you fall short of him c. Ans This was thy accusation in thy former Paper which thou promised to prove positively and particularly but being required to doe it thou now goes about to shift it off with false excuses for art not thou ashamed to say it is unâ—chtistian-like in us to say unto thee we require thee to prove that which thou thy selfe promised to doe but now thou goes about to cast a snare upon the innocent and by thy windy wisdome strives to drive thy Clouds to vail then Sun Oh Elimas-like how long wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord Pr. But thou Joseph Hilling hath sent me a proud Challenge and Charge to doe it Ans I Charge thee to be a lyar here again and I appeale to these words which I sent unto thee thou having layd down some accusations as before this was my words For all which we require thee to bring in proofe positively and particularly c. not challenging nor charging thee at all to prove it but onely requiring thee therefore own thy condemnation thou hast belyed me and the lying spirit in the sets at naught the way of life Pr. And why should Pearles be cast before Swine that will trample them under feet and turne againe and rend us Ans We doe not look for Pearles at your hands for how can a Fountain send forth at one hole sweet water and bitter Or how can a lyar and a false Accuser communicate Pearles and although thou tearm us to Swine yet doe we chew our Cud and knows our Manna the food of life and the Swine we know thou that feeds upon the huske putting the letter for the word and try all of spirits and for your rule and not the new Creature Therefore I say deale honestly with thy soule and take heed that thou be not found a Swincherd in stead of a Shepherd take notice of that thou that trades with the letter Pr. And why should you require this of me or nay of us sith thou dost deny and renounce the power which the Lord hath given us to edification and not to destruction which if thou hast no experience of thy selfe yet take head of condemning them that have for wisedome is justified of her children and they that are of God hears Gods Word c. Ans I have required nothing concerning this of thee nor of any of you but that which thou thy selse prosered and why dost thou profer that which thou dost not performe this is truce-breaking and thou art a truce-breaker herein And as for denying the power which thou saith the Lord hath given you as above thou hast given me good cause to deny thee and the power by which thou art acted whose impudent lyes declares thee to have no power given of the Lord but thy power is the power of darknesse which pleads against the light transformed into the likenesse of truth before them whom the God of this world hath blinded who sees not your life nor discerns not your voyces And as for having experience of my selfe It tell thee The spirit of truth in me condemns all whose experience is but selfe experience for I know nothing of God by my selfe nor of my selfe for that cannot justifie wisdom but thou whose experience is of thy selfe is not a child of wisdom for if thou were thou would be ashamed to lye as thou hast done as is proved And as for them that are of God who hears Gods word them I dearly own and imbrace for they are gathered into the sold unto the one Shepherd and shall be no more meat for you Ezek. 34.10 to the end neither shall you be numbred with them so long as thou lyes falsely accuseth is called of men Master and sells thy selfe-experiences for money thou must stoup the stone is descending against thy Image and the Sun is risen which will seatter thy mist therefore beware betime Pr. Thou art angry with me because I say you are poor miserable c. Ans Thou speaks thou knows not what for we are no more the blinder for thy so saying but our blindnesse and miserablenesse was when we were deprived of the food of life and of the light which giveth the knowledge of God by your cunning sophisticall Doctrine by which you insinuate your selves into the peoples affections keeping them alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth which maketh free and here is blindnesse and cause of anger war and fighting in the unperfect unruly part marke that Pr. Pardon me I had but almost forgot what you say you see with them John 9.41 and with Laodicea Rev. â— 17 that you are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing c. Ans Here thou mocker shews thy selfe in belying of us we doe not see with them Iohn 9.41 who did not own Christ but we see with them that suffered the spoyling of their goods and with them that was counted as the off-scouring of all things and as sheep for the slaughter for Christs sake yea and with such as was counted deceivers by the Sect of the Learned to wit the Scribes and Pharisees therefore be willing to receive it home again for it shall stand for thine own condition with the rest of thy Function who is the successors of the Scribes and Pharisees there spoken of Iohn 9.41 take them for your predecessors and fill yee up their meisures for In their steps you are found And as for the Laâ—diceaus Rev. 3.17 that we are in their steps there spoken of is another lye for the Lord is our witnes we doe not boast of riches by increase of goods neither doe we say that we have need of nothing and here thou art exercising thy selfe in the war against the Lambe for God forbid that we should glory in any thing save in the Crosse of Christ or delight in any other increase but the increase of grace for we have need of patience that after we have done the will of God we might receive the promise Heb. 10 36. so here thou art found in thy falsification wresting and twining of Scripture to thy ows destruction against the innocent Pr. But let me tell thee that I doe not nor shall not at all beleeve you in this matter though you trumpet out your own prayses and blaâ—e your owne perfections never so much Ans Man when we trumpet out our own prayses and blaxe out our own perfections then you may have cause not to beleeve us and though you seem to lay it upon us yet we are cleave and if thou affirme it thou affirmeth a lye as thou hast done many as is proved already for there is nothing of us to wit of flesh and blood that 's prayse-worthy but we prayse the Lord the the perfector and perfection of his Saints in whom is all fulnesse unto whom we fly for teachings which makes you seers and diviners of our dayes in such a
light who gives the Knowledge of himselfe by his light 2 Cor. 4.6 to him we commit and submit our selves to be taught And seeing God is the onely giver of Knowledge effectually Reader mark then that I say which is the onely giver is the ground cause and effect spiritually and instrumentally as in Phil. 2.13 And whereas thou saith He gives some kind of Knowledge of himselfe as before I say He is the onely effectuall giver of all Divine Knowledge drawing us unto his Son Iohn 6.44 in whom our Eye being placed we come to see and to understand by his Knowledge the Works of Creation and Providence And although thou say thy answers will not sat is fâ—â— my foolish faney As for thy reproachfull termes of untruths I little matter but know though I am satisfied with that which giveth satisfaction and with so much of thine answers as is truth though but in words gathered by thy comprehension in litterall experience for true experience is far from a lyar but God gives the Knowledge of himselfe by his light 2 Cor. 4.6 and this thou art ignorant of who kicks against the prieks of Conscienes which tells thee thou should not lye nor falsly accuse nor Preach for Hire nor be called of men Master nor strive to keep people alwayes learning and still unperfect still in the bondage of corruption they could but be so if they never heard thee take notice of that But furthermore God is both the effectuall and instrumentall giver effectually according to thy own confession I say instrumentally by the Word 1 Iohn 1.14 who was quickned in the spirit by which he also went and Preached unto the spirits in Prison 1 Peter 3.19 so the Word is our Preacher which the righteousnesse of Faith speaks of Rom. 9.6.7.8 by whose light we see your cunning craft and the bottome of you all 2. Quaerie Whether you will own the Scriptures to be your rule and your loves and practises judged by the Apostles lives and practises yea or nay Pr. Ans I retort this Quarie upon your selves who have forsaken thâ—â— Scripture rule and left the good old way of the Saints and what have you to doe with the Apostles practises as Apostles ye false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming your selves into the Apostles of Christ a Cor. 11.13 that say ye are Apostles and are not but is found lyars Rev. 2.12 Ans Here thy winding Serpentine Wisedom and equivocation in seen evading my question turning is back against the innocent accusing us as above I say the Scripture we own every jor and tittle in its place and time of its ministration viz. the Old and New Testaments the first and second Priest-hood the Law and changest the Law I say all these we own in their time and also the change and we own and also witnesse the service of God and his worship in the newnesse of the spirit and not in the oldnesse of the letter and also the ruse of a new Creature which is availeable Gal. 6.15.16 which is and was the good old way of the Saints and so by that rule we come through him that doth renew us as in Tit. 3.5.6.7 into the practises of the Apostles in measure and so is not false Apostles nor no deceitfull workers that remains for thee to prove S. A. so 2 Cor. 11.13 touches us not Reader mark Paul in the 7. ver testifieth that he Preached freely and in the 9. ver Again That he was not burthensome And again in the 10. ver he would not be stopped of that boasting for cutting off occasion in the 12. ver from them which desire occasion mark Paul Preached freely and they that sought occasion against Paul was false Apostles even as the Priests of our dayes who Preaches for Hire now seeketh occasion against them that Preaches freely so Rev. 2.12 shall stand for your own condition and the Lord knows our innocency who knows also that I lye not neither doe I falsly accuse you ye Taske masters like of Egypt Pr. Ah arrant arrogant Pharisees Will no lower forme in the Church then that of the Apostle fit you 1 Cor. 12.28.29 and marke it well ah more umbitious thou Diotrophes Doe you love to have the highest preheminence Did ever any but the Pope that Lucifer Prelate and your selves pretend to an Apostolicall Commission and Revelation since the false Apostles But if ye will needs be Apostles then prove your Apostleship as Paul did 2 Cor. 12.11.12 or elt you must lye in the laps of the lye as indeed you doe Ans Here thou calls us proud wandring Pharisees from which we are clear I say our example had not where to lay his head Luke 9.58 and we are willing to take our portion with him and with our cloud of witnesses Heb. 12.1 who wandered being destitute c. Heb 11.37 and such laboured in travell Preaching the change of the Priest-hood and Law and was persecuted of them that had their Synagogues to creep into as you have now because they testified against them then as we doe against you now who is sound in their steps as is proved And whereas thou saith Will no lower forme sit c. as before I say we are content with our measure whether high or low and it is lawfull for us to covet earnestly the best things 1 Cor. 12.31 and that Scripture owned 1 Cor. 12.28 And though the Apostle hath shewed a more excellent way ver 31. And whereas we are accused with the Pope to pretend Apostolicall Commission the Pope we deny and all you who is proped up by his beastly power imprisoning for a Word or a question and suing at Law for your Gentils Tythes which was instituted and managed by the Pope and Saxon Kings as in the years 933 940 959 by King Ateston King Edmund and King Edgar Pope Innocent and others which Priest-hood and Tythes was never commanded by God in Old in or New Testament here you are seen succeeding your fathers ambitiously holding up that which God never commanded And whereas thou saith We pretend Apostolicall Commission False accusations selfe protences we deny but unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gist of Christ that measure we own Eph. 4.7 to be our Comission and Caller viz. the grace of God at the Apostle did Gal. 1 15. whether into Apostolicall or Propheticall or lower places which is all free Ministrations according to their measures without money or price and profitable in their places for the work of the Ministry for the edesying of the body for the perfecting of the Saints which perfection in this life by your Priests is denyed and so you are sound unprositable and false Apostles deceitfully working for your fat benefices transformed into the name of the Apostles or Ministers of Christs having your Commission from Man to trade with the Letter for money for the free Ministration of the Spirit is denyed by you so you deny the
rage that forging lyes is become your greatest refuge who perswades people that we trust in our selves and selfe righteousnesse which things we utterly detest and they remain for thee and you all to prove And as for despising of others that is false for we own all Creatures as they are in themselves Creatures or Vessells but the seeds is at enmity mind that for the Creation of God we have no cause to hate but the mover of cedition in the ground take notice of that Pr. As for that Scripture thou cites Luke 18.9.10 and bids we consider the scope of the Parable and we cannot but see our selves punctually to resemble the Pharisees Ans Here thou hast reckoned us up with the Pharisee and saith we resemble him here I charge thee with another lye and it remains for thee to prove which of us did or doth boast in our prayers of Fastings paying fo Tythos and that we were not like other men but we are bold to declare that our regeneration is not by our own merits nor our salvation by works of righteousnes which we have done but according to his mercy he hath saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 so thy accusations touches us not but shall stand against you with Luke 18.9.10 and all other Scripture for yâ—e are out of the rule of Scripture both under the Law and Gospel as easily may be proved Pr. Couldest thou or any of you but convince me of this that they are just that justifie themselves then I should side and say with you and the Papists your patterns in this and the most of your opinions that perfection is not onely attainable in this life but that it is the easiest thing in the world but how hard will it be to prove this principle Ans I doe not strive to convince any of their justnesse that justifie themselves for I deny them that so doth and the Papists to be our patternes but whether you will side with us or not thou and thy fellows must be forced to take the Popes Law for a prop to your Gospel for by that Law you are guarded therefore let thine accusation return home again and take the Papists for thy patternes thou and you who tradeth in their shops and as for perfections to be attainable in this life here thou shews forth thy ignorance and that thou art not called into the ministry of Christ Reader mark permand of God to Abraham Gen. 17.1 Deut. 18.13 Iob 1.8 8.20 Psal 37.37 It was the Doctrine of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.9.11 in Phil. 3.15 It was for that end that the Scripture was recorded 2 Tim. 3.17 it was the Prayer of the Apostle for the Chruch Heb. 13.21.1 Pet 5.10 Heb. 6.1 yea the whole end of the Ministre Ephes 4.11.12 thou that denyes perfection denies thy gift and the power of the Lord. For shame for what end dost thou Preach it is evident hereby that you keep people alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth which maketh free Iohn 8.32 And now that it is the easiest thing in the world I say in perfection is ease peace and joy in the holy Ghost and no treasure is to be compared to it or any measure of it and you that are not growing towards it knows nothing of redemption And thou that perswads people that perfection is not to be attained unto here keeps people alwayes in the bondage of corruction for it is hard to be attained unto which is the cause why many stumble Pr. Was is not Christs peculiar prerogative to be without sin Heb. 4 15.1 Pet. 2.22 1 John 3.5 he did challenge the world Ioh. 8 46. and could abide the bitterest brunts of the Devill because there was nothing in him for Satan to worke upon Iohn 14.30 but who besides himselfe could ever say so Ans I grant it was and is the proper freedom of the head and also of the members of that head and these Scriptures which thou hast cited I own compared with Heb. 2.18 and that none could ever truely say so of themselves is granted also But this doth not disanull perfection and thou that doth despise it and pleads against it pleads against the one offering against the Prayer of Christ and priviledge of the Saints Iohn 23.14 and against the whole end of the Ministry Ephes 4.12 and against the worke of a Minister Col. 1.28.29 so man I exhort thee be ware what thou dost least thou repent when it is too late for as the tree falls so it lyes and as death seazes upon a man so judgement will find him out and every man shall be judged according to the deeds done in his body and the righteous hath hope in his death but the wicked shall rise to the resurrection of condemnation Pr. Paul after a long and prosperous progresse in sanctification mortification and vivification was not ashamed to speak the truth Rom. 7.11.18.24 but who can beare witnesse of your humiliation in this manner nay the contrary is contemptuously and impudently boasted of by you Ans Here thou art seen to be ignorant of us speaking evill of things thou knows not for the Lord is our witnes whether we have not groaned under the bondage of corruption or not and cryed unto him which is onely able to be delivered from the body of sin And the Apostles condition we own knowing that in our flesh dwelleth no good thing which is of its own nature although thou hast thus judged of us neverthelesse we have a treasure hid in carthen vessels which you with all you doe cannot deprive us of which is our joy But to proceed Paul did not continue in sin he said God forbid Rom 1.2 c. they could not live any longer in sin they were planted together in the likenes of his death See what he dyed unto Rom. 6.10 and although Paul did complain of the body of sin Rom. 7. yet consider what testimony he gives in Rom. 8.1.2.3 37. verses take notice of Rom 8.8 thou that stands up to make voyd the comming of the Son of God by pleading against perfection taking the Apostles condition in his imperfection to pleade for the Devills Kingdom withall but leaves his after condition in Rom. 8.1.2 as though the Apostle all his life time had been subject to bondage Oh shamelesse man who for covetous ends would have people kept from the teachings of Gods Spirit which sanctifieth I say The Lord rebuke thee Pr. Is your condition then with Christ and not with the Apostle O horrible Blasphemy are you finite creatures equall with the infinite Creator doe not all naturall as well as spirituall light abhor this Ans Here thou askes a question I say our condition is with Paul in the measure of the growth and with Christ according to the measure unto which we are grown and although we be finite creatures as the Apostles was yet we can
truely say as we are faithfull that we are partakers of the divine nature which worketh and leadeth us unto the righteousnes of God and out of the Fall and out of the Curse into the Son-ship to receive the spirit of adoption and so we are made members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephes 5.30 and is not ashamed of the Doctrine of the Apostle Ephes 2.5.6 mark thou that denyes perfection and equallity with Christ shall the members deny the head oh horrible if this be thy Knowledge no wonder if thou rage with thy naturall light for spirituall light thou art ignorant of which was the Apostles message 1 Iohn 1.5 Acts 26.18 which message is trampled under Foot by you that hath your Logicke but that any thing which is of the flesh or corrupt will of man is equall with God that we deny and so is cleare from horrible blasphemy Pr. Thou tells me I call Divine light naturall but if this be thy Divine light I must tell thee I call it not naturall light but Diabolicall delusion even the glowings of Satan transforming himselfe into an Angell of light Ans I have told thee the truth though thou call it what thou will and seeing thou art given over to beleeve lyes and not onely so but a maintainer of that worke thy selfe therefore thou calls light darknesse and darknesse light And if thou call that Diabolicall delusion which I call Divine light I must tell thee thou art a blasphemer wrest and twine what way thou can for I call no other light the Divine light but that spoken of Luke 2.31 Iohn 1.9 3.20 5.35 8.12 12.36.46 Acts 26.18 Ephes 5.13 consider this thou that would put out the Sun and have all to walke in the light of thy and your flame which by your falne wisome is invented or kindled thou that hates this light which we own is in darknesse and so in Diabolicall delusion acted by the spirit of Satan in the transfiguration having a name of that which you are not to wit the Ministers of Christ for you are found in Kains Corahs and Balaams way in envie resifting the spirit gainsaying the truth loving the wages of unrighteousnes pleading for fin and imperfection and so no Ministers of Jesus Christ but of Anti-christ For the Minister of Jesus Christ said If we walke in the light as he is in the light then have we fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sins mark if we dwell or walke in the light 1 John 1.7 the light gives the knowledge of God 2 Cor. 4.6 the light is Christ Iesus John 8.12 12.36 46. and Christ is the power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 and the power of God in Divine 2 Pet. 1.3 by which Divine power we are made partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 which nature being enjoyed leads into an equallity with Christ according to measure in the regeneration So man let thine own weapons turn edge against thee Pr. But because you own not the Scripture to be the Word of God you are not afraid to abuse them and misapply them at your pleasure both in this particular and all other that Satan suggests unto you Ans The Scriptures we own to be what they are to wit the Words of God Deut. 11.18 c. 12.18 c 17.9 Prov. 30.6 Isay 31.2 Iâ—r 44.28 Micah 2.7 9. and a testification 10.5 39. a Declaration Luke 1.1 a Treatise Acts 1.1 and the words of Christ Marth 24.35 Marke 8.38 Luke 4.22 Iohn 8.47 1 Tim. 6.3 Rev. 1.3 and these words we own which was inspired by the spirit of life Into the Saints to be a Declaration of the word of life which is the Word of God and what art thou that thou would have us to pervert the Scriptures thou shews thy selfe ignorant of the Word of the Lord which would have the Scriptures to be the Word of the Lord contrary to these Scriptures Gen 15.1 Num. 22.18 Dout. 30.14.1 Sam. 3.1 Psal 33.6 107.10 119.89 Ier. 2.1 7.1 33.1 Ezek. 1.3 .6.1 7.1 Deu. 9.2 Ier. 23.29 Iohn 1.1 14 the World sanctifieth 1 Tim. 4.5 it is called his or him Heb. 4.12.13 see Heb. 11.3 Iames 1.18 at 22.1 Pet. 1.23.25 Rev. 19.13 mark the a of Pet. 3.5.6.7 oh yee Priests and others who calls the Scriptures the Word of God here you are found the abusers and misâ—applyars of the Scriptures I refer the Reader to these places above cited if it be not so and thâ— suggestions of Satan to be in the Pharisaicall grave like Ministers of this and other nations who thus perverts the Scriptures calling the Scripture that which they call not themselves but testifieth against as is proved So Simon Atkinsou thou art caught in the net that thou hast layd for others and the day is over thee and you all Pr. As for further instance how ignorantly impudently c. hast thou wrested the words of the Prophets Christ and of his Apostles to make odious his most faithfull pious painfull and profitable Ministers that rule well and labours in the word and doctrine who are therefore of men to be counted worthy of double honour 1 Tim. 5.17 upon whom thou would powre double contempt and disgrace for their labour Ans It s well that these Scriptures and your practises is both apparant we shall lay the one to the other and the Reader shall judge if he will whether I have wiested the words of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles by applying the Priests practice to them yea or my Reader mind these Scriptures I say 56.9.10.11 Ier. 5 30.31 Ezek. 34. to the end Hos 6.9 Micah 3.11 Mat. 23. from 4 to the end 2 Tim. 3.1 to the 10. ver 2 Pet. 1.2.3 14.15 17. Inde 11. and now deale honestly with these places and see it the Priests of our times be not in the same steps And where as thou saith it is to make you odious I say I would you were discovered to all then would your odiousnesse appear to them as well as it doth to us and your lambe-like discipline they would also see to be of no profit but for your own bellies and your faithsulnesse and painfulnesse for that end For which end you strive to keep people from the new Covenant Fleb 8.9.10.11 and from the light that giveth the Knowledge of God 2 Cor. 4.6.7 and from the anoynting within 1 Iohn 2.27 I say you keep people from the Kingdome of God within them Luke 17.21 in the dregs of the old Covenant miked with a new name or shadow of Christianity held in and by the coverous envious boasting principle And here you keep people in slavery to honour you own rules as lords over them You are not like the elders that was of old spoken of 1 Tim 5.17 they had not recorded that they had the tenth of mens increase as of goods and
we are in good report and bad so far be it from us to be lifted up upon any oceasion And as for the shape of thy Answers in them thy wisedome is seen and I appeale to the Reader whether there be any truer thing to be quaried after then the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse of it and whether S. A. be not in felse-exaltation who saith his answers hath more truth then I quarie after for the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse doe I quaerie after And now to come to the Answer of my Quaeties the first Word of my first quaerie being transcribed where or what Quae. 1. Where or what is the Kingdome and where is it to be found and what is the Righteousnesse of it Pr. Ans Where it is there is it to be found This answer is just as wise as thy question But secondly it is not amongst you though it is in and amongst the Saints I woane the Kingdome of grace for that ye are fallow from common grace and from the means of spirituall grace from Christ the King and from the standing Lawes of his Kingdoms so that truely you have need to inquire more seriously after is then you doe for you are far from it and quite out of the way to it A. Here thou are found a vain jangler mocking simplicity with thy fallen wisedom saying the Kingdom of God is nothing though in and amongst the Saints as though the Kingdom of God were in none but the Saints Reader mark Christ saith to the Scribes and Pharisees that the Kingdom of God was in them although they were opposers of him Luke 17.21 But S. A. sâ—ilf it is not amongst us viz. the Kingdom of grace contrary to Tit. 2.11 Iohn 1.9.10 which grace and light hath enlightened and appeared unto all men and it is both spirituall and common unto all in its appearance Tit 2.11 or else the world should be excusabl but the light shining and the grace appearing there is therefore now no cloake for sin But that we are fallen from this grace is false or from the means or from Christ or from his standing Law for this grace we own to be our Teacher as the Apostle did Tit. 2.12 and not a hireling Priest whose own the sheep are not and the means we own viz. the gist of God Christ the light who is given unto the Gentiles as well as unto the Jews Isay 49.6 and his Law we own according to the Prophets and Apostles testimony Ier. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 and these things we own and heare testimony of to be within us so that we need not goe forth as saith Christ and his Apostles Mat. 24.26.1 Iohn 2.27 whose command we have learned by his grace to be obedient unto and he viz. Christ Iesus is our way to the Kingdom who saith learne of me and got not forth he doth not say learn of Hirelings that makes bargales with their Parishioners for so much a yeare but he saith learne of me and he is our High-Priest whose lips preserve our Knowledge So I charge thee 8. A. to be a false-accuser and a lyar in this thy Answer to the first part of my quâ—rie Pr. To the other part of thy quarie viz. What is the righteousnes of it I answer Not our own righteousnes which is imperfect Isa 64.6 but the righteousnes of Christ by faith imputed c. Phil. 3.9 this is the onely perfect righteousnesse in it selfe though the righteousnessse of Saints is also perfect in him but not meritorious his is the righteousnesse of God which is revealed from Faith to c. Rom. 1.17 the everlasting righteousnesse c. which first the Jews Secondly the Papists And thirdly the Quakers being ignorant of and all going about to establish their owne righteousnesse have not submitted to Rom. 10.3 9.10 c. Ans That it s not our righteousnesse it s granted neverthelesse we must not cease to worke out our salvation seeing that man is justified by workes and not by Faith onely Iames 2.24 Secondly That it is the righteousnesse of Christ by Faith and that that righteousnesse is perfect in him and in the saints and that not meritorious as of themselves but by the righteousnesse of God which is revealed according to Rom. 1.17 is granted But lyart and false accusers is out of this righteousnesse albeit they may say as the Scripture saith as thou S. A. hath done who saith that the Quakers is agnorant of Gods righteousnesse and goes about to establish their own righteousnesse Here I charge thee again to be a lyar for Gods righteousnesse which it the righteousnesse of Faith we own which righteousnesse speaketh on this wise c. as in Rom. 10.6 but what saith it the Word is nigh thee in thy month and in thy heart Rom. 10.8 this is the Word of Faith and the righteousnes which is of Faith which we beleeve and Preach and if we or any other Preach another Gospel then the power of God Rom. 1.16 or another power than Christ the Power and Wisedome of God 1 Cor. 1.24 or any other righteousnesse then that which is of Faith which saith The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart I say let him be accursed so man be ashamed for thou art found one of them that saith The Scriptures is the Word of God and so hath not submitted unto the righteousnesse of God which saith The Word is nigh in the mouth and heart as before so in the gall of bitternesse thou art sound soming out thy own shame 2. Querie What it is that giveth the Knowledge of God and how Priests Ans God himselfe onely giveth the Knowledge of himselfe Iam. 1.5.17 Ier. 24.7 I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord. Ans That God onely gives the Knowledge of himselfe is granted and seeing that God gives man an heart to know him and is the onely giver of Knowledge Why then dost thou judge us because we doe not own your help counsell and Instruction here thou art manifest for God having given us hearts to beleeve and know him by his light which shineth in us as in them 2 Cor. 4.6 I say this light or grace which is one is sufficient for us as it was for them 2 Cor. 12.9 so him we own and witnesse to be the onely giver of Knowledge without the help of all the Learned Rabbies in the World who is of it Pr. Now he gives it I answer He gives it effectually onely by his Spirit but instrumentally by his Word Preached ordinarily he gives also some kind of Knowledge of himselfe by his Works both of Creation and Providence when he exercises the minds of men to consider them this answer is a truth though I know it wil not satisfie thy foolish fancy Ans That God gives the Knowledge of himselfe onely and effectually by himselfe who is a spirit is granted therefore to God who is a spirit and who is
and teachers so 〈◊〉 art found â—onle in that wherein thou seared me and now thou must take the papists for thy and your brethren and hearers and let them bâ—ate your testimony for they pay you Tythes or wages and you injoy their shâ—pps marke that Pr. 9. Ac. The â—arsts know that the great thing that must be done before they can â—â—duce amongst us is to make them reject their teachers and there fore they bond all their wits and endeavours to viâ—â—fie them and drow the hearts of the people from them end so do the Quakers Ans What the papists your owners doth it is nothing to us we deny them and your pastets and teachers who is thus found in discord First thou saith they call you no true Ministers but deceivers Secondly thou saith they own you for their pastors and teachers And now thou saith they strave to visâ—â—fie you and draw people form you Oh bottomles pit consasion no wonder if they mist or vapour darken the ayre and obscure the Sn but that we bend our wits and endeavours to debase you or villisie you contrary to truth and righteousnes I say that false for we lye in the will of God who is gathering people from all dumbe shepherds himselfe that they may be no more meat for them Eze. 34.10 so we rest in his counsell and in his promise â—zo 34.11.10.17 Iohn 10.16 so we rest in his counsell who treads the winepressâ— alone Isay 63.3.4.5.6 by whose power the refuge of lyars is violated and he hath a controversie with you all and is risen in righteous judgement to render a reward to the proud Psal 94.2 Pr. 10. Ac. The Papists main error consists in the contempt of the Soriptures they say they will not take it for the Word of God but on the authority of the Church and that it is but part of his Word and that Decrees and Constitutions of Popes and Counsels are of equall authority with it the Quakers say it s not the Word of God but onely a Declaration of the Word that was in them that gave it forth and that what themsâ—lves speak or write is from the same spirit therfore equal with it A. Here we deny both you and the papists who holds the Scripture to be the Word either in part or in whole and also we do deny both the Popes Decrees Constitutions Counsels and your divinations and practises to be equal with or agreeable either to the Scripture as it is or to the spirit that gave them forth and you that say they are the Word and they that say they are in part the Word of God I say unto you you are both Idolaters for the Scripture which you call the Word saith God was the Word John 1.1 and that Word became Flesh John 1.14 so you Priests is forming a whole idoll and the Papists but part of an idoll so you are found filling up the measure of your fathers greater idolaters then the paâ—ifâ—s And whereas thou saith the Quakers say it s but onely a Declaration I say the Evangelist saith also so Luke 1.1 and God is the Word who also is a spirit which did inspire his mind and will into his servants which they recorded for a restimony unto future ages which testimony is perverted wrested idolized and made a trade upon by the Parish-masters of England and else-where who is owned of the Papists for Pastors and Teachers according to S. A. his own consession but as touching the Word of God I have spoken largely to it in the 15 pag. so I say he that speaketh and writeth truth in sincerity speaketh and â—riteth from the spirit of truth viz. the spirit of God and so from the same spirit that gave forth the Scriptures and so as it is truth equall with the Scriptures of truth according to its measure Pr. 11. Ac. The Papists say it is but a dead letter so do the Quakers A. Thou said before that the papists owned you to be their pastors and teachers so you popish pastors and teachers we deny your testimony if you say that inke and paper in it selfe is living but we own it that it was the inspired words and will of God freely revealed and freely recorded by them to whom it was inspired by the moveings of the holy Ghost and so written freely for our learning but not to make a trade of as the Papists Bishops and Iesuites did of old after five or six or seven years learning as Prentises at some University and as the Parish masters doe now who after 5.6 or 7. years Prentises at some University or great Schoole gets a place or Parish in the Country and so much in the year and teaches there it may be all his life-time and will tell people that three parts of the world hath never heard of Christ and yet he abides in his Parish and once in seven dayes stands up in his shop where he is accompaniâ—d by some may be 40.50 or 60. years with some and more or lesse with most part and still they are like the crackling of Thornes under a pot unbridled unstable not so much of Christs Doctrine lived in and obeyed as yea nay in their communication or not to sweare at all so you Priests are found hatched in the Popes Nest but deeper in the mistery of witchcraft by sayrer painted profession Pr. 12. Ac. The Papists say it is not fit to be judge of controversies the Quakers say the touchstone of tryall is not the word without but the light within Ans I say I deny the Papists herein for the Scriptures is fit to judge of some controversies if it be held in the righteous part but I doe not say neither with the Papists that it is not fit nor with you popish pastors and teachers that it is the tryar of spirits so here I deny both the Papists and you And whereas thou salst We say the touchstone is not the Word without but the light within I say that God it light John 1.5 who fils Heaven and Earth with his presence let 23.24 and this is the word which we own which is like a sire and a hammar before whose eyes all things are naked and open Heb. 4.12.13 who is a discerner of the thoughts and searches the heart and tryes the reignes of people this is our touchstone the Word nigh in our mouthes and hearts Rom. 10 8. the ingrofied Word I am 1.21 and this is the light which shineth in our hearts which giveth us the knowledge of the glory of God 2 Cor. 4 6. and reproves and makes manifest all things Eph. 5.13 and thou that contemns the light within comtemns that which gave the Apostles knowledge 2 Cor. 4 6 for Christ was given for a light see the promise Isay 49.6 and also his own testimony Ioh. 8.12 12.46 and it was not a Christ without the Gentiles which was the hope of glory but Christ in them Col. 1.27 and this Christ is the
light and seed which bruiseth the head of the serpent within take notice of that and unto him all power is given and he hath said Got not forth Mat 14.16 Pr. 13. Ac. The Papists prefer the vulgar translations before the saws words that the spirit did indite the Scriptures â—â—s namely Hebrew and Greek and so doe the Quakers the English before these Ans We own all Tongues in their places but that the Scripture was given forth or indited by the spirit in Hebrew and Greek onely is false or there was at ler isalem of every Nation under Heaven and every man heard them speak in his own Language Act. 2.3.9 but I say that you or any other by the litterall Knowledge of these Tongues can open the Scriptures that we deny for as there is no respect of persons with God so there is no respect of Languages with him nor Tongues but in every nation he that feaâ—eth God and worketh righteousnes is accepted Acts 10 34 35 so seace your witchcraft from dawbing over the saints words with your Lodâ—ck who epride is in your songues your Tongues is waters the seat of the Whore Rev. 17 15. and because you would be counted wise and learned therefore you mingle your Tongues so your marchandize passes or currant amongst the blind yea I may say wilfully blind who if they will may see your ravenous inside out of which is powered envie railing lyes and slanders covetousneâ— and persecution at all that reads in this â—nd marks your reproaâ—hes may see And now I deny both the Papists and you who is both nursed up at Universiâ—ies so calâ—ed and learned in your Tongues as Pilate was Iohn 10.19 oâ— let Peter and John be witnes against you who was not learned and yet gave forth the Scripture so our native Tongue we own as châ—ese to us because it is the fist of God wereby we understand one another and we own all other in their places but we deny them that takes pride in any Tongue or mixes their dirty Logick with the Scripture for money Pâ— 14. Ac. If the Papists could but get down the regulusing authority of the Scriptures they would conclude they had won the field for they will not abide that all spirits be tâ—yed by the written word nor will the Quakers A. The Papists we deny and their indeavor herein and the Scriptures we own and their regall authority which is the power of God but all such as creep into houses to make a trade of the Scriptures abuseth the Scriptures authority and here ye Parish made â—s and Jesuite successors who coms from their Colleges into their Masse-houses are found in deavouring to tread the Regal or Kingly Authority of the Scripture under your seet so from that authority you are gone to the image of Queen Maâ—â—es Law by which the Jesuits was and you Priests is garded and by the same Law some of you have imprisoned to death as witnes Exeter Colchester Lancester Yorke and Durham Goales so the authority of the Scriptures viz. the power of God is denied by you which is sled to the power of nationall Laws and Magistrates to hold you by putting the letter for the word and tryall of spirits you your selves being ministers of the letter and yet whith the letter cannot see your selves in Cains Corahs and Balaâ—ms spirit and practises for which amongst the rest of your forceries the curse will overtake you exeâ—pt you repent And thou that would have the Scripture to be the tryar of spirits thou presumes to take the ballances out of the hand of God the Lord weighâ—th the spirits Pro 16 2. and the spirit searchâ—th all things 1 Cor. 2.10 and whatsoever maketh manifest is light Eph. 5.13 so that which searcheth weigheth and maketh manifest is the Lord his spirit and hâ— light and these three are one from whom we have â—eceiâ—ed the unction or anoâ—nting which teacheth of all thing 1 Iohn 2.27 they that tâ—yed the pirits was such as John exhorted to the anoynâ—ing for teaching from the teachings of man saith he Yereâ—d not that any mâ—n teâ—â—h you c 1 John 2 27 and they that were of God hâ—ard them that exâ—orâ—ed to the anoynting from the teachings of men of corrupt minds and this I testifie that they are guided by the spirit of Aâ—â— Christ who doth not own Christ the light come into thâ—iâ— flesh to destroy the works of the Devill and to give thee knowleâ—â—e of God and of Adoption and the hope of Glory and to give â—â—e knowledge of condemnation and righteousnes and of eaâ—◠〈◊〉 stration and how they are passed through And whereas hâ—â— art telling of aâ—titeen word â—o be the â—ryaâ— I say the Scripture we 〈◊〉 the addition â—â—e deny and shall have it upon thee to prove for â—â—ver and gold is pure in its nature but it may be mouâ—â—en into a Calfe so â—â—o the Scriptures is pure and true as they are but they may be and is abâ—sed by the builders of Babell now in the misâ—ery of their workâ—ng but the Loâ—d will no longer be mocked by such cunnâ—ng Carpenters but is risen and hath taken a view of all shadows by his light which is as the eye-lids of the Morning by which all buildings is made manifest to be upon the sand though the builders of all sorts have pretended to hew their stones from one Rock yet the Lord hath a controversie with you and by his power which is the authority of the Scriptures is the shaking all buildings at their very roots Pr. Now many more particulars could I instance were it necessary and not over tedious to prove your selves to be the Babylonesh Factors that have received the marke of the Beast in your hand though not in your fore-heads so fully yet as to discover you to all yet to us you are discovered plainely A These particulars which thou hast already instanced is sufficient for us to see thy blindnes for if thine eye had been open when thou searched my pâ—câ—e as thou said thou would thou would have bin ashamed to have thus falsly accused us with thy confusion which accusations is justly reforted to the puddle from whence they sprang for even the same spirit that called Christ mad and said he had a Devill the same spirit that called Paul a pestelont fellow and a mover of Sedition I say the same spirit in thee S. A. hath indeavoured to joyn us with the Papists thine own predecessors as is proved therefore the Romish Factors or Merchants you are found as well as Babylonish having received the mark of the Beast in your Fore-heads rushing forward in lyes and slanders as a horse into the battell so beast like pushing and wrastling with flesh and blood viz. with the persons of men plunging them into holes and dungeons even as strong beasts drives the weak so here you are found exereising the power of the first Beast persecuting the free ministration of the spirit the anoynter