his Council For the Parliament YE that sit in Counsel that are assembled for the Nations Good hear ye the Word of the Lord God which is towards you all Rememember the Cause of God and of his People remember the Groanings of the Poor and give ear to the Cry of the Oppressed and relieve the Guiltless Sufferers and break the Bonds of Iniquity and let the Oppressed go free do this lest you perish And remember the Old Good Cause that is decayed and hath long been laid waste let it be once more revived in the Nations that God may bless you Remember the first Engagement which was for Freedom and suffer not the Exercise of pure Conscience to be trodden down by Oppressors but seek ye seek ye the Glory of the Lord and the Safety of his People and the Freedom of such as are oppressed and be not ye Oppressors nor Adders to the Sufferings of the
it hath been in my Heart divers times to declare the Substance of these things unto you but at last I have chosen to write my Mind to present to you concerning the Matters very needful for you to be informed in and it is for your sakes as well as theirs that I have done it that you may not run on to act any thing against them upon Suspitions and Accusations of others without hearing our Defence and therefore it is for the avoiding and stopping of Persecution in the Land for this Cause have I taken in hand Submissively and not Presumptiously to state this Plea before you and I must leave it to your Considerations and cannot impose my Faith upon you to believe as I believe but having laid the Truth before you I shall leave it to the Lord to work Faith and Love and Iustice Mercy and all good things in your Hearts that you may bring them forth in the Exercise of them in the World London the 10th day of the second Moneth 1661. I am a Lover of Justice and Mercy Truth and Righteousness E. B. A Just and Righteous PLEA presented unto the KING of England and his COUNCIL c. CHAP. 1. The Case Stated and Pleaded concerning Swearing at all and particularly concerning the Oath of Allegiance 1. WE do acknowledge our selves to be free-born People of this Kingdom of England the Land of our Nativity and we do assert That we have just and lawful Right and Title as such to possess and enjoy our Lives Liberties and Estates both by the Laws of God and Man having never unto this day since we were a People forfeited our Birth-right as men by any Rebellion Sedition Contempt or otherwise but have alwayes been and are a People exercised in the Law of our God by walking justly towards all men and doing to others as we would be done unto and have been and are a Peaceable People under every Government and Authority that hath been over us since the Lord raised us up And I do hereby declare That we now are and shall be Faithful Innocent and Peaceable in our several Stations and Conditions under this present Government of King Charles the second whom we acknowledge supream Magistrate and Governour over this Kingdom and for Conscience sake we are obedient and submissive to him as such in all his Commands either by doing and performing of what he justly requireth or by patient suffering under whatsoever is inflicted upon us in the Matters for which we cannot be obedient for Conscience sake when any thing is required of us different from the just Law of God And to this Subjection to the King and his Government we are bound by the Law of Righteousness and such hath ever been our Principle and Practice and is unto this day even to be Quiet and Peaceable and Patient under every Authority that is set over us and not in Unrighteousness to Plot or Contrive or Rebel against any Government or Governours nor to seek our own Deliverance from Injustice and Oppression in such a way And we are perswaded to seek the Preservation of the King's Person and Authority by all just and lawful Means and not to Rebel against him with carnal Weapons and so far as his Government is in Justice Mercy and Righteousness we declare true and Faithful Subjection and Obedience thereunto and wherein it is otherwise we shall be subject by patient suffering what is unequally imposed upon us and yet not Rebel in any Turbulent way of Conspiracies and Insurrections For our Principles are not for War but for Peace with all men so much as in us lie neither may we render Evil for Evil to any but are to be subject to the King and his Government Actively or Passively upon the Conditions aforementioned And we renounce all Forreign Authority Power and Jurisdiction of the Pope or any else from having any Supremacy whatsoever over the King oâ— any the good Subjects of England And this we Declare Acknowledge and Testifie in the Fear and Presence of God to whom we and all Mankind must give an Account and that without secret Equivocation or any deceitful mental Reservation 2. But as for all Oaths and Swearing we utterly deny for Conscience sake towards God because Christ Jesus hath commanded Not to Swear at all Mat. 5. And the Apostle saith Above all things my Brethren Swear not Jam. 5. And it was the Principle and Practice of divers holy Martyrs even some of the Protestant Church since the Apostles dayes in all Ages Not to Swear at all in any Case so for Conscience sake and according to the Example of Saints in former Ages we do refuse to Swear in this Case of Allegiance to the King and in all other Cases whatsoever and we cannot Swear at all Though the Truth and Verity of all Things in all Cases so far as known to us and as Occasion requireth we can acknowledge and testifie with Yea and Nay as in the Fear and Presence of God and with true Intent and Meaning to discover the Truth as is needful to be known And in this manner we acknowledge just Allegiance to the King and his Government that we shall live Peaceably and not Plot nor Rebel against him according to the Law of God and a safe Conscience but without any Oath or Swearing at all for we may not break the Command of Christ nor walk contrary to the Example of the Apostles and Saints by Swearing though we suffer the Loss of all because thereof And it is our known Principle and Practice ever since we were a People that in no Case whatsoever though of great Dependancy oft times to our selves both in respect of Advantage to us and also in avoiding of Sufferings we have not taken any Oath nor Sworn at all whereby it is manifest that our refusing chiefly to take the Oath of Allegiance is not because it is that Oath but because it is an Oath and for Conscience sake we cannot Swear at all 3. And thus the state of our present Case about this Oath of Allegiance is different from some others from all such who can swear and take Oaths in other Cases to whom taking of an Oath in it self is not matter of Conscience but as for us we make Conscience of an Oath in it self and that upon just Ground as we are able to demonstrate and therefore our Refusal of this Oath of Allegiance gives no Ground at all of Doubt or Suspition concerning us as if we would not live peaceably and quietly under this Government or as if we would Rebel against or Plot to destroy the King's Person or Authority and so deny to take this Oath as if we would leave our selves clear to proceed in such wayes this Judgment cannot justly be given of us because we deny to Swear at all in all Cases which if it were not so but that we could Swear in other Cases and not in this then we might justly be the more suspected
could not be believed if it were spoken of the several and particular Operations and Manifestations of the everlasting Spirit that was given us and revealed in us but this is the sum Life and Immortality was brought to light Power from on High and Wisdom was made manifest the Day everlasting appeared unto us and the joyful Sun of Righteousness did arise and shine forth unto us and in us and the holy Anointing the everlasting Comforter we received and the Babe of Glory was born and the Heir of the Promise brought forth to Reign over the Earth and over Hell and Death whereby we entered into everlasting Union and Fellowship and Covenant with the Lord God whose Mercies are sure and infinite and his Promise never fails and much might be spoken but this is the sum we were raised from Death to Life and are changed from Satans power to God and gathered from all the dumb Shepherds and off all the barren Mountains into the Fold of eternal Peace and Rest and mighty and wonderful things hath the Lord wrought for us and by us by his own out-stretched Arm. And thus we became Followers of the Lamb whithersoever he goes and he hath called us to make war in righteousness for his Name sake against Hell and Death and all the Powers of Darkness and against the Beast and false Prophet which have deceived the Nations and we are of the Royal Seed Elect Chosen and Faithful and we war in Truth and just Judgment not with Weapons that are carnal but by the Sword that goes out of his Mouth which shall slay the Wicked and cut them to pieces and after this manner was our Birth and bringing forth and thus hath the Lord chosen us and made us an Army dreadful and terrible before whom the Wicked do fear and tremble and our Standard is Truth Justice Righteousness Equity and all that comes unto us must cleave thereunto and fight under that Banner without fear and without doubting and they shall never be ashamed nor put to flight neither shall ever they be conquer'd by Hell or Death or by the Powers of Darkness but the Lord shall be their Armour Weapon and Defence for evermore and they that follow the Lamb shall overcome and get the Victory over the Beast and over the Dragon and over the Gates of Hell for the Lord is with us and who shall be able to make us afraid Then having thus armed us with Power Strength and Wisdom and Dominion according to his Mind and we having learned of him and being taught of him in all things and he having chosen us into his Work and put his Sword into our hands and given us perfect Commission to go forth in his Name and Authority having the Word from his Mouth what to cut down and what to preserve and having the everlasting Gospel to preach to the Inhabitants of the Earth and being commanded in spirit to leave all and follow him and go forth in his Work yea an absolute necessity was laid upon us and wo unto us if we preacht not the Gospel for when we looked abroad and beheld the World behold it was altogether Darkness and even as a Wilderness and desolate and barren of good Fruit and Death reigned over men and no good Fruit was brought forth to God but Leaves we beheld upon every Soul and all men and people were made drunk with the Wine of Whoredoms and the Whores Cup they had drunk and was committing Fornication with the great Whore and she reigned over the Kings and peoples of the Earth and the Antichrist was set up in the Temple of God ruling over all and having brought Nations under his Power and set up his Government over all for many Ages even since the days of the Apostles and true Churches hath he reign'd while the Woman hath been fled into the Wilderness and the Man-Child caught up to God Christ said Antichrist should come and put on the Sheeps cloathing and be inwardly a ravening Woolf and Iohn saw that Antichrist was come in his dayes and he went forth then from the true Church and went into the World and deceived the World and ever since his Kingdom hath reigned over Nations for then he begun to exalt himself and it is sixteen hundred years since all which time Antichrist that hath had the Sheeps Cloathing but inwardly a Ravener and hath ruled and reigned and this we saw and perceived in the very time of our birth and bringing forth and we behold Nations as a Wilderness untilled and mens Hearts as the fallow Ground unbroken up and not plowed nor sown with the good Seed of Gods Kingdom so that we saw all states and orders of men corrupted and degenerated from what they ought to be and from what God had once ordained them As for the Ministry first we looking upon it with a single eye in the Light of the Spirit of God which had Anointed us we behold it clearly which formerly we had been stumbling at and much doubting of that it was not the perfect Ministry of Christ for many years before not to be of Christ nor sent of him nor having the Commission power Authority of Christ as his Ministry had in the days of the true Churches but in all things as in Call practice maintenance and in every thing else in fruits and effects we found it disagree and be wholly contrary to the true Ministry of Christ in the days of the Apostles and likewise we truely beheld it to be in Call practice and Maintenance and all things the very same in fruits and effects with the false Ministry and false Prophets and false Apostles and Deceivers of old and this I do testifie and am able to prove in the Spirit and Authority of the Lord that the publick Ministry as now it stands generally is wholy degenerated from what the true Ministry of Christ once was and differs and is contrary in all things to what Christ's Ministers were and agreeth and is equal in all things with what the false Prophets and Deceivers were thoughout all Ages and this I charge upon it in the face and view of all men to whom this may come for this we saw concerning it in the beginning and our first assurance And as for other Places and Orders of men and Callings we saw them also corrupted and degenerated and evil and iniquity abounding among all sorts of people and blindness and darkness covered the face of the Earth and of the World and all people were in their Transgressions and making void the Law of God and that it was time for the Lord to work and to arise to ease himself of his Adversaries and as for all Churches so called and Professions and Gatherings of people we beheld you as all in the Apostacy and degeneration from the true Church not being gathered by the Spirit of the Lord nor anointed thereby as the true Members of Christ ever were but to be in a
the City Country challenged and invited and ingaged to Disputes by the high Priests and Church-members so called and written against printed against by the chiefest of men accounted wise and religious which of any Sect and who of all the wisest in profession and the most zealous in practices of Religion so called have not at sometime or other beset us and encountred with us in high Disputes and Controversies opposing of us to our Faces and gain-saying of our Doctrines and Practices and denying of us and resisting of us wholly and crying against us to be Deceivers Deluders and Hereticks and Blasphemers and such like and that our Doctrines were deceivable and error and factious and what not and that our Practises were destructive to Men Laws and Government these things in the worst nature have been spoken against us without ceasing by the wisest and men of greatest Parts and most religious falsly so accounted for this certain years in the South as well as in the North besides what loss have we sustained other wayes in the South by Beatings and Strikings and Abuses and Slanders and false Reproaches and haling before Magistrates and Imprisoning and all the like dealing from Priests Rulers and People as we did in the North yea the same hard dealing and cruelty from all sorts of people we have suffered and do daily as we did in the North insomuch we are now accustomed to the Yoak and well acquainted with Sorrow and Griefs from all sorts of people and were not the Lord on our side our Enemies would swallow us up quick and we had been long since devoured by the Teeth of the Ungodly so that I may call to witness all the Goals and Prisons in the South as in the North and all the Magistrates Judges and Rulers and all Officers of the Law what sufferings we have sustained and what cruel and hard dealing we have undergone and what injustice and unequal and false Judgment hath been executed upon us in these five years time which of the Goals may appear free where some of us have not suffered the loss of our Liberties unjustly and who of any justice of the Peace or any other Officer from the Judge to the Constable that can clear themselves from guilt in this matter and that they have not had a hand in our unjust sufferings and to the Witness of God in all people of all Sorts through this whole Nation and some other I do appeal concerning this matter how we have been dealt withal and what we have sustained in our persons and in our names how many Acts and Words of Cruelty and Injustice we have born suffered and these Priests have been as the Fountain and Cause of all this and the formost in all this Iniquity and Injustice by all what they could do to incense the Rulers and people against us by Preaching and Praying and Writing and Printing for the space of this seven years yet notwithstanding all this the Mighty Power and Presence of the Lord hath been with us and perserved us from Dangers great and many and carried us through Trials and Perplexities and Sufferings and not onely so but he hath increased us in number so that Thousands and Ten Thousands have and may own us and the Truth which we give witness of and live therein for the eyes of all people are beginning to be opened and the deaf Ear is unstopped and the Way of Life Eternal is made manisest and the Lord is gathering his Flock which hath been scattered in the cloudy and dark day whilest these false Idle-Shepherds these Priests and Teachers I mean have fed themselves with the Fat and cloathed themselves with the Wool and laid down in slumber and not gathered the Flock nor fed them but scattered them and driven them away and with Force and with Cruelty have they ruled over the Heritage of the Lord woe woe unto these Shepherds saith the Lord God they shall be confounded and put to shame perpetually and they shall be broken down and never builded any more and the Lord will pluck them up by the roots and they shall never again be planted And besides all their Petitioning the Magistrates against us and preaching and praying against us and all the evil and wickedness in Work Word and Desire brought forth against us from time to time yet here sober Reader thou hast a Catalogue and whole number of Books printed and written against us abundance of their Doctrines uttered against us and in opposition to us gathered up in this Volum in a sum with our Answers to them and if thy heart and mind be single thou mayst hereby understand in measure the difference in Doctrine between them and us and compare each of them with the Scriptures and see whether their Doctrines and Principles laid down as the Subject of their Books or our Doctrines and Principles laid down in answer to theirs be according and agree with the Scriptures and if thou be impartial in this business and single in this search and judgement I doubt not but thou wilt in a great measure satisfie thy self and be resolved concerning their Priests and Professors of England and us who are called Quakers and then when thou thus hast done own and deny whether them or us as the Lord shall perswade thee for thou mayst fully perceive we differ in Doctrines and Principles and the one thou must justifie and the other thou must condemn as being one clean contrary to the other in our Principles and I wish also thou wouldst measure us and compare us in Lives and Conversations and truely judge whom of us whether they or we do the more follow Christ and his Apostles in Practise and Conversation and in all things lay us and them to the Line of true Judgement and with an upright heart judge accordingly for know this there is not any Principle we hold nor any Work which we practice in our Religion and Worship but we are willing and fully desire we might be brought to the Bar of true Justice together and in every Particular of Principles and Practices examined and tryed to the full and each of us judged in Truth and Equity whether it be they or us that are of the true Religion and true Faith and true Worship of God that the Apostles were in and which of us it is that are in a wrong Way and in a false Religion false Faith and Worship and in this we will joyn Issue with them in the sight of the whole Nation if they will come forth to tryal if what already is brought forth by them against us and by us against them for this seven Years in Disputes and in Printing and otherwise be not sufficient for all People to try us in and judge us by whether they or we be in the right and whether in the wrong And now to all People in the Nation I do appeal to that of God in all their Consciences to
while many despised thy youth And how have I seen thee with thy Sling and thy Stone despised Weapons as to war with wound the Mighty and that which hath seemed contemptible to the Dragon's Party even as the Jaw-bone of an Ass with it thou hast slain the Philistines Heaps upon Heaps as Sampson Thou hast put thy Hand to the Hammer of the Lord and hast often fastened Nailes in the heads of the Lamb's Enemies as Deborah did to Sisera and many a rough Stone hast thou polished and squared and made it fit for the Building of God and much knotty Wood hast thou hewed in thy day which was not fit for the building of God's House Oh thou Prophet of the Lord and shalt for ever be recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life among the Lord's Worthies who have followed the Lamb through great Tribulations as many can witness for thee from the beginning and at last hath overcome and found worthy to stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion the Hill of God as I have often seen thee and thy heart well tuned as a Harp to praise the Lord and to sound forth his great Salvation which many a time hath made glad the hearts of them that did believe and strengthened their Faith and Hope Well thou art at rest and bound up in the Bundle of Life and I know Tears were wiped away from thy Eyes because there was no cause of sorrow in thee For I know thou witnessed the old things done away and there was no curse but blessings were poured upon thy head as rain and peace as a mighty shower and trouble was far from thy dwelling though in the outward man trouble on every side and hath had a Greater share in that for the Gospel sake though a Youth in thy time than many besides But now thou are freed from that and hast obtained a name through Faith with the Saints in Light Well hadst thou more to give up then thy Life for the Name of Jesus in this World Nay and to seal thy Testimony committed unto thee with thy blood as thou hast often said in thy day which shall remain as a Crown upon thee for ever and ever And now thou art freed from the temptations of him who had the power of death and art freed from thy outward Enemies who hated thee because of the Life that dwelt in thee and remaineth at the right Hand of God where there is joy and pleasure for evermore in the everlasting Light which thou hast often testified unto according to the Word of Prophesie in thy heart which was given unto thee by the Holy Ghost and art at rest in the perfection thereof in the beauty of Holiness yet thy Life and thy Spirit I feel as present and have unity with it and in it beyond all created and visible things which are subject to mutation and change and thy Life shall enter into others to testifie unto the same truth which is from everlasting to everlasting for God hath raised and will raise up children unto Abraham of them that have been as dead stones whose Power is Almighty great in his people in the midst of their Enemies This same Edward Burroughs was born in the Barrony of Kendal in the County of Westmoreland of honest Parents who had a good report among their Neighbours for upright and honest dealing among men who brought up Edward in his Youth in Learning and good Education as the Countrey doth afford He was a very understanding Boy in his Youth and his knowledge and understanding did far exceed his years He had the Spirit of a man when he was but a child and I may say grey hairs was upon him when he was but a Youth for he was cloathed with Wisdom in his Infancy for I had perfect knowledge of him from a Youth He was inclinable from his Youth upwards to Religion and the best way always minding the best things and the best and nearest way of Worship to the Scriptures of Truth and always did accompany the best men who walked in godliness and honesty insomuch I have often admired his discreet carriage and his great understanding of the things of God He was never known to be addicted to any vice or malignity or bad behaviour neither followed any evil course of life from his childhood but feared the Lord and walked uprightly according to the light and knowledge received in all things In his natural disposition he was bold and manly dexterous and servent and what he took in hand he did it with his might loving kind and courteous merciful and flexible and easie to be entreated His whole delight was always among good people and to be conferring and reading the Scriptures and little to mind any sports or pastimes which there is an insidency unto in Youth but his very strength was bended after God and was separted I may say from his Mother's Womb and fitting for the Work 's sake whereunto he after was called And when it pleased the Lord to raise up unto us the ancient Horn of Salvation among us who were reckoned in the North Part of England even as the Out-casts of Israel and as men destitute of the great Knowledge which some seem'd to enjoy yet there was more Sincerity and true Love amongst us and desires after the living powerful Presence of God then was among many in that day who seem'd to make a great flourish who ran into Heaps and Forms but left the Cross behind them and indeed were Strangers to it God out of his everlasting Love did appear unto us according to the desire of our hearts who longed after him when we had turn'd aside from Hireling-Shepherds Tents we found him whom our Souls loved and God out of his great Love and great Mercy sent one unto us immediately by his Power a Man of God one of Ten Thousand to instruct us in the Way of God more perfectly who laid down the sure Foundation and declared the acceptable Year of the Lord who indeed made the Mourners to rejoyce and the Heavy-hearted glad which yet was terrible to all Hypocrites and all formal Profession which Testimony reached unto all our Consciences and entred into the in-most part of our Hearts which drove us to a narrow search and to a diligent inquisition concerning our state which we came to see through the Light of Christ Jesus which was testified of and found it to be even what it was testified of and the Lord of Heaven and Earth we sound to be near at hand and as we waited upon him in pure Silence our Minds out of all things his Dreadful Power and Glorious Majesty and Heavenly Presence appear'd in our Assemblies when there was no Language Tongue nor Speech from any Creature and the Kingdom of Heaven did gather us and catch us all as in a Net and his Heavenly Power at one time drew many Hundreds to Land that we came to know a place to stand in and what to wait in
by which he was made an able Minister of the Everlasting Gospel to preach Repentance Conversion Salvation and Remission of Sins and accordingly he went forth in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus the Saviour of Mankind and was an able Minister of the glad Tidings of Salvation in many or most parts of this Land and also he travelled through again and again the whole Nation of Ireland and in some part of Scotland and some part of Flanders and his Ministry was made effectual through the Almighty Power of God in turning many from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God there are many thousands who are living in the Body and alive in the Truth who can in the Spirit of the Lord bear Testimony to the Power and Verity of his Ministry in many Countreys where he travelled for he laboured much in divers places even in the heat of the day though he began early in the morning and in the beginning of his Travels and Labours it was his share to break up rough places and untilled ground and to walk amongst many Bryars and Thorns which scratched and pricked and teared and travelled with some other not without great opposition and he often trod the pathes and wayes which had not been occupied in the Truth and where darkness had the Dominion and was as a covering he brake through as an armed man not minding the opposition but the victory and the good of all souls though to my knowledge his sufferings and tryals have not been small nor his exercise a little on the right hand and on the left in travels often oftentimes buffetted sometimes knocked down by unreasonable men who had not Faith loaded with Lyes Slanders Calumnies and Reproaches often in Weakness yea in Deaths often in Watching Fastings and Temptations often in Straits and Necessities in Perils among rude Multitudes in Perils in Idol-Temple in Perils in Streets and Markets where the Lord did move him often to go in the beginning of his time besides the exceeding weight of service from Weeks end to Weeks end insomuch that he had seldom many Hours of repose and often suffered by those spirits who lost their first love and rose in opposition He was very diligent and faithful true hearted and valiant and the Yoke at last came to be easie unto him though no ease at all in the Body as to the outward man for he made the Work of the Lord his whole business without taking so much Liberty unto himself or about any outward occasion in this World as to spend one Week to himself to my knowledge these Ten Years He had ventured himself often for the Bodies sake and a great care I know was in his Heart that them that he had ministred unto and others that had believed in the same Truth might thrive and prosper and might walk as becometh the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was of a manly Spirit in the things of God he hath engaged himself often upon the Lords account singly in great Disputes when there were many Opposers he hath stood in the Door and in the Gap against all his Enemies for the worthy Name of God and taken the whole weight of things upon his own Shoulders that others might be eased though often to the weakening and almost destroying of the outward man yet doing all in love to the Lord and for his peoples sake he did it with Cheerfulness and it was a Grief to him if any opportunity was missed of doing good He was a man of no great Learning in natural Tongues which men so much applaud yet indeed his Heart was full of matter and his Tongue was as the Hand of a ready Scribe and yet he had the Tongue of the Learned having had experiment of the Work of the Lord and being acquainted with many conditions which God had carried him through he could speak a word in season unto all who declared their conditions unto him or otherways in his publick Ministry he was very plausible and elegant in his speech and indeed had the Tongue of a learned Orator to declare himself to the Understandings and Consciences of all men with whom he conversed by which many received great profit and their Understandings came to be opened for his words ministred Grace to the Hearers and his words were forcible and very pleasant as Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver This young Man of whom I am speaking was one of the first with some others who came to the City of London where he met with no small opposition both from Professors of divers Forms and also Prophane who heeded no Religion at all and the Way of Truth seemed contemptible and without form or comeliness to them all which made the Opposition so great and the Labour so hard that notwithstanding it pleased the Lord to reach unto the Consciences of many and many were prickt to the Heart so that they cryed out what shall we do to be saved And God made his Ministry very effectual to the conversion of many in the City of London whereby a great change was wrought in the hearts of many and many hundreds brought to know the Lord their Teacher which are as Seals unto the Word of Life through him unto this day And many hundreds I may say thousands heard the lively Word of God declared by him and were convinced of the Way of Truth though still remaining in the Disobedience to that of God in their own hearts unto which he declared and many have lost their day which they had of hearing and receiving the things of God for now he is taken away which might have been a help unto them while they had time and all such are not worthy of him He continued in this City very much at time and times betwixt eight and nine years together preaching the Word of God and speaking of the things of his Kingdom to all that looked after it and great watching travel and exercise in the Work of the Lord and his earnest desire was That all might have come to know God's Salvation and the Redemption of their Souls And his great diligence was known unto many that his only rejoycing was in the prosperity of the Work of the Lord and the increase of Faith amongst them that did believe And his heart was much drawn towards this City and oftentimes hath he said to me when sufferings did come for the Gospel sake which he knew would come I can freely go to that City and lay down my Life for a Testimony of that Truth which I have declared through the Power and Spirit of God which in the end indeed came to be his share and will for ever be his Crown who loved not his life unto death for the Testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ. And in the same year 1662 being pressed in his spirit to go visit them who were begotten unto the Faith of God's Elect at the City of Bristol and in divers other
Counties at divers Meetings and divers particular Friends he took his leave of them saying to very many That he did not know he should see their Faces any more exhorting them all to faithfulness and stedfastness in that wherein they had found rest for their Souls And said to some I am going up to the City of London again to lay down my LIFE for the GOSPEL and suffer amongst Friends in that Place as having some sence of his Suffering before And a little after his return to the City at a publick Meeting which the People of the Lord have kept these many Years to hear and speak of the things of God to Edification at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate by certain Souldiers under the Command of Richard Brown then General of the City of London he was violently plucked down and haled away in a barbarous manner and carried to the Guard and so committed to Newgate not for Evil-Doing but for testifying unto the Name of the Lord Jesus and for the Worship of God as though this were become a great Crime worthy of Bonds and at last Death He was had to the Sessions in the Old-Baily and his Accusers were Witnesses against him and them that had abused him violently their Testimony was received as good Proof against him And at last after two or three Sessions he was fined by the Court One Hundred Marks which at last was reduced to Twenty Marks and to lie in Prison while payment where he continued a pretty long season about Eight Moneths with Six or Seven Score Prisoners besides upon the same Account many being shut up among the Fellons in nasty Places and for want of Prison-room the Natures of many were suffocated and corrupted till at last many grew Weak Sickened and Dyed At last this same Young Man grew Weak and though a special Order from the King was sent to the then Sheriffs of London for the Release of him and the rest that were left in Prison yet such was the Emnity of some of the Rulers of the City that they did what in them lay to obstruct the Execution of the Order that he should not be released And so Weakness grew upon him daily though in much Patience he was carried through all In the time of his Weakness he was very fervent in Prayer and that often both Day and Night unto the Lord as concerning himself and also his People and at several times he spoke several precious words from the sensible feeling of God's Spirit in his Heart and said I have had the Testimony of the Lord's Love unto me from my Youth and my Heart hath been given up to do thy Will And he said I have preached the Gospel freely in this City and have often given up my Life for the Gospel's sake and now Lord rip open my Heart and see if it he not right before thee Another time he said when he had a little ease There is no Iniquity lies at my Door but the Presence of the Lord is with me and his Life I feel justifie me Another day afterwards he said Thou hast loved me when I was in the Womb and I have loved thee from my Cradle and from my Youth unto this day and have served thee faithfully in my Generation And he spoke to Friends that were about him To live in Love and Peace and love one another And at another time he said The Lord taketh the Righteous from the Evil to come And he prayed for his Enemies and for his Persecutors and said Lord forgive Richard Brown he may be forgiven And though the Distemper and the Disease was violently upon him yet he was preserved sensible And in the morning before he departed this life being sensible of his deaâ—h he said Now my Soul and Spirit is centred into its own Beeing with God and this form of person must return from whence it was taken And after a little season he gave up the Ghost and died a Prisoâ—er and shall be recorded and is in the Lambs Book of Life as a Martyr for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus for which onely he suffered and gave up his life whose death was pretious in the Eyes of the Lord. But now he ever liveth with God and his Work follow him and his Labours shall testifie of him in Generations to come and thousands beside my self can bear witness his Life and Death was to the praise honour and glory of the Grace of God unto whom be the glory of all his Works for ever Amen ANd oh thou City of London who hast been a professing City of the Name of God and Christianity so many years must it be said of thee as Christ said of Jerusalem that a Prophet cannot perish out of thee Oh how many Warnings hast thou had and how dost thou remain in obdurateness and impenitency Oh thou art not worthy of those Heavenly Tydings of Salvation which hath been proclaimed in the midst of thee these many years by this faithful Messenger of God deceased with many more who is taken away in judgment unto thee because many of thy Inhabitants despised and set at nought that in which the blessedness of all Nations consisteth Oh how is thy Gold become dim and how is thy glory stained How is thy Countenance marred How is all thy Profession became dead and like a withered Tree without Sap The Symptomes of death are upon thee Your Sun is set your Glory is passed away Night is coming and Darkness is surrounding you and you shall have enough of Darkness and your Paths and Ways shall be filled with it because you have hated the Light and would not have him who is the Light of the World to rule in your hearts but have chused Darkness rather then Light because your Deeds are evil and in the end thou shalt be made to see you have chosen lying Vanities and have taken Pleasure in the Flesh and have forsaken your own Mercies Repent repent if any can find a place while it is called to Day lest you be shut up in everlasting Darkness and Truth be hid from your Eyes for ever â—ake warning cease from Persecution and afflicting the Lord's People who desire to live quietly and peaceably and to worship God in Truth and Righteousness with a pure heart It is too too much that you have done already the suffering and death of many Innocent Righteous Men who have suffered these Winters past will lie as a load upon your City in Summers to come Remember what God did to Amaleck the first of the Nations and to Moab when Israel would have passed to their own Land and Countrey that God had promised them and have eaten their own Bread and Drank their Water and have passed on peaceably but they rose up and fell upon the Poor and upon the Hindmost and Weak God was Glad to Force his Way though it proved the ruin of Amaleck and the Misery of Moab We would glad walk on
Heathen and under the barren dry and empty Ministry of Man which stands in the will of man and have proceeded out of the carnal inventions and imaginations of fallen man and is not according to God nor to the practice of the Saints in former Ages and Generations To you all do I clear my conscience in the presence of God by declaring to you in writing being that I cannot have freedom through the subtilty of the Serpent who doth work alwayes to prevent the living Truth to be declared and the deceits of himself to be discovered and made manifest to declare in word among you I have been sent by the Lord moved of him to come and to declare to you the Word of the Lord to the directing of your minds where to wait to attain the true Knowledge of the Lord and to that one Thing needful the Eternal welfare of your souls and to lay open the deceits of the Serpent who doth work in the cursed deceitful Ministry which is upheld by you whereby your souls are kept in the death and only your dark minds fed and nourished by the painted and Serpent-like expressions and declarations coming out of the carnal wisdom and brain knowledge of your Hireling who walks in the way of the false Prophets of Israel which the true Prophet called greedy dumb Dogs four several times hath the Lord by his Eternal Spirit working in me moved me to come into the Congregation and Assembly he himself is the Witness that I came not of man nor by the will of man but contrary to the will and desires of man wherein stands the true Ministry of God now as it was ever the true Prophets Ieremiah and Ionah witnessed the same and the Apostle Paul and as it is known to you unto whom I speak that I could not have liberty to declare to you the Truth from God who came not to you with entising words neither what I had gathered out of Scripture from without me neither to speak my own imaginations and conceivings as your false Hireling doth but to declare the Word of the Lord to the convincing your dark understandings that you might see the deceits by which you are and have been led that your souls might have been redeemed up to God out of the imagined worships of the World to worship in Spirit and in Truth Hear ye the Word of the Lord ye people all your carnal traditional Ordinances and Observances is abomination to the Lord all your praying and praising is odious in his sight for all your worship is an imitation and an imagination of the dark mind of man and was never commanded by God therefore consider all ye people what you are doing and reject not the Lord nor his Everlasting Truth but prize your time and now seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon his name while he is near Your souls are kept in the death under your dead Minister and under his dead Doctrines dead Reasons Points and Uses which he speakes from the Saints conditions and experiences but is an enemy to the substance and to them in whom the same conditions are made manifest in the power of Truth and he doth make manifest himself to be in the same generation of them who had the form of Godliness but denies the Power having the Letter as the Pharisees had but persecuting the substance as they did All people consider whether he be not in the generation professing God and Truth in Word as the Scribes and Pharisees were but persecuting the Son of God who is the Substance of Truth where he is born and made manifest he is in the generation of them who professed Abraham's freedom and that God was their Father but were of their father the Devil for his workes they did they said and did not as he doth as it is made manifest he is a whited Wall a painted Sepulcher which Christ the Son of God cryed wo against who was and is the Light by which all Deceivers Hirelings and false Teachers are discovered and cryed out against The Light which is Christ do I witness to be made manifest in me from God the Father of Light daily leading me up to him to live in Purity and Uprightness praises be to him for ever in which Light I see your Teacher to be a Hireling a greedy dumb Dog seeking for his gain from his Quarter one that God never sent but hath run and was not sent therefore doth he not profit you at all and from this Light which is Christ do I declare against him as knowing him that he hath not the Word of the Lord but the Letter Freely do I declare against him as knowing him to be a Deceiver and an Antichrist being once I was deceived by him but now through the rich Love of my Father who hath made himself known to me hath shined by his Eternal Light in my heart do I see him and all such to be Antichrist and no Minister of Christ from the mouth of the Lord I do declare it that you are led blindly by him your blind Guide and you are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Living Truth by his Ministry He layes heavy burdens upon you He is in the generation of them who had the Law and Prophets but persecuted him who came to fulfil the Law and who hath the substance of the Prophets He hath the Conditions and Experiences of the Saints in the Letter but who are brought to witness the same Conditions and the same strait Way in which they walked He is an enemy to all people to you from God I do declare it he is one that God never sent to speak his Word to you he calls good evil and evil good and puts Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light and therefore wo is his Portion and wo is the Portion of all that upholds him What will ye do in the end thereof He doth bewitch you to observe That calling is an Ordinance of God which he never commanded Poor people your souls lies in the death under the power of darkness and corruption under your dead Minister and under his dead carnal Observances and your dark Minds your Wit and Reason is only fed and so the enemies of the Lord are strengthned by him and you remain in ignorance and in blindness and cannot attain the true Riches for Christ only is the Way to the Father the Light in every man which leads to the Father but this Light he denies as having enlightened every one that comes into the World as several times he hath done to me in Argument Here he makes Christ a Lyar and doth not know the first Principle of Religion nor the Light which leads unto God but is a Heathen and knows not God for this is the Light which all the Servants of God in all Generations witnessed and which Light we do now
witness praised be the Lord for evermore who hath in his Light led us to himself and hath shewed the deceits of him to us and of all such as he is he is in the generation shutting the Kingdom of Heaven against men neither entring himself nor suffers others to enter that are entring Through the Power of the Lord made manifest am I bold to declare against him who walks not in the Doctrine of Christ and therefore is an Antichrist and doth deceive you professing himself to be sent of God and walking contrary to the Truth of God a Hypocrite saying and not doing Ye my Country men be not deceived by him try him by the Scriptures see how he walks according to the Declaration as they did who were Ministers of Christ not by the will of man but his Ministry is by man and according to man and had his Call from man as it is known to you all but they who were true Ministers witnessed the contrary neither received they their Gospel from man but by the revelation of Jesus The true Ministers of Christ sent sorth by Christ witness now the same thing for Christ is the same that ever he was which is now made manifest in the Saints and his Ministry is the same which is not by man but contrary to man be not deceived God will not be mocked for he is terrible and his day is powerful and dreadful that shall come upon the Heathen and upon the workers of Iniquity and upon all Dissemblers and Hypocrites all your carnal Worship and Ordinances and Observances is but mocking of God and dissembling with him and is but an imitation an imagination of the Mind of fallen man imitated by you and your Minister droven by the imaginations from the true Worship of God which the Saints in former generations was exercised in who were led not by imagination as you are but by the Spirit of God as all the servants of God are Now as ever was true Baptism I own which is by the holy Ghost and with Fire and the Baptism with one Spirit into one Body do we witness but that which your Chief Priest and false Hireling holds up I deny it it is not of God but is an imitation and is abomination in the sight of God and therefore from God do I Declare against it and against your Hireling that upholds it among you True Communion of Saints I own for we have Union and the Bread which we break is the body of Christ and the Cup which we drink is the Blood of Christ by which we are nourished and fed up to Eternal Life for he that eats not Christ's Flesh and drink his Blood he hath no life in him he among you that can receive it let him but your Communion I deny for it is Heathenish and no more but an imitation having proceeded out of the imagination of the Proud Your breaking of Bread and drinking of the Cup is abomination and God never commanded it and this doth your Pharisee uphold sitting in the seat of Christ and of the Saints as the Pharisees did in Mose's seat saying and not doing True singing I own with the Spirit and with Understanding singing in the Spirit making Melody in the heart to the Lord this singing was and is among the Saints in the Church of Christ this is well pleasing to God for it is not an imitation nor by tradition as your singing is but it is true Sacrifice the song of the redeemed ones which none can learn but the redeemed ones of the Lord who is come and coming to Zion with songs and everlasting Joy upon their heads but your singing is Carnal Traditional and Heathenish and is an Imitation and is not with the Spirit of Jesus but with the spirit of the World with the spirit of Drunkards Swearers Lyars Mockers Scorners Coveteous ones with the spirit of Wrath Envy Malice with the spirit of Cain with the spirit of the Scribes and Pharisees and chief Priests who persecuted the Saints which sang in Truth in former Generations and now the deceit is turned into the form of singing and they that live there persecutes them that sings in the Power for thus it was ever they that lived in Profession of the Word outwardly persecuted them that lived in the Power of which was professed and there you and your Hireling is but know that the Lord will take an account of you and give unto every man his reward according to his deeds You and your Priest have got the form of Baptism of the Communion of Singing and of a Church but the Power and Substance of these Ordinances you know not for they are hid from all vulturous eyes and from the generation of the Pharisees and Serpents who are called of men Master and which have the chief place in the Assemblies as your Hireling hath and who is called of men Master as they were which Christ cryed Wo against True preaching of Jesus Christ Crucified we own and do witness for the preaching is out of the will of man out of Form and Custom and is foolishness to the wisdom of the World now as it was ever this is not with the inticing words of mans wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of Power and the preaching of the Word of Faith which is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that preaching we do own for Faith comes by the hearing of this Word preached And the Prayer with the Spirit of Truth we do own for that is not in word to be seen of men but led to that not by Custom Form and Tradition but by the Eternal Spirit which proceeds from God which hath free recourse to God which God heareth and doth accept for their iniquity is purged out of the heart and is not regarded for he that regards iniquity in his heart God will not hear his Prayer but the Preaching and Praying of your Hireling I do deny for they are abomination to the Lord for his preaching leads from God stands in his own Will in his own Time in Form Custom and Tradition and your souls are not refreshed by it neither is true Faith known among you for how can he being evil speak good things A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit said he who cryed Wo unto them that said and did not in which generation he is how can he teach and direct towards true Religion being he denies the Corner Stone the first Principle of Religion which is the Foundation which no other can any lay the Light of God which hath enlightened every one that comes into the World which he denies to have enlightened every one Poor people I do pitty your souls God is my witness to see you lie in darkness in ignorance and blindness and in deadness under your dead Hireling and under his dead traditional Preaching your wisdom reason and dark minds
was in and this he shall witness with me to be true and against thee who would reproach the Way of Truth by him when the Book of Conscience is opened And whereas thou further sayest Their spirit will perswade them that they are not fallen from righteousness and would therefore justifie them I answer We are gathered up into righteousness and fallen from vanity and this the Spirit of God perswadeth us and witnesseth in us and for us by which onely we are justified freely and not by the works of the Law nor by any outward observance and herein thou also art a Lyar who sayst we are fallen from righteousness for even the righteousness of God is manifested to us by which we deny all your carnal outward observances by which you think to obtain life and righteousness Now in answer to thy sixth Particular which thou calls a heavy and sad offence which is a denying honour to men which thou sayst is the example of good men to which I do answer God hath commanded to honour him alone and not to how down to any Creature and thou hast brought many Scriptures to oppose the command of God and so art more fully made manifest to be an enemy unto him which would plead against him by that which is written from him pleading the example of good men which is no example to us to break the command of God no more then Davids example in comming whoredom and Iosephs example in swearing by the life of Pharoah is an example for any to act those things now and I do utterly deny that any of these Scriptures which thou hast cited will prove and maintain your heathenish custom in your deceitfull way of honouring one another to please the Devil in one another which is without the fear of God and it is a sad offence to none but the Devil because it weakens and disturbs his Kingdom of which thou art as is made manifest who pleads to uphold it from the Scripture but vain honour with flattering titles unto any man we do deny but yet we honour all men in the Lord and out of him we honour none to uphold the pride of man for God will bring it all down and lay it in the dust and exalt himself to reign over you all and whereas thou sayst how far are these men from the holy Writ To which I say and answer thou slanderously wouldst make us to appear odious in the sight of men but all the upright in heart will see thee and thy blindness and ignorance who bringst that Scripture where Christ in fulfilling the Law of God which he came to fulfil worshipped in the Temple to prove and maintain the worship of man Answ. O thou blind Pharisee and perverter of the Scripture God will plague thee thou enemy of his truth who perverts the Scripture to thy own destruction and art worse then the Pharisees who said he respected no mans person and they shall witness against thee and whereas thou speaks of honouring Father and Mother which thou sayest we deny in this our practice I answer I charge thee to be a Lyar for as I said we honour all men in the Lord and direct all Children and Servants to obey their Parents and Masters in the Lord and this many can witness for us which have more frequented our Assemblies then thou hast done but this we also testifie where the obedience to any man stands in opposition to God the obedience to God is rather to be chosen and herein he that will not hate Father or Mother for Christ sake is not worthy of him but thou carnal earthly man art pleading for the Kingdom of the Devil to honour man above God and I say how can you believe that seeks honour one of another your honour and your heathenish custom we testifie against yet unto every Ordinance of man we are subject for Conscience sake Now to that which you call the seventh mistake affording absolute perfection at one Instant in admitting of none but perfect men into conjunction Answ. It is a mistake in thee for such a word never proceeded from us I may say it is rather an absolute Lye invented by thee to make us odious then a mistake from us for thy heart is desperately wicked and thy torment is kindling by the Breath of the Almighty many which have heard us will testifie against thee for we say the Saints have their growth up into a perfect man in Christ as Christ himself had and we say also there is children and young men and fathers as the Apostle said but thou art not ashamed to utter thy Lies and Slanders which hundreds in this City will witness against thee for a Lyar and even the light in thy Conscience will accuse thee to thy face that thou hast imagined lyes and mischief upon thy bed against us and whereas thou bringst many Scriptures to prove thy slanders against us to be true to which I answer all the Scriptures we own and bear witness unto by that Spirit from which they were spoken but thee and thy spirit we deny for both you and it is of the Devil and thou hast devillishly added thy imaginations upon them and wrested them which I shall not now mention because I do deny the thing which thou assertest for its an absolute lye and do say unto thee God will reward thee thou slanderous tongue and whereas further thou sayest in our perfection we deny any man being under frailty or capableness to sin to be of our communion I answer here again thou art a Lyar these words were never uttered by us as thou hast set them down but I say he that sins is of the Devil and such we have no unity withal nor such hath no unity with God for no impure thing enters to him nor hath communion with him for whosoever works abomination is to be cast out and trodden in the winepress of his wrath where the portion of Lyars is among whom thou must receive thy reward for with such we have no union who are disobedient children but with him who in the least measure which he hath received from God walks up in the Light unto God we have unity and communion with him Thou sayst one of us told thee that which sinned could not be saved I answer it is out of the reach of thy wisdom and thy vulterous eye shall never see it I say as the Scripture saith The soul that sinneth must die and every man must die for his own iniquity if thou hast an ear thou mayst hear and further thou sayest that our Doctrine may appear to be utterly against the Scripture thou bringst Rom. 7. 23. where Paul was under the Law and saw a Law in the members warring against the Law of the mind I answer his Scripture we own and are ture Witnesses of it but there was also a time that the Law of the Spirit of Life had freed him from the Law of sin and death but
of a person justified and to be justified thy language is of Egypt and in the mystery of iniquity thou speakst it which is condemned into the â—ake of perdition by the Light of Christ and in the Light thou and it art seen and comprehended and as I told thee before I own no righteousness but what is of Christ and wrought by him which Righteousness shall confound thee and all thy unrighteousness and conjuration and the same that justifies us shall condemn thee eternally 16 Quer. Whether Christ be in his Saints in respect of that nature wherein he suffered at Ierusalem Answ. Here thou Enemy of Christ wouldst know how the Saints injoy Christ here the Scripture is fulfilled upon thee the Light shines in darkness and darkness comprehends is not when thou comes to own thy condemnation the Light in thy conscience it will let thee see thy evill deeds it will lead thee up to Christ from whence it comes and then thou wilt know that nature that he suffered in but now thou art in that nature that Iudas was in that betrayed him and that they were in that crucified him 17 Quer. How and after what manner Christ who in respect of his Divine nature is in all places may be said to be in a Saint and not in Reprobate Answ. What hast thou to do to query after the Divine Nature who art the natural man that knowes nothing of God but what thou knowest naturally as a bruit beast and knowes not the things that be of God because they are spiritually discerned and the manner of Christs Divine nature which is infinite is hid from thy eyes for with that eye that thou shouldst see with that art thou blind and the manner of his being in a Saint thou knowest not who art a Reprobate and thou shalt find him to be thine eternall condemnation 18 Quer. Whether doth Christ now in these dayes assume or take upon him the form of a servant and the seed of Abraham that is our flesh And Whether doth not this assumption cause such a perfection of the God-head and the Man-hood as that both of them are united together into one person Answ. O thou dark Beast and Conjurer who art querying with thy conjured words that which thou knowst nothing of and which is out of thy reach and comprehension thou Blasphemer dost thou limit Christ to dayes in taking upon him the form of a Servant and the seed of Abraham Is not he the same now as ever he was And for the union of the God-head and Man-hood as thou callst it let thy mouth be stopt for with thee God nor none of his Children hath any union for God hath put an utter enmity betwixt thy seed thou Serpent and the Seed of the Woman and the perfect union with Christ we witness who is the same to day yesterday and for ever and therefore are we separate from thee and thy Generation 19 Quer. Whether is Christ now conversant upon earth amongst men since his Ascension as he was before and in those times wherein the Apostles lived Answ. In thy queries thy speech bewrayes thee thy language is the language of Aegypt for in it thou makest it clearly manifest that thou knowest not Christ at all not in the least measure for where the first Principle of Truth is made manifest it is the same that ever was and never changes and thou askest whether Christ be now conversant upon Earth amongst men since his Ascension as he was in the Apostles time Dost thou know what thou askest Did he not appear to the Apostles since his Ascension in the most glorious manner that ever thou readst and is he not the same now as he was then What wouldst thou make of him thou dark sottish Beast such a one as thy self who wouldst be pleading for darkness and ignorance of God but praise and glory to him who hath discovered thee and all such Deceivers as thou art 20 Quer. Whether did not Christ dwell among his Saints after another and more visible manner than now he dwels in his Saints Answ. There again thou hast shewed thy ignorance of the Scripture and for thy word visible he is not nor never was visible to thee nor to thy Generation for those that did profess the Scriptures as thou and thy Generation doth crucified him and said he was of the Devil as thou and such as thou art dost now thou Blasphemer where hast thou a Scripture that saith that Christ would dwell in his Saints after another manner Did he not say It is expedient for you that I go away and I go and prepare n place for you and I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there you may be also and ye have heard how I have said I go away and come again unto you and if ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I go unto the Father and Christ Jesus saith in Iohn 14. 21. Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me the works that I do he shall do also and greater works than these because I go to the Father But all these Scriptures is hid from thy eyes and thou art one of those that Isaiah prophesied on and that Scripture is fulfiled on thee which saith He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts Now blessed be the Lord that hath discovered thee and such Blind-Guides as thou art So thy queries are answered in the eternal Light and Life of God and judgement is given upon thee and them which thou shalt eternally witness without roving or wandring but thou who art out of the Light art roving and wandring and stumbling in darknes who hast put forth these stumbling queries which are Answered lovingly and plainly and in the Scripture Language and Termes and with the Eternal Light and Life of God set thee in thy own place which thou shalt eternally witness These are matters of great concernment and if you refuse to answer them in writing spare your tongues and spare your Papers for I will henceforth neither hear the one nor read the other Answ. Thou sayst these are matters of great concernment We see that that which makes thee manifest and such as thou art and which layes thee open to poor ignorant people who are deceived by thee and led into the ditch and their souls kept in death by thee to make this manifest is of great concernment as these dark black stumbling queries and thy conjured words hath done which thou hast no Scripture for as ambiguity efficacy exclusively antecede and non-imputation assume and assumption Now let all people read and consider what they do that holds such as thee up who is shut out from God and shut out from the Saints life and language and art shut out of the Scriptures though thou makest a trade of them for money and deceives poor people but thou knowest nothing of the
Weeping Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth But as for the Elect Wheat of Christ which thou sayest is the Children of Adam thou speakest thou knowest not what the first man is of the Earth earthly and he begat his Image and that which is earthly shall never inherit but are to have their portion with Cain where thou art that hast uncovered thy nakedness but the Elect and the Wheat shall be gathered into the Barn and they are not nor ever were they defiled but shall reign with the Lamb in the New Ierusalem for ever and ever where no unclean thing can enter nor nothing that destroys or defiles in that holy Mountain of the Lord if thou hast an ear thou mayst hear 6 Quer. What is that painful and shameful Death in utter darkness and where it is that is reserved for the Reprobate who are the seed of Cain and not of Adam or blessed Abraham Answ. Thou that queriest shall surely know it is Tophet prepared of old even for the King the burning of it is as Fire the Breath of the Lord doth kindle it it shall be destruction for ever and ever to that which hath given forth these queries and it is to be separated from God for ever among all Idolaters and Adulterers and Lyars the Unbelieving the Abominable and the Fearful in the Lake of Fire where the Worm dieth not nor the Fire goeth not out as for Adam in innocency thou knows nothing of him who art of Cain who slew his brother and must have thy portion with him and not with Abraham the promise was not to the Transgressor nor to Adam when he eat of the Tree of knowledg for the Lord said in the day thou eatest thou shalt dye he was driven from the Presence of the Lord into the Earth in the curse the Promise was to Abraham in Isaac is the Blessing not in Ishmael and here thou shewst thy ignorance but it is but like the former when thou joynest the Elect and Reprobate together Light and Darkness and in Babylon thou art but in that which was before Babylon was thou art seen and as for those dark spirits thou speaks of who minde nothing but their lusts condemning the glorious things of eternity because their carnal reason cannot comprehend them see at home for in the Light of Christ thou art seen that thou knowest nothing of Eternity by thy dark imaginations being naturally as a Bruit to the Light of Christ in thy Conscience I speak which will let thee see it is so 7 Quer. Are they not deceived Persons and utterly ignorant of the true God who judge men and women in darkness if they ask them Questions about the needfull things of Eternity is it not because they went before they were sent and so are of a bitter spirit for want of spiritual Light to satisfie the tender Christian Querier Answ. All who dwell not in this Light which is pure and eternal are ignorant of God and never knew God such judging shall be judged and by the Light which sees and comprehends all darkness thou art seen but the spiritual man judgeth all things and he is judged of none and all Judgement is committed to the Son and where he is made manifest he speaketh and judgeth righteously and those men and women who would be asking questions of Eternity and never came to the first principle to be guided by it the Light which leads to Eternity all such men and women are in darkness and that minde which is in the Earth and in the naturals shall never know and therefore they are judged to be in darkness and darkness cannot comprehend the Light Christ and his Disciples answered and judged that spirit which would have had a sign and called them Adulterers which Spirit we witness to the praise of God and to thee that put forth the queries I speak to thee in the presence of God whether thou putst them forth in simplicity and art ignorant or wouldst know or in the pride of thy heart and subtilty to tempt the Light of Christ will let thee see but thou art rich and full therefore thou must be sent empty away all who queries from that nature that would know but never come to obedience that is to be judged and judgment must thou witness and for a bitter spirit of envy that shall stand for thy self and that thou wantst spiritual Light is made manifest which curses that which God hath blessed as I have seen under thy own hand far remote from this City and that thou hast cursed them soul and body to all eternity which thou never heardst nor saw let shame strike thee in the face and stop thy mouth for thou canst not put a difference betwixt the precious and the vile but cursest thou knowst not what and speaks to that thou knowest not But as for them who have a desire to know the way to the Father we are ready to give an answer and to impart of the gift we have received and doth not break a bruised reed but the fat we feed with judgement and there thou art answered 8 Quer. It is not an infallible demonstration unto them who have a discerning Spirit that that man hath no commission from the true Spirit to preach or speak to a pâ—ople when for fear of his ignorance being discovered or for fear of losing his Heâ—â—ers â—e shall counsell them to stick close to the Word of God or to heâ—â—ken to the Light within thâ—â— in their Consciences without knowing what that is in the Conscience or what will be the issue of it if men be obedient to it or disobedient to it and to beware of false Prophets and not thinking in the least himself to be that false Prophet and thus borrowing Scripture language which we are the true Messengers of the Gospel doth he not in his pâ—…â—inder his Heâ—â—ers from reading the glorious things revealed unto the two last Witnesses and so thou sayst it is clear that the Spirit is not in them which was in Paul who gave theâ— leave to try all Answ. Here thy infallible demonstration is made manifest to be fallible and lying when thou layst that down to be a sign of them that have no Commission from the Spirit and not to have the Spirit because they exhort them to cleave close to the Word of God and to mind the Light which shines into the Conscience of every man which is the Light of Christ here thy Spirit is tryed that thou hast not the same commission as they had who spoke forth the Scripture and so thou preachest another Gospel for the Word of God endures for ever and by the Word which is eternall and which was in the beginning which tryes all things which searches all things comprehends all things and judges all things he that cleaves not close unto that builds upon another foundation and by the Word which endures for ever thou art seen not to have that Word neither knowest what nor where it
stands in time and in the airy Philosophy and imagination and thy great words etetnity and eternities shall stand thee in no stead for that which is Eternal was before thou wast and shall be when thou art brought down to the pit with all thy imaginations And so that thou mightst not glory any more in thy shame I have answered thy Queries and for the simple ones sake that they might not be stumbled by thy stumbling queries who dwellâ— not in the Light EDWARD BURROUGH An Answer to a Book called Choice Experiences Given forth by I. Turner Also the Copy of a Letter sent to the Assembly of those that are called Anabaptists in Newcastle I Have met with a Book called Choice experiences given forth by one J. Turner who by Iohn Spilsbery in his Epistle is called a Daughter of Syon and her self declareth in the 109. pag. of her Book of being brought out of Babylon into Syon but all along through her Book heâ— language is one and the same before her comming out of Babylon and in Syon as she saith her language is the language of Babylon wholly and she is yet a servant in bondage in Babylon unto the Mistress of Witchcraft and never came to witnesâ— freedom in Syon for I know her voyce it s the language of her City where she now dwells which is in confusion in Babylon And whereas she declares of some particulars which she calls Decâ—its whereby she was deceived in the 109. pag. in that which she calls the fifth note of experience concerning notions and pretended spiritualities in which Satan transforms hiâ—self into an Angel of light and how the Lord was pleased to recover her out of deceit I answer It is plain to the spiritual man which discerns of truth and deceit that she is yet deceived and unrecovered out of deceit and here I charge her that she belyes the Lord for he hath not recovered her out of deceit for she hath resisted him in that work as is made appear in her Book and she is now in notion and not in power and in pretended spiritualities and not really in the Spirit and Satan is now transformed in her into an Angel of light by which she is deceived and whereas she talkes of her choice experienâ—es death yet raigns in her and is no whit subdued I speak as in the presence of the Lord who am moved to lay open her deceit to the simple who doth blaspheme the God of Heaven in his Saints in calling Truth error and calling that deceit which by the Spirit of the Lord I own to be truth and calls those corrupt Principles which were owned by the Servants of the Lord in former Generations and which are owned now by them which witness the same Spirit which Spirit of Christ she makes appear she knows not who hath denied him and salvation by him within Whereas she speaks of Satan envying her happiness and waits his opportunity to catch her as a Fish in the Water covering his book with a baite of Mystery and spirituality I answer She is yet in the power of Satan he hath already catched her with his covered hook which is covered with a very fair out side a fair Form of Truth a likeness of it with the likeness of a Church and of a Baptism and of a Fellowship c. is she beguiled already and is unhappy through the opportunities which the Devil hath waited over her for she it under the curse lying in the fall and enmity And whereas she speaks Of having escaped him in his former appearances as a Devil yet now transforms himself as an Angel of light I answer She hath not escaped him as a Devil and here she is a Lyar for his appearance is in her in lying and in speaking evil of those things she knows not and he is transformed in her as an Angel of light but she knows it not but lyes in darkness in the mystery of iniquity in notion and the pretence of spirituality And she saith Those that are so deceived are the fittest Agents to promote his Kingdom I answer Here it is made manifest she who is deceived by the Devil doth much promote his Kingdom by strengthening the hands of evil doers who through her writing hardens their hearts against the truth Whereas she speaks Of Satans drawing persons by corrupt principles which they would have trembled at the thought of before they had such principles I answer This is her own condition she is drawn by Satan to follow corrupâ— principles which if she did see she would tremble at the sight of them And she saith God was not onely pleased to keep her from such things but to discover the way by which persons are brought to such things I answer Here again I charge her that sâ—e belies the Lord which is Blasphemy for he hath not kept her from corrupt Principles he would but she hath resisted him and the discovery from God to her will be plagues and wo for death and darkness raigns which makes manifest themselves in her which is her discovery She speaks of avoiding those ways and forewarning others to avoid them likewise I answer She hath not avoyded the wayes of darkness but hath chosen them and hath avoyded the way of truth as is made manifest who hath denied salvation by Christ within and as she hath avoyded the way of truth her self so she casts a stumbling-block in the way of the simple to avoyed it likewise Whereas she speaks of discovering Satan under these vails and saith by barkening to the voyce of the Tempter she was deceived and beguiled by him in some particular things I answer Satan is not yet discovered to her but lyes under his vayle in Flesh deceiving her and by her bearkening to the voyce of the Tempter she is now deceived by him not in few things but in many I speak it as in the presence of the Lord who shall judge of her and me And she speaks of ever being humbled in the presence of God for it I answer When the dreadfull God shews his presence she cannot stand but shall be confounded who doth here speak to the dishonour of his Name True humility she knows not for the man of sin is exalted in her above all that is called God And whereas she speaks of beginning to be somewhat confused in her judgement and she speaks of not being swallowed up with confusion I answer She is in confusion and hath never been out of it as to every single eye may appear she is not only somewhat in confusion but is rowled and swallowed up in it and it is long since it began in her Whereas she speaks of being weak in Principles I answer It it true the Principle which is of God is and hath been weak in her for it is over-powred by the Principle of Deceit which is not weak but strong and which rules and Guides her in her own will Whereas she speaks of being with a
cry up as Oracles of God I answer The most high God judge between thee and us whose wrath is kindled against thee thou enemy of righteousness and Child of wrath thou hast belyed the Lord of Heaven and Earth for to this he moved thee not for he moves none to utter lyes and slanders as thou hast done but the spirit of enmity and of the Devil hath moved thee and to the Truth thou bears no witness but against the Truth and against the Innocent and charges us with fleshly mindedness and spiritual pride O thou Lyar and false Accuser the Lord who takes our part against thee will plead with thee and render upon thy head according to thy deeds prove what thou speaks that we are fleshly minded and spiritually proud or else let thy mouth be stopped and shame cover thee forever Sorceries and witchcraft and drawing from the simplicity of the Gospel we do deny but the plain single Truth we do declare by which the eye of the blind is opened in many to see your deceits who call your selves Churches and Preachers of the Gospel which is not the Gospel that the Apostles preached but an adding your own Imaginations upon their words who witnessed the Gospel and it shall stand for thy own condition thou art in the sorcery and witchraft who draws people to observe an outward visible thing from the Light of Christ within them which leades to the simplicity of the Gospel which is inward and not outward and thou art in thy fleshly and corrupt thoughts crying up the Ordinances and Oracles of God which are but carnal and beggerly rudiments of the world which passeth away and here thou art seen and made manifest in the Light of Christ to be a Hypocrite who falsely accuses others of that which thou art guilty of thy self the same Gospel as ever was do we declare and not another which we received not from man neither was taught it by man and as the Oracles of God it shall stand forever for a witness against thee and all the world who doth not believe for even the Father beares witness of us and therefore our witness is true and the righteous God will plead with thee thou Lyar and false Accuser and here be a witness against thy self that the Lord moved thee not but the Devil acting in thy own imaginations and in the vanity of thy own mind and in thy one fleshly and corrupt thoughts And whereas thou sayest to us thou directs thy speech from the Lord Thus saith the Lord to thee O Quaker thou art fleshly minded I answer It is not the voyce of the Lord to us that speaks in thee but the voyce of the Devil and the Serpent which speaks from thee fleshly minded we are not but are redeemed out of it and our mindes are changed and are Spiritual and 't is the Spirit of the living God seals unto us and witnesses in us and here thou art of thy Father the old Dragon and Accuser of the Brethren but it is God that justifies and who art thou that condemns and this thy speech is seen and comprehended which thou hast directed to us and it is judged by the Spirit of true judgment to be a false Accusation and a Lye and not the Word of the Lord and into the Lake amongst the false Prophets thou art to be turned who useth thy tougue when the Lord never spake to thee And thou sayest we look upon the Iustitution of Christ Supper with a fleshly and carnal eye because we say that the bread and wine which Christ commanded his Disciples to eat and to drink is carnal I Answer The bread and wine is visible and carnal and fleshly and not Spiritual nor Eternal and in the eternal Light by the Spiritual eye of God opened in us we see them and do own that it was a command of Christ to stand for its time and no more but a carnal figure of a spiritual thing and the spiritual thing being the Substance bearing witness the figure is denied and declared against and thou and thy Generation who art acting in those things by tradition tying and limitting God to a visible thing that without it no salvation art in the sorcery and witchraft and an enemy to the substance for Christ never since he was sacrificed brake of the Bread or drank of the Cup with his Disciples but new in his Fathers kingdom and thou who art in the â—arnal figure acting those things without the injoyment of Christ art sensual and by the Light of Christ art to be condemned and judged with the world who art without God and without the injoyment of Christ in the beggerly rudiments of the world Thou sayst O fleshly minded men whom the god of this world hath blinded because you believe not and thou sayst thus saith the Lord and speaks the Prophet Malachic words To which I answer this again I do deny the god of the world is cast out and the eye is opened through judgments and our fleshly minds are judged and in the Name of Jesus we do believe and our belief in him hath purified our hearts to the praise of the Living God who hath wrought all our works in us and foâ— us do I speak without boasting and here again I charge it upon thee that thou art a slanderer and a false accuser and let shame cover thee who professes thy self to be a Teacher of others who thy self is not taught of the Lord but steals Malachis words and speaks them to us in thine own imaginations and calls it the word of the Lord the Lord is against thee thou false Prophet who prophesies lyes in his Name and that which thou speaks to us is thy own condition and that which shall come upon thine own head for a child of disobedience thou art and thy eye is blinded by the god of this world And whereas thou sayest we are spiritually proud that give forth our selves to be some great ones and we say we are Apostles and are not but are found Lyars proud Pharisees Hypocrites that say we are Iust Holy Humble and the poor sinful Publicans are more justified then we I answer proud we are not our God shall judge between thee and us in this thing for we have nothing but what we have freely received from him and that we give forth our selves to be great ones here thou art a Lyer and a false Accuser again this we have said and do yet again declare that we were moved of the Lord of Heaven and Earth to come to declare his mind and his Truth in this City but this is no boasting and by that same spirit which was in the Apostles were we moved and are guided and by no other but who hath found us Lyers since we came I challenge you and all thy Sect to prove one lye that we have uttered or else let shame cover thee and let thy mouth be stopped and let thy own heart condemn thee to be
all deceit and your present condition and that which would lead aside and temptation as it ariseth it will discover and resisting in the Light here temptations come to be escaped and the pits and the snares which they who err from the Light fall into Dear Friends great is our care one every side and we are jealous over you lest you depart from the simplicity of the Gospel and so the deceit lead and guide and so you will come under condemnation and therefore all in silence wait be swift to hear slow to speak and all wait upon the Light in diligence and take heed of forward minds and wills which would go before the Light and run before the Guide there is the Deceiver and false Prophet within the same that is without and therefore we charge you all in the Name and Power of God to take heed of forward wills in speaking lest your minds be drawn out from the moving of the Pure within to hearken to words without which are spoken from that which is above the Light and this feeds the carnal reason and the earthly wisdom and lets in the Inchanter and so your minds being turned without you feed upon the husk and not the Life and therefore that nature that cannot live without words is for the Plague and for the Famine and must be famished and stopt And therefore now as the Power ariseth in you dwell low in it and sink down in the same and as things open in you speak not forth there your minds would run out and speak that which is opened by the Spirit this is the Prodigal but as things open treasure them up in your hearts and all keep in that which separates between Light and darkness and be not hasty to do any thing lest your wills betray you and all keep in Patience there the Crown is obtained and flee not from the trouble nor from that which judgeth but dwell in it and pray that your flight be not in Winter if you do you are Vipers And despise not the Cross even the death of the Cross that all your iniquity may be nailed to the Cross and so the righteousness may be set up within and so the Land is kept in Peace And therefore all dear Friends whose hearts the Lord hath touched meet together in silence wait and you will see the Lord present among you and his power made manifest among you and the earth broken up and the fallow ground and a passage for the Seed and we charge you all take heed of many words or feeding upon that which is torn and dies of it self and we charge by the Lord that none speak without Eternal Motion for if you do the false Prophet speaks and his words eats as a Canker and darkens and vails them that hearken to it And therefore all wait to have Salt in your selves and savour and discerning that you may come to know the voice of the Lord from the voice of a Stranger and so you may be kept out of all deceit for there Thorns and Briars and the cursed fruits are brought forth but in the Light of Christ dwell and wait and grow up in it and walk in it that you may come to know your Redeemer and what you are redeemed from and see him near you and in you else you are Reprobates And so the Lord God of Life and Power preserve you all for we have kept nothing back but are free from the blood of you all and of all that hears us but our desire to the Lord is that what hath been sown in weakness may be raised in power and that you may grow up in the Truth and walk in the Truth that we may see the Travel of our Souls and be satisfied and if the Lord give us to see your faces again we may rejoyce in you and with you and so the Everlasting God of Life and Power keep you all in his Wisdom and Power to have victory over all your Enemies that you may serve him in uprightness of heart and be faithfull to that of God made manifest in you all Your dear Brethren in the Gospel of Christ committed to our charge E. B. F. H. To be read at Meetings of Friends in London FRiends of God called by him out of the dark World into his marvellous Light to all you who by the Power of God are kept faithful to walk and abide in the measure of the Gift of God received Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father of Life be multiplied in you and amongst you that you all may grow up in the Power of God out of Darkness and the shaddow of Death wherein you have been held captive in a strange Land Dear Friends our souls are poured out for you that you all may abide in that which you have received and heard which is the Way and Path of Life and Righteousness and Peace eternal therefore all dear Friend walk worthy of the calling whereunto ye are called and wait in the Light by which you are enlightened that all deceit in particular and in the general may be comprehended seen and judged we bear you record there is a Witness of God manifest in you and true desires which flows to God from you Therefore take heed to the measure of God that by it you may hear the Voyce of God and see his powerful Presence for by that which is manifested of God in man God speaks moves and acts and is known unto man and all that neglect the measure of God to walk in it all their Knowledge Experiences and Profession is for condemnation by that which changeth not so all dwell in the measure which is the Light in the Cross which keeps under and judges the fleshly man so the understanding will be kept open to receive the Mercies of God and to walk worthy of the Mercies received but turning aside from the Light you neglect the Mercies and follow lying vanities and err from the Way of Righteousness and bring your selves under condemnation for no longer is God enjoyed by man then man abides in his Counsel in his Fear where the secrets of God are manifest and received by the Light which is the first entrance unto God and the fulness of the enjoyment of God Beware of the World where all the temptations lie to draw away your minds into the carnal and visible things out from the Light by which the Life is enjoyed and so death passeth over you and condemnation cometh upon you and the Life be lost and misery be revealed against you Large is the Love of God unto you in calling you and chusing you and therefore forget not this Love but walk in it up to God from whom free Redemption is manifested unto that which hath lain in Death overcome by the Darkness follow not your own wills nor the voice of the Stranger and false Prophet which draws out into visibles into here and there but have salt and discerning in your selves
that you may try every motion and every spirit and may by that which is infallible and errs not comprehend and judge that which is fallible and erring which flourisheth for a time but comes to an end is withered as that in your own Knowledge and Consciences will set to seal who have been strayed and scattered upon the Mountains in the cloudy and dark day but now the Light is breaking forth and the Day begins to appear and all you who abide faithful shall see the Glory of the Lord and shall enjoy him in the Land of the Living End of the Work of God We charge you all in the Lord that you who profess the Truth walk in it and who profess a change to let it appear by putting off the works of Darkness which by the Light are made manifest unto you and testified against by the Witness of God in you for know this that that which liveth in you which is contrary to God witnessed against by the Light of Christ shall be as a Prick in the eye and as a Thorn in the side for ever and Wrath is to be revealed upon him that spareth the best and saveth the fat from Judgment for to the slaughter all must come that Life and Glory may be made manifest and he that looks back by the way is not fit for the Kingdom and he that returns again to the pollutions his latter end is worse then his beginning and the Judgment of God cannot be escaped Therefore wait in the Power of God and stand in the Light which is the Armour against all temptations whereby the Darkness and Death and he that hath the power of Death is overcome and all that love the Light and are guided by it And all dear Friends who have tasted of the Love and Power of God and do witness the renting of the Earth dwell in the Power and pure Fear of the Lord that so all deceit may be kept down and under and take heed of the false Prophet speaking or suffering your minds to run out in the openings and so you will speak that which is opened in the Light and therefore we charge you all in the Presence of the dreadful God of Life and Power that you all wait in silence and wait to have Salt and Savour in your selves to know the Voice of Christ from the voice of the Stranger for till that be known in your selves you are not able to judge and therefore all wait in the Light which is the Eye which sees into the Mysteries of the Kingdom and none to utter a word but what you are Eternally moved unto or else that in every ones Conscience will bear witness against you and therefore be not hasty now when you see things open in your minds dwell in them and run not forth and speak but treasure them up in your hearts and take heed and keep low in the Fear of the Lord God that pride and presumption get not up nor nothing be exalted above that which is pure Dear Friends you are upon us as a great weight and burden lest we should have bestowed our labour in vain but we hope and trust the Lord will preserve you if you stand in obedience to that of God made manifest in you and so you will grow and take heed of striving and contending but judge that every one in your selves that you may all grow up in the pure Life of God And so the everlasting Power of God bless you all and keep you in his everlasting Love and Power and give the victory over your Enemies that you may come to witness eternal Life in you made manifest from God Your Brethren in the Work of the Lord E. B. F. H. To Friends in London DEar Friends in the evelasting Covenant of Life and Peace whom we bear witness of and unto whom we have declared and preached in season and out of season among yea and have often come unto in much weakness and fear and trembling and have not ceased day by day to watch over you lest any should start aside from the Hope of the Gospel which was declared amongst you in much demonstration of Spirit whereby your understandings came to be opened even by the Word of his Power which we directed you to wait in and for and you are Witnesses your selves of the Love and mighty Power of God which was made manifest among you which made the Heathen to rage and confounded the wisdom of the Wise So dear Children of Light of whom we have travelled in pains and great burdens that Christ might be formed in you fulfil ye our joy make our hearts glad in your growth up in him who hath called and spoken to you from Heaven by his Son in the Light and your ears have heard and your eyes have seen and you have been made to understand the Mystery of the Kingdom of God which is a Parable to all the World and sealed and cannot be read but to you who continue and abide in the Grace of God which hath appeared to all men which brings Salvation to all that walk and abide in it and leads to the Enterance and Earnest and the sealing of the Spirit until the time of the finishing transgreson and making an end of sin and so the everlasting Offering be witnessed which perfects for ever them that are Sanctified therfore all Friends whose minds are turn-to the Light and do witness a change in you by the working of the Spirit and now a door of Hope being set open abide in that measure every one and stay your souls upon him who is your Hope and keep low in the Fear to the just Principle of Life that you may have savour and discerning to know the Voice of Christ from the voice of a Stranger in your selves and in others and so grow up in the discerning and comprehend all spirits and judge them by the Light that makes all things manifest and all meet together in your several Meetings and watch one over another and be diligent all in your measure and take heed you neglect not and none be of a careless mind to meet and wait upon the Lord in silence for whose life stands only in words without such we deny for their eyes and ears are without and they would be ever learning and that is the silly woman that is loden with lust And all dear Babes take heed of taking liberty to the flesh nor give no ear nor liberty to the Earth but in the Cross dwell to the carnal and so you will witness the Plant of the Lord watered and a growth in the Immortal and the Seed you will see which is one in all which the Promise is to and all be still and cool and quiet and of a meek spirit that out of boysterousness and eagerness and feignedness and self-love you may be preserved in your measures up to God and if any be moved to speak a few words in your Meetings this we
who saith in your hearts you are the onely people but your lying hearts deceives you and you are found naked and without a covering All ye that desire after the way of the Lord of all sorts of people who are simple and honest hearted whether prophane or professor you have a day of visitation from the Lord yet stretched forth unto you Come ye unto the Lord and forsake all your lovers lay aside your evil hearts which hath led you aside from the way of salvation and now learn the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom and mind the one thing needful which is of great prize even the salvation of your souls press after and come out of the broad way of perdition wherein the world goes on to destruction and enter into the strait-way where the unclean walks not cease from all the deceitful wayes and worships of the world and love truth and walk in simplicity Cease from all your Idoll Temples for God dwells not in them but his Saints are his Temples wherein he dwells and walks cease from all your Idoll worships and feigned prayers and praises for God is not worshipped in vain traditions as in observing dayes and times and outward things but in Spirit and truth is he worshipped and such he seeks to worship him and a broken spirit and an upright heart is accepted with him Cease from all your Idol Shepherds and Priests of Baal that preaches for hire and divines for money and seeks for their gain from their quarter for they profit not the people at all who are ever learning while they live upon earth and none able to come to the knowledge of the truth therefore cease from man and wait upon the Lord who is now risen to teach his people by his Spirit in his way of truth and righteousness in his peace and purity where his blessing is received from his presence which is with all that fear him Therefore awake awake out of darkness and love not to slumber in the dark night which long hath ruled over you this is the day of your return and of your visitation wherein the Lord would gather you Therefore resist not the love of the Lord wherein he calls you to repentance from dead works to serve him in righteousness but every one turn your minds inward to the Light of Christ Jesus wherewith every one of you is lightned which light is it which convinceth you of sin and lets you see your evil deeds and whom you have served and how you have spent your time the Light shines in darkness and reveals unto you the secret intents of your dark hearts and doth secretly reprove the wicked purposes of your minds with this light in your consciences your sins are written and all that ever you have done is recorded and this light shall be the swift witness and the condemnation of the wicked in the day of the Lord and by it all your works will be brought to remembrance and your sins will be set in order before you to receive judgement by Christ Jesus And here is the free love and gift of God unto you who hath given you a light to guide you in his way if you own it and wait in it it will manifest the judgements of God against sin in you and will condemn sin in your flesh and will reveal the righteousness of God to be your covering if you dwell in the light it is your Teacher and way unto life eternal and if you bring all your deeds to it it will reprove every evil word and work and give you discerning of things that differ it will manifest the secretest deceit of your heart and winding of the Serpent and will be judge thereof till unrighteousness be taken away and a birth brought forth from above and born of another nature and Seed which if you be not born again you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Therefore in the fear of the Lord all consider and search your selves in tender love to all your souls I write You must be judged in the flesh that you may be justified in the Spirit and you must be made poor and emptied of all your knowledge and wisdom that you may be filled and made truly wise So if you believe in Christ Jesus the Light and life of the world your hearts will be cleansed by the word of God which endures for ever and the Covenant of peace will be established with you where sin is no more remembred being condemned so â—ow you have all time this is to you all a warning as I was moved of the Lord. Repent the dreadfull day is at hand and meet the Lord by confessing and forsaking your sins and prepare the way of the Lord his coming draweth near lest his Judgments come upon you unawares and his Wrath sweep you away in fury and your Nation become more cursed then the rest all your applying of Christ's Righteousness whilst your selves are Sinners is to no purpose for no Hypocrite can enter into Life nor none that work wickedness have Eternal Life abiding in them but are in the death which hath passed over all men and the curse remaineth upon the Disobedient and all in the first nature are Children of wrath Therefore every one wait in the Light that you may be changed and take up the daily Cross of Christ that your own wills affections lusts and desires may be crucified and you may become dead to the World and may live unto God in his Nature and Likeness that your souls may be satisfied therewith and all that hunger and thirst after Righteousness shall be filled with the true Food Therefore wait all you that fear the Lord and meet together in his Counsel and wait for his Law that you may walk therein and lay aside the works of Darkness which are made manifest by the Light and also condemned in all that come to Sion Spend not your time in the vain deceits of the World nor follow noâ— the delights thereof for according to your works must you be judged in the day of the Lord. Depart from Iniquity and all the works of the Flesh Pride and Cotousness Lying Swearing and Double-dealing and all the fruits of unrighteousness let them be judged and let the time past be sufficient that you have wrought evil and now return and work Righteousness in God by the Light which all that love works in God And deceive not your selves with a deceitful covering of self-making and self-righteousness professing Scriptures in your carnal minds which was given forth by the Spirit and is not understood but by the same Spirit Whilst the first nature stands alive in you you cannot please God but are in the emnity against him Humble your selves and come down to the Light and search your hearts thereby Wo unto the Lofty and High-minded who will not be instructed but hatâ—â— reproof Wo is unto all Lyars and Swearers and Whoremongers and Vagabonds and prophane Persons
Darkness rules in you all and the Law of sin and death and transgression are you all subject to and led captive in your minds affections and desires at the will of the power that leads into transgression called the Devil and in that state you are all strangers to God and are without him in the World and ignorant of the knowledge of his Wayes and are in the perishing state for want of Knowledge and subject to the curse of the power which you transgress and are Heirs of his Wrath having no part of the Inheritance of Blessing for a vail of Darkness through sin hath overspread you all and covered you all from the sight and hearing and feeling of the Creator and of the mystery of his Glory and Wisdom and every one in particular and none excepted of all the Children of Adam upon the face of the whole Earth but all have sinned and transgressed and death reigns over all and blindness of heart hath possessed all and all have fallen short of the glory of the Creator and all men are concluded by his Spirit to be under sin and Children of Wrath and Heirs of Corruption and in disobedience and rebellion to the Life that gives all men a Being The whole World and all People in it without exception of Tribes Generations or Nations this is the state and condition of all the Sons of men all flesh hath corrupted his way upon the Earth in his sight that made it and the wickedness of man is great in the Earth and the imaginations and thoughts of every mans heart are evil continually and grieve the Creator for the whole Earth is filled with violence through mans transgression And now not any Stock or People have priviledge one above another to Redemption and Salvation and to the Kingdom of Peace and Glory but Iew and Gentile Wise and Foolish Noble and Ignoble Male and Female all People without exception are in transgression and by the line and measure of true Judgment are shut out from the Knowledge of Life and Salvation and of the Inheritance of the Father in that state of enmity wherein every man in the World is fallen into and by one the Offence came and so death upon all men which reigneth in the hearts of all and opposeth the Life of the Creator and everyone is imperfect in the sight of the Lord blind deaf dumb lame and without the sence of the Power of him that made him and brought him forth his Eye sees not for it is covered with a vail of darkness neither doth the Ear hear for it is stopped nor the Tongue speak nor the Understanding perceive any thing of the Secrets of the Lord but all are separated and divided from the Tree of Life and are cast out from his Presence by whom the World was made into blindness of heart and to the loathing of your selves and are more ignorant of your Maker then the Ox is of his Owner or the Asse of his Masters Crib for you know not him that gives you life and all good things and that upholds you by the Word of his Power And this is his Word unto you all You are all under the power of Satan and subject to his will acting in iniquity and in evil bringing forth the fruits of death from that ground in which you now stand which is cursed and your Maker hath no pleasure in it for your fruits grieve his Spirit that made you and vex his Soul that brought you forth for man is degenerated into the plant of a strange Vine and brings forth wild Grapes and cursed Fruit which are of a bitter taste unto the Lord's Soul who planted all things for himself who is the good Husbandman but the whole Earth is corrupted and all Mankind in it and man is not now acted nor led nor ruled in his heart by the Power that made him which gives him all good things but the power of Satan the Serpent the old Dragon which deceived from the beginning who is in the enmity against the Life of the Creator he acts man and rules man to the abuse of all Creatures and to his own destruction and every particular man is liable to the wrath and to the curse and to everlasting wo and misery and torment from his Maker in that state of disobedience whereinto all mankind is fallen not one upon the face of the Earth excepted from transgression and so from misery nor none priviledged one above another unto happiness but as I have said Male and Female who were made in the Image of their Maker in the first Creation but now every man in the whole World is in the enmity against the Life of the Power that made him and is a Child of wrath and shut up in blindness and unbelief under the Devils power which power abode not in the Truth but is out of the Truth and all mankind is left in this condition without Help or Helper or Deliverance or Means or Way of Salvation from himself or any other Creature upon the face of the whole Earth but is a Sheep without a Shepherd straying and wandring in the thoughts of his own heart after vanity and that wherein there is no profit to the Lord nor to his own Soul but death and sorrow in all his wayes having forsaken the Fountain of living Waters and gone a whoring after other Lovers and defiled himself and so brought destruction upon himself by his own doings who abounds in all Evil Lying Theft Murder Envy Strife stealing and Whoredom and such like which are the fruits of the Ground that is cursed for mans sake But now unto all People the Sons and Daughters of Adam the first man that ever was made Though you be thus fallen into misery by transgression and helpless from your selves or from any other Creature yet hath the living God the Power which made you and which you have transgressed against ordained and prepared a Way to be restored and healed and to be brought to the injoyment and feeling of the Creator from the disobedience and from the curse and misery unto the blessing and happiness and unto all mankind in particular is prepared a Way out of Death unto Life out of the loss which every man hath received in Transgression to Salvation and Redemption and Deliverance out of the captivity and bondage which all are fallen into into liberty and freedom to serve his Maker and to glorifie him for he hath not been served nor glorified but grieved and vexed by all men on the Earth and so he hath brought misery and the curse upon all by forsaking them and leaving them under the Power which made them not to be led and guided by it in rebellion unto destruction And now this same Power by which man was made is mans Restorer and Deliverer and Redeemer and Saviour though he hath transgressed against it for when there was none to help noâ— to save of any creature upon the face of the
Earth the Arm of that Power which made all things stretched forth it self to save the Creatures which were made and that same Power which is transgressed is the Redeemer of all mankind though it is offended and burdened and pressed as a Cart with Sheaves by transgression against the Creator and that is the Power which works out Salvation and Deliverance by slaying the enmity and condemning iniquity and removing the cursed ground out of mans heart that the evil fruits may cease which it brings forth and by this Power all must be saved that ever are saved and delivered from wrath And this all men have been ignorant of and not felt nor known nor tasted of the Life and Power of the Creator though it hath been near unto every one and all men and Creatures live move and have their being by it and sustenance from it and yet man transgresseth it and grieveth it and is not led by it Therefore all People upon Earth consider your condition and state and hearken to the Power that made you a measure of which moveth in the hearts of all mankind upon the face of the Earth and it moveth against the evil and against the defiled and transgressing part in every mans heart that is come into the World and this Power by which all men were made and which they have transgressed against a measure of it from the Father is made manifest to all mankind upon the face of the Earth and convinceth of the evil of Murder and Adultry and such like and condemneth the works which are evil in every particular man whether Heathens or Christians so called and unto all People here is the Way to be restored into covenant with your Maker a measure of his Power in you secretly moves upon you and calls to you to return to it to be led and guided by it in fear and obedience and subjection to it from which you have been driven and against which you have transgressed and this Power the Creator hath sent his Son into the World and given him a Gift unto all mankind and he hath given Light and Understanding to every particular man to know Good from Evil Truth from a Lye Right from Wrong Justice from Injustice and Equity from Falshood And this Power of the Son of God in you doth witness to you and accept you when with it you be guided and when according to it you speak and act and it justifies the good and the right and the equal and excuses all men in that from condemnation but against Lying and Wrong-dealing and Deceit and Injustice it testifies and when you do these things you transgress against that Power that made you which should save you and justifie you and excuse you and with it you are accused and condemned and it brings trouble upon you and the curse of misery and sorrow And this Power in you will search your hearts and try your reins and let you see your thoughts and make manifest unto you the state and condition of mankind who is become Enemy to his Maker in following that which brings death upon which the Wrath remaineth till there be a returning unto the Power by which man was made a measure of which as I have said moveth in the hearts of the Sons and Daughters of Adam in all the World And now if every one of you do turn your minds from the World and from the glories and vanities thereof and from the evil which hath possessed you in thoughts and actions and if you stand still for a moment from willing and desiring to your selves and after the World this shall you find secretly moving in you which shall draw you towards the Creator to enjoy him and to see his Glory which none that are still in transgression against him can ever partake of or behold and if to that you hearken within you and heed it and follow it which witnesseth to that Power that made you to be great and mighty and wonderful this will shew that you are short of his Glory And it will condemn evil in you in all thoughts words and actions which proceed out of the cursed ground in which the Creator hath no pleasure and this will take away the vail which is spread over you all and open the blind eye and unstop the deaf ear and bring you to hear and see and understand the things which are eternal which belong unto your peace and if you all come to be guided by that which moves in you all against evil it will lead you up to its self to be renewed and changed out of the evil and from under the Devils power under which every man hath been subject which power hath been out of Truth into the Image and Likeness of the Creator and to be restored to his Inheritance to enjoy Rest and Peace forever And this is the Word of the Creator of Heaven and Earth to you all and to all mankind this is the way unto Redemption and Salvation and unto the Blessing out of all Sorrows and Troubles and Afflictions and Torments and Woes and Miseries which are the Portion forever of all that disobey this Power which moves against evil in you which is the Power of him that made all men and things which move in your hearts against all that which the Creator never placed in you but which are fruits of Darkness I say unto you all This Power in you must you own and believe in and follow and be guided by it and beaâ— its condennation and judgment upon all that which is contrary to it if ever you be restored to the blessed State and all Anger and Wrath and Murder and Lying and Dissembling and Whoredom and Drunkenness and Brutishness and Beastliness and Wontonness Backbiting and Theft and all these things whatsoever must be condemned in you for who act these things are Enemies to the Creator and are led by the Power of Darkness which is the Destroyer of you soul and body and the cause of the curse upon you and the ground of all sorrow and sufferings and afflictions and troubles which come upon that Part in you which is in transgression against the Power of God for there is a birth born of the flesh which brings forth and goes after fleshly wayes fleshly joyes and delights and pleasures and fleshly words and vanities which murder the Just and blind the Eye and grieve your Maker and this birth must not inherit eternal Life but all that ever do inherit must be born again of another Seed and into another Nature where all the former things are passed away for all glories of this World will wither and all your joyes and pleasures will come to an end and you will be left miserable and wretched Therefore Oh Earth Earth and all the Children of Adam in the whole World be Awakened be Awakened stirred up to consider of your state condition for the Creator of all things is risen to gather his People
false Accusers and to proud Men and Oppressors this 〈◊〉 are Friends unto but to such as act by their own wills in corrupt Laws and 〈◊〉 thereby violence to the Innocent and strengthen the hands of Evil-doers we cannot be subject but choose rather then to transgress the Law of God whiâ—â— is written in our hearts by submitting to such mens wills and laws to suffer by the corrupt wills of men under corrupt laws for a moment And thus I have answered those false Accusations which are cast upon us and 〈◊〉 declare it to be the same spirit in the Teachers and People of this Generatioâ—… which accuseth us as it was in the Scribes and Pharisees which accused Chrâ—… and his Disciple and this the Scripture witnesseth unto as they did unto him 〈◊〉 would they do unto us A further Answer to that Accusation of being false Prophets and Deceivers JEsus Christ prophesied and said That in the last dayes should many false prophets arise which should deceive many and if it were possible the very Elect. Now the Teachers and People of this Generation do say That we who by the World are called Quakers are those false Prophets and Deceivers which Christ prophesied of Of this their false accusation have they Drunkards Lyars Swearers and all the ungodly People in every profession to witness them but their Accusation and their Witnesses we do deny though they preach it among the People for doctrine And now in answer to this false Accusation and Slander I am moved to write a little and shall to that Principle of God in every mans Conscience clear my Conscience and declare what I know from God concerning those false Prophets who they are when they came in and how they may be known and shall leave it to every honest heart to consider of The Apostles and Ministers of Jesus Christ saw the same false Prophets which Christ prophesied of to be come and coming in their dayes before a Quaker waâ— heard of Iohn said By that they knew that it was the last time for said he Even now are there many Antichrists and false Prophets gone out into the World such werâ— they who confessed not Christ to be come in the Flesh and they were of the World and spoke of the World and the World heard them Now here I charge it upon the Teachers of the World that they are of that Generation which went out into the World then for as they then confessed not Christ to be come in the Flesh so these uphold those things which were under the Law which was before Christ came in the Flesh outwardly and so confess Christ not to be come in the Flesh and so they are Antichrist They uphold an outward Temple and an outward Worship and take tythes as the Priests under the Law did as a Type and Figure of Christ but when he was come and sacrificed these things which were to stand for a time were put to an end and none who witnessed Christ come and were sent by him to preach the Gospel did uphold those things but witnessed forth the Substance and denied the figure they denied the outward Temple and witnessed they were the Temples of God and that God dwelt in them and denied the outward worship and witnessed the Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth within them for they who worshipped without worshipped they knew not what as they do now and they denied to take Tythes but lived of the Gospel and said They that preached it should live of it but the Teachers of this Generation are of the World living in its pride lusts and vanities and they who live in the same worldly nature uphold them and hear them Iohn also said Every spirit that confesseth not Christ to be come in the Flesh is Antichrist And here I charge it upon the Teachers of the World that their Spirit of Pride and Covetousness and Envy and Hypocrisie which rules in them is the Spirit of Antichrist and confesseth not Christ to be come in the Flesh for where he is made manifest and come in the Flesh this spirit is destroyed For as saith the Scripture he was made manifest to destroy the works of the Devil Paul was also a Witness of the false Prophets and Deceivers which Christ prophesied of in his time for he gave warning to beware of such and to turn away from such whom he saw then come and coming in but came more fully in after his dayes he said of this sort They were lovers of themselves covetous proud heady high-minded fierce men and dispisers of those that were good given to filthy lucre and to pleasure and were false-Accusers and Blasphemers and without natural affection and unthankfull and unholy and taught silly women who were led with divers lusts but were not able to come to the knowledge of the Truth by their Teaching they were men of corrupt minds and reprobatâ— concerning Faith And here again I charge it upon the Teachers of the World that they are of that Generation which came in then for they are Lovers of themselves they take money of poor people to whom they are more able to give and they are proud and covetous men that go in their Ribbons and Cuffs and gaudy attire and they preach to them where they can get most money and some takes money of them and sues them at the Law to whom they preach not at all they are heady and high-minded men for poor people bow to them in the Streets and call them Masters They are fierce men and dispise those that are good if any speak against them of the truth they are fierce against and despise such and they are given to filthy lucre and are lovers of pleasure for where they can have most money there they will abide and they live in pleasure in idleness and lust and vanity they are flase-Accusers they will call them Deceivers which are not and that Blasphemy which is not and they are Blasphemers and without natural affection They say the Letter is the Word and the Scripture the Light which is contrary to Scripture for God is the Word and Christ is the Light and they will suffer the rude multitude and some will set them upon it to hale beat and strike out of their Assemblies which is without natural affection They are unthankful and unholy they have great sums of money from the people and are not thankful but compel them by a Law to pay them and herein they are unholy by their actions which are declared which is oppression and they teach always but men and women are ignorant still and none able to come to the knowledge of the Truth by them and they have a Form of godliness they profess the Scriptures That the Children of the Lord are to be taught of the Lord and that Christ said Take no thought what to eat nor what to drink nor wherewith to be cloathed but who witness themselves taught of God and that they need no
man to teach them and that take no care what to eat nor what to drink nor what to put on and so witness the promise of God and abide in the Doctrine of Christ these you call Deceivers and idle and careless persons and thus deny the power of what they have professed and herein their minds are corrupt and reprobate concerning Faâ—…ith for Faith is the Substance and purifies the heart from these things which they are guilty of And Peter and Iude also were Witnesses of those Deceivers and false Prophets which Christ prophesied of in their time for they saw such were come and coming which should bring in damnable Heresies and through covetousness with feigned words make merchandise of the people they walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise Government and Dominion presumptuous are they self-willed they are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities they speak evil of things that they understand not they have eyes full of adultery and they cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable Souls an heart they have exercised with covetous practises cursed Children which have forsaken the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam who loved the Wages of unrighteousness they themselves are the Servants of corruption ungodly men turning the Grace of God into laciviousness and defile the flesh these are Murmurers Complainers walking after their own lusts and their mouthes speak great swelling words having mens persons in admiration because of advantage these be they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit And here again I charge it upon the Teachers of this Age that they are of that Generation which came into the World then for they have brought in and do uphold damnable Heresies telling people That sprinkling Infants with water is the Baptism into the Faith and that singing David's Experiences in Rime and Meeter is singing to the glory of God and that a House of Stone is the Temple and Church of God these are damnable Heresies and they do through covetousness make Merchandise of the people if they can get more money at another place thither they will go and thus people are their Merchandise they walâ— after the flesh in the lusts of uncleanness they walk in pride and in lust and some of them will be drunk and lye and swear and talk uncleanly and they despise the Saints Government and Dominion for they walk in the wayes of the World in the Customs and Traditions of men and follow their own wills and whom the Spirit of God governs and hath dominion over follows Christ for their Example whose Government and Dominion they are under but they live in pride lust and vanity and according to the flesh and herein they despiâ—â— Government and Dominion and speak evil of this Dignity and of the Mysteries of God revealed in his Saints which they know not nor understand not calling it Error They are presumptuous and self-willed they have presumed to call themselves Ministers of Christ and all the Towns where they live must serve and be subject to their wills and they are adulterated from God after honour and riches and the vanities of the World and they cannot cease from sin themselves for they say None must cease from it while they are on the Earth and herein they beguile many Souls for till sin be ceased from the Soul it is beguiled they have a heart exercised with covetous practises and they follow the way of Balaam and go for gifts and rewards and love the wages of unrighteousness they take money of poor people for sprinkling Infants and for burying the Dead which are covetous practises they take money for Hens and Eggs and for Smoke passing up the Chimney which are unrighteous Wages and thus they have forsaken the right Way of God and of all the Saints which spoke forth the Scripture and in these things they are Servants of corruption and are ungodly men and turn the Grace of God which shines in their Consciences which shews them their ungodly wayes into laciviousness and through the lust they defile the flesh and many of them will murmur and complain for want of Wages even to spend upon their lusts and they speak great swelling words speaking of the fame of Christ of his Life and Death and Resurrection but cannot witness by the Spirit of Christ within them what they speak of him and they have mens persons in admiration because of advantage some of them had the Bishops in admiration and some the King in admiration and now they have others who bear rule in admiration and thus they deceitfully have twined to admire mens persons only because of advantage many of them have separated themselves none who are not of their Judgment must joyn with them in their worship but â—â—ither they nor their Separates have the Spirit of the Living God but do deny 〈◊〉 infallible Spirit and they are sensual in their wayes practises and wisdom â—â—d these have deceived many even whole Nations And here you see plainly when the Deceivers and false Prophets came in they were come and coming in in the Apostles dayes and then was the Prophesie of Christ fulfilling and fulfilled and the Apostle suffered under Tyrants and were put to cruel deaths and then they came in more fully for since the Apostles days hath been a great Apostacy and many Forms of Worship and Wayes of Religion have been imitated from the Letter through imaginations and but one Generation of Teachers though one above another in the comprehension sensual wisdom and at enmity one against another though all in one birth and nature But they are all discovered by the Light Praises from all that know God to him for ever Since the Apostles dayes hath darkness been spread over all though the Lord had some which he preserved for himself in the midst of Apostacy and darkness who the false Prophets are which Christ prophesied of to every honest heart and single eye may be known Christ said By their fruits should they be known and the Fruits of the Teachers of the World are plainly made appear to be the fruits of Deceivers and not of the Ministers of Christ none have gathered Grapes nor Figs from them And thus I have cleared my Conscience in the Presence of God concerning the false Slander and Accusation which the Teachers and People of the world do cast upon us and to that in every ones Conscience it is made appear who they are to whom this Accusation justly belongs Wo unto all you who strive against the Lord and justifie that which the holy men of God which spake forth the Scripture in the Scripture declared against and which condemn that which the holy men of God in the Scriptures justified and witnessed for You who live in Pride in Coveteousness in Double-dealing and in Hypocrisie and in the Lusts of the flesh you strive against the Lord God and against the Light of God which is in your Consciences
thou again unjustly numbers the Quakers with some high-flown People and sayest These high-flown People are iâ— this very like to Familists and Quakers undervaluing the Lord Iesus Christ God Man and though they speak much of Christ yet they do not savingly and rightly lay him for their Foundation c. 2 Answ. The sum of this broken confusion is thus much Two Slanders upon the Quakers undervaluing the Lord Jesus Christ c. and not laying him as a Foundation c. though thou wilt not through thy subtilty separate the Guiltless from them who may be guilty in thy Accusation yet now must I in simplicity in my return to thee and cannot but openly charge thee to be a secret Shooter of Mischief against the Righteous We prize the Lord Jesus Christ God Man to be precious unto us and unto all that do believe and have owned him alone to be the Foundation whom God hath laid for Salvation unto the ends of the Earth and in his Light are we saved and therein do walk and because hereof are we hated by thee and the Generation of Hirelings and false Prophets who speak much of Christ without you but knows him not in you the hope of Glory and take back to thee thy false Accusations for thou art faln in the Pit which thou hast digged for another a slanderous tongue dwells within thy house and Christ Jesus the Saviour of all that believe is thy Condemner who believes not but art found a Lyar and a false Witness slandering unjustly and by thy unbelief and wickedness herein undervalues Christ Jesus who is pure and holy and is the Foundation of Righteousness and Peace and not of Wrath and works of Darkness wherein thou art builded in thy works of Mischief And for the rest of this first Epistle I shall say little to it only thus much is the mind of the Pen-mans spirit secretly smiting at the Doctrine of true Faith and Salvation to wit Christ Jesus within and directing altogether without and afar off and saying in his heart who shall ascend and who shall descend and is not mindfull that the Word of Faith is in the Mouth and in the heart and thus much I say if they be Reprobate who have not Christ in them then is it the most profitable doctrine and thing of greatest concernment to seek for him and to find him within seeing many can speak of him without who are manifest Enemies to him in their hearts and works and thus much to Iohn Burtons Epistle Let him go learn what this means The next thing that I shall mind is this in the second Epistle where a Question is asked Who are the men that at this day are so deluded by the Quakers and other pernitious Doctrines but those who thought it enough to be Talkers of the Gospel c This man appears to be of the same spirit with his Fellow and will more abound in Lyes in respect of the number then he that went before and the sum of this transcribed is That the Quakers are Deluders and thou hast joyned them with a Thief also and numbred the guiltless with the guilty and hast shot secretly in the dark and far missed thy aim for thy bare words are no true witness and thou must not both slander and be Witness thy self though I perceive thou may have the witness of all that walks in the broad-way to evidence falsly for thee And this is no new invented Lye for it hath been ever the Children of God were counted Deceivers as in the Scripture we have a cloud of witnesses and Christ Jesus our Lord was counted so by thy Generation and as they did unto him so must you do unto us and must fulfil their measure of wickedness as Christ hath said Answ. And this is my Answer in full That way which thou calst Heresie and delusion do we worship the God of our Fathers and are not ashamed of the Reproaches for his Name sake Then further thou sayest They be such kind of people who at this day are carried away with the Quakers namely loose Ranters and light Notionists and here and there a Legallist which were shaking in their Principles c. Answ. The Substance of this is as much as the wise Scribes and Pharisees said concerning Christ None believed in him said they but a company of poor people which know not the Law which were accursed and doth any of the Rulers believe on him Friend though some of all sorts of people be brought to God yet thou seemst to be offended herewith that the wicked should be turned from his wickedness which is no evidence against us that we are Deceivers but an evidence against thee in thy wicked slander who hath brought forth thy Lies without fear as though thou shouldst never in this life be put to prove them nor in the time to come shouldst ever answer for them But the Ranters and light Notionists and Thee we do deny in that state wherein they and you do stand till you turn to the Lord by repentance and whatever you have been in your profession or practice if you turn from your iniquity we dare not deny you And whereas thou givest this Character of a Notionist Such a one is puffed up in his fleshly mind and advanceth himself above others c. This is thy own condition and thou hast read thy own Character who art pufft up in thy lies and slanders and advancest thy self above the Innocent who exceeds thee in faith towards God and in good works towards men and whose conversation is in Heaven but thine is among the Hirelings under the Marks of all the Deceivers of old as may afterwards appear Then thou goes on and sets down some of the Lyes which thou sayest the Devil perswads those men to believe And first That Salvation was not fully and compleatly wrought out for sinners by the maâ— Christ Iesus c. Answ. Friend the Devil hath perswaded thee to believe Lyes which is a degree higher A Slander is more then a Lye This Accusation is clearly false wickedly cast upon us for there is not salvation in any other nor is it wrought by any other but by Jesus Christ fully and compleatly it is brought forth by him unto every one that believes who receives the Testimony of it in themselves for if thou have no Testimony of it but without thee the Pope and his Idolaters have as much as thou and may be more take back to thee thy Lye again with shame and confusion Then thou goes on and sayst This is another of his Lyes wherewith he deceives bidding them follow the light that they brought into the World with them telling them that this light will lead into the Kingdom c. Thou hast here mixed Truth and a Lye together this is falsly laid down The light that they brought into the world with them but this is the Truth of God and no Lye of the Devil That to follow the Light
to Salvation or condemnation even that Light of which we declare so that thou hast said no less hitherto then we in this particular and the Scriptures say They saw the Eternal Power and Godhead by that which was made manifest of God in them mind in them which once they knew of God but turned from it and the Scripture saith That which reproves of sin is the gift of the Spirit of God John 16. and also the Scripture saith That which makes manifest sin is Light and whatsoever is reproved is made manifest by the Light even the true Light the Apostle speaks of Ephes. And the sum of all this which thou wouldst reprove in us is no more then the Scriptures bare witness of and which thy self hath uttered and confessed And Friend dost thou know this Light that is given of Christ and God unto every man is sufficient in it self for Life and Salvation unto every one that believes if thou say it is not wherein is the blame in God or in this Light or in the Creature shew if thou canst Then thou again sayst This light surely is that wherewith Christ as he is God hath enlightned every one that comes unto the Word which doth convince of sin Answ. Thus far thou art forced to confess Truth I think against thy mind and thus far in words only we agree as in this particular then why dost thou say By wresting that Scripture John 1. 9. we split our selves and endeavour to split others seeing thou thy self hast confessed no less then thou callst wresting in us I reckon up thy confusion and leave it for thee to read and them to whom this may come Then thou sayst The neglect of this Light will be sure to damn though the obedience to the Law will not save them c. Answ. Here again thou hast confessed truth If the neglect of the Light will be sure to damn as thou confessest then I say surely it is not good to neglect it that must needs follow deny it if thou canst therefore the sum of thy words is the same with us that every one mind the Light of Christ Jesus least they be damned for the neglect of it And Friend to the second part of the clause I say the Law must be obeyed and the righteousness of it fulfilled within thee if ever thou come to Eternal Life if it be not thou cannot escape damnation Learn what this means Then further thou sayst Though Christ doth give a Light to every one that comes into the World yet it doth not therefore follow that this Conscience or Light is the Spirit of Christ or the work of Grace wrought in the heart c. Here thy confusion is seen at large who wouldst seem to divide between the Light of Christ which thou confessest is given to every man and the Spirit of Christ and the Grace of God However thus far I say the Light of Christ given to every man is not contrary to the Spirit of Christ nor to the Grace of God but one in their nature and a man cannot possibly love one of them and hate another neither can any obey one of these and disobey the other therefore are they one in the union leading in the same way unto the same end And where doth the Spirit of Christ give light or the Grace of God work or lead if not in the Conscience And can there be any surer thing for the Creature to look to to walk to Life or to come to God by then the Light of Christ in the Conscience which thou confessest every man hath that cometh into the World Then thou sayst Heathens Turks Iews Athiest c. have that that doth convince them of sin yet are so far from having the Spirit of Christ in them that they delight to serve their lust c. Answ. This Query I ask of thee Do they or thou or any man serve sin or your lusts because Christ hath not given you light to discover your sin or because you hate that Light that is given answer me And surely by this which doth convince of sin is every man in the world inexcusable so it works for God in all men either to justifie or condemn And tell me is not the Spirit or Light of Christ the only thing which doth convince of sin Or doth any thing convince of sin contrary or besides or without the Spirit of Christ if nay then it must needs be that it is from or by or something of the nature of the Spirit of Christ which is in the Heathens And the sum of thy doctrine is no less in the profession of thy words then what we say then why dost thou condemn us But it seems thy tongue speaks one thing and another thing is in thy heart and this is Hypocrisie Then thou sayest Those that are alive to sin have not the Spirit of Christ c. But I say it is given to every man though every man receives it not and it strives with the wicked man though he follows it not And some other vain Arguments thou usest to prove That every man hath not the Spirit of Christ which I pass by only thus much I leave with thee till thou provest the Light of Christ which thou confessest every may hath to be contrary to the Spirit of Christ I shall say every man hath that which is one in union and like the Spirit of Christ even as good as the Spirit of Christ according to its measure Then thou goest on and sayest That the Devil might be sure to deceive or to that purpose he saith Turn thy mind inward and listen within and see if there be not that within thee that doth convince of sin c. Answ. Thou hast confessed that the Light within which convinces of sin is the Light of God and Christ and now thou sayest the Divil to deceive souls bids turn to mind the Light within which doth convince of sin thou hast lyed of the Devil Oh thou blind Priest whom God hath confounded in thy language Was ever such a thing spoken That the Devil can deceive any by the Light of Christ or that he uses any such doctrine Friend it is the Voice of the Gospel to bid listen within to the Light even to the Word of Faith within the heart as Paul preached But thou further sayst They are ignorant of the Gospel who clasp in with these Motions of the Light within or Conscience which doth command to abstain from the evil and to practice good And here thou hast shewed thy blindness and ignorance more then can be uttered as though the motions of the Light of Christ in the Conscience which command to abstain from evil and to practice good were another thing then the Light of the Gospel what and how doth the Light of the Gospel work if not in the Conscience and to command from evil and to practice good Surely thou preachest another Gospel then Paul preached for his Doctrine was
the end and numbred thy work into a total sum which is a secret smiting and obscure shooting against the Manifestation or Belief of Christ within which there can be no Salvation without as I have proved and in words only I find thee exalting Christ without and worshipping the name of Mary like the Pope I have good ground so to judge And whereas thou callest the Doctrine of Christ within false Opinions and takeâ—â— in hand to discover it as in Page 203. I say to all honest men who have but any knowledge of the Letter of the Scripture thou art hereby sufficiently discovered who callst the chief thing which is the chief unto Salvation and without which can be none false Opinions God shall judge thee thou wicked heart and much more I need not say but shall leave this to the view of any that are honest to judge so have gone through thy Book and passed by many things only I have spoken to that in which thou hast treated any thing upon us and the Truth I have cleared from many Lyes and Slanders and thy Vail of false Reproaches is rent and our Innocency doth partly appear and thy vail of Hypocrisie is a little removed and thy deceitfull heart weighed and seen And as for the rest of thy Book whicg I have not medled with thus much I say of it I suppose you will confess it was all given forth by one spirit and it is proved some of it is given forth by a lying spirit then let the Reader judge what the rest of it can be though the words be true yet is thy spirit false and at the best what thou hast said is but bearing false witness as to thy self of a true thing I own the words and I deny the voice and here I deal plainly with thee Thou then askst a Question Doth not the Scripture speak of Christ within unto which I further add answer it as thou canst Doth not the Scripture say Christ is within except you be Reprobates And is not this thus much all are reprobate but they in whom Christ is within Answer iâ— plainness and darken not knowledge by words without wisdom And towards the end I find thee making up the sum of thy wickedness with this numbring the Quakers with Ranters Sin Death and the Devil I will not bring a railing Accusation against thee but the Lord rebuke thee thou unclean spirit who hast falsly accused the Innocent to clear thy self from guilt but at thy door guilt lodges and I leave it with thee clear thy self if thou art able And thy wicked Reproaches we patiently bear till the Lord appear for us and we are not greater then our Lord who was said to have a Devil by thy Generation and their measure of wickedness thou fulfils and art one of the Dragons Army against the Lamb and his Followers and thy Weapons are Slanders and thy Refuge is Lyes and thy work is confused and hath hardly gained a name in Babylons Record and by us so much of it at least as is against us is cast by as our spoiled prey and trampled upon in all thy reproachfull speeches who art unclean and of more price to us is thy hatred and envy then thy love can be except the gâ—und were better in which you stand Now a few words I may write in Answer to the Queries in the end of thy Book which thou directst thus Some Questions to the Quakers or a few Queries to those possessed with a Spirit of delusion in this Generation Question 1. If sayst thou that every man hath a measure of the Spirit of Christ within him why say the Scriptures That some are sensual having not the Spirit aâ—â— Christ saith The World cannot receive it John 14. Answ. Some men are sensual and have not the Spirit because they received it not some cannot receive it because they believe not in him from whence it comes yet is the measure of the Spirit given unto every man to profit withal as the Scripture saith And it is given to within him to reprove him of sin but few do receive it and when thou canst learn to distinguish between a thing being given and a receiving of such a thing then thou mayst be answered in thy self It is one thing in God to give the Spirit and another thing in the Creature to receive it He gives it to many that receive it not to follow it and to be guided by it thus far I answer and let them that are led with a spirit of Delusion answer thee further Qu. 2. What is the Church of God redeemed by from under the Law is it by something that is done within them or by something done without them If it be redeemed by something that worketh in them then why did the man Christ Iesus hang upon the Cross in Mount Calvery without the Gates of Jerusalem for the sins of his People and why do the Scriptures say That through this man is preached unto us forgiveness of sins c. Answ. The Church of God is redeemed by Christ Jesus which is revealed within all that believe and Christ Jesus wrought in them mightily and it was he that wrought in them to will and to do this is plain according to Scripture And the man Christ Jesus was hanged upon the Cross on Mount Calvery because they wickedly judged him to be a Blasphemer and through their envy persecuted him to death because he bore witness against them and as in their account he died and hanged upon the Cross for an Evil-doer and this is one ground at least why he hanged upon the Cross and the Scriptures say That through this man is preached the forgiveness of sins because there is no other that can forgive sin nor the blood of any other thing that can take away sin but the Blood of God as it is written And thus far I answer If thou wilt have more seek it from them who are led with a spirit of Delusion Qu. 3. What Scripture have you to prove that Christ is or was crucified within you risen within you ascended within you Answ. There is no Scriptures that mention any one of our particular names and thy Query is raised from thy mis-understanding of us so I judge but Christ is within us that we dare not deny and he is the Lamb that was slain in the streets of the great City which is spiritually called Sodom and Aegypt mind spiritually and he is now risen and ascended this we know through Faith in his Name And I leave thee to receive a fuller Answer from them that are led with a spirit of Delusion if they will give it thee Qu. 4. Is that very man that was crucified on Mount Calvery between two Thieves whose Name is Iesus the Son of Mary is he the very Christ of God ye or nay Answ. Yea he is the very Christ of God which was before the World was by whom the World was made who was made
and what is that which chains him and whether art thou come to one of the dayes of the Thousand years yea or nay Quer. 12. Whether dost thou know any Christ or preach or profess any Christ who hath not lighned every man that comes into the World with the true Light of Life or of Condemnation and is he not a Deceiver that exhorts People for Salvation to any other thing then the Light of Christ yea or nay And how hath Christ enlightened every man in the World if not within him These Queries with some more in my Answer I put forth to thee that Truth may be cleared from all Slanders of envious tongues and shall leave my work and thine to be weighed in the Ballance of Righteousness to be considered of by every honest heart to whom they do come and God shall be the chief Judge betwixt us in his day A Postscript ANd now seeing we have taken in hand to discover and lay open the deceits of Deceivers that all men may come to the knowledge of the Truth and be saved and led out of the snare of the crafty Fowlers these things further we shall add which are contrary to the Doctrine of the true Gospel First Iohn Burton said in a Discourse with some Friends That Christ had two Bodies and one of the Bodies was out of the sight of the Saints Secondly Iohn Bunyon said Christ's second coming 〈◊〉 not his coming in Spirit for his coming in Spirit is no comming Thirdly Iohn Bunyon said upon Discourse Of the Word of God being in the heart in the presence of divers People That there was nothing in him nor in any man to be taken notice of Fourthly One of their Brethren said That Christ and the Word of Life were two things Fifthly Some others of the same Members in the Market of Bedford said That they scorned that Light which we meaning the Quakers speak of which is the Light that convinceth of sin which Light they confessed to be in every man in the same discourse which was with some of them called Quakers Much need not be said as to the laying open of these particulars for by the words themselves the wickedness and ignorance of the broachers of them are fully seen to every one who is spiritual and to them I leave this to be judged onely this I shall further say They have not spoken onely that which cannot be proved by Scriptures but some of the particulars are also contrary to the Scriptures and are damnable Doctrines of Devils as might be largly laid open in the third and fifth particulars But I delight not in raking in such unsavory Stuff but do trample over it and return it to the Authors Having summed up their Wickedness into a Sum I leave it for to be weighed by themselves and others and if any question the truth of the particulars charged against them sufficient Testimony may be given by such who were â—aâ— Witnesses By one who hath chosen rather to suffer affliction with the despised People then to enjoy the pleasures of sin EDWARD BURROUGH Stablishing Against Quaking Thrown down and overturned and no Defence found against it Or an Answer to a Book called Stablishing against Quaking put forth by Giles Firmin a professed Minister in Essex WHEREIN His many Lyes and Slanders are rebuked and witnessed against and all his thirteen Arguments confounded and clearly confuted and he manifestly proved a false Prophet in several particulars as in his Call and Maintenance And while he hath thought to discover the Prince of Darkness in others he is found secretly lodging in his own house and powerfully working in him and is found truly guilty himself of that whereof he falsly accuseth the innocent People called Quakers who are Gods faithful Witnesses against this subtil Generation though for a moment they are a Prey to the seed of Evil-doers and a Reproach to lying Tongues THe Lord from Heaven in this his day is risen and come forth to make War with all his Enemies being the fulness of time wherein his purpose is to cut down and destroy the man of sin by the power of his coming and he must reign whose right it is and of his Kingdom and Government there shall be no end and Nations shall flow into it and Kings shall lay down their Crowns at his Feet whom God hath appointed to exalt in his Throne of Righteousness and Judgment and the war is proclaimed in his Name the Standard of the Lord is set up before him to gather together the Nations to fan them and to try them and to search and to seek out his own where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day and a prey made upon them by every wild Beast of the Mountain But the Lord hath opened his Ear to the cry of the Just and his Bowels are filled with compassion towards the Seed of his Inheritance whom no man regardeth to take pity upon but are altogether hardened in their iniquities and become equal with the Oppressor therefore in Judgment is the Lord appearing to work the purpose of his Heart and to fulfil the intent of his Mind and will not spare to punish the transgression of the wicked upon his own head and is already clothed with the Garments of Vengeance and clad with Zeal as with a Cloak and hath proclaimed Indignation in the face of the Ungodly and his Enemies against whom his wrath is kindled is joyning battel with him and Gog and Magog is prepared to resist the day of Recompence and the whole body of Darkness from the head to the tayl is risen to gainsay the Lord and strive in confusion together and their armour clashes one against another and they over-run each other through the confusion of their blind understanding and they will not be perswaded unto Reconciliation but goes on in rebellion till they be left without strength as a wounded man who shall never more vise again nor recover his deadly blow for the strength of Aegypt shall fail in the midst of it and the Warrier finds not his hand in the day of his necessity but terror is upon his loynes and fearfulness in his heart and the wrath remains upon him and wisdom is become madness and prudence is hid and the wise men of this Generation are become foolish What do ye mean Ye that have gathered your selves together all ye Sects and Opinions and ye that profess the Law of Righteousness Is your Religion turned into Envy and Wrath whereby you would slay the Upright You have made Lyes your refuge as your last defence to cover your selves from the Storm but your City is besieged and fear shall compass you about and the refuge of Lyes shall be swept away For in vain and to no purpose do men strive against the Lord and without effect as to that which they intend do they gather themselves together and band themselves in deaths covenant to war against the Lamb for the
the iniquities which the rest love to drink in and though your power be shorter and your vote lower then the uprightness of your hearts desire yet unto God be faithfull in bearing your Testimony for him and against all that which with the Light of Jesus yoâ— see to be contrary to him and be awaked unto Righteousness Judgment and Mercy the Light is springing over your heads and the day of the Lord is dawning out of darkness and a Seed is sown in your Dominions which cannot be rooâ—ed out till it have overspread the Earth with the precious Fruit thereof and though it be striven against to be plucked up yet shall the Branch and Root thereof be everlastingly renowned for it is of the true Jew and he that falls before it shall never more rise up again And this is by a true Lover of your Souls in faithfulness to God given forth 〈◊〉 your sakes who fear the Lord. EDWARD BURROUCH A Measure of the Times AND A Full and Clear Description of the Signs of the Times and of the Changing of the Times and of the Reign of Antichrist who hath long reigned and of his down-fall which is at hand And of the Kingdom of Christ which is now setting up in the Earth Shewing unto all People in all Nation what the State of things have been in Ages past and what the State of thing are at this present day and also what shall be the State of things hereafter which suddenly cometh to pass the time is at hand for times are changing and renewing and the Kingdoms of this World shall be translated into the Kingdom of the Son of God And also here is manifest concerning Teachers of this Age and the Root from whence they sprang who are manifest to be of that stock of false Prophets which Christ prophesied of should come and which the Apostles saw was coming in their dayes and how that the night of darkness hath been upon all for many Generations and how that the Beast hath reigned over Nations and Kingdoms and his false Prophet hath deceived the whole World who have all worshiped the Beast and wandred after him who have warred against the Saints and overcome them and the whole Earth hath been made drunk with the Abominations And also The Restauration is described which shortly cometh wherein Christ shall Reign whose right it is and shall change Laws and Decrees and the Lamb shall be the Light of all Nations and there shall be no need of any other light when the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of Christ and he alone shall bear the Government and no other King for he shall rule all Nations with his Iron Rod and the Kingdoms of the Beast shall be overthrown and his power subdued and they that have given their power to him shall be ashamed and all the Kings of the Earth shall lay their Crownâ— down at the feet of the Lamb and the numberless number of the Saints is gathering and the Dominion shall be in their hands and their King shall possess the uttermost parts of the Earth THe Lord hath opened my heart to declare and the words of my mouth shall be the words of Truth and of a good Understanding to every one who hath an ear to hear whose ear the Lord hath opened to hear and understand things of old and the state of things as they have been in Ages and Generations past and as now the state of things are at this day Hearken and consider and let your ears be open to Instruction For the Word of the Lord is towards you that your hearts might understand the things that belong to your Peace now in your dayes before the time come that they be hiâ— from your eyes and your eyes be darkened never more to perceive but you leâ—â— to perish and to dye with the Uncircumcised Behold and give ear ye Inhabitants of the World see and consider in what state you are fallen even in a time of Darkness and Apostacy wherein thick Darkness covered all the World and a vail of Ignorance the faces of all People Death hath reigned King over all and the Cloud of thick Blindness hath lain on the hearts of all men O how hath Darkness Blindness and Ignorance covered all men even as a Cloak and a Garment How hath the Eye been blinded the Ear stopped and the Heart hardened So that the Lord God and his Way his Truth and Salvation hath not been manifestly known heard not selt nor witnessed for Ages and Generation the words thereof have been professed but the Life and Power thereof hath not been enjoyeâ— But men have been deceived with the Form of Godliness without the Power and cheated with a likeness of things without Life and have sought the living among the dead and worshipped Idols which have been without sence and understanding and with lying imaginations and feigned likenesses hath the carnal part which ruled in People above the Seed of God been fed and with shadows and outward appearances and the soul hath been starved Alas alas wo is me because of these things my heart within me is broken and I am perplexed The shadow of Death hath been the lodging Place of all People and the vail of Ignorance hath been a Covering and the darkness of Heart hath been followed for a Law and a blind Understanding hath been the Guide 〈◊〉 Ordinances and Statutes and Death in the beastly power hath ruled as King in all the Dominions of the Earth and in all mens hearts and men have been without the Wisdom of God even every eye blind and every ear deaf and â—…ry tongue dumb and every heart corrupt and void of understanding and every 〈◊〉 lame and all men have been altogether imperfect for the living God hath beeâ— as a Stranger unto the Children of men less known by men then the Ownâ—… the Ox and less perceived then the Crib by the Ass and all flesh hath corrupted its way before Lord. Wo is me when I consider how man who was planted with the chosen 〈◊〉 even God's Image and was a noble Plant is degenerated into the Plant of a strange Vine unto God and bring forth wild Grapes and sower Grapes wâ—…d the Lord's Soul loathes and thus hath the Vineyard and the Plants thâ—… rewarded the Husbandman with Fruit of a bitter taste and with the reward corruption And man is condemned in his transgression for want of the Kâ—…ledge of God more then the Ox and the Ass. Pride Covetousness Lust and Envy Backbiting Lying Drunkenness Wâ—…dom Theft Murder and all manner of evil and sin against God more theâ— can be expressed is abounding and superabounding among men in this Geâ—eration Iniquity is grown to the full the measure is up and the number oâ— transgression is sealed that the Lord may arise who hath been pressed as a Caâ—… with Sheaves and now is the Lord arising and he hath said Ah I will easeâ—… of my Adversaries and be
shall the Saints possess and the Gentiles shall be driven out of it according as Iohn said who wrote the last of any of the Apostles and gave fulâ— testimony of these things which I have declared â—f viz. of an Apostacy and reign of the Beast and false Prophet and a Subversion from the Wayes of God and this hath been and is come to pass Also â—e prophesied of the gaining of the holy City in again to the Saints and of a restoration wherein new Ierusalem should be made manifest from Heaven and shoâ—â—d again be adorned as a Bride for her Husband and the Saints should inhabit it and the Tabernacle of God should be with men upon Earth and the Lord would dwell for â—â—er with his People and this day is approaching nigh at the dooâ— for the Fig-tree hath blossomed and we know it is near at hand the Summer wherein the Glory of the Lord shall be revealed unto all Nations and they shall 〈◊〉 that he is the Lord God Almighty that will take Vengeance upon the great Whâ—â—e who hath made all drunk with the Wine of her Fornication And now after the long night of Apostacy and Darkness which hath been vpâ—â— the face of the Earth is the Lord appearing and his Day dawning and his Ligâ—â— breaking forth as the Glory of the Morning and the Kingdom of God is revealed and his Dominion is setting up after the long reign of the Beast who haâ—… had his Power and his Seat and his great Authority from the Dragon after whâ—… the whole World hath wandred and him hath worshiped who hath been saying wâ—… is like unto the Beast who is able to make war with him His mouth for many Generations hath been opened in blasphemy against God and his Name and he 〈◊〉 made war with the Saints and his power hath overcome them Mark overcoâ— them and then himself hath reigned and the reign of Christ for many years 〈◊〉 not been known but over Kindreds Tongues and Nations hath the Beast had poâ—er and over them hath reigned for many Ages and all that dwell upon the Fâ—… have worshipped him whose Names are not written in the Book of Life 〈◊〉 Earth hath been caused and them that dwell therein to worship the Beast and 〈◊〉 his Wonders he deceiveth them that dwell on Earth and as many as would 〈◊〉 worship the Beast and his Image the Beast hath had power that they should beâ—…led and many hath he killed who would not worship him and are persented and both Small and Great Rich and Poor Free and Bond have recâ—…ed the Mark of the Beast and the number of his Name which is the number 〈◊〉 a man he that reads let him understand these things have come to pass 〈◊〉 been fulfilled since the Apostles dayes in this night wherein no man could worâ— which Christ said would come but now the forty and two Monthes which tiâ—… the Beast and his Image was to continue and so long was his Power to remain 〈◊〉 make war and to overcome the Saints I say the time is well nigh expired and finished and the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb is risen to make war against the Beast and his Image who hath reigned over the Kingdoms of the World and the Judgment of the great Wâ—… cometh who hath sitten upon the Beast and drunk the Blood of the Saints 〈◊〉 with whom the Kings of the Earth since the dayes of the Apostles have comâ—…ted Fornication and all the Inhabiters of the Earth have been made drunk 〈◊〉 the Wine of her Fornication and all the Merchants of the Earth have been maâ—e rich through the aboundance of her delicacies and she hath sat upon the scarâ—… coloured Beast and her Cup in her hand hath been full of abominations and 〈◊〉 ness of her fornication and her name is Mistery Babylon the Mother of Harlâ—… and all the Kings of the Earth have given their power unto the Beast and commited Fornication with the great Whore and she hath sat upon people multitudes 〈◊〉 nations and tongues since the Apostles days and even some who have hated tâ—e Whore and fulfilled the Will of God and made the Whore naked yet they giâ—… their power also to the Beast until the Word of God be fulfilled Consider these things you that have an ear to hear but now the mighty Day 〈◊〉 the Lord and the Judgment of the Whore is approaching wherein she shal be rewarded according to her Works and doubble shall be given into 〈◊〉 Cup and as she hath loved blood so shall blood be given her to drink and the Merchants of the Earth shall lament her whom they have waxed rich by who 〈◊〉 glorified her self and lived deliciouslly and hath said in her heart I sit as a Queen and am no Widow and shall not see sorrow but now the one day is dawning wherein her Plagues shall come death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burned with fire for strong is the Lord that is risen to judge her and the Kings and Merchants and all the Inhabiters of the Earth shall lament her and cry Alas alas and now are they beginning for the hour is come that her judgement cometh and all her Merchants who have trafficked with the Souls of men shall partake of her Plagues who have partaked of her sins and lived deliciously with her and the fruits that her Soul lusteth after shall depart from her and all things that are dainty and goodly shall depart from her and she shall find them no more at all when her judgement cometh and in an hour all her riches are come to nought and all her Merchants at Land and Sea shall lament her even her that hath ruled over Nations and sat as a Queen for many Generations ever since the dayes of the Apostles until this day yea all that have wandred after her even the whole World shall lament and bemoan her and such as have served her and made Slaves of the Souls of men by Merchandize and Traffick shall bewail her and their gain shall cease for ever for in one hour shall she be made desolate and her glory shall fade and her beauty shall wither and the Beast that hath carried her shall utterly faint and the false Prophet that hath wrought Miracles in their sight and deceived the Nations shall be cast into a bed of torment with her and the Beast and the false Prophet shall be taken and cast alive into the Lake of Fire to be tormented for ever day and night World without end and the Whore in whom hath been found the Blood of the Prophets and of the Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth and the Beast who hath caused all that dwell on the Earth to worship him and his Image for many Ages and the false Prophet who hath deceived the whole world and many Nations and made them subject unto the power of the Beast by his Miracles which he hath wrought in the
faith whereby they may continue boldly witnessing to the end And this is a true Testimony of the Father and of the Son witnessed by us who are called of God in whom his Power is made manifest TO all the Children of Light every where who fear and love the Lord who are begotten of God and unto whom he is known in the Spirit and in the Truth this is a Testimony of the Fathers love unto you Grace Mercy and Peace from him that lives for ever the God of Light and Life be multiplied in you all that you may daily be renewed in strength and girded with Truth and armed with the whole Armour of God and may be kept by his Power until the day of Salvation to walk in the Government and subjection to Jesus Christ witnessing the Power and Presence of God in you and amongst you giving you power to fulfil his Will in all things and that in all righteousness and out of all evil you may be led and preserved unto the end and in the end to shew forth the praises of God in this Generation as a people called of him and redeemed by him for his great glories sake even so Amen and Amen Dearly beloved be not ignorant but this know This is the Message which came unto you which is true and faithfull and everlasting That the true God is Light and in him is no darkness at all and this is the Message of Peace and Reconciliation and of glad Tidings unto all that have sought the Lord which we received of him and you have heard and there is not another to be declared and all that have received it are gathered up to God and are in Covenant with him and one with another and are in that which reconcileth and joyneth unto Christ Jesus the Husband and second Adam who is the Lord from Heaven the Prince of Peace the Saviour and the Deliverer who is made manifest in power and condemneth the Transgressor and slayeth the Enmity and raiseth the Life out of death and this is he who kills and makes alive even the God who is Light who brings down one and sets up another who makes war against the mighty and gives peace to the pooâ— and besides him there is none he searcheth mans heart and trieth the reins and â—noâ— the thoughts and every Creature is manifest in his sight who gives to every one according to his doings and this is he who standeth in the Congregation of the Righteous even in the midst of us and sitteth Judge among the gods unto him must all the gods of the Earth bow and the Inhabitants of the Earth must tremble before him and unto him every Tongue shall confess and the Light in every man shall answer when he ariseth to Judgment who is a swift Witness to condemn or justifie all the children of men upon the face of the Earth This is the God of Truth whom we worship and who will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth who is the God of Abraham and his Seed for ever and with him there is no change nor shadow of turning and he hath made known his Name and his Power and his wonderful Works in this his Day and hath caused his Voice to be heard in the Earth and the Dead hath heard and now liveth And his Name is exalted on high amongst all that fear him and obey his Voice and he hath given his Son a Covenant of Light who lighteth every man that cometh into the World with the true Light of Life or Condemnation that all who receive him may come to the knowledge of the Father whom to know is Life eternal And this is the Christ the Saviour in whom we have believed and whom we preach who is the Way the Truth and the Life the Foundation of God which cannot be moved the Word of God is his Name and there is no other Name given for Salvation This is he who was dead and is alive and lives for evermore and there is no other to be looked for if any preach any other let them be accursed and if any bring any other Message let them not be received And all you who have believed in this Christ Jesus who is the Light of the World and who have received the knowledge of this God who is Light himself and that searcheth your hearts I exhort you and warn you all in his Presence that lives forever to wait upon him and to fear before him and to walk with him for ever in uprightness of heart which is of great price in his Sight and forget not his righteous Judgments which he hath made known least you wax fat through Mercies and rebel against him and become disobedient and gainsaying and so be destroyed from being a People but be stayed upon the Lord and let your hearts be established with Grace and be not tossed nor shaken with any wind of Doctrines of men which is not from the Life of God nor reacheth to the Life in you but begets into Idolatry to worship other gods then he who is Light and be not troubled at Temptations nor at Sufferings nor at Reproaches nor any other thing but stand in the Counsel of God and in his Long-suffering and wait patiently upon him in your own measure of the Grace of God received which is sufficient for you to preserve you that Victory over Death and over him that hath the power over it you may receive to trample upon all that which is contrary to the Life of God within you and without you neither be you troubled nor offended in Christ if any among you deny the Lord and backslide from his pure Way through an evil heart of unbelief and so become disobedient Children and vex the righteous Soul such shall bear their own burthen and condemnation in the day of the Lord and shall know that Truth changes not but is the same for ever though the Deceitful-hearted through unbelief depart from it and choose their own wayes and despise the Counsel of the Lord to their own destruction but be ye more watchful and faithful and valiant for the Truth upon Earth unto the end that you may be found faithful Witnesses unto the Name of the Lord in this crooked Generation and may receive the fulfilling of the Promise of God and may witness God within you the Emanuel the Saviour God with us and this is the whole Salvation and there is no other to be expected or witnessed then this That God dwells in us and walks in us according to his Promise and all that know this need nor go forth to the right hand or to the left but Salvation is come unto us he that taks away sin and saves from it and from condemnation and who witnesseth this are begotten by the Word of God and born of the immortal Seed and are new creatures but now there is no condemnation but the reward of righteousness and peace to us who are not in the Flesh but in
then come and so they did deceive many as these do deceive many in the same way as them that went before them And so let it not be a thing incredible to the people of these Nations that many of these Teachers which are called Ministers are Deceivers generally bâ—â— if there be any one that â—ears God among them or loves Truth and Sincerity it will be made manifest and such I spare and they shall be spared in the day 〈◊〉 the Lord but yet I say generally and the main part of them even they 〈◊〉 bring forth these fruits before mentioned which the false Prophets brought forth are not the Ministers of Christ but Deceivers the Scripture their own professed Rule doth prove them so for it must needs be that they must be the same men that they were whose spirit they walk by and whose fruits they bring forth and this cannot be avoided they are the same trees that brings forth the same fruits and let no man blame me for saying such are Deceivers that preach for hire and divine for money and goes for giâ—ts and rewards and that are called oâ— men Master and have the chief place in the Assemblies and are covetous and high-minded and seeks for their gain from their Quarter with those things which I have mentioned which are the same things which the false Prophets acted in Ages past I am not now to be blamed for saying These are Deceivers who are acting such things now in this Age as they acted then that were Deceivers but if you blame any begin with Isaiah and Micah and Ezekiel and Christ and his Apostles and the rest of the holy men of God for they are my examples in this who did declare against them that brought forth such works as these do that I have declared against and I have done the Teachers of this Age no wrong for judging them by their own Line and laying them to their own professed Rule therefore do not rage at me nor do not be offended aâ— this for I have but compared them with the Ministers of Christ and with the Ministers of Antichrist and shewed wherein they do agree to the one and disagree to the other and all People may see and the Light in all Consciences may judge of what I have said so that as I said at the first I may again say What think you Was there ever such a Generation of Teachers I now answer Yea There was in the dayes of the true Prophets and in the dayes of the Apostles there were such as these are which were Deceivers and in the times of Christ there were such a Generation as these are who acted the same things by the same spirit as these do at this day Let them reply to this that will my Question is sober and my Answer is just and right and I have dealt faithfully and you may read the Scriptures that I have quoted for your own satisfaction for though they falsly say the Scripture is their Rule and accuse us falsly that we deny the Scripture yet the Scripture shall be Judge between us in this matter and what I have done is not in envy to any mans person neither in upbraiding them in their wickedness but I do it rather to shew them all their iniquities that they may repent and this I have done in perfect love to all people for the Day is come that hath brought hidden things to Light and Deceit and Hypocrisie which hath lain hid is now fully made manifest as at Noon-day But again secondly I answer In some respects I do believe there was never such a Generation of Teachers as these are for we do not read in all the Scriptures concerning the false Prophets that they were so extreamly covetous and greedy of gain as these are or that ever they took such desperate wicked unlawful courses to get their maintenance and compel people to pay them as these Teachers do a very shame to rehearse it and to their shame I do rehearse it many a poor man in this Nation hath been sued by them at the LAW and put in PRISON by their means and had their Goods spoiled in a woful manner for to maintain them and to uphold them yea some hundreds of poor people in this Nation have been dealt cruelly by and unjustly with because for Conscience sake they have denied to maintain them to pay them Tythes and such like this may be proved that for five Shillings unjustly claimed by them they have taken Goods by Distraint to the value of five times so much as Cumberland and Westmerland can witness and many at this very day lie in Holes and Prisons by the means of the Priests who tear the People as Wolves do the Sheep it s even woful to be considered what havock is made of some mens persons and some mens GOODS and all to maintain the Teachers The like never was in any Generation as it is brought forth in this Generation in this particular And again their exceeding covetousness and greediness of Lucre doth appear in that they claim Wages of People and do compel People to pay them Wages after this manner as I have said for which people they do no work neither do these people receive any work done by them with whom they thus deal What thing can be more unjust under Heaven that they should compel people by a Law to pay them and thus punish them if they will not who set them not on work and for whom they do no work neither do the people like their work or love it but know it to be deceitful and yet are compelled by a Law to pay them they have such a way to get money that no Trades-man hath the like of it besides themselves for they cause People and compel people to buy their Wares and they compel people to pay for their Commodity which have none of it nor love it and this is more unjust then may be spoken Are they like Ministers of Christ Or do they follow their example in these practises What do you judge All people bring in your Verdict or are they not like Deceivers herein even exceeding all that ever went before It is true They which preach the Gospel should live on the Gospel this Argument we do own but let these men be tryed and see if by their preaching their Gospel they have gained so much love in people as to maintain them without the Law and without compelling of Maintenance Lively-hood from them by a Law let but the Law cease to compel Tythes and other things from people to maintain them see whether their Gospel will maintain them or not let but the Magistrates hold up their hands from causing people to pay them Tythes by their orders writs and I 'le undertake as I do believe they must either beg or work or a worse thing for a lively-hood or else perish so little love is there in their own People towards them nor have
they are of God but the witness of God in every man beareth witness against all unjust men and Laws and Rulers and Governments which strengtheneth the hands of the wicked and oppresseth the just where the making and execution of Laws are in the power of proud men and covetous men who fears not God neither hates covetousness neither doth respect the cause of the poor but rules by their Wills and Tyranny and not by just Laws in Righteousness but makes unrighteous decrees to oppress the poor and innocent letting the wicked go free such who upholds unrighteous Worships and Teachers by oppression and causes the Innoccent to suffer and makes them Offenders because the exercise of a pure conscience towards God and men such Rulers and Government we cannot be subject to for Conscience sake but do rather fulfull the Law and Will of God though we transgress their wills and unrighteous laws and yet doth not rebel against them nor seek defence from them but patiently suffers under them and bears their injustice and cruelty without seeking any revenge but leaves vengeance to the Lord to whom it belongs and this is our Judgement in full the Government and Laws which we cannot obey nor fulfil for Conscisake we chuse rather to suffer under them for disobedience to them than to transgress the righteous Law of God written in our hearts by obeying them so that what we cannot obey for Conscience sake for Conscience sake we resist not but suffers under that the punishment of it patiently and herein are we subject to every ordinance of man for conscience sake in fulfilling of the good the just and righteous and in patience suffering under the cruelty and oppression of the unjust and unrighteous and this we do and teach every where subjection to every Ordinance of man and are not destroyers of true Government or rebellious against just Governours but are exalters of true Justice and Judgement in the Earth CHAP. XI Concerning the true Ministry of Christ and the false Ministry and the difference betwixt them this testimony I give unto all the World THE true Ministry is sent of God and is the gift of the holy Ghost and it stands in the Power of the Spirit of God and not in the words of mans wisdom of that wisdom which is from below and it brings people to the knowledge of God which is life eternal and it turns people from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to the Power of God it is freely received of God and freely given forth of us it proclaims Peace on Earth unto such as are of a broken and upright heart and it proclaims war against all the wicked upon Earth it is a good savour unto God in setting the way of life and the way of death before all people the Ministry of Christ is free and cannot be bought nor sold for money it is without hire and gifts and rewards from any man which is given freely into the World and it ever was and is persecuted by the Generation of the unjust and by the powers of the Earth he that comes in the Fathers Name cannot be received of the World but the World is at enmity against it in this Generation as ever was it converts people unto the Knowledge of God and many did and many do receive the Knowledge of God thereby though some thereby be hardened against God unto destruction and the Word of the Lord and the Ministry returns not in vain unto God but all by it arâ— left without excuse the Witness of Christ in every Creature being reached to which gives Testimony to the Power and to the Truth of the Ministry of Christ but the false Ministers and Ministry are not such for their Ministry is received by natural Learning and Arts and is not the Gift of the holy Ghost but stands in the wisdom of mans words and not in the Power and Life of God it profits not the people at all neither do any come to the Knowledge of God thereby neither is turned from Darkness to Light but Teachers and people continues in the power of Satan and in the unconverted estate the Witness of God not reached to to bring to the understanding of things which are eternal but people are ever learning by it and never coming to the Knowledge of the Truth but the Blind leads the Blind and like Teachers like People all out of the Way given to Iniquity and unrighteousness and such are they who preaches for Hire and divines for Money and seeks for their gaiâ— from their Quarter and through covetousness by feigned words make merchandize of Souls going for Gifts and Rewards and teaching for filthy Lucre having settled places and so much a year these are not the true Ministers of Christ but false Ministers of Autichrist and Deceivers and were never sent of God and do never bring any to the Knowledge of Gods and such we beâ—â— witness against to be of the Devil and that for many Generations the World hath been deceived by them who hath had the form of godlines but not the Power and Christs words and the Apostles words without the Life and they have served themselves and not the Lord Jesus but now they are made manifest with the true Light which approveth the Ministry of God and disapproveth such who are Ministers of Antichrist and all that are in the Light and walk in the light can receive this testimony which is given by the Spirit of God to that Ministry which is sent of him which doth fulfill his will and against the false Ministry which is not of God which runs and was never sent of him CHAP. XII Concerning the Gospel of Christ this is my testimony unto all the VVorld THE Gospel is the Power of God and it is sent of him into the World to reconcile people unto him that have been in the enmity agaiâ—â—â— him 〈◊〉 is Peace to the Poor in spirit and judgement to the Fat and to the high minâ—â—â— and it is to be preached to every creature male and female under Heaven without respect of Peoples Nations or Generations it is the manifestation of the Love of God to the whole World to gather people out of all unrighteousâ—â—â—â— into the living Way of Life Peace and Truth to walk with God in Purity and Holiness and to deny the World and all its ways and works and worships which are evil and by it some are brought to God and to salvation and life eternal and some through it are hardened against God that they may be destroyed and condemned who are Reprobates and believes not in him from whom the Gospel comes and it cannot be received by any other way or means than by the revelation of Jesus Christ in the hearts of his people and many have the letter which knows not the Gospel nor hath received it and this Gospel which is everlasting have we received from God and this is the sound of it which we
give in the World unto the World Fear God and give Glory to him for the hour of his Judgements is come and this is the everlasting Gospel of Salvation he that can receive it let him CHAP. XIII Concerning the Word of God and concerning the Scriptures this testimony I give unto all the World THE Word of God was in the beginning before any Creatures were made and by it all things stand and remain unto this day and the Word endures for ever and by it all things in Heaven and in Earth are brought to pass which God doth and it is from everlasting to everlasting without beginning and without end and the Word is powerful dividing and discerning all things even the secret thoughts of every mans heart it is as a two edged sword and as a fire and like a hammer to cut up to burn and to beat down the Word of the Lord reconciles man again to him and this Word is in the mouth and in the heart and the Servants of the Lord handled tasted saw and felt the Word of Life and from it spoke forth the Scriptures as they were moved by the holy Ghost through the eternal Spirit and it is an Declaration of the Word of Life which was in the beginning and endures for ever and it declares what the Saints received believed and enjoyed and none can understand it without the same Spirit that gave it forth and to such who have the same Spirit the Scripture is profitable the Word of God which was in the beginning and which endures for ever is not the Scripture which was not in the beginning neither can it endure for ever but the Scripture testifies of that Word that Word witnesses to the Scripture and they are not contrary one to the other but gives witness each of other but many hath the Scripture that hath not the Word neither knows it but they that have the Word cannot but own the Scriptures and this is the Truth as it is in Jesus Testified to all the World by us who doth deny them that hereof gives any other testimony CHAP. XIV Concerning the Devil and Damnation this Testimony I give to all People THere is a Devil which is out of the Truth who abode not in the Truth but is a Lyar from the beginning and the father of all evil doing and the author of all unrighteousness and whatsoever is contrary to God in thought word and action he is the enmity against God and against all good and by his power subverts creatures and things to another end than wherefore they were created even to the dishonour of the Creator he is the god of this World the prince of darkness and he rules King in all the childern of the first Adâ—â— who are in evil he was the cause of the first transgression and is the cause of disobedience to God to this day in all people who are led by him moving aâ—â— them to Envy Wrath Pride Whoredom Drunkenness Theft and Murther and all the works of darkness sin and death he is the Fountain and Root of 〈◊〉 these and the Leader and Ruler in the exercise of them and of every evil woâ—â— and work whatsoever which are contrary to God he abode not in the Trâ—â—â— and he hath led all mankind out of Truth into all deceit and unrighteousness and into every evil way and he dwells in darkness inhabits in thick darkness and is out of the Light and is separate from the Presence of God for ever boâ—â—â— in chains of darkness and ignorance and unbelief and he hath power in the earthly part of man and a law in the members and he possesses him that is born of the flesh his covenant is with him who is not born of the Seed of God who cannot sin such are in covenant with God renewed into his Image but such as are not hath the Divil power in to captivate and lead their minds into vanity and their affections and desires into all that which is evil by which the Spirit of God the Creator of all things is grieved and his soul vexed and all murther and deceitful works of the World and all whatsoever is contrary to God iâ— words thoughts or actions is of the Devil that wicked one and from him and all that follow his movings and worketh evil thereby they serve him aâ—â— obey him he is their god and their King and they are his people and hiâ— subjects he is their father and they are his children he is their root and they are his off-spring and brings forth fruit unto him and serves 〈◊〉 worships him and not the true God that made all things and all such 〈◊〉 be cast into utter darkness with him and shall have their portion with him in 〈◊〉 bottomless pit of darkness for ever and ever where there is no end of woe anâ— sorrow and misery for in the anger of God there the worm diâ—â— not 〈◊〉 the fire is not quenched and out of that there is on redemption for the â—â—clean and all such who are led of him who is out of the Truth and in evil are judged and condemned and damned by him who is the Truth who judgeth righteously and as he hath not ceased to work evil and to draw the children of men into evil for he continually tempteth to lead from God into Rebellion against him And they that are led by him are destroyed and he shall not cease sorrow wo and misery for ever as he hath not ceased to work evil he liveth and moveth in the anger of God his beginning was in it and all his works are in it and it shall be the reward of him and all that obey him in the separation from Gods everlasting Presence for ever and ever CHAP. XV. Concerning all creatures that God made this Testimony I give unto all the World ALL creatures that God made in their creation and beginning was very good in his sight that made them and unto man that was to use them and no Creature was evil or defiled in its Creation but mankind transgressing against his Maker he become evil and did evil in the sight of the Lord and he being possessed with evil and corrupted he makes all Creatures evil in his exercise of them corrups them and perverts them to another end than wherefore they were created and by the Creatures dishonours the Creator â—…o should have honoured him by them and they are become a curse unto man and not a blessing though in themselves are neither cursed nor evil nor defiled but is become so unto man because of his transgression and disobedience for he being in the curse and defiled all things are so unto him and in his exercise of them he is wicked abusing them upon the lust to satisfie his devillish mind and ruling over them in oppression and cruelty and hard heartedness and not in the Wisdom of God as he ought and he subverts them out from their pure vertue
feeding his lust in pride and voluptuousness with that which should keep him from hunger and nakedness and so pleasing the lust in all things more than satisfying pure nature and this ought not to be for it is out of the Covenant of God in which all Creatures were made and in which they stand except the Creature man who is degenerated out of Gods Covenant and subverts all things to his own end and not unto the glory of God while he continues in that state unreconciled to God but man being restored and redeemed and renewed again into covenant with God through the condemning of the evil then all Creatures to him are restored and made blessed the curse being removed out of his own heart the Creatures are no longer cursed to him but good and decent and enjoyed and received in the Covenant of God in the life and vertue by which they were created and by the wisdom which they were made man comes to order them and exercise himself in them and no more are they spent upon the lust nor on the vain minde nor ruled over in oppression but all that is condemned and all Creatures are seen to be the Lords and the Whole Earth is his and the fulness thereof and the abuse of all Creatures is ceased and they are enjoyed in their pure vertue to feed and to cloath the Creature and not to be destroyed upon the lust but for the healths-sake are they used to the glory of of the Creator and unto the end wherefore he Created them and are pure as they were in the beginning and the blessing is felt which is more than all creatures CHAP. XVI Concerning the new Covenant and how man comes to the Knowledge of God this Testimony I give THE Covenant of God is Unity betwixt God and man and a binding each to other to serve each other the one is bound to obey and submit and worship and the other to blesse and keep and lead and perserve this Covenant is established with his own Seed for ever and there is no Teacher but God all is taught of him from the least to the greatest who are in this Covenant his just Law is written in their heart to condemn all transgression and his pure Spirit is put into the inward parts to be the rule and guide of life in all things and none need to say know the Lord but all knows him in the Spirit and worships him and obeys him and follows him in Spirit and in Truth and such are come into Peace and Reconciliation with God and the Covenant with Hell and Death is broken and in this Covenant there is no Priest nor Offering but Christ Jesus the high â—…iest of God the one Offering for sin he takes away sin and makes intercession and in it is no Temple but our bodies are the Temple of God and he dwells in us and walks in us and there is no circumcision but the circumcision of the heart which is the putting away of all the uncleanness of the flesh nor in it there is no means of salvation but Christ the onely way the Truth and Life and none comes to the Father but by him he Declares of the Father and there is no Light but the Light of the Lamb all that are Saved shall walk in the Light of the Lamb and there shall be no need of any other light no need of the Light of the Sun nor of the Moon nor of Candle but the Lord is unto them an everlasting Light and God alone is their Glory and this Covenant is for ever and cannot alter nor change but is sure unto the Seed of his own Inheritance but he that is born of the Flesh hath no part in it who is shut out from the Knowledge of God who is not known to the wisdom of this World which is Foolishness with God and the Knowledge of God is received no other way but onely by the revelation of Jesus Christ and by the Working of the Spirit of the Father in the heart he opens the blinde Eye and unstops the deaf Ear and changeth the heart and causeth it to understand and he removes that which hath stood in the way betwixt God and the Creature which hath caused ignorance in the Creature that the Lord could not be seen nor perceived Christ Jesus the second Adam Lighteth every man and at Mankind that cometh into the World with the true Light but some hates the Light and they will not come to the Light least their Deeds should be reproved and their Deeds are evil and they are in a condemned State and such cannot receive Christ nor the Knowledge of God but such who love the Light with which Christ hath enlightned them they bring all their Deeds to the Light and walk in the Light and their Deeds are wrought in God never to be condemned And such as loves the Light receives Christ and the Knowledge of God which is eternal Life and none comes to the Knowledge of God and of Christ any other way but through the Light of Christ and by the Operation of the Spirit of God and evil is condemned out of the Heart and the Heart is made clean by the Word of God and the Knowledge of God is received into the clean Heart and not into the impure for without Holiness none shall see God nor ever come to the Knowledge of him neither can the Knowledge of God be received by the Traditions of men or any outward Observance in the will of man but only by the Teachings of the eternal Spirit is the living God known in the Creature CHAP. XVII Concerning Faith this Testimony I give unto the VVorld FAith is the Gift of God and by it Christ is received and enjoyed it is the Substance of things hoped for and the very Evidence of things not seen gives the Creature to believe God in all what he hath promised all that which is acted and spoken in it is well pleasing unto God and that which is done without is sin it is the strengh of the Creature to act for God in all things It is that whereby the World is overcome and all the Powers of Hell and death it is the Armour against the Devil and the defence of all the Children of God by it they overcome all their Enemies and through it they reign over all the World it carries through all Sufferings and Tribulations with Joy and Patience Faith is an Act of God in the Creature through it Peace and Righteousness and the Crown of Life is received from God by Faith all things are received that are received of God by any of his Children He that hath Faith sees and feels the Lords Presence at all times and through Faith we do and suffer gladly for the name of Christ in all things and this is thus far our Testimony given by the Spirit of the Father of those things of which we have received the knowledge from God who hath given us his
others which we have not received from man but from God are 〈◊〉 purposed in the Lord to declare abroad and he hath put it into our hearts to 〈◊〉 his Will herein for he hath spoken who can but prophesie and he hath given 〈◊〉 word and many are they that publish it in faithfulness against the kingdom 〈◊〉 the Man of Sin which hath long been exalted in the Earth over the Seed of 〈◊〉 which the Lord is now a gathering and establishing his Covenant with and Ierusalem that hath long lain waste shall be made the praise of the whole Earth 〈◊〉 the Gentiles which hath polluted her shall be cast out and the Saints shall Rejoyâ—â— over all their Enemies And know you assuredly from us who know the Lord that God is doing greâ—â—â— things in the Earth he is begun to work and his arm shall bring it to pass he will overturn and overturn till he come to reign whose right it is who will change times and things even that which cannot be believed though a man declare it unto you is the Lord bringing to pass the Eye shall bless that sees it and the Heart shall praise that can understand and behold the Lord comes quickly and they are blessed that wait for him whose Reward is with him and his glorious Work is before him to be wrought by his own hand without the help of any other who needs not the help of man and he that doth oppose him shall be overthrown confounded and destroyed And again All ye Kings Princes Rulers and People whatsoever know ye assuredly that we are not Enemies against but Friends unto all Civil Government and to all just and righteous Orders and Decrees and wholsome Laws and Customs of any Common-wealth and no way are we destructive to or Destroyers of the Peace and Welfare and wholsome Laws which is according to God of any Nation whatsoever But are Preservers of the Peace of all people and wait in patience for the establishment of Justice and true Judgement and that Righteousness may spring forth and the Government of all Nations may be according to the Law of God Neither are we such who makes void the just Government of any Nation or City Neither are we such who through evil purposes plot or conspire or contrive Evil in our Hearts against any Governours or Government whatsoever but wish Peace and Truth and the Fear of the Lord unto all men and Nations and desire not the overthrow or evil to any people or their Government but are subject to just Government everywhere by obedience to it and subject to evil Government by suffering in patience under it so that righteousness alone we wait to see set up through the World and for that cause suffer patiently under our Enemies not seeking revenge against them nor envying the persons of any but pity our enemies and desire their Repentance rather than their Destruction Yet this we give all to know that the Lord will be avenged on all them who hate the Way of Righteousness and all that oppose the Lord and his Way and despise his Truth which he hath revealed they shall be confounded and broken to pieces and shall confess to the Lord and his Way and his Truth in the day of their Destruction Again let all the Earth know that against all unrighteousness injustice oppression whoredom murder and drunkenness and all sin whatsoever we do declare and acknowledge our selves to be Enemies against all sin and they that commit it and we cannot hide Sin and Iniquity in any but give our testimony against it and against all that live in it whatsoever without Respect to men or places and cannot flatter any man in his Transgressions but say that Lying Swearing Drunkenness Covetousness Jniustice Dissimulation Hypocrisie Murder and Envy Lust of the Flesh Pride and Wantonness and all the works of the Flesh whatsoever are contrary to God and of the Devil and they that lives in them and brings them forth are the Servants of the Devil and must not inherit the Kingdom of God who brings forth those works which grieves the Spirit of God and vexes his righteous Soul and this is that Government onely which is the Government of Sin and Death which we declare our selves Enemies to which is of the Devil and not of God and this is that Government which we testifie against and war against by the Sword of the Spirit of God and by his Power and not by the carnal weapons or subtil conspiracies or violent Insurrections for this way and by this means shall not the Government of Satan be overthrown or the Kingdom of Christ ever exalted Again let all the World know that we are not such as disanul or makes void the Covenant and bond of Relations or teach any so to do or give any example by our practice to any subjects to be rebellious to their Governors or children to be disobedient to their Parents or that servants be undutiful to their Masters But on the contrary do say and affirm it that it is the duty of Subjects to be obedient and subject in the Lord to their Rulers and Governours whether Kings Dukes or others who have rule over them and also that Children should be obedient to their Parents and Servants to be dutiful and subject to their Master in the Lord in all things and that Husbands and Wives live in all unity and peace in the Lord Provided onely where Rulers Parents or Masters or Husbands require of their Subjects Children or Servants or any other whatsoever requiring of their Relations that which is unjust and contrary to God and his righteous Law in such a case we say that Subjects Children Servants and all other whatsoever are free and we say where man requires any thing contrary to God and God requires another thing contrary to man the obedience to God is rather to be chosen and the obedience to all mâ—… is to be denyed and this is our judgement which is acording to truth and iâ— the mind of God concerning subjection and obedience and the duty of Relations one to another And lastly Know ye assuredly that we do not hold and maintain any thing by conversation or doctrine but the very same Truth in word and practice 〈◊〉 all our fore-Fathers did but bears witness of the same Salvation by the same Christ as they did and are not setters forth of strange gods for no other God is worshipped by us than he which Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the rest of the servants of the Lord in every generation worshipped served and obeyed neither are we such as do maintain Heresie Error or Idolatry or the worship of any strange god though hereof we are accused falsely yet against us cannot it be proved truly and this we give the whole world to know that no other end or purpose or design is in our hearts but onely to fulfil the will of God in all things as it is to us made manifest Even
People to save them or his Enemies that he should not recompence them but know ye assuredly that the Lord is the same and all those things are written in a Book and remembred by him and he will judge justly and righteously in his dreadful day Ah let it enter into your hearts serve not your selves altogether in the pleasures of this World but serve the Lord and this he requires of you let the oppressed go free and break every bond whereby the Innocent do suffer and this the Lord requires at your hands Oh but I feel great hardness of heart and rather a strengthening of cruel bonds than a breaking of them and you appear rather to be given up to work wickedness and to fullfill the largest measure of them that went before you than otherwise unrighteous Decrees are rather established than disannulled Oh what will be the end of these things and what will be your judgment when the Lord awakens himself as out of sleep who hath left you to follow your own spirits to try you that it might be known unto all what is in your hearts and behold perverseness lodges in them and while the Lord hath looked for justice amongst you even the cry of oppression hath been heard even a grieveous cry of unjust persecution and violence against the Seed of God and once you would have been ashamed of those things which now you act without shame so that which is in your hearts is poured forth in the sight of the World Oh ye Rulers of England the Rulers of the Heathen shall rise up is judgment against you even they that never professed so much as you have done they shall be rather justified than you whose wayes have been more equal than yours and less cruelty brought forth by them than by you unto their subjects and this makes your sin more great in that many of yoâ— were raised from low estate and you have exalted your selves more than is meet and have caused your very equals to groan under you by the heavy yoak which you have prepared for them well but the Lord hath listned and heard and a Book of remembrance is written and he will repay into your bosoms the time is not long when the Lord may scatter you and give you unto the will of your Enemies therefore be awakened and warned the day of your visitation is upon you all OH England that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace Oh that thy Rulers and people had known how that the Lord hath called unto them Oh that they had considered-how that his hand hath been stretched forth all the day long and he would have gathered them as a Shepherd doth his flock but they have nâ—… known neither have they considered and therefore that which belongs to their peace will the Lord hide from their eyes the day of their visitation is spending apace and the night will come and no man shall be able to work and because the Lord hath called and you have not heard therefore shall you cry and the Lord will give no answer Oh Nation thou art filled with oppression and griveous iniquities and from the Head to the Foot thou bearest marks of great abominations in thee is found lamentable oppression of the Poor and great and grieveous Idolatries and Gods Rightous Soul is vexed in thee day by day the Just groans and mourns under the heavy hand of oppressors many of thy Goales do witness it where many Innocent and Upright People have suffered unjustly the loss of their Freedom without any ground or charge of evil laid upon them Oh what have thy Rulers done Judgment and Justice have they turned backward the cry of the Poor hath not been regarded and equity hath not found a place to enter Who would have thought that you who have been so high in Profession of the Scriptures should thus have dealt with them who are in the Life of the Scriptures this agravates your sin in that none hath been like you in profession of Religion and in pretences of Righteousness and yet you have exceeded others in persecuting and suffering of it the servants of the Lord but it is now made Manifest what lodgeth in your hearts under your fair covers of promises words and shews what deep Hypocrisie is this that you should profess Liberty of Conscience and yet have persecuted hundreds for the exercise of their pure Consciences Is not this to be taken notice of that you should profess that which you do not perform and will not the Lord plead with you because of it in his dreadful day which is hastening upon you as a thief in the night and the wicked shall not escape do you not think that he whom you persecute in his Members and his Members shall surely reign over you do not you know that he is sufficient to avenge himself of all his Enemies and do not you believe that he could command thousands of thousands to fight for him and to revenge his Cause Hath the consideration of these things no room in your hearts or are your hearts wholy shut up from all compassion towards the Lords people Surely to Vengeance will the Lord be awakened and he will tread you down as mire in the streets and as you have done and suffered to be done to the Lords people even so shall it be done unto you THere are only two Seeds in the World and there are but two and no more to wit the Seed of God and the Seed of the Serpent and these two are contrary one to the other in their bringing forth in their time and in their ends they differ in their Nature in their fruits and works and in their reward and these two are at continual enmity one against another and never was is or shall be reconciled the life of one is the death of the other and where the one doth live the other doth dye and where the one rejoyceth the other is made sorrowful and where the one is in Freedom the other is in Bondage and where the one is Ruler the other is a Slave and in Captivity and thus are they contrary where the one brings forth fruit the other is barren and the one is rewarded with the overthrow of the other and the one of these is ruling in every creature man and woman and growing and bringing forth fruit from it self through the Creature and the fruits of the one is blessed for ever and the fruits of the other are cursed for ever and betwixt these two there is no concurrence or agreement in any thing whatsoever but they differ in likeness and their fruits differ in appearance the fruit of the one is love and peace and unity the fruit of the other is hatred and envy and trouble and enmity the fruit of the Seed of God in the creature is truth and righteousness and faith and patience long-suffering and temperance and joy and peace in the Lord with all
their wickedness without reproof and ungodliness may be hid under hypocrisie and above all other means that is used at this day to keep up the Kingdom of the Devil and to offend the Kingdom of Christ this is Cheif striving against the Light of the World opposing it and denying it and by crafty Arguments and cunning Speeches seeking sutable Scriptures as they suppose to ground their false Argumentâ— upon against this very thing that the Light of Christ is given to every man that comes into the World or that the Light which convinceth and reproveth every man of sin within him is not the Light of Christ nor worthy to be taken notice of but natural and such like and no way sufficient to Life and Salvation if the Unjust men persecute it is such as walk in the Light of Christ Jesus that cannot fulfill the wills and customs of mâ—n and so are not of thâ—… World but contrary to it in all its wayes and workâ—…â—…ich are evil and if tâ—… wise men of the World make any Arguments it is against the Light wiâ—… which Christ lightneth every man that comes into the World so that all 〈◊〉 envy of the Devil whether under this or that colour and appearance is againâ—… the Light of Christ Jesus and them that walk therein and if the light be 〈◊〉 denyed and not believed in nor regarded then may the Devil have whâ—… Possession of the heart of man and if the Light of Christ Jesus within 〈◊〉 owned and loved and walked in then Christ is received and there the Dâ—… is dispossessed and therefore it stands him upon above all other things 〈◊〉 possess people against the Light within which Christ hath given that then 〈◊〉 may not be discovered in the heart but may keep all his goods in peace aâ—… have quiet possession in his Habitation Well be it so though all men of thâ—… Kingdom doth gainsay the Light of Christ by this or that way of wickedness yet it is precious unto us and I cannot but earnestly contend for it against 〈◊〉 Gainsayers and yet strives not for mastery to our selves nor to exalt any thing of our selves but only the Lord and his truth which he hath made more dear to us then either life or name or liberty and though so it be that this Way be spoken evil against every-where yet the Lord owneth it and us who are faithful therein in the presence of our Enemies to the confounding of the wisdom of this World And whereas Iohn Bunion hath formerly set himself divers wayes to oppose the Truth under the account of his great zeal against Error but especially in a Book sometime since put forth by him thinking thereby to offend the Way of Righteousness and now a second time hath appeared with a defence upon his former called A Vindication c. Of the former and his Defence is more to the laying open his folly and to the uncovering of his blindness and wickedness then his first offence given by him which caused me to write in short four sheets of paper to clear the Truth from what he had spoken against it And now having again a second time appeared in many word without knowledge yet in great zeal hath brought forth many things reprovable even Lyes and Slanders and evil Speeches in abundance yet with great pretence of holiness and soberness and he hath not only belyed me but the Truth which is my chief and moving cause that the Truth may be clear of this my second Reply unto him and not for my own sake in any thing for I more prize to be accounted a fool and dispraised in the World then to be honoured thereby and when iniquity shall come to an end and transgression shall be finished his shall be the Kingdom and the Inheritance of Rest Eternal that hath kept himself clean and pure from a lying and slanderous tongue and who hath done righteously and fullfilled the Will of God For it is not every one that saith Lord Lord that enter into the Kingdom but he that doth the will of the Father which is in Heaven and in that day when the Book of all Consciences shall be opened and every thing brought to Judgement then shall the Light in every ones Conscience answer the Lord in the justness of his dealings and even then if not before shall this Iohn Bunion know the Light in all mens Consciences is of force when he shall be judged and then shall he see he hath wronged the Lord and dealt evil against his own soul in speaking evil of what he hath not known and in giving false judgement of what he hath not understood and till that day I leave him without praying for fire to devour him only may reprove his Lyes Errors Contradictions and False-dealing and clear the Truth from his false Charges and only to the most chiefest things whereof he accuses us in short I may Reply And whereas thou sayst There is one that hath ventured to stand up against the Truth and hath published a Book in which there is a great number of Heresies cunningly vented by him and also many things there falsly Reported of thee To which I answer that same Book published called The true faith of the Gospel contended for c. Shall clear it self from this reproach that I have not stood against any one truth or uttered any Heresie or lye against thee but in that Book did witness forth the Truth against many things falsly laid down by thee against the Quakers and that same Book with soberness read without partiality and prejudice doth clear it self from these false Aspersions and prove thee a Lyer herein and I leave it to the honest hearted to judge who reads that Book while I with patience and not seeking any revenge doâ— bear thy reproaches counting them greater riches then thy praise And Farther thou saist Only by the way thou thinkest good to mind me of my cloathing my self with the words of the Prophets and Apostles c. Answ. True enough by the Way out of the Truth and out of Christ who is the Way hast thou spoken this and so hast uttered in falsehood and by or out of the Way neither have I cloathed my self and yet am I clothed with the Life of the Prophets and Apostles and not only with their words nor do I fight against them though thou falsly sayst it but bears witness unto them in Doctrine and Conversation and before all the seed of Evil-doers and take back thy own words to thy self who art in that Generation which hath the words but are without the Life in the evil life Farther thou sayst I have broken out with a false Testimony of Iohn Burton and thee at which thou seemest to be much offended that I should say thou art joyned with the broken Army of Magog and hath shewed your selves in the defence of the Dragon against the Lamb c. Reply what needest thou be troubied at this
this if thou canst that all men may see thy Folly for there is not many Christs but one Christ which is not only within but without not only without but within but is all and in all let him that readâ— understand Then thou sayst the Light wherewith Christ as he is God lighted every one is the Soul of man which is the Life of the Body and is a Creature and hath one faculty of its own Nature called Conscience Reply Now le ts try this Doctrine and consider what thou hast said it amounâ—… to thus much that Conscience is of the nature of the Soul of man and the soul is the Light of Christ as God Therefore thou hast said the Conscience is the Light of God which must needs be without sin this is more then I have or dare say I might here fitly ask thee if thou knowst what the word Conscience signifies in true understanding and yet though thou hast uttered this that Conscience is a Faculty of the soul which thou sayst is the Light of Christ as God which Light of God must needs be of the nature of God pure and not impure yet in the next page thou sayst Conscience is a poor Dunghill Creature in comparisâ—… of the Spirit c. and in another page calls Conscience poor so empty beggerly things c. What now Iohn Bunion is that which thou hast concluded to be the Light of God but a dunghill-Creature and low and empty and beggerly in comparison c. For shame cease such Divinity lest all thy Fellows reprove thee O how doth thy ignorant zeal lead thee into Snares and trape thy own feet And to confound thy self thou sayst Conscience which is the Light of God is Nature it self then it must needs be that every mans nature which is sinful say I it the Light of God O what horrible Doctrine this proves in its explanation Blush and be ashamed when thou considers then thou cries out in reproof O wonderful sayst thou That men should make a God and Christ of their Consciences I know none that doth it nor that ever spoke so highly of Conscience 〈◊〉 thou hast here done yet we say our Conscience bears us witness in the holy Ghost and this is our rejoycing the testimony of our Consciences 〈◊〉 if our Consciences condemn us not then have we confidence towards God and yet makes not God and Christ of our Conscience as thou secretly wouldst charge us withall Then thou goest on and wouldst seem to prove but canst not that somthing besides the Light of Christ convinceth of sin but thy reach is too short thoâ—… thou wind abroad and lets thy thoughts into the pit of thy own reason to bring up a thing to confound Truth but cannot for this is thy proof where they were all convinced by their own Consciences Iohn 8. Now all these I say weâ—… men come into the World and therefore according to Iohn 1. 9. were lighted with the Light of Christ and thou hast confessed that Conscience is the Light of Christ as God which is no less then I have affirmed then wherefore hast thou waded so farr when at the end thou art forced to confess my position thy words being explained that it is the Light of Christ that doth convince of sin and can find no other thing besides that then thou sayst here is somthing besides the Spirit of Christ that doth convince of sin c. But yet I say nothing besides the Light of Christ as thou hast confessed and that was that only which I affirmed in the tenth page of mine about which thou hast made all this stir and to no purpose as to prove any thing convinceth of sin but the Light of Christ and in that I said he that convinceth of sin against the Law leads up into the fulfiling of the Law which still I own though thou wouldst contradict it but canst not and I clearly see thou hast not reached the understanding of my words but answered thy own conceiving and not my words for I do not say or think that righteousness comes by the Law yet that is righteousness which condemneth that which breaks the Law if thou hast an ear thou mayst hear and as I said it is the Word of Truth the Righteousness of the Law must needs be fulfilled in Judgment upon you all and by Christ Jesus in you if ever you receive the Salvation to your Souls and thou hast not yet learned what I mean and though thou sayst that for justification thou lookst beyond the Law to the Son of Mary but I say thou must not look beyond it for condemnation who art in transgression and not reconciled to God through condemnation in the flesh for it will reach you to condemnation and thou sayst Thou understandst that I do in all my discourse disown Christ without by pretending to a Christ within To which I say thy understanding deceives thee who it may be feared blinds thy own eyes that thy Conscience may not condemn thee for slandering but while I am approved in the sight of God of those things whereof thou accusest me falsly and wickedly I matter nothing what a Lyers Judgements is of me my Answer to thy Query shall prove me clear and thee a Lyer herein that we own Gods Christ as the Scripture declares of him as I have said and the darkness of my words is to blind the eye of subtilty and not to deceive the hearts of the simple though thou wouldst say it see if thou now canst tell what I say And whereas thou art offended that I say many more things in thy Book I pass by as being not pertinent to the thing in hand my words are true for the thing in hand was proving us Deceivers and that was the most of which I medled withal or purposed to oppose and to other things that thou speakest of in short my answer was and is the words or of some of them I own and thy voice I deny without any blaspheming or error in the view of all the World though thou wouldst say it for whatsoever a lying spirit speaks I deny it to be the voice of Christ though it may be some of his words and thy spirit is a lying spirit And though thou art offended that I should say Fools loves to be medling yet its true enough is not he a Fool who is a Lyer and a Slanderer that understands not betwixt before a time and since a time judge in thy own Conscience and thy fair words as that it must needs be sayst thou That the Saints of God must be called Fool I say never presume the name of Saint but clear thy self of thy Lyes and Slanders and perverting Scriptures and learn the First principle of Religion Even that which Condemns thee And as to that which I say 〈◊〉 true that the Pope can speak as much of Christ without as thou I own it and may add I believe he can speak more then thou
of Christ without and with as good or better understanding though both a like far from the Kingdom of God yet in thy Answer thou askest me if I put 〈◊〉 difference betwixt the speaking of and beleeving in Christ without Yea I do a great deal for he that believes in him hath the Witness in himself of him and his heart is purifyed and he is a new Creature which thou art not but thou I suppose wouldst be reckoned a Believer nay for I think the Pope hath both more words and more good works and makes as much Conscience of lying and false accusing as thou for ought as may be understood of a tree by the fruits which is our way to judge as Christ hath given us example then is that I said thou hast answered thy self a question deceitful thou art offended and boasts thy self against me Charging me to be an Enemy to the truth and the liâ—â— in that I did not manifest thy deceit but now I shall therefore to stop thy proâ—… boasts in that answer thou calls it a sad doctrine which saith follow the Light which Christ hath enlightned every man withall and other such like things following that question which are deceitful and wicked and thou thereby art proved the Enemy to truth thy self and thou and thy words are both deceitful and therefore boast not thy self Then thou answers my Question which was doth not the Scripture witness that all who have not Christ are Reprobates the Question is sound and of worth to be noted and in thy answer thou sayst yet it is true to which I soberly Reply then what a condition are all in that hath 〈◊〉 Christ within nor no knowledge of him but what they have of him as he is without by the letter without do thou consider this and whether it be not of the chiefest prize to Life and Salvation to wait for him and seek for him within seeing all that have not him within are Reprobates But farther thou wouldst seem to manifest a great deal of folly in me when as the folly lies in thy own bosome and by thy confused words I understand thâ—… groundst thy Answer upon alye and false understanding and therefrom bringâ—… the false reproof as if I should hold forth that every man hath received Chriâ—… or the Spirit of Christ in him This I have never said but that every man hath the Light of Christ giâ—… him which I say is one in union with the Spirit of Christ and I say Christ 〈◊〉 given to all but all receives him not and I see thou understands not my forâ—… words that I write in answer to one of thy Queries thou canst not distingâ—… betwixt a thing being given of God and a thing being received by man so 〈◊〉 the folly is fallen back on thee take it who understands not my words 〈◊〉 opposes thy own conceivings and false understanding and though I might 〈◊〉 truly apply this word folly in that extent then thou applyed the like word 〈◊〉 thy self in this same page yet I leave it to the judgement of the serious Reader and say thy folly is want of wit in the World and not for Châ—… sake Then thou wouldst defend thy first wickedness in that thou saidst the Devil deceives Souls by perswading them to follow the Light within which all men have but my answer to it thou hast not reached in that I said 〈◊〉 that comes to Life eternal must follow the Light within which Christ haâ—… given which stands over thy head for ever to be truth but yet how bliâ—… art thou in confessing the Light within even Conscience to be the Light 〈◊〉 Christ as God and yet sayst the Devil deceives souls by bidding follow the Light within O abominable doctrine what doth the Devil deceive souls by bidding foâ—… the Light of Christ as God so Iohn Bunion's doctrine is let it be noted 〈◊〉 see thou thy folly how it is manifest and thy pittiful evasions are weighed 〈◊〉 stead of contradicting my former sufficient answer which thou could no 〈◊〉 reach to wrest or otherwise to answer it askes a question which I may ansâ— assoon as thou hast sufficiently replyed to my former answer and this is in 〈◊〉 an answer to it it is heresie to say that the Light of God or any Light of 〈◊〉 or Christ can or doth deceive the Soul and though thou stumble at it I said 〈◊〉 in saying that thy whole purpose is a secret smiting against the Light within 〈◊〉 the Reader judge And now to manifest thy ignorance fully thou hast confessed the Light witâ—… even Conscience is the Light of God hast not thou cause to repent of 〈◊〉 absurdities and blindness who holds forth that the Devil deceives Souls by the Light of God seeing thou canst find no Light within man but that which thou confessest is the Light of God Then thou sayes Thy whole design was first to shew Souls where Salvation is to be bad namely in Christ without and yet hath confessed all that hath him not within are Reprobates and such have not salvation by him without Consider therefore without Christ within no Salvation as I have said and thou hast confessed it Mark it then to clear thy self from contradiction which I charged thee with thou wouldst cast a confusion upon me in that thou says I would make a defiled Conscience the Law and Spirit of Christ to be all one This is falsly spoken I have never said nor thought that a defiled Conscience is the Law and Spirit of Christ a Lyer thou art to be noted and this Lye adds to the number and yet consider thou hast said several time that Consciences is the Light of Christ as God and now calls Conscience defiled Is the Light of God defiled Iohn Bunnion saith so O horrid read thou thy confusion and grievous Error which is brought to thy Door and there I leave it thou mayst Blush and all thy Witnesses at this and in that thou callst my Answer Scoulding against thy Epistle and persumptuously sayst The truth of which thou couldst be willing to seal with thy Blood Reply Scoulding I deny but I have reproved thy Lyes in the Authority of the Lord and be not so proudly pust up in boasting what sayst thou shall thy Blood go for this that the Quakers are Deceivers and that the Devil deceives Souls by bidding them follow the Light within which thou sayst is Conscience which thou confesses is the Light of God and that the Blood of Christ was shed before the World was and that the Scripture say so and that we deny that Salvation was compleatly wrought by the man Christ Jesus with several other things noted for Lyes what sayst thou Iohn Bunnion art thou so desparte as that thou wilt hazard thy Blood upon this account if it be so sure the Devil hath great power over thee cease thy boasting lest the Lord make thee an Example and though thou wouldst exhort me thy spirit I deny
froth proceeds out of thy mouth for this Argument comprehends thee and stands out of thy reach for all thy detestable speeches against me and the truth and the rest of my following words thou hast passed by where I say who owns not that which convinceth of sin how can they own him that takes it away by his Blood and this is truth and tell me in â—ustâ—ess according to my first Query in that page how is sin taken away â—â—om thee more then from the Pope seeing neither of you hath the fruit of ceasing to commit sin And art not thou in the froth who opposes me as though I should say yet never did nor thought that justification must be sought by the deeds of the Law and so gathers a false conception and fights with it and keeps thy self doing in nine sheets against four and yet hast passed over many speciall things almost the chiefest and though no flesh shall be justified by the deeds of the Law yet must all flesh living be condemned for the transgression of the Law by Christ who freely gives Life to all that believes if thou hast an ear thou mayst hear in the next thou seemst or wouldst at least to defend thy self from my charge which shall if it doth not lie heavy upon thee which is that I call thee Slanderer and truly too from thy words where thou falsly accused the Qunkers with boasting and Hypocrisie and in thy answer thou sayst I need not be offended for thou dost not know our fellow for boasting in that thou sayst we â—ryâ—p our selves and condemn all others c. But this is no proof of the former Accusation but an addition to thy former wickedness let honest men consider I asked thee when thou didst hear any of them boast or see them live in Hypocrisie but not a word to this sober desire but adds sin to sin a bad way to clear thy self and thy God Be ashamed for crying up self we deny but yet must say or else say falsly That we are of God and the whole World lies in wickedness and he that is of God heareth us and is one with us and this is as the Saints testified and is neither boasting nor Hypocrifie then to my question which was Will that Faith which is without works justifie and thou sayst no c. Then I Reply what is thy condition and theirs who are not only without works of faith but in thy very work of darkness as Lying and false Accusing c. And seeing thou sayst no Consider whether thou hast faith and whether thy works which are like good workes proceed not from the unbeleiving ground and this I add to my next I asked which thou hast passed by must not every one receive according to their deeds in the day of Judgement and then thou runs out in high words against me in that I said if to talk of him Christ his Birth Blood c. Were Faith in him and living by faith then few would want it and further I add the Pope himself would have it and my words are just and honest without exception or contradiction but only that something thou must needs say though thou say many can talk of Christ that will fall short of Heaven c. And asks me a question and fayst Is there not enough in them 〈◊〉 Birth Blood c. to justifie c. I answer the knowledge of all things whatsoever without will not justifie except Christ be within and if he be within the power of his Life Blood Birth c. is known and received and felt and in this I preach not any other Gospel then the Apostles who said Say not who shall ascend or descend to fetch him Mark but what saith it the Word of Faith or of the Gospel which are not divided is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart And thou falsly again charges the Quakers with corrupting and beguiling mâ—y by those Scriptures Reply Beguiling is thy own and corrupting of Scriptures too as is proved and whilst thou accuses us falsly in these things thy self art proved truly guilty in the sight of all that are spiritual and as to thy charging me That the man Christ Iesus is not very pleasant to me And with Scoulding c. Thy slanders I bear with patience and thy reproaches which is not for evil but for Christs sake who dyed at Ierusalem and is revaeled in me and for shâ—… cease to say Thou art ruled by Scripture a Lyar and Slanderer and Preverter of Scriptures is not led with the Spirit that gave forth the Scripture but is ruled by the Devil and is out of Scripture rule then thou goes on and wouldst justifie thy ignorant saying How are they deceived who own Christ no otherwise then as he was before the World began c. And my answer to it thou hast not touched nor truly contradicted which stands over thee and is sufficient to all honest people and Christ we own the same yesterday to day for ever and doth believe the Father granted that request and he is glorified with the same glory that he had before the World was and though thou tell me of a double meaning yet in plainness I speak without doubleness the fault is in thy weakness and sottishness and blindness of heart who knoâ—… not that which is infinite and immortal and eternal the flesh of Christs body is so Then thou falsly charges me again in that I said if every spirit be of God which doth in words confess thus viz. that Christ was with the Father before the World was was born and suffered in the flesh and was buried and raised c. then is not the Pope himself Antichrist c. As in my fourteenth page whiâ—… putting on a vail and ventering upon thy words But I have spoken the truth herein let that in thy Conscience answer in nakedness without a vail the vail is on thy heart thou canst not understand me and so this is thy simple policy to say the vail is on me and what of that if 〈◊〉 ventred on it it is but in the fear of God though I should say I deny all thâ—… thou sayst or the speaking of any thing for I do not own thy voice though some of thy words be true and though thou speak words of truth yet therefore I reprove thee and sometimes may not let it pass for truth for Christ is my example herein who reproved the Devils though they confessed him Mark that but the chief part of my words are passed over and read over again and see if it is not truth it self where I said It is not much better nor more accepted to confess Christ in words to be come and yet in works to deny him theâ—… it is both in words and works to deny him the one is wicked in prophaneâ—… the other in Hypocrisie the one is a Lyar and the other a false Witness and let the honest Judge then
are not in the Scripture words in terms yet I have 〈◊〉 said falsly herein and do not thou be a reprover of that which thou cannnot 〈◊〉 self deny then thou sayst How feeble an argument is this to prove that every one 〈◊〉 Spirit c. Reply Thou blind man did I go about to prove any such thing or 〈◊〉 any Argument thereupon we are about the Light which Christ hath giâ—… or lighted every man in the World withal which Light convinceth of 〈◊〉 and is not contrary to the Spirit of Christ unto this was I speaking 〈◊〉 this I stand by and thou conceives another thing from my words and 〈◊〉 against thy own consequences like a man too irrational to understand coâ—… English c. Then thou sayst Thou passed by other lame Arguments which I tumble evâ—… 〈◊〉 blind man in a thicket of bushes O be ashamed for ever thus to evade and shuffle with such scornful 〈◊〉 I said that which reproves of sin is the gift of the Spirit of God Iohn 1◠〈◊〉 that which makes manifest sin is Light and whatsoever is reproved is made 〈◊〉 fest by the Light Ephes. 5. how darest thou call these lame Arguments tumbâ—… over what impudence is in thy heart so to say when thou art put to 〈◊〉 fusion then such excuses thou bringst Well some may see thy folly 〈◊〉 to my Question which was whether that Light which every man is liâ—… withal is sufficient in it self for Life and Salvation to every one 〈◊〉 believes if thou say not wherein is the blame in God in his Liâ—… 〈◊〉 in the Creature thou sayst No it is not sufficient I take it for an 〈◊〉 and leaves it to be weighed by the sober Reader and though there be veâ—… honour and of dishonour made of the same lump as thou sayst yet I 〈◊〉 Query is not every mans blood that perisheth of his own head 〈◊〉 not the Lord clear from the blood of all men even though they go to dâ—… ction and if the Reader try thy Book over he may judge whose Arguments 〈◊〉 lame Then whereas thou sayst Christ as God hath lighted every man that comâ—◠〈◊〉 the World To which I said then why dost thou say we wrest that Scriâ—… Iohn 1. 9. seeing thou thy self hast confessed no less then what thou callest wâ—…elling in us and this is truth let all men consider else that when thoâ— câ—…nfesses Christ as God hath lighted every man in the World it is no less then wâ—… we say and that Scripture sayes which is That Christ is the true Light 〈◊〉 that is he which lighteth every man that comes into the World and mayâ—◠〈◊〉 thou be ashamed to call this so scornfully a glavering Answer not being 〈◊〉 clear thy self from my just charge in that herein I charged thee with coâ—… to oppose us in that which thy self confesseth to be true consider well oâ—… and let not thy blood go for the truth of all what thou sayst for I deâ—… not Further thou cries out Is this all the wit I have and wonderful igâ—… 〈◊〉 Because I said it is not good to neglect following the Light but that 〈◊〉 one minde the Light of Christ Jesus in them in answer to thy words 〈◊〉 having said the Light which convinceth of sin is the Light of Christ as 〈◊〉 which the neglect of will be sure to damn as thou sayst and now let wiseâ—… judge of my answer but thou falls heavily on it proving that obedâ—… to the Law will not justifie and the like which I do not at all affirm 〈◊〉 to that I say the Law having its opperation upon the disobedient the 〈◊〉 comes to be seen which is he that is the end of the Law and the Law mâ—… him be obeyed or fulfilled in thee if ever thou be saved from being damned 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 â—…ul bid listen â—ithin telling me of making sheâ—â—â—r for my errâ—â— c. Tâ—…â—o 〈◊〉 say that Paul bids listen within let the Reader judge from that Scâ—…ture 〈◊〉 10. 6. The righteousness of faith sâ—…ks on thâ—…s â—…se â—â—rs 〈◊〉 which is the 〈◊〉 of the Gospel and vers 9. what saith it the Word iâ— nigh tâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mâ—… and in thy Heart was not that the end of these words to lisâ—… 〈◊〉 the Word is in the Heart what saith it there now the error iâ— thine 〈◊〉 â—…e truth and the Lye is returned to the Founder who denyes thâ—t Pâ—…lâ—…en â—…en within when its plain he saith The Wâ—â—d 〈◊〉 i◠〈◊〉 Hâ—…t what 〈◊〉 it â—…ere O that a man professing knowledge and enterprzing such things should â—…e so 〈◊〉 and so unable to finish what he hath â—…in then thou cryest oâ—t â—…sly and notes it in the margent for wresting of thy words in that I â—…d â—…ou sayst They are ignorant of the Gospel who closâ—… in with thesâ—â—…s of th◠〈◊〉 â—…in or Conscience which doth command to abstain from the â—â—ll and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thy own words are How the poor souls through ignorance of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these motions of its own Conscience viz. the motions which convinceth of sin â—…in which doth commâ—… abstain from this evil and practice thâ—â— gâ—dd so â—et wâ—â—e men consider whether I have wronged that intent of thy words and â—e not so soon angry â—or thou canst not vindicate that they that closes â—n with these motions of the â—â—science or the Light of Christ within which oâ—…ceth of sin within which doth command to abstain from-this evil and â—o practice thi◠〈◊〉 is igâ—…nce of the Gospel and do not evade it by words without knâ—…dge in picking of quarrels and seeking offences by different tearms of worâ—…â—…e â—o occasion justly is given thee Then my Question thou see â—…est to aâ—swer which was what and how doth the Light of the Gospel work of not in the â—…ce and to command from evil and to practice goodâ— this 〈◊〉 â—…nds over thy head not confuted nor fully answered for the true 〈◊〉 â—…ang of it thou hast not comprehended but to thy own conception thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ed as if I should say that every man hath the Light of the Gospel â—…g â—n thâ—m to Salvation which I never said nor thought so thy answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tâ—…e purpose Then thou hast passed by full sligâ—… as disable to clear thy Godâ— and his Spirâ—â— that guides thee which is the Godd of this World of that great 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 justly charged upon thee Page 19. of my last which a â—…ing to â—…e collection is by turning the mind within to the Light which doth 〈◊〉 of sin and listning thereunto and clasping in with the motions of 〈◊〉 Conscience which doth command to abstain from evil aâ—d to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and closing with somthing within which thou confessess 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 â—…f 〈◊〉 these things preceding then thou sayst Hereby 〈◊〉 thâ—…s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ried headlong and at the end of its life doth fall into the â—…lly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sum of wickedness set forth by thee which when
the Assembly and stood praying in the Synagogues and loved the uppermost rooms at Feasts and that were called of men Master and such like and the Apostle said such were Deceivers to take gifts and rewards and lucre and that loved unrighteous wages and that were Back-biters and false Accusers and Covetous and having a form of Godliness but denying the Power who ever taught and the people were not able to come to the knowledge of the truth with many other such like Now this is my appeal to all mens Consciences in the sight of God whether thou art not found under some of these Charracters at least or whether thou art not one in union and fellowship with such who act these things yea thou are among them and not crying against them and so art guilty of their sin though not as fully in the act as are some may be so that I doubt not but they who have not hardened their hearts and blinded their eyes will see how thou hast condemned thy self in confessing the truth and the time is coming that further it will be made manifest concerning thee only at present thou art sufficiently discovered to be out of the truth in the way of perdition and however though thou hast covered thy self as much as is possible from the stroke of thy own hand and from the guilt of thy own confession yet Ioh. Burton thou hast condemned an hundred I think of Independant Ministers so called thy brethren who are known to be found guilty of those things all or most of them which thou confessest are marks of a false Prophet and while thou bidst us examine our selves thou art the man or among them that are proved truly guilty He saith He is not come to one of the dayes of the thousand years of Satans being chained and this is truly confessed and so he is in the Reign and Government of the Devil and Satan is not bound but at liberty in him as it well appears and Christs reign is not known and so it must needs be true that he is of the Army of the Dragon against the Lamb. Some of the same Members with him said in Bedford That they scorned that Light which convinceth of sin which the Quakers speak of Further most falsly I am charged by him with railing against the Lord Jesus which is absolute false my words are spoken in fear and reverence of the Lord Jesus Reader these things I leave to thee to be judged of his false Slander and his Damnable Doctrines and wicked lying Accusations and Contradictions which his nine sheets of paper is filled with as if he had set himself to lye and slanders and speak wickedly against the truth which is over him and is a testimony against him and though opposed by him yet not confounded but him it confounds and by it he shall be judged and condemned and the time comes when further he may be made manifest if this be not sufficient out of the abundance of his heart hath his wicked Tongue uttered these things which are but a little of what lodges in him but let him prove these things first and then utter more AND now Iohn Bunion thou and thy false Witnesses and all thy Company and brethren in iniquity Remember and repent for the day of your visitation is upon you blessed were you if you could receive it before it be spent not to be recalled and before the long suffering of God come to an end and you be shut up in utter darkness And indeed friends the day hastens wherein every man shall receive according to his deeds he that hath done evil shal not be cloaked and he that hath done good shall not be uncovered in that day when the secrets of all hearts shall be laid open and searched with the eternal Eye the end of my work is to clear the Truth and the Way thereof God is witness from thy slanderous and lying and perverting Tongue and only I reprove thee by the Spirit of the Lord and so leaves thee to receive thy reward from the Just God of righteous Judgement who upon thy head wilâ— render vengeance in flames of Fire in his dreadfull day which upon thee comes suddenly even when thou and you cries peace peace then shall destruction come as an armed man from which thou shalt not fly to escape though now you all be hardened against the Lord and his Way and Truth and hath even bent thy Tongue for Lyes and hath reproached the Innocent to the piâ—â—cing of thy own soul and one day shalt thou know it therefore bow and tremble before the Lord God thou and all thy Companions a Lyar and Slanderer thou art a Perverter and Wrester of the right Way of God and of the Scriptures a Hypocrite and Dissembler a holder forth of damnable Doctrines an envious man and false Accuser condemning another falsly in what thy self is fully guilty of these things I lay to thy charge justly in the presence of the Lord God and upon thy account are they reckoned by him and proved by testimony in the sight of man and may be more fully hereafter if any thing be wanting and one day shalt thou feel the burthen of them though now thou be above shame and all thy Lyes Slanders Deceits Confusions Hypocrisies Contradictions and damnable Doctrines of Devils with impudency held forth by thee shall be consumed in the Pit of Vengeance and then shall the Witness in thy Conscience justifie the Lord in condemning thee and me to be true in reproving thee and this I say to thee and you all the Living God you know not nor his Son Jesus Christ but are Enemies to God and * persecuters of the Lord of Life and shall perish among the Uncircumcised Ye false Witnesses and wicked Helpers you may be ashamed of your testimony subscribed at the beginning of his lying scribble will you yet say through Grace those things are true the rather stop your mouthes in the dust who hath offended the Lord more then defended him or your selves and be ashamed in the presence of God and man much more may be said hereafter to lay you further open if you yet harden your hearts in your wickedness but I do rather reprove you then strive with you and rather desires your return to God then your Condemnation by him and with this I shall end and by what is said in short is sufficient to manifest you and Iohn Bunion to all honest people what Generation you are of and that you are guided by a lying and unclean spirit and that you are doing the Devils works in gain-saying the Way of Truth and Righteousness by your multitude of Lyes and Slanders and damnable Doctrines and what ever you account or falsly judge of me yet am I true though as a Deceiver and the Lords Servants and a Witness for him and against all your Lyes and Slanders and Wickedness hatched amongst you and brought forth by a lying Orator whom you have
made your mouth into the view of the World even a cursed Birth and the Father of it and the Womb that conceived it and it shall rot and perish as the dung and not accomplish any part of the end of your desire for so loathsome it is being truly searched and laid open that it hath not obtained neither the praise of God nor man but is defamed by men and condemned of God Alas alas for thee Iohn Bunion thy several months travel in grief and pain is a fruitless Birth and perishes as an untimely Fig and its praise is blotted out among men and it s passed away as smoak Truth is atop of thee and out-reaches thee and thy formed weapons cannot prosper and it shall stand for ever to confound thee and all its Enemies and though thou wilt not subject thy mind to serve it willingly yet a Slave to it must thou be and what thou dost in thy wickedness against it the end thereof brings forth the glory of it and thy own confounding and shame and now be wise and learned and put off thy Armour for thou mayst understand the more thou strives the more thou art entangled and the higher thou arises in Envy the deeper is thy fall into Confusion and the more thy Arguments are the more increased is thy folly let experience teach thee and thy own wickedness correct thee and thus I leave thee and if thou wilt not own the Light of Christ in thy own Conscience now to reprove thee and convince thee yet in the day of Judgement thou shalt own it and it shall witness the justness of the Judgements of the Lord when for thy Iniquities he pleads with thee and behold as a Thief in the night when thou art not aware he will come and then woe unto thee that art poluted By a Friend to Truth EDWARD BURROUGH Many Strong Reasons CONFOUNDED VVhich would hinder any reasonable man from being a Quaker And Offences taken out of the way But particularly Four and twenty Arguments Overturned and Confuted put forth and sent into the World by Richard Baxter a professed Minister but a frequent Contender against the Wayes of God And this is an Answer to a Sheet of his cried up and down the Streets in London as some excellent piece but is proved to be full of Lyes Slanders and false Reproaches against an Innocent People And this is sent forth in the pursuit thereof that people may not be deceived with every lying Monster which is brought forth to publick view but first let all things be tryed and onely that which is good held fast HOW long shall it be ere the wickedness of the wicked come to an end and the measure of this Generations iniquity be fulfilled who rush into iniquity as a Horse into the battel and who hastens to fill up the largest measure of iniquity of any Generation that ever went before Is it not plain and manifest to all people that have but an eye to see How doth the wicked run on greedily drinking up iniquity as an Oxe drinks water How doth the Archers of Babylon shoot at the Innocent and makes the harmless their prey But this is but for a moment the end thereof is nigh and because the Devils time is but short therefore he is come down in rage and hath filled the hearts of many people with raving envy and despite against the Lord and his people whom the Lord is a gathering out of the mouths of all their Enemies and the Serpents seed it bruiseth the heel but its head is deadly wounded by the Seed of God And whereas many hath set themselves in oppsition against the Lord and their work is become a stink and a proverb to be laughed at in Generations to come yet must not the wicked cease their wickedness till their measure be perfectly accomplished And whereas Richard Baxter a professed Minister in Worcestershire known to many by his fruits to be a corrupt Tree which brings not forth good fruit who sends out of his study Lyes and false Reports and vain Arguments to blind the Eyes of People that they may not see the Truth and hath written once and again against the people of God which he in scorn calls Quakers some of which writings have been sufficiently answered and his shame and folly seen openly by all people yet he as a man not weary of wickedness hath sent forth a Paper which he calls A Sheet against the Quakers wherein what was wanting of wickedness in his former is now fully brought forth out of his Vessel a malicious heart which cannot contain within it self its rage and fury and madness against the Innocent but need must his folly break forth openly that all men may see it And in thiâ— his foolish Paper he hath twenty four reasons which he saith Moves him to conceive that no Christian or reasonable man should be a Quaker or approve of or excuse their way now his Reasons we shall try But first of all I say It had been more honest for him to have made a sufficient Reply to have defended his former works and cleared himself of his former Lyes and Slanders truly charged against him then to have past that slightly and begin anew to revile for that Book which he often mentions and boasts of called The Quakers Catechism was sufficiently answered and his folly laid open by a Friend to the Truth in a Book called An Answer to the Quakers Catechism to which Book he never equally replyed to this day which had been more honest to have cleared himself from what is truly charged against him in that answer then to have begun afresh to reproach and speak wickedness and this all people may consider of 1. His first Reason which he brings forth against the Quakers is That they deny and revile the Churches and Ministers of Christ and yet said he cannot tell indeed of any Church or Ministry which is to be preferred before those that they do despise Answ. To this I answer This is utterly false for we do not deny the Church and Ministers of Christ nor do revile them or any others whatsoever but speaks the truth in nakedness to all people The Church of Christ we own and are of it which are gathered out of the World through the preaching of the Gospel and seperated from the World and all its works and wayes which are evil and are joyned to Christ the Head in the Spirit and one to another as Members of Christ and these are born again and are Redeemed out of the World and are of the Kingdom of Christ and of his Church and Members of his body and this we own to be a Church and are of it who hath no fellowship with darkness nor no part with the practice of the works of darkness And the Ministers of Christ we own who have received the Gift of the Ministry by the Holy Ghost and exerciseth that Gifs by the Holy Ghost whose call is from God
the Holy Ghost Ans. His words are utterly false yet we say we have received the Holy Ghost which teacheth us and leadeth us into all truth and by it are we lead out of all Wickedness and Delusion and all wicked speeches which he brands us withall and these things are his own for he is seen to be in delusion and odious wickedness and wicked speeches And saith he They speak against the DOCTRINE of the SPIRIT and cryes down the love of the Saints and against the Ordinances of the Ministers of Christ. To this I have answered In the love and union with all the Saints we are and Ministers of Christ but against Hypocrisie we declare such who profess what they are not and use their tougues and saith the Lord saith when the Lord hath not spoken to them and sprinkle Infants and saith it is an Ordinance of Christ and singing Davids experiences in Rime and Meeter with many other things which the Priests hath in their practice such things we deny to be Ordinances of Christ and them to be Ministers of Christ which do practice them and this we do say by the Spirit of Truth But that we pronounce damnation against Gods Church and holy Servants this is false again and is but the fulfilling the number of his lyes and though he charge us secretly with preaching another Gospel then that which Paul preached is false and if we duely examine it will be he that will be found preaching another Gospel whose practice is found in many things contrary to them who were Ministers of the true Gospel and so the curse pronounced by the Apostle will fall upon him and not upon us in the day of Judgement 21. His one and twentieth Reason Saith he The Quakers themselves renounce 〈◊〉 words the Ranters and Papists as a deluded sort Answer To which I answer and say Yea not only in words but in lives lives also we utterly abhor the Ranters and Papists both in profession and practice and do know that Rich. Baxter is of the same spirit though differing in words But saith he The Ranters and Drunkards cryes out against the same Ministers same exercise and godly people as the Quakers do To which I answer What the Ranters and Drunkards may do in their wickedness and unclean spirits is one thing and what we do in the fear of God and tender love to peoples Souls is another thing but how uncharitable is this man in his judgment Let us try him as if I should say The Ranters and Drunkards and Prophane and all ungodly People they are our Enemies and do oppose and gainsay the Way of God and the people called Quakers and they Beat them and Reproach them and Slander them and doth much cruelty unto them and thus doth Richard Baxter of Kidderminster he reviles them and reproaches them and belyes them and therefore he is one with the Ranters and Drunkards and prophane people and he holds part of the Papists Ranters and Drunkards doctrine and practice And thus he is judged with his own Rule according as 〈◊〉 hath judged us by the same Rule and now say I as well as he of us Let any man judge that hath not forsworn all wit and reasons whether it is likely the Holy Ghost will inspire Richard Baxter and a company of Priests of Englâ—… to acquaint them with the same Points Doctrines and Practices which the Papists Ranters Drunkards and all prophane people exercise themselves in for as all they are Enemies to the Quakers so is he and his company Aâ—… farther I ask him Whether the same things be heavenly in Rich. Baâ—… and his company which be hellish in the Ranters and Drunkards And whether Richard Baxter hath not condemned himself and the Priests of England in condemning the Papists and Ranters and Drunkards and prophane people in acting the very same things to wit speaking against reproaching reviling and slandering and backbiting an innocent people of God called Quakers 22. His two and twentieth Reason And saith he If I have any Reason to 〈◊〉 weary of the Christian Catholick Reformed Religion what reason have I to turn Quaâ—… more then to any other Sect Why saith he how do they prove they are more in the riâ—… then any other c. Ans. To all this I answer this is according to his knowledge who sees 〈◊〉 difference between good and evil between such as serveth God and such as serves him not and how can this man be a Teacher of others that is so blind himself The true Christian Religion he is out of and in a Sect whose fruiâ—… are as bad as the Papists or Familists or any others for I believe not the worâ—â— of Sects could have brought forth more lyes and slanders and scoffing worâ—â— in one sheet of paper then he hath done in this which now I deal withal And as for our proof that we are in the right way to every man that hath an eye to see and an ear to hear and an heart to conceive it 's easie to be proved and such are satisfied but as for Unbelievers and Persecutors such as himself they must hear and see and not perceive and understand 23. His three and twentieth Reason Saith he The way by which they prâ—… is not producing any evidence for they renounce that and offers all from the Autâ—… of the spirit within them c. Ans. The way by which we prevail is by the the Spirit of the Lord which 〈◊〉 within us and that was the way whereby all the Ministers of Christ evâ—… prevailed by the authority of that But yet this is false we do not deny 〈◊〉 produce Evidence but is sufficiently able and hath done it to produce Eviâ—… out of the Scriptures to prove all things which we profess or practice for Religion But saith he They must prove their Commission by Divine miracles before 〈◊〉 reasonable man can believe it c. many that fear God and are in the 〈◊〉 Reason hath Believed us already and do see the Mighty Wonders of Goâ—… brought to passe and it cannot be believed by Richard Baxter no more 〈◊〉 Christ was believed of the Pharisees in whom the mighty Power of God 〈◊〉 made manifest for though he did miracles yet this Generation could not believe them And he tells of some that said he was 〈◊〉 so might they well do and not lye his blindness is made manifest at largâ—… And saith he But can I see the Witness in them that saith they have the Witness in themselves Nay because thou art an Unbeliever thou canst not but it thou wert a Believer in Christ thou wouldst feel the same Testimony in the Brethren but by thee we are not known and therefore by thee are falsly Judged for no other Testimony do we give or hold forth but the same which the Apostles did which we have received from Christ as the Apostles did and not by any authority of our own though he falsly says it but by the Authority
in but he that keepeth you reproveth and condemneth and casteth out the Devil and all his works and Workers who abide not in Christ Jesus nor in the Truth wherein we worship the Father who are called of him and faithful and chosen Followers of the Lamb who taketh away our Sin and giveth power over it and overthe Tempter who seeketh to betray the Just One. And from the Eternal God I warn you Every one know a Hiding-place in God the day of great shaking cometh upon the Garden of God the Beast that had a Wound by a Sword whose deadly Wound is healed may live and power may he given him for a Moment to make war against the Lamb and his Followers and Satan may prevail to winnow you and to try you for your Life therefore be armed with the whole Armour of Light which manifesteth the Mystery of Iniquity and the working of spiritual Wickednesses in high places and which defendeth you from his power out of the Snare of the Devil in the Simplicity as it is in Christ Jesus who is our Rock and our Strength by which we overcome the fiery Darts of the Enemy which come against us and dwell in the Truth that you may know the Life which standeth in God with whom there is no shaddow of turning but is the same forever and keepeth Covenant with his own Elect which cannot be overcome of the Devil nor deceived in whom you abiding you cannot sin but are kept from being touched with the Wicked One in the Way and in the Truth and in the Peace of God lively and precious in his sight to serve him in Fear and Faithfulness And if any go out from the Light the Living Way they become as withered Branches to be cut off from the Body no more to have Fellowship in the Body but is reprov'd and judg'd with that which keeps us in the Body And though some go from the Lord yet his Faithfulness endureth forever and his Promise is yea and amen to his own Seed which keep Covenant with him and fulfil his Law of Righteousness and Judgment and he that breaketh Covenant let him be condemned that the Creature may be saved in the Day of the Lord for who draws back such God's Soul hath no Pleasure in them but is oppressed with that and his Soul vexed Therefore all walk in God's Wisdom which is Pure and Peaceable and let not the Name of our God be spoken against through any of you who have been Partakers of the Word of Truth through any Disobedience or ungodly Walking but rather deny your own Liberty then make it an Occasion to the Flesh wherein Satan's strength stands and so God's Blessing you will receive and his Nurishment unto your Souls and will be preserved in Faithfulness not to end in the Flesh you that have begun in the Spirit And this in pure Love towards you all as a Testimony of my Love to the Seed of God in you all was I moved to write as seeing in the Light the Day that cometh upon you of which some may not be aware and I am clear thus far of the Charge committed to me of God towards you and am in the Truth it self which cannot change and am in it your Friend in the Service of the Lord God E. B. This is to go abroad among all Friends in Westmorland and Cumberland and elsewhere among the Flock of God carefully to be Copied over and read in your Meetings A Second General Epistle To all the SAINTS A Servant of the Lord and Minister of Jesus Christ thereunto ordain'd and call'd through the Powerful Operation and Gift of the Holy Ghost unto all his Brethren in the same Life who are born of God and Witnesses of his Power and unto all the Saints and Churches of Christ who have believ'd and receiv'd the sure and faithful Testimony and are call'd with the Heavenly Call to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes who is given to you and received of you a Light a Guide and a Teacher in all the Wayes of God Unto you all that are scatter'd abroad in the World whether in Bonds or at Liberty whether strong Men or Children in Christ unto you all I send Greeting and above all things wish and desire and pray unto the Father for your increase in the Knowledge of him and Faithfulness in all his Wayes and that the Increase of his Government may abound among you and that Grace Mercy and Peace may plentifully be enlarged that nothing may be lacking to you in any thing of that which maketh perfect but that in Christ Jesus you may be compleat and that through him you may receive Power and thereby be strengthned to do all things My dearly Beloved and much longed for in the Fellowship of that Spirit which hath begotten you to be Sons and Daughters of one Father and Heirs and Fellow-members of that Inheritance of Life Peace and Rest which abideth forever Oh how I long to meet you all in this and to find you perfectly settled and established upon the sure Foundation which God hath laid amongst you beyond all Doubts and Fears and Stumblings above the World and all its Temptations and above Hell and Death and all the wayes thereof having all the powers of Darkness subjected under you serving the Lord in righteous and perfect Holiness walking in his Strength and Wisdom shewing forth his Light in the World as his only redeem'd People Oh how is my desire more and more kindled and enlarged towards you all that you may perfectly attain to the Knowledge of the great Mystery of Salvation to wit God dwelling in you I say my desire is That you may know even as you are known and that you may receive him as you are received of him and that you may be a perfect Body growing up together and springing forth in all good Fruits of Truth and Righteousness unto the Father who is glorify'd through bringing forth much Fruit And you very well know that for this End he hath call'd you and in this his appointed Day caused his Glory to shine forth and hath visited and brought us to the knowledge of the hidden Mystery of Eternal Salvation which Mystery hath been seal'd up for many Ages and is kept secret forever from the wisdom of this World but unto us that have believ'd in the Light of the World are they clearly discover'd as at Noon-day being reveal'd to us by the Spirit which worketh in us the Will and Mind of the Father and is powerful and mighty and subdueth and breaketh down the Hardness of Hearts and through the working thereof every high Thought is brought into subjection to Jesus And this same Spirit quickeneth and maketh alive to God and changeth and reneweth into his Image and Likeness and it raiseth up from under the Bondage of Corruption to live to God in all things in newness of Life old things being done away and all things being made new through the working
Members of one Head and mind always the Testimony of Truth its self and walk therein and you cannot stumble Have not respect to Persons but to the Truth only for Persons may change but the Truth abides for ever So let not an evil Eye look at Evil when it comes to pass to take occasion thereby against the Truth for then you stumble and fall but I say again have respect only to the pure Testimony of Truth which is sure and cannot err nor alter though man may change and err and that is the Testimony which is held forth for Salvation evon the Testimony of God with whom there is no shaddow of turning Therefore all take heed unto your selves that you give not nor receive any offence against the Lord and against your own souls but know the Seed of God in which stands the Election where the Covenant of God is sure and unalterable and a Birth you must all know to be brought forth in you which must inherit and that is it which is born of the Spirit which doth obtain the Promise it is not that birth which is of the Flesh which works by willing and running and thinking that obtains not the Promise of God neither is Salvation shewed unto it but in Patience and in Long-suffering is the Victory received over all the Powers of Darkness which make war against the Kingdom of God So all Friends dwell in that which lets you see before the World was and that stops and limits all Strife in the mind and gives you victory over it and none must glory in the Flesh for that glory must be confounded but let him that glories glory in the Lord in the Spirit and not in the Flesh And take heed that none of you abuse your liberty which is in Christ Jesus neither turn it into fleshly Bondage and thereby the Just comes to suffer and the fleshly part comes to rule above the Seed of God but dwell in the Cross which suppresseth every high Thought and whatsoever is against God in the first motion and thereby you will be preserved from the Enemy which watcheth for Evil against you and seeks occasion against the Way of the Lord but mind that which keeps you pure for it is the pure in Heart that sees God and it is him that is of clean Hands and of a pure Heart that inherits God's holy Mountain And as concerning all your Afflictions and Sufferings and Tryals and Persecutions and whatsoever is laid upon you by the Lord or by Men I say bear all things patiently and endure all things in Long-suffering these things are but for a moment and they are not worthy to be compared with the Price of God's Inheritance and if you dwell in the Counsel of the Lord all these things will be turned unto your good in all Tryals and Sufferings the Lord's Arm will be revealed and these things must come to pass that Truth may appear in its beauty in Victory over all that which doth oppose it and vengance is the Lord's and he will repay for he doth enquire after our Blood though no man lay it to heart or consider the cause or unjust Sufferings of the Innocent who are become a Prey to the Ungodly and unjust Men till God arise to plead our Cause And all Afflictions and Sufferings are but for to try and prove they are not to confound or destroy the Lord's People and therefore in patience they must be born and the Life of God felt which gives Dominion over all these things And receiving all things as from the Hand of the Lord then in all things your Peace will remain and God's Testimony will witness Peace and acceptance with God And of all Injustice and Abuses and Cruelty acted upon you by any at any time keep account of it and draw it up in short and plain words the occasion and manner of it and at every Quarter Sessions let a true Declaration of all unjust Sufferings be presented in prudency and singleness of heart to the Justices or Grand-Jury by such as are wise and faithful and appeal to the Witness of God in them in such Causes that that of God in all Men may witness for us Let this be done as cause is seen at every Sessions in the Wisdom and Authority of God that in all things Justice and true Judgment may be sought after and in Patience waited for till the Lord alone our King and Judge and Law-giver comes to reign over all his Enemies when all that now suffer for him shall reign with him A Servant to the Churches of Christ E. B. To the Elect and Chosen Seed of God in London TO the Elect and Chosen Seed of God most dear and precious who are redeemed to God and joyned in Covenant with him and have tasted and felt and heard of the Love and Peace of the Father and to all the Faithfull and Called of God who are Partakers of the Power and Presence of an Endless Life in particular unto you the Flock of God in and about London who fear the Lord and wait upon him and over whom he is the chief Shepherd The Salutation in the Father's Love by me a Brother and Companion unto all the Children of Sion and chiefly unto you a Friend in Heart and nothing more desiring for you then your encrease in God and that Grace Peace Love and Fellowship from the infinite Father of Heaven and Earth may be largely encreased and aboundantly multiplied amongst you and in all your hearts that you may shine forth in the Beauty of the Lord and the Garment of Righteousness and Truth may be spread over you all and that the Spirit of Holiness may rest upon you that the fruit thereof may greatly abound in you and spring forth from you whereby the Father who hath begotten you may be glorified through the Nation and among his Saints through the World and my Soul wisheth that the Fear of the Lord be amongst you and his terror upon all your Enemies Amen DEarly Beloved and much desired after in the Lord the Spirit of the Father in upon me to put you in remembrance of these things of the greatest price which belong unto your Peace which have been hid from you in the time of Darkness but now are reveal'd unto you whereof your Eyes have seen your Ears have heard your Hands have handled and your Hearts have perceived and now be not unmindful thereof but take heed unto the precious Treasure of Life Eternal which the Father hath given unto you I mean the Knowledge of himself who is manifest to dwell in you and to walk in you and to lead you and to guide in all his Wayes of Peace and Truth and this is that Treasure more desirable and of greater price then the Glory of the whole Earth yea it is Peace to the soul and Gladness to the heart and Refreshment to the life to feel and witness the Teaching of the Spirit of the Father
Sin in themselves and Sin in the man yet not sin to the man if he doth not consent to them obey them and fulfil them and the Scripture doth prove it Rom. 7. where he saith It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me for in his Mind he served the Law of God and with his Mind did not consent to the Motions of Evil and Sin and the Sin was not his nor reckoned against him by the Lord because with his Mind he consented not and this no Upright Man can deny And also I apply'd my self at that time for Witness to the Experience of sober people and Christians Whether many times there had not been evil Motions in their Hearts presenting themselves to which they had not consented but the Lord had given them Power over them to resist them and deny them and they were not overcome of them And whether ever they were accused and condemned for such Motions which the Lord gave them power against Or Whether the rather they had not Peace and Joy in the Lord who had discovered to them and given them power over the Evil which had presented it self And I also gave them that which I had witnessed concerning the thing as a Testimony agreeing with the Scriptures to that particular And though the Relation saith as if I spoke of my present State to be so but herein the Hearers were mistaken if so they understood me for my present State is another then what it once was I bless the Lord I speak without Boasting And my present State I did not then nor now shall declare for I am not known to the World nor desire to be as what my State is But this was my Intent and is in these things My State was say I yea I believe from Ten Years old till many Years after that many times I had Evil Motions arising in my own Heart which sometimes overcame me and sometimes the Lord gave me to overcome them so that I consented not to them nor obey'd nor follow'd them and when they did overcome me and lead me aside then was I troubled and condemned of the Lord for they were reckoned to be my Sins when I consented and many times the Lord gave me power over them and I consented not but resisted them and denied them and then had I great Peace and Joy in the Lord and no Condemnation and this was my Experience for some years together though my present State be another Condition of which I shall not speak as not being needful at this time and this is the Truth which no sober Christiaâ— can deny It s true we spent a little time in disputing upon those things but to little purpose as on their part for what I then said many of the people saw to be the very Truth and all were well satisfied except such as might harden their hearts and much more passed betwixt us And as to this thing which I cannot relate only P. T. as he began so he goes on giving a Report in his Relation of much more then himself spoke and a great deal less then we spoke which thing in him was not very fair not honest For I then proved by many Scriptures That some were perfect in this life 1 Cor. 2. 5. even perfect without Sin Iohn 1. 47. 1 Iohn 3. 7. and yet I did declare at that time That many of the Saints and Children of God were not come to the State of Perfection which admits of no Addition for many of the Saints daily receive more and more of God's Wisdom and of his Power and Life revealed in them wherein they grow up to God from Strength to Strength And though they did so much contend against it yet in the end were forced to confess to the substance of what we spake as to the particular of Perfection The next thing is concerning Perfection and I am charged with holding That Perfection is attainable in this Life which thing I did hold forth and contend for and am not now ashamed of it and my very Proofs which then I used some of which are related by P. T. are sufficient to prove the particular if I should say nothing more and even as the thing is related though what I spoke the whole is not related by much as about this particular of perfection but what is related shall stand as a Witness for me and against them that do so much plead against Perfection even of such perfection to be without sin in this Life And to this I shall say little more but leave his own Relation unto the consideration of sober People onely must say that P. T. hath belyed his own Memory in saying his Relation is A faithful account and yet hath related much more then he spoke also about this Particular As to the next thing which is objected against me That the Scriptures were given to the World and not to the Saints this is utterly false and was neither thus spoken by me nor yet my meaning and at the Dispute I did deny that I spoke the words neither had I any such intent as they have deducted though still I do confidently affirm That that Scripture Iohn 5. 39. was spoken to the Unbelieving Iews that went about to Kill CHRIST who had never heard God's Voice nor seen his Shape nor had not Christ's words abiding in them and to them he spoke that Scripture mention'd neither had I any such meaning but that the Saints and all sober people and all people might search the Scriptures though such a bad consequence they have drawn upon my words and said It is a giddy assertion that hath dropped from me and yet himself is forced to confess what I spoke is true to wit that that Scripture in the fifth of Iohn was spoken to the unbelieving Iews and not to the Saints and yet P. T. to confound himself confesses that I said The Epistles were given to the Saints and this is a Contradiction from his own Pen First to say that I asserted the Scriptures were given to the World and not to the Saints and yet saith I confess the Epistles were given to the Saints which are some part of the Scriptures And whereas P. T. further speaks questioning in himself how far I own the Authority of the Scriptures and such like which shews his ignorance or his unbelief for I have and do here again speak plainly That we do own the Authority of the Scriptures and we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures have had hope and they are able to make the man of God perfect through Faith and what Christ and the Apostles owned the Scriptures to be the same we do and neither more nor less and in this we are approved of God and let men judge what they will And whereas P. T. further speaks something of Iesuites and saith he does not apprehend me to be of that measure of subtilty which is found among men of that Brother-hood
bare confession and profession of the Name of Christ in words and professing of a bare belief in the Scriptures by this way and means were you made and received you the name of Christians without any real change from darkness to Light and from Satan to God as I have said Now here appears to be a woful degeneration in the very entrance of the thing and this is not agreeable but rather contrary unto that way of Christianity wherein the Christians in their beginning were so made and called for then none were Christians or so called but who through the preaching of the Gospel were first converted changed and renewed as I have said but now in these Nations all are called Christians that are spinkled upon their faces with Water by a Teacher when they are Infants or that do but profess Christ in words though they are not guided particularly by his Spirit neither have received Christ to dwell in them and to be King over them and here again appears a wofull Apostacy for none in the beginning of Christianity in the World were made Christians or so called but who received Christ and in whom he dwelt and was in them as you may read 2 Corinth 13. 5. and who were Followers of him and had his Spirit in them the Comforter to teach them and to lead them into all Truth but now thousands upon thousands who have the name of Christians have not received Christ to dwell in them nor to rule them neither is he manifest in them by his Spirit to teach them and they are not led into all truth but live in deceit and unrighteousness and are not Followers of Christ but follows their own hearts desirâ— and their own hearts Lusts and are condemned in their own Consciences and have not received the Comforter the Holy Spirit to be their Guide and Leader out of all Unrighteousness and here appears a woful Degeneration And that you Christians through all the World are revolted and gone backward from Christianity as it was in its Original a Lamentation may be taken up because of this woful Fall into which you Christians are fallen Consider of your own state and return and repent Again The Christians were begotten of God and born of him 1 Joh. 5. 18. And they were born of the Word of God and of the incorruptible Seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. And they were created in Christ Iesus unto good Works Eph. 2. 10. And they were New Creatures and old things were done away 2 Cor. 5. 17. They had put off the Body of Sin and Death Col. 1. 18. And were the Servants of Righteousness and free from Sin Rom. 6. 22. as you may read But now also Woful are you Christians degenerated from this for Thousands upon Thousands of you are not born nor begotten of God though you have the Name of Christians neither are you born of the Word of God which lives forever nor of the incorruptible Seed neither are created again nor become new Creatures nor have put off the Body of Sin and Death neither are the Servants of Righteousness nor free from sin But on the contrary Are the Servants of Sin and free from Righteousness and are in the corruptible state and are old Creatures and are not washed nor purified as the Saints were as you may read 1 Cor. 6. 11. and here is a woful Degeneration of the Christians now from what the Christians were in the beginning The Christians then were New Creature and put off the Body of sin and were washed and sanctified But the Christians now are not so but the contrary to wit Unwashed and Unsanctified remaining in the Pollutions of the World and are of the birth which is born of the Flesh and are in the old nature serving sin and the lusts of their own Hearts and thus are you fallen from that which the true Christians possessed for being compar'd to them you are not agreeable but rather contrary to them in all these things and the Lord is now come to search you and to try you and to all People shall you be discover'd for the Lord is now risen to bring all to Tryal and to Judgment And again Herein will the Apostacy of the Christians appear in respect of Unity and Fellowship for the Christians in their Beginning while yet the Life of God was not darkened amongst them They were of one Heart and one Mind and one Soul as you may read Acts 4. 32. And the Lord promised That he would give unto his People one Heart and one Way And Ezek. 11. 19. the Lord promised To give his People one Heart and a new Spirit Which Promise the Christians received and they that believed were of one Heart and there was no lack amongst them but some sold their Possessions and distributed to them that had need and they were Members of Christ and he was Head amongst them and over them And they were Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bones Eph. 5. 23 30. And all the Christians were of one Faith Eph. 4. 5. and had Unity and Fellowship in the Life which was made manifest in them for they had tasted and handled and seen and heard the Word of Life and they had Fellowship with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ. But all ye Chirstians upon Earth how are you degenerated and how great is your Fall in this For you are not of one Heart and Mind nor in Unity and Fellowship one with another but are of divers Sorts and Sects and are run into many Opinions and Divisions and are of many Wayes and Minds and Hearts Divers sorts there are of Papists and divers sorts of Protestants so called which are all divided in Opinions and striving and contending about Faith and Religion and the Worship of God and are opposing one another and putting one another to Death because of a difference in those things How great is the difference through many Nations amongst Christians about those things which sheweth that the Christians are wofully fallen in respect of Unity and it is manifest such Christians have not received the Promise of God as the Apostles had for now the Christians can suffer one another to lack and to perish and die and starve for hunger and want Behold in all this all ye Christians generally how you are fallen then in the beginning of Christianity no lack nor want was amongst them they that had much sold it and gave to them that had none but now thousands are oppressed through Want while others have too much some are feeding and clothing excessively with their multitude of Dishes and changes of Raiment while others have scarce whereon to seed or to cover their Nakedness and this manifesteth that you are not Members of the Body of Christ neither is he Head in you nor amongst you but you are Members of an Harlot and joyn'd to a Harlot and one with a Harlot for you profess many Faiths some say They believe Christ is
again to judge the whole World wiâ—â— Righteousness and all people with Equity and shall give to every man according to his deeds at the Day of Judgment when all shall arise to Condemnation 〈◊〉 Iustification he that hath done good shall receive Life and he that hath done evil everlasting Condemnation And we believe He is to be waited for in Spirit to be known after the Spirit as he was before the World was and that is the Knowledge unto eternal Life which all that believe in him do receive and he subdues Death and destroyes him that hath the power of it and restoreth from Death to Life and quickeneth by his spirit all that the Father hath given him and we believe such he justifieth and sanctifieth and such are taught of him but he condemns all that believe not but continue in unbelief and are not taught or him And this we faithfully believe And we believe That unto all people upon the face of the whole Earth is a Time and Day of Visitation given that they may return and be saved by Christ Jesus who is givn of the Father to call the worst of men to Repentance and the most ungodly of Sinners are convinced by him of their ungodly deeds that they might believe and be converted and saved And we believe Herein is the Love of God manifested to all Mankind and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are shut out by him before they were born into the World but unto all men is a Vâ—…ation given and they that do perish it is because they do not believe in Christ and destruction is of a mans self but Salvation is of God through believing in his Son who takes away sin and reneweth into his own Image that they may become Heirs with him And we believe that there is a Crown of Eternal Glory and an Inheritance of Eternal Life to be injoyed for evermore by all that believe and are chosen of God and that there is an everlasting Misery and Destruction to be possessed by all that believe not but continue in the state of Reprobation and are not changed from the wayes of Sin and Death but walk after the wayes of their own Hearts Lusts fulfilling the will of the Flesh in the Evil of this World and follow not Christ the Light of the World that they may be saved And we believe upon all such the Wrath of God abideth and that they have no part in the Inheritance of God And we believe That it is only he that is born again of the Spirit and that walks after the Spirit who is changed from Death to Life and who is redeemed out of the World and all its wayes such only must inherit the Kingdom of God and they only have right thereunto and none besides even they that are washed and cleansed from all Unrighteousness by the Blood of Jesus by which their sins are remitted For his Blood cleanseth from all Unrighteousness and Sin yea all such that walk and abide in the Light which Christ Jesus hath lightened the World withal And we believe That the Saints upon Earth may receive forgiveness of sins and may be perfectly freed from the Body of sin and death and in Christ may be perfect and without sin and may have Victory over all Temptations by Faith in Christ Jesus And we believe Every Saint that is called of God ought to press after Perfection and to overcome the Devil and all his Temptations upon Earth and we believe they that faithfully wait for it shall obtain it and shall be presented without sin in the Image of the Father and such walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and are in Covenant with God and their Sins are blotted out and remembred no more for they cease to commit Sin being born of the Seed of God And we believe The Gospel of Christ is the Power of God unto Salvation and that it ought to be preached freely unto all people and Christ to be held forth unto all Mankind by the Ministry sent of him And we believe this Ministry is received by the Gift of the Holy Ghost and all they that receive it are lawfully call'd to the Ministry and they may preach the Gospel of Christ freely as they have receiv'd it freely And this Ministry is not of Man but of God and is made powerful to the converting of Sinners and to the bringing of people to God and to the Knowledge of his Wayes And we do not believe That any man is a Minister of Christ without the Gift of the Holy Ghost or that the Gospel can be receiv'd by natural Learning or Education And we believe Such as preach for Hire and have Hire for preaching are not the lawful called Ministers of the Gospel of Christ such as are Proud and High-minded and Covetous Men who do not profit the people at all such as have run and never were sent of Christ who calleth by his Spirit into the Work of the Ministry and as every one hath received the Gift of that his Spirit so he may administer to others Concerning Rulers and Governour we believe That there ought to be Rulers and Governours in every Nation City Country and Town and they ought to be such men as fear God and hate every evil way who will judge for God and not for man and will judge righteously equally and justly and will give true and sound Judgment unto all men without Bribery or Respect of Persons not regarding the Rich above the Poor but being a Praise unto all that do well and a Terror to all Evil-doers whatsoever having knowledge in the pure Law of God and themselves continnally exercised therein And we believe That every Law of man ought to be grounded upon the Law of God pure Reason and Equity being the Foundation thereof that God's Witness in every man may answer to it and the Law ought to be known unto all people before Trangression be charged or punished in any man And we believe that every Transgression ought to be punished according to its nature and that the Punishment exceed not the greatness of the Transgression neither ought any Transgressor to â—…ape unpunished neither ought any upon false Suspition or Iealousies to be caused to suffer without the Testimony of true men or the Confession of the Party And we believe that the Executors of the Law ought to be Just Men and not given to Pride Drunkenness or any other Evil whatsoever and ought to be chosen every year or otherwise by the Consent of the people and that no man be stopped of his free choyce except justly taxed And we believe that all Governours and Rulers ought to be accountable to the people and to the next proceeding Rulers for all their Actions which may be enquir'd into upon occasion and that the chiefest of the Rulers be subject under the Law and punishable by it if they be Transgressors as well as the poorest of the People And thâ—â— true Judgment and Justice will be
brought forth in the Earth and all that do well will have Praise and live in Rest and Peace and all Evil-doers whatsoever may stand in awe and be afraid of God and just Men and the Execution of Iust Laws Concerning Religion we believe That it is only the Spirit of the Lord that makes men truly Religious and that no man ought to be compell'd to or from any Exercise or Practice in Religion by any outward Law or Power but every man ought to be left free as the Lord shall perswade his own mind in doing or leaving undone this or the other Practice in Religion and every man of what Profession in Religion soever ought to be protected in Peace provided himself be a man of Peace not seeking the wrong of any mans Person or Estate And we believe That to oppose false Opinions and unsound Doctrines and Principles seeking to convince them that oppose themselves by Exhortation or sharp Reproof by word or writing ought nor to be counted a Breach of the Peace or to strive about the things of the Kingdom of God by men of contrary Minds or Judgments this ought not to be punishable by the Magistrates and their Laws for we believe the outward Laws and Powers of the Earth are only to preserve mens Persons and Estates and not to preserve men in Opinions neither ought the Law of the Nation to be laid upon mens Consciences to bind them to or from such a Judgment or Practice in Religion And we believe that Christ is and ought only to be Lord and Exerciser of mens Consciences and his Spirit only must lead into all Truth And we believe That Obedience and Subjection in the Lord belongs to Superiors and that Subjects ought to obey in the Lord those that have Rule over them and that Children ought to obey their Parents and Wives their Husbands and Servants their Masters in all things which are according to God which stands in the exercise of a pure Conscience towards God But where Rulers Parents or Masters or any other command or require subjection in any thing which is contrary to God or not according to him to such causes all people are free and ought to obey God rather then man and we believe That herein God will justifie them being guided and led by his Spirit in all that which is Good and out of all that which is Evil. Again We believe concerning Election and Reprobation That there is a state of Election and a state of Reprobation a state chosen of God and a state rejected of God and that all Man-kind are in one of these states all that are elected are elected in Christ and all that are out of him are in the state Reprobate bringing forth fruits of Death and Darkness being Children of Wrath and Disobedience in the alienation and separation from God in the Transgression unreconcil'd to God the Enmity ruling in the Heart being in the Fall and not restor'd to God again but ignorant of his Power and of his Wisdom having the Understanding darkened that they cannot see nor perceive the things that are Eternal and in this condition his best Works are Sin and whatsoever he doth he cannot be accepted of God for he is dead to God and alive to all evil bâ—inging forth all his works out of that Ground which is cursed This is the condition of all Mankind upon the face of the Earth in the first Adâ—… and this is the state of Reprobation and all that abide herein are rejected of God and â—…ll never inherit eternal Life but go inâ—â— Perdition yet have all such a Day of Visitation that they may return out of the state of Reprâ—…tion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ledge and desâ—…sing the Love of God â—â—ey conâ—… iâ—â—he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wrath of Gâ—…d abides upon them â—…t they tâ—…t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wrath for they believe in the Light and becâ—…â—…ldren of the Light and are renewed in Mind and Hâ—… and receiâ—… the Love of the Father and become planted into Christ the second Adâ—… 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him to bring forth Fruit â—nto the Father and â—ll their Fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—om 〈◊〉 grâ—…d which is â—…ssed for they are led by the Spirit of thâ— Faâ—…r and â—…ch are in the state of Election who are â—ade Heâ—rs with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eveâ—… Inheritance that never fades away And this we faithfully believe That â—…cy is not shewed to the Reprobate nor Judgment to them that are chosen of God And this is to go abroad in the World that all pâ—…ple mâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and whâ—◠〈◊〉 have receiv'd of God and they that believe this and walkâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father shall be saved but they that belieâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be condemned because they do not believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be â—…tten 〈◊〉 in â—…rt this is given forth by one that hath believed and received the Knowledge of thâ—se things from God A Friend unto all People E. B. Some of the PRINCIPLES OF THE QUAKERS Scornfully so called by men VINDICATED And proved Sound and True and according to the SCRIPTURES In Opposition to the False Charges and Lying Reports given forth against the Truth in two Printed Books put forth by one Philip Taverner a supposed Minister of the Gospel in Middlesex near Uxbridge And hereby Truth is Manifested and Discovered and the Controversie determined by the Judgment of Truth between Philip Taverner aforesaid the Accuser and Edward Burroughs Defendant of the Truth who contends for the Faith of the Gospel and for the Word of God in the Heart against all such Gainsayers as have the Form of Godliness but deny the Power and many such are in this Age. WHereas P. Taverner one of Truth 's Opposers whether throâ—… Ignorance or Subtilty I now determine not hath again appear'd against me and the Truth in Print as in Vindication of himself and his former Work who about four Moneths ago gave a false Relation of a Dispute but instead of mending the matter he hath made his own cause the more vile as may appear to such who take a perfect view of the Proceedings from the beginning to the end thereof Now the intent of this my Reply is to clear the Truth further and to take off his false Aspersions which he hath cast upon my innocent words in my former Book in answer to his first And as for the rest of his Book which hath no relation to mine nor to the Dispute I shall pass it by The Title of my first Book was Something of Truth Made Manifest c. To which sayst thou A plausible Title to cover a Railing and Bitter spirit under that it may walk in the World less suspected c. Reply My words are truth for in 〈◊〉 â—â—ok Truth was made â—â—â—ifest to â—…y in relation to the former Dispute to the Satisfaction of many and as 〈◊〉 â—…ing anâ—â—â—â—â—erness of spirit I do deny only I am zealoâ—â— for the
you do not or cannot satisfie all people in these particulars by the â—…es then forsake your Religion and renounce your Church and 〈◊〉 your selves to be Deceivers of the World and to be deceived for 〈◊〉 will tear your Garments and marr your Beauty and stain your 〈◊〉 and uncoâ—â—r your Nakedness and subdue your Power and sâ—ay 〈◊〉 Strength and pull down your strong Hold and the Dread of the Alâ—…y will come over you And come Friends answer me is the Light by which you walk everâ—… ing and is the Day dawned and the Sun risen that never goeth down 〈◊〉 have you seen the signs of the coming of the Son of Man and what are 〈…〉 signs of his coming and what is that Sun that must be turned into Dâ—… and what is that Moon that must be turned into Blood and what are the 〈◊〉 ers of the House that must tremble and do you own quaking and trembling at the Word of the Lord and did you ever quake and tremble or is 〈◊〉 such a thing in your Church and what is that Part in Man that must 〈…〉 is it not that Part in Man that the Devil enters into answer these 〈◊〉 and what is that Mother of Harlots and where is She that hath been 〈◊〉 with the Blood of the Saints and what is the Mystery of her declare 〈…〉 you can and what are her Garments and who are her Children 〈…〉 what nature are they and how may they be known and come Friends answer us have you seen God face to face as did Iacob and Abraham and have you seen his shape perfectly give us a Discription of him if you have and do not all those that be of the seed of Abraham hear God's Voice and 〈…〉 shape and are any of Abraham but who are come out of the World 〈◊〉 have denied it and bear the daily Cross of Christ which mortifies to the World and doth your Wooden Crosses and Stone Crosses in your Tâ—… and high-Wayes and in your Houses and Crucifixes in your Breasts 〈◊〉 you to the World and mortifie you or are you not such as have 〈…〉 of a Cross of Christ but want the Power and what is the difference 〈…〉 all your Images and the Images the Prophets declared against and what life is there in the Image of Christ or Mary painted or graven in Wood or Stoneâ— are your souls refreshed thereby and is not that all the Unity you have with Christ and is that Unity and Fellowship you have with Chriâ—… 〈◊〉 same that they had that had Unity and Fellowship with the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son and have you Unity with the Son and with the Father 〈…〉 Church had tell us plainly and what is Antichrist and where â—…ing at this day and what is his Marks and Signs and what is the Marks of the Beast that every one received in their Foreheads and in their Hands and 〈◊〉 is his power by which he caused every one to worship him and is the Church of Rome wholy free from that from causing and compelling people to be of 〈◊〉 Religion and come to your Worship by your Fire and Fagots and Inâ—… make it us plain that this is not the Beasts power for we have a jealâ—… least it is not the power of God that was among the Apostles And why do 〈◊〉 Creatures did Christ or the Apostles kill Creatures that were not of their Religion doth not this shew that you want the Power and Spirit of God among you and the spiritual Weapon that beats down the strong Holdâ— â—e cannot believe that you have the spiritual Weapons which the Apostles had except you make it appear to us and can any be converted to the true Church but by the immediate Work and Spirit of God and they that have that â—â—ed not be ashamed but then why are some of your Ministers creeping up and down the Nations in Holes and dare not be seen but lies many years together undiscovered not daring to preach their Gospel and discover their minds did ever the Apostles thus and is not this a sign that they have not the Power of God to carry them through but runs into Holes and Corners for fear of their lives is this the way of the true Ministers of Christ and what is the Lamb's Wife and what is her Adorning and her Beauty and are you the Lamb's Wife and are married to him for ever hath every Member of your Church the Witness thereof and answer us doth natural Learning 〈◊〉 Minister of Christ or were the Apostles made Ministers thereby and can man learn the Ministry as he learns a Trade and is the Preaching of the Gospel a Trade or is it not the Gift of God and can iâ—… bought and sold and what is Eternal Life and how is it received and have any that hope but them whose Hearts are purified And must not every ones Heart be purified before they see God who is Pure And how comes man to be a Reprobate and 〈◊〉 comes man to be a Son of God agaiâ— And what is the Way and Mâ—… of Life Eternal Is it Carnal and visible Things and Ordinances Is it the â—â—ing and performing of something by the Creature or by the revelation 〈◊〉 â—…thing in the Creature And most not Christ be revealed in every partic and is not that the true Bread of Life And is there any other Bread that is Eternal but Christ which the mortal Eye cannot see And we are very 〈…〉 that Bread and Wine after Consedration is not the very Body and 〈◊〉 of Christ and except you can prove to us by plain Scripture and giâ—… sound Reasons to demonstrate things we must judge you and shew your Fâ—lly to the whole World And why do you pray for the Dead is that avâ—…ble shall not they receive according to their works that they have done Gâ—… 〈◊〉 Example that ever the Apostles did so or else we will say You are bâ—… 〈◊〉 â—n the Dark And tell us plainly what Error is and what Schism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is the Eye that the godd of the World hath blinded And what is the 〈◊〉 that sees God is it Mortal or Eternal Answer us these things 〈…〉 that we may know how to return in Controversie with you for the Lord God is risen that will break iâ— pieces and confound all the Wâ—… 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Friends give us your Answer Are you of Abrâ—…'s Seed that 〈…〉 of God that had not a foot of Ground but for sâ—â—k his Place and 〈…〉 Are you of that Birth that hath no Father upon Earth And are you Heirs of God's Promise And have you made your Calling and Eleâ—… And is the Seed come out of Egypt's bonds And are all Egypt's bonds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And what is the â—ondage of Egypt And was not Transgression the Reason of it And what is Pharoaâ— out of what Root did he spring and 〈…〉 is he and is not the hard heart of Pharoah Killers and Murderers 〈…〉 such of Pharoah And
tell us plainly Are you Redeem'd from Pâ—… 〈◊〉 are you such as oppress the Seed as Pharoah did And tell us who was the Inâ—… of â—…our Images and who was the Former of all your graven Images 〈◊〉 not they all invented and come up since the Apostles dayes which ye have 〈…〉 and what is Purgatory and from what had it its rise and original 〈◊〉 what ground have you out of Scripture for such a doctrine And what is the 〈◊〉 of Faith and what 's Faith and what doth it give victory over and what 〈…〉 it over come and what is the â—aiâ— that hath bin spread over all Nations and 〈◊〉 is the Mountain of the House of God and what are those Mountains the 〈…〉 shall seek to cover themselves under and what are those Mountains that people expect Salvation from in vain and did not Iohn come to throw down the â—…ins and what are the Mountains that he came to throw down and what is the Valley he came to raise up answer us And what is the Sword of the Spirit and whether have ye the Sword of the spirit and the Spiritual Armour and what is youâ— Church defended and upâ—…d by Spiritual Weapons or Carnal are not your Goals carnal Weapons 〈◊〉 your Inquisitions and your killing people aboue Religion are not all these 〈◊〉 Weapons and had ever the Church of Christ such Weapons answer 〈…〉 plainly And do you not expect the Lord will suddenly plead with you and are not 〈◊〉 them that put off the Day of the Lord and cause the Seat of Violence to come near and are not ye them that have Eyes but see not Earâ— but hear 〈◊〉 Hearts and understand not and is not your Eye blind that should see God's Presence and your Ears stopped that should hear his Voice â—nd have 〈◊〉 heard his Voice and seen his Shape if you have what is he like answer 〈◊〉 And what is his Word and where doth it dwell in your hearts or is it without you and can any thing without you purifie you and take away sin 〈◊〉 of your Hearts and must not Christ be within and what are the Fruits and Signs and Marks of a Saint and why do you go Pilgrims to visit 〈◊〉 Bones what is the reason of it and who was the first that â—â—tuted it 〈◊〉 what is the meaning of your holy Water give us Scripture for all these 〈…〉 ces or else the Power of the Lord will tear you to pieces and lay open 〈◊〉 Foundation and none that love God can joyn unto you And can any o◠〈…〉 pardon Sin truly that it shall never more be remembred and are not 〈…〉 sins remembred with the Light in your Consciences sometimes and is there 〈◊〉 a Light in your Consciences that doth convince you tell me plainly And whether do you own That Christ hath lightened every one that coâ—… into the World and what is the Light and do you know Christ as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before Abraham and have you seen his Day as Abraham did and what 〈…〉 Day of Christ doth the Carnal Eye see it give us your Knowledge and 〈◊〉 Judgment in all these things and lay down your Principles at full and 〈…〉 by the Scriptures what you hold and profess if you would have any to 〈…〉 your Religion otherwise renounce your Church and come out of â—… What is Babylon and the Mother of Harlots and what is spirituâ—◠〈…〉 and Sâ—dom where Christ is crucified and what is the Whore and what 〈…〉 flesh that has stain'd the Earth and what is the Fire that must consume her 〈…〉 Many are jealous concerning you that you are not the true Church 〈…〉 you have drunk of the Whore's Cup who hath made all Nations drunk 〈…〉 if that time be come that she hath made all Nations drunk then how 〈…〉 clear your selves being Nations and Multitudes of People To 〈◊〉 these 〈…〉 I expect your speedy Answer And what is the Death that hath raigned over all and how is Man recâ—… out of it and when and what are the Gates of Hell and what is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they cannot prevail against and whether your Church may never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vailed against and whether they be not your Inquisitions Stakes and â—… and killing people that do principally defend your Church and if yâ—◠〈…〉 cease your Inquisitions and killing those you call Hereticks whether 〈…〉 not you be prevail'd against by many other Sects Lay away yoâ—… perâ—… of People that you call Hereticks and do not deaf with them after the 〈…〉 which you have done by Inquisitions and such like and only by sound 〈…〉 guments and the Power of the Spirit defend your Religion And dare you suffer a certain number of us to come among you and pâ—…ch what we hold and a certain number of you shall freely come among us 〈◊〉 freely preach what you hold without Persecution or any Violence as we would expect and have the same from you engage man for man with us and 〈◊〉 no otherwise deal with ours then we deal with yours and take the free liberty to deal with our men as we deal with your men but no otherwise and 〈◊〉 each of the Messengers preach and hold forth what they would have and whâ—â— they really hold and believe and convert the most either of them can to theiâ— own Religion and then let all the World see which have the Power and Spirit of God with them and whether your Ministers or our Ministers do turn the more people from you to us or from us to you and send your Answer whether you will agree to the Premises and if you do send your Messengers when you pleaâ—â— and we will engage in the Lord their Persons shall not be harmed but if they were then take Man for Man Life for Life of our Men sent to you and let that God be the true God that appeareth in most Power and Authority and let him be worshipped forever whose Power converts the most to the knowledge of him out of Wickedness and let that Church be the tâ—… Church which cannot be overcome And as you are willing to be made manifest joyn issue with us in this business and propound your own time when the men shall return and whether the continuance of the Matter be for Dayes Moneths or Years and let each of the men return without harm of Person and this will be a way truly to try and make manifest all things to all the World and whether you or we be in the right Way and of the right Church and use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Weapon against us but the foundest Arguments you can by words according to the Scriptures and the same Weapons we will use against you 〈…〉 other but the Authority of the Spirit of God and Arguments thereby 〈◊〉 shall be according to the Scriptures the Apostles Writings and the â—…ony of the true Church And hereby in the sight of the whole World let your Church and Faith 〈◊〉 Principles and Practices
strange and horrid Opinions which they have audaciously invented c. Answ. It is no strange thing that Truth be called Heresie and Error and that it be branded with a Name of strange and horrid Opinions and such like but we do acknowledge that in that Way which is called Heresie do we worship the True and Living God and wo will be unto them that put Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light But when these particular Things and their Answers are truâ—ly read and weighed then let spiritual Men judge for this Author must not be Judge in his own Cause whose judgement is corrupted and his wayes Abomination And it hath been the Work of that Generation of those called Ministers I mean for these seven years to cry out to the Magistrates and to send one Paper after another of this nature to them but what hath it advantaged them for hath not the Lord turned their Wisdom backward and even the Way which they have thought to destroy the Heritage of the Lord the Lord hereby hath made his Heritage more glorious and so theâ— have striven against the Lord and altogether in vain and their doings shall they eat the fruit of and receive the reward of their own Work And whereas the Author further saith Such as have saving work in their Souls and that kâ—â—w God and Christ c. cannot but bless God for keeping them from the great Blackâ—â—ss and Darkness that hath invaded the Souls of these deluded Wretches Answ. They that know the saving Work in their souls and that know God and Christ in Truth and Righteousness and that call upon him with an upright Heart we are all one with them and they with us And they alone that walk in the Light that Christ hath enlightned them withall are kept from the Darkness that doth invade the Deluded and as for thy envious reflection 〈◊〉 yâ—â—r deluded Wretches and such like these words are to thy self for they have no entrance into our Dwellings the Lord hath saved us by his right Hand and we bear them as his Reproaches for Righteousness sake And whereas thou sayest It is very sad that after so much preaching of the Gospel so many should take those things for new Lights which are but antiquated Errors c. Answ. It is very sad indeed that the Ministers of this Nation should have so fair a Profession upon them and should put the Nation to so much charge by giving them Tythâ—s and Stipends and Money and have spoiled peoples Goods and cast their Bodies into Prisons even of many hundreds that would not pay them And yet the Nation should be left in Darkness and like an untilled Wilderness notwithstanding all the Profession of preaching the Gospel for the Nation hath been like an untilled Field and like People like Priâ—â—â— like Shepherd like Sheep as it is especially amongst them where Shepheâ—â—s and the Sheep are risen in Rebellion against the Nation and have joyned with 〈◊〉 old Caveliers But this shews that your preaching hath been for Enâ—â— to your selves and for Money and that you have been Ministers of the Letter and not of the Spirit nor of the Power of God for had you been in the Life and Preachers of the true Gospel the Nations had been as a Garden at this day and not like an unploughed Field as we see they are people abounding in Ungodliness and in all Pride and Vanity which is a shame to Christianity Now People and Ministers have made a shew of the Gospel but have been without the Power in the Form of godliness and have had the Form but resisted the Power And indeed the Ignorance of the People will lie upon their Ministers who have been crying Peace to them that have walked after the Imaginations of their own Hearts and have not turned the Wicked from his wicked Way and the Scriptures are fulfilled upon them They have run but God hath not sent them therefore the People have not at all been profited by them But the Light of the Glorious Gospel is risen in mens Hearts aâ—d your Folly and Vanity is discovered and that makes you rage and swell as a foaming Sea now when your shame is seen you are casting out Slanders and Reproaches thinking thereby to seduâ—e the Minds of people thinking alwayes to keep the Magistrates on your side and to ride upon them and that they will establish you in Freedom and destroy them that are against you but the Lord is opening their Eyes to behold your Deceit and Madness and you will be left unto your selves and fall into the Pit that you have digged for others And whereas this Author doth further compare this poor People which he in scorn calls Quakers with several pestilent Hereticks as he calls them that have disturbed the Church and saith he They agree with the Adamites and Pharisees and Sadduces and with the Mannâ—chies with the Jews Turks Servebus and with the Soscinians and many more which he names and saith we agree with them and 〈◊〉 is to render us odious and as abominable as he câ—â— to mâ—n in Authority To all which I do answer What we do profess and practise for Religion we have not been learnt by Man nor been taught it by Men not our Gospel noâ— Religion but we have received it from the Lord and of him are we taught and by the Spirit led into all Truth and though thou hast done as the Pharisees did they reckoned Christ with Transgressors and crucified him betwixt two Thieves so though thou hast compared us with such and such whom thou callest Hereticks and it is possible many of them might be so And so thou hast shewed the spirit of the Pharisees and of the Murderers that denyed Christ and we are known unto the Lord what we are though not unto mortal Mans wisdom that perisheth And to whom shall we more truly compare the Ministers of England Are they not like those which Isaiah cryed against That sought for their Gain from their Quarter that were Greedy Dumb Doggs and like them that Ieremiah cryed against that said Thus saith the Lord when the Lord had never spoken to them nor sent them and are not you all like them that Micah cryed against chap. 3. That preached for Hire and divined for Money and that prepared War against those that would not put into their Mouthes as you do at this day and are not you like them that Ezekiel cryed against that made a Prey upon the Flock and made Merchandize of Souls and fed themselves with the Fat and did not feed the Flock but ruled over them with Force and Cruelty and are not you like those that Christ cryed wo against That were called of men Master that went in long Robes and loved Greeting in the Markets and uppermost Râ—oms at Feasts for you act those things that Christ cryed Wo against the Pharisees who did the same things and are not you like them that Paul spoke of That were
very Land groans under the Oppression of this Church and Ministry which lies as a heavy Burden upon both Persons and Estates and Consciences of many good People even of your dearest Friends and though the Lord doth manifestly even from Heaven shew signal Tokens of his Displeasure against them and the Servants of the Lord they also cease not to warn you concerning them their own doings are sufficient Testimony of the Malice of their hearts against you and all good men in the Nation yet nevertheless some of you seem to shut your eyes as if you would see no Evil in them but are crying up your godly Ministers some of you utterly despising the man as not worthy to live that doth but speak against them and thus are you blinded and perceive not where the Cause lieâ— of your Interruption to bring forth Righteousness I say It is the favouring of that interest which stops the issue of Good Things and while you oppress peoples Persons and Estates and Consciences to uphold this Ministry and Priesthood aforesaid the Lord shall never prosper you nor make the Nations â—â—ppy under your Charge and this you shall witness eternally Wherefore I do say unto you it is high time for you to lay aside the interest of this oppressing Clergy so much leavened and tasted of the Whore of Rome your selves do know that the spirit of the Romish Clergy was in the late Bishops which you cast out for their Wickedness and the very spirit of those Bishops is entred into these Priests and bears rule in their hearts and thus by succession hath the Whore of Râ—â—e leavened the Clergy of England from one Generation to another with her taste and savour and there is the remainer of her Murders and Cruelties in those mens Brests and at every opportunity it breaks forth as of late in this Rebellion you have full Testimony and if you do not curb it speedlly it will grow over you to your undoing Therefore clear your selves do not any longer drink the Whore's Cup neither be ye Carriers of her to execute her Wickedness upon the Bodies and Consciences of people for it is written The Beast hath carried the Whore and we see it hath been thus as Iohn saw it was to come to pass and so clear your selves from her Tyrannies and Oppressions and leave this false Church and Ministry to themselves and if God will not uphold them by his Power why should you do it If these Priests have not yet planted Vineyards that will yield them Fruit and if their Flock will not yield them Milk freely why should you unjustly impose upon peoples Consciences and compel Tythes and Money from them for the maintenance of these men Ye ought not to do it for while ye Compel and Force People by Violence contrary to good Consciences to Maintain and Uphold this Ministry and Church and Worship you do but cause people to drink the Whore's Cup and you are but them which carry the Whore viz. the false Church and this is Plain-dealing to tell you the Truth whether you will reject it or receive it wherefore cast them off and let them not lurk under your Wings for one day they will rebel against you and another day flatter with you and for a season they will shew forth much Love and Kindness in Hypocrisie even while they are hatching Mischief against you and to bring the Nation into Blood and they will cry out Heresie and Error of others that themselves may seem clear while as the same lodgeth in their own Hearts wherefore I say do not make a false Peace with them nor do not flatter with treacherous minds for you had better have them your open Enemies then deceitful and flattering Friends you had better be in a just Opposition against them then in an unjust Peace with them I know it appears to many of you a thing very hard to be born What! to forsake our Godly Ministers think ye to hear tell of laying them aside is an amazement to some of your minds was it not the same concerning the King and Bishops was it not as much terrible to him and his Lords and Council to think of the overthrow of the then called Godly Fathers and Bishops but better had he cast them off and saved himself then to have perished with them and so I say unto you better were it for you to lay these men aside and their Flatteries and feigned Prayers and to save your selves from their Flattery then to perish with them and the one of these will come to pass For it s decreed of the Lord If you uphold them and oppress People's Persons Estates and Consciences on their behalf and in their evil Cause for Tythes and Wages to them ye shall fall with them and none shall be able to deliver neither you nor them For I tell you again That the very spirit of the old Idolatrous Bishops long since cast out is entred into the hearts of these men and there is as great a measure of Tyranny and Injustice and Abomination lying upon these as once was upon the Bishops and these are no less free from any Abomination then they were and these are nigh as ripe for Vengeance and Overthrow as the others were and it will as surely come upon these as it did upon them wherefore take heed unto your selves and be wise and learn and do us Justice or else God will do us Justice upon you if ye will not take off our Burdens and ease our Oppressions the Lord God will ease us of you and the Earth shall not be oppressed with you and if ye will uphold this Priesthood against Equity and Good Conscience the Lord will free Good Consciences both from you and them And this is the Word of the Lord God to you The open Enemy hath not prevailed against you but the secret Hand of the Lord will not miss you By a Friend to Righteousness E. B. A Visitation and Warning PROCLAIMED And an ALARUM Sounded in the Pope's Borders In the Name and Authority of the Lord Almighty and the LAMB Being the Account of a Journey to Dunkirk and the Proceedings there among the Iesuits and Fryars and Papists with some particular Queries and also some Propositions sent unto them Which may be Satisfaction to many who may behold the Difference in part between the Papists and the People of God and between the Idolaters and the True Worshippers The Particulars and the Heads laid down 1. The Account of the Iourney 2. A Letter to the Deputy Governour and the Officers of the English Army 3. Queries to the Fryars 4. Propositions as a Charge against the Romish Church with a Letter to the chief Jesuit Rector in Dunkirk 5. A Warning to the Officers and Souldiers of the English Army 6. Some Propositions to the English Priests in Dunkirk with some other things ACcording to the Will of the Lord and being moved of him in Spirit and as it lay
single Eye be watchful that all things in good Order may be kept amongst you that the Name of the Lord may be a Renown and his Truth kept without Blemish and your Authority in the Truth may be known a Terror upon the Wicked My dear Friends whom I judge to be Honest and Faithful this was I moved to write to you as the dear Remembrance of my dear Love and I do from the Lord commit it to you to fulfil the will of God in these things and the Lord bless you all with Wisdom and Counsel and with Power and Strength and the Lord give you Authority that you may reign with all them that come amongst you in the Name of the Lord and over all them that come in their own name The Lord bless you with a perfect Understanding in these things and my Spirit even the Spirit of the Father be upon you all to teach you perfectly in all things My Love and Life is amongst you who desires nothing more then the Prosperity of the Lord's Truth amongst you The Grace of God be with you all Amen This is to be read amongst you when you are met together whom the Lord hath set to order things in his Wisdom and this is to all the Faithful amongst you Kingstone 1659. E. B. To the Churches in New-England Barbadoes and other Islands TO the Seed of God and to all that are called of him and unto all you that are hungering and thirsting after the Lord in Truth and Righteousness in New-England Barbadoes Mevis and the rest of the Islands where the Lord hath a People to gather the Father's Love through me doth slaute you all whose Faces are set towards Sion abundantly desiring for you in the Spirit of the Father that Grace Mercy and Truth from God may richly abound amongst you and in all your Hearts that at his coming who hath given to every one of you a Measure of his Treasure he may receive his own from you with encrease that you also may enter into the Reward which is Eternal Life unto all that are called and are found faithful Wherefore arise and awake all ye that have been scattered and strayed from the Lord and come forth thou oppressed Seed of Israel out of the Darkness and Bondage and Oppression with which thou hast been loaded for many Ages whilst a long Night of Darkness and Blindness hath been over thee I say Awake and come forth for now thy Light is risen and the Glory of the Father shall rest upon thee and thy Bonds shall be broken and thy Oppression shall cease for thy King shall Reign in Righteousness over all his Enemies and they shall become his Foot-stool and his Dominion shall be enlarged to the utmost parts of the Earth Dearly Beloved be assured of this That the Lord God of Heaven and Earth is doing great things his Day-spring from on High hath visited us and his Light hath shined into our Tabernacle and his Arm hath taken hold of Strength to Redeem the Oppressed People and he hath reached forth to us from his holy Habitation out of his Everlasting Loving-kindness and hath caused us to reach forth to others from his own Life revealed in us that they may know what God hath done for his People and may also receive of the same Salvation and may taste handle and feel of the Life which is manifest of which we are Witnesses and the Lord hath spoken who can but declare and he hath lifted up his Standard to gather the Nations that he may search and seek out his Sheep and this I declare unto you and withal am willing to discover and make manifest the Way and Means whereby the Lord doth bring â—â—â—vation to his People and love constrains me knowing the Lord hath a Seed amongst you unto which my Testimony will be acceptable wherefore all people turn ye turn ye for the Lord calleth unto you harken unto his Testimony which speaketh in you even the Light of Chriâ—â— Jesus with which every one of 〈◊〉 are enlightened and search your Hearts and feel what the Lord witnesseth unto you and what his Testimony in you giveth evidence of for who walks in Pride in Wickedness in Vanity and in the Pleasures of the World and acteth against God's Witness in their Consciences such are in a State to be condemned of the Lord because they act that and speak that which is reproved with the Light shewing that they are in a State unreconciled to God their Works shewing them to be evil Trees that cumber the Ground who are to be hewen down and cast into the Fire and therefore be not deceived in your selves neither let any man deceive you with a Profession or Conceit of a Justification by Christ while yet Iniquity and Transgression and the Evil of the World are lived in and not wholly denyed for to the Wicked there is no Peace from God but the Wicked are condemned by him and the Light in their own Consciences is witness against them Therefore all come to the Light which Christ hath lightened you withal which will manifest unto you your own Condition and whether it be justified or condemned of God and believe not against the Light nor hope not against God's Witness for they that do so their Faith and Hope is vain but what the Light testifies in you that believe And all you that may find your selves sinners loaden with Iniquity and that are the Servants of Sin and have no power over Temptations believe in that Light which gives you to see this and wait till the Power of God be made manifest in you to cleanse your Hearts and to judge out all Unrighteousness for Christ hath not taken away your Sins while you daily bring them forth into the World by Action but whose sins he hath taken away them he hath washed and cleansed from their sins and given them power to resist and overcome all Temptations wherefore wait upon the Lord all ye that are afflicted because of your sins the Day of a great Deliverance is approaching and mind the Light which lets you see Sin that is the Gift of God's Love unto you which will draw you from the love of the World and crucifie your Affections and Desires which go after it and if you mind the Light of Christ in you it will judge and condemn every Motion that ariseth in the Heart towards Evil and the Temptation being judged you will not fall into Sin but will be preserved from Sin and that which doth preserve you from the committing of that Sin unto which you are tempted doth blot out and forgive all the Sins that ever you have acted and that will witnes Reconciliation and Peace with God unto you as you come to be changed and renewed in your Hearts and Minds to be created in the second Adam his Image to bear and to follow his Spirit And Friends search your Hearts and let the Lord search you and judge you for him must
Poor nor the Laws regulated nor the liberty of pure Consciences altogether allowed but these Dominions are filled with cruel Oppressions and the Poor groan everywhere under their heavy Hand of Injustice the Needy are troden down under Foot and the Oppressed cry for Deliverance and are ready to faint for true Justice and Judgement the Proud exalts himself against the Poor and the High-minded and Rebellious contemns the Meek of the Earth the Horn of the Ungodly is exalted over the Lord's Heritage and they that are departed from Iniquity are become a Prey to Oppressors and the Crâ—â—â— hearted deal cruelly with the Innocent in these Nations and such whom the Lord hath freed in their Consciences from false Worships and Teachers and from the Wayes of Sin and Death are made Slaves and greedily preyed upon by unjust men through casting into Prisons and Dungeons and unjust Fines and Illegal Proceedings and Beatings and Abusings and Woundings and Bruisings hard to be expressed and large to be declared even the Hands of the People over whom thou art set to rule are full of Blood Merciless and Cruel and neither feâ—t God nor are subject to the just Rule and Government of Men and the Mouthes of many of thy subservant Rulers and Governours that have their Power from thee are as the Teeth of young Lions and the Upright and Hâ—rmless are devoured and made a Spoil of by them through Policy and Oppression both in their Persons and Estates if I perish I must speak the Truth my life is not dear to me for the Truth 's sake many who should have judged in true Justice and Righteousness the Cause of the Poor have been as Bryars and Thorns to ensnare and pierce the just Man and have perverted Judgement and â—uâ—nâ—d it backward and Equity hath hardly had place to enter most of the Prisons this day in all thy Jurisdictions have and doth testifie the unjust Judgement and the great Oppressions and Cruelties of some in Authority who have used or rather abused thy Name and made it a Cloak for their Hard-heartedness O my Heart is troubled and my Bowels pained at the remembrance of this how doth the Poor cry under the heavy Hand of Oppression and the Needy lament for want of true Judgement and the Oppressed groan for want of Deliverance And these things are thought upon by the Lord though not considered by thee as they ought to be and because of this will he arise to plead the Cause of the Innocent against him that is too strong for him and will dash to pieces his Enemies and break the Jaws of the Devourers and the Righteous shall not alwayes be a Prey to the Teeth of the Ungodly O Friend when wilt thou consider the Oppression of the Poor and hearken to the cry of the Oppressed within thee and without thee when shall it enter into thy Heart this cause of the unjust Sufferings of the Lord's People from which thou canst not altogether be excused for it is acted in thy Name though not by thee O let thy Ear be opened unto the Cryes of the Oppressed in the Prisons and let the Cause of the Innocent come before thee and let thy heart be pierced at the Consideration of these things which are come to pass in thy day contrary to the expectations of many and see if it be not contrary to thy own Promises sometimes vowed by thee let the Light of Christ in thy own Conscience answer and some of the multitude of the grievous Oppressions of which the Land is full have been laid at thy Door and brought unto thee but scarcely found an encrance upon thee and this aggravates the Crime of of thy Transgression in that thou knowest of these things and wonderful is it to consider that even thou with whom the Power of the Lord hath sometimes been should now suffer that people with whom the Power of the Lord is to be persecuted and thy name to be a cloak for it how many in all parts of this Nation have been and are at this day grievous sufferers under cruel bondage concerning Tythes that great Abomination and Idol and cause of heavy groanings the bodies of many just men violently surprized and cast into Goals and Prisons unjustly and some illegally their cruelly suffering the loss of their Liberties and the enjoyments of their Families and honest Assemblies and others have their Goods spoiled and made havock upon almost to the ruin of Families by unreasonable men through unjust Judgment and cruel dealings of some in Authority for so much unjustly challenged by the Priest or Impropriator it may be they distress five times so much to the great shame of the Government of a Christian Nation as may appear in a Book called The Cry of the Oppressed and how many are ready even to faint under the hard Oppression of maintaining Hireling Teachers and Idol-Temples many for that cause being unjust Sufferers in Bodies and Estates by cruel imprisoment and spoiling of Goods the very cry of this Oppression reaches unto Heaven against thee who suffers it and against the Idol-Shepherds who are the ground of it who make a prey upon Gods Heritage and the Lord God will be avenged upon them and they and their Staff shall utterly perish wo unto them and to the Idol-Worships of which the Land is full which they uphold which causes the hearts of the Righteous to mourn because of the Seed of God which is in Captivity under them again many are unjust and wofull Sufferers because they cannot swear on this or that occasion though in all causes they speak the truth and do obey Christ's Commands even such are trodden upon by unjust Fines charged upon them and imposed Oppressions the Example of which never went before many parts of this Land is witness of this and this is by the corruptness of some that bear rule under thee who rule not for God as they ought but turns the Sword of Justice and doth unjustly thereby and grieves the Lord and dishonours thee Again some suffer long and tedious imprisonments and others cruel Stripes and Abuses and danger of life many times from wicked men for reproving Sin and crying against the Abomination of the Tiâ—â—â— which the Scriptures also testifie against in Streets or Temples or 〈◊〉 Places some having been sent to Prison taken on the High-Way and no 〈◊〉 charged against them and others committed being taken out of Peaceable Meetings and whipped and sent to Prison without transgression of any Law 〈◊〉 or unjust wholly through the Rage and Envy of the Devil and such who have perverted Judgement and Justice and some in Prisons have suffered superaboundantly from the Hands of the cruel Goalers and their Servants by Beatings and Threatnings and putting Irons on them and not suffering any of their Friends to visit them with Necessaries and some have dyed in the Prisons whose Lives were not dear to them whose Blood will be reckoned on account against thee one day
and hazarded Life and Liberty for Conscience sake to enjoy Liberty of Conscience which they cannot now possess because of thee but are cast out for the Exercise of their pure Consciences this Thing the Lord is grieved with and with thee because of it For thou didst not obtain this Victory of Peace and Freedom by thy own Sword then why should it be thus improved to thy own Ends Consider of it for this makes the Nations more unhappy and less blessed when such who delight in true Justice and Judgment are cast out of their Places and so deprived of giving their Judgment among men and absolutely this will make thy Army less prosperous and more unblessed when such who fear the Lord and against whom thou canst not justly charge Evil are cast out and despised and this in time thou mayst see to thy Sorrow And as thy Friend I â—ay this before thee and do in plainness tell thee If thou thus utterly denyst the People of God in the day of thy Prosperity and thus wholy cast them out of thy service they cannot stand by thee nor own thee in the day of thy Trouble and such as thou cleavest unto may be a broken Staff in thy time of need Ah Friend these things do shew that thy heart is not right in the sight of the Lord and that Justice and true Judgment Righteousness and Truth is even despised in this Land and not sincerely owned by thee when as such who fear the Lord are thus cast out of Judicatories in thy Government and out of Defence in thy Armies What! is this the end of that long travel in Wars and of so many fair Promises of Liberty of Conscience that just Men should thus be dealt withal The Heathen Kingdoms may Mock at this that while some have pretended Liberty of Conscience are become Persecutors of such whose Consciences are justly exercised and as I have sometime said to thee much Injustice and great Oppressions and cruel Persecutions continue daily to be acted in thy name which is numbred up against thee upon account because of hiding thy Face from the Cry of the Poor as one without Bowels of Compassion unto such who have truly served with thee in a faithful Service for the Common-Wealth who many of them now are grievous Sufferers under thee Consider of these things and search what will be the End of them the Lord open thy Understanding that more of the Wisdom of God may guide thee and less of the policy and wisdom of Man which will betray thee of God's Kingdom and may in the end cast thee down in this World also E. B. The Original of this was delivered to his Hands in the Fifth Moneth 1657. FRIEND IT is upon me and also I am pressed in spirit thereunto to give thee even unto thee Oliver Protector the perfect measure of thy Dominions and how they stand in relation to thee as concerning the Affections of the people towards thee whereby thou mayst understand thy own Condition and the state of thy Government as I have viewed it in true Judgment and marked it upon serious consideration and what I write is in perfect Love unto thee however thou mayst judge of it and of these things it will be well fâ—â— thee to consider now while it is time ere it be too late Many Enemies thou hast which watch over thee for Evil and not for Good who would Rejoyce in thy Overthrow And first There are a People scattered through all these Nations who are full of Wrath and ravening Envy towards thee in whose hearts to this day there is continual Hatred and evil Surmiâ—â—ng lodgeth against thee and all thy Off-Spring and I believe without any further knowledge that daily Advantage they seek against thee by subtil Conspiracies and secret Plottings of Maliciousness in their Hearts seeking by all means if it be possible how to be revenged and not slipping any Advantage how to revenge themselves and promote their Cause and of these scattered under thy Goverment are not a few but rather the greater number who thus stand in Affections to thee with no better purpose of good towards thee then to destroy thee by any means if it were in their power and to take away thy name in Reproach such is the Cruelty and Desperateness of some of them their own lives are not dear unto them to take away thine I have felt the strength of their Rage against thee which carries them above sence or fear to fore-go any Danger that they might see their desired End of thee Their Malice towards thee is so seated in their wrathful Hearts that it cannot easily be quenched I know the Lord hath blasted them and their endeavours to this day and thou hast had Dominion and Power given thee of God to bruise and to break them to pieces for because of the Wickedness of that Generation which was grown to the full did the Lord raise thee up as a Plague upon them because of their Unrighteousness Oppression and Tyranny and they were made as Slaves and Bondmen under thy Power and without the Lord can they not at any time do any thing against thee but what and if for thy Wickedness in the Sight of God he should make them Instruments in his hand to accomplish his Wrath upon thee even like as he made thee once his Instrument to overthrow them and such hath been the Lord's Doings even to overthrow his Enemies one by the other and to use the Wicked as a Rod in his hand to break them one against another like Potsherds and by that which comes to pass in these Nations thou seemest no less then to tread in their steps and in a measure already goest on in their way in Oppressing through Tyranny or suffering it the People of God whose Cause the Lord will assuredly plead against thee one day who now suffer under thee in Patience and who can tell the Purpose of the Lord or what he may bring to pass concerning this thing in raising up the Wicked to be a Plague to Wickedness and in suffering the Oppressors to overthrow Oppressions This is by me in Love to thee in sincerity declared and by thee with Soberness and in the Fear of God it is to be considered Again there is another People scattered through all these Dominions who are not thy Friends nor Wishers well unto thee or thy Government who secretly murmer against thee and envy thee and even seek God against thee and thy Government which they judge to be not according to God and bow not to it in Love though they are forced to submit for a time hoping continually if not hatching other wayes of Rule and Government to the overthrow of thee and thine and these are more Honest and Upright and Just in the Sight of the Lord then the former and indeed they are not nor their Purposes accursed of the Lord for many of them have been Sufferers and faithfully served their Nation
then thou wilt see and fathom over all this Profession of Christ and all these Churches that are without the Life of Christ which are come up in the Apostacy and as the Life of God ariseth in thee thou wilt see who the false Prophets are and Deceivers which Christ Prophesied of should come and Iohn saw were come in his dayes which have over-spread the Nations and these are they which have the Sheep's Clothing upon them but inwardly they are Ravening Wolves and such are they that will Flatter thee for great Benefices and Places and large Maintenances they have Christ's words and the Apostles words the Sheep's Clothing but they that put not into their mouthes they will prepare War against them and Raven upon them and cast their Bodies into Prison or spoil their Goods And wilt thou bring thy Name into dishonour to all the Saints upon Earth by defending of these in their Evil wayes thou oughtest not to do it nor to suffer the Innocent to be troden down and destroyed for denying such and witnessing against them that are out of the Life of Christ and a great Overthrow will the Lord make among those Teachers and such a Ministry that needs to be defended by carnal Weapons and by Stocks and Prisons for such Teachers and Ministry are not of Christ as is manifest and as People have been scattered after them for Ages so they shall again be gathered from them by the Spirit to follow the Lamb whither soever he goes And take heed these Teachers come not too near thee neither put Confidence in them for their hearts are not right before the Lord and they will flatter thee while they hatch Mischief against thee but stand over them in the Dominion of God And if they sow Spiritual Things let them reap Carnal by a Free Gift and if they have Flocks let them eat of the Milk-Freely given them and if they have planted any thing let them eat the Fruit as it comes Freely and be not thou cumbered about maintaining Ministers but free thy self of that Burden neither suffer innocent Men to be troden down and destroyed in their Persons and Estates about the maintaining of such Teachers which is become the grievousest Oppression in the Nation And as concerning thy Family Thou hast need of God's Wisdom to guide thee that thou mayst Rule in God's Authority over all light loose proud wanton ungodly and deceitful Persons take heed of such spirits for they will be a Temptation to thee to draw thee into Evil and into the World out from God let no such be thy Companions nor remain in thy House lest they betray thee with Flatteries and Honour which perish and such may profess much Love and great Duty in words yet they being out of the Fear of the Lord cannot be blessed unto thee in their Service Wherefore Love such men and let them be thy Companions that Fear the Lord and that are Solid and Sober and Upright such as may be good Examples before thee which will quench Evil and not increase it in thee and though such appear not in Flatteries towards thee nor with a double mind yet they will be Faithful to thee and such will the Lord bless unto thee And let no Drunkards nor Covetous Evil-minded Persons that seek themselves and not the Lord have place with thee for they will be a Dishonour to thee and bring the Curse into thy Family And love such as make Conscience of their Words and Wayes and be not an Oppressor of the Tender Consciences of any but let the Lord be Ruler there both in thy self and in all thy Family And be of a Pittiful Tender Mind and Spirit towards Strangers and all People and be Kind and Long-suffering towards all yet let Justice reach to all Transgressors and be an Example to all in Authority under thee And let not Evil and Cruel-hearted Men bear any Place for such render thee and thy Government Dishonourable and by such the Land is filled with Violence and the Just Mourn whereby the Blessing is kept â—â—r away and the Curse near ready to dâ—vour Now Friends if thou comest to be guided by the Spirit and with the Wisdom of the Father then thou wilt bring the Nations into good Order whereby the Inhabitants may live in Peace and perfect Freedom from all Oppressions and Vexations that now are a Bondage upon the Just and Upright for there is great Corruption entred into all places and all forts of men and when the Lord toucheth thy Heart and maketh thee rightly sensible of all things as they now stand then thou wilt see the Ministry as now it standeth to be quite degenerated from what the Ministry of Christ was in the dayes of the Apostles before the Apostacy and as it now standeth there is much of it which is to be thrown down to the Ground and crushed to pieces for it is corrupted altogether even in the way of its setting up and in its Call and in the way of its Maintenance and Practice in all these things it is corrupted and degenerated from what the Ministry of Christ was before the Apostacy and this may be proved by the Scriptures and so it is not to be upholden by thee but to be corrected and thrown down the rather And likewise in Magistracy thou wilt see great Corruption entred and aboundance to be purged out for it is much degenerated from the state as it was ordained of God and in the Laws there is much to regulate and correct when thou comest to the Principle of God in thee if ever that arise iâ— thee it will bring thee to thresh down and trample down all unjust men that handle the Law and all such that judge for Gifts and Rewards and all such Lawyers that devour the Innocent for Gifts that will not plead the Cause of the Poor without great Fees and all the Priests that preach for Hire and the Teachers that teach for filthy Lucre and to get Gain all such men will be counted as Bryars and Thornes by thee to be plucked up by the Roots and to be cut up as Evil Trees which cumber the Ground for such do corrupt the Land and cumber it and if ever the Lord doth arise in thee he will reward them by thee according to their wayes whose wayes are corrupt before the Lord. Be thou faithful in what the Lord calleth thee to and thou shalt have thy Reward and seek his Honour and he will Honour thee and let thy mind â—e to the Lord in all things and feel his Word and Power and Presence in thee to quench all that which is contrary and then thou wilt be blessed in this life and in the Life to come but if thou continuest 〈◊〉 thy Oppression the Lord will suddenly smite thee By a Friend unto thee in the Lord E B. This was given to Oliver Cromwell his hands at Hampton Court in the Sixth Moneth 1658. about a Moneth before his Death This is
of that People even till my Lord hath confounded them and brought them into Confusion for there is the weight of Blood of Tyranny and Oppression lying upon the Nation in that People's Cause and my Lord will revenge them in his Season and though they are not weary of their Sufferings but are in the Patience which beareth all things yet the Nation can never be happy nor its Government ever blessed while this People are held in Bondage and their Sufferings are deeply considered of the Lord and the Season thereof is expiring towards an 〈◊〉 aâ—d when this cometh to pass then Wo unto the kingdom of Antichrist and to the Whore and false Prophet even when their strength is dryed up by which they have made War against the Lamb and his Followers yea Wo unto them Great Fearfulness shall be upon all the World when the King of that People Reigns upon the Earth and the time is at hand blessed is the Man that waitâ—â—◠〈◊〉 it and blessed is he that is not offended in his Coming but is preparâ—◠〈◊〉 receive him in his Appearing which suddenly cometh upon all the World And thus I have told the Lord's present Message unto you which I received from him and thus far I am clear and whether you accept it or reject it my Peace and Reward is forever with him who am a Subject of his Kingdom and a Frieâ—â— to this Nation however otherwise judged by ignorant Men. Edw. Burroughs The 9th Moneth 1659. To the PRESENT DISTRACTED AND Broken Nation OF ENGLAND And to all her INHABITANTS A Presentation and Declaration from the Seed of God and from the People called Quakers with their Sense and Knowledge published concerning the present Divisions and Confusions come to pass in the Land with Mourning and Lamentation over it because of its Breaches and the Causes thereof laid down and discovered And also Good Counsel and Advice held forth how Peace and Unity may be restored and how the present Troubles may be Removed OH poor distressed Nation and full of Troubles How art thou broken and divided How hath Divisions and Distractions compassed thee about and entred into thy Bowels And how are thy Inhabitants and thy People divided even to hatred one against another and how are they filled as with Mischief one towards another even as it were thirsting for the Blood of one another Oh! How are thy Rulers and thy Subjects thy Great Men and thy Poor confounded amongst themselves And how is the Wisdom of thy Wise men turned into Folly and their Union into present Contention and how do they seek the Overthrow one of another and how do they lie in wait to be avenged one against another And how are the Hearts of many filled with Envy Contention and Revenge and Love Peace and Unity are far away Meekness Patience and Long-suffering which ought to be among thy People seem to stand afar off And oh Nation this is the Day of thy Trouble and the beginning of thy Sorrows And forasmuch as it hath pleased the Lord God Almighty to bring and suffer things thus to be brought to pass as if he would make our Nation a Heap and suffer Destruction upon it and having suffered the Rulers and Great Men to overcome and break down one another and to rend and tear one another from oâ—â— the Throne pulling down others and setting up themselves even through their Ambition and Vain-glory and for corrupted Ends to themselves whereby this our Nation is brought into present Confusion and many are begotten through these â—hings into Fury Heart-burnings and Maliciousness as if men were ready to devour each one his Neighbour and their Brother about Government and Ruâ—e being greatly divided and distracted in this matter some crying up one way of Religion and Church and Civil Government and some crying up another way being each one sort of People seeking themselves and the prosperity of their own Interests and to have their own desires accomplished but few seeking the Lord and to advance him in Truth and Righteousness And because of this there is no Establishment in the Earth but Strife and Contention and Heart-burnings in the Bowels of the Nation and great want of True Love True Unity and True Peace and all the contrary doth abound among the people because of which the Nation is subject to present Misery even to Blood-shed and Murders and liable also to greater Judgments which may also come upon it because of these things all which we have deeply considered â—â—th Mourning and with Breakin gs of Heart on the behalf of the Nation the Land of our Nativity We have seen we have seen the Cause of thy Distractions to be the Sins of thy Rulers and People and we have seen the effect of them to be doleful and miserable unto thee except the Hand of the Lord turn it backward And oh How do we Mourn and Laâ—ent to see the Out goings of Men and the present Condition of the People and Rulers in this the Day of their Trouble Alas they do not behave themselves towards the Lord that his Judgments may be turned away they do not seek him in Truth and Righteousness they do not turn unto him with all their Hearts neither do they tremble at his Word but they the rather reject his Counsel and despise his Visitation and they seek themselves and exalt their own Horn and love the Honour of this World and their hearts are hardened and the great men seem to be utterly insensible of what the Lord is a doing but seek great things for themselves and each one rejoying of another's Fall and glorying in their Advantages one over another one sort being first down and another sort comes up boasting themselves over the Fall of their Enemies and not knowing that their time also is but very short And thus is our poor Nation tossed to and fro through the Ambition of men who even make a Prey upon the poor peoples Persons and Treasure for their own corrupted Ends and thy Rulers have not had respect unto the Counsel of the Lord but seem to refuse the Way of Peace and even add Fewel to the Fire of God's Wrath by heaping up one Transgression upon another and they receive not the Instructions of the Almighty Behold Oh Nation Great Trouble is upon thee and the Men that should Rule thee and which have pretended to Govern thee they do not walk in the Way of thy Peace neither do they bring healing to thee These things we have considered and thus we Lament over thee and over thy present State Oh Nation how art thou like an ungirded Vessel that is ready to fall one piece from another and how art thou like a Body without a Head and all thy Ioynts out of order and what Confusion art thou fallen into which is thy present state and art even as a Widdow without a Husband and art even left comfortless unto this day and ready to devour thy self through the Envy
is a Parliament what is a Protector and what is a Council or any other sort of men while the Presence of the Lord is not with them and while his Spirit and Authority is wanting to them What can any of these bring forth none of all these whatsoever if the Lord be not chief in them and amongst them and his Counsel their only Guide shall be any otherwise unto this Nation then as a broken Reed to lean upon and no more then a Shaddow which shall not save the people from the heat nor from the storm this we know and this we declare in the Name of the Lord. And we are not for Names nor Men nor Titles of Government nor are we for this Party nor against the other because of its Name and Pretence but we are for Iustice and Mercy and Trust and Peace and true Freedom that these may be exalted in our Nation and that Goodness Righteousness Meekness Temperance Peace and Unity with God and one with another that these things may abound and be brought forth aboundantly such a Government are we seeking and waiting for wherein Truth and Righteousness Mercy and Iustice Unity and Love and all the Fruits of Holiness may abound and all the contrary be removed cast out and limitted And we are not for such and such Names and Titles of Government that promise fair things and perform nothing but if a Council if a Parliament if any one Man or a number of Men whatsoever shall have the Spirit of the Lord poured on him or them and shall be anointed of the Lord for such an End and Use to Govern this Nation under such only shall the Nation be happy and enjoy Rest from such men fitted of the Lord and called by him and under such a Government of Truth and Righteousness shalt thou O Nation enjoy Rest from all thy Travels and under such a Government shall the Righteous rejoyce and the whole Land sing for Joy of Heart when Tyranny and Oppression shall be clean removed Strife and Contention and Self-seeking utterly abandoned and when Peace and Truth flows forth as a Stream and the Lord alone rules in thy Rulers and he the Principal amongst them and under such men and such a Government only and not under any other shalt thou O Nation be happy and thy people a free People Wherefore O Nation when wilt thou begin to look to the Lord when wilt thou begin to set up Him and not man when wilt thou mind his Power and Presence in and through men more then any men themselves when shall it once be O ye people of our Nation that ye will seek after him to be the principal and chief Power among you Oh! let your eye be turned to the Lord alone that he may deliver you and bring Salvation and Freedom and look no more at men but only as they are in him guided by his Spirit only expect good from men as they are guided by the Lord and then shall you not ever any more be deceived as long you have been with Parliaments with Councils with Armies nor any others for in these have you trusted and not in the Lord from these have you expected great Things without him whenas alas what shall men accomplish or what can they bring forth while they reject the Counsel of the Lord and his Word as hitherto they have done and therefore hath he broke them and confounded them yea and he will break them and crush them under his Rod even till they come to learn his Judgments and know him the alone Power and give Honour to him that doth whatsoever he will and he will overthrow it once and again even till he comes whose Right it is to Rule and he is at work in this his Day and because of Iniquities doth he visit with Tribulation and through great Tribulation and overturning of Men and Powers will he advance his own Kingdom and Government and the end of all these things shall bring forth his Glory and men that will not honour him by dealing Righteously in their Day upon Earth they must honour him in their destruction at their Latter-end and let not men glory one over another while some are put down and others set up but let them all know they have but each sort their hour and their end will come even as others for an everlasting Kingdom and Government will God setup that must rule over all and this is the hope of a poor dispised people though for present hated of all and sought to be destroyed by all yet our Souls are anchored and staid even in the sure Promises of our God in this the day of the Nations trouble and though we are poor and rejected of all and have nothing to glory in among any party or sort of people but even in our Reproaches and Sufferings which we sustain from all yet have we perfect rest in God and satisfaction over all these distractions we know him in whom we have believed and we trust in the shadow of his Wing and we are not of a doubting heart concerning what can come or whomsoever do rule for this we know though all seek after our blood yet he can deliver us if he will we know him that can do all things and if he save none can destroy if he bless none can curse him we know and in him we rest and we give our power in all things to him not unto mortal man whose breath is in his nostrils who must perish as the dung we cannot be afraid of their horror nor can we be drawn by their love but we trust in his Name and under his defence shall we be saved we give our power to him to be defended and preserved by him alone and we are well content with our Sufferings and murmur not our Sufferings are our present Crown but yet Wo unto that Authority which maketh us to suffer and wo 〈◊〉 the men upon whom God shall charge the guilt of our Oppressions and wo unto that Spirit that is found acting against Gods Anointed Behold ye Mountains of the Earth behold ye Rulers and ye People the Lord hath blessed his People and every Tongue that riseth up in witness against them shall be condemned and every Weapon that is formed against them shall be broken this is our hope in this gloomy day and the hope of a Kingdom of Righteousness and Peace which must be set up is our refreshment in this day of trouble and let not our Enemies glory over us forthough we be very poor yet shall we be made rich and though we have no carnal weapon yet shall we conquer and thus have we declared our selves in much plainness and sincerity to our Nation whom we love and whose present condition we pitty and and lament over and we are Friends to an appearance of good that may come forth in Truth and Sincerity and as Righteousness do appear in any we are ready to joyn with
this be your meaning as may justly be supposed it is the Lord deliver the Nation from you this is not the way to gain the credit of Religion but the further you go on in this way as you have formerly walked in the more will your Profession and Religion stink in the Nostrils of all good men Your fourth Evidence is Immensity and bounless liberty permitted assumed and freely practised by many to Write Print and Publish all manner of Blasphemies and Opinions c. the sad and wofull effects thereof appears in many some being in Apostacy others in luke-warmness and much decay in the Power of godliness c. Answ. As I have acknowledged 〈◊〉 there are without doubt many Errors Blasphemies and false Opinions extant in this Nation both Written Published and Maintained but upon whom and what sort of men this can truely be charged this is very doubtfull to many and your Charge being onely general no particular Answer can well be given onely it appears you would have none to Write Print or Publish but your selves or by your consent and you would tye the Nation up in the bondage of your own Spirits and you would be the onely Judges of Blasphemies and Errors but that we allow not for Enemies must not be Judges and it is very possible such is your Darkness that you may call Truth Error and Error Truth in some particulars but if you shall instance any particular Doctrines Blasphemies Errors and Opinions published and maintained in my next I shall freely give my witness against them if they be really so and against the people that holds them as well as your selves and more particularly I cannot now say and there is indeed wofull and sad effects of Errors brought forth in this Nation and many are in the Apostacy from the truth and in the luke-warmness also and the power of Godliness is decayed and they have the Form and holds that without the Power your selves may do well and your Congregations also to search your own hearts by the Spirit of the Lord in this case that the guilty may see and turn unto the Lord that his wrath come not upon them Your fifth Evidence is Sabbath Prophanation both in Opinion and Practice grown to a greater height than ever formerly the Iews Sabbath cryed up instead of the Christian Shops opened upon the Lords day yea some working the works of their ordinary callings in knitting and sowing of Garments in our Assemblies even in the Pulpits in the time of Gods publick Worship c. Answ. This remains doubtful to many what the true Sabbath is and whether the Lord doth require of this Generation the observing one day above another and if so what day it is that he requires the observing of as for the 7th day of the week we know that the Lord commanded the Iewes to keep as a Sabbath and to rest But that was never commanded to the Gentiles and as for the first day of the week which is called the Christians Sabbath that is doubtful to many whether God commands and requires the observation of that day by the Gentile believers yea or nay seeing that there is neither command nor binding example for it throughout the Scriptures if there be any I do desire that you would shew it in your next and by what authority whether from men or from Heaven the first day of the week is now kept by you as your Sabbath for really many are doubtful in this case and you would do very well if you have a command from God or example from his Servants in former Ages to discover so much unto the people And as for your calling it the Lords-day it is certain every day is his and not one day more then another and as for Shops opening and such things as you mention though every one that do such things may not be justified in the doing of it yet such a thing in it self may be justified if the Spirit of the Lord moves unto it and who shall limit the Lord And why may not others labour in their ordinary callings that day as well as you in your ordinary callings I mean your ordinary calling of preaching that is an ordinary calling it is certain because you deny any extrordinary calling in these days and so I only query this why others may not follow their ordinary callings as well as you for it hath been affirmed very lately by some that preaching was a trade and a function for men to get a living by and we do not question but there are many now in this Nation called Ministers that do preach for that end and would cease to preach if Mony and Tithes were ceased to be given them I speak this of some not of all which doth demonstrate that the way of your preaching is an ordinary calling which you labour in on your Sabbath-day Your sixth Evidence is the pouring out by many of aâ—â— Sects with a full mouth all manner of obloquy and contempt upon Ministry and Ministers of the Gospel openly interrupting them in the exercise of their Duty whereby they are discouraged in their Work while they are represented under the notion of Baals Priests Gehazaes Pulpited Divines distributers of Sundayes Doles Simonions Decimating Clergy common Incendiaries c. Answ. It is certain that the true Ministry and Ministers of the Gospel were in all Ages and now are contemned and despised and all manner of evil spoken against them for the Name of Christ but whether you are those true Ministers of the Gospel and your Ministry the true Ministry sent of Christ this is doubtful to many and by many particulars which might be instanced the contrary doth appear The Ministers of Christ in the dayes of the Apostles they never complained of being interrupted for they were haled before Rulers and commanded to preach no more in that Name and yet they were not discouraged thereby in their work nor when they were called Movers of Sedition and Deceivers and such reproachfull names they regarded not these things but as for you you seem to be troubled that any should speak to you or ask you 〈◊〉 Question or exhort you to repent if any out of good Conscience query with you concerning your Practice and Doctrine and if any exhort to Good and cry against Evil amongst you this you call interrupting of you in your Ministerial Duty and to Prison Houses of Correction and to Whips and Stocks must such go which was never the Apostles Practice never was any sent to Prison for opposing of them And what if the Ministers of England be called Hirelings and false Prophets and greedy dumb Dogs the practice of some of them doth prove it that they are so these things you must bear as coming deservedly and not unjustly upon you for the Servants of the Lord in all Ages ever cried against Deceivers and false Prophets and called them Deceivers and greedy dumb Dogs and Serpents and Vipers and Evil Beasts and
especially in this day wherein there are so many Ways and Professions of Church-Ministry and Worship and yet all professing the Scriptures are their Rule of Faith Worship and Practice and seeing that all Sects do profess Proof from Scripture for what they hold forth what Ground have the people to believe you more than others or others more than you for where people receive Doctrine or Religion by Report from others without the Evidence of the Spirit of God in their own Hearts this is not receiving of the Truth unto Eternal Life wherefore I exhort your Congregations That every one amongst them may wait upon the Lord to have a feeling and discerning in their own hearts and that each one may be led and taught oâ— the Spirit of God which leads into all Truth that they may deny all false Ministers and false Worships and may worship God in Spirit and Truth though the ministration of his own Spirit in their Hearts and Consciences and thereby will they discern between Truth and Error and will love the one and hate the other Thirdly You exhort That they keep themselves unspotted from the prevailing Corruptions of these back-sliding Times c. Answ. Concerning the Times many are ignorant but this is certain at the present Time wherein we are is the Lord disquieting of men and its the latter dayes of Antichist's Raign and Government that hath been in full Power and Authority for many Generations and Babylon that great City her Ruin is threatned because of her Abominations that have been many and great for the whole Earth hath been corrupted as it s written and now the Call of the Lord is That every man come out of Babylon and deliver himself that he may not partake of their Plagues and happy are they that are made clean unspotted from their Sins that they may not be found covered with her Garments for the Day of the Lord is come and coming upon Babylon and all Back-sliders from God and his Wayes Now Babylon is that great City which hath ruled over the Kings of the Earth and in her hath the Blood of Souls and of all just Men been found Fourthly You exhort To endeavour a Healing of those sad Breaches and Divisions which have been amongst you c. Answ. Now the sad Breaches and Divisions which are indeed at present in this Nation cannot be healed but as the Cause and Ground thereof be removed which is the Sins of Rulers Teachers and People and this is the Cause wherefore the Lord hath brought Distraction amongst them Oh what Ambition and Self-seeking hath been among the Rulers What judging for Gifts and Rewards What neglect of Mercy and Judgment amongst them And oh how have they oppressed the Poor and trodden down the needy and because hereof is the Righteous God vexed And oh what Covetousness and Greediness of Gain â—re the Teachers guilty of How do they Preach for Hire and Divine for Money How have they unreasonably caused men to be imprisoned and their Goods to be spoiled for Wages and Tythes and Hire Oh how hath Covetousness and Idolatry and Superstition abounded amongst the Teachers in this Nation Oh abominable have been their Sins their Oppressions and Self-seekings and because of these things hath the Lord brought Distractions amongst People and the Sins of Rulers and People cry for Vengeance from the Lord and till these Iniquities be removed by Repentance and forsaken the Fruit and Effect thereof shall never cease but Breach upon Breach will the Lord make till the Rulers and Priests repent them of their Iniquities God's Hand will be upon them both in Judgment and for their sakes that divine for Money and preach for Hire and judge for Rewards will the Lord make the Nation as Heaps and as a Ploughed Field Therefore let all people Repent of their Iniquities and return to the Light of Christ in their own Consciences and become Followers of the Lamb and this is the perfect Way of healing of all Breaches inwardly and outwardly Fifthly You exhort To be diligent in the Spiritual and Conscientious Performances of Family-Duties c. Answ. Men must first be awakened and enlivened unto God before they can act for God in Holy Duties and as for Duties performed in pretence unto God traditionally and without the Teachings of the Spirit of God is but Idolatry and the Nation is weary of such a Religion which they have received and held traditionally for thereby the Soul Immortal cannot be nourished unto Eternal Life and while you teach Duties towards God by that Rule while you teach Praying Singing Repeating Catechizing by Tradition and Immitation without the Leadings of the Spirit of Christ in them you do but teach Idolatry as long hath been taught in the Christian Nations the doing and performing such and such things as Christian-Duties and Practices and the Forcing and Compelling of doing such things upon People in the unregenerate state and unconverted nature this Religion and such Performances of Duties have been of Babylon and of Antichrist and a Cheat upon Peoples Souls whereby many have been murdered and slain in that great City and the Form of Godliness without the Power hath been practiced while Duties have been performed unto God without the Teachings of the Spirit of God and such their Consciences are blinded and the Lord abhors their Sacrifices And people must first come to feel the Word of God in their Hearts to regenerate them before they can perform any acceptable thing to God and therefore do not teach People to be Hypocrites do not teach them such and such Performances in the corrupt Nature without the Teachings of the Spirit of God in their own particulars for if you do you make them but two fold more the Children of the Devil and such Duties performed in that nature shall not cover nor hide from the Wrath of the Lord which is coming upon all Hypocrites Sixthly You exhort That they would cause their Children and Servants to submit to Catechizings and train them up in the reverence of Godly Ministry c. Answ. It may be enquired into what you mean by cause them to submit how cause them by Force and Imposition upon their Consciences by outward external personal Punishments or Threats Is this your Meaning Will you set up Religion by Violence And must Children and Servants be compell'd by Restraint and Force This is not the right Way to promote Religion and the Worship of God nor to make Children and Servants truly Religious it was the Beast that received power from the Dragon that caused all to worship both Small and Great Children and Servants and this causing to worship was in the time of the Apostacy when the true Church was fled into the Wilderness and all the time ever since have Nations been caused and compelled to such and such performances and practices of Religion and Worship and such causing I am jealous your Meaning is whereby you would force and compel such manner
of Worship and Practices upon people And what do you mean by Godly Ministry Will you admit of just Tryal according to the Scriptures whether yours be that Godly Ministry or no for all sorts of Christians Papists and Protestants and all others they will say That they are in the right Way and their Ministry is the Godly Ministry but the fruits of many prove the contrary and we cannot believe that yours is the Godly Ministry except you will prove it to us by and according to the Scriptures Now it is certain That the Ministry of the Apostles was the true Godly Ministry and if yours agree with theirs then we will confess That yours is the true Godly Ministry Therefore tell us plainly do you agree with them in your Call and in your Maintenance and in your Practices and in your Fruits and Effects in your lives and Conversations and in your Doctrines Are you justly according to and do you agree with the Apostles in all these things shall we lay you to the Line that you may be judged This is but as a hint at things whereby you might justly be tryed for if you agree not with the Apostles in these cases mentioned then it is evident that your Ministry is not the true Godly Ministry but hereafter we may have a better occasion to try you And thus the principal part of your Exhortation is answered and if you can receive it in Love TO all you Sixty One Teachers in London under whose hands your Exhortation passeth this I say to you in the Fear of the Lord God Oh ye Men consider and let it enter into your hearts the Day of the Lord is at hand upon you and an Account of your Stewardship must you give and his Reward must you have whom you have served and you must reap the Fruit of what you have sown Oh look upon your Flocks and see what a condition they are in Oh what Pride and Vain-glory is abounding amongst them Oh how doth Wickedness spring forth from them Are they like unto Sheep of Christ's Fold or Are not they appearing outwardly Christians when as the evil nature is uncut down in them Oh what Wickedness abounds in this City What Double-dealing and Dissimulation What Lying and Swearing and Drunkenness Oh high are all the Fruits of the Flesh grown amongst your Flocks Your Vineyards are not dressed as they ought to be there are aboundance of corrupt Trees and fruitless Branches which cumber the Ground Oh! it makes the Heart of the Righteous sad to walk in the Streets and to view the Abominations that are daily brought forth by a people professing Scriptures Church Ministry and Christ. Oh! it burdens the Just and grieves the Righteous Soul to consider how high Iniquity is grown among the Sheep of your Pastures whom ye should have fed with Knowledge and converted unto the Fear of the Lord had you been Messengers sent of God the very Iews and Heathens they blaspheme against Christ through the Abominations brought forth among Christians that have the Name to live but are dead Oh! let it enter into your Hearts and smite you that your many years Ministry should have so little effect for your Vineyard is like untilled Ground unploughed and unbroken up Oh! there is much Hard-heartedness amongst your People and their Hearts go after Covetousness even while they profess God with their Lips Oh! the Righteous mourn in secret to see the Prophanness the Scornings and Reproaches that are brought forth in your City And Oh the Idolatry that aboundeth let it repent you that you have been so sloathful and never more seek the Fleece but seek the Flock that 's gone astray from the Lord who is the true Shepherd whose Voice hath not been obeyed and many Pastors have destroyed the Vineyard and many Shepherds have fed themselves and not the Flock Oh consider the Day of the Lord is at hand and he will visit with his Rod You and your Flocks prepare to meet the Lord for his Kingdom is nigh to come which will be a terrible Day to all the Workers of Iniquity And as for this your Exhortation I say As for Exhortation in it self Ministers ought to exhort their Flocks so such a thing in it self I do commend and not oppose but when I had read and seriously considered the Aim and Intent of your spirits in your Exhortation I found it secretly and in a measure openly opposing and striking at and secretly smiting the People of the Lord whom you have Reproached by the name of Quakers who are dear to the Lord and he careth for them though you see no Beauty in them but account them altogether vile and in as much as you lifted up your hands against them upon that account was it upon my spirit to return something in Answer for the Information of many that they might be Undeceived and not in Envy towards any but in Love to all to both you and your People and you have occasioned this upon your selves though you are reproved And not as a man of Strife or Contention have I proceeded but as one that desireth the further Manifestation of Truth and that no false Accusation may rest upon it which you have secretly brought forth with which the Lord is not well-pleased that you should set your selves in Opposition against his People and if any of you shall receive a just Reproof and repent it may prove to you an Advantage or much Good and be not so Proud as to say in your hearts What aâ—t thou weak man that reprovest us or Wherefore art thou so bold thus to deal with us but rather fall under just Reproof for in Uprightness of Heart have I proceeded towards you and not in mine own but in the Will of the Father And oh that your Flocks would also consider among whom there are many that are zealous in their way Oh that their Zeal and Judgments were guided by the Spirit of the Lord then should it be well with them Oh that they would be meek and humble and learn the Fear of the Lord Oh that every one of them would consider and turn from their Iniquities and become Followers of Jesus Christ then should the Glory of the Lord be revealed unto them and Peace and Truth and Righteousness should be unto them and their Families and their City if they would come into Covenant with God and be taught of him and be exercised by his Law in their Hearts then should the Countenance of the Lord be upon them and then should they discern between Truth and Error between the Ministers of Christ and Deceivers Oh! there is a Pitty for many poor souls which are zealous in their way of Religion without Knowledge and they think they do God good service while yet their Consciences are not exercised by the Spirit of the Lord but a false spirit that rules and leads and may hold the Truth in unrighteousness and they know not but that they do
well Oh that such would consider and not be hasty in any thing to perform or profess Religion in their degenerate estate but that they would come to know the Regeneration and the renewing of their minds by the holy spirit and that the Immortal Birth might be born in them even the Birth of the Spirit which is Heir of God Oh that that might live and rule in them then should they be Heirs of God and Citizens of the New-Ierusalem And oh ye People of London lay it to heart you must be born again or else you can never enter into Gods Kingdom you must be changed in nature and must be crucified to this world that you may live unto God this must you come unto or else you have no part nor portion in Eternal Life and your Duties and Performances in your Forms of Religion they cannot save you not justifie you all your Preaching Praying Singing and all your Duties whatsoever they are all nothing till you come to know changing and renewing inwardly and do witness the Seed of God raised up in you and the head of the Serpent bruised in you by the Seed of the Woman this must you come to witness that your Souls may live Oh that you would consider be not so zealous against that which you may call Heresie and Schism for while you err in judgment you may soon speak evil of Truth and persecute it under the name of Error many have wofully faln into that Snare and brought sorrow upon themselves thereby The wise Iews even the chief Priests Scribes and Pharisees they were as confident in their Way as you can be and yet they erred in judgment and would not receive Christ but persecuted him under the very name of a Deceiver and thus it is possible for many to do in this Age What though you have Christ's words and the Apostles words yet if you have not the Spirit of Christ that was in the Apostles you know nothing rightly of the Scriptures neither can you understand them nor have Salvation by them for you must know Christ in you your hope of glory else you are Reprobates and shut out of the Kingdom of God And search the Scriptures and see if they do not witness this Do not they say Christ is in you except you be Reprobates and do not they say The Law of God is written in the heart and the Spirit of God is put in the inward part And do not they say That Christ hath lightned every man that comes into the World with the true Light And do not they say that the Apostle exhorts people to hearken to the Word of God in their hearts and to be followers of the Spirit of God that was in their hearts And do not the Scriptures say That it was the Light that shined in the heart that gave the knowledge of God unto the Saints Search the Scriptures and see whether these things be so and must not men be born again of the Immortal Seed Oh consider and let not these Doctrines seem new unto you neither reject them though they come unto you in weak appearance not with words of mens wisdom but in Simplicity and in sincerity and in the Power of God And search the Scriptures whether these things be so were not they false Prophets That preached for hire and divined for money and sought for their gain from their Quarter were not such Deceivers in the true Prophets time and them that preached for filthy lucre and for money and for gifts and rewards were not such false Brethren and false Apostles search the Scriptures whether these things be so for the day of trial is now come wherein all must be searched and that Religion and Worship and Ministry which is not according to the Scriptures which was given forth by the Spirit of God let that Religion Worship Church and Ministry be utterly condemned of the Lord and all his People and let such Ministers as cannot prove their Call their Maintenances and Practices to be according to Scriptures let such Ministers be confounded and silenced for ever and come to try this matter when you will For whereas you cry out against us as if we were Deniers of Scriptures as if we were Enemies to Church and godly Ministry and Religion and as if we were Deceivers Hereticks Papists c. But I say unto you these things have you never yet justly proved against us but rather accused us behind our backs to make us odious among people and though for divers years together we have been publick yet when did ever any of you Ministers seek by lawfull means to convert us or shew us our Errors if we were as you say of us oh it had been your time to have sought our conversion and not to have Persecuted to have sent to Prisons Houses of Correction and by such Weapons of any outward force and cruelty have you dealt with us and not in meekness and by the Spirit of the Lord as Ministers of Christ ought to do but have cried to the Magistrates to defend you and your your Church and Worship being unable as it were by the Authority of God's Spirit to defend your selves Therefore I say unto you now lay down your Carnal Weapons and come out in the Spirit of Meekness and come out in the Authority of God's Spirit if you have it convince us thereby if we be in an evil way as you say let us hear your soundest Arguments by the Spirit of God and according to the Scriptures to prove those things which you say of us prove it by evident Arguments that we deny Scriptures and that we are Hereticks and that we are Papists I challenge you all in the Name of the Lord even all you Ministers of London let us hear your sound Reasons openly in the spirit of Meekness and do not back-bite nor slander in the dark and let us not be bawled against by your rude Members as often we have been even in the spirit of wickedness but come out you Ministers we are willing to be tried according to the Scriptures and by the Spirit of God in our Religion and in every part of it and if you be the same then come forth in the spirit of Meekness like Ministers of Christ and lay down your Carnal Weapons and let us have fair dealing openly that Truth may be manifested publickly and Error may be discovered and let us not envy one anothers persons and seek to destroy one anothers lives but let us seek to destroy the evil in one another that men might be saved and this would be a Christian-like way we would hear what you have to charge against our Religion by sound Arguments in Meekness that we may answer it and then we will charge something upon your Ministry Church Religion and Worship and we will prove what we say against you according to the Scriptures and we will not impose our Religion upon you by the force of outward Powers
may stand and never be moved from the hope of Eternal Life and feel the renewing of your inward man even the increase and growth of the Immortal Life in you that you may live in that unto the Lord God and Covenant with him may be preserved whereby you may be a praise and a glory to him in your Generation in the sight of the whole World even all you who have tasted of the Presence and Power of the Lord and who have known his Mercies and Judgements and been acquainted with him that you may be kept faithful unto the end and not be subverted by the wicked one nor drawn from the Obedience to the Truth nor loose your Crown of Immortality neither by the flattery nor terrour of the ungodly but that you live in the Dominion of Immortal Life which keeps above all Mortal Temptations and Mortal Terrour and gives Authority over all And this Life is blessed where the Glory and Peace of this World and the Troubles and Sorrows of it also are seen over and felt beyond and nothing of it can move the Heart nor disquiet the Spirit nor work any Separation from the Fathers Love and in the Seed of God where it lives above mortal is this enioyed by us and all the Faithful But if the mans part live above the Seed of God that will be drawn aside by the love or by the terrour of this World for that is changable and the evil one hath a part in it so that part is to be kept in subjection in you under the Seed of God it must bear the Crosâ— of Christ always else you will be overcome of the wicked for in that part the mâ—… part which is of this World the Devil hath somthing a place to receive â—im pâ—â—t to obey him but in the Seed of God he hath nothing neither place nor part And so Friends live in the Seed of God for in that is your Victory and heavenly Dominion and also your Election and Assurance for ever even in the second Birth begotten of the Father for that is the Heir of God and thereiâ— doth man inherit Eternal Life and Rest and Peace to his Soul and therein is Bleâ—â—â—â—gs and Peace and Life inwardly and outwardly and all fulness is enjoyed where the Lord is the Teacher the Father the Shepherd the Master the King and Judge and is become to us the all in all and the Kingdom deliveâ—â—◠〈◊〉 him and all subjected under him even God with us the Substance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—d of all and all the contrary put under even the Lion and the Lamb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together and man lives in Peace according to the Promise and the Mountain of the Lords House is established on the top of all in which nothing can destroy or hurt the pure Life but Life is in Dominion over all and 〈◊〉 is swallowed up of it Oh Friends this is the mark that is before you press on towards it that you may obtain the final end of all your Travel and Waiting of your Obediâ—â—ce and Suffering and the end of your Hope and Patience and the very end of the Messâ—ge sent of God and delivered to you by us The end of all is this Thâ—â— you may dwell in God and he in you and be gathered up to him to be ever with 〈◊〉 and that he may be your all in all and you may be to him an honour and praise â—â—â—â—ghout the World in your Generation even he your onely God and you his onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Friends certain it is that the Way of Life and Peace and of Salvation is mâ—de manifest unto you and you know wherein everlasting Peace and Reconciliation with God standeth and you also know what the cause is of all troâ—â—le and sorrow and condemnation the Lord hath opened many Hearts and given unto many a good Understanding And seeing you know this live in the Way of Peace and escape the other that you may not come into condemnation for it is a fearfull thing to fall into the Condemnation and Wrath of the Almighty And for this cause That men should be saved from Wrath and have Peacâ— with God the Message of Life and Salvation hath the Lord sent abroad plentifully in this Nation and you have received it and believed the Report though many have rejected it to their Destruction whose Judgment will be upon them but you have tasted handled and fâ—lt of the Word of eternal Life by which the Lord hath wounded you and healed you again and many hath he slain and made them alive even through his Word and Power which hath entred into many hearts which killeth the Enmity and quickenâ—th the Seed and which breaketh off from all the World's followship both in Transgressions and Righteousness and makes all void all Covenants with Death and Hell and marrieth unto the Lamb and the Marriage of the Lamb is câ—me unto many even unto all in whom his innocent and heavenly Naâ—â—re is begotten and brought forth for this is of his Flesh and of his Bone 〈◊〉 here is his Wife that hath made her self ready and is prepared for the Bridegroom and blessed are ye if ye know thesâ— things and are Witnesses of thâ—â— even the Marriage of the Lamb and the making ready of his Elected in you 〈◊〉 the receiving and quickening of his Flesh and of his Bone for this is the 〈◊〉 unto whom he is joyned that hath put away all other Lovers and loveth the Lord with all the Heart and with all the Soul who is clothed with perfect Beaâ—ty and Innocency and covered with divine Righteousness in which there is no Spot being delivered out of the Wilderness and freed from her mournâ—â—g state and is no more separated from her Husband but she again quickâ—â—t into Life and adorned with Beauty and married to the Lamb to live with him â—or evermore Oh Friends wait upon the Lord that ye may possess these things for to kâ—ow thâ—â— and be in them is everlasting Treasure and Riches the Possession of them are Riches to the Poor Bread to the Hungry and Clothing to the Naked and Life to the Dead And if ye know these things lay them up in your hearts as your most precious Treasure and let none spoil you of it And if ye are married unto the Lamb then are you the True and onely Church even his Body and living Members of it for such onely are the True Church that are married to Christ and United to him in his own nature and all such are false Churches and are even of the great Whore that hath taken upon them the name of Churches of Christ but were never lawfully married unto him and such are deceived and Deceivers of others with the very Name of Christ calling themselves by the Name of his Church while they are in the nature contrary to him nor they ever lawfully married unto him and this is the great Whore who commits lewdness though Nations in all false
and rumors of Wars what are they to us What have we to do with them and wherein are we concerned in these things is not our Kingdom of another World Even that of peace and righteousness and hath not the Lord called us and chosen us into the possession of that Inheritance wherein strife and enmity dwelleth not Yea he hath broken down that part in us that is related thereunto and being dead in that Nature of Strife Bloodshed and Wars how can we live in strife and contention in the World or have fellowship with any therein And can we have pleasure in the confusion and distraction amongst men or joyn in any thing with them if so be we are quickened in the new life to God which is a life of love and peace and free from such things and if we are crucified in the life to this World out of which all these confusions and strife doth arise how can we live therein and therefore these things are nothing to us neither are we of one party or against another to oppose any by rebellion or plottings against them in enmity and striving with them by Carnal Weapons nor to destroy any mens lives though our Enemies so we War not for any nor against any for the matters of this Worlds Kingdom But our Kingdom is inward and our Weapons are spiritual and our victory and peace is not of this World And our War is against souls enemies and against the powers of darkness even by the Sword of the Spirit which God hath given us and called us to war therewith to convert people from sin and death and from the very occasion of wars and contentions about the things that are earthly and this is our calling and work at this day and these things all the Children of the Lord are to mind and to keep over the spirit of this World in all people which all this enmity strife and confusion that is up amongst men lodgeth in and out of it ariseth for these things are the fruits of the spirit of this evil and sinful World and the fruits of the Spirit of God are of another nature even Peace and meekness towards all and not enmity towards any in which Spirit let us live and walk admonishing all hereunto and Praying for our enemies and not hating them but doing good for evil and not rendring evil for evil but being meek and humble merciful and patient towards all and this is the true Christian life learned of Christ and this life is blessed in this World and in the World to come and them that live here are redeemed out of the World wherein is Troubles and Confusion Wars and Strifes But let us not heed any of these things for they Rise and Fall in their season and are brought forth effected in the changable and erring spirit which worketh not the honour of God but is in the dishonour to him And Friends let us be a people separate from all that live therein waiting for the deliverance of the holy seed in all and believing that through all these things the Lord will set up his Kingdom and thus it must come to pass BABYLON MUST FALL WITH A GREAT NOISE for in strife and confusion was She builded and therein hath She long stood and thereby must She fall and Tribulations must come upon the Earth that People may learn to fear the Lord through his Judgements And he will speedily do great things in the World which cannot be believed by many if it were told them for Hell and Death must be destroyed and both the Beast and the Whore must be taken alive and cast into the Lake of the anger of God But blessed are they that do wait upon the Lord and rest under his shadow and wait in his Counsel and receive his Instructions they shall see the marvellous works of his hand but the wicked and unbelieving shall be turned into darkness and shall not see the countenance of the Lord to refresh them but their sorrow shall be increased And as for me If I were no more this is the Testimony of my Love unto the Seed of God through these Nations who am a Companion to all that travel after Truth and Righteousness and that seek the Lord in their hearts that he may Rule and these things were upon me to send amongst the Flock of God to be read in all your Meetings Oxfordshire the 1st day of the third Moneth 1660. E. B. A VISITATION AND Presentation of Love Unto the KING and those call'd ROYALLISTS Consisting of I. An Answer to several Queries proposed to the People called Quakers from a supposed Royallist II. An Objection answered concerning the Kings Supremacy III. An Epistle directed to the King and those that go under the Name of Royallists IV. Certain Queries returned to them called Royallists to answer An Answer to divers Queries subscribed thus To the Quakers some Queries is sent to be answered that all People may know your Spirit and the temper of it and your Iudgment concerning the Times and Seasons and subscribed let your Answer be directed Tradite hanc Amico Regis AS concerning the Quakers that are scornfully so called We are at this day and have been ever since we were a People a poor despised and contemptible People in the eye of this World and deep Sufferers under the Injustice and Cruelties and Oppressions both of Rulers Teachers and People and we have been a prey to the Wicked and trodden down under the feet of Ambitious men that have been in power in this Nation and have Ruled in force and cruelty over us and this hath been ever since the Lord raised us up to be a People though we have not been offensive to any just Law or Government or to any sort of People otherwise then that we have given our Witness against Sin and wickedness in all People but we have not been Oppressors of others neither have we envied the persons of any but in all good Conscience have we walked towards all men doing no otherwise to any then we would be done unto and this is the very Law we walk by towards all men desiting the good of all and that all may come to Repentance and be Saved and what we are as unto the Lord if I should declare it could not be believed by many But we are his People and he hath chosen us and he is our God and we have believed in him and walked with him in the uprightness of heart and we have this Testimony in our own hearts if we die it is for him and if we live it is to him and though we have been and may be clouded with the Reproaches and Persecutions of an Uncircumcised Generation yet in the Lord's Season it shall be manifest even to the World and to our very Enemies that we are his People and chosen of him and he in the midst of us whom we serve and worship in Spirit in Truth and in Righteousness and
of Calvin or Form of Prayer as these have now the Common-Prayer and both the one and the other have cast off the POPES Form and brought in their own get into a Form of words a Forâ— of worship without either Life or Power The PAPISTS in some things that they begin to do will say In the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And the Protestants or them who call themselves of the reformed Church that are come off from the Papists some of them when they go about to do a thing will say Our help is in the Name of the Lord which made Heaven and Earth Here both the one and the other have a Form of words but out of the Name the one as well as the other out of the Life out of the Power and Authority of our Lord Iesus Christ. Therefore what they do how can it be done in his Name which themselves are out of Though they may be in the words and do a thing in the words But that is not a doing it in the Name for to do things in so many words in their own Time and Will that which themselves have brought in is one thing But to do it in the Name Power and Authority of the Lord Iesus Christ is another for words is not the Name nor the Power and the Kingdom stands in the Power not in words Therefore all people see what you do that it be done in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ the true Light of the World who lighteth every man that cometh into the World in his Light in his Power then that will bring you to cease from your own words and following your own ways doing it in his Power in his Strength out of your own words your own ways and your own wills in his Name For what hath form or words either one or the other hitherto produced or brought forth without Life or Power Hath your long Profession and Forms of the words brought any of you yet into the possession of the things Or will it ever do If not What serves it to Who hath required it to have it done And is it not his right alone who is to be worshipped to direct himself how he will be worshipped Or is not all other service and worship in the will And so Will-worship that is not of his own direction or appointment And the Scripture saith John chapter 4. as you may read God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth Mark that He who is a Spirit will be worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth that which the Devil abode not in for into a Form of words Drunkards Swearers Lyars Prophane Persons unrighteous which are shut out of the Kingdom may get into words in such a worship out of the Spirit but that is not the worship which God requires And is it not equal that he alone direct how he will be worshipped that is to be worshipped And thou art so to perform thy service towards him that of him it may be accepted and so it is rightly done when done as he hath appointed it as he hath directed And Obedience is more than Sacrifice whom thou art to obey if thou wilt do him service who is worshipped or served in the Spirit and in the Truth whose Will then comes to be done and not thine who will be so worshipped and so served But otherwise is it not thine own will and not his that is done Therefore whosoever will come to worship the KING the LORD of HOSTS must come to worship him in his own way not in their ways to bow down to his Light to bow down to the measure of his Spirit in them for the Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withal Otherwise will not People Teachers and Professors be always in the profitless condition Ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the Truth E. B. TO THE BELOVED and CHOSEN of GOD in the Seed Elected Particularly in LONDON And elsewhere who have seen the day of Christ and received the Message of Peace and Reconciliation in these last Dayes of his Glorious Appearance THe dear salutation of my life salutes you all in the most pure and dearest love with which I am beloved of the Father and with which also at this present my Heart is filled and issueth forth towards you and the whole Body of the elected Ones and the remembrance of you in the Lord is very precious unto me as I see and behold and have fellowship with you in the Immortal Life which the Father hath begotten in you and in me and in which my knowledge is of you and my unity with you and therein only is the remembrance of my dearest love unto you and in which I hope I am also known and remembred of you even in the spiritual Relation and Heirship of Immortality being fellow Citizens of the heavenly Ierusalem and Children of her conception and bringing forth Now my dearest Friends seeing you have believed in the Light and Life of men even in him that was and is and is to come and have also tasted of that all Fulness that is in him you have a Witness in your selves even of the Spirit of the Father which is greater then all and you need no other Testimony but that of the Spirit That the Lord is good and full of Grace Truth Mercy Peace and Joy even the Fountain and Treasure of all Vertue and Blessedness in this present time and hereafter I say If you have tasted and felt of Immortal Life and if the Fountain hath been opened in you and you have seen his Glory and received of his Treasure then the Evidence dwells in you of eternal blessedness and no man needs to teach you of these things nor to say unto you know the Lord if you dwell in him and go no more forth yet bear with me a little that I may speak and be refreshed not to diminish from what Testimony you have in you but the rather to add towards it for my witness is not another but the same which ye enjoy which is faithful and true and this I say Oh how great how mighty and powerful is the Lord our God everlasting and infinite he is that eternal Spirit that filleth all the Creator and beeing of all things that are the life and vertue in all and the invisible Substance greater then all he is in himself the immeâ—â—rable and infinite Fulness the Fountain of Life of Mercy and Righteousness and Peace and of all Vertue and of every good Thing who can declare his beginning or end he is without Time Place or thing yet gives beeing to all and is present in all yet not known saving of himself and by his own Spirit yet he effecteth all things and worketh whatsoever he will who can utter his wonderous Works Who can number his Mercies Who can account his Infiniteness who can
Heaven is weary of you and the time is at hand he will pluck you up by the Roots and visit you with great Destruction and your name shall be a Reproach amongst men for ye have not sought the Lord's Honour but your own and ye have been changable in your Ways for your own advantages ye have preached for filthy Lucre and through Covetousness made Merchandize of People and ye have traded with the Scriptures and made a Trade of the preaching the Gospel and ye have made Traffick of the Souls of Men and these things have you done and the Lord hath kept silence and he hath forborn to smite you and therefore have you been hardened the more in your Transgressions as though the Lord took no notice and you have filled your Hands with dishonest Gain in your unrighteous Wayes and your sins are increased every day against the God of Heaven you repent not when you are warned but reject reproof and go on without fear ye are a company of proud men heady and high-minded Men ambitious and self-seeking Persons even such as the Prophets Christ and the Apostles marked forth for Deceivers and your Fruits and Works do preach it ye have been covered with Sheep's cloathing in your unrighteous natures and your Iniquities are almost full and the Lord wiâ—â— bring unresistable Destruction upon you in a Day when you cry Peace Peace then sudden Destruction will come Wo unto you because of your Iniquities the Earth is weary of you which ye have corrupted through your false wayes and the Kingdoms groan under your Oppressions and the Earth will spue you out and the People whom you have deceived shall rise up in judgment against you the dreadful Day of the Lord is at hand upon you the Apostates from the Life and Faith of Jesus Christ foâ— of that Race you are even of them Apostates that went out in the Apostles dayes that went in Balaam's way and Cain's way for ye are of the spirit that kills and persecutes People about Worship and Sacrifices and Religion as Cain did and you go for Gifts and Rewards even as Balaam did these things are so the Witness of God in your Consciences shall answer and all People shall acknowledge the truth hereof in the day when God pleads with all the Wicked All People return and repent of your Iniquities the dreadful day of the Lord is at hand ye Sinners and Transgressors ye hypocritical Professors and profain Persons the day of Vengeance is at hand whither will you fly and where will you leave your glory where will you seek a defence or where can you be hid the Mountains will not cover you nor the Rocks will not fall upon you the Wrath of the Lamb you cannot escape even the long-suffering of God will be turned into a flame of Anger and Patience will be turned into sharp Rebuke the Wrath of the Lamb will utterly smite you and the Cup of God's Indignation you must drink all the Earth must taste of it and the Wicked shall drink the dreggs wherefore all ye Inhabitants of the Earth forsake your Transgressions that the Lord may not cut you off for ever but let God arise to deâ—â—â—oy your Iniquities and to save your Souls let him take Vengeance upon your Inventions that he may forgive you Oh! why will you dye why will you perish the Lord would have you to return that he might save you And this is the day of your Visitation the door of Mercy is yet open for a little season and the Lord yet calls unto you for a moment but the time is at hand that he who is filthy shall be filthy still and that determination shall be passed Come ye Blessed and Go ye Cursed the doleful sentence shall be pronounced to all workers of Iniquity Into everlasting Burning must they depart prepared for the Devil and his Angels and shall not see the Countenance of the Lord to refresh their soul but in the presence of the Lord and of the Lamb shall the Wicked be tormented Wherefore hear and tremble all ye Transgressors that live and act contrary to your knowledge and against the Witness of God in your own Consciences and this is your great sin for which the wrath of God cometh not because you have acted in Ignorance and without knowledge but because you have acted against the Light in your Consciences and sinned against your knowledge and done the things which you know were evil before you did them and because hereof you are not to be excused but the burden of your own sins and the guilt of them will fall heavy upon you in the Day of the Lord For this is the Condemnation of the World that Light is come into it but you have loved Darkness rather than Light and followed evil deeds and loved them and this is contrary to the Light that is come into the World and which hath enlightned your own Consciences Certain Propositions of Faith laid down which every one must believe or else they cannot be saved I. NOw none can be saved from the Wrath of the Lord but they who are saved from their Sins for Sin bring the Wrath of God upon the Conssciences of men and Anguish upon Soul and Body and who are not saved from Sin canot be saved from Wrath for Wrath pursues the Guilty and he that doth evil sin lies at his door and continual anguish upon his spirit because of sin and the load and burden of the Body of Death oppresseth his soul and anger from God kindleth in his Breast because he hath sinned and he knows he is guilty of Transgression and the Lord wounds him in his Conscience and no man in that state can speak peace unto him nor can any save him from the Wrath of God because he is not saved from his Sin nor from the guilt of it but his grief and burden is because he hath sinned against the Light in his own Conscience And therefore whosoever will be saved from Wrath must be saved from Sin and Christ must purifie his heart and the Blood of the Lamb must sanctifie him and his Conscience must be cleansed from the guilt of Transgression and Christ must live in him and he must live the Life of Faith which gives victory over all Sin or else he cannot be saved with the Salvation of God eternally II. Again whosoever will be saved with the salvation of God must own the Light of Christ Jesus in his own Conscience and he must believe in this Light and walk in it even the Light in his Conscience that convinces him and checks him for his evil deâ—ds and that lets him see what sin he is guilty of you must believe in this Light and follow it and depart from that and forsake that Iniquity which it convinces you of and do that Good which it moves your hearts unto or else you can never be saved for if you continue in evil-doing contrary to the Light of Christ
in your own Consciences you are in a condemned condition and you cannot be justified of the Lord while you are accused by the Light within you of such and such sins and that you are guilty of them and sorsake them not for the God of Heaven condemneth and justifieth men according to the Witness of the Light in their own Consciences for it is Gods Evidence to bear witness for God and to accuse or excuse every man in his sight and according to its evidence God justifieth or condemneth all the Children of men III. Again Whosoever will be saved must be born again of the seed of God and must be changed and renewed in Mind and Heart and Spirit and old things must pass away and all things must be made new and a new Nature must live in you and the Image of God must be brought forth which is in Righteousness and true Holiness which is like unto God and this is the new Creation which every one must witness to be wrought in them that ever â—â—â—â—ers into Gods Kingdom For saith Christ Except a man be born again he canâ—â—â— enter into the Kingdom of God for it is not a profession of Religion made with the Lips nor the practises of Duties and Ordinances taken on and performed in the old nature and a holding of truth in unrighteousness this is not the way of Salvation but it is the regenerating and making like unto God being his Image of Justice Truth and Righteousness it is this in which men may be saved everlastingly IV. Again Whosoever will be saved must receive the Spirit of God and it must dwell in them even the Spirit of the Father and they must be taught by it and led into all Truth to do the Truth and speak the Truth in all things even the spirit of Truth must be received to teach and to lead in all the wayes of God it alone must teach and all the Hireling-Teachers of the World must be turned away from by whom peoples souls have been deceived all such as have run and God never sent them that have cryed up Tâ—â—ching and Ministry and through whom people have not received the Spirit of thâ— Father all such Teachers must be denyed their Church and Ministry and the Spirit of the Father must only teach and lead and you must walk in the Spirit and not after the Flesh for if you walk after the Flesh in the wayes and works of it you are in the state of Condemnation and not of Salvation and the Spirit of God doth not teach you but you are out of the New Covenant of God in which Covenant all are taught of the Lord and in Righteousness are they established the Spirit of God is put within them and the Law of God is written in their hearts and they need no man to teach them but as the Spirit teacheth and this is the New Covenant of Peace with God into which all must come to witness this or else they cannot be saved V. Again all that will be saved must be sanctified cleansed and purified from all Unrighteousness by the Spirit and Word of God whereby every Heart must be made clean and every Conscience sprinkled with the Blood of the Lamb and the body of sin and death must be put off and the bondage of Corruption must be broken and Iniquity must be forsaken and turned from and siâ— must be judged in the Flesh and Purity Holiness and Righteousness must live and reign in all that will be saved and Sin and Transgression and the guilt of it must be removed and you must shew forth the Image of God in Holiness and Righteousness and must be pure as he is pure in kind and quality and you must walk in Holiness and Righteousness being freed from Corruption and from the Wayes of Sin and Death being sanctified in Body Mind and Spirit by the Word of the Lord and Sin must be blotted out and Transgression must be covered and Iniquity must be remembred no more and in all things you must cease to do evil and learn to do well if ever you will be saved VI. Again whosoever will be saved must witness Christ revealed in yoâ— â—â—d â—e must live in you and you must be Followers of him wheresoever he goâ—s â—â—d your Bodies must be the Temples of the Living God and God must walk 〈◊〉 you and dwell in you according to his Promise and he must be your King your Judge and Law-giver your Teacher Father and Master and he must be 〈◊〉 in all unto you even God the Father who is blessed for ever you must â—â—ow him near you and feel his Presence in you to be your Joy Life and â—eace and you must have fellowship with him in spirit and must worship him 〈◊〉 Spirit and by the Spirit without respect of Dayes Times or Places every one that will be saved must come into this and witness it for this is the way of the Salvation of God VII Again whosoever will be saved must live in the Power of Godlinâ—ss and must deny all Forms of Religion without the Power all Profession of Scriptures Ordinances Church-member-ship Praying and Preaching which is not in the Power of God and by his Spirit must be denyed and that part that holds it that holds the Form of Godliness without the Power must be crucified and every one must come into the Power of the Spirit of God and must witness that to work in them to will and to do and no more professing the Things of God but as they are witnessed by the work of his Spirit in their hearts you must not hold Truth any longer in unrighteousness nor make a profession of it in your your unrighteous minds no more talking of Justification and Redemption nor of any of the matters of Gods Kingdom but according as they are witnessed by the working of the Spirit of God in the heart and every one must feel in himself the evidence and Testimony of the Spirit of God to witness the Truth in his heart or Conscience of what he professeth with his mouth VIII Again Whosoever will be saved must witness the Scriptures of Truth fulfilled in themselves the things that they have read of without them must be wrought within them wrought in their hearts by the same Spirit as gâ—ve forth the Scriptures they must pass through the same conditions as the holy men of God did and the same truth that the Scriptures declare of must be revealed in the heart by the same Spiâ—it that gave forth the Scriptures and none must profess more than they do enjoy from God and all flesh must be silent from speaking of the things of Gods Kingdom which they have not seen handled rasted and felt by the working of the Spirit of God in their Consciences and this is to witness the Scriptures fulfilled when you have experience of the same conditions and of the same operations and manifestations which the Servants of the Lord passed through
such as refused to take any Oath walked in the Doctrine of Christ and such walked contrary to his Doctrine as did condemn them And thus it is manifest that Papists and false Christians are fallen from the Doctrine of Christ and are calling Good Evil and Evil Good and putting Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light for they account such as will take Oaths and Swear good Christians who are Breakers of the Commands of Christ and such as abide in the Doctrine of Christ and cannot take any Oath but keep the Commands of the Gospel they are accounted Erronious and Hereticks and such like And whereas the Author of Semper Iidem hath censured judged and condemned in his work Iohn Wickliff and Iohn Lambert Thomas Evison and Iohn Waddow William White Cornelius Bunge Iohn Maundrel Iohn Trankerfield George Eagles Hugh Latimer Bishop Granmer and Bishop Ridley Thomas Hawkes Richard Woodman all of whom were Martyred and put to Death because they dissented from and denyed the Papists Religion these by name with a great many more this nameless Author with whom I am now dealing hath condemned for Hereticks and Erronious Persons and made void as much as in him lies their Blood and justified the Papists in putting of them to Death Now every particular Case of these particular Men that he hath named and accused as Phanaticks and Hereticks I shall not seek to shew or demonstrate so as to justifie every man's particular Case against this nameless Author of Semper Iidem but this is evident That these men are reputed by Fox in his Monuments as MARTYRS of JESUS and they have been reputed in England for many years as such and have been held of great Estimation and have been accounted as the Fathers of the Protestant-Church and my Judgment of them is this That their Death generally was for the Testimony of Jesus and because of their Faithfulness in denying the Church of Rome for I do believe That God did awaken these men with many more and stir up their Hearts in their Day against the Idolatries and Superstitions of the Times they lived in and many of them were sincere men according to their Light and Knowledge in their Day though I shall not justifie every particular man in every particular Part and Act of his Faith and Conversation but shall leave that at this time reserved in mine own Heart And still I say for the most part they suffered Innocently on their part and without Cause and Cruelly Inhumanely and Unjustly on their Enemies part and they Martyred them and put them to Death by Fires and Tortures unrighteously and as cruel Murderers on their part that Executed them And in asmuch as their Sufferings were only and because of denying the Church of Rome dissenting from her and denying of her and wherein only and alone their Sufferings were in this Cause and for this End they suffered as Servants of God though as I have said I shall not justifie every particular man of them in his whole Faith and Conversation And for a further Relation of these Persons who were put to Death mentioned by my Nameless Author whom he accuseth for Phanaticks and Hereticks and such like I leave it to be read in Fox's Acts and Monuments where it may be read concerning the Martyrdom of every one of these particular men with their Examinations Tryals and Executions as they are reported by Fox who hath alwayes been reputed A Faithful Chronologer of the Protestants Cause till this Semper Iidem seems to accuse him for a Lyar and false Reporter and such like And whether the People of England have not better cause to believe his Relation of these Persons than they have to believe they know not whom viz. the Author of Semper Iidem a Nameless Author who hath reviled the Protestants Cause and accounted the Martyrs and faithful Witnesses thereof Phanaticks and Hereticks let themselves be Judges But I shall leave this only with desire that these men whom he hath named their particular Cases may be read in Fox's Acts and Monuments which if you look in the Table at the end of the second Volumn â—ou shall find the mens names with the Pages disciphered where their Cases 〈◊〉 be read and when you have read them then judge whether Semper Iidem hath not falsified their Cases and wickedly reviled them by the name of Ancient Phanaticks thereby seeking to supplant the whole Protestant Religion and all that dissent from the Church of Rome And thus much in brief concerning the Martyrs whom in the 14th Page Semper Iidem saith That a notable part of the Sufferers whom Fox makes relation of were Phanaticks and Sectaries and Mad Saints and such like naughty words by which he accuses a notable part these be his words which is the chiefest part of the Martyrs related of by Fox and accuseth Fox himself of double Injuries in his Relation in that he hath Canonized Phanaticks and Sectaries and Mad Saints for Saints and Martyrs and in that he Reviled and Accused Queen Mary and the Papists in those dayes of greater Persecutions than they were guilty of and saith They did no more than Henry the Eighth and Edward the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth did to the Papists Thus it is manifest That that well reputed of and credited Historian Fox is reputed a Lyar false Reporter so the Book of Martyrs made worth nothing and Queen Mary the Papists justified in what they did in martyring and putting to Death the Protestants in their days and also Queen Elizabeth is secretly condemn'd in what she did against the Papists Oh that these dayes should ever appear in England which once were not thought of These things are published and suffered in this Old Government newly revived Let the Protestants of England take notice of it and see how the Records of their Martyrs are made null and of none effect and the Martyrs themselves slandered as Phanaticks and the Martyrers justified as Righteous in what they did and these things published and proclaimed up and down London These things I cannot but observe as full occasion is given me by Semper Iidem How that the Papists Cause seems to revive and to lift up its Head again in England in vilifying and reproaching the Cause of all the Protestants of all sorts who seemingly begin to be crow'd over again and the Death of their Martyrs made of none Effects as aforesaid And this is only in Love towards the People of England to make them consider what attends them and what Invasion is coming upon them if it be not prevented not that I wholy justifie the Protestants Cause against the Papists though Semper Iidem pleads That Queen Mary did no more to the Protestants than Henry the Eighth Edward the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth did to the Papists as the one Persecuted Burned and Martyred the Protestants so the other did Persecute and Destroy the Papists by which he would reason a justification of Queen Mary
of Conscience and their Hearts will be dis-engaged in Love and Affection to you-wards and this will be infallibly the Effect of Persecution for Conscience sake as King Charles the first saith in his Meditations A charitable Connivance and Christian Toleration often dissipates their Strength when rougher Opposition fortifies and puts the Dispised and Oppressed Party into such combinations as may most enable them to get a full revenge on those they count their persecutors c. 10. Consider if ye force Worship and Religion and cause men to conform against their Judgments how dangerous is this to destroy mens souls and to lead 〈◊〉 even to destruction For seeing ye affirm not the Infallibility of your Worship and Religion and yet will impose them and so engage mens Souls in depandancy for Salvation upon things and wayes uncertain and which GOD giveth not the Faith to believe in I say how dangerous is this to ruin souls for in no way can the soul be secure but in the faith which God works in the heart in the Obedience of Infallible TRUTH So ye 〈◊〉 mens souls upon a Rock and it is unreasonable as before mentioned that men should be forced into the profession and Practice of uncertain and fallible Religion and that they should be forced by you into that which may be evil for which not you altogether but themselves must bear the punishment in the Day of the Lord and except ye could affirm and prove the infallibility of your Church which is impossible there is no Equity nor Right Reason for it That you should impose upon others any more than others should impose upon you For as King Charles the First said in his Meditation He desired not any should be further Subjects unto him then he and all of them might be subject unto God c. 11. Consider if ye allow not liberty of Conscience but persecute about the same ye walk in the way and after the example of some of the Heathen Rulers and of the false Christians and shews that ye allow of the cruel persecutions by the Church of Rome and ye follow their example who persecute unto death such as they call Hereticks and if ye do persecute for matters of Conscience then ye allow the very deeds of the Heathens who persecuted the Christians for their Religion sake and ye justifie Papists in persecuting the Protestants and ye plainly demonstrate unto all the World by your works and fruits that ye are of Antichrist if ye impose on mens Consciences by force in the matters of Religion and persecute good Conscience about the same for it was the Antichrist and the Beast that first forced all to worship and violently engaged all into a conformity and killed and persecuted all that would not worship according to the Image Rev. 13. as ye may read And it was not Christs way nor the practice of any of his primitive Churches to impose and force on the persons and Consciences of men concerning their Church and Religion to cause all into a conformity thereunto and destroy and persecute all that would not This was not the way of Christ and his Apostles in their daies but they left Religion free and said they were not lords over mens faith nor lords over Gods Heritage neither did impose upon any in doubtful cases of conscience much lesse compel against mens Conciences for the Apostle left the practice of doubtful things as every one was perswaded in his own mind to do or not to do without imposing by force or directions of persecution about the same Therefore if ye do not allow free liberty of Conscience ye are out of the Doctrine Example of Christ and his Apostles and follows the way and example of Antichrist Heathen Rulers and cruel Papists to your great dishonour 12. Consider if ye allow not liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Religion but impose and persecute about the same It must inavoidably tend to destroy and expel Trading Husbandry and Merchandize in these Kingdoms for a great part of Trading and Husbandry depends upon such kind of persons whose principles are for toleration in Religion and hates persecution and violence in that case this ye will find true on examination and if liberty of Conscience be not allowed such will be exposed to great afflictions some to imprisonment and some to poverty and some to flee into other Countries to the destruction of their Callings and Trading and the hands and industriousnes of such people will be weakned in these Kingdoms if they cannot enjoy their just liberty in temporal spiritual cases and the effects thereof will work wofully in this very respect even to dis-enable both the hearts and hands of Husbandmen and Trades and expose these Nations to want and poverty and to enrich their enemies 13. Consider If Liberty of Conscience be deny'd and Persecution be introduc'd about the same all these and many more woful Consequences and Effects will follow infallibly to the ruin of these Kingdoms even Wars and Bloodsheds and Discontents and Murmurings and all evil things will be the Product of the aforesaid Cause viz. Of denying Liberty of Conscience in Religious Matters for in a word it will tend to and may effect the Overthrow of you and Ruin your Government and Authority for the great and mighty God of Heaven and Earth will be provoked against you and his Wrath will go out like a Devouring Flame upon you if that ye limit the Holy One and will not suffer him to exercise his proper Right in being King in mens Consciences to exercise them in all the Wayes of his Worship and Matters of his Kingdom but do oppress impose and persecute about the same this I say will infallibly work the Kingdoms ruin and expose you and your Government to the Indignation of the Holy Lord God who is tender of his Honour and will not give it to another and he loveth and effecteth the Cause of such whose Consciences are truly tender towards him and though ye persecute such and seek to destroy them and for a time exercise great Afflictio and â—â—â—ressions upon them for the matters of their Conscience yet the God of Heaven will appear for such in his season and deliver them and avenge their â—ersecuâ—ors And therefore all ye Rulers consider and lay these things to heart lest ye provoke the Lord against you by destroying the People whom he regards and that not for evil doing but for the Caâ—es of Conscience and because they cannot relinquish their profession and principles of their Religion and how and conform in things against their Light and Knowledge 14. Consider If ye allow not Liberty of Conscience what exceeding danger 〈◊〉 run your selves into even to destroy just men and righteous as Hereticks and erroneous and may promote Hereticks as Church-members both which are great Abominations in the Sight of God and this Danger ye bring upon your selves for ye are not infallible Judges who are Hereticks and
Separation from GOD being in the State of Enmity against Him till the Lord Jesus Christ the good Shepherd of ISRAEL found you out in the Estate of Darkness and brought you Home from your strayed Condition even unto the Sense and Feeling of his Power and Spirit in you which called you out of the Wayes of Sin and Death and also changed you and regenerated you into the Inheritance of a better Kingdom and Glory than that which is of this World And ye now know Christ Jesus to be your Shepherd his Spirit to teach you his Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification to dwell in you being Partakers of the same through the Eternal LIGHT which once shined in Darkness and the Darkness could not comprehend it but now it is risen in much Glory and Power and Death and darkness is swallowed up of Life and Light and the Fruits thereof subdued These things are True and Faithful unto many let all such Rejoyce and be Glad in the Lord who have thus seen his Day and tasted of his Power and are Witnesses That the Kingdom is come which never fadeth away 2. Consider what the Tender Dealings of God towards you and his Gentle Leadings have been since he hath called you out of your formeâ— strayed Estate Hath not his Light shined upon your Tabernacles with much Clearness perswading your Hearts fully of his WAY and TRUTH Have not your Hearts often been Refreshed and Souls truly Comforted by the Refreshing Presence of the Lord Hath not the Way of Life been made so clear unto you and the way of your Peace so perfectly discovered that no Occasion hath been left of Unbelief or Stumbling unto the Upright in Heart Surely the Lord hath not been wanting to you in any of these things but he hath so reached Home by his Word and Spirit to your Hearts and Consciences with such full Convictions and perswasions in the Wayes of Salvation that no sincere Heart can doubt or waver concerning the Things pertaining to his Soul's Peace and Comfort 〈◊〉 For so Large and Evident hath God's Testimony been unto you even since he first called you by his Grace that no Man having Sense and Experience thereof but must bear witness That the Lord hath been Good Long Suffering full of Mercy and Righteousness towards all that feareth him I am perswaded ye know these things and that the Taste and Vertue of the Lord's Mercies and Power remaineth stedfest in your Remembrance and Enjoyment even his Mercies and Loving-kindness that have been made manifest to you since ye have known the Lord who hath â—â—d you by the Hand as a Father doth his Children and carried you in his Arms of Preservation and born you on his shoulders in all your Afflictions insomuch that through his Power and Wisdom only we are yet alive and the Adversary hath not prevailed against us though his Attempts have often been great to Destroy us 3. Consider what iâ— now your present state and standing How is it with your inward Man In what Life and Strength and Dominion is he Is he â—â—â—ong over all the Corruptible or is he Weak under Corruption Is he in â—â—e growth of a Perfect Man of the Stature of Christ Jesus Is he so begotten and born in you that Life hath swallowed up Death Hath he Victory over the Grave And doth he Raign in you even the New Man the Spiritual Man the Immortal Man Christ iâ— you Is he come in Power and Dominion to dwell with you Deâ—rly â—â—loved mind each particuâ—… in what state you are and what is your present standing to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye had Faith in God and Love to God and Boldness for God And are ye firâ—ly continued therein Or Is any such Weakened and Decreased in these things Is your Love grown cold and your Zeal lost and your Confidence decayed If it be thus with any their present state is not â—â—ght before the Lord but they must Repent and return to their first Love and return again to the Witness of the Spirit of Christ 〈◊〉 in them that their Strength may be renewed for they only that dwell with the Lord in Faithfulness and abide in Covenant with him 〈◊〉 see his Glory and be fed daily with the Bread that comes down from Heaven and refreâ—… with the Fountain of endless Mercies if so be ye be perfect with the Lord after your inward Man Strong and Lively and Zealous Faithful and constant having a clean Heart and a pure Conscience guiltless and undefiled before God this is to be perfect with the Lord and if ye are thus blessed are you if ye be encreased daily in the Love and Life of the Father if your inward Man grow in the Wisdom and Power and Knowledge of the Creator if ye receive the assurance of Eternal Life in your selves if this be your present State Oh happy People Who is like unto you because ye are saved of the Lord 4. What is the present work of God in your own hearts Ye must alwayes feel the Word of God abiding in you even the Word in the heart hear that Word and do it alwayes and your souls shall live by the Word of God that Word beats down whatsoever tempts and draws from God which would defile you and load your Consciences and vex the Spirit for if any obey the Temptations they become darkned unbelief enters and the fruits of it grows and then there is a falling from the Lord and a departing from his way of Salvation therefore mind the Power and Spirit of Christ in you and be constant and faithful therein that you may be Preserved unto the finishing of the WORK of the Lord in you that at last ye may sit down in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus in places of Peace and Comfort and Assurance for ever where the Lord is enjoyed all in all which you must wait for to be accomplished in you according to the promise and you must witâ—â—â—s the work of Christ in you he must work in you by his Spirit Regeneration Reconâ—…on Sanctification Justification and all good things 〈◊〉 it is not sufficient to profess that Christ in his Person hath 〈◊〉 the works of God but every one in particular must witness at thâ—â— day the work of the Spirit of Christ in his own heart even the Work of Reconciliation and Salvation that ye may in each mans particular receive the Knowledge and Experience of the Lords Work of his Love and Life and Salvation and Redemption in particular for though never so large Testimonies in general should be given to you or received by you concerning Christ Jesus and his Salvation yet the particular feeling of 〈◊〉 Love and Power of the Lord God in your own hearts must you staâ—â— by in the Day oâ— Tryal for that alone can uphold in the Day of Trouâ—… even the Testimony of the Spirit of Christ unto Salvation felt in each particular heart And seeing the Lord hath brought you to the knowledge
together wherefore be faithful to perform your duty to God in that particular whatsoever sufferings should be infflicted upon you by the men of this World And as concerning refusing to take any Oath ye know it hath been our Principle and practise so to do since the Lord hath given us knowledge of his wayes and the spirit of the Lord that dwels in us perswadeth our hearts to deny all swearing both as it was practised under the Law according to the command of God and in the Types and Figures and as it is practised among the Christians since the Apostles daies which is as now practised Idolatry and Superstition And I say the Spirit of Christ doth confirm our hearts in this trutâ— even to deny all swearing and also we have the express command of Christ and of the Apostle Iames forbdiding all swearing by Heaven and Earth and all other Oaths which bears witness to the truth of our refusing to swear at this day likewise we have the Testimony of many holy Martyrs and Prophets since the Apostles daies who denied to swear on any wise who suffered for such their Testimony All which evidences may justly confirm the hearts of Gods people at this day faithfully to hold out their Testimonies of refusing to swear at all seeing we have a cloud of witnesses that testifie with us the express Command of Christ and the Apostle thâ— Testâ—â—â—â—â— of 〈…〉 divers â—ges who suffered for the same and the present 〈…〉 Spirit of Christ in our own Hearts All which are sufficiâ—â—t to give Courage and Boldness under all Sufferings and Afflictions that we may 〈◊〉 withal for refusing to Swear Well Friends Be faithful to God in these and all other things which God hath given you Light and Knowledge in and I do 〈…〉 Conscience and not to sin against the Light and Knowledge that God hath given you either by denying to profess and practice that Truth which the Lord hath perswaded your Heart of or by conforming to anything which ye know is not of the Truth and this is the Way of Eternal Peace with God But if any shall through the Temptations of the Adversary and for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this World deny the Lord and renounce good Conscience â—… such must bear the Burden of the Lord's Anger because 〈…〉 Revoltings from the Wayes of God True it is This is a Day of great Tryal yet the Lord is strong and gives Strength unto all his People that 〈◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 And let us be mindful what our Controversie is and â—… this Day our Controversie is for the Lord and his Truth to Do Faithfully and Suffer Patiently whatsoever the Will of the Lord is unto us and not to renounce and deny the exercise of our pure Consciences in those things that God hath perswaded our Hearts of the Truth of For if any this Day should be Unfaithful either by doing what they should not or leaving undone what they know they should do If any deny the Lord and his Truth and conform to the false Ways and Worships of men such lose the Controversie and give the Cause of God into the hand of your Enemies which is a fearful Abomination and the Controversie is with that spirit which opposeth us in these things which we know are of the Lord. It is with that spirit that we must contend contend I say by the Spirit of the Father in Long-Suffering and Patience and Good-will towards all men and not with the Weapons of this World in envy to any even with that spirit which doth oppose our meeting together to worship God and would impose Oaths and Things upon us contrary to our Consciences And these things are the main Matters of Controversie this day which the Spirit of Christ in us must oppose being imposed on us by the spirit of the World So all Friends are to mind to be Faithful to the Spirit of Christ and its perswasions and against that spirit which is not of him For the Opposition is between the two spirits and none must say the things required to be forborn or to be done are but small matters in themselves and may be done or not done without Offence this kind of Reasoning may be dangerous and may easily divert from the Obedience of Christ for we are not to look so much at the things in themselves which are required to be done or to be forborn as at the spirit which doth impose upon us in such cases against pure Conscience if the spirit be not of God we must not obey it in the least things for this is indeed the matter of Conscience not so much particular things or actions as the spirit that is not of God where it requires things against good Conscience for whatsoever that spirit requireth be it little or much in respect of the Action it must not be obeyed and that for Conscience sake for this is a good Conscience that cannot do nor conform to any thing which the spirit that is not of God enjoyes though therefore suffering be inflicted on the outward man And last of all I do advise and exhort That ye have Love and Unity in the Spirit of the Lord and one with another that oneness of Heart and Soul and Spirit may be amongst us being bound up in the holy Covenant of the Father even willing to do or suffer one for another and in this Spirit of Unity the Lord will bless us and make us strong and able to go through joyfully all our Afflictions but if any Strife or Division be in the Body it weakens the whole if one Member vex another through discord this is not of the Father but contrary to him this is not for the safety of the Body but bruises it and wounds it and maâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—fflict the Sâ—… 〈◊〉 the Righteâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 outâ—…d Enemies â—nd Stâ—…â—…d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may sooner work 〈◊〉 â—…throw than 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from men O◠〈◊〉 therefâ—… 〈◊〉 Brother to 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to many and 〈◊〉 Servant to all let me entreat and beseech That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fo◠〈◊〉 thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrisâ—…â—…ed you and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…minded in all things even one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—ther 〈◊〉 the Son are one and so shall 〈◊〉 Blessings o◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frâ—â— yâ—◠〈◊〉 deâ—…r 〈◊〉 The Lord haâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to â—…ll 〈◊〉 with his Riches and Treasure â—nd are noâ— we Veâ—…s of Honour is not his Name in ou◠〈◊〉 heads 〈◊〉 not we the Flock of â—is Foâ— therefore let us Honour him by the Works of Trâ—â—h 〈◊〉 Love of Mercy and all the Works of Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uâ—…o the 〈◊〉 thereby proving that we are true â—â—â—ches in Christ the 〈◊〉 let 〈◊〉 give up to suffer all things Patiently for the Testimony of his Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Hearts if we Live let it be to him only and if we Dye let
the unity of Saints a departing and absenting from such an one and a depriving of him of the peace and comfort joy and felicity of the Assembly of God's People and Servants a turnning from such in Converse and Fellowship and a separating from them and judging them by the Spirit of Christ Jesus and this is rejecting an Heretick and delivering him to Satan according to 1 Cor. 5. 4 5 6. When the Church The Saints were met together with the Spirit of God and the Power of the Lord Iesus Christ such a one as had erred from the Truth and sinned against it and was truely an Heretick should be delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the Flesh that the Spirit might be saved Delivering unto Satan what is that but to let him be cast out into the wicked World reputing him as such an one and that he partake not of the sweet heavenly and blessed Union and Fellowship of Saints in their Assemblios and converse with the God of Heaven in his Spirit and Life not to be numbred among the righteous nor a partaker with them in the holy Union of the Elect to pass judgment upon him eternally in the estate he is now in having both erred from the Truth and rejected and despised the reproofs and Admonitions of the Church of Christ and as such to give him up to Satan to give him up to that Spirit that hath led him aside from the Truth and hardned his heart against it to deliver him up to it seeing he refuseth to be reclaimed from it and hath chosen to follow it rather then the Truth let him be left unto delivered up unto that Spirit even unto Satan in the wicked World let him be cast out thither among the unclean and not reckoned among the record and line of the faithful People and separated from and cast out so as he expresseth it vers 11. If any man that is called a Brother be a Fornicator or Covetous a Railer a Drunkard c. with such a one not to accompany no not to eat and this is to deliver a Heritick to Satan for the destruction of the Flesh and is the proper punishment of Heresies and Hereticks according to the Apostles Advice and Precept but not to kill or punish the persons of men by corporal Afflictions and Penalties on the Bodies and Estates for their Error sake this the Apostle gave no Commission for but that such as erred from the Truth and walked contrary in Principle or Practice should be rejected and delivered up unto Satan in the way and manner before declared Again in Matth. 18. 16 17 18. it is signified by Jesus Christ to the self-same purpose in these words If thy Brother trespass go and tell him alone if he repent forgive him if not take one or two or more with thee and tell him again if 〈◊〉 still neglect to hear tell it to the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let such a one be unto thee as hath offended and rejected Reproof and Admonition again and again as an Heathen man and Publican In which words of Christ is truely signified the right and proper way of proceeding towards Hereticks and Offenders even that they be first again and again admonished and reproved and if they resist the same then to be cast out separated from and not enjoy the union and comfort of the Saints amongst them but as an Heathen man and Publican but here is not a word signified of laying corporal Punishments Burning or Banishing persons for their Errors sake and though they may offend no proceedings of this kind are authorised by Jesus Christ or his Apostles in their day but in another way and manner as I have shewed is the proper way ordained of God to deal with Hereticks according to the Testimony of holy Scriptures signified by Christ and his Apostles in the Primitive Churches 9. This is Punishment according to the nature of the Offence for as the Offence is Spiritual erring in the mind from the Truth and a going astray from the Spirit of Christ in a man 's own particular so the Punishment is answerable thereunto even to be separated from the Truth and not to enjoy the Vertue Peace and Comfort of it nor to be partakers thereof amongst the faithfull People And this is truly according to the Iustice of God whose Wayes are just and equal altogether and hath appointed just Rewards for Transgressors according to the nature and merit of the Fact and Deed that is evil and 't is righteous and just that men that sin against their own Souls should be deprived of the Peace and Comfort thereof that all that do depart from the Truth once known and sin against the knowledge thereof â—hould be no more a partaker of the Vertue and Felicity of the same and that they who offend the Lord's People and revolt from the union thereof should be cast out from them rejected of them and not enjoy the Blessings and Peace with them even that all they that will not hear the Repooofs of the Spirit of God nor be drawn with the gentle movings thereof should be judged and condemned with the same and not inherit the Assurance of the Saints And this is God's Iustice That all that love Evil and walk in Iniquity and despise the Lord should be cast out into the sinfull World to have their Portion with the Ungodly and all the Workers of Iniquity and this is just Punishment according to the nature of the Offence of Error aad Heresie for in my Iudgment and I have the Spirit of just Iudgment in this Case it is great Punishment and sufficient for a man that hath once tasted of the Vertue of God's Presence among his People to be cast out from the Feeling and Enjoyment of that Life Vertue and Assembly where it is enjoyed this is Punishment and a Wound to the Soul and Conscience for a Person that hath been turned from Iniquity and witnessed the Peace of Christ in the Church to be left in Iniquity and to witness the Wrath and Anger of God daily smiting him in his spirit and upon his heart this is indeed great Punishment And to have the holy Spirit of Christ in his People now to judge and condemn him whom sometimes it hath comforted and refreshed and to be dis-united and separated from that Spirit and Power amongst the Saints which once gave Life and Joy amongst them This man thus judged and condemned by and thus separated and dis-united from the Spirit and Power of Christ and his People is punished and afflicted sufficiently for his Error and Heresie even in his Conscience Soul and Spirit he is wounded grieved pierced vexed and punished though yet his outward-man and his person be not corporally afflicted by Punishments but he is afflicted within he is dealt withal by the Anger of God in his Conscience he is separated into Darkness and from the Light and Glory of God in the Assemblies
Righteousness Truth Faith and Worship without the Power of God even likeness of the things that the Apostles and Saints held in the Power of God And hereby is the World deceived though Antichrist hath taught them to Plead Scriptures and Prove by Scriptures â—…t the Apostles did the same things and held the same Profession yet being now held and professed out of the Power of God and not in the same Spirit that the Apostles were in 't is but of Antichrist and deceivable and leads captive the souls of men into destruction Oh therefore that the World and all that dwel therein would consider the danger of that deceivable Spirit of Antichrist and how he deceiveth mankind and would turn from him and forsake the wayes and works of Antichrist that they may be saved and not destroyed Oh! all ye called Christians 't is time to consider what Spirit ye are of and what Spirit leads you and how ye may escape his delusions for the Day of the Lord is come and he is gathering People out of the wayes of Antichrist and setting them free from his cruel Bonds to serve the Lord in Liberty and Freedom of the Spirit of Christ Jesus and blessed are all they that witness this where Christ reigns and Antichrist is subdued with his works and fruits and discovered and destroyed by the Spirit of the Lord and the brightness of his Coming who comes to judge the World in Righteousness and Truth 11. These things are said in general of Antichrist Now it remains to be shewed What the Government of Antichrist is in it self and where it is in beeing and who the Subjects of his Kingdom are That Antichrist the Man of Sin hath a Government a Kingdom a Power an Authority a Rule and a Dominion which is indeed his Government this is not doubtful to any but acknowledged by all but what this Kingdom and Government is many are Ignorant Now the Kingdom and Government of Antichrist is not the Government and Authority of some particular man in some particular Countrey and Nation upon Earth distinct from all other persons and Nations as if such a particuler visible Kingdom and Authority were Antichrist's Government and none besides But the Authority Kingdom and Government of Antichrist is more invisible more hidden as it were more spiritual and undiscernable unto the sons of men then any visible outward Kingdom is And indeed the Kingdom of Antichrist is the Authority and Power of Spiritual Wickedness of Spiritual invisible Iniquity or the Rule and Dominion of the Son of Perdition of the Man of Sin exercised in the hearts and Spirits of all ungodly men This is the Kingdom and Government of Antichrist an Authority of Spiritual Wickedness a Power of the Mystery of Iniquity and of invisible prevailing of the Son of Perdition in and over the hearts of the Sons of men not onely of one person or in one Nation or Kingdom of the World but in all sinful persons and over all Nations of the Earth Antichrist's Government is such throughout Kingdoms of this World even a Spiritual Power of Wickedness a Dominion and Authority of the Mystery of Iniquity ruling and raigning in the hearts of many men even of all sinful men of all unjust men of all unconverted men through all Nations in the World So that it may not truly be said that Antichrist's Kingdom and Government is onely the particular Authority of any particular man in a particular Nation of the Earth and all others Men and Nations are free but it is as I have said the Authority Power and Rule of the Spirit of Wickedness of the Mystery of Iniquity in the hearts of all evil men in all Nations through the World And this is truly the Kingdom of Antichrist in it self 12. This Government is placed and set up and chiefly the place and beeing of it is not only in all Nations at large but in the Hearts even in particular Hearts of the Sons of men in the Heart and Inward Parts of man is the place where Antichrist's Government is his Authority Power and Dominion is in the Hearts of the Ungodly in the inward Parts of Transgressors in the Heart Antichrist that Man of Sin dwells and works according as it is written 2 Thess. 2. 9 10. speaking of the Man of Sin Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all lying Wonders and with all Deceivableness of Uurighteousness in them that perish His dwelling and working is in them that perish in the Ungodly in the Hypocrites in all â—…aters in all false Worshippers Thus it is manifest That the Government of Antichrist is in the Heart not only to one man in some Nations but in the Hearts of all such men mentioned in all the Kingdoms of the World even the Mystery of Iniquity the spiritual Wickedness the authority and power of that spirit that is against Christ and contrary to him which is the Rule Kingdom and Government of Antichrist dwelleth and worketh in the hearts of the Sons of men even like as Christ Jesus dwelleth and walketh in his Saints as it is written so accordingly doth Antichrist dwell and walk in all that are the Subjects of his Kingdom Yet notwithstanding the Government of Antichrist is in the hearts of men originally there as having got dominion and Power over the seed of God and placed it self in the heart which is its seat and where Christ should reign yet the Government of Antichrist is not so spiritual so hidden and invisible in the heart but that it appears outwardly and visibly in the actions and fruits of men so that the outward actions and works of men are 〈◊〉 and sinted with the spirit of Antichrist and his government apaears visible in Antichristian Ways and Works brought forth by men the Sinfulness of men the Hypocrisies of men the Idolatries of men and the false Principles and Doctrines of men which appear visibly are the Works of Antichrist and his Government stands in these things in these Works he Governs men and to the doing of them he leads and rules men by his authority and power which is in the Hearts of men And thus Antichrist's Government appears visible and outward and is in the outward Actions and Works of men to be seen in the World as well as the working of his Power and Authority is in the Heart inwardly And also Antichrist's Government is extended not only as first dwelling and working in the Hearts of the Ungodly nor secondly as over the Works of men particularly but over the Governments of many Nations and Countries in general is Antichrist's Power and Rule extended so that the Governments of the World are leavened and tasted with Antichristian-power and authority in many Nations even the spirit of Antichrist hath possessed many hearts many Works and not only so but many Governments amongst men and this hath appeared and broken forth visible in all the works of Unrighteousness Injustice Oppressions and Persecutions brought forth in
seeing the danger is such to you-wards in that place even more then to some others therefore is my soul engaged to admonish and instruct and Pray for your preservation unto the end that ye may walk as the Lords and to his glory 3. And also my desires are for you that blessings and Peace may be multiplied unto you and that you may walk in the Wisdom and Power of the Lord in this respect that Truth may be honoured and crown'd with dominion and Authority and good report in that great City by your faithfulness and patience and diligence and all the fruits of righteousness for as many temptations do attend you as I have said before so also many eyes are upon you beholding what you are and what you do and what will become of you and if you Walk in Faithfulness and Righteousness and be preserved unto the Lord in boldness and valour for his Names sake this will magnifie the Truth and crown it with honour and strengthen and comfort many that are weak and be a joy to all the upright and it will confound your Enemies and put them to shame and limit the unreasonable spirit of the power of darkness when our enemies see your just faithful righteous and inoffensive manner of walking in all things And therefore for this cause my heart is engaged to pray for you seeing the eyes of many are upon you to mark your wayes and doings and what will be the end And now dearly beloved as by the free grace and kindness of God ye are called unto this Calling and are renewed and changed into the Life of Righteousness so it is by the same Grace and Power of the Father that ye must stand and be preserved unto the end for by Grace and Faith we all stand even through Diligence Faithfulness and Watchfulness in the same Grace being obedient unto its teachings and fruitful in its motions and walking by its Rule in meekness and lowliness of heart in sincerity and godly Fear not being or doing any thing of our selves distinct or divided from this Grace but being and doing all things through the Grace of God dwelling in us and this is the highest Perfection of Saints Every ones highest state admits of Watchfulness and Faithfulness and Obedience and to Hearken to the Lord and do his Will in all things and whatsoever is of our selves and related to the outward World may be kept in Subjection by his Power that he alone may Rule and be exalted in Heaven and Earth and in all things what we are and what we do And wait upon the Lord that ye may be established and settled in the Truth and that ye may be confirmed therein forever as being natural Heirs of the possession of Grace and Truth to do and walk and live according to his will being so inherited never to go forth any more and able to say Nothing can separate us from the Love of God not Death nor Life nor any other thing For I would put you in mind and ye also know it How that many have been touched in their Heart with the sense of the Lord and his Love yea and many have enjoyed of the good Gift of God and walked with us for a time that have not remained unto the End but have started aside from the Lord and been overcome with the Temptations of this World even to the forsaking of the Way of Truth and Righteousness and such have dishonoured the Lord and forfeited their Peace and Inheritance in God and become hardened in their Hearts and dead to God and the Latter-end of such hath been worse then their Beginning though yet for a time such walked with us and tasted of the good Gifts of God yet are become Reprobate because their Hearts have not been firm and constant and sound and approved to God but of an Evil Frame and Temper of Spirit Ambitious Vain-glorious Self-seeking and such like which spirit could not retain the Gift of God but abused it and perverted it from it proper End And therefore dearly beloved it is exceeding precious to have a Heart and Spirit tryed and approved of the Lord a good and honest Heart an upright and contrite Spirit for that will abide in Faithfulness unto God through all Tribulations and Tryals if the Heart be right in the sight of God whatsoever the Knowledge be or whether the Gifts be little or great yet the Lord's Presence is there and such are blessed so that it s not enough only to have a touch and taste of the Loving kindness of God but every one must be established therein in an approved Heart and tryed Spirit which can endure all things and not be shaken nor moved and its only that kind of Spirit which is Meek and Lowly Sincere and Upright which is established in the Truth and which only can remain unmovable And according to the ancient Doctrine of Christ which ye have believed every one must look to your own particular standing and must feel your own particular Joy Peace and Comfort and must receive the assurance of Life in your own Souls for it is an Everlasting Word Every one must stand by their own by what they feel and enjoy of Eternal Life in their own Hearts that only is every ones Security and Assurance in the Kingdom of Peace and Glory And it is the height of Perfection To have the Seal of the Spirit of God in our Consciences witnessing to us That we are the Lord's and Blessed are they that have this Testimony even that of the Spirit of the Father which is the Everlasting Comforter against all Sorrow and the Perfect Seal against all Doubts and the sure Guide against all Opposition This is the Office of the Spirit of the Lord and its Work in the Hearts of his Children Therefore my Advice is to you as from the beginning Look to your own to your own Measure of the Gift of Grace and Truth that only stands when all Wandrings after men and things fall and in that is your security as I have said And let your Conversations and Walkings be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ in all Faithfulness and Righteousness that you may be an Honour to the Lord in your Generation for this only have we to do in this World even to shew forth his Praise and Glory who hath created us in Christ Jesus All things in relation to Truth are well in these Couâ—…ies the Dominion of Truth is set up over the Heads of the Wicked and it is a Terror to its Enemies and the Joy of all Good men and Friends are Faithful in the Power of the Lord and look over this World to the World that hath no End and their Hope and Confidence is in that and Meetings are generally quiet and the Presence of the Lord is amongst his People And thus to the Grace Power and Wisdom of the Lord God are ye committed who is the only Preserver of his Children Grace and Peace
found the lyer thy self and this we testifie against thee and all the world that by Jesus and in him are we made Holy Just and Humble he is made these things in us and for us and the Publican state is witnessed by us who have passed through the figure and parable into the life and substance And whereas thou sayst we that boast of our light within and faith thus saith the Lord and brings Christs words I answer this is another lye we do not boast of our Light within but we witness it to be within us and to have enlightned every one that comes into the world which thou and thy Generation denies and so would make Christ a Lyer and the Scripture a Lye but against you all with all the world we bear testimony the Father bears witness with us that every man that comes into the world is enlightned by the Light of Christ which teacheth righteousness unto all that loves it but condemn them that hate it whereof thou art one who utters forth thy lyes and Slanders and false Accusations against the Innocent and that Scripture Ioh. 9. we own and do witness to be fulfilled in us by the coming of Christ he which did see is Blind and he which was Blind now sees and while we did see our sin remained but being Blind we have no sin but this to thee and to thy spirit is a mystery sealed and never to be known in that nature and wisdom and here again thou hast used thy tongue false Prophet like and must receive a false Prophets reward And whereas thou sayst if Christ had not spoke to us in his word we had no sin but now we have no cloak for our sin I answer Christs words we own but here thou art made manifest to all to add to the Scripture in his word this thou hast added false Prophet like and therefore the Lord will add his plagues unto thee as the Scripture saith be ashamed and blush thy folly and wickednesse is made manifest who is not ashamed to carry on thy designe to add to Christs words And whereas thou sayest we do not only neglect the weightier matters of the law but tâ—… law it self teaching men so to do for we said that the Scripture is not the rule of faith and conversation as one of us taught Sept. 27. in thy hearing and many others that will witness it I answer here I challenge thee to prove that thou hast spoken and all thy witnesses which thou speakes of oh thou Lyer be ashamed to forge such Lyes and declare them in writing for Truth we neglect not the weightier matters of the Law nor the Law nor teach any so to do all that ever heard us will bear witness against thee and they though our Enemies shall witness for us and against thee in this thing for we declare the Everlasting Gospel which is the fulfilling of the Law and this we declare that the Law must have its thorow operation before the Gospel be witnessed and one of thy own society said to us we had preached the Law and brought men to understand 〈◊〉 from Grace now let all take notice of the confusion you live in and let your own hearts condemn you and the light in your own consciences convince you that you are in Babylon and in confusion and are no true Church of Christ where all are oâ— one heart and one mind and this again I affirm as before I did in thy hearing that the Scripture is not the Saints rule but the Spirit which gave forth the Scripture as the Scripture it self witnesses Rom. 8. Faith was before the Scripture was and therefore the Scripture is not the ground of it but a Declaration of it and no other faith we own but the faith which Abel had and which Moâ—â—â— had which was when no Scripture was written and that we own to be the Rule of our Conversation which they walked by the immediate Spirit of God which was before the Scripture was written and all you who profess the Scripture to be your rule your own rule shall testifie against you when the eternal God judges you and they who witness that to be their rule which gave forth the Scripture walkes up in the life of the Sdripture more then you all and you are proved to be but the Iew outward who boasts of the Ordinances from the Letter but persecutes them by slanders and false reproaches who witness the Substance and your praise is only of men and not of God and the same woe which thou pronounces upon us will fall upon thy own head for this thy grievous slander that we neglect the Law and teach men so to do And whereas thou brings many Scriptures and saith thus saith the Lord. I answer the Scriptures we own and by that spirit which speaks them forth we witness them to be true and they are ours and though you say they are the savour of death to us that perish yet thou art found a Lyer for we are saved out of the perishing state and death is destroyed through death through faith and thou hast diminished from that Scripture 2 Tim. 3. 15. false Prophet like again and so art both an adder and a diminisher and thou mayst read thy portion in Rev. 22. 18 19. And whereas thou sayest know this thou perverter of the right way of God thou shalt be judged by the word that Christ spake I answer here thou sets the Scripture in the room of Christ and art the perverter of the right way of God thy self for the Scripture saith all judgement is commited to the Son and the Scripture is not the Son and thou didst say and now again writes that the Scripture shall judge the world and so I charge it upon thee that thou art a Blasphemer who exalts the Scripture above the Son of God and shalt be judged by the Son into utter darkness and into the pit from whence thou art come yet this I testifie he that receives the Son rejecteth not those words which was spoken by him though thou and thy Generation Pharisee-like may make a profession of the words which Christ spoke and yet reject the Son and all to whom Christ speaks which receives him not shall be judged by the word which he speaks for he speaks eternally which shall stand eternally but when did he speak to thee For this I do declare thou mayst have those words which he spoke and yet never have heard his word nor voice as the Pharisees had those words which God spake by the Prophets but never had heard his word nor seen his shape Iohn 5. And thou sayst quake and tremble at this that word which you reject and dispise shaâ—â— judge you at the last day and sayst thus saith the Lord and bringst Christs words and the Apostles words I Answer The Lord rebuke thee thou Scorner here thou hast made the filthiness of thy heart known for out of the abundance thereof
thy mouth speaks here thou art seen to be a Scorner quaking and trembling we own it is that which the holy men of God witnessed but here be a Witness against thy self that thou art a Scorner of their conditions what hast thou to do to talk of the Scripture who art scorning that which it declares of Here thou art made manifest to be one that hath the form but denies the power and scorns at it God scornes thee thou scornful one and let all that feare the Lord depart from thee and see thy filthinesse and search the Scripture whether it testifies not of that which thou scornes at and makes a mock upon And that we reject and despise the Scripture and the words which Christ spake which thou accusest us of this is another lye and a false slander for the Scriptures we own in their place and by the Spirit of God sets to our seale that they are true but that they shall judge the world we do deny and herein thy ignorance doth appear and that thou art blinded by the god of this World which thou wouldst cast upon us and Christs words and the words of the Apostles shall fall upon thy own head for vengeance in flames of fire will the Lord render upon thee thou Lyar and Slanderer and false Accuser who art in disobedience to the Gospel of God And whereas thou sayst the Lord hath spoken it and it shall surely come to pass and bringst many Scriptures I Answer The Scriptures we own and what is spoken in them shall be fulfiled but thou Lyar when did God speak this to thee the judgements pronounced in them shall fall upon thy own head because thou art guilty of the same iniquities as they were of against whom these Scriptures were declaed And wheras thou sayst we are those that the Lord before hath spoken of in his word and therefore no marvel we would not have men to read it and cites the 2. Peter Chap. 2. I answer I do in the Presence of the living God deny thee and thy false assertion but it shall stand for thy own condition thou art one in the Generation which Christ spake of and that was in the Apostles dayes who hath the form but denies the power as they had And I charge thee again with a Lye in thy mouth who sayst We would not have men to read the Scriptures they who have heard us shall witness against thee that we do direct to search the Scripture whether our doctrine be not true and by the Scripture shall our doctrine be tried how long wilt thou utter thy lyes in the Name of the Lord the Lord will plead with thee thou unclean lying spirit and that which thou pronounces against us shall come upon thy self And thou sayst We through Coveteousness make merchandize of some We challenge thee and all the City of London to prove this thou lying Serpent God shall plead with thee we are free and clear in the sight of God of thy false accusations and have neither desired nor sought after any mans Mony nor Gold nor Apparel God is our Witness and many in this City knows the fame though thou slanderously as an Enemy of God dost accuse us but I challenge thee in thy reply to this make it appear what thou assertest or lay thy hand upon thy mouth and let shame strike thee in the face for ever I charge thee that if thou canst make it appear plainly in particular and do not darkly accuse us what those damnable heresies are which we bring in and wherein we deny the Lord and what our pernicious wayes are which thou falsly and slanderously accuses us of and wherein we are fleshly and despise government and are presumtuous and wherein or how we speak evil of Dignities and wherein we are as natural bruit Beasts and what these things are we speak evil of which we know not and what our swelling word of vanity are and whom we do allure through the lusts of the flesh and through much wontonness In the presence of the Lord I challenge thee to prove the particulars of thy Accusations and not to slander in the dark though such as these there were in the Apostles dayes who were turned out from the Light and the Apostles which dwelt in the Light saw them and such a Generation there is now they are seen and known where they are by them who abides in the Light but of these thy false slanders upon us we are clear in the presence of the Lord God and that portion which thou wouldst give unto us must thou have thy self for with what measure thou hast meeted it shall be measured to thee again even the blackness of darkness for ever and the Day of the Vengeance of God is at hand against thee And whereas thou sayst We pretend to tremble Its true we pretend the example of Moses and thou sayst O abominable hypocrifie and dissimulation will that justifie your shaking your hands like Idiots and your raving like mad-men Moses was a 〈◊〉 in whom the fear and dread of the Lord was who kept his Word but you despise it who loved the Law but you reject it I answer We do not onely pretend to tremble but oft do we and have we witnessed it by the mighty Power and Dread of the Lord upon us and we walk not by the example of the Servants of the Lord without us but the same Power we witness which was in them by which they were made to tremble which thou scornest and deridest and calls it madness The holy Men of God were counted by such as thou art mad-men and were cast out of their Assemblies which trembled at the Word of the Lord But that we despise the Word and Law of God here thou art a Lyar again and the Plagues of God hang over thy head for thy Lyes and Slanders against the Innocent the same fear of God which was in Moses we witness and no other and thou who art without it art a Heathen and Moses and Ieremiah and Habbakkuk which thou speakest of were our example who walked by the same Spirit and served the Lord by the same Spirit but that we served out fleshly lusts which here again thou accusest us of I do challenge thee to prove it but I know thou canst not and therefore art in the nature of the Devil accusing the Brethren and to walk by tradition we deny which you also would lay to our charge but the same Spirit by which they were acted acts us the same way according to its measure and the same Light in which they walked is our Light and this Light is the Light of Christ within us and not without us And whereas thou sayest its true If we served the Lord and kept his Word it would make us to tremble as it doth those that fear him but we have rejected the Law of the Lord and the Word which he hath spoken And the Lord when he comes to
they gained any in the hearts of people towards them for many years that they have preached and herein again I do believe that they do exceed all the false Prophets and all the Deceivers that ever went before them in this respect none ever had the Magistrates to act for them as these have as it appears the Rulers some of them are at the wills of the Teachers to do for them what they desire either to take Peoples goods or to send them to Prison shewing that these Teacâ—â—â—â— have not a spiritual Weapon to defend themselves but that the Magistrates wiâ—â— their Law are their chiefest ARMOUR for if they can but get favour of 〈◊〉 Magistrate they have allowance to preach at such a place and if they can get the favour of a Magistrate they can do well enough to be maintained by cauâ—â—â—â— such to be sent to prison or taxing treble damages upon their Goods if they wiâ—â— not help to maintain them and if they have the favour of the Magistrates if any do reprove them for these things and for others of their wickedness and if any do but tell them of it they can have such sent to Prison as in revenge as for speaking and reproving them for their wickedness hath some hundreds of innocent People suffered imprisonments and other cruel things in these Nations so that iniquity is upheld as it were by Force and Power so that it is not their Gospel that maintains them nor gets them favour with the people nor doth it defend them but it is the command and Warrant of a Magistrate which doth all this so when the Magistrates cease to approve them to maintaiâ— them and â—efend them they must utterly fall into misery and can neither be approved maintained or defended any other way for because of this their wickedness God hath left them and all honest true hearted People have left them and therefore what a condition are the Teachers in who deserve not the love of meâ— because they are so cruel hearted towards them and they deserve not the Love of God because they are so wicked against him And I might yet more fully describe and declare wherein they do exceed the Deceivers and false Prophets of old but of this according as the Lord moveth and leadeth and this may suffice to shew what they are by their works and by the spirit that leads them which appears not to be the Spirit of God but the spirit of Antichrist Furthermore and besides all this which I have said herein they do exceed the Deceivers that are gone before for upon account the sum of their Maintenance yearly in these Nations being reckoned may be about Fifteen Hundrâ—â— Thousand POUNDS a Year Oh wonderful Is not this almost incredible that the Teachers should put the Nations to such a charge as this and yet people receive nothing answerable to it But all this Money is spent for that which is 〈◊〉 Bread and their labour wasted and they have no profit thereby This money might be made better use of then to give it for deceiving the people And if any doubt of this account and shall think this is not like to be true upon an even râ—â—koning it may be proved and made appear considering how many Parishes thâ—â— are and reckon what belongs to every Priests Parish with what is given to 〈◊〉 Priests in Ireland which is aboundance These things are a shame to the Ministry of Christ though the impudent Teachers of these Nation are void of shaâ—â— herein A Reply to the Priests Plea and an Answer to their Objections WHereas many of the Priests of ENGLAND to hide themselves frâ—â— the charge of being Hirelings they alledge these Scriptures The Lâ—bourer is worthy of his Hire and the Workman is worthy of his Meat but these Scriptures will not serve to cover their shame in what is charged against them for 〈◊〉 Hire which Christ allows to the Labourers is but to remain in the same house into 〈◊〉 they enter eating and drinking such things as they give them with such who were 〈◊〉 they were to remain and to eat that which was set before them and they labouâ—â—â— truly and travelled up and down and were truly worthy of meat for their work and of this Hire for their Labour But this makes nothing for the lawfulness of so many pounds a year at a certain place this is more then eating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 house which is worthy to bargain with people for so much the year and compelling people to pay by a Law that do deny Christ never instituted such a practice neither can it be truly said that these called Ministers do labour as the Ministers of Christ did and so this Scripture is but wrested by them when they bring it for proof of their practice for their hundred pounds a year compelling some of it from the people doth exceed eating and drinking to suffice nature with such who are worthy So this Scripture maketh not for their turns nor doth it justifie their Practises Again they Object against our charge the words of Paul who said He that preacheth the Gospel shall live on the Gospel and that it was a small matter to reap carnal things from them unto whom they sowed Spiritual things but this Scripture makes not for them for as I said it s not the preaching of the Gospel that maintains them but the Magistrates with their Law that compelleth Maintenance from the people and this is not to live on the Gospel for we allow as Paul did that they which preach the GOSPEL should live on the Gospel Therefore let the Magistrates cease with their Power to cause people to pay them and let all the World see if their Gospel will maintain them and let them reap their carnal things from them where they sow spiritual but they must reap as a free Gift too and not by compulsion for so the Apostle signifies it is a small matter for any to reap carnal things where they sow spiritual things yet what is this to prove the lawfulness of bargaining with people for so much by the YEAR as these Teachers of ENGLAND do many of them and will not preach except they have so much promised them before For it is right to reap after sowing but it is a transgression to bargain to reap before they sow and these Scriptures will not hide them nor defend them in their practice for if the Magistrates did not compel from people Maintenance by a Law the Priests of this Age would reap but little from any thing that they sow for there 's little love in the hearts of the people towards them Also they Object He that plants a Vineyard may eat of the fruit thereof and he that keeps a Flock may eat of the Milk of the Flock this Paul said though he would not make use of his power herein but wrought with his hands that the Gospel might not be chargeable but what Vineyards have the Teachers