with thy carnal minde to maintain thee and to hold up thy carnal gift and these things which Christ forbids his to do so who said Freely you have received freely give but here thou art not and it shews that thou hast not received it freely therefore thou sellest that which thou callest thy gift which the Apostles never did 1 Cor. 9. 18. Paul was not hired when he was refreshed with the necessaries of the Barbarians O thou Enemy why dost thou accuse Paul and would make him like thy self let him alone for thou knowest him not nor his Ministery for he was a prisoner of the Lord a traveller of the sea when the Barbarians lodged him what is that to thee to maintain thee to bear rule by thy means which Ieremy cryed against Ier. 23. 14. holdest up the horrible filthy thing that is committed in the Land to justifie thee to be a hierling and to receive thy gift and here thou hast openly shewed thy self to be an accuser of the Apostle and wouldst make him like Balaam like thy self and would have the woman to help thee and those are thy nursing fathers Kings and Queens which hold up thy gift which the Prophet cryed wo against but it is that fools may utter forth their folly and be taken in their own snare Prov. 13. 16. here thou art answered the Beast that hath held up the false Prophet and the false Prophet shall both into the fier And thou sayst thou dost not take gifts of the world but if any Prophet of the Lord come among you son or daughter you shew your selves to be of the world you shew your selves to be strikers and of the Devil halling them out of the Synagogues Matth. 10. 17. and to be no Saints nor no Church of God nor no Ministers of Christ and here thou shewest thou takest of the world and thy self to be a Lyar for thou never readest of any of the Churches of God if any of the world came in among them that they halled them out and beat them but it shews the effect of thy ministery and blasphemy which sayth ye are Iews and are not but are Synagogues of Satan Rev. 2. 9. 3. 9. we have found thee out and tryed thee Query 5. Whether the Plagues be not added to him that adds to the Prophecy of the things written in this Book Priests Answer 'T is tru the Spirit of God sayth so Rev. 22. 18 19. I do believe it yet again the expounding and opening of it by the Light of the Spirit of God given in comparing it with other Scriptures is not that which brings the curse for then the Apostle himself would have been under it 1 Cor. 9. 9 10. Rom. 4. 3 6. Rom. 11. 3 4 5. For expounding it wherein I have added or taken away is not yet discovered by any of you and that is the waight of the business when thou didst write to me or any other the Lord judg and let all the Lords people judg whether he be not more apt by far to add to the Prophecy of this Book who by his doctrine begetsiâ— slight esteem of the Prophecy of this Book and perswades his hearers that his words are as true as any Scripture and he cannot err and therefore all is to be believed that he speaks and not to be questioned though many things are contrary to this Prophecy than they that are so much blamed by them and reproached dayly A Reply to the Priests Answer Thou sayst it is tru that the Spirit of God sayth that the Plagues are added to him that adds to the prophece of this Book here thou speakest a Lye thou sayst it is tru the Spirit of God sayth He that adds or diminishes to the prophecy of the Book which hadst thou not seen the Letter then hadst known no spirit and because the Letter sayth so that is thy spirit but as I finde thee adding wresting and lying I do see that the plagues are added to thee by the same Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures and of them thou knowest nothing in that thou speakest a Lye in that thou sayst thou dost know it for thou knowest it not to be a truth though the Letter speak it as they swore the Lord lived and swore falsly Jer. 3. â— if thou didst thou durst not add nor diminish thou sayst comparing one Scripture with another is not that which brings the curse for then the Apostle would have been under it and so with thy corrupt minde dost accuse the Apostle falsly and wouldst make him like thy self and who speaks of the Scriptures fulfilling which thou canst not witness but makest a trade of them without thee and wouldst have Points and Reasons of them as thou wouldst have made a poynt of the Resurrection in thy former writing and here the plague of God is due to thee and here I charge thee again and here the Fool is out of the truth and the Rod is for the back of the Fool Prov. 10. 13. Prov. 18. 28. and here is the Scripture fulfilled upon thee and thou sayst it is not discovered by any of us whether thou addest or diminishest here thou hast shewed thy self to be a Lyar thou hast been told both publickly and privately of it and of thy deceit and now seeing thou hast openly shewed thy self to be a Lyar here openly do I make thee manifest as a Lyar who wouldst justifie thy self in thy deceit but thou harlot art made bare and discovered Nah. 3. 4 5 6. who hast sitten long under a colour and here is the Scripture is fulfilled upon thee and the Prophets words tru we finde them fulfilled Prayses prayses be to the Lord God of Heaven and Earth for ever who gives his servants victory over the Beast and the false Prophet Rev. 15. 2 3 4. such as thou art who have been ensnared by thee therefore we see that Plagues are thy porcion thou sayst that plagues are the waight that we give thee it is so 't is thy due and porcion thou sayst the Lord judg and let all the Lords people judg 1 Cor. 6. 2. the Lord doth judg and the Lord hath judged and the Lords people doth judg all such as thou art Him that thou dost accuse as to add to the prophecy in the Book he doth not but witnesses it thou having not the same witness canst not believe and neither sees him nor the prophecy of the Book thou seest the outside of the Letter with thy visible eye as they did which saw the outside of the Vision of Daniel Dan. 10. 7. But we that do believe him do believe his Doctrine not an outward testimony but we have the witness in our selves which are one with him and it doth witness that he hath the Spirit of truth which cannot err but we do know thy spirit by the same Spirit to be the spirit of error and here thou wouldst not have the Spirit of God to be believed on but here
who took his Disciples off from the customary praying of the Pharises and bade them not pray as they did but thou goest about to maintain the Pharises Kingdom which Iesus Christ cryed wo against and wrests several Scriptures to hold it up withall which is nothing to thy purpose and another Scripture thou bringest 1 Tim. 2. 8. he would that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting thou nor the world canst not witness this nor your hands to be holy to lift up to God therefore they are abomination and is to be denyed the Apostle to Timothy did not bid him go stand praying in the Synagogues but thou wrests his words to maintain thee in the chiefest place of the Assembly Pharise like Another Scripture thou bringest out of Acts 3. 1. Now Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the hour of prayer being the ninth hour They were commanded to pray not as the Pharises did who went to shew forth Christ Iesus the substance of all those types and figures which they lived in all these Scriptures will not maintain thee to hold up thy Pharises seat they went to cry wo against them and so do we now cry against thee and thy beastical worship and here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be an adder to the Scripture Psal 56. 5. and a wrester and a perverter of it 2 Peâ— 3. 16. For thou canst not finde any of these Scriptures thou bringest to hold thee up in thy Pharise like worship but arâ— a Rod for thy own back and openly thou shewest thy self to be Antichrist and one that doth maintain the Kingdom of the Pharises another Scripture thou bringest 1 Cor. 14. 26. and here I charge thee again to be a wrester of the Scripture let all people look upon the Scripture and see if it will maintain thee to have the chiefest place in the Assemblies and to stand praying before and after Sermon here thou shewest thy self to be out of the commands of Christ and art disobedient to him and he that doth pervert his words and wrests the Scripture O thou subtil twining Serpent how fain wouldst thou have a place in the earthly Letter but there is no place nor corner for thee but thou art found out and discovered Obad. 6. For the Apostle which spoke to the Corinthians spoke to them to whom the end of the world was come which were Brethren one had a Psalm another a Doctrine another a Tongue another a Revelation and another an Interpretacion that all things might be done to the edifying 1 Cor. 14. 26. and they might speak one by one and if any thing were revealed to him that stood by the other should â—old his peace that all things might be done to edifying that God in all things might be glorified but let all people consider how this Scripture doth confirm thee to have the chiefest place in the Assemblyes and to stand praying in the Synagogues before and after Sermon let all people see if thou be not a wrester of the Scripture and a perverter of the Apostles words and the condicions that the Saints were in thou openly shewest thy self not to be in and thy Church not to be in the condicion as the Corinthians were in for they were a gathered people out of the world but thou art without in the world in the Church of the Pharises who had the chiefest places in the Assemblyes Matth. 23. 6. and so art an Enemy to Christ here openly thou shewest it thou speakest of wayting on the great Builder God in Christ Dost thou speak of wayting upon God who justifiest the seat of the Pharises who were Enemies to Christ and teachest people to do so Acts 13. 10. O thou Enemy of Righteousness and full of subtilty a childe of the Devil I cannot but deal plainly with thee thou speakest of the great Builder and wayting upon God in Christ and art a maintainer of the Scribes and Pharises Kingdom and art justifying them in their ways and so doth teach Babylon which is confusion thou speakest of concluding thy speech with prayer Psal 28. 9. Thy prayers are abominacion and so are thy conclusions of them so long as thou walkest in the steps of the Pharises all thy blessings are cursed and thy seed is corrupted â—s Mal. 2. and as he saw them then so we see thee now in the same generacion by the same spirit as he did the Lord hath spoken it and thou canst not hide thy self from him Prayses be to the Lord God for ever who hath discovered your abominacions and friend another Scripture thou bringest Acts 20. 36. He kneeled down and prayed with them all and they all wept sore and fell upon his neck and kissed him sorrowing that they should see his face no more O thou filthy Beast What hast thou to do with this Scripture that art an hierling and takest the worlds gift and without God in the world and this Scripture Dost thou take him as an example to pray after thy beastly worship which Jesus Christ forbad to stand praying in the Synagogues and here again I charge thee before all the world to be a perverter of the Scripture to thy own destruction to whom the Plagues of God are added Revel 22. 18. Thou speakest of the seven Epistles of the Apostle which thou hast nothing to do withall but as a busie fellow makest a trade upon them neither dost thou know the Letters that are given forth by us now which are given forth by the same spirit which cannot be divided and thou art an accuser for if thou didst see our Letters thou mightst see the same as was in the Apostles but in the Letters that are sent to thee judgment is thy porcion and that is given thee shewing thy filthiness and abomination which thou livest in the testimony of love to thy soul is plainess of speech as for accusing us that we do not love Prayer so well here thou art an open Blasphemer but thy Prayers we do deny for they are abominacion to the Lord The prayers of the wicked are abominacion Psalm 28. 9. No Prayers can we send to thee but for thy destruction thou man of sin and Enemy of Christ whereas thou dost accuse us of erring not knowing the Scriptures here thou hast taken Christs words not knowing him nor the Scripture and wrests them all along as thou hast discovered it so thou makest thy self a Lyar and a Thief taking Christs words and accusing others with them who live in the life of them for Christ spoke that Scripture as touching the Resurrection which thou wouldst have turned into a Poynt therefore to thee that Scripture belongs that thou errest not knowing them nor the power of God Matth. 22. 29. as thou hast made it plainly appear And thou bringest another Scripture as concerning Philip thou sayst he took a Text to treat upon and here I charge thee to add to his words Philip
of the world and here thou art an adder and the Plagues are added to thee therefore all thy consequence and Songs we utterly deny and thy vain imitacions thou wouldst fain get a colour out of the Apostles words to maintain thee in thy filthiness but thy shelter is taken away and thy coverings and thou art discovered to be without and not in the practise of the Saints Friend the singing with the spirit as they did we own that singing in grace we own and making melody to the Lord in the heart we own and the singing of a New Song we own and witness as the Saints did but thy singing we do deny and witness against it Glory glory to the Highest Another Scripture thou bringest to maintain the singing of Davids Psalms in Meeter that the Apostle gave them to the ignorant world which is Iames 5. 13. where there is not a word in the Scriptures for it but he sayd If any be merry let him sing Psalms which he spoke to the Saints scattered abroad and not to the world and there thou art a Lyar of him and a false accuser of him the Apostles sayd they would sing with understanding and here thou shewest that thou hast no understanding nor no grace that thou livest in it s not to be given to people that turn the grace of God into wantonness and have no understanding in things that be eternal nor of the Saints condicions that were gathered out of the world here thou hast made thy self voyd of the knowledg of God and of Christ and of the Apostles and all the Saints thy Meeter we do deny and they who turned them into Meeter are like thy self therefore do we witness the beating down of all thy strong holds and singing in Meeter thou hast got another mans condicion into Meeter and all people I take to record if thou shouldst see David roaring quaking and trembling and water his Bed with his tears Psal 32. 3. â— 11. â— â— 42. 3. and have this turned into a Meeter and get up into a Pulpit among ignorant people of beastical mindes and then say Let us sing to the prayse and glory of God Let all people judg what thou justifiest and this is thy imitated singing which is altogether to his dishonor and this is thy Psalm but who are moved to sing with understanding and making melody to the Lord in their hearts we own if it be in Meeter we own it O thou blinde Hypocrite was David of the world when he did sing prayses and did David send his Psalms to the chief Musician to havo them put in Meeter and so to give them to the world thou neither knowest the Example nor the Precept which thou wouldst have us to know nor David and all thy Precepts we do deny and that minde in thee which doth discover them as thou sayst which is thy own practise and not the practise of the Saints for there is nothing proceeds out of thee but what comes out of thy imaginacions and invencions but the Precept which the Scripture speaks of we know and witness which thou art ignorant of as thou makest it to appear and all those Psalms which you have turned into an English Meeter we deny and such as thou art who keep people in blinde forms and customs but the singing prayses to God as David did we own and witness Psal. 104. 33. 144. 9. which thou art without and ignorant of and an Enemy to and to them who witness the same condicion as he was in And friend another Scripture thou bringest 1 Cor. 14. 26 40. to maintain thee that the Apostle went into the world and gave them Davids Psalms in a Meeter to sing and here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to wrest the Scripture and to add to the Scripture for the Apostle spoke this not to the world but he spoke to the Brethren if thou wert not blinde thou mightst see it the very Letter declares it O thou slanderous Beast why dost thou slander the Church of God and would make them like the rude world strikers fighters Ps 33. 2. 89. 5. but it is that thou mightst shew forth thy folly blindness sortishness and ignorance thou Hypocrite if thou wouldst sing now as David did then where is thy Harp Lute and thy loud Symball here thou shewest thy self that thou art neither in Davids condicion nor the Apostles nor in the Saints condicion but art without following thy own filthy imaginacions living in the cursed nature which holds up all these abominacions and the abominable invencions of men which God forbids Thou sayst God hath required the singing of these Psalms of English men in this thou art a Lyar O thou Lyar God never commanded these Psalms to be sung of English men which you have turned into a Meeter but they are your own invencions and when you reade them Hats you keep on and when you sing them Hats you put off and here you worship the works of your own hands thou sayst you ought to do it spiritually which is thy own invencion and applicacion and thee and thy application we do deny and there is nothing of the spirit born up in thy understanding to guide thee now here thou shewest to be in the same nature that the world is in they say they ought to do such things and doth not here thou shewest thy self to be one of them without and not in the same minde the Apostle was in who sayd We will sing with the spirit and we will sing With understanding and with grace but we do deny all thy imitacions And â—riend another Scripture thou bringest to hold up giving to the world Davids Psalms to sing in Meeter 2 Chron. 29. 30. and here I charge thee in this Scripture to be a Lyar in the presence of the Lord God Almighty and an adder to the Scriptures for they sang prayses to the Lord who were Brethren that came to the house of the Lord as the Scripture sayth and Hezekiah did not give them Davids Psalms to sing in Meeter which were Enemies to God but these did sing when the House was cleansed and this is nothing to thee to hold up thine abominacions and to give the world Davids Psalms in Meeter but openly to all people hast thou shewed thy self thou sayst God blamed him not there was none like him therefore thou mayst see thy self he was not of the world and here thou shewest thou dost not know the old Covenant and hastraced thy self out of them both and hast made thy self stark blinde thou sayst to this day the order is not contradicted by God Did not Steven witness and say God doth not dwell in Temples made with hands Acts 7. 48. and for witnessing forth the substance was stoned to death and the Apostle Paul witnessed against all the Figures Types and Shadows and all their Customs and outside Observances and all their offering and contradicted that which God
so it is not another meaning to the Scripture but their own meaning though covered and veyled till cleared and opened and yet thou goest on and sayst we give another meaning to them which if thou canst charge me with and make it good spare me not if not this in the paper is of no validity for it was given to me but that the Apostle's meaning was often dark to a weak eye before expounded thou must needs confess if thou shalt but view two or three for a trial and clear up the meaning of the Apostle in Rom. 5. 14. A Reply to the Priests Answer Thou sayest what a man can doe is one thing and what hee doth or desires to doe is another thing here thou shewest thy selfe to bee compleat in thy selfe And thou sayest that no man can give an exposicion besides the meaning of the Scriptures and thou thinkest we should be quiet we cannot let thee be quiet who livest in thy thinkings and deceivest peeple with thy imaginacions whom God is come to scatter and God is against thee who art giving exposicions upon the Scriptures and wouldst have them who live in the power of the Scriptures to let thee alone but thou art hee who wrests the Scriptures 2 Pet. 3. 16. who ever was denyed therefore thou art discovered to them who live in the power of them all Scripture is vayled and covered from thee and so thou wouldst give a meaning to them and so under a colour make peeple beleeve it is the same meaning but thou art discovered who sayst I charge thee I can dost thou not say the Scriptures are dark I charge thee to have spoken a Ly and art a lyar and dost not see the Scriptures at all and all thy imaginacions of them are lies thou sayst the Scriptures are dark to a weak ey here I charge thee to be a Lyar before the Living God the darknesse is in thy selfe and not in the Scriptures Luke 11. 33. 34. therefore thou dost wrest the Scriptures and dost make a Ly upon them and turnest them into a Ly Ier. 5. 22. O thou enemy of God tremble before him thou hast nothing to doe with the Scriptures Friend thou wouldst have mee to vieu one Scripture or two for a tryall the Scriptures we know but thou sayst they are dark thou art full of darknesse and they are as they speak he that can receive it let him he that hath an ear may heare what the Spirit sayth thou wouldest have me to give Exposicions upon the Scriptures as thou dost whom the plagues are aded to for as it is written the plagues are added to â—hâ—m that addeth to the Prophecy of this Book Rev. 22. 18. and there is thy porcion but wee know the Scriptures and own them as they speak but all thy Expositions of them wee do deny for with them thou dost bewitch the peeple but the plagues of God will be poured upon thee for thou dost neither know the Scripture nor God but art a lyar and of thy father the Devil Iohn 8. 44. Thou dost also bid me clear up the meaning of the Apostle in the fift chapter to the Romans verse 14. so heer I charge thee again that thou dost wrest this Scripture for men of corrupt mindes do wrest them and so thou art but the Scriptures are clear it is thy corrupt mind and heart that must be cleared Let the Scriptures alone thou hast nothing to do with them thou vayn man dost thou talk of clearing up the Scriptures who art full of filth and corrupcion woulst thou have that cleared which was spoken from the Spirit of the Lord thou blind hypocrit and Pharisy all peeple who walk in the light may see how thou hast uttered forth thy folly and record against thee 4 Query Shew me by the Scriptures where the Ministers of Christ ever took Tythes or Augmentacions of the world Pr. Answer I shall answer but for my selfe seeing the paper was sent to mee in particular and my Answer is that I take no Tythes no nor Augmentacions from the world and that thou knowest well enough but that thy Kainish nature in thee to use thy own expressions hath made thee blind it is not any Augmentacion unlesse it have somthing added to what I had before now thou knowst I have nothing besides it nor before it from any of you all All I have is a Gift from the State and why may not I take a Gift from the State call them the world or what thou wilt as well as George Fox and James Nayler take a Gift from the world among you I know not but I would willingly be resolved in this A Reply to the Priests Answer Thou sayst thou takest no Tythes nor Augmentations of the world but thou confessest thou takest a gift who goest in the way or Balaam for gifts and rewards Iude 11. and art in his generation so art one of these filthy dreamers which Iude speaks of therefore wo unto thee who shall perish in the gaynsaying of Core 1 Pet. 3. 16. O thou false accuser where canst accuse either George Fox or Iames Nailer of taking gifts of the world as thou dost here thou wouldst make them like thy self and a colour for thy own filthiness by accusing George Fox and Iames Nailer because they bear testimony unto the truth and testifie against thee and thy gift that thy deeds are evil and wouldst fetch up the Apostles to maintain thee in thy filthiness Acts 20. 33. he did eat no mans bread for nought and so coloured Beast wouldst colour thy self with the Apostles words to maintain thy self in the generation of Balaam which the Apostle cried wo against and wo is thy portion therefore own it and there is thy resolve Priests second Answer to the fourth Query Besides God hath said The Earth shall help the Woman and did the Woman reject that help because t is from the Earth Answer me He hath said Kings shall be nursing fathers and Queens nursing mothers to his people shall Gods people then refuse to take their fatherly and motherly kindness Answer me Are we not to be thankfull and take their refreshing as from Gods hands for he stirs up their hearts to it whosoever they be that do it Paul did not run away and refuse kindness when it was offered him by the Barbarians Acts 28. 7 10. neither did he refuse a lodging from them which no question was of some value A Reply to the Priests Answ Thou wouldst be answered whether the Earth helpeth the woman yea or no. Answ Yea the earth doth help the woman against all such Dragons as thou art the Scripture we do witness is fulfilled and Kings and Queens which are nursing fathers and mothers thou art an enemy to Isai 49. 23. and knowest not but as a Thief hast gotten the words of the Apostles and so with them wouldst maintain thy gift O thou blinde Pharisee are these thy meanings that thou wilt give to the Scripture
thou shewest thy self that would question truth for there is nothing in thee born up in thy understanding to receive truth withall here thou shewest thy self to be an open Lyar to say he acts contrary to the Prophecy who is one with it and bears testimony to it and the truth of it against all such false accusers 2 Tim. 3. 3. as thou art for false accusers should arise Tit. 2. 3. and here thou shewest thy self to be one who accusest the Spirit of the living God to be more false than those that have the spirit of Antichrist who shall be consumed and turned into the Lake by the brightness of his coming 2 Thess 2. 8. the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it Query 6. What Scripture have you that speaks of the word two Sacraments which you tell the people of and what Scripture have you to act such things Priests Answer Certainly Satan hath blinded your mindes you would never have put forth such a Question else for the substancial Word the Lord Iesus that we preach of him the Scripture speaks every where and for the Word as the Declaracion of the minde of God in and by Christ to poor sinners the Scriptures are plentifull take two or three Iohn 5. 24. Iohn 8. 31. Iohn 12. 48. Iohn 15. 3. Iohn 17. 20. Ephes 1. 13. Many more I might add but that I have a check on my spirit for gratifying your folly so far as I have done in this particular A Reply to the Priests Answer In thy Answer thou sayst that Christ is the substancial Word thou sayst so because the Letter declares he is the Word but no other knowledg hast thou but this is no answer to the word two Sacraments for Christ we know who is the Word but the word two Sacraments which there is no Scripture for which you tell people of which is an addicion to the Scripture and a thing that never was practised among the Saints as thou being one with thy fellows that holdest up those things the Query was what Scripture you have to act such things but Satan hath blinded your eys 2 Cor. 4. 4. 1 Iohn â— 11. which will not let you justifie those things which you act which shews that you serve but an ill Master that will not bear you out neither can you own the Scriptures as they are but you must give Exposicions upon them and poynts and your imaginacions and conceivings who would have the Scripture cleared but it is thy evil eye and minde that must be cleared Matth. 6. 23. for the Scriptures are as they speak thou sayst the Word you preach Alack for thee thou never knewst the Word if thou didst thou wouldst not speak of clearing up the Scriptures as in thy other Queryes thou speakest of Query 7. What Scripture hast thou to stand praying in the Synagogues before Sermon and after and where the Apostles did so or ever took a Text to treat upon Priests Answer Observe that place Matth. 6. 5. and thou shalt see that the thing Christ ayms at is not so much the posture nor the place but their end of praying in the Synagogue and that was to be seen of men for he did not before nor after condemn the dutyes of fasting praying alms-deeds but taught his Disciples how to do the same things though to avoyd the hypocrisie of others in doing of them and though another may be in the same place and posture as they were yet he may have other ends than they had which thou canst not lightly judg of as Christ did for Christians in prayer with upright hearts are not bound up to any place 1 Tim. 2. 8. And for praying in the publick meeting place and among the Assembly it was so common and usual that the place even had its name from it it was called the House of Prayer Matth. 21. 13. Isai 56. 7. and the hours of prayer were known by the Apostles Acts 3. 1. And that it was so in the times of the Gospel may be seen by Pauls Doctrine about it in the 1 Cor. 11. from the 9. to the 18. verse and in 1 Cor. 14. 13 14 15. For the times of prayer before Sermon and after the Apostle gives a general Rule 1 Cor. 14. 26. Let all things be done to edifying now what way is more edifying and building than for the servants of God to wayâ— on the great Builder God in Christ for help in the beginning of their work and in the close after mercyes received in speaking or hearing to speak good of the Name of our God in blessing and prayses the thankfull heart shall not want goodness from God but more fully the Apostle is clear in it 1 Tim. â— 1. That first of all prayers must be made to begin with that and that the thing is noâ— without example to conclude our speech with prayer see that in Acts 20. 36. This was likewise his manner in the close of his Epistles as may be seen in seven of his Epistles which I could never see in any of your Letters you like not prayer so well it seems And after that comes in thy frivolous and simple Question this is all I see thy hand to and therefore I call it thine Or ever took a Text to treat on I may well answer thee as Christ did the Saduces Thou errest not knowing the Scriptures for look Acts 8. 35. whether Philip took not a Text to treat on to the Eunuch out of Isai 53 7. Acts 10. 34. where Peter took a Text out of Deut. 10. 7. Acts 13. 17. out of Exâ—d 3. 14. and above all we have the example of Christ in this in his Sermon Luke 4. 17 18. who took his Text out of Isai 61. 1. in the Synagogue and he took a Book to reade it too though I believe he had the Scripture more in his heart than any of your Teachers thus having answered this Query I have one word to say to thee or the Inditer of it before I go on and that is this you have in this to me discovered a profane spirit that findes fault with our often seeking and calling on God and blessing his Name I am jealous that you are acted by the spirit of Satan amongst you you are so like those spoken of in the 3 of Mal. 7. 14 15. Reade and God give you to understand it well for to me it appears that the Spirit of God is quite of another nature that says Pray continually and without ceasing in every thing give thanks Ephes 6. 18. 1 Thess 5. 17 18. it calls and encourages to the thing Psal 50. 15. A Reply to the Priests Answer A Scripture thou wrests to maintain the Answer of it in Matth. 6. 5. Christ bids his Disciples pray not as the Pharises did for they prayed standing in the Synagogues but when thou prayest enter into thy Closet and shut the door and here thou art a Lyar of Jesus Christ and pervertst his words
had commanded when the everlasting Offering was come and against the outward Temple but thou art blinde and canst not see it Pharise like but thy minde is seen to be contradictory who wouldst contradict the truth and doth not see the end of God in fulfilling his Types and Figures and when they are fulfilled he doth contradict them and therefore do we contradict thee which actest these things God never commanded that which God had commanded was contradicted as Circumcision and the outward Temple and the Sabboth and all the Priests were denyed with them who had received Iesus Christ and here thou hast shewed thy self to be a blinde Pharise which knowest not the precepts nor commands of God but followest thy own imaginacions and thy own invencions which I have charged thee withall formerly and here I charge thee to be a blinde Guide Matth. 23. 16. and therefore came the Apostle to contradict all the Jews who held up the Figures after the substance was come but thou art blinde as the Pharises were and worse for when the Apostles had received the substance they contradicted the Pharises which held up the Types and Shadows which God had commanded and killed them that did witness the substance come but thou natural brute Beast who knowest nothing of God nor his truth must be consumed by unquenchable sier thou speakest of an Assembly of Christians coming together to worship God but a company of the world may come and thou joynest with them here thou shewest plainly that thy worship is no tru worship of God for they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth Iohn 4. 23 24. for such are they which he seeks to worship him but not in the Steeple-house the mighty day of the Lord is coming and God that made the world doth not dwell in Temples made with hands therefore come down thou painted Beast which deceivest the people God will overturn thee and thy worship and all such as thou art and them who are of God God is sending them forth to give you the Cup double that ye have given to them thou sayst an Assembly of Christians coming together to worship God are not bound up so close but a company of the world may come in and joyn with them here thou shewest that thy Assembly are all of one spirit and here thou shewest plainly that thy spirit and their spirit is the spirit of the world and not the spirit that was in the Apostles and Saints which sayd What concord hath Christ with Belial and what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness 2 Cor 6. 14. and here thou hast raced thy self out of the tru worship of God and I know thy spirit is not bound up but it is at liberty in the world in the broad way and therefore with them it can joyn and so here thou shewest thy self to be of a contrary spirit to them that preached the Word the Ministers of the Word are not Ministers of the Letter wherein it doth appear that thou art a Minister of the Letter a wrester of it those who are the Ministers of the Word speak forth freely and testifie against such hierlings as thou art who art bound up in thy form and set place and against all thy customary praying and singing for the preaching of the Word is to declare freely to all it is not bound up but such as thou wouldst limit it who doth keep poor simple people in bondage under thee I do believe God hath a people which is in captivity under thy dark imitated Forms and such as thine and who are misled by such as thou art for we were all under such blinde Guides as thou art until God of his infinite love did shew us his way and his light and your ways therefore in the presence of the Lord God do we testifie against all such practises as thine and for the simple ones sakes who are under such blinde Guides as thou art do we let forth our selves that they may see how such as thou bewitchest them and keepest them from worshipping the living God by thy imaginacions Gal. 3. 1. Thou bringest a place 1 Cor. 14. 23 24. to maintain singing of Davids Psalms in a Meeter but in that Scripture there is no such thing in it here again thou openly shewest thy self to be a perverter of the Scriptures and a wrester of it what communion hath the believer with the unbeliever here thou shewest thy self to be one of Babylon full of confusion and confused in thy words contrary to the Scripture and a wrester of it for the world knows not God by all its wisdom Thou sayst that your Congregacion is required to speak good of God O you Generacion of Vipers how can you being evil speak good things Mat. 3. 7. Here thou crossest Christs words thou wouldst have the Generacion of Vipers to speak good things An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit how can you speak good of God that speak nor good of his people the Pharises when they met together did they speak good of God when they sayd Christ was a Devil and gathered together with the chief Priests and sought to put him to death Iohn 11. 53. and in this generacion thou art taking counsel against Christ and against his anoynted incensing the rude multitude against them and is this speaking good of God Query 9. Whether a man shall overcome the body of sin while he â—â— on the earth yea or no Priests Answer There are divers and several victories over sin as first a victory over the dominion and reigning power of sin Rom. 6. 14. this is not given by the power of man but by the power of grace there is a victory over the condemning presence of sin sin cannot so hurt any elect Vessel as to throw him into â—ell and eternal wrath and condemnaâ—ion Rom. 8. 1. There is a victory over the being of sin in the flesh and whatsoever curse thou sayest on me for the same I must profess that I am of the minde that victory â—s not fully enjoyed while we are on the earth for then and not before when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption Death is swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15. 54. and the Apostle cals the body of sin the body of death Rom. 7. 24. A Reply to the Priests Answer Friend thou bringest so many Scriptures which is to the throwing down of thy own self as Rom. 6 14. and thou desirest to be satisfied to the contrary to thy belief for thou believest that man shall not be made free from sin as long as he is here and here I will shew thee that thou hast a lying spirit for in Rom. 6. they sayd they were made free from sin for while they were servants of sin they were made free from righteousness and here thou shewest a contrary spirit to that which was in the Apostle and thou desirest to be fully satisfied in those Scriptures in Rom. 7. 18.
25. Paul spoke his condicion that he was in to the Saints and what he had passed through which yet thou art alive in the flesh and not come to know the Law of God therefore thy carnal minde rules and reigns in thee and so thou art making a distinction in the Apostles words and wresting of them who witnessed that there was no condemnacion to him that was in Christ Iesus and witnessed the condicion under the Law and without the Law and was made free from the Law through the Law which thou knowest not so thou being a dead man canst not hear thou speakest of a Victory and reigning power of sin and yet in the conclusion of thy words thou speakest to the contrary again and that thou art of that minde that Victory is not fully enjoyed while we are on the earth and here thou speakest contrary to the Scriptures and there is a confusion in thy words for first thou sayst there is a Victory and Dominion â—ver the reigning power of sin and then again thou denyest it and here thou shewest Babylon for the Apostle sayd We are more than conqâ—â—rours through him that loved us and there is no condemnacion to them who are in Christ Iesus Another Scripture thou wouldst be satisfied in 1 Cor. 15. 54. the Apostle did speak what he saw in this Chapter which thou hast taken a word or two of and we witness and see the same yet death reigns in thee and corruption reigns in thee and the natural minde which doth despise the glory of God therefore is this Scripture hid from thine eys but it is as it speaks we witness it to be fulfilled and the Apostle was in the condicion that he spoke of for he witnessed the Victory and sayd Thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory through our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 55 56. and sayd O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Rom. 5. 9. and thou hast raced out thy self from the Apostles and from the Saints condicions and shewest that death yet hath dominion over thee and that sin hath dominion over thee and that the mortal hath dominion over the and that corrupcions have dominion over thee and that that thou art in the grave and that Victory cannot be witnessed and art an enemy to it and hast not so much as a belief in thee of overcoming of sin and here thou hast shewed thy hypocrites hope as thou sayst and so keepest poor people in death in corruption and in the mortal and carnal minde and in the grave and in unbelief as thou art in thy self and shewest that thou art damned openly he that believeth not is condemned already he that believeth is born of God and doth not commit sin but is passed from death to life Query 10. Whether any natural man can preach the Gospel yea or no Priests Answer I do believe they may preach the historical part of the Gospel I believe Iudas did preach and was not behinde in his gift to outward vieâ— of the eleven Apostles for the Apostles had no ground to have any ill conceits of him for had they they would soon have reflected on him when Christ sayd One of you shall betray me but they questioned themselves and not him Matth. 26. 21 22. And God gives great gifts many times to wicked men Rom 2. 18 19 20. 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. Ministers of Satan may be transformed into Ministers of righteousness Gal. â— 8. They cannot preach the mystery of the Gospel nor Christ from their own experience or enjoyment for this they know not 't is folly to them 1 Cor. 2. 14. A Reply to the Priests Answer Here thou art pleading for the natural man for Iudas and the false Apostles and it is true in that generacion thou art among them and therefore thou must needs love thy own and stand up for them for no other generacion thou knowest I am a witness against thee and I know thee and have tryed thy spirit to be one of these false Teachers which wouldst transform thy self into an Angel of light and which dost intrude into these things thou never knewst and so thou puffest up thy fleshly minde there thou art I witness thee there eternally by the Eternal spirit Thou sayst Ministers of Satan may be transformed into Ministers of righteousness 2 Cor. 11. 15. here thou wouldst make Satan and righteousness one and shewest forth thy error not knowing the words as the Apostle speaks and if they cannot preach the mystery of the Gospel how can they be transformed into righteousness for the Ministers of Satan transform themselves as the Ministers of righteousness but he doth not say he transforms into it here thou shewest thy self to be a Lyar and thy self to be one of those who are no Ministers of the Gospel getting the form but denying the power 2 Tim. 3. 5. which ever was to be turned away from whose end is destruction according to their works and so thou shewest all along that thou hast but onely the form of the Apostles words for thou pleadest for them who are without and against those who are within who are in the power and life of the truth thou pleadest against the truth and the life which the Apostles were in and the life of the Apostles for the Apostles did discern the false Apostles and those who did transform themselves so with the same spirit we discern thee to be in the same generation among them and there thou must own thy porcion and own the Scriptures to be tru and thy porcion in it which it speaks of to the false Prophets and false Apostles Another Scripture thou bringest 1 Cor. â— 14. thou bringest a Scripture which sayth The natural man receiveth not the things that be of the Spirit of God they are foolishness to him that is thy own condiâ—ion own that Scripture for a truth to thy self for the preaching of Christ and the Cross is foolishness to thee as it was to them that held up the Iewish Synagogues which yet thou holdest up another in imitation from the carnal Letter being carnal and blinde and ignorant of the mystery and of Christ and of the Gospel but the mystery and Christ and the Gospel we witness and own but we have not reâ—â—ived it of man neither were we taught it of man but by the revelacion of Iesus Christ Gal. 1. 12. and we do witness forth the substance as the Apostle did and therefore we do deny all such as thou art who art not so much as a Minister of the Letter and hast not yet got the form of it to speak it tru as the form is but thou hast shewed forth thy ignorance and foolishness of the form of the Letter Query 11. Whether the Tree be not known by its fruits yea or no Priests Answer No question but it is Christ himself says so but I pray thee tell me did ever a good Tree bring forth Despeâ—aâ—ion
ascended into Heaven where was he all that time being dead long before discover this by Scripture any of you all if cleared to any of you Answ Here thou Beast art got up and shewest forth thy pride when thou knowest the Heavens thou shalt know where David is wouldst thou have a meaning to that which the Apostle spoke another meaning to his words he sayd it was so plainly and we witness the same David is not yet ascended what sayst thou to that we witness it is as the Apostle spoke Acts 12. 34. wouldst thou pervert his words here thou hast shewed forth thy dark minde Davids Sepulcher we know and see and it is with us as the Apostle sayd Acts 2. 29. if thou hast an ear thou mayst hear but thou art blinde and therefore dost thou rage and cavil and there thou wouldst have another meaning to the Scripture in this Query which shews that thou hast not the same Spirit that gave them forth and plainly hast shewed forth thy blindness and ignorance wouldst thou have the Scripture cleared up to thy dark minde and carnal eye as Job sayd It is hid from thee the Scriptures are as they speak we witness them here I charge thee again thou wouldst have another meaning to Scriptures than they are and thou wouldst have us to clear them to thy covetous eye but thou must have thy eye cleared for Darkness cannot comprehend the Light John 1. 5. as the Scriptures sayth for the natural man knows not the things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. thou knowest them not nor no Serpent nor Scribes and Pharises who are in thy nature but God is Light in him is no darkness at all who hath made himself manifest unto us we do witness that they are of no private interpretacion 2 Pet. 1. 20. and we deny all thy clearing which thou wouldst have us to give of them for we own them with that Spirit which gave them forth And in the same Query thou speakest of George Fox who as thou sayst is our cunning and subtle Leader the name of George Fox is carnal and thou with thy carnal eye and by thy carnal imaginacions lookst and imaginest our Leader to be carnal such as thine is the carnal Letter but herein thou art under the power of witchcraft and the deceit hath blinded thy eye for our Leader is not carnal but eternal and spiritual Rom. 8. 14. which leading yet thou never knewst nor canst not witness therefore dost thou blaspheme but art lead by thy imaginacions as in this thing thou makest plainly appear and art guided and lead by him who is the subtlest of any Beast of the field the cunning Serpent under whose dominion and government thou art and that which all the tru servants of God in all generacions were guided by do we witness to be our Leader who was before time when as George Fox is in time and so not the Leader of the Saints but him we own as one with us in the eternal unity Query 1. What they were that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgressions he being the publick head of mankinde in the first Creation Answ Thou wouldst know what they were that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgressions but thy knowledg is bruitish and they are hid from thee without thy understanding eternally and here thou hast shewed forth thy self not to have the same Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures for if thou hadst thou mightst see them and if thou knewst Adam as he was in the beginning as he was in the head as thou sayst thou mightst see them but thou dost not see thy self in the fall and the death passed over thee which hath passed over all men Rom. 5. 12. and art in the trangression of Adam in the fall eating of the Tree of knowledg which God forbad but those we do know which thou with that eye shalt never see who art a busi-body Query 2. Wherein was Adam a Figure of him that was to come Answ Wouldst thou have the Figure cleared to thy dark minde he was the Figure of him that was to come here thou shewest thou neither knowest the Figure nor the Substance if thou hadst known the Figure or the Substance thou wouldst have known the Apostles meaning we witness as it is and here I charge thee again that thou wouldst have another meaning than the Apostle spoke who wouldst have the Scripture cleared shewing that thou hast not the same Spirit that the Apostles had Râ—m 5. 14. here thou makest thy self manifest to be a stranger to the life of God death reigns in thee and thou neither knowest Adam nor Moses and there is the Scripture cleared up to thee it is thou that must be cleared and there is thy meaning to it Query 1. Who were they that were baptised for the dead 1 Cor. 15. 29. Answ Wouldst thou have another meaning of them who are baptised for the dead it seems that the dead is not risen in thee and here thâ—n standst in thy imaginacions and that dead minde in thee shall never know any thing of the Scripture nor any thing of God but art dead from the truth 1 Cor. 15. 29. but we witness it to be fulfilled Query 2. What his meaning is in being baptised for the dead Answ Here is the evil minde in thee that would be aspiring to know the Baptisme of the Dead here thou shewest thou never knewst Christ nor the Apostles nor Baptisme nor Death in thy self Rom. 6. 3. but makest thy ignorance and foolishness to appear when ever thou knowest Death to that which is alive in thee and that thou must before ever thou comest to know the Scriptures that which would have a meaning to it we do deny for we witness it through the death of that nature which is alive in thee who art blinde and canst not see which never shall know the meaning of that Scripture but Death with thy carnal eye Rom. 8. 6. Query 3. How this makes to the proving of the Point of the Resurrection the Apostle instancing it to this end Answ When thou knowest the Baptisme thou shalt know the Resurrection but to make a Point of Resurrection I utterly deny here thou hast shewed thy witchcraft I charge thee in the presence of the Lord God Almighty to make an Image for thy dead minde as touching the point of the Resurrection Psalm 73. â—0 the Resurrection thou wouldst have a Point made of it and the proof of this Point to thy dead carnal minde I utterly deny thy Points with thy dead minde raised out of the dead Letter which was given forth from a living and an eternal Spirit but thy dead minde is an Enemy to the Resurrection and here thou shewest thy self plainly unlearned 2 Pet. 3. 16. and untaught of God for before thou know the Resurrection thou must deny all thy dead Points and Proofs and openly hast thou declared it in these Queryes that thou
thy Reason but Truth hath comprehended thee who art for destruction thou high Blasphemer and Lucifer like VVhereas thou askest whether is he but the Gift and Dispensator and Maker out of the Fathers love to sinners as a Mediator and Advocate betwixt the Fater and them he is him whom the Father loveth who is the Mediator who is thy destruction God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son into the world that whosoever believed on him should not perish but have everlasting life Iohn 3. 16. Friend thou art but querying to seed thy fleshly minde who art one of them that crucifiest him high in thy presumption so to thee he is no Mediator and to thee he is no Gift nor made manifest but art querying without of him and one of them that say Lo here and lo there Matth. 24. 23. and thy knowledg is the Letter and that is the Original and Gift and Manifestacion which is dust which â—eeds thee Serpent which the Curse is upon and it is the Seed of the Woman that must bruise thy Head as God who hath promised and sayd Gen. 3. 15. and this must every one witness who witness Christ thou with thy evil eye lookest at Christ and God at a distance and the Father and the Son at a distance as thou saydst before he set him at a distance which crosseth the life of Christ who sayd I in thee and thou in me Father as thou and I are one Iohn 17. 21. and he that hath the Father hath the Son and the Son is in the Father and in the Fountain but thou to this art ignorant who art scraping with thy carnal Reason to get up to the highest Pinnacle to tempt Christ who sittest as a Judg upon the Father and Christ and who crucifiest him and knowest not God but thou must be judged with him even the spiritual man and as it is written the first man is of the Earth earthly and the second is the Lord from Heaven 1 Cor. 15. 47. but thou sayst Christ is not truly God O thou false Judg who knowest neither God nor Christ who art making a separacion betwixt the Son and God and who art setting Christ at a distance who sayth he is in the Father and who makest a Ly upon the Scriptures and speakest contrary to them which thou callest the Original for it sayth In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God and became Flesh and dwelt amongst us Iohn 1. and they knew him not no more do ye know him now who dwels amongst us but seek to crucifie him where ever he is made manifest who hath his being in the Father thou Enemy of God and of all Righteousness who sayth so not the Substance and Fountain in the bult and dignity in thy bult and dignity he is not here thou hast shewed forth thy self thou Lyar who sayst Christ is not in the bult as thou callest it and dignity who presumptuously wouldst sit as a Judg upon him to whom all power in Heaven and Earth is given to the Son Matth. 28. 18. who is in the Fountain and the Fountain in him who is in power and dignity who shall overthrow thee and thy dignity thou who art raced out from God and the Son and again thou queryest what is Christ it is him thou crucifiest and seekest to crucifie and slay and here thou Tempter who art without art querying whether Christ hath a Body and the Father none shewing thy self not to know the Lords Body for the Son is in the Father and they are one and with thy carnal eye lookest upon him to be like thy self if thou knowest his Body thou knowest the Fathers for they are both one thou full of subtlety who art querying how the Son may be distinguished from the Father he that knows the Son knows the Father and he that sees the Son sees the Father for he is in the Father and they are not to be distinguished but it is thou who art without in the world who art making many Gods as the world doth 1 Cor. 5. 8. Ier. â— 28. and art distinguishing who art distinguished from the Father and the Son who art making and makest three Gods and knowst none nor hast none but the God of the World to rule thee and here thou twining Serpent who art ensnaring art ensnared who art full of subtlety and catcht in thy wile who hast been rabbling upon thou knowst not what with thy filthy minde and talkest of thou dost not know what so thou art turned and must be turned into that which to thee will be hot and the Son and the Father are one I and my Father are one Iohn 10 30. and not two but to thee he that hath an Ear let him hear but here thou hast none who hast a busie minde medling with that which doth not concern thee and so thou shewest thy self where thou art 6 Query Whether there be a pure and an eternal Light in every Male and Female if a true and saving Light in and to every one how is it that there shall so many perish Is Satan stronger than God Shall or can flesh and bloud quench and extenuate the Spirit in his operacion and so the arm of the Almighty shortned frustrated and made void by the disobedience of flesh Is there a power in every man as he is man to be saved if he will Answ Christ sayth I am the Light of the world that enlightneth every one that cometh into the world Iohn 1. 9. The one he loves the Light and brings his works to the Light and walks in the Light and to him there is no occasion of stumbling Iohn 3. 20 21. and you that hate the Light you stumble and know not whither you go who hast put forth so many stumbling Queryes and with thy dark minde thou canst not comprehend the Light but Light comprehends thee and sees thy end and intent which Light shall be thy condemnacion John 1. 5. and thou sayst How is it that there shall so many perish that which asketh the question must perish who hates the Light as thou dost and gayusays the truth shall perish as Core did Iude 11. and the Eternal pure Light shall be thy condemnacion in thy own mouth shalt thou be judged who livest in the disobedience of the pure Light and slightest his mercyes and turnest the free Grace of God into wantonness the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it who is the Lord God of Heaven and Earth and my arm is not shortned sayth the Lord and Satan is exalted above all that is called God in thee 2 Thess 2. 4. thou son of perdicion and that which is of God in thee is imprisoned and thou with thy fleshly minde crucifiest the just and quenchest the Spirit as the Iews did who crucified Christ as thou readest in the Letter Iohn 19. and in that generacion thou art if thou hast an Ear thou mayst hear thou Enemy of
pass thou proceedest with this inference if so why dost thou deny and say that every one hath not that Light to teach them and guide them to God Is this a sufficient inference that bececause I have it therefore it must not be denied but that all have it Let any that God hath given an understanding to judg surely God hath left you you have even lost your common Reason among you A Reply to the Pr An. Thou sayst thou art able to say through grace that thy Beloved is thine and thou art his so do the false Prophets say He saith it Jer. 23. 31. but thou knowest nothing of the Beloved nor of Jesus Christ which is the Beloved nor through grace Thou sayst all that Christ hath is thine his Light for thy Prophet his Love as a Saviour to guide thee to thy Fathers house as a Thief thou hast gotten the Letter Jer. 23. 30. and a form which Christ spoke and that thou callest thine but thou enemy of Christ thou neither knowest the Light which is Christ that enlightneth every one that cometh into the world John 1. 9. that thou canst not witness according as the Query was put to thee nor the Prophet nor the fathers house nor the Saviour which the Scripture speaks of but thy fathers house thou knowest and thy beloved which is the God of the World and thy imagined Light which leads thee to thy fathers house which we utterly deny thee and thy fathers house and thy beloved thou hast shewed thy beloved is thine which is thy Lust for thy gift Qu. 2. Whether your Gospel be the same that the Apostles preached and if it be Why go you to Oxford and Cambridg when the Apostle said the Gospel he preached was not after man neither was he taught it by man neither received he it from man but by the revelation of Jesus Christ Priests Answer I shall speak as to my own particular and this through grace I have to say God hath carryed forth my spirit to preach and to declare Christ and him crucified as the Apostles preached 1 Câ—r 22. and to declare the manner of Gods giving this gift to sinners as the Apostles did and that freely through grace Rom. 3. 24. the Doctrine of grace appears to be the Doctrine of the Gospel Gal. 1. 5 6. compared with the 9. 10. verses And he that preacheth another Gospel than this is a perverter of the Gospel of Christ and under the curse though he seem to an Angel from Heaven 7 8. v. Thy Inference is If it be so why do you not live on the Gospel I do live on the Gospel and that is thy trouble and grief it seems but thou addest when as it is said Freely ye have received freely give Matth. 10. 8. If thou examinest well what is cited by thee thou wouldst finde that this is principally spoken of healing the sick cleansing the Lepers raising the dead and casting out Devils which were things at that time more likely to get them money than preaching the Gospel but again if thou wilt take no notice of that but apply it wholly to the gift of preaching this I say that Christ did even there approve that the Labourer was worthy of his hire Luke â—â— 7 8. A Reply to the Priests Answer Thou sayst that God hath carryed forth thy spirit to preach and declare Christ and him crucified as the Apostles preached I utterly deny thee to be any Preacher of Christ or to know God or Christ or the Word of God and the Apostles condicion thou knowest not and the grace of God thou art an enemy to and thou art one of them that crucisies Christ Matth. â—7 â—â— wheresoever he is rising thou wouldst know him and crucifie him who art giving thy Exposicions upon the Doctrine of Christ and wresting the Scriptures to thy own destruction Gal. 1. 8. being unlearned and thou art he that preaches another Gospel which art a perverter of the Gospel which art cursed as thou hast made it openly appear in thy Queries and thou speakest of Angels from Heaven them thou knowest not Friend thou sayst thou livest upon the Gospel but it is upon that which the Apostles spoke the Letter a Declaracion that is thy Gospel which was made manifest to the Apostles which is not to thee and that thou livest on and tradest withall as a Thief and a Robber Ier. 32. 30. and so deceivest poor people who art a Minister of the Letter and not of the Gospel and thou sayst that the Labourer is worthy of his hier but what pay did Christ give to his Labourers that he sent into his Vineyard Did not he say they might have but a Penny Wilt thou be content with his wages O thou Enemy to him who art without God in the world and thou hâ—st shewed that Christ never sent thee to preach therefore thoâ— knowest not his wages that he gives but the Devil he leads thee and thou takest his hier and he is thy Master for thou receivest the wages of unrighteousness shewing thy self worse than Balaam who loves the wages of unrighteousness Iude 11. which wo was upon who art without perverting Christs words and wresting the Scriptures and like a Thief wouldst be like one of them in thy words but like the Devil in thy practice and thou sayst the doing of Miracles and the casting out Devils and raising the Dead were things at that time more like to get money than preaching the Gospel O thou Enemy of God! where dost thou finde any of the Ministers of God that took money for working Miracles Simon Magus would have bought the Spirit to have wrought Miracles withall but the gifts of God is not to be bought and sold for money thou sellest thy carnal gifts but thou they must perish that do so for it is your perishing minde for thou canst not witness one of the gifts of God nor of the Miracles of Christ neither the dumb to speak nor the blinde to see nor the deaf to hear but art a silthy Beast wich art spued out from God dead in thy sins and trespasses Ephes â— 1. and whereof thou wouldst have the Scripture answer thee thou art dead from hearing of them Query 3. Whether you can give another meaning to the Scriptures than they are and whether the Apostles did not give the right meaning to them when they spoke them forth or no and if they did what need learned men to give another meaning to them Priests Answer What a man can do is one thing and what he doth or desires to do is another if no man can give an Exposition besides the meaning of the Scriptures me thinks you should be quiet in that particular and not spend your breath so vainly the same Spirit of God that gave out the Scriptures being in the hearts of his chosen ones doth instruct them to compare one Scripture with another and to give out the meaning of one Scripture by another and
Apostles were men that were under the same commands that were generally commanded of all men cannot be denyed and if so then they were to teach this very Lesson of singing Psalms to the world where they went see Psal 100. 1. 96. 1. 117. 1. 61. 32. 148. 11 12 13. 145. 21. 150. 6. Now because you generally keep such work about this particular but further least you should evade this the New Testament is not altogether silent in this case for we reade of Christ that he sung a Hymn with his Disciples after Supper according to the manner of the Iews at their Feasts which say some was a Part of the 116 Psalm Paul and Silas sung in Prison and besides this Paul observed the command of God in this particular for he taught the Churches this very thing Ephes 5. 19 20. â—ol 3. 16. yea and the Apostle Iames declares the very extent of the command Iames 5. 13. holding it forth as a general duty without exception he sayth Is any merry let him sing Psalms For singing them in Meeter I would ask thee such a Question whether a truth in Meeter holding forth the goodness greatness majesty or mercy of God do not remain a truth instructing comforting edifying as well as the same in Prose If so the Devil hath befooled you exceedingly to make you so busie without cause as you are in this thing and while you pretend for truth of one hand you are beating down truth on the other hand publickly and visibly but besides this the Psalms were penned by the Spirit of God so no question they were directed to be sung in the Temple to that end David sent the Psalms to the chief Musician or Master of the Musick to put them in Meeter for singing and gave them grave Tunes to sing them forth in for the Hebrew Psalms were sung in Meeter in the Temple and in Tunes invented and what makes it worse now than it was heretofore God hath required the singing of Psalms even of English men as they are a part of the world then to that end Scripture-Psalms which were Themes and Verses are translated into English Psalms which Themes and Verses in like sort that we might sing them besides all this I would have thee to know that we are not to live onely by examples but by precepts also now I have discovered general precepts for the practise of this and as we are to do it so we are to do it spiritually orderly and most to edificacion and so the general Rule is 1 Cor. 14. 26 40. the Apostle in the 26 verse specifies this particular of a Psalm now what can be more for edificacion and decency and order than to follow that order that had been used so long before with the approbacion of God himself Hezekiah set the house of God in order and this was one thing he did he put the singing of Davids Psalms in order as in the 2 Chron. 29. 30. and in chapter 7. 30. 26. God blames him not for it but saith he There is none like him from the days of Solomon and to this day the order is not contradicted by God that I know if thou knowest more discover it Last of all exception is taken because they are given forth to the world any Assembly of Christians coming together to worship God are not bound up so close but a company of the world may come in amongst them and joyn with them in those things which are required of all men as hearing the Word praying or singing of Psalms and Christians are not to refrain because they are there for this see that place 1 Cor. 14. 23 24. Now whatsoever thou judgest I dare not but judg that God hath some of his people in our meetings that are Christians indeed and though there may be more of the world I know not that this should be a ground to forbear that which all in the Congregation are required to do viz to speak good of God A Reply to the Priests Answer Whereas thou goest about to maintain the singing of Davids Psalms in a Meeter and that the Apostles did so and went into the world to give to the world Davids Psalms to sing in a Meeter which David sayth The dead cannot prayse the Lord here I charge thee in the presence of the Almighty God to be a perverter of Scriptures and of the Apostles words and Davids words and dost bring in a consequence to bring them into the same carnal invencion that thou art in and wouldst make them like thy self and thou bringest a Scripture Matth. 28. 20. that the Apostles went into the world to give to the world Davids Psalms to sing in a Meeter there is not a word in the Scripture that Christ sent his Apostles into the world to give them Davids Psalms to sing in Meeter here thou accusest Christ and wouldst make him like thy self and wouldst make the Apostles like thy self here again I charge thee to be a wrester and a perverter of the Scriptures thou speakest of Paul and Silas singing and them thou dost bring to confirm thy going into the world to give to the world Davids Psalms in a Meeter here thou hast shewed forth thy blindness sottishness and ignorance Paul and Silas when they sung prayses to God they were in Prison which condicion thou never knewest and another Scripture thou bringest concerning Christ and his Disciples when they did sing an Hymn which thou art ignorant of but art in the Generacion of the Pharises and Priests that â—ought to put him to death who hath gotten the form of his words therefore as Amos sayth The songs of the Temple shall be turned into houling Amos 8. thy songs and all your songs another Scripture thou bringest in the Ephesians and Colossians to maintain thy beastly end of going into the world who are ignorant and live in darkness and giving them Davids Psalms in a Meeter contrary to all the Scripture and the practise of all the Saints and wouldst compare the Church who are gathered out of the world the Saints to be like the world and thy beastly worship who sung with the spirit and with understanding and with grace making melody to the Lord in their hearts 1 Cor. 14. 15. Heb. 2. 12. but the world turns the grace of God into wantonness and how darest thou compare them with those that lives and dwels in the grace of God and sings with grace and with the spirit but here thou hast shewed forth thy ignorance and blindness and it is that fools may utter forth their folly and that blinde Guides might appear openly and here I charge thee again to wrest the Scriptures and David thou bringest for the justifying of thy going into the world and giving them his Psalms to sing in Meeter who sayd Sing unto the Lord a new Song and none can sing a new song but who are redeâ—med from the earth Rev. 14. 3. and who are not
will mind to cast them all by and ty God up to work immediatly without means to humor their fancy this is to tempt him Mat. 4. 6 7. to confine him which God cannot like he will not take it long from proud flesh I am perswaded the Scripture you bring in Isai 2. ult Cease from man will not serve your turn for many Prophets and Apostles and men of God taught after that even by the command of God and Christ besides you cry Cease from man but you practise quite contrary witness the running of many of you many miles to hear George Fox and you use writings and printings which are outward means of teaching A Reply to the Priests Answer Here thou hast shewed forth presumption and lying to say that many are grown up under your teaching to see God alone the onely Teacher and that Christ is all in all the Alpha and Omega and thou thy self not to know the first Principle nor they whom thou teachest Heb. 5. 12. for if it were so that they knew the second Covenant and the Law of God written in their hearts they would all deny thee for it teacheth them to know God and need not to say Know the Lord and needed not any man to teach them who witnessed the Anoynting and need not any of thy carnal means as thou talkest of for the means that God doth teach his people is by his Spirit Gal. 3. 5. for they that did draw them from the spirit within them bewitched them and so dost thou and they that drew them from the Anoynting within them bewitched them and so dost thou which tellest people of a carnal means so that Scripture which thou bringest Matth. 4. 6 7. it is for thy self for thou temptest Christ and wouldst have him to bow down to thy false worship to thy carnal means as the Devil did Christ then own it and witness it for it is thy condicion herein thou hast shewed thy self to be a false Prophet sowing pillows under the peoples arm-holes and flattering and keeping them in carnal security and tellest them that Christ is their Teacher when thou who art blinde and carnal art set up for a Teacher who makest a Trade with the Scriptures and neither knowest Christ nor the Spirit nor the teaching of Christ as thou speakest of and so keepest all people in blindness and ignorance from waiting upon Christ and friend whereas thou dost accuse us of tying God up to work immediately herein thou shewest that all that thou hast is but fancy and lying in thy carnal state who tempts God and draws all others to tempt him and shewest thy self void of all them that spoke forth the Scriptures for all Scriptures being given forth by the inspiracion of the Spirit and holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost was not all this immediate and eternal and here thou hast openly shewed thy self to be carnal and not knowing them that gave forth the Scriptures and wouldst draw all others into the same carnal state with thee and it is thou that wouldst ty up and dost ty up with thy carnal minde and limit the holy One as may appear by thy blindness and ignorance and the people that thou teachest who drawest them under the carnal Form and here thou hast denyed the immediate teaching of God Isai 54. 13 14. which all the Saints of God witnessed and followed the ways of and all that ever know the Lord and here thou hast shewed that thou dost not know the Lord but livest in high blasphemyes and in the state of the Scribes and Pharises who professed God and Abraham but were of their Father the Devil and there thou art in the same generacion doing the lusts of thy father the Devil who was ever an enemy to Christ as thou mayst reade thy self in the generacion of all them Teachers as thou hast openly shewed thy self Friend it is thy own proud fleshly minde that doth confine God but thou art discoverd and it shall not be long but thou shalt be more manifest to thy open shame thou hast walked long enough under a cover but now thy skirts are uncovered and thy nakedness appears and a Scripture thou bringst Isai 2. 22. Cease from man which thou sayst will not serve our turn but it doth serve our turn for we own it and witness it fulfilled therefore do we cease from all men which hold up the carnal means which thou speakest of and all hierlings and all them that bear rule by their means and all them that seek for their gain from their quarter and all them that are called of men Master and hath the chief place in Assemblyes and all they that paynt themselves with other mens words and all them that go in the way of Cain and Balaam for gifts and rewards Jude 11. and all those that have the form of godliness and not the power and all those that wrest Scripture to their own destruction and give meanings and carnal senses upon it and all such as lead â—illy women captive which thou hast sayd to be us ever learning and never able to come to the knowledg of the truth 2 Tim. 3. 7. for thou sayst they shall never overcome as long as they are here and thou believest here but thou art one that livest in thy lust here thou hast shewed that thou art one that the Prophets and servants of God cryed against who were taught immediately by the Spirit of God and this was not after man neither according to man the Apostle sayd the Gospel that he preached was not after men for he had not received it of man that taught it all such we own but all such as are in the way of man as thou art we utterly deny them which holds up these abominacions which all the Prophets of God cryed against and here thou hast raced thy self out from among them all those that God sent and commanded as thou sayst since the Prophet bade them cease from man Isai 2. 22. those were not made by the will of man neither was their teaching according to man but it was immediate eternal which thou knowst nothing of as thou makest it appear and such we own but thee we do deny for thou art blinde and knowst it not And as touching the Books and Writings and Printings which thou accusest us of and running so many miles the Queen of the South came to hear the wisdom of Solomon and the Prophets of the Lord somtimes they were moved to speak against such as thou art who livest in the abominacions and somtimes were moved to write as one of the Prophets did and here thou shewest thy self â—gnorant of the Scripture and envious against the same power and the same eternal Word which is now discovering your abominacions as the Word did then so the eternal Word doth now and thy minde being carnal and outward looking up at things outward and so thou shewest thou hast nothing eternal born up
in thy understanding and so thou lookest upon the same which we speak or give forth in writing to be the same carnal minde that thou art in and so thou judgest all the Prophets and Christ and the Apostles to be in the same carnal state as thou art judging Scripture according to thy carnal minde 2 Cor. 3. 6. 3. 4. and so to thee truth is a savour unto death as it was ever but wee are moved of the Lord to write forth or to speak it is not an outward means as thou lookest upon but it is to the conscience of every man from that which is eternal to that which shall eternally witness it but thou art high up in thy hypocrisie and hast mens persons in admiracion because of advantage for the gift therefore it grieves thee to see the immediate and eternal teaching of the Lord alone who is teaching of his people and guiding them up to himself by his Spirit whose Sacrifice God doth accept Gen. 4. 5 who are in the second birth but thou art Cain and because thou seest the works of God and God accepts not thy Sacrifice therefore thou shewest forth thy envy against the righteous Seed in all thy words Query 13. Whether they be not Antichrists and do disobey Christ that have the chiefest place in the Assemblyes stand praying in the Synagogues called of men Master which things Christ did forbid his to act and cryed wo against them that acted such things Priests Answer No question what is against Christ in the flesh is a part of Antichrist and to be destroyed but as yet none of you all that I know have proved that the uppermost seats in the Synagogues were Pulpits there seats were more for honor than for service that Christ forbids and reproves and these places were taken out of love to them and for the Title of Master I would to take off the offence if that would do it that all would agree to call me by my name I take not the Title in love of it nor to have dominion by it and the Wo is against this yet I know there were Masters of the Assemblyes so called by as wise a man as any amongst you for ought I know Eccles 12. 11. A Reply to the Priests Answer In thy Answer to this Query thou canst not justifie the chiefest place in the Assemblyes therefore thou must own the Wo upon thee and Friend thou bringst a Scripture in Eccles 12. 11. to cross Christs words herein thou shewest to be a fighter against â—hrist for to maintain thy Mastership that thou mayst be a Master of an Assembly and here openly thou shewest thy self to be a Pharise and in the Pharises state sayth Christ A greater than Solomon is here Now thou hast shewed forth thy venom and ignorance indeed and openly to act against Christ and openly to be an Antichrist and a Pleader for the state of the Pharises and to contradict Christ Thou sayst no question but that which is against Christ in the flesh is a part of Antichrist thou hast shewed thy self to be an actor against Christ in the flesh and an Antichrist and shewest that thou never knewst him in the flesh nor in the spirit for he that walks in the spirit doth not fulfill the lusts of the flesh but hath crucified them and all things are become new Rom. 8. 13. but as thou sayst and dost believe that a man shall never overcome as long as he is here so shewing forth the old Bottle and what is within thee Matth. 9. 17. here is poured out which neither knows God nor Christ in the flesh nor in the spirit but hast poured forth thy blasphemy against Christ and his Doctrine and all who hold up his Doctrine and live in it and love Christ Query 13. Whether those be not Antichrists and of the Devil and no Ministers of Christ which do not abide in the Doctrine of Christ yea or no and which hold up those things Christ forbad Priests Answer Thou strainest at a Gnat and swallowest a Camel thou takest great care of Mint and Annis and neglectest the weighty things of the Law who preachest up that which Crist for bad prove what thou speakest if thou darest trust God as I desire to do wait with me for the time that God shall discover who abides with him and in his Doctrine and who doth not so far as it is revealed and open A Reply to the Priests Answer In thy Answer to this Query thou sayst we strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel because we deny that which Christ denyed who were called of men Masters as the Pharises were who strained at a Gnat and swallowed a Camel Matth. 23. 7. and thou mayst say that Christ did so for Christ spoke against them who were called of men Masters and taught his not to be so nor to call any man Master and here thou hast justified that which Christ forbids And thou dost accuse us that we do take care of Mint and Annis because we say Whosoever abides not in the Doctrine of Christ is a Devil and here thou hast shewed thy self that it is thou that takest care for those things that pass away which Christ did forbid thou bidst me prove thee to preach that which Christ did forbid here in thy very words thou preachest up that Christ forbids and cryes Wo against and here I chargethee in the presence of the living God who will render vengeance in flames of fieâ— Jer. 51. 6. Nah. 1. 2. and here thou hast shewed thy self to be in the Doctrine of the Pharises and of the Devil and accusest us with tything Mint and Annis who art a Lyar for all those things you hold up and we deny and it is thou that dost justifie them Dost thou not hold up these frivolous things the chiefest place in the Assembly and to be called of men Master laying heavy burdens upon the People and stand praying in the Synagogue this thou strivest to hold up which we deny the commands of Christ thou callest them Mint and Annis which is a Ly and here thou wrests the Scripture to thy own destruction I charge thee here and have proved thee to preach that which Christ forbad and shut thee forth to be any Minister of Jesus Christ eternally or knowing any thing of him thou wouldst have me to wait with thee if I dare trust God I waited with thee too long but thou art now revealed and discovered thou man of sin and son of perdicion 2 Thess 2. 3. who art exalted above all that called God and thy Doctrine is discovered and the end of it for it leades to perdicion for out of the bottomless Pit it came and thither it must go and in thy Queryes thou desirest to know which is most like Antichrist and here thou shewest that thou dost not know Antichrist but we know thee to be Antichrist 1 John 4. 3. and acting in those things which Christ never commanded contrary
Apostle speaks of thou knowest not but art an enimy to it neither knowest thou the Milk that was given to the Flock but thou art one of them that fayl with thy Feet Ezek 34. 18. that hast nothing but the Husk which is fit for nothing but the Swine but as a Theif wouldst be up in the Apostles Condicion The Apostl spoke the Truth which thou art out of and to the flock he spoke of it and the Vineyard thou art an enimy to and that with all thy power and might wouldst wrest the Scripture but thou art thrust out and discovered with them who are within and seen by us and so I bid thee Farewell unto Perdicion thou must go Query 3. Whether the Apostles did not give a tru Exposicion of the 9 verse in the forecited â—hapter and in the 10 verse And if so then he that Plougheth and Thresheth may do it in hope and expectacion of outward preservacion in his labour not to have his mouth muzelled Answ Thou wouldst not have thy mouth muzeled the mouth of the false Prophets must be stopped as the Apostle saith Evil Beasts Slow-bâ—llies whose mouths must be stopped Tit. 1. 11 12. and thou art one of them who takes the Apostles words for thy carnal ends and wouldst have Exposicions upon his words who perverts his words and sayst he gave Exposicions who spoke plainly and thou showest thy self to be one of them that the Apostle spoke unto Query 4. Whether there be not the same equity that those that wait on the Gospell should have maintenance as well as those that wayted on the Temple and on the Altar Aensw They that waited on the Altar lived upon the Altar and they that preached the Gospel lived on the Gospel 1 Cor. 9 13. but repent thou knowest neither but art a deceiver and makest a Trade upon the Scripture but praised be the Lord God who hath given a Light to discover thee and to draw from under thy bands for thou neither waitest upon the Altar nor canst not witness the Gospel but only that Scripture thou bringest to maintain thy gift which thou confessest thou receivest worse then Balaam 2 Pet. 2. 15. Query 5. Whether the Ordinances of Christ in this be out of Date yea or no Answ Christ is the same he was where he is made manifest and his Ordinances the same but thou art one that dost deny them and disobey them Did not Christ command his whom he made Teachers Mat. 23. 8. 10. that they should not be called of men Masters and that they would not have the cheifest place in the Assemblies for they were all Brethren Come down thou painted Beast and proud Pharisy who ever wast an enimy of Christ Wo is thy Porcion for thou art out of date with them for thou dost not observe them Query 6. Whether simply taking of Wages make a Hierling yea â—r no Answ Thou robest the World whereas the Apostle saith he robed the Churches 2 Cor. 11 8. and thou robst the world for the Church of God is the ground and Pillar of Truth 1 Tim. 3. 15. Thou blind Sot and coloured Beast doth not wages make a Hyerling thou canst not deny but thou art an Hyerling thou receivest a gift Balaams wages of unrighteousness therefore Wo is thy Porcion VVhat hast thou to do with the Apostles who spoke against gifts Query 7 If so How could Paul be excused from being a Hierling he taking wages as well as others Answ Art thou as Paul was or wouldst thou make him like thy self who robest the world and he took of other Churches O thou filthy Beast who slanderest the Church of Christ and the Apostles with thy filthy minde who wouldst make the Apostle an Hyerling like thy self who hast nothing to do with the Apostle nor the Church of Christ but as a filthy fellow thou makest a trade upon the Letter and other mens Condicions to deceive withall but thou art discovered to be worse than Balaam who denyed the gift of Baalack though he loved it Num. 22. 18. but all thy Pleading and Querying is for the gift showing thy self to be worse than Balaam Query 8. Whether the worlds wages doth not imply some kinde of contract between them yea or no because he had wages of other Churches for preaching to those of Corinth Phil. 4. 17 18. Answ Thou askest whether Paul did well or no in receiving a gift of the Phillipians thou wrestest his words in saying he received a gift for saith he in the Scripture not because I desire a gift but I desire fruit that may abound to your account But I have all Phil. 4. 17 18. How fain wouldst thou make the Apostle like thy self an Offender so thy eye is blinded with a gift as it is written and here I charge thee to accuse the Apostle falsly Query 9. Whether if Paul received a gift why may not others supply their necessaries Answ Paul sayd not because I desire a gift in the same verse which words thou pervertest but that fruit might abound for he denyed Balaams gifts Thou enimy of Righteousness how darest thou slander the Apostle who was a tru Minister of God all thy end in thy Querying is for thy gift to maintain thee in Balaams Seat here I charge thee by the Lord to be a perverter of the Scripture who art in the way of Kain Iude 11. I can scarce compare thee to Balaam for he denyed the gift which thou pleadest for and wrestest the Scripture to maintain it and therefore Wo is to thee who lovest the wages of unrighteousness but thou art one who servest not the Lord Iesus Christ but thy own Belly and by good words and fayr speeches deceivest the hearts of the simple Rom 16 18. Phil 3 19. Query 10 Whether David was not in a heavenly condicion while on the Earth as well as any of you being a man after Gods own heart Acts 2 34. Answ He was in that heavenly Condicion which thou shalt never see David we witness and his Condicion whom thou art an enimy to and with thy aspiring mind wouldst know but it is the subtle Serpent which is shut forth which Christ cryed Wo unto you Serpents which paint your selves with the Prophets words Math 23 33 and so thou art painted and wouldst be painted and Wo is thy Porcion as t was theirs Math â—3 33. Query 11 What Heaven is this that he is not ascended into Answ â—hou wouldst know what Heaven David is not ascended into thou never knâ—west Davids Condicion that he was in that Minde of thine must first know Hell where the wicked are turned into Psal 9 17. Thou hast nothing to do to know where David is ascended for thou never knewest his first estate nor thou art not brought into his Condicion but he that knowes the Heaven of heavens knows what heaven it is he that hath an Eare let him hear but thou art in the generacion of them that hated David Query 3. If not
but thou neither ownest Prcepts Law nor Command nor Statutes nor Ordinances therefore a busie fellow thou art querying whether we own them or no that thou mightst accuse for if thou didst own them thou wouldst own us and Christ but thy Precepts and Commands we deny and Doctrines and Ordinances for they are not to be tasted touched nor handled for they are to perish with the using of them Col. 2. 21 22. Query 3. Whether it be not the work of Satan on your spirits to endeavour to stop the greatest part in the world from giving that to God which he calls for Answ It is the work of God to stop the mouths of the world that we witness and it is the work of Satan to open the mouths of the world and he opens their mouths who keeps open thy mouth whose mouth must be stopped Tit. 1. 11. and that which the world gives to the living God is abominacion for the whole world lyes in wickedness and thou wouldst have the worlds mouth kept open and that which is abominacion to the Lord God set up but the Lord is coming in power to throw down the abominacion and to stop the mouths of the world which thou wouldst justifie and set open shewing thy self to be a Freind of the God of this world It is the work of God to stop the mouths of the world Freind thou wouldst have an Answer to these Scriptures and Queries Roâ— 7. 18 25. 1 Iohn 19. Query 1 Whether thou dost own the Scripture for a Truth Answ We witness the Scripture to be a Truth and thee to be a Lyar not knowing any thing of them Query 2 Do you not deceive your selves in saying you have no sin Answ Here thou errest in not knowing that Epistle which thou bringest to accuse us withall for the same that gave it forth sayd If ye confess your sins he is faithfull and just to forgive and to cleanse you from all uncleanesse 1 Iohn 1. 9. here thou hast shewed thy selfe that thou art not come yet to the confession of thy sinns therefore farre short from cleansing from all thy filthinesse of Flesh and Spirit but blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is making manifest himself to destroy the works of the Devill 1 Iohn 3 8. and here thou shewest that Iesus Christ is not made manifest to thee and that the works of the Devill are yet standing in thee O thou enimy of God and Righteousness what hast thou preached all this while to poor ignorant blind people now thou hast shewed here that thy Faith is vain and that thou art yet in thy sins as the Scripture shews plainly He that beleives is born of God and cannot commit Sin 1 Iohn 3 9 Query 3 How canst thou justifie thy self to be in the Truth and the Truth in thee when thy words make it a very Token and Signe that the Truth is not in thee Answ Thy Token and thy Signe is without thee and here thou shewest thy self to be in the generacion of the Pharises looking for outward Signes and outward Tokens and sayst how can we justifie our selves Thou dark Sot did ever Truth come to justifie Selfe Truth ever comes to condemn Selfe Here thou hast showed forth thy Confusion in this Query and in thy dark minde If we say we have not sinned we deceive our selves and make him a Lyar and the Truth is not in us 1 Iohn 1. 10. But where Iesus Christ is made manifest he is made manifest to destroy the works of the Devill and he that sinneth is of the Devil 1 Iohn 3. 8. Here are the Children of God made manifest and the children of the Devil for he that commiteth Sin never knew God if we had not sined we had needed no Saviour and here thou showest thy self to be a Child of the Devil and never knewest God but standest for the Devils Kingdom making thy self manifest not to be in that condicion as they were that spoke forth the Scriptures but art without God in the world Ephes 2. 12. hating those now who have the life of them made manifest and Jesus Christ who is come and made manifest to destroy the works of the Devil this I witness to be fulfilled and the taking away of sin and the cleansing from all unrighteousness therefore I clear my conscience Prayse to the glorious God for ever who is coming to lead poor simple People from their blinde Guides for to the children of God ye are discovered to be the children of the Devil Query 1. Are the Scriptures owned for a Truth yea or no. James 3. 2. Answ Here thou hast shewed forth thy busie minde one question had been enough to have asked whether the Scriptures be tru yea or no We witness the Scriptures to be tru and we witness thee to be a Lyar and erring from the Scripture not knowing them Matth. 22. 29. Many Scriptures thou hast stollen to maintain thee in thy sin and to uphold the Devils Kingdom who livest wholly in offences and bringst them into the same offences like thy self and wouldst make the Apostles offenders like thy self for the Apostle sayth Whosoever offends not in words the same is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body and whosoever hath not power over his own tongue his Religion is vain James 3 2. and here thou shewest thy Religion to be vain Query 2 Is there a greater Priviledg or Freedom now for Christians than there was for the Apostles or Brethren in those times if so discover it by Scripture Answ Here thou hast shewed thou knowst nothing for thou art desiring to know their Priviledg which minde in thee never shall for the same Priviledg the Apostles did enjoy we enjoy and the unity is but one Ephes â— 13. and the same word they did enjoy we do enjoy and the same Christ we enjoy and the same God they did enjoy we do enjoy here thou wouldst make two which shews thou art in the conâ—â—sion there is a greater Priviledg and Freedom now than there was then yet the same and in thy query thou hast shewed thou knowest nothing of Scripture and again thou sayst that as for what any of us say besides or above it or against it thou weighest it not And all Scripture is for the perfecting of the man of God Ephes 4. 1â— which we witness but thou shewest thou knowst nothing of the Scriptures but hast spoken besides it and against it as oft I have shewed thee in thy former Writings and Queries and added to it and perverted it therefore are the Plagues du to thee and are thy porcion Clear thy self if thou canst let that in thy conscience clear thee but it cannot I know thou wouldst be satisfied if we can what are the Reasons that so many questions should never be answered till our days though God had still a People in the world and where didst thou see such questions put forth before for the darkness
and is all the righteous bloud shed and in that nature which thou wouldst know these things in it was ever hid from who have the chiefest places in the Assemblyes and called of men Master Matth. 23. 7. and in that generacion thou art which the Wo was ever preached to try thy self for to that in thy conscience which should exercise it do I speak 2 Cor. 4. 2. and when it doth appear it will witness me 2 Cor. 5. 11. the time is coming and now is that not at Ierusalem in your highest profession of Christ nor your highest glorious nocions of him which you live in nor none of your Steeple-houses nor none of your Exercises as you call them nor the daintiest Dish you have will be meat for the tru worshipers of God for they have run to this Steeple-house and that Steeple-house and to this mountain and that mountain and here is a dainty Dish and there is a dainty Dish sayth the Harlot which hath long deceived the simple ones but now all you Harlots are discovered which have deceived the Nations and now Abraham shall arise who is the Friend of God whom thou knowest not but art in the generacion of them who professed Abraham and freedom and God to be their Father but were of their Father the Devil Iohn 8. 44 4â— doing his work who was a Murderer crucifying the just who are in the fall and not come to the beginning for thy Father was a Murderer since the beginning and Dives must be turned into Hell and the Dives with your dainty Dishes must be layd low and you who profess the New Ierusalem will be found to be in the old Ierusalem where the Lord Iesus Christ was and is crucified in your Ierusalem now in the highest place of Worship the tru worshipers of the Father in Spirit and Truth witness it to be so and the time is come that the Scripture is fulfilled and the words of Christ Iohn 4. 23. Praises Praises to the Eternall glorious God of Heaven and Earth for ever and ever who now hath made his Power known by which we see the Deceits of you all 6 Query Whether it be not Gods Ordinance that the inward living spiritual powerful word of God whereby all the Saints of God are taught and the tru inward spirituall Worship of the Saints should in the outward appearance of them be held forth in earthen vessels as under a form of Speech or word yea or no Ans Freind in this Query thou hast uttered forth thy weakness and thy ignorance in the form of the Letter doth appeare yet Serpent-like thou art full of Subtilty but thy nakedness doth appeare openly The word of God is as a Fire and cannot be limited no not with thy carnal Reason It is as a Hammer to beat thee to peices and as a Sword to cut thee asunder whensoever thou comest to know this powerfull word of God And this is the word which the Prophets spoke from who cryed Wo against all them that sayd the Lord sayth and he never spoke to them and cryed against all them that bear rule by their meanes Ier. 5 30 31. the horible filthy thing is committed in the Land which is and was held up with Preist and People but now the same living spirituall eternall Word is made manifest and is preached abroad against all you Hyerlings and greedy dumb Dogs which have not a word from the Lord but seek for your gain from your quarters and get up into the cheifest place of the Assemblies and are called of men Masters and stand praying in the Synagogues he that is the Word cryed Wo against all such and them that had this Word he bade them not to be as they were Math. 23. 8 9 10. And this Word is made manifest in the Saints which is declared abroad but thou who livest in Appearance and wouldst see things in Appearance in thy carnall wisdom and Reason â—hou art shut out from this knowledg for to thee it is death to thy carnall minde therefore freely do I publish the Eternall Truth abroad and as knowing you that you have not a word from the â—ord but are in that generacion of those that did shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men neither go in your selves nor suffer others laying heavy burthens upon the People and will not toutch them with one of your fingers but what you do you do it to be seen of men making broad your Philacteries and devouring Widdows houses Math. 23. 45. who art desolate from Christ who hast got the Form of Christs words but art in the steps of the Scribes and Pharises who had got the form of Moses and the Prophets and were enemies and strangers to the Life of God Moses and the Prophets and their Form you have got in your comprehension in the earthly vessel and that 's your heavenly Treasure but now you are tryed with what you hold forth in a Form of words but the word of God is powerfull and in him is no Form but thou art a Theif and a Robber who stealest the Prophets words Ier. 23. 30. who art without who knowest not the Word nor the Lord nor the tru Ministers of the Word shutting out thy self in the dark world and Querying whether the Word should be held forth in earthen vessels if thou hadst an Eye or if thou hadst an Eare thou mightst hear and see it preached dayly but as I said to thy first Query thou knowst not the Light whith enlightneth every one that commeth into the world but art ignorant deaf and blinde one that hates the Light that makes thee let forth so many stumbling Queries for hadst thou the Light thou wouldst not stumble but be as a Citty set upon a Hill but thou art without who hast shewed forth such a dark minde but that minde is for destrukcion for if thou didst walk in the Light and love it it would lead thee to the Day which would let thee see all things and there would be no ocasion of stumbling but thou art him that hates the Light so all thy Preaching as thou callest it leads from God being blinde and leads the blinde and must both go into the Ditch together but we who are Ministers of the Eternal Word see it and dwell in the Light and declare freely without a Bag or a Staffe without Brass and Silver or two Coats for the workman is worthy of his meat freely you have received freely give Math. 10. 8. therefore we do deny your preaching and for the simple ones sake who are in the Simplicity who have been ensnared by you who are in the Subtilty and such as you are who have let forth these Queries for we know your Spirits though you have not let forth your names so who are in the simplicity seeking after the Truth for their sakes have I let forth my self and shewed forth your folly Query 7. Whether the Idols Temple and the Worship that 's done therein
did shew forth Christ which was the substance he finding him riding in his Chariot and thou Beast dost wrest this Scripture and pervert it and so takest a place of Scripture and raisâ—st Doctrines Poynts and Uses as thou callest them and what thou conceivest and imaginest of it and so sellest it for money and so makest an hours talk of it and art in one of these Text a moneth or more and speakest thine own inventions of it Did they do so O thou Blasphemer Philip had not a set wages of him but he was moved of the Lord to go to the Eunuch when he was going to Jerusalem to worship so if any were moved of the Lord to come unto any of you who are going to worship and reading of the Scripture and should shew you the substance of it such as thou art would fall a raging for it takes away your Trade we do witness that which Philip did but we deny thee to be in Philips place but onely Antichrist like hath gotten his form O thou Enemy of all Righteousness who hath wrested many Scriptures and perverted them to thine own way Acts 23. 6. to maintain thee in thy filthiness and to make a cover for thee but thou art discovered with all who are uncovered and stand naked before the Lord God Almighty Prayses be to him for him And above all thou sayst thou hast Christ for an example for taking a Text the words which Christ spoke he said it was fulfilled Luke 4. 17. Isai 61. 1. and if thou take his words for an example Is thy Text which thou speakest fulfilled then why dost thou ly so long in a Text Christ said his was fulfilled that day who said the Lord had anoynted him to preach Luke 4. 21. which thou art not nor â—anst witness and Christ did not take it and raise Doctrines Reasons Uses Tryals and Motives and have a set time and a set wages and preach out of it a moneth or more as thou dost but sayd it was fulfilled that day which thou couldst never witness nor yet say O thou impudent and brazen-faced how darest thou take Christ for an example to maintain thee in thy silthiness Christs words we own to be tru and to be fulfilled prayâ—ed be the Lord for ever which thou hast nothing to do with but wrests them with thy corrupt carnal minde to thy own destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. but as the Prophet did speak of the Merchants of Babylon as thou art one of them in the mystery of Witchcraft and so with thy craft dost deceive simple ones and the Scriptures I know cannot err from that which gave it forth and thy spirit I know to be the spirit of errour which is the same that ever deceived the Nations and we witness the Scripture in our hearts as Christ did And as touching thy Belief we deny it for thou neither believest Christ nor us for if thou wert of God tou would own us as they sayd who needed no man to teach them but the anoynting 1 John 2. 27. but that thou art without and in the world an Antithrist and there I leave thee Whereas thou dost accuse us of a profane spirit it is the profane minde and spirit in thee which judgest the spirit of truth so because it doth shew that which the profane nature cannot bear and whereas thou dost accuse that we finde fault with your often calling and seeking to God that is false for we would have all to call upon the Lord while he is near and to seek him while he may be found Isai 55. 6. and that is the intent of all our writing and printing or coming to your Steeple-houses or coming abroad for your souls good which you shall eternally witness though your corrupt filthy mindes do reject it but thou Hypocrite and Pharise and Enemy of all Righteousness all thy prayers we utterly deny for they are abominacion to the Lord and all thy blessings are cursed as in Mal. 2. Your praying in the Synagogues as the Pharises did Christ did deny and we also do deny the same and so will every one where Christ is risen deny thee and such as thou art for he is but one the same to day yesterday and for ever whom thou art an Enemy to and in the Generacion of them that ever were so Friend thou sayst thou art jealous that we are acted by a spirit of Satan and dost accuse us to be like those spoken of in Mal. 3. these are thy companions eternally I witness it and there thou art present now among them in the same nature and one that walks out of the commands of God as I have proved before and out of the commands of Christ following thine imaginacions and therefore are we all witnesses against thee that thou art in the Sorcery in the Witchcraft and in the Adultery and in the corrupt seed whose blessings are cursed the same light sees it now and sees thee in the same Generation And whereas thou dost accuse us concerning Prayer thou gatherest many Scriptures in thine imaginacions the Saints prayed continually and from them Scriptures thou imitatest a Form and accusest us who live in the praying continually and to thee it cannot appear in thy carnal form neither dost thou know our spirit for it terrifies thee nor the spirit of the Apostle and we do witness the condicion that the Apostle speaks of praying continually and in every thing giving thanks 1 Thess 5. 17. 1 Tim. 2. 8. But this thou canst not witness to be fulfilled to that which should exercise thy conscience do I speak which shall eternally witness we for thou art dead and the dead cannot prayse God and that which should prayse God in thee is in the Grave and none in the Grave can prayse him Isai 38. 18. and thy carnal minde in thee is limiting God in thy carnal form and custom and with a pretence of thy Prayers Pharise like which is but mocking God and hatefull and abominacion to him and all who are of him thy Prayers and spirit will be denyed by them and thou accuser art without in the world among the false accusers 2 Tim. 3. 3. and thou must deny all thy prayers and all thy customs and all thy worship and all thy imitated Churches as thou callest them and all thy praysings and all the worlds ways before ever thou knowest God or us Qu. 8. Shew me by the Scriptures where the Apostles went into the world and gave the world David's Psalms to sing in Meeter these things that ye practisâ— answer them by the Scripture or the Apostles practise without consequence and imaginacions Priests Answer That the Apostles went into the world that is up and down in several parts of it is clear by all their Epistles That the Apostles Commission from Iesus Christ in their going forth to preach to all Nations was this Teaching them to observe all whatsoever I have commanded you is as clear Matth. 28. 20. That the