and worldly lusts and it will bring to worship God These things among others are the scope of the lying murtherer and bids them believe not every spirit but try them whether they be of God or no for many false Prophets are gonâ— out into the world Answ The false Prophets and Antichrists came up which Christ said should come came up in the dayes of the Apostles before their decease and went forth from them into the world which since the world went after them and they had the sheeps cloathing but ravened from the spirit and so broken into sects and heaps one amongst another which made war against the Saints and overcame them but then again the Beast and false Prophets and the Kings of the earth the Devill and the Dragon should make war against the Lamb and the Saints but the Lamb and the Saints should get the victory over the Beast and the false Prophets Devil and Dragon and the everlasting Gospel should be preached to them that dwell upon the earth So it is not a strange thing to us that the whole world should be standing against the light and against the Saints and the Lamb but their garments they cannot touch and so wickednesse hath budded forth into a rod but he is brought forth to rule the Nations with a rod of iron which was dead and is alive And ye discern not the times like Prarisees and the light which leads men from the world their lusts and taking Gods name in vain and all ungodlinesse You never came into this the Devil never came into this nor none comes into it but who be in that which the Devill is out of Nor none sees the salvation which is to the ends of the earth but who be in the light that John bore testimony of the witnesse in thy conscience shall answer it and condemn thee for thy hard speeches and the light by which all things was made which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world it is the end of the Law and before a naturall Light was and changes men from their naturall estate believing in it into the Covenant of life and peace with God I say the Law of God that came by Moses is above conscience much more Christ the end of the Law that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world the righteousnesse of God And the Devill is out of piety and purity who is the lying murtherer and never brought people to the light within who himselfe is out of it and he cannot disguise himself nor thee neither from the children of Light Prin. And the light simply considered makes not any thing that is done good or evill A. Did not Christ the light testifie against the world that their works was evil and doth not the light make manifest evill And is not he that hates the light reproved and so with it condemned And doth not the Scripture say the Law is light And doth not that make evill of that which is evill and own that which is good and judge it Nay and doth it not grieve the spirit of God Them that act contrary to the Lord did not God bring evill upon them that did evill Is there any evill in the City and I have not done it Though it was evill to them yet it was justice for they went from that of God in them first And doth not Christ the light distinguish between the good and the evill And doth not Christ make that which is good to be good and that which is evil to be evil Pr. He saith The law of faith did not make voyd the law of works but established it Answ That 's contrary to the Apostle that said the Law was changed and the first Covenant was to decay So with it their outward works whereby the Law of faith came in which works by love where the boaster is excluded and the Law of life witnessed and there comes the living in the spirit which makes free from the Law of sin and death Pr. He saith Neither the new man nor the renewed man is endued with the principle of light and life according to the image of him that created him Answ In this thy ignorance of the Saints conditions thou hast shewed for they was in the image of God of him that created them and they was not in the flesh but in the spirit And the Apostle tells them that they was renewed and the light that shined in their hearts was to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And the Saints had put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created them And he that believes hath the light of life and if they have not the spirit of Christ they are none of his And God will dwell in man and walke in man and Christ in them the brightnesse of the Fathers glory the expresse image of his substance Pr. The naturall man retains not the things of the new Covenant Ans That is while naturall men are from the light and that of God in them there is that in the naturall man hearkning to that which will bring him to do the thing contained in the Law which shall be justified before the Professors of the Law and not doers of it which is one with that ye professors acts contrary to But no man can know the things of God save with the spirit of God So naturall mans eyes is in that which is naturall from that which is spirituall but there is that in the naturall man which answers the Law of God which is spirituall though he be sold under sin and as he comes to see the seed Christ he shall see the end of all that A naturall mans estate and the Law of sin and death by the faith in Christ and ther 's our justification and life though the other things are owned where they were in their place Pr. Man is not able to discern the things of God till he be born again Answ And the Scripture speaks of discerning the eternall power and God-head and that was a thing of the spirit of God And the Apostle saith not that they were born again and yet I say that none knows the things of God but the spirit of God and that which may be known of God is manifest in them which God hath shewed unto them for that of God in them was of his spirit who is the God of the spirits of all flesh which brings them to discern his eternal power and God-head Pr. He saith That the light by which all things was made which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is not the powerful word of faith Answ Is not the word Christ the Author of Faith by which all things were made and created Is not that the powerful word of faith Is not he the Author of it which faith that comes from him gives victory over the world And is
Saints shall not judge while they be upon the earth Answ But the spirit did teach the Apostle to judge and his time was come And he tels some that they were of old ordained for condemnation and their damnation slumbred not and they went on to eternall judgement and it is high time not to judge Pr. And this he calls a mistake to deny all those that say they have faith in Christ and yet their righteousnesse is not perfect as the righteousnesse of Christ is perfect Ans Who hath faith in Christ is in the perfect Righteousnesse and so you are in the mistake that have a faith and a righteousnesse that is not perfect for righteousnesse and faith which is the gift of God is perfect Pr. For to say that he that saith he hath hope in himselfe and yet is not purified even as he is pure is the hope of the hypocrite c. This he calls a mistake see page 8. Answ And here he is corrected and his spirit is corrected being in the world for the hope purifies as God is pure but the hope of the hypocrite doth not Pr. He calls it a subtill delusion that owns not the Law without in Tables and Books to try the spirits within c. See page 8. Ans And the spirit of Christ within is the end of the Tables Law and Works and Books Therefore in this is discovered his own White Devill and corrected by the spirit as he speaks of and the Law is now in the heart the new Covenant is witnessed and the Pharisees had the Law in Tables as thou hast Scriptures and stood against the life and in the subâ—le delusion as thou doth who brings the external to try the eternal which it is the eternal that tryeth the external as Christ did the Pharisees who told them when they wronged it And so are you the wrongers of it who hath not the eternall to try withall so as the Devill who is fallen out of the power And it was the eternal that led forth the Saints to speak forth Scripture and with that they are tryed and seen wâ—o wrongs them and wrest them to their own destruction and Peter was one of those tryers who was in the Spirit of God and could not read letters and the Pharisees they had the letter without the life and could not try Francis Blake's Booke called Choice Collections of Scriptures against the practice of the QUAKERS c. His Principles follow Pr. HE saith Repent and become sinners because the Quakers say they are made free from sin by Christ see page 6. Ans Contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who said repent and forsake sin that they might receive the remission of sins c. And contrary to the Apostles doctrine to Simon Magus Pr. Francis Blake hath printed a Letter which shews that those that are in scorne called Quakers ownes the blood of Christ. And John Bunyan saith they deny it Ans And thus they are in confusion but the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God we own but their Lies we disown and we witnesse the repentance which cannot be repented of but we say to you Repent and turn from your sins And they that bid people repent and become sinners are Satans messengers Luke Fawnes Samuel Gellibrand Joshua Kirton John Rothwel Thomas Underhil and Nathaniel Webbs in a Book called The Second BEACON Fired Sent to the Protector Their thirst is after blood and persecution over all such spirits we see there is that in them shall Answer it Pr. THey say The Quakers Principles are Blasphemous Paganish Antichristian Anti-scripturall Ans Because we hold out the foundation of God Christ Jesus who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Pr. He calls this loathsome poysonous and blasphemous errour c. See page 3. Answ You are poysoning the people and are of the Whores stock who would have blood to drink which drunk of the blood of the Prophets and Martyrs and Saints and so lies provoking the zeale of the Magistrate against them as the Pharisees and Priests did in ages past but that was the blinde zeale that persecuted in all Ages and they are Anti-scripturall Antichristian and Anti-ministeriall that deny the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world which is the end and substance of the Scriptures and who is in that owns the Scriptures and is not against them and are the true Manisters and Christians and so you are the Pagans and Heathens that deny the light that all men are enlightned withall Pr. They say that the Quakers are in an errour to say that none are the Ministers of God and called of him who are sent forth by the authority of man c. page 7. Answ So shews their ignorance of the Apostles doctrine and words Not of man nor by man he saith he had received it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ and so you that are made by men deny this Pr. They say That is another errour of the Quakers that say he who is not infallible in his judgement when he gives counsell and advice is no Minister of Christ See page 7. Answ Now he that is not infallible in his counsell and judgement and advice is not he in errour And are not the Ministers of Christ the Ministers of the spirit And is not that out of the errour which is infallible in counsell and judgement And are they Ministers of Christ that are fallable and is not the power the Gospel infallible You may well creep and go to the Magistrates for help who denies infallibility and so naturall men knows not the things of God with the earthly spirit of the world I say that is infallible which must order all the Creation to the glory of God by which they were made and created Pr. You say again You are laying and spreading their errours and blasphemies before the Magistrates that they may stop their mouths See page 9. Ans Now you shew that you have not the spirit of Stephen nor the Apostles whom their enemies could not resist but the spirit of them that was against Stephen c. perswading the Magistrate and so your weapons ye shew are carnall not the mighty weapons to pluck down the strong hold and spiritual wickednesses which weapons are spirituall Ye are fain to fly to the mountains to cover you to hide you from the presence of the Lamb which is now risen And where did ever the Apostles go to the Magistrates for help and complain against Errors and Blasphemy and such as did so judged Truth to be blasphemy running to the Magistrates as you do now who are apostatized from the Apostles but many of the Magistrates are come to see you and will not be your pack-horses nor Executioners any longer And your whole intent is to brand the light of Christ Jesus with the same expressions of Errour and Blasphemy as the Jewes did in Ages past who are begging to the Magistrates with Petitions provoking
God again which soul Christ is the Bishop of and doth not thou speak of a humane soul an earthly soul and is earthly immortal and cannot die nor be killed And is not that which came out from God which God hath in his hand taken up into God again which Christ the power of God is the Bishop of is not this of Gods being And doth not the Scripture say God is all and in all And how dost thou here devide the word of God aright who shewes so much ignorance of the letter of Scripture Pr. He saith It is a wretched doctrine to say men have not a humane soul in them and to say that the soul is a part of the Divine Essence Ans Is not that of God that come out from him and is not the earthly and humane of the ground and is not that mortal and is that which is immortal humane And dost thou say it is humane and is not that earthly And where doth the Scripture of the Prophets Christ or the Apostles tell people of a humane soul and of Christ having a humane body in heaven and doth not the Apostle speak of his glorified body Pr. He saith that God should dwell in his Saints and Christ inhabit in believers how can this be the heaven of heavens cannot contain him how much lesse shall the strait heart of man Answ The Scripture saith God will dwell in men and walk in men and Christ that fills heaven and earth is in you except ye be reprobates and so in this thou hast shewed thy self one not able to divide the word aright and the bodies of the Saints are the Temples of God and God will dwell in them and walk in them and he will be their God and they shall be his people Pr. He saith Nor is it an essential in-dwelling of the Divine nature in Gods people c. Answ Doth not the Apostle say the Divine nature the Saints was made partakers of and God dwells in the Saints and Christ in them except they be reprobates And doth not the Saints come to eat the flesh of Christ and if they eat his flesh is it not within them Pr. He saith God dwells not in the Saints as a personal union c. page 22. Answ How comes the Saints then to eat of his flesh and to be of his flesh and bone and God dwelling in them and have unity with the Son and the Father and to be of his body which is the Church and Christ the head Pr. To say a man is justified and made righteous by Gods putting righteousness into us and by righteousness wrought in the creature confounds Justification and Sanctification c. See page 25. Answ The Apostle brought the people to the faith by which they was justified that was in their hearts for with the heart man believes unto righteousness c. And the light they was to believe in that was Christ And the light that shined in their hearts gave the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus their Saviour Now Justification by the works of the Law was do this and live Circumcise the children if they did not they was to be cut off and they was to keep the Law and the works of the Law the faith of Christ ended for it took away the nature that the Law went upon now the Papists and Priests be out of the works of the Law or the works of faith that works by love for they are slaying one another about Religion though they pretend works and this was ever out of the faith of Christ Jesus to kill one another about Religion Now the Apostles was in the works of faith who neither prisoned nor persecuted any that was a contrary minded that did so nor wrestled not against flesh and blood but against the power that captivated creatures And so all this work about works doth shew you and the Papists both be out of the faith that works by love where love should overcome all things and bear all things I do not measure Priests and professors nor Papists by the works of the Law which the Apostles speakes of which the false teachers were bringing people to in the dayes of the Apostles Neither do I compare or measure Papists or Priests with the works of faith that works by love that becomes all to all for the winning some of them Papists and Priests and professors will kill one another about their faith which is not the faith that works by love and contrary to the Apostles and Quakers faith Pr. He saith our warfare cannot be expected to be over as long as we are in the body and the best of Saints do not live free from sin Pag. 27. Ans The Apostles said they was made free from sin and the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth us from all sin and such as witness the everlasting Covenant of God that blotted out their sins and transgressions And they did witnesse the one offering that perfected for ever them that are sanctified And the Saints did witnesse the Kingdom of God which stands in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and were new Creatures and the old man put off and they were more then conquerours So thou art ignorant of the Scriptures And it is the Doctrine of Devils that Preacheth that men shall have sin and be in a warfare so long as they be on earth that is not the Doctrine of Christ which brings people to the faith the which gives the victory in which they have unity one with another and please God Pr. He saith to witnesse heaven within and hell within and the resurrection is the mystery of Iniquity Page 31. Ans Which shewes thou never knew heaven in thy self nor hell there nor Christ the resurrection and the life which they are blessed that are made partakers of the first resurrection on them the second death shall have no power And the Scriptures doth witnesse heaven within And if Christ that was offered up the resurrection and the life be not within thee thou art a reprobate Pr. He saith We shall have incorruptible powerful glorious and spiritual bodies and yet they say Christ is in heaven with a humane body which is earthly See pag. 34. Again the spirits can enter into heaven while the body is upon the earth c. And he saith the fourth Commandment commandeth the keeping of a seventh day and he that breaketh the least Commandment and teacheh men so to do is least in the Kingdom of Heaven Page 41. Answ Have not all the Priests and teachers in England denyed the Jewes Sabbath the seventh day and do not you work on it And do not you meet together on the first day of the week And do not you all teach men to break the Commandment there And you keep markets and fairs on the seventh day the Jewes Sabbath ye meet together on the first day of the week which
Judgement upon all the Priests the rest of his fellowes who in most coasts of the Nation are troubling people for Tythes and their maintenance and you are blind-folded who leads people from the spirit within who are ravened from it and hath the sheepes cloathing in the humane learning which is from the earth from the ground and that cannot distinguish the naked truth and with that the Pharisees could not see Christ as you be that cannot see the light which hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world nor the Sons of God who are led by the spirit Pr. He saith The Scripture was given forth in the Hebrew Greek and Latine which we truely say is the Original and to attain spiritual wisdom by depending upon miraculous Revelations from heaven is attempting the good Spirit of God Answ And here he is contrary to the Apostle what he had received from the Lord he declared and David waited upon the Lord and all the Prophets of God for Counsel and teaching and Revelation and this he calls a Temptation which no one knowes the Son but by Revelation nor the Father nor the Scripture not a Hebrew nor a Greek nor a Latinist but they that think to find it out by natural Languages are in the temptation from the Spirit of God which reveals the deep things of God which to all you inwardly raveners is miraculous and as for the rest of thy confusion and lies it is not worth the mentioning but shall cover thy self thy Judgement the witness shall answer and manifest thy cloathing John Wallace Priest of Kendal William Moore Priest of Kellet Priest WALKER Their Principles as followeth Pr. THey say That the Devil is transforming himself into an Angel of Light and this is to oppose the Light of Christ Answ The Light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall is that which Satan is out of and you that be out of the Light which Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world withall in you may Satan transform who tranformed before the Apostles decease which since their decease it hath been him that hath made this work among all creatures which you be under his power since the dayes of the Apostles in the night of the Apostacy and he hath been the cause of destroying people which be out of the Light in which is the unity To sing without the spirit to sing words made ready to their hands as the Jews could whose songâ— might be turned into howling and to sing in â—he spirit there is the melody made to the Lord where hymnes Psalms and spiritual songs are known but to say that Christ and the Apostles sung Davids Psalms turned into Meeter as you do now a thing made ready to their hands this would make as though the Apostles and Christ could not sing without Davids Psalms and would put every one besides the spirit for Christ was Lord of David and the Apostles Preached the end of David in that they sung and every man that cometh into the world having a Light from Christ and that which may be known of God is manifested within man though Jewes and Gentiles be from it it guiding all minds it will bring them to sing in the spirit as David Solomon Christ the Apostles and the Saints and in this let all make melody to the Lord in their hearts all having moving and breath from the Lord. So let all praise the Lord in the spirit and in it unto him sing who in him moves and lives and have their being Gawen Eglesfield His Principles as followeth Pr. THat his call into the Ministery is mediate Answ So is not a Minister made by the will of God which is immediate nor a Minister made by the spirit which is immediate Mediate is naturall and the naturall man knows not the things of God for they are spiritually discerned Pr. And he saith The Law is not changed that gave tythes Answ The Law of God is changed and the Commandement disannul'd though the Pope set up another Law since the apostacy from the Apostles Ambrose Dickinson His Principles as followeth Pr. HE saith That there is nothing within man but what puts him on a Covenant of works Answ First there is faith within man and there is Christ within man that works by love and God will dwell in man and walk in man and the Son of God is revealed within Dost thou liken all these to things without in the Covenant of works which ends them all and was before they was Pr. He saith There is no knowledge of Christ in this generation but by the Scripture Answ Many may have the Scriptures and not know Christ they will not give the knowledge of Christ that which comes from him and shines in the heart doth give the knowledge of Christ the light And the Jewes had the Scriptures but had not the knowledge of Christ as you that doth not know the Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world the eare being stopt to that of God in you and eyes closed and it is not the spirit and the letter of it cannot give life Pr. John Stockdale said the Scriptures must try the spirits Answ The spirit was before the Scriptures was and the Jewes had the Scriptures yet knew not Christ but crucified him and that must try the spirits that gave forth Scriptures Pr. He saith The spirit and the Scriptures are one and the same thing Answ Scriptures are writings as the Priests and professors say and Christ was before it was given forth which owns it and is when it ends and is fulfilled Pr. Priest Heywood in Lancashire said It was blasphemy to say that the Church was in God Ans Contrary to the Apostle 1 Thes 1.1 who said the Church was in God Prin. Again he said It was blasphemy to say that God dwels or walked in his Saints Answ Contrary to the Apostle 2 Cor. 6.16 Eph. 4.6 which saith God will dwell in you and walke in you and ye are the temples of God Christopher Wade His Book called Quakery Slain His Principles are as followeth Pr. HEe saith in page 3. Oh horrible to say the infallible spirit must open the Scriptures Answ Which hath shut himselfe out of the spirit that gave forth Scriptures and must open them again in which is the unity and that is infallible and he that hath the spirit of God hath that which is infallible and he that hath not the spirit is none of his so out of the infallibility where thou art in the horrible state Pr. He saith It is whimsicall to say Christ God and man flesh and spirit is in them Answ Contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who said they were of his flesh and of his bone and Christ in you and he would walk in them And he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his and they are of his flesh and of his bone and Christ in you the hope
and deceivers were throughout all ages and this I charge upon it in the face and view of all men to whom this may come for this we saw concerning it in the beginning and our first assurance And as for other places and orders of men and callings we saw them also corrupted and degenerated and evil and iniquity abounding among all sorts of people and blindness and darkness covered the face of the earth and of the world and all people were in their transgressions and making void the Law of God and that it was time for the Lord to work and to arise to ease himself of his adversaries and as for all Churches so called and professions and gatherings of people we beheld you as all in the Apostacy and degeneration from the true Church nor being gathered by the spirit of the Lord nor anoynted thereby as the true members of Christ ever were but to be in a form and in forms of righteousness without the power and in Immitations without life and perfect knowledge so that all the practices of Religion we beheld without power and life though some had a sencerity in them and a zeal and a desire towards the Lord yet all people erred in Judgement and none were guided in Judgement by the Eternal spirit and because of the error in Judgement that made their zeal blind and their performances of righteousness not accepted though acted in some sincerity and zeal because they were not guided in practice and led in Judgement by the spirit of the Lord which onely leads into all truth and none are in the truth but are who led onely thereby so that we beheld all profession but as coverings with figg leaves while the nature of transgression stood uncondemned not crucified Also then we saw not only the performance and practice in Church state and in Religious orders were corrupted but also Goverment and Magistracy and all things in civil state were not aright in the sight of the Lord nor as the Lord required neither as he had ordained in the beginning for Government we know as ordained of God is to punish and limit and terifie all evil doers and to preserve and defend all that do well and that mens consciences are to be left free to be ruled by the Lord alone and guided by his spirit and that outward power and civil Magistrates and Lawes so called ought not to be Lord or Ruler in mens consciences nor over them but we beheld how unrighteousness and iniquity and sin and wickedness was strengthened and encouraged in the Government and by such as were in Authority and how the fear of God and the exercise of a good conscience was abused so that it was turned backward from what it ought to be them that did well were punished and limited as transgressors and the evil doers were set free and not made afraid so that we could truely cry truth was fallen in the streets and justice and true Judgement turned backward and equity had no place to enter and the innocent was devoured through want of true and just Judgement and the needy was spoiled and made a prey and thus it was framed for no sooner had we opened our mouthes but the Magistrates begun to put us in prison and execute great injustice upon us and became oppressors of the innocent and laid grievous unjust burdens upon us grievous to be born and true justice and judgement was neglected and wrong judgement brought forth and good Government abused and men in authority not ruled by the Lord neither ruling for the Lord among men and thus it came to passe upon us through the corruption and degeneration in Government and Magistrates which we saw to be as it was fulfilled by them to wit not as the Lord required nor as he in the beginning ordained it but quite the contrary and this we saw in the beginning when the spirit of the Lord was poured down upon us and power from on high was revealed to declare against all the the abominations of the Earth and to make war against all corruption in all orders and places and men Then being prepared of the Lord and having received power from on high we went forth as commanded of the Lord leaving all relations and all things of the woâ—ld behind us that we might fufill the work of the Lord into which he called us and with flesh and blood nor any creature we consulted not nor took councel of men but of the Lord alone who lifted up our heads above the world and all fears and doubtings and was with us in power and dominion over all that which opposed us which was great and mighty and gave us power over it all and to bind Kings in chains and Nobles in fetters of Iron and this is the saints honour and the word of the Lord we sounded and did not spare and caused the deaf to hear the blind to see and the heart that was hardned to be a wakened and the dread of the Lord went before us and behind us and terror took hold upon our enemies And first of all our mouthes were opened and our spirit filled with indignation against the Priests and teachers and with them and against them first we began to war as being the causers of the people to erre and the blind leaders that carried the blind into the ditch and against them as the fountain of all wickednesse abounding in the Nations and as being the issue of prophanes for from them hath prophaness gone forth in all nations and against them we cryed a loud as being redeemed from their mouths who had made a prey upon us as they do upon all that follow their waies and in steeple-houses we did visit them often and in markets and other places as the Lord moved and made way for us shewing unto all them and all their people that they were not Lawfull Ministers of Christ sent of him but were deceivers and Anti-christs and such whom the Lord never sent and we spared not publikely and at all seasons to utter forth the Judgements of the Lord against them and their waies and against their Churches and worships and practices as not being of God nor commanded by him by which they deceived the world and this was our first work which we entred upon to thresh down the deceivers and lay them open that all people might see their shame and come to turne from them receive the knowledg of the truth that they might be saved and this we did with no smal opposition nor danger yea often times we were in danger of our lives through beating abusing punishing haling casting over walls striking with staves and cudgelâ— and knocking downe to the ground besides reproaching Scorning revilings and houtings at and scoffings and slanderings and all abuses that could be thought or acted by evil hands and tongues and often carried before Magistrates with grievous threats and some times put in the Stocks and whipped and often
and we are well acquainted with griefs yet in all our trials and afflictions the Lord never forsook us but his wisdome love and life and presence increased in us and with us Then in the yeare 1654 as moved of the Lord we spread our selves South-ward and entred into these South parts and came the first of us into this City of London in the fift Moneth that year and laboured in the work of the Gospel in continuall sufferings and oppressions divers waies and were oppressed and gainsaid by the wise-men and by the learned and had in reproach and contempt by all the high and lofty and proud professors and we were set at nought and rejected by the fat beasts of the South and it is well known to thousands in this City and South countrie what opposition we have had from all sorts of people opposed in our own meetings and scorned and slandered by envious and reproachfull tongues publikely and privately encountered withall by the wisest of the City and country chalenged invited and ingaged to disputes by the high Priests and Church-members so called written against and printed against by the chiefest of men accounted wise and religious which of any sect and who of all the wisest in profession and the most zealous in practices of Religion so called have not at some time or other beset us and encountered with us in high disputes and controversie opposing of us to our faces and gain-saying our doctrines and practices and denying of us and resisting of us wholly and crying against us to be deceivers deluders and hereticks and blasphemers and such like and that our doctrines were deceivable error and factious and what not that our practises were destructive to men Lawes and Government these things in the worst nature have been spoken against us without ceasing by the wisest and men of greatest parts and most Religious falsely so accounted for this certain yeares in the South aswell as in the North besides what losse have we sustained other waies in the South by beatings and strikings and abuses and slanders and false reproaches and halings before Magistrates and imprisoning and all the like dealing from Priests Rulers and people as we did in the North yea the same hard dealing and cruelty from all sorts of people we have suffered and doe daily as we did in the North Insomuch we are now accustomed to the yoke and well acquainted with sorrowes and griefes from all sorts of people and were not the Lord on our side our enemies would swallow us up quick and we had been long since devoured by the teeth of the ungodly so that I may now call to witnesse all the Goales and prisons in the South as in the North and all the Magistrates and Judges and Rulers and all officers of the Law what suffâ—rings we have sustained and what cruell and heard dealing we have undergone and what injustice and unequal and false judgement hath been executed upon us in this five yeares time which of the Goals may appear free where some of us have not suffered the losse of our liberties unjustly and who of any Justice of the peace or any other officer from the Judge to the Constable that can clear themselves from guilt in this matter and that they have not had a hand in our unjust sufferings and to the witnesse of God in all people of all sorts through this whole Nation and some other I do appeal concerning this matter how we have been dealt withall what we have sustained in our persons and in our names how many acts and words of cruelty and in justice we have borne and suffered and these Priests been as the fountain and cause of all this and the formost in all this iniquity and injustice by all what they could do to incense the Rulers and people against us by Preaching and praying and writing and printing for the space of this seven yeares yet notwithstanding all this the mighty power and presence of the Lord have been with us and preserved us from dangers great and many and carried us through trials and perplexities and sufferings and not onely so but he hath increased us in number so that thousands and ten thousands have and may own us and the truth which we give witnesse of live therein for the eyes of all people are beginning to be opened and the deaf eare is unstopped and the way of life eternall is made manifest and the Lord is gathering his flock which hath been scattered in the cloudy and dark day whilst these false idle shepherds these Priests and Teachers I meane have fed themselves with the fat and cloathed themselves with the wool and laid down in slumber and not gathered the flock nor fed them but scattered them and driven them away and with force and with cruelty have they ruled over the heritage of the Lord woe woe unto these sheepherds saith the Lord God they shall be confounded and put to shame perpetually and they shall be broken down and never builded any more and the Lord will pluck them up by the roots and they shall never again be planted And besides all there Petitioning the Magistrates against us and Preaching and praying against us and all the evil wickedness in work word desire brought forth against us from time to time yet here sober Reader thou hast a Catalogue and whole number of books Printed written against us and abundance of their Doctrines uttered against us and in opposition to us gathered up in this volume in a sum with our answers to them and if thy heart and minde be single thou maist hereby understand in measure the difference in Doctrine between them and us and compare each of them with the Scriptures and see whether their Doctrines and Principles laid down as the subject of their books or our Doctrines and Principles laid down in answer to theirs be according and agree with the Scriptures and if thou be impartial in this business and single in this search and Judgement I doubt not but thou wilt in a great measure satisfie thy self and be resolved concerning their Priests and Professors of England and us who are called Quakers and then when thou thus hast done own and deny â—â—â—ther them or us as the Lord shall perswade thee for thou maist fully perceive we differ in Doctrines and Principles and the one thou must justifie and the other thou must condemn as being one clean contrary to the other in our Principles And I wish also thou wouldst measure us and compare us in lives and conversations and truely Judge whom of us whether they or we do the more follow Christ and his Apostles in practise and conversation And in all things lay us and them to the line of true Judgement and with an upright heart Judge accordingly for know this there is not any Principle we hold nor any work which we practice in our Religion and worship but we are willing and
the Apostles And yet Paul judgeth him again and saith as many as are perfect are thus minded Pr. He saith there is a contradiction in the Letter speaking of the Scripture page 60. Ans Shewing that he doth not know to what condition iâ— was spoken for there is no contradiction in it but in them that be out of the spirit that gave it forth is the contradiction Pr. And he saith there is a Perfection that respects Justification and not Sanctification see page 61. Ans Now there is no Perfection but where there is Sanctification Pr. And he perverteth the Scripture of John that saith If we say we have no sin c. And he saith Whosoever saith he hath no sin deceives himself See pag. 62. Ans So he wrongs Johns words and puts he for we and is charging sin upon the Elect and so himself is found a Lyar. For there is a time for men to see they have sinned and a time to confesse and forsake sin and a time to witnesse the blood of Christ cleansing from all sin and he that is born of God doth not commit sinne And here the children of God are manifest from the children of the Devill And Eaton hast thou been preaching and praying all this while and never yet heard the voyce of God The night is upon thee thou hast no answer from God And as for the rest of Eatons lyes we let them rest upon his own head not being worth mentioning the witnesse of God in his conscience shall answer in the day of his Judgement John Bunyan Richard Spenceley John Burton and John Childe in their Book that they call A vindication of a Book called Some Gospel TRUTHS opened These Principles followes And as for his Lies and Slanders they will come upon himselfe they are his own Garments And for the Scriptures which he quotes they are owned but not to cover the WOLFE withall IN his Epistle to the Reader he saith The Quakers will own that salvation was obtained by Christ this is truth saith he And but a little before he saith They do deny that salvation that was obtained by him c. And thus he hath shamed his Father of confusion that taught him the father of lies who says and unsays for salvation is owned by Christ and God and no other Pr. Again in the same Epistle he denies Salvation is obtained by Christ within and saith the Scriptures doth not prove it and calls it fighting against the Truth c. Ans When as the Apostle saith work out your salvation with fear and trembling and that is within And the ingrafted word is able to save souls and that is within And the Apostle saith If Christ be not in you ye are reprobates And that is not opposite to Christ without them nor contrary to the Scriptures And no one knows salvation but who knows this Christ in you who is the salvation and where he is within there is salvation and so thou art one of the Reprobates that can talk of Christ without and denies him the salvation within Pr. He saith the Quakers own Christ Jesus revealed to them in spirit and calls it Delusion Ans And yet he saith others are carried away with errour for not receiving Christ revealed in the spirit and this is his patched up stuffe comprehended with the spirit and with it is judged who finds fault with them that have it and is against them that have it not Pr. He tells people of the history of the Word As he saith some have no other witness nor knowledge but the history of the Word and the relation of others c. Ans And yet he is against the Revelation of the spirit in the Quakers But he is one of the Beasts officers to fight against the Lamb but it is to no purpose who thus builds up and throws down Pr. Again Bunyan is railing against the Priests and runs up into the Pulpit himselfe Ans And so the Wolfe hath got the Sheeps cloathing and they can speak of Christ without who be reprobates who have him not within Pr. He saith The Lord Jesus Christ is afar off in his bodily presence Ans And yet he saith the Lord is at hand And the Apostle saith he was in them And Christ said he would dwell with them Pr. He saith They were sealed by Christs death at his offering upon the Crosse Ans And yet Christ must come to save them at the last day And the Saints witnessed their salvation while they were upon earth and said Christ was in them except they were reprobates And the Son of God was come and gave them an understanding Pr. He saith the Quakers witnesse the teaching within which he saith the Apostles witnesseth the contrary c. page 4. Ans Why dost thou wrong the Apostle and put thy lyes abroad when as the Apostle said and Christ said the spirit of the Father spoke in them And the Apostle said the Law and the Covenant of God was in their hearts and the anointing was within them to teach them But why fightest thou against the Apostles teaching the Apostles doctrine and Christs doctrine Dost thou not see thy weapon now fails thee Thou hast cast thy selfe without and hath not the Apostle and Christ corrected thee here now Pr. And to prove that the blood of Christ was shed before the world was he brings a Scripture which saith the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world c. An. Here all may see whether this be a fit man to teach or whether or no he be not one of the Novices I leave it to all to judg his measure who have a just measure for the Scripture saith since the world and thou saist before the world was Pr. He saith That the son of Mary God man is absent from his Church Ans Contrary to Christs words I in them and they in me And I will be with you to the end so one of the blinde Prophets contrary to John who saith we are in him and that is true and thou saist he is absent from his Church And the Apostle said he was the head of the Church but of your Church we believe he is not the head but will grinde you to powder And thy words and thy doctrine are corrected by Christ and the Scriptures And Christ said where two or three meet together in my name I will be amongst them and the Saints were flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Pr. He saith To be justified by Christ is not to be justified by the spirit within and that Christ within doth not work out justification for the soule but must look out for salvation unto that man that is now absent from his Saints on earth these are his words Ans Corrected by the Apostle who saith he works all in us for us and yet thou saith that Christ is absent from his Saints on earth who is corrected again by the Apostle who saith Christ is in you and
contrary to Christ who is the Saviour of the soul and men are justified through faith that is within in the heart which is held in a pure conscience and Christ is in the Saints who is their justification and the Apostle preached Christ in them and where he is there is justification and who hath his light and receive him not there is condemnation Pr. And he saith The Quakers are deceived because they say Christ is within them kept down by something within them Ans Corrected by the Apostle who saith to the Saints Christ is in you the hope of glory and he was prest down as a Cart with sheaves and Christ was in prison and they visited him not and hungry and ye fed him not and thou never knew Christ formed in thee nor the reigning of the seed which is the Heir of the promise of God How was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world buâ— among such as thou art And reprobates may talk of justification in whom Christ is not who witness him not within he is not your justification Pr. And his principle is that the place where Christ shall come to judgement is at the mount of Olives on the East side of Jerusalem Ans Thou hast put him far enough off from thee and hast not yet judged thy self and Christ is come to judgment and so art one of the false Prophets who bids people look for him beyond the Sea loe here be there But who are come to Christ the light the life they need not go forth who abide here are sealed by the spirit puts not off the good and evill day Pr. He saith It is a delusion of the Devill and a dangerous doctrine to bid people follow the light within them Ans And they be in the dangerous doctrine and the delusions of the Devill that draws people from the Light within and thus he doth oppose the foundation of God the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world And the doctrine of the Apostle who saith the light that shines in their hearts must give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus So he is one of the Devils ministers opposing the foundation of God drawing people from that the Apostles drew them too for no one comes to the Kingdom but who comes to the light within them Pr. He saith That every man hath not the spirit of Christ within him Answ And John said Every man that cometh into the world is enlightned And Christ said I will send you the comforter the spirit of truth which shall lead you into all truth and he shall take of mine and give it unto you and he shall reprove the world of sinne the spirit shall Mark all people here is Saints here is Disciples here is the world get from under this how thou canst for under reproof thou art come and that which doth reprove the world is manifest to them and the wicked quencheth the spirit but the Saints are led by it and here are all men Pr. And again thou sayst That it is a filthy errour to say that that light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world will lead man to the Kingdome of righteousnesse and peace Ans Thus he is splitting himself against the Rock and striking against the foundation which every man that cometh into the world being enlightned that through it he might believe and believing in the light he might not abide in darknesse and this he makes insufficient which he that doth not believe in the light is condemned And thus the spiritual Sodomite and Aegyptian is blinde raging about the door and no man comes to the Kingdome of Righteousnessâ— and peace but by the light within and so he is in the filthy errour himself denying the light and hating it Pr. Thou sayst Christ is the light of the world and yet not in every one that cometh into the world Ans So corrected by John who saith he doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And the light shines in darknesse and the darknesse cannot comprehend â—t and he that hates the light is enlightned and will not come to it because it will reprove him that which doth manifest to man an understanding of reproof is within him and that condemns him hating it and the Saints believed in the light and they abode not in darkness which the unbelievers do and stumbles which the others do not Pr. And he saith Christ was not in his Disciples when he sâ—id I am the light of the world Ans And so is corrected by Christ who saith I in you and you in me Pr. He saith They that will come to justification they must go to Christs grave without and to Mount Calvery page 9. Answ And the Scripture saith ye need not go up to heaven nor to say who shall go over the sea for us and bring unto us that we may hear it and do it but the word is nigh in thy heart Deut. 30. so corrected by the Scriptures And the Angel said unto them that went to the grave without Why seeke ye the living among the dead he is risen and the Saints sits with him in heavenly places and need not go to Mount Calvary for him Pr. Hâ— saith The light wherewith Christ doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world is but a creature and is not a spirit pâ—ge 10. Ans And John saith all things was made by him made by the light in him was life and the life was the light of men And this shines in darknesse and the darknesse cannot comprehend it but all stumbling at the foundation of God which was before any creature was made who is the power of God Christ Jesus the light and the Prophets and Johns doctrine they stumbled at who saithâ— the light is a creature by which all things are made and created and so art corrected by the Scripture Pr. He calls the light conscience and a poor dunghill creature that will convince of sin Ans Which light was before conscience was or creature was or created or made light was He made the Sun the Moon c. and the light was before these were made and he is both life and spirit too for that which convinceth of sin is above the creature which checks him and reproves him and lets him see when he goeth astray from the Creator and that 's the light of Christ with which all men may see their salvation with that which lets them see their sin Pr. He saith The law doth not lead men to Christ but under the curse page 17 Answ That is to them that transgresse it Solomon said the law was light And David said the Law was a light unto his feet and a Lamp unto his paths and so led him from the curse them that do it which Christ is the end of and redeems from under it Pr. He saith It is not faith and works together that justifies in the sight
hath thrown out the Son the rule of knowing the Father who reveals him For many had Scriptures who knew not the Father nor knew the Son nor heard his voyce as in John 5. Pr. He saith All those that be without the Scriptures are without all comfort and hope and God See page 26. Answ Here then is thy Doctrine that none have comfort none hope none have God but who have Scriptures Abraham will tell thee otherwise and Enoch for those knew God and walked with him and knew hope and comfort and Joseph and Jacob and God was with them before the Scriptures was written And Christ was promised before the Scriptures was written and many have the Scriptures and not the comfort nor the hope but stand against him as the Jewes did against Christ And many may have the comfort and not read Scriptures Pr. He saith The onely judge of all errour is the Scriptures c. see page 37. Ans So he hath thrown out Christ and thrown out the spirit and the spirituall man and the Saints and God the judge of all who was the Author of the Scripture Pr. He saith The Apostle doth not say that God in these last dayes doth speak or will speak unto us by his Son but God hath already in time past spoke by his Son and that speaking is to these last dayes and we are not to look for any other speaking or revelation c. page 39. Ans And so by this thou hast denyed the scriptures and the authority of them which is Christ Jesus and denyed the Apostles doctrine and the new covenant where the law is writ in the heart and minde and all taught of God Thou hast thrown down and laid waste Christs commands who saith Learn of me And the command of God who saith This is my beloved Son heare ye him And so art ignorant of the scriptures and the power of God Pr. He saith It is abhorred dotage they are bewitched with to say they witnesse forgivenesse within c. See page 41. Answ Thou shews thou never knew a Saints life and that which cleanseth from all sin and the testimony within of forgiveness of sin for where it is forgiven it is within The Apostle saith If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin And many may speak of Christ without them and the body of sin not dead And so the Wolfe may get the form of godlinesse and the Devill may confess the son of God in words Pr. He saith It matters not much if the sense be in the Scriptures where the words be there or no See page 47. Ans And yet he saith the Scriptures is the rule and it is the word and so by that means have all men run into their senses into confusion from the words of the Scriptures which is not to be added to nor taken from nor can it be broken nor is it of any private interpretation and the Scriptures are the words of God and Christ is the word and in him they end and the spirit is the rule Pr. He saith Doth not Christ approve of the Jewes opinion in thinking that in the Scripture they should have eternal life And he saith Christ refers them to the Scriptures to finde life See page 48. Answ When as Christ said They would not come unto him that that they might have life and bid them believe in him whom God had sent who was the end of the Scriptures And Christ did not approve of them that thought to have eternall life in the Scriptures Pr. He saith to say that the light of Christ is not received from the Scriptures it is an abominable thing to be asserted Ans But the light is received from Christ and many had the Scriptures as the Jewes but stood against the Light as you do now and did not receive it that had the Scriptures which testified of it And the Light cannot be blotted out but it doth condemn and it leads to the knowledge of God and to eternal life Pr. He calls it a fancy of an idle brain to witnesse the law of God written in the heart that is different from the morall law c. see page 61. Ans The Scripture saith I will write my law in their hearts and put it in their inward parts and I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel not according to the old And this is the Covenant with Israel not according to the old and so they be in the fancy and idle brain that be out of the new Covenant of light Christ both Jews and Gentiles and all false Christians Pr. He saith This I do deny that the perfection of the whole law of God is writ in mans heart so as to know it and do it as it is written in the Prophets and Apostles c. See page 64. Answ Here thou hast discovered thy selfe to be in the unbelief and limits the Holy One that God is not the same Christ is not the same yesterday to day and for ever And none knows the Prophets and Apostles but who have the same covenant as they had and the same law and same spirit And whereas thou art opposing those as say the Word is within them and the Light is within them and the Spirit is within And because they say those be in unity and be one which makes thee appear one offended who must be ignorant still He that is ignorant let him be ignorant still but the light in thee shall see they are one Pr. He saith That none have ever had such attainments of Christ a Redeemer without the help of the Scriptures c. see page 65. Answ Now Abraham and Enoch and Noah and Adam had the promise of Christ before Scripture was written And the Gospel is the power of God and many may have the forme and not the power and eternall life is not in them nor the power of God For Christ is the power of God who saith Yee will not come to me that yee may have life who was afore Scripture was and all the Attainments is in him the Scripture speaks of and he is not attained to without life Pr. He saith Where did ever any say that they went through the Law to Christ This he judgeth and saith that they be strangers to the life of God that say so c. See page 71. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who saith I through the law am dead to the law but alive unto God And the law was our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ And again he saith The righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in us Pr. He saith All notionall light is from Christ whatsoever c. see page 72. Ans Now notional is imaginations and that is not properly called light and therefore thou mistakest for light is not notion but is the thing it selfe that is from Christ Pr. Here again he denies that Christ hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world with light sufficient if
the Scriptures the words of God and properly to call Christ his name the Word of God and the Word that became flesh that is proper Scripture And they that had not the Scriptures worshipped God before the Scriptures was written as Abraham and Enoch and others and they attained to eternall life And if people have all the Scriptures and not the Spirit which was before they was given forth they want the standing rule they cannot know the Scriptures they cannot worship God aright they cannot finde eternall life they have not unity with God neither do they worship God aright but who be in the spirit that gave them forth And we do believe you that immediate revelations now by the holy spirit of God revealing things to you im-immediately ye have not and you say it is not the work of Gods spirit now nor the way of God now c. You that have ravened from the spirit of God inwardly have been the Wolves which Christ said should come which John saw was come which the world hath gone after you and yee have burst into Names and Heads Horns and Sects And the power was given to the Beast and the false Prophets and the great Whore hath corrupted the earth All Nations have drunk her cup of fornications and the Kings of the Earth So they have flown to the Kings for help against the Saints and against the Lamb but the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory And so when you have been ravened from the spirit of God it hath not been like yee should attain to immediate Revelation by the spirit of God But now who are come to the Lamb are come to that ye ravened from they witnesse immediate Revelation They are come to that the Apostles was in the spirit of Christ the spirit of God they witnesse immediate Revelation Who are come into the feare of God the things of God is revealed unto them who are come into the spirit of God it reveals to them the deep things of God So you that deny immediate revelation by Gods holy spirit now and discovering things to you immediately you have shewed your spirits to be the false spirits unclean spirits that be in the earth like the Frogs that go out of the mouth of the Beast and the false Prophet which was discovered by John and revealed to John discovered and made manifest which now with the same holy spirit of God are you all apostates revealed and discovered to the children of the Light to the Lambs and the Saints who witnesse the spirit of God which reveales the things of God to them and immediate revelation As ever the false Prophets false Apostles false Teachers in their false prophesies and teachings did who had gotten the form and denyed the power immediate Revelation by Gods holy spirit And was it not they then that cryed to the powers of the earth for help against the Saints in all ages which was discovered and judged by the spirit of God and must go into the fire Pr. He saith The Scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation and they are a more sure word of prophecy then any voyce that we can hear from heaven page 6. And we will call them the Word of God whether the Quakers will or no and we are to go to the Law and Testimony page 7. Ans In this ye are contrary to the Ministers of the Word who calls the Scriptures the words of God and Christ the Word and calls the Scriptures a Declaration and a Treatise which Christ the Word came to fulfill And the Law and Testimony which ye say is the Old and New Testament which many may have and yet stand against the Law which is light as saith Solomon and stand against the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophecy and crucifie them that be in it in the Law and Testimony they that have the Old and New Testament as witnesse the ravening Wolves that have had the sheeps cloathing but inwardly ravened from the spirit which Christ said should come John saw was come went out from the Apostles which since the world have gone after them And many may have the Scripture and stand against the voyce from heaven as the Jewes did him that spoke from heaven which was more sure him that spoke from heaven who was the end of the Scripures and comes to fulfill them And the Scriptures are not able to make wise unto salvation as you say who leave out the Faith but through faith they are Pr. Let the Quakers shew where ever Christ or the Apostles bid people looke to the light within them And the Quakers say they write from the spirit of the Lord and speake from God immediately and infallibly as did the Apostles and doth not this bring them under the curse in the Revelations page 8. And say the Letter is a dead and killing letter these he calls wicked errours And to say the light within is sufficient an old Popish argument Answ The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall is the salvation to the ends of the earth and sufficient for he that believes in it shall have the light of life and come to witnesse the Law of God in his minde and in his heart and the new Covenant which he shall not need to say Know the Lord. And the letter of Scripture paper and inke is a dead letter And thou and you all that speak and write and not from God immediately and infallibly as the Apostles did and Prophets and Christ but onely have gotten the words you are all under the Curse in another spirit ravened from the spirit that was in the Apostles onely have had the sheeps cloathing inwardly ravening wolves so deceived the World and the Nations and have been held up by the powers of the world the powers of the earth And the Kings of the earth have drunk the cup of fornication and they were like to maintain that which they have drunk And so power hath been given to the Beast over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations and they should make war against the Lamb and the Saints and continue it till the words of God was fulfilled And the Apostles told the Corinthians that light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And so all people upon the earth that have gotten a knowledge and if the light that shineth in their hearts hath not given it them what they know they know naturally in these things they corrupt themselves And so thou and you that be ignorant of the Apostles doctrine the light that gives people the knowledge and the immediate infallible spirit that the Apostle was in and that the Scriptures was given forth from are and the Pope together in another fallible spirit then the Apostles were in comprehended with the spirit that gave forth Scriptures Pr. And what a dreadful Judgement
the Father is one the Father is in him and he is in the Father and the Father and the Son dwells in the Saints who are out of the transgression of his Doctrine and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life and he that hath the Son of God hath life eternall really in possession and such perverts not the right way of the Lord but such as have not the Son of God they are all in the first Adam in the crooked wayes and crooked by-paths in the world nâ— witnessing life but standing against the Light which shineth in the Darknesse which their darknesse cannot comprehend which are all the inwardly raveners since the dayes of the Apostles among whom hath been the apostacy and the Apostates from wâ—om the light of life hath been hid But he that followeth the Light he cometh to have the light of life And he that receiveth the light receiveth life eternall and to receive the Son of God And he that receiveth the Son of God hath eternall life in substance and possession Prin. He saith Death which hath passed over all men is not a spirituall Death page 51. Answ Thou and all you shall feel it as a spiritual Death before ye know life and immortality come to light and the spirituall wickedness wrestled against whose weapons are spirituall and not carnall that wrestles not against flesh and blood but spirituall wickeâ—nesses in high places And that is it which causeth the life of all creatures to groan and oppresseth it whereby life and immortality is hid from the eyes and the power transgressed whereby the spirit and soule of man must be sanctified before he witnesse thorow purification before he come from under the death and spirituall wickednesses For sin brings death and that is the spirituall wickednesses that is to be wrestled against and transgressing the pure Law of God the commands of God brings death And so he entertains the spirituall wickednesse which brings death upon his life so comes oppression on his body and on his spirit and his soule burthened and wearyed and unsanctified and polluted which Christ gives rest to who is the Sanctification and Redemption and Justification which the Law goes upon man agreeable to that of God in him but Christs body makes free from the Law and redeemes from under it So as the power of God the Gospel is known and Christ known the creature comes from under the bondage of corruption and life and immortality comes to the light through the Gospell whereby the death is known which who believes shall never dye and the life is known which shall never dye Pr. The Quakers deny Water-baptisme and slight it and call it a carnall thing Answ Outward water is not spirituall but it is a carnall thing as it is in it selfe and it is the spirit alone that baptizeth into the body which brings off of things that are seen which are temporall as the Apostle said while we look not at things that are seen for the things that are seen are temporall c. and water is seen Pr. He saith False Prophets and Antichrists should come in sheeps cloathing Answ These Christ said should come to his Apostles And before the Apostles decease they saw they were come And the Apostles saw before their decease the Devill transform himselfe into an Angell of light and Satans Messengers and Ministers come up such as had a feigned humility and will-worship got up and the abstaining from meats neglecting the body and such as Jannes and Jambres that crept into houses which had the sheeps cloathing the form of godlinesse and such were the seducing spirits the doctrine of Devills which ran into the strange delusions bringing in the damnable heresies which went in Cains Cores and Balaams way and they saw the coming of the man of sin and the Apostles all saw by the spirit of God before their decease which Christ said should come which inwardly ravened which since the dayes of the Apostles the world hath gone after them All this which Christ said should come which the Apostles saw was come and coming before the coming of the just One But the Just One now is come who hath revealed it the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Cain Core Balaam false Prophets Antichrists such as goes into strong delusions and brings in the damnable heresies and forbidding the eating of meats and Marriage these all inwardly ravened anâ— these all have been up since the dayes of the Apostles and these have been covered with the sheeps cloathing and the false Prophets and Antichrists they inwardly ravened and the Devill the man of sin he went out of the Truth and abode not in it which Truth which he went out of all they that have the sheeps cloathing and he and they all can get Scriptures but inwardly ravened and gone from the spirit of Truth in their own particulars such are the destroyers of the creatures and of the Creation But with that which they all ravened from are they all manifest and discovered which to that are now people come and coming which these inwardly raveners have had the sheeps cloathing which have been the Beast and false Prophets Devills messengers and Ministers out of the truth which have reigned since the dayes of the Apostles having had the sheeps cloathing which have long deceived the Nations But now the Devill Beast Antichrist and false Prophets are all discovered with the light and life which they all went from and the truth And the place is seen where there is no Curse and the Beast and the false Prophet is taken that they shall deceive the Nations no longer and is cast into the lake of fire under whose dominion thou art whose words shall be thy burthen Pr. He saith Let us minde the Law and Testimony Answ Then ye must all minde the Light for the law is light saith Solomon then ye must all minde the spirit for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy which many may have the Old and New Testament yet be from the Law and Testimony for the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Marke Luke John the Acts Epistles and Revelations was written as in the 8. of Isaiah which the Prophet minded And they that say the Old and new Testament is it shews themselves to be ignorant of the spirit and ignorant of the Law and Testimony And the Law and Testimony doth not deny the Scriptures but owns them in their place and sees the fulfilling of them with the Testimony of Jesus they see Jesus who was afore Scripture was and comes to fulfill it William Jefferies his Booke called ANTICHRIST made known In which these PRINCIPLES are following c. Pr. HE saith Men are mistaken in saying the Romish Whore of Babylon is Anti-christ And the chiefe City of this great Whore the mother of Harlots is the City of Rome the Pope Cardinals Bishops and Clergy And the spirit of Antichrist denies
wayes also pag. 211. And the Quakers think it a lie against God to say the spirit is in the Letter and Scripture and is given by it and makes a jangling about immediate teaching Page 222. Answ There is no one is furnished for the work of the Ministry of God but who is in the immediate Spirit of God which is to Minister to the Spirit And there is no one made a Minister of God by the mediate but by the immediate For who hath the spirit of God the spirit of wisdom and understanding to sing in the spirit or pray in the spirit it is immediate And all that be out of that be in the earthly sensual and Devillish perishing knowledge and that understanding must come to nought and wisdom must be confounded and as for the word Function it is thy own and must come to nought And the spirit is immediate that led the Saints to give forth Scripture And the spirit is not in the letter but it was in them that gave it forth And them that have not the spirit in them that was in them that gave it forth and are disobedient to that are them that say the spirit is in the letter And such say that the teachings immediate is jangling that be from the spirit that is immediate ravened from it in their own particulars such are never like to beget to God but are the Ministers of the letter not of the spirit and by that which the Devil and they are out of are they comprehended who be in the jangling and in the lie Pr. He saith Christ took up a Bible and Preached on a text And as for uses points tryals and motives you must go to Titus 3.16 Answ Christ who came to fulfill took the book and read and said it was fulfilled He did not take a Text as you do and lay half a year in it as some of you and have ten shillings a day for your pains or more or lesse but he said it was fulfilled And that place in Titus there is no word of motives nor points nor tryals nor uses as you pretend though he who was in the faith did study to divide the word aright in whom was the gift of God which was perfect This is not like your divination of your brain for money which ye sell weekly nor your taking a text and laying half a year in it And thou hath shewed your selves to be the novices Pr. He saith Though the righteousness be wrought in us by the strength of Christ and be found in us that are sanctified yet as to Justification of a person Paul would not be found in it for a world pâ—ge 229. Answ The righteousness of Christ fulfilled in us and be found in the righteousness of Christ that was the thing the Apostle strove after not in his own righteousness in that which ended the Law And that righteousness which is wrought in us by the strength of Christ is Christs where sanctification is witnessed this is Christs who is the end of the Law and in this was the Apostle found and stood for which was out of the world Pr. And honour all men And the fifth Commandment he brings for bowing the knee and he saith putting off the hat is but a token of respect Page 234. Answ Honour all men that is to have all men in esteem all men are had in esteem for Christ hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world that they might all through this light believe and he that doth not is condemned and that will bring all men to seek the honour that comes from above that love it but if they hate the light they seek the honour that is below that is of the first Adam in the transgression and that 's the hat But Christ the light that doth enlighten every man c. receives not honour of men and the light of Christ which every man hath c. will not receive the honour of men Now he that receives the honour of men is of the first Adam from the light in the transgression Earthly Adam looks for honour of the earth these are the marks of an unbeliever And the fifth Commandement doth not speak of bowing the knee And Jacobs bowing and Davids bowing to Saul c. There is a time the elder must serve the younger And Joseph and Abrahams bowing before the heathen and the rest of bowings which thou speaks of in the Scriptures the old Testament Christ is come to whom every knee must bow and tongue confesse to the glory of God and not the Angels bowed down to nor worshipped So ye have shewed whose Ministers ye are of that are crying up bending and bowing the knee is not this like kissing of Baal and bowing the knee to Baal Now Christ is come to whom every knee must bow down to him And as for Master ye have thrown your selves into that transgression for Christ saith Be not yee of men called master for yee have one master even Christ and ye are all brethren and excluded your selves from among the brethren Pr. He saith Swearing is a part of Gods worship pag. 235. And Christ was far from overthrowing the worship of God And it was the formall part of an oath when the Apostle Paul said God was his witness pag. 238. Answ Christ who said God was a spirit and would be worshipped in spirit and in the truth said swear not at all who was the oath of God that ended oaths but said in all your communication let your yea be yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more cometh of evill And the Apostle was so far from swearing who in the doctrine of Christ abode as he saith above all things my brethren swear not at all not by heaven nor by the earth nor by any other oath Neither did any of the Apostles though men that were in strife swore and their oath ended the strife among them and they swore by the greater that is the true oath But Christ in whom is the peace the covenant of peace where soules comes to be one and hearts one who are the true brethren in him are in the oath of God the end of all oaths For God when he could not finde a greater swore by himselfe that did not change concerning of his Covenant with men that doth not change in which men come to have peace with God And so men swear by the greater whose oath ends their strife and controversie But God could not finde a greater swore by himselfe concerning of his Son the Covenant of God which ends the strife among men and between God and man and is the peace on earth and good will towards men Now the swearing of the Angels the swearing of the Priests the swearing of Jacob and Joseph and David and Solomon Christ is the end of all these the oath of God in which their faith stood and to which all the Angels must bend and bow to him that saith sweare not at all
Moones and sacrifices that the Actions Baptisme and breaking of bread are the signes of a Christian Sabbath its high presumption to alter the word of God in calling every day the Lords Sabbath and honouring any other day as the Sabbath So if we be followers of God as dear children and take the spirit to be our guide we must honour the Sabbath withall holy devotion Answ The Sabbath is mentioned with new Moons and sacrifices but the Apostle sayes they were shadowes of good things to come when this is come which was before the shadowes was which is the body Christ which was before dayes new Moons or sacrifices was the body who be in that ends them all and to that the Apostle brought people and not to the dayes now there was some brought them to observe dayes and he was afraid of them that did observe them and he brought them to the body Christ to whom all the Angels did bow for they as did observe the dayes new Moons and Sabbathes are worshipping of Angels neglect the body which is Christ and this was for the satisfying of the flesh and now what art thou satisfying which art teaching to observe dayes signes and shadowes which the Apostle brought people off to the body and to the head Christ Jesus and to worship God in spirit and brought them into that that ended all shadowes for the devil will lurk in a shadow or a type or a sign or figure and creeps into those things after the substance is come to keep people from the body and they will persecute such as will not bend to the shadow and come from the substance and breaking bread and baptisme is no sign of the Sabbath day of the Jewish Sabbath day the Sabbath was a figure of the rest and sanctification of the Creation and breaking of bread among the Saints was a figure of the bread Christ which the Saints eat and live for ever and the word of God cannot be altered and the word of God cannot change man may alter but the word of God cannot be altered but abides and lives for ever And the Saints which comes to the body Christ comes to honour him who ends the Sabbath which is a sign and a shadow and such honors God the Redeemer and Creator and Christ by whom all things was created and made and which are the dear children of God the Apostle speaks of he did not bring them into dayes and to observe Sabbaths and signes but brings them to the body Christ the Lord of the Sabbath and doth not set up that which thou cals devotion in holding up the Jewish Sabbath which was a sign on which they should rest the rest of the creation and the rest of all man kinde cattel and beasts that God would restore and redeem all things by Christ who is the word and gives rest and is the sanctification and gives rest to the whole creation Prin. Thou sayes this is the time of Gods worship observing the seventh day Christian look well to thy walkings see that thou make all things according to the pattern in the mount Answ They that worshipps God they come into Christ the truth the body which ends the sign and the shadow and the end of Moses who made a pattern which was a figure of that which was to come and he made it at the command of God and the Christians are not to make the pattern which was shewed to Moses in the mount for while Moses is read the vail is upon the hearts of Christians and all people whatsoever and the sign shadowes and figures the body is not seen nor come to which is Christ And Paul and the Saints the true Christians worshipped God in the spirit and in the truth who witnessed they was in the body that ended the shadowes and types and Moses the Law and the Prophets Christ Jesus him by whom the world was made before it was made and a pattern is not the thing there is the thing the pattern is of and that ends the pattern and lives in the thing and they need not have the pattern for the pattern was made of a thing that was to come Pr. Thou sayes if the Apostle of the Gentiles who was the rejecter of the ceremonies did constantly celebrate the seventh day Sabbath then much more them Apostles among the Jewes there 's not a plainer precept in all the Scripture then Pauls practice herein for the seventh day Sabbath if we tread in the steps of Paul he was but a man and sometimes a very angry man and he strictly requires all believers to follow his example as he followed Christ and certainly in observing the Sabbath and Paul reasoned with the Jewes on the Sabbath day and Christs custome and Pauls was to go into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and was there difference betwixt Christs preaching and Pauls and where is the difference between Christs observing the Sabbath and Pauls Answ The Apostle never taught the Christians Neither Jewes nor Gentiles to celebrate the seventh day nor never mentions it to them to keep it not in all the Epistles there 's not such a thing but tels them they were shadowes the body was Christ and Christs and the Apostles going into the Synagogues and temple on the Sabbath dayes was to fulfill and shew the fulfilling of the types and figures of him and brings to the substance of the signes types and shadowes not to hold up dayes times offerings but to bring them to the body Christ as Colos 2. and so Paul and Christ doth not disagree for he Preached Christ the end of the Law and the substance and though Paul went among the Jewes and circumcised and did several things went into the Temple yet thaâ— was not to hold up the Temple or to hold up the offerings types and shadowes but to bring them to the substance And mind what the anger was as Paul was in and Paul followed the substance and was more then a man there was more in him then a man Paul nor the Apostles no where commands the Saints to observe the Jewes Sabbath day though he went into the Jewes and consented to many things to the intent to bring them out of them not to keep them in them but to bring them to the substance and that was the end of Pauls going into the Jewes Synagogues and Temple to bring them out of the shadowes types and signes to the substance and the end of Christs going thither was to bring them to the substance of which was typed forth that people might believe in him who was the body which was before heaven or earth was who fulfils every jot and tittle of the Law and to him did the Apostle bring the people to this body which types signes and shadowes signed shadowed and typed forth which the body of them all is Christ and in thy principles thou art confused and so who followes the Apostle comes to the body out of the sign and the
types and figures and shadowes which as every believer followes comes to the body and from the observing of signes and shadowes Sabbath dayes to Christ the Son the end of them all Pr. Thou sayes fancy is no fewel for a Christian faith Answ Fancy and fewel is out of a Christian faith which thou art in that is got among the signes types and shadowes in the fancy and so from the body Christ Pr. And thou sayes if the Lord be thy God thou must observe the seventh day Sabbath And thou sayes its Antichrist that perswades to change the day And thou charges them to do no manner of work on that day And thou sayes it is not ceremonial but was before Jew or ceremony had a being Answ The Sabbath was not before Adam was and the Apostles served the Lord God that had the Law of God written in their hearts he was their God and they his people which witnessed the end of the first covenant which stood in ceremonies and so shadowes and signes are ceremonies and the Sabbath was spoken of before ceremonies was that 's true but not as a command then but when ceremonies came up in the dayes of Moses the Sabbath was given as a sign amongst the other signes and a shadow amongst the other shadowes and he tels you plainly if you will believâ— him the body of all is Christ and this Sabbath which was before ceremonies waâ— given among them that had the ceremonies a day of rest for cattel man and beast strangers and servants which the body of this shadow and sign is the rest that gives rest to all the Creation man and beast stranger and servant and so rest to the whole creation And the Apostle was not Antichrist that said the body was Christ the Sabbath was shadows and brought them off of days and off of signs types and ceremonies and the first Priest-hood first covenant and offerings and brought them to the body Christ that ended them all and takes off the vayl that 's upon the hearts of people while Moses was read Now they be the Antichrists that be setting up signes shadows and brings people from the body which is Christ the substance are keeping people in the observing of a day in which people should have rest for a day cattell rest for a day servants rest for a day not minding the substance the body of Christ who restores the creation into unity as it was in the beginning and gives rest to man and beast servant stranger and cattell and is rest to them all They that are come to the body knows the substance the end of the Sabbath days work But then again thou sayes in thy charge Ye may not do any worke on that day How is it then that ye make fires through all your congregations How is it you keep Markets on the Sabbath day which God commanded How is it that Oxe and Horse bear burthens on that day and you both How is it that you gather sticks and make fires on that day and gather your meat on that day in which meat was not to be gathered on that day and he that gathered sticks was stoned to death And how is it that ye professe a day and do not observe it according to the day are ye not all hypocrites in this professing that as ye do not practice for by thâ— Law ye should be stoned to death ye should dye all And how is it that you Professors likewise that professes the first day to be the Sabbath and yet will not go to your worships abundance of you except you be drawn with horses Why pollute you the Sabbath day ye are all polluters according to your own words And why gather ye your meat and make fires on that day Keep it according to the Law be not dissemblers and mockers of God and man If ye will keep a Sabbath go according to Scripture and the law of God And the poor creatures must bear a burthen to lug you to your worships and yet if a poor man be found but carrying a loaf of bread or a burden of sticks to make him a fire he shall it may be fined for it Now by the Law of God he should be stoned to death and your horses should do no work on that day And you will fine some for going to a Meeting of the Lords people yet you must have your Horses and Coaches and Coachmen and put them to labour to draw you to your worships and so here is your confusion And so are judging one another in dayes which was not the Saints work Nor the Apostles who witnessed the body was Christ and met together in him who was the end of dayes Prin. Whereas thou sayst The Sabbath is perpetuall and fenced above all other Lawes Answ If it had been perpetual the Apostle would not have said it was a signe and the body was Christ but the Jewes that had the types to them it was perpetuall it was highly to be observed but Christ that ends the Law ends that and the things that 's in the Law the shadow and signe that 's in the Law who was the body of it Pr. The Jewes received the lively Oracles from Mount-Sinai Whether was it given us to be broken or kept slighted or observed If to be kept and observed then we must either deny the seventh-day-sabbath to be one of Mount-Sinais lively Oracles or deny Stephens Doctrine delivered to the Jewes We must sanctifie this lively Oracle of the seventh-day-sabbath Answ Stephen he preaches Christ the end of the Law types figures and shadows the substance and shewed the Jewes that they had not kept the Law in which was the shadows of Christ and so Christ is the end of the Law and the Signes and the Similitudes and the Dayes And Stephen saw the end Hagar or Sinai is a Mount in Arabia and answers to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children Now read where you all are But Jerusalem above is free which is the mother of us all now mark us all who are come to the body Christ the end of the signes shadows and figures Jerusalem below had types had figures had shadows had signes when that resteth that is in bondage Hagar with her children and here you may come to know the Allegory of these two Covenants and so who is come to the Son to the body is come to the end of all shadows and before any shadows was And Stephen held not up the shadows but preached Christ the end of them onely he judged the Jewes that had not kept it which Christ is the end of it to every one that believes And Stephen was a believer and they accused him for speaking against the Law and Moses who witnessed the end of it Pr. Thou saith There is a conceit that the Disciples in assembling on the first day did celebrate the Sabbath And they were so far from believing as Christ was risen that it
seemed to them as idle tales The first day was finished before they believed and so they could not have faith to do any such thing Answ The Scriptures speaks no such thing and tells us no such conceit that the Disciples did celebrate the first day to be the Sabbath but this is thine and your imaginations got up among you that owns not the body Christ that ends all signes types and shadows Christ who was before dayes was and who lives in him doth not celebrate dayes Pr. Thou saith John intends a single day it 's much like it was the Sabbath day and he speaks of the Lords day Iudgement-day and this he calls the day and this day he must shew unto John in the vision The ancient Christians who call it the Lords day did never terme it the Sabbath But religiously celebrated the 7th day with it Answ Iohn doth not call it the Sabbath-day nor the Christians did not celebrate the Sabbath with it but said the old was signes and shadows the body of them was Christ But since the dayes of the Apostles and the Apostacy ye have wanted the body Christ and yee have fell into the dayes for Christ saw those as should come up and draw people into the dayes And the day of the Lord is light and in the day of the Lord was Iohn Pr. Thou saith Old things are passed away and all things are become new Answ Then the Sabbath was a thing and it must passe away and it was a rest and must have a new rest and the Sabbath was in the old time given as a signe and a command and given by God to be kept since the Fall Pr. Thou saith There remains therefore the celebrating the Sabbath to the people of God Answ But the Scripture the New Testament doth not say so The Apostle sayes there remains therefore a rest for the people of God such as come off the signes to Christ the body the soules rest there remains in him a rest for the people And such as celebrate the Sabbath rest in the shadow and doth not come to the body Christ and such are not the Believers that do enter into the rest Christ And such as rest in the signe and shadow and there remains celebrating the Sabbath come not into the body Christ the rest of Gods people Pr. Thou sayes Christ rested or ceased from his great worke and entered into his rest and this is laid down as a Gospel-reason why the Sabbath remains to the people of God And hee layes the Believer under a double engagement to sanctifie the seventh-day-sabbath Answ Christ speaks no such thing nor the Apostles neither that they should sanctifie the seventh day he speaks no such thing to the believers But the Apostle brings them off of the shadows off the signs and shews them the body of all and he doth not mention a double engagement and the Sabbath the Jewes was to rest on which was death if not kept was a figure of the redemption Christ Iesus the rest who was put to death on the sixth day Man was made on the sixth day and he was put to death on the sixth day and he was crucified through the means of them that had the shadows the outward day the outward rest from which day they should have come from the signes and shadows to the body Christ who was the rest and restauration of the Creation Pr. And thou saith To hold forth the passage over of that rest which prevented the women of the application of their spices that was the Sabbath and I am satisfied the seventh day is the Sabbath day Answ Now though the women did rest on the Sabbath-day and came with their Spices on the first day there was many of them did question whether this was the man that should redeem Israel and so that 's no ground at all to hold up the Jewes types and shadowes for Peter denyed him therefore that 's no ground But what did they do after the Holy Ghost was come to endue them with power from on high And what sayes Paul he brings them off from the signes and shadowes to Christ the body though there 's much more to be said to this for while the questioning stands the questioning part doth pertain to the shadow and types which the body ends and with that is felt and seen there 's no changing nor shadow nor variableness nor altering and that overthrows the questioner unbeliever stumbler The great stumbler was the Jewes that's resting in the shadows types and signes they stood against the body Christ Jesus Pr. Whereas thou saith The seventh-day-sabbath is one of the lively Oracles Israel received from Sinai given to us O Christian Remember it and love it in thy bosome A. Here thou wouldst bring the Children from her Mother above which is Jerusalem to Jerusalem below and Sinai and so to Hagar into the shadow and the Christians witnessed the end of the shadows and Sabbaths and witnessed the body Christ Jesus and Ierusalem that 's above and come to Christ the end of the Law and into God by him from whence the Law came and so Christians cannot put signes in their bosomes no type shadow or figure in their bosome that have Christ within them and cannot touch the Doctrine Commandements Ordinances of men which have a shew of wisdome in the Will-worship and that which the Jew the outward Jew had types shadows and figures the Jew inward witnessed the substance which is the true Christian the Law in their hearts and circumcision there and the end of the Law comes into and enters into the rest Christ Jesus that is not an outward seventh day but entered into his rest ceased from his works as God did from his which man enters into his rest and ceased from their own works the type the figure the seventh-day-Sabbath Do no worke thou nor strangers nor the Cattell and so the Sabbath was a rest from all This was a type and God gave them the Sabbath for a signe who hath ceased from his own works enters into his rest a figure of the restauration of the creation of Christ the rest the Restorer Redeemer and Saviour that brings peace on earth And so they that believe hath entered into him into the rest Christ the rest to all wearied soules and helps all creatures upon the earth man and beast and destroys the cause of all oppression and so many is come from Hagar And though the seventh day the Law was a rule among the Jewes a true type yet the Apostle that preaches Christ the end of the Law brings people to the body Christ Pr. Thou saith Circumcision nor Vncircumcision but keeping the commands of God viz. of sanctifying GODS Sabbath And thou saith The seventh Angel sounded forth the Ancient of glory the Lords Sabbath swearing that time should be no longer Answ Circumcision was a command of God and so was the Sabbath and they that love God keep his Commandements And did
not the Apostle bring people off of circumcision and off of the signes and shadowes the Sabbath days and told them the body was Christ And was not Offerings and Sacrifices the commands of God Now they that love God keep his commands and those are believers that have passed from death to life and hath come to the end of the Law and the Prophets And the Angell in the Revelations makes no mention of a Sabbath there but many are come to witnesse him to whom the Angels must bow down to and saw the end of time and the beginning of time and the supper of the Lord and the Rest and the Temple of God with them and heavenly Jerusalem come down from above Pr. Thou saist It cannot be but Gods people must bethink themselves of this Doctrine delivered by Stephen to the sanctification of the Lord of the Sabbath Answ Stephen no where mentions the Sabbath day in his Examination though he judged the Jewes for not keeping the Law vvhich they had received but persecuted the Just one so he preached the substance Christ the end of the Lavv and said they had not kept the Lavv but turned against the Just and persecuted him he did not establish the Jewes in their Ceremonies signes and types But Stephen brings them to the substance and so God that gave forth the Law vvith types and figures and shadovvs in it to the vveak capacity of people in their transgression sent his Son to redeem them from it and to end the types figures and shadovvs in the first Covenant vvho is in the nevv and living vvay vvhich is no changing and shadovvs no variablenesse nor altering no turning Pr. And thou sayes Sin is double on the Sabbath-day And thou saith I conceive a Sabbath dayes journey is so farre as a person may ride to go without toyl to a meeting So where there 's no law there 's no transgression and the extent is left to the conscience Answ Hovv novv must the Beast bear a burthen Where doth the Scripture say that thou vvas to ride upon the Sabbath day Do the Beasts vvork then He sayes Thou shalt do no manner of work But sixe dayes shalt thou labour and do all thou hast to do And you that make Sabbaths and set the up old Sabbaths and do not keep it according to the Law of God with the Law of God are you judged and condemned if ye do not fulfill it in every point and they that believe Christ is the end of the Law to them he is the body which is the end of the shadow Pr. Thou sayes That the Jewes that were not to make a fire on the Sabbath day this was mentioned of the Ceremoniall Law and so concerns not Christians and so not in danger of stoning The revealed will of God that we should not turne our foot to the defiling the Sabbath When the sixe dayes is done be sure thou do not turne thy foote to pollute the Sabbath A. And dost not thee confound thy selfe in this and turne thy foot to pollute it and sayes it is the Ceremonial Law that commands it and they that gathered sticks and made a fire were stoned to death Did not they pollute it And doth not thou say it doth not concern the Christians they was not in danger of stoning And so hast not thou taught them to break the Law and the Sabbath both and pollute it and so hath overthrown all thy doctrine in thy Book and confounded thy selfe And doth not he that goes out and gathers sticks and makes a fire turn his foot from the Sabbath For he that went out to gather sticks broke the Sabbath day and was cursed and stoned to death For no fire no meâ—t no burthens was to be borne on that day of rest a figure of the everlasting rest wherein no meat is gathered no fire is made no burthen is born and there is no turning the foot but all walking in rest and peace and so I finde thee neither in Law nor Gospel Pr. Thou sayst But to be sure the Law was made for Christs Disciples Whosoever boasts of a Light within and speaks against this Law of the Sabbath hath no light in him And thou saith Quakers will not admit of this Royall Law as a rule of righteousnesse but perverts the Scriptures which sayes The Law was not made for a righteous man Answ The Disciples of Christ the Law was not made for them that came to witnesse Christ the end of the Law for they said plainly the Law was not made for the righteous And Christ is the end of the Law to them that believe for righteousnesse sake And the Quakers witnesse Christ the end of the Law for their rule of righteousness and do not pervert the Scriptures but are the believers in him who ends the Law and before it was and is the body which ends types shadowes and figures and they that draw people under the Law and the types and shadowes and figures from the light within doth not know Law nor Gospel for the Law is light and the Gospel is the power of God and such as witness Christ the end of the Law witness the end of the Sabbath Pr. Thou sayes among all Gods Lawes none sets the soul more at liberty then the fourth lively Oracle Answ And yet thou sayes men may make a fire and not be stoned and so thou teaches to break it and thy Horse may bear a burden and so dost not thou pollute it here and destroy thy own soul by thy own Judgement but I tell thee Christ is the Bishop of the soul who ends the Law and brings the Law within into the mind and heart so now the soul being subject to the Higher power the power by which all the changeable things is held up by that power remaines when all the changeable fails and decayes and ends and the soul witnesses that and the body of Christ the power stands Pr. The Sabbath was intended to righteous Stephen and all his followers and is designed to all persons to whom the Supper is joyned the Sabbath is a precept ancient and universal both for Adam a publike person and for all his posteritie but none can sanctifie the Sabbath saving Christs disciples Answ Stephen suffered death for witnessing against the shadowes and witnessing the substance and the Apostle no where joyns the Sabbath with the Supper but Stephen saw Christ the body in whom was the rest in whom he entered and the Saints that come to sup with the Lord and is supping with him comes into the body which is the end of all types and shadowes and signes which are Sabbaths and hath seen them flee away and are come to the beginning before the world was made him who was before signes shadowes and types was The Sabbath was not given to Adam in the beginning who had the dominion over all creatures living but given to Adams posteritie in the fall a sign when they came to receive
sight and he is in the Saints and they eate his flesh and sit with him in heavenly places Pr. They say They are deceived that thinke to obtain salvation by the conviction of the Law which they call Christ page 37. 39. Ans Christ is the end of the Law and who follow him are not deceived but comes to witnesse the Law of life and him revealed in them and they are deceived that calls the Law without by Christ that doth convict and gives it that name But who followes Christ the end of the Law hath the righteousness of God revealed in them from saith to faith which the just lives by and Christ revealed in them as the Apostle witnessed whereby they have eternal life Pr. And they say the Quakers would obtain salvation by the obedience of Christ the Law which gives the knowledge of sin Answ The Quakers obedience is Christ Gods righteousness the end of the Law which makes them free from the Law of sin and death Christ the seed the second Adam Pr. They say Now every man that cometh into the world receives a light from Christ as he is God which light is conscience and this will shew a man that there is a God and discover the eternal God which some falsly cals Christ Answ Christ saith I am the light of the world and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world as saith John and doth not say that its conscience for the light was before conscience was which shewes thy ignorance Not knowing what conscience is for conscience was since the world but light was before the world was made and he that evil doth hates the light and so conscience is seared and so light condemnes and the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened with is Gods Covenant to Jewes and Gentiles and salvation to the ends of the earth so you have given Christ a new name that cals him conscience contrary to Scripture and is conscience eternal that may be seared and will that shew that which is eternal will conscience blot out sin and transgrâ—ssion Christ will Gods Covenant that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which light believing in it they serve Christ the Author of their faith which faith is a mystery held in a pure conscience Pr. And they say that every man hath not the spirit of Christ and he brings Jude to prove it Answ That proves that they had it but went from it and the spirit that leads the disciples reproves the world Pr. John Burton saith John Bunian is furnished with spiritual gifts which gifts the Ministers of Christ must have whether learned or unlearned as to humane and John Bunians preaching he saith is not by humane art yet he saith Christ is humane Ans The Scripture hath neâ—ther taught John Burton nor John Bunian this Language To say this knowledge is not humane and yet to affirm Christ is humane is to say thy knowledge is not from Christ but we shall try his gifts whether they be from God and whether or no he divids the word aright and whether they be agreeable to the Scripture which fils up his book with mentioning the word humane twenty times over which humane is from the earth to say Christ is humane thy knowledge is from the ground earthy and he hath no Scripture for it he saith that the soul is immortal Pr. And he saith it is the Devil to keep people to live and die in their sins and he that cryes free grace through the death of the man Christ Jesus that sinners doth attain to eternal life and deny his own righteousness this he saith is a notion and saith he is empty of sanctified grace Answ The grace that comes from Christ it seasons the heart and the words are sanctified and this is not a notion but all be in the notion that speak of the thing and be out of the grace and salvation and you that believe people must have sin whilst they are upon the earth are them that keepes people in their sins and so hath judged thy self to be the Minister of sin as thou maist read the fruits in thy own book Pr. John Bunian saith he that confesseth Christ come in the flesh and was crucified taken from the Crosse and risen he that believes this is not Antichrist Answ The Pope and all the prophane people in Christendom called Christians will confesse this in the form without them and they that denies the power for Christ is the power of God and that I say is Antichrist he that hath not Christ in him is a reprobate and so would make thy self and all Professors the Pope and all hirelings not to be Antichrist and are all on heapes one amongst another that 's a mark of Antichrist though they may have all in the form Christ and the Prophets words which denyes the power yet confesse Christ without he that denyes the power denyes Christ and so he is Antichrist who denyes the light which Christ hath enlightened him withall Prin. Man at his coming into the world he hath conscience but he hath not the spirit of Christ Answ Man at his coming into the world hath a light from Christ him by whom the world was made which is more then conscience but he that hates the light abids in darkness and so is not like to receive the spirit but is reproved with it Pr. They say them that are carried away by the convictions of conscience are misinformed by the devil Answ This light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world which he cals conscience teaching and misinforming by the devill is the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that through it they might believe and is not conscience and he that believes hath the witness in himself and that all might hear the Son and confesse him to the glory of God and therefore are enlightened who was glorified with the Father before the world began and Christ bids them believe in the light which believing in hath the light of life but he that believes not is condemned already and them that hate the light are them that are informed by the devil Pr. Now they say he converts a new birth perswading them it is wrought by following the light and this he sayes is like Baals Priests Answ That 's contrary to Christ who saith I am the light and he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life he that believes in the light shall become a childe of the light and this is far above Baals Priests and all that hates it hates Christ and these are Baals Priests that hate the light Pr. And they say that the spirit of Christ convinceth of sin and yet they say all hath it not and yet it shall convince and reprove the world Answ Now it s one thing to be reproved and another thing to receive that which doth reprove
not the Son of God him whom the Father hath sealed that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternall life and are sealed So every man in the light shall see the new Covenant and the Mediator before he hath power to become the Son of God and there is prophecy before the Son is born and openings from the Lord and those are things of God Pr. No man can ever see God who is invisible with the light by which all things were made and calls it a little light Answ This is contrary to John who saith he that walks in the light shall have fellowship with the Son and with the Father and so sees him and it is not a little light by which all things were made and created Pr. The unction in every man is not the light Answ It is far from the Apostle to say that the Unction in men is the light If the Unction be Christ in the man it is light and every man that comes into the world he must receive the light that Christ hath enlightned every man that comes into the world withall before he can receive the unction and he that hath the Unction hath the light of life Pr. The sure word of prophesie the Apostle speaks of is the prophesie of Scripture or Scriptures Ans Doth the Scripture shine in a dark place untill the day dawn Are they them that must be taken heed unto as unto a light Can any see the Scripture and know the Scripture but with the light within Cannot a Cain or a Balaam or Core bring Scripture that is gone from the spirit of prophecy within and then put the Letter for it Pr. They know not absolute perfection that are admitting of measures and degrees Nor come to the day nor the bright morning-star is not risen Answ Did not the Apostle speak that they were children of the day and night was over and knew the whole body and yet said he would not go beyond his measure And doth he not speak of the stature and measure and fulnesse of Christ And were not they come to perfection and spoke wisdome amongst them that was perfect Pr. He saith The evill done can never appear to be evill by the light Answ Doth not the light make it manifest and reprove the evill done and condemn it Pr. He saith It is not in the power of the light to call any thing that 's done good or evill Answ This is contrary to Scripture that saith whatsoever doth make manifest and reprove is light and there 's power in that that doth make manifest and reprove and call that which is evill to be evill and that which is good to be good Pr. He saith The light convinceth man not for not believing in Christ Answ It condemns him and convinceth him and reproves him Pr. He saith The light or law as he calls it will convince a man of sin and there leave him inexcusable before God Answ Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness sake to every one that believes in the light and so comes to witnesse the Law of faith and of life the hope and the promise of this brings from under the Schoolmaster to the Son-ship and to know and see his salvation which none doth but with the light Pr. He saith That Scripture in John is misapplyed which saith that Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And saith it meddles with none but the children of the new Covenant Answ This is contrary to Scripture that saith one loves the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world the other hates it He that hates it it condemns him and he hath it to the other the light of life and he is a Covenant a light to the Gentiles and to the Jewes whether they own it or believe in it or receive it or not he is so neverthelesse according to the promise of God and it is the covenant of light which doth enlighten every man believing in it and he shall not need to say Know the Lord for he shall finde the Law in his minde and the Law in his heart and the Saints witnessed the light shining in their hearts and that gave them the knowledg of the glory of God and they are passed from death to life and from darknesse to light and the unbeliever abides in darknesse and in the death and the light shines in the darknesse and the darkness doth not comprehend it and there thou art and such know nothing as they ought to know but naturally as bruit beasts Pr. He saith The light in every man which cometh into the world will not open all Scripture nor lead men out of the fall to God the Father and to eternal life Answ The light which doth enlighten man that cometh into the world is the substance of all Scriptures and the way out of the Fall up to eternall life out of the first Adam and is the life and that opens all Scriptures and that all Scriptures ends in man being in the Fall in the first Adam drove from God in the sin and transgression Christ the second Adam which doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world who is the way again to God is he who bringeth in righteousnesse life and immortality and finisheth sin and transgression and ends the Prophets types figures shadows and opens and lets see all Scriptures Pr. He saith The light tumbles men into the grave and roules a stone upon them and tumbles them in transgression and he shall act against the annointed ones of God and against the Lord. Answ Nay the light leads men out of transgression and from wallowing in their blood whereby they have life and leads them out of the graves and from under their stony hearts and rocks whereby the new Covenant of light is known and the new heart which is pure with which God is seen and the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall will prick them that persecute the annoynted ones and act against the Lord though they kick against it Pr. He saith To what purpose should Christ be preacht dead and risen to be believed on for life if the light be in every one Answ Man-kinde being in the fall Christ being made manifest to witnesse that he shouâ—d come and made manifest to many witnesses when he was come and John came to bear witnesse to the true light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Then these witnesses that did believe that Christ was come was to go into all the world all Nations Jewes and Gentiles and preach the everlasting Covenant of God to them which was promised and was witnesses of his Resurrection And to turn people from darknesse to light and the power of Satan to God and then told them the light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of
to justification sanctification and righteousness Answ None comes to Justification to Righteousnesse who are out of the fear of God nor to receive his righteousnesse but who comes to the light within which comes from Christ the righteousnesse the wisdome the justification and sanctification and ye be in the errour that be not in this Light that leads too and le ts see it Pr. Perfection in holiness cannot be attained in this life for Adam was under such a Covenant he had no Mediator upon the breach of the command Ans God said to Adam the seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head Christ the Promise the Mediator made the way which was the way in again to God of mans redemption and got down the Serpents head which got up in transgression that Christ the head should bear rule that the seed of the woman should have dominion the second Adam the seed Christ Jesus the Lord from heaven Perfection is not to be attained to by the life ye live untill ye come to the principle of God in you but the life that David lived in saw an end of all perfection And all who come to Christ the second Adam they come to perfection and all who attain to him they attain to perfection in the life of God out of the first Adam but who deny the light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world and rest in the first Adam the life they live in denies perfection and never owns it in the life they live in But who comes into perfection comes into Christ a new life out of Adam in the Fall in transgression All Physitians to sick men are to make them perfect And do yee say make none whole make none perfect make never a man perfect For being made whole they are made perfect for sin wounds for the Ministery of God was to bring people to the perfect man to present them perfect These were Physitians of value and of worth whereby the body soule spirit and all were cured and they glorified God in the body and spirit Now yee that say they shall not be perfect and that none shall be without sin upon the earth no perfection in the life we live in These are Physitians of no value yee are not worthy to have the name of Physitians Ministers nor Teachers Thomas Weld Richard Prideaux Samuel Hammond William Cole and William Durant for yee are pleading while men be upon earth they must have a body of sin and he that saith otherwayes is a deceiver and so ye keep them in their wounds and sores putrifying and imperfect and not makers up of the breach and binders up of the wound And the Lord saith Though their sins be as red as crimson I will make them as white as wool and will blot out sin and transgression And this tender love and kindnesse of the Lord and mercifulness to sinners transgressors hath the Lord made manifest amongst them which the world in scorn calls Quakers and it is not a strange thing that you would not have people to forsake the fashions of the world who are thus hung about with ribbons and cuffs and scarfs and your double Boot-hose-tops and more like unto Stage-players then Ministers Pr. Perfection is a fancy those were not words of true Physitians who brought men to a perfect man to the growth up in perfection amongst the perfect ones who speak wisdome They say It is no where said that the Law is fulfilled in any Saints in this life Answ They that love God keep his Commandements Christ is the end of the Law to every one that believes and who be in him be in the end of the Law And all that dwell in love dwell in God and love is the fulfilling of the commandement who are of the seed of God keep the words of God which the Beasts and false Prophets since the dayes of the Apostles who have inwardly ravened and turned against the royall seed of God and keep the Commandements of God and so none of you that raven from the spirit of God cannot keep Gods commandements though ye have all the Saints words for the Saints witnesse the end of the Law and witness perfection and a perfect man and spoke wisdome among them that were perfect and growing up to perfection Pr. That Christ gives to every man a saving light we utterly deny Answ He is the true light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world saith John the Minister of God and he is salvation to the ends of the earth and they that hate the light neglect their salvation and turns the grace of God into wantonness and denies the Lord that bought them And every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to the Sonne and none heareth or cometh to the Father that cometh not to the Son But who comes to the thing that is transgressed in them and the light that every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall nor hears nor learns of the Father nor comes to the Son but by that and the light that lighteneth every one that cometh into the world is the salvation to him that believes and he that doth not it is his condemnation Pr. But how dare these men lift up themselves in their blasphemous pride to say they are pure as God Answ Doth not Christ say Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect is that blasphemy and to be holy as I am holy is that blasphemy whose Ministers are you is not this the work of Christ and the Apostle without Holiness ye shall never see God and as he is so are we in this present world Pr. The word of God is contained in the Scriptures Ans The Scripture saith God is the word and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him are ye not more like void of reason then Ministers whose ignorance thus appears of the Scriptures which saith God is the word and the Scripture is the words and Christ is the word who fulfills them Pr. The Scriptures were given forth some more darkly some plainer Answ They which gave forth Scripture and they that be in that in which it ends to them the Scripture is not dark but such as be from the Principle of God in their own selves they be darkness so darkness happens to them which blinds their minds and the Scriptures was not given forth darkly but in the light but you who be from the light be dark Pr. The Apostles ordained them elders by a mediate call and we are convinced clearly of a mediate call to the work of the ministry and of the word Answ That which made the Officers and overseers in the Church amongst the Saints before the Apostasie It was the Holy-Ghost which holy men spoke Scripture from that made them Overseers that was not mediate but immediate that did oversee in the Church of God And we do believe that you Elders and Members called Ministers are all mediate and
to the house of Israel and Judah which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world a leader of the people a leader of them from death to life to God out of the fall the first man Adam a bringer in of righteousnesse peace and joy and truth and grace to all that believe and receive him but them that hate the light it is their condemnation The light Christ the Covenant of God is the leader of the People out of the fall out of all deceit unto God and it is sufficient It is the end of the Prophets and the Apostles teaching the fountain of life in which every one sees life Pr. Hath every man a light sufficient to bring him to God when none comes to God but by Christ If there be a light sufficient within for the enjoyment of life For direction to the Father the fountain of life the holy Ghost saith Ye shall teach no more every man his neighbour ye need not that any man teach you He doth not speake absolutely and strictly Answ Jewes and Gentiles who witnesse the new Covenant of God promised the Law in their hearts it is absolute they need not say to one another Know the Lord in the Covenant of life and peace with God in him by whom the world was made before it was made But they that have these words in a form are they that set to themselves heaps of Teachers And the teachings of the Apostles to all Nations were Ambassadors of this Covenant declaring the substance to the bringing of people off all Teachers that they needed not be taught by any man to know the Lord and the light Christ which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world is sufficient to guide to eternall life and he that believeth in it shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life and shall come out of condemnation and he that hates it abides in darknesse and knoweth not whether he goes And it is sufficient to let every man see his salvation For I will give him for a covenant of light saith God he shall be my salvation to the ends of the earth the Covenant of light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Pr. What Christ and the Apostles saith swear not at all neither by heaven or earth or any other oath They did not mean as they spoke but that men should swear and they did not speak against all swearing And the Quakers may blush for it is as if God should speak as he meant by Moses in the Law Answ Christ and the Apostles meant as they spoke to what state and condition they spoke the words was truth to that state if it was by parables or patterns or figures Now Christ being the end of Oaths and Types saith Swear not at all who is the Covenant of God the end of the Prophets of Abraham of David of Solomon of Jacob of Joseph Oaths and swearing and Angels which must bow to him who sâ—ith swear not at all And the Apostles preached this Covenant this Oath of God Christ Jesus and the Apostle that was in the Doctrine of Christ bid them above all things my brethren swear not at all but in all your communication let your yea be yea your nay nay for whatsoever is more cometh of evill And they spoke as they meant for they came into condemnation that broke the doctrine of Christ Now Apostates and Hypocrites and false Brethren may swear that be out of the light the Covenant of God that have the form of godlinesse and denies the power and such be Antichrists against his doctrine and wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction and say that Christ and God and the Apostles did not mean as they spoke which God did mean as he spoke when he spake to Abraham And Christ meant as he spoke when he said swear not at all And the Apostle meant as he spake my brethren above all things swear not at all Pr. We are Ministers under the new Covenant and have the allowance of the Gospel and the tythes being onely designed unto us we may with a good conscience take it And the tythes are not in themselves Ceremoniall Abraham paid tythes to Melchisedeck If there be not a maintenance setled out to the Ministery we know we cannot subsist to do service to their soules without a worldly support a sufficient maintenance They call us greedy dogs because nursing Fathers and Mothers have provided for our nourishment a maintenance for us To work or to beg are two straits whereof the world might be ashamed but especially the Saints Answ The world would not be ashamed nor the Saints to see you work who have taken the peoples bread for whom you do no work and the Saints do witness against you The Prophets Christ and the Apostles declares such to be greedy dogs that can never have enough And Christ came to put an end to tythes before the Law to Tythes in the Law to a Priest-hood made by the Law which had a command to take Tythes who is a Priest-hood for ever after the order of Melchisedeck who was the similitude and likenesse and not after the order of Aaron who continues a Priest for ever And so when the first Priest-hood was ended Tythes and all ended and the command that gave them and the Priest-hood and the Law which was made when Christ reigns over the house of Jacob who asore Abraham was I am that Abraham paid tythes too the similitude and likenesse which Christ is the end of here the Rock and the substance This is my beloved Son hear him saith God who was in the bosome of the Father So they that know him come to preach the Gospel and live of the Gospell who breaks down the earthly part and opens the hearts of people who breaks down the earthly part and reaches to the seed And as for your nursing Fathers and Mothers such as give you maintenance else you could not continue your Ministery without a worldly support That is it which hath held you up long and who are fain to fly to the old worship among whom the Tenths were payd and so roving up and down in sheeps cloathing for your owne ends to get maintenance and if that falls your Ministry falls And your nursing Father and Mother was the Pope the Pope was the Author that set forth your Tenths at the first since the apostacy from the Apostles and the Apostles doctrine hath been lost Therefore that life the Apostles were in is people now come to by which ye are seen and comprehended And a worldly support is not that which holds up the Ministery but Christ which is with them to the end of the world and they that preach his Gospel live of it and they are far above shaming the Saints or the world either for maintenance but ye have both shamed your selves and the Saints are ashamed of you and many of the world and your own
seeking the peoples means not the people which makes the true Ministers of Christ odious which are in scorne called Quakers who seekes not theirs but them and you are neither the true Fathers nor the true Nurses but in the Apostacy from them and kicking against that which pricks you going in Sauls steps who went with Priests that had Tithes who were strayed from the life saw not the substance as you Raveners from the spirit of God have set up Tithes who see not the substance you harden your selves not hearing the voice from whose eyes repentance is hid posting on for your earthly interests and meanes posting to Courts Sessions Assizes Benches and this is the work you are doing and posting on in the Nation as the Courts Sessions and Assizes declares your hurrying the people thither seeking theirs not them your spirits are tryed at Courts Sessions and Assizes to be the false spirits that went forth into the world which Peter Jude and John speakes of which went forth from them and seperated themselves which since the world went after you who have been in Caines Cores and Balaams way Pr. Tradesmen and princes labours preserves health but mine consumes it Ans Here thou hast shewed that thy labour work and ministry is not of God that preserves health and strength for the work of the ministry is to bring into the saving health and preserve it and not consume it as thy worke doth that they may honour God with their substance and serve him with all their strength Pr. The law gives Tithes say the priests and allowes We may forbare working and we are content with food and rayment and to give away our tithes if the people will allow us food and raymet for us and our children as is fit to make them servicablâ— yet the Qâ—akers call the ministers covetous Ans The Jews priests who were made obedient to the faith which had a commandement while they were under the Priesthood to take Tithes according to to the Law but the ministers now turne again from the faith to the Law and saies the Law of God gives it them and saies the Tythes are not the people 's but the Lords Did not the Apostles cut off tithes afore the Law and in the Law the priest-hood and law both and have not you here shewed your selves Apostatized from the Apostles so in the Apostacy who have set up a Law the first author whereof was the Pope and say the Law gives it us and you would not leave tithes unlesse the people would make a bargain with you to maintain you your wives and children was this the work of the Apostles Ministery what shamelesse words are these what set your selves thus that all people may view your folly what the Apostles did give was it upon this condition the people should give them food and rayment for it Dâ—d not the Apostles say he that wil not worke let him not eate but from the whole practice of the Apostles you are apostatized and is not your covetous practises discovered through all the Courts Sessions and Assizes in the Nations you posting up thither and suing and causing them to go thither you doe not worke for what is this but covetousnesse and unrighteousnesse Pr. That the Quakers say that the priests are persecutors like the priests and phari sees of old but they shall be taught one day to know that if the Magistrats stop their mouthes he does no more persecute them then a thiefe when he is hanged c you say you wish all the Lords people were prophets Answ This is a lye found in your mouths for you say prophecying is ceased this you sound abroad all the world over as farre as you can This shews that you are not able to stop their mouths nor resist the spirits of them whom you say it will be no more persecution for the Magistrate to stop their mouths then to hang a thief And thus to all Magistrates that feare God you appear with shame and all may see what you crouch for under the mountains for blood Jezebe like and makes the Magistrates your pack-horses and executioners of your malice but the Lord God of heaven and earth in his wisdome is opening the eyes of many that moderation appeares in such in whose hearts the feare of the Lord is placed that tries many of you and turns many of you to your own weapons to see what weapons you have and they finde you but wrestlers against flesh and blood striking at the creatures not at the power which captivates them to bring them out of it into the liberty of the sons of God The true Ministers work was to beat down blasphemers errours false Prophets and stop the mouths of gain-sayers Rebuke exhort teach instruct with all authority cut off occasions with spirituall weapons And this power had they in the Church and cryed not to the Magistrate take them away they disturb me Oh shameless shame thy selfe before all the people in the Congregation This was not the work of the Ministers of Christ to do so And this authority in the Church before mentioned had the Ministers of Christ to stop the mouths of Gain-sayers silence false Prophets and blasphemers This power and authority they had from God and looked not at men to help them but they which apostatized from the Apostles the Beast the false Prophet the mother of Harlots that deceived the Nations that be out of the power of the Apostles and Christ have their power from men all the false Ministers upon earth are seeking to them to stop blasphemers as they imagine being but contrary to their mindes while they themselves are the blasphemers as weighed and judged by the Scriptures and spirit of Truth And the Magistrates work the power which he receives from God is to punish prophane open sins and the Ministers work is to bring people from under that occasion Pr. The Magistrates sets their guards at our doors and lets in none but who they please Let the Kings of the earth shew an uninterrupted succession giving them right to their Crown and I will shew a more undoubted succession to the Ministery All the Christians in our Parishes are our Flock we undertake to prove the truth oâ— such Churches Answ Your â—hurch is guarded with carnall weapons and the succession of your ministery is like unto the succession of earthly Kings Crowns which are all made by the will of men And the Magistrates have been but your servants and through ignorance have quenched the spirit and your work hath been to destroy the order concerning edification practice and doctrine of the Apostles in the true Church which said let all speak one by ne If any thing be revealed to another that sits by let the first hold his peace The spirit of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets From this you are apostatized and have gotten a law to stop the practice of this in your Church-apostacy whose doors many of
gift of God which purifies the heart which brings people to have accesse to God In that and by that which purifies men men are justified and in that 's vertue by the hearing of that men receive the spirit so that this is confusion and contrary to the Scripture and confuted by it for ye are justified through faith and by the spirit and that instrumentally from God in which men please him and without which they cannot therefore that is instrumentall and in that they have victory and in that they have unity one with another and in it have accesse to God But saith he faith doth not justifie instrumentally by any vertue that is in it any more then is in love Love and faith is one without faith there is not love Love is the fruit of faith flows from it without it there is not unity and without faith there is no victory and without victory there 's no love and it justifies and is wrought by the spirit Pr. A perfect conformity to the Law of God wrote in the strength and power of grace the spirit working all in us and for us and all this is no more then the righteousnesse of the Law Answ That 's the end of the Law that brings to the righteousnesse of the Law and to a perfect conformity to it and fulfills it that 's the seed Christ in the male and in the female by whom grace comes by Jesus Christ which brings to live in the righteousnesse of it which is the righteousnesse of faith by which the spirit is received which works all in people and for them who ends the Law The BROWNISTS Principles Pr. THey never heard Gods voyce from heaven nor see his shape And yet they affirme they have the same power and spirit that the Apostles had though much below and yet they have the Word abiding in them Answ You that never heard the voyce of God nor see his shape you have not seen him who is a spirit nor his power nor his Word abiding in you for who hath the spirit of God and the power of God and the Word of God abiding in them with the spirit of God with the power of God sees Gods shape and who hath Gods Word abiding in them hears the voyce of God for God is the Word and God will dwell in them and walk in them Pr. That they are brought to the Church that is in God the pillar and ground of truth where there 's neither spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing Ans And yet you never heard the voyce of God and how can you be brought to the Church that is in God and never heard the voyce of God for none comes to the Son but through the drawings of the Father and none knows the drawings of the Father but they heard his voyce The Jewes that came not to the Son Christ told them they had not known the voyce of God and none come to him but whom the Father draweth Pr. We do not look for any such thing as revelation from heaven or speaking as they are moved or waiting for the power as the Apostles did we say we do not looke for any such thing Answ This shews that you have not received the grace for the grace comes by revelation and you have not received the Son for the Son comes by revelation Nor you have not known the Father whom the Son reveales You are not come to the holy Ghost whom the Saints witnessed that led them to speak forth Scriptures which no prophesie of the Scriptures came by the will of man so you are among those men that have the Scriptures in their wills and wants the thing that the Scriptures were given forth by that is the holy Ghost for holy men of God were moved to speak them forth who learned them of God and spoke them forth as the spirit gave them utterance Therefore how can ye say that you are come to the Church in God and waits neither for the power nor revelation as the Saints did and were in for if you have all the Scriptures and have not that you have not revelation and have not the holy Ghost for the Scriptures are not known but by revelation and they are revealed by the spirit that gave them forth And though men have all the Scriptures yet the Son is not known but by revelation of the Father Pr. The Scripture is the Gospell the Scripture is the Light the Scripture is the Word Ans The Scriptures are the words of God given forth from the spirit of God learned from him The Gospel is the power of God the Scripture declares it A man may have the forme and deny the power and so deny the Gospel Christ is the light of the world the life and the light of men by whom the world was made and many have the Scriptures but denies the light the life and power of it Christ Jesus who is the life and power and the authority of them Pr. That they knew no law of God against praying and preaching by an hour-glasse and that the Apostles did performe the Ordinances of God at set times and Daniel and David prayed customarily and how this can be said to be will worship and to be seen of men we shall leave it to the Lord. Answ The Lord judgeth it to be will-worship that which limits the holy one to an hour-glass and the spirit of the Lord that taught the Saints to pray never limitted it selfe to an hour-glasse so you by an hour-glasse pray and preach as the Papists with their beads so that that limits the Lord to a set time those are traditions and vain customes of the heathen and traditions of men which alwayes the spirit limitted which spirit gave freedome to the just in every one which said quench it not nor limit it but knock down vain customes and traditions of men which was set up by men which had quenched the spirit in themselves and would limit the holy one in others and such were alwayes judged of the Lord and them that had his spirit to be Idolaters and in the will-worship and not in the spirit which are got up since the dayes of the Apostles John Turners Principle Pr. THat light which convinceth a man of sin was a wicked conscience Ans The wicked conscience doth not convince of sin then Satan were divided against Satan That which doth convince of sin is not wicked nor sin but the spirit of God the light of Christ Jesus that convinceth of sin and the Elect hath faith where faith is there is obedience The Ranters Principles Pr. CHrist without comes to destroy Christ within Ans Christ is but one and it is the devill that he destroyes and his works the Anti-Christ and not the true Christ the seed in male and female and it is the false Christ he destroyes in the male and female and he comes to end the types and figures and shadowes that people might live in him the
sin whilst they are upon earth they can be but in their sin if they never preach to them But the scripture saith He that believes is borne of God and he that is borne of God cannot sin because his seed remaines in him 1 Iohn 3.9 But this is of another world to him who is called James Dorram Minister of Glasgow Minister of darknesse who puts no difference between the children of God and the children of the devill 1 Iohn 3.10 They would have sin whilst they are upon the earth and it is darknesse but the Apostles said they were made free from sin Rom. 6.22 whilst they were upon the earth Pr. Christ being sinlesse separates him from all others Answ Christ being seperated from sinners Heb. 7.26 who are in Christ are seperate from sinners and sin both 2 Cor. 6 17. But this James Dorram hath made the offering of none effect Heb. 10.14 which hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified And hath made the blood of Jesus of none effect which cleanseth from all sin 1 Iohn 1.7 And he hath made the everlasting Covenant of none effect which blots out all sins trespasses And he hath made the faith of the Son of God of none effect which purifies the heart and gives victory over the world Acts. 15.9 1 Iohn 5.5 Thou dost herein preach and hold up sin and doth not preach it down and yet thou saist thou preachest not to hold it up and yet thou preachest they must have it whilst they are upon the earth here is confusion in thy tongue Prov. 17.20 Thou shouldst have preached it down and have brought them to a Church where there is neither spot nor wrinkle nor blemish nor any such thing Eph. 5.27 if thou wert a true Minister but your Church is full of spots and blemishes and wrinkles whilst ye are preaching up zeale to stone people and sin while they live as Henry Foreside and Iames Dorram doth Pr. God be thanked the scripture speakes nothing for freedome from sin and perfection Ans Thou thankest God that thou maist live in thy sin and imperfection and art glad of this thy false hope but thou art a lyar thou art out of the truth in this for the scripture saith they were made free from sin Rom. 6.26 and they preached wisdome among them that were perfect 1 Cor. 2.6 and he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 So the scripture speakes of freedome from sin and perfection and be perfect Pr. That the condemning power of sin is taken away Answ The believer doth not sin 1 Iohn 5.1 1 Iohn 3.9 but he that the believer overcomes commits sin 1 Io. 3.8 1 Io. 5.5 if the believer commits sin who overcomes the believer and so he that commits sin is under the condemning power of sin which thou saist not which thou and all other shall witnesse Pr. The believer is not in sin as the unbeliever is he sins not as the unbeliever doth and in an other place he saith the Law is the same to the believer that it is to the unbeliever Answ Here any may read thy confusion but I say unto thee he that believeth doth not commit sin but the unbeliefe is sin Rom. 11.20 and Christ is the end of the Law to every one that believes for righteousnesse sake Rom. 10.4 and yet thou puts both believers and unbelievers under the Law Lodowick Simerell priest of the new parish of Munckland his Principles and Doctrines Pr. THat it is blasphemy to say that the light in man which reproves of sin is the light of God is perfect is the gift of God Answ Contrary to scripture contrary to Christs words and contrary to the Apostles words is thy doctrine and Principles for every gift of God is perfect Isa 1.17 Isa 49.6 Iohn 1.3 Iohn 4. For Christ is the gift of God and he will give him for a Covenant of light to the Jewes and Gentiles which doth enlighten every man that commeth into the world which every one that doth truth comes to it which every one that doth evill hates the light and will not come to the light because the light will reprove him and so This is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds be evill So this light is perfect which doth reprove every man of sin and is from above and it is the gift of God and thou art blind and in darknesse that comprehends it not And the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Christ Jesus the gift of God him by whom the world was made this light was before any naturall light was made Sun Moon or Stars for all things that was made was made by the light which came a light into the world that all through him might believe for he that believes not in the light is condemned already and he that does believe in the light hath the witnesse in himselfe to set to his seale that God is true and the spirit of truth that doth reprove the world is perfect of God The light which every one that cometh into the world is enlightned withall is not conscience for the light was before any thing was made or conscience named So the light is that which exerciseth the conscience towards God and towards man where it is loved and the voice heard but where it is hated and the voice not heard the conscience is seared and the light is their condemnation whose consciences is seared which light was before conscience was The Priest would not have thee and thou to be to a single person and so is the man that would not indure sound words that cannot be condemned thee and thou was the language between God and his Saints and one another and you is to many and thou was to one and this was the language between Jeptha and his daughter and between the Saints and the Kings this shewes thou hast not learned the Accedence nor Bible nor art come to the forme of sound words Iohn Castaires called Minister of Glasgow his principles Pr. THis is naturall folks duty to pray to God and worship him although they sinfully keep themselves under a sinfull necessity to sin against God through ignorance Answ This hath been your worke to keep people in ignorance which you may be ashamed of A naturall man cannot worship God for he cannot receive the things of God nor a sinfull man but worship the Devill for he that commits sin serves him and he that serves sin serves the devill and worships him Iohn 8.34 And Christ said the Pharisees should receive the greater damnation for their pretended long prayers Mat. 23.14 and so he did not justifie them in their long prayers but rebuked them and said Wo unto them who draw near with their lips when their hearts were far off Isa 29.13 And they that pray and worship God must pray in the
spirit 1 Corinthians 1 Corinthians 14.15 and worship in the Spirit which the Devil is out of John 4.21 Pr. If the first Command be in force and if it be in force negatively it is also in force positively thou shalt have me for thy God and oughtest to worship me and if they pray not as they should let them answer for it for it is not sin of it self Ans The children of Israel that the Commandments were given unto knew God but the Heathen knows him not here all may see what measure thou measures withall And further thou sayest if they pray as they should not and yet not sin is praying as they should and as they should not one by this to call upon God with their lips and the heart not right and the prayers and sacrifice of the wicked is justified Prov. 15.8 and if any pray as they should not are they not condemned for it and if in praying as they should not be not sin then they do as they should Pr. If folks should not pray because they are uncapable then a believer not finding himself in a good frame may let his prayers alone Answ A Believer is a babe of God and his cry is right his prayer is right and his groan is right 1 John 5.1 And every man that cometh into the world being enlightned and coming into the light which hath enlightned him 1 Iohn 1.7 in that he is to watch and pray which leads him beyond naturals which will be accepted in the degree but he that hates the light his prayer is not accepted but is in the hypocrisie Pr. The Apostles bad Simon Magus an old witchcarle pray and now is there any reason to say we are bidding folk sing when we bid them pray although they be grosly ignorant Answ The Apostle bad him Repent Acts 8.22 and he was sensible he had sinned and that which makes a man sensible of sin brings him to pray aright and turns him from witchcraft and so thou dost put no difference between the precious and the vile Ezek. 22.26 the accepted and unaccepted And Henry Foreside who would have had his People to stone the Quakers and calls it Christian zeal he would have his wall up that he might live in safety who murthers and would be preserved in the murtherous estate and would have the powers of the earth to be his Executioners and pack-horses but the Lord is opening of their eyes that they will not execute their malice though he is stirring up the people to do so so all may see this is not the work of our Lord Jesus Christ but the work of the Murtherer and one that makes himself drunk with the blood of the Saints Rev. 17.6 till he reel again in his madness And Christ called them that took up stones to stone him of their Father the Devil for doing his lust John 8.44 And thou who would have the people to stone and calls it Christian zeal thou hast manifested thy Father and to be of the Devil who was a Murtherer from the beginning but you are the Serpents and vipers that would kill to fill the measure of your Fathers Mat. 23.32 and persecute from City to City and hale out of the Synagogues John 16.2 that all the righteous blood shed from righteous Abel might come upon you Mat. 23.35 and you are they that kill the bodies of the Saints and are shedders of the righteous blood Mark the righteous blood that the righteous blood might be upon you And Cain slew Abel because Abels sacrifice was accepted and his not Gen. 4. So it is about the Sacrifice and worship ye would murther and slay So ye are in Cains way a company of vagabonds whose Sacrifice God hath no respect unto if we were enemies you would not teach the people to stone us if ye were Ministers of Christ but love us Mat. 5.44 And do good to us If the Apostles should have taught the people to stone all that were contrary to their minde and Christ should have taught his Disciples to stone all that were contrary to their minde and tell them that were Christian zeal but ye may see Christ â—nd his Apostles taught another doctrine Love your enemies and thou teachest to stone them contrary to Christ and his Apostles we do conclude it to be the Doctrine of the Devil and not the Doctrine of Christ who are in scorn called Quakers For the true Christian zeal never taught to stone but were stoned The Priests called Presbyterians summoned some people called Quakers to come beâ—ore them and they came into the Steeple-house where they met and James Nasmith Priest of Hambleton bad them remove or else he would make them remove by Club Law and they asked the Presbyterian Priests for their accusers and Francis Ard one of the Priests said they were both accusers and Judges now whether this be equity that the same should be both accusers Judges that summons and when they have summoned accused and judged saith they will make them remove by club Law whether these be not bruits and beasts and not Justices and are not fit to Judge nor to have the name of Ministers and Judges that will remove people by club law and the said Quakers could not own them as Judges nor doth not look on them as men of equity but would have had them to have given them a meeting in any place whereby the truth might be cleared which they had scandalized and come to light which they refused and that lawful witnesses might hear but they did refuse and caused them to be put in prison by the hand of a Bayliffe by name Nasmith And this is the Authority of the Presbyterian Priests who hath summoned with club Law but it is denyed by the Apostles Doctrine 1 Tim. 3. they must not be strikers nor false accusers These are the Presbyterian Priests of Scotlands weapons club Law which is contrary to the Ministers of Christ they said We wrestle not against flesh and blood and they must not be strikers Eph. 6.12 and after they had violently the thrust them into prison after their wills were satisfied with violence they thrust them out again there ye may feel the Spirit of wickedness And these Presbyterian Priests are people petitions the Magistrates with a pretence they might not be guilty of others blood which pretence is in their Petitions to take away their fear that their wicked pâ—ace might not be disturbed not regarding their blood witness James Nasmith Priest who would make them remove by club Law So their Petition is but flattery and deceit in pretence of not being guilty of their blood in whose heart it is to shed blood as witness Henry Foreside Priest who stirred up the people in zeal to stone them Those Presbyterian Priests that set up club Law and persecution against the Quakers who would not have any to receive them into their houses So this is abominable Doctrine contrary to the Apostle whose Doctrine you