Prophets I Answer Christ Jesus the Fulfilling and End of the Prophets saith Swear not at all And if You do alledge That they Swore in the Old Covenant I Answer Christ Jesus the New and Everlasting Covenant saith Swear not at all but let your Yea be Yea and Nay be Nay for what is more and here You are shut out of the New Covenant in the Evil and so in the Kingdom of the Devil for in the New Covenant no Swearer can come And if you do alledge that Scripture where the Apostle said An Oath for Confirmation amongst Men to them it was the End of all Strife I Answer He brought this as a Comparison confirming the Covenant that God had made and confirmed it with an Oath but the Apostle brought it not to maintain Swearing or Oathes but he spoak it concerning Jesus Christ the Oath of God which is the End of all Oathes Controversie and Strife who saith Swear not at all And in the Old Covenant they did use Oaths for the End of Strife and Controversie and to Confirm things amongst them so the Apostle brought that then as a Comparison but Jesus Christ the New Covenant which was confirmed by an Oath and now is the End of all Oaths and Controversies and Strife who now saith Swear not at all The Apostle he declared against Strife and Controversie and he declared against Swearing for the Apostle James saith Above all things my Brethren Swear not at all neither by Heaven neither by the Earth nor any other Oath but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay be Nay lest you fall into Condemnation And here You are in the Condemnation and out of the New Covenant and draw from the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostle who are in the Oaths and Swearing and compel others to swear Therefore the greater will be Your Condemnation And if You do alledge that Scripture where the Apostle said Be subject to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake I Answer Obey God rather then Man for the Lord's sake who saith Swear not at all and Why call you him Lord and do not the things which he saith Therefore away with Your Profession of Christ and of Faith in him and are so Faithless as to depart from his Doctrine and compel others to follow You hence You are found Traytors to him and Hypocrites whom the Lord will judge with your Hypocritical Feigned Faith who cannot believe one another without Swearing and so think all like your selves but as many as believed were of one Heart and Soul which was the End of all Strife and Controversie and they made No Swearing amongst them who were in the Faith Therefore all You Magistrates Rulers and officers who are Swearing and Compelling men to Swear now read your selves by the Light of Christ which searcheth Your Consciences and with it judge your selves and Fear the Lord God and Tremble before him who do so oppose his Commands and do Despight against the Spirit of Grace for no Ignorance in this thing can you plead For it is plain by the Light of God in your Consciences that you do Evil therefore I charge You in the Presence of the Living God To take heed of Oppressing any Tender Consciences or Forcing any Tender Consciences or Fining them or Imprisoning them for Obeying God rather then Your Wills for if you do to be sure the Plagues and Woes of God shall come upon you and great shall be your Condemnation And if you ask How shall you do to End Controversie and to Confirm a Truth I Answer They that for Conscience sake dare not Swear they for Conscience sake dare not Lye but speak the Truth so far as they do know without Hypocrisie for that that judgeth Swearing that also judgeth Lying Hypocrise and Deceit and so by one Truth its confirmed And as for those that are without the Fear of God who scruple not at Swearing they scruple not at Lying for they that will tell a Lye in such a Case will also Swear and Lye Therefore whom you find thus Deceitful you may also exercise the Law upon them as upon False Swearers without Winking at them and that will bring them into Awe and Fear of the Law though they be out of the Fear of God and for this End was the outward Law ordained And thus you will be a Terror to the Evil-doers and a Praise to them that do Well for if all did Well what needs there a Law And so as you stand here in all things which belong to your Places discharging your Consciences in Equity and Justice without Partiality and then will you do that which is wholsom and good in the Sight of God and he will bless your Proceedings and thus you will be worthy of double Honour not with the Flattering Titles of Men or Respect to your Persons in Admiration because of Advantage but you will witness the True Nobility and deny all Flattery or Deceit but your Honour will be of God for Them that Honour God them will God Honour if you stand I say in that Counsel of God out of your own Wills Ruling for God and not for your selves but for the Punishing of the Wicked and the cleansing the Land of Evil doers that God may be Honoured by your Faith and Faithful and Just and Equal Proceedings And so I rest a Friend to the Tender Consciences and am subject to all Wholsom and Good Laws Ordinances of Man for the Lord's sake and do honour all such Magistrates in my Heart who observe this Government without Flattery or Hypocrisie but I find some so worthy in the Nation in whom there is no Hatred and the Unjust strive to put them out and so the â—and must needs abound with Corruption and Evil Deceit and Hypocrisie and all Ungodliness as it doth seeing these that are in Offices who ought to suppress those things do countenance those things and lay their Law upon the Innocent and Righteous and so as much as in them lieth to exalt Iniquity and beat down and tread Truth under Foot But the God of Truth is arisen with a Mighty and a Strong Arm which they are not able to overcome but the more they stir the more it conquers who is come with a Fan in his Hand and will thoroughly purge his Floor and gather his Wheat into his Garner and burn up the Chaff with Unquenchable Fire and thus will he sweep away the Seed of Evil-Doers and Refuge of them with the Beesom of Destruction and so will he cleanse the Land of Evil-doers and make all you Careless Ones that are at Ease in your Lusts all you Corrupt Unjust Judges Rulers and Officer who are Partial in your Judgments and receive Gifts in your Hands and regard not the Cause of the Just your Calamity is coming on and your Destruction is nigh at hand and God is a Just God and will not acquit the Wicked Now you are Warned and a Servant of the Lord Discharged by
the Scripture the Light yet in the same it doth witness against them and witness Christ to be the Light before the Scripture was written and is able to save to the utmost all that shall come unto God by him and they that climb up any other Way the same are Thieves and Robbers John 10. 1. And therefore is not a Natural Insufficient Light as they that know not him do report of him and therefore shew themselves to be as ignorant as the Pharisees who only supposed him to the Son of Joseph yet wondred at his Power and the Works that were done by him as these do now wonder at the Prosperity of this Ministration of Light and to see how it prevails upon the Hearts of the people so that they know not what to think of it they are not able to encounter with it but that they see it strikes so much at their Diana and lies so hard at their Foundation so that it makes their Building Totter therefore the Rulers Priests aud Pharisees take Counsel together saying one to another If we let this People alone all men will go after them and they will draw away whole Nations therefore they take the same course as ever the false Prophets did joyning together with the Earthly Powers to make War with the Lamb Persecuting Stocking Whipping Imprisoning and shamefully intreating his Messengers whom the Lamb sent forth to bear Testimony of this Light in peoples Consciences where we have a Witness both in them that believe and in them that perish and also striving all the wayes they can by their Evil Incensing Lying Railings and false Accusings and Reporting to defame this Light and leaven your minds against it that if it were possible to put it out that still they might uphold their Father's kingdom of darknes and bear rule by their Means over the Blind carrying captive the minds of people But who is able to make War with the Lamb or who shall withstand the Day of his Coming Saul Saul it is hard for thee to kick against the Pricks And though they call the Scripture their Rule and Guide yet in this it witnesseth against them to be in Cain's way and Balaam's way and in the GainSaying of Core and so have not God Jude 11. 2 John 9. but are found to be the Generation who are born after the Flesh persecuting them that are born after the Spirit Gal. 4. 29. And though they call the Scripture their Rule and Guide yet they receive not Power from it to enable them to walk according to it but are altogether erring from it in any thing that crosseth Self but as many as receive the Light receive Power to follow it and come out of the corrupt sinful nature which they live in who know not the Light John 1. 12. and here the Light is above the Scripture And though they say the Scripture is the Judge and Tryer of Spirits yet in the same it witnesseth against them to be Lyars and bears witness of Christ to be the Judge and Tryer and Searcher of the Heart and Discerner of the Thoughts Heb. 4. 12. Rom. 1. 16. 1 Pet. 4. 5. and that whatsoever makes manifest is Light Eph. 5. 13. therefore that which makes manifest false spirits is the Light and not the Letter which Light manifested and discovered false spirits before the Scripture was written And also though they say the Scripture is the Judge and Tryer of Spirits yet by the Scripture they cannot discern or judge of Spirits else what makes all this difference in Judgment amongst them who profess to try Spirits by the Scripture and profess it to be their Rule and ground their Judgments upon it yet are so confus'd in the same and never a one knows which is the Truth when as the Way is but One So that it follows that they have nothing but the Scripture without and are still without in Darkness and Confusion as all those appear to be who call the Scripture their Rule and Guide and Judge and Tryer of Spirits aud yet know not the Truth but are jangling and rangling and arguing and disputing and contending about the Scripture every one with a several Judgment upon it surely this Distraction is not in Scripture for it was spoken from One and all agrees in one therefore you that so profess the Scripture see if you can find it out by the Scripture and see where you are but they that are in the Light have fellowship one with another 1 John 1. 7. and are of one heart and one Soul Acts 4. 32. and all agree in one and are Epistles wrote in one anothers heart 2. Cor. 3. 2. and by the Light they try and discern false spirits and in it are able to judge them and open the Scriptures without wresting adding or diminishing and by it do know they are of God because they love one another with the same love with which Christ loved them 1 John 4. it is not such love which is to day and to morrow cross the will and it is turned into wrath and anger nay that love stands in the corrupt will but this love stands in the bond of peace which doth indure and here again the light is above the Scripture and though they say the light must be received from the Scripture yet in this the Scripture doth witness against them and bears witness of Christ to be the light of the World and doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World And they that could never read letter of the book have this light which is sufficient to teach them and lead them into all Truth after they come to the knowledge of it from this light the Scripture was spoken 2 Pet. 1. 21. and without this light none can read the Scripture with understanding and here the light is before the Scripture and out of it all the Children of Darkness are shut with their busie minds and vain contending spirits and though they say they must receive life and salvation from the Scripture yet in this the Scripture witnesseth against them and testifies of Christ to be the alone Fountain of Life and Salvation and that there is no other name under Heaven by which we can be saved Psal. 30. 9. and 144. 10. And that the Pharisees had the Scripture yet had not the Light neither could see that he was the Christ though the Scripture bare testimony of him or either would come unto him for Life and Salvation but trusted in the Scripture thinking there to find eternal Life and therein found it not John 5. 39 40. As all you are now who are seeking the living among the dead and here again the light is above the Scripture which light is within us the hope of glory Col. 1. 26 27. and those that cannot witness this are in the reprobation though they have the Scripture without 1 Cor. 13. 5. and from it we receive life and salvation and from no other and this alone
a Despiser thereof and therefore out from among the Ministers of Christ thou art raised and thy Answer is not according to Truth but a Lye as shall further be made to appear hereafter by him whom thou callest the Young Quack and it seems Fear surpriseth the Heart of the Hypocrite so that thou art ashamed to own thy Work with thy Name Priest And whereas thou saist Courteous Reader we are forced notwithstanding so many Pamphlets extant against the People called Quakers to give Answer to thirty six Queries of James Parnel's the Young Quaker Reply Although thou hast boasted thy self an ancient Minister and contemnest me as a young Boy yet here it appears that thou art glad of others to help thee to answer my Queries as these Words before mentioned do testifie and yet it is but a Pamphlet as thou and thy Helpers do confess that those many are that are extant against the People called Quakers And then thou runst on in Way of Reproach and Scorn against me because of my Youth but the Wisdom of Solomon answereth you That a poor and wise Child is better then an old foolish King who will no more be admonished and therefore when you think of your Age consider also your Folly and let that stop your Mouthes from professing your selves Ancients who manifest such a light scornful Spirit and hate to be reformed Priest And whereas thou saist Thou doubtest not but his Queries are the Dictates of others deceiving and being deceived which yet they put under the Boy 's Name for the Credit of their Cause Here also without Doubt thy unbelieving Heart is manifested who without Ground measurest others according to thine own Heart who because thou makest Use of the Dictates of others as here doth plainly appear therefore censurest others which doth not add Credit to thy Cause because thou boasts of thy Age. Priest But according as thou believest so be it to thee yet nevertheless thou shalt find that the Truth I shall maintain against thee who with thy Unbelieving Heart art deceiving and being deceived and then thou runnest on in the Pride of thy Spirit accusing of me to be Ignorant of the Truth of God because as thou sayst of the false wording of my Queries Reply But with Shame mightst thou speak it for openly hast thou manifested to the Understanding Reader thy self to be a meer Stranger both to God and his Truth also who wouldst limit the Truth of God to an human Art which many of the Children of God had not and therefore the Power of God was the more manifested And when Peter and John were brought before the learned Men to wit the chief Priests and the Rulers and they wondred at them because they perceived they were unlearned Men and thus with thy Wisdom and thy great Learning thou art shut out of the Truth in the natural but by this I do not own thy Accusation to be Truth against me for I have a Copy of the Queries of my own Hand-writing which was the Original of those that were sent to thee which will bear Testimony against thee to be a false Accuser and how thou thy self hast wronged them and misworded them because they were in the Cross unto thy Wisdom and to maintain this thou bringest a Story in Erasmus nevertheless the Story which thou bringest doth not at all touch me but may fitly be returned into thy own Bosom where it shall lâ—e Then thou and thy Agent do beseech the Reader to read without Partiality which if he do he will judge no otherwise of you then as I have declared but will see how you have uttered forth your Folly and foamed out your Shame in going about to contradict the truth And at the End of this your Epistle to the Reader I find W. P. which I judge to be one of thy Agents to this your shameful Work to which thou darest not own thy Name My first Query Where and how and by what wast thou called to the Ministry which thou professest Pr. Answ. And in thy Auswer thou goest about to plead many Excuses whereby to flee the Answering of my Queries saying It is easier for him that is yet in Darkness to propound Doubts and Queries then for some of the Children of Light to auswer them on a suddain Which to prove thou quotest Daniel and that our Saviour thou say'st himself refused to answer the Pharisees Interogatories till they had first answered his Mat. 21. 23 24. And albeit thou say'st Thou might'st put me off with Solomon's Words Prov. 26. 4. Answer not a Fool according to his Folly lest thou also be like unto him Reply I did not propound the Queries unto thee as any Doubts of mine but that thou in thy Answer thereunto mightst either prove thy Practice by the Scriptures unto them that are in Doubt thereof or unto them manifest thy self to be a Deceiver which last thou hast plainly done to the least Child of Light and therefore it doth not follow that I am in Darkness or that thou art a Child of Light Neither didst thou suddainly answer the Queries though they concerned thy own Condition and therefore this Place in Daniel doth not at all stand for thee for it was for Daniel to tell and interpret Nebuchadnezzer's Dream which was a hard thing for any to tell unless it was immediately revealed to them by God's Spirit as it was to Daniel but all the Magicians and Learned Men could not find it out by their Arts But most of these Queries unto thee were concerning thy present Condition and Practice and herein thou manifestest thy self to be in Darkness who thus wrests the Scripture out of its Place for thy own Ends. And also Daniel was a Man that Feared the Lord and Trembled at his Power which now thou denyest and scoffest at and yet art not ashamed to take Daniel's Words for a Refuge against the Light And as for that Scripture in Mat. 21. 23 24. it shall be returned into thine own Bosom for it is thee and such as thee who are set up by the Will of Man and Authorized by the Authority of Man who joyn with the Pharisees and Scribes of these Times and combine together with the Earthly Powers to call us to question By what Authority we go abroad preaching the Truth from Place to Place and Crying against Deceivers and where we had our Commission because we receive it not from Man as you do but do witness the same Power and Authority as the Ministers of God did in all Ages and the same Commission for they received not their Commission from Man but were immediately called and immediately fitted and sent forth into the Work of the Ministry freely to give as freely they had received and were persecuted by them that were set up by the Will of Man which also we do witness and therefore the Scripture afore-mentioned belongeth unto thy Generation who were ever Persecutors And if by propounding Queries thou judgest
Gâ—insayers stopt which made many gnash their Teeth on him and some undertook to club out the Priests Professors Arguments by beating this dear Lamb with Fists and Staves who took all patiently as particularly one who struck him with a great Staff as he came out of one of the Steeple-houses called Nicholas and said There Take that for Jesus Christ's sake To which he returned this Answer Friend I do Receive it for JESUS CHRIST ' s sake And many other intolerable Affronts were offered him in all which his Spirit was not seen to be raised in Heat or Anger but was a Pattern of Patience and Meekness And having laboured in that great Town about Ten Dayes it lay upon him to go back to Cogshall to a Meeting holden as a Fast of which read more in that part of his Writings called The Fruits of a Fast from whence he was committed to Colchester Castle and from thence had up to Chelsford Assizes in Irons and again thither re-committed where he remained until he offer'd up his Life for his Testimony He lived in that Castle about Ten or Eleven Moneths in great Self-denyal and Carefulness being truly watchful over the Flock of God both in Essex and in Cambridgeshire Huntingtonshire and the Isle of Ely and elsewhere where he had travaled and turned many to God and wrote many blessed and heavenly Epistles both to particular Persons to the Churches in general which were so many that we have no certain Account of them nor cannot place them in order as we would if all could be collected together but those Books and Papers which could be found are here composed for the View of those who desire to taste the first Fruits of this Tender Plant who in the Dayes of his Youth laid down his Life for his blessed Testimony Many Things he suffered in that Prison which is other-where in this Book to be found And as he lay in Prison he laboured for the building up of them that were Convinced and he saw the Desire of his Soul concerning many in whom he saw the Seed which he had sown Multiply and Grow to his Refreshment And at last having passed through many Tryals and Exercises both Inward and Outward and fulfilled his Testimony in Patience Courage and Faithfulness and been a Comfort to us who had believed He at length laid down his Head in Rest and Peace stretching forth Himself saying Here I Dye Innocently And after his Departure he was buried in the Castle Yard where other Prisoners use to be buried because the Cruel Goaler would not deliver his Body without Fees And though he be as to the Outward taken away his Life doth remain and his Testimony doth yet live in the Hearts of many and will live through Generations to come and happy and blessed are and shall all they be who are Partakers thereof and are Faithful therein they shall be also Partakers of that Crown Immortal with which He is Crowned Thus honest Reader have I given thee a brief Account of this dear Plant of God and of his blessed Fruit some whereof thou may'st find in this following Book which if read in Sincerity and in Uprightness of Heart will tend to thy Benefit and will give thee Cause with me and many more to bless the Lord on his Behalf who is the Well-spring of Life from whom all Good Gifts come and to whom all Glory and Honour doth belong now henceforth and forever Amen Stephen Crisp. Samuel Cater's TESTIMONY Concerning James Parnel COncerning our Dear Friend and Brother Iames Parnel I have this Testimony to bear for him in a true Remembrance of him as being Turned unto the Truth of God by him through Obedience unto which Heavenly Light Truth of God within which he turned me unto I have found and do enjoy Peace with God so that although the Dark World and Envious Priests and Professors Raged against him Imprisoned him and Persecuted him unto Death and made Lyes of him when he was dead speaking Evil of him accounting of him a Deceiver when he was alive I do say He was unto Me a True Minister and Messenger sent of God who brought Tidings of the Way of Life and Salvation unto me and many more in these Parts of the Nation whom I know have the same Testimony to bear for this Innocent Man For God hath made us Seals of his Ministâ—y through a blessed Experience of the Work of Regeneration brought to pass by this Heavenly Light Everlasting Truth unto the which he turned our Minds And this I can say also As the Lord was pleased to call him into his Blessed Work so he furnisht him with Virtues suitable for the same according to the Work of the Day in which he brought him forth and did mightily appear for him and with him in giving of him Courage and Wisdom and Power whereby he was Prepared and Fitted for every Service Exercise y â— the Lord called him unto which Service he faithfully perform'd of a Ready Mind with a Willing Heart not neglecting Nor did he refuse to appear in any Service in which his Testimony was concern'd which God had called him to bear although it were to the Ieopardy of his Life which many times he did both in Going to Steeple-Houses amongst the Rude Schollars in Cambridge both in Disputing with them and Declaring the Truth And after he went from Us he was moved of the Lord to go into Essex where he was gladly received by the Honest-hearted which wanted the Knowledge of the Lord and his Wayes which he declared unto them and many there were that Received him and Believed in the Truth which he declared But the Envious Professors roâ—e up against him in Cain's Murdering Spirit and cast him into Prison and there kept him in Hard Bonds until Death at whose Doors Hearts and Consciences the Guilt of this Innocent Man's Blood lies which all their Outward Washings nor Carnal Ordinances nor Outside Performances neither could nor can purge away but the Judgments of the Lord have been and yet will be executed upon all that have had a Hand or have taken a Part with them in shedding of Innocent Blood which the Lord will not acquit And now as to the Person Virtues and Parts of this our Dear Friend it is something upon me to give some Account of as having a Certain Knowledge of him not only because I was turned unto Truth by him but my Heart loved him which Love constrained me as oft as I could to be with him so that what Service he had in these Parts in Meetings of Friends or amongst Professors or with Priests I was frequently with him whereby I was both Eye and Ear Witness of the Mighty Power and Wisdom of God that attended him by the which He was prepared for every Work and Service which he was called unto and which he performed to the Honour of God and Comfort of his People and to the Confounding of those that
Opposed the Truth He was but Young in Years and of a Little Stature for the which he was by Brutish Envious Persecuting Priests and Professors Mocked and by them in a scornful Mind called The QVAKING BOY but in him was seen the Mighty Power of God VVhen any of them that were climed up so high in their Imaginations and strengthned themselves in their Self-righteousness and came forth in the Strength of the power of Darkness to Oppose the Truth of God which he bore Testimony unto with him did then appear the Name and Power of the Living God which was with the little Stripling David in which Name and Power he many times stopped the Mouths of Gain-sayers and by the Wisdom of God that was with him he caught the Wise and Crafty in their own Snares and Confounded them in the sight of all that had an Eye to see and so brought shame upon them whereby the Saying is fulfilled That by Weak things the Lord would confound the Mighty and things that are Despised hath God chosen yea and things that are not to bring to nothing things that are He had also a good Gift to declare the Truth and was full of Zeal and Heavenly Courage in the which he performed the same for the informing of the Minds of those that wanted the Knowledge of the Lord also to Mark Out and Make Manifest the Deceivers which People were to turn from His Exhortation was unto Us that were turned unto the Truth To Walk in it and to Watch unto it and to Keep Low in God's Holy Fear to Deny our selves and Take Vp the Daily Cross to our own Wills and to be Faithful in that Little Appearance of Light Truth which we had already receiv'd alwayes declaring unto us That if we were Faithful in that the Lord would make known more unto us whose words many of us are now Living Witnesses of the fulfilling of Blessed be the Name of the Lord forever and for evermore saith my Soul Also He was a Good Example and a Pattern in his Life and Conversation unto us by the which he preached Truth unto us as well as by his VVords for He himself lived according to what he taught us for he was adorned with Gravity and walked before us in Humility yea he had a Blameless Conversation and was unspotted from the World so that his Presence as well as his Words was a Strengthning and a Comfort to the Upright and Honest-hearted but he was an Awe a Dread to the Careless and Disobedient which made a Profession of the Truth but did not walk Answerably thereunto who he alwayes told should be cloathed with Rags which could not cover them and their SHAME should appear and they left Naked for the Light and Day of the Lord was come that would make all manifest and strip off all False Coverings so that a Profession although it were of the Truth it self would no longer do nor cover without the Life and Power be known and witnessed which doth not only Discover Sin and Evil but also Overcomes it Removes it Takes it away The Truth of this Doctrine which he preached unto us there are many of us by the good Hand and Power of the Lord have do see the Fulfilling of this Honest-hearted Young Man's Testimony both on them that received the Truth which he preached into an Honest and Good Heart and also upon the Careless and Disobedient so that I shall and do conclude in this Testimony concerning Him That He was a Faithful Servant and Messenger sent by God to Declare the Way of Life unto them that wanted the Knowledge of it and to Reprove Sin and to Make Manifest Deceivers and to Testifie against them which may be seen and felt to the better Satisfaction of them that never saw his Face in reading over his own Books and Epistles which were written by his Own Hand which all that read with an Honest Heart in a Serious Mind I doubt not but will say with me Surely the Mighty Power and Wisdom of the Lord was with him of a Truth Samuel Cater Thomas Bayles HIS TESTIMONY Concerning James Parnel THis Blessed Man the Writer of these following Books was made a Partaker of that Faith Patience through which the Righteous in all Ages obtained the Crown of Life and Victory over all their Enemies and had a share in his Day and Time as alwayes they had in this World of the Sufferings of Christ in him He was sent into this County with the Testimony of God in his Heart Mouth and therefore was Bold in the Name of the Lord to cry REPENTANCE in the Ears of the Sons of Men and as He said so lived he as many in this Town and Place are living Witnesses of who have true Cause to bless and praise the Name of the Lord and do for that He and other of his Brethren were sent amongâ—â— us He was of a sweet Savour of Christ to the Almighty God through his Faithfulness to him who sent him hither in them who receiv'd his Testimony though many there were that hardened their Hearts against the Lord of which Number were many of the Rulers Priests and Professors of that Time who notwitstanding they cryed Reformation the Ordinances of Christ Jesus Christian-Duties and the like yet manifested themselves of that Stock and Generation which always slew the Righteous and the Lord God soon stretcht forth his Righteous Hand of Judgment upon some as Warnings unto others whom he spared from that swift Stroak that they might Repent as some did and seek his Face who is the Light of the World God blessed for evermore He was as a Youth and mean in hâ—s Outward Presence and Appearance but God hath chosen the Foolish Things of this World to confound the Wise And so high was the spirit of the Professors and the Prophane encouraged thereby that with whom among such was his Name used but in a way of Derision and Scorn terming him The Railing Fellow in the Castle He owneth himself to be Christ Jesus A Wandering Star to whom is reserved the Blackness of Darkness forever But since it came to Light and the Wandering Stars seen and their Blackness of Darkness felt who durst not stand by their Ordinances Duties nor Christianity but in Obscure Holes Secret Places Vaults which shews them of a low dark earthly wandering spirit who know not the Spirit of Life from God nor the Stability thereof to set them above the Fear of Man where they lie in great Captivity The Lord hath put it into my Heart in the blessed Remembrance of his Innocent Life to bear my Testimony upon this Occasion and thus to appear in the Memorial of him And I am assured in my Spirit That although the Lord suffer'd him to be cruelly kept in Bonds until Death and to be hated persecuted beyond what we had known before amongst us yet it was for his Righteous Life sake as from
and bring thy deeds unto it to be tryed by it it will witness for God and his Children against thee to be a Child of the Devil and his works thou dost and thy Faith to be feigned like the Hypocrite and doth not purifie thy hearts and so is no more then the wickedest that is for all say that Christ dyed for them but all cannot witness it For he that believes is born of God and he that is born of God doth not commit sin And this Light loving it will let thee see how thy Heart is turned from God and that thou hast more delight in the things that perish than in the Fear of the living God which keeps the heart clean and is the beginning of the pure Wisdom and Righteousness and if thou honestly communest with it it will let thee see thy secret Actions and all thy hidden deeds done in darkness that thou mayst come to Judgment and Condemnation for all these things and except thou be born again and become as a little Child thou art no Child of God neither canst enter the Kingdom of God but art without in the world's nature in the state of Condemnation in whom the Son of Perdition rules above all that is called God sitting in the Temple of God as God and saith He is God and here he opposeth God in his Kingdom and saith that is lawful and for it pleadeth that which God saith is unlawful and forbids And he tells the Creature and maketh it believe it cannot keep God's Commandments and that it hath not power to do that which God commands it or to depart from Evil and that none live but they sin and Christ hath satisfied for all sin though they sin daily that man may use the Creatures as he pleaseth seeing they were made for Man's Use and the Spirit of God saith He that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandments is a Lyar and the Truth is not in him And as many as receive him to them he gives Power to become the Sons of God And the Law of the Spirit of Life makes them free from the Law of Sin and Death He that commits Sin is of the Devil and never knew God and by this are the Children of God and the Children of the Devil made manifest And he that abideth in him sinneth not And he that lives after the Flesh cannot please God for without Holiness none shall see the Lord. And thus the Devil the old Serpent who was a Lyar from the beginning opposeth God in his Kingdom daubing the Creature up in that which is Evil making it a Habitation in his kingdom while it live upon the Earth and then must take part with him in the Lake that is prepared for the Devil and his Servants who doth not dare to call God a Hard Master as if he would lay a Tax upon the Creature which it is not able to perform and thus he deceives the Creature and draws out of the Commands of God and out of the Fear of God which preserves from Evil and so he draws into Carelesness and Slothfulness and begets a liberty therein and because of those things cometh the Wrath of God upon the Children of Disobedience as it was in the beginning when God said That in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye the Death and the Serpent said You shall not surely dye for God doth know that in the day you eat thereof you shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil. And thus he deceived them and drew them out of the Commands of God and out of the Fear of God into the Disobedience and so came the Curse of God upon them by hearkening to him and entring into his Temptations and then they found God Just and True and the Devil a Lyar whom they had believed now read thy self To the Light of Christ in thy Conscience I speak which searcheth the Heart and knows the secret Thoughts and Intents of the Heart which will witness me and condemn thee who walkest contrary unto it Be not Deceived God is not Mocked such as thou sowest such must thou reap for God is a Just God and will nto acquit the Wicked For thou art found a Slothful Servant who hast hid thy Talent in the Earth and think not that thou shalt receive the Reward of the Righteous and Faithful for if the Righteous scarcely be saved what will become of the Wicked and Ungodly Therefore Repent while it s called to day harden not thy heart lest the Judgments of God come upon thee at unawares and sweep thee away and give thee thy Portion among the Slothful Hypocrites and Unbelievers For by the Light of God thou arr seen and found in the Sins of Sodom and the Plagues of Sodom are coming upon thee therefore be afflicted mourn and let thy Laughter be turned into Mourning and thy Joy into Heaviness for to Judgment thou must come and thy Liberty To the Light of Christ in thy Conscience I am made manifest which if thou lovest it will let thee see thy self and tender thy Conscience and will lead thee into the Fear of God following of it and will humble thee and bring down thy high and lofty Looks and bring thee under Judgment and Condemnation for thy Stiff neckedness Disobedience and Rebellion against the Son of Righteousness here will be thy Condemnation out of thy own mouth will the Lord judge thee in Righteousness by the Light in thy Conscience which he hath enlightened thee withal which now thou kickest against which will thy Torment be This is a Warning from the Lord unto thee and now thou art left without Excuse in the Presence of the living God by the Light of God this is the day of thy Visitation and the day of thy Judgment draws nigh now thou hast time prize it For the Day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the Night to all the Children of Darkness as it was to the Sodomites and verily I say unto thee it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment then for thee if thou dost not Repent who hast tasted of the Love and Mercy of God and hast trampled it under foot and hast rebelled against the Spirit of Grace Written from the Spirit of the Lord as a Warning to all who are in the Fleshly Liberty by a Witness of the True Liberty of the Children of God through Death which Liberty stands not in Time nor in any thing in Time for all things in Time perish with Time but this remains when Time shall be no more and his is Pure Vnspotted of the World J. P. ALL you that Scoff and Scorn and Reproach and Revile at the Children Servants and Messengers of the Most High God whom you nick-name QUAKERS and under the same Name Persecute them as a People not worthy to live and have no Ground for it neither know any Evil
make many Prayers I will not hearken your Hands are full of Blood wash you make you clean put away the Evil of your Doings from before mine Eyes cease to do Evil learn to do well So it is the Heart that the Lord requireth and where your Treasure is there will your Heart be also And saith the Apostle We know not how to pray as we ought but as the Spirit maketh Intercession with Sighs Groans this is more acceptable to God from an honest single Heart then the Long Prayer of the Pharisees We are accused to be destructive to the Ministry The true Ministry of Christ we own and witness and the Ministers and Messengers of Christ we own and witness but those who have gotten the Letter and Form to trade with which was spoken forth freely and deny the Life and Power those we deny their Ministry And all those who go to get human Learning and are certain Years as it were serving Apprentiship pretending to study Divinity and when their time is expired they go amongst ignorant blind People and get a certain Place and a certain Wage and so sell that which they studyed and got into the Brain and those which receive it get it into the Brain and so they live upon Dust which is the Serpents Meat feeding upon the Tree of Knowledge both Priest and People death feeding death and with the Notion begets into the Notion and feeding the Carnal Mind with the Carnal Letter and this is the Cause why Drunkards Swearers Lyars Proud Covetous Envious Wrathful and Contentious Ones and all Unrighteous Persons have gotten the Letter to talk of or discourse of though in the Ale-house or Tipling-house but this Ministry works no Reformation only hath the Form and leads into the Form and denyes the Life and Power which is neither to be bought nor sold for Money so from such we turn away who come by the Will of Man and approved by the Will of Man and are upheld by the Will of Man and not by the Will of God and their Call and Ministry we deny which is mediate and formal Imitation and the Invention of Man and so a meer Delusion And this is the Cause why the Land so overflows with Iniquity all Manner of Ungodliness no better Reformation wrought amongst them their Ministry is so dark and dead and cold and yet the Land full of Teachers and yet the People lost for want of Teaching and so they spend their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which profiteth not But who can witness an Immediate Call by God from their outward Callings and Countries Lands Livings and Possessions into several Countries to preach the free Gospel as they have received it by the immediate Inspiration of the Spirit and speak it forth as they are moved by the Holy Ghost and as the Spirit gives them Utterance freely as they have received it freely by which Ministry many are convinced and as they abide in it are converted as many in the Nation can witness to the Honour and Glory of God who are now New Creatures and this Call we own and witness and this Ministry we own and witness which is Immediate and stands in the Will of God and such covetno Man's Silver nor Gold neither could be hired to certain Place but travail from Place to Place and have no certain dwelling Place and such are the true Ministers of Jesus Christ who make the Gospel free and without Charge And this we own and witness and for the Testimony of this true Ministry some of us are Imprisoned some Stoned some Stocked whipped and shamefully entreated as Vagabonds and Deluders and Wanderers and Raisers of Sedition and Pestilent Fellows and esteemed not worthy to live in the Nation both by Priest and People and Rulers who are out of the Commands of God and are Vagabonds and Fugitives from God who go in the Way of Cain to envy and murder the Innocent And because we declare against all who come not in by the Door but seek to climb up another Way by their Study Inventions and Serpentine Wisdom and Knowledge and so are Thieves and Robbers and those are they which are now to set up and extolled in England with great Augmentations and Benefices by the Arm and Will of Flesh now Heads of England and such Ministers and their Ministry we deny for the Hand of the Lord is against them But this which we own is no new Call nor no new Ministry but the same which was with the Prophets and Apostles and all whom God sent witnessed and here is the Difference of the Ministers of the World and the Ministers of Christ the one comes by the Will of Man the other by the Will of God the one is upheld by the Will of man the other by the Will of God contrary to the Will of Man and the one of the Letter the other of the Spirit and the one has the Form Shadow and the other the Life Substance and the Effects and Fruits of their Ministry make them manifest but from such turn away who have the Form but not the Life and Power for they are meer Deceivers and Witches bewitch People from the Truth holding forth the Shadow instead of the Substance and what is the Shadow to the Substance Or what is the Chaff to the Wheat He that hath an Ear to hear let him hear and understand We are accused to deny all Magistracy and Government I answer This is false for we own it in its Place for whilst there is Transgression there must be a Law and while the Devil hath Power over Man there will be Transgression so the Law was added because of Transgression and the Devil was the Cause of it so there must be a Law without to keep those who are without the Fear of God in Subjection else they would destroy one another and Cain would destroy Abel for this is the Devil's Work and so for this End was the Law given forth to curb Evil-Doers and to preserve and encourage them that do well And it was according to that in the Conscience Just Holy and Good according to the Will of God and serviceable in its Place And true Government according to the Law of God is serviceable in its Place And all Magistrates who fear God and hate Covetousness and are guided by the Light of God in the Conscience and execute the Law in its Place without Partiality and Respect of Persons and such are serviceable in their Place and this we own and honour and are subject to for Conscience sake but the Righteous are from under the outward Law for they are a Law unto themselves neither is there need of any Law amongst them Who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit
Curse But Mordecai could not bow to him in Haman and therefore he sought to destroy him and informed the King against him and all the Jews in the Nation and said They were a scattered People and their Laws were divers from all People neither did they observe the Law of the King then he set up a pair of Gallows for Mordecai but Haman was hanged on his own Gallows and is cast down to nothing and Mordecai is exalted in his stead So there is a Time that Mordecai is despised and Haman exalted and there is a Time that Haman is cast down and Mordecai exalted And there is a Time that Esau reigns over Jacob and there is a Time that the Elder serves the Younger And there is a Time that Pharaoh rules and oppresses the Israelites but there is a Time of Israel's Deliverance and Pharaoh drowned in the Sea So there is a Time that Anti-christ sits in the Temple of God as God and saith he is God and Christ lyeth low in the Manger but there is a Time that he must be cast into the Pit and Christ alone exalted He that can receive it let him But in all Ages the Children of God could not bow to Lucifer nor his Image and this was the Cause why Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were cast into the fiery Furnace and this was the Cause why Daniel was cast into the Lions Den but by the Hand of his God whom he alone worshipped and honoured he was delivered and exalted and his Adversaries cast down in his Place And this was the Cause why the Prophets were alwayes persecuted and imprisoned and the Apostles who came to turn the World upside down And this is the Cause why the Ministers and Messengers of Jesus Christ are imprisoned stoned stocked whipped and shamefully entreated whom the Lord is pleased immediately to call from their outward Callings and Countries and sends them abroad into several Countries to preach his Name no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit and who knows him must know him no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit and those come to turn the World upside down being crucified to the World and the World to them and these cannot honour Lucifer nor bow to Lucifer nor worship his Image though there was a Time when they did but that was done in Egypt when they knew not God but now Lucifer and his Image is cast down and Christ alone exalted and the pure and perfect Law is witnessed which respects no Mans Person but God alone honoured and exalted and this we witness for amongst us there are no Superiors after the Flesh but Christ is the Head and amongst those who were redeemed out of the World there were no Superiors but only Christ the Head and all the rest Fellow-Servants and he that would be the greatest should be the least and he that respects Persons commits Sin And the Angel would not suffer John to bow to him but said he was his Fellow-Servant and this we witness who are redeemed out of the Kingdom of the Devil from amongst the Children of this World into the Kingdom of the Son who are crucified to the World and the World to us by the spiritual Cross of Christ in which we joy and glory amongst whom there is no Partiality nor Respect of Persons but all in Union in one though Ten Thousand and here God alone is King and he alone is honoured exalted and worshipped no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit for we have no other God in whom our Hearts delight And here proud Lucifer and his Image is cast out and here all his Honour is thrown down and his Breeding and Manners and Fashions and Customs and Words and Wayes and Worships which are after the Flesh and not after the Spirit whereby he sets up himself and causeth his Image to be worshipped and this is the Cause he rages in his Kingdom wheresoever we come and saith We are destructive to all Superioriry and Magistracy and Ministry and Honour Breeding and Manners and turn the World upside down for he knows where Christ comes he comes to take his Kingdom from him and cast him down into the Pit and there he must be tormented quick and all who bear his Image or his Mark and these are some of his Marks which he calls Nobility Gentility Honour Breeding Manners and Civility But true Nobility we own the Seed of God is Noble wheresoever it is born up and who can witness to the Head of the Serpent bruised and the Seed of God born up to reign and rule there is true Nobility there is true Gentility no more after the Flesh hut after the Spirit and this is to be honoured for Honour is due to this both in Magistrate or Minister Fisherman or Ploughman Herdsman or Shepherd wheresoever it rules without Respect of Persons and here Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour and this is no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit And here all the true Prophets of God were Noblemen and Gentlemen sprung of the Noble Seed though of the Nobles and great Ones of the Earth they were disdain'd reproached because according to the World they were of low Degree some of them Ploughmen some Herdsmen some Shepherds and therefore they persecuted them and destroyed them yet they were Gentile and bore all Christ was Noble sprang of the Noble Seed though of the great Ones and Nobles of the Earth he was disdained reproached and scorned to be the King of the Jews because according to the World he was of low Degree and supposed to be a Carpenter's Son so they spit upon him and disdained him and crucified him yet he was gentile and bore all The Apostles were Noble sprung of the Noble Seed though of the Nobles and great Ones of the Earth they were despised and disdained and reproached because according to the World they were of Low Degree some of them Fishermen and the like and came to turn the World upside down so they were despised persecuted and killed yet they were gentile and bore all But those were all Noble sprung of the Noble Seed and so are all now who are of the same Seed and those were all gentile sprung of the gentile Seed those have the Nature but not the Name and to those belongs the true Honour not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for they denyed the Honour of the World and therefore Christ said I receive not Honour from Men and said to his Apostles Be ye not called Masters neither call any Man Master upon the Earth and though the Princes of this World exercise Doâ—inion oâ—e over another yet it shall not be so amongst you but he that would be the greatest amongst you let him be your Servant and said he How can ye believe which receive Honour one of another and
received the Holy Ghost they went abroad preaching Christ and shewing thereby the fulfilling the Law and the Prophets which figured sorth and prophesied of Christ and this they declared in their Temples and in their Synagogues and they haled them out of the Temple and out of their Synagogues and brought them before Governors Rulers and Magistrates and the chief Priests and their Kindred and the chiefest Professors which were the Pharisees were the head-Actors therein but never the less they went on boldly being filled with the Power of the Holy Ghost without the Fear of Man obeying God rather then Man so they were not subject to the Authority of Man in that respect but they were subject unto the Law of Man so far as it was subject to the Law of God and so they went on preaching Christ and many believed and were baptized and received the Holy Ghost and were converted and it was so that the multitude that believed was of one Heart and of one Mind and they were so far of one being exalted over another or seeking themselves that not any of them said that ought of the things which he possessed was his Own and the Works of God went on in much Power the Ministers being acted guided by the Holy Ghost And also Stephen a man full of Faith and the Holy Ghost he declared against the Temple which God had once commanded to be built and said Solomon built him an House yet nevertheless God that made the World and all things therein dwells not in Temples made with Hands as saith the Prophet Heaven is my Throne and Earth is my Foot stool and where is the House that ye will build me and where is the Place of my Rest hath not mine Hand made all things and he judged them and said Ye Stiff-necked and Uncircumcised in Hearts and Ears ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as did your Fathers so do ye and they gnashed upon him with their Teeth and fell upon him and stoned him And when Saul was converted and became Paul his Message was for to turn Peoples minds from the Darkness to the Light and then saith Paul when it pleased God to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him amongst the Heathen immediately I conferred not with Flesh and Blood and here was Paul's call to the Ministry and they were made manifest to every Man's Conscience and were a sweet Savour unto God both in them that believed and them that perished And Paul declared against the Temple and told them that worshipped there they were too superstitious and he went into their Synagogues on Sabbath-Days and reasoned with them and they persecuted him and haled him before Rulers and there complained of him to be one that prophaned the Temple and a Ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazareans and a pestilent Fellow and a Raiser of Sedition and many cry'd out away with such a Fellow he is not worthy to live and thus they suffered by the zealous Professors in those Daies but they whose minds were turned to the Light they were translated out of Darkness into the Light and became the Children of Light and were baptized by one Spirit into one Body and had passed from Death unto Life and had put off the Old Man and put on the New the old Man being crucified with Christ though some of them were Drunkards some Swearers some Proud some Covetous Idolaters Adulterers yet then they were cleansed and washed and sanctified and justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God and here was the Church which witnessed the Spiritual Baptism into the Spiritual Body of which Christ is Head and they being thereby set free from Sin their Union and Communion was here and the Bread which the Saints brake was the Communion of the Body of Christ and the Cup which they drank was the Communion of the Blood of Christ and they were in Christ new Creatures all Members of one Body and needed not that any man should teach them because the Anointing was in them and to them the Cross was the Power of God unto Salvation though to the Greeks Foolishness and to the Jews a Stumbling-block and in this Cross Paul rejoyced by which he was Crucified to to the World and the World to him and they were not conformed unto the World but transformed by the Renewing of their Minds and had one Lord one Faith one Baptism one Way one Teacher one Life and one Shepherd and one Priest over the Houshould of God and one God and Father of all being united by one Spirit into the bond of Peace and their Conversation was in Heaven and there were the Christians And though there was a time that when Christ was preached after the Flesh some preached Christ through Envy and Strife and Contention to add Affliction to Paul's Bonds yet in all this he rejoyced that the Name of Christ was spread abroad for there were many that believed not that that was the Christ that suffered at Jerusalem and was crucified as Paul himself had not and as there are many such to this Day and so it rejoyced him that the Name of Christ was spread abroad but after his Name was spread abroad and many believed that that was the Christ then the Apostle declared against such who had the Form but denyed the Life and Power and said from such turn away for as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do they withstand the Truth being men of corrupt minds and reprobates concerning the Faith and said the Apostle we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a Stumbling block and the Greeks Foolishness but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God and said the Apostle hence know me no man after the Flesh and though we have known Christ after the Flesh hence know we him no more but he that is in Christ is a 〈◊〉 Creature old things are passed away and all things become new and they that are Christs have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts and the Apostl◠preached Christ within the Hope of Glory the Mystery which had been hid from Ages and Generations they that could not witness Christ in them were Reprobates And here it was not sufficient for them to say they believed Christ dyed for them but he that believeth hath the Witness within himself and he that believeth is passed from Death unto Life and he that believeth is born of God and he that is born of God doth not commit Sin and those were they who were made Partakers of Christ's divine Nature therefore saith John As he is so are we in this Present World and we are of God and the whole World lyeth in Wickedness and they that are of God hear us and they that are not with us are against us And then the Apostle Paul he
are they who are led and guided by the One Spirit of which the World cannot receive even the Comforter of whom you have heard should come by which they are separated out of the World and redeemed out of the Rudiments and Pollutions thereof their Fashions their Customs their Words their Wayes their Manners their Breeding their Fellowship Love and Friendship their Honour and Glory and their Worship and so are become Strangers to the World and so are hated of the World because they are not of the World and the Enmity stands betwixt the two Seeds but while they were of the World the World loved them but now they are gathered out of the World and separated from the World and testifie against the World both in Words and Actions therefore the Enmity is raised in the World against the Righteous Seed and those are they upon whom the Ends of the World are come to whom it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom though to the World in Parables and those are they that are come with a Mighty Arm and Power to trun the World up-side down whom the Lord hath gathered and is a gathering out of the World by his own Spirit of Truth and Love to walk in the Way of Truth even the Way of Holiness where the Ransomed of the Lord do walk and serve and worship him in Spirit and in Truth and such is the Father seeking to worship him in whom he is in doing his own Work even to destroy the Old Creation and create New Heavens and New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness and those are they that are the New Creatures in whom this New Work is witnessed in whom the Father hath manifested his Son that in the Likeness of sinful Flesh he might condemn Sin in the Flesh and to bind the Strong Man and cast him out of his House and spoil his Goods and so to destroy the Works of the Devil and to cut down the Man of Sin even that Son of Perdition who is exalted above all that is called GOD sitting in the Temple of God as God and saith He is God this is he by whom the World is deceived who is the God of the World even the Prince of Darkness who rules in all the Children of Disobedience and so saith John in the Light The whole World lies in Wickedness and unto this doth Christ come with a Sword for to make War with him and to take and bind him and cast him into utter Darkness and so to take his Kingdom from him and to rule himself in Righteousness And this is the King of the SAINTS who is now come to redeem unto himself a Pure People and to wash them cleanse them from their Sias by his BLOOD and so to wash away all Filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit and this is the Baptism by which they are received into his Church and Faith and here is the Effect of his BLOOD wrought in MAN and thus he doth and will manifest his Mighty Power to purifie and cleanse and make Man a fit Temple for himself to dwell in And thus is GOD with us manifested in Flesh and thus are the Saints Bodies made the TEMPLES of the HOLY GHOST and thus is the Word of Life and Reconciliation witnessed to the raising up the Soul to Life and reconciling the Soul to GOD and those are they that are begotten and born again of the Immortal Word which dwelleth and abideth forever and here is the Houshold of God the Houshold of Faith and the Houshold of Love who speak the things which they have heard and seen and tasted of the good Word of Life which was in the beginning and those are the Children of Light who are gather'd out of the dark Forms Judgments and Opinions into the Life and Power of Godliness to walk in the Light of Life wherein they are gathered and united by the One Spirit of Love and Life into One Body of which Christ is Head and here is the true Church which the Lord is a gathering and washing and cleansing and purifying by his Spirit that he may redeem unto himself a pure Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing whose Insides are washed and made clean through the Word by which they are reconciled into the Love and Union which springs from the Life of God and here is the Vine and the Branches and here is the Communion of the Church all feeding upon One Bread all drinking upon One Cup this is Christ the Life of the Saints and as many as are baptized into this Church partake of this Communion and those are they which have denyed themselves and have born the Cross of Christ by which they are crucified to the World and the World to them who are gathered into one Covenant of Life where all are Fellow-Servants under one MASTER who serve one another in Love and Meekness And here is the true Humility in the Heart wrought and here is the true Washing of Feet without Hypocrisie which some are imitating without for LIFE but fall short for the Heart the Lord requires And thus is the Church of Christ gathered by one Spirit and by the same circumcised and baptized into one Light and Life and Power where all dwell as MEMBERS of One BODY of which CHRIST is the HEAD And here is the Blessed Union and Communion in One and here God is worshipped in Spirit and in Truth and as CHRIST is spiritual so is his BODY and so are his Ordinances And here are the true Christians not those that only have the Notion of those things but they that witness and possess this in Life and they that believe have the witness within themselves and they that believe have passed from Death unto Life and the Life which they now live in is by Faith in the Son of God which Faith is without Respect of Persons who are the New Creatures who are IN Christ Jesus to whom there is no Condemnation who walk not after the FLESH but after the for against such there is no LAW for they are translated out of that NATURE for which the LAW was added and are set free by the Law of the Spirit of Life and are made Partakers of the Divine Nature of Christ by which they are made Christians and therefore saith John As he is so are we in this present World and such now witness the Effect of the Blood of Christ wrought within them and the End of his Coming and the Benefit of his Death who are Dead with him and risen through the Death of the Cross and these are they that have escaped the Pollutions of the World through the Knowledge of the Son of God within them Christ within the Hope of Glory or else no Hope of Glory for they that cannot witness him so are in the Reprobation so saith the Apostle and here is the Son in the Saints and the Father in the Son and thus are
who would try the Living by the Dead and again he said that one Spirit could not try another for by that Judgment the Evil Spirit might try the Good Spirits to which I replyed By the Spirit of God all other Spirits are tryed and also that by the Light Darkness is discovered but Darkness cannot comprehend the Light neither discover the Light and here again his Blindness and Ignorance and Deceit was much discovered to the People although he fed himself and would have shuffled it off by his Consequences and filthy Logick but it the more laid open his Deceit and presently the said Elligood was found with another Lye in his Mouth for he said that I said the Thing should be proved by every Man's Spirit which was a very Lye for I said that the Baptism of the Spirit was the Substance of the outward Baptism the which he denyed and bid me prove it and I said I spoak to the Witness in every Man's Conscience which his dark Mind could not comprehend but with his dark Mind wrested my Words and therefore said that I said it was witnessed by every Man's Spirit but his Spirit was a lying Spirit there tryed and made manifest to the People and his Blasphemy against the Spirit of God in calling Truth Error and Error Truth and putting Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness because the God of the World hath blinded his Eye and many witnessed against him for his filthy Spirit was odious to many of the Hearers then afterward he again said that I was a Deceiver and his Proof was that I was not obedient to the Command of Christ to be baptized and I told him I was baptized but he said with Water and he said that was a Command of Christ to be baptized with Water and I bid him shew me that Scripture but he could not but brought a Scripture in the Acts where the Apostle commanded some to be baptized and this by his filthy Logick and Consequences he would have made a Command of Christ but he could not deceive the Light which did him try and make him manifest to the Shame of his Prosession but he could not bring one Scripture to prove it to be a Command of Christ to baptize with Water and then he shuffled to that Scripture where the Apostle said Be ye Followers of us even as we are Followers of Christ and then he said Christ was baptized but he confessed it was to fulfil all Righteousness and I said he was also circumcised and he said that was not for Example then not the Baptism for both were to fulfil all Righteousness to which End he the Substance came but Christ himself baptized not with Water neither do they read that the Apostles were baptized with Water then who is their Example and how do they follow the Apostles in that seeing they are baptized and the Apostles were not then he fled from that being there routed and said They might be Disciples before they could take up the CROSS of Christ and I replyed with Christ's Words That they might take up his Cross before they could be his Disciples which he denyed and said That Wicked Men upon that Account might take up the Cross of Christ and that Christ required Wicked Men to take up his Cross and I said it was so he did require them so to do for by taking up his Cross they come to deny their Wickedness for they that bear his CROSS live not in Wickedness but this Elligood said That Wicked Men could not take up his CROSS for he said Reproaches and outward Sufferings were the CROSS of Christ for his Name 's sake but this was not the Cross by which Paul was crucified to the World and the World to him and saith Paul where he was speaking concerning Wickedness and Unrighteous Ones to the Corinthians Such were some of you but you are now cleansed c. And here Wicked Ones and Unrighteous Ones took up his CROSS which to them was the Power of GOD unto Salvation though to the GREEKS Foolishness and to the JEWS a stumblingâ— Block amongst whom this ELLIGOOD is found who is a Stranger to the CROSS OF CHRIST who saith REPROACHES and Outward SUFFERINGS are the CROSS OF CHRIST whenas the CROSS OF CHRIST makes DISCIPLES and they must be DISCIPLES before they can suffer REPROACHES or PERSECUTION for the NAME OF CHRIST and must depart from Iniquity before they be a Prey to the World for CHRIST's sake for the VVorld loves its own and they that take up the CROSS do depart from Iniquity which is before Reproaches or Persecution is suffered for the Name of CHRIST And here ELLIGOOD is found the Lyar who said Wicked Men were not called to take up the Cross of CHRIST whenas all are wicked before they take up this Cross and here ELLIGOOD is found to be no Disciple of Christ who is such a Stranger to the Cross of Christ who is a Lyar and so are not the Disciples of Christ for the Lyar is of the Devil and therefore is ELLIGOOD Then I knowing him to be one of the Baptists Teachers I took out some Queries which not long before I had sent them but no Answer to them had I received and I would have read them openly that the People might have heard and also he that was one of their Teachers but as I was reading he not having Power over his own VVill could not bridle his Tongue but disorderly run into many VVords so that the People could not understand and I spoak to him for it and he said He had not Time to stay and further said That he was not of the Society of these Baptists at Fnestanton and yet he came with them and from them and then I replyed That be owned them to be the Church of God and this he did and then if he was not of their Society he was shut out of the Church and then he would have shuffled off with his Consequences and said he dwelt for off and then I replyed with the Apostles Words Though absent in Body yet present in Spirit and the Multitude that believed were of one Heart and Mind and here was the Society of the Saints and he being out of this Society is shut out of the Church and then he would have made it stood by his Logick which only is to make a false Thing seem true but it the more laid open his deceitful Heart and Shame to the Hearers who severally witnessed against him to speak nothing but Deceit and then saith he you call the Apostles Words Deceit because he had often stoln the Apostles Words to make his DECEIT seem TRUTH by covering it with the APOSTLES Words and this is a more subtil Deceit and then in his Will he called me Deceiver the which he was to prove and all the People was silent and there he uttered several Lyes and laid open himself to be the Deceiver as I had told him in
I am freely made willing to give up rather then to deny the Truth of my God And if I should pay one Penny for the Liberty of my Body in this Cause would be as much as if I paid the whole Fine which thou hast unjustly laid upon me for therein I should own my self a Transgressor where I am not guilty and also a bought Liberty is Bondage to my Spirit but my Liberty under thy Bonds is Bondage to thee which Liberty thou canst not rob me of with all that thou canst do for it is the Free-Gift of God which none can take away though thou wilt not allow me in thy Bonds to have the outward Liberty that thou allowest to Thieves and Murderers and Fornicators that is to have my Friends and Acquaintance to come to see me wherein the very Heathen will condemn thee who when they had committed Paul to Prison said Forbid none of his Friends and Acquaintance to come to see him Acts 22. 24. Therefore now read how thou exceedest the Heathen in Persecution and Injustice though I am a free-born Subject in England therefore let the Life of all the Christians condemn thee who never were Persecutors And this of the Lord I was moved to write which is the Word of the Lord unto thee whether thou wilt hear or forbear in the Peace of my Conscience I do rest in the Will of God known to thee by the Name James Parnel And now a few Words unto you who call your selves Gathered Churches go under the Name of Independents in Essex YOU are gathered by the Will of Man and are joyned by the Will of Man and so stand in the Will of Man and are upheld by the Will of Man by which you are begotten but still alive in the World's Nature in the World's Customs Fashions and Traditions in the World's Fellowship Words and Wayes and Rudiments only differing from others in Judgment Opinion or Profession wherein is your Life in high Notions and feigned Apprehensions and false Applications and glorious Expressions and customary Duties and vain Traditions which all appertain to the great Image which all the world worships by which they are deceived whose Head is Gold and Breast of Silver and Thighs of Brass and Legs of Iron and Feet part Iron part Clay and in the same Nature ye are found with the world the Day doth declare it and you to be the Enemies and Stangers to the Light which is not of the world which is now come into the world testifying against the world and the Deceit of the world and the Deceivers in the World and the Profession of the world And this is the Condemnation of the world that Light is come into the world and men love Darkness rather then Light because their Deeds are Evil In which Evil you are found despising and setting at nought the Corner-Stone and standing in the Enmity of your Spirits and joyning with the Powers of the Earth to persecute the Life and Power which now is manifest in the Earth and is come to discover your Empty Shadows Forms and fair Shews of Godliness but without Life and Power which you have set up in your Imaginations and thereby are deceived and blinded and led in Blindness so that you cannot see the Light nor receive the Substance now it is come and made maniest but stand up in your Wills and wisdom to oppose the same and persecute it in the Enmity of your Spirits as if you hoped to kill the Heir that the Inheritance might be yours And therefore Because you do despise this Day of your Visitation and reject and sleight the Glad-tidings which now are come to them that dwell upon the Earth and revilâ— and reproach persecute and slander the faithful Messengers of the Gospel rejoycing your Hearts in their Sufferings by you and amongst you therefore the Lord will raise up a People out of the Dust and gather them from far to bear Testimony unto his Name and bear witness against you yea and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of the Son and you and such as you shall be cast out into Tophet prepared of old for Hypocrites and Unbelievers Therefore now read your Portion ye stiff-necked and Uncircumcised in Heart and Ears who do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as did your Fathers so do ye but the greater will be your Condemnation who go about to mock God with your Will-worship with your Calling of Assemblies and Solemn Meetings with your appointed Fasts and Dayes of Voluntary Humiliation with your Long Prayers and Feigned Duties all which are done out of the Light and so are your own Works acted by Self for Self But who has required these things at your Hands It is all Abomination to the Lord his Soul loaths it For your Sacrifices are are as Cain's for you are found in Cain's Nature Envying and Persecuting the Righteous yea the Witness lieth slain in your Streets Therefore VVo is unto you who go on in the Way of Cain for upon you shall come all the Righteous Bloodshed from Righteous Abel until now And your Profession stinks in the Nostrils of the Lord for you have lifted up your Hands against him and his Anointed and opened your Mouths in Blasphemy and False Reports against the Truth yea you are blind and stumble at the Noon-day you come near the Lord with your Lips but your hearts run a Whoring after other Lovers and you know not the Only True God that dwells in Temples made without hands whose VVorship is in Spirit and in Truth but would limit the Unlimited under your VVills as if he were not a God of Might but that you could controle him with the Arm of Flesh But Be not deceived God is not mocked such as you sow such shall you reap and your End shall be according to your Works For our God is a God of Judgment and Justice and will avenge the Cause of the Innocent upon you his Adversaries Yea and though your Teachers do cry Peace Peace unto you because you put into their Mouthes and so daub you up with Untempered Morter that you cannot see your VVouud and so heal you sleightly Yet you shall know that our God is a God of Truth and his VVord shall stand forever and their Sorcery shall appear and their Witchcraft shall be laid open and the Cup of Fornication wherewith they have made drunk and deluded the Nations shall be taken from them the Cup of the Wrath of the Almighty given them to drink their Reward And then shall you behold the Harlot with whom you have committed Fornication who now lies in your Bosoms Bewitching you with a Golden Cup with whom you have defiled your Garments then to be cast into the Bottomless Pit where you shall all be tormented together who now partake of her Pleasures and thus shall you fall among them that fall in the Day that I visit you saith the Lord. J. Parnel A Few
me to be in Darkness then much more thou judgest and condemnest thy self for for my Thirty Six Queries thou hast propounded me an Hundred And here also thou accountest me a Fool as by the Scripture thou quotest in Prov. 26. 4. and therein manifests thy self so much the greater Fool in propounding so many Queries to me whom thou account'st a Fool And thus the Pride of thy Heart hath deceived thee Pr. Answ. And whereas thou sayest Thou wast Inwardly called to the Ministry by the Motion and Gifts of God's Spirit long before I was born which thou sayest hath been God's Ordinary Way which to prove thou quotest Job 32. 8. 2 Chron. 20. 14. Amos 5. 7. 15. Mich. 3. 8. Rep. Though it hath been and is God's Ordinary Way by his own Power and Spirit to call and fit his own Ministers for his own Work as those Scriptures afore-mentioned do prove which we also do witness and do come no other Way yet these Scriptures do not at all prove where and how and by what thou wast called and Jahaziel and Amos and Micha which those Scriptures aforesaid bear Testimony of to be thus called were men that spoak the Word of the Lord freely against Sin and Transgression and False Prophets and Hirelings and their Lives sealed their Testimony And these Scriptures also bear Testimony how and where they were called from their Outward Callings to speak the Word of the Lord and so from those Scriptures thou art shut and hast nought to do to take them into thy Mouth for they do not prove that thou wast thus called from thy Labour for thou wast brought up all thy Dayes in Idleness and at a University as you call it to learn Arts and Sciences without which Those were Called and Fitted And for any other Call then as the Common National Ministers are called who deny both Immediate Revelation and Inspiration thou hast brought no Proof that will stand for thee but only thy own bare Words wherein thy Life and Practice will condemn thee for it is one with the National Priests and thou art maintained and upheld by the same Power as the National Teachers are neither dost go from Place to Place reproving Sin in the Gate as Amos and Micha did who were thus called neither dost speak freely as they did therefore are a False Prophet who sayst The Lord saith when he never spoak to thee but runnest and the Lord never sent thee and therefore thou profittest not the People at all as is manifest by the Fruits of thy Ministry and thus thou wast a Deceiver before I was born and the Lord hath Raised me up to Tell thee of it Qu. 2. Whether is thy Call and Means which thou professest Mediate or Immediate Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou say'st It was both For say'st thou Besides the Immediate aforesaid thou wast ordained a Minister by the Superiours and Governours of the Church as the Elders and Pastors of the Churches were formerly by Paul and Barnabas Acts 14. 23. But thou say'st Thou doubtest whether James Parnel well was called either way to be Teacher if so let him prove it by an Infallible Testimony Rep. Those that have an Inward Call to the Ministry do not stay for an Outward Call by Man but go forth in Obedience to the Word of the Lord Whosoever was called to the Ministry of the Gospel it was Immediately and not Mediately but thine Mediately by the Will of Man and not Immediately as before is proved and also out of thy own Mouth art made manifest For thou say'st Thou doubtest whether I was called either way But if thou wast Called and Guided by the Spirit of the Lord thou wouldst know without Doubts whether I was so called yea or nay for the True Ministers were Epistles writ in one anothers Hearts And they also know the False Prophets and the False Apostles and the False Ministers and declared against them as I do against thee and without doubt I do know thee to be a Deceiver by an Infallible Testimony and those that thou speakest of in Acts 14. 23. whom Paul and Barnabas ordained Elders they did not ordain them Ministers of the Gospel neither sent them abroad to preach the Gospel neither allowed them an Hundred or Two Hundred Pounds by the Year as thou hast but they chose out those that were strong in the Faith and set them to watch over the Weak But those Churches were gathered by the Power and Spirit of God and were turned from Darkness to Light and were washed clensed and sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God But out of your Church cast Drunkards and Swearers and Lyars and Proud and Covetous Ones and Adulterous and Idolaters and Quarrellers and Fighters and Scoffers and Scorners and Backbiters and Envious Ones and Prophane and Wanton Ones and the like who are neither Washed nor Sanctified and then see where will be the Church of England and the Pastors Teachers and Elders and all Then you that profess your selves to be the Church of Christ will be found the Synagogue of Statan whose Minister thou art And also Paul and Barnabas who ordained them Elders were Men endued with the holy Spirit of the Lord and were immediately called and chosen to the Ministry and had a Spirit of Discerning to know who were fitted for the Eldership and all this was done without an University or serving Seven years to learn Arts and Sciences or taking Degrees without which you can do nothing And also those Superiours and Governours have nothing but what they have gotten by Art and Study and reading of others Experiences but are ignorant of the Power of God neither know whether there be any Holy Ghost yea or nay but by the hearing of the Ear but scoff and scorn and persecute those that now do witness these things and they themselves were also first ordain'd by the Will of Man And thus thou hast but so much the more manifested thy self of the World in going about to prove thy self a called Minister by the Scripture which doth altogether witness against thee And whereas thou wouldst have me to prove my Call by an Infallible Testimony I tell thee Without an Infallable Testimony I do not go neither without an Infallible Testimony do I desire to be received or owned and to this the Infallible Spirit of Truth bears Testimony in all the Children of Truth And thou that hast not an Infallible Testimony either with me or against me are still in Darkness and knowest not the Truth then far unfit to be a Teacher to others Qu. 3. Whether thou art guided by the Same Infallible Spirit that gave forth the Scripture Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou say'st That we our selves teach That all Men are taught and guided by that Spirit at times And secondly thou say'st Thou praisest God for it thou art guided and assisted by that Spirit which is alwayes Infallible
And thirdly thou say'st Thou doubtest whether any of those that are called Quakers are alwayes guided by that Spirit Rep. Here all that are guided by any Measure of that Spirit may easily see the Lyes and Confusion for thy first is a Lye That any of us do teach that all Men are taught and guided by that Spirit at Times for I deny that thou art who art now taken with a Lye in thy Mouth which all that understand our Doctrine will witness against And 2dly That thou art guided hy an Infallible Spirit is a Lye against the Holy Ghost for no Lye comes from that Spirit And again thou belyest the Spirit of Truth to say Thou art guided by it and yet canst not give an Infallible Testimony whether those thou call'st Quakers are guided by an Infallible Spirit Yea or Nay but art in thy Doubts but that Spirit is without Doubts which now judgeth thee to be a Lyar and thy God thou praisest to be the Devil the Father of Lyes who must both be tormented together Qu. 4. Whether they that are guided by that Spirit need study how or what to say Pr. Ans. And in thy Answer thou sayst Timothy had that Spirit in a greater Measure then James Parnel yet Paul saith thus unto him as in 1 Tim. 4. 13 14 15 16. And thou saist If the Apostles had been put to preach upon a short Text or Theam methodically as by long Practice in the Church is expected from you they must oft times have studyed for it as thou conceivest though if you were left at large to speak as the Spirit of God moves you and gives Matter in thou hopest some of you by God's Assistance should speak as to good or better Purpose then any who now pretend to the Spirit 's Actings Rep. Here thou hast sufficiently manifested thy Spirit and thy Ignorance of the Spirit of God to any who understand the Things of the Spirit of God and all these Scriptures which thou hast brought concerning Timothy doth not at all prove that he that is guided by the Spirit of God need study how or what to preach But Paul exhorted Timothy to the Gift that was in him which was given him by or for Prophesie for in so doing he should save himself and those that heard him which you never do by the Fruit of your Study but rather destroy them witness the Fruits of your Ministry these many Years in this Nation who have wrought no better Reformation among your Hearers and also this Scripture doth not at all prove that Paul bad Timothy study old Authors and Heathenish Commentators as you do neither to Study Arts and Sciences as you do who with your Philosophy and vain Deceit do spoil the People for thou hast manifested thy self to be altogether ignorant of the Spirit of God who by thy own Conceivings judgest the Spirit of God to be insufficient to instruct and teach the Apostles what to speak at all Times without Study when as Christ himself exhorteth them to take no Thought what to speak for it should be given them in the very same Hour for saith he It is not you that speak but the Spirit of your father that speaketh in you which Spirit speaketh not without Method which Spirit you Teachers of the Church of England are great Strangers to who think that the Spirit of God can be limited to a Text or a Theam as thou confessest you are but thou Lyar where is now thy infallible Spirit who thus speakest thy own Conceivings And therefore be ashamed hence-forward to pretend to an Infallible Spirit who hast here so openly manifested thy Ignorance of it and its Movings so that if thou wast left at large to speak from that Spirit in thee and wast shut out of thy Library and from any Text or Writing thou wouldst plainly manifest thy self to be one of the dumb Dogs that could not bark which Isaiah from the Spirit of the Lord declared against without Study For I do believe that if thou and the rest of the National Teachers whom thou confessest are tyed to a Text or Theam could tell how to please the People and get Gain without studying or speaking from a Text you would for the Credit of your Cause as thou saist for I know nothing that tyes you to it but your own Covetous Ends to make a Gain of these Scriptures and to deceive the Ignorant with feigned Words whom Peter without Study foretold of and therefore thou Hypocrite pretend no more to an infallible Spirit but with the rest of thy Brethren confess thou art void of it as many of them have done for in such Pretences thou art but the greater Deceiver and thy Folly doth the more appear Qu. 5. Whether is it as lawful now for Tradesmen Shepherds or Plowmen to preach if they be led by the Spirit of God as those that spake forth the Scripture Pr. Ans. And in thy Answer thou saist If this was wholly granted James Parnel cannot claim any Interest therein as thou conceivest for thou saist he is neither Tradesman Plowman nor Shepherd nor will take any Course to maintain himself by this Labour for he hath been tryed But herein James Parnel can plainly tell thee thou art a Lyer for he followed a Trade with his Father until the Lord by his Spirit called him from it into his own Word and so I obeyed the Word of the Lord and left my Father with his Trade as James and John did their Father in the Ship For he that will not forsake Father and Mother Lands and Livings Wife and Children and all for Christ's sake is not worthy of him in which Work neither thou nor any other can tax me for Idleness but I believe my Labour and Diligence in the same is more offensive to you Deceivers then if I had been Idle But he that would call me from this Work that I am set about into the Work of Man I should answer him God must be served before Man for if it had not been the Will of God to call me forth into his Work I should still have served my Earthly Father sooner then any other Man notwithstanding the Evil Thoughts and Conceivings of such like as thee who art given up to believe Lyes and tell Lyes but where is now thy infallible Spirit who speakest by thy own Conceivings and thus the Thoughts of thy Heart deceive thee And as for my Maintenance I need not a Law to compel it as thou dost neither am chargeable to the World as thou art who by a Law of Man takest nigh three hundred Pound by the Year of them therefore in this thou mightst have laid thy Hand upon the Mouth for thou and hundreds more of thy Brethren never followed any honest Calling whereby to get an honest Livelyhood without being chargeable to the World but were from your Youths brought up at Babylon's Schools learning her Witchcraft and Sorcery thereby to deceive the
Nations and through Covetousness with feigned Words make Merchandize of them which you now spare not Pr. Ans. And secondly thou grantst That if Men be made of God spiritual whether Shepherds or Plowmen first they may teach But thirdly thou sayst every Man that hath the Spirit in some Measure doth not attain to that Height Growth and Degree that they did who gave forth the Scriptures and therefore may not as lawfuly nor as infallibly teach as they did and thou sayst Nor canst thou discern clearly that the best amongst them called Quakers have yet reached that Degree or Dispensation of the Spirit And after much dissembling Speeches thou manifests thy light and frothy Spirit still despising me because of my Youth but thy Words are not worth mentioning And thus when thou openest thy Mouth concerning the Spirit thou manifests thy Folly and Ignorance of the Spirit so that a Babe may comprehend thee and tell thee of thy Folly And when thou thinkst of thy Beard or Age as thou sayst Confusion of Face may cover thee For though every one that hath the Spirit in some Measure doth not attain to that Height Growth and Degree that they did who gave forth the Scripture yet it doth not follow that none do attain to that Height Growth Degree and they that have attained to the same Spirit in a Measure and by the same Spirit are moved and called forth may as lawfully and as infallibly teach as they did in their Measures for the same Spirit is infallible in the least Measure and its call is lawful and thus thou shewest thou wast never called norâ—led by it who art so ignorant of it and as here also doth further appear in that thou confessest Thou discernest not the People called Quakers and therefore are blind and from thee the Secrets of God are hid and it doth not follow that they are ever the less spiritual but rather more because thou canst not discern them who pretend'st thy self a spiritual Man And thus they are attained to that Degree they can discern thee to be a Blind Guide and Deceiver of the World and therefore is thy spirit the more against them for all thy Flattering and Dissembling Speeches from thy hypocritical Heart who bendest thy Tongue like a Bow against them uttering forth Lyes in Hypocrisie and with thy scornful spirit Reproachest me with Lyes but it was thy Generation that Quaked for Fear of the Downfal of their Kingdom and therefore persecuted me and imprisoned me yet their Fear did not overtake me for I was made as willing to Suffer as they were to Afflict as knowing it was for his Cause who will make you all to Quake and Tremble who lift up your Heels against him And as thou comparest Cambridge to Jericho so the Curse of Jericho shall come upon it for its Whoredom and Sorceries and Stiff-neckedness against the Lord and his Anointed And though thou thus Scornest me and Despisest me because of my Youth yet it is because thou knowest not the Scripture nor the Power of God Qu. 6. Whether any are the Ministers or Messengers of Christ but those that are guided by his Spirit and abide in his Doctrine as the Holy Men of God were in Scripture and whether the Wind doth now blow where it listeth Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer to the first Part thou grantest That none are the True Ministers and Messengers of Christ but those that are in some measure guided by his Spirit and abide in his Doctrine But secondly thou say'st Men may think that they have that Spirit and yet be led by the Lying Spirit as Zedekiah who smote Michaiah was 1 Kings 22. 24. Rep. Herein thou markest out thy self for a Deceiver who pretendest to the Spirit it is the Lying Spirit as is before proved and so art shut on t from the Ministers and Messengers of Christ who art not guided by his Spirit and therefore abidest not in his Doctrine as is before proved by thy Ignorance of the True Spirit And therefore thou and such False Prophets as thou thus smite at and persecute us that are called Quakers because the Lord is pleased to bestow his Spirit upon us whereby we are able to declare your Deceit and manifest your Lying Spirits who have professed your selves the Ministers of Christ yet Strangers to his Spirit and Opposers of his Truth like Jannes and Jambres who are Men of corrupt Minds and Reprobates concerning the Faith 2 Tim. 3. 8. Pr. Answ. And to the second Part of the Query thou say'st That the Wiud blows where it listeth if it be not stopped yet are there many false Winds which blow likewise from a Deceitful Spirit which to prove thou quotest Ephes. 4. 14. That we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro with every Wind of Doctrine and sayest Mind this James Rep. This I do mind and still see how thou markest out thy self with thy Deceitful Spirit for if the Wind doth blow where it listeth which thou acknowledgest then what is that in you professed Ministers which goes about to stop it with Gain-saying and Persecution and would limit the Spirit of God unto a Text or Theam from which you with your deceitful spirits do raise Uses Points Tryals and Motives c. whereby many poor Creatures are tossed to and fro and carried about with your airy spirits with the Sleight and cunning Craftiness of your Brains whereby you study to deceive as thou mayest read in the latterâ—end of the Verse which thou hast quoted Ephes. 4. 14 which here shall stand against thee And so many are the Children which are tossed to and fro by you although they have both Beards and Age as thou sayest yea some are Thirty some Forty some Fifty some Sixty yea Eighty and never yet come to the Knowledge of the Truth and thus with Feigned Words through Covetousness you make merchandize of the People beguiling Unstable Souls But think not that all you False Prophets with the Beast that upholds you can stop or quench this Spirit which now bloweth where it listeth for with all the Sleight and Craftiness that you can use you shall be made to fall before it and the Fruits of your Labours shall be given you Qu. 7. Whether thou wilt own Immediate Revelation now yea or nay Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou sayest The Apostle teacheth you to pray for the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Acknowledgment of God Which to prove thou quotest Ephes. 1. 17. but sayest There are many False Lights and Delusions of Satan who too often transforms himself as an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11. 14. which thou sayest are entertained by unwary men for the Illuminations and Revelations of God's Spirit as appears in Zedekiah aforesaid which to prove thou quotest Ezek. 13. 6. 2 Thess. 2. 11. Rep. Here again thou hast marked out thy self and also belyest the Apostle for that Scripture in Ephes. 1. 17. only makes mention how the
in thy Answer thou confessest That those thaâ— are Righteous or truly spiritual need no such compulsive Law to force them for they are a Law unto themselves but thou say'st That the greatest Part of the Professors in the visible Church alwayes were and yet are Earthly-minded and neither do nor can rigâ—tly value Spirtiual and Heavenly Things Rep. But in all thy pretended Answer thou dost not at all resolve the Substance of my Query but rather in thy Silence in it dost yeild thy self out of the Practice of the Apostles and by thy own Confession it is manifest that neither you professed Ministers nor your Auditors are Righteous nor truly Spiritual for you stand in need of a compulsive Law to force People to maintain you and the People stand in need of a compulsive Law to force them to maintain you which thou confessest the Righteous need not But though you have a compulsive Law the Righteous will not maintain you and thus out of thy own Mouth thou art judged and the rest of thy Brethren to be the false Prophets who profit not the People at all And again thy own Confession proves it that the greatest Part of your Church is Earthly-minded and no Wonder while the Teachers themselves are so and thus your Church is the Synagogue of Satan which is built up of such Professors and therefore blush and be ashamed of your Ministry Oh! what have you been doing these many Years who have wrought no better Reformation and herein your shew your Ministry to be Earthly who have no better Seals then Earthly-minded Professors who stand in need of a Law to compel them to maintain you and this is as true a Saying as any thou hast in thy Book that the greatest Part of the Professors in your Church are Earthly-minded but in that thou accusest the Church in the Apostles Dayes to be the same thou art a Lyar and a false Accuser neither can'st bring any Proof in the Scripture to maintain what thou say'st but it will witness against thee for the Mulâ—itude that believed were of one Heart and one Soul so thaâ— thâ—y sold their Possessions and laid it at the Apostles Feet and it was distributed to every one according as they had need the Ministry took such Place in them whereas there were two found that were Earthly-minded yet there needed not a Law of Man to compel them And the Law of Man also was against the Apostles as it is against these now that walk in the same Steps yet they do not need a Law of Man to force a Maintenance for them from Worldly or Earthly-minded Professors as the false Prophets and Deceivers alwayes did who were alwayes sheltered and upheld by the Will of Man because they could wink at their Iniquity and cry Peace to them as thou here dost because they put into thy Mouth therefore thou flatterest them and daubest them up but it is with untempered Morter But the Commission which Christ gave to his Ministers was Take no Thought but into whatsoever City or Place they entered they were to enquire who were worthy and if they were not willingly received they were to shake off the Dust of their Feet and so leave them but is it not well known that all your Care is to take Thought where to get a fat Living instead of inquiring who is worthy there if you have but Authority from man you will have it whether they receive you yea or nay so with Shame mightst thou bring any Example from the Apostles or the Church in their Dayes who were men that coveted no man's Silver nor Gold 〈◊〉 Apparel but had forsaken all for the Gospel's sake And many of the Church suffered the spoiling of their Goods willingly by your Fore-Fathers the Chief Priests and Scribes and Pharisees who were their Persecutors as you are now of them who the Gospel do own and your Professors also who as thou say'st do not rightly value Spiritual Things such as are holden forth by the true Ministers and Messengers of God neither can because by such Blind Guides as thou art they are kept in Blindness and Darkness lest their Eyes should be opened and they come to see you and decline from you who were never tyed to you by any Command of God and therefore you are glad to make use of a Law of Man contrary to the Practice of Christ and his Apostles And as for the express Provision which the Lord made for his Ministers and Messengers in the New Testament I Reply When Christ gave them their Commission he said also In whatsoever House they entered they were to eat such as was set before them For saith he the Workman is worthy of his Meat And this is all the express Provision that thou canst find allotted to them in the New Testament and this was without any Law of Man too for there was no need of any for if they did not Willingly Receive them they were not to Eat with them but to shake off the Dust of their Feet against them and that was all the Law they were to take against such which were Earthly-minded and Regardless of them But this will not serve you because your selves are Earthly-minded and therefore will have it of every one whether they receive you yea or nay or else you have a Law of Man to take Tribble Dammage And instead of eating such as they will set before you you will have the Tenth Part of what they have by Compulsion you are such Devouring Greedy Wolves And what was before allotted to the Priests in the Old Testament is before sufficiently proved to be nothing concerning you who profess your selves Ministers of the New Testament And as for those Scriptures which thou quotest in 2 Chron. 31. 5 6 c. are also as nothing to my Query but are before answered in my last Reply but yet these shall stand to witness against thee to be a Lyar For let any who reads these Verses see if there the Israelites did shew any Earthly-mindedness or stood in need of a Law to compel them after they knew the King's Mind as thou accusest them And thus thou canst find nothing either in the Old or New Testament that will cover thy Deceit but altogether witness against thee and therefore again thou fleest into thy old Shelter which is the Will of Man by which thou art set up and upheld therefore a False Prophet and a Deceiver who abidest not in the Doctrine of Christ And it is no Pious nor Just Act for them as I said before to take away the Fruits of their Subjects Labours by a Compulsive Law to give unto such Earth worms as thee who care not how you get it so you get as thy own Mouth confesseth for thou sayest It is a Competent though not a Liberal Maintenance and yet thou canst take it and plead for it too yea and of Worldly-minded People which is altogether contrary to
by the Precious Blood of the Lamb with whom You are crucified who are in him who have put on the Wedding Garment and are admitted to the Table of the Lord and are Partakers of the Holy Union Oh ye Blessed of the Lord ye Bâ—bes and Children of the Most High who dweâ—â—eth in Purity and reigneth in Majesty who â—ath established and set up his Throne in Your Hearts in You is my Joy and great Delight yâ—a I remember You when ye were tender and springing up but by Waiting upon the Lord You â—ave renewed Your Strength and the more is my Joy made full in You and Ye are made Precious in my Sight Ye that are inward Jews of the Heart-Circumcision redeemed frâ—m Kindreds Tongues Languages and People who are come to the Heavenly Jerusalem there to worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth whom he hath chosen to bear his Holy Image which hath been so much defaced in the World and In You to exalt and glorifie his Name of Holiness amongst the Heathen and them that know him not now in this Day wherein he is visiting the Earth with Judgment and with Mercy and with a Mighty Power to call to an Account the Inhabitants of the Earth And blessed are You that have hearkened unto his Voice Ye shall sing and rejoyce when others shall weep and mourn and howl Though amongst them your Portions are Scoffings Scornings Mocking Deridings Back-bitings Revilings Persecutions Stripes Imprisonments yet have You learned to account these as Riches who know the Comforter within You and Your Redeemer to live with You I do rejoyce in all these things being now made Partaker of them I am not unknown unto You my Voice Ye know of Old O how do I long to see Your Faces but in that I am straitned for a time My Life is bound up in many of Your Hearts which makes me I cannot forget You my Spirit cannot be separated from You though my Body is kept in Strait Bonds but the Straitness will be broaken when he hath perfected his Praise in them who is my only Keeper and Supporter O ye Simple Doves who sit without Guile in Your Mouthes O how I am ravished with the Love of You when I behold You in Spirit You that have given up unto the Death to the Famine to the Sword and to the Fire and have patiently submitted unto the Father's Will and willingly sacrificed up your Darling Your Faith is unto You imputed for Righteousness and the God whom You have trusted and believed in will make You rich in him and give You Substance incorruptible and an Inheritance that never fades in measure You can set to Your Seals of what is written unto You. But some have hearkened unto the Evil Spirit which hath brought Evil-Tidings of the Good Land and such have turned Back into Egypt and joyned with the Magicians thereof to harden Pharaoh's Heart against the Innocent and filled the Mouthes of the Heathen with Blasphemous Speeches But let them go on He that is filthy let him be filthy still for he cometh quickly whose Reward is with him to give unto them according to their Doings But all things work together for the Good of You who stand in the Faith who are not moved with the Winds that blow nor the Storms that come against You who eye the Hand of Providence in all these things which bringeth Good out of Evil to You wards who abide in the Truth and stray not So as You have tasted felt known and experienced of Him so trust Ye in Him and remain in Your sure Confidence which is begotten in You by his Word and be Ye as Lights in the dark World both by Word and by Conversation that in all things Ye may be approved by the Father 's in Your Consciences as Faithful and Obedient Children every one in Your Calling wherein you are called that the Price thereof You may obtain in the End of Your Race O lift up your Heads and look up to the Father and see how he hath tendered You and how his Love hath been tendered towards You all along who hath not left You without Instructors and Nursing-Fathers who have watched over You with tender Care In much Love Tenderness am I drawn forth towards You little ones which springs from the Root of the Vine because you bear my Father's Image Long have I waited to write to You and lately I had an Opening of You which caused me to visit You with this Epistle for Ye have been oftentimes in my Remembrances though I could not write and now You must read me in that Love which Tongue cannot express and in that Epistle which is written in Your Hearts without either Paper or Ink by the Immortal Word of Life and there my Name You will know So the Lord God Almighty the Keeper of Israel over shadow you and in his Holy Presence keep You Pure and Innocent that You may pour forth his Praise in the Earth and shine as the Sons and Daughters of Sion into whose blessed Protection I You commit and do lye down with You who am a Sufferer in Outward Bonds by the Will of Man for the Innocent Seed's sake but at Liberty with the Faithful who am called Written from Colchester-Castle the 12th of the 11th Moneth JAMES PARNEL TO FRIENDS IN Essex FRIENDS TO that of God in all your Consciences I do speak which there doth witness for God which is according to the Mind of God bearing Witness against what is contrary to the Mind of God and approving of what is according to the Mind of God which in your Hearts is placed to be your Teacher to teach you to do the Will of God and how to walk up to the Mind of God and to distinguish betwixt Truth and Error and betwixt the Precious and the Vile and betwixt him that serves the Lord and him that serves him not which Light enlightens your Undestandings and lets you see the Land of Darkness where the House of Bondage is where the Righteous Seed lyeth oppressed and where the Man of Sin doth rule and Death hath Dominion which Light is your Guide out of the House of Bondage and out of the Land of Darkness and out of Death's Dominion and slayes the Man of Sin and separates you from the Children of Darkness and out from among them leads you to seek after another Kingdom where all Things are added wherein is witnessed the perfect Day where Sorrow and Sighing flees away but then out of your selves you must come your own Wisdom and Reason for to deny and whatsoever springs from self which is at Enmity with the Light and opposeth argues and contends against the Light which by the Light is condemned but if you hearken unto self then you stumble in the Way and many stumbling-Blocks lye before you Thoâ—nâ— and Bryars catch hold of you and in the Mire your Feet do stick and there you toyl and moyl in Thraldom and many
Hardships and Impossibilities do appear before you and Doubts and Fears and Questionings and Murmurings Repinings and Unbelief rise in you and many Temptations bâ—take you soâ—etimes to return back and dye in Aegypt sometimes after the Delights and Flesh-pots of Aegypt sometimes that God hath utterly forsaken you sometimes to question the very Truth of God and ready to call it a Lye and here is the wavering and unstable Mind all which ariseth ouâ— of Darkness where self stands all which comes by hearkning unto self Therefore unto the Light the Messenger of God keep your Minds whâ—ch brings the Message of Peace and glad-Tidings of Salvation unto which keep close own it lone to be your Teacher Guide and Counsellor in all the Way you are to pass and in all Things that you are to do standing in the Denyal of self with all its Ends and own the Light which leads intâ— Singleness to God out of Ends and all stumbling-Blocks it will remove and through the Bryars and Thorns it will you lead and in the Mire you shall not stick but the crooked Way shall be made streight and the rough and hard Way plain and easie for in the Light is none Occasion of stumbling but keeps your Feet from erring and straying your Tongues from Evil speaking as you hearken unto this which when you are going to the right Hand or to the left cryes This is the Way walk in it This is the Word in you from whence comes Faith which makes all Things easie and possible but without Faith it is impossible to please God and Faith is the Gift of God and so is this Word of Truth from whence Faith springs which judgeth down all Murmurings Doubtings and Repinings and all Carelesness Lightness Lustings and Earthliness and condemns the Ground from whence all these Things do spring And here the Ministration of Condemnation is witnessed which in its Time is glorious through which comes the Ministration of Peace which doth the other exceed but take Heed of getting these Things in the Comprehension to talk of but let the Time of Silence and Patience have its Work in which wait for the fulfilling of these Things that within you may read them and the Life it self may shew forth it self which dothadorn and honour the Truth and so you become the Vessels of Honour but out of Faithfulness this is not witnessed For it is the Willing and Obedient that shall eat the Good of the Land Therefore Friends see how you stand in Faithfulness to what in your Measures is made known unto you for Faithfulness is of great value and Faithfulness is as well in secret as in publick knowing that all Things are publick unto God who will jâ—dge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ therefore he that is faithful over a little is approved of God and shall be made Ruler over much but he that is â—sloathful is cast out and from him taken that which he hath These Things you have read without but now learn within and read your selves and you need not be Deceived for by the Light your Hearts are searched by it all Things are made manifest by which you are either approved or disapproved unto God in all your Words and Actions therefore by this set a Watch over all your Thoughts Words and Actions that the Righteous judge may be set up in your Hearts which judgeth down Deceit and iniquity and establisheth Righteousness in the Earth and Truth and Equity in the inward Parts and cleanseth the Heart from Evil that this alone may guide you and act you forth in all yourâ— Wayes and Doings and then self hath no Part but all Things are done in the Cross unto selâ— in Singleness unto God and he alone is glorified and the Fear and Awe is placed and the Tongue is bridâ—â—d and the Will curbed and the Heart cleansed and kept clean for it is that which goeth out that dâ—fileth Therefore I say unto you all Watch that the Pure may exercise your Minds which is the Cross to the Carnal which crucifies the Carnal and mortifies the Deeds of the Flesh and establisheth Purity in the Heart and brings forth the Fruits of the Spirit which is Love in a pure Life that here you may come to live and walk and grow together in Unity in your Measures for that which separates from the Unity is self which causeth Love to wax cold but in the Love of God abiding self is denyed for where self is owned the Love of God is denyed So here is the Enemy of your own House that you are to war against and in the Light which discovers self is your Power and Strength and as you receive the Light you receive Power to deny self in its Appearances which Power reconciles your Hearts together and works you into perfect Friendship Unity which stands not in the Will but in the pure Nature which is the Cross to Will which Nature the World cannot bear which Nature breaks the World's Fellowship Love and Friendship all which stands in their corrupt Wills wherein stands all their Customs Fashions and Traditions and all their Worship and Profession out of which also ariseth Persecution against you who dwell in the pure Nature and the single pure Language which their corrupt Wills cannot bear nor savour but look not out at what they can do unto you knowing that the uttermost is but to take the Life of the Body but eye the Lord your God in it and count it your Riches that you are found worthy to suffer for Righteousness sake for through many Tryals and Tribulations you come forth pure unto the Lord and strong in the Faith So the Lord God of Power be with you and by his mighty Power keep you low and watchful in your Conditions that your Eternal Good you may mind above all Things under the Sun that every one in the Truth received you may walk and grow daily dying unto the Things that perish that in the Life of God you may come to dwell out of the Creatures and then the true Use of them will be given you and the pure Wisdom as it was in the Beginning when Man was in the Right to the Creatures and here Paradice will be found but he that believeth maketh not hast but by patient continuing in well-doing you will reap if you faint not wherein I bid you you Farewel Dear Friends It was the Love of God in me which run forth to the Seed in you which constrained me to write unto you and visit you with this Epistle now my bodily Presence is by the corrupt Will of Man barred from you yet my Spirit doth not cease in your Behalf that the Lord by his Power by which he hath awakened you out of Sleep and caused his Witness to answer to his Truth would bless and prosper this his happy Work in your Hearts to the bringing forth his precious Seed to rule and have Dominion that so his glorious
Light may shine forth in your Conversations and his Beauty appear in your Image that the Heathen may be ashamed and â—ear before the Lord your God And here my Friends is my Comfort in the midst of Bonds yea if this Body was to be sacrificed up it would not abate my Joy that I have in you in whom the Work of God prospers Therefore I do charge you all in the Presence of the living God whom ye do profess in his Fear to abide diligent and circumspect that you grieve not the Spirit of God nor cause his Holy Name to be blasphemed lest you add Affliction to the Bonds of the Gospel From Colchester Castle in the 9th Month 1655. This from a Friend who is known in Spirit who for the Innocent Seeds sake suffers the Bonds of the Gospel JAMES PARNEL Another Epistle to Friends FRIENDS TO the â—ight of Christ Jesus in You all bring Your Deeds by it to be tryed and proved which Light in You all is the Heartâ—Seacher and Tryer which as you take heed unto it will not let you be idle or sloathful or careless nor let You set lâ— in a Formal Way or Carnal Security but will let you see the Ground and End of all Your Actions and Actings and will prove and try Your Hearts and let You see how Your Hearts stand towards God and what therein is Head and Ruler so that none of You may be acted by a False Spirit which begets into a False Liberty out of the Cross but that your own Wisdom and Reason which argues against the Light for a Liberty out of the Cross may all come unto the Death of the Cross to be mortified for all that in You which would not be tryed by the Light springs from the Enmity against the Light and is for Condemnation by the Light to which Light in You all I speak which is the Cross to Your Wills that by it You may try all Your Wayes and Actions For all You that are Bowing and Crouching and Uncovering to the Creature You are still in the Old Nature where old things are not past away but are still following the Customs of the dark World worshipping the Beast which all the World wonders after and worships for that iâ— the Beast even proud Lucifer the Lust in Man which would be honoured and bowed to and exalted which so swells in Wrath and Rage and Persecution against those that cannot worship bow to nor honour it to which No Worship nor Honour is due for Dust is the Serpentâ—s Meat And from this Beast in Man did this Persecution ever arise against this Righteous Seed which could not honour nor worship him as you may read Rev 1â— All the World wonders after the Beast but those whose Names are written in the Book of Life and those were and are persecuted by the Beast and coâ—ld not nor cannot scarce buy or sell. And that in You which honours and worships the Beast or proud Nature in Man is that which would not bear or suffer the Rage or Persecution of the Beast but would serve two Masters and so while you are seeking to please the one you displease the other and so beguile your own Souls and are a Sâ—are to others and this Heart is not right unto God bring your Ends in so doing to the Light and you shall see it so which â—ight will not deceive you but undeceive you as you take heed unto it and are willing to be led by it which will lead you into the True Worship of the Only True God whose Worship is in Spirit and in Truth And by this Light you will see that to Him alone All Honour Glory Worship Dominion and Thanks belongs And Him that Honours God him will God Honour But this Honour is not of Man for saith he I receive not Honour of Man And here all Men are honoured in the Lord but out of the Lord none are honoured And they that are Proud and High and Lofty are out of the Lord for that is one of the seven Abominations And here by the Light all Respect of Persons is condemned and the Lord honoured in all and all in him which Light condemns the Language of Babylon and begets into the plain single Language which the Beast-like Nature cannot â—ear nor savour But if you seek to please Men you are not the Servants of Christ Gal. 1. 10. And all you that still follow the Fashions of the World wherein is Excess either in Meat Drink or Apparel you are still alive in the World's Nature being conformed like unto the World and are not obedient unto the Light which convinceth you of the Vanities of the World and the Fashions thereof therefore by the Light in your selves which condemns all that in you which would be exalted and esteemed in the World which would be like the World and have the Praise of the World which is to be condemned with the World by the Light which is not of the World And so Pride comes to be rooted out of the Heart and You crucified to the World by the Light which let you see the Vanity of the World and the Fashions thereof which â—ass away which are not to be Touched Tasted nor Haâ—dâ—ed And all the Customary Words of the World which are by the Light condemned which by the Light are seen to be invented from that Nature which knows not God whereby God is dishonoured who calls to all who will follow him To come out from amongst them and be you separate and touch no Unclean thing and I will receive you saith the Lord. Therefore touch not their Customs but keep out of their Fashions and Traditions for they are all Unclean and own thâ— Crâ—ss and despise the Shame and follow the Light out or Babylon and it will lead you into the pure Religion which is unspotted of the World and so will crucifie you to the World and the World to you But that in you that pleadeth that Scripture Custom to whom Custom that is it which is willing to remain blind in Custom to save its Life which by the Light is declared and condemned with the World which would keep in Friendship with the World and in the Love of the World all which is at Enmity with the Light and is for Condemnation by the Light Therefore to the Light turn your Minds that by it you may judge all such Carnal Ends and Reasonings which would uphold these Carnal Customs contrary to the Light which gave forth the Scripture by which you may see what Custom the Apostle there spake of in Rom. 13. 7. as you may read in Matth. 9. 9. how he sate at the Recâ—it of â—ustom but this doth not at all uphold the Customs of the Heathen that are Vain Therefore to the Light take heed that it may be your Teacher and Counsellor that from it alone you may Act and Speak and so will you find the Witness within your selves for what you Act and Do.