abound God forbid if Christ have suffered for me and in me its high time for me to suffer with him and to arm my self with the same minde and this is the dying to sin and the sinning no more when the Soul bears witnesses against it and walks out of the reign and power of it which reign of sin is that which the Scripture witnesses against Answ Further Iohn wrote to such who were not come through the confession to babes young men and fathers Repl. Then by thine own confession he wrote to all sorts of Christians to make confession of sin why then doest thou hide spare and cover thy sin What neither babe nor father nor young man Where art thou neither in the vvorld nor in the Church Monstrum horendum Surely if ever God awake in thee he 'l despise thine image and bring thee to Sion by weeping crosse and then he 'l remove this stumbling block out of thy way and shew thee this thine opinion is but an old errour raked out of the dunghill of Hell sprung up afresh in this iron age where the love of many waxes cold and so thou wilt learn to tremble prepare thine heart by brokennesse of spirit for the lofty God to dwell in and so he 'l be mercifull unto thine iniquity and remember thy sin no more Answ Further Iohn wrote to some who knew all things 1 Ioh. 2. 20. and so were out of the knowledge in part Repl. The Unction indeed reveals the deep things of God and so gives us an understanding to know him that is true by our abode in him and so teaches all things that are freely given to us 1 Cor. 2. 12. all things that the Lord gives all things necessary to know all things that pertain to life and godlinesse credenda agenda all things to be believed of us and done by us and that in such a clearnesse that the Soul knows 't is not deceived and so we are taught to know our election vocation justification sanctification regeneration adoption c. we are taught to believe hope love be patient penitent obedient we are taught to deny our selves to lose our lives to let all go to come and follow Christ in the new creature and so we are taught according to our measure to set our affections above to live in Heaven where all our treasure is these and the like things the Unction teaches us still limited to the things freely given to us and yet there are secreta Dei the secrets of the Lord which man cannot see and live the secrets of the Scriptures the secrets of nature the secrets of the times and seasons which man knows not but the father onely canst thou see God God in his glory canst thou behold the ballancing of the Clouds the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge poor vain man who art darkning the counsel of God by words without knowledge canst thou see the Ordinances of Heaven or set the dominion thereof in the earth canst thou by all thy search finde out these things in their perfection therefore why doest thou vaunt thy self vain man would be wise though man be born like a wilde Asses Colt remember that knowledge puffs up but 't is charity edifies knowledge perverts but wisdom keeps thou hast so long fed upon the Tree of knowledge that thou art glutted and darkned by it and even poysoned to death with thy great knowledge for as too much light destroyes the sight as well as too little there must be debita distantia a due distance even so knowledge without charity and prudence to keep a due distance between God and the creature presently destroyes and may as soon be too much as too little and so as some perish through too little so many through too much knowledge Therefore remember what the spirit sayes of the wise Gentiles professing themselves to be wise they became fools Rom. 1. 21. and so let no man deceive himself if any among you seem to be wise let him become a fool that he may be wise 1 Cor. 3. 18. and if any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. consider these things and be not thou wise above what is written and given and revealed unto thee lest thou perish among the wise Greeks and Jews and the Disputers of this world Further after a little prating and railing which is very natural to thy generation thou answerest more yet to confirm thy perfection and sayes he that do's righteousnesse is righteous as he is righteous to which I say he is so so far as he do's righteousnesse and righteousnesse cloaths him even so far he answers the patterne and has the righteousnesse of Christ in him walking not after the flesh but after the spirit Answ Further thou sayest as he is so are we in this present world 1 Ioh. 11. 17. Repl. So far as he is received in us and dwells in us so far we are as he is in this present world seeing we can be no more than what he is in us and we in him for he is all in all Further know that as there is a similitude so a great dissimilitude between Christ and Saints for both I own according to what I have seen and heard in him as for the similitude or likenesse in brief take in these particulars First his Father and our Father his God and our God are one his spirit and his anointing and the spirit and anointing in us are one even the same in nature though not in measure Further his light life our light and life are one in God and so our life is hid with Christ in God then he 's a King Priest and Prophet so are we according to his springing up in us made Kings and Priests and Prophets unto God he ha's Union and fellowship with the Father so have we I in my Father and you in me and I in you I pray that these all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they may be one in us and according as this onenesse is manifested which is our life so we have fellowship with the Father and he with us Further Christ was humble meek lowly patient holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners so we according to our grace have received the same thing for nature and truth still that was in Jesus though our measure be not the same Further he made it his meat and drinke to do the will of God he was alwayes going about and doing good and this is the work of Saints as we have opportunity let us be doing good Further he was hated persecuted denied blasphemed mocked scourged a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief so are the sons of God more or lesse under a taste of all these in this world being still called to suffer before their Crown and though not in the same measure that Christ suffered yet the
Crosse both within and without is the same as he was hated persecuted crucified so are we according as 't is given unto us from our heavenly father as he was dead to his own will and alive to his fathers so are we according as we have power and life from the father given to us in all these and the like there is a similitude between Christ and his Church they are of his bone and flesh one every way so far as he and his father are pleased to lead them forth into it and this was that which Christ prayed for Joh. 17. 21. 22. and Paul spake of Rom. 8. 29. and desired to live in Phil. 3. 8. to 15. and this Iohn witnessed when he said as he is so are we in this world behold your likenesse friends all ye the Lords portion and challenge as much as ye will or can in this matter so as it flow from light and truth accompanied with humility and the fear of the Lord and ye cannot anger the Lord his spirit nor his son but withall be not high proud lofty there is a dissimilitude to as well as a likenesse between Christ and his Church First He 's the father of all God over all the fulnesse of the God-head dwells in him bodily This is no where said of the Saints though they partake of the nature of God and of the fulnesse of God according as their being can receive yet they are not the father they are not the God-head neither in fullnesse nor part no friends away with such blasphemies this is a Babylonian that sayes I am and there 's none else besides me a false Prophet that cries out I am Christ an Antichrist that sits in the Temple of God as God away with this conceit we are creatures still poor nothings drops of the bucket compared to the incomprehensible Majesty Further Christ was anointed with the Oyl of gladnesse above his fellows above measure but we are anointed in measure according to the gift of Christ we have no more than we receive by the grace of God I am what I am Further Christ knows our thoughts afar off and is acquainted with all our wayes there is not a word in my tongue but loe thou knowest it altogether Christ knew from the beginning who should betray him and he saw the thoughts and carnal reasonings of the carnal dark world but what do's poor man know though the Quaker is bolder then all his fore-fathers he knows a man as soon as ever he sees him and whether he be a Saint or a Devil though the man discover not himself by word or action yet the Quaker knows him and all that he may be as Christ is and yet the Apostle sayes what man knows the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him 1 Cor. 2. 11. and the Apostles knew not the Traitor but they were low then and so art thou friend in this thy dream for Christ sayes ye shall know them by their fruit and ye shall know my Disciples by their love so that our knowledge of others is by observation fruits and appearances of things in the outward man or by special revelation and discovery from God otherwise all other mens spirits are in the dark to us we have not a vision of their hearts afar off we know them not before they are born we know not the way of God in their spirits till it be written upon their fore-heads and so are not as Christ is in this respect Further Christ â—lwayes spake the truth was alwayes free from errour never in the least errour nor in the least deceived where 's the man besides that can challenge this unto himself who can understand his errours though so far as we are lighted by the Candle of the Lord so far we are led out of errour and all delusions but he 's the original truth and we receive from him as he is manifested so we have the truth no farther for he 's the truth lo still a difference which should teach us all to be humble meek and low Further Christ created all things all things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made and Christ preserves all things by him all things consist and he upholds all by the word of his power where 's the man that can appropriate this power unto himself hast thou an arm like God canst thou make a new body or quicken an image with a Soul and make life appear canst thou retain the spirit of man or beast when the Lord commands it away I know there are that will attempt miracles and wonders but all vanishes still nothing is for ever but what the Lord do's let this teach us to fear before him knowing that 't is he who made us and not we our selves we are his off-spring and by him we have life and motion and all things Further Yet Christ was the onely begotten son of God the first-born his son by nature begotten by his power and brought forth by a Virgin but we are the sons of God by grace if we speak of the Saints nature do's not make us sons but the new birth the regeneration without which there 's no entring into the Kingdom of God Further Christ he 's the husband we the spouse and though the husband and wife be one yet the head of the woman is the man I speak of Christ and his Church he 's the man the root the head still and he 's the King we the subjects he the vine we the branches he 's the Lord and Master we the servants he 's the fountain we the streams he 's the father we the sons he 's all in all we are nothing in all this I hope I do not lessen the glory of Christ the Lord nor of his Church his Saints neither do I sad the Souls of any but such as are lifted up to forget their Saviour therefore come away friends glory as much as you will and can in your greatnesse and glory there is a likenesse between Christ and Saints that they be filled with joy and rest and abundance of consolation yet withall there 's an unlikenesse to Christ is infinitely more above us all than all the men in the world above the lowest creature therefore away away with somethingnesse self-glorying this is enough for the world to be proud and high-minded but let all the Lords people be content to lose their lives themselves their excellencies gifts Crowns throw all down at the feet of the Lambe saying thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created and thou high big flesh that sayest thou art as Christ in this present world without the least darknesse the least sin when thou knowest not the ground why he was and could not but be without sin and no man so as he whilest in this house of clay he was
persecuted outwardly knowing that it is judgement and misery enough for God to send such strong delusions as that men should believe a lye Repl. But my heart is in the earth thou sayest Answ In the earth is not my treasure I finde all here vanity and vexation of spirit But in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength and so my treasure being above mine heart and affections are also above Repl. But my compleatnesse is in darknesse Answ Here indeed is the compleatnesse of the world but the Lord is arising to discover this delusion and in him his light and grace is my compleatnesse fulnesse and glory Repl. But to the light which comes from the corner-stone I act contrary and fall not upon it so upon me shall it fall and grinde me to powder Answ Had thy building been upon the corner-stone thou wouldst not in disobedience have denied him to be thy foundation but wouldst by this falling upon him have been broken all to pieces and never thus weakly been sodered up again to act and work for life in thine own power and merits and so to be a Christ a Saviour unto thy self making thy self whole without the bloud of the Lamb which takes away the sins of the world But be sure for this thy disallowing of the stone which is elect and precious thou shalt stumble and fall and be ground to powder for thy disobedience whereunto also thou art appointed As for me let me alone to live and walk in the light of the Lord to be all I am in the grace and righteousnesse of Christ Jesus In my self I am broken indeed my glory is gone and I am nothing But in Christ I am whole and well and need none of mine own power and merits to save me In him I feed upon that which is good upon substance upon the best upon fatnesse and he being my foundation without and within I have an everlasting covenant of grace even the sure mercies of David This I know because he is faithfull Repl. But thou tellest me I am out of the Vnity in the one spirit in the number of the beast the number of a man who professe the Letter declared from the life which life knits the Saints in one peace and thee shall eternally torment who livest in vanity and deniest the way of peace Answ Once more look home to thy self that thou even thou be not found in this number of a beast of a man that art compleat in thy form in thy observations drawn sometimes from the Letter and sometimes from thy fancie in the mystery and yet neither Letter or meaning is any more direction to thee than will stand with thy dark minde and form Therefore see and know that the life the Scripture the Christ the peace which thou art in is not the life out of the original in the one spirit but the life and Christ and peace of form of fansie of man and so notwithstanding all thy pretended Unity and holinesse thou regardest lying vanity and art in a weary land without water As for me my endeavour is to keep the Unity of the spirit in the bond of peace with all lowlinesse and meeknesse and long-suffering forbearing all my brethren in love I know the body the spirit the calling is one the Lord the faith the baptisme is one and that there is one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in us all A sense of all these constrains me to love the Saints in all this onenesse though in their wayes and walkings without they are divers yet in the substances of things they are all one and of one And upon this account could I freely and faithfully have communion with them preach and pray and enter into fellowship with them though by reason of their too much indulgence to their bodily exercise and outward wayes of walking they are for the most part against communion with any out of their own modell and way and so too much spirit of God I own it as a witnesse and Declaration of the Lords will and mind to man This I professe not out of the life and light of the spirit knowing that that is the living word the kernel the substance which quickens all the body and knits the Saints altogether in that one peace of God And this spirit declared in the Letter is that which keeps me from vanity and frees me from the Law of sin death and condemnation And now to the businesse of Tythes Thou sayes Repl. In my corrupt reason I am scraping up reasons to maintain Tythes but shew no Scripture Answ Here thou art at thine old trade prating and slighting but shewing little reason and yet thou goest on to teach and say Repl. To the Sons of Levi was Tyth paid for their service and the relieving the fatherlesse widdows and strangers Ans And why must not the Ministers of the Gospel have maintenance too for their service Doth the Gospel afford lesse than the Law But to let that passe Thou hast spoken a piece of truth to which I add Thou mayest finde even Levi himself paid Tythes in Abraham Heb. 7. 9. and so Tythes were paid before the Law and Levi were in being as to the Letter so that the payment of Tythes extended further than to the litteral Tribe of Levi And if Abraham and Jacob payed Tythes as it appears they did before the Law Gen. 14. 18 19 20. and Gen. 18. 22. surely they did it by a light within and this light was their Law and this is thine too sometimes though very seldom especially when to part with something from thy self and therefore art thou covetous to rob others of all their glory in inward things to advance thy self and of their property too in outward things and so thou art greedy to keep the tenth of all But to proceed Repl. Thou sayest When Christ came he put an end to that service and to the wages due to that service and that he continued Tythes to the Ministers of the Gospel by a Law that thou bid'st me prove by Scripture command or example Answ That Christ put an end to the Levitical priest-hood that I deny not But that Christ put an end to the priest-hood so as to set up no teaching in the room thereof that I deny But what or who hath he set up Answer Ministers not of the Letter but of the spirit But are your Ministers such Answer those whom Christ anoints and ordains are such for the rest I plead not But where have you Ministers that are such if the thing should be granted any command example or practice for Tythes Answer we have the light within written in the hearts of all Nations which teacheth them to pay Tythes or maintenance unto their Priests at this day this is the light of our Nation to pay Tythe unto their Ministers And this is of as much force still where it guides and rules to teach men what to do as it
truths of God 8. There 's the appetite and that 's the seat of desires lustings and longings after things whether good or evil Lastly there 's likewise the affections which are the movings of the Soul out into love joy gladnesse pleasure and the like all these lower parts of the Soul as more common and easily seen and perceived are usually called the Soul and the higher and more noble powers are usually taken for the spirit of the Soul now when the Lord comes all these are healed cured and made well according as the Lord is more or lesse manifested and this is the sanctifying of these which the Apostle speaks of the bringing of them all into the will and life of God and as the Lord is received into the Souls of men so all these scatterings and movings and workings of the Soul are all gathered up to give their attendance upon the presence of the great King Quest 18. What is the Heaven and Hell the salvation and damnation of believers and unbelievers which the Scriptures intimate Answ Heaven and Hell are what the Scriptures declare them to be which none can understand but who are in the light where the entrance is made Repl. Still thou art seen not to be in a state of perfection and so what Childish answers have we no account cnast thou give of Heaven and Hell they are what the Scripture declares them to be surely friend if thou hast been in Hell and gone from thence to Heaven thou might'st have said something more I know it 's sufficient what the Scriptures intimate but I know thou ownest no Heaven nor Hell but what is here within in thy wandring spirit no resurrection judgment or Hell afterwards but what we have here by the light and from the light within this is thy dream onely thou art loth to discover thy self and so hidest the thoughts of thine heart and sayest Heaven and Hell are what the Scripture makes them to be and so I leave thee in this thine imaginations to give an account unto God in that day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed and Hell and Heaven begun here shall be perfected upon believers and unbelievers for evermore and what this Heaven and Hell is take my thoughts and use them at thy pleasure Heaven stands in a pure union and fellowship with the Father in love and Hell in a reall separation from this love of the Father in the Son and the enduring of the wrathfull vengeance of an angry God both these are begun here in grace or sin as in the root and both shall be perfected hereafter in the joy or misery which shall be everlasting as the Scripture speaks come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world and go yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matt. 25. 34 41. Quest 19. What is the first resurrection and the reigning with Christ a thousand years of that resurrection and the binding of Satan all that thousand years Answ The first resurrection is the resurrection of Christ wherewith he hath raised us from the death of sin to live with him to God in newnesse of life reigning over the lust of the world the flesh and the Devil Repl. All this I own as the comfort and joy of Saints in all generations for when the man-child is born who is called the new man the Lord from heaven then the first resurrection begins and that Soul reigns lives according to the measure of Christ in him with Christ a thousand years this Christ in us is the real substantial image of God that has the perfect nature of a man the first day he is born in the Soul as a Child has the nature of a man though not the wisdom and growth and strength of a man so it is in the Soul where Christ is risen and born that 's the true man-child and his growing up in the new holy life is the ground of the first resurrection and as he encreases in the Soul so the life is manifested and the resurrection more and more and so the Soul can say now I know that the life and the resurrection is come because the Son of God is come the precious seed of the promise he who breaks the head of the Serpent though the Serpent be still knibling and bruising his he'lâ— and if this were truely witnessed by yee surely I should not see so much darknesse and bitternesse still growing up and flourishing in yee neither could yee thus give your selves to revile mock vilifie and send others of the Children of God in your giddinesse unto the Devil and seek to deprive them of their credit and reputation in the world this is but the fruit of Thorns and Briars not of the vine and good Olive Tree this is but the Thistle that pricks but bears not the fruit of the first resurrection Further thou sayest Christ by his resurrection has bound Satan so say I for to this purpose was he manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil and when he appeares then the evill one is put in prison and chaines Further thou sayest such unruly persons as I talke of Satans being bound a thousand years but resist and own not that Crosse and power which should bind him for a day Repl. The Crosse I own and the power I owne as that onely which has bound Satan in me though I must not tell thee so neither is Satan at liberty as in mine ignorance and unbeleef neither do's he prevail neither am I without a stronger than he to divide his spoils and yet I am to take heed and not be so bold as some who are without fear of any stirrings and temptations from him though Paul set him as a Thorn in the flesh yet they are secure and neglect their Armour and so are many times again entangled and overcome Further thou sayest the Angel and the key of the bottomlesse pit and the great chain in his hand I know not Rev. 20. 1. neither do I and him I serve love that chain Repl. The spirit of the Lord surely wrote all this to thy generation and none must peep into these mysteries without thy key for thou art he who opens and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens as Christ gave his keyes to Peter in his absence and Peter unto the Pope or the Pope to thee and now thy fathers the false Prophets may go to seek heaven for thee for thou hast the keyes and none must enter in without thy mark and so the kingdom of Heaven is shut up and the Angel and the key of the bottomlesse pit and the great chain in his hand none must know but thee and thy generation and yet what if I should tell thee I have seen the Angel and he by the light within has opened the bottomlesse pit and there I have seen the Quaker and the Pope and all
priest-hood he cries out wilt thou believe nothing but Scripture Thus the man can add and take away at his pleasure though such are accursed of God Gal. 1. 8 9. Rev. 22 18. Further applying the speech of Christ unto himself before Abraham was I am I asking him whether he was not ashamed did ever Saint apply that unto himself He answered he understood it of the Spirit that was within him blasphemously applying the Divine Spirit that dwelt in the Son of God to the filthy Spirit of Belial that dwelt in him And yet this man must be perfect sinlesse and infallible But to let him alone with his father the Devil and to come to another with whom I had some dealing by conference and by questions and answers and replies on both sides This man was one Thomas Lawson who had a companion with him This man and his companion I finde contradicting the other in two things 1. Lawcock he owns the sufferings of Christ but not his dying yet another time both his suffering and dying But Lawson scoffs at the sufferings and dying of Christ in the flesh as none of his Crosse as you shall see in his papers Here 's no Harmony you see amongst the Quakers but Quaker against Quaker one against another 2. Lawson's companion told me he was Christ and what he spake was Scripture This Lawson yielded unto by his silence But Lawcock denied this speech and his brethren in it though he said in effect as much when he cried out Before Abraham was I am yet he would not be Christ Still here 's Satan divided against Satan and so it must be that his Kingdom may fall And yet these wretched men delude poor people and say that at the meetings of Quakers in the North when there have been three hundred and five hundred Quakers together they have been all of one heart and one minde and so they are indeed being all under the power of the Prince of the air the Spirit that now works in all the Children of disobedience where I leave them in chains of darknesse to the judgement of the great day As concerning their questions propounded to me in writing I gave them but a brief answer not minding to make any thing publick unto the world knowing mine inability to come forth in print in the midst of such a variety of judgements abroad yet receiving a reply from Lawson full of lying and railings and evil surmisings I was pressed in my spirit to give some satisfaction unto my friends of these mens folly and madnesse as also of mine own experiences in the dealings of God with me so far as concerns the matter in hand And therefore my dear hearts put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand in the midst of all the windes and storms of Satans fury lean to the Rock Christ wherein is everlasting strength to keep you in this hour of temptation and confusion Own the unity of the spirit the seed of God in all your companions in tribulation and make this the bond of peace All ye whose faces are toward Sion fall not out by the way Live in peace and love Though there be a variety of wayes thither according to Gods Divine dispensations yet in all the wayes of God there is an Unity and Harmony as they tend to one point and center of rest and joy in himself Make him thine aim then he is the Sion we are all going unto Be not discouraged by the way though some draw back others grow weary others step aside others revile and blaspheme Look thou to God he is thy father thou art his Son and Heir Let all thy knowledge and wisdom and light and graces and comforts thou hast received from God make thee not great and high and something but little and low and nothing still in thine own estimation Take heed of Thorns and Bryars and Chaffe and this untoward generation of Godlesse shamelesse men And so I commend thee unto him who is able to keep thee from falling and to present thee blamelesse before the Throne of his glory to whom be praise and dominion in the Church by Jesus Christ throughout all ages world without end Thine in the Lord Magnus Byne The scornfull QUAKERS ANSWERED And their railing Reply refuted Quest WHat is the first principle of pure Religion Answ The first principle of pure Religion is the Son of God dwelling in us He is the band of union between God and us or an Emanuell God with us He who lives in this principle is taught to be Religious And so he is bound and tied by love to worship the Father in Spirit who is the Center into which all Religion runnes and where all that is pure stayes Quest What is the Yoke of Christ Answ It s the Fathers work and will This is easy to the Son because of that spirit or principle of love that dwell's in him to his Father which moves him naturally and affectionately to do the will of his Father and to finish his work And this is the yoke that lyes upon every Christian Quest What is the Burden of Christ Answ It s his sufferings under all the weaknesses infirmities and sins of the world from the beginning thereof to this very day who is therefore called the Lambe slain from the foundation of the world This is light to the invincible Spirit of Christ who alone is able to overcome evill with good though the least reproach or suffering be a grievous load and burden to the weak low Spirit of flesh and blood which centers and lives no higher than self and this creation And this is the burden of every Christian which through faith is made light and easy to overcome as it is written Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith 1 Joh. 3. 4. Quest What is the Talent which to every one is given to improve Answ It s that measure of the light and truth which is given to and manifested in every man which comes into the world as it is written of Christ He was the true light which lighteth every one who cometh into the world John 1. 9. Quest What is the Crosse of Christ and what doth it tend unto Answ It s the crucifying dying and suffering in the flesh which the head and all the members must and shall passe thorow or be baptized with before they enter into the glory of the Father which tends to the burning up of all fleshly visibilities discoveries enioyments dispensations that are temporall and shadowish that the Father and his Son and Sonnes may live in that oneness of spirit and glory where God shal be all in all Quest Who are they that bring their Talent out of the earth it to improve Answ Those who through the eternall spirit arise from under all the rubbish of the elementary world whence and where all bodies by the strong Word of
God are made and live That soul that is awakened and risen with Christ to live in the light of the inner world or new Creature and to slide from thence forth unto the darke world in the works of righteousnesse and true holiness is the soul that brings his Talent out of the earth it to improve Quest Who are they that hide their Talents in the earth to their condemnation Answ Men that sin away the light and Spirit or promise of the Father made out in their Spirits and consciences by the noble wisdome of God woing and importuning them within in the Center of their souls to turne unto the Lord and so love darkness rather then light to their owne condemnation or rather men who love to live below in flesh and sin and this creation or world rather than above with the Father and the Son making out love and truth and grace in their Spirits to bring them reconciled to God these are they who hide their Talents in the earth to their condemnation Quest Where is it and by what that God speakes unto man Answ God speakes unto man within there he stands in the gate of the soul and by many invitations woings operations which are as so many Angels or messengers of love and life he entreats men to come in and be saved as it is written Looke unto me and be ye saved for I am a God and there is none else This inward speaking of God is backed likewise with outward speakings from the heavens and earth and things that are made from the Scriptures which are a firme testimony and witnesse of the mind of God to man sometimes from Mercies sometimes from judgements sometimes from the words or mind of God put into other mens moneths All which varietie of witnesses declare the one will and mind of the Father which he is pleased more immediately to declare within by his owne voyce Quest What is that which unto the gentiles is manifest shewing unto them what of God may be knowne Answ It is the truth of the Deity or the eternall power and God-head which teaches them by the things that are made to owne and glorifie a Creator and so the unthankefull and stubborne are left without excuse Rom. 1. 20. 21. Quest. What is its operation in all from the rising of the Sun to the going downe thereof Answ The light and truth of the Deity which is manifested to and shewed in every man from the things that are made teaches every man to owne a God and to worship him and so to abstaine from evill and do good which operation being choaked and abused by most hence these wallow in the mire of sin and wickednes and superstitious vanities being given up thereunto by the Lord as a just punishment for their loving darkenes rather than the light of God Quest What is the flaming sword which turnes every way to keepe the tree of life Answ It may be the Administration of the Law within which as a light or flame shewes every man his sin and shame and so as with a sword cuts him off every way in the midst of his best actions performances and obedience from entring into life by his owne power Or the fierceness in the anger of God which turnes every way to keep every uncleance person and thing from entering into the Paradise of God to eat of the tree of life till it be washed and cleansed from its filthines as 't is written Rev. 21. 22. there shall in no wise enter into the holy City any thing that is unclean c. Quest What is the City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt Answ All the unregenerate world which are as Sodom and Egypt full of sin and wickednesse or the Antichristian formal Church which strouts it out with a shew of wisdome learning letter and History as if it were a well built City or a true Church of God but within is Wolvish Envious Dogged full of blood cruelty and persecution against Christ and every appearance of Christ in his saints This is the great City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where our Lord was crucified And in her is found the bloud of Prophets and of Saints and of all that are ssain upon the earth In brief Egypt and Sodom are the kingdome of flesh and darknesse where Christ and the true Church are presecuted and crucified in Spirit Quest What is the language of Egypt Answ Egypt speakes nothing but bondage and warre to the people of God Egypt cannot endure that an holy Church should grow up in his dominions he will murder Abell or the innocent still Egypt is all for himself to manitaine himself in greatnesse and pompe and dominion in the world to rule and be a great potent Lord in the flesh If hee preach or pray or read or hear or appear sometimes as a seeming holy man yet all is ayming at his name greatnesse and credit in the world His heart cannot cleave to and love the Son of God He must persecute and devour the poor and needy in the earth This is the language of Egypt or that which Egypt declares Quest What is the cry of the wildernesse and what is the language of the wildernesse and whether thou wert ever in the wildernesse yea or nay Answ The wildernesse unto some is a state of confusion sin and death where God is not at all remembred minded or known The wildernesse unto others is such a state wherein the soul is awakened by the voice of Christ within to remember and mind the Lord and in the midst of all its confusions to cry and long and wait for his revealing coming manifesting And in this wildernesse I have been and here I have cryed been payned and the Lord hath heard my supplication and delivered me from my feares and brought me out into a wealthy place or into a condition of love joy rest and fullnesse in himself Further the wildernesse unto others is a condition of temptation which the Lord sometimes leades his people into to try and refine them and to make his might and power known in their preservation deliverance salvation Unto others yet the wildernesse is a condition of solitarines and retiredness of spirit where the soul is carried away from the fashions and practises of the world as likewise above the tumults rage and violence of the world sweetly to solace herself in her beloved and to walke in his way which is a way of peace light and holines The cry of the soul in this state of lonenesse is all for God and the will of God it s risen as it were out of the world and gone away from all other company to enjoy a fuller sight of the Lords beauty and to have a more exact communion with his Majestie And this is a wildernesse a gracious heart delights much to be in Quest What is the language of Canaan Answ In Canaan is heard the voice of peace love and meekenesse
Here 's no judging murmuring complaining dividing persecuting murdering These are the wayes of Egypt and Babell In Canaan there is rest from all the works of Egypt and darknesse Here 's unity in the midst of variety Here all are looking into the onenesse into the pure image and nature of the Father and this light keeps harmony and agreement between all the sons of Canaan And so in Canaan there 's joy melody singing Halleluja's Here the world is not mentioned flesh and bloud is not at all remembred with delight the former things are passed away and all is become new God alone is made mention of to be Lord and King and set up upon the Throne for ever Quest What is the vail which divides between the holy and most holy Answ It 's the flesh of Christ and all outward dispensations which divide and keep Saints whilest in weaknesse and bondage though holy in some measure from entring into the most holy into the substance truth it self or into the choisest glory of the father This vail of flesh in Christ was rent when he suffered death or was crucified in the flesh Through which death or rending of the vail of flesh he entred himself and made way also for us to enter into glory Hebâ— 10. 19. 20. Having therefore boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh And when this vail of flesh of letter and shadows and outward dispensations is rent and crucified by the eternall spirit in the true Christian then he the Christian enters into the holiest into the glory and joy of his Father Quest What is the death which over all men is passed and how camest thou to live Answ It 's first the breaking of the body or this earthly Tabernacle which comes upon all without exception for sin Rom. 5. 12. Secondly it's the dying unto Paradise and the Kingdom of God which man hath drawn upon himself by his lusting after and eating of the fruit of the four elements By this lusting and eating he becomes infected poysoned in his minde and will with the fruit of the Sun and Stars And this is the taking and eating of the Tree of temptation and his leaving the Tree of life and the heavenly fruit And thus he becomes an earthly man and dead Death stickes in his minde and soul and man is dead to all feeding upon God and the Son of God who is the Tree of life Man can no more feed upon the fruit which grows upon this Tree of life which is Christ till Christ awake and arise in the center of his soul and carry him through all the Trees of temptation or the pleasures pompe and glory of the outward world into the inward or holy pure element of this spirituall body and pure nature and there awaken him to eat of the Tree of life and live for ever And this is the way whereby I and all the Sons of God come to passe from the spirituall death into the spirituall life in the pure nature of Jesus Christ Quest What is deaths reign from Adam to Moses And to Moses how didst thou come Answ From Adam to Moses there was no law written without all the law was within upon the conscience here was the rule or law which God gave the worlds to walk by Now the world acting against this light and law within kept sin in the world from Adam to Moses for till the law viz. given out by Moses sin was in the world Rom. 5. 13. Now sin alwayes brings men under the reign of death and so death reigned over all from Adam to Moses All had a law given within otherwise they could have had no sin for where there is no law there is no transgression Now mens breaking of this inward law was their sin and this their sin brought them all under the power and reign of death And thus it is still though there had been no Moses to write Gods commands in outward tables or Scripture yet the law being written within upon the conscience by the finger of God we sinning against this law do plunge our selves into the reign of death wrath and condemnation we kindle the Root of the fire and that being awakened makes our Hell or self-comdemnation within because we have sinned against our light Now by this light and law within we come to know Moses and that all the law she hath written are holy just and good because we finde the same within that he hath written without and nothing without but what is in spirit and power within Quest. Who are they which sin not after the similitude of Adams transgression which till Moses death reigned over Answ They are infants in years according to some who although they sin not actually after the manner of Adam yet they have sin and death written in their nature according to the weaknesse of this creation Or they are infants in knowledge who although they have not such full discoveries of the minde of God and such strength to stand as Adam had and so their sin be not so great as Adam which is to sin after his similitude yet they have a plain law within as before which bids them not act or eat that which the Lord forbids They living contrary unto this law fall into sin and death And in this childish condition are we all sound till the Lord quicken and save us Quest Art thou called immediately by the great God of Heaven and earth into the Ministery yea or nay Answ That Ministery I act in I have the anointing of the Spirit which doth sufficiently warrant my call But as for those who are called through Arts and Sciences and mens ordinations without this anointing I know they are the Pillars of Antichrist which I cannot own for the Apostles of Christ My calling teacheth me to renounce my fleshly wisdom and to live upon the grace and love of God commending that manifestation of the truth that is in me to every mans conscience in the sight of Christ Quest Hast thou seen Gods face yea or nay Answ To see the invisible God with carnal eyes I never did nor shall for no man hath heard his voice nor seen his shape but with the enlightned minde I have in some measure seen his face nay his heart in the precious revelations and discoveries of his Son towards me in love which Son is the face and heart and brightnesse of God opened in love wherein he shews and speaks forth plainly his exceeding kindnesse and goodnesse to all his Children This face of God I have thus seen which is more to me than a thousand vvorlds Quest Hast thou heard Gods voice immediately from Heaven and earth yea or nay Answ I have heard his voice as I have seen his face viz. inwardly spiritually which voice of his hath fetched me out of the grave of darknesse sin
speak a word to thee Remember from whence thou art fallen thou art fallen from thy light within thou hast lost thy tendernesse to the Saints of God because thy light within is turned into utter darknesse and now in the deep darknesse thou art high in thine own imaginations Nay thou art I am and there 's none besides thee and so thou ragest and art furious against every one that sees thy nakednesse and blasphemie Why poor vile worm where art thou and what art thou Thou art like the Egyptians flesh and not spirit thou art a man and the son of man that shall die a man full of infirmities and sins like all others of the sons of men Nay a man of sin in all thy proud exaltings of thy self a lyar a false Prophet thou art who criest out I am Christ the son of the most high lo here lo here In all this hast thou grieved the Spirit of God sinned away the promise of the Father made use of the light within to wrest the Scriptures to thine own destruction which light teacheth thee to fear the Lord alwayes for thy good to glory and triumph in him as in thy life and joy This light reproves thy drunken spirit thy wanton heart that is so farre in love with thy proud flesh that thou must needs be Christ and God This reproves thy scoffing jeering nature thy seeking to destroy the weak ones for whom Christ died This light shines in thy darnesse but thou comprehendest it not and this tells thee to thy face thou art ignorant bruitish foolish and knowest little of the mysteries of God and Christ and what thou knowest doth but puffe thee up and make thee forget thy Maker and yet loath thou art to be seen and made manifest to thy deluded party and therefore thou hatest the light of Christ and Gospell of grace and unwilling thou art to come to the light lest thy deeds should be discovered and though thou talke of being redeemed from the earth yet thou knowest not the earth wherein thou dwellest thou canst not see the earth in thine heart set nor how thou thy self art the earth wherein thou livest And here thou art rich and wise and honourable in this earth of flesh and bloud and knowest not that this earth must passe away and all the works that are therein be burnt up and consumed because that in it dwells no good thing Therefore thou proud wretch that art lifted up to heaven come down from thy Throne and see thy shame see where thou livest even where Satans seat is in that which is called the the old man the Serpent Satan the accuser This is thy nature thy seat and habitation where thou dwellest And up and down the World thou goest like thy Father to devour the noble seed of God that thou alone mayest be the seed the King the God and all Therefore be wise for thy self look home turn thine eyes inward be not alwayes like the fool abroad Thou hast a great work yet to do Nay all thy work yet to beginne which is to deny thy self Thou hast almost all the weaknesses blemishes errours sins of all the forms abroad centred in thy self and therefore lay the Ax to the root of the Tree hew down thy self or rather let the Lord do it for thee he is wiser and stronger than thy self he 'l search and prove and try what wickednesse there is in thee and lead thee in the way everlasting Know in all this I am not thine enemie mine aime is at the destruction of Antichrist and the man of sin in thee and fain I would see thee what thou pretendest to be holy harmelesse undefiled separate from sinners according to some measure of Christ learning to see the Father in the face of Jesus Christ and then thou wilt soon fall down at his feet and say I am a man a poore drop of the bucket one who cannot in all my search finde out the Almightie in his perfection he is high and deep and incomprehensible but I am vanity a weak poor shallow thing and so I cannot but in admiration of the Lord wisdom and knowledge say How unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Who hath known the minde of the Lord or been his Counsellour For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever and ever MAGNUS BYNE A REPLY TO LAWSONS ANSWER To 28. Questions Wherein his darknesse and bitternesse are still manisted by the same Authour MAGNUS BYNE Quest 1. WHence the name arose and whether you own any such thing as the trembling and quaking of the body and flesh which hath befallen some at your meetings and whether that may not be a delusion Ans The name arose and is cast upon us by Ismaels brood a generation of scorners Repl. Ismaels brood are scorners indeed and this Spirit in thee calls me Priest Hireling c. and so thou art hereby witnessed to be of that generation of scorners but wisdom is justified of her Children Answ Further the thing quaking we own and the power of it as the Saints of God have alwayes done Repl. And why not then the name seeing names are but shadowes of things themselves and if the thing be justified by wisdom the name which is a manifestation of the thing must needs likewise be justified but me thinks I see your guiltinesse and knowledge of the thing to be a delusion that you are so offended at the name as for the trembling and quaking which the Scriptures intimate 1. It ariseth from an emptinesse of God a state of division and separation from his presence in love and light and so it belongs unto Devils and wicked men James 2. 19. the Devils believe and tremple Isa 33. 14. the sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulnesse has surprised the Hypocrite and again the wicked man shall not feel quietnesse in his belly in the fulnesse of his sufficiency he shall be in straits God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and so they are like the troubled Sea peacelesse restlesse and where this fear is there is torment Hell because a sense of wrathfulnesse and anger began no taste of perfect love which casteth out fear this trembling is a sad judgement of God and a certain fore-runner of weeping and gnashing of teeth for ever see it threatned Deut. 18. 64 65 66 67. the Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and thy life shall hang in doubt and thou shalt fear day and night at evening would God it were morning and at morning would God it were evening for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear and see the world filled with this fear Psal 14. 5. and 53. 5. there were they in great fear where no fear was and the issue of such is everlasting woe Rev. 21. 8. the fearfull and unbelieving shall be cast into the lake of fire 2. There is a trembling at the coming appearing of
God in the shining brightnesse and terrours of the Law to us so Israel trembled feared and stood afar off at the giving of the Law Exod. 20. 18 19 20 21. thus the Law revealed in the conscience works fear at first arising out of a spirit of bondage with all that are born of the bond-woman Agar or after the flesh as soon as they come to Mount Sinai are possessed with Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 23. 24 25. and so Paul when the Law came with power was strucken with death Rom. 7. 9 10. and at the coming of Christ to declare his sin he 's found trembling Act. 9. 6. this trembling of Paul was a trembling of the immer man the old man which Christ was now come to destroy this old man was he in Paul who kept Christ under who persecuted Jesus this old man which was Pauls own will reason minde lust and made him injurious blasphemous and a persecuter of Christ this was he whom Christ came to break to pieces and upon him falls the trembling and so Pauls trembling was his striking with inward horrour at the kindling of the Law in him and the shining of the Majesty thereof upon him this made him cry out who art thou Lord What wilt thou have me to do as for the flesh and outward body of Paul that was acted by his minde and inner man and therefore Christ did not come so much to make this tremble as the root whence this did spring the fleshly minde the body of sin this must now tremble and come under the Crosse so that this trembling of Paul and his being stricken to the ground and his falling to the earth can be no sufficient ground to justifie the fleshly trembling and quaking of these men For 1. As Paul was stricken with trembling so with bliudnesse but those who have this trembling have not likewise the blindnesse 2. Paul was sensible both of trembling and blindnesse these are onely sensible of quaking not of blindnesse 3. Paul was strucken to the earth and all that were with him Act. 26. 14. but here is one quakes and the rest are free and some have no experience of the thing at all 4. When Paul trembled the people that were with him are said to hear a voice and to see a light but at your tremblings there 's no such light or voice Lastly Pauls trembling let in so much of Christ that ever afterwards he was full of love meeknesse patience moderation towards all as one sensible what man was and this trembling brought such a piercing sight along with it that Paul ever afterwards saw a body of corruption a fleshly part in him fighting and carrying him forth many times to the Law of sin but these mens trembling lets in no such light nor life but rather madnesse fury murmuring condemning all to Hell that come not under the power of their form as likewise pride conceit and a foolish imagining a freedom from all remnants of sin and darknesse a state of fulnesse and perfection in the midst of all their palpable follies and abominations There surely Pauls trembling at the beginning of his conversion agreeing with these mens trembling in no circumstance can be no Warrant or vvitnesse for their fleshly trembling I call it a fleshly trembling because it 's a trembling of the outward flesh when the inward remains in its full force and power and rather stronger then weaker after the trembling is passed over 3. And lastly the Scriptures mention a trembling or fear which flowes from a sense and taste of what God is and what we are and this is a trembling that is alwayes joyned with faith and love and joy and this trembling and fear belongs unto the adoption or the true seed of the free-woman the Sons and Heir of God they seeing as Job speaks what an infinite incomprehensible being the Lord is and that he 's love it self and life and power and goodnesse it self unto all his Saints having a true touch of this upon their spirits and likewise of their own low weak poor empty condition in themselves that all they have they have it in the Lord and from the Lords rich grace and love without the least merit of theirs hence they learn to abhorre themselves and to tremble before the Lords Majesty and yet upon another consideration to wit of being taken into Union and fellowship with him through his son and grace they can go unto him in faith as unto their exceeding joy this is to rejoyce with trembling to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling to be afraid of God because of his power and greatnesse and so to stand in awe and sin not and yet likewise to rejoyce in the Lord and in his grace to be afraid of God because of our own pronenesse unto sin and yet to go unto him as to a father with great affection delight and joy as those who are kept by him from the power of sin and evil This is a trembling which is not for a fit and time onely but kept alive in the Soul during our abode in this house of clay whether yours be such a trembling as this let your own light be judge this is the trembling that Job and David and the holy men of God witnessed of old and do still witnesse to this very day but away with thy fleshly bodily litteral trembling and quivering this is rather like Belshazzars trembling or like a fit of Mahomet when the falling evil fell upon him which he feigned to be the holy Ghost or like a man possessed with the Devil than like the trembling of the Saints of old I know when God arises to save a Soul from death he shakes the earth and the heavens that men have made but this is inward spiritual and invisible to the bodily eye like that of Job when he said he hath broken me asunder he hath taken me by the neck and shaken me to pieces and set me up for his mark he cleaveth my reins asunder he poureth out my gall upon the ground he breaketh me with breach upon breach What was all this literal outward carnal Surely no it was rather the breaking in pieces of all Jobs somethingnesse and the grinding of him in spirit to nothing before the Lord and thus it is in measure with all his dearest Saints This is a trembling I own have not a word against and when ye can witnesse this your other trembling will no more be mentioned or gloried in at all Quest 2. Whether or no God have not a precious people found in various forms and wayes of vvorship where they are waiting on him according to their light and several attainments Answ The way of God is one his vvorship one his light one and all that are in this light are in the one way one vvorship according to their measure and by this light are all forms wayes vvorships and attainments which vary from it condemned Repl. Where the word is
not made flesh to dwell among us there men and the way form and vvorship that men are in though outwardly never so decked and adorned in shew is but like an house forsaken and left to strangers or like a poor empty cottage left alone where nothing inhabits but the Owl and the Satyr and creeping things but where the word dwells in us with us and the Lord comes down to sit at Table and to keep us company there the men and the way form and vvorship they are under though outwardly never so contemptible are an house filled with glory and kept by the Lord for his friends his mother sister brother and this is an house I desire to dwell in all the dayes of my life to behold the fair beauty of the Lord This house is one in the spirit and the way to it one and the vvorship in it one as being built by the Lord onely for his Saints and set up by his Spirit that where he is they may be also Yet in this house are many mansions higher and lower rooms and Tables spread with meat for Children fathers young men God in every corner of his house condescending to visit all his family and to feed them with food sutable to that measure they are under Friend the whole creation is an house made for the great King to dwell in and all the creatures in this great variety according to their several capacities have the King dwelling in them and with them even so the Church of God which is a new Creation is a Tabernacle pitched by the Lord for himself and every Member of this new building in the midst of this great variety of them has the presence of the Lord in him and with him according to his capacity to receive Now the way hither is one and the light one and the vvorship one as all are brought hither by regeneration and have the Lord to be their light to teach them all that vvorship which is one in spirit and truth But how then comes the variety and diversity I ananswer it flows from the several workings operations and manifestations of the same Lord so that in the original things are one but in their comings sorth to us and in us they are multiplied Grace in the Soul is one one with what it is in Christ but in the coming of it forth in us is various and cloathed with divers names as faith hope love meeknesse patience c. even so light in the Souls of men is one but in the breaking of it forth its manifold and so there is the manifold wisdom of God and hence the actings walkings of the Saints are in a variety as they are more or lesse in a manifestation of the Original and yet this variety leads up into the Unity and teaches all to walk and live and follow Christ in the regeneration This is all the variety I plead for which flowes from the various manifestation of the same Christ and leads up into him as into its root and Center But thou sayest I plead for the Leopards spots in pleading for several forms ways of vvorship Answ I plead for no form tradition or invention of men new or old neither would I have Christians make any form a vvall of separation to divide between them others that are under any manifestation of grace and love all that I say is there are diversities of gifts administrations and operations but the same spirit Lord and God who worketh all in all and is all in all to band and free and let every one that differs from another endeavour to be fully perswaded that 't is light not darknesse the Lord not the flesh that makes the difference though the difference be still in fleshly or outward things and so having nothing but what we have received let every one think soberly of himself according as God has given to every one a measure and what men observe let them do it as unto the Lord not man in honour preferring one another waiting with patience and they shall see all the Towers that men have made fall to the ground and broken in pieces by the stone cut out of the mountain Quest 3. Whether we ought to give Tribute Custome Tythes Rent to those who have an interest in them by the Laws of the Land where we live seeing Christ said render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars Matth. 22. Answ Yea let man have the things that are his and God have the things that are his this said Christ and so say we and Paul sayes render unto all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom is due Rom. 13. 7. and this say we Repl. If thine heart and thy tongue herein agree 't is well thou hast witnessed a good confession but doest thou witnesse this indeed Art thou willing to give Tribute Custom Rent to whom 't is due Art thou as Christ was and the Apostles were subject to the Magistrates that are for conscience sake Where then is thine honour where is thy fear to the powers that be ordained of God For there 's no power but of God but seeing thou hast yielded to a duty I 'le leave thee in the performance to stand or fall to thine own Master Answ Further here thou wouldst have a Cloak for thy Tythe in too Parishes which thou hast no due unto he that hath due unto nine sheaves hath due unto the tenth Repl. To this I say I and all I have are not so much mine own as Gods they are more his due than mine and when he calls for any thing I am willing to let it go and when he gives me any thing I am willing to make use of it and to him I must give account for all not to thee as for a Cloak to maintain my Tythes I desire no other then the will of God and what the Scripture allows and the Law commands Thou sayest he who has due unto nine sheaves has due unto the tenth Fy friend what a lying and to strengthen Robbery and oppression too men are prone enough to call anothers due their own and to destroy property which thou seekest by thy lying and murmuring to maintain And further thou sayest Christ is come who put an end to that Priesthood who was to have the tenth in Israel for their maintenance and the fatherlesse vviddows and strangers with the same they were to maintain Repl. That Christ came to put an end to the first Priest-hood and their carnal Ordinances I deny not but about the several Ordinances of Tythes of old I see thou art grossely ignorant Therefore there was a tenth for the poor in Israel and a tenth for the Priest and Levite too and so observe and thou shalt finde 1. That after a man had received the fruits of the earth he was to separate out of it the first fruits these were to be offered unto the Lord who gave them unto the Priest Numb
18. 12. Deut. 26. 2 3. 2. He was to separate a tenth of the remainder in the first and second year and this was to be given unto the Levites Numb 18. 21 24. this the Hebrews called the first Tythe 3. After this he was to separate out of the residue one in ten and this was for the owners themselves and they were to carry it up to Jerusalem and eat it there mentioned Deut. 14. 23. and 12. 18 19. this was called the second Tythe and was to be in the first and second year 4. In the third year there was after the first Tythe which was for the Levite not a second Tythe on that year for the owners but instead thereof a second Tyth for the poor and stranger and fatherlesse Deut. 14. 28. 29. and 26. 12. Here you see the owners were to separate a first fruit and a tenth for the Levite and Priest and a tenth to make merry with among themselves in token of thankfulnesse and rejoycing before the Lord and every third year a tenth for the fatherlesse widdows and strangers and whereas thou sayest that the Priest was to maintain the poor and fatherlesse and stranger out of his tenth here thou hast spoken more than thou art able to prove in saying the Priest was to maintain the poor and that he was to do it out of his tenths given to him prove thou this by Scripture or confesse thy darknesse and yet I deny not but the Ministers as well as the people both under the Law and Gospel ought to look to the poor â—nd to separate a part of their estates for the stranger and widdow and alâ—â—â—at variety of tenths offerings and first fruits under the Law were written for our instruction and should teach us all to be liberal and generous minded towards the furtherance of the Lords service and the maintenance of people in necessity Further Christ is come thou sayest who put an end to the first Priesthood and their wages This I deny not that Priest-hood being dead has no need of wages and yet thou canst not prove that Tythes were ceremonial figurative and abolished the coming of any substance which they did represent as for that place Heb. 7. 12. it proves onely the change of the Priest-hood and the ceremonial Law that which is moral is still in force whereof this is one that we ought to honour the Lord with our substance and with the first fruits of all our increase Prov. 3. 9. and he that in readinesse does not consecrate a first fruits Tythe or part of his increase to the Lords service as a token of willingnesse to consecrate all as well as a part if the Lord require it of him this man has robbed God in Tythes and offerings as 't is said of old Mal. 3. 8. he has preferred his Mammon before his God and is guilty of the sin of Ananias in keeping back part of the price and thou who by way of scorn callest the Ministers of the Gospel Priests that so thou mightest have a Cloak to deny their maintenance because 't is called Tythes know that you are a robber of God and thou deniest his light written in all Nations which teaches them to pay Tythes or maintenance unto their Priests or Ministers thou seekest to weaken the hands of the Ministers here that thou mightest ride in triumph upon thy dark form so thou seekest to make void the Law of God and man in keeping those who preach the Gospel from maintenance for their attendance upon the Gospel contrary to the ordination of God 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. and that power which all teachers may make use of vers 12. and the unreasonablenesse of the thing in itself vers 11. and 2 Tim. 2. 4. But our maintenance ought to come freely not by way of Tythes not exacted Answer ' This is the hardnesse of mens hearts that it do's not freely come where 't is most deserved and so God in wisdom has required it by an outward Law in the absence of the inward Law which men willingly break out of love unto the world and whether the maintenance be by Tythes or otherwise 't is all one it ought to come from the people and they owe it as a tribute unto God and so where 's thy paying tribute custom to whom 't is due Further thou sayest Christ out of his fulnesse ministers out the heavenly treasâ—â—â—â—o the necessities of his Joh. 1. 16. as the first Priest-hood ministred out the earthly treasure to the necessities of the fatherlesse widdowes and strangers Repl. That Christ gives out of his fulnesse all grace to his to relieve them in all their inward wants this I acknowledge with thanks-giving but here thou seekest a Cloak to cover thy nakednesse in robbing others of Tythes and the more thou seekest to cover and hide thy self the more thy nakednesse still appears therefore be sober and see if thou canst see thy darknesse which may be felt thou sayest the first Priest-hood ministred out the earthly treasure to the necessities of the fatherlesse widdows and strangers here thou makest it the office and work of the Priest to distribute out the Tythes which thou callest earthly treasure indeed I read that the Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he 's the messenger of the Lord of Hosts and so the Priest was anointed to teach the people to open and expound that Doctrine he had received from the Lord and to offer sacrifice for the people to blesse and pray for the people the Priest and Levite were to attend upon all the Tabernacle and Temple vvorship but that it was their businesse to distribute out the Tythes unto the poor this I never read of neither hast thou any shadow of Scripture for it neither is there any shadow of sense or light in it that they should leave the service of God to serve Tables but I see thy drift fain thou wouldest make Tythes the earthly treasure a figure of Christ and his grace the heavenly treasure but having neither Scripture nor reason for what thou sayest therefore thou art driven to say thou art infallible thou art Christ and what thou speakest is Scripture and so must be believed see how thine eye is out and so blinde thou art that thou canst see nothing in all the land of Canaan nothing in the offerings sacrifices and observations of the Law to hold forth Christ and the heavenly treasure by him but onely the earthly treasure of Tythes and so the envious one has filled thine envious minde and eye with strong infatuations Further thou sayest I am Antichrist who uphold that which Christ put an end unto Reply this is no news for Antichrist to call another Antichrist if they have called the master of the house Belzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold that Christ put an end to Tythes in his time thou findest to the contrary for he tells
spirit of the Lord or from thine own private spirit doest thou in all this rule well and over thine own will What judging and condemning for thou knowest not what Where 's thy ruling well now what like the world observing and scraping up every thing which thine own fancie makes an abomination and then charging this upon the seed of God Surely thine heart is like a City broken down and without walls and therefore nothing almost comes from it but clamouring bitternesse and evil speaking and what 's thine end in all this but to make thy self righteous and another wicked thou sounding brasse that keepest a tinckling where 's thy charity in all this love covers a multitude of sins but thou makest a multitude of sins where they are covered by love and so thou condemnest thy self not to be the Elder that rules over thine own spirit and therefore fie upon all thy profession thou who pretendest to be a Lamb an holy man of God and yet still found in Ismaels generation Quest 5. What is that provision every one ought to make for his own family seeing he who provides not for them of his own house denies the faith and is worse than an infidel Answ That provision every one ought to make for his family is to fly idlenesse ranting and waiting the creatures of God upon his own lusts and not to live on the sweat of other mens brows which who denies denies the faith and is worse than an infidel Repl. Here the Quaker is seen and known and judged out of his own mouth as one who through his lightnesse denies the faith learning under a pretense of preaching to be like the wanton widdow idle wandring about from house to house and not onely so but a tatler also and a busie body speaking things he ought not neither understanding whence his spirit comes nor whither it goes not labouring at all in the thing that good is but creeping into silly peoples affections with his shew of wisdom and humility and will worship clamouring against Magistrates Ministers Tythes Customes damning men for wearing Ribbons Cuffs Lace Rings Pins Bands Hoods Veyls Points c. and for using the civil expressions of humanity in pulling off the Hat shewing some respect love honour duty unto fathers mothers masters superious friends comers and goers about these and the like ceremonies and toyes they make a great noise and win here and there an Athiest a Ranter or some discontented people to feed upon their dregs and then to feed their hungry bodies this is their great businesse thus to add unto their fathers Kingdom by railings lyings flatterings and all that come in are cried up for Saints and Children of the Kingdom but such as receive not their Doctrine and vanities and put not into their mouths must be ipso facto excommunicated for Dogs Devils Beasts Swine Belly-Gods Bulls of Boshan Whores Antichrist Witches Sorcerers behold thy model and thy spirit friend and see thou thy self in this Looking-glasse of thine own making how wanton thou art waxed in the midst of all thy framed gravity refusing thy Saviour to be married unto a delusion in all which thou hast denied the faith and art worse than a Pagan and all that regard thy pride superstitions works of superarrogations instead of making provision make destruction for their own families forsaking usually Fathers Wives Children Families callings occupations and so cloath themselves with rags and ruine and woe But thou sayest robbery for provision the Lord hates and so say I all that use a deceitfull way to get provision by the Lord abhors but surely friends the Office of a Minister anointed and called of God is good for others they are thy forefathers strikers and railers I dare not plead their cause and the preaching of the Gospel by men sent of God is no idle imployment and maintenance from the people to whom we preach is no robbery for provision seeing it is a provision due to the Lord out of all mens substance and so no deceitfull way to provide for our families and yet the murmurer must still be wiser than God that made him Further thou sayest I run unsent to provide for my family aiming at lucre this is robbery to which I say he who sent me is the Lord by his will and power am I anointed to preach and that which he aimes at in me and by me is to catch men and to make his word a savour of life or death and what he has reserved and taken and kept for my use is no robbery to take though thou prate neither will the Lord lay this to my charge as dishonest gain as the accuser do's or tell me I sell his word for money which is not bread as thou who knowest not the word for the word is life and substance and though it take not such effect upon many as it ought they may thank thy father for it for he has stollen it away from their hearts all that I can do is to commend it to the conscience and he that has an ear to hear will hear Further thou sayest many infidels will labour painfully for their families but I live on the sweat of others mens brows and what do the Quakers then who run up and down without callings without labouring at all the thing that good is wandring up and down to foam out their own shame making it their work to sow discord among brethren living wholly upon the sweat and charge of other men deluding the people with their moderation in eating and drinking that they may the better insinuate their ceremonies and delusions and in all this they have denied the faith and are worse than infidels as for my part God has set me in my calling I act in commands me to keep in it to preach the Gospel to break his bread to the hungry and to give water to the thirsty and in this work of the Lord I finde abundance of recreation being never better satisfied than when I have occasion to preach the Gospel and this I shall do with cheerfulnesse still though many mad ignorant folk be offended at preaching and many offended at me that I live upon that allowance of Tythes which God has sanctified for my use and given me freedom to take with thanks-giving Quest 6. What is that Election and Reprobation the Scripture speaks of and whether they have relation to persons or things or both Answ That Election is Christ Jesus and all that receive him wherein the Election is in him are Elected and the rest abide under the power of darknesse where all are Reprobated who are out of the light in their own wills and know not Christ and to such persons they have Relation Repl. Christ indeed is the stone dis-allowed of men but chosen of God Elect and precious but Christ without his Church do's not comprehend all the Election the Scripture intimates but Christ together with his Church makes up the Election of God and so
though all the Members be living in him and Elected in him yet he without them is no compleat body and so no full Election and therefore as the Election takes in Christ so all the Saints of God and whereas thou sayest all that receive him wherein the Election is in him are Elected this is true if thou understand it of the manifestation of Election to us so our receiving of Christ declares to us that we are Elected and adopted of God but if thou understand it à priori of the cause and ground in God of our Election as if he had therefore Elected us because he foresaw such and such would receive Christ then thy speech savours of an old errour for this builds Election upon the foresight of merits faith and power in man to receive Christ and so it destroyes the grace of God for if Election be by grace meere grace then it is not at all upon forseen faith and works otherwise grace is no more grace read Rom. 11. 5 6 7. And so though we receive Christ because we are Elected in him Eph. 1. 4. Yet we are not therefore Elected because we do receive him all being according to the Lords good pleasure to the praise of the glory of his grace and so as 't is in the outward world there was the image or idea of every thing first mente divina in the divine minde before it came forth in the creature not first in the creature and then in the minde of God that could not be seeing the creature was not so in the spiritual world the Church things were first in God as in their ground not first in the creature and then in God and so the idea of our Election was first laid up in the Lords minde counsell grace and good pleasure not in our acting believing and receiving Christ his beloved for this no man can do till it be given and so this building Election upon our receiving Christ is a building upon the sand upon something no man where it is not not upon the Rock which is the grace and good pleasure of God and so it makes voide the nature of grace and our Election though vain man that would be wise and something cannot receive this Quest 7. What is the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace and how ye were led out of the first and established in the second Answ The Covenant of works is that which man doth from the letter thereby to get life and the Covenant of grace is that written in the heart where Christ is the Light Life and Law-giver and by him the Law is fullfilled in us who walk no more after the flesh but after the spirit and by his light were we led out of the first and by his life were we established in the second Repl. This being a sober answer I could wish it were written in thine heart and proceeded from the life and power of that Covenant where all is written and sealed within And friend if it did so though the Letter would not be unto thee as the life yet it would never be slighted by thee being a witnesse unto the life Joh. 5. 39. much lesse would so much of the Kingdom be placed in some of the lesser observations of it when the weightier are neglected though none that live in the Kingdom will account any command of God small and much lesse yet wouldest thou make the commands of God of none effect by thy traditions neglecting the Law of faith of meeknesse of love and peace because thy ceremonies and traditions are neglected by others if you ask wherein ask thine own conscience and let that be thy witnesse and testimony in all which thou art found still walking more after the flesh then after the spirit Quest 8. What is the state of sin and wrath which all men are in and under by nature and how ye were led out of this estate Answ The state of sin is a state of condemnation and wrath from God separated in which all are by nature but by that light which is contrary to nature are we led out of this estate for he 's given to be a leader Isai 55. 4. Rep. What can poor fallen Adam or man do till God comes quickens him by a word of promise given in a spirit of power for I find the state of nature is a state of sin deadness darkness as to the things of God and the life of God wherein there 's no power to believe nor light to turn us towards God and in this estate there 's a departing from God still through unbelief and a wandring in the dark after the desires of the flesh and minde and so a separation from God and a coveting to hide our selves from his presence amongst the things that are made because we finde nothing due unto us by reason of sin and nakednesse but condemnation and wrath and so we are by nature children of wrath till the Lord in mercy and great love quicken us and raise us up through the second Adam revealed in us to live in him who is our light and life and so the onely leader of lost man out of the former state of sin and wrath and so he 's given to be a Leader and Commander by being an inward witnesse of love to us and all to free us from the Law of sin death and condemnation Quest 9. Whether any in this life are totally freed from the remnants of sin and darknesse seeing Paul saith now we know but in part and he prayed for an increase of knowledge in the Saints and Peter exhorts to grow in knowledge and Paul complains of a body of sin of a Thorn in the flesh of the lusting of the flesh against the spirit and James said in many things we offend all and John if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Answ In the life wherein thou livest is no redemption from sin for that is it which cannot bear good fruit Repl. To which I say I know that in me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing for the flesh is flesh still and sinfull still and cannot bring forth the fruit of God which springs from a new birth but in the life of Christ in me or that life which springs from the new birth there is redemption from sin and this is that which brings forth in me fruit to God Answ Further to the death of the Crosse must thou subject and obedient be else not know that life and birth which is free from sin Repl. What I am I am through the grace of God and this grace abounding towards me has brought over my flesh that Crosse whereby I am in measure Crucified and so have tasted and known that birth which is free from sin Answ The life of the new man who witnesses is free from sin Rom. 6. 6 7. and 18. 22. Repl. All the freedom from sin which this
there 's a kinde of infinitenesse in it which all the world cannot satisfie and therefore the man was a fool that said Soul take thine ease because thy Barnes are full and yet notwithstanding this kinde of infinitenesse in the Soul as being restlesse till it return to God yet it cannot be infinitenesse it self it cannot be the first-born for of whole man it 's said whereof the Soul is the most noble part indeed what is man that thou art mindfull of him or the Son of Man that thou regardest him thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels Heb. 2. 6 7. man you see is inferior unto the Angels much more inferior unto the Son of God seeing the Angels likewise are his inferiors and therefore when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. 6. so then if Angels are inferior to Christ and men inferior to Angels surely the Soul must be far below the first-born and farther though the Soul be the seat of Christ and Christ be hid there as treasure in a field even in the innermost room of the Soul yet the Soul cannot comprehend the infinite Majesty so Christ in his Divine essence or being much lesse can it be Christ who is God over all blessed for evermore and though there be indeed a blessed Union and fellowship between Christ and an holy Soul yet still there 's a vast difference between the essence or being of the Soul and Christ the one being still a creature the other the Creatour of it thou mightest with better colour have called the Soul the light within and that likewise thou givest an hint of and this I say has more light in it than the former seeing Solomon sayes the spirit of man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly but yet the Soul comprehends more than this light and cannot be this Candle neither seeing the Candle may go out but the Soul remains still I say the Candle may go out Prov. 24. 20. the Candle of the wicked shall be put out and how oft is the Candle of the wicked put out Job 21. 17. but the Soul of the wicked can never be put out but their light may But what is the Soul then To make some answer to the question because it is mine own The Soul is a most noble power a living being an essence that quickens the body and yet dies not sleeps not when the body dies and sleeps but returns unto God who gave it this Soul is a little Map of the great world and makes man a little world for in his Soul is comprehended the life of plants the sense of beasts the reason of men and Angels this Soul quickens and makes man a living creature a sensitive creature a rational creature being the seat of life sense motion operation understanding reason and light in man and this Soul in the spiritualty of it the immortality of it the immensity of it not being satisfied without an infinite good and the rationality of it in the powers of the minde reason judgement will memory fancie appetite and affections in all these it 's a lively figure of God himself hence man is made after the image of God in an appearance according unto his capacity answerable unto the Divine Maiesty though still infinitely far short of what God is in his incomprehensible being who is the life of our life and Soul of our Soul called the father of our spirits in this Soul of man or in the spirit or minde of it as the highest power when 't is regenerated and resigned up lives the great King manifested here he dwells as in Mount Sion here he delights to be as in his Temple here he lives and moves and walks and feeds and takes pleasure in his own works and here he begins that life of righteousnesse joy peace rest glory which shall endure world without end and in this Soul of man un-enlightned and un-renewed Christ lies hid and is as one dead and unsavoury unto the Soul and so the Soul is in darknesse weaknesse sinfulnesse sorrow fear bondage and many times in beginnings of Hell and saddest woe for evermore and yet the world and those that perish for ever have had many times such glimmerings and such stirrings after God and good things such wrestlings between the 〈…〉 their own reason and common light and conscience as being despised and trampled upon hidden crucified and smothered in their earthly mindes provoking God thereby to give them over as a just reward for their unthankfulnesse I say they have had so much light as being rebelled against shall make them inexcuseable before the Lord at the sad hour of account and judgement Quest 16. What is the saving and losing of the Soul and the state of it after this life Answ Christ said what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own Soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul Math. 16. 26. the Scripture is plain would thou have a meaning to it is the Scripture a parable to thee yea to all vultures eyes venomo us beasts Repl. Would such an answer as this have pleased thee wouldest thou not have cried out aloud behold what bitternesse what darknesse is here Friend how has Satan still filled thine heart with lying vanities in dreaming of perfection and yet art altogether a stranger even to common humanity much more to that sweet spirit of love whereby the grace of God is manifested I know the Scriptures are a parable to vultures eyes and venomous beasts and so they are to thee as appears by thy gall and wormwood thine ignominy reproaches thou art pouring out upon thy brother and that for asking a reason with much sobernesse of the hope that is in thee I know this is the nature of those who say they are Disciples Prophets but are not being found liars to cry out loe here loe there come and follow me behold he 's in my secret Chamber in my holy form and way and all that believed not are judged condemned and given over unto the Devil Pope-like Antichrist-like but to passe to what follows to see how well thou art acquainted with the saving and losing of the Soul Answ Further all that believe in the light of Christ it leads to the knowledge of Christ the redeemer of the Soul which they that deny the light cannot see and so the Soul abides in condemnation and this is the saving and losing of their Souls and state of it after this life Repl. By this it appears by thee that the saving of the Soul is as much in mans power as the losing of it and yet Christ sayes to you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God but to them it is not given Math. 13. 11. and thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast
revealed them unto babes and the election has obtained the promise but the rest are hardned this is an hard saying who can bear it but the true seed and yet foolish wise man will teach God what to do thou hast indeed power to lose thy Soul but power to save it without grace and the new birth thou hast none and thou vain man who art loth to fell all away to lose that part of thy life and self which lies in the dream of thine own power to believe and freedom to embrace grace as well as to deny them now thou art in the way to lose thy life and Soul for evermore and yet still I say there 's so much power given the Creature as shall leave him inexcusable I know he who believes is led to Christ his Redeemer and the saving of his Soul is by the springing up of his life and grace in his Soul who is a vvell of water springing up into eternal life and he who believes not is a stranger to Christ the Redeemer of his Soul and this saving and losing is everlasting but still the power to believe and be saved is of God Eph. 2. 8. by grace are ye saved through faith and not of your selves it is the gift of God and as for the saving and losing of the Soul for ever if it be thy faith and thou canst bear witnesse to it as a truth thou hast seen of God why then doest thou hide thy self and mince the truth as if it were not a thing to be owned by the sons of men the rest of that answer is spent after the old form in accusations by the accuser thy father Quest 17. What is the difference between the Soul and the spirit which Paul prayes may be sanctified Answ As the spirit is received which sanctifies the difference is brought into unity and they are perfected to serve the Lord in one with the whole heart and Paul was a Minister of the word which pierceth even to the dividing asunder of Soul and spirit Heb. 4. 12. Repl. Still thou art dark about the soul or unwilling to discover thy darknesse and so thou canst say nothing or that which is little unto the question when the spirit is received which sanctifies thou sayest the difference is brought into Unity and they are perfect in one yet still to us there 's soul and spirit and this spirit in us is not the spirit of God which sanctifies as thou dreamest as if the spirit Paul speaks of were the spirit of God which sanctifies the soul of man and so brings the soul into Unity with it self no friend Paul speaks not of Gods spirit which is holinesse it self but of a spirit which needs sanctification and between this spirit in man and the soul of man it seems there is a difference and therefore he prayes that both may be sanctified but this difference thou knowest not I know the soul is a spiritual thing and cannot be divided into parts and powers as being one single entire essence but unto us there 's the understanding part the minde the eye of the soul the seat of reason and light and the will which is the observer of the minde looking to be taught by it as a power obedient and willing to act as it directs counsels and commands and there 's the inferior parts the appetite desire affections which are as perturbations and motions in the soul leading it out into love joy anger peace fear or the like all these as sanctified by the Lords spirit are brought into this Unity to be all servants unto his minde and will and this spirit of the Lord as 't is received more or lesse so it more or lesse ends the quarrel between God and us in the lusting of our spirits and souls against God and makes peace and brings all into Unity and so is that word which pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit this drives away the ignorance vanity weaknesse and enmity which is in the highest and purest part of mans soul his minde which is usually taken for the spirit called the spirit of the minde Eph. 4. 23. and called the eye and light of man the spirit of the Lord opens and heals this of all its blemishes and distempers and so gives an eye to see and an heart to understand by enlightning the eye of the minde which is called the spirit as that which looks over all and over-rules all in the soul of man Further the word or spirit of God takes away the stubbornesse frowardnesse and hardnesse of the will and bowes this to follow the light sprung up in the minde and so heales that power too which I look upon as belonging still to the spirit of the Soul Further the Lord likewise rectifies the judgement and the conscience and takes away by degrees all erroneousnesse wandring and fear and guilt here too and so gives a sound judgement and a clear conscience and the Lord takes away the sottishnesse foolishnesse sinfulnesse and manifold distempers of the thoughts and imaginations that spring up in the fancie of man and of the desires and longing after earthly vanities that spring up in the appetite which is an inferior power in the Soul and of the affections which are the motions and goings out of the Soul into love hatred delight sadnesse pleasure grief hope despair fear boldnesse anger and the like all which as common to man and beasts more sensible unto us are usually called the Soul and taken for the Soul I say these inferior faculties which are usually taken for the Soul as being the discoverers of the Soul more sensibly unto us all these these the Lord heales makes holy and pure for himself by his word and so separating things that differ and uniting all in an onenesse with himself he makes unity peace and harmony in all the higher and lower powers of the Soul and so to summe up things and a little farther to discover this noble power of the Soul 1. There 's the mind that 's the seat of light reason and understanding 2. There 's the will that 's the seat of action obedience and doing either good or evil 3. There 's the judgement that 's the seat of discerning and trying things 4. There 's the conscience that 's the book of all the good and evil we do 5. There 's the memory that 's the seat of Arts and Sciences of all that we so discern feel and know 6. There 's that which they call the common sense as a power which has an influence upon all the outward senses and carries as it were from the Soul seeing hearing tasting smelling and touching into all the five senses 7. There 's the fancie that 's the seat of all the innumerable thoughts and imaginations that spring up in the heart of man and this is the seat of all the Quakers dreams and high thoughts of themselves and mean thoughts of others and of many the precious