God to be a lyar for the word was in the beginning before any tongue was and your Hebrew and Greek is natural and the natural man knows not the things of God and the world by wisdom knows not God Pilate was a worldly man and he had this original and the wisdome of the world and there thou art and there the curse is upon thee so here thou preachest another original then the Apostles did they preached Christ the fountain and thou preachest Hebrew and Greek that is thy original and thy father Pilate had that original which crucified Christ and set it over him and the scripture came not by the will of man Therefore it is not the knowing of it by Hebrew and Greek but by the spirit that gave it forth therefore all people take warning and cease from such deceivers and take heed to the light in your conscience which is the light of Christ to guide your minds up to God the Father of light and be not deceived nor wander not up and down after such who know not the truth but put Hebrew and Greek for the original which Pilate had which crucified Christ Jesus as you may read in Luke 23. All people may see thou art brought no further yet then thy father Pilate so all thy prayers we deny for there is nothing of truth born up in thy understanding who art led with a seducing spirit into delusions who saist the spiriâ— of life stirs up the flesh to bring forth fruits and thou that art in the flesh canst not please God And there thy spirit is tryed to be the spirit of error And a great deal of such stuff thou hast in thy answers to the queries which is not worth mentioning And this thou hast written to publish thy self that them that have a love to Christ their hearts may be turned from thee to God to see how thou hast uttered forth thy solly though with many fair glosses thou and such as thou art deceive the simple But all who are in the light do see thee and comprehend thee Something in Reply to the Epistle thou wrotest to the Lady BINDLOSSE TO her thou speakest of the doctrine and spirit and the holy Ghost Here I charge thee to be a lyar who knows nothing of them who deniest immediate revelation for thou who deniest that deniest the Father and the Son as in Matth. 11.27 Wherein goest thou about to exhort others who art in the condition thy self but art as Martha that would be serving If she do but take heed to the light which Christ hath enlightened her withall she will quickly see thy folly for the light which Christ hath enlightened her withall shall be her condemnation if she hate it and if she love it it will guide her into the way of righteousness up to Christ And there O woman is thy teacher and his condemnation And the Work which is brought forth in the North doth tâ—rment thee R. Sherlock and such as the Lord doth move to exhort or to speak such thou slanderest and dost accuse as tempting for thy slanders and reproaches the wo wil turn upon thee from God who is the Justifier of his children and with such Priests as thou art the righteous seed was ever hated as you may read throught the Scriptures If she that thou callest a Lady be grounded upon thy doctrine be a member with thee of thy body let her read thy answers to the queries the replies to them to the light in her I speak which is of Christ which will witness me and let her see thee and if her mind be guided by it it will condemn all her former practises of worship and let her see thy delusions And again thou art flattering the Lady and tells her of a discourse of the Spirit and these are thy unsavoury words who art discoursing of the Spirit but deniest it for thou that deniest immediate Revelation denies the Spirit In the Corinthians the Apostle said things were revealed to him by the spirit and all thy doctrines to be denied and all that thou speakest and thou art seen to be one of the evil beasts and slow-bellies whose mouth must be stopt And what dost thou tell her of growing up in the knowledge of God and stop the way for her to pass who deniest immediate revelation which the Apostle exhorted to And the Saints were to have the loins of their minds girded up as in 1 Pet. 1.13 And what hast thou to do to talk of Heaven or happiness who art a Beast in thy colours And so this is the intent that I have written this Reply to the Epistle which thou wrote to her thou callest Lady that she might with the Light of Christ in her see thy folly for to that I speak which is the Light of Christ which if she hate it it will be her eternal condemnation Something in Reply to thy Introduction Pr. NO age hath brought forth more pretenders to the Spirit of God than this wherein we live Rep. Let all people take notice if thou be not he that pretends the Spirit who hath not the same understanding and knowledge that the Apostles had and there thou art in the pretence who art blind and thy worship as thou callest it is thou dost not know what worse than it was at Samaria who art in the pride of heart And as thou sayest the Devil hath sown his crop and reapt his harvest and there thou art one of his servants sowing his seed and amongst the delusions as thou calst them for that is in thy generation which comes out of thy own bottle which now flows out what is within issues forth this is thy own condition who seducest the people The fire is kindling and the tares are burning which makes you wicked ones to cry out And so all Impostors and Blasphemers are in thy generation and you are ignorantly worshipping and your gross Idolatry which thou speakest of is your own and thou art a Murderer and understandest not what thou speakest of them and God thou knowest not who deniest immediate revelation from Heaven but onely what thou knowest thou knowest naturally as a bruit Beast which Jude speaks of And a great deal of stuff thou hast in this Introduction which is not worth mentioning If the Reader doth but read with a single eye he may see all thy confused stuff which is not worth naming And a great deal of stuff thou hast written in discourse of the Spirit and the Holy Ghost which thou knowest not what thou speakest of and of the Trinity which there is no Scripture for A Reply to an Epistle that thou wrotest to him whom thou callest Sir Robert Bindlosse THe Queries being sent to his house from Rich. Hubberthorn being his desire that they should be made publike and we do praise the Lord that deceit is brought to light And thou saist Perhaps some satisfaction might be given to those seduced wavering souls amongst you Truly I do
be approved true unto all that come unto God by Christ. Again John Tombes in page 5. pretending to answer the Quakers Objections which was never by them Objected goeth about to pervert the Scripture Luke 17.21 Behold the Kingdom of God is wiâ—hin you saith To his apprehension it is more truly rendred among you so that in his apprehension he would make a more certain rule and form of words then the Scripture so in this he doth not answer our Objections but contradicts Christs words and to prove his apprehension he saith That the Light within each man cannot be meant the Kingdom of God for the Kingdom of God is a thing that was not before Christs appearance in the flesh and was taken from the Jews and given to the Gentiles Ans. Here thou wouldst make people believe strange things or Preach a new Doctrine which hath not been heard or read of before thou hast said That the Word written in the Bible is thy light but there is not such a Word written in that Bible that saith that the Kingdom of God was not before Christs appearance in the flesh but thou may finde it written in the Bible that his Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom Dan. 7. Was not the Kingdom of God before the World was was not the Kingdom of God in the time of Enoch Isaac and Jacob Abraham Moses and the Prophets And when the Apostles did Preach the Kingdom of God was come nigh unto them and was at hand did they not Preach that which was in the beginning But herein it is manifest that thou neither own Scripture Light nor Scripture Words but this Doctrine few will believe that the Kingdom of God was not before Christs appearance in the flesh And therefore it is returned back upon thee that thou mayest see and be ashamed of what thou hast declared from thy darkness Again in page 55. another Scripture thou goes about to pervert Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory but thou wilt not have it in you but to you and so denieth both the truth of the thing and the Scripture words for the Apostle saith That this is the riches of the glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory but against the Mystery and glory of it thou hast set thy self to oppose and also that history thou wilt not own to be true and herein thou art guilty of that whereof thou hast accused others and herein thou wouldst make it appear to those that would believe thee that thy false apprehensions is the light of Scripture and not the Scripture thy light as before thou said it was And in the same page 55. thou sayest It is a meer fantastick delusion to imagine a Christ in themselves different from that Jesus Christ born of Mary who is the Saviour of the world Answ. If so then thou ownest that Christ as aboâ—e mentioned is in those that do believe except thou wilt deny that any Christ is in them contrary to the Scripture 2 Cor. 13.5 and this which thou hast here affirmed thou and thy brethren will not own unless you deny what you have formerly preached and printed Again page 41. thou hast accused Paul falsly saying that Paul followed the light within him and yet he accounted this his great sin Act. 26.9 1 Tim. 1.13 Answ. Paul in these Scriptures doth not say that he followed the light within him but he followed his thoughts which led him to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus and what he did it was ignorantly in unbelief and that was his sin and not following the light within but if it be sin to follow the light within why doth Baxter and thou say that a man should hearken to it follow it and obey it And Baxter saith that he is no Christian that denies it and so here thy reverend brother hath proved thee to be no Christian. Again page 50. thou sayest If David had had a light within him of it self a sufficient and safe guide to God he should not have been jealous of his own heart and thoughts so as to need God to search know and try him but it is otherwise with David and therefore he knew that he had not a light within him as a sufficient safe guide to lead him into the way everlasting Answ. Dâ—vid saith Psal. 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee so that contrary to what thou hast affirmed he knew that he had a light within him which was sufficient to lead him to life everlasting and this light in him was that which made him jealous of his own heart and thoughts and let him see that he had need of God to search prove and try him lest iniquity should be found in him but what Prophet or Apostle is it that can escape thy slanderous Tongue who affirmeth that the Word of God is not a sufficient guide to lead unto him before thou saidst a supposed light was not sufficient but here thou hast accused the word of God with insufficiency and David that he did not know such a light in him and so wouldst make him like unto thy self a giver forth of lyes in writing Again page 55. thou sayest The light within each person is by creation and inward work of the Spirit but the Gospel is the wâ—rd brought to our ears by preachers without us which is never received by many of those to whom it is preached Answ. In this thou hast said more of the light within each person then thou hast heard the Quakers say of it for thou hast here affirmed that the light in each person is an inward work of the Spirit and thou hast made it to be more inward spiritual and effectual then thou hast made the Gospel to be for the Gospel thou sayest is but the word brought to your ears without you and by mâ—ny never received but the light of each person is a work of the Spirit which is more then words outward to the ear so why hast thou so much contended against those who say Christ hath enlightned every man with his light which is spiritual when as thou not onely confesseth all is enlighâ—ned but saith That each person haâ—h a light within by creation and inward work of the Spirit but whether thou plead for or against the light in every person it is but from ignorance and darkness both concerning the light and the Gospel which is preached in every creature and so whether thou own or disown the light in words it is manifest thou art out of the life of it and knows not the spiritual work by it So these things are written unto thee that thou mayest see thy self and put thy mouth in the dust waiting in silence if so be there may be hope Again page 65. thou sayest The Apostle denies mens calling 〈◊〉 the Communion of Gods grace to be universal 1 Cor. 1.9 24 26. And again
tares which men gather which must be bound in bundles and cast into the fire for what is the Chaff to the Wheat or what is all such invented words to the knowledg of the Father Son and Spirit which are one which bear record in heaven and are three that beare witnesse in earth the Spirit and Water and the Blood and these three agree in one and when these are known in their witnesse in man what they witnesse unto and what they witnesse againsti within and without such will give them names according to their works and according to the Scriptures The Third head of John Stelhams Scripture Contradiction is concerning the light which every man is enlightened withall which of all things is most hated by all such whose wayes words works are contrary ot it for it being risen in the hearts of the Children of men to give the knowledge of the truth hath in this day made many wiser than their Teachers and now they which have caused people to err are by the light seen and by the Children of light are denyed and they being denyed their envie is up against the light which hath made them manifest and they walk not by the light nor according to the Scriptures buâ— there is a line of confusion comes over them by which now they walk and from which their writings doth proceed as John Stelham in page 52. saith they may affirm agreeable to the Scripture and yet contradict the Scriptures in saying Christ is in every man or that the light in every man leades to the Father saith Christ God or as God is in every man a spark of his god-head-light is in every man but there is not in every man that redemption light which leads to the Father That light which Christ hath enlightened every man withal leads to the Father all who are led by it and believe in it and condemns all from the Father which do not obey it but hate it and speak dispitefully against it who are turned out from God who is light and truth into the confusion saying that the God-head-light is not the Redemption-light but with the light that Lye and confusion is judged for ever and in affirming that the God-head-light is in every mâ—n and then calling it common and old Creation-light Scripture-light pag. 61. and the light of Nature page 74 75 and a legall light page 76. and a created light page 78. and an universal light unto which I say as God is so is his light so is his god-head not created nor natural and as every one comes to know the light which by J.S. is so reviled they shal neither follow nor believe his Doctrine till he can prove when the light of the God-head was created and how it became natural or legal or where he had those names for the Scriptures doth give no such names to the light so by his own rule he speaking more than is in the Scripture is not a Messenger sent by Gods spirit nor guided by it in what he sâ—ith As also in other things as in Pag 64. saying That light without Sâ—ripture is no light Then Enoch's light in which he walk'd wiâ—h God was no light nor Jacobs light nor Isaacs nor Abrahams for they were without these Writings this letter which he calls the Scriptures but they were not without light And thousands have so much light whether they have the Sâ—riptures or not as to see this darkness as to say light though saving light without Scripture is no light did the Scriptures make the light to be light and was the saving light made by that which was written let all take notice turne away from such in another place he calls the Scripture but the declaration that Christ is the Word calleâ—h them a Vessel that the light is put into in p. 43. 44 Now let them of understanding consider judg whether the vessel be the maker of that which is put into it whether Wine that is put into a Bottle be made wine by the Bottle or whether it is not Wine without the bottle Water put into a vessel be not Wâ—ter without the vessel or whether the vessel make it to be Water J.S. saith Every verse of Scripture is a little vessel of light that light without scripture is no light so these things have I laid open that every one may see how the Lord hath turned wise men backward and made their Wisdom foolishness and that they may see how those stumble and fall and are snared and taken whose light is turned into darkness and hovv great that darkness is and novv is the Scripture not denied but fulfilled for now is the Light and Truth come into the World by which they are found to be blind who said they saw and in which they see that vvere blind And now the depths are seen vvhich are covered vvith darkness and Babylon is seen the Mother of Harlots which bring forth in confusion and bind up in ignorance Other confusions and lyes I shall also mention given forth by J.S. in his Book As p. 68. he saith that God was and is the Word according to John 1.1 and in p. 69. he saith The Father is not the Word nor never so called which is a contradiction And in p. 70. saith Christ is more in the Scriptures than in his Saints vvhich is false for greater vvas that vvhich the vvords came from than the vvords vvhich did but declare of the fulness from vvhence they came as all that know Christ wil bear witness unto and against all such that say Christ is more in the words than in them who spake the words Again in p. 73. he saith Christ the Author of salvation to them that obey him speaking in the Scripture saveth by the Scripture which is false and contrary to the testimony of the Scriptures and the witness of them who witnessed his salvation who said By his Life are we saved and by Grace through faith which was the gift of God and not by the Letter and their Witness was true for God and his Works and against all such who are of a lying heart and spirit of error who would make the Letter to be the Light yea more even that vvhich makes light to be light and so greater for that vvhich makes a thing is greater than a thing that is made and would have the Letter to be the Word when as the Letter saith God is the Word and would make the Scriptures to be that by which people are saved as in p. 73. saying Christ saveth by the Scriptures but the Scriptures speak no such thing of themselves for they say there is no other name under Heaven by which men can be saved but by the name of Jesus neither is there such a word written in the Bible that saith men are saved by the scriptures nor that the Light of the God-head is natural as I. S. saith that he may
he hath gathered from Scripture or his own imaginations and let him chuse to say whether he will And in the next he will be proved a false Prophet and that E. B. compiled a Book out of Scripture Collections is false for having the same Spirit which gave forth the Scripture which brings the Scripture to remembrance is not compiling a Book out of Scriptures and J. S. is found a false Accuser and E.B. neither a self-Contradictor nor self-Curser and these are true words to this Generation and owned with the Spirit of God though J. S. in his scornfull spirit abuse them he that hath the Word of the Lord from the mouth of the Lord to declare he is reviled and mocked But he that speaks the imagination of his own heart from the Saints conditions he is heard and owned and this is neither Scripture contradiction nor self contradiction let J. S. judg out of his own heart what he will neither is this self-contradiction to ask Which of the Saints had the witnesse of their souls union to seek in the Letter and yet to affirm the Spirit opens and brings that which is spoken in Scripture to remembrance Let J. S. first answer the Query in plainnesse which is an honest query and not to imply from it his own conceptions to make appear self-Contradictâ—ons let the sober Reader judg where the contradiction lies and he saith the Spirit is in the leâ—ter and goes about to prove it if he could if the Spirit be in the letter then all must have the spirit that hath the letter and the Spirit is whereever the Bible is which I do deny for many have the Letter and profâ—sse it which knows not the spirit and many have the Bible in their pocket which have not the spirit there and this will be confessed by J. S. and all his fellows and so he must revoke who saith the Spirit is in the letter and the spirit gives life but the letter kills In his proof he saith The written Word viz. the Letter is of greater authority then the writer Mark here Christ was one of them which gave forth Scripture and he was a greater authority than what was written and I say as it is plain to all honest men who can believe truth that the holy men of God who had the spirit were of greater authority than the Scriptures since have been which they left behinde them But J. S. hath set Christ and all them that gave forth scripture to be lesse in authority than the scriptures Let wise men judg of this matter he saith They were imperfectly holy that wrote forth the Scriptures and this is an absolute lye for the scrâ—ptures give â—his testimony of many of them that wrote it that they were perfect men and he hath also slaundered Christ to be imperfectly holy and in his next let him prove what this imperfect holinesse is and till then we deny that there is any Holinesse imperfect Further he saith The promises of the scripture are his â—hariot to convey him spirit whither he pleases to go But where is his proof for such a Doctrine but all that he saith doth not prove that the spirit is in the letter though he say to make up the sum of his matter Daily experiences do demonstrate that the spirit is in the letter but where is the man let him answer that thus hath experienced that alwayes when he hath seen the letter and handled the letter hath seen and handled the spirit the testimony of an honest man I will believe but not J. S. assertion out of his own heart In his 2 d Head of self-contradiction Concerning hearing the Word this is not contradiction to say they who are of God hear his Word and yet to deny the hearing of such as J. S. who is not a Minister of the Word but a Professor of the Letter for proud men and covetous men and false Accusers such as J. S. is we are exhorted to turn away from by Paul and this is not a denying our selves to be of God as J. S. would charge us withall because we deny to hear Hirelings for we hear Gods Word and his Voice and therefore do we deny to hear Dâ—ceivers and this is no self-contradiction nor saying nor unsaying let J.S. judge what he will the Saints shall be my witnâ—sse and though we say that the Saints Teacher cannot be removed into a corner as saith the scripture and that the saints will finde theiâ— teachers as they lie in their beds both these are true and not self-contradiction let a sober Reader judg whether he can find contradiction in those words but fain would J. S have his lies believed for truth that he might have praise of men for his works have gained no praise of God and he saith R F. hath not proved lyes yet against him if it were so let the Reader search whether there be none proved against him now but let him not say like a Pharisee I am no lyar but rather let him repent of his lyes and wickedness His 3 d. Head concerning the Light within Wherein much ado he makes as to prove the light of Christ spoken of Ioh. 1.9 to be a natural light and he saith the light given to all men even that light spoken of Ioh. 1.9 is a dim light and is cold and insufficient to Salvation and unable to make true discovery of the true Saviour such like contemptible undervaluing words of the pure light of Christ by whom the world was made who lighteth every man in the World by this it is known more evidently what Spirit J. S. is of but there is none of us who have received the knowledge of God by the very light of Christ which shines in our hearts can believe him and this is no contradiction to say that every man is lightned by Christ with the true light and yet to say some men are living in a natural condition both these are true for some hates the light of Christ and their deeds are evil and such are in a natural condition but this doth not prove that Christ hath not given them light though they be in a natural condition I leavit to spiritual men to judge though they say it seems strange that some should live a natural condition and yet have the light of Christ given them saith he as if every man brought a Saviour with him into the world This last is his false conception but he is mans saviour by whose power every man is brought in to the World and if J. S. did but understand as we do that some love the light and some hates it such as hate it denyes Christ he that loves it receives Christ who knows this stranges not I.S. wondring shews his Ignorance who would secretly charge us to be bewitched with a Notion of accounting nature grace which we do not and it is his own condition he that conceives Lyes believes them and tells them is the
rather bewitched And further he saith the light in every man is a poor base beggarly scrap to the Gospel treasure these words are uttered in his hastiness and without either fear or knowledge for he that lighteth every man with the true light of life or of Condemnation is not base beggarly scrapâ— as I. S. saith it is for it brings to the â—nowledge of the Gospel treasure and pearle and not other light and thus whilst he thinks to prove us self-contradictors he proves himself a vilifier and a blasphemer of Christ Jesus the Saviour of the World who lighteth every man that commeth into the World Again he would make this contradiction becâ—use we say every man in hiâ— first state is as a Beast and yet saying every man is lightned but this is not contradiction no more than the former is then he speaks of naturall conscience and sâ—cretly charges us as if we should say it is potent and victorious at last but this is a secret slander of his for we say Christ only is victorious and through him are we made Conquerers and not by natural conscience and he speaks of Gospel conviction to be above the conviction of natural conscience but I would know of him where the Gospel conviction works if not in mens consciences and so in his next let him divâ—de if he can and shew the dâ—fference of such convictions Further he would say that this is contradiction to say thâ—t every man in his first birth may see himself to be natural and yet to say that the light which discovers natural corruptions is not natural but spiritual both these are true for the light shines in darkness which shews the darkness and is not darkness but light and he that câ—n understand that Scripture Iohn 1.5 shall see the truth of both these to be no self-contardiction Further he saith the Scriptures are a rule above the Saints light and unto it and not so their light above the Scripture this is confusion and he knows not whereof he affiâ—ms for the Spirit of God is the the Saints rule and that is greater than the Scriptures and the rule of the Spirit of God is above the Scripture but such as J. S. who talks of Scripturres to be a rule yet acts these things which the Scriptures declare against are but found in deeper hypocrisie for he that is ruled by the Spirit of God walks up in the fulfilling of Scriptures And further J. S. confessâ—d and saith this he knows that he is more brutish then any man and hath not the knowledge of the holy and this is truly â—onfessed his own works manifest his own condition to be true and he confesses he never obeyed natural light as he ought and as he might and this is truly confessed for if he had obeyâ—d that light which he calls natural he would not thus have stumbled at him who hath lightned every man And further he charges a deceit when men will put off that for redemption light which is but old creation light let him charge them that are guilty but yet we say that the same is Redeemed by whom the world was created and this is without any deceit and he that lighteneth every man with the light that is but one he is the Saviour of all that receive him in the light and he is the condemner of all that hate his light this is no self-contradiction but the very truth as it is in Jesus Further â— S. would make it appear if he could that we contradict our selves concerning sin and Christ but his whole Section I leave to be read in his Book and let the wise Reader judge whether his proof be any such thing only his lye will prove what he saith he saith We hold Christ to be in all this is his Lye for we say Christ is not in the Reprobate neither did we ever affirm that Christ is not in the Reprobate and so is not in all neither do we concerning Justification contradict our selves in the Spirit of God though so it may appeare to J. S. blind mind and so would make it appear to others by blind arguments by his own meaning Again J. S. would charge self-contradiction upon us because we bear witness to the New-Covenant and doth say the children of God are taught of God and needs no man to teach them but as the annointing within them and yet doth write and print here he saith we condemn in others what we allow in our selves Now to all honest people this is no contradiction neither a condemning in others what we allow in our selves for therefore we write and print and speak that all may come to the knowledge of this thing may be converted to God and know his teaching wiâ—hin them but what would J. S. have said of John who told them they needed no man to teach them but as that within them and yet did write Epistles to them â—ery like he would have called this contradiction And the same is our cause who doth and must do though J. S. and his companions be grieved therewith because their folly is laid open thereby print and write and speak that people through the Ministry be brought to know the teaching of God in themselves and yet herein in the light of the Spirit of God do we not contradict our selves let J.S. say what he will neither do we allow in our selves what we condemn in another this is one of J.S. his lyes we allow the Ministry of Christ yet doth not allow the Ministry of Deceivers and yet is not in contradiction and this in short may give the Reader to understand the deceit and deceivableness to lye in J. S. who is found seeking offences against us without any cause given him and he layes snares for another which doth entrap his own feet And whereas he hath transcribed E B his Confession in the warning to Underbarrow which confession is still owned and no self-contradiction proved by it For though God spake by G.F. to him yet this doth not contradict the teaching of the spirit of God as that E. B. was not taught by the spirit of God For as I have said G. F. did minister as many do at this day that people should come to the teaching of God in themselves and herein we do not contradict the scriptures let J. S make as many blind Arguments as he can and that instance about J. L. being of the same nature with the former The Answer supplies both his Proofs neitâ—er of which doth prove us in contradiction but is a witnesse to the Ministry of Christ and to the Conversion received through it wherein we are taught of God and need no man to teach us but as the anointing the spirit of God within us which is immediate and yet we preach the Gospel to others that they may come to witnesse the same with us even the teaching of the spirit of God and for this end is the Ministry of God
as Paul was 2 Cor. 3.6 For every measure of the Spirit is infallible or undeceivable buâ— that which is fallible is deceivable and whosoever is taught by that Spirit is deceived and Thomas Dance pretends to have no other Spirit but that which is deceivable and fallible so that it is time to turn away from such Again he chargeth Timothy that he was not infallible which is a false charge For wherein was he fallible or deceivable but he was so infallible that he not neglecting the gift of God that was in him he by it was able to save himself and those that heard him 1 Tim. 4 16. And he ministred from the gift of God in him which he had received by prophesie and so not from a fallible spirit but from the infallible and so he is accused falsly by T. Dance Again Tho. Dance saith That he desireth the Office of a Bishop c. Ans. But consider what such a one must be which is blameless vigilant sober not rude and scornful but of good behaviour apt to teach not apt to laugh and jeer and cause the people to be light and vain he must not be given to wine no striker not greedy of filthy lucre but patient not a brâ—wler not covetous as it doth appear those Priests are guilty of which have nothing to preach from but the infallible spirit vvhich doth always deceive people but one that ruleth his own house well having his children in subjection with all gravity for if a man know not how to rule his own house wel how shall he take care of the Church of God but it is manifest that Tho. Dance ruled not his own Church or people well but rather provoked them to wantonness rudeness and laughter which is madness Not a Novice lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil But T. D. was so lifted up in the pride of his heart that he gave two meanings to one place of Scripture and so falls into the condemnation of the Devil Pr. And whereas Thomas Dance saith That his qâ—â—â—ification is such that he might have been cloathed in scarlet c. Ans. What mightest thou have been a Lawyer or Doctor as one of thy Brethren said Which if thou hadst by that the Nation is deceived though not in so high a measure as by professing the Ministry but that is taken up as the most profitable Trade to get means and live in pride What if thou hadst been cloathed in Scarlet in Velvet in Purple or any other gorgeous apparel and in that apparel which thou art already cloathed with wilt thou be condemned when thou comes to know any measure of the gift of the true Ministry to be thy guide Pr. Again whereas thou takest the people to be a seal of thy Ministry Ans. All the people that were in place and some more may seal it to be fallible and deceivable as thou hast confessed it to be but there is not one that can set to their seal that it hath brought them to a perfect man nor to the knolwedge of the Son of God nor to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ and so it hath not effected any of the Work of the true Ministry but when thou comes to be searched narrowly filthy lucre wil be found to be the end for which thou Ministrest without which thou wouldst be silent And now further to manifest that that he pretends not to any thing of the infallible Spirit in his Ministry these his principles or doctrines declare as followeth with the answer of truth to them Pr. That every individual man was not enlightened by Christ. Ans. Which doctrine is contrary to John 1.9 which saith that was the true Light which enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world and to pervert the Scripture he gave two meanings that the people might take whether they would so that they would but deny the form of sound words and the plain Scripture The first was this That Christ enlightened every man that is enlightened Or else Secondly That he enlighteneth some in every Nation Now let people consider how that this can be the meaning of the Holy Ghost as he said it was seeing that here is two meanings and it is either the one or the other but he knows not which which doth plainly manifest that he hath not the mind of the Spirit which is but one and speaks as it means but the Scriptures cannot be broken by such meanings which saith thâ—â—â—very man is enlightened with the true Light Pr. That the whole body of the Gentiles was not enlightened Ans. Then by what shall those Gentiles be condemned who are not enlightened seeing that Christ was given for a Light to the Gentiles as the Prophet Isaiah saith But he doth not say to some of the Gentiles and not to the whole body and though the Gentiles were once darkness Eph. 5. yet the Light shined in the darkness and the Apostle turned them unto that Light which shined in the darkness that the eye which was blinded might be opened He did not come to give them eyes but to open the blind eyes not to give them light but to turn them to the Light that was in them as Acts 26.10 Pr. That the Gospel is an external Light and not invisible and that it is not thâ— Light within Ans. Which is contrary to the Apostles doctrine which saith the gospel is the power of God Rom. 1. which is not external nor visible but invisible and shined in their hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 and it was hid unto those that were lost but that which was visible they could see and hear with the visible eyes and ears but both the Gospel which is the power of God and the eye that sees are invisible Pr. That Christ being the propitiation for the sins of the whole world as John said 1 John 2.2 is meant onely the world of believers Ans. In this he would break the Scriptures and contradict the Apostle which saith He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely who were the believers but for the sins of the whole world Which whole World John said lies in wickedness but the whole World of believers lies not in wickednesse but is of God Pr. That they must reconcile the Scriptures Ans. The Scriptures cannot be broken John 10.35 but is reconciled and at unity in themselves and in all those that know them but he that gives two contrary meanings to one Scripture he doth not go about to reconcile but rather to pervert them and to take away the plain testimony of truth which they give from peoples understandings but the key of knowledge is found again which opens the Scriptures 〈…〉 mystery of them And herein is the ignorance of â—eachers and people in saying the Scriptures are not reconciled it is they that are not reconciled to God nor the Scriptures and so they utter forth their blindnesse ignorance and error
of Religion that Popery should be tolerated the blood of many thousands of the People of God having been barbarously shed by the Professors thereof or any person tolerated that worship a false God nor any that speak contemptuously and reproachfully of our Lord Jesus Christ nor any that deny the holy Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New-Testament to be the Word of God and yet we are not against tolerating of Episcopacy Presbyter or any stinted form provided they do not compel any others to a compliance therewith or a conformity thereunto For whatever Composers of any form of Worship may possibly err it is derogating from God and his holy Word and injurious to men to compel any to the practice thereof Ans. What confusion is here and contradiction both to your selves and to the exâ—mple of Christ As to Religion you wil not tolerate Popery because the blood of many of the people of God have been barbarously shed by the professors thereof neither wil you have any persons tolerated that worship a false God nor any that speak contempâ—uously and reproachfully of the Lord Jesus Christ nor any that deny the holy Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old New-Testament to be the Word of God And yet you are not against tolerating of Episcopacy Presbytery or any stinted form Why wil you not tolerate Popery as well as Episcopacy Have not the professors of Episcopacy murthered and slain and do labour to murther and slay the people of God as well as the Papists And why will you tolerate the Common-Prayer among the Episcopacy and not the Mass-Book among the Papists seeing that the Mass was the substance out of which the Common-prayer was extracted Here is nothing but partiality to tolerate one thing and not another of the same kind And why will you not tolerate the persons of those that worship a false God nor the persons of those that deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God nor the persons of those that speak contemptuously and reproachfully of the Lord Jesus Christ Ans. If you will not tolerate their persons then you will murther or destroy their persons and herein you have proved the accusation against you to be true that you have a design to murther and destroy those that differ from you in matters of Religion As for instance those that worship a false God they differ from you in matters of Religion and you will not have any of their persons tolerated and their persons must be destroyed for differing from you in matters of Religion And they that deny the Scriptures that is the Writings to be the Word of God that is to be Christ whose Name is called the Word of God you will not tolerate their persons then you will destroy them because they differ from you in matters of Religion And those that speak reproachfully of Jesus Christ you wil not tolerate their persons then you wil destroy their persons because they differ from you in matters of Religion and thus having contradicted your selves you have also contradicted the example of Christ for he came among those that worshipped false Gods even stocks and stones and graven Images the Works of mens hands and he was not against tolerating their persons neither came he to destroy mens lives because of such things but had a Gospel to preach unto them whereby they might learn to know the living God and turn from dumb Idols and those that speak reproachfully against him and said he had a Devil yet he was not against tolerating their persons but preached the Kingdom of God to them and did bid them seek it and the righteousness thereof and told them that the Kingdom of God was within them and he wâ—s among such as denied that there was a God or Christ or Resurrection Angel or Spirit and this is more than to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God which indeed is words and not the Word And Christ was not against tolerating of any of the persons as you have expressed your selves to be and so shewed forth a murthering Spirit But seeing that you wil not have any person tolerated that worships a false God what must be done vvith their persons But what difference is there in the ground or cause of toleration between those that vvorship a false god or they vvhich vvorship the true God in a false vvay And if the persons of neither of those should be tolerated then the toleration vvould but reach a little compass But vvho must be Judge of that blasphemy contempt or reproach spoken against the Lord Jesus Christ Was it not blasphemy in the Apostles days for one to say he was a Jew and was not Rev. 2. v. 9 And is it not as great blasphemy now to say that he is a Christian or a Believer that is not And must not any person be tolerated that speak such vvords And must not such a person be tolerated that denies the Scriptures to be the Word of God Then it appears they must not be tolerated that say In the beginning was the Word as John 1.4 Nor that say that Christ is the Word and that the Scriptures are they which testifie of him as John 5. And if we search out your toleration to the bottom it will be reduced into this compass That none shall be tolerated but those that say as you say and profess what you profess and you among your selves are as a Kingdom divided that cannot stand and you are not they vvhich are fit to Rule in the Nation to prescribe Liberty nor give toleration but if you had been of Christ's Spirit you would have professed Toleration and not Destruction unto all persons in matters of Religion and then they that have the Gospel of Christ may minister it freely among those that vvorship a false god and among those that worship the true God ignorantly and minister it among the Papists â—piscopal and Presbyterie Heathens Turks and Pagans which are all out of the way and so to convince the gain-sayers so that all the wicked impositions cruelty persecution and killing one another about Religion would cease and then the Gospel of peace which is the power of God would rule over deceit and Truth and Righteousnesse would encrease and spread over the Nations but you have appeared to be of a spirit of Confusion and Contradiction for vvhen you have spoken against tolerating the persons before mentioned yet you say in contradiction to it you are not against tolerating Episcopacy Presbyterie or any stinted Form provided they do not compel any others to a compliance therewith or conformity thereunto c. Now consider and let even your own foolishness correct you Is not the Papists which ye have have excepted against a stinted Form And are not those that vvorship a false god a stinted Form And are not the Sadduces that deny that there is either God Christ Angel Resurrection or Spirit a stinted Form And is not the
Jesus Christ that was called of men Master In thy answer to this Query thou bringest the Prophets and Priests under the Law called Fathers to oppose Christ's doctrine Thou wouldst compare Oxford and Cambridge to such as the Prophets and Apostles yet thou deniest immediate Revelation from Heaven And here thou hast cleared thy self and Oxford Cambridge from the life of the Prophets for they had immediate revelation And so thou bringest many names as Pastors and Shepherds and Ministers and Apostles and Evangelists to oppose Christ's Doctrine who saith Be not you called of men Master So let all see if they be not under the delusion who say Master is a civil honor and so opposeth Christ's Doctrine Here thou hast shewed thou dost not believe For how can you believe that receive honor one of another and shewest that thou lovest it as the Scribes and Pharisees did and would not part with it and art in thy pride and vain-glory as the Scribes and Pharisees were who say that is a civil honor and respect which Christ cryed wo against And herv thou hast brought thy self and all thy company under the wo and Oxford and Cambridge in the state which Christ pronounced wo against and thou art judged with the same life that gave forth the Scriptures Qu. 4. Shew me by the Scriptures where ever the Ministers of Christ took Tythes of the people or Augmentations In thy answer thou saist The Priests under the Law received Tyâ—hes Rep. There was a time that they received Tythes they might not neglect them as denying their Tythes to the first Priesthood There was a time after Christ when he was sacrificed up that he was preached the unchangeable Priesthood Heb. 7. then the Priesthood which received tythes was denyed therefore the wo is come upon thee and all thy generation who receive tythes according to the changeable Priesthood Here thou hast shewed thy self without judgement and rhe love of God and the wo is come upon thee and all thy generation who receive tythes and hold up the changeable Priesthood and so deny Christ come in the flesh They that preached the Gospel who lived on the Gospel denied the changeable Priesthood who received Tythes but for shame you Ministers of Oxford and Cambridge stop your mouths for they must be stopt do not you sue men at the Law and imprison men for Tythes And here you shew you do not preach the Gospel for it will not maintain you for them that preached the Gospel lived on the Gospel There thou thief art taken who hath gotten the Apostles words who art for judgement Qu. 5. Shew me by the Scriptures and what Scripture have you which speaks of the word Sacrament which you tell the people of and deceive the simple Pr. And in thy Answer to this Query thou art confused First thou sayest there is no Scripture for the word Sacrament and yet thou sayest Christ commands it and yet thou sayest there is not such a word in Scripture Rep. Here thou which addest to it hast brought thy self under the plagues and wo. And here let all who are in the Light see if thou art not a deceiver who deceives thy soul. I charge thee again that thou knowest not Christ for thou deniest immediate revelation so thou knowest not his commands nor dost not obey them for none know the Son but to whom he is revealed And here I charge thee to be a deceiver and a deluder of the soul from the Lord. This is in reply to the answer of the fifth Query Qu. 6. Shew me what Scripture you have which speaks that the Apostles sprinkled Infants Thou bringest the Scriptures as Christ saith Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God And this thou bringest to justifie sprinkling Infants for circumcision outwardly was a type of circumcision inwardly So thou hast not a word in the Scripture to maintain it but thou ramblest up and down and perverts many Scriptures in which there is not such a word for it And here I charge thee in the presence of the living God to be a lyar for Christ never commanded sprinkling Infants neither is it any Ordinance of Christ neither is there any example among the holy men of God that ever it was practised the plagues of God are added to thee Let all people see if there be any word for sprinkling Infants let the scriptures which thou bringest judg thee Luke 18.15 Jer. 15.6 Luk. 1.66.80 Act. 10.47 Here I charge thee with all these scriptures to be a lyar and they shall judge theâ— which thou hast brought for sprinkling of Infants let the Reader of thy Book examine the scriptures and find thee a Lyar and all thy dirty stuff which thou hast gathered from them is to be trodden under foot with the children of the Light who witness baptism and circumcision and new birth born again and all who are here do see thee to be blind deaf and a fool and there thou mayest read thy self Let all people see thee here who art without the life of the scripture who deniest immediate revelation from Heaven which the Apostles witnessed and the Prophets for without God thou art eternally I witness it Qu. 7. Shew me what Scripture you have to stand praying in the Synagogues before Sermon and after and whether the Apostles did so In thy answer to this query thou bringest the Apostles words which said pray alwayes to justifie standing praying in the Synagogues and having the chiefest place in the Assemblies which Christ cryed wo against And here I charge thee to be a false Prophet who puts no difference betwixt the Apostle and the Pharisees though he said the Temple which Solomon built him it was a house of prayer Christ said there should not be one stone of it left upon another when Christ Jesus was witnessed Stephen for witnessing him was stoned to death And here thou hast shewed thou hast no judgement and errs not knowing the Scripture And as for Christ's whipping them out of the Temple read thy self to the Light in thy Conscience I speak and so all thy praying before thy Sermon and after as thou callest it in the Synagogues in the chiefest place of the Assemblies the wo which Christ pronounced against thy Fathers hath light upon the son thou who art found in the same place let Matth. 23. judge thee the life which gave forth these words the life of these words is upon thee and so all thy prayers are abomination to the Lord God in the state thou art in and the praying of the Saints who were moved by the spirit thou hast cleared thy self from for thou deniest immediate Revelation from Heaven and how canst thou pray and not with the spirit And here let all people judge and see what thy prayers are if thou be not in the state of the Pharisees who deny immediate revelation and to be one that is blind
and the praying with the Spirit is witnessed among the Saints Qu. 8. Shew me by the Scripture when the Apostles went into the World and gave the people of the World David's Psalms to be sung in meeter the things that you practise answer them by the Scriptures or the Apostles practise without consequence or imagination And in thy answer to this Query thou perverts the Scripture as in the Acts as Paul and Silas sung Psalms in the prison with them of the World they did not go into the World to give them a psalm to sing men that were not come to repentance for saith David The dead cannot praise God there I charge thee to be a lyar that puttest no difference betwixt the Saints singing with grace and understanding and the World which have gotten the form where thou art The Apostle did not speak to such as were in thy condition to be filled with the spâ—rit who were not come to repentance but he spoke to them who were turned from the World and such sung praises to God But for such as thee to go and give to the World Davids psalms in a meeter and say O Lord I am not puft iâ— mind I have no scornful eye O you prophane ones and scornful ones how can you sing this but lye who have scornful eyes to sing all your bones quake and you tremble and you water your bed with your tears and you lie roaring all the night and day when as you scorn Quakers and hate them and speak all manner of evil of them how can you speak this but lye But Davids condition and the Saints is witnessed among them whom the World scornfully call Quakers which power makes all to tremble though you scorn it a while and have gotten the outside the Letter David's condition in a form of words scorning his life and the power of God where it is made manifest Take warning all you scoffers and scorners what came to be the end of all your Fathers that passed before you but destruction You lofty ones fear tremble before the mighty God for all your songs must be turned into howling but singing with the spirit we own the grace which hath appeared to all men teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts And here I charge thee again to be blind that puts no difference betwixt the worlds singing and the Saints Qu. 9. Whether a man shall overcome the body of sin while hâ— is upon the Earth yea or no Pr. And in thy answer to this ninth Query thou sayest It is not possible to subdue the body of sin altogether while we are in this world and thy comparison is A tree while there is life in it will bring forth fruit Rep. Here I charge thee in the presence of the living God to be the corrupt tree for by thy fruit thou art known for a good Tree cannot bring forth evil fruit and here thou art proved to be thaâ— corrupt tree who confesseth you do not attain to the same knowledge and understanding the Apostles did as thou speakest in thy Book whose harvest is ripe and now is reaping down Pr. And whereas thou sayest they shall not overcome the body of sin while in this world Rep. And here I charge thee again for say the Saints As he is so are we in this present world and thou sayest not there is the lying spirit and the Apostles said they had put off the body of sin and thou sayest it is not possible and there thy spirit is found contrary to the Scripture and the Apostle saith in Rom. 6. they were made free from sin and thou sayest not it cannot be possible and here thy spirit is tryed Let all the children of the light judge thee and that thou speakest to be contrary to the Apostles words in the Romans and all you that cannot witness these things that the body of sin is not put off wait upon God through Christ for it Qu. 10. Whether the curse be not upon him that preacheth another Gospel then Christ and the Apostles preached yea or no Pr. And in thy answer to this Query thou speakest of receiving the Gospel from Christ and the Apostles Rep. In this I charge thee to be a lyar as I said to thee before who deniest immediate Revelation from Heaven how canst thou be a Preacher of the gospel and deny revelatioâ— What a grosâ— darkness are people in that believe thee For under the curse and wo thou art that the Scripture speaks of and he that hath received the end of his prophesie is made from the curse but this is without thy understanding and knowledge Thou confessest in thy answer to the first query you preach the same gospel but do not attain the same knowledge and understanding Let all people see who are in the Light if it be not the same knowledge and understanding it is not the same Gospel but another and there the curse is upon thee Qu. 11. Whether any natural man can preach the Gospel yea or no Pr. In thy answer to this eleventh query thou speakest of understanding and of studying and of the Gospel and of a natural man and sayest he cannot preach the Gospel and thou saist Your understanding knowledg is not the same as the Apostles was Rep. Here let all who are in the Light see if it be not natural then and if thou be not him that studies a divination of thy own brain and instead of the blessing the curse of God comes upon it for how many are there that were Priests as you are that now cry against you which are come out of your generation and see the curse of God upon all your practises Pr. And thou sayest The flesh which is quickened with the Spirit of Life brings forth some kind of fleshly fruit or other Rep. Here thou hast shewed thy self to be death indeed doth the spirit cause fruits of the flesh Or are the fruits of the spirit the fruits of the flesh O thou lyar and high blasphemer which thou sayest is clear from manifold texts of Scripture all the Scriptures will witness thee to be a lyar and these Scriptutes thou bringest to maintain the spirit of life to bring forth some kind of fleshly fruits and the fruits of the spirit to be the fruits of the flesh Here all who are in the spirit will judge thee to be a blasphemer of the holy Spirit of God for the Spirit brings forth no fruits of the flesh Pr. And thou sayest in thy answer to the first query you do not go to Oxford and Cambridge to learn the Gospel you preach but to learn the knowledge of Tongues and Languages Arts and Sciences Rep. O for shame stop thy mouth here thou hast shamed thy self and all your schools with an external means to open the Gospel People are blind indeed that do follow thee but thy bottle is open and what is within pours out and the Fountain runs and thy
Rep. Here I charge thee to be a lyar and a blasphemer in the presence of the lâ—ving God let all people read these Scriptures and see if there be any such thing in them and whether thou hast not misapplied thâ—se scriptures when the spirit saith It câ—ucifieth the deeds of the flesh and walking in the spirit the lusts of the flesh iâ— not fulfilled and here I charge thee to be a lyar and of the Devil who was a lyar from the beginning and in his generation thou art Qu. 17. Whether they do not bewitch the people who withdraw them from the spirit within to observe the ordinances of the world and traditions of men without as the Galatians were bewitched Gal. 3.1 Pr. I must tell you that there is not onely a holy and good spirit within and that in too few but there is also an evil and seducing spirit within and that in too many even the spirit that doth bewitch men and draw them aside from the doctrines and commands of the spirit of truth and to strive by all means to draw the people off from giving heed to seducing spirits it is not to observe the ordinances of the world and traditions of men as you pervert the Text but to obey the command of Gods true spirit who foretelling of false Prophets and false Spirits often in the word commands exhorts and admonishes to beware of such not to give heed to such and not to believe every spirit but to trie them Rep. Here in this answer thy spirit is tried which I have given to all people to read with a single eye that all may see what confusion here is in it First thou sayest that the seducing spirit draws from the seducing spirit and in the seducing spirit thou art and from the spirit of life with the spirit of life thou art judged to be out of the doctrine of Christ nor is not guided by the holy spirit Qu. 18. Whether they be not seducers which tell people these are the ordinances of God which God never commanded as sprinkling Infants telling people of a sacrament which there is no scripture for and draw them from the spirit within to follow your imaginations and inventions Pr. But for sprinkling Infants I have already given you the grounds of it out of Scripture Rep. Here again I charge thee in the presence of the living God to be a lyar theâ—e is not such a word in the scripture to bear it out nor a word of a sacrament which there is no scripture for let all read the scripture throughout and see if they can find such a word in the scripture so let all people judge thee to be a lyar and a seducer and in the Devils invention which calls that an ordinance of God which is invention and imagination Pr. We are not blind-folded to follow the dictates of the spirit within Rep. Here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be in the flesh and to follow the flesh for who are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God and thou that dost not follow the dictates of the spirit thou dost not follow the commands of God and what hast thou to do to talk of clearing it by the Scripture when there is no Scripture for it and when the Scripture witnesses against the works of the flesh which thy spirit stirs up Que. 19. Whether you have the same spirit which was in Christ the Apostles and Prophets which gave forth the scripture seeing you act contrary to the scriptures and follow your own inventions and traditions and so err from them Pr. Our Ministerial actions are agreeable to the Scripture Rep. Here I charge thee to be a liar for in thy answer to the former Querie thou sayest you do not follow the dictates of the spirit within and art holding up sprinkling infants which there is no scripture for and so walk contrary to the scripture and to them that were led by the spirit which gave them forth Que. 20. Whether ever Christ and his Apostles did first baptize and then preach faith and repentance twenty or thirty years afterwards Pr. Christ himself was not capable of faith and repentance Rep. Here I charge thee to be a liar and a slanderer for he was capable of faith and repentance and the baptism which the Apostles baptised withal what hast thou to do with it who art holding up sprinkling infants which there is no example for in the scriptures nor in all the Apostles practice Therefore silence flesh for thou knowest nothing of the wisdom of God which the Apostle speaks of but art in the state of Simon Magus who art buying and selling the letter worse then he for he would have bought the spirit which the Apostles denied so thou art denied with the same spirit but the Saints baptism we own and the believers and the promises which is to the seed thou hast cleared thy self from who saist Christ was not capable of faith how could he be above it and not capable of it and the life that I live is by faith of the Son of God â—â—ith the Apostle which thou hast cleared thy self from Que. 21. Whether ever Christ and his Apostles received 100. or 200. pounds a year for preaching the Gospel Pr. Many of the Apostles converts sold their estates and brought it and laid it down at the Apostles feet Rep. Here I challenge all the Oxford and Cambridge Teachers in England how many of their Converts have sold their estates and laid it down at your feet but you Teachers and they are so earthly minded you are fit to sue them at the law and imprison them as Lancaster and Kendal Goals may witness where many suffer now because they will not pay tithes and so you shew you preach another Gospel so let Christ and the Apostles judge you all to be without their doctrine and your converts as thou callest them to be without the Apostles and Christ let their example judge you all and so you shew that you never sowed spiritual things but only as a custom and a cloak thou bringest these words for the Apostle did reap carnal things where he sowed spiritual things Que. 22. What scripture is there to limit God to a place calling it a Church when as the Church is in God 1 Thess. 1.1 Pr. You cry down all distinctions as savouring of humane â—earning whereby the naked truth might be clearly and distinctly seen aâ— it is in it self Rep. Here let all people take notice whether humane learning can open the naked truth Here thou wouldest make people believe that humane learning was before the naked truth and again let all people take notice and see if the meeting in a steeple-house in England be a Church when so many hath been moved of the Lord to come into meeting places among them and something hath been revealed to them and they have spoken and he that was the pretended Teacher which was in the chiefest
place in the assemblie hath cried out they disturb me and then they have hailed them out to the stocks or prison and knockt them or bruised them and may be some have lain a quarter of a year in prison or more Now let all people take notice which have a love to God whether this be the Church which is the pillar and ground of truth or the cage of unclean birds which the Scripture speaks of when as the Scripture saith If any thing be revealed to him that stands by let the first hold his peace and the Church of God we own but all such Churches as are fighters and which do imprison them who are moved of the Lord to come to speak to them such Churches we deny And whereas thou slanderest us that we cry against the Ministers all such Ministers are to be cried against for they are contrary to the scripture Qu. 23. What scripture is there to have a Clerk say Amen and to have groats apiece of the World for his trade Pr. And for the groat he receives yearly of some persons in the world I conceive it is not so much for saying Amen but he hath other offices Rep. Here thou goest about to justifie the Clerk and his groat and the custom of saying Amen which the Apostles practised no such thing neither had they any Clerk to say Amen which had a groat for his labour and let all the practice of the Apostles judge thee who saist that the Clerk hath other offices then saying Amen that is may be to ring the bell to gather carnal people together to hear such a blind guide as thou art and for laying you a cushion that you may lie soft or opening the book or giving forth the Psalms which all this there is no example for that the Apostles had any such thing but it is that you false Prophets might utter forth your folly for to the children of light you are discovered and seen to be without the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles and all the scripture shall judge you and in thy answer thou dost conceive there thou hast brought thy self under that state which must be scattered for the Lord will scatter the proud in their vain imaginations and conceivings and let the Prophets words judge thee Qu. 24. What Scripture is there for taking money for burying the dead or to have ten or twelve shillings for preaching a Funeral Sermon or to take money for marrying man or woman Pr. For our pains in labouring in the word and doctrine the Apostle gives that general rule the labourer is worthy of his hire And what their wages is is not of our choosing but partly the liberality of founders and benefactors partly custom among all people in all Christian Countries hath setled it Rep. Here thou usest the Apostles words which as I have shewed thee before thou art cleared from his life O thou blind guide whose mind is in the earth who art in the customes and art one of them that doth hold them up which all the Ministers of Christ are ashamed on thee and all thy generation who art without the life that gave forth the Scriptures who art one of them that goes in the way of Balaam who durst not take the gift though he loved it and as for the Apostles condition I charge thee and command thee to be silent and let it alone who denies immediate revelation from heaven therefore all that thou speakest is from the earth and below and the word thou knowest not which was in the beginning Joh. 1.1 when the letter was not and therefore in it thou canst not learn and the Christians that are baptised into Christ are redeemed out of Countries where yet thou art with thy customes and ways of the Nation as thou dost confess which Christ comes to redeem from and thou who receivest Balaams wages art spuing forth thy venome against the righteous seed where it is rising Qu. 25. When did any that was sent of Jesus Christ to preach the Gospel sue men at the Law Pr. Many differences may arise which cannot well be decided without suit at Law Rep. In thy answer to this Querie thou dost allow of going to Law which the Apostle did not as in the Corinthians and he was a Minister of Christ and here thou shewest thou art none for thou allowest that he did not and who are come to the doctrine of Christ which is yea and nay there is no difference they need no going to Law there is no contention and many differences are in thy generation which is without Christ and his doctrine which many of you professed Ministers sue men at the Law which the Apostle forbad and here openly I charge you all in the presence of the living God to be no Minister of Christ but are raced from the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles and thou writest a Scripture in Act. 19.38 as concerning the rude multitude that was stirred up when truth was spoken these were they which were not brought into the truth and there thou art among such a company let all the people see how Act. 19. will justifie thee for going to Law who professeth thy self to be a Minister of Jesus Christ which the Ministers of Christ denied and here I charge thee again to be a perverter of the scripture and void of the knowledge of Christ and the life of the Apostles and out of their doctrine and do not call this railing which is plainness of speech and love to thy soul. Pr. And you rail very highly in scripture terms too whereby you take the garments of Gods holy Spirit and put them upon the Devils shoulders Rep. Here thou dost accuse us for railing speeches and as we told thee before that we deny and here thou callest thy self a Devil for of him thou art with thy pretences therefore wo is thy portion and whereas thou sayest we revile and accuse the brethren this is another of thy slanders we bid thee answer the queries and thou callest them scrupulous to thee they are so and again thou sayest we misapply the scripture that is false and the Lord Jesus Christ thou knowest not who deniest immediate revelation and what hast thou to do to talk of him and as throwing the woes which the Scripture speaks of which is against the deceiâ—s which thou livest in they are thy portion thou canst not escape them If we should not give thee thy due and portion we should flatter thee and it would not be love and why dost thou talk of understanding and bid us weigh and consider we have considered thy way and do know it and God hath given us an understanding in all things Pr. Hebrew and Greek we do truly call the Original Rep Here I charge thee that thou hast no more original then Pilate thy father had Pilate had Hebrew and Greek which crucified Christ which was the Original and here I charge thee in the presence of the living
thou deniest that deniest immediate Revelation from heaven And here I charge thee in the presence of the living God to be a lyar and false Prophet and that thou art guided by the Father of lies Where thou tells of Elisha's Colledge and saist that it was so full that it was enlarged and bringest in that place of Scripture to colour over thy lyes 2 King 6.1 Let that Scripture be a witness against thee that thou artâ— lyar and a perverter of the Scriptures thou full of all subtilties blush for shame thou lyar is there any mention of any Colledge there Or is there any mention of the Schools of the Prophets where the Word of God was studied in those places of Scripture before-mentioned as thou sayest Let them witness against thee All the Prophets were taught of God and there was no studying for what they spoke at Naioth see if they did not receive the Spirit of Prophesie and spoke by immediate Revelation which thou denies knows not their manner of teaching and learning 1 Sam. 19 20. to the end of the chap. And the Prophesie came not in the old time by the will of man but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost and the Scâ—ipture is of no private interpretation 2 Pet. 1.20 21. Here art thou proved a lyar and a perverter of the Scripture wresting it to thy own destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 Now call not Truth railing thou dissembler and enemy of all righteousness the Scripture turns edge against thee and witnesses against thy deceit and filthiness whereby thou seeks to strangle the truth but thou art found out to be among the dogs sorcerers and lyars spoken of in Scripture and art shut out of the Kingdom of God and art no Minister of Christ Rev. 22.15 18 19. Thou Enemy of God how darest thou say that the Prophets studied the Word when no prophesie came by the will of man but by the will of God and no man knoweth the Father but the Son neither knoweth any man the Son but the Father and he to whom is revealed Maâ—th 11.27 And here thou deniest both the Father and the Son and the Prophets and Apostles that deniest immediate revelation for they all bear witness against thee and such as thou art for the Apostle said Hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ And all the true Prophets witness that which thou deniest And here I have proved thee a lyar a false prophet and a deceiver perverting the Scriptures and they bear witness with me And thou full of all guile and deceit the word of the Lord shall rise up in judgement against thee and such as thou art Something in reply to thy Discourse of the Spirit as thou callest it FRiend the Spirit of the living God thou hast not for thou deniest immediate Revelation from Heaven who art discoursing of the Spirit and here thou art made manifest but to be in the pretence of the spirit and knows nothing that is revealed with the spirit For thou that deniest immediate revelation from Heaven deniest the spirit of the living God The Apostle saith Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him but God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2 9 10. And here thou hast denied immediate revelation from Heaven hast denied the spirit of God and manifested thy self to be in the natural state Therefore I command thee and charge thee in the presence of the living God to be silent and to give over receiving of the people 2. Thou that denies immediate revelation from Heaven thou denies the grace that was to be brought unto the Saints whose minds were to be girded up which grace was to be brought unto them at the revelation of Jesus Chrisr And thiâ— thou hast denied again as all people may see 1 Pet. 1.13 and here thou hast denyed Jesus Christ and his grace who deniest immediate revelation and art in the fashion of the world and a blasphemer 3. Thou that hast denied immediate revelation from heaven hast denied the Spirit to pray withal and so all thy prayers are hyyocrisie 4. Thou that hast denied immediate revelation from heaven hast denied the Son of God For none knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him Mat. 11.27 5 And thou that hast denied immediate and miraculous revelation from Heaven hast not denied the Son of God onely but the Father also And thou that haâ—t not the Son of God hast not life Pr. The power is originally from God as the Fountain but conveyed through the Ministry of man as the conduit p. 90. Rep. Paul an Apostle not of man nor by man but by the will of God And here thou art proved to be a seducet and thy Ministry contrary to his here thy spirit is tryed And thou slanders them who hear the voice of God and art scorning them and in a deriding way calls it a deceitful eccho but we know that God scorns the scornful and hath them in derision Pr. For any man to pretend immediate calling from God without the Ministry of man is a new Gospel distinct from Christ and his Apostles and such can be no other then ths dictates of seducing spirits and doctrine of devils p. 9. Rep. Here I take all the children of Light to record to prove and try thy Spirit and Gospel to be of man and whether thy Ministry and Gospel which thou preachest which is of man be of God For Paul said that Gospel which he preached was not of man And here again thou art contrary to the Apostle and thy spirit is tryed to be a seducing spirit and thy Doctrine to be of the Devil who deniest immediate revelation Pr. For thou sayest That which is immediately from God and without the Ministry of man is the doctrine of the Devil and of the seducing spirits Rep. Paul said the Gospel that he preached he received it not of man but by the revelation of Jesus Christ and here thou art contrary to the Apostle and thy self in the state thou speaks of And Paul an Apostle not of man nor by man but by God the Father Thou impudent enemy of God and blasphemer wilt thou say his doctrine was of the Devil who denied man as Gal. 1.1 who said Paul an Apostle not of man nor by man Pr. Therefore there is no need of any such qualifications for the best of us dare not stand to such sublime and eminent gifts of the spirit or to any immediate and extraordinary spiritual gifts p. 93 94. Rep. Here thou preachest up that which is not qualified for we do believe you that you dare not stand to such eminent gifts of the spirit for we have tryed you and know your spirits how can you have the same gifts who deny the
Son of God and immediate miraculous revelation and sayest there is no need of any such qualifications now therefore doth all your Teachers shew forth your railing and slanders but these things we wave for God will give you you lyars your portion who hath not the same knowledge and understanding that the Apostles had and here thou hast shamed thy mother that is adulterated from the Apostles life Pr. Our gifts are from the spirit of God though studied for with these means that are outward and moral c. Rep. Here I charge thee to be a Lyar in the presence of God the gift of God is a free gift it is not studyed for nor is it gotten by moral means and if it were studied for and found in outward means then it were not a free gift and here thou hast made it manifest that thou knowest not the gift of God for it is not him that wills nor him that runs but God that shews mercy So thou blasphemer for shame blush Pr. No man can be wise without the spirit of wisdom nor knowing without the spirit of knowledge so no man can pray as he ought without the spirit of prayer p. 71. Rep. In thy answer to the first query thou sayest you do not attain the same koowledge and understanding of the Gospel as the Apostles did then if thou have not the same knowledge and understanding it is all deceit for in thy own words thou sayest you cannot not pray without the spirit knowledge and understanding and thou sayest you do not attain the same knowledge and understanding the Apostles had then thou hast not the same spirit of love to pray withall and thou sayest you cannot pray without the spirit yet thou goes and tells people of a Gospel and hath not the same knowledge and understanding the Apostles had therefore thy knowledge is bruitish Jer. 10.14 Psal. 92.6 Psal â—9 8 Pr. That we may according to the Catholick Faith worship one God in Trinity Rep. For these things which thou tells people of there is no Scripture as Catholick Faith and Trinity and of three persons Pr. The second kind of the holy Spirits impressions on humane souls page 78. Rep. There is no Scripture which speaks of humane souls for the soul thou knows not who art a murtherer with thy Deity stuff who would dit up the way from God but praises be to the living God who hath given his sons and daughters eyes to see thee and all your Deity stuff which you imitate who are whoredomed from God but the Saints of the most high God do sing over it and you halelujah to God who witness their souls redeemed And there is abundance of stuff in that Book which thou calls the discourse of the Spirit which is not worth mentioning and abundance of lyes and slanders but them we pass as knowing the author of lyes from whence they come is for destruction And in page 95 thou speaks of Timothy studying for his gift Did he study for his gift or for the proving of it and dividing of the word aright but he did not study for it for the gift of God is a free-gift And in another place thou speaks of the blessing of God being upon your studies but I say the curse of God is upon your studies who have not the same knowledge and understanding that the Apostles had and so preaches another gospel Pr. And most blasphemously to profess and boast of an equality with God p. 66. Rep. Thy boasting is excluded without in thy generation and thou art excluded from the life and mind of the Apostle who said Let the same mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2.5 6. and this thou calls blasphemy and so thou hast shewed what spirit thou art of contrary to the Apostle Pr. And for our new sect of Enthusiasts had they the spirit of God as they pretend abiding in them and speaking in them c. Rep. All pretences and sects are denyed where the Spirit of God dwells though with thy generation such was ever called so And that is thy own who hath made a discourse of the Spirit and here thou art clearly from them that the Spirit of God spoke in and did abide in them which Spirit of God did descend into their hearts which Spirit God hath given to every one to profit withall and the Spirit of the Father speaketh in you saith Christ Mat. 10.20 take no thought and in many places thou art speaking of a study and blessing a study Here thou art contrary to Christ who saith Take no thought and art of the Devil And here I charge thee to be one of them that Jeremy speaks of who speaks a vain divination of thine own heart Pr. As here Angels are Spirits and the souls of men are Spirits but God is not a Spirit as they are Spirits pag 57. Rep. This is confusion for Christ said God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and there thou art raced out to be without the doctrine of Christ. Pr. 'T is the very ground whereupon this last upstart crew of Quakers build all their resolutions and strange fanatick opinions and heresies even that which they call the light within us whereunto we must only give ear pag. 112. Rep. O thou impudent God will make the an example thou lying spirit Is the Light which Christ hath enlighned every one withall that comes into the world a strange fanatick opinion which one he loves it and the other he hates it and he that hates it it is condemnation Here thou art against Christ and the Apostles for the Apostle did exhort the Saints to take heed unto the light within them untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts O thou Lyar did the Prophet cal the truel light a deceit of the heart or is the light of God a false vision Christ Jesus which doth enlighten every one that comes into the world which is witnessed among the Quakers and he that walks in the Light shall have the Light of Life and thou that hates this light speaks a divination of thy own brain and a lying imagination and with this Light of Christ thou shalt be condemned thou blasphemer who calls the Light of Christ heresie and fanatick opinions but here thou dost but fill up the measure of thy Fathers who calls this Light which is Christ in us Heresie p. 113. To all you Readers of his Book I speak to the Light of Christ in you which if you love it it will bring you to weigh and comprehend his words and if you walk in it you shal have the light of life and you that hate it it shal be your Condemnation when the book of Conscience is opened you shal witness that I speak the truth to every one of your souls R. Sherlock thou bids them beware
of false Prophets and saith the tryal of the spirit is the Word of God Rep. By the Word of God thou art tryed who are in the conceivings Again thou speakest of the High-Priests and Pharisees that councelled against Christ to put him to Death Rep. So do you now where he is made manifest shevving your selvet to be in the same generation Pr. It waas this spirrit also that stirred up Demetrius the Silver-smith with the rest of the Crafts-men against St. Paul and his companions because his Profit and gain which he got by making silver shrines for Diana was in danger to be lost pag. 116. Rep. The same spirit novv being made manifest it cryes against your Trades-men and Crafts-men and your Diana and your two great Schools where you learn your trade which are puddles of darkness and the same spirit being stirred up to cry against your profession it sets you in an uproar novv as in the Synagogues vve do vvitness Pr. And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed Corah and all his Company a fair warning for Lay-persons pag. 86. Rep. The judgement did not come upon Corah because they vvas Lay-persons but it vvas for gain-saying the truth as thou doest For many of them that gave forth the Scripture vvas plain men Paul a Tenâ—-mâ—ker and most of the Apostles Fishermen Moses a keeper of Sheep thou mayest call these Lay-men vvhich gave forth the Scripture vvho make a trade of their vvords And here thou hast shevved that thou hast not the knovvledge and understanding vvhich the Apostles had vvhich thou confessedst thou hadst not tberefore thou art as a bruit beast and there I leave thee to be condemned vvith the light vvhich thou callest Heresie The Mittimus answered by which R. H was sent Prisoner to Norwich Castle by Ralph Woolmer Justice of the Peace October 9 1654 WHereas I am committed to Prison by a Mittimus under the pretence of the breach of the Law in these things therein expressed and laid to my charge As first Openly to declare before all the people That he that preached viz. Mr. John Mony was a deluder of the people I answer This accusation was false for that word was not so spoken but to the Light of Christ in all your consciences I speak declare openly to all people that he that acts those things which Christ declared against is no Minister of Christ all who are hirelings as Christ saith John 10. who seek for their gain from their quarters as Isaiah saith Isa. 56.11 who bear rule by their means as Jeremiah saith Jer. 5.31 and who preach for hire as Micah saith Mic. 3.11 and all who are called of men Master stand praying in the Synagogues and have the chiefest places in the Assembly and lay heavy burthens upon the people which Christ cryed wo against Matt. 23. such are no Ministers of Christ who act such things for they who are the Ministers of Christ do abide in the Doctrine of Christ to the Light of Christ I speak that with it John Mony may see himself to be out of the Doctrine of Christ holding up those things that Christ cryed wo against Another thing charged against me is That the people in a great number gathered together about me which might have proved of evil consequence they being the under-sort of people I answer Where-ever the gospel was preached there were gatherings together and uproars and tumults as you may read in the Scriptures Acts 19. and the same gospel worketh the same effects now as in did then and those whom thou callest the under-sort of people were all quiet and were willing to hear the word of the Lord and did not offer any persecution or violence but you who profess your selves to be Saints have proved your selves to be the undersort of people as by your consequence have made it appear by your persecution by taking me out of the multitude who were willing to hear the Word of Truth sent me to Bridewell and then to prison for declaring the Word of the Lord freely as I have received it and so are persecutors and not Saints for the Saints were ever persecuted but never did persecute any Another thing charged against me is That being often asked my Name and Countrey would give no account I answer The Lord hath called me out of my own countrey and from my Fathers House to declare his Word as I have received it and I was freely declaring the Word of the Lord when opposingly thou camest and asked my Name and Countrey which when I ceased speaking I declared it unto thee before I went out of the yard and so there is no ground for this accusation but enmity Another thing charged against me That being brought before me he in contempt of Magistracy as I apprehended would not once move his hat off his head I answer O! for shame never profess to be a Magistrate and make such apprehendings the ground of thy Law as to call this contempt of Magistracy not to put off the hat Where was ever such a thing mentioned in all the Scriptures by any who were set to rule over the people to execute the Law of God upon offendors When did Moses who was a Law-giver and a Judge over all Israel command any such thing of any that came before him to put off his hat or ever in all his Writings make mention of such a thing as contempt of Magistracy or imprison any that did not But it was the transgression of the Law of God to respect persons for he that respects persons commits sin but by your Law those who cannot respect persons and so fulfil the Law of God you say they contemn Magistracy and are not to subject to Authority Oh! for shame never make Laws upon such outward traditions for here you go from the life of God and from the law of God and from the practice of all the holy men of God which the Scripture speaks of When did ever Joshua or Japhat when the people came before them command any such thing or mention it to put off their hats and prison them if they would not or tell them they contemned Magistracy When did ever Solomon who was in the large Wisdom command any such thing of the people whom he was over to put off their hats or imprison them if they would not Shew me one example amongst all the Heathenish Emperors Kings Princes Dukes Rulers or other Officers which the Scripture speaks of that ever commanded any of their people to put off their hats and imprison them if they would not Did ever Pharoah King of Egypt whom Moses and Aaron went before command any such thing and imprison them if they would not Did ever Nebuchadnezzar or Darius command any such thing of any Did ever Herod command any such thing or imprison them that would not Did ever Agrippa or Festus command Paul to put off his hat vvhen he came before them Here you outscrip all the Heathenish
all know which secretly worketh to bring forth his own plant hâ—s seed his elect from the ends of the earth and from the bondage of corruption which the creatures groan under but the redemption and deliverance of the creatures is to be waited for that the glorious liberty may be witnessed which is free from corruption and this the daughters and sons of the living God is to waiâ— for abiding in the word of his grace there is nothing hid whicâ—â—hall not be made manifest nor nothing promised but shall be fulfilled to the seed in whom all the promises of God is Yea and Amen for ever Your dear brother in that which from the world is hid Richard Hubberthorn Prisoner in Norwich Castle Written the 19. day of the second Month 1655. Some Queries for you to answer who hold forth this testimony to the people That Christ is a Creaâ—ure against those that wâ—â—ness him to be the Son of God by which the World was made perfect God and Man not created but begotten according to the Scriptures 1. What knowledge of Christ that is without a man and how may a man do to lay his foundation thereon without having him revealed in spirit within seeing that was held forth by some of you 2. When was that Christ created which you say must as a Creature judge the World and if in Maries time who was judge of the World till then or did he judge the World as God till then and as a Creature ever since 3. Whether was not that Christ which you call a Creature sent out of Heaven from the Father and did he send a Creature to redeem the Creation and judge it 4. Is there any son of man as a Redeemer but he that came down from Heaven who filleth heaven and earth and was not he in heaven when he was in the flesh with his Disciples and do not the Saints partake of his flesh now upon earth 5. Whether all they which did see that body which to the world appeared in similitude of sinful flesh did see the shape and hear the voice of the Son of God or know the Man Christ Jesus 6. And if Christ was in that body which he appeared to the World before the World was as was asserted by Joshua Sprigge and he a creature as you say and the World made by a creature whether is not this to make the word of God of none effect 7. Was not the person of Christ Jesus before the World was his nature and glory the same that is now with the Father in heaven or in what is it changed and when had the man Christ Jesus his beginning if you can declare it 8 Did the Son of man take upon him the nature of the first Adam as he is in the fall when he took part of flesh and blood or do any know his nature who are in the fall and is not the flesh of Christ a mysterie to all mankinde till he be revealed in spirit 9 What that eating of the flesh of the Son of Man is seeing none can have eternal life in them but who eat it is the eating of it the eating of a creature and doth not all as they eat thereof become one flesh and spirit with him in his life and knowledge and if you have eat that flesh drunk that blood how is it you have the knowledge of God which is life eternal yet to seek seeing he that eats and drinks thereof can never thirst more but shall have the spring of life within or can the eating of that flesh which is of the nature of the first Adam give life eternal 10 How is Christ the only begotten Son of God if he be a creature or how can God beget a creature and if the whole person of Christ was not the before the earthly Adam how was the Creation made by him or how can he be of the nature of fallen Adam and not earthly and defiled or can God dwell in that nature but as it is purified and brought to the beginning seeing the fulness of the God-head dwelt bodily in him and is â—he flesh of Christ heavenly or earthly or is he Christ without his flesh 11 Whose obedience and righteousness and works is that which is not Christs and how is it that Christ makes any obedience or righteousness accepted with the Father which is not his own and of his own working this being one thing affirmed by you 12 How is it that a man can be in the spirit of God and in the spirit of Satan both at one instant and doth not the obeying the one deny the other and are not these the two Masters that no man can serve which you seem to affirm the contrary 13 Whether did God create man with any thing of the Devil in him and if not whether any can witness perfect redemption so long as the Devil hath any thing in them seeing some of you could not receive this testimony Now seeing we did answer many of your queries and you would answer none to us so now answer these things in writing that it may be manifest what testimony it is you bear of Christ Jesus for of our testimony of Christ Jesus we are not ashamed before men A lover of your souls and eternal good R. H. The innocency of the righteous seen of God cleared from all slanderous tongues and false accusers IN answer to a printed paper set forth by Frederick Woodall wherein he goes about to render the truth of God odious and by a cloak of maliciousness to cover those lies which he hath formerly published but in the light of God I do him see and comprehend and in it he is made manifest to all the children of light to be no Minister of Christ and to the light of Christ in all consciences I speak that in it they may read these things which from the light is declared that so occasion may be cut off from all who seek occasion against the truth that so peoples minds may not be incensed against the truth of God by his refuge of lyes set forth in his paper called Natural and Spiritual light distinguished But in the light of Christ which is but one which is not natural but spiritual is he seen to be natural and his distinction to be natural and so in the light the natural man with his natural doctrine and natural distinction is denied and Christ Jesus we do witness who is the true light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world Joh. 1.9 I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in darkness Joh. 12.46 and this is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather then light because their deeds were evil Joh. 3.19 20 21. Now all you who are enlightned by Christ Jesus and can read in the light and with understanding to you there is no occasion of stumbling but all
stumbling and the occasion of it is in them who hates the light and calls it natural which light is Christ for him a witness I am against all such who deny Christ to be the true light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world who is of the World called Richard Hubberthorn NOw as in answer to thee Frederick Wodall who hath put a stumbling block before the eyes of many by thy lyes and deceit to keep them from receiving the pure truth of God which the Lord is now spreading abroad and making manifest to gather to himself his own from the mouths of all false shepherds that Jesus Christ the true shepherd they may come to witness who is the true light and is not natural as thou wouldsâ— make him to be nor that light in the conscience is not natural which Jesus Christ hath enlightned every one withal but all who in it dwell shall witness against thee and thy malicious spirit who hath uttered forth thy bitterness and venome against those who walk in the light and who witness the truth of God in the life and power of it and against all false accusers In the beginning of thy Epistle to the Reader thy enmity thou utterest forth against those â—ho for the name of Christ do bear his reproach in the world in whom the Scripture is fulfilled which saith they shall speak all manner of evill of you falsly for my name sake and thou art one of them who art speaking evil and encouraging others to speak evil against those whom thou and the rest of the scorners call Quakers and calls them a nest of stinging Wasps and saith that they have leavened a dear brother and sister of thine and made them Prosylites unto them I answ This accusation is returned back again upon thy own head for the poison of asps is found under thy tongue and forth of the venome doth proceed as all who hath understanding may see and discern and those whom thou callest thy dear brother and sister are made able in the light to testifie against thee and thy lie and to witness that they are brought out of the Prosylites condition and out of the leaven of the false Prophets and false teachers which they were in so long as they followed thy doctrine but now that doctrine they do see which doth leaven and draw peoples minds to the light of Christ within them and so makes Prosylites and children of the Devil but in the light of Christ art thou and all that uphold that doctrine seen and denied In the first page of thy paper thou wouldst make people believe that thou makest no defence against my reply to thy answers and yet in the second page thou repliest against mine concerning the tenth Querie and chargest me in reputing thee the author or father of a lie in returning to thee again thy own words in answer to the tenth Querie which words are these It is intolerable that Christ should be the Prince of Peace I answer Let every one that hath a desire to know whether this be so read thy own words in thy printed Paper in thy answer to the tenth Querie in the twelfth page whether these be not thy own words the tenth is intolerable and the rest of thy words which are in answer to that Querie are full of confusion and all wdo reads them may see it so I leave thee to be judged of all and condemned of all who in the light of Christ do see thy confusion which proceeds out of thy own mouth Priest 'T is a priviledge we have cause to bless God for every day viz. that unto us are committed the Oracles of God Answ. Here I charge thee to prove when ever the Oracles of God was committed unto thee or to the Priests of England unto the Jews they were committed which was before Christ came in the flesh and they who had the oracles of God committed unto them did seek to kill and crucifie the Son of God as you the Priests of England who go in the way of Cain and after the error of Balaam do now seek to destroy the Son of God where he is made manifest and the oracles of God were never committed unto you nor the ministration of the Gospel but in the steps of those you are found who ever persecuted the righteous seed of God as you have made it manifest in this generation And again thou art bringing scriptures to prove the letter to be the word of God which Scriptures will witness against thee for the Scripture saith that God is the Word Joh. 1.1 and thou art diminishing from some and adding to others and perverting the Scriptures to thy own ends thou bringst that scripture in Titus 2.10 11 12 13. and these words thou speakest from them this is the grace of God bringing salvation when the Apostle saith For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world and here though thou bringest this scripâ—ure in thy paper yet it thou canst not own that the grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared who denies Christ to have enlightened every one that comes into the world Pr. This Word for the manner of delivery unto us is called Scripture and we are commanded to search it Joh. 4.39 and laid under the promise of blessing in that way Psal. 1.2 Answ. Here thou hast numbred thy self amongst those whom Christ commanded to search the Scriptures and amongst them shalt thou be numbred and in that scripture thou mayest read thy condition and the rest of the Priests with thee as Joh. 5.37.38.39 40. ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape and ye have not his word abiding in you for whom he hath sent ye believe him not search the scriptures for in them ye think to have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me and ye will not come to me that ye might have life now all you who are in the same condition the same command is unto you But there is no promise of blessing promised unto you in that way no more then was to them which was so commanded but never prove your selves Ministers of Christ for they were no Ministers of Christ that this was spoken unto nor Saints but such as received honour one of another as you do who are in that generation And they were such as did not believe that which they did profess Moses and the Prophets but Christ tells them plainly they did not believe Moses nor his writings al you no wthat profess Christ you cannot believe Christs words who saith He is the true light which doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world Therefore out of the doctrine of Christ you are shut and out of the Scriptures which you do profess for the Sons life which witnesseth the Scriptures you
deny and are strangers unto He that hath an ear to hear let him hear Pr. Satan hath from the beginning envied a people this priviledge and saith at Christs first coming the commandements of God was made of none effect through tradition Mat. 15.6 and saith at Christs second coming the commandements of God will be of none effect through revelation Answ. Here thou hast uttered forth words without knowledge but it is that thy ignorance and folly may be laid open unto all for it was they that made the commandements of God of none effect through tradition which precryed standing in the Synagogues had the chiefest places in the assemblies and was called of men Master and in these steps art thou and the rest of the Priesâ—s in England who say the same things for at Christs first coming he cried wo against such and the same Christ cries wo against the same things now and whereas thou sayest that at â—hrists second coming the commandements of God will be of none effect through revelation Here I charge thee to be a blasphemer and dost speak that thou hast no scripture for and contrary to the scriptures and contrary to the Apostles doctrine for Paul did witness Christs second coming which was in the spirit as in Gallatians 2. and 2. and saith I went up by revelation and communicated unto them that Gospel which I preached amongst the Gentiles and he did witness the Son of God revealed in him and all the Apostles who did witness him to be come again to them the second time to reveal the will of the Father unto them this did not make the commandements of God to be of none effect and the same Christ we do witness to be come and hath revealed the Fathers will unto us for no man knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him this we do witness eternal living praises to him for evermore and by his revealing his Son in us his commandements are fulfilled and so all such we do deny that say by the revelation at the second coming of Christ they shall be made of none effect Pr. Certainly many Old Testament Saints saw into the glory and liberty of New Testament times yet durst not cease from that worship which was burdensome worldly and carnal till the Lord did come in person and call them out Answ. Here I do charge thee to prove where ever any of the Saints before Christ was made manifest in the flesh did continue in that worship which they saw to be burdensome worldly and carnal but did declare against all false worship sacrifices and services which was worldly and carnal and against all who drew near to God with their mouths whose hearts was from God and against all idolatrous worships which were carnal and did cast off every burden as is witnâ—ssed in the Prophets which were before Christ came in the flesh and here all the Prophets and holy men of God shall witness against thee as Isaiah Jeremiah David Ezekiel Micah and the rest who worshipped God and their worship was not carnal nor worldly neither did Christ come in person to call them out of their worship for they had finished their testimony before Christ came in the flesh who did fulfil their testimony and did bear witness unto it that it was of God and did declare all that were out of that worship which the Saints were in who worshipped God before Christ came in the flesh who was the end of the Law and the end of the Prophets let him that hath understanding read these things now here doth Christ the Saints and the Scriptures all bear witness against thee and thy doctrine whâ—ch would make people believe that the Prophets and holy men of God who were before Christ came in the flesh did live and continue in that worship which was burdensome worldly and carnal which here is proved against thee by Christ the Saints and the Scriptures that shame may cover thy face and that thy mouth may be stopped and that the simple may know the truth for whose sakes this is given forth Pr. So New Testament Saints may see into that liberty and glory which is to be revealed but let them not go forth before the time but abide in New Testament worship till the Lord come in person and call them out and then they shall go out all together Mat. 24.27 It is indeed a worthy life whâ—ch we live in the spirit but it is an unworthy deceit that except we live out of the Gospel we cannot live in the Spirit Answ. O be ashamed for ever to confess thy self a Minister of Christ and of the Gospel why dost thou preach at all or what art thou a Minister of if that Christ be yet to be revealed or uncome in person which thou holdest forth to the people and how many souls hast thou led into that pit of darkness and blindness as to believe that Christ is yet to come in person he that confesseth not Jesus Christ to be come in the flesh is an Antichrist and he that preacheth any other Gospel or any other Christ then that which did come in the flesh and was made manifest in the Saints and is now made manifest and witnessed to be come in the flesh let him be accursed now the Scripture which thou bringst in Mat. 24.27 proves no such thing as another Christ coming in person for the same Scripture we do witness to be fulfilled in us and in his light do we see all those who are in the desert and who are in the secret chambers whom they go out unto who turn from the light of Christ within them to hearken unto those who cannot witness the comâ—ng of the son of man as the lightning from the East shineth even unto the West but talks of an expectation of the appearance of Christ in person and professed to be Ministers of that Christ which yet is to come in person and here thou art rased out from the Apostles doctrine who did not preach any other Christ but that which was come and made manifest and did never tell of Christ's second coming in person nor of his personal reign and thou that tells of such a deceit that except ye live out of the Gospel ye cannot live in the Spirit here thy deceit is indeed made manifest and thy life who would separate the Gospel from the Spirit But against that life and deceit we bear witness who by this Spirit do and according to the Gospel Again thou art teaching people how to set up Popery as followeth Priest If they will prove the Pope supream Monarch this way it may be done God made two Lights the greater to rule the day viz. the Pope the lesser to rule the night viz. the Emperor Ans. Here thou hast professed thy self long to be a Teacher and preached against Popery and hast not been ashamed to accuse others of it who stand clear in the truth of God witnessing
the Truth against Christ against the Saints and against the Scriptures they may see which hath been long hid but now is made manifest in the Light unto all who are come to know the free teachings of God who will no more give thee money for speaking a divination of thy own brain and not from the mouth of the Lord. Priest Who knows not that Tythes and Glebes were under that dispensation by Divine Law ordained for the maintenance of the Priests Ans. Here thou wouldst make people believe that thou denies tythes which was for the maintenance of the Priests under the Law But as for the glebes which thou speaks of there was never any such thing ordained in the Law here thou hast made it appear that thou art ignorant of that which was ordained for the Priests maintenance under that dispensation for they had no inheritance nor glebe lands to maintain them as some of the priests of England have and yet those priests in England which do receive tythes and so upholds that which thou seems to deny yet thou owns them as thy brethren and to be Ministers of the gospel And here your deceit is so plainly made manifest that you accuse one another and condemn one another all your hearts being exercised with covetous practices preaching for filthy lucre all being agreed together to persecute revile and slander the pure truth of God where it is made manifest in his servants to declare against all your deceits that out of your snares the righteous seed of God may be delivered to testifie against you and your Ministry under which the Seed of God is kept in bondage Priest Reader I have done our Heavenly Father taketh sleeping Disciples at the best Matth. 26.40 Ans. Here thou hast uttered forth a lye that all may plainly see who saith thou hast done and in the next words saith Our Heavenly Father taketh sleeping Disciples at the best Now from this Scripture in Matth. 26.40 thy words are proved to be false for in that condition the Disciples were then in they were not at the best who could not watch with Christ one hour and the Comforter was not then come which afterwards they did witness by travel and labour and fasting and prayer and watching day and night they did witness and we who do witness the same condition now do testifie against thee and all who make lyes of the Apostles who did witness Jesus Christ in truth and uprightness of heart and the same Christ do we witness and do freely preach him to every Nation being made manifest to that of God in every ones conscience to be witnessed Now as my first Query is printed in thy paper the latter part of it I deny which was not given forth nor spoken so by me· In thine it is written thus How can that be said to be a natural Light which witnesseth unto God against the things of the Spirit of God Which is false But in mine it is written thus How can that be said to be a natural Light which witnesses unto God in that which is holy against the natural inclinations of fallen man seeing the Scripture saith the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 Now as every one hath a desire to knovv the truth of these things that the occasion of stumbling may be taken avvay they may read the Query as it was given forth from me in pag. 16. of that printed paper called David's Enemies discovered which was put forth in print to be seen as it vvas there vvritten before Woodals paper vvhich is novv in print vvas given forth And this I have given forth that the truth may be cleared ovvning that vvhich did proceed from me and denying that vvhich is not mine And as for Frederick Woodals Ansvvers to the Queries they are replied unto in the paper above-mentioned and to the rest of his printed paper an ansvver is herein returned that he may not boast in his folly but be ashamed and repent Novv as in ansvver to that in the latter end of thy book vvhich thou directs the Reader unto thou seeing that thou hast holden forth these things vvhich thou canst not prove as the first Adam to be the Fountain of all natural good and so to blind the eyes of people that they may not see thy lye and saith thou means not primitively and here thou speaks one thing and means another but this covering is too nâ—rrow for thee and under it thou canst not hide thy self but thy nakedness and shame appears to all whose eyes are opened and by them thou art seen And whereas thou wouldâ—â— cover over thy shame of that thou hast formerly spoken in telling of two Images the Image of God and the Image of Christ and that the first was natural and the second spiritual and here thou speaks contrary to the Scriptures which saith he is the express Image of the Father And herein all who do witness the Scriptures to be true must witness against thee who speaks contrary to the Scrâ—ptures and now to blind peoples eyes thou tells them thou understands it thus Adam was made after the Image of God God the Father Son and the Holy Spirit Come let us make man not after our not my Image To this I answer Here thou hast added to the Scripture for God did not say Not my Image as thou dost charge him to say for the Scripture saith God created man in his own image in the image of God created he him as Gen. 1.27 And thou calls the image in which Adam was created the essential image and the image of Christ thou calls a personal image and hereby them who dwell in the Light thou art seen out of the substance in the images making to thy self images and likenesses from thy imaginations but in them thou canst not know God and Christ nor the image of God in which Adam was created in innocency and there is no such word in Scripture as Essential image and here thou goest about to make three images and so amongst the image-makers thou art who art out of Gods commands and there thou may read thy self But now the Lord God is gathering his own seed by his eternal light out of all images and likenesses to be conformed to the image of the Son to bear his image who is invisible which all the imaginers cannot enter into who stumble at the Light but all such are seen by the children of the Light and denyed for now do they witness from the Lord the day of Redemption yea plenteous Redemption is now witnessed by them who dwell in the Light which comprehends the World out of the World and out of the Worlds teachings and out of the Worlds wayes and out of the Worlds Worships into the pure teachings of God and into the Covenant where they know God and are taught of him and no more can they be led by the blind guides for their eyes are
have acted contrary to it and taking heed to the Light it will lead you out of all those things which the Law of God takes hold upon and will add the Law upon every transgression And all you that act contrary to the Light of Christ in the Conscience it will be your condemnation And you are they who deny the Ordinancs of Christ which walks not according to the Light of Christ which he hath enlightened you withall and you are they who are not subject to Authority who are not obedient to the Light of Christ in the conscience and you are the disturbers and breakers of the peace whose minds are not guided by the Light of Christ and this Light will let you see giving heed unto it who are out of the commands of Christ and are not subject unto Authority nor obedient to the Light of Christ in the conscience And here I have cleared my conscience to you all from the Lord to the Light of Christ in your consciences I speak which will eternally witness me to have spoken the truth unto you all who have falsly accused the innocent As I was moved of the Lord who is a Servant unto you from the Lord in love to all your souls to set up righteousness in the Land R. H. The Light of Christ within proved to be sufficient to lead unto God In Answer to a Book put forth by John Tombes and Richard Baxâ—er In which they go about to prove the Light within insufficient to lead to God by many falliâ—le Arguments by Perverting of Scrâ—pture and their own reasonings But their rule for proof being so fallible uncertain and confused that often-times they prove that which they would disprove and confess that which they would deny For the convincing and edifying of those that are not satisfied concerning the Light within is this given forth by R. H. Prov. 4.18.19 The path of the Just is a shining light shining more and more unto the perfect day The way of the wicked is darkness they know not at what they stumble BEcause the Lord hath appeared and his True Light is broken forth that by it his Inheritance may be gathered and his Dominion from sea to sea may be witnessed and because many with it are already gathered into the Covenant of everlasting Life many are turning their faces thitherwards enquiring the way to Sion therefore doth the offence arise like floods from men of corrupt minds destitute of the Truth and spiritual understanding of the great mysterie of godliness to wit God manifest in the flesh though appearing us in a form of godliness and words of Scripture which in unrighteousness they hold both perverting the Scriptures and falsly accusing others to wit Christ the Prophets and Apostles and last of all those called Quakers that so by any means the might quench the Light of that fire which God hath kâ—â—dled or hinder his Work which he hath begun that the vail which is over peoples hearts under which iniquity is hid might not be read nor discovered Therefore is there a joining together and making a confederacy one with another against those which follow the Lamb of God keep the Word of his Testimony for upon the same account as we read Luk. 23.12 that Pilate and Herod was made friends who before had been at enmity between themselves which was to set at nought and to deliver up to be crucified the Son of God upon the same account is Baxter the rigid Presbyter and Tombs the pretended Baptist made Friends and call one another Reverend Brethren both setting themselves with their strength arguments and reasons devised words and false charges against the breaking forth of Christ's Light and walking in his truth for but a little while since Baxter had said that Tombs and the Anabaptists were the Authors and Fautors of the delusion of the Quakers as Tombs confesseth in his Epistle And Baxter also confesseth the same in his Epistle That he hath been too eager in disputations which he saith is too well known in the Nation And although here is a great pretended unity betwixt them yet it is but in hypocrisie for in one page of Baxters Epistle he talks of holding the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace as members of the same head and body uniting their force for the common Truth against the pernicious Adversaries thereof And in the next page saith That he hath already told the Episcopal Brethren That Bishop Usher and he did fully agree in half an hour but saith That the wound is yet uâ—healed betwixt him and Tombs for he never treated with Tombs about such a matter but saith he is confident that they should agree in one day upon terms of common charity and forbearance So that to men of understanding it appears that Baxter is agreed with the Bishop and the Episcopal Brethren but not with Tombs noâ— the Congregational Brethren and further it is manifest from his own words and according to his limit and time of treaty that he could agree with twenty four bishops as soon as with Tombs for all their pretended unity and agreement for theâ—e is twelve hours in a day and he agreed with one Bishop in half an hour So we seeing their book begin with such lyâ—s and confusions we know the whole Volume and effects of it wil minister nothing else to the people the strength and force of those two lately pretended brethren joined against the Quakers in their two Epistles and nine see â—onâ— in which iâ— thirty arguments and ten reasons against the sufficiently and spirituality of Christ's Light wherewith he hath enlightened every man which cometh into the World yet for want of knowledge and because of darkness speaks against themselves and proveâ— that which they would disprove as by something following may be made manifest 1. As first the charge against the Quakers in the 15 th page of their book is That we put darkness for light in that we make a natural Light which is but darkness in spirituals as if it were to be heeded as mens rule in all sorts of duties and knowledge of the things of God Ans. This charge is false for we do not make any natural Light if heeded as mens rule in any duty nor to the knowledge of God neither have ever held such a thing but this is the way of old of all slanderous tongues first to lay down a false position of their own and then disproving it makes people believe that they have confuted an error when they have but proved their own words false and so boasteth in a vain shew as David saith Psal. 39.6 proving nothing against us Again John Tombs saith page 28. That Câ—â—â—st makes mens hearts void of Light till they be enlightened with his Light and that every man till he be enlightened by Christ wants Light to guide him in the knowledge of his duty and the way to salvation Ans. But in contradiction to that in page 11. he
minding of his Light within them whereby they should be led to believe in him which saith They that are born of the spirit is spirit and that they must first be born before they caâ— enter into the Kingdom of God Again pag. 29. saith That of such corruption as David was guilty of in the matter of Uriah want of Light to guide in the way of happiness is a chief part Ans. David did not want Light as the cause or chief part of his sin but was disobedient unto the Light which he had received and that was the cause why he did the thing that was sin against the Lord but in this as in the rest of thy Book thou wouldst charge all iniquity upon the want or insufficiency of the Light and not upon the creatures disobedience to it and so contrary to the Scriptures would make mans destruction not to be of himself or his separation from God not to be by his sins but the insufficiency of the Lights and so accuseth the Light and not the darkness and accuseth God â—nd not the disobedient man and so aâ—t become a fighter against God Christ his Light and servants and hereby thou â—rives to serve the wicked one who rules by the power of â—arkness in the disobedient by raising thy strong Arguments â—nd Reasons against the sufficiency of the Light to lead God â—ome of which arguments I shall mention that thereby people â—ay understand all the rest which are empty and foolish as to â—hat which thou intends them Argument from Psal. 81.11 12. But my people would not hearâ—en to my voice and Israel would none of me so I gave them up to their â—wn hearts lusts c. Wheâ—ce I argue That Light in man cannot be a â—afe sufficient guide to a man in his way to God to which the leaving 〈◊〉 person is reckoned as the greatest curse and judgement but to leave a â—erson to his own imagination and lust to walk in his own counsel which 〈◊〉 all one as to leave him to the Light within him Ans. Thy Argument is not agreeable unto this Scripture â—hich thou makes as the ground of it for because Israel did not hearken to God's voice noâ— would none of him therefore he gave them up to their own hearts lusts therefore saist thou â—he Light is not a sufficient Guide First thou shouldst have â—roved that the Light of Israel which is a fire Isa. 10.17 and â—he holy one as a flame was not sufficient and thou shouldest have proved that the giving of them up to their own hearts â—usts was a giving of them up to that Light within them In â—his thy false and foolish Argument thou saist that God reckonâ— it the greatest curse to leave a man to the Light in him which Light before thou hast confessed to be spiritual and to be the Light of the knowledge of God and now thou saist To leave man to the Light is to leave man to his lusts and imaginations What is now Light become lust and imaginations Why then doth thy Brother Baxter in his Epistle tell us that it is to be hearkened to and obeyed What are you now agreed to call the Light darkness or lust and when you have done so that men may hearken unto it and obey it Here is breaking of the command and teaching others to do so In page 68. of thy Book thou tells us That the Teachers of the Law did teach many things right about God's Being Works Worship and yet thou saist that in other things they were as blind as Molds But in this hast thou not much more condemned thy self to be more blind then they are for they taught Christ aright about God's Being Works and Worship but thou hast taught things false about these things for the Teachers of the Law did never say That to leave men to the Light was the greatest curse but said That Light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Psal. 97.11 And said also that the path of the just is as the shining Light Neither did they ever call the Light lust nor imagination as thou hast done but when thou art sober and seest thy confusion consider whether it be not rather the greatest curse and judgment from God to leave a man to his own darkness and ignorance as thou art because he hates and despiseth the Light which should lead him to knowledge and understanding of God and of his ways and is it not Justice in God to give you up to the darkness of your own hearts and lust which thou falsly calls Light seeing it is your daily exercise to study pâ—each print against the sufficiency of Christ's Light which people should believe in and obey and which is the path of the just and way to God out of that darkness which hath blinded your eyes even so far that you cannot see your own words much less the Truth of God as it is manifest unto them that walk in his Light And in thy next Argument thou sayest That because the Mysterie of God was hid and Life and Immortality not brought to light to the Gentiles therefore they had not a light within them as a sufficient guide to God Ans. Thou mightest as well have said in plain words That Christ who was given a Light to the Gentiles was not able to reveal the mysterie of God nor bring life and immortality to light because some were ignorant of it but contrary to thy false Argument Christ was given a Light to the Gentiles wâ—ich light did reveal the mysterie of God life and immortality to them who did receive him and those that did not receive him though he was given for a Light unto them because they did not receive him therefore was those things hid and not because the Light was not sufficient 1. Argument Rom. 8.9 Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Whence thou argues They have not light within them sufficient to guide them to God who have not the Spirit of God but every man hath not the Spirit of God Ergo. Ans. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall 1 Cor. 12.7 Which manifestation being obeyed is able to lead man to God so that there is no insufficiency in the Spirit or Light in which God hath manifested something to every man and therefor if every man be not guided by it unto God it is because he doth not sufficiently obey and follow it 12. Argument From Matthew 11.27 John 14.16 Where thou Argues they had not a light within them sufficient to guide them to God to whom the Son did not reveal the Father who did not go by the Son as the way to the Father but the Son did not reveal the Father to every man nor did every man come to Christ John 1.5.10 Ergo. Ans. The cause why they had not life and did not come to the Father was because
not the Apostle Paul sufficient Grace when the Lord said My Grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 And had not the Corinthians sufficiency of Grace 2 Cor. 3.5 whose sufficiency was in God and from God to them made manifest and had not they sufficiency in all things 2 Cor. 9.8 And was Paul with those Corinthians at the last breath when those things were spoken but thy thoughts have deceived thee in thinking such a thing to be past controversie for thou must be both controverted and contradicted while thou thus in thy extreams and floods of fury sets thy self against the Truth as it is made manifest in us and also in the Scriptures Again thou saist Thou thinks it is time for men that have any sence of the common interest of Christianity Reformation to lay by these contentions that hav brought you so low almost made you a prey to the common Romish Adversaries saying the Lord grant it be not too late Ans. Art thou now sensible of the emptiness in and the disadvantage which thou gets by thy contention and thou may well see it if thou be but sober how the Romish adversaries may have advantage against thee condemning that in them which thou allowest in thy self and thou mayest have a ground of jealousie in thee that it is too late But as for an interest in Christianity and Reforâ—ation thou art far from it who art striving to keep people from the Light by which people should be reformed and by which they should be led into the life of Christianity And although thou confessest that you are brought low by contention and by too eager disputation yet again thou exalts thy self and thy Brethren as if you were above Christ or his Apostles in the Work of the Ministry for thou saist How few did Christ convert that spake as never man spake And how many places did the Apostles preach in where they converted not one for a hundred that some of you see converted in one Parish And thus thou defames Christ and the Apostles Doctrine to set up thy own buâ— if thou do not as well deny the Scriptures as Christ and the Apostles Minstry thou mayest read how that three thousâ—nd were converted at one Sermon and If thou truly consider and try thy own Work thou wilt see that all the Sermons which ever thou hast preached hath not converted one in thy Parish into the State of a new creature where all old things are done away and all things are become new and so thy boasting thereby may be ended Again thou saist That you do not fear that quaking should become the Nations Religion we know those squibs will soon be out Ans. If it were but a squib that would so soon be out what need you make so much a do about it and bring forth so many floods and draw dry so many wells to quench it And what is the cause of such jealousies in your hearts as sometime to fear that it 's too late to strive against it And why are you so afraid that it should have its liberty in the Nation if you think it will be so sooâ— out but it is your constant practice to speak one thing and to think another for this which you say is but a squib will be as an eveâ—lasting burning that none shall be able to quench it and it is the powerful appearance of the Lord from Heaven and who may abide the day of his coming or who may stand when he appears Not those who have contemned his Light and reproached the children of it not those who preach for filthy lucre who serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies who make merchandize of souls for dishonest gain but he that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gain of oppression that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil such a one loveth the appearance of him who is come a Light into the World and loveth the children that walk in his Light for he that loveth him that doth beget loveth also those that are begotten of him who walk in his Light but the Wicked shall become silent in darkness and many who have used their tongues and said Come Lord Jesus come quickly shall not be able to stand when he appears nor to abide the day of his coming which to them that hate him is destruction but to them that love him is everlasting salvation And this is the day of his appearance in which blessed are they that are not offended in him Truth and Innocency Clearing its self and its Children Being declared in a few words which in this day of striving and of the Lords power is brought forth in many agaâ—nst the deceveable ways of the Unrighteous which abound and is as Mountains in every Region Countrey and County But the Lord is now risen to make them plain that People may see that they are but earth and may feed upon the top of them Also in this Treatise is a Mountain of confusion lyes and slanders proceeding from one Jonathan Clapâ—am a Priest made manifest which swelled as though it had been no Earth against the Lords Mountain and against the way of his Holiness which now the holy Seed which the Lord hath blessed with spiritual blessings tread upon as upon the Mire in the low Valleys which is dryed up and with it they are not defiled for the feet of them that bring glad tydings of the Gospel of peace tread upon the top of those Mountains for Mountains were never seen till the Light appeared which is now brought forth making all things manifest Given forth from the light of Truth which answereth the Truth in every man and continues the offence of the Cross to the deceit in every man R. H. To the Reader In the night all the beasts of the field raven and now many of them are come out of their Dens into which they must be driven again for the Lord is now coming and his Power with him and his day is appearing to deliver his prisoner which hath long been in the Pit covered with darkness and now all the Powers of Hell and Death gather themselves together that they may be broken to pieces against the Heir of Gods Inheritance which is not possible should be kept always under the power of death as surely as they rise up against the Lord so surely shall they be broken to pieces for the arm power of the Lord is with us no inchantment formed against us can prosper for the Lord hath stretched forth his and touched our lips and put his words into our Mouths and in this day hath made us a defenced City and an Iron Pillar and a Brazen Wall against the whole Land even all both Priests and People who deny the Light of the Lord to be the way of life and not only against those gross Priests of the
he hath affiâ—med And again consider that Heaven is God's Throne and the place of his rest And whether God can dwell in the Heavens and have no unity with them with his own Throne and with the place of his rest And consider whether there was ever such a doctrine preached or believed among the sons of men from Abel unto this day there is no record of such a Doctrine neither in the Scriptures Histories Heathens Pagans nor others therefore it is now fit to be recorded or put in Chronicle that all may see what a doctrine is crept into the World and that all may see that Night is come upon all such Prophets that they have no vision nor knowledge of God nor his wayes And this is the man that hath set himself to oppose and gainsay the truth and is a daily reproacher of those that walk in it yet professeth himself to be a Minister of Christ and those whose hearts are upright towards God is he reviling comparing them to Papists Hereticks Scribes and Pharises Indians and such like but to none of those in these things before-mentioned neither to Scribe Pharisee Pope Turk Indian or Alcaron can he be compared for they have been all restrained by something of God in them from writing so blasphemously against God and Christ and the Holy Ghost the Soul Heaven and Union and the Saints as he hath done And so this is another Gospel than that which was preached by Christ and his Apostles and so by the Spirit of God to be accursed for ever And whereas he saith That the union between God and believers cannot be comprehended by the Saints here he charges a lye upon the Saints and speaks contrary to the Scriptures 1 Joh. 1.7 1 Joh. 4.15 1 Joh. 5.20 for the Saints did witnesse union with God here for he that sanctified and they that are sanctified were one they said they were of God and the whole World lyeth in wickedness as he is so are we in this present World they comprehend with all Saints the heighth and length and the breadth of the love of God while they are in the world Now whoever would have believed it that the teachers in England had been so blind or durst have spoken so contrary to the Scriptures they professing them so much to be their rule and learning so long and studying so much to get the Letter of them but now is found both out of the Letter and Life but now the day of God is risen in his peoples hearts and they are seen to be such before their books come forth and now that which they were judged to be before they published themselves in print comes forth that all the world may see that the judgment of God is true from his servants upon them and that all the Rulers of the Nation may see that such are not fit to be held up but be cried against and if any should by a Law give such the tenth parts of mens estates they may expect that by the righteous Law of God ten parts of theirs may be taken away and given to strangers so if any people maintain this doctrine they maintain that which the curse of God comes upon and if they come not out from it will be partakers of the plague And again as concerning Hell Clapham saith that men are not in Hell while they are upon earth And here is another lye Answ. The Prophet said while he was upon earth thou hast redeemed my soul out of hell and Jonah said Out of the belly of hell cryed I unto thee and so the believers doctrine was contrary to Claphams for they knew both heaven and hell while they were upon earth and a redeeming out of the one into the other by Jesus Christ. Again he accuseth Peter saying that he speaks of the divine Nature being communicated to the Saints but understands divine graces Answ. The Apostle doth not speak one thing and understand another as the Priests do for he speaks with the Spirit and with understanding and knows how to divide the word of God aright who spoke unto them that had escaped the corruption which is in the world through lust and knew what it was to be partakers of the divine nature but herein the wickedness of this Priest is manifest who would keep people from being made partakers of the divine Nature and would shut up the kingdom of heaven from men while they are upon earth Again he accuseth the Corinthians in the 33. page of his book to be the ancient Hereticks who were baptized for the dead Ans. Those who were baptized for the dead was no Hereticks neither did they deny the resurrection of the dead though Paul said How say some among you that there is no Resurrection of the dead yet he did not call those that were baptised for the dead Hereticks for those that were baptised for the dead and stood in jeopardy every hour did believe the resurrection of the dead and did wait for it and did not deny it as Clapham saith who hath proceeded on in his book with many of the like false accusations against us also but it is a small matter for us to be judged by such a one for herein is but Christs words fulfilled As they have done unto me so shall they do unto you for neither Christ nor the Apostles nor the Church of God hath escaped his accusation for Luk. 6.26 Wo unto you saith Christ when all men speak well of you for so did they of the false Prophets but blessed are you when men shall speak all manner of evil against you falsly for my names sake for great shall your reward be in heaven now though against us all manner of evil be spoken falsly in the Book before mentioned yet in truth do we stand out of it all and over it all and our accuser is found in the evil and vve clear And as for the 13. Sect. wherein he hath wearied himself for very vanity hath he proved nothing against us but against himself in which he hath said that we are enemies to the holy Scriptures and deny Christ come in the flesh also his death and resurrection and that we have said that Christs flesh perished and that we own not the man Christ in the Heavens as pag. 11. and chargeth us to say that he did not ascend into heaven is not at the right hand of God shall not come to judge the world pag. 12. Again Whereas Clapham saith we deny prayer the Lords Supper and Water-baptism and giving of thanks at meals and singing of Psalms Ans. This is false as his own writing and confession will witness against him which in a former Letter said that I prayed three times at one Meeting and now in this book saith we deny prayer Here confusion is grown into impudency and lyes are made his proofs Again he saith we deny the â—ords Supper yet confesseth we own eding on Christs flesh Now Christ saith
thing in these Scriptures as that grace is a created thing nor that it is called the new creature but the Apostle saith By grace are we saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God Now was that grace by which they were saved a created thing if it was prove it by plain Scripture else stop thy mouth for we have searched the Scriptures and we find no such thing but we find that by grace they were saved and that they who are new creatures in Jesus Christ the grace of God was their teacher as it is our teacher to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly godly and righteously in this present evil world which grace is able to keep the hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God of all those who are taught by it but is not a created thing Pr. That the principles of Christian faith is established upon the Scriptures pag. 74. Answ. Faith hath but one foundation and all who are believers their foundation is established upon Christ who is the Author of Faith before any Scripture was written Jacob Enoch Abraham Isaac had no Scriptures written to establish their faith upon and when Moses and the Prophets had known seen and believed and from that wrote of him who was the true light enlightning every one that in him very one might believe so every one whether they have the writings of the Prophets and Apostles or not yet they have that in which they are to believe which if they believe not is condemned and believing in the light they come to be the children of the light and here the first principle comes to be known of faith and so the first principle of the doctrine of Christ must be known before the doctrine be profest and so all who know not the first principle of faith are far from the saith and who knows not the first principle of the doctrine is far from a doctrine and so the principle of a thing must be known before the thing but the Scripture speaks of nothing that the Christian faith is to be established upon but upon Christ who was glorified with the Father before the world was by whom all things which now are were made who hath given us of his spirit and to us it is given to believe and suffer for his names sake as it was given those who were his true witnesses before us and they did believe because it was given them to believe by the spirit so faith is the gift of God and many have the Scriptures which have not faith which is the giâ—t of God and they which are turned from the faith are pierced through with many hurtful lusts have the Scriptures and say they believe what the Scripture speaks but this I say that faith is the ground of the Scriptures and not the Scriptures the ground of faith and none can believe in Christ but they who believe in the â—ight which Christ hath enlightned every one withal that cometh into the World and all who own Christs Doctrine who saiâ—h believe in the light that ye may be the children of light which who believe in shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life and shall not enter into condemnation but who believe in any thing else their faith is vain they are yet in their sins and he that lays another foundation for faith then Christ let him be accurst Thus having laid before the people some of those things with which his book is filled and for this end do I lay them open that those for whom Christ died and unto whom his love is reached forth to bring them to the Father should not be corrupted with the unsound form of doctrine delivered unto them by their Priest And again as followeth I shall lay down some particulars which he hath held forth as affirmed principles in his book which if you receive his testimony you must believe as your principles also but if you come to try them with the measure of the light that Christ hath enlightned them withal then you will deny both him and them therefore mark them as followeth 1 That the Magistrate is an Officer of Jesus Christ as Mediator 2 That Jesus Christ hath a political and spiritual Kingdom 3 That Christ the eternal Son of God is distinct from the Father eternally 4 That the Spirit was distinguished from the Father and Son from eternity 5 That the Father Son and Spirit are three substances 6 That the soul of man is humane and that humane and immortal is both one 7 That Christ may dwell in his people by his special spiritual presence and have no union with them 8 That God dwells in the heavens but hath no union with them 9 That the union between God and believers cannot be comprehended by the Saints here 10 That heaven is not to be enjoyed whâ—le men are here 11 That the Corinthians who were baptized from the dead were ancâ—ent Hereticks 12 That the light which hath enlightned every man that cometh into the World is the light of reason and understanding and is natural 13 That natural light is the remainders of Gods image in man 14 That God is a respecter of persons 15 That the grace of God is a created thing and that it is called the new creature 16 That the principles of Christiaâ— faith is established upon the Scriptures I having here answered and laid open those things which is a mist of darkness over the peoples minds and understandings whereas they are either received or believed to the end that all who read it may come to that understanding which is a well-spring of life and to the knowledge of that truth by which iniquity is purged out and to the counsel of God in the heart which is like deep waters whereby judgment in righteousness comes to be set up by which the simple and tender-hearted comes to be preserved out of the snares of subtilty and craftiness to walk in the light of the Lord which is the path of the iust and the way of life and all they are blessed with spiritual blessings that walk in it for they shall be able to tread upon Scorpions and the deadly poyson that is under the tongues and in the hearts of the generation of Vipers and Serpents shall not hurt them and this power shall all those be indued with which believe in the light of the Lord answering that of God in all their consciences which leads into a chast conversation before the Lord ordering their conversations aright in his sight and all such who be turned to the light with which they are enlightned by Christ shall discern who serves God and who serves him not in this day when many profess him but few serve him in spirit and in truth as he will be worshipped by them whom he hath chosen Necessary Questions propounded to the Priests to be answered 1 WHat is that in every man which
the Gospel is to be preached unto which is able to receive believe and obey it which if not received believed and obeyed is their coâ—demnation 2 And what and where that light is which every man must be turned unto before they can receive the remission of their sins 3 And whether that be not in the Heathens which if they obey not will be their condemnation though they have never heard nor seen the Scriptures and what is it that is the condemnation of such 4 And whether any things which is not spiritual and eternal can condemn the creature from God for not obeying it 5 And whether such have not the Gospel who have not seen nor heard the Apostles writings and what the Gospel is which they that disobey the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against though they have not known the Letter 6 And whether any be condemned for disobeying that which they do not know 7 And whether that in all which are come into the world by which they are justly condemned disobeying it is not able and sufficient to lead them to life eternal obeying it 8 And whether such who speak good words to the people and they themselves be out of the life of them be not deceivers and cannot profit the people at all 9 And whether ever any was sent of the Lord to preach that to others that was not fulfilled in themselves 10 And whether the Gentiles have not that light in them which justifies them that believe in it 11 And whether thou be in the life of all that which thou preachest to others und be a witness of it if thou hadst not seen the Scriptures 12 What is it to be baptized for the dead and whether they who were baptized for the dead did not deny the resurrection of the dead 13 Did Christ own the praying of the Pharisees in the Synagogues or did he not call them heathens and what was it that made them Heathens seeing they were Jews after the flesh Whether was it not their idolaâ—rous worship and oppressing the people and is not this your mark and proof by Christs words 14 Is there any unrighteouser trade in the Nation then the Priests in selling the Letter for they will have money of them that do not buy of them as they have of them that have agreed with them and hired them 15 Is there ever a Tradesman in the Nation so unrighteous that sells his wares on the week day as the Priests do on the first day to take money of them and compel them to pay money they sell nothing to 16 Is there ever a poor hireling or hedger or labourer in the Nation that will force people that have not hired them nor set them at labour to pay them money would not this be an unrighteous thing in those labourers and hirelings as the Priests do take of them that have not hired them nor set them on work is this a righteous thing let all honest hearts judge 17 Whether would not the Priests account it an unrightâ—ous and unequal thiâ—g in us to compel them to repair our Meeting-houses in every County and to give us summs of money and if so whether are they yet come to the royal Law of Liberty to do unto all men as they would men should do unto them and if short of the Law much more of 〈◊〉 Gospel 18 Are not you them that eat mens bread for nought Mark eat mens bread for nought to whom you do nothing for and to pluck it out of the mouths of fathers and children I wish that you were either in the Law or in the Gospel for then some of your practises ways or words might be justified which now they cannot therefore learn wisdom while you may see your folly which now is made manifest with the truth Richard Hubberthorn The Horn of the He-Goat broken OR An Answer to Tho. Winterton his Book which he affirmeth to be A chasing of the young Quaking Harlot out of the City which if those that he writes against be not by it chased out of the City then all may take him to be a false Prophet which reads what he hath affirmed by his Book to be brought to pass To the READER READER THE time is come and coming wherein the God of Heavenis setting up his Kingdome which is not carnal but spiritual and establishing his throne in righteousness the day is appeared and appearing wherein all that oppose him shall be ashamed Now when he is declaring his righteousness and his saving health in the Nations and now the Man of Sin and Antichrist is discovered and the hidden things is brought to light and now when his enemies cannot hide themselves any longer but their shame must appear who are covered and not with the spirit of the Lord Therefore I say because the Lord in his mercy hath caused his marvellous light to arise in the earth the Prince of darkness is angry and all his subjects because their judgment draws nigh and their strength must be thrown down And as the Lord hath made manifest his light more then in some generations past Therefore the rage of the old Dragon is greater and his Angels and instruments who are to be taken with the Beast and the false Prophet and shut up in the pit and sealed in utter darkness for ever and therefore he is come forth in his power and his strength and all his subjects every one with such weapons as they have some with clubs some with prisons whippings reproaches and mockings some with their corrupt sensual wisdom to oppose some with lyes and slanders but all is at work to defend their Masters Kingdom and would not have the man to rule Christ Jesus who will judge all their unrighteousness and bring down the Beast out of his seat amongst whom thou mayest see Tho. Winterton sitting near his Master unto whom he is fallen upon the throen of unrighteousness In a former Book he denied any thing above nature to guide man and in this his last book would judge of us by his evil consequence and he hath denied that he hath any thing that is infallible but he saith he judges by his imaginary faculty and he judges us in the 15. page to be Harlots because we speak plain language as Thou and so hath made all the holy men of God Harlots and Adulterers who used the same and so blasphemously against the spirit of truth hath set himself and makes lyes his refuge as the rest of the Dragons Army do and therefore these few things mind wherein his shame is laid open and his lyes denied and his sensual Queries answered which rose from his imaginary faculty And so take heed Reader thou come noâ— in the way of the lyars nor lend thy ear to the wicked but mind the light of Christ Jesus which will shew thee men of corrupt minds and corrupt things and seeing in the single eye In vain doth the Fowler spread his net in
the sight of the bird Try all things by measure of the spirit hold that which is good A friend to righteousness I am and a lover of thy soul. R. H. IN thy former Book thou hast been proved to deny the Father Son and Spirit and denied that there is any thing in thee above nature And in this book also thou hast made it manifest to be guided only by the naturall senses and so to be sensuall having not the Spirit and so in this thy sensual wisdom without the Spirit of God thou goest about to prove us to be the Harlot and to be upon two dangerous designs the first by our Doctrine the second by the Sword First as from our Doctrine to prove it thou bringest four particulars as first that wee say That the peoples soules understanding and reason were carnall fleshly and unto condemnation To which I answer All people which hate the light of Christ as thou dost and set up reason and imagination to be their guide knows nothing above nature in them their senses are reprobate and their understandings darkened and their reason carnall and fleshly which is for condemnation with the light and to those that were sensual whose reason was carnall and flâ—shly did the Apostles minister condemnation as thou mayst read in the Scripture and yet that proved them not to be harlotâ— but their design in their Doctrine was to exalt Christ which is the true light and lighteneth every one that cometh into the World and our design is the same against which no inchantments lyes nor fals accusations from Priest or Atheists can prevail The second particular wherein thou would prove us to be the Harlot and our design to be dangerous is because we say That Christ lighteneth every one that cometh into the world And to this thou thy self in the fifth page of thy Book confessest to be a truth cleere from Scripture and that this light discovers to every one that will both good and evill and in the fourth page thou callest this particular That Christ hath lightened every one that comes into the World a pure truth and yet thou would make the people believe that we were the Harlot for holding forth the pure truth and so thy own breath as fire shall devouâ— thee And hereby the pure truth of God which we hold forth is cleared and thou broken to pieces by the stone upon which thou fallest But all the Atheisme and all the Priesâ—s doctrine cannot make the people so blind as to believe that holding forth the pure truth of God will make us to be an Harlot or our design dangerous and here thou hast manifested â—hy spirit that all may see what we are accused for and by whom being accused to be harlots hereticks deceivers and deluders blasphemous and dangerous because we hold forth the pure truth of God according to the Scriptures yeâ— so far hath God turned the wise backwards and made their wisdom foolishnesse that even our enemies and accusers are forced to confesse that it is holden forth to the pure truth according to the Scripture for which we are accused as T. Winterton hath done to his owne shame and confusion The third particular from which thou would prove us to be the harlot and our designs dangerous are in these words which thou sayest thou gathered from our Doctrine That whatsoever believers in this light it is as a fire and a hammer to break and consume all carnall lust and fleshly and selfish desires whatsoever that now they cannot sin Ans. Here thou hast gathered that which we have not strewen and in thy imaginations thou hast gathered thy evill thoughts conceiving of that which never was spoken from us as thou speakest it and now they cannot sin But this I say that he that believeth in the light and follows Christ who is the light shall have the light of life and shall never come into condemnation if he abide in the light which comes from Christ the Word which is as a fire and a hammer which where it dwels consumes all carnall and fleshly lusts And hereby it is easily known who have the word from them who have but the letter And whereas thou sayest that light is but to discover and not active at all here thou hast shewed thy self to be ignorant both of the light and of the Scripture which saith the light of Israel shall be for a fire and it shall burn up and devour his thorns and bryers in one day And this light was witnessed to burn and consume that which is contrary to it and whereas thou sayest that if we will be purged we must seek somthing else for light will not doe it I answer God is light as in 1 John 1.5 and Christ is the light John 8.12 and if God and Christ who is the light will not do it then what else must people seeke unto to be purged And again thou sayst thou deniest that light or any thing within man or without man doth or ever did so cleanse purifie and make perfect the souls of men and then thou addest to make up thy darke saying as that it were safe and convenient to allow them no other guide or director but the dictates of their own light spirit within them As for the latter thou mayst take it to thine own for we deny all those which walks after their owne whether thou call it light or dictates for that which is their own is darknesse and not light but those that follow the light of Christ and deny that which is their owne for his sake we owne And as for thy former to deny that light or any thing within or without man doth or ever did cleanse or purifie and make perfect the sons of men let all here take notice of thy Atheisme who hath denied Christ and his light either either within or without men to do it The fourth particular by which thou would prove us to be the Harlot and our designes dangerous is in these words That now the Scripture is no more a guide for us to walk by nor nothing without them but the light within them and that seeks after any other guide but that within him is in the flesh still Which words are thy one and was not so spoken by any of us But to thee I say that the Scripture which did foresee that which we now do see we owne to be one with the light which was before the letter and to be our guide in the way of truth and this guide is within us but by the Scripture letter without thee thou neither sees nor foresees the things which belong to eternal life which if ever any come to see it must be by the light of Christ within them and all who own this light and with it is guided cannot deny the Scriptures which was spoken forth from the light within Again thou wouldest accuse E. B. to be changing in his doctrine from one thing to another
because he said that all strife and contention and revenge was of the flesh and of the Divel and to be condemned with the light which testimony is also true and this testimony can we never deny nor change from And whereas thou bringest his salutation to contradict that where he saith Make war in righteousnesse against Gog and Magog and prepare for the Lord. Herein thou hast manifested thy blindness which cannot see the war which stands in righteousnesse from that which proceeds from the lust but as thou hast imagined carnally of all the things of God which was spoken from the same spirit and so as well may thou make lyes and pervert our words as thou dost the Scriptures and now having published many lyes against us thou makest a profession of thy own condition that all people may see froâ— what thou judgest us to be in delusion thy words are these Now forasmuch as I have not an infallâ—ble spirit infallibly to interpret what may be intended in these revengfull expositions notwithstanding my imaginary faculty might find ground enough of bad consequence in them yet I shall leave them to better judgments as in the ninth page of thy book Ans. Thy now leaving of us to better judgments or to them that have the spirit of truth will not excuse thee for what thou hast done already that hath had nothing to judge us by all this while that thou hast spoken and written against us but evill consequences out of thy imaginary faculty How art thou fallen from what thou seemedst to pretend against us in thy books as if thou hadst known that we had held forth false Doctrine or intended a carnall war because we spake of a war in righteousnesse But now thou speakest plainly that thou hast not the spirit of Truth truly to interpret what we intend in our expressions but leeves it to better judgments Here thou hast manifested thy self a foolish builder it had been lesse shame for thee if thou hadst not begun then having begun in thy imaginary faculties and bad consequences and now confessest thou wantest the spirit of Truth here thou hast proved thy selfe to be the Harlot and fit to be chased out of the Citie who doth raise strife accusations and lyes against the truth of God from thy imaginary faculties and bad consequence being without the spirit of truth Again in thy answer to E. B. salutation thou boasts from thy imaginary faculty and sayst in thy 11. page O thou proud presumptuous ambitious Quaker whence is thy originall thou art not yet seven yeares old and art thou the only people of the whole creation in the favour of the Almighty therefore woe be to them that live to see thee prosperous to a manly age Answ. Our original is before all ages or the number of years and before any imaginary faculties which is thy rule was and this in time being brought forth which before all times was they who are found in their imaginary faculties as thou art the woe comes upon them and thy woe and torment will increase as the truth increaseth as it was from Christ to the Jewes Scribes and Pharises in the dayes of his flesh who questioned the truth of his word from the youngnesse of his yeares as thou dost his truth now having nothing to judg with but thy imaginary faculties having nothing of infallible spirit and yet thou goes on accusing us that we deny all matter and form of worship I say where the spirit of truth is which thou sayst thou hast not there is both the matter and form of the true worship owned and not denied which spirit we have and know both the matter and form but in thy imaginary faculties there is neither And whereas thou sayest that we deny actuall obedience and the authority of the Scriptures that is false for by that authority that gave forth the Scriptures are we daily in actuall obedience to the Lord. Again thou bringest several particulars which thou callest the markes of the Harlot by which she may be known as first in her language which is to speak the word Thou to a particular person in stead of You thou wouldest make the language of the Harlot then all the Prophets Christ and the Apostles did speak the language of the Harlot and then the Scripture is translated in the language of the Harlot which doth not use the word You to any particular person But here thou hast made it more manifest to be without the spirit and to speak from thy imaginary faculties The second mark is her weapons which is saying that people is carnall and in the flesh and that they know not the light of Christ but stumble at the stumbling-stone and are in the cursed ground and that they cannot believe though the truth be declared unto them they having not the spirit but are in their sins And this thou sayest is the weapon of the Harlot Answ. Now these words were all used by the Ministers of the most high God against the Harlot as thou art manifest to be who stumbles at the stumbling-stone as it is written Romans 9.32 John 11.9 10. Here thou may see they which were no harlots told them they stumble at the stumbling-stone and told some that they were carnall 1 Corinthians 3.3 and the Prophets told them they had eyes and could not see eares and could not hear and hearts and could not understand Isaiah 44.18 and this was no marke of a Harlot in the Prophet but they whom he said was so was Harlotted from the Lord and Christ told them that they were yet in their sins and told them they should die in their sins John 8.24 if they belâ—eved not and told them they were of their father the Divell and had not known God but was from beneath John 8. And these thing in Christ was no marke of a harlot but they were harlots whom he so Judged and so thy marks discover thee The third mark Her presumption attempting to share with the Almighty And this which thou calls presumption is to be guided by God and hereby thou doth accuse all the Saints of God for they all did so far presume as to be guided by God and by his spirit and to say that all the children of the Lord should be taught of the Lord and this was no presumption nor no mark of the harlot and they said as he is so are wee in this present World and this was no presumption nor the marke of the harlot but humility if thou were not blind thou would see it The fourth mark is pretending to own the Scriptures and speak much of Religion and yet have nothing in matter form or essence Answ. This hath marked out thy condition that pretends to owne the Scriptures and professeth them and hath not that Spirit which gave them forth being guided by the imaginary faculties and so without the power and effect of that which thou professeth but we by that spirit which gave them forth
their sins though J.S. say that not one man in the world knows God to be God till he finds him in the Scripture But I say unto him as Christ said unto the Pharises Who had neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape had not his word abiding in them nor did not believe in the Light and that he was the Light vvhich did enlighten every man that cometh into the World search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal life and they are they which testifie of me saith Christ the Life but those thought that they had the life in the Scriptures deceived them for they vvanted the Life when they thought they had it And so I. S. thoughts that he hath the Spirit by the Letter deceâ—ves him for vvhen he finds the Spirit and Eternal Life then his old lying heart in which is no truth but the root of error will be taken away and so the Light vvhich cometh from Christ the Life in vvhich the Spirit is received condemneth all such thoughts for they proceed out of that heart which is not upright before the Lord neither is it set to seek the Lord in that way in vvhich he and his Spirit is found Again I. S. talking of the Scriptures intrudes into things which he hath not seen comparing it with that which he hath seen and so in what he saith he is blind saying The Scripture is a more standing Rule than Visions To which I ansvver The night is upon him that he hath no vision and therefore doth not know vvhat a Vision is a rule unto nor the continuance of it as those in Israel which said that every vision faileth and so vvould not have them a standing Rule and that Reproach of the Visions of God were so common that it vvas become a proverb amongst them but the Prophet vvho vvas in the Light and had the vision of the Lord had the Word of the Lord he was to reprove that proverb and to tell them that they should no more use it as a proverb in Israel and said The dayes are at hand and the effect of every vision and so with the Light who be in it do now reprove all such proverbs and preachings against the visions of God for from the visions was the Scriptures spoken forth and that which they had seen they declared so that which gives forth words is greater than the words and without vision the people perish and they may perish while they have the Letter but they cannot perish while they have the vision and although there be vain visions they do not make the true of none effect And although there be Sorceries and Enchantment that doth not make the true resurrection of the dead of none effect but the blind must stumble at the things they do not see Again J.S. sâ—ith That the Authority of the Scriptures is owned ed among the Jews to this day Ans. No Christ is not owned amongst them who is the Authority and Power unto which the Scriptures give testimony that he is so neither are they yet converted as thou thy self confessest and they who be in the unconverted estate do not own the Authority of the Scriptures though such may talk of them as thou dost speaking that of them which they never spoke of themselves Again I.S. saith in the 17. page As deep things as the Spirit hath revealed they are all in the Scripture Ans. Nay There were things revealed which were unutterable and many things which were revealed and also written which are not in the Scripture as the Book of Nathan the Prophet and the Prophesie of Ahijah the Shilomite and the Visions of Iddo the Seer which was against Jeroboam the son of Nebat 2 Chron. 9.29 And the Book of Shemath the Prophet 2 Chron. 1.2 15. And the Book of Jehu 2 Chron 20.34 and the Book of Gad the Seer 1 Chron. 29.29 and the Book of Jaser 2 Sam. 1.18 and the Prophesie of Enoch who prophesied of the coming of Christ in his Saints to execute Judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly of their ungodly deeds hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him as Jude beareth witness And he also saw and prophesied of Israel according to the flesh that they should do wickedly and slâ—y him vvho was the light of the world And much more which is not written in the Bible And that which is manifest unto Paul which he wrote to the Corinthians in an Epistle not to company with fornicators that whole Epistle is not in the Bible 1 Cor. 5â—9 And likewise that which was revealed unto Paul in the dispensation of the grace of God given unto him how that by revelation God made known unto him the mystry which he wrote unto the Ephesians in a few words whereby they when they read they might understand his knowledg in the mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it was revealed unto his holy Angels and Prophets by the Spirit which Epistle in which that mystry was written is not in the Bible Ephesians 3.3 And the Epistle which Paul wrote to the Laodiceans which he charged the Colossians to read amongst them and that theirs should be read in the Church of the Laodiceans wherein his thanks prayers to God was for their stedfastnesse in the truth wherein he made manifest the unprofitable talkers who went about to draw them from the truth of the Gospel and from their diligence in good works of eternall life as many vain and unprofitable talkers are in the world now doing the same work And whereas J. S. saith That the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians was read as the Word of the Lord in the Church of the Laodiceans Why doth he not bear witnesse that Paul's Epistle to the Laodiceans was read as the word of the Lord amongst the Colossians Collossians 4.16 And if he read in his Church the Epistle to the Collossians as the Word of the Lord why doth not he read to his people that which was written to the Laodiceans they both being given forth from one Spirit So let him consider of those things above mentioned and try whether his words will stand unreproveable 67. page saying God might have revealed more than is in the Scripture but he pleased not so to doe In that page mentioning Samuel Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles saying All that they have spoken is written both according tâ— what was written before and for substance the same Answ. What I have spoken and shall here speak may sufficiently make manifest that his words proceed from the old lying heart in which dwells no truth for I have shewed out of the Prophets and out of the Apostles many things which was both revealed and declared which is not in the Bible written And likewise I shall shew farther of the things concerning Christ testified by John and we know that
his Testimony is true saying And there are also many other things which Jesus did the which if they should be written every one I suppose that even the World it self could not contain the Books which should be written John 21.25 So that all is not written which was revealed wrote and spoken which if much more were written which was made mâ—nifest by it with that which is written could they not know the Lord their mindes being from the light of Christ which doth reveale and make manifest that which may be known of God in them And many who have the Letter and are Ministers of it are sensual having not the spirit nor the word of God nor the testimony of Jesus and their Ministry is but as Chaffe to the Wheate and the Lord is against them For what is the chaffe to the wheat saith the Lord Jeremiah 23. Is not my word like a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer breaketh the rock in pieces Now many have the letter and know not the word of the Lord as a fire neither is the rock broken with the letter and such use their tongue for it is their own and the power of the Lord is not come over it such cause the People to err and doth not profit them being not sent nor commanded of the Lord for who are sent and commanded of the Lord the Lord useth their tongueâ— to speak his words which he puts into their mouthes and such words doth profite the people and not cause them to err being spoken according to the law which is light And the testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophesie and such do witnesse the Scriptures that as they cannot be broken so they cannot be denied by the Spirit which gave them forth to be a Declaration of those things which was revealed known and believed But they are not that which they are a declaration of the letter testifies of the eternal life but it is not it neither gives it It testifies of the light of the glorious Gospel shining in the heart whih gives the light of the knowledg of the glory of God but it is not that light which gives that knowledge It testifies of the Way but Christ is the Way of the Word but God is the Word and of Redemption but Christ is the Redemption not the Letter though it testifies of Justification Sanctification but they are wrought by the Word in the grace and power of Christ and so every one who wil own the Scriptures as they were given sorth to be owned must first own that of God in them which is manifest to work in the Creature that which they testifie of that Christ the power of God they may witness working all their works in them and for them according to the Scripture But contrary to the Scripture J.S. from the root of Errour saith That the written letter is a Spirituall Arm and Sword of the Spirit and that the very power of the written letter puts Satan to flight And in the same Page saith That the Devil hath Scripture in his mouth Answ. Let the People take notice and read the Scriptures and see if there be any such thing that the Sword of the spirit was ever in the Divels Mouth for the spiritual Armour which is said to be the Word of God But the Word of God which is the sword of the Spirit is that by which he is to be destroyed and is the mystery bid from him and all that follow his lusts But though the Divell which did not abide in the truth and his Ministers who are out of the truth may take the letter in their mouthes as they have done and say it s written so but the word of the Lord is not in their moutheâ— which is the sword of the Spirit and such will use the letter in their mouthes which cannot sease from sin whose eyes are full of Adultery beguiling unstable Souls their heart being exercised with coveteous practises cursed children which have forsaken the right way and are in the Error of Baalan loving the wages of unrighteousnesse and taking them and such have the letter in their mouthes but knows not the Word of God whâ—ch who comes but know it restraines them from all such practises Again J.S. from his blindnesse and root of Error and lying heart wherein dwells no truth but much confusion saith that the letter i. e. the Scripture is the true ground of the believers Faith and again in the same page saith That Christ in the Scripture is the true Ground of Faith And to prove the former he brings Prov. 22.19 20 21. That thy trust may be in the Lord I have made known to thee this day even to thee have not I written to thee â—xcellent things in Councels and Knowledg that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee An. By this scripture the Lord is made the ground of Faith not the Letter And therefore did the Prophet make known excellent things in writing in counsel and knowledge for this end did the Apostles both preach and write that the Faith of those which heard them read their writings might not stand in the wisdom of words nor in the letter as its ground but in Christ the power of God and Christ who preached the true doctrine that in it every one might believe said to the World the Pharisees While ye have the light believe in the light that ye may be the Children of light and these had the letter but did not believe in the light which light is Christ and which light is the foundation of Faith and is the foundation of many generations in which many did believe before this letter which declares of it was written And that Faith which stands in the light and in the power of God is the ground of the Scripture letter from whence it did proceed after they believed they spoke and wrote that which now is declared in Chapters And every one which coms to the true ground of Faith must come co the light to believe in it that they may be the Children of it and then the Scriptures will be profitable unto them they with the light having the understanding opened to see for what end they were given forth and how they come to be fulfilled and witnessed in that which gave them forth for the ground of Faith to believers is but one both before and since the Scripture was written which is Christ in whom whosoever believeth shall be saved let Christ be in what he will for he was the ground of Faith when the letter was not and he is the ground of Faith when it is and no other foundation for Faith can any man lay than that which is laid Jesus Christ who is the true light and enlighteneth every man that cometh into the Word that all men in him might
believe and they that believe not that he is so shall die in their sins as Christ saith John 8.24 But J.S. going on in his own devised Fables would pervert the words of truth both in our writings and in the Apostles as it is manifest in his writings of this reviling Rebuke concerning R.F. and J.N. E.B. and F.H. and others which whosoever read their words and his they may discern truth from devised fables without much Reply upon it as in places he is mingling his own words with theirs joyning a lye to the truth that he may contradict it as false as every one that reades with understanding will see which when they have spoken plain truths which he himself hath often in his Book confessed unto to be truth will afterwards give his meaning to 〈◊〉 words as he hath done unto the Apostles words saying If they meane thus c. Then he goes about to contradict his own meaning and when he hath contradicted his owne meaning then he saith he hath contradicted their words though he have before confessed the truth of their words so he hath not contradicted the words as they were spoken but because they spoke not his meaning with the words therefore the true words must be false in his judgment and bear his rebuke as his Book doth make manifest and adding his lye to the words of truth these two things are his greatest proofs to resist the truth In page 77. he hath mingled his own words with the words of R.F. in wâ—ich page he acknowledgeth a former addition and yet reneweth another R.F. having been speaking of the light which hath enlightened every man which cometh into the World he adds which where it is and it is in every man it reneweth the judgment c he here adding his own and then rebuking it would make people believe lyes that all might be damned who believ not the truth But on the contrary for we never have said that every mans judgment is renewed with the ligbt though they be enlightened for they are enlightened who haâ—e it and who are void of true judgement because they hate the light which they be enlightened withal And also the Apostles words he perverts and gives meaning unto which if he did not they would be a plain testimony with that which he hath set himself to oppose so giving meanings both to their wordâ— and our words his meanings must be the ground of his Believers Faith and not the Scriptures as he said before The Apostle Peter speaking of a more sure Word of Prophesie wherein they did well to take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place till the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts 2 Pet 1.19 knowing this first that no Prophesie of the Scriptures is of any private interpretation for the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved of the holy Ghost To this J.S. adds not heart-prophesie no breast-prophesie but written down in Books c. which is contrary to the Apostls words for he doth not exclude heart-prophesie for there was never any prophesie but did proceed out of the heart before it was written in any Book And the Apostle saith Untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts and that holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost and that vvhich moved them to speak Prophesies was in their hearts and the Apostle did not bid them wait till the day star did arise in the Scriptuâ—es but till it did rise in their hearts and then he told them how the Prophesies of the Scriptures came Peter saying Untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts J.S. saith That is untill by the study of the Scriptures more light he cleered up c. Now let all them of understanding read and compare his words the Apostles and they may well conclude with his confession that he hath an old lying heart and flesh in which dwells no truth but the root of errour and gainsaying of the truth and as for many others of his devised fables and false meanings though I let them passe here unanswered yet they may be seen with the mind informed in the truth and all who are of God and of the truth may know that it is a small matter for us to be rebuked or judged to be in confusion who so evidently hath confounded both our words and the Apostles into his owne false meanings and so contradicts them both but that remaineth sure which gaves forth the Scriptures and abideth in us and we know that they cannot be broken but must be fulfilled as they were given forth by the Word which they were given forth from by taking heed unto which the young mans way is cleansed by which the old lying heart is reproved that which was given forth from that Spirit cannot be by it denyed but that which would darken words without knowledg is denyed that which would set up devised fables above Christ the Spirit and Scriptures that by the Spirit is denyed without contradiction and as we shall by the Spirit and by the Scriptures trye John Stelhams Doctrinâ— which if he deny them both then by his owne Argument we shall prove him and see whether he will own himself to be judged by that with which he would judge others whether they be Messengers sent by Gods Spirit His Assertion laid down Page 60. to try withall is this Such Messengers as speak more than is in the Scripture are not sent by GOD'S Spirit nor guided by him to what they say By this then is all that of him before mentioned cast out being both more and contrary to what is in the Scripture as also that which is to be declared as followeth in his second head as he calls it of Scripture Contradiction he is speaking concerning a Trinity and three Persons which words are not spoken in the Scriptures he meaning the Father Son and Spirit by such nameâ— as the Scripture never did so about words names which the Scripture doth not mention arsing out of the Divination of his heart doth he multiply words to hide the truth and shuâ— the Kingdom from men and so hath no ground for the word three persons from the Scripture but the Scripture in one translation speaking of Christ being the express Image of the Fathers Peâ—son and in another â—ranslation saith that he is the expresse Figure of the Fathers substance as he is witnessed to be by those that know him and so till he find the word three persons and Trinity in the Scriptures let him owne his own rule to judg him to be no Messenger sent by Godâ— Spirit because he speakes more than is in the Scripture who saith the holy Ghost is a Person and this person dwells in Saints though not personally mark this A Person dwell in the Saints not personally all this confusion is as
set up a light of scriptures as he calleth it And he speaks in p. 82. of having our minds darkned with the light of Scriptures Mark doth that light which he hath in all his Book been exalting above the God head-light above that Light which Christ hath enlightned every man withal darken mens minds What is it then that must enlighten them Here is his testimony of the Light brought up to the ful that all who can receiv it may believ it for he saith to us if our minds were not darkned with the light of the Scriptures the two texts in Rom. 10.18 and Col. 1.23 might resolve us how the Gospel is preached to every creature not to the principle of Light in the Conscience how can the Scripture resolve us of the Light if it darken our minds But by these things this is made manifest that darkness hath blinded his eyes that he neither knows the Light nor the Scriptures which were given forth from it Again Another of his contradictions concerning the Light in pag. 23 24. compared with pag. 75. is this saying the Light that shined in Pauls heart and the Light that shineth in the Scripture is the same Light and God who shineth in the heart by Gospel-light according to the Apostles words 2 Cor. 4.4 contratrary unto which in his 75. page he saith That the Gospel-light about matters of salvation of which the Apostle speaks never entered never shined into mens hearts Ans. To this let all take notice and consider whether of these two Contraries they are to believe The one saying God shineth in their hearts by Gospel-light and the other saith It never entered nor shined into mens hearts But if the Scriptures or the Apostle is to believed he saith For God who-commanded the Light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ but we have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us 2 Cor. 4.6 7. Here was the light of the Gospel shining in their hearts in matters of salvation giving them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and they were the Vessels in which the light did shine and from which they spoke the hidden Wisdom of God in a mystery and so that which they spoke of the Light and of the Gospel is yet a mysterie unto such whose eye is blinded with the god of this world and the wayes of unrighteousness knowing neither the light nor the Gospel of salvation but filling up their iine of confusion as hath been already manifest and may further be made manifest Again John Stelham in his sixth Head of Scripture-contradiction speaks concerning the Law and goes about to distinguish between the two Covenants which the Scriptures speak of but knows not what he speaketh nor of what he affirmeth but contrary to the Scriptures speaking of a Moral and Ceremonial law which the Scriptures speak of no such words nor no such distinctions as of a Moral law to be the Covenant of Works and thâ—t the Ceremonial law is not a Covenant of Works but of Grace And whereas he tells of a Covenant of Nature which is one with the Covenant of Works and so here is several Covenants which J. S. hath made and several Names here given to the Covenants which God never gave nor they which spoke of the Covenants never gave such names to the law in the words of Scripture as Moral Legal Natural Ceremonial so that is all without and contrary to the Scripture language And whereas he goeth about to prove Adam to be under a moral law wdich he calls a law of Works but hath no Scripture to prove it from but from his suppositions as thus If it was not of Grace it was a Covenant of works And again if the Covenant of works was not made with Adam in innocency God could not in justice require satisfaction of his posterity under the fall c. A third supposition to prove Adam under a Covenant of Works is this Either he stood under a Covenant of Works or was under the Covenant of Grace or he was under no Covenant c. Unto which I answer All such Priests and Teachers who be out of innocency themselves cannot tell what Covenant those are in with God who are innocent and in the Image of God in holiness and righteousness and therefore from such have we so much perverting of the Scriptures and violating of the law of God to make it according to their imaginations But unto such God saith What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant into thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee Psal. 50.16 Thou givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit But I say That Covenant in which Adam was with God in his innocency and in his image he stood in that and by that by which he was made a living soul and in that was in unity and covenant with God for the disobedience of which he was driven out from God into the earth and none were under the Law of Works neither was that Law added uhtil there was transgression which it was added because of it but that which is innocent and without sin unreproveable in God's sight is under no Law but that which endureth for ever which doth free from sin and death those that be in it which is made manifest unto some since the fallihg from it and which the Isles are to wait for till it be made manifest where it is not alâ—eady revealed and all who come to have right to speak of God's precepts and to take his covenant into their mouths they see and comprehend all such darkness which doth not speak according to words of Scripture but speaks of three Covenants contrary to Scripture saying that the first Covenant promiseth nothing of salvation nor mentioneth nothing of a Saviour and yet saith that that Covenant is a part of God's Word and his Will and pure Law and yet mentioneth nothing of a Saviour and again saith that the Moral Law he calls of Works which promiseth no salvation mentioneth nothing of a Saviour that this which mentioneth nothing of a Saviour is to be a directory and rule to true believers for the ordering of their sanctification as it is also in Christ's hand guiding them by his Spirit so this cannot build nor join together and so time to cease building any more in confusion but in denial of that false doctrine I say That there is but two Covenants spoken of in the Scriptures which is a plain testimony of them without any such confusion or contradiction as the Apostle to the Hebrews saying In that he saith a new Covenant he hath made the first old c. And in the first Covenant as you may read Heb. 9. In all
the Word and means of Grace he is setting up that which before he hath been pulling down in p. 123. where he saith That they are justified from all Legal obligations and conditions of their own workings both within them without them And in page 174. he is setting up obligations and conditions of Reading Hearing Prayer Preaching to which he saith Life and Salvation is promised and so would have salvation come by Works which he hath so much declared against before and so makes prayer reading preaching c. not only the means through which salvation comes but the cause for which they are saved saying To Prayer is promised salvation Now to the informing of the minds of people I say That all promises are to the Seed and the fulfilling of the promises is witnessed through its obedience to Christs command and through the Works of righteousness but none can pray so as to be heard of God and accepted but who have first known heard and believed him whom they call upon which none do but who own thâ— Light which Christ hath enlightened them withal which teacheth to pray hear read and preach with knovvledge and understanding Again J.S. in his tvvelfth head concerning baptism vvould go about to prove the sprinkling of Infants to be the baptism and so denyes both Johns and Christs and the manner of them and sets up another vvhich the Scripture doth not mention as sprinkling Infants which vvho reads his Books may see his proofs by consequences he would have the Scripture speak that which it never mentioneth in plain precepts and so would turn the truth into a lye and so by his own rule in the 68. page of his Book shall he be judged Such Messengers as speak more then is in the Scripture are not sent by Gods spirit nor guided by him to what they say But that all people may come to a right understanding of the Scriptures and that vvhich is testified by them is to come to the Light which Christ hath enlightened them withal which Light was before Ordinances were and vvhich Light gives to see the place of Ordinances and their time vvherein they are to be obeyed for the Light comes from the substance of all the divers vvashings and carnal Ordinances and it leads into the one Baptism vvhich is the substance of that of Water vvhich John vvho vvas a prophet vvas the Minister of and Châ—ist said unto his Disciples John verily baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire but he never commanded them to baptize with water but commanded them to go teach all nations baptizing them into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and although some of the Disciples and Paul for a time did baptize with water yet who shall judge their permission in it although Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ witnesseth that he was not sent to baptize but to preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.17 and thanks God that he had baptized no more of them yet witnessed that they were all baptized with one spirit into one body And J.S. saith To be against Infant-baptism is contrary to Acts 2.28 29. This is false for that Scripture doth not command it nor give president for it let the Reader search if he find any such thing as the Scripture proving Infants baptism but the promise is to as many as the Lord shall call And so he hath fouly belyed the Scripture for if that Scripture be contrary to such who are against Infants Baptism then must he prove from that Scripture Infants baptism to be commanded as prâ—ctised which he cannot do and so is a perverter of the Scripture And it is truth that we do deny brain-imaginations and sprinkling Infants with water But then he rambles over many Scriptures proving the Baptisme of Believers these proofs are impertinent what is this to prove Infants baptisme So that is passed by here as making arguments against believers baptism except one professing that were our present Adversary but in this he is pursued from all the Scriptures he cannot prove in Justice that ever Infants Baptism was either commanded or practised though he craftily wind about never so much in his imaginations and consequences And in the general I answer Much by us hath been written and spoken to this purpose so our judgements in this charge is fully known of which we are not ashamed before men as being fully justified herein in the sight of the Lord. And so as to that particular more need not be said Again in the 12 th Head of Scripture-contradiction as he saith concerning the Lords supper J.S. makes much ado because of our denial of carnal inventions and imitations practised by many in the exercise of that called the supper of the Lord though with one heart and mind we say and witness That Christs flesh and blood is our meat and drink and none have life within them without it yet doth receive it in the spirit and power of God and doth bear out testimony against imitations and false likenesses set up in the World as the wicked and prophane people such as live in pride and wickedness and covetousness both Teachers and people eating a little bread and drinking Wine so many times a year in such a form and manner and way as Christ nor his Apostles never practised such things in and no change wrought among people but both before and after if not in the very time fulfilling all wickedness and unrighteousness in words and wayes and thoughts yet by false suggestion from their Teachers believing vainly themselves to be the better or saints for the practice of such things whereas they do the more thereby vex the Lords soul and grieve his spirit by hypocrisie and deceit this we call carnal inventions and do deny it in the presence of the Lord that it is evâ—l and not accepted of God but condemned in his sight J. S. proves not that any thing which Christ instituted to be practiced among the saints onely ever was practised in the World among such who are not called neither sanctified and this is abomination to the Lord to practise the saints words or ways and have not the spirit of the Father which we cannot see among the people of this age no nor manage them professing to be selected Church-Members but pride and envy abounds among them all and in that spirit of disobedience in which they live to the Ordinances of Christ they have no right to practice that which onely is to be practised among them that have the spirit of the Father and nothing that Christ instituted for his saints do we deny in its life and age but lives are changed and Antichrist hath ruled and even the things which once he instituted your practice of them who are polluted are an abomination to him And this is a full answer in general as to the thing though I pursue him not in every particular word and argument to lay open
like but it hâ—d been more just of a better report for him to have ansvvered them and shevved them to be as he saith of them to all people rather than in a manner back bited them and reproached them and not shevving vvherein it lyes and if they be so needlesse and vaine as he saith then the sooner had such a vvise man as he thinks himseâ—f J. S. confuted them by sober and plaine ansvveres but vvhat if our folly in the sight of men be vvisdom in the sight of God aâ—d his vvisdom foolishnnsse vvith God no matter vvhat he say of us vvho hath shevved himself already and confessed truly that his heart is old and lying and sinfull so vve can expect no better judâ—ment from his Pen then what is in his heart but while we are approved in the sight of God we matter not what men say of us especially one that hath set himself to be our enemy and the Lords enemy and I leave the honest sober Queries to be read which he hath falsely branded with Pride and ignorance and such like as this What Rule have you in Scripture for putting off the Hat this is an honest Question which he wickedly slanders with pride And whether is your Gospel free without charge as the Apostles was yea or no These and such other Questions he rails agâ—inst to be ignorant and quarrellous and vain and of the Devil Now it had been more honest to have confuted them in answering discreetly than to have thus branded them And he saith It is one thing to take Hire for Preaching and another thing to preach for hire whereby his scope is to excuse himself if it may be and his Brethren who are Hirelings and would not be counted to preach for hire though he dare not deny lest all men should see his folly but that they had hire for preaching but then let him tell us when or where ever any of them preached and had no hire and then we will believe they preach not for it but such as receive sums of money of one man â—or a Country which would not be given him except he preached to them this same man is a Hireling and preaches because he hath hire aâ—d hath hire because that 's the ground he preaches Further he saith Christs righteousnesse which justifies a believing sinner is not the essential righteousnesse of his God-head and here he hath spoken ignorantly and held forth as if there is two Righteousnesses of Christ which I call for a proof from him for else let him confesse to his shame that he hath added to the Scripture for the righteousnesse of Christ is but one by which all the Saints are justified Further he saith ignorantly enough That which is done accord to the bare letter of the written Command or from a Gift of the Spirit or in a Gospel way from a living principle of grace â—cts of â—olinesse by the Holy Spirit and Faith given stirred up This is a righteousnesse of ours saith he and seems to separate it from the righteousnesse of Christ as he holds forth let men behold his ignorance Further he saith though it be wrought by the strength of Christ in us yet as to Justification Paul would not be fouâ—d in it this for a word mark again Reader canst thou see any thing here but ignorance as if Paul were justified by anoâ—â—er Christ then what wroâ—ght in him to will and to do Furthâ—r he saith Paul counted all things but loss and dung even what he had done or suffered since conversion that he might win Christ. Mark again What was the converting of many hundred of souls by Paul and many other Works of God wrought by him but dung and losse so J. S. holds forth this is ignorance indeed he hath shewed his ignorance by what he hath said and not proved in any thing that concerning Questions we contradict the Scriptures His 21 th Head concerning Civil Honour In this we do not contradict the Scripture by Arguments nor practice but do honour all men in the Lord and cannot respect mens persons nor have them in any admiration for any advantage yea we honour men in reproving them in their unrighteousnesse and J. S. pleads much for civil Honour the Scripture speaks not of Civil Honour and the Question is What this honour is that he calls civil and wherein it may be done and not in transgression nor in respect of persons Magistrates are to be honourâ—d by subjection to their just Commands Requests and Laws and by patient suffâ—ring under their corrupt Laws and evil Commands and not resisting evil yet the person of no man is to be respected for he that doth commits sin and is a transgressour of the Law of God Ministers of Christ are to be respected for their works sake and they desire no honour nor praise of men but know Reproach and infamy is their respect from the men of this Generation And as for Hirelings and Deceivers they are respected of the World but condemned of God and of his Saints and testified against and Parents are to be respected in the Lord by their Children and Masters by their Servanâ—s but where God commands one thing and parents or masters another as it often comes to passe in Christs time as it doth now whether to give respect to God or man this I leave to be judged by sober men that make conscience of what they say And thus in short I give a testimony how we honour and would have all honoured in the Lord and leave J. S. long Discourse to him and his Company and do bear witnesse against the vain Superstition and foolish Customes of this Generation His 22 d Head concerning Swearing In this we do not contradict the Scripture but saith practiseâ—â— according to Christs words Swear not at all which is spoken absolute and without condition and mitigation and he saith we take these words of Christ against his meaning and this is false and wicked too in â— S. who would be seen to hold forth that when Christ said Swear not at all he meant not as he spake for both Christ and the Apostle James were righteous in what they delivered concerning Swearing who forbids all manner of Swearing no cause excepted and we take Christs words according to his mind and doth deny all Oaths and abides in Christ and the Apostles Doctrine and ouâ— yea is so and our nay is so and whatsoever is more commeth of evil and J. S. would plead for swearing before a Magistrate but that Magistrate which fears God and loves his way will believe a man sooner that cannot swear for conscience sake then he that makes no conscience of Swearing and such a one is liker to testifie lyes with Oaths then he that for conscience sake denyes Oaths and in his conclusion he saith scholastically though ignorantly they that wil not expound Scripture by Scripture and compare the precepts and exâ—mples for swearing without prohibition against
it fall into Scripture contradiction but R.F. nor others wil therefore c. This is unfound and laid down but not proved at all neither maâ—or nor minor and hereby he hath concluded wickedly the Apostle Iames and Christ himself to be fallen into Scâ—ipâ—ure contradictions who did exprâ—sly forbid all swearing and did not compare the precepts and examples for Swearing with the prohibition against it and thus J. S. is taken uttering folly with his tongue hath drawn a conclusion upon Christ and the Apostle Iames to be contradictors of Scripture let shame cover his impudent forehead And they that charge Christ and the Apostle James with contradicting Scripture are enemies to God and of the Devil and for eternall vengeance but Iohn Stelham hath done so and therefore he is an enemy to God and of the Devil and for eternal vengeance But further at large as concerning Swearing our testimony thereof is laâ—d down at large in a Book called The glory of the Lord arising And whereas further I. S. as a man not weary of iniquity goes on after his false charging of us with contradicting to scripture â—harges us again that we contradict our selves in many things which accusation we bear with as much patience as we do his former seeing they are all out of one heart and to the same end for it is a small thing for us to be judged by man and so that wherein he charges us with self-contradictions I passe lightly over having cleared the truth That we do not contradict the Scriptures but if this man J. S. had been in Generations past what would he have said of Isaiah who was sent to tell Hezekiah from the Lord That he should die and not live 2 King 20.1 At the same instant of time the word of the Lord came again to Isaiah that Hezekiah should be healed and that he should go up to the house of the Lord These were both the words of the Lord to Hezekiah and yet no contradiction in Isaiah though such a Spirit as J. S. would so have judged And what would he have judged betwixt David and Ieremiah Psal. 119. and the 103. and Jer. 23.29 David saith The Words of the Lord are sweet unto his taste yea sweeter than the honey to his mouth And Jer. saith Thè Word of the Lord is as a fire and like a hâ—mmer which breaks the Rock to pieces Now there is no contradiction in these two not to that Spirit by which they are guided though so it might seem to such as J.S. whose mindes are dark And what would he have judged of Christs words Matth. 12.30 and Mark 9.40 where Christ said He that is not with me is against me and he that is not against us is with us â—nd yet in these words there is not contradiction to him that hath an ear to hear But if J.S. had been in those dayes out of his evil heart would he have charged the holy men of God to be contradictions to themselves it is very like that he would and these things I leave with the Reader to be considered of for we who have the same Spirit do clear Christ and the holy men of God from contradictions and knows J.S. and such as he to be seekers of occasions against the Just and would make offâ—nces where there is none for as I have said we do not allow J.S. to be the Interpreter of our words for then no question but he would have his own end and meaning and J. S. saith We deny the letter of the Scripture to be Scripture this is charged upon him to be a lye as it is well known through this Nation both in Doctrine and conversation we own the Scriptures and to deny Matthew Mark and Johns Declarations of the Gospel is no denyal of the Scripture for the Gospel was preached to Abraham which Gospel was and is the power of God before these four men did declare it though we deny their Writings to be the very Gospel which is the power of God yet we do not deny but they truly declared of the Gospel and this is to own the Scripture as it speaks of it self to be Let J. S. judg what he will of us and whereas he speaks of Gospel-letters and Scripture Gospel the Scripture gives no such names to it but saith the Gospel is the power of God and that is the Gospel which we preach even the power of God unto all people let J. S. judge by consequence what he will And further he would plead for the Title of Master from the Example of Abrahams Servant but this is nothing to prove the lawfulnesse of a Minister of Christ that they may be called Master for Christ saith to his Ministers Be ye not called Masters and the Spirit of Christ being our rule that leads us in the fulfilling of Christs words let J. S. shuffle as he will Also he lyes of J.N. to say he denyes and grants the same thing to be in the letter for though he say He that believes hath the witnesse in himself which is truth yet he doth not say The Letter is the Belivers witnesse which he seems falsly to be charged withall and he saith the Spirit of God must give the spiritual understanding of the Scriptures But this he doth in another way than that whereby he inspired the Pen-men of the Scriptures Now this is false Doctrine For Christ the way the same to us as to them and not another way of understanding Scriptures nor by another Spirit than that which gave them forth and he saith Christ directed to himself John 5.39 as revealed in the Scriptures and more than that as conveyed by the Scriptures to a Soul Now let the Reader take notice and search that Scripture Whether he hath not added to it yea or nay or where any ever had any Christ conveyed to them by Scriptures It doth say the Scriptures testifie of him but it doth not say that he is revealed in the Scriptures nor conveyed by them to a Soul and this is his additional gloss to corrupt the Text to undervalue the eternal Spirit of the Father by which Christ is only revealed and received and not by the Scriptures And for E. B. to say That he came not to them with enticing words neither what he had gathered from the Scripture without him but to declare the Word of the Lord and not to speak his own conceivings and imaginations this is true and no contradiction in it though J. S. say these cannot both be true to say That he neither came with what he had gathered from Scripture nor his own imaginations For the Apostâ—es of Christ did not preach what they had gathered from Scripture neither their own imaginations but preached the Worâ— and Gospel of God which they had received from God and not gathered from Scripture nor in their own imaginations and because he saith both these negatives cannot be true then it is concluded that himself preaches either what
declared to be the light of the world and the true light which lightneth every one that cometh into the world Joh. 1.9 Joh. 8. Now seeing that this Author hath set up another thing to be the light which hath enlightned every man then Christ viz. the spirit of 〈◊〉 I shall trie this testimony according to the Scriptures whether it be a testimony of the Lords Christ or a testimony against him in these things following which are the Heads of his Doctrine concerning the Light Concerning the LIGHT what it is It is the spirit of every man which is in him and without which he cannot be a man and is the candle of the Lord Prov. 20 27. This spirit of a man is the Reason of a man or tht Understanding of a man What this Light doth it gives him to know his Creator and the end of his creation viz. who made him and why he was made also how he â—â—ould answer the end of him that made him and that God set up this light in man to see by both whom he is to serve and how he is to serve him together with the reason thereof because God made him And with this light God hath set up a Law which Law is called Light Prov. 6.23 whereby the will and mind of his Creator is made known unto him and he sufficiently qualified to see it understand it c. p. 7. It searcheth the inward parts of the belly At first it moved upward and it could look God in the face and serve him But now since the fall the Thief is got into this candle and hath dim'd the light covered the aspiring ascendent quality now it burns downward and discovers the things beneath p 6. That it is all eye it sees all that is done but doth nothing it neither likes nor dislikes approves nor disproves but as it is in conjunction with a Law p. 10. Thae it is the property of Light to make manifest Eph. 5 13. pag 29. That it is not in the power of the Light as it is in every man so much as to call any thing that is done either good or evil p. 32. That the Light did drive Adam from the voice and presence of God so far is the Light from leading up to God that it drives the soul from God and keeps him in the fall p. 53. That it doth not lead into all truth such as love it and obey it p. 54. Nor doth it reveal all truth to them that love it and obey it And that neither the Light nor the Law doth convince of the sin of unbelief That the Lamp and the Light are convertible terms Thy word is as a Lamp Psal. 119.105 and that the Light and the Law is one p. 30. So by this the Light which is the spirit of man or mans Reason and the Law and the Word which of that which is called a testimony of the Lords Christ we shall trie it with the former Testimony of the Lords Christ as it is written in the Scriptures which was given forth from those which were true witnesses First as in answer to these things there is not one Testimony in the Scriptures neither from Prophet nor Apostle that ever said the spirit of man or mans reason and understanding was the Light which every one that cometh into the world is enlightned withal but the testimony of truth concerning those which followed their own spirits is this The Lord sent his Prophet Ezekiel to cry Wâ— unto the foolish Prophets that followed their own spirits and had seen nothing Ezek. 13 3. Now they were not without the spirit of a man for then they could not be a man as he saith now if they had the spirit of man and reason and if this was all eye how was it that they saw nothing when he saith It sees all things so it is not a true testimony of the Light nor of the Lords Christ But the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord and the Lord having lighted it then it searcheth the inward parts of the belly And David who knew whâ—t the spirit of man was and what a candle was without light and what it was when it was lighted he said For thou wilt light my candle the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness Psal. 18.28 So if the spirit of man be the candle of the Lord then whether doth not Christ enlighten every man which cometh into the world and whether is not that light Christ seeing the spirit is but the candle and that it must be lighted Another testimony of his is this That it is the property of light to make manifest Eph. 5.13 but all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light for whaâ—soever doth make manifest is light p. 29. And again in p. 32 he saith that it is not in the power of the light as it is in every man so much as to call any thing which is done good or evil Answ. Whether of these two contraries must men believe whether the light is able to make manifest whatsoever is reprovable or that there is not power in it to call any thing good or evil But by this all men may see that this is not a true testimony to the Lords Christ nor to his Light Never was there any such doctrine preached by any that cried Hosannah to the Son of David nor that did give testimony to the Lords Christ That there is not power in the light to call any thing done good or evil Now let all who have received the measuring-line and the equal ballance weigh and consider seeing the Scripture saith Whatsoever thing is approvable is made manifest by the light Is evil deeds reprovable then they are made manifest then you see them to be evil deeds lying to be an evil deed swearing to be an evil deed drunkenness to be an evil deed covetousness to be an evil deed pride to be an evil deed whoredom to be an evil deed false accusing to be an evil deed gain-saying the truth to be an evil deed anger and wrath to be evil deeds and these things are reprovable as the light doth make them manifest so it reproveâ— them and such are convinced of sin because they believe not in Christ so that unbelief is reprovable and is made manifest by the light And whereas some say That the light doth not reprove for the sin of unbelief that is false for unbelief is reprovable and whatsoever things are reprovable is made manifest by the light but he that doâ—th evil hateth the light and will not bring his deeds to the light lest the light should reprove him Joh. 3.20 And Jesus said unto certain Greeks people which stood by him which objected against his words which was no Saints nor Believers While ye have the light believe in the light that ye may be the children of light Joh. 13.36 Now he did not bid them believe in that which could not reprove unbelief
I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in darkness And Jesus cried anâ— said He that believeth on me believeth on him that sent me Also Joh. 12.44.46 This light was not mans reason nor understanding neither was it mans spirit that was the true light which lightneth every one that cometh into the world Joh. 1 9. Again another false testimony concerning the light is this That the light did drive Adam from the voice and presence of God and so far is the light from leading up to God that it drives the soul from God and keeps him in the fall p. 53. Answ. This Doctrine is to turn the truth of God into a lye and to call light darkness and darkness light for there is no such testimony in the Scriptures that the light did drive Adam from the voice and presence of God but Adam saith I was afraid because I was naked and I hid my self It was because he had disobeyed Gods voice not because he was enlightned for the Scripture saith It is your sins that hath separated you from God it doth not say that it is the light which hath separated you from God or driven you from him this may well be called a damnable Doctrine or Doctrine of Devils Hath God sent his Son a light into the world to drive the souls from God and keep them in the fall Now let all consider and judge that ever knew the light whether it be darkness or it be light which drives the soul from God and keeps it in the fall Now this doctrine being compared with the Scriptures is utterly false and there is a few that profess godliness in this Nation that can bear it or approve of it and for such as account themselves the highest profession and above forms under the name of Seekers to publish such a thing in print here it appears that the best of men iâ— but as a Briar and the most upright is sharper then a Thorn-Hedge for the day of thy Watch-men and thy Visitation cometh now shall there be perplexity Mic. 7.4 Now here is a day for tryal that they which can may try the spirits and doctrines whether they be of God Now I shall lay it to that of God in all is it not the work of the Devil to drive the soul from God and to keep people in the fall If so then it is not the work of the light which lightneth every man that cometh into the world is not this to call light darkness to say that the light is so far from leading up to God that it drives the soul from God and keeps him in the Fall What is that which leads man out of the fall if the light keep man in it As this is contrary to Scripture and to truth so it is contrary to his own words as in pag. 7. there saying That by the Light is the will and mind of the Creator made known unto man and he sufficiently qualified to see it and understand it Answ. How can these two stand together That the light drives man from God keeps him in the fall and again That it makes known the will and mind of the Creator unto him and sufficiently qualifies him to see and understand it This cannot truly be called Hosanna to the Son of David nor A Testimony to the Lords Christ but a line of confusion which is stretched out wherein darkness is come forth as a cloud and spreads it self over the earth to darken peoples minds from the knowledge and understanding of truth by words without knowledge but his folly shall proceed no further unreproved and made manifest Another false Testimony concerning the light is this That at first it moved upward and man could look God in the face and serve him but now since the fall the Thief is got into the Candle and now the Spirit burns downward and discovers the things beneath Answ. What is the nature of the Light changed or is the spirit so changed that before it ascended upward and now downward We shall try this according to the Scripture which saith Who knoweth the Spirit of man that goeth upward and the spirit of a Beast which goeth downward to the earth Eccles. 3.21 so then if it goes downward it is the spirit of a Beast not the spirit of a man And here it is plainly evident that he knows not the spirit of man from the spirit of a Beast so unfit to cry Hosanna to the Son of David or bear testimony to the Lords Christ. But as for the Light which hath enlightned man that cometh into the world the fall did not â—hange the quality of the light for the light is the same as it was but darkneâ—s cannot comprehend it neither knows how to give a true testimony of it but confusedly speaks of two lights the one springing up with man in his naturall birth suitable to his naturall birth and another light sutable to the new birth that is born of the spirit This is a testâ—mony which is not to be found in Scripture to be two Lights sutable to the two births for he that is born of the flâ—sh persecutes him that is born of the Spirit and God hath put enmity between the two Seeds but to say that there is two lights sutable and so the one natural and the other spiritual the one of the earth earthly and the other of the Lord from Heaven as the two births are this is not a testimony according to truth for the light is but one and the spirit of truth is but one and the same spirit which led the Saints which believed into all truth the same did convince the world of sin because they did not believe in Christ Joh. 16.3 And that light which is the condemnation of the world who love the darknes rather then Christ the same is the Saviour of all them that believe and one man loves it another hates it yet it is the same light Joh. 3.19 but the Scripture bears no such testimony as that there is two lights in man the one spiritual the other natural and for any man to say that the light of Christ is natural is blasphemy against the Son of God and is a sin not easily forgiven and it is hard for such to find the place of repentance for every one that comes to repentance must first come to the light which Christ hath enlightned them withall and must know it to be spiritual and confess it so and with this light come to discern the two births the one from the other and their several natures and how that the one birth is guided by the light it being as the eye giving them to see what to speak before they speak and so keeps them out of the worlds line which is confusion and as a Teâ—cher giving them to understand what to do before they do it and so keeps them out of the condemnation bringing their works
Covenant who are under Christs command who saith Swear not at all neither by that oath which David and the Jews swore by nor any other oath but if upon any occasion they were required to testifie their obedience whether they would be subject to such or such things their answer was to be yea or nay and to keep their words which is more then the hypocrites and hireling Priests in these times hath done by their oaths for this we have good experience of that such as do now plead to swear for a thing hath sworn against the same thing and do now preach against that which they have preached for so that they will preach pray or swear any thing for their belly and for filthy lucre and the oath which David was to swear in truth and righteousness who called Christ Lord he that was Davids Lord and glory saith Swear not at all who hath all power and glory Again whereas John Tombs instanceth Abraham Isaac David Solomon Elijah Micah Elisha the women of Shunem and Itai Uriah and Samuel c. their swearing and entring into covenant to be examples for swearing Answ. All these were under the first covenant and was in that which Christ called the old time Mat. 5. and proves nothing that Christians in the new covenant should swear for although Abraham swore and Solomon swore yet Christ which was before Abraham and greater then Solomon saith Swear not at all and although David swore yeâ— he was Davids Lord which said Swear not aâ— all and though the Angels swore by him that liveth for ever yet Christ unto whom all the Angels shall bow and worship saith Swear not at all so that all these arguments and Scriptures doth not prove that it is lawful for the Believers and Christians to swear at all but it is Tombs ignorance in his applying Scripture in disobeying Christs command Again To prove swearing lawful John Tombs saith that Paul put an oath on the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 5.27 which words are these I charge you by the Lord that this Epistle be read unto all the holy brethren Now saith Tombs the Greek word translâ—ted I charge you by the Lord is I put the Lords oath on you or swear you that this Epistle be read to all the holy brethren a like charge are 1 Tim. 6.13 2 Tim. 4.1 c. Answ. This is the long and thick mist of darkness which hath been long kept over the understandings of people that when the plain Scripture will not prove their ends and intents then they tell people it is otherwise in the Greek or Hebrew did not the Translator of the Bible understand Greek as well as John Tombs or are we not to believe the Scripture as it speaks till again it be translated by him but lest he should be wise in his own eys as it is in the Greek it is here set down that all that can read and understand it may judge whether Paul did put an Oath upon them or did swear them to read that Epistle to the brethren As 1 Thess. 5.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I oblige or charge you in the presence of God c. Not I put the Lords oath upon you or swear you as John Tombs saith for if they did read the Epistle among the brethren then his obligation or charge to them was fulfilled but seeing John Tombs saith he swore them he might have declared in what manner they were sworn seeing Paul was at Athens when he wrote to Thessalonica Again he saith the like charge is in 1 Tim. 6.13 which according to the Greek he would make an oath the words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I enjoyn or command thee before God not a putting an oath upon them or causing them to swear as John Tombs saith Again he saith there is the like charge or oath put upon them in 2 Tim. 4.1 which in the Greek is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I charge thee in the presence of God c. Not that he took him sworn or put an oath upon him that the should preach the word but did charge him to be instant in season and out of season in his Ministery Again John Tombs saith in the times of the Gospel Paul used this Oath 2 Cor. 1.8 But as God is true c. Answ. Now those that mind this Scripture may see that Paul doth onely justifie Christs words in keeping to yea and nay saying that with him it was not yea and nay for saith he ver 18. but as God is true our word toward you was not yea and nay and ver 19. for the Son of God Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us even by me and Sylvanus and Timotheus was not yea and nay for all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen So that this Scripture is so far from bringing people to Oaths and swearing that he labours to bring them all to yea and nay in all things and so to Christ the substance in whom all the promises of God are yea so that the Apostle might well use these vvords That as God vvas true c. so also vvere they true to their yea and nay the end of all oaths other Scripture Tombs bring to prove the Apostles did swear as Rom. 1.9 and 9.1 Gal. 1.20 Phil. 1.8 Answ. As to the first Rom. 1.9 where the Apostle saith for God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of hiâ— Son that without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my prayers is this a proof for men to swear and take oathes either for men or against men hath not the man here lost the understanding of a man thus to compare and call this the Apostles oath when he takes God to witness that he prayes for the Saints continually and his saying in Rom. 9 1. I speak the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost that I have great heavinesse and continual sorrow in my heart c and Gal. 1.20 where the Aposâ—le saith Now the things that I write unto you behold before God I lye not is this an oath to testifie the truth of his writings against lyes indeed this we desire that John Tombs and the rest of the Priests in this Nation would write nothing but what God would witness unto the truth of and that they would speak truth before God and not lye then they would not thus abuse the Apostles words and plead for swearing from them when as the Apostles intend no such thing in their words here asserted and whereas it is again said that the Apostle took and oath Phâ—l 1.8 where he saith for God is my record how greatly I long after you in the bowels of Jesuâ— Christ. Now let all honest and sober-hearted men consider whether the truth of God and the Apostles that speak it forth be not abused that from a novice that is lifted
Arguments as Tombs hath used is manifest the ignorance of foolish men wherein their folly appears to all men as the Scripture saith 2 Tim. 3.9 And whereas thou sayest that there is holy and harmlesse Christians and many upright soules whose Consciences are very tender and many godly persons that have excepted against that Oath and the lawfulness of taking of it as fearing it may take away the liberty of their Consciences which is dearer to them then their lives Ans. These that are so are in a better condition then thy self and to such thy ministery if received would beget them from their holy and harmlesse state into trangression of Christs command and from the tendernesse of Conscience into hardnesse of heart and now to answer their objections thou tells them that it was imposed for excluding of the Popes jurisdiction c. if so why doft thou preach it up to be imposed upon the holy harmlesse godly Christians who are redeemed from the Popes power and jurisdiction and is come into the doctrine of Christ and into the life of Christ which is out of all such Oaths Thou art a miserable Comforter to tender Consciences but thy end is seen therefore thou canst not deceive many but for those that thou hast before mentioned who are holy harmless upright and godly which are tender of an Oath they ought to be thy Teachers who thy self art far from righteousness or tenderness of Conscience therefore for thee it is a shame to be an imposer of Oaths upon tender Consciences who professest thy self a Minister of Christ who did forbid all swearing and his Ministers did preach against it and said Above all things swear not at all lest they fall into condemnatien and not into the obedience to Christ's command therefore they that fear God will turn away from such 2 Tim. 3.5 Now saith John Tombs the grand objection against swearing is our Saviour words Mat. 5.34 35 36 37. and Jam. 5.12 which words saith he doth seem expresly and fully to forbid any swearing at all excluding some sorts of Oaths by name and the rest by general terms that our communication should be yea yea nay nay and what is more cometh of evil or of the evil one yet saith he We must of necessity find out a limitation of the speeches as we do and the limitation is this that is frequent vain light prophane unnecessary customary passionate swearing or in secular matters of no importance in these Scriptures are forbidden Ans. Indeed it doth plainly appâ—ar that thou must of necessity either disprove Chrisâ—'s words or else deny thy own seeing they are contrary the one to the other so therefore thou saist that it was those oaths abovementioned that was forbidden by Christ and the Apostles And I shall shew it plainly that thou hast no necessity to limit Christs words to vain and prophane swearing but only that thou wouldst have thy words true and his false for Christs words in Mat. 5. doth not intend such Oaths for he speaks of the true Oaths which was used among the Jews and such Oaths as Christ told them they were to perform for it was not said in old time that they should perform vain light prophane unnecessary customary and passionate oaths but such as they were to perform betwixt the Lord and them the solemn vows covenants which they made in old time to their Kings and one unto another the Christians now by the command of Christ was not to swear these Oaths neither any Oath true nor false so that Christ is not to be limited to intend vain Oaths when as for instance Christ mentions the Jews swearing who was in the Commandment who did deny all vain customary false and passionate swearing so that Jo. Tomb's limitation is taken away and Christs meaning must be as large as his words which is not to swear at all by any Oath but to keep to yea and nay in all promises professions and engagements upon all occasions and so to keep out of the condemnation whereby all peoples consciences may be kept clean to the Lord in all things and they brought to the exercise of a good Conscience for the Lord is now teaching his people himself and bringing them to obey the doctrine of his Son in which they may find peace for their souls and not to be in bondage unto such Teachers as are given to change with every Government who preach as the false Prophets did for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread such are they who preach the lawfulness of swearing or sinning against Christs command but the Lord hath made them manifest and is redeeming his Elect and Chosen from amongst such who have made a prey upon people and fed upon their sins but not upon the life which the Saints was in An Answer to a Book called A just Defence and vindication of Gospel-Ministers and Gospel-Ordinances Put forth by J. G. in which he prâ—tends an Answâ—rs to E. B's Tryaâ— of the Ministers and other things against the Quakers But on the contrary hath manifested that he is altogether ignorant of the Gospel-Ministry and Ordinances as will appear to him to him that reads this Answer with desire to understand the Truth and so to receive satisfaction And instead of clearing the truth in any particular he hath falsly charged God Christ the Holy Spirit the Primitive Churches and the Quakers with such thingt of which they were never any of them guilty as will appear in the following Testimony Given forth from him who desires the edification and satisfaction of all in things appertaining to the Kingdom of God R. H. Psal. 59. The Workers of iniquity have no knowledge there is no faithfulness in their mouth their inward part is very wickedness and with their words they shew forth the same WHatsoever is written or acted against the Truth and those that walk in it is but a fulfilling of the Scripture of Truth which saith The way of the wicked is darkness and they know not at what they stumble Prov. 4.19 although the stumbling-stone be the Light the Foundation of many generations in rejection of which many go about to build and would be approved one of which I shall here mention John Gaskin who would defend and vindicate the Priests their Preaching Practice and Maintenance though contrary unto Christ his Apostles his Light and his Words declared in Scripture as will appear And first That his Testimony may be received he begins in an appearance of feigned humility and begging of Pardon for his slâ—ps and impertinencies and rudeness of stile used against the Quakers saying his work is not with Eloquence nor Humane Arts. In the examination of which we do find that he hath often slipped and used much impertinency of speech and rudeness of stile and neither Eloquence Spirituality or true Humanity in his Works many of which being so plainly seen to all is accounted not worth printing again But something here is mentioned
by which all the other may be compared and judged Again divers Reasons are alledged as a cause of printing J.G. his defence of the Priests First he saith The great malice and envy against the Ministers and the many Letters and printed Books sent by Quakers and the great growth and encrease in Errors and because many of his old Friends and Acquaintance are as he saith seduced from the Church and to strengthen such as are wavering through ignerance and weakness and to clear himself c. and that it might be seen and come into many hands Ans. He that would accomplish those things before-named to wit subdue malice envy and error and instruct the ignorant and him that is out of the way and strengthen the weak he must be such a one as is led by the Spirit and walks in the Light of Christ which is so much hated and contemned by Priests their defenders that first those things may be subdued in themselves and then minister against them in others but none of those things can be done by that spirit which hath ruled in J.G. but that his latter reasons which he saith moved him to print may be fulfilled that is that it may be seen and come into many hands that to thy own shame when they read and consider thy unlearned Logick wherein thou goest to prove that it is not sufficient to bring us to Heaven to be freed from sin for thou saist a Horse hath no sin and so by thy comparison a man without sin is but as a Horse so that thou hast truly said thy work is without Eloquence or Humane Art But seeing thou hast taken in hand to put things to publike view in thy next prove who those men are upon the Earth that are without sin and are not sufficient for the Kingdom of Heaven and whether was it any thing that did separate man from God but sin And was not Christ only made manifest to take away sin And is not man perfectly righteous when his sin is tâ—ken away made the righteousness of God in him which takes it away to wit the Lamb of God which all the Nations of them that are saved must walk in his Light and it is those that hate the Light iâ— against freedom from sin that have no understanding of the mysteries of God which is like the horse or mule whose mouth must be held with bit bridle and are like the beast that perish but they that are freed from sin are not so neither is the horse their comparison but herein thou hast shamed thy self thy Ministers that they should be so ignorant as neither to teach thee better doctrine before thou didst write nor correct thee when thou hadst written but to suffer such a thing to appear in this Nation where Light is broken forth that the state of freedom from sin is no better then the state of a horse but as the Scripture saith Your folly shall be made manifest unto all men Which Scripture is daily fulfilling and we are satisfied in it Again to vindicate the Priests of England to be Ministers of the gospel thou bringst many Scriptures whereby thou wouldst prove them to be lawfully called though they be out of the power of God and want the power of that which they teach p. 7. As the sons of Eli thou saist were lawful Priests though they were wicked men and this is a fit comparison as thou may read in the first of Samuel 2.12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial they knew not the Lord and so according to this thou hast rightly compared the Priests for though they have the name of being called yet know they the Lord no more then the sons of Belial did Again in the same page thou saist The Scribes and Pharisees were called to teach and Judas was a true Apostle from which thou wouldst prove the call of the Priests to be a true call to the ministry Answ. If the Priests did minister as truly as the Scribes and Pharisees did that is read or speak the Scriptures truly then thou mightest exhort the people to do as the Priests say but not to do as they do but seeing that they do not truly speak the Scripture but by consequences pervert it as thou hast done in thy book it is not therefore a good doctrine to bid the people either do as they say or as they do because they both say falsly and do falsly And as for thy comparing of them to Judas as for his being called and receiving part of the Ministry that they are not like unto him in because as yet they have no part nor lot in that matter but for his treachery and covetousness bearing the bag and betraying the Lord of Life for pieces of money in that they may be compared to him But thou saist The wickedness of the person doth not disannul his Office being lawfully called thereunto until he be degraded from that Office And to prove it thou bringst several Scriptures as Ezek. 34.3 where the Shepherds eat the fat and cloath with the wool and did not feed the Flock Isa 56.10 11. They are dumb dogs that cannot bark sleeping lying down loving to slumber they all look to their own way every one for his gain from his Quarter Come ye say they I wâ—ll fetch Wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant And these saist thou were truly called From which example your Ministers as thou thus provest are lawfully called to the work of the Ministry but when these Ministers and people read thy book they wil not much commend thee for such a defence for them but how dost thou prove that those before mentioned were lawfully called unto the work of the Ministry being wicked persons but when thou read'st the Scripture over again thou maist see that those are such as the Lord said did run he sent them not and said the Lord saith when he had not spoken unto them Jer. 14.14 Now in this Vindication thou hast not done any thing of that pretended confuting E.B. his Book called A jusl and lawful Tryal of the Ministers and Teachers of this age but hast rather confirmed it for he truly compared them unto those spoken of before-mentioned and thou hast compared them as to the sons of Eli which were sons of Belial knew not God and so his Book yet stands in force for a tryal to such unanswered And again as for thy pleading for tythes for such as are like the sons of Belial thou hast no precept practice nor example in Scripture to plead for such a thing neither as such nor as the Ministers of Christ. And whereas thou mention'st Acts 4. and Acts 5. and 1 Cor. 9.4.5 c. These Scriptures speak nothing of tythes nor of any Maintenance to the Ministry but only how that when they had planted a Vinyard they might eat of the
woman from which thou concludest that then the flesh must be married to Christ and so wouldst make up absurdities from thy own words Answ. This is thy ordinary way of proving Errour first to affirm a lye of thy own making charging it upon another and then draw a conclusion answering this lye but Sarah Blackborow nor any other of the Quakers have ever said that the flesh was the woman but that which Sarah Blackborow said was that the flesh was to be silent and that which spoke in thee was that which was silly and was ever learning but when any doth pray or prophesie whether man or woman and speak forth that which God hath made manifest that is the spirit of the Father in both and is not to be quenched for there is neither male nor female but all is one in Christ and in the Spirit from which preaching and prophesying proceeds and the promise is that daughters as well as sons shall prophesie and in the Church at Corinth they might all prophesie one by one that all might hear and all might be edified but thou saist those women that did prophesie it was not in the Church where then did they prophesie if not in the Church or what was the Church for it is written 1 Thess. 1.1 that the Church is in God And where must a woman be when she prays or prophesies if not in the Church which is in God And where was it that Philips four daughters prophesied whether in the Church or out of it and where was it that Priscilla did minister whether in the Church or out of it and Pheba a servant of the Church whether she might not pray nor prophesie in it and Priscilla who was a helper of Paul in Christ and laboured with him in the Gospel Rom. 16. might not pray or prophesie in the Church But now to speak the truth in plainness to thee that which thou cavell'st against it is not the woman nor the man simply considered but it is the Spirit speaking in either which thou canst not bear for where the Spirit of the Father speaks in man or woman thou setst thy self against it to oppose it And thou saist Susan Bond said Christ was the husband and of him they were to â—e taught and thou saist Sarah Blackborow did like the answer well Answ. Who could like it ill was not that a good answer And thou thy self must own Christ to be thy Teacher and learn of him before ever God will make use of thee in his service or work though the Priests may make use of thee for their defender Again pag. 99. thou saist we deny that any should either rule in the Church or have any honour Answ. No We do not deny the Head of the Church which is Christ to rule and to have all the honour but we deny any Priest to bear rule by his means or to receive the honour due unto Christ for we see they are such as seek honour of one another and not the honour which belongs to God onely Now whereas-thou goes about to vindicate that wicked men may sing Psalms and to prove it makes this argument If any be merry let him sing Psalms now wicked men are merry as well as godly though they have no true cause Ergo pag. 87 Ans. This Logick doth but prove thy own ignorance and darkness and not the thing intended by thee as we shall shew but first to answer thee with thy own contradiction Dost thou not say in the next words before this argument that the chief ground or cause is the moral duty lying upon all men by the commandment of God now if wicked men do sing Psalms by the commandment of God do they do it without a true cause Is not the commandment of God a true cause of any action to them which are commanded by him But in this thou art but building again that which thou hast destroyed and so makâ—â— thy self a transgressour and so let thy own confusion correct thee In the same page thou saist Thou wilt make good what thou hast written by Scripture Come then here we shall try thee Where in the Scripture dost thou prove that wicked men may be merry and sing Psalms though they have no true cause but on the contrary hast thou not read in the Scriptures Ps. 69. that David was the song of the Drunkards and if drunkards now in Taverns and Alehouses say and sing I am not puft in mind I have no scornful eye and say that as a weaned child they have behaved themselves by thy argument if they be never so wicked yet because they are merry in their wickedness they may sing lyes in the name of the Lord and by thy argument be Justified as men doing onely that which God had commanded them And again thou maist read in Scripture Joel 1 â—5 that such wicked men and drunkards were called to weep and howl for their misery was coming upon them so the Prophet did not call them to sing Davids Psalms because they were merry in their wickednâ—sse as thou hast done and again thou mayst read Amos 8.3 That the Songs of the Temple shall be turned into howling and these wicked men in the Temple were merry and by argument might sing Pâ—alms or spirituall Songs but the Prophet saith instead of singing they must howl and come to bitter lamentation and praise is not comely in the mouth of Fools as the wise man saith who is taught of God but the mouth of a Fool poureth forth his folly and the instruction of Fools is folly Pro. 16.22 And this Scripture we see fulfilled in thee for thy instructing of Fools and wicked men because they are merry in their wickednesse they may sing Psalms as a Coâ—mand from God and herein I have answer'd a fool according to his folly least he should be wise in his own conceit and although David calleth all Gods host and all living things made and created to praise the Lord the Sun Moon and Stars the Heavens and the Waters the Earth the Dragons and the Deeps Fire Haile Snow and Vapor Stormes and Wind fulfilling his word Mountains and Hills and fruitfull Trees all beasts Cattle Creeping things and flying Fowles Kings of the Earth and all People c. And now as David waâ— in the Covenant he saw the Creatures as they stood in their Covenant uncorrupted and so in a fit capacity to praise the Lord only man degenerated and unrestored again into the Covenant he saw it was not comely for him to praise nor to pray nor to take Gods word in his mouth nor to speak of his Statutes so far from Justifying thy Argument that wicked men because they are merry therefore may sing Psalmes but when the Priests or people takes notice of thy book and what Logick thou hast learned to justify the wicked in their singing as well as the godly and how thou hast shamed both thy self and them with such foolish confusion and University
the Saints and followed his thoughâ—s which were false thinking that he did God service and thinking that he ought to do that which is contrary to the light and so kick'd against the pricks instead of following that which did prick him and as for him in that condition and the rest which persecuted Stephen to death though they did it ignorantly yet it was not because they were not enlightned nor because the light was not sufficient to have given them the knowledge of him whom they did persecute but because they did resist that which was sufficient to have given them the knowledge As Stephen a man full of the holy Ghost did bear witness saying unto Saul and the rest Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears ye do always resist the holy Ghost as your fathers did so do ye which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the just One of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murtherers who have received the Law by the disposition of Angels and have not kept it When they heard these things they were cut to the heart So here is little ground in those for any to say they follow the light within them and to say that they was not enlightned which had received the Law which is light by the disposition of Angels and dâ—d not keep it Here they disobeyed that which they had received which was the light and did always resist the holy Ghost which was able to have led them from their disobedience and stiffneckedness and if they did persecute to death for lack of knowledge and so did it ignorantly it was because they rejected knowledge and forgot the law of their God which they had received as the Priests did in Hos. 4.6 and because they did forget the Lord as those did in Jer. 18. so it was not because they were never convinced nor reproved but because they would have none of his reproofs for they would not walk in his ways neither were obedient to his law But I say Did not Israel know To Israel he saith All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gaiâ—saying people Rom. 10.21 Therefore let no more such clamorous speeches come forth as to say such have obeyed and followed the light within them which if they had then when God had called they would have answered and it could not have been said they had been disobedient which when Stephen told them of their resisting of the holy Ghosâ— and their disobedience to the law which was light his words did answer something of God within them when they were cut to the heart and that which had disobeyed the holy Ghost and the law which they had received that did stone him to death and therein they did kick against that which did prick them But the liâ—ht of Christ is sufficient to lead all unto God which do obey and follow it and there was never any in all generations from Abel unto this generation that did ever in such ignorance and wilful impudency preach and print against the sufficiency of the light of Christ as in this age is brought forth for as others did reject the lesser so these the greater Others did disobey that which they had received from the disposition of Angels and those that which is given by the Son of God who saith I am the light of the world He doth not say that the spirit of man is the light of the World nor that mans reason is the light of the World as some have said neither did ever Christ say That his light was insufficient but did bid those which were of the World believe in the light that they migh be the children of light Joh. 12.36 and did tell such which were of the World that the kingdom of God was within them So there was something in them which was of power but such a doctrine is now hated in the World to preach any thing within man to be of power or ability to guide or lead man to God or sufficient to believe in but the Sâ—ripture saith The word of faith is in thy heart which was the Word the Apostles preached to obey and to do it and saith comes by hearing and bearing by the Word of God but how shall they hear without a Preacher Bâ—t I say Have they not all heard Yes verily their sound went out into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the World but they have not all obeyed But again it is said in the false Hosanna That the discovery of sin and iniquity may be where the sound of Christ as a door as the light as the way may not have been and for proof saith it was so in the first man that measure and degree of light which discovered sin to him was the law written in him Answ. He who is the light of the World in him was life and this life was the light of men and he is before all things and by him all things consist and the first man Adam who was made a living soul and was the son of God the light that was in him was the light of the son of God while he remained in Gods image and when he was fallen from Gods image into transgression that which made manifest his transgression was the light which he was fallen from God did never write his law in mans heart but there was a measure of Christ But men in ignorance and blindness pretend to be Ministers of distinctions between their Law Christ when as they neither know what they say nor wherof they affirm not seeing how it was added because of transgression till the seed should come ordained by Angels in the hands of a Mediator Gal. 3.19 as well ministred forth in the light of the Mediator For though there was and is diversity of administrations and of operations yet the same Lord and the same Light that Light in which the Prophets saw Christ and prophesied before-hand of the coming of the Just was the same in which the Apostles witnessed him come and the same light which lets men see their sins is that which lets them see their Saviour and leads them from their sins to Christ as they are obedient to it But to say there is the discovery of sin and iniquity where the sound of Christ as a door the light the way hath not been this remains to be proved seeing the Apostle saith That the sound is gone into all the earth and the words to the end of the world Have they not at all heard Yes verily That which makes manifest is light Is there light making sin manifest and is there nothing of Christ seeing that his life is the light of men and that men have no light but what proceeds from his life When was ever Christ and the light which discovers sin separated and where is that Scripture which saith that the
sound of Christ as a light hath never been heard where sin and iniquity is discovered but that which hath brought forth these things may well be called an untimely birth which ntver saw the Sun not never knew the light which Christ hath enlightned every man withall which cometh into the world for a little of this fruit doth manifest that tree from whence it springs so we shall judge the tree by it's fruits Another fruit from this tree is to give his testimony of the Law of Faith which is this How far the Law of Faith may be said to be written upon every mans heart is not given unto me to understand only this glimpse I have of it That it appears to have had an influence upon the heart of man by those sacrifices which were offered up to God before the publication of the positive Law wherein as well Cain as Abel offered sacrifices Gen. 4.4 Answ. This testimony doth not proced from the word of Faith in thy heart for that would give an understanding how the Law of Faith is written in the heart as well as how the Law of Works is written and this thy glimpse which thou sayes thou sees from the proposing of the promise and the influence which thou sayes thou seest upon the heart of man by the Sacrifices of Cain as wel as Abel offered unto God if this thy pretended light and glimpse which is so far of Christ be truly weighed and tryed it may prove but a vain vision and a divination of thy own heart as all who consider thy testimony of the Law of Faith in saying that the discovery thereof ariseth from what is without and that it had never been known nor never thought of nor never would it or could it rationally have come into the heart of man to have conceived such a thing but from the declaration of God in his promise Here it doth appear Faith is a mysterie to thee and thy eye hath not seen it nor the ear heard neither hath it entered into thy heart to conceive Faith in the working and operation of it And in that thou sayest well that it was not given thee to understand how it is written upon every man's heart and thou had done well if thou had not stretched thy self beyond the line of thy knowledge and understanding for thou thy self confessest that unto those first believers Abel Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob Moses David Daniel and the rest there was communicated unto them a Spirit of Faith and a Light sutable and proportionable whereby they were enabled to behold Christ who was the object of their Faith Then if it did arise from the Spirit of Faith within them the Light of Christ who was the Author of their Faith it did not arise from the Declaration of God in the promise without so that the mysterie of Faith vvhich is held in a pure conscience is yet to be learned vvhich vvas vvitnessed amongst the Saints So vvhen thou vvrites again of the Lavv of Works or the Lavv of Faith or the discovery vvhich the Lord maketh to his creature under the diversity of these administrations keep back to the measure of the gift of God and then vvil thy testimony be no larger then thy knowledge vvhich is a guilt hath spread over many in these days but this I say Blessed is the man which doth not condemn himself in the thing vvhich he allovveth and vvhich doth not destroy himself vvith the breath of his ovvn mouth but there is a generation which their own breath as fire shall devour them Again concerning the Light which every man is enlightened withal which is thy stumbling-block and rock of offence as it is unto all the rest whose deeds are evil Thou saist God hath not annointed it to that Work nor laid the weight of eternal salvation upon the shoulders thereof it being too weak for that service Answ. Him hath God annointed who is the Light of the World and hath enlightened every man that cometh into the World and there is no work of eternal salvation wrought but in the Light which every man is enlightened withal and this Light is of him and from him which bears the sins in his own body and is not too weak for that service which the Father hath given him to do and this Light is Christ. And whereas some say Hath every man Christ Every man hath Christ to save or to condemn him Christ is as truly the condemnation of those whose deeds are evil as he is the Saviour of them that believe and as those that believe in the Light are already saved by Christ so also those that believe not in his Light which he hath enlightned them withall are already condemned And so Christ is near unto every one to answer every mans work according to the nature of it whether he serve sin unto death or be found in the obedience of truth unto eternal life for now is the day appeared to try every mans Work of what sort it is and now are many offended because the Light is broken forth and their eye is evil because the Lords is good But wo unto the World because of offences if any have the Spirit of a King let him search out the cause of the offence which is now broken forth amongst the children of men that the enmity which is in all sorts of people of all professions should rise up together and become a body the wicked joâ—ning hand in hand preaching and printing and crying for unity which they are making up of enmity that they may be strong against that which the Lord hath now brought forth in his Light and Power to be Witnesses unto him in every place wheresoever he doth call them witnessing forth his Mercy and Truth by which iniquity is purged out and preaching the Gospel to every creature whereby they may come to the knowledge of the truth that they may be saved But in the World it is so come to pass in these days that he that can but give reviling terms and hard speeches against the Light which Christ hath enlightned every man withall calling it natural or insufficient and if they do but revile those whom they call Quakers and put this in the beginning of his Book then it passeth with toleration and hath as good approbation from the World as any of the Priests have for their Ministry but if any man begin to speak of the Light within and the Annointing within and the Word of Faith in the heart and of the Mystery of Faith in a pure conscience and of the sprinkling of the heart from an evil conscience and of believing in the Light as Christ said such a one speaking of these things and not directing his speech in open reproach against them called Quakers the peoples hearts will be fiâ—led with jealousies lest he be one So that even the Light is become a reproach unto them and their derision daily but the Lords hand is