for if thou dost thou shalt be as Dust before the Wind the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and he will perform his Promise For this is that I look for at thy Hands saith the Lord that thou shouldst undo the heavy Burdens and let the oppressed go free are not many shut up in prison and some stocked some stoned some shamefully intreated and some are judged Blasphemers by those who know not the Lord and by those Laws which have been made by the VVill of man and stand not in the Will of God and some suffer now because they cannot hold up the types and so deny Christ come in the flesh and some have been shut up in Prison because they could not swear and because they abide in the Doctrine of Christ and some for declaring against Sin openly in Markets have suffered as evil-doers and now if thou let them suffer in this Nature by those Laws and count it just I will visit for those things saith the Lord and I vvill break the Yoke from off their necks and I vvill bring Deliverance another VVay and thou shalt knovv that I am the Lord. Moved of the Lord to declare and write this by a Servant of the Truth for Jesus's sake and a Lover of thy Soul called Francis Howgil AN ANSVVER TO A PAPER CALLED A Petition of one Thomas Ellyson late Shepherd of Easington in the County of Durham to his Highness the Lord Protector of England Scotland and Ireland and to all Emperors Kings and Princes through the World THere are many in the County of Durham that knovv that thou hast been a Shepherd lately enough and see thee vvhat thou hast been and vvhere thou hast been and vvhere thou art novv and knovv thee to be one in Nature vvith those Shepherds vvhich the Lord sent Ezekiel Isaiah and Jeremiah to cry against vvho feed themselves vvith the Fat and clothe themselves vvith the Wooll and that thou art one of those Shepherds that cares not for the Sheep and art in the Nature of one of those Shepherds vvhich the true Prophets cryed against vvhich vvere as Evening Wolves and as Foxes in the Desart And for the simples sake I am moved to lay open thy Deceit that thou art one of those Foxes thou speakest of vvhich hath Fire in their Tails and thou art made manifest to be of old Cain's Nature that old murthering Spirit and vvith thy flattering Titles which thou givest unto Men and hast Mens Persons in Admiration because of Advantage and thou art born after the Flesh the Son of the bond-vvoman vvho art petitioning to me that they may abuse their Povver and exalt themselves over the Heritage of God and thou that vvouldst have Lavvs to bind the Consciences of men to walk after thy Will thou art Anti-christ vvho art petitioning the Povvers of the Earth to make Lavvs to limit the Holy One of Israel But blessed be the Lord the Day is come that thou and all Deceivers Persecutors and Flatterers are discovered and many see thee among Magistrates that thy Spirit is the same that vvould command Fire to come dovvn from Heaven to have destroyed them vvho vvould not receive them First Thou sayest That Moses who was a Commander over all Israel that he was appointed to bear the People in his Bosome as a nursing Father and thou say'st thou art a Cryer for the Remembrance of those things that all might be carryed in their Arms now and thou goest on and tellest them that God will require the Government of his Church at their Hands Rep. Moses vvho vvas faithful and true over the House of God vvho vvas a Figure of Christ he did receive the Lavv from the mouth of the Lord he acted in Righteousness and vvhen Eldad and Madad prophesied he vvas not angry as thou art but desired that all the Lord's People vvere Prophets and all vvho vvait upon the Lord to receive the Lavv of God from his mouth novv and vvalk in the same they have the same Spirit and they vvill not limit the holy One But thy Cry that thou callest for is that thou would'st have them who are in Moses 's stead as thou say'st they are for to limit the Holy One and thou art the Deceiver the Apostle speaks of vvhich art gone into the World vvho vvould'st persvvade the Magistrates that they must govern the Church and so thou vvould'st have this Generation of Rulers to be dashed in Pieces as all the Generations have been before them in exalting themselves in the Seat of Christ when as the Prophet saith The Government is upon Christ's Shoulders and the Scripture saith He alone treads the Wine-press And therefore whosoever will assume unto themselves to govern the Church by an outward visible carnal Law shall be as sure to be broken as all the rest The Church is in God and is invisible and that which is visible and natural cannot make any Law to bind that which is unlimited but they if they do go about to limit the Holy One of Israel and would set themselves in his Seat of Judgment and take away his Glory which he will not give to any and all such as have made any Laws in their own Wills to limit Sons and Daughters they have all been broken as the Scripture witnesseth every where and therefore let all Governours in England Scotland and Ireland and all the World to whom thou writest take heed how they set themselves in the room of God and lay Yoaks upon the Necks of them who are free by the Son and are brought by the Power of the Lord from under the Breach of all righteous Laws or transgressing any which are holy and just for the Law is for the lawless the Law is not for them who are in Righteousness but the Law is for the Transgressors who are in Unrighteousness and they are those that act by that Spirit which dwells in thee who would levy Troops for the Innocent and art vvroth and thy Countenance falls like Cain and hates thy Brethren and would have a Lavv made over the Conscience and vvould have the Povvers of the Earth to abuse their Povver in turning their Svvords against them vvho live in Righteousness and declare against Unrighteousness And further thou goest on and tellest them This was a Law given to Adam and so thou pervertest the Scripture by thy Imaginations Where readest thou of such a Lavv given to Adam that he compelled his Family to Religion And further thou sayest Which Care of Government is in great neglect in this Nation upon respect to tender Consciences sundry Sects and Sorts of Schismaticks are suffered unsuppressed and they sacrifice to Dan and Bethel And thou goest on and tellest the Nobles that it lies upon their score that they should suppress them Answ. That vvhich vvas given to a particular Family or People vvhich vvas for its time is not everlasting So any that take up any Rule vvithout them to act by act not by Precept but
Saying was true then which was spoken by Christ the Power many Generations after I in them and thou in me and all was perfect in one the Father was in the Power the Power was in the Father and all the Creatures in the Power now was the Father glorified now was the Son glorified now was man in Dominion in Power crowned with Honour Lord over all the Works that God had made in the Power and now the whole Family both of Heaven and earth bowed their Knees to the Lamb to the Power and this was then fulfilled At the Name of Jesus every Knee shall bow both of Things in heaven and Things in Earth and his Name was now the Word of God and this was in the Beginning and the Word of God is the power of God and now both the caelestial Bodies and the terrestrial Bodies were all subject to the Power and all the Works of the Lord's Hands were finished and he rested and all things both in Heaven and earth rested in the Power and all kept holy Day and rejoyced Though the Heavens and the Earth were created and all things wrought and finished yet the World was not begun that lay in Wickedness which the Devil is the God of neither was the Power which is Christ the Mystery hid neither was the Lamb slain yet Now after all was made and created and were good and blessed and endued with Power Life and Vertue according to the Purpose of his heavenly Will which is eternally pure yet was not the Lamb slain nor the Mystery hid which is the Power which is Christ for what should slay him or what should hide him he that reads let him understand this that I speak of cannot be reached to with that Wisdom that stands in time which was not in the Beginning with God that is shut out but the wise in Heart shall understand Knowledge and the prudent shall know what hath been in the Beginning and of his wonderful Works in the Dayes of old and of the Mystery which was before the World began when the Lamb was in Glory the Son in Glory Christ in Glory the first born of every Creature and was born before the World began he that hath an Ear to hear let him hear when all that God had made and brought forth by the Word by the Power was blessed and stood in the Power then did the Lamb sit in his Throne then was he the Delight of God and God in him and all that was made by him rejoyced in him here was Love here was Glory here was Purity Unity and a sweet Harmony Joy Peace Love eternal Life God's Power ran through all all was good Christ was not now hid he shed himself abroad and all things were Partakers of his Power in which they were made here was Happiness Blessedness Joy Dominion everlasting and eternal Felicity Innocency Purity and Perfection and man in it God in it the Lamb in it man in it after his own Image the Mystery of Godliness was not hid there was nothing to hide it or overshadow it no Vail no Covering but Righteousness was manifest and was the Covering of all Innocency the Cloathing of all Purity the Robe of all and Life the dwelling Place of all and all the Works of his Hands rested with the Father with the Lamb with the Word with the Power with Christ in Glory with the Father in the eternal Glory whereby all was upheld in Purity Unity Harmony answering the pure Will of God and man had Power to answer the Will of his Maker which he received from God the Father of Life by the Power in which he was made and to abide in the Will of God forever and herein he and all things in Heaven and the whole Family thereof and all the holy Host of God bowed to the Lamb's Power and he reigned and the Angels were subject to the first-born of every Creature before the Angels or before any thing was made he was his Age who can declare or his Generation his Age runs parallel with Eternity with Immortality came from the eternal Womb and from the Bosome of the Father where he is even where he was before the World began he that reads let him understand now the Power ruling in all and over all all were in Peace and was blessed Now the Angel stood in his Power moved in his Power and all the caelestial Bodies went in and out at his Command and moved not nor stirred not but when he moved and this was then fulfilled let all the Angels worship him and so they did reverenced him and were subject to him sang and rejoyced in him triumphed in his Power and all the holy Host moved at his Command and marched on in his Strength to perform his Will and to accomplish his everlasting Purpose and to fulfil his eternal Decree and gave Glory to him who sate upon the Throne of Righteousness and judged in Righteousness forever and ruled in Righteousness forever there was Joy in Heaven the Father rejoyced the Son rejoyced the Angels rejoyced the Morning Stars sang the Sons of God shouted for Joy the holy Host gave Praise and all praised in the Firmament of his Power in which they stood moved walked lived and accomplished the pure perpetual and eternal Decree of their Maker Moreover the terrestrial Bodies were all subject to him he reigned in all over all moved all gave Life to all and was the Life of Adam of the Male and the Female and then was this fulfilled even then which was spoken in time though by him who was before all time who was the Life of all things I say he lived then and because he lived Man lived also for he was his Life now Christ the Power reigned over all and all in the Lamb's Power were subject in a sweet Harmony answering the pure Will of their Lord their King that lived forever who was upon his Throne in the Heavens and now his Kindgom was over all there was Joy in Heaven there was Peace on Earth the good Will of God was done in Earth as it was in Heaven Oh beautiful oh glorious oh comely oh admirable oh incomprehensible was the Glory my Tongue cannot express and time would fail me to declare the eternal Excellency which God hath revealed by his Spirit and that which I see is not lawful now for me to utter now were no Mountains nor Hills to hide the Mystery but it shined upon all in all over all and above all was not hid as I said there was now no hiding Place that could or did overshadow the Mystery of Godliness for the Eyes of all things looked upon him whether Caelestial or Terrestrial and all and every thing according to its Kind rejoyced in the Light of his Countenance and of his Power was glad and gloried in him for then there was not another he that can hear let him Now the Earth rejoyced and the Floods clapped their Hands now the great
understand that here was seventeen years that he preached publickly before that and where was his Ordination Many of the Brethren who were scattered abroad in the Persecution that was at Jerusalem went every where preaching the Word of God and when or where were these ordained And who ordained the Brethren that were persecuted after Steven's being put to death who travailed as far as Phenicia and Cyprus and Antioch preaching the Word and the Hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and were turned unto the Lord Acts 11.19 20 21. yet these things I bring not as to deny but that many went out with the consent of the Church and many were ordained and many were ordained Elders who were grown up in the Truth and established who had received the holy Ghost by whom many were confirmed and strengthned in the Faith but what is all this R. I. to your Ordination and who ordained you the Pope a Bishop or a Council or a Parliament and what are they you ordain Such as learn the Art of Speech seven years at Oxford who have read Homer and Aristotle Plato and Diogenes and learn to play on a Fiddle these are no Mechanicks but gifted Men indeed and qualified and fit to be ordained and made Ministers Pastors and Elders to carry abroad the Traffick of Mystery-Babylon but this R. I. is very peremptory and saith it is utterly unlawful for any that are gifted to preach the Word contrary to the Apostle's Doctrine who saith as every one hath received the Gift so let him administer and not such as R. I. would have to be Ministers who have learned an Art to speak and this must be called a Gift and a Qualification and a fit Man to be a Pastor and thus they have ordained one another and have set up a Trade of preaching and with their confused Stories have filled the World with Darkness And as concerning an infallible Spirit saith R. I. None except Christ who was without sin can challenge it or lay claim to it and I may say of such Runnagates and wandering Stars as this F. H. and the Quakers are as John did 1 John 2.9 They are gone out from us because they were not of us Answ. However this R. I. hath cleared himself and the rest of his Brethren for being Ministers of Christ for they do not only deny an infallible Spirit neither look to be made Partakers thereof but quite shut out all the Saints from enjoying it and though in Christ the fulness of the Godhead dwelt who was full of Grace and Truth he is the Root from whence all that believe come to be made partakers of his Virtue and so many of his Members may lay claim to it as they have received it by a free Gift according to the Promise of Christ I will send you the Spirit of Truth whâ—ch shall lead you into all Truth and the Apostle had received the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus who had freed him from the Law of Sin and Death and the Sons of God had received it and they were led by it and the Ministers of Christ were made Ministers of it who hath made us able Ministers as it is written not of the Letter but of the Spirit and that Spirit was infallible and true and that Spirit which they declared of was an unerring Spirit and as they were led by it they erred not but were kept by it that the Evil one touched them not and they spoke from it and ordered the Church in it in the wisdom of God But what do these Men minister from who wait not to be made Partakers of this but deny that ever any had it or ever shall have so are but a company of Dreamers and tell their dream that they dreamed in the Night or at best steal the Words from their Neighbour and say Thus saith the Lord when God hath never spoken to them And though thou mayest say we are Runnagates because we sit not dreaming over thirty or forty Families twenty years but travail from City from Country to Country to publish the Word of Truth freely as the Apostles Ministers of Christ did we must by such as this R. I. and his Brethren who have gotten Holes and Nests in the Earth to creep into be counted as Runnagates though John said They are gone out from us because they were not of us this he spoke of them who went out of the Light in which he and the rest of the Disciples had Fellowship with God and one with another and they that went out from this went into the Spirit of the World and you are such as they that are gone out already and blasphemously call the Light of Christ Ignis fatuâ—â— and so all that fear the Lord will come out from you and out from Babylon where the Blood of the Prophets hath been shed and the Witnesses killed you who deny an infallible Spirit are like to be in blindness and follow the Spirit of Error for you have nought else to cleave unto And further R I. saith when the Lord said by Joel that he would pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh and his Sons and his Daughters should prophesie the Prophet speaks not of a ghostly Power to open the Kingdom of Heaven given by Christ to his Apostles and Successors but of an extraordinary Measure of enlightning Grace and a more copious effusion of the Spirit and also to Pastors to whom more is given more is required and this Text doth not prove that all Sheep shall be Pastors and all Schollars Teachers An. Nay this Text doth not prove all Sheep to be Pastors neither all that are taught to be Teachers for all are not Prophets neither Pastors nor Teachers for as Christ said the Labourers are but few but this Man 's afraid that there should be too many indeed there are too many hireling Loiterers that are ready to supplant one another for filthy Lucre though many may be said to believe yet all have not received the Spirit of prophecy or a Gift to be Pastors but only they to whom it is given of the Lord for the Work sake yet notwithstanding they who have received it ought not to be limited either Son or Daughter for they who do quench the Spirit and dâ—â—pise Prophecy as this R. I. doth and how should he do otherwise seeing he hath denyed the infallible Spirit from which all the Ministers ministred and all the Prophets prohesied and spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost but R. I. saith the Prophet spoke not of a Ghostly Power to open the Kingdom of Heaven if by ghostly Power he means the Spirit 's Power as I believe he will not deny then was it not by a spiritual Power Sons Daughters prophesied and did not this Power open the Kingdom of Heaven and if it be a more copious Effusion of the Spirit which is given under the Gospel then the Law
and Vexation unto the Spirit of God in any in the Spirit of Christ which is but one in all I am burdened with them and do bear a Part of their Grief I speak without Ostentation or Glorying for what have I to glory in any but the Lord or to rejoyce in but that which all the World hates because it testifies against it and therefore we are become the Objects of Scorn and Hatred in this World by them that are of it who glory in Sin who rejoyce in Iniquity whose End is Destruction and perpetual Misery and their Rejoycing shall be turned into endless Sorrow and Grief Elected of God our Portion in this World is to be Sufferers in it and by it because God hath chosen us out of it and its Nature therefore we are hated despised and persecuted in our Generation like as all the People of God were in former Generations we cannot be exempted from drinking of the same Cup which Christ the Heir of all things drank neither be exempted from being baptized into his Suffering and therefore Christ told his Disciples In the World ye shall have Trouble and the Apostles and Ministers and Believers in Christ did drink of the same and were baptized into the same Baptism and therefore testified That them that will live godly in Christ must uffer Persecution for the World loves only the Children of it but alwayes hated the Children of God and them that were redeemed out of it and they bore Witness against it and the Works thereof it 's no new thing or strange thing for it 's that Portion which all the Prophets and holy Men of God were Partakers of Christ and the Apostles and all true Believers in every Age and the nearer any came to be unto God in their Life and Practice the more they were hated and the more vilified slandered and evil spoken of sometime by the Jews sometime by the Heathen and now by the Apostatized Christians for the Nature is one through all Ages and Diversity of Names in Profession do not at all alter Man or Men at the Heart the Jews who professed God in Words and cryed up the Temple and Moses and the Law in Words slew the Prophets and laid false things to their Charge Jeremiah when he prophesied against Jerusalem and spake to the Princes and Rulers when they were revolted from God in the Dayes of Zedekiah and denounced Evil against the City and People because of Transgression they put him in the Dungeon and where his Feet sticked in the Mire and said He was fallen away to the Caldeans and did alienate the Hearts of the Jews from them and their Law and despised their Government Christ was accounted a Friend of Publicans and Sinners and had a Devil a Transgressor of Moses's Law though he came to fulfil it and an Enemy to Caesar and a Blasphemer and what not who said so the Elders the Doctors the Rabbies and Rulers of the People and they crucified him as an Evil-doer though none could convince him â—â—â—in the Apostles of Christ as seditious Men Ring-leaders of Sects Authors of Uproars Turners of the World upsiâ—e down as disobedient Enemies to Peace as discontented Men with the present Laws and Customs then established and judged as not fit to live And therefore many suffered long for holding out their Testimony faithfully they had received and last of all suffered Death not as Saints and Prophets but as Evil-doers at last some by the Jews some by the Heathens The primitive Christians of whom the World was not worthy were falsly accused by the Romans Heathens and Pagans in the great Persecutions that arose were evil spoken of and falsly represented and rendered odious and as Objects of Hatred through the Envy of the Devil because they opposed his Kingdom of Darkness Tertullian saith The Heathen commonly reputed the then primitive Christians incestuous men Killers of Children Enemies of all Mankind Enemies against the Gods against the Emperours against the Laws they made an Out-cry upon them it 's not lawful they should live And when any Judgment did befall them Augustine saith it was become a Proverb Our Rain fails us because of these Christians and Eusebius saith The Religion of Christ was called the Heresie of godless Christians Likewise after the Name of Christ and Christians became in Repute and Esteem many Hypocrites and Formalists took on the Name when it was countenanced by the Kings and Princes of the Earth and then turned against them that were more in the Life and Power then they were as the Bohemians and the Waldenses and first Protestants in Germany how were they branded with Heresie and Schism as seditious factious Enemies to the Laws Church and State and to the Princes and how was the Hatred of the Pope and Emperour kindled against them and War raised upon them and many suffered Death in their Account as Evil-doers who persecuted them Likewise come nearer our own Age in the Dayes of Queen Mary how were the best of Men and the best of Christians in that Age censured as Enemies to the Queen 's Lawâ— and Government Enemies to the Church seditious Hereticks and such as were not fit to live and therefore many suffered in the cruel Flames of Fire and did undergo many great Torments and Sufferings and last of cruel Deaths many suffered and by them called Christians and yet slew him and persecuted him in his Members Last of all God hath brought us forth in our Age to bear witness unto him and unto that Life Power and Light by which we are quickned and raised out of the Grave of Sin and Death to live unto him and serve him in Newness of Life and to confess unto his holy Name and Power by which we are saved illuminated and directed and to worship him in Spirit and Truth according to the Manifestation of his Spirit to us and in us and according to the Scriptures of Truth for the Lord God of Heaven and Earth judge and all his holy Angels and all just Men that are anointed with the holy Unction that know Truth from Error whether we hold any thing either in Doctrine or Practice but that which the primitive Christians bear Witness of and also the Scriptures bare witness unto and that which we are perswaded in our Consciences by the unerring Spirit of the Lord which doth give us Assurance of his Acceptation and Peace in our Hearts And how often have we declared our selves both by Word and Writing which is sufficiently manifest unto all who have not wilfully closed their Eyes and stopped their Ears against us that we are of no other Faith Hope or Religion but that which Christ and his Apostles and primitive Christians were of which they did hold forth both in Doctrine and Practice as in Respect of Worship and how peaceably and humbly we have walked towards all Men without seeking the hurt or detriment of any thou righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth knowest and
is but to set Bryars and Thorns in Battel against the Lord. Thy Book thou callst Hell broke Loose or a History of the Quakers published to preserve Christians against formality of Religion and Apostacy and to the intent that thy Book might not grow old nor stick upon thy Hands as such other moudly stuff hath done thou saist London Printed in the Year 1660. and so hast Printed a lye in the Frontis-piece of thy Book thy Book by that time thou may'st hang up with old Almanacks or sell for waste Paper and if thou beginst with a lye and Scorn how dost thou think that this will be an Antidote as thou callst it against formality and Apostacy Is not a Lyar an Apostate is not he that pleads for Popish Trumpery a formalist in Religion without the Power he that reads but thy Title page may see what thy Book is within if he go no further the Covenant of Death is not yet broken in thee and the agreement with Hell is not yet disannulled and therefore all this Smoke is come out of the Pit in which thou delights to dwell And is this such a worthy Piece in thy account that thou must needs shelter it under the Wings of the Officers of the Army of England Scotland and Ireland art thou so great a Friend to them and in thy Book tell'st them they were the in-let of Heresie and Blasphemy who art but yet an Episcopal stem or at best a Presbyterial Branch I believe many amongst them will savour thy Spirit and know what Uniformity and unity thou art for which may be more properly called deformity and Enmity and so thy Flattering Epistle when they see thy Spirit will hardly merit thanks and so that wicked Spirit which could not be satisfied in the time of the former Parliaments and Protectors still persists in the unsatiable desire to see if the Army will gratifie thee and turn Persecutors but thou hast mist it far in crying a confederacy to the reverend Pastors or Priests of Scotland the Army knows right well or at least might do that the Priests of Scotland whom thou so reverencest have been alwayes Hinderers and Obstructors of the Way of God and of his Work these divers Years instance two â—o three Hundred of them before the sight at Dunbar who Prophesied all like Zedekiah for the poor Scots against the English Army to go up and Prosper and Cursed them and Excommunicated them and gave them up to Satan and for Distruction but such Prophets were made fools and their divinations were Madness and God gave a sufficient Testimony against them and their deceived Followers which I hope the English Army have not 〈◊〉 forgotten and for the Scotish Priests and their Doctrine and Practice 't is so grosly ignorant and abominably Prophane as I believe many of the Army do right well know but such as are not satisfied I refer them to a Book called The Doctrines and Principles of the Priests of Scotland wherein may be seen their deceit and how some of them have said they had Reason to curse the Magistrates from morning to Night because that Allowance was granted unto any to Worship God in Spirit and Truth who could not be subject to their Traditional uniformity and thou tellest the Army in thy Epistle That ruin is like to come upon all Religion and Piety if God prevent it not by you or some other way they may see what Religion thou art of which may be rather called Irreligious and Impious the Government of Religion and Piety lyes upon the shoulders of him who is a wonderful Counsellor and mighty to save and able to defend them that are subject to him and wouldst thou have the Souldiers or any others intrude themselves into Christ's Throne unto whom all Power is committed both to make Religious and preserve pious them that do believe in him this were to derogate from the Honour and Power which belongs to Christ who is the Head of the Church who will not give his Glory to another and let all take notice of this that whosoever hath sought to take Honour from him and glory from him he hath laid their honour in the Dust and their Glory is become as the moth-eaten Garment as hitherto it hath been evident and thou tellst them They know the Scripture is God's written Word and a Holy perfect rule of Faith and Practice and that it holds out that Christ is now in his human glorified Body in Heaven If thou hadst said the Scripture are the Words of God written thou hadst said something for the Word of God is one thing and the Words are another though the words are a Testimony of the Word and the Word and the Spirit which is one which gave forth the Words are the perfect Rule and Foundation of Faith which was before the Words and is greater then the Words as we have often declared to thy dearest Generation though they would not hear and where doth the Scripture hold forth a Human glorified Body in Heaven thy deceit and ignorant mind holds out a Human glorified Body we say according to the Scriptures that Christ's Body is spiritual and he is raised a spiritual Body and is Glorified in a spiritual Body and in a Heavenly Body which thou never knewest neither art like while the Nature lives in thee in which thou now stands And thou say'st in thy Epistle that one day in seven should be set apart for rational Souls to mind the things of Eternity And which is that Day that thou wilt set apart some of Babylon's Merchants have cryed up one day and some have cryed up another day and some have called the seventh day the Sabbath and some have called the first day the Sabbath and whether was Sabbaths made for Man or Man for Sabbaths and whether was dayes made for man or man made for dayes all time is in the Hand of the Lord and they that have Communion with him do mind the things of Eternity every day and so they come to know the day of the Lord in which rest is given to the Soul and the Creature hath rest though he labour in the Creation when that is done away in himself which hath Opprest thou may'st go learn what this means In thy Post-script as thou callst it thou saist If any shall take offence for thy seeking to civil or Military Power to Support Religion thy defence is thy belief is That thou ought to seek to the higher Powers to support Religion and this is the Liberty of thy Conscience and that this thou may do more acceptably then they who Cross their own profest Opinion as they have done of late Years by motions Counsels Books and Papers which they have delivered for these many Years for â—he pulling down the Ministry and Steeple-houses and that their importuning the Magistrate to pull down Ministry and Worship is a yielding of the Cause I say thy belief is without the true Foundation and so
witness the breaking of the Bread which is the Body and in this answer there is not one word of Church Fiftly E. B. In answer to Firmin his words thou hast perverted and would bring this as a contradiction of R. H. thou saist He allows only the Wicked and Ungodly to read the Scripture such as the Scribes and Pharisees and not the godly And not the godly is thy own Addition he spoke concerning the Scribes and Pharisees who thought to have Eternal Life in the Scripture he saith this was spoken to the Pharisees and not to believers yet Believers are not excluded from reading the Scripture for them it pertains to and they understand it but thou art like the Spider where the Bee gathers Honey gathers that which is corrupt and in thy conclusion of thy Story thou takest in Hand to supplicate God and thou saist it is for the help of them that need it this thou might have spared till the old Prelates had come up again it may be some Synod of them will add to the Book of Common-Prayer thy late Service and Worship dost thou think the Lord will hear thy Hypocrisie and Lyes without returning his Judgment on thy Head Thou tellest of some that set light of Christ and his Blood and Word thou art one of them that set light of Christ and count his Blood as a vain thing as thy own Words in thy Book shall testifie where the Reader may observe when we have testified of the true Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World who is the Way to the Father thou hast set down out Words for Blasphemy and Error when divers of them are the Words of Scripture and none of them but the Scripture will testifie unto against thee and as for the Blood of Christ and the Blood of the everlasting Covenant thou countest a vain thing and an unholy thing even which cleanseth from Sin and bears witness against it and subdues it and makes them that receive it Conquerers over Sin but thou that cryest out against Perfection or Freedom from Sin and countest this Error and Blasphemy thou denyest that which sanctifieth and cleanseth from Sin and counteiâ— it unholy and vain and so if the Lord should hear thee and grant that thou prayest for Destruction would come upon thee and thou art one of the formal Professors that had Need to repent of thy Deceit before thou canst pray unto God either for thy self or others but Enmity and Wickedness lodges in thy Heart against the Lord and the VVay of Truth and thou hast resisted the Counsel of the Lord against thy self and therefore VVoes Plagues Thunders and Storms are truly thy Portion and nothing else must thou expect which undoubtedly will come upon thee except thou repent and it will be hard for thee to find a Place of Repentance for it is yet hid from thine Eyes So I have answered thy lying History by which thou would'st inchant Peoples Minds and have discovered thy Deceit and thy Poison which thou hast put in that thou callest an Antidote that so the Simple may not be deceived with thy Lyes and Cheats neither the innocent betrayed only I shall return a few of thy Lyes upon thy own Head which thou hast forged up against the Quakers out of thy corrupt Heart and out of the lying Stories of the Priests with whom thou art in League but he that sits in Heaven laughs you to Scorn and all whose Eyes the Lord hath opened will have thy lying Story in Derision and loath thy Enmity and testifie against thy Spirit as not to be of God And because thou hast said in thy Advertisement to the Reader That thou hast not knowingly wronged the Quakers in the least I say thou hast either knowingly or ignorantly wronged them and of both thou must repent before thou findest Mercy and because thou tell'st the Reader thou wilt make good every Thing thou hast charged against them to any who require it I do require thee to make these ensuing Things good 1. That the Quakers deny the Death and Ascension of Christ. 2. That we deny the Divinity of Christ. 3. That the Priests under the Law that took Tythes did Evil and for it were counted false Prophets and Deceivers 4. That a man is just fled by the merits of his own good Works 5. That the ignorant may not read the Scriptures 6. The Quakers are a carnal and bloody People 7. That the Quakers are bewitched and possessed by the Devil 8. That Christians are worse then Beasts 9. That the Body of Christ is not in Heaven 10. That Christ as man had his Failings 11. That man is not reconciled to God until he can stand by his own Power 〈…〉 12. That Christ was a single man true man and dyed for us 13. That without the Grace of God a man may keep the Commands of God 14. That they deny the Relation of a Father a Brother or a Wife 15. That all that the Quakers have suffered is for evil-doing being Malefactors These among many others thou art required to prove and to make good as thou hast promised or else forever stop thy lying Lips own thy Condemnation for thy Envy and false Aspersions and these things I lay at thy Door as Lyes see how thou wilt clear thy self in the Sight of them unto whom thou hast written thy Story many filthy and ungodly Stories are besides in thy Book which I shall not trouble the Reader or cumber his Mind with thy filthy Stuff but in what already declared thy Deceit will be made manifest and laid open and Truth cleared from thy Lyes and that will be Satisfaction to him who desires that all who love the Lord may be kept out of the Snares and Temptations of the Devil who goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour and thou may'st see whose Foot-steps Thomas Underhil hath trode who hath ranged up and down from Age to Age from Nation to Nation from one Region to another to fetch up Lyes and fabulous Stories to resist the Truth withal whose Reward will be according to his Works FRiend consider what thou hast done Oh how hast thou brought a Vail of bad Report upon thy Name amongst all that fear God and how hast thou hurt and wounded thy self by thy own Wickedness and the Scripture is fulfilled upon thee The Wickedness of the wicked shall slay him what hast thou no better Use to make of thy time then to spend it with inventing Mischief against a despised People that seek not the Hurt of my one but thirst and wait for the glorious Appearance of the Son of God And what thou hast sought to do against them shall be the Weight upon thy own Conscience in the dreadful Day of God whose 〈◊〉 Judgments thou canst not escape Alas for thee poor man thou secuâ—e Child of Babylon whose Strength is Weakness and whose Wisdom is meer 〈◊〉 in the Sight of the Lord the
a Company of wild Bears rending and tearing and stop Gloves and Napkins and bind Keys over their Mouthes that they may not speak the Word of Truth amongst yâ—u contrary to Primitive Order And as for the Doctrine of the Quakers many who know it better then thee know it to be dâ—structive to nâ—â—hiâ—g but to the Doctrine of Anti-christ and such ungodly Doctrines as thou hast laid down in this Book as that that Light which Christ hath enlightned every one withal is gross Darkness and worse then gross Darkness and that the Supper of the Lord is a visible Political Ordinance and suâ—h black Doctrines as these our Doctrines are destuctive unto And further thou goest on and tellest The Work against Order is Policy against Policy the Policy of Hell against the Policy of Heaven Answ. It seems your Order stands in Policy both in your Church and State and in Craft Fraud and Deceit and thou judged that Heâ—ven stands in Policy too but he that sits in Heaven laughs you to Scorn with all your Deceit and Policy And now thou comest to thy Proof and say'st That Doctrine that denyes Obedience to Magistracy in his due Subject in Effect denyes the Order of Magistracy but their Doctrine denyes Obedience to Magistracy in its due Subject therefore their Doâ—â—rine denyes the Order of Magistracy Answ. The Major and Minor are both false for we own Magistracy in its due Subject which stands in the Power of God and in the higher Power and that which leads into Order and out of Confusion and Destruction and thou must not think to fasten Stork and Munâ—er upon us for thy Proof what they did stands upon their Account and not upon ours and that mischievous Spirit of thine is that which presseth on the Magistrate to abuse his power and to intrude into those Things which belong not to him to keep up your confused Babel which thou callest a Political Church which must all be scattered with the Breath of his Mouth and with the Brightness of his coming whom thou yet judgest to be gross Darkness In thy 18th page and in the 44th page thou speak'st That visible Political Church Church-Officers and Church-Ordinances are Gospel Institutâ—ons appointed by Christ to continue to the End of the World and that Command which Paul gave to Timothy is to be kept and that visible Political Church Estate is to continue to the End of the World Answ. I see thou art ignorant of God Christ Heaven Church Church-Officers Ordinances and Institutions the Churches of Christ were established by and in the Power of God and the Ministers thereof ministred walked and ruled in the Power of God and the Ordinances and Institutions of the true Church of God are pure and spiritual but the Church that thou art pleading for the Continuation thereof is a Political Church Political Ordinances Political Officers Political Institutions Political Pastors and Teachers the Lord's Supper a Political Ordinance Bâ—ptism a Political Ordinance the spiritual Counsâ—l which Paul gave to Timothy about the Elders of the Church and about the Holy Practice which they were to walk in and the godly Conversation this thou calls Political nay furthermore thou saist Heaven stands in Policy and in thy fourth Chap. say'st To Christ belongs the Prerogative of being the only Politician these and the like damnable Doctrines and Heresies thou hast uttered forth and these must be proved from the first of Tim. 3.15 and Chap. 4. did Paul when he wrote to Timothy when he gave him direction about Elders and such as took care of the Church of God did he say a Bishop is a Political Officer and must be blameless or did he say a Deacon is a Political Officer and must be grave And therefore Reader thou may'st read these Scriptures 1 Tim. 9.14 1 Cor. 14.33 and thou maist see this Sophister and this man that is void of understanding who cryeth up the Scripture for a Rule of Life and yet holds such a Church such Pastors such Officers such Ordinances such Institutions which the Scripture makes no mention of and therefore this man having made a Monstrous Body a Politick Church he imagines a Head like it and therefore Blasphemously saith Christ is the greatest Politician much I need not say unto this black Dark stuff which is to be confounded which is imaginary and Deceit which the wrath of God must scatter but this I say to thee there were no Officers in the Church of Christ but they were Ministers made so by the Spirit and were made so by the Holy Ghost and were Ministers of the Spirit and not of the Letter and some were Elders and Ruled in the Church and Churches which was Sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Christ Jesus and these were spiritual and not Political but thou hast cleared and quitted your selves from being any such Church and that which you call the Sacrament which thou callst Visible and Political and bringst 1 Cor. 12. for thy proof did Paul say as often as ye eat this Political Bread and drink this Visible Political Cup shew forth the Lord's Death till he come and did Christ when he sent his Disciples to Preach and to Baptize in the 28th of March 16. which thou plead must continue until the end of the World did he send them and say go and Teach and Preach the visible and Politick Word of the Kingdom and Baptize them with visible Political Water and that this should continue to the End of the World And little marvel if the Throne of Satan be exalted among you and such Ministers as thou who Ministers deceit and Unrighteousness and Ungodliness art set to be a Teacher and appointed so by the General Court who canst not speak a Form of sound Words but like a Phylosopher a Star-gazer an Astrologian or a Stage-player which them that read thy Book will see thy Tract frothed with such black dark Sentences which are like Enchantments As for Beckold and Knipperdâ—lling and Quintinius and Poquius thou mightst have taken up thy Pen ere now and not have brought all this rambling stuff out of the History of the Germans which thou wouldst cast upon our Backs the Bishops used to cast it upon your Backs and you upon the Baptists backs but now we must bear all and thou in Envy unto us that thereby thou mightst represent us Odious to the World hast made them all Quakers and saist they are our Predecessours take them to thy self and joyn them to your Political Church and your Political Ordinances and your Politick Doctrines which is of the same Nature with theirs which you maintain and uphold with carnal Weapons as they did theirs And last of all thou art coming to the Magistrates Power in matters of Religion under the Gospel and thou saist Notwitstanding manifold Evils prevail and the Wiles of the Devil are great and malignant and Heresie which is a horrid aspect yet thou saith There is Balm in Gilead a Physician
The Quakers deny Honour to Superiours and to whom it is due and so blaspheme the Name of God and his Doctrine Ninethly F. H. would never have cryed out of Deceit but a Purpose to deceive the more Tenthly That the Quakers bid open Defiance to the Worship of God Eleventhly That J. N. did say that he was as just and holy and good as God Twelfthly That F. H. said That Christ Jesus was not glorified in Heaven with a real Body Thirteenthly Human Nature is taken for the regenerate Part of Man and the Soul Fourteenthly That the best Men though regenerate bear Nettles Brambles and Pricks Fifteenthly There is an inward Law called the Law of the Spirit of Life which is imperfect and not fit to bear rule but to be ruled Sixteenthly And the Scriptures lead us to the Spirit and encline our Hearts to the Obedience of the rule Seventeenthly And F. H. prefereth Ignis fatuus before the clear Light of God's Word Eighteenthly and lastly when he hath spoken all these Lyes and published them in Print to the World he blasphemously saith in his Epistle to the Reader Have not so much regard to the Authority of the Writer as the Truth of the Matter written by him who was moved of the Lord thus to declare So all these Lyes with many more and all these damnable Doctrines which he hath uttered forth against the Truth these things he would fasten upon the Lord's Motion and so make him the Author of Iniquity and a Cloak for his ungodly Speeches against them who love the Truth as it is in Jesus who have suffered many Reproaches for its sake and have been killed all the Day long by this Generation amongst which R. I. is who hath bent his Tongue to Mischief and his Lips to utter forth Deceit and as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses so hath this R. I. resisted the Truth being a Man of a corrupt Mind and concerning the Faith reprobate but he shall not proceed much further for in what he hath written his Folly will be manifest unto all men and them that fear the Lord will depart out of his Foot-steps which lead to the Chambers of Death and from those dark Paths in which R.I. treadeth which lead into utter Destruction Westmoreland the 15 th of the 4 th Moneth 1660. F. H. To all Friends and Brethren who have been called of the Lord into that Place of New-England to bear your Testimony for the Lord to the answering of his Witness in every ones Conscience FOrasmuch as the Lord through his infinite Love and Goodness which he hath manifested amongst the Sons of Men hath called you and fitted you for his Work and Service which he hath to do you being made Partakers through the Love of God unto you of the like precious Faith with many Brethren which giveth Victory over the World and supporteth all them that keep it in the Day of Tryal My Heart's Desire is that you may all fulfil the Will of God and answer his End in sending you thither that so you may receive your Reward my Heart is drawn out unto you in true Love being sensible of the many Oppositions that you have met with and may meet with by Reason of the Strength and Power of Darkness in those Parts where Satan's Throne is exalted keep all near the Lord and feel his Power in your selves which giveth Dominion and Victory over all the World and over all fading Things which pass away and so you will feel his Strength daily renewed in you to carry you above all Opposition and his Presence to go before you and his Righteousness to be your Reward so will you be preserved in the Peace of God and feel his Life present to refresh you in the Time of Need and as your Tryals and Travails and Sufferings for Christ do abound so your Strength and Joy and Peace and Consolation will also much more abound from his Life manifest and revealed in your Hearts keep in the Power of the Lord over all Deceit and know your own Image in every one to whom you joyn and let no Deceit come near you which may get the Words and not be subject to the Power for those will betray you and rise up in Rebellion against you and glory over you for that only which can receive you through the Cross will stand by you and the other who may receive the Truth in Words into the earthly Part will stumble at the Cross and so get a Knowledge above the Cross these will blow away as Chaff Keep in your Innocency and every one in your own and there you will come to be setled and established as Trees whose Roots are spread in the Earth which cannot easily be plucked up nor a Tempest blow down you know where the Entrance was unto your selves into the Sheepfold into the true Rest thither bring all and keep all down to that to the Measure of God's Spirit through which eternal Life is revealed and the Things of God's Kingdom made manifest and they that would climb up any other Way must come down again and them that walk in any other Way must come back again and they that would strive to enter in any other Thing are shut out forever for you know there is no Communion or Concord with the Spirit of God which is pure and that which resisteth it and gainsayeth it that Wisdom must perish it 's from below that Knowledge must fade away and come to nothing So never heed the Subtilty and cunning Craftiness of the Enemy which would twist and twine every Way to gainsay the Truth and make a Noise in an airy Sound which may satisfie corrupt Minds who vilâ—fie the Truth and set the Corner-Stone at nought look not at them nor never heed that you know in whom you have believed and no other Foundation can be laid then that which is laid already for all to build upon throuâ—h which they that do believe are made a glorious and an holy Habitation for God through the Spirit and any that declare another Way another Door another Life then he that is the Light of Men is accursed So feel hâ—s Eternal Power the Power of his Resurrection in your selves to subdue and bring under all 〈◊〉 Enemies which would hinder your Enjoyment of his Life but he is a tryed Stone and they that have tryed him have found him elect and precious and his Faithfulness Power and Might Love Life and Glory endures forever and ever throughout all the Generations of the Just who are Eye-Witnesses of his Coming Power and Glory which God out of his Everlasting Love and Kindness hath revealed unto Thousands and his Coming is known in Ten Thousands of his Saints and also with them and they with him to judge in Righteousness and to make War with the Sword that proceeds out of his Mouth which slayes the wicked and brings Death and Destruction upon Death that so Life Immortality and Eternity may be brought
them that bring them forth like them in Bedlam and what though Turks Jews Pagans Mahomet and the false Christians do pretend to the Spirit and guidance by it and yet bring forth the Fruits of the Flesh doth this make the Spirit of God void or the certainty of it to them that believe or do make their Fruits of none effect God forbid thy Ignorance is manifest but here thou ceasest not thy Tongue being thy own and thou being at liberty and speakest thy own words which in the end shall become thy Burden Thou vapours and vants over them to wit all the Nonconformists and saist What can you say for your selves any of you which these Enthusiasts who have gone before you to maintain their Errours but the Rule and judge and then thou concludes That which God hath appointed to be rule and judge to all the World and capable of being known and heard by all and cannot contradict it self nor must be contradicted by any under pain of Damnation if you cannot shew it to have been your Rule you ought to lay aside your Folly as destructive to human Society and them that have pretended the Spirit the strongest party and Sword upon the vote will prove it self the most convincing Spirit and force the weaker Spirits to submit or cry for thou concludes the Nonconformists have no other Testimony to try your contradicting Spirits in matters of greatest moment but force and success if you have I pray you inform me what it is Answ. If the Wind had not turned into another door divers Non-conformists believe we should have had another Song from thee if time had but favoured thee so far as to have granted thee priviledge of thy Troop to be Captain which Name thou holds up yet in the pride of thy Heart though thou hast lost thy force success and Pay which was the greatest plea when time was with thee and not long since too which makest thee measure every Man's Foot by thy Last and thou might receive information before thou hadst made a Conclusion had been the part of a Wise man before thou hadst set thy self as Judge over all thy former Fellowships which thou fianedly pretends so great love to and before thou hadst discovered their nakedness if it be nakedness to all the World in such a publick insulting bravado as this like Goliah of Gath and as for whatsome Non-conformists both of the Church of Rome and to the Church of England to which thou creeping and sneakingly flatters and saist it 's established and therefore thou will not meddle thou might have said dare not for thy Spirit is well enough seen by them only to have the Spirit of a Slave and not a free Member of the true Church of God and it 's no part of a Vertue nor Honour for thee to insult and glory over them who are in suffering and Adversity whenas thou darest not meddle with them who are as contrary to thee as the former this is but the Spirit of a Coward and is ignoble and base and ever so to be accounted by all the Children of Light who dare put all to venture which they do enjoy on this side of Immortality and to suffer the loss of all visible things for their Testimony and the Truth which they believe and for bearing witness against that which is contrary unto their Faith as did the valiant Primitive Christians of old and that which some Non-conformists can say is more then thou canst believe although demonstrated in the evidence of the Spirit of God with sound reason and evident Example from the Scriptures of Truth and though thou and thy former fellowships then and thy new fellowships now have made this vapour which for ought I know might lay your Hands upon your Mouths all considering what contradictory Doctrines and Fruits have been brought forth since the Night of Apostacy entred in and all the World wondered after the Beast some have this to say He that pretends to the Spirit and the thing cometh not to pass that they speak or Prophesie let him be accounted a false Prophet again they that pretend guidance of the Spirit as some formerly have done and yet bring forth the Fruits of the Flesh as variance Hatred Emulation Strife Contention Heresie false Doctrine Persecution force and violence let them be counted as truly they are Deceivers and Delâ—ders which have gone out into the World and deceived a great part of Mankind of which Rome hath not had the least share clear it when thou canst Morever he that pretends to have the Spirit of God and layes down another Foundation to build upon in matter of Faith in matter of Rule in matter of Judgment in matter of Doctrine then that which the Lord of Life and Glory hath laid down he is a Deceiver and an Anti-christ but R. E. hath laid down another Rule another way another Judge another Foundation for Faith and let himself make the Conclusion if he once dare joyn to true Judgment other Foundation can none lay then that which is â—lready laid to wiâ— Christ Jesus the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and of the Church of God by which they were all builded up as a holy Habitation for God to dwell in through the Spirit Again the Apostle saith All Judgment is committed to the Son both in Heaven and Earth and again he saith himself I am the Way the Truth and the Life and none can come to the Father but by me and again the Spirit of Truth shall lead and direct hâ—â— Disciples into all Truth and sealeth unto them their Justification Redemption and Salvation And this R. E. would lay all waste and void and why because many have pretended to it and have fallen short therefore all the aforesaid things must be laid aside as uncertain and not to be trusted unto and a certain sort of Men called the Apostles Successors who have sought their gain and worldly Interest and to enlarge their Dominions and to make themselves Lords over mens Faith and over mens Consciences whatsoever they say though never so contradictory to the Primitive Doctrine delivered in Christ and the Apostles dayes yet all must be received upon pain of Damnation as R. E. saith and this he calls the Visible Church and the infallible Judge and Rule and Director and hath laid waste the Office of Christ and turned the Spirit out of doors and made it ineffectual and would perswade all others to look to this from the Foundation and so is a deceiver and an Anti-christ Again we have this to say he that teacheth a contrary Doctrine then that which was once delivered unto the Saints is a Deceiver and deceived and this was Christ's Doctrine once delivered unto the Saints Swear not at all and love your Enemies pray for them that Persecute you do good to them that hate you And many more precepts which this visible Guide to wit the Roman Church holds not but hath made void
and thou tells of Satans Arrows which are brought into the Nations and thou tells of Ranters and Quakers and Seekers and Creepers Creatures new come from the Pit and thou sayest they resemble Samson 's Foxes which burn up faith bred by hearing the word preacht Rep. What hast thou and they that call themselves Ministers of the Gospel preached and cryed Reformation and have sided with all mens Wills and flattered all the Governours and Governments that have been changed divers times within these ten Years Have you got nothing done yet but have travailed and brought forth nothing but Wind and Division and Contention and one of supplanting another And have you tried one another and proved one another and every one preached up what he would have had and have brought nought to pass what shameless Reformers are ye Can you not maintain with your Gommissions and all your petitioning for God's Ministers for the North and you had your desire they came as thick as locusts out of the South and cannot you all with your preaching preach down those contemptible Creatures that thou speaks of And as for Ranters I deny both thee and them for thou and they spring both from one Root And I am one thou calls a Quaker and Seeker and blessed be the Lord forever more that ever I was found worthy to bear the Name in Truth for they that seek shall find and they that wait shall not be ashamed And thou blind Shepherd thou might as well have uttered forth thy venome at David Daniel Jeremy and the rest of the holy men of God and have said they came out of the pit Thou proude blasphemer God will plead with thee for deriding the Power of the Lord and thou art that Fox thou speaks of that would be devouring and have all consumed that thy corrupt sensual filthy Will might be satisfied And as for Faith thou never came to the Faith of devils who believe and tremble and thy Faith and thy Ordinances which are but Imaginations and Traditions of men the Day is discovered that shall burn them up and consume all and you shall be left naked and bare and have nothing to cover your Nakedness but you shall be as a Stink and a Proverb And whereas thou saist They preach down Ministry and means and all but those that have Knowledge miraculously infused and thou art offended because we declare what the Prophets were when they were called to prophecy and what the Apostles were before they went to preach and thou gathers thy Conclusions that they will send Princes to beg as well as the Ministry and thou sayest Nothing was more strongly charged upon Israel then suppressing of false Prophets and thou sayest shall not Christian Princes also be zealous to Suppress them that would devour the flock of Christ Rep. When wilt thou cease thy lying and slandering the Ministers of Christ we own and love which have not been nor are not Ministers made by the Will of Man and such have turned away from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to God and such a Ministry we honour but all those who stand in man's Will we deny and are bold to affirm That they run and never were sent and therefore they do not profit the People and all thy means and thy mediate Choice which is carnal we deny for none either by you or it ever had their minds changed from Darkness to Light but only brought into a Form a Husk a Shadow and made Hypocrites to profess what they were not And as for thy miraculous Infusion I deny thy Words but this I say None knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him and that Gospel that we preach we neither received it of Man nor from Man but by immediate Revelation and unto this the Scriptures witness I know Prophets and Ministers of Christ which were Shepherds and Gatherers of Summer Fruit and Husband-men at the Plow and the same Call as ever was God is not bound up to your Trade of Divination and Study and by these which are base in your Eyes shall you be confounded and be broken as a Potters Vessel And for thy Conclusion That we may send Princes to beg we deny we do not dispute who rule whether he be a Shepherd or a Husband-man we know he that fears the Lord is guided by the Light of Christ he will walk and act in Righteousnes whether he be a Prince or a Plowman and God is no Respecter of Persons nor we respect no man's Person as thou Flatterer dost but we honour the Power that is of God and are subject to it for Conscience sake we are not wrangling about the Earth we are redeemed out of it And as for Naash thou speakest on who would strike out the right Eye of Israel that shall stand for thy self for it is the True Israelite in whose Mouth there is no Guile and Jew inward that thou would'st not only strike out the Eye but also cut off their Heads And thou askest Who they are that do devour the Flock of Christ I answer they are Wolves and Deceivers such as I spoak of before that abide not in the Doctrine of Christ read thy self there and own it And thou goest on further and petitionest the Noble Princes to Consider that the Anabaptists have mightily prevailed in this Nation and thou wonderest that the Governours have not supprest and thou bringest an old Story to accuse them with out of Germany That they had Plurality of Wives and this thou say'st is like to destroy the Nation Rep. Thou art Ishmael the Son of Hagar thy Hand is against every man and Cain is the Root from whence thou sprangest for thou hast murder in thy Heart and would'st command Fire to come down from Heaven to destroy and knovvest not vvhat Spirit thou art of And as for the Anabaptists prevailing here thou hast made the Shame of your ministry appear that it hath had no more effect upon the Peoples minds that they have not been established and so they have run after every Wind of Doctrine and thou vvould'st have the Magistrates to make the People live still upon Wind And as for thy Story of Germany concerning the Baptists I have great Ground to believe that thou and thy Author may as vvell belye them vvhich thou never knevvest as to cast a Lye upon those vvhich are nearer at Hand but if they acted any such Thing as plurality of Wives let them bear their ovvn Shame do not accuse the Innocent truly I knovv no such Baptists in the Nation and it 's no more accusation upon them then if thou should'st accuse the Disciples vvith Judas and this thou layest upon the magistrate to consider lest the Nation be destroyed filthy busie mind troubling thy self and others vvith old Stories raked out of the pit to accuse others vvith vvhenas there is no such thing that is ovvned and all vvho fear the Lord deny such and
many Waters which shall make all the Potentates and the mighty of the Earth bow the Eye-lids of the morning are opened and the Sun is rising to his Height and the dark Air is scattering by the Breath of his Mouth and so all things shall appear in the Earth as they are and every thing under the Face of the Heaven shall be brought to Light and all the Powers of Darkness discovered and the Works and Workers of Iniquity shall no longer be hid but shall be discovered by the Light of the Son of God and shall be judged and condemned by the Life of Righteousness and blessed are they who know a hiding-Place in him when his overflowing Scourge passeth over the Nations which is already made ready to execute his Judgment upon the Heathen that know him not Oh! who may abide his Presence when he appears in his Power Majesty and Glory all the ungodly of the Earth shall be as driven Stubble before his Bow and shall flee before him nevertheless the Pursuer shall overtake and the Destroyer shall lay hold upon them and all the ungodly shall hear the Sentence Go ye cursed from the presence of the Lord into the Pit of Everlasting Destruction And when this Day comes upon the Nations all your Prophets Diviners and Teachers who are out of the Life of Christ who have flattered you and told you You were the higher Power and you must sit as Judges in the Things of the Father and Lord it over the Consciences of People and prescribe the Lord a Way and a Limit in your several Nations and Dominions they shall not be able to deliver themselves neither you but the Helper and the helped shall both fall together the Strengthener and the strengthened shall grow feeble and their Loins weak so that they shall not be able to stand before him who is the higher Power and the greatest Dignity who will rule over all Usurpers and over all the Children of Pride the Dragon the Beast the false Prophet and Teller of Lyes shall have their Portion in the Lake that burns Then shall the ransomed of the Lord and the righteous Seed whom the Nations have slain and persecuted the Prophets and holy Men of God and all that have been slain for the Testimony of Jesus rejoyce over the Deceit and it shall be sung in that Day The Lord God omnipotent reigneth who will ascend above all Principalities and Powers Thrones and Dominions and tread down all under his Feet that the Earth may be filled with his Glory and behold he cometh quickly in a Moment and suddain Destruction shall be upon his Enemies and the Breath of his Mouth shall make all melt away that hate the Lord and their Remembrance shall rot forever and ever Therefore oh all ye Powers of the Earth who are the Sons of fallen Adam whose Power ariseth out of the Earth in which the Devil dwells and the Serpent feeds who bear Rule but not by the Lord who sit as Judges in the Earth and yet your Judgment is from the Earth and from below know this you shall all be judged with the Just and all your unrighteous Decrees Laws Constitutions Ordinances and Edicts which are made in the fallen Wisdom you and they both together will be cast aside as a Thing of nought and must all be judged with the Just Therefore repent and turn to the Lord of Heaven and Earth that you may know his righteous Judgment set up in your Hearts and the Spirit of Injustice and Error purged out of your Hearts or else you judge not for God for all the Laws Constitutions and Ordinances which are made in the fallen Principle and fallen Wisdom to have all these in the Head or in the Memory so that he may act in a Nation or Kingdom according to the Letter of a Law prescribed in a Nation that doth not at all make a Man an able Minister of Justice or a Magistrate for God for the Root being unholy corrupt and erroneous from whence those Laws were given forth the Branches are unholy also the Ground being corrupt the Tree bad the Fruit is bad also and so all Nations who are degenerate from the Life of God their Laws and Constitutions do alwayes imbondage the regenerate so the Heart being deceitful and unrighteous such Laws proceed forth which do oppress the upright in Heart and all or most of the LAWS in all Nations are received by Tradition from Generation to Generation since the scattering of ISRAEL who received the Law from God's own Mouth by the Hand of Moses a Magistrate of the Lord and a Judge over Israel and so Heaps of Decrees Statutes and Ordinances there are in the Nations which do not answer that of God in the Conscience of every man and so that which is pure of God in the Conscience of every one cannot be subject to those Laws and Traditions but rather suffer as many Thousands have done cruel Deaths and great Oppression all this dark time of Anti-christ's Reign and of the Beast in all nations since the Apostacy and Death reigning over all the Sons of the first Adam in the Transgression Death hath breathed forth it self upon the Face of the Earth for Sin entering and Death by Sin it rules in the Heart and exerciseth his Power which stands in Unrighteousness and so all Mankind in all their acting can do nothing for God but against him and against his People who are redeemed out of the Region of Death and so all Law-givers Law-makers and Laws which stand in the Will of man and in the unrighteous Principle will the second Adam the Lord from Heaven the Restorer of Mankind utterly overthrow abolish and take away their Power for the Law-giver shall come out of Sion whoever in all Nations that ever come to see him must see him come from thence whose Appearance shall be as a Lamp that burns and he shall change the Customs the Times and the Laws and overthrow all them that stand in the Curse for he shall lead out of Death and out of its Path and from under the Law of Sin and Death that all that hear him and come to be subject to his Law shall deny all those Laws in the very Ground and bear their Testimony against them which stand in that nature that transgresseth the Life And therefore give Ear all Nations and all Emperors Kings Monarchs Lords Judges and Rulers of the Earth in all Nations he is come and coming whose Right it is to judge the Earth in Righteousness and the People with Equity even he unto whom all Judgment is committed and he hath appeared as the Son of God in the North Region of the World in Power Majesty and great Glory and hath made the Mountains melt before him and he hath dryed up all the Springs of Babylon and hath made the Cedars bow and made the Trees of the Forrest to shake and the study Oaks hath he cut up by the Roots and turned
pure Spirit if thou waitest in the Manifestation of the Spirit these Things thou wilt see to be Truth though hid and vailed from the World that lyes in VVickedness as thou comest out of its Nature I have not written for to please Men of corrupt Minds who glory in VVords and outward Appearances and glory in natural Parts and in Sounds and are erred from the Life but to the simple-hearted and for the strengthening of the weak and for the understanding of the simple and that which thou seest in the following Discourse which thou canst not close with let it alone and judge nothing before the Time in thy Wisdom that is earthly or in thy Reason but in that and to that of God in thee I desire to be approved and to nothing else and shall be made manifest in the day of the Lord that is dawning in the world and many have seen it to appear in Power and Glory wait thou in thy own particular that thou may'st feel thy own Condition and see thy own State and that which lets thee see thy own Condition will let thee see the Lord and what I have declared of him to be true I am thy Friend in Truth and wish Good to all Men. F. H. SOME OF THE MYSTERIES OF God's Kingdom DECLARED As they have been revealed by the Spirit THROUGH FAITH THE Lord God of the whole Earth who lives forever even the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and Jacob whose Throne is established in Righteousness forever who rideth upon the Heavens and shines forth in his eternal Excellency from the Firmament of his Power he is manifesting himself in his Power as in the dayes of old and revealing his Righteousness as in the Years past and pouring forth his Spirit upon his Sons and Daughters according to his Promise and they that believe come to be made Partakers of the Blessing of the everlasting Hills even the Lord who appeared at Sinai unto Moses his Servant in the Bush who rose up from Mount Seir and shined forth in his Brightness from Mount Paran and came with ten thousands of his Saints even he from whose right Hand went a fiery Law so that the People could not behold his Glory the same is he who hath now appeared in this the Day of his Power and is appearing whose Glory shall dazel the Eyes of the World whose Brightness shall make dim all the World's Glory and stain its Wisdom and shut it up in utter Darkness that it shall not appear to have any Existence or Being and the Shadow of Death shall fly away and all the haughty and lofty Princes of this World shall be horribly afraid the Beasts shall go into their Dens when the day appears and the Lambs of the everlasting Fold shall come forth and be fed in the fat Valleys where the Springs of Life compass about all the Banks and rejoyce in their Shepherd and shall say The Lord is my Shepherd which many at this Time do admire and say What hath the Lord wrought who have seen his Wonders in the dayes of old and have seen his noble Acts which the Fathers have told of who are fallen asleep and are at Rest in the Lord and now many is God bringing to see what they witness to be true and to have the same fulfilled in themselves Honour and Praise unto him forever who is the Stay Strength of all his People forever And the day of the Lord is broken and the Light hath appeared that manifesteth all Things which are reproveable and the Day-Star is arisen in the Hearts of many and they are come to see that fulfilled in their Hearts which Peter exhorted them to wait for and to take heed unto the sure Word of Prophecy until the day appeared and did dawn in their Hearts which day when it appears and to whom it appears discovereth all things and maketh all things manifest as it is declared by the Spirit of Truth in the Scripture of Truth and every Man's Work shall be tryed of what Sort it is and of what Nature it is and this day hath appeared to many Praises to the Lord who have waited for it and now they see every thing in its Ground and Rise and every tree and fruit is seen according to its kind whether good or bad and every Man's Work is obvious to every one who are in the day and upon whom the Morning of Righteousness hath appeared and the Sun of Righteousness hath shined upon whereby that is seen in every one by the Light which is truly called day by the Lord who causeth it to spring from on high which is reproveable and condemnable and also whatever is justifiable and unreproveable is seen by the day of the Lord appearing in the Heart The Day of the Lord what it is and to whom it hath appeared discovered and how it is seen GOD is a Spirit his day is spiritual and is seen with a spiritual Eye it 's pure Light pure Brightness the pure shining forth of the Lord in his glorious Excellency the pure shining forth of Eternity Life putting forth it self in its Brightness Holiness shedding it self abroad in its Glory Purity spreading it self in its immeasurable Excellency and can only be seen as it is in it self by the Children of Light that are born of it there is a natural day there is a spiritual Day the natural day receives its Brightness from the Sun the spiritual day receives its Brightness from the Sun of Righteousness by whom it 's brought forth without whom nothing was or is made or brought forth but by him who is the Fountain of Life and as the natural day receives its Clearness from the natural Sun and is discerned by the natural Eye of a natural Man and all things natural are seen and discovered by and in the natural day and are perspicuous and obvious to him that hath his natural Sight even so from the Sun of Righteousness the Lord of Glory Light and Purity the day of God receives its Brightness and is issued out from him by the Rayes of his Brightness and is discerned and seen only by the spiritual Eye of the spiritual Man who is the Image of the Father brought forth in Life and in his own Nature and Quality that is to say from God the Father of Life by Christ Jesus the Life of men the Light of the World and this is the Birth which is born from above which is of the Nature of the Father and the Son and of the day and he only comes to behold this day and discerns all things of the Father's Kingdom by it and likewise discerns all the hidden things of Dishonesty and the Works of Darkness which are brought forth by the Prince of Darkness who is shut up in eternal utter Darkness which is his dwelling-place forever which is his Residence and shall be the Residence of all the Workers of Iniquity that bear his Image forever Object But some
forth Fruit unto God and the cursed Ground out of which Bryars and Thorns do arise it kindles a Fire in that shall not be quenched but as there is a Submission unto its pure Operation it burns up and destroyes that which hinders the Growth of the Seed and it purgeth the Hearts of them that have Confidence in it from all Filthiness both of Flesh and spirit and worketh up the Creature into its own Frame and Nature and fashions and makes and moulds all that are in the Faith into the Image of the Father and so the Father's Love comes to be shed abroad in the Heart and as Wrath was revealed through the Spirit and Condemnation so now the PEACE of God comes to be enjoyed and his CONSOLATION shed abroad largely in which there is pure Rejoycing forever Unto whom the Spirit of the Father bears witness and seals Assurance of the Father's Love and of Justification with God declared None have the Witness of God's Spirit bearing witness to them and in them who have not believed in the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World by whom alone Life is begotten by the powerful Operation of Christ in them that believe in him who is eternal Light it self whose Word is Spirit and Life by which the new Creature is framed and formed in them that believe unto whom he maketh manifest his Power for unto him who is the Life of men is all Power committed both in Heaven and Earth for nothing was made or created but by him neither is any turned from Sin but by him and by his mighty Power without him is Death in him is Life and the Life is the Light of men So that none but they that are born of the Light and are begotten by him who is Light can have the Spirit of Christ who is Light to bear Witness unto them neither the Assurance of the Father's Love for only they that are born of the spirit and walk after the Spirit are justified by the Spirit of the Lord for the Assurance of his Love is not made manifest to his Enemies but unto them that are born and brought forth in his own Image in his own Likeness and Nature which is pure and incorruptible without Stain or Defilement the holy Seed which is Heir of the Promise who know the living Hope which purifies the Heart and bringeth the Answer of a good Conscience unto them that feel and witness the washing of Regeneration and have known in themselves the clean Water poured forth upon them which hath taken away the Stains Spots and Blemishes and the Defilements for where these are not washed out and the Heart cleansed from them and that believed in wherein God's All sufficiency is felt and his Power made manifest there cannot be Assurance of the Father's Love in the Heart nor in the Soul neither doth the Spirit of the Father bear witness unto such nor assure their Justification but on the contrary where Sin remains unsubdued and not taken away the Spirit of the Father condemneth the Sin and the Creature now is joyned to it and is become one with it for no Sin is brought forth but there is a Consent and an Assenting to the Instigation of the Devil although when a Temptation ariseth either within or without there may be a resisting and a striving against it for a little but the Heart not being kept close to the Spirit the Enemy often enters and so captivates the Understanding then there is an Agreement and a joyning to the Adversary and so the spirit pronounceth the sentence of Condemnation upon him who is joyned to the Harlot and becomes one Flesh and joyned unto strange Flesh which is not the Flesh of Christ the Seed and that which joyned and consented to drink of the Cup of Fornication must drink of the Cup of Indignation and Terror and bear the stroke of divine Justice and lye in Patience under it till that be cut down which hath joyned to Deceit before there can be the Remission of the Transgression or the Creature justified in the sight of God for sin is not blotted out of the Book of God's Remembrance till it be turned from and repented of neither doth the Creature stand clear in the sight of God when God judges in righteous Judgment which the Light in every ones Conscience shall answer Now he that is born of God sins not for the Seed of God remains in him which is Life And as the Creature joyns to that seed which is Heir of the Kingdom and of the Crown Immortal he comes to be made Partaker of its Virtue and Operation which seed is Christ and by his Power by which he limiteth the seed of the serpent and weakens his strength in the Creature as man cometh to believe in his strength unto whom all Power is committed the Covenant with Death is broken and that Agreement that the Creature hath made with Death comes to be disanulled by the Arm and Power of the Lord and so the Creature comes to be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption and the new man comes to live or the new Creature which is born of God which sins not comes to be framed and fashioned in the Image of the Father and the Father's Love is manifest unto him and in him and he hath the Assurance in himself The Babe that is born from above of the Spirit which is from above of which he is born and brought forth of the Just by the Just he is justified by the just God and the just Witness of the Spirit sealeth this in him and he hath the Record of his Justification For there are three that bear Record in the Earth the Water the Blood and the Spirit and he that is born of that which is pure in it self hath the Witness of all these three in himself for they agree in one that which one beareth Witness to and for the other doth the same and the Record Testimony and Witness of all these three hath he that is born from above Moreover there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one So he that is born of the Father and begotten of the Father in Christ the Seed through the Spirit he and he alone comes to feel the Father's Love made manifest in him and is justified in the Sight of the Father and hath the Record of all these Witnesses before-mentioâ—ed in himself so that he hath his Assurance and Evidence near him and in him the seal of the Father the seal of the Spirit And so when the Adversary comes to tempt and to assault and would raise up Doubts in the Mind the Evidence is near which puts him out of all Doubt that he is in the Love of God and blessed forever and happy are all they who have waited for these Things and have felt these Things and are Witnesses of these Things for Flesh and Blood hath not
setting up and conforming to a visible Practice without that will justifie you while that which is in the Transgression and hath transgressed the Life and hath disobeyed the Light in your Consciences is Head in you and above the pure that will not recommend you unto God neither can you have any Access or Acceptation with God in that State till you come out of the Waters upon which the Whore sits which are unstable and boisterous and reel to and fro and unsetled which are all to be dryed up and all the Springs cut off that nourish and you must come to the Rock before you know any thing that will endure to build upon which Rock is Christ who abides for ever but you are all gone from that which should give the Knowledge of him in your selves and do not retain him in your Knowledge neither that which gives the Knowledge of him the Light of his Spirit which shineth in your Hearts making manifest in your Hearts the Intention of your Hearts when Motions unto Evil do arise this must you all come to before God's Salvation or Redemption you come to know in your selves or have the Witness of God's holy Spirit without which there is neither Seal nor Evidence nor Assurance enjoyed or felt of the Love of God The Time of restoring is come and many are restored again into God's Covenant and are delivered out of the Jaws of Death and feel him who is the Healer of the Nations and the Restorer of the desolate Places to dwell in but first you must come to see those Places made desolate wherein the wild Nature lodges before you come to have a Share in the Restoration come off these barren Mountains where you are feeding to Christ the Life of Men who hath lightned you and wait in it that you may feel his Mind in your selves and the Signification of the Spirit of Truth from your own Spirits or else you will still err for Lack of Knowledge and perish for Want of Understanding and so lay down your Heads in Sorrow The Kingdom of God and of his Christ declared in some Measure as it is revealed what it is and where it is to be waited for and how it cometh to be revealed to them and in them that believe that all who are waiting for it may know wherein it consists and so receive the End of their Hope and the End of their Expectation and know the Dominion which hath no End THE Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion and without End God is a Spirit his Kingdom is spiritual his Habitation is sutable to his own Nature he is immortal his Kingdom is so he is Light his dwelling Place is so a pure Situation in which there is no Uncleanness nor ever shall be It 's eternal Dignity it is an immutable Being that remaineth alwayes in its Purity and Pleasantness Eternally glorious it consists in Power in Righteousness in Purity in Joy in Hope in Peace in Life in Vertue eternal in Quietness it 's a quiet Habitation it is a incomprehensible unsearchable and indeclarable Words are too short they are but as Sounds as Vails It is unexpressible in its is the Treasure-House of Wisdom out of which all that believe in him who is the King of eternal and immortal Glory come to receive of his Wisdom of his Life of his Power Vertue Righteousness and come to enjoy him who is the Fulness that filleth all things whether visible or invisible whether terrestrial or coelestial his Power is over all his Dominion is over all who is eternally Blessedness it self and Felicity it self who makes all that believe in him to partake of his Kingdom of his Grace of his Power of his Dignity of his Dominion and of his Glory caelestiall but these things are hid from the World who are not redeemed from the Earth neither never look to be while they are in the Body Unto such I say God's Kingdom you shall never see nor enjoy while you are in that Faith which is reprobate but may be truly called Unbelief although you imagine a Glory and a Kingdom in your earthly Minds and dream of a thing to come sutable unto that wherein your Glory now standeth but that will all fail and those Imaginations will be confounded and dissolved into nothing because they are centered in that which is out of the Truth Christ and so are without Ground or Bottom and are out of that which should give you the Sight and Knowledge of God in your selves and his Kingdom Christ when he taught them that followed him exhorted them that first of all they might seek the Kingdom of God even while they were in the Body Mat. 6. and 39. the Pharisees were gazing abroad in their earthly Knowledge although they had the Scripture that declared of Gods Kingdom yet they knew it not and this Generation is the same who are in the same Nature and in the same Wisdom which is earthly and litteral and they are imagining as the Jews were and are lo here and lo there in this Observation and the other and look to see it there Nay Christ said The Kingdom of God is within you to the Pharisees And he bad them and others seek it first what strange Doctrine was this might the Pharisees say he saith The Kingdom of God is within us and yet bids us seek it Need we seek that which is in us may Professors say Yea it 's like a Pearl hid in the Field it 's like a Grain of Mustard-seed among many great Seeds which is not easily found it 's like a Piece of Silver lost in the House among much Rubbish till that be swept away thou wilt not find it thou must dig deep sweep clean search narrowly before thou find it although he said to the Pharisees The Kingdom of God is within you he did not say they were Possessors of it or that it was theirs but to the Disciples whom he taught to pray in Faith thy kingdom come and they came to find it that which they prayed for that Pearl that Groat that Grain of Mustard-seed which it was like and having found it and believed in it he said unto them Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God And in Luk. 6.20 And he lift up his Eyes on his Disciples and said blessed be ye poor for yours is the Kingdom of God They had seen it and were Possessors of it it was theirs And Christ said unto his Disciples There are some of you standing that shall not taste of Death till ye see the Kingdom of God come in Power And his Words were fulfilled they declared what they had felt and seen and some of them say The Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power And Paul to the Romans writes Rom. 14.17 who were also made Partakers of the same Power and the same Kingdom he
Grave nor after men be Dead for they that have served Sin in their Life time served the Devil as long as they live and have yeelded their Bodies to be Temples for Uncleanness while they live upon the Earth eternal Misery will be their Portion and not redemption Think on this you who are holding this forth for an Article of your Faith in the World among poor Ignorant People that they must not expect redemption from all Sin in this Life and so leads them on to Perpetual Misery Misery will be your End and in the day of the Lord you shall Witness this to be true But to return to the Beginning again where there was no sorrow but pure Joy and Peace both in Heaven and Earth but I go hither and thither as the Spirit leads and shall speak as it gives Utterance though but here a little and there a little yet shall it be in Truth and Righteousness How Peace Joy and Delight possessed every Thing that God had made every Thing which he had formed glorified God their Maker with one Consent in the Beginning before the World was framed that lay in Wickedness NOW the Lord rejoyced in all the Works of his Hands which he had made and rested and all that he had made rested in the Power whether Caelestial or Terrestrial and rejoyced in him walked in him in the Motion of the Power of the Life they were happy and partook of the Life that endures forever and Happiness immortal and knew no Evil for there was none there was no Hell yet prepared Tophet yet was not ordained neither the Devil had yet any Being at all there was no Wrath no Sorrow no Condemnation no Death Vexation Grief or Perplexity no Pit of Darkness no Angel of the bottomless Pit no Shame no Tribulation no Anguish nor Pain no Misery and in a Word there was nothing that did destroy but all in Quietness in Peace in Life in Power in Wisdom glorifying him which sate upon the Throne the Lamb who was living and the Life of the Male and the Female and of every Thing that God had made by the Power subsisted in the Power and in the Motion thereof was good purely good and here was the Goodness of him who was eternally good manifest in all above all and over all God blessed forever even then the Heavens rejoyced and the innumerable Company of Angels were hearty glad and all the holy Host sang for Joy with a living Voice which none that stand in Time ever yet heard or can learn then the Earth and all Things therein that moved and had Life were in pure Solace and Mirth and pleasant Joy unspeakable all knit together in Unity and Harmony in one Consent as one Family and were one Body and there was Health in the Body and it was pure and comely and perfect and pleasant to behold crowned with Dignity covered with Righteousness beautified with the Comliness of the Lamb who was the Life of all and now Man had Right to the Tree of Life while he moved in the Power and went not out Oh happy State oh beautiful State oh admirable State eternal Felicity oh glorious State Life it self the Life of all and all in the Life moving in the Power and man had right to the Tree of Life while he lived in the Lamb's Power had Unity with his Maker and with all the Creatures that God had made and was in God's pure Dominion and Authority and ruled all over all things that God had mâ—de in God's Wisdom thus in short was the State of all things in the Beginning as they were created and brought forth and these be the Generation of the Heaven and of the Earth and of all Things that therein are in the Day when God created them when the Father was glorified when the Son was glorified and when Man was in Glory and Honour and in Dominion created in the Image of God and yet there was no Evil Time would fail to speak of the State of all Things in the Beginning as it was and as it is revealed by the Spirit of Truth but in that which I have declared they who have a good Understanding may take a Glimpse of the happy State of all Things as God hath revealed them by his Spirit which I never received of nor from man but by the Holy Spirit of God which was in the Beginning with God which saw all this and was an Eye-Witness of this before the World that lyes in Wickedness began and he that hath an Ear let him hear and blessed is his Ear. How Man lost his State and Dominion and Unity with God and all the Creatures and how the Lamb came to be slain and the VVorld that lyes in Wickedness came to be formed and founded and how the Curse came and the Wo upon the Serpent which was blessed before and upon Man and Woman and the Ground that received the Temptation which was blessed before in the Motion of the Power came to be cursed and how endless Misery came in upon all in the Transgression declared to them who have a good Understanding NOW the Serpent was more subtil then all the Beasts of the Field for that was his Nature in which he was created and it was good in the Motion of the Power and therefore Christ said Be wise as Serpents yet as harmless as Doves and though the Serpent was wise and subtil more then all the Beasts of the Field till he acted moved without Commandment and out of the Motion of the Power he was not cursed he that can receive it let him but he moved in the Subtilty and Wisdom out of the Light out of the Power and went out of the Truth out of his Place without Commandment or Authority from the Power and acted and spâ—ke of himself out of the Power and out of the Truth as it is written Joh. 8.44 When he speaketh a Lye he speaketh of his own for he is a Lyar and the Father of it now he knew there was a Law and Command not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil for God had forbidden it now he went out of the Power without Commandment of his own Accord without Motion now he went and talked with the Woman and she was good before being in the Motion of the Life and Power she also looked out and not in the Power and reasoned with him out of Power contrary to Commandment beyond the Command or before the Power and said unto the Serpent We may eat of all but the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil we may not eat lest we dye this she knew and the Serpent knew now the Tree of Knowledge was good in the Powers Motion though not to live upon or for Food for it was not good for Food therefore God the Truth the Life the Power did forbid to taste of it or to eat of that Tree but the Serpent out of the Power and the Woman
and the Son of God according to the Spirit is glorified with the Father the man Christ Jesus he is sate down at the right Hand of God But if tho meanest by Human a carnal Body or the same Flesh that thou hast on deal plainly with us and nakedly the next time thou or any of thy Teachers write and prove us by Scripture where the Church is called his mystical Body or where hast thou got these new coyned words as Human Nature and mystical Body Correct thy Pen and let no such Popish Phrases come in Print again lest thou shamest thy self more instead of shaming of us And thou concludest If any say here he is or there he is on Earth believe them not Where learnedst thou this Article of Faith I pray thee shew me Is he not both in Heaven and Earth How should he restore the Earth and all things into their purity if he must not be manifest in the Earth What! wilt thou confine him to or in a place Doth not his Presence fill Heaven and Earth Is he divided from his Presence But may be thou wilt say as thy Generation doth that he is in the Earth by his Spirit and in Heaven in his Body or Person distinct from his Spirit If so then you divide Christ and a Person without a Spirit and not Christ. I will aske thee a Question No man hath Ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven the Son of man which is in heaven Where was the Son of man or the Man Christ when this was spoken If thou canst see this thou mayst be ashamed to shut Christ out of the Earth or from among his Saints where his Presence his Arm his hand and his Power is which is not divided from his Body but I know thou art deaf and canst not hear what I say and thou bringst Heb. 10 12. After he had offered one Sacrifice sate down at the right hand of God that is saist thou In his human Nature The shame is come upon thy self who hast added thy own Imagination and let all see whether the Scriptures speak of Human Nature but thy folly must be manifest to all Thy third Particular that thou namest and as thou sayest shamest is If we say we are without Sin we deceive our Selves Thou hadst better have enquired perfectly whether we said so or no before thou hadst undertook to reprove upon so doubtfull terms and thou bringst Prov. 20.9 For who can say my Heart is clean He can say so and speak Truth whose Heart God hath cleansed by the Blood of Christ from all Sin And then thou bringst Job 9.20 If I justifie my self my own Mouth shall condemn me That 's true we justifie not our selves neither self but deny self and self is condemned and Christ God's Righteousness is become our Justification And then thou bringest Paul Phil. 3. Not as though I had already attained but follow after that I may apprehend What of that he was in his growth and was come to that which was perfect and did believe to attain to the Stature of a perfect man And then thou saist I tell you you are not perfect your contempt of the Ministers of Christ and perverting the Doctrine of Christ are characters of Sin That shall stand for thy self and thy Masters whom thou art joyned with who set up Popish trumpery instead of the Ordinance of Christ and set up the precepts of men introduced in the Apostacy for the Doctrine of Christ And then thou concludest the Scripture hath concluded all under Sin all in the first Adam but I hope the Scripture doth not conclude all under Sin in the second Adam neither doth conclude him under Sin that 's born of God who Sins not And if thou makest any such conclusion thou givest thy verdict for the Devil and not for God then thou sayest I am not pleading for Sin Thou art pleading for nothing else but for Sin and Imperfection in which the Devil's Kingdom stands and thou sayest thou hast cause to cry out O wretched man that I am So thou hast indeed hast thou repented of thy Drunkenness How long is it since thou fell'st off a Bridge being Drunk and broke thy Leg but it is like for thy good Service done to thy Master in writing this lying scrole he will give thee an Absolution for that Transgression The fourth Particular which thou call'st our Tenet is That we deny the Scripture to be the Word of God And thou hast brought many Scriptures to prove that they are but they are as impertinent to the thing as thy former about the Steeple-house or Mass-house Thou hast brought many Scriptures Jer. 37.8 how they are called the words of the Lord who ever denyed that but the Word spoke the words and the Word is greater 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by divine Inâ—piration I deny that some was spoken by the Devil and some by wicked Men and I hope thou wilt not call that divine Inspiration Then thou may be wilt conclude I deny the words of Paul to Timothy I deny the Word Is it is an Addition of the TRANSLATOR which Word alters and varies in the true sense of that Scripture but all Scripture given by Inspiration of God is profitable for Doctrine c. But knowest thou no dinstinction between Inspiration and Tradition You have it by Tradition the Saints by Inspiration It 's a dead Letter in it self and as it is spoken from your Mouthes who speak of it by tradition but from them that were Inspired the living Spirit uttered forth living Words But what is all this to prove the Scripture or writings to be the Word of God And then thou cites 2 Cor. 2.4.7 Not handling the Worâ— deceitfully What doth this prove nothing at all and all the rest that thou hast ciâ—ed is nothing at all but what we have answered over and over many times wherein all that have any understanding in the Knowledge of God are satisfied That which thou shouldst have proved by the Scripture is where the Scripture or writings or Letter doth title it self the Word of God It is granted they are the words of God and the Words of Holy men Inspired So in thy own words I say take thou notice though thou art confident and presumtuous in this thou hast shamed thy self and not us the Word was before either Scripture Writings or Bible was which Word is greater and gave them a Being And thou that wouldst set that which is brought forth by the Father above the Father art out of the Apostles wisdom speaking a similitude He that builds a House receives more Honour then the House Now to call the Scripture the Word is to give as much honour to the House as to him that builded it but in a word this I say whatever the Scripture doth testifie of it self or call it self that I own it to be And if any man call it another thing it shall testifie against him and
up for all your Weapons are but carnal and that which wrestles with Flesh and Blood which the true Church wrestles not with nor with Creatures but with spiritual wickedness and Principalities and powers of Darkness in the Creature and threw that down and saved the Creature alive and redeemed it who was in Captivity Oh sottish Children when will you learn Wisdom and when will you hearken to reproof of Instruction which is the way to Life but remember this the Beast shall be taken alive with the false Prophet and them that have wrought Miracles before him and then shall be cast into the Lake of Fire They pretend to act from an Infallible Light within them and profess Perfection in Degrees in this Life and publish smart Invectives against Ministers who teach the contrary Answ. We pretend to nothing but to that which God hath given us through his free Mercy which we have a true Right unto having received him as the Father hath tendered him to be a Light to open our Eyes and to be a Leader unto us and all his People and to be God's Salvation even to the Ends of the Earth to them that receive him and he is that infallible Light which the Father sent into the World that all men through him might believe and he is the true Light that lightneth every man though every man hath not received him the Fault is not in the Giver nor in the Gift but in them that will not receive and he that is the Life of all men hath lighted every Man that cometh into the World and he is in us our Hope and our Glory the Riches of the Gentiles and the Riches of all them that do believe he is our VVay and our Life and Peace I say all Glory unto him forever though thou debasest him and settest him thus at nought and for his sake we can bear Reproaches and become Fools in that we have obtained that in which true VVisdom stands and Life eternal And what is this Heterodox to profess Perfection of Degrees in this Life is not this Orthodox Used not you and do not you generally hold Perfection in Part or Parts and is not that which is perfect in Parts perfect in Degrees He that feels Victory over one Sin by Christ the Power of God hath not he some Part in that which is perfect and of that which is perfect And if he witnesses Victory over more is not he come to a greater Degree or Degrees of the Life which is perfect And he that knows the Blood that cleanseth from all Sin is not he perfect and compleat in him who hath made him so But art thou so offended at Perfection that thou dost not admit of any Part or Parts Degree or Degrees thereof that thou set'st this down as a Blasphemy And it 's time indeed to reprove you sharply who are puffed up in Pride and know nothing who teach contrary to the perfect Life of Christ or any Degree or Degrees thereof to be attained unto thou art perfect in VVickedness and a perfect Minister of Anti-Christ a perfect Heathen and it's time to bear Testimony against you lay you open your Deceit in the Sight of the Sun that them that have but the least glimering of the Light may behold you a pitiful Church is that like to be which thou art Pastor of by Appointment of the General Court who cryest out against any Degree of the perfect Life of Christ in this Life to be obtained or enjoyed a Minister of Sin a Minister of Satan and Unrighteousness that is thy Name own it In the ninth page thou art going about to prove thy Trinity as thou callest it and thou say'st The Father is a distinct suâ—sistance and the Son is a distinct Subsistance and the Holy Ghost is a distinct Subsistance and thou bringest John 5. There is another bears Witness likewise speaking of the Holy Ghost he calls him another and this another thou say'st is intelligible of the Essence and then say'st What is more manifest then another Subsiâ—tance and another Subsistance speaks distinct Subsistances and thou say'st The Spirit is called the Band of Trinity Answ. Another is not understood of another being of another Life or another Substance but is understood of another Manifestation or Operation of the same God who subsists in the same Power in which the Father the Son and the Spirit subsist as I said unto thee before another as to distinguish of the Operation and Work of the Spirit and of the Son we do not refuse but to make three distinct Essences and Beings is Ignorance and Error as thou say'st Another is intelligible of the Essence and so thou hast made three Essences three Subsistances three Persons and three Gods but we say there is but one God and there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one Now as for Subsistance and Essence they are unsound Words coined of your selves from your dark Imaginations in which there is no Truth at all but to cast a Mist Now where the Holy Ghost is called a Person in the Scripture I have never read and where it is called The Band of Trinity I have never heard of before thee and so thy blind ignorant Conclusions and Sophistical arguing will have little Place with them that are come to know the Teachings with the Spirit and also keep to a Form of sound Words which thou canst not And thou say'st He that sendeth and he that is sent are distinct and so the Father sending the Son and the Son sent of the Father and the Father and the Son sending the Spirit and the Spirit sent by the Father and tho Son are distinct Subsistances and not the same He that sends and he that is sent may be distinguished but he that sendeth and him that is sent are not so distinct and afar off one another but that him that sendeth is with him that is sent and so God was in Christ reconciling the World and then how were they distinct one from the other and by him were all things made and Christ was not so distinct or afar off at a distance when the Heavens and the Earth were made so that it is truly said without him nothing was made that was made and the Spirit of God which may be distinguished in Regard of its Operation yet it was not absent or distinct from the Father and the Son in the Creation neither is absent from the Son in the Regeneration or Work of Redemption And then in thy Answer to an Objection which thou makest thy self How the Doctrine of Life was communicated vocally by the Patriarchs but it is not so now and in thy Answer thou say'st The Scripture is not necessary absolutely but it being God's Will to communicate Life through the Scripture hence the Scripture is necessary and then thou say'st Not the Letter without the Mind of the Author nor the
Spirit without the Scripture and that the Words in the 17th of John 22. That they may be one as we are one these Words give an uncertain Sound thou say'st and further thou say'st Surely they are under â— Rule of Lâ—fe who have not the Spirit since the Canon of the Scripture is closeâ— so far is the Spirit from being a Rule of Life that to us it is not the Spirit except 〈◊〉 move in the written Word Answ. Gross Darkness is thy dwelling Place and out of thiâ—k Darkneâ—s all this pitiful Confusion cometh the Doctrine of Life was communicated according to the VVill and Mind of God sometime by Dream sometime by Vision sometime by Revelation to the Patriarchs and Believers from Abel till Moses and by Faith they were Followers of Christ and doubtless they did communicate in their Generation those â—hings that were â—â—nifest unto them by the Spirit which was the then Rule and Guide to the Feet of the upright in the way of Peace before any Scripture was writtâ—â— and if the Scripture be not necessary absolutely thou hast said as much as we say therefore we speak of a Rule and a Way which is absolute necessary without which no man can know the Father or the Son nor the Way of Peace but by the Spirit of Truth which gave â—orth the VVords of Truth which may manifest and doth maniâ—est it self as it will when where and how it will for it is unlimited and it will not be limited by its own VVords as to Sound but may speak VVords which it never spoke before as for instance Paul by the Spirit said The second Adam the Lord from Heaven is a Quickening Spirit which none of the Scriptures before-written speak in these very VVords and if the Spirit be not Spirit without the Letter then where the Letter is wanting the Spirit is wanting and consequently them that have the Scripture have the Spirit which were no less then Ignorance and Darkness to say and what Rule are they under who have not the Spirit or no Measure of it there is but the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error and they that are not ruled by the Spirit of Truth they are ruled by the Spirit of Error though they may have the words to fight with and quarrel about without the Life but last of all thou hast in plain words set the dead Letter before the living Spirit and say'st That the Spirit is no Spirit except it speak by the Scripture and if the words of Christ in John 17. give an uncertain Sound it is but to thy deaf Ear and to thy blind Understanding for he spoak soundly and certainly and prayed to the Father that as the Father and he were one so they alsâ— might be one being guided by the one Spirit of the Father in the Son and that they might live in the Unity of it and have Unity with one another in it and with the Father and the Son In thy 15th page though thou hast set up the Letter for a perfect Rule of Life yet here thou throwest it down again and say'st It is to be unâ—erstood as including Consequences for the greatest Part of Scripture is Conâ—equences and the Scripture cannot be true without Consequences for Thomas and Mary are neither câ—mmanded Obedience or forbidden Diâ—obedience for we no where read thou Thomas or thou Mary are therein commanded Obedience or forbidden Disobedience such an one by Name do this or that Answ. I told thee the Spirit of God is unlimited and whether it speaks of Degrees or Measures of a greater or less thing or whether it speaks the greater first and the lesser after whether it speaks from Major to Minor or from Minor to Major or what may truly follow either from the greater to the less or from the less to the greater it is all Truth but thy Consequences are no Part of this the Spirit still demonstrates its own Mind by what words and Terms and Expressions it pleaseth and will not be limitâ—ed or confined to this or that Form of words and thou errest grosly neither knowing the Scripture nor the Power of God and thy Consequences are false for there are the individual Persons or Names of Thomas and Mary both commanded Obedience and forbidden Disobedience and if thou hast never read this in Scripture I inform thee and instruct thee thou may'st read John 20.16 17. where Jesus saith unto Mary she turned her self and said unto him Rabboni which is to say Master Jesus said unto her Touch me not for I am not yet ascended here is a Prohibition and forbidding that she should not touch him Secondly here is a Command of Obedience But go unto my Brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father to my God and your God and in the same Chapter thou may'st read in ver 27. where Christ spoke unto Thomas by Name after his Resurrection Then said he to Thomas reach hither thy Finger and behold my Hands and reach hither thy Hand and thrust it into my Side here was a Command to be obeyed and be not faithless there is a Prohibition or a forbidding of Unbelief and so thy Foolishness is manifest and Ignorance of the Scripture some of it thou sayest is an uncertain Sound and the Scriptures fore-mentioned thou hast denyed or else never hast read it and so art unacquainted with thy Rule which thou quarrellest and fightest so much about And then thou comest and say'st Thou wilt vindicate some Scriptures and citest 1 John 9. That this was the true Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World hence they affirm that there is a Light in every man which being followed is an infallible Guide and that this Light which lighteth every man is the Rule of Life and not the written Word thy Answer is The Sense of the Text is notoriously false and thy Reason is If Christ the true Light that liâ—hteth every man be the Rule then Righteousness should be by the Law for the Light which is in every Man is not Gospel-Light but there is a natural Light or the Light of Nature which is to be construed in Opposition to spiritual and the Light of Nature and the Light of the Spirit are contra-distinct and by this Light of Nature there is a Difference put betwixt that which is good and bad and it will teach us not to lye nor steal and it will lead to the Knowledge of one God and yet it is in Opposition to one Spirit and it will lead to know Eternity Omnipotency and it will lead to know the Creator yet it is contra-distinct to the Spirit Answ. The Scripture needs none of thy Vindication for thou hast defamed it and sayest Christ's Words are an uncertain Sound and thou hast said that neither Mary nor Thomas was commanded Obedience thou may'st look back of thy Lyes and repent of them and why is the Sense of the Text utterly false that Christ was the
true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World without Exception and why is this utterly false if he be fâ—llowed that he who is the true Light is an infallible Guide and the Rule of Life Hath he not enlightned every man that cometh into the World If thou makest Exceptions where the Spirit makes none then thou pervertest the Scripture doth not he say I am the Light of the World the World in the Scriptures Account is set in Opposition to Believers for Believers are not of this VVorld but are redeemed out of it as for Example God so loved the World that he sent hâ—s Son into the World that whosoever did believe in him might not perish but have Everlasting Life for it is manifest that the Saints and Believes had Life given 〈◊〉 that followed Christ and were his Sheep and saith Christ I put them forth and go before them and give unto them Eternal Life and he said to them who had not Eternal Life While you have the Light believe in it that you may be the Children of it And is not Christ God's Righteousness who is given for a Covenant of Light to the blind and dead and lame and to the dumb to open their Eyes to quicken them to make them leap as an Hart and their Tongue to sing and utter forth Praise we say Righteousness is not by the Law but by Christ that lighteth every man who is the End of the Law and why is not the Light which lighteth every man Gospel Light seeing it is said Go preach the Gospel in every Creature under Heaven go learn what that means And if Natural Light must be construed in Opposition to Spiritual and the Light of Nature contra-distinct to the Light of the Spirit then it must needs be sinful for that which opposeth spiritual Light and is set in Opposition against its leading must needs be sinful and that which is contra or against the Light of the Spirit must needs be sinful and then if it be as thou hast said and if this must be the true Sense of that Scripture that it must be understood of natural Light and that natural Light thou construest in Opposition to spiritual and say'st It is contra-distinct to the Light of the Spirit and in Opposition unto it That which is against the Spirit 's Light or the Light of the Spirit must needs be Darkness sinful and evil and yet thou hast confessed It will teach that none ought to lye or steal and to know one God and the Creator and Eternity and Omnipotency and yet it must be taken in Opposition to the Spirit and contra-distinct from the Spirit that which leads to know the Creator and Eternity and Omnipotency is that Spirit of God through which God and the Things of God are revealed and that that teaches that a man should not lye that is Truth and that that leads from Sin and accuses for Evil-doing and convicts that is the Spirit 's Light as it is written He shall convince the World of Sin And so thou like a man who hâ—th lost all Aim ramblest up and down in every By-Path and like a blind man gropest but canst not enter into the Treasure-house of Wisdom thou hast called the Light that every one is lighted with the Righteousness of the Law and no Gospel Light and in Opposition to spiritual and contra-distinct to the Spirit and in a Word hast made of it at the best Construction but bad and evil and then when thou hast done thou confesâ—est That it will put a Dâ—fference between Good and Evil and shew that God is to be worshipped and Eternity is known and Omnipotency and are not these the deep Things of God And so Babylon is the Land of thy Nativity and thou reelest and staggerest up not and down like a drunken Man and wouldst be a Teacher and knowest not whereof thou affirmest nor of what thou speâ—kest Further thou say'st That thâ—â— little Light there is is much miscarried and thy Reason is because it is mannaged by the reigninâ— Power of Darkness and the Judgment of Man is corrupt and then thou goest on the Light of Nature siâ—ce the Fall is not to be compared say'st thou with the Light of the Image of God before the Fall and it hath no Proportion with Gospel Light but is gross Darkness nay is worse then gross Darkness Answ. And how did the Light miscarry thou blind-man and when did the reigning power of Darkness manage it seeing that there is no fellowship betwixt Light Darkness and the Light which every man is lightned with hath born witness against Darkness and the Reigning Power of it and though the Judgment of man be corrupt his miscarriage is because he hath not minded the Light and because he hath turned his Back on it and then Sin entered and then came to Reign in the Power of Darkness and corrupted the Heart and this hath made man miscarry and though thou sayst that the Light which lighteth every man is not compared with the Light of the Image of God before the Fall and hath no Proportion I 'le tell thee a Riddle go learn what it means the Light of the Image of God before the fall is the same in it self after the fall and holdeth its proportion and is no whit lessened or diminished in its purity in its self although fallen man do not see it neither can behold it because Sin hath entred and Death by Sin and that is it which obscureth the Image of God from man and it 's Light yet the Light shined in Darkness but thou concludest it is Darkness yea worse then gross Darkness and thou bringst a proof to prove it ye were Darkness the Apostle doth not say that the Light which shined in darkness was darkness or worse then gross Darkness as thou ignorantly saist but he said the Ephesians or the men of Ephesus were darkness and not the Light in them which shined in Darkness though the Darkness comprehended it not but how now John Norton what will the General Court of Boston say when they see thy confusion laid open and the Deceit made manifest to thine and their shame and ignorance thou confest in the 16. page That it would lead to know God and the Worship of God and Teach not to Lye and Steal and so forth and to discover some of God's Attributes as Eternity Omnipotency and the like here was some good in it in thy own account but now it s become gross Darkness in the 18. page and worse then gross Darkness and so hath made as bad if not worse then any Principle that is in a Beast and it may truly be said of thee even in thy own Phrase Qanta sub nocte Jacebat Nostra dies But now thou comes to a further Interpretation of 1 Joh. 9. and thou saist The Light which we are enlightned with it is either the Light of Nature the Light of Reason or the Light of saving
then how is it that R. I. would straiten or lessen the effusion thereof under the Gospel for there were Daughters that prophesied under the Law and many Sons that spoke by the Spirit of God but now all must be confined to the Letter and your Pastors now have far less of the Spirit if any at all who speak from the Strength of natural Parts and deny the unerring Spirit and so shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against Men. And R. I. is so grieved at this infallible Spirit or this Spirit of Prophecy that he cannot endure that a Daughter should prophesie or speak by the Spirit of God in the Assembly of the Saints and the main stress of his or their Argument is 1 Cor. 14.34 Let your Women keep Silence in the Church for it is not permitted for them to speak and if any Woman speaks in the Church it contradicts the Spirit and though they have a Gift they ought not to improve it in a disorderly Way Aosw That which hath been said in this particular unto E. D. is sufficient to them whose Eyes God hath opened but this R. I is one of the Evil Beasts that the Apostle speaks of whose Mouth must be stopt And so I further say that the Apostle writ to the Church of Corinth which were Believers which few will deny but that it consisted both of Men and Women and he expresly saith Ye may all prophesie one by one and furthermore if a Woman prophesie with her Head uncovered dishonoureth her Head so that it is manifest that there were Women did prophesie and also laboured in the Gospel but saith R. I. That was but in a private Way or amongst some few this had been lawful or orderly in R. I. his account and if she might speak to two or three or twice two or three it may be as there is in many houses is not this called a Church and doth not Christ say Where two or three are gathered together in my Name I will be in the midst of them Moreover was not that a Church which was in Aquilla and Priscilla's House 1 Cor. 16.19 and was not Priscilla a Daughter that did prophesie What must Priscilla go out of her House in which was the Church if she had any thing to speak by the Spirit was it lawful to speak without doors and not in the House and if she might speak in her House then she spoke in the Church and R. I. would have said she contradicted the Spirit of God and is not Christ one in the Male and in the Female and is not male and female both one in Christ Jesus is Christ's Power the Spirit 's Authority any whit less efficacious or powerful when he speaks in the female or is it the Sex only that addeth or diminisheth from the authority of the Spirit thou ignorant man who art void of the Knowledge of God was not Mary a Woman and did not she preach Christ's Resurrection to the Disciples and were not they the church but this it is like will not satisfie R. I. his unreasonable mind who doth not believe that a woman may prophesie or speak in the church for this would contradict Paul's saying not at all I grant Paul's words to be true this was spoke occasionally to one church concerning them that were unlearn'd untaught of the Spirit that usurped Authority over the man and such as were disorderly whose Spirit was not subject to the Prophet and what must this be a binding Example as to quench the Spirit and limit the Lord from Generation to Generation as to bind or limit them who are in subjection to their Husband and who usurped not Authority for it is one thing to have Authority and another thing to usurp Authority now they that are come to feel the Power of God and thereby be moved to speak the Power gives her Authority to speak but she that is not in the Power neither doth feel the Motion of the Spirit such a one Usurps Authority and is unlearned and such and they only were prohibited by Paul and no other for if it had been extended unto all then the Women before mentioned had been Transgressors and likewise further for the satisfaction of all Anna a Prophetess the Daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of 〈…〉 coming into the Temple gave thanks unto the Lord and spake of Christ unto all them that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem and that was in a publick Place and in a publick Congregation Luke 2.36 37 38. And last of all if E. D. and R. I. will not confess that the Meeting near Cond in which the Women spake was a Church which F. H. justifies then E. D. and R. I. have lost their Cause and wrangled about nothing and the thing proved against them both viz. That a Woman declaring speaking or prophesying by the Spirit of the Lord and in the Authority of God is a lawful and a commendable and a justifiable Act in the Sight of God and all the Children of Light and therefore cease your foolish clamour and let no such ignorant stuff come in Print again lest your Folly be more and more made manifest and the Stone fall upon you which will grind you to Powder The next thing which R. I. quarrels about is a Lye which Ed. Dod asserted that some of the Quakers should say they were equal with God unto which F. H. replied and said he that hath the Spirit of God is in that which is equal and he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit there is Unity and that Unity stands in Equality and these Expressions saith R. I. offer Violence to God and his Glory Answ. This R. I. is so in Love with the Spirit of Error for he hath denyed the infallible Spirit and is in such Love with an unequal Spirit that he cannot endure to hear that any should be joyned to the Lord in an equal Spirit and so quarrels with plain Scripture and saith it doth Violence to the Majesty of God the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of Truth is an equal Spirit and they that are led by it and are in it are in that which is Equal and so are joyned to the Lord and are nearly related to him but that I said or any other that the Creature is Equal to the Creator in Power or in Glory is false and a Lye and let E. D. and R. I. know that Lyars are for the Lake R I. saith Chrâ—st is glorified in 〈◊〉 human Nature and human Nature and Flesh may be understood â—f the regenerate Part and human Nature may be understood both of Soul and Body and this may confute F. H. that doth contend against human Nature and goes and tells another lye as every pâ—ge is filled with some and saith F. H. saith Christ hath no real Body Answ. This man speaks out of thick Darkness and intrudes into those things he hath not seen being vainly puft up in his fleshly mind
practices in the first hundred Years after Christ and if these things be found invented and without footing or Ground then let them that are informed depart from them CHAP III. But now to descend a little further nearer unto our own Age to speak something to them which I believe look upon themselves to be Catholick and Apostolick in Doctrine and Practice according to the Primitive Time and Order and that they are totally come out of the Apostacy THis I have to say to you which is my Judgment and Belief and that upon good Ground that you are in many things in the Apostacy as hereafter I shall demonstrate and to tell you nakedly and plainly we look upon the Reformation which was made in denying the Church of Rome to be but very weak and poor and feeble and imperfect comparatively with the Doctrine and Practice and Order in the primitive times insomuch that we judge upon good Grounds that it cannot be parallel'd with the Church in the primitive Times which I have spoken of before in that you have denyed the Pope to be the Head of the Church and so are called Protestants so am I knowing that Christ is the Head of the Church and ought to rule by his spiritual Scepter and his eternal Power in the Hearts and Consciences of People and in and over the true Church which is his Body whereof he is the Head and let all take heed who do intrude and take upon them that which belongeth to the King of Kings and King of Saints as to matter of Headship Regulation or Government for all power is committed unto him in Heaven and Earth and the Father hath given it to him and will not have any other have that Glory but whosoever seeks it must be condemned and his Glory he will not give to another for the Lamb is worthy of Glory and Strength And though the Church of Rome be generally acknowledged to be in the Apostacy by them that are separated from them and that upon good Ground yet I say the Separation is in some little or small part more in Name then Nature more in Form then in power more in some circumstantial things then in the very Ground it self and very many of these Doctrines practices Diâ—cipline and Order as they call it I find to be upholden practised and contended for which are found in the former I have mentioned First of all to instance that which is generally holden out by the reformed Protestants is that the Writings of Matthew Mark Luke and John and several Epistles is the Gospel which the primitive Disciples and Ministers preached and published and which people did receive and by believing the Sound thereof were accounted Christians and Believers We would have all to know the Gospel was preached to Abraham before Matthew or Mark or any of the Apostles writ a Word Moreover we would have all to know that Christ had preached glad tidings to the captives and some of the Disciples had preached the Word of the Kingdom before Matthew or Mark or Luke or John had wrote a Word my Reasons are divers Matthew Mark Luke and John must needs hear and see that done which they testified of before they writ and if Matthew Mark Luke and John be the Gospel the Writings of them I intend then the Disciples could not preach it before it was given forth and if the Epistles be a part of the Gospel this the Disciples could not preach before it was written for Paul succeeded and was converted after divers of the Apostles had preached the Gospel so then doubtless the Disciples and Apostles had something to say and declare and publish before any of the New-Testament was written and it is manifested that they were not sent out to preach the Law nor the Ordinances of the first Covenant after Christ was offered up the End of the first So then there was something and is something which was preached by them and is to be published now to all that are made Ministers by the holy Ghost and that is in few Words the Power of God which was before the New Testament so called though the Words declare of it but is not it Now they went and discipled in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost which is a Ministry far beyond the written or declarative Sound or indeed is a spiritual and invisible Thing which the Apostle Acts 26.18 declaring his Message which he had received by the holy Ghost saith I was sent to turn them viz. the Gentiles and Jews and them of Arabia and else where he soiourned from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power unto God's Power that they that believed in the Light and received the Power of God which he preached to them might receive Remission of Sins for Remission of Sin was only preached in his Name and there is no Name under Heaven by which Men can be saved but by the Name of Jesus though the Apostles spoke according to the Motion of the Spirit in divers Words calling him the Gift of God the free Gift of Righteousness the unspeakable Gift the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World the Power of God and the Wisdom of God which Wisdom and Power they had received and because the Son of God was revealed in them the Apostle said I am a Debtor to the Jews and the Greeks Rom. 1.14 And he having received 〈◊〉 freely of the Father he went to the Jews and went to the Greeks to the Gentiles and Heathen where the Name of this Gift and Power and Jesus had not been named and published freely without Gifts and Rewards and the Necessity did lye upon him 1 Cor. 9.16 and the Love of Chrâ—st which was shed abroad in his Heart constrained him and made him reckon himself as a Debtor unto all because of the abundant Loving Kindness and Riches of God's Love and Grace and spiritual Gifts which he had received he longed and thirsted and travailed to communicate it unto others Largely I might speak of this hidden Mystery as to demonstrate what the Gospel of Christ was and is but in what I have already said they that are any thing spiritual minded will judge that the Law and the Prophets Matthew Mark Luke and John and the Epistles were not the everlasting Gospel but it was a thing beyond and above and before any of these writings were although they all in their several Ages bore Testimony of it viz. the Power of God which condemns Sin in the Flesh and mortifies the Deeds thereof and gives Victory over it and taketh up all that believe in it into one Life Power and Virtue into pure Peace and heavenly Contentment and perfect Satisfaction So you who are calling the Letter the Gospel or the New Testament writings the Gospel I would ask you a Question also When was there a time since the first hundred Years after Christ or in that time till now that these Words and Writings have
Morale is in it then what commands a competency of means to be given to the Priest-hood but they are mingled and confoundâ—d among themselves and the best bottom they have is either from the Popes Authority or from the Jews and also many Divines and School-men were at great contest and their Judgments are Various as the former The Divines about this time have had several determinations and Doctrines about this Point some have held it that the tenth considered quoad quotam Partem or as it is determined part devoted from that number is only due by Law Positive and Ecclesiastical but as it is for the sustentation of the Clergy it is due by the divine moral Law as they call it and so they interpret it from the Levitical Commandment of Tythes but others say it is a Judicial or Ceremonial as some will have it and that it hath been brought into the Law of the Gospel by Ecclesiastick Doctrine and Constitutions others say it is by the imitation of the Jewish state ordered by the Almighty and not in that regard per vim obligativam viz. by a continued force of it under the Gospel and that the Church was not only bound to this part but might as well have ordain'd the payment of a ninth or eleventh this is commonly taught by the old School-men Hales and Aquinas Henricus de gandavo Cardinal Caietan and divers others The second Opinion among the Divines is of those that held tythes to be meer Alms and not to be payed to the Ministers of the Gospel by any Parochial right as a necessary duty to the Evangelical Priest-hood but that they might be detained and disposed of at the owners will especially if the Pastor did not well perform his Office of this were both some of the Religious Orders in their Preaching and also others opposite enough to them in Doctrine The Dominicans and Franciscans who began about the year 1210. and had in their Monasteries great store of School-mens Writings made it a gainful Doctrine to themselves though there was a Truth in it they determined that it was not due by divine right but only due as Alms or due of Charity not of Justice or Judicial Law but to be arbitrarily disposed of accordingly to such as took any spiritual labour and with them agree the Mendicants Likewise about 800. 900. and a 1000. and after that tythes were called the Lords goods and the Patrimony of the Poor whenas also the Council at Nantz declared the Clergy were not to use them as their own but as commended to their trust they were not then given to the Clergy but to be disposed of to the use of the Poor Furthermore at a General Council held at Lyons under Pope Gregory the tenth in the Year 1274. when the Religion was only made a Cloâ—k for covetousness and they sought their Gain and not the good of Souls it was then constituted that it should not be lawful thenceforth for men to give their tythes at their own Pleasure where they would as it had been before but pay all their tythes to the Mother-Church by which it may be seen that though the People who then generally were Papists and in the mid-night of Popery did believe they ought to pay tythes then yet were rather willing to dispose of them where they pleased till the Pâ—pistâ— Councils restrain'd their Liberty But the great Decree that speaks most plain and till which nothing was given forth which did directly constitute them but rather still suppos'd them as a due by some former right was made at the Council of Trent in the year 156â— and yet that great Council followed the Doctrines of their Fathers and said they were due to God but had no nâ—w Authority for their great decree which they commanded to be obeyed under the Penaltie of Excommunication Having thus briefly past over the Ecclesiastical state first of the Jews secondly of Christ and his Apostles time thirdly of the State of the Church near to their time and the Judgment of them which are reckoned the most learned and Orthodox Men and Fathers of the Church in every Age till the very height of the papal Domination and hath given some true understanding in every Age to the point in Hand It will be requisite that something be said more particularly concerning this Nation and the Practice thereof and what hath been said with or against this particular concerning Tythes About the Year 600. or soon after Gregory the first who was the first Pope of Rome sent over Augustine the Monk into England who was a Canon regular by whom Ethelbert King of Kent was converted as they call it but it was but to Popery he and his Clergy a long time after followed the Example of the former Ages and imitated the Practice of the Apostolick Primitive Church living in common upon the offerings of their converts and those that received them joyn'd into Societies and with the receipt of the offerings they maintain'd themselves they repaired the Temples of the Gentiles which by the advice of Pope Gregory were not to be destroyed but to be converted to Christian Service and builded some Houses which they called Churches in which the Priests exercised their shrivings for then the whole Diocess of Canterbury was indeed the only limitted Parish in regard of profits and whatsoever was received through the Devotion of good Christians as they were called made up a common treasury for the whole Diocess so that it was no matter of what place the bounty was offer'd so that it was within the Diocess the Truth of this is confirm'd by that of Augustine in his question to Pope Gregory touching the Bishops whereunto the Pope answers The custome sayes he is generally to make four parts viz. for the Bishop for the Clergy for the poor and for the repairation of Churches but he doth admonish him in tenderness to the English Saxon Church that he and his Clergy should use the community of all things as was in the Primitive times in the Apostles dayes but afterwards having brought a great part of the Nation to their Faith they began to preach up the old Roman Doctrine That Tythes ought to be payed to God and holy Church as the phrase was and having taught the People that Pardon of Sin and the joyes of Heaven were merited by good Works and the Torments of Hell evaded by charity it was no hard matter to perswade them to give their tenths and Lands but also their outward Riches to those called Religious Houses then here and elsewhere may testifie in this Nation they and the Clergy had almost gotten the third part of the whole Land so wonderfully besotted were the poor ignorant People that had not a Law been against such excessive gifts a far greâ—ter part of the Nation had been in their Hands But how long this community amongst the Clergy continued amongst them and the free Offering fully appears not that it was
we are the Elders of the Church and we have the infallible Spirit and though we make Decrees contrary to what the Apostles made in their Day yet none are to question that the Church was but in its Infancy then as unwasht and unswadled and in Persecution but now she is grown up to a greater Statuâ—e and Power and endowed with greater Priviledge and that may be necessary now that was not necessary then and last of all called themselves the Clerâ—y which signifies the Heritage of God and so excluded all others but themselves And these things are true and certain and have been made good by many Sufferers for Christ and this kind of Clergy or Heritage made the Heritage of God indeed to fly into the Wilderness who had the infallible Spirit and the Witnesses to prophesie in Sack-cloth and then Mystery-Babylon began to sit as a Queen and to gild her Cup and to fill it full of Abomination and brought in Judaism and the Practice of the Apostles and their own Inventions and patched up an Endless kind of Worship and Service consisting of out-side things in a great Part in Postures and Gestures and Meats and Drinks and Days and times and Vestures and Bonnets and Caps and Coules and such other like Trumpery which they made the Nations drunk with and greedy after and if any scrupled at any of those things or any other the Holy Catholick Church hath decreed it and she cannot err for she is infallible though the Errors thereof cannot be numbred And this R. E. thou rests satisfied in as thy only Rule and Judge and Director and thou hangs all thy Faith herein and sayest Thou shalt not scruple to believe what Authority teacheth thee to be revealed by God no more then if thou heardst God himself speaking I say unto thee as the Apostle said The Serpent hath beguiled thee as it beguiled Eve and further say as the Prophet said Thou must arise and get thee hence for this is not the Rest for thou wilt see thy self plunged into such a Labyrinth of Uncertainties as thou never wast before if the Lord ever open thine Eye And R. E. gives an Account that after his reading of some controvertal Books hath made some Collections as to himself and also declares That all dissenting Judgements grant there must be a Way and a Rule appointed to teach us to deside all Doubts to judge of all Matters and to teach us the true Way to Heaven with Certainty but who this Rule or Judge is is not agreed upon by all which he hath collected into four Heads First Some set up the Spirit to direct them and to be this Means Secondly Another will have every Man 's own Natural Reason to be this Rule and Judge Thirdly Others will set up sole Scripture And the fourth assigns the Holy Catholick Church to be that Judge and Director Other then these he saith he never heard of any for he saith he alwayes esteemed the Quakers Light to be either the Spirit or Natural Reason but which R. E. doth not know and all the four before-mentioned he saith he hath examined and treateth largely upon them all wherein he goeth about and giveth Grounds and divers Reasons and divers Interpretations of Scriptures he layes waste all the former three and establisheth as he thinks the fourth as to be that Way and Rule and Judge and governing Power to decide all Doubts as that whereby all are oblieged to submit unto as to Christ himself and this was that Question which he was to gain Satisfaction in and therefore he saith He ceaâ—ed â—o enquire of their Doctrine or this or that Article of Faith and hang altogether upon this Point before-mentioned Answ. 'T is true it is granted by all that there must be a Way and a Rule as the Means appointed of God to answer all Doubts and to give Satisfaction to every Man of the Certainty of that which he believes and who this Way and Judge and Rule is every one ought to be satisfied and the four Heads into which thou hast collected the whole Controversie of all dissenting Judgments in Christianity take up the whole as to this Particular which have ordinarily been holden forth among Christians But I judge thou deal'st not wisely in thy Inquisition and Search for Satisfaction to hang all on this Pin but rather to have examined further as concerning Matters of Doctrine and Matters of Faith held forth most especially of this Party to whom thou wast so much inclined and see how thou could'st have swallowed down that Doctrine of Purgatory and Sacrifice for the Dead and Justification by a Man 's own Works and of Bread and Wine after the Words of Consecration by the Priest is transubstantiated into the very Body and Blood of Christ and becomes whole God their Saviour and Redeemer for these are principal things either greatly necessary to Salvation or greatly unnecessary and when thou had'st tryed and found these to be so repugnant unto the Doctrine and Faith once delivered among the Saints in the first Plantation of the Gospel this might have put a Stop unto thee that thou could'st not so easily close with their Judgment and pretended Infallibility who pretend to be only Guides and yet lead into the greatest Errors in Matters of greatest Moment But as to the four Particulars mentioned I shall not stand to trouble either my self or the Reader as to speak much what of that which is no Part of my Faith or Judgment but only to vindicate the Truth against the many false Conceptions of changeable Men And first of all R. E. begins to treat of the Spirit and perverts the Scripture at his first Onset and saith As touching the Spirit â—earing Witness in secret with our Spirits or he saith in plain Terms the priâ—ate Spirit this saith R. E. I considered could not be the Means to convey Faith unto the World nor the Rule Judge or Guide which I enquired after nor indeed the true Spirit of God which he promised to be Apostles Secondly Those who pretend this Guidance do not believe Godâ— but themselves only and their own Perswasions which tell them they have the Spirit of God but they can give no other Account but that they are verily perswaded so or no other Answer but I am sure it is the Spirit of God and I am a good Man and an honest Man and I believe my self but â—ther Reasons or Evidence can they give none Thirdly This pretending of a private Spirit is against 2 Pet. 1.20 That no Prophecy of Scripture is of private Interpretation Answ. This Man beats altogether beside the Anvil whatever the Matter is but that he is blinded and confounded in himself he sets but up a Shadow and then fights with it for instead of proving the Spirit of God not to be a competent Rule Judge and Guide and Instructor in all Matters of Faith necessary to Salvation he goes about to prove a private Spirit a pretended
the free Grace of God only extending it self to them under such a Qualification as though the Spirit of God and free and saving Grace of God had come by Generation or by Succession or because of such and such a Qualification or Conformity in outward practice as I said as though the free Grace of God and the infallible Spirit of God had been given to you and had been bequeathed and intailed to you or any of you under such and such a deâ—â—mination and because inhabiting at such a place and thus you would limit the holy One of Israel and to stop the Wind to blow where it lifteth and Circumscribe the Infallible means which God hath given unto all Mankind for a direction and a Guide a Rule and a Iudge and pinch it up into a narrow Corner and yet shut up all under Condemnation who do not believe and yet exclude all but your selves from the sufficient means and Guide and way whereby they may believe away away with this narrow partial pinching Spirit for God will not be limited neither can be either to Men time or place but as they keep in Covenant with him and keep their first love and integrity in the certain Truth revealed in the first publication of the Gospel which the Roman Church above all others hath wonderfully Apostatized from especially in this one thing which she can never clear her self of to wit Persecution in taking away the Lives of many under the name of Hereticks and suppose any had been so as doubtless there are such yeâ— we never read that it was Christ or the Apostles way to kill them and destroy them but on the contrary denyed them and warned others so 〈◊〉 â—hem and to have no Fellowship with them and so left them to the World neither that they Exhorted or stirred up either Kings of Princes to take away the Lives of any who did believe or not believe what they declared 〈◊〉 be Truth but on the contrary when the Disciples in the dayes of their 〈◊〉 would have commanded Fire to have come down from Heaven as did Elias Christ Rebuked them told them they knew not what Spirit they were of and again love you Enemies and do good to them that hate you How your Catholick Church hath kept this precept I leave all Nations to judge where your Power hath been known suppose real Schismaticks and Hereticks as some such there have been in the World how you have done good to them and how you have loved them is manifest except you judge that shutting them up in Prisons Racking Torturing and cruel Torments and at last of all Death was in love to them and in doing good to them which methinks any reasonable Man should blush and be ashamed to think or say But an old Plea comes to my mind which some of the Members of the Church of Rome have alledged to me in the dayes of my Youth when I was conversant with them and among them in a Friendly Neighbourly and sober discourse of things of this Nature before mentioned it was said unto me The Roman Catholick Church is that Church whereby Christianity hath been conveyed to all Nations and the great Oracles thereof delivered unto us and the Scriptures also came from us by which you know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God and the Knowledge thereof came unto all and all her Children ought to be subject unto her as the true Mother that brought them all forth and if any went astray either into Heresie or Schism which might not only hurt themselves but also others ought not the Mother in Natural love to her Children to correct them and ought not they to bear her correction and submit unto it and hath not she Power to correct her Children when they go astray unto which is Answered Christianity that which is truly such and them whom God will own to be Christians were dispersed through the Nations by the Power of God and we say that the Church of Rome hath begotten Christendom into that Mould and Frame into which they are now cast more by force and awe then any sound Doctrine and as for the Scriptures coming from her that we deny We know they came from the Apostles and from the Primitive Christians according to the will of God and have been preserved to this day though through many polluted hands they have come and we know how much your Rage was kindled that ever it should be Translated into the English Tongue and many felt the Effect of it to the loss of their Lives as I hope many in England do well consider But suppose a true Mother hath many Children and suppose some do Swarve and go astray from her precepts and under pretence of correcting of them she shut them up in Goals and nasty Holes and afflict them with sundry kind of Torments and at last of all kill them and destroy them what Judgment will be given by reasonable Men of such a Mother but this that she is become unnatural and Cruel and Hard hearted and degenerated from the Nature of a loving and tender Mother and deserves not to have or ever to have had any Children and such a kind of Mother hath you Church been to all that have dissented from her that I may say of her as the Prophet Jeremiah said especially in these lâ—tter Ages the Sea Monsters and Dragons of the Wilderness draw out their Breasts to feed their young Ones but the Daughter of my People is become Cruel Seventhly and lastly We know that God will that all Men should be saved and come to the Knowledge of Truth and hath given that and doth give that unto every man that is come into the World whereby every man that doth receive it is capable of fulfilling the will of God and this gift comes not by the will of Man nor is received in the will of Man but in its own will even in the will of the giver and this free gift of God 〈◊〉 the free and saving Grace of God which hath appeared unto all Men to wit every Man that is come into the World which teaches all the Saints would teach all Infidels to deny ungodliness and worldly Lusts and to live Godly and Righteously and soberly in this present Evil World Howbeit all are not so taught because they heed it not and because they receive it not and so they make the free gift of God of no effect as to Life to them but it is their condemnation yet however herein appears the equal 〈◊〉 and Universal love of God who is no respecter of Persons but 〈◊〉 distributed a measure of this unto all to the intent that they might 〈◊〉 Power â—o fulfil his will and keep his Statutes and so the 〈◊〉 is not in God but in them who slight and despise his gift and so condâ—mnation 〈◊〉 of every one that doth not believe and is of himself and this reprehends that â—alse Erronious narrow pinching Spirit which