The scornfull QUAKERS ANSVVERED AND Their railing REPLY refuted BY The meanest of the LORDS Servants MAGNUS BYNE Beware of false Prophets They come unto 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 Prophets are gone out into the World LONDON Printed by William Bentley for Andrew Crook at the sign of the green Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1656. To the READER DEar friend I speak to thy conscience in much tendernesse unto thy Soul Learn to fear the great God more and more For blessed is the man that feareth alwayes Wait upon the Lord and he shall renew thy strength Go unto him as unto thine exceeding joy Love all the appearances of his Son as the comfort of Saints in all generations Watch over thine own heart Stand in awe and sin not Let the Lord come into his Temple and Worship him alone Take heed of every gin and snare of the old serpent who is in a great rage because he hath but a short time Be sober and quiet in thy Spirit and hear the Lord speak His word is nigh thee within thee walk in the strength of it and this will keep thee from the paths of the destroyer Long in thy Spirit to see the new Jerusalem the new Heavens and the new earth wherein dwels righteousnesse Let thy moderation be known to all men for the Lord the desire of all Nations is at hand Stand still be calm be meek and thou shalt see his salvation Let thy Spirit groan and travel in pain with longing to see the Lord arising to work For men abused by the old Dragon seek to make void his Law And among all the vanities which I have seen under the Sun take heed of the two foolish blind mad generations of Ranters and Quakers The former of which I have seen the Lord scatter and appear in great wrath to consume rebuking the evil Spirit in them and laying them open to their shame among their enemies The latter of these I have had some dealings with and finde them more furious and raging than all that have gone before them and notwithstanding all their shew of holinesse wisdom humility temperance yet by a little dealing with them I finde nothing but impurity folly pride madnesse even to admiration and wonder in all their doting questions fowl mouthed answers vain janglings railing accusations even as if Satan had left all others and brought all his power along with him to fill their hearts and tongues with all manner of blasphemies and evil speakings against all others but their own deluded party And strange it is to see how Satan in them is divided against Satan Satan rails blasphemes and then to save himself cries out 't is Satan he blasphemes and and rails at in others The Devil mocks jeers scoffs rages in their filthy hearts and tongues and when he is seen and manifested by his carriage to be the evil one presently he condemnes himself and sayes 't is the Devil all my fury is powred out upon 't is him I condemne in men and women not the similitude of God the man or woman to whom I speak Thus the Lyar and the Murderer in these men raging speaks to excuse himself from his lying and murdering by perswading simple people 't is himself he aimes at And yet such a strong inchantment I finde in this mad carriage that some poor Souls are even overcome with their violence and have thrown away not the light and grace of God onely that once appeared in them in shew but even their reason and humanity too and subjected themselves to this carnal yoke for fear of being still condemned by the Devil Take one passage of a great Prophet of their own one Tho. Law-Cock who meeting at one Goodman Matthews house near me was called aside by the woman of the house of good report but almost turned a Quaker to whom the woman in kindenesse said Sir will you eat something which I have provided The Quaker replied What shall I eat with Devils and Dogs and pointing to a Dog There 's thy Companion thy fellow-creature of the same nature with thy self saith the Quaker and shall I eat with thee a Devil a Dog And was not this a good argument at the first meeting to perswade the woman to be a Quaker And when the woman began to reply something to excuse her great sin of asking this man of God as he calls himself to eat he opens his box again and calls her Whore and Harlot and was not this another good argument to perswade her And yet this woman and the man too begins to believe in the Quakers and to admire their light and power lusting after the painted image and innocent spotlesse religion which thâ—se poor deluded wretches have set up and made And as they have dealt with this woman so with some others whom I know prevailing with them and upon them even by the same Magical power of Satans workings in them Therefore it behooveth us all to look to our building upon the Rock to our interest in the holy one of God to our receiving and walking in Jesus Christ the Lord rooted and built up in him that so the gates of Hell may not prevail against us Further a little to lay open this blinde seer Lawcock at one meeting with some Baptists he was demanded whether Christ suffered and died at Jerusalem His answer was That Christ suffered but Christ did not die and yet it was not Christ who suffered neither but that which was born of the Virgin See here his contradictions of himself and his contempt and denyall of the death of Christ And yet afterwards at another meeting being in the presence I charged him with this and he presently cried out Thou lyest I acknowledge Christ both suffered and died and yet this man must be infallible in the midst of all these contradictions against himself Further at the same meeting when I was present and beginning to lay open his folly the Quaker exhorting to meeknesse and silence and the like but presently falling a railing cursing and roaring against Priests and hirelings I asked him in patience how these speeches could hang together we must be meek calm quiet but he must roar and rage At the first dash the man cries out thou lyest thou art a beast and the like and entreating the man to sit down and be meek according to his own speech he foams out his own shame still A litte after wondring at the madnesse of the Prophet at the trouble and torment of the evil Spirit in him I desired him to speak but two words of sense and reason and I would be silent the man roars again Thou art a belly-god thou art a beast And is not this a goodly Apostle Prophet Teacher Let all men judge that will not be like the beasts unreasonable Further desiring a Scripture to maintain something he spake against the
of the flesh I live and so my latter end is worse than my beginning Answ Though thou say so yet know that I have found out sin by sin and it was well that God did awaken me though by sin It may be thine eyes see not what this means though thou art the seer Further know though I am vile in one sense yet not guilty in the sense of the world neither acquainted with many of those things which they falsly lay unto my charge where I am guilty I have grace in me to trouble me to humble me to groan in me for deliverance to make me more vile then thou canst make me and yet to keep me from returning into Egypt again but to wait for a full power to sin no more which if it might be in thy sense I should be glad but in the sense of the Scriptures I know it shall be made good and what that is thou canst not learn but by enjoyment Repl. And the baptisme in the death of Christ thou tellest me I do not witnesse neither a planting into the likenesse of death for the Crosse of Christ thou knowest not neither doest in it live by which thing this baptisme into his death is witnessed Answ 1. I finde thee still full of condemnation and yet Christ saith he was not sent to condemne the world Joh. 3. 17. but that the world through him might be saved 2. With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of thee or of mans judgement yea I judge not my self but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 3. Thou Hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the moat out of thy brothers eye 4. Remember the death of Christ the Crosse of Christ when thou passest under thou wilt finde work enough at home but thou hast spared thy self pitied thy self slain the just one that thou mightest live and reign thou hast cried out let him be crucified that I may live in his stead and say I am he Where the Crosse of Christ hath had its power there the first man is condemned flesh withers the poor Soul is ashamed of his works and sins But thou art full and rich and high and sayest I am not the man I never Crucified the Lord of glory Judas thou knowest suspected not himself and in this Traitor see thy self and know thy own spirit 5. If I am not as I long to be yet I see the bloud of Christ cleanseth me from all my sin the Crosse of Christ makes me not to spare my self or sin I have Jesus who was dead but is alive in me making void all my glorying in flesh and bloud and he is bearing witnesse to my Crucifying and to his resurrection which is my glory And though thou a man charge me with folly yet he the true God declares me just in himself and he goes on Conquering and to Conquer and what he sees amisse in me he will tame subdue and bring under and tell thee to thy face thou art a Satan is not this a brand plucked out of the fire Therefore friend do not thou fansie a perfect knowledge of the Crosse and yet remain a stranger to the Crosse by living out of the vertue and power of it which makes all flesh as grasse and to wither as the flower of the field It is Christ in me that is my glory and his life in me springs out of his death and mine and makes void all my glory and he by his bloud and power sets me free from the condemnation of sin and the Law and he keeps me alwayes in his eye and he searches my errours and failings out to nail them to his Crosse As for that place thou quotest 1 Joh. 1. 5 6 7 8 9. look upon it better and take the tenth verse too in thy minde and see how thou canst have sin and no sin for so the Apostle saith plainly in all the Saints there 's no sin and yet there 's sin in all otherwise we make God a lyar and his word is not in us Neither is this to plead for sin as thou sayest for there 's a vast difference between saying such a thing is and such a thing out to be That the Saints have sin is a truth written in Scripture and in every mans conscience for there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sins not But that the Saints ought to have sin this the Scripture cries ought against and calls upon us to purge out more and more therefore be not alwayes catching and snarling this is not a Christian practice but let thy sin go thy exalting of thy self go and it may be thou mayest finde out the Crosse of Christ a little more exactly yet and learn better what it is to be Crucified with him and so mayest eat of his flesh and drink of his bloud Thou tellest me Repl. I know not the one baptisme which by the Spirit is witnessed which baptizeth into one body 1 Cor. 12. 13. in this body is no sin into it no deceit enters every sin that is committed is without the body Answ Thy prating words cannot make void my glorying in the Lord to thee I say the one spirit I have which witnesseth the one baptisme which is one in all the Sons of God bond or free The spirit is one the baptisme one the body one but the Members are different and have all need of one another and therefore ought not to murmure or make a rent because every one is not an eye an hand a tongue as thou doest and so sinnest within the body and committest fornication with thy self but a Member against the rest of the body making the body a Monster even all one Member not all the Members one body that thou thy self mightest be head and Members and all and so thou who makest a rent from Christ and a rent from his Members what doest thou but make a division in the body and commit sin within the body crying out of one Member he 's a Baptist of another he 's a Presbyter of another he 's a Prieâ—t And so thou ownest not every Member in its place and lookest not upon that baptisme which is one in all the Sons of God But when thine eye is open to see this thou wilt own a Member though low and weak and love a Member whoever he be and thou wilt seek to draw him indeed more into the Unity to rejoyce more in the Lords works than his own and yet thou wilt leave him in the variety to be usefull in his place to other Members of the body But all this thy great wisdom comprehends not And whereas thou makest as though every Member of Christ were free from all spot and sin because every sin that is committed is without the body 1 Cor. 6. 10. By body in that place is meant the outward Fabrick of every man in particular which ought
God are made and live That soul that is awakened and risen with Christ to live in the light of the inner world or new Creature and to slide from thence forth unto the darke world in the works of righteousnesse and true holiness is the soul that brings his Talent out of the earth it to improve Quest Who are they that hide their Talents in the earth to their condemnation Answ Men that sin away the light and Spirit or promise of the Father made out in their Spirits and consciences by the noble wisdome of God woing and importuning them within in the Center of their souls to turne unto the Lord and so love darkness rather then light to their owne condemnation or rather men who love to live below in flesh and sin and this creation or world rather than above with the Father and the Son making out love and truth and grace in their Spirits to bring them reconciled to God these are they who hide their Talents in the earth to their condemnation Quest Where is it and by what that God speakes unto man Answ God speakes unto man within there he stands in the gate of the soul and by many invitations woings operations which are as so many Angels or messengers of love and life he entreats men to come in and be saved as it is written Looke unto me and be ye saved for I am a God and there is none else This inward speaking of God is backed likewise with outward speakings from the heavens and earth and things that are made from the Scriptures which are a firme testimony and witnesse of the mind of God to man sometimes from Mercies sometimes from judgements sometimes from the words or mind of God put into other mens moneths All which varietie of witnesses declare the one will and mind of the Father which he is pleased more immediately to declare within by his owne voyce Quest What is that which unto the gentiles is manifest shewing unto them what of God may be knowne Answ It is the truth of the Deity or the eternall power and God-head which teaches them by the things that are made to owne and glorifie a Creator and so the unthankefull and stubborne are left without excuse Rom. 1. 20. 21. Quest. What is its operation in all from the rising of the Sun to the going downe thereof Answ The light and truth of the Deity which is manifested to and shewed in every man from the things that are made teaches every man to owne a God and to worship him and so to abstaine from evill and do good which operation being choaked and abused by most hence these wallow in the mire of sin and wickednes and superstitious vanities being given up thereunto by the Lord as a just punishment for their loving darkenes rather than the light of God Quest What is the flaming sword which turnes every way to keepe the tree of life Answ It may be the Administration of the Law within which as a light or flame shewes every man his sin and shame and so as with a sword cuts him off every way in the midst of his best actions performances and obedience from entring into life by his owne power Or the fierceness in the anger of God which turnes every way to keep every uncleance person and thing from entering into the Paradise of God to eat of the tree of life till it be washed and cleansed from its filthines as 't is written Rev. 21. 22. there shall in no wise enter into the holy City any thing that is unclean c. Quest What is the City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt Answ All the unregenerate world which are as Sodom and Egypt full of sin and wickednesse or the Antichristian formal Church which strouts it out with a shew of wisdome learning letter and History as if it were a well built City or a true Church of God but within is Wolvish Envious Dogged full of blood cruelty and persecution against Christ and every appearance of Christ in his saints This is the great City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where our Lord was crucified And in her is found the bloud of Prophets and of Saints and of all that are ssain upon the earth In brief Egypt and Sodom are the kingdome of flesh and darknesse where Christ and the true Church are presecuted and crucified in Spirit Quest What is the language of Egypt Answ Egypt speakes nothing but bondage and warre to the people of God Egypt cannot endure that an holy Church should grow up in his dominions he will murder Abell or the innocent still Egypt is all for himself to manitaine himself in greatnesse and pompe and dominion in the world to rule and be a great potent Lord in the flesh If hee preach or pray or read or hear or appear sometimes as a seeming holy man yet all is ayming at his name greatnesse and credit in the world His heart cannot cleave to and love the Son of God He must persecute and devour the poor and needy in the earth This is the language of Egypt or that which Egypt declares Quest What is the cry of the wildernesse and what is the language of the wildernesse and whether thou wert ever in the wildernesse yea or nay Answ The wildernesse unto some is a state of confusion sin and death where God is not at all remembred minded or known The wildernesse unto others is such a state wherein the soul is awakened by the voice of Christ within to remember and mind the Lord and in the midst of all its confusions to cry and long and wait for his revealing coming manifesting And in this wildernesse I have been and here I have cryed been payned and the Lord hath heard my supplication and delivered me from my feares and brought me out into a wealthy place or into a condition of love joy rest and fullnesse in himself Further the wildernesse unto others is a condition of temptation which the Lord sometimes leades his people into to try and refine them and to make his might and power known in their preservation deliverance salvation Unto others yet the wildernesse is a condition of solitarines and retiredness of spirit where the soul is carried away from the fashions and practises of the world as likewise above the tumults rage and violence of the world sweetly to solace herself in her beloved and to walke in his way which is a way of peace light and holines The cry of the soul in this state of lonenesse is all for God and the will of God it s risen as it were out of the world and gone away from all other company to enjoy a fuller sight of the Lords beauty and to have a more exact communion with his Majestie And this is a wildernesse a gracious heart delights much to be in Quest What is the language of Canaan Answ In Canaan is heard the voice of peace love and meekenesse
or liquor to be drunk in this Kingdom but spiritual liquor onely poured out of a spiritual cup into a spiritual body Quest What is the flesh and bloud of Christ which except a man eat and drink he hath no life in him which eating and drinking he that doth it knows he dwels in Christ and Christ in him Whether this be outward bread and wine yea or nay And whether his flesh and bloud can be carried about in baskets and bottles yea or nay seeing at Christs preaching of this the Jewes which had the letter strove about that saying And many of the Disciples murmured and said it was an hard saying who could heare it and turned away and walked no more with Jesus Answ That flesh and bloud of Christ which gives life to Saints must needs be spiritual this is that which quickens when the outward Sacramentall profits little this spiritual flesh and bloud of Christ is his pure nature and vertue which creates life quickens nourishes and feeds the soul of the Christian up in his spiritual life and union with the Father And when this spiritual nature vertue or body of Christ in spirit is given into the soul then the soul can say in truth I know the Son of God is come and hath given me an understanding to know him that is true and I am in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ And this Iesus Christ is the true God unto the Saint and the eternall life of the Saint and in this day the Christian knows that Christ is his by being in him and he is Christs by dwelling in him and he who knows not this hath no true Christ nor life This the Jews of old and the Jews in spirit still looke upon as an hard saying that the very body and bloud of Christ must thus be eaten in spirit otherwise no eternal life give them the flesh that they may be sensible of as for this Jesus in spirit they cannot receive him because they see him not neither know him Quest The cup of blessing which Paul spake of to the Corinthians who were the Temples of the holy Ghost which they blessed which was the Communion of the bloud of Christ and the bread which they brake which was the â—ommunion of the body of Christ whether was this an outward cup and outward bread yea or nay Was that oâ—â— bread which they were all partakers of outward yea or nay The Cup of the Lord and the Table of the Lord which Paul spake of to the Corinthians was they an outward Cup and Table yea or nay The Cup of Devils and the Table of Devils was they an outward Cup and Table yea or nay Answ I answer in brief they are all to be understood of inward and spiritual things though the outward figures and things are not to be contemned so long as the Lord makes them a Table for his weak children to sit with him at to give them out refreshing and comforts in their weaknesse But when the Lord is clearly gone out of an administration then that becomes through Satans getting into it a Table of the Devil which he sets his dark children at to cozen them with a shew and shadow when the truth and life and substance is gone Quest What is the beast which Iohn saw was like unto a Leopard Answ The beast is the wisdom and understanding of the flesh or spirit of man which in the various turnings windings appearances and comings of it forth according to the reason and wisdom and apprehensions of men in the dark world of flesh and bloud is like unto a party coloured or spotted beast such as the Leopard is Hence it 's written can the Leopard change his spots Can the wisdom of the flesh and the bestial man change his fowl and beastly abominations of all sorts which stick and grow up in his nature Besides I have read of the Leopard that it is an exceeding wilde beast that cannot be tamed very furious and malicious against the very image of a man and very cunning and crafty in catching of his prey Such is the nature of fleshly wisdom and fleshly men they cannot be tamed but are still full of fury against the image or true appearances of God in man and very cunning to prey upon the righteous seed seeking to devour the man-childe as soon as ever he appears to be born in the vvorld This is the beast which is like unto a Leopard Quest What is the beast all the vvorld wonders after Answ Some make him the Pope but I never yet found all the vvorld wondring after him though he be the beast in an outward eminent figure and have many vvorshippers and followers in the vvorld But the beast is the fleshly wisdom or spirit of man which is alwayes setting up a false Christ or anointed one in the place and office of Christ unto us either our own righteousnesse or our own wit and carnal reason which teacheth us to depart from God and to subsist of our selves live of our selves be wise of our selves vvorship of our selves So that flesh with all the wisdom and power of it is the beast that all the vvorld willingly wonders after insomuch that they are naturally constrained compelled and overcome to its obedience which is their wondering after the beast Quest What is the beast and what is the number of his name whose name is 666 Answ The number of the beast is the number of a man though to those who are deceived by him he appears as a God that cannot erre yet to the man that hath understanding or his eyes opened through the anointing of God he hath but the perfection and compleatnesse of a man who in the height of all his imaginary compleatnesse and fulnesse in himself and of himself is but a poor empty miserable shadow altogether lighter than vanity This is the number or summe of all the power and wisdom of the flesh It is but an imagination of compleatnesse and fulnesse it is not perfection and fulnesse it self and so it leaves a man where it findes him in a poor miserable imperfect and undone estate And therefore the number of the beast is but 666. it reaches not to the bringing of a man to the number seven or to a state of perfection rest and fulnesse but still leaves in the number 6. or in a state of weaknesse bondage miserie even like a poor wretched sinfull man Quest What is the woman which Iohn saw sit upon a Scarlet coloured beast full of names of blasphemy Answ The woman is the false Antichristian Cainish Church which rides in Pomp and Triumph upon the stately wisdom and power of the flesh and here cries out what wisdom is like unto mine What power able to make war with mine And in this state and Pomp she rides on crucifying to her utmost skill all the appearances of Christ in the glory and Kingdom of his father or all higher and lower discoveries of
God in his Saints breathing nothing but bloud persecution and blasphemy against the Tabernacle of God and them that dwell in Heaven And so the false and formal Church and Christian are the great vvhore who denies the Lord to be her husband and being married to her own fleshly reason and wisdom she wholly bends the same against every beloved appearance of God by persecution and blasphemy This is the woman upon the Scarlet coloured beast full of names of blasphemy Quest Whether any come to the opening and fulfilling of Scripture and to see those things which Iohn saw but onely those who have the same spirit which Iohn and the holy men of God had yea or nay And whether he be Christ that hath not the same spirit yea or nay Answ As all Scripture was given by inspiration so onely truely understood and known by inspiration The Letter may be understood by the help of tongues and sciences of study and learning and other mens interpretations so far as these are lights to open the Letter but the spirit and truth of Scripture cannot be seen and known but by the breathings and operations of the same spirit which the holy man of God had And this is the Key of the Lord which hath opened the Scriptures in some measure unto me and through this power of the spirit of the Lord I have seen the Scriptures in some measure fulfilled And this is the power I wait upon to make good and fulfill all that is written within and without he that hath not this spirit to rule over him in love light and life is no true Christian no true Christ or anointed one of God Quest Whether as well he that payes Tythes as he that takes Tythes be not Antichrist holding up the first priest-hood which took Tythe by a Law and denying Christ the unchangeable Priest who put an end to Tythe to the first priest-hood and to the Law Answ If any take Tythes as a Priest of the Tribe of Levi in a way of holding up shadows and figures and carnall ordinances in room of the substance and truth of these and lookes more to his own gain than the things of Iesus Christ this man is an Antichrist that denies Christs coming in the flesh and is a thief and robber that comes not in by the door into the sheepfold but some other way But if a man take Tythes as a Tribute and portion of the earth which the Lord hath reserved and given to him to nourish himself and his family and the Church of God for a Minister must be Hospitable if a man take Tythes though it be for preaching and his waiting upon the Ministery of the Gospel to declare what he hath seen and heard of God aiming onely at the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ in the hearts of the people and take onely for his livelihood in the flesh this man is no Antichrist that denies Christs coming in the flesh for the Gospel holds clearly forth a maintenance and double honour due to the preachers of it And if but a tenth of old were to be given for the nourishing of them that hold forth the shadow surely not a tenth onely but much more ought to be given for the nourishing of them that hold forth the substance And whereas it may be said that Ministers preach up themselves and shadows still not Christ the Lord and themselves the peoples servants for Christs sake and many thrust themselves into the office of the Ministery for a piece of bread and take unto themselves this honour before they are called of God for filthy lucres sake I answer those that are found in this posture I know there is a sad viall of wrath to be poured out upon them as for mine own part I finde all sorts of people rayling on me and speaking all manner of evil of me and though the pretence be Tythes and other grievous things that their hearts have imagined yet the truth is 't is not my Tythes nor infirmities so much as my light and freedom and enlargement that makes my being an eye-sore unto the world For my taking of Tythes I know it is with so much moderation and respect unto all mens conditions with whom I deal that no wise man or honest man can ever say I dealt harshly or unbeseeming a Christian with him in this busines of Tythes But thou takest Tythes Answer Wel I do and for the present I finde the Lord giving me this maintenance as an incouragement from himself and so long as I finde it made clean or sanctified to my use and my spirit not defiled nor divided from God by it and God maintaining my liberty of conscience to serve him in my generation and place so long I shall be free to take it with thankfullnesse well knowing that nothing is unclean of it self but to him who esteemeth any thing to be unclean to him it is uncleaness The scornfull QUAKERS railing Reply refuted Tho Lawson I Have read thy papers and in them art thou seen to be full of lying railing accusing condemning according to the spirit of thy Father who was a Murderer and a lyar from the beginning The truth thou canst not own in another no more than the Jews could in Christ The pride and hautines of thine heart hath deceived thee through hopes to Lord it in thy dark forme where thy folly is manifest to all I call it thy dark form where God is veiled crucified dead and neither scripture nor light within is made any more than a Ladder to helpe thee up into Gods throne and here Lucifer-like thou must needs be in Heaven and there thou seest all the wayes and works that are done under the Sun and here thou canst call all but thine own party flesh Devils Sorcerers and damnest all that wear not thy mark and form and from thy presence they must go into the lake that burns with fire and brim-stone among the Drunkards and Whoremongers Dogs and Murderers and Idolaters and Ranters and Atheists and whosoever loves and makes a lye This is the language that flowes from thy proud pen See read consider thy papers let the light that is in thee be judge and the light that is in all men And yet like the Harlot thou criest out aloud such an one is an Whore I am none The Priest rails scoffes jeers but my tongue is a wonderfull stranger to all this Thus a dark Whorish heart knows no shame Michael durst not bring railing accusation against the Devil but said The Lord rebuke thee He durst not rail against the very Devil knowing that as he is a creature he hath his life and being in God but as hé lives in himself in his own will and pride so he becomes a Devil But this truth thou knowest not through thy darknesse and so art found railing and that not at the Devil onely but men who are made after the similitude of God and yet it may be the Lord
may rebuke thee Though others cannot I can willingly let thee alone without persecuting imprisoning banishing I see all these things do but nourish Satans Kingdom in every dark form rather than pull it down and therefore I can pray for thee and do thee good and shew thee kindnesse and leave thee to stand or fall to the light of God in thee which is thy judge Rep. In the outside of thy paper thou callest me Priest but why is this name so odious to thee Answ Dost thou not know that all the Lords people are Kings and Priests The name upon any other account I own not The light within thee tells thee thou callest me Priest in pride and scorne Repl. In thy preamble thou sayest The just God of heaven and earth into our hands in our measures the just ballance hath committed wherein all my profession notion and comprehension is tried and denied Answ First thy just ballance thou gloriest in is not the ballance of the sanctuary full of the light truth word and power of God But 2. It is the ballance of thine own corrupt reason fancie dream full of flesh and self of thine own weaknesse blindnesse darknesse And so 3. This ballance is not committed to thee from the just God who abhors thy peevishnesse folly false visions but from thy father the Prince of darknesse he hath put into thy hand the unjust ballance of thine own wisdom which is enmity against God and every appearance of God And 4. in this ballance of flesh and fancie thou art found uncapable of weighing and trying the wayes workings of God in another And so 5. In the midst of thy comprehending others art thou comprehended and seen thy self and laid open to thy shame amongst the Heathen And so 6. Lastly the ballance that is just which comes from God hast thou lost and so hast nothing to measure and weigh things with which is accompanied with the Authority and light of God And hence all thy reply and answer to me is found to be airy frothy stuffed and filled with nothing but winde and scorn and so thou goest on and sayes Repl. My conversation is corrupt and life unsavory and I am one in nature with all the Priests of the Nation Answ Here thou beginnest to shew what thy ballance is being found presently in the corrupt will and life of the old accuser And here thou art but the mouth and tongue of Satan who is alwayes accusing and condemning when God is forgiving and healing That I differ from others in their corruptions is more through the Lords grace than my deservings And this grace of the Lord is that which leads me out of the wayes customes pride and pleasures of the world more and more And yet I cannot say I am pure without all sin and spot for then I should make God like man a lyar whose light word tells me otherwise and yet notwithstanding all the corruptions thou layest to my charge I finde the Lord through grace still forgiving and healing and warming mine heart with a strong thirsting after more of the power of godlines And this keeps me from scoffing at any thing I see in thee but the pride and folly which thou discoverest plainly which makes thee cry out I am rich full and have need of nothing and yet knowest not that thou art poore and blinde and miserable and naked and hast need of all things which if thou knewest would soon make thee meek lowly peaceable gentle doing good to all men even thine enemies which thou canst not do and so art not like the heavenly father Mat. 5. 43. 44. 45. Read that place if thou canst and weigh it in the just ballance and put in thy self in one scale thou wilt soon see how light thou art and how thy selfish carnall nature fights with the generous loving nature of God whom thou knowest not by living in his nature and spirit And so to the Questions Repl. In mine answer to the first thou scoffest at my saying Christ is the first principle of pure Religion and cryest out O shame of my profession who at the first would be at the Son the fundation in Sion and know not that which turnes the minde out of the earth and leads to Sinai There is a light which shines in a dark place which who are in it are in the welldoing and in their measure in the pure Religion and it who knows in it they see what the first principle is and know thee to be a lyar which light leads unto the day Star 2 Pet. 1. 19. Which light is before the day Star is come unto which is the Son and him who is come unto is in the pure Religion Answ From a principle are derived two things 1. The esse or being 2. The cognosse the manifestation discovery or knowing of a thing to be what it is Now according to both these Christ is the first principle of all pure Religion It 's he who begots and works it in the heart of man and so brings it into being and it is he who discovers and shewes what the pure Religion is and so brings it into knowledge and this knowledge is drawn from a sight and feeling of the work it self upon the heart and so to make some application of this to what thou sayest and wondrest so much at that thou wilt be religious and that in the best too even in that which is pure and that without the Son of God We see heare read what Christ saith of himself Mat. 11. 27. No man knows the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him and Iohn 1. 18. No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him and John 14. 6. I am the way the truth and the life and John 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing surely then if there be no knowing of the Father no seeing of the Father but by the Son no coming to the Father but by this way and means no bringing forth any fruit any thing that is pure without the Son how comes it to passe that ye must needs begin your Religion below or without the Son Must thy dark minde consult with flesh and bloud to make thee Religious Or must we needs go to Sinai as thou intimates to make us first Religious Was not Paul there and what did hee learn but to glory in that which afterwards was his losse and shame Was he not a blasphemer injurious and a persecuter till the Lord had mercy on him and revealed his Son in him Surely methinkes thou mayest easily learn this lesson from what is written to make Christ the beginning of thy pure Religion to make him the mover the power the principle that first sets thy heart aright in Religion And this thou art compelled to say in thy confused reply That hee who is come unto Christ is in the pure Religion and so art
judged out of thine own mouth to speak contrary unto thy own light And though thou wouldest infer from the Apostles words 2 Pet. 1. 19. That there is a light which shines in the creature before Christ come yet that light thou art faine to acknowledge doth proceed from the Son and lead unto him so that Christ is still the Fountain and first cause of light and by the light of Christ within we come to see and know that the Scriptures are the sure Word of God and so we are led into the pure Religion according to what is written in the Scriptures of truth and the end of this Scripture is again to turn us unto Christ who is the spirit and truth of the Scriptures and so Christ is still the first and last in all the discoveries we have of God he is all the light we have by night and day and though the Scriptures are a precious light yet all the light that is in them is but borrowed from the Son and if we see them not know them not in his light and through his light they may shine long enough before the day will break in our hearts but when Christ leads us into the meaning of Scriptures and brings us to live in the power and truth of them which is himself then by degrees it becomes day with us and this day still leads us into the pure Religion according to what is written within and without and when we wander in the least is as a voice behinde us saying this is the way walke in it this is the old way And this voice of Christ alone hath such power in it both to begin and perfect us in Religion that without it all we do is not well done and so is but the sacrifice of the wicked which is an abomination And so to sum up this know 1. That ye cannot know the meaning of the Scriptures without Christ 2. Ye cannot live the life of the Scriptures without Christ lead ye into it 3. Ye cannot be in the pure Religion without Christ first work it and bring it into being and light in the heart 4. Ye cannot be in the volume of the book in a clear reading of what is written much lesse in the life and body of the book which is Christ the substance without Christ himself manifested in you And so thou who seemest to be Religious learn to bridle thine own tongue otherwise thou doest but deceive thine own heart and all thy Religion is vaine and learn to know thine own light who in thine answer to my ten queries about the light that is in heathens and the light that is peculiar to the Saints of God sayest that the light of Christ is the only guide to them that follow it and besides it there is no guide to Jew or Gentile And so if this light of Christ be the onely guide surely it must be the onely guide into all pure Religion and so the first principle of that which is pure And thou who criest out O shame art judged out of thine own mouth to be shamelesse impudent in scoffing at the first principle of pure Religion to be the Son of God dwelling in us Repl. In mine answer to thy second Question thou deniest the Fathers work and will to be the yoke of Christ and tellest me That I who am a stranger to the first principle of pure Religion from me is the yoke of Christ and the burden of Christ hid and so I am coming about the thing in words but the thing it self is hid from me c. Answ The Pharisees were full of questions and in their fastings disfiguring their faces sad countenances outside holines great abstinence vain repetitions striving and contending against every thing but what themselves did or spake were a fit figure of this questioning generation Thou dark Pharisee thou lookest so much upon thy questions thou canst not look at all upon the answer If thou speak of the Person of Christ the Mediator which thou deniest his work was to glorify his Father on earth to finish the work which he gave him to do If thou speak of Christ the manifestation of the Father in his Children his work is there likewise to do the will of his Father by subjecting the creature to the yoke or will of God that God may be glorified so that the Fathers work and will is Christs yoke which he was contented to be subject unto And this is the Christians yoke that Christ teaches the soul wherein he lives to put his neck under and be subject unto And so the yoke of Christ what was it and what is it but to be subject to his Fathers will Not to be his own but his Fathers I came not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me But what was the work of God which Christ had to do Answer It lay in two things 1. To bear our griefs and carry our sorrows to be smitten wounded and grieved for our iniquities to bear our sin and all the sorrow grief and Hell due unto us for them 2. His work was likewise to make reconciliation and peace manifest unto the World and to work mens hearts into a belief of what he hath done and wrought for them to bring about their deliverance and salvation Wert thou rightly acquainted with this work and the meeknesse and lowlinesse of the person who wrought it thou wouldst soon see this to be a great yoke and taske to come under and do But this is History and to shew thy self wise this is trampled under thy feet and of no account with thee and so thou deniest the Lord that bought thee and in thy dark fancie leapest into the mystery and sayest I see not that which turns the creature into the work and will of God Here thou art upon the light within and thâ—s thou art still dreaming of though thou know not what it is nor whence it comes for this would never move thee to slight the letter the History the bloud of Christ without but would bring thee into a rejoycing in all the Fathers work and will which the Son lived in Repl. Further thou sayest The yoke of Christ is where the work and wil of the Devil is lived in for Christ is the true light Answ And so say I too The work and will of God ought to be lived in by that man who wrests his neck from the yoke and scorns to be subject unto God as his father And thus the light tells me it is with thee thou livest in the nature which spurns off the yoke living in pride and high conceit of thine own worth in haughtinesse envy and strife and this makes thee fancy thy self to be a Christ and God and so instead of judging thy self and confessing thine own vilenesse and nothingnesse thou must speak evil of thy brother and condemne all besides thy self Nay God and Christ and Scripture and light within must all concurre
trick thou mayest still be an Egyptian For the Egyptian is one who wars in his heart against all the Church of God that grows not up out of his form And the Egyptian is one who for uniformities sake can endure to hear of no variety of gifts dispensations or administrations of God And thus thou and thy sect are in the proud Egyptian spirit I know other forms have too much of the Egyptian too and this makes them have bitter envyings and strivings one against another but the Egyptian in thee exceeds them all for thou Diotrephes-like lovest the preheminence thou must be the top and head of all and so art breathing out fury and madnesse against all others under what form or way soever as if God must needs forget all to honour thee Repl. As for any thing arising which strikes at my images idols groves and makes me angry as thou sayest Answ Let the Lord arise and sweep them all clean away I shall not murmure but be glad to see the Lord exalted within and without and to see all the Sons of God learn to know one another more in spirit and in the Lord lesse in flesh and form Neither is there in me any war at all against any appearance of God in thee or any other but onely against the Egyptian that exalts himself in any But thou tellest me Repl. I preach and pray for greatnesse Answ And yet I tell thee if that had been mine aim I might have been as great in esteem as other men But on the contrary I am content to be despised hated and evil spoken of by all the Egyptians in the world But Repl. I give flattering titles and use heathenish words of salutation which I have no example for in Scripture Answ Something thou must say because thou art an Egygtian If thou say thou to me or you to me the Greek hath but one word for both and both is all one to me who knows the Kingdom of God stands not in observation If thou say yea or yes nay or no all is one to me for Christ aims at nothing but this that men should be faithfull and plain in all their words and carriage one towards another And if thou pluck off thine hat or not all is one to me though another it may be cannot bear it If thou wilt be like the Horse or Mule without wagging moving speaking for fear of offending thy dark fancie in being guilty of saluting then be so It becomes thy religion well to be like the beasts unreasonable There is example enough in Scripture for all the salutations I desire or use but thine eye is Divine and thou takest so much onely as will serve thy turn and no more but a little to help thee though I cannot flatter thee read Gen. 32 4. and 33. 4. to 16. when thou hast made good use of these two Scriptures to do thee good I shall shew thee more Repl. Further about mine answer to what the language of the wildernesse is thou pretendest how that I conform my self to the fashions and practices of the world contrary unto mine answer and whether that be so or no then biddest my conscience and all that know me judge Answ Friend thou keepest much ado about my conscince faine thou wouldest be Judge and Master there But my conscience watches to hear the Lord not man speak unto him it boweth not to thy broken idol And that within me and all thy friends that know me cannot but bear me witnesse that through the grace of God I am made to walk much contrary unto the world I do not say I have gotten a full conquest over all the Relicks of the world in me and yet through the grace of God I can see the world under my feet and I can see the Lord at this work of crucifying me unto the world and the world unto me more and more And this is the ground of all my glorying in that wherein I appear contrary unto the world Further thou sayest I told thee Repl. There was a time when I was much troubled about taking of Tythes oppressing of people and about fashions and wayes that were lived in so that I could not sleep in the night and that I was minded to take my self to some honest calling to provide for my family Answ Here thou hast served me as thou doest the Scriptures somethings thou hast added and somethings thou hast left out The truth is I heard a great clamour as I still do about Tythes what an oppression and grievous thing it was as men pretended this made me wait to hear what the Lord would speak touching this matter and through waiting I found this great out-cry against Tythes to be a wile of Satan to dishearten and destroy the best of the Ministery that in their ruine every carnal form might advance it self till all were confounded and further I learned that few scrupled Tythes out of pure conscience and tendernesse but out of meer covetousnesse and envy And in this manifestation I have freedom to take it and yet I oppresse none thou who criest out so much upon Tythes as if all the world were reformed if Tythes were taken away Oh this unclean filthy thing called Tythes Friend look a little into the Gospel and thee thou shall see it manifest that there is no Person place or thing without can defile a man onely that which defiles is within and comes from within Mat. 13. 11 20. and Act. 10 12. to 29. There thou mayest read of Peters scruple of going unto the Gentiles that were legally unclean and how the Jewes in the next chapter scrupled the same Act. 11. 2 3. And yet afterwards God makes it clear to them by his spirit in a vision that what they scrupled as unclean he had made clean therefore friend be not too hasty and angry that the unclean thing of Tythes as thou sayest is not yet taken away cry not out so greedily 't is swines flesh 't is an abomination for thou knowest not the freedom of the Gospel in outward things where the conscience is made clean neither doest thou know but that which thou criest out so much against even Tythes is made clean in thy brothers conscience Repl. But thy heart is hardened tendernesse lost thy conscience seared and now in the streets of the great City hast thou slain the witnesse Answ Whilst I was in the great City I know the witnes was slain Christ lay as one dead and put in his grave to me but since the Fathet was pleased with a strong hand to bring me out of Egypt and to lead me unto Canaan I finde the witnesse raised from death to life in me and he followeth me with goodness and mercy though Satan and the world with violence and fury This witnesse within Christ in me keeps my heart soft my conscience tender and he is mine and I am his and with him there is mercy that he may be feared and he keeps
persecuted outwardly knowing that it is judgement and misery enough for God to send such strong delusions as that men should believe a lye Repl. But my heart is in the earth thou sayest Answ In the earth is not my treasure I finde all here vanity and vexation of spirit But in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength and so my treasure being above mine heart and affections are also above Repl. But my compleatnesse is in darknesse Answ Here indeed is the compleatnesse of the world but the Lord is arising to discover this delusion and in him his light and grace is my compleatnesse fulnesse and glory Repl. But to the light which comes from the corner-stone I act contrary and fall not upon it so upon me shall it fall and grinde me to powder Answ Had thy building been upon the corner-stone thou wouldst not in disobedience have denied him to be thy foundation but wouldst by this falling upon him have been broken all to pieces and never thus weakly been sodered up again to act and work for life in thine own power and merits and so to be a Christ a Saviour unto thy self making thy self whole without the bloud of the Lamb which takes away the sins of the world But be sure for this thy disallowing of the stone which is elect and precious thou shalt stumble and fall and be ground to powder for thy disobedience whereunto also thou art appointed As for me let me alone to live and walk in the light of the Lord to be all I am in the grace and righteousnesse of Christ Jesus In my self I am broken indeed my glory is gone and I am nothing But in Christ I am whole and well and need none of mine own power and merits to save me In him I feed upon that which is good upon substance upon the best upon fatnesse and he being my foundation without and within I have an everlasting covenant of grace even the sure mercies of David This I know because he is faithfull Repl. But thou tellest me I am out of the Vnity in the one spirit in the number of the beast the number of a man who professe the Letter declared from the life which life knits the Saints in one peace and thee shall eternally torment who livest in vanity and deniest the way of peace Answ Once more look home to thy self that thou even thou be not found in this number of a beast of a man that art compleat in thy form in thy observations drawn sometimes from the Letter and sometimes from thy fancie in the mystery and yet neither Letter or meaning is any more direction to thee than will stand with thy dark minde and form Therefore see and know that the life the Scripture the Christ the peace which thou art in is not the life out of the original in the one spirit but the life and Christ and peace of form of fansie of man and so notwithstanding all thy pretended Unity and holinesse thou regardest lying vanity and art in a weary land without water As for me my endeavour is to keep the Unity of the spirit in the bond of peace with all lowlinesse and meeknesse and long-suffering forbearing all my brethren in love I know the body the spirit the calling is one the Lord the faith the baptisme is one and that there is one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in us all A sense of all these constrains me to love the Saints in all this onenesse though in their wayes and walkings without they are divers yet in the substances of things they are all one and of one And upon this account could I freely and faithfully have communion with them preach and pray and enter into fellowship with them though by reason of their too much indulgence to their bodily exercise and outward wayes of walking they are for the most part against communion with any out of their own modell and way and so too much spirit of God I own it as a witnesse and Declaration of the Lords will and mind to man This I professe not out of the life and light of the spirit knowing that that is the living word the kernel the substance which quickens all the body and knits the Saints altogether in that one peace of God And this spirit declared in the Letter is that which keeps me from vanity and frees me from the Law of sin death and condemnation And now to the businesse of Tythes Thou sayes Repl. In my corrupt reason I am scraping up reasons to maintain Tythes but shew no Scripture Answ Here thou art at thine old trade prating and slighting but shewing little reason and yet thou goest on to teach and say Repl. To the Sons of Levi was Tyth paid for their service and the relieving the fatherlesse widdows and strangers Ans And why must not the Ministers of the Gospel have maintenance too for their service Doth the Gospel afford lesse than the Law But to let that passe Thou hast spoken a piece of truth to which I add Thou mayest finde even Levi himself paid Tythes in Abraham Heb. 7. 9. and so Tythes were paid before the Law and Levi were in being as to the Letter so that the payment of Tythes extended further than to the litteral Tribe of Levi And if Abraham and Jacob payed Tythes as it appears they did before the Law Gen. 14. 18 19 20. and Gen. 18. 22. surely they did it by a light within and this light was their Law and this is thine too sometimes though very seldom especially when to part with something from thy self and therefore art thou covetous to rob others of all their glory in inward things to advance thy self and of their property too in outward things and so thou art greedy to keep the tenth of all But to proceed Repl. Thou sayest When Christ came he put an end to that service and to the wages due to that service and that he continued Tythes to the Ministers of the Gospel by a Law that thou bid'st me prove by Scripture command or example Answ That Christ put an end to the Levitical priest-hood that I deny not But that Christ put an end to the priest-hood so as to set up no teaching in the room thereof that I deny But what or who hath he set up Answer Ministers not of the Letter but of the spirit But are your Ministers such Answer those whom Christ anoints and ordains are such for the rest I plead not But where have you Ministers that are such if the thing should be granted any command example or practice for Tythes Answer we have the light within written in the hearts of all Nations which teacheth them to pay Tythes or maintenance unto their Priests at this day this is the light of our Nation to pay Tythe unto their Ministers And this is of as much force still where it guides and rules to teach men what to do as it
though all the Members be living in him and Elected in him yet he without them is no compleat body and so no full Election and therefore as the Election takes in Christ so all the Saints of God and whereas thou sayest all that receive him wherein the Election is in him are Elected this is true if thou understand it of the manifestation of Election to us so our receiving of Christ declares to us that we are Elected and adopted of God but if thou understand it à priori of the cause and ground in God of our Election as if he had therefore Elected us because he foresaw such and such would receive Christ then thy speech savours of an old errour for this builds Election upon the foresight of merits faith and power in man to receive Christ and so it destroyes the grace of God for if Election be by grace meere grace then it is not at all upon forseen faith and works otherwise grace is no more grace read Rom. 11. 5 6 7. And so though we receive Christ because we are Elected in him Eph. 1. 4. Yet we are not therefore Elected because we do receive him all being according to the Lords good pleasure to the praise of the glory of his grace and so as 't is in the outward world there was the image or idea of every thing first mente divina in the divine minde before it came forth in the creature not first in the creature and then in the minde of God that could not be seeing the creature was not so in the spiritual world the Church things were first in God as in their ground not first in the creature and then in God and so the idea of our Election was first laid up in the Lords minde counsell grace and good pleasure not in our acting believing and receiving Christ his beloved for this no man can do till it be given and so this building Election upon our receiving Christ is a building upon the sand upon something no man where it is not not upon the Rock which is the grace and good pleasure of God and so it makes voide the nature of grace and our Election though vain man that would be wise and something cannot receive this Quest 7. What is the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace and how ye were led out of the first and established in the second Answ The Covenant of works is that which man doth from the letter thereby to get life and the Covenant of grace is that written in the heart where Christ is the Light Life and Law-giver and by him the Law is fullfilled in us who walk no more after the flesh but after the spirit and by his light were we led out of the first and by his life were we established in the second Repl. This being a sober answer I could wish it were written in thine heart and proceeded from the life and power of that Covenant where all is written and sealed within And friend if it did so though the Letter would not be unto thee as the life yet it would never be slighted by thee being a witnesse unto the life Joh. 5. 39. much lesse would so much of the Kingdom be placed in some of the lesser observations of it when the weightier are neglected though none that live in the Kingdom will account any command of God small and much lesse yet wouldest thou make the commands of God of none effect by thy traditions neglecting the Law of faith of meeknesse of love and peace because thy ceremonies and traditions are neglected by others if you ask wherein ask thine own conscience and let that be thy witnesse and testimony in all which thou art found still walking more after the flesh then after the spirit Quest 8. What is the state of sin and wrath which all men are in and under by nature and how ye were led out of this estate Answ The state of sin is a state of condemnation and wrath from God separated in which all are by nature but by that light which is contrary to nature are we led out of this estate for he 's given to be a leader Isai 55. 4. Rep. What can poor fallen Adam or man do till God comes quickens him by a word of promise given in a spirit of power for I find the state of nature is a state of sin deadness darkness as to the things of God and the life of God wherein there 's no power to believe nor light to turn us towards God and in this estate there 's a departing from God still through unbelief and a wandring in the dark after the desires of the flesh and minde and so a separation from God and a coveting to hide our selves from his presence amongst the things that are made because we finde nothing due unto us by reason of sin and nakednesse but condemnation and wrath and so we are by nature children of wrath till the Lord in mercy and great love quicken us and raise us up through the second Adam revealed in us to live in him who is our light and life and so the onely leader of lost man out of the former state of sin and wrath and so he 's given to be a Leader and Commander by being an inward witnesse of love to us and all to free us from the Law of sin death and condemnation Quest 9. Whether any in this life are totally freed from the remnants of sin and darknesse seeing Paul saith now we know but in part and he prayed for an increase of knowledge in the Saints and Peter exhorts to grow in knowledge and Paul complains of a body of sin of a Thorn in the flesh of the lusting of the flesh against the spirit and James said in many things we offend all and John if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Answ In the life wherein thou livest is no redemption from sin for that is it which cannot bear good fruit Repl. To which I say I know that in me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing for the flesh is flesh still and sinfull still and cannot bring forth the fruit of God which springs from a new birth but in the life of Christ in me or that life which springs from the new birth there is redemption from sin and this is that which brings forth in me fruit to God Answ Further to the death of the Crosse must thou subject and obedient be else not know that life and birth which is free from sin Repl. What I am I am through the grace of God and this grace abounding towards me has brought over my flesh that Crosse whereby I am in measure Crucified and so have tasted and known that birth which is free from sin Answ The life of the new man who witnesses is free from sin Rom. 6. 6 7. and 18. 22. Repl. All the freedom from sin which this
part till that which is perfect is come 1 Cor. 13. 9 10. and what is that but the excellent way and spirit of love charity which he speaks of all along in that Chapter which is called perfect love 1 Joh. 4. 12. when this rules the heart then that which is perfect is come that is that is come which do's more perfect us in the sight of man and our experiences then all our Prophesies tongues and knowledge which we had before which are all to vanish away 1 Cor. 13. 8 10. and so charity is the most excellent way this weans us from our childishnesse peevishnesse and frowardnesse one towards another and declares us to be much in the state of our man-hood perfection in loving one another as Christ speaks Joh. 13. 34 35. Nay charity do's to the world more witnesse our perfection than our faith and hope 1 Cor. 13. 13. now remains these 3. sayes the Apostle faith hope and charity and the greatest of these is charity Nay in this we may see the very face of God and therefore it s a seeing face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. this is the Apostles scope in that Chapter to set charity up in the top of all as that which to us and men does more witnesse our perfection than any other grace and yet before the Lord 't is not our charity but our faith justifies and so upon another account as faith gives a taste of love and grace in God towards us and so begets this charity in us or causes it to send forth the smell therefore in our conversations so faith is the foundation of grace as being the root of all our charity and therefore where charity do's not spring and grow there 's no faith but where faith is there charity springs up therefore faith works by love but now when all is done and charity is called the most excellent way and that which is perfect yet this charity is still growing and increasing it self in the Saints till the whole body and eve-very Member there of be together with the head Christ in the glory of the Father Eph. 4. 14 15 16. Col. 2. 19. and so Saints must still be adding to brotherly kindnesse charity and above all things put on charity let this grow and abound in ye more and more this charity reaches farther than the brother-hood not to one party but to all even to a blessing and praying for our very enemies and whether this sweet flower grow up and flourish in thy generation let thine own conscience and let the light in all be judge Answ Further Prophesie must cease Repl. So must faith to when we come to see him as he is and yet in this life knowledge Prophesie faith and hope must in no case be despised Answ Further when he 's come who finishes transgression puts an end to sin makes reconciliation for iniquity brings in everlasting righteousnesse and anoints the most holy Dan. 9. 24. The same seals up the Vision and Prophesie and is the end of Vision and Prophesie Repl. He even he to the praise of the glory of his grace who has conquered the power of the Dragon for me put an end to his reign in me made reconciliation for mine iniquities brought his everlasting righteousnesse to be my cloathing anointed and set up the most holy in me he is the end of the Prophesie or Vision of these things to me and through his appearing in me according to my anointing with his spirit the Vision of him which I had by Prophesie is sealed up and yet I am not to despise Prophesie or further teaching upon the account of the spirit and Gospel 1 Thess 5. 19 20. As if I had presently all faith and knowledge and charity which is the dream of some to whom I commend these Scriptures 1 Cor. 14. 22. Ephes 4. 12 13. Hebr. 10. 25 26. Answ Further Paul wrote to some who knew perfectly 1 Thess 5. 1. Repl. What did they know perfectly but that the day of the Lord so comes as a Thief in the night What day the day when those who sleep in Jesus God will bring with him and those who are alive and remain untill that notable day of the Lords coming shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall be ever with the Lord this is a day they had no need to be instructed in for they knew it perfectly or were fully perswaded of it in their own spirits read the former chapter the beginning of this together and thou who despisest the letter or truth of this day shalt know one day though thou know it not now the terrour of the Lord against the world on that day Answ Further a growing in knowledge that we owne and an encreasing for to this end were the ministers of Christ sent forth to convince of sin and that such as were convinced might grow till they came to be perfect men Eph. 4. 8 to 13. Repl. Here thou seemest to yield unto the truth but still thine own heart deceives thee with the fond imagination of a perfect man though Paul plainly speaks of a growing afterward in this Chapter even after the new man is born or the perfect nature of a man-childe is come and else where he confesses he has not already attained but is still pressing towards it Psal 3. 12. to 16. Where is then thy proportion in knowledge Had the Saints of God at Ephesus that were in Christ Jesus Ephes 1. 1. need of a further spirit of wisdom and revelation that the eyes of their understanding being opened they might have a clearer sight and sense of the hope of their calling and of their riches and of the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power to them who did believe already art thou so full that thou hast no need of a spirit of prayer to be poured out unto the Lord for an encrease of these things in thy self Did David cry out Lord teach me give me understanding open mine eyes and the Church Cant. 1. 7. Tell me O thou whom my Soulloves where thou feedest and hast thou no need of the Lords counsell and teaching Why hast Satan filled thine heart with fully Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God in saying the night is all gone and this knowledge is full Answ Further Paul in the time of his warfare cried out of a body of sin and of a Thorn in the flesh this was the time of his warfare when he witnessed no peace to the earth but a sword then who shall deliver me sayes he Repl. I know thou canst not chuse but see that Paul speaks in that 7. to the Rom. of a warfare within in his own spirit with Satan and flesh within not of a warfare without with Satan and flesh in the world so doest thou cover the truth which Paul there witnesses he cryes out I am carnall I do that which I
Crosse both within and without is the same as he was hated persecuted crucified so are we according as 't is given unto us from our heavenly father as he was dead to his own will and alive to his fathers so are we according as we have power and life from the father given to us in all these and the like there is a similitude between Christ and his Church they are of his bone and flesh one every way so far as he and his father are pleased to lead them forth into it and this was that which Christ prayed for Joh. 17. 21. 22. and Paul spake of Rom. 8. 29. and desired to live in Phil. 3. 8. to 15. and this Iohn witnessed when he said as he is so are we in this world behold your likenesse friends all ye the Lords portion and challenge as much as ye will or can in this matter so as it flow from light and truth accompanied with humility and the fear of the Lord and ye cannot anger the Lord his spirit nor his son but withall be not high proud lofty there is a dissimilitude to as well as a likenesse between Christ and his Church First He 's the father of all God over all the fulnesse of the God-head dwells in him bodily This is no where said of the Saints though they partake of the nature of God and of the fulnesse of God according as their being can receive yet they are not the father they are not the God-head neither in fullnesse nor part no friends away with such blasphemies this is a Babylonian that sayes I am and there 's none else besides me a false Prophet that cries out I am Christ an Antichrist that sits in the Temple of God as God away with this conceit we are creatures still poor nothings drops of the bucket compared to the incomprehensible Majesty Further Christ was anointed with the Oyl of gladnesse above his fellows above measure but we are anointed in measure according to the gift of Christ we have no more than we receive by the grace of God I am what I am Further Christ knows our thoughts afar off and is acquainted with all our wayes there is not a word in my tongue but loe thou knowest it altogether Christ knew from the beginning who should betray him and he saw the thoughts and carnal reasonings of the carnal dark world but what do's poor man know though the Quaker is bolder then all his fore-fathers he knows a man as soon as ever he sees him and whether he be a Saint or a Devil though the man discover not himself by word or action yet the Quaker knows him and all that he may be as Christ is and yet the Apostle sayes what man knows the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him 1 Cor. 2. 11. and the Apostles knew not the Traitor but they were low then and so art thou friend in this thy dream for Christ sayes ye shall know them by their fruit and ye shall know my Disciples by their love so that our knowledge of others is by observation fruits and appearances of things in the outward man or by special revelation and discovery from God otherwise all other mens spirits are in the dark to us we have not a vision of their hearts afar off we know them not before they are born we know not the way of God in their spirits till it be written upon their fore-heads and so are not as Christ is in this respect Further Christ â—lwayes spake the truth was alwayes free from errour never in the least errour nor in the least deceived where 's the man besides that can challenge this unto himself who can understand his errours though so far as we are lighted by the Candle of the Lord so far we are led out of errour and all delusions but he 's the original truth and we receive from him as he is manifested so we have the truth no farther for he 's the truth lo still a difference which should teach us all to be humble meek and low Further Christ created all things all things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made and Christ preserves all things by him all things consist and he upholds all by the word of his power where 's the man that can appropriate this power unto himself hast thou an arm like God canst thou make a new body or quicken an image with a Soul and make life appear canst thou retain the spirit of man or beast when the Lord commands it away I know there are that will attempt miracles and wonders but all vanishes still nothing is for ever but what the Lord do's let this teach us to fear before him knowing that 't is he who made us and not we our selves we are his off-spring and by him we have life and motion and all things Further Yet Christ was the onely begotten son of God the first-born his son by nature begotten by his power and brought forth by a Virgin but we are the sons of God by grace if we speak of the Saints nature do's not make us sons but the new birth the regeneration without which there 's no entring into the Kingdom of God Further Christ he 's the husband we the spouse and though the husband and wife be one yet the head of the woman is the man I speak of Christ and his Church he 's the man the root the head still and he 's the King we the subjects he the vine we the branches he 's the Lord and Master we the servants he 's the fountain we the streams he 's the father we the sons he 's all in all we are nothing in all this I hope I do not lessen the glory of Christ the Lord nor of his Church his Saints neither do I sad the Souls of any but such as are lifted up to forget their Saviour therefore come away friends glory as much as you will and can in your greatnesse and glory there is a likenesse between Christ and Saints that they be filled with joy and rest and abundance of consolation yet withall there 's an unlikenesse to Christ is infinitely more above us all than all the men in the world above the lowest creature therefore away away with somethingnesse self-glorying this is enough for the world to be proud and high-minded but let all the Lords people be content to lose their lives themselves their excellencies gifts Crowns throw all down at the feet of the Lambe saying thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created and thou high big flesh that sayest thou art as Christ in this present world without the least darknesse the least sin when thou knowest not the ground why he was and could not but be without sin and no man so as he whilest in this house of clay he was
there 's a kinde of infinitenesse in it which all the world cannot satisfie and therefore the man was a fool that said Soul take thine ease because thy Barnes are full and yet notwithstanding this kinde of infinitenesse in the Soul as being restlesse till it return to God yet it cannot be infinitenesse it self it cannot be the first-born for of whole man it 's said whereof the Soul is the most noble part indeed what is man that thou art mindfull of him or the Son of Man that thou regardest him thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels Heb. 2. 6 7. man you see is inferior unto the Angels much more inferior unto the Son of God seeing the Angels likewise are his inferiors and therefore when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. 6. so then if Angels are inferior to Christ and men inferior to Angels surely the Soul must be far below the first-born and farther though the Soul be the seat of Christ and Christ be hid there as treasure in a field even in the innermost room of the Soul yet the Soul cannot comprehend the infinite Majesty so Christ in his Divine essence or being much lesse can it be Christ who is God over all blessed for evermore and though there be indeed a blessed Union and fellowship between Christ and an holy Soul yet still there 's a vast difference between the essence or being of the Soul and Christ the one being still a creature the other the Creatour of it thou mightest with better colour have called the Soul the light within and that likewise thou givest an hint of and this I say has more light in it than the former seeing Solomon sayes the spirit of man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly but yet the Soul comprehends more than this light and cannot be this Candle neither seeing the Candle may go out but the Soul remains still I say the Candle may go out Prov. 24. 20. the Candle of the wicked shall be put out and how oft is the Candle of the wicked put out Job 21. 17. but the Soul of the wicked can never be put out but their light may But what is the Soul then To make some answer to the question because it is mine own The Soul is a most noble power a living being an essence that quickens the body and yet dies not sleeps not when the body dies and sleeps but returns unto God who gave it this Soul is a little Map of the great world and makes man a little world for in his Soul is comprehended the life of plants the sense of beasts the reason of men and Angels this Soul quickens and makes man a living creature a sensitive creature a rational creature being the seat of life sense motion operation understanding reason and light in man and this Soul in the spiritualty of it the immortality of it the immensity of it not being satisfied without an infinite good and the rationality of it in the powers of the minde reason judgement will memory fancie appetite and affections in all these it 's a lively figure of God himself hence man is made after the image of God in an appearance according unto his capacity answerable unto the Divine Maiesty though still infinitely far short of what God is in his incomprehensible being who is the life of our life and Soul of our Soul called the father of our spirits in this Soul of man or in the spirit or minde of it as the highest power when 't is regenerated and resigned up lives the great King manifested here he dwells as in Mount Sion here he delights to be as in his Temple here he lives and moves and walks and feeds and takes pleasure in his own works and here he begins that life of righteousnesse joy peace rest glory which shall endure world without end and in this Soul of man un-enlightned and un-renewed Christ lies hid and is as one dead and unsavoury unto the Soul and so the Soul is in darknesse weaknesse sinfulnesse sorrow fear bondage and many times in beginnings of Hell and saddest woe for evermore and yet the world and those that perish for ever have had many times such glimmerings and such stirrings after God and good things such wrestlings between the 〈…〉 their own reason and common light and conscience as being despised and trampled upon hidden crucified and smothered in their earthly mindes provoking God thereby to give them over as a just reward for their unthankfulnesse I say they have had so much light as being rebelled against shall make them inexcuseable before the Lord at the sad hour of account and judgement Quest 16. What is the saving and losing of the Soul and the state of it after this life Answ Christ said what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own Soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul Math. 16. 26. the Scripture is plain would thou have a meaning to it is the Scripture a parable to thee yea to all vultures eyes venomo us beasts Repl. Would such an answer as this have pleased thee wouldest thou not have cried out aloud behold what bitternesse what darknesse is here Friend how has Satan still filled thine heart with lying vanities in dreaming of perfection and yet art altogether a stranger even to common humanity much more to that sweet spirit of love whereby the grace of God is manifested I know the Scriptures are a parable to vultures eyes and venomous beasts and so they are to thee as appears by thy gall and wormwood thine ignominy reproaches thou art pouring out upon thy brother and that for asking a reason with much sobernesse of the hope that is in thee I know this is the nature of those who say they are Disciples Prophets but are not being found liars to cry out loe here loe there come and follow me behold he 's in my secret Chamber in my holy form and way and all that believed not are judged condemned and given over unto the Devil Pope-like Antichrist-like but to passe to what follows to see how well thou art acquainted with the saving and losing of the Soul Answ Further all that believe in the light of Christ it leads to the knowledge of Christ the redeemer of the Soul which they that deny the light cannot see and so the Soul abides in condemnation and this is the saving and losing of their Souls and state of it after this life Repl. By this it appears by thee that the saving of the Soul is as much in mans power as the losing of it and yet Christ sayes to you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God but to them it is not given Math. 13. 11. and thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast
revealed them unto babes and the election has obtained the promise but the rest are hardned this is an hard saying who can bear it but the true seed and yet foolish wise man will teach God what to do thou hast indeed power to lose thy Soul but power to save it without grace and the new birth thou hast none and thou vain man who art loth to fell all away to lose that part of thy life and self which lies in the dream of thine own power to believe and freedom to embrace grace as well as to deny them now thou art in the way to lose thy life and Soul for evermore and yet still I say there 's so much power given the Creature as shall leave him inexcusable I know he who believes is led to Christ his Redeemer and the saving of his Soul is by the springing up of his life and grace in his Soul who is a vvell of water springing up into eternal life and he who believes not is a stranger to Christ the Redeemer of his Soul and this saving and losing is everlasting but still the power to believe and be saved is of God Eph. 2. 8. by grace are ye saved through faith and not of your selves it is the gift of God and as for the saving and losing of the Soul for ever if it be thy faith and thou canst bear witnesse to it as a truth thou hast seen of God why then doest thou hide thy self and mince the truth as if it were not a thing to be owned by the sons of men the rest of that answer is spent after the old form in accusations by the accuser thy father Quest 17. What is the difference between the Soul and the spirit which Paul prayes may be sanctified Answ As the spirit is received which sanctifies the difference is brought into unity and they are perfected to serve the Lord in one with the whole heart and Paul was a Minister of the word which pierceth even to the dividing asunder of Soul and spirit Heb. 4. 12. Repl. Still thou art dark about the soul or unwilling to discover thy darknesse and so thou canst say nothing or that which is little unto the question when the spirit is received which sanctifies thou sayest the difference is brought into Unity and they are perfect in one yet still to us there 's soul and spirit and this spirit in us is not the spirit of God which sanctifies as thou dreamest as if the spirit Paul speaks of were the spirit of God which sanctifies the soul of man and so brings the soul into Unity with it self no friend Paul speaks not of Gods spirit which is holinesse it self but of a spirit which needs sanctification and between this spirit in man and the soul of man it seems there is a difference and therefore he prayes that both may be sanctified but this difference thou knowest not I know the soul is a spiritual thing and cannot be divided into parts and powers as being one single entire essence but unto us there 's the understanding part the minde the eye of the soul the seat of reason and light and the will which is the observer of the minde looking to be taught by it as a power obedient and willing to act as it directs counsels and commands and there 's the inferior parts the appetite desire affections which are as perturbations and motions in the soul leading it out into love joy anger peace fear or the like all these as sanctified by the Lords spirit are brought into this Unity to be all servants unto his minde and will and this spirit of the Lord as 't is received more or lesse so it more or lesse ends the quarrel between God and us in the lusting of our spirits and souls against God and makes peace and brings all into Unity and so is that word which pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit this drives away the ignorance vanity weaknesse and enmity which is in the highest and purest part of mans soul his minde which is usually taken for the spirit called the spirit of the minde Eph. 4. 23. and called the eye and light of man the spirit of the Lord opens and heals this of all its blemishes and distempers and so gives an eye to see and an heart to understand by enlightning the eye of the minde which is called the spirit as that which looks over all and over-rules all in the soul of man Further the word or spirit of God takes away the stubbornesse frowardnesse and hardnesse of the will and bowes this to follow the light sprung up in the minde and so heales that power too which I look upon as belonging still to the spirit of the Soul Further the Lord likewise rectifies the judgement and the conscience and takes away by degrees all erroneousnesse wandring and fear and guilt here too and so gives a sound judgement and a clear conscience and the Lord takes away the sottishnesse foolishnesse sinfulnesse and manifold distempers of the thoughts and imaginations that spring up in the fancie of man and of the desires and longing after earthly vanities that spring up in the appetite which is an inferior power in the Soul and of the affections which are the motions and goings out of the Soul into love hatred delight sadnesse pleasure grief hope despair fear boldnesse anger and the like all which as common to man and beasts more sensible unto us are usually called the Soul and taken for the Soul I say these inferior faculties which are usually taken for the Soul as being the discoverers of the Soul more sensibly unto us all these these the Lord heales makes holy and pure for himself by his word and so separating things that differ and uniting all in an onenesse with himself he makes unity peace and harmony in all the higher and lower powers of the Soul and so to summe up things and a little farther to discover this noble power of the Soul 1. There 's the mind that 's the seat of light reason and understanding 2. There 's the will that 's the seat of action obedience and doing either good or evil 3. There 's the judgement that 's the seat of discerning and trying things 4. There 's the conscience that 's the book of all the good and evil we do 5. There 's the memory that 's the seat of Arts and Sciences of all that we so discern feel and know 6. There 's that which they call the common sense as a power which has an influence upon all the outward senses and carries as it were from the Soul seeing hearing tasting smelling and touching into all the five senses 7. There 's the fancie that 's the seat of all the innumerable thoughts and imaginations that spring up in the heart of man and this is the seat of all the Quakers dreams and high thoughts of themselves and mean thoughts of others and of many the precious
truths of God 8. There 's the appetite and that 's the seat of desires lustings and longings after things whether good or evil Lastly there 's likewise the affections which are the movings of the Soul out into love joy gladnesse pleasure and the like all these lower parts of the Soul as more common and easily seen and perceived are usually called the Soul and the higher and more noble powers are usually taken for the spirit of the Soul now when the Lord comes all these are healed cured and made well according as the Lord is more or lesse manifested and this is the sanctifying of these which the Apostle speaks of the bringing of them all into the will and life of God and as the Lord is received into the Souls of men so all these scatterings and movings and workings of the Soul are all gathered up to give their attendance upon the presence of the great King Quest 18. What is the Heaven and Hell the salvation and damnation of believers and unbelievers which the Scriptures intimate Answ Heaven and Hell are what the Scriptures declare them to be which none can understand but who are in the light where the entrance is made Repl. Still thou art seen not to be in a state of perfection and so what Childish answers have we no account cnast thou give of Heaven and Hell they are what the Scripture declares them to be surely friend if thou hast been in Hell and gone from thence to Heaven thou might'st have said something more I know it 's sufficient what the Scriptures intimate but I know thou ownest no Heaven nor Hell but what is here within in thy wandring spirit no resurrection judgment or Hell afterwards but what we have here by the light and from the light within this is thy dream onely thou art loth to discover thy self and so hidest the thoughts of thine heart and sayest Heaven and Hell are what the Scripture makes them to be and so I leave thee in this thine imaginations to give an account unto God in that day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed and Hell and Heaven begun here shall be perfected upon believers and unbelievers for evermore and what this Heaven and Hell is take my thoughts and use them at thy pleasure Heaven stands in a pure union and fellowship with the Father in love and Hell in a reall separation from this love of the Father in the Son and the enduring of the wrathfull vengeance of an angry God both these are begun here in grace or sin as in the root and both shall be perfected hereafter in the joy or misery which shall be everlasting as the Scripture speaks come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world and go yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matt. 25. 34 41. Quest 19. What is the first resurrection and the reigning with Christ a thousand years of that resurrection and the binding of Satan all that thousand years Answ The first resurrection is the resurrection of Christ wherewith he hath raised us from the death of sin to live with him to God in newnesse of life reigning over the lust of the world the flesh and the Devil Repl. All this I own as the comfort and joy of Saints in all generations for when the man-child is born who is called the new man the Lord from heaven then the first resurrection begins and that Soul reigns lives according to the measure of Christ in him with Christ a thousand years this Christ in us is the real substantial image of God that has the perfect nature of a man the first day he is born in the Soul as a Child has the nature of a man though not the wisdom and growth and strength of a man so it is in the Soul where Christ is risen and born that 's the true man-child and his growing up in the new holy life is the ground of the first resurrection and as he encreases in the Soul so the life is manifested and the resurrection more and more and so the Soul can say now I know that the life and the resurrection is come because the Son of God is come the precious seed of the promise he who breaks the head of the Serpent though the Serpent be still knibling and bruising his he'lâ— and if this were truely witnessed by yee surely I should not see so much darknesse and bitternesse still growing up and flourishing in yee neither could yee thus give your selves to revile mock vilifie and send others of the Children of God in your giddinesse unto the Devil and seek to deprive them of their credit and reputation in the world this is but the fruit of Thorns and Briars not of the vine and good Olive Tree this is but the Thistle that pricks but bears not the fruit of the first resurrection Further thou sayest Christ by his resurrection has bound Satan so say I for to this purpose was he manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil and when he appeares then the evill one is put in prison and chaines Further thou sayest such unruly persons as I talke of Satans being bound a thousand years but resist and own not that Crosse and power which should bind him for a day Repl. The Crosse I own and the power I owne as that onely which has bound Satan in me though I must not tell thee so neither is Satan at liberty as in mine ignorance and unbeleef neither do's he prevail neither am I without a stronger than he to divide his spoils and yet I am to take heed and not be so bold as some who are without fear of any stirrings and temptations from him though Paul set him as a Thorn in the flesh yet they are secure and neglect their Armour and so are many times again entangled and overcome Further thou sayest the Angel and the key of the bottomlesse pit and the great chain in his hand I know not Rev. 20. 1. neither do I and him I serve love that chain Repl. The spirit of the Lord surely wrote all this to thy generation and none must peep into these mysteries without thy key for thou art he who opens and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens as Christ gave his keyes to Peter in his absence and Peter unto the Pope or the Pope to thee and now thy fathers the false Prophets may go to seek heaven for thee for thou hast the keyes and none must enter in without thy mark and so the kingdom of Heaven is shut up and the Angel and the key of the bottomlesse pit and the great chain in his hand none must know but thee and thy generation and yet what if I should tell thee I have seen the Angel and he by the light within has opened the bottomlesse pit and there I have seen the Quaker and the Pope and all
and this builds the Temple and makes the Soul the Citie and House and Church of God by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God this grace springs out of the heart of God not out of the will of man and it's grace makes us his workmanship Citie and dwelling place and where 't is created that Soul is said to be of God and Christ is made unto it wisdom and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption efficiently and formally by working these and forming these in the heart of man and this pure building Babylon and Egypt cannot endure to see neither any that make it their businesse to wander abroad from God and go down into the Sea in ships and this Citie is the Lilly among the Thorns planted under the shadow of the Almighty where she sits down with great delight and inward recreation my Meditation of him shall be sweet I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live and I will go unto him mine exceeding joy This is she who rejoyces because the Bridegroom is come and though she have infirmities yet she 's washed and washing in the bloud of the Lambe and so the dayes of her sorrow and widdow-hood flee away this is she who is still adorning till the head and all the Members meet together in the fulnesse and joy of God and this spouse is nâ— Adulteres she loves not the voice nor love of strangers she is not something and great in her self for she is nothing but what she is in her husband by the grace of God I am what I am she cannot vvorship a shadow or form or idel as others to get her self a name in the vvorld she makes no mention but of one and to him she bowes and because all this glory is powred upon her therefore she 's despised of men hated persecuted and every where evil spoken of yet blessed because great is her reward in Heaven out if this Cities are all Harlots all vvorldlings shut all Hypocrites Backbiters strikers of their fellow servants all that make a mock of Christ of the sufferings and precious bloud of Christ all that say they are Christ lo here lo there all that stand upon their toyes ceremonies vvil-worships making the commands of God of none effect by their traditions see whether or no thou hast the name of this Citie written upon the forehead where so much railing flows from thy tongue and heart Quest 22. What is the Garden of Eden out of which Adam was driven whether it be the same with Paradise Quest 23. What is the Paradise of God and the Tree of life in the midst of it of which whosoever overcomes shall eat Quest 24. What is the hidden Manna and the white stone and the new name written in the stone which he that overcomes shall know Answ To these three queries he sayes Eden is no Garden known to the vvorld where 't is overcome with weeds and who are driven out of it is not the same with Paradise but who are come to the Tree of life the old Adam dead the man quickned which death passed over there the Garden is pressed and dressing here Eden and Paradise came to be known Repl. All this gives no satisfaction to what Eden and Paradise is though some truth there be in thy words for though Eden be every where where the presence of God is in Christ and this presence fills all places and all things we see yet 't is not known unto the world who are cast out and see Christ no more Eden was a figure of heaven where 's no want but all fulnesse all pleasure and this heaven is all over within and without unto a childe of God within he sees the Lord raiguing in his spirit without he sees the Lord in every creature the heavens declare his glory and the firmament sheweth his handy work all creatures are as Jacobs ladder to him with God at the top these are the Angels assending and dessending in continual motion but God who stands at the top hidden from the world but known unto his Saints he 's still the same and his presence in love and light is the Garden of Eden and within is Paradise joy singing and so in the presence of God in love every place is a place of joy every condition every dispensation heavenly and here the Soul has learned to discern between the form and the truth the out-birth and the father he looks unto God he 's the wheeâ—â—ithin the wheel and so a gracious Soul will honour God who is the 〈◊〉 being in every created being he can converse with God in all he sees anâ— say of every place creature condition and thing this is none other but 〈◊〉 house of God and the Gate of Heaven into this Garden the righteous 〈◊〉 and here they are inclosed and kept by the Almighties arm and here they 〈◊〉 not upon the shadow but upon the substance within they feed not upon the earthly but upon the heavenly fruit the vertue and power of God And so they live upon God in the Creatures upon God in the Scriptures upon God in every thing but the man in darknesse sees not God has not the benefit and comfort of God and so he is cast out of the Paradise and joy thus you see that Eden the wicked man knows not he sees not the presence of the great King and so he can not feed upon him the Weeds cover God and among them he hides himself and there he feeds upon the flesh not upon the substance the Tree of life this he dares not middle with being a guilty sinner and so if he would enter into the Garden he can not there is a whole principale between and the Sword is set and dye he must and come in by a Saviour and in him he must be born before the entrance can be made and when this is done and the man of sin in some measure crucified then the vilest sinner may go boldly in because the way is open by regeneration and live with God and know Eden Paradise And thou who grutchest another entrance into this Garden of Eden into the Lords presence there to be in joy and rest by feeding upon the bread of life it appears that thou art a stranger unto the Garden it is not drest for thee and though faign thou would'st put forth thine hand eat live for ever be thine own Judge enter into life through thine own power and crucifying yet there is an Angel will keep thy out till the old man begin to be annihilated and he who was dead begin to leave in thee who onely prepares the Soul for the Lord and brings it into his joy Answ Further thou sayest as the Serpent is overcome by the seed of God the Tree of life is seen and fed on which stands in the midst of the Paradise of God Repl. All this is true when man is nothing
and is at a losse in himself then Christ begins to be seen and then Christ is sweet and then he 's the onely Tree out of which life grows and so the Souls feed upon him who is that meat which perisheth not sealed by the father Further thou sayest the Tree of life comes down from heaven which is the hidden Manna and is the new name which none can know but he that hath it Repl. The Tree of life thou sayest comes down from heaven then he is not surely in the natural maâ—â—s thou sometimes dreamest if thou have this Tree in thee this liviâ—g Tree in thee why doest thou not declare him and tell us how hâ—â— the Manna and what the eating is Thou must answer nothing new no reason of thy faith hope but if these things were written in â—â—y spirit in deed and truth thou wouldest surely know that one maâ—â— end why they are given is that we might declare them Furthâ—â— thou sayest the hidden Manna the white stone the new name onely such as overcome have fed on read and know Rev. 2. 17. And yet thou in thy busie minde must needs be enquiring about it thou who art in the bondage of corruption scraping up Scriptures for sin darknesse to remain in man whil'st he is upon the earth that art an enemy to Christ the Tree of life who scoffes at yea and nay his doctrine c. Repl. All this surely do's not declare what Eden is or Paradise is or the Tree of life or the hidden Manna or the white stone or the new name unto all which thou wouldest fain pretend a peculiar interest by thine own overcoming yet canst not declare thy self surely friend if thou sawest the Lord and didst indeed abide in his presence thy foolish nature would not thus appear still in power wert thou in the light and joy of Paradise feeding upon God in thy self and upon God in every thing that is made surely thou couldest not scoffe at any truth of God and call it a scraping up of Scriptures because the Scriptures shew man his manifold errours and infirmities and so thou couldest not deny plain light written in Scripture and every mans experience that knows himself Didst thou know the Tree that the overcomer eats of surely thou wouldst not thus lye down to the Serpents power didst thou live in the Lord and feed upon the Lord who is the Paradise and Tree of life both surely thou wouldest see God in thy fellow-servant and not smite him or murmur because the Lord bears another company besides thy self for surely there 's enough in God for us all And did'st thou know the hidden Manna eat of it this would surely sweeten thine heart make thee forget the bitterness that comes through thy lips didst thou know the pure image the divine nature didst thou see this springing up in thee as a seal of life to thee surely thine heart would not thus retain the old hardnesse the old language having nothing written upon it but the name of the old man though the poor old man know it not or will not see it and so to summe up this and to leave a word or two with thee The Garden of Eden is every where where the Lord is manifested Paradise is the fulnesse and joy that grows up out of this manifestation the Tree of life is God in Christ manifested seen and know the eating is the feeding and living in our spirits upon the verâ—â—â—â— and excellencies as of God who bids all his friends eat and drink abundanâ—â—â— and the hidden Manna is the sweetnesse and inward nourishment the souâ—â—inds in God and the white stone is the purity and reality of the divine naturâ— in us and the new name written upon the stone is the Name of God the natuâ—â— minde will judgment of God the fullnesse of God let out according to oâ—â— measure into our hearts which shews to us the things that are freely given to â—s of God declares us in our experiences to be his Sons Daughters all these things are one in substance in the root being but the new man sprung up in us to bring us into Paradise and joy onely unto us thereis a variety of operations and administrations all which as we overcome so we are acquainted with Quest 25. What is the bottomlesse pit and the smoake that arises from thence and the darkning of the Sun and aire by the smoake and the locusts which came out of the smoake which John saw Answ When thou art come to the sound of the 5. Angels then thou wilt know see the bottomlesse pit out of which comes all the Sorceries Witchcrafts and Enchantments which deceive the Nations Repl. It seems thou hast heard the sound of the 5. Angels and yet hast not seen the Star fallen from Heaven unto the earth and so hast not heard the right sound if thou hast declare it neither hast thou seen the bottomlesse pit and so beholdest not the Sorceries Witch-crafts and Enchantments which come from thence neither the infatuations and strong delusions which God in wrath has given yee up unto and all your brethren in all other dark forms and superstitious vanities those delusions errours idols sins wickednesses abominations which spring up in such a variety abroad in the Nations hast thou not seen neither how all these grow up out of one original the bottomlesse pit of the angry wrathfull Kingdom of Lucifer thy father who has still been soaring up to Heaven but is still cast down unto the earth and the elect seed he cannot he must not deceive totally and finally and yet ought they alwayes to be upon their watch waiting upon their Bridegrom as knowing their own pronenesse unto evil but all yee who are secure and lofty perfect in your observations and imaginations that yee have never so much as a wandring thought prevailing much lesse sin appearing either in your lives or tongues even like your forefathers the Ranters whom yee own not in words but yet in spirit as they are pure holy undefiled in all things so are yee as they are reconciled to all things so are yee and as all that they speak is righteous altogether so all that comes from your idle lips and so yee as they are totally free from all remnants of the old Adam even ye poor wretches are thrown down into all the saddest and strongest â—â—â—usions of the evil one being down as it were at the bottom of the botâ—â—â—lesse pit perverting betraying and deceiving your selves and others with the dream of your high knowledge wisdom righteousnesse 〈◊〉 gifts high lights perfect attainments being found in all the steps 〈◊〉 the Pharisees Jews Priests Elders and Rulers of old who denied and crucified the Lord of glory And when yee pretend most love to Christ within and his light within even then ye most deny and grieve him trampling under your feet the Lord that bought yee making but a
priest-hood he cries out wilt thou believe nothing but Scripture Thus the man can add and take away at his pleasure though such are accursed of God Gal. 1. 8 9. Rev. 22 18. Further applying the speech of Christ unto himself before Abraham was I am I asking him whether he was not ashamed did ever Saint apply that unto himself He answered he understood it of the Spirit that was within him blasphemously applying the Divine Spirit that dwelt in the Son of God to the filthy Spirit of Belial that dwelt in him And yet this man must be perfect sinlesse and infallible But to let him alone with his father the Devil and to come to another with whom I had some dealing by conference and by questions and answers and replies on both sides This man was one Thomas Lawson who had a companion with him This man and his companion I finde contradicting the other in two things 1. Lawcock he owns the sufferings of Christ but not his dying yet another time both his suffering and dying But Lawson scoffs at the sufferings and dying of Christ in the flesh as none of his Crosse as you shall see in his papers Here 's no Harmony you see amongst the Quakers but Quaker against Quaker one against another 2. Lawson's companion told me he was Christ and what he spake was Scripture This Lawson yielded unto by his silence But Lawcock denied this speech and his brethren in it though he said in effect as much when he cried out Before Abraham was I am yet he would not be Christ Still here 's Satan divided against Satan and so it must be that his Kingdom may fall And yet these wretched men delude poor people and say that at the meetings of Quakers in the North when there have been three hundred and five hundred Quakers together they have been all of one heart and one minde and so they are indeed being all under the power of the Prince of the air the Spirit that now works in all the Children of disobedience where I leave them in chains of darknesse to the judgement of the great day As concerning their questions propounded to me in writing I gave them but a brief answer not minding to make any thing publick unto the world knowing mine inability to come forth in print in the midst of such a variety of judgements abroad yet receiving a reply from Lawson full of lying and railings and evil surmisings I was pressed in my spirit to give some satisfaction unto my friends of these mens folly and madnesse as also of mine own experiences in the dealings of God with me so far as concerns the matter in hand And therefore my dear hearts put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand in the midst of all the windes and storms of Satans fury lean to the Rock Christ wherein is everlasting strength to keep you in this hour of temptation and confusion Own the unity of the spirit the seed of God in all your companions in tribulation and make this the bond of peace All ye whose faces are toward Sion fall not out by the way Live in peace and love Though there be a variety of wayes thither according to Gods Divine dispensations yet in all the wayes of God there is an Unity and Harmony as they tend to one point and center of rest and joy in himself Make him thine aim then he is the Sion we are all going unto Be not discouraged by the way though some draw back others grow weary others step aside others revile and blaspheme Look thou to God he is thy father thou art his Son and Heir Let all thy knowledge and wisdom and light and graces and comforts thou hast received from God make thee not great and high and something but little and low and nothing still in thine own estimation Take heed of Thorns and Bryars and Chaffe and this untoward generation of Godlesse shamelesse men And so I commend thee unto him who is able to keep thee from falling and to present thee blamelesse before the Throne of his glory to whom be praise and dominion in the Church by Jesus Christ throughout all ages world without end Thine in the Lord Magnus Byne The scornfull QUAKERS ANSWERED And their railing Reply refuted Quest WHat is the first principle of pure Religion Answ The first principle of pure Religion is the Son of God dwelling in us He is the band of union between God and us or an Emanuell God with us He who lives in this principle is taught to be Religious And so he is bound and tied by love to worship the Father in Spirit who is the Center into which all Religion runnes and where all that is pure stayes Quest What is the Yoke of Christ Answ It s the Fathers work and will This is easy to the Son because of that spirit or principle of love that dwell's in him to his Father which moves him naturally and affectionately to do the will of his Father and to finish his work And this is the yoke that lyes upon every Christian Quest What is the Burden of Christ Answ It s his sufferings under all the weaknesses infirmities and sins of the world from the beginning thereof to this very day who is therefore called the Lambe slain from the foundation of the world This is light to the invincible Spirit of Christ who alone is able to overcome evill with good though the least reproach or suffering be a grievous load and burden to the weak low Spirit of flesh and blood which centers and lives no higher than self and this creation And this is the burden of every Christian which through faith is made light and easy to overcome as it is written Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith 1 Joh. 3. 4. Quest What is the Talent which to every one is given to improve Answ It s that measure of the light and truth which is given to and manifested in every man which comes into the world as it is written of Christ He was the true light which lighteth every one who cometh into the world John 1. 9. Quest What is the Crosse of Christ and what doth it tend unto Answ It s the crucifying dying and suffering in the flesh which the head and all the members must and shall passe thorow or be baptized with before they enter into the glory of the Father which tends to the burning up of all fleshly visibilities discoveries enioyments dispensations that are temporall and shadowish that the Father and his Son and Sonnes may live in that oneness of spirit and glory where God shal be all in all Quest Who are they that bring their Talent out of the earth it to improve Answ Those who through the eternall spirit arise from under all the rubbish of the elementary world whence and where all bodies by the strong Word of
Here 's no judging murmuring complaining dividing persecuting murdering These are the wayes of Egypt and Babell In Canaan there is rest from all the works of Egypt and darknesse Here 's unity in the midst of variety Here all are looking into the onenesse into the pure image and nature of the Father and this light keeps harmony and agreement between all the sons of Canaan And so in Canaan there 's joy melody singing Halleluja's Here the world is not mentioned flesh and bloud is not at all remembred with delight the former things are passed away and all is become new God alone is made mention of to be Lord and King and set up upon the Throne for ever Quest What is the vail which divides between the holy and most holy Answ It 's the flesh of Christ and all outward dispensations which divide and keep Saints whilest in weaknesse and bondage though holy in some measure from entring into the most holy into the substance truth it self or into the choisest glory of the father This vail of flesh in Christ was rent when he suffered death or was crucified in the flesh Through which death or rending of the vail of flesh he entred himself and made way also for us to enter into glory Hebâ— 10. 19. 20. Having therefore boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh And when this vail of flesh of letter and shadows and outward dispensations is rent and crucified by the eternall spirit in the true Christian then he the Christian enters into the holiest into the glory and joy of his Father Quest What is the death which over all men is passed and how camest thou to live Answ It 's first the breaking of the body or this earthly Tabernacle which comes upon all without exception for sin Rom. 5. 12. Secondly it's the dying unto Paradise and the Kingdom of God which man hath drawn upon himself by his lusting after and eating of the fruit of the four elements By this lusting and eating he becomes infected poysoned in his minde and will with the fruit of the Sun and Stars And this is the taking and eating of the Tree of temptation and his leaving the Tree of life and the heavenly fruit And thus he becomes an earthly man and dead Death stickes in his minde and soul and man is dead to all feeding upon God and the Son of God who is the Tree of life Man can no more feed upon the fruit which grows upon this Tree of life which is Christ till Christ awake and arise in the center of his soul and carry him through all the Trees of temptation or the pleasures pompe and glory of the outward world into the inward or holy pure element of this spirituall body and pure nature and there awaken him to eat of the Tree of life and live for ever And this is the way whereby I and all the Sons of God come to passe from the spirituall death into the spirituall life in the pure nature of Jesus Christ Quest What is deaths reign from Adam to Moses And to Moses how didst thou come Answ From Adam to Moses there was no law written without all the law was within upon the conscience here was the rule or law which God gave the worlds to walk by Now the world acting against this light and law within kept sin in the world from Adam to Moses for till the law viz. given out by Moses sin was in the world Rom. 5. 13. Now sin alwayes brings men under the reign of death and so death reigned over all from Adam to Moses All had a law given within otherwise they could have had no sin for where there is no law there is no transgression Now mens breaking of this inward law was their sin and this their sin brought them all under the power and reign of death And thus it is still though there had been no Moses to write Gods commands in outward tables or Scripture yet the law being written within upon the conscience by the finger of God we sinning against this law do plunge our selves into the reign of death wrath and condemnation we kindle the Root of the fire and that being awakened makes our Hell or self-comdemnation within because we have sinned against our light Now by this light and law within we come to know Moses and that all the law she hath written are holy just and good because we finde the same within that he hath written without and nothing without but what is in spirit and power within Quest. Who are they which sin not after the similitude of Adams transgression which till Moses death reigned over Answ They are infants in years according to some who although they sin not actually after the manner of Adam yet they have sin and death written in their nature according to the weaknesse of this creation Or they are infants in knowledge who although they have not such full discoveries of the minde of God and such strength to stand as Adam had and so their sin be not so great as Adam which is to sin after his similitude yet they have a plain law within as before which bids them not act or eat that which the Lord forbids They living contrary unto this law fall into sin and death And in this childish condition are we all sound till the Lord quicken and save us Quest Art thou called immediately by the great God of Heaven and earth into the Ministery yea or nay Answ That Ministery I act in I have the anointing of the Spirit which doth sufficiently warrant my call But as for those who are called through Arts and Sciences and mens ordinations without this anointing I know they are the Pillars of Antichrist which I cannot own for the Apostles of Christ My calling teacheth me to renounce my fleshly wisdom and to live upon the grace and love of God commending that manifestation of the truth that is in me to every mans conscience in the sight of Christ Quest Hast thou seen Gods face yea or nay Answ To see the invisible God with carnal eyes I never did nor shall for no man hath heard his voice nor seen his shape but with the enlightned minde I have in some measure seen his face nay his heart in the precious revelations and discoveries of his Son towards me in love which Son is the face and heart and brightnesse of God opened in love wherein he shews and speaks forth plainly his exceeding kindnesse and goodnesse to all his Children This face of God I have thus seen which is more to me than a thousand vvorlds Quest Hast thou heard Gods voice immediately from Heaven and earth yea or nay Answ I have heard his voice as I have seen his face viz. inwardly spiritually which voice of his hath fetched me out of the grave of darknesse sin
and misery and translated me into the Kingdom of his dear Son where I have righteousnesse peace and joy and that in power which makes these things in me unspeakable and full of glorie Quest Who baptized John the Baptist Answ Even he baptized him by his Spirit into his administration who sent him first forth to baptize with water he being the first who was called to that baptisme of water had no need of the baptisme of any other but of him who sent him Quest. Whether is Jesus Christ the end of all figures Answ Yea I look upon Jesus Christ as the end and fulfilling of all types and shadows he being the substance for whose sake all figures were ordained and when he is come the figure disappears or the shadow flies away Quest Whether Jesus Christ baptized any with outward water yea or nay Answ We read that Christ was baptized himself with water by John who was the Minister of water but Jesus Christ himself never baptized or administred water in his own person John 4. 1 2. Quest Whether John was a Prophet And whether Iesus Christ be the end of the Prophets and prophetical figures yea or nay Answ Iohn was a Prophet nearer the more clear Revelation of Iesus Christ than the rest and therefore more in the light for a greater Prophet than Iohn hath not risen and yet as other Prophets he was one rather upon the account of the Law than the Gospel For he who was least in the Kingdom of God or administration of the Gospel was greater than he Matt. 11. 11. Now Christ is the end or fulfilling of Iohn and the rest of the Prophets and their shadowish ministrations and all the Lords people under the ministration of Christs reign within are made Kings and Priests and Prophets unto God in their own persons Quest Whether he whose Commission is in Ink and Paper without him be not a Minister of the Letter and not of the Spirit one that walks by tradition and imitation and not by command and so shut out of the true ministerie Answ Such an one I look upon as a Thief and Robber because not entring in by the door of the Spirit within into the sheepfold And though these men speak the words of Moses of Christ and other holy men of God yet having no experience of the truth and enjoyment of what they speak within hence they can be but Lip-Ministers and make but Lip-Christians being rather mockers of Christ and his Spirit in the Saints than Ambassadours from Heaven to awaken Christ in mens consciences and to set him up to reign as King and Lord in mens Spirits which is the end of the Lord by the Ministery of those whom he sends Quest Whether Iesus Christ who sent forth Disciples sent them to spread abroad Iohn and his Ministery who was a Prophet or himself who was the end of the Prophets greater than Iohn who baptizeth with the holy Ghost in whom alone is salvation yea or nay yet who owns him sets every thing in its place time and season Answ The end of Christs sending out to preach was that thereby the Nations might be baptized not into the name of Iohn or Peter or Iames or Paul but into the name of God that they might understand and know God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent that men might become the Lords Disciples and not the Disciples of men and so we finde the Apostles not preaching up themselves but Iesus Christ the Lord and themselves servants Apostles men sent to minister as they had received And the main drift of their preaching we finde was to declare the Gospel glad tidings of grace and peace through Christ unto the Sons of men to open the mystery of Christ which was hidden from former ages and to entreat men through Christ to be reconciled unto God to bring to a receiving all from Christ and to a placing all in Christ who of God is made unto all his wisdom righteousnesse and redemption and that by way of Spirit and power working all these in their Souls In brief Christ sent out his Disciples to declare himself to preach salvation in his name and to perswade the vvorld to faith and meeknesse and love and self-denial c. through their taking in Christ to work all these in their Souls And yet they were to give every outward person and ordinance God was to make use of or had made use of before its due respect plate and season Quest Whether the baptisme unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea was outward yea or nay Answ The baptisme unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea I take not to be literal but metaphorical and a typical baptisme The Cloud typically holds forth the presence of God overshadowing protecting and defending them from their enemies And their passing through the Sea on dry ground when their enemies were overwhelmed and drowned holds forth the wonderfull power of God in their deliverance and defence These were two great Declarations of Gods power and providence towards that people by which they were baptized unto Moses that is confirmed in the truth of his administration and so taught to believe God and his servant Moses whom he had sent by a strong hand to bring them out of Egypt into Canaan Quest. Whether the one baptisme which Paul spake of who was not sent to baptize was with outward water or with the baptisme of Christ who is greater than John Answ The baptisme which Paul cals one is the baptisme of Christ upon all his whereby they are baptized spiritually into an onenesse of nature with himself as their faith is one so their baptisme one Quest Whether that baptisme which Peter witnesseth to have which was not the putting away this filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ was with outward water yea or nay Answ This baptisme the Apostle here speaks of must needs be an inward thing wrought in the soul by the resurrection or appearing of Christ there in spirit through whose coming the conscience comes to be cleansed from guilt shame and fear and so the soul can go unto God cheerfully and safely as one saved through the baptisme or spiritual work of the Son of God within Quest Whether that cup of which Jesus Christ sayd that henceforth he would not drink of the fruit of the wine till he did drink it new with them in his Fathers kingdom was an outward cup yea or nay Answ This cup and drinking in the Fathers kingdom must needs be a spiritual cup and drinking for in the Kingdom of God there 's no eating and drinking of earthly fruit all is heavenly and Paradisicall there 's no eating and drinking of any thing but what flowes from the nature and spirit and fulnes of the Father Quest Whether any outward cup be drunk in the Kingdom of God yea or nay Answ There 's no carnal sensual cup
deceitfull above all things and knoweth nothing by nature of the spirituall things of God If thou hadst the Lord the just Judge in the midst of thy spirit quickened he would have shaken thee out of thy earthly heaven and digged up that root of bitternesse out of thine heart which springs from the bottomlesse pit in thee which root hath been spared through thine own indulgence to thy self as that within thee beares thee witnesse Repl. Thou tellest me The crosse is foolishnesse to me Answ It is so to reason in me but to faith it 's the power of God and the wisdom of God to thee indeed it is foolishnesse who instead of beleeving in the crosse of Christ makest nothing of the bloud of Christ shed at Jerusalem and so art fondly prying into the mysterie before the foundation be laid Repl. Thou sayest When I am searched into I am found an Alien to the ground of truth and yet through the pride of mine heart I said to such as I had formerly bewitched through my lies in hypocrisie that the questions were low and simple things Answ Thou I say art not capable of discerning either the truth or an Alien from it who hast no other ballance but thine own weak reason and dream to weigh things with As for my bewitching any through my lies let them speak and shew me what errour or sin or mischief I ever perswaded them unto If they came to me they were welcome if they are nearer to God 't is well if further off that 's ill I never did much glory in their company since I found them carried about with winde and fables As for thy questions thou seest I make a sober answer without bitternesse or railing though some of them I found alike and some of them I know not what This I know will grieve thee to see thy glory stained and slighted never so little seeing thou art the Pharisee that gloryest in thy questions Repl. Thou sayest The least measure of the life of the kingdom is hid from me Answ The life of the kingdom begins in the crosse of Christ since this hath had it's power in me to my crucifying and slaying in any measure I have found the life of the kingdom springing up and in this kingdom I have some measure of righteousnesse peace and so it is not altogether hid from me But thou rebellious wretch where wilt thou begin to enter into the kingdom where life is who lookest upon the crosse of Christ as a foolish thing and makest his sufferings and crucifyings in the flesh no crosse no part of his crosse and so swine-like tramplest under thy feet the precious bloud of the Son of God and makest it veil to thee so knowest not where life begins though the crosse of Christ without in the flesh and history thou mayest read and learn exactly too and yet not begin the life of the kingdom without the vertue and power of it crucifie thy self and flesh and arm thee with the minde of Christ to empty thy self of all thy glory and to humble thee at the feet of God to death as Christ did Repl. But thou sayest I use my tongue and say the Lord sayth when I have nothing but the letter and harlot-like trim my self with it and sit in an high seat in my imaginations even above the seed which by the fowls of the aire is devoured Answ The letter of the Scriptures being a declaration of the minde and love of God to man I look upon as one of the choice vessels of the Lords sanctuary and the flesh body and sufferings of Christ to purchase and make peace for us I look upon as a vessel without which the Lords sanctuary cannot be furnished with the Oyle of life or the beginnings of salvation This letter concerning Christ especially together with all the rest of the Scriptures I look upon as a precious mercy and light unto the Sons of men And yet all this without the meaning and fulfilling of Scriptures in us and to us by the anointing of the spirit availes nothing unto our salvation and inward consolation so that letter and history joyned with the spirit of the Lord opening and sealing the meaning and substance to my spirit is the Word of the Lord to me And friend this tongue of mine which thou sayest I use was given me to this end to use against all such as shall no lesse than commit fornication with the letter when it seems to favour their weak imaginations and formes but yet cannot endure to unite with the meaning and mystery couched or vayled under the letter And thus it is with the Quakers in their carnall tremblings Cattle of Tythes Priests the word Master Father the titles of thou you yea nay and the like In these things their souls are drunk with the letter and made they are against all interpretations and meanings put upon the letter though by the Lords spirit but in the great things of Christ and resurrection and judgement and heaven and hell after this life here the letter is prophanely trampled upon slighted abused contradicted and their fancie meanings and sensuall interpretations must be all the Scripture in such matters and so sometimes they are glorying in the letter but cannot endure the meaning and fulfilling at other times they are glorying in the mysterie and meaning but cannot endure the letter See here friends what a nose of wax as the Papists call it ye make of the Scriptures of truth and how they are wrested by you as by all other dark forms and professions onely to uphold your golden image that your own fingers have made This I cannot passe by in you with silence neither that high seat ye seek to creep into even the seat of God crying out lo here lo there I am Christ I am wise I am perfect without all spot All this is so manifest against both letter and meaning of Scriptures that though I should hold my peace the stones in the street would cry out against you And so thou who sayest I harlot-like trimme my self with the letter take heed how thou harlot-like trimmest thy self with Gods glory that others may ignorantly worship thee for God who art a poor broken idoll And take heed how by talking of a light within which I own in it's place thou prophanely despisest what is written in the letter seeing that also is a light that shines in a dark place and so to be owned of us too And take heed how in thy high-flowen lofty spirit thou be not found in that which thou condemnest in another viz. among the fowles of the ayre seeking to devour all the precious seed of God that is sown in any form or people besides thine own Repl. But I would deceive such thou sayest who are going right on their way Answ If by way thou understand a following of Christ in the way of life such I cannot deceive for no man can pluck such out of Christs
hand he and his father are greater than all and sufficiently able to preserve all theirs from all delusions and pollutions of men If thou mean by their way mans way or thy way which is a way of sense and reason and flesh such as are going in this way my desire is to undeceive But in any way of God be as strict and holy as the will or rather as the grace of God shall teach you to be onely have a care that ye begin not in the spirit and end in the flesh and so stick in the washing of the cup or platter or out-side when the heart is proud and lofty and doth all it doth to justifie it self with the proud Pharisee Repl. But thou sayest again I know not the Crosse which is the power of God to them that are saved and the bloud of his Crosse who makes peace I know not and so am unwashed in the bloud of the Lamb a Sow wallowing in the mire that 's my figure I wallow in pride and covetousnesse c. Answ Through the bloud of the everlasting covenant I have seen and believed the love that God hath to me and I own the bloud of his Crosse who hath made peace for me This through faith in it becomes the power of God to save me and this Crosse having its efficacy upon my Soul becomes the ruin of Satans Kingdom in my flesh And now I am not ashamed to tell thee I know no mire I wallow in but that of scandals reproaches accusations slanders from Satan and his Spirit who rules in the dark world and yet through the power and vertue of the Crosse am I freed from fear of this mire and this power carries me forth out of the mire of corruption and teacheth me to die dayly to live more to him and in him who is my life and Saviour And this I know is accepted according to what I have And now who art thou that condemnest It is God that justifies and sets me free from the reign of sin and death though I finde still enough in the flesh within me to keep me humble and low yet thou who wilt needs be my judge know that in the midst of all Satans railings and accusings and condemnings of me by thee I can sweetly behold the Lord causing all these things to work together for my good and easily making void thy condemnations Repl. Further thou tellest me I take upon me to tell what the flaming sword is and ghesse one thing and another thing Answ Here thou art still in the image of thy father either railing or scoffing when thou knowest not what to reply or say It seems thy questions were so deep in thy conceit that none could answer them but by ghessing and so they might be in thy double doubtfull sense Didst thou ever hear of the Oracles of old among the Heathen whither people resorting to ask the event of things the subtle Devil alwayes gave forth his answers in a double doubtfull sense and by this trick he kept up his credit in that blinde generation Just like his answers then are thy questions now alwayes taken in a double sense and when they are answered in the Letter then thou flyest unto the spirit and when they are answered in the spirit then thou flyest unto the Letter and so like thy father between both thou seekest to maintain thy credit among thy blinde friends for that 's thy God thy credit and yet it may be God may open thine eyes I can but ghesse at it seeing thou hast so willingly denied the Lord that bought thee But to thy reply that may be doth not make mine answer a ghesse but lets thee understand that the flaming sword is a real thing in both those senses I named And with this sword God will confound and destroy all proud persons and things for ever And though thou see it not yet my joy is that this sword of the Lord hath kept me from the forbidden Tree and put me in minde of the new and living way of coming to the Tree of life which is by the bloud of Jesus Thus the Law and the fiercenesse of the wrath of God which cuts me off every way from entring into life through mine own power and merits puts me upon the way of the Gospel and free grace which is to enter into life by believing on him who justifies the ungodly and so to be saved by the power and merits of Jesus Christ And though thou tell me of deceit guile covetousnesse hypocrisie doubtfulnesse which the sword takes hold of Yet I tell thee again the sword of the Lord in me hath cut down the Tree where these things grow and I am risen from their power and covet dayly to finde the power of the Crosse to crucifie these things in me more and more that so I may be more freed from all these works which the sword takes hold of and so Jacobs portion even the Lord is still mine for ever notwithstanding all thy ghessing at my pride covetousnesse c. Repl. Another great fault thou findest with me is that I am called of men Master which Christs forbids Answ Sometimes thou art in the meaning and deniest the Letter as in the Crosse of Christ here thou art low in the Letter but deniest or else knowest not the meaning and therefore art thou found in the thing and power of the name Master but grudgest another the form or name outwardly of Master Thou sayest I am called Master and so I am through mans courtesie without any affectation of mine But thou thy self lovest to be the Master and Father of anothers faith the Christ the high one which Christ forbids though thou art a poor drop a worm defiled with errours blindnesse and sins like others of the sons of men Repl. But thou sayest I am telling of the 3. principle of the elementary world of the strong word and much more which I received from the mouth of the Germane vvriter I. B. not from the mouth of the Lord. Answ As for my using an expression which sets forth the life of a truth what matters it whose the words were If I had borrowed an answer out of Behemen I should soon have heard thee set down the place which had been something indeed though I know it as lawfull for me to use another mans words and speeches so as I am made one with the thing in mine own spirit as it was with Paul to use the saying of an Heathen Poet. Repl. But thou tellest me I am telling of the language of Egypt and in the same thing I witnessed against am I found Answ Here thou seemest to confesse contrary to the minde of thy father that I speak a truth yet to save thy credit because thou thy self art guilty of the language of Egypt thou sayest I have got the language of the Israel of God but the Egyptian speaks them Is not this a brave come off But stay notwithstanding this fine
me out of the great City Sodom that he may live and reign in me for evermore But thou tellest me Repl. I have libertie to act unrighteousnesse thou art merry in the flesh thou canst laugh and jeer tender consciences and scorn such as are not in the same fleshly libertie which thee thou canst now oppresse an whole Parish and live by dishonest gain and make merry with Ranters feast drinke hunt card c. Answ There was and still is within me more and more that which hath and doth passe sentence upon these and the like unrighteous acts finde the faithfull and true witnesse judging and pleading in me against these cruell bloudy enemies and what I am guilty of in any of these particulars thou comest too late to be my judge there is one in the midst of my spirit whom thou knowest not he hath rebuked and saved me through his grace and so the lying spirit in thee is cozened of his prey as for my jeering tender consciences I know what it is to grieve and wound such and to offend one of the least of the little ones that believe in Christ I know liberty of conscience is the great interest of all the people of God in the Nation and a thing which I cannot but stand up and plead for according to my light in my generation Neither shall all the indignities and injuries that I meet with from any in the world ever make me to plead for bonds or fetters or burdens to be laid and put upon tender consciences and in this I speak the truth before the Lord I lye not Repl. But thou tellest me I am a Ranter Answ I know blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall never be forgiven unto men and that it is impossible for those who have tasted of the heavenly gift as many of the Ranters have if they fall away to be renewed again unto repentance and that I have abhorred the blasphemous filthy talk and practice of Ranters I can speak it with comfort to the praise of God my Father and that there are such amongst us I cannot remember it in secret without thinking what a sad judgement of God it is for men to be given up to such strong delusions to believe lies such as these are the shame of our Nation and the great abuse of our present liberty And yet let not the high-minded Quaker glory over these poor deluded Ranters seeing publicans and harlots shall enter into the kingdom of God before the lofty Pharisees Repl. Thou sayest further out of the old bottle I poure out scoffes and yet professe Christ in all Aâ—sw Why hath Satan filled thine heart with nothing else but lying How many scoffes doest thou finde in my papers I sent thee Look see and how many times doest thou finde me scoffing and yet professing Christ in all What thou in the pure Religion in the strength of the light within and yet all along at Satans work remember that if for every idle word surely for every lye thou must give an account at the day of judgement Thou tellest me Repl. Christ is all among them who have put off the old man and his deeds and thou quotes a place Coll. 3. 4. 10 11. I answer Answ Surely then Christ is not all with thee who hast not put off thine anger wrath malice blasphemy lying scoffing which every page if not line in thy vain paper makes abundantly manifest to thy face against thee all these proceeding from the old man in thee makes it plain that Christ is not all in thee and therefore art thou a stranger to the elect of God to the holy and beloved seed who are alwayes putting on bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse longsuffering forbearing and forgiving even as Christ hath forgiven them in love But to give thee thy due praise thou hast spoken one truth Christ is indeed the glory and fulnesse where he is manifested in power to cast out the strong man and his deeds when I finde it so in thee I shall yield thou hast had a fit of real true trembling But instead of looking home thou art found still at thine old trade and tellest me Repl. I have not put off the deeds of the old man when there was some tendernesse in mee and some desires to come out of pride oppression coveteousnesse all is gone and I am found among the flesh-pots of Egypt and had better never to have been born than to make ship-wrak of that tendernesse once known by me Answ This is but the old lesson over and over and over again like a Quakers Sermon and as heathens prayers full of vain repetitions And by this I know what he is to expect that reveales a secret to a scornfull Quaker Yet know I am so tender still as to abhorre pride oppression coveteousnesse neither do I persecute or deal unrighteously with any as many great pretenders have done with me and still doe at this day But God hath delivered and doth deliver and will deliver me from every snare and gin of unreasonable wicked men and he it is that keeps me from making shipwrak of tendernesse faith and conscience Repl. Further thou tellest me what is done in tâ—e wildernesse there is the way of holinesse known and walked in which the unclean walk not in but the redeemed in which is no erring Isa 35 8. Which way is a way of holinesse which I am not in c. Answ Here 's a good wildernesse indeed but thou hast lost thy way thither and art found erring and wandring in a wildernesse where no water is and so art not found drinking in holinesse from the Lord but feeding upon the weeds of thine own fleshly holinesse exalting thy self not with the redeemed in the Lord but with the imprisoned in a strange land in thine own observations And thou poor worm who sayest I eat upon swines flesh I feed upon the perishing I eat that which dies of it self all these speeches together with all thy paper savour too much of thy swines flesh and of thy feeding upon thy swines flesh which is thine own will and self and form and therefore art thou found in the way of the world clamourous bitter cruell implacable against all that wander not with thee in thy wildernesse of flesh and bloud and now and then thou makest use of a Scripture to cover and hide thy swines flesh which thy spirit too much feeds upon and so no wonder though there be no joy or gladnesse to be seen in thy countenance seeing thou hast no better flesh to feed upon than swines flesh which kils the spirit and so neither thine heart is merry nor thy countenance cheerfull Repl. Further thou tellest me I say in Canaan is no judging and so out of mine own mouth thou judgest me out of Canaan who in my Queries have again and again judged thee Answ In my Queries indeed I desire to see the strength and light thou walkest in neither do I
judge any thing in thee but what falls under the condemnation of the light and truth of God and though thou pretendest to a fulnesse of light and knowledge yet I finde thee low and dark by thy frivolous answers which thou givest to what the Soul is what the two witnesses are what the first and second resurrection is what the day of judgement heaven and hell are and many other things propounded to thee which I finde thee unable and unwilling to make out the truth of and therefore art thou angry that thy weak building is so much as questioned And yet thou knowest the Apostles counsel is to us all that we should be alwayes ready to give answer of the hope that is in us with meeknesse and fear but thou having no hope but in this life thy heaven and happinesse here art judged of all men to be most miserable according to what the Apostle saith If in this life onely we have hope in him we are of all men most miserable And so thou miserable wretch art loath to be questioned though thou send questions by the scores to other men Repl. But thou seest mine intent thou sayest I would not have my deeds of darknesse reproved Answ If thou hast received wisdom and power to reprove in the name of the Lord do it as sharply and bitterly as thou canst for let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindnesse let him reprove me it shall be an excellent Oyl which shall not break mine head But to thee I say have a care thou take not the name of God in vain for the righteous one I do not finde in thee reproving seeing thou canst not do it in the patience and meeknesse of Jesus Christ. But thou sayest Repl. Is not that the honour which is given to all the Saints to execute judgement upon the Heathen Psal 149. 6 7 8 9. And all that know not God are Heathen and he that sins hath neither seen God nor known God 1 Joh. 3. 6. That which cleanseth man leadeth man to see God The pure in heart see God and Canaan was a figure of the spiritual rest c. Answ Friend wert thou in the meaning as well as in the Letter of these Scriptures thine eyes would be in thine own head not alwayes abroad like an Heathen in the ends of the earth and so thou wouldest judge and excute vengeance upon the Heathen or carnal man in thy self and then be in a fit posture of wisdom to judge the Heathen or carnal men without bearing witnesse against all their railings and revilings both in thy words and deeds But to look a little upon the places noted by thee This honour have all the Saints to execute the Lords vengeance by the two edged sword of his Spirit upon all the Heathen But thou art found to thy dishonour judging the Sons of God and the Daughters of God to be Heathen and so thy sword is drawn against the Lords anointed ones not against the Heathen And as for the binding of their Kings with Chains and their Nobles with fetters of Iron which shall be the honour of the Saints to do I finde this Scripture not yet eminently fulfilled in spirit and power some outward binding I have seen fulfilled in our own land but the firm real strong binding and limiting that shall be by the reigning of Christ in power and great glory in his Saints this shall asswage the malice and rigour of the Kings of the earth against the Church and make them stoop and bend and be willing to bring all their glory to her because they shall see and say the Lord is in you of a truth This day of the Churches power through the presence of the Lord in her in much wisdom knowledge righteousnesse and love to binde the Heathen and their Kings I finde dawning and the desire of all Nations is not far off But yet through the Saints violence and rage one against another in their several forms and imaginations evâ—ry one making hast to have the Crown and Honour of the day to himself â—â—â—t looking so much to the coming of the Lord as to his own advancing above all others of his brethren watching rather upon one anothers infirmities than upon the appearing of the Lord in one another through this weaknesse of the Saints and too much indulgence to their forms I finde the great day of binding to be retarded and prolonged yet the Vision is for an appointed time he that shall come will come and will not tarry And had we but a little more faith patience and quietnesse in our spirits we should soon see the Lord and his salvation Therefore stand ye still and be silent O all flesh wait upon the Lord and he shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy judgement as the noon day It is his nature his power in the Saints that must bind Satan and all the wicked ones of the earth If man onely binde and kill and slay this worketh no deliverance no settlement no peace as we see at this day But when the Lord shall binde and slay and put in prison our enemies then we shall have rest and joy and quietnesse in our habitations Therefore as Bellarmine said when he came to die after all his study and labour to advance free will and mans merits that it was the safest way onely to rely upon Christ so say I after all our vain study and labour each to draw Disciples after himself to make his name and side great and strong the best and safest way will be for every one to rely upon the Lord and to think soberly of himself according as God hath given to every man the measure of truth and faith and then we shall begin to Judge the Heathen indeed and not thus shame our selves before them by our envy and railing and evill speaking one against another Repl. Further thou sayest all that know not God are Heathen and he that sins hath neither seen God nor known God Answ And so say I all that know him not in some measure of light and love are heathens and he that is in bondage to corruption that sins freely and willingly he hath no true sense nor saving knowledge of God upon him or in him and yet through infirmity temptation and weaknesse a Saint who hath a sweet taste and sense of God may be found in that which is sinfull though this man will by no means allow or approve of sin As Paul saith the evill which I do I allow not Repl. And thou sayest that which cleanseth men leadeth man to see God the pure in heart see God Answ All this is truth That which cleanseth and purifieth and leadeth to a sight of God is one power one pure spirit and by cleansing out what is contrary unto it self and making it self plain which is pure it leads the soul according to it's discovery into the spirituall rest where it satiates and fills it self with
I should be a lyar like thy self yet I finde to the praise of Gods rich grace that his sicknesse is unto death his body cannot be cured but by the Word of the Lord I shall destroy him and so in all his appearances he is seen And though thou plead his cause like a man well feed strongly against me yet he and all his Angells must to their place go where I leave thee with him in thy dark imaginations romping up and down to perish in his Kingdom unlesse the Lord arise mightily for thy deliverance But thou tellest me again Repl. I am found in the pollutions of the World in the spots thereof living in disobedience to the minde of Jesus Answ I know there is none can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Though I have not attained unto what I desire yet I have through grace still the victory in the end and I am not in the flesh but in the spirit according to Gods account and here I know all things shall work together for my good and not withstanding all thy hard speeches yet mine own conscience bears me witnesse that with my minde I serve Jesus not my self or any other man in the World and so am not seared Repl But thou tellest me In the children of disobedience the Prince of darknesse rules even the beast which all the World wander after Answ And so say I the whole World lies in wickednesse and are obedient to the Prince of darknesse in fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind and so wee are all till endued with power from on high and fetched out of this grave by the voice of the Son of God Repl. Thou sayest further When my measure I have filled up among the beast of the field and the Lamh have gored with my Hornes apace yet shall a band about my neck be put and tormented shall I be Answ As for the beasts of the field I leave thee to wander up and down with them in the field of the World till the Angell thrust in his sickle into the earth and gather the Vine of the earth and cast it into the great wine-presse of the wrath of God yet I desire thy life rather than thy death And still I say read thine own lesson over in thine own heart I know no band about my neck but the Lords work and will this keeps me from goaring the Lamb this makes me to own the Lamb still and this drives me still whither I with Christ would go into the sweetnesse and fulnesse of God where I can lye down and sleep in peace In mine answer to another of thy questions thou tellest me Repl. I am telling what the beast is and the number of his name whose number is 666. Answ Here I finde thee again shifting and scoffing and the reason is because thou wert discovered to be in the number of the beast this the wisdome of God saw afarre of and gave that answer to thy question as a sword to wound thee though thou spare and hide thy self For look the answer and compare thy spirit with it and see how right thou art in the number of the beast For art not thou one who cries out I am a God that cannot erre yet to the man that hath understanding though thy party be deluded in the midst of all thine imaginary fulnesse in thy self thou art but a poor miserable man that lies in errour this is the number of all thy wisdom 't is but fancie darknesse it is not wisdom and this is the summe of all the wisdom of the beast But thou art telling me Repl. Here is wisdom among them who are in it knit and from on high this wisdom is and was before the world was in it is no sin guile or spot Answ Here thou art lifted up on high to be without sin guile or spot and yet art blinde crafty subtle to say thou hast no sin and so thy sin remained upon the score I know the wisdom of God is high deep incomprehensible and was ever is and shall be ever the same and in this there is no sin or spot But what 's all this to make good thy dream of thine own party of knowing as they are known now and of being as pure in this earthly body as the Saints are in the heavenly Art thou as wise and as spotlesse as the wisdom of God is Ask thine own conscience and stiflle it not But go on Repl. In this wisdom and understanding thou sayest learned is the Vnity out of it the number Answ Well then out of thine own mouth art thou judged not to look upon or be in the Unity but in the number and so to make the number or variety the cause of dividing from the Unity where the Unity is appearing couldest thou be looking upon the Unity and not be telling of the number thou wouldest learn to love the Unity in the midst of variety and not cry out so much upon the variety or number where there is the Unity But to let thee alone in thy fancie though it condemne thy self Repl. Thou sayest That I who out of the light am turned am out of the Vnity and so in loftinesse in scoffing pride covâ—tousnesse fair speeches customes of the world Answ And why may not a Quaker be guilty of all these If but of one in form then of all in spirit And so to apply to thy self this Art thou not still lofty scoffing jeering cousening the simple exalting thy self idleing up and down to live upon other mens labours under a pretence of preaching the Gospel which is not the Gospel but thine own fancie vision and blasphemy many times against the Tabernacle of God and them that dwell in Heaven And are not these some of the ill nay worst customes of the world And so according to thy fine talk of the number of the beast thou art found even thou in his spots living out of the Unity which is the nature and work of God thou seest in others In the number of a man which is the variety of wickednesses in the world these thou art found alive in and making thy self great too in thine imagination at the sight of a number or variety of forms and failings thou seest many of the precious ones of God in bondage too much unto Repl. Further thou tellest me My head plots deceit Answ I could wish mine head were a fountain of tears that I could weep day night for all the deceit in the land for all the abominations that are done in the midst of this untoward generation And I can desire freely the Lord to consume and destroy all the deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse that is nourished in them that perish because they believe not the truth that they might be saved Let them be consumed by the brightnesse and coming of the Lord I have no plots in me against the very worst of men but can let them alone from being
not made flesh to dwell among us there men and the way form and vvorship that men are in though outwardly never so decked and adorned in shew is but like an house forsaken and left to strangers or like a poor empty cottage left alone where nothing inhabits but the Owl and the Satyr and creeping things but where the word dwells in us with us and the Lord comes down to sit at Table and to keep us company there the men and the way form and vvorship they are under though outwardly never so contemptible are an house filled with glory and kept by the Lord for his friends his mother sister brother and this is an house I desire to dwell in all the dayes of my life to behold the fair beauty of the Lord This house is one in the spirit and the way to it one and the vvorship in it one as being built by the Lord onely for his Saints and set up by his Spirit that where he is they may be also Yet in this house are many mansions higher and lower rooms and Tables spread with meat for Children fathers young men God in every corner of his house condescending to visit all his family and to feed them with food sutable to that measure they are under Friend the whole creation is an house made for the great King to dwell in and all the creatures in this great variety according to their several capacities have the King dwelling in them and with them even so the Church of God which is a new Creation is a Tabernacle pitched by the Lord for himself and every Member of this new building in the midst of this great variety of them has the presence of the Lord in him and with him according to his capacity to receive Now the way hither is one and the light one and the vvorship one as all are brought hither by regeneration and have the Lord to be their light to teach them all that vvorship which is one in spirit and truth But how then comes the variety and diversity I ananswer it flows from the several workings operations and manifestations of the same Lord so that in the original things are one but in their comings sorth to us and in us they are multiplied Grace in the Soul is one one with what it is in Christ but in the coming of it forth in us is various and cloathed with divers names as faith hope love meeknesse patience c. even so light in the Souls of men is one but in the breaking of it forth its manifold and so there is the manifold wisdom of God and hence the actings walkings of the Saints are in a variety as they are more or lesse in a manifestation of the Original and yet this variety leads up into the Unity and teaches all to walk and live and follow Christ in the regeneration This is all the variety I plead for which flowes from the various manifestation of the same Christ and leads up into him as into its root and Center But thou sayest I plead for the Leopards spots in pleading for several forms ways of vvorship Answ I plead for no form tradition or invention of men new or old neither would I have Christians make any form a vvall of separation to divide between them others that are under any manifestation of grace and love all that I say is there are diversities of gifts administrations and operations but the same spirit Lord and God who worketh all in all and is all in all to band and free and let every one that differs from another endeavour to be fully perswaded that 't is light not darknesse the Lord not the flesh that makes the difference though the difference be still in fleshly or outward things and so having nothing but what we have received let every one think soberly of himself according as God has given to every one a measure and what men observe let them do it as unto the Lord not man in honour preferring one another waiting with patience and they shall see all the Towers that men have made fall to the ground and broken in pieces by the stone cut out of the mountain Quest 3. Whether we ought to give Tribute Custome Tythes Rent to those who have an interest in them by the Laws of the Land where we live seeing Christ said render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars Matth. 22. Answ Yea let man have the things that are his and God have the things that are his this said Christ and so say we and Paul sayes render unto all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom is due Rom. 13. 7. and this say we Repl. If thine heart and thy tongue herein agree 't is well thou hast witnessed a good confession but doest thou witnesse this indeed Art thou willing to give Tribute Custom Rent to whom 't is due Art thou as Christ was and the Apostles were subject to the Magistrates that are for conscience sake Where then is thine honour where is thy fear to the powers that be ordained of God For there 's no power but of God but seeing thou hast yielded to a duty I 'le leave thee in the performance to stand or fall to thine own Master Answ Further here thou wouldst have a Cloak for thy Tythe in too Parishes which thou hast no due unto he that hath due unto nine sheaves hath due unto the tenth Repl. To this I say I and all I have are not so much mine own as Gods they are more his due than mine and when he calls for any thing I am willing to let it go and when he gives me any thing I am willing to make use of it and to him I must give account for all not to thee as for a Cloak to maintain my Tythes I desire no other then the will of God and what the Scripture allows and the Law commands Thou sayest he who has due unto nine sheaves has due unto the tenth Fy friend what a lying and to strengthen Robbery and oppression too men are prone enough to call anothers due their own and to destroy property which thou seekest by thy lying and murmuring to maintain And further thou sayest Christ is come who put an end to that Priesthood who was to have the tenth in Israel for their maintenance and the fatherlesse vviddows and strangers with the same they were to maintain Repl. That Christ came to put an end to the first Priest-hood and their carnal Ordinances I deny not but about the several Ordinances of Tythes of old I see thou art grossely ignorant Therefore there was a tenth for the poor in Israel and a tenth for the Priest and Levite too and so observe and thou shalt finde 1. That after a man had received the fruits of the earth he was to separate out of it the first fruits these were to be offered unto the Lord who gave them unto the Priest Numb
a man singular in his generation who is able to declare it he was the Virgins son without the knowledge of a man he was the word made flesh even that word of promise which was made to Adam came and figured and brought forth it self in the similitude of sinfull flesh or in the form of man out of a woman without the least influence of man Thou shalt conceive sayes the Angel in thy womb and bring forth a son call his name Jesus he shall be great and shall be called the son of the highest How can this be sayes Marie seeing I know not a man Then answered the Angel the holy Ghost shall come upon thee the power of the highest shall over shadow thee therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the son of God here was an holy Childe a Childe begotten formed brought forth meerly by the finger of God Here was no tincture touch or influence of man in this birth therfore called the Son of God the holy thing holy flesh pure flesh like the flesh of Adam in innocency nay more glorious a body descended from God a body filled with God or God cloathed with the veil of a mans body hence there was nothing in this man but God therefore called Emanuel hence there could be no earthly sinfull minde and will begotten in and with that man no he was wholly wrapped up in the Deity in the will of the Father and so the Serpent could have no footing in him because no earthlinesse in him to work upon tempt him he might but prevail be could not because he was not an earthly seed but an heavenly and so made in the likenesse of a sinner yet he knew no sin he never fed upon that Tree but the will of his Father was his food hence he 's called holy undefiled the second Adam the Lord from heaven a spiritual heavenly man so he was in that man Iesus Christ so he is in all the Saints of God an heavenly man a new man begotten by the power of the most high and so is in us that new birth which cannot commit sin But as for thy body and the bodies of all men in the world we are far beneath Christ in our generation being men begotten of earthly seed in the lust and weaknesse and darknesse of the first Adam fallen hence after his fall he 's said to beget a son in his own likenesse after his image Gen. 5. 3. Not after the likenesse of God that could not be since he was fallen from God but after his own likenesse his own nature which was now fallen to the earth such as the father was such the son must be fleshly earthly hence it comes to passe that mans as he growes up naturally enclines to the creatures lusteth and longeth after the world and so the spirit of his Soul his minde and will becomes infected with the earth and flesh and so he longs after the earthly fruit and being darkned and estranged from the life of God through his carnall longing hence he alwayes enclines to himself to the woman the weaker part and so hearkens to the voice of flesh and goes away from God and here he commits iniquity with greedinesse Eph. 4. 17 18. and so the foundation of sin is laid in mans generation Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me and so the flesh is sins free-hold where he rules and dwels as Paul Rom. 7. 18. I know that in me that is in my flesh dwell's no good thing I do not take the flesh for the body onely for that without the Soul is a dead thing and knows neither good nor evill but for the whole first man or the man-hood made up of body and Soul this man as soon as he is born goes astray Psal 58. 3. He looks to the earth and so his minde and will becomes infected he covets and he lusts in the dark and has not he 's angry and fain he would be alone he feeds upon the outbirth with is like himself and all to nourish himself and strengthen himself and be something of himself and yet he 's faint and weary and when the Lord comes to seate himself or to arise out of the grave in him where he lies dead as it were and to form the heavenly man by his heavenly seed in this earthly Tabernacle or man-hood of ours Ah! what renting and tearing is there before the Soul be willing to receive this new guest as there must be a rending of the woman before the Childe is born so a rending of the Soul before the man-childe be born compared to the sorrows of a woman in travel and when this son of the virgin this new man is born in the minde and begins to shew himself in us then he sins not indeed but the flesh is weak and sins still and so long as the earthly house is the earthly man is and he 's for himself and so vails the heavenly in part still till the earthly be quite broken by death and hence Paul desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ not to be Christ but with Christ and that not in the body but out of the body which sayes he is best of all Phil. 1. 23. 24. and 2 Cor. 5. 1 to 9. And yet notwithstanding all this I know vain man will be wise though man be born like a wilde Asses colt Job 11. 12. Quest 10. Whether or no there be not a vast difference between the light of natural conscience and grace seeing the light of the one is a guide to the Gentiles and all men and the light of the other a peculiar guide onely unto the Saints Answ The light of Christ is the onely guide to all that follow it and besides it there is no guide to Jew or Gentile Repl. There can indeed be no other light but what comes from Christ as no other life but what comes from him for his light is the life of men and his life is the light of men Ioh. 1. 4. In him was life and the life was the light of men and so the light and the life are one in the original but in their coming forth to us they are cloathed with divers names and so as all flesh is not the same for there is one kinde of flesh of men another of fish another of birds there are also celestiall bodies and bodies terrestriall even so all light and life which is the glory of a thing is not the same and so there is one glory of the Sun another of the Moon another of the Stars for one Star differeth from another Star in glory and thus it is in the world some are wise some politick some temperate some patient some valiant and the like and this it is in the Church some Prophets some Apostles some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers some weak some strong some bond some free
the false Prophets shut out of the Kingdom of God because they love not the great chain in the hand of the Angel but to leave thee where I finde thee the chain I love and own as that which keeps me from the paths of the destroyer neither am I telling as thou sayest of Satans binding without me for this is not mine interest but the inward binding and yet when I see Satan bound in any measure without me that I can look upon with joy too well knowing that there is joy in heaven at the conversion of one sinner but I must not cast pearl before Swine lest thou turn again and rent me for the angry brood love not the Pearle Answ Further Satans binding is in the life onely learned not in the imagination Repl. And yet it may be too but in the imagination though it seemingly appear in the life as we see in a Nun Monk Hermit Pharisee and the like here 's a seeming binding of Satan in the life and yet but an imagination therefore take heed God looks most upon the heart yet upon the tongue too and when Satans binding is better manifested in thy carriage tongue then I may have better hope to say thou believest with the heart Answ Further John saw Satan bound a thousand years since which thou art still querying about Repl. John I know had a Vision of Satans binding in himself and a Vision of all the binding and loosing that was to be in ages to come and therefore the Revelation of Jesus in him was to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to passe now I know about this binding and loosing of Satan and the living and reigning with Christ a thousand years called the first resurrection there is a great variety of opinions and judgements amongst the Saints and in the world and all the opinions almost look unto things without unto some intable observation to the outward eye abroad making this and that the beginning of the thousand years and the first resurrection so making the spiritual Kingdom to spring up with some great outward glory and to begin with some observation visible to the outward man all which methinks suits not with the nature of a spirituall King and Kingdom and so seeing men feel after that without which was to be fulfilled within and hearing of the great talk of the Quakers knowledge therefore I sent to thee to know and see thine experience of this resurrection and of this binding Satan and reigning with Christ and behold I see nothing in all thine answers but vanity pride and deep darknesse so much to that answer to which I 'le adde Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection that hath Christ to be his resurrection and life by whom he 's fetched out of the grave and passed from death into life by a strong hand this man as he has bowed and given himself to Christ so Christ is come down as it were to him to set him upon the Throne of his glory and here he sees judgement executed upon the beast and Dragon and Satan bound in him all the dayes of his life and Christ living and reigning in him for evermore this is the first resurrection over which the second death hath no power and this is that I commend to all as the better part which the Saints in their measure all injoy and without which the last resurrection will be but a sad hour of sorrow and woe unto the world and so though the last resurrection I own and the day of judgement yet the first resurrection of Christ raising us up from the death of sin and darknesse to live with him to God in newnesse of life is that which every man and woman ought to look earnestly after in this world And now some may imagine that this spiritual resurrection is not the thing meant in this 20 Chap. of the Revelations because 't is said to be a thousand years and then to be finished and Satan to be loosed out of his prison again to whom I answer that the thousand years has respect to the reign of Christ in the Saints in all ages during the time of every dispensation of God towards his people in the world and so the first resurrection has still been passed through and is to be passed through by all the people of God here and finished at their departure hence in the Lord and as this resurrection was more glorious in John's time and the first ages of the Church after Christ than before under the Law so it shall be more glorious yet than ever before called therefore the new Jerusalem wherein God shall come down and dwell with men to wit more in the fulnesse and glory of his spirit than in all the dispensations that have gone before and the more glorious the resurrection is the more the evil shall be bound and the appearing of this in all ages has been the binding of Satan and is that which limits and puts a stop to this Kingdom and so a torment to him before his time and the more this grows the more he shall bound so the great binding of Satan shall be not by a personal reign of Christ in a body but by the personal or more eminent reign of Christ yet in the fulnesse of the spirit this is that which every Saint is to look at in himself and not to put off the resurrection from himself to some other men or some other time but to look at his own resurrection and the binding of Satan in his own soul as well as without in others that he may reign with Christ here and hereafter in the 12. of the Rev. 8. 9. we read of a war in Heaven and of a great fight between the Dragon and Michael but the Dragon and his Angels prevail'd not but are cast out and their place is found no more in Heaven this is that we are to look at in our selves for the Church of God is the Kingdom of God on earth and where this Kingdom is set up there Satans Kingdom is pulled down and his time finished I say where Christ is set up in power 't is so not where he 's onely set up in shew for where things are but in shew there the unclean spirit is said to go out not to be driven away by the sun of God but to feign a going away and so to return again and bring 7 other spirits that is more power along with him and finding the house swept and garnished to enter in again and dwell there and so to make the last state worse than the first but when he 's castout by the finger of God then we have the true Champion on our side and now the evil one must leave the house for ever and further though the Scriptures speak of a finishing the thousand years yet that is meant in reference unto every dispensation of God to his people here and their abode
meer notion and trifle of the bloud of his Crosse and when ye cry down the Pharisees and Priests in their titles of masters fathers even then ye must cry up the same spirit in your selves thus have ye made lies your refuge and under vanity are ye hid and so strongly enchanted and deluded with the smoak and stinking savour that arises out of the pit that ye have shut up the Kingdom of heaven and none must enter but your selves in the midst of all your strong infatuations but the Lord laughs yee to scorn And thou who sayest all the forms of the Nations are idols and that all the Lords people who worship not with ye are Harlots and no locusts there are but the Priests which have been spread in every Parish of the Nations for hundreds of years for so thou sayest in thine answer the locusts are the Priests of the Nations spread in every Parish for many hundred years thou who seest no other locusts thou hast not heard the sound of the Angel thou speakest of which when thou doest thou wilt hear that the locusts comprehend more than the Priests and take in not onely wicked and carnal and false teachers among them but likewise all the wicked envious erroneous false Teachers Priests Prophets and Disciples as they call themselves in all other Sects and forms abroad in the Nations it being the smoak that darknes the light of the Sun and the aire and shuts all discoveries of God out of the minde and heart that begets and brings forth these locusts John speaks of and happy had it been and would be sure for the Nations if none but the Priests of the Parishes had been smothered and darkned with this great smoak so that the locusts surely are more than thou art aware of and the smoak that comes from the pit greater than thou art yet acquainted with and hence thou seest not how thou thy self art found in that which thou condemnest in the Priests even in nipping and devouring the tender grasse where 't is growing and springing scoffing at all that worship not in thy Temple too made with hand roaring in the midst of thy Congregations against many of the most precious Saints of God seeking in all the power of thy Father to bring all into a confusion and to make all the name of Religion a very scorn among all the Heathen as 't is at this day And thou who still pratlest at scoffing at the Doctrine of Christ when thou thy self art still scoffing at Christ himself seeking to darken his light and glory sprung up in many precious souls in the Nation but into the pit thou and thy brethren again must go and there be bound in chains and reserved against the judgement of the great day therefore away with all thy glory thy form sends out but a nasty smell the darkest Priests of the Nations whom thou so much deridest can see thine eye blinded by the God of this world and put out by the Philistines in thee and so read if thou canst but thou knowest never a letter of the book and Word of God yet look without and within and it may be thou mayest discern the smoak and where the locusts grow and live and that they are not many of the Priests onely but many of the Quakers too who are still breathing out of the bottomlesse pit a numberlesse number of evil thoughts murders errours evil speakings blasphemies all which defile the man Quest 26. What are the two witnesses and their prophesying in Sackcloath and their standing before the God of the earth Answ One witnesse thou hast within thee that when thou art in any measure calm and quiet in thy minde lets thee see thy covetous practises thy lusts and the uncleannesse of thine heart and the Hypocrisie and hardnesse thereof and that thy walking is a far off the walking of such who are indeed Ministers of the Gospel and that a light vain deceitfull minde rules in thee that hearkens unto in that stand lest thou perish in thy corruptions if thou minde that which witnesses against thy evil deeds and unto it yieldest obedience that will give thee an hint of the other and that is swift against thee Repl. All this instead of an answer is but another buffet of the evil one the witnesse thou speakest of is my friend still and no sooner do's Satan stir but he 's at hand to binde him and to stay his mouth and not the least covetuousnesse lust wickednesse do I finde arising in me but he 's ready to rebuke and to command a calm that I may hear his voice and he 's first and last my Saviour and witnesse still and the sealer up of all my comforts and joy the father that loves me has given me the bloud and spirit of his son to seal up all his promises and favours to me that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye I might have strong consolation Therefore away away with all thine accusations delusions sooner mayest thou turn the frame of the earth and heavens than alter the fathers minde concerning me in love look for these two witnesses in thy Soul lest thy high talk of a light within go out for ever in utter darknesse and thou be lest unto the destroyer as one of thy poor brothers almost was who Satan was like to starve and burn to death in body as well as in Soul but God raised him up in great love and grace restored him to his understanding sense and light and for a memorial to all generations commanded him to publish the foot out of the snare Quest 27. What is the new creature wherein the life and power of it stands and how ye came acquainted with it in your Souls Answ The new creature is he that is in Christ Jesus and therein his life and power stands and as we came to take up the Crosse and follow the light we came to be acquainted with it in our own Souls and who witnesse the new creature old things are done away which we finde thee loaded withall and no comming to the new creature but in and through the Crosse which thou knowest not being an enemy unto the Crosse and Ranter-like must talk and tell of Eden Paradise white stone new name Tree of life new creature new Jerusalem hidden Manna Repl. Behold still the figure of an unclean spirit no changeling like the mad Cow that gives a good Meal but plucks it down again with her horn so thou now and then speakest fair a few good words we have but the end still savours of the evil one and so like the Pharisee thou art one who sayest but do's not and a stranger to the new creature which commands all muttering murmuring accusing to cease he 's calm a Lamb meek and quiet peaceable and gentle apt to teach patient he can suffer no flesh to exalt it self that 's Antichrist whom he is come to consume and he
of men But friend look into the Scriptures and be ashamed of thine ignorance in this matter was all this no suffering of Christ no part of his Crosse Doth not Peter tell us Christ suffered for us in the flesh 1 Pet. 4. 1. and was there not a real thing done by it And therefore the Scriptures say once he appeared in the end of the world to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself once he appeared And in another place the way into the holiest is by the bloud of Jesus not by our bloud as if we were our own Saviours but by the bloud of Jesus And Christ laid down his life a ransome for many And we are redeemed not with Gold and Silver but with the precious bloud of the Son of God Why cannot all this Doctrine be remembred as well as thou and thee Is not this that Crosse of Christ which is foolishnesse to them that perish and a stumbling block to the wise Jews And did not the Apostle preach through this Crosse reconciliation to the world and forgivenesse of sins to all that believe Rom. 3. 24 25. Eph. 1. 7. 1 Joh. 10 7. Heb. 9. 22. to the end 10. 10. Do not all these places speak of Christs crucifying and sufferings in which crosse lies the foundation of our comfort and salvation And must all this stand onely for a figure and cypher Is thine heart so lifted up to despise what Christ hath done and suffered for thee Surely then thou hast no lot nor portion in this matter But all this is historie and hath wrought in me thou sayest we dying and suffering in the flesh and so I am still a stranger to the crosse of Christ But friend before thou judge another judge thy self and lay thy foundation low otherwise thy building will fall Lay it in the bloud of Christ otherwise there 's no remission no salvation Then descend into thine own heart and see how Christ hath layen bleeding under his crosse how thou hast made him to serve with thine iniquities and whether this have touched thine heart to bleed with him to suffer and die with him in thy flesh 1 Pet. 4. 1. And consider now if thy pride live thou thy self and thy will live then Christ is still under his crosse to thee and thou canst not bear witnesse unto his crosse but if thou even thou thy self art dead and crucified with Christ then thou knowest his crosse and art conformable to him in death and then thy sin and flesh will die and thy painted holinesse thy blameless life thy strictnesse righteousnesse and all thine observations will die and wither too in justification as it was with Paul Phil. 3 7 8. And so thou wilt glory in nothing but Christ and what he acts for thee and works in thee who was dead but now is alive for evermore and so thou wilt empty thy self of thy self thou wilt be nothing base and vile in thine own eyes humble meek and lowly But this thou art a stranger unto and see the root of thy sins remaines within in the pride of thine heart and this makes thee binde heavy burdens upon others but if they want thine helpe thou wilt not touch it with one of thy fingers they must look for nothing but Pharaohs cruelty and chiding As for mine own part I look for nothing from man my help is in the name of the Lord and my share in the crosse and death of Christ and in his resurrection I look for no help from man who is a lyar And this lyar in thee tels thee I am an enemy unto the crosse of Christ live in the flesh dead to the life of God But to thee I say so long as mine own heart condemnes me not I can see mine enemy is slain my will crucified and I am quickened to passe more and more into the life of God A sense of this within upon my spirit makes void all the accusations and condemnations of the world Repl. But thou tellest me I minde earthly things my God is my belly I have got the Tythes of two Parishes to maintain me in pride fulnesse Answ Though the old man minde the earthly with thee yet Christ in me minds the heavenly and he teacheth me to make the Father of all my comforts not my belly my God Further know my Tythe of two Parishes is not so much of mine own getting as thy Pigge and Duck and maintenance thou gettest from silly women in their husbands absence for saying an old tale â—ver that thou hadst said fourty times over before If thou wilt know where this was ask thy conscience and that will tell thee As for that providence that feeds me and thee thou knowest it not and so art angry at all which God gives unto thy fellow-servant Repl. Further thou sayest I reproach such who run not into the same excesse of riot with me Answ As for excesse in evil the grace of my God teacheth me to abhorre it and so I cannot chuse but reproach such with it who run into it but if I see men modest sober and scrupleing outward things as Tythes or the like out of meer conscience such I cannot but own and love especially if I see them free from pride and glorying in what they do which is the spoil of all Repl. But thou seest destruction to be mine end thou sayest and an Antichrist I am and all Tythe-mongers Answ Yet surely with God there is mercy and I shall look to him not man to be saved Further thou knowest he is an Antichrist who exalts himself and denies the Father and the Son this is Scripture not he who takes Tythes or denies Tythes that 's not Scripture And so though thou denie Tythes yet thou art still an Antichrist who exaltest thy self not the Father and the Son Therefore look to it that destruction and condemnation be not thy portion for ever Repl. Further thou sayest though I have glorious words of Christ yet I know not the Crosse of Christ being alive in the flesh not crucified not dead to sin for where the dying is that nature is limited c. Answ Here thou makest a vain repetition of Words and like the Pharisee thou canst acknowledge no truth in another for this would spoil the sale of thy perfect form Hadst thou read mine answer with understanding thou mightest have learned in it that the Crosse of Christ must be passed under by every truely anointed Christian as well as by Christ the head And so we must suffer in our flesh as he did in his flesh and when we thus suffer the man of sin is crucified and limitted This thou mightest have seen in mine answer hadst thou eyes to see but the pride and fulnesse of thy fleshly heart hath closed them up As for my dying and suffering in flesh and sin I desire the just God not unjust man to be the Judge he knows what sin is and the dying is but the heart of man is
Scripture mentions I own knowing that the body is destroyed and dead and my Soul as a bird delivered from the snare Answ Further the second birth sins not 1 Joh. 3. 9. and 1 Joh. 5. 18. the second birth is without guile and spot Rev. 14. 5. and Christ is manifest to take away sin and he that abides in him sins not 1 Joh. 3. 5 6. Repl. All this I own rightly understood but 't is much besides the question for the question is not whether the new man sin but whether the man in whom this new man is manifested sin or not seeing that which is born of the spirit is spirit and that which is born of the flesh is flesh the spirit cannot sin but the flesh can do nothing but sin Rom. 7. 17 to the end and Gal. 5. 17. there you may see the two births the two men flesh and spirit and what their actions are and yet I own a taking away both of the guilt and power of sin where Christ is manifested in the new birth Answ Further but thou takest Tythes and so deniest Christ who takes away sin Repl. By the same argument thou mayest say to a Magistrate Souldier Landlord Labourer thou takest custome pay rent wages therefore thou deniest Christ who takes away sin Answ Further but Christ thou sayest has as much power to cleanse man as the first Adam to defile man Repl. Christ has more and greater Rom. 5. 15 to the end That which defiles do's not come from power properly but from weaknesse or want of power but that which cleanseth comes from the mighty power of God and yet though man be not cleansed God is not to be blamed for who art thou repliest shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Rom. 9. 18 19 20 c. Answ Further I who lived in the wayes customes fashions pastimes and vain recreations of the world it is high time for thee to plead for sin in this life Repl. This is but thy clamour neither do I plead for sin but for the truth of God witnessed both by the Letter and spirit unto all that are not fools and blinde and thy denial of sin Satan and Antichrist to be where they are either in power or part is the old trick of the evil one to hide himself where he is and that too many have drunk in this poison and say with their hearts and practice though not with their tongues Stand by I am holier than thou thou art a sinner a Satan an Antichrist I am none that many are under this sad delusion it appears by their clamouring and condemning all that worship not under their green Tree and whether thou and they are not greater friends to the beast and sin that dream in your hearts you have no sin and so are lifted up than those who confesse they have sin and so are kept humble meek and low which of these are the greatest friends to sin I leave to the light to judge Answ Further if all have remnants of sin when then must man be cleansed seeing as the Tree falls so it lies and no unclean person no unclean thing must enter into the Kingdom when is the time of cleansing is there a purgatory after man be turned into the dust Repl. The time of cleansing is here here we are not in the flesh but in the spirit that we may be comforted and yet in the flesh as well as in the spirit that we may be humbled God beholds no iniquity in Jacob and yet Jacob sees iniquity in himself all his iniquities are covered that he may be blessed and yet his iniquities sometimes appear that he may be lesse than the least of all his mercies Friend there is a purging here a real total thorow eternal purging in Gods account who reckons Saints by his grace and yet whilest the flesh remains it will hanker after the flesh and beget such breathings after self and things below that many times the best will see cause enough to mourn and to long after a dissolution when they shall see their enemies again no more for ever so that here needs no Purgatory after this life sin is here condemned destroyed and in part executed and when the dissolution comes 't is bid farewell to all the Saints of God and left to inhabite here below something here of this thou mayest call a contradiction 't is so unto the blinde 't is not so unto the wise Answ Further all who are led by the light of Christ into his life as they come and abide so are they totally freed from the worlds life and power of sin and darknesse and to lead up to this was the Saints exhortation into the Unity out of the woe into him who is but one in whom is all truth and no sin nor self nor deceivings Repl. All who are led by the light of Christ so far as they come and abide in his life spirit through his light and leading so far no farther are they freed from the life of worldlings and the power of sin and darknesse and the end of the Lords spirit by his exhortations unto others in his messengers and Saints was and is to perswade them more into the Unity of the spirit through the bond of peace that so they might be kept from the woe of sin and darknesse through a dividing from this spirit and might learn to live in him whose light and life is one in nature though not in measure in all the sons of God and he who walks and lives in Christ and Christ in him is so far delivered from sin and self and deceit into all light and truth as he walks and abides lesse or more in a sweet manifestation of his life in Christ so that Christ manifested is still the standard and measure of all our light and truth and redemption from sin and darknesse and if this manifestation were full and compleat in this earthly house what need the Saints groan and wait for a dissolution 2 Cor. 5. 1. to 10. and for the appearance and coming of Christ in glorie 1 Joh. 3. 1 2. and through hope of this endeavour still after the Lords purity verse 3. waiting for a full enojyment and discovery of their adoption or of that unto which they are adopted Rom. 8. 23. Answ Further Paul saith we know but in part we Prophesie but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. and so say I in the time of Prophesie man sees but in part and knows but it part Repl. Friend why doest thou here in thine ignorance like others to cover their ignorance wrest the Scriptures Paul sayes we know in part and we Prophesie in part and thou turnest it thus In the time of Prophesie indeed man sees but in part and knows but in part Paul do's not say in the time of Prophesie we know but in part but according as our Prophesie or Vision is so is our knowledge both but in