319. Some of the Principles of the Priests of Bishoprick p. 321. Daniel Roberts teacher to the baptists in Reading his principles p. 323. Timothy Trevers his Principles p. 324. The Doctrines and Principles of the Priests of Scotland p. 327. The Principles of 15. Priests of the Isle of Weight p. 361. W. S. his book called the Parsons guide p. 369. Thomas Hodges of Soldren in Oxfordshire his book called a Scripture Catechisme p. 369. Several Scriptures Corrupted by the Translators p. 373. An ANSWER to many Principles held forth by some of those called Ministers Teachers and Professors in England taken out of their severall Books with their names at them And also several other Sayings and Writings of the Priests and Professors of this Nation gathered up together and Answered Samuel Eaton who calls himselfe a Teacher of the Church of Christ at Stockeport in Cheshire In his Book called THE QVAKERS Confuted sent to the Parliament SAITH in his Epistle to the Parliament then sitting at Westminster That they are not to judge of Saintship according to the large charity of some who are truly good c. Ans So here is another Doctrine then Christs was who said The tree is known by its fruits and by their fruits ye shall know them And the fruits of the Spirit is known from the fruits of the flesh Again in the conclusion of his aforesaid Epistle he begs a pardon of the Parliament for the thoughts of his heart that he hath spread before them and so puts them in the Popes place Likewise in his Epistle to the Reader because Richard Waller witnesseth his Teacher within and bids others to minde the Light within them and that he was come off of all other Teachers c. he judgeth this to be delusion Contrary to John the Apostle who saith Ye need no man to teach you but as the same anointing doth teach you which is truth and is no lye John 2.27 And again in Heb. 8. Ye shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know him from the least to the greatest for the Lord will write his law in their hearts and put his spirit within them c. Prin. He saith he doth not believe that there is any substantiall essentiall or personall union betwixt the eternall Spirit and believers Answ Although the Scripture saith the spirit dwels in the Saints 1 Cor. 6. and he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 John 1. As though the Saints had not union with God which the scriptures saith they have Prin. He saith It is palpably false and blasphemy to say that Saints know all things and have power to work miracles to the glory of God Answ Contrary to the Minister of Christ John who saith But yee have anoynting from the holy one and know all things 1 John 2.20 And Christ said Greater things then these shall yee do that believe in me Prin. He saith Though we believe that the spirit of Christ dwells in the Saints yet we assert the spirit of Christ to be distinct from the Saints c. Answ How are they led by the spirit how are they led into all truth And how are they sanctified by the spirit and their unity in the spirit by which spirit they have unity with God by which spirit the Saints worship him And he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his And so they are distinct from it but they are not so that have it and be in unity with it and one with another with God Prin. He saith Although there be the same spirit in all the Saints that gave forth the Scriptures yet all Saints have not the same inspiration of the spirit that the Prophets and Apostles had so as that they should be able to give forth infallible truths and immediately discover the pure and clear will of God as the Prophets and Apostles did Answ In this his Ignorance of the spirit he hath shewed and of the holy Ghost And himself is the false spirit gone out into the world For the spirit of truth shall lead into all truth and bring to memory Christs words and doth inspire into them the things of God and doth reveal to every one according to their measure Pr. The Spirit doth not communicate according to the capacity in the creature Ans Then there is none can divide the word aright and God gives to every man as he will and reproves the world and leads the Saints into all truth Prin. He saith they had not known the signification of the words of Christ but by the Evangelists c. Ans I say he nor none knows the signification of Christs words by the Evangelists words but by the Evangelists spirit and the same inspiration which thou saist thou looks not for Pr. He saith The Scriptures do give their own sense and is a standing Rule c. And yet thou said a little before in page 4. They are darke and are left to you to give a sense Ans Here then thou confoundest thy selfe and the spirit of God is the standing rule which leads them to speak forth scripture and not others words and the Prophets and Apostles words did not lead to speak forth scripture but the spirit Pr. He saith They that have the anointing within them had not an infallible judgement c Ans And John saith They know all things and bid them try the spirits whether they were of God And said they had the spirit of God which spirit is infallible and gives an infallible judgement which spirit was to try the false Prophets that was gone out into the world Pr In some places thou said the Scriptures were dark and hard to be understood Ans And here thou saith it is plain and easily to be understood page 8. Mark thy confusion for the Scripture is not understood without the spirit Pr. He saith there is an infallible judgement which may be made from the Scriptures without the spirit page 9. Ans Who can judge infallibly without the spirit Christ told the Pharisees who had the Scriptures They were of the Devill and judgement they had neglected and he did not own their judgement to be infallible And the Apostle saith what they knew who are separate from the spirit they knew naturally as bruit beasts Jude 10. 19. â—hough they may speak high words in hypocrisie And there art thou with thy infallible judgement as thou said without the spirit which is proved fallible and there is no infallible judgement to be given that stands without the spirit they that judges without the spirit will judge amisse and not infallible as the Jewes did of Christ and as the naturall bruit beasts did which Jude speaks of there art thou Pr. And he further saith there in the same page That the Scripture is to be judge of the spirit and a light sufficient to
Scriptures and made free from sin c. pag. 18. Ans Contrary to Rom. 6. Contrary to the Apostle to the Colossians where he had put off the body of sin And contrary to Christ who saves cleanseth from all sin by his blood blots out all sin And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin Pr. He saith that Christ is in heaven in his humanity therefore not to be seen not to be heard not to be handled by us or any others that live upon earth and they cannot give their own assurance c. pag. 19. Ans So shews that they were never made Ministers by him who never saw him nor heard him so never handled the word of life from the Father nor the Son nor saw it nor heard it so are the Pastors that spoil the flock And he is the earthly Adam and humanity but Christ the second Adam is the Lord from heaven Pr He saith that Timothy was commanded to preach and yet had not heard nor seen nor handled any thing of Christ c. page 20. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who bid him to stir up the gift in him and told Timothy he was in the faith and he was to be strong in the grace of Christ And whosoever hath faith knows Christ to be the Author of it and knows something from Christ and so thou thy self hast confuted Pr. He saith that the Saints doth not see Christ for the heavens contain him page 20. Ans And the Apostle saith they sate with Christ in heavenly places so he is contrary to the Apostle And Christ was in them and walkt in them and God dwelt in them and Christ in you except ye be reprobates Pr. He saith the whole minde and will of Christ and God is left them in letters page 21. Ans And the Apostle saith it is past finding out the unsearchable wisdome and the secret things belongs to God and are revealed by the spirit and no man knows them but by the spirit Pr. And he saith the Gospel is the Letter c. Ans And the Apostle saith It is the power of God and the letter kils and many may have the form and deny the power and so stand against the Gospel which is the power of God Pr. And he saith the Devill shews his spight and spleen in them who say they have the word as it was in the beginning against the Scriptures c. page 22. Answ That is not so for they that have the word as was in the beginning own the Scriptures and are not against them but are in that which fulfils them Pr. He saith that all the Saints receive the spirit of Christ yet never heard his voyce Ans This is confusion for who are the sheep of Christ know his voyce Pr. He saith they are uncovered when commonly they have two caps on their heads and the people are covered when they have a hat on their heads c. page 29. Ans This is according to thy deceitful teaching and learning Pr. He saith the Scriptures is the voyce of Christ to them c. Ans And Christ said to them that had the Scriptures They never heard the voyce of God at any time to the Pharisees John 5. For there thou art un-put forth amongst the sheep and they heard the voyce that gave forth the Scripture and came to the life and Christ at the end of them Pr. And he saith there is an immediate voyce which speaks within which we have never heard nor do we know it within our selves experimentally and we believe and hope that we never shall know it c. page 30. Ans And so shews that they never knew the spirit of the Father speaking within them but follows their own dreams and spirits and stops their ear against that of God in them and they blesse themselves from that immediate voyce within and calls it the voice of the Devil which is the spirit of inspiration and the word of God in their hearts which men must obey and do Pr. And he saith to say Christ is within them doing all immediately and infallibly within them and so do say it is Christ and the spirit within them and not they Ans Now this he calls a spirit of Delusion And the Apostle saith I live yet not I but Christ in me And he works all in us and for us after his own good pleasure And this was not a spirit of delusion in them And this thou art reprobated from and found in thy own works Pr. And he saith That which is within them is not eternal and infallible when the Quakers asked him whether it was or no and he saith nay that which judgeth in them is not eternal infallible He saith they assert no such things as that concerning themselves And he saith though all the Saints have the spirit of Christ dwelling in them which is eternall and infallible yet that this spirit should do all that Saints do and should say all that Saints say and should judge for them both for persons and of things after an infallible manner and that they should neither say nor do nor judge any thing by any understanding of their own but the spirit all this we deny These are his words page 31. Ans Which is contrary to the Apostle who saith As many as are the sons of God are led by the spirit of God And Christ acts all in them and for them and the fruits of the spirit c. and the spirituall man judgeth all things And that is it which leads the Saints to devide and discern all things both temporall and spirituall the spirituall wisdome of God which gives them a spirituall understanding which men must rule withall but not with their own that comes to nought and you that have not that which is infallible to judge in you know not the spirit of Christ neither can you judge of persons or things that have not the infallible judgement nor have the spirituall man Neither have you the word of God in your hearts nor Christ which is eternall and infallible all which the Quakers have to judge persons and things Pr. He saith that children are of the seed as to the Church priviledges and externall Ordinances of a spirituall nature Ans Mark his confusion But Christ saith ye must be born again or else ye cannot inherit the kingdome of heaven and such be of the Church Pr. He saith If they can but destroy all formes the power will fall with it for the forme preserves the power page 37. Answ Contrary to the Apostle many have the form but deny the power The power preserves the forme sees the end of forms and destroys them and brings to see before forms was where forms is not For the Apostles who lived in the power denyed the Jewes forms and Gentiles both as we do now deny the Popish forms and yours which you have invented and set up Pr. And an immediate teaching he saith of
Christ and the Apostles and the Scriptures are owned by them in scorn called Quakers and the light it speaks of who out of the apostacy are come and so from among the apostates And as for the lyes and slanders in his Book that are not worth mentioning but they shall turn upon his own head whose immodesty hath discovered them Pr. In his Preface to the Reader He saith It is an expression of a darke deluded minde to say that God is not distinguished from the Saints Ans But God and Christ is in the Saints and dwell in them and walk in them and he is a Reprobate and out of the Apostles doctrine Pr He saith We have broken the everlasting Covenant of God Answ Because we own the teaching of God by his spirit and the light which doth enlighten every one that that cometh into the world which is the covenant of God Pr. He saith The Scriptures is the rule of life See page 4. Answ Contrary to Christ who said the spirit should lead them into all truth And they that are the sons of God are led by the spirit of God And the Churches was to hear what the spirit saith for the spirit led them to speak forth Scripture Pr. Again he saith It is a contradiction and a confused sencelesse thing to preach the word of faith in the mouth and in the heart see page 6. Again he saith Most senseless is this profession of Christ in the mouth and believing in him with the heart God that made all things These are his words page 8. Ans It is not a senselesse profession to preach the word of Faith in the heart and in the mouth and to say God will dwell in you and the word is in the heart and in the mouth The word is God and thou art senselesse and fallen in confusion in the contradiction out of the Apostles doctrine and the Apostle saith Christ in you and with the mouth confession is made to salvation Pr. And he calls it a Notion to say that Christ lighteth all and therefore the light is Christ. Ans So here he is kicking and spurning against the light Christ that lighteth every man that cometh into the world which is the Rock the foundation of God the corner-stone which is fallen upon thy head and all be in the notion that be out of it Pr. He scoffs at the Quakers because they say they have the word of God in them Ans Christ his name is called the word of God Pr. He saith God blessing or blasting his owne Word to some according to the different ends intended by himselfe see page 9. Ans Now the Word of God is not blasted God never blasts his own Word but it is they that are blasted that disobey the Word For the Word of God doth its service and accomplisheth the end which it goeth forth for and doth not return in vain And it is the sword of the spirit and that is not blasted It is a hammer and a fire and it lives and doth endure for ever So thou art blasted who saith the Word of God he blasts and art to be cut down by the word of God for thy blasphemy Pr. He saith the Quakers are deceivers because we say that Christ is not in outward observations and formes And John Bunyan saith that he is distinct from the Saints and would have him in the forms c. see page 13. Ans And we say he hath triumphed over the Ordinances and blotted them out and they are not to be touched and the Saints have Christ in them who is the end of outward forms and thou art deceived who thinks to finde the living among the dead and Bunyan is deceived who said he is distinct from the Saints and so you are a company of pittiful Teachers Pr. He saith Every true Christian doth believe that the holy Scriptures alone is to be the object of faith c. page 17. Ans So he hath thrown out God the giver of it and Christ the Author of it for many have the Scriptures and deny Christ the Author of faith and object Pr. He asketh Did you ever read of law and testimony in the heart c see page 18. Ans Yea God saith I will write my law in their hearts The law was in Davids heart the law was in the Apostles heart The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy and that is in the heart See Heb. 8. Rev. Pr. He saith The covenant of God is not to all in the Church of Christ see page 19. Ans Which is contrary to the Scriptures for where the Church is there is the Covenant the head Christ Jesus And God saith I will give him for a covenant to the Gentiles those are the heathen And I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah and these are called the people of God And therefore thou art in the fall in ignorance and a man without understanding and affirms thou dost not know what and silence would become thee better then to publish thy shame in print for they are not in the Church of God that be not in the covenant of God Pr. And he saith The Scriptures is the sure and perfect rule page 20. Ans And the Scripture saith Christ is the Bishop of the soule and God hath all souls in his hand And many have Scriptures but their soules the Bishop of them they know not but they remain in death and the life they want that gave it forth and so are all on heaps about the Scripture one with another and calling them the rule and the spirit And the spirit of God that led them forth to speak forth the Scripture was the rule to the Saints and holy men of God but they that be in the transgression will kill one another about their words and the spirit leads to see them again and brings them into unity with them and God Pr. He saith It is blasphemy to say that Christ is in them as God and man c. see page 23. Ans How are they of his flesh and bone And doth not the Scripture say Christ in you and God will dwell in you and walk in you And are not the Saints of his flesh and of his bone And are they not partakers of the divine nature Pr. He saith It is a fancy to say the eternall word of God is in them see page 26. Ans Thou art in the fancy that the eternal word is not in and witnessed and under the fire and sword and hammer to be hammered down And so art corrected by the Apostle who saith Let the word of God dwell in you richly The ingrafted word which is able to save your souls and immortal word which is immortal Pr. He saith The Scriptures is the only rule of knowing God c. See page 26. Ans Christ saith none knoweth the father but the Son who spoke among them that had the Scripture and so he
from me to imagine that the spirit of God moved the Apostles to preach when they did onely and not at other times and that they always waited in silence till then c. See same page Answ So he would make it that the Apostles preached when the spirit moved them not and run without the moving of the spirit and so would make them like himselfe And Peter said they spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost And they that are the sons of God are led by the spirit of God And the spirit shall lead them into all truth And the spirit should tell them what they should speak and shew them things to come and that was their guide and rule and thou who speaks and not the spirit moves thee art no Minister of the spirit and sayes far be it from thee to imagine the Apostles preached onely when they were moved and so doth not own the Apostles were the Ministers of the spirit with thy imaginations Pr. And the singing of the Saints in the spirit and grace is not like the ungodly singing without the spirit Ans And saying the grace of God hath not appeared unto all men and all have not the spirit which is contrary to Scripture It saith the grace hath appeared unto all men and I 'le powr out my spirit upon all flesh And the spirit that reproves the world leads the Saints and you that sing Davids quakings and prayers is not in the understanding nor grace but distinct from the Saints which must be turned into howling How can ye give them the Psalms to sing then that have no grace Pr. And the Priests of Scotland say Cursed is he that sayes grace is free These are the Scottish principles c. Answ And yet ye give the Psalms to all to sing and yet ye say all have not grace and all have not the spirit of God and then can they not sing in the grace and sing in the spirit Is there any prudent reason or good understanding without the spirit Pr. He saith We deny the Scripture to be the Word of God Answ The Scriptures are the words of God and Christ is the word in which the words end Pr. And he speaks these detestable words and sayes Is not our tongues oyled with a spirit of confused delusion which is his own c. See page 5. Ans Because we say such as pray or preach it must be by the moving of the spirit of God which they be not in that are in the spirit of delusion Pr. And he is opposing the commands of Christ who said be not of men called Master for ye have one Master even Christ who conquers death and hell And he saith Why may they not be called Master Ans It is his Master that teacheth him to be called of men Master that is gone out of the truth but Christ said be not of men called Master and wo be to them that are Matth. 23. And you are them that are made by the will of man that breaks his commands George Willington's Booke called The Gadding Tribe Reproved A right Title to his condition in his Book who like a wilde Beast is gadding up and down but the Lord rebuke such spirits His PRINCIPLES follow c. Pr. HE himselfe falls a judging others and then he cries Oh man who art thou that judgeth another c. page 9. Answ And doth not see the worke that he is doing himselfe But bids others they should not judge and falls a judging himselfe which is like all the rest of his gadding Tribe and how they run with their horns at the righteous and push at the upright in heart But the Lamb is above them all and the wrath of the Lamb is kindled therefore the Beasts rage who against the Lamb makes war And where judgement is come through into victory he may judge and the hidden things of darkness is brought to light and the counsel of the heart made manifest and the Lord is come and the spirituall man judgeth all things which shews the counsell of his heart is not made manifest nor his hidden things of darknesse brought to light and the Lord is not come to him and so cannot judge And George Willington hath judged before his time with which he is charging others therefore his words shall be his burthen Pr. And his principle is That he is justified by faith alone without good works c. See page 10. Answ What without the faith that works by love hast thou concluded those works the works of Popery which are the works of faith that works by love that gives the victory How dost thou gad now whether art thou gadding now Know faith that works by love is owned and he that believes is ceased from his works as God did from his and hath entered into his rest And faith gives victory overall the Popish murthering spirits and thine both and your works which gives to have accesse to God and their works is wrought in him Pr. He saith Whilst the upstart sect of Quakers do looke after the light within he saith we have a more sure word of prophesie c. and so would make the sure word of prophesie not the lihgt within See page 12. Answ Whose spirit he hath made manifest where it is amongst them that are gone from the Apostle who stands against the light within For they that draw from the anointing within are the seducers and they went forth from the Apostles that went from the anointing within Art not thou and you all gadded and the world from the anointing within you and so seducing one another therefore have you so many heaps of Teachers and arming your selves and making lies your refuge against them that are come to the anointing which you are all gadded from given judgement against your selves who will not have people to own the light Christ Jesus who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and none owns the anointing within who owns not the light which you deny which have apostatized from the Apostles and the Quakers are risen up in the night of apostacy and discovers you all what you are in and what you went from and what hath been lost since the dayes of the Apostles and an Earth-quake is coming upon you that hath not been since the foundation of the world out of which Earth-quake we are come into that which cannot be shaken As the Quakers are not the Gadding tribe but they have the anointing in them and as it shall teach them they shall abide in the Son of God and the Father But it is manifest that thou and the whole world is gadded from the anointing within you which should teach you and so are turned against the Saints and the Lamb And have been the Harlots the mouths of the false Prophets blaspheming God in his Tabernacle and drunk the blood of the Saints and the Martyrs and the Prophets and made war against the Saints to overcome them
themselves and that 's the partiall and the respecting of persons not the truth it self Pr. He saith If we will but acknowledge their Ministry and Church according to Christ he will write a Recantation page 53. Ans Your Church and your Ministry hath made it selfe manifest not to be agreeing to the Prophets Christ and the Apostles for you say you are not infallible and you say you have not the infallible spirit And you say you never heard the voyce of God immediately from heaven which the Prophets Christ and the Apostles did And how can you be Ministers of the spirit who are not in the infallible spirit but the false spirit gone out into the world but such as are ravened from the spirit of God and onely have the sheeps cloathing and so cannot gather to the Church in God but make the Nations like waters And ye must recant before ever you come into the Ministry of God the Prophets Christ and the Apostles was in and to their Church and to own the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world Pr. He saith The wise men of the East came to Christ by a Starre c. page 64. Ans You say the Scripures brings to Christ and the Jewes had the Scriptures and came not to him nor knew him not who was out of the spirit that gave them forth and so are you by your confession and so not come to him Pr. He saith A man is not justified by that which is within him c. page 65. Ans We are justified by faith which is a mystery held in a pure conscience that purifies the heart and this is within And here again thou hast shewed thy spirit to be that that went into the world which was reprobated concerning the faith held in a pure conscience without which men are not justified And so ye are broke into heaps into sects and opinions who are out of this faith which is a mystery held in a pure conscience by which people have accesse unto God through which faith they are justified which you are out of on heaps in which is unity and gives victory over sin which you plead for while you be upon the earth And as for all the rest of thy stuffe in thy Book it will be thy own garment and a heavy load and a burthen thou wilt feel it whose nakednesse might have been covered by thy silence but thy spirit must be tryed I say the Lord forgive thee for a heavy charge is come upon thee and you For in stead of seeking the peace of all men you have made your selves manifest to be neither Ministers nor Fathers nor Elders nor sober Christians but Wolves that tears and rents to pieces Indeed the ragged righteousnesse of men the worlds cloathing which hangs on your backs ye may have but the Elect and the Saints and the Lambs cloathing the righteousnesse of the Saints ye cannot touch but the Lambs are in the fold layd down Magnus Byne his Booke called The Scornfull QUAKERS Answered His PRINCIPLES follow c. Pr. HE saith Beware of false Prophets that come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening wolves Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God because many false spirits are gone out into the world Ans Must thou shew thy ignorance of the Letter So much a man unlike to divide the word aright For Christ saith false prophets should come Antichrists that should be inwardly ravening wolves that had the sheeps cloathing that John saw was come before the Apostles decease which went forth from them which all the world went after them and they could not have deceived the world if the Wolfe had not had the sheeps cloathing upon them So as you may read in the Revelations how they ravened and devoured and drunk the blood of the Martyrs the Saints and the Prophets And so you that are crying to the world they are come but now are the deceivers of the world as you may read Matth. 7. and 1 John 2.4 Revel Chap. 13 14.17 18. and not men dividing the word aright For now from them are people come and coming to Christ the Rock the foundation of God and to that spirit which you ravened from which stands sure before the world was made out of the waters For the Nations are as waters and the false spirits the false Prophets and the mother of Harlots have ruled and with the sheepes cloathing have deceived the Nations but now the Lamb and the Saints shall rule For ye have confessed that ye have not the Infallible spirit as the Prophets Christ and the Apostles had so we say ye are ravened from it that they was in and only have the sheeps cloathing For the Prophets Christ and the Apostles had an infallible spirit which the false Prophets Antichrists Devils and Deceivers was always out of and the mother of harlots and Babylon though they might get the sheeps cloathing Pr. He saith It is filthy blasphemy to say the spirit of Christ that dwells in the Son dwells in man and he must be infallible and he must be perfect and sinlesse and saith Let them alone to their Father the Devill c. See his Epistle to the Reader Answ He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his and who hath the spirit of Christ hath that which is infallible and this is out of the spirit the Devill is in And they that were not in the spirit and are not in the spirit that dwells in the Son though they have all the Scriptures are in the spirit of blasphemy and there thou art that will blaspheme against the Son And the false spirits that be in the world are on heaps about the Sons the Prophets and Apostles words out of the infallible spirit of those that gave them forth who was perfect and sinlâ—ssâ— as in Rom. 6. they were made free from sin The Apostle said they were perfect and he spoke wisdome among them that were perfect And this you deny who are ravened from the spirit of God and the one offering which perfects for ever them that are sanctified and so the unsanctified Pr. He saith There is many wayes to Sion Ans There is but one way to God and that is Christ the Light out of the Fall into the Paradise to the tree of Life out of the Condemnation and that is the Light the Covenant of God Now with the light the way to the Father is seen In the first Adam is many wayes fighting about their wayes and destroying one another about their wayes which Christ the light the way to the Father teacheth otherwise to love enemies and to do good to them and to overcome evill with good and heap coales of fire upon their heads which way is but one which you are out of who deny the Light in the many wayes and names horns and heads and images which is the Beasts number who are ravened from the spirit
is the pillar and ground of truth And such as prays without the spirit prays without understanding And they that pray as the spirit doth move them they know what they ought to pray for So every man that cometh into the world being in the light that lighteth every man it will direct him to pray and to pray aright and to aske in the name of Christ who is the way to the Father Prin. He saith The Children of GOD never assumed to themselves an infallible spirit Ans Did not the Apostles say they that had not the spirit of Christ were none of his and was not that infallible And was not all the Scriptures given forth from the spirit of God and is not that infallible Pr. The spirit of Christ is a spirit of wisdome and a rationall spirit The light that brags of an infallible spirit and cannot speake sense nor reason is the spirit of Sathan page 46. Answ The spirit of Christ that was in the Apostles which led them to speak to the world who was in their own wisdom knowledge and understanding It was foolishnesse always judged with that wisdome knowledg and understanding for they ministred to the spirits in prison And Christ the Covenant of God which was promised to come and should say to the prisoners shew your selves forth who was accounted as a mad man by the wise Jewes the Apostles and Prophets likewise was as fooles Was not ever the Saints judged by the world to be by the sense and reason but just like mad men and fools Christ a mad man the Prophets fools and the Apostles mad a babler Who be in the spirit of the Prophets of Christ and the Apostles with this generation are judged the same So is the spirit of the Quakers so tryed and known of all men the witnesse in all mens consciences shall answer them Pr. Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne And they that plow in hope and thresh in hope are made partakers of their hope And we are denyed of our corne and are fain to go to the Magistrate our nursing Fathers And so we thresh halfe a yeare and can get no wages then are we fain to goe to the Magistrate page 47. Answ How can you thresh or plow and have not the infallible spirit Can any get out the Corn the Wheat that hath not the infallible spirit Now we say all them that hath not the infallible spirit cannot get out the corn they may beat the ayr they may get the sheeps cloathing upon their backs and go out and beat the ayre and so when their Gospell will not maintain them then they are fain to flye to the Magistrate and to the hills that must be beaten as chaffe because they cannot live of the Gospel they preach which doth not open the hearts of people doth not get out the seed of God Prin. He saith The Quakers light condemns such as the light of Christ approves And saith Tell us what it is to walke holily as the holy men of God did c. Page 49. Answ Who walke holily walke in the spirit that the holy men did walke in that gave forth the Scriptures which is infallible And none walks holily but who are led with that out of the self-righteousnesse And the light which the Quakers be in is the light with which Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which cometh from Christ and is one with him And no one upon the earth owns Christ but who owns the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which the Quakers are in which thou calls a light from Sathan And they must all come to the Quakers if ever they own the light and if ever they own Christ the way to the Father and come into the power of godlinesse Pr. He saith It is wretchedness to say that Christ hath redeemed them perfectly and now lived in them the Lord of all things by which they are the sons of God page 50. Ans The Scriptures saith he is in all and through all who is God blessed for ever And who are redeemed are they not redeemed into perfection into Christ are not they redeemed perfectly Are not they redeemed out of imperfection And doth not Christ say he will dwell in the Saints who is Lord of all And are not all they in the wretched state that will not have him to reign over them Pr. He saith The Ministers of Christ received the Gospell not by man nor are taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ but we owne no such Revelation as this page 51. Answ We do believe you who are apostatized and ravened from the spirit of God having onely the sheeps cloathing and are the Wolves abroad in the world which if it were possible ye would deceive the very elect But the elect is kept in the arme of Christ ye cannot pluck one of them out of his hands His father and he is greater then all And none knows the Gospel but who knows immediate revelation for the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation and this is immediate And so all you since the dayes of the Apostles are fled from the foundation Christ Jesus that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world in the Apostacy with it you are all seen and fathomed over the world doth the light reach answered with that of God in every one the salvation to the ends of the earth which light cometh to fulfill Scriptures The Apostles were judged deceivers who came to bring the people to the substance the Scriptures spoke of so they were judged deceivers Pr. If the Quakers say that the Ministers have not the spirit that the Prophets and Apostles had then positively we say we have not And if the Quakers say they have it so then I say the Prophets and Apostles had it not page 53. Ans We do believe you that ye have not the same spirit that the Prophets and Apostles and Christ had Therefore doth it make manifest that ye be all on heaps about their words and are fain to run to Schools and Colledges to be made Ministers by men and not by the spirit And the Quakers witnesse the spirit that the Prophets and Apostles and Christ had with which they own their words with which spirit they see you who have gotten their words and makes a trade of them and are all on heaps about them and falls out about Church and Ministers Pr. He saith The infallible spirit did not guide Isaac when he blessed Jacob for he missed the person page 53. Answ God with his eternall spirit did direct Isaac what to do for that stood in his counsell though of that spirit thou have shewed thy ignorance and thy fallibility and thy selfe in whom the Devil is transformed into an Angel of Light which Christ said should come the false Prophets and Deceivers and false Apostles which the Apostles saw was come
in the face of Christ Jesus and the light shining in the darkness which the darkness cannoâ—â—â—â—prehend it And no one upon earth ever sees their salvation but with the light â—â—ich cometh from Christ their Saviour who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that all men through the light might believe he that doth not believe in the light is condemned And so he that followes the light shall not walk in darkness and he that followes not the light walks in darkness So with the light thou art comprehended to be a Minister of darkness in the apostacy keeping people from the light And one of the false prophets ravened from the spirit which Christ said should come John saw was come and the world goes after you that tells people the letter is the word and the spirit is in the Scriptures which is contrary to Scripture and them that spoke it forth which said the spirit of God was within them And the Scriptures were words of God and Christ the word comes to fulfill the words who is the word who was before the words was given forth in whom the words ends Pr. The Kingdom of heaven is within you not as Christ is in every one but the Kingdom of heaven is within you or among you Page 29. Answ Christ is within except ye be reprobates yea I say within all Professors is Christ in Christendom Christ is within them all except they be reprobates And if Christ be not within them all they are all reprobates but if Christ be within them all the body is dead and there is Christs reign and his Kingdom and no Babylon nor Antichrist where this is so And the Kingdom of Heaven is within you saith Christ yea in the Pharisees and that is the Kingdom in man that never consents to sin like a grain of mustard-seed like unto leaven that leavens the new lump And he that cometh to know that little Kingdom and receiveth that little Kingdom as a little child it makes the Kingdoms of the world become the Son of Gods Kingdom and knowes that no unrighteousnesse nor ungodlinesse must enter into it Pr. And Christ spake to the multitude when he said be not ye of men called Master and call no man father upon earth and did not bid the Apostles not to be called of men master Answ He spoke this to the multitude and to the Disciples both and said the Scribes and Pharisees was called of men Master who had Scriptures whom he cryed wo against And he said be not you of men called master for ye have all one master even Christ and ye are all Brethren this was Christs Command But all ye Pastors and Ministers Bourn and the rest who are apostatized from the Apostles Doctrine and Christs Doctrine ye trample upon the Commands of Christ It manifests that ye have the form of godliness and denyes the power and are not Brethren past from death to life but are all on heapes about the Scriptures Christs Prophets and Apostles words and making a trade of them for your own self-ends in the Apostacy such as Christ said should come which John saw was come which should inwardly raven which the world is gone after But now with that which ye all ravened from are ye all comprehended And Christ saith call no man father upon earth where Christ is witnessed the seed of God raised up no earthly man is his father nor cannot call no man father upon the earth according to the Command of Christ he that is heire of the promise of the world that hath no end of the second Adam born not by the will of man but he that is of the first Adam is in another state and stands against Christs doctrine and is the Son of Adam in the fall Pr. He saith such as pretend Christ within deny the blood of Christ his righteousness for Justification Answ Who witness Christ within they are not reprobates Justification and Sanctification is possessed the thing that was imputed to the believers Pr. And giving honour to men c. Answ Christ the second Adam receives not honour of men neither doth he respect mens persons his enemies could say so and they that received honour one of another was the Pharisees the great Professors which was a mark of the unbelief which Christ would not receive their honour the second Adam which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world will not receive the honour of men Now he that receiveth the honour is out of the light in the first Adam is out of the power And where humility is which goes before the honour there is no want of honour for he cometh into the power that maketh him honourable in the hearts of all people answering the humble principle in every one a terrour to the evil doer and here Magistrates that fears God attain the honour that is without the respect of Persons in the humility answering with the higher power the just principle in every man so come they to be honoured in the hearts of all people in the sight of God and a praise of them that do well which he that respects persons transgresseth the Law and commits sin and is convinced of the Law as a trangressor he that respects persons is out of the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ which purifies the heart which is held in the pure conscience and gives victory over the world which who are of faith are of Abraham And so for all thy lies and slanders and reviles and unsavoury and bad expressions which are loathsome before all sober people and stincks who hath published thy shame to the Nation in Print it shall cover thy self and be thy own garment and every word be thy own burthen and lay a weight upon thee in the day of thy misery and calamity and in the day of thy Judgement when thy works are tryed in the fire the witness in thy conscience shall me answer Gifford who is chief Priest at Bedford his Principle He said openly That faith was not perfect c. Ans Faith is holy and the gift of God and purifies and justifies and is a mystery in which is the unity by which God is pleased and this is perfect being the gift of God and from this he hath shewed his reprobation and his ignorance Thomas Moore in his Booke called A defence against the poison of Satans Designe These are his Principles Following Pr. HE saith Christ Jesus is personally absent from a believer And Christ is in and to our hearts the hope but not the possession nor do we possesse the glory Again he saith The grace of God which brings salvation to all men instructs them not to look into themselves or to any light or spirit in them Pag. 5. Answ Christ in you the hope of glory saith the Apostle And if the Saints sate with him in heavenly places they are not absent from him And if he say I in them and they in me so not
the Father of spirits So who have not it the spirit have but Letters and are Ministers of the Letters and not of the Spirit And the Kingdome of heaven is within you saith Christ in Luke 17. to the Pharisees and thou saith with or among them And I say that is the Kingdome within them which never consented to sin and in you all which one day ye shall witnesse which the gazer and observer abroad his eye and eare is closed and stopt too which he must come to before he be as a little child and know the leven that levens up the new lump and knows the Kingdom which is like unto a grain of mustard-seed and where the diligent waiting is the soule comes to live and the everlasting Covenant felt And thou that brings souls to be prepared for death thou art more like to do that then to present them to God a slayer and executioner so not a servant to the Bishop of soules where the soule liveth and rejoyceth and comes out of death and magnifies God the Saviour And so all the Ministers of Christ their work is to prepare souls out of death for life Pr. He saith The Bible is the soules physick And people must depend upon the spirits speaking in the Scriptures He saith the person of Christ is not his man-hood and the naturall light the Quakers call Christ within and nature grace And he saith The body of sinne is in the believer till he lay down the body Epistle Answ The souls refreshment is Christ and Physitian Christ Many may have the Bible and not know it and the Scriptures as the Pharisees had The soules Physitian is that which the Scriptures speaks of which many may have the words the Bible and yet have not the thing it speaks of and they that have the thing it speaks of have both And many holy men had their souls Physitian before the Scriptures was written and printed and they that had the spirit that gave forth Scriptures they had the souls Physick and they know all the springs is in God and the Lord who in his hand was the souls And such as are in the spirit they depend upon that and they come to see the Scriptures by the spirit given forth from it and such comes into the unity of the spirit and the light which is Christ within by which all things was made and created was before the naturall Lights was and Nature For all the Naturalls that was made was made by the Light Christ Jesus the wisdome who is the wisdome of God by which all things was made with which wisdome we see over the naturall Lights and over Nature And the grace that comes from the Throne that brings salvation which is the Saints Teacher teacheth not to call Nature grace And he that believeth is borne of God and he overcometh the world and entereth into his rest and shall never dye And he that believeth hath victory yea while he is upon the earth he cometh to witnesse the Circumcision that puts off the body of sin and makes free from it which the synagogue of Satan cannot witnesse Pr. He saith The Scriptures are the Word of God page 4. And the Spirit is given by the Letter And he saith the spirit proceeds from that which is put within the Book or Bible page 5. And I judge them that pretend the spirit without the Scriptures And the Scripture is a more sure rule then visions and revelations pag. 7. And God that gave the letter gives the spirit with it and by it page 9. Answ God gave the spirit before he gave forth Scriptures And the Devill and wicked men may get Scriptures but they have not the spirit nor none have it but as they come to feel it given from God as it was given to them that gave forth Scriptures And so people are to finde the spirit of the Father speaking in them as it did in them that gave forth Scriptures then the spirit answers to the spirit that gave forth Scriptures then there is an unity with the words and with God of whom they learned which many may have the Bible and not know the spirit that spoke it forth but be erred from it And the Scriptures are the words of God of truth God spake all these words He that adds to these words the words of God is pure Christ is the Word his name is called the Word of God who was before the words were spoken forth who comes in the volume of the Booke to fulfill the words And the spirit was before the Scripture was given forth for it led them to speak it all forth the words of God as they had learned of God So the spirit comes not by the Letter but the Letter comes forth from the spirit And many had the Scriptures and knew not the Revelation and judged the Revelation of the Son of God and judged Christ who was come the end of the vision which was for an appointed time So therein thou hast concluded thy selfe to be among them that have the Scriptures and sets up that beyond the Revelation of the Son of God which is the end of Scriptures which none knows the father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him though they may have all the Scriptures And the things of God is revealed by the spirit of God Pr. And he saith The Scriptures is the rule and the guide of Saints And saith the old administration of the Covenant of grace is abolished page 13. He that understands Matth. 11.2 27. of immediate revelations onely shuts out all mediate revelation by the Scriptures and falsely accuseth the Lord of the Scripture page 14. And the Apostle saith not that the spirit reveals the deep things of God If we should deny the Scriptures to be the rule we should deny the Scriptures of God page 18. Answ The Saints rule was the spirit that gave forth Scriptures and the Word of God which fulfills the Scriptures without him they can do nothing if they have all Scriptures And the spirit of truth shall lead into all truth And none knows the Scriptures nor God nor can be a Minister of the spirit by a mediate Revelation but a Minister of the Letter for who are Ministers of the spirit are immediate and are in the immediate revelation of the Scriptures to them by the spirit that gave them forth and these ministers to the spirit and brings people to God the Father of spirits that they may know what to reveal to others they minister to And all they that have the Scriptures and not the spirit that gave them forth they are on heaps about words and wants the rule And the Covenant of grace which is the end of the old Covenant is witnessed and stablished and cannot be abolished which ends the decaying Covenant And as for abolishing the Covenant of grace thou dost not know what thou speaks of And the Apostle said the deep things of God was revealed
But your swearing now is not like to the Jewes for they swore by the Lord not swore by the book of the Prophets writings neither did they swear by the Tables in which the Law was writen Neither did the Apostles nor the Saints swear by the Epistles nor Christs words after they were wriâ—ten and recorded Now this is worse then the Jewes for they were to swear by the Lord from whom the Law came they were to swear by the Lord of whom the Prophets learned and not by the Tables nor by the Prophets words Now the heathen was to swear by Moloch and to swear by Baal and kist Baal and the children of Israel to swear by the Lord not to swear by any Writings or Declarations of the Prophets or Moses Neither do we read that the Saints swore by the Epistles or the Revelations or Matthew Marks Luke or John and kist it For the true Christians that wiâ—nessed Christ the end of the Prophets the end of Moses a greater then Solomon Him by whom the world was made before it was made before Abraham was which reigns over the house of Joseph and Jacob to whom the Angels must bow saith swear not at all This is my beloved son saith God heare ye him Pr. He saith A believer hath both the rise and furtherance of his faith and evidence from what is written And if the Scripture be a dead letter and the word in the heart be one with the Scripture then that in the heart is dead page 246. Let them tell the world how the Scripture is the Declaration without contradiction and yet the word in the heart page 247. Answ The Scripture as it lies and is in it selfe is a dead letter but as the word is felt in the heart that gave it forth then it is its own words Now to them that be from the Word within the dead mind the dead letter And so the words themselves there gives not life to that but as the words is raised up within as it was in them that gave it forth and that is it which gives life and that sees the Scriptures and the fulfilling of them and then that knows the Scriptures that cannot be broken and in that the words ends the word Christ And that 's it that gives life to all people and saves the soule which the Letter doth not as it is in it selfe without one have that which gave it forth and that is not dead And a believer the author of his Faith is Christ and the giver of it And if he have all that is written and be not in the light Christ who is the author of his Faith he wants the foundation of God that stands sure Christ Jesus that all the Fathers and holy men of God rest in in the faith before any Scripture was written in him stood their faith the foundation of God Israels glory the light of the Gentiles this is that which fulfills all Scriptures and ends the faith the salvation And the Ministers of the Word that comes to fulfil the words those Ministers of the Word they took in hand to set forth in order a Declaration of the things wrought among them which had a perfect understanding from the very first of what Christ both said and did And so this Declaration was given forth to be read believed fulfilled and people to enjoy the thing it speaks of that which the Apostles preached to Jewes and Gentiles the new Covenant the one offering the blood of Jesus Christ him the end of the first Priesthood that Abraham saw and David saw and Moses had the type of the Prophets wrote of Now who enjoyes him that these all spoke of saw and preached they have the end the comfort of the Scriptures And here is the Declaration seen and known and here is the substance possest and here is the words of God and here is the Word of God that fulfills the words which word was before the words in which word the words end and are all sum'd up into Pr. For to say Christ and faith is not to be found in Scriptures He saith I hope no humble Saint will pin his faith upon this c. And they crying up thee and thou to a particular c. pag. 247. Answ Christ was before the Scripture was written and Christ is life not found in a dead letter nor faith and he is the end of the Scriptures and the substance of them and many had the Scriptures and could not finde faith in them nor Christ nor life And Christ told the Pharisees he was the life the Scripture testified of him but they would not come to him that they might have life who is the end and substance of the Scriptures by whom the world was made And as for the words thee and thou and you who are stumbling at it shews they have never learned their Accidence or Bible So short oâ— the language of the spirit that teacheth to speak sound words that cannot be condemned who are ignorant of the literall knowledge Pr. He saith The Scriptures was breathed forth by the spirit of God but we receive the spirit another way then they did as gave forth the Scriptures and the Scriptures was given forth immediately but thus the Scriptures comes not to us nor the understanding of them We have Books and Canons and printed Translations in the Mother Tongue page 248. Answ All your Books and Canons and if ye have all the Scriptures printed in all the Languages of the world and if ye have not the same immediate inspiration that gave them forth ye understand not the Scriptures And we do believe you that ye have not an immediate inspiration as they had nor do not receive the spirit as they did that gave forth the Scriptures who are ravened from it But who ever knows the Scriptures of truth it is by the same spirit as gave them forth with this and by this is the Scriptures of truth the excellent words known again to what state and condition they were spoken Pr. He saith The spirit is in the Letter or the whole Scripture Page 254. And they that writ forth the Scriptures were imperfectly holy but Gods Word was holy To conclude the spirit is in the Letter and given by it daily experience demonstrates it And they that owns not the spirits dwelling in the letter have lost their faith of the spirits presence and runs to other Gospels and Doctrines the spirit of errour is in all mens Doctrines that have not the spirit in them page 255. Answ The holy men of God that gave forth the Scriptures as they were moved by the holy Ghost but the Apostle said they were holy and we shall believe him before we believe any of you apostate Teachers which say they were not holy And the spirit was in them that gave forth the Scriptures received of God the Father of spirits and dwells in God And they that be from the spirit of God within which gave
to justification sanctification and righteousness Answ None comes to Justification to Righteousnesse who are out of the fear of God nor to receive his righteousnesse but who comes to the light within which comes from Christ the righteousnesse the wisdome the justification and sanctification and ye be in the errour that be not in this Light that leads too and le ts see it Pr. Perfection in holiness cannot be attained in this life for Adam was under such a Covenant he had no Mediator upon the breach of the command Ans God said to Adam the seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head Christ the Promise the Mediator made the way which was the way in again to God of mans redemption and got down the Serpents head which got up in transgression that Christ the head should bear rule that the seed of the woman should have dominion the second Adam the seed Christ Jesus the Lord from heaven Perfection is not to be attained to by the life ye live untill ye come to the principle of God in you but the life that David lived in saw an end of all perfection And all who come to Christ the second Adam they come to perfection and all who attain to him they attain to perfection in the life of God out of the first Adam but who deny the light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world and rest in the first Adam the life they live in denies perfection and never owns it in the life they live in But who comes into perfection comes into Christ a new life out of Adam in the Fall in transgression All Physitians to sick men are to make them perfect And do yee say make none whole make none perfect make never a man perfect For being made whole they are made perfect for sin wounds for the Ministery of God was to bring people to the perfect man to present them perfect These were Physitians of value and of worth whereby the body soule spirit and all were cured and they glorified God in the body and spirit Now yee that say they shall not be perfect and that none shall be without sin upon the earth no perfection in the life we live in These are Physitians of no value yee are not worthy to have the name of Physitians Ministers nor Teachers Thomas Weld Richard Prideaux Samuel Hammond William Cole and William Durant for yee are pleading while men be upon earth they must have a body of sin and he that saith otherwayes is a deceiver and so ye keep them in their wounds and sores putrifying and imperfect and not makers up of the breach and binders up of the wound And the Lord saith Though their sins be as red as crimson I will make them as white as wool and will blot out sin and transgression And this tender love and kindnesse of the Lord and mercifulness to sinners transgressors hath the Lord made manifest amongst them which the world in scorn calls Quakers and it is not a strange thing that you would not have people to forsake the fashions of the world who are thus hung about with ribbons and cuffs and scarfs and your double Boot-hose-tops and more like unto Stage-players then Ministers Pr. Perfection is a fancy those were not words of true Physitians who brought men to a perfect man to the growth up in perfection amongst the perfect ones who speak wisdome They say It is no where said that the Law is fulfilled in any Saints in this life Answ They that love God keep his Commandements Christ is the end of the Law to every one that believes and who be in him be in the end of the Law And all that dwell in love dwell in God and love is the fulfilling of the commandement who are of the seed of God keep the words of God which the Beasts and false Prophets since the dayes of the Apostles who have inwardly ravened and turned against the royall seed of God and keep the Commandements of God and so none of you that raven from the spirit of God cannot keep Gods commandements though ye have all the Saints words for the Saints witnesse the end of the Law and witness perfection and a perfect man and spoke wisdome among them that were perfect and growing up to perfection Pr. That Christ gives to every man a saving light we utterly deny Answ He is the true light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world saith John the Minister of God and he is salvation to the ends of the earth and they that hate the light neglect their salvation and turns the grace of God into wantonness and denies the Lord that bought them And every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to the Sonne and none heareth or cometh to the Father that cometh not to the Son But who comes to the thing that is transgressed in them and the light that every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall nor hears nor learns of the Father nor comes to the Son but by that and the light that lighteneth every one that cometh into the world is the salvation to him that believes and he that doth not it is his condemnation Pr. But how dare these men lift up themselves in their blasphemous pride to say they are pure as God Answ Doth not Christ say Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect is that blasphemy and to be holy as I am holy is that blasphemy whose Ministers are you is not this the work of Christ and the Apostle without Holiness ye shall never see God and as he is so are we in this present world Pr. The word of God is contained in the Scriptures Ans The Scripture saith God is the word and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him are ye not more like void of reason then Ministers whose ignorance thus appears of the Scriptures which saith God is the word and the Scripture is the words and Christ is the word who fulfills them Pr. The Scriptures were given forth some more darkly some plainer Answ They which gave forth Scripture and they that be in that in which it ends to them the Scripture is not dark but such as be from the Principle of God in their own selves they be darkness so darkness happens to them which blinds their minds and the Scriptures was not given forth darkly but in the light but you who be from the light be dark Pr. The Apostles ordained them elders by a mediate call and we are convinced clearly of a mediate call to the work of the ministry and of the word Answ That which made the Officers and overseers in the Church amongst the Saints before the Apostasie It was the Holy-Ghost which holy men spoke Scripture from that made them Overseers that was not mediate but immediate that did oversee in the Church of God And we do believe that you Elders and Members called Ministers are all mediate and
Christ within them here is two for if it be not the same Christ that ended all types and figures and shadowes If it be not him that is within they have not the possession the substance nor the comfort of the true Christ but who hath not Christ the end of the tipes shadowes figures in them they are among Ante-christs and false Christs and they that have the forme of godlinesse can confesse a Christ without them and notwithin them Pr. Again he saith The Saints have a glorious light within them but imperfect and it is an error to say they have an infallable light within them that they must follow which wil shew them all things and to Judge of Scripture that it must be fulfilled in them and these are them that are brought up in darke places of the earth that are as Sauls that goe to the witch and not to the Law and testomeny Ans None comes to the Law and to the testimony though they have the old and new Testament but who comes to the light in them for the Law is the light and who comes to the spirit within them which is the spirit of prophesy all that goe from this they goe into darke places of the earth and such are they that goe into the pathes of Sau l to such spirits that goe from the light within them and the spirit that is the testimony of Jesus and the light and the glorious light of the Saints which they are inlightened withall is Christ which is perfect and they are changed from glory to glory and so the light which thou saist the saints are in and yet not perfect and yet glorious minde thy words consider thy measure thy Judgement the infallible light which every one that comes into the world is inlightened withall is the leader of the people and the light they are to follow and it is the way to the Father out of the way from the Father that is in the first Adam in the transgression which light is Christ the second Adam that every man that comes into the world is inlightned withall and they who follow this and believe in it and walketh in it abideth not in darkenesse but have the light of life and the light within and the spirit of God within that gave forth the scripture is the tryall of the scripture of truth for men without that may wrest the words and wrong translate them so the light within the spirit of God is the Judge of the scriptures and knowes scripture which gave it forth and is the rule and ruled and led them to speak them forth and is the rule that leades them again to open them again and to lead into all truth as saith Christ Pr. He saith That which they set up above the scriptures is heathenish and the scriptures is the ground of Faith without it faith cannot act and faith hath no bottom to rest upon but scripture and scripture is more then faith the sure word of Prophesy the balme of the conscience it satisfies doubts heales wounds discerns the thoughts Ans The Pharisees and the chief Priests they were not healed except they came to Christ they found no rest for their soules though they had the scripture yet they came not to Christ the light which was before the scripture was given forth The Pharisees had the scriptures they had not faith stood against the author and the ground of it Christ so they had not faith the Pharisees had the scriptures but it was Christ and God that shewed them their thoughts so the scripture knew not their thoughts but who are in the spirit that gave forth the scriptures it is that which shewes mens thoughts Enock Abraham had faith and had not scripture all are heathens that are not in the light which was before scripture was written though they have all the scripture and the holy men of God acted in the faith in obedience to it before the scripture was given forth and they were all in the faith that gave forth the scripture and they did not act as from the scripture but from the spirit of whom they had learned who is the author of faith which the Just lives by and God and Christ the substance of the scripture Pr. And the scripture is an infallible rule of worship Ans The Jews and Pharisees they had the scripture and the Apostates since the daies of the Apostles they have had the scriptures been out of the life that gave it forth they want the rule which is the spirit in which God the father of spirits is worshipped that was the rule which all the holy men of God was led by to give forth scripture in which they worshipped God for the Pharisees had the scriptures not the spirit which gave them forth that worshipped they did not know what they wanted the rule the spirit of God that was in them that gave forth the scriptures in which they should have worshipped God so saw not the substance the ground of faith and author of faith Christ Jesus Pr. They will not put off their hatâ— they write thee and thou one to another they will not say master Ans The honour of the hat the putting of it off is an earthy honour of the earthly Adam in the fall in the transgression which Christ the second Adam the Lord from heaven not of the earthly comes to redeem man out of the sin and transgreâ—sion receives it not he will none of it but have the honour that comes from above cometh to stain that honour below and sees it a marke of an earthly honour of Adam in the transgression and not of the second the heavenly and as for thee and Thou you to a number and Thou to a singular who stumbles at this shews they have neither learned Accidence nor Bible so short of the spirit that spoke the sound words that connot be condemned and speaks proper which is the plant of renown and as for being called of men Master which Christ saith be not you ye have one master even Christ you are all brethren they be in the error that slight his commands and tramples them underfeet and hypocrits that after they have trampled his commands under foot and after makes a profession of his words Thomas Leadger thou professeth thou esteemes the scripture highly above ordinances above Angels and is not this scripture which saith be ye not called of men Master and Christs command yet thou denyes scripture and tramplest them under thy feet Pr. The scripture is the lanthorne of obedience and it directs men to Jesus and he cals the scripture the word of God the sum of truth and they could not have knowne there had been a Christ or a mediator or grace or glory or worship or father or spirit or light but as it is declared in scripture Ans I do believe you who are got up since the daies of the Apostles in the Apostacie inwardly ravening
the power of God that went out of the truth that tempted others out of the truth to transgresse and to sin by which came death by which the devil hath the power of death that went out of the truth so is the power of death which Christ the power of God destroys death and him that hath the power of it Prin. Mayo saith To say the Gospel is the power of God is but a Metapohrical speech Answ The Apostle doth not say so for the Apostle saith the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes in plain words Rom. 1. Chapter Pr. He said That Lanthorn and that Light spoken of in the Psalms which was a light unto Davids path was not meant Christ the word Ans Why then doth the Apostle bring often Davids words to prove that David did speak of Christ And spake of the sure mercies of David the everlasting Covenant of light and in his light should see more light and called him Lord and David saw his flesh that should see no corruption and see his resurrection and many other Scriptures might be brought to prove this Prin. He said The Scriptures was the seed which the sower went forth to sow Mat. 13. Answ The seed is that which the Scripture speaks of which Christ said is the word which many have the Scriptures which knowes not the seed nor the thing it speaks of nor the seed that is sown which is the word as instance the Jews and you Christians which put Scripture for it for if the Scripture be the seed it is sown already it is printed and what need you go out to sow it Pr. He faith That Paul in the 5. of the Ephes 18. Exhorts the Ephesians to follow a light which was not the light of the Gospel and it is said in plain Scripture in so many words he could not prove that any of the Ministers of Christ doth exhort the Saints to follow a light which was the light of the Gospel Ans We herein see his confusion who confounds himself and Paul and that in the Ephesians which he saith was not the light of the Gospel let all people read who bids them not be drunk with wine but be filled with the spirit And this is the light of the Gospel which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which darkness cannot comprehend where the God of the world hath blinded the minds of the Infidels least the light of the glorious Gospel should shine into them as the minds of all the Priests of the world doth appear to be blinded with the God of the world that the light of the glorious Gospel which is the image of God which shines in the hearts of believers which they do not behold and though the light shines in darkness there darkness comprehended it not therefore they rage like the Jewes and are professing the Letter as the Jews did standing against the light with which Light they are comprehended which was before ages was Pr. He saith That Paul persecuting the Saints was a righteous thing in the sight of men and he said that he denyed that any doer of the Law is justified so as to be saved Answ Paul persecuting the Saints was not a righteous thing amongst righteous men that was in the righteousness of God for Christ the righteousness of God saith Paul why persecutest thou me now Pauls persecuting was justified by them which were in the self righteousness out of the righteousness of Christ and such that be in that righteousness may justifie thee and thy persecution and the doers of the Law are justified and who are justified are saved and Christ the end of the Law they come to know salvation it self who redeemes from under it so I through the Law am dead to it and know it a School-Master and the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in me Pr. That a man may be a righteous man and not a godly man Answ A righteous man in the righteousnesse of Christ is a godly man who have the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in him but a righteous man in self-righteousness is ungodly Pr. That a man may be justified by God and yet condemned by his own conscience and justified by his own conscience and condemned by God Answ A man that is justified by God is not condemned by his own conscience for the mystery of faith is held in a pure conscience in which men are justified in the sight of God and a man that is condemned in his own conscience is not Justified in the sight of God that which condemnes is the light and that is the cause of condemnation the hating of it and not believing of it and that is the cause the conscience comes to be seared whereby comes condemnation and that in the Romans proves no such thing which thou layes down Pr. That every believer hath not the witness in him Answ That is contrary to Scripture and the Ministers of Christs Doctrine which saith he that believes hath the witness in himself mark he and after he believes he comes to be sealed with the spirit of promise and can set to his seal that God is true and comes to believe the record of his Son which is the spirit that recordeth all things Pr. That the Gospel is not the power of God Answ The Gospel is the power of God in this thou art contrary to the Ministers of the Gospel which said the Gospel was the power of God to salvation to every one that believes and in this thou haâ—t proved thy self to be an unbeliever Pr. He would make Christ speak blasphemy leaving out half his words Answ That is false thou couldst not make Christ the power of God the light the life the truth speak blasphemy in leaving ouâ— many of his words for all blasphemy is out of the truth and the power of God and in the power and life of God there is no blasphemy Pr. That a man may persecute Christ in the Saints and be a righteous man and that the Scriptures saves instrumentally Answ A man cannot persecute the Saints and be in the righteousness of God or the righteousness of the Law but they that persecute Christ are in their own self-rightrousness and the Scripture saves not instrumentally but as men be in the faith and men knowes not salvation but as they be in the Life that gave it forth and Christ the Saviour it speakes of and there 's the instrumental saving that the Scripture owns for Christ asked them that had Scriptures how they could escape the damnation of hell that were out of the life of it Pr. They that did not sware broke the Law of God and man Answ They that sware are not come to Christ the end of the Law and they are out of Christs Doctrine and the Apostles who said sware not at all not by heaven nor by earth nor any other oath but let your communication be yea yea nay nay least thou
pure as God is pure Pr. God may justly require his due of man though man cannot give it Answ God requires no more of man then he gives Pr. That the Quakers sends men to the light within them to be perfected which is no better then darknesse Answ Thou that sendest men to any thing but not to the light within them thou keepest them out from Perfection in utter darknesse And none comes out of utter darkness to perfection but by the light within them and so growing up in the light they grow up in that which is perfect and so in the fulnesse which is Christ which is the perfection of God Pr. Christ saves his people from the guilt of their sins here in the state of justification The state of the best Saints here are imperfect Answ Who are justified are saved from the guilt of sin and who commits sin feels the guilt and cannot say they are justified in the committing of it for he that saves sanctifies redeems and destroys the Devill and his works and death where he hath power where he keeps up his authority And if the best Saints here are imperfect then they are not brought out of Adams state in the transgression for a Saint is one that is sanctified and one that is redeemed and one that comes to know the works of the Devill destroyed and washed and cleansed and sanctified through the name of the Lord and that which justifieth takes away sin and it's guilt both For as it is written he shall save his people from their sins and from the guilt and from the wretched state Pr. Surely they cannot be perfect here or hereafter in equality but onely in quality Ans Christ makes no distinction in his words but saith Be ye perfect even as your heavenly Father is and be ye mercifull as he is And as he is so are we And that which is perfect and mercifull as he is perfect and mercifull is in equality with the same thing which is of God and from him Pr. The Saints they were come to the spirits of just men made perfect but not on earth Answ The just mens spirits that led them to give forth Scriptures was the spirit of God and that was perfect and was while they were upon earth the Saints were come to which was Christ the end of all words and so to God the Judge of all the Earth Philip Taverner called Preacher of the word in his Book called The QVAKERS Rounds These are his Principles as followeth Pr. WE distinguish between the Essential word and the declarative word we own Christ to be the Essential and the Scripture to be the Letter Answ The Scripture tells us that Christ is the word the Scriptures of truth that was given forth from the spirit of truth were the words of God in whom they end in Christ the word and you talk of a declarative word and the Scripture you call a History and you call it a Creed and you call it a Catologue and these Titles and names you have given to the Scripture of truth the words of God which as I said before was the Scripture of truth the words of God given forth from the spirit of God which ends in Christ and doth not speak of a declarative word but you in your nicity Prin. There is a two-fold comming of the Gospel the one in word the other in power Answ The blind people here thou wouldst make believe that the word was not the power which the word and the power is one for Christ the word and Christ the power of God his name is called the power of God and he that Ministers the word Ministers the power of God and the Gospel Pr. The Saints that stood upon mount Sion that followed the Lamb those Saints that was without guil before the throne of God is to be understood in the justification and not in sanctification that is spoken of in the Revelations 14. Answ Here thou hast manifested thy self to be an accuser of the Brethren who are justified and said to be without fault now who are justified are sanctified and are justified it was said in their mouths was no guile they were not defiled and now these that have no guile and are justified and were not defiled with women such are sanctified so that thou Judgest of things that are too mighty for thee and medles with things that are two weighty and brings Judgement upon thy own head whose measure is measured and weights are tryed and thou art of them that art found too light Prin. He that is born of God sins not after the same sort as them that are of the Devil Answ He that commits sin is the servant of sin and he that commits sin is of the Devil and he that is born of God doth not commit sin for he cannot because he is born of God born of that nature which cannot sin and those who doth sin is of the Devil is of the same nature of their father but he that is born of God doth noâ— commit sin at no rate for he is of the same nature of his father Pr. As John saith as he is so are we in this present world that Scripture saith he cannot be so in the latitude of it Answ I believe you for from the men of your generation it was not given forth but them that are the Sons of God understands it as it is and believes it as it speakes Pr. Christ was holy from his conception so are not we saith he but we are sanctified in time Christ was holy and so are not we for there still remains the in dwelling of sin in us Ans And some was sanctified from the womb and some children was holy that were born of the believers Christ in the male and in the female is as he was in his eternal generation and is the same and remains and is the sanctification sanctifies the unsanctified Sons of Adam in the transgression and who hath that without and not within are hypocrites and Christ changeth them and makes them like himself Pr. That the Saints are compleat in point of justification and not in sanctification Ans They that are not compleat in sanctification they are not compleat in justification for they are one they that are compleat in the one are compleat in the other and so farre as a man is sanctified so far is he justified and no farther for the same that sanctifies a man justifies him for the same that is his sanctification is his justification and his wisdome is his redemption he that knows one of them knows all he that doth not feel one of them feels none of them at all for they are all one Pr. Faith justifies onely instrumentally neither doth it justifie instrumentally as a worke wrought in us by the spirit Answ The man is blinde he is angry there and fretting himself about things that are too weighty for him about things that he knows not For faith is the
and Verse he can finde it again this is not like them which gave forth Scriptures which be learned of God and what they had received of God afterwards recorded which now you and the Priests fall out about and are in heaps and have no unity with it nor God nor one with another and would tear one anoâ—hers flesh to pieces about it and here your spirits are tryed William Greenhill Priest of Stepny who makes a trade of the Scripture his principle as followeth Pr. THe scripture is the Divine word and wisdome of God Ans Thou hast thrown out Christ in this and put scripture in his place and given the scripture his name who is the Word as in the Revelation Whose name is called the word of God who is the wisdome of God and this the scripture testifies of as in the Corinthians Iohn and the Revelations Pr. William Stanly a Tutor to children said That some had a priveledge to sin and yet were free from the condemnation of the Law by the sufferings of Jesus Ans But none have a priveledge to sin from God but from the devill for it is contrary to the Law of God for the Law doth not tolerate any such thing nor the Son of God who was made manifest to destroy the Devill and his works and to condemn sin in the flesh so no one hath a priveledge to commit sin but from the Devill and it is no priveledge to sin from God A book called the Relation of the Quakers shaking those whose names are at it are Iohn Gilpin Thomas Craster Thomas Sands Iohn Archer Edw. Turner Priest Walker WHo are like unto Jannes and Jambres who resist the truth being men of corrupt mindes who blaze abroad in the Nation to make truth odious and to posess the hearts of people by some that turne from truth first Iohn Gilpin who by truth was made to confesse his sin and had openings and then turned from it again and turned to the persecutors and this Gilpin was these mens convert which was most of them all the greatest persecuters in the North which after Iohn Gilpin had turned from these people called Quakers to these men whose names are to the book he turned drunkard being drunk a warrant was granted out for him by a justice of peace and yet these men whose names are at this book stiled this man one of their high converts but according to their works their reward will be Iohn Gilpin said While he was with the Quakers he never found such effects among the Ministers of England as he did amongst the Quakeres of the discovery of his sin in perticular of his Covetousnes which had a great long root in him And this all these men whose names are in the book tearms it to be of the Devill and this is their judgement because Iohn Gilpen run out in his imaginations therefore that which discovers to a man all his sins and his covetousnesse that is of the Devil too O! no my friends you have wrong judged and you will fail at last whom you have judged and what you have justified that which discovers your sin and filth and covetousnesse that which discovers the Devill which is the author of it that is the light and life of Jesus Christ and so in stead of saying the Quakers are shaking you are shaking yourselves and your foundation made knowne not to be the foundation of Jesus Christ And the light that discovers sin and when the true thing did convince and work in Iohn Gilpin then his imaginations run out and you and he calls it delusion to hearken to the voice within and yet you and Iohn Gilpin saith that he was in some measure raised to believe that God would deliver him and yet it is delusion to hearken to the voice within Ans What confusion is here amongst you and your convert doth any believe or come to deliverance or faith but who heares the light within and who heares the voice within and beares witnesse within doth not he that believes hearken to the witnesse in himselfe and hath he not it there and is not faith in the heart and any deliverance is it knowne but what is known from that within and thus you poor deluded creatures are glad to trust in lyes and make them your refuge Pr. He saith He began to consider how he had offended God by his neglect of the use of externall meanes reading hearing and prayer and rejecting the revealed will of God in his word and hearkening to the voice of God only within Ans Is reading and praying in the spirit externall meanes is this your judgement all you Priests and teachers and great professors found in this book can any pray but in the spirit and Read the scriptures and know them againe but in the spirit and is not that eternall can any man know the revealed will of God and his word but it must be by the spirit is not the word in God is not Christ the word his name is called the word of God and can any know these things but by the voice within which voice is the spirit the spirit of the Father speaking in believers the saints which led them to speak forth Scriptures so when that voice was neglected then was Iohn confused as you are all now that speak against it that whatsoever filth and durt you run into you will father it upon the voice within or the light and Christ within but you are comprehended and seen who are now flown to your external meanes you tell people of and your prayers and Reading are external we do believe you who be all out of the spirit but if ever any of you come to know God and true praying in the spirit you will deny your principle and we do believe your meanes is external and your prayers externall without the spirit of God and this Gilpin who had been thus covetous grievous sinner whom the Lord smote that he came to be almost a distracted man after he had got a little ease from under the judgement his flight being in the winter he goes to the Priests and professors which be here mentioned in this book enemies of all righteousnesse and presently turns a drunkard and a Justice of the peace granted a warrant to set him in the stocks and so he passed away about thirty miles off to Cacebie and this is Gilpins Lord who was convicted by the truth of his covetousnesse and his sin who run into his imaginations whose latter end is worse then his beginning And this is the convert of this many persecuting professors and teachers who to their shame have published it which comes a top of their own heads and truth is cleare and filth is wiped away and wiping and the refuge of lies is flying away that people shall not make them their refuge and those persecuting professors and Priests take occasion to speak of one James Miler in whom the Lord did open true prophesies and mighty
who comes to the Kingdom of heaven in them comes to be perfect yea to a perfect man and that is above any degree and thus thou art blind and ignorant of that wich the Scriptures declare Pr. Thou wouldst have it proved that they are false prophets that declare the true Prophets words Answ They that make Merchandice of the true Prophets words were the beast false prophets and great Whore but they that speak freely as they had received was the true Prophets and true Apostles and such in all ages was distinct each from other known by the spirit of the Lord who had received from the Lord what they spoke and declared freely and who had got the Saints words and had not received them from the Lord but spake them forth for money these were distinct one from another A Paper I have received the Title of it is A form of sound words containing the first Principles of the Oracles of God framed for the use and benefit of the Inhabitants of two adjacent Parishes in the County of NOTTINGHAM Their principles in it as followeth Pr. WHen for the time you ought to be Teachers you have need that one teach you again which be the first Principles Answ How can you teach the first Principle of pure Religion when you deny the light that Christ hath enlighten every man that comes into the world withall And this may whole England witness and so your Doctrines that you have taught them and commandments are such as perisheth being not men sent of God so have not profited the people at all Pr. And you say False teachers this age is too full of and that you may henceforth be no more children tossed two and fro and you intreat to except a word from us your Ministers for what profiteth a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul Answ Who hath tossed people more up and down then you and carried them about with your windy doctrines and so the multitudes of the false teachers the world have been too full of you since the dayes of the Apostles who is more for gaining the whole world then you that calls your selves Ministers hath not and doth not your fruits declare it to the whole Nation in prisons there lies your fruits for where may people see the Priests fruits but in prisons And how your Congregations be all on heapes when any comes in the Name of the Lord amongst them and hath shewed that your Exhortation hath not profited the People at all Pr. We intreat you to take heed of that dangerous deceit in hoping to be saved by your own works or in any thing in our selves Answ He that believes hath ceased from his own works so not sayed by them and he that believes is saved and this belief is within him in Christ And the ingrafted word is able to save the soul and Christ the Saviour revealed and manifested within Pr. Out of the holy Scriptures Old and New Testament which it the word of God we may learn the true knowledge of God Answ The Jewes had Scriptures and did not know God nor Christ nor did not know themselves And the Scriptures is not the word but the words of God and so you teach Parishes and your children to lie as you may read in Exodus God spake all these words and said And whosoever shall add to these words Revelations and Christ saith my words And would you make people believe the Scriptures were but a word when they say they are words And Christ is the word as in the Revelation And so that which brings to the knowledge of God is the spirit And the Son reveals him Christ Jesus who is the light which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world and every man that comes into the world receiving the light Christ will reveal the Father to him Pr. There is three persons Father Son and Holy Ghost And we intreat you to take heed of the natural Popish conceit Answ The word three persons is the natural Popish conceit which is out of thy Father the Popes Canon-books where thou hast learned it but Father Son and Holy Ghost that is sound Scripture but thou canst not take it as it speakes but thou must add three persons to it so brings the plague upon thee Pr. There is many that have share in that salvation purchased by Christ Answ Christ was the offering for the sin of the whole world And he gave his body for the life of the whole world And he came a light into the world and doth enlighten every man that comes into the world he that dyed for the sin of the whole world was an offering for the sin of the world that all through this light might believe And so many are condemned for not believing that which they should believe in condemns them Pr. God works faith in us inwardly by his spirit and outwardly by his word Answ Here thou goest about to make the spirit and the word not one is not the word spiritual and Christ called the word who is the Author of the faith which mystery of it is held in a pure conscience and is not this word of faith in the heart Pr. The whole word of God in general is summed up in the Apostles Creed Answ Where hast thou been for the word Creed but out of the Masse-book and Popes Canon-book not out of the Apostles Epistles And the Apostles Epistles declares of the word and the Saints writings and saith it was in the beginning and saith the Letter kills for the Jewes had Letter and did not find the word in it but stood against it and you have the Letter the Apostles words but you do not find the word in it it speakes of the word the word was in the beginning and in the heart before the words Pr. Brethren be perfect be of good comfort no man can be made free from sin in this life Gods children have sin in them Answ The Devils doctrine is that men shall not be perfect while they are upon earth and all his Ministers but you that say they must be perfect and yet must have sin that makes them unperfect And the children of God that was born of God did not commit sin neither could they because the seed of God remained in them and they were made free from sin and had put off the body of sin as in Romans the 6. and John the 3. Pr. No man is able to keep the commands of God perfectly we break them dayly in thought word and deed And in all our best duties we are unprofitable servants Ans Here you shew that you do not love God for who loves God keepes his Commandments and love fulfills them and all your best duties and deeds be but unprofitable servants in that we do believe you So your Preaching is unprofitable praying unprofitable so you judge your selves out of your own mouths singing instructing praying all is unprofitable and they are
the Almighty covereth us and it goeth before us and compasseth us about and the Lord is working a work in the Earth mighty and wonderful he is gathering the scattered and binding up the broken hearted and his people shall dwell in safety and none shall make them afraid and no weapon that is formed against them shall prosper nor no hand that is lifted up shall prevail For Sion shall arise out of the dust her beautiful garments shall be put on and mourning and sorrow shall flee away and her light is risen that is everlasting and the Sun shall never go down but his day shall remain for ever and the night shall not again cover her brightness nor the Sun set upon her habitations the City that hath long laid waste shall again be builded and the dwelling that hath long been without inhabitant shal be replenished for the numberles seed of Jacob is coming out of Egypt that will replenish the whole Earth and the seed of Esau shall become bondmen and wherefore are you gathered together and to what purpose have the wicked spent their strength to oppose what the Lord is bringing to passe shall not all our Enemies be broken to pieces and will not the Lord grinde them to powder will he not marr their beauty and stain their pride will he not bring down their crownes and corrupt their glory and stain it with his fire of wrath and make them ashamed of their wayes and Doctrines Hear this ye Priests and howl and lament for the misery that is coming upon you the Lord hath laid you naked and made you bare and you are seen as you are and the Elect is risen amongst us which ye cannot deceive but alass wo is me how have you caused the people to erre and how have you led the blind out of the way and how is truth fallen in your streets and you have daubed falsely with untempered morter and have cried peace to the wicked and condemned the righteous and all this hath vexed the righteous soul and the Lord will now arise and is risen and you shall not resist and escape the stroak of his hand which will come upon you and bruise you as a milstone for you have caused the wicked to rejoyce and the righteous to mourn and you have made sad his heart whom God hath not made sad have not you fed your selves with the fat and clothed with the wooll and hath not the peoples souls been starved and leanness been upon them all your plants aâ—â— dry and barren trees that brings forth no good fruit and your pâ—â—ple are like a wilderness that is untilled and unploughed and undressed and your flocks are like wild asses upon the mountains that is untamed as rude as the Horse and mule that knows no bridle and now it is seen what the end of your Ministry is and what fruit it hath brought sorth the Lord hath taken notice and he hath beheld how you have loytered and laid idle and the Nations lies yet like fallow ground that bears no fruit and mens hearts are untouched with absence of Gods word and there is no sound true and perfect sence amongst your people of the dealings of the Lord nor of the operation of his spirit but they remain in great blindness and ignorance void of the knowledge of God for ye have not caused them to hear his word but you have told your dreams and your false visions and you have spoken imaginations of your hearts and not from the mouth of the Lord neither have you stood in his Counsel nor hearkened to his voyce and therefore people remains unprofited but what they and you know it s naturally and not by the spirit of the Father but as dry trees you are not taught of the Father and as rough goats in the nature of swine that is polluted in the filth of the world and in the nature of dogs and Lyons devouring another and biting one another and killing one another which things were not in the Churches of Christ and we have a great controversie with you and that from the Lord we have tried you searched you and disovered your foundation and it s not found nor will not stand in the triall we have fetcht your Line from the first original and we have found out your beginning and we find yours of that Race which Christ prophesied of that should come which should deceive many having the sheeps cloathing but inwardly ravening and which Iohn saw was come and went out from the Apostles and true Churches which went from the truth and went into the world and had the forme of godlinesse without the power here began the Race in the Apostacie of the Churches and when they Apostatized from the true faith then came your original up and the world went after them and all that dwelt upon the earth worshiped the beast that hath reigned through all this time of Apostacie which hath been since the daies of the Apostles and we find your original goe no further then to the false bretheren and false Apostles which went out from the true Apostles and run for gifts and rewards and preached for filthie lucre and through covetousnesse made merchandize of souls seeking monie and gain to themselves I say we find your Original begins there and your Line goes no further and never came your first rise so far as the true Apostles you were not in your beginning of their life nor birth nor cannot be reckoned from their Original for you succeed not them but you truely succeed the false Apostles and fals bretheren which Christ prophesied should come after his daies Iohn saw was come and coming in his daies and we find you of this stock and generation and now you are discovered to be contrarie to the true Apostles and agreeing with the false Apostles in call in practice in maintenance and in all things and the Line of true judgement is laid upon you all and you are measured and found too short and weighed and found too light and we wil deale truely with you in judgement first we do hold controversie with you as concerning your call your Ministery it agreeth not with but is contrarie to what the Apostles call was they were called by power from on high and were made Ministers by the gift of the holy spirit received from God and their Ministrie was an absolute gift from God and not to be bought and sold for monie and they were anointed of the Father by his spirit of promise and to preach the Gospel but your call is at schools and Colledges in such and such orders which are attained through naturall industerie such and such arts and sciences and degrees having been so many years brought up in studying naturall arts and naturall Languages this is your ordination and your call having no respect to receive or to wait for the gift of the holy spirit to be made Ministers thereby and this is different from the Apostles
and true ministers and equall and according to the false prophets and deceivers Secondly Againe you are not according but contrary to the true ministry and Ministers of Christ in practise for they were led by the spirit of the Father which dwelt in them and they preached the Gospel by the spirit and spake as the spirit gave them utterance and went up and down the world through Nations converting people to the knowledge of the truth and what they had handled tasted seen and felt of the word of life in them that they declared to others and preached the Gospell which they had not received from man nor by man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in them But your practise is not such but contrary for the spirit of this world leads you and it you follow in all your works in your preaching praying and in your whole worship in forme and tradition what you have studied for out of books and old Authors you preach to people and what ye have noted in a book that you preach by an hour-glasse and not as the spirit of God gives you utterance and you seek out and enquire after great benefits and much money by the yeare and where there is much Tithes and Gleab-lands and such like thither and to such a place you goe and seeke after to be Ministers there and there you remain 20. 40. more or fewer yeares as you can agree with the people and while they will give you so much as will content you and maintain you your wives and families as you say respect not whether any be converted to God by your preaching but people remaines alwaies in blindnesse and ignorance generally and without the knowledge of God for you preach other mens words and what you have collected in your imaginations from the Saints words an hour by a glasse leaning upon a soft cushion and for money and and hire preaching to the people and this is your manner of practise and Ministery in these Nations but thus did not the Apostles nor Christs Ministers but the contrary and by your fruits and works it appeares that you are not followers of that spirit that Christ and his Ministers were guided by neither are lawfull successors of the Apostles but by your fruits and practise you manifest that the Lord never sent you nor Christ never called you into his service to be his Ministers for in all your practises and in your whole performances of worship you differ and doth not agree but are contrarie to what the practise and worship of Christs Ministers and Churches were in the daies of the Apostles this I charge upon you in the Name and by the Authoritie of the Lord God and am able to prove it against you face to face or otherwise to shew that you are not of the same spirit but contrary to the Saints and Apostles of old and so not true succeeders of them nor lawfull Ministers of Christ as to all people it is and shall be made manifest Thirdly You disagree and are contrarie altogether to the true ministrie and to the Apostles in respect of your maintenance and wages for the wages which Christ allowed his Ministers was into whatsoever house they entered that was worthy they might eate such things as are set before them for the workeman saith he is worthy of his hire and the Apostles eat onlie of the fruit of the vineyard that they had planted and of the milk of the flock which they kept by a free gift of the people which they had begotten to the faith and to whom they sowed spirituall things it was but as a small matter if they reaped their carnall things yet as a free gift they would doe it and the Apostle said he would not make the Gospel of Christ chargeable And in this manner were Christs Ministers and Ministrie in wages and gifts upheld and maintained outwardly in the world But your practise and maintenance is not such but contrary as is fullie made manifest for you will have so much by the Yeare promised to you in Tythes money or Gleab-lands or stipends and of drunkards and swearers and prophane wordly people who are not sheep of Christs flock nor plants of his vine-yard you will have so much of each of them and of every man in such a compasse as you call your parish and if any either out of covetousnesse or good conscience cannot pay you you sue at Law and cast into prison for wages and spoile their goods and take treble nay some times 5. double damage and through violence and injustice and cruelty are you maintained in such a manner and not as the true Ministers and Apostles of Christ were but in a way and manner quite contrarie as it is manifest and so herein it is proved that you are not lawfull successors of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ Fourthly Againe you follow not the Apostles and true Ministers of Christ but are contrarie to them in doctrine as this following vollume will clearly manifest which for this very end is collected from your own mouths and pens that all men may see what you are and what you hold and professe and being truely laid down and answered let your selves and all sober men compare your doctrines and sayings with the doctrines of the Apostles and they may see you agree not with them but are contrary to them and now friends to all you that professe your selves to be Ministers of the Gospell I do hereby declare unto you in the name and authority of the Lord that we have controversie with you and a great charge against you in all these things in your call in your practice and in your maintenance and in your doctrines and our mouthes hath the Lord opened and they cannot be shut from declaring and crying against you as such whom the Lord never sent but are contrary to Christ his prophets and Apostles in all your waies and practices and the hand of the Lord is certainly against you and his power and dread wil come over you and lie upon your consciences Now Reader whosoever thou art that reades this following volume if thy mind be sober and thy heart right towards God thou may come to a good understanding of the ground and cause of this great controversie between the Priests and the professors of this Nation and us who are in scorne called Quakers for it is not unknown to Nations of this great debate and battel now for some yeares of continuance in this Nation no man can be ignorant what putting in prisons and what persecuting and what preaching and printing against us and what reports and same hath been through this Nation for some yeares past and the Quakers so called have written and spoken and printed against the Priests and their worships and waies and doctrines and declared against them as deceivers and false prophets and such as never were sent of God on the other hand thus have the Priests and more
his word we received often the pouring down of the spirit upon us and the gift of Gods holy eternal Spirit as in the dayes of old and our hearts were made glad and our tongues loosed and our mouths opened and we spake with new tongues as the Lord gave us utterance and as his spirit led us which was poured down upon us on Sons and Daughters and to us hereby was the deep things of God revealed and things unutterable was known and made manifest and the glory of the Father was revealed and then began we to sing praises to the Lord God Almighty and to the Lamb for ever who had redeemed us to God and brought us out of the captivity and bondage of the world and put an end to sin and death and all this was by and through and in the light of Christ within us and much more might be declared hereof that which could not be believed if it were spoken of the several and particular operations and manifestations of the everlasting spirit that was given us and revealed in us but this is the sum life and immortality was brought to light power from on high and wisdom was made manifest and the day everlasting appeared unto us and the joyful Sun of Righteousness did arise and shine forth unto us and in us and the holy annoynting the everlasting Comforter we received and the Babe of glory was born and the heir of the promise brought forth to Reign over the earth and over Hell and death whereby we entered into everlasting union and fellowship and Covenant with the Lord God whose mercies are sure and infinite and his promise never fales and much might be spoken but this is the sum we were raised from death to life and are changed from Satans power to God and gathered from all the dumb Shepherds and off all the barren mountains into the fold of Eternal Peace and rest and mighty and wonderful things hath the Lord wrought for us and by us by his own outstretched Army And thus we became followers of the Lamb whither soever he goes and he hath called us to make War in righteousnes for his names sake against Hell and death and all the powers of darkness and against the beast and false Prophet which hath deceived the Nations and we are of the Royal seed elect chosen and faithful and we War in truth and just judgement not with weapons that are carnal but by the sword that goes out of his mouth which shall slay the wicked and cut them them to pieces and after this manner was our birth and bringing forth and thus hath the Lord chosen us and made us as an Army dreadful and terrible before whom the wicked do fear and tremble and our standard is truth justice righteousness and equity and all that comes unto us must cleave thereunto and fight under that banner without fear and without doubting and they shall never be ashamed nor put to flight neither shall ever they be conquered by Hell or death or by the powers of darkness but the Lord shall be their armour weapon and defence for evermore and they that follow the Lamb shall overcome and get the victory over the beast and over the Dragon and over the gates of Hell for the Lord is with us and who shall be able to make us afraid Then having thus armed us with power strength and wisdom and Dominion according to his mind and we having learned of him and being taught of him in all things and he having chosen us into his work and put his sword into our hand and given us perfect Commission to go forth in his Name and Authority having the word from his mouth what to cut down and what to preserve and having the everlasting Gospel to Preach to the inhabitants of the earth and being commanded in spirit to leave all and follow him and go forth in his work yea an absolute necessity was laid upon us and wo unto us if we Preached not the Gospel for when we looked abroad and beheld the world behold it was altogether darkness and even as a wilderness and desolate and barren of good fruit and death reigned over men and no good fruit was brought forth to God but leaves we beheld upon every soul and all men and peoples were made drunk with the wine of whoredoms and the Whores cup they had drunk and was committing fornication with the great Whore and she reigned over the Kings and peoples of the earth and the Antichrist was set up in the Temple of God ruling over all and having brought Nations under his power and set up his Government over all for many ages even since the dayes of the Apostles and true Churches hath he reigned while the woman hath been fled into the wilderness and the man child caught up to God Christ said Antichrist should come and put on the sheepes cloathing and be inwardly a ravening Wolfe and John saw that Antichrist was come in his dayes and he went forth then from the true Church and went into the world and deceived the world and ever since his Kingdom hath reigned over Nations for then he begun to exalt himself and it is sixteen hundred years since all which time Antichrist that hath had the sheepes cloathing but inwardly a ravener and hath ruled and reigned and this we saw and perceived in the very time of our birth and bringing forth and we beheld Nations as a wilderness untilled and mens hearts as the fallow ground unbroken up and not plowed nor sown with the good seed of Gods Kingdom so that we saw all states and orders of men corrupted and degenerated from what they ought to be and from what God had once ordained them As for the Ministry first we looking upon it with a single eye in the light of the Spirit of God which had annointed us we beheld it clearly which formerly we had been stumbling at and much doubting of that it was not the perfect Ministry of Christ for many years before not to be of Christ nor sent of him nor having the Commission power and Authority of Christ as his Ministry had in the dayes of the true Churches but in all things as in Call practice maintenance and in every thing else in fruits and effects we found it disagree and be wholly contrary to the true Minstry of Christ in the dayes of the Apostles and likewise we truely beheld it to be in Call practice and maintenance and all things the very same in fruits and effects with the false Ministry and false Prophets and false Apostles and deceivers of old and this I do testifie and am able to prove in the spirit and Authority of the Lord that the publike Ministry as now it stands generally is wholly degenerated from what the true Ministry of Christ once was and differeth and is contrary in all things to what Christs Ministers were and agreeth and is equal in all things with what the false prophets
every man that cometh into the world is to bring them from the Mediator and to draw men from eying his death resurrection and intercession c. as these men say see page 7. Ans Here they are corrected for none knows these things but who come to the light Christ who hath enlightned them for with the light they see their Mediator and see his death and resurrection And they that come not to the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world may speak of these things but cannot know them the witnesse in the conscience shall answer in all men for the light that shines in the heart gives them the knowledge of them of the Mediator death and resurrection of Christ And they say not every man in the world is enlightned and John saith every man is and so here their spirits are corrected again And I will give him for a covenant to the Gentiles and for a new covenant to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah And they bring these words Christ in you the hope of glory to oppose Johns words Pr. You say none comes to God but by Christ and yet doth not own him that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world Ans And so are not like ever to come to him though you may talk of him in words as the Pharisees and Devils did as all the apostate Christians doth now and yet not own his light with it you are all to be condemned Ministers of Satan which are out of the light Pr. And you say Far be it from you to say that Christ is equally God c. See page 8. Ans And the Scriptures saith He is the everlasting Father and his name is called the Emanuel God with us and his name is called the word which is God John 1. Pr. And ye say Whereby man sees the God-head of God but nothing of the mystery of the Father and Christ as Mediator See page 9. Ans Can man see the god-head of God and nothing of the mystery of the Father and Christ the Mediator Doth not he that knows the Son know the Father also And hath not he that hath seen God seen the Son Is not the Son in the Father Here your spirits are corrected For the light that enlightens every man that comes into the world le ts see the one le ts see the other Pr. You say For a man to say the light Christ which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world is pure and justifies them that obey it he justifies that which God condemns c. See page 9. Ans As you say who are with it condemned for the light is that which doth condemn and justifie both and God doth not condemn it for it brings into unity with him and peace and all be condemn'd that be out of it and none be justified but them that be in it Christ that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which is the justification of life to every one that believeth in it and every man receiving the light receives his justification and hating of it receives his condemnation to death Pr. Again Ye conclude the light of Christ is not pure before faith See page 9. Ans So have concluded you seven Joseph Kellet John Pomroy Paul Glisson Christopher Feak John Simpson George Cocken Lawrence Wise that ye never knew Law nor Gospel nor Faith from Christ nor God For the law is light saith Solomon Prov. 6. and that is the Schoolmaster untill faith And the Law of God is pure and the Law is just holy and good and perfect and what is just holy and good is pure And this ye seven have concluded not pure the light in the conscience before faith And the Law is the Light and Schoolmaster untill faith And the Light is given to every man to believe and while ye have the light believe in it And so men have this light before they believe in it and are children And this ye conclude is not pure so goes about to take away that men should believe in they having the Light and then afterwards to believe in it and with that they see the Author of their faith Christ Jesus from whence it comes and so would destroy the foundation of God the Prophets and Apostles which standeth sure and so are yee found in the spirit of errour and corrected knowing neither law nor faith Pr. Again they say the Light which is Christ with which every man is enlightned that cometh into the world withall they say doth not discover the sinne of unbeliefe See page 10. Ans And did not Christ marvell at their unbelief and see and discovered the unbelief of the Jewes of whose Father are ye And doth not Christ the Light which doth enlighten every man withal discover unbelief And doth not the unbelievers hate the light and know the light will reprove them which they should believe in that manifests their sin and yet you say doth not discover unbelief which is their condemnation not believing in it because their deeds be evill hating it Pr. And further ye say That the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world bringeth in a legal righteousnesse c. Ans Doth not the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world bring in the righteousnesse of God and is it not the righteousness of God So it corrects you that be in the legall righteousness and out of Christ which enlightneth nevery man that cometh into the world Pr. Again you say The righteousnesse performed by the grace of Christ the Gospel teacheth to deny it See page 10. Ans Now is there any righteousnesse wrought by the grace of Christ but what is by Christ who is the covenant of grace and the power of God which is the Gospel which lighteth every man that comes into the world Pr. They call it conscience or a natural light c. page 11. Answ Which light was before the word conscience was or a naturall light the Sun Moon and Stars either for all things that was made was made by it The natural light or made light are created lights He made the Sun the Moon and the Stars they were made And here is the naturall lights to the natural eye And the light that every man is enlightned with that cometh into the word was before these were made glorified with the Father before the world began and before the name Conscience was or things was made and then they was named and the light doth exercise the conscience towards God and towards man which light cometh from Christ the Author of faith which is held in the pure conscience who before the world began was glorified with the Father Pr. Again the light which cometh from Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which discovers the evill which will give thee power against it man walking in it and yet brings to the rest to the Father this they
to the language of the Apostle and Christ who bid them be perfect and the Apostle spoke wisdome among them that are perfect and said they were made free from sin And it is the Devill speaking in man that speaks for sin while men are upon earth and speaks for the Devill holds up him who makes men not perfect which Truth makes men free again from the Devil and speaks in man and says be perfect Pr. He saith Christ doth not condemn men for being called of men Master and it is not the title but c. Ans Contrary to Christs words who saith be ye not of men called Master for ye have a Master in heaven even Christ and ye are all brethren And thus he tramples upon the commands and makes the commands of Christ of none effect which is one of the marks that Christ gives to the multitudes to know the hypocrites by and so doth not onely deny Christs commands but teacheth men to break them so crucifies Christ and sayes they are his Ministers but that 's the Antichrist that abides not in his doctrine as in 2 John Pr. And he saith people are tossed up and downe like a bundle of feathers and Novices c. Answ How should they be otherwise but be tossed up and down by you when ye deny perfection of being perfect and calls it the voyce of the Devil speaking that speaks of perfection and overcoming sin How should you but be the men that tosseth people up and down with every slight and blown up and down with your windy doctrine that is not perfect and so bring the Nations and people like unto waters For all the unperfection is out of Christ in the first Adam in sin and transgression and the Devill which is out of the truth and all the perfection is in Christ the second Adam the covenant of God out of sin and transgression and so who are in Christ are new creatures and old things passeth away and all things become new So in the second Adam in the Lord from heaven above the earthly the first man in the perfection out of the tossing that 's your imitated Church got up since the dayes of the Apostles not the true Church Pr. He saith a true Church is guilty of injury c. See page 4. Ans Contrary to the Scriptures where the Apostle saith the Church is the pillar and ground of truth without spot or wrinkle or blemish or any such thing Pr. He saith God hath commanded a sufficient maintenance in generall for Ministers and left it to humane prudence to judge what is sufficient c. see page 7. Ans By this he hath left the spirit to judge and the wisdome of God which acts by his commands and so runs into earthly humane prudence Therefore is there so much oppression for Tytheâ— and maintenance for Ministers and so much making havock and prisoning and persecuting for the same And the power denied which the Apostles had to eate and to drinke which Christ gave them and so you run into the lust for the money of whom you do no work for and the earth and whilst they coveted after that they lost the faith and that is the cause that people have lost the unity and run all upon heaps Their Teachers have lost the faith through coveting and love of money in which they should have had unity with God and one with another and have pleased him and had accesse to him and have given them victory over the world the Devill enmity and corruption Pr. He saith all that come into the world are lighted with the light of nature See page 7. Ans For so he calls the light which John calls the true light which is Christ that lighteth every man that cometh into the world so is ignorant of Johns doctrine and the Scriptures a man not fit to teach but is gotten up by an usurped authority and is not able to divide the word aright but with the Scriptures thou art corrected and the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world the naturall lights were made by it the Sun and Moon and so forth And men that are born blinde are enlightned with that Light which was before the Sun was before all things was made which came a light into the world to enlighten every man that all men through it might believe Now all men may see how all men are mad against John Christ and the Apostles doctrine that bore witnesse to the true light and Christ bid believe in it Pr. He talks of and preacheth up an externall word See page 8. Answ Which the Scripture speaks notâ—ing of nor the Prophets nor Chrrst but saith the word that lives abides and endures for ever and of the Scriptures of truth that cannot be broken And of Gods words and Christs words and that is not external this is not agreeable to sound words that cannot be condemned but that is like his doctrine that knows not the eternal but the Ministers of Christ did not tell people of an externall word but an eternall word but you being made by the will of man speak to the people of an externall Pr. He saith He hath not seen God in glory nor any man c. See page 9. Ans We do believe thee and the Priests have not seen him but the Saints saw him and Job saw him and Isaiah saw him the Lord of hosts and Steven saw him and Abraham saw his glory and the Apostle saw him and beheld his glory the glory of God And you are as the Pharisees that stand against Christ that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world that Christ said never saw the shape of God Pr. He saith The word infallible is the pillar of the Popish Kingdome and the master-point of new Religion c. see page 9. Ans Now thou that calls infallibility a Popish point a new Religion Thy Religion thou hast manifested and thy points that are not infallible contrary to the Apostle who had many infallible proofs of the spirit of Jesus Christ they who have not are none of his and who have the spirit of Christ have that which is infallible and lets them see infallible proofs as thou mayst read in Scripture And who have the spirit of God have that which is infallible And the Religion which is out of the fallibility and out of the spirit of God is vain and there is thine and the Popes as your fruits have declared got up since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy fallible but that which is in the spirit of God is infallible Pr. And thou saith Thou hast no such revelation as the Apostles had as thou knowest of and the Apostles were brought to speak infallibly to the Church by an infallible spirit and thou nor the Pope hath no such infallibility as the Apostles had c. see page 10. Answ We do believe you for you are the false spirit you and the Pope that went
forth from the Apostles into the world that Christ said should come that inwardly ravened from the spirit and went forth from the Apostles and onely have had the sheeps cloathing and so are the spirits which the Apostles bids the Saints try which went forth into the world that had the true spirit the record the spirit of God and they that have found the record the spirit of God tries all your spirits and findes you fallible ravened from the spirit of God inwardly onely having the sheeps cloathing that hath covered the wolfe in you all the devourer And so we do believe neither yoâ—â—or the Pope hath the infallible spirit being the false spirits that went forth into the world and led the world after you That Nations are come to be like waters so are you broken all into heaps and sects and wants the infallible spirit in which you should have unity And so hath not the Son of God revealed among you who have not revelation as the Apostles had which we witnesse who are come to that the Apostles were in and so the Son of God reigns Pr. He saith The holy Scriptures are the temporall word c. see page 11. Answ Now see if this be not an undervaluing the Scriptures of truth and the words of God and Christ and the Prophets and Apostles which cannot be broken he calls it a Temporall word which the Scripture teacheth no such doctrine but thy lying spirit Pr. He saith The Gospell or Word is the externall light flowing out unto us from the Son c. See page 12. Ans Contrary to the Scripture which saith the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes so not temporall not a temporal light And the light which cometh from the Son of God that lighteth every man that cometh into the world that shines in peoples hearts that gives the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus is not temporall thou that saith so art in the delusion Pr. He saith The Scriptures are able to make men wise unto salvation without any more additions and there is no more to be expected c. see page 12. Answ Contrary to the Scripture it selfe and the Apostles doctrine who saith through faith they are able to make wise unto salvation So there is an addition which the Apostles adds and all the Saints and true believers which is the faith which thou art reprobated from and so no Minister of Christ in the un-victory so in the worlds lusts Pr. He saith The soule of man is a spirituall substance c. And Magnus Byne saith the soule is not infinite in it selfe but it is a creature And Richard Baxter saith it is a spirtuall substance c. See page 13. Answ Now consider what a condition these called Ministers are in They say that which is a spirituall substance is not infinite in it self but a creature that which came out from the Creator and is in the hand of the Creator which brings it up and to the Creator again that is infinite it selfe which the hand goes against him that does evill in which hand the soule is which is immortall and infinite which hand is infinite which brings it up to God is infinite Pr. He saith Do not they blasphemously make Christ an Idoll that call our Temples Idols Temples c See page 15. Ans Christs body was and is the Temple of God who ended all outward Temples made with hands and so that is no Idoll but others are Idols held up by you and the Pope Jewes and Gentiles that prison the seed of God in your selves And Stephen was stoned to death for denying the Temple and for witnessing the substance so have you almost stoned many to death for denying your Idols Temples Pr. He calls that most ignorant and sottish dealing to own Christs commands that bids be not called of men Master c. page 18. Answ And thus he shews his ignorance and sottishnesse and doth not read Mr. Paul Mr. Peter and they transgresse the doctrine of Christ and he hath not the spirit of Christ but is gone out into the world where all the false spirits are opposing Christs commands and the Spirits commands and so no Minister of Christ Pr. He saith All the Ministers since the dayes of the Apostles was to be ordained and called which the Apostles were not c. See page 21. Answ Doth not the Apostle speak of them that usurped the authority Yes we say that all of you and the Pope since the dayes of the Apostles are called by men and made by men who are the false spirit that went forth into the world that ravened from the true so have not heard the voyce of God at any time So he hath not sent you but you have usurped the authority being made by man And as no prophecy of Scripture came by the will of man therefore all as do get the Scripture in their own wills out of the holy Ghost are made by man such are out of unity with God with Scriptures with one another and all upon heaps about words and such men make and sets up Pr. He saith The Scriptures is Gods law and a sufficient rule for doctrine and worship it selfe c. See page 22. Ans Now many may have the Scriptures and if they have not the spirit that gave them forth they do not worship God in the spirit And they that have the Scriptures and do not do the will of Christ they know not his Doctrine And the Law is light Pr. He saith But I must tell you that our Bells are not carnall if they were they would scarce sound so well or last so long c. See page 23. Ans If they be not carnal then they are spiritual and in that all the world will judge thee that they are things seen and so they are temporall and carnall and what is temporal is not eternal nor spirit The Apostle speaks of carnall weapons 2 Cor. 10.4 and carnall ordinances Heb. 9.10 And whereas thou speaks of baptizing your Bells c Have not many Bells in England been baptized And was not the Pope the first Authoâ— of it And we do say that they are carnal and not spiritual let them sound never so well and last never so long though in many Towns you have made them to tune Psalms yet we cannot say that these are spirituall that can tune Psalms neither dare we but do judge them that do say they are so For the Scripture calls those Ordinances which were Ordinances of God once worldly and carnal and the Sanctuary is called a worldly Sâ—nctuary when the substance was come And so we see and say all your sorts of Bells though they may be tunes of Psalms yet they are carnall and not spirituall that is our conclusion though indeed poor people being ignorant may well when such as thou saith they are not carnall when they be yet they stir up the fl
is a time for men to see they have sin and sinned and a time to confess it and forsake it and their is a time to witness the blood of Christ cleansing from all sin and then a time to witness the birth born of God which doth not commit sin 1 John 4. Chap. Pr. He saith Here is a strange conceit of a person that fills heaven and earth with his presence and dwells in the Saints blindness with a witness c. See page 8. Ans Here thy ignorance hath appeared again for all power in heaven and earth is given to him Christ Jesus who is in them at the right hand of God who is in the Saints dwelling and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world but this to thee is a strange conceit and blindness with a witness Thy witness is blinded with thy conceit which shews thy ignorance of Scripture and thy unskilfulness in the word and doctrine that all things is upheld by his word and his power and that there is no creature but is manifest in his sight For all things that was made was made by him that he might have a name above every name and that to his name should every knee bow and every tongue confess to the glory of God and God will dwell in man and it is he that seeth the heart Pr. He saith Sin is in the Saints c. See page 10. Ans Sin is not in the sanctified but in the unsanctified And he that saith sin is in the Saints he is blinded he is of the Serpent and he and they be in the poâ—lution themselves which the Saints have escaped and are washed and cleansed and so far as any one is sanctified it is from the sin Pr. He saith That we will not enter into the Kingdom by the Blood of the Covenant that hath been often proved c. See page 10. Ans And Francis Blake did publish it in Print that the Quakers did witness the blood of Christ that cleanseth from all sin and so thou Prints against us and he prints for us thou Prints that we deny the blood of Jesus and he Prints that we own the blood of Jesus and so ye are devouring the innocent betwixt you and the blood of the seed we own which cleanseth from all sin which doth not you which say sin must be in the Saints but make his blood of none effect which cleanseth from all sin Pr. He saith The Scriptures shall be our judge one day which we call the letter c. See page 11. Answ And the Scripture saith all judgement is committed to the Son and God will judge the world and the Saints and the spiritual man judges all things and thus thou art ignorant of the letter and this shall judge thee at the last Pr. He saith That the Kingdom is not come nor refreshing from the presence of the Lord c. Answ Which shewes they are like unto the Pharisees unconverted gazing here and there and Christ told them the Kingdom was in them And they that are not turned to the light which comes from Christ the refresher whereby refreshing might come so are not come to repentance yet Pr. He saith They that say they have no sin makes God a liar See page 12. Ans Which the Scripture saith no such thing but saith on the contrary the Scripture saith many were made free from sin And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin and they that are Christs have crucified the lusts and all things are become new and they that sin and lie are not in Christ the truth Pr. He saith All that have been are or shall be converted since the Gospel ministration are converted by the Apostles words c. See page 13. Ans So he hath thrown out the spirit that doth regenerate and Christ the way to the Father the word that sanctifieth and Christ the power of God to salvation Who said they would not come to him that they might be converted so if they get all the Apostles words and come not to Christ they are not converted and none are converted by the Apostles words but who comes to the Life that the words come from Pr. And he opposeth and saith It will be the Quakers fall because they say there is no other way to bring people to God but by the light in them c. See page 14. Ans Which is Christ the way to God from whence it comes which is mans condemnation not believing in it and so a saving light For saith God I will give him for a Covenant for a lgiht to the Gentiles that he may be my salvation to the ends of the earth the light shall and all that be not in the light are in the fall out of the Covenant in the unsaved state and knows not their salvation but as the Scripture declareth and so there is death and destruction talking of the same of wisdom and keeping people out of the light Pr. And he saith That Christ is not so the light of the World as he is the light of believers See page 14. Ans Christ is the light to the World as to believers and he that believeth in it shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life he that follows the light and believes in it shall have the light of life and shall not abide in darknesse He that follows not the light but hates it he abides in the darknesse and the light condemns him which the believer walks in and believes in and hath the light of life which light is one and the same which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world believers and unbelievers Pr. He saith That the Scriptures is the rule of the Saints and he saith the spirit is the guide to that rule c. see page 15. Ans And so would have the Scripture to be before the spirit Now the spirit was the Saints rule that led them to speak forth Scriptures and to let them to see to what condition they were spoken too and so by that they came to the law of Faith and they was not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit So in this ye have proved your selves not to be Ministers of the Spirit but of the Letter which the Spirit was before the Letter was Pr. He saith That the time of perfection will be when Christ comes from heaven and not before till then the Saints must be warring waiting groaning and mourning c. See page 20. Ans And David saith he had seen an end of all perfection contrary to Collier And the Apostle saith they should hunger no more nor thirst no more And Christ saith He that eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood shall hunger no more and thirst no more He that believeth is entered into his rest shall hunger no more and thirst no more And the Apostles and Saints witnessed Christ in them and the Kingdome while they were upon earth and
These he calls Errours Ans All your Temples set up imitating the Temple of Solomon built since the dayes of the Apostles are Idols for God never commanded them And have not the Papists had them And have they not been Masse-houses Beast-houses and are they not Is God worshipped in Temples made with hands Is not he worshipped in the spirit and in the truth And the Scriptures are words of the Prophets and Apostles and Christ they are words and so called in the Scripture they are not called the written word but words and Christ the Word cometh to fulfill them And all you that doth not speak from the Word if your Declaration be not from it you are the spirits gone out into the world apostatized from the spirit that was in the Prophets Christ the Word and the Apostles that doth not speak from Christ the Word in you And the Letter written in paper and inke now paper and inke is not spirituall but that which it speaks of is spirituall And thou to a single and you to a single makes it appear that neither thou nor you never learned your Accidence yet neither are perfect of the Bible what it saith For neither the Bible nor the Accidence teacheth to speak any such language as you to a particular Therefore ye are pittifull men to go to instruct the Nations cannot endure sound righteous words and simplicity of speech but stumble at it And again God will dwell in you and walk in you and your bodies are Temples of the holy Ghost And Christ is in you except you be reprobates saith the Apostle And again God breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soule For that which came out from God was the cause that man became alive a living soule and is not this of God And God who hath all soules in his hand and Christ the Bishop of the soule And is not that of God which comes out from God Is not that of his being the soule which he hath in his hand and so divine and is not Christ in man And doth not Christ say they must eate his flesh And so if they must eate his flesh is not his flesh in them and have they not the spirit And how can any eate Christs flesh if his flesh be not in them And doth not the Scriptures say that he was manifest in the Apostles flesh And how can ye call him Christ in man without the man be there And sprinkling Infants which the Scripture doth not hold forth but a thing got up since the dayes of the Apostles not witnessed by Scripture they cannot shew by the Apostles that it was one of his marks but a tradition of men an invention of men and then they may all see such as say they have not a command to do it if it be not a mark of that beastly spirit that is erred from the Apostles who is out of the power And Christ saith be not yee of men called Master it is his command for yee have one Master even Christ and ye are all brethren So thou that opposest the commands of Christ and teacheth men to practice the contrary thou and you are Antichrists and shew your spirit of errour from Christs spirit Now let all read and see if this man divides the word aright to people Pr. He saith They have an unction need not that any man teach them And waiting for the Spirit to come down upon them by inspiration and give them utterance And he saith they sit silent and not whisper among them And they do not own Davids Psalms to be sung See page 12 13. these are errours saith he A. Was it not the Apostles Doctrine that they need no man to teach them but as the same anointing teaching them that abide in it And was not they seducers that drew from it 1 Joh. 2. And did not the Apostles wait for the receiving the Holy Ghost the Comforter the Spirit of truth And did not the holy men of God speak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and so the Gospel and the things of God was revealed to them what they had heard and seen and was revealed to them and spoke as the spirit gave them utterance and prayed for a door of utterance and others was to pray that they might have a door of utterance given to them when they was to Preach And to sing Davids Psalms without Davids spirit people sings not with the understanding now in all these things have not ye shewed and made manifest your spirits to be all the false spirits gone out into the world from the Apostles Spirit holy-mens spirit that spoke forth the Scriptures as they were moved and waited for the Spirit which led them into all truth and revealed to them the things of God so you that be out of this Revelation and Preach against this you have Preached up your spirits out from the Apostles and declared your folly to all the Nation And then because they wait in silence and not a whisper among them Is not that agreeable to the Apostles Doctrine and the Prophets Is there not a learning in silence And was not whispering forbidden by the Apostle And doth such things as these offend thee and so thou hast shewed thy spirit Pr. He saith they meet in the night and they make their object of their teaching of Ministers and Tithes and of the pure light that is in every man that cometh into the world And for any man for to know what is in him by looking at him or upon him or discern his soul this he suspects to be an evil eye And he saith that the learned men and Ministers and Physitians to be in the power of Satan c. page 16. 17. 18. Ans Here again ye have made manifest your power who are gone forth from the Apostles into the mystery of Iniquity which hath wrought long since their dayes And now is the power of God made manifest which breakes down the mystery of Iniquity and raiseth up the mystery of godliness that of this power neither the learned men Physitians or Ministers are able to Judge of it but as they do own Christ the power of God Formerly in the dayes past as the learned Rabbies Judged of Christ so do they Judge of the power now so not strange to us And the Saints met in the night yea till mid-night And we do deny the Ministry that takes Tythes and say the Priesthood is changed and the Law is changed by which is was made and the Commandment disanuled that gave tithes and the Priesthood changed that took them Heb. 7. And we say Christ is come a Priesthood after the order of Melchisedeck the similitude and likeness who ends the similitude and likeness in Christ is the end of similitudes and liknesses and wars in whom is peace So no tythes paid to the similitude and likeness But all is to come to the Son and to hear the Son and honor
that the Officers and Elders of the Church are to be ordained by a mediate way the power without the person government without governour is a meer fancy Ans Since the dayes of the Apostles that Christ said should come and inwardly ravened that went forth from the Apostles the false-spirit gone out into the world and the world hath run after them They can speak no therwise but of a mediate call and their Elders and Members are made mediately and so have all erred from the power and spirit of God of that which they call a Church and this is since the dayes of the Apostles For all Elders and Officers of the Church of God the pillar and ground of Truth they are made immediately by the spirit For the Church is spirituall else how should they see the things that are immediate or behave themselves in the Church of the living God which is the ground and pillar of Truth the Church which is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ The power of God rules and orders people when there is no outward government Nay it strikes down government of men and governors as in the days of Daniel and Pharaoh and in many other places of Scripture mentioned the power of God strikes down government and Governours out of it and this is the power that is honoured which strikes down false governours and Government and which is not a fancie as you ignorantly say Pr. And ye say Christ doth not forbid to be called of men master in the expression of civil honour and we will warrant a Pulpit from the Scripture Ezra's example and ye say they that stand praying in the Synagogues that are reproached as Antichrist c. Answ They that pray for mony and Preach for mony and get up a Pulpit and plead Ezras example They might have pleaded the Pharisees had the chiefest seat they are ignorant of Christ the Light and the life and the power who came to put an end to Ezra and the Pulpit both who Preached up and down the mountains and wildernesses and denyed the Pharisees praying and all that are got up there without the power and that is the Antichrist that is got up in the long robe and praying for mony and pleads Ezras Pulpit and saith it is a civil honour to be called of men master and so slights and transgresseth Christs Commands and calls it civil respect these I say are they that have gotten the sheepes clothing upon their backes but inwardly ravened from the spirit of God and deceives the world But now their hypocrisie cannot be hid but must come to light and be published upon the house top and give light to the whole house and not under the bushell and the children of light shall shine that men shall come to glorifie their Father which is in heaven and you Antichrists in the Apostacy has got up in Ezras Pulpit which comes to end Pr. They say it is a civil respect to say you to one Again Christ laid down the very reason why his disciples should take neither gold nor scrip but wholly depend upon the means due unto them for Preaching c. Ans When saw we the New castle Priests go out in this manner without gold or scrip and wholly depending on the Preaching of the Gospel Or when saw we any of them called Ministers of England do so go without a scrip depending only upon Preaching the Gospel nay are not there Petitions flying up and down the Nations to the Magistrates for maintenance enough to shame both Magistrates and Church and themselves too if they had any shame that their flocks and Vineyards would not maintain them to shame all the people that ever they have Preached too and make people so ashamed of them to turn their backs on them For they cannot say that they have lived upon the Gospel but they have lived upon the States and what they have got by ravening He that lives upon the Gospel gets a flock and gets a Vineyard ye are found in the Popes maintenance which is tithes and offerings from men and not in the maintenance of Christ which he allowed to his disciples whom he is with to the end of the world Now these are States Ministers made by man and so have their allowance so put in and taken out by men so are out of the allowance of Christ which he gives to his disciples whom he is with to the end of the world which you may see ye are out of the steps of them and will appear to all sober people to be the Apostates in the Apostacy ravened from the spirit of the living God and the power the Apostles was in who said have not I power to eat and to drink not great sums of mony Stipends and Gleab-lands and tithes set forth by the Magistrates And the Apostles often would not use their power to eat though they had power And never did any of the Prophets or Apostles bring up their people they Preached too with an hour-glasse no such form or custome or when any spake within their hour glasse they had a law to prison that is the beast that doth so that quencheth the spirit and is not the Ministery of Christ And doth not many of you shake the glasse and think the time long And you could not tell when to give over and you would run all into confusion but for a glasse And is not this carnal glasse your limit See how ye can Preach without it and so tell well when ye have done without a sickness in your spirits which must have a carnal to limmit them which shewes man hath not power over his own spirit And the power of God knowâ—s when to speak and when to keep silent And so all your Preaching by the glasse which is a limit of your earthly spirits which went out into the world forth from the spirit the Apostles were in which they Preached by but that which ye study out of old Authours the sheepes clothing ye sell yearly by the glasse Is that your measure The Priests measure that he measures out to people look in any steeple-house almost and see if the Priest have not a measure or it may be two measures a day Do not call this the weakness of the people for many people are ashamed of these things that you should give them but two glasses a week Now is it not more honour to lay by your glasse and come into the spirit and Preach by the spirit and so speak as it moves and gives utterance and quench it not in any and so that all may learn and all may be comforted in your Church and you to one is not a form of sound words so not civil but to be condemned and shewes you have not learned your accidence nor Grammar Pr. Such as trembles at the word of God and works out their salvation with fear and trembling is judged to be notorious bringing back to the Covenant of works Ans
Nay the power of God that woâ—ks out the salvation with fear and trembling brings off from the Covenant of works and brings above all the powers of wickedness and so that is it which brings the people of God to be persecuted and hated to live in the power and the seed of God and no one knowes salvation but who knowes fear and trembling Pr. It is a delusion with you for one to witness an Immediate call and others to witness with them that they are so called Ans Was not the Apoâ—tles and Saints written in one anothers hearts and one anothers Epistles there and called immediately and witnessed one another as it is now Pr. And ye say some of them go naked And another to come and say he had a call Immediately from heaven to take away the Priests hour glasse And of their mean apparrel And the forsaking the world though they neglect their families And they run up and down in places and streets or Steeple-houses to vent their Doctrine c. Ans These are the marks they give to us whereby they give to their books the name of perfect Pharisees And the Apostles Preached as they went up and down in Townes and Markets and Synagogues and those was not Pharisees but those was Pharisees that held up Synagogues and Tithes and Temple and Priests so ye have the mark of the perfect Pharisee The name is entered into your bowels and hearts And as for any being moved of the Lord to take away your glasse from you by the eternall power it is owned And to take away your limmit carnal limmit to your earthly spirits that are gone out into the world from the Apostles from the spirit And if any have been moved of the Lord to go a signe among you to put off their cloaths to shew you are naked and want the covering of the spirit And as for any going in mean apparell and forsaking the world and come off from cosâ—ly attire was not this the Apostles doctrine Are ye like unto the Apostles the messenâ—â—rs of Christ or the messengers of Satan crying up the world and its glory and costly attire And who are come to forsake the world are come out of the sinfull neglect of their families into the wisdome of God that preserves the creation and not destructive And as ye are speaking of Perfection so far as men are perfect they are perfect in glory and changed from glory to glory and witnesse perfection upon earth and see an end of it as David did who had out-stript all his teachers but among all yours that are kept under your teaching there is no talk of perfection among you nor your hearers so fall short of coming to see the end of it And the one offering and the blood of Christ and the new Covenant that perfects blots out and cleanseth from all sin And as for all the rest of your unsavoury and hard expressions in your Book the judgements and sorrow ye will feel for them and in the day you are judged the witnesse in you shall answer Thomas Pollard a member of the Church about Litchfield in his Book which he calls The Holy SCRIPTVRE clearing it selfe from Scandals His Principles follows Pr. HE saith It is a cavill to say thee and thou to a single person Ans Which shews that he never learned Accidence nor Bible the Language that the Saints spake one to another Pr. He saith It is wickednesse to call the letter of the Scripture and what is gotten from the Scripture to be brain knowledge page 4. Answ The letter paper and inke the letters are carnall and what is gotten from it is brain knowledge without the spirit But the Scripture the thing it speaks of is spirituall the Word is spirit c. Pr. He saith the Lord never said to us as he said to David that you are after his heart or any of your way or that ever went in your way and do not destroy all by your Doctrine page 7. Ans No David had out-stript all his Teachers so have we many of us who have trembled as David did witnessing the new covenant Christ Jesus in which we need not say know the Lord And who witnesseth this witnesseth the Tabernacle of David built Again our Doctrine destroys but mens and transgressors and doth not destroy the smoaking flax and bruised reed and we can say we are after his heart and God hath said we are after his heart Pr. He saith And how people may finde rest to their soules take the Law and Testimony See page 9. Answ They that had the Scriptures and have the Scriptures denyed the Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and say prophesie is ceased so then they may say the spirit is ceased it is all one For the law is light saith Solomon And the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie Now cries the world the Law and Testimony is the Old and New Testament which many may have the Old and New Testament and yet deny the Law and Testimony which is the light and spirit of prophesie for the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Mark Luke and John and the Epistles and Revelations was written in the dayes of Isaiah And so they that be not according to the Law and the Testimony they be out of the light and the spirit in the darknesse though they have all the Scriptures which the Law and Testimony ownes in their places And many may have the Scriptures given forth from the spirit of God and yet not have the comfort and rest to their souls till they come to Christ that the Scriptures testifies oâ— Pr. He saith Try the spirits whether they be of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the world page 11. And Satan transforming himselfe into an Angell of light and false Apostles and Ministers of unrighteousnesse transforming themselves as the Ministers of righteousness And he saith If they bring another Gospell and Doctrine then what is preached receive them not into your houses nor bid them God-speed Ans That which ye tell people is the Gospell now which ye preach is the 4 Books of Matthew Mark Luke and John you say c. As instance Priest Shaw of Aldingham in Lancashire said so Contrary to the Scriptures which saith the Gospell is the power of God And many may have the four Books of Matthew Mark Luke John c. the forme but deny the power and so deny the Gospel which is the power of God And so they that deny the power have put the four books for it and they that have not the Father and the Son are not to be received into their houses as saith the Apostle John for they would come in the form and deny the light as you do but he that hath the Son and the Father he is in the power the substance of the form Again the Devill transformed himself as an Angell of light before the Apostles
would not endure sound Doctrine such as was given to fables and had the itching ears and heapes to themselves teachers and those forsook the faith which such have now since the dayes of the Apostles reigned whereby none among them comes to be out of all teaching that they need no man to teach them and that they need not say know the Lord and to see the glory of God None comes into the everlasting Covenant into the power out of the form and none cometh to know all things by the anointing in them but they are all on heapes about their heapes of teachers and itching ears and so cannot endure the sound Doctrin that any should come into the Covenant of God that they need not to say know the Lord. That is the sound Doctrine to come into the Covenant of God Christ Jesus the substance of all the Prophets glorified before the world began to learn of him who is the way to the Father the truth and the life and the heaps of teachers are all erred from him and the Apostles and so from the true teacher Christ Jesus who saith learn of me And there people would destroy one another about their teachers which Christ teacheth otherwise to love their enemies and so there is men following their imaginations and not the Lord and reprobates concerning the faith in which is the unity and there are you Pr. He saith Paul did not commit the Church to the light within them for he told them deceivers should come c. page 39. Answ Paul when that deceivers was come and false Apostles among the Church of the Corinthians he told the Corinthians that the light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and so hear thou shewes thy ignorance of Scriptures and of the Church and of Pauls Doctrine whose work was to bring them to the light within them when the deceivers was got up and so committed the Church to the light within them and told them that that would give them the knowledge c. So they that draw people from the light within are the false spirits that the Apostle speaks of that went out into the world before the Apostles decease which led the world after them by whom the way of truth came to be evil spoken of for the Apostle told them that the Light that shined in their hearts would give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and not their teachers without them as you do who bring them from the Light within them and so act contrary to the Apostles Pr. He saith to bring people to the Light within is dispising the word again he saith the Light that is in a man is not able to lead him to happiness c. page 50. Answ No man cometh to happiness but who cometh to the Light within which cometh from Christ the happiness of all man kinde the Redeemer the restorer of man kinde out of the fall out of the first Adams state to God into the second Adams state who is the Covenant of God with man in which they have peace So in this Light stands every mans happiness and he that hath the happiness hath Christ the light within him and the peace with God And the light within which cometh from Christ the word is not against the word nor Scriptures which are the words but it ownes them and with them hath unity and no one sees the word but with the Light within And as for all the rest of thy unsavoury expressions and childish speeches is not worth mentioning And thou hadst better have let silence have covered thee then to have published thy nakedness to the Nation for thy words will be thy burthen in the time of thy necessity the witness shall answer in thee Ralph Farmers Booke called Satan enthroaned in his Chair c. His Principles follows Ans Which is a Title sutable to himselfe discovered by the children of the day who is his Seeds-man as to the Nation he hath declared But them that be in the Truth Love and Peace he doth not touch Pr. HE saith We do not pretend to infallibility as you do which is lying and hypocriticall c. Ans We do believe you that in the infallible spirit of God you are not but in the false fallible spirit gone out into the world that went forth from the Apostles who had the spirit of Christ And so how can you be Ministers of the Spirit and not the Letter if ye be not infallible For who be in the spirit are in that which is infallible This I say none be Ministers of the spirit nor none be in the spirit nor none have the spirit of Christ nor the holy Ghost nor the spirit of the Father speaking in them but who have that which is infallible and in that which is infallible And they be in the lying spirit and hypocrisie that be out of it and all the false spirits that is gone out into the world So ye do well to confesse that ye have not the infallible spirit yee are not infallible and so no Ministers of the spirit And how can they but delude people that are not infallible and are none of Christs which have not the spirit which is infallible and are not Ministers of the Gospell which is the power of God which is infallible Pr. He saith We are foretold that false Teachers that shall bring upon themselves swift destruction and evill men and seducers which wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived should come And there should come false Christs and seducing spirits and the doctrine of Devills speaking lyes in hypocrisie such as deceive the hearts of the simple with their feigned speeches c. See page 39 40. Answ Hast not thou here brought forth thy ignorance of the Scriptures which saith the seducers and the false Christs and the false Apostles the Doctrine of Devils and the feigned words and fair speeches which deceived the hearts of people came up before the Apostles decease and doth not thou in this shew thy spirit to be that spirit that went out into the world not able to divide the word aright but art telling people they are now come when as the Apostles saw they was come before their decease which since the dayes of the Apostles all the confusion hath been among them and you that deny the light are in distraction And yet ye that be not infallible in the infallible spirit but fallible are crying to people they are come but now and so grow until ye are worse and worse And thee and the Priests of Newcastle and many of the rest of you are crying against such as say Christ is their example And yet many of you have published to the Nation in print that Christ is an example and the men are respected who speak them and not the words simply as they are in
of God and are from the one way Christ the Light in which is unity Prin. He saith The Scriptures may be understood by the helpe of Tongues Page 12 Ans All Scriptures was given forth by inspiration and so without the same inspiration it is not understood again Pilate had the Tongues and yet did not understand the Scripture nor Christ the substance of it And this you have set up since the apostacy your Tongues ye raveners from the spirit Pr. Hâ— saith Tythes is not his infirmity the Lord hath given him Tythes And he doth take them as the Lord giving him maintenance and it is his liberty Ans Tythes to the first Priest-hood was allotted by God but Christ the second Priest-hood ended that Priest-hood and Tythes both and the Priests that took them made by Gods law and the commandment that gave them disannul'd And Christ is come the everlasting Priest-hood not after the order of Aaron but after the order of Melchisedeck the similitude in whom the similitude ends Christ the end the substance the end of Wâ—r So thou that takes Tythes art out of the substance of Melchisedeck and the first Priest-hood that took Tythes in the Transgression and in the Imitation and the veil is over thy heart and thy liberty is bondage in the unsanctified state But the sanctification is in the Son of God who ends types and similitudes And he it is that sanctifies And who preacheth the Gospell lives of the Gospell and the Pope hath given thee thy tythes by his command and not by the command of the Lord for Christ and his Apostles established them not Pr. He saith That the Scriptures are the sure Word of God and that the Scriptures are a precious light page 17. Again he saith The Son of God is the first principle of the pure Religion Answ The fulnesse of the God-head dwels in the Son and he is in the Father and he is the Author of the first principle and the end of the Law for he is all and in all for many may have something from him yet cannot say he is come but he that hath him hath life eternall hath the substance the end of things And the Scripture declares and testifies of the light which is Christ and many may have the Scriptures but stand against the light for they are them that testifie of me the light So Christ is the precious light and the Scriptures are the words of God which Christ the word was before they was given forth the word in whom these words of God endâ— So thou may see thy ignorance Pr. He saith While we stay in Sodome we crucifie the Lord of glory And Christ is buried in us c. Ans And John Bunyan a Teacher there fights against him and thus they are not onely against the Truth but one another But he must know the suffering of Christ in the spirituall Sodome in him and to see the seed that suffers there before it reign and he reign with Christ in glory Pr. He saith It comprehends our suffering in the flesh after his example Page 21. Ans At this doth the Priests of Newcastle and John Bunyan and many others of the Teachers of the Nation rage and here you are one against another but Christ saith why persecutest thou me And he was in prison and it is your work to put him in prison Pr. He saith He hath the tythes of two Parishes and it is the old man that minds the â—athly things page 23. Again he saith and those that take tythes are not Antichrists And the Scriptures is a choise vessell of the Lords Sanctuary and it is the letter and the history c. page 25. Answ Well may people be all in confusion when ye say the Scripture is a History a Declaration the Letter a Vessell the choice vessell of the Lords Sanctuary a light and yet the Word of God Now is not this to break people to pieces The Scriptures of Truth are the words of God and it is called a Declaration and a Treatise And the choise vâ—ssels were them that gave it forth of mercy and of honour and they that take tythes and pay them they be out of the substance Christ who is the end of Tythes for he is the sum of tythes and all other figures that did pertain to the first Priest-hood first Covenant and all similitudes so thou taking tythes of two Parishes it is the mark of the old man For the Apostles did preach up and down in many Synagogues where the Priests was yet they did not seek for the tythes that did belong to them that did pertain to the first Priest-hood They preached the Gospel and lived of the Gospel and said they were evill beasts that did minde earthly things amongst whose spirits ye are found judged by the Word which is Christ Pr. He saith He is called of men Master through mans courtesie and calls them blinde and sinfull and in errour that speaks against it Again he saith it is not oppression in him to take tythes of two Parishes c. page 28. 30. Ans Here under the woe of Christ art thou come who said woe unto them that was called of men Master and said be not you so unto his Disciples c. For ye have all one Master which is Christ and they abode in his Doctrine And we do not read of Mr. Paul Mr. Peter Timothy or Titus or Mr. James or John but among you the Apostates we read of such titles And to set up that which Christ him by whom the world was made before it was made came to fulfill and end in the world which typed him forth Christ the way to the Father out of the world and tythes in the first Priest-hood is not the way they are oppressors that cries them up and builders up of that which Christ ended so transgressors So have not the Son nor the Father and they bring not the glad tidings for the Gaols may witnesse in the Nation that glad tidings is not brought and the Courts and the oppressed Parishes of which ye take treble damages of many people ye do not work for and cast into prison and so this is not the Gospel this is not the glad tidings nor the Gospel Pr. He saith I finde not this power of binding Kings with chains and Nobles with fetters of iron which is the honour of the Saints this Scripture I finde not fulfilled c. page 35. Again he saith A Saint may be found in that which is sinfull though this man the Quaker will not allow of sin Again he saith the people of God are more then conquerours in the Lord which gives them rest and peace in the midst of their wars Again hope keeps the soul groaning and waiting all the while in the earthly tabernacle c. Ans I know the power and spirit and sword of the Saints that executes the judgments to binde and chain and fetter Kings and Nobles thou art out of it
Again if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us if we say we have not sinned we make him a lyar page 89. Ans The Saints are in Christ and God and at the dissolving of the earthly or sin they do not bid all the Saints farewell for then they come into unitie with them with the Elect. And John doth shew there was a time to see they had sinned and a time to see they had sin and a time to confesse it and forsake it and a time to witness the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse from all sin a time to witnesse the birth of God born which doth not commit sin and the seed of God remaining in them that the wicked one could not touch them Pr. He saith the Saints are neither in the fulness of the Godhead nor part away with this Blasphemy that saith this is c. page 92. Ans The work of the Ministry was to bring people to the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the unity of the faith to the measure and stature of the fulness of Christ and Christ will dwell in the Saints and God will dwell in them and thou saith they have no part of the fulness of the Godhead and John saith of his fulness have we all received in whom dwells the Godhead bodily And ye be all in the Blasphemy that be out of this part of the fulness Pr. He saith the Quakers knowes a man whether he be a Saint or a Divel as soon as they see him or hear him speak or act and they are beyond all our forefathers And the Apostle saith what man knoweth the things of a man saving the spirit of a man that is in him so we are not as Christ in this respect and thou saith thou art as Christ in this present world and no man can be without sin in this house of clay and saith I was shapen in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me and my flesh is sins free-hold c. page 94. 95. Ans Here thou hast shewed that the Quakers have a spirit given to them beyond all the forefathers which we do witness since the days of the Apostles in the apostacy And they can discern who are Saints who are Divels who are apostates without speaking ever a word they that be in the power the life of truth And the natural man knows not the things that be in another man but with the spirit within him may know what is in himself but the spiritual man searcheth all things yea the deep things of God Here thou hast made no distinction betwixt the spiritual and natural And as Christ is so are we in this present world and where Christ is manifest he destroyes the sin in the flesh where they come to be as he is they come to be above clay and mortal and fading and so the flesh comes to be put off which thou calls sins free-hold and the body of it and cometh to be made free from the Law by the body of Christ and this the Saints witnessed while they were on earth And the creature comes into the liberty of the Sons of God And as thou was born in iniquity thou shewes thou was born in the unregeneration there was some sanctified from the womb there is some children clean who are believers he that can receive it let him so thou art an ignorant man not able to divide the word aright nor canst Minister unto the people not knowing the condition they be in unless they tell thee and so apostatized from the Apostles and not Ministers of the spirit that Ministers to the spirit for could not the Apostles Preach and speak to the Jewes and Gentiles unless they come and told them what condition they were in or did all the Jewes and Gentiles come and tell the Apostles what condition they were in before they Preacht to them Pr. He saith the Light in man is imperfect a weak faint light page 97. Again the light in the Gentiles is called a natural light page 88. Ans The light that every man hath that cometh into the world is not an Imperfect light a weak or faint light or natural light but who are weak go from it and faint and hate it and dispiseth it as Esau and run into the earth And who believe in it have the light of life and receives it becomes the Sons of God And the light in the Gentiles which brought them to do the Law was spiritual not natural which the Apostle sets up to be the Circumcision and the Jew inward and throwes out the Jew outward and Circumcision both and this he brings to have the praise of God which the Jewes had not in the outward and this makes the Jew no Jew and their Circumcision no Circumcision and Judged them And all professors upon the earth that be from that that doth the Law in the heart and the Jew inward you be from that who stands against the Light of Christ that doth enlighten c. Pr. He saith If an hypocrite reign his power is of God and Saints are to yield to the power and it must be honoured and have obedience from the Saints Page 101. And so they that call them corrupt Magistrates are the filthy dreamers that Jude speaks of Pag. 102. Answ Such as are turned into corruption and are hypocrites they are gone from the higher power which the soul should be subject to and it s gone over them and so for the Lords sake the Saints cannot be subject to that power but that power that brings down the hypocrisie and the corruptions in Magistrates and as they come to be clothed with the power of God they are able to put a difference betwixt the precious and the vile and that they own those are a praise to them that do well The Jewes of old time could not obey the heathen Magistrates bow to their gods that feared God that lived in the Law of God nor to their Commands nor their power nor authority nor the Apostles could not bow to the Authority of the Jewes to their ordinances their power that held them up which Christ came to put an end to which was held up by Magistrates nor that among the Gentiles held up by Magistrates For Christ was come to reign who had all power in heaven and earth given to him And since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy the Saints cannot now bow to that which the Pope and Kings and Queens set up though they call it a Supream power that commands the things which who be in the power of God that destroyes that which defiles the flesh and the evil speaker and that is the dignity which the Saints own and live in and speakes not evil of but they do that transgresse the Spirit of God and goes from it as Jude speakes of therefore have the Martyrs and Saints and Prophets suffered since the dayes of the
became the Curse and tooke away the Curse who is the sanctification and brings the blessing and redemption by whom and through whom are many entered into the Paradise of God and have the right to the tree of Life And they are not come into this who are yet in the disobedience the unbeliever and lyar and reviler and whoremonger and Adulterer hates the light in the disobedience and cannot touch the tree of life for the sword turns every way upon them And as for all thy hard expressions and reviles in thy Book they come from the Disobedience over which the sword is that keeps it in awe over whom goes the higher power and that cannot touch nor taste of the tree of Life in the Paradice of God in the Ancient of Dayes thou shalt feel my words to be truth Robert Simpson Robert Parnell John Andrews Thomas Ewen Bryan Hanson and Richard Moon In their Book called The Church of Christ in BRISTOL recovering her VAILE Their Principles as followeth Answ It is a true word to you And that you are recovering the vaile more then the life and substance that takes away all vails as your Principles that follows in your Book makes it manifest Pr. YOu say Now the spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devels And also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things and draw many Disciples after them And they went out from us it is manifest they are not of us 1 John 2 c. Ans You have brought these words to shew your ignorance for the Apostles saw such as should depart from the faith and the false Prophets and Antichrists that Christ said should come John saw was come and went forth from them before the Apostles decease And they went forth from the Church and departed from the faith in which faith the Church had unity and this they apostatized from which since the dayes of the Apostles they have had the sheeps cloathing and so got up an imagined Church with a vail on it in the apostacy and these were they that drew Disciples after them which caused the way of truth to be evill spoken of and the seducing spirits and the doctrine of Devills have been up since the dayes of the Apostles which they saw come in before their decease and such went from the faith in which is the unity And thus they be in the enmity destroying one another persecuting one another prisoning one another about Religion and Church Doctrine and Scriptures and Christs and the Prophets and Apostles words which shew they be out of unity with God with the Scriptures and there you are and out of the faith that works by love by which they should heap coals of fire on the heads of all the adversaries And so this is the dawning of the day the ending of the night of apostacy you who be of the skirts of the great Whore are seen as you have manifested by your tale you have told to the world in your Booke who stiles your selves The Church of Christ which is made up by the Letter How want ye the life the Saints lived in that gave forth the Scriptures Oh! ye want the covering of the spirit of the Lord God And now are all your spirits and men departed from the Faith and false Prophets that should inwardly raven that Christ said should come that got the sheeps cloathing but inwardly ravening wolves whose fruits should declare them which John saw was come which went forth from them which led the world after them and the false Apostles and Satans Ministers and messengers which the Apostle saw come up before his decease These since the dayes of the Apostles have been the guides and leaders of the world and Teachers and gatherers of people into Names into Heads into Horns whereby one hath been against another that they have gathered people out of peoples and brought people to a head and not to Christ and yet all have professed themselves Christians So they have had the sheeps cloathing but inwardly ravened from the spirit of God and so have been Wolves cloathed with the sheeps cloathing tearing the Lambs to pieces yea and many Gaots and Beasts too sometimes which the fruits of this hath declared sufficiently since the dayes of the Apostles and in this Nation And these have deceived the world and have been the wrestlers against flesh and blood strikers at the Creature such as have departed from the faith ravened from the spirit went forth from the Apostles had sheeps cloathing such have been the Teachers and gatherers into Sects and Names and Heaps and every one will cry his Church his Church and all against the light which comes from Christ where the Church stands But now he is redeeming and recovering that which hath been lost since the dayes of the Apostles in this night of the Apostacy The light is come the night is gone the Lamb and the Saints are going on conquering and to conquer The Throne of the Lamb is set up and all those false Prophets Beasts Antichrists and mother of Harlots great Whore and Kings of the Earth and the Devill are making War against the Lamb and the Saints Now are all the Antichrists appearing and are in armes and rising against Christ and his light The Lamb is on the white Horse who slayes with his Sword which are the words of his mouth and the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory Glory in the highest and rejoyce ye holy Prophets over her Pr. They say The mysticall body may sometimes be subject to distempers and humours and wants page 1. Answ Are you Judges Can you judge of the mysticall body which the Saints are baptized into Is their humours wants and distempers in the body which the Saints are baptized into Is not the wants humours distempers in your body Do you here in this divide the word aright Distinguish things in the ground and speak aright of things and yet ye would not be judged and say Judge not and is not mysticall spirituall Pr. You say The Scriptures are the word of God Answ The Scripture saith it selfe the Word is God Christ whose name is called the Word of God and the Scriptures are words the words of God the words of Christ the Declaration which the Ministers of the Word set forth which words ends in Christ the Word who fulfills them And it is called the Scriptures of Truth which cannot be broken and so ye do not speak as the Church did that gave forth Scripture And the spirit of God was the rule that led them to speak forth the Scriptures which brings to know the right use of them again Pr. They say To call that light in every man Christ is to slight Christs glorious person in heaven and to nullifie it Ans In this have not you shewed your ignorance And to be them that went forth from the Apostles and
the Scriptures the words of God and properly to call Christ his name the Word of God and the Word that became flesh that is proper Scripture And they that had not the Scriptures worshipped God before the Scriptures was written as Abraham and Enoch and others and they attained to eternall life And if people have all the Scriptures and not the Spirit which was before they was given forth they want the standing rule they cannot know the Scriptures they cannot worship God aright they cannot finde eternall life they have not unity with God neither do they worship God aright but who be in the spirit that gave them forth And we do believe you that immediate revelations now by the holy spirit of God revealing things to you im-immediately ye have not and you say it is not the work of Gods spirit now nor the way of God now c. You that have ravened from the spirit of God inwardly have been the Wolves which Christ said should come which John saw was come which the world hath gone after you and yee have burst into Names and Heads Horns and Sects And the power was given to the Beast and the false Prophets and the great Whore hath corrupted the earth All Nations have drunk her cup of fornications and the Kings of the Earth So they have flown to the Kings for help against the Saints and against the Lamb but the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory And so when you have been ravened from the spirit of God it hath not been like yee should attain to immediate Revelation by the spirit of God But now who are come to the Lamb are come to that ye ravened from they witnesse immediate Revelation They are come to that the Apostles was in the spirit of Christ the spirit of God they witnesse immediate Revelation Who are come into the feare of God the things of God is revealed unto them who are come into the spirit of God it reveals to them the deep things of God So you that deny immediate revelation by Gods holy spirit now and discovering things to you immediately you have shewed your spirits to be the false spirits unclean spirits that be in the earth like the Frogs that go out of the mouth of the Beast and the false Prophet which was discovered by John and revealed to John discovered and made manifest which now with the same holy spirit of God are you all apostates revealed and discovered to the children of the Light to the Lambs and the Saints who witnesse the spirit of God which reveales the things of God to them and immediate revelation As ever the false Prophets false Apostles false Teachers in their false prophesies and teachings did who had gotten the form and denyed the power immediate Revelation by Gods holy spirit And was it not they then that cryed to the powers of the earth for help against the Saints in all ages which was discovered and judged by the spirit of God and must go into the fire Pr. He saith The Scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation and they are a more sure word of prophecy then any voyce that we can hear from heaven page 6. And we will call them the Word of God whether the Quakers will or no and we are to go to the Law and Testimony page 7. Ans In this ye are contrary to the Ministers of the Word who calls the Scriptures the words of God and Christ the Word and calls the Scriptures a Declaration and a Treatise which Christ the Word came to fulfill And the Law and Testimony which ye say is the Old and New Testament which many may have and yet stand against the Law which is light as saith Solomon and stand against the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophecy and crucifie them that be in it in the Law and Testimony they that have the Old and New Testament as witnesse the ravening Wolves that have had the sheeps cloathing but inwardly ravened from the spirit which Christ said should come John saw was come went out from the Apostles which since the world have gone after them And many may have the Scripture and stand against the voyce from heaven as the Jewes did him that spoke from heaven which was more sure him that spoke from heaven who was the end of the Scripures and comes to fulfill them And the Scriptures are not able to make wise unto salvation as you say who leave out the Faith but through faith they are Pr. Let the Quakers shew where ever Christ or the Apostles bid people looke to the light within them And the Quakers say they write from the spirit of the Lord and speake from God immediately and infallibly as did the Apostles and doth not this bring them under the curse in the Revelations page 8. And say the Letter is a dead and killing letter these he calls wicked errours And to say the light within is sufficient an old Popish argument Answ The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall is the salvation to the ends of the earth and sufficient for he that believes in it shall have the light of life and come to witnesse the Law of God in his minde and in his heart and the new Covenant which he shall not need to say Know the Lord. And the letter of Scripture paper and inke is a dead letter And thou and you all that speak and write and not from God immediately and infallibly as the Apostles did and Prophets and Christ but onely have gotten the words you are all under the Curse in another spirit ravened from the spirit that was in the Apostles onely have had the sheeps cloathing inwardly ravening wolves so deceived the World and the Nations and have been held up by the powers of the world the powers of the earth And the Kings of the earth have drunk the cup of fornication and they were like to maintain that which they have drunk And so power hath been given to the Beast over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations and they should make war against the Lamb and the Saints and continue it till the words of God was fulfilled And the Apostles told the Corinthians that light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And so all people upon the earth that have gotten a knowledge and if the light that shineth in their hearts hath not given it them what they know they know naturally in these things they corrupt themselves And so thou and you that be ignorant of the Apostles doctrine the light that gives people the knowledge and the immediate infallible spirit that the Apostle was in and that the Scriptures was given forth from are and the Pope together in another fallible spirit then the Apostles were in comprehended with the spirit that gave forth Scriptures Pr. And what a dreadful Judgement
Father as well as Master c. See page 68. Answ Thou hast in this denyed the doctrine of Christ and slights it who saith be not ye of men called master for yee have all one Master which is Christ and ye are all brethren And thou hast shewed thy selfe out of the Brother-hood and there is a birth to be born which can call no man Father upon earth which thou art ignorant of Pr. He saith There is lawfull respects of persons and it is said God himselfe is the respecter of persons and the Quakers overthrow all authority because they do not respect persons because they deny that page 71. Answ God is not a respecter of persons as saith the Apostle for his Covenant he gives to the Gentiles as well as to the Jewes And the faith of Gods elect is held without the respect of persons and he that respects persons commits sin and transgresseth the Law And so thou divides not the word aright Pr. He saith False Prophets shall arise and damnable heresies and many shall follow their pernicious wayes by which the way of truth shall be evill spoken of Ans The Apostles saw them come up the false Prophets that brought in the damnable heresies that was covetous c. and many followed their wayes And the false Prophets goes from the light that Christ hath enlightned them withall and raveneth from the Spirit and gets the sheeps cloathing and through their covetousnesse makes a trade of that and you are such which causeth the truth to be evil spoken of which are come up manifest since the days of the Apostles Pr. And the Quakers are not to be received into their houses nor bidden God-speed and such as creeps into houses leads silly women captive laden with sin and led away with divers lusts Ans The Apostle saw such as crept into houses and saw such as transgressed the Doctrine of Christ that was not to be received into houses and saw the deceivers that walked after their ungodly lusts before the Apostles decease and such as led people always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth as it is manifest now in the world they are learning 40. 50. or 60. years and yet there is a cry among them that they must have the body of sin while they be upon the earth and live in their sins and none can be without it and this is the height of your doctrine it leads too which is now in the mouths of all people that be under your teaching that teach that Doctrine and yet you will say the work of the Ministry is for the perfecting of the Saints to the edifying of the body of Christ till all come into the unity of the faith unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ And this work ye have denyed your selves to be in but such that are as Jannes and Jambres how should it be otherwise that ravened from the spirit of God inwardly that went forth from the Apostles that be covetous that keeps people alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth So you are them that keeps people from the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and keeps them in spiritual Aegypt Sodome and Gomorah where they be always learning having the forme of godlinesse and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth and this to you all will be a sad cup at last And as for all thy lyes and slanders in thy Book which are not worth mentioning they will come sad upon thy selfe one day for the grievous lyes thou hast uttered in it unto the Nation which thousands in the Nation that are not under the name of Quakers knows and sees the contrary to what thou hast published but they will fall upon thy own selfe and be thy own burthen And then thou shalt say when thou feelst thy owne works burn thou hadst better have been silent and not have published forth thy folly and made thy name to stinke and brought thy name upon record who hath made lyes thy refuge but the haile is come and coming that will sweep them away William Thomas called Minister of the Gospell of Vbley His Book called A Vindication of the SCRIPTVRES and MINISTERS His PRINCIPLES followeth Pr. HE saith Christ directs to looke for life in Scriptures because they testifie of him and that the Scriptures are the ground of Faith and the Saints rule And again We are justified by Christ without us and not within us See his Epistle Ans The Scriptures many had and searched them and found not life in them for Christ is the life and if men have all the Scriptures and have not Christ they have not life And so Christ did not say they should have life in Scriptures but he saith they thought to have life there and they testified of him And they would not come to him that they might have life How ignorant art thou of the Scriptures and of Christs words to divide them on this manner And Christ is the Author of the Faith And many if they have Scriptures they have not the ground of faith untill they have Christ the Author of it and God the giver of it which is able to make wise unto salvation through the faith which Christ is the Author of For Enoch and Abel c. had faith before the Scriptures was written and so before thy ground was And the Saints had a rule before the Scriptures was written for the spirit was their rule that led them into all truth and to speak forth Scriptures that is the rule that mortifies circumciseth baptizeth and leads into all truth The Word of God that fulfills Scriptures leads into all truth that is the truth that leads into all truth Now the Scriptures cannot lead into all truth but it testifies of that that doth so And if Christ be not within people they are reprobates And is a reprobate justified And if Christ be within is not the Justification there redemption and Sanctification witnessed Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Pr. He saith We consider how few there be in the Church that belongs to God See his Epistle Answ This is your owne Church which is not the pillar and ground of truth For who be in the Church of Christ the pillar and ground of truth where there is not a spot nor wrinkle nor blemish nor any such thing they are them that belong to God they are living stones built up together a spirituall houshold but this thou art afar off Pr. He saith We willingly acknowledge we are fallible men that may be deceived and to finde infallible Teachers is against experience None pretends infallibility but the Pope See page 9. He saith The Scriptures is the Well and living Fountaine from whence living waters have been drawn this hundred or thousand years page 8. Answ If every one that hath the Scriptures hath
edifies the body of Christ is infallible and immediate that which brings to the knowledge of the Son of God is infallible perfect and immediate that which brings to a perfect man to the unity of the faith is infallible and immediate and perfect that which brings to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ is perfect and infallible and immediate And the infallible and immediate you having denyed yee have shut your selves out of the worke of the Ministry in the Apostacy As for the rest of the lyes and slanders in thy Book will be thy own burden which uttereth forth thy own folly and it toucheth not the Saints but falls off like dust they are of no weight And the day is come that tries mens works infallibly what is for the fire and what not Jeremiah Ives His Booke called The Quakers Quaking His Principles follows c. Pr. HE saith Have a care of slighting your watchmen lest the Lord remove them into corners Answ Christ the Teacher is witnessed who is the end of Moses the Prophets the Covenant of God with his people in which people know God if all their Teachers were removed into corners And they that have their Teachers in corners their houses are left desolate from the Covenant of God they are strangers So in this thy ignorance appears of that Teacher that cannot be removed into a corner who is the salvation to the ends of the earâ—h Pr. He saith It is an errour to say the Light within is equall with Scripture and Gods Word Ans Christ within is the Light and he is above Scripture and Gods Word which was before Scriptures was given forth Pr. He saith Is it any more a Nick-name to call a man a Quaker that quakes by the power of God page 3. Answ Yes if the power of God doth make that to quake and tremble that must quake before the salvation be wrought out and man come out of the Fall of Adams state in the transgression in the earth and darknesse corruption and pollution and death he must know the power of God that shakes that which is to be shaken before he knows that raised up that cannot be shaken which the world is ignorant of though they have the form of it And the first nick-namer of the Quakers that ever I heard was a corrupt Justice in the year 1650 whose name was Gervase Bennet in Darby that ever named the people of God with the name of Quakers though the mighty power of the Lord God had been known years before Pr. He saith It is an errour in those men that will allow nothing to be called Gods Word but Christ page 6. Ans Christs name is called the Word of God his name is above every name and over all things he must have the preheminence words and names Yet I say the Scriptures of truth given forth from the spirit of truth are the words of God Gods words which Christ the Word fulfilled by him in whom they end who was before the words was spoken forth Pr. He saith It is an errour to say they are immediately sent of God and to have an immediate call from God to goe out of their Countries to preach the Gospell c. Page 9. Answ Thou and all you that speak or preach or go to people but not by the immediate spirit and a call from God are them that run and the Lord never sent you and you profit not the people at all as all the fruits in the Nation declares upon the house top Therefore are yee wrangling and envying such as are immediately sent from God and left their Callings as the Saints did and Prophets I say none can preach the Gospell upon the earth but who is in the immediate call for the Gospell is the power of God and that is immediate The Prophets Christ and the Apostles which gave forth the Scriptures they all spoke by the immediate spirit of God and all that be not in that they are not able to know the Scriptures as that unsavoury Pearsival saith he hath not the infallible spirit yet he will bawl of the Scripâ—urâ—â— that was given forth from the infallible spirit Though the Devill wandered from â—â—e trâ—th that compasseth the earth though the Pharisees compasse Sea and Land thâ—ugh the false Prophets and Antichrists have gone over Nations Now all these may get Scriptures but be out of the life of them Such makes Proselytes Devils Disciples and Messengers But such as be in the power of God and life that gave forth Scriptures that comprehends and fathoms the world they are in that which the Devils Antichrists false Prophets mother of Harlots and all their proselytes that have Scriptures out of the life they be in that which they are all out of Such are the Quakers therefore doth all the world rage against them who witnesse that which cannot be shaken Pr. He saith It is an Errour to say that every man hath a light within him that wil teach him to worship God aright page 18. Answ Christ the truth who hath preheminence doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which shall make every tongue to confesse him to the glory of God which if they love the light which cometh from Christ the truth who is the life it will teach and direct every man to worship God in the truth in that which untruth is out of So every man having a light sufficient to salvation for it cometh from the salvation Christ the power of God the salvation to the ends of the earth And this light will let every one see the Son of God beyond all externall meanes wisdome knowledge whatsoever It is that which darknesse cannot comprehend this light which John bears witnesse of which is the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world which the Jewes and Levites stumbled at which set all Jerusalem up in an uproar as it doth the wisest Priests and Professors in this age And no one upon the earth shall ever know Christ but by the light which he hath enlightned him withall If he have all the Scriptures that speaks of him come already as the Pharisees had that spoke he was to come yet if they hate the light they shall all be snared and stumble and fall and split themselves upon the Rock And such as are now stumbling at the light which every man that cometh into the world is lighted withall are the builders with the words which saith Christ is come as the Pharisees did with the words that said he was to come And so both these builders reject the corner-stone and stumble at the elect stone laid in Sion and none seeth God but with the light they be enlightned withall And all the preaching of the Apostles the substance of it was to bring people to the Covenant of Light both Jewes and Gentiles to whom he was promised And all upon the earth that be from this light that doth enlighten every
which since their dayes they have had the reign over the world But now to that which they ravened from and into the truth the Devill abode not in is the Saints comâ— and the Lamb reigns that is the substance of the Scriptures the end of the Scriptures that hath dominâ—â—â— Glory in the highest for ever And as for all the reviles lyes slanders vilifyings hard expressions in thy Book they will fall upon thy selfe and to thee they will be sad and thou shalt feel every one of thy owne words shall be thy burthen and they shall come home unto thee cramed into thee again for thou must eat thy own dung and drink thy own pisse that comes from thee for all that in thy book is but dung in the day of thy Judgement the witnesse in thee shall answer All along thou hast shewed thy ignorance of the spirit that is poured upon all flesh that 's infallible for whosoever prayes or hath a humility or sings and not by the infallible spirit they sing not with the understanding nor pray not with the understanding And under the Judgement of God thou hast brought thy self and all thy generation Thomas Collier his Booke called a Dialogue between a Minister of the Gospel and an Enquiring Christian In it his Principles are as Followeth Pr. HE saith that the Scriptures is the absolute rule of Saints that are endued with the spirit and faith page 7. Answ Such as were endued with the spirit and faith before the written Scripture was they had a rule and they knew the seed and they knew the promises and they knew Christ more then the Pharisees that had the Scriptures nay more the the Apostates since the dayes of the Apostles that have the Scriptures and the Epistles and Revelations For by faith they saw the glory they was in the Foundation they saw Christ the everlasting Covenant and that is the foundation still Christ Jesus him by whom the world was made before it was made and all that have the Scriptures and have not him they can do nothing And that which ruled the Saints before the Scriptures was written is the Saints rule after the Scriptures is written to know the Scriptures what is written and to know God of whom they learned that gave it forth or writ it with that they know to what state and condition it was spoken And the spirit is the record and he that hath all the Scriptures and wants the true record which is the spirit he cannot know all things Pr. And the Scripture is the New Testament of the Saints rule and the rule of Judgement page 10. Answ The Scriptures given forth from the Spirit of God people knowes not to what state they were spoken but as they come into the spirit that gave them forth And besides the Epistles was written to the Saints in several conditions according to their growth and some of them grew higher then others for some of them the day-star was not risen in their hearts and some of them was children of the Day So that still was the rule that led them to give forth the Epistles and revealed to them the states and conditions of the Saints and to ages and to generations and to Nations and the condition the world was in and should come upon it that was the rule and is the rule by which all these words are seen again and there is the record of the Spirit of God And he that hath found the true record the Spirit of God with that he shall know all the Scriptures and is come within the book where all things are written and which writes all things forth the spirit Pr. He saith the Scriptures is that word which makes the Devils to stand in aw and tremble The written word for after generations by which mens souls are brought to Christ pag. 14 15. again that the Scriptures is the sword of the spirit pag. 16. Answ The Pharisees had the Scriptures which Christ said was of the Devil and was swallowed up in his power and they stood against Christ the life the substance The Devil came with Scriptures who is out of the truth to tempt Christ the Word but the Word the substance of Scriptures hammerd down the devil and Pharisees that had got the Scriptures but were out of the life that gave them forth And they have the sword that have the word of God which was before the Scriptures was given forth and they be in that the Devils be out of So if the Devil and wicked men bring Scriptures they hammer them under and redeem the Scriptures out of their ungodly mouthes And the written word brings no soul to Christ the life but who comes to the life that the written words speak of and so it testifies of him the â—iâ—e that brings them to Christ that gave it forth Pr. God is willing that all should be saved but he worketh not all into a saving condition page 21. He saith it is true there is a spirit and life in the Scriptures pag. 22. Answ The spirit and life is not in the Scriptures but the spirit and life the Scriptures testifies of and the light Christ Jesus the salvation to the ends of the earth doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world with a saving light And the light which every man hath that cometh into the world is saving but many hating the light and not coming to it which hath enlightened them they neglect their salvation and slight their salvation and not believing in it they walk in darkness and come not to the light of life But they that believe in it come to the light of life and abide not in the darkness And the grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared to all men such as turns it into wantonness and walkes despitefully against the spirit of grace ownes it not for their teacher but sets up teachers according to their own lusts so turns against that which brings their salvation and walks despitefully against it and followes their own lusts and tramples upon the Covenant of grace and the blood of the new Covenant And all that see the Bishop of their souls Christ Jesus the Saviour of their souls it is with the light that cometh from him and God wils that all men should be saved Pr. He saith to use Christs name to catch souls when indeed it is but Jugling and to stab him and crucifie him a fresh pag. 42. If Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world c. If this were truth then Christ died in vain and in vain hath Christ spoke of himself saying I am the way the truth the life the light c. pag. 45. Answ Such as do not believe that Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world are such as mentions his name and haters of the light that cometh from him these be in the Jugling state deceivers of souls and people And none sees Christ the one offering but
absent from them And the Son of God was revealed in the Saints And he that hath not the Son of God hath not life such may say they are absent from him But such as have him revealed have life and he is not absent And such as be absent from him have not eaten his flesh nor drunken his blood and so are not of his flesh nor of his bone And they may talk of him and say he is come as the Jewes did that he was to come and he not in them and so reprobates And the grace of God that brings salvation which hath appeared unto all men which is the Saints teacher whose hearts are stablished with grace this is within them which brings them to know the hidden man of the heart and a strength in the inward and comes to look at the light within them agreeable to the Apostles Doctrine who said the light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And such as have Christ in them have the possession have the substance have the glory which was with the Father before the world began Pr. He saith there is none here hath yet ceased from their own works as God did from his pag. 9. And the Apostles received the last Revelation to be given forth immediately And such as slight the word and call it a dead letter and brings people to the light within them a spirit within them this is a strange doctrine And if there be not something to be added and given forth by men and another manner of Preaching then by the Apostles what need is there of Printing c. Page 15. Ans He that believes hath entered into his rest and ceased from his own works as God did from his And since the dayes of the Apostles there hath got up another Ministry by man of man made by man which is not as the Apostles who received it not of man nor by man And these stands against the light within and the spirit of God within which none knowes true teaching nor true instruction nor opening of the Scriptures but as they come every one to the spirit of God in them as was in them that gave forth Scriptures And who be here have the thing within them as they had that gave forth the Scriptures enjoying and possessing it And these Fathomes the Apostates out of the Apostles Doctrine and witnesse the Preaching as the Apostles was in which all they since the dayes of the Apostles that ravened from the Spirit of God be out of and this doth not deny the Scriptures but sees them all in their place and to what condition they were spoken And the letter is a dead letter of it self and gives not life to any but who comes to the Spirit of God in their own perticulars as was in them that gave it forth For the Jewes had not life though they had Scriptures until they came to Christ which the Scripture testified of Pr. He saith Christ is not natural Answ Yet some of ye say he is humane And as for thy speaking of his mortality ye speak ye do not know what Christ is the same to day yesterday and for ever Pr. He saith It is the Apostles sence of them that served their bellies they pretended to an inward light and this is the Apostles sence of belly who did cause divisions contrary to the Doctrine they had learned and here their belly maybe understood their minde heart and spirits or also their experience of these inward c. To rejoyce in any thing under the Sun is opposite to the Apostles who had their conversation in heaven Page 42. Answ None comes to witness their conversation in heaven but who is come to witnesse Christ within them the substance the second Adam who redeemes out of the earth and the Apostle which brought the Saints to the light that shined in their hearts c. this was not a serving of Bellies that walked in the light that light shining in them and believing in the light Christ out of whose belly flowed rivers of living waters and such made not divisions but were in unity in the light and fellowship But those were they that made the divisions that inwardly ravened and went from the light which Christ had enligtened them withall and such went from that which should give them the knowledge and enjoyed the earthly things and served not the Lord Jesus Christ that be out of the light which comes from him but their own bellies And they act contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and rejoyceth in things under the Sun which who doth serves their bellies Pr. He saith yea when enlightened by that heavenly light even from Jesus yet they are of themselves deceitful c. pag. 44. And the light is something else besides the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus Page 45. Answ The light which every man is enlightened withall c. is not deceitfull but leads men out of all deceit And it is of God that gives them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God c. and it is one and the same that le ts see to the begiâ—ning and ending which comes from the beginning Pr. He saith That none may expect to receive the word immediately from Christ as the Apostles but mediately Page 46. Ans Such as receive not the word of God immediately from Christ as the Apostles did they are not Preachers of the living word that lives and abides for ever And we do believe you that since the dayes of the Apostles ye have not received the word immediately from Christ as the Apostles did but are onely Ministers of the letter And such were they in all ages that closed their eyes and stopt their ears and inwardly ravened from the spirit That marred the face of Christ above all men who was the spiritual Sodom and Egypt where Christ is crucified These got Scriptures but were from the spirit of God within that gave them forth and such was the hypocrites that Judged all wayes the spirit of God that gave foâ—th the Scriptures â—nd shut out of the Kingdom in which spirit now ye are found in these last dayes Pr. He saith That Christ ascended without material blood and the Apostle dâ—â—â—â—t Preach both the word and faith in the heart pag. 50. and that the new Jerusalem is 〈◊〉 come down from heaven pag. 51. and a brief discovery of the wolves in sheepes skins c. Page 57. Answ The blood of Christ which satisfies the Father which the Saints â—â—ink and his flesh which they eate which in so doing have life is that which the world stumble at which who drinkes it lives for ever And the Apostle Preached the word of faith in their hearâ—â— and in their mouthes and the word reconciles to the Father and hammers down â—â—d cuts down and burns that which separates from
not in the darknesse but hath the light of life And you that keep people from the Light that doth enlighten every one c. are the messengers of Sathan out of the truth And the God of the world blindes the mindes of such as do not believe in the Light that every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall that all through it might believe And who believes in it that doth enlighten every man c. the light of the glorious Gospell shines in them which is the mage of God Prin. And you say Visions are ceased and Revelations and immediate Inspirations Answ But I say Repent every one of you and come to the Light for the burthensome stone is fallen upon you and all that stands against the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world shall split your selves against the Rock and be grownd to powder And every one that cometh into the world Teachers Professors whatsoever must come unto the light which Christ Jesus the salvation that saveth the souls hath enlightned them withall before they come to life or know the light of the glorious Gospell shining in their hearts or come to the end of the Law or end of the Prophets or end of the Revelation or out of the apostacy or out of the Jewes state whose ears was stopt and eyes blinded out of the Gentiles state that goes astray after the vanities of their mind So all you and all upon the earth Jewes Gentiles and Christians of what sort soever must come to the light which every one of you is enlightned withall before every particular comes to see their salvation or satisfaction yea the salvation to the ends of the earth the glory of Israel the light of the Gentiles which the apostate Christians have ravened from the spirit of God within them have got the forme but stands against the Light that doth enlighten every man c. such have caused the way of truth to be evill spoken of yea among other Nations of the Heathens They have been hot and broyled in their lusts having had the forme of godlinesse and sheeps cloathing but all standing against the Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world smiting striking their fellow-servants Now the Lamb is come and the Saints to reign with him Such their portion must have with the hypocrites who to every one will give a reward according to their works And the Lamb and the Saints shall have victory him by whom the world was made before it was made glorified with the Father before the world began Now is the seed Christ come to reign and the Just have preheminence And I say to you all Subscribers to all these Books Priests Professors Teachers whatsoever your patience would have better covered your shame and folly then your hast extreams and rashnesse But your folly must come forth that to all men it might appear Abundance more of Stuffe is in it which is not worth mentioning whose words shall be your own burthen the witnesse in all your consciences in the day of your judgement when your works are all tryed with fire shall answer to a friend of your souls and your goods eternall but judges your fruits words and actions for the day of the Lord is come that will try every mans work John Stalham who calls himselfe a Servant of the great Bishop of Souls who watcheth over a Flock at Terling in Essex In his Booke called The Reviler rebuked These are some of his Principles following Pr. HE saith Immediate Ruptures and Revelations seduceth simple peoples mindes c. And the perverse Principles of their selfe-adorning light And the Quakers deny all externall worship of divine Authority as not to be found among us And let Learning be advanced among pious men for God hath his witty and learned ones And the life of their Religion is the rule of the holy Scriptures the glory of the blessed Trinity See his Epistle to the Protector Answ The life of Religion is the spirit that gave forth Scriptures for all that have the Scriptures and be out of that be in the feigned Râ—ligion And the Scripture no where speaks of a Trinity but the Papists who be apostatized from the life of the Scripture It speaks of Father Son and holy Ghost and the water spirit and blood and the learned ones upon earth never knew Christ with all their naturall learning And if one get all the Naturals upon the earth and the Scriptures in all the naturall Languages and one supream power of a Nation tollerate all these Languages to be the Originall and they have the Scriptures in all these Languages these are witty ones but these knows not God nor Christ by all this though they have all the Scriptures while they are from the spirit of God that gave forth Scriptures For that which brings to know God is by the revelation of the spirit of God the light which doth not deceive the minde but their mindes be deceived that be from the light And all worships that be in the spirit and in the truth that gave forth the Scriptures called the Old and New Testament that we own and is owned among the Quakers For God who is a Spirit who led his servants and Prophets and Son by his spirit to speak forth the Scriptures which Christ the Son is come to fulfill who saith they that worship God must worship him in spirit and in truth and that among the Quakers is owned And the light which cometh from Christ leadeth from perverse Principles and adorning selfe for it leads out of its righteousnesse But perverse men ever stood against it in all ages and so spurned against the foundation and overthrew themselves Pr. He saith The spirit speaking in the Scriptures And them that say they have no sin a gracious heart will slight and despise He saith the Kingdome of God is not within them Luke 4. And he saith The soule prepares it selfe for death See Epistle to the Church Answ Such as had gracious hearts never despised him that had no sin but the ungracious did As for example all the Pharisees against Christ and against the Apostles and Saints and the holy men And the Apostle which told the Romans they were made free from sin and they that were dead to sinne how could they live any longer therein he slighted them not but encouraged them So we finde thee not to be a Minister of Christ and have proved and tryed thy spirit to be of such as say they are Apostles and are not And the spirit spoke in them that gave forth the Scriptures so they were declared forth And men may have the Scriptures and not know the spirit that spoke in them that gave forth Scriptures So that is the cause that all people be on heaps about the words and saying the spirit speaks in the Scriptures which spoke in the holy men of God that spoke them forth and learned of God
by the spirit of God no one knows the Scriptures and the things of God but as God unto them doth reveal by his spirit which in this thou hast shewed thy ignorance of that spirit guided the Saints to God the Father of spirits which revealed unto them the deep things of God with which spirit again the Scriptures are known And the spirit which always rules the Saints and guides them up to God and to speak forth the Scriptures They did not deny the Saints words spoken before them but was in unity with them in the spirit and so came to the spirits of just men which none doth but who are come into the Saints rule that gave forth Scriptures And so people have had the Scriptures but inwardly ravened from the spirit thou and the rest of thy fellows and have been all on heaps about words and so voyd of the revelation that they were in that gave forth Scriptures For all are unlearned upon the earth that are not in the immediate inspiration as they were in that gave forth the Scriptures and in the tongue of the unlearned like the Aegyptian Sea Pr. He saith Printing was a rare invention and it was the gift of God page 21. And onely Gods servants preached by the written Copies and since by the printed volume page 22. Answ That which is invented and men have invented it is not the gift of God and men only preaching from the Copies written and since by the Volumes printed in this hast thou shewed that you have had only the sheeps cloathing and that hath been it which hath made you Ministers For they that were the Ministers of the spirit their only preaching was not from copies and volumes that did not make them Ministers but what they had received from the Lord that they declared forth and was not Ministers of copies and writings only But the copy and writings of the Scripture had you them in the life that gave them forth you would have gathered people into the unity which being ravened from it you bring them all upon heaps Pr. The letter or writing of the spirit of God is the Law and touch-stone page 23. He saith the Scriptures is the spirituall sword page 26. And the Scriptures is the ground of all Saints actions And have not I written unto thee excellent things in counsell and knowledge page 32. Answ The Pharisees had Scriptures and had not the spirit that gave them forth so they wanted the Word of God the sword of the spirit and they stood against the substance of the Scriptures And they had Scriptures but they were out of the Saints actings for they turned against the Just And so doth all upon the earth that have the Scriptures but out of the spirit that gave them forth they are out of the ground of the Saints actings And none knows the excellent things written of knowledge nor counsell but who be in the spirit that gave forth Scriptures Though they have the Scriptures in their own knowledge and wisdome yet they understand not the excellent things written but as they come into the spirit that gave them forth So thou art a man not dividing the word aright and many may have the Scriptures yea the whole world may have the Scriptures and not being in the spirit that gave them forth they break into Sects among one another And the Devil may come with Scriptures but hath not the spirit to fight withal who is out of the Truth Pr. He saith Women are excluded from speaking though endued with more then ordinary gifts and they are not allowed to teach page 34. And the Canon of the Apostles is the key to open the Scriptures And the sure word of prophecy is the Scriptures page 38. which is a more sure word then an immediate voyce from heaven He saith the word which the Apostle speaks of to the Romans in the mouth and in the heart is the Gospell promises without Deut. 30. And the Scripture Books Chapters is the light that shines in mans heart and the new Creature is too narrow for a rule page 44. A. The new creature is subject to the Law of God for he is in Christ who is the end of Law Types Figures Shadows Parables and there is rule direction counsell wisdome and the old man cometh to be subjected which is not subject to the Law of God and here comes the blessing and the peace of the Israel of God who walk according to the rule of the new creature for he walks in the life that gave forth Scripture which the old man walks out of And he may say the Scriptures is his rule but he is not subject to the witnesse of God in himself nor owns not the light which Jesus Christ hath enlightned him withall but doth the evill and loves the darkness which light is his condemnation And the law is light and the Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy And many may have the old and new Testament and stand against the light the spirit of prophecy within And many may have the Scriptures Books and Chapters and stand against the Light Christ Jesus that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world And so put the Letter for the Light and walk from the light in their own particulars which should lead them into a new life Such comes not to know the new life nor the blessing of the Israel of God And the woman the Evah must be silent for she was first deceived and the woman Jezebel that calls her selfe a Prophetesse that must not be suffered to teach or to usurp authority But Christ in the male and Christ in the female is beyond the first Adam or Evah or she that calls her selfe a Prophetesse or the great whore that reigns over the Kings of the earth there is all their languages under Christ in the Females shall comprehend this as well as in the Male and give judgement and the daughters shall prophecy as well as the sons And such as limit or quench the spirit in the Males or Females are them that are apostatized and ravened inwardly from the spirit of God and despise prophecy only have the sheeps cloathing such as thou and you and knows not the spirit but are ravened from it the spirit of God that hath power over all flesh and so makes your selves ignorant of it are such as quencheth it in others And the spirit of God in the Apostles being witnessed it opens the Scriptures is the key lets to see what hath been since the dayes of the Apostles and rul'd and reign'd and had the dominion the Wolfe in the sheeps cloathing which have deceived the Nations and such as have led the world and brought them all upon heaps and have never heard the voyce of God and have published it in the Nation in print nor the voyce of Christ and have not the same infallible spirit as the Apostles had and no immediate revelation nor inspiration
as they had so these have taken away the key of knowledge from among people since the days of the Apostles and as for the word Canon ye may go to the Papists The Apostles shewed the fulfilling of the Scriptures that Christ was come and the Apostles saw what Christ said should come which inwardly ravened went forth from them which the world hath gone after which now we with the same spirit the Apostles was in which you all ravened from do see ye and what hath reigned since the dayes of the Apostles Now is the fulfilling of the Prophets And the word was in the Apostles and in the Saints yea the word of faith and this comes to fulfill the Scripture this word of faith which was preached in the heart and in the mouth and which was promised before And the light was in the Apostles heart that shined and the sure word of prophesie that did let see and foresee was in the hearts of people which led them to give forth Scriptures and that which fulfills the Scriptures the prophesie is of Christ who ends it and the spirit led them to speak it forth the spirit of prophesie which many may have the Scriptures and not have the more sure word of prophesie And many may have the Scriptures as the Pharisees had and stand against the Revelation of the Son of God from heaven which is surer for he was before Scripture was who ends the Scriptures for many may have Scriptures and be out of the life and not know him the Revelation of the Son of God as the Jewes did not and so say the Scriptures is more sure then Revelation from heaven so more sure then the Son of God who is greater then all and the Scripture was given forth by Revelation and none knowes it but by Revelation Pr. He saith Christ doth not give to every man the light that leadeth to the Father and there is not in every man that redeeming light which leadeth to the Father And it is false to say the light which John speakes of is a salvation light he saith the light in every man is but the candle light of natural understanding pag. 56. And the light which every man hath is a low common benefit and no drop of this immortal seed pag. 57. 58. Nor is the light which every man hath his Mediation And I call the light which every man hath natural pag. 59. And the light which every man hath teacheth nothing of the way truth and life of Jesus Christ. pag. 60. And the light which is in every man is opposite to Scriptures pag. 61. This is the light which is in every mans conscience which is but natural And the Apostle saith he warneth every man and teacheth every man that he might present them perfect in Christ Jesus But he saith the Apostle did not warn every man he did not levell the Saints light with every mans page 62. It is not meant that every man is enlightened but the Church Page 63. Answ I am the light of the world and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world saith Christ the life So the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall wil let them see the life which it cometh from will let them see their salvation Christ Jesus will let them see their Mediator will let them see the truth for the light is truth which cometh from Christ the truth And the light is Christ the way the truth the life that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world In him was life and the life was the light of men in him by whom the world was made which light was before any natural lights was the Sun Moon and Stars are natural lights and these was made by Christ the light who doth enlighten every man c. which men having a light from him by whom the world was made by whom all things was created who was afore any things was created Le ts them see before any created light natural light made lights which gives every one the knowledge of life which lets every one see the salvation to the ends of the earth which lets every one see the Covenant of God that love it and believe in it they come to the life Christ him from whence the light cometh The light is of the immortal seed of Christ Jesus one with the Saints light the Saints believe in that the world hates and receives that which the world hates so it is the worlds condemnation it is the condemnation of them that hate it And so was he promised a Covenant to the Gentiles aswell as to the Jewes and so doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world according to Johns witness and testimony to the Priests and Levites which came from Jerusalem to examine him So the Priests now examine us in this age and professors which the Quakers are witnesses of and bears testimony to which Paul warned every man and taught every man that he might present them perfect in Christ the light So the light is one with the Saints light that condemnes the unbelievers And the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall that through it he might believe and who believes in it and receives it he hath the light of life and they become the Sons of God and who hate it it is their condemnation and they are against Scriptures but the light is not against Scriptures but ownes them And so the light is not so low as ye esteem it for it was before any thing was made or created as for the word Trinity there is no Scripture for it without ye finde it in the Common-prayer Book And the light in the converted shines out of Darkness in their hearts and gives them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God c. And the light in the unconverted shines in the Darkness and the Darkness comprehendes it not Pr. He saith that the light without the Scriptures is no light Pag. 64. And to call the light that doth enlighten every man the word of God is contradiction And there was no light before the Scriptures which is now revealed in Scripture pag. 64. That God is light not the light in every mans conscience pag. 68. And the best light that every man hath is but created Not one man in the world knowes God till he finde him in Scripture pag. 69 The Lord Christ the Eternal Son the Essential word of the Father is more in Scripture then in every man or any man pag. 70. They that speak from the Scripture rightly understood speak more from Christ then they that speak from the light within them Answ The light was before Scripture was given forth the light was before the Created lights was and makes manifest all created lights for all created lights was created by it and all that ever had the Scriptures and are not in the light that doth enlighten every man that
degrees of obedience and conformity to it in this life before death hath drunk Antichrists cup. page 144. Answ The Saints after they witnessed the body of sin put off and made free from sin they glorified God in their bodies souls and spirits And so the body of fin is not the creature for that causeth the creature to groan before it cometh into the liberty of the Sons of God that causeth the body of sin the cloathing that comes upon the Creature the old man which cometh by transgression the first Adam that leads out of transgression brings the creature into the liberty of the sons of God and so who is in Christ is a new creature And old things passe away and the body is the Temple of God a holy Temple And the living soule is immortall yet many of thy generation say it is humane that is earthly yea that Christs soule was humane as ye may see in this Book in the rest of your Principles of them that call themselves Teachers and Pastors whose soules are in death and life And immortality not come to the Light through the power of God which is the Gospell and so have shâ—wed your ignorance of the soule And whosoever witnesse the perfect holinesse and preacheth up that they come from under Antichrists Kingdome They that preach up Imperfection they weare Antichrists livery and his colours and sounds the Trumpet of Antichrist and who be in the righteousnesse are in the perfection it selfe without a thing meritted by man in his will And who loves God keeps his Commandements and to him and them they are not grievous And this was the seed that kept the Commandements of God that Antichrist Beast mother of Harlots and false Prophets made war against as you may read in the Revelations But this seed is a burthensome stone unto yoâ— all tâ—at keeps the commands of God that loves God and they that be born of God doth not commit sin And the naturall body which is flesh blood and bone is not the body of sin it was never read so in the Scripture that that was the body which was to be put off for the Saints had bodies after they witnessed the body of sin put off and made free from sin Pr. He saith That R. F. is against the doctrine of sin continuing in the godly till death page 148. Answ That doctrine of Sin was never preached up by the Apostle that it should continue in the godly till death I say it continues not in the godly for the godly are like God out of sin it continues in the ungodly that is not like God And he that is in Christ is at the end of the Law and the Precepts and the Statutes and the Ordinances and the Commandements and is in the substance Gods righteteousnesse Pr. He saith The Letter is no dead letter and it hath life in it selfe And if there be but this letter or Ministry it is Christs two-edged sword page 153. 155. It serves unto his designe of searching hearts And the Apostle would take people off from the conceit of perfect attainments pag. 162. And may not filthy hearts transform themselves in the fancy of perfection as the Devill into an Angell of light Answ The Devill transforming himselfe into an Angell of Light or into a similitude is like unto all the filthy hearts who fancy perfection without them not within thâ—m and speaks of Christ without them not within them as the Devill did But the Doctrine of the Apostle who preached Christ the Covenant of God and brought people off of that which made nothing perfect to that which was perfect and bid them be perfect and of one minde and he spoke wisdome among them that were perfect so he did not bring the people from it but to it And the Letter it selfe is dead as it is of paper and inke And all Ministers of Letters and Books written in paper and ink and speaks from letters of paper and inke and have not received from God what they preach are Ministers of the Letter and they are the Ministers of death though they minister all the Letters written in the Scripture and have onely but the sheeps cloathing and begets not to God but only making Proselytes as the Ministers did in old time as the Jewes did But they that were Ministers of the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures they have the sword of the Spirit which the Jewes the Ministers of the Letter had not Nor they that be out of the spirit though they have all the Scriptures given forth from it they that be out of the spirit be out of the spirituall weapons And that which searcheth the heart is that which gave forth the Scriptures which led all the holy men of God to speak them forth who is the Lord the searcher of the hearts which spirit owns all the words of the Scriptures of truth declared forth from the spirit but the spirit was before the Scripture was given forth Pr. He saith Men that are redeemed from all earthly worships perfectly justified before God sincere in their sanctification yet they are in concupiscence and blemishes and conflicts page 166. And the Word of God doth not abide in them that say they have no sinne page 179. Answ Who are redeemed out of all earthly worships and sanctified they are redeemed from the blemishes from the conflicts from the concupiscence and by their redemption they come to witnesse the Kingdome of God that stands in righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost out of the conflicts and who are in the spirit they are in that which mortifies sin And the Word of God it makes clean where it dwels they are sanctified by the Word and made clean It comes and finds the sin and takes it away and makes clean and hammers it down cuts it down burns it up reconciles to the Father which sin and iniquity separated from Pr. He saith Sacramentall water and sprinkling Baptisme and water c. shewes our being ingrafted into the body mysticall p. 176. 178. which consists of a signe of a thing signified Answ Sprinkling Infants is a signe of your own making and Sacramentall water which the Scripture doth not hold forth but it is a thing presumed above what it written And that signe a tradition doth not bring into the body mysticall but leads from it neither doth any elementary thing But that which baptizeth into the body is the spirit whereby all cometh to be one And that baptizeth not into an elementary body but into a glorious body the spirituall body For there is lying signes come since the dayes of the Apostles which is out of the Apostles practice You can shew nothing for your sprinkling with your Sacramentall water but the Baptisme that the Scripture declares of and the spirit is owned in its place Pr. He saith Bread and Wine are spirituall Institutions and is not carnall in a sense as set in opposition to spiritual Institution and that
sufficient that declares of Christ And the Prophets did not take Texts and raise Motives and Uses and Reasons and lay in them halfe a yeare together and sell them for money as ye do now since the days of the Apostles in the apostacy But now I am come to reckon with you and you shall have a portion a reward according to your works And I will slay you with the sword the words of my mouth saith the Lamb. And your Poynts and Reasons and Imaginations which ye fetch out of Scripture is but to lead people under condemnation and keep them from the immediate teaching and the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And James Parnells blood who dyed in the Prison that righteous man his blood lies upon you and that shall lye upon your heads sparkling and from under it ye shall never come but ye shall own it And the spirit of God levels down all the proud and lofty hearts of men by which people are brought into unity with God and one with another And the first day of the week which ye call the Sabbath ye never read it in the Scriptures as a strict command among the Apostles Pr. And the Magistrate is not to levell the Laws with the light in every mans conscience Again If the Magistrate be in the Light and discern into the minde of Christ and understand his law Is he to compell all the Nation and Common-wealth to come to the practice of his light page 308. Answ The Magistrate of Christ the help-government for him he is in the light and power of Christ and he is to subject all under the power of Christ into his light else he is not a faithfull Magistrate And his Lawes here are agreeable and answerable according to that of God in every man when men act contrary to it they do evill So he is a terrour to the evill doers discerns the precious and the just from the vile and this is a praise to them that do well Pr. He saith The Scriptures is the more sure word of prophecy that shines in the darke heart untill enlightned by the Law And every mans light c. is the shimmerings of the law and not of the Gospel light and it is the voyce of the spirit of unbelief that saith the spirit and the power is not in the declaration See his Appendix Answ The spirit and the power was in them that gave forth the Declaration and many have the Declaration and wants the spirit and wants the power as the Pharisees did as all you Apostates inwardly ravened from the spirit of God have had the Declaration but not found the power in it nor spirit in it and so are in the unbelief and are all on heaps about it For if ye had found the power and the spirit in it ye had been all one and quiet before now about Religion yea whole Christendome in power and in the spirit and in the bond of peace and in fellowship one with another and the Scriptures and the spirit and God And the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world every man being in the light which hath enlightned him he shall feel the word of prophecy he shal feel the light shining in his heart he shall feel the Day-star arise there in his heart he shall see that no Prophecy of the Scriptures came by the will of man but holy men of God spoke them forth He shall see that many may have the Scriptures yet quench the spirit despise prophecying he shall see the Scripture is but the Letter declared forth from the spirit of Prophecy by the Prophets and the spirit of God in the Son and in the rest of the Apostles And the light which doth enlighten every one c. is the end of the Law and all shimmering lights and it is the light of the Gospel And none knows the Gospel the power of God Christ Jesus but with the light that cometh from him And here cometh every man into his particular comfort And that is the voyce of the unbeliever like the Pharisees that thought to have had life in the Letter and would not come to Christ the life the substance of Scriptures but stops his eare to the light of God in him Pr. He saith Let all know that the worke within is not the ground and purchase of true peace And that God is more pleased with that which Christ works without for them then that which he worketh within them And those that Peter speaks of that had escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Christ yea cleane and yet are in the naturall state first and last See Appendix A. Them that have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledg of Jesus Christ and are clean are out of the naturall state for they have escaped out of that state which they were in first And such as witnesse their Sanctification Justification wrought within them they witnesse in this they please God by the faith in the blood of the Son of God Now they feel not the comfort nor the benefit but by the faith of Christ Jesus the one offering in which God is pleased withall which is acceptable which is Christs offering his sacrifice his flesh his blood his life his mind must be manifest and received within before they come to Justification Sanctification and Redemption and the serving of God in the new life And herein is God glorified to believe in the onely begotten Son of God and here they honour the Son in believing in him whom the Father hath sent And so they that feele not Chirst in them are Reprobates And as for all the rest of thy lyes and slanders and strife and confusions who would set one against another all cool and quiet sober spirits will see thy confusion and so thy words shall be thy own burthen and the lyes torn upon thy owne selfe And no man shall establish Sion nor lay a stone there as he is in himselfe but the Elect makes up Sion and the living stones where the elect and precious stone is in the midst which is Christ laid in Sion And all thy Babylonish wayes actings doings and the rest of all thy Brethren and who are begotten with the same spirit of the great Whore that inwardly ravened from the spirit of God which long hath had the sheeps cloathing upon your backs who all come from one Popish flock are comprehended now by the spirit of God which ye all ravened from inwardly with it are ye all fathomed And how the Whore hath been arrayed with the sheeps cloathing and hath had power over Kindreds Tongues and Peoples and Nations and Multitudes and brought Nations into waters and Peoples and Tongues Multitudes like waters which have drunk the blood of the Prophets and the Saints and the Martyrs And so thou art flattering the Authorities of the earth and crouching under them out of whose
for it is the earth shall help the woman Answ The courtesie the Saints received which was from them whose hearts was opened that the Lord had opened by his power that is not condemned But your taking Tythes of people you do not work for and casting into Prison till death for not giving it you How are you like the Apostles or like the Ministers of Christ or like the woman thou speaks of the Church that was persecuted Now you persecute this signifies she was persecuted And you persecute for meanes and hale up and down in Courts and Sessions and will take treble damages treble tythes of them you do no work for and so you will not stand to the courtesie of people nor wait for the power to open their hearts but are in a power that will take it by compulsion and by violence away from people So you have given judgment against your selves and are not of the number of them the Lord opened their hearts that ministred to their necessities and so unlike the Ministers of Christ that received the courtesies of the people whom the Lord opened their hearts Pr. Thou saith When people have no guide but what is within and that this principle be rooted it will turne all into Babel And thou questions whether it be not a principle of sedition to say that every man hath a light within him Answ All people in the world runs into Babel and Babylon and are building up and throwing down and so goes into confusion about Law and Gospel Prophets Christ and the Apostles words when they be from the spirit within of truth to lead them into all truth and up to God the Father of Truth of whom they learn that gave them forth and with that spirit are they seen in which spirit is unity which is the bond of peace And the light which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world leads all men out of sedition and they be in the sedition that denies it and sayes to the contrary and in darknesse and cannot comprehend it as John sayes which says this is the true light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world And Christ says Believe in the light And the Prophets said God gave him for a Covenant of light to the Gentiles and a new Covenant to the Jewes and he shall be the Leader of the people and salvation to the ends of the earth and every man that comes into the world is enenligtned He that believes is saved and he that believes not is condemned already Pr. Thou queries When the Act of the Commission for the Ministry was repealed since Christ said he would be with them to the end of world And thou saist It is not said simply they shall teach no more every man his neghbour but it is added Know the Lord. Thou saist that every man is enlightned onely with a naturall reason and the elect are enlightned with a saving knowledge Thou saist I bring John 4.23 to overthrow all outward worship Thou saist You can praise God with your bodies and spirits Answ The 7th of Matthew Matth. 24. Christ said false Prophets should come and should be inwardly ravening wolves having sheeps cloathing and John said they was come Chap. 2. Chap. 4. And in Revel All that dwelt upon the earth went after them and such killed the Saints When they had gotten a head they killed the Saints and the true Ministers and they that were of the false killed the true and since those dayes the false hath reigned which hath wrestled with flesh and blood prisoning killing the creatures and warring against them and not with the Principalities and spirituall wickednesses and powers of darknesse and such hath been out of the power the Gospell the Apostles were in hath killed them that kept the testimony of Jesus the spirit of Prophecy And it is said plainly Heb. 8. They shall not teach every man his neighbour nor every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the greatest to the least saith the Lord And so thou perverts the Scriptures and art judged by them for it that belies them And the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is the same Light that the Elect lives in which the world not believing in the Light Christ Jesus the Elect and covenant of light and life and peace promised to the world they are condemned already but he that believes in the Light is saved so that saving is sufficient And Christ sayes they that worship the Father must worship him in spirit and in truth Not at Jerusalem not at Samaria nor at the Mountain So say I not at your Masse-houses with a Crosse at the end of them which the Popes set up and you since the dayes of the Apostles So they that worship God must worship him in the spirit and in the truth Truth doth not change neither doth the Spirit and these be them the Father seeks to worship and hath found many And Christ overthrows the outward worship at Samaria and Jerusalem and the Mountain and so do we at your Papists Masse-houses and tell you God is worshipded in the spirit and in the truth and those are the true worshippers that God seeks to worship and that will stand when Masse-houses Samaria and Jerusalem is down the spirit and the truth that remains In the mouth of the wicked praises is not comely And as for your singing Davids conditions or the Saints conditions given forth from the spirit when you confesse you are not in the spirit as they was that gave them forth So then judged with it to be such whose mouths the praises are not comely that be in another state then they where that gave Scriptures forth And Adams state before the Fall thou knowest not but art found in the steps of the Pharisees and Papists As the Pharisees got words of the true Prophets and Moses out of the life so the Papists and you have got the words of Christ and the Apostles and be out of the life and persecuting them that be in the life as the Pharisees did and killing the just the just being imprisoned in your own particulars as it was in the Pharisees And you with your dark eyes have looked upon the Scriptures ever since the apostacy and ravened from the spirit of God the pure eye and so with that you are comprehended felt over and seen over and with that shall the principle of God in you all be answered that you are apostatized from the Apostles in life and power and doctrine and so are in heaps about their words out from that which is the ground of communion the bond of peace And all thy confusion in thy Book is thy own garments who with it is for the fire the witnesse in thy conscience in the day of thy condemnation shall witnesse it Thomas Tillam his Booke called The seventh-day-Sabbath His Principles answered as Followeth Pr. ALl
for he abode not in it Pr. They say Faith is not perfect in respect of its degree and measure in us Answ The faith of God is the gift of God and it is pâ—rfect in us in it's measure and degree though thy measure and degree is not perfect and here thou hast tryed thy faith and thy gift which is not perfect for the gift of God is perfect Pr. And yet they say The worke of this faith is for purifying and justifying and not perfect in the degree and measure of it in us Answ Can an unperfect thing purifie and justifie And doth not the Scripture speak of one Faith that gives victory And doth not the Apostle say that faith abides And can that abide which is not perfect And Christ saith He that hath faith as a grain of mustard-seed shall remove mountains and is not that perfect Now here all men may see if you who call your selves Ministers divide the word aright We say faith is perfect in the least measure and degree the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 10. And it is that with which men please God which faith works by love and so brings off the works of the Law by which faith men are justified which is in the heart Pr. They say It 's a manifestation of the deluding of poore soules to hold forth a crucified Christ within risen within ascended within and Scriptures within and saith this is a new Gospell Answ If Christ that 's crucified be not within and Christ that 's risen be not within I say that you all are Reprobates and if the Scripture be not within which was spoken forth from within you all want the spirit that gave it forth and Christ the substance of it and you have not eaten his flesh neither are you of his bone and this is not opposite to Jesus Christ without that dyed at Jerusalem but the same for who eats his flesh has it within them and this is not a new Gospel Pr. And they say False Christs hath a new false faith to apprehend this crucified Christ within Answ Which is contrary to the faith of the Apostles which preached Christ that 's crucified within and not another him that was raised up from the dead was risen that Lord Jesus Chrâ—â—â— within the same yesterday to day and for ever by whom the world was made glorified with the Father before the world began It was he that was manifest in the Saâ—nts that was and is and not another for the other is the Antichrist Pr. And they say It is a Scripture of the Devills making to apprehend this crucified Christ within Answ Now I say if there be any other Christ but he that was crucified within he is the false Christ and the Scripture holds forth this and the Devill never made it but he and his messengers are against it And he that hath not this Christ that was risen and crucified within is a Reprobate though Devils and Reprobates may make a talk of him without Pr. They say The light of revelation renders Gods Christ odious Answ None knows the Son of God but by revelation and with the Light and they are them that renders Christ odious that be out of the light of revelation of the Son as the Pharisees did as now the Beast and false Prophets doth in making war against the Saints in light and the Lamb but the Lamb and the Saints shall get the victory glory to the highest They that walke in the light are not opposite to Christ but to the Beast and the false Prophets but are in unity with the Son and with the Father Pr. And they say What a sad doctrine is that which saith follow the light with which Christ hath enlightned all which cometh into the world A. This is contrary to the Apostles doctrine which was to go into all Nations to turn people from darknesse to light and preach the new Covenant to Jewes and Gentiles the salvation to the ends of the earth a leader of the peeple and contrary to the Apostles doctrine which bid the Saints walk in the light and they should have fellowship one with another and so not sad but fellowship but thou and you that are Apostates are from this light gone and that which doth make manifest is light and with it are you that are apostates from it seen and so follows not the light that every one is enlightned with that comes into the world and so be out of unity one with another and fellowship with the Son and with the Father and be out of his covenant all on heaps in the apostacy that walks not in the light but calls it a sad doctrine to bid others to follow it Ye children of the light ye are the light of the world let your light shine before men that they may glorifie your Father which is in heaven like lamps burning for ye are as a City set on a hill that cannot be hid And Christ saith he that followeth the light shall not walk in darkness Pr. They say It is a rendring of the Scriptures odious and Law by telling of the Scripture within which Christ never taught nor his Disciples but God hath given them up to a reprobate minde Answ Was not all the Scriptures from the spirit within and was it not there before it came out And must not all upon the earth have the spirit within that gave it forth before they can understand the Scripture without given forth from the spirit of God within others And was not the Apostles and Christs preaching of the Scripture within the Law in the heart and the Word in the heart And the Kingdom within and the spirit within leading into all truth the spirit of the Father speaking in you and Christ within and is not this extolling Scripture of truth and are not all they reprobates that have Scripture without and not within Pr. And they say But this is the Devils designe by pretending that people may attain a more excellent way following what is made known to them from the Light withiâ— them A. I never read such a Doctrine that the Devill taught that any should follow that which the light made known within them and I know he did not for he is out of the light and that which it makes known within for the light which shines within makes known the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ whereby men come to be changed from glory to glory till they come into the image of God and this the light makes known within 2 Cor. 4. Pr. And they say God hath a Christ distinct from all other things whatsoever whether they be spirits or bodies Answ Gods Christ is not distinct from his Saints nor his bodies for he is within them nor distinct from their spirits for their spirits witnesse him And God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe who is the head of every creature And there is not any creature but it's manifest in his
not worth mentioning but the Scriptures are owned And Iohn art thou finding fault because men wears no hatbands and eats and drinks bread and water and casts by their pride Now thou mayst see who thou hast taken part with and who is the scoffer and sheweth thy self and who is thy Master short of all good And as for all your bad names and misconstruing of Scriptures it will come upon your selves and thou hast shewed in all thy Book that thou art not able to divide the word aright nor an instructer of Babes Pr. And thou saith that Christ dyed for the sins of the elect Answ And the Scripture saith he was an offering for the sins of the whole world and who shall lay charge to Gods elect whom he justifies Pr. And thou speaks of God destroying men for their ignorance and they shall finde no favour in the day of judgement Answ Whereas the Scripture saith in the time of ignorance God winked at but now he commands all men every where to repent and every man that cometh into the world is enlightned And the spirit of truth shall reprove the world of sin of righteousnesse and of judgement which leads believers into all truth And the grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared to all men but they turne it into wantonnesse which is the Saints teacher And this shall make every tongue to confesse to the glory of God and every knee to bow at his name which is the Emanuel and so none shall plead ignorance as thou saist who art in the ignorance thy selfe but inexcusable because convicted and hast rejected the tender mercies who hast lifted up thy selfe against the Saints and the Lamb but a stone is set over thy head that shall grind thee to powder and the Saints shall have the victory and the Kingdome that is an everlasting Kingdome the witnesse in thy conscience shall witnesse against thee for all thy hard speeches and let thee know that you and thou had better have been silent then to fight against the Lord the Lamb and his Saints that 's the word of the Lord God to thee and you all When ye are judged the witnesse in all your consciences shall answer W. P. his Principles in his Book intituled according to truth that quakes not trembles not nor quailes Pr. THey say If the Apostles had been put to preach upon a short Text or methodically as by a long practice in the Church it is expected from us that they might oft times have studyed for it Answ In this you have shewed your spirits and made manifest you are voyd of the revelation from God and your ignorance of the Scriptures for the holy Ghost shall not speak of it selfe but take of his And the Apostles what they had seen and heard they declared And Christ what he had received of the Father he declared and the spirit that which speaks in the Church and it shews the fulfilling of the Scriptures and it keeps not people long in Texts as the world doth that wrests Scriptures up and down and keep people in sects and so there is the spirit leading into all truth and the spirit of the Father speaking within and the holy Ghost that moved men to give forth Scripture that teacheth to divide the word aright which is the spirit of prophecy in the Church not studying Pr. They say Every man that hath the spirit in some measure doth not attain to the great height and degree that they did that gave forth Scriptures that therefore may not lawfully and infallibly teach as they did Ans Every man that hath a measure of the spirit of God in the least measure or degree it is infallible and so far may they teach infallibly and know Scriptures but they cannot know all Scriptures but as they attain to the full measure of the spirit of the Prophets and Apostles and to the measure and stature and fulness of Christ and if they do not attain to all this they are not able to know all the Scriptures and the work of the Ministers of God was to bring people to this to the measure and stature and fulnesse of Christ and saith Let every one minister as he hath received the grace And take heed of any of you going beyond your measure and them that deny the grace of God appearing to all men cannot minister Pr. They say The greatest part of professors in the visible Church were and are always earthly minded nor can rightly value spirituall and heavenly things Ans In this you and your Ministers hath shewed your fruits like Balaams which withers and are earthly such as Jude speaks of that separateth themselves sensuall and had not the spirit but went forth from the Apostles that are got up since the days of the Apostles Church and Ministry like Priest like people and to be such as was coming up before the Apostles decease as he speaks on in Timothy which minded earthly things like Teacher like People that preach themselves thorow with many hurtfull lusts while they coveted after money they lost the faith and so came people to be all on heaps out of unity in the earth being out of the faith of Gods elect so this is all in the apostacy since the Apostles Pr. And he saith That he is not a hireling that takes wages The wages are allotted to him for his worke Ans But do not all you preach for hire and is it not for hire you preach Now the least in the truth may see you Is there ever a Priest in the Nation but he is hired to work or if he have it not he will not stay Now to prove that you do preach for hire where many Steeple-houses in many Parishes that hath no Priest thither you go not because there is but a little Benefice and they have soules as well as others and where there is agreement for so much a year thither you go is not this for hire and so the Prophets words fulfil'd the Priests preach for hire and all these great sums of money which has lifted you up and gathered a great deale of it out of poor mens labours this hath been the undoing of you all and Nations and many poor people because they cannot put into your mouths but now is God come to judgement upon you all in the apostacy apostates Pr. And thou calls the Steeple-house a Church Ans Which is the Church which is come up since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy for the Church is the people of God the elect seed which Christ is the head of who in the midst of this Church doth sing praises which is the pillar and ground of truth without spot or wrinkle Whereas the Steeple-house you call your Church will spot wrinkle and blemish and decay and fall down and wicked men may prevail against it but the gates of Hell cannot prevail against that Church which is built upon the rock Pr. And thou sayst Thou dost not
but hear you have laid aside the Holy Ghost how knew they before they gave it forth hear thou hast denyed Revelation of the spirit for though a man has all the writings yet he knowes nothing of God but by the the Spirit of God nor sanctification nor justification which is Christ and the light which comes from him Pr. You say You are fallen into the last times prophesied of by Christ and you are to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints Answ The faith delivered once to the Saints ye are out of in respecting persons and are Apostates from it and the last times which Christ spoke of should come which John saw was come when the false prophets which Christ prophesied of was come which went forth from the Apostles which since their days the world went after them and now from them is the Lord God bringing his people to the rock of ages into the faith they are out of Pr. Foolish man would have his righteousness in himself Answ Every one that hath Christ hath the righteousness of God wrought in him and none owneth the righteousness of Christ but who owneth the light that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world and they are foolish that know not this and the righteousness of faith in them Pr. It is blasphemy they say and colourable pretences to witness an infallible spirit in them Answ The spirit that leads the Saints into all truth is infalliable and that shall reprove the world and he that hath the spirit of Christ hath that which is infalible and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his but are in the colourable pretences Pr. They say The Scriptures is the quick and powerful word Answ Many may have the Scriptures and the form and deny the power and the Scriptures are words of God and the word is God and this word is in the heart which led them to speak forth Scripture And many Scriptures they bring to oppose the Doctrine of Christ who saith be not ye called of men Master for ye have one Master even Christ to whom every knee shall bow and every tongue confesse to the glory of God will men receive worship when Angels would not receive it but bad them worship God Pr. They say They rail and cavil at the lawful maintenance that God hath ordained for them Answ God hath suffered the beast to make havock and spoil the Saints goods but where doth God ordain that you should take Tythes and treble damages Easter reckonings and Mid-summer dues and that you should sue men at the Law and cast them in prison till death where did God command this they that Preach the Gospel should live on the Gospel and they bring glad tidings to people and this is not glad tidings to cast into prison till death and hale up and down to Courts and Sessions for outward maintenance if these men bring glad tidings let the spiritual judge or whether they do not make their folly manifest to all men that can but read the Scripture Pr. They say Such as trust in their own inherent righteousness compasse Sea and Land to make prosolytes Answ It was so in the dayes of the Pharisees it hath been so since the dayes of the Apostles since the beast and the false prophet got up who deny the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world Gods righteousness Christ and such as denyed the light had the form and such gather people into the form of Moses the Prophets Christ and the Apostles words establishing their own righteousness and denying the righteousness of God the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world and all you that doth deny the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world hath troden the blood of the Covenant under foot and you tell us of humane and inherent righteousness which the Scripture tels us no such words and as for all the rest of the lies in the book we let them go home again upon their own heads and every word shal be their own burthen and that in your conscience shall witness and the Scriptures are owned by the Quakers and denyed by you but owned for your own ends that deny the light A BOOK Entitled The Quakers Cause But no name is found in it but is a Book of darkness railing and lies is come to light and because some who leave father and mother and wife therefore he rages who is out of the Light and Doctrine of Christ And the Principles are as followeth Pr. SUch as forsakes husband and wife to do the will of God this he cals a breaking of relations Ans And thus ignorantly speaks evil of those things he knowes not Thus ignorant of the command of Christ and the Scriptures but hath shewed himself to be a member of the world and not of Christ who saith he that doth not forsake father and mother wife and children is not worthy of me Pr. He saith Because he saith thou to God it doth not follow that he should say thou to his earthly father to speak to God as he doth to man Answ Now minde what proud flesh would have of whom thou hast learnt to speak you to an earthly man or to a particular person which the Scripture hath taught no such Language nor the accidence that which teacheth thee to give more to man then to God is the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God teaches to speak righteously and when there is but one not to say as of many and so there is thou to one and you to many And so here is the form of sound words that cannot be condemned now you may see where your Original stands which cannot endure the form of sound words Prin. He saith To be justified by grace which is Christ in them this is a kind of Popery Answ Contrary to Scripture and the Apostles Doctrine Before the Pope was and them either which saith Christ was in them who are justified by faith and faith was in the heart and justified in the spirit and who witnesse the spirit the spirit of grace and by grace ye are saved and that which saves justifies and being justified by grace and thou that art of the Pope and in the Apostacy denies this Pr. To say Christ is within is never to mention Christ without Answ There 's none knowes Christ within but he knowes him without the same yesterday to day and for ever and there 's none knowes him but they know him within revealed of the Father which is beyond flesh and blood Pr. And he sayes To run upon new birth self-denial light within Christ within man if this be not a kinde of Popery and a fair gate for Rome he is deceived Answ Light within Christ within new birth self denial is out of your works and Romes which was the Doctrine that the Apostles held forth and the Saints witnessed Christ within
and worldly lusts and it will bring to worship God These things among others are the scope of the lying murtherer and bids them believe not every spirit but try them whether they be of God or no for many false Prophets are gonâ— out into the world Answ The false Prophets and Antichrists came up which Christ said should come came up in the dayes of the Apostles before their decease and went forth from them into the world which since the world went after them and they had the sheeps cloathing but ravened from the spirit and so broken into sects and heaps one amongst another which made war against the Saints and overcame them but then again the Beast and false Prophets and the Kings of the earth the Devill and the Dragon should make war against the Lamb and the Saints but the Lamb and the Saints should get the victory over the Beast and the false Prophets Devil and Dragon and the everlasting Gospel should be preached to them that dwell upon the earth So it is not a strange thing to us that the whole world should be standing against the light and against the Saints and the Lamb but their garments they cannot touch and so wickednesse hath budded forth into a rod but he is brought forth to rule the Nations with a rod of iron which was dead and is alive And ye discern not the times like Prarisees and the light which leads men from the world their lusts and taking Gods name in vain and all ungodlinesse You never came into this the Devil never came into this nor none comes into it but who be in that which the Devill is out of Nor none sees the salvation which is to the ends of the earth but who be in the light that John bore testimony of the witnesse in thy conscience shall answer it and condemn thee for thy hard speeches and the light by which all things was made which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world it is the end of the Law and before a naturall Light was and changes men from their naturall estate believing in it into the Covenant of life and peace with God I say the Law of God that came by Moses is above conscience much more Christ the end of the Law that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world the righteousnesse of God And the Devill is out of piety and purity who is the lying murtherer and never brought people to the light within who himselfe is out of it and he cannot disguise himself nor thee neither from the children of Light Prin. And the light simply considered makes not any thing that is done good or evill A. Did not Christ the light testifie against the world that their works was evil and doth not the light make manifest evill And is not he that hates the light reproved and so with it condemned And doth not the Scripture say the Law is light And doth not that make evill of that which is evill and own that which is good and judge it Nay and doth it not grieve the spirit of God Them that act contrary to the Lord did not God bring evill upon them that did evill Is there any evill in the City and I have not done it Though it was evill to them yet it was justice for they went from that of God in them first And doth not Christ the light distinguish between the good and the evill And doth not Christ make that which is good to be good and that which is evil to be evil Pr. He saith The law of faith did not make voyd the law of works but established it Answ That 's contrary to the Apostle that said the Law was changed and the first Covenant was to decay So with it their outward works whereby the Law of faith came in which works by love where the boaster is excluded and the Law of life witnessed and there comes the living in the spirit which makes free from the Law of sin and death Pr. He saith Neither the new man nor the renewed man is endued with the principle of light and life according to the image of him that created him Answ In this thy ignorance of the Saints conditions thou hast shewed for they was in the image of God of him that created them and they was not in the flesh but in the spirit And the Apostle tells them that they was renewed and the light that shined in their hearts was to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And the Saints had put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created them And he that believes hath the light of life and if they have not the spirit of Christ they are none of his And God will dwell in man and walke in man and Christ in them the brightnesse of the Fathers glory the expresse image of his substance Pr. The naturall man retains not the things of the new Covenant Ans That is while naturall men are from the light and that of God in them there is that in the naturall man hearkning to that which will bring him to do the thing contained in the Law which shall be justified before the Professors of the Law and not doers of it which is one with that ye professors acts contrary to But no man can know the things of God save with the spirit of God So naturall mans eyes is in that which is naturall from that which is spirituall but there is that in the naturall man which answers the Law of God which is spirituall though he be sold under sin and as he comes to see the seed Christ he shall see the end of all that A naturall mans estate and the Law of sin and death by the faith in Christ and ther 's our justification and life though the other things are owned where they were in their place Pr. Man is not able to discern the things of God till he be born again Answ And the Scripture speaks of discerning the eternall power and God-head and that was a thing of the spirit of God And the Apostle saith not that they were born again and yet I say that none knows the things of God but the spirit of God and that which may be known of God is manifest in them which God hath shewed unto them for that of God in them was of his spirit who is the God of the spirits of all flesh which brings them to discern his eternal power and God-head Pr. He saith That the light by which all things was made which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is not the powerful word of faith Answ Is not the word Christ the Author of Faith by which all things were made and created Is not that the powerful word of faith Is not he the Author of it which faith that comes from him gives victory over the world And is
the glory of God And the Law was in their hearts and the Word was within them and the annointing and such had the gifts for the worke of the Ministery for perfecting the Saints for the edifying the body of Christ till they all come to the knowledge of the glory of God and to a perfect man in Christ Jesus Pr. He saith Christ is without his Saints in respect of his bodily presence Answ How then are they of his flesh and of his bone and eate his flesh and drink his blood And how have the Saints his minde and spirit and he with them and they with him and sit with him in heavenly places and he is the head of the Church how then is he absent Ye poor Apostates from him who feels not Christ with you but he is with the Saints and they feel him Pr. He saith Salvation and faith are the gifts of God distinct from Christ Answ They are all of him and from him and with him And how is he the Author of Faith in whom it ends from whence it comes Pr. He saith The light which discovers sin and iniquity in mans heart is not Christ the light the door Ans The first Adam was the door where all sin and transgression entered Christ the second Adam the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world saith I am the door the way the life which finisheth sin and transgression and brings in everlasting righteousnesse and the way of life out of death which Light discovers sin Pr. He saith To call Christ the light the gift the door the way is to take the Gardiner for Christ as Mary did Answ Christ the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world we do not put him for the Gardiner We know him and as many as receives him he gives them power to become the sons of God and this thou sayest is not used power but prerogative authority and thus thou art wresting Scripture So thou should have been more meek and low in thy heart and then thou wouldst have bridled thy tongue and so have learned of Christ and so come to the light the sure foundation out of the errour of thy wayes and have kept in the footsteps of the flock and if thy tongue had been shorter and thy bridle streigher then wouldst not thou have mixt the Covenant of God with mans spirit and have compared it to the Law of works which Christ the light which doth enlighten every one that comes into the world is the end of And mans spirit in the Fall is polluted and his body but as the light is believed in and the minde changed his spirit is sanctified and his body and so comes to be a childe of the Light and his spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the Sons of God And none owns the Door Mediator the Life the Way but with the light which Christ doth enlighten every man that comes into the world withal which light is the door the way and the life Ellis Bradshaw His Booke called The Quakers quaking Principles which he directs to the PROTECTOR His Principles are as Followeth Pr. HE saith That Christ who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world by an immediate illumination not the Elect themselves to bring them to salvation Answ Doth not Christ say I am the way the truth and the life And he is the Door and no man cometh to the Father but by him and learn of him This is my beloved Son heare ye him saith God And is not he the new Covenant in the heart by which men need not say Know the Lord And there is no other name by which men can be saved but by the name of Christ who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that all through him might believe And he that believes in the light abides not in darknesse but hath the light of life and they that believe not in it but hates its the light is their condemnation and the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world is the salvation though men neglect it which the Elect walk in which condemns the unbeliever which is immediate and no man sees salvation but who comes to the light Pr. He saith The Word that was made flesh is visible and the Word is the Letter and they never received the spirit of life from it and that 's the Quakers errour Ans Such as had the Scriptures which was the words of God to them in old time and the ordinances the Apostle calls carnall which the Jewes stuck in and would not come to him that they might have life not to Christ And so if men have all the Scriptures and have not Christ they have not life For the Devill he may have the Scripture and hath he life therefore And the power of God Christ his name is called the Word of God The Word of God lives and endures for ever and the Spirit is not in the Letter and the Letter is not the Word which was made flesh and they be in the errour that thinks so for the Word is invisible Pr. Paul adviseth not onely to the Light within but is bidding them bring his cloak books and parchment and give attendance to reading Answ The Apostle did tell the Saints that the light that shined in their hearts might give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God and bids them walk in the light And Christ bids them believe in the light and they should not walke in darknesse and there is no other name under Heaven by which men can be saved but by the name of Christ And the Scriptures none sees the substance of them nor the fulfilling of them but who walks in the Light whom God speaks to by his Son who is the end of the Prophets and there is the true reading and knowing of all books and pâ—rchments which none knows the Scripture but by the light which comes from Christ in whom they end Pr. And again thou sayst there is more words then one Ans God is the Word and the Scriptures of Truth are his words which Christ fulfills Pr. He saith They have fellowship with the Father but not in the like measure of the gifts of grace the Apostle had Answ Then you are not like none of you to understand the Apostles words nor to be judges of them but as you do come into the like measure and gifts as they was in else you will not be able to judge of their conditions nor know their words Pr. He saith There is no man justified through the faith in Christ that owns the Scriptures to be but a dead letter But that ownes them to be the Word of God in which there is spirit and spirituall life as words of eternall life Answ The spirit and the life is not in the Scriptures but was in them that gave it forth and many have the Scripture and not the
when saw you a Priest lay downe his estate to save others out of prison but he is rather casting into prison till death because they cannot give them Tythes The Apostle doth not say have not we power to take Tythes But have not we power to eate and drinke And they that preach the Gospel live of the Gospel And they bring glad tidings to them but that is not glad tidings to cast into prison and hale before Courts and they that preacht the Gospell lived on the Gospel that opened the hearts of people without mens compelling power Pr. He saith You must not give eare to the Quakers for they tell you your Ministers look for their gain from their quarters and are Hirelings and this he saith is deceiving and the depth of Satan and a lying malicious spirit Answ The Prophets spirit was not a lying and malicious spirit that cryed against them that sought for their gain from their quarters and said they were Hirelings in which spirit is the Quakers and sees you walke in the same steps and take away your gain from you and your hire and you are suing in the Courts and haling up and down which shews your spirits to be the false spirits the Apostle speaks of which went out into the earth Pr. Thou sayst Above all things beware of covetousnesse Answ If you had heeded that you would have been better examples to the Nations about you but in covetousnesse you are swallowed up and so are excommunicated out of the life of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles was in and so your reward from him you shall have And you are finding fault that the people are covetous and thus complains to the whole Nation You should have complained of your selves for being out of the power of God that should have struck downe that and that you are not in the life and power the Apostles was in and it hath not such an effect with it as the Apostles had So you have manifested and shewed your spirits to the Nations and shewes you want your covering And the Apostles did not write abroad to the world that they and their Church was covetous and send it to the Magistrates and complained to them had not they here dishonoured their power of the Church if they had done so and shamed it as you do yours Pr. He saith Many false prophets are gone out into the world believe not every spirit and Satan transforms himself into an Angel of light Answ These things the Apostles saw come into the world before their decease the Devil transforming himself into an Angel of light and false prophets and false spirits gone out into the world which since the days of the Apostles all that dwelt upon the earth went after them the false Prophets and the Beast but who hath their names written in the Lambs book of life before the foundation of the world and the Apostle when Satan was transforming himself into an Angel of light among the Corinthians he brought them to the light in them which would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and John saw they was come which Christ said should come the false Prophets and false spirits who bid them not go after them and John told them they had the annointing within them to teach them and needed not any man to teach them but as the same anointing taught them and they should continue in the Son and in the Father where no false spirit was these false spirits Prophets Antichrists wch Christ said should come which John saw was come and went forth from them has drawn tongues peoples multitudes and Nations to be waters and there is the fruits of them as Revel 17.18 And now are people but coming from these waters and false spirits to the Râ—ck and these are them that draw the Nations to waters As has turned against the Saints and the Lamb But the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory nevertheless these false prophets beasts Antichrists false spirits all inwardly ravened from the true spirit hath had the sheepes cloathing else they could not have deceived the world and led the world after them and could not have brought Nations to waters and herein hath been the beasts power over all kindreds tongues and Nations and his heads and names in the Nations and among the tongues yet all these heads and Names hath agreed together in one against Christ the light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world and the Devil beasts and false Prophets which made War against the Saints and overcame them but the Saints and the Lamb shall overcome them and the Devil shall be taken and with him the beast and the false Prophets and Babylon confounded and the Lamb and the Saints have victory rejoyce ye Saints and holy Prophets over them the Lamb and the Saints shall have the Kingdom and power over all kindreds tongues and Nations who are redeemed from them and from the earth to reign with Christ and a top of the Devil and his Angels which cannot get into the seed Pr. He saith It is a boast of the Quakers to say that they have the eternal Spirit of God in them and saith they may properly use the word you to one and taking off the hat is reverend due and honour and he must not quench the smoaking Flax but be courteous and custome to whom custome and to the Law and to the testimony Answ He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his and that 's Eternal and he that saith you to one shewes he hath neither learnt accidence nor Bible and the hat is the honour of men below in the earth Adams honour in the transgression which Christ the second Adam saith I received not honour of men how can ye believe that receive honour one of another and seekes not that honour that is of God onely and so the mark of an unbeliever and the Apostles did not observe the Jews customes nor the heathens customes for if they had they needed not have been persecuted by them Courteous is good and to do one another good but how is this practised amongst you when you cast into prison these that cannot put into your mouthes and you do no work for them Where is your courteousness here they break not the bruised reed nor quench not the smoaking Flax that owneth the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and these neglect not their salvation but they that deny the light that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world neglects their salvation and such be they that breakes the bruised reed and quenches the smoaking Flax and that brings to own the Law and testimony which many may have the Scriptures and not the Law and testimony for the Law is light and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie and this was before the New Testament was written as Esay the
eight and that was before Matthew Mark Luke and John or any of the Epistles was written and as for the rest of thy lies slanders and hard speeches they shall fall upon thy self and be thy own burthen the witness in thy conscience shall answer me in the day of thy judgement And they that have not the Eternal Spirit are none of his Thomas Weld Richard Prideaux Samuel Hammond William Coles and William Durant their Book called A discovery of a generation of men called Quakers In it are their Principles as followeth Pr. FIrst That the soul is a part of the Divine Essence Asw That which comes from God which God hath in his hands which Christ is the Bishop of is of God and Divine and immortal which many of the Priests say is appetite lust and pleasure and the soul of Christ say they is humane which is earthy and so you that are come from one mother are not agreed here among your selves and people begins to see you the time hath been they knew not which of you to believe but now they believe in Christ who is the Bishop of their souls Pr. There lies a Mystery of iniquity for to say The world calls them so by such and such names or gives them their Christian name Answ There are names given by the heathen the heathen outwardly which men are called there is a new name which the world knowes not written in the Book of life here is the new man known after God in rigteousness created and true holinesse Now who is this new man and this new name the world may call him by the old So it is not a mystery of iniquity to say the world calls him so Pr. It is a sinful neglecting of their families to wander up and down And the forsaking of apparel changeable he calls it monkish holiness Answ When people runs into transgression from the life of God into the earth Then comes up the lusts of the eye the lusts of the world and the pride of life which leads them into all the fashions of the world which is not of the Father but of the world Now the lusts and the affections must be mortified which have outwardly transgressed the pure principle of God within whereby the minds hath gone out into the creatures and things without whereby it falls under the creatures and so comes to worship the creatures thereby more then the Creator who is God blessed for evermore being gone from the Principle of God in their own particulars that is it which mortifies the world when men turn to it and this brings off all the lusts of the world and excess and affections and professions whether they be such as thou cals monkish or notionists or whatsoever it brings into the possession into the life which mortifies for this which thou calls monkish holiness is like unto your own who have not the spirit as they lived in who gave forth the Scriptures so all holiness which stands out of that is self righteousness And the Apostles and the faithful in all ages that wandred up and down did the will of God spoke the word of God were commanded and moved of the Lord forsooke all for Christ Christ did not teach men sin And he that doth not forsake all is not worthy of him House Lands wife children whatsoever he that esteems any of those more then Christ he lives still below he lives still not given up he is not worthy of him and they that do not forsake all and come out of all are in the sinful neglect of the family of the Lord of heaven and earth and they stick below in their own cieled houses habitations nests holes and rocks falling into the mountains and there garnishing the Sepulchres and living in all fashions customes honours and pleasures of the world And the Priests work hath been this to teach the people to keep in the lust and not to forsake and come out of all their lusts to Christ who are not worthy of him and if any do they look upon them to be sinful neglecters of their family which wisdom was before all things were made and is the preserver and finisher of all things and not the destroyer but tha it rebukes and in this are men ordered to Gods glory Prin. The Quakers deny the imputed righteousness prayer baptisme Church-government Ministery Answ That ever ye five that are called Ministers should ever thus publish your lies to the Nation The higher powers the one government the Church the Pillar and ground of truth The Ministry that is in the spirit that Ministers to the spirit in the prison baptized with the spirit into the one body prayer in the spirit the Lords Supper who dwells in the Saints and walkes in them and Sups in them the Gospel the power of God imputed righteousness to the believer Abraham believed and it was accounted to him for righteousness and Christ come and Christ in you who is the end of the belief who is the justification it self and righteousness it self nigher then when they did believe And so here is justification it self without imputation the righteousness of God here the belief ends And all these things are owned according to the Scriptures but all such teachers that be in the earth and teaches for money and means we deny and baptiseth and sells your prayers and Preaching and Supper for mony we deny Pr. Will a discerning of the Gospel mysteries prove a power to discern the state and condition of souls what it shall be to all eternity is not this a large ignorance Answ The Ministers of the spirit did watch for the souls the Prophets and Apostles knew its state and knew Christ the Bishop of it and saw when the soul was in death and saw when God had pleasure in it when it lived and saw the soul in Gods hand for who have the mysteries of the Gospel which is the power of God which gives liberty to the captive to the soul and all that is imputed in man this is glad tydings to the Just this is a true work-man that divides his work aright and is not ashamed of his work of his building but presents the soul to God and knowes when it is in death and when it is living And so who are come up into the Bishop Christ they are one soul they know the hand of God which the soul lives in which is the power and so knowes it from eternity to eternity And so ye Priests which do not discern the soul and its state to eternity and from eternity ye are not in the mystery of the Gospel which gives liberty to it neither have ye it for ye are stumbling at the light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world which comes from Christ the Bishop of the soul so your darkness cannot comprehend that and so what fellowship hath the light with darkness it is not a strange thing It hath no fellowship with it for
your order and Gospel since the dayes of the Apostles who are such as Christ said should come inwardly ravening forth from the Spirit of God and have got sheepes cloathing which since the dayes of the Apostles they have walked after you who have deceived the world and Nations But we see that the false Ministers the worshippers of the Beast Antichrist and the deceivers among whom is the Devil to deceive is now taken with the false prophets the Beast and Antichrist the Mother of Harlots and confounded and cast into the lake of fire and the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory And the Gospel is immediate and he is cursed that Preacheth another the word I say is immediate it lives abides and endures for ever and the Ministers that are in the spirit are immediate and these are furnished with the mysteries of the Gospel and their calling is immediate and the Overseers of the Church which the Holy-Ghost makes are immediate and all that be in the life that gave forth Scripture which nones knowes the Scriptures but by it they are all immediate that which doth convince of sin is immediate But now your mediate Calls your mediate Ministry and Overseers knowledge Word Gospel and people Church are mediate we do believe you all this is so amongst you since the dayes of the Apostasie from the Apostles Doctrine power life and spirit which they were in with which ye are judged and who are in the life they are in that gave forth Scriptures which you are ravened from and are not like to talk of immediate Pr. The Scripture is the Word and the Rule Answ The Scriptures are the Words of God and Christ is the Word in whom they end and the Word of God is the end which fulfills all Scriptures which came to the Prophets which the Apostles Preached which they discerned and spoke forth the words and the fulfilling of the words which the Scriptures of truth cannot be broken but fulfilled by Christ the word and the spirit is the rule that gave forth Scriptures and that led the Saints into all â—ruth Pr. Thomas Castel went naked in the streets of Kendal and Thomas Holmes of Kirkby Steven Answ This hath been a figure of your nakedness who are Egypt spiritual and the Ethiopian black and the Prophet Esaiah did not put off all his clothes say they conrary to the Prophets words and he was to go among all the transgressors in Ethiopia and Egypt a figure of their nakednesse so since the dayes of the Apostles and the Apostasie ye have gone from the spirit of God inwardly ravening from that ye have wanted the cloathing with the spirit ye have had only the outside the sheepes cloathing but have been naked of the life such the Lord hath moved his servants to give a true sign amongst you and not a lying who have their cloathing of the spirit which ye want which ye shall witness the truth of the Lord God in the signe if ever ye come into the true cloathing of the spirit of God Pr. And ye say Christ did not mean as he speak when he said be not ye called of men Masters Answ Which shewes they are none of his Ministers which trample upon his Commandments and teach people that it is lawful to break them shewing the lawfulness of them to be called of men Masters so as for their calling of men Masters standing praying in the Synagogues their long robes salutations their Tythes and their Pulpits these are the works of the perfect Pharisees which all people may look upon their fruits their works and practices and see the very image and that they have their very garments and places according to their condition fruits and works and as for all the rest of their hard speeches lies slanders villifyings and railings which they have poisoned people withall will be their own burthen and fall heavy upon them and turn upon their own heads Their way is compassed their bounds is set and their limits and in this the day of their accompt every one shall feel his words to be his burthen And their patience had been better then to have uttered forth their folly and published it to the Nation But the day is come that tries every mans work and a witness is rising in people the morning is broak the Sun is rising the day-Star is risen that lies people do not make their refuge neither do feed upon them nor upon any thing but what comes from God but the living bread that comes from God above which who eats of it lives for ever Many have their bread and their water that hunger no more nor thirst no more The Worcestershire Petition to the PARLIAMENT which are said to be six thousand Pr. HE hath made a Law commanding all people to whom we Preach the Gospel to allow us a sufficient maintenance that we may not be hindered from or in his work Answ The Scriptures and the Apostles did not speak of any such thing that Christ did make a Law for them commanding all the world to whom they Preached to allow them a sufficient maintenance that they might not be hindred from or in their work What! will maintenance hinder them if they have it not was not this the command of Christ to give freely as they from him had received freely and then if any set meat before them they might eat it But if this Law commanding all the world a sufficient maintenance and allowance to the Apostles and Disciples had been first which they might have been sure of maintenance this had been the way to have clogged the the peoples minds have brought them into trouble which the Gospel was otherways glad tidings but if the Apostles had not Preached to the world without this law which ye speak of wâ—ich commands all the world to give them sufficient maintenance what a condition would all people have been in But they that had received freely was to give freely so you have manifested your spirits to be the deceivers of the people for means That ever 6000 people should say he made a Law commanding all the world to whom they Preach the Gospel to allow them sufficient maintenance When Christ saith they were to Preach as they went as the disciples went and they were to Preach if they did not receive them and they were to go into all Nations yet the Apostles did not plead a Law where they came that they were all to maintain them no they were in fasting often and would not use their power to eat among many people though they had power yet they would not use it and so the maintenance did not hinder the Apostles from their work for they Preached often in fastings and sometimes their own friends communicated to them when they were up and down among the heathen in other Nations Preaching the Apostles did not plead a Law to the Nations whom they Preached to and thus they brought glad tidings keeping
was never the way to beget to God but that which strikes at the power which captivates creatures reacheth to the witnesse in prison and brings people into unity with God and one another in the spirit which is the bond of peace Pr. To love the Word for the good parts that in regard of the Christian is a dangerous thing and in regard of the Word of God a dishonourable thing Answ Where the good parts are not in the Christian that is a dishonourable thing to the Word and causeth the Word of God to be evill spoken of As the whole Assembly of you Ministers have done by your bad conversations earthly covetous impatient spirits that cannot endure any should speak but your selves in your places so by you hath the Word of God been dishonoured and not honoured for the Apostles did write that they were to shew themselves Patterns and Examples to the Flock of God in life and conversation that the Word of God might not be evill spoken of Now where the Word is evil spoken of and the bad parts in a Christian proceeds this grieves the righteous and causeth the truth to be evill spoken of and the Word makes them vessels of honour in whom it is Pr. Now when Christians leave the Word and Sacraments and Sabbaths it is a dangerous pride lifting up the Light within as they do Answ The Christians that denyed the Sabbaths and witnessed Christ the substance the rest said The light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ And they lifted up Christ the Light and they walked in him the Covenant of God and of light to the Jewes and Gentiles come which who walk in it are in peace with God and unity one with another and have the light of life and rest and all be in the dangerous state that be out of that And as for the word Sacrament there 's no Scripture for it but one of the Papists common words and the Light brings off it and the Jewish Sabbath Pr. Buy the truth and sell it not not pleading for sufficiency of a common light and leaving their Callings as the Monks and their books flying abroad their wings unclipt and no mention of eternall salvation from the wrath to come And he saith he loves the word Sacraments Sabbaths and Ministry Answ Christ came to put an end to the Jewish Sabbaths and the Apostles preached their end and forsook all for Christ and so to revile such as are in the same power and to call it by the unsavoury expression Monkish thou and yee are more like to that that tells us of Sacraments which is from the Monkish holinesse And for speaking of clipping the wings of our Books that flies abroad that 's another unsavoury expression and shews that spirit that it is not able to resist that spirit that gives forth the Books As for the Word and Ministry that thou hast shewed thy selfe against though thou professes the Scripture to be the Word And those are the words of God which Christ the Word fulfilled and this the Ministers of Christ witnesse And ye never read that the Ministers of the Gospell said they loved the Jewish Sabbaths and held up the Sabbaths those were the Ministers of the Law that held up the Sabbaths which Christ the Rest came to put an end to by which the world was made before it was made glorified with the Father before the world began And you sell the Truth and take the world which deny the Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world which is sufficient to him that believes in it Pr. We exercise and order our preaching for the getting of money and maintenance And the greetings in the Markets is but that which humanity requires nor to be called of men Rabbi else Christ would not have taken it Must a Minister lose the members of his Church and the maintenance of his place both at once Answ Christ said to his Disciples they should know the false Prophets by their fruits and said be not ye called of men Master to his Disciples for one is your Master even Christ and denyed the Pharisees greetings in the Market which thou calls humane right And the Apostles ordered not their preachings to get money by them but they laboured to keep the Gospel without charge and the Ministers of Christ brought the people off the Jewes Assemblies and their maintenance both And yee that be found out of the Apostles Doctrine in the apostacy such as come from you that you do no work for how can you expect that they should give you maintenance or how can you in righteousnesse take maintenance of them that you do no worke for So if ye lose the members will ye take the maintenance which of the Apostles did so Nay is it not the way to gain members to deny the maintenance Is not that the way whereby the power of God may be known that raiseth the seed of God whereby the hearts of people may be opened and whereby the seed is known And the Apostle declared against such as taught for filthy lucre and made merchandize of the Word and that which thou calls humanity which is your earthly right seeing your conversation is in earth and not in heaven Pr. It cannot be concluded that there is a light in every man teaching unto Christ and unto salvation And if Christ put a light in every man that cometh into the world to guide him unto the Father and unto life I deny that to be true for that 's a naturall light which is onely the light which Christ the Word communicates to all men Nay the light that all men have though it seem to make them to know God as God yet it is not sufficient to make them to know that there is a Father or a Son or the holy Ghost that there is a Gospell And saith I am the light of the world that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that is both Jews and Gentiles And he that walks in the light shall have the light of life Now here lyes the deceit Answ The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall the Câ—venant of God to Jewes and Gentiles which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which they that walk in the light walk in Christ and come to see before any naturall light was And he that walks in the light shall not abide in the darknesse but shall have the light of life and with the light he shall know God he shall know the Son he shall know the Gospell he shall know the holy Ghost and that light is not naturall And he that knoweth God knoweth the Father and none knows him but with the light of Christ Jesus who reveals him for God is the Father And I will give him for a Covenant a light to the Gentiles a new Covenant
hearers are ashamed of you and will not justifie your practices and so yee have shewed your consciences who take the tenths that you are not exercised with the light neither be in the mystery of the Faith which gives to see the end of all changeable things And are not you begging with your Petitions for more maintenannce with your Petitions flying up and down for Glebe-lands and Augmentations to the powers of the earth and sending for Writs summoning up to the Courts people that you do no work for and this hath been the end of your fruits Pr. He that scorns to make use of the labours of men for his improvement in the things of God shewes himselfe proud If there be occasion to make use of humane Authors which we offer to our Hearers Answ Humane Authors are from the earth from the fallible nature to mixe and mingle that with that which is received from God he shews that he hath not discerning and makes that not sufficient which he hath received from God and this is contrary to the Apostles what the Saints of the Lord had delivered they did not mixe it with mens enticing words of wisdome neither did they speak it in the words which mans wisdome taught but which the holy Ghost did teach them Therefore this is to teach from mens labours or humane Authors for mens Labours and the humane authors invented come out of that nature which prisons the seed of God and so that is not agreeable to that which is received from God but every ones words there shall be his burthen and so humane authors are not to be mixed with the word of God for the word is pure nothing is to be added to or taken from it he that doth shall be proved a lyer and the higher power is not humane nor fallible Pr. Paul and Peâ—er were instructed by an immediate revelation which we are not so presumptuous to expect or to make the Ap stles condition our condition humane learning wil not acquaint us with the mind of God yet being sanctified it is a great assistance to that end Ans Are not ye in the presumption usurp authority to preach or to teach that have not the immediate revelation as the Apostles had but have got their words and usurps the authority and are out of their power is not this usurping Are not all who be not of the power in the words of the Apostles such as are to be turned away from by the command of the Apostle And are not all who be of God and in the power the life that the Prophets Christ and the Apostles were in the immediate revelation of God Can any know the Scriptures or the truth given forth from the spirit of truth learned of God the Father of truth but by the immediate revelation which is the spirit of God which reveales the things of God And thou speakest of study and prayer can any dvide the word aright or pray aright but in the spirit and where that is is not there immediate revelation from God and this thou calls presumption to be in the revelation as the Apostles were in which it is presumption to meddle with their words and not to be in the condition they were in that is persumption and to usurp athority and so ye are them that are got up since the daies of the Apostles ravening inwardly from the spirit of God that they were in have sheeps cloathing which Christ said should come Iohn saw was come went forth form them which since the daies of the Apostles the world have gone after you all but who have their names written in the book of life before the foundation of the world keep Jesus testimony And humane learning doth not help in the way and things of God as it is in it self but as the spirit doth open through all things and beyond all things and comprehends all Languages and sees before languages were that is it that ministers to the spirits in prison and that is not called humane learning which sees over languages and beyond languages and comes to have power over tongues languages and speeches and sees before they were Pr. Costome hath made it the civility of our language to say you to one and not to say thou to a Superiour except it be a Familier It is no great fault to respect mens persons and the Scripture onely makes men wise to salvation And it is a pernitious error in placing justification and salvation in righteousnesse within Ans That the righteousnesse of Christ might be fulfiled in us and where Christ is within there is sanctification and there is justification there is salvation known for there is no salvation known nor felt without but first it is found within Faith evidenceth it the spirit witniâ—sing the spirit comes to witnesse it the light sees it this is within And so they that have these words of righteousnesse of sanctification of Justification without not within are in the error none knows them without but first they know them within and you to a superiour and Thou to a familiar Is not God the Superiour the supream and dost thou say You to God dost thou esteem man higher in a place beyond God is not this ambition and pride and presumption and foolishnesse must thou not come to be judged here and be humbled for your miscariages and Thou to a familiar a person of low degree canst thou speak more familiarly to God then to man Thou to him and You to man is this righteous and sound speech that cannot be condemned Dost thou not in this shew that thou never learned the Accidence or Bible he that respects persons commits sin dost thou respect the poor and the rich in thy words and is by the law reproved to be a transgressor and is out of the faith that is held without respect of persons And as for the rest of all thy lies and hard expressions in thy Book they shall come upon thy self and to thee be a heavie burthen And the day hastens upon thee apace to the witness of God in thy conscience I speak which will let thee see that it had been better for thee if thou had never opened thy mouth then to have opened thy nakedness to the Nation and this is not the way to convert souls to rail for railing never converted any but brought them into a form out of the power and so encreased knowledge which was their sorrow R. Sherlock His Principles as followeth Pr. HE saith They do not attain the knowledge and understanding of the Gospel by the same means as the Apostles did saith he we Preach the same Gospel as the Apostles preached but do not attain to the knowledge and understanding of this Gospel by the same means Answ That which the Apostles received they received from God so ye receiving it not by the same means have received it from men and not from God Pr. He saith
of glory Pr. He saith It is a Devillish doctine not to forsake quaking and trembling Answ So in this thou mayest say it is Devillish doctrine to say salvation must be wrought out by trembling and quaking so thou shewest thou never knew salvation for before men have salvation wrought out they must know trembling and quaking and so thou hast shut thy selfe out from Moses and Davids condition and such as the Lord regards and trembles at his word Prin. He saith Flesh and bone cannot be a measure in one and a measure in another Answ Whereas the Apostle saith we are of his flesh and of his bone Here thou art contrary to the Apostle and that was more then one that had the flesh of Christ and his bone and his spirit Pr. He cries Oh Luciferian pride to save souls Answ What good doth all your preaching do Here thou spoilest all the rest of the Priests and shews thy selfe to be contrary to the Apostles who watched for the soul and saved souls that turned people from a multitude of sins Pr. He saith God the Father never took upon him humane nature Answ Contrary to the Scripture who saith God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe and art ignorant of the great mystery God manifest in the flesh and his name is called the everlasting Father As for the word Humane which is from the ground it comes from thy own knowledge which is earthly and Christ took upon him the seed of Abraham and David according to the flesh and this is Scripture-Language Pr. He saith The holy Ghost is a person and that there was a Trinity of three persons before Christ was born Answ Thou knowest not him that is in the Father and the Father in him glorified with the Father before the world began And the Scriptures doth not tell people of a Trinity nor three persons but the Common-prayer-Masse-book speaks of three persons brought in by thy father the Pope and the Father Son and holy Spirit was always one Pr. He compares immediate revelation from heaven like unto the false Prophets dreams And again he saith the Scriptures is the word of God Answ Here he fights with the rest of his fellows who saith Scriptures signifies writings and writings are not God but the Scriptures of truth are Gods words which Christ the Word fulfils They are not the word of God which thou hast blasphemously affirmed but Christ is the word of God and they be out of the feare of God and the spirit and knows not the Son nor the Father that denies Revelations but are among the false Prophets and false Dreamers Pr. He saith The Scriptures are the Word except you dare to deny Christ is God And he brings a Scripture Let the word of God dwell in you richly Answ So he makes the Scripture Christ and God and he doth not say let Christ dwell in you but means the Scripture and God dwels in you And the Apostle said Let Christ dwell in your hearts by faith and God will dwell in you but thou saith Christ doth not dwell in them personally Doth not Christ dwell in his Saints as he is in the person of the Father the substance and are not they of his flesh and of his bone Pr. They that hear the Word of God do not hear the Son the holy Scriptures are the mediate Word of God Ans Now all people where ever did you read of a mediate word of God Doth not the word of God endure for ever and is it mediate And that he calls God heavenly Father and never heard his voyce nor his Sons and denies immediate teachings and he that knows the spirit that gave forth Scriptures hears the Son Pr. He saith God limits the supream holy one by the inspired writings of the Apostles and that is his third dispensation of his minde to men And he saith they are taught by inspired Scriptures which is mediate not by Letter which is litterally the Letters or Letter Answ Inspired Scriptures and yet mediate the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy and the Spirit inspires which the Letter doth not and Gods teaching is by his spirit and the holy one is not limited by the words of the Apostles who fulfils them and many words the Apostles spoke which he did not write Pr. And he calls the Devill the tutor to say not made Minister of the Letter Answ So we speak the Apostles words and he makes the Devill the Apostles tutor who said the letter killeth but the spirit gives life who was not a Minister of the Letter but of the spirit said and sayes this that makes the Devill the Apostles tutor which is a lye and his own and the Devill is the Tutor of the Ministers of the Letter and not of the Spirit who can run into it who is out of the truth Pr. He speaks of a morall Law Answ Which he hath no Scripture for the Scripture speaks no such thing but darkens counsell by his words Pr. He saith The Scripture contains the mediate inspired teachings written word of God that was and is God Ans Which the Scriptures say the heaven of heavens cannot contain him and God and Christ was before any written words was and the mediate teaching of the whole Scripture-letter he speaks of which he calls God and Christ and all the mediate teaching is carnall and the Scriptures doth not continue the immediate teachings of Gods inspiration but testifies of those things Pr. He saith The written word is the sword of the spirit And he makes another rule besides the Scripture's false Answ Which we say is the spirit that gave them forth whereby peace is known upon the Israel of God And the Pharisees had the Scriptures but had not the sword of the spirit the Scriptures testifies of the sword of the spirit Pr. He saith It is a lye to say the Saints shall judge the world Answ So he would make Christ and the Apostles lyars and would take the judgement from the Son and make Christ at a distance from the Saints so he is ignorant of the Saints and Christ both and knows not the time of the Saints judging when the Lord is come but stands in the counsels of his own heart and in the hidden things of darknesse Pr. He saith No Saint can be a judge of the world Answ Contrary to Cor. 6. where the Apostle saith Do ye not know the Saints shall judge the world And they abide not in the truth that affirms it as thou saith so hast shewed thy ignorance and one of them that is judged by the Saints Pr. He denies the Son of God to be revealed in man onely by adoption and cries against equality with the Father Answ And that is contrary to the Apostle who had the Son of God revealed in him And the Assembly of Divines gave forth a Catechisme which children old and young was to learn and said the holy Ghost and Son was equall in substance
and David with sin which God justified and said Job did not sin with his mouth Though Paul did cry out of the body of sin yet he found victory over the body of sin and knew the redemption which the creatures waited for the liberty of the Sons of God and said they were made free from sin in Rom. 6. and they were justified from all things and by the one offering for ever he had sanctified Because the Quakers own the light Christ and are come into the spirit that gave forth Scriptures and heard the voyce of the Son of God and denies all them that sayes they have not heard the voyce of the Son of God and Christ to be in them Therefore he saith they have forsaken the truth because they deny them that have the forme and are out of the life and despises and denies the power that shakes that which is to be shaken for no one knows salvation but by the light Pr. He said God did not come in his spirituall Essence with his Son on the earth And he saith that God the Father was not in his spirit with his son upon the earth Answ And the Scripture said the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt in him bodily and the Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father I in thee and thou in me so he was not alone but the Father was with him Pr. He saith The Quakers are lying deluders in saying the Kingdome of heaven is within them Answ That 's contrary to Luke 17. which saith the Kingdome of heaven is within you Pr. And he hath not heard of any other people in the world taught immediately by Christ but the Quakers Answ And the two witnesses which he calls them he brings against truth which opposed truth in London So shewing what he and all people are taught by a mediate use of the Scriptures all may judge where that is and the Devill rules such that be from the immediate and all that are not taught immediately are not taught by God nor by his spirit Pr. This sort of people that are for immediate Revelation and it is dangerous for any man to trust to immediate Revelations and preach Christ within man and the two Witnesses preached Christ without And this he saith is a hellish snare to please every mans pallate Answ And thus he may charge all the people of the Lord who were taught and are taught of the Lord And thus he fights against them that were taught immediately and his teachings and mans teachings are mediate and they are in the snare that be out of the immediate teaching and all that know God and the Son are taught immediate by the spirit that is immediate And so it is not a very strange thing that he should give forth so many ill-favoured railing expressions which his Book is stuffed full withall against the people of God whose work in it is to charge the Elect with sin but we say the Lord rebuke him Pr. And he saith The Saints are not any time without sin even when they were borne of God Ans So not knowing the creatures coming into the liberty of the sons of God nor the birth born of God Pr. And saith Sin is in the saints for their humiliation Ans Contrary to the Scripture which saith Christ is their humiliation and bears their sins and destroys it which humility is not like mans being brought down by sin for sin exalts Pr. That the inward man and the power of God in man never brings the outward man so subject as to be without sin Answ This we say God wrought salvation by Christ alone without mans works and who believes in him are saved and who doth not are condemned and the power of God and Christ subdues the sin in man and destroys it that man becomes the Temple of God His Query is Whether God could not have saved man without Christs dying Ans God can do what he will who was in Christ reconciling himselfe to the world and Christ did not save the world without God And thou hast shewed in thy Book stuffed with lyes how thou hast been tormented and of the filthy ayre come out of thee And the Devill was in thee and thou saith thou art saved by Christ without thee and so hath recorded thy selfe to be a Reprobate and ignorant of the mystery of Christ within thee for without that thou dost not know salvation And these before mentioned be thy Principles which thou to the Nation hath published in print and all sober people may judge thee as for thy lies they are not worthy mentioning neither are they worth reading of them but upon thy own head they will fall and a heavy weight and burden thou must bear who goes about to sow discord among the brethren but the accuser of the brethren is cast out but the witness shall answer me in the day of thy judgement Christopher Wades Principle in his book called Quakery slain irrecoverably who himself hath slain irrecoverably and the same judgement wherewith he judgeth us he hath brought upon himself and the Quakers are recovered out of his snare and hath taken him in his own and hath chained him and bound him Henry Hagger's Book called The holy Scripture clearing it self His Principles in it as followeth Pr. DAvid never boasted of perfection nor Paul nor John and such as say they are free from sin it is their whole work to carry away poor souls from truth Answ There is none comes into the truth nor no soul comes out of the deceived estate but who comes out of the sin and is made free from it as the Apostles speaks of to the Romans such as served God in a new life was made free from sin and God said Job was a perfect man and eschewed all evil mark all and David said he had seen the end of all perfection and Paul spoke wisdom among them that were peâ—fect and said the life that he lived was by the faith of the Son of God though the Apostle had cryed out of a body of sin ye the saith he was manifest in his flesh to condemn the sin in his flesh and through Christ he hath victory and witnessed the Circumcision that put off the body of sin and saw where there is no condemnation Pr. The Scripture is the sure word of prophesie and the Scripture will bring men to the knowledge of God Answ The spirit is the rule that gave forth the Scripture and the Word of God gave them to discern and to savour who spoke the word of the Lord and who stole their word from their neighbour when the Lord had never spoken to them where the spirit was in the prison where the spirit was out of prison with whom they had unity and who had the form of godliness but denyed the power and who was the false spirit that went out into the world and the Antichrists and the false prophets and such as was turned from the
the word but the Scripture is the word and so these poor creatures erre not knowing the Scripture to speak in the singular number is non-sence and they that translated the words thee and thou might have translâ—ted them you Answ The spirit gave to speak the proper Language singular and plural and spake such words as cannot be condemned And if translators that be out of that translate the words given forth from the spirit into what form soever they will yet the spirit will finde it out and the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world by which all things were made made lights and created lights Christ Jesus the light whiâ—h doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world need not have these outward lights or discoveries they were all made by the light which light was before these were made and they which are come into the reconciliation with God are in perfection out of the imperfection from under the wrath and the Word reconciles hammers down cuts down and burns up that which is contrary and sanctifies and makes clean and Christ Jesuâ— his name is called the word of God the Scripture saith so and they say that the Scriptures are the words of God which in Christ the word which was before they were given forth comes to fulfill them and that which is imperfect is done away Pr. To say that God is substantially in man as Essentially one with him can be no other but the man of sin the Devil himself having transformed himself into an Angel of Light and if it were possihle would â—â—â—â—â—ve the very Elect. Answ The Scripture saith that God will dwell in man and walk in him and the Saints had unitie with the Father and the Son and all that hates the Light which Christ the Light hath enlightened them withall hath not the Father and the Son in such the man of sin reigns and in such the Devil may transform but the Elect he cannot deceive the Elect hath the victory and Dominion which were elected in him before the foundation of the world glory for ever and as for all the other words in thy book they are not worth mentioning they will be thy own burthen they will fall heavy upon thee in this day when thou shalt shalt give an accompt to God James Brown His Book called Antichrist in spirit His expressions and Principles as followeth Pr. THat the light in every man is a certain guide and rule in all things this is the means whereby Scriptures are slighted Answ No one knows nor owns the Scriptures but as the light of Christ that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world doth guide and teach them the light of Christ within which gives them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and Scriptures and to see the Scriptures and doth not slight them Pr. To witnesse God and Christs glorious resurrection and heaven and the happinesse of new Jerusalem this is lookt upon as an errour Answ Christ within who is the resurrection the glory the kingdome of heaven is there and David who witnessed him was in hell he was upon the earth too and he that witnessed the new Jerusalem and that happinesse was upon the earth And they that have all these words not possessing the life they have no comfort in what they speak nor in what they professe and the babes and the children that are free knows their mother that is from above Pr. If there be no outward meanes but light within what need of the Scriptures Answ The light Christ within was in the Saints before the Scriptures was given forth and that was it which was their guide to give forth the Scriptures wherein they walked and did not stumble and that is it which gives to see the Scriptures again to what condition they are spoken and the use of them Pr. The day is not yet dawned nor the day-star the bright and morning Answ The Apostle tells the Saints of the Day-star and they were children of the day and the night was over the true light shined and the darknesse past Though some indeed were not come to the day-star and the light shined in darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not Where darknesse rules there be the works that are out of the light and among such as have apostatized since the dayes of the Apostles the day-star is not risen to them they see it not but amongst the children of light it is seen and they that see it not are comprehended The day-star is risen and they are children of the day Pr. And them that bring people to looke at the light within them are as Corah Dathan and Abiram Ans All that go from the light within them are as Corah Dathan and Abiram amongst the Lords Prophets exalting themselves and persecuting Pr. All men are not so taught of God as they shall be at Israels return Answ All men are taught of God that be in the Covenant whether Israel heare or not Pr. I know that many of the Quakers are temperate sober self-denying people but this is but the tything of hearbs Answ It was the Doctrine of the Apostle who preached Christ the end of tything and hearbs and self-denyall sobernesse temperance was not called the tything of hearbs for the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures brought to this Pr. And the light within is darkness and I never read of the Churches of the Saints that spoke by two Answ The Apostles doctrine to the Corinthians was that they might speak by two or three And the light within which is the light of Christ which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world the darknesse cannot comprehend it though it shine in it till it shine forth in the heart to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Pr. And that the Kingdome that is in the Saints is in the Pharisees I deny Answ The same that is in the Saints is in the Pharisees in the measure though it be but as a grain of mustard-seed which is like to the leaven little Pr. The state of arising from sin to grace is never called a resurrection Answ They that arise from sin to grace out of the first Adam into the second Adam comes into the resurrection the second death shall have no power over them and the Saints comes to judge the world Pr. Such as trust to a light within them forsake the holy oyle the Lords spirit that speaks in the Scriptures Answ The Lords spirit spoke in them that gave forth the Scriptures who had the holy oyle the light within them And the spirit speaks not from the Scripture but by that which gave it forth which is the Author of it Pr. I deny that any have a light within them to attain to the measure of God and Christ as they that have the writings Ans None attains to the mystery of God but by the light
them you keep with clubs and staves lest any should be moved from the spirit of the Lord to speak amongst you from the Lord. And your Parishes and Flock which you undertake to prove to be a true Church alack for you that people should be so impudent to say these are pillars and ground of truth or the Steeple-houses be the pillars and ground of truth A company of Drunkards Swearers covetous proud persons given to pleasures you are like them that said they were Jewes and were not but the synagogue of Sathan a nest of unclean birds Pr. We expect not perfect unity till we have perfect knowledge and holiness Ans Have you cryed up your selves to be the ministers of Christ all this while and have not perfect knowledge perfect holinesse perfect unity The least unity is perfect in the spirit and the least knowledge and the least holinesse in the spirit and this you acknowledge you have not perfect unity perfect knowledge perfect holinesse and this hath been the cause you have kept all people since the Apostles in blindnesse out of the unity in that which is unholy who say you have not the perfect knowledge for the least of holinesse is perfect and in the holinesse is the unity in whith is the perfect knowledge though in the least degree and this thou hast confessed you have not and we doe believe you and so out of thy own words thou and you are proved unsanctified for who are sanctified have perfect unity perfect knowledge perfect holinesse Pr. I use notes as much as any man when I am laâ—y or busy c. Ans This is it which holds up your lazy minds which you gather out of books selling it again by the hour-glasse and make that day you call sabbath your market day selling both prayers and preaching who have not the spirit of the Lord to lead you to speak as it moves and to lead you to all truth as it did the Disciples so it is lazynesse indeed that hath set up your notes and reads them by the glasse for money and who have learnd seven years out of books Colledges and then gather up out of your authors books in notes and thus make a trade of them and then teâ—ls the people you are sent and it is the word of the Lord which it is but the reading of books and yet you tell people you never heard the voice of God if any aske you thus deluders are judged out of their own mouths who have a law if any are moved of the spirit of the Lord while they are reading their notes or speaking before or after none to speake against what they have gathered out of their books and studies which was not the works of the true ministry but the worke of those who were out from the true spirit and so were ministers of the letter and old authors and notes Pr. He saith They are unmercifull men that say more glorious dayes are appearing and that the Saints shall rule the world Answ In this thou hast judged thy selfe and there need no more words be spoken to it And the rest of thy lyes and slanders in thy Book which are not worth mentioning they will fall upon thy own head John Cole His Book printed 1658. His Principles in it as followeth Pr. IT 's a common thing for the young Harlot to say minde the Light within Answ The light which doth enlighten every man which cometh into the world all Harlots draws from and be out of it and such may beget proselytes and father them upon God which are not in the Truth but the day is come that all things are made manifest and by it doth appear and the light which every man which cometh into the world is enlightned withall is the offence to all the evill doers who be out of salvation and the Covenant of God and none sees salvation but by it Pr. The young Harlot can but mend evill old Adam by her exhortations and instructions and doings and threatnings and she doth fright some to her obedience Ans The Harlot is in that which evill old Adam is in in the transgression and so they which be harlotted from the spirit of God cannot mend and instruct the transgressor they themselves being in the transgression They may tell them of the Saints words and speak them as the Devill doth who is out of the Truth but thou John Cole art fallen into the earth and there art quarrelling And as for the rest of the stuffe in thy Book which is not worth mentioning but when thou feels the root and tree burn and fall into a fire about thee and thee in it then remember thou hast not that which doth not savour withal as thy confused childish workâ— do appear which in print thou hast published to the world Alexander Rosse his Booke which he calls A view of all RELIGIONS His Lies and Principles Pr. GOd is not in the quaking of the body Ans Was it not God that made the body of David to quake and Daniel and Habakkuk and Job and the mountains quake at the giving forth of his Law And doth not God say He doth not shake the earth but heaven also Now dost not thou manifest thy selfe to be one of them that cast them out that tremble at the Word and tells them that God is not among them And as for Alexander Rosse his lies and slanders in saying the Quakers said Christ had failings and distrusted God which thousands of thousands that can witnesse to thy face thou art a liar it is a sufficient proof to them that thy book is made up of such stuffe of lyes which is thy view from the Creation And the rest of thy Book is much like unto that and the false prophets studying a divination of their owne brain to get money by we deny but such as divide the word aright we own and all that pray and preach and sing for money and make a trade of the Scripture to get money by we disown but such as pray and sing by the spirit we own and all your Readings for money we deny but who reads freely we own and all your Seremonies we do deny and are come to the substance Christ Jesus before the world was made Pr. The leaves of a tree are not the fruits thereof and yet without them the fruit would not prosper Answ Art thou a fit man to give a view from the Creation of the World who erres thus in Naturals For pluck off the leaves of the Vines and see if the grapes will not prosper Art thou a fit man to give a view of Religion and blasphemy and errour from the Creation who art not able to give a true view of the Naturalls Pr. Thou sayest It is horrid blasphemy to say the Scripture is not the Word of God and to say the soule is a part of God Answ The Scriptures are the words of God in Exodus and the four Books of the
not the Apostles but rebuked such And so you are corrected by the Scriptures and you are judged with the life of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles and both Church and Ministers are departed from it The agreement and resolution of severall of the associated Ministers in the County of CORKE for the ordination of MINISTERS Their principles in it as followeth Pr. TO minister the spirit it is not promised to teach any thing but what Christ hath spoken John makes it an infallible tryall of spirits to convince gainsayers and stop their mouths Answ Many may have Christs words all that ever he hath spoken and if he hath not the spirit of Christ he is none of his And gainsayers may have Christs words that gainsays the spirit and the light that comes from them So the spirit tries spirits that gave forth Scriptures and lets men see whether they pervert Christs words for Christ saith the false Prophets would get the sheeps cloathing therefore could Antichrist and the false Prophets try spirits Nay they put them to death that were in the spirit they did that had the sheeps cloathing and the spirit of Christ who hath it can tell who wrongs Christs words And why did not the Ministers of Ireland which had Christs words Prophets Apostles stop the mouth of Edward Burrough and Francis Howgill but suffered them to be banished out of the Nation or caused them You looked upon them to be gainsayers which be the servants ot the Lord and yet you were not able to stop their mouths though you had all the sheeps cloathing neither were able to resist their spirit which shews your spirit And that you are not fit to send forth Ministers nor make Ministers nor try Ministers and the Apostle doth not say that the Letter is the onely rule or tryall but if people have not the spirit of Christ they are none of his and have not Christ in them they are reprobates And we do witnesse the spirit is come whereby we are Ministers of that not of the Letter For the spirit that once established Circumcision the same spirit ended it again Now the Jewes that tryed by the Letter judged the Apostle to be a deceiver And those that have the sheeps cloathing and have not the spirit of Christ Jesus they are crying loe he is here and loe he is there Pr. You tell us of a Sacrament and that the world lies in wickedness in grosse Aegyptian darknesse and false Apostles and Jezebel making her selfe a Prophetess to teach and seduce and men loving preheminence and to be called Masters Answ In this state you are called of men Masters loving preheminence Jezebel-like usurpt authority setting up your selves to teach keeping your fasts persecuting and banishing the righteous in the steps of the false Apostles spirituall Aegypt in grosse thick darknesse rejoycing with the world that lyes in wickednesse telling people of your Sacraments which you had from your Father the Pope and the false Apostles your fore-fathers who were got up before the Apostles decease and so you are judged with the life of the Apostles and Christ and them that be in it which shall answer the witnesse of God in you all And the wickednesse of the world declares your fruits that you have not profitted the people at all And your Iezebels doings hath declared it selfe and your loving preheminence being called of men masters which the Apostle judged and Christ cryed woe against These marks are found in your fore-heads that all may read you to be out of the life of Christ and the Apostles that can read Scripture Pr. Vnlesse some Preacher of righteousnesse be then living to warne the sinfull world of their wickednesse Answ Such as warne you and the sinfull world of their wickednesse who are the Preachers of righteousnes you banish there is your fruits Pr. The purest grain hath its chaffe the best needs a fan to cleanse them the best needs a Nathan all flesh is liable to flie-blows To runne without office and power argues presumption Ans The wheat that is gotten out of the chaffe hath not its chaffe that comes into his Garner And such as are cleansed need not the Fan to cleanse them Them that are borne of God they do not commit sinne for the seed of God remains in them that they cannot And all need not a Nathan all are not adulterers and the flesh of Christ is not fly-blown which sees not corruption And the Saints of Christ are of his flesh and his bone and you run without the power that the Apostles were in so you judge your selves to be the presumptuous ones Pr. The keep are apt to wander ordinary Ministers receive their Ministery from the Lord. Paul chosen immediately by God Stephen mediately Answ In the cloudy dark day the sheep wandered who were made a prey of by you who seek for the fleece Ezek. 34. But the Lord will seek them and gather them and feed them a top of the mountains And the sheep of Christ heares his voyce and follows him so saith Christ so they do not wander And they that receive their Ministery from the Lord are above all you ordinary Ministers of the world made by men And Paul was made immediately and all the Ministers of Christ and God that be in the spirit it makes them immediately But all you since the dayes of the Apostles that have got the sheeps cloathing and ravened from the spirit of God are mediate Pr. Such be in the selfe-conceit that are against Ordinances and Sabbaths Answ Every one that is in the spirit of Christ sees him who hath blotted out the hand writing of Ordinances and triumphed over them cannot touch them and such as are come to the body of Christ sees the end of new Moons and Sabbaths And such as be out of the body and doth not see that are crying up their Ordinances and Sabbath which the body of Christ comes to end who is the substance and end of them and before they were Now Antichrist cries up that which the Apostle preached down who be blinde and sees not the body and sets up Sabbaths of their own making and keeps Markets and Fayrs on that day which the Lord commanded and call it Saturns day which was the Iewes Sabbath which was given to them as a signe but the body is Christ Pr. Vice may be nourished with the milke of vertue the Gospell Ministers and we finde that the harvest is great and the labourers are few We conclude with a few words to the readers of our principles and intended practices Ans The Readers have viewed your practices and principles both and tell you that they are corrupt the milke of vertue doth not nourish vice This was not the Ministers of Christs language the milke of vertue nourisheth the babes and the Labourers that have been sent amongst you from the Lord God you have banished out of your Nation But if one come in his own name him you will
regard and receive but if one come in the Name of the Lord him you put out so you will not have the Lord nor his Christ to reign neither his servants to labour in his Vineyard Pr. Ministery is like a mighty tree whose fruit the Lord hath appointed for the healing of the Nations Answ But your Ministers and the Papists hath been them got up since the days of the Apostles that brings Nations all into heaps and into blood and doth not heale the Nations but wounds and burthens and kills and casts into prison as this your fruit declares it who casts into prison such as you doe no work for Pr. To the Law and to the Testimony pray to the Father of lights that he would enlighten us with his truth and shew us the way that he would have us to walke in and pray for us who watch for your soules as those that must give account Answ The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy And the Law is light and the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn and the Epistles were written and the Revelations which outward Books you call Law and Testimony which the Scripture saith the testimony of Iesus is the spirit of prophesie and the Law is light Prov. 6. Are you them that are the makers of Ministers and Ministers who watch for the soules of people and yet do you bid people pray to the Father that he would enlighten you with his truth and shew you the way that you may walke in it How can you present soules to God that doth not know the way and are yet to be enlightned and yet to have the way shewed so you that you might walke in it Is this your conclusion of all you Ministers in Ireland Now I say Christ hath enlightned every man which comes into the world which is the way and though your darknesse cannot comprehend it and yet you pray that he would enlighten you When John saith he doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and that is the true light Have you the light to seek and the way to seek and truth to seek and yet watchers for souls And the soule you that are called Ministers saith it is humane yea the soule of Christ the soule of man is appetite and lust and pleasure and humane from the earth from the ground Is Christs soule from the ground and appetite lust and pleasure wars against the soul in them that be in the unreasonablenesse You that have the light to seek truth to seek and way to seek are in the earth and so gives the soule the name of that which comes from the ground Now the soule is immortall God breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soule It is that which came out from God who hath all souls in his hand that 's his power which hand goes against him that doth evill And Christ the power of God which is immortall is the souls Bishop which is immortall from whence it hath its nourishment and the immortall which is able to save the immortal soul And as for all the rest of your ignorance and non-sence in your Book which comes from your confused earthly spirit who are found in the nature spirit and stock of your Father the Pope who hath apostatized since the dayes of the Apostles with all the rest of your stuffe which is but fuel for the fire in that day of your account the witnesse in all your consciences shall answer it John Stillom his Book called Margent Notes His Principles as followeth Pr. HEe calls it the Quakers adoring their own light magnifying the light of nature The Church is ashamed of your doctrine and walking saith he Ans The Quakers light is Christ the truth in whom they worship God which light was before naturall lights were and this the Church owns and is not ashamed of in which stands the Doctrine by which light the Church is gathered up unto God the Father of light but the imitated Churches in the Apostacy are ashamed of it Pr. Not any man knows him speaking of Christ to be God till he finde him in Scripture and saith as deep things as the spirit hath revealed they are all in the Scripture Ans Many knew God and knew Christ and yet had not written Scripture to tell them of those things as Enoch and Abel and many again hath Scripture speaking of God and Christ and yet doth not know God and Christ and doth not finde him in Scripture As instance the Pharisees knew not God and Christ which had the Scripture and had not life untill they came to Christ the Scripture speaks of and many things the spirit did reveal which was not written in the Scriptures and was spoken to the Saints Pr. John meaneth not that there was any substantiall truth necessary to be known to salvation which is not revealed in the written Word but the spirit that ordered the Copies and mysteries of the Gospell to be contracted within a narrow compass of lines Answ Many knew their salvation as in the dayes of Noah Enoch and David which had not the written Scriptures And though people have the Copies that speaks of the Gospel of the mysteries of the Gospel put together and compassed and contracted into lines yet they do not know the Gospell nor the mysteries of it nor the Word though they testifie of these things and the Pharisees did not that had Scripture which Scripture doth not tell us of written words but that the Word is Christ and God which was in the beginning before words were given forth And Gospell and salvation and the mysteries of it is known by the Spirit and the Light which come from Christ Jesus which none knows it but by that Pr. Stillom adds not onely heart rising prophesie nâ—r breast-prophesie in the minde but written downe in books The Apostle excludes not heart-prophesie so he includes Scripture-prophesie but till the day-star did arise in their mindes by the reading and heeding of the Scriptures that is plain meaning Answ The Scriptures were given forth by prophesie and the spirit of it and no man knows but by the same spirit and the Apostle did not exclude heart-prophesie and the Day-star doth not rise in the heart by mens reading and heeding the Scriptures in their own wills and having them in books written down but as men do come to the life and spirit as they were in that gave them forth and heed that with that they heed Scripture and knows Scripture and with that they know the Day-star and Christ who is the end of them and so men must come to take heed of the light that shines in a dark place before they know the Day-star arise For the Jewes had Scripture and did not heed that for the spirit within of prophesie doth not deny any tittle of the Scripture without And in thy Principle thou hast confounded thy selfe who saith Not heart-prophesie heart-rising
does not say the Elect onely and he through death hath destroyed the power of death the Devill Heb. 2.14 and thou art to be reproved for thy judgement for thy unbelief for thy righteousnesse for thy sin because of thy unbelief for thy judgement because the Prince of this world is judged Io. 16. so Christ doth not say I am the light of the Saints of the elect onely but I am the light of the world Io. 8.12 and saith that light is come into the world this is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then it because their deeds are evill Io. 3.19 So its unbelief that shuts out Rom. 11.20 So the gates stand open night and day and every one that doth evill hates the light will not come to it because it wil reprove him and he will not come in to the gate for he that comes to the gate comes to the light he that comes to the light comes out of condemnation comes to be a child of the light he that hates the light wil not come into the kingdome of God And for thy saying God hath ordained a great part of the world to Hell let them repent and doe all that ever he hath commanded them he that doth the things that Christ commands enters the Kingdome he that repents his mind is changed and whosoever believeth shall not perish and this command is generall Io. 10.28 through the whole world therefore thou with the Devills Doctrine shuts up the Kingdome of Heaven against others and wilt not goe in thy selfe who saies let men repent and doe all that ever they can they must goe to hell when God wils not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turne from his wickednesse and live Ezek. 33.11 but he is mercifull and judges not as thou dost whose eyes are blinded and hands full of blood so I say whosoever repents and doth the things they are commanded they shall be saved and that which thou sayest to the contrary we conclude to be the Devills doctrine and whosoever resists the thing that is commanded that will be their condemnation but hates the light which was before the world was which lighteth every man that cometh into the world that all through him might believe for he that believes in the light shall not abide in darknâ—sse Io. 8.12 shall not come into condemnation shall come to be a child of light Io. 12.36 and they shall have the light of life and so the light is sufficient to save them and condemn them that believe not Jo. 3.18.14 Ia. 4.12 and every one that cometh into the light that they are enlightned withall such come into the election and into the covenant of God and evill consciences thou maist frighten them that hates the light which is their condemnation but the elect thou can neither save nor deceive thanks be to God Christ reigns who will give to every man according to his works who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world not believing is condemned and shut out and such turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and are ordained of old that hate the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world such be in Cain and Balaams way persecutors and murtherers turnes the grace of God into wantonnesse Pr. From the words of Jude 4. they were of old ordained from these words he said That God had predestinated one to life without any cause in the creature lesse or more and the other wicked man to Hell without any cause in the creature lesse or more and both wicked men And before thou said part of the cause that God cast into hell was in the man part in God In this 7th principle and doctrine thou saist there is no cause in the creature that God casts into hell condâ—mns him in the other thou said there was part blame in man part in God 〈◊〉 â—s the devils doctrine a lye found in thy mouth thou hast wrested perverted wronged that scripture in Jude who saith there is no part in man causeth condemnation that all may see that you are lyers he saith they were ungodly they turned the grace of God into lasciviousnesse that brings salvation that denyed the Lord that bought them Jude 11. 2 Pet. 2.1 They were covetous made merchandize of the people through fained words so no covetous nor Idolater shall enter into the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6.9 and all they deny the Lord that bought them but who owns the light that comes from him which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world and none sees him but with the light that comes from him and they goe in Cores way and gain-sayeth the truth who goe from the light that Christ hath inlightned them in the particuler and he that gain-sayeth the truth there is a fault in him and they goe in Caines way that are from the command of God who said if thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted and if he did not well sin lay at the door now these were of old ordained unto condemnation which turned the grace of God into wantonnesse were in Caines way Cores way and brake the commands as Cain did in Balaams way erred from the spirit and admired mens persons because of advantage which Balaam did and loved the wages of unrighteousnesse and so these did not doe the things they were commanded Cain he did not do the thing that he was commanded nor Core that offered strange fire and his company Num. 16. So these of old were ordained for this condemnation which condemnation is the light Io. 3. light foresees them and sees over them and condemns them when they arise and goes out from the spirit of God in them and here all may see here was fault worthy of condemnation and those were they that sensually seperated them selves from the Apostles and had not the spirit Jude 19. in their daies which were covetous which went for the gift and reward which were like raging waves of the Sea which were spots in feasts of charity feasting feeding without feare 2 Pet. 2. Which admired mens persons because of advantage and spoke the high words in hypocrisy Wells without water Trees without fruit raging waves of the Sea foming out their own shame clouds without water carryed about with tempests spots in the feasts of charity like unto Sodom and Gomorah in filthiness which goe from the light that does convince them so there is the self-separation and there is the condemnation that comes over them the light and these are they that seperated from the Apostles which said love your enemies Mat. 5.44 Which are men gone into the world which be in Caines way in envy in Cores way gainsaying the the light they are like raging waves of the Sea foaming out their shame in their pulpits so you are the men that seperates from the
Apostles that be in Cains way who be out of the life and sacrifice the Saints were in that would murther and Cores way that gainsayeth the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world so against the common salvation and ye be like Cain foaming and raging in your Pulpits and would murther all that are contrary to you whose Sacrifice God accepts and yours he does not and God would have accepted of Cain if he had done well Gen. 4. So God is mercifull and a just God but Cain he did not well Therefore wo went out from God against him and so there was fault in him and not in God which was the cause of his condemnation so you that be in Balaams way for the wages of unrighteousness admiring mens persons because of advantage Ye are out of the faith that is held without respect of persons Iam. 2. and so separated from the Apostles to whom Christ said Freely ye have received freely give and you will not give freely who are rageing and foming without you have augmentations stipends gleabe Lands or Tythes great sumes of money gifts or rewards from great â—ouses so you deny the light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world so gain-sayes the common salvation Jude 1. You gain-say the truth that doth enlighten every man that cometh thto the world so in Cores way you are and would have the persons of the Saints murthered so in Caines way as ye confesse that ye have not the spirit that gave forth the scriptures so in the self-separation and ye deny the the light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world which is the Lord Iohn 8.12 And so denies the Lord that bought you 2 Pet. 2.1 And so are for condamnation who are of that stock that separate themselves from the Apostles sensually having not the spirit who are in Cains way that would kill and murther and out of the Apostles way who said love your enemies who are in Balaams way for gifts and rewards and admiring mens persons because of advantage to them speaking high words in hypocrisy and out of the Apostles way to whom Christ said Freely ye have received freely give Mat. 10.6 And out of the Prophets way who said come without a price Isa 55.1 2. And ye will have the price or else you will not come let all that can read Iude over and see if there was not cause in man of his condemnation not in God and so have not you proved your selves in the Doctrine of Devils and in lyes and would make God unrighteous and the Apostles unrighteous for there was fault in Cain fault in Balaam and fault in Core and fault in Sodome and fault in them that turned the grace of God into wantonnesse which were of old ordained for this condemnation Iude 4. Which condemnation is that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evill and so the Apostles taught that there was fault in man as ye may read Iude and thou hast taught there is none so then thou art unrighteous who would make God and the Apostles unrighteous like thy selfe let all that feare God judge of it who are now come to the judgment Seat before the Almighty God who have been them that erred from the Apostles Doctrine with it is judged and are judged and you must have a reward according to your works and he that comes to life comes out of his wickednesse and not the wicked man enters into the kingnome of God Rev. 21. and the promise is to the seed and he that works iniquity departs from the seed Gal. 3.16 And the Election obtaines it Rom. 11.7 Not him that wills nor runs But God that shewes mercy And whereas thou saist the wicked man is ordained to life without any cause in the creature lesse or more This is just the Devils Doctrine againe and to bring every one to hide his Talent and none neither to watch nor pray for that is in the creature that brings him to lay a side wickednesse and to depart from sin and iniquity which lets him see it and covetous and drunkennesse soe through the obedience of the Spirit and that is in the Creature that brings him to confesse his sin and forsake it whereby mercy is shewed the power of God worketh in us saith the Apostle And as they had been servants to unrighteousness so came to yeeld themselves servants unto righteousnesse Rom. 6. How comes the commands of God to be obeyed if there be not somthing in the creature that causes him to obey it For thou saist without any cause in the creature why were all these expressions spoken in scripture that they should obey all things that Christ commanded Mat. 28.20 And all the statutes and Ordinances spoken of in the scriptures if there be not something in man to cause him to obey it but thy intent is to make God unrighteous who respects no mans person but gives to every man a reward according to his works Rev. 2 23. The one as well as the other and all shall appear before the judgement of Christ 2. Cor. 9.10 He will judge the world in righteousness but there is something in the creature for every man that cometh into the world being enlightned whereby he is capable of obeying or disobeying and not believing comes to be condemned and in believing he is saved he hath the witnesse in himselfe Iohn 3.8 1 Io. 5.10 For he that commits sin is the servant of sin Io. 8.24 And there is no respect of persons with God but whosoever doth righteousness is accepted of him Acts 10.34 35. The Apostle said He perceived God was no respecter of persons but whosoever doth wickedly be hates the light and is condemned but whosoever doth the truth cometh to the light Joh. 3.21 and so out of condemnation so thou teaches another Doctrine so as I said before The promise is to the seed the seed is Christ and Christ all and in all 1 Cor. 15.28 And all ungodly and wicked men are shut out of the Kingdom of God where no wicked men enters one nor other and man must be turned again from wickednesse before he enters Rev. 21.8 Pr. He being asked what he would do with Quakers and he said if he had been a civil Magistrate he would have thought it good service to have cut off all their heads Ans There ye may all see if he be not of Cains stock and what an envy proceeds out of his mouth and unchristian Spirit and how would he convert them if they were out of the way and how would he convince them who would cut off their heads hath not this proved the Quakers to be in the truth and he out of it and is not the command of Christ that ye should love your enemies Mat. 5.44 Now ye may see he is out of the command and example but followed the example of Cain the
require at the hand of such Teachers and such Shepherds Pr. The most faithful Messengers of Christ will acknowledge they came short of their duty Answ They that are faithful messengers of Christ have the answer well done thou good and faithful servant where did Paul or John or Peter acknowledge they came short of their duty hath not thou slandered the servants of the Lord thinking them to be like your selves and falsly accusing them that you may seem Justified who are false messengers and comes in his name when you have no Commission from him and you come short of every good work but thus it is not with Christs true messengers for they fulfill his will that sent them and it is the Lord that worketh in them whose they are and whose duty they perform by his spirit Pr. The best of us have stammering tongues in this great work and often times we do it coldly and by halves like Pellipher we see but with one eye like Milkes hear but with one Ear like Vnicorn push against sin but with one horn place not good Preaching in large speaking Judge of a Minister by his brains not lungs by his heart not throat Answ This is confessed to your own shame who doth your work coldly and by halfes it shewes you have not the same spirit that was amongst the Apostles who were zealous and faithful in the work of the Lord and not coldly nor by halves as you do and they saw with their eyes and heard with their ears and their hearts God had opened and they were a terror to all unrighteousness where ever it appeared and the way to Judge of a true Minister is not by his braines nor Lungs nor throat but whether he hath received the Holy Ghost and whether they have the same spirit that was amongst the Apostles and whether the presence of the Lord be with them and effects his own work thorow them these are the signs of Christ Ministers to Judge them by so you have missed the true Charecter to Judge justly and your Judgement is false and it shewes you are not guided by the infallible Spirit of God Pr. We must attend to the words of the Minister though himself be fruitless in which sence we may be said to gather grapes on thorns and figgs on thistles unsanctified Ministers may possibly convert and comfort sinners though our candle be in a dark Lanthorn and the Saints know not what God is a doing Answ Christ said either make the tree good and his fruit good or the tree nought and his fruit nought and none can gather grapes on thorns or figgs on thistles but you say the contrary and are pleading for fruitless Ministers that they should be attended to but the Apostle exhorted to turn from them that had the form of godliness but not the power and judge in your own selves how your words agrees with Christs and the Apostles they appear to be quite contrary And unsanctified men are not Christs Ministers nor Christ ever sent unsanctified Persons and they that run and were not sent should not profit nor did not profit the People at all could neither comfort Saints nor convert sinners but you are pleading for unsanctified Ministers and for sinful Ministers and saith that People should not despise their Doctrine Yea the Doctrine and words of unbelievers are dispised and rejected by the Saints and though thou say Scripture is Scripture though uttered by Satan yet I say Scripture in the mouth of Satan is temptation and not edification and it is true your hearts are dark and minds are dark even as a dark Lanthorn we do believe it and the light in you shines in darkness and is held in the dark Lanthorn and no light in you appears unto the dark world but unholy lives and unsanctified spirits and you know not what God is a doing who are unbelievers but the Saints hath the mind of Christ and knowes what God is a doing for his spirit dwels in them but you have shut out your selves that you are ignorant of God and what he is doing but Christs Ministers their light shines among men and their good works are seen but you have shewed your folly and ignorance to all the world Pr. But what if some what in the lives of Ministers contradict the word they preach disorderly teachers are pretty well purged out if any continue it is the fault of them that do not bring their wickednesse to light that such may be rooted out who make the offering to be abhorred the sins of the teachers being teachers sins Ans The true Ministers of Christ their conversations were in heaven and their good works and holy lives were agreeable to the word they preached on but disorderly teachers are not purged out to preach for hire is a disorder and to cause people to be put into prison and to be persecuted and to be whipped and to have their goods spoiled these are disorderly practices and such are disorderly teachers many of which there is yet unpurged out but now the Lord God is arisen to try and to purge and to bring wickednesse to light and to condemn the sins of teachers and teachers for their sins and such shall be rooted out whose offering is abhorred of the Lord because iniquity lodges in their hearts and their lives are unsanctified contradicting in their practices what they preach in words such are hypocrites whom God will judge and the Lord will utterly root you out in his season you that are disorderly and out of the order of the true Church of Christ Pr. We do not thunder in our Pulpits nor lighten in our conversations as we might our thundrings are no more heard by glorifying Christ then their Halilujahs are by us Ans You want the word of the Lord which is terrible it is not in your mouthes but the words of your own imaginations and your words answer not to the witnesse of God in the peoples consciences but you are like the dreamers the Apostle speaks of whose conversations are bad examples to all that looke upon you your unholy lives gives an ill savor and doth not enlighten any man in the way of truth and Saints that are glorified doth deny you and heares you not excepting to give their witnesse against you neither do you know what the Saints Halelujahs are who rejoyceth over the whore that hath made all nations drunk but of these things are you ignorant and you are shut out from the assembly of them that can sing Halelujah to God and the Lamb for evermore Pr. It is treason to undertake an Embassage without commission I sent them not yet they run saith the Lord not knowing why nor whether they can tell no tidings for climing on high with the Ape they do but shew their owne deformity Ans There is none more guilty then your selves of this treason and out of your owne mouthes will the Lord judge you where is your commission and what is
of them and being her children and she hath corrupted the Earth with her Fornications and Whoredomes and made Nations and Kingdomes drunk with her cup of idolatry But the Lord God is risen and will plead with her and give her double and the holy Prophets Apostles shal rejoyce over her this is coming to passe and this have I seen from the Lord received it from him thus it came upon me to write THe waters have I seen dry'd up the seat of that great Whore Who hath made all Nations drunk through her enticing power And caused the whole earth she hath her fornication cup to take Whereby Nations have long time err'd on whom she long hath sate But Peoples many are and shall and multitudes all may And Nations be converted all unto another way And tongues they are confounded now and kindreds they must mourn And when this is all finished her whole seat then is torn For these all be the great waters on whom her seat hath been And over whom she hath governd ' like as a stately Queen For ages many by-past gone she hath her Whoredoms play'd And Kingdoms hath bewitched and her power have obey'd But now her miseries are seen her witchcrafts are discover'd And shâ— no more shall men deceive for day light is appeared And the Bed woful I have seen of torments great prepar'd Whereon she must be cast and plagues must not be spared But wo to her the cup of wrath is fill'd her to receive And as to others she hath done the same she shall now have And drink she must of that full cup of Gods fierce indignation And then shall all her lovers mourn and make great lamentation And I have seen that City great once populous rich and fair Laid waste and all destroyed and her Merchants dispair Who thorow her have gotten gain themselves for to exalt And from far come to traffique but now they must lament For fire in her is kindled which must her all consume Behold her smoake ascendeth day and night up to Heaven The Antichrist who hath put on and cover'd with sheepes cloathing And long rul'd King on Nations Inwardly ravening Who hath devour'd Gods heritage and had a Kingdom great I have seen him made war against and truth give him defeat Behold the Whore her flesh is burnt her beauty doth now fall She that is all Harlots great Mother whose daughters are Whores all Behold the City great who once made Nations rich and high she 's fallen to the ground and burnt and none more profit her by Behold the Antichrist once great his Kingdom is subduing The Lord alone for ever will rule his Sons Kingdom is coming And the woman that long hath fled into that place of mourning And rested in the wilderness she is again returning And her seed is again springing and shall replenish Nations And the man-childe must come to rule for ever throw gen'rations And when this is all come to pass O then rejoyce and sing Ye Prophets and Apostles all and heavenly children When God hath you avenged upon your enemies all Then is the day of praises for Saints both great and small London the 9. Mo. 1658. By a Servant of Christ Edward Burrough HEar are the Principles of Priests and Professors and Pastors in the Apostacy which have got up since the dayes of the Apostles that in this day are risen against the Lamb and against the Saints which since the dayes of the Apostles the Beast hath had power the false prophet and Mother of Harlots which inwardly ravened from the Spirit of God which hath had the sheepes cloathings and by that mens hath deceived the Nations and got in the Kings of the earth and cloathed them with the out-side whereby the Kings of the Earth and the Beast and false Prophet Dragon Devil Mother of Harlots and the great Whore hath joyned in one together against the Saints then overcame them and cast them into prison and drunk the blood of the Saints and Prophets and martyrs but now shall the Saints and the Lamb have the victory who kills and slayes with the sword which are the words of his mouth agreeble to the Apostles doctrine who wrestle not with flesh and blood now the Beast false prophet and Mother of Harlots Devil and Antichrist that drunk the blood of the Saints that have the sheeps cloathing these are the killers with the sword the slayers with the sword the imprisoners and persecutors which was not the work of the true Apostles true Ministers that kept the faith and patience of Jesus the Martyrs suffered the Saints suffered the Prophets suffered now these was in the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures now the others got the Scriptures Antichrists false prophets Mother of Harlots the Devil the beast and all his names which killed and slew with the sword these are inwardly ravening from the Spirit of God the spirit of the Lamb the spirit of the Apostle who killed and slew with the sword which are the words of his mouth so all these names in the whole Christendom amongst all that are called Christians are got up amongst them since the dayes of the Apostles which be gone out of the life and faith and spirit they were in which they had unity in which was the bond of peace which have had the words but ravened from the life and so are all on heapes about the words and giving one another names so look in whole Christendom and see what abundance of names there be which should be one family and all these names Horns and Crowns and building up and throwing down which is all a mark among them that have had the words but out of the life which now the life is risen which the Apostles lived in which they since the dayes of the Apostles have been out of in many names and heaps in the Apostacy now with the life is all this fathomed and comprehended in which is the unity which life brings people to know God and unity with him and with Scriptures and one with another and all are one here if there be ten thousand times ten thousand And who reads over this book you may read things and see things which you never read nor saw Printed did ever the Lambs worry the wolves and did not the wolves get the sheeps cloathing and ravened after the sheep and Lambs that they might get among them pride and wildeness and pleasure hath swallowed up people teachers and Minsters that if any be sober and still presently he is a Quaker and thus modesty is eaten up A TABLE Shewing in what page the severall principles and answers beginneth SAmuel Eaton his booke called the Quakers confuted Page 1. Iohn Bunyan Rich. Spenceley Iohn Burton Iohn Child their book book called A vindication of a book called some Gospel truths opened pa. 8. Doctor Glissons paper concerning James Parnels death pa. 13. Georg Emmot who calls himselfe a spiritual Quaker converted pa. 14.
the spirit and to wait for secret inspiration of God is to subject men to satannicall delusions c. page 40. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who said holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost and they were to wait for the revelation as in Peter and all be in the Satanical delusion that be not in the immediate teachings from the spirit And every one that hath this spirit and the leading of the spirit hath that which is immediate Pr. He saith the Prophets and Apostles drew people to an outward word c. Ans Now is that which lives and endures for ever outward and did not they bring them to Christ the power of God which is the end of words which is immediate Pr. He saith Is not the Gospel an external way c Answ No the Gospel is a living way which is revealed within and is the power of God to salvation Pr. Are not they seduced saith he who are drawn off from the externall means by which the spirit is given and faith wrought to wait for the receiving of the spirit without any word to convey it to them which spirit when they have it is not the spirit of truth but of delusion c. page 41. Ans The spirit and faith is not conveyed to any man without the word and they are seduced that rests in the externall from the eternall and the spirit is not given by external means neither is faith wrought Pr. And he saith They need not any mans teaching them but as the spirit in the Scriptures teaches and they need not that any teachings of man should be added Ans And so by this he hath thrown out himself from being a Pastor and all other Pastors and Teachers and the spirit is not in the Scriptures but in them that gave it forth And the spirit which gave forth the Scriptures which was in the Saints opens the Scriptures again and leads into all truth Pr. And he saith there is an excesse in that Scripture which saith Ye need no man teach you but as the anointing teacheth you Ans And here he makes as if John did not mean as he spake and would make John as false as himself who spoke truth Pr. And he saith the Apostles sayings to the Saints And ye know all things he calls it an excessive speech for no one knows all things but God page 42. Ans So contrary to John and would make him a lyar the Minister of God So he is in the false spirit gone out into the world Contrary to 1 John 2. who knew all things Pr. He saith Outward teaching is the way and meanes whereby the deep and profound and necessary truths of Scripture come to be understood but not immediate page 44. Ans So he hath denyed the spirit to open the Scriptures immediate inspiration by the spirit and its teaching and set up an outward in the room of it Here his spirit is tryed again gone out into the world For salvation is immediate and the means that brings to it and none knows the Scriptures by outward teaching but immediately by the Lord God Pr. And he saith Ministeriall gifts are not now to be found in the world such as the Mininisters of the Gospel had in the Primitive time Ans Therefore no such work ministerial now as was then nor any such officers as Pâ—stors Teachers c. as was then Ans He hath preached himselfe to be one of the false spirits which went forth from the Apostles into the world And yet he saith Christ is with them to the end of the world And yet saith no hearing of his voyce nor seeing him nor handling of him so he hath confuted himself and hath shewed you he hath quenched the spirit among you all Pr. He saith that the Apostle was silent in that point that men must be endued with extraordinary gifts Ans Which the Apostles Epistles prove to the contrary who saith without faith ye cannot please God which is a gift and an extraordinary gift and saith He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his which is an extraordinary gift So you are another Ministry and other Pastors and Teachers and that which is another gift then the Apostle is not the gift of God Pr. He saith How comes the Apostle to raise up a living to some persons for preaching when he saith That they that preach the Gospel must live of the Gospel c. page 48. Ans It was contrary to the Apostle to preach to raise up a living for preaching but saith they were not to preach for filthy lucres sake But they that preach the Gospel live of the Gospel that is not as you raising Livings making a trade of the forme and denying the power which is the Gospel Pr. Here he cries out against gifted mens preaching and saith Paul prophecyed against them page 49. and names them to be such as have itching eares Ans As he is gone out from the Apostles and so cries up his imagined gifts his own gifts which the Apostles did not cry against but said every one must minister that had received a gift and thou art one of the itching eares gone out from the Apostles Pr. He saith that their Synagogues commonly called Churches were not ordained for any spiritual uses as for serving God in them c. pa. 51. Ans Which is contrary to all the professed Teachers in the Nations who say they are ordained for the use and service of God and cals them Churches but to this I believe he will call his words back again Pr. And to break Christs command be not of men called Master Ans He calleth it a civil honour Pharisee-like a teacher of the Pharisees And here he hath proved himselfe not to be a guide of the way and the governor of a mans life for that title Master belongs to Christ and not to any man These are his words and the signification which he gives of that title there See page 52. And yet he dare presumptuously take it and plead for it which Christ denyed in the Pharisees and so impudently break Christs command and so hath shewed that he walks out of his Doctrine and is a transgressor and no Minister but an Antichrist Pr. He saith the Apostle never bred up any that they needed no man to teach them pag. 53. Ans And so giveth John the lye who saith Ye need no man to teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you And the Apostle who saith ye need not say every man to his neighbour know the Lord c. and denies the effectual work of the new Covenant But all shall know him from the least to the greatest Hebr. Pr. He saith Paul denies perfection to himselfe Ans Paul did not deny perfection to himself nor others but his work was to the perfecting of the Saints but your work is to keep men from perfection and that hath been the Ministers work since they apostatized from
the Apostles And yet Paul judgeth him again and saith as many as are perfect are thus minded Pr. He saith there is a contradiction in the Letter speaking of the Scripture page 60. Ans Shewing that he doth not know to what condition iâ— was spoken for there is no contradiction in it but in them that be out of the spirit that gave it forth is the contradiction Pr. And he saith there is a Perfection that respects Justification and not Sanctification see page 61. Ans Now there is no Perfection but where there is Sanctification Pr. And he perverteth the Scripture of John that saith If we say we have no sin c. And he saith Whosoever saith he hath no sin deceives himself See pag. 62. Ans So he wrongs Johns words and puts he for we and is charging sin upon the Elect and so himself is found a Lyar. For there is a time for men to see they have sinned and a time to confesse and forsake sin and a time to witnesse the blood of Christ cleansing from all sin and he that is born of God doth not commit sinne And here the children of God are manifest from the children of the Devill And Eaton hast thou been preaching and praying all this while and never yet heard the voyce of God The night is upon thee thou hast no answer from God And as for the rest of Eatons lyes we let them rest upon his own head not being worth mentioning the witnesse of God in his conscience shall answer in the day of his Judgement John Bunyan Richard Spenceley John Burton and John Childe in their Book that they call A vindication of a Book called Some Gospel TRUTHS opened These Principles followes And as for his Lies and Slanders they will come upon himselfe they are his own Garments And for the Scriptures which he quotes they are owned but not to cover the WOLFE withall IN his Epistle to the Reader he saith The Quakers will own that salvation was obtained by Christ this is truth saith he And but a little before he saith They do deny that salvation that was obtained by him c. And thus he hath shamed his Father of confusion that taught him the father of lies who says and unsays for salvation is owned by Christ and God and no other Pr. Again in the same Epistle he denies Salvation is obtained by Christ within and saith the Scriptures doth not prove it and calls it fighting against the Truth c. Ans When as the Apostle saith work out your salvation with fear and trembling and that is within And the ingrafted word is able to save souls and that is within And the Apostle saith If Christ be not in you ye are reprobates And that is not opposite to Christ without them nor contrary to the Scriptures And no one knows salvation but who knows this Christ in you who is the salvation and where he is within there is salvation and so thou art one of the Reprobates that can talk of Christ without and denies him the salvation within Pr. He saith the Quakers own Christ Jesus revealed to them in spirit and calls it Delusion Ans And yet he saith others are carried away with errour for not receiving Christ revealed in the spirit and this is his patched up stuffe comprehended with the spirit and with it is judged who finds fault with them that have it and is against them that have it not Pr. He tells people of the history of the Word As he saith some have no other witness nor knowledge but the history of the Word and the relation of others c. Ans And yet he is against the Revelation of the spirit in the Quakers But he is one of the Beasts officers to fight against the Lamb but it is to no purpose who thus builds up and throws down Pr. Again Bunyan is railing against the Priests and runs up into the Pulpit himselfe Ans And so the Wolfe hath got the Sheeps cloathing and they can speak of Christ without who be reprobates who have him not within Pr. He saith The Lord Jesus Christ is afar off in his bodily presence Ans And yet he saith the Lord is at hand And the Apostle saith he was in them And Christ said he would dwell with them Pr. He saith They were sealed by Christs death at his offering upon the Crosse Ans And yet Christ must come to save them at the last day And the Saints witnessed their salvation while they were upon earth and said Christ was in them except they were reprobates And the Son of God was come and gave them an understanding Pr. He saith the Quakers witnesse the teaching within which he saith the Apostles witnesseth the contrary c. page 4. Ans Why dost thou wrong the Apostle and put thy lyes abroad when as the Apostle said and Christ said the spirit of the Father spoke in them And the Apostle said the Law and the Covenant of God was in their hearts and the anointing was within them to teach them But why fightest thou against the Apostles teaching the Apostles doctrine and Christs doctrine Dost thou not see thy weapon now fails thee Thou hast cast thy selfe without and hath not the Apostle and Christ corrected thee here now Pr. And to prove that the blood of Christ was shed before the world was he brings a Scripture which saith the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world c. An. Here all may see whether this be a fit man to teach or whether or no he be not one of the Novices I leave it to all to judg his measure who have a just measure for the Scripture saith since the world and thou saist before the world was Pr. He saith That the son of Mary God man is absent from his Church Ans Contrary to Christs words I in them and they in me And I will be with you to the end so one of the blinde Prophets contrary to John who saith we are in him and that is true and thou saist he is absent from his Church And the Apostle said he was the head of the Church but of your Church we believe he is not the head but will grinde you to powder And thy words and thy doctrine are corrected by Christ and the Scriptures And Christ said where two or three meet together in my name I will be amongst them and the Saints were flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Pr. He saith To be justified by Christ is not to be justified by the spirit within and that Christ within doth not work out justification for the soule but must look out for salvation unto that man that is now absent from his Saints on earth these are his words Ans Corrected by the Apostle who saith he works all in us for us and yet thou saith that Christ is absent from his Saints on earth who is corrected again by the Apostle who saith Christ is in you and
hath thrown out the Son the rule of knowing the Father who reveals him For many had Scriptures who knew not the Father nor knew the Son nor heard his voyce as in John 5. Pr. He saith All those that be without the Scriptures are without all comfort and hope and God See page 26. Answ Here then is thy Doctrine that none have comfort none hope none have God but who have Scriptures Abraham will tell thee otherwise and Enoch for those knew God and walked with him and knew hope and comfort and Joseph and Jacob and God was with them before the Scriptures was written And Christ was promised before the Scriptures was written and many have the Scriptures and not the comfort nor the hope but stand against him as the Jewes did against Christ And many may have the comfort and not read Scriptures Pr. He saith The onely judge of all errour is the Scriptures c. see page 37. Ans So he hath thrown out Christ and thrown out the spirit and the spirituall man and the Saints and God the judge of all who was the Author of the Scripture Pr. He saith The Apostle doth not say that God in these last dayes doth speak or will speak unto us by his Son but God hath already in time past spoke by his Son and that speaking is to these last dayes and we are not to look for any other speaking or revelation c. page 39. Ans And so by this thou hast denyed the scriptures and the authority of them which is Christ Jesus and denyed the Apostles doctrine and the new covenant where the law is writ in the heart and minde and all taught of God Thou hast thrown down and laid waste Christs commands who saith Learn of me And the command of God who saith This is my beloved Son heare ye him And so art ignorant of the scriptures and the power of God Pr. He saith It is abhorred dotage they are bewitched with to say they witnesse forgivenesse within c. See page 41. Answ Thou shews thou never knew a Saints life and that which cleanseth from all sin and the testimony within of forgiveness of sin for where it is forgiven it is within The Apostle saith If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin And many may speak of Christ without them and the body of sin not dead And so the Wolfe may get the form of godlinesse and the Devill may confess the son of God in words Pr. He saith It matters not much if the sense be in the Scriptures where the words be there or no See page 47. Ans And yet he saith the Scriptures is the rule and it is the word and so by that means have all men run into their senses into confusion from the words of the Scriptures which is not to be added to nor taken from nor can it be broken nor is it of any private interpretation and the Scriptures are the words of God and Christ is the word and in him they end and the spirit is the rule Pr. He saith Doth not Christ approve of the Jewes opinion in thinking that in the Scripture they should have eternal life And he saith Christ refers them to the Scriptures to finde life See page 48. Answ When as Christ said They would not come unto him that that they might have life and bid them believe in him whom God had sent who was the end of the Scriptures And Christ did not approve of them that thought to have eternall life in the Scriptures Pr. He saith to say that the light of Christ is not received from the Scriptures it is an abominable thing to be asserted Ans But the light is received from Christ and many had the Scriptures as the Jewes but stood against the Light as you do now and did not receive it that had the Scriptures which testified of it And the Light cannot be blotted out but it doth condemn and it leads to the knowledge of God and to eternal life Pr. He calls it a fancy of an idle brain to witnesse the law of God written in the heart that is different from the morall law c. see page 61. Ans The Scripture saith I will write my law in their hearts and put it in their inward parts and I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel not according to the old And this is the Covenant with Israel not according to the old and so they be in the fancy and idle brain that be out of the new Covenant of light Christ both Jews and Gentiles and all false Christians Pr. He saith This I do deny that the perfection of the whole law of God is writ in mans heart so as to know it and do it as it is written in the Prophets and Apostles c. See page 64. Answ Here thou hast discovered thy selfe to be in the unbelief and limits the Holy One that God is not the same Christ is not the same yesterday to day and for ever And none knows the Prophets and Apostles but who have the same covenant as they had and the same law and same spirit And whereas thou art opposing those as say the Word is within them and the Light is within them and the Spirit is within And because they say those be in unity and be one which makes thee appear one offended who must be ignorant still He that is ignorant let him be ignorant still but the light in thee shall see they are one Pr. He saith That none have ever had such attainments of Christ a Redeemer without the help of the Scriptures c. see page 65. Answ Now Abraham and Enoch and Noah and Adam had the promise of Christ before Scripture was written And the Gospel is the power of God and many may have the forme and not the power and eternall life is not in them nor the power of God For Christ is the power of God who saith Yee will not come to me that yee may have life who was afore Scripture was and all the Attainments is in him the Scripture speaks of and he is not attained to without life Pr. He saith Where did ever any say that they went through the Law to Christ This he judgeth and saith that they be strangers to the life of God that say so c. See page 71. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who saith I through the law am dead to the law but alive unto God And the law was our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ And again he saith The righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in us Pr. He saith All notionall light is from Christ whatsoever c. see page 72. Ans Now notional is imaginations and that is not properly called light and therefore thou mistakest for light is not notion but is the thing it selfe that is from Christ Pr. Here again he denies that Christ hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world with light sufficient if
they obey it to lead them to eternall life c. See page 73. Ans Yet thou saith every one hath so much light as shall leave all men without excuse before the great tribunall of Jesus Christ And yet thou saith that which leaves them without excuse is not sufficient and so would make God unjust and unrighteous and the light is sufficient which doth enlighten every man in the world to lead them to eternall life believing in it and receiving it which not believing is sufficient to condemn them who all believing in it shall see and receive their salvation Pr. He saith It is a contradiction in it selfe and a speaking lyes in hypocrisie to deny swearing and calling of men Master and to witnesse the teaching of the Lord and the spirit to guide into all truth and to say the spirit is the rule Ans They be in the lyes and hypocrisie and transgressors of Christs commands that are swearers and called of men Masters and the spirit of truth which leads into all truth is the rule and guide of men into truth as Matth. 5. 23 Chap. and these be the Antichrists contrary to him that swear and are called of men Masters which Christ saith swear not at all nor be called of men Master Pr. He saith Christ was in the world and the world was made by him and yet Christ was not in all parts of the world c. see page 76. Answ And he is the light to the Gentiles and Jewes and salvation to the ends of the earth and yet he saith that Christ is not in all parts of the world Pr. The light wherewith Christ hath enlighten every one that cometh into the world he calls a little sparke of reason subject to errour and vanity Ans Which is Christ the light the foundation of God which stands sure that which makes manifest all errour and his flesh saw no corruption The greatest part of his work in his Book is to strike at the Rock and foundation of God and there is no errour in the light which enlightneth every man that comes into the world neither is it subject to it but condemns it and thee that saith it Pr. He saith page 79. All the light is to be understood in words and an outward dispensation c. Ans The Jewes had outward words and a dispensation and yet knew not the Light Christ by the words without life Neither did they understand the dispensation of God Pr. He speaks of an externall Ministry c. See page 80. Ans That which led them to minister was not externall and the externall reaches no further then the external and that is of men and by men but the eternal reaches to the eternal which reacheth beyond external Pr. John saith This is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world and he saith this is to be understood with limitation and saith Christ was not in all ages places of the world See page 81. Ans How was he the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world And how did he minister to the spirits in prison and how speaks he in the Law and how is he the same yesterday and to day and for ever and that is the Devill in thee that would have a hold for thee to dwell in that would limit Christ the light not to be in every man That which darkens every man is the Devill and that which lightens every man is Christ without limitation and he limits that which would limit him and that understanding Pr. He saith He knows not what the true light is and eternall life nor the eternall word the everlasting Gospel the light which gave forth the Scriptures and the Judge of the world and the kingdome of heaven within and the law of the new covenant and Christ within these he saith he knows not c. Ans We do believe thee And yet he goes about to oppose them and knows not what they are and so he fights like a blinde man who knowes not the eternall word within nor the Light nor the everlasting Gospell which the Saints did and doth know withiâ— Pr. He saith That infants and fools and such as are borne blinde were never enlightned with the light of Christ which he calls the light of nature c. See page 85. Ans Which is contrary to Johns words 1 John 9. who came for a witnesse to bear witnesse of the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world which light is above nature and contrary to Isaiah who said Fools shall not erre in the way And a blinde man and an infant is inlightned with the light of Christ for that is the Light in the blinde man that reproves his thoughts and words that be evill which believing in it he shall not be condemned but hath the light of life and becomes a childe of Light And in Christ is light and that is the life of men and where there is life in an Infant there is light Pr. He calls it a fancy and a pernicious errour to say Christ hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world c. see page 88. Ans And thus he opposeth Johns doctrine They be in the pernicious errour that deny that light that lighteth every man according to Johns doctrine John 1. who saith this is the true light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world and the Pharisees stumbled as much at this true light as you do now though it shined in their and your darknesse yet your darknesse cannot comprehend it but it shall be all your condemnation that hate it Pr. He saith The commands of Christ within Christ and the light is inconsistent with the Scriptures c. see page 89. Ans Which is contrary for the light within owns the Scriptures without and yet he said it was the gift of God and the gift of God doth own the Scriptures in their place as they were spoken and none knows the commands and Scriptures but with the light within and they be in unity and the light within gives the knowledge of them 2 Cor. 4. Pr. He saith It is a fancy to say the Covenant of God is to all men in the world and the grace of God hath appeared unto all men c. See page 89. Answ Contrary to the Apostle who saith The grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared unto all men And contrary to the Prophet who saith I will give him for a covenant to the Gentiles a light unto the people salvation to the ends of the earth and a new covenant to the house of Israel and Judah And they that do not believe this are condemned Pr. He saith It is most desperate and diabolicall to talke of a sufficient light and grace in all to be saved c. Ans And yet thou saith in page 73. of thy book That every man hath so much light that shall leave all men without excuse before the great
call free will c. see page 12. Ans Which light brings out of the will of man into the will of God to him that is not born by the will of man from whence it comes in which light men do his will and know his doctrine So here they are corrected again for the free-will and will-worship is out of the light which is Christ which John speaks of And they that hate the light are out of Christ and are not made free from the wrath to come but they that be in the light are made free from the wrath to come in covenant with God So you that would set up another light then Christ are Antichrist in your own wils for all wil-worship and fained humility is out of the light in the transgression Pr. Here they say that God made a difference where there was none see page 13. Ans And the Apostle said they were all gone astray And God puts a difference between the precious and the vile judgeth righteously and respects no mans person and makes a difference in judgement And they say God checks and chides the wanderings of his people and yet they say God makes a difference where there is none and you are to be checked and chidden Pr. Again they say The children of God are all their life-time found groaning under sin c. page 14. Ans The Apostle tells you plainly He that is borne of God doth not commit sin neither can he because the seed of God remains in him and he keepeth himselfe that the wicked one toucheth him not and they are made free from sin And here the Apostle corrects ye again for those are not groaning under when the wicked one toucheth them not but these reigneth over it Pr. Here they say Who puts men to the light of the eternall word with which they are enlightned withall puts men besides the way of life and puts men besides the way of salvation See page 16. Ans None knows salvation but by the light which comes from the eternall Word nor the way of life which is Christ which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall and so the salvation to the ends of the earth Pr. Here again they say That the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world shuts up the Kingdome of heaven against men and takes away the ministration of the Gospel and dâ—stroys the ministries of man c. See page 17. Ans None comes into the Kingdom of heaven but who comes into the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world It opens the Kingdom of heaven but it destroys mans ministration and brings in the ministration of God and the Gospell And this light ye call law or works that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which he that believeth in it hath ceased from his owne works as God did from his and comes to the end of the Law Pr. Again they say the Scriptures are the means of faith Answ And so have thrown out Christ the author of it and God the giver and the Scripture is but the declaration of the Saints faith and it saith men had faith before Scripture was as instance Abraham and Enoch Pr. Again they say As for the expected dictating the Scriptures by the spirit to us as to the writers thereof it is groundlesse c. see page 18. Answ So shewing of what spirit you are who with the true spirit are corrected that have the Scriptures dictated to you but not by the same spirit as the Prophets and Apostles had Pr. They say Instruction in the Scriptures is the way of sowing the seed in Children c. Ans And the Scripture saith the seed is the Word and Christ is the seeds-man which was before Scripture was and yet it doth no good except they eat the book and so confute themselves And many had the Scriptures which stood against the seeds-man as you do now and the Devill out of the truth makes a cloak of those things who will not feed upon the Word Pr. So the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world which we say is the Covenant of God they say that is to break down the inclosed Garden see page 20. Ans This is that which confounds Babylon the great and brings it into remembrance with God and brings the great Whore into judgement The Light which is the way into the garden of God breaks down their inclosed garden that from the Apostles have apostatized Pr. They say that the power to justle out the forme is an errour c. see page 24. Answ Which was the Apostles work to bring off the form into the power the substance Christ which was not an errour But you being in the errour keep people into forms out of the power and so not in the Apostles work Pr. Again they here say It is blasphemy to say God is in all c. See page 30. Ans And the Apostle saith God over all and in you all blessed for ever and through all Ephes 4. Pr. They say It is not a transgression though men pray not nor preach not for many dayes weeks and moneths together though necessity is laid upon them c. page 32. Answ Contrary to Christs command who bid them watch and pray And contrary to the Apostles doctrine who said woe be unto him if he did not preach the Gospel So where there comes a woe there is a transgression so likewise where Christs doctrine is denyed and the Apostle which said pray alwayes but without wrath and doubtings and lifting up holy hands and pray for enemies But you pray in the wrath and hands full of blood and persecute friends as your Gaols may witnesse so as Pastor Eaton saith you never heard the voyce of God And Micah said Night is upon Priest and Prophets that divine for money and preach peace to the people if they put into their mouths if not they prepare war against them Such have no answer from God Pr. They say That apparell is for distinction of qualities of persons c. See page 36. Ans That is but in the world for that which distinguisheth persons is the Word the person of Christ from the persons of Adam in the fall and who be in the transgression and who be out of it and who be vessels of honour and dishonour and your wearing of gold and costly apparell it distinguisheth you from the Apostles doctrine And the holy women of old which was honourable it was not the apparell that made them so to be but the hidden man of the heart which was of great price to the Lord which were brought to do the command of God That honour which is in the world for cloaths and respect God will stain which stands in the lust of the eye and the pride of life and the lust of the flesh and there stands the worlds honour in transgression Pr. They say It is most true
shly nature in people Pr. He saith To say a man is freed from the body of sin while on earth is part of the Papists dung which they have taught you to feed upon c. page 24. Ans Contrary to the Scriptures and the Apostles words who saith they were made free from sin which was before you or the Papists was And contrary to John who bids them try the spirits who saith the false spirits gone out into the world which are you and the Papists he saith he that is borne of God doth not commit sin neither can he because the seed of God remaineth in him 1 John And you are in the Pâ—pists dung spoken of who pleads for sin and thou art contrary to the Apostles and Christ who preached perfection and freedom from sin Pr. Again he saith Christs Kingdome is an Hospital and hath no subjects in it but diseased ones c. see page 24. Ans We read of no such thing in Scripture that Christs Kingdome is an Hospitall and his subjects are diseased ones But they that follow the Lamb in their mouth is no guile nor spot nor fault before the Throne of God and are the elect which God layes no sin too and they are the faithfull and called and chosen that overcome the world and his kingdome stands in power and in righteousnesse and joy in the holy Ghost and is not an Hospitall nor his subjects diseased ones for he heals them and converts them and washeth them and therefore thou art a Lyar and a man that doth not divide the word aright The diseased or such as come unto Christ to be healed them who comes to him he heales them of what infirmity soever it be and cures them and cloaths them in the right minde Therefore thou art coâ—rected and worthy of correction and all the diseased ones are in your Kingdom physicians of no value Pr. What can keep the soule from the enjoyment of God but sin c. See page 25. Answ It is the unbelief in Christ the Light and the offering and in his blood that keeps from the enjoyment of God who is the way to God which the Light le ts see that The Author of the Book called The Quaking Mountebanke c. His PRINCIPLES followeth His words are seen in the Light and are condemned for the Fire The day is coming that thou whosoever thou art wilt suffer and the witnesse in thy Conscience shall answer Pr. HE saith the Quakers are no Conjurers and yet he calls them Mountebanks in his Libell called The Quaking Mountebank c. see page 5. Answ They have discovered his works and fruits and the Fire is over his head and proves that he hath the Language of a Mountebank by his revilings and raylings which among sober people is not worth mentioning And the Quakers mountain is the house of the Lord established upon the top of all the mountains in the earth And their Rock is Christ which will split all Mountebanks that make war against him in pieces And now it is seen what is risen against the Lamb and the Saints and the mouths of the false Prophets are opened and the Inhabitans of the Earth are drunk and the Beast doth make War against the Lamb and the Saints but the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory And Quakers are not Mountebanks but the Lords children Pr. And this Mountebank calls the Quakers beasts that have the spirit of God in them feeling it c. See page 7. Ans So that it hath discovered his spirit whether he is gone and his words shall be his burthen and the Lord will finde him out though he have not put forth his name And those that know the minde of Christ such he calls Beasts that do know the mind of Christ and so hath discovered himself that he knows it not but the Saints knows the minde of Christ and spirit of Christ and are the sons and daughters of God Pr. Here he maketh the Steeple-house the Arke and calls it the house of God c. See page 9. Ans A place which Papists set up for Masse so he shews his ignorance and prophanenesse against the Saints whose bodies are the Temples of God Pr. And the Mountebank saith that the Quakers are not a kin to the Aegyptians but yet he saith they love darkness rather then light c. page 12. Answ And thus his spirit is rebuked and they that be in Aegypt love not the Light Pr. Again he saith That Learning is the prime ornament of the soule See page 13. Ans And so hath thrown away the power and Christ the Bishop of the soule who is its ornament in which it hath its joy and men with their Learning prison the soule which is immortal Pr. And he saith The Quakers are no Pharisees c. see page 16. Ans And the Priests of Newcastle calls them Pharisees Here is Gog and Magog in battell together against the Lamb and the royall seed called Quakers Witnesse that which cannot be shaken and the royall seed is a-top of their head Pr. He saith The Quakers scorn to creep into houses c. See page 19. Ans Which doth not agree with the rest of his company who say they do creep into houses The Quakers are in the power of God and in the authority of the Lamb above all houses and into houses creep not but are upon the Throne but you that be in the form that deny the power creeps into houses Ellis Bradshaw's Book called The Quakers Whitest Devill His PRINCIPLES as followeth And hath unvailed himselfe in what spirit he is and how he hath gone from the Prophets and Christ and the Apostles fighting against the Rock But the stone is fallen upon his head which will grind him to powder whose words shall be his burthen Pr. HEre he saith We do utterly deny all their ways and doctrines who exclude all teachings of men See page 5. Ans Contrary to the Prophets who bid people to cease from men whose breath was in their nostrils therefore there is a teaching beyond it And who comes to that shall come to hear the Son And the Apostles went to bring people off to the end of the Prophets and off of the Priests and off the ordinances which the Prophets had established in their place and the Lord is come to teach his people himselfe where they need not say know the Lord in the new covenant Pr. He saith The Quakers spirit doth teach them to honour no man c. see page 6. Ans That is a lye for it teacheth them to have all men in esteem and to honour all men in the Lord Yet they are convinced by the Law to be transgressors if they respect mens persons and they are not to hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons as you do And whereas thou saith The spirit of God doth not teach to judge before the time c. See page 6. And others say the
the end of groaning and gruling which thou art in that art out of this and keeps people which are apostatized from the Apostle from the Light which is the Truth John Deacon's Book called A Publique Discovery of a secret Deceit His Principles follow And as for the rest of his Lies and Slanders in his Book which are heaped up they will fall upon his own head and be his sorrow And all Liars upon the earth that are given up to believe tell lies are comprehended with the innocency and truth by which innocency is preserved and men and people shall heap to themselves sorrow by their owne lies and inventions Neverthelesse the Scriptures of Truth are owned in their place to the condition that they were spoken to Pr. HE saith That the light wherewith every one that cometh into the world is enlightned withall is the light of nature and reason and sense c. See page 5. Ans Which is contrary to John 1.9 who saith it was the true light by which all things were made which as many as received him he gave them power to become the sons of God which is beyond naturall sense and reason Pr. He saith That the worke of faith and the growth of faith is by the naturall use of Ordinances and calls it deceitfull sophistry which denyes it c. page 7. Answ Faith is the gift of God and Christ is the Author of it It cometh not by the naturall use of Ordinances The naturall man receiveth not the things that be of God which faith is the gift of God And thou art in the sophistry and in the poyson that saith faith the work and growth of it is by the naturall use of ordinances Pr. And he speaks of a temporall expressive word of God c. see page 8. Answ But the Scripture tells us of no such thing as temporal word but speaks of the Word of God that lives and endures for ever and so the other is but his own imagination Pr. He saith The Quakers go about to picke forth the right eye of Christianity Ans Because they hold forth the light that lighteth every man that comes into the world Christ Jesus the Covenant of God which makes all the apostate Christians blind And your right eye must be plucked out that offends and this the Christians shall witnesse when their eyes are open that sees the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world the covenant of God Prin. He saith The Quakers were never heard of till of late yeares c. See page 12. Ans Which is contrary to the Scriptures which speaks of them before Moses by Moses by the Prophets and Apostles and he bids them to worke out their salvation with feare and trembling And now the great Earth-quake is coming amongst you false Prophets and Antichrists John speaks of and Harlots and Apostates from the Apostle compellers to your worship And now are you comprehended with the spirit of God are you judged who are ignorant of the salvation wrought out with feare and trembling Pr. He calls them subtill deceivers and hereticks that questions the word Trinity and says it came from Rome c. see page 13. Ans Which he is justifying and so he is turning to his Teacher the Pope and Common Prayer-book of whom he hath learned it For the Scriptures have not taught it him And the Son and the Father is in unity and this we own that are called Quakers and deny you and your Pope and your Common-prayer-book and your false Teachers got up since the days of the Apostles Pr. Again he saith O incomparable hypocriticall lyars Is not this the character Paul gives of a false prophet to speak lyes in hypocrisie because we preach Perfection c. See page 16. Answ It is agreeable to Scripture Christs doctrine and the Apostles doctrine and the life of Christ And we are made free from sin saith the Apostle And again As he is so are we in this present world And as many as are perfect are thus minded c. But this thou cals hypocrisie lies and thus thou art out of the Apostles Christs doctrine and life and like a mad man rages against them that be in it and hath denyed thy owne work the work of the Ministry which was for the perfecting and so art a Physitian of no value Pr. He saith The enjoyment of immortality is not till they have put off the body c. See page 17. Ans Contrary to the Apostles doctrine who saith Immortality was brought to light through the Gospell this was when they were upon earth and the word of God was in them and Christ was in them which was immortall Pr. Again he saith They shall not have power over death and the grave untill the naturall death c. See page 17. Answ Contrary to the Apostle who saith Oh death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory And they were passed from death to life And he that believes shall never dye and such hath power over death and the grave And he that believes shall never dye they have passed from death to life Pr. He calls them secret deceivers to grant perfect purity and perfection c. See page 18. Answ Which is contrary to to the Apostles doctrine who brought people to perfection and purity and holinesse without which none shall see the Lord And they were to stir up their pure minds Pr. He saith To witnesse perfect purity is an alluding to an enjoyment of heaven upon earth and saith this is as the world c. See page 19. Ans Which is contrary to the Scriptures who witnessed the Kingdome of heaven in the Saints and their conversation in heaven and thou that brings to the contrary art a deceiver and grants not that other Pr. He saith He dare boldly assert that the Gospell is not first made known by the seeing within but by hearing tidings without c. Ans Contrary to that which they call their Originall which saith the Gospel is preached in every creature And there is none cometh to hearing and seeing of the Gospell but it is with the eye within that which is opprest For the Jews that heard not and saw not within they stood against the Gospel And Christ said their ears were stopped and their eyes were closed and so they heard words but the Gospel the power of God they could not hear but stood against Christ and so none heare but they that hear within and he is not a Preacher of the Gospel which is the power of God but he that preacheth to the inward eye Pr. He confesseth That none of the Saints had ever a particular command and then again he confesseth they had and so he is in confusion page 26. He saith It is a lye to preach the Kingdome of heaven within unbelievers Answ Contrary to Christs words who told the Pharisees the Kingdome of God was within them Luke 17. So in confusion
in Babylon the smoak of the bottomless pit hath blinded his eye which is got up since the dayes of the Apostles the foundation hath been lost among them inwardly raveners which is the light Christ Jesus which enlightneth every man that cometh into the world the rock of Ages Pr. He saith again It is a lye to say that any come to the knowledge of the light of God by the light that shines in their hearts c. See page 28. Ans Contrary to the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. who said the light that shined in their hearts should give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and so a messenger of Satan the Devils Minister one that draws from the light that must give people the knowledge the witness in thy conscience shall answer Pr. And again he saith It is a notorious lye to say that Christ preached the Kingdome of heaven in unbelievers Ans Contrary to Christ and contrary to Luke 17. who said the Kingdome of heaven was in the Pharisees and so thou art an unlike man to be a Minister of Christ who art of the Letter ignorant that knows not the kingdome in thy selfe that knows it not in the unbelieving Pharisees Pr. He saith The greatest of the Apostles were never exempted from the remnants of sin and the Saints pilgrimage is a continual warfare to heaven while they be on this side the grave c. Ans Which is contrary to the Apostle who said they were made free from sin and said how could they live any longer therein And said their conversation was in heaven and they sate in heavenly places and they witnessed the Kingdome wherein was joy in the holy Ghost So this was the end of their pilgrimage then as he speaks of who shews he is ignorant of the Scriptures and of the Apostles doctrine And it is not a strange thing that the Teachers of the world should cry up imperfection and the body of sin who are ravened inwardly from the spirit of God that put it off and gone forth from the Apostles and Christs doctine but who are come to the spirit of God which they ravened from puts off the body of imperfection and sin and so you have corrupted the earth with your windy doctrine for what good hath their doctrine done that teacheth people they must be in imperfection and in sin while they be upon earth they can but be so if they never come to them and they are apostatizâ—d from the Ministers of Christ whose work was to the perfecting of the Saints untill they came to the perfect man which these apostates work is to deny Pr. He is judging the Apostle and saying The pricke in the flesh which the Apostle received was neither through the want or disability of faith c. page 34. Ans Why then did the Apostle cry out answer me that And the Lord said His grace should be sufficient for him and his strength should be made perfect in his weaknesse and is not weakness disability Pr. He saith That no man by that native light inherent in him had power to believe c. See page 26. Ans The light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world he calls it native and inherent He gives these names to it which is the light which doth enlighten every man c. there is power in the light given to believe But now he that hateth the light hateth the power and so the light is his condemnation The names he gives as native and inherent are his own out of the truth Pr. He saith The Scripture doth not set forth a certain allowance for Ministers but it is left to humane prudence c. See page 12. Ans So he is flown from Christs words and the Apostles who with the wisdome of God set down the Ministers allowance and did not leave it to humane policy in after ages for maintenance for Ministers For the humane policy will feed the false Prophets as the Prophets and Christ and the Apostles declare of in Scripture whose spirits is seen with the spirit that gave forth Scripture gone out into the earth who were covetous and so idolaters ordering with the earthly policy which is humane and earthly Pr. He saith Abrahams obedience was not an act of the body c. Ans Which any may read the Scripture and see and judge thee whose body is out of the action of God serving him who is not of God Pr. He saith God doth not work immediately now c. See page 43. Answ So all the works of God are mediate now by his principle Then none have the spirit of Christ by his conclusion which is immediate to work immediately and none hears Gods voice and none sent from God and Christ is with none of them then For who are sent from God hears his voyce and who have Christ in them they have that which is immediate Pr. He saith He utterly declares as others have done against not praying or preaching c. unlesse the spirit move c. See page 44. Answ So here then thou prays and the Spirit moves not and preacheth and the Spirit moves not So then the spirit of errour is it that moves thee And contrary to all them that gave forth the Scriptures the Prophets and Ministers of God who spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost And thou art never likely to read the Scripture but by the same that gave them forth nor know them nor none upon the earth nor know God of whom they learned that gave them forth and was taught of him and so art no Minister of the spirit Pr. He saith Not to preach nor to pray but as the spirit moves This he saith in a sort is to shut up the Kingdome of God from the sons of men and brings men to neglect their duty and is the gap where the delusion of Satan comes in and draws men to sluggishness And how can glad tidings be known unlesse they be told c. Answ Now they are all in the sluggishness shutting up the Kingdome of heaven against men under the delusion of Satan and none can bring the glad tidings but as the spirit moves them And they who go when the Spirit doth not move them they are they that run and the Lord never sent them who pray or speak without the moving of the spirit they are out of the path of all the holy men of God Pr. He saith It is the priviledge of the Bereans that is to try an Apostle c. Again he saith They are to put up their supplications when the spirit doth not move them c. See page 45. Answ Now see if God ever accepted that which was not moved from the Spirit God who is a spirit never accepted that and that which tries the Apostles is the light and gives the Bereans to believe the Scriptures which the Apostle speaks of Pr. And he saith Far be it
my knowledge of them c. See Pag. 2. Ans The Quakers are revolted from you Apostates that are inwardly ravened as the converted Jewes did that were turned to Christ for the Jewes revolted from the Temple and the Priests and turned to Christ from the other Jews and owned the Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world which you Revolters deny that have reigned since the dayes of the Apostles and so are ignorant what we are come to and the Apostles were in and that which was before you and they was Pr. He saith the Angels of Light which are holy and without sin may be devils c. See pag. 3. Ans Which the devill fell from the Light from the holiness and so he cannot tansform into that And all holiness intended which is not in the light is as the Pharisees was in and the whole world and is condemned with the Light He saith salvation by the Light within is cursed c. See pag. 6. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who saith the light that shineth in the heart gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And contrary to John who saith every man that cometh into the world is enlightened And as many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God and the power of God is the Gospel of salvation to every one that beleeves in the light And he that beleeveth in the Light hath the witness in himself and the Apostle turned them from the Darknss to the Light And the word was in their hearts of Faith that saves the soul and there was the glad tidingâ— the Gospel And Priest Shaw saith the Gospel is the four bookes of Matthew Mark Luke and John And the Apostle saith it is the power of God and saith many have the form but deny the power So now here himself he hath cursed So this same man is a curser as the Papists are Both he and them are found out of the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles who saith bless and curse not And the Scotch Priests likewise are cursers as in the Scotch Principles ye may see and no one knows salvation but by the Light within which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world who is the salvation to the ends of the earth Pr. And he calls his Steeple-house St. Andrews See page 7. Answ Which never did Prophets nor Apostles give such names to houses but the Pope who is his teacher Pr. He saith It is an errour to say that the light which every one hath that cometh into the world is sufficient to salvation without the help of any other meanes or discovery c. See page 9. Answ Contrary to Christ who brought the Jewes off of all others helps to himself who said Believe in the light while ye have the light and they that believed in the light should not abide in darknesse And no man cometh to the Father but by me saith Christ For he was the way the truth the light in men and the life and there is no salvation by any other name but by him And there is none knows the blood of Christ which cleanseth and the offering for the sins of the whole world but with the light which cometh from Christ Jesus who is sufficient who is the salvation to the ends of the earth so he is the only means without any other help And as the anointing in people doth teach people they shall continue in Christ and as they walke in the light as he is in the light they shall have fellowship with the Father from whence all helps comes and Christ will dwell in man and walk in man and what need they have any more helps Pr. He saith It is an errour to say we are justified by that which Christ doth in us c. See page 9. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who saith we are justified by faith in his blood and the faith is in the heart and the blood is in the heart that purifies it and held in a pure conscience And the word of faith is within Rom. 10. And faith gives victory over the world and that which gives victory justifies and Christ is within who is justifi-fication and sanctification and condemnation either of them is found within and thou art in the errour and not fit to talk of these things which thou understands not Pr. Again he saith It is an errour if not damnable to say Christ is the means and that there is no other means of salvation c. see page 13. Ans And Christ saith No man cometh unto the Father but by me and he is able to the utmost to save And he shall be my salvation to the ends of the earth saith the Lord. And saith the Apostle God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself And he that hath the Son of God hath life and the Father and the Son are one and there is no salvation in any other Pr. He saith That Christ gives light to no man under that name but believers c. See page 13. Ans Contrary to John who saith he doth enlighten every man that comes into the world that all might believe through the light And contrary to Christs own words such as hated it and would not come to it and bids them believe in the light while they had it and he that did not believe was condemned already and he that did believe had the witness in himself Pr. He saith It flatly contradicts the whole Scripture to say that the light wherewith Christ hath enlightned every man c. will save c. See page 14. Answ Which God saith I will give him for a covenant for a light to the Gentiles new covenant to the house of Israel and Judah and he shall be my salvation to the ends of the earth and believing in it are saved and not believing are condemned Pr. The wise heathen Philosophers had a greater measure of light in them which is the first Adam then I can thinke any men have now c. See page 15. Answ Which shews that he knows none of Christ the second Adam the quickning spirit And he knows no new creature For who are in Christ are new creatures Nor none of Christ the Covenant of God of light of life of peace who was glorified with the Father before the world began which is beyond the first Adam and hath shut himself forth not to be as high as his Heathen Philosophers and many witnesse Christ in them in this age as in the dayes of the Apostles which is above the Heathen Philosophers Pr. The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall is Christ he saith this is the light of nature and of reason And saith It is a damnable doctrine to deny all externall means of salvation c. See page 16. Ans When as the Apostle saith We looke not at things which are seen
These comes under the judgements of the Almighty Gods decree is against them and the Spirit the holy Ghost doth lead into all truth and doth reveal and the Apostle bids the Saints wait for the revelation of Jesus And the grace was brought by the revelation of Jesus and the secrets are revealed to them that feare God and the spirit reveals the things of God and thou saith it reveals no more which shews thou doth not know Scriptures nor God nor spirit Pr. Whereas thou saith Ye have the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles Christs words and so are not to look for new Prophets and that would be a question to the Church and that would shew mutability in Christ See page 6. A. In this thou hast shewed thy self of what generation thou art For there hath been the Mother and the Harlot that hath drunk the blood of the Prophets and the Martyrs and the Saints and such as drink the blood have the forme and get the sheeps cloathing but cries prophesie is ceased and revelation from heaven is ceased onely they have a standing rule the Scriptures without and so there they have their cloathing the sheeps cloathing but ravened from the spirit and so hath denyed the Church in which there is prophecy and the spirit of God for where that is there is prophesie amongst sons and daughters but not amongst you apostates Pr. He finds fault with a man that will not believe except he see as instance a man will not believe they are Ministers of Christ except they worke miracles c. And a man will not believe there is a Parliament or Holland or France or Spain except he have been in them c. See page 6. 7. Answ Thou and thy wits are compassed for Revelations and Prophecies are now spoken forth and witnessed and thou cannot believe because thou dost not see and thou art finding fault with others that do not believe because they do not see Thou art seen and disapproved and so now in that thou judges others thou art judged thy selfe who art blinde and out of the life and many may see there is a Holland and other Countreys though they have not seen them with an outward eye And we believe the Ministers of Christ though they do not work miracles but from them are you apostatized we do believe and see Pr. He saith The Saints were not to forsake the assembling of themselves together as the manner of some was c. See page 8. Answ That was in the time of the Apostles before the aposâ—â—cy But since the apostacy the Beast and the false Prophets and the murtherers of the Saints are got up which assemble themselves together and deceive the Nations and are breaking the Saints meetings which gather â—ther that keep the testimony of Jesus and the spirit of prophesie and overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the testimony of Jesus And Christ who is the Rock and his Church doth continue but that which Christ said should come is come the false Prophets that should get the sheepâ— cloathing and John saw was come which went forth from them which made war against the Saints and the Lamb but the Saints and the Lamb shall get the victory And we are come to the assembly of the Saints before you were apostatized for your assemblies hath forsaken the Saints your fruits declare it Pr. He saith Because they have the peoples consent and the Magistrates allowance therefore that is true ordination c. See page 11. Ans Balaam he had the peoples consent and the Heathenish Magistrates allowance when he should have cursed the children of Israel and so this is no proof of ordination And the chief Priests had the peoples consent and the Magistrates many of them which turned against Christ this is no ordination to be Ministers of Christ And the Beast and the false Prophet shall rise against the Lamb and the Saints and yet they shall have sheeps cloathing this is no proof of their ordination from God but all this proves it from man But all who have their ordination from God are not owned neither by people nor Magistrates in their wills but who feare God and are come to the spirit of God by that to which they minister and never went to the Magistrates for their allowance and here again you are apostates from the Apostles and in the steps of the false Prophets whose ordination is by the consent of the people and your allowance from the Magistrates who are from the allowance of Christ that he gives to his Ministers and the ordination of the Apostles that was not from man nor by man Pr. Thou bids us marke the Canon of the Holy Ghost in Timothy See page 11. Ans And there is no such word as Canon in Timothy and thou tells us of a Catholique Church and we cannot finde any such word in Scripture that it speaks of any such word but we perceive whom thou hast learned these words of what center and stock thou comest of from the Pope and not from the Apostles Pr. He saith They have an un-interrupted succession drawn from the Apostles c. See page 13. Answ For your succession is from the Pope apostatized from the Apostles ye are out of the Apostles Doctrine in all your whole worship corrected and reproved by Scripture Did the Apostle set up a Temple set up tythes set up your Schools and Colledges Is not the Pope the Author of all this Are not yee his Successors Pr. Thou sayes Ye are the Ministers of Christ because ye have the Scriptures and books and such like and you are not usurpers of the authority c. See page 16. A. Now there is never a one of you all that ever durst say ye have heard Gods voice immediately from heaven or Christs voyce or have the same spirit as the Prophets and Apostles and Christ had or immediate revelations from heaven as they had So then you be in another ordination then they was in and usurpers of authority into your ministry and intruders into those things you never saw And cannot any one be as good a Pastor or Minister as you seeing all your teaching is but from books and other mens writings Why may not others learn the same books and writings and so come to be Teachers and Pastors as well as you seeing you have nothing but from Books and Writings and old Authors Why may not all that read those be Pastors and Teachers and so then where be the hearers and so with the life are you all judged The spirit of God which gave forth Scriptures which was before your old Books and Authors were Thomas Higginson his Book called The Testimony of the True JESVS His PRINCIPLES follow c. Pr. HE saith The Word is not righteousnesse without the flesh c. See page 3. Ans The Word is righteous it selfe and the flesh righteous as it became Pr. He saith Men are presented perfect to God and
without spot before any work done or good whatsoever c. page 3. Ans There is none doth the work of God but who believes and he that believes overcomes the world and his works are wrought in God and he hath the word oâ— reconciliation in him And by this means of thine all the world is presented perfect to God for he is the offering for the whole world But them that believe are partakers and them that do not believe are condemned Yet I say the Lord helps the unbelief of many who is the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe and men are not presented to God while they do evill and afore they are sanctified and holy Pr. He saith The invisible things of God and the eternall power and glory of God may be known by that of God in every man but not his good pleasure or purpose of grace c. See page 4. Ans Is the glory seen and that known the God-head known the invisible things of God and the eternall power and not the good pleasure of God nor his purpose of grace Doth not the God-head dwell in Christ and his fulnesse bodily And is not Christ the power of God And he that knows God and his glory and eternall power and God-head Doth not he know the Son Consider that For he that hath known the Son hath known the Father also and grace and the purpose of God Pr. He saith Man may know God and his eternall power and God-head and glory and yet know nothing of the mystery of Christ nor can that which thou saith shews these things lead unto the mystery of the knowledge of Christ c. See page 4. Answ Where the eternall power and God-head is known his power his glory and the invisible things of God there is something of Christ known the mystery For there is none knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him And he that knows the Father knows the Son Pr. He saith To say that Christ is within man is to worship Angels and not to hold the head Christ c. See page 5. Answ Which none comes to witnesse Christ the head but who witness him in them that the Angels must worship that dyed and suffered at Jerusalem and they that worship him in them worships not the Angels and they that are not worshipping him in them are worshipping Men Devils or Angels Pr. He saith It is a bewitching of the mindes to preach Christ within the Saints c. Answ Did not the Apostle say to the same Colossians of worshipping of Angels not holding the head Did not he preach Christ in them the same Colossians And he told them of intruding into things they never saw Did not he say Christ in you the hope of glory whom we preach warning every man that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus How dost thou devide the word contrary to the Apostles and Christ Jesus and calls this Doctrine bewitching and thou that preacheth another doctrine contrary to his art accurst Pr. He saith To say the light in every one wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightned them withall that comes into the world is the way to Christ and the Father and is the sure word of prophesie which people are to take heed unto He saith this is to deny the person of Christ as the object of faith and the Scriptures as the rule of faith and faith it selfe c. See page 8. Answ In this thou hast shewed thy ignorance for none knows the person of Christ but with the light that comes from him None knows the Mediator none knows the Author of their faith but with the light that comes from Christ And none knows the Scriptures of truth but with the light And Christ is the rule of faith and author of it and giver And many may have Scriptures and not saith so in this thou devides not the word aright uncapable of dividing the word and that is the sure word of prophesie that shines in a dark place which people are to take heed unto till the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts Pr. He saith To say that redemption righteousness is wrought within is to bring Christ down from above out of heaven or raise him from the dead and to make the blood of Christ as another mans c. See page 9. Answ Now Christ is not known to be the justification but as he is known within and redemption out of Adams state in the fall For he that believes hath the witnesse in himselfe and ceaseth from his own works and enters into his rest as God did from his For the world may professe Christ without them but if he be not within them they are reprobates and shall fall short of the justification and redemption if he be not within them And if they have not the Son of God they have not life and many will say Lord but doth not the thing that he commands And one of thy generation of Professors that writ against the Quakers and said That the blood of Christ was corruptible and so it was like the blood of another man and thou saith it is not Now we say that blood which cleanseth from all sin is incorruptible and they that witnesse Christ in them and justification and redemption and need not say who shall raise Christ from the dead or fetch him from above as thou says Pr. He saith Obedience to the spirit within and Christ a worker and a Law-giver in their conscience and a worker of it in their persons but not as a Saviour and what of God is felt or wrought in them that they believe While the unspeakable righteousness opperation of life in Christ reserved with faith liberty joy and peace c. is hid from their eyes c. See page 10. Ans Now can any be obedient to the spirit within and to Christ a worker and a Law-giver and feel the work of God in themselves and believe it and yet the unspeakable righteousness and the operation of life hid in Christ and faith and liberty joy and peace to be hid from their eyes Can a man know all these things and yet not know Christ to be a Saviour here thou art judged and thy knowledg for he that knows these things knows a Saviour and let the righteous judge whose eyes are open how thou divides the word Pr. He saith Faith holds things as true in Christ though hid from sense and feeling c. See page 11. Answ How cometh the just to live then if there be not a feeling in his faith And how cometh he to have the victory then over the world And how doth faith purifie if there be not a feeling And how is it holden then in a pure conscience if there be not a feeling And how cometh he to have accesse to God through faith And doth not the Scripture speak of them that was in the faith felt and handled the
word of life And was this without the faith of Gods elect or sense Therefore in this thou may see in this how uncapable thou art to divide the word Pr. He saith They that put spirituall working for the grace of Christ they destroy Christ Jesus See page 11. Ans They do not destroy Christ Jesus that put spirituall working for the grace of Christ for the works of the spirit doth not destroy Christ for where the works of the spirit are there is the grace of Christ Jesus and none owns Christ but who be in the works of the spirit and his graces and they destroyed Christ and deny him that be out of the works of the spirit and his graces are spiritual workings Pr. He saith The sight of the God-head without faith in Christ is the foundation of all false worships c. See same page Ans Can any see the God-head have a sight of the God-head and not see Christ and have faith in Christ And who have faith in Christ do they not see the fulnesse of the Godhead dwells in him Christ And was not their minds turned from that of God in them which declared the invisible things of him from the Creation of his Eternal Power and Godhead which the Apostle sound fault withall Let all examine and Judge and read the Scripture Rom. 1. and try Pr. He saith obedience to Christ within is a sentence of the Law not of grace and denying Christ overwhelming the afflicted in sorrow without hope and turning the feet of the lame out of the way And bids beware of such Doctrine c. See page 12. Ans If people must beware of the Doctrine of the Apostles who hath told them Christ was in them except they were reprobates And Christ was within them the hope of glory to whom he Preached For they turn people out of the way who keep them reprobates without hope and is a denying of Christ that Preacheth not Christ within and a keeping people under the Law which Christ is the end of and where Christ within is there is obedience which is the end of the Law and there is grace Pr. He saith the Justification and redemption by obeying the Light within appears to his understanding to be a mystery of iniquity c. See page 13. Ans Thy understanding must come to nought for he that believeth is Justified from all things and comes not into condemnation and he hath the witness in himself And that lets him see his Redeemer his Mediator and Saviour the Light which walking in it he is cleansed from all sin and so no mystery of iniquity for the mystery of iniquity is out of the Light none sees Justification and Redemption but with the Light within which comes from Christ who hath enlightened him Pr. He saith the Ministration of grace cannot he known by the Light which Christ hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world withall c. See page 14. Ans Contrary to John who saith as many as receiveth him to them he gives power to become the Sons of God and no one knowes the Ministration of grace but by the Light which comes from Christ the Covenant of grace Pr. He saith none can know the mystery of God in Christ with the Light in them c. See page 14. Ans Which is contrary to Scripture I will give him for a Covenant for a Light to the Gentiles he shall be my salvation to the ends of the earth saith the Lord. So this was the salvation so it gives the knowledge of the Ministery of salvation the Light that shines in the heart gives the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus who is the mystery that shines in the heart of them that believe in it and them that do not are condemed with the Light And so they are reproved with the spirit of truth which leads the Disciples into all truth which spirit the world cannot receive for they do not receive the Light and so are not like to receive the Spirit of truth Pr. He saith the Light of Christ in natural man knowes nothing of the spirit c. And the Scripture was the Image of Christ without c. See page 14. Ans Scriptures without are writings and endures not for ever but the power Christ the power of God endures for ever And who ever is in the Light cometh to know Christ in the spirit him who is the life And it leads the natural man from his natural state that believes in it For all by nature are the children of wrath who believes in it it leads from the nature and from the wrath which who believes in it is made free from the wrath to come and they that believe not in the Light are reproved by the spirit and that which reproves them is manifest to them and so they know it Pr. He saith to affirm the Light in the conscience which we say is the Light of Christ the way or guide to Christ whereto onely to attend is a darksome fleshly and most legal principle and calls it grave wherein Christ is buried c. See page 15. Ans Which is contrary to Christs Doctrine who saith he that believes in the Light shall not walk in darkness but have the Light of life And he that does believe in the Light hath entered into his rest and come to the Sabbath out of the grave and out of the legal and out of the fleshly and out of condemnation And none comes to the Son Christ but who comes to the Light which comes from him which he hath enlightened them withall Pr. And again he saith to say the Light in every man is Christ the Redeemer is a two-fold errour c. See same page Ans Contrary to John who saith this is the true Light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And he was in the world and the world knew him not So shewes himself to be one of the stock of the world that knowes not him that was and is in them the Light of the world and the world knew him not which he that believeth in the Light hath the Light of life and he that receiveth the Light receiveth Christ the Redeemer And he that receiveth Christ receiveth his spirit And he that receiveth not the Light that he is enlightened withall receiveth not his Redeemer but hates him it is his condemnation and he is in the errour Pr. He saith the Light within was not given for righteousness neither could it reveal or give life c. page 16. Ans Contrary to Christ who saith he that believes in the Light shall have the Light of life So thou art unskilfull in the word and Doctrine of Christ and Christ within is given for righteousness who reveals the Father and gives life and they that have not Christ the Light within are reprobates Pr. He saith the Light within knowes nothing of the precious Gospel Mystery
See pag. 16. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who said the Light that shined in their hearts should give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and the Light within comes from the mystery and is of the mystery it self and le ts see the precious mystery which none knowes but with the Light within and so the God of the world hath blinded thy mind and hath shewed thy self that thou art of them that hates the Light and shewes that thou comes not to it for he that comes to it comes to the mystery for the least Light of Christ in man is of the mystery and comes from the mystery Pr. He saith to say Christ came to Redeem the Israel from the Law without to establish the work within and law in the conscience in obedience unto which men come to be Redeemed and the Law in the heart thus to say he saith is an errour c. See page 16. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who Preached the redemption established the Law in the heart and Christ within who redeemes men from under the Law who is the end of it and the word of Faith in the heart and they that have not this be in the errour though they may talk of Christ Pr. He saith it is the Divinity of Sophisters and a blotting out of the glory of the grace of Christ to set forth Christ as a law-giver and worker in us c. See page 17. Ans Which I say none knowes him as a Mediator and a law-giver nor an offering nor his blood that cleanseth them but as they know him working in them and they be in the Sophistery of their Divinity that knowes not the glory of the grace of Christ working in them Pr. He saith a man shall not see himself dead and buried with Christ and raised up with Christ by any work or obedience to Christ within c. See page 18. Ans He that believes hath the witness in himself and there is the work within and that is the work of God and Faith is wrought within And this is contrary to self for over it it gives victory and teacheth to deny himself So see how thou confounds thy self and he that believes is past from death to life and they that are dead with Christ seekes those things that are from above Pr. He saith again the Light within is the spirit of the world c. See page 18. Ans Contrary to Johns doctrine who saith he was in the world and the world knew him not neither doth your spirits of the world know him now and the worlds Spirit knew him not and the world hates the Light and darkness cannot comprehend it though it shines in darkness And here thou art medling with things that are too heavy for thee and the corner stone falls a top of thee and the Light that enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world was before the spirit of the world was Pr. He saith that they that affirm the light in every man that condemnes for sin to he Christ the Redeemer have set up an Idol c. See page 19. Ans Doth not Christ say I am the Light of the world which is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world who is the Redeemer and the Salvation to the ends of the earth and he that receiveth it receiveth Christ And is not this it that brings off of all Idols And are not they setting up Idols that are from the Light And doth not Christ the Light come to condemn sin in the flesh and is that the Idoll How dare thou say so he was manifest in the flesh to condemn sin in the flesh and he saith I am the light and that is not an Idoll Pr. He saith Christ comes not down in spirit into our persons to redeem but to manifest the redemption and saith he cometh the second time without sinne unto salvation c. See page 21. Answ The Apostle bids them worke out their salvation with fear and trembling And Christ brings not peace on earth but a sword and judgment and comes to make blind who is the redemption and makes it manifest by his spirit and whose light doth condemn him that hates it for he will not have that which manifests salvation And whosoever knoweth redemption knoweth it to be manifest in him from Christ Pr. He saith They who had the light within and pierced into the invisible things and eternall power and God-head had but the wisdome of this world c. page 23. Ans And so he would make the light of Christ the wisdome of this world which light cometh from Christ the wisdome of God the wisdome of the world cannot pierce into the eternall power and God-head Pr. He saith The light within denies all things that God hath done for us in Christ which hath no glory but spreads a veil over c. page 25. Ans Which none knows what God hath done for us nor sees the glory in Christ but by the light which comes from him who works all both in us and for us according to his good will and pleasure and brings not to deny what God worketh in us and they nullifie it that are against his light and are against his glorious person for the light that 's within le ts see his glory Pr. He saith Obedience to the light within is another atonement and a denying the atonement of Christ and calls it a mystery of iniquity See page 28. Answ VVhich none knows the attonement of Christ but by the light within and all be in the mystery of iniquity that be out of the Light which cometh from Christ the covenant of God to Jewes and Gentiles and that gives them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus Mark he saith the light is that which gives the knowledge and the Light within doth not set up another atonement but they do that do deny the light within set up another atonement then Christ Pr. He saith To obey the Law within which we say is the law of the spirit of life which makes free from sin and death in this he saith we agree with the Papists and Pagans See page 30. Answ Now in this thou may see where thou art out of the Apostles doctrine And neither thee nor the Papists nor Pagans own us in this that we should be made free from the Law of sin and death while we be upon the earth And here the blood of Jesus is witnessed and the attonement and the Father and the Son and this is all seen with the Light within Pr. He saiâ—h He began by faith to behold the love joy and redemption prepared for him before any evill or good was done by him c. page 37. Answ Dost not thou say thou beheld it by faith And now is not the work good to behold by faith And doth not that give victory over the evill And doth not
that do good that beholds by faith And so what is not of faith is sinne Pr. He saith He is in heavenly places and yet in the shadow of death with the earthly See page 38. Answ He that is in heavenly places is in Christ Jesus a new creature And he that believeth in the light shall not abide in darknesse so comes out of shadows And he that believeth abideth not in the condemnation and so comes out of the shadow of death though they have sate in the shadow of death before belief and comes out of the earth and so hast proved thy self not a true believer which comes out of the shadows and death Pr. He saith To purifie the members as reckoning it our redemption our righteousnesse all such purity is sin blindness and idolatry page 40. Ans And the Apostle calls Christ our redemption and our sanctification and our righteousnesse and so we can truly say Christ is ours and no idolaters And them that cannot say Christ is their sanctification redemption righteousness and mortification is in the idolizing and sin Pr. He saith The way to attain the spirit of Christ is not by waiting on the light within c. see page 52. Answ Christ saith believe in the light that ye way be children of the light and he that is a child of the light cometh to the birth born of the spirit And Christ doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world And as many as received him he gave them power to become the sons of God And none hears faith but who hears the light within which is Christ within who is the Author of it by which the spirit is received Pr. He saith That doctrine or spirit that calls to the Light within doth but build up the worship of the world c. page 53. Ans Contrary to the Apostle who said The light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Christ Jesus And Christ saith they that worship God must worship him in truth And he is the light and he is the truth that doth enlighteth every man that comes into the world and this throws down all the worship of the world And I say none comes out of the worships of the world and the doctrines of the world but who comes to the light wherewith Christ hath enlightned every man c. that shines in the darkness and the darknesse comprehends it not Pr. He saith To believe in God as in the Light within men redeeming from sin is to deny the witnesse of the Son and have neither Son nor Father c. page 54. Ans Which I say none owns the witnesse of the Son but who owns the Light which comes from the Son with which he is enlightned Nor none knows the Father nor the Son nor receives them but who receives the light which Christ the Son hath enlightned them withall nor knows God to be a Saviour but by the Light within Pr. He saith They that seeke for righteousnesse by obedience to the light within differs nothing from the Jewes but onely in the copies of the Law c. See page 56. Ans None sees the obedience of Christ the second Adam the end of the Law and copies of it but with the Light within which comes from Christ Jesus that brings in righteousness and ends sin and transgression who is the end of the righteous Law with which light man sees the weakness and unprofitableness of it and the types and the shadows of it which Christ is known in the light within who ends it Pr He saith To rest in hope that I am saved from sin and wrath by the blood of Christ the head and while conscience condemns for sin this is to hope against hope c. See page 57. Ans Such as are saved from the wrath by Christ the head and his blood they are saved from their sins And then they that are saved from their sins how can conscience condemn for sin and the wrath come upon them for sin and they that are saved from the wrath they are saved from their sins But where conscience doth condemn for sin there is wrath and he cannot witnesse a cleansing nor salvation wrought out nor saved from sin but is in the false hope and not in the true hope which goes against hope for the true hope is Christ within Pr. Whereas thou speaks of Christs working and giving an example c. page 67. Ans Yet thou and the rest are offended at those people that are called Quakers who say Christ was their example And so ye can allow what ye speak your selves but if another speak the same words it is an offence to you Pr. He saith Such as preach redemption by the light in every man are not of God c. See pag. 70. Ans The redemption of Christ the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And every man that cometh into the world that seeth his redemption it is by the light which he that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world hath enlightned him with which is Christ the Redeemer the Saviour the second Adam the way to the Father who shall make every tongue to confess him to the glory of God but thou that hates the light art condemned Pr. He saith Not the light in every man but the words of the Prophets and Apostles is that which leads to the Lord Jesus c. See Page 82. Ans Many may have the words of the Prophets and the Apostles but none comes to that which leads to the Lord Jesus but who comes into the light and life that the Prophets and Apostles was in which Christ Jesus is the end of who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Therefore every man that cometh into the world must come to the light which Christ hath enlightned him withal before he come to the end of the Prophets and the Apostles Christ Jesus the Lord of life and glory Pr. He saith The Scriptures are the image of Christ and he that seeks for God out of the humanity of Christ he shall lose both God and himself c. See pag. 82. Answ The Scriptures are writings and the writings will not endure for ever and the image of Christ is the image of God And all who be in the life that gave forth Scriptures be in the image of Christ which was afore Scripture was and all that have the Scriptures out of the life that gave them forth they have not the image And he that is out of the truth may have the Scriptures but he is out of the image all are who be out of the truth but who be in the truth be in the image And God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe And who knows the Son knows the Father And he that hath found the Son hath found the Father also And he that seeks after God out of Christ shall
never finde him And as for the rest of thy lyes and slanders in thy Book and unsavoury expressions which are not worthy mentioning upon thy own head they will come one day and thy own words shall be thy burthen Jeremiah Ives his Booke called Innocency above Impudency or the strength of Righteousnesse exalted above the QVAKERS Weaknesse and Wickednesse His Principles are as followeth Pr. HE saith It is a rare thing to see any of the seed of the Devill grown up to that degree of impudence to charge a man that he hath done that which he never did do c. Answ The seed of the Devill always said that which was not true so not a rare thing to finde them for the Devill and his seed is out of the truth and when he speaks a lye he speaks of himselfe and so speaks a thing that is not and there thou art Pr. He saith The Apostle in his Catalogue of the evils of the times c. page 1. Ans Is it not better to call the Scripture a declaration as they call themselves then to call them a Catalogue and some of you vvill say it is a History and some a Catalogue and again ye vvill say it is the Word of God which the Scriptures of truth is words and God is the Word and thou art in the evill time out of the good and thy time and day is evill Pr. He saith The Quakers give that name as quaking to themselves and others do not give it them as a Nick-name c. See page 2. Answ The first that ever I did hear them called Quakers and the name given to them of Quakers was one Gervase Bennet in Darby a persecutor called a Justice of Peace though many years before the power of the Lord was witnessed yet I never heard them have that name of Quakers given before that corrupt Justice gave it them and misnamed them so and in scorn called them so and thou art one of his Scholers and Quaking and trembling we own though they in scorn calls us so and the salvation wrought out with fear and trembling we witness Pr. He saith The Devill speaks truth sometimes c. page 2. Ans Christ saith he was a lyar from the beginning and when he speaks a lye he speaks of himselfe and hath no truth in him and so he cannot speak truth as it is in him And the greatest professors upon the earth are there of the Devill that speaketh the words of truth but not as they are in it as so saith Christ to the Jewes they were of their father the Devill they speak of themselves So they that speak the Scriptures not by the spirit as was by them that spake them forth they speak of themselves as the Devill doth that abode not in the truth but a lyar from the beginning and thus the truth comprehended it For it is one thing to speak the truth in the truth and to be in it for he speaks not of himself but the truth in him but the other all speaks of themselves and there thou art and so doth the Devill and truth is not in him nor them and there with truth they are comprehended Pr. He chargeth us Whether ever any gave worse words to us then we did to others c. page 9. A. To speak truth is not to give bad words to tell a Cain he is a Cain or an Esau or an Ishmael to be an Ishmael or a Wolfe he is a Wolfe and say the evil Beasts are the evil Beasts that are worse then the common beasts And to say the greedy dogs that can never have enough are worse then the common dogs that are biting and tearing and are worse then the common beasts that feed in peace and eates their meate in peace Now to speak such words and names as these are to them that are not so that is a giving of bad names wrong names But the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures it gave such names to such as was found in those steps It le ts see now and the whole Nation may witness that friends may answer to his Challenge and the Gaols and the Courts doth shew the greedinesse of such and their persecution and their malice against the Lambs and so the Saints in the spirit doth give them their proper names to properties in their places among which names thou art found Prin. He saith Much of the Scriptures may be understood without the spirit c. page 12. Ans The Scriptures was given forth from the spirit of God and they are the things of God and the words of God and they are not known nor understood but by the spirit of God again for there is a spirituall understanding Neither can they understand any of the Scripture of truth which cannot be broken but by the spirit of God within that gave them forth which is of God of whom they were learned Pr. He saith Christ was not a Minister of the circumcision c. See page 14. Ans And the Apostle said they were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands and the putting off the body of sin of the flesh they were circumcised with the spirit but who was the Minister of this Circumcision For the Apostle saith it was the circumcision of Christ Coll. 2.11 And again the Apostle saith We are the circumcision that worship God in spirit and have no confidence in the flesh Pr. He saith What man in his right wits would say a wildernesse was a City c. page 14. Ans When the people have transgressed the Law of God they are erred from his wayes they are become a Wildernesse and bears the fruit of brambles and bryars and not seeing any way to get out till the Lords mercy be manifest to them which is further then the Law of justice And thou hast not seen thy wits end yet nor seen the Wildernesse in thy heart fenced though a City and the children of Israel were called a wildernesse in trangression though in Cities Pr. He saith He can tell things to come without the spirit of God And thou saith the Pharisees could tell by the skies what should be the weather and the dayes should bring forth and this without the spirit of God c. page 15. Ans That which gives to understand the Creation and the altering and changing of the Creation either in weather or dayes It is the wisdome of God and his spirit by which all things was made that knows these things in the truth who counts the Stars and numbers them in their kinde who sets the Sun to rule the day and the Moon to rule the night Now who understands these things it is by the spirit of wisdome who understands them aright and there may be a wilfull rejecting and a having these things in the form yet not a knowing these things in truth and so Christ calls them hypocrites And a man may know things by the spirit and go in the errour from the spirit
doctrine It is not a strange thing to the Saints for these Priests and Teachers to question the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world for the Jewes Priests and Levites stumbled at it in the dayes of John and it set them all up in an uproar as it does you and they examined John and questioned John and he said This is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world that all men through him might believe Pr. He saith None were ever baptized into the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost that were not baptized with water c. page 52. Answ Where was Matthew or Mark or Luke or John baptized and many more which the Apostle said he thanked God he had not baptized c. which he had begotten many Baptizing is making disciples to the Lord Jesus and Baptizing them into his name that is his power and he telleth the Saints that they were Baptized with one spirit into one body such he tells that he thanks God he had Baptized but a few but he told of the spirits Baptisme and brought the Saints off from things that were seen and water is seen and its Baptisme And as for all thy rabble from thy contentious spirit and railings and unsavoury expressions they will turn home upon thy self and thy own words will be thy burthen and the witness in thy conscience will answer in the day of thy Judgement Francis Harris his Booke called his queries to the Quakers c. his Principles followes Pr. THou saith doth not these people that pretend to the light stumble at noon day as in the night and there be no Gospel Light we mean of the revealed and written Gospel Light in them c. page 9. Ans The Gospel Light is that which doth enlighten every man that cometh into world and who hates it neglects the Gospel Light and receives not the power from God which is the Gospel for that is the Gospel Light Christ Jesus that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world The Light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall is the Gospel light and they that walk in it stumble not They stumble that be out of the Light which every man that cometh into the world is lighted withall which Light is the way to the Father and many may have the written words yet out of the Gospel Light and the power of God which is the Gospel as Rom. 1. which brings people to where the sheep lies down at noon day Pr. He saith what did Christ mean when he bid people search the Scriptures or Peter when he called the Scriptures the sure word of prophesie the light shining in the dark place and yet Scripture without is a dead letter c. page 12. Ans And yet they call it the Light and the word which is a dead letter Christs bids the professors of Scriptures to search it that thought to have had life in it not that they should find life in it but that they should search it and see how it did testifie of him who was the life that was his end and those that was come to Christ the life they was come to him the Scriptures testified of as John 1. we have found him of whom Moses and the Prophets writ and those were them that was come from John the others were them that stuck in John and came not to the life but to the Scriptures to have had life in the Scriptures and came not to him the Scriptures testified of and persecuted that And Peter means as he speakes he tels them of the sure word of Prophesy and bids them take heed to it as unto a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawn and the day Star arise in their hearts He doth not say this is Scriptures without which thou saith it is a dead letter how can that shine Pr. He saith doth not this draw people to gross Idolatry to bid people to take heed to the light in you which you call the pure Light of God not the light of nature And whether you do not delude people by saying there is a pure Light of God and Christ in every man and woman by nature c. page 14. 17. Ans The light which doth enlighten every man c. leadeth from all Idolatry for all that be out of the Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world they be in the Idolatry And every man that cometh into the light the light which they are enlightened withall be in that which was before any natural lights was and the the natural lights are the Sun the Moon and the Stars And they delude and deceive people that say the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is a natural light and they keep people in the Idolatry And so shut up the Kingdom against men and go not in themselves nor suffer others for all Idolatry is out of the Light Pr. He saith to be carryed up to the power and to the Spirit which resembles fire whether this be not Antichrist like a Lamb to call fire from heaven to come down in the sight of men And whether the power be from God or from Satan that brings people into a trembling and shaking like Belshazar c. See pag. 20. 21. Ans That power was not of Satan that broke down the head of gold the brests of silver neither was that power of Satan that made Belshazar to shake and quake and that power all must know before the most High rules in the Kingdoms of men and to be carryed up by the power and the Spirit of God is not Antichrist nor is not as the beast which with his lying wonders caused fire to come down from heaven for the power and the Spirit of God fathomes all such things and seeth those were the Spirits that were erred from the Apostles and the life they lived in that did so Pr. He saith the most righteous man falls seven times a day the Scripture tell us See page 22. Ans The Scripture doth not speak any such thing as seven times a day but it saith the Just man falleth seven times and riseth again but the wicked falls into mischief Pr. He saith such as have fasted till their neighbours who lived nigh them have not known them they have been as though they had been come out of the jawes of death whether this be not as the Pharisees and an occasion to Satan c. page 24. Ans What would ye have said to David in his dayes when that he fasted till he might number his bones and was a stranger to all his acquaintance was this an hypocrites fast and because some now by the same power are moved of the Lord so to do Is this now like unto the Pharisees that appears to do so Have not all Ministers and teachers shewed their ignorance of the Scriptures and the life that
gave it forth and to be such as cannot divide the word aright nor speak a word in season But are rather such as burthens the just and oppresseth whereby the poor groanes and cries under not to distinguish between the fasting of the servants of God and you that appeared to fast So in this you shew you put no difference between the precious and the vile and are not able to Judge of things that differs so are Judged with that which doth put a difference in things that differ and David was a wonder to his neighbours about him Francis Higginson his Book called A brief Relation of the Religion of the Northern QUAKERS His PRINCIPLES follow c. Pr. HE saith in his Epistle The great number that is fallen away from the Word of God Answ The falling away from the Word of God was before the Apostles decease and since the world is gone after you and them that are fallen away and so you put the Letter for the Word the Scripture which are words and so run into all opinions into Sects but now are people coming to the Light and so to the Word Christ Jesus him by whom the world was made before it was made from you apostates to the word and the Apostles are we come Pr. Again he saith I do not detest Popery it selfe more heartily then I do your Religion Quakers c. Ans I do believe thee for Popery it selfe is thy stock The Tythes the Universities the Steeple-houses Masse-houses and so I know thou must be a friend to Popery and detest us before thou canst Popery the Kingdome would be divided else against it self and then it were not like to stand But Popery and you we see is come up since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy and so with the power of God yee are denyed Pr. Again he saith Beware of false Prophets for there shall arise false Prophets and false Christs and if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect Math. 7. and Matth. 24. Ans And Christ said they should come and they should be inwardly ravening Wolves but they should be cloathed with the sheeps cloathing to his Disciples he spake this and before the Disciples decease they saw that they were come the false Prophets and the Antichrists as in 1 John 2.4 which went forth from them that inwardly ravened that Christ said should come that had gotten the sheeps cloathing which the Apostle saw was come that went forth from them And in the Revelations he saith all the world went after them All the world wondred after the Beast and the false Prophets And the Beast had power over all Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and Peoples and the false Prophet which the world went after and these made war against the Saints and overcame them And so the false Prophets and the Antichrists you have had the sheeps cloathing but have been the wolves ravening and devouring the Lambs Ye could not have deceived if ye had not had the sheeps cloathing upon you And so the Beast and his names who have had power over all Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and so the Beast and Whore hath been upon you Tongues which makes you Orthodox men which John calls waters Here have been the beast and his names who have had power over all Nations And the mother of harlots the great whore wch all nations have drunk her cup of her fornication that the inhabitants of the earth are drunk with the wine of the wrath of her fornication and the Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and she sits upon the waters and the waters are Peoples and Tongues and Nations and Multitudes Now you have told long the poor people that the false Prophets are come but now and the Antichrists are come but now and bids them come to Matth. 7. and Matth. 24. and so have shewed your ignorance of the Scriptures which saith they were before the Apostles decease as in the first Epistle of John which went forth from the Apostles the false Prophets Antichrists and false Spirits which Christ said should come which the world since have gone after them Now have and doth your ignorance of the Scriptures appear and not to be men able to divide the word aright The discerning now is risen among people that they begin to see and know who divides the word aright And so all this hath been but for pretence to bid people to go to Matth. 7. Matth 24. and say false Prophets should come Now we see you which John said they were come and all that dwelt upon the earth went after them And so ye have had the form of godliness but the power hath been denyed and so you have burst into names and heaps and sects but now is the vials and thunders and plagues and trumpets sounding and going forth and the seven woes going out And now are the Kings of the Earth and the Beast and false Prophets and Antichrists and the mother of Harlots and the Beast and his names and horns gathering together with the old deceiver the Devil to battel against the Lamb and the Saints of the Lamb But the Lamb and the Saints have got the victory and the rivers of living waters is opening to all that thirst Sing and rejoyce let us give glory to God for now is the marriage of the Lamb come Pr. Again thou makes a great pudder that any one should witnesse he is equall with God c. page 2. A. And in a Catechism of the Assembly of the Priests called Divines which they put forth to the Nation in which they have laid down for young children and old men and all to learn That the holy Ghost and the Son is equall in power and glory with the Father Yet if any one come to witnesse the Son revealed in him or come to witnesse the holy Ghost in them as they that gave out Scriptures or witnesse the minde of Christ and witness that equall with the Father that equality which you speak of You Priests destroy that which you have put forth to the Nation and cry out horrid Blasphemy And thus ye confound that which you have set up and kill that which ye have begotten Pr. He saith I shall mention their errours First they hold their speakings are a declaration of the word Christ in them 2. That the letter of Scripture is carnall 3. That Jesus Christ is come in their flesh that he is in them as man 4. And that the Scriptures are not the written word of God 5. That the soule is a part of God or a Divine essence 6. That they enjoy God here and Christ here 7. And attain to a state of perfection 8. That sprinkling of Infants is a marke of the Beast 9. And our Church and worship and Temple are Idols Temples and Beast-houses 10. And not to be called of men Master 11. And the not speaking to a single person in the plurall number c.
before the Apostles decease they saw them that were false accusers and fierce despisers of them that were good They that had the forme of godlinesse but denyed the power that should be lovers of themselves and covetous and these were crept up before the Apostles decease and since the dayes of the Apostles the world have been after them That both covetous and heady and fierce despisers have rul'd they have been like Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses when the children of Israel were to come out of Aegypt And so do you that crept up since the Apostles decease who are covetous and high-minded heady fierce despisers of them that are good have a forme of godlinesse but deny the power thereof which are to be turned away from and so keeps people in spirituall Aegypt and Sodome Are ye not all covetous and lovers of your selves And do not you all deny the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world Christ the power of God and so keeps people under your teachings all their life time laden with their sins divers lusts while they be upon the earth and the body of it and telling them that there is no perfection here That Ministry that tosseth people up and down with your slights and wiles and windy doctrine and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth which truth is the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Are not ye fierce despisers of them that are good Hath not all the blood which hath been shed since the days of the Apostles of the Martyrs and Saints been by the stock that you are in who are the false spirits erred from the true spirit that the Prophets and Apostles were in and gone out into the world from them as ye confesse ye have not the same infallible spirit as the Prophets Christ and the Apostles had and Eaton the Pastor saith And the Indians will not deny the Light nor Turks neither that convinceth them of sin for to the Turks and Indians was the Covenant promised as well as to the Jewes for they are Heathen and thus your ignorance appears of the Scripture of truth and Ministers of God and with them you are judged Pr. Priest Coale saith The light which he is justified by is a created light Page 56. Answ The Scriptures of Truth which the Saints declared and Christ never held forth such a light as was created as justified them for the Saints are justified by Christ the light by whom all things were created Light was not created that was the Saints justification Pr. He saith Who are washed from their sins by the blood of Christ and made Priests unto God and in this sense if they themselves do not once become Priests they will become companions of Devils for ever See page 56. Answ They that become Priests to God and are washed by the blood of Jesus Christ are come out of the Devils power and overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and owns the light to be their justification which thou denies Pr. He tells us of Pauls mediate call and his extraordinary call of it selfe had not been sufficient Answ The Scripture tells us no such thing of Pauls mediate call and Paul declares himselfe take Pauls owne words not of man nor by man but by the will of God and that was sufficient which call you are out of since his dayes by men are ye called Pr. He saith Christ doth not forbid not simply to be called of men Master c. page 62. Ans It was Christs command plainly to his Disciples Be not ye of men called Master for ye have one master even Christ And thus thou stands against Christs doctrine and commands and so a transgressor and an Antichrist Pr. He saith Christs humane nature c. Ans Where doth the Scripture speak of humane the word humane where is it written tell us that we may search for it Now we do not deny that Christ according to the flesh was of Abraham but not the word humane And Christs nature is not humane which is earthly for that is the first Adam Pr. Priest Coals principle He saith His justification is not done within him but without him in the Court of heaven Answ Reprobates may talk of Justification Did not Christ work Justification without them upon the earth for man kinde and brought righteousnesse And where there is Christ made manifest within is not their Justification wrought there from heaven within Where faith is witnessed within doth not that justifie and none knows Justification in truth but where it is wrought within See page 77 78. Pr. Again Priest Coal saith The life that he lives is a created life Ans So thou hast shewed thy selfe a naturall man not spirituall nor a son of God led by the spirit of God nor in the faith and dost not live by faith nor a living in the spirit so hast manifested vain glory Pr. He calls trembling and quaking the shaking of the soule Answ The power of the Lord God cometh to shake down that nature which prisons the soul c. and sets it free And as for all thy other Complaints Reviles Railings and Lies will turn upon thy selfe and they will be hard for thee to bear and thou shalt cry out with Cain when thou and you feel the burthen who are cut of Christs steps who is the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world In the day of thy judgement thou shalt witnesse and the witnesse in thy conscience shall answer Francis Fullwood His Booke called A True Relation of a DISPVTE His Principles follows Pr. HE saith The Scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation Again the Son in whom eternall life is is onely found in Scripture and they are they that testifie of him and therefore eternall life is found in Scripture Ans Many had the Scriptures but stood against the Son of God and many may have the Scriptures and not the Son of God The Son of God is not Writings Scriptures signifies writings And many may have the Scriptures and not have the Son of God and so not eternall life For the Devill hath Scripture but hath not eternall life for he that envyeth his brother hath not eternall life abiding in him So who have eternal life they have that which the Scripture speaks of testifies of it testifies of Christ the life of the spirit and so they are the words given forth by the spirit of God and so are to be fulfilled by the same spirit again And the Scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus For they were not wise unto salvation who had the spirit without the faith Pr. He saith We attain our Gospell another way then Paul did And it is blasphemy to tell us that what ye deliver is by revelation from heaven c. Answ You have received your Gospell another way then Paul did I do believe who are apostates
so are hardned from the spirit they was in which said Christ is all in all which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And none seeth the person of Christ in heaven but who be in the Light that he hath enlightned them withall yea the Covenant of Light to the Gentiles and Heathens as well as Jewes and so God is not a respecter of persons And all that be from this Light are now making war against the Lamb and the Saints and the accuser of the Brethren is cast out and the light which doth enlighten every man which comes into the world is Christ Pr. They say It is a delusion for them that are in the light to see what mens inward states are before God page 29. Ans Have ye given your selves a name of the Church of Christ and is there not a spirit of discerning among you Have ye not manifested here that ye are harlotted from the Church of Christ the Apostles was of And how can ye minister or teach people if that ye do not discern their states how they stand before God How can you commend your selves to every mans conscience in Gods sight How can ye present the soules of men to God and see not their states how they are in his sight How come ye to have fellowship in the Spirit How can you or any Minister to the state and condition that people be in and see where they are and doth not know how they stand in Gods sight in this how have you shewed your ignorance of the Scriptures and the Epistles written to the Saints which speaks to the state and conditions the Saints were in How have ye a name but declared your selves dead from the life How have ye stained your own glory and marred your own beauty and sets your selves out of the steps and paths of the Church of Christ Pr. Simpson he saith If my heart deceive me not I could wish that God would recover you out of the Devils snare page 40. And ye speak of breaking of bread and Ordinances and the Lords Supper and Baptisme page 35. Ans The prayers of the faithfull are acceptable that are in the spirit but he that doubts he knows not his own heart and prayes without discerning being out of that which purifies it And for Baptisme and Ordinances and the Lords Supper and the bread that the Saints broke ye have all been ignorant of in this night of apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles who had spoken to the Corinthians what he had received of the Lord he delivered unto them And as oft as they did eate that bread and drinke that cup they did shew forth the Lords death till he come and they were to do it in remembrance of him And afterwards the Apostle writ again to the said Corinthians tells them the light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And said while we look not at things that are seen but at things that are not seen For the things that are seen are temporal Bread Wine and Water are seen but the things that are not seen are eternall And bids them examine themselves and prove their own selves and said Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except you be reprobates Pr. He saith He hath been a Preacher of the Gospell at Bristoll and Wells and he hath not need to seek a proof of any man page 43. And he saith I am no Preacher to bid every man turn to the light within him neither did I ever read or hear that any of the Apostles or holy men of God preached such a Gospell And they said Sarah Latchet who was excommunicated who had been one of them it was fittest to send her to Bridewell Answ This was not the Ministers of the Gospels work to wrestle with flesh and blood which is yours And they in the sight of God had witnesses and they could seek them which thou saith thou needs not And they turned people from the darknesse to the light and Christ bid them believe in the light while they had it that they might become the chilldren of the Light And the Apostles doctrine was that the light that shined in their hearts would give them that light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and this thou never heardest of as thou saist And thy Gospel that is not this and agrees not to the Apostles is another and so accursed And the Saints was one anothers Epistles written in one anothers hearts read and seen of all men And thou hast been a bad Preacher at Wells and Bristoll that knows not the Light Prin. They say A man may be a Christian a believer a converted soule he may be in Christ and yet not not have received the spirit of sealing and establishing page 53. Ans This is like to the rest of thy Doctrine who are out of it themselves they are not able to judge of the state of babes believers converted soules which are in Christ For they that are in Christ have the spirit and they that are converted are converted by the spirit And he that believeth cometh to be sealed with the spirit of promise Prin. They say The light in every man is a notion and yet they seeke God by prayer solemnly And they shut up the Kingdome of heaven against men that bid all men turne to the light within them and from the believing on the person of Jesus Christ page 60. Answ None opens the Kingdom of heaven to all men but who turns people to the light which Christ Jesus hath enlightned every man withall that cometh into the world Nor none believes in Christ but who believes in the light which Christ the light hath enlightned them withall and such have the witnesse in themselves and can set to their seales that God is true And they see their Sanctification Justification and Redemption and none ever prays the acceptable prayer of the Lord but who be in the light that cometh from Christ and such calls not the light a Notion for all notions be among such that be out of the Light which Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world withall They are from the Rock the Foundation and Sanctification and see not Christ And this is not to deny Christ but receive him and believe in him And all upon the earth be Antichrists that denies the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and be from it Pr. And as for your speaking of judging and not to judge before the time untill the Lord do come c. Answ That was spoken to the Corinthians who will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and make manifest the counsels of the heart Now the same Apostle said to the same Corinthians that God would dwell in them and walk in them and they were not to judge before
the time untill that he did come And he told them the Saints should judge the world and the world should be judged by them Now where the Lord is come such as have the Son and the Father and bring this Doctrine they are to be received and they know where sin and transgression is finished and where it is standing So if any man have an ear to hear this and can receive it let him And as for the rest of the things in your Book your silence might have covered your shame for every mans words shall be his burthen Therefore he that hath the word of God and speaks that that shall not be so which now comes to be richly known and is known among the Saints and Believers the true Church which is come out of the Apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles to that the Apostles was in Jonathan Clapham a labourer of the Gospell as he saith and William Jenkin Their Book called A Discovery of the the QUAKERS Doctrine to the PROTECTOR Their PRINCIPLES c. Pr. HE saith I dare not say that I am infallible as the Pope and the Quakers And the Magistrate in this externall politick Kingdome is a Mediator though he is no Officer nor Magistrate in the Spirituall Kingdome of his Church And if this be received by Magistrates that they have nothing to do with the worship of God Christ is little beholding to them Then they may protect the worship of Mahomet as well as Christs And yet yee say That the Magistrate is the Officer of Christ. See his Epistle to the Protector Answ How is it then if the Magistrate be no officer of the Church that you make use of Magistrates to prison to persecute to give you Tythes and to quench the spirit when any thing is revealed to another that sits by Was not the Magistrates in all ages stirred up by the blinde Priests and Prophets and Teachers to persecute and to prison such as they judged to be blasphemers And so did not all the Saints in all ages suffer not as for Truth but as for blasphemy yea by them that had the form covered with the sheeps cloathing Now the Magistrate that is in the power of Christ he is beyond an external Kingdom and sees over the Kingdoms of the world and that as he is a Help-Governour for Christ he is a member of the Church and he knows who worships God and who worships Idols And who worships God be in the power of God He is in that which sees over all externall Kingdomes that 's the higher power which the soul must be subject to and that 's the true Magistrate And thou not being infallible thou art not in the spirit and so art not a Minister and art not able to judge of powers that is not infallible nor Magistrates nor Kingdomes nor Churches For who is in the infallible is in the spirit that Christ was in and the Apostles and Prophets that gave forth Scriptures But we say that thou nor the Pope thy elder Brother in the apostacy from the Apostles are neither of ye infallible nor in the infallible spirit that the Apostles was in but ye are both erred from it in the apostacy as your fruits declares contrary to the Apostles Pr. They say The Magistrates are to protect the Church from the ravenous Wolves for yee to stop the freedome of the Quakers in your Dominions and their License and the Lord blesse your Highnesse See his Epistle to the Protector Answ Before thou saidst they were not Officers in the Spirituall Church and now wouldst thou have them to limit and quench the spirit and to be your Executioners by telling them the Quakers seduce people Ye have manifested your own spirits that yee have not the spirit to resist their spirits but are crying to the Magistrates And did John bid the Saints call to the Magistrates to the outward powers of the earth to try Seducers or did the Saints And have not you manifested your selves to be them that cry help men against Christ and the Saints and cries to the mountaines to cover you crying to the Magistrates Help men of Israel these are the men that will turne the world upside down and so go to the arm of flesh Have not ye here shewed your spirits to be them that should come who were inwardly ravened which John saw was come and to be the Wolves in the sheeps cloathing and the blasphemers such as you cannot tear your selves you would have the Magistrates to tear But the Lord hath opened an understanding among many of them that they see you Pr. He saith We dare not contest with the Quakers they teach men by minding the light in the conscience to attain a morall righteousness that is the highest and as if they had accomplished it wholly now and not to be fulfilled in another world See Epistle to the Protector Answ We do believe that you are not able to resist the Quakers who have appeared in that that cannot be shaken Therefore is it not a shame to you to say you are a Church and Ministers and to say the Magistrate is no Officer in the Spirituall Church And yet you to flye to the Magistrate and tell him you dare not contest with the Quakers and blesse him if he will but stop them Think ye not the Magistrate will see you in these things And the light which Christ the righteousnesse of God hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world withall leads man from the end of the righteousnesse of the Law that comes to be fulfilled in all its righteousnesse whatsoever and so the light is too heavy for thee and hard for thee and it is the precious stone thou stumbles at And things fulfilled in another world the Prophecies the Parables the Types the Figures the Shadows the Gifts the Revelations the Dispensations these things was in this world manifested And Christ who is the end of all who comes to him into the power of the world that hath no end What is there to fulfill there in the world that hath no end Things are to be fulfilled in this World that hath an end And thus thou hast shewed thy ignorance Pr. He saith The Scripture is the Word of God And he saith Christ is not properly the Word but figuratively page 3. And the Scripture is in more proper sense without figure called the Word of God He saith without the Scripture we do not know how to worship God aright and serve him and therein attain to eternall life Again they say God is not pleased to use this way of immediate Revelation now Neither indeed is it the worke of Gods holy Spirit to discover things unto us now immediately page 5. Ans Christs name is called the Word of God properly and not figuratively and more properly then the Scripture as in the Revelations And the Scriptures are the words of God and words which Christ fulfills the Word So it is properly to call
is upon them that leave the Scriptures to look to the light within them Page 9. And many deceivers should come into the world that confesse not Christ come in the flesh receive them not into your houses And the man Christ is testified against by the light Pag. 13. and he saith they publikely deny the resurrection of the dead body And he saith Christ in the flesh his sufferings was but an example and a figure Ans Christ ended all figures in suffering and examples and paterns yet he is the Saints patern and example as the Scripture witnesses and there is no other example nor patern to be heeded but Christ alone which they are to learn of but to say he is nothing but a figure for that thou and you all will be judged for he ended all figures and is the resurrection and the life both and thy dead body shall live with my dead body this is Scripture and they that said the resurrection was past in the dayes of the Apostles overthrew the faith of some That which overthrowes the faith denying the resurrection kept the seed in death where it hath been in you all since the dayes of the Apostles for who are of faith are of Abraham of Christ according to the flesh and so if the dead arise not their Preaching is vain and their faith is vain So I say mortal must put on immortality and corruption must put on incorruption the first man was made a living soul the second was made a quickening spirit there is earthly bodies and heavenly bodies and there Is a resurrection of the just and unjust the one to eternal life the other to condemnation And the Judge is the man Christ Jesus to Judge the quick and the dead who both dyed and rose again that he might be God of the dead and the living And the light which every man hath that cometh into the world doth not testifie against Christ And the light doth not bring to deny the Scriptures but to own them And none ownes them aright nor Christ but who are in the light which cometh from him And all that do deny the light that doth enlighten every man c. are the wolves and the false Prophets and Antichrists that have gotten the sheeps cloathing and such cannot be received into the houses of the Saints that are from the light which every man is enlightened withall And none confesseth Christ come in the flesh but who is in the light which Christ hath enlightened them withall And so now is all Professors and teachers upon the earth and Kings of the earth ravened inwardly from the light which Christ enlightened them all withall standing against the light and the Lamb and the Saints that be in it and are not to be received into the houses of the Saints neither to bid them God speed for they be out from God that be out of the Light which Christ the Son hath enlightened them withall Pr. And he saith Christ hath a humane reasonable soul Again Christ the Eternal Son of God distinct from the Father Eternally before he was made flesh his spirit was distinguished from the Father and the Son from Eternitie and not onely when he was manifested by descending on Christ in the likeness of a Dove or by falling upon the Apostles like cloven tongues c. page 17. Answ Christ saith he is in the Father and the Father is in him and he will send them the Spirit of Truth the Comforter that proceeds from the Father and the Son and Christ saith he was glorified with the Father before the world began and yet ye say the Son is distinguished from the Father from Eternity and the Son saith he is in the Father and the Father is in him and you say the spirit is distinguished from the Father and the Son from Eternity and Christ saith it proceeds from him and the Fathers and he is the God and Father of the spirits of all flesh and the substance of all things And is not a humane soul earthly for you say that Christ had a humane soul and is not humane earthly and hath a humane body and is not a humane body an earthly body Is not his body of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh and is not his body a glorified body was not the first man of the earth earthly and had an humane body the second man the Lord from heaven And is not the soul immortal which cometh out from God which is immortal and goes into God again and is not humane or earthly mortal And are there not three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and are not they all one how then are they distinct and three that bear record in earth the spirit the water and the blood which agree in one And Christ saith I and my Father are one and I in the Father and the Father in me and he is in the Saints and so not distinct Pr. He saith it is impudency in the Quakers to deny the word Trinity and three Persons And the Church ever denyed such as denyes the Doctrine of the Trinity Page 18. 19. Ans As for the word Trinity and three Persons we have not read it in the Bible but in the Common-prayer Book or Masse-book which the Pope was the Author of but as for Unity we own and Christ being the brightness of the Fathers glory and the expresse Image of his substance of the Father we own That we own which agrees with the Scriptures and for that which the Scripture speakes not which men speak and teach for Doctrine their own words that the Scriptures speakes not nor teacheth such the Scriptures shut out and we deny Pr. He saith that is the weak ignorant dark and the wicked Sect of the Devil that maintains an equality with God the soul to be one being with God or part of God And saith the Quakers say there is no Scriptures speakes of a humane soul and the soul is taken up into God and God is all in all Answ The Assembly or Synod of Priests put forth a Catechisme and say that the Holy Ghost and the Son is equal with the Father in power and glory and this they put forth that people should learn it what then if any come to witness the Holy Ghost they come to witnes that which is equal in power and glory with the Father what if any come to witness the Son of God revealed in them which he that hath not him hath not life do they not come to witness him who is equal in power and glory with the Father this is your own Catechisme and is it blasphemy to confesse your own words that ye have given people to learn God breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soul God who hath all souls in his hand And is not this that cometh out from God which is in Gods hand part of God of God and from God and to
is the eight day and so not one in seven And if the Saints-sat in heavenly places with Christ Jesus And if the Saints in heaven must have a glorious body and Christ an humane body which I say is earthly how doth this agree with Scripture that says Christs is a glorious body And is it an earthly body the Saints eats when they eat the flesh of Christ And is not people in their first state in the earthly before they come to witnesse a spiritual body like unto his glorious body How do you divide the word aright and they that have the spirit of Christ their spirits are in heaven and they have unity with the Father Pr. We have no such immediate converse with God now as to see him face to face page 42. Ans We do believe you have not who are gone from the spirit that the Prophets and Apostles were in ravened from it since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy and so are not in the counsell of God and are out of his teaching and instruction and so farre off of having fellowship with God for who have fellowship with him comes to see him and you are not of Abrahams seed who saw God face to face but are of the Pharisees stock who never saw his shape John 5. Pr. And you say In the last dayes false Prophets should arise and shew signes and wonders and if it were possible they should deceive the Elect. And the coming of the man of sin is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders c. page 44. Answ Christ said they should come the false Prophets and the Antichrists which John saw were come yea many Antichrists were gone out into the world And the Apostle Paul saw the man of sin before his decease the coming of him with the lying signes and wonders which since the dayes of the Apostles in this night of Apostacy they have rul'd and reign'd the man of sin with his lying signes and wonders and these are not the true signes but lying And when they were ravened from the spirit of God they got the sheeps cloathing inwardly ravening wolves which if it were possible they would deceive the very elect which went forth from the Apostles in the apostacy and since they have deceived the Nations the wolves the inwardly raveners though covered with the sheeps cloathing And here these things have been among you in the apostacy And the Apostates have reigned and rul'd and have had the dominion since the dayes of the Apostles But now with that which ye all have ravened from are ye made manifest and comprehended So this man of sin with his lying signes and wonders who ravened from the spirit of God as the Devill did who went from the Truth is he that compels all his members to plead for the body of sin while they be upon earth and so to keep them out of the faith of Gods Elect that gives the victory over the world And such he cannot deceive nor none of his members that ravened from the spirit of God Pr. He saith The Quakers the despising the fashions of the world contemning the honours and pleasures thereof and their sober carriage and deportment among men and willingnesse to suffer all these he calls wickedness See page 49 50. Answ But it seemeth this practice sobernesse denying the fashions of the world and contemning of honours and pleasures thereof and the sober carriage offends him and the world and the rest of the Priests and Professors and to deny their lusts which they be in Pr. He saith The Devill is not an Adulterer page 51. Answ Did the Devill abide in the Truth And did not he go out of it Are not all that go out of the Truth of him Adulterers who begets his own image and is the foundation of adultery Pr. He saith The light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is a naturall light or law page 56. Ans Which light is the end of the Law Christ Jesus before any naturall light was made or created for all things that was made was made by him and he doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world who is the end of the Law Pr. He saith the light will not bring men to salvation page 56. Answ The light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is Christ the salvation to the ends of the earth Pr. He saith again The light is not sufficient to lead men to salvation page 60. And to witnesse Sanctification within and Justification there is to confound justification and sanctification And grace and justification is a created thing and the sight within is meer darknesse which the Quakers speak of See page 61. Ans The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall comprehends all darknesse and leads out of it and there is no occasion of stumbling in it for as many as receives him to them he gives power to become the sons of God And the light is not darknesse but he that saith the light is darknesse is out of the light in the darknesse And Justification and Sanctification within doth not confound it without but is the same that is within as is without And grace is the gift of God and Sanctification both Christ Jesus who was before any creature was created and the grace comes from the Throne Pr. He saith They are the unstablished people that are running after every way of errour that owns the Quakers in these Nations page 62. Ans In that the Nation will witnesse against thee for them that own the Quakers it 's known that they have been the most knowingest seeking people that have been in the Nations and the most sincerest people and none comes out of errour but who comes to the Quakers light which they follow which is Christ Pr. He saith That Christ hath a humane created soule See page 63. Again and the light in the conscience to be Christ is a false Doctrine And the Quakers seeke to bring people from all other teaching but the light within them page 65. Answ The soule of Christ is witnessed But to say it is humane earthly and created when the Scripture doth not teach us that doctrine we cannot own your words nor believe but deny them And Christ is the light in the conscience which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world who was before any creature was which he that receiveth it comes to him to be his Teacher and feels him reign And every man must come to the Light which Christ hath enlightned them withall c. who is the Covenant of God to feel the Law written in their hearts and in their mindes to bring them off all other Teachers whereby they need not teach one another nor to say Know the Lord. Pr. He saith Men may be called of men Master and it is but a cavill to deny it And they may deny to be called
the fountain hath the Devill the fountain for he can bring Scriptures Hath he the Fountain and Well of living waters Nay we say God and Christ is the fountain of all good And saith David all the springs are in him And so many may have the Scriptures and yet want the waters want the fountain which hath had them since the dayes of the Apostles which have had them this many hundreds of yeares in the Apostacy the sheeps cloathing and have known no other Fountain but it nor no other Well So there hath all the leannesse of soules been among people that they have not known the Fountain of whom they learned that gave forth Scriptures And we do believe you that yee are fallible men that say the Scriptures is the well and fountain of living waters and you are not infallible And it is contrary to your experience to be infallible And we say the Pope is not infallible neither though he be your Father the Ancient Yet we say he and you are apostatized from the infallible spirit that the Apostles was in in which we are come with which ye are seen and judged So not to have the spirit of Christ Jesus not to have the spirit of the Prophets and Apostles not to be led by the spirit of truth into all truth not to be in the spirit not to speak as ye are moved of the Holy Ghost But to be such as ravened from the spirit of God inwardly and have gotten the sheeps cloathing ye and the Pope and so have devoured Nations for this many hundred yeares so have all been like ravening Wolves For who witnesse these conditions that they were in that gave forth the Scriptures they witnesse infallibility an infallible spirit which is now possessed and witnessed among those called Quakers glory to the highest for ever That your folly now should be made manifest the morning is springing in the night of apostacy is going So I say the Devill false Prophets Antichrists Deceivers Beast mother of Harlots none of these can witnesse an infallible spirit nor the Well nor Fountain but the Letter though they may get all the sheeps cloathing and come in likenesse of a Lamb or a Sheep to deceive people withall But being out of the spirit that Christ the Prophets and Apostles was in that gave forth Scriptures they are not infallible as they were but with that they are all judged out which will answer that which they are all gone from where the key is known and the Well was and is in believers Pr. And the Scriptures is the rule and the Quakers dream of the Light to be their Rule to walk by Page 14. Answ The word of God which lives and endures for ever which came to the Saints of old which caused them to give forth Scriptures and to write them which fulfills all the words again is the Rule which word was spoken to the Saints before Scripture was written which lets all people see that declaration and fulfils that declaration to them Christ the leader of the people the Covenant of God who is the light and they are in the dreams that denyes it Pr. He saith But Christ by his Magistrates hath appointed Tythes a maintenance for his Ministers Page 21. Answ Since the dayes of the Apostles the Pope did give Tythes and other Magistrates that followed him and he hath had the tenths of the Tythes since this night of apostacy and the reprobation hath been from the Apostles Doctrine And many have had the sheepes cloathing but have been raveners from the life that they lived in that gave it forth so have not seen to what state and condition the Scriptures was spoken from and to being out of the life they was in that gave it forth And sees not the substance Christ Jesus who came to end the first Priest-hood and the Ministers that took Tythes tolerated by the first Covenant which the Apostle witnessed the end of an everlasting Covenant and another ministry and another maintenance to them which since the dayes of the Apostles such as are ravened from the spirit of God have lost the maintenance the Apostles and Christ gave and so set up another Tythes and a ministry which is neither agreeable to Jewes nor Gentiles nor Christs but more darker But the night of apostacy is going over the true Light shines and the light of the living springing in Pr. He saith The immediate spirit excludes the word to be the rule Page 38. And the word and the spirit he saith are different things And the Pharisees thought right that eternal life was laid up in the Scriptures Page 39. Answ Christ told the Pharisees they would not come to him that they might have life and he was the life and he was the way and no one cometh to the Father but by him he doth not say he was scripture but he bids them search it for it testified of him and no one hath life but who are in him And the word and the spirit are one and the spirit doth not exclude the word nor the Scriptures for they was given forth from it and ownes them again with it are they seen given forth in time fulfilled in time cannot be broken and the Saints life is hid in Christ who ends them Pr. He saith Men are saved but not by Christ within us Page 42. Ans How is mans salvations wrought out but by the power of Christ wihtin How is the old man destroyed but by Christ within How is the Justification felt but by Christ within And the seed Christ made manifest that suffered without is made manifest within there is redemption and life He that hath the Son of God hath life redemption to God out of the first Adam and who feels Christ within feels salvation and who doth not are reprobates though they may talk of him Pr. He saith It is a fond signe to depend upon an unwritten word immediately within themselves and say from that word is the life manifested within Pag. 43 And Christ is not come to them in the flesh and he saith Timothy had the gift of God freely and Elders are called ordinarily and not Immediately This call ordinary is common to all Ministers to continue to all ages in the Church Page 47. Ans All they that have not the unwritten word in their hearts which is immediate knowes not the word of faith knowes not the word of reconciliation knowes not the Ingrafted word that is able to save their souls knowes not that which lives and abides and endures for ever knowes not eternal life neither have they it that hath not the word the immediate word within them knows not the immortal seed And such be in the fondness and have the Scripture and put that for the word which is words And since the dayes of the Apostles in your Churches your Ministers your Elders your makers of your Ministers have been all mediate and so it is ordinary as ye call it But
before the Apostacy in the days of the Apostles we say neither Elders nor Ministers was mediate But that which made the elders was the Holy-Ghost to oversee and that which brought them to minister was immediate and so they was Ministers of the spirit and all Elders made by the mediate is carnal earthly and their weapons are earthly and their rule which they over-see withall is earthly Therefore hath your Church broken into so many pieces and they divide and cannot hold together like earth because ye are not in an Immediate spirit And so we do see it is so since the dayes of the Apostles neither your Elders nor your teachers are called Immediately But only have the sheepes cloathing ravened from the spirit of God And so are the wolves tearing one another to pieces about the letter and your apprehensions of it And Timothy which many of you say had not an immediate call and yet thou saith he had the gift of God Doth not that which God gives to men bring to do his will And that which is given from God to man is not that immediate and perfect And we do beleeve you ye do not witness that ye are of his flesh and of his bone that ye have not eaten it nor drunk his blood therefore do you say the Scriptures is the fountain of life and have been this hundreds or thousand years which the Pharisees had Scriptures in their ages and had not life ye have had the Scriptures which ye call the well and fountain of life many hundreds or thousand years yet though you and the Pharisees have all Scriptures except ye do eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood ye have no life in you neither you nor the Pharisees which flesh is our food and blood is our drink which we do believe you this many hundred of years ye have not eaten his flesh nor drank his blood and so are not of his flesh nor of his bone therefore cry ye so much against immediate and infallibility Pr. He saith The holiest man that is is not able to give an infallible Character of another man Pag. 49. we do grant that our Ministers came from Antichrist and past through him And he chargeth people for leaving their callings and say that the Quakers are like to them that flie from the wrath to come Answ We do believe that your Ministers came from Antichrist and through Antichrist for he was the Chanell But the Quakers are neither of you nor of Antichrist nor of the Pope but they are of the Apostles stock and of Abraham and of Christ before the Pope was Antichrist was or you was and so with the spirit of God and the Apostles you are fathomed And the Quakers do witnes they are made free from the wrath to come which the Pharisees did not that fled to John And there thy measure is too short all may see it that be in the light and thy ignorance of the Scriptures thou hast discovered and shewed and thou saith that the holiest man is not able to give an infallible Character of another man hast not thou in this discovered thy self to be no Minister of Christ or of the spirit who cannot give an infallible Character of another man how canst thou minister to his condition how canst thou see where he is how canst thou see them that be turned from the darkness and that be in the darkness and distinguish the one from the other and a holy man from an unholy man that canst not give an infallible Character of any mans state How canst thou know when men be in the spirit and that they are Epistles written in one anothers hearts not with paper and ink but with the spirit of the living God oh a divider of the word aright hath been wanting among you dark ones thou may say right enough your Ministers came from Antichrist and through Antichrist And did not the Saints leave their callings Pr. He saith It is a fancy to witness the righteousness of Christ within us Page 61. and to maintain persecution he brings Ahabs slaying the false Prophets and for the laying on of hands he brings the practice of the Apostles And to stop the liberty of conscience he saith must Saul be permitted to do what he will against Jesus of Nazareth Answ False Prophets are enemies yet they are not to slay them now the Apostles did not wrestle against the flesh and the blood with the false Prophets at you Ministers do now though Saul did before he was Paul and shewed himself of your nature you be now in unconverted And who ever be not in that state to witness Christ in them manifest in their flesh and there condemning sin in the flesh that they may through him become the righteousness of God they be in their fancies And Christ destroyes the ground of all fancy and brings to see where there is no shadow nor changing and brings their conscience into liberty and washeth it and sprinckling it where the Ministery of faith is held in it And your laying on of hands since the apostacy from the Apostles is not as the Apostles who have not an infallible spirit nor are infallible nor called immediately as they were none of them you lay on your hands can receive the Holy Ghost who you your selves are not in the immediate spirit nor infallible nor called immediately So all in the apostacy is from the Apostles hands and calling your folly is made manifest the light hath discovered you at which ye are stumbling and every one is wrestling against the Lamb and the Saints that are wrestling against the Light and such are Antichrists that shall be slain with the sword the words of his mouth and the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory Pr. He saith humane learning helpes to understand heavenly things Page 70. Again Christ inlightens men no more wayes but one to wit by a natural light Page 71. And the righteousness within is not that which justifies and we are not freely justified and saved and redeemed that is through that Redemption and righteousness that is within us Page 74. 75. He saith We are justified freely but not by the grace wrought in us Answ By grace ye are saved and that not of your selves is is the gift of God and this in the heart manifested before it be known and possessed And every one that knowes Justification Redemption righteousness and salvation this is all known within us else people be in the first Adam drove from God not come to the second Adam not knowing salvation in the ground Justification in the ground Redemption in the ground If Christ the righteousness of God Redemption Justification and salvation the righteousness be not felt within and found within they are Reprobates And the Reprobates may talk of it without but where that is there is salvation righteousness Redemption Justification c. And Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world him by
whom the world was made before it was made which light people are to believe in which is not natural which gives to see over the nature before the natural was for the natural lights are the Sun the Moon and Stars which may be seen with a visible eye which Christ the light the Covenant of light to Jewes and Gentiles the salvation to the ends of the earth which doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world that all men through him might believe Here is God no respector of persons he that believeth in the light shall be saved and he that doth not is condemned And he comes to be a Child of light who believes in the light and now shall the world be reproved for not believing in the light and humane learning is that which is earthly and natural that doth not open the heavenly that which reveales the things of God is the Spirit of God beyond all the worlds wisdom For that you call humane learning and humane soul and humane body is earthly not heavenly nor understands them The earth is below so they that are of the earth and they that is from above speak of the things above and so they that are below measure by the earthly wisdom below and so that which gives to understand the heavenly things is the spirit of God and the spiritual wisdom which is not of man nor from man for saith the Apostle neither knowes any man the things of God but the Spirit of God Pr. And the righteousness of Christ by which we are justified he saith is not within us Again the Lord will poure out his Spirit upon all flesh but that is not meant that all should have the spirit for some have not the spirit as in Jude Page 79. He saith he desires God to lighten with a better light then that which lightens every man c. and to lead them out of these grosse delusions See page 80. Answ You that are not justified by that Christ that suffered without manifested within you shall never know Justification if the Justification be not within you are reprobates And the Lord hath fulfilled his promise by pouring out his spirit upon all flesh Sons and Daughters handmaids old men though they quench it And they in Jude prove they had the spirit which went in Balaams Cores and Cains way but they erred from it where you are in the sensual state in the sects and seeing not the promise of the Father pouring out of the spirit upon all flesh Apostatized out of the life the Apostles was in and the Prophets manifest your selves to the whole world And so you that ownes not the Light Christ Jesus that God sent into the world and gave his only begotten Son into the world which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that all through him might believe but thou that desires a better light of God then he to wit Christ shewes thy tempting and Blasphmy For there is no other way to the Father but by Christ the Light of the world that doth enlighten every one c. and he that doth not believe in that light is condemned Pr. He saith And Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that is meant the Church See Post-script Paul and Peter instructed by immediate Revelation which we are not so presumptuous as to expect And he saith Reproaches are cast upon the Ministers because they are not infallible and preach not by immediate inspiration as the Apostles did Post-script Ans You that do not instruct and preach by the same immediate infallible spirit as the Prophets and Apostles was in you be all in an usurped authority out of the spirit run and not sent from God For whom God sends he sends immediately and teacheth he teacheth immediately and they know his infallible spirit And none knows the Scriptures of Truth of you all since the dayes of the Apostles in this night of apostacy but who are in the infallible spirit and immediate which the Propâ—ets and Apostles was in which you from it are gone forth and it is presumption in you to teach without it And so you are not reproached nor the Pope that are the false Prophets and Antichrists that Christ said should come and the Apostle John saw was come that inwardly ravened and have gotten the sheeps cloathing have the forme but deny the power who deny infallibility and the immediate call and the immediate Ministry have denyed the power of God and so keeps people alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth in the usurped authority which the Apostles stopt and rebuked before his decease And so you do not see the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which Christ faith I am the light of the world not of Saints onely And saith the Prophet I will give him for a Covenant to the Gentiles not a new Covenant to the house of Israel onely and there he was prophecyed of before John came the greatest Prophet who was born of a woman who said This is the true light that doth enlighten every man c. And when Christ was come he said he was the light of the world And whosoever did believe in him should not abide in darknesse but should have the light of life And so since ye ravened from the spirit of God and have onely had the sheeps cloathing ye have brought people upon heaps and Sects and they that be not in the infallible are they that reproach for they be in the reproachfull spirit which the spirit of God never did which was immediate and infallible which the Prophets Christ and the Apostles were in which alwayes judged the reproachers which was from the infallible spirit Pr. And thou saith To the Law and to the Testimony and how that he gave some Apostles for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministry for the edifying of the body till all come into the unity of the faith to the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature and fulnesse of Christ Answ Thou and you all that have denyed infallibility and immediate inspiration and teaching have shut your selves out of the Law and Testimony and the work of the Ministry which is for the perfecting of the body and bringing them to the unity of the faith to the knowledge of the Son of God c. For the Law is light that is infallible and immediate The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy that is infallible and immediate And ye may have the Old and New Testament and say that is the Law and Testimony which the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Marke Luke John the Acts the Epistles and the Revelations was written in the days of Isaiah see Isa 8 chap. And that which perfects the Saints is infallible that gift which was given to the Ministry is infallible and immediate that which
which cometh from Christ with it they shall see a Saviour Christ Jesus from whence it comes And the light shining from the East to the West and the coming of the Son of man and receive Christ and so come to the Rock And so people having been from the Light which every man is enlightned withall that cometh into the world they have been all brought on heaps But now they are coming to the Rock And thy words Thomas Collier shall be thy own burthen and for them thou shalt receive judgement And this is the word of the Lord God to thee and thy time is not yet past John Billingsley who calls himselfe Mr. of Arts Minister of the Gospell and Pastor of the Church at Chesterfield in his Booke called Strong COMFORTS for weake CHRISTIANS His Principles follows c. Pr. HE saith He would have the Mayor and Aldermen of Chesterfield to shew themselves to be really affected to the cause of Christ and his blessed Sabbaths c. Ans In this thou hast shewed thou art one that keeps people in darknesse and not a Minister of the Gospel of Christ and the new Covenant but of the Law and in the signes and shadows For the Sabbaths the Apostles did bring people off of them and they met together on the first day of the week and denyed the Jewes Sabbath and still it is your practice and yet thou cryest up to shew themselves for the cause of the blessed Sabbath what blind and dark stuffe is this For never did Pastor or Minister of Christ preach up such a Doctrine as to stir up Aldermen and Mayors and great men to shew themselves zealous for the Sabbath And thus thou hast shewed thy selfe to be one of them the Apostles was afraid of that observed the dayes which he brought the people off to the substance which they met together on the first day of the week which Christ rose on and so was a crosse to the Jewes who met together on the seventh day And Circumcision was on the 8th day on that day Christ rose Pr. He saith The Scripture and the Spirit are unseparable which he calls the Word Page 7. and that the spirit is alwayes in the Scriptures Again He is in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity who calls the spirit a dead Letter page 9. Ans Every one that hath the Scriptures cannot say he hath the spirit that gave it forth for the Devill may have Scripture who is out of the spirit And the Apostle which said the Letter kills and was old was not in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity And the spirit was in them that gave forth the Scriptures And the Scriptures are the words of God which ends in Christ the Word who fulfils them Pr. He saith Prize the holy Scriptures through which is all our hopes of eternall life communicated to us And I wonder what any soule hath to shew for eternal life but the Scriptures So I call it Gods warrant Page 13. And in the midst of thoughts prize the Covenant of free grace And if ye would have substantial comforts from the Covenant do not lay hold of Covenant comforts Page 12. Answ Thou cannot speak a word to the wearied who art in the presumption thy selfe and to be brought down who art applying the promises to the wrong nature And many may have the Scriptures and many have the Scriptures and all ignorant of eternall life untill they all come into the life as they was in that gave forth the Scriptures For the Scripture communicates not the life but God of whom they learned that gave forth Scripture it is it that testifies of eternall life And the souls comfort is Christ which it speaks of Pr. He saith The Apostle to the Philippians speaks of Saints as Citizens our trading is in heaven Now Citizens great trading is Mercandize as ships go from London to India c. So thousands of soules go towards heaven worth nothing a poore empty creature See page 15. Answ The merchandize is in the earth in Babylon and there thou and you are all The soule is worth more then all the world which goes to heaven it goes richly full of all attire and fruitfulnesse and not empty Is not an empty creature that which God breathed into man the breath of life whereby it became a living soule And he hath all soules in his hand and Christ is the Bishop of it the power of God and therefore it is not empty for the Saints had the heavenly treasure in earthen vessells Pr. He saith The Sacrament and Baptisme is a most refreshing cup for we walke by faith and not by sight page 18. I can say frequent mention is made of salvation by Christ without mentioning any act of faith in us c. page 19. Answ Sacraments and sprinkling Infants called Baptisme who walks after them walks after sight not by faith for these things are seen and they follow their owne traditions and not the Scriptures for them either sprinkling Infants or Sacrament And who walks by faith and not fight comes off the things that are seen For things that are seen are temporall but things that are not seen are eternall saith the Apoâ—â—le And he that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not shall be condemned this is the doctrine of Christ to the Apostles they are condemned already And where the belief is there is faith and salvation seen and known but where belief is not there is condemnation there salvation is not known and every one that is saved believes Pr. I do not say that there is perfect victory against every corruption But that grace will be eating out and curbing sin in the heart page 21. And there is no peace nor comfort that is miantained without warring and constant combating c. Yea peace and war against sin are alwayes inseparable companions page 22. All true comfort hath its foundation from the written Word they are fancies and flashes rather then comforts from pretended immediate revelations page 23. Answ None knows true comfort but who comes to the immediate Revelation that is to the spirit that reveals the things of God If men have all the Scriptures the written words and not the word in which they end they have not comfort neither can they do any thing without Christ neither have the wearyed rest neither is the Bishop of the soule known neither is the burthen and the old yoak gone off though they have all the Scriptures but as every one doth come to the life that gave forth the Scriptures with which they see Christ the end the substance of them him by whom the world was made before it was made these have comfort of the words And the Scriptures are words not the Word and such as are here comes to know peace and the end of war and the occasion of war taken away And sin and corruption is separated from the precious and contrary to the Just with it
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus Pr. The Priests bear rule by their means this is the meanes of the false Prophets saith he If there be a burthen upon paying of Tythes lay it upon God and the Magistrates and not upon me the Pastor Answ Tythes to the similitude Melchisedeck Tythes to the Priest-hood made by the Law of God Christ is come the end of the similitude the end of the Priest-hood and disannuld the commandement that gave Tythes and all his Ministers Pastors and Teachers preached down Tythes and preached up the substance and preached down the Priests that took them and the Law that gave them and the authority and the Magistrates both that held them up And so you that have gotten Tythes since the dayes of the Apostles whose root and ground was by the Papists in the apostacy are such that burthens the Creation and a griefe to all true Christians that be in the life and the power and the spirit that the Apostles was in before the apostacy Now if thou wert a true Minister of Christ if the Magistrate would give thee tythes thou wouldst not take them which is got up since the Apostacy came in them that have got the sheeps cloathing but are ravened from the spirit of God And doth not thou think that the Priests that were obedient to the Faith if they would have turned again to the Jews Magistrates dost thou think they would not have given them tythes And dost thou think that any of them that was obedient to the Faith that they took Tythes after they were converted to Christ and his faith the substance And dost thou think that any that is out of the apostacy now will take Tythes of the Magistrates now if they would give them which were set up since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy I will warrant thee they will dye before they will lose their glory and their Crown And they that preach the Gospell shall live of the Gospell And the Prophets prophesie falsly and the Priest beares rule by his meanes What doth the Priest receive his gifts by the false Prophets means Doth not the people love to have it so And are not you all found fallen into this Ditch that are inwardly ravened from the spirit of God The false spirits gone into the earth for money and for tythes for lucre for means for gifts admiring mens persons because of advantage yet covering your selves with the sheeps cloathing crept up into a Masse-house and calls it a Church and tells people while they be upon the earth they must have corruptions and the body of sin and this is the work of your Ministry So among the Lyars Whoremongers Sorcerers Adulterers inwardly ravened from the spirit of God out of the Kingdome are ye found And as for all the rest of thy rabble and unsavoury expressions in thy Book they are not worth mentioning But in the day of thy judgement thou shalt feel thy owne words thy burthen in the tryall of the Fire thy works will burn Immanuel Bourne who calls himselfe Pastor of 〈◊〉 Church in Ashover in his Book called A Defence of the Scriptures and the holy Spirit speaking in them are these Principles following And Priest Gifford of Bedford his PRINCIPLE Pr. HE saith Christ himselfe sent his hearers to the Scriptures as the chiefe judge of Controversie and of Faith Answ Christ did not put the Scriptures above himselfe he said All judgement was committed to the Son and for judgement he was come into the world And the Pharisees that had the Scriptures they could not judge of Faith nor of controversie nor knew not Christ the Author of the Faith nor none can judge but who be in the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures And the Scriptures was given forth from them that was in the faith of Truth but such as be not in the faith knows not the Scriptures neither is it able to make them wise unto salvation without the Faith For the Pharisees and chief Priests were not though they had Scripture and they judged and condemned the Author of Faith that had Scriptures without the life and so do all that are out of the life still that have the Scriptures judge the Author of the Faith Christ Jesus who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And the holy spirit spake in them that gave forth the Scriptures and so they spoke it forth Now they that be from the spirit of God in their owne particulars speaking there knows not the spirit that spoke in them that spoke them forth but such are they that saith The spirit speakes in the Scriptures Such are the Ministers of the Letter and not of the Spirit that gave it forth And the spirit that gave forth the Scripture is that which judged of all conditions which gave them the spirituall understanding For people have not the spirituall understanding to judge and to discern if they have all the Scriptures unlesse they be in the spirit that gave it forth And so the Scripture it selfe without the spirit that gave it forth cannot be the Judge of Controversie nor of Faith but is a dead Letter in it selfe but the spirit is it that gave forth Scriptures Pr. He saith Christ within is inherent holinesse And George Fox professed equality with God page 20. Answ Christ within is beyond all mens righteousnesse or holinesse for he is the righteousnesse it selfe And the Assembly of Divines gave forth a Catechisme presented to the Parliament for people to learn wherein they say that the Holy Ghost is equall in power and glory with the Father Now every one that cometh to witnesse the Son of God and the holy Ghost that gave forth the Scriptures by your account they witnesse that which is equall in power and glory with God And doth not the Assembly give forth this in their Catechisme that people should learn And is it blasphemy for to come to witnesse this which you have given forth and the minde which was in Christ Yet neverthelesse Georges words was not spoken as yee preach them for his words were spoken beyond all creatures and out of all creatures and he did not say Geo Fox Pr. He saith no natural man that is darkness is bound to look to the light within him to direct him to salvation for it is in vain to look for light in darkness Page 22. Answ The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall the salvation to the ends of the earth which no man cometh out of darkness out of his natural state but who doth believe in the light which was Christs Doctrine believe in the light that ye may be the children of the light and he that believeth in it shall not abide in darkness And so they come to see the spending of the night and the light shining out of darkness giving them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
the Father and over it gives victory And the word material the Apostle doth not call it so but precious and Jerusalem is come down from heaven and witnessed among the Saints heavenly Jerusalem and the Babes knowes their mother And who are in Christ and Christ in them see it possesseth it But all such as are against the light within which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world are the Antichrists the false prophets the wolves which have gotten the sheepes cloaâ—â—ing which may deceive the world but not the elect as thy book hath declared â—hee And such Christ said should come and John saw was come and since the dayes of the Apostles the world hath gone after them And they inwardly ravened from the light and so have gotten the Kingdoms of the earth into a profession and form which are now standing against the Light within and gathering against the Lamb and the Saints that are in the light and is the light which they ravened from making War against them but the Lamb and the Saints shall get the victory Pr. He saith And the righteousness of God wrought by Christ for us which need not to be wrought over again in us pag 58. And that Christ our Justification should be in us that dyed and suffered that ascended this he cals a fancy to fancy him in a particuler person Page 59. Answ Whosoever hath not Christ within are Reprobates and whosoever hath Christ within hath the righteousness Now Christ that suffered Christ that was offered up is manifest within and the Saints are of his flesh and of his bone and eat his flesh and drink his blood and not another The Christ that ended the Priesthood ended the offering ended the Temple ended the Law and the first Covenant the seed of God Christ Jesus this manifest within he that hath him hath life Justification Sanctification and Redemption And so Christ the same to day yesterday and for ever who is the hope and the Author of their faith And so all be in the fancy that be out of the state of witnessing Christ that suffered within them and rose again and who be in this they be out of the fancy and shadowes and comes to see where there is no changing but possesseth righteousness glory substance the end of their faith and Christ their hope that remains that abides Pr. He saith There is something of God in man that will render the light which the Quakers speakes of natural Page 67. Answ That which is of God in man captivated viz. life and immortality who are not come to the light will not render the light when he cometh to it through the Gospel naturall which the darknesse now cannot comprehend though in it it shines and that of God in man will not call Christ the light naturall which the Quakers speaks of Pr. He saith Yee may remember in the last times false Christs and false Prophets shall arise and shall bring in damnable heresies c. and will shew signes and wonders and if it were possible they would deceive the very Elect. And such as follow strong delusions and believe lyes and be damned who obey not the Truth nor receive it in the love of it page 68. Answ Christ said false Prophets should come Antichrists should come with signes and wonders which the Apostles saw was come which inwardly ravened and went forth from them which since the dayes of the Apostles they have got the sheeps cloathing and the world is gone after them and have deceived the world by their lying signes and wonders and have brought them to be all on heaps about Religion And the damnable heresie and the lying signes and wonders and strange delusions yee may look into the whole Christendome among your selves and your own stock of Papists For none obeys the Truth but who owns the Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which cometh from Christ the truth and all false Prophets are from that and all Antichrists are from that which hath reigned since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy and inwardly ravened have gotten the sheeps cloathing which have made war against the Saints and overcome them but now to that which they ravened from are the Saints come And the woman hath been in the wilderness and the man-child is brought forth to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron And all such now that inwardly ravened from the Light are standing up against the Lamb and the Saints But the Lamb and the Saints have the victory and the rejâ—ycing over the Beast and false Prophet is come who kills and slayes with the sword which is the words of his mouth And the Saints which are with him their weapons are spiritual And none lifts up the Son of God as the Serpent was lifted up in the Wildernesse but as every one is in the Light that the Son of God hath enlightned him withall and then they know him that draws all men after him Thomas Moor In his Booke called An Antidote c. Are these Principles following Pr. HE saith God doth not give the Revelation of these things now immediately as he did by the first Apostles nor in such manner as he did to the Prophets of old See his Epistle Answ All that have the Scriptures and are Ministers and not by the same power and spirit as the Apostles was in knows not the Scriptures and all who be in it are in the immediate and in that which reveals and in that which fathoms all the Ministers of the Letter who saith God doth not give forth now immediately as he did to the Prophets and Apostles Since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy such as have ravened inwardly from the spirit of God the time of Antichrist Beast and false Prophets reign and the mother of Harlots who have had the sheeps cloathing such immediate Revelation hath been hid from them and such should continue untill the words of God was fulfilled and the fulfilling of the Prophets But now is the fulfilling of the words of God and that come into which the Prophets and Apostles was in with which that is seen and known and him that hath been slain from the foundation of the world Pr. He saith To looke to the Light within that is in opposition to looking at Jesus That the light in every man is naturall And if yee turne your eye inward ye shall presently see their mover and teacher and this he calls foolish and Antichristian And saith That no man hath in him as of him that light spirit and wisdome in the inward parts See his Epistle Answ All upon the earth that ever comes to the knowledge of the glory of God they come to the light in them which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which light was before any naturall lights was made or created which light gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and
of Harlots And so they served their bellies when they went from the immediate teaching into the strong delusion as since the dayes of the Apostles it hath discoverâ—d it How are people all on heaps out of the life and spirit and power of God And so all that perish in the deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse they are from the light which Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world withall for none perisheth who be in the Light And the Saints witnessed they were risen with Christ and them that were risen sought the things that were above and not the things upon the earth And they that know the first Resurrection and are in it are blessed the second death hath no power on them and they are a top of Adam and they are in Christ the resurrection and the life And such as be in the first Adam drove from God and loveth to live in the Fall looks not after the first Resurrection neither desire to come into it Pr. He saith The glorious bringing down of the Kingdome and glory is yet to be waited for even by the Disciples all the time of this mortality page 54. All believers are personally from Christ in their mortall bodies and none of the Fathers saw the day of Christ as actually revealed accomplished in their time Ans He that believes is born of God and overcomes the world and abides in the doctrine of Christ and hath the Son and the Father and the spirit of Christ the life of Christ in the mortall flesh And the Kingdome of heaven Christ said was in the Pharisees and the Saints comes to and possesseth the Kingdome And the Kingdome of heaven is within them is in righteousnesse in peace in joy in the holy Ghost and in power and they were changed from glory to glory and they rejoyced with joy unspeakable and full of glory and that was in the Kingdome and this was while they were upon the earth And Enoch and Abraham saw the day of Christ and David saw the betrayer and whose feet should be snared whose eyes should be blinded and whose back should bow down and he saw Judas that betrayed Christ And Isaiah saw the suffering of Christ and how God laid the iniquity upon him And Isaiah saw his name and made his soule an offering for sin And Daniel said the Messiah should be cut off but not for himselfe which the Apostles witnessed fulfilled Pr. He saith The Scriptures is the power of God unto salvation page 59. Answ Many may have the forme but deny the power of God which is the Gospell And the Letter doth not give life neither is it the power of God unto salvation Pr. He saith That Christ is distinct from every one of us and without us in our particular persons page 61. Answ The Apostle said Christ was in them except they were reprobates and they were of his flesh and of his bone and they eate his flesh and drank his blood then it was within them and he is distinct from none but Reprobates who hates the Light Pr. Nor are we to wait for a further Revelation to us to be given forth then the Scriptures For the Word of GOD came not first to the Gentiles immediately but to the Apostles page 77. Answ The Apostles that preached the Word of God it was immediate to whomsoever they preached it for they had received it immediately For the Word it selfe is immediate for it is the savour of death to the death and of life to the life and none knows the Scriptures but by the spirit that doth reveal them So all that witnesse the spirit of God witnesse the Revelation and the revealing of the Scriptures to them by it and the things of God layd up for them that love God which the eye hath not seen which the eye may see the Scriptures outwardly And none knows the Son of God neither knows any man the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveales him And so people may have the Scriptures but not the revâ—lation of the Son of God by them For the Pharisees had the Scriptures but not the thing they testified of Pr. He saith The Scriptures are the Word of God and the key of knowledge page 79. and the opening of all things contained in the Scriptures Answ The Scriptures are the words of God and that is his Word who fulfils them Christ Jesus whose name is called the Word of God And that which opens the Scriptures is the spirit that gave them forth that is the key of David who in the light saw more light For the Pharisees who crucified Christ had that which testified of Christ the Scriptures And you that be in the apostacy since the days of the Apostles but ye want the key and have taken away the key of knowledge And all that dwells upon the earth that stops their eares and closeth their eyes against that of God in them that doth deny the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world wants the key of knowledge Pr. He saith He gives gifts unto men for the work of the Ministery some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the body of Christ untill all come into the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man Page 81. Answ And yet he said before Perfection was a devillish Doctrine and a fancy so out of this work and this Ministry thou hast thrown thy self For this work and this Ministery hath been lost since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy but now is appearing in the end of Babylon the knowledge of the Son of God people are coming to and the unity of the faith from among the Apostates who have had the sheeps cloathing but all on heaps about it being ravened from the spirit of God inwardly Among whom the Proclamation hath been in the Steeple-houses and Pulpits in Markets Towns Disputes No perfection no overcoming of sin Perfection is a Doctrine of Devils a devillish Doctrine and a fancy c. And this hath been proclaimed among the Apostates in the apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles by the Beasts authority under Satans power the deceiver of the Nations where the mother of Harlots is But I will reward her double and shall take the Devill and with him the Beast and false Prophet and cast them alive into the fire Rejoyce ye holy Prophets over her and Saints who are come into the unity of the Faith and to a perfect man and to the knowledge of the Son of God And the everlasting Gospel shall be preached to them that dwell upon the earth and God shall be feared and glory given to him And none comes to the knowledge of the Son of God the salvation to the ends of the earth the Covenant of Jewes and Gentiles untill they come into the light which Christ doth enlighten every one withall that
cometh into the world that gives him the knowledg of the Son of God of the author of his faith and the taste of his fulness and to become a perfect man Pr. He saith The Scriptures is the meanes whereby the righteousnesse is revealed from faith to faith page 82. Answ The Pharisees had the Scriptures read every Sabbath and the form of godlinesse denyed the power and was reprobate concerning the Faith and the righteousnesse of Christ Jesus And God it is that reveals the faith and gives the faith and the righteousnesse and many have the words and yet not it who hath it hath the word in their hearts and the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures and seeth God the original of all good and the Scriptures cannot reveal it but they testifie of it and all must come into the spirit before they know revelation or know the Scriptures either Pr. He saith New Jerusalem is not come down from heaven and be will make all things new not hath made page 83. He saith The body is dead because of sin yet there is a remainder of the old man in the members page 84. Answ Where the body is dead because of sin and that put off by the Circumcision of the spirit If the root be holy the branches are holy also and such comes to glorifie the Lord in their bodies and soules which are the Lords who hath redeemed them out of the sin So they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts and all things are become new And the new Jerusalem is witnessed come down from heaven among the Saints for who witnesseth Christ and know Christ knows the Tabernacle of God and knows the new Jerusalem and knows the place where there is no curse And many knows their Mother now and that which had led captive is gone and going into captivity Pr. He saith The Apostles gave the last and full revelation of the Gospell to all Nations And Timothy learned Doctrine mediately and since none may expect to receive so immediately as Paul did but all mediately page 88 89. Again God now gives and teacheth mediately and spiritually by the testimony of him mediately page 90. It is a little necessary to shew the vanity of their pretence of immediate revelation from Gods spirit page 91. Answ All them be in a pretence and in vanity that are from the immediate revelation of the spirit of God And if all people have all Pauls Declaration and if they have it not immediately revealed to them by the spirit of God as Paul had they have not the comfort of Pauls words neither have they the comfort of the revelations And John saith the everlasting Gospell must be preached to them that dwell upon the earth since the apostacy from the Apostles mark that And that which Timothy preached who was in the faith the gift of God and spoke his word and divided it aright it was immediate But since the dayes of the Apostles hath the immediate been lost and I know yee cannot expect it in the state ye all stand in inwardly ravened from the spirit of God and truth But now is the Saints come to that which ye ravened from and the Apostles were in who witnessed the immediate teachings of God and Gods teaching is immediate and the testimony of Jesus is immediate which is the spirit of prophecy but many have that which testifies of him and be from the immediate spirit as was in them that gave forth the Scriptures And all upon the earth that be from the immediate spirit of God as was in them as gave forth Scriptures and their Ministry be but mediate and they be but in the mediate they are all Ministers but of the Letter made by man and what they have it is but from man and not from God immediately Such have nothing but the sheeps cloathing and inwardly ravened from the spirit of God in them And here is Babylon the mother of Harlots and the Beast and his names but over all have they victory that be in the immediate in that which the Apostles was in and answer that in them all which they ravened from Pr. He saith Even now in the dayes of their adversity while the person of the Lord the fountaine of their teaching for whom they waite is personally absent from them Page 92. Answ All they that hate the light sees not Christ the fountain of teaching and these be them that inwardly ravened Such have their teachers in corners and are in the dayes of adversity and eate not the flesh of Christ nor drink his blood and are not of his flesh and bone and receives not his spirit But all who wait in the Light which Christ Jesus hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world withall Every man that cometh into the world with which light he hath enlightned them their eyes shall see their Teacher that cannot be removed into a corner Salvation they shall see and dayes of adversity shall end and his guiding they shall know and come to be in unity with Christ and eate his flesh and drink his blood and be of his flesh and bone which thousands do witnesse this and the Prophet raised up the end of the Prophets and they that heare him not are to be cut off And none lifts up the Son of God but who be in the Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world and that brings him to understand the Scriptures and the substance of them Pr. He saith The grace of God that brings salvation it is a fancy to say it is stirred up in them but is a thing wrought in another for them And to say the Word of the Lord is within and the spirit within is mens following their own brain and visions of their own hearts And he saith whereas they imagine of a light within them all that knows God shewes the light in them to be darknesse it selfe See Post-script Answ All that knows God owns the Light within them to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus which light shines in their hearts And all that knows God owns the Light that doth â—â—lighten every man that cometh into the world Christ Jesus and believes in the Ligâ—â— and hath the witnesse in themselves And all that be from the Light within them be in the darknesse and stumbles which have been in this night of the apostacy from the Apostles Doctrine And all Gog and Magog and the Beast and false Prophets and the Kings of the Earth are making war against the Light that doth enlighten every man c. but the Light shall get the victory And all that be from the Word of God within in their hearts and their mouths though they speak of the Scriptures without yet they use their tongues and follow their own dreams and visions of their own hearts and brains and be from the Word of God that lives and abides
and endures for ever And all that ever witnesse the grace of God that brings salvation they feel it in their hearts stablishing of them and seasoning of their words and knows the throne of grace from which it cometh And this doth not deny what Christ hath done but owns him all along from the foundation of the world and what he wrought and what he did and what he said for us And all upon the earth that have the Scriptures and are out of the spirit that gave them forth they are all in a confusion here and on heaps about words And the Word of God within and spirit within it leads people from following their own dreams and following fancies of their own brains which all have done many hundreds of yeares past in the apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles And as for all thy lyes and confusion in thy Books they will be thy own burthen and the witnsse in thy conscience will answer in the day of thy judgement thou shalt feel a smart work thou hast to go through who art now in the pack and body of confusion buryed under the body of iniquity But thy folly is discovered sufficiently to the Nation and thy spirit is now tryed who art one of the heads risen up against the Lamb in his day and his Light but it is thy condemnation Matthew Caffinn In his Booke called The Deceiving QUAKER Discovered His Principles are as followeth c. Pr. HE saith Nothing will cure the soule but the knowledge of salvation which is made known by outward meanes because the will of the Lord in order to soules peace and rest was discovered by outward meanes page 4. Answ The Pharisees had outward meanes Reading praying and expounding and yet knew not the soules comfort and peace For Christ bid them come unto him that their soules might have râ—st all that was weary and heavy laden So if people have all the Scriptures upon the earth hearing and praying and all the outward meanes and be not in the power which is the Gospell which is immediate not outward they have not their souls comfort and rest And if they be not in the life that gave forth the Scriptures for the soule is in the hand of God and Christ the Bishop of it and the Minister of the spirit watcheth for it and they that hearkned what the Spirit said their souls lived and this was not outward But when men stop their ears and close their eyes to that of God in them as the Jewes did and all the inwardly raveners false Prophets and Antichrists in the apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles such hearken not diligently and their soules live not And all such as deny the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world seeth not Christ the Bishop of their souls nor their salvation Pr. And he saith The Quakers cry wait upon the light within you and this is another report then that of the Scriptures And he saith I do not finde where it is spoke that God spoke in this people pag. 5. And tâ—â— Apostle which was to go to preach to all Nations did not turne the people to a teacher within tâ—em to teach them all things And the Apostle affirmes that they was to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God c. and not their teacher within them page 8. Answ It was the Lord that spoke in his Prophets by their mouths and in his Son and they were the mouth of the Lord. And where God dwels in his people he speaks And the Apostles were to go into all Nations to preach the Gospel and preached the Covenant of God which who came into it the thing they preached the Law written in their hearts needed not any man to teach them nor needed not to teach one another saying Know the Lord as it had been in the first Covenant people had been taught to know the Lord and the Priests lips was to preserve the peoples knowledge But who are come into the Covenant of God Christ Jesus the second Covenant they are come into the treasury of wisdome and knowledge And the Apostles told the Saints that the light which shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and this is not another report then the Scriptures but this is the Scriptures report And John told the Saints that the anointing which abideth in them would teach them all things and the word was in their hearts and in their mouths to obey it and do it and this was the Ministers work and to the hearing of Faith which Christ is the author of whereby they receive the spirit And the Apostle brought the people to their Teacher within them which is the Light and turned people from the darknesse to the Light and from the power of Satan unto God which light shining in their hearts it gives them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God c. See 2 Cor. 4. Chap. Now light shines in the darknesse they being turned from the darknesse to the light it gives knowledge So such come from under the power of Sathan unto God for while they be in the darknesse they be under the power of Sathan and nothing gives nor makes manifest the knowledge of the Saviour but the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which shines in the darknesse and they being turned from the darknesse and from the power of Sathan such the God of the world cannot blinde But they in whom this light shines and they in the darknesse the God of the World blindes and the light of the glorious Gospel they do not know Pr. Saith Antichrist If you will believe in the Light within you it will lead you to Christ To wait upon the teacher within there will be such an eternall light that will make known all things page 9. And the Quakers exhort all ignorant people in the world to depend upon a light within them Wherefore be counselled not to be carried away with strange doctrines page 11. Answ The light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is not a strange Doctrine the light to the Gentiles the teacher of the Gentiles the salvation to the ends of the earth the new Covenant to the house of Israel and Judah And this was a strange Doctrine to the Jewes and to the Gentiles though to them is had been promised So this light shines in the darkness and the darknesse not comprehending it such are ungodly wicked men and they must be turned from the darknesse to the light before they come to retain God in their knowledge or come to that which must give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus And all that come to witness their Teacher within Christ are possessors of the Prophet Christ Jesus raised up the teacher of
this people according to the promise And that is Antichrist which keeps people from the light and the false Apostles for that was the true Christ and the true Apostles that bid people believe in the light and walk in the light and brought them to the light within and the true Prophet and Prophets said that he would give him a Covenant to the Gentles and this is the true light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and all that denies this are Antichrists and Deceivers Pr. He saith How beautiful are them that preach the Gospel c. not by the light within And the word of faith cannot be said to be in mens hearts and mouths page 14. And the sure word of prophecy spoken of in Peter is the Scriptures which people must take heed unto as unto a light shining in a dark place and the Saints received the words of the Apostles not as the words of men c. Wherefore the Quakers suppose that God himselfe is their teacher and so erre not knowing the Scriptures page 17. Answ They that preach the Gospel which is the power of God which gives relief to that which was captivated in every creature they are in the light in their own particulars with which they know the glorious Gospel and answer the light in every man that shines in the darknesse and life and immortality there comes to the light through the power which is the Gospel and this is that which is beautifull And the word the Apostle preached of faith was in the heart and in the mouth and is so understood by all the regenerate But by all them that have only the forme and inwardly gone from the spirit knows it not but are of this ignorant they cry how should this be so As the Jewes said how is it that thou maketh us to doubt Yea the Word was it that made them doubt And the sure word of prophecy which people do well to take heed unto as unto a light shining in a dark place mark in the dark place untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts This was it that let them see that no prophecy of Scripture came by the will of man and this lets them see that such as went in Cains Cores and Balaams way which were Preachers of the Forme but wanted the power but lost the holy Ghost and such admired mens persons because of advantage and came to be dead twice pluckt up by the roots which those dead have long reigned layd upon the earth whose carkasses stinks since the dayes of the Apostles in the apostacy so many may have the Scriptures and quench the prophesie Pr. He saith Christ is not yet so the Word but be himselfe testifies the Scriptures is the Word of God page 21. Answ Christ his name is called the Word of God and the Scriptures are the words of God which Christ the Word of God fulfills in whom the words all ends And such as the light shines in the darknesse and the darknesse comprehends it not they are not like to see the spirit untill they be turned to the light Pr. He saith They erre not knowing the Scripture when they affirme that the only means of faith is the immediate teaching of Christ dwelling in them page 23. Answ Could the Apostle preach Christ untill he was revealed in him who is the Author of every mans faith And the doers of the Law are justified and not the hearers only Pr. The Quakers will not own the Scriptures to be the touch-stone to try the spirits withal page 28. And the Scriptures are not the rule Oh shamefull deceit And George Fox said that he knew Christ come in him page 29. And this is the deceiving of many and this cannot be till first the true faith of his coming be made voyd which these men endeavour to do page 29. Answ The holy men of God before the Scriptures was had a rule and a touchstone and the Pharisees had Scriptures but were out of the life that the holy men was in that gave it forth and wanted the rule and the touch-stone But the Apostles that was in the life and the substance of what they spoke they had the rule and touch-stone And all in the apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles that are ravened from the spirit of God have had onely the sheeps cloathing but have lost the touchstone and so have destroyed one another about Scriptures the Saints words which was not the work of the spirit that gave it forth And Christ is in you except you be reprobates So reprobates witnesse it not therefore they stand against it and therefore are against them that witnesse it And all the false Christs and the destroyers of the Faith of people are such as draw people from the Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and keeping them from witnessing and receiving Christ in them the substance and the author of their faith and such never knows him come in the flesh nor the spirit And such as witness Christ within them receive the author of their saith and destroy the faith of none And the spirit was the rule of the Saints that led them to give forth Scriptures and it lets them see in all ages who got the forme of godliness who used their tongues who lived in the spirit who erred from the spirit who run when the Lord had never sent them whom the Lord had never spoken to and this was the rule and this was the spirit of discerning and this was the touch-stone to try withal Prin. And they say they owne Christ that suffered meaning the Spirit within page 36. Answ There is none knows Christ nor his suffering but with the spirit of God within for with the spirit of God in the Prophets and the holy men they knew Christ that was to come to suffer with the spirit of God in the Apostles they knew that was the Christ that did suffer with the same spirit of God within people they now come to see him and enjoys him and receive him the same that did suffer which none doth that are out of the spirit And the Pharisees that had Scriptures knew him not who were gone astray from the spirit nor the Gentiles though they had Scriptures Neither doth the Apostates who are inwardly ravened from the spirit of God though they have all the sheeps cloathing know the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world though they be for multitude as the sands on the sea shore nor doth any know it and receive it but who comes to that which they ravened from Pr. He saith That Christ is a distinct being from the Father page 40. They that hold that they are now in the possession of the Kingdome of Christ and that they have eternall life now in possession perverts the right way of the Lord. Page 42. Answ Christ is not distinct from the Father for he and
the Father is one the Father is in him and he is in the Father and the Father and the Son dwells in the Saints who are out of the transgression of his Doctrine and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life and he that hath the Son of God hath life eternall really in possession and such perverts not the right way of the Lord but such as have not the Son of God they are all in the first Adam in the crooked wayes and crooked by-paths in the world nâ— witnessing life but standing against the Light which shineth in the Darknesse which their darknesse cannot comprehend which are all the inwardly raveners since the dayes of the Apostles among whom hath been the apostacy and the Apostates from wâ—om the light of life hath been hid But he that followeth the Light he cometh to have the light of life And he that receiveth the light receiveth life eternall and to receive the Son of God And he that receiveth the Son of God hath eternall life in substance and possession Prin. He saith Death which hath passed over all men is not a spirituall Death page 51. Answ Thou and all you shall feel it as a spiritual Death before ye know life and immortality come to light and the spirituall wickedness wrestled against whose weapons are spirituall and not carnall that wrestles not against flesh and blood but spirituall wickeâ—nesses in high places And that is it which causeth the life of all creatures to groan and oppresseth it whereby life and immortality is hid from the eyes and the power transgressed whereby the spirit and soule of man must be sanctified before he witnesse thorow purification before he come from under the death and spirituall wickednesses For sin brings death and that is the spirituall wickednesses that is to be wrestled against and transgressing the pure Law of God the commands of God brings death And so he entertains the spirituall wickednesse which brings death upon his life so comes oppression on his body and on his spirit and his soule burthened and wearyed and unsanctified and polluted which Christ gives rest to who is the Sanctification and Redemption and Justification which the Law goes upon man agreeable to that of God in him but Christs body makes free from the Law and redeemes from under it So as the power of God the Gospel is known and Christ known the creature comes from under the bondage of corruption and life and immortality comes to the light through the Gospell whereby the death is known which who believes shall never dye and the life is known which shall never dye Pr. The Quakers deny Water-baptisme and slight it and call it a carnall thing Answ Outward water is not spirituall but it is a carnall thing as it is in it selfe and it is the spirit alone that baptizeth into the body which brings off of things that are seen which are temporall as the Apostle said while we look not at things that are seen for the things that are seen are temporall c. and water is seen Pr. He saith False Prophets and Antichrists should come in sheeps cloathing Answ These Christ said should come to his Apostles And before the Apostles decease they saw they were come And the Apostles saw before their decease the Devill transform himselfe into an Angell of light and Satans Messengers and Ministers come up such as had a feigned humility and will-worship got up and the abstaining from meats neglecting the body and such as Jannes and Jambres that crept into houses which had the sheeps cloathing the form of godlinesse and such were the seducing spirits the doctrine of Devills which ran into the strange delusions bringing in the damnable heresies which went in Cains Cores and Balaams way and they saw the coming of the man of sin and the Apostles all saw by the spirit of God before their decease which Christ said should come which inwardly ravened which since the dayes of the Apostles the world hath gone after them All this which Christ said should come which the Apostles saw was come and coming before the coming of the just One But the Just One now is come who hath revealed it the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Cain Core Balaam false Prophets Antichrists such as goes into strong delusions and brings in the damnable heresies and forbidding the eating of meats and Marriage these all inwardly ravened anâ— these all have been up since the dayes of the Apostles and these have been covered with the sheeps cloathing and the false Prophets and Antichrists they inwardly ravened and the Devill the man of sin he went out of the Truth and abode not in it which Truth which he went out of all they that have the sheeps cloathing and he and they all can get Scriptures but inwardly ravened and gone from the spirit of Truth in their own particulars such are the destroyers of the creatures and of the Creation But with that which they all ravened from are they all manifest and discovered which to that are now people come and coming which these inwardly raveners have had the sheeps cloathing which have been the Beast and false Prophets Devills messengers and Ministers out of the truth which have reigned since the dayes of the Apostles having had the sheeps cloathing which have long deceived the Nations But now the Devill Beast Antichrist and false Prophets are all discovered with the light and life which they all went from and the truth And the place is seen where there is no Curse and the Beast and the false Prophet is taken that they shall deceive the Nations no longer and is cast into the lake of fire under whose dominion thou art whose words shall be thy burthen Pr. He saith Let us minde the Law and Testimony Answ Then ye must all minde the Light for the law is light saith Solomon then ye must all minde the spirit for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy which many may have the Old and New Testament yet be from the Law and Testimony for the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Marke Luke John the Acts Epistles and Revelations was written as in the 8. of Isaiah which the Prophet minded And they that say the Old and new Testament is it shews themselves to be ignorant of the spirit and ignorant of the Law and Testimony And the Law and Testimony doth not deny the Scriptures but owns them in their place and sees the fulfilling of them with the Testimony of Jesus they see Jesus who was afore Scripture was and comes to fulfill it William Jefferies his Booke called ANTICHRIST made known In which these PRINCIPLES are following c. Pr. HE saith Men are mistaken in saying the Romish Whore of Babylon is Anti-christ And the chiefe City of this great Whore the mother of Harlots is the City of Rome the Pope Cardinals Bishops and Clergy And the spirit of Antichrist denies
of the light and so out of unity and seeth not the Saviour the Redeemer the substance of all types figures Parables the end of the Law that goes upon the man of strife And so being out of the light out of the unity out of the Covenant with God In the light is the Covenant of God Pr. He saith the whole soul and body of Saints and every faculty of the soul and member of the body there is some presence of sin in them all their dayes Page 113. Ans The Saints are sanctified and washed and cleansed body soul and spirit and they are made free from sin and then can live no longer therein and the body of sin is put off And they witnessed the darkness was past so then the works of the true light shined and the day was come and they was of one soul And they witnessed as he was so was they in this present world And he that is in Christ is a new creature And where Christ is within the body is dead because of sin And he that is born of God doth not commit sin And the Saints was upon the earth when they was made free from sin and not all their dayes sin in them as thou speakes of Prin. He saith sin dwells in the Saints if any Saint think otherwise he knowes not himself and if he be one really sanctified he is under a strong delusion and drousie dream Page 119. Answ He that is sanctified is sanctified from sin and washed and cleansed and he that is out of this sanctification is in the drowsie dream For who are in sanctification are in Christ the righteousness of God and they are awakened to righteousness out of the fall in the second Adam and drowsiness and dreames and delusions that come in the first Adam And sin and drowsie dreams and delusions dwells in them that pretend that they are sanctified ones and not really Pr. He saith it is a Popish Tennent that sanctification is wrought within men and Justification or a believers being justified from sin and ungodliness and not in it but the mystery of iniquity lies in this qualification pag. 120. And they that are justified by their sanctification it is a falshood And that none are justified but Saints perfect in holiness is a notorious contradiction Page 121. Answ He that is the sanctification is the justification and so by their sanctification are they justified it is one and the same that which sanctifies justifies And every man that cometh into the world having a light that cometh from Christ the sanctification redemption justification but them that be not in the light are with it condemned And such as be in the light they come into perfect holiness and their sins are not imputed to them But them that doth not believe in the light the spirit of truth that leads the believer into all truth reproves them for their unbelief and their righteousness and their judgement and so doth not justifie them but reprove them And the justification within roots out all Popery and all contradiction But to speak of justification and sanctification without and not manifest within ye are yet in the first Adam in the Popery where ye must have a Puratory to cleanse and not the righteousness of Christ within and sanctification within and Justification So such be reproved that can talk of it without sanctification without so there is the old Adam in the sin and transgression And all falshood is among them that can talk of justification without them and not witnesse it within them For who witnesse Christ within them they witnesse justification there and sanctification for Abraham believed and it was imâ—uted to him for righteousness and his belief was within and he saw Christ his glory And such as believe they come to witness the imputation But such as come again to witnesse that they are nearer then when they did believe and to witness that they have received Christ within is the end of their belief there they witness the righteousness it self without imputation which is the substance that which the promise ends in and all the fathers hoped for who stood in the imputation and all the believers in him But Christ being come the end of mans belief the righteousness it self here is a justification alone without the imputation Christ the righteousness of Gods blessing and glory for ever And a believer that is jâ—stified he is a new Creature and is past from the death which came by the sin comes to enter into his rest where sin is not And all the falshood and the contradiction is without the possession of justification and sanctification which reprobates talk of it in the mystery of iniquity and unbelievers in the mystery of iniquity which have the sheepes cloathing the outside the clothing of the Saints yet ravened from the spirit inwardly These have not been like to own justification within or sanctification there that inwardly ravened from the spirit of God which all must come to that which they ravened from and they themselves before they feel the justification sanctification Christ within them and have received the substance the thing the Scripture speakes of which not believing in the Light and going from it though they get all the sheeps cloathing yet are they not thereby justified though they get all the good words and the forme of godlinesse and obey not the Gospell the power of God for none obeys the Gospell but whâ— obeys the Light within And who are justified it is by the faith of Christ Jesus and without faith they cannot please him And who are in the Faith are the believers in the Light and so the Justification and the Faith doth qualifie from their old nature and mindes Pr. He saith They are not justified because they are new borne nor for their believing page 122. And I can say I am crucified with Christ and yet I have a corrupt rotten heart and an old lying heart as before he saith and Christ lives in him and there is a body of sin and death dwels in him And the life that he now lives in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God Page 124. Answ Where Christ is within the body is dead because of sin and where the saith of the Son of God is lived in it gives victory over sin And the life of Christ is out of Adam in the Fall in sin and transgression And the Circumcision comes to be witnessed that puts off the body of sin And where the life of Christ is lived in the new Covenant is there the new heart rotten corrupt lying is put off the old man and his deeds with his deceitful lusts And he that believes is borne of God is justified and he comes into the faith by which he pleaseth God and he that doth not believe is out of the faith and it is impossible he should please God and is out of that which should justifie him Pr. He saith Christs
is not meer carnal bread and wine after Christs institution to be used nor an ordinary bread and wine And he saith In the Lords Supper is Christs body and it is his blood page 188. And this is my body and blood the word of a Command do this page 191. And Christ fed not the soules with wheat bread and red wine c. Answ By all this what differ ye from the Papists have not ye laid their foundation and layd their ground Bread and wine is but bread and wine a temporall thing a thing seen and may turn to ashes but the body and blood of Christ will not do so And the bread is not spirituall and the wine is not spirituall but is a thing seen and visible And who eats the flesh of Christ and drinks his blood hungers no more and thirsts no more but who eats temporall bread and wine hungers more and thirsts more And Christ did say as often as ye do eat this bread drink this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come And that which the Apostle had received of the Lord he delivered to the Corinthians As often as they eate that and dranke that they were to do it in remembrance of him shewing the Lords death till he come But then saith the same Apostle to the same Corinthians in his last Epistle Examine your selves Know you not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And said while we looke not at the things which are seen for the things that are seen are temporall So bread and wine are things that are seen are things temporall but the things that are not seen are eternall Now bread and wine is but bread and wine not spiritual after consecration it is but the same bread as it was before and it is no nearer the body of Christ after they have consecrated it then it was before Who is in the life and power of God that gives every creature its being and causeth every creature to come forth is in the life and vertue of all creatures and the being of all creatures and the wisdome of all the Creation that is spiritual He giveth every creature its being and causeth every creature to come forth and gives the sense and feeling of all creatures that is spirituall And there comes up the soule to be known and the seed CHRIST his body and his blood Pr. He saith The worship of God in the spirit stands out of mans will and they must waite in the light to feele the Spirit but let all lost souls beware of this counsell And to bring people to the commands of the Spirit is opposite to the Scripture Letter page 204. Answ All true worshippers of God that he seeks to worship him is in the spirit in the truth that which the Devill is out of and in the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures that is that which mans will is out of where all poor souls comes to worship God aright and magnifie God and glorifie God and to pray in the spirit and to stand in the counsell of God For no prophecy of the Scriptures came by the will of man It was that which led them to speak forth Scriptures which was beyond mans will So mens will getting the Scriptures which no prophecy of it came by it they cannot worship God in the truth nor in the spirit but in their own wills But who be in the spirit and truth that led them to speak forth the Scriptures that learned of God the Father of spirits and God of all truth this is not will-worship Now will-worship is among them that have the Scriptures given forth by the spirit of God in their owne wills which no prophecy of it came by it and can sing pray preach read in their own wills and be out of the spirit that gave it forth they are in a will-worship out of the worship of God in the spirit And such are opposite to the Scriptures and cannot agree with the letter of the Scriptures that are fighting about words falls into sects and heaps about the words which the worship of God is in the spirit that gave forth Scriptures which learned of God the Father of spirits owns all the Scriptures in their places and nor opposite to it Pr. He saith Never was Psalms sung as they ought to be but had some musicall tune or Poetry page 205. And the holy Ghost made overseers and Elders over the Church but that was not immediate page 207. That no man can read out of Scripture that Paul was free from covetousness c. Answ Paul saith Let not covetousnesse be once named amongst you as it becometh Saints And no covetous one should enter into the kingdom and hee saith it is idolatry And the Apostle lived the life of the Son of God through the faith and witnessed he was made free from the body of sin and had victory over it thanks God and said there was no condemnation to them that were in Christ Jesus and Paul was in Christ where there was no condemnation which covetousnesse is out of And the holy Ghost is immediate that makes the officers in the Church It is the same as was in them that led them to speak forth Scriptures And the holy Ghost that leads men to speak forth the Scriptures and makes Elders and overseers in the Church these are not made by men but these see the fulfilling of the Scriptures and comes into that which fulfils it and are in it And your singing your Psalms and your Poetry and setting them in frame and a musicall way these are come up since the Pope as Tunes Organs since men have ravened from the spirit and gone from that they got up this Poetry and turned Davids conditions into a Meeter and given them to a people who are ignorant of Davids conditions And Psalms are spirituall songs and all are ignorant when they are from the spirit of God that led the holy men of God to speak forth the Scripture with which spirit of God all the Psalms and Spiritual Songs and Hymns are seen which from it was given forth and all the Scriptures and in that is the singing in the spirit And the Ministers maintenance which the Apostle said Have not I power to eat and power to drinks And as Christ said freely ye have received freely give This was not spoken to the Heathen nor Jewes nor Gentiles who were unconverted but spoken among the Saints who was a Vineyard and spirituall things sown and to such as they were made partakers of their hope which hirelings and those that taught for filthy lucre the love of money that minded earthly things that seek for their gain from their Quarter that beare rule by their means was all out from this judged with the Prophets Christ and the Apostles to be such spirits and have got the forme and taught for the earth and made the earth a Wildernesse and such got not out the Wheat nor plowed but
in vain which is the plowing of the wicked which is sin So there is a great difference between them that Preach the Gospel the glad-tidings to all nations which relieved the opprest for the opprest bâ—ing relieved immortality comes to the light and life through the Gospel the wheat was gotten out the spiritual things sowen the vineyard planted the flock was known the milk was known the corn gotten out among such some used their power to eat some did not mark that power that did not oppresse that did not hurt But all you that preacheth for Tythes and will take money of them that ye do no work for by a Law and cast into prison if they will not give it and take treble dammages you bring not the glad tydings to the Nations you are the oppressors of the Nations of the Juâ—t and are not helpers and relievers of the oppressed and so have made manifest your Apostacy and to be Apostates out of the Apostles Doctrine and out of the Gospel the power of God which the Apostle was in But now shall the Gospel be Preached that gives liberty to the oppressed and strikes down all the oppressors Pr. He saith God sends either mediately or immediately and he sends by mans Ministry mediately pag. 211. He saith they pretend to no such call of an Apostle an officer in every Church as Paul c. pag. 213 And some are converted mediately sent by man with their mediate call Page 214. Answ All who are converted are brought into the mediate and converted with the immediate there is none converted upon the earth but it is with the immediate Spirit of God that mortifies And all Ministry that is sent of God and from God and called of God where that speakes to them it is immediate for whosoever hears his voyce it is immediate and powerfull And all Ministry of man sent out by man which is mediate never converts any souls to God for the soul is immediate and mediate reacheth not to the immortal soul but the immediate Ministry reacheth to the immediate immortal soul and so Preacheth the immediate Gospel to it the power of God And all Ministers that are sent forth in the power of God who are moved of God to speak to any by the power of God and the eternal Spirit of God by the Holy-Ghost that is immediate and not of man and that begets unto God and converts them that is immediate not mediate and they do as the power of God moves them which is immediate and that is for God in that place And they shall feel the Spirit of God in them witnessing with that power and the Spirit of God in another that speakes to them And the power of God is eternal where it moves it is one and the spirit of the Prophets subject to Prophets And all you since the dayes of the Apostles that do not not pretend to such a call as the Apostles had and to be such officers as the Apostles in every Church which we do believe you have not you have shewed that the Holy-Ghost hath not made you overseers And you have declared your selves to the world to be such as inwardly ravened from the spirit of God and all to be but Ministers of the letter not of the spirit and so onely have the sheepes cloathing So ye are such as have brought people and Nations to be all on heapes and like waters not made overseers as the Apostles was not having the call as the Apostles had so not by the Holy-Ghost as the overseers was by not in the immediate power of God as the Apostles was called withall and was in and so not Preachers of the Gospel as the Apostles was who was immediate therefore these things have been wanting the Holy-Ghost to make you overseers and the spirit the Apostles was in which would cool and quiet all the spirits of the people For want of this are ye all on heapes about Scriptures But the Holy-Ghost opens it again to overseers And so ye that have ravened from the spirit of God inwardly there is no talk among you to have the call as the Apostles had and to be overseers as they were over your Churches that we do believe your fruits declares it But the spirit it is witnessed which the Apostles was in which hath discovered you and your Church glory be to the Lord God for ever Pr. He saith immediate teaching in the least degree of God immediately is contrary to Daniel 9. and Timothy And saith I am yet to learn the promise of immediate teaching of God pag. 216. And women are excluded from this kinde of prophesie 218. He saith Ministers pastors teachers having the grace of God gift of prophesie called out among Brethren to office to oversee a flock as Bishops of the Lords institution these are not so taught immediately Page 220. Answ All Bishops overseers officers are taught immediately that are of God by the the same spirit and the power that the Apostles was in and owned and allowed by them for the Holy-Ghost is immediate that gives them to oversee and all who feels the grace of God and turns it not into wantonness feels that which is immediate And such as have turned the grace of God into wantonness and walketh dispitefully against the spirit of grace and set up a heap of teachers after their own lusts they are gone from the immediate grace of God that brings salvation And all the teachings of God in the least degree is immediate which brings them to open Parables speak forth Parables to the nature that is a top of the witness that spirit is immediate though they take a mediate Parable or comparison yet that spirit is immediate that gives them to understand the Parable aright And the gift that was in Timothy that he was not to neglect was immediate whereby he came to discern on whom he was to lay on his hands and on whom he was not suddainly to lay upon any man that was immediate And that which brought Daniel to understand by writings in books was immediate and that which brings to understand the Scriptures is immediate I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh your sons and daughters shall prophesie and that is immediate and prophesie is not to be quenched in the daughter as well as in the son in the male and the female is one And we do believe thee and you all who are Apostatized from the Apostles Doctrine in the Apostacy ravened inwardly from the spirit of God ye are yet to learn the immediate teaching So are the Antichrists standing against the light which Christ Jesus hath enlightened every one withall that cometh into the world the Covenant of God in the heart with which all people shall come to know the Lord and be taught of God that they need not say know the Lord. Pr. He saith I conclude that immediate teaching did not onely furnish men for a teachers or Ministers function but mediate
wayes also pag. 211. And the Quakers think it a lie against God to say the spirit is in the Letter and Scripture and is given by it and makes a jangling about immediate teaching Page 222. Answ There is no one is furnished for the work of the Ministry of God but who is in the immediate Spirit of God which is to Minister to the Spirit And there is no one made a Minister of God by the mediate but by the immediate For who hath the spirit of God the spirit of wisdom and understanding to sing in the spirit or pray in the spirit it is immediate And all that be out of that be in the earthly sensual and Devillish perishing knowledge and that understanding must come to nought and wisdom must be confounded and as for the word Function it is thy own and must come to nought And the spirit is immediate that led the Saints to give forth Scripture And the spirit is not in the letter but it was in them that gave it forth And them that have not the spirit in them that was in them that gave it forth and are disobedient to that are them that say the spirit is in the letter And such say that the teachings immediate is jangling that be from the spirit that is immediate ravened from it in their own particulars such are never like to beget to God but are the Ministers of the letter not of the spirit and by that which the Devil and they are out of are they comprehended who be in the jangling and in the lie Pr. He saith Christ took up a Bible and Preached on a text And as for uses points tryals and motives you must go to Titus 3.16 Answ Christ who came to fulfill took the book and read and said it was fulfilled He did not take a Text as you do and lay half a year in it as some of you and have ten shillings a day for your pains or more or lesse but he said it was fulfilled And that place in Titus there is no word of motives nor points nor tryals nor uses as you pretend though he who was in the faith did study to divide the word aright in whom was the gift of God which was perfect This is not like your divination of your brain for money which ye sell weekly nor your taking a text and laying half a year in it And thou hath shewed your selves to be the novices Pr. He saith Though the righteousness be wrought in us by the strength of Christ and be found in us that are sanctified yet as to Justification of a person Paul would not be found in it for a world pâ—ge 229. Answ The righteousness of Christ fulfilled in us and be found in the righteousness of Christ that was the thing the Apostle strove after not in his own righteousness in that which ended the Law And that righteousness which is wrought in us by the strength of Christ is Christs where sanctification is witnessed this is Christs who is the end of the Law and in this was the Apostle found and stood for which was out of the world Pr. And honour all men And the fifth Commandment he brings for bowing the knee and he saith putting off the hat is but a token of respect Page 234. Answ Honour all men that is to have all men in esteem all men are had in esteem for Christ hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world that they might all through this light believe and he that doth not is condemned and that will bring all men to seek the honour that comes from above that love it but if they hate the light they seek the honour that is below that is of the first Adam in the transgression and that 's the hat But Christ the light that doth enlighten every man c. receives not honour of men and the light of Christ which every man hath c. will not receive the honour of men Now he that receives the honour of men is of the first Adam from the light in the transgression Earthly Adam looks for honour of the earth these are the marks of an unbeliever And the fifth Commandement doth not speak of bowing the knee And Jacobs bowing and Davids bowing to Saul c. There is a time the elder must serve the younger And Joseph and Abrahams bowing before the heathen and the rest of bowings which thou speaks of in the Scriptures the old Testament Christ is come to whom every knee must bow and tongue confesse to the glory of God and not the Angels bowed down to nor worshipped So ye have shewed whose Ministers ye are of that are crying up bending and bowing the knee is not this like kissing of Baal and bowing the knee to Baal Now Christ is come to whom every knee must bow down to him And as for Master ye have thrown your selves into that transgression for Christ saith Be not yee of men called master for yee have one master even Christ and ye are all brethren and excluded your selves from among the brethren Pr. He saith Swearing is a part of Gods worship pag. 235. And Christ was far from overthrowing the worship of God And it was the formall part of an oath when the Apostle Paul said God was his witness pag. 238. Answ Christ who said God was a spirit and would be worshipped in spirit and in the truth said swear not at all who was the oath of God that ended oaths but said in all your communication let your yea be yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more cometh of evill And the Apostle was so far from swearing who in the doctrine of Christ abode as he saith above all things my brethren swear not at all not by heaven nor by the earth nor by any other oath Neither did any of the Apostles though men that were in strife swore and their oath ended the strife among them and they swore by the greater that is the true oath But Christ in whom is the peace the covenant of peace where soules comes to be one and hearts one who are the true brethren in him are in the oath of God the end of all oaths For God when he could not finde a greater swore by himselfe that did not change concerning of his Covenant with men that doth not change in which men come to have peace with God And so men swear by the greater whose oath ends their strife and controversie But God could not finde a greater swore by himselfe concerning of his Son the Covenant of God which ends the strife among men and between God and man and is the peace on earth and good will towards men Now the swearing of the Angels the swearing of the Priests the swearing of Jacob and Joseph and David and Solomon Christ is the end of all these the oath of God in which their faith stood and to which all the Angels must bend and bow to him that saith sweare not at all
forth the Scriptures are such as follows their own spirits and useth their tongues and gets the good words the sheeps cloathing deceives the hearts of the simple and tels them the Spirit is in the Letter which never did none of the experienced Saints say the spirit dwelt in the Letter But did conclude the spirit dwelt in their hearts the faith in their hearts the light in their hearts the word in their hearts the anointing within them God dwelt within them Christ within them the Law in their hearts the witnesse within them the ingrafted word that saved their soules the gift within the hidden man in the heart strength in the inward man the holy Ghost moved them the spirit of the Father spoke in them this led them to speak forth Scriptures And these never said the spirit was in the Letter as all the filthy dreamers say who are in the sensuall separation from the spirit of God and in Cains Cores and Balaams way turning the grace of God into wantonnesse ravened from the spirit of God inwardly but wolves in sheeps cloathing These are such as have got the good words but deceives the hearts of the simple makes a trade of them tells people the Spirit is in the Letter and that is them that ravened from the spirit of God in their own particulars and so they deceive people and keep them from the spirit of God in their particulars But the spirit that gave forth Scriptures is witnessed by which that is known they cannot deceive any longer who are reprobates concerning the faith which crept into houses before the Apostles decease which have kept people always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth led away with divers lusts So have kept people in spirituall Aegypt and Sodome and Gomorrah and have been guarded with Magistrates and powers of the earth all over the world But now is the Light breaking forth and shining that ye are all discovered And so they have set up other Gospels and lost the Faith that tels people the Spirit is in the Letter when the spirit and the faith was in them that gave it forth and is to be in all them that knows it again and knows God the giver of it Pr. He saith He that is borne of the Spirit is borne of the holy Word written page 257. Answ He that is borne of the spirit is borne of that which gave forth the Scriptures of the Word which was before the Scriptures was given forth which lets them see the end of the words so cometh to dwell in God of whom they learned that gave forth Scriptures Pr. He saith If setting the Scripture in the heart of every man be nothing else but telling people they have a light of conscience within them and stirring up that light which every man hath that cometh into the world They delude poor people who never heard that light called Scripture before page 257. Answ Them that never heard the Scripture outwardly the light that every man hath that cometh into the world being turned to it with that they will see Christ with that they will know Scripture with that they will be led out of all delusion come into covenant with God with which they will come to worship God in the spirit and serve him and that is more then conscience Pr. He saith The light which John speaks of which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is a dim light and it is a piece of the mystery of Iniquity as subtile as any Antichrist to say that the light shines in the darknesse and shineth out of darknesse the light of Christ for salvation page 261 262. He saith Christ in you the light in every man is a poor base beggerly scrap Page 264. Answ And the ligâ—t which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is Christ the substance the righteousnesse of God and not beggerly but all the beggarly they be out of the light and it is not dim but all be in the dim that be out of him the Light that with which he hath enlightned them And all be in the mystery of iniquity and are Antichrists that seeth not the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world where it shines and where it shineth out of the darknesse This the true Ministers who be in the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures Ministers of Christ within witnessed and saw And John was not antichrist nor Paul who said Light shined in darknesse and who said light shined out of darknesse and who said this was the true light that lighteth every one that cometh into the world Now ye are all ignorant of the Prophets before John who said I will give him for a Covenant for a light unto the Gentiles and a new Covenant to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah mark here was every man and John the greatest Prophet born of a woman saith this is the true light that lighteth every one c. Christ Jesus him by whom the world was made before it was made in whom is life and the life was the light of men and the light shined in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not Pr. The law written in every mans heart doth not condemn all sin nor the branches of it not originall sin nor unbelief pag. 266. He saith To say that every man in his first state is naturall and every man in his first state is as a beast is a contradiction And I every where deny the naturall light of every man but I deny the highest degree of light to be here attainable And the Saints light is not to be seen while we are under the Sun And he saith he knows he is more brutish then a man and hath not the knowledge of the holy pag. 272. And the light that shineth in the Scriptures I professe my selfe to know nothing the least degree of it is above the highest degree of the light that every one that cometh into the world is enlightned withal pag. 273. Answ The light which every one that cometh into the world is enlightned withall was before degreâ—s and ends degrees and is not natural for it was before the naturall was made or created and this bears not witnesse against the naturall the Sun Moon and Stars but ownes them in their places And the light which every one that cometh into the world is enlightned withall which comes from Christ the Son they not believing in it it is their condemnation And that which doth make manifest sin is light and doth reprove is light yea all sin branches and roots and originall and unbelief that which doth make it manifest is light and where this light is that makes all this manifest there is the law in the heart and new Covenant written the law and the spirit of life that makes free from the law of sin and death And the light which every man is enlightned withall they
mouth goes the unclean spirit But that is stirr'd and stirring and rising in people which ye all ravened from and went from with which ye are all comprehended And the judgement of the great Whore is come and her garments shall be plucked off and that which ye all ravened from high and low shall answer the judgement and it is set a top of you all For such as ravened from the spirit of God inwardly got the sheeps cloathing but turned against the Saints and the woman fled into the wildernesse but now the Lamb and the Saints shall get the victory Though now the Beast and false Prophets and mother of Harlots and the Devill and the Kings of the Earthâ—â—ake war against him He that was dead is alive and lives for evermore The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world who rides on conquering and to conquer who slayes with the sword and kills with the sword which is the words of his mouth Now wo to the Dragon and false Prophets Beast and mother of Harlots and them that worship the Beast the unclean Spirits Woes Vials Thunders Plagues Earth-quakes is come and coming upon you And he is manifest and come that treads the Wine-presse alone without the City who is the Wonderfull Counseller the Prince of Peace whose name is called the Word of God With him are the Saints singing victory over the Beast and the false Prophets great Whore mother of Harlots Babylon Antichrists Babylon is fallen the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory The body of witch-craft in it thou art found that all that reads thy Book that be in the spirit of discerning may see whose body is redeemed and reigns over thine in the glory and victory Ralph Farmer his Booke called The great mystery of Godlinesse and Vngodlinesse In which these PRINCIPLES are following c. Pr. HE saith The soule is of an immortall and spirituall nature And GOD hath made man to serve him in an outward and visible way of worship Answ Christ saith God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth and is the Spirit without and visible the Spirit that makes all that is contrary to bend in that is God worshipped And others that say they are Teachers as ye may see in this Book say that the soule is humane yea the soule of Christ and thou saith the soule of man is immortal and a spiritual nature Now the soule that gives the sense and feeling of all things is spiritual and immortal as it comes out from God which is in Gods hand whom Christ is the Bishop of the noble Principle that guides it is the light and life Prin. He saith the eternal word enlighteneth all men with the common light of nature Answ The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall is not natural For the light was before any thing was made and all things that was made was made by it which lighteth every man that cometh into the world though he be in the first Adam in the sin and transgression which light to him doth make it manifest which cometh from Christ the second Adam the way to the Father who was glorified with the Father before the world began to restore that which the first lost and this is the obedient Son and the other the disobedient one which brings the death upon him and all his posterity and all his house So the sons of Adam in the transgression may say and do say that the light which Christ the second Adam the Redeemer and the Restorer the salvation to the ends of the earth doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world withall say this is natural And so that is to deceive people to keep them from the light with which they might all see their salvation and come to receive Christ by which they might have power to become the Sons of God Pr. The measure and degree it must be without thee And it is a cheating to tell people of God within and Christ within and a word within and they are without which he calls a mystery of meer confusion and emptiness Page 27. Answ The degrees and measures was in the Saints which spoke forth Scriptures and knew the Scriptures But those that have the Scriptures and are from their degree and measure in themselves are without them And Jesus Christ is within except ye be reprobates And where Jesus Christ is within the word is there and God is there And this is the great mystery of godliness And where the power of God is set the Crosse of Christ is felt for the Crosse is the power of God And if it be not the same Christ as did ascend it is Antichrist it is against him and false which now many hundreds and thousands do witness Christ within him the Apostles preached who have their Joy and reward who do possesse that which they long looked for And all that stands against Christ within and God within and the word within and the Crosse within the power of God they be reprobates and in the mystery of confusion Pr. The Apostle bid Timothy to Preach the word in season and out of season c. not immediate Revelation pag. 32. And the time will come they will not endure sound Doctrine but after their own lusts they will heap up to themselves teachers having itching ears turning to fables immediate Revelations Page 35. Answ There is none can Preach the word in truth but who Preach it immediately and by the immediate spirit and knowes immediate Revelations And all that be in the Faith as Timothy was they be in the immediate Revelations the gift of God But the Apostle seeing such as would not endure sound doctrine would get up teachers after their own lusts as covetous and minded earthly things and evil beasts that serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies Such the Apostle bid Timothy and Titus examine before they Ministred prove them and lay hands on no man suddainly and keep himself clear not preferring one before another And such as went into their own lusts got up heaps of teachers lost the immediate Revelation and the immediate word of God and erred from the faith that purifies the heart and gives victory in which people have unity And such now that are got into the lusts that cannot endure sound doctrine lost the Revelation and speaking the word immediately have ruled and reigned of whose generation thou Farmer art And people have heaped to themselves teachers after their own lusts and that is the cause of all the strife and wars amongst them and teachers denying the immediate Revelation and Preaching the word of God immediately have declared your selves to be the false prophets openly to the Nation that never heard the voyce of God nor Christs voyce nor the voyce of the spirit nor Ministry of the spirit which all sâ—eak immediately And the Apostle saw them come up before
said It hath been said to them of old time thou shalt performe the oath of the Lord. Christ said so that comprehended time that was the end of that old time where had been the swearing But I say unto you now Sweare not at all and so it was not the frivolous oaths that was among the Jewes that swore but it was true oaths that Christ brought them off the oath that was to be performed to the Lord which Christ the oath of God ended who comprehends time and told them the danger if they went any farther then yea and nay And so your interpreting the Scripture which are the private Interpreters is but to wrest them to your own earthly wills and that which opposeth the commands and doctrine of Christ brings not honour to God is not a part of his worship nor is not divine but in that which is out of truth for none worships God but who is in Christ who sayes sweare not at all who is the end of the Law and the Prophets and Oaths and is but one of your dark consequences and so it is not mens duty in any case to swear for the duty of man is to keep the commands of Christ and there is none that is just that will swear that obeys the commands of Christ but such swears who are unjust and they be out of that which gives the last peale and ends all differences which ends all oaths and all strife and all controversie which is Christ Jesus the covenant of God for strifes controversies and differences is without the covenant of Light and Life Christ Jesus the oath of God and so thou art not a Minister of Christ that brings people back to the Law and tells them it is lawfull to sweare Here the Papists and thee art one both opposing the commands of Christ which would make people believe it was the frivolous oaths among the Jewes that Christ brought them off and not of the true oaths and says it was not a shadow I say yes it made peace and ended the strife amongst men the oath of God that was sworn by the Lord but Christ the oath of God ends the strife and ends those oaths that men were to swear by the Lord So it was typicall and ceremoniall and was to change and was mutable for Christ that comprehends time sayes in the old time the oath must be performed to the Lord but I say unto you now Swear not at all So that was to be changed and it did type forth something There you may see the substance of it Christ the oath of God in which men have peace who ends the strife between men and God who makes all things new And so they that bring men to the swearing bring men into the evill And they that bring men to the Law and Prophets that speaks of swearing brings men from Christ who is the end of the Law and Prophets into the old time Pr. The ground and occasion of Oaths yet remains and so a usefulnesse of Oaths for the ending of Controversies which must be established by Oaths for the ending of humane societies The Apostates taking for granted that the Christian Religion did forbid all Oaths it is false and ridiculous for the Prophet said every tongue shall swear And thou shalt swear by my name Deut. And men verily swear by the greater And men and Angels have made use of Oaths to confirme the truth and avenge falshood I see not how swearing by any creature can be exempted from idolatry He that sweareth must do it righteously in a lawfull just matter Those that swear falsely are highly guilty of offence against the God of truth Can a Blackmore change his skin or a Leopard his spots Answ Christ who hath ended oaths who ends controversies amongst men and brings them to peace one with another and with God and ends the Law and fulfils it and doth not break it and ends the Prophets who sware and Christ is the end of the Law to every one that believes and your humane societies which be of the earth from the ground amongst whom is the oaths the swearing be out of the doctrine of Christ and knows not the end of the Law and the Prophets and they be the Apostates and false and ridiculous apostatized from Christ and the Apostles doctrine that swear and teach men so and are not the true Christians and so you that will swear will forswear which be out of the truth for the truth Christ saith Swear not at all And the Apostle sayes above all things my brethren swear not at all So you be the false brethren apostatized from the truth and are come to be as black as the Aethiopians and the Black moors and the custome of the sin of your swearing doth take away the sense And men and Angels swearing and the swearing by the greater And to the Lord every tongue shall swear and performe their oaths to him and they were to swear by the name of the Lord. Now Christ to him the Angels must bow and as the people had sworn by Baal so the Prophet brought them to swear by the Lord to change their forme to swear by the Lord as a true oath and perform it to him But Christ the end of the Prophets and the Law as I said before and the true oath for saith he It hath been said to them of old time thou shalt performe thy oath to the Lord that was a true oath not a false oath let all take notice of that But I say unto you now sweare not at all So he came to end the true oath Christ the oath of God And so though the Angels or men in strife or Prophets or Moses the Law said swear Yet Chrst who comprehends time before the world was made who came to end that old time sayes Sweare not at all but yea and nay in all your communications and whatsoever is more then these cometh of evill And many men are undone by these false oaths and by swearing And you that call your selves Ministers of the Gospell and teach men to swear and Christ says sweare not at all have brought another Doctrine and so are to be accursed And again do not you swear by the Bible by the Prophets and Moses Christs and the Apostles words and swear by the Evangelists and Christ says swear not at all What a perverse generation of people of men are ye Professors and Teachers and people What an unchristian spirit have you And see have you not brought the judgement upon your selves to be the Idolaters For the true oath was by the Lord among the Jewes and you swear by the Evangelists and the Bible that tells you you should not swear Did ever the Prophets swear by Moses words or Moses by Enochs or the Apostles by the Prophets or Christs words Now is not this a frivolous oath to swear by the Bible which sayes sweare not at all And worse then the Jewes that swore by
as obeyed Christs doctrine for he tells them the danger lest ye fall into condemnation Let all your communication be yea yea and nay nay what ever is more is evill Not by heaven nor by earth nor by any other oath Now there was true and false and prophane whatsoever was comprehended in these words Not by any but keep to yea and nay in all your communications Now tell the Apostle he doth not mean as he speaks give him the lye pervert his words and Christs words who sayes swear not at all and sayes he meanes profane oaths And Christ brought the people off the true Oath which was in the old time that was performed to the Lord a profane oath was not performed to the Lord that 's not meant of that but that as was sworn by him Christ sayes now Swear not at all and so they that break the oath break the covenant the true oath and so they that swear now do not own the new covenant which ends the true oath and covenant in the old time The profane oaths they were judged by them that lived in the first covenant and they did not type out any thing but a true oath did which ended controversies among men which the oath Christ ends which is the peace between God and man and reconciles them to God and one another These be true brethren true christians that 's come to yea and nay in their communications and cannot swear by heaven nor by earth nor by any other oath lest they come into the evill but yea and nay in all their communications lest they come into condemnation So you that teach men to swear have brought them into the evill and a great out-cry to break the commands of Christ and under condemnation He that teacheth them to swear any oath whatsoever cast behind your backs the commands of Christ and doctrine of the Apostles And the Apostle that bid the Saints keep to yea and nay in all their communications and swear not at all said if yee will have any more take two or three Witnesses And for all thy other confusion and thy perverting and wresting of Scriptures to bring people into the condemnation and evill to swear is not worthy the mentioning and will but come upon thy selfe in the day of thy condemnation and judgement thee and all upon the Earth that are departed from the Apostles shall witnesse how ye have transgressed the commands of Christ and teach people to transgresse them and to sin have hath brought them into the evill and condemnation So repent and while ye and time prize it Samuel Hammond In his Book called The Quakers House built on the Sands A very fit Title for himselfe and the rest of his PRIESTS These are some of his Principles following Pr. YOung men and women having some convictions and awakenings of the Law and have followed the light of an awakened conscience and sit down before they have closed with Christ and there be not a distinction between the righteousness imputed upon the account of the blood of Christ and the righteousness inherent wrought in us by his spirit and this inherent righteousness they confound the attainments brought forth by the Light in every man not being able to distinguish the working of Satan Answ Inherent righteousnesse is a word of thy own and the Papists inventing and thou art a man that cannot distinguish between the workings of Christ and the workings of Satan For the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightned withall which brings men and women to know the Law and the convictions of it it brings them to the end of the Law Christ and to see that appear that cannot be shaken and the Righteousnesse imputed to a believer that is within felt For he that believes hath the witnesse in himselfe and feels it there and the blood of Christ is felt within justifying and cleansing the conscience from dead works And the righteousnesse of Faith is found within and that righteousnesse which is wrought within is found within and no man sees this but with the light which Christ hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world withall and this Light is that which confounds all thy attainments for Christs righteousness and his blood and spirit are all one which justifies and sanctifies Pr. They dream of a perfection to obey the light within and this is delusion they are not able to distinguish between justified freely by grace which is the favour of God upon the account of Christs satisfaction and the grace that wrought by Christs spirit in the soul that natural light within being improved they call grace the work of God upon the soul leads into Covenant of works then it is no other then to tread in the Papists steps so this is delusion and the ground of their delusion is their not distinguishing between saving light given forth by Christ in conversion and the light of conscience that every man hath Answ None come to the perfection out of the delusion but who comes to the light within and followes that it gives him the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ the Covenant of grace is one that which was wrought without is within in the soul for Christ in you c and he is the Covenant of grace of light of life and of peace and none knowes him without nor Justification by grace but who knowes it in the heart and it is the one and the same thing it is not another grace nor another Covenant nor another Christ but the the same Christ in you the Saints are in his spirit and in his mind and are of his flesh and of his bone And thou who art so full of thy delusions Art out of this and thou alwayes have been in the dreams and never knowes perfection till thou come to the light within And Gods work in the soul leads to the end of the Covenant of works who works all in us and for us as sayes the Apostle who works faith grace commands the light to shine out of darkness shines in the heart to give the knowledge of the Son and so thou art in the delusion and the Papists doctrine that knowes not this within but calls it the Covenant of works dost not thou tread in their steps and have crept up in their great Masse-houses and the light given forth by Christ in conversion and the light in the conscience is one and it is not natural it was before natural was it exerciseth the conscience towards God and towards man in them that love it but in them that hate it they are not converted but they live in the many wayes out of the one way to God for he that 's the Covenant of light is the Covenant of grace and thus thou art blinding people with many things Pr. The owning not the imputation of Christ as the matter and formal cause of Justifications is damnable doctrine
of works or natural light which was before the Covenant of works was or a natural light was created which ends the Covenant of works and thou art to be judged for thy words and with that light every man sees the Mediator believing in it if not it condemnes him Pr. That all the light they have is but the light of a natural conscience and that is a blurr'd one too Nay how comes it to passe that in old England we see so many hundreds that manifest no other light but a natural conscience and New England that have conversed with the Indians and never saw the least breaking forth of the light Answ The light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world by whom the world was made was before natural conscience was or natural light either or the blurr'd light as thou cals it And many of the Indians do shew forth more in their conversations of the light then you do and as for old England what have you been doing all this while if you see so many hundreds manifesting no other light but a natural conscience But how should they manifest it when you keep them from it your work is to keep them from the light within But now there 's thousands that are manifesting the light on the house top by which the world was made which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and you Ministers of Satan out of the light and truth are them that stands against it for the Devil that went out of the light and truth who sowed his seed in the hearts of people he would not have them to own the light in them and he would confesse a God without him and so he teaches them in whom he sowes his seed not to have the light within them the seed Christ the tree of righteousness the root of God Pr. I charge the Quakers to shew one Scripture that bids look to the light within the old trick of Errour the righteousness of faith doth not direct people to look for a Christ within this Scripture bids weary laden souls go to Christ is this to the light within them I am amazed at their ignorance Answ The righteousness of faith brings people to look at Christ within and what abundance of ignorance hast thou shewed who hath been a teacher of the people these many years and shews how contrary thou art to Christ and the Apostles in doctrine for in 2 Cor. 4. the Apostle tels the Corinthians the light that shined in their hearts to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus this was the work of the true Apostles when the false Apostles and Devils Ministers and messengers was got among them for the Devil is out of truth and so are his messengers and they will draw people from the light within and blind their minds that they should not come to the light within to see the glory of God in the face of Christ from whence it comes so thou dost conclude thy self among the Devils Ministers and false Apostles and messengers and no wearied soul that is burdened that comes to Christ who is the souls rest but first comes to the light within which comes from Christ who is the souls Bishop with which light they see him he shines in their hearts it gives them the knowlege of him and the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and thou that leads them from the light within leads them from Christ and the glory of God who should save them from their sins and give them ease rest and peace Pr. I said looking to the light and living upon the light within will lead men to Hell and going to and living upon a muddy puddle of natural light That Christ is the light in all in a saving manner I deny for Christ to be the righteousness of men in Justification differs and to send a man to live upon a light within it not to send him to Christ and if he live upon it upon the light as it is Justication it is a plain Covenant of works Ans There 's no man lives but in the light which comes from Christ the light by whom the world was made in whom was light and this light is the life of men and this light and life is manifest in us for he that hath the Son of God hath light and life he that receives not this though he be enlightned hath not life that hates it such as lead people from it go from it in their own particulars they lead people into hell into its gates it prevails against them but who be in the light the gates of Hell cannot prevail against them and believes in it they are not condemned and so they live in the muddy puddle and goes into the naturall light that denies the light within which Christ hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world withall they live not upon the life but in the muddy puddle of darknesse and are Antichrist out the light and are against it in their particulars and against them that walke in it and such are unlike the Ministers of Christ Every man that cometh into the world is enlightned with the saving light and he that believes in it is saved he that doth not is condemned There 's no one comes out of the covenâ—nt of works but by the Light within which Christ the covenant of God hath enlightned him withall And there 's no one lives out of the covenant of works but who lives in the Light and who lives in the Light lives in Christ and Christ in him I in you and you in me and who hates this Light they live not in Christ it condemns them for they be in their owne Covenant oâ— works Who believes in the light hath entered into the rest and ceased from his owne work as God did from his And righteousnesse and justification is one where Christ is known and felt in man they are both felt in one For Christ the righteousnesse of God and the justification and Christ in you and see if thou canst read this who sayes they differ Pr. What warrant have you to go out to the Quakers Shall a man go hear the Jewes and Popish Masse because Paul bid try all things No no. Answ Paul bid us quench not the spirit and where the spirit is not quenched they may try Papists Jewes Protestants who quenches not the spirit but who quenches the spirit and draws people from the light within they draw from that they should see withall then you stuffe them up with old Authors and lying stories as you print abroad Pr. Christs revealed Will is the word of Reconciliation Answ The Scriptures is not the word of Reconciliation But Christ is the word of Reconciliation who reconciles man to God and satisfies the Father and gives men peace with God and this the Scripture declares And as for the Ministers of Newcastle who hath
persecuted the people of God because they met there and banished them out of their Town this doth not shew the spirit of Christ nor the love of God among you but the works of the Pharisees and Cain And thou never knew the Gospell that denies the Light of Christ that hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world withall but found among the Monkish-holinesse thou speaks of and the Pharisees and the Papists for the Pharisees the Papists and you do not own the light Christ Jesus that enlightens every man that cometh into the world so with the Light you are all comprehended and condemned in one body Not to be true believers that believes in the true Christ the Light who bids people believe in the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that all men through him might believe that 's the end that he that doth might be saved and that he that doth not might be condemned Pr. Thou saith The Saints laid down their estates at the Apostles feet A. Now you Priests say you are Ministers of Christ and the Gospel and you are fain to cast men into Prisons because they will not put into your mouths Now all people may see that you have a contrary power to the Apostles for when did a people your hearers lay down all at your feet Nâ—y you are fain to cast into Prisons hale before Courts a hundred or two hundred miles and take treble damages Now do you not think that most people begin to see you apostatized from the Apostles and the power that they were in with which you are fathomed and with the life the Apostles were in are you judged And whereas thou speaks of Circumcision and tells people that they that are circumcised cannot be saved the Quakers bring no people to circumcision but that of the spirit which puts off the body of sin which you say they must have while they be upon the Earth and so hath ravened from the spirit of Circumcision and such keeps people in the covenant of works from the spirit within that puts off the body of sin And as for all the rest of thy torne confused Stuffe wâ—ich is given forth from thy vâ—in thoughts it is not worthy the mentioning But in the day of thy judgement the witnesse in thy conscience shall answer it and all thy Works is fewell for the Fire Priest Bennets Looking-glasse These are some of his Principles following Pr. JAmes asks the question Can one fountain send forth sweet water and bitter He sayes it 's a new fancy to say there 's a light in every man which will guide him to salvation He sayes there is a fancy of perfection A. One fountain cannot send forth sweet wâ—ter bitter and yet it 's bitter to them that be in the transgression for the righteousnessâ— of God being revealed to the wicked is a terrour to him which the righteousness of God being revealed to the Saints is their joy and the truth which speaking truth to the decâ—ipt it 's bitter to him but to the Just it is not and the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Christ Jesus the salvation to the ends of the earth Thou art in the fancy that stumbles at this corner-stone and this light that enlightneth every man is the perfection of beauty and they that be out of this be in the fancy of a perfection where thou may see thy self and the Pharisees that stood against Christ the Light the covenant of God promised to Jewes and Gentiles though they had Scriptures them thou art like that art now at the Light stumbling at which they did so a mark of an unbeliever one that hath the forme but denies the power and art not a Preacher of that which people should believe in that is the Light Pr. The Scriptures are the Lanthorns of Israel The Scriptures are the wisdome of the Crosse Answ The Word of God is the Lanthorn of Israel as sayes David and Christ Jesus is the wisdome of the crosse Christ the wisdome of God and the crosse of Christ the power of God And Abraham had a Lanthorn and Enoch and Abel before Scriptures was written forth Pr. Thou saith The corruptions of the damned in Hell shall never be destroyed and it would be good newes if the Quakers should go and preach to the spirits in Hell And thou sayes David would open his mouth in darke sayings of old Answ The Scriptures and Davids words to thee that art in darknesse they are dark but not to them that be in the Light And the Quakers have been among the prisoners that be in Hell and ministred to that and the corruptions shall go into the Fire that hath no end and they that do wickedly and forget God shâ—lâ— go into Hell and Death anâ— Hell shall go into the lake of fire and there 's more in these words yet then thou canst receive For God is the salvation of all men but especially them that believe But I must tell thee thou and thy flesh is for the fiâ—e thou art speaking of And when thou art burning in it remember thy judgement in thy life time and what thou didst And the end of Ezekiel is known and the Prophets and Moses Christ Jesus the Saviour and Redeemer of the world Pr. That a naturall man may preach the Gospel in the History And thou brings Judas for an example Thou saist Christ said destroy yee this Temple and I will build another Answ That which led Judas to minister was not naturall for the same condemned him when he went from Christ And a naturall man cannot preach the History of the Gospâ—ll truly for he cannot receive it but naturall men are giving other meanings to it that brings all the confusion in the world about the Scriptures For Judas was made partaker of the Ministry and when he went to the Priests from Christ then he was condemned And Christ did not say Destroy ye this Temple thou perverts his wo ds Neither did he say he would raise up another of Lime and Stone and wood which you dark Priests of the world blinde peoples eyes withall but he meant the Temple of his body in whom God dwelt which the outward Temple was a figure of Pr. That it 's an absurdity to say the Light is in every man to teach him Answ The light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which is Christ Jesus is the Teacher and he that believes in it receives Christ and it teaches him that hates it to see his evill deeds to see his evill wayes and he hates it because it reproves him because his deeds are evill and so hates Christ and hates his Teacher and sets up Teachers without him and doth not come to receive the anointing within him and so that light is his condemnation and so he sees not Christ the head Pr. Thou saith The Ministers may receive a courtesie and the Scripture thou brings
which thing did end them Sabbath signifyeth rest for the earth shall enjoy her Sabbaths Pr. And thou saith That the inventions of mens hearts have blotted out the remembrance of the Sabbath day they first cast it out of Paradice and shut it out till Moses time And thou saith the Sabbath was not at all a type or ceremoniall Answ What is a shadow is a type and a shadow and type is ceremoniall when the substance comes it ends and in him is no shadow as in Iames the first who is the body before the dayes was and thou never read that the Sabbath was spoken of from Paradice untill Moses and then it was given unto him for a signe through the generations of the Congregations of the children of Israel not to gather meat make a fire bear burthens So who comes to Christ the body the end of the signe the rest who was before dayes was bears no burthens gathers not their meat makes not a fire Pr. Thou saith It 's an absurd confusion that we must offer sacrifices if we will keep a Sabbath Answ Thou shalt offer sacrifices made by fire of a sweet sacrifice unto the Lord on a Sabbath day Numb 28. Now offerings was a shadow of Christ the offering and the Sabbath was a shadow and so if yee will observe one you must observe the other and so deny the body the substance Christ the one Offering and so that is ceremonial And thou saith the Law justified the Disciples and brings Deut. 23. for plucking the ears of corn upon the Sabbath day which speaks nothing to the thing and doth not mention the Sabbath day And so Christ the end of the Law who comes to fulfill it who is the Lord of the Sabbath that the Disciples followed in whom they had rest saw over the day and the shadow to Christ the substance which forbade them not gathering the meat on that day the Sabbath the shadow that was the Law But Christ the end of the Law and shadows the substance the Disciples as was in him plucked the ears of corn on that day and so Christ did not break the Sabbath but came to fulfill the shadow and was the substance who was the end of it the Lord of it and therefore might do what he would being the Lord of the Sabbath what had any to do to question him Pr. And whereas thou saist the cripple carried his bed on the Sabbath day which the hypocrites speaks against our Saviour for Answ The Law sayes thou shalt not beare a burthen on the Sabbath day Now Christ the end of the Law and the end of the shadow that fulfills it and is rest often gives rest upon that day Yet not a breaker of the Sabbath but a fulfiller and convinces the gain-sayers with this Which of you having an Oxe or Asse fallen into a ditch would not pluck him out on that day And the Circumcision was to be on the eighth day on which Christ rose and on which the Saints met in the circumcision of the spirit in the spirit which circumcises which puts off the body of sinne which hath laden them in which spirit they have rest and are led withall up to God the Father of spirits and so comes to know the first day and him before it was made Pr. And thou sayes and brings the Apostles words Men esteeming one day above another and another esteeming every day alike Answ Now the Apostle here did not lay any burthen upon the Saints or tell the Saints of the Sabbath day nor burthen them concerning it that if they did not keep it they should dye as the Law sayes but that every man be fully perswaded in his owne minde and not to judge one another in such cases but that every man stand or fall to his own master Now these words were spoken among Saints who was leading from meats and drinks and dayes to the truth to the body Christ and so he judged that judgment as was judging one another about the dayes but brought every one to the truth in his own particular wherewith he should stand or fall to his own Master For about shadows and signes untill they come to see clearly there 's the weaknesse of the meats of the dayes before they come to see him which was before the dayes was the Lord of the Sabbath and the everlasting offering where ends the judgement in which they have peace Pr. Thou saith the Apostle sayes Ye observe meats and drinks and dayes and moneths and yeares And thou saith Will any be so bold as say hee doth reproach the Sabbath Answ The Apostle doth not tâ—ll the Galatians that was running into Circumcision and dayes that they was to keep the outward Sabbath for Circumcision was an everlasting Covenant as well as the Sabbath to the Jewes throughout all their generations So they that draw people to Circumcision without and to dayes they draw them from the body mark his judgement and the Apostle was not a reproacher and was out of the nature of a reproacher Pr. Thou saith Let no man judge you in meats and drinks and in respect of any Feast new Moons or Sabbaths which are shadows of things to come but the body is Christ But in this bold absurdity some will cast off the Sabbath the seventh day Answ The Apostle sayes the body was Christ and the Sabbath was a signe and a shadow of good things to come So then this fulfils Moses words the body is Christ the Sabbath a signe So the good things being come Christ it ends the shadow the the signe that is the substance and rose on the first day on which the Saints met and the Apostle doth not call that a Sabbath nor doth not establish the other Sabbath among the Christians nor bid them keep it that ye read of no where For if that had been observed as it was in the Law time the seventh which signifies perfection the Apostle would have spoken of it some where for those things that were observable was often spoken in Law and Gospell and this being no where spoken of nor to the Saints as that they should keep the seventh day as a Sabbath for offerings was on that day and offerings changed and the offerings being changed the Law also changed and the offering camâ— Christ Jesus and the Law came within and the Circumcision came within And Christ the rest who is the Lord of the Sabbath and the rest for the people of God and he that holds up Sabbaths Offerings holds up Circumcision and Works and so keeps people from the body and the head in the signes and shadows and so the works of the Law which the Law commands Pr. And thou saith Sixe dayes thou shalt labour and do all thy works of sin but the Sabbath day thou shalt not sin thou nor thy son thy daughter thy cattell and stranger within thy gates To keep thy Son Daughter and Stranger from sin as for the poor Cattell they are
sight and he is in the Saints and they eate his flesh and sit with him in heavenly places Pr. They say They are deceived that thinke to obtain salvation by the conviction of the Law which they call Christ page 37. 39. Ans Christ is the end of the Law and who follow him are not deceived but comes to witnesse the Law of life and him revealed in them and they are deceived that calls the Law without by Christ that doth convict and gives it that name But who followes Christ the end of the Law hath the righteousness of God revealed in them from saith to faith which the just lives by and Christ revealed in them as the Apostle witnessed whereby they have eternal life Pr. And they say the Quakers would obtain salvation by the obedience of Christ the Law which gives the knowledge of sin Answ The Quakers obedience is Christ Gods righteousness the end of the Law which makes them free from the Law of sin and death Christ the seed the second Adam Pr. They say Now every man that cometh into the world receives a light from Christ as he is God which light is conscience and this will shew a man that there is a God and discover the eternal God which some falsly cals Christ Answ Christ saith I am the light of the world and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world as saith John and doth not say that its conscience for the light was before conscience was which shewes thy ignorance Not knowing what conscience is for conscience was since the world but light was before the world was made and he that evil doth hates the light and so conscience is seared and so light condemnes and the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened with is Gods Covenant to Jewes and Gentiles and salvation to the ends of the earth so you have given Christ a new name that cals him conscience contrary to Scripture and is conscience eternal that may be seared and will that shew that which is eternal will conscience blot out sin and transgrâ—ssion Christ will Gods Covenant that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which light believing in it they serve Christ the Author of their faith which faith is a mystery held in a pure conscience Pr. And they say that every man hath not the spirit of Christ and he brings Jude to prove it Answ That proves that they had it but went from it and the spirit that leads the disciples reproves the world Pr. John Burton saith John Bunian is furnished with spiritual gifts which gifts the Ministers of Christ must have whether learned or unlearned as to humane and John Bunians preaching he saith is not by humane art yet he saith Christ is humane Ans The Scripture hath neâ—ther taught John Burton nor John Bunian this Language To say this knowledge is not humane and yet to affirm Christ is humane is to say thy knowledge is not from Christ but we shall try his gifts whether they be from God and whether or no he divids the word aright and whether they be agreeable to the Scripture which fils up his book with mentioning the word humane twenty times over which humane is from the earth to say Christ is humane thy knowledge is from the ground earthy and he hath no Scripture for it he saith that the soul is immortal Pr. And he saith it is the Devil to keep people to live and die in their sins and he that cryes free grace through the death of the man Christ Jesus that sinners doth attain to eternal life and deny his own righteousness this he saith is a notion and saith he is empty of sanctified grace Answ The grace that comes from Christ it seasons the heart and the words are sanctified and this is not a notion but all be in the notion that speak of the thing and be out of the grace and salvation and you that believe people must have sin whilst they are upon the earth are them that keepes people in their sins and so hath judged thy self to be the Minister of sin as thou maist read the fruits in thy own book Pr. John Bunian saith he that confesseth Christ come in the flesh and was crucified taken from the Crosse and risen he that believes this is not Antichrist Answ The Pope and all the prophane people in Christendom called Christians will confesse this in the form without them and they that denies the power for Christ is the power of God and that I say is Antichrist he that hath not Christ in him is a reprobate and so would make thy self and all Professors the Pope and all hirelings not to be Antichrist and are all on heapes one amongst another that 's a mark of Antichrist though they may have all in the form Christ and the Prophets words which denyes the power yet confesse Christ without he that denyes the power denyes Christ and so he is Antichrist who denyes the light which Christ hath enlightened him withall Prin. Man at his coming into the world he hath conscience but he hath not the spirit of Christ Answ Man at his coming into the world hath a light from Christ him by whom the world was made which is more then conscience but he that hates the light abids in darkness and so is not like to receive the spirit but is reproved with it Pr. They say them that are carried away by the convictions of conscience are misinformed by the devil Answ This light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world which he cals conscience teaching and misinforming by the devill is the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world that through it they might believe and is not conscience and he that believes hath the witness in himself and that all might hear the Son and confesse him to the glory of God and therefore are enlightened who was glorified with the Father before the world began and Christ bids them believe in the light which believing in hath the light of life but he that believes not is condemned already and them that hate the light are them that are informed by the devil Pr. Now they say he converts a new birth perswading them it is wrought by following the light and this he sayes is like Baals Priests Answ That 's contrary to Christ who saith I am the light and he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life he that believes in the light shall become a childe of the light and this is far above Baals Priests and all that hates it hates Christ and these are Baals Priests that hate the light Pr. And they say that the spirit of Christ convinceth of sin and yet they say all hath it not and yet it shall convince and reprove the world Answ Now it s one thing to be reproved and another thing to receive that which doth reprove
for the believer in the light is led with the spirit of truth into all truth and he that believes not in the Light is with the spirit of truth reproved Pr. They say for one to be convinced of his sins against the Law and have some power against them these they call miserable blind Pharisees Ans Them that was blind Pharisees transgressed the Law of God lived out of the power and that which convinced of the transgression of the Law so they said and did not and wo was pronounced against them and so judgement came to be neglected and the doers of the Law was justified and not called blind Pharisees and that was in its place but Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness sake to them that believes and those was not called blind Pharisees which followed that which shewed them the transgression of the Law for those was the doers Pr. They say the spirit shall convince all men and women sufficiently of that righteousness which Christ fulfilled Ans That which doth convince of righteousness all men and women as thou coâ—fesseth if they believe in the light which Christ hath enlightened them withall it will lead them from their own righteousness and be their teacher and come to be taught of God Pr. They say the light convinceth of sin against the Law but will not shew a soul a Saviour or a deliverer Answ That 's contrary to the Apostle who saith the light that shined in their hearts will give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ who is the Saviour and he shall be my salvation to the ends of the earth covenant to Jewes and Gentiles Pr. They say the light will not shew a man his lost condition righteousness blood death resurrection and intercession of Jesus Christ. Answ There 's nothing makes manifest but light Nor none knowes the blood death righteousness and resurrection of Jesus Christ but with the light which comes from Jesus Christ who hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world and that 's it shall give all men assurance that he is raised from the dead the light of the body is the eye that lets see salvation Pr. They say Christ went away into heaven from his Disciples and so not within them Answ Did not he say he would come again to them did he not say he was in them I in you and did not the Apostle say Christ was in them except they were reprobates the hope of glory was not he revealed in the Apostle and so in him and did not the Apostle Preach Christ within and you Preach Christ with out Prin. They say that those believers that are in the body now at this day are absent from the Lord. Answ Doth not the Apostle say that Christ is in them except they be reprobates and he is in them the hope of glory and they have fellowship with God and God will dwell in them and walk in them and he that believes believes in him in Christ so not absent Pr. And they say he is absent from them as touching his flesh Answ Doth not the Apostle say that they are of his flesh and of his bone and he that eats not his flesh hath no life in him and they fit in heavenly places with him and he that eats his flesh hath it within him Pr. They say that there is not any heaven within into which the man Christ is ascended for can any man contain a man four foot long Answ Christ is a mystery and is not he to be revealed within who is a mystery he who did ascend to be revealed and made manifest in his Saints in flesh and spirit that did descend which is now manifested that the world wonders at that is ascended far above the heavens who is the Saints life living bread and drink and where ever used the Ministers of Christ any such expressions as thou doth which shews that Christ is yet to thee a mystery Prin. They say Stars falling from heaven is professors falling from the faith to the earth Answ This is fulfilled upon you all who have given Judgement upon your selves and so from the faith in which is the unitie in which men please God and hath victory over the world and this you may read since the dayes of the Apostle who are fallen all down into the earth for mony and stipends Pr. They say that God hath given assurance to all men and commands all to repent every where in that he will Judge the world in righteousnesse by the man Christ Jesus Answ That every man that cometh into the world is enlightened by Christ the light of the world him by whom it was made who will give them a reward according to their works that denyes his Light and are found in the works of daâ—kness â—r They say That the end of Christs coming is that the people of God should shine as the sun and the cause that hinders them for shining is the body of death Answ The righteous and the Saints comes to witnesse the body of sin put off and thanks God who hath given them victory and comes into the second Adam the Lord from heaven out of the first Adam where the shining state is witnessed the holy mount of God the city that cannot be hid Pr. They say If a mans obedience flow not from the faith it is but sin in the sight of the great God Ans And yet they say faith is not perfect in the measure and degree Pr. And they say Four times that Christ ascended away from his Disciples and was not in them Ans And Christ said I in you you in me and he would come and dwell in them and make his abode with them which the Apostles came to witness and sate with him in heavenly places Pr. They say that the man Christ that was crucified his body is now in the presence of his Father absent from his people as touching his bodily presence Answ Doth not the Apostle say he is the head of the Church And doth not the Apostle say they are of his flesh and bone and sit with him in heavenly places with Christ And Christ saith they must eat his flesh and he is in them Pr. And they say that Christ is absent from the Saints in the world its clear Answ When the Apostle saith Christ was in the Saints and Christ in you the hope of glory And the Apostle saith he hath revealed the Son in him And he that hath not the Son of God hath not life And after the same Christ which was crucified and risen came to be manifest in his Saints and not another And so the Saints come to feed upon his flesh and drink his blood which is their life which body Christ gives for the the life of the world and which blood appeaseth the wrath of the Almighty And as for the rest of John Burton and John Bunians lyes and slanders they are
light within and new birth such were they that came into the the Kingdom of God over the Kingdoms of the world and because some have been moved of the Lord to go naked among you a figure of your nakeâ—ness and want your cloathing at which you rage that you may appear more naked of the spirit of God And as for all thy lies and slanders and hard expressions in thy book though thou hast hid thy name yet truth will bring thy works upon thee and make the witnesse in thee to answer who and which is for the fire and to thee this shall be thy burden who art like a man that scorns and scoffes and thou hides thy self Pr. And thou sayest That good woman called which went naked Answ Thou hast justified her to be good and thou canst not say that that which was good called that which was good beastly or bad that went naked which was your figure then thou talkest of higher power and honour of men like thy brethren the Pharisees and not like one that knew the higher power which respects no mans person and the good women are those that fear God that have the adorning of the hidden man of the heart that hath the Aray of Sarah John Jackson Entitled Stength in weakness His Principles are as followeth Pr. ONe thats kept groaning and waiting for the adoption for the adversaries assaults and contests within her and yet she 's in the kingdom thou sayest and union with Christ and spiritual Son-ship Answ Spiritual Son-ship and in the kingdom and yet groaning for adoption how hast thou brought thy self to the light to be judged for the least in the kingdom was greater then John he that 's in the kingdom is in righteousness peace and joy in the Holy-Ghost and thou sayest in the Kingdom of grace groaning that is but a notion of the Kingdom that keeps them groaning for adoption Pr. And as thou sayest false prophets and Christs and dâ—ceivers many should come if it was possible to deceive the very elect Answ Yea Christ said they should come to his Apostles which before their discease they did come and went forth from them which Christ said should inwardly raven and get the sheepes cloathing which since the dayes of the Apostles all the world went after them as thou may read in the Revelation and now are people but coming from them to the Rock and now shall the everlasting Gospel be Preached to them that dwell upon the earth over the heads of the beast and the false prophet and they shall be taken and the Lamb and the Saints shall have victory Pr. He saith I hope you will not condemn the generation of the righteous because they are not perfect Answ That which condemnes is righteous it condemnes that which is not perfect and that which is righteous is perfect and the generation is righteous and not to be condemned Pr. A son or daughter that 's translated into the kingdom of the dear Son hath filthinesse pollutions of flesh and spirit to put off and the members to be mortified Answ How is he translated into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God or grace if he have that before mentioned to put off and what is he translated out of that when he is translated into the Kingdom he hath filthiness of flesh and spirit and members to put off and to mortifie there after he is translated into the kingdom the which filthiness of flesh and spirit and unmortified members comes not into the kingdom for they are mortified in their passage to it for no unrighteousness enters into the Kingdom and as saith the Apostle nor no unmortified thing comes into the Kingdom of God for it consists of joy and peace in the Holy Ghost and unrighteousnesse and all filth of flesh and spirit and unmortified is without it Pr. It is the comforter that convinceth the world of sin but all men have not the spirit neither are they convinced so of their unbelief Answ Every man that cometh into the world is enlightened that he may believe in the light and he that believes in the Light receives the Comforter and he that believes not in the light the spirit of truth reproves him for his unbelief for his righteousness and his judgement and I say the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is sufficient believing in it and shall have the light of life and shall not abide in darkness and come to the rock Christ and all being in the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world shall in the light see their salvation to the ends of the earth and need not say lo here or lo there and as for all the wrangling stuff in thy book what he said and what she said and what sayest thou a garment to cover you had been better silent and not have laid open your nakedness to the Nation I say unto thee this stuff and bush will burn in the fire and the witness in thee shall answer which shall witness me and judge thy contentious spirit which shewes you are far from the Kingdom and silence had Preacht more and the patience then the strife which stands in self justification and to justifie that â—o be mortified and put off which never came there And all men that doth not believe in the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world the spirit doth convince them and is manifest to them and in them A Book Title Page called Hosanna to the Son of David But the Book is namelesse and so reviles and rails and hides himselfe in the darke and his intent and drift in his Book is to make the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world a Covenant of works or Law without which Christ the Light is the Covenant of God the end of the first Covenant and its works and end of the Law to Jewes Gentiles in which they have peace one with another and with God And secondly he goes about to make the Comforter above Christ the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world which Christ the light saith that he will send to them that hath the light the Comforter and he shall take of his and give to them and not speak of himself which Christ had not spoken of himselfe but as he heard and saw of the Father he spoke And the rest of his Principles are as followeth Pr. THou saist The lying murtherer he hath sent forth his Instruments which goes under the name of Quakers and disguised with piety and purity to preach the everlasting Gospell and they hold forth a light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world what it doth in every man and what it is in every man and how it will lead men to purity and righteousnesse and from drunkennesse and taking Gods name in vain and check them when they do wrong and make manifest all ungodlinesse
spirit of life The Devill may get Scripture and therefore hath he spirit and life who is out of it This is like the Pharisees that thought they had had life in the Scriptures but would not come to Christ the life which the Scripture testified of and the Scriptures are words of God but many have the words and deny the Word it selfe and none are justified that hath the Scriptures and out of the life that gave them forth Pr. He saith It 's a sottish Doctrine to direct people onely to the Light within and what an absurd thing it is to tell our children of the Light within their conscience and to bid them obey and follow it that light and word that 's in their hearts and mouths and so fully neglect the teaching of the Scriptures Answ Is not this Souls zeal kicking against the pricks who had Scripture And this is not the neglecting to teach the Scriptures nor the Apostles doctrine to bring people and children to the Light within and the word in their hearts and mouths to obey and do it which was the Apostles doctrine and they are sottish that be out of it and they were them that made Proselytes that brought not people to the word within nor to the light within but from it Pr. He saith The Apostle thought to do many things against the Church and thought he ought to do so and the light within did not inform his conscience Answ Did not Christ say it was hard for him to kick against that that prickt him and was not that within him that pricked him Pr. And thou sayst thou art too ignorant of the ways of God and witnessing the meaning of his spirit Ans We do believe thee therefore you had better have been silent and have hearkned to the Light within thee and the Word within thee and the word of faith and wisdome which none hears the word of faith but who comes to the light within Pr. Thou sayest thou art too much troubled with carnall thoughts and vain imaginations and addicted to the world Answ Those dictates are not like to own the light within word within It is not a strange thing that thy spirit should stand against the Apostles doctrine that is light within Cor. 2.4 Pr. Thou sayst It is a disparaging the Scriptures to direct people to the light within rather then the Scriptures to direct them to eternall life Ans The Scriptures many may have and be from the light and spirit of God that was in them that gave it forth which none hath eternall life but who comes to the light within and the spirit that was in them that gave forth the Scriptures and to you this is the word of the Lord. Pr. Thou sayst The light within is grosse darknesse and what darknesse and blindnesse is there where the Scriptures are not minded and known Ans The Apostle who did direct to the light within did not call that grosse darknesse nor blindnesse but turned people from darknesse to light from the power of Satan to God And Abraham and Enoch was not in grosse darknesse and ignorance who had not the Scripture to minde which was in the spirit and faith as they were in that gave forth the Scripture who comes to witnesse the same spirit as was in them that gave forth the Scriptures they shall come to witnesse the Covenant of God written in their hearts and shall not need say Know the Lord and cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils and they that comes into this owns the Scripture without and be in Abrahams faith Pr. He saith The elect may be deceived and fall from their own stedfastness for a time and come under the death and power of Satan Answ The elect seed is in the grave which it is not possible to deceive and the elect shall be brought from under all the deceivers and death and bonds and the gates of Hell they shall come over and on top of them although the seed hath been in captivity and it is not possible to deceive the Elect it is the world that is deceived that which hath led captive shall go into captivity Eve and the first Adam may be brought into transgression but Christ the second Adam the seed in you all you must know which is that which bruiseth the Serpents head and the ground of all deceiving and so the Elect may lye under for a time and suffer but the election shall obtain and not him that wills nor him that runs but come over to the crown of honour and glory Pr. He saith Satan deceives men into bringing them to a self-denying posture Answ It is not the Devill that brings men to be humble and to deny themselves that which teacheth self-denyall is Christ that which keeps out of self-denyall is the Devill for that he went into himselfe out of the truth Pr. He sayes They can never be clear of a degree of blasphemy that hath the spirit of God in them and speaks against Ministery Magistrates and Ordinances and bid people listen to the light within them and to the spirits teaching and that they are all taught of God Answ They that witnessed the spirit and light within were taught of God and were moved of the Lord to declare both against Ministers Magistrates and Ordinances that stood against Christ the power of God and these were called blasphemers which were not the Scripture declares it but owned the power that ended all changeable things which upon all the heads of the transgressors and blasphemers came which power was a praise to them that did well Pr. He saith That Scripture may be bought and sold they say and it doth not profit but the Light within is of an eternall nature an infallible guide So obeying it they shall be sure of perfection and eternall life Now he saith those that say so are the poor ignorant and unstable soules Answ Cannot yee buy and sell the Scriptures and your Sermons and Prayers And can any have the comfort of the Scriptures and an infallible guide perfection and eternall life and the soule established and come out of ignorance but who comes into the light and spirit of God within that gave forth the Scriptures with which they came to know God the Father of spirits of whom they learned that gave forth the Scriptures and so come into the spirit and the bond of peace and unity with the Scriptures with God and one with another And the spâ—rit of God doth not bring men to dislike of Scriptures nor Ministers of Christ But to see what estate and condition they were spoken forth too Pr. Thou sayest The measure of Christ must be so that you ought to lay downe your lives for the brethren and love one another much more to lay downe your estates Answ When was there a Priest in the Nation that did lay downe his estate for the love of Christ or his brethren but he had a selfish principle in another thing Or
The Apostles were eye witnesses and understood by immediate Revelation from God inspired with the gift of the spirit more then any man could hope for since and he saith they do not pretend any such gift nor depend upon any such immediate miraculous Revelation from Heaven Answ Then all may see now in this what ye have received that hath been from man which is not from Heaven immediate nor the gifts of the spirit nor received the Gospel by the same means the Apostles did who are not the eye witnesses as the Apostles were neither have ye attained to the same knowledge and understanding as the Apostles did nor received it from heaven now let all people question whether it is the same Gospel which is not received from Heaven nor immediately nor by Revelation for the Gospel is immediate which is the power of God Rom. 1. they are in the same power understanding knowledge and immediate Revelation from Heaven that the Apostles were in that understand the Gospel and they that be in another cannot understand that Gospel so he confesseth to the Nation in his answer to some Queries and in his discourse upon the holy spirit that they have not the same knowledge gift nor immediate Revelation as the Apostles had so he hath made himself manifest and the rest of the Priests that he is in the Apostacy not to have the Gospel the Apostles had Pr. He saith page 11. An external means enables them to open the meaning of the Gospel Answ An external opens not the eternal this all may judge that is in the fear of God and that is it which keepes them from being deceived and seduce the external which opens the eternal he saith so which is false for the eternal opens the external and the Gospel is eternal and that which reacheth to the soul which is immortal and all they are seduced and seducers that thinks and saith the external must open the eternal Prin. He saith Learned men are them which must give the sence of the Scripture Answ Pilate was a learned man and had Hebrew Greek and Latine and knew not the sence of the Scripture which crucified Christ And the learning of God is that which knowes the Scriptures by the spirit that gave them forth and not the confounded natural Languages and the Querie to him was whether any was to be called Master his Answer is Master is a Title of civil honour a Pharisee a transgressor of Christs commands Mat. 23. that tramples upon Christs command and his doctrine and makes the doctrine of Christ uncivil and this is your Lordship and your usurped Authority who would lord it over Gods heritage but he is throwing you out as dung upon the face of the earth Pr. He saith The Pharisees paid Tythes when they neglected the Law of God Answ Do not all you so Is not this your condition that takes Tythes whose fruits in the Nation make it manifest and the Apostle said the Priesthood was changed that took Tythes and the Apostles denyed the Pharisees that took them but you take them by compulsion and carry to prison till death if you cannot get them and in this you are worse then the Pharisees and first Priesthood that took Tythes which denyed Christ was come in the flesh Pr. He saith That children are of the Kingdom of God and yet they must be born again before they can enter into the Kingdom of God page 17. and sprinkling of Infants is Baptisme Answ Which there is no Scripture for he saith Christ commanded both his disciples and them to take and eat this and yet they never heard his voyce Pr. He saith To give an answer without imagination or consequence is without reason or Judgement Answ There is a reason and a Judgement out of imaginations and consequences to be given which is in truth and out of the doubtful dispute Prin. He saith While men be upon the earth the body of sin is not wholly subdued Answ Contrary to the Apostles doctrine who saith they were made free from sin and this is to deny the Circumcision which puts off the body of sin this is to keep out of Christ the second Adam in the first Adam in the fall Pr. He saith The contents of the Gospel are things of the spirit of God attained by an external means and the Apostles was called of God immediately which he saith no man must hope for since Answ Then you have all followed your own spirits and are found amongst the number of the false Prophets and them that ran and the Lord never spake to them and the things of the Gospel and of the spirit are not attained by an external means Pr. He saith We must not look for an immediate extraordinary miraculous teaching from the Lord. Answ Yet he saith all men are taught of God what confusion is here the grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared unto all men and teacheth us and this he calls an outward teaching by the Lord Jesus Christ Is that which brings salvation outward all in the truth may Judge this and try thy spirit and the teachings of the Lord is not mediate but extraordinary above all yours which are men got up since the dayes of the Apostles Pr. He saith They shall teach no more every man his neighbour saying know the Lord but they shall all know me from the least to the greatest and he saith again the most knowing man hath not attained such a perfection of knowledge in his gift as not to need teaching Answ So he is one that believes not in the promise they that love are of God and they that loveth knoweth God and they that loveth not God knoweth not God here are the spirits of the world made manifest and the spirit of God in his Saints from thy confusion so them that know God are taught of him Pr. He saith The anointing within people is a measure of spiritual wisdom Answ And yet they attain to the Gospel by an external means and it is onely all they that give heed to such spirits as these that go from the anointing within them that did not take heed to the anointing so going from the eternal means to the external means and from the immediate to the mediate with which they are now tryed which the Apostle saw come in which hath been since over the world but now made manifest Pr. He saith Sprinkling of Infants is Gods Ordinance Answ For which they have no Scripture but a tradition which hath been taught men for a doctrine by them who cannot shew where God commanded it Pr. He saith pag. 31. For the spirit within we are not so blind folded to follow the dictates thereof and we draw men from the spirit within It is humane learning that distinguishes the naked Truth whereby it is clearly seen and calls them blind that saith otherwise and cannot distinguish persons from houses he confesseth it is contentions to go to Law Answ Here he hath given
Judgement upon all the Priests the rest of his fellowes who in most coasts of the Nation are troubling people for Tythes and their maintenance and you are blind-folded who leads people from the spirit within who are ravened from it and hath the sheepes cloathing in the humane learning which is from the earth from the ground and that cannot distinguish the naked truth and with that the Pharisees could not see Christ as you be that cannot see the light which hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world nor the Sons of God who are led by the spirit Pr. He saith The Scripture was given forth in the Hebrew Greek and Latine which we truely say is the Original and to attain spiritual wisdom by depending upon miraculous Revelations from heaven is attempting the good Spirit of God Answ And here he is contrary to the Apostle what he had received from the Lord he declared and David waited upon the Lord and all the Prophets of God for Counsel and teaching and Revelation and this he calls a Temptation which no one knowes the Son but by Revelation nor the Father nor the Scripture not a Hebrew nor a Greek nor a Latinist but they that think to find it out by natural Languages are in the temptation from the Spirit of God which reveals the deep things of God which to all you inwardly raveners is miraculous and as for the rest of thy confusion and lies it is not worth the mentioning but shall cover thy self thy Judgement the witness shall answer and manifest thy cloathing John Wallace Priest of Kendal William Moore Priest of Kellet Priest WALKER Their Principles as followeth Pr. THey say That the Devil is transforming himself into an Angel of Light and this is to oppose the Light of Christ Answ The Light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall is that which Satan is out of and you that be out of the Light which Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world withall in you may Satan transform who tranformed before the Apostles decease which since their decease it hath been him that hath made this work among all creatures which you be under his power since the dayes of the Apostles in the night of the Apostacy and he hath been the cause of destroying people which be out of the Light in which is the unity To sing without the spirit to sing words made ready to their hands as the Jews could whose songâ— might be turned into howling and to sing in â—he spirit there is the melody made to the Lord where hymnes Psalms and spiritual songs are known but to say that Christ and the Apostles sung Davids Psalms turned into Meeter as you do now a thing made ready to their hands this would make as though the Apostles and Christ could not sing without Davids Psalms and would put every one besides the spirit for Christ was Lord of David and the Apostles Preached the end of David in that they sung and every man that cometh into the world having a Light from Christ and that which may be known of God is manifested within man though Jewes and Gentiles be from it it guiding all minds it will bring them to sing in the spirit as David Solomon Christ the Apostles and the Saints and in this let all make melody to the Lord in their hearts all having moving and breath from the Lord. So let all praise the Lord in the spirit and in it unto him sing who in him moves and lives and have their being Gawen Eglesfield His Principles as followeth Pr. THat his call into the Ministery is mediate Answ So is not a Minister made by the will of God which is immediate nor a Minister made by the spirit which is immediate Mediate is naturall and the naturall man knows not the things of God for they are spiritually discerned Pr. And he saith The Law is not changed that gave tythes Answ The Law of God is changed and the Commandement disannul'd though the Pope set up another Law since the apostacy from the Apostles Ambrose Dickinson His Principles as followeth Pr. HE saith That there is nothing within man but what puts him on a Covenant of works Answ First there is faith within man and there is Christ within man that works by love and God will dwell in man and walk in man and the Son of God is revealed within Dost thou liken all these to things without in the Covenant of works which ends them all and was before they was Pr. He saith There is no knowledge of Christ in this generation but by the Scripture Answ Many may have the Scriptures and not know Christ they will not give the knowledge of Christ that which comes from him and shines in the heart doth give the knowledge of Christ the light And the Jewes had the Scriptures but had not the knowledge of Christ as you that doth not know the Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world the eare being stopt to that of God in you and eyes closed and it is not the spirit and the letter of it cannot give life Pr. John Stockdale said the Scriptures must try the spirits Answ The spirit was before the Scriptures was and the Jewes had the Scriptures yet knew not Christ but crucified him and that must try the spirits that gave forth Scriptures Pr. He saith The spirit and the Scriptures are one and the same thing Answ Scriptures are writings as the Priests and professors say and Christ was before it was given forth which owns it and is when it ends and is fulfilled Pr. Priest Heywood in Lancashire said It was blasphemy to say that the Church was in God Ans Contrary to the Apostle 1 Thes 1.1 who said the Church was in God Prin. Again he said It was blasphemy to say that God dwels or walked in his Saints Answ Contrary to the Apostle 2 Cor. 6.16 Eph. 4.6 which saith God will dwell in you and walke in you and ye are the temples of God Christopher Wade His Book called Quakery Slain His Principles are as followeth Pr. HEe saith in page 3. Oh horrible to say the infallible spirit must open the Scriptures Answ Which hath shut himselfe out of the spirit that gave forth Scriptures and must open them again in which is the unity and that is infallible and he that hath the spirit of God hath that which is infallible and he that hath not the spirit is none of his so out of the infallibility where thou art in the horrible state Pr. He saith It is whimsicall to say Christ God and man flesh and spirit is in them Answ Contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who said they were of his flesh and of his bone and Christ in you and he would walk in them And he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his and they are of his flesh and of his bone and Christ in you the hope
faith and such as lived in the faith and such as quenched the spirit and despised prophesie and such as despised the holy One and slaughtered the seed of God and such cast the law of God behinde their backs this was the spirit and the Word of God which was the rule that led them to discern and savour to try and taste and handle this was the touch-stone and this was the rule and this brought them to the knowledge of God and they that had the Scriptures had not the knowledge of God without this nor the prophesie as the Pharisees that had Scriptures yet knew not Christ Pr. To the Law and to the Testmony Answ Yea as we say to the Law and to the testimony the Law is the light the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy but it is tryed in this our day the Letter is the Light amongst the Ministers of the Letter against the light and they say prophesie is ceased and so puts the Old and New Testament for it and brings Isai 8. for the Law and testimony which was before Matthew Mark Luke and John but this is that their ignorance may appear Prin. And likewise he saith There is not a just man upon the earth and sinneth not Answ Read the words above in the 12. verse be not just over much neither make thy self overwise now mark this just this wise man upon the earth which doth good and sinneth not that was the estate of the Law which Christ is the end of who is a greater then Solomon who is the just and righteousness it self and makes men free from sin Pr. I do not affirm that any man can have salvation by vertue of his obedience and thus you put out the eye of poor souls and bids them hearken to a light within them Answ The eye of the soul is the Light which cometh from Christ the Bishop of it and he that believeth is saved and there is his obedience and he that doth not is condemned already and he hath the promise of life and salvation that believes in the Light Pr. He saith the Commission of Christ holds to the end of the world who gave some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors for the perfecting of the Saints and the edifying of the body of Christ till all come to the faith and knowledge of the Son of God and to a perfect man in measure and Stature and fulness of Christ Answ Have you not all denyed this work Pastures Teachers Prophets perfecting of the Saints and bringing to a perfect man saying that none must be perfect while they be upon earth and to the unity of the faith which both you and your teachers be all of heapes about it and that none must witness the measure and stature and fulnesse of Christ and the knowledge of the Son of God that none must have him revealed have you not denyed Revelation how have you been in this work tossing people to and fro like chaff and carrying them about with every wind of Doctrine and that is your wind that is not perfect that is not in the spirit that gave forth Scriptures and there lodgeth all mens subtility cunning and craft within lying and waiting to deceive this doctrine was coming up before the Apostles decease which since in the world hath reigned which all the heapes of Profession in all Christendom discovers it how people are tossed to and fro and changed about and every one stands against perfection and overcoming sin while they be upon earth so throwing themselves out of the work that the Ministers of Christ were in so from it Apostated and hath denyed the Ministers work which is the perfecting and you cry no perfection Pr. He saith They call breaking of bread carnal faith comes by hearing of the Scriptures and it is the way to teach men to Christ to convince and convert souls how should we know sin to be sin or righteousness to be righteousness but by Scripture Scripture hath been a fit rule to walk by and guide into truth and peace Answ Breaking of outward bread is not spiritual for the Papists they say it is spiritual and you say it is not carnal what differs Priests and Baptists from Papists and you say it is not as other bread is and thus you deceive people and make them believe a lie and the Pharisees had Scriptures and knew not the way of truth and peace nor was not guided in it neither any upon the earth Except they be in the life that gave it forth and the Pharisees had Scriptures read every day among them and hearing not the word that they heard that was in them that gave forth Scriptures they heard not the word of faith and the word of faith they have not neither hath any upon the earth for faith comes by hearing the word the word Preached not by hearing the Letter he that hath the Word of God may speak it dayly for they were Ministers of the Letter which begot people into a form and they were more ten fold the children of the Devil then they were before there was any Profession after they were got into Profession and all upon the earth do not know righteousness to be righteousness but as they have the life that gave forth Scriptures for the Pharisees chief Priests and Jewes had the Scriptures and read them every Sabbath day among them and they knew not righteousness to be righteousness Jesus Christ the righteousness of God neither did they know sin to be sin for they crucified the Lord of life they denyed the light the Covenant of God the Covenant of light the Jewes whicâ— had Scriptures so none doth know sin to be sin but as they do by the light which comes from the Lord Jesus Christ that makes it manifest and Abraham and Enoch knew sin before Scripture was Pr. Again he saith Try their own hearts by Scriptures Ansâ— They that tryed their hearts it was by the spirit of the Lord that searcheth them which led them to speak forth scriptures for before Scriptures were given forth there was that in the heart to try it which led all holy men of God to speake forth scriptures if all men upon earth had the scriptures and have not that which gave it forth they have not that which will try the heart for the Pharisees had the scriptures and they could not try their own hearts and so they turned against the light as the world do now that have the scriptures for that is it which brings to stand approved of God and tries their hearts with it Pr. He saith the overseers of the Church are visible An. That which doth oversee and maketh to be overseers was the holy Ghost before the Apostles deceased which was invisible but since the dayes of the Apostles men have made officers by the letter such are visible therefore have all men come into divers formes out of the unity and have lost the bond of peace Pr.
Likewise he saith That which is contained in the Bible is spirit and life An. This is as much as to say that spirit is in the letter and life is in the letter now hadst thou said that which is declared of is spirit and life these words had been true and the letter it selfe death and the life was in them that gave it forth that is sound now the people have it among them as a general word that the Bible is a History or a treatise or a catalogue or calls it the letter these are the common words among professors and preachers now we say they are the words of God and a declaration of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles and Christ is the word in whom they end that is agreeable and according to scripture which cannot be broken and sound words Pr. And the words was confirmed to them by signes Aâ— Them that had the scriptures knew not the word by signes and wonders they were declared and signes and wonders shewed unto them that had the scriptures from the word now to them that had the sciptures which the word to them had shewed maricles when they desired a signe of the word he told them that had the scriptures no signe should be to them but that of Jonas Pr. And they say thee and thou to a particular is a proper speech but it is not a sin to say otherwise and so not to give offence to Jew nor Gentile but you is the nationall speech and the Devill said thou and Cain said thou and this was the bad mans language as well as the good An. Though the Devill and bad men got the forme of true words yet the forme of sound words is to be held fast and though Paul said give no offence to Jew or Gentile yet we do not find that Paul spoke out of the form of sound wordâ— as you to one and because it is a nationall forme of speech and ye not come into the forme of sound words which hath professed both Scriptures Christ and the Apostles which shew they never learned either nor comes into the practice of either you to one is not righteous and all unrighteousnesse is sin for one to say thou Henry Hager art many men would not thou say they spoke unrighteously now Judge thy selfe Pr. You call all men dead and carnall in the serpents Nature in what forme soever if they differ from you Ans All that be not in the light that inlighteneth every man that cometh into the world which is the way to the Father Differeth from us such be dead such be carnall in the serpents nature for none comes to the life but who comes to the light in what forme soever they be in and such as differ from us differ from Christ for none comes from under the Serpents head and nature but who comes to the light Pâ— Likewise he saith But for a perfection in glory to be attained on this side the Grave I utterly disalow Aâ— We do believe thee but a perfection in the glory is attained to while the Saints be upon the earth for they were changed from glory to glory so there is a perfection in the least glory and that glory which the saints was changed from into glory was not glorious but as it was in the perfection in the leâ—st degree or measure as it is in it selfe and so for the rest of thy lies and slanders and unsavoury expressions which are not worth mentioning will cloath thy self and they cover not thy shame but make it manifest they shall be thy own wounds in the day of thy indignation the witnesse within thee me shall answer and thy silence had been better then to the nation to have uttered forth thy folly and whereas thou speakest of the Church that to thee is a mistery which is the pillar and ground of truth but men have gathered together a forme in the apostacy and the seed in the grave since the dayes of the Apostles but now is the seed risen which treadeth such out and down that are gathered together in the words of scriptures but out of the spirit that they was in that gave it forth and that is the seed with which all the promises is to he doth not say it is to the visible Church but to the seed and who are of the seed are of the Church of Christ which is the pillar and ground of truth and so it is not the running up and down the scriptures from place to place and bringing people chapter and verse and telling people what the prophets said and did and what the Apostles said did so to be approved of in the sight of men but such are approved of in the sight of God as be in the life that they were in that gave forth scriptures and be in unity with the Saints that gave them forth with Christ the substance of them and with God Pr. He saith An Vnlearned question to askâ— whether your Baptizers cast out devils and drink any deadly thing and it not hurt you and whether the house where you meet was ever shaken and where he did give the holy Ghost to you Ans This is to shew that you are not belivers nor in the power that the Apostles was in and as for your saying rhe Apostles speaking wicked men should grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived now since the daies of the Apostles who saw those things come up those wicked men being deceived and deceiving now since their daies it is manifest that they have grown worse and worse till they have grown all to heaps and killed one another about religion the whole Christendom can witnesse it such as have had the forme of godlinesse but denyed the power out of the power and life that gave forth the scriptures and out of the bond of peace in the poyson one poysoning one another out of the holy ghost that gave forth Scriptures and out of the healing and the belief that cast out Devils and the devill the murtherer but he hath been your teacher to murther one another about your Religion which did not Christ teach but to love enemies and to save mens lives Thomas Leadger his book called a discourse his principles in it as followeth Pr. HE saith Such be in an error that sets up a light within above the scripture or equall with the scripture and knowes no Christ but a Christ within Ans The light Christ by which all things were made and created glorified with the Father before the world began which the scripture testifies of is above the Scripture before the Scripture was They that be not in this Christ within are reprobates in which the scripture ends and testifies of and so it is Christ the same to day yesterday and for ever that the Saints come to witnesse within them not another Christ neither many Christs And they that professeth a Christ without them have a Christ without them and another
from the spirit of God you had not known there had been a father or spirit or grace or worshâ—p if the scripture had not declared it but they that had not scripture had faith had the Hoâ—y Ghost had the Father knew the Father knew Christ knew the spirit they that had the scripture the Pharisees knew not the father knew not the holy Ghost nor the Redeemer but resisted as it was in Steven knew not father nor Christ the author of it knew not him that was borne of the spirit Now they that had the scriptures knew all these things that had the spirit that gave them forth they that had the scriptures and not the spirit knew not these things they that had the spirit of error that were in heaps about the saints words now they had the scriptures the Pharisees walked in darkenesse had not Davids Lanthorne to their feet and so could not see Christ as David did saith the Apostle their table was their trap there they struck David that had the life that gave forth the scriptures who had the lanthorne to his feet and had not they a lanthorne before the scripture was written Abraham Enoch what led them all to give forth scripture are not all they that have the scripture and out of that that they was in that gave them forth out of the light and out of the Lant-horne and they had a rule of obedience before the scripture was given forth the word of God that lives and abides and endures for ever that is the word of faith in which the scripture the words of God ends And man had the scripture and knew not Christ that was from the life that they were in that gave forth the scripture Pr. The Gospell is the scripture Answ Many may have the Scripture and deny the power of God which is the Gospel many had the Scripture and the form and stood against the Son of truth Christ Jesus the power of God the Gospel And as for thy other lies and slanders which are not worth mentioning which comes from thy drunken spirit when the spirit is awakened that suffers by it thou shalt feel every word of thy own thy burthen and thou that doth set the Scriptures above Christ and God and the spirit art a heathen THOMAS LEADGERS Antiquakers Assertions His Principles in it as followeth Pr. HE saith The Divine nature is without mixture of sin but it doth not destroy wholly the sinful nature that is in us and the being of sin dieth not until the body die and sin hath been in us to humble us Answ Sin is that which doth not humble but lifts up That which humbles people which brings down the sin Is the humilitie which bears the sin and iniquity which is Christ And the Saints were made free from sin while they were upon the earth and had the body of sin put off And the Divine nature they which have received it knoweth it and have escaped the pollutions that is in the world and the lust of it and so the Divine nature destroyes sin in its being Prin. Again he saith The Scripture is a quickening spirit the wisdom of God the power of God unto salvation the words of the blessed Scriptures every Line of it I have had saith he the righteousness of God revealed in my soul I have had the love of God the grace of Christ the Communion of the Holy Ghost manifest in me but I trample upon all attainments the highest as dung Answ Many had the Scriptures and stood against the wisdom of God and stood against the power of God yea killed and persecuted the Lord of glory of life They that had the dead Letter without the life and many got the form and denyed the power and denyed the quickening spirit and the Spirit of Christ doth not bring to trample upon attainments not the love of Christ nor the righteousness of Christ the love of Christ the grace of Christ the righteousness of Christ this was never esteemed on as the dung trampled upon as the dung such as was transgressors was as dung and they trampled upon the love of Christ the righteousness of Christ but who comes into this tramples upon their own notion Pr. He saith again that perfection is a golden dream and the Scriptures is the word of God Answ Perfection is over all dreams be they never so golden and it ends them all and is above them all and Christs name is called the word of God and the Scriptures are the words of God which Christ the word of God by which all things were made came to fulfill A Book called A serious review of some PRINCLES of the QUAKERS Pr. NO man hath reason to say that the spiritual substance is in the creature the Divine Essence is subject to change as is the soul of man and every one is enlightened that comes into the world by the light of Christ and this he cals a natural light and that some persons are come up out of the fall is an errour I do not own a perfection without sin and it is an errour to say there is any perfection without sin Answ All erring is in the fall and that which is come up out of the fall is come out of the errour into the second Adam where no errour is which many witness for all errour is in the first Adam in the fall and in him that tempted And the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world by which the world was made which was before the world was made by which all things was made and created in whom is life and this life is the light of men which men being in the light which they be enlightened withall they coming by the light to him from whence the light doth come they come into the perfection out of sin for all sin and imperfection is in the first Adam in the earth And perfection is in the second Adam Christ Jesus who bruiiseth the Serpents head the Author of imperfection And who be in him are in a perfection without sin and there is no sin in the perfection nor any errour in the perfection of Christ and all who be in the unreasonableness are â—gnorant of the spiritual suâ—stance and power of God and Holy Ghost the spirit of truth the Spirit of Christ the nature that dwels in the Saints which all this is substance and not shadow and the Divine power and the power of the Lord God and Gâ—d doth not change nor his spirit nor the soul nor his power so read thy self God doth not change in his being neither doth that which comes from him that which he hath in his hand and in his power Pr. Hâ— saith That which is imperfect can be reconciled to God and that they are poor blind creatures that say the light doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and needeth no light and discovery to help and the Scripture doth no where call Christ
the sleights of men which is in reference to false Prophets of which this Land is now full You say That a man cannot be made free from sin and cannot keep the Commandements of God perfectly Answ Are not you in the tossing too and fro and tossing people too and fro And are not you the false Prophets which Christ said should come which John said was come and the world hath been after you who tells the people that they cannot keep the commandements perfectly Contrary to John who saith he that loves God keeps the commandements of God And the Beast made war against them that kept the Commandements of God and herein is the love of God perfect Pr. You tell people of a Sacrament a Creed and three persons Answ Which the Scripture tells no such thing But the Common-prayer-book doth and so you do not teach the form of sound words in your Catechim Pr. Out of the Scriptures we may learn the knowledge of the true God Answ That which gives the knowledge of the true God is the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures for the Pharisees that had the Scriptures knew not God Pr. The state of man in this life is three-fold Creation Corruption Regeneration Answ In Regeneration the life is changed out of that life which is in the Fall So Regeneration and Corruption is not one in the new life Pr. A man by his own power cannot get into regeneration for they are dead in sins and trespasses Answ Some are sanctified from the womb and some children are holy so all are not dead in sins and trespasses for they that are so are but unbelievers Pr. All men have not salvation by Christ and there are many that have no share in salvation purchased by Christ Ans This is contrary to Scripture which saith that he is the offering for the sins of the whole world and the Saviour of all men and especially of those that believe And they that turns the grace of God into wantonnesse denies their salvation and they which hate the light which enlightens every man that cometh into the world hates their salvation to the ends of the earth Pr. The Scripture is the Word and God is in his Word and God in the Scripture offers Christ God in his Word offers Christ which you call Scriptures Answ The Scriptures of truth are the words of God and Christ the Word comes to fulfill them and God was in them that gave forth the Scriptures and Christ was in them who gave forth scriptures and the Scriptures testifie of him and the Scripture doth not say that God is in the dead Letter Paper and Inke but his power ye are ignorant of and errs not knowing Scriptures and the Scriptures are not God Pr. You say That God works inwardly by his spirit and outwardly by his Word and our faith is summed up in the Apostles creed Answ Christ is the Author of the Faith and the Apostle doth not tell us of a Creed the spirit and the word are one and they are inwardly known sanctifying Pr. The rule of Christian obedience is the Law of God Ans That which is the end of the Law is a Christians life and rule who comes to the obedience of faith in which they please God and are justified which no flesh by the works of the Law is justified Pr. Brethren be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde No man is able to keep the commandements of God we break them daily in thought word and deed in the best of our duties we are unprofitable servants Ans Here is your confusion layd open them that were perfect had a new minde and their deeds wrought in God and their thoughts were changed that witnessed repentance and they kept the commands of God and their fruits are of the spirit and of faith which are not unprofitable But your works and fruits who are out of the faith and out of the spirit of God are unprofitable who breaks the Commandements but they that love God keep his Commandements Pr. Christians must attend upon Gods Ordinances and Sacraments to know their duty toward their neighbour which Sacraments are the seal and the covenant Answ The Apostles tell us of no such signes sacraments nor such words but that which fulfils Law is the Son of God which brings him to do his duty towards God and towards his neighbour which is Christ Pr. There are two Sacraments and the Covenant of grace is to all that believe and receive Christ and the two Sacraments are Baptisme and the Lâ—rds Supper which are visible signes Ans The Scripture doth not any where call them visible signes nor sacraments and the Covenant of grace is to all whether they believe or not believe receive or not receive and the Scripture doth not call Baptisme and the Lords supper Sacraments Pr. Because Infants of the Jewes were circumcised therefore are children baptized Christ hath ordained this Sacrament as bread and wine and the Sacrament is the food of the soul Answ This is a Popish doctrine that which feeds the soul is immortall and that is the souls food which findes rest in Christ the bread of life the food for the soule And the Scriptures doth not tell us that the bread and wine is a Sacrament and the Scripture doth not tell us that Circumcision was outwardly a type of Baptisme outwardly but of the inward and you bring a Scripture which is the 23. of Luke and the 43. vers and saith that it saith that the souls of the wicked are cast into Hell which that Scripture speaks no such thing Pr. We are not to seek for happiness in this life Answ The Saints were and are made partakers of the heavenly riches and of Christs fulness and of his unspeakable joy and full of glory in Christs Kingdom which is in them who are upon the earth and for the rest of your lies and confusions is not worth answering Richard Baxter His Principles in that which he cals one sheet for the Ministers which is two sheets in whose mouth is found a lie as in his Title Page is to be seen His Principles in it as followeth Pr. THat we are hated of all men for the Name of Christ who are but Ministers who gave some Pastors Teachers appointed for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come to a perfect man To Disciple Nations Baptize and Teach them so cut down the Ministers the Pillars and the buildings will fall Answ In the steps of the Ministers of Christ you are not found but in the steps of the Scribes end Pharisees called of men Masters in the chiefest seats of Assembles in your long robes uppermost Roomes at Feasts causing the Ministers of Christ to be haled out of your Synagogues and thrust out and haled and persecuted and prisoned which are in the generation of the Serpents that should fulfill Christs words Mat. 23.
gift of God which purifies the heart which brings people to have accesse to God In that and by that which purifies men men are justified and in that 's vertue by the hearing of that men receive the spirit so that this is confusion and contrary to the Scripture and confuted by it for ye are justified through faith and by the spirit and that instrumentally from God in which men please him and without which they cannot therefore that is instrumentall and in that they have victory and in that they have unity one with another and in it have accesse to God But saith he faith doth not justifie instrumentally by any vertue that is in it any more then is in love Love and faith is one without faith there is not love Love is the fruit of faith flows from it without it there is not unity and without faith there is no victory and without victory there 's no love and it justifies and is wrought by the spirit Pr. A perfect conformity to the Law of God wrote in the strength and power of grace the spirit working all in us and for us and all this is no more then the righteousnesse of the Law Answ That 's the end of the Law that brings to the righteousnesse of the Law and to a perfect conformity to it and fulfills it that 's the seed Christ in the male and in the female by whom grace comes by Jesus Christ which brings to live in the righteousnesse of it which is the righteousnesse of faith by which the spirit is received which works all in people and for them who ends the Law The BROWNISTS Principles Pr. THey never heard Gods voyce from heaven nor see his shape And yet they affirme they have the same power and spirit that the Apostles had though much below and yet they have the Word abiding in them Answ You that never heard the voyce of God nor see his shape you have not seen him who is a spirit nor his power nor his Word abiding in you for who hath the spirit of God and the power of God and the Word of God abiding in them with the spirit of God with the power of God sees Gods shape and who hath Gods Word abiding in them hears the voyce of God for God is the Word and God will dwell in them and walk in them Pr. That they are brought to the Church that is in God the pillar and ground of truth where there 's neither spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing Ans And yet you never heard the voyce of God and how can you be brought to the Church that is in God and never heard the voyce of God for none comes to the Son but through the drawings of the Father and none knows the drawings of the Father but they heard his voyce The Jewes that came not to the Son Christ told them they had not known the voyce of God and none come to him but whom the Father draweth Pr. We do not look for any such thing as revelation from heaven or speaking as they are moved or waiting for the power as the Apostles did we say we do not looke for any such thing Answ This shews that you have not received the grace for the grace comes by revelation and you have not received the Son for the Son comes by revelation Nor you have not known the Father whom the Son reveales You are not come to the holy Ghost whom the Saints witnessed that led them to speak forth Scriptures which no prophesie of the Scriptures came by the will of man so you are among those men that have the Scriptures in their wills and wants the thing that the Scriptures were given forth by that is the holy Ghost for holy men of God were moved to speak them forth who learned them of God and spoke them forth as the spirit gave them utterance Therefore how can ye say that you are come to the Church in God and waits neither for the power nor revelation as the Saints did and were in for if you have all the Scriptures and have not that you have not revelation and have not the holy Ghost for the Scriptures are not known but by revelation and they are revealed by the spirit that gave them forth And though men have all the Scriptures yet the Son is not known but by revelation of the Father Pr. The Scripture is the Gospell the Scripture is the Light the Scripture is the Word Ans The Scriptures are the words of God given forth from the spirit of God learned from him The Gospel is the power of God the Scripture declares it A man may have the forme and deny the power and so deny the Gospel Christ is the light of the world the life and the light of men by whom the world was made and many have the Scriptures but denies the light the life and power of it Christ Jesus who is the life and power and the authority of them Pr. That they knew no law of God against praying and preaching by an hour-glasse and that the Apostles did performe the Ordinances of God at set times and Daniel and David prayed customarily and how this can be said to be will worship and to be seen of men we shall leave it to the Lord. Answ The Lord judgeth it to be will-worship that which limits the holy one to an hour-glass and the spirit of the Lord that taught the Saints to pray never limitted it selfe to an hour-glasse so you by an hour-glasse pray and preach as the Papists with their beads so that that limits the Lord to a set time those are traditions and vain customes of the heathen and traditions of men which alwayes the spirit limitted which spirit gave freedome to the just in every one which said quench it not nor limit it but knock down vain customes and traditions of men which was set up by men which had quenched the spirit in themselves and would limit the holy one in others and such were alwayes judged of the Lord and them that had his spirit to be Idolaters and in the will-worship and not in the spirit which are got up since the dayes of the Apostles John Turners Principle Pr. THat light which convinceth a man of sin was a wicked conscience Ans The wicked conscience doth not convince of sin then Satan were divided against Satan That which doth convince of sin is not wicked nor sin but the spirit of God the light of Christ Jesus that convinceth of sin and the Elect hath faith where faith is there is obedience The Ranters Principles Pr. CHrist without comes to destroy Christ within Ans Christ is but one and it is the devill that he destroyes and his works the Anti-Christ and not the true Christ the seed in male and female and it is the false Christ he destroyes in the male and female and he comes to end the types and figures and shadowes that people might live in him the
of the Prince of the Air out of the disobedience to the thing he had disobeyed but who comes to the light within which shines in his heart which gives him the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and there is none knowes the working of Christ but by the light within Pr. When they were prickt in their hearts the Apostle did not bid them look to the light within them Answ Did not the Apostle bid them repent And was not there something in them that did give them to understand their trangression who might repent and come to receive remission for their sins by Christ the light who lightened every man that cometh into the world which shines in the darkness and the darkness comprehends it not which light shined forth it gives the light of the knowledge of God in the heart and that which pricks them is within them Pr. To look at the light within puts us by the experience of the created word Answ The light within brings to look at Christ whose name is called the word of God by whom all things was created and the light within gives experience of him which is beyond all created experiences that are changeable and the Scripture doth not tell us of the created word Pr. To follow the light within the natural man that is said to lead to perfection drawes from and puts us from waiting upon the commands of God Answ No natural man comes out of his natural state to perfection to know the commands of God that which discovers all these things to him is the light within which comes from Christ and brings him to know the Covenant of God who are kept from the light within are kept from perfection and the commands of God and the Covenant of God and Christ Pr. There can be no reproof for breaking of a Law if it were not written Answ Adam broke the Law before it was written and was reproved Prin. Light within and watching in that light to bring us to perfection will be a vain watch Answ None sees perfection nor none comes to the true watch but they who come to the light within which doth manifest that which must be stood against and not received and all watches are vain that be not in the light within for they will put evil for good and good for evil darkness for light and light for darkness that watches not in the true light that shines in their hearts which makes manifest Pr. Let us leave leaning on the light within for direction Answ Then you turn your selves from the Apostles doctrine the light that shines in your hearts to give you the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 4. and you turn into darkness from that which should give you the knowledge Pr. To look to the Light within drawes us from or puts us past the blood of the new Covenant the application of it Answ There 's none sees the new Covenant Christ Jesus to Jewes and Gentiles the covenant of light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world and the blood of it he that sees this his eye is opened and is a believer for who sees the blood of Christ and his righteousnesse and comes to the blood of Christ who hath enlightned him he comes to life and none doth come to life but who comes to the light which Christ hath enlightned him withall For in him was life and the life was the light of men and the light shines in darknesse and the darknesse comprehends it not though all things were made by him And them that live in the darknesse hate the light and do not believe in it and so they are condemned by the light Pr. That this doctrine the light within draws us from Christ Answ None comes to Christ nor is drawn unto Christ but with the light and that 's within and gives them to know what they are come from and what they are come to for it gives them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus As for all thy other works of darkness in thy Book they are not worth mentioning but whose messenger he is the day doth bring him to light the witnes of God in his conscience shall answer in the day of his condemnation and judgment who is under the spirituall wickednesse and in whom is the high places of it who stands against and denies the doctrine of the Light within the saints and Apostles hath judged him to be a messenger of Satan a false Apostle a Minister of unrighteousnesse out of the light the truth as you may read in the Corinthians for the true Messengers Ministers and Apostles of Christ Jesus made by the will of God brought people to the light within that shines in their hearts and told them that the light would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus Priest Fergison his principles as followeth who is a Teacher in Kent confest to Ambrose Rigge Pr. THat the scripture was the Law and Testimony Answ This is contrary to the Scripture for the Scripture saith the Law is light Prov. 6. and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy and the Law and Testimony was before Matthew Marke Luke and John the Epistles and Revelations were written as in the 8 of Isaiah Pr. That the Scripture is the rule of life and doctrine and that it was the Word of God Answ Adam Abel Enoch Abraham and the holy men of God had a rule for their lives before the Scripture was written the spirit was the rule of their lives that led forth Saints to speak forth Scripture And they that have the Scripture and not the spirit of Christ they are none of his and the Jewes had Scripture but wanted the rule of life Neverthelesse the Scripture which was given forth from the spirit of God is profitable for Doctrine and the Scriptures of truth are the words of God learned of God and not the word and Christ the word before the Scriptures were given forth by whom the world was made is the word of God who fulfilled the words the Scriptures in him ends who was before they were spoken forth Pr. That the Scripture is the way to God and that the Scripture was the ground of Faith Answ The ground of faith is Christ the Apostle bids the Saints look to him which was the Author and finisher not the Scripture but Christ the Author of their faith the ground of it And Abraham and Enoch and Abel had faith before Scripture was written so who hath faith are of Abraham and they witnesse Abrahams ground and the Jewes had Scriptures but had not faith nor the ground so your faith that hath no other ground but Scriptures is like unto the Jewes And Christ is the way to God who was before Scriptures were written who fulfills the
Prophets Abraham and Davids words and the Jewes had Scriptures but stood against the way to God Christ Jesus the light as all you doe that stand against the light And Abraham and Abel and Enoch had the way to God before the scripture was written and Christ Jesus is the way to God Christ saith I am the way to the Jewes who had scriptures Pr. That there is no perfection to be attained to while people live upon earth A Then by thy doctrine Christ is not attained to while man lives which is contrary to the Apostles and Christs own doctrine who said I in you and you in me and Christ in you the hope of glory and then none abides in the Vine by thy account which is Christ and none bears fruit to the glory of God who abides not in the Vine and who abides in the Vine abides in the perfection of God and thou art contrary to the Ministers of Christ whose work was for the perfecting of the saints Pr. That Justification and Sanctification differs Answ Justification and Sanctification is one for Christ who is the justification and sanctification is one and it is thou that differs from him Pr. That the word of faith in the heart spoken of in the 10â—h of the Romans is the Scriptures Answ The Apostle doth not say so for many had the scriptures and were under the Law and knew not the word of faith the gift of God Pr. He said the Scripture leads into all truth Ans This is contrary to Scripture for the Scripture saith the spirit of truth shall lead you into all truth this is the promise of Christ and Christs words And Abraham had his leader and Enoch to Christ and to God before the Scripture was given forth Oh that ever men should be set up to be Teachers that are so blind concerning the Scriptures and receive so many thousand pounds a year for teaching And the Jewes had scriptures and were not led into all truth as you Christians are now therefore are you all in heaps about them wanting the spirit to lead you into all the truths of them Pr. He said That Christ and the Father and the holy Ghost are not one but they are three therefore distinct Answ This is the denying of Christs doctrine who saith I and my Father are one and the holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son and he was conceived by the holy Ghost and they are all one and not distinct but one in unity that which comes out from him leads the Saints into all truth that ever was given forth from the spirit of truth and so up unto God the father of truth and so goes back again from whence it came Pr. It is blasphemy to say the Son is one with the Father and not distinct from him Answ The Father and the Son are one the Son is in the Father and the Father in the Son so that which is in him is not distinct from him and they blaspheme that say the Son is not in the Father and deny Christs doctrine Pr. He said The Father is a distinct incommunicable being from the Son and the Son a distinct incommunicable being from the Father and the holy Ghost a distinct incommunicable being from the Son Ans The Son is one and in unity with the Father and not distinct but equall and thought it not robbery The holy Ghost is in unity with the Son and the Father which proceed from them and they are one in unity and not distinct Thy doctrine is drosse and you Priests are not fit to judge in such things as they are they are too weighty and too heavy for you Pr. He affirmed That the Scripture is the power of God and that the Scripture is the Gospell Answ The power of God leads them to speak forth the Scriptures and the power of God is Christ and the power of God endures for ever but Scripture is writing and doth not and the Gospel is the power of God saith the Scriptures and doth not say that the Scripture is the Gospel for many had that and witnessed not the glad tidings and so thou art here distinct from the Ministers of the Gospell and art not a Minister of it the power of God but puts writings for it which power of God was before writings were Pr. He affirmed That the Father was the Creator and not God Answ This is contrary to the Scripture For in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth the Father and God is one the maker of all things for God the Father that made the world saith the Apostle Gal. 4.6 One God and father of all Pr. He said That Christ was not his rule but the Scripture was his rule Ans I do believe thee that Christ is not thy rule so life is not thy rule wisdome is not thy rule truth is not thy rule and so Christ not being thy rule thou art ignorant of Scriptures and knows them not for he who is the substance of the scriptures is not thy rule so thou knowest them not neither art subject to them Pr. He saith That God justifieth them that are not sanctified Answ He that is justified is sanctified for he that justifieth sanctifieth Pr. And another Priest saith That Christ was not the resurrection of the body Ans Christ is the resurrection and the life and the Saviour of the body who brings the creature into the liberty of the Sons of God The Priests of Lancashire their Principles PRiest Jacus the foreman of them said the letter and the spirit were inseparable Answ Contrary to the Apostle 2 Cor. The letter kills and the spirit gives life And we are Ministers not of the letter but of the spirit so the spirit that ends the letter was before the letter was and men may have letter and not the spirit and deny the Ministers thereof And the Apostle said they were one anothers Epistles written in one anothers hearts and not with paper and ink but with the spirit of the living God so you are contrary to the Ministers of Christ and if every one which hath the letter have the spirit what need you teach your teachings are at an end for the spirit will open to you the scriptures The Professors Principles at Westmerland Edward Briggs the leader of them said Pr. IT was heresie and deceiving the people to bid people believe in the power of God Ans Then they must not believe in Christ who is the power of God and it is not heresie nor deceiving of people to bid them believe in the power of God which is Christ and they are in the heresie and deceiving state that do not believe in the power of God and deceiving people and keeps them all in heaps under the power of the Devil and so to believe in that which is the cause of peoples destroying and persecuting one another Pr. And others of the Professors said That God had no hand in working out
your blind zeal the mouth of iniquity hath been open in you with all the world against the truth but with it in a great measure it is stopped Pr. The evils hath been so strong that they have wrestled all weapons out of the hands of Saints and Ministers that have been formed against them Answ These have been pitiful weapons that you Ministers and Saints have had in your hands that the evil wrestled them out they have been carnal not spiritual for the spiritual weapons the evil cannot wrest out of the hands of Saints and Ministers of God but with them they are plucked down his holds and high places and spiritual wickednesses the evil dares not come nigh the Saints weapons which are spiritual Pr. You say We desire no longer to rest in a testimony of words but take an effectual course that sin and sinners may be purged out of the house of God we desire the Church would set some days apart wherein they may bewail iniquity and pollution that Ministering Brethren would without respect of persons from house to house night and day bear their testimony to flie from those abominations Answ The Church of God you cannot which is the Pillar and ground of truth which Christ purchased with his blood without spot or wrinkle or blemish and the house of God you know not who talkes of purging of it who is established a top of all the mountains and all your abominations and pollutions and respecting of persons is out of the Church and the Law both transgressors of it and it is time to begin to stir up your selves and turn from the evil of your wayes and turn to Christ the Light who hath enlightened you that you may bear testimony against your selves and your Ministers and lightness and abominations in your own families and do not say it is the house of God and the Church of God but amongst your selves and we do believe it is but the testimony of words who have denyed the light and so denyed the power Pr. They may deliver themselves from the blood of souls having declared the whole counsel of God Answ Can dust and ashes declare the whole Counsel of God and cankered ones and pollutions and abominations can such declare the whole Counsel of God such be out of it for they that come into the counsel of God declares that and come out of pollutions and cankered with the world to him by whom the world is made who is perfect and makes them perfect who declares his perfect will and counsel Pr. Another evil we thought to have spread before you but wanting opportunitie shall now omit and that from Chard we have laboured in vain that which hath been brought forth hath been to little purpose Answ This you may speak to your shame and shew forth your own nakedness that you have laboured in vain and that which you have brought forth hath been to little purpose in this the Church of Christ believes you who hath been them that hath beaten the air and why do you Print abroad that there is another evil among you which you have not laid open had you not been better have held your tongues except you had mentioned it is not this Hams spirit who lays open one anothers nakednes to the world in Print but how can you do otherwayes who hath denyed the light that hath enlightened every man that comes into the world which comes from Christ Jesus and so wants the covering and as for all your dirt and drosse and dung which is not worth mentioning in your Epistle and confused words which you set forth thinking to your glory but it is to your shame had you been in the life that gave forth Scripture which the Saints was in that was of the Church you would have covered your nakedness and would not have said pollution was in the Church and in the house of God but for all these things you are judged and you and your Epistle and your words to be unsavory and is judged with the life of God that gave forth Scripture and them that be of the house of God and the Church of God where no pollution is nor comes nor canker the witness in your conscience shall answer it in the day of the Lord. By us Richard Baxter c. Pastor of the Church at Kederminster In their Paper called the Judgement and advice of the Assembly of the Assosciated Ministers In it their Principles as followeth Pr. THat ever there should be so much to do among Christians yea the leaders of Christs flock and to bring them to so clear a duty that after all there labour there is no more done Answ Ye have been them that God never sent and found to be such as Christ cryed wo against and so you have not profited the people at all And you have not been the leaders of Christs flock but been such as turned against them that hath been your duty so therefore be all the people on heapes Pr. That all men must know that we are Christs followers if we love one another for he that saith he loves God and hates his brother is a liar Answ In this poor men you have judged your own selves for is not debate and strife and vain glory and persecution and prisoning found among you Cain turning against his brother Abel and slaying and killing him whose blood cryes for vengeance upon you so it is a proof that you are out of the faith that works by love in which is the communitie and Love with God and one with another And so in stead of making up breaches you are wounding and bringing confusion being out of the faith and life that Christ and the Apostles were in so in heapes about their words Pr. It is not our business to change mens minds from infidels and heresie to the faith but to bring the Churches of Christ to understand each other to be true Churches which take the holy Scriptures for our Rule of your faith and lives and believe it to be the infallible word of God and this Rule is Divine so our faith is Divine had we but a humane Rule we could have but a humane faith proud men thrust their opinions into the Churches Creed Ans Your businesse it is true is not to change men form infidels and heresie and to bring them to the faith so not into the unity for you bring no people into that nor to the Faith and you bring no Church to know one another in the faith and the Churches of Christ knowes each other to be a true Church and you whose businesse is not to bring men off heresie to Faith know not the Church of Christ which is the pillar and ground of truth built upon Christ who is the faiths author and the scriptures which signifies writings as you say outward writings paper and ink is not infallable nor is not divine but is humane and a humane knowledge from it men get and so writings
breast-prophesie and yet thou sayest the Apostle doth not exclude heart-prophesie And thus thou with new names and thy words darkens counsell and knowledge but the children of light with truth sees thee Pr. The Father Word and spirit is to justifie the word Trinity not to make the holy Spirit and the Saints one person Answ The word Trinity is not in the scripture but in your old Fathers book the Canon book the Pope and the Father Son and Spirit are one and the Saints are in the spirit and who are joyned to the Lord are one spirit And the Scripture doth not tell us of three persons but as I said before the old Cannon book of thy Fathers the great Apostate the Pope Pr. The light that Adam was qualified with before the Fall which every man hath a sparke of since the fall was and is given from the Creation by things that are made Answ The light Adam had before the Fall did not come by the Creation nor by the things that are made If it were given from the Creation it comes by nature This word is contrary to Scripture for God made man in his image and placed him over all the creatures and gave him an understanding capable of his Law and to know dominion but when man lost his dommion he transgressed his Law and that light that he had before the fall was of God from him that made all things Pr. The Scripture is the meanes of regeneration If the blinde lead the blinde what will follow it is proof sufficient against absolute perfection in this life as Adam and the Angels Answ The Scriptures them that had them and out of the life that gave them forth were the blinde and what followed then And though Adam and the Angels fell who is in Christ the perfection of God he shall never fall as also saith the Apostle Pr. He saith It is ignorance that saith the light that makes manifest sinne condemns sin Answ That which makes manifest a mans sinne and he hates it that condemns him And he is ignorant that sees not Christs doctrine and believes not in it Pr. To deny that sinne dwelleth or remaineth in all the Saints upon earth hath been the Quakers doctrine the consequence whereof is to disclaim all godly sorrow for sin dwelling in them Answ It is the Quakers Doctrine to deny all sinne dwelling in the Saints upon the earth and to know Christ who destroys the Devill the author of all sin and the Saints comes to witnesse their joy and pleasures for evermore over their sin and the body of it put off and a Kingdome which stands in joy and peace in the holy Ghost and the godly sorrow before they come to this and they do know victory over their sin and Christ he had the godly sorrow who had no sin and that many of the Saints knows Pr. His Word is not his spirit Ans The Word and the Spirit are one which was before the written words were declared forth in which word they all end given forth by the spirit of God and the Word lives and abides and endures for ever and that is spirituall And so the mystery of Iniquity is found in thy Doctrine who art blinde and reads blindly not with the spirit which was in them that gave gave forth Scriptures And so thou art found a false Prophet in the steps of the Pharisees one of the Masters that Christ sets the woe on their heads who art ravening with the sheeps cloathing upon thy back to deceive but now the Lambs and the Sheep have discovered thee who is got up since the dayes of the Apostles into their words not into their life with that judged And whereas thou art offended because Edward Burrough speaks Chapter and Verse the spirit that gave forth Scriptures will lead to speak it all over again without offence but to the evill doers Pr. And if your teacher cannot but be publique how will you finde him in so private a place as your beds Answ The spirit that leads to speake forth publiquely or to minister to themselves and others the same is a private Teacher to them on their beds as he did David whom the Lord instructed in the night season And that which the Minister of the Spirit doth minister unto is a private Teacher to every particular in his owne particular And the annoynting which abideth in people John saith was their Teacher and they need no man to teach them but as it did teach them and they should continue in the Son of God and the Father And here was publique teaching and private which thou blind canst not see And as for all thy lyes and heap of confusion shall upon thy head stand which thou wouldst blinde people withall For the Son is risen and the mist is gone and going in the day of thy judgement the witnesse in thy conscience shall answer Philip Taverner of West Drayton in the County of Middlesex his Principles as follows in a Reply to to a Book to Edward Burrough whom he in scorn calls QVAKER Pr. WHo art thou that judgest another mans servant such who Lord it over the faith and consciences of their brethren a spirit wholly disowned by the Apostle Not that we have dominion over your faith and in this sin is that of Christ to be understood Call no man your Father upon earth neither be you called of men Master that is have no mens persons in admiration as to count them your Oracles in the things of faith Ans Such as serve the man of sin are to be judged that are the servants of sin that hath been servant to the man of sin We judge that man servant both and such as are spoken of in the Romans to judge another mans servant in the truth standing and falling to his Master every one in his measure such we do not judge but every one shall stand or fall to his Master who are scrupling about meates and drinkes and dayes that the life is leading them through such things and you that be called of men Master it s a great Oracle amongst the people so counted and you do both Lord it over mens faiths and consciences both therefore hath so much blood been shed through you and so many cast into prison by you who are Lording it over mens faiths and consciences Pharisee-like called of men Master who would have dominion over the Apostles faith as you who are called of men Master would have dominion over the Saints faith who are admiring mens persons because of advantage to help you And this people see since the dayes of the Apostles how you and the Papist have Lorded it over mens faiths your Jayles inquisition and prisons may witnes it how you would Lord it over mens faith and conscience that cannot give you Tythes you will cast them into prison are you not here Lording it over mens faiths doth not your practices shew it and so another spirit then the Apostles that
of the first Adam O mystery of deceit the deceitfull unfolding by antichrist to say that Christ sayeth the houre is coming now is that neither at this mountain nor as Jerusalem shall the Father be worshipped but he that worships him must worship him in spirit and in truth Answ Thousands in the Nation may witnesse the work the Quakers hath wrought and thousands are convinced of you to be the gain-sayers of the truth and the ante-christ come up since the daies of the Apostles and all your praying reading and meditations is but the first Adams state in the fall where the mystery of deceit is for yet you are not come to own the light Christ Jesus the second Adam that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world and so you be the ante-christs standing against Christ the light the truth and so are not come into the worship of God in the truth and in the spirit but are crying up at your Masse-houses is God worshipped as the Jewes did the Temple and Samaria the mountaine at Jerusalem which Christ saith not at Samaria nor the Mountain nor Jerusalem nor the Temple but in spirit and in truth and so we say not at your Masse-houses nor at Samaria nor Jerusalem neither not the Mountain but God hath seeked us to worship him in spirit and in truth and therefore you rage that hate the light Pr. They reckon their perfection and happinesse to be deprived of all the spirit doth neither so act or so teach and I was kept from this temptation and they that are overcome by it are brought into bondage a vaine deceitfull waiting for a power when the Apostles saith ye must pray without ceasing and not quench the spirit the Thessalonians they must cease from their owne words and wait for the immediate striving and working of the spirit as they fancy it Ans This thou calls fancie who saith the spirit of God doth not teach men nor so act to be deprived of all things Yes I say to thee thou must be deprived of all things before thou come to happinesse and thou art in the bondage and in the temptation that hath not forsaken all things and come to Christ the onâ— thing and thy praying and prophesying and not waiting for the spirit and power for to pray withall art in the fancy and following thy owne Spirit and out of the perfection of Christ Pr. It is blasphemy to say we must fill up the sufferings of Christ Answ And so thou art unlike the Apostles anâ— hast not drunk the cup of the wrath and judgement of the Almighty and that you must drink before you come to know the â—eed of God come from under all the power of wickednesse in thee and that is the world And Christ who bore the sin of the whole world felt it and was under it and was offered and over it all and makes his enemies his footstool Pr. The false interpretation of the enemy he saith that every mans work must be tryed with fire what sort it is and you shall hardly gain a speech of one sort or other sometimes from the Quakers and this thou cals dumb devill Answ And thus thou shewest where thou art who hath not known a time to be silent before thou didest know a time to speak and the dumb devill hath been found amongst your selves your Priests for when many of the Quakers have been moved of the Lord to come to speak to you in your Pulpits you have proved the dumb devils turned your backs and have gone your waies and spoken never a word to them and thy works and all mens shall be tryed by the fire and that is not perverting scripture as also saith the Apostle and thou never hast past through the wrath of God but it is yet to come and the sufferings of Christ thou knowest not Pr. And it will be a lye and delusion for the spirit when it sanctifies the hearts to go about to tear their hearts out of their bodies when Davids bones was broken and his flesh would scarce to cleave it is far from me to think that this was under the apprehension of wrath shall a man think that he suffered for his sanctification Answ The spirit of God teares out the old hearts and so before men be sanctified throughout he must know suffering and his wretched state yet Sanctification that brings him peace in the end and life And Davids condition thou art ignorant of and knows not for he was sensible of the wrath before his sins were removed as far as the East is from the West and he had joy and peace but trembling and quaking is become a mock and scoffe amongst you for there is a trembling and rejoycing and there is a trembling in the sorrow Pr. When the Quakers are commanded many times to go they have not that leisure to dress them this is a hard Master surely not Christ therefore by Satan for the Lord is not wont to do things ignorantly to deceive his servants and they are brought to fast from all manner of food three nights and three dayes most feeble wretched creatures contrary to the Law of nature so they are not capable of bearing the glory of God so Ministers of Antichrist and they are made to deny their callings and possessions I would eat more then I desired because I would give no offence Answ In this thou hast shewed thy ignorance of the Scriptures and Christ for he that is on the house top let him not come down to put on his cloaths And they that went on his message were not to take two coats And when they went on his message they did not goe to dresse themselves with boot-hose-tops and double cuffs and ribbons and rings as the Priest doth and what God doth it is in his wisdome beyond the ignorance of man-kinde and they that receive it must be in his fear And Christ is not a hard Master as thou thinkst because some goes not dressing them in their apparell which goes to do his command but thou who art wicked and sloathfull hath so judged with the wrong and false judgement and many of the Saints have fasted till they might number their bones and Christ fasted and this was not contrary to the Law of nature and did not make them uncapable of receiving the glory of God Neither was it Antichrist and thou who art of him canst eat and drink more then thou hast desire because thou wouldst not offend others and that is contrary to the Law of nature And the Saints forsook their callings and possessions and the world but you Priests runs into great possessions which you get out of poor peoples labours so like the false Apostles and Antichrist not like Christ and his Apostles Pr. They have a glosse put upon Christs words to his Disciples when he bids them that they should take no care what to speak it should be given them in the same hour And of their gâ—ing naked I
spirituall man and there is a naturall man and each hath their body Pr. Henry Liver said that they knew no such thing at prophesying by immediate revelation or inspiration in these dayes Ans Then thou never knew the scriptures for none knowes scripture as I said before but by the spirit of revelation which doth reveal the words but by the spirit of prophesie marke which spirit lets see into the words and he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his and he that hath the spirit of Christ hath immediate revelation and prophesie and the spirit of God is immediate and it doth reveal and the Gospell is immediate which is the power of God Pr. Richard Franckling said they had it by scripture Ans And it was the spirit that brought them to give forth scripture which things of God was revealed to them by it and the scripture does not reveal the spirit but the spirit the scripture Pr. That the light which lighteth every man was not sufficient to lead up to Christ Ans The light Christ that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world that which he doth enlighten them every one withall which they are to believe in is sufficient to lead up to Christ for they that doe believe in the light becomes the children of light passes from death to life from darknesse to light and comes out of condemnation and shall never dye and so it is sufficient that he that doth not believe in the light by it is condemned for this is the condemnation that light is come in to the world and men love the darknesse rather then the light because their deeds be evill and so you and they that love the darknesse rather then the light because your deeds are evill and will not come to it because it will reprove you are them that live in the forme of godlinesse and denyes the power and teaches people to say that the light is not sufficient that every man is lighted withall that comes into the world that all might believe which not by it are condemned and the light is sufficient to lead up to him that comes from him Pr. That Grace was not conveyed from the Lord to any man without the ordinary outward meanes Ans The Grace of God hath appeared to all men which teacheth the saints and the grace is brought by the revelation of Jesus as saith Peter by revelation and the grace is the gift of God and not attained by an outward meanes by mans will and they that turne it into lasciviousnesse the grace of God that hath appeared are them that deny the Lord that bought them which goes from the grace which is the saints teacher which brings salvation Pr. That the scriptures is that onely which they are to have recourse unto to inform the mindes of people from Ans Before the scripture was written or given forth Abraham Enoch and Abel had that to inform their minds and let them see Christ and the Jews had scripture and knew not Christ they had the testification and did not come to him they testified of and so had not life so that which is to inform the minds of all people is the spirit and the light which Christ hath enlightned them withall and such their eares and eyes must be open to that the spirit of God in themselves before they hear his voice which spirit informes their mindes to God and then they shall come to know the operation of the spirit which many may have the scriptures and not know that and that which is to teach people is the grace Christ and God and the light and life and that it is which informes the mind to know scripture Pr. Priest Dorker said That the word of God was the ordinary outward meanes and that the scripture is the word they all affiâ—med Ans The word of God is not outward nor ordinary but extraordinary it is that which lives abides endures for ever and the scriptures are to be fulfilled that which doth fulfill them is the word and the scriptures of truth learned of God the Father of truth are the words of God not a word God spake all these words and said in Exodus and my words saith Christ and whosoever shall add to these words saith Iohn in the Revelations and so the words are the scriptures of truth that cannot be broken Christ the word fulfiles them who was in the beginning before the words was spoken forth who is and remaines to the words end who fulfills them in whom they end Daniell Roberts Teacher to the Baptists at Reading in Bark-shire did affirm Pr. THat Baptisme of water that is to say Elementary water doth wash away sin Ans Here thou puts water in the roome of Christs blood which cleanseth from all sin and what need of that if water doth it outward water can but wash the outward Pr. That God had committed all judgement to the scriptures Ans That is contrary to the Apostle who saith God will judge the world by the man Christ Jesus according to the Gospell and that is the power and all judgement is committed to the Son marke to the Son and the saints shall judge the world and he is in them Pr. That the new Covenant is the words of Christ and the Apostles and every one that hath the Bible in their house have the new covenant Ans The New Covenant is Christ the scriptures speaks of and the Jewes had the scriptures that stood against the Covenant and many may have the Bible and not in the thing it speaks of Pr. An other Baptist said at the same time If they had not had scriptures they had not known how to walk nor order their conversation Ans How knew those to order their conversation and walk before scripture was given forth the life which led them to give forth the scripture did order them to walke acceptable to him for the Pharisees had the scripture given forth from the life but being out of the life their conversations were not ordered by it Pr. Daniell Roberts affirmed That he knew no other spirit then what was in the scripture and that he carryed it in his pocket Ans The spirit is not in the scriptures but in them that gave it forth and that the scriptures testifie of which many got the scriptures but wanted that which gave it forth and so were not in unity with the scripture nor one with an other nor with God and this is wanting in all Christendome so called the unity of the spirit in which is the bond of peace for many have the words but not the spirit An answer to Timothy Trevers his principles propounded by way of queries Pr. FIrst That the light in every man as in every man teacheth not the way to the Kingdome of God nor giveth the hope of eternall life Ans The light in every man which doth inlighten every man doth teach the way to the kingdome of God and
to destroy all Israel and all men upon the earth but thou errs in thy judgement and in thy understanding for I know it is the seed of the Serpent that speakes in thee that puts no difference between the pretious and the vile and when Israel thought Christ had called them serpents many of them were converted to the faith their outward creatures were not destroyed thou talkes foolishly and given up to the Devils power and who works wickednesse and mischiefe and if men be the serpents seed as thou doth say who shall be saved for the Serpent and his seed must be destroyed and if men be the seed of the serpent then must the seed of the serpent obey the spirit must not the spirit destroy him and the brightnesse and breath of the Lord consume him and it is men whose lives Christ came to save that are captivated by the seed of the serpent and redeemed and turned from the power of Satan to God and thou must be threshed and feel the weight of the Lords hand before thou beest humbled and what hast thou to doe to talke of ordination before man had a being in the world and would make men like thy self and say they are the serpents seed which man is not so as he is man and we and thousands do witnesse election and salvation before the foundation of the world was laid and are come into that which comprehends time and being which are since time in which power the elect reignes where salvation is known Pr. The woman that the Serpent deceived her seed breakes the Serpents Dominion Ans The seed of the woman doth bruse the serpents head where ever he is found in any male or female that Christ may rise in the male and in the female and this seed is a top of thy head and thou hast no power but to reach to his heel and thou art the house of darknesse and the seed is yet in Egypt not come forth yet and there is a strong man must bow himselfe and them that keep the house must tremble and hath kept thy heart from the Lord God and hath carryed it a whoring abroad and a stronger he is then he that keeps the house that spoiles his goods and takes possession who comes to rule and will rule and reigne Pr. That the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man in the Church to profit withall and not to every man in the world Answ The manifestation is given to every man to profit withall without distinction I will power out my spirit upon all flesh for the spirit of truth shall lead the Saints into all truth and he shall reprove the world and that which doth reprove the world is manifest to the world Pr. That no man hath received a measure of the spirit of Christ but such as doe believe in Christ and that no man doth believe in Christ but such as Christ is revealed to in time and that he is revealed to none but by the manifestation of his spirit Answ The true believers that believe in Christ the revelation knew him in time and out of time and the unbelievers are reproved Pr. Which of the people of God Prophets or Apostles did direct all people to a Light within them for their instruction and guide before the manifestation of the spirit unto them or the worke of Regeneration wrought in them Answ The Prophet said I will give him for a Covenant of light unto the Gentiles and a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah will I make and write my Law in their hearts and put them into their minds and this was in generall directed to them before they was converted and Regenerated and this light was to inlighten the Gentiles whereby the prisoners should come out of the pit where there is no water and the new Covenant was held to the Jewes before they were converted that all may see who can read but the outward letter and the Apostle was sent to turn people from darknesse to light and Iohn the highest Prophet borne of woman said that was the true light which did inlighten every man that cometh into the world which he was a witnesse of and shined in the darknesse and the darkness comprehendeth it not and Christ directed the Pharisees to the kingdome of heaven in them which were not converted read the pearl and the lost piece of silver read the talent and the pearle hid in the field read the slothfull servant his talent and then read thy selfe how blind and ignorant thou art in the things of God and be silent that thou may come to know the Lord and his feare that the witnesse of God may stir in thee that thou may do righteously in the fight of God and men least the judgement of God be upon thy head for thou art manifest to all that be in the light THE DOCTRINS PRINCIPLES OF THE Priests of Scotland CONTRARY to the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST and the APOSTLES Here all may see The Priests of Scotland and their Church and their Persecution against the Saints and Lambs Servants and Children of God which the Lord moved to go among them to visit the Seed of God in that dark wilderness-Country who has been as Sheep among Wolves Also How pure Religion is turned upside down and vain Religion got in its place And the pure Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles which saith Entertain Strangers Love Enemies is lost among you In stead of entertaining strangers and loving enemies they Imprison and Persecute and have made their Church unsavoury And the Teachers fruits declares to be false who are wrestlers against flesh and blood and strikers at creatures which Christ and the Apostles did not George Weare John Hart. William Grey William Lowry William Mitchell Richard Isamaell FIRST These Presbyterian Priests of Scotland which Excommunicate and puts out of the Synagogues knowes not the Father and the Sun John 16. so no true Christians for how can they be true Christians that knowes not the Son of God nor the Father Secondly They are no Ministers of Christ for Christ saith When they curse blesse ye so they be out of Christs doctrine and teaching not blessing but cursing and giving forth curses and all the people must say Amen to their Curses Thirdly They be out of the Apostles doctrine who saith Blesse and curse not Rom. 12.14 so are no Ministers of Christ that curseth and gives forth their Curses to the people to say Amen to them and here they are shut out of the Apostles doctrine and Christs all people mark and take notice them they are that curse which the Apostle saith Blesse and curse not these are the Cursers and not blessers that Excommunicate you out of the Synagogues Hugh Archball Priest of Stravan John Hume Priest of Lesmabaga William Hambleton Priest of Glasford James Durram Priest of Glasgow John Castaires Priest of Glagow Francis Ard Priest of Discert Matthew Mackel
sin whilst they are upon earth they can be but in their sin if they never preach to them But the scripture saith He that believes is borne of God and he that is borne of God cannot sin because his seed remaines in him 1 Iohn 3.9 But this is of another world to him who is called James Dorram Minister of Glasgow Minister of darknesse who puts no difference between the children of God and the children of the devill 1 Iohn 3.10 They would have sin whilst they are upon the earth and it is darknesse but the Apostles said they were made free from sin Rom. 6.22 whilst they were upon the earth Pr. Christ being sinlesse separates him from all others Answ Christ being seperated from sinners Heb. 7.26 who are in Christ are seperate from sinners and sin both 2 Cor. 6 17. But this James Dorram hath made the offering of none effect Heb. 10.14 which hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified And hath made the blood of Jesus of none effect which cleanseth from all sin 1 Iohn 1.7 And he hath made the everlasting Covenant of none effect which blots out all sins trespasses And he hath made the faith of the Son of God of none effect which purifies the heart and gives victory over the world Acts. 15.9 1 Iohn 5.5 Thou dost herein preach and hold up sin and doth not preach it down and yet thou saist thou preachest not to hold it up and yet thou preachest they must have it whilst they are upon the earth here is confusion in thy tongue Prov. 17.20 Thou shouldst have preached it down and have brought them to a Church where there is neither spot nor wrinkle nor blemish nor any such thing Eph. 5.27 if thou wert a true Minister but your Church is full of spots and blemishes and wrinkles whilst ye are preaching up zeale to stone people and sin while they live as Henry Foreside and Iames Dorram doth Pr. God be thanked the scripture speakes nothing for freedome from sin and perfection Ans Thou thankest God that thou maist live in thy sin and imperfection and art glad of this thy false hope but thou art a lyar thou art out of the truth in this for the scripture saith they were made free from sin Rom. 6.26 and they preached wisdome among them that were perfect 1 Cor. 2.6 and he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 So the scripture speakes of freedome from sin and perfection and be perfect Pr. That the condemning power of sin is taken away Answ The believer doth not sin 1 Iohn 5.1 1 Iohn 3.9 but he that the believer overcomes commits sin 1 Io. 3.8 1 Io. 5.5 if the believer commits sin who overcomes the believer and so he that commits sin is under the condemning power of sin which thou saist not which thou and all other shall witnesse Pr. The believer is not in sin as the unbeliever is he sins not as the unbeliever doth and in an other place he saith the Law is the same to the believer that it is to the unbeliever Answ Here any may read thy confusion but I say unto thee he that believeth doth not commit sin but the unbeliefe is sin Rom. 11.20 and Christ is the end of the Law to every one that believes for righteousnesse sake Rom. 10.4 and yet thou puts both believers and unbelievers under the Law Lodowick Simerell priest of the new parish of Munckland his Principles and Doctrines Pr. THat it is blasphemy to say that the light in man which reproves of sin is the light of God is perfect is the gift of God Answ Contrary to scripture contrary to Christs words and contrary to the Apostles words is thy doctrine and Principles for every gift of God is perfect Isa 1.17 Isa 49.6 Iohn 1.3 Iohn 4. For Christ is the gift of God and he will give him for a Covenant of light to the Jewes and Gentiles which doth enlighten every man that commeth into the world which every one that doth truth comes to it which every one that doth evill hates the light and will not come to the light because the light will reprove him and so This is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds be evill So this light is perfect which doth reprove every man of sin and is from above and it is the gift of God and thou art blind and in darknesse that comprehends it not And the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world Christ Jesus the gift of God him by whom the world was made this light was before any naturall light was made Sun Moon or Stars for all things that was made was made by the light which came a light into the world that all through him might believe for he that believes not in the light is condemned already and he that does believe in the light hath the witnesse in himselfe to set to his seale that God is true and the spirit of truth that doth reprove the world is perfect of God The light which every one that cometh into the world is enlightned withall is not conscience for the light was before any thing was made or conscience named So the light is that which exerciseth the conscience towards God and towards man where it is loved and the voice heard but where it is hated and the voice not heard the conscience is seared and the light is their condemnation whose consciences is seared which light was before conscience was The Priest would not have thee and thou to be to a single person and so is the man that would not indure sound words that cannot be condemned thee and thou was the language between God and his Saints and one another and you is to many and thou was to one and this was the language between Jeptha and his daughter and between the Saints and the Kings this shewes thou hast not learned the Accedence nor Bible nor art come to the forme of sound words Iohn Castaires called Minister of Glasgow his principles Pr. THis is naturall folks duty to pray to God and worship him although they sinfully keep themselves under a sinfull necessity to sin against God through ignorance Answ This hath been your worke to keep people in ignorance which you may be ashamed of A naturall man cannot worship God for he cannot receive the things of God nor a sinfull man but worship the Devill for he that commits sin serves him and he that serves sin serves the devill and worships him Iohn 8.34 And Christ said the Pharisees should receive the greater damnation for their pretended long prayers Mat. 23.14 and so he did not justifie them in their long prayers but rebuked them and said Wo unto them who draw near with their lips when their hearts were far off Isa 29.13 And they that pray and worship God must pray in the
free and let all the people say Amen Answ And so they curse the Apostles and the Apostles doctrine and all that witnesse to it who said The free grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Titus 2.11 and was the Saints Teacher These things the Apostles commanded to teach with all authority Titâ—s 2.15 but the ungodly men turne this grace of God into wantonnesse of old ordained for condemnation Ye are the raging waves of the Sea sending and fomeing out your own shame whose fruits wither neglecting the common salvation Read Jude Ye are like to Sodome and Egypt clouds without water who run greedily after the wages of Balaam going on the way of Cain and shall perish in the gain-saying of Core and walking despitefully against the spirit of grace and they that turne the Grace of God into wanttonnesse denies the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. Jude 11. Ye are the trees without fruite wells without water carryed about with tempests cursed speakers teaching the people to say Amen to your cursing the Apostles doctrine and so willingly ignorant that your damnation may be just that your madnesse and folly might appeare to all and so sensuall having not the spirit waves of the Sea wandring stars reserved for darkness of blackness read Jude The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Titus 2.11 So that which brings salvation and hath appeared to all men ye Curse that which is the Grace of God which ye with your damnable doctrine and doctrine of Devills curse them that witnesse it 2 Pet. 2. 1 Tim. 4. upon whose consciences the hot Iron hath come hardned them that went to the doctrine of Devils went to them that did not hold forth the Saviour of all men but especially them that believe 1 Tim. 4.10 These things command and teach let no man despise thy youth Now they that went to the doctrine of Devills from the Saviour of all men but especially them that believe and from the grace of God which hath appeared to all men which brings salvation are they which have turned the grace of God into wantonnesse ordained of old for condemnation which is the light Jude 4. Such be in Caines way from the command of God Cores way from the truth and Balaams way from the spirit those be the clouds and tempests upon whose heads comes the Woe The Priests second curse which all the people were to say Amen to Cursed be all they that say the Scripturs is not the word of Gods and let all the people say Amen Ans Here they have cursed Luke who calls the scripture a Declaration of the word Luke 1.1 and Acts 1.1 where it is called a Treatise and they have cursed their own company who saies the scriptures signifies Writings and they have cursed John who did not say the scripture was the word who said In the beginning was the word Iohn 1.1 and the scripture is words as Revelations the last he that addeth to the words and Christ his name is called The word of God Rev. 19 13. And the scriptures are words not a word Exod. 20. and which words Christ came to fulfill The Priests third Curse to which all the people were to say Amen Cursed be all they that say Faith is without sin and let all the People say Amen Ans Faith is the gift of God and the gift of God is without sin Ephes 2.8 Faith is that which gives the victory John 3.4 And that which gives victory is without sin And here they have cursed the Apostles and their doctrine who saith Faith is without sin and Faith is precious 1 Pet. 1.7 and that which is precious is without sin Faith is the gift of God and the gift of God is perfect and that which is perfect is without sin and gives victory over sin Without Faith a man cannot please God and that which men please God in is without sin Heb. 11.6 And so ye have cursed the Apostle and his doctrine the just and that which is pure that by which they were healed through Faith they were justified Rom. 3.28 and what is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23 So what is of Faith is not sin and what is righteous is not sin and the Scripture speakes of the righteousness of Faith Rom 4.13 Faith is not of sin but what is not of Faith is sin Faith gives victory over sin 1 John 3.4 in which Faith man is justified and hath peace with God Rom. 5.1 and it is a mystery held in a pure conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 The Priests fourth Curse to which all the people were to say Amen Cursed are all they that say every man hath a light sufficient to lead him to Christ and that within him and let all the People say Amen Answ Here they have cursed the Apostles doctrine who said God would dwell in them 2 Cor. 6.16 and Christ in you the hope of glory Col. 1.27 and God is light 1 John 1.5 And they have cursed the Prophets who said I give him for a Covenant a Leader of the people I will dwell in them and walk in them saith God Jer 31.31 Heb. 10.16 and he saith I will send you the Spirit of truth and it shall lead you into all truth John 14.17 John 16.13 And I will be their God to rule them and they shall be my people Jer. 31.33 Thy curses are but winde for we are redeemed from the curse and the Apostles said the light that shined in their hearts was to give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 and they that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 the light to guide our feet in the way of peace and he that hath the Son hath the Father also And if any bring another doctrine receive them not into your houses neither bid them God speed 2 John 9.30 You have here shewed your sâ—lves in the cursed estate out of the Apostles rule the same Spirit of truth that led the Disciples into all truth that shall reprove the world of sin John 16.8.13 The Priests fifth Curse to which all the people were to say Amen Cursed be all they that deny the Sabbath day and let all the People say Amen Answ Here thou hast cursed thy self and all the Apostles and all the Saints and their own generation hast not thou and thy owne gâ—nâ—ration denyed the Sabbath day the Jewes met on which is the Sabbath day according to the Scripture do not ye meet togâ—tâ—er upon the first day and was not Christ crucified on the sixth day and did not he arise on the fiâ—st day and did not the Saints meet together on the first day and not keep the Jewes Sabbath day do not you work upon it your selves and keep markets and Fairs on it but as it is said before we are Redeemed from the curse Thâ—se are the particular sentences whereupon
Matthew Markell and the rest of the Priests present with him did Excommunicate those people called Quakers in the prâ—â—ence of many witnesses and he required his hearers to say Amen to every particulâ—r sentence JOHN HVMES Priest Pr. THey who have not the Scriptures knowes not the Attributes of God by the light of nature but the Scriptures declare the great mystery of the three persons in Trinity which they who want the Scriptures knowes not Answ Thy Principle is a lie and who had not the Scriptures knew God and Christ as Abraham and Enoch and the Scripture doth not declare of the three persons nor of the Trinity and the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God Pr. That the Scriptures reveal the great mystery of Election the great works of the Creation and the work of Redemption Answ There thou hast set up the Scripture in stead of God and before God and the Son for it is God that doth reveal to babes and sucklings Mat. 11.25 and God did reveal by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.10 and God shall reveal Phil. 3.15 and the things of God are hid from the wise and prudent Mat. 11.25 that have the Scriptures the Jews had the Scriptures and God reveals his secrets to the Prophets his servants Amos 3.7 no man knows the Father saving to whom the Son shall reveal him Mat. 11.17 now the Son reveals and the Father reveals and the things of God are revealed by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.10 the Jewes had the Scriptures and knew not the Son 1 Cor. 2.8 nor the Father as in John nor the things of God by a natural light as they call it the Iews had the Scriptures and did not know the Election Isa 24. because they were from the Spirit So it is God that reveals the Son and Redemption and Election and not the Scripture the Scripture was given forth from them that had the Revelation from God Pr. That we and the Papists and Jesuites and Priests do agree all together that the Scripture is the word of God that liveth and endureth for ever Ans I do believe that you and the Papists and Jesuits agree all in one but ye did not agree with the Apostles and Ministers of the word for the Ministers of the word calls the Scripture a Declaration as ye may read Luke 1. and ye do not agree with them that set forth the Acts that called it a Treatise Acts 1. likewise ye do not agree with some of your own who say the Scriptures signifies writings and writings will not endure for ever so ye are Babylon and do not agree with Christ and ye do not agree with Iohn Rev. 22. who saith the words nor with Moses nor God who spake all these words Exod. 20. In the beginning was the word and the word is God and the word liveth and abideth for ever but the Scripture is words and the Scripture cannot be broken John Nasmith Priest of Hambleton his Principles Pr. THat the soul of man is a reasonable sinful substance Ans How can that which is sinful be reasonable and if that which is unsinful be reasonable and sinful be reasonable both then they are one in unity The Lord will take the soul for an offering for sin doth the Lord take that which is sinfull for an offering Isai 53. see how thou and the Prophet agrees here But what is that soul that the wicked is not able to kill is it not that which God hath in his hand and this is a lie to say that which is reasonable is sinful of one that puts light for darkness God breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soul who hath all souls in his hand and the soul is immortal and Christ the Bishop of it is immortal and God hath it in his hand which goeth against him that doth evil whose hand is immortal but man transgressing the commands of God the soul lies in death so Christ is the Bishop of the souls so they that came to know Christ their souls rejoyced in God their Saviour Luke 1. Pr. That the evil Spirits are both sinfull and reasonable Answ This is a lie for reasonable is not sinful and unreasonable is sinful 2 Thes 3. they have not the faith and if the evil Spirit be reasonable and the good reasonable they are both one who then is unreasonable If the evil Spirit be reasonable thou puts no difference between the precious and the vile thou hast the Mark of a blinde guide and a false Prophet in thy forehead Pr. That one of them Quakers is worse then the Devil This is a lie with his strange wonder for there is nothing worse then the Devil whose children you are for when he speaks a lie he speaks of himself and he is the Father of it Henry Foreside Priest of Lingiah in Dunbarton-shire His Doctrine and PRINCIPLES Pr. THat God commands all every where to repent to the end that they should not have it to say but they were warned but not that he would give them grace to repent Ans Here thou makes God that he does not intend that he speaks and so thou would make him unrighteous though the Lord commands all men every where to repent Acts 17.30 who hath made all Nations of men of one blood to dwell upon the Earth and all being concluded under sin and unbelief that he might have mercy upon all Rom. 3.9 For both Jews and Gentiles all were under sin and none of them did good no not one And Gods intent is that when he calls men to repentance they should repent when he calls them and many did repent and you are not fit men to be Ministers of Christ or God Now if God command all men every where to Repent and as thou sayst does not intend they should Repent thou and you go about to make God unjust First the Lord he desireth not the death of a sinner but that he should turn from his wickedness and live Exod. 33.11 Now in the turning from his wickedness he lives but in going on in his wickedness he dies so Repentance was Preached from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 6.1 and Christ came to call sinners to Repentance not the righteous for the whole needs not the Physitian but the sick Mat. 9.12 13. And as for saying God did not intend to give them grace though he calls them to repentance That is a lie and unrighteous doctrine for the grace of God hath appeared to all men which brings Salvation Titus 2.11 and so as he calls them to repentance he gives them grace that grace which brings salvation which men are justified by so it is saving grace that brings salvation and teacheth to deny ungodlinesse Now they that live ungodly turns the grace of God into wantonnes Jud. 4. and these are the wells without water in Cains way Balaams way Cores way Jud. 11. speaks the high words in hypocrisie and these are
of those who calls themselves ministers of Christ That would have you to slay to stone to stock to prison and to put to death them that be contrary to them Those be murtherers in Cains way man-slayers wrastlers against flesh and blood and not Ministers of the Gospell which saith love enemies and render to no man evil for evil Mat. 5.44 and this differs from the Scribes and Pharisees who loved their owne and persecuted others and stoned others and drew the Magistrates to doe it which saith the Ministers of Christ we wrestle not with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places Eph. 6.12 Now those Ministers that would have the persons of men slain are like Cain and Jezabel the beast and false Prophets that slew Abel Gen. 4. 1 Kings 21. the persons of men stoned imprisoned and put to death are as the Jewes Priests and those Magistrates that executes their malice are as the Jewes Magistrates unchristian Magistrates And so those are they that are wrestling stoning striking and imprisoning against flesh and blood And in the mean time spirituall wickednesse rules among them And rulers of darkenesse in high places where flesh and blood are wrestled against so in this state both Ministry and Magistracy are blind that be out of the feare of God They turn their sword backward whilst they are executing the Priests malice and the Priests will strengthen the hands of evil doers and provoking to slay and against flesh and blood wrestling and doe not profit the people at all and stires up the multitude against the just That he may keep himselfe in his place for his own ends and admiring the Magistrates persons and mens because of advantage Iude 16. and respects their persons which shewes they be out of the faith Iam. 2. which gives victory over the world 1 Iohn 5.4 and out of the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles now the Magistrates is for the punishment of evill doers and for the praise of them that doe well which walkes in the life which he that doth evill goes from where the rulers of darknesse and spirituall wickednesses are and this Magistrate he can see he turnes not the sword backward he answeres that of God in every one and is for a praise to them that doe well 1 Pet. 2.14 so every evill doer acts contrary to that of God in them now a Minister of Christ wrestles not against flesh and blood but against spirituall wickednesses in high place so every one that doth evil acts contrary to that of God in him so the higher power goes above him Rom. 13.1 So the higher power is above him and before he was all power in heaven and in Earth is given to the Son of God Io. 5.22 above all the powers of the earth that lighteth every man that cometh into the world Io. 1.9 but they who does evill goes from the light and so the higher power goes against him The Magistrates that be in the power is a terror to the evil doers that acts contrary to the light wherewith every one that cometh into the world be enlightned The Magistrates be in that power which goes over him and is a prâ—ise to them that be in the light and the Ministers of God is to bring from under the occasion of the Magistrates sword George Weare being with his friend standing in the field neer Foord meeting house as they call it he neither speaking nor acting any thing against any man but standing in the fear of the Lord with his friend Wlliam Lowry and Iohn Hambleton called justices commited him to prison where they lay twenty and three daies and here is his innocency preached The originall righteousness was before the fall The originall of selfe righteousnesse was that which fell and is in the fall that transgressed And in the Catechism which is tollerated by the generall Assembly and in the Catechise of Scotland called a short Catechism They say that the word of God is contained in the scriptures Ans And the scriptures are writings and it saith God is the word Io. 1.1 1. Kings 8.27 Solomon saith the heaven of heavens cannot containe him you say he is containned in the scriptures with his writings you say there is three persons the scripture doth not speak of three persons the Jews had the scriptures knew not Christ the word of God Then ye tell people of an outward ordinary meanes by which Christ communicates the benefit of Redemption The word Sacraments the scripture doth not speak of three persons Sacraments they are Papists words of them ye have learned them the means of salvation is not ordinary or outward but Christ is the salvation who is eternall Heb. 5.9 and they that come to him come to the end of the outward Col. 1.27 ye say the Sacraments are the Effectuall meanes to salvation and ye say againe they are not as they are themselves so here is confusion but onely by the blessing of Christ his spirit in them How doe ye differ from the Papists for they say he is in them and ye say his spirit is in them and where his spirit is is not he Oh blind are ye found out goe ye home to your Mother the Papist where Christs Spirit is he is And ye say your two sacraments is Baptisme and the Lords Supper The scripture doth not call Baptism and the Lords supper two sacraments which names you and the Papists adore and worship which you have given to them againe you in your Catechize call the first day in the weeke the Sabbath day where did ever any of the Ministers of Christ or the Christians unapostatized call it so are not you come unto the breach and guilty of your own judgement of the third commandement when ye give another name to the scriptures then they give themselves in calling them the word calling Baptism and the Supper the Sacraments Exo. 20. Moses saith God spake all these words when he gave forth the commandements marke words and the words of Christ are spirit and life Io. 6.63 God is the word Jo. 1.1 and Christ is the word Rev. 19.13 and the word became flesh and dwelt among us Io. 1.14 And them that had the words of the scriptures which cannot be broken Io. 10.35 the Law and the prophets they knew not Christ the word before they be brought to the light that Christ hath inlightned them with and they be brought to the spirit Io 5 37. Io. 8.19 Can the whole world say the Lords prayer in truth or was it taught his Disciples or to the world doth not people draw nigh to God with their lips that say it Isai 20.13 and are not in the light which every man is lighted that cometh into the world withall can ye say the Lords prayer which is forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us without hypocrisy how do ye for give them when ye
his decease Therefore he chargeth Timothy to Preach the word in season and out of season which word is immediate And so since the dayes of the Apostles ye have reigned of Timothy and Titus and transformed your selves as Apostles as the Ministers of Christ and gotten the form the sheepes cloathing the outside but no immediate Revelation we do believe you really it is so So you are all Ministers of the letter in your own lusts for the word of God is immediate And ye are ignorant of the grace of God which is brought at the Revelation of Jesus And ignorant of the Son of God who reveals the Father And ignorant of the spirit of God which reveals the deep things of God to the Minsters of the spirit But Revelation is ceased say you and the rest of your generation do discover it And thou sayes they went after the fableâ— itching ears immediate Revelation Nay they that went from the immediate Revelation and turned into fables they had itching ears as all whole Christendom may witnes the itching ears how are they itching abroad their ears without and cannot endure sound Doctrine and all inwardly ravened from the light which doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world whereby with which every man might see the Authour of his faith in which is the unity And how have you broken into Sects and heapes and into fables and heapes of teachers after your own lusts and there burning after them and broken wedlock with Christ and ready to burn and prison one another about Ministers maintenance Churches as whole Christendom discovers it But I say it is better to marry then to burn Pr. He saith That this God who is the Creator is eternally distinct from all creatures pag. 53. That Christ being God onely in one mans person remains a distinct person from all creatures and Angels Page 55. Answ This is contrary to Scripture The Saints bodies are the Temples of God and he will dwell in them and walk in them and he will be their God and they shall be his people and this is to them that witnesse the new Covenant and Christ in you the hope of glory and he is within you except ye be reprobates And them that eat not his flesh and drink not his blood have no life in them and they that eat his flesh have his flesh in them And the Saints are not distinct from him for they sate with him in heavenly places and he is in them and they in him And Christ in you the mystery the hope of glory and he is the head of the Church and so not distinct Pr. He saith God is distinct in his being and blessedness from all Creatures And that God who is the Creator is eternally distinct from all creatures Page 62. Answ God is a spirit and he dwells in his Saints and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him In him we live and move and have our being who is in all and through all and over all God blessed for ever And the spirit of the Father speakes in the Saints and he makes his abode with them And the Saints have fellowship with the Father and the Son so not distinct so these keep people from unity with God and out of his knowledge which the knowledge of God shall come to cover the earth as the waters cover the Sea And while any are separated from the Lord it is their misery and distinct from him they are from the Spirit of God in their own particulars and are not Saints But such as come to walk in the spirit they have fellow-ship with him and lives in his presence and seeth his face and behold his glory and stands in his Councell and hears instruction and they are one he that sanctifyeth and they that are sanctified are all of one And so God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself though sin and iniquity had separated who breakes down iniquities bonds and brings light life and immortality to the light through the power which is the Gospel whereby fellowship and unity comes with God and not distinct and his blessing and blessednesse felt for they that have unity with God they have unity with his blessing and they that have fellowship with God know his blessedness Pr. He saith if any man that cometh into the world have a sufficient light within him to lead him unto salvation then there is no absolute need of a Saviour and this is to offer violence to Christ Page 73. 74. Ans Every man having a light from Christ the Saviour of the soul him by whom the world was made before it was made which none sees the Saviour but with the light which comes from him And none seeth the offering and the blood of the offering but with the light which cometh from him the blood of the second Adam the Lord from heaven And all that doth deny the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world knowes not Christ nor salvation But they being from the light and out of the light which Christ hath enlightened them withall they are out of the truth as the Devil is And so he can confesse Christ without as they do not within now none seeth salvation the Saviour Christ Jesus but with the light which he hath enlightened them withall that is within Pr. That the holy Scriptures is the rule of knowing God Answ The Pharisees had the Scriptures but knew not God knew not Christ nor none doth but who be in the life that they was in that gave forth Scriptures with which they learned of God the Father of life and stood in his Councell Pr. He saith Christian wouldst thou have another righteousness then that of Christ wrought in thee I know thou wouldst and must have if ever thou be saved then the righteousness of Christ wrought within thee for thy sanctification but to rely upon another righteousness for thy justification the righteousnes of Christ without thee pâ—g 70. And it is a blasphemous opinion and filthy puddle for to say the righteousness of Christ within And I had rather be a Papist then a Quaker Answ The righteousness within sanctification within hath been lost since the dayes of the Apostles in the Apostacy amongst you and the Papists And they that witnesse a righteousness within sanctification within they are not in the blasphemous opinion raking in a puddle And I know that thou hadst rather turn to the Papists then to the Quakers for they was your root which ye came from the Papists who first erred from the faith and so lost the righteousness within and justification and sanctification And I say none comes to witnesse salvation and to be saved but who witness Christ within their sanctification and justification and redemption and the others are reprobates And all upon the earth that can talk of a righteousness without them and sanctification and justification without them and a Christ without them and not within them they
speak in that degree of the holy Ghost as the Prophets and Apostles did that spoke forth Scriptures Answ Then thou must take heed of exalting thy self above thy measure for thou canst not know Scripture but by the same degree of the spirit the Prophets and Apostles had Pr. And he saith He hath no command in Scripture to sprinkle Infants and he holds it not absolutely necessary he hath no command in Scripture against it and he hath a commandement of the Governors and so he is subject to every Ordinance of man Answ An ordinance of man that is not of absolute necessity consider what it is and that which the Scripture no where commands nor thou hast no example for it consider what that is and to say the Scripture no where forbids it it forbids all the traditions and doctrines of men so that is judged by the spirit of God that is set up by men Pr. Thou saist The Lord may give with the outward washing the spirit to the childe Answ Can man receive the spirit of God by following traditions of men and outward things Was not they all from it and from the spirit and doth it not judge them for setting up such things God never commanded Pr. And he speaks of Davids Psalms given to the world sutably Answ The world must repent and be in the spirit for it lyes in wickednesse before they can know Davids singing for the Prophet saith their songs must be turned into howling and Davids condition is not the worlds Pr. He saith men may respect persons in their places Answ That 's contrary to the Apostle who said God was without respect of persons and that the Gentiles should be accepted as well as the Iewes He that doth righteousnesse is accepted with God who holds the faith of Christ it is without respect of persons it is in the unity and they that be out of that be out of the unity So thou hast pleaded for that which art out of his Doctrine He that respects persons commits sin and is convinced of the Law for a transgressor as saith the Apostle W. P. thy works are tryed and weighed and found too light and condemned for the fire the witnesse in thy conscience shall answer but now in thy security thou art asleep but the wrath of the Lamb shall finde thee out And as for all thy lies and slanders thou heaps up in thy Book they are not worth mentioning but will come upon thy own self for they are thine own covering which is judged the witnesse in thee shall answer The Elders and Messengers of the severall Churches of Ilston Abergevenny Tredingnoge Carmarthen Hereford Bredwerden Cledacke and Liangors Meeting at Brecknocke whose Book is Titled An ANTIDOTE against the Infections of the TIMES Which hath shewed your selves full of poison and such as infect the Times but with the spirit of Truth ye are comprehended and judged Your Principles are as Followeth Pr. YOu say you are conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity Psal 51.1 Answ David doth not say you who were conceived in sinne but I and W. P. saith John was sanctified from the womb and the Scripture speaks of such as were sanctified from the womb and children that were clean And so you do not speak as Elders and Messengers of true Churches or men dividing the word aright but you are one against another though you are all against them you call Quakers that be in the truth Pr. They say They observe the designe of Satan to cast down the walls of Sion and to remove the living stones thereof from the sure foundation the rock of ages the Lord Jesus Christ and draw them to build upon the sands Answ Is this like that the Elect should be deceived living stones should be drawn from the sure foundation the rock of Ages the Lord Jesus Christ for these living stones to be built upon the sand and drawn from the Rock of Ages this Doctrine doth not sound like men of understanding For the living stones are the spirituall houshold and the royall Priest-hood and there 's the foundation that stands sure the Rock the Devill is out of and the gates of Hell cannot prevail against it you in your Notions let living stones alone for none can pluck them out of the Fathers hand Pr. And they say No man can redeem the soul of his brother Answ Solomon saith the fruits of the righteous â—s a tree of life and he that wins souls is wise And he that saves a man from his evill wayes saves a soule from a multitude of sins Again thou saist No man the greatest of men can redeem the soule of his brother Ye should not have left out Christ the Saviour the Redeemer the man Christ Jesus the elder Brother so you are a company of blinde Pastors contrary to them that gave forth Scriptures Pr. To say heaven and glory is in man which was before man was they are sottish and blinde Answ There 's none have a glory and a heaven but within them which was before man had a being Pr. Wherefore take heed of depending upon any righteousnesse within you or any righteousnesse done by you Answ This is a strange Doctrine that men must take heed of any righteousnesse done by them or within them This is contrary to Scripture which saith the kingdome of heaven is within that stands in righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and the fruits of the spirit is righteousnesse and goodness and this is that which ends the righteousness of the Law and he that doth righteousness is righteous and Christ the righteousness of God is with them Prin. Man hath received a light from Christ as a creature but not as a Redeemer Answ That 's false For whosoever hath received a light from Christ hath received a Redeemer and a Saviour and he that doth believe in it is saved and he that doth not is condemned Pr. And they say If you love your souls beware of such delusions least ye perish eternally that say it is the true light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world following it it is sufficient to bring men to heaven which light is natural reason and conscience Answ The light that every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall cometh from the salvation Christ which is the way to the Father whose throne is in Heaven and Christ saith believe in the light that ye may become the children of the light and he that believes in the light shall not come into condemnation All men is enlighened that through the light they might believe so you are not able to divide the word aright and all that be from this light are lo here lo there and so are in the natural reason and conscience which the light is not the light was afore they was Pr. They say none should never have known a Justification nor a Sanctification if it bad not been written Answ I do believe you had not
the slothful servants who are Reprobates to every good work but the Saints that prayed Preached sung in the spirit such was profitable that loved God and kept his Commandments which you that do not love God do not keep his Commandments So your fruits are unprofitable that keeps not the Commandments of God And there is your mark that you do not love him Pr. The Law is a rule for a believers life we must attend unto the Sacraments Answ Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness sake unto everyone that doth believe so Christ is the rule who ends the Law to believers And thy Sacraments must go again to the Common-Prayer Book to the Masse-book the Scripture doth not teach us those words as Sacrament and Creed but the old Masse-book thou art running to it and so leaving the Scriptures So thou art judged with the life of God Pr. Who are ordained lawfully or called to the Ministry Ans Your ordination and call is by men contrary to the Apostles and Christ who saith not by man nor of man and Christ saith pray to the Father that he may send labourers into the vineyard and such you persecute And thou saiest there is two Sacraments in the Gospell which the Apostles tells us of no such thing but the Pope in his Masse-book Pr. We may not learne for to seek for happinesse in this life these words I command thee this day shall be in thy heart to teach thy children and to talke of them in thy house Ans These words hath spoken long in your hearts therefore have you led the world in wickednesse but the children of God findes happinesse in this life being changed from the old in this life for they find God and they finde Christ and find rest for their soules And who is in Christ is a new creature and such hath happinesse Pr. This forme of sound words taken out of the best and soundest Catechismes that we could meet withall and our mouth is opened boldly Ans This is your forme of unsound words and if this be the best stuff you can find out of your best Catechismes it is pittifull durty darke stuff and you had better have kept your mouth shut If this be your Catechismes they are for the fire the children of light who are come into the light comprehends and sees the Cathchismes and you both and you are to be Catechised and if you will but read over the Priests and professors Catechisme you may learn some thing out of it This is a ralation of some perticulars and principles affirmed by some of the Priests of Bishop-rick at a publike dispute in Branspirth Castle upon the 21. day of the 7th moneth 1658. Pr. JOsias Dorker affirmed that immediate Revelation or inspiration is not to be expected in these daies Ans Then you are from the spirit that saith so which the spirit of God doth reveale you are them that have ravened the false prophets and ante-christ that inwardly ravened from the spirit of God having the sheeps cloathing in the darknesse the King of the bottomlesse pit hath been your king for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is not known but by revelation for none knowes the Son but the father and he to whom he doth reveale him that showes that you be out of the feare of God for where the feare of God is God reveales his secrets but the feare God is now witnessed and the Son of God is now witnessed and revelations is now witnessed in our daies as it was in the Apostles but not amongst you who have inwardly ravened from the spirit of God which hath Apostatized from the Apostles Pr. That it is needlesse and also diabolicall that is to say divilish to expect any such thing now Ans And so you be in the diabolicall divilish that expects not that now which was in the daies of the Apostles and be out of the feare of God and the spirit which doth reveale and the Son you know not which said to them the Pharisees that knew him not they were of the devill and so he is known by revelation Pr. That they had the scripture and the Gospell as he confessed not from God but from men Ans You know not the scriptures nor no man upon the earth but as from God and the spirit as they did that gave them forth who learned them of God and so who knowes scripture must know revelation and the Gospell for they are known not but by the spirit which gave them forth Pr. That the Bible was the Gospel Ans The Gospell is the power of God which was before the scripture was written preached to Abraham many may have the Bible but the power of God the Gospell glad tydings which is to the salvation of every one that believes and the scripture is a testification of the Gospell of the glad tydings and it is not called the power of God and Christ is called the power of God and the Gospell and many had scripture but would not come to Christ the power of God and so not to the Gospell Pr. That the flesh of Christ is not in them Ans The saints eate his flesh and they that eate his flesh hath it within them Pr. That Christ had and hath a carnall body Ans And Christs body is not carnall but spirituall the first man was of the earth earthly the second man is the Lord from heaven heavenly and is a glorious body and the saints are made like unto his glorious body therefore the first state is carnall the second glorious so there is a naturall body and there is a spirituall body Pr. That Christ is now in heaven with a carnall body Ans Carnall indeed is death saith scripture and it saith that corruption must put on incorruption mortall immortality so Christs body that is in heaven is a glorious body a and not carnall nor of the flesh corruptible Pr. That Christ hath a carnall humane body united to his divinity Ans And carnall humane is from the ground humane earthly the first Adams body and Christ was not from the ground let all people read what thou saist but he was from heaven his flesh came down from above his flesh which was the meat his flesh came downe from heaven Pr. That Timothy retained his ministry not from God but from Paul Ans Timothy did retain his ministry from God and knew the gift that which he did retain from Paul was not as man but Timothy was in the faith which Christ was the author of and he had the gift which every good and perfect gift comes from God and this was not by man nor of man Pr. That there it as much difference between a body and a spirit as there is between light and darknesse Ans Christs body is spirituall and that which is spirituall does not differ from the spirit and so there is a spirituall body and there is a naturall body and there is a